by Brett Weiss
The other prominent peripheral released
The Master System’s sports lineup is
for the Master System is the Sega Light Phaser,
largely dreadful, and the game library as a
which was modeled after the gun from Zillion, whole is much smaller than that of the NES,
the Japanese anime series. The black, solidly
but the system does have a number of stand-out
built pistol plugs into the joystick port and is
arcade conversions, including R-Type, Rastan, compatible with such games as Shooting Gallery
Columns, and Time Soldiers, and some nifty and Marksman Shooting/Trap Shooting. The
original titles, such as Alex Kidd in Shinobi
lamest addition to the line of Master System
World, Phantasy Star, Penguin Land, and Za-gadgets is the Sega Sports Pad, which is a slug-
xxon 3-D (a sequel to Sega’s arcade classic, Za-gish, unresponsive trackball controller that is
xxon). In addition, though there were only 114
compatible with Great Ice Hockey and the
titles released in the U.S., the NTSC format
much-maligned Sports Pad Football. Other
Master System is compatible with the PAL for-
SMS-related products of note include: the Sega
mat European console, expanding the library
Control Stick, which is a joystick with a bulky
substantially (at least for those willing to pur-
knob on the end; the Sega Rapid Fire Unit,
chase imported games). Both American and
which is an extender cord that gives the stan-
European cartridges are housed in a sturdy,
dard controller rapid firing capabilities; the
plastic casing (often called a clamshell case), a
Power Base Converter, which lets gamers plug
design Sega carried over to the next-generation
SEGA MASTER SYSTEM
219
Sega Master System console with two controllers and Light Phaser gun. Though a solid system, the SMS couldn’t compete with Nintendo’s NES, which benefited from better marketing, better packaging, and more third-party support.
Genesis console (1989), which was the com-
The game is similar to Spy Hunter (sans the de-pany’s 16-bit follow-up to the 8-bit Master Sys-
fensive oil slicks and smokes screens), with
tem.
players driving up roadways (viewed from
Today, though the console was officially
overhead), firing away at other vehicles while
discontinued in 1992, the Sega Master System
trying to avoid getting bumped into walls.
has experienced a revival of sorts via the Nin-
Players begin on a motorcycle (the same one
tendo Wii Virtual Console, which lets players
from Hang-On), but can grab letters to trans-
download an assortment of pixel-perfect Mas-
form the vehicle into a car and a jet plane (the
ter System titles to their Wii. Though nowhere
arcade version, which benefited from steering
near as ubiquitous or as mainstream as the
wheel control, also let players pilot a helicop-
NES, the Master System does maintain a re-
ter, a boat, and a racecar). The jet plane por-
spectable presence in the collector’s market,
tions evoke Xevious. Docking with a Sega Truck frequently changing hands via eBay, video
(which is similar to the weapons van in Spy
game conventions, and online and brick-and-
Hunter) gives the motorcycle or car dual firing, mortar gaming stores.
auto-missiles, or temporary invincibility. Ac-
tion Fighter, which features five timed missions, is fast and fun, but crashing into walls is far too
Sega Master System Games
easy.
Action Fighter
Aerial Assault
Publisher: Sega. Developer: Sega. Demoli-
Publisher: Sega. Developer: Sanritsu Denki.
tion/Combat Racing/Vertical Scrolling
Side-Scrolling Shooter, 1 player. 1990.
Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1986.
A typical 8-bit side-scroller, Aerial Assault
Despite its title, Action Fighter is not a
has players piloting the Freedom Fighter plane
fighting contest. Rather, it’s based on Sega’s ar-
over land and sea, shooting, bombing, and/or
cade racer/shooter of the same name (1986).
dodging jets, helicopters, rockets, submarines,
220
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
Two Master System–related peripherals: the Sega Control Stick, which could substitute for a standard control pad; and the Power Base Converter, which let gamers play Master System titles on the Sega Genesis.
jeeps, tanks, ships, parachute bombs, cyborgs,
repetitive shooter. Cast in the role of a Navy
giant flying insects, heat-seeking missiles, fire-
Air Captain, gamers view the action from be-
balls, lightning, and other enemies and obsta-
hind their F-14 Thunder Cat, which is armed
cles. Shooting certain enemies emits different
with a Vulcan cannon and air-to-air guided
types of symbols, which can be grabbed to en-
missiles, the latter of which has a sight that au-
hance the Freedom Fighter’s weaponry. Stan-
tomatically locks onto enemy fighters, jets,
dard upgrades include: 3-way shot, 8-way shot,
and helicopter gunships. The Thunder Cat can
laser, wide laser, chaser missile, explosion shot,
move left, right, up, down, and diagonally, and
increase shot, and direction shot. Bomb power-
it can perform a rolling maneuver, but it stays
ups include: triple bomb, missile, napalm, and
near the center of the screen during flight (the
hyper ball. Speed, extra lives, and shields are
sky and horizon tilt and spin in accordance
also available, though players should be care-
with the jet’s turns and rolls). Bonus stages
ful not to grab skeletons. There are four mis-
let players refuel and battle a Flying Fortress.
