Releases

Overview

Releases marked in blue are unique to that disc, totaling to 10 known versions of the game that exist.

Here is a separate table for all the known demos containing the official Kula World Trailer:

For an unknown reason, multiple PlayStation game lists contain a "Kula World Beta" entry with the product code BABD-3775. It is unknown if this version even exists or its origin, as BABD is not a standard product code convention for PlayStation games.

• https://github.com/julianxhokaxhiu/iPoPS/blob/master/PSXListOFGames.txt
• https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.nhn?isHttpsRedirect=true&blogId=toses3&logNo=40035465262

Common Build Versions

Build version dates were determined by using the latest date inside the game files for the main release or demo. The executable date and PVD timestamps are usually inaccurate, so this method was chosen.

Alpha1997-08-04

This is the earliest known build of the game released, when the game was originally intended to be called KulaQuest worldwide. It contains 4 levels, with the last one being unlocked when all 3 fruits are collected.

There are 2 fruits that unused in this demo:

As well as 4 unused balls:

Several unused pieces of text go unused inside the game's executable, including references to world names not found in official releases of the game:

KULA, SUNSET, MARS, HIRO, FIELD, ICE, WOOD

What likely used to be the main menu options at some point:

1P GAME
2P GAME
LOAD GAME
OPTIONS
COMBAT
COOPERATIVE
BACK

Various level ending texts, including a somewhat ominous message telling the players that they "cheated":

YOU WERE\nFRIED!\n
\nGOT YOU!\n
\nACID DEATH!\n
\n\nYOU CHEATED!\n

A reference to a TIM image inside an EARTH directory, likely a startup warning screen:

\\EARTH\\WARNING.TIM;1

Beta1998-01-30

This is the second known build of the game released, where it was renamed to Kula World. It contains 3 regular levels and 1 bonus level. Several balls go unused, and can be seen here.

An unused fruit bowl is included in this demo, setting all of the fruit to collected when touched by the player. This item is actually inside the base games as well, though the model is set to an hourglass instead.

There are 5 unused present collectables, which have no sound effect or particles and just disappear when touched by the player.

The unused spike enemy in the main versions have an entirely different model in this demo, and some other models have slight differences as well. A full video with a more in depth look at some of these model changes is available here.

There are a few unused cheat references:

"OBJ CHEAT\n"
"BONUS CHEAT\n"

There are also several unused .XA files referenced as well:

\\SAMPLE.XA;1
\\XA\\NIGHT.XA;1
\\XA\\EARTH.XA;1
\\XA\\SUNSET.XA;1
\\XA\\MUSIC_1.XA;1
\\XA\\MUSIC_3.XA;1
\\XA\\MUSIC_2.XA;1

Beta (Inca Variant)1998-02-16

This build is mostly identical to the regular beta build. It instead takes place in the Inca environment, has a different bonus level, and a slightly different executable file.

An interesting oddity is that the developers forget to change the sun glare to reflect on the new Inca skybox, which has the sun on the right side instead of behind. Thus, this demo does not contain sun glare:

Unique Build Versions

Kula World Prototype (Europe)SCES-01000

This build is pretty obscure, with not much information known about its origin. The build appears to have been made after the official release of Kula World, and is likely a copy sent to Psygnosis for review before publishing Roll Away.

It's pretty much identical to Kula World, with the following differences:

• Freecam is available without needing a code by pressing the O button.
• The introduction image was changed from WARNING.TIM to SCEI.TIM that displays "Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Presents".
• The fruit placed by mistake inside the first Hills final level was removed.
• The executable file is slightly different from Kula World.

