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Unreleased Matchbox games How many have surfaced?

Jan 20, 2015 at 10:25:14 AM
Vectrex28 (130)
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(CD-i Kraid) < Master Higgins >
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Today, I discovered that there are 10 unreleased MatchBox games for the NES. I know about Noah's Ark, which eventualy made its way to Konami in Europe, but have the more obscure ones ever surfaced (Especially that Sir Eric the Bold one, which looks quite funny given the screenshots that are on this site)

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Jan 20, 2015 at 2:50:32 PM
TheRedEye (6)
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(Frank Cifaldi) < Meka Chicken >
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I only know of 9:

Euro Cup Soccer - Art was done, but the engineering never got far enough for there to be a game to find.

Matchbox Racers: This game was completed, but no copies have been found.

Monster Truck Rodeo: All of the screenshots we've seen are obviously mockups, may have never gotten past concept. I scanned a flyer.

Noah's Ark: As you pointed out, Konami put this out in Europe. The NTSC version got far enough along that GamePro actually reviewed it, but their review cart was not in the archives when they were mined. Was playable on Game Boy too.

Pyramids of Ra: Found and dumped! It's in a transitional period where it's still using black and white Game Boy graphics, but it's playable and fun.

Ring Raiders: Like Monster Truck Rodeo, everything we've seen was obviously in a mockup state. I scanned a flyer.

Sir Eric the Bold: A demo was made and shown at CES, but it never got very far. Was playable on Game Boy too.

Urban Convoy: Same as Monster Truck Rodeo and Ring Raiders. Flyer scanned.

Web World: Same as Monster Truck Rodeo, Ring Raiders and Urban Convoy. Flyer scanned.

And here some rumor mill-ish/alternate title stuff:

Matchbox Lightning: This was in a couple mail order lists back in the day, was probably an alternate title for Matchbox Racing.

Scarabeus: Alternate title for Pyramids of Ra.

Tune-Up Rallye: One of the first Matchbox games announced, this was either a vague concept like those other four or an early title for Motor City Patrol (released) or Matchbox Racing.

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Jan 20, 2015 at 3:40:16 PM
MrMark0673 (455)
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(Mark Nolan) < Master Higgins >
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I own a finished NTSC Noah's Ark proto, so that one can be confirmed as privately (and eventually publicly) preserved.

-------------------------
Hi, my name is Mark, and I collect (and now sell!) Prototypes.
 
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Jan 20, 2015 at 3:43:18 PM
TheRedEye (6)
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(Frank Cifaldi) < Meka Chicken >
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Originally posted by: MrMark0673

I own a finished NTSC Noah's Ark proto, so that one can be confirmed as privately (and eventually publicly) preserved.

Great. Do you know if it's the same as the early NTSC proto where you were actually building an ark, or is it the same as the Konami version (just straight up platforming)?

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Jan 20, 2015 at 9:22:26 PM
MrMark0673 (455)
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(Mark Nolan) < Master Higgins >
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Originally posted by: TheRedEye

Originally posted by: MrMark0673

I own a finished NTSC Noah's Ark proto, so that one can be confirmed as privately (and eventually publicly) preserved.

Great. Do you know if it's the same as the early NTSC proto where you were actually building an ark, or is it the same as the Konami version (just straight up platforming)?
Gonna pop in my Powerpak and see what the deal is right now.  Haven't played it literally in years.

I know that another member here has 2 additional NTSC copies as well, though I'm not sure about what is on those builds.



-------------------------
Hi, my name is Mark, and I collect (and now sell!) Prototypes.
 
Photobucket

The Largest Comprehensive List of NES Protos for Sale Available on the Web!
http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/...
 

Jan 20, 2015 at 9:26:43 PM
TheRedEye (6)
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(Frank Cifaldi) < Meka Chicken >
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Originally posted by: MrMark0673

Originally posted by: TheRedEye

Originally posted by: MrMark0673

I own a finished NTSC Noah's Ark proto, so that one can be confirmed as privately (and eventually publicly) preserved.

