Tiny Cartridge

Profanity-laced NBA Jam XXX, allegedly a prototype of the SNES game that replaces famous phrases like “Boom-Shakalaka” with much more vulgar versions. Skip to the 02:00 mark of this video to hear what I mean.

A former Acclaim Entertainment employee sent the game to Nintendo Player, and provided this explanation about the Iguana Entertainment-developed prototype:

“Due to the memory constraints of the 16-bit system, the long strands of voice samples from the classic arcade game had to be modified to fit an [SNES] cartridge. Tim Kitzrow, NBA Jam‘s memorable voice-over announcer, was called back into the studio to shorten his calls.

During one of these recording sessions, a number of outtakes were saved as a joke, which served as the basis for a special, profanity-filled, in-house-only game–one that, if word ever got out about its existence, could have severely jeopardized Acclaim’s relationship with the NBA league and completely shut down NBA Jam‘s development for good.”

Who knows if any of this is true. While I’m watching Team USA play Argentina later tonight, though, I won’t be able to not imagine Kitzrow yelling “Get that shit outta here!” whenever Tyson Chandler blocks a shot.

Buy: NBA Jam
See also: More prototypes
[Via @sardoose]

Promotional tuna can for Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future. The work of the same classy Acclaim responsible for the “name your baby Turok” stuff. The can is prominently labeled “dolphin free,” but stiiiiiill.

[Via GameSniped]

“Wizards from the Realm of Warriors,” one of the tracks that didn’t make it onto Doctor Octoroc’s 8-Bit Jesus album.

I loved Wizards & Warriors growing up, and though I haven’t played the game in nearly twenty years, its opening music has remained in my head since, residing with the other memories that I hardly ever bother recollecting, save for once every five years or so.

JC also linked me to The Minibosses’ cover of the NES game’s music, which is worth four minutes of your time.

I have a sudden urge to acquire a copy of the Wizards & Warriors Worlds of Power novel, now.

Nintendo's Draconian Famicom Practices»

As part of his Famicom 25 series celebrating the 25th anniversary of Nintendo’s 8-bit system, 1UP’s Jeremy Parish covered some of the console manufacturer’s despicable practices to keep third-party publishers in line, such as limiting them to only five new releases a year.

“A few enterprising companies found a way around this — publish more than five games under different names. A bit of bookkeeping trickery to dupe the bean-counters at Nintendo.”

“The two most famous of these ‘alternate labels’ were LJN — a brand Acclaim bought so they could publish the crap that was too abysmal even for the dire Acclaim brand (generally crappy licensed games that preyed on unsuspecting children) — and Ultra — Konami’s subsidiary for overflow titles, good and bad.”