We were able to forensically recover EarthBound's long-lost development files! Getting an inside look at the game's development process revealed many previously-unknown things about the game, including cut content and more. Read the full story here: http://gamehistory.org/earthbound-script-files
Video by John Rairdin, based on original research by Clyde Mandelin.
We were able to forensically recover EarthBound's long-lost development files! Getting an inside look at the game's development process revealed many previously-unknown things about the game, including cut content and more. Read the full story here: http://gamehistory.org/earthbound-script-files
Video by John Rairdin, based on original research by Clyde Mandelin.Electronic Gaming Monthly Reunion - Stories from EGM Staff at Midwest Gaming Classic 2023The Video Game History Foundation2023-05-12 | Electronic Gaming Monthly was one of the biggest and most influential magazines in video game history. How did they get so much information that the other magazines couldn't? What's the story behind Street Fighter's infamous Sheng Long? And who was Sushi-X really? Former EGM editors Ken Williams, Ray Price, "Trickman" Terry Minnich, and Mike Vallas share all of this and more in a talk moderated by Frank Cifaldi of The Video Game History Foundation.
Special thank you to My Life in Gaming for filming this event!SimCopter 64 - Unreleased E3 1997 Demo GameplayThe Video Game History Foundation2022-11-14 | SimCopter 64 - E3 1997 Demo Gameplay
Gameplay from the E3 1997 build of SimCopter 64, produced by Maxis. This demo cartridge was gifted to the Video Game History Foundation by an anonymous donor.
SimCopter 64 was very early in development at this stage, so early that the helicopter can't even collide with buildings yet. This version of the game is a direct adaptation of the original SimCopter, but over the next year, the game would change significantly. Read more here: gamehistory.org/simcopter-64
This video was captured from a Nintendo 64 using the RetroTINK-5X video upscaler. Thanks to Kevin Bunch for capturing this footage.The woman who brought female representation to gamesThe Video Game History Foundation2022-05-13 | One of our industry's earliest pioneers was thought to be lost - until now. For the first time ever, meet the woman who brought the first ever playable girl to home video games.
This piece is available in written form at http://gamehistory.org/wabbitNintendo Power Reunion - Stories from the Original Nintendo Power StaffThe Video Game History Foundation2022-03-16 | Nintendo Power was one of the most popular and iconic video game magazines in the US, and its original staff is getting together for the first time to talk about it! Our panelists are Gail Tilden, Howard Philips, Leslie Swan, and Jeff Bafus.
Join us for an incredible afternoon of stories and behind-the-scenes making of the classic Nintendo magazine. This livestream event features: -Fireside chat with staff of the original Nintendo Power, hosted by the Video Game History Foundation -Audience Q&A -And more surprises to come!
Follow The Video Game History Foundation on Twitter: http://twitter.com/gamehistoryorgMillipede - Unreleased Namcot Famicom (NES) prototype by Ed LoggThe Video Game History Foundation2021-06-08 | A demonstration of Ed Logg's port of Millipede to the Famicom, which was abandoned mid-production due to a rights issue. The demo here was built from surviving source code, and may reflect the state of the game when it was abandoned. There is no sound data present, hence the silence.
Documentation survives that shows that the project was abandoned when it was discovered that the rights for Centipede were not completely cleared. There is discussion in the documentation about re-theming the game to be a Centipede clone with a space theme, but it does not appear that any work was done on this.
As Logg explains it, development on this game is what gave him the familiarity with the system's 6502 processor necessary to build his next game, Tengen's version of Tetris.
Secrets of Monkey Island - 30th Anniversary Livestream is part of our Video Game Source Project, showcasing the incredible things that can be discovered from access to source code. To learn more about this initiative, visit gamehistory.org/video-game-source-project
Follow The Video Game History Foundation on Twitter: http://twitter.com/gamehistoryorgThe Secret of Monkey Island - Cut Random Pirate Behavior RestoredThe Video Game History Foundation2020-11-24 | Code still exists in the SCUMM files to have random pirates coming in and out of the SCUMM bar, and walk to and from the entrance to Low Street. Here this code has been restored.
