Alex Kidd in Miracle World

"A focal point to the Master System Library."

Possibly one of the premier points in the Master System history, Alex Kidd in Miracle World is one of the first built in games to appear with a video game system. In the first outing that had spawned three other games and created a legend, you are treated to some pretty intense run and jump game play, crisp visuals and some pretty memorable tunes. Although the game really isn’t much for the new-age gamers out there that have played everything from Castlevania to Sonic the Hedgehog, it is still a reminder of what was and what could have been for this overlooked system. Let the legend begin here and the story of Alex Kidd reign supreme as the best that Sega had to offer way back in the day.

The story starts you out with an introduction to Alex Kidd, prince of a far away land shrouded in fantasy. However, things in this land aren’t as cool as they seem, and when a mad man by the name of Janken swipes Alex’s brother, it’s up to Alex to go out and rescue him. As usual, the game is centered around a rescue mission {as was the standard back then} though most of what you’re up against is some pretty cool action with good story-telling. You’ll be able to see the world of Alex Kidd through his eyes, and though it may seem a little childish, it’s still a hell of a story.

The Game Play

The game play is pretty straight forward with the amount of running and jumping that you have to do. Enemies come in all shapes and sizes, from birds to lightening and you’ll find that collecting money along the way allows you to collect power-ups that can be used to destroy your foes with better results. The weapon that you start out with though, is a huge fist that can break blocks among other things. However, the use of the fist can be dangerous if you’re up against a wave of enemies and you have to be swift with the punching, because one or two hits will usually do you in.

Another portion of the game play that makes up a major role is with the rock, paper, scissors game. From time to time, you’ll find an enemy that looks somewhat different than the rest, and you’ll be forced to play a simple game, best two out of three, or you’ll lose a life. While the game is pretty simple once you get the hang of it, some people who aren’t used to a mini-game such as this will probably find it to be rather annoying. However, once you do happen to get the hang of what’s going on in the game, you’ll see that it is more of a diversion from the simple run and jump game play and a welcomed one at that!

Control is relatively easy to learn with the game as well, considering that all you have to do is run and punch whatever gets in your way. During the mini-game, you’ll have the opportunity to select one of the three options, but it is all laid out for you in order to get an easy win. The further you get into the game, the more you have to jump, but the Master System control tends to keep the game in good standing with precision timing and accuracy on the directional pad.

The Visuals

Bright without all of the flash and flare that you would expect from an over-hyped game, Alex Kidd delivers the theme of the game without going overboard. Though the visuals are a bit on the childish side {much like the other Alex Kidd games}, you’ll still find that the adventurous theme is kept true. The enemies that you face off against and the animations of Alex are all done with enough detail and effect to keep you interested in watching the game. Environments and otherwise tend to lead you deeper into the theme of the game with both bright and dark surroundings depending on where you are!

The Audio

With multiple themes throughout the game, that go from a high to a low tune, you’ll find that there are some pretty good themes throughout. One of my personal favorites that the game has to offer is the Castle theme, which sticks in your head after a couple of minutes and it’s hard to get rid of. The sound effects are a little on the light side, but they come through at just the right moments to add accentuating tones to the action on screen. For an action game this old, Alex Kidd delivers the good with the audio, without sacrificing the game play.

The Verdict

A definitive game for the Master System, there is plenty here for anyone who likes a good action game. With the constant game play and the precise control, both veterans and beginners should have no trouble becoming immersed in the game without losing interest. Bright visuals and a good soundtrack round out the roster to make for a hell of a built in game that is well worth the money that the system sold for. If you don’t have a Master System, then this should be one of the main reasons to get one, simply for the quality game that is included on the machine!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/06/02, Updated 09/06/02