Possibly a real Earthbound proto?

[jajaja]

Found this link in Nicola's thread, so thanks for that :)

Link (http://cgi.ebay.com/SUPER-NINTENDO-STARFOX-SUPER-WEEKEND-COMPETITION-GAME_W0QQitemZ8289693874QQcategoryZ4315QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem)

Could this be a real Earthbound proto?

[Hounder]

Wow! That's quite some find! As for it being an actual proto, I'm not sure. Hard to tell with something like this. If I only had the money, I'd buy it all!

[jajaja]

Too bad hes only selling 1 of the Starfox carts. He only posted the other pics to get more info.

[dj_spryte]

why is it that none of the other games work? would people still be interested in buying them?

[jajaja]

Dirty carts might be one possibility. But didnt earthbound need some kinda hack to get it to work? Or was that only after ROM dumping?

[Jumpman Jr.]

I'm more interested in that Zelda III that he claims never existed. When I first read his descriptions (without looking at the pictures yet), I thought that the Zelda III would be in a NES casing, but it's in a SNES one. What do you think would be in that?
The way I see it, it would probably be A Link to the Past as that is the third one in the series.... I guess. I don't know.

[jajaja]

Ye, i also though about Zelda 3 for NES when i first read hehe. I guess its just a samplecart or possibly a prototype of Link to the Past.

[Hounder]

Same here. I figured it would be NES but was suprised to see it was SNES. A proto of LTTP would be pretty cool too. And if that's what it is, I'm sure he could get some big bucks out of it on ebay!

[mills]

oh man


calling all DP detectives!

[TheRedEye]

This guy emailed me directly to ask my opinion, I'll keep in contact and let you guys know what's up. Try not to flood him with questions.

[MichaeltheGreat]

The whole supposive original seller saying "I worked for Nintendo and I know my stuff and I'm not going to sell you my rare unreleased protos but I'll sell you my earthbound for really cheap?" kinda sets off my BS meter's alarm.

[jajaja]

EDIT: missread

[Mr.Faxanadu]

I really don't like the "Earthbound" written in marker :( If it were some sorta prototype lable that would really turn me on.

This should be really interesting !! :-P

[gepeto]

I'm more interested in that Zelda III that he claims never existed. When I first read his descriptions (without looking at the pictures yet), I thought that the Zelda III would be in a NES casing, but it's in a SNES one. What do you think would be in that?
The way I see it, it would probably be A Link to the Past as that is the third one in the series.... I guess. I don't know.

I was thinking the same thing. This find reminds me of the one where a dp member found just about every one of the sega role playing games for the sega cd and saturn at a firehouse sale in PA for $100.00. He said he was gonna plan on selling them in a month or so. I wonder what ever happened?

You have finds then but there are FINDs. The one thing that throws up a flag to me he states the last one sold for at least 350.00. Can you research past auction prices? Last one I remember was 279.00 bin. and it was bought by a member here. Who later had buyers remorse.

[JOLLERANCHER]

MY STORY IS TRUE. DONT KNOW WHY HE SOLD ME THESE GAMES AND NOT THE OTHERS HE CLAIMED TO HAVE. HE BROUGHT UP THAT HE WORKED FOR NINTENDO BUT TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH I WASNT REALLY LISTENING. THERE WERE PEOPLE SWARMING ALL OVER THE TAPES AND MY MAIN OBJECTIVE WAS TO PAY FOR THEM AND GET THEM IN MY CAR. TELL YOU THE TRUTH I DIDNT KNOW WHAT I HAD BOUGHT TILL I GOT THEM HOME. I SAW THE SUPER MARIO ALL-STARS AND FIGURED I COULD MAYBE TRIPLE MY MONEY ON THE LOT ON E-BAY. DONT KNOW WHY HE SOLD ME THE EARTHBOUND AND NOT THE OTHER PROTO'S HE CLAIMED TO HAVE. HE DID SEEM LIKE KIND OF A JACKASS. WHY WOULD HE SELL ME (5) STARFOX SUPER WEEKEND GAMES FOR 40 CENTS EACH. AND I GOT THE EARTHBOUND WORKING AND HAVE SENT PICTURES TO FRANK AT LOST LEVELS.ORG. I KNOW IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE KIDS BUT THESE ITEMS I BOUGHT AT A GARAGE SALE FOR PRETTY MUCH NOTHING ARE PROBABLY THE REAL DEAL.