Note: The frequency of pirate spawns was set high for the purpose of a demonstration. We don't know the intended rate for this screen, but it was likely significantly lower, as seen in the rare "Passport to Adventure" demo disk.Monkey Island 2 - Unused LeChuck & Largo Closeup CutscenesThe Video Game History Foundation2020-11-24 | See more unused Monkey Island content here! gamehistory.org/?p=4048
Restored from the game's original source files (thanks Marius Winter!), here are all five unused close-up cutscenes from the game. The first of these was never used at all, while the remaining four are technically in the game - just without the closeup art and animations!The Secret of Monkey Island - Cut Cannibals Cutscene RestoredThe Video Game History Foundation2020-11-24 | See more unused Monkey Island content here! gamehistory.org/?p=4048
This unused and never-finished cutscene would have showed the player how to use the cotton swab key to gain entrance to the Monkey Head. The cannibals - who are uniquely colored here - were meant to have unique animations, including the actual use of the key. These animations were likely not created before this scene was cut from the game.
Recorded on DOSBox using a custom build of the game. Code restored by Marius Winter, gameplay video by Jake Rodkin, MT-32 audio recording by Roger Holten.The Secret of Monkey Island - Unused Fire Animation RestorationThe Video Game History Foundation2020-11-24 | See more unused Monkey Island content here! gamehistory.org/?p=4048
An unused fireplace animation from the title screen of The Secret of Monkey Island, restored using the game's original development tools, SCUMM and BYLE. The timing is a best guess, as is the cloud placement - it had to be moved down a few pixels to avoid a clipping error with the animation. Additionally, the music timing may be inaccurate, as it is a recording inserted into the video.Monkey Island 2 - Unused, Unfinished LeChuck Voodoo RoomThe Video Game History Foundation2020-11-24 | See more unused Monkey Island content here! gamehistory.org/?p=4048
This room inside of LeChuck's Fortress was cut from the game before the final background art was created, but a skeleton version using a pencil sketch survives in the source code. While there is no functional code for this, analysis of the SCUMM script suggests that a puzzle here involved making recipes by spelling out words using the first letters of the ingredients on the shelves.
Code restored by Marius Winter, gameplay video by Jake Rodkin, MT-32 audio recording by Roger Holten.Monkey Island 2 - Cut Color-Guessing PuzzleThe Video Game History Foundation2020-11-24 | See more unused Monkey Island content here! gamehistory.org/?p=4048
The puzzle during this portion of Monkey Island 2 is pretty infamous, but a look through the game's source code reveals that it used to be different - and probably a lot easier! This "deleted scene," with an abundance of unique dialogue, was restored using the game's original source code by Marius Winter.The Secret of Monkey Island - Unused Trail Room RestoredThe Video Game History Foundation2020-11-24 | See more unused Monkey Island content here! gamehistory.org/?p=4048
This is an entire room that was cut from The Secret of Monkey Island! The art and code survived in the game's source code repository, and was re-assembled and placed back into the game by us, using the original development tools.
Note: The smoke animation was commented out of the code, meaning it was cut out of the room before the room itself was cut. For the sake of showing as much content as possible, it was restored here along with the dripping leg.Unreleased Sega VR Headset Emulated On HTC Vive!The Video Game History Foundation2020-11-20 | Sega's legendary lost hardware lives again...sort of! We've recreated the system using nothing but clues found in the source code for one of its games. Learn more here: http://gamehistory.org/segavrDays of Thunder NES (Unreleased Version) GameplayThe Video Game History Foundation2020-06-01 | A quick demonstration of the unreleased version of Days of Thunder for the NES. This version was in development at Mindscape in 1990, and was canceled for unknown reasons. A completely different Days of Thunder, developed at Gremlin in Australia, was instead completed and sold.Super Gun (NES, NTDEC) Playthrough from Caltron 9-in-1 PrototypeThe Video Game History Foundation2019-10-25 | One of the rarest games for the NES! While this "unlicensed" game had a standalone cart release, it's so hard to find that it was actually easier to borrow and digitize a one-of-a-kind "Caltron 9-in-1" prototype to record this footage.Bandai Gamepad Plug and Play - Story Mode DemoThe Video Game History Foundation2019-09-20 | A very quick demonstration of Bandai's 1997 plug and play console, the Gamepad. This demonstration shows a player failing the unit's story mode.
The Bandai Gamepad is interesting for two reasons: first, it may be the earliest "plug and play" game console, predating the popular toy category by three years. Second, its internal hardware appears to be a clone of the Nintendo Entertainment System with slight enhancements made to its background color capabilities. While clones of the system were fairly common in 1997, enhancements to the hardware are generally thought of as having entered the market around 2001...four years after the Gamepad!Bandai Gamepad Plug and Play - All MinigamesThe Video Game History Foundation2019-09-20 | A very quick demonstration of Bandai's 1997 plug and play console, the Gamepad. This demonstration shows a player failing the unit's story mode.
