User:GenNuki/"The Super Shinobi 2" Nov. 1992 Proto

A very early prototype of The Super Shinobi II, dated November 1992 in the header. At this point, it's so early in development that it's less a game and more a mishmash of assets.

This is currently the only available build of the "original version" of The Super Shinobi II, before the game was heavily reworked, so it contains a lot of concepts, enemies, and artwork that isn't in any other available version. It's also the only known build that calls itself The Super Shinobi 2 (with a numerical "2").

To do: A LOT, including: Subpages for ALL of the levels. Enemies, such as the scrapped tiger enemy, the early ninja enemy, etc. Compare assets with pre-release videos, The Revenge of Shinobi II proto, or magazine scans, if necessary/significant. See if there's anymore unused assets. A lot of information on the prototype can be found here: http://rq87.flyingomelette.com/RQ/SS/S3/O/P/intro.html

Download The Super Shinobi II (1992 Proto) File: The_Super_Shinobi_II_(1992_Prototype).zip (522 KB) (info)

Attract Mode and Story

The intro sequence has no audio at all.

Proto	Final

The intro starts not with the flashy title card from the final game, but with a much less detailed forest background fading in behind the SEGA logo. The colors are notably brighter all around, the trees have little shading, there are no stars in the sky, and the moon is just a yellow circle.

Proto	Final

The next scene once again uses brighter colors and simpler shading in the background, and Joe Musashi is completely redrawn with an earlier design. The shading on his arm pad spikes and katana looks particularly rough.

Proto	Final

His eyes also don’t move before jumping away from the incoming kunai skurikins.

To do: There's also no "peeling" effect in the background as the camera pans up. Add screenshots that better show that.

Proto	Final

The lack of detail shows once again in the final scene before the title screen. Joe is also missing his arm pad spikes here.

Proto	Final

The title screen is very much a placeholder at this point. The background is just a plain back, Joe is nowhere to be seen, “The Super” and “2” are in a standard font, "GAME" is stretched out to be the same width as "OPTIONS", there’s no trademark text, and the game is copyrighted 1992 instead of 1993.

Instead of reading an excerpt from the Secret Manual of Oboro Ninjitsu during the intro, there’s actually a story synopsis after the title screen fades:

Text	Translation
	Ninja... they are an indispensable shadow for secretly retrieving information or defense. Moreover, the world of ninjas has in every epoch been divided in two forces. One is a wicked clan bent on ruling the world by means of dark power. The other is the good Oboro clan, restraining the evil clan and preserving the peace equilibrium.
	Neo Zeed. Threatening the world in the past, it was thought that this gigantic crime organization been crushed completely at the hands of the exceptionally gifted Joe Musashi from the Oboro clan. However, "Masked Ninja" - the leader of Neo Zeed - who had been defeated 2 years earlier, was only the puppet of the true leader "Shadow Master".
	And so, with Shadow Master as it's origin, Neo Zeed was reborn, taking the new name "Neo Ghost", and restarting it's activities. And in order to get rid of the nuisance Joe Musashi, they started to extend their evil influence to Ninja Village.

It is displayed over a black background, and uses a much less “handwritten” font. Story-wise, originally, Neo Zeed would have been renamed to "Neo Ghost" following the events of the previous game. The final game keeps the "Neo Zeed" name, both in-game and in the manual.

(Source: RQ87 (screenshots), Anton Berglin (translation))

The gameplay demo only includes Round 1-1, lasts for exactly 5 seconds, and you can actually control Joe during the demo, as there’s no automated inputs programmed yet. This is also the only point in the attract mode that actually plays sound--for in-game sounds, specifically.

After the demo is a very rudimentary high score table filled with developer names: a feature completely cut from the final. It is non-functional in this state, as the scores don’t update after you get a high score (nor can you enter a name at any point in the game). Note that the default high score is 20000 (10000 in the final game), and all the “scores” ended at Round 0-0. The attract mode loops from here.

Other Presentation Differences

Options Menu

Proto	Final

Another much more basic design in effect here, with a similar design language to that of its predecessor. For the options themselves, you can choose your lives or continues (You always start with 3 lives with 3 continues in the final game), Shurikins' default setting is set at 40 instead of 50, the spacing on the controls are different, there’s numeric IDs next to each sound, and the exit option also tells you to press START to exit (something you can still do in the final game to exit).

Oddly, Kunrei-shiki is briefly used on "Shurikin", but is NOT used on "Ninjutsu". If it were, it would've been spelled "Ninzyutu". This continues a very long trend of Sega's developers flip-flopping which way to transcribe English in their games. The final game uses the Hepburn system for consistency, although its typo (Shuriken) was never fixed.

