[Kid Fenris]

Treasure has canceled three games, as far as I can tell. One is Tiny Toons: Defenders of the Universe, which eventually leaked. Another is an Ikaruga-like Xbox Live shooter, which was never properly named. The third unreleased (and unfinished) Treasure game is Gun Beat. Let's discuss it.

Treasure explored new ground when they announced Gun Beat for Sega's Naomi arcade board in 1999. It was the developer's first 3-D game as well as their second arcade title, though a Dreamcast port was obviously in mind. A racing-shooting hybrid, Gun Beat allowed four arcade cabinets to be linked together, with players choosing one of four characters.

After some location tests and trade-show appearances, Treasure canceled the game. Two reasons are suggested: its lead programmer left the company, and the project just wasn't shaping up anyway. Unseen64 has more information.

I couldn't find this Gamers' Republic preview of Gun Beat online, though it's possible that the defunct SF Kosmo website had it. Remember that place? I kinda do.



Unseen64's screenshots and video show two characters: the hamster-riding Cunyanya and the blue-haired elf Carmine, who apparently drives a hoverbike. The Gamers' Republic spread shows the other two characters, but it doesn't name them. The blonde elf seems to ride on a broom, and the robotic racer (who looks like something out of Pilotwings 64) gets around on his/her/its own.

I quite like the idea of a shooter-racer from Treasure, even if the footage of it looks a bit spastic. And I can't imagine Gun Beat turning out much worse than the first 3-D game that Treasure actually released. That game was, of course, Stretch Panic.

[Youloute]

A few more pictures/artworks:


(taken from Consoles + 87 - April 1999).


In case you didn't notice it, Kieran has linked this page on Unseen64.