TMNT (NES) Prototype Mystery Solved!

*Kendamu* · 12-30-2014, 12:54 AM

Some background:

On Nintendo Player, there's an article and a ROM download for a prototype/sample version of TMNT for NES. In it there's a stage select option and on the cart there's some writing that says "No Die." You can read that right here if you'd like.

I decided to look into the "No Die" thing and these are the results I came up with. If you can't watch right now, a less detailed version of the explanation for "No Die" is in the spoiler tags below the video.

UPDATE: I need to look into this some more. The results I have aren't 100%. Sometimes the Technodrome does appear in another spot still. This means I need to look into things just a little more. I thought I had it, too! In any case, enjoy the prototype ROM! Remember to hit A+Start to do level select.

*Cure* · 12-30-2014, 01:20 AM

Nicely done, homie. Those "ah-hah!" moments in life are great.

*oldmanwinters* · 12-30-2014, 08:51 PM

Ooh, level select! I'd love to challenge myself by going straight to the Technodrome without bonus weapons and see how long I last.

*Kendamu* · 12-30-2014, 10:20 PM

Grab the ROM from the bottom of the article and give it a shot!

d_osborn · 12-31-2014, 06:17 PM

Neat! The article author (and prototype cartridge owner) is a fellow 'Dromer with a metric crap ton of COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL stuff in his collection. Cool dude!

*oldmanwinters* · 12-31-2014, 11:38 PM

Regarding the Drome's subterranean location, I usually just pick the bottom left manhole first, and it seems to be slightly more likely than the other two options.

*Cure* · 12-31-2014, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Regarding the Drome's subterranean location, I usually just pick the bottom left manhole first, and it seems to be slightly more likely than the other two options.

Man, this confused me for a second. Like, these forums are the Drome for me; the roaming ball of death with an eye on top is the Technodrome to me. You know?

~~Sumac~~ · 01-01-2015, 09:00 AM

I had a pirate hack of the Japanese version of the game. It allowed to select stages by pressing "Select" on the title screen. However, I always attempted to complete the game without cheats. Besides, fighting at the Technodrome without any kind of warm up was a nightmare.

*oldmanwinters* · 01-01-2015, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cure

Man, this confused me for a second. Like, these forums are the Drome for me; the roaming ball of death with an eye on top is the Technodrome to me. You know?

Heh, yeah, I can see your point. But see my signature's gag too.

~~Mew~~ · 01-03-2015, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Ooh, level select! I'd love to challenge myself by going straight to the Technodrome without bonus weapons and see how long I last.

Yeah. You get to go past the dam stage! I would like to replay the dam stage until I get good at it.

*oldmanwinters* · 01-03-2015, 06:49 PM

Haven't played the prototype yet, but I did give the NES cart another run through completion just to get back into practice. I'm pretty sure I'll at least need a healthy quantity of boomerangs to get through that final tunnel run in the Technodrome. Jet pack guys like to pin me down!

NinjaRap · 01-10-2015, 11:52 PM

The ex-developer who originally sold this couldn't figure out how to activate the "No Die" mode, either.

It's important to point out that prototypes are often reused several times, since the chips inside can be erased and reburned, so it's entirely possible that the "No Die" was from an earlier build version. That might explain the addition of the "SS" (Stage Select?) label on the case.

That being said, I hope you keep digging around!

12-30-2014, 12:54 AM	#1
Kendamu Sewerhead Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,890	TMNT (NES) Prototype Mystery Solved! Some background: On Nintendo Player, there's an article and a ROM download for a prototype/sample version of TMNT for NES. In it there's a stage select option and on the cart there's some writing that says "No Die." You can read that right here if you'd like. I decided to look into the "No Die" thing and these are the results I came up with. If you can't watch right now, a less detailed version of the explanation for "No Die" is in the spoiler tags below the video. UPDATE: I need to look into this some more. The results I have aren't 100%. Sometimes the Technodrome does appear in another spot still. This means I need to look into things just a little more. I thought I had it, too! In any case, enjoy the prototype ROM! Remember to hit A+Start to do level select. Last edited by Kendamu; 12-31-2014 at 02:47 AM.

12-30-2014, 01:20 AM	#2
Cure Y'all need Jesus Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 8,938	Nicely done, homie. Those "ah-hah!" moments in life are great. __________________

12-30-2014, 08:51 PM	#3
oldmanwinters Overlord Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Between yesterday and tomorrow! Posts: 15,501	Ooh, level select! I'd love to challenge myself by going straight to the Technodrome without bonus weapons and see how long I last. __________________ Experience the TMNT Fan Commentaries! Check out my TMNT fan comic, "Nothing to Fear"! View my sketch work! I'm selling some of my hard-to-find TMNT items!

12-31-2014, 11:38 PM	#6
oldmanwinters Overlord Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Between yesterday and tomorrow! Posts: 15,501	Regarding the Drome's subterranean location, I usually just pick the bottom left manhole first, and it seems to be slightly more likely than the other two options. __________________ Experience the TMNT Fan Commentaries! Check out my TMNT fan comic, "Nothing to Fear"! View my sketch work! I'm selling some of my hard-to-find TMNT items!

01-03-2015, 06:49 PM	#11
oldmanwinters Overlord Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Between yesterday and tomorrow! Posts: 15,501	Haven't played the prototype yet, but I did give the NES cart another run through completion just to get back into practice. I'm pretty sure I'll at least need a healthy quantity of boomerangs to get through that final tunnel run in the Technodrome. Jet pack guys like to pin me down! __________________ Experience the TMNT Fan Commentaries! Check out my TMNT fan comic, "Nothing to Fear"! View my sketch work! I'm selling some of my hard-to-find TMNT items!

12-30-2014, 10:20 PM	#4
Kendamu Sewerhead Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,890	Grab the ROM from the bottom of the article and give it a shot!

12-31-2014, 06:17 PM	#5
d_osborn Mad Scientist Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 1,426	Neat! The article author (and prototype cartridge owner) is a fellow 'Dromer with a metric crap ton of COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL stuff in his collection. Cool dude!

01-01-2015, 09:00 AM	#8
~~Sumac~~ Banned Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 6,129	I had a pirate hack of the Japanese version of the game. It allowed to select stages by pressing "Select" on the title screen. However, I always attempted to complete the game without cheats. Besides, fighting at the Technodrome without any kind of warm up was a nightmare.

01-10-2015, 11:52 PM	#12
NinjaRap Random Punk Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 44	The ex-developer who originally sold this couldn't figure out how to activate the "No Die" mode, either. It's important to point out that prototypes are often reused several times, since the chips inside can be erased and reburned, so it's entirely possible that the "No Die" was from an earlier build version. That might explain the addition of the "SS" (Stage Select?) label on the case. That being said, I hope you keep digging around! __________________ http://ninjarap.com