Uncancelled games

Games that got cancelled/disappeared for their original platform of release or otherwise/dropped by their original publisher and then uncancelled or reworked, for better and for worse
Listing versions that came out is preferred, still-upcoming game revivals are given benefit of the doubt
Notes explain what happened to their original versions
Feel free to comment if you have any more and I'll add them

Kirby Air Ride
Kirby Air Ride
originally for N64
M.U.G.E.N
M.U.G.E.N
cancelled in 2003, the Windows version was unfinished and leaked with a crack to disable the character limit (no-limit Winmugen) and then was subsequently revived in 2009 when Elecbyte returned to release 1.0
Project +
Project +
as Project M
Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64
initially planned as Super Mario FX for SNES
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
for Vita
Jet Set Radio Future
Jet Set Radio Future
for Dreamcast
Metroid Dread
Metroid Dread
for DS
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
as an unnamed, unrelated to Metroid FPS
Pokémon Gold Version
Pokémon Gold Version
as Pokemon 2 for Game Boy
Pokémon Silver Version
Pokémon Silver Version
as Pokemon 2 for Game Boy
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2
original version commonly known as Resident Evil 1.5
The Silver Case
The Silver Case
remake initially planned for Nintendo DS, work repurposed for PS4/PC/Switch
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Kazooie
as Project Dream (SNES)
Bayonetta 2
Bayonetta 2
dropped by Sega and saved by Nintendo
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
as Metal Gear Solid Rising (Kojima Productions developed internally)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
as Metal Gear Solid III, the Roman numerals in the title were used to represent the three tallest skyscrapers in Manhattan, then-setting of the game
Psychonauts
Psychonauts
Microsoft exited
Resident Evil
Resident Evil
Sweet Home (NES) remake
Rodea the Sky Soldier
Rodea the Sky Soldier
Shenmue
Shenmue
for Saturn
Sleeping Dogs
Sleeping Dogs
as True Crime: Hong Kong, Activision exited
Team Fortress 2
Team Fortress 2
was vaporware since the late 90s
The 25th Ward: The Silver Case
The 25th Ward: The Silver Case
remake initially planned for Nintendo DS, work repurposed for PS4/PC/Switch
Devil's Third
Devil's Third
THQ exited
Fortnite
Fortnite
2013 version with completely different aesthetic
Okage: Shadow King
Okage: Shadow King
for PS1
Red Dead Revolver
Red Dead Revolver
original Capcom version, studio sold from Capcom to Rockstar, prototype exists of Capcom version
Time Crisis II
Time Crisis II
for PS1 and Dreamcast
Ultracore
Ultracore
as Hardcore
Evergrace
Evergrace
for PS1 (that's why it's in 60fps)
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
as Donkey Kong Plus, a more faithful remake of Donkey Kong 94
Ninja JaJaMaru-kun: Sakura-hime to Karyu no Himitsu
Ninja JaJaMaru-kun: Sakura-hime to Karyu no Himitsu
as Ninja Jajamaru-Kun: Pen wa Ken Yorimo Kyoushidegozaru for Nintendo DS
Shenmue III
Shenmue III
for Dreamcast
Star Fox Adventures
Star Fox Adventures
as Dinosaur Planet (N64)
Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style
Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style
as Thrill Kill, engine was reused for four-player combat

Unrated

D2
D2
for Panasonic 3DO M2

Unrated

Enemy Zero
Enemy Zero
for PS1

Unrated

Resident Evil 0
Resident Evil 0
for N64

Unrated

Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4
as Devil May Cry (PS2), Fog build, Hook Man build, and Hallucination build

Unrated

RockShot
RockShot
as Devil's Third Online first, then RockShot, and then got canceled AGAIN after just a couple months of 2018 in early access

Unrated

1993 Shenandoah
1993 Shenandoah
for Amiga

Unrated

3D Pocket Pool
3D Pocket Pool
pitched to Nintendo as Wario Pool

Unrated

50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
Vivendi exited

Unrated

AeternoBlade II
AeternoBlade II
for 3DS

Unrated

Aliens: Colonial Marines
Aliens: Colonial Marines
originally for PS2

Unrated

American Hero
American Hero

Unrated

Banjo-Pilot
Banjo-Pilot
as Diddy Kong Pilot

Unrated

Brütal Legend
Brütal Legend
Vivendi exited

Unrated

Cascade
Cascade
dropped by Epyx in the 90s, picked up by Super Fighter Team in 2015

Unrated

Clockwork Aquario
Clockwork Aquario

Unrated

Commander Keen: Invasion of the Vorticons
Commander Keen: Invasion of the Vorticons
as Dangerous Dave in Copyright Infringement

Unrated

Conker's Bad Fur Day
Conker's Bad Fur Day
as Conker's Twelve Tales and later Conker's Quest

