▲
2
▼
The Nintendo Entertainment System versions of Defender II, Joust, and Millipede were all conceived as part of a failed deal between Nintendo and Atari to distribute the Famicom internationally. Development was outsourced to HAL Laboratory, who decided to publish the games themselves in 1987 after Nintendo took international distribution of the console into their own hands two years prior. One additional title was put together as part of the Atari deal, but it was never released, with none of the parties involved revealing what it was.
Because of the circumstances behind their conception, the Japanese versions of these three games all feature title screens reminiscent of Famicom launch titles, with the copyright information uniformly reading "COPYRIGHT 1983 ATARI". When Nintendo of America exported the games to North America in 1988, the title screens were made more elaborate and the copyright info was updated. The ways of accessing the game's modes are also changed in the North American release; instead of having them all available on the title screen, the player must press Start in Defender II and Millipede to bring up a menu (itself displaying additional copyright information). In Joust, pressing Start skips the menu and automatically begins Game A; the player must press Select in order to access the menu.
The development of Joust as a launch title for an Atari-distributed system would have a prominent knock-on effect on HAL and Nintendo's future. The game was one of the first titles to be programmed by Satoru Iwata, who would go on to become a vital asset to HAL thanks to his coding skills before becoming Nintendo's president in 2002, and his experiences developing Joust would help him program Balloon Fight.
Because of the circumstances behind their conception, the Japanese versions of these three games all feature title screens reminiscent of Famicom launch titles, with the copyright information uniformly reading "COPYRIGHT 1983 ATARI". When Nintendo of America exported the games to North America in 1988, the title screens were made more elaborate and the copyright info was updated. The ways of accessing the game's modes are also changed in the North American release; instead of having them all available on the title screen, the player must press Start in Defender II and Millipede to bring up a menu (itself displaying additional copyright information). In Joust, pressing Start skips the menu and automatically begins Game A; the player must press Select in order to access the menu.
The development of Joust as a launch title for an Atari-distributed system would have a prominent knock-on effect on HAL and Nintendo's future. The game was one of the first titles to be programmed by Satoru Iwata, who would go on to become a vital asset to HAL thanks to his coding skills before becoming Nintendo's president in 2002, and his experiences developing Joust would help him program Balloon Fight.
The Cutting Room Floor articles:
https://tcrf.net/Defender_II_(NES)
https://tcrf.net/Joust_(NES)#Regional_Differences
https://tcrf.net/Millipede_(NES,_HAL_Laboratory)
https://tcrf.net/Defender_II_(NES)
https://tcrf.net/Joust_(NES)#Regional_Differences
https://tcrf.net/Millipede_(NES,_HAL_Laboratory)
Related Games
Centipede
Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku II
Defender
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Midnight Magic
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration
Asterix & Obelix XXL 2: Mission Las Vegum
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Cops 'N Robbers
Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai - Another Road
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi
Pengo
Asteroids
Karateka
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Warbirds
Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure
Indigo Prophecy
Dragon Ball Z: Buu's Fury
Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu
Swordquest: Earthworld
Donkey Kong
Pajama Sam 2: Thunder and Lightning Aren't so Frightening
SwordQuest: AirWorld
Aquaventure
Sid Meier's Pirates!
Freddi Fish and The Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds
The Witcher
Driving Theory Training
Atari Video Cube
Gran Trak 10
Swordquest: Waterworld
RealSports Basketball
Atari: 80 Classic Games in One!
Dragon Ball: Origins
Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2
Pepsi Invaders
Rampart
Shark Jaws
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
Commando
Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive
Paint by DS
Robotron: 2084
Adventure
Bullet Witch
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3
Spider-Man
Super Star Wars
Xevious