Proto:Mega Man X2

This page details one or more prototype versions of Mega Man X2.

Two Japanese prototypes of Mega Man X2 were found and dumped by C. Davis in 2018:

• The first prototype, hereafter referred to as the "later" or "newer" build, was released by Rockman Corner on July 21.
• The second prototype - the "early" or "older" build - was purchased through the funding efforts of Revenant, GoldS, and C. Davis, then released by TCRF on October 6.

Download Rockman X2 (Early Proto, hacked) File: Rockman X2 (Early Prototype)(Hacked).zip (info)

Download Rockman X2 (Early Proto, raw) File: Rockman X2 (Early Prototype).zip (info)

Note that the "raw" version is a pure, unmodified ROM dump from the sample cartridge. It will not work on emulators, since the header info hasn't been finalized yet. Please use the "hacked" version, which fixes the header, to run this prototype on an emulator.

Certain emulators that don't properly emulate the Cx4 chip will exhibit incorrect behavior while trying to run these prototypes. As of this writing, ZSNES and Snes9x will exhibit the following errors:

• Incorrect positioning of sprites. This includes stage select previews, Sea Canthller, Magna Centipede's rotating tail attack, and Morph Moth's cocoon.
• Wireframe models either crashing the emulator (in the case of ZSNES) or not displaying properly but having their hitboxes intact (Snes9x).
• Other Cx4 effects breaking, e.g. Morph Moth's laser.

While bsnes will accurately display graphics and position sprites, it seems to freeze at certain points. The most stable emulator available at the moment is bsnes-plus.

Sub-Pages

Title, Intro & Menus Mapping out changes.

The Eight Mavericks Part 1 Wire Sponge, Morph Moth, Flame Stag, and Magna Centipede. Plus, X-Hunter fights!

The Eight Mavericks Part 2 Overdrive Ostrich, Bubble Crab, Wheel Gator, and Crystal Snail.

X-Hunter Base And behind this destruction is...

Sprite Changes Of Gators and Snails.

Weapons and Items So many differences!

Debug Features

Global

At any time, hold Select on Controller 1 to temporarily freeze the game. You can also press Start on Controller 2 to toggle freezing the game.

Hold Select on Controller 2 to slow the game down to 1/3 speed.

Gameplay

All of these are done on Controller 2.

• A + Up/Down - Adds / removes lives (with appropriate sound effects!).
• B Button + Up/Down - Warps to the next/previous checkpoint in the stage.
• L + Up - Refills player's health as long as the two buttons are held.
• R + Up/Down - Changes the player's checkpoint without warping to it.
• A + X - Pressing simultaneously while holding any button on the D-Pad toggles armor pieces:

• Up - Leg Parts.
• Down - Body Parts.
• Left - Arm Parts.
• Right - Head Parts.

• B + Y - Pressing simultaneously toggles invincibility.
• A + B + X + Y - Pressing simultaneously kills X.

Music

Morph Moth Stage

Morph Moth's track ends slightly differently, and the sound mixing overall is a little off compared to the final.

Boss 2

The regular boss theme is missing several sound channels for some odd reason. Additionally, there is no separate track for when the boss first appears, this track just plays early compared to the final.

Another Boss 1

The X-Hunter intro music (used for the X-Hunter base fights and for the Gigantic Mechaniloid) is completely different in the prototypes.

Unused Track

Protos	Final (bad sample data)

The track occupying slot 25 in the later prototype only is the unused, unlinked track found in the final ROM. In the final game, this was replaced by the prologue cutscene's music.

Pro Action Replay (PAR) code 06880525 will replace Morph Moth's track with this one.

Unknown Track

Occupying slot 1A (the regular boss theme in the final game) in the early prototype and slot 1D (the stage select theme in the final game) in the later prototype is a very strange unused track of unknown purpose. Pro Action Replay (PAR) code 0688891A will play this track in Morph Moth's stage in the early prototype, while 0688051D will play it in the same stage in the later prototype.

