Mickey's Ultimate Challenge (SNES)

Notes DialogueThe text was almost rewritten at some point! EnvironmentBeanwick Castle looks slightly different in this build. MinigamesHiya, Mickey! Would you like to play a game?

General Differences#

Copyright Screens#

• Press Start to skip the screens.
• The Designer Software logo does not animate.

Title Screen#

The title screen is very different and calls the game "Mickey's Jigsaw Puzzles", suggesting that earlier in development the game was themed around jigsaw puzzles.

However, it also indicates that this was ripped from the DOS game's cover art, with the only exception being the copyright date to 1993 instead of 1991, indicating of a cancelled SNES port of the game.

The EPROM labels list the game's final title, so this may have been kept as a placeholder until the final title screen could be implemented.

• Upon starting the game there is an infinitely-looping credits screen which can be skipped by pressing Start. Compared to the one seen when beating the game, it is much simpler and credits only the game's core development staff. Voldi Way and Ken Bailey are not credited for music (nor is Chip Level Designs' sound engine), and Character Animations and Backgrounds are compressed into a single "Art" credit. Background artist Matt Bozon is, intentionally or otherwise, credited only as "Matt."

Options Screen#

Proto	Final

• The options screen is different and has no Minnie. "Cakewalk", the easiest difficulty, was shortened to "Cake" in the final.
• The background is colored green and has red text, rather than a book.
• The finger has different graphics.

Intro#

• The introduction is an animated placeholder with different art. It begins with Mickey reading a book and falling asleep. The second panel says "The Kingdom of Beanwick had a very big problem". This hints that the introduction was supposed to be animated at some point, but it was changed to panels in the final version.
• There's text at the first panel of the intro that says "Mickey Mouse". Could be the character's introduction.

Audio Differences#

Music#

While music is implemented, there's almost nothing in this build.

What plays in the castle level is an early version of the main theme, with no sound effects:

• It plays at a slightly higher tone.
• Has less instruments, consisting of three channels.
• Can desync.

If you go to a room, it will play this early music:

The final game uses unique music for each room.

Sounds#

• Mickey doesn't make a sound when jumping, as the case with all the other sounds.

Graphical Differences#

• The dialogue boxes are all yellow except for the character in the Book room, which has a small red font and a unique text box that's never seen in the final version.
• The font in the dialogue boxes are different, too.
• Mickey's shading is slightly different in the castle, with a brighter face.
• Mickey's jumping animation is different.
• Mickey's animation after the ground shakes is shorter.
• Mickey's animation for when holding the magic wand is different.
• Mickey does not have a patient animation at all.

Gameplay Differences#

• Mickey's controls are different, and identical to those in the Game Boy prototype:
  • Pressing B will make you jump at the standard height. The final changes this to A.
  • Pressing B + Down will make you jump at the higher height. The final simplified this to B.
• Items are barely implemented at this point. You cannot get any items, and as such cannot obtain the magic beans to progress in the game.
• Select pauses the game rather than Start.
• You can't view your inventory if you pause the game.
• There are debugging features:
  • Press Start on the Beanwick Castle to skip to the Giant.
  • Press L / R to use free-movement. Note that this only works in the castle level, and even then it's limited to vertical movement.