Metamor Kid Goomin (Goromin) is a cancelled platform / action adventure game that was in development for the Super Famicom / Super Nintendo by BPS (Bullet Proof Software?). There are not many info on the project, but from the title and the few scans preserved in the gallery below, it seems that the main protagonist was able to morph into different forms (the italian magazine wrote about 8 different forms, as a dragon and a mole) to resolve puzzles and to reach new areas.
Celine was able to find some Metamor Kid Goomin screens in SuperPower issue #19, Console Mania #28 and EGM #59, while a couple of screens were posted by Moosmann in the Assembler Forum.
Malice is a platform game developed by Argonaut Games, that was originally meant to be released for the Playstation 1, using their Croc 2 engine. For some technical issues and (mainly) for marketing decisions, Malice PSX was cancelled and Argonaut though to port the game for the “next generation” consoles. It was 1999 and the PS2 was almost out in the market, with the new Microsoft’s XBOX soon to arrive too.
Argonaut wanted to be one of first Xbox’s developers and to showcase their new 3D engine to attract publishers and funds, so they created a Malice Xbox tech demo that looked really good for its time. Microsoft was really impressed by their work and used the Malice tech demo to show the power of the Xbox.
Argonaut aimed to release the new Malice in late 2001 as an Xbox launch title, but because of many problems in porting their project from the PSX to the XBOX, Malice was postponed too many times, was almost cancelled again and changed publishers before being finally released in 2004, with mediocre reviews.
In March 2010, the Playstation Museumpublished a deep article on the original Playstation version of Malice, sharing lots of screens and videos. As we can read on their site:
The bottom line is Malice PS1 combines the action of Croc 2 with the exploration and depth of a Mario 64 and is presented with a sense of unique style and graphic beauty and detail that would have become the new technological standard for the PlayStation.
Although Malice was released for the PS2 in 2004, the PS1 version differs greatly in storyline, graphics, design, and gameplay. Any of the former Malice designers will tell you that Malice PS2 was only a shell of its original design. Unfortunately many of the designs that made this PS1 version so enjoyable were removed in the PS2 version.
It’s interesting to note that in the video from the Playstation 1 version and in the early Xbox trailers, it was shown that the player could control a cat, but this never happens in the final game. [Info from Wikipedia]
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.
De Blob is platform-puzzle game developed by Blue Tongue and published by THQ in 2008. The game was originally developed as a free downloadable game for the Windows PC by students of Game Design & Development and Game and Media Technology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.
THQ noticed the game and was very impressed with the team’s work, acquired the rights and handed over the project to Blue Tongue Entertainment to develope the Wii version. [Info from Wikipedia]
MrRetroGamer96 found a video of an alpha/ near beta version of De Blob from E3 2007: the hud is entirely different, and the other heroes besides De Blob are not the same. Billboards all have the same image in this version, wheras in the final game they are diverse in the image that shows up on them.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a Game Boy Advance spiritual sequel to the first Donkey Kong game for Game Boy, developed by NTS in 2004. The game concept revolves around a combination of platform and puzzle elements, challenging Mario to find keys, reach a locked door, and rescue mini-Marios. [Info from Wikipedia]
Upaluppa and Kiiro found many unused stuff and beta levels still hidden in the final game’s code, as a a prototype version of the MvsDK e-card levels, Mini Marios trapped inside crystal balls as keys, some unused coins / stars and a working level editor. It’s possible that the Level Editor evolved from the unreleased Donkey Kong Plus.
Also, an unused Bomb-Ombs behavior. As wrote by upaluppa:
they start running around scared, just like Shy-Guys do, when Mario is equipped with the hammer! You’ll never see them running normally, because none of the levels with Bob-Ombs includes hammers…
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