Zombies Ate My Neighbors (SNES)

Zombies Ate My Neighbors
Also known as: Zombies (EU/AU) Developer: LucasArts Publisher: Konami Platform: SNES Released in US: July 19, 1993 Released in EU: January 27, 1994 This game has hidden developer credits. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused items. This game has unused music. This game has unused sounds. This game has unused text. This game has regional differences. This game has a Data Crystal page

To do: Document the European "Monsters" prototype.

Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a quirky, off-beat top-down action game featuring weird weapons, laughably cliche monsters, and some really brutal level design.

Development Credits

Located at 0x88007 is some copyright text crediting the sound driver to David Warhol.

AUDIO DRIVER (C) 1992 DAVID WARHOL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Unused/Removed Animations

To do: Put these into a proper prototype page.

Looking further into the Monsters prototype, there seems to be alternate versions of Zeke and Julie's death animations, showing them falling forwards as opposed to backwards.

Julie's death sprite can be seen here at 3:10.

Proto	Final

Proto	Final

Unused & Dummied Out Items

Several items and one weapon are unused, but unfortunately most of them have no function.

Banana

Game Genie code: BBF2-FE88

The banana is functionally identical to the popsicle weapon, and uses the same graphics. In the final version, only the HUD icon (left) still remains, but a sprite-based "pick-up" version (right) exists in the prototype. Picking up the "banana" only gives the player 1 ammo, having any other throwable items next in the slot will cause the banana to copy that projectile if the button was held, pressing the fire button quickly will result in throwing a popsicle instead.

However, graphics for the banana still exist in the ROM. These graphics are used for the banana in the prototype; the popsicle uses the banana graphics too. In the prototype, the banana is functionally identical to the tomato.

Grey Potion

Game Genie code: BBFF-9288

This grey potion is functionally identical to the mystery potion already used in the game.

Machine

Game Genie code: BBF4-9A88

This odd machine can't be used at all, and has no apparent function other than taking up inventory space. The graphic does, however, resemble the in-game radar, and perhaps at one point in development the radar was only accessible by using this item in particular.

Paint Can

While this is technically used, it's never visible through normal play. This graphic is used for the flamethrower weapon pickup, which is hidden inside of a wall that conceals the player. The original purpose of this graphic may have been different, however, as it's also found in the prototype, which has no flamethrower.

A HUD icon for the paint can also exists in the prototype (above, right), but doesn't seem to correspond to any item you can add to your inventory.

Yellow Potion

Game Genie code: BBFF-9378

This item has no function -- it cannot be used.

Unused Level Palette

This snowy winter version of the standard neighborhood palette is never used. Change address F9271 from 8E to 91 to apply this palette to the first level, Zombie Panic.

Unused Level Bonus

This text appears in the ROM at address 14CC5:

MONSTER FROZEN
    BONUS

While partially coded in, this bonus was never finished. It would grant 1000 points when a certain number of Blob monsters are destroyed. The Blob monsters can only be destroyed with cold weapons.

Unused Music

Zombies Ate My Neighbors contains one unused music track. Change ROM address F9292 from 06 to 0A to alter the music in Zombie Panic to this track.

This piece is used in the prototype "Monsters" ROM, where it plays in an early version of The Son of Dr. Tongue.

Unused Sound Effects

To hear these sound effects in-game, change ROM address 54C3 from 0D to the appropriate value.

Sound 01

A very strange sound, and the first sound by ID.

Sound 0C

This sound is used in the prototype as the menu selection noise. It goes unused in the final version.

Sound 1C

This was almost certainly meant to be used for the flying saucer, but in the final version the flying saucer is silent. Thankfully.

(This next sound is unknown for where it is in address, however it was found while dumping sound effects)

Unknown Sound

It seems to sound like an old lady, maybe used for the teacher neighbor.

Regional Differences

Title Screen

North America	Europe

The "ate my neighbors" part of the title screen was chopped off, resulting in a noticeably stretched logo. According to the game's designer, Michael Ebert, this was due to the European publisher wanting a simpler name for the game.

(Source: Hardcore Gaming 101)

Chainsaw Maniac

North America	Europe

The Chainsaw Maniac enemy was redesigned into an equally insane Canadian lumberjack in the European version. Surprisingly, it made the transition rather well, behaving identically in both versions. Some related sound effects and text (such as stage names and a bonus related to it) were modified accordingly. (e.g. the "Chainsaw Begone Bonus" became "Axeman Begone Bonus".) This was done to prevent comparisons with Leatherface from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which was banned in England, West Germany, and other European countries.

(Source: Hardcore Gaming 101)

North America	Europe

The Maniac's graphics on the Player Select and High Score screen were also updated to reflect their redesign.

Game Over

North America	Europe

The Game Over screen is colored differently between versions: in the American version, the overlay is a purple color, while the European version uses a green color. This may have been done simply to make the letters stand out, as purple is not a terribly offensive color.

High Score Screen

North America	Europe

The European High Score screen has a rather lazy orange border for some reason.