| Alex Kidd | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre(s) | Platformer |
| Developer(s) | Sega |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| First release | Alex Kidd in Miracle World November 1, 1986 |
| Latest release | Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX June 22, 2021 |
Alex Kidd [lower-alpha 1] is a platform video game series developed by Sega, and starring the titular Alex Kidd.
| 1986 | Alex Kidd in Miracle World Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars |
|---|---|
| 1987 | Alex Kidd: High-Tech World |
| Alex Kidd BMX Trial | |
| 1988 | |
| 1989 | Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle |
| 1990 | Alex Kidd in Shinobi World |
| 1991–2020 | |
| 2021 | Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX |
The franchise includes seven titles.
The first game in the series, Alex Kidd in Miracle World , was released in 1986 and built into later versions of the Master System and the Master System II model, replacing the Snail Maze / Safari Hunt / Hang-On games of the first model. This integrated SMSII version reversed the attack and jump buttons from the earlier cartridge version to conform to that of other popular action games of the day. A notable visual difference is in the original cartridge version, Alex is shown eating Japanese onigiri, but in the SMSII integrated version, it has been changed to a hamburger to appeal to Western players.
Most games in the Alex Kidd series differ dramatically from one another, the sole exception being Miracle World and its direct sequel, Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle . While most games in the series were still platform-based, the only elements that tied the series together was the name and the title character. One game in the series, Alex Kidd: High-Tech World , was not an Alex Kidd game in Japan and was based instead on a 1980s Japanese animated series airing at the time, Anmitsu Hime .
After the release of Alex Kidd in Shinobi World in 1990, Sega decided to shift focus towards Sonic the Hedgehog.
In 2020, Sega confirmed that they would be publishing a remake of Alex Kidd in Miracle World developed by Merge Games and Jankenteam. [3] This ended up being Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX, released on June 22, 2021.
Alex Kidd titles have been re-released as part of various Sega video game compilations, including Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection and Sega Vintage Collection .
The Master System is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console manufactured and developed by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series of consoles, which was released in Japan in 1985 and featured enhanced graphical capabilities over its predecessors. The Master System launched in North America in 1986, followed by Europe in 1987, and then in Brazil and Korea in 1989. A Japanese version of the Master System was also launched in 1987, which features a few enhancements over the export models : a built-in FM audio chip, a rapid-fire switch, and a dedicated port for the 3D glasses. The Master System II, a cheaper model, was released in 1990 in North America, Australasia and Europe.
Sonic the Hedgehog is a 1991 side-scrolling platform game. It is a companion to the 16-bit Sega Genesis game Sonic the Hedgehog for the 8-bit Master System and Game Gear consoles. Ancient—a studio founded by composer Yuzo Koshiro for the project—developed the game and Sega published it to promote the handheld Game Gear. The 8-bit Sonic is a side-scrolling video game similar in style to the 16-bit game, but reduced in complexity to fit the 8-bit systems.
Shinobi (忍) is a side-scrolling hack and slash video game produced by Sega, originally released for arcades on the Sega System 16 board in 1987. The player controls ninja Joe Musashi, to stop the Zeed terrorist organization from kidnapping students of his clan.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World is a platform game for the Master System. It was released in Japan on November 1, 1986, followed by the United States in December 1986, with Europe in September 1987, plus South Korea in October 1988, and Brazil in 1989. It was later built into many Master System and Master System II consoles. A remake by Merge Games and Jankenteam, titled Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX, was released on June 22, 2021.
Alex Kidd in Shinobi World is a side-scrolling action game from Sega for the Master System in 1990. Developed in Japan, it was released for the overseas market. The game stars Alex Kidd in a parody version of Sega's ninja-themed action game Shinobi, where Alex Kidd fights against caricatures of many of the enemies from Shinobi. It was re-released for the Wii Virtual Console in 2009.
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Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle is a side-scrolling platform game developed and published by Sega for the Genesis. The game was released in Japan on February 10, 1989, in the U.S. on August 14, 1989, in Europe on November 30, 1990, in South Korea in December 1990, and in Brazil on March 21, 1991, shortly after the beginning of autumn. It is the only 16-bit platform game starring Alex Kidd, and the fifth game in the Alex Kidd series of video games.
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Rieko Kodama, also known as Phoenix Rie, was a Japanese video game artist, director, and producer employed by Sega from 1984 until her death. She is primarily known for her work on role-playing games (RPGs) including the original Phantasy Star series, the 7th Dragon series, and Skies of Arcadia (2000). She is often recognized as one of the first successful women in the video game industry.
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Kotaro Hayashida, also known by the pseudonym Ossale Kohta (オサール・コウタ), is a Japanese video game designer best known for his work at Sega, which he joined in 1983. He has worked on games such as Alex Kidd in Miracle World and Phantasy Star.
In the video game industry, a console war describes the competition between two or more video game console manufacturers in trying to achieve better consumer sales through more advanced console technology, an improved selection of video games, and general marketing around their consoles. While console manufacturers are generally always trying to out-perform other manufacturers in sales, these console wars engage in more direct tactics to compare their offerings directly against their competitors or to disparage the competition in contrast to their own, and thus the marketing efforts have tended to escalate in back-and-forth pushes.
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