The Bandai Gamepad is interesting for two reasons: first, it may be the earliest "plug and play" game console, predating the popular toy category by three years. Second, its internal hardware appears to be a clone of the Nintendo Entertainment System with slight enhancements made to its background color capabilities. While clones of the system were fairly common in 1997, enhancements to the hardware are generally thought of as having entered the market around 2001...four years after the Gamepad!UWC - NES Prototype Tag-Team PlaythroughThe Video Game History Foundation2019-03-11 | Complete playthrough of the tag-team mode on UWC, an unreleased wrestling game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The same ending is triggered no matter which mode is played, but the tag-team mode is probably the hardest to complete.Crown of Kings (NES) - Official Intellivision Advanced Dungeons & Dragons PortThe Video Game History Foundation2019-01-01 | This is an NES-based remake of the first Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game for the Intellivision. It appears exclusively on the "2nd Edition" Intellivision plug & play, which seems to be the rarest of the four released units.Frogger official NES port (Konami/Majesco, 2004)The Video Game History Foundation2018-12-31 | This is the official NES version of Frogger, as seen on the 2004 "Konami Collector's Series Arcade Advanced" plug & play unit. This was a newly-commissioned port of the game running on stock NES hardware.Time Pilot official NES port (Konami/Majesco, 2004)The Video Game History Foundation2018-12-31 | This is the official NES version of Time Pilot, as seen on the 2004 "Konami Collector's Series Arcade Advanced" plug & play unit. This was a newly-commissioned port of the game running on stock NES hardware.Scramble official NES port (Konami/Majesco, 2004)The Video Game History Foundation2018-12-31 | This is the official NES version of Scramble, as seen on the 2004 "Konami Collector's Series Arcade Advanced" plug & play unit. This was a newly-commissioned port of the game running on stock NES hardware.SimCity NES Prototype - DPCM Speech Sample ComparisonThe Video Game History Foundation2018-12-25 | SimCity for the NES has been digitally preserved by the Video Game History Foundation! See the whole story here: http://gamehistory.org/simcity
This video compares the helicopter pilot speech sample used in the original Macintosh version of SimCity, followed by its recreation in the NES prototype. This feature was exclusive to the NES game - the SNES version did not use this speech sample.SimCity SNES - Leveling Up DemonstrationThe Video Game History Foundation2018-12-25 | SimCity for the NES has been digitally preserved by the Video Game History Foundation! See the whole story here: http://gamehistory.org/simcity
This video demonstrates how a player's city "levels up" in the Super Nintendo version of SimCity, a mechanic that was introduced specifically for Nintendo's take on the PC game. This video was used to illustrate the article linked above.SimCity NES Prototype - Dr. Wright Animation ShowcaseThe Video Game History Foundation2018-12-25 | SimCity for the NES has been digitally preserved by the Video Game History Foundation! See the whole story here: http://gamehistory.org/simcity
This video demonstrates all of the Dr. Wright animations accessible through normal gameplay in the NES SimCity prototype. Modified versions of all of these would make their way to the Super Nintendo game eventually.SimCity NES Prototype - Unique Bank Loan ScreenThe Video Game History Foundation2018-12-25 | SimCity for the NES has been digitally preserved by the Video Game History Foundation! See the whole story here: http://gamehistory.org/simcity
This video demonstrates the unique bank loan screen featured in the NES prototype of SimCity, including the reveal of a bank manager character drawn in the style of Dr. Wright!SimCity SNES Dr. Wright Animation ShowcaseThe Video Game History Foundation2018-12-25 | SimCity for the NES has been digitally preserved by the Video Game History Foundation! See the whole story here: http://gamehistory.org/simcity
This video shows off all of the Dr. Wright animation routines in the Super Nintendo version of SimCity, and was used as reference within the article linked above.SimCity NES Prototype - Winter CES 1991 Trade Show FootageThe Video Game History Foundation2018-12-25 | SimCity for the NES has been digitally preserved by the Video Game History Foundation! See the whole story here: http://gamehistory.org/simcity
This segment from the television series "Video Power" shows SimCity NES' appearance at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show in January of 1991. Until recently, this was the only footage of the game that was ever seen.
This video was mirrored the original upload by Grooveraider and was upscaled and slightly modified. Original video here: youtube.com/watch?v=AfJgZI9C2nkSimCity NES Prototype Unused Dr. Wright AnimationsThe Video Game History Foundation2018-12-25 | SimCity for the NES has been digitally preserved by the Video Game History Foundation! See the whole story here: http://gamehistory.org/simcity
This video goes through four unused Dr. Wright animation routines in the unreleased NES prototype of SimCity. The animation data exists in the ROM, but can only be accessed by hacking.
