NTF 2.5 Test Cartridge

NTF 2.5 Test Cartridge
Also known as: SuperNES Test Menu (menu) Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Platform: SNES This game has hidden developer credits. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused music. This game has unused sounds. This game has unused text.

The NTF 2.5 Test Cartridge is a type of cartridge once used by Nintendo World Class Service to test and diagnose problems with the SNES and controllers, including the Super Scope and Mouse. Used in conjunction with Super Nintendo Counter Tester.

Several unused graphics and the main menu's 1991 copyright point to the available ROM being a later revision of this cart, with a hidden message dating this version to no earlier than July 29, 1992.

Download NTF 2.5 Test Cartridge File: SNES TestProgram.rar (194 KB) (info)

Earlier Build Leftovers

Graphics from earlier builds of the test programs are left in the ROM. Nintendo reused the main code for every test cart, updating it every so often for new accessories and the like.

Alternate Select Graphics

A variation of the Choose/Begin Test text using the larger of the two fonts included in the ROM. This was probably changed when the Accessories Test option was added to the menu, as there was no more room.

Japanese Fonts

Since this isn't a Japanese test cart, they wouldn't use Katakana, would they?

The larger font is also stored in the ROM.

Large Unused Characters

Only the ampersand (&) is used by the test program. The other symbols are unused.

Burn-In Test

The Version 1.02 Burn-In Test was present in an earlier version of the test cartridge, as documented here. The Burn-In Test consists of a quick hardware test, followed by graphics and color tests. These tests repeat until the console is turned off.

This advertisement for the Nintendo World Class Service was displayed during the 1.02 Burn-In Test as well.

Set Controller

Text from an earlier version of the Controller Test. Since "set" had previously been used by Nintendo as a mistranslation of "insert" for the Family Computer Disk System's "PLEASE SET DISK CARD" message, it's possible that this was an instruction to insert the controller (plug it in).

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Unused Audio

A trio of jingles, purpose unknown. The second and third songs are the same jingle but with different instruments.

A trio of sounds, possibly intended for Super Scope testing. The third sound is the second sound reversed.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Early Super Mario World Graphics

To do: There's more.

Test Cart	Super Mario World

Easily the most interesting thing about the Test Cart is that it contains early graphics from Super Mario World, many of which match up with pre-release screenshots of the game.

Note that not all of these graphics seem to be from the same build of Super Mario World. Individual graphics may have been updated along with the Test Cart, while others were left alone.

Major Differences and Unused Graphics

To do: Are the prerelease screenshots available in PNG or were they originally found as JPGs?

Mario

The main difference between these sprites and the final's is the palette, the version here using darker reds and blues than the final. Super Mario's graphics are largely the same, the only significant change being that his hat was redrawn slightly for the final.

Small Mario, however, looks very different. In fact...

...it's the same style used in an early (1989) build with the mushroom-shaped overworld map.

Brick Block

A different version of the standard brick, based on the Super Mario Bros. 3 brick.

Stone Block

An early version of the stone block, based on the Super Mario Bros. 3 Fortress blocks.

? Block

Also based on the respective Super Mario Bros. 3 graphics.

Coin Bonus

Originally, there were objects in the game that gave you coin bonuses. These are still coded in the final (you can get 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, and 25-coin bonuses), but the graphics were removed and the only way to get them without hacking is by bouncing repeatedly on "calm" Wigglers as Mario alone.

Fire Flower

An early Fire Flower, again based on the Super Mario Bros. 3 graphic, with an erroneous green pixel on the flower.

This version can be seen (complete with erroneous pixel!) in pre-release screens.

Goomba

At one point, the Goombas of Super Mario World would have been squished when jumped on, like in previous Mario games.

Early screenshots showed that Goombas more resembled their Super Mario Bros. 3 forms, so the idea to keep them squishable was around long enough to survive the redesign.

Raccoon Leaf

Raccoon Mario was set to return in Super Mario World before being replaced by Cape Mario.

