Croc: Legend of the Gobbos (Aug 11, 1996 prototype)

An early prototype demo of Croc: Legend of the Gobbos for the Sony PlayStation.
==Differences (compared to final)==
GAMEPLAY
*Croc only had to collect three Gobbos in each stage, compared to six in the final. (Interestingly, the Gameboy Color version of Croc still has you collecting just three per-stage: so this change likely occurred after the Gameboy version had started, hence why it retains the original number)
*The "Beany Gongs" don't exist yet -- the only way to exit a stage is to save all three Gobbos or the exit-door won't open
*The gold-keys are not present: as-such there are no locked-doors (aside from the exit-door)
*The silver-keys are not present: the button-switches are instead used to release caged Gobbos
*The five coloured crystals, jellies and balloons all don't exist yet
*A blue-bag can be found in the fourth-room of stage 2, "Enter the Jumpy"
*A red-bag can be found in the left-hand room of stage 5, "Multiple Choice". When collected, Beany will fly in circles around Croc for around 15-20 seconds before flying upwards, out of shot, where he will instantly disappear
*
CONTROLS
*Jump (X): Croc jumps a little higher than in the final, but not as far
*Action (X): similar to Tomb Raider, X must be held-down to make Croc hold-onto Monkey-Bars; he will let-go the moment it is released. In the final, Croc holds-onto Monkey-Bars when you jump under them, and you press X to release his grip
*Tail-Attack (SQUARE) - same as the final game
*Turn-Around/Flip (TRIANGLE): on the default control-scheme in the final, this is CIRCLE instead (possibly to mimic Tomb Raider, which also uses "tank-controls" and by-default uses CIRCLE to turn-around). If pressed while running, in this alpha Croc awkwardly halts, faces the camera for a brief moment, then turns; in the final, Croc does a cartwheel-style flip. The turn while stationary is very-similar to the retail, however
*Duck (CIRCLE): unused in the final game?
*Sidestep left (L1) and right (R1) - same as the final game
*Look: in the final, holding TRIANGLE enters a "look-mode". This is not present in this alpha
*Camera height: in the final, L2 and R2 can be used to set the camera to one of three predefined height levels; neither button does anything in this alpha
*Analog mode is not supported in this alpha; if analog mode is turned on, Croc cannot be controlled
*Freeze camera (SELECT): if you press SELECT and then move Croc, the camera will stay fixed in the position it was when you pressed the button -- Croc can run-off into the distance, and also behind where the camera is, making him disappear from the scene. This likely exists so gaming magazines could take screenshots without Croc being present in the middle-of-the-shot. This functionality isn't present in the retail version, where SELECT is unused
==Screenshots==
File:CROC 11AUG96 02 MAP1.png|Stage 1: "Nice and Easy"
File:CROC 11AUG96 03 LOADING.png|Loading screen
File:CROC 11AUG96 04 M1R1.png|"Nice and Easy", Room 1
File:CROC 11AUG96 05 M1R1.png|Croc has a more-prominent skid-cloud
File:CROC 11AUG96 06 M1R1.png|If you press TRIANGLE while running, Croc pauses, faces the camera for a moment, then turns
File:CROC 11AUG96 07 M1R2.png|"Nice and Easy", Room 2, Part 1 of 3
File:CROC 11AUG96 08 M1R2.png|"Nice and Easy", Room 2, Part 2 of 3
File:CROC 11AUG96 09 M1R2.png|"Nice and Easy", Room 2, Part 3 of 3
File:CROC 11AUG96 10 M1R3.png|"Nice and Easy", Room 3
File:CROC 11AUG96 11 M1R3.png|"Nice and Easy", Room 3 - exit-doors won't open...
File:CROC 11AUG96 12 M1R3.png|...unless you have saved all three Gobbos
File:CROC 11AUG96 13 LEVELEND.png|The "end of level" screens
File:CROC 11AUG96 14 MAP2.png|Stage 2: "Enter the Jumpy"
File:CROC 11AUG96 15 M2R1.png|"Enter the Jumpy", Room 1
File:CROC 11AUG96 16 M2R1.png|"Enter the Jumpy", Room 1 - beta climbing-wall texture
File:CROC 11AUG96 17 M2R1.png|"Enter the Jumpy", Room 1 - this well is non-functional; jumping over it sometimes launches you into the air
File:CROC 11AUG96 18 M2R2.png|"Enter the Jumpy", Room 2, 1 of 2
File:CROC 11AUG96 19 M2R2.png|"Enter the Jumpy", Room 1, 2 of 2
File:CROC 11AUG96 20 M2R3.png|"Enter the Jumpy", Room 3
File:CROC 11AUG96 21 M2R4.png|"Enter the Jumpy", Room 4
File:CROC 11AUG96 22 M2R4.png|"Enter the Jumpy", Room 4 (standing where the Gobbo was)
File:CROC 11AUG96 23 M2R4.png|"Enter the Jumpy", Room 4 - the blue-bag
File:CROC 11AUG96 24 MAP3.png|Stage 3: "Feet First"
File:CROC 11AUG96 25 M3R1.png|"Feet First", Room 1
File:CROC 11AUG96 26 M3R1.png|The push mechanic was implemented in this alpha...
