Editing Chip's Challenge NES

The '''Nintendo Entertainment System''', commonly abbreviated as '''NES''', is a video game console first released in the 1980s.

A '''NES port of Chip's Challenge''' was developed, but never commercially released.

== History ==
The port was developed by Images Software, like most other ports of CC. It was first announced to the public in January 1991 at the Consumer Electronics Show, and exhibited again at Summer CES in June 1991. The exact reason why it was never released are unknown, but it has been speculated that this is due to the initial publisher, Bullet-Proof Software, changing their mind.<ref>http://www.lostlevels.org/wordpress/2015/11/13/chips-challenge-for-the-nes/</ref>

In 2014, a prototype cartridge of the NES port was put up for auction on eBay. It was ultimately sold for on 14 December for $4,123.99.<ref>https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNRELEASED-NES-Prototype-EPROM-Card-CHIPS-CHALLENGE-DEMO-NTSC-1992-NINTENDO-/171572734485?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l10137.c10&nordt=true&rt=nc&orig_cvip=true</ref> In 2015, A ROM dump was posted on the Internet, and can now be downloaded from several locations. This development build is dated 5/8/1992.

== Description and gameplay ==
The NES [[ruleset]] is largely similar to [[Lynx]], including [[key]] behaviour and [[block slapping]]. The original "boot" designs — [[water shield]], [[fire shield]], [[magnet]], and [[cleats]] — remain. There are no major gameplay [[glitch]]es, although the game's graphics sometimes fail to refresh properly, and there is a noticeable lag when stepping on a [[hint]] tile. The hint is displayed in white text with a black background, over the middle of the gameplay area.

The most noticeable difference between the NES port and other versions of the game, is the viewport: a 16 by 13 tile area is visible at all times, rather than the usual 9 by 9. This has the side effect of making several levels, notably [[Cellblocked]], much easier. The level number, [[computer chip|chip]] count, [[time limit]] and player's inventory are superimposed over the left of the map.

Prior to starting a level, its name, number, and [[password]] are displayed in green text on a black background. The player must then press A to start the level. The level, however, remains paused until Chip moves.

The game features all the original Lynx's game's [[decade message]]s, although in a different order, and between different levels. These are also displayed in green text on a black background.

The player can press A before starting a level to skip to the next one, or B to go back to the previous one, without having to enter the level's password; this is most likely due to the game's beta state. There are are no sound effects or music, also likely due to the game's beta state. The game also lacks a proper ending sequence, crashing after displaying the final message.

The game features an Easter Egg: entering the password CRED at the beginning displays the game's credits. However, unlike [[Thanks to...]], this is not a [[credits level]]; instead, it is once again green text on a black background. The first credits page reads:
 NES VERSION
 PROGRAMMED BY
 JAMES SMART
 GRAPHICS BY
 STEVE BEDSER,
 AT IMAGES
 SOFTWARE LTD.

The second credits page reads:
 HELLO TO RICKY.
 THANKS TO
 KARL JEFFERY!

== Levels ==
The NES port features 149 levels. 148 come from the original Lynx game, albeit in a different order. One level, appropriately called [[Exclusive]], is exclusive to this port. All levels after level 132 are [[secret level|secret]] and can only be accessed by entering the right password.

As this port is based on the Lynx edition, the [[hint]] text in [[Lesson 3]] matches the original game, and the included version of [[Spirals]] is the original ("corrupted") layout.  However, some levels have differences:

* In [[Lesson 4]], the [[hot block]] has a [[wall]] underneath rather than [[fire]].
* In [[Nuts and Bolts]], the [[block]] at (15, 25) is moved to (15, 26).
* In [[Open Question]], the typo in the [[hint]] is fixed.
* In [[Playhouse]], the [[hot block]] at the beginning is replaced with a [[wall]].

