This page details one or more prototype versions of Need for Speed II.
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A prototype of Need for Speed II was bought by ObscureGamers user "kanaka" and released on June 21, 2019. It is dated February 26, 1997, just over a month before the game's US release.
To do: Try to rip the audio (with PSound perhaps) to make comparision tables.
The license data suggests this is a Japanese build, despite no Japanese localization being present.
There is some debug text present during the game, with some XYZ coordinates. For whatever reason, the font for it corrupts after doing a race.
The intro in the final game is nowhere to be seen, instead playing the showcase video of the Lotus Esprit S4. Not only that, but it is even the showcase video for all the cars and also the demo video.
All of the tracks have a green gradient as a skybox.
The camera views are at slightly different angles, and all of the camera views that appear in the replay menu in the final version are enabled during the actual gameplay.
In addition, switching between camera views has a slightly faster transition.
The "3, 2, 1, GO!" voice is completely different, and a higher quality version of it was later used in the PC versions of Hot Pursuit and High Stakes.
The "final lap" voice is different.
The HUD has a minimap.
The AI do not have any names yet, and are labelled "AI 1", "AI 2", "AI 3", etc.
There are no default track records.
The speedometer uses a different, larger font. It also always displays speed in mph, despite the option to switch to kmh being present in the options menu.
The arcade physics have a bug where the player can spin endlessly in a circle after being hit.
The dynamic music is implemented, but sometimes cuts to random tracks while racing.
The game is unstable and can crash randomly.
Menus
The European release's language select screen is present, despite being a North American build.
The default physics style is set to "simulation" rather than "arcade".
Several menu sounds are different.
Split screen can be selected without a second controller plugged in, trying to race without one results in this warning:
In the game setup menu, "catch up" is named "catch up assist".
In the opponents menu, you can select the AI skill level while the number of opponents is set to "none".
Proto
Final
The pause menu is slightly different, lacking the controls under it and the "PAUSE" text.
Cars
All of the cars in the final game seem to be present, even with the active spoilers being implemented.
The showroom, pictures, and videos are also finished and identical to the final game.
Some of the car colors appear lighter/darker and with much higher contrast than they do in the final (ochre, beige, etc.).
The Lotus GT1 always appears as red, no matter what color is actually chosen for it, and has a yellow rear license plate.
The Italdesign Calà's engine and horn sounds don't loop properly.
The McLaren F1's rear tailights are poorly UV-mapped.
The CPU version of the Ferrari F50 has alpha channel problems, and shows green where it is supposed to be transparent.
The CPU version of the Italdesign Calà has corrupted textures. For some reason, this doesn't occur after the debug text font corrupts.
Cheat Codes
The SHOTME cheat code which unlocks the Monolithic Studios track is called HOLLYO.
The LILZIP cheat code which unlocks the Ford Indigo doesn't work.
Modes
Split Screen
Functional, but no music is present.
Knockout
There is no "class" system yet, opponents can be any car regardless of which one you pick.
The last two races in Mystic Peaks and Monolithic Studios should have two and one opponent respectively, although the game will load only one on the former and none on the latter, though the game will still think there are 3/2 cars on track.
In the last race in Monolithic Studios, the second opponent (which doesn't spawn) will always have a top speed of 0.00 MP/H and a time of 303:40.0 in the race summary.
Tracks
Proving Grounds
This track is mostly finished, with some graphical differences left.
Proto
Final
The skybox is slightly different, with a full moon above the clouds.
The AI has some problems with this track and often crashes into the walls.
Outback
Almost unplayable and completely broken.
Polygons that are close to the camera disappear for no reason. There might be too many polygons on-screen at once.
There is a strange background in the track that doesn't appear anywhere in the final game, on top of the green gradient.
What is even stranger is the fact that there are random car textures in the sky. For whatever reason, this doesn't occur after the debug font corrupts.
The guard rails alongside the curb that leads into the city zone have no collision, and you will either land upside-down and get reset or fall off the map and teleport into different places on the map after showing the underside of the map (which for some reason glitches the game).
However, if you are using the in-car camera view, you will land on an invisible floor which you can drive on.
Proto
Final
The two tunnels are missing.
North Country
Mostly complete, but has strange problems.
Proto
Final
The skybox is different, and the track is set at day instead of sunset.
The tunnel reverb effect is enabled in the countryroad section for some reason.
This track has very strange slowdowns, and audio/input delays. It seems to mostly occur after crashing into something.
Pacific Spirit
Fully finished and playable, however there are some depth sorting issues in several parts of track:
Sometimes the back walls of the buildings in the beginning of the track can be seen in front.
The hairpin leading to the area with the shortcut through the woods, sometimes sidewalls render above the player's car and grass can be seen through the road.
Mediterraneo
Also mostly complete, but quite buggy.
The green-gradient skybox can be seen behind the background. Oddly enough, the gradient matches the one used by this track in the final game.
Proto
Final
The shading is much darker and is almost pitch-black, making everything (including the cars) nearly impossible to see.
There are a few holes in the map, but you cannot fall through them, as they do have collision data.
The guard rails alongside the curb leading to the bridge and just before the windmill have no collision. However, unlike Outback, there are invisible walls preventing you from falling out of bounds.
Strangely, the scenery seems to actually have collision data, as you can drive on the rocks before hitting the invisible walls.
The windmills don't have any collision.
Mystic Peaks
Somewhat finished and playable, but still very rough.
Besides the mountains in the background it lacks a skybox whatsoever, and displays the same green gradient as all of the other tracks.
The bells don't chime when driving past them.
The mountains in the track have a broken alpha channel, and are green where they are supposed to be transparent.
You cannot fall off the track on the curb right after the bridge before the spiral section. You can't fall off the bridge, either.
Monolithic Studios
Obviously not finished in any way, although it is playable.
All of the animated props are static as of yet.
The T-Rex prop has broken alpha on its arms and doesn't growl.