File:CROC 11AUG96 27 M3R1.png|...as was the hang on ledge mechanic
File:CROC 11AUG96 29 M3R2.png|"Feet First", Room 2
File:CROC 11AUG96 30 M3R3.png|"Feet First", Room 3, 1 of 2
File:CROC 11AUG96 31 M3R3.png|"Feet First", Room 3, 2 of 2
File:CROC 11AUG96 32 MAP4.png|Stage 4: "Dangerous Sports"
File:CROC 11AUG96 33 M4R1.png|"Dangerous Sports", Room 1
File:CROC 11AUG96 34 M4R2.png|"Dangerous Sports", Room 2. If you fall down...
File:CROC 11AUG96 35 M4R2.png|...you exit via the lower-door
File:CROC 11AUG96 36 M4R3.png|The camera often starts at an awkward angle when you enter most rooms
File:CROC 11AUG96 37 M4R3.png|"Dangerous Sports", Room 3
File:CROC 11AUG96 38 M4R4.png|"Dangerous Sports", Room 4. A "flying-grate panel" mechanic not used in the final, and not fully-working here. You can hold X to grab it, but once it moves, you instantly drop-off.
File:CROC 11AUG96 39 M4R4.png|"Dangerous Sports", Room 4 - you can push boxes over edges in this alpha
File:CROC 11AUG96 39A M4R4.png|"Dangerous Sports", Room 4 - the game will freeze if Croc goes onto the second floating-platform here (possibly this would have been where one of the "sparkle secret areas" was?)
File:CROC 11AUG96 40 MAP5.png|Stage 5: "Multiple Choice"
File:CROC 11AUG96 41 M5R1.png|"Multiple Choice", Room 1 - you start with the exit behind you...
File:CROC 11AUG96 42 M5R2.png|...and three doors you can tackle in any-order (along with a secret ledge above the exit-door, and a fifth door above the set of three)
File:CROC 11AUG96 43 M5R1.png|"Multiple Choice", left door - notice the red-bag atop the floating-ledge
File:CROC 11AUG96 44 M5R2.png|"Multiple Choice", centre door - the Gobbo is on a ledge just below where Croc is standing
File:CROC 11AUG96 45 M5R3.png|"Multiple Choice", right door: the switch in the distance is used to make the cage over the Gobbo disappear
File:CROC 11AUG96 46 M5R3.png|The switch was atop a block, which you can smash, and leave the switch floating!
File:CROC 11AUG96 42A M5R1.png|"All Together Now", Room 1 - from the corner, you can see a secret area above...
File:CROC 11AUG96 42B M5R1.png|...and if you keep jumping, you can glitch up to it. Once up there, the moving-platform starts working. Push the large metal box off the edge...
File:CROC 11AUG96 42C M5R1.png|...and use it to get onto the platform near the three-doors, which will now be moving...
File:CROC 11AUG96 42D M5R1.png|...and go into the fifth door, at the top.
File:CROC 11AUG96 56A M5R5.png|You'll now be in Room 5, a secret room with 8 breakable rock-cubes...
File:CROC 11AUG96 56B M5R5.png|...four of which are in the main room...
File:CROC 11AUG96 56C M5R5.png|...and the other four inside a U-shaped tunnel area. Press the button, then run to the opposite platform to get into here without injury...
File:CROC 11AUG96 56D M5R5.png|...and the second platform will move when you get onto it, letting you safely return.
File:CROC 11AUG96 47 MAP6.png|Stage 6: "All Together Now"
File:CROC 11AUG96 48 M6R1.png|"All Together Now", Room 1 - you start out in a large area with lava...
File:CROC 11AUG96 48A M6R2.png|...head through a small cave section (Room 2)...
File:CROC 11AUG96 49 M6R1.png|...and re-emerge to find the lava instantly drained-away (Room 3); a mechanic unused in the final game
File:CROC 11AUG96 50 M6R1.png|The drain the lava went down
File:CROC 11AUG96 51 M6R2.png|"All Together Now", Room 4 - first (and only) appearance of a purple, controllable, moving platform. The switch does nothing
File:CROC 11AUG96 52A M6R5.png|"All Together Now", Room 5 (1 of 2)
File:CROC 11AUG96 52B M6R5.png|"All Together Now", Room 5 (2 of 2)
File:CROC 11AUG96 53 MAP7.png|Stage 7: "Default New Map"
File:CROC 11AUG96 54 MAP7.png|"Default New Map": an earlier version of "Fight Night with Flibby", who is oddly-textured
File:CROC 11AUG96 55 ENDPROMO.png
==Notes==
*Some corrupted bytes in TRACK26.DA
==See also==
* BetaArchive entry