Totally Spies! 2: Undercover (Game Boy Advance)

This page details one or more prototype versions of Totally Spies! 2: Undercover (Game Boy Advance).

This prototype is documented on Hidden Palace.

A European prototype of the Game Boy Advance version of Totally Spies! 2: Undercover. The build date is currently unknown. It was released on January 1st, 2022 along with many other prototypes, hosted by the folks over at Hidden Palace.

General Differences#

• The music is lifted directly from the first game. The songs used are as follows:

• Much of the sound effects are missing. A majority of levels have no sound effects at all.
• Pausing the game doesn't stop the music.
• The "Yes" and "No" options in the pause screens are followed by a question mark. The question marks were removed in the final.
• Game Over screens ask the player if they want to "Start Again" rather than "Retry".
• In both the prototype and final, whenever the player quits out of a level, the game goes into a state where inputs are locked and behaviour is changed (with exact behaviour changes depending on the level) before the level fully fades out. In the final game, this also occurs for 1 frame after unpausing the game but in the prototype, this does not happen after unpausing the game.
• Confessionals can be broken by rapidly changing the page, causing a softlock.

Opening and Menus#

Prototype	Final

• The game takes longer to boot up.
• French and Dutch have swapped positions on the language select but the position of their respective flags are still the same as the final, resulting in the two languages having the wrong flags.
• Dutch is the default language as opposed to English.
• Nederlands is missing the S at the end.
• Français and Español are missing the accents on the C and N respectively.
• The "Licensed by Nintendo" screen can be skipped as quickly as the other company logos.
• The Marathon Media logo is different and it comes after the Mistic Software logo rather than before.

Prototype	Final

• The main theme on the title screen starts off in mono and then goes into stereo after a short while, becoming noticeably louder in the process.
• The music on the main menu is the main theme rather than the cutscene theme. The cutscene theme from the first game is used on all the other menus.
• The credits are not yet implemented and use a placeholder screen. The text is still in the ROM and are mostly identical to final except that the credits are split in two and labeled as GBA and DS version credits. Credits for Atari US are missing.

• The save, load, copy and delete screens are missing, with the game instantly moving on once it alters save data.
• When selecting a new game, the player cannot overwrite a pre-existing save file. The player has to use the delete option in order to free up a space for a new save file.
• When copying or deleting pre-existing save data, there is no prompt asking the player if they want to copy/delete before the action is taken.
• Levels are referred to as "stories" in the final and "tables" in the prototype.
  • In French, levels are referred to as "tableau" in the final and prototype. For other languages, this was literally translated to "table" which doesn't make sense in other languages, hence why it was changed.

Prototype	Final

• There are font differences as well as occasional changes to text layout.

Prototype	Final

• The "skip" button prompt uses a different graphic in the prototype.
• The skip button graphic is broken in German, Spanish, Italian and Dutch.

Prototype	Final

Level Specific Differences#

To do: There are many more level differences.

Episode 1 - Story 2 - Frazzle the lock#

• The border containing the text was smaller with the path on the top right being longer.
• The text was changed in every language other than English.
  • German has the same text but it is formatted differently.
• In German and sometimes Dutch, the text extends outside the text border in the prototype.

Episode 1 - Story 3 - Destroy the tornado#

• After failing and retrying, the game will remember the amount of damage you've done to the tornado. The final game resets it's health to full.
• When shooting the tornado in the prototype, the game flashes a prompt to press the R button even though you shoot by pressing B. The final game has no prompt.
• The tornado has a smaller hitbox, making it possible to jump over the Tornado.

Episode 2 - Story 1 - Catch the Plant#

• Alex's portrait is used instead of Jerry's for the initial dialogue.

