Two Different Batman (NES) Prototypes?

[Narifia]

I've done a search and can't seem to find much info about this. I've known about a prototype of the NES Batman game for years, all credit due to System Failure. The version I just linked to was different from the final release ONLY due to a few cheat codes being present.

Recently, though, I did a search of the Batman prototype on YouTube to see some videos of it in action, but what I found was this video that showcased a version of the Batman prototype different from the one mentioned on System Failure. This version has different cut scenes. The person who made the video links the ROM as being available on Scrybe's website, but there's only a link to the ROM and no info on the prototype itself. Does anyone know anything about this one, like how it was found and by who, exactly which version it is, or why they changed the cut scenes in the first place? For me, the history behind a prototype is as interesting as the prototype itself.

[megasdkirby]

That's so wicked!

If it's true, I wonder why they took those scenes out?

[Narifia]

My only guess is that they took the scenes out because they figured a simpler game is better. I actually for the most part like these cut scenes better, but I'm not a game programmer or designer so what do I know? :P

[DreamTR]

That Batman proto is mine. I picked it up when Sunsoft was closing down their US offices. Everything was basically going to be tossed in the trash, and I knew one of the last employees there, (I worked at a video game magazine, so we kept in touch with whatever Sunsoft was still making) and I ended up with all sorts of crazy Sunsoft history and prototypes from that US office. That was at least 6-7 years ago.

[Narifia]

That's really awesome! Did you ever get to talk to the programmer and ask about the different cutscenes, or were things too hectic for that? I'd imagine it would be pretty rough to try to talk to people about their prototypes when the company is busy with shutting down and all.

So what other "history and prototypes" did you manage to grab? Now I'm really curious

[vintagegamecrazy]

So it doesn't look like you fight Joker in that version.

[DreamTR]

That's really awesome! Did you ever get to talk to the programmer and ask about the different cutscenes, or were things too hectic for that? I'd imagine it would be pretty rough to try to talk to people about their prototypes when the company is busy with shutting down and all.

So what other "history and prototypes" did you manage to grab? Now I'm really curious

Programmer? . Like I said, I picked up a large box of stuff as they were throwing things away. I did not have time to go through the protos while I was there, put the game in an NES system, find these cutscenes, find the name of the programmer, and talk to him assuming he was still there. I don't mean to sound like an ass, but that's some crazy talk there!

I picked up a lot of protos from them for Famicom, NES, SNES, FDS, Genesis, etc. Some unreleased, some released, and a lot of archival games form their library as well of retail games.

[Narifia]

Lol, yeah I figured as much :P And don't worry, I didn't sense a bit of ass in your answer at all

That's really great, though. Thanks for solving my mystery!

So it doesn't look like you fight Joker in that version.

That's what it looked like to me, too. I guess we won't know until someone beats this version of the game (good luck!).

One thing I did notice about the proto though is that in the first level, there appears to be a power-up not present in the released version. It's a flashing square with a Batman face on it, and the only thing I can guess is that it's an extra life, but I don't think it works. The video skips through level one so it doesn't show this power-up in the video.

I made a screenshot (sorry for the small size):

[BrYaN55]

Hi
I made this video for Batman. I was very excited to play this prototype, I hope I can give enough credit to the peoples who dumped it and made it available. Thoses kind of things really change your perception on a game, especially when you see it 18 years after.

My thoughts on why it was changed, it's maybe because the game was in developpement before the movie was actualy finished, or at the same time it was filming. The producers wanted a story similar to the one in the movie so they scrapped the in-game plot, replacing it simply by cutscenes with the Joker throwing one-liners from the movie.

Or maybe they were not happy with the look of Batman in the cutscenes. The Joker look like the one in the movie for the most part, but Batman doesn't look that much like Michael Keaton.

Anyway, that's just supositions...

That's what it looked like to me, too. I guess we won't know until someone beats this version of the game (good luck!).

No, you don't fight the Joker at the end. The game ends at the boss before him in the official release. What you see in the video is really the last boss, and how it ends.

One thing I did notice about the proto though is that in the first level, there appears to be a power-up not present in the released version. It's a flashing square with a Batman face on it, and the only thing I can guess is that it's an extra life, but I don't think it works. The video skips through level one so it doesn't show this power-up in the video.

Yes, that is an extra life. I played through the game and this seems to be the only one. There's no other extra life like that in the rest of the proto. It's right at the beginning if you want to try it (by the picture, I guess you did).