sions: Destroy the Battleship “Vinsk”; Destroy
Also released for the NES and Sega 32X. Se-
the CB-53 Bomber; Destroy the Cliff Fortress;
quels include: After Burner II (arcade, Gene-
and Enter the N. A. C. Fortress and Destroy
sis), After Burner III (Sega CD), After Burner
“EL”! The latter stage is indoors, meaning there
Climax (arcade), and After Burner: Black Falcon are walls, ceilings, and floors to avoid. Also re-
(PSP).
leased for the Game Gear.
Alex Kidd: High-Tech World
After Burner
Publisher: Sega. Developer: Sega. Adventure/
Publisher: Sega. Developer: Sega. Third-Per-
Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1989.
son Shooter, 1 player. 1988.
The third title in the quartet of Alex Kidd
The original arcade version of After
cartridges for the Master System, High Tech
Burner (Sega, 1987) wowed gamers with its
World is a major departure from the straightfor-razzle-dazzle graphics and its enclosed cabi-
ward platforming action of the other games.
net, which sported a rotating seat and cockpit.
The objective is to find a map (to an arcade)
Naturally, the Master System game, though a
that has been tor
n into eight pieces and hid-
respectable port, can’t hope to recreate this
den in a castle. This involves such activities as
excitement, leaving in its place a playable, yet
entering rooms, talking to characters, answering
SEGA MASTER SYSTEM
221
trivia questions, climbing ladders and stairs,
solid platforming, and variety galore make Alex
backtracking, and solving puzzles. After leav-
Kidd in Miracle World an all-time classic.
ing the castle on a hang glider, Alex must jour-
ney through an action-oriented forest area,
Alex Kidd in Shinobi World
jumping on tree branch platforms, crossing a
Publisher: Sega. Developer: Sega. Side-
pond, and shooting at ninjas. There’s also an
Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1990.
animal forest (which also contains ninjas) and
A parody of sorts of Sega’s Shinobi, which
a village to traverse, the latter of which finds
is a popular ninja game, Alex Kidd in Shinobi
Alex — on a mission to locate a travel pass—
World was the last game in the Alex Kidd se-encountering a fast food restaurant, an antique
ries, featuring the type of Super Mario Bros. -
shop, and a pawn shop. The game is short (if
style platforming action established by Alex
potentially frustrating), and the music is repe-
Kidd in Miracle World (which was the first
titious, but at least the graphics are nice and
game in the series). Players guide Kidd as he
colorful. Includes password feature. Released
runs, jumps, climbs (up ladders, poles, and
the same year as Alex Kidd in the Enchanted
ropes), squats, slashes (with a sword), and
Castle (arcade, Genesis).
shoots his way through 12 levels of jungles, city
streets, buildings, caverns, and other ninja-
Alex Kidd in Miracle World
filled locales. There are also underwater areas
Publisher: Sega. Developer: Sega. Side-
teeming with hostile marine life. To help him
Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1986.
get through the game, Alex can open treasure
chests to acquire extra lives, spears, crystal balls
Before Sonic the Hedgehog, Alex Kidd
(for turning into a tornado), and more. Alex
was the closest thing Sega had to a Mario-style
can also pull off such magical moves as skip-
mascot. In this, his first adventure, Kidd must
ping across water and turning into a ball of fire.
run, jump, swim, and squat his way through
Cartoon-like graphics, good music (which
11 locations in Miracle World (in-
cluding Lake Fathom, Mt. Kave,
and The Blakwoods), using a
short-range punching maneuver
to destroy monster birds, flying
fish, grizzly bears, octopi, mon-
keys, and other enemies. Alex can
also destroy stone blocks (in order
to get past them), discover special
treasures, and purchase such items
as a cane of flight, a power bracelet
(for shooting enemies), magic
capsules (for calling on help in the
form of friends or a barrier shield),
and two different vehicles: a mo-
torcycle (which goes fast and
breaks blocks) and a peticopter
(which fires missiles). When Kidd
gets to the river, he will use a
speed boat to cross the water. Boss
battles are in the form of scissors/
paper/stone, which is a dumb idea,
and having to press pause on the
Three popular Master System titles: After Burner, Space Har-
console to access items is a hassle.
rier, and Out Run, each based on a Sega arcade game, and each However, nice level design, rock
pictured with box, instruction manual, and cartridge.
