History Main / MidDevelopmentGenreShift

* ''VideoGame/MetalGear1987'' began development as a straightforward shoot-'em-up, cashing in on the popularity of Capcom's arcade game ''Commando'', but the programmers were having too much trouble creating a similar game on the [=MSX2=] since the hardware couldn't handle too many enemy soldiers and bullets on-screen at the same time. When HideoKojima was brought in into the project to salvage it, he decided to shift the game's focus to avoiding combat.

** ''{{Goldeneye007}}'' was originally to be an on-rails light-gun shooter like ''Lethal Enforcers'' or ''VirtuaCop''.

* The original ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' began development as a straightforward shoot-'em-up, cashing in on the popularity of Capcom's arcade game ''Commando'', but the programmers were having too much trouble creating a similar game on the [=MSX2=] since the hardware couldn't handle too many enemy soldiers and bullets on-screen at the same time. When HideoKojima was brought in into the project to salvage it, he decided to shift the game's focus to avoiding combat.

* The arcade version of ''{{Shinobi}}'' began development as a on-rail shooter where the player threw shurikens at enemies from a first-person view using a shuriken-shaped paddle. The concept didn't prove to be that interesting and ''Shinobi'' was revamped into a more traditional side-scrolling action game, although the original concept of a first-person shuriken shooter was used for the bonus stages instead.

* A light variation with ''SonicTheHedgehog'', the initial concept was a more traditional platformer with puzzles and exploration akin to SuperMarioBros2. The final product, while still a platformer, focused more dominantly on its now trademark speed. This evolution is even more prominant in [[SonicTheHedgehog2 its sequel]].

* ''Disney/TheEmperorsNewGroove'' was originally conceived as a dark musical film instead of a lighthearted comedy film with no songs whatsoever. And [[BigBad Yzma]] was originally going to have her own song.

* ''[[VideoGame/RavingRabbids Rayman Raving Rabbids]]'' was conceived as a Rayman 2-esque platformer with original creator Michel Ancel having full involvement, but ExecutiveMeddling caused the switch to a minigame collection and Ancel being dropped from the project. Whether this worked or not is up to the player.

* ''RaymanRavingRabbids'' was conceived as a Rayman 2-esque platformer with original creator Michel Ancel having full involvement, but ExecutiveMeddling caused the switch to a minigame collection and Ancel being dropped from the project. Whether this worked or not is up to the player.

* ''RaymanRavingRabbids'' was conceived as a Rayman 2-esque platformer with Ancel having full involvement, but ExecutiveMeddling caused the switch to a minigame collection and Ancel being dropped from the project. Whether this worked or not is up to the player.

** ''ConkersBadFurDay'' was originally just another generic kiddie platformer before they retooled it into the rude, crude, offensively over-the-top game everyone knows and loves. This was ''after'' the tie-in Game Boy game, which really was as saccharine as Conker was intended to be, had been released as well.

** ''{{Goldeneye007}}'' was originally to be an on-rails light-gun shooter like LethalEnforcers or VirtuaCop.

** {{Goldeneye007}} was originally to be an on-rails light-gun shooter like LethalEnforcers or VirtuaCop.
** ConkersBadFurDay was originally just another generic kiddie platformer before they retooled it into the rude, crude, offensively over-the-top game everyone knows and loves. This was ''after'' the tie-in Game Boy game, which really was as saccharine as Conker was intended to be, had been released as well.
** StarFoxAdventures started off as a non-franchise title called ''Dinosaur Planet'' before ExecutiveMeddling told them to retool it as a ''Star Fox'' game, complete with {{Shmup}} sections and [[HijackedByGanon a surprise final boss]] that were so very obviously tacked-on near the end of production.

* ''{{Banjo-Kazooie}}'' was originally conceived as ''Dream'', a 2D SuperNintendo RPG with human characters rather than a 3D FunnyAnimal platformer.

* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' flip flops with this throughout its development. Its prototype short ''Life With Larry'' was something of a faux sitcom and had already invented the cutaway setup and heavy pop culture humor. The second prototype, a What-A-Cartoon short ''Larry And Steve'' played more along the lines of a TexAvery style kids cartoon, with the satirical humor being much more subtle. In it's intitial run ''FamilyGuy'' played something of a mix of both, utilizing the original cutaway and parody humor, but maintaining heavy use of light hearted slapstick. Following its [[UnCancelled UnCancellation]] however, the show slowly evolved into a [[DeadBabyComedy shock value]] SadistShow.

