The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype)

A prototype of The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants for the NES.
==Notes==
* American build with a number of differences from the final.
* The title screen has a number of changes.
** The window is missing, as is the photo of Grampa.
** The TV design is slightly different.
** The logo is slightly modified, and the trademark symbol is larger and white instead of black.
* The close-up of the TV screen on the title screen features different (unfinished) credits. The background is orange instead of black and there's no mutants looking out from behind the TV. It takes longer to transition from the title screen to this screen than it does in the final.
** There's only four pages of copyright information, and it hangs on the final screen for the remainder of the intro theme. Once the theme has finished, rather than returning to the main title screen and looping, it boots straight into gameplay. **There's no other way of booting into the game.**
** The copyright date is 1990 instead of 1991.
* There are no intro cutscenes before gameplay, nor any in-game dialogue explaining what to do.
* The HUD is designed slightly differently.
** The score counter is in top left of the screen rather than in the main HUD at the bottom of the screen.
** The level number is included within the HUD too.
* The player starts with different objects, a different amount of time and more lives.
** The player starts with a lot more time than in the final (the counter starts on around 1900 rather than around 600).
** The player starts on 5 lives rather than 3. However, rather than each life allowing the player to get hit twice, they can only get hit once.
*** In the final, dying on 1 life remaining results in the opening cutscene being played again and the level restarting. In this version, the number of lives can drop to 0 and will stay at 0 after subsequent deaths, with no further penalties induced.
** There are 39 goals to collect in the first level rather than 24.
** In the first level, the player starts with 2 bagels (an object not in this level in the final), 16 coins (rather than 10), and no "PAUSE" item.
* Using coins makes the number of obtained coins decrease - in the final, using a coin does nothing, and the selected item switches to the next one.
* In the final, the X-Ray Specs are only used for short periods at a time - there is no time limit to the item in this version.
* Due to the lack of a "PAUSE" option, there is no way to pause the game.
* "A" must be pressed to use items rather than START. In this version, pressing START enables invincibility.
* There are a number of sound effect differences.
** There is a different, much longer death jingle. There is no "Eat my shorts!" vocal sample, nor any other voice clips.
** Some sound effects are missing entirely.
* When the song ends in-game it doesn't loop, instead going silent.
* Pressing B whilst in the air makes Bart move faster, just as when he's running.
* Bart's walking speed is constant and does not speed up slightly from a stop. Holding B does not increase Bart's speed either, except when in the air. Additionally, holding B makes Bart jump when changing direction, a behaviour not present in the final.
* The player starts the first level in a slightly different place (further from the buildings) to where they do in the final.
* There are many object layout differences.
** Levels generally feel a lot more bare.
** The section after the Jebediah Springfield statue in the first level is very different, and is much more bare than it normally is.
** The skateboard is placed where one of the spray cans normally is in the first level, rather than next to the Jebediah Springfield statue.
** Many enemies are missing - including the blue mutants and the dogs in the first level.
** There are way fewer collectable items.
* The only people present in the first level appear late in the level, and are designed differently to their final design.
** The guy that shows at the theatre at certain times also doesn't seem to be present.
* The skateboarder in the first level is wearing orange instead of blue, moves differently, and is weirdly synced with Bart's jumps.
* There are many more things to spray paint in this version, including more purple windows on the Retirement Castle
** Some things that are purple in final aren't in this build, too.
* In the final, the skateboard is only usable in one small section and is not a selectable menu item like other items. In this version, it is a selectable item that can be enabled and disabled at will and can be used anywhere in the level.
* The aliens have purple eyes instead of black ones.
* There are no mid-level checkpoints.
==Screenshots==
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-11-36.png|Title screen
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-12-16.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-12-21.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-12-27.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-12-33.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-13-15.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-13-23.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-13-34.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-14-07.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-14-16.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-14-28.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-14-43.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-14-56.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-15-07.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-15-16.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-15-36.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-15-48.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-16-10.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-16-28.png|Gameplay
The Simpsons - Bart vs. the Space Mutants (Prototype) 2021-07-26 01-17-05.png|Gameplay
==Files==
==Acknowledgments==
Special thanks to Frank Cifaldi at the Video Game History Foundation and the anonymous donor for this part of the lot! A huge thanks to Hwd45 for researching this prototype! 
==See also==
* New Years 2022 (January 1, 2022)
* The Cutting Room Floor (TCRF)
* Internet Archive (IA)
* Video Game History Foundation (VGHF)