Forums > Game Forums > The Great Giana Sisters > Amstrad port: Super rare, or never released?
Trypticon (11023) on 9/20/2011 2:06 PM · Permalink · Report
Same as the Spectrum version, the port was reviewed, though probably not widely - I did find a test in a French magazine over at CPC-Power. The German Wikipedia says that the game wasn't officially released, but leaked. The English Wiki doesn't mention this.
From what I've read on various CPC sites, there doesn't seem to be an actual dump of original media available or even a finished version including sound effects. The screenshots here at Moby don't look like they came from a game that was sold either.
I guess there is a remote possibility a finished version was for a very short time on the market, but as it stands, it doesn't point in that direction imho, at least from what I could research so far. If anyone has some additional information or thoughts, I'm eager to read it.
Terok Nor (44638) on 9/20/2011 2:16 PM · Permalink · Report
The loading screen has a cracker's signature, which could indicate a version with copy protection was at least finished. On the other hand, it could be just a vanity thing...
IMO we shouldn't list cases such as these where there is any doubt on whether it was released.
formercontrib (157400) on 9/22/2011 1:47 PM · Permalink · Report
Afaik, an former employee of Time Warp "throwed" a bunch of Amstrad copies unlicensed on the market, the port came without sound and had huge probems with the game controls. After Nintendos successfull claim against Time Warp because of Mario Bros cloning, the game dissappeared and with it the unfinished Amstrad version....
Trypticon (11023) on 9/22/2011 2:45 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start joyvalley wrote--]Afaik, an former employee of Time Warp "throwed" a bunch of Amstrad copies unlicensed on the market, the port came without sound and had huge probems with the game controls. After Nintendos successfull claim against Time Warp because of Mario Bros cloning, the game dissappeared and with it the unfinished Amstrad version.... [/Q --end joyvalley wrote--]
What would be great would be a solid source about the leak, like an interview etc, because I'd also submit trivia about this so anyone can see why the CPC port isn't listed at Moby (anymore), and just writing "it was allegedly" leaked" doesn't seem right.
formercontrib (157400) on 9/22/2011 3:18 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
I won't expect you will be able to find an official statement about that, it's - as you said - one of those many trivia infos you can find on many more (www.thelegacy.de) or less reliable (www.wikipedia.de) sites.
The shots on file and the project displayed there, not only on the title shot, clearly show a group of non-authorized crackers.
Now, that Armin Gessert rests in peace, if you really want confirmation, i think you're only chance is to go "one-on-one" with Manni Trenz or Tom Hertzler by email, maybe they're willing to confirm it now, more than 20 years later, without expecting probs with Nintendo any longer, that's the only way imo to clear this finally.
Only one thing is for me sure here: Martin's uk release info on file isn't reliable here.