From the lost Game Gear port of Bubsy 2 to Kojima’s ill-fated Silent Hills, there have been quite a few games we’ve received glimpses of, but have been lost to the ether. However, lost media has a funny way of appearing out of nowhere. What was once only something that we only had a screenshot of can suddenly become playable overnight. These are some of the more interesting examples of games that we thought were lost, being found and subsequently made available.
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When people talk about lost media, they are typically referring to one of two phenomena: games that were released digitally that have since had their stores shuttered, or games that were deep into development, but, for one reason or another, were never officially released. For this list, we’ll be primarily focusing on the latter.
8 Cheetahmen 2
Physical Copies Located In 1996
Let’s kick this list off with one of the most infamous entries. Back in the day, you could purchase a collection of 52 subpar games called the Action 52. Of all the games included, the most fully realized was Cheetahmen. This side-scrolling action title was basic, but its TMNT-adjacent premise seemed to have just enough promise to warrant the development of a standalone sequel.
Unfortunately, it didn’t warrant the completion of said sequel. But six of the originally planned ten stages were, in fact, completed. The game was then placed onto 1,500 cartridges that were then boxed up, stashed away, and forgotten about. A few years later, however, that box would be uncovered, and those 1,500 copies would be sold. These days, the cartridge has been dumped, and the ROM is easily found floating around online. It is an interesting curio, though the game itself answers the question “Why was this game abandoned mid-development?”
7 Star Fox 2
Released By Nintendo Alongside The Super Nintendo Classic Mini Console In 2017
Star Fox 2, the sequel to the SNES classic, had one of the most fascinating game development stories ever. Originally, it was supposed to be released in August 1995. However, despite being completed, Nintendo lost confidence in Star Fox 2. They felt that it wouldn’t be able to compete with the big PS1 releases that were already on the market. So, they scrapped it. While a few prototype builds did release in the 2000s, the complete game was never leaked.
However, with the Super Nintendo Classic release, Star Fox 2 had a new lease on life. Nintendo had preserved the completed version of Star Fox 2, and decided that it would be a novel inclusion for the hotly anticipated mini-console. And just like that, 22 years after it was originally set to launch, Star Fox 2 was finally released. It is now available on the Switch and Switch 2 for Nintendo Online subscribers.
6 Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans
Complete Game Released Online In 2016
Growing up, I had quite a bit of love for both Warcraft 2 and the Monkey Island games. So, I was positively thrilled at the prospect of receiving an adventure game set within the world of Warcraft. The early screenshots looked extremely promising, and the early impressions seemed positive. Then there was silence. Until, that is, twenty years later when a pretty polished, build of Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans leaked onto the internet.
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Bizarrely, Blizzard tried to have this artifact removed, but once something hits the internet, you’re unlikely to scrub it clean from it. For those interested, Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans can still be found floating around online if you look hard enough. And while a few depictions have aged poorly, it still feels like a pretty well-made 90s adventure game, all in all.
5 Maxivision 30-in-1
The Collection Was Uploaded In 2025
If you have ever wondered where UFO 50 came from, it is an ode to game collections like the Maxivision 30-in-1. The word like here is doing some heavy lifting, as the Maxivision 30-in-1 never released due to a dispute with the developer responsible for half of the titles. We did receive the 15-in-1, but that means that 15 games missing (quick maths). The 30-in-1 version was thought to be lost to time. That is, until March of 2025, when a cartridge was recovered!
It is worth noting that many of the 15 games that were cut were still released independently. However, what we discovered is that the versions on the 30-in-1 cartridge were, in some cases, different. As an example, the version of Wally Bear and the NO! Gang (amazing title) made Wally invincible. The release we received is known for its brutality, but the Maxivision version is actually more kid-friendly, which is appropriate given its subject matter. This is all relatively minor, and it is more interesting as a factoid than anything else, but it is still cool to know that this piece of history has been preserved.
4 Timesplitters 2 HD
Complete Game Found Inside Homefront: The Revolution In 2021
Here’s a fun one: This was a piece of lost video games media that we didn’t even know we’d lost. While it was well-known that you could play the first few stages of Timesplitters 2 in Homefront: The Revolution. What no one knew was that the entire game was, in fact, playable. It was just hidden. So well hidden, in fact, that no one ever found it. Well, until an interview with the developer, that is.
The reaction to this was largely incredulous. People couldn’t believe that the entirety of Timesplitters 2 was just hidden away inside of another game. However, once the internet sleuths started poking around, it wasn’t long before they had found the codes necessary for unlocking the beloved FPS masterpiece, and now anyone who has a copy of Homefront: The Revolution is able to relive their fondest Timeplitting memories.
3 Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution
Saw A Full Retail Release In 2025
The Shantae games are uniquely hardy. The first game, simply named Shantae, was famously given a tiny run on the GBC. It would then get a sequel on the DSI named Shantae: Risky’s Revenge. However, there was supposed to be a Shantae game release on the Game Boy Advance in between those two releases: Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution. Unfortunately, due to the game not having a publisher, it was shelved.
While no versions of the game were ever released into the wild, the developers did still have the code, and they even streamed a bit of the gameplay at one point. However, beyond the odd glimpse, fans gave up on the idea of actually playing the would-be second game in the franchise. Until, that is, 2024, when it was announced that Risky Revolution would be coming back. We have now had the game release on the GBA. And modern console ports are on the way!
2 Akira
Sega Genesis Rom Uploaded In 2019
While a few Akira games have been released over the years, they have all approached the task of adapting Akira in distinctly odd ways. The Famicom game is a graphic novel, and the PS2’s Akira Psycho Ball is a unique pinball game (and a damn fine one, I’d add). While a more action-oriented adaption was never released, it wasn’t for a lack of trying. THQ was working on a Game Boy, Game Gear, Super Nintendo, and Sega Genesis version of the game. However, in 2019, the Genesis version was uploaded, and we finally got a chance to play one of them.
What really stands out with this one is just how ambitious it was. There are first-person sections, Whiplash-like motorcycle sections, and action-platforming sections. Not to mention some pretty impressive cutscenes for a Sega Genesis game. It doesn’t all feel great, but the ambition is more than enough to justify finding the ROM online and giving it a try.
1 Resident Evil 1.5
A Working Prototype Released Online In 2013
Resident Evil 2 was a fantastic follow-up to the excellent first title in the survival horror franchise. However, it wasn’t the first Resident Evil 2. There was a prototype that quite a few people played that was quite a bit different from the game we received. Not only did this variation of Resident Evil 2 feature a unique character, the motorcycle suite-clad Elza Walker, but it was actually the first attempt at moving the series in an action-oriented direction.
However, due to the lack of horror elements and a somewhat shallow storyline, the decision was made to restart the development of Resident Evil 2 completely. Thus, the first Resident Evil 2 became known as Resident Evil 1.5 and was lost to time. Well, until 2013, that is, when the prototype finally leaked online. Now that we’ve been able to get our hands on it, it is fair to say that Resident Evil 1.5 has issues, but if you are a fan of classic Resident Evil, it is a fascinating playthrough as it is a very different game!
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