Proto:Star Fox 2/June 22, 1995 Build

Star Fox 2/June 22, 1995 Build
Developers: Argonaut Software, Nintendo Platform: SNES Released in JP: October 5, 2017 Released in US: September 29, 2017 Released in EU: September 29, 2017 Released in AU: September 30, 2017 This game has unused areas. This game has hidden development-related text. This game has unused sounds. This game has a hidden sound test. This game has a prototype article

To do: All info relating to the later prototype and its differences from the final build should be split into its own proto page dedicated to the later prototype, with the current proto page renamed to specifically refer to the earlier prototype. Regional differences and unused content found specifically within the final build should remain on this page.

To do: Determine any other differences between the final build of Star Fox 2 included on the SNES Classic Mini and the later prototype version - these details should be added to the page detailing the later prototype once the page has been split per the todo above.

Star Fox 2 is the cancelled original sequel to Star Fox. The Lylat system is again under attack by Andross, and it's up to you to take down his bases and then take him out...all before Corneria suffers too much damage from Andross' missiles.

The game is a lot more open than its predecessor and successor: six characters to choose from, Arwings that can convert to walkers (necessary to hit switches and navigate corridors), General Pepper medals to collect, and more.

Two builds of Star Fox 2 were compiled from leaked source code and distributed online sometime between May and September 1999. While the earlier of the two is little more than a tech demo, the later one is virtually complete barring the presence of various debugging features and a few bugs, as well as missing some encounters and Rogue-like gameplay. Through a bit of hacking, the later build spawned a version with the debug features removed.

As for why the game was scrapped, the timeframe and 1995 copyright date, as well as various developer interviews, suggest it was shelved due to the upcoming Nintendo 64. A few concepts introduced for this game were recycled for Star Fox 64 and Star Fox Zero.

To do: There's some very good analysis over at SNES Central. Use it as a base.

Download

Download Star Fox 2 (Late Prototype) File: Star_Fox_2_(J)_(Late_Prototype).smc (1 MB) (info)

Leftover Build Date

Present at 0xE07 is a build string from an early prototype from Argonaut that predated Star Fox, when it was codenamed "NES Glider".

STAR GLIDER 01 NOV 1991

This is even stranger considering this string doesn't appear in any version of Star Fox.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Sound Test

To do: Describe in more detail what each option does.

Accessed by the CONFIG option on the title screen.

The SCENE and PORT 0 options allow you to play the background music, the SCENE option controls the Level to load, while PORT0 allows you to select the different music in the selected level.

PORT 2 allows you to play the sound of various spaceship engines, while PORT 3 allows you to play the rest of the sound effects and the speech of the game.

The "PORT" below the menu represents the sound-ports, in binary, except the last one. Interestingly, if you stop the sound with X, "PORT0" becomes 00001110 (0E in hex), while in the menu you can get up to 00001000 (08 in hex).

Unused Stage

In the Test menu, if Venom is selected and Planet Step is set to 06, an otherwise unused map is loaded up, resembling a neighborhood. According to the HUD, there are nine targets (presumably switches, as this map doesn't have a boss enemy), though there appear to be no shield switches anywhere, nor a "base" into which to proceed. There are a few things that can be shot and destroyed, but they do not count as targets. There is one item on top of the "church" that can be collected by destroying the thing on top, but it is otherwise useless.

Collision is seemingly worse than the rest of the accessible stages. For example, your Arwing can be hit when you are clearly not touching the buildings, and the non-moving "enemies" that can be shot and destroyed may have to be shot multiple times before you actually hit them.

Unused Audio

Two voice samples (one male, one female) that say "1-Up!"

Classic Mini version

To do: Replace the US version of the final build with the JP version for a more consistent comparision Expand this section The Test, Config, and Training menu option text is still in the rom. See if they can be re-enabled.

An official final build of the game was finally released to the public as part of the Snes Classic Mini games library in 2017.

Prototype	Final

The Classic Mini has a brighter color to the Nintendo logo screen. They also added the 'registered trademark' symbol to the logo. The explosions in the opening cutscene also last a bit longer with a slower 'fade' transition. The prototype also has the FPS counter at the left top of the screen, absent in the final version

Prototype	Final

Prototype	Final

Different characters portraits and logo. The Test, Config and Training modes are missing, replaced by a "Stereo/Mono" option. Interestingly, the date was changed from 1995 to 1996.

While it continues to glow in the prototype, the eye/star in the background stops glowing after pressing start in the splash screen in the final version.

Also the animations of the sparkles in the title screen was changed, in the final version they no longer moves from the sides to the center but the opposite, from the center to the sides (creating a 'moving forward' effect).

The Expert mode is no loger accesible from the beginning in the final version.

The confirmation sound when selecting a character is also slightly different, akin to the one used in Star Fox 64.

Regional Differences

To do: Compare the JP and US Classic Mini versions