Subject: Rare IIgs Games
From: helix@hunter.apana.org.au (Helix Energy)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2,comp.emulators.apple2
Date: Sun, 13 Jun 1999 13:09:56 +1000
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As maintainer of the Apple IIgs Gaming Memory Fairway, I'm becoming
increasingly curious as to the rumours surrounding the development of some
IIgs games that were never released.  The Fairway archive is currently
quite complete in regards to every IIgs game that was released between
1986 to 1990.  But I'd like to know if I'm overlooking any games, and,
there are any truth to the rumours of certain games made for the IIgs,
including:

Zork Zero, I'm coming to the conclusion, does not exist for the IIgs. 
Although it was slated to be released by Infocom, along with all their new
text/'graphic adventures in 1988/89, it never appeared as a proper
release.  Rumours of its existance have been fanned by the fact that an
8-bit, 3.5 inch disk version has been floating around, but it doesn't
interest me if its not the 16-bit IIgs native version.

Manhunter: San Francisco was slated to be Sierra's last IIgs release, in
1989.  I never ended up seeing it anywhere - I would have bought it in an
instant if I did back then.  Anyone know what happened?  Was it released,
but only for a very limited time?

Heat Wave, I've not found any evidence that a IIgs version was being
worked on accept on what was written in InCider magazine and Accolade
catalogs.  A game very similar by Accolade, Blue Angels, was being worked
on, and I thought it Heat Wave may have been in developement at the same
time.

Space Quest III - although Manhunter San Francisco was to be the last
Sierra release, Space Quest III was advertised for a few issues on the
back page of Questbusters magazine in 1991.  Was there any substance to
this, or did the people at Questbusters not have any idea?

Pool of Radiance, I've only heard rumours about a IIgs version having been
made but not released.

Renegade GS, this rumour's been going around a long time, with nothing
much to substantiate it but a couple of ads and a Taito catalog saying it
was coming.  I'm very doubtful this one exists.

Lords of the Rising Sun, was written in up in InCider magazine in 1988 or
1989 saying it was being worked on by both Manley and Associates and Ed
Magnin.  I emailed Ed Magnin a couple of years ago and asked him about it
and he said he never worked on a IIgs version of Lords of the Rising Sun,
so it looks doubtful a IIgs version exists.

The Flintstones, was rumoured to be in developement in 1989.

Faery Tale Adventure was listed in InCider's 1988 gaming issue, but I
never saw it available anywhere.  Was it actually released, or not? 
Anyone have a copy? :-)

Last but not least, Sword of Sodan.  It seems fairly common knowledge that
a couple of people actually have a beta version of this classic game that
never was.  Anyone willing to give it up? :-)

I'm wanting to know what people know about these games now, because I'm
wanting to wrap up the Fairway - I've been working on it for 2 and a half
years (despite the fact its only been online for several months) and I'm
wanting to move onto something new :-)

I'm also open to 1:1 scans of IIgs game boxes for the following games:

Aaargh!, Airball, Akanoid II, Bubble Ghost, Cavern Cobra, Dark Castle,
Defender of the Crown, Firepower, Gauntlet, Impossible Mission 2, King of
Chicago, Marble Madness, Paperboy, Qix, Sea Strike, Sinbad, The Three
Stooges, Tunnels of Armageddon, Black Cauldron, Deja Vu 1 and 2, Lost
Treasures of Infocom, Manhunter New York and San Francisco, Neuromancer,
Questmaster/Dondra, Shadowgate, Space Quest 1, Transylvania 3, Uninvited,
Club Backgammon, Balance of Power, Battle Chess, Jigsaw, Kaleidokubes,
Mancala, Halls of Montezuma, Panzer Battles, Reach for the Stars,
Shanghai, Solataire Royale, Strip Poker 2, Tetris, Triango, 4th & Inches,
California Games, Fast Break, GBA Basketball, Gnarly Golf, Hardball!,
Superstar Ice Hockey, Jack Nicklaus Golf, John Elway's Quarterback, Mini
Putt, Serve & Volley, Street Sports Soccer, World Tour Golf, Cryllan
Mission 2000, Dungeon Master, Immortal, Mighty Marvel, Questron 2, Tower
of Myraglen, Windwalker, Blackjack Academy, Final Assault, Grand Prix
Circuit, Hacker II, Hostage, Hunt for Red October, Life & Death, Monte
Carlo, Omega, Pirates, Silent Service, Sub Battle Simulator, Vegas Craps,
Vegas Gambler.

Whew.

Helix Energy
The Apple IIgs Gaming Memory Fairway
htttp://www.qflow.com.au/IIGS/