Games That Weren't
@gamesthatwerent.com
Covering cancelled/unreleased video games and prototypes across a variety of consoles and home computers. Preserving unreleased video game history online since 1999, and longer offline.
Check out our archive and more at: https://www.gamesthatwerent.com
Check out our archive and more at: https://www.gamesthatwerent.com
Reposted by Games That Weren't
More Porky Pig #SNES prototype findings thanks to the work of Challenger, who has created more videos taking a look at some of the content that never made the final cut or was very different. Links can be found from our main page:
gamesthatwerent.com/2025/07/pork...
gamesthatwerent.com/2025/07/pork...
August 26, 2025 at 12:38 PM
More Porky Pig #SNES prototype findings thanks to the work of Challenger, who has created more videos taking a look at some of the content that never made the final cut or was very different. Links can be found from our main page:
gamesthatwerent.com/2025/07/pork...
gamesthatwerent.com/2025/07/pork...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Thanks to LiqMatrix for his preservation work, we have uploaded a 1996 PC Shareware compilation onto Archive.org called Best of MVP Software. Most games likely archived, but could be a few not out there. CD itself wasn't preserved.
archive.org/details/best...
archive.org/details/best...
Best Of MVP Software Games CD Media : Explore The World of Software : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
CD Collection of Shareware titles from MVP Software for Windows and DOS.
archive.org
August 26, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Thanks to LiqMatrix for his preservation work, we have uploaded a 1996 PC Shareware compilation onto Archive.org called Best of MVP Software. Most games likely archived, but could be a few not out there. CD itself wasn't preserved.
archive.org/details/best...
archive.org/details/best...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Yet another abandoned #GameBoyColor game is today being added to the Games That Weren't archives, with a very early platform shooter called MBC. A minature Rolling Thunder'esq game with some simple interactions at this stage. Did it ever get any further?
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/mbc/
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/mbc/
August 26, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Yet another abandoned #GameBoyColor game is today being added to the Games That Weren't archives, with a very early platform shooter called MBC. A minature Rolling Thunder'esq game with some simple interactions at this stage. Did it ever get any further?
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/mbc/
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/mbc/
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Sadly not a game based on the famous gameshow in the UK - instead an adventure game that saw release for #DOS in 1991 by Access/US Gold, but not its planned #AtariST and #Amiga versions. Did they ever exist and can anything of them be found?
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/coun...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/coun...
Countdown (Commodore Amiga, Atari ST) - Games That Weren't
Countdown was an adventure game consisting of digitized characters and with synthesized speech, eventually released in 1991 for MS-DOS. According to the PC version's review in The One magazine (Februa...
www.gamesthatwerent.com
August 22, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Sadly not a game based on the famous gameshow in the UK - instead an adventure game that saw release for #DOS in 1991 by Access/US Gold, but not its planned #AtariST and #Amiga versions. Did they ever exist and can anything of them be found?
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/coun...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/coun...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Our next set of prototypes released today at Games That Weren't are for Tip Off on the #GameBoy. However - also we have an early set of #GameBoyColor conversions that were the start of re-purposing the game in 2000 as Hang Time Basketball for Datel:
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/tip-...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/tip-...
August 21, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Our next set of prototypes released today at Games That Weren't are for Tip Off on the #GameBoy. However - also we have an early set of #GameBoyColor conversions that were the start of re-purposing the game in 2000 as Hang Time Basketball for Datel:
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/tip-...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/tip-...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
In unrelated news, it looks like Saturn Descent got far enough to be playable. I'm not convinced that we actually have enough of it, based on a document I found a lot of the data was stored in different places. But there might be some chance of figuring it out.
January 9, 2026 at 8:37 PM
In unrelated news, it looks like Saturn Descent got far enough to be playable. I'm not convinced that we actually have enough of it, based on a document I found a lot of the data was stored in different places. But there might be some chance of figuring it out.