222
CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988
melds the Alex Kidd and Shinobi worlds nicely), ing: jump higher and farther, gain extra cloud
and fun (if overly easy) gameplay make this
shots, and fill his life meter (which acts as a
hard-to-find cartridge a winner.
timer as well as a health gauge). Magical worlds
to run, jump, shoot, and swim through in-
Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars
clude: Toy World, Machine World, World of
Publisher: Sega. Developer: Sega. Side-
Make Believe, Water World, Monster World,
Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1988.
and The Giant’s Body. Obstacles to avoid in-
clude bottomless pits, electric barriers, depth
The follow-up to Alex Kidd in Miracle
charges, fire-spitting volcanoes, gastric juices,
World, Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars is much easier and more. The game lacks the two-player si-and more colorfully cartoonish than its pro-
multaneous mode of its coin-op counterpart,
genitor, giving it a reputation as a platformer for
which Sega released in 1986.
younger gamers and disappointing fans of the
budding franchise in the process. This time, in-
stead of punching, Kidd shoots cloud shots.
Alf
There are no vehicles to commandeer, but Alex
Publisher: Sega. Developer: Nexa. Adven-
ture/Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1989.
can grab balloons for flying through the air and
grab special stars which let him do the follow-
Based on the popular sitcom, which ran
on ABC from 1986 to 1990, Alf
puts players in control of the tit-
ular alien life form: a furry, sar-
castic being from the planet Mel-
mac. Alf ’s mission is to fix his
broken space scooter so he can go
to Mars to visit his friends, Rhonda
and Skip, but he must first find
various items, such as: keys to
open doors; fuel for his scooter; a
cat for scaring rats; a salami for
batting bats; and more. Areas to
explore include a house, a cave, a
street, a lake, and the sky. Unfor-
tunately, flat graphics, jerky ani-
mation, horrendous collision de-
tection, and sparse sound effects
ruin the experience. The repeti-
tious musical score that flails away
at the ears is most definitely not
the theme from the TV show.
Alien Syndrome
Publisher: Sega. Developer: San-
ritsu Denki. Overhead View Free-
Roaming Shooter, 1 or 2 players
(alternating). 1987.
Despite the disappointing
lack of a two-player simultaneous
Alex Kidd in Miracle World and Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars for mode (something the NES version
the Master System, each pictured with box, manual, and cartridge. Prior to Sonic the Hedgehog, Alex Kidd was the closest of the game retains), Alien Synthing Sega had to a Mario-style mascot.
drome for the Master System is a
SEGA MASTER SYSTEM
223
nice port of Sega’s 1986 arcade game. Players, as
through three levels of play, shooting bullets,
Ricky or Mary, must walk through the interi-
triple shots, and lasers at colorfully detailed
ors of seven different labyrinthine, multi-room
aliens that attack in patterns. A spiffy looking
spaceships (viewed from overhead), rescuing
boss ship lies in wait at the end of each level.
hostages while avoiding and shooting aliens
Power-ups, including an orb that circles the
(which were clearly inspired by H.R. Giger’s
player’s ship and fires the same weaponry, are
designs for the creatures in the Alien film fran-available via cargo ships. The game continues
chise). Unlike the NES port, there are no maps,
in a loop after the last boss has been defeated,
but players can pick up flamethrowers and laser
meaning there is no ending (gunning for a high
rifles to replace their standard-issue combat
score is the ultimate objective). Astro Warrior
rifle. Other items to grab include warps, smart
could use automatic rapid fire and an innova-
bombs, and temporary invincibility. The ob-
tion or three, but the nuts ‘n’ bolts gameplay is
jective in each ship is to rescue all the hostages
rock solid.
and find the exit prior to the explosion of a
time bomb. Alien Syndrome is simple, but lots Aztec Adventure
of fun. Also released for the Game Gear. Re-
Publisher: Sega. Developer: Sega. Overhead
made for the PSP and Wii.
View Action/Adventure, 1 player. 1988.
In Aztec Adventure, players guide a slow-
Altered Beast
moving explorer named Niño on a long, haz-
Publisher: Sega. Developer: Sega. Side-
ardous, labyrinthine quest through forests,
Scrolling Combat, 1 player. 1989.
marshes, ruins, deserts, and other locales, in
When compared to the better playing,
hopes of finding the legendary Aztec Paradise.
better looking Genesis port (of Sega’s 1988 ar-
Armed with a sword for battling the many spir-
cade game), Altered Beast for the Master Sysits, demons, and beasts that crowd the levels,
tem is missing a number of features, including
Niño can also find a spear, iron balls (standard
the two-player mode, the grizzly bear creature,
and four-way), fireballs (for burning danger-
and all of level three. Cast in the role of a res-
ous trees and flowers), boots (for walking on
urrected Roman Centurion, players walk,
water), tornados (for defeating tough enemies),
jump, punch, and kick their way through four
lightning (for invincibility), and dynamite (for
short levels, battling headless skeletons, two-