Rhythm Heaven/Unused Graphics

This is a sub-page of Rhythm Heaven.

tptrace

In the grapharc folder for this games, there exists a folder called "tptrace", which contains several graphics used for testing. While this image is of the sprite sheet that contains these graphics, other graphics utilizing these sprites can be found, giving us a glimpse at how this may have looked.

This graphic, internally called "Axis" is of a graph with two axis labels. "1.0", which is the Y-axis label, and "T", which is the X-axis label. It is unknown what these labels mean, if they mean anything at all.

This red line is internally called "slope". Graphics of it sloping are in the aforementioned sprite sheet, though they don't appear anywhere else.

This background for tptrace depicts a simple grid of 9x9 squares.

Timing Display

In the .NCER file for the pause menu (grapharc/pause), there exist many graphics for a "timing display" similar to what would later be found in both Fever and Megamix.The large, blue katakana present within the display, ポーズ, simply means "pause". There is also a button command in the bottom right corner, "Y=コマおくり", indicating that one would press the Y button in order to advance a frame. (コマおくり can also literally translate to "send [off] a frame")

Practice Flicking

In the files for this game, there's this weird object internally called "gate".

This game also has an unused background lurking in its files.

Unused Save Slot Names

• Secret and Mystery were probably placeholder before putting in the final names!
• The rest of the unused names were planned, but they were scrapped!

Rhythm Games & Toys

Rhythm Rally

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Rhythm Rally 1

An alternate version of the rhythm game's title card featuring a muscular Paddler that is never used. This image is found in all versions of the game.

(Source: Rhythmheaven.wikia.com)

In a separate folder called “tpeffect” there are some unused sprites of a paddle. These sprites could have originally been used for testing, or either Rhythm Rally was initially a 2D rhythm game.

Shoot-'Em-Up

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Remix 2

Shoot 'Em Up	Remix 2 (Unused)

The Remix 2 variant of the Radio Lady has a sprite that's exclusive to Remix 2, but Remix 2 doesn't show the Radio Lady at all, so it goes unused. It seems like the developers knew this, because they only redid one out of the four talk animations.

Remix 10

A graphic of the Lockstep icon being shot "Superbly"

The Early / Late animation of the Lockstep icon being shot.

Moai Doo-Wop

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Moai Doo-Wop's .NCER file contains a fully unused "test layout" of sorts. While most of what's here is used in the final game, the player has a red bow in this graphic, while the bow in the final game is the same color as the head.

Blue Birds

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A crudely drawn bird exists in the background graphics for this game.

An unused tank also exists in the background graphics for this game.

Interestingly, mountains that would later appear in Blue Birds 2 appear in the background graphics for this game. They lack their clouds in this version, though.

Love Lizards

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An early title screen. It refers to the game as ギロちゃん ("Guiro-chan" or "Li'l Guiro"), as opposed to the final version, named ラブコール ("Love Call"). Other sprites for the rhythm game refers to it by its final name, meaning that this was likely scrapped earlier in development.

In the files for Love Lizards, there exists graphics for an unused mode internally called "easyScratch". It's possible that the developers of this game may have found the act of scratching the touch screen too difficult for some, and planned to implement a feature to make their lives easier.

The files for Love Lizards also contain this image, possibly used to preview the expression the male lizard makes.

Freeze Frame

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While this is used in the intro, it's hard to see clearly do to the text covering a good portion of it. It's also cut off slightly.

For some reason, one of the racers seen in the image above has a completely separated graphic that goes unused.

There's also this checkered flag in the files for the intro that goes unused.

In the files for this game's background, there exists graphics of a more detailed cloud than the ones seen in the game.

The Dazzles

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A series of sprites for The Dazzles pointing at you. Each one of these are stored right after their respective pose sprites, so perhaps these had something to do with them.

Alternate versions of the sprites for the player's pose animation, with an included star effect, and a fully drawn lower half for the player. The star effect is separated from the point animation in game, and the lower half isn't drawn, due to the game using a different sprite for the animation.

