Meteos (Nintendo DS)

Meteos
Developer: Q Entertainment Publishers: Bandai (JP), Nintendo (US/EU) Platform: Nintendo DS Released in JP: March 10, 2005 Released in US: June 27, 2005 Released in EU: September 23, 2005 Released in AU: November 24, 2005 This game has unused code. This game has hidden development-related text. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused music. This game has unused text. This game has regional differences. This game has a prototype article This game has a prerelease article

In Meteos, a puzzle game from the creators of Kirby Air Ride and Lumines, colored rocks created by a giant eye fall from the sky, and your objective is to rid your screen of them by aligning three or more of the same type, which launches them upward. Whether to defeat the cosmic menace, to send them to neighboring planets for sport, or to merely survive for as long as possible, the fate of your planet is in your hands...

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Prototype Info

Prerelease Info

Unused Graphics HISOOSPJM JMSNJDOS!

Unused Music

SEQ_BRIG4

An eerie tune. Where it could have been used is unknown.

SEQ_BRIG6

Similar to SEQ_BRIG4, though it uses square instruments.

SEQ_BRIG7

A bright tune; part of its melody is shared with the results screen music. Where it could have been used is also unknown.

SEQ_BRIG8

Similar to SEQ_BRIG7, though it uses square instruments.

(Source: Just A Dataminer)

Unused Text

Star Trip Missions

The file strip_font10.bnm contains text for the Star Trip missions, including specifiers for time and Meteo types. However, only four numbers for the time specifiers (0, 1, 2 and 3) and only one of the Meteo type specifiers (H2O) are actually used in-game. This could imply the missions were planned to be randomized at one point of development. In addition, a placeholder text for groups without missions is present.

Numbers

0123456789

Placeholder Text

Japanese	English	French	German	Italian	Spanish
なし	None	Rien	Keine	Niente	Nada

Meteo Types

Japanese	English	French	German	Italian	Spanish
空気 火炎 水 大地 鋼鉄 電気 植物 植物 生物 光 闇 魂 時間	AIR FIRE H2O SOIL IRON ZAP HERB ZOO GLOW DARK SOUL TIME	AIR FEU EAU SOL FER ELEC VEGE ZOO LUM OBSC ESPR TEMP	LUFT FEU. Wasser ERDE EISEN BLITZ GRAS TIER LICHT PECH GEIST ZEIT	ARIA PIRO H2O GEO MET. ELE. ERBA ZOO LUCE BUIO ANI. TEM.	AIRE FUE. AGUA TIE. MET. RAYO VEG. ANI. LUZ OSC. ALMA TMP.

(Source: tikal.)

Fusion Room Descriptions

Several planets, icons, and one sound set have Fusion Room descriptions, in case they were to be unlocked. As they are already available by default, these descriptions go unused. It's worth mentioning that while several default items have descriptions, they are seen in the Item Switch menu.

Planets

These planet descriptions, which refer to the four starter planets (Geolyte, Firim, Oleana, and Anasaze), are absent from the European release.

	Language	Text
labo_planet_help_s00.bnm/0000.dat (Geolyte)	Japanese	ジオライト：水と大地の星
	Translated	Geolite: Planet of Water and Earth
	English	Geolyte: Earth-Like Planet
labo_planet_help_s00.bnm/0002.dat (Firim)	Japanese	ファイアム：マグマと炎の星
	Translated	Firem: Planet of Magma and Flames
	English	Firim: Flaming Planet of Lava
labo_planet_help_s01.bnm/0000.dat (Oleana)	Japanese	オレアナ：大海原の星
	Translated	Oreana: Planet of the Great Ocean
	English	Oleana: Ocean Blue Planet
labo_planet_help_s01.bnm/0002.dat (Anasaze)	Japanese	アナサジ：野蛮な荒野の星
	Translated	Anasazi: Planet of the Savage Wastelands
	English	Anasaze: Wild West Planet

(Source: tikal. (Discovery), Just A Dataminer (Transcription))

Sounds

The following strings can be found in labo_sound_help_s00.bnm/0000.dat, and refer to the Geolyte Set:

Japan	World	Spanish
ブラーボ	Bravo	¡Bravo!

(Source: tikal.)

Other

This message is found in two entries of labo_sound_help_s10.bnm and three entries of labo_raremetal_help_s00.bnm. These are coded in shift-jis in the American release, and not present in the European release.

Text	Translation
このバグにピンときたらチェックリストへ！	If this bug clicks, go to the checklist!

