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

Time Warden

Posted: by Frank Gasking

1982 Simon Wadsworth

Platform: ZX81

Simon Wadsworth had previously published a text adventure called The Scepter through Bug-Byte Software, which he’d written as a fifth-year student as an O-level project. However, he was about to unleash a new text adventure called Time Warden and had these recollections on his old archived web page:

“This was my second full adventure. I submitted it to Bug-Byte, as I had done with The Scepter, but it was never published. It was written using the same source code structure. I’d forgotten all about this game until sorting through a pile of old cassette tapes looking for my copy of The Scepter.

In this adventure you play the Time Warden. While you have been away on vacation and the Key of Time has been lost on the planet Syrius 5. You have 250 turns to recover the key before the end of the Universe.”

This rare ZX81 game was flagged up to us thanks to contributor Michael Hart, who learned about the game over at the Renga In Blue blog, where you can see screenshots and discussion about the gameplay.

timewarden1 Continue reading →

Posted in: Reviews, ZX81 | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Magician’s Apprentice

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1993 Dark Technologies

Platform: Multi-System 2 (successor to the Konix Multi-system)

A rather special entry here for what is thought to be one of the only completed titles for the hardware that evolved from the failed Konix Multi-System, a game called Magician’s Apprentice which was being produced by Dark Techologies in 1993.

magi2

The Multi-system 2 wasn’t an official product name, nor was it a standalone, branded console like the original Konix Multi-system was intended to be. Instead, the term is a bit of a myth or shorthand used informally (like in Edge magazine and Retro Gamer) to describe a new system based on an evolved version of the Slipstream chipset, created after Konix had folded. Continue reading →

Posted in: Konix MultiSystem, Multi-System 2, Reviews | Tagged: | 2 Comments

WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain V1

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

One thing we like to do at Games That Weren’t is to highlight changes made with released games. WWE Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain for the PlayStation 2 was one particular title that underwent significant roster changes before its final release.

smack3

Among the most notable removals were The Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan, who were originally included but were taken out before launch – likely due to licensing issues. However, their move sets remained intact within the game’s Create A Wrestler mode. Continue reading →

Posted in: Prototype, Sony PlayStation 2, Unused materials | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Huge recovery for what was the Konix Multisystem!

Posted: by Frank Gasking

Some huge news from Games That Weren’t, where we believe the first complete game for the MSU-era multisystem (evolved from the unreleased Konix Multisystem) has been preserved. However, the amazing Konix Multisystem emulator by Lee Hammerton has been built around the code currently recovered – so the game we’ve found does not run.

Lee this weekend (Saturday 12-4pm GMT) is going to do a live Twitch stream to try and get the game up and running for the first time (fingers crossed!). Be sure to check in via the link below:

www.twitch.tv/savoury_snax

Just to note: the amazing Konix Slipstream emulator has previously enabled us all to see Jeff Minter’s AMC’89 running for the very first time. It’s a phenomenal effort building an emulator for a console that was never released and this recovery will hopefully help to further develop it.

All of this recovery has been made possible thanks to Mark Greenshields and Darren Melbourne, who have allowed us to process their archives. Thank you!!

For more details about the Konix itself and the emulator, please visit the amazing konixmultisystem.co.uk

Posted in: Konix MultiSystem, News | 1 Comment

Alien Olympics

Posted: by Frank Gasking

1994 Ocean Software

Platform: SEGA Game Gear

A new week brings another exciting recovery at Games That Weren’t! Today, we’re unveiling a previously unknown SEGA Game Gear conversion of Alien Olympics – a game we had no idea existed until just last week and has been lost for 31 years.

alien large

Originally set for release in 1994 by Ocean Software, this version never saw the light of day for reasons still unknown. Only the Game Boy and PC editions made it to market, and we suspect the Game Gear version may have been scrapped due to the platform’s declining popularity at the time. With a larger user base, the Game Boy likely took priority. Continue reading →

Posted in: Reviews, SEGA Game Gear | Tagged: | Leave a comment

Billion Dollar Monster

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

200X Lionhead Studios

Platform: PC and possibly others

Billion Dollar Monster was a cancelled game developed by Lionhead Studios, blending virtual pet mechanics with competitive battling and an ambitious TV show component. Designed as a PC game, each player would receive a unique egg that hatched into a customizable monster, which they would nurture and train, akin to a Tamagotchi. Players could then battle their monsters against others, with matches potentially being recorded.