Great. Do you know if it's the same as the early NTSC proto where you were actually building an ark, or is it the same as the Konami version (just straight up platforming)?
Gonna pop in my Powerpak and see what the deal is right now.  Haven't played it literally in years.

I know that another member here has 2 additional NTSC copies as well, though I'm not sure about what is on those builds.

 

Appreciate it. There's some question as to whether it might actually be a different game, since the one Jason Wilson had (an obviously incomplete tech demo) had different gameplay. Same basic thing, same art, but like I said his had a first level where you built an ark piece by piece. I'd like to know if a "final" NTSC version still retained that.


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Jan 20, 2015 at 9:33:25 PM
MrMark0673 (455)
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(Mark Nolan) < Master Higgins >
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Originally posted by: TheRedEye

Originally posted by: MrMark0673

Originally posted by: TheRedEye

Originally posted by: MrMark0673

I own a finished NTSC Noah's Ark proto, so that one can be confirmed as privately (and eventually publicly) preserved.

Great. Do you know if it's the same as the early NTSC proto where you were actually building an ark, or is it the same as the Konami version (just straight up platforming)?
Gonna pop in my Powerpak and see what the deal is right now.  Haven't played it literally in years.

I know that another member here has 2 additional NTSC copies as well, though I'm not sure about what is on those builds.

 

Appreciate it. There's some question as to whether it might actually be a different game, since the one Jason Wilson had (an obviously incomplete tech demo) had different gameplay. Same basic thing, same art, but like I said his had a first level where you built an ark piece by piece. I'd like to know if a "final" NTSC version still retained that.
 

Not a problem at all.

On a related note, my buddy Lincoln was able to pull a ton of stuff out of the chips I had for NTSC versions of Elite, Ufouria, and Super Turrican.  Weird stuff, I'll report out soon.


-------------------------
Hi, my name is Mark, and I collect (and now sell!) Prototypes.
 
Photobucket

The Largest Comprehensive List of NES Protos for Sale Available on the Web!
http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/...
 

Jan 20, 2015 at 9:56:16 PM
daillest (225)
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(Joe ) < Lolo Lord >
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Originally posted by: MrMark0673

Originally posted by: TheRedEye

Originally posted by: MrMark0673

I own a finished NTSC Noah's Ark proto, so that one can be confirmed as privately (and eventually publicly) preserved.

Great. Do you know if it's the same as the early NTSC proto where you were actually building an ark, or is it the same as the Konami version (just straight up platforming)?
Gonna pop in my Powerpak and see what the deal is right now.  Haven't played it literally in years.

I know that another member here has 2 additional NTSC copies as well, though I'm not sure about what is on those builds.

 

I have 2 differenrt NTSC version of Noahs Ark plus a Pal Version. One NTSC is an early version.

I also have both Pyramids of RA & Scarabeus protos. Scarabeus actaullly has a level editor built in.


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Jan 20, 2015 at 10:08:13 PM
MrMark0673 (455)
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(Mark Nolan) < Master Higgins >
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Just played through a bunch of the game. It is indeed the Konami version, it is complete, and it appears identical to the PAL release with the exception of it running at the correct pace.

Game is much harder than I remember!

-------------------------
Hi, my name is Mark, and I collect (and now sell!) Prototypes.
 
Photobucket

The Largest Comprehensive List of NES Protos for Sale Available on the Web!
http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/...
 

Jan 20, 2015 at 10:12:52 PM
TheRedEye (6)
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(Frank Cifaldi) < Meka Chicken >
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Originally posted by: MrMark0673

Just played through a bunch of the game. It is indeed the Konami version, it is complete, and it appears identical to the PAL release with the exception of it running at the correct pace.

Game is much harder than I remember!


I figured! Thanks for looking.

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Jan 20, 2015 at 10:16:25 PM
daillest (225)
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(Joe ) < Lolo Lord >
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I havent play trough but here are some screen shots
Early


Later Build

Both Share this Map Screen

-------------------------

____________________________________________________________
My For Sale Thread
http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=6&thr...