[JOLLERANCHER]

The whole supposive original seller saying "I worked for Nintendo and I know my stuff and I'm not going to sell you my rare unreleased protos but I'll sell you my earthbound for really cheap?" kinda sets off my BS meter's alarm. AFTER HE SOLD ME THE TAPES HE ASKED ME IF I WAS A RESELLER(WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN). I TOLD HIM I WAS BUYING THE GAMES FOR MY NEPHEWS THATS WHEN HE GOT INTO THE STORY ON HOW HE USED TO WORK FOR NINTENDO AND PART OF HIS JOB WAS TO GO TO GAMING COMPETITIONS. I THINK HIS WIFE WHO WAS LAUGHING AS I WAS WALKING AWAY WITH HIS "CRAP" MADE HIM GET RID OF THESE THINGS. I WAS THERE AND IM A PRETTY SMART GUY WITH A GREAT DEAL OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT COLLECTABLES AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY HE SOLD ME SOME GAMES AND KEPT OTHERS. I'LL BE KNOCKING ON HIS DOOR AGAIN SOON AND TRY TO GET WHATEVER HE HAS LEFT.

[mills]

ahhhhh, call caps attack! X_x

[MichaeltheGreat]

looking forward to more information. Thanks jollerancher.

[Hounder]

Very interesting. I'll be watching this topic. I wanna see some pics of some of those protos! :)

[Nicola]

Just to encourage for more help:

Earthbound pic WORKING! (http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/2251/earth16ao.jpg)

And it's translated.

[jajaja]

Cool, but im more interested in seeing the PCB board :)

[Nicola]

Cool, but im more interested in seeing the PCB board :)

In this case, someone in USA send him a gamebit!!!!

[rbudrick]

Like I said in ProgrammingAce's thread, I sent him a note explaining that those barcodes mean those games are directly from Nintendo's employee game library, just like the items Ben Smith sent me. That shit's the real deal.

Oh, this is Ace's thread:
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=999532#999532

-Rob

[TheRedEye]

Yeah, Robert's currently in need of a bit, none of the cartridges use normal screws. Last time we spoke, he said he was going to mailorder one.

[mills]

home depot should have such a bit though.

[evil_genius]

isn't there a member here that sells earthbound and other repros on his site? what would the difference between the 2 possibly be? aren't the repros from an official pro cart?

can someone post the link to his site?

[rbudrick]

Well, this version might not be glitched to freeze up.

-Rob

[JOLLERANCHER]

the i quess proto copy i own from nintendo's 1990 world championship is working!!! i took my nintendo apart stuck the tape in moved around some of those switchs on top and the 1990 nintendo world championship title page popped up. i couldnt get the tape to do anything else. can anyone tell me how to post pictures on this site because i be glad to let everyone take a look at them and the eartbound tape i got working. peace!!!!! :-P

[Nicola]

the i quess proto copy i own from nintendo's 1990 world championship is working!!! i took my nintendo apart stuck the tape in moved around some of those switchs on top and the 1990 nintendo world championship title page popped up. i couldnt get the tape to do anything else. can anyone tell me how to post pictures on this site because i be glad to let everyone take a look at them and the eartbound tape i got working. peace!!!!! :-P

Great work! So it is a NWC 1990!
You can post picture by hosting them with http://www.imageshack.us/



http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/8199/world13ak3lt.th.jpg (http://img223.imageshack.us/my.php?image=world13ak3lt.jpg)

[Hounder]

Omg.....

