Cloud Master

From Sega Retro

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CloudMaster title.png

Cloud Master
System(s): Sega Master System
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Distributor: Tonka (US), Tec Toy (BR)
Licensor: Taito
Original system(s): Arcade boards
Peripherals supported: FM Sound Unit
Genre: Action[1]

















Number of players: 1-2 (alternating)
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Master System
US
7027
Sega Master System
EU
7027
Sega Master System
UK
£24.9524.95[4][5] 7027
Sega Master System
AU
Sega Master System
BR
Non-Sega versions

Cloud Master is a 1989 shoot-'em-up for the Sega Master System. It was originally released for the arcade by Taito in 1988. The game was ported by Opera House and published by Sega. The game uses a fantastical Chinese theme based on the classic novel Xiyouji.

Story

The mysterious hermit Michael Chen has been meditating deep in the mountainous regions of China for years, hoping to earn the title of Cloud Master. Dark forces have conspired to attack him and interrupt his study.

Gameplay

Cloud Master, Power-Up Chamber.png

Power-Up Chamber

The game is a horizontally scrolling shooter where the player controls Michael Chen floating on a cloud. He maneuvers around the screen in any direction with the D-Pad. His normal shot is shooting balls of energy at enemies by pressing 1. This attack has unlimited ammunition and does not have rapid-fire unless an item is found. It can be upgraded multiple times by collecting power-ups.

Each round contains special enemies riding on clouds that, when defeated, leave behind a magic door. Some of these enemies appear more than once in the same round. If Michael Chen enters this door, the player is taken to a Power-Up Chamber to select a weapon for an optional secondary attack. This secondary attack can be used by pressing 2. Like the normal shot, it is unlimited, and Michael Chen keeps this attack until he loses a life or replaces it with another weapon at another Power-Up Chamber. Enemies fly in the sky as well as shoot up from the ground, so many of the secondary weapons are bombs that are especially useful for attacking ground targets.

Michael Chen loses a life if he is hit by an enemy. He does not lose a life from touching obstacles unless he is crushed between one and the screen as it scrolls. He restarts at certain checkpoints after losing a life. He loses his secondary attack when he loses a life. He has a limited number of lives, and the game ends if he runs out of lives.

When the game is completed, it starts over from the first round at a higher difficulty.

Items

Power-up items are sometimes released when the player destroys a formation of gyoza (dumplings) or shumai (shrimp dumplings).

Cloud Master, Items.png
Power
Upgrades the power of Michael Chen's normal shot by one level, up to a maximum level of six.
Cloud Master, Items.png
Special
Upgrades the power of Michael Chen's normal shot by two levels, up to a maximum level of six.
Cloud Master, Items.png
Fast
Increases Michael Chen's movement speed.
Cloud Master, Items.png
Auto
Upgrades Michael Chen's normal shot to have rapid-fire.
Cloud Master, Items.png
Extra
Gives the player an extra life.

Weapons

Secondary weapons are selected in Power-Up Chambers. Some weapons only become available if the player already has a weaker version of it.

