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Proto:Dynamite Headdy (Genesis)/April Prototype

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This is a sub-page of Proto:Dynamite Headdy (Genesis).

Hiddenpalace.org logo.png  This prototype is documented on Hidden Palace.

Although the header contains a date of April 1994, that could've been a planned completion date as this near-final prototype was released by the scene group SCOOPEX on March 29, 1994. This prototype was originally released with an additional demoscene and was stripped of padding.

Stage Changes

HeaddyClownyProto.png
Scenes 1 to 4
HeaddyBonusBirdProto.png
Scenes 5 to 8

Gameplay Changes

General Differences

  • There are no flying stages (Scenes 6-1 to 6-4 in the final game) in the prototype! In fact, based on the way the scenes are stored by ID, the flying stages were among the last things added to the game, even after the ending sequence!
  • There's no assigned button for cancelling heads in the prototype: Instead, pressing A+B+C will cancel heads.
  • Headdy jumps into frame at the start of each scene in the final version. In the prototype, he's just there by default.
  • The Bonus Game hasn't been designed yet.
  • The ending sequence hasn't been programmed yet.

End of Stage Differences

  • Getting a continue requires just 5 continue icons. This means that multiple continues can be earned per stage boss! In the final Japanese game, the requirement was upped to 10 icons.
  • The stage's palette doesn't fade while bonus points are being tallied.
  • "Time Points" are called "Clear Points".
  • Most of the Secret Bonus Points aren't present in the prototype game.
  • After completing a level, Headdy does not do his celebratory animation.

Head Differences

Bomb Head Bomb HeadBomb Head

In the prototype, this head can only be cancelled after it explodes.
It can be cancelled at any time in the finished game.

Buddha Head Buddha HeadBuddha Head
This head can be cancelled in the prototype, making it pretty much pointless.

Liberty Head Liberty HeadLiberty Head
This head's animations are complete, but getting this head will not transport the player to the Bonus Stage, seeing as it's not yet in the game and all.

Use the Pro Action Replay code FFE19E:00C0 and hit Mokkun (HeadCase) in Scene 2-2 to get this head.

Sleepy Head Sleepy HeadSleepy Head

In the prototype game, Headdy will be healed after he falls asleep on the ground. (This is also how it works in the Game Gear port!)
In the final game, Headdy will be healed as soon as he picks the Sleepy Head up.

Super Head Super HeadSuper Head

  • Headdy has a higher maximum speed in the prototype, moving at 7 pixels / frame. The final game caps this at 5 pixels / frame.
  • Headdy's vertical shooting speed is out of control in the prototype, moving at around 20 pixels / frame, or about twice as fast. It also reaches twice as far.

Ticker Head Ticker HeadTicker Head

This head is never available from HeadCase in the prototype, though it is partially coded. Use the Pro Action Replay code FFE19E:0060 and hit HeadCase in Scene 2-2 to get this head.

Proto Final
Am I blue? By mistake? Orange you glad this head was finished?
  • The Ticker Head uses a (possibly incorrect) blue palette in the prototype.
  • Stage 2-2's background, the 500 point bonuses, and Fukkun (HangMan) have their animations properly frozen.
  • HeadCase's cycling heads are frozen, but HeadCase himself is not.
  • All other animations are not frozen. No object has been coded to freeze while the Ticker Head is active.

Triple Head Triple HeadTriple Head

Hitting something with the center head will retract the two other heads in the prototype. This was fixed in the final version, making the head a lot more useful.

Damage Values

The amount of damage taken from enemy attacks is usually just 1 HP in the prototype. Most attacks do different damage in the final game:

