"A rather good port from the fine folks at Sega Midwest."

World Heroes was originally an arcade game for the Neo-Geo MVS system, and was released on July 28, 1992. This port was released on August 16, 1994. World Heroes introduced the first Bruce Lee clone (Kim Dragon), and Death Match, where the arenas would be filled with obstacles.

In the year 3091, a scientist named Dr. Linus Fracas (named Dr. Brown in the other versions of World Heroes) has created a time machine. He decides to find not only the strongest warrior in the world, but the strongest warrior of all time. A tournament has been organized to do so. However, a being named Geegus somehow manages to enter the tournament. If the strongest warrior cannot defeat him, Geegus will destroy the Earth and all of human life will cease to exist.

The graphics in this game look great for the Sega Genesis. There are a lot of colors that are displayed on the screen at once, the arcade intro is present, and nearly every frame of animation has been included. The only downside that I can think of is that the arcade endings are missing. Instead, it displays a statue of your character with fireworks exploding in the background while the credits roll. The music is alright, the voices sound alright, and the sound effects sound okay. Unfortunately, certain voice clips have been switched around to places where they shouldn't be, and certain music tracks have been switched around or removed entirely.

The control in this game is good, though the hit detection could be better. Special attacks are easy to execute, and they work for the most part. There are eight characters to choose from, and they each have their own unique attacks, with the exception of Hanzou and Fuuma who have nearly identical attacks. There are two gameplay modes, one player and two player, both of which have two variations, Normal mode and Death Match. You are limited to three continues in the one player mode. Normal mode is just like any other fighting game, but Death Match is where it's at! In Death Match, you have to avoid various obstacles that are in the arena, such as spiked walls, fire ropes and electrified ropes! The landmines and oil covered floors have been removed. Death Match adds some variety, strategy, and intensity to the gameplay. Players can also select the same character, something that was not present in the Neo-Geo version. In one player mode, you select any character, select Normal mode or Death Match, and fight against the other characters, with the final character being the boss, Geegus. Your special attacks will be your most valuable asset in this game. The first bonus stage, where you must attack a giant stone to form a statue, is present in this port.

This is a good port of World Heroes, considering that Sega Midwest Development Division (Sega Midwest Studio) had a limited amount of time and resources to create this port. This game has great graphics, very fluid animation, alright music, the majority of the original voice clips, alright sound effects, and decent gameplay.

Final Score: 7/10

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 01/18/11, Updated 08/25/11

Game Release: World Heroes (US, 08/16/94)