Missing Tracks

The following tracks are completely absent in the early prototype:

ID	Track
1C	Title
1E	Password Screen
22	X-Hunter Stage 3
23	X-Hunter Stage Select

The following tracks are completely absent from both prototypes:

ID	Track
20	Stage Start
21	Zero
27	Boss 1
28	Get a Weapon
29	X-Hunter Stage 1
2C	Demo
2D	Sigma 1st
2E	Sigma 2nd
2F	Ending
30	Staff Roll

Enemies

HP Values

	Protos	Final
Bar Waying	7 HP	9 HP
Barite Lastar	3 HP	2 HP
Barrier Attacker	5 HP	1 HP
Batton Bone G	2 HP	1 HP
Beetron	20 HP	16 HP
Blecker	7 HP	6 HP
Cannon Driver	16 HP	14 HP
Crash Roader	4 HP	3 HP
Disc Boy 08	4 HP	6 HP
Fishern	2 HP	1 HP
Magna Quartz	32 HP	20 HP
Morgun	2 HP	1 HP
Pararoid R-5	4 HP	2 HP
Refleczer	3 HP	2 HP
Rightod	4 HP	1 HP
Road Riders	6 HP	3 HP
Scriver	4 HP	2 HP
Sky Farmer	3 HP	2 HP
Slidame	4 HP	1 HP
Sole Solar	4 HP	3 HP
Tiranos	6 HP	4 HP
Tubamail-S	4 HP	2 HP
Weather Crystal	31 HP	22 HP

Most enemies in the game have HP differences between the two prototypes and the final game. All but two were reductions; the two that had their HP increased were the Bar Waying (to keep them blocking the player longer) and the Disc Boy 08 (to keep them from being destroyed by one single fully-charged X-Buster shot).

Damage Dealt

	Method	Protos	Final
Barite Laster	Contact	4 HP	3 HP
Barrier Attacker	Contact	3 HP	2 HP
Batton Bone G	Contact	3 HP	1 HP
Blecker	Contact	4 HP	2 HP
	Bullet	3 HP	2 HP
Croak Hopper	Bullet	2 HP	1 HP
Magna Quartz	Contact	2 HP	3 HP
Morgun	Contact	3 HP	1 HP
	Fireball	2 HP	3 HP
	Gas Fire	3 HP	2 HP
Raider Killer	Plasma	4 HP	2 HP
Refleczer	Bullet	2 HP	1 HP
Rideloid-G	Contact	8 HP	4 HP
Sea Canthller	Contact	4 HP	3 HP
Sky Farmer	Contact	3 HP	2 HP
Tubamail-S	Contact	3 HP	2 HP

Like the enemies' HP values, these were mostly reduced in the final game, though there are a few that were either increased or swapped around.

Miscellaneous

• Almost all enemies are missing sound effects in the early prototype. It's actually quicker to list what enemies do have their final sound effects assigned:

• Blecker (landing only)
• Jelly Seeker
• Raider Killer (landing and firing plasma shots only)
• Rideloid-G
• Rightod

• Similarly, the following enemies use temporary sound assignments in the early prototype:

• Cannon Driver (firing - uses X-Buster sound effect)
• Raider Killer (firing lasers - uses half-charged X-Buster sound effect)
• Slidame (grabbing - uses X's damaged sound effect)
• Tiranos (firing - uses X-Buster sound effect)

• The Barrier Attacker can be frozen by the Crystal Hunter in both prototypes, something that's required to do to get across a spike pit in X-Hunter 1. They're unaffected by the Crystal Hunter in the final game.
• Croak Hopper are bugged in that their hitbox lingers while they're exploding. This is likely due to their unique destruction animation wherein the big frog explodes first, then the little frog after that.
• Fisherns move twice as fast in the later prototype.
• In the early prototype, Scrivers will continually drill in the air until the player gets close enough, at which point they'll jump towards the player. In later versions, the Scrivers will stay in place until the player gets close enough, at which point they'll hop towards them. Then, if the player is close enough, they'll try to drill into them.
• Weather Crystals have 20 frames of invincibility after getting hit in the early prototype and just 2 in later versions.

Script

General Notes

• The early prototype only has new dialogue for the Light Capsules. Everything else is from X1.
• The later prototype's draft doesn't include the cutscene that plays after defeating all Mavericks without collecting all of Zero's parts, nor the "Repairing Zero" cutscene that plays when the player exits a stage for the first time with all of Zero's parts.

