User:IceCastles/List of unused content in Bloons TD 6

Throughout its long history, Bloons TD 6 has had a multitude of scrapped, unused, or otherwise reworked gameplay elements. This article exists to document the most notable instances of such, though it is by no means complete.

Scrapped content

Monkey Academy

Main article: Monkey Academy (tower)

The Monkey Academy was a Support-class tower developed and scrapped during the initial development of BTD6. The surviving text of its upgrades and associated Monkey Knowledge could be found in the files of early versions of the game, while a portrait of its Private Tuition upgrade resurfaced in the files in version 36.0 for unclear reasons (and was subsequently removed in version 37.0). It has been indicated by Ninja Kiwi staff that they will likely never add the tower, having "moved away from" its design philosophy and that the Mermonkey was at least partially comprised of what they "wanted to save from it".

Magic-Class Ice Monkey

While it has never been confirmed by Ninja Kiwi, some oddities in the files, including an unused buff related to the Monkey Academy's middle path which allows it to have up to two upgrades on all three upgrade paths at once without crashing the game, indicate that the Ice Monkey tower was intended to be a Magic-class tower at some point. In the final game, the Ice Monkey is classified as a Primary tower, a change likely introduced very early on in development (an early map/UI concept from 2017 showcases the Ice Monkey already being a Primary tower).

Pennies from Heaven

Main article: Pennies from Heaven

Pennies from Heaven is an unobtainable achievement which was to be gained by gaining $100,000 with Benjamin's Syphon Funding ability. The achievement text was added to the files in version 11.0, but the achievement was not properly added until version 17.0. While it is still present in the files and the Google Play Games achievement list, it has been indicated by Ninja Kiwi staff that it will never be properly implemented.

Projectile Carousel Artifact

Projectile Carousel was a Legendary Artifact planned to be added in Rogue Legends which was cut due to extreme balancing issues, being dubbed "fundamentally broken". It allowed towers onscreen to fire projectiles normally fired by different onscreen towers. The concept was reused for the Projectile-Go-Round Quest, as Ninja Kiwi did not wish to completely scrap the idea.

Removed/reworked content

Soulbind

Main article: Soulbind

Soulbind was the initial final upgrade for the Wizard Monkey's bottom path, present from the game's launch to version 2.0. It was removed from the game due to negative feedback from players and was replaced with Prince of Darkness, which reused its assets but is otherwise completely different.

Interestingly, the Prince of Darkness still has text in the files relating to an unused Activated Ability, which was likely a holdover from Soulbind.

Fortified Standard Bloons

While the only Bloons that can use the fortified modifier in the final game are Lead, Ceramic, MOAB-Class and Golden Bloons, every Bloon in the game had unused fortified textures and functionality, including Camo and/or Regrow variants thereof. While any lingering functionality was removed with an unknown update, the graphics remained in the files until version 24.0.

Oddly, fortified Purple Bloons could sometimes be seen in Freeplay rounds at launch. As this was reportedly not intended to be in the game, they were removed in version 2.0.

Friday Stingers

Main article: Daily Challenge (BTD6)#Friday Stingers

Friday Stingers were a special type of Advanced Challenge released every Friday, with the gimmick that they were much more challenging. They were introduced in version 3.0 alongside Advanced Challenges. They were discontinued with no announcement in 2022 during an update that reworked Daily Challenges, with no reason being established.

Old Collection Events

The first two iterations of Collection Events (in versions 5.0 and 7.0, specifically) were markedly different from the more well-known modern events - namely, the collectibles were an in-game element placed on the track. After collecting at least twenty, the player could use a special Activated Ability that would pop all Bloons on the track. Due to negative reception from players, the system was reworked into its modern version starting with version 10.0.

Older End-of-Game Titles

At the end of a game, the player gets a scoreboard with a title depending on the player's stats. Several Co-op-exclusive titles were added with Co-op's launch in version 11.0, of which four were removed in version 13.0, presumably due to their uncharacteristically negative tone (only being achieved to players who underachieved).

• Less is More, for not placing a high amount of towers
• Pop Pacifist, for not popping many Bloons
• What MOABs?, for not popping many MOABs
• No Bananas 4 U, for not generating much cash

Ambidextrous 'Rangs

Main article: Ambidextrous 'Rangs

Ambidextrous 'Rangs was a Monkey Knowledge Point for the Boomerang Monkey, present from version 18.0 to version 22.0. It was replaced with Recurring 'Rangs, and the point's effects are now integrated into the base tower.

Pre-release/development concepts and changes

General 2017 Development Differences

On January 16, 2024, Ninja Kiwi staff member Rohan Sharpe-Anforth shared an early printed map concept on Reddit, which utilized a mockup of an early iteration of the HUD. Notable changes to tower portraits, prices and general HUD elements include:

• The Bomb Shooter, Tack Shooter, Ice Monkey, Glue Gunner and Sniper Monkey had completely different (likely placeholder) portraits.
• The class color scheme of the tower backgrounds was completely solid in color (though this could be attributed to the fact that the photo was printed).
• The settings button was part of the tower selection menu as opposed to its own separate button on the top-right of the screen. It was located where the button for Powers and Insta Monkeys would end up being located.
• An early version of Pat Fusty is present, costing $2,000 and having a different (definitely placeholder) portrait.
• Instead of a play button, the button to start a round was the word "GO!" in white against the same light green background.
• The Ice Monkey was $300 (the difficulty mode of the mockup was never disclosed aside from obviously taking place in a Sandbox variant). The tower cost $425 on Easy at launch.
• The icons for lives and cash were slightly different (though this might have been the work of the designer of the map concept, as the cash icon slightly overlaps with the mockup window).

