GameCube

Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events [Beta – PS2 XBOX Gamecube]

Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events is a 2004 game developed by Adrenium Games and based on the Lemony Snicket book series and film. The game is based primarily on the movie, which in turn is based on the plots of the first three books of the series: The Bad Beginning, The Reptile Room and The Wide Window.

Prior to the release of the game, which coincided with the film’s premiere in 2004, several screenshots with what appears to be a beta version of the game have been circulating on the web. The level layout seems to be somewhat different from the final build, and Violet Baudelaire’s dress in the beta more closely resembled that of in the film (the retail build had her wearing a similar yet more raggedy outfit). The HUD was also different:

The PC version also had some leftover content, such as unused cheat codes, some of which can still be activated, and a Violet character model that was based on the original book incarnations.

Post by Felicity Merriman 

Tomb Raider Legend Beta [PS2 / PSP / PS3 / XBOX / XBOX 360 / PC / WII]

Overview: Tomb Raider Legend is the first game developed by Crystal Dynamics. Crystal Dynamics worked along side with Toby Gard (the original Tomb Raider designer). They wanted to reboot the game after the failure of Tomb Raider Angel Of Darkness. Development of this game started in 2004 just after Eidos transferred the Tomb Raider development rights to Crystal Dynamics.

There are trailers from around the E3 2005 time which show various different levels which were not present or drastically changed for the final release. Around this stage of development it is confirmed that most of the areas were just for proof of concept and used for testing for example, Lara’s Beach House. There were weapons which were cut from the final release: Smoke Grenades, Rocket Launcher, Revolver.

Early Alpha Stage – Date, May 2005
Platform: PS2

This is the build which was shown at E3 2005.

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Alpha Stage – Date, August 2005
Platform: PS2

This is the build which was shown at GC 2005.

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Editors:
1. Gh0stblade

Change log:
Gh0stblade – Added PSP info and cleanup with dates 14/01/2013
Gh0stblade – Updated basics of post, removed all old info and updated 20/03/2013 

Marionette [GameCube – Cancelled]

Marionette is a mysterious cancelled project that was in development for the Gamecube. At E3 2001, Nintendo accidentaly announced on its online release list three mysterious titles: Super Mario Sunshine, Mario 128, and Marionette. This list was pulled shortly after it was published, but the curiosity of gamers piqued.

Later, during an interview with IGN, Shigeru Miyamoto spoke out on these games in a roundtable (August, 2001)

“And as for Marionette, it is still under development. It is not a Mario game, but an actual Marionette game utilizing a puppet. I am hoping to make something both complicated and simple at the same time [with this game], which is kind of a contradiction. But already we are experimenting. And once again, sometime in the future we may be able to show you something on it.”

The game was toyed around with in concept stages (on both N64 and GameCube), but it was never actually developed in full form. As we can read in another IGN article:

“Marionette is probably more suited for something like the Wii,” said Miyamoto. “However, that type of game is difficult. Just looking at it, it seems to be fun, but then you get the feeling of, ‘Well, what do I do now?’.” Miyamoto feels that in order to make such a game last, you have to give it, among other things, a strong story.

Nintendo Dream noted that the title would be perfect for the Wii, as manipulating a marionette would be enjoyable with the Wii remote. The magazine also pointed out that the Japanese spelling of the name breaks down perfectly to “Mario” and “Net,” suggesting network features. Still, Miyamoto had some partially disappointing news. “We’re not working on it any more. However, we’d like to release something like it with the right timing, so we’re preserving it in the form of its story elements. When Marionette was being planned, we were trying to use the N64 controller in interesting ways. However, if we now use the Wii remote controller, it seems that those types of interesting elements would appear more naturally.”

Sadly, Nintendo never released any images or other media from this cancelled project.

Thanks to Mr. Game for the contribution! 