• Dr. Light still uses a dialogue picture in the early prototype.
• There are no full stops (。) in the early draft.

Graphics

Protos	Final

The hiragana + katakana character set is identical to the first game's set in the prototypes. The final game redraws each character to add a shadow, then adds a few letters and numbers into the set.

Protos	Final

Most of the characters in the game's alphanumeric font were tweaked in the final game. The question mark is particularly different.

Later Proto	Final

The early prototype has no large font, but the later prototype does. Unlike X1, the large font in X2 has every letter of the English alphabet. The S, X, and Z (all new to this game) were touched up in the final version.

Prologue (Unused)

Early Draft	Final Draft
きょうも　また　エックスは　ハンターきちからの しれいをうけ イレギュラーが　せいぞうされていると　される	きょうも　また　エックスは　ハンターきちからの しれいをうけイレギュラーが　せいぞうされていると　される

This is a formatting change; the first line in the early draft is one character too long.

Early Draft	Final Draft
N/A	しかし　それはエックスにとってあらたなたたかいへの プロローグでしか　なかった・・・
Translations
N/A	But that was just a prelude to X's next battle...

The last line of the prologue text isn't in the early draft.

Early Draft	Final Draft
ロックマン エックス　 「カウンターハンターへん」	ロックマン Ｘ２ 「 バーサス　カウンターハンター 」
Translations
Rockman X [ X-Hunters Episode ]	Rockman X2 [ Vs. X-Hunters ]

X-Hunters Intro

Serges

Early Draft	Final Draft
やつが　エックスなのか　なるほど　なかなかやりおるわい	やつが　エックスなのか・・・　なるほど　なかなか やりおるわい。
Translations
So that's X. This guy will be difficult to deal with.	So that's X... This guy will be difficult to deal with.

Ellipsis added, and some of the text formatting was changed.

Agile

Early Draft	Final Draft
かれの　のうりょくは　きけんですね いまのうちに　たおして　しまわなくては・・・	たしかに　かれの　のうりょくは　きけんですね。 いまのうちに　たおして　しまわなくては・・・
Translations
His power is frightening, isn't it? Now we have to defeat him...	His power is certainly frightening, isn't it. Now we have to defeat him...

Serges

Early Draft	Final Draft
エックスの　しょりはわしらの　ぶかに まかせるとするかの	こやつの　しょりは　わしらの　ぶかに まかせるとするかのう。
Translations
We'll leave taking care of X to our subordinates.	We'll leave taking care of that guy to our subordinates.

Agile

Early Draft	Final Draft
・・・ところで　あのものの　ふっかつはまだなのですか	・・・ところで　あのレプリロイドが　かんせいするのに いつまでかかるのですか・・・
Translations
...Anyway, has that person been resurrected yet?	...Anyway, how long will it take to complete that Reploid?

Serges

Early Draft	Final Draft
パーツは　じゅんちょうに　かんせいしつつ　あるのじゃが ・・・きおくかいろが　ふかんぜん　なのじゃ	パーツは　ほぼ　かんせいして　いるのじゃが ・・・せいぎょかいろが　ふかんぜんなのじゃ。
Translations
The parts are coming along steadily, but... the memory circuit is incomplete.	The parts are almost finished, but... the control circuit is incomplete.

Agile

Early Draft	Final Draft
いそがなくては　わたしたちの　もくてきのためには あのものが　ひつようなのですからね	わたしたちの　もくてきのためには あのレプリロイドのちからが　ひつようなのです。
Translations
We have to hurry, since that person is necessary for our plans.	That Reploid's strength is necessary for our plans.

X-Hunters Intervene

Agile

Early Draft	Final Draft
エックス！ さすがに　いちどは シグマさまを たおしただけのことは　ありますね	・・・エックスめ！ ・・・さすがに　いちどとはいえ　シグマさまを たおしただけのことは　ありますね。
Translations
X! Just what I expected from the one that once defeated Sigma.	...Damn you X! ...But that's what I expected from the one that once defeated Sigma.

