Found: Nintendo's lost N64 racer, Mini Racers

by James Ransom-Wiley { Sep 1st 2006 at 12:55PM }

A dev cart of Nintendo's cancelled N64 racer Mini Racers recently surfaced in Marlborough, MA via a Craigslist post. That post has since been removed, but Joystiq has been in touch with the author, who writes:

"There seems to be some speculation as to the legitimacy of [the dev cart in my possession]. As you can see [pictured], it is an official Nintendo dev cart. Some folks commented [see original post] that the contents will last forever, which is more or less true on a standard mass produced cart. As this game was never mass produced this may very well be the only cart with Mini Racers on it. Dev carts are known to be very unstable and only meant to hold roms in flash memory for testing purposes. Frankly, I am surprised that the game lasted as long as it did. Also, you will see a picture drawn on the cart, it is rumored that it was drawn by the Lead Designer of the game.

I still haven't found anyone local to do the deed. I would be willing to bring the cart to wherever within MA by that person's terms, so no one needs to worry about a kidnapping. I just don't want to send it off to some stranger who may never return it. Unless I find someone local, the rom may never find its way off the cart."

You may contact the owner here.

Tags: Looking Glass, LookingGlass, Mini Racers, MiniRacers, N64, Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Nintendo64

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

carlos @ Sep 1st 2006 1:01PM

isnt that sweet

evilmax17 @ Sep 1st 2006 1:03PM

I really hope someone can do it, and I hope they're not lame about getting it widely distributed on the net. It's not every day that you get to play a completely new N64 game!

reebo @ Sep 1st 2006 1:03PM

I live in RI, but Marlborough is a couple hours away, I think. I'd still go, but I don't have the means to make a rom...

Komrade Kayce @ Sep 1st 2006 1:08PM

Oh gods, I hope someone does this.

If this turns out to be real, which Im starting to look cautiously optimistic, its pretty cool that something like this turned up, especially with it being a Nintendo game.

mykie @ Sep 1st 2006 1:11PM

I can't believe that there isn't anyone in the New England area with a rom dumper.

Furthermore, I hope Nintendo doesn't catch wind of this and proceed to nip this in the bud, so to speak.

Foppe @ Sep 1st 2006 1:14PM

What he should do is to send a mail to Cowering (the guy that does the Goodtools) (or post on his message board / in the irc channel) and ask if he knows somebody close to MA with some N64 dumping tool.

ncdign @ Sep 1st 2006 1:19PM

There's got to be some local MIT students who have access to stuff like that.

Chaz @ Sep 1st 2006 1:26PM

It's not even that cool a game...

http://ign64.ign.com/articles/130/130507p1.html

Looks like a Micromachines clone.

Martin @ Sep 1st 2006 1:28PM

Considering the game was never published, ie copyrighted... are there really any legal ramifications to copying the rom?

Foppe @ Sep 1st 2006 1:32PM

It should be possible to dump the flash roms with a EPROM programmer...
But the best should be to dump it with a real N64 dumper. Heck, I could probably dump it with my CD64++, but I live on the other side of earth :P

diggduggnugget @ Sep 1st 2006 1:56PM

i live in MA, in hudson, and i know how to dunp roms, and reflash chips (thank you assabet valley) so i emailed him and waiting for a post back.

Julian Emmett Turner @ Sep 1st 2006 1:34PM

OK, I'm trying my hand at this again
"I have no fewer than five machines to back it up without opening the cart and I would be glad to send you the tools and equipment to do it yourself as long as I can be assured that you will send them back (or trade ;)). The Dr.V64jr512 is a very user-friendly device that was originally meant to play copied games but was later updated to copy them too. By not promoting the functionality, they hoped to avoid Nintendo's heavy-handed tactics by calling it a development cart and indeed, it is seen in many "making of" videos for official games.

Joystiq originally reported your offer as a free cart for anyone willing to dump it, so I attempted to contact you based on that assumption (though I made it clear I was not interested in getting anything). As I indicated before, I'm only interrested in getting this preserved!

If you do not want me to send the equipment for you to do this yourself, I could certainly ensure that you have all my contact details and everything so that you wont have to worry about having "to send it off to some stranger who may never return it."

My name is Julian "Emmett" Turner
I go by CZroe and CyberZer0 online
My home phone number is 770-[obscured] (It's in the phone book; C[obscured] Turner is my mother)
My cell phone number is 770-[obscured]
I live south of Atlanta (Newnan, GA 30263)

The equipment I can send is:
A Dr.V64jr512
A Dr.V64 w/256m
A modified GameShark + cable & software (dangerous)

I also have access to gange flashers at work which can read the socketed chips, but I can't send any of those.

