Sound Fantasy
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Sound Fantasy (aka Sound Factory) is a game designed by Toshio Iwai, known for making Otocky (FDS) and Electroplankton (NDS).
It was developed by Tomcat System, and produced by Nintendo. It was completed for release in October 1994, but ultimately it was never released anywhere. The main idea was eventually released as SimTunes on PC.
A prototype from the Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 (later known as Spaceworld) has been dumped and released back in April 2015, and footage from various revisions, including the final version has been found. This article talks about the differences between known revisions.
The dates shown are when the screenshots have been shown. It DOES NOT ALWAYS mean it's a revision from that year.
When "Final Version" is written, it means it's pretty much identical to the 2010 video. The product code is SHVC-NQ.
If you have the final ROM image of Sound Fantasy, please contact me. (@LuigiBlood)
サウンドファンタジーの完成版のROMイメージを持てばお問い合わせしてください。
New Sound Fantasy VidPro Card scans thanks to Matthew Callis (@superfamicom).
Download Scans (JPG, 8 MB) / Download Scans (PNG, 230 MB)
Jump to:
Pix Quartet
Beat Hopper
Ice Sweeper
Star Fly
Sources and Links
Title Screen
| Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
Winter CES 1994 |
Final Version |
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Credits
As far as I could get, the Credits appears after the Title Screen in the final version.
| Final Version |
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Main Menu
Eventually, Star Fly later had to be unlocked by finishing Beat Hopper and Ice Sweeper.
The 1993 prototype used music, which disappeared in the final version.
| Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
September 1994 |
Winter CES 1994 / Final Version |
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The mode based on Music Insects (also by Iwai) that inspired this game.
Splash Screen
There's no splash screen in the 1993 version.
| Final Version |
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Select 4 Insects
In the 1993 version, it asks you to select insects first, the final version just begins with the main screen and you have select insects later.
The final version has more polished artwork and more colorful font.
| Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
Final Version |
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Main Screen
| Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
Final Version |
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Menus
| Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
Final Version |
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The final version has 6 menus instead of 5, with a lot of added and removed features:
- Insect picker, which lets you pick insects and move them around.
- One more color has been added, for a total of 16 colors.
- Clear screen effects have been removed for more Auto choices.
- You can stop/move all insects at once.
- Copy & Stamp features has been added.
- You can change the color palette.
- Sample loading has its own button and menu.
Load
Samples have been seperated from the Load Screen, and now shows what the saved drawing looks like.
| Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
July 1994 |
Final Version |
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Save
| Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
July 1994 |
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Select Color Palette
Changing the color palette also changes the notes.
| Final Version |
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Ending Screen
In the 1993 prototype, this "End Pix Quartet" screen is always used regardless of the mode.
| Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
Final Version |
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Splash Screen
| Final Version |
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Menu
Interestingly, A-type and B-type used to be swapped.
| Final Version |
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Graphics Style (A-type)
As development goes on, Beat Hopper tends to be more diverse in its graphics style as stages goes on.
| 1993 |
Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
January 1994 |
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| Winter CES 1994 |
February 1994 |
September 1994 |
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Gameplay has also changed, the Power Meter is giving you grace if you mess up, and has been removed altogether in the final version, making it much harder.
Sounds and rhythms have also changed between the 1993 prototype and the final version.
B-type
B-type is a mode where you follow a path of blocks. After a number of steps, it gradually speeds up.
| September 1994 |
Final Version |
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Training
| September 1994 |
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This one isn't present in the 1993 prototype.
Splash Screen
| Final Version |
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Menu
| Final Version |
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Graphics Style (A-type)
Again, very different graphics style.
| February 1994 |
April 1994 |
Final Version |
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B-type?
It used to be the main attraction of Ice Sweeper.
The music box of Sound Fantasy.
Unlock Screen
You have to unlock Star Fly by finishing Beat Hopper and Ice Sweeper.
| September 1994 |
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Splash Screen
| Final Version |
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Main Screen
| 1993 |
Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
February 1994 |
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| September 1994 |
Final Version |
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A bar was added and can be grabbed too.
Menu
| Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
Final Version |
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You can set the speed of the music. It's also the default menu when you start Star Fly.
Notes couldn't be cleared in the 1993 prototype, you had to do it manually.
And an auto button has been added, for automatically added notes.
Select Tone
Tones have their own menu instead of a whole screen for it.
| Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
Final Version |
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Select Demo
Like with Pix Quartet, demos have their own screen.
| Nintendo Shoshinkai 1993 |
September 1994 |
Final Version |
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Grid
| September 1994 |
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Article written by LuigiBlood (08/12/2015)
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