Proto:Garfield Kart (Nintendo 3DS)

This page details one or more prototype versions of Garfield Kart (Nintendo 3DS).

A total of seven prototypes and the game's design documents were released online around the same time as the April-May 2020 Pokémon source code leaks, but unrelated to that leak. They can be downloaded here.

To do: Look for unused content. Some documents on the internet that provide better detail on some versions: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SC33-kYCbIdJPAh9PwXIg6xqf_EaNe_r?usp=sharing . One more Build: https://hiddenpalace.org/Garfield_Kart_(Apr_4,_2015_prototype)

Oddities

• In prototypes 1-5, only Microids is credited at the beginning.
• In all of the prototypes, there is text saying 'Please Wait.' on the bottom screen written in green after the game is launched.
• The first 2 prototypes use the placeholder Application by Publisher text.
• The 6th (unlocked) prototype shows that it was published by Anuman Interactive (before they changed their name to Microïds).
• The other prototypes strangely have the publisher as PQube, despite them having nothing to do with this game.
• All prototypes (except the 6th), when installed, instead of them being installed separately, they are overwritten by eachother.
• A ton of gaphics from Hello Kitty and Sanrio Friends 3D Racing can be found in the files.

Banner

The first two builds use a blank icon and the default banner, while the others use the banner from Hello Kitty and Sanrio Friends 3D Racing.

Protos 1-2	Protos 3-7

First Playable Prototype V1

Title Screen

Prototypes 1-5	5-Final

• None of the options work except the Play button.
• The top screen image is the box art.

Controls

The controls are completely different: movement happens with the D-Pad, B jumps, Y shoots the item forwards, the A button puts the item behind the driver, and the rest of the buttons don't do anything.

Gameplay

• The item box's model disappears on contact, but items can still be collected even when the model isn't present.
• For some reason, there is an invisible barrier in front of the goal.
• Only one track, Country Bumpkin, is present, though Palerock Lake's music is used.
• There is no track preview.
• The HUD is completely different: it's in a basic font, and displays the current time, best time, and lap count.
• All the characters are Garfield.
• The countdown numbers are also in a basic font.
• The pause menu has purple buttons, and the Main Menu and Continue Game options are next to each other.
  • The "Are you sure you want to exit?" text seen when selecting Main Menu is horizontal and overlaps the buttons.
• There is a candy in front of the starting line, which was removed.
• When the pillow is used, the model flies up in the sky. The Z above the character's head doesn't rotate.
• There are no animations.
• The boost effect has a different texture.
• The dirt at the end of the track has better textures.
• The results screen displays all the characters, their best laps, and their total time.
• The perfume jingle doesn't loop.
• It is possible to reach - laps by jumping in the river in the right place.
• For some reason, only the pie, lasagna, pillow and the perfume items appear in the roulette.
• When someone gets hit, they swerve to the side like in Super Mario Kart.
• Sometimes, the pillow power-up can glitch out and last for a lot longer than intended.
• There are no spoilers on the back of the karts.

First Playable Prototype V2

Changes

• The controls are now those of the final.
• The correct music is played.
• The puzzle pieces are now present, though no menu for them exists yet.

Unused Graphics

Two lightmap files exist for Country Bumpkin and Palerock Lake.

Unused Track

Only Country Bumpkin is available in this build, however it seems like there were plans to include Palerock Lake. Its music, minimap and track models are all present. It's unknown if it's functional.

Garfield Kart Test Build

A build with actual menus, all of the tracks and terrible physics.

Gameplay Differences

• Actual physics are now implemented (they are terrible).
• All of the tracks are present.
• You can accelerate with the Y button.
• Most of the minimaps are flipped vertically/horizontally.
• When drifting, Garfield plays his 'hit' animation.
• The character models have some weird shading.
• No track preview.
• The acceleration is unbearably slow.
• The diamond can't be removed from your racer.
• There is an actual puzzle piece counter on the bottom.
• No animations (still).
• All the items are obtainable.
• None of the game modes work as they are intended (Time Trials, Grand Prix).
• Sometimes the character isn't fast enough to drift.
• Characters can be selected, but they just default back to Garfield.
• The character animations on the character select are faster than the final.
• The icons on the minimap are mapped to the wrong characters.
• The track previews on the top screen don't change.
• The UFO power-up has no bottom screen icon.

Menus

All of the menus went through some changes, especially the character select. There are also arrows and a buy icon which do aboslutely nothing.

A multiplayer mode is present and can be selected, but it doesn't function.

The CC options are on the right.

The cars are in a different order.

There are no rarities. Also the icons are darker than the final.

The hat selection screen, which seems to have different icons for the hats.

No boosts exist in this prototype.

GDC Prototype

A prototype that planned to be shown off at the Game Developers Conference. It's pretty much the same as the test build, but with only 3 tracks.

Menu Differences

• The chicken hat is automatically equipped (it does nothing).
• There is a coin counter, though it doesn't display anything.
• The characters are in the wrong order (same with the cars and spoilers).

Gameplay Differences

• As mentioned, there are only 3 tracks: Play Misty For Me, Spooky Manor and Blazing Oasis (all from different cups).
• The countdown is faster.
• When the perfume is used, the boost graphic is seen as if you are performing a drift (jingle still doesn't loop).
• When collecting a coin, it gives a random amount of coins.
• The puzzle piece counter is still here, but it's useless since there are no puzzle pieces in this build.

Age Rating Prototype

A prototype that is much closer to the final game, but with some changed (mostly with the physics of course).

Gameplay Differences

• When the game runs at normal speed, turning becomes extremely slow.
• When using the UFO, they fly right in front of the player.
• Bumping into some walls can cause you to fly up really high (this is Garfield Kart after all).
• When rapidly selecting track, the bottom screen's graphics can be seen on the top screen.
• There is a track preview.
• The AI has different cars.
• Some hats aren't positioned correctly on the characters.
• Some minimaps are still displayed incorrectly.
• When finishing a Grand Prix, the cup's trophy is shown with the text 'Victory!' above it.
• You can restart any track, even in Grand Prix.

Oddity

For some strange reason, the Space-Bubble's description is in German.

Unlocked FOV Prototype

A build that includes an actual profile selection and credits!

Gameplay differences

• 3 pies can be obtained from the roulette, without Jon's hat.
• Sometimes when winning, the 'Race Lost' music plays.
• The game freezes after a few races.

Level select

A level select menu can be accessed on the title screen by pressing the X button. The levels are (kind of) sorted thematically. The podium sequences for the last tracks in each cup are viewable too.

Interim Build

The final (and best) prototype, presumably before the final build and the Unlocked FOV.

Gameplay Differences

• The Yes and No buttons are reversed (yes is on the right, no is on the left).
• In this build, every AI has the same kart.
• The text had a thicker outline.
• The requirements for some Time Trials medals were different.
• The characters and karts look smaller.
• When quitting from a Time Trials race, the timer will still be displayed at the top of the screen.
• When drifting, you slow down a little.
• When paused, the bottom screen doesn't go dark.
• When getting 3rd place or lower, the 'Shame!' text doesn't appear.

Unused Graphics

Since all of the prototypes are built on each other, they share the same unused conent.

An unused splash screen for Most Wanted Enntertainment, which never appears in any prototype.

A strange transparent version of the game's logo can be found in Graphics/Menu_old, along with a lot of leftovers from Hello Kitty and Sanrio Friends 3D Racing.