the cutting room mirror

Bowser's Castle

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This is a sub-page of Proto:Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.

Bowser's Castle is normally inaccessible in the prototype, for...very obvious reasons. Most of the area is only just beyond the block-out phase of development.

No maps have any collision, only 2 maps have working exits, and there are no enemies or unique gimmicks to be found. The area is in a very early state, and the ROM must be edited many times to be able to explore all of the rooms. In terms of layout differences, there's actually really only a few substantial changes, and a couple maps from the final are missing.

Map 406#

The bridge was changed from the lava version to a wooden one.

E3

Final

Map 407#

The upper ledge on the left didn't exist, and there's no platform for the Gunner Guy to shoot from.

E3

Final

Map 408#

The stairs were changed from giant steps to more smaller ones. The area at the top right didn't exist.

E3

Final

Map 409#

The flamethrowers are just a raised ledge in the prototype. The platform that the large door rests on was adjusted a bit.

E3

Final

Map 410#

The path that acts as a shortcut back to the entrance to the castle doesn't exist. There is no fence present, either.

E3

Final

Map 411#

None of the ledges with extra goodies on them exist in the prototype. The vertical bridge was changed from the lava one to a wooden one. The horizontal bridge was widened in the final.

E3

Final

Map 412#

The platforming was redesigned, there's no Thunderhand receptacle, and there's no spike trap on the right.

E3

Final

Map 413#

The giant stairs were changed into many more smaller steps.

E3

Final

Map 414#

The vertical bridge was originally much longer, and was changed to a wooden one.

E3

Final

Map 417#

There appears to be no entrance to the room. The lower path that catches you if you fall was changed to be a lava bridge.

E3

Final

Map 418#

Iggy's room. The area that the player must navigate through with messed-up controls doesn't exist, although the dizzy controls do exist at this point (but the graphics for the bros. during it do not). Iggy is represented with a placeholder Bowletta sprite instead of his own.

E3

Final

Map 419#

A platform at the bottom left was lowered. The entrance to the room and wooden bridge were originally both lava bridges.

E3

Final

Map 420#

Some layout tweaks. Instead of falling into the lava as a penalty for falling, the room originally had a floor to catch the player.

E3

Final

Map 421#

Morton's room. Morton is present, doing a shockwave just like he does in the final, but using a placeholder sprite like Iggy. All Koopalings share this placeholder room layout.

E3

Final

Map 422#

The upper ledge at the top left didn't exist.

E3

Final

Map 423#

There were originally narrow ledges to land on in the whirlwind room. The metal platforms themselves were also a bit smaller.

E3

Final

Map 424#

The metal platforms were smaller. There's also one on the right side of the right-most platform that was removed.

E3

Final

Map 425#

Lemmy's room. His duplicate game is in place already, but he uses Birdo as a placeholder sprite.

E3

Final

Map 426#

An extra step was added and the entrance changed from a lava bridge to normal brick.

E3

Final

Map 427#

An early version of the mechakoopa puzzle room. It's also one of two rooms to have a functioning exit. The pattern for the mice in this room is the same as Hooniversity's in the prototype.

E3

Final

Map 428#

The other map in Bowser's Castle with a functional exit. The Chuckola Fruit flowers are used as placeholders for the Piranha Flowers seen in the final game. The entrance was changed from a lava bridge to normal brick.

E3

Final

Map 429#

Ludwig's room. Ludwig is represented by a Spiny, but the whole game is in place.

E3

Final

Map 430#

An extra step was added and the entrance changed from a lava bridge to normal brick.

E3

Final

Map 431#

The Mini Mario puzzle room. The door exit was changed to a long hallway. The holes Mini Mario is supposed to walk through are marked with arrows. There also doesn't appear to be an entrance to the room.

E3

Final

Map 433#

The layout almost matches the final, but one of the platforms at the top is out of place in the prototype. The entrance was also changed from a lava bridge to normal brick.

E3

Final

Map 432#

And now, something entirely different. The Mini Mario platforming area was originally just a small square room. Pretty good change, here.

E3

Final

Map 434#

The entrance was changed from a lava bridge to normal brick.

E3

Final

Map 435#

Roy's room. Roy actually isn't present. Instead, a bike pad that spins around is here, as well as a "!" block that can stop and start the spinning. Nothing like this is in the final game at all.

E3

Final

Map 436#

An extra step was added and the entrance changed from a lava bridge to normal brick.

E3

Final

Map 437#

The layout was tweaked a little to not be a rectangle.

E3

Final

Map 438#

A room that probably wasn't quite started yet.

E3

Final

Map 439#

A large room that doesn't resemble any area in the final game. Whatever this room was gonna be, it became a rolling spike puzzle in the end.

E3

Final

Map 440#

The entrance was changed from a lava bridge to normal brick.

E3

Final

Map 441#

Wendy's room. There's nothing here; Wendy isn't present.

E3

Final

Map 442#

The Fire Tickle dash room. Several more walls were added in the final.

E3

Final

Map 443#

A very large room that has no noteworthy features. Whatever this room was originally made for, it became a room where the bros. split up in the final.

E3

Final

Map 444#

Larry's room. The tennis game is mostly complete, but winning the game softlocks, and nothing happens after.

E3

Final

Map 445#

Fawful's room. It's a bit more in block-out than previous rooms. Nonetheless, his cutscene is fully here, using placeholder graphics. The boss fight, of course, is not in yet.

E3

Final

Map 415#

The great door room. A bit more block-out than other rooms.

E3

Final

Map 416#

Bowletta's room. Is basically only in block-out, although the layout almost matches the final. The right side was originally a bit longer, with a curve that was removed in the final. Bowletta's cutscene is mostly here, but is missing all of the unique graphics. Upon defeat, a rough version of the death cutscene plays out, and nothing else happens.

E3

Final

Map 446#

The path was made more interesting.

E3

Final

Map 447#

The door entrance was changed to a long hallway.

E3

Final

Map 448#

The path was made more interesting.

E3

Final