{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
! width="80" | #
! width="80" | Lynx #
! Title
|-
| 1
| 1
| [[Lesson 1]]
|-
| 2
| 2
| [[Lesson 2]]
|-
| 3
| 3
| [[Lesson 3]]
|-
| 4
| 4
| [[Lesson 4]]
|-
| 5
| 5
| [[Lesson 5]]
|-
| 6
| 6
| [[Lesson 6]]
|-
| 7
| 7
| [[Lesson 7]]
|-
| 8
| 8
| [[Lesson 8]]
|-
| colspan="3" | AFTER WARMING UP ON THE FIRST LEVELS OF THE CHALLENGE, CHIP IS RARING TO GO! "THIS ISN'T SO HARD," HE THINKS.<br>(originally seen between #10 [[Brushfire]] and #11 [[Trinity]]
|-
| 9
| 57
| [[Strange Maze]]
|-
| 10
| 9
| [[Nuts and Bolts]]
|-
| 11
| 10
| [[Brushfire]]
|-
| 12
| 12
| [[Hunt]]
|-
| colspan="3" | PICKING UP CHIPS IS WHAT THE CHALLENGE IS ALL ABOUT. BUT ON THE ICE CHIP GETS CHAPPED AND FEELS LIKE A CHUMP INSTEAD OF A CHAMP.<br>(originally seen between #50 [[Digdirt]] and #51 [[I Slide]])
|-
| 13
| 13
| [[Southpole]]
|-
| 14
| 14
| [[Teleblock]]
|-
| 15
| 15
| [[Elementary]]
|-
| 16
| 17
| [[Nice Day]]
|-
| 17
| 19
| [[Digger]]
|-
| 18
| 36
| [[Ladder]]
|-
| colspan="3" | BUT THE CHALLENGE TURNS OUT TO BE HARDER THAN CHIP THOUGHT. THE BIT BUSTERS WANT IT THAT WAY--TO KEEP OUT LOBOTOMY HEADS.<br>(originally seen between #20 [[Tossed Salad]] and #21 [[Iceberg]])
|-
| 19
| 42
| [[Beware of Bug]]
|-
| 20
| 34
| [[Cypher]]
|-
| 21
| 77
| [[Invincible Champion]]
|-
| 22
| 79
| [[Drawn and Quartered]]
|-
| 23
| 84
| [[Wars]]
|-
| 24
| 11
| [[Trinity]]
|-
| 25
| 20
| [[Tossed Salad]]
|-
| 26
| 21
| [[Iceberg]]
|-
| 27
| 85
| [[Telenet]]
|-
| 28
| 24
| [[Oorto Geld]]
|-
| 29
| 26
| [[Chchchips]]
|-
| 30
| 37
| [[Seeing Stars]]
|-
| 31
| 39
| [[Glut]]
|-
| colspan="3" | CHIP READS THE CLUES SO HE WON'T LOSE<br>(originally seen between #40 [[Floorgasborg]] and #41 [[I.C. You]])
|-
| 32
| 41
| [[I.C. You]]
|-
| 33
| 47
| [[Pier Seven]]
|-
| 34
| 51
| [[I Slide]]
|-
| 35
| 67
| [[Chipmine]]
|-
| 36
| 78
| [[Force Square]]
|-
| 37
| 98
| [[Shrinking]]
|-
| 38
| 16
| [[Cellblocked]]
|-
| 39
| 18
| [[Castle Moat]]
|-
| 40
| 27
| [[Go with the Flow]]
|-
| 41
| 28
| [[Ping Pong]]
|-
| 42
| 29
| [[Arcticflow]]
|-
| colspan="3" | CHIP'S THICK-SOLED SHOES AND POP-BOTTLE GLASSES SPEED HIM THROUGH THE MAZES WHILE HIS CALCULATOR WATCH KEEPS TRACK OF TIME<br>(originally seen between #30 [[Mishmesh]] and #31 [[Knot]])
|-
| 43
| 31
| [[Knot]]
|-
| 44
| 35
| [[Lemmings]]
|-
| 45
| 38
| [[Sampler]]
|-
| 46
| 40
| [[Floorgasborg]]
|-
| 47
| 46
| [[Three Doors]]
|-
| 48
| 54
| [[Grail]]
|-
| 49
| 64
| [[Spooks]]
|-
| 50
| 65
| [[Amsterdam]]
|-
| 51
| 66
| [[Victim]]
|-
| colspan="3" | CHIP USED TO SPEND HIS TIME PROGRAM-MING COMPUTER GAMES AND MAKING MODELS. BUT THAT WAS JUST PRACTICE FOR THIS BRAIN-BUSTER!<br>(originally seen between #80 [[Vanishing Act]] and #81 [[Writers Block]])