DJ School

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Similarly to Moai Doo-Wop, DJ School also has a unused "test layout". Most of the graphics are broken however, which probably means it came from an earlier point in development. It's worth noting that DJ Yellow appears to be holding a dial of his own, which isn't seen in the final game. This may just be a result of copying some of DJ Blue's graphics over as a base for designing DJ Yellow.

Additionally, the files for this game contains an unused graphic of DJ Yellow giving a thumbs up. This was most likely intended to be used when the player correctly performs an action, as this graphic is internally called "C_body_delight", which matches up with "C_head_delight" (The used graphic of DJ Yellow smiling).

The Remix 4 variant of DJ Yellow has a smiling face (used after performing an action correctly) as well, but due to the game transitioning immediately after performing the action, it is never seen.

Drummer Duel

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An unused test layout can be found in the graphic files for this game.

This sprite of the computer character missing a cue can also be found in the files for this game, despite the computer never missing.

Love Lab

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Love Lab	Remix 4

This is the character you throw flasks to, which remains almost completely unseen in-game, except for an arm and a few pixels of their head. Despite this, the character can be seen in supplementary material, such as the 'Try Again' rating screen and other official artwork. The same goes for the Remix 4 variant of it.

An unused test layout can be found in the files for this game, though it is horribly broken. This would most likely indicate that this image comes from an earlier point of development.

This image, simply named "test01" can also be found in the files, just as broken as ever. It seems that whatever this was originally has since been overwritten.

Splashdown

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The files for this game contain these unused dolphin sprites which are larger than the ones used. Interestingly, no one appears to be riding it.

The background graphics file for this game contain an earlier version of the audience sprite that appears much smaller than the ones used.

The file also contains a second version of the sprite, which lacks its gray outline. It also gained droopy ears.

Big Rock Finish

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A single sprite of Ecto talking similarly to Boo-boo exists in the .NCER file for this game.

This seemingly glitched frame of Spooky playing the drums is also present in the .NCER file.

A miss-colored version of Spooky's drum set, possibly indicating palette reorganization. This version of the drum set also appears in...

This broken-as-ever test layout, featuring two Ectos and broken graphics on both sides of the image.

Space Soccer

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In the files for Space Soccer's intro, both the soccer ball and its shadow have unused separated versions.

Additionally, the file for the actual game contains this unused image.

Lockstep

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Unused arrows

An arrow found among Lockstep's graphics. A palette swapped version of this exists among Lockstep 2's and Remix 6's graphics as well.

Unused portraits

In the Remix 6 setting of Lockstep, the usual portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach is replaced of one of Italian Baroque musician Francesco Onofrio Manfredini, in addition to the different color scheme.

Rockers

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J.J Rocker and Student t-posing, for whatever reason.

Variants without their guitars are also present.

Sample images of the two's unison routine. Interestingly, Student uses the same graphics as J.J Rocker does for his face and hair, making them look almost identical.

Karate Man

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The Flow meter from the rhythm game of the same name in Rhythm Tengoku is present, though it goes unused in the final version.

In addition, there's unused numbers and Japanese text. These are also leftovers from Rhythm Tengoku as well. Perhaps the game was originally going to have these appear during the gameplay, like in the rhythm game of the same name in Rhythm Tengoku, and in subsequent games since Rhythm Heaven Fever, but these are never seen in this game.

Unused Piece	If Assembled

There is a unused piece for Karate Joe hidden in the game's tiles. This shows him kicking from the front, as his backside is normally seen when he kicks in the final game. Also, some of the pixels lack shading. Palette-swapped versions of this unused sprite appear in Remix 6 and Karate Man 2's tiles respectively. The frame on the right shows how this unused piece would have been assembled.

Airboarder

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An early version of the prologue screen, featuring an earlier design for the Airboarder, with a different jumpsuit, color scheme, and a round head that would later be incorporated into the Megamix redesigns.

Coin Toss

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A large black rectangle. Who knows what this was meant for?

Two unused duplicates of pre-existing sprites.

A horizontally flipped version of a hand sprite.

A graphic of a kanji character called "coinDrop" internally. The kanji commonly means "not yet", so might've appeared if the player attempted to catch the coin too early.

