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Bubble Bobble is an all-time arcade classic that made the (100) rounds on just about every console in some fashion. Taito saved the best version for the Master System, doubling the length and adding a lot of new content. It remains one of the best two-player cooperative experiences on the hardware, and any fan of old school, single-screen games should give it a try.
Woody Pop came bundled with Sega’s paddle controller, but it’s not necessarily the best game to use with it. Poor presentation and problematic gameplay keep it from reaching the heights of other classic paddle games like Arkanoid or Kaboom!, and it even falls short compared to similar Master System games. Unless you’re looking to complete your Master System collection, this one shouldn’t be a priority.
Poor Alex Kidd can’t catch a break. After losing his job as Sega’s mascot to Sonic, he’s been in the video game wilderness for years. With games like BMX Trial, it’s no wonder. A Paddle Control title, this racer is about as much fun as rubbing against one of the numerous cacti Alex has to avoid. There are better paddle games out there, so save your money.
Girl’s Garden is mostly known for being the debut work of Sega legends Yuji Naka and Hiroshi Kawaguchi, but it’s also a decent little game that works well on the SG-1000. Young girls are definitely it’s target audience, but the gameplay and presentation are solid enough for everyone to have fun with it, regardless of age.
There was a lot of potential with Galactic Protector, but Sega didn’t seem to know what to do with it. It requires the Japan-only Paddle Control to play, but it somehow makes using it a chore. Instead of bringing a new level of depth to the gameplay beyond what the standard controller offers, it suffers from some bewildering restrictions that make the game harder to play and a lot less fun.