Twelve Tales: Conker 64

This is a sub-page of Prerelease:Conker's Bad Fur Day.

"Forget Twelve Tales, just forget it. It was never even nearly finished let alone released. FORGET ABOUT F*****G TWELVE TALES!!!"

–Chris Seavor, when asked about what aspects of Twelve Tales made it into Bad Fur DayRarewhere: Scribes - Rareware.com, Apr. 11th, 2001

Unfortunately for Chris, we're not here to forget Twelve Tales.

In one of the more controversial video game facelifts, Conker's Bad Fur Day started development early in the Nintendo 64's life as a cutesy Mario-like called Conker's Quest (later Twelve Tales: Conker 64). However, the lukewarm response its previews garnered and similarity to Banjo-Kazooie prompted Rare to go in a different direction to have the game stand out against crowd, with Chris Seavor leading the way and giving the game an adult-oriented overhaul.

Conker 64#

Possibly the first concept art sketches of Conker were released by Chris Seavor on Twitter "before Twelve Tales, when it was called Conker 64".¹ According to the Timeline above, this would have been created in 1996/1997 before the 3D model was created or game was renamed to "Conker's Quest". This version of Conker resembles more of a real-life red squirrel with longer ears and fur, and wears old-fashioned clothing such as overalls and clogs.

Conker 64 Schedule/Levels#

A development schedule plotting 'absolute deadlines' for Conker 64 to be completed by Chris Seavor, Richard Berwick and Phil Dunne provides an intriguing list of prospective levels in chronological order. Given this document, Conker 64 would have contained 16 themed levels, with four further secret areas:

0 - Windmill Level (Windmill Glade in previews)
1 - Tree Level
2 - Factory/caves
3 - Cuckoo Village
4 - Swamp (Claw Swamp in Conker's Pocket Tales)
5 - Wild west Level (Vulture Ville in Conker's Pocket Tales)
6 - Popcorn mine
7 - Snowshaker peak
8 - Toytown
9 - Dinosaur island
10 - Firework circus
11 - Atlantis
12 - Treasure island
13 - Oasis (Mako Islands in Conker's Pocket Tales)
14 - Stadium
15 - Space Level
16 - Camelot (Crow Keep in Conker's Pocket Tales)

17 - Secret 1
18 - Secret 2
19 - Secret 3
20 - Secret 4

World 2 - Level 3 (Dinosaur Island) Objective List#

Section 1 - Outside Volcano

Task 1 - Hunger Buster
Brief - Capture the little baby lizards and take them to 'Rapstar' who eats them
Type - Collect/Combat

Task 2 - Hot Foot Pillars
Brief - Pillars moving up and down in and out of lava
Type - Platform - Ballon Task

Task 5 - Eggs Away
Brief - Knock the eggs out of the nest - like cuckoo world one but much harder
Type - Combat

Task 7 - Collect 30 Acorns
Type - Collect

Section 2 - Inside Volcano

Task 4 - Flames and Slides
Brief - Slide round the background and go through rings in the air
Type - Background Transport (Deathslide)

Section 3 - Dinosaur Graveyard

Task 3 - Dem Bones, Dem Bones
Brief - Get to the top of the section and slam down on the dinosaur skull for a height
Type - Platform/Puzzle

Task 6 - Shoot the Pteradactyl
Brief - Shoot the Pteradactyl 3 times while avoiding regenerating baddies
Type - Combat

Conker's Quest#

To do:
There's more screenshots.

Nintendo E3 1997 Press Kit Screenshots#

Nintendo Power's E3 1997 Guide Screenshots#

UK Nintendo Magazine Screenshots#

Famimaga 64 1997 December Magazine#

Image has been rotated for easier viewing.

Rare Revealed#

To do:
There is WAY more footage that is absent here.

Watch on YouTube"Rare Revealed" was a series of videos that were made for the Rare Replay compilation, with some extras being created specifically to upload on Rare's YouTube channel. This video takes a look at Twelve Tales, along with a brief note on its earlier Conker's Quest name.

Screenshots#

Windmill

K.O. the Kat/Tree Level

Popcorn Mines

Wild West

Unknown

Spaceworld Demo#

Watch on YouTube13 seconds of Japanese gameplay that shows Conker doing some basic gameplay actions.

E3 B-Roll#

Watch on YouTubeSome very high quality E3 1997 B-Roll

Screenshots#

Windmill

Wild West

Popcorn Mines

Watch on YouTubeA small amount of gameplay footage from the Spaceworld '97 build.

Watch on YouTube2 minutes of Conker's Quest at E3 1997.

Watch on YouTube1 more minute of Conker's Quest at E3 1997.