Kirby Air Ride [GC – Beta / Unused / Debug]

Kirby Air Ride is an Spin-off Kirby game developed by HAL laboratory for the Nintendo GameCube, which has been featured as the first racing game starring the pink-character that has been released. Kirby Air Ride was originally developed for the Nintendo64, but the Nintendo 64-bit version was postponed many times and then cancelled. The project seemed doomed, but Nintendo somehow resurrected it for the GameCube in 2003.

However, some Beta elements remains in some of the E3 Trailers, let see them below:

  • 0:14 ~ By a quickly look, you can see the arrow as RED color, but the Kirby is Pink;
  • 0:23 ~ In Checker Knights the graphics are little “non-detailed”;
  • 0:27 ~ When showing the HUD, it’s possible to see the map as 3D, on the final product, the map have been changed to 2D, such as a Sprite;
  • 0:27 ~ Plasma ability had an another icon (on the final version is different and it’s green) and his charge wasn’t tilt the control, it seems you would recharge such you recharge the machine, holding A;
  • 0;32 ~ Frozen Hillside was really different during the Beta;
  • 0:34 ~ The “Laps” was very bad specific, the lap counter was only a number at the top of the screen, it have been changed lately;
  • 0:34 ~ All the icons “1P-2P-3P-4P-CPU” was totally different, you can see them many on the videos, but you might only see the 2P on 0:34;
  • 0:42 ~ Inside the house on City Trial was totally pink, it was changed with more colors and objects in that house;
  • 0:44 ~ Rocket Star recharged much more faster in the Beta, in the Final version, it takes about 10 Seconds to recharged totally;
  • 0:49 ~ The volcano was totally solid with only one color, it was more detailed lately;
  • 0:49 ~ The Jumper platform was changed;
  • 0:59 ~ A lot of enemies doesn’t have shadow during the beta;
  • 1:05 ~ There is a mysterious flower in Checker Knights;
  • 1:09 ~ The Signs were removed;
  • 1:25 ~ Mike Ability seems to be uncompleted on the Beta Section;
  • Most of the stages have a minor differences: in Checker Knights, there wasn’t buttons at the end and some other stuff (such as other ways); at the desert, there wasn’t any slopes; and on other stages there was other minor differences too.
  • And here, an another trailer showing even more beta stuff:

  • 0:03 ~ The Start flag is really different;
  • 0:03 ~ The Red arrow have returned;
  • 0:17 ~ The 3D map again;
  • 0:25 ~ Look how different was the sign;
  • 0:27 ~ And look again, how different was the boost pad, there was a square with arrows, in the final version, it was much more detailed, there wasn’t a floor (square), and have more shading and etc;
  • 0:53 ~ Wheelie ability is slightly different;
  • 0:56 ~ Beta Plasma Ability as already show in the other trailer;
  • 1:02 ~ Enemies didn’t turned into dust in the Beta version, they just were fly up away;
  • 1:05 ~ In this part of the video, it’s possible to see again the uncompleted Mike ability;
  • 1:06 ~ The Spike ability had much more range;
  • 1:17 ~ This time, everyone have got Red arrows;
  • Some of the stages have little differences.
  • Hidden in the game’s code of Kirby Air Ride, there is a Debug Menu screen, which is really similar to the one in Super Smash Bros. Melee, with many features on it, such as:

  • Camera Debug
  • Item Spawner
  • Enemy Spawner
  • Game Modification
  • Effects Viewer
  • Debugging tools
  • and such others
  • I want to thanks Mack for discovering these!

    On the debug menu, we can see much unused stages and unused vehicles.

