Crack'ed 8-8-89

This is an interesting mid-level WIP for Crack'ed.  Not only is the title screen completely different but it has music which was dropped from all other versions of the game.  The game is further along than the 6-28-87 prototype as the Rooster Ranch level is now playable (and has a completely different looking rooster) and enemies now actually steal your eggs but you can't get them back!  The targeting is also broken in this version making it very difficult to hit enemies.  Some of the missing enemies have been added including the humanoid looking enemies in the Subway Mania levels but they are completely different design.  Although the file is dated 8-8-89, the actual date of this prototype is probably closer to late 1987 (see below).

No physical copy of this version has been found, but the rom was compiled from code found on an Atari ST development system.  Because this version was still under development it doesn't follow standard Atari 2600 4K bankswitching and will only work on Atari ST development flash card plugged into an Atari 7800 (which was the standard 2600/7800 development system at the time) or a version of the Stella emulator that supports the 24K developer mode.

Please note that the date presented here is not the actual date the prototype was made but rather the date in which the files were written to the development kit hard drive.  It's possible that the two dates are the same or very close, but there is no way of knowing for sure.

Differences

The title screen is completely different with a different logo that changes colors and has a partial color cycling effect

The title screen has music

There is no skill level select

The copyright is different

The game is spelled Cracked instead of Crack'ed on the title screen

There is only one demo (for the first level) then the game will automatically start.  The Subway Mania demo is completely missing.

The debug level skip is enabled but is a little broken.  It will still complete the current level but if used on the Rooster Ranch screen it will return to the title screen.  If used on the title screen it will skip to the demo.  If used on the demo it will skip to the first level.

There are no level title screens

Enemies steal eggs but do not drop them when shot

Enemies turn a dark gray when they have an egg instead of glowing

The targeting is broken and it is hard to shoot enemies

The hawks are larger

The owl enemy is missing on the Ye Old Yoke Tree level

The humanoid enemies on the Subway Mania level are different and resemble yetis

The counting of the eggs on the end of level tally screen starts out slow and then speeds up the more eggs you have

The background of the end of level tally screen is purplish instead of blue

The eggs on the end of level tally screen are a darker yellow

When the eggs are tallied on the end of level screen they make a shooting noise in addition to the standard beep

The rooster moves faster on the Rooster Ranch screen

There are no score or eggs left counters on the Rooster Ranch screen

There are no color gradients on the Rooster Ranch screen

The background on the Rooster Ranch screen is a different shade of red

The egg splatter on the Rooster Ranch screen is yellow instead of white

There are graphical glitches with the enemies

The game over text is sold orange instead of being outlined in gold

The game over text is positioned differently

The high score is not displayed on the game over screen

A static sound is played on the game over screen instead of the game over tune

The game freezes at the game over screen

Pressing Select to freeze the game on the Ye Old Yoke Tree level will cause the tree on the to turn orange

Pressing Select to freeze the game on the Rooster Ranch level will cause the rooster graphic to become distorted

 

A different title screen!	And it color cycles!
The colors on the Ye Old Yoke Tree are still different	And there are some glitches...
The tally screen has some different colors	What the heck are those things?
Somehow the rooster is even creepier in this prototype	Your game really IS over at this point
That's not right...	Nor is that...

 

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