EricDeLee Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 I decided to give this one its own thread. Finding something like this is pretty cool. Interesting side notes on Protos... I've acquired 2 Super Asteroids/Missile Command protos recently. I tested the first one side by side with the commercially released game. I believe they are identical. Eventually I can check it out later by really looking into it. But... for the most part they are the same from what the nekkid eye can see. The second Super Asteroids/Missile Command proto is much much different. Even more so than I had originally thought. I haven't done a lot with it yet, but one of the first things I noticed was that the copyright date on the proto says 1992 on the title screen. The commercially released game states 1994. Not really a big difference, but still cool. But, things change after that. Commercial Release Prototype Commercial Release Prototype If you allow the attract screen for Asteroids to continue, it will show you your obstacles and the point values for those. (this is following the credits...) It shows, Weapons, Shield and Speed (and two others). It shows one Alien ship (looks like a big UFO) and it also shows the asteroids (large, medium and small). (The proto shows two less items at the bottom of the screen, and one less alien ship compared to the commercially released version). See pictures below. Commercial Release Prototype Then, when you get into the game, you'll notice the difference right away. The space ship (the one you control to fight off the asteroids and UFOs) is BIG. I'm talking about the same size as perhaps the ship in Raiden. I thought that was the only difference until I picked it up last night to really take a look at it. When you start, you have your normal Super Asteroids for the Lynx screen we are normally used to. Except there are more things going on with this proto. You've got your level indicator in the top left corner, point, your ship count in the top right corner, and at the bottom right you have your Shield bar. Right next to that, you will see a number. This indicates how many objects are out there to shoot before you go to the next level. So that portion is new. Then, you notice a bunch of yellow arrows around the perimeter of the screen. This is telling you the direction of an object that is off screen. Not... hit your boosters and you are flying around a galaxy HUNTING for these objects and then shooting them. The best way I can describe it: if you have played Sinistar, the galaxy and open playfield is a lot like that. Your ship can go in all directions as far as you want. the little arrows move accordingly to show you where your objective is if you get off of track. By adding this open galaxy that you fly through in search of items to blast, you basically create a whole new game experience. Commercial Release---normal playing field Prototype: New version of game. It is a different game and pretty cool. From everything I can see, it is a finished game. I don't see any glitches, any major issues. It plays just like the normal release (level ups, and the fade outs between levels. If it is a WIP, I assume it was one that possibly was going to get released because it seems like a FINISHED project to me. I'm wondering why it got changed. Perhaps it got away from the asteroids 'feel' from the arcade. I'm not really sure, but I can imagine that is some of it. It does slow the game down a bit trying to hunt things down, and controlling your ship. But it is a really cool difference. The screenshots are cool, but the gameplay is even better. If I can figure out how to make a video, I will. Not tonight though! Take care.... Eric DeLee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory DG Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Cool... I always thought the Asteroids game was a little weak when compared to the upgrades they did for Missile Command. Looks like they were planning to take it to the next level, but decided it was too different for people to handle. Kinda like what they did to Battlezone 2000 and the hidden game it has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom-Lynx Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Wow...that is a great collector cart you found! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rygar Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Yes, very nice Eric ! Can you make a picture of the PCBs ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedenLynxer Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Thanks for posting these screen shots. This is very interesting information. I know Super Asteroids/Missile Command was being developed under a long period of time. It was announced years before it was actually released. So it's not a big surprise that the gameplay got changed during that time. The final result is not bad. SA/MC is a good game. But the gameplay of the different version you describe sounds really cool too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sage Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 (edited) JUst want to add that I have found a version with copyright 1993 in the title screen. As in Erics version, gameplay is different from the final one. Edited April 17, 2017 by sage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekMD Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Cool. I wonder how it compares to the 1992 version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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