This page details pre-release information and/or media for Celeste.

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Several videos and images exist that feature pre-release versions of the game. This page is mostly laid out in chronological order, except for the Tumblr posts which are all in one section.

Celeste Developer Commentary Livestream

Celeste Developer Commentary Livestream (Maddy Thorson)

This video shows a bunch of development builds from 9 March 2016, 4 June 2016, 1 January 2017, 19 April 2017, and 24 August 2017.

Early Madeline#

A much boxier, lankier design that lacks the backpack from the final.

Early Text Boxes#

Originally white text on a black box with a white outline, lacking portraits, box designs, and the Renogare font used in the final.

Early Chapter 1#

Chapter 1 was originally called "Ruins" and used the same tileset as the Prologue.

Early Strawberry#

Strawberries were bigger and would be instantly collected on contact, like the Pico-8 game.

Polygon Previews

Exclusive: 10 Minutes of CELESTE Gameplay — TOWERFALL Creators' Next Game! (Polygon)

This video shows a development build from around August 2016.

Madeline warning Granny about the driveway. This has barely changed.

The end of the Prologue shows the logo of the game, instead of "You can do this."

The Forsaken City had a way different (darker) color scheme.

Theo is found in an alcove, instead of in an open area like the final game.

The dash refill was taller, and this room has unnecessary padding at the top.

The background shows a static cube with an abstract texture.

This crystal activates all dream blocks in the area. In the final game, a mirror is in its place.

Now that this dream block is active, the cube in the background starts spinning.

Badeline's hair color mirrors that of Madeline's, instead of being purple.

The area complete screen is noticeably devoid of detail.

GDC 2017

Celeste Direct Feed Gameplay Nintendo Switch Nindies GDC 2017 - This video shows the title screen, overworld screen (and lack of a mountain!), and part of Forsaken City. Worth noting that both "Prologue" and "First Steps" seem to have been initially composed in a minor key, and later transposed to a major key.

CELESTE Nintendo Switch Gameplay: Hard Mode (Forsaken City + Old Site) @ GDC 2017 - This video shows the first two B-Sides (formerly known as "Hard Mode"). There used to be no unique track for the B-Sides, instead reusing the tracks from the A-Sides.

This version is smack in the middle of the game's transition between a completely pixel art style, to the final style of mixed pixel art with high res art.

The title menu, showing the Celeste menu as well as two buttons: "Start Demo" and "Options".

This room in Forsaken City has become a massive gap in the final game.

Game Trailers

This collection of videos appears to show a development build of the game from before 22 February 2017.

Pedro Medeiros' "Making Art for Celeste" series

Making art for Celeste #2 (Miniboss) - Part of the Summit's tile set is shown, as well as the Chapter 6 easter egg concepts. It also shows some other concepts, including an early Mr. Oshiro facing forward, an early design for the Badeline final boss, and an early design for Theo inside of a crystal.

Making art for Celeste #3 (Miniboss) - Decorations for the "Mirror Temple".

Making art for Celeste #4 - part 1 (Miniboss) - Mr. Oshiro sweeping, also shown is a placeholder "Maddy falling" at 18:47

Making art for Celeste #4 - part 2 (Miniboss) - The "Core" tile set is being drawn. The "Core" itself is also shown, with a much different color scheme.

Making art for Celeste #5 (Miniboss) - The "Core" background is being drawn.

Making art for Celeste #6 (Miniboss) - Ditto as in part #5.

Tumblr Posts

To do:
Add the rest of the gifs and images. See more: https://celestegame.tumblr.com/archive

Old Site Preview#

This single GIF¹, dated 8 July 2016, shows an animation of the scrapped spinning cube background effect, as well as an early iteration of the dream memorial text.

Early Chapter 2 Music#

https://celestegame.tumblr.com/post/147817835784/celeste-dream-test https://soundcloud.com/maddythorson/celeste-dream-test

This is the placeholder song that was used in Chapter 2, until it was replaced with Lena Raine's work. It can also be heard in footage from around that time.

Early Celestial Resort#

This screenshot of the debug screen from 3 January 2017 shows an early iteration of the Celestial Resort.²

This GIF of the debug screen shows some early decorations for the beginning of the chapter.³

Early Golden Ridge#

This screenshot of the debug screen from 4 January 2017 shows an early iteration of the Golden Ridge.

Early Checkpoint Select#

This GIF shows an early iteration of the checkpoint selection menu.⁴

Celeste