Monster Dunk is a cancelled arcade basketball game that was in development by Mindscape Inc for the Nintendo 64, as a part of Nintendo’s “dream team” of developers that were working on titles for their “Project Reality”. It seems that the game was announced at E3 1995 but the developers never shared any official screenshot, even if the project could have been at least in a concept / prototype form, maybe if we are lucky some images could resurface some day.
In the original press release we can read:
The game takes a unique and humorous twist on the basketball game genre, featuring famous monsters playing two-on-two basketball. “Monster Dunk” will take advantage of Nintendo Ultra 64’s unique capabilities, such as providing players with dozens of stunning special-effects moves (for example, one character becoming a cloud of smoke, morphing into a bat, flying above the basket and dropping the ball through), creating dozens of random court hazards (hands periodically reaching up from the floor and grabbing players’ legs), and including humorous game- and season-ending winning team sequences (the winning team throwing the losing team out of the stadium).
In 1996 Mindscape was in huge economic problems, with expected loss of 46 millions GBP following a loss of 6.9 millions GBP in 1995, and they decided to stop the development of Monster Dunk for the N64.
Thanks to Celine for the second scan!
Images:
Video from E3 1995 (no footage of Monster Dunk sadly):
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https://archive.org/stream/GamePro_Issue_090_Volume_08_Number_03_1996-03_IDG_Publishing_US#page/n27/mode/2up
Monster Dunk Now Official — 5/13/96
Nintendo has announced a development agreement with Mindscape to create a themed basketball game for the Nintendo 64.
Monster Dunk features a variety of monsters, ghouls and freaks playing hoops. Plenty of “humorous” special effects are promised.
http://web.archive.org/web/19961220204708/http://www.next-generation.com/news/051396d.html
Monster Dunk Bricks — 8/29/96
Mindscape has confirmed that its forthcoming Nintendo 64 title, Monster Dunk has been canned.
Sources at Mindscape have told Next Generation Online that the Monster Dunk team just wasn’t behind the concept. As such Mindscape has decided to cease development on the project. It has however confirmed that a new Nintendo 64 title will be undergoing development shortly by the same team. No word yet on exactly what sort of game it will be.
Software delays and cancellations continue to be a thorn in Nintendo’s side. Should more titles in Nintendo’s third party camp get delayed or cancelled, it could have far reaching effects later this year.
http://web.archive.org/web/19961220192943/http://www.next-generation.com/news/082996b.html