In the last installment of MEGA Bites, we mentioned that the green light was given for a novelization of the Data East laser disc game (and Sega-16 favorite) Road Avenger. As major fans of the game, we weren’t content with mere news blurbs, and we managed to pry author Mary Margaret Park away from her writing long enough to get the lowdown on this interesting take on the property. Read our full interview for all the details, and no, the book won’t come with a copy of the theme song.
Interviews
Interview: Matt Harmon (Designer & Programmer)
It seems odd that a company would develop a title almost to completion, only to shelve it at the eleventh hour. Yet such behavior is common in the game industry for a multitude of reasons, and many games are never released though being virtually completed. It Came from the Desert is an example of corporate decisions leaving development out in the cold. Sega-16 contributor Brandon Cobb recently spoke to Matt Harmon, the man behind the game, about its creation and subsequent termination.
Interview: Spencer Nilsen (Composer)
He’s one of the most notable composers of the 16-bit era, and for some, one of the most controversial. Spencer Nilsen has been writing music for all forms of media for almost twenty years, and he has a particular place in the history of the Genesis and Sega CD. Sega-16 was fortunate enough to chat with him for a spell, so read the interview and see what he thinks of the whole Sonic CD soundtrack controversy!
Interview: Hideki Ikeda (SOA Programmer)
Programming video games is a big challenge. Just ask Hideki Ikeda, a man who’s worked on everything from the TurboGrafx-16 and Game Gear to the mighty Genesis itself. He was also involved with the Sega CD, and he recently shared his experiences with us in a brief interview.
Interview: Nick Alexander (First CEO of Sega Europe)
Sega-16 has spoken to both presidents of Sega of America from the Genesis era, and we’re not quite done yet! We recently had the chance to chat with the former head of the European branch, Nick Alexander, and he told us about the company’s game plan against Nintendo and how it handled everything from the Sega CD to Japanese executives!