In this translated interview from 1979, then-Sega Executive Vice President Hayao Nakayama discusses the company’s operations, bootleggers, and the recently-acquired Gremlin Industries. He provides some insightful details into Sega’s corporate composition, priorities, and sales, as well as the relationship between its Japanese and U.S. branches.
Current Articles
The ten most recent articles.
Choplifter
Sega took its already great arcade game and improved it for a Master System release. Though short and often brutally hard, Choplifter is really fun while it lasts and is an excellent refinement of the PC classic. If you’re looking for some twitchy shooting action, then this is one game you definitely need to try out. Grab a Master System controller and GET TO DE CHOPPA!
Behind the Design: Shining Force
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.
Alex Kidd BMX Trial
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.
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.