(Source: Just A Dataminer)

Achievements

Several unused achievement text strings can be found in the Japanese version of the game, at incentivemes.bnm, alongside other used strings. This text is also present in the American version of the game, in shift-jis coding. In the European version, the slots are filled with dummy!.

Text	Translation
総プレイ時間が20時間以上 すごく買重なレアメタル 「時」を5周発見した！ 合成で使うことができるぞ。	Total play time is 20 hours or more 5 units of the very expensive "Time" Rare Metal were found! These can be used in the Synthesis.
通信対戦10回 とても買重なレアメタル 「魂」を5周発見した。 合成で使うことができるぞ。	Communication match 10 times 5 units of the very expensive "Soul" Rare Metal were found. These can be used in the Synthesis.

(Source: tikal.)

Version and Build Dates

The game's ARM9 binary contains a version number and a build date, as listed below:

Japan	US	Europe
Offset: 0x58BA0 ver.1.006 [2005/02/13]	Offset: 0x59988 ver.0.915 [2005/05/05]	Offset: 0x5B9E8 ver.0.823 [2005/08/09]

(Source: tikal.)

Unused Code

Text Coloring

Bytes 02 to 0F, when inserted into the message region of a text file, can alter the color of the text displayed. Despite that, in some screens, the text can have different colors (for example, when failing a mission in Multi Star Trip Mode, the text displayed is red), none of these bytes are actually in the text files, indicating that the coloring method might be different.

Byte	Color
02	Black	0, 0, 0
03	Gray	16, 16, 16
04	Light Gray	24, 24, 24
05	Red	31, 0, 0
06	Yellow	31, 31, 0
07	Green	0, 31, 0
08	Cyan	0, 31, 31
09	Blue	0, 0, 31
0A	Magenta	31, 0, 31
0B	Dark Green	0, 16, 0
0C	Dark Cyan	0, 16, 16
0D	Dark Blue	0. 0, 16
0E	Purple	16, 0, 16
0F	White	31, 31, 31

(Source: Just A Dataminer)

Text Parameters

There are two files associated with the planets' parameters: .mtp files, which are binary data, and .csv files, which are text tables, both labeled meteoparam[ID]. Their values are identical, though the order in which they appear is different. Interestingly, only the .mtp files are actually parsed by the game, meaning the .csv files are likely leftovers from development and/or to serve as a reference to values.

(Source: tikal.)

Fusion Room Costs

Geolyte's Sound Set, Bravo, has a coded fusion cost in the Japanese release, though it goes unused due to it already being available by default. According to recipe_sound.bin, it would have costed 100 AIR Meteos for it to be "fused", and listenable in the Sound Set menu. This cost slot was blanked out in the localizations.

(Source: tikal.)

Regional Differences

Planet Parameter Differences Buffs and nerfs around the galaxy.

"Published by Nintendo"

This screen, which is only seen in the localizations, had its font changed from Arial to New Rodin in the European release.

US	Europe

Quest Beat

In Japan, Meteos was published under Q/Bandai's Quest Beat label, and its logo can be seen in both the title sequence and credits. This logo is not present in the localizations.

Japan	World

Game Logo

In the Japanese release, each of the floating blocks in the game's logo, as seen in the title screen and in the main menus, forms the game's title in Japanese (メテオス). The English logo is also stylized differently, having a red circle as a backdrop, a weaker glow, and no shine in the text.

Japan	World

Main Menu Layout

The localizations increased the size of the Options button in the main menu, and, as such, the default organization was changed to accommodate it.

Japan	World

Gameplay

Some of the upper screen elements are different in all versions: In the Japanese and European versions, the time markings are separated using primes and double primes, while in the American version, they're separated using colons. The European version also slightly moved the launched meteo counter to the right, and increased the size of the centisecond counter.

Japan	US	Europe

The Galactic Fork

In the Galactic Fork ending, the Meteos are fused into a giant fork, and with its help, the Metamo Ark cuts the planet like a steak. This is accompanied by a silly scribble in the Japanese and American versions, with the latter removing the onomatopoeia present in the former, while the European version uses a more realistic-looking render.

Japan	US	Europe

Nova Counter

In the Japanese version, the symbol used for the Nova Counter in the Star Trip and Time Attack modes, as well as in Simple Mode during timed matches, is a cyan B, standing for "Break". In the localizations, however, it was replaced by a white star.

