Proto:Buzz! Junior: RoboJam (PlayStation 2)

This page details one or more prototype versions of Buzz! Junior: RoboJam (PlayStation 2).

  This prototype is documented on Hidden Palace.

A European prototype of RoboJam dated January 12, 2007 was released by Cut Into Fourteen Pieces on January 4, 2020. This prototype has a ton of differences from the final build.

General Notes

• The prototype is only in English.
• It is impossible to save in this build.
• The announcer "Sarge" is voiced by an anonymous voice actor before being voiced by Philip Maurice Hayes for the NTSC-U/C version of the game, and by Ewan Bailey in the PAL version of the game. But found in the credits in GLOBAL.WAD, the only voice talents credited were Liz Barker.

Bootup

PlayStation 2 Logo

PlayStation 2 Logo

The PlayStation 2 logo in this prototype is corrupted.

Buzzer Type Select Screen

Buzzer Type Select Screen

• The prototype boots straight into the Buzzer Type Select Screen.
• The prototype lacks the "SELECT BUZZ!™ BUZZER TYPE" text.

Splash Screens

Splash Screens

• "SCEE External Development" is present on the splash screens.
• The Buzz! Junior logo and the trademarks have their own splash screen.
• The trademarks have the game named "Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party".

Main Menu

Title Screen

Proto	Final

The title screen is completely different from the final build.

• The title screen runs at double the framerate in the prototype.
• Different music is played on the title screen in the prototype since the title screen music from the final version hasn't been made yet.
• The foreground door is a solid metal door.
• The logo is a 3D model with a different design and an early name for the game: "Robot Party".
• The logo in the prototype has animations.

Main Menu

Prototype	Final

• Different camera moving animation.
• "PLAY GAME" is replaced with "MULTIPLAYER".
• "CUSTOM GAME" is replaced with a scrapped and nonfunctional "TEAM" mode.
• The robots are all in their waving animation.
• In most of the mini-games, the robot's face texture only has one texture animation for blinking.
• The robots use the same costume on the main menu.
• The eye texture for the robots are slightly bigger.
• There's no trailer video that plays when you idle for too long.
• The Multiplayer mode is simply just a quick start. There are no other options from the final build that exist in the prototype.

Choose Your Position

Prototype	Final

• The robot's head is slightly bigger.
• Each robot has their own customized character.
• Switching from one robot to another too fast will cause the game to crash.

Ready To Play?

Prototype	Final

• The prototype lacks the "READY TO PLAY ?" text, and the game details below the players.
• The models for the CPU Robots are standard robots before their models were created in the final build.

Options Menu

Prototype	Final

• Only the "SCREEN OPTIONS" are available in the prototype.
• "SPECIAL FEATURES" are replaced with "PLAY INTRO". The intro video doesn't exist in the prototype.

Practice Mode

Prototype	Final

• The practice mode menu lacks the in-game screenshots on the right side of the screen.
• Only 24 mini-games are present. The mini-game "Mad Mallets" is unimplemented in this build.

Loading & Mini-Game Demonstration

Prototype	Final

• The loading screen in the prototype is a black screen.
• The foreground door for the demonstrations is completely different.
• Every single video file is a placeholder with early names for the mini-games.

Mini-Games

Astro Blaster

Prototype	Final

• The early names for this mini-game are "Asteroid Demolition" and "Asteroid Fishing."
• In this prototype, the HUD differs slightly from the final build. The icons for the robots are 3D model renders instead of 2D images in the final build. These early icons can be seen in some early screenshots of the game.
• This mini-game is completely different from the final build.
  • Different camera animations.
  • The spaceship uses an unfinished model and is made out of solid colors, there are only 3 chairs, and the rocket launcher looks pretty unfinished.
  • The background is solid black with stars, and planets in the background are missing.
  • The asteroids in this version are somewhat the same, however there's one unique asteroid that's not in the final build.
  • The animations for the robots are different.

Barrel Bashing

Prototype	Final

• This mini-game is completely different from the final build.
  • The prototype uses a completely different background and skybox, and the barrels of waste are all stacked up.
  • This mini-game uses some leftover sounds from Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party.
  • The robots uses a different animation if they hit a radioactive barrel.

