1991 Enigma Variations
Platform: Amstrad CPC
Before you say anything, I know this game came out and that Amstrad Action gave away the game on their September 1992 cover tape as I have that tape and played it to death. But there is evidence of an earlier (or later) unreleased version.
The game was reviewed in Amstrad Computer User, July 1991 in a double page spread and the graphics are totally different to that in the released game!
The two screenshots are similar in style to the C64 version but the graphics are more CPC than C64 and the font is totally different. It also shows that either Amstrad Computer User were given screenshots to use, or they had an UNBUGGED copy of the game! It also looks better from these shots, what CPC users got was a squashed down screen which these days is tricky to read right.
There were two editions of the game released – a text only version on tape (although a 128k version with graphics built in could have been done – it was with the 128k Spectrums) and a bugged disc edition with graphics (Amstrad Action even mentioned these bugs in their cover tape pages but I’m surprised no-one called them out on it).
The two screenshots show Kirrin Island locations which you can’t get to in the released disc edition, the game ending as soon as you make it to Kirrin Island (and I tried sending characters to the room and becoming them, then trying to explore but the game still ends regardless of what Kirrin Island room you go to). The locations in question is a room in the dungeons which leads to the room with the gold in, and a cave. (the game also abruptly ends if you go into one of the rooms in Kirrin Cottage.)
This leads the question as to what Amstrad Computer User reviewed. Of course they were known to review preview, unfinished or unreleased versions of games and this could have been such a version. Amstrad Action previewed the game in Issue 68 (May 1991) which made use of the same screenshots. They never reviewed it and the game made it to their cover tape in the September 1992 issue (Your Sinclair and Commodore Format also had the game on their tapes around the same time but not Amiga Format or ST Format).
With Frank and GTW looking through the Enigma Variations archive (and finding nice stuff), is it possible this edition could be found?
—
FRANK: “It looks to me that ACU may have reviewed static screenshots given to the press by Enigma Variations. The fact that Amstrad Action use the exact same screens seem to add to this theory too. What is interesting is that the released version has those scenes shown in the magazines being bugged and inaccessible. I’m guessing they are on the disks, but the game perhaps just needs fixing?
The graphics do seem very C64 like – but the bottom area is very different to the final C64 version, and much more CPC like in style. It’s very strange – but it does seem to be an earlier version. Perhaps the display had to be cut back due to storage issues or similar. Sadly, I haven’t seen anything in relation to Famous Five in the current archive we are processing – that’s not to say that something may surface in the future.”
With thanks to archive.org and Stephen (Mort) Stuttard for the scans!
Gallery
