Welcome to Games That Weren't!

We are an 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

Creation

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1996 Bullfrog Productions

Platforms: Amiga CD 32, PC, Sony PlayStation and SEGA Saturn

As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are  adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you.

Within the book is a short double page spread on the unreleased Creation game by Bullfrog, with a quote from Glenn Corpes to briefly summarize the project. The title was a very ambitious underwater game, where marine life have been saved from the Earth’s destroyed Oceans.

main 050

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Posted in: Amiga CD32, Bonus, PC, Reviews, SEGA Saturn, Sony PlayStation | Tagged: | Leave a comment

GTW64 update for November 2020

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

Almost the end of 2020, and continuing our regular GTW64 posts, here are the various additions and updates that have occurred over the past month.

5 new entries added

Gauntlet 3 V1, Heroes and Cowards, PP Hammer 2, Stratos, The Time Crystal

15 updates added

Babylon, Daffy Duck, Delphian, Jet Set Willy V1, Jonny Quest and the Splinter of Heaven, Kljuc, Last Ninja V1, Mindbending Aliens From Hyperspace, Mortal Kombat 2, Night Hunter, Phoenix Lair, Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, Who Dares Wins, X-Men, Zzap Italia homebrew

Posted in: GTW64 news, News | Leave a comment

Frogger 2: Swampy’s Revenge

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

2000 Interactive Studios

Platform: Nintendo 64

As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are  adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you.

Within the book is an in-depth and detailed 10 page story about the unreleased Nintendo 64 edition of Frogger 2 by Interactive Studios. We spoke to Andrew and Philip Oliver, Andy Eder, Darren Wood, Matt Cloy and Steve Bond about the cancelled platform development due to cartridge commitment costs.

Whilst researching about the game, Philip Oliver very kindly dug out a number of photos and pictures of assets from around the time of the game’s development, including an unused advert showing the N64 as a release platform. Not everything could be included in the book, so we have added it here as bonus DLC, including a number of screenshots which we obtained that were not used. Continue reading →

Posted in: Bonus, Nintendo 64, Reviews | Tagged: , | 8 Comments

Stunt Car Racer Pro

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

2003 Simergy and Lost Toys

Platforms: Microsoft Xbox, PC and Sony PlayStation 2

As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are  adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you.

Within the book is an in-depth and detailed 12 page story about the unreleased Stunt Car Racer Pro, the sequel to the classic Microprose game by Simergy and Lost Toys for the Microsoft Xbox, PC and Sony PlayStation 2 platforms. We overall speak to Geoff Crammond, Alex Trowers, Ben Carter and Glenn Corpes about the project which was sadly never to be and never picked up by any publishers at the time.

SCR Pro 25

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Posted in: Bonus, Microsoft Xbox, PC, Reviews, Sony PlayStation 2 | Tagged: | 4 Comments

Halloween/horror themed games from the archive

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

Just seeing all the Halloween posts today, I wondered if there were that many Halloween/Horror related games in the GTW archive, so decided to have a bit of a delve and was quite surprised just how many cancelled titles there were.

So here is a quick post to share and highlight 25 Horror/Halloween themed games we have covered over the years:

Amiga/ST
C64
NES
ZX Spectrum

Happy Halloween everyone!

Posted in: Atari Lynx, Atari ST, Commodore 64 (C64), Commodore Amiga, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), ZX Spectrum | Leave a comment

Gazza 2

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1990 Active Minds

Platform: Amstrad GX4000

As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are  adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you.

Within the book is an in-depth and detailed 8 page story about the unreleased Gazza 2 by Active Minds for the Amstrad GX4000. We spoke to Adam Waring, Chris Pink, David Colley, Julian Rignall, Matthew Regan, Paul Clansey, Rik Yapp, Richard Leadbetter, Simon Butler, John Pickford and Ste Pickford about the development and reviews that were made. The book also contains a number of specially re-pixelled screenshots by Trevor Storey from grainy screens shown in various magazine reviews of the time.

7
A rare Zoom mode which was activated via a cheat.

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Posted in: Amstrad GX4000, Bonus, Reviews | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Cyberspace

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1993 Empire / Oxford Digital Enterprises

Platform: Commodore Amiga and PC (DOS)

Thanks to @nearvanaman for the heads up. An entry has been available for some time over at the Hall of Light. Due for release in late 1993, this was to be a game based on the table top role-playing game by Iron Crown Enterprises and partly on the William Gibson novels. Viewed within a fully 3D perspective with an adjustable head-up-display that you view the world through.

cyber1

The game was to be a mixture of role playing, puzzle and live action, controlled completely through the use of a mouse. Sort of a mix of Mercenary and Cybercon III at the time. Cyberspace was previewed in many magazines of the time, and looked incredible. A game that was potentially ahead of its time and which excited those who got a glimpse of it in action.

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Posted in: Commodore Amiga, Reviews | Tagged: | 11 Comments

Waterworld

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1995 Software Creations / Interplay

Platforms: 3DO and Sony PlayStation

As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are  adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you. 

Within the book is an in-depth and detailed 12 page story about the unreleased Waterworld by Software Creations/Interplay for the 3DO  and Sony PlayStation platforms. We speak to designer/producer Ste Pickford and developers Carleton Handley (PlayStation) and Peter Scott (3DO) about the game and its troublesome development.

PLAYIsh2 01PROCESSED

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Posted in: 3DO, Bonus, Reviews, Sony PlayStation | Tagged: | Leave a comment

SEGA 1995 product catalogue

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

Whilst working and researching on the write up for Virtua Hamster for the Games That Weren’t book, we were loaned a bunch of assets from David A Palmer for the book and later website. Part of the archive was a SEGA product catalogue which advertised Virtua Hamster.

It’s possible that it has already been digitally preserved, but we have scanned it just in case and have made it available here – showing a glimpse of many titles from SEGA for a variety of platforms, including Game Gear, Saturn, 32X and Mega Drive – even Pico too. There are likely a few other unreleased titles listed within the pages too. Enjoy!

PLEASE NOTE: If you use these images, all we ask is if you can please credit the source. Unfortunately these scans have been compiled into PDF’s and hosted elsewhere online without any credit at all. A lot of hard and unpaid work goes into this archive, and credit should be due where credit is due.

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Posted in: Bonus, Mega Drive / Genesis, SEGA, SEGA 32X, SEGA Mega CD, SEGA Saturn | 1 Comment

Virtua Hamster

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1995 Peakstar Software / SEGA

Platforms: SEGA 32X and Saturn

As part of the launch and release of The Games That Weren’t book, we are  adding assets and content that didn’t make it to print as bonus DLC content to share with you. Images are (c) David A. Palmer and used with permission. With thanks to Eric Quakenbush for the additional scans provided.

Within the book is an in-depth and detailed 16 page story about the unreleased Virtua Hamster by Peakstar/SEGA for the 32X and Saturn platforms. We overall speak to designer Eric Quakenbush, producer David A Palmer, lead developer Nick Kimberley, associate producer/artist Ben Palmer, artist Roddy McMillan and musician Paul Tankard – getting their recollections about the project.

Virtua Hamster 32X Prototype 1994005

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Posted in: Bonus, Reviews, SEGA 32X, SEGA Saturn | Tagged: , | Leave a comment