All four animations would later make an appearance in the Super Nintendo version of the game.SimCity SNES - Earning a Present DemonstrationThe Video Game History Foundation2018-12-25 | SimCity for the NES has been digitally preserved by the Video Game History Foundation! See the whole story here: http://gamehistory.org/simcity
This video demonstrates how a player earns presents in the Super Nintendo version of SimCity, a mechanic believed to be created by Nintendo to make the game more fun. This video was used to illustrate the article linked above.SimCity NES Unreleased Prototype GameplayThe Video Game History Foundation2018-12-25 | SimCity for the NES has been digitally preserved by the Video Game History Foundation! See the whole story here: http://gamehistory.org/simcity
Here it is, the long-lost NES version of SimCity by Nintendo! This video condenses about three hours of normal gameplay into a four-minute highlight reel.NES SimCity Prototype - Unused Boat Functionality RestorationThe Video Game History Foundation2018-12-25 | SimCity for the NES has been digitally preserved by the Video Game History Foundation! See the whole story here: http://gamehistory.org/simcity
This video shows the game's unused boats, which have been restored by Cah4e3 as part of his ROM disassembly.SimCity NES Prototype - Infinite Money GlitchThe Video Game History Foundation2018-12-25 | SimCity for the NES has been digitally preserved by the Video Game History Foundation! See the whole story here: http://gamehistory.org/simcity
This video demonstrates the infinite money glitch in the NES prototype of SimCity. At the end of a year, if the player owes more money to the bank than they currently possess, the value rolls over into a negative value and overflows.Head On 2 Arcade Promo Gameplay Sega Gremlin 1980The Video Game History Foundation2018-11-16 | From The Video Game History Foundation's Sega-Gremlin Marketing Archive. Learn more at gamehistory.org/sega-gremlin-archive
The Video Game History Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to preserving the history of video games. Learn more and join the cause at http://gamehistory.org/donateStar Trek Atari 2600 and Commodore 64 Commercial Sega 1983The Video Game History Foundation2018-11-16 | From The Video Game History Foundation's Sega-Gremlin Marketing Archive. Learn more at gamehistory.org/sega-gremlin-archive
This is from "Tape #7" in the collection. This tape contains three commercials created in 1983 advertising home versions of Sega-Gremlin’s arcade games. The commercials were created by advertising house Dailey and Associates as a series of advertisements under their $8 million account with Sega Enterprises Inc. The games featured are Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator, Congo Bongo, and Bucker Rogers: Planet of Zoom. All graphics shown on screen are based on the Commodore 64 versions despite clear indication of the Atari version being played.
The Video Game History Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to preserving the history of video games. Learn more and join the cause at http://gamehistory.org/donate1980 Sega Gremlin Promotional Tape (Sega-Gremlin Archive Tape #1)The Video Game History Foundation2018-11-16 | From The Video Game History Foundation's Sega-Gremlin Marketing Archive. Learn more at gamehistory.org/sega-gremlin-archive
The Video Game History Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to preserving the history of video games. Learn more and join the cause at http://gamehistory.org/donate
This tape contains a promotional video shown for distributors and operators at Gremlin’s distributor meeting in early 1980 with the tagline “Gremlin ‘80 It’s a Whole New Game” featuring their 1979 product line. Featured games include Head-On 2, Deep/Scan, Invinco, and Monaco GP. Other games featured in the video include Safari, Heli Shooter, Blasto, Frogs, Hustle, and Plinker’s Canyon. This tape is represented in videos one through eight.
The second tape ends with introducing Gremlin’s director of sales, Jack Gordon, who presumably would step on stage after the showing and before the subsequent tape. Gremlin in this video also promotes use of their Multiphase technology used in Head-On, a feature which increased the difficulty as players continued which was irregular in arcade games at the time.
Edits – This tape was edited to remove long intervals of static in between each tape segment. Otherwise the resolution, interlacing, and color remains unaltered from the DVD rip as much as possible.1982 Sega Gremlin Promotional Videos (Sega-Gremlin Archive Tape #5)The Video Game History Foundation2018-11-16 | From The Video Game History Foundation's Sega-Gremlin Marketing Archive. Learn more at gamehistory.org/sega-gremlin-archive
This tape contains a series of promotional videos for Sega-Gremlin, spanning the 1981 to 1982 time period. It features several specific game promo videos as well as overviews of Sega-Gremlin’s facilities both in the United States and in Japan. Split into seven segments, the promotional tape was addressed specifically to distributors to make it clear that Sega-Gremlin was ambitious and valued the support of their network. This tape is represented in videos eleven to eighteen.
