Developer: Sega
Publisher: Sega
Release Date: July 1988
Sega Master System has a relatively small lineup in the United States, and it is a library largely devoid of extremes. Unlike its rival NES, there aren’t a ton of masterpieces or complete disasters. It’s one of the most pleasantly pretty good consoles of all time, and this is one of the reasons I enjoy it so much. It’s not the most fun for reviewers however, so when a bad game is found it tends to really get pummeled. Nobody is going to pass up a chance for a really snarky review. Nobody becomes a critic if they don’t want to be snarky and negative sometimes. So going into Alex Kidd: High Tech World I knew I was playing a game that is largely reviled by modern critics. I think many critics would put it near the bottom of the US library. Well, I’m sorry to disappoint everyone. I really wanted to find this game hilariously bad. Unfortunately, I ended up having quite a bit of fun with High Tech World. It’s just quirky and interesting enough to be a low-key sleeper.
Alex Kidd: High Tech World is divided into two main sections that don’t play like any other Alex Kidd games. This is one of those Super Mario Bros. 2 situations where the game was originally made as a totally different game in Japan and then changed into an Alex Kidd game for American audiences. I don’t really think this is a bad thing though. Miracle World doesn’t play all uniquely to begin with, and while Lost Stars is a fun game, I didn’t really need another game just like it. It’s always fun to play a black sheep sequel. High Tech World is part adventure game and part ninja side-scroller. In the first section of the game Alex is on a mission to collect pieces of a destroyed map so he can find his way to High Tech World. The title is a bit of a misnomer as there is nothing high tech about Alex’s world. It’s just a place he is trying to go to that we never get a good look at. The actual environments are a low-key castle, ninja-infested forest, and pointless small town. It’s a bit less exciting than some kind of futuristic side-scroller, but it works.
I enjoyed the adventure section of the game, but I can see why people might get a bit turned off. Alex only has one life in this section, and certain mistakes will lead to instant death. It makes sense that an electric shock might kill, but it’s a bit more ridiculous with something like forgetting to pick up an item or meeting your friend too late. Embarrassment is just as deadly as the sharpest ninja star in this game. I didn’t mind this very much, however, because the adventure section is relatively short, and some of the deaths are kind of funny. They were going for a funny tone, so absurd deaths fit the overall premise. Besides, there is a time limit for finding all the map pieces so it will take several tries. You’re supposed to die a bunch of times in adventure games. I had a lot of fun solving the puzzles and trying to do it as quickly as possible. Nothing was too hard to solve, but there was one section which required me to go in and out of a room several times to get the necessary characters to show up. Since going into rooms takes the most time off the clock it might not be something the average person would try. Most of it made sense though, and it was a fun little adventure for 80s console players who weren’t too familiar than the genre.
The second half is mostly a side-scrolling forest with a small town in the middle. The platforming was difficult and fun in that old school way. There is a password for this part of the game and continues are allowed. The clock becomes a non-factor as it only progresses a minute or so for each life lost. This was much appreciated as progress was slow, but I always felt like I was doing a bit better. Alex throws ninja stars in this one, which is an improvement over his short punch in my opinion. The town is fairly useless outside of collecting a vital item. You earn money and can buy things, but I couldn’t find any use for them. To get the needed item you have to pray at the shrine 100 times. This sounds tedious, but it really didn’t take very long. I’m not sure if I did something to shorten it, but it felt more like thirty times.
Overall, I was charmed by this quirky game. The gameplay was fun and refreshingly different. It’s obvious that it was not originally an Alex Kidd game, but that doesn’t bother me. It was fun having so many characters to interact with even if they aren’t in any other Alex Kidd games. It’s also supposed to be funny and absurd, so I didn’t mind it when the game pulled my leg a little. It made me smile much more than it frustrated me, and it has a ton of personality for an SMS game. So yeah, I’ll put it in the good section. It’s #66 overall just behind Lords of Thunder (Sega CD). It’s the lowest ranked of the SMS Alex Kidd games, but it’s still worth playing. It’s interesting that I’ve now covered all the North American Alex Kidd games not counting the 2021 reboot. I haven’t finished reviewing any series yet, and Alex Kidd is just the type of oddity that appeals to me. So sorry gaming fans, no Mega Man reviews yet, but you can read all about Alex Kidd.
Sega Master System quality percentage: 6/8 or 75%
Sega Master System
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Alex Kidd in Shinobi World
- Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars
- After Burner
- Alex Kidd in Miracle World
- Alex Kidd: High Tech World
- Ys The Vanished Omens
- Action Fighter
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