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(convert level list to a table and include lynx level numbers)
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== Description and gameplay ==
== Description and gameplay ==
The NES [[ruleset]] is largely similar to [[Lynx]], including [[key]] behaviour and [[block slapping]]. 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 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.
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.
Line 19: Line 19:
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 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:
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
  NES VERSION
  PROGRAMMED BY
  PROGRAMMED BY
Line 35: Line 35:
== Levels ==
== Levels ==
The NES port features 136 levels, rather than the usual 148 or 149. 135 come from the original Lynx game, albeit in a different order. One level, appropriately called [[Exclusive]], is exclusive to this port. As with most other ports, the last four levels are [[secret level|secret]] and can only be accessed by entering the right password.
The NES port features 136 levels, rather than the usual 148 or 149. 135 come from the original Lynx game, albeit in a different order. One level, appropriately called [[Exclusive]], is exclusive to this port. As with most other ports, the last four levels are [[secret level|secret]] and can only be accessed by entering the right password.
# [[Lesson 1]]
 
# [[Lesson 2]]
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:
# [[Lesson 3]] (the [[hint]] is identical to the original Lynx version)
 
# [[Lesson 4]]
* In [[Open Question]], the typo in the [[hint]] is fixed.
# [[Lesson 5]]
* In [[Playhouse]], the [[hot block]] at the beginning is replaced with a [[wall]].
# [[Lesson 6]]
 