ThunderJaws on the ZX Spectrum remains a mystery. Previewed, demoed, even reviewed with a Crash Smash — yet never released. Screenshots suggest a full version existed… so what happened, and could it still be out there?
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2026/01/thun...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2026/01/thun...
January 9, 2026 at 8:59 AM
ThunderJaws on the ZX Spectrum remains a mystery. Previewed, demoed, even reviewed with a Crash Smash — yet never released. Screenshots suggest a full version existed… so what happened, and could it still be out there?
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2026/01/thun...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2026/01/thun...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
I also need to highlight someone else’s contribution to the Magfest museum this year: a slew of Japanese keitai with games on them! These were staples of Japanese gaming pre-smartphone, and it’s rad to see them presented here on their original hardware.
January 8, 2026 at 3:30 PM
I also need to highlight someone else’s contribution to the Magfest museum this year: a slew of Japanese keitai with games on them! These were staples of Japanese gaming pre-smartphone, and it’s rad to see them presented here on their original hardware.
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Following on from monday's unreleased PC recovery of X'Treme Roller, we now have a set of five early test #PlayStation #PS1 prototypes for you to check out, with two different early maps and character tests + more.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/xtre...
#prototypes #preservation #retro
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/xtre...
#prototypes #preservation #retro
August 20, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Following on from monday's unreleased PC recovery of X'Treme Roller, we now have a set of five early test #PlayStation #PS1 prototypes for you to check out, with two different early maps and character tests + more.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/xtre...
#prototypes #preservation #retro
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/xtre...
#prototypes #preservation #retro
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Our page on the game: www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/07/pork...
Porky Pig's Haunted Holiday SNES prototypes - Games That Weren't
Something rather special now for you with Porky Pig's Haunted Holiday SNES prototypes, consisting of builds from between 1st November 1993 to the 24th May 1994. What is particularly exciting is that o...
www.gamesthatwerent.com
August 19, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Our page on the game: www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/07/pork...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Challenger 16 has done it again with another great video on our recent Porky Pig SNES prototype recovery. This time looking at the May 1994 build Level 3 and some of Level 4. More details in the video description:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaJr...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaJr...
Porky Pig's Haunted Holiday (May 24, 1994 prototype) - Level 3 and "Some of Level 4"
YouTube video by Challenger 16
www.youtube.com
August 19, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Challenger 16 has done it again with another great video on our recent Porky Pig SNES prototype recovery. This time looking at the May 1994 build Level 3 and some of Level 4. More details in the video description:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaJr...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaJr...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Recently had the pleasure of chatting with the lovely @wayneggamejourno.bsky.social at eneba.com about retro games, preservation, and current developments (beyond just Games That Weren't). You can check it out here:
www.eneba.com/hub/news/his...
www.eneba.com/hub/news/his...
August 19, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Recently had the pleasure of chatting with the lovely @wayneggamejourno.bsky.social at eneba.com about retro games, preservation, and current developments (beyond just Games That Weren't). You can check it out here:
www.eneba.com/hub/news/his...
www.eneba.com/hub/news/his...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Today we are releasing a lost and unreleased #PC build of X'Treme Roller by Neko. The game was released on #PS1, and was also cancelled for the #N64 too. We take a look at this very early build, which you too can now play:
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/xtre...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/xtre...
August 18, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Today we are releasing a lost and unreleased #PC build of X'Treme Roller by Neko. The game was released on #PS1, and was also cancelled for the #N64 too. We take a look at this very early build, which you too can now play:
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/xtre...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/xtre...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
This week at Games That Weren't we had the recovery of Bryan Robson's Super League (#ZXSpectrum, #AmstradCPC, #C64), Kick Off 3 (#MegaDrive) and Full Time Soccer (#GameBoyColor) prototypes + 2 GBC unreleased games with F19 Stealth Air + Race Engine prototype. Links in replies:
August 16, 2025 at 10:36 AM
This week at Games That Weren't we had the recovery of Bryan Robson's Super League (#ZXSpectrum, #AmstradCPC, #C64), Kick Off 3 (#MegaDrive) and Full Time Soccer (#GameBoyColor) prototypes + 2 GBC unreleased games with F19 Stealth Air + Race Engine prototype. Links in replies:
Reposted by Games That Weren't
I’ve updated some old articles with fresh insights and creator stories about the games. They’re already online, but I’m waiting for the English edits before sharing widely. You can find them on the site if you want to read them now!