Character	Text	Translation
Agile	・・・ あのものの さいごの パーツが ハンターきちに かくされていると メットールから つうしんが きましたわ	...His final part is hidden in the Hunter Base according to the transmission we've received from that Metall.
Serges	そうか！ ではさっそく あのものの パーツの かいしゅうに むかうとするかの	I see! I wonder if we must rush ahead to retrieve his part.

These two lines were removed from the final draft.

X

Early Draft	Final Draft
ケインはかせ！ これはいったい なにがおこったのですか	ケインはかせ！ なにか　およびですか？
Translations
Dr. Cain! What in the world happened here?	Dr. Cain! Did you call me for something?

Dr. Cain

Early Draft	Final Draft
カウンターハンターとなのる　さんたいの イレギュラーの しわざだ・・・	カウンターハンターとなのる　イレギュラーから つうしんが　はいったのじゃ。
Translations
This is the work of three Mavericks calling themselves the X-Hunters...	We've received a transmission from Mavericks calling themselves the X-Hunters.

From here the early draft goes off in a different direction...

Character	Text	Translation
Dr. Cain	エックス・・・ ゼロの きおくかいろは ぶじか？	X... Is Zero's memory circuit safe?
X	はい ここにあります イレギュラーたちは こんを ねらっているらしい	Yes. I have it here. It seems the Mavericks were after it.
Agile	ふふふ・・・ ついにみつけましたよ	Ha-ha-ha... We've finally found it.
X	！ だれだ！	Who are you!?
Agile	エックス をわれわれと かけを しないかね あなたの そのパーツと わたしたちの かいはつした パーツを あわせると ゼロはふっかつします	X, why not make a bet with us? By combining that part of yours with the parts we've developed, Zero will be resurrected.
Serges	わしら カウンターハンターと あんたとのたたかいで しょうりした ものが このパーツ すべてを てにいれることができるのじゃ わるい とりひきでは ないじゃろう？ わしらは せんきょした ポイントで まつことにするが	Whether it's you or us, the X-Hunters, whoever wins gets all the parts. A fair deal, is it not? We will wait for you at our decided points.
Agile	どうするかは エックス あなたのじゆうです エックス たのしみに していますよ・・・	The choice is up to you, X. We're looking forward to seeing you...
Dr. Cain	・・・エックス！これはわなたいってはだめだ！	...X! It's no use going there, it's a trap!
X	ゼロは おれの しんゆうです！ ケインはかせ おれはいきます！	Zero is my friend! Dr. Cain, I must leave!

Light Capsule - Arm Parts

Dr. Light

Early Draft	Final Draft
りょうてに　エネルギーをためて れんぞくで　こうげきすることが できる　ダブルショットじゃ	りょうてに　エネルギーをためて れんぞくで　こうげきすること ができる　ダブルチャージじゃ。

This is just a formatting and terminology change between versions. In the early draft, the fourth level X-Buster shot is referred to as "Double Shot", but in the final it is called "Double Charge".

Agile - Defeated

Agile

Early Draft	Final Draft
このわたしを　ここまで おいつめるとは・・・ しんじられん！ あなたを　あまく みていたようです またあいましょう	このわたしを　ここまで おいつめるとは・・・ しんじられん！ あなたを　あまく みていたようですね。 つぎに　あうときをたのしみに していますよ・・・
Translations
I can't believe it... You've cornered me up to this point! It seems that I may have underestimated you. We'll meet again!	I can't believe it... You've cornered me up to this point! It seems that I may have underestimated you, huh? I look forward to the next time we meet...

All Stages Cleared - All Parts (Unused)

Dr. Cain

Early Draft	Final Draft
ダブルゼロ　ポイント　なんきょくてんだ！	ダブルゼロ　ポイント　ほっきょくてんだ！
Translations
It's Point 00: The South Pole!	It's Point 00: The North Pole!

The X-Hunter's base switched poles, probably because the stage select map scrolls up to get to the base, not down.

Dr. Cain

Early Draft	Final Draft
これで ゼロをよみがえらせる ことができるぞ だが	ゼロのしゅうふくには　もうすこしじかんが　かかる。 それまでがんばってくれ。
Translations
Zero can be revived with this. However...	The restoration of Zero will take a bit of time. Until then, good luck.

