Pokemon Ruby Version Demo
An anonymous fan’s review, http://-paya.up.seesaa.net/image/rt.html , translated by Earthoul @earthoul_0xf9. Since the webpage has a hyphen in its URL, it’s compatible with Firefox but not with Chrome.
Here are the data such as texts in the demo ROM. The “demo” mentioned here is the build used and displayed [at the demo kiosks] at the Pokémon Festa and Pokémon Center back in summer 2002. [That’s Ruby demo, and] Sapphire demo wasn’t available. Another build of the demo ROM was used at “Premium Countdown” event, which is said to have contained the final ROM data except for some roadblocks. (I guess someone listed up which Route was blocked [in that build] but I don’t remember.)
The demo offers *only battles against 6 Trainers*. (Twins count as 1.) It’ll take about 15 minutes to finish it. Some [demo kiosks] at an earlier time told players to play it “for up to 5 minutes per person,” which I’m afraid was too harsh to reach the end…; in fact many youngsters missed Hiker SABURO and failed to finish. The Trainers in the demo also show up in the final ROM, so let’s find them out.
The opening movie isn’t absent. I don’t remember well, but iirc first comes the copyright list in white on the black background (identical to the final ROM’s); second the Pokémon logo in the centre on the white background (almost same as the final ROM’s scene coming next to the double-battle one, except for the black background); and then the logo goes up, and the background turns to the Boy riding on Acro Bike with the ocean at the back, and “PUSH START BUTTON” message pops up. (The Boy is identical to the final ROM’s, and the background to final Sapphire ROM’s.) After a while, Latios comes from the right side and keeps flying at the centre (above the main character): I felt that that Latios had its colour faded and resumed back and forth. The movie is something like this [here’s my re-creation]:
[5 images, http://-paya.up.seesaa.net/image/p-PRop.png] (No PUSH START BUTTON message here to avert blurs.)
In order to finish the demo a player has to *beat all the 6 Trainers and talk to either of the two dudes at the exit*. (The two tell the same lines.) After that, s/he comes back to the title screen with the copyright list, which indicates the end of the demo play. If lost [in any battle], s/he comes back there, too, meaning any loss leads to game-over: “blacked out” message, the screen blacking out, and then the copyright list scene.
The stage used in the demo is R. 104 of Rustboro City side, something like this, [here’s my re-creation] based on my memory and some further search:
[Map image, http://-paya.up.seesaa.net/image/p-104map.png]
[Translator’s note: the reviewer’s “further research” seems to have fused the data from the “Premier Countdown” build to the re-creation, told @HappyMaskMan2.]
There are some differences with the final ROM, from the beginning to the end:
the ledges strangely put outside Petalburg Woods;
no tall grass at the back of the flower shop, and therefore no Soft Soil there, either;
the somewhat unique patterns of the flower shop’s entrance map, with the shop’s interior looking identical;
the bridge’s design, log bridge instead of plank, with the pond looking almost same;
no Soft Soil at the back of the bridge, either - as to Berries, the demo shows nothing but Berry Pocket in the Bag;
Some other misc. differences in the landscape;
and the unique shape of Rustboro City entrance.
The field BGM is identical to the final ROM’s R. 104’s, named "R. 104" in the soundtrack. (It might have been slightly different, but who knows.) I don’t know the flower shop’s BGM. The battle BGM is that of wild encounters, named "Battle! Wild Pokémon" in the soundtrack, though the demo only has Trainer battles [with no wild encounters]. I don’t remember the win BGM.
The background graphics seems little different with the final ROM, but some characters have their icon look slightly unalike. (Of course, the final ROM has clearer designs.) The battle transition effect has only 1 pattern composed of Poké Ball(s) rolling and then transition to black. The battle scene has its terrain fixed to grass and has some horizontal lines (those like Future Sight’s animation in G/S) coming at the scroll scene of the player and the foe Trainer. The battle animations are still poor (though I didn’t watch so many): Gust’s have a tornado but lack noticeable motions and look little gusty, whereas the final ROM’s are twist-y; animations of HP-draining moves such as Absorb go without the following sparkles of the recovering user that show up in the final ROM; Surf’s are completely different with the final ROM’s - that’s hard to explain; well, in short - they don’t have its wave fill all of the screen; furthermore, animations of stat raising or lowering with up or down [arrows] aren’t clear [transparent?] enough. These animations often had [their screenshots] printed in magazines and alike, so for the interested check out those published at that time.
The gender of the protagonist is selected randomly at the beginning of the demo play. S/he has two Pokémon [in his/her Party], namely Sharpedo and Kecleon; as a matter of fact this Sharpedo has no Ability. S/he also has a plenty of items, too many to use up. See the list below for further details. I don’t remember the Menu list.
It’s a public space [that the demo kiosks stand in] after all [and so I can’t do any piracy], and I transcribed texts by hand, most of which I watched during other guys’ plays; I’m not sure if I’ve spelt correctly letter by letter, line-break by line-break, though:
[Translator's note: learnsets include, but might not be limited to, these moves that the reviewer confirmed, with their order unclear; EXP gains look crazy and inconsistent and are therefore prone to errors but are listed here on as-is basis.]
Added 2007-09-21:
“[Kecleon’s] Lick landed internally against Taillow,” told Kakeru [another Pokémon fan]. Taillow might have been pure Flying-type in the demo.
Also, here are some [photo] materials partially left [http://-paya.up.seesaa.net/image/rt-g.html]. I won’t be sued anymore~
"POKEMON-GBA.COM" (the site closed) [fan site]
[the site is somehow archived with its review text and a handful of screenshots left (the others lost) under https://web.archive.org/web/20030408231715/http://pg.lib.net/html/pokemonfesuta.htm]