Welcome to Games That Weren't!

We are an Unreleased and Cancelled 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 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 video game history since 1999.

Latest news and posts

GTW64 January 2024 update

Posted: , last updated: by fgasking

A new year, and to hit the ground running we have had a large amount of updates to the Commodore 64 archive this month. Here goes:

3 games recovered – Metal Piramid, The Spirit and Jump People

In case you missed it, this month thanks to Csaba Virag, we added two lost full games and a preview, one of which is a neat little platformer.

Metal Piramid, Jump People, The Spirit

Further Adventures of Alice in Videoland

A bit of a strange one, where this odd sequel to Alice in Videoland was released by Bug Byte on budget, but was incomplete. A game where there is much more to find!

Further Adventures of Alice in Videoland

6 other new entries added

As well as the above, we have 6 other new entries added – some of which might be titles that are out there and just need preserving.

Chemistry Tutorial, Global Conquest, Gumby, Heckle and Jeckle, Istar Crossword Jr., Morgol

17 further entries updated

Then almost last but not least, we have 17 entry updates, with new information, scans and more – including a number of missing titles that have been preserved under the likes of the Dynacomp catalog, Orbyte Software titles and Sunburst Communications thanks to Allan Pinkerton!

19 Boot Camp – Part 2, 2400 A.D., Bomb, Car Game, Derek Bell’s Le Mans, Dynacomp catalog titles, Grubz, Infection, Jaceman, Laser Disc to C64 interface, Mad Planets, Murder!, Orbyte Software titles, People from Sirius, Sunburst Communications titles, The Ronin, Undead

Chevy Tech 1987 disk preservation

And finally we have preservation of a vehicle advertisement/catalogue disk from Allan Pinkerton which we have shared on the site.

Chevy Tech page

Enjoy and see you next month!

Posted in: Commodore 64, GTW64 news | Leave a comment

Educational and bible titles preserved

Posted: , last updated: by fgasking

Contributor Allan Pinkerton is on fire at the moment with his preservation work, and he has preserved a large bundle of educational titles from Kidware and also Bible research files for the Commodore 64.

solar

There is also a Quiz Minder title which Allan has tried to dump, but has been having issues with so far. We’ve added what Allan has preserved so far.

We haven’t created GTW entries, as these titles were actually released – but we are sharing the preservation work that Allan has done, so here you go and please feel free to add to any digital archives:

In March 2024, Marco Das then preserved some more Kidware titles, which you can find links to below:

Posted in: Commodore 64, Features, GTW64 news | Tagged: | 2 Comments

Battle Bowls

Posted: , last updated: by fgasking

1996 Frontier Software

Platforms: Atari ST, Atari Falcon, Commodore Amiga and PC

Our next entry in the archives is a puzzler that was due for release on Commodore Amiga and Atari ST platforms, then later Atari Falcon and PC. The game was due for a late release for back in 1996 when the ST/Amiga platforms were practically gone commercially.

battle large
A screenshot from the PC DOS version of the game. Check out a download link below!

Continue reading →

Posted in: Amiga, Atari Falcon, Atari ST, PC, Reviews | Tagged: | 2 Comments

The Magician’s Castle

Posted: , last updated: by fgasking

1994 Psygnosis

Platforms: Commodore Amiga and PC

We’ve covered a few Miracle Games titles over the years, including later incarnations of Dick Special and also Bouncy Bat game. In 1994, another title from the studio was due for release via Psygnosis in the form of The Magician’s Castle.

magician5

The game was to be an adventure/puzzle game where two brother magicians (each jealous of each other’s skills) are at war. Brother A has cast a spell over Brother B (yourself!), who is now a prisoner in his own castle, drained of all magical abilities. Fortunately before this happened, he was able to activate his hat, gloves, shoes and cane into a magical assistant. This assistant is your only hope of gaining freedom. The story is much darker, as you will find out further on. Continue reading →

Posted in: Amiga, PC, Reviews | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Avalanche prototype for the Atari 400/800

Posted: by fgasking

A quick news post to highlight an Atari 400/800 prototype that has gone under the radar, as reported by Bertrand / Atari Frog.