That's only a collector's dream to own a proto of an NWC! This thing has got be worth literally thousands of dollars. More so than even the gold NWC IMO.

This is just simply incredible.....

[jajaja]

Is this really a proto? According to DreamTR this thing is:


Well, the NWC Semifinals all had 30 carts linked up inside special modded NESes. Why? Every single one of these carts had the SAME pattern of blocks fall down on Tetris during this specific 6:15 battle. This happened daily, I am almost sure that is what this is. One of the carts in the units.


Btw, Nicola, can you please use the thumbnail link instead?

[Nicola]

...thumbnail link instead?

oops, excuse me ;)

[jajaja]

Thanks :)

[rbudrick]

Awesome!


Is this really a proto? According to DreamTR this thing is:

Quote:
Well, the NWC Semifinals all had 30 carts linked up inside special modded NESes. Why? Every single one of these carts had the SAME pattern of blocks fall down on Tetris during this specific 6:15 battle. This happened daily, I am almost sure that is what this is. One of the carts in the units.

The terminals at the NWC used regular NWC carts. The technicians carried around a little red tool kit with a few of them in it so they could switch them out if needed. They did not use protos like this at the event as far as I've been told, but I will ask Ben Smith if he remembers anything like this. I'll ask about the phone jack too...he'll probably know what it was for.

There is now 120 known NWC carts. :-)

Is this maybe the most valuable proto ever?

When you get a chance, can you get us pics of the inside of that cart?

-Rob

[almostgotthemall]

the i quess proto copy i own from nintendo's 1990 world championship is working!!! i took my nintendo apart stuck the tape in moved around some of those switchs on top and the 1990 nintendo world championship title page popped up. i couldnt get the tape to do anything else. can anyone tell me how to post pictures on this site because i be glad to let everyone take a look at them and the eartbound tape i got working. peace!!!!! :-P

If you use another controller in port 2, you can start the game.

So...are you going to sell it? 8-)

[Nicola]

I suggest to continue using this topic for Earthbound and continue the discussion about the NWC-Campus Challenge in the other >topic (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=999101#999101)<

[ChronoTriggaFoo]

This is unbelievable! What a find! After all these discussions of whether these carts exist, they have been found. I would love to own those NWC and Earthbound carts.

[rbudrick]

This is unbelievable! What a find! After all these discussions of whether these carts exist, they have been found. I would love to own those NWC and Earthbound carts

I really hope these get dumped so we can see if the code is any different!

-Rob

[jbholio]

I was reading all the posts on this wonderful find and I tought of something. Some time ago I won an auction on eBay for a SNES system with 7 games. There was a Starfox Super Weekend in the auction AND a Special Tee Shot prototype. In a way, it's similar to this Campus Challenge find. I guess the previous owner was also a Nintendo employee. Another thing in the auction is the Zelda 3 and Sim City games had -CAN ID instead of -USA. I found this was weird since the seller was from the US. Other games in the auction were Super Mario World, Super Tennis and Mario Paint.

[JOLLERANCHER]

http://pixpipeline.com/users/jollerancher

[leonk]

I wonder if there's any difference between this cart and the EB dump that's out on the net.

Size wise, they seem to be the identical (2mb PRG/2mb CHR). The screens shots also seem the same.

[jajaja]

Damn those PCB boards looks sweet, esepecialy the Earthbound one! I would get a boner opening that cart LOL

[evil_genius]

have u played zelda 3?

if so what is it?

[JOLLERANCHER]

have u played zelda 3?

if so what is it?i got my snes working. drum roll please. the zelda 3 is.....link to the past

[mills]

link to the past, wonder if anything is different than the official release?

[evil_genius]

have u played zelda 3?

if so what is it?i got my snes working. drum roll please. the zelda 3 is.....link to the past

you have the uber rare copy where link meets a talking keg and ditches his journey to get drunk though right?

[MarkMan]

This is a very exciting thread. What a wonderful find. To me this is like modern age grail lore lol.

[sniperCCJVQ]

Any new developments ?