Freedom Force

Freedom Force
Developer: Sunsoft Publisher: Sunsoft Platform: NES Released in US: April 1988 This game has unused code. This game has a hidden developer message. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused text. This game has a hidden sound test. This game has a prototype article

Freedom Force is a light gun game that is played with the NES Zapper.

To do: There is a lot more unused code.

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Prototype Info

Level Skip

Pause the game (first controller must be connected), then press the A button 16 times and one more time for each level. For example, you must press the A button 16 + 1 times for the first level, and 16 + 5 times for the fifth level. This works only for the first five levels. Upon completing all five levels and beginning the game from the start with a higher difficulty level, this option will be unavailable.

Sound Test

Connect a second controller to the console instead of the Zapper. At the game mode selection screen, on the second controller, hold Up + Left + A + B. Use the second controller to select and play a track. Press A + B to exit the sound test.

Secret Message

After beating all five levels, connect a second controller to the console. When "CONGRATULATIONS" appears on the screen, press A on the second controller. "HIRO-KUN" will appear on the screen, which is the nickname of Hiroaki Higashiya, who is credited as the lead programmer for Freedom Force at Sunsoft. This nickname also appears as a secret code in Platoon.

VS. System Leftovers

There are some leftovers from the arcade version of Freedom Force for Nintendo's VS. System. To re-enable them, use the Game Genie code EENVZLAA.

• The attract mode sequence will say "INSERT COIN" instead of "AIM AND FIRE TO START GAME".
• The staff credits will be displayed during the initial attract sequence after the title screen, just like the arcade version; in the NES version, you need to wait for the attract mode to loop at least once for them to be seen.
• A high score table will be displayed. You can write down your initials when any of the high score records are beaten. Unfortunately, the high score screens are quite unfinished, and your initials will not be saved.

Arcade version	Leftover NES version

Curiously, the high score table's initials are quite different from the ones used in the arcade version.

Unused Text

There are some unused text strings in bank 1. There are no cross-references to these strings in the code at all. It was probably meant to be shown somewhere in the attract mode.

SUN ELECTRONISC CORPORATION
WELCOME TO OUR OFFICE
        MR RICHARD
        MR MENDHEIM

It is a greeting message to Sunsoft of America staff members Richard Robbins and Michael Mendheim, who are credited as the game designers for Freedom Force. Note the misspelling of "electronics".

Another unused string is present between generic game strings at bank 3. It was likely meant to be shown below the "CONGRATULATIONS" on the game's ending.

PRESENTED BY [SUNSOFT]

Note that "[SUNSOFT]" is written with another font, which is mostly removed from the final CHR ROM data. There is only [-FT] left.

Unused Graphics

Unused Cutscene Animations

The game contains four more frames of animation for the final part of the opening cutscene. The man standing at the helicopter crash site with the injured pilot was meant to finish the pilot off with a gun. Obviously, this scene was removed from the final game because of Nintendo of America's censorship policies.

Early Ending Sprites

Early	Final

Nestled deep within an otherwise identical copy of Bank 1 in the game's CHR data is this early version of the blonde girl in the ending cutscene, with a snazzier haircut. Interestingly, the final sacrifices lighting highlights for a black outline to help it stand out against the blue background, rather than relying on a black one like in the various mugshots throughout the rest of the game.