Those lucky enough to play Sega’s G-LOC in the arcades were treated to an awesome spectacle, filled with intense graphics and sound and an interactive cabinet that would yaw, pitch, and roll with the yolk’s movements. It simply had to be experienced. Sega eventually brought the game home, but the effort was considerably different, as much of what made the original so special was the dynamic arcade unit itself. I suppose you can move to and fro in your recliner as you play the Genesis version, but something tells me it’s just not the same.
Tag: Sega Enterprises
California Games
Epyx scored a series of hits in the late ’80s with its Games series, and the California edition was ported to every console ever conceived by man. Ok, maybe not that many, but it sure does seem like everyone had a chance to play California Games, no matter what console or computer they had. The Genesis got a port of its own, courtesy of Ecco wonder group Novotrade, but what could have been the best version of all turned out to be a major letdown. After spending time with this one and seeing all the lost potential, we think someone at Novotrade deserved to be smacked in the head with a solid steel footbag.
James “Buster” Douglas Knockout Boxing
In 1990, Sega was riding high on the success of its licensed sports games. Joe Montana Football was a solid seller, and the company was ecstatic to have secured the license of the new heavyweight boxing champ – the man who defeated “Iron” Mike Tyson – James “Buster” Douglas. Unfortunately, Sega apparently made more of an effort to get Douglas’ moniker on the box than it did to make the actual game around it, as the licensed Final Blow game it used was mediocre at best. To add insult to injury, Douglas lost his championship belt to Evander Holyfield in his very first title defense a mere nine months later.
Desert Demolition Starring Road Runner & Wile E. Coyote
For more than half a century, Warner Bros.’ Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner have been delighting audiences with their ACME-funded slapstick antics. It took long enough, but someone finally realized that this dynamic had the makings of a great video game. Blue Sky Software coded such a game for the Genesis, and the result was pretty interesting.
Bonkers
Disney and Sega go back a long way. Mickey Mouse practically lived on the Genesis, and a slew of other properties found their way onto the console. Among the licensed properties to get a game of its own was Bonkers, based on the short-lived cartoon series that featured a former cartoon star turned cop who patrols the Toontown of Who Framed Roger Rabbit fame in search of escaped criminals. Sounds like something to look forward to for seasoned platform gamers, right? Oh, did I mention it’s a Sega Club game? Yeah… can’t win ’em all, I guess.