www.sega-dreamcast-info-games-preservation.com/en/mes-unrel...
www.sega-dreamcast-info-games-preservation.com/en/mes-unrel...
Unreleased Dreamcast Games: Download Prototypes & Exclusive Developer Interviews | SEGA Dreamcast Info
Explore Rare Unreleased Dreamcast Games Available for Download, Including Prototypes Like Agartha, Half‑Life, Propeller Arena, Castlevania Resurrection, Geist Force, Shenmue 2 US, Over The Top Soccer ...
www.sega-dreamcast-info-games-preservation.com
January 7, 2026 at 10:18 AM
I’ve updated some old articles with fresh insights and creator stories about the games. They’re already online, but I’m waiting for the English edits before sharing widely. You can find them on the site if you want to read them now!
www.sega-dreamcast-info-games-preservation.com/en/mes-unrel...
www.sega-dreamcast-info-games-preservation.com/en/mes-unrel...
C.L.E.I.A. (Complex Logic of the Autonomous Computer Entity) was a cancelled Ubi Soft game from 1990 for #AtariST and #Amiga. Players would escape the bubble city of Cleia before a giant meteor strikes, traveling across 40 levels and 655 celestial bodies.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2026/01/c-l-...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2026/01/c-l-...
January 7, 2026 at 9:18 AM
C.L.E.I.A. (Complex Logic of the Autonomous Computer Entity) was a cancelled Ubi Soft game from 1990 for #AtariST and #Amiga. Players would escape the bubble city of Cleia before a giant meteor strikes, traveling across 40 levels and 655 celestial bodies.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2026/01/c-l-...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2026/01/c-l-...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Archive of prototypes—some early, others unique, like NHL 2K The Volt/Face Build, which turns the gaming experience into an action/horror movie—for Visual Concepts Dreamcast NHL 2K series games (NHL 2K and NHL 2K2)👇
www.sega-dreamcast-info-games-preservation.com/en/nhl-2k-2k...
www.sega-dreamcast-info-games-preservation.com/en/nhl-2k-2k...
January 7, 2026 at 7:25 AM
Archive of prototypes—some early, others unique, like NHL 2K The Volt/Face Build, which turns the gaming experience into an action/horror movie—for Visual Concepts Dreamcast NHL 2K series games (NHL 2K and NHL 2K2)👇
www.sega-dreamcast-info-games-preservation.com/en/nhl-2k-2k...
www.sega-dreamcast-info-games-preservation.com/en/nhl-2k-2k...
Over the Christmas Break, Retro Gamer (via Richard Hewison) published an article on the Enigma Variations recoveries that we made at Games That Weren't, showcasing some of the highlights. Thanks Richard for the great overview and kind words!
January 6, 2026 at 10:32 AM
Over the Christmas Break, Retro Gamer (via Richard Hewison) published an article on the Enigma Variations recoveries that we made at Games That Weren't, showcasing some of the highlights. Thanks Richard for the great overview and kind words!
Reposted by Games That Weren't
More football prototypes added to the site today, with three very early ones for Kick Off 3: European Challenge on the #SEGA #MegaDrive. Showcasing some pitch side graphics and completely different menus and logos that never made the final cut.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/kick...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/kick...
