Monster214: The Original MissingNo
I’ve always been fascinated by bugs, glitches, unused content, and even those totally absurd video game rumors that were born in school playgrounds and lunch rooms. Rumors in particular were quite exciting prior to the age of the Internet, seeing as it was way easier to get away with – and speculate on – absolutely ludicrous stuff when you’re only exchanging said rumors between your buddies.
Having the Internet at your fingertips does have its advantages, though. Many will remember those fan sites from in the late ’90s that were dedicated to bringing Aerith back to life, or “tips” on how to get General Leo as a permanent member of your party in Final Fantasy VI. Most, if not all of these “secrets” were complete bullcrap, but they still made for fun conversation.
The speculative list goes on, but what I want to discuss today is something a little more concrete. Today’s discussion has been fueled by the works over at the Cutting Room Floor – a website dedicated to archiving unused and cut content from our favorite games. This site is as cool as it sounds, and you should absolutely check it out if you were unaware of its existence.
While browsing through the cut content from Final Fantasy IV, I came upon an entry surrounding a glitched, buggy mess of a monster that clearly was never fully-developed, nor intended to be seen by the public. That enemy is Monster214, also known as “Dummy” in some versions of Final Fantasy IV. Although footage exists of the enemy in action – like the video provided above – I don’t believe there is a way to come across Monster214 within the scope a normal playthrough, unlike what is true with its distant relative, MissingNo.
MissingNo is arguably one of the most popular glitches in the RPG scene, one which can easily be replicated in the Generation I Pokemon games. This glitch is obviously way more exciting than Monster214 considering MissingNo can actually join your party, though that comes with its own setbacks. Regardless, it is cool to see somewhat of a precursor to the legendary MissingNo in one of my favorite games of all time – Final Fantasy IV.
Many more glitched beings exist in other RPGs no doubt, with some perhaps dating even further back than that of Monster214. For a few more tidbits on Monster214, check out its entry over on The Cutting Room Floor.
What are some of your favorite glitches or rumors in RPGs?
