Proto:Chrono Trigger (SNES)/Area Differences/600 AD

This is a sub-page of Proto:Chrono Trigger (SNES)/Area Differences.

Overworld

Prototype	Final

To do: Add closer picture comparisons of relevant sections for clarity.

600 AD's world map underwent a few notable changes:

• Truce Canyon is represented by a cave instead of a path in the prototype. Probably changed because this made no sense whatsoever; the "path" graphic already exists at this point. Said graphic was also expanded to be larger.

• Ozzie's Fort originally displayed two towers (instead of one), and the forest surrounding it was a bit larger. It's unclear if these towers are an aesthetic decision that was changed later, or a remnant of a scrapped idea.

• The forest north of Ozzie's Fort was modified to an extent. Most noticeably, a small clearing existed around the Forest Ruins, accessible via a small path leading through the trees, similar to the one used to reach the Cathedral. This heavily implies you were intended to be able to access its dungeon from multiple time periods, but this was ultimately scrapped.

• Giant's Claw can't be entered from the world map, although its maps are present.

• Purely decorative changes include the addition of the same peninsula seen in 1000 AD, trees being changed or removed in various locations, a tiny inlet near Denadoro Mountains being removed, and dirt paths being modified.

Cursed Woods

Entering the Cursed Woods normally causes the game to reset to the title screen. It can be explored properly with the following codes:

F722A6E2
F722A71F
F722A9CD
F722AA25

Prototype	Final

With the lockout removed, it's clear that the Cursed Woods are finished. The design is identical to the final, as are the events, right down to the randomly appearing Nu. However, in the prototype, it uses the 1000 AD forest palette instead of the one for 600 AD forests.

Prototype	Final

Frog's house contained an extra (empty) chest in the prototype, which was removed entirely in the final.

(Source: Chrono Compendium (codes))

Magic Cave

While attempting to enter the Magic Cave from its south entrance will boot you back to the name entry screen, it can be entered and explored via the entrance near Magus' Castle. Its design is identical to its final incarnation, but there are a few event differences:

To do: Add comparison to final.

The dead guard with the warning note next to the entrance is not present in the prototype.

In addition to the rats and bats, some strange insect-like creatures that resemble Sir Krawlie appear in battle. These were removed from the final. Their names and palettes are identical to the Hexapods that are encountered in the Sunken Desert in the final. However, they have far less HP than the Hexapods. These enemies can be seen in a promotional image for the game which shows the Magic Cave.

Attempting to exit from the other end gives you this message:

この先はどうやら行き止まりらしい

This path looks like a dead end.

This is simply another of the prototype's block-offs, as the exit data is still present.

(All translations: GlitterBerri, N. Onymous)

Magus' Lair

Yet another of many areas that resembles the final in terms of design, but differs in various subtle ways.

General changes:

• Magus' Lair is one of the "demo" areas; however, one can normally only get as far as defeating Slash and Flea, and the game cuts to a "Coming Soon" message and quits to the title screen when stepping on the light that would normally send you further in. Nevertheless, the castle can still be explored via hacking.
• When entering the castle, "Confusing Melody" is played while the screen pans up over the castle, rather than "Magus' Castle".
• The first battle with Slash (before he picks up his sword) is considerably easier in the prototype than it is in the final, as Slash has far less HP.
• The fake Flea does not use MP Buster when defeated.
• The Slasher is not won after beating Slash, and the Magic Tab does not appear after Flea is defeated.
• The areas beyond the demo lack events. These codes can re-enable some, but not all, of them:

F7255580
F7255682
F725581A
F7255985
F7256D29
F7256EA4
F72570E5
F72571A6

Prototype	Final

To do: In-game picture comparison of Slasher.

In the prototype, the Slasher, as seen mounted on the wall in Slash's room, was unsheathed. Its hilt also changed from brown in the prototype to gold in the final.

Prototype	Final

The monsters summoned by Ozzie were replaced with stronger palette swaps in the final. As this was intended to be a playable area of the demo, this may have been done for balancing purposes.

The fake children/shadow monsters regenerate upon leaving the room and returning. In the final, they're gone for good once defeated.

If Frog is not included in the team (done via hacking), Queen Leene will still appear in the "doppelganger" room, but does not move and cannot be interacted with.

Prototype	Final

To do: Direct stat comparison?

Similar to the monsters summoned by Ozzie, the monsters in the doppelganger encounter are weaker then final.

If you defeat the first of the doppelgangers without Frog present in the party, a strange glitched object appears. Touching it causes you to fight the same battle as before, after which it disappears.

