Action Adventure

Chibi Robo [Bandai Beta Version – GameCube]

Chibi-Robo was originally being developed by just Skip, and not Nintendo (But it was still intended for a Gamecube release). The game’s storyline back then was different, you needed to train Chibi-Robo to get home and avoid the burglars that were after him. The gameplay was going to be a point-and-click like adventure. Early videos show Chibi-Robo in a Lab of some sort, running around to collect batteries to raise his own internal battery. It seems that Chibi Robo would have been able to evolve itself, as we can see different robo-upgrades in one of the concept arts.

There were also other beta objectives like pushing things over, moving objects and other ideas to get batteries and other things. After a few years, Skip gave up on the project. Nintendo though, was still interested in the idea of the game and saved it from development hell by building on Skip’s project. Nintendo reworked the engine into its current action adventure status, gave it new environments, and a new storyline. – [info from Wikipedia]

[Thanks to Matt Gander for some images!]

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Metroid IV Fusion [GBA – Beta / Proto]

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Metroid Fusion, originally known as Metroid 4, was in development for the GameBoy Color before being stopped and reworked for the GBA. In the gallery below you can see how different the Metroid Fusion beta was, especially in its early proto version shown in 2001. When the game was released in november 2002, the graphic was completely redone and many features were removed, as the ability to walk up on walls and ceilings.

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Some screenshot from: http://www.classicgaming.com/mdb

Even the later beta had various differences.

This video showcases Metroid Fusion with an odd looking HUD, and at 0:07 you can see that the enemy’s right side is blown off, a feature not present in the full game. Other things are that title cards seem to have a different font, and at 0:24 there’s a scope icon at the top right. also, at 0:33 Samus seems to be wearing a dress.

In these videos there are some unused debug rooms, though the loading points WERE hacked to get them loaded.

In this one the X parasites look different, and at 0:18 the doors look completely different. Throughout the video the scope thing (as said earlier) at the top right has a wavy texture (Maybe radio or heartbeat monitor?). The enemies also respawn much faster than in the final.

There are also some unused music hidden in the final game’s code. You can listen them in the videos below.

Thanks to Mariosegafreak for the contribution! An archive of screens, info and videos of the early Metroid Fusion versions, can be found at Celebi23’s website!

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Metroid Zero Mission [GBA – Beta]

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Metroid: Zero Mission​ is an action adventure developed by Nintendo R&D1 for the Game Boy Advance, published by Nintendo 2004. In these early screens and trailer we can notice that the graphic was completely different from the one used in the final game! Also the second and third video show that  hidden in the game’s code it’s possible to find an unused model of a Crocomire, a lost enemy, and in the gallery you can notice a debug room!

Thanks to interdpth for the contribution!

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Shantae 2: Risky Revolution [GBA – Cancelled]

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A Shantae sequel was planned for the Game Boy Advance, and screens resembled a port with updated graphics. However, all news of the game stopped and nothing became of it. It is assumed to have been cancelled. As with the original game, Shantae Advance was developed by creator Matt Bozon on his own time. This may be part of the reason for its cancellation, as without an official corporate backing, finding a publisher would be prohibitively difficult. A DS and/or PSP game may be released in the future. – [info from Wikipedia]

Another Shantae project was originally in development for the Nintendo DS in 2006, but it was later canned for some reasons. You can check our page for Shantae DS 2006 for more info and screens! In 2009, a new Shantae was announced for the DSiWare and probably it uses some of the concepts from the unreleased GBA and DS 2006 projects.

Thanks to Icefire2626 for the contribution!

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Zelda: Four Swords [GBA – Beta]

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As we can read on wikipedia, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords was a collaborative development effort between Nintendo and Capcom, the process supervised by Minoru Narita, Yoichi Yamada, Takashi Tezuka and Yoshikazu Yamashita from Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development. Capcom had begun development of The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap in 2001, but temporarily suspended it to free up resources of the Four Swords multi-player component. The sprites and some areas were much different in the beta version, if you can make a complete list of all the differences in the screens and videos below, please let us know!

Thanks to Zharkaer for the contribution!

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