Round Start

Proto	Final

The Round text uses a more basic font (and is slightly off-center to the left), there’s no subtitle, and the map was altered heavily. Most notably, each round’s location is colored in on the map, instead of a colored window popping up beside it, and those locations differ (in correspondence to the different Round structure of the original version). The surrounding scenery, including Joe and rock he’s standing on, have also had their graphics tweaked. Joe also stands closer to the edge in the final. Interestingly, Joe’s palette here is more reminiscent of his final design than the proto. Later builds of the original version appear to give Joe a lighter palette during gameplay, so it’s possible that the developers were already considering that at this point.

Round Clear

Proto	Final

Once again, a more basic font is used across the board. “Round Clear” is erroneously spelt as “Round Claer”, and there is a single "Clear" bonus in place of the the "Shinobi", "No Ninjitsu", and "Special" bonuses. However, the criteria for those bonuses aren’t actually implemented yet, and each just give a flat bonus of 2200, 4400, and 6600 points respectively.

HUD and Pause Menu

To do: Rip all the HUD graphics and compare them with the final's

Proto	Final

All the HUD icons and the larger text font were altered to be slightly vertically shorter in the final, and the life bar and smaller text were moved down to be more centered in the HUD. “LIFE” and “PTS” are also a plain white in the proto instead of yellow.

Pausing the game stops the music (unlike the final; this behavior was also carried into The Revenge of Shinobi II proto), and an “SS2” watermark (obviously standing for Super Shinobi 2) also appears in the bottom-right. It again uses the generic font, the high score display is non-functional and simply displays eight 0s, “SELECT A NINJITSU” was originally “SELECT THE NINJITSU !!”, and the selected Ninjitsu is placed further to the left to align with the above text.

Continue Screen

Proto	Final

Barring the font differences again, the proto also has a thundering effect in the background, with the characters and option board casting a shadow. The “NEW GAME” option was originally “E N D”, and the option board is colored black instead of a dark gray.

Game Over Screen

Proto	Final

“GAME OVER” is more vertically centered in the final game.

Weirdly, if you choose “E N D” on the Continue screen, it will attempt to display the Game Over screen, but keep the elements from the Continue screen (Note how everything has moved down a bit compared to the above screenshot). The final game simply returns to the SEGA screen upon choosing “NEW GAME”.

General Differences

With this being so early of a build, while many of the basic building blocks are here, the game is very incomplete and unpolished at this point.

Joe Musashi

Proto	Final

As mentioned above, Joe Musashi had his design altered quite a bit before the final game. Most notably, his outfit is an off-gray color and is much looser-fitting, he has no pads near his elbows, he has more and bigger spikes on his arm pad, and the padding on the back and sides of his head is more akin to a cloth. His complexion is also more reminiscent of a middle-aged man, compared to his final design which looks more youthful.

To do: Rip and compare more of Joe’s animations (particularly the running and double-jump animations)

Proto	Final

This early design is reflected in nearly all of his sprites in this prototype.

Gameplay

• Almost all the moves Joe has in the final version are here, except for his wall-jump.
• Joe’s physics are slightly floatier overall.
• Your shurikins are thrown slightly higher than in the final game, causing them to fly over boxes even whilst crouching.
• You don’t gain forward momentum when performing an air kick; only vertical. You also don’t bounce off of enemies when hitting them with it.
• The dash attack doesn’t make you invulnerable before you slash.
• You collide with all ceilings, even the ones you can go through. You must first grab the ceiling, then jump up to pass through.
• There is no functionality for death pits yet.
• Killing an enemy makes them fly back, but they don’t lose their hurtbox, so you can still collide with them. You can also hit the corpse with a shuriken again to send them flying back further.
• There are no minibosses; each stage abruptly fades out after a certain point.
• All of the bosses don’t work. They don’t have any collision, and just cycle through their animations.
• Pressing Up or Down pans the camera in those directions instantly, rather than having to hold them for several seconds in the final. However, it doesn't pan back when you let go.
• The difficulty setting doesn't appear to have any effect in this build.
• The health system is very different. You start the game with 8 HP regardless of difficulty setting, and will gain 1 or 2 extra HP (chosen at random) after clearing each round, up to a maximum of 16 HP. However, your health doesn’t automatically refill between rounds. You also gain 1 or 2 extra lives (also chosen at random) between each round, up to a max of 9.

Cut Actions

To do: Preferably rip the actual graphics instead of using gameplay

Dive Slice

After collecting a power-up item, your air-kick is replaced with a downward sword slash.

(Source: RQ87 (sprite rip))

Backflip

Joe can do a very precise backflip move by walking or running in one direction, then quickly switching to the opposite direction and jumping at the same time. It can actually kill enemies if you do it right.