My Wanted to Buy/Trade Thread
http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=56&th...

My Ebay Listings
http://www.ebay.com/sch/daillest/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&a...

Jan 21, 2015 at 12:38:28 AM
TheRedEye (6)
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(Frank Cifaldi) < Meka Chicken >
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Thanks for the screens. I've always like this artist's sprite work!

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Jan 21, 2015 at 5:31:37 AM
Vectrex28 (130)
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(CD-i Kraid) < Master Higgins >
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Originally posted by: TheRedEye

Thanks for the screens. I've always like this artist's sprite work!


True, that guy had some talent, especially since I heard their games were rushed

-------------------------
"Energy Tanks, Missiles, Power Bombs... You want it? It's yours my friend! As long as you have enough credits!"


Jan 21, 2015 at 7:19:47 PM
zredgemz (1)
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< Kraid Killer >
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Originally posted by: MrMark0673

Originally posted by: TheRedEye

Originally posted by: MrMark0673

Originally posted by: TheRedEye

Originally posted by: MrMark0673

I own a finished NTSC Noah's Ark proto, so that one can be confirmed as privately (and eventually publicly) preserved.

Great. Do you know if it's the same as the early NTSC proto where you were actually building an ark, or is it the same as the Konami version (just straight up platforming)?
Gonna pop in my Powerpak and see what the deal is right now.  Haven't played it literally in years.

I know that another member here has 2 additional NTSC copies as well, though I'm not sure about what is on those builds.

 

Appreciate it. There's some question as to whether it might actually be a different game, since the one Jason Wilson had (an obviously incomplete tech demo) had different gameplay. Same basic thing, same art, but like I said his had a first level where you built an ark piece by piece. I'd like to know if a "final" NTSC version still retained that.
 

Not a problem at all.

On a related note, my buddy Lincoln was able to pull a ton of stuff out of the chips I had for NTSC versions of Elite, Ufouria, and Super Turrican.  Weird stuff, I'll report out soon.
 

That is really good news Turrican for life.


Mar 29 at 1:12:14 PM
kemcom (0)
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< Tourian Tourist >
Posts: 38 - Joined: 02/27/2019
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Originally posted by: TheRedEye

I only know of 9:

Euro Cup Soccer - Art was done, but the engineering never got far enough for there to be a game to find.

Matchbox Racers: This game was completed, but no copies have been found.

Monster Truck Rodeo: All of the screenshots we've seen are obviously mockups, may have never gotten past concept. I scanned a flyer.

Noah's Ark: As you pointed out, Konami put this out in Europe. The NTSC version got far enough along that GamePro actually reviewed it, but their review cart was not in the archives when they were mined. Was playable on Game Boy too.

Pyramids of Ra: Found and dumped! It's in a transitional period where it's still using black and white Game Boy graphics, but it's playable and fun.

Ring Raiders: Like Monster Truck Rodeo, everything we've seen was obviously in a mockup state. I scanned a flyer.

Sir Eric the Bold: A demo was made and shown at CES, but it never got very far. Was playable on Game Boy too.

Urban Convoy: Same as Monster Truck Rodeo and Ring Raiders. Flyer scanned.

Web World: Same as Monster Truck Rodeo, Ring Raiders and Urban Convoy. Flyer scanned.

And here some rumor mill-ish/alternate title stuff:

Matchbox Lightning: This was in a couple mail order lists back in the day, was probably an alternate title for Matchbox Racing.

Scarabeus: Alternate title for Pyramids of Ra.

Tune-Up Rallye: One of the first Matchbox games announced, this was either a vague concept like those other four or an early title for Motor City Patrol (released) or Matchbox Racing.

There are a lot of unreleased Matchbox NES games.  
Matchbox Racers and Sir Eric the Bold hope that one day a prototype will be found.
I have never seen a scanned flyer of Ring Raiders. Is it uploaded?