First level, those flying enemies aren't there in the final (they first appear in the third level instead). There is also a timer in the top right corner that again got cut from the final game. Those candles are also placed differently.
Completely different stage for the first boss.
This skeleton ought to have fallen apart by now.
That enemy doesn't appear there in the final, the place is full of mermen instead...
...such as in this picture. But the mermen enemies have very different sprites. There is also that time limit in the top right corner that got cut from the final.
These zombies are green, but in the U.S.A. and Japanese versions, they are red. They are green in the PAL version though. Also, the timer is back.
Timer is still there, the crystal sprite is missing.
Completely different sprite for the hell-hound boss, it looks a lot more ugly. Timer is still there, crystal sprite is missing again. Click here for a better look at the hell-hound.
Those enemies aren't there in the final, the timer is back, and you can't see a thing out of the windows. This area is slightly different here.
Timer is there, the crystal counter is displaying "0E", you don't fight skeletons at this point in the final and finally you can see stuff out of the windows now but it is still different to the final. There seems to be a glitch, as part of the sky is green.
You don't fight those enemies here in the final, timer is back, fairly unlikely you'd be able to get 99 crystals or a score of nothing at this point. The background is also different and one of the candles is in a slightly different place.
Totally different image used for part of the intro, no idea on what it is meant to be. Final is on the right for comparison...the reel at the left and right is also coloured differently.
Background is completely black, timer is still there, gate post things in front of the skeletons aren't there in the final.
Another look at the different hell-hound.
Again
Those enemies aren't in this level in the final.
Background is black again.
This is from part of the second level. Those platforms at the bottom are different in the final. I'm not sure what John is about to whip, if it is a medusa head it looks different than normal to me.
Different background, timer is back, crystal counter is missing.
In 2002, someone called TARA200 put a proto of the game up for auction. It apparently didn't sell, but we did get a lot of images showing this version off:
Title screen. Completely black background, copyright date is 1993 rather than 1994, "PASS WORD" is "PASSWORD" in the final.
Missing level! Looks like part of stage four was either going to be set on a blimp, or you'd at least walk past one. Either way, this got cut.
Looks like the stage for the Dracula boss battle wasn't done for this version.
Another look at the different hell-hound.
Another look at the different mermen enemies.
I don't think this stage was in the game at all.
BONUS STUFF
UK ADVERT
Shows four early version screens.
MEGA magazine preview
From a UK SEGA based mag, shows four early version screens.
Japanese ad
This advert also has another half to it that advertised Chi no Rondo for the PC Engine.
