Playstation 2 (PS2)

Neo Geo Battle Coliseum [ARC PS2 – Beta]

Neo Geo Battle Coliseum is a 2 on 2 tag team fighting game developed by SNK Plyamore and released in 2005 for the Atomiswave arcade board, with a Playstation 2 port in the same year. Mikel noticed some beta differences in a trailer from the JAMMA/TGS 2004:

At 0:20, you’ll see Mai do her trademark Super Deadly Ninja Bees move, you may notice that when she starts the move, you will see that the Desperation Move Sparks are The King of Fighters XI, the Desperation Move sparks in the final version of Neo Geo Battle Coliseum are different, and the Desperation Move sparks you see later made it to The King of Fighters XI.

At 0:24, you’ll see Asura (From Samurai Shodown 64-2 (The 64 doesn’t mean that it’s for Nintendo 64, it’s for an old, abandoned Arcade Board by SNK named the “Hyper Neo Geo 64”)) preform a Double Assault, the Double Assault spark was later reused for the Leader Despeation move spark in The King of Fighters XI, and the Double Assault background is somewhat absent.

At 0:31, you’ll see Yuki doing a strange pose while K’ does some Light Kicks then K’ later taunts, the sprites for the pose Yuki was doing were absent in the final game.

At 0:33, you’ll see Fuuma doing a weird taunt that has him spinning his head around holding a folding fan, then he opens the folding fan (i.e. Mai Shiranui) at the end, I am not too sure if that taunt is in the final.

At 0:41, you’ll see that Hanzo’s stance is different, that stance was replaced with a new stance in the final game.

At 0:42, you’ll see that when Ai walks backwards, only one sprite shows up, she gets sprites when she walks backwards in the final game, and Ai’s taunt is also different.

At 0:47, you’ll see K’ preform his double assault with Tung Fu Rue, you’ll see that the background is black.

At 1:21, you’ll see Asura preform one of his moves, you will also see that the background doesn’t fade to black when he does the move (I forgot the name of the move, if you know the name, tell me right away).

Thanks to Mikel for the contribution!

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Hell On Wheels [PS2/XBOX – Unreleased]

Hell On Wheels is a prototype for an action game / beat ’em up that was in development by Skylab Entertainment in 2003 / 2004. Even if the name and the settings could make you to relate this game to Full Throttle: Hell on Wheels, this one was a different project, not related to the LucasArts series. The Skylab Entertainment studio was launched in March 2003 and it was based in Austin, Texas: it included original team members from Ritual Entertainment and Gathering of Developers. Hell On Wheels was their first original project, but it seems that they never found a publisher interested in it and in the end Skylab closed in down in 2005 without any released game.

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Project Dagger [PS2 XBOX – Prototype]

Project Dagger was an internal prototype for a new cooperative action game developed at Digital Illusions (DICE) during 2004/2005. When EA bought the studio, they did not greenlight the title for full production. From the look of the few videos preserved (that are probably target renders), the game was going to be about robbing bank and other criminal affairs, using 4 characters with different abilities. It seems that they wanted to have an online coop mode too.

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GoldenEye: Rogue Agent [XBOX PS2 GC – Beta]

GoldenEye: Rogue Agent is FPS developed by EA Los Angeles, EA Tiburon and published in 2004 by Electronic Arts, for the Xbox, Playstation 2 and GameCube. A sequel was originally planned but scrapped due to poor sales and reviews of the first one.  The game’s ending suggested a sequel as well. According to various sources, the sequel would have included vehicles and a longer story mode. [Info from Wikipedia]

DCodes7 noticed some beta differences in the early Rogue Agent screens and videos, as the models of the enemies, beta weapons design and different HUD. If you can find more changes, please let us know!

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Hitman: Blood Money [PS2 XBOX X360 – Beta]

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!

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