Interview: Mark Cerny

[Melf]

Sega-16 prides itself on having the largest collection of Genesis era interviews in the world. Nothing gives our readers a better understanding of how the 16-bit industry worked than conversations with the people who were actually there. Today, we got to talk to a man who's been in gaming seemingly forever. Mark Cerny, aside from being an arcade legend, was also the founder and head of the Sega Technical Institute, a domestic development group at Sega that released such innovative titles as Comix Zone and The Ooze. Oh, and it was responsible for a little game called Sonic The Hedgehog 2. Read our exclusive interview (http://www.sega-16.com/2006/12/interview-mark-cerny/) and prepare for a trip into Sega of America's development history.

[Joe Redifer]

Great interview! I've always wanted to see Mark talk about Sega. I wish I could thank him for Shooting Gallery and Missile Defense 3D (SMS).

The EA port of Marble Madness was pretty bad (especially the gawdawful sound), but I wish Sega themselves would have made it and somehow incorporated support for the Sega Sports Pad, which was the trackball for the Master System.

[Flash1087]

Anyone involved with the production of Comix Zone deserves a hearty 'thanks' and to be taken out for the best Mexican dinner of their life.

Good interview, I always love hearing an American employee's perspective on the early days of the Genesis, like when we heard from Tom Kalinske.

[Joe Redifer]

Cerny had no involvement in Comix Zone. If he did, the game might be less buggy.

[Melf]

Yeah, CZ was done after he left.

Joe: Could the Sports Pad be used with MM? It works on the Genesis, no? At least it plugs in. I wonder if it would be compatible (or could be made compatible) with any games with some hacking.

[VinnyT]

Who do you think the unnamed developer could be Ken?

[Joe Redifer]

I iwsh I still had my sports pad, but it could be used as a regular d-pad, yes. Problem is that it didn't have a start button! But you could swap controllers really quick and it should work to some degree. I remember using it for Space Harrier!

[Flash1087]

Cerny had no involvement in Comix Zone. If he did, the game might be less buggy.

I know, I meant the development team in general, since Melf mentioned STI's other projects in the starter post. Buggy or not, I loved it.

[redrum666]

wow great interview i love reading interviews with people that are still working in the business a lot of interviews i read about people that worked in video games business back in the Atari nintendo master system genesis supernes days dont work any more in the business so it good to see he still working and makeing great games

[j_factor]

Good interview, but a bit too brief. I wanted to hear about Kid Chameleon.