N64
EarthBound 64
Like the tale of GoldenEye, sometimes a cancelled product takes on a second life and becomes something bigger and better. As a 3D RPG on the N64, EarthBound 64 lost most of the inherent charm of its 2D predecessors, while bogging its developers down in the complicated transition to 3D. When its plot was transplanted into Mother 3 on the GBA, fans finally got the game they wanted.
Metal Gear Solid
As with the Final Fantasy VII debacle, the N64 lost out on Metal Gear Solid thanks to Nintendo’s insistence on using the memory-limited cartridge format, despite Hideo Kojima’s passion for renewing the franchise with Nintendo (the original Metal Gear came out on the NES in 1987). Still, amends were made with the arrival of Twin Snakes in 2004, the eventual GameCube remake.
Super Mario 64 2
Given the massive sales of Super Mario 64, it seemed a given that a sequel would be developed. And it almost was. But Master Miyamoto is a perfectionist, and found he was unable to create the multiplayer sequel he envisioned because the N64 was too limited. Development was cancelled very early with only a single demo level created, though many of Miyamoto’s multiplayer ideas would be revisited in Super Mario 64 DS.
Final Fantasy VII
Okay, so this was effectively a tech demo featuring polygonal versions of Final Fantasy VI characters, with Square testing new technology, such as a new gesture-based magic system. But once Nintendo committed itself to the cartridge format for the N64, Square dropped its support and went to Sony with its new technology. Alas, what might have been…
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