Proto:Pokémon Gold and Silver

This page details one or more prototype versions of Pokémon Gold and Silver.

This article is a work in progress. ...Well, all the articles here are, in a way. But this one moreso, and the article may contain incomplete information and editor's notes.

To do: Documentation of this prototype is an ongoing process, and work on an English translation is ongoing. You can view the current progress at this Google spreadsheet, which includes data on all Pokémon and many other things, as well as this repository.

On November 15th, 1997, a playable demo of Pokémon Gold and Silver debuted at Space World '97 for the public. On May 31st, 2018, an anonymous user dumped a ROM of the elusive demo, twenty years since it was last playable by the public. May Game Freak have mercy on our souls.

There are 4 separate ROMs: two Gold and two Silver, two Debug and two NonDebug.

Download Pokémon Gold - Spaceworld 1997 Demo (Debug) File: Pokémon Gold - Spaceworld 1997 Demo (Debug).7z (info) Current version: ‎November ‎15, ‎1997

Download Pokémon Gold - Spaceworld 1997 Demo (NonDebug) File: Pokémon Gold - Spaceworld 1997 Demo (NonDebug).7z (info) Current version: November 15, 1997

Download Pokémon Silver - Spaceworld 1997 Demo (Debug) File: Pokémon Silver - Spaceworld 1997 Demo (Debug).7z (info) Current version: November 15, 1997

Download Pokémon Silver - Spaceworld 1997 Demo (NonDebug) File: Pokémon Silver - Spaceworld 1997 Demo (NonDebug).7z (info) Current version: November 15, 1997

Each archive contains two ROMs; the original ROM, and a version with a fixed header that allows it to run on normal Game Boy hardware and most emulators.

To fix a ROM yourself, open the ROM in a hex editor (such as HxD on Windows), and edit the following:

• For all versions, set the byte at 0x0147 to 0x10
• For Debug Gold, set the bytes at 0x014D to 0xC7 0x7B 0xA2
• For NonDebug Gold, set the bytes at 0x014D to 0xC7 0xA2 0x84
• For Debug Silver, set the bytes at 0x014D to 0x18 0x54 0xEF
• For NonDebug Silver, set the bytes at 0x014D to 0x18 0x2C 0x58

Subpages

Debug Menu You've got the power right in your hands.

Pokémon You won't believe your eyes.

Maps Kanto looks a lot smaller than I remembered.

Minigames Pokémon Picross is alive and kicking.

Items Ice Bikini joke goes here.

Visual Comparisons

While the demo does contain a unique border as seen here, the final game's border can also be brought up if the game is saved in debug mode and restarted.

Intro

The intro is mainly similar between the two, though the actual art is noticeably different between the two version.

SpaceWorld 1997 Demo	Final Game

Omanytes can be seen in the intro instead of Shellders. The detail of the ocean floor was also simplified.

SpaceWorld 1997 Demo	Final Game

Magikarps were redrawn to be on-model.

SpaceWorld 1997 Demo	Final Game

The Lapras in the intro had its eye opened up and the ears slightly redrawn to be on-model. It also was given more animation in the final.

SpaceWorld 1997 Demo	Final Game

Details on the trees and bushes were removed. Shading is removed from Pikachu and Jigglypuff. Pikachu attacking Jigglypuff does not use unique frames like the final game.

The last part of the intro is mostly the same except for less color and Blastoiose and Venusaur being used where the Johto starters appear in the final.

Battle Mechanics

Type Matchups

• Poison does 0.5x damage to Steel-types rather than being completely ineffective.

Move Differences

• Bite is Normal-type, as it was in Generation I, instead of Dark-type.
• Scary Face lowers Defense instead of Speed.
• Belly Drum does not inflict any damage on the user.
• ボーンラッシュ Bone Rush was originally named ホネホネロック Bonebone Rock, using ほね instead of the katakana ボーン to refer to Cubone and Marowak's bone clubs.

Removed Moves

To do: Check how each move behaves.

