Pokemon Gold and Silver Beta Leak Reveals Early Designs of Classic Pokemon

Early beta designs for Pokemon Gold and Silver have leaked onto the Internet, giving Pokemon fans a rare look into Pokemon's past. Last night, sprites from an early version of Pokemon Gold and Silver were posted to 4chan and other sites, revealing dozens of early Pokemon designs that have never been publicly revealed. Two sets of leaks were released last night - one from the 1997 Space World beta, and one from the substantially more complete 1999 Space World beta. Although we already saw many of the 1997 Space World sprites thanks to a leak back in 2018, this is the first time the 1999 Space World sprites have ever come to light. The 1997 Space World sprites are also of a much higher quality than the original leak back in 2018.

Some of the new sprites include an early look of Celebi, a noticeably chunkier version of Pichu, and early versions of Shuckle, Wooper, and Sneasel. Several Pokemon sprites are also included in a very basic form, providing only outlines or basic designs, and highlighting that the game was still unfinished at the time.

While perhaps not as exciting as the 2018 leak, which revealed dozens of new Pokemon that didn't make the final cut, the 1999 leak provides a valuable look at how some Pokemon designs were evolving right up until the very last minute. There are also several curious changes, such as the radical designs to Celebi (which looks far more imposing and alien than its final form) and a four-legged Wooper.

Because the demo was originally pulled off of a hacked Nintendo server, the sprites are appearing on various sites and then quickly getting pulled down. As of now, the Cutting Room Floor has the most detailed look at both sets of sprites, complete with comparisons to their final versions.

What do you think of these proto-versions of some fan-favorite Pokemon? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section or find me at Twitter at @CHofferCBus to chat all things Pokemon!