Watch on YouTubeA preview of Conker's Quest. Despite the name of the video saying Twelve Tales this is pre 1998 which you can tell by the UI.

Screenshots#

Windmill

CBFDConkersQuestSpanishPreviewWindmill_(3).png

CBFDConkersQuestSpanishPreviewWindmill_(4).png

CBFDConkersQuestSpanishPreviewWindmill_(5).png

K.O. The Kat/Tree Level

CBFDConkersQuestSpanishPreviewTree_(1).png

Popcorn Mines

CBFDConkersQuestSpanishPreviewMines_(1).png

Wild West

Stadium

Watch on YouTubeAnother preview of Conker's Quest at E3 1997.

Watch on YouTubeSome more footage of Conker's Quest at E3 1997.

Watch on YouTubeFootage of Conker's Quest is seen at 2:32:35.

Watch on YouTubeFootage of Conker's Quest is seen at 4:23.

Twelve Tales: Conker 64#

Windmill Glade#

Within a preview featured in the August 1998 issue of Expert Gamer (XG), a brief tutorial is given for five objectives within "Windmill Glade". This provides the names of each objective, and a brief synopsis of the challenge involved. ²

Windmill Glade

Balloon Bonanza - Find all eight balloons to get the present.
Way of the Furry Fist - Recommended to go here first. You will learn your best and basic attacks at the Scarecrow.
Swim Hungry Fish - Once the fish eats the Present, swim in a circle and then cut corners to catch him!
Hop To It! - Just head to the top of the mountain and talk to the frog. Just three jumps and it's yours!
To Catch A Thief - Once enemies appear, one enemy on a pedestal will see your slingshot and fall off. From here, wait until he creeps around a corner and sling em'.

K.O. The Kat - As Conker, fall back and lob a nut at him. Once he's dizzy, tail wack him! As Berri, let your dino buddy crack him. Then do a dashing hair spin when K.O.'s dizzy. As he gets hit, K.O. will shrink in size and speed up. Plus, he'll cast a bolt at you, knocking you out of the ring!

According to Expert Gamer, six objectives are presented on each page on the main menu, with some pages only being available in later levels to create backtracking. In addition to the Windmill Glade objectives above, two earlier listings are seen within "Footage 1" titled "Walls of Water" and "Owl Rings".

Walls of Water - As there is a waterfall within the Windmill Glade, it's likely that Conker would have been tasked with retrieving a Present hidden behind it.
Owl Rings - Given the title, it's likely that Conker would need to soar through a number of rings around the Windmill Glade as Knowit the Owl for a Present.

Footage 1#

Watch on YouTubeA solid half-hour of footage, given to parties such as journalists. It showcases many of the worlds the player would have gone to. Clips of this footage also appeared on the Nintendo Power promotional VHS for Banjo-Kazooie.

Screenshots#

Opening and Menu

Windmill

K.O. the Kat/Tree Level

Stadium

Tim Stamper Opening Title#

Footage of the opening logo sequence running on a development cart, uploaded by Rare co-founder Tim Stamper to Twitter on March 28, 2023.³ This opening is a bit different from the one seen in the "Footage 1" section. The logo is a bit more finalized (some colors are different and the logo has the "Conker 64" subtitle), and the animation is extended to show Conker being chased by a T-Rex. This opening also shows that the design of the green enemies have changed: instead of having a brown bottom, they are mostly green.

German Sizzle Showcase#

Watch on YouTubeA German promotional video for Nintendo's 1998 software lineup contains footage of Twelve Tales at the 3:44 mark.

Screenshots#

Windmill

CBFDTwelveTalesGermanSizzleWindmill_(3).png

CBFDTwelveTalesGermanSizzleWindmill_(4).png

CBFDTwelveTalesGermanSizzleWindmill_(5).png

CBFDTwelveTalesGermanSizzleWindmill_(6).png

CBFDTwelveTalesGermanSizzleWindmill_(7).png

K.O. The Kat/Tree Level

Wild West

CBFDTwelveTalesGermanSizzleWildWest_(3).png

CBFDTwelveTalesGermanSizzleWildWest_(4).png

Dinosaur Island

CBFDTwelveTalesGermanSizzleDinosaurIsland_(3).png

CBFDTwelveTalesGermanSizzleDinosaurIsland_(4).png

Stadium

Watch on YouTubeE3 1998 Front End menu navigation and Windmill Glade opening.

Watch on YouTubeE3 1998 Footage of Twelve Tales which shows some Multiplayer gameplay.

Watch on YouTubeIGN Footage of Twelve Tales.

Watch on YouTubeMore IGN Footage of Twelve Tales.