# [[Lesson 7]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
# [[Lesson 8]] (followed by decade message "AFTER WARMING UP ON THE FIRST LEVELS OF THE CHALLENGE, CHIP IS RARING TO GO! "THIS ISN'T SO HARD," HE THINKS.")
! width="80" | #
# [[Strange Maze]]
! width="80" | Lynx #
# [[Nuts and Bolts]]
! Title
# [[Brushfire]]
|-
# [[Hunt]] (followed by message "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.")
| 1
# [[Southpole]]
| 1
# [[Teleblock]]
| [[Lesson 1]]
# [[Elementary]]
|-
# [[Nice Day]]
| 2
# [[Digger]]
| 2
# [[Ladder]] (followed by message "BUT THE CHALLENGE TURNS OUT TO BE HARDER THAN CHIP THOUGHT. THE BIT BUSTERS WANT IT THAT WAY--TO KEEP OUT LOBOTOMY HEADS.")
| [[Lesson 2]]
# [[Beware of Bug]]
|-
# [[Cypher]]
| 3
# [[Invincible Champion]]
| 3
# [[Drawn and Quartered]]
| [[Lesson 3]]
# [[Wars]]
|-
# [[Trinity]]
| 4
# [[Tossed Salad]]
| 4
# [[Iceberg]]
| [[Lesson 4]]
# [[Telenet]]
|-
# [[Oorto Geld]]
| 5
# [[Chchchips]]
| 5
# [[Seeing Stars]]
| [[Lesson 5]]
# [[Glut]] (followed by message "CHIP READS THE CLUES SO HE WON'T LOSE")
|-
# [[I.C. You]]
| 6
# [[Pier Seven]]
| 6
# [[I Slide]]
| [[Lesson 6]]
# [[Chipmine]]
|-
# [[Force Square]]
| 7
# [[Shrinking]]
| 7
# [[Cellblocked]]
| [[Lesson 7]]
# [[Castle Moat]]
|-
# [[Go with the Flow]]
| 8
# [[Ping Pong]]
| 8
# [[Arcticflow]] (followed by message "CHIP'S THICK-SOLED SHOES AND POP-BOTTLE GLASSES SPEED HIM THROUGH THE MAZES WHILE HIS CALCULATOR WATCH KEEPS TRACK OF TIME")
| [[Lesson 8]]
# [[Knot]]
|-
# [[Lemmings]]
| 9
# [[Sampler]]
| 57
# [[Floorgasborg]]
| [[Strange Maze]]
# [[Three Doors]]
|-
# [[Grail]]
| 10
# [[Spooks]]
| 9
# [[Amsterdam]]
| [[Nuts and Bolts]]
# [[Victim]] (followed by message "CHIP USED TO SPEND HIS TIME PROGRAM-MING COMPUTER GAMES AND MAKING MODELS. BUT THAT WAS JUST PRACTICE FOR THIS BRAIN-BUSTER!")
|-
# [[Steam]]
| 11
# [[Up the Block]]
| 10
# [[Suicide]]
| [[Brushfire]]
# [[Now You See It]]
|-
# [[Block Buster]]
| 12
# [[Lock Block]]
| 12
# [[Refraction]]
| [[Hunt]]
# [[Mugger Square]] (followed by message ""I CAN DO IT! I KNOW I CAN!" CHIP THINKS AS THE GOING GETS TOUGHER. BESIDES, MELINDA THE MENTAL MARVEL WAITS AT THE END!")
|-
# [[Traffic Cop]]
| 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]])
# [[Deepfreeze]]
|-
# [[Loop Around]]
| 13
# [[Hidden Danger]]
| 13
# [[Scoundrel]]
| [[Southpole]]
# [[Bounce City]]
|-
# [[Playtime]] (followed by message "CHIP IS HALFWAY THROUGH THE WORLD'S HARDEST PUZZLE. IF HE SUCCEEDS, MAYBE THE KIDS WILL STOP CALLING HIM COMPUTER-BREATH!")
| 14
# [[Vanishing Act]]
| 14
# [[Four Square]]
| [[Teleblock]]
# [[Metastable to Chaos]]
|-
# [[Apartment]]
| 15
# [[Jailer]]
| 15
# [[Time Lapse]]
| [[Elementary]]
# [[The Marsh]]
|-
# [[Blink]]
| 16
# [[Monster Lab]]
| 17
# [[Problems]]
| [[Nice Day]]
# [[Digdirt]]
|-
# [[The Last Laugh]] (followed by message "BESIDES BEING AN ANGEL ON EARTH, MELINDA IS THE TOP SCORER IN THE CHALLENGE--AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE BIT BUSTERS.")
| 17
# [[Reverse Alley]]
| 19
# [[Morton]]
| [[Digger]]
# [[Spirals]] ([[Spirals corruption|corrupted version]])
|-
# [[Jumping Swarm]]
| 18
# [[Vortex]]
| 36
# [[Roadsign]]
| [[Ladder]]
# [[Paranoia]]
|-
# [[Kablam]]
| 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]])
# [[Chiller]]
|-
# [[Deception]]
| 19
# [[Block Buster II]]
| 42
# [[Miss Direction]] (followed by message "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!")
| [[Beware of Bug]]
# [[Slide Step]]
|-
# [[Alphabet Soup]]
| 20
# [[Perfect Match]]
| 34
# [[Totally Fair]]
| [[Cypher]]
# [[The Prisoner]]
|-
# [[Firetrap]]
| 21
# [[Mixed Nuts]]
| 77
# [[Skelzie]]
| [[Invincible Champion]]
# [[All Full]]
|-
# [[Lobster Trap]]
| 22
# [[Trust Me]]
| 79
# [[Partial Post]]
| [[Drawn and Quartered]]
# [[Underground]]
|-
# [[Pentagram]] (followed by message "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!")
| 23
# [[Rink]]
| 84
# [[Block Factory]]
| [[Wars]]
# [[Nightmare]]
|-
# [[Writers Block]]
| 24
# [[Catacombs]]
| 11
# [[Memory]]
| [[Trinity]]
# [[Balls O Fire]]
|-
# [[Block Out]] (followed by message "IF CHIP'S CGRADES AREN'T AS GOOD AS MELINDA'S, MAYBE SHE'LL COME OVER TO HIS HOUSE AND HELP HIM STUDY!")
| 25
# [[Open Question]] (the typo in the [[hint]] is fixed)
| 20
# [[Ice Cube]]
| [[Tossed Salad]]
# [[Stripes?]]
|-
# [[Fireflies]]
| 26
# [[Potpourri]]
| 21
# [[Four Plex]]
| [[Iceberg]]
# [[Socialist Action]]
|-
# [[Fortune Favours The]] (followed by message ""I'VE MADE IT THIS FAR," CHIP THINKS. "TOTALLY FAIR, WITH MY MEGA-BRAIN." THEN HE STARTS THE NEXT MAZE. "TOTALLY UNFAIR!" HE YELPS.")
| 27
# [[Totally Unfair]]
| 85
# [[Mix Up]]
| [[Telenet]]
# [[Doublemaze]]
|-
# [[Goldkey]]
| 28
# [[Icedeath]]
| 24
# [[Short Circuit]]
| [[Oorto Geld]]
# [[Oversea Delivery]]
|-
# [[Eeny Miny Moe]]
| 29
# [[Corridor]]
| 26
# [[Playhouse]] (the [[hot block]] at the beginning is replaced with a [[wall]])
| [[Chchchips]]
# [[Torturechamber]] (followed by message "GROOV-U-LOIDS! CHIP MAKES IT ALMOST TO THE END. HE'S STOKED!")
|-
# [[Exclusive]] (followed by message "GREAT JOB, CHIP! YOU FINISHED THE CHALLENGE! NOW YOU CAN TAKE MELINDA THE MENTAL MARVEL TO THE BIT BUSTERS E-PROM!")
| 30
# [[Cake Walk]]
| 37
# [[Force Field]]
| [[Seeing Stars]]
# [[Mind Block]]
|-
# [[Special]] (followed by a repeat of level 132's message)
| 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.)
|}