Octopus Machine

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One of two unused test layouts. Nothing about this first one is particularly juicy, but the second one, however...

Four Octopuses? Seems like there were originally four octopuses in this rhythm toy, but they shortened it down to three.

A crudely drawn outline of an octopus. This is stored as a background, so that's maybe where this would've shown up.

Glass Tappers

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A wine bottle and its cork, each internally called "BottleClose" and "BottleCap". The bottle graphic is duplicated under the name "BottleOpen", meaning that there would be some event that would make the bottle open, which is where that separated cork graphic would come into play.

Rhythmove Dungeon

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While the numbers are used for what stage you're on, duplicate graphics exist alongside an unused "Go!!" sprite for a count-in.

Rating Screens

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To do: Make sure this is all of them.

Several rating screens contain unused or hidden graphics in their sprite maps.

Test

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Try Again	OK	Superb
"Try Again picture"	"OK picture"	"Superb picture"

In the folder that contains the rating screens used for remixes (root/grapharc/epilogue), there exists assets for three rating screens normally not present in-game. These were most likely intended to test the rating screens. The girl featured here looks like a cross between the girl featured at the end of the Rhythm Heaven demo and the Pop Singer from Fan Club. The Try Again screen even has the unused tumbling animation from the latter!

Glee Club

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Glee Club

Early Version	Final Version

Hidden in Glee Club's epilogue_ok.NCGR_LZ file is an early version of the "Try Again" ratings screen.

Early Version	Final Version

The same file also includes an early version of the "OK" ratings screen.

Glee Club 2

The flower graphic found in the "Superb" rating screen is cut off by the border, leaving a good chunk of the graphic unseen.

An unused graphic for the tree leafs seen in the "Superb" rating screen.

An unused version of the tree leafs from the "Superb" rating screen.

The full image of the conductor from the "OK" rating screen. His legs aren't normally seen.

An early version of the conductor seen in the "Try Again" rating screen. His tie isn't red, unlike the final version.

Two chorus kids from the "Try Again" ratings screen The first one ended up getting overlapped by the second one, who himself ends up getting cut off by the border.

Freeze Frame

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The way that the racer holds the trophy was changed, as well as the design of the trophy. Additionally, the top of the used trophy normally goes unseen.

Unused	Used

The Dazzles

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The Dazzles

There is a 3D model in the files for the The Dazzles rhythm game consisting only of a few 2D sprites, which look very similar to a Japanese desktop wallpaper for the game.

There is also an unused Superb rating screen for this game, with the Dazzle members having their eyes open and wearing different clothing.

Unused	Used

The Dazzles 2

An unused fist.

Munchy Monk

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Munchy Monk 2

This version of Munchy Monk shows much less emotion than the one used in the final game.

Unused	Used

Karate Man

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Karate Man

There is an early "Try Again" ending image alongside the used one. The only difference is that there are no effects on Karate Joe's foot.

Unused	Used

In the "OK" epilogue, Karate Joe has a different expression, and he is just about to eat his lunch in this unused sprite. Also, the table and flower are uncolored. The "Used" version colorizes them, and he is now eating his lunch.

Unused	Used

In the "Superb" epilogue, there is an early sprite of Karate Joe kicking in midair. The "Used" version has added shading and a white outline around him.

Unused	Used

Karate Man 2

There is a alternate "Try Again" ending image alongside the used one. The only difference is that Karate Joe's sleeve on his suit is in the opposite direction.

Unused	Used

Additionally in the same epilogue, there is an unused sprite where he has no rain on himself.

In the "OK" epilogue, an alternate ending image is present. It's also worth noting that the same changes above apply.

Unused	Used

In the same epilogue, there are unused sprites for a member of the Dazzles and Karate Joe. Part of their sprites are normally unseen and even the same sleeve change is still present.

The "Superb" epilogue also has a alternate ending image too and Karate Joe still has a strange case of opposite sleeve changes.

Unused	Used

There are also unused sprites in the same epilogue. Karate Joe has no sweat on himself and the towel that the member of the Dazzles gives to him is different.