Swing

Holding the jump button while attached to a ceiling causes Joe to swing in place. On some ceilings, he’ll also fly into the sky if the button is held for long enough. Perhaps Joe would have pulled himself up after holding the jump button for long enough, but the actual “pulling-up” action wasn’t implemented yet? Either that, or it’s a weird bug. Who knows.

Ninjitsu

Each Ninjitsu in this proto has two versions: a normal one, and a powered up version after collecting a power-up item. While a Ninjitsu is being performed, the surrounding action isn’t paused, unlike the final game.

Ikazuchi

Proto (Normal)	Proto (Powered Up)	Final

Both versions are shields, preventing damage on a certain number of hits, although you still collide with enemies and some enemy attacks can bypass it. The normal version blocks 4 hits (same as the final game), while the powered-up version blocks 6.

Kariu

Proto (Normal)	Proto (Powered Up)	Final

The normal version summons four fireballs, which spin around Joe and then the screen. The powered up version summons four fire dragons, which fly up and then spin around in the middle of the screen, just like the final game. The screen tint and “wavy” screen effect aren't yet implemented, however. Also, the fire dragons appear to hit enemies repeatedly as they fly back (recalling the fact that dead enemies still have hurtboxes), causing a disproportionate score gain compared to the other Ninjitsu. The normal version is also one of only two Ninjitsu in this build that stops the music as it's being performed.

Fushin

Proto (Normal)	Proto (Powered Up)	Final

Both versions give you an increased jump height until you clear the stage or die, same as the final game. There is no difference in jump height between the two versions. In the normal version, Joe will simply raise his sword upward. The powered up version has two of his clones appear and drift off-screen. These clones actually have hitboxes and can kill enemies (seen below). The final game has 4 clones appear and jump up off-screen, before being absorbed into Joe one by one.

Hakuriu

Proto (Normal)	Proto (Powered Up)	Final
		N/A

A Ninjitsu completely cut from the final game! The normal version summons four small ice crystals, which combine into one large crystal that flies up offscreen. The powered up version turns the screen blue as several ice dragons fly across. The powered up version also stops the music as it's performed, just like normal Kariu.

Mijin

Proto (Normal)	Proto (Powered Up)	Final

Still very much a work-in-progress at this point. This normal version has Joe comically split into pieces (which can hit and kill enemies) and fly off screen, then come back together. The powered up version has Joe split apart in the same fashion, but suddenly reappear fully intact, before the pieces come back together heavily glitched up. In both versions, Joe's pieces will also hit enemies repeatedly, just like powered up Kariu's fire dragons. You also won’t lose a life from either version, unlike the final game.

(Source: GenNuki (videos))

Sound

To do: This section should really be in its own subpage... or two

To do: Check if there's any more music or sound effects hidden in the ROM

The music in this build is actually mostly complete, bearing mostly minor differences from the final. The sound effects are a different story. In fact, more sound effects in this build go unused (apart from being accessible in the Sound Test) than used.

To do: The music section

Used Sounds

ID + Name (Proto)	Proto	Name (Final)	Final	Usage/Notes
01 - NINJITSU		N/A	N/A	Used in normal Kairu and powered-up Hakuriu Ninjitsu. It also seems to be borrowed from Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker.
02 - KUNAI		SHURIKIN		For Joe throwing a shurikin... or kunai. Even the game can't tell which is which.
03 - KIRU		MUSASHI KUNAI		For Joe’s unpowered melee attacks.
04 - 8SOU		8SOU SHURIKIN		For Joe’s multi-shuriken attack.
05 - JUMP		JUMP		For Joe jumping. Double-jumping makes no noise in the proto, however.
06 - P DAMAGE		MUSASHI DAMAGE		For Joe taking damage. Replaced with a PCM sample in the final.
07 - E DAMAGE		SHURIKIN HIT		For enemy soldiers being hit. Replaced with a PCM sample in the final.
09 - E GUN		GUN		For enemy soldiers firing.
11 - O.M.A.K.E 1		!		For the score countdown.
12 - HIBASHIRA		KARIU		For the powered-up Kariu Ninjitsu.
14 - O.M.A.K.E 2		N/A		For pausing the game. The lack of the final's name is because the sound isn't available in the Sound Test, for whatever reason.
15 - TENAGE DAN		HAND GRENADE		For soldiers throwing grenades.
17 - BAKUTEN		JUMP		Duplicate of 05 supposedly used in the backflip move.
18 - BOOM 2		BOOM B		For enemy ninjas and grenades exploding.
21 - ICE		N/A	N/A	For the normal Hakuriu Ninjitsu.
26 - KATANA 2		MUSASHI KATANA		For Joe’s dash attack and powered melee attacks.
28 - POW ITEM GET		POWER-UP 1		For collecting a powerup item, shurikin item, or 1UP.
44 - RYUSEI GIRI		MUSASHI KIAI		For Joe’s air kick/downward slash. Uses a PCM sample in the final.

