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Sega joined with Michael Jackson to release what seemed to be a fever dream made playable in Moonwalker. Two versions were developed, and we take a deep dive into the making of the arcade version, with newly-translated information that gives us a more complete perspective on how this one-of-a-kind video game ever became a reality.
Wooo! Michael Jackson dances his way onto the Master System! While not as potent as its Genesis sibling in presentation, the 8-bit version of Moonwalker is still a good game that captures the essence of the musical legend. If you’re looking for a new game for your Master System and have some cash to spare, this one is worth adding to your library.
Normally, we don’t update on weekends. However, the death of pop icon Michael Jackson, moves us to offer up something in tribute. Jackson was a man who was closely tied to Sega for a decade, from his initial Moonwalker title to the rumors surrounding his involvement in Sonic 3 and his later appearances in both Space Channel 5 games and Ready to Rumble. His link with Sega is now forever broken, but Genesis fans still have the great Moonwalker to cherish and play.
For years there have been persistent rumors that Michael Jackson composed the music to Sonic The Hedgehog 3 but was fired when his child molestation scandal became public news. Over time, many people have gathered what they believe to be conclusive evidence that the King of Pop was indeed working for Sega, and they even suggest that he used the music that was rejected in compositions for his later albums.
Now, after a year of research and communications with almost a half dozen people from Sega of America management as well as those who were directly involved with the game, Sega-16 has compiled all the available evidence from both sides – those who think MJ was hired and those who don’t – and we’ve come up with what seems to be the most probable scenario.
Despite what you may think about Michael Jackson now, his musical talent is something that has remained consistent throughout the years. At the height of his fame, he was all over the place, including the movies, with the self-indulgent dance fantasy Moonwalker. Jackson himself is credited with the game concept and design of the video game versions of the movie, which were released for several consoles and in arcades. In our latest installment of Side by Side, we take a look at the Genesis and coin-op versions and see which comes out on top. Read the full article and try not to “woo!” too loudly.