List of Advertisements for Unreleased NES Games

[PII | 1,886]

In the meantime, here's a little something I just managed to scrounge up.  Here's a link.

https://twitter.com/frankcifaldi/status/1166893355030069254

 

[Mydogsrule | 87]

Great work!  Noah’s ark is a cool because the US version had a building of the ark bonus stage, which was removed in the Pal Konami release.  The attachment also shows a screen shot of it.   
 

The California Raisins has the craziest story of any unreleased Nes prototype game ever discovered.  
 

Just so you know there is a prototype of Exerion II and a US version prototype of Trolls in Crazyland.  

Edited December 28, 2020 by Mydogsrule

[mideast | 144]

14 hours ago, PII said:

In the meantime, here's a little something I just managed to scrounge up.  Here's a link.

https://twitter.com/frankcifaldi/status/1166893355030069254

 

I haven't seen that one! This one is confusing me though since it has the PAL Jurassic Park box. It seems from his reply in the tweet that he got it from a copy of Total! magazine which is from the UK. But all the Dennis the Menace games in Europe were called "Dennis" instead. But it does look like it's a UK mag so I won't put in the list

[mideast | 144]

9 hours ago, Mydogsrule said:

Great work!  Noah’s ark is a cool because the US version had a building of the ark bonus stage, which was removed in the Pal Konami release.  The attachment also shows a screen shot of it.   
 

The California Raisins has the craziest story of any unreleased Nes prototype game ever discovered.  
 

Just so you know there is a prototype of Exerion II and a US version prototype of Trolls in Crazyland.  

Thanks! I found the Exerion II prototype but I don't have any advertisements for it so I didn't put it on the list. And the Crazyland one is up there in the PAL section I put a link to the proto too. So the California Raisins story is actually more sad than you think, according to the interview I linked in the proto column the guy who found it and allowed for the rom to be dumped was killed by his roommates in 2004 

[mideast | 144]

Does anybody know what these 3 games on the bottom are? I can't find any info for them coming out for the NES or arcade. Or if they were early names for something else that came out? Super Dodge Ball was released by CSG Imagesoft, but I'm not sure if this is the same game. From TRA-NES-US pack-in poster.

[ThePhleo | 2,185]

12 minutes ago, mideast said:

Does anybody know what these 3 games on the bottom are? I can't find any info for them coming out for the NES or arcade. Or if they were early names for something else that came out? Super Dodge Ball was released by CSG Imagesoft, but I'm not sure if this is the same game. From TRA-NES-US pack-in poster.

Super DodgeBall is in fact the same game published by CSG Imagesoft. it’s worth noting it had an arcade release.

Danger Zone is basically a stationary shooter game where you defend an army base.

Double Play is a baseball game and homerun derby game, hence the name “double play” and it acts as a double entendre since a double play is a baseball term.

 

All three games have arcade releases.

Also, this flyer is one of many flyers branded “TRA-NES-US”

[mideast | 144]

1 minute ago, ThePhleo said:

Super DodgeBall is in fact the same game published by CSG Imagesoft. it’s worth noting it had an arcade release.

Danger Zone is basically a stationary shooter game where you defend an army base.

Double Play is a baseball game and homerun derby game, hence the name “double play” and it acts as a double entendre since a double play is a baseball term.

 

All three games have arcade releases.

Also, this flyer is one of many flyers branded “TRA-NES-US”

So this flyer came as a pack-in for a NES game but is advertising upcoming arcade games it seems? I had it loose in my extras pile.

[ThePhleo | 2,185]

14 minutes ago, mideast said:

So this flyer came as a pack-in for a NES game but is advertising upcoming arcade games it seems? I had it loose in my extras pile.

I think the ad is implying they’re coming soon to NES but only two of the four shown made it, only one of which is by Tradewest.

I think Tradewest actually owned the companies that made these arcade games and had plans to port them to NES. Except for Super Dodgeball.

 

However, Tradewest was familiar with the developers of Super Dodge Ball, Technos Japan. They managed to score Double Dragon from them and had Rare make Battletoads Double Dragon as well.

Obviously Acclaim published the other two Double Dragon games for the system, and CSG Imagesoft (later Sony Imagesoft) published Super Dodgeball.

Technos Japan also releases two of their own games themselves, Crash n the Boys Street Challenge, and River City Ransom.

Other Techno’s Japan games released on the NES include “Nintendo World Cup” by Nintendo, Renegade by Taito, and Super Spike VBall by Nintendo.

 

Tradewest is a very interesting company as a whole.

[acidjaguar | 258]

@mideast - here is another reference to the Beauty and the Beast that originates out of the Winter 1993 Hubee Network Newsletter.  They sure made this one seem like it would be coming out. 