Japan	World

Fusion Room Price Costs

Many of the items and sound sets, as well as some of the planets, had their fusion prices modified in the localizations:

	Japan	World
Item	Cost
Planets
Yooj	4000 AIR 500 FIRE 500 H2O 100 GLOW 1 TIME	4000 AIR 500 FIRE ↑1000 H2O 100 GLOW 1 TIME
Globin	4444 ZOO 666 DARK 3 SOUL	↓3333 ZOO 666 DARK 3 SOUL
Items
Smart Bomb	300 AIR 300 FIRE 300 H2O 300 SOIL 300 IRON 300 ZAP 300 HERB 300 ZOO 30 GLOW 30 DARK 1 SOUL 1 TIME	300 AIR 300 FIRE 300 H2O 300 SOIL 300 IRON 300 ZAP 300 HERB 300 ZOO ↑50 GLOW ↑50 DARK 1 SOUL 1 TIME
Driller Bomb	150 AIR 50 FIRE	150 AIR ↑200 FIRE
Cross Bomb	100 FIRE 300 ZAP 5 DARK	↑200 FIRE 300 ZAP 5 DARK
Smoke Line	800 AIR 800 H2O 20 GLOW 1 SOUL	800 AIR ↑1000 H2O 20 GLOW 1 SOUL
Heavy Weight	256 SOIL 256 IRON 512 HERB	256 SOIL ↑512 IRON 512 HERB
Speeder Lock	755 H2O 255 SOIL 350 HERB 20 DARK 1 SOUL 1 TIME	↑1024 H2O 255 SOIL 350 HERB 20 DARK 1 SOUL 1 TIME
Music
Bavoom Set	300 AIR	↑500 AIR
Firim Set	100 FIRE	↑200 FIRE
Jeljel Set	300 FIRE	↑500 FIRE
Oleana Set	100 H2O	↑200 H2O
Freaze Set	300 H2O	↑500 H2O
Anasaze Set	100 SOIL	↑200 SOIL
Forte Set	300 SOIL	↑500 SOIL
Cavious Set	700 SOIL	↑1000 SOIL
Grannest Set	100 IRON	↑200 IRON
Mekks Set	300 IRON	↑500 IRON
Suburbion Set	200 DARK	↑300 DARK
Gravitas Set	300 ZAP	↑500 ZAP
Layazero Set	700 ZAP	↑1000 ZAP
Boggob Set	100 HERB	↑200 HERB
Wuud Set	300 HERB	↑500 HERB
Megadom Set	100 ZAP	↑200 ZAP
Dawndus Set	300 ZOO	↑500 ZOO
Thirnova Set	200 GLOW	↑300 GLOW
Gigagush Set	700 IRON	↑1000 IRON
Hevendor Set	100 DARK	↑200 DARK
Brabbit Set	700 AIR	↑1000 AIR
Yooj Set	100 GLOW	↑200 GLOW
Hotted Set	700 FIRE	↑1000 FIRE
Vubble Set	700 H2O	↑1000 H2O
Wiral Set	50 GLOW	↑100 GLOW
Florias Set	700 HERB	↑1000 HERB
Globin Set	700 ZOO	↑1000 ZOO
Luna=Luna Set	50 DARK	↑100 DARK
Ending 1	200 GLOW	※1 SOUL
Ending 2	100 GLOW	※1 TIME
Ending 3	200 DARK	※1 TIME
Meteos Credits	100 AIR 100 FIRE 100 H2O 100 SOIL 100 IRON 100 ZAP 100 HERB 100 ZOO 100 GLOW 100 DARK	100 AIR 100 FIRE 100 H2O 100 SOIL 100 IRON 100 ZAP 100 HERB 100 ZOO 100 GLOW 100 DARK +1 SOUL +1 TIME

(Source: tikal.)

Translation Changes

Minor changes are in italic. Considerable or large changes are highlighted in bold.

Planet Names

Japanese	Translation (Promotional material)	American	European
ジオライト	Geolite	Geolyte	Geolitia
ビュウブーム	Byuuboom	Bavoom	Bavoom
ファイアム	Firem	Firim	Ignius
ゲルゲル	Gelgel	Jeljel	Magmor
フリーザム	Freezam	Freaze	Polaria
ケイビオス	Cavious	Cavious	Cavernis
グランネスト	Grannest	Grannest	Smogor
コロニオン	Colonion	Suburbion	Suburbion
グラビトール	Gravitor	Gravitas	Gravitas
レイヤーゼロ	Layerzero	Layazero	Holozero
ジャゴンボ	Jagombo	Boggob	Perilia
ウドー	Udoo	Wuud	Arborea
メガドーム	Megadome	Megadom	Megadom
ダウナス	Dawnous	Dawndus	Insomnis
サードノヴァ	Thirdnova	Thirnova	Trinova
ギガントガッシュ	Gigantgash	Gigagush	Vortinia
ヘブンズドア	Heavensdoor	Hevendor	Hevendor
ブビット	Bubitt	Brabbit	Aetheria
ヒュージィ	Hugy	Yooj	Gigantis
ヒートヘッズ	Heatheads	Hotted	Pyros
サボン	Sabon	Vubble	Sferia
ワイヤロン	Wirelon	Wiral	Neuralis
アーニマ	Arnima	Globin	Globin
スターリア	Starlia	Starrii	Stellis
ラスタル	Rustal	Lastar	Candelor
メテオス	Meteos	Meteo	Meteo

