Title: | EarthBound NES Prototype (EB Zero) |
System: | NES |
Publisher: | Nintendo of America |
Developer: | HAL Laboratories / APE |
Release: | Canceled |
Rare Rating: | |
Get It: | eBay* |
Back in 1990, Nintendo announced that the Famicom game MOTHER was going to be released on the NES renamed as EarthBound. After claims in Nintendo Power), of the game being fully localized, the title was dropped suddenly. Reason being the SNES was just being released and Nintendo of America felt this game would not sell well due . However, an unknown amount of prototypes were developed for final testing. Somehow they found their way out of Nintendo of America. Some possible theories are that they were given away as gifts to developers and translators of the game, or they could have been taken by other NoA employees. The truth on how they were leaked remains unknown.
The Prototype NES EarthBound Cart finally made its way to a group of ROM translators named Neo Demiforce (creator of the iPhone game Trism). After a long process they were finally able to release what is now known as EarthBound Zero. This is the very unofficial ROM release of the NES Prototype EarthBound.
For more in depth information on the history of this prototype and how it surfaced, check out ShadowX's Origin of EarthBound Zero: The Interview and EBounding's The Legacy Behind The Game. Also, you really should take a look at LostLevels.org for a very in depth look at the EarthBound NES Prototype.
The back of the cartridge has 3 stickers reading:
- NES PACKET 23
-
To: Hiro Yamada / International
RE: Send to Mr. Yamauchii c/o NOCL for Evaluation
Title: Earthbound
Date: February 21, 1994 Due: March 15, 1994
Property of Nintendo of America Inc.
- TK-69
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*If you see an eBay auction selling a EarthBound NES Prototype Cart, 99% of the time that auction is a fake! Lately many have been dumping the EarthBound Zero ROM onto NES cartridges and claiming that they are an EarthBound NES Prototype Cart. DO NOT BE FOOLED! This auction is illegal and not to mention you could pay up to hundreds for a game that might not even work. If you see an auction like this you should notify Nintendo of America immediately.