 

 

[ThePhleo | 2,185]

6 minutes ago, acidjaguar said:

@mideast - here is another reference to the Beauty and the Beast that originates out of the Winter 1993 Hubee Network Newsletter.  They sure made this one seem like it would be coming out. 

 

They did eventually release it though in 1994 in Europe. I think they made one in German, and the other Billingual in French and Dutch.

[acidjaguar | 258]

Here is also a price list from the back of Beyond Gaming Issue #02.  The ultimate game club was advertising games they were selling and buying at the time and included are more than a few unreleased games.  I had scanned this in for Frank and his records, but going through it ... it looks like the following were advertised as being able to be bought or sold through their service. 

• 10th Frame
• Bashi Bazook
• Code Blue
• Escape from Atlantis
• Great Warriors SAGA
• Water Ski

There are some Sega games in there too, but we ain't got time for that!

Here's a link to a scanned PDF copy for anyone that would like it:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nvCebaUCCeaTRoneaPWz5txdLu5KR1vj/view?usp=sharing

[acidjaguar | 258]

8 minutes ago, ThePhleo said:

They did eventually release it though in 1994 in Europe. I think they made one in German, and the other Billingual in French and Dutch.

Yeah they definitely put it out there for everyone else it seems, but we got canned!  

[acidjaguar | 258]

On 12/26/2020 at 11:13 PM, Dr. Morbis said:

I don't know where these are from, but I've had these images on my computer forever: a reference to an unreleased game called "World War III" by LJN and the originally intended box art for Freedom Force...

I wish I had an earlier iteration like what you've shown, but essentially that picture shows the flyer kit they gave to clients for purchasing games from LJN.  Here's them laid out from what I own ... minus the World War III and NBA unfortunately.  

@mideast @Braveheart69 @ThePhleo

[ThePhleo | 2,185]

1 hour ago, acidjaguar said:

I wish I had an earlier iteration like what you've shown, but essentially that picture shows the flyer kit they gave to clients for purchasing games from LJN.  Here's them laid out from what I own ... minus the World War III and NBA unfortunately.  

@mideast @Braveheart69 @ThePhleo

Shame yours didn’t include the two unreleased. Almost as big of a shame as LJN having great IP but shitty games.

Its really an interesting piece these things. Thanks for sharing  

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

This thread continues to be awesome. Really enjoying all the posts.

[mideast | 144]

17 hours ago, ThePhleo said:

I think the ad is implying they’re coming soon to NES but only two of the four shown made it, only one of which is by Tradewest.

I think Tradewest actually owned the companies that made these arcade games and had plans to port them to NES. Except for Super Dodgeball.

 

However, Tradewest was familiar with the developers of Super Dodge Ball, Technos Japan. They managed to score Double Dragon from them and had Rare make Battletoads Double Dragon as well.

Obviously Acclaim published the other two Double Dragon games for the system, and CSG Imagesoft (later Sony Imagesoft) published Super Dodgeball.

Technos Japan also releases two of their own games themselves, Crash n the Boys Street Challenge, and River City Ransom.

Other Techno’s Japan games released on the NES include “Nintendo World Cup” by Nintendo, Renegade by Taito, and Super Spike VBall by Nintendo.

 

Tradewest is a very interesting company as a whole.

I looked into it a little more and it seems you're right. Danger Zone was 1986 Cinematronics and Double Play was 1987 Cinematronics in the arcades. So since this poster is from 1988 it seems they are implying a NES port like you said. Was Cinematronics bought by Tradewest? I added them in.

And I added Super Dodge Ball to alternate publishers since they're advertising it, and it's the same logo as the Technos arcade marquee. The Double Play logo is the same as the Cinematronics arcade too.

[mideast | 144]

5 hours ago, acidjaguar said:

I wish I had an earlier iteration like what you've shown, but essentially that picture shows the flyer kit they gave to clients for purchasing games from LJN.  Here's them laid out from what I own ... minus the World War III and NBA unfortunately.  

@mideast @Braveheart69 @ThePhleo

I was waiting for you to chime in on the discussion! I added the Beauty and the Beast page to the list. I didn't add Beyond Gaming because I'm trying to do only with screenshots or box covers if the ad's not from the publisher. So it's not a lot of quick mentions of titles. 

I was surprised you had the other Beyond Gaming issues listed on your newsletter thread, I only see #4 everywhere on the internet I was beginning to think the others didn't exist lol. These LJN ones are great, do you know anything about the NBA flyer? I added it to the list, but I'd like more info because I can't find any other mention of it. And I'm not sure if it would be called "NBA" or "NBA Basketball". Since LJN's NFL game is kinda also called "NFL Football". And the other one is pronounced out "Major League Baseball".

