Spy vs. Spy: The Island Caper (found build of cancelled US localization of NES game based on comic strip; 1989)
Title screen
Status: Found
Date found: 20 Mar 2024
Found by: Video Game History Foundation, TheNicktoonsFan2010
Spy vs. Spy: The Island Caper (南国指令!!スパイvsスパイ, lit. "Tropical Directive!! Spy vs. Spy") is a multiplayer platform game based on Mad Magazine's Spy vs. Spy comic. Released by Kemco for the Famicom console in 1987, it was a port of the Commodore 64 version. The Famicom port was also planned to be localized and released on the NES in the United States in 1989 but was cancelled for some reason.
Gameplay
On Mad Island, a mysterious island in the South Pacific, you must find all the missile fragments hidden on the island before your enemies do. Beware that the island is booby-trapped with various booby traps to stop you.
Prototype
On December 1, 2015, a prototype ROM was listed on eBay with an opening bid of $999[1]. The prototype was subsequently purchased, but it is not currently possible to confirm how much it sold for. No purchased prototypes have surfaced online as of 2023, and this is the only prototype that has been identified so far.
Availability
On March 20, 2024, Internet Archive user TheNicktoonsFan2010 uploaded a prototype ROM of the US localization. The prototype was found on the popular ROM-sharing site Vimm's Lair.[2]. It would later be explained on Discord that the prototype was sent to Hidden Palace by the Video Game History Foundation in 2021 but it wasn't released at the time.
Gallery
See Also
- Mad Super Special (partially found animated pilot adaptation of satirical magazine gags; 1988)
- Spy vs. Spy IV: Spies in Space (lost build of cancelled PC game sequel based on "MAD" comic strip; existence unconfirmed; mid-late 1980s)
References
- ↑ Time to start cracking some safes – Unreleased NES sequel to Spy vs Spy surfaces on eBay - Hey Poor Player Retrieved 5 May '23
- ↑ Vimm's Lair entry Retrieved 4 April '24