Climax burst onto the 16-bit scene with a wonderful 8Mb RPG that looked like nothing coming out of Japan at the time. Filled with memorable characters, fantastic visual effects, and a challenging quest, Shining in the Darkness was one hell of a debut title. It put Climax on the map and laid the foundation for a series that would run for the next three decades.
Author: Ken Horowitz
Classic Interview: Shigeo Kamata and Hideki Sato
Early on in the Mega Drive’s life, Sega was ramping up game development and accessory support to make it a real contender against Nintendo’s NES. In this February 1990 interview, Sega’s Deputy General Manager of Consumer Business Dept., Shigeo Kamata, and the Director of R&D, Hideki Sato, talk about that strategy, including console sales, the Mega Modem, the start of the Sega Technical Institute, and more.
Behind the Design: Sega Rally Championship (Arcade)
AM3 unleashed a monster racing title in early 1995 with Sega Rally Championship. Designed to be as far apart from Daytona USA as possible, the game brought off-road racing to arcades like no title before it. Its development is a tale of struggle and innovation, one that launched a franchise and a storied career. Join as we examine this Sega classic!
Zaxxon
Sega innovated in several ways with 1982’s Zaxxon and created a solid and challenging shooter that has become a classic. However, some may not enjoy the lack of depth find the gameplay frustrating if they’re not using a control stick. If those are humps you can get over, then Zaxxon offers an enjoyable, albeit short, experience that exemplifies Sega at its creative best.
Hacks & Homebrews: Final Fight MD
Capcom’s seminal brawler has finally made its way to the Genesis, and it has a ton of new features! Homebrew developer MXRetroDev has spent months fine-tuning the port, and the result is a Christmas present Genesis fans will definitely want to have on their flash carts.