To do: Does this affect more of Flea's graphics or just this one graphic?

Flea's right leg is graphically glitched for some reason.

Prototype	Final

The guillotine chamber received minor adjustments. The room at the end was shortened by one tile, the carpeted stairs were changed to extend across the entire hall, and the lower-right guillotine was moved up one tile.

Prototype	Final

More minor architectural differences. The columns in the statue hall were all moved down slightly to reduce the distance between them and the statues. This change is ultimately redundant, however, since the different monster setups in the final make potentially skipping encounters by walking around the statues impossible anyway.

Prototype	Final

The Roly monsters in the side-view tower areas have a broken palette, which was fixed. The final uses standard Rolies in the first tower and Roly Bombers in the second, whereas the prototype has Roly Bombers in both. They also do not self-destruct when attacked, but rather counter with an attack on the entire team.

To do: Ozzie room.

Prototype	Final

The symbol in Magus' chamber is brighter in the prototype. Also, while it cannot be seen in-game, a second duplicate chamber is present alongside the normal one. What purpose this would have served is unknown, but it was cut from the final entirely.

The room itself is not functional in the prototype. While Magus has placeholder battle data in the code and is functional in the party, his fight is not coded.

(Source: Chrono Compendium (codes))

Sunken Desert

The Sunken Desert exists in a very preliminary state in the prototype. There is no chest data, collision, or enemy formations implemented yet, and there are many large differences:

Prototype	Final

The first part of the cavern is much smaller and contains no treasure chests.

Prototype	Final

The second part of the cavern is much bigger, far more elaborate, and absolutely loaded with chests. The developers evidently deemed this a tad bit...much, and decided to scale it down drastically. Interestingly, there's some form of entrance mapped out in the lower-right corner which isn't present in final.

Also present with the Sunken Desert maps in the prototype is this mess. Whatever this is appears to be incomplete (note some of the poorly-placed tiles), although whether it was the start of an unfinished and ultimately scrapped third section, or simply a place where graphics to be used later were pulled from, is unknown. The existence of an additional exit in the second map may support the former, however.

Ozzie's Fort

Prototype	Final

Ozzie's Fort is in a rather preliminary state. There are no events present, no scroll boundaries in place, and the background music ("Underground Sewer") has water effects in the background. The room for the Flea rematch and the secret room containing Magus' strongest equipment are not present. Lastly, alongside minor tile adjustments to the various switches Ozzie pulls, the final room used for the Ozzie fight features a strange pit that was removed in the final.

Giant's Claw

The Giant's Claw may be inaccessible from the world map in the prototype, but maps for it do exist, and although there are no events whatsoever (not even chest data; chests simply don't open at all), all the exits are perfectly intact, allowing for exploration.

Prototype	Final

The dungeon's assorted smaller caves were moved around for some reason, although only the upper-right (prototype)/lower-right (final) room saw much in the way of real changes, going from a dead-end treasure room in the prototype to an emergency back exit in the final. The empty room in the lower right (prototype)/upper right (final) is accessible in the prototype, but not the final.

Prototype	Final

To do: Is this actually the same teleporter maze, or a different version for Giant's Claw?

An extra cave entrance was present in this room. It leads to the Tyrano Lair teleporter maze (which inexplicably plays the Guardia Castle theme), then exits to the small empty room mentioned above. This was closed off in the final, rendering both and the maze inaccessible.

Other minor changes include a chest on the far right being replaced with a Power Tab, and the cliff near the south exit being lengthened slightly.

Prototype	Final

This room features a rope ladder in the final which was not present in the prototype, which eventually leads back to the entrance. As you have to fall into a pit in order to proceed, this is necessary in order to leave. A chest in the upper part of the room was also removed.

Prototype	Final

To do: Compare to final Tyrano Lair palette.

The Tyrano Lair remnants were given a much different palette, unique to Giant's Claw, in the final. The prototype uses the same palette as the Tyrano Lair, which itself differs from the palette used in the final. The large door at the back of the throne room is not yet functional.

Prototype	Final

The final area was changed significantly for the final. Originally, it was a one-screen cave containing the Rust Tyrano, with another cave present in the back to house the Rainbow Shell. This was changed to a straightforward tunnel in the final. The Rust Tyrano's red palette had also yet to be included, so it looks exactly the same as the Black Tyrano.

Removing the Tyrano from the map reveals nothing behind it. The structure suggests that a cave entrance was supposed to appear upon its defeat to lead to the Rainbow Shell, but this is not functional.