Unrated

Crimson Dragon
Crimson Dragon
for Kinect on Xbox 360

Unrated

Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest
Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest
as Doubutsu Banchou for 64DD and later N64

Unrated

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
as DISTRUST for PSP

Unrated

Dead Island 2
Dead Island 2

Unrated

Dementium: The Ward
Dementium: The Ward
pitched to Konami as Silent Hill (DS)

Unrated

Devi & Pii
Devi & Pii
Existence was unknown until being announced as a pack-in for Sega Mega Drive Mini 2

Unrated

Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories
Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories
Irem devastated by 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami

Unrated

DMCA's Sky
DMCA's Sky
as No Mario's Sky

Unrated

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
for Gamecube, as Donkey Kong Bongo Blast using the DK Bongos controller

Unrated

Doom
Doom
as Aliens

Unrated

Dragon: Marked for Death
Dragon: Marked for Death
for PSP, then 3DS, finally released on Switch

Unrated

Dragon's Crown
Dragon's Crown
for Dreamcast

Unrated

Duke Nukem Forever
Duke Nukem Forever

Unrated

EarthBound Beginnings
EarthBound Beginnings
Original US release cancelled due to PCB being too expensive

Unrated

Earthworm Jim 3D
Earthworm Jim 3D
for PS1

Unrated

Elland: The Crystal Wars
Elland: The Crystal Wars
as Dune: Ornithopter Assault for GBA

Unrated

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
for N64

Unrated

EVE: Dust 514
EVE: Dust 514
for Vita

Unrated

Evolve
Evolve
THQ exited

Unrated

Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV
as Final Fantasy Versus XIII (PS3)

Unrated

Folklore
Folklore
as Monster Kingdom: Unknown Realms, was intended as a companion piece to Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner for PSP

Unrated

Fuse
Fuse
as Overstrike (PS360)

Unrated

FX Fighter
FX Fighter
for SNES using the Super FX chip, canceled to not compete with Killer Instinct

Unrated

Galleon
Galleon
for Dreamcast, PS2, GameCube and PC

Unrated

Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Vivendi exited

Unrated

Gunvalkyrie
Gunvalkyrie
for Dreamcast

Unrated

Hail to the Chimp
Hail to the Chimp
for Xbox

Unrated

Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved
as an RTS for Mac

Unrated

Heavenly Guardian
Heavenly Guardian
as Kiki Kaikai 2 (Pocky & Rocky 2)

Unrated

Homefront: The Revolution
Homefront: The Revolution
THQ exited

Unrated

Ice Nine
Ice Nine
first as a tie-in to The Recruit (2003 film), then stripped of its license and developed simultaneously for PS2 and GBA, with only the GBA version releasing

Unrated

Ico
Ico
for PS1

Unrated

Infinity
Infinity
for GBC and Switch

Unrated

It's Mr. Pants
It's Mr. Pants
as Donkey Kong: Coconut Crackers

Unrated

Journey to Silius
Journey to Silius
as The Terminator

Unrated

Juiced
Juiced
under Acclaim, bought by THQ

Unrated

Kameo: Elements of Power
Kameo: Elements of Power
for Gamecube then Xbox

Unrated

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2
for PS1 and Dreamcast

Unrated

Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust
Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust
Vivendi exited

Unrated

Let It Die
Let It Die
as Lily Bergamo (PS4)

Unrated

Luigi's Mansion
Luigi's Mansion
3D functionality originally planned for Gamecube with glasses-free 3D addon

Unrated

Malice
Malice
as Malice (PS1)

Unrated

Mario 128
Mario 128
Crowd technology used for Pikmin, other next-gen Mario ideas used for Sunshine and Galaxy

Unrated

Mario Clash
Mario Clash
Minigame cut from Virtual Boy Mario Land and reworked into standalone title

Unrated

Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
as Metal Gear 3, for 3DO

Unrated

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
original version commonly known as Metroid Prime 1.5 and would've taken inspiration from System Shock 2

Unrated

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
for Gamecube

Unrated

Metroid Prime 4
Metroid Prime 4

7 Comments


1 year ago

Dinosaur Planet -> Starfox Adventures?

1 year ago

RE1 was a scrapped "Sweet Home" remake that eventually became it's own thing

1 year ago

Star Wars Battlefront III was canceled during development, assests and plot were recycled in Battlefront Elite Squadron for the PSP/DS

1 year ago

There's a few examples of games that were cancelled for their original platforms and reworked for something more advanced (Shenmue for Saturn, ICO for PS1, The Last Guardian for PS3, Metal Gear Solid for 3DO). Not sure if they'd count.

1 year ago

great list idea, I love imagining what games like this would be like today if they were always only the version that was cancelled

1 year ago

added everybody's suggestions and some new ones too

1 year ago

as a child i would lay in bed and imagine how happy i would be if i had access to earthbound 64 demo


Last updated: