Preserving Cancelled & Unreleased Video Game History Since 1999
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.
Thanks to contributor Ken Knight, it has been highlighted that the preview of puzzler Cubic, called Cubic Maxi contains some differences in the game play compared to the final release. Otherwise it looks pretty much the same as the final game, but worth checking out:
Download Preview_cubicmaxi
Another month and another update, including some preservation work for some released titles and a number of new entries.
Bailiff, Ophir, Raiders of the Valley of the Kings, Secrets of Science, Steam Powered Computer Company titles, Treasure Hunter, Vampyr Motel
Argonautica, Batman Returns, Breakdance 2, Devious Designs, Freddy Fish, G.I. Hero, Giana 2 – Arthur And Martha In Future World, Judge Death, Karnov V1, Legend Of Fairghad, Monster Museum, Piper Software games, Zone Of Darkness
V pre-release shots, Troll pre-release shot
Kevin Wilson has very kindly sent some obscure titles to be preserved fully for the C64, so here they are:
The Game (Simple early Pacman clone)
TAP files, DC2N dumps and Scans
Dinosaurs (Early BASIC educational title)
TAP files, DC2N dumps and Scans
Action Biker Sampler Only
TAP files, DC2N dumps and Scans
With Action Biker, there seems to be no real differences to the final retail version, but interesting to check out anyway.
Thanks to Dan Warren, here is yet another pre-release screen, this time from Palace Software’s 1988 Troll game.
There are some very minor graphic differences compared to the final version, including the score being on the opposite side and some slight differences in the main area. Scan courtesy of Stephen (Mort) Stuttard.
Thanks to Dan Warren, here are some pre-release screens from Ocean’s “V – The Game”.
Very small differences overall, just showing an earlier score panel. The game graphics seem to be at this point pretty solid. Scans courtesy of Stephen (Mort) Stuttard.
A few more updates to the site, which includes a number of new entries and various updates. Batman Returns in particular has been tidied up a bit, and i’ve added some much better and high quality screenshot scans, thanks to the amazing Stephen Stuttard.
There are some concept sketches from Ned Langman too for a few entries and details about yet another Lemmings conversion that was intended. Full updates are below:
Catch’em, Lordlings of Yore, Reader’s Digest Software, Underland
Batman Returns, Big Top, Civilization, Elevator, Enemy, Exodus, Labyrinth, Legendary Deed, Lemmings V1, Nuker, Pet Person, Quest for Eternity, Star Force Seven, Stellar 7, Warcraft 64, Worms
Thanks to Dasse Evertsson for the heads up, but at the end of the fantastic Amiga game Traps ‘n Treasures, there is a little hint of a sequel with “Redbeard’s Revenge”.
Due for release it seems in 1996, we are guessing that Starbyte had left the Amiga scene by that point. The last Amiga games from the company were in 1995.
@DillyDylan on Twitter commented that there was a Super Nintendo version of the game planned and was being programmed by Simon J. Francis. Below is a magazine article, but showing a screenshot from the Amiga version unfortunately:
Developer of the Amiga game Roman Werner was not aware of any SNES materials existing, and wasn’t involved directly. When asked about the sequel, Roman suggests the sequel was more of a “good will” mention rather than actual plans. They had ideas and graphics left over that couldn’t be implemented in the 1993 game, so there was potential for a sequel. Sadly though, it never happened and nothing was ever started.
Case closed!
Flicking through the last issue of Zzap!64 back in late 1992, I rediscovered an early screenshot and the first to be shown of the Commodore 64 version of Lemmings. It would be a year until the final game saw release.
Looking at the constructed screenshot, it seems this was a test level, as I think there are more lemmings on the screen than the C64 version eventually allowed, plus usually you only get the floater icon on this level. Also at this stage the shading is quite simple, and the graphics may have been quickly wired at this stage from the Amiga. Or is it even just a quick mock up?
Contributor Mathew Chakko flagged up that “The Sporting News Baseball” game by Epyx Software in 1988 was advertised with a panel area that had a number of differences compared to the final game. Here it is:
Now compare to the screenshot from Gamebase64:
There is a MPH meter and also what seems to be a wind direction line too? Very minor differences from what was probably just a slightly earlier build used to screenshot. Interesting though to see :) Continue reading
Another month and another update at GTW64, with a number of new entries and updates that we’ve been adding since the last. Hope everyone is well, and keep safe in these strange times.
Bugs in buggyland, Civilization, Elevator, King Of The Air, Labyrinth, Milliways: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Sagan om ringen, Warcraft 64
3 Days In Carpathia, Andromeda 3, Anteater, Beavers, Bomber Clot, Cargo run, Catch 23, Chelsea of the South Sea, Club Jr’s, Dr Who and the Warlord, Dragonstone 2, Dune Buggy, Gauntlet 3, Ground Zero, Hard Drivin’ V1, Lauren of the 25th Century, Old Scores, Pony Express, Populous, Quest for Eternity, Snow Bros, Super Scramble, The Greedy Dwarf, The Search For Sharla, The Tripods, Toby’s Rescue, White Feather Cloak, Worms
DISCLAIMER: We are a non-profit digitisation project, aiming to digitally preserve software and history which would otherwise be lost for good. If for any reason there is anything that you do not wish to be on the website, please contact us for removal.
Games That Weren't® is the registered trademark of Frank Gasking.