|-
| 52
| 75
| [[Steam]]
|-
| 53
| 83
| [[Up the Block]]
|-
| 54
| 86
| [[Suicide]]
|-
| 55
| 94
| [[Now You See It]]
|-
| 56
| 89
| [[Block Buster]]
|-
| 57
| 43
| [[Lock Block]]
|-
| 58
| 44
| [[Refraction]]
|-
| 59
| 48
| [[Mugger Square]]
|-
| colspan="3" | "I CAN DO IT! I KNOW I CAN!" CHIP THINKS AS THE GOING GETS TOUGHER. BESIDES, MELINDA THE MENTAL MARVEL WAITS AT THE END!<br>(originally seen between #90 [[Playhouse]] and #91 [[Jumping Swarm]])
|-
| 60
| 53
| [[Traffic Cop]]
|-
| 61
| 56
| [[Deepfreeze]]
|-
| 62
| 58
| [[Loop Around]]
|-
| 63
| 59
| [[Hidden Danger]]
|-
| 64
| 60
| [[Scoundrel]]
|-
| 65
| 69
| [[Bounce City]]
|-
| 66
| 74
| [[Playtime]]
|-
| colspan="3" | CHIP IS HALFWAY THROUGH THE WORLD'S HARDEST PUZZLE. IF HE SUCCEEDS, MAYBE THE KIDS WILL STOP CALLING HIM COMPUTER-BREATH!<br>(originally seen between #70 [[Nightmare]] and #71 [[Corridor]])
|-
| 67
| 80
| [[Vanishing Act]]
|-
| 68
| 95
| [[Four Square]]
|-
| 69
| 97
| [[Metastable to Chaos]]
|-
| 70
| 101
| [[Apartment]]
|-
| 71
| 104
| [[Jailer]]
|-
| 72
| 111
| [[Time Lapse]]
|-
| 73
| 117
| [[The Marsh]]
|-
| 74
| 25
| [[Blink]]
|-
| 75
| 45
| [[Monster Lab]]
|-
| 76
| 49
| [[Problems]]
|-
| 77
| 50
| [[Digdirt]]
|-
| 78
| 52
| [[The Last Laugh]]
|-
| colspan="3" | BESIDES BEING AN ANGEL ON EARTH, MELINDA IS THE TOP SCORER IN THE CHALLENGE--AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE BIT BUSTERS.<br>(originally seen between #100 [[Colony]] and #101 [[Apartment]])
|-
| 79
| 72
| [[Reverse Alley]]
|-
| 80
| 73
| [[Morton]]
|-
| 81
| 88
| [[Spirals]]
|-
| 82
| 91
| [[Jumping Swarm]]
|-
| 83
| 92
| [[Vortex]]
|-
| 84
| 93
| [[Roadsign]]
|-
| 85
| 96
| [[Paranoia]]
|-
| 86
| 106
| [[Kablam]]
|-
| 87
| 110
| [[Chiller]]
|-
| 88
| 114
| [[Deception]]
|-
| 89
| 116
| [[Block Buster II]]
|-
| 90
| 118
| [[Miss Direction]]
|-
| colspan="3" | CHIP CAN'T WAIT TO JOIN THE BIT BUSTERS! THE CLUB'S ALREADY FIGURED OUT THE SCHOOL'S PASS-WORD AND ACCESSED EVERYONE'S GRADES!<br>(originally seen between #110 [[Chiller]] and #111 [[Time Lapse]])
|-
| 91
| 119
| [[Slide Step]]
|-
| 92
| 120
| [[Alphabet Soup]]
|-
| 93
| 121
| [[Perfect Match]]
|-
| 94
| 122
| [[Totally Fair]]
|-
| 95
| 123
| [[The Prisoner]]
|-
| 96
| 124
| [[Firetrap]]
|-
| 97
| 125
| [[Mixed Nuts]]
|-
| 98
| 127
| [[Skelzie]]
|-
| 99
| 128
| [[All Full]]
|-
| 100
| 129
| [[Lobster Trap]]
|-
| 101
| 135
| [[Trust Me]]
|-
| 102
| 138
| [[Partial Post]]
|-
| 103
| 141
| [[Underground]]
|-
| 104
| 142
| [[Pentagram]]
|-