The standout feature of this particular game was the integration of a television show, created in collaboration with the team behind Walking with Dinosaurs, featuring high-quality CGI battles. Selected players’ creatures would be showcased in dramatic, arena-style fights, elevating the game beyond just an interactive experience. Continue reading →

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

Katz vs Maus

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

2005 IOMO

Platform: Nokia N-Gage

It’s been a while since we covered a Nokia N-Gage title, and thanks to Bitmap Bureau and Michael Fitzmayer, we’re able to highlight another lost/unknown title in the shape of Katz vs Maus. The game was a top-down scrolling maze where the mouse has to escape a cat and collect cheese.

katz large

Bitmap Bureau described it as a sort of Pac-Man clone, with Chu Chu Rocket vibes with the graphics. Continue reading →

Posted in: Nokia N-Gage, Reviews | Tagged: | Leave a comment

The Egyptian Jukebox

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

1996 Warner Bros

Platforms: PC and Mac

The Egyptian Jukebox was a CD-ROM multimedia title that was first learnt about thanks to contributor Michael Hart, who discovered about the game via the Archive on the Internet blog. This is a blog which highlights interesting media available on the Internet Archive.

jukebanner

Based on the puzzle book of the same name by Nick Bantock, a multimedia adaptation was in the works by Inscape, but was unfortunately cancelled by Warner Bros for reasons as yet unknown. On the website of Lisa Dee, line producer for the project, she includes a promotional flyer that makes it sound like it would’ve been quite elaborate:

“Players explore drawers of a clue-filled jukebox in hopes of unraveling the puzzling disappearance of eccentric millionaire Hamilton Hasp. Each of the ten drawers contains personal items of Mr. Hasp, capable of invoking his memories upon touching them.

From the imagination of best-selling author Nick Bantock, THE EGYPTIAN JUKEBOX features 3D worlds created by the magical jukebox with navigable movies conveying Hasp’s narratives, a perplexingly aggressive artificial intelligence feature, and a dense atmosphere of sound with hit tunes from the 50’s through the 70’s.”

Continue reading →

Posted in: Apple Macintosh, PC, Reviews | Tagged: | Leave a comment

GTW64 March 2025 update

Posted: , last updated: by Frank Gasking

Our third update of the year has more Commodore 64 goodness in the form of 4 new entries and 14 pre-existing entries updated (check ‘history’ tab for details of changes). This includes the wonderful recent Codemasters recovery of Magnum Force, an early Ocean game that transferred to Cascade,recovery of the PHM Pegasus – Advanced Battle Disk (thanks to HOK/Remember) and a mega ton of development assets added to Mag Max V1!

Enjoy and see you next month!

Mag Max V1 asset scans added

Thanks to developer Sean Townsend, over 300 items have been added to the gallery, showcasing the development of the long lost Mag Max V1 by Canvas:

Mag Max V1

4 new entries added

Concentration, Kevin in the Woods, Magnum Force, Moonshadow

13 updates added

Autoguard, Complex, Crossinvert 2, Hareraiser 2, Hårsfjärden, In The Beginning, Kukulcan V1, Moreta – Dragonlady Of Pern, PHM Pegasus – Advanced Battle Disk, Quadrillion, Sherwood Forest, Sunburst Communications titles, The Elysian Fields

Posted in: Commodore 64 (C64), GTW64 news, News | Leave a comment

Populous

Posted: by Frank Gasking

1992 Imagineer / Bullfrog

Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System

Hot on the heels of the recovery of Sensible Soccer for the NES comes yet another long-lost title for the platform – the legendary god game, Populous. It isn’t clear yet if the game was previewed in any magazines at the time, though there is reference to a conversion thanks to David Whittaker’s music credits online.

populous main large

The game was fully completed by the Enigma Variations team for Electronic Arts/Bullfrog, but Mark Greenshields tells us that the client just decided not to proceed with publishing the title. Darren Melbourne (who was producer for the game), informs us that Imagineer decided that the NES was probably past its prime and they wouldn’t achieve the necessary sales. Darren was pretty upset because they had put a lot of time and effort into creating the game. Continue reading →

Posted in: Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), Reviews | Tagged: | 5 Comments