DJ School

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This shows DJ Yellow looking rather cross, and was likely intended for a 'Try Again' rating screen. It’s unknown why his head is disconnected.

Space Soccer

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Space Soccer

Some unused heads of the Space Kicker. The thickness of the outlining suggests that they were pulled from the rhythm game, but the Kicker’s expressions suggest they might have been used for the rating screens.

Space Soccer 2

Unused	Used

Space Soccer 2's Superb epilogue has an unsaddled horse. The "Used" sprite has added details, and has the Space Kicker on it.

Rockers

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Rockers 2

There is an alternate version of the player’s guitarist with their eyes closed for the 'Superb' rating screen.

Unused	Used

Remix 1

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An alternate Try Again image is present alongside the used one, depicting an angry chick hatching from an egg.

(Source: Rhythmheaven.wikia.com)

Remix 2

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An unused sprite of Tram from Tram to Poline in Rhythm Tengoku is present in the Superb epilogue of this Remix. A surfboard with a different color palette also exists.

Remix 3

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A mermaid similar to the one in Rhythm Tengoku's Remix 6 "Superb!" Epilogue screen that goes unused. Perhaps it was intended for the fisherman to fish a mermaid instead of the fish seen in the final design.

An uncoloured boat. The pole is not present in the final design.

Unused	Used

An alternate fish design.

Unused	Used

An unused pose for the fisherman. Based on the position of his arms, this seems to be for the OK rating screen. His arms are in a slightly different position and his face looks more dispirited compared to the final game's used sprite.

Unused	Used

An unused pose for the fisherman for the Superb rating screen. His arms are in a slightly different position and his head is leaned further back compared to the final game's used sprite.

Unused	Used

Remix 5

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A girl that goes mostly unseen from the 'Superb' rating screen.

A few faces were changed on the 'Superb' rating screen.

Unused	Used

Remix 7

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The original businessman graphic depicted a younger man and lacked shading on his briefcase.

Unused	Used

A cheering child exists among the graphics, though his palette is no longer present/correct.

Unaltered	Mockup Palette

A partial sprite of the Barista (the dog) that seems to be playing a guitar. He may have been intended to be shown playing with the others on one or more of the rating screens. The Barista is still present, though only among the audience on the 'Superb' rating screen.

Unused	Used

There is an earlier version of the guitar case which has less outlining and is apparently a different color from the final. (The 'Used' sprite shown here has coins in it.)

Unused	Used

A microphone grasped in either a small hand or the Barista's paws.

Remix 8

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This man is only shown in two poses, on the 'Try Again' rating screen.

Unused	Used

Remix 9

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An earlier design for Space Umpire shown on the 'Try Again' rating screen. The original sprite is taken directly from Rhythm Tengoku. It may have been changed to have an increased contrast with the background, or it could have been a placeholder texture and a reference for the final design.

Unused	Used

An unused design for Play-Yan in the Remix 9 Superb epilogue, which is also taken directly from Rhythm Tengoku.

Unused	Used

Remix 10

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An unused version of Note exists with different colouration than usual (though it is possible that the original palette is no longer loaded). The bold outlines and positioning of the sprite usually indicate that it was pulled from a rhythm game, but Note doesn't seem to appear in any games. This graphic is seen in the background graphics of the Café. Something to note is that the character does appear with a similar coloration in Rhythm Heaven Fever, appearing in the Police Call Rhythm Toy.

Unused	Used

A graphic depicting Note washed up after a shipwreck goes unused. This may have been changed as a result of it being seen as too morbid, as it could look like Note died. This was instead changed to a small smiling Note sprite with a speech bubble showing a larger, rained-on version of itself.

Unused	Used

Miscellaneous

A large portion of the Café background is obscured by the menu and goes unseen, although the only things of note are the telephone and the table number.

Menu

An unused menu icon. It may have been used as a placeholder or been an early design for one of the rhythm games; it seems to be resembling a cross between Space Soccer and Karate Man in appearance.

What appears to be an alternate lock icon to have been used on the rhythm game selection menu.

Unused	Used