Cloud Master, Weapons.png
Four-Circle Guard
Four fireballs encircle Michael Chen. They dissipate when they destroy an enemy and can be replenished when all of them have been used. It has an attack power of 6.
Cloud Master, Weapons.png
Two-Way Guard
Shoots two fireballs, one directly above and one directly below Michael Chen. It has an attack power of 4.
Cloud Master, Weapons.png
Three-Way Guard
Shoots three fireballs, one directly above, one directly below, and one directly behind Michael Chen. It has an attack power of 4.
Cloud Master, Weapons.png
Dragon Fire
A trail of flames circles around Michael Chen, shoot forward, make another circle, and then shoot forward toward the end of the screen. It has an attack power of 10.
Cloud Master, Weapons.png
Four Images
Small images of Michael Chen shoot out in the ordinal directions. It has an attack power of 4.
Cloud Master, Weapons.png
Two Crescents
Two crescent-shaped shots shoot from behind Michael Chen and then curve forward. It has an attack power of 4.
Cloud Master, Weapons.png
Four Crescents
Four crescent-shaped shots shoot from behind Michael Chen and then curve forward. It has an attack power of 4.
Cloud Master, Weapons.png
Bomb
A bomb falls and detonates when it hits an enemy or hits the ground. It has an attack power of 10.
Cloud Master, Weapons.png
Bouncing Bomb
A bomb falls and bounces off the ground, detonating when it hits an enemy or obstacle. It has an attack power of 10.
Cloud Master, Weapons.png
Search Bomb
A bomb falls and shoots forward when it hits the ground, detonating when it hits an enemy or obstacle. It has an attack power of 10.
Cloud Master, Weapons.png
Super Bomb
A bomb falls and bounces off the ground, penetrating through enemies and obstacles. It has an attack power of 10.
Cloud Master, Weapons.png
Scatter Bomb
A bomb falls and splinters into multiple smaller fragments. It has an attack power of 10 if the bomb directly hits an enemy or 5 if a fragment hits an enemy.

Rounds

Cloud Master, Stage 1.png

Cloud Master, Stage 1 Boss.png

  • Cloud Master, Stage 1.png

  • Cloud Master, Stage 1 Boss.png

Mt. Gogyo
Map: 1️⃣ 
The boss is a Phoenix.

Cloud Master, Stage 2.png

Cloud Master, Stage 2 Boss.png

  • Cloud Master, Stage 2.png

  • Cloud Master, Stage 2 Boss.png

The Koh River
Map: 1️⃣ 
The boss is a Kappa.

Cloud Master, Stage 3.png

Cloud Master, Stage 3 Boss.png

  • Cloud Master, Stage 3.png

  • Cloud Master, Stage 3 Boss.png

The Great Wall
Map: 1️⃣ 
The boss is a Giant Buddha.

Cloud Master, Stage 4.png

Cloud Master, Stage 4 Boss.png

  • Cloud Master, Stage 4.png

  • Cloud Master, Stage 4 Boss.png

Mt. Tai
Map: 1️⃣ 
The boss is a Dragon.

Cloud Master, Stage 5.png

Cloud Master, Stage 5 Boss.png

  • Cloud Master, Stage 5.png

  • Cloud Master, Stage 5 Boss.png

The Buddha's Heaven
Map: 1️⃣ 
The boss is a Shogun.

History

It was originally released in arcades by HOT-B and Taito in 1988 under the Japanese name Chuka Taisen (中華大仙). Running Cloud Master on a Japanese console produces this title, though the game was developed and released just after Sega stopped releasing titles for the Master System in Japan. The Master System version is the only home version of the game to be released outside of Japan as well as the only version of the game to use a title other than Chuka Taisen.

Legacy

Insector X, released for the arcade in 1989 and ported to the Mega Drive in 1990, is a sequel to this game in design, though not in theme.

In 2008, Starfish-SD, a company founded by former HOT-B employees, bought the rights to the property from Taito and developed a remake of the original arcade game for the Nintendo Wii. It was released under the title The Monkey King: The Legend Begins, dubbed Shin Chuuka Taisen: Michael to Meimei no Bouken in Japan. A Nintendo Switch port, titled Chuka Taisen, was released on September 6, 2018.[6]