Pre-release Activated Ability Changes

A set of unused text lines in the files of the game indicate some Activated Abilities had slightly or completely different functions which were changed during development. These include:

• Jungle's Bounty - buffed Banana Farms near the Druid to generate 50% more income for a short time, instead of the Druid instantly generating cash that increases in value based on the amount of nearby Farms like how the Ability functioned until version 53.0 (oddly, this is placed as the description of the Transforming Tonic ability)
• Call to Arms - doubled attack speed and pierce for all towers, instead of increasing them by 50%

Captain Churchill's Early Design

Captain Churchill's concept art

While Captain Churchill was introduced in version 2.0, an early select icon and model texture had been in the game since launch. These more closely resemble concept art that has been shared of him, with a green helmet, smaller brown pupils and a banana insignia on his helmet and the side of his tank, among other differences compared to his design since 2.0.

Benjamin's Early Design

While Benjamin was introduced in version 3.0, an early select icon had been in the game since launch. It more closely resembles concept art that has been shared of him, with his sunglasses from level 5 and onward worn by default, a spiky, slicked back hairstyle, and a fur pattern around his mouth that vaguely resembled a goatee, among other differences.

Ezili's Early Design

While Ezili was introduced in version 7.0, an early select icon had been in the game since launch. It more closely resembles concept art that has been shared of her, with dreadlocks, a robe with a lighter shade of purple, and orange markings on her head as opposed to the scars on her final design.

Pat Fusty's Early Iterations

While Pat Fusty was introduced in version 9.0, he had at least been conceptualized as far back as 2017, with an early select icon having been in the game since launch. Despite this, his design and gameplay seem to have barely changed during development, with the only notable differences known being that at one point he was to cost up to $2,000 to place and his early portrait showcasing his fist glowing orange, which does not happen in-game.

Early Dartling Gunner Prototypes

Dartling Gunner concept art

While Dartling Gunner was added in version 22.0, some text related to its upgrades had been in the game since launch, and at least one piece of concept art exists (labeled "Version 2"). A few differences from the final design can be seen in that specific piece of concept art, including:

• Faster Barrel Spin being tier 2 of the top path, instead of the middle path. It was replaced by Laser Shock.
• Powerful Darts being the first tier of the middle path, instead of tier 2 of the bottom path. It was replaced by Advanced Targeting.
• The Depleted Bloontonium upgrade, allowing the Dartling Gunner to pop all Bloon types, was to return from Bloons TD 5 as tier 2 on its middle path. It was replaced by Faster Barrel Spin.
• The Lock and Load upgrade, which would have allowed the player to lock the Dartling Gunner onto shooting at a specific location. This function was integrated into the base tower, and was replaced with Powerful Darts.

Quiet Street Design Concept

Although Quiet Street was introduced in version 29.0, a very early and basic concept of the map had been rendered by 2017, which Rohan Sharpe-Anforth stated was drawn and printed by a then-new map designer. This early iteration went under multiple names, including Cul-de-sac and Winter Park, which would become a separate map added in version 14.0.

Beast Handler's Old Mechanics

The Beast Handler, while released in version 36.0, had text descriptions and unused icons of its upgrades in the game's files back in version 34.0, when it was initially intended to release. These text descriptions revealed that instead of just its tier 5 upgrades like in the final game, every upgrade past tier 1 required at least one additional Beast Handler each, with the old tower description explicitly encouraging merging beasts over having multiple beasts. The tower was delayed from version 34.0 to 36.0 due to playtesters determining the system to be "confus[ing]" and Ninja Kiwi subsequently reworking the Beast Handler system into its current design.

Lifeguard Brickell's Original Design

In pre-release materials leading up to the skin's introduction in version 38.0, Lifeguard Brickell was shown to have a red cross on her shirt and ship flag instead of the orange life preserver insignia of her final design. This was changed because having an active combatant under the Red Cross symbol is classified as a war crime, which Ninja Kiwi likely failed to realize before players pointed it out.

Rosalia's Early Iteration

While Rosalia was introduced in version 43.0, a Hero tower with a jetpack had been at least conceptualized all the way back before launch. The Hero was initially designed solely to make Muddy Puddles winnable on CHIMPS mode, but was scrapped for being "a bit soulless" and reworked to the point where it has been said Rosalia "completely changed" from the original design. Any further details on the initial jetpack Hero design have not been shared, and were likely never worked on in the first place.

Mentioned/implied scrapped content

Scrapped Bloonchipper Return

When asked if there were any towers considered for Bloons TD 6 that were scrapped, Ninja Kiwi staff members Sav and Tarn simply answered "Bloonchipper". It is unclear if any actual work was done on the tower, as when answering the preceding question they mentioned that the developers generally did not enjoy balancing the tower during the Bloons TD 5 generation of games. The tower would instead return as a cameo on the Scrapyard map, and then as a fishing item in Frontier Legends.