The HIRO.GGI file is slightly different, with the ball jump animation being updated to the version used in Roll Away, where the player can now jump and hit their head on certain blocks:

Some of the HUD sprites are slightly squished in height for an unknown reason as well:

• The fruit collection indicators
• Hourglass
• Key
• Kula World logo

Play-Pre Vol. 16 (Japan) (Disc 1)PCPX-96142

KulaQuest Taikenban (Japan)PCPX-96121

The level filenames inside the PAK files in this version are all over the place in their order:

HIRO.PAK:
LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2, LEVEL 5, LEVEL 4, LEVEL 3, BONUS 1

INCA.PAK:
LEVEL 6, LEVEL 8, LEVEL 11, LEVEL 9, LEVEL 12, BONUS 2

HAZE.PAK:
LEVEL 7, LEVEL 10, LEVEL 13, LEVEL 14, LEVEL 15, BONUS 3, HIDDEN

Famitsu Wave 6gatsu-gou Vol. 11 (Japan)SLPM-80423

For an unknown reason, this disc contains an unused KULA.SFX file that is identical to the TAIKEN1.SFX file, and an unused KULA.TGI file that is identical to other demo Haze theme files (SCED-01850).

Euro Demo 30 (France)SCED-01850

This is the only demo with the Kula World title that contains any reworked themes. This disc contains a reworked Haze theme, while also containing a second pre-worked Hills theme with the original bonus titles, named LULA.TGI. It also contains an unused WARNING.TIM file identical to official releases of Kula World. Allows for turn delay to be toggled.

Dengeki PlayStation D19 (Japan)SLPM-80425

Level 7 contains a level flag property that the game is not programmed to ignore in the final completion percentage, despite the executable being dated after the final KulaQuest release. Subsequently, this causes the level to never show a 100% completion, as the game thinks there's an additional item to be collected.

Additionally, for some reason the Haze soundtrack used in this demo is a version shorted to 2 minutes and 40 seconds, as oppose to being 5 minutes and 9 seconds.

Hyper PlayStation Re-mix 1999 No. 6SLPM-80424

Hyper PlayStation Re-mix 1999 No. 9 (Japan) (Disc 2) (Sony Computer Entertainment Special)PCPX-96170

The only known version of the game to contain the unused spike enemy in a level. This demo also includes the infamous Sunset level seen in the official trailer, with slight modifications to increase difficulty.

Additional Oddities

The following oddities are from a common build version but are specific to the demo disc itself.

Euro Demo 13 (Germany)SCED-00678

This demo contains a TEST.CTI file, which is a CD Track Information file used to define the structure of a PlayStation CD image. This file is not supposed to be included inside a published game and was added by mistake.

Echo The cti file you are using has been generated by the GenCTI utility
Echo The aim of this program is to provide a simple method for generatng cti file
Echo templates. If you have not already done so it would be advisable to review
Echo the cti file created, to correct positions of files.

ShowDefines
Disc	CDROMXA_PSX	template.img

CatalogNumber	000000000000

LeadIn	XA
 Empty	1000
 PostGap	150
EndTrack

Track	XA
 Pause	150
 Volume	ISO9660	CD.ISO

  PrimaryVolume

	SystemIdentifier		"PLAYSTATION"
	VolumeIdentifier		"TEMPLATE"
	LogicalBlockSize		2048
	VolumeSetIdentifier		"VOLUME1"
	PublisherIdentifier		"SONY"
	DataPreparerIdentifier	"EXAMPLE"
	ApplicationIdentifier	"SONY"

	Lpath
	OptionalLpath
	Mpath
	OptionalMpath

;Please look carefully thorugh the hierarchy created below.
;Ensure that the boot file is located first.
;It is a simple matter to cut and paste files into correct postions.
;Refer to the CDEmulator manual for further details

	Hierarchy
		File	KULA.EXE
		XAFileAttributes	Form1	Data
		 Source	C:\TESTING\DEMOS\KULA\KULA.EXE
		EndFile

                File    PSX.EXE
		XAFileAttributes	Form1	Data
		 Source	C:\TESTING\DEMOS\KULA\BS.EXE
		EndFile

		File	KULA.GGI
		XAFileAttributes	Form1	Data
		 Source	C:\TESTING\DEMOS\KULA\KULA.GGI
		EndFile

		...

EndDisc

Euro Demo 10-01 (Germany)SCED-03473

The music is bugged in this demo and is completely silent, despite the game files being identical to other discs containing the same version. Additionally, the demo itself titles the game as "Kula World" instead of KulaQuest like it should.

Demo One (Version 6) (Europe)PBPX-95007

For an unknown reason, the second level is incorrectly displayed on the title screen, despite the game files being identical to other discs containing the same version.