Basket Eye-Ball

Prototype	Final

• The early name for this mini-game is "Robo-Eye Basketball".
• This mini-game is very much the same as the final build, but with a few changes.
  • Different camera animations.
  • The camera is zoomed out slightly.
  • You score way less points in this version, and the score counters are not small like in the final build.
  • The lighting is a tiny bit brighter.
  • Some missing sound effects.
  • The glowing lights from the robot heads are red in the prototype instead of yellow in the final build.
  • The animations for the robots when the mini-game is over are not present in the prototype.

Bug Blast

Prototype	Final

• The early name for this mini-game is "Bug Hunt".
• This mini-game is very different from the final build.
  • Very different layout. The 5 holes are in the center of the map, and the robots are standing behind rocks.
  • The alien's model is a tiny bit unfinished.
  • The AI for the CPU players in this mini-game is pretty unfair, shooting the alien faster than you can react.
  • When someone tries to shoot the alien that's peeking out of a hole, the announcer's voice switches to the female voice used in Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party.
  • Uses some leftovers from Jungle Party such as the sound effects and the Snake model.

Cosmic Keepers

Prototype	Final

• The early name for this mini-game is "Black Hole Goals".
• This mini-game is very unfinished and is probably one of the most unfinished mini-games in this prototype.
  • The layout of this mini-game includes some very basic models of the goal, the soccer balls, the platform that the robots are standing on, and a jungle background which is another leftover from Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party.
  • There are no animations for the robots taking turns who gets to be the goalie.

Crash Test Dummies

Prototype	Final

• This mini-game is pretty different from the final build.
  • Very different layout.
  • The flames coming from the jets are solid yellow.
  • Different camera angles.
  • The announcer "Sarge" says "Brake in..." before you enter the danger zone in this version.
  • There's a glitch that happens at the end of each round where you don't score the points and resets the score next round.

Crazy Conveyor

Prototype	Final

• The early names for this mini-game are "Pogo Panic" and "Crazy Conveyors".
• This mini-game is pretty different from the final build.
  • Very different layout. The pipe in the background is shaped differently, and there's a platform on the right side of the screen.
  • Different camera angle.
  • The HUD elements are in different positions.
  • The robots use some different animations.
  • The color pattern for the laser beams repeats the same pattern ever and ever: Blue, Orange, Green, and Yellow.
  • There's a rare glitch that happens where the mini-game will randomly pick who wins the mini-game.

Crazy Cook

Prototype	Final

• The early name for this mini-game is "Crazy Cooks".
• This mini-game is very identical to the final build, but with a few changes.
  • The spoons don't scoop up the beans, the oil cans are replaced with oil cartons, the baking pan and pizza in the background are missing, and there are heat waves coming from the stove.
  • The fart clouds are simply yellow.
  • The Robot Pirate uses a slightly different model with different animations, making this version of the mini-game harder to tell when he's about to turn around.
  • Some sound effects may be missing, but it uses some leftover sound effects from ""Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party.

Galaxy Grab

Prototype	Final

• The early names for this mini-game are "Hit & Run", "Spinning Spaceships", "Spaceship Pickup", and "Galactic Grab".
  • "Hit & Run" is a placeholder name given for a mini-game that hasn't been fully known yet.
  • The early demonstration for this mini-game demonstrates the following: "Some nasty little aliens have invaded our galaxy, and you have got to stop 'em. With no guns though, you have to run 'em over with your spaceships. Your ships will keep spinning until you press your buzzer to fire your engines. The more aliens you squish, the more points you'll score!" This early gameplay mechanic was scrapped very early on in development.
• This mini-game is pretty different from the final build.
  • Different background.
  • Different HUD.
  • You can see the robots in their spaceships.
  • Players are controlling more than one spaceship. When you're on the sides of the screen, you can see another copy of yourself.
  • There's no opening animation.
  • The particle effects are missing when you collect a plasma ball.
  • Different obstacles. There are more than one asteroids floating around making the mini-game more of a challenge. The model for the alien spaceship is different, and the black holes use a different design, and they appear in different positions.

Go Nuts!

