The Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout

The Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout
Also known as: Happy Birthday Bugs (JP, title screen), The Bugs Bunny Blowout (EU) Developer: Kemco Publishers: Kemco (JP/EU), Seika (US) Platform: NES Released in JP: August 3, 1990 Released in US: September 1990 Released in EU: 1990 This game has hidden development-related text. This game has unused graphics. This game has regional differences. This game has a prototype article

Another mediocre mascot platformer, this one made for Bugs Bunny's 50th birthday. It's pretty harmless.

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Prototype Info

Unused Graphics

A thicker chain is present but unused in the title screen tileset. It's a very slightly altered version of the chain seen on the prototype's title screen.

An unused portrait of Porky Pig looking pissed, and what can only be described as "angry smoke." This was originally intended to be used in the intro sequence, but it never shows up.

Because this picture was cut, Porky Pig doesn't appear at all in the final game.

A handmade hexadecimal font and a little face. Probably used for debugging functions.

Leftover graphics from an early version of the "Willy the Weasel" bonus game, simply titled "MOLE GAME". The complete tileset is present in the prototype, though these particular graphics aren't used there, either.

These faces appear in several character banks as filler.

An unused ending picture! This was most likely placed in-between the second and third pictures. It features three characters who don't appear in the game otherwise: Marc Antony, Pussyfoot, and Road Runner. Yosemite Sam is in the main game, but doesn't show up to the party in the final version.

(Source: Original TCRF research)

Unused Text

The following text string is located at offset 0x133D3 (North American ROM):

SOUND MODE NO.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any code that accesses this string. The sound test is most likely gone.

(Source: CaH4e3)

Regional Differences

Game Title

Interestingly, even though the game's official title was changed outside of Japan, the title screen in the international versions still uses the Japanese title, Happy Birthday Bugs.

WB Shield

Japan	International

The item collection graphic has a 50 on it in the Japanese version, and the WB logo in all other versions.

Bonus Stage Text

Japan	International

While the bonus stage text is in English in all versions, it was rewritten slightly to sound less robotic.

Japan	International

The same text changes appear in the Willy the Weasel bonus games.

(Source: Original TCRF research)