Prototype	Final

• Alex teeters in the air for a short while when the level starts.
• If the initial dialogue is skipped with the start button, it will pause the game. This does not happen in other levels in the prototype.
• Alex can attack on this level in the prototype, even though there is nothing to attack.
  • Performing an air kick notably prevents the player from taking fall damage.
• The plant is far more aggressive in the prototype, attacking more often and being able to latch onto Alex while she is climbing buildings (which it cannot do in the final).
• It is possible to wall jump on the invisible walls at the beginning and the end of the level.
• Sam is standing in mid-air in prototype. She also does not run up to the plant unlike in the final.
• The plant can still latch onto you even after Sam has caught it at the end of the level.
• In the final game, the player can only perform their double jump for an 11 frame window in this level. In the prototype however, the player can delay their double jump for an extra 26 frames, matching every other platforming level in the game.
• In the final game, the player cannot jump if they are too close to an edge. In the prototype however, you can jump near an edge to the point that you can slip off an edge and jump, functioning like the first game. This is a general change in all the platforming levels.
• If the player drops off the first large building, the plant will not follow you, forcing the player to backtrack to have the plant follow you. In the final game, the plant will follow you if you perform this skip.
• If the player game overs in the level and resets, they can control Alex in the beginning section. If they jump over the initial dialogue box, Alex will amusingly float above the ground, moving forwards quickly until the dialogue is skipped.
  • If the player takes too long to skip the dialogue, this can allow you to pass the plant, forcing you to go back to activate it.
• If the player dies via fall damage, the level breaks. Retrying the level will result in Alex not appearing and then dying shortly after the level begins. This will keep happening whenever the level is played although it can be fixed by dying in other levels.

Episode 2 - Story 2 - Dissect the plant#

• Hitting the edges of the plant with the tweezers will result in immediate failure, while in the final game you have four hitpoints.
• The walls in the first section are closer, being inside the light green areas rather than the edges of the plant.

Prototype	Final

Episode 3 - Story 3 - Find the combination#

• The background was colored in pink for the final.
• Most of the borders are thicker than in the final.
• The buttons were rearranged and redesigned. The glasses being replaced with the OK and the backspace with an eraser.
• The prototype has an extra button to quit the level and cannot be quit the normal way of pressing Start and L.

Prototype	Final

Episode 4 - Story 1 - The cornfields#

• The level has no health pickups.
• The level has much smoother performance. In the final game, the level has extreme frame drops, with the level often running at half its intended speed but in the prototype, lag is far less frequent and far less severe. Similar performance can be achieved in the final by turning off music and sound.
• The exit sign is different, likely being changed so that it would not need to be translated for different languages.

Prototype	Final

Episode 4 - Story 3 - The barn#

• The air kick does not function properly. Its hitbox is tiny (making it near impossible to use against enemies) and it does not bounce off objects it hits. This is not the case for other platforming levels.
• Enemies do not have solid collision, allowing the player to walk through them.
• The heart on the platform above the door is missing.

Prototype	Final

• In the prototype, it is possible to jump from the platform below the boom box to the platform with the boom box. This is not possible in the final game as the player cannot jump if they are too close to an edge in the final.
• If the player has not collected the boom box in the final, there is a textbox where Jerry tells the player to collect the boom box and the player is blocked off from the door. In the prototype, this textbox is not present (although the text is still in the files) and the player can walk all the way up to the door while it is closed.
  • When the door is open, the player can finish the level without collecting the boom box in the prototype. This is not possible in the final.

Prototype	Final

Episode 4 - Story 4 - Like father, like son#

• The conveyor belt still moves when the game is paused.
• Haybales are spawned more frequently.
• Carrot Man's icon is bugged in the prototype.

• If the player quits out and retries, the game will remember what character you were fighting. In the final game, this still occurs if the player dies but if they quit out with the pause menu, they will have to fight all 3 bosses again.

Episode 5 - Story 2 - Unplug it all#

• The way you disable the speakers and lights is different in the prototype. Instead of the same "hacking" mechanic, you have to time a single button press when a bar is filled to a certain point.
• The big star was removed from the background.

Prototype	Final

Episode 5 - Story 3 - The space race#

• The camera is not locked to the boss unlike the final game. The camera is instead locked to the center of the player like most other platforming levels. Getting behind the camera is instant death in the final game but since that cannot happen in the prototype, you can effortlessly run behind the boss.
• Jumping physics are different to the final game. For example, if you jump horizontally in the final, you perform a fairly high jump but in the prototype, you perform a very low jump with a lot of horizontal speed.
• The boss will not break rocks when he runs into them. When combined with the camera following the player, this means you can have the boss run into the same rock over and over again to beat him easily.
• Rocks have unlimited upwards range, forcing the player to either walk under them or jump over them using a jump while running upwards. This also means that the boss will run into the rock no matter what if it is placed on the bottom of the screen.
• Pits have dodgier collision. If the player falls into a pit, Alex can still be seen, phasing into the ground.
• The boss can hit a rock when jumping over a pit above a rock. The boss takes damage although it will only go into its damage animation if it is close enough to the rock.
  • If the boss goes into its damage animation over a pit, it can consistently take multiple hits in rapid succession.
    • These techniques can be used to cause the boss' health to underflow to 255 hit points.

