Preview Prototype

This is a sub-page of Proto:Tomba!.

Dialogue ChangesAs a localization prototype, this makes up the bulk of changes. Event ChangesFurther changes to the text.

Title & General#

• A build date and time are shown on boot.

For comparison, the final US release has a built date of 98/3/22 21:11.

• The sound effects are not present in any of the cutscenes.

Prototype	Final

• Title screen has no TM symbol and the date is missing from the copyright. New Game is New Start, and Options is displayed as Option. The screen resembles the final, but with a different font and no color applied.

Prototype	Final

• The Option screen (which did carry the title over to the final) has no Adjust Screen option. The position of the confirmation buttons were moved, and OPTION was changed to CHANGE OPTION.

Prototype	Final

• The save screen has different text, and a blank box when no memory card has been found.

Prototype	Final

• Text boxes are usually slightly larger or wider, depending on the level.

Prototype	Final

• Quite a few text boxes have different text placements, but are otherwise the same.
• Text is slower (even on Fast) in this prototype.
• When obtaining an item, a period is used instead of an exclamation mark.
• Music restarts when you leave certain areas.

Prototype	Final

• Some buttons have been swapped.

Prototype	Final

• The map uses the final one from the final game, but the text is different. It uses a black font, making it much harder to see against the darkness of the map.
  • Several locations are missing a space (or two). For example, "Village of All Beginnings" is listed as "Village ofAll Beginnings".
  • The finger points just offscreen.

• Several pieces of text either go over the screen or across the overlay.

Prototype	Final

• The arrow used in the final is a blank square in the prototype.
• The Events page doesn't display the total number of events found and cleared.
• Text for equipping an item reads as "Put on the x" instead of "Equipped the x".
• Although not a full level select, all locations have been opened for the Charity Wings item.
• Infinite lives is enabled.

• A glitch can cause the game to soft lock. If Baron is placed too close to certain areas, such as the door leading to Trick Village, Tomba won't be able to get on his back, and will be trapped in his run cycle forever. The final fixed this by allowing Tomba to clip through walls in these situations.
• Although the Old Men of Time do heal Tomba when he speaks to them, there's no accompanying text for it.
• Larger numbers are written with no comma (for example, 300000 AP instead of 300,000 AP).
• There's different text for when you use the Mighty Fish Food:

Also, the EXP bar doesn't show up at the same time to confirm.

Item Changes#

Name Changes#

Description Changes#

The vast majority of the descriptions are lacking a period in the prototype. This list only includes descriptions with other changes.

Location Name Changes#

Village of All Beginnings#

• The ground has been moved up one pixel in the final.
• Tomba still doesn't display any animations upon seeing the man at the start.
• The Peach Gas is much brighter.
• Frogs say 'Ribit' instead of 'Ribbit' when returned to the lake.
• Some fruits regenerate in place of the 1-Ups.
• You keep the Furious Tornado.
• Different text for the GoGoCar losing fuel:

• The furthest candle to the right in the 100 Year Old Man's house do not flicker (but the light does).
• Tomba doesn't grow impatient with the Old Man.
• The cutscene has no vocals, but subtitles. It matches almost perfectly with the final voice, save for this one line:

Buta is the Japanese word for Pig, meaning it's likely a translation oversight (which appears more than once for the duration of this prototype).

Dwarf Forest#

• You can still talk to the first dwarf when you catch up to him.
• Text reads as Dwarf Language Skill x, but in the final it's Dwarf Language Level x. There's an exclamation mark at the end.
• The Leaf Butterflies event is obtained upon leaping onto one. In the final, you need to put one in your inventory first.
• Text for saving dwarves is "x dwarfs rescued!". In the final, it's "x dwarves remaining!"
• Text for grabbing the Crystal Ball is Crystal 1/3 Acquired instead of One Crystal Ball Acquired in the final.
• Obtaining the Wood Boomerang has a strangely placed exclamation mark after the item, followed by the usual Acquired text.
• Some changes to Baron's text.

• Tomba doesn't catch on fire when he gets caught by the fire.
• The dwarf lady doesn't fart like she does in the final.
• You're never told when you've rescued all the dwarves, which is confusing since the prototype characters constantly talk about how only one dwarf is missing.

• The dwarf at the top of the Elder's hut has a speech bubble that goes into the air.
• Tomba isn't shocked when the lights dim in the prison.

Prototype	Final

• The whirlpool in Wobbly Wharf cannot be entered in the final until it's been blocked, but in the prototype, it's possible to swim through it. The pipe warp, however, will not activate until the barrel has been placed on top.
• The cherry blossoms that cover the Million Year Old Treasure Chest in Charity Square do not hide Tomba.
• No sparkles on Charity Square statues.
• Different text for acquiring water:

• The Leaf Butterflies can get stuck at the edge of the cage.

Prototype	Final

• There's a graphical glitch in the saved Dwarf Village. The overlay doesn't work at all.

Prototype	Final

• Tomba moves over the sinkhole in the final, but in the prototype, he only approaches it.
• If Tomba interrupts the Pig Island movie from the Telescope, the music will stop playing, and won't regenerate until a mission is cleared.
• There's no sparkles when the final door opens.
• Million Year Old Man's staff is the less detailed one from the Japanese release.
• Finding Tomba's friends yields different text:

Mushroom Forest#

• Tomba can get bored when listening to the actor dwarf.
• Sign has different text:

• Using Baron in the Mushroom Forest results in placeholder graphics being displayed.
• Different text for destroying the Fruits of Death:

Stormy Mountain#

Prototype	Final

• The digger has a minor palette error.

Prototype	Final

• In the Lava Caves, the camera is a pixel lower in the prototype.

Baccus Village#

• Tomba's idle animations don't work.
• "Found the lost baby mouse!" is written as "Find the lost baby mouse!".

Haunted Mansion#

• The room where you obtain the Large Key Panel 1 has no Kokka bird outside it.
• Similarly, there are no Kokka birds outside the straw room (where the 1,000 Year Old Man is trapped).
• When trying to obtain the Fire Jewel, the text reads differently if you need more exp:

Prototype	Final

• There's another palette glitch with the Digger in the Haunted Mansion.

Masakari Jungle#

• Yan doesn't wait for the player to finish his last sentence.

Village of Civilization#

Final (Japan)	Preview Prototype	Final (US)

• The color has changed from the Japanese version, but there are no clouds like in the final version.
• Tomba walks straight into the Clock Tower, instead of stopping halfway.
• Although the characters refer to it as the Watch Tower, the signs mention it as the Clock Tower.
• Tomba doesn't appear shocked at hearing the explosion. He doesn't bother to return immediately after, either, and the player must guide him back there.
• The guy at the Clock Tower stops talking after saying "You've probably already noticed that". In the final, he stops after requesting a favor.

Trick Village#

• The 10th Math Bead is in the same place as the Japanese game.

Evil Pigs#

• There's no shining effect when you capture an Evil Pig.

• Tomba can grow bored waiting for their text to finish.
• After defeating the final / Real Evil Pig, the game soft locks, so you're never able to see the ending.