Attack Proto Final
Scene 1-1
Super Red Arrow 0 HP 1 HP
Scene 2-1
Training Soldier 3 HP 1 HP
Scene 2-2
Happy Comecome (Flame) 1 HP 5 HP
Scene 2-3
Bounty Boundy (Contact) 1 HP 0 HP
Bounty Boundy (Crushing) 1 HP 4 HP
Bounty Boundy (Bomb) 1 HP 3 HP
Scene 3-4
Jacquline Dressy (Dragon Flames) 1 HP 3 HP
Jacquline Dressy (Ballerina) 1 HP 4 HP
Jacquline Dressy (Robot Shots) 1 HP 2 HP
Jacquline Dressy (Robot Claw) 1 HP 4 HP
Jacquline Dressy (Robot Debris) 1 HP 3 HP
Scene 4-1
Rebecca (Fist) 1 HP 3 HP
Scene 4-2
Crusher 1 HP 4 HP
Spike Wheel 1 HP 4 HP
Scene 5-3
Flamethrower 1 HP 2 HP
Hammer Arm 1 HP 3 HP
Bomb Shooter 1 HP 2 HP
Scene 5-4
Motor Hand 1 HP 4 HP
Spikes 1 HP 3 HP
Scene 7-3
Taro (Contact) 1 HP 2 HP
Taro (Orbs) 1 HP 3 HP
Taro (Sun Wheel) 1 HP 6 HP
Spikes 1 HP 3 HP
Scene 7-4
Thunder Captain (Thunder) 2 HP 6 HP
Thunder Captain (Weights) 1 HP 3 HP
Spikes 1 HP 3 HP
Scene 7-5
Rever Face (Projectiles) 1 HP 2 HP
Spikes 1 HP 4 HP
Scene 8-1
Spike Ball 1 HP 2 HP
Spikes 1 HP 4 HP
Scene 8-3
King Dark Demon (Bats) 2 HP 1 HP
King Dark Demon (Crusher) 0 HP 5 HP
King Dark Demon (Drills) 2 HP 4 HP
King Dark Demon (Hoppers) 2 HP 1 HP
King Dark Demon (Laser Beam) 1 HP 5 HP
King Dark Demon (Laser Wall) 2 HP 1 HP
(Divingkataetheweirdo: Original TCRF research)

Title

Prototype Final
  • The Treasure logo screen is slightly longer, with the Treasure name animated onto the screen.
  • The Treasure logo is missing its trademark symbol.
  • Both the SEGA and Treasure logos can be skipped in the prototype.

Title Screen

Prototype Final
Colorful logos! Text, just text.
  • The sign near the logo is missing. Dynamite Headdy's face was slightly redrawn to seem a little less frightening and his bow-tie became a little more detailed.
  • Bizarrely, the copyrights have logos (which do have signs) and it says "Press Start" even though it is based off the Japanese version.
  • The stage select is enabled by default.

Options

Prototype Final
These would be interesting...if they worked. Not as interesting, but functional.
  • The options screen has a difficulty selection of Easy, Normal, and Hard which does not have any effect.
  • There also seems to be an option to select between one-player and two-player modes. This also doesn't do anything.
  • Controls can't be reassigned in the prototype.

Attract Mode

Prototype Final

Since Scene 2-2's HeadCase placement was changed, the demo had to be rerecorded. The final demo is 30 seconds longer than the prototype's demo.


(Source: Original TCRF Research, http://ristar-cluster.info/dh/index-dh.html)

Debug Mode

A debug mode is present in the game, but is somewhat buggy. When you pause the game, you can press the following:

  • A - Look at tile collision...in theory. On most levels this just crashes the game.
  • B - Activate debug mode; change object.
  • C - Place object.
  • Start - Resume gameplay.
  • Direction Pad - Move around the map.

Additionally, pressing A+B+C+Start will reset the game.

Changed Graphics

Tileset Graphics

These are only general graphics changes. For more specific level graphic changes, see the level comparison pages.

HeaddyTextProto.png HeaddyTextFinal.png Comments
HeaddyLettersChangedProto.png
HeaddyLettersChangedFinal.png
Six of the letters in the game's font were redrawn for the final release.

The Game Gear version still uses the prototype's font.
Make the shot!
Shoot shot shut.
All of the "SHOT" (or, er, "SOHT") signs in the prototype were corrected to say "SHOOT".
Unfortunately no one told the Game Gear team. The text wasn't corrected in the Japanese game:
Oops!
GO GO GO MOVE MOVE MOVE!
Go at your own pace.
All instances of the word "GO" on directional signs were erased in the final game.
Numbers that are different numbers.
Which scene is it anyway?
Because an entire new stage was added in the final game, a lot of signs had to be updated.

Object Graphics

HeaddyTextProto.png HeaddyTextFinal.png Comments
General Objects
Hmm...how can we improve this?
There! It's all better now!
For whatever reason, the white wire in the life meter was changed to two red wires and the life meter itself was redrawn.
What do these do?
Oh, it's pretty clear now.
The 500-point bonuses are stars at this point.

