The Beta Content Thread

[Shrek]

Just like how certain things are like onions, games are a bit like movies in a way. Ideas get left out, things get cut from the production for various reasons, and others are just simply forgotten about. This is what our top imagineers call "Beta Content", or in other words, things that don't make it to the final video game. Depending on the game, there could be unused music, levels, graphics, characters, debug menus, and plenty of other treasures hidden away for our unpaid imagineers to dig up and tell us about. Beta content is interesting because it gives us a glimpse of the game's development cycle, as well as what could have been had it not been removed. Here's a list of particularly notable examples:

 

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)

 

Being the first 3D Zelda game, there were various design changes made before we got the final product. Like a teenager, plenty of growing pains were involved and some things were removed for the better, while other choices were fairly unpopular like the removal of the Triforce early on in development.

 

 

It is believed the game originally was much lighter in tone, judging by the more colorful and stylized environments and enemies. Other curiosities also exist, like a different, less disturbing model of the Great Fairy and two unfinished dungeons. Several attempts have been made to recreate the original version, though few have been successful.

 

 

Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

 

Being one of the first games in development for the Wii, it's no surprise plenty of things didn't make the final cut. It's believed Mario originally controlled much more like his SM64 counterpart, as animations exist for both punching and tackling, most likely removed in favor of the spin attack. An early version of what is believed to be either the Observatory or the first level also exists, and it's fairly impressive to say the least.

 

 

Other planets were cut very late in development or in some cases got a large makeover. Various areas in Good Egg Galaxy had slightly different early designs, and one section was cut entirely known as the "Home Planet". The reasons for it's removal are unknown, though it can be found in the majority of early trailers and demos.

 

 

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Have any beta content from your favorite games that you'd like to share? Post them here, or you could also post your opinions on other findings.

[buba]

Did you know that the Pokémon Shellos and Gastrodon where supposed to be introduced in Gen III (Ruby/Sapphire)?

You can find their beta back sprites and cry in the game data.

 

As you can see Shellos and Gastrodon changed a bit and gained another forms in Gen IV (Diamond/Pearl) where they where officially introduced.

 

[Eternal EX]

When I saw beta, I was expecting a thread that was based on new playable betas coming out. Honestly this topic is a cool idea. I never knew about that stuff in LOZOOT.

[Sarah Jane Smith]

I thought I heard somewhere that OoT started out as a 3D remake of LttP.

 

Oh and also there was all that scrapped content for the failed 64DD.

Edited January 25, 2013 by cosmictruffle