Edited December 30, 2020 by mideast

[ThePhleo | 2,185]

18 minutes ago, mideast said:

I looked into it a little more and it seems you're right. Danger Zone was 1986 Cinematronics and Double Play was 1987 Cinematronics in the arcades. So since this poster is from 1988 it seems they are implying a NES port like you said. Was Cinematronics bought by Tradewest? I added them in.

And I added Super Dodge Ball to alternate publishers since they're advertising it, and it's the same logo as the Technos arcade marquee. The Double Play logo is the same as the Cinematronics arcade too.

I hate doing research on my phone but here’s what I dug up.

After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy In 1987 Cinematronics (known for games like Dragons Lair) was acquired by Tradewest and renamed to “Leland Corporation” after one of the Tradewest cofounders, Leland Cook.

In 1994, Williams (company that owned Bally and Midway) purchased Tradewest, and the companies ceased to exist.

In 1996 Williams acquired Time Warner Interactive which game them a controlling stake of Atari.

In 1998 they spun off Midway and it became an independent company, and finally in 1999 they shut down all video game operations to focus on casino games.

Somewhere down the line Infogrames acquired the zombified corpse of Atari and renamed themselves to Atari...

[ThePhleo | 2,185]

Referencing back to that tradewest flyer....

Thinking about it now, it’s interesting that CSG IMAGESOFT published Super Dodge Ball *AND* Dragons Lair, a Cinematronics game.

Edited December 30, 2020 by ThePhleo

[acidjaguar | 258]

44 minutes ago, mideast said:

I was waiting for you to chime in on the discussion! I added the Beauty and the Beast page to the list. I didn't add Beyond Gaming because I'm trying to do only with screenshots or box covers if the ad's not from the publisher. So it's not a lot of quick mentions of titles. 

I was surprised you had the other Beyond Gaming issues listed on your newsletter thread, I only see #4 everywhere on the internet I was beginning to think the others didn't exist lol. These LJN ones are great, do you know anything about the NBA flyer? I added it to the list, but I'd like more info because I can't find any other mention of it. And I'm not sure if it would be called "NBA" or "NBA Basketball". Since LJN's NFL game is kinda also called "NFL Football". And the other one is pronounced out "Major League Baseball".

I don't have anything additional for the NBA Basketball Title LJN was thinking about .... 

 

I did stumble upon some California Raisins stuff in my Capcom 1989 press kit though.  Some more mentions of it as well as flashing a logo for a supposed Street Fighter II (presumably for NES) .... ? 

[Mydogsrule | 87]

On 12/30/2020 at 6:07 PM, acidjaguar said:

...

 

Edited January 2, 2021 by Mydogsrule

[mideast | 144]

19 hours ago, acidjaguar said:

I don't have anything additional for the NBA Basketball Title LJN was thinking about .... 

 

I did stumble upon some California Raisins stuff in my Capcom 1989 press kit though.  Some more mentions of it as well as flashing a logo for a supposed Street Fighter II (presumably for NES) .... ? 

Nice Raisins! I'm gonna add that middle page. The one at the bottom is actually the same as the CAP-NES-US-2 pack-in poster I have listed. This sales brochure seems to be from Winter CES 1989. Because there's another one posted here from 1988 which I think the guy originally got there because he wrote for VG&CE back then. The cover is the same as yours but without the 1989. Funny thing is Capcom was planning SFII for NES way before it came to the arcades in 1991!

[acidjaguar | 258]

15 minutes ago, mideast said:

Nice Raisins! I'm gonna add that middle page. The one at the bottom is actually the same as the CAP-NES-US-2 pack-in poster I have listed. This sales brochure seems to be from Winter CES 1989. Because there's another one posted here from 1988 which I think the guy originally got there because he wrote for VG&CE back then. The cover is the same as yours but without the 1989. Funny thing is Capcom was planning SFII for NES way before it came to the arcades in 1991!

Yeah that guy has a lot of great snippets on his site.  Thanks for the additional reference. 

[PII | 1,886]

Here's a pic of my NES Insert featuring Xybots among other games.  I acquired a copy of Fantasy Zone in the box that included this insert.

@mideast IIRC you found pics of the inserts w/Ninja Taro and Price is Right on them since they came up.  Sorry it took me so long, I completely spaced on this.  I can still take a higher quality pic at some point if you like, but hopefully this will do in the meantime at least..

 

Edited September 16, 2023 by PII

[mideast | 144]

2 hours ago, PII said:

Here's a pic of my NES Insert featuring Xybots among other games.  I acquired a copy of Fantasy Zone in the box that included this insert.

@mideast IIRC you found pics of the inserts w/Ninja Taro and Price is Right on them since they came up.  Sorry it took me so long, I completely spaced on this.  I can still take a higher quality pic at some point if you like, but hopefully this will do in the meantime at least..

Nice I just put it on the list! Yup I found photos of the other two you mentioned on eBay. I've even been looking through NES manuals now because they had a lot of ads for upcoming games at the end.