The Game Gear version still uses the star design.
Brought to you by the letter 'C'...for 'creativity'.
This looks a lot better.
The...things that pop out of the boss when defeated use an obvious placeholder graphic in the prototype.
This might not be too handy.
...but this is not too pretty.
The cursor on the main menu was shrunk down a little bit in order to make the text more readable.
This needs a little more yellow...
There we go!
Aside from different colors, the Head Trip power-up appears to be identical to the final (Japanese) version.
Agh! Fire!!!
"B"! You know, for "Bonus"!
Even though no HeadCase in the prototype carries the Liberty Head, the icon for the head is in the ROM, though it's completely different.
Screeech!
I left my gun at home!
The incorrect but hilarious "BRAKE" text on crates was replaced with "SHOOT".
Harder screeech sound!
Hammers, stronger than guns.
The blue crates' text was replaced with a hammer icon, which is a better indicator of their sturdiness. Helpful!
GRRR MY HANDS ARE MADE OF ROCKS!
I've come to take your MacGuffin.
Fingy (or Heather) always has the same angry expression in the prototype. These heads are used during the Key cutscenes.
I HATE EXPOSITION GRRR!
I don't say anything in the localized versions!
Her talking sprites also use the angry-looking head in the prototype.
Scene 4-1
Not much support.
Defense +5
The ring around the Clowny objects is thicker in the final version.
I hate these screws so much!
You are getting sleepy..
Someone changed Funky Ronmell's tires from Flat-head to Phillips.
Scene 4-2
Ho hum.
I am Sir Squish!
The crusher objects use a different, blander design.
What's inside? Not much of a gift. Oh no, that gator ate my present! What is this thing? The two platform spitter types are both gift boxes in the prototype. In the final, each spitter has its own design.
Scene 4-3
Please help me!
More padding than The Room.
The poor steel-ramming soldiers don't have any additional armor in the prototype. The color of their copter components also changed.
Beep boop.
Pucker up for death.
These bomb droppers were changed from lifeless automatons to angry yellow lipsticked heads.
Camouflaged.
LOOK AT ME I'M THE BOMB!
The bomb palette was also changed so they're easier to see on the stage's dark background.
Scene 5-3
Doesn't look that bad.
OH NO A BLUE ONE!
The arm-like mini boss is missing its blue "hands" in the prototype.
Look out, an orb!
Snowflaked for your aesthetic pleasure.
The ordinary cannonballs have fancier designs in the final version which also made them easier to see. It's a win-win change!
Boi-oi-oi-oi-oing!
Umm, wire sound.
The Armored Soldier's shields are spring-loaded in the prototype and wire-powered in the final game.
Scene 6-1 / 7-1
Uhuh. Unnerving.
Maybe it's smarter than the other birds.
The bonus bird has Bino's head in the prototype! Bino appears in the boss fight in the final version, so the bird design had to change.
I can't hear anything with these ears.
Hello! I'm only in the Japanese game!
Yayoi has several design differences:
  • Two more hairpins / horns were added in the final game.
  • More detail was added to her ears.
  • The design of her pack is a bit different.
  • Her eyes were changed from black to pink.
  • Yellow trim was added to her sleeves.
  • A second yellow stripe was added to the bottom of her dress.
Gee I wonder what's going to happen!
Those blinking lights could mean anything.
The Dark Demon emblem on Yayoi's key pack was altered to two blinking lights, probably to keep the upcoming cutscene a surprise.
You're Not Quite Izayoi.
YOU'RE Izayoi!
Again, Izayoi's eye color, ears, and horns were redrawn. Izayoi is also missing her eyebrows in the prototype's sprite.
Pretty stubby, sis.
Crane Game Champion 5 years running.
Izayoi's claws were redrawn: They look considerably deadlier in the final game!
Scene 7-3 / 8-3
I have no mouthand I must reference that book because I have a very limited reference pool! Aww, look at the happiness.He's pink with fury. Mustle Nasunasu doesn't seem to have a functioning mouth in the prototype.
Am I supposed to SHOT these?
Helpful arrows.
Mustle Nasunasu's blocks were changed from nondescript bricks to metal blocks with arrows on them.
Heart container. HA!
You Blue Balled My Heart (And Other Country Hits).
Taro's heart orb got its own unique, blue palette in the final game.
That vase doesn't look so impressive.
Ah yes, blinking lights! I'm convinced.
The blinking light on the Head Spitter's vase isn't on the prototype sprite.
Scene 7-4 / 8-4
Oh, they've already been shot, less work for me.
If you say so, dolls trapped in boxes.
The "SHOT" to "SHOOT" change also applies to the doll blocks in this scene.
Scene 8-1 / 9-1
That vase doesn't look so impressive.
Ah yes, blinking lights! I'm convinced.
There are rivets on the prototype's arrow platform. The propeller and arrow are thicker in the final version.
Scene 8-3 / 9-3
White yellow white yellow white yHELP!
A nicer looking murder beam.
Dark Demon's laser beam attack has a more eye-pleasing, less flashy animation in the final game.