August 15, 2025 at 7:46 AM
More football prototypes added to the site today, with three very early ones for Kick Off 3: European Challenge on the #SEGA #MegaDrive. Showcasing some pitch side graphics and completely different menus and logos that never made the final cut.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/kick...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/kick...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Today we're adding a set of early prototypes for Fulltime Soccer on the #GameBoyColor, which was eventually released by Datel Electronics. Interestingly, it seems the game was built over the top of the #Gameboy version of Super Kick Off.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/full...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/full...
August 14, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Today we're adding a set of early prototypes for Fulltime Soccer on the #GameBoyColor, which was eventually released by Datel Electronics. Interestingly, it seems the game was built over the top of the #Gameboy version of Super Kick Off.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/full...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/full...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Next up, we're releasing a #Nintendo #GameBoyColor car engine prototype by Tuna Technologies first started in 1999. An impressive racing engine pitched to various studios. Eventually it would be used in EA's Road Rash on the platform.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/race...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/race...
August 13, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Next up, we're releasing a #Nintendo #GameBoyColor car engine prototype by Tuna Technologies first started in 1999. An impressive racing engine pitched to various studios. Eventually it would be used in EA's Road Rash on the platform.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/race...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/race...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
From unreleased to unpreserved. Today we've recovered Bryan Robson's Super League - a hybrid board/video game for #Commodore64, #ZXSpectrum & #AmstradCPC. The Spectrum version survived, but the rest were missing... until now. Thanks to Colin Bell!
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/brya...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/brya...
Bryan Robson’s Super League preserved - Games That Weren't
Way back in Commodore User issue 25 (October 1985) is how far we're travelling for our latest preservation work - a board game tie-in that blurred the lines between digital and physical play: Bryan Ro...
www.gamesthatwerent.com
August 12, 2025 at 8:07 AM
From unreleased to unpreserved. Today we've recovered Bryan Robson's Super League - a hybrid board/video game for #Commodore64, #ZXSpectrum & #AmstradCPC. The Spectrum version survived, but the rest were missing... until now. Thanks to Colin Bell!
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/brya...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/brya...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Today we're adding a #Nintendo #GameBoyColor title called F19 Stealth Air (working title). A vertically scrolling shooter prototype with 1 level to play through. We're not yet sure of its origins, or the intentions for it and hope to learn more soon.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/f19-...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/f19-...
August 11, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Today we're adding a #Nintendo #GameBoyColor title called F19 Stealth Air (working title). A vertically scrolling shooter prototype with 1 level to play through. We're not yet sure of its origins, or the intentions for it and hope to learn more soon.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/f19-...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/f19-...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Disney's Pure was a stylish, stunt-filled off-road gem - but did you know a sequel was in development for #Xbox360 #PS3 and #PC? Early character & vehicle concepts for Pure 2 surfaced years later, giving a rare glimpse at what could've been.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/pure...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/pure...
Pure 2 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC) - Games That Weren't
Pure was a fun, stylish trick-racing game originally released for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. But unlike most off-road racers lost in the mud of their competitors, Pure stood out thanks to its ex...
www.gamesthatwerent.com
August 8, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Disney's Pure was a stylish, stunt-filled off-road gem - but did you know a sequel was in development for #Xbox360 #PS3 and #PC? Early character & vehicle concepts for Pure 2 surfaced years later, giving a rare glimpse at what could've been.
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/pure...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/pure...
Reposted by Games That Weren't
Today we're releasing two Mia Hamm Soccer prototypes for #Nintendo64, dated 01/08/00 + 01/09/00. Both seem pretty much final builds with no noticeable differences, potentially just missing bug fixes. If you notice anything different - please get in touch!
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/mia-...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/mia-...
August 7, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Today we're releasing two Mia Hamm Soccer prototypes for #Nintendo64, dated 01/08/00 + 01/09/00. Both seem pretty much final builds with no noticeable differences, potentially just missing bug fixes. If you notice anything different - please get in touch!
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/mia-...
www.gamesthatwerent.com/2025/08/mia-...