Though both the taglines of “Gremlin ‘80 It’s a Whole New Game” and “Visions ‘81” are represented, this specific compilation was put together in 1982 judging by the presence of Monster Bash. The first segment shows a newly edited version of the Gremlin ‘80 promo video featuring executives at the company like Jack Gordon and Duane Blough. The third segment is another musical number which follows the “Visions of 81” tagline. The final segment is a cinematically scored slideshow of Sega-Gremlin product development and service. Featured games with promo videos are Astro Blaster, Astro Fighter, Zaxxon, and Monster Bash. Other games including those from the Gremlin ‘80 promo video are present.
Edits – The original tape played the whole video four times so it has been shortened to just once. Most of the other takes had very bad audio errors, so a combination of audio tracks was used to provide consistency where possible, though some was present on the original transfer and could not be replaced. The majority of the audio in these clips comes from the fourth take and may be slightly desynced. Otherwise the resolution, interlacing, and color remains unaltered from the DVD rip as much as possible.
The Video Game History Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to preserving the history of video games. Learn more and join the cause at http://gamehistory.org/donateSega Gremlin Astro Fighters Arcade Game Commercial Promo Video 1982The Video Game History Foundation2018-11-16 | From The Video Game History Foundation's Sega-Gremlin Marketing Archive. Learn more at gamehistory.org/sega-gremlin-archive
The Video Game History Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to preserving the history of video games. Learn more and join the cause at http://gamehistory.org/donateHead On 2 Sega Gremlin Arcade Operator Training Video 1980The Video Game History Foundation2018-11-16 | From The Video Game History Foundation's Sega-Gremlin Marketing Archive. Learn more at gamehistory.org/sega-gremlin-archive
The Video Game History Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to preserving the history of video games. Learn more and join the cause at http://gamehistory.org/donateGimme A Break! Sitcom Video Arcade Scene 1982 (Sega-Gremlin Archive Tape #4)The Video Game History Foundation2018-11-16 | A segment of the TV show Gimme a Break! Episode 9, “Julie’s First Love” first aired on January 7, 1982. In this segment, the character Chief confronts his daughter Julie in a Westworld arcade after grounding her. The featured game which they play at is the two-play version of Vanguard. Other games seen are Pac-Man, a Battlezone cabaret, Space Invaders, as well as a game called Froggy Hop which appears to be a converted Asteroids cabinet. Several pinball games and other table-based arcade games can be seen.
The Video Game History Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to preserving the history of video games. Learn more and join the cause at http://gamehistory.org/donateSega Gremlin Arcade Games Rocky Parody Video (1980 Version)The Video Game History Foundation2018-11-16 | From The Video Game History Foundation's Sega-Gremlin Marketing Archive. Learn more at gamehistory.org/sega-gremlin-archive
The Video Game History Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to preserving the history of video games. Learn more and join the cause at http://gamehistory.org/donateAstro Blaster Arcade Game Promo Video Sega Gremlin 1982The Video Game History Foundation2018-11-16 | From The Video Game History Foundation's Sega-Gremlin Marketing Archive. Learn more at gamehistory.org/sega-gremlin-archive
The Video Game History Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to preserving the history of video games. Learn more and join the cause at http://gamehistory.org/donateLeisure Time Electronics Arcade NBC News Report 1981/1982 (Sega-Gremlin Archive Tape #2)The Video Game History Foundation2018-11-16 | NBC Magazine special report around 1981 or 1982 investigating the group Leisure Time Electronics operating from Indianapolis, Indiana. The firm was accused of misleading buyers of their arcade cabinets as to the potential earnings of their machines and claiming that they were licensed manufacturers of the games themselves. These operations in the coin-op business were often referred to Blue Suede Shoes men or Blue Sky Operators who circumvented the traditional coin-op industry to sell games directly to investors. Host Betsy Aaron along with an investigative team infiltrate and confront Leisure Time about their potential deception. The tape is represented in video nine.
Featured games sold by Leisure Time Electronics include Moon Lander, Astro Laser, and Space Ranger. Other games shown include Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Zaxxon, Defender, Asteroids, and more. The game also contains part of a TV commercial for Leisure Time Electronics featuring a pinball game.
The Video Game History Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to preserving the history of video games. Learn more and join the cause at http://gamehistory.org/donate