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Oscar's Trash Race 10-20-82 
Here’s an interesting oddity. Although we all
assumed that the graphic demo dated 12/3/82 was the earliest
version of Oscars Trash Race to exist, it appears that there is
an even earlier version. What could be earlier than a
static screen graphics demo you ask? How about a
completely different game? It appears that much like Snow
White, Oscar went through two different designs before it was
released. Although the two versions of OTR aren’t as
radically different as the two versions of Snow White, they’re
different enough to consider them separate ideas.
 The basic structure of this version is the same as the
released one. The player must select the trash can that
shows the correct number of objects on the screen and collect
the garbage (represented by blocks in this version instead of
actual objects). This version is simplified by only having
to select the middle button of the row on the controller that
matches the row the correct trash can is in rather than the
actual correct number (so if the correct can is in the second
row you would press the 5 key). However instead of guiding
the grouch in the can (is that like elf on the shelf?) back to
the starting line before Slimy the worm cross the screen, the
player mashes (and I do mean MASHES) the button to toss all that
garbage into Oscar’s can at the bottom of the screen (gotta give
Don Oscar his cut I guess). After both players have
finished Oscar will pop up briefly and the next round will begin.
In the final version Oscar was delegated to his own separate
screen which would add up the number of objects for you.
 One interesting thing to point out is that this
prototype features a simultaneous competitive two player mode
which actually fulfills the promise of a ‘Trash Race’. In
these two player modes each player can ‘tag’ the other before
they can feed Oscar causing them to walk off the screen (thus
denying them points). However in this prototype BOTH
players walk off the screen so this tactic is somewhat
useless. It’s assumed that this would have been fixed or
tweaked in the final version. The released version
of the game has no such feature as the two player modes are
played separately.
 This prototype appears to still be in the middle stages
of programming. Most of the features seem to be present,
but they’re buggy and sometimes don’t work right. For
example there’s no way to continue to the next stage in the two
single player variations after feeding Oscar (the game just sits
there). Other bugs include the ‘dual tag’ bug mentioned
above, incomplete game variations (some don’t seem to be any
different and others whiles others do odd things like having the
computer somewhat control the second player). Sounds and
music are also rather sparse consisting only of an opening tune
that starts each level.
 So why did this version of Oscar get trashed (you knew
that joke was coming)? No one is quite sure.
Although the concept is a different than the released version,
there’s nothing ‘wrong’ with it that would lead one to believe
that the end product would be unworkable. The explanation
could be as simple as poor focus group testing results, or
something more complex like the programmer leaving the project
and the new programmer having different ideas on how the game
should look. Until we find the programmer for this version
we won’t know for sure.
Note: For some reason the colors in the emulator are off. The ground appears brown instead of green and other colors are incorrect. Here's how the colors should look:  Special thanks to Wickycolumbus for sharing this
prototype with the community!
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