It’s no secret from Capcom DuckTales for Nintendo Entertainment System is a good faith classic, especially in the field music video games. But being an NES game, it only has about a dozen quick pieces to enjoy. However, an early prototype, which is currently unfolding, expands on the final soundtrack with another song by the original composer (I suppose) Hiroshige Tonomura.
This Ducktales build, which according to The Cutting Room Floor is from February 5, 1989, is the earliest aspect we have obtained so far in the iconic development process of the platform. (The final game appeared around September 15, 1989.) As such, several key elements are missing (such as red diamonds, treasure values, HP additions, and the name of the final level). You can read all about these things on the TCRF wiki; what I specifically love is the new music on the scene selection screen:
It definitely has a different feel to it the original theme of the map. Where the track that officially entered DuckTales the release is more mysterious and repetitive, the prototype song is upbeat and adventurous in the way you would expect from a game based on a children’s cartoon. I also really like the subtle bass line that drives everything.
Although, let’s be honest, the song is not as instantly iconic as the song that is played during the Moon stage, it’s always nice to have a little more perspective on how a video game was created, especially one as addictive to music as DuckTales. It is not said why the developers preferred the final arrangement to this newly discovered treasure, but I am glad that there are people like TCRF who catalog these discoveries.