Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire beta
Several things were originally going to be added to Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire during their development. Some were dropped or changed, and some of the dropped concepts of the prototypes can still be found in the games' programming.
Gameplay
Prototype music
Some remastered Generation II music exists, inaccessible in the coding of Ruby and Sapphire. Known pieces include:
- Background music used on Routes 38 and 39
- Background music used in the Pokémon Communication Center
- Background music used in Saffron City during Generation II
- Background music used in battles with the legendary beasts in Pokémon Crystal
- Team Rocket's theme
All of these themes came from Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal. These may either be early pieces of music used as stand-ins, or may have hinted at the developers having an intent to make a remake of Gold and Silver (which was later done in Generation IV) instead of or in addition to one of Red and Green, or even including Johto and/or Kanto, à la Gold, Silver, and Crystal. There are also four other variations on the Contest music, which, when put together, form the actual contest music. Why the contest music also exists as four different tracks is unknown.
Abilities
An ability known as Cacophony was found within the games programming; however, no Pokémon have it (unless hacked). It is identical to Soundproof, another sound-based ability, and it allows the Pokémon to avoid all sound-based moves. Since it is identical to Soundproof (thus including it in the final version would have been redundant), some Pokémon with Soundproof may have originally been intended to have Cacophony instead, such as Whismur's evolutions Loudred and Exploud, well-known for their loudness.
Pokémon
In an interview in Nintendo Power, it was revealed that Shellos and Gastrodon were originally designed for Generation III instead of Generation IV. These are not the forms in the final versions however; Diamond and Pearl's programming code reveals a back sprite for both Pokémon, but no front sprite. Shellos's sprite is pink, like its West Sea variation, and seems to combine the western variation's head with the eastern variation's body, while Gastrodon's sprite is brown and looks like its western variation, but with more rock-like protrusions on its body.
Weather
In addition to the weather conditions featured in Ruby and Sapphire, falling snow is also programmed into the games, but is not encountered anywhere in the games during normal play. This condition would later be implemented in Generation IV.
Graphics
Team Aqua sprite
What appears to be an alternate model of a Team Aqua Grunt, an Aqua Admin, or even a prototype sprite of Archie has been discovered in the coding of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.
Pokédex sprite
What appears to be a prototype model of the sprite that is used for a Pokémon the player has not seen is two blocky, big and white question marks instead for the round and black one with a white circle and a white question mark.
Tileset
In Ruby and Sapphire there is data for an unused tileset, which could have been intended for the Mossdeep City Gym or the Trick House.
Poké Mart
In some photos, Poké Mart roofs are colored red instead of blue.
HP Bar
There is an HP Bar that was different from the final version.
Beta Pokémon Sprites
There are beta sprites of several Pokémon: Shroomish, Duskull, Wailmer, Wynaut, and Sharpedo.
This game-related article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games. |