It is not uncommon to see early builds of some classic games emerge randomly, but something exciting has happened this Christmas as we have early build leaks of five old classic games. Though some consider it a Christmas miracle, many have started wishing to see early builds of some of their favourite games.
Among the leaked ones, we have the early builds of Prey from 1995, Halo 3 “Pimps at Sea” from 2006, and Duke Nukem Forever 2D build from 1996. But that’s not all; we also have the leaked source code and editor of Rayman 4 and the beta ROM for Doom 64 from 1996.
These not only show some early and cancelled content but also reveal what things we could have had and how they have developed from that point in time. Not to mention, looking at them is a nostalgia-filled rollercoaster ride, so buckle up.
Major Points
- Early builds of Prey, Halo 3, and Duke Nukem Forever 2D, along with the beta ROM of Doom 64 and the source code of Rayman 4, have leaked online.
- It is unusual to see so many early builds being leaked in such a short time.
- After seeing these, many gamers wish to have early builds of some of their favourite classic games.
Starting off, we have Rayman 4, a cancelled project that was later turned into Rayman Raving Rabbids. Although many were disappointed at the cancellation news, we can somehow find closure after glancing at the leaked source code and the editor.
LIKE THE SOURCE CODE AND THE EDITOR AND EVERYTHING pic.twitter.com/19VCLxcDrX
— RibShark (@RibShark) December 24, 2022
The thread from Twitter user RibShark goes through most of the content. It was originally posted in an archived 4Chan post, but everything is summed up pretty well here. The first image shows Rayman next to Teensie in an unrendered place. Next, we see Rayman riding a spider, which was a feature revealed in the original trailer of the game.
Surprisingly, the riding mechanics are functional in the build. But most importantly, there is a level called the “Sphincter Cell”, which takes place in a very weird location. All of this just makes us believe that the game should have definitely been made as it was supposed to be. Raving Rabbids was fine for its time, but Rayman 4 already looks amazing from an early build.
There are also some test levels that take place inside a Rabbid Robot, the clip of which can be seen in the thread. Additionally, other tweets have emerged showing how Rayman is using the same martial arts moves that were shown in the first trailer, along with an early version of his plunger gun; weirdly, the gun shoots carrots.
Rayman 4 was going to have the exact same naked Rayman skin we see in Legends years before it's debut 😳 pic.twitter.com/HEEkB8CIRh
— Rayman for Smash Together (@RaymanForSmash) December 24, 2022
After digging deeper, some fans found crazy details, like how the naked Rayman skin was supposed to make its debut in Rayman 4 years before its debut in Legends.
Doom 64.Next up, we have Doom 64, whose early build from 10/12/96 was leaked on 4Chan. Due to the nature of the site, many people are reluctant to take the risk, but some users have revealed the game works great on emulators and original hardware. It is a straightforward build and has everything you would expect.
Prey 2006.Moving forward, we have a prototype of Prey from 1995, a game with a complicated history. As we all know, the game was released in 2006, but this version was in development by Tom Hall from id, but after he left, it was rebooted in 1998. After some time, 3D Realms and Human Head Studios finished it and released the work in 2006.
There are even instructions on the prototype, so if you are interested in trying it out, read them thoroughly, as the prototype may not be what you expect since it is from the earliest build of the game we have seen.
Duke Nukem Forever.We also have the early build of Duke Nukem Forever 2D from 1996, another entry from 3D Realms. The build was posted with the note “Merry Christmas“; perhaps it is due to the holiday that we receive so many leaks as a gift.
The exciting thing about this one is that there have been many Duke Nukem early build leaks this year. This is the 2D Forever one, and there are only a few builds left untouched, but if we get those as well, it truly will be a miracle.
Halo 3.Last but not least, the Pimps at Sea build of Halo 3 has also been leaked. It is pretty huge because Pimps at Sea is one of the earliest builds consisting of placeholders and cut content from Halo 2. Though it may not be exciting for everyone as it is simply a documentation of the games’ development, it is a treasure trove for true Halo fans.
Twitter user Landaire leaked this amazing build, and here is a preview of everything you can expect in this version. It is currently the earliest build we have of this game and requires an Xbox 360 JTAG/RGH/devkit to play. You can boot it on the Xenia emulator, but it won’t get past the menu.
Our team at TopTierList did their best at compiling all the relevant information through various sources, and though the details are scarce on some builds more than others, it is due to a lack of testing them. If you simply want to know the content only, you can keep a close eye on the internet as many people will test it extensively, similar to the Rayman 4 build.
After seeing these, many have wished to see the early build of some of their favourite classics, like Half-Life, EarthBound 64, Metroid 64, Twelve Tales, and even Bloodborne (not a classic, but seriously). But only time will tell whether we will see more at this time of Christmas.
That is all for now. Do you think this is all we will get, or will there be even more early build leaks popping up online? Which early build would you love to see next? Share your thoughts with us below, and we will get back to you!
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