Garfield Kart (Nintendo 3DS)

This page details one or more prototype versions of Garfield Kart (Nintendo 3DS).

A total of seven prototypes and the game's design documents were released online around the same time as the April-May 2020 Pokémon source code leaks, but unrelated to that leak. Interestingly, the earlier prototypes reveal that the game is a reskin of Most Wanted Entertainment's previous game, Hello Kitty and Sanrio Friends 3D Racing. They can be downloaded here.

To do: Some documents on the internet that provide better detail on some versions: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1SC33-kYCbIdJPAh9PwXIg6xqf_EaNe_r?usp=sharing . One more Build: https://hiddenpalace.org/Garfield_Kart_(Apr_4,_2015_prototype)

Oddities#

• In prototypes 1-5, only Microïds is credited at the beginning.
• Most prototypes have the publisher listed as PQube, despite them having nothing to do with this game (they were the European publisher for Hello Kitty and Sanrio Friends 3D Racing).

Banner#

The first two builds use a blank icon and the default banner, while the others use the banner from Hello Kitty and Sanrio Friends 3D Racing.

Protos 1-2	Protos 3-7

First Playable Prototype V1#

Title Screen#

Prototypes 1-5	5-Final

• None of the options work except the Play button.
• The top screen image is the box art.

Controls#

The controls are the same as in Hello Kitty and Sanrio Friends 3D Racing: movement happens with the Circle Pad, B jumps, Y shoots the item forwards, the A button puts the item behind the driver.

Gameplay#

Watch on YouTube

• The item box's model disappears on contact, but items can still be collected even when the model isn't present.
• For some reason, there is an invisible barrier in front of the goal.
• Only one track, Country Bumpkin, is present, though Palerock Lake's music is used.
• There is no track preview.
• The HUD is completely different.
• All the characters are Garfield.
• There is a candy in front of the starting line, which was removed.
• When the pillow is used, the model flies up in the sky. The Z above the character's head doesn't rotate.
• There are no animations.
• The boost effect has a different texture.
• The results screen displays all the characters, their best laps, and their total time.
• The perfume jingle doesn't loop.
• For some reason, only the pie, lasagna, pillow and the perfume items appear in the roulette.
• When someone gets hit, they swerve to the side.
• Sometimes, the pillow power-up can glitch out and last for a lot longer than intended.
• There are no spoilers on the back of the karts.

First Playable Prototype V2#

Watch on YouTube

Changes#

• The controls are now those of the final.
• The correct music is played.
• The puzzle pieces are now present, though no menu for them exists yet.

Unused Graphics#

Two lightmap files exist for Country Bumpkin and Palerock Lake.

Unused Track#

Watch on YouTube

Normally only Country Bumpkin is playable, but by swapping the names between level_e3c1.cfg & level_e3c2.cfg, you can play on the unused Palerock Lake track, with there being major differences compared to later builds.

• The track goes backwards for some reason.
• The collision is extremely buggy.
• The candies are simply just models, touching them does nothing.
• The lake doesn't respawn the player to the track, instead the player just falls below the track extremely fast.
• The lake is also missing some polygons.
• The lap system is broken, not going up when crossing the finishing line, but goes up or down when going out of bounds in specific areas.
• There is an invisible object at the finish line that gives the player and the CPU's speed boosts every frame, producing an ear-bleeding sound.

Garfield Kart Test Build#

A build featuring mostly functional menus and all of the tracks. Watch on YouTube

Gameplay Differences#

• The physics are different.
• You can accelerate with the Y button, a feature which is absent from the final game.
• Most of the minimaps are flipped vertically/horizontally.
• When drifting, Garfield plays his 'hit' animation.
• The character models have incorrect shading.
• Acceleration is slower.
• The diamond powerup can't be removed.
• There is a puzzle piece counter on the bottom.
• None of the game modes work as they are intended.
• Characters can be selected, but they just default back to Garfield.
• The character animations on the character select are faster than the final.
• The icons on the minimap are mapped to the wrong characters.
• Selecting a track in the menu doesn't change the preview image.
• The UFO power-up has no bottom screen icon.

Menus#

All of the menus went through some changes, especially the character select. There are also arrows and a buy icon which don't function.

A multiplayer mode is present and can be selected, but it doesn't function.

The CC options are on the right instead of the left.

The cars are in a different order.

There are no rarities.

The hat selection screen, which has different icons for the hats.

No boosts exist in this prototype.

GDC Prototype#

A prototype that planned to be shown off at the Game Developers Conference. It's pretty much the same as the test build, but with only 3 tracks. Watch on YouTube

Menu Differences#

• The chicken hat is automatically equipped, thought it doesn't do aynthing.
• There is a coin counter, though it doesn't display anything.
• The characters, cars and spoilers are in a different order.

Gameplay Differences#

• As mentioned, there are only 3 tracks: Play Misty For Me, Spooky Manor and Blazing Oasis.
• The race countdown is faster.
• When the perfume is used, the boost graphic is seen as if you are performing a drift.
• When collecting a coin, it gives a random amount of coins.

Age Rating Prototype#

A prototype that is closer to the final game, but with some changes. Watch on YouTube

Gameplay Differences#

• When using the UFO, they fly right in front of the player.
• Bumping into some walls can cause you to fly up into the air.
• When rapidly selecting a track, the bottom screen's graphics can be seen on the top screen.
• Some hats aren't positioned correctly on the characters.
• When finishing a Grand Prix, the cup's trophy is shown with the text 'Victory!' above it.
• You can restart any track, even in Grand Prix.

Oddity#

For some strange reason, the Space-Bubble's description is in German.

Unlocked FOV Prototype#

A build that includes a profile selection and credits. Watch on YouTube

Gameplay differences#

• Sometimes when winning, the 'Race Lost' music plays.
• The game freezes after a few races.

Level select#

A level select menu can be accessed on the title screen by pressing the X button. The levels are sorted thematically. The podium sequences for the last tracks in each cup are viewable too.

Interim Build#

The final prototype, presumably before the final and the Unlocked FOV build. Watch on YouTube

Gameplay Differences#

• The Yes and No buttons are reversed (yes is on the right, no is on the left).
• Every AI has the same kart.
• The text has a thicker outline.
• The requirements for some Time Trials medals are different.
• The characters and karts look smaller.
• When quitting from a Time Trials race, the timer will still be displayed at the top of the screen.
• When drifting, you slow down a little.
• When paused, the bottom screen doesn't go dark.
• When getting 3rd place or lower, the 'Shame!' text doesn't appear.

Unused Graphics#

Since all of the prototypes are built on each other, they share the same unused conent.

An unused splash screen for Most Wanted Enntertainment, which never appears in any prototype.

A strange transparent version of the game's logo can be found in Graphics/Menu_old.