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

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!

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

Ice Palace

Posted: , last updated: by fgasking

1983 Xonox

Platform: Commodore VIC-20

There has been a little flurry of late with regards to VIC-20 recoveries, and towards the end of 2023, yet another was found thanks to ItsAllDougAndGames, who brought a set of cartridges from an auction in the US. The auction was from the estate of an individual who had been a programmer and worked for various companies including Coleco.

Doug reported the odd prototype cartridge of Ice Palace, which had been released on the Commodore 64 and had seen a prototype surface for the Colecovision. After a little while would test and dump to make available. It wasn’t sure at first if the game was a prototype or a complete game, but it seems that it is thankfully the latter and quite a nice and fun game overall (if a little tough!).

It begs the question as to why the game was never released. Was it due to dwindling sales and people moving onto the Commodore 64 or for other reasons?

For now, check out the complete game for yourself and see yet another lost VIC-20 title saved. With thanks to @itsalldougandgames for the recovery work for this game and making available.

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Posted in: Reviews, Vic 20 | Tagged: | 2 Comments

Kayleth unused title screen?

Posted: by fgasking

We had a recent submission from Baracuda of a screen which is potentially related to the game Kayleth by U.S. Gold on the C64 in 1987. The question is whether it was intended for the game, or just a tribute image?

Kayleth Head upload by Baracuda

We personally think its just a tribute image done for somewhere like Compunet (by a DRR) in 1986, and based off the book (as it was a year before the U.S. Gold release). Thanks to BugJam, it seems DRR might be this person.

If anyone knows – please do get in touch or leave a comment.

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

GTW64 Christmas update 2023

Posted: by fgasking

Only feels like yesterday when I was doing the last Christmas update for GTW64, but here we are and we have a bumper update as always for you, including some very special prototypes from the disks of the late Archer Maclean, who sadly passed away last December.

We also have a series of commercial titles that have been preserved thanks to the efforts of Allan Pinkerton and a series of lost Hungarian titles dug out by Csaba Virag. This and a number of new entries added to the archive and a load of updates too for pre-existing entries. We hope you enjoy! Continue reading →

Posted in: Commodore 64, GTW64 news, News | 6 Comments

Archer Maclean materials

Posted: by fgasking

1984-198? Archer Maclean

Platforms: Commodore 64

Whilst going through Archer’s work disks, we found a few bits and pieces lurking on the disks, which might be unseen artwork or work that Archer has done. We’ll add to this page over time as more comes to light.

train large

First up we have a series of Doodle pictures found on Quicksilver’s Doodle disk that were saved, including oddly work stages for New Generation Software’s Escape. But also a set of train images, which we are wondering if they are linked to 3D Tunnel at all. There’s an unfinished Sceptre picture too. Did Archer know the artist, and was he given the disk?

According to correspondence from Archer – Quicksilva were in talks with Archer about potentially publishing Dropzone (before U.S. Gold took it on). Maybe they provided Archer with a copy during the time he was speaking with them? Continue reading →

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

International Karate prototypes

Posted: , last updated: by fgasking

1986 Archer Maclean / System 3

Platform: Commodore 64 (Atari to come)

In late 2023, Games That Weren’t was tasked with trying to preserve all of the late Archer Maclean’s work disks – including Atari and C64 formatted disks. At the time of writing, work is still ongoing, though we have been given permission by Chris Wilkins (Fusion Retro Books) to add any executable/early prototypes to show you that we find along the way.

ikproto large

First up are a small selection of prototypes from the first International Karate game, including a non-playable demo with two fighters interacting, and with no score panels or sound. There is a more advanced second prototype with the same kind of thing, with music and no sound effects.

Continue reading →

Posted in: Commodore 64, GTW64 news, Prototype | Tagged: | 3 Comments

IK+ prototypes

Posted: , last updated: by fgasking

1987 Archer Maclean / System 3 / Activision

Platform: Commodore 64

In late 2023, Games That Weren’t was tasked with trying to preserve all of the late Archer Maclean’s work disks – including Atari and C64 formatted disks. At the time of writing, work is still ongoing, though we have been given permission by Chris Wilkins (Fusion Retro Books) to add any executable/early prototypes to show you that we find along the way.

ikplus large1

Next up are a selection of prototypes from International Karate + (aka IK+), which show how Archer’s early idea for creating a 3rd fighter would start to blossom and build up into the IK+ game that we all know and love. If you haven’t already, we recommend checking out this great documentary on how both IK and IK+ were created: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRFZS9wzt7s

Continue reading →

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