A lost video game is a video game that is no longer known to exist in any studio archives, private collections, or public archives.
Terminology edit
Examples edit
Much of the Satellaview library is considered lost, as its titles were broadcast via satellite in real time and were downloaded onto rewritable cartridges that could only contain a single game's data.[1][2]
Rediscovered games edit
It is not unheard of for games that were previously considered lost to be rediscovered. A notable example is SegaSonic Bros., a Sonic the Hedgehog-themed falling block puzzle game designed by Bubble Bobble creator Fukio Mitsuji.[3] The game failed Japanese location tests in 1992, so it was not widely released and considered lost for many years.[3][4] However, a working cabinet was discovered in 2016,[4][5] and the ROM image was released online in 2018.[3]
References edit
- ^ Wawro, Alex (8 November 2016). "Preservationists find and acquire rare Kirby Satellaview games". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on 29 April 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- ^ Linneman, John (26 January 2020). "Cooly Skunk: how a lost Super NES game was miraculously recovered via satellite download". Eurogamer. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
- ^ a b c Katala, Kurt (December 9, 2018). "SegaSonic Bros". Hardcore Gaming 101. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
- ^ a b Dransfield, Ian (February 5, 2016). "Has a lost Sonic arcade game been unearthed?". Digital Spy. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
- ^ Thorpe, Nick (February 5, 2016). "Has A Scrapped Sonic Game Been Found?". Retro Gamer. Retrieved March 7, 2020.