I've just noticed that, back in the day, Mean Machines reviewed this game using a proto version, with some of the missing bosses operational and other stuff not seen in the final.

Go here and click on "download review" to see the pics. Note how they even explain how the lost ice magic works, and complain about some backgrounds that never made it into the final product and can't be seen in any of the protos available (take a look at the flying boss pic, and that "airship level").



How I wish somebody that still had this proto.

I think you linked us to the wrong page... the video there is a current gameplay video, the review is current, and there's nowhere to download anything.

It's there, above the screenshots on the right side.

So there was already a Super Shinobi 2 proto thread.

Anyway, since we're in a collecting info phase here at the cult, I'll link to a page with main difference between the protos and the final:
http://www.angelfire.com/games6/shinobi_beta/

The supposed updated version is down (edit: no it isn't, it's the next link), and the abandoned forum has just a couple messages, great part from 2005.

There's also a page at http://www.tenchionline.com/ragey/protected/SS2main.html

Plus I only found one of the beta roms, here http://www.romnation.net/srv/roms/20759/ge...obi-2-beta.html if anyone have the other one please post.

leech content plz!