The Money Game (NES)

This page details one or more prototype versions of The Money Game (NES).

An unreleased Famicom Disk System version of Sofel's The Money Game (194_SFL-TMG-1-0) was found in the FDS master ROM archive that was leaked on September 30th, 2020. This version actually pre-dates the cartridge release, with the disk version being intended for release a year earlier, in 1987.

To do: This is just scratching the surface. Someone who knows Japanese should probably take a closer look at the text changes.

General Differences#

• Being a Disk System game, both loading times and saving the game to be expected.
• The FDS version drops you onto the main screen after loading while the Famicom version has a bit of dialogue from an old-man turnip before you start the game.

• The HUD in the FDS version is mostly in English and displays your "Post", which in this case is "Common Employee". The Famicom version instead shows the exchange rate (1 dollar : 140 yen).
• You start one stage lower on FDS.

Graphical Changes#

• The "Push Start Button" text is smaller and lacks the exclamation marks on FDS.
• The year was also bumped up.

• The main screen and HUD were very noticeably recolored.
• Some objects, such as the bed, the phone, and the box next to the computer were redrawn and the ornament on the wall was removed.

• The icons on the screen showing your property were redrawn. The changes made to the HUD carry over to every other text box in the game.

• Clicking the turnip on the wall has old-man turnip give you some hints, his graphic isn't present in the FDS version.

• The cursor on the phone menu was changed to a receiver.
• Each person you can call here had their portraits changed to different degrees.

• Girlfriend

• Broker

• Analyst

• Financial Advisor A

• Financial Advisor B

Text Changes#

• The menu that opens by clicking the computer adds the option "To the next stage", which does just that.

• The other options are for stocks, cars, or houses, respectively. Each brings up the option to buy or sell, with the cartridge version reiterating what you are buying/selling.
• When choosing the stocks option, FDS has the option to "Wait", which does the same thing as "To the next stage" and was moved to the main computer menu instead.

Music Changes#

To do: Rip & compare.

• The title screen music is completely different.
• The main screen of the game has no music on FDS.