It’s always interesting to get a close look at the inner workings of Sega during its heyday. We’ve spoken to management before, but there’s always plenty more going on behind the scenes that the suits won’t reveal. A great source for this juicy info can be found among game testers, the worker ants of most software publishers. Known as “Game Analysts” at Sega, testers saw all kinds of interesting things happen during the Genesis era, and Sega-16 recently spoke to Tom Byrne, a third party tester during the early ’90s. A big fan of strategy titles, Mr. Byrne gave us some great details on the quality control process for third party titles, and he shares his experiences in our latest interview.
Author: Ken Horowitz
Immortal, The
You’ve blown through Crusader of Centy, finished Landstalker, played through Light Crusader, and you’re wondering what’s next. Well, before emitting a Darth Vader-like “all too easy” at the lack of adventure/RPGs left for you to conquer. Well, why not go back to the early years of the Genesis’ life and try out one that’s harder than all of those combined? If you’re looking for the big boss on the adventure/RPG ladder, look no further than Will Harvey’s The Immortal. There are more traps, goblins, and giant worms than you can shake a +1 Staff of Fire at!
Double Take: Spider-Man vs. the Kingpin
Sometimes, a game that doesn’t look like much ends up playing a pivitol role in history. You wouldn’t think that Sega’s Spider-Man vs. the Kingpin would fit that mold, given that it never really seemed to set the world on fire. Underneath it all though, was a concentrated effort to do the character justice and be true to his roots. The result was a game that set a blueprint for future titles, and it remains one of the more faithful super heroes titles of the era. Sega-16 takes a deeper look at the importance of Spider-Man’s Genesis debut in the latest installment of Double Take. Read on, true believer!
Dynamite Duke
There’s something to be said about straight-up shooters. I’m not talking about the “lone pilot vs. invading aliens” classics. No, I mean one guy with a BIG gun just squeezing the trigger until the vibrations stop! Dynamite Duke appears to be the game to fit the bill in this regard, until you actually play it. Aren’t explosions and big armament supposed to invoke some kind of a response? Shock and awe, meet your evil twin.
MEGA Bites Vol. 04
For a console that was officially discontinued almost a decade ago, it’s nice to see the Genesis still making waves in the industry. We have some news about the new Xbox 360 and PS3 Golden axe game, the fate of Earthworm Jim, another attempt at making the Genesis portable, Mega Drive games on the Wii, and some great guys using the Sega CD for charity.