Topic: Master System/Game Gear Game Atlas

[Will]

For some time, I have been scanning through some of Sega's classic titles and trying to compose a good Atlas equivelent to the Nintendo Recreation Atlas previously worked on. The titles chosen are meant to be parallel to that of Nintendo titles like Sonic as opposed to Mario, Shinobi as opposed to Ninja Gaiden and so on. There are a total of 35 game titles. Where there is '+' it's a game that only exists on Game Gear. Although most of the GG and SMS games are identical in everything but colour amount, they are technically the same. Here is what I have composed so far:

Chapter 1: Sonic Surfer
Sonic Blast -
Sonic Chaos -
Sonic the Hedgehog - COMPLETED by Maxim
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 -
Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball -
+Sonic the Hedgehog
+Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - INCOMPLETE
+Sonic Drift - COMPLETED by me
+Sonic Drift 2 - COMPLETED by me
+Sonic Labyrinth -
+Sonic Triple Trouble -
+Tail's Adventures - COMPLETED by me
+Tail's Sky Patrol - COMPLETED by SorachiJirachi

Chapter 2: Super Shining Force
+Shining Force Gaiden -
+Shining Force 2: The Sword of Hayja -
+Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict -

Chapter 3: Wonder World
Wonder Boy -
Wonder Boy in Monster Land - COMPLETED by Maxim
Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap - COMPLETED by Maxim
Wonder Boy in Monster World -

Chapter 4: Phantasy Mysteries
Phantasy Star - COMPLETED by me
+Phantasy Star Gaiden (J) - COMPLETED by me

Chapter 5: Mickey & Donald Adventures
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse - COMPLETED by me and Geminiman
Land of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse - COMPLETED by me
Lucky Dime Caper Starring Donald Duck - COMPLETED by Maxim
Deep Duck Trouble Starring Donald Duck - INCOMPLETE
+Legend of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse - COMPLETED by me

Chapter 6: Shinobi Magic
Shinobi - COMPLETED by DarkWolf
The Cyber Shinobi -
Shadow Dancer - COMPLETED by me
+Shinobi - COMPLETED by me
+Shinobi 2: The Silent Fury - COMPLETED by me

Chapter 7: Alex All-times
Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars - COMPLETED by me
Alex Kidd BMX Trial - COMPLETED by Maxim
Alex Kidd in High-Tech World - COMPLETED by me
Alex Kidd in Miracle World - COMPLETED by me
Alex Kidd in Shinobi World - COMPLETED by Maxim

Chapter 8: Golden Axe Quest
Golden Axe - COMPLETED by me and Maxim
Golden Axe Warrior - COMPLETED by me and Darkwolf
+Ax Battler: A Legend of the Golden Axe - COMPLETED by me and Maxim

[Will]

So you've seen the entire list. What do you think? There are of course more Phantasy Star games than what I've shown, but they are text-based and dialogue choice sort of games so they're excluded. I chose Mickey and Donald of all games for the Disney chapter because most of the other games have terrible quality and gameplay, especially "Bonkers Wax Up!".

[Maxim]

Do you think it is worthwhile to map the Master System and Game Gear versions' differences? Sometimes the differences are quite large.

I think it would be nice to put the names of the people who contributed the maps in the list. Maybe use the table markup to make sure it is clearly laid out.

Wonder Boy in Monster World is the fourth game in the series.

I think the Fantasy Zone and Zillion series ought to be included.

[Will]

I'll attend to some of the adjustments.

I'll think about squeezing another chapter into atlas for Zillion and Fantasy Zone's sake.

I've never really noticed any big differences between most GG and SMS games although you once showed me colour scheme differences in Legend of Illusion, so I suppose redoing would be ideal.

EDIT: You were right. The GG version of Shinobi is completely different from the SMS version. Well that makes an additional title to the chapter.

[Maxim]

Many games are adjusted for the smaller screen, and others have completely different levels. Sonic 2 is very different between SMS and GG, but you may not notice if you only look at the first screen...

Legend of Illusion is a game that was made for the GG, and then badly converted to the SMS. It looks a lot nicer with the original 12-bit colour.

[Will]

Since there isn't much Sega mapping activity going on at the moment I have begun some work on "Shinobi 2 - The Silent Fury".

[Maxim]

Lucky Dime Caper is "incomplete". The diagonal scrolling stages are pretty tricky to map, since the scrolling is a raster effect that doesn't line up perfectly, and it has screen-flicking transitions that have to be edited by hand. I hope the second hill will be a copy/paste of the first, though.

[Will]

Nice job. I'm confident Lucky Dime Caper will make its mark. Meanwhile I have finished GG Shinobi II and am well underway with GG Shinobi.

[Will]

Since all seven stages are mapped, the game on the list has been marked as 'Completed'. I noticed that the GG version of Lucky Dime Caper is shorter in some stage lengths and areas than the SMS version. Let me know Maxim if you're interested in any of the other titles.

Also I have finished both GG Shinobi games and am now working on Cyber Shinobi. That game does not look really appealing in comparison with the other Shinobi games.

[Maxim]

Yes, the level layouts are very different in the GG version. Interestingly, internally the GG version is working as an SMS game, so it may be possible to hack it to become an SMS version with the GG layouts.

[Will]

The "Land of Illusion" maps have all been revised with missing secret passages and chests.

Also the Game Gear "Legend of Illusion" maps have arrived. When I compare it with the SMS version, the SMS colours seem to be very off putting and unappealing.

[Maxim]

I'm glad you remapped Legend of Illusion. It looks much better with the original colours. (The Game Gear actually has 8x more possible colours than the Mega Drive.)

[Will]

Now Phantasy Star finally makes a finish, so progress after a long time has taken place. I am not quite sure what will come next to completion on the list.

[Will]

Today the 7th chapter is nearly finished with the completion of "Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars".

[Will]

I am now working on the Game Gear game "Tails' Adventures". It's quite a big colourful game with areas that are not accessible until a certain item has been procured. Tails' slight flight ability certain makes high range mapping a lot easier, plus a password that enables me to access a moment with all the items in possession before the final boss giving me the advantage of bypassing many obstacles whilst I play from start to finish to paste in those vital items and sprites to make it complete. I have reached Polly Mt. 1 and shall continue. Stay tuned.