Prototype	Final

• The early name for this mini-game is "Grab Yer Nuts". Which sounds kind of inappropriate for a kids game. This was likely changed to keep the game's E rating by the ESRB.
• This mini-game is very different from the final build.
  • Completely different layout.
  • The guard uses a different model with different animations.
  • The nuts near the guard use different models which look like diamonds.
  • Different opening animation.
  • This version has laser beams implemented. Touching one of the laser beams will stun you in-place and you'll lose your nuts just like getting zapped by the guard.
  • Some missing sound effects.

High Dive

Prototype	Final

• The early name for this mini-game is "Pitfall".
• This mini-game is slightly different from the final build.
  • Different layout.
  • Different opening animation.
  • The aim and distance speed is pretty fast.
  • The targets don't rise up when someone lands on one.
  • There are no animations for the robots being electrocuted.
  • The announcer's voice is absent in this mini-game.
  • Collision may be a bit buggy in this version.

Nitro Racing

Prototype	Final

• This mini-game is slightly different from the final build.
  • Slightly different layout.
  • Different camera angles.
  • The robot's positions are reversed. Blue is where Yellow used to be, Orange is where Green used to be, Green is where Orange used to be, and Yellow is where Blue used to be.
  • Different animations for when you make it to the end.
  • Finishing the mini-game will skip to the next mini-game or bring you back to the main menu. Selecting another mini-game after playing Nitro Racing will kick you back to the main menu once more.

Octo-Beat

Prototype	Final

• This mini-game is slightly different from the final build.
  • Different opening animation.
  • The alien uses a completely different model with different animations.
  • Uses different music and the music never changes.
  • Different HUD.
  • The tentacles look a bit unfinished, and they move higher and lower in this version.
  • The announcer's voice is absent in this mini-game.
  • The second to last bar you play in each round is off-beat.
  • Missing a single note causes you to move down.
  • The disco ball only comes down if most of the players are doing fantastic.
  • There's no animation for the alien eating a fly and burping at the end.

Odd Bot Out

Prototype	Final

• This mini-game is very identical to the final build, except for a few changes.
  • Different layout.
  • Darker lighting.
  • Different clothes for the bots.
  • Runs at 60FPS.
  • The robots are missing their sound effects.

Pillow Fight

Prototype	Final

• The early names for this mini-game are "Hit & Run" and "Sneaky Spanners".
  • Just like with Galaxy Grab, "Hit & Run" is given for this mini-game too. However, the name does fit quite well with this mini-game.
• This mini-game plays very much the same as in the final build, except for a few changes.
  • Slightly different layout.
  • No opening animation.
  • Slightly brighter lighting.
  • There are no sounds for the robots.

Piston Peril

Prototype	Final

• The early name for this mini-game is "Robot Bomb".
• In the early demonstration for this mini-game, the announcer mentions that the robots getting squished is his "favorite bit".
• This mini-game is very different from the final build.
  • Different layout.
  • There are no camera angles when the robots get squished.
  • The announcer doesn't mention how many rounds you've done.

Plummeting Platforms

Prototype	Final

• The early names for this mini-game are "Piston Panic" and "Plummenting Pistons".
• This mini-game is slightly different from the final build.
  • Slightly different layout.
  • The nuts and bolts appear smaller in this build. Their shining effect is different, and they teleport constantly allowing you to score lots more points.
  • The speed of the platforms rising and falling are faster and slower depending on how many robots are standing on the platform.

Pop-Up Pairs

Prototype	Final

• This mini-game is very identical to the final build, but with a few small differences.
  • Some textures are different in the layout.
  • The red border on the cards don't appear when someone gets a wrong answer.
  • The robots use different animations.
  • Some missing sound effects.

Robo-Rollers

Prototype	Final

• The early name for this mini-game is "Laser Skipping".
• This mini-game is slightly different from the final build.
  • Slightly different layout.
  • The AI for the CPU Players in this version is pretty tricky even on the lower difficulties.
  • The laser beam is simply on 2 spinning wheels instead of being on a vehicle in the final. And it's simply a solid color.
  • The break is very short in this version.
  • The robots have some different animations.
  • Missing sound effects.

