Jordan Mechner’s computer classic Prince of Persia has found its way onto virtually every game platform imaginable. Its timeless gameplay and incredible challenge still hold up, despite all the advances in hardware, and many of the later, more graphically powerful renditions never managed to match the fluidity and intuitiveness of Mechner’s original. The Sega CD port tried to keep that special charm intact while adding some of the bells and whistles of CD technology. The results were mixed, and people still take sides today in regards to its quality.
Sega CD Reviews
Loadstar: The Legend of Tully Bodine
If there’s a bright side to having to review all these full-motion video games for the Sega CD, it’s that we’ve gone through the majority of them. A few still linger around the fringes of our consoles, like hungry puppies trying to force their way close to thier mother’s belly to nurse. One particularly determined puppy is Rocket Science’s space rail shooter Loadstar: The Legend of Tully Bodine. Typical for the genre, the gameplay falls far short of the cut scene production values, and gamers have yet another means to cure their insomnia.
Cadillacs & Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs always make things better, don’t they? What can be better than giant lizards smashing stuff? Well, pair them with fast cars, and you have the makings of the comic book classic Cadillacs and Dinosaurs. Capcom gave it the arcade treatment, and Rocket Science Games brought a FMV perspective to the series on the Sega CD. Wait! Come back! It’s not as bad as it sounds! Aside from being repetitive, the game’s not that bad, and the FMV gameplay is actually not at fault.
Wheel of Fortune (CD)
For a quarter century, Vanna White has been making a fortune turning letters on a wall, even after technology had long made her obsolete. The popularity of Wheel of Fortune has endured for decades, and many a gaming platform has had its own version in some form or another. The Sega CD was no exception, but whatever charm and magic made the show such a hit was completely lost in this horrible version.
Chuck Rock II: Son of Chuck (CD)
When most people think of the Sega CD, they think of full-motion video games. Yeah, there’s more than a fair share of those on the add-on, but there are also a lot of quality titles, including some great platformers. Some games, like the CD version of Chuck Rock II, are more than just cartridge games with CD soundtracks. There are lots of neat visual effects and one cool cinematic intro sequence that makes this the definitive version to own.