| colspan="3" | CHIP HITS THE ICE AND DECIDES TO CHILL OUT. THEN HE RUNS INTO A FAKE WALL AND TURNS THE MAZE INTO A TRASH-A-THON!<br>(originally seen between #60 [[Scoundrel]] and #61 [[Rink]])
|-
| 105
| 61
| [[Rink]]
|-
| 106
| 63
| [[Block Factory]]
|-
| 107
| 70
| [[Nightmare]]
|-
| 108
| 81
| [[Writers Block]]
|-
| 109
| 99
| [[Catacombs]]
|-
| 110
| 103
| [[Memory]]
|-
| 111
| 107
| [[Balls O Fire]]
|-
| 112
| 108
| [[Block Out]]
|-
| colspan="3" | IF CHIP'S GRADES AREN'T AS GOOD AS MELINDA'S, MAYBE SHE'LL COME OVER TO HIS HOUSE AND HELP HIM STUDY!<br>(originally seen between #120 [[Alphabet Soup]] and #121 [[Perfect Match]])
|-
| 113
| 113
| [[Open Question]]
|-
| 114
| 130
| [[Ice Cube]]
|-
| 115
| 143
| [[Stripes?]]
|-
| 116
| 144
| [[Fireflies]]
|-
| 117
| 55
| [[Potpourri]]
|-
| 118
| 76
| [[Four Plex]]
|-
| 119
| 82
| [[Socialist Action]]
|-
| 120
| 112
| [[Fortune Favours The]]
|-
| colspan="3" | "I'VE MADE IT THIS FAR," CHIP THINKS. "TOTALLY FAIR, WITH MY MEGA-BRAIN." THEN HE STARTS THE NEXT MAZE. "TOTALLY UNFAIR!" HE YELPS.<br>(originally seen between #130 [[Ice Cube]] and #131 [[Totally Unfair]])
|-
| 121
| 131
| [[Totally Unfair]]
|-
| 122
| 132
| [[Mix Up]]
|-
| 123
| 136
| [[Doublemaze]]
|-
| 124
| 137
| [[Goldkey]]
|-
| 125
| 140
| [[Icedeath]]
|-
| 126
| 105
| [[Short Circuit]]
|-
| 127
| 115
| [[Oversea Delivery]]
|-
| 128
| 68
| [[Eeny Miny Moe]]
|-
| 129
| 71
| [[Corridor]]
|-
| 130
| 90
| [[Playhouse]]
|-
| 131
| 109
| [[Torturechamber]]
|-
| colspan="3" | GROOV-U-LOIDS! CHIP MAKES IT ALMOST TO THE END. HE'S STOKED!<br>(originally seen between #140 [[Icedeath]] and #141 [[Underground]])
|-
| 132
| —
| [[Exclusive]]
|-
| colspan="3" | GREAT JOB, CHIP! YOU FINISHED THE CHALLENGE! NOW YOU CAN TAKE MELINDA THE MENTAL MARVEL TO THE BIT BUSTERS E-PROM!<br>(Different from the Lynx text, which was about gaining entry to the Bit Busters.  Game ends here.)
|-
| 133
| 146
| [[Cake Walk]]
|-
| 134
| 147
| [[Force Field]]
|-
| 135
| 148
| [[Mind Block]]
|-
| 136
| 149
| [[Special]]
|-
| colspan="3" | GREAT JOB, CHIP! YOU FINISHED THE CHALLENGE! NOW YOU CAN TAKE MELINDA THE MENTAL MARVEL TO THE BIT BUSTERS E-PROM!<br>(Different from the Lynx text, which was about gaining entry to the Bit Busters.  Game ends here.)
|-
| 137
| 22
| [[Forced Entry]]
|-
| 138
| 23
| [[Blobnet]]
|-
| 139
| 30
| [[Mishmesh]]
|-
| 140
| 32
| [[Scavenger Hunt]]
|-
| 141
| 33
| [[On the Rocks]]
|-
| 142
| 62
| [[Slo Mo]]
|-
| 143
| 87
| [[Cityblock]]
|-
| 144
| 100
| [[Colony]]
|-
| 145
| 102
| [[Icehouse]]
|-
| 146
| 126
| [[Block N Roll]]
|-
| 147
| 133
| [[Blobdance]]
|-
| 148
| 134
| [[Pain]]
|-
| 149
| 139
| [[Yorkhouse]]
|}

== References ==

[[Category:Ports]]