Atomic Runner

From Sega Retro


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AtomicRunner Title.png

Atomic Runner
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Virtual Console
Publisher: Data East
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Wii Virtual Console
JP
600pts600
CERO
Missing Parameter!

Atomic Runner, known as Chelnov (チェルノブ) in Japan, is a 1988 arcade game by Data East ported to the Sega Mega Drive in 1992. The Mega Drive version of the game has since been released for the Wii's Virtual Console service in Japan.

Story

The original arcade version's plot was completely replaced in the Mega Drive version due to the controversy it caused. Instead of a coal miner who developed superhuman abilities after getting caught in Soviet nuclear failure and must now fight the evil organization who wants to hire him for his powers, Chelnov is now a scientist living happily with his father and sister Chelmi. One night, he goes out for a jog only to hear an explosion at his house. Racing back home, he finds his father near-death at the hands of the "Deathtarians," a group claiming to be the original intelligent life — and consequently, the true owners — of planet Earth, predating humans.

Chelnov's father had been working to try to stop the Deathtarians, and now he leaves a suit which grants its wearer superhuman abilities and numerous weapons to Chelnov. Chelnov donned the suit to become the Atomic Runner and went on his way to save the world and rescue his now-kidnapped sister, but was overwhelmed by the Deathtarians's numbers. The Deathtarians captured, tortured, and attempted to brainwash the Atomic Runner, but eventually failed, leaving him with one last attempt to stop the Deathtarians.

Gameplay

Chelnov always runs forward. Should there be need for him to stop, hold Left; the screen will continue to scroll to the right and he will start moving again if he touches the edge of the screen. A jumps. B fires a laser beam; there is rapidfire when the button is held down and shots can be aimed with the directional pad (but you cannot shoot straight up). Holding C and pressing Left or Right causes the player to run backward or forward, respectively. The player dies when hit once.

Saturn Version

Atomic Runner, in its original arcade form was once set to appear for the Sega Saturn. It appeared at the Tokyo Game Show and various game stores in the Akihabara district of Tokyo in 1997, though was canceled for unknown reasons. A prototype has since been leaked onto the internet.

Physical Scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
79 №13, p72/73
92 №13
90 №32, p151
40 №2, p40/41
45 №16, p87
80 №10, p38/39/40
91 №1, p58-61[1]
85 №28, p80/81
88 №36, p34/35
79 №12, p58/59
66 №10, p70[2]
Sega Mega Drive
76
Based on
11 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[3]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
58
[4]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
73
[5]
Consoles + (FR)
79
[6]
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US)
75
[7]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 4 (RU)
40
[8]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
91
[9]
Game Mania (UK) NTSC-J
91
[10]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
95
[11]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
60
[12]
Joypad (FR)
92
[13]
Joystick (FR) NTSC-U
90
[14]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
40
[15]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) NTSC-U
40
[16]
Mega (UK) PAL
45
[17]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-U
77
[18]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC-J
80
[19]
Marukatsu Mega Drive (JP) NTSC-J
85
[20]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
91
[1]
Player One (FR)
85
[21]
Play Time (DE)
75
[22]
Power Up! (UK)
83
[23]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-U
88
[24]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
79
[25]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-U
59
[26]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
66
[27]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
81
[28]
Supergame (BR) NTSC-U
93
[29]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
50
[30]
Video Games (DE)
64
[31]
Sega Mega Drive
72
Based on
30 reviews

Atomic Runner

Mega Drive, US
AtomicRunner MD US Box.jpg
Cover
AtomicRunner MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU
AtomicRunner MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
AtomicRunner MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, JP
AtomicRunner MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
Chelnov MD JP CartTop.jpg
Chelnov MD JP Cart Back.jpgChelnov MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Chelnov md jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, AU

External Links

  • 1.0 1.1 File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf, page 58 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p58" defined multiple times with different content
  • File:SegaForce10UK.pdf, page 70
  • 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 23
  • Aktueller Software Markt, "November 1992" (DE; 1992-10-09), page 147
  • Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1992" (JP; 1992-07-08), page 28
  • Consoles +, "Octobre 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 72
  • Electronic Games (1992-1995), "October 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 68
  • Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 4, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 13
  • Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 23
  • Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80
  • GamePro, "June 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 54
  • Hippon Super, "August 1992" (JP; 1992-07-04), page 39
  • Joypad, "Octobre 1992" (FR; 1992-10-xx), page 50
  • Joystick, "Novembre 1992" (FR; 1992-1x-xx), page 151
  • Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-xx-xx), page 40
  • Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 90
  • Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-16), page 87
  • Mega Fun, "08/92" (DE; 1992-08-18), page 25
  • MegaTech, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-20), page 38
  • Marukatsu Mega Drive, "September 1992" (JP; 1992-08-xx), page 119
  • Player One, "Février/Mars 1993" (FR; 1993-02-10), page 80
  • Play Time, "11/92" (DE; 1992-10-07), page 90
  • Power Up!, "Saturday, April 03, 1993" (UK; 1993-04-03), page 1
  • Sega Power, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-01), page 34
  • Sega Pro, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-10), page 58
  • Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 64
  • Sega Force, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-10), page 70
  • Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
  • Supergame, "Outubro 1992" (BR; 1992-10-xx), page 22
  • Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 16
  • Video Games, "10/92" (DE; 1992-09-30), page 100