Please let me know what you decide to do, or call me and discuss it. Thanks!

-Julian Emmett Turner"

#6 - Cowering is known to support ROM-hoarders... the ones that would have never allowed StarFox 2 final to exist outside of the GoodTools database (for SNES, NSRT is superior). Also, he's ignored my reports of alternate versions and given credit to people who provided the dump.

Foppe @ Sep 1st 2006 1:35PM

#9: Even if it was unreleased, the work done on it is still copyrighted.
If a bookwriter writes a book that he never releases, and somebody steals the book, the writer stills owns the copyright of it, even if he never planned on releasing it.

Thomas Crymes @ Sep 1st 2006 1:47PM

Be real here. It's not like Nintendo just left some gem of a game to languish. There is probably a very good reason why this game never saw the light of day.

I mean if you want to play it for kicks that is one thing. Just don't expect a piece of gold. It is most likely a turd.

Hexx @ Sep 1st 2006 1:49PM

#11 do you know anyone who lives around the area who you could send those to if he doesn't want to do it himself?

bob23 @ Sep 1st 2006 1:59PM

I found this on YouTube,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONQw-nzpiyk

Looks pretty good.

Pheonix Gamma @ Sep 1st 2006 2:01PM

I live in MA, but I'm in the Boston area, and this guy's a tad far out...

Huginn @ Sep 1st 2006 4:10PM

I grew up in Marlboro MA! Let me see if I can get in contact with a few of my old friends who might have the resouces who are still in the area. Marlboro houses an ATI R+D deparment after all, someone in the area has to have the resouces. Marlboro is right in the middle of two geeky colleges too, (WPI and MIT). Someone has to have tools there.

#13: Nintendo has a history of foiling games with great potential. Kid Icarus 2, Shadowrun 2, Final Fantasy 64 (what was FF7 for the PS). For all we know, this could be a tiny little gem waiting in the wings.

Anthony @ Sep 1st 2006 2:23PM

Let's be honest, does anyone really give a flying hot steaming shit about this......gimme the NHL 07 demo for the F-ING 360 already!!!!!!!!

Julian Emmett Turner @ Sep 1st 2006 3:25PM

#14: Nope. Sorry. :(
#15: If you get your hands on it, please be careful! Don't break it. ;)

teknomusik @ Sep 1st 2006 2:35PM

That video reminds me of RC Pro Am on the NES :)

p-diddy @ Sep 1st 2006 3:11PM

were there any development studios in MA? I have a dev cart of South Park for the N64 that I snagged when the company next door (not a game developer) went out of business. I always wondered why someone there had a dev cart lying around (I worked ina suburb of Boston)... I still have it somewhere too with a "property of Acclaim" sticker on it.

and @Martin, Foppe is right: all that needs to be done to obtain a copyright is to fix the work of authorship in a tangible medium, e.g., write the instructions to the ROM. Publication has nothing to do with something being copyrighted.

-p-

JacKal @ Sep 1st 2006 2:46PM

just watched the video and teknomusik JUST BEAT ME TO IT... it looks like by a mere 10 mins too... but I was going to say the exact same thing... it looks just like RC Pro Am on the NES!! looks very nice

ravuya @ Sep 2nd 2006 8:14PM

Retrieving an old Looking Glass game would be a major coup.

Paul P. @ Sep 1st 2006 3:00PM

Nintendo could always theoretically release an unfinished game like this on the virtual console.

kiwi @ Sep 7th 2006 10:25AM

I was about to say the same thing as #20 and #21... I don't remember seeing anything about this game back when it was being developed, or I woulda been excited for it.

RC Pro Am was a great game, I'd love Nintendo to make a sequel or something for the Wii... or at least put it on the virtual console, here's to hoping that Rare doesn't have the exclusive rights to it or we'll probably never see it :-(

Balla360 @ Sep 1st 2006 4:25PM

This can't be anything but an RC ProAm update, with tracks like this: http://media.ign64.ign.com/media/010/010507/img_1213745.html

However, I don't see an oil slicks or letters to pick up.

MajorBill @ Sep 1st 2006 4:26PM

Wow, I live in Marlboro, MA!

I'm not sure who he is, but I do know the ATI development center is here in Marlboro, and so was NiVidea at one time. ATI made the graphics card for the Gamecube, did they do the same with the N64?

PS: I can't upload roms, sorry =(