http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-avalanche_42784.html

Seems to be essentially the same game, but with some slight differences including:

  • No year displayed on the prototype
  • Ending screen shows “THE END” instead of “GAME OVER”
  • Tighter code possibly on the released game.
Posted in: Atari 400/800, News | Leave a comment

MegaTraveller 3: The Unknown Worlds

Posted: by fgasking

1992 MicroPlay Software / Empire

Platforms: PC and Commodore Amiga

The MegaTraveller series were a set of sci-fi role playing games that were produced by Paragon Software for MicroProse and Empire Software. Reviews were however mixed, though the series did have its fans – so much so, Paragon must have thought that a 3rd game was necessary.

Well, ACE magazine (issue 50) spoke with F.J. Lennon about Paragon and various titles in November 1991, where it was mentioned that there was so much background material and information not touched, that Paragon could see no end to the series. Continue reading →

Posted in: Amiga, PC, Reviews | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Missing Train Simulations

Posted: , last updated: by fgasking

1984-1995 Ashley Greenup/Dee-Kay Systems

Platforms: BBC Micro, C64, ZX Spectrum and Amiga

It is thanks to Ivan S that it has come to light that a series of Train games created by Ashley Greenup/Dee-Kay Systems are currently missing and not yet preserved. Many of the ones preserved you can find on the likes of CPC-Power, Gamebase64 and Hall of Light.

In February 2024 – all the Amiga titles that were missing were found and recovered thanks to Belgarath from the EAB forums. Thanks to Ivan S for flagging this up and passing on the files.

Continue reading →

Posted in: Amiga, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, GTW64 news, Reviews, ZX Spectrum | Tagged: | 10 Comments

The Endless Maze algorithm

Posted: , last updated: by fgasking

Speaking recently with Paul Allen Newell, who helped with the Games That Weren’t book due to his Vectrex connections, Paul flagged up with us recent stories of how his endless maze algorithm (developed for the Atari 2600) caused a bit of attention. Where researchers tried to figure out how it worked and who did what, as well as resolving mythologies uncovered in the process. It made for fascinating reading and I loved how everything came to light over a period of time.

AMAZE cartridgeArt
Initial physical prototype version of Amaze that was built by Paul in 1981.

Rather than re-tell the entire story which is covered elsewhere in great detail, we are sharing links to the various papers, podcasts, and pages that have been published in chronological order, so you can see and read through the journey which would eventually lead to the original prototype code being made available.  If anything else comes to light which is new information, we will add it here. Continue reading →

Posted in: Atari 2600 / Atari VCS, Features, Prototype | Tagged: | 1 Comment

Tantalus

Posted: , last updated: by fgasking

1991 Electronic Arts / Maverick Developments

Platforms: Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, PC

Tantalus was to be a complex 3D space simulation for a variety of platforms back in 1991, where you could play solo or in a multiplayer mode. The team behind the development was Maverick Developments who wanted to push things to the limit with their game that was heavily inspired by classics such as Elite.

tant10

Within the game you would control a young pilot without any money or a ship, where you must work for others to try and get money to trade and eventually travel from planet to planet doing trade. Profits generated from the activity will allow you to improve your ship and increase chances of survival. Continue reading →

Posted in: Amiga, Atari ST, PC, Reviews | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Chevy Tech 1987 disk

Posted: , last updated: by fgasking

A slightly obscure title now for the archive in the form of a Chevrolet advertisement disk, which has a series of prices and specifications for different Chevrolet vehicles.

chevy1

8-Bit Show and Tell have previously covered the disk and its various formats, and look at an 1986 edition of the disk, which even contains a game called Depreciation Derby. This particular disk seems to be a 1987 edition with a different loading screen and music.

It is with huge thanks to Allan Pinkerton for preserving, so that we can make it available. It’s an interesting curiosity, and at the very least another SID tune for HVSC :-)

With thanks to Allan Pinkerton for preserving and sharing!

Download
Gallery

Posted in: Commodore 64, Features, GTW64 news | Tagged: | 2 Comments