Two sprites of Raccoon Mario. One is clearly the end-of-level victory pose (as seen in early screenshots), but the other is not so certain - it appears to be Mario spinning his tail, but it is more likely to be one of the frames used when punching the flipping nets.

This is another element present in early screenshots of Super Mario World.

Spinning Platform

A version of the circular spinning platform seen in Yoshi's Island 3 and other places, with graphics from Super Mario Bros. 3. It can be seen in the Fire Flower picture above.

Venus Fire Trap

Another Super Mario Bros. 3 remnant, the Venus Fire Trap was completely left out of World with no hint of it ever existing, unlike the Piranha Plant. Its open-mouthed graphic doesn't fit very well atop the stem, hinting that it was something slightly different than in SMB3.

Placeholder P-Switch

A tiny P-Switch. Based on its appearance and placement in the graphics, it was likely used as a placeholder for tiles that change after a P-Switch is pressed.

Muncher

An early design of the Muncher with a green leaf and slightly different shading.

Wings

An early design of a set of wings.

Remember this screenshot? This early wing design can be seen on the Para-Goombas in this early screenshot of Super Mario World.

Minor Differences

Flip Block

Test Cart	Super Mario World

A minor difference in shading. The old block has some additional, darker shading on the right side, which matches the shading used on the final game's ? Blocks. While the standard Flip Block had the dark shading completely removed, two of the dark pixels still remain on the final's sprite-based tile (used when hitting a block containing an item), and the flipping sprites still contain the darker shading.

Ground

Test Cart	Super Mario World

Again, a minor difference in shading, in this case near the top of the grass. The palette is also brighter than in the final.

While this style is used for all the ground graphics in the Test Cart, in Super Mario World only the two top tiles that make up the ground in Yoshi's House were kept.

Pipe

Test Cart	Super Mario World

The final pipe lids have a more rounded appearance, while in the Test Cart they're more angular. The actual pipes are also wider in the final.

Test Cart	Super Mario World

The same transformation is present in the horizontal pipes.

Rubble

Test Cart	Super Mario World

It's possible that the graphics that appear where the rubble would be in the Test Cart weren't used for the same purpose, but they look similar enough.

Dust

Test Cart	Super Mario World

The final's dust cloud is a lot more interesting than that of the Test Cart, which is based on the Super Mario Bros. 3 style.

Koopa Shell

Test Cart	Super Mario World

A slight change in shading and eyes fully open.

Bill Blaster

Test Cart	Super Mario World

This starts the trend of a loss of asymmetry. In the Test Cart, the topmost 16×16 part of the Bill Blaster uses four unique 8×8 tiles; the final Super Mario World reduced this to two, with the left half being flipped and reused as the right half as well as being reshaded.

This change proved to be completely unnecessary, as the spare tiles were not actually used for anything. In fact, the lower-right tile of the top is still present in the graphics, but unused.

Coin

Test Cart	Super Mario World

The asymmetry of the first coin frame was kept, but the second and third frames are stored in VRAM as single 8×8 tiles that get flipped vertically to make the whole coin.

P-Switch

Test Cart	Super Mario World

Another shading difference related to the way the graphic is stored: while it's stored as-is in the Test Cart, the final stores it as a single 8×8 tile.

Trampoline

Test Cart	Super Mario World

The trampoline lost the most by the final: the first two frames went from being stored as one 16×16 tile to being stored as one 8×8 tile that is repeated and flipped horizontally and vertically to make a 16×16 sprite. For whatever reason, only the first two frames were reshaded.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Developer Message

Mouse Test Software, Ver 0.0  July 29, 1992
Written by Khanh Le
(c) 1992 NINTENDO

This message by Khanh Le, the programmer of the Mouse Test, is present in the ROM. It also helps to date this particular build.

Also, holding L + R on the Mouse Test main menu will bring up "SOFTWARE ENGINEER: KHANH LE".

(Source: Original TCRF research)