    Stages

  • TEST: It just Crashes. Update:ConkerGuru discovered a way to access this stage by just disabling an option on the Debug Menu. Let’s watch the video below!
  • TEST6: Finishing Test (just a really long line)
  • TEST7: Gliding Test
  • SIMPLE: It just Crashes
  • SIMPLE2: General Arena testing, contains some unused stuff:
  • Health Bar on Air-ride mode
  • There is a flying block enemy, which probably was to be replaced
  • Other stuff
  • DUMMY: Just nothing [It’s just like Super Smash Bros. Melee)
  • Vehicles

  • WHEEL_NORMAL: A very old model of a wheelie vehicle
  • STAR_HANDLE: Used on Top-ride, but not on City Trial/Air-ride
  • STAR_FREE: Used on Top-ride, but not on City Trial/Air-ride
  • Another informations by Mack:

    RACE3DMODEGoes into the 3d mode debug options (Stadium, City Trail and Air Ride)
    RACE3DMODEGoes into Top Ride debug menu (insanely complicated menu in Japanese);
    OPTION MODESome options such as sound option;
    PAL MODESets the language (PAL ONLY) to Europe ;
    CLEARCHECKIf enabled, all the check lists will be completed 100%;
    SOUND TESTA menu will pop which will be sound test. You can listen to both music and SFX;
    RUMBLE TESTTests the rumble feature;
    MOVIE TESTDisplays a list of all the tutorials and “movies” in the game that can be watched. Altough CPU gameplays are not present.(also know as demo movies);
    MEMCARD TEST: A bunch of complicated options related to the memory card.;
    ENDING TESTShow the 3 endings.;
    LAN EMULATELan testing feature.;
    LAN MENU TESTDisplays the lan menu.;
    SYNC TEST???? Possibly a test for sync;

    There is a Topride debug menu, which seems to edit the whole game. It’s possible to change attributes, change gravity, change items, change the track collisions, change in general, and even saves. But for now, it’s a very complicated debug menu, and will be more researches about it later.

    The Sync test, as said in Mack’s commentary, is the same box as Sound Checker, but it’s unknown about it

    There is also a vehicle called “VS_DEDEDE” which means “Dedede Stadium Arena” is the same as “DEDEDE_BIKE” the bike that you use when you choose Dedede on a Match. But this Stadium Arena version is kinda different, with worst Max Speed and better Charge Speed.

    There is a effect menu that can be accessed on gameplay (of course with the Debug Menu). There is lots of effects on the vehicles, on the levels and even, on the Menu (don’t know how view them).

    Thanks to Mack, Gabrielwoj and ConkerGuru for the contributors!

    Videos

    Unused Vehicles and Stages:

    TEST stage:

    General Debug Functions:

    Note: Mack asked me about upload the video on my profile, I gave all the credits to him, for make the video

    Enemy spawning: (all informations on the video)
    ?

    More Enemy Spawning:

    Tac and Meteo enemy usage:

    Effects Viewer:

    SYNC_TEST

    TopRide Debug Mode:

    VS_Dedede vehicle:

    Also not forgetting that the TopRide Debug Menu is very complex, this menu even was need a Save File for Debug into the game:

     
     

    Freedom Fighters [Beta – PS2 XBOX GC PC]

    Freedom Fighters its a third person shooter released for PlayStation 2, Xbox, Gamecube and PC, developed by Io Interactive and published by Electronic Arts, the game was announced in e3 2002 as Freedom: The Battle For Liberty Island and few changes have made. Diferrent HUD, there was a person detector, AK 47 used to have a bayonet, and Chris snow outfit was being used since the game beginning, the dot was yellow and huge and would turn red on enemies.

    Thanks to Vicente for the contribution!

    beta

    beta

    beta

    beta

    in 2003 Chris outfit was changed to his plumber outfit for the first levels and the HUD was almost complete, the ak 47 with bayonet still there and health packs used a different icon.

    beta

    beta

    Troy was equipped with an ak 47

    beta

    Months before the game release, a demo was made available for PC and PS2, that contains the Post Office level.

    In final version you can only complete this level when you blow up up the sniper post with a c4 earned in Police Station, then go back to Police Station and save Isabella to be allowed to continue, but she and the kid does not appear in the demo, nor even the freedom fighters from the building and Troy in Post Office.