Dr. Cain

Early Draft	Final Draft
すこし　じかんがかかりそうだ もうすこし がんばってくれ たのんだぞ　エックス	すこし　じかんがかかりそうだ。 もうしばらく がんばってくれ。 たのんだぞ　エックス。
Translations
It seems it's going to take a while. Hang in there for a bit. I'm counting on you, X.	It seems it's going to take a while. Hang in there in the meantime. I'm counting on you, X.

Violen 2 - Defeated

Violen

Early Draft	Final Draft
ヤツが　オレよりも すぐれているとでもいうのか！ このオレのパワーがつうじぬとは ぐあああああっ！	キサマが　オレより すぐれているとでもいうのか！ このオレのパワーがつうじぬとは ぐあああああっ！
Translations
I guess he is better than even me! I do not understand this power of mine... Arrggghhh!	I guess you are better than me! I do not understand this power of mine... Arrggghhh!

Serges Tank - Defeated

Serges

Early Draft	Final Draft
ワシはしぬのか？	ワシはここで　ほろびるのか？
Translations
Am I going to die?	Am I going to perish here?

Sigma & Zero - All Parts (Unused)

Sigma

Early Draft	Final Draft
おのれ　ゼロ！ なぜきさまは　わたしのてきに まわる！	おのれ　ゼロ！ なぜきさまは　わたしに キバを　むける！！
Translations
Damn you Zero! You dare turn against me!!	Damn you Zero! You dare to bare your fangs at me!!

Zero

Early Draft	Final Draft
エックス　またせたな だが　あいさつはあとだ いますべきことは	エックス　またせたな。 だが　あいさつはあとだ！ おれたちが いますべきことは
Translations
Kept you waiting, X. But let's leave the pleasantries for later. There's something that must be done.	Kept you waiting, X. But let's leave the pleasantries for later. There's something we must do.

Sigma & Zero - Not All Parts (Unused)

X

Early Draft	Final Draft
ゼロ・・・ このパーツを きみにかえすよ	ゼロ・・・
Translations
Zero... I'll return this part to you.	Zero...

X

Early Draft	Final Draft
おれがわかるのか！ ゼロ！	！　きおくが　もどったのか ゼロ！
Translations
Do you recognize me now, Zero?!	Did you get your memory back, Zero!?

X

Early Draft	Final Draft
ゼロ！ しぬきか！	しぬきか！　ゼロ！！
Translations
Zero! Do you have a death wish?!	Do you have a death wish, Zero?!

Just a simple swap of sentences.

Zero

Early Draft	Final Draft
おれなら　だいじょうぶだ はやくいけ・・・	おれなら　だいじょうぶだ はやくいくんだ！
Translations
I'll be fine. Hurry...	I'll be fine. Now hurry!

Sigma Fight (Unused)

Sigma

Early Draft	Final Draft
どこまでも　わたしのじゃまを したいというのかね エックス！	どこまでも　わたしのじゃまを したいというのかね・・・ エックス！
Translations
No matter where I go, you always seek to foil me, X!	No matter where I go, you always seek to foil me... X!

Sigma Virus

Sigma

Early Draft	Final Draft
・・・だがわたしは なんどでもよみがえり あらたなちからを もちうることが　できる	・・・だがわたしは なんどでもよみがえり あらたなちからを えることが　できる。
Translations
...However, every time I'm revived, I can use new powers.	...However, every time I'm revived, I earn new powers.

Sigma

Early Draft	Final Draft
しかし　ゼロはなぜ・・・ やつは・・・　さいごの・・・ ワイ・・・　リー・・・の・・・	しかし　ゼロはなぜ・・・ やつは・・・　さいごの・・・ ワイ・・　ナン・・・ズの・・・
Translations
But Zero, why... he's...the last of... Wi...ly...'s...	But Zero, why... he's...the last of... Wi...Num..rs...

The final game breaks up the phrase "Wily Numbers" to try to keep it somewhat mysterious, while the early draft just outright states Wily's name.