Watch on YouTubeEven More IGN Footage of Twelve Tales.

Watch on YouTubeAlot of similar footage from the first IGN one but in higher quality.

Watch on YouTubeA short preview for Twelve Tales.

Twelve Tales French Preview#

Watch on YouTubeAnother preview of Twelve Tales, near the end of it shows what appears to be the stage Treasure Island.

Screenshots#

Windmill#

Wild West#

Dinosaur Island#

Treasure Island#

CBFDTwelveTalesPreviewTreasureIsland_(3).png

CBFDTwelveTalesPreviewTreasureIsland_(4).png

Watch on YouTubeAn E3 1998 Showcase of Twelve Tales.

Watch on YouTubeE3 1998 Twelve Tales Coverage

Watch on YouTubeVery wonky E3 1998 Twelve Tales Footage

Watch on YouTubeFootage of the E3 1998 Playable demo of Twelve Tales.

Watch on YouTubeMore Footage of the E3 1998 Playable demo of Twelve Tales.

Music Tracks#

Watch on YouTubeThe second "Rare Revealed" Youtube video features the music for the western section of the game, titled "Wild West".

Included in the Rare Replay collection itself is three other music tracks.

Opening Title#

 The opening theme to the unreleased Twelve Tales and a loveletter to classic animation of the silver screen

This song would end up being used in Conker's Pocket Tales as the theme for the "Willow Woods" area.

Frantic Flight#

 Swinging around the dance floor, this jitterbug tune underscored a boss encounter in Twelve Tales

Big Bad Boss#

 Twelve Tales boss encounter from the game that eventually became Conker's Bad Fur Day

This also ended up in Pocket Tales, as a generic boss theme.

Screenshots#

Several photos were uploaded to the game's official website.

Berri and her dinosaur companion look up at Knowit, the Owl.

Berri and her dinosaur companion run around a patch featuring a pumpkin-headed scarecrow. Birdy's early days...

Berri and her dinosaur companion square off against K.O. the Kat!

Conker in a Roman Centurion helmet runs from a Cyclops in The Stadium Level.

Lightning bolts are on Conker's tail as they destroy a bridge behind him!

Conker in front of the Windmill as it rains.

An owls-eye-view of the Windmill as Knowit flies around the hub world.

Conker wears a propeller beanie on the rooftops of Toy Town, along with some colorful balloons. A couple of these textures are still in the final game, but not used.

Conker races against the Cerberus in the Stadium Level.

Conker dons his Sherrif's hat in Vulture Ville.

Nightfall has set on the Windmill. A colorful balloon previously seen in Toy Town is nearby.

Nintendo's E3 1998 Press Kit#

Conker walks around a hot air balloon in the Windmill area.

A blue pterodactyl swoops down on Berri and her Dinosaur companion with this pterodactyl likely being the one mentioned in the "Shoot the Pteradactyl" objective.

Berri and her Dinosaur companion play near a Triceratops in Dinosaur Island. A hatchling of the same species is nearby.

Conker keeps track of a manic train in Toy Town.

Conker wears a knit hat as he greets a polar bear in Snowshaker Peak.

The Pumpkin-headed Scarecrow gives Conker a tutorial on punching aka the "Way of Furry Fist" objective. His mentor role would be taken up by Birdy in the final game.

Conker wears a Pith Helmet as he observes 13 small dinosaurs in front of a hole. Likely being for the "Hunger Buster" objective.

Conker looks a bit confused in the company of a giant rabbit in Vulture Ville.

Unknown Origins#

These screenshots appear to be from rare website but they can't be found there anymore.

Conker races away from a giant snail. A greenhouse-like building can be seen in the distance.

Conker creeps around a vexed veggie inside the greenhouse-like building.

Conker wanders around the buildings of Toy Town.

Conker approaches a Giant Frog in the aforementioned "Hop To It!" objective in Windmill Glade. If Conker can hop like a frog, he'll retrieve the airborne Present just out of view.

Expert Gamer August 1998 Magazine#

This screenshot shows the "Swim Hungry Fish" objective.

This screenshot shows the "To Catch A Thief" objective.

References#

https://web.archive.org/web/20230812120007/https://twitter.com/conkerhimself/status/1690014919893135360 Chris Seavor: "So, this is the first ever scrappy sketch of Conker, from even before Twelve Tales, when it was called Conker 64.... I guess it's of historic interest... (yes, he had clogs. NOT my idea btw)"↩︎
https://archive.org/details/expert-gamer-august-1998/page/n77/mode/1up ↩︎
25 years and still working 🕹️ #intimsworld #conker #twelvetales #n64 - Twitter, Mar. 28th, 2023↩︎