Ape Escape is an action game developed by Sony Japan Studio for the original PlayStation in 1999. Thanks to Devonjames10, we are able to take a look at a Pizza Hut Demo, that has some beta differences as noted in the video. If someone could find some other beta screens or videos, please let us know!
Thanks to Devonjames10 for the contribution
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Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a platform developed by Nintendo EAD and released for the Wii in 2010. As we can read on Wikipedia, shortly after the first Super Mario Galaxy was completed, Shigeru Miyamoto approached the development team and suggested that a follow-up be produced. The game was originally planned just to do variations on the original game’s planets and call the game “More Super Mario Galaxy”, (it was dubbed “Super Mario Galaxy 1.5” during early development), with a projected development time of approximately a year.
Over time, more and more new elements and ideas were brought into the game, and it was decided that the game would be a fleshed-out sequel rather than a slightly modified follow-up. Thus, development took two and a half years. Super Mario Galaxy 2 was first shown at E3 2009, with a beta version that was similar to the final one, but still had some interesting differences, as noted by users at the Super Mario Wiki:
In the debut trailer from E3 2009, there were several changes before the game’s release date.
A planet shaped like Mario’s head could be seen. This planet is an early version of the Starship Mario.
In Cosmic Cove Galaxy, the switch which freezes the water into ice is placed on a wooden buoy-thing, similar to the place where Penguru is standing. In the final version, the switch is found on a tower.
The starting planet in Boo Moon Galaxy originally was going to have a different type of terrain and coloration that did not resemble the interior of a haunted mansion.
A giant Silver Chomp seemed to appear as a boss, possibly in the beta Battle Belt Galaxy.
Comet Medals were designed differently, as the comet’s star had no eyes.
Mario is seen sliding on a stone planet similar to Tall Trunk Galaxy’s Trunk Slide Planet is present. This game doesn’t exist in the final version.
On the E3 trailer, Sky Station Galaxy’s Soundtrack had an extra part (that sounded like a part from Gusty Garden Galaxy) that didn’t make it to the final.
In a beta version of the Flower Planet in the Supermassive Galaxy it was shown that Goombas appeared. In the final version, they don’t appear. Plus there were different flowers when Mario walks on the planet and the planet was made of dirt instead of grass.
Blue Grass Galaxy is a name for a possible scrapped beta development level of Super Mario Galaxy 2. Proof of this galaxy may exist in the E3 2009 Announcement Trailer of Super Mario Galaxy 2. A screenshot showing an unknown platform with Mario jumping on three Twirlips in a row also shows a planet in which resembles none of any of the planets and galaxies in the final release of
Galaxy 2.
There are two songs that did not make it into the game. Galaxy song 19 and “SMG2_galaxy08_strm” Galaxy song 19 is rumored to be the main theme for Blue Grass Galaxy. SMG2_galaxy08_strm was scrapped but did not become orchestrated.
Finally, although they are not found in the final game, Ice Mario and Flying Mario from the prequel can be playable via hacking. Despite the fact that they were apparently decided to be scrapped early, updated versions of their themes were found as well. Some test levels and models have been found hidden in the code of the final game, but you can’t get to them, since they lack a “UseResource.arc” the game will crash when loading them.
Also, Super Mario Galaxy 2 Could have featured Donkey Kong and Pikmin Cameos, but they were never implemented:
“One of the early proposals that we discussed for Super Mario Galaxy 2 was the possibility of including characters from other [Nintendo] franchises,” Hayashida explained through his translator. “For example, you might have Donkey Kong or Pikmin show up.”
“We presented this to Mr. Miyamoto, but he came down pretty hard, saying that there has to be a functional reason to include characters of a certain type in a game. He went to specify precisely why the Pikmin wouldn’t work.”
Some more info about the unused stuff found in Super Mario Galaxy 2, can be read at the Cutting Room Floor!
Thanks to Ismaw34 and Goomther for the contributions!
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Timmy Time is a cancelled platform game / shooter that was in development by Domark for the 32X add-on for the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis (with a rumored Saturn conversion planned too). The main character was able to travel through time, so we can assume that the game had different levels based on various time-periods (as the old west and the space in the future). The game was canned for unknown reasons.
Some images of the project were found by Celine (scan from Supersonic magazine issue #25) and Ryo Suzuki (scan from Mean Machines Sega magazine issue #25).
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The Lawnmower Man is a platform / action game based on the 1992 film of the same name, developed by Sales Curve (SCi) and released for the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis / Mega Drive (with different versions on PC, Sega CD and Gameboy). As we can read from Wikipedia, player takes control of either Dr. Angelo or Carla Parkette (the mother of Jobe’s best friend) in a typical side-scrolling shooting action. A Lawnmower Man beta was somehow leaked online, and you should be able to find it easily with Google.
Some screenshots from a supposed “Lawnmower 2” project were published in Super Pro magazine (scan by Retromags) before “Lawnmower Man 1” was released, but it seems that they are really beta images from the first game. As 90’s Gamer wrote in our Forum:
The Lawnmower Man II is of course the actually released Lawnmower Man for SNES, one of my fav’ titles on it, created by Simon Pick. A beta version of the game is also brought into the open. It contains another soundtrack, different sound effects, other intro sequence, the order of levels was altered, some level designs were changed, and it seems a harder game. Unfortunately i could not find any footage of it. The upper screen however seems a unique one, as i didn’t encounter a gigantic head of the antagonist ‘Jobe’.
Those screens published in Super Pro are probably from an earlier beta version than the leaked one.
Thanks to 90’s Gamer and Celine for the contributions!
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Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo in 1992 for the original Game Boy. It seems that Mario Land 2 changed a lot through its development, as we can notice by a series of beta screnshots found by BigFred in an old magazine. As he wrote in our Forum:
None of these scenes exist in the game in this form. There is no exit shaped like a mushroom. There are also no mushrooms in the jelly (?) stage. The status bar is different and the world map doesn’t match the final release either. Compare to the complete maps on this website: www.vgmaps.com/Atlas/GB-GBC/
Also, ace.dark found a different title screen planned for the english version.
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