Prototype

Final

During the intro sequence and title screen, the game's title is missing the trademark in the prototype, and the "II" is very slightly different to the final version if you look closely.

Prototype

Final

The font for the intro kanji is different in the prototype, but the other difference is that the prototype's intro appears to be the one intended for the original version of the game -it mentions Neo Ghost, something the final version has no mention of.

Prototype

Final

Joe's sprite is slightly different in the prototype -his legs and arms are a little thinner, plus part of his neck has different colors.

Prototype

Final

The HUD in the prototype has larger icons and different colors for the fonts. The slice sprite for Joe's dash attack is larger in the prototype, with different colors.

Prototype

Final

The options screen has a few differences in the prototype. It is just called "OPTION" rather than "OPTIONS", the music, sound effects and voices are all numbered, the default shurikens is 40 rather than 50 and the control types have different layouts. The sound tests also have some different names in the prototype:

8Sou Syurikin

8Sou Shurikin

Big Ban!

Boom C

Boss2 Pow

Charge

Boom

Boom B

Boom 3

Boom D

Boss1 Attack

Lobster Attack

Dai Dmg

Damage L

Doro Bocha

Hydra Shot

Enm Gun

Gun

Enm Syurikin

Enemy Shurikin

Fire

Fire A

Fushin No Jitu

Fushin

Gacyarin

Glass

Gatoring Boss

Machine Gun

Gee

Vermin

Gojira Gaooooo

Gaooooo

Gojira Fire

Fire B

Habataki

Flutter

Haidora Enttry

Hydra Entry

Hakurou

Karura

Hibashira

Kariu

Hober

Air Bike

Ikazuti

Thunderbolt

Item Get

Power-up 2

Katana

Enemy Katana

Kunai Furi

Musashi Kunai

Kunai Nage

Shurikin

Life Item Get

Power-up 1

Masao Misile

Masao Missile

Mizin

Mijin

Mizin Return

Mijin Return

Mizu Jump

Jump B

Musasi Katana

Musashi Katana

P Damage

Shield Damage

Pi!

!

Tenage Dan

Hand Grenade

Samurai Giri

Samurai Shot

Samurai Enttry

Samurai Entry

Yari

Spear

Zako Yarare

Boom A

Enm Damage

Shurikin Hit

Funm!

Dash Attack

Gojira Walk

Walk

Haidora Damage

Hydra Damage

Haidora Out

Hydra Death

Hohoho

Lion Dance

Jommar's Funm!

Shadow Kiai

Kirisaki

Katana Hit

Masao Gun Set

Gun Set

Masao Hand

Masao Claw

Musasi Damage

Musashi Damage

Musasi Kiai

Musashi Kiai

Teng Damage

Karura Damage

To!

Musashi Kick

Tubanari

Katana Set

Teng Damage

Karura Damage

Uma

Idaten

Sound Effect Changes

Some of the effects sound different in the prototype, here is a list of them all. The names in brackets are what the sound effects are called in the final version.

Fushin No Jitu (Fushin)

Hakurou (Karura)

Hibashira (Kariu)

Hober (Air Bike)

Laser L

Laser S

Masao Misile (Masao Missile)

Pi! (!)

Warning

Other sound oddities

-The prototype has has some things in the sound tests which are not in the final version: Enm Enmaku, H, Hakugekihou, No Use, Pause, Pistol 2, R1 Nin Enttry, Ryusei Giri and Tiger Gaoo. Some, possibly all, of these sound effects are leftovers from the original version of the game.

-However the final version has some sounds you can't listen to in the sound test in the prototype: 1Up, Grenade, Masao Ready, Shadow Laser, Shadow Power and Shadow Shot.

-The prototype seems to have a glitch with sound of the sound effects tests. There is a sound test called "57" which makes the same noise as the elevator on sound. "Masao Misile" is in there twice, once spelt like that, the other time spelt "Masao Missile". Both make the same sound. Someone didn't catch this error, as whilst the typo was fixed, "Masao Missile" is still in the sound test twice in the final version.

-Another thing in the prototype's sound effects test is that it skips some numbers -numbers 61, 62, 63 and 64 are all missing.

-The sound made for when the game is paused is different in the prototype: prototype / final

-The sound effect for collecting an extra life is the same sound as collecting a power up item in the prototype. For the final, it was given a unique sound.

-The sound effect for cycling through the ninjitsu options is different in the prototype (it is called "Pi!" in the sound test, in the final version it is just "!").

-The music sound test lets you listen to a track called "Uma" in the prototype, which is the sound made for the horse running at the start of round 2. This was removed from the final version.

Other differences

-The music will stop when the game is paused in the prototype version. For the final, it continues to play.

-In the prototype, if you have the game set to the easiest setting, Joe will be invincible -he can only die by being crushed or falling into a bottomless pit. The final changes this so Joe can be hurt by enemy attacks on easy. Thanks to Doc Lithius for this info.

-The invincibility cheat doesn't work in the prototype, possibly because of the above.

-The infinite shurikens cheat is slightly different in the prototype as you don't have to change the sound effect to "shurikin" like you do in the final.

-Whilst "Stage Clear" can be heard in the prototype's sound test, it is never used in the game itself. The same thing goes for "Sakura".

-"Ground Zero" is also in the prototype's sound test, but is never used in the game itself as the ending sequence doesn't work. It sounds slightly different to the final version as part of it plays a lot slower.

-In the prototype, you can only press up and down to select a ninjitsu, whilst the final also lets you use left and right.

-When using the mijin attack in the prototype, the screen does not shake when Joe explodes. In the final, it does.

Regional differences

Japan	USA

If you change your emulator's region to American or European, the title screen for the proto will change to "The Revenge of Shinobi II".

Japan	USA

The text for the intro will also change, although it is written in Engrish. It does at least try to explain the story, unlike the final version.