Hex	Name (JP)	Translation	Type	Base Power	PP	Description	Notes
C4	シンクロ	Synchronize	Psychic	--	10	The enemy takes the same damage as the user.	The described behavior has not been implemented in the game yet for some reason; instead, it acts like Conversion. This move's name was used for an ability in Generation III.
E8	いしあたま	Rock Head	Rock	90	10	The enemy is hit with the user's hard head. It may cause flinching.	This move's name was used for an ability in Generation III. A similar move, Iron Head, was introduced in Generation IV.
F5	ひっこぬく	Uproot	Normal	30	10	The user flings the enemy for massive damage.	Is assigned as the move taught by HM01 (Cut).
F6	かぜにのる	Wind Ride	Flying	40	10	The user rides the wind and rams into the enemy. This move has a high critical-hit ratio.	Is assigned as the move taught by HM02 (Fly). May have gone on to become Aeroblast.
F7	みずあそび	Water Sport	Water	30	10	Comment under construction	Is assigned as the move taught by HM03 (Surf). This move's name was used for an unrelated move in Generation III.
F8	てつわん	Strong Arm	Steel	30	10	Attacks using a burly arm. May raise the user's attack.	Is assigned as the move taught by HM04 (Strength). May have gone on to become Meteor Mash.
F9	ひかりゴケ	Bright Moss	Grass	--	10	Raises the accuracy of moves by lighting up the surroundings.	Is assigned as the move taught by HM05 (Flash). This move's name was used for a held item in Generation VI.
FB	とびはねる	Bounce	Water	0	10	No effect whatsoever.	Is assigned as the move taught by HM07 (Waterfall). This move's name was used for a unrelated move in Generation III.

Oddities

• Poison-types can get poisoned, which does not happen in Generation I or II altogether.

Unused Graphics

To do: Are there more?

Aerodactyl in Intro

The graphics are loaded in the first part of the intro but it doesn't appear at all, this was meant go along with a segment where a Lapras is swimming on the ocean.

Overworld Poliwhirl

Sprites of Poliwhirl are present in the overworld sprites, but were removed in the final game. Poliwhirl would have followed the trainer, much akin to Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow, which was released after this demo was conceived.

Overworld Snorlax

A very tiny Snorlax.

Chansey

To do: check to see if they're the same chansey sprites as the one in the final

Animations of Chansey walking and jumping, along with an egg are found in the slot machine minigame, but don't seem to appear. A chansey does appear in the slot machines in the final as one of the random pokemon that screws up or helps the player when they're close to getting a 777. It throws eggs at the slot machine moving the last reel a few times.

Surfing

The surfing sprites more closely resembles the ones in Red and Blue, rather than a red Lapras in the final game.

Skateboard

The skateboarding player, a cut transportation mode.

Giovanni

Giovanni, found in the Radio Tower with his Rockets.

Mother

A different design for the player's mother.

Girl in Rival's house

Silver's family member.

Imposter Oak

A plotline banished to the trading card game.

Agatha

Chilling in a house in the snow town. A generic girl runs the ghost gym nearby.

Falkner

A different design for Falkner, with a headband.

Bugsy

In the prototype, Bugsy is a tall, well-dressed man. He was changed to the champion of the Bug Catchers in the final game.

Cape Guy

Most likely a cut/redone gym leader. Is possibly Lance/Wataru.

Jasmine

A radically different, more delicate design than final.

Generic Girl

A girl who was possibly changed because she's too similar to Rival.

Dark Nurse

An alternate design for the nurse. Used inside the time capsule Pokemon Center.

Nun

Found in the traditional tower with the monks.

Delinquent

Resembles a stereotypical Japanese high school delinquent, complete with pompadour and school uniform.

Biker

Hole

Looks to be a hole in the ground. Passable; when stepped on, the player walks left one block. Found on the route west of High-Tech, and in Blue Forest. These holes aren't used in the final versions, but the top half of the graphic (right) remains in the following tilesets: Johto overworld, cave, and Ilex Forest.

Corrupted graphics

The ROM contains corrupted data, some of which is leftover from Generation I.

From 0xC3E40 (these graphics are corrupted beyond recognition in the Silver demo):

What can be made out here seem to be the sprites of one of the male Silph Co. workers. If there were any other sprites from other NPC's here however, they've been corrupted to the point they can't be made out anymore.

From 0xC6640:

The NPC's shown here in order: The female Silph Co. Worker, the middle aged woman NPC, Lass, Lance, another generic female NPC, another silph co NPC, Bug Catcher, Clefairy, Agatha (which strangely is actually used in the prototype, albeit under a different offset), Bruno, Lorelei, The surfing sprite, and the first Generation Protagonsit's bike sprites.

Three fourths of the S.S. Anne graphics are located at 0x4E900.