Welcome to Games That Weren't!

We are a Cancelled & Unreleased Video games archive with prototypes, developer history and assets for many computers and consoles of all ages. A non-profit large archive dedicated to preserving lost games that were never released to the public. Sharing history and stories from the developers, assets and more before it is too late. GTW has been preserving lost video game history online since 1999, and long before that offline.

Please Browse our archive and discover the many entries that we host for many different platforms.

Latest News and Posts

Activision 10in1 Atari 2600 SNES prototypes

Posted: by Frank Gasking

Our next entry into the archives is something very interesting, which is sort of a set of prototypes of a game pack that was released, but then could be a cancelled attempt of some kind.  Back in 2000, DC Studios helped produce a compilation for ToyMax in 2000, which was released and later re-released by JAKKS Pacific.

snes activision large

Within the Enigma Variations archives, we could a series of different builds from 2000, for surprisingly the Super Nintendo. It seems the games were being developed on that platform, and the console on a chip was essentially to be a SNES of some kind. However, when you look at videos of the final product, the menu is very different and looks almost NES-like. So, was this SNES development canned and made way for a NES version? Continue reading →

Posted in: Prototype, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), Unused materials | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Kick Off 3 SNES Prototypes

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

Next into the GTW archives are two earlier builds of Kick Off 3 for the SNES, following on from the recent Gameboy original recoveries. Both builds are from March and May 1994, though the dates don’t seem to correlate and as a result are likely inaccurate.

koff large

The 10-05-94 build actually seems to be much earlier, with a different unused logo and where it jumps straight into a match between Argentina and Brazil with no sound, missing score areas and various other differences compared to the final game. It seems to be mostly playable, but with some glitches and where players can get stuck. Once the game finishes, it loops.

KungFuFurby has confirmed that this build is indeed the earliest of them all, and includes sound assets which are not used (utilizing David Whittaker’s sound driver). Nothing is done with the sounds at all after loading. SFX present is different to what is used in the Beta version already out there.

Continue reading →

Posted in: Prototype, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), Unused materials | Tagged: | 2 Comments

Seeking Lost JumpStart Language Games – Community Help Needed!

Posted: by Frank Gasking

A passionate fan is on a mission to track down all international versions of the 1997 edutainment game JumpStart Spanish – originally developed by FunnyBone Interactive and published by Knowledge Adventure for PC platforms.

The game was adapted to teach various languages across different countries, each with unique changes in voice acting, vocabulary, and packaging. Known versions exist from the US, UK, France, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, under names like JumpAhead French, Coup de Pouce Anglais, Flygande Start, and more. Some variants are now extremely obscure or lost to time.

Siph is currently trying to locate and preserve the following missing versions:

  • Sweden: Flygande Start Franska, Flygande Start Spanska, Flygande Start Tyska
  • Norway: Lek & Lær Fransk, Lek & Lær Spansk, Lek & Lær Tysk
  • Finland: Alkupolku Englanti, Alkupolku Ruotsi
Can you help?

1) Do you own or have access to any of these rare versions not yet on Archive.org?
2) Can you search second-hand/local listings in your country?
3) Are you willing to assist with obtaining and sharing ISO copies?

If you can help at all, please reach out to Siph via the page below:

https://crittertime.fun/viewtopic.php?t=502

Posted in: News, PC, Preservation | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Re-Volt

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

2000 DC Studios

Platform: Nintendo Game Boy Color

I lost many hours with Re-Volt back in 1999 – a fun title where you controlled various different radio-controlled cars around the likes of Supermarkets and Museums. Towards the end of 1999, DC Studios would get the go ahead to produce a Game Boy Color edition of the game for Acclaim Studios.

Revolt large shot

Of course, the Game Boy Color couldn’t replicate the 3D approach of the PC and N64 editions, so they took on a Micro Machines top-down viewpoint – so a sort of de-make if you like which was not uncommon at the time with the popularity of the hand-held. Continue reading →

Posted in: Game Boy Color, Reviews | Tagged: , | 2 Comments

Days of Thunder

Posted: by Patrick Furlong

1991 Mindscape

Platform: Amstrad CPC

Days of Thunder was based on the film starring Tom Cruise based around NASCAR racing in the USA. Mindscape got the rights to make a tie-in game and it was released on all the major platforms in the UK but not on the Amstrad.

DaysOfThunder

Judging by the poor reception it got, it may not have seemed a bad thing. But in late 1991, early 1992, Elite Systems released their compilation Movie Premiere which featured Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, Gremlins 2, Back to the Future 2 and Days of Thunder. Continue reading →

Posted in: Amstrad CPC, Reviews | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Mobocracy

Posted: by Frank Gasking

1990 Soft Dorothy Software

Platform: Apple Macintosh

Mobocracy was to be a post-apocalyptic side scroller, but was never to make it past the sketchpad phase. However, it left just enough behind to give you a glimpse of what might have been.

mobocracy large

The game was envisioned as a gritty side scrolling action game set in a post apocalyptic world, developed during the early months of 1990. It had grim tone, ambitious mechanics, and big ideas that exceeded the resources and time available. Continue reading →

Posted in: Apple Macintosh | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Titus the Fox

Posted: by Frank Gasking

1994 Titus

Platform: Super Nintendo

A surprise entry into the archives now with the start of a Titus the Fox game that no-one seemingly knew existed until now. Lurking within the Enigma Variations archives was a very quick Titus the Fox build which has the quirky main character running on the spot and which you can move around a test map.

titusthefox (1)

The test map is from Chaos Drop by the looks of it, another cancelled SNES game – which means its likely that the game was being developed by Joe Booth with graphics by Alan Macfarlane. Was the game to be a straight conversion or a completely new game? Continue reading →

Posted in: Reviews, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) | Tagged: | Leave a comment

ATV Racing Game Boy Color Prototypes

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

Our next set of prototypes to be added to the GTW archives is ATV Racing, which was eventually released in 2001 by Datel Electronics. This is mainly a V1.0 demo from 2000 with a few other variation builds, and copyrighted to Graphic State – before Datel had got involved.

atv large

It seems this was a build that was pitched around to different companies at the time by QuangDX, who didn’t get credited for the final game that was finished off and released by Datel. This was highlighted thanks to this great video by RetroBreak.

Originally the game was being developed as a CGB conversion of Re-Volt, but never got finished. Remains of the title were repurposed into this game and also a game called Race Time. Continue reading →

Posted in: Game Boy Color, Prototype | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Unknown Car Game

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1999 Charles Waddington

Platform: Nintendo Game Boy

Our next entry into the GTW archives is a currently unknown Car Game that was found lurking within the archives of Enigma Variations, and its with thanks to Mark Greenshields that we have been able to reveal it to you.

car game large

This was located with other developments, and have no accurate title for the prototype, but we have learnt that it was created by Charles Waddington, who would go on to become a games developer. This may have been part of Charles trying to break into the industry, and may have been submitted to Mark Greenshields for possible employment opportunity. Continue reading →

Posted in: Nintendo Game Boy, Reviews | Tagged: | Leave a comment