A playable build believed to be Rare’s cancelled SNES RPG Project Dream: Land of Giants has appeared online, offering a new look at the ambitious game that eventually evolved into Banjo-Kazooie.
On September 9, an Internet Archive user with the username “FVCKAsha&Phil” uploaded what is described as a “SNES proof-of-concept alpha”. The unusual username appears to reference Xbox chief executive Asha Sharma and former Xbox leader Phil Spencer.
The upload is alleged to be an early build of Rare’s cancelled RPG, which began development around 1995. The material has attracted attention because surviving information about the project has largely consisted of historical details, screenshots and brief gameplay glimpses.
The person behind the release has not explained exactly how the build was obtained, saying only that it passed through several unnamed people. They also said the decision to share it was motivated by dissatisfaction with the modern games industry, including what they described as Microsoft’s mismanagement of Rare and its wider corporate decisions.
The uploader said preservation was the priority and that the ROM should be examined by people with greater technical expertise. They also expressed hope that the release would encourage others to share obscure prototypes, including the unreleased Twelve Tales: Conker 64.
The same statement criticised artificial intelligence, industry layoffs, anti-preservation practices and ownership policies. It also made a political allegation about Microsoft’s position on the war in Gaza. Those claims reflect the uploader’s stated motives, rather than independently established details about the prototype itself.
What was Project Dream?
Project Dream started as a fantasy adventure RPG for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Its early concept centred on a young human hero, but the project’s scope eventually outgrew the SNES hardware and development moved to the Nintendo 64.
The N64 version changed direction significantly. It became more pirate-themed, while Banjo—originally intended as a supporting character—replaced the human protagonist. When the development team saw what would become Conker’s Bad Fur Day, work shifted again towards a platformer, a format the team was more comfortable producing.
That transformation ultimately led to Banjo-Kazooie. Captain Blackeye, the pirate villain created for Project Dream, later appeared as a cameo in the finished game, complaining that a bear had taken his glory.
The Cutting Room Floor (@tcrf.net) noted that much of the previously documented information about the project appears to be represented in the uploaded ROM. Further analysis will be needed to establish the build’s authenticity, contents and development status.
For collectors and preservation-minded players, the discovery is a reminder of how valuable lost game-development material can be. It also highlights the role of careful ROM analysis, documentation and hardware knowledge in protecting arcade and retro-gaming history. RETROCADE’s Arcade Blog covers more stories from the wider gaming and arcade industry, while readers exploring original-hardware projects can browse arcade parts or learn more with the Arcade Machine Buying Guide.
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