[Narifia]

Hi
I made this video for Batman.

Nice, not only do I get to talk to the owner of the ROM, I also get to talk to the creator of the video! Who else can I meet? The programmer?

No, you don't fight the Joker at the end. The game ends at the boss before him in the official release. What you see in the video is really the last boss, and how it ends.

That's pretty interesting to hear. Could it be that they added the fight with the Joker at the last minute, or could it just be an earlier prototype that hadn't implemented him yet? I want to believe the latter, myself. I can't be led to believe they wouldn't have a recognizable boss at the end of a Batman game, but then again I suppose it's possible seeing as how the first TMNT game had no easily recognizable enemies.

Yes, that is an extra life. I played through the game and this seems to be the only one. There's no other extra life like that in the rest of the proto. It's right at the beginning if you want to try it (by the picture, I guess you did).

Sweet, I was right then! Wonder why there's only one in this proto, and also why they decided to take it out of the game completely before release. I suppose they did it to raise the difficulty, not that they really needed to though.

Thanks for the response! ^_^

[BrYaN55]

Nice, not only do I get to talk to the owner of the ROM, I also get to talk to the creator of the video! Who else can I meet? The programmer?

Yes, it's a little world But sadly, I am really just someone who happened to make a video of it. I don't have any special infos except my own speculations But I'm really interested to know more like you.

That's pretty interesting to hear. Could it be that they added the fight with the Joker at the last minute, or could it just be an earlier prototype that hadn't implemented him yet? I want to believe the latter, myself. I can't be led to believe they wouldn't have a recognizable boss at the end of a Batman game, but then again I suppose it's possible seeing as how the first TMNT game had no easily recognizable enemies.

Yes, but a least, TMNT had Shredder at the end. I really fell like the Joker was added later, maybe at the last minute. He kind of appear right after you beat the last boss in the final version. And the fight against him is a bitch. He always gave me a hard time. It's almost by luck when I beat him with a slugfest. He seem a little rushed to me compared to the rest of the game... Or maybe I'm totally wrong.

Sweet, I was right then! Wonder why there's only one in this proto, and also why they decided to take it out of the game completely before release. I suppose they did it to raise the difficulty, not that they really needed to though.

Maybe they thought unlimited continues were enough... Personally, I think unlimited continues are most of the time a bad thing. I'll rather have some extra lives scaterred here and there.

[TheRedEye]

That Batman proto is mine. I picked it up when Sunsoft was closing down their US offices. Everything was basically going to be tossed in the trash, and I knew one of the last employees there, (I worked at a video game magazine, so we kept in touch with whatever Sunsoft was still making) and I ended up with all sorts of crazy Sunsoft history and prototypes from that US office. That was at least 6-7 years ago.

You're confused. You got the later build from a Sunsoft guy, the super early one with the cutscenes came from me.

Technically both ROM dumps came from me and the boys, and you own or owned both of them, but that early one was my find.

[DreamTR]

You're confused. You got the later build from a Sunsoft guy, the super early one with the cutscenes came from me.

Technically both ROM dumps came from me and the boys, and you own or owned both of them, but that early one was my find.

The one with the stage select, that's the one I have, I don't "think" I have two, but I could be wrong...

[Narifia]

You're confused. You got the later build from a Sunsoft guy, the super early one with the cutscenes came from me.

Technically both ROM dumps came from me and the boys, and you own or owned both of them, but that early one was my find.

Ah, more interesting people to meet, and this time it's TheRedEye of Lost Levels fame! At the risk of sounding fangirly, I must say I really liked your old site and I equally enjoy Lost Levels.

So the ROM came from you, then. Where did you acquire the prototype? Was it taken from the ruins of Sunsoft as well?

[rbudrick]

I cry when I think of all the boxes of stuff that did not make it into DreamTR's hands when Sunsoft closed. There had to have been many dumpsters of stuff thrown out.

-Rob

[TheRedEye]

Ah, more interesting people to meet, and this time it's TheRedEye of Lost Levels fame! At the risk of sounding fangirly, I must say I really liked your old site and I equally enjoy Lost Levels.

So the ROM came from you, then. Where did you acquire the prototype? Was it taken from the ruins of Sunsoft as well?

We're talking about the super early one, with the cutscenes, right? That came from a pack rat who worked for Sunsoft U.S.A. at the time the game was in development. I have an early (pre-Sunman) version of Superman somewhere too, I don't know if that one's "out" yet.