Resident Evil (Game Boy Color)

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Resident Evil''}}

{{Infobox video game
|title = ''Resident Evil''
|image=[[File:REGBC Titlescreen.png|250px]]
|caption=Title screen
|publisher = Capcom Co., Ltd. (cancelled)
|platforms = Game Boy Color
|developer = HotGen Studios, Ltd.
}}

'''''Resident Evil''''' was planned for a GameBoy Color adaptation in a project outsourced to British company HotGen Studios, Ltd. Intended for an Autumn 1999 release, it was repeatedly delayed due to programming issues, and ultimately cancelled in March 2000 in favour of M4, Ltd.'s alternate proposal for a new game made from the ground-up for the console, which became ''[[Resident Evil: Gaiden]]''.

==Development==
[[File:REDZOMBIE.jpg|thumb|left|The Red Zombie from one of IGN's images. This Zombie is not in either of the leaked builds.]]

HotGen was approached by Capcom to develop the game sometime before April 1999, and was initially intended for an Autumn release. HotGen was ambitious in its port of the game, and intended to make it as close to the original PlayStation version as possible, with the characters, enemies and mechanics as expected, as well as a new pause feature to replace Ink Ribbons, which was more convenient for handheld consoles, which were limited by battery life and the available time for the gamer.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_04/19_vg_capcom/index.html|title = Resident Evil and SF Alpha Go Game Boy Color|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20001015111424/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/99_04/19_vg_capcom/index.html|archivedate = 2000-10-15|publisher = gamespot.com|accessdate = 2020-05-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/132/132032p1.html|title=Resident Evil (GBC) preview|publisher=IGN}}</ref> Based on an interview with HotGen founder Fergus McGovern, greater variety in enemies was envisioned as well as a booby-trap disarming mechanic.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url = http://headline.gamespot.com/news/00_01/26_vg_hotgen/index.html|title = HotGen Studios Interviewed|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20001022024013/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/00_01/26_vg_hotgen/index.html|archivedate = 2000-10-22|publisher = gamespot.com|accessdate = 2020-05-26}}</ref> Problems however were taking place behind the scenes due to the significant difficulties in replicating a 64-bit 3D title (pre-rendered backgrounds notwithstanding) on an 8-bit handheld. McGovern would admit that changes had been made to certain environments, and there were "tight restrictions on the use of sprites that make things difficult" for development. At the time of interview, HotGen was hoping for a March 2000 release, a mere two months away, though it had already pass its delayed release date of January.<ref name=":0" /> In March, however, it was announced that Capcom had cancelled the project, saying they were "''not confident that the product would have made both consumers and Capcom happy''."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/076/076891p1.html|title=Resident Evil Passes On|publisher=IGN|accessdate = 2020-05-26}}</ref>

===Recovered prototypes===
Since the game's cancellation, two cartridges containing the game's ROM dumps have been recovered. The second one found, "Cartridge 2", is an older version of the game.

"Cartridge 2" is considerably more buggy than the later "Cartridge 1". The codenames which appear onscreen are based upon the order they were purchased by the ROM dumper. Only Chris is playable in this build and the game is very incomplete for the most part compared to the "Cartridge 1" build.

Both versions end at the Lab Elevator, although elements from the final areas remain unfinished

==Gallery==
===Cartridge 1===
<gallery orientation="portrait" captionalign="left">
REGBC Cart 1 16.png|The "[[Bazooka]]". According the description it kills enemies in one hit. However, it doesn't seem to be possible to equip it. The coding probably wasn't complete at this point.
REGBC Cart 1 15.png|Barry giving Jill Forest's "Bazooka". 
REGBC Cart 1 08.png|Jill fighting a [[Zombie]] with a Shotgun in the Storage room stairway/Hallway.
REGBC Cart 1 13.png|Forest's dead Body in 8-bit.
REGBC Cart 1 04.png|Jill in the Storage Room under the stairs in the [[Spencer Mansion]]. Yes, that is a debug mode of sorts showing the player's current location.
REGBC Cart 1_09.png|A Zombie in a Hallway. The Zombies don't lay on the ground when they die. Instead, They fall on their knees and stay that way.
Resident Evil - GBC beta Aiken.png|[[Richard Aiken]].
REGBC Cart 1 18.png|Chris and Barry seem to use the same sprites in the game. Though Barry appears to have been edited to feature his trademark beard.
REGBC Cart 1 34.png|If the player waits on the title screen for a bit, the game will cycle through various backgrounds found throughout the game.  This is one of the images of the outdoors portion of the mansion involving the bridge that accesses the waterway and needs a crank to work.
REGBC Cart 1 36.png|Another background the game's "demo mode" cycles through.
REGBC Cart 1 35.png|Yet another background that the "demo mode" cycles through.|Another one of the various backgrounds the game cycles through.
REGBC Cart 1 30.png|Barry seems to be a slightly edited version of Chris's sprites in this game. The only addition seems to be the beard to differentiate his sprites from Chris's.
REGBC Cart 1 29.png|The room with the huge deer head.
REGBC Cart 1 23.png|The bar with the Piano in the Mansion.
REGBC Cart 1 22.png|The infamous "Lady Drawing Water" Room.
REGBC Cart 1 19.png|You Died........
</gallery>

===Cartridge 2===
<gallery orientation="landscape" captionalign="left">
REGBC Cart 2_04.png|This is prototype build 2's intro. This build is much earlier than the one above as previously mentioned. This earlier version forces you to play as Chris regardless if Jill is selected or not. There are also more bugs than the other one.
REGBC Cart 2_05.png|Unlike the later build above and the  other ports' final versions, Chris starts off with his Beretta, Shotgun, and Survival Knife in his inventory. In the later build, he starts off with only a Survival Knife, Just like in all the other versions of RE1.
REGBC Cart 2_07.png|This is actually in both builds but since it wasn't shown above, it will be shown here. The Zombie that killed Kenneth noticing Chris/Jill. The color pallete shows certain limitations resulting in many odd colors.
REGBC Cart 2_08.png|This odd overlapping bug with the Zombie that killed Kenneth is fixed in the build above. This earlier build is considerably more buggy than the other since it is earlier in this port's production.
REGBC Cart 2_12.png|As was mentioned earlier the Zombies don't fall on the ground when dead. Instead, they fall onto their knees and stay there. This is present in both builds. It's possible that the animations for the Zombies' deaths were simply not finished yet.
</gallery>

===Videos===
[[File:Resident Evil GBC - Chris in the Residence|thumb|237px|left]]
{{-}}

==Further notes==
It has been said recently that the full ROM for this game is available by one of the games developers. However the gentleman will sell the one of the two ROMs (one was given to Capcom) for US$2000. The website Assembler Games has attained all the money. However, the community was given both ROMs, not just the first build.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?36392-Resident-Evil-GBC-Fundraiser-thread-2-builds%21-(GOAL-MET)|title=Resident Evil GBC Fundraiser thread - 2 builds! (GOAL MET)|publisher=Assembler Games|accessdate=2020-05-26|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20130731173425/http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?36392-Resident-Evil-GBC-Fundraiser-thread-2-builds%21-(GOAL-MET)|archivedate = 2013-07-31}}</ref>

==Sources==
<references />
{{Cancelled projects}}
[[ru:Resident Evil (GameBoy Color)]]
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