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This is an unusual one. The way the game has been produced for
this prototype makes it quite obvious that it was going to be a preview copy for a magazine.
However, unlike most magazine review copies of games, this one is NOT the final, released version
of the game. This is an intentionally crippled, slightly buggy version of the final release that
only contains the first five levels accessable by playing the game through normal means!
While this was one of the best releases for the NES back in the day, its predecessor was one
of the first games to feature cinimatic cut scenes that told the story, instead of just the
simple in-game text giving simple plot points at the time. The one drawback to this however,
was that most video game magazines gave away most of the plot points of the game! Tecmo, however,
seems to have created this cart to prevent such an occurance from happening again.
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| The game begins with a screen that is in the final version,
but differs in text from the release. Instead of calling this game simply "Ninja Gaiden II,"
the title screen calls it "Ninja Gaiden II - Sample 36." Whether this was the beta number, or
if it was the number of this particular cart as an anti-piracy measure is currently unclear.
No other copies of Ninja Gaiden II have shown up at the time of this writing. The label of the proto
simply has the number "31" on it, and identifies this game as "Level 5 Sample." (exactly how many
levels are present in the game through normal gameplay) After Ashtar is defeated in level 5,
the game gives a quick preview of other cutscenes that were coming up later in the game, and then
ends on the "COMING SOON!" screen pictured below.
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At this time, there are only two other differences found in this
cart when compared to the final release in the normal game. Ashtar's speech in the beginning of
the game is slightly different than the one he gives in the release version, and a few of the
cinema scenes have some tiles hanging over from the action onto the black bars. Other than the
things mentioned above, this game is identical to the release... until a GameGeine code was discovered
by AdamL and refined by Chris Covell. The remaining levels are still in the ROM!! One cavet tho,
they are altered to prevent their use in publication... so if you want to continue...
Continue on to page 2!
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View the
fullsize cart scan
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This is one of those rare beauties that I'm glad has been saved
from bit-rotting away. It actually shows that at a time, game companies gave a rats ass about their
storylines not being leaked out before the game was shipped! Now, they don't seem to care (with the exception
of Metal Gear Solid 2) and plot reports are common. Remember Aerith's death in FF7? How many of you
DIDN'T know that one was coming since every gaming website and gaming magazine BLEW THAT ONE!!! (Yes, I'm
still bitter) But this was a nice change. If only more companies would do this...
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