Magazine articles

Main article: Cloud Master/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

SMS ES promo 3.jpg
ES advert (1990)
SMS ES promo 3.jpg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #97: "December 1989" (1989-11-16)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Secret Service (PL) #29: "Listopad 1995" (1995-11-01)
also published in:
  • Casper (PL) #4/95 (1995-xx-xx)[8]
  • X-men (PL) #34: "12/95" (1995-xx-xx)[9]
  • The Amazing Spider-Man (PL) #66: "12/95" (1995-xx-xx)[10]
  • G.I Joe (PL) #30: "6/1995" (1995-xx-xx)[11]
  • Batman (PL) #61: "12/95" (1995-xx-xx)[12]
  • The Adventures of Superman (PL) #61: "12/95" (1995-xx-xx)[13]
  • Tom & Jerry (PL) #12/95 (1995-xx-xx)[14]
  • Gry Komputerowe (PL) #24: "3/1996" (1996-xx-xx)[15]
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
ACE (UK) PAL
85
[4]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
73
[16]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) PAL
73
[17]
Console XS (UK) PAL
70
[18]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
72
[19]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
40
[20]
Gamers (DE)
53
[21]
The Games Machine (UK) PAL
20
[22]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
73
[23]
Power Play (DE)
46
[24]
S: The Sega Magazine (UK) PAL
63
[25]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
50
[26]
Sega Pro (UK)
75
[27]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
60
[28]
Sega Master System
61
Based on
14 reviews

Cloud Master

Master System, US
CloudMaster US cover.jpg
Cover
CloudMaster US cart.jpg
Cart
Cloudmaster sms us manual.pdf
Manual
Master System, EU
Cloud Master EU Cover.jpg
Cover
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Manual
Master System, EU
misprint with Wanted text
CloudMaster EU misprint cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, EU (Sega®)
CloudMaster SMS EU Box R.jpg
Cover
Master System, AU
CloudMaster SMS AU cover.jpg
Cover
CloudMaster SMS AU Cart.jpg
Cart
Master System, BR
CloudMaster SMS BR cover.jpg
Cover
CloudMasterSMSBRCartridge.jpg
Cart
CloudMaster SMS BR Manual.pdf
Manual

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Master System
 ?
CRC32 e7f62e6d
MD5 4498afc1fce51ebd461798fbe61aa6f8
SHA-1 b936276b272d8361bca8d7b05d1ebc59f1f639bc
256kB Cartridge (EU/US)

References

Necretro-round.svg
NEC Retro has more information related to Gokuraku! Chuuka Taisen
  1. File:Cloud Master EU Cover.jpg
  2. Computer Entertainer, "August 1989" (US; 1989-08-18), page 13
  3. File:BristolEveningPost UK 1989-12-21 Page 39.jpg
  4. 4.0 4.1 ACE, "December 1989" (UK; 1989-11-xx), page 79
  5. Computer & Video Games, "December 1989" (UK; 1989-11-16), page 36
  6. https://store-jp.nintendo.com/list/software/70010000011222.html
  7. Computer & Video Games, "January 1990" (UK; 1989-12-16), page 115
  8. Casper, "4/95" (PL; 1995-xx-xx)
  9. X-men, "12/95" (PL; 1995-xx-xx)
  10. The Amazing Spider-Man, "12/95" (PL; 1995-xx-xx)
  11. G.I Joe, "6/1995" (PL; 1995-xx-xx)
  12. Batman, "12/95" (PL; 1995-xx-xx)
  13. The Adventures of Superman, "12/95" (PL; 1995-xx-xx)
  14. Tom & Jerry, "12/95" (PL; 1995-xx-xx)
  15. Gry Komputerowe, "3/1996" (PL; 1996-xx-xx), page 32
  16. Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 94
  17. The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 54
  18. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 139
  19. Computer & Video Games, "December 1989" (UK; 1989-11-16), page 139
  20. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1989" (US; 1989-xx-xx), page 46
  21. Gamers, "Dezember/Januar 1993" (DE; 1992-11-19), page 103
  22. The Games Machine, "January 1990" (UK; 1989-12-11), page 82
  23. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 133
  24. Power Play, "12/89" (DE; 1989-11-13), page 78
  25. S: The Sega Magazine, "January 1990" (UK; 1989-11-xx), page 11
  26. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 55
  27. Sega Pro, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-21), page 21
  28. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 70


Cloud Master

CloudMaster title.png

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