Robot Teleport

Prototype	Final

• The demonstration mentions a non-existant shield powerup in this version.
• This mini-game is very different from the final build.
  • Different layout.
  • No opening animation.
  • Different sound effects.
  • Teleporting can delay for around 2 seconds.
  • The animations for the robots are very different.
  • The malfunctioning teleporters have smoke coming out of them.
  • This version of the mini-game has laser guns implemented. If you pick one up, you can shoot the other players with the colored buttons. When you shoot a player, you'll score way more points compared to pushing them off. This was likely removed from the final to keep the game's E rating by the ESRB.

Robot Throwing

Prototype	Final

• This mini-game is pretty different from the final build.
  • The Big Droid Friend uses a completely different design.
  • Different camera animations/angles.
  • Slightly different layout.
  • The turns for each player are randomized instead of being Blue. Orange, Green, and Yellow in the final build.
  • The Big Droid Friend's arm spins 180° 7 times he loses control instead of 9 times in the final.
  • The ground can glitch after landing.
  • Uses a few sound effects from Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party.
  • There's no ending animation.

Rocket Robots

Prototype	Final

• This mini-game is very different from the final build.
  • Completely different layout.
  • The floating droids and the rocket launcher in the center use completely different models.
  • The AI for the CPU Players in this mini-game can be a bit unfair.
  • Uses some assets from Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party.
  • The floating droids pause for 2 seconds and disappear upon shooting one.
  • The special abilities are also different. The coconut allows you to shoot 3 rockets at a time, the bomb works the same way as in the final build, and the shield works the same but the model for the shield doesn't exist.

Saucer Shootout

Prototype	Final

• This mini-game is pretty different from the final build.
  • Different layout.
  • The spaceships use different designs.
  • Different particle effects.
  • When you shoot an alien, it'll jump onto your ship and attack you. You have to keep pressing the Buzzer to knock him off your spaceship.
  • Uses some sound effects from Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party.

Space Jumping

Prototype	Final

• This mini-game is very different from the final build.
  • Very different opening scene.
  • Completely different layout.
  • The lighting is off.
  • You score less points in this version.
  • The robots use some different animations.
  • When a robot lands into the lava, they sink down. However in the final build they just float and swim in it.
  • There's a rare glitch that happens where the robots fall just a bit early and the camera is out of place.

Debugging Features

Debug Menu

Debug Menu

A Debug Menu can be brought up by pressing START + SELECT on the DualShock 2 Controller.

Games/FSG_Games

This is simply a level select menu. You can select one to warp to a mini-game of your choice. The name's of the mini-games in this menu reference some of the mini-games in Buzz! Junior: Jungle Party. There are also some non-existant/unused mini-games in this menu here too, although they can't be accessed by any means.

• Game End
• 004 Turret Terror
• 005 Meltdown
• 006 Robot Boxing
• 011 Rainbow Robots

Team

There was a Team Mode planned for the game, but was later cancelled. 2 non-existant mini-games of the Team Mode are listed here however.

• 001 Handcar Racing
• 003 Rocket Revolution

Other

This contains 3 test levels that would've been cool to see, however the data for these test levels don't exist in the files.

Cheats

This is the cheat menu.

• Silence SFX: Mutes the sound effects.
• Silence Speech: Mutes the announcer's voice.
• Silence Music: Mutes the music.
• GamePlay Hide HUD: Hides the HUD during gameplay.
• FlyCam Hide HUD: Hide the HUD when your in the Freecam mode.
• Update in FlyCam: Makes everything run in action while in the Freecam mode.
• Expire HUD Clock: Expires the timer in-game.
• Pause HUD Clock: Freezes the timer.
• Loop Current Game: Loops the current mini-game that your on.
• ShowXYZ: Displays the XYZ Coordnates on-screen.
• NoAutomaton: Makes some objects disappear.
• FlyCam: Freecam Mode.

FlyCam Controls

• Press X to move the camera forwards.
• Press Square to move the camera backwards.
• Use the Left Analog Stick or the D-PAD to look around.
• Use the Right Analog Stick to translate the camera.
• Press and hold R1/R2 to speed up or slow down the camera movement.
• Press and hold the L2 button to freeze the camera in-place.