Episode 5 - Story 4 - The tease#

• The hint and quit buttons were switched around and the prompts moved below them. The button icons are also higher than in the final.
• The complete picture displayed by the hint button is discolored.

Prototype	Final

Text Differences#

Episode 1 - Arnold the Great#

Story 1 - Find the truck

You can accelerate during the chase by pressing the right arrow or slowing down by pressing the left arrow.

You can accelerate during the chase by using the +Control Pad.

Story 2 - Frazzle the lock

I thought that... If I could be like Admiral Admirable, people would be impressed. Hey! Maybe I could join up with you girls - "Admiral Admirable and the Super Spies!" Cool eh?

I just thought
 if I could be a bit like Admiral Admirable, people would be impressed. Hey! Maybe I could join up with you guys
 "Admiral Admirable and the Super Spies!" Cool, huh?

Okay just forget that... Arnold, being a Super Spy is not just about wearing fancy clothes. I'm sorry, we have to go... We're on a case. See you back at school tomorrow.

Cool... No. Forget it, Arnold. Being a super spy is not just about running around in fancy clothes. I'm sorry, we have to go
 we're on a case. See you back at school tomorrow?

Cookery class at 4 o'clock. You could give me hand making brownies?

We got cookery class at 4 o'clock. You'll help me with my brownies won't you?

I thought you'd put her behind bars?

I thought you had her locked up somewhere!

Story 3 - Destroy the tornado

Well done Admiral, we are going to get our revenge on WHOOP by getting rid of the "Spies" and their boss, Jerry.

Well done Admiral, we are going to get our revenge on WOOHP by getting rid of the "Spies" and their boss, Jerry.

Story 4 - Neutralize Geraldine

And here's Geraldine. And try not to lose her this time!

There she is, Jerry. Try not to let her escape again!

Episode 2 - Booby Blooms#

Story 1 - Capture the flower

He just offered to help me with my extra-credit project.

He just offered to help me with my project to get some extra points.

Yeah - each other.

Yeah - studying each other.

And for all, the brand new Plush
Pendants. In an emergency, they
become highly effective gas masks.

And here's, the brand new Plush Pendants. In an emergency, they become highly effective gas masks.

Get rid of the plant by pressing the right buttons on the screen.

Get rid of the plant by pressing the right buttons that appear on the screen.

Story 2 - Dissect the flower

Using the stylus, detach the small seeds from the bottom of the flower and work up without touching the edges, if not, the sample will be useless.

Using the tweezers, detach the small seeds from the bottom of the flower and work up without touching the edges, if not, the sample will be useless.

Story 4 - The pursuit

Time to mow down Miss Vanderfleet's latest crop of mischief. Would you girls care to help?

It's high time to mow down Miss Vanderfleet's latest crop of mischief. Would you girls care to help?

Confessional

What button did you press to activate the loudspeaker in the room? 

How many rooms did you sneak through in the factory?

What color are the henchwomen's jet skis?
Red
Blue
White

What color are the henchwomen's jet skis?
Red
Blue
Green

Episode 3 - Hot Thief#

Story 1 - The grand seduction

Perhaps a special mission will invigorate you properly.

I have a very special mission for you. I need you to keep a very close eye on Kyle Katz - an extremely talented jewel thief. In fact he's so good that even WOOHP have never managed to get their hands on him.

And a new Multi Fonction
Charm Bracelet

And a new Multi-function Bracelet

Story 3 - Find the combination

When you have entered the three symbols, validated using the 
Test
 button to see the result. If you get it wrong, to remove the last symbol, press the 
Return
 button.

When you have entered the three symbols, validate by selecting the "OK" icon to see the result. If you get it wrong, to remove the last symbol, select the eraser icon.

Episode 5 - Spies in Space#

Story 2 - Unplug it all

You've made it back on the moon. Now you have to stop Ziggy and above all neutralize the Rock-Bot.