Used Voices

ID + Name (Proto)	Proto	Name (Final)	Final	Usage/Notes
01 - NINJITSU		NINJITSU		Used in all Ninjitsu. The final is higher pitched and removes the echo.

Unused Sounds

ID + Name (Proto)	Proto	Name (Final)	Final	Potential Usage/Notes
08 - BOUKYO		KUNAI BOUKYO		Meant for shurikins being deflected. Can be heard in prerelease footage.
10 - E SYURI		ENEMY SHURIKIN		Supposedly meant for enemy ninjas throwing shurikins.
13 - KATANA 1		ENEMY KATANA		Supposedly meant for enemy ninjas swinging katanas... if they existed in this proto.
16 - ENM MIJINTEN		N/A	N/A	Perhaps an alternate death sound for the green ninjas?
19 - KAMINARI JITSU		THUNDERBOLT		Likely meant for the Ikazuchi Ninjitsu, especially given that kaminari literally translates to "lightning."
20 - SHUTTER		N/A	N/A	A harsh drilling sound that is eventually released. Unknown purpose.
22 - MACHINN GUN		MACHINE GUN		Likely meant to be an alternate firing sound for the soldier enemies.
23 - DENKI		BIBIBI		A harsh electric sound, probably meant to be a looping sound. Unknown purpose.
24 - GA.RA.SU		GLASS		Glass breaking. Identical to the final.
25 - FUSHIN JUMP		FUSHIN		Likely meant for Joe using the Fushin Ninjitsu. Note that both the proto and the final don’t have a unique jump sound whilst under the effects of Fushin, unlike the first game.
27 - LASER		N/A	N/A	Another very harsh electric sound. Unknown purpose. And despite the name, it doesn't resemble any of the laser sounds in the final.
29 - NINJITU CHG.		N/A	N/A	Something charging up. Likely would've been used when unleashing a Ninjitsu of some kind.
30 - PISTOL 2		GUN		Another alternate gun sound. What else.
31 - POWER CHG.		CHARGE		Another charging-up sound. Probably originally meant to be a looping sound.
32 - CRYING CPU		YAJIMA VOICE		Identical to the final. Unsure where this could’ve been used in the proto.
33 - GATORING BOSS		LOBSTER ATTACK		Sounds almost like an incomplete version of Blue Lobster's charge attack.
34 - HOBER		N/A	N/A	Sounds almost like a spindash being charged up. Unknown purpose.
35 - DORO ENTRY		HYDRA ENTRY		Meant for Hydra rising up from the ground. Probably originally meant to be a looping sound.
36 - YOROI		N/A	N/A	Yoroi literally translates to "armor," so this might have something to do with Blue Lobster? Maybe.
37 - COM PISTON		N/A	N/A	Similar to 36. Perhaps this could have been used with that for Blue Lobster walking?
38 - DORO BOCHA		HYDRA SHOT		Meant for Hydra’s spore attack.
39 - MIZU JUMP		JUMP B		Meant for jumping out of water.
40 - DAI DMG		N/A	N/A	A low pulsating sound. Unknown purpose.
41 - BOUGYO 2		N/A	N/A	A soft noise from the noise channel. Unknown purpose.
42 - GOJIRA WALK		WALK		A loud walking sound for Megasaurus. Replaced with a PCM sample in the final.
43 - GOJIRA GAOOOOO		GAOOOOO		A loud roar for Megasaurus. The final cuts the roar off short, while the proto lets it fully play through.

Unused Voices

ID + Name (Proto)	Proto	Name (Final)	Final	Usage/Notes
02 - BOSS OUT		BOSS DEATH		An early boss death scream, obviously.
03 - BOSS 2 OUT		BOSS DEATH		A higher-pitched version of voice 02. Unknown where this would’ve been used.
04 - ZAKO OUT		MUSASHI DAMAGE		A light grunt/moan for the enemies. Prerelease footage seems to use a slightly higher pitched version. Joe uses a similar sound in the final.
05 - ARTEMIS OUT		N/A	N/A	A high-pitched laugh/grunt? Unknown purpose.
06 - GAMEOVER WAHAH		N/A	N/A	A menacing laugh for the Game Over screen.
07 - KERI DASH		MUSASHI KIAI		A slightly different grunt for Joe.
08 - TIGER GAOO		N/A	N/A	A growl for the tiger enemy. Prerelease footage seems to use a slightly different roar.

To do: Everything else below