Sound Set Names

Planet	Japanese	English	French	German	Italian	Spanish
Geolyte	ブラーボ [Bravo]	Bravo	Bravo	Bravo	Bravo	¡Bravo!
Bavoom	ファンキ～ホーン [Funky Horn]	Funky Horn	Trompette Funky [Funky Trumpet]	Funkige Bläser [Funky Brass]	Suono Funky [Funky Sound]	Mucha marcha [Much march]
Firim	ロック魂 [Rock Spirit]	Rocking Spirit	Rocking Spirit	Rocking Spirit	Spirito Rock [Rock Spirit]	Espíritu rockero [Rocker spirit]
Jeljel	恐怖の館 [House of horrors]	Hall of Horrors	Maison des Horreurs [House of Horrors]	Horrorkabinett [Chamber of horrors]	Camera degli Orrori [Chamber of Horrors]	Casa de los horrores [House of horrors]
Oleana	シャイニング [Shining]	Shinin'	Shining	Shining	Brillante [Brilliant]	Fulgor [Glow]
Freaze	ふゆのゆきづれ [Winter Deadlock]	Winter Impasse	Impasse d'Hiver [Winter Impasse]	Winter In Japan	Impasse Invernale [Winter Impasse]	Paréntesis invernal [Winter Impasse]
Anasaze	荒野のカウボーイ [Wilderness Cowboy]	Wild West Cowboy	Wild West Cowboy	Wild West Cowboy	Cowboy del West [Cowboy of the West]	Salvaje Oeste [Wild West]
Forte	ステッピン [Steppin']	Stepped On	Step On	Stepptanz [Step dance]	Primi Passi [First steps]	Un pasito adelante [A step forward]
Cavious	ガララン [Gararan]	Ambient Pipes	New Age	Ambient-Sounds	Ottoni Magici [Magic Brass]	Percusión ambiental [Ambient percussion]
Grannest	電磁色 [Electromagnetic Color]	Tech 'n' Knock	Techno Knock	Technoid	Tech 'n' Knock	Tecnolocura [Technomadness]
Mekks	ファミコミック [Famicomic]	Famicomic	Famicomic	Famicomic	Macchine Bizzarre [Bizarre Machines]	Recuerdos entrañables [Memorable records]
Suburbion	よみがえれ！ [Revive!]	Hot Revival	Renouveau [Revival]	Revival	Caldo Revival [Warm Revival]	El retorno [The return]
Gravitas	メタリア [Metallia]	Metallia	Métallia	Metallia	Metallia	Metal por un tubo [Exceeding metal]
Layazero	ユーロピアン [European]	Eurorockitude	Euro Rock	Euro-Rock	Eurorockmania	Eurofantasia [Eurofantasy]
Boggob	ボンゴ [Bongo]	Cha Cha Chop	Cha Cha Boum [Cha Cha Bang]	Stammestanz [Tribal dancing]	Cha-Cha Chop	Danza tribal [Tribal dance]
Wuud	大地のリズム [Rhythm of the Earth]	Earth Rhythms	Rythmes Terrestres [Earth Rhythms]	Erdrhythmus [Earth rhythms]	Ritmi Terreni [Earth Rhythms]	Ritmos de la tierra [Earth rhythms]
Megadom	メイジャー [Major]	Major Tempo	Tempo Major	Tempo, Tempo	Tempo Maggiore [Major tempo]	Allegro ma non troppo [Fast but not much]
Dawndus	アラーラー [Araaraa]	Drumline	Percussions	Drumline	Bateria [Drums]	Redobles [Drumbeats]
Thirnova	カフェでボッサ [Bossa at the Cafe]	Bossa Cafe	Bossa Café	Bossa-Café	Bossa Cafè	Café Bossa
Gigagush	異星人 [Aliens]	Aliens	Extraterrestres [Extraterrestrials]	Aliens	Alieni [Aliens]	De otro planeta [From another planet]
Hevendor	時空空間 [Spatiotemporal space]	Space-Time Continuum	Continuum Espace-Temps [Space-Time Continuum]	Raum-Zeit-Kontinuum [Space-Time Continuum]	Continuum Spazio-Tempo [Space-Time Continuum]	La cuarta dimensión [The fourth dimension]
Brabbit	ブービー [Booby]	Pon!	Pan!	Pon!	Pon!	¡Pon!
Yooj	ナンバー５ [Number 5]	Number 5	Numéro 5 [Number 5]	Nummer 5 [Number 5]	Numero 5 [Number 5]	Número 5 [Number 5]
