The concept of “eductainment” games on consoles never really seemed to make sense. Aside from your Sesame Street kind of fair, there really seems to be no reason for the genre to exist. Still, developers churn them out, and publishers press and release them, so some is obviously buying them. That was probably the philosophy used by Software Toolworks when it released San Diego Zoo Presents: The Animals!. Simple and dull, it’s nothing more than an excuse to throw some full-motion video on a disc and call it “multi-media.”
Sega CD Reviews
Penn & Teller’s Smoke and Mirrors
In 2006, Penn & Teller’s Smoke and Mirrors for Sega CD was finally leaked for public consumption. The much-hyped title only took eleven long years to arrive, having been shelved after publisher Absolute Entertainment went belly up. Despite never seeing a true retail release, it was completely finished (which is why we’re reviewing it) and so begs the question: is it any good? Well, there’s actually more to it than the (in)famous “Bus Ride” segment.
Microcosm
Full-motion video games are love ’em or leave ’em, and most left a long time ago. There are some out there who actually enjoy them all, and those who have an open mind are sure to find a few that they might *gasp* like! Psygnosis’ Microcosm is one title that tends to split people right down the middle, so read our full review and see where you stand.
A/X-101
On-rails FMV shooters pop up every now and then, but the only difference between them is usually the quality of the video. As consoles progess in power and features, this particular genre never really seems to go anywhere. Perhaps that’s why they’re still not a lot of fun to play, even after so many years. Take Absolute Entertainment’s A/X-101 for the Sega CD, for instance. Grainy video, dull enemies, and some bland gameplay are everything you’d expect going in, and at least in this regard, the game doesn’t disappoint. Too bad that’s the only expectation it will ever meet. Read our full review and then go play some Android Assault to make the hurt go away.
Links: The Challenge of Golf
It’s always a shame when new hardware is released, and developers fail to take advantage of it for their games. Every console is guilty of this to some regard, but console gamers first really began to feel the frustration with the Sega CD. A slew of cartridge ports with redbook soundtracks made it clear that many developers had neither the skill nor the interest in using the CD-ROM format to its fullest potential. Vrigin’s Links: The Challenge of Golf is a great example. With so much memory and CD sound, it’s a shame more wasn’t done to make it more than just a sub par (ha!) game that pales next to its PC siblings.