Rayman (early production): Difference between revisions

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==Super Nintendo Entertainment System version==
==Super Nintendo Entertainment System version==
[[Image:Rayman-snes.jpg|thumb|500px|right|An extract from Pix’N Love's article about the cancelled SNES version of ''[[Rayman 1]]'', featuring three screenshots]]
[[Image:Rayman-snes.jpg|thumb|500px|right|An extract from ''Pix’N Love'''s article about the cancelled SNES version of ''[[Rayman 1|Rayman]]'', featuring three screenshots]]
On 4th July 2010, French retro-gaming magazine Pix’N Love revealed that, at the very beginning of its development, [[Rayman 1|the original ''Rayman'' game]] was intended to be released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The magazine also contained an interview with [[Rayman]] creator [[Michel Ancel]] on the subject. This version of the game featured a two-player co-operative mode, in which one player controlled Rayman and the other player controlled what appears to be a female version of Rayman, not dissimilar from the [[Rayman's girlfriend|girlfriend]] character once planned to appear in ''[[Rayman 4 (cancelled prototype)|Rayman 4]]''. Rayman's body is red rather than the purple used in the final game, and the girl's body is blue. Both characters look considerably bulkier than Rayman's final appearance. Three screenshots of the prototype (visible to the right) are currently available, and they show early versions of [[the Dream Forest]] and [[the Caves of Skops]]. One image shows the heroes battling against an early version of [[Mr Skops]]. There are glimpses of what appear to be early versions of [[Antitoon]]s, [[plum]]s, [[flying ring]]s, [[Ting]]s, mushrooms, [[Big Power]]s and the [[telescopic fist]].
On 4th July 2010, French retro-gaming magazine ''Pix’N Love'' revealed that, at the very beginning of its development, [[Rayman 1|the original ''Rayman'' game]] was intended to be released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The magazine also contained an interview with [[Rayman]] creator [[Michel Ancel]] on the subject. This version of the game featured a two-player co-operative mode, in which one player controlled Rayman and the other player controlled what appears to be a female version of Rayman, not dissimilar from the [[Rayman's girlfriend|girlfriend]] character once planned to appear in ''[[Rayman 4 (cancelled prototype)|Rayman 4]]''. Rayman's body is red rather than the purple used in the final game, and the girl's body is blue. Both characters look considerably bulkier than Rayman's final appearance. Three screenshots of the prototype (visible to the right) are currently available, and they show early versions of [[the Dream Forest]] and [[the Caves of Skops]]. One image shows the heroes battling against an early version of [[Mr Skops]]. There are glimpses of what appear to be early versions of [[Antitoon]]s, [[plum]]s, [[flying ring]]s, [[Ting]]s, mushrooms, [[Big Power]]s and the [[telescopic fist]].


One of the screenshots shows a heads-up display which is completely different from the one used in the final game or either of the Atari Jaguar prototypes. This display shows both characters' heads, each with their own ‘Shield’ and ‘Power’ status indicated by bars. Rayman's section of the display shows a picture of a pink crystal with the name ‘[[Mr Skops|Skops]]’ above it, and the girl's section of the display shows a question mark where the crystal can be displayed. The ‘Shield’ bar appears to indicate the characters' health, but the function of the ‘Power’ bar and the crystals remains unknown.
One of the screenshots shows a heads-up display which is completely different from the one used in the final game or either of the Atari Jaguar prototypes. This display shows both characters' heads, each with their own ‘Shield’ and ‘Power’ status indicated by bars. Rayman's section of the display shows a picture of a pink crystal with the name ‘[[Mr Skops|Skops]]’ above it, and the girl's section of the display shows a question mark where the crystal can be displayed. The ‘Shield’ bar appears to indicate the characters' health, but the function of the ‘Power’ bar and the crystals remains unknown.


With the advent of more powerful, optical disc-based games systems, the SNES version of ''Rayman'', though nearing completion, was cancelled. The game was reworked for the newer platforms, and became the ''[[Rayman 1]]'' which is known today.
With the advent of more powerful, optical disc-based games systems, the SNES version of ''Rayman'', though nearing completion, was cancelled. The game was reworked for the newer platforms, and became the ''[[Rayman 1|Rayman]]'' which is known today.


During a live stream of ''[[Rayman Legends]]'', through which Michel Ancel replied to a question concerning the SNES version of ''[[Rayman 1]]''. He stated that he was only in a team of two at the time the Super Nintendo version was being made, and that he was 'super excited', it being the first platform he'd ever worked on directly. It was painful and extensive procedure to build the game onto the cartridge though, and since he eventually got the full team together, the Super Nintendo couldn't do it justice.
During a live stream of ''[[Rayman Legends]]'', through which Michel Ancel replied to a question concerning the SNES version of ''[[Rayman 1|Rayman]]''. He stated that he was only in a team of two at the time the Super Nintendo version was being made, and that he was 'super excited', it being the first platform he'd ever worked on directly. It was painful and extensive procedure to build the game onto the cartridge though, and since he eventually got the full team together, the Super Nintendo couldn't do it justice.
 
On 18th October 2016, [[Michel Ancel]] posted two partial screenshots from the SNES version of ''[[Rayman 1|Rayman]]'', confirming that the game was never completed and adding that it was lost forever.<ref>Instagram, @michelancel, https://www.instagram.com/p/BLt6dsUgODo/, « Pixel lovers ... Did this 25 years ago , the game was playable on the Super nintendo console but was never finished + We've lost the build . All these pixels are lost , like tears in the rain ... »</ref> However, on 23rd October he announced that he'd found a cartridge of the game,<ref>Instagram, @michelancel, https://www.instagram.com/p/BL5fSliA2bD/, « Incroyable !!!! We have found the old unique Rayman SNES ROM !!!! It was sleeping for 24 years ..... Time to wake it up !!!! »</ref> and managed to make it work. He then posted a photograph of an unseen world contained in the game.<ref>Instagram, @michelancel, https://www.instagram.com/p/BL5f5XIAfa5/, « It's working !!!! 4 people in the world have seen this . We thought it was lost , but somewhere in the cold electronic circuit , something was still alive . and running at full 60fps !!! should do a Switch version of this 😂 »</ref>
 
{|
|-valign="top"
|[[File:Rayman-1-SNES-1.jpg|thumb|200px|The first partial screenshot posted by [[Michel Ancel]], not seen anywhere before]]
|[[File:Rayman-1-SNES-2.jpg|thumb|200px|The second partial screenshot posted by [[Michel Ancel]], part of one of those published in ''Pix’N Love'']]
|[[File:Rayman-1-SNES-3.jpg|thumb|320px|A photograph of an unseen environment from the SNES version of ''[[Rayman 1|Rayman]]'']]
|}


==Atari Jaguar – Engine Test==
==Atari Jaguar – Engine Test==
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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn4CBG8lhw4 Official gameplay video of Beta ''Rayman'' (Atari Jaguar) at Youtube]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn4CBG8lhw4 Official gameplay video of Beta ''Rayman'' (Atari Jaguar) at Youtube]
==References==
<references/>


{{Cancelled Rayman games}}
{{Cancelled Rayman games}}