You've made it back on the moon. Now you have to stop Ziggy and, above all neutralize the Rock-Bot.

Unplug the six speakers and spotlights attached to the structure by pressing the A button when the blue bar is in the yellow zone. For the electric boxes, press the buttons that appear on the screen. This should attract the attention of the Rock-Bot. Watch out for the electric bolts.

Unplug the six speakers and spotlights, attached to the structure by pressing the buttons that appear on screen. This should attract his attention.

Confessional

What did you use to pilot our Spy in space? 
Button
Stylus
Telepathy

What did you use to pilot our Spy in space? 
+Control Pad
R Button
Telepathy

What color is the switch box that cuts the loudspeaker current? 
Yellow
Orange
Blue

What color is the switch box that cuts the loudspeaker current? 
Yellow
Orange
Grey

Credits#

Special Thanks
 Flavien Bau
Jacques Sarremejeanne
 France Cameron

Special Thanks
 Stephane Yilmaz
Jacques Sarremejeanne
 France Cameron

Unused Text From the DS Version#

All of the text specific to the DS version remains in the GBA version and vice-versa, these also include some changes.

General

Game saving. Do not turn off your console.
Game loading. Do not turn off your console.
Copying. Do not turn off your console.
Deleting. Do not turn off your console.
Writing error. Turn off your console, remove the Game Card and reinsert it.
Reading error. Turn off your console, remove the Game Card and reinsert it.

Game saving. Do not turn off your Nintendo DS.
Game saving. Do not turn off your GBA.
Game loading. Do not turn off your Nintendo DS.
Game loading. Do not turn off your GBA.
Copying. Do not turn off your Nintendo DS.
Copying. Do not turn off your GBA.
Deleting. Do not turn off your Nintendo DS.
Deleting. Do not turn off your GBA.
Writing error. Turn off your Nintendo DS, remove the Game Card and reinsert it.
Writing error. Turn off your GBA, remove the GamePak and reinsert it.
Reading error. Turn off your Nintendo DS, remove the Game Card and reinsert it.
Reading error. Turn off your GBA, remove the GamePak and reinsert it.

Multiplayer

Connection error. Press the A Button to return to turn out the console.
Welcome to Wi-Fi mode! Enemy search in progress.
Choose a mini-game and configure it.
Recreate the image by pushing the pieces with your stylus.

Connection error. Press the A Button to turn off your Nintendo DS.
Welcome to DS Wireless Communications mode! Enemy search in progress.
Choose a mini-game.
Reconstruct the image by pushing the pieces with your stylus.

Episode 1 - Story 2 - Frazzle the lock

And don't touch any of the diodes but the ones displayed. And hurry up! It looks like the truck's heading for a cliff.

Don't touch any of the diodes but the ones displayed. Hurry up! It looks like the truck's heading for a cliff.

Episode 2 - Story 3 - Infiltration

In each room, divert the attention of the guards by making a noise in the loudspeaker, or by speaking to them on the telephone.

In each room, divert the attention of the guards by making a noise in the loudspeakers, or by speaking to them on the telephone.

Touch the second telephone icon to make it ring.

Touch the icon of the second telephone to make it ring.

Episode 3 - Story 3 - Find the combination

Use the stylus to enter the combination of the safe on the touch screen. When you have entered the 3 symbols, touch the OK Button to confirm your combination.

Use the stylus to enter the combination of the safe on the Touch Screen. When you have entered the 3 symbols, touch the "OK" icon to confirm your combination.

The yellow diode, that the symbol is in the wrong place and the red diode indicates that the symbol is not used in the combination.

The yellow diode indicates that the symbol is in the wrong place and the red diode indicates that the symbol is not used in the combination.

Episode 5 - Story 1 - Back to the craft This change is only in the unused DS version of the instructions.

You have to go in site. Use the +Control Pad to manoeuvre your character. Accelerate with the right arrow and slow down with the left arrow. Keep an eye on your fuel tank: it will empty as you advance. Blow into the microphone to refill the fuel and avoid the asteroids.

You have to go on site. Use the +Control Pad to manoeuvre your character like accelerate and slow down the speed. Keep an eye on your fuel tank: it will empty as you advance. Blow into the microphone to refill the fuel and avoid the asteroids.