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Rod_Wod from the Assembler Forum has posted various scans from the cancelled Akira games (based on the manga / anime with the same name) that were meant to be released by THQ for the Genesis / Mega Drive, Super Nintendo, Mega CD and Game Gear. Probably the screens published in the magazines were all from the same version, as the graphic looks almost the same for all the various consoles. Some more screens were found by Celine in Player One #44, Console Plus #44 and #35. Thanks to Sketcz from the Hardcore Gaming 101 blog for the other scans!

From an interview at Hardcore Gaming 101 we can read a lot of interesting info about the development of these unreleased Akira games:

“It was not so much cancelled or scrapped as it fell into neglect. Larry transferred rights to THQ and we couldn’t get clear agreement on the game elements with the project manager. They didn’t understand the limitations of the SNES. The project was then victim to a number of disasters including the lead programmer leaving, and other work being more pressing.”

A short video from the game was recorded at CES in summer 1994, you can see it below (it looks like the game crashes / freeze at some point). Thanks to Brian for the link to the video!

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Videos:

Others, PC / MAC, Playstation, Sony

Deathtrap Dungeon [PSX PC – Beta]

monokoma

22-03-2010

1 Comment

Deathtrap Dungeon is an action game developed by Eidos in 1998 and released for the PlayStation and PC. Although originally previewed for the gaming press alongside Eidos’ own original Tomb Raider game, Deathtrap Dungeon sat through several years of delays before finally seeing release. [Info from Wikipedia]

Derboo found some early images of the game in a Korean gaming magazine (Gamepia 8/96): in these screens we can notice a character model in red armor which could be an early version of the female player character, an unknown character model and a still from a FMV described as a machine for making humans into monsters, which seems to have been removed from final game.

The female character was changed with a thong leather bikini in the beta, but due to ratings concerns, Eidos gave her some “proper” armor before the game went gold. In some other beta screens, we can see that the game still looked incomplete, with placeholder models and different rooms layout. If someone could find more info about these or more beta shots, please let us know!

Thanks to Derboo for the contribution!

Images:

Game Boy Advance (GBA), Nintendo

I-Ninja [GBA – Cancelled]

monokoma

19-03-2010

2 Comments

The original I-Ninja is a platform / action game developed by Argonaut Games and released in 2003 for the GameCube, Playstation 2 and Xbox. Argonaut also announced a Gameboy Advance version of the game, to be developed by Destination Software (?), but this port was soon canned. I-Ninja for the GBA would have been a pseudo-3D action game, taking some of the features from the home-consoles I-Ninja (as the “running ramps” and the “slide rails”) to recreate the feeling of the game on the portable console.

As we can read in the original press release:

Following the successful GameCube, PS2, PC and XBOX versions, I-Ninja comes to Game Boy Advance! This version is a mixture of fast paced ‘Inertia Run’levels, combat arena’s, ‘Ball Rolling’ levels requiring pin point accuracy and cool showdowns in the ‘Final Boss’ levels.
Despite his size, I-Ninja is the consummate warrior and has spent years mastering his weapons and honing his fighting skills. Challenged by the world’s most wicked villain, Master O-Dor, and his menacing army of Ranx, I-Ninja is fierce in his attacks and deadly in combat. With extreme agility he navigates environments and conquers all that is evil!

We dont know why I-Ninja GBA was cancelled, but we can speculate that they did not find a publisher interested in the project or that Destination Software had some problems to port this “3D game” to the low-tech portable.

I-Ninja 2 for the PS2, Xbox and GameCube, was also cancelled when Argonaut Games had to close down in 2004 for economic issues.

Thanks to RustSh1ne for the contribution!

Images:

Microsoft, Others, PC / MAC, Playstation 2 (PS2), Sony, Xbox, Xbox 360

Hitman: Blood Money [PS2 XBOX X360 – Beta]

monokoma

16-03-2010

No Comments

Hitman: Blood Money is an action / stealth game developed by IO Interactive and published by Eidos Interactive in 2006 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360 and PC. Vicente noticed various differences in the beta screenshot that you can see in the gallery below:

Less persons and guards in the level “You better watch out”
Agen 47 disguised as a bartender in the same level (does not happen in the final?)
Beta 3D model for Lorne de Havilland (sitting near the fireplace)
Different concept design for Lorne de Havilland
Different concept design for Anthony Martinez
An unknown enemy
Agent 47 had a slightly different face
Beta Flatline level (different layout?)
Beta model of the optional target called “?” with a tattoo on her back.
Vinnie’s wife in the pool, in the level “A new life”

Thanks to Vicente for the contribution!

Images:

Nintendo, SNES + Super Famicom

Les trois Mousquetaires [SNES – Cancelled?]

monokoma

15-03-2010

No Comments

Les trois Mousquetaires (The Three Musketeers) is an action game that was in development by Loriciel for the Super Nintendo, but it seems that the project was later cancelled as we cant find any evidence of its release. Celine was able to find some screenshots from some old french magazines: Banzzai #24 and SuperPower #21. Les trois Mousquetaires’ gameplay should have been similar to the Pocky & Rocky / KiKi KaiKai series, with a top-down perspective in which the characters moving through a level while defeating approaching enemies and destroying obstacles that may block the player’s path. It’s currently unknown if the game had a multiplayer coop mode too.

Thanks to Celine for the contribution!

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