* '''Media Shift:''' Unusual but not unheard off, this one generaly occurs during the first moments of the work's creation, and regulary means that the author's goal for this work just wasn't expressed well in the media chosen. For example, the author could have started with his work in written media, but then (s)he sees that without visuals it feels incomplete and/or that a fitting BGM could do a much better job conveying the feelings the (s)he intends to show; or maybe started with some sort of visual media, but later thinks that using more reader's interpretation and less "this is how it was and looked like" is a better option for his intentions.

* '''Genre shift:''' The work keeps its grounds on the same media, but changes it's style to other of the many genres inside that media, like from Comedy to Drama in {{Theater}}, or a Platformer to Action Adventure in VideoGames.

* ''BeetleJuice'' was originally supposed to be a horror movie, but was changed to a supernatural comedy.

* A light variation with ''SonicTheHedgehog'', the initial concept was a more traditional platformer with puzzles and exploration akin to SuperMarioBros2. The final product, while still a platformer, focused more dominantly on it's now trademark speed. This evolution is even more prominant in [[SonicTheHedgehog2 it's sequel]].
* According to [[http://www.cracked.com/article_19457_6-baffling-early-prototypes-your-favorite-video-games.html Cracked]], the NES version of ''SuperMarioBros'' [[http://kotaku.com/5668710/super-mario-used-to-shoot-bullets was going to be a shoot-em-up platformer]], and Mario was going to carry guns, [[http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/mario25th/vol5_page1.jsp like the beam gun]] similar to those in ''{{Metroid}}'' and a rifle. [[HilariousInHindsight Also, he was going to]] [[VideoGame/SuperMario64 punch and kick enemies while empty-handed]], [[VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld ride on clouds]] (which was previously {{r|idingTheBomb}}ockets in earlier development) and fire at enemies in cloud drive-bys that would soon become [[BonusStage bonus coin stages]]. Also, the "jump button" was going to be "up" on the Control Pad, leaving the "A" button open for attacks.

* ''FamilyGuy'' flip flops with this throughout it's development. It's prototype short ''Life With Larry'' was something of a faux sitcom and had already invented the cutaway setup and heavy pop culture humor. The second prototype, a What-A-Cartoon short ''Larry And Steve'' played more along the lines of a TexAvery style kids cartoon, with the satirical humor being much more subtle. In it's intitial run ''FamilyGuy'' played something of a mix of both, utilizing the original cutaway and parody humor, but maintaining heavy use of light hearted slapstick. Following it's [[UnCancelled UnCancellation]] however, the show slowly evolved into a [[DeadBabyComedy shock value]] SadistShow.
** Adding to that the light CerebusSyndrome in most recent episodes, the show doesn't seem to want to stop this habit.

* ''FanFic/TurnaboutStorm'', ''AceAttorney'' and ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' crossover, started out as a written fanfiction, but as it progressed evolved to an attempt at a game[[hottip:*:In order to be able to put music in it]], then to a radio play[[hottip:*:The game didn't work out]], and finally to what is now (a movie using the style and point of view the main games of the ''AceAttorney'' series uses)[[hottip:*:So visual elements could be added]].

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Don't confuse with CerebusSyndrome, ReverseCerebusSyndrome and CerebusRollercoaster, which are changes during a work's run instead of before its release. Subtrope of WhatCouldHaveBeen.

* ''MuhollandDrive'' was originally going to be a TV series.

* ''MuhollandDr'' was originally going to be a TV series.

* ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' was originally intended to be a MagicalGirl series, but became a HumongousMecha show with cute girls once it was released.

* ''Muholland Dr'' was originally going to be a TV series.

* According to [[http://www.cracked.com/article_19457_6-baffling-early-prototypes-your-favorite-video-games.html Cracked]], the NES version of ''SuperMarioBros'' [[http://kotaku.com/5668710/super-mario-used-to-shoot-bullets was going to be a shoot-em-up platformer]], and Mario was going to carry guns, [[http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/mario25th/vol5_page1.jsp like the beam gun]] similar to those in ''{{Metroid}}'' and a rifle. [[HilariousInHindsight Also, he was going to]] [[VideoGame/SuperMario64 punch and kick enemies while empty-handed]], [[VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld ride on clouds]] (which was previously {{r|idingTheBomb}}ockets in earlier development) and fire at enemies in cloud drive-bys that would soon become [[BonusStage bonus coin stages]]. Also, [[HilariousInHindsight the "jump button" was going to be]] [[MortalKombat "up" on the Control Pad, leaving the "A" button open for attacks]], which, to quote TheAngryVideoGameNerd, would have been "[[ClusterFBomb f--king f--ked up]]".

** Adding to that the light CerebusSyndrome in most recent episodes, the show doesn't seem to want to stop this habit.