Game Information

ROM Information:
Save Function on ROM: Yes
Emulator/s it has been tested on: Massage V0.8F

System:
Sega Master System
Released:
1986
Extras:

Direction Pad:
Move alex kidd left and right, and enter shops.
Start Button:
Pause and bring up the stat screen.
A Button:
Jump, speed up in peticopter.
B Button:
Punch, fire in peticopter and boat.

Everyone who has, or had, a SEGA Master system will have played, or at least heard of, Alex Kidd. This was one of the first games to get released on the Master System, and offered us gamesplayers a challenging yet fun platform adventure. Alex Kidd was received so well by the gamesplayers, that SEGA later released two sequels for the Master System, and an all new Alex Kidd for the SEGA MegaDrive however, Alex kidd in miracle world was the first in the series, but was it the best?

The basic idea of Alex Kidd is simple, you have to find the levels exit, without getting killed, it's that simple, yet as you can guess, theres various obstacles between you and the levels exit. You control a little bloke named Alex Kidd, he wasn't at the front of the queue when god was handing out good looks, but he can perform an array of moves which help him on his way. Alex kidd can jump, punch, swim, ride bikes, fly helicopers and even control jet boats!

"The game is based heavily around planning your route through the screen, and asking you to successfully and quickly execute your route..."

The game works by placing a selection of screens together making a level, this means that you arrive on a screen and you can see where you have to get to, all you have to do now is work out how your going to get there. There are various obstacles in your way, such as falling platforms, jumping frogs, flames of fire, drops, attacking monkeys and a whole host of other strange creatures. Most of the enemies can be killed simply by pressing the punch button at the right moment, however the other non creature obstacles are far harder to dodge and can't be destroyed. The game is based heavily around planning your route through the screen, and asking you to successfully and quickly execute your route...

At the end of every 3 levels or so, you have to face an end of level boss however, unlike most platforms games you don't have to kill him, just beat him at the scissors, paper, stone game...you know, paper wraps stone, scissors cut paper and so on! This makes a great little game all of its own, however once you have successfully beaten the boss, you then have to face them later on in the game, again facing up to them via this scissor, paper, stone game only when you beat them, you then have to kill them. This is where the game gets a little tricky, the bosses head comes off and starts flying around the screen in a set patten, all you have to do is work out the patten and punch the head three or so times, then the boss is destroyed and you can carry on to the next level. Once you have worked out the patten, and when you should hit the head, the bosses can be taken care off in a matter of seconds without any major problems.

"more often then not you'll end up getting killed one way or the other, beit via the ghost killing you or you simply falling off a ledge in your panic...gamesplaying at its best!"

All the levels have ledges that you have to jump from and to, and there are even some blocks which Alex kidd can destroy by punching, most of the time they reveal money which Alex Kidd can pick up and then spend in any of the games shops. However, some of the blocks once destroyed reveal little ghosts, which will then home in on you and follow you until they either get you and kill you, or you run off the screen and lose them as it where! This really gets you going, as you suddenly reveal a ghost and just start running and jumping all over the show in an attempt to get away...more often then not you'll end up getting killed one way or the other, beit via the ghost killing you or you simply falling off a ledge in your panic...gamesplaying at its best!

The money that you pick up whilst playing, can be spent in the shops...these appear on a few of the levels and allow you the opportunity to buy various items, such as extra lifes, special power ups or even vehicles...yes Alex kidd allows you to control various vehicles. You can take the control of a Motorcycle, Peticopter or a boat. The peticopter and boat allow you to fire at your enemies and blocks, thus allowing you to reach the end of the level, whilst the motorcycle simply lets you run over the enemies and jump through the blocks, detroying them in the process.

The graphics are very clear for the Master System, and each level seems to be based in a different location, sometimes you'll be running through forests, swimming in the sea, jumping in the desert, killing enemies underground, flying in the sky and then theres the castles. In total there are 11 locations, from Mt. Eternal to Mt. Kave, from Lake Fathom to Cragg Lake it all makes for a great looking game.

The game also comes with three castles, which offer the most fun, yet the toughest challenge. This is where the game really comes alive, and there are so many new gameplay ideas, that you never know what to expect next. Theres one section in the first castle, where you enter the screen and are faced with the room filling with water from the ceiling, there appears to be no way out...the screen continues to fill with water...then you see a block with an icon on it! You punch the block and on the other side of the screen, one of the blocks disappears, you punch the block again and then another block disappears allowing you to move onto the next screen...you rush for the exit, just making it before the room fills with water, the tension is there and you leave the room with a smile on your face that says it all, your gamesplaying skills have been tested and you know it! Then you have to work out the next puzzle, the game just continues to throw things at you...

The sound is also of a high quality for the Master System, they're tunes which will stick in your head, and in years to come when you suddenly hear the tunes playing again, you'll smile and think "Oh yes..." I know I did...

How does the game play then, well it plays like a dream, the controls are simple yet so effective. It allows you to quickly execute your moves and keeps the gameplay flowing. Some of the puzzles are hard to work out, yet stick at it and you will solve it...the way this game works, means you actually want to solve it! The game has a great learning curve and the vehicles add a little extra excitment to the gameplay, and makes sure that the game never get boring or repetitive...

"this game is one of the most rewarding experiances you will ever have the joy of playing."

You have to time things just right, meaning that you sometimes have to say "right here goes..." and then you just find yourself jumping all the ledges, punching that jumping frog, running across the falling ledge and then making the ladder to move onto the next screen, this game is one of the most rewarding experiances you will ever have the joy of playing.

Alex Kidd follows a sort of RPG storyline, where you have to save your friends, and it comes with a rather mysical feel. The game doesn't know weather it wants to be an out and out Platform or an RPG, with the money and talking to characters, yet this only adds to the feel of the game, it's a game which is very unique, and very statisfying and fun to play.

When you hear the name Nintendo you think of Mario, when you hear the name Playstation you think of Lara Croft and when you hear SEGA, you think of Sonic...however, Alex Kidd is a far better platform in my view! The only aspect which lets this game down, is the lead character, he doesn't have any attitude, doesn't look cool and he just doesn't look like a hero. If Alex Kidd only looked a bit cooler...maybe when you heard the name SEGA, you would cry "Alex Kidd".

This is one of the games which is an absolute classic from start to finish, and it will offer a real challenge to any gamesplayer. The game may be showing its age now, but it still manages to impress! There's never a dull moment, and you will have to think about what you want and have to do. SEGA released a list of sequels to this game, non of them offered the same challenge, and non of them had that special feel that you get from this game. Maybe this is why Sonic become the main character you think of when you hear the name SEGA, the sonic series got better and better...if only the sequels had been better, Alex kidd maybe would have been the well known character Sonic is now. Without any doubt this is one of the toughest, most statisfying and fun platformers out there, theres only one word to discribe Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Classic!

Kevin Preston

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