Hotted	トランスペース [Transpace]	Transpace	Transpatial	Transpace	Transpazio [Transpace]	Hiperespacio [Hyperspace]
Vubble	自然の楽園 [Natural Paradise]	Natural Paradise	Paradis Naturel [Natural Paradise]	Naturparadies [Natural paradise]	Paradiso Naturale [Natural Paradise]	Paraíso natural [Natural paradise]
Wiral	マジカルスピード [Magical Speed]	Speed of Magic	Vitesse Magique [Magical Speed]	Magisches Tempo [Magical Speed]	Velocità Magica [Magical Speed]	Velocidad mágica [Magical speed]
Florias	独音楽隊 [German Music Ensemble]	Indie Music Troupe	Label Indépendant [Independent Label]	Independent	Troupe Musica Indie [Indie Music Troupe]	Melodía independiente [Independent melody]
Globin	体内バブル [Internal Bubble]	Inner Bubbles	Bulle Intérieure [Inner Bubble]	Lebensrhythmus [Rhythm of life]	Bolle Interiori [Inner Bubbles]	Burbuja interior [Inner bubble]
Starrii	休日の歌声 [Holiday Singing]	Holiday Laughter	Rires de Vacances [Holiday Laughter]	Feriengelächter [Holiday laughter]	Allegria Vacanziera [Holiday Happiness]	Oda vacacional [Holiday ode]
Lastar	キララ [Sparkly]	Solar Chimes	Cloches Solaires [Solar Bells]	Sternenglocken [Star bells]	Rintocchi Solari [Solar chimes]	Acordes estelares [Stellar chords]
Luna=Luna	スクラッチショー! [Scratch Show!]	The Scratch Show	The Scratch Show	The Scratch Show	Scratch Show	Remezclas espaciales [Spatial remixes]
Meteo	惑星メテオス [Planet Meteo]	Planet Meteo	Planète Meteo [Planet Meteo]	Planet Meteo	Meteo	Planeta Meteo [Planet Meteo]
Opening	最後の星 [The Last Planet]	The Last Planet	La Dernière Etoile [The Last Star]	Der letzte Planet [The last planet]	L'Ultimo Pianeta [The Last Planet]	Una nueva esperanza [A new hope]
Main Menu	おまえがゆく道 [The Path You Go]	The Path You Travel	Ta Voie [Your Way]	Dein Weg [Your Way]	Il Tuo Cammino [Your Way]	Via planetis [Way of the planets]
Fusion Room	末知数の星 [Countless Stars]	How Many Planets?	Etoiles Infinies [Infinite Stars]	Zahllose Planeten [[Countless planets]	Quanti Pianeti? [How Many Planets?]	Planeta X [Planet X]
Star Trip	宿命 [Destiny]	Destiny	Destin [Destiny]	Schicksal [Destiny]	Destino [Destiny]	La ruleta del destino [The wheel of destiny]
Results	帰ってきた平穏 [Returning Peace]	Tranquility Renewed	Paix Retrouvée [Returning to Peace]	Frieden kehrt ein [Peace returning]	Nuova Tranquillité [New Tranquility]	Paz recuperada [Peace recovered]
Ending 1	大団円 [Denouement]	Denouement	Dénouement	Alles wird gut [Everything will be fine]	Epilogo [Epilogue]	El desenlace [The outcome]
Ending 2	安息 [Repose]	Repose	Repos [Repose]	Ein Moment der Ruhe [A moment of peace]	Riposo [Repose]	Reposo del guerrero [The warrior's rest]
Ending 3	終わらない円舞 [The Endless Waltz]	The Endless Waltz	Ronde Eternelle [Eternal Round]	Endloser Walzer [Endless Waltz]	Il Valzer Senza Fine [The Endless Waltz]	Marcha eterna [Eternal march]
Meteos Credits	宇宙の果てまで [To the End of the Universe]	End of the Universe	Au Bout de l'Univers [At the End of the Universe]	End of the Universe	La Fine dell'Universo [The End of the Universe]	Al infinito y más allá [To infinity and beyond]