On the Ball

On the Ball
Also known as: Cameltry (JP) Developer: Taito Publisher: Taito Platform: SNES Released in JP: June 26, 1992 Released in US: November 1992 Released in EU: 1993 This game has a hidden sound test. This game has a hidden level select. This game has regional differences.

To do: Document the prototype.

On the Ball is a port of the arcade maze-twisting game known as Cameltry.

Level Select

Enter QWNQP as a password.

Sound Test

Enter ZTT as a password in the JP version, or NRRRP in all others.

Unseen Text

Some of the 100 stages have text that is written out of the bounds of the stage that is (mostly) unreadable in-game. Note that levels wrap in-game, so anything on the edges of the map will be visible on the opposite side. However, that still isn't enough to make most of these fully visible.

(Special note: All of the "GP" courses in the game appear to be based on real F1 race tracks around the world.)

Second Plane

Beginner 1: Italy GP (Round 34)

The text "ROUND ITALIA" is written out of bounds.

Beginner 4: Hungary GP (Round 37)

The text "ROUND HANGARY" is (incorrectly) written out of bounds.

Expert 3: Japan GP (Round 41)

The text "ROUND JAPAN" is written out of bounds in breakable blocks.

Expert 4: America GP (Round 42)

The text "ROUND USA" is written out of bounds, along with the American fundamentals "FREEDOM" and, uh... "RAP"...

Special 1: German GP (Round 45)

The text "ROUND GERMAN" is written out of bounds.

Special 4: Brazil GP (Round 48)

The text "ROUND BRAZIL" is written out of bounds, along with "FT60".

Third Plane

Expert 5: France GP (Round 61)

The text "ROUND FRANCE" is written out of bounds.

Master 8: Hanabi (Round 75)

As per the stage's name, "hanabi" (花火), or "fireworks", is written in the bottom-center of the stage. Untranslated in the English release.

Final Plane

Expert 1: Adventure (Round 80)

"Speed up" is written in the bottom-right corner in Japanese (スピードアップ). Untranslated in the English release.

Master 5: Monaco GP (Round 94)

The text "MONACO ROUND" is written out of bounds, along with "DANGER" and "DEAD".

Regional Differences

Title Screen

Japan	International

The title screen is different, of course. The scores at the top of the screen were removed for a lack of space.

(Oddly, despite the name change, the "CAMELTRY" text in the first plane's "Beginner 2", "Aqua Palace", was left intact)

Passwords

	Japan	International
Second Plane	BIRTH	MHWYR
Third Plane	BUILD	HCCWD
Final Plane	SMILE	WRJMH
Ball Select	TYPE	GFXJF
Sound Test	ZTT	NRRRP
Gravity Select	SOLAR	ZLJPJ
Round Select	MIAN	QWNQP
Time Records	DATA	ZNGGX

All of the passwords were de-wordified for the international release.

Ball Select

Japan	International

The first optional ball design was changed from the head of the guy from Operation Wolf to the much more famous Bub from Bubble Bobble.

Tutorials

Japan	US	Europe

Mouse controls were added to the tutorial screens in the international versions. In fact, mouse controls in general were added internationally.

The controller colors were appropriately changed between regions. The girl in the corner, Yurika Cery, also had her hair changed from green to brown.

Continue Screen

Japan	International

Yurika was also somewhat redrawn on the continue screen to look less anime, as well as removing her bust.

Backgrounds

Japan	International

The giant hexagram behind the hourglass background was removed.

Levels

Japan	International

This is the very final level of the game, "Master 10" of the final plane, and is the only one to be modified in any way. The Japanese level is named "Manji" and is designed entirely around the manji symbol. The level was completely redesigned and renamed "Last Battle" for the international release. You can probably guess why...

In addition to the Manji/Last Battle, a few other levels had their names changed as well to remove religious references and, in one case, fix a typo:

	Japan	International
Round 02	ANGEL STEPS	CELESTIAL STEPS
Round 14	DOWN TO HEAVEN	DOWN TO UTOPIA
Round 26	SELESTIAL PATIO	CELESTIAL PATIO
Round 99	MANJI	LAST BATTLE

Course End Graphics

Japan
International

Five of the pictures that appear after completing a course were redesigned, while one was swapped around. Oddly enough, one of the Japanese exclusive pictures depicts Yurika using her International design.