=== Missing levels ===
=== Missing levels ===
The following 12 levels, for unknown reasons, are absent from the NES port:
The following 12 levels, for unknown reasons, are absent from the NES port:
* [[Forced Entry]]
* #22 [[Forced Entry]]
* [[Blobnet]]
* #23 [[Blobnet]]
* [[Mishmesh]]
* #30 [[Mishmesh]]
* [[Scavenger Hunt]]
* #32 [[Scavenger Hunt]]
* [[On the Rocks]]
* #33 [[On the Rocks]]
* [[Cityblock]]
* #87 [[Cityblock]]
* [[Colony]]
* #100 [[Colony]]
* [[Icehouse]]
* #102 [[Icehouse]]
* [[Block N Roll]]
* #126 [[Block N Roll]]
* [[Blobdance]]
* #133 [[Blobdance]]
* [[Pain]]
* #134 [[Pain]]
* [[Yorkhouse]]
* #139 [[Yorkhouse]]


== References ==
== References ==


[[Category:Ports]]
[[Category:Ports]]

Revision as of 20:43, 4 May 2021

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.[1]

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.[2] 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 glitches, 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, 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 messages, 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 136 levels, rather than the usual 148 or 149. 135 come from the original Lynx game, albeit in a different order. One level, appropriately called Exclusive, is exclusive to this port. As with most other ports, the last four levels are 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:

# 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
9 57 Strange Maze
10 9 Nuts and Bolts
11 10 Brushfire
12 12 Hunt
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.
(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
BUT THE CHALLENGE TURNS OUT TO BE HARDER THAN CHIP THOUGHT. THE BIT BUSTERS WANT IT THAT WAY--TO KEEP OUT LOBOTOMY HEADS.
(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
CHIP READS THE CLUES SO HE WON'T LOSE
(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
CHIP'S THICK-SOLED SHOES AND POP-BOTTLE GLASSES SPEED HIM THROUGH THE MAZES WHILE HIS CALCULATOR WATCH KEEPS TRACK OF TIME
(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
CHIP USED TO SPEND HIS TIME PROGRAM-MING COMPUTER GAMES AND MAKING MODELS. BUT THAT WAS JUST PRACTICE FOR THIS BRAIN-BUSTER!
(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
"I CAN DO IT! I KNOW I CAN!" CHIP THINKS AS THE GOING GETS TOUGHER. BESIDES, MELINDA THE MENTAL MARVEL WAITS AT THE END!
(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
CHIP IS HALFWAY THROUGH THE WORLD'S HARDEST PUZZLE. IF HE SUCCEEDS, MAYBE THE KIDS WILL STOP CALLING HIM COMPUTER-BREATH!
(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
BESIDES BEING AN ANGEL ON EARTH, MELINDA IS THE TOP SCORER IN THE CHALLENGE--AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE BIT BUSTERS.
(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
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!
(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
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!
(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
IF CHIP'S GRADES AREN'T AS GOOD AS MELINDA'S, MAYBE SHE'LL COME OVER TO HIS HOUSE AND HELP HIM STUDY!
(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
"I'VE MADE IT THIS FAR," CHIP THINKS. "TOTALLY FAIR, WITH MY MEGA-BRAIN." THEN HE STARTS THE NEXT MAZE. "TOTALLY UNFAIR!" HE YELPS.
(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
GROOV-U-LOIDS! CHIP MAKES IT ALMOST TO THE END. HE'S STOKED!
(originally seen between #140 Icedeath and #141 Underground)
132 — Exclusive
GREAT JOB, CHIP! YOU FINISHED THE CHALLENGE! NOW YOU CAN TAKE MELINDA THE MENTAL MARVEL TO THE BIT BUSTERS E-PROM!
(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
GREAT JOB, CHIP! YOU FINISHED THE CHALLENGE! NOW YOU CAN TAKE MELINDA THE MENTAL MARVEL TO THE BIT BUSTERS E-PROM!
(Different from the Lynx text, which was about gaining entry to the Bit Busters. Game ends here.)

Missing levels

The following 12 levels, for unknown reasons, are absent from the NES port:

References

  1. ↑ http://www.lostlevels.org/wordpress/2015/11/13/chips-challenge-for-the-nes/
  2. ↑ 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
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