Unused Graphics

If Sonic can't have goggles, neither can you!
This is the original graphic for the Ticker Head. In the final game, Ticker Head is used for the Ticker Head, but in the prototype it's used for the unimplemented stopwatch head!

Since the stopwatch head was never worked on after this point in development, the Ticker Head took its HeadCase icon, and the visor graphic was deleted from the ROM.

Moons or planetoids, whichever.
These two planetoids are found in the Final Scene's parallax BG tileset in the prototype, but they're not used. They were overwritten with new star tiles in the final game.

(Divingkataetheweirdo: Original TCRF research)

Music & Sound Effects

Unused Music

Starting at 0x61ACE in the ROM and going until 0x62333, there is data for "Beat It" by Michael Jackson straight from Michael Jackson's Moonwalker.


(Source: Jdogg)

Voice Samples

With the exception of the track "Maruyama Appears", there are no voice samples in the prototype. At all.

Music Differences

Proto Percussion Final Percussion

Most of the percussion samples in the prototype version were redone for the completed soundtrack.

Escape Hero

Proto Final

The prototype track is missing about a second of music at the end.

Maruyama Appears

Proto Final

Maruyama's intro theme is pitched lower in the prototype, more than half of the track is missing, and the track only plays once.

North Town's Theme

Proto Final

A few of the notes in the track's intro were changed to doubled half-notes. The final track's intro gradually increases in volume.

Why, Figgy

Proto Final

Another track that was pitched higher for the final game.

Hustle Maruyama

Proto Final

Like "Maruyama Appears", this track is still a work in progress. The last half of the track hasn't been composed yet, there are several instruments missing, and the drum loop is a skosh simpler.

South Town's Theme

Proto Final

The last part of the main track has some fancy trills, but only in the final version.

Tower of Puppet

Proto Final

Six orchestral hits were added to the final track's intro piece.

Paradise?

Proto Final

The percussion part of the prototype track uses obvious placeholder instruments. The final piece fills those gaps with tambourines and hi-hats.

Headdy Chant

Proto Final

Obviously the prototype track is missing the actual Headdy Chant.

Missing Tracks

Note: This doesn't count tracks for sequences that haven't been programmed yet (the flying stages, the ending sequence, and the number pad screen).

Missing Track Temporary Track
Hattari is Here
(Options)
Escape Hero
(Scene 1-1)
Opening Theme
(Prologue)
North Town's Theme
(Scene 2-2)
Mystery Spot
(Scene 3-3)
I Sing
(Scene 3-4)
Mystery Spot
(Scene 4-4)
South Town's Theme
(Scene 4-1)
You're Izayoi
(Izayoi Boss)
I Sing
(Scene 3-4)
Funny Angry
(Rever Face Boss)
I Sing
(Scene 3-4)
Dark Demon's Song
(Final Boss)
I Sing
(Scene 3-4)
Kejime Kejime 2
(Final Boss Clear)
N/A
Crosswalk of Love
(Curtain Call)
I Sing
(Scene 3-4)
I Love Goldie Hawn
(Bonus Boss)
Tower of Puppet
(Scene 5-1)

Sound Effects

Proto Final

The confirmation/tally sound's harsh mechanical plunk was changed to mellifluous chimes.

Proto Final

Puppet Tower makes a sound when it rotates. The sound was changed. Yes.

Proto Final

Balloon Kelly's deflation sound effect is substantially longer in the prototype, enough to last the entire time that they're uncontrollably flailing in the air.

Proto Final

A lower-pitched version of the metallic plink-ing sound is present in the prototype, which is used by the "HIT ME!" balloons in South Town.

(Source: Original TCRF research)