Climax built on its success with Shining in the Darkness to create one of the most legendary 16-bit titles of all time. To this day, Shining Force is considered a true Genesis classic, and it spawned a series of its own that still has fans. Join us as we examine how this beloved game was conceived, developed, and released.
Author: Ken Horowitz
Detonator Orgun
One genre that seemed tailor made for the Sega CD was the digital novel, but even there, quality varied. Detonator Orgun tried to adapt its namesake’s weird story to game form, but it fell flat due to a lack of any real action and subpar presentation. It’s not a horrible adaptation, but there are better anime-based digital novels out there to play. Fans of the OVA might enjoy this one, but those looking for a great anime-based digital novel will enjoy Urusei Yatsura: My Dear Friends a whole lot more.
Behind the Design: Shining in the Darkness
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.
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!
