This interview with Sega Spain President Paco Pastor originally appeared in the November 1992 issue of Mega Force. In it, Pastor shares some candid opinions on Sega’s products at a time when the company’s European fortunes were on the rise. It’s an interesting glimpse into how Sega ran its business in Spain, a sector that doesn’t usually get much press.
Author: Ken Horowitz
Interview: David O’Hare (Advertising Specialist)
Goodby, Berlin & Silverstein’s “WELCOME TO THE NEXT LEVEL” campaign, along with the legendary “Sega Scream,” gave Sega the edge it needed to finally break Nintendo’s monopoly on the industry and become part of popular culture. David O’Hare was part of that legendary campaign, and he shares his experience with us in this exclusive interview!
Congo Bongo (SG-1000)
Congo Bongo is one of Sega’s underrated arcade titles, and it’s more than a mere Donkey Kong clone. Unfortunately, its charm and engaging gameplay didn’t make it into the SG-1000 conversion. What’s left is barely reminiscent of the coin-op, and it fails to offer any incentive for play over superior ports on other hardware of the era.
Xeno Crisis
Bitmap Bureau’s Xeno Crisis is an explosive, frenetic blast of a good time that shows just how much life is left in the ol’ Genesis. It combines a gorgeous aesthetic with some great two-player run-‘-n-gun action, producing a title that’s a model of crowd-funding done right.
Sounds of Sega: Turbo OutRun (Arcade)
Following up a soundtrack as timeless as OutRun’s was a difficult proposition, but 1989’s Turbo OutRun made an excellent try at it. Its selection of fast-paced themes echoed the new racing style that still leaves fans of the series divided today. Despite the controversy surrounding the changes to the gameplay, this was a great score that deserves some attention.