-------------------------------- --- PROTOS/DEMOS/PROMOS/TEST --- -------------------------------- Protos are hard to track, because it is unknown how many really still exist. At some time or another, there had to be a prototype for every game that was ever released. Most of these were most likely tossed in the garbage or the chips were reprogrammed for new prototypes to be tested. Prototypes are also very easy to fake so be careful before you buy a proto. Make sure you know what you are buying. In many cases, you can follow the history back as to how they were found. Occasionally, there is even engineering paperwork or notes that will be with the game. There are also several things to look for in fakes. 1. Look for ROM's that don't have a clear circular window in the top of the chip. This window is used on engineering copies to erase chips so they can be reprogrammed. The chips(EPROM's) are programmed electrically in a chip programmer. They are erased by exposing the window to high intensity ultraviolet light. This window will almost always be covered with a tiny sticker telling you what the program is. It also usually contains a hexadecimal number telling you what the verification checksum of the program is. Covering the window also keeps sunlight out which contains UV light and can slowly erase the chip. You would probably have to leave a chip sit in the hot summer sun for a week before this would happen though. Some ROM's however may not have this window. These may be EEPROM's. These chips are programmed electrically and erased electrically. You can check the part number on the chip to see if is an EEPROM. Standard production chips are just called ROM's. These are programmed in the factory. They can not be erased. They cost a lot less which is why they are used for production. 2. Look at the label very carefully. I have seen several protos that have simple labels. Many engineers would use a simple label, but they are also easy to fake. Look for signs that a production label has been removed. Glue residue from production label. Scratches from trying to remove the label. Maybe the cartridge smells like glue remover. 3. Look for engineering circuit boards. I would say that almost every proto should have a circuit board that looks nothing like a production board. Production boards are very clean and tidy. Engineering boards almost always look different. Often, but not always, they will have engineering modifications such as jumper wires, cut traces, hand solder joints, parts that aren't perfectly straight, and hand writing or markings. This will be the one single thing that is very hard to fake. If you buy protos, be familiar with what a production board looks like. This list also contains games which were given away in contests(PROMO), games which were used by Nintendo repair centers to test systems(TEST), and games used by marketing and sales to let people get a first glimpse at a new game(DEMO). Demonstration cartridges will usually have somewhat professional looking labels that are typically black and white. The circuit board may or may not have engineering modifications. I have not personally had all of the following prototypes in my hands, so I can not guarantee that they are all real. There may be fakes in the bunch. The only one I owned was Miracle Piano. This was purchased directly from an Engineer and I had supporting paperwork. The rest of the titles do come from fairly reliable sources though. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title By Released ? Rarity --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adventures of Lolo 2 HAL Released PROTO Airball Tengen NOT Released PROTO Bashi Bazook Jaleco NOT Released PROTO Blue Marlin, The Hot B Released PROTO Burai Fighter Taxan Released PROTO Captain Planet and the Planeteers Mindscape Released PROTO Darkman Ocean Released PROTO Darkwing Duck Capcom Released PROTO Dragon Warrior Enix Released PROTO Duck Tales Capcom Released PROTO Earthbound Nintendo NOT Released PROTO Exerion II Jaleco NOT Released PROTO F-117A Stealth Fighter Microprose Released PROTO Faria Nexoft Released PROTO Ghostbusters Activision Released PROTO Goal! Two Jaleco Released PROTO Hillsfar: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons FCI Released PROTO Home Alone 2: Lost in New York T*HQ Released PROTO Little League Baseball SNK Released PROTO Little Mermaid, The Capcom Released PROTO Magic of Scheherazade, The Culture Brain Released PROTO Magician Taxan Released PROTO Mega Man 2 (Pal Version) Capcom Released PROTO Mega Man 3 Capcom Released PROTO Mega Man 4 Capcom Released PROTO Mighty Final Fight Capcom Released PROTO Miracle Piano Teaching System, The (keyboard too) Mindscape Released PROTO Mr. Gimmick (NTSC version) SunSoft Rel in Europe PROTO Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom Tecmo Released PROTO Puzzle American Video Released PROTO Puzznic Taito Released PROTO Pyramids of Ra Matchbox NOT Released PROTO Quattro Arcade 2 Camerica NOT Released PROTO Rally Bike Romstar Released PROTO Scarabeus Matchbox NOT Released PROTO Seicross FCI Released PROTO Shockwave American Game Carts Released PROTO Spiritual Warfare Wisdom Tree Released PROTO Sqoon Irem Released PROTO Squashed Jaleco NOT Released PROTO Star Wars Activision Released PROTO Super Mario Bros. 3 Nintendo Released PROTO Super Pitfall II Activision NOT Released PROTO Swamp Thing T*HQ Released PROTO Tecmo Bowl Tecmo Released PROTO Terminator 2: Judgement Day LJN Released PROTO Tetris (black) Tengen Released PROTO Three Stooges, The Activision Released PROTO Wizardry Master's Series II: Knight of Diamonds Ascii Released PROTO Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, The Jaleco Released PROTO F-15 City War American Video Released DEMO Major League Baseball LJN Released DEMO Motor City Patrol Matchbox Released DEMO Noah's Ark (NTSC version) Konami Rel in Europe DEMO Phantom Fighter FCI Released DEMO Pyramid American Video Released DEMO Sidewinder American Video Released DEMO Super Mario Bros. 2 Nintendo Released DEMO Twin Eagle American Video Released DEMO World Champ Romstar Released DEMO World Championships 1990 (grey)(150) Nintendo NA PROMO World Championships 1990 (gold)(50) Nintendo NA PROMO Baseball Simulator 1.000 NWC Culture Brain Released PROMO NTF2 Test Cartridge (grey) Nintendo NA TEST Control Deck Test Cartridge (yellow) Nintendo NA TEST Joystick Test Cartridge (yellow) Nintendo NA TEST Port Test Cartridge (yellow) Nintendo NA TEST Power Pad Test Cartridge (yellow) Nintendo NA TEST Zelda Test Cartridge (yellow) Nintendo NA TEST NES Testbench hardware unit Nintendo NA TEST In process of verifying ----------------------- Crystalis SNK Released PROTO Drac's Night Out ??? Released PROTO Mechanized Attack SNK Released PROTO Said to be fake ----------------------- Wild Gunman Nintendo Released PROTO