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Proto:Mickey's Ultimate Challenge

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Hmmm...
To do:
  • More differences.
  • Unused/interesting content?

This page details one or more prototype versions of Mickey's Ultimate Challenge.

Hiddenpalace.org logo.png  This prototype is documented on Hidden Palace.

A early SNES prototype was dumped on December 25th, part of NESMas, dated August 25th, 1993, approximatively 5 and a half months before release, and four months before the retail version.

The game usually depicts midway through development, as some elements are or aren't present in the final.

Miscellaneous tidbits that are interesting enough to point out here.
Notes

Cartridge label

  • The game's name is labelled "Mickey's Ultimate Challenge", correctly.
  • The system labelled is SNES, correctly.
  • The original file is named MP081893.BIN (August 18, 1993, the compile date)
  • The date is 8/25/93 (August 25 1993, Cartridge date).

Copyright Screens

Mickeys Ultimate Challenge (Aug 25, 1993 prototype)-004.png Mickeys Ultimate Challenge (Aug 25, 1993 prototype)-005.png

  • Press Start to skip the screens.
  • The Designer Software logo does not animate.

Differences

Mickey's Ultimate Challenge (prototype).2024-12-25 13.31.41.png

  • The title screen reads out "Mickey's Jigsaw Puzzles", with a copyright date of 1993. The final version replaces it with a completely different title, most likely leftover for when the game was themed around jigsaw puzzles.

Mickeys Ultimate Challenge (Aug 25, 1993 prototype)-006.png

  • Upon starting the game there is a infinite-looping credits screen, but fortunately, it can be skipped by pressing the start button. It's different than the one seen when beating the game.
Prototype Final
Mickeys Ultimate Challenge (Aug 25, 1993 prototype)-001.png Mickey's Ultimate Challenge - Options Screen.png
  • The options screen is different and has no Minnie. Cakewalk as for easy, and Challenging is for hard. It hints that the game originally supposed to be standalone.
  • The background is colored green and has red text, rather than a book.
  • The finger has different graphics.
  • Cakewalk is shortened to cake in the final.

MickeysUltimateChallenge-Proto-Cutscene.gif

  • The introduction is a animated placeholder with different art. It begins with Mickey reading a book and falling asleep. The second panel says "The Kingdom of Beanwick had a very big problem".
  • This hints that the introduction was supposed to be animated at some point, but it was changed to panels in the final version.
  • There's text at the first panel of the intro that says "Mickey Mouse", could be the character's introduction.

Core Gameplay

Blank.png
Dialogue
The text was almost rewritten at some point!
Mickeys Ultimate Challenge (Aug 25, 1993 prototype)-003.png
Environment
Beanwick Castle looks slightly different at this time.
Mickey's Ultimate Challenge (prototype) - Maze.png
Minigames
Hiya, Mickey! Would you like to play a game?

While it is implemented, there's barely any music. What it plays here in the castle level is a early version of the main theme, with no sound effects:

Prototype Final
  • It plays at a slightly higher tone.
  • Has less instruments, consisting of three channels.
  • Can desync.

If you go to a room, it will play this early music:

The final game uses unique music for each room.

  • The dialogue boxes are all yellow, except for the character in the Book room, which has a small red font and a unique text box, never seen in the final version.
  • The font in the dialogue boxes are different, too.
  • Mickey's shading is slightly different in the castle, with a brighter face.
  • Mickey's controls are different, and the exact same controls can also be seen in the Game Boy prototype:
    • Pressing B will make you jump at the standard height, rather than A.
    • Pressing B + Down will make you jump at the higher height, rather than B.
  • Mickey doesn't make a sound when jumping, as the case with all the other sounds.
  • Mickey's jumping animation is different.
  • Mickey's animation after the ground shakes is shorter.
  • Mickey's animation for when holding the magic wand is different.
  • Mickey does not have a patient animation at all.
  • You cannot get any items, as it's barely implemented.
  • You can't progress the game, as you can't obtain any items.
  • Press Select to pause the game, rather than Start.
  • You can't view your inventory if you pause the game.
  • There are debugging features:
    • Press Start on the Beanwick Castle to skip to the Giant. (Since you can't collect all five magic beans in this build.)
    • Press L / R to use free-movement. However, free-movement is limited and you can only fly up or down, and can be only enabled in the castle level.