Wolfchild

n/a

Mega Drive Mega-CD Master System Game Gear
Wolfchild
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Mega-CD, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear
Publisher: JVC Musical Industries (US) Sega (EU) Victor Musical Industries (JP) Victor Entertainment (JP) Virgin Games
Developer: Core Design
Supporting companies: Krisalis Software (audio)
Distributor: Halifax (IT) Ecofilmes (PT) Tec Toy (BR)
Sound driver: Krisalis sound driver
Genre: Action, Arcade
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code US 1993-03 $49.9549.95 T-60016 EU 1993-10 MK-27060-50 PT 199x UK 1993-10 £32.9932.99 MK-27060-50 IT 199x AU 199x BR 1993 027300 JP 1993-03-19 ¥8,8008,800 T-60104 US 1992-12 $49.9549.95 T-6403 EU 1993 4404 DE 1993-08 DM 99.0099.00 4404 FR 1993-09 4404 PT 1993 UK 1993-05 £39.9939.99 4404 AU 199x BR 199x 062040 KR 199x GD0006JT EU 1993 T-70078-50 PT 1993 10.400$10.400 GG70078 UK 1993-09 £29.9929.99 T-70078-50
Non-Sega versions Amiga Atari ST Super NES

Wolfchild (ウルフチャイルド) is a platform game by Core Design. It was originally released for the Amiga, but it was ported to the Sega Mega Drive, Sega Mega-CD, Sega Master System, and Sega Game Gear.

Story

Saul Morrow is the son of a scientist whose biological weapons expertise leads a terrorist organization called the Chimera to kidnap him and kill his wife and older son. After discovering this, Saul takes it upon himself to save his father using his father's latest project, Project Wolfchild, to transform him into a wolf-human hybrid (similar to a werewolf) that can shoot energy blasts when he gains enough power.

Gameplay

Mega Drive and Mega-CD versions

The game is a side-scrolling platformer. The player guides Saul through multiple levels, negotiating platforms and shooting various monsters, the result of Chimera experiments. Initially, Saul is controlled in his normal, human form; when enough energy is collected, he turns into a wolf-human hybrid and gains a projectile attack.

Saul moves with or and crouches with . He jumps with . He attacks with . In his human form, he can only punch enemies. In his wolfman form, he throws fireballs and can acquire power-ups that replace his standard projectile (which is unlimited) with improved projectiles (which are limited). If Saul acquires multiple special weapons, the player can switch between them by pausing the game with  START  and pressing or . They share the same ammunition (up to a maximum of 99 units). Saul also has a supply of smart bombs, detonated with , that attack every enemy on the screen at once. Smart bombs are limited in supply, but more can be found in the levels.

Saul has a vitality bar that initially consists of 8 segments but can hold as many as 12. Touching enemies does not damage Saul, but getting hit by their weapons or by environmental hazards (such as spikes or flames) does. Picking up health power-ups and gaining more than 8 segments of vitality transforms Saul into his wolfman form; taking damage and falling to 8 or fewer vitality segments again reverts Saul to his human form. He loses any acquired special weapon ammunition when he reverts to his human form. There are also items that extend the length of the vitality bar (up to a maximum of 20). Saul loses a life when he loses all of his vitality, and the game ends if the player has no more extra lives.

The player can choose the difficulty level (Easy, Medium, and Hard) and number of starting lives (between 3 and 6) before starting the game.

Items

Items are usually found in destructible boxes. While in wolfman form, Saul can destroy boxes by jumping on them.

	Points Bonuses
	Collect for bonus points. Awards 100, 200, 400, and 1,000 for the chrome orbs and 2,000 and 4,000 for the gold orbs.
	Vitality Bonus
	Restores 1 or 2 segments to Saul's vitality bar.
	Full Vitality Bonus
	Restores Saul's entire vitality bar.
	Extend Bonus
	Permanently extends the length of Saul's vitality bar by a segment, up to a maximum of 20.
	Shield Bonus
	Temporarily ensconces Saul in a protective barrier that renders him invulnerable to damage.
	Restart Bonus
	Checkpoint where Saul is revived after losing a life.
	Special Weapons
	Gives Saul access to a special weapon and 30 units of ammunition (which is shared between all special weapons). Special weapons are only found when Saul is in his wolfman form.
	BONUS Letters
	Collect all 5 letters in "BONUS" to gain 20,000 bonus points.
	EXTRA Letters
	Collect all 5 letters in "EXTRA" to earn an extra life.

Weapons

Special weapons are obtained from items and have limited ammunition.

	Punch
	When in his human form, Saul can only punch enemies in front of him.
	Single Fireblast
	When in his wolfman form, Saul's standard weapon is a fireblast projectile. It travels the full length of the screen and has unlimited ammunition.
	Double Fireblast
	An improved version of Saul's standard fireblast that can be fired more rapidly.
	Arc Blast
	A projectile that arcs downward when fired, ideal for hitting enemies on lower ground.
	Flamer
	A large fireblast that pierces through multiple targets (but cannot penetrate walls).
	Plasma Ball
	A high-damage plasma blast that does quadruple damage and moves in a zigzag pattern.
	Homer
	A homing shot that seeks enemies.
	Three-Way
	A three-way spreadshot.
	Boomer
	A boomerang that travels a short distance, then returns to Saul.

Levels

	Wolfship
	Dense Jungle
	Outer Jungle
	Ancient Temple
	Inner Sanctum
	Chimera Base
	Biogenetic Labs
	Inner Core
	Draxx's Lair

Versions

The layouts of level 2 and onward were heavily modified for the Sega Mega-CD version.

Production credits

Mega-CD version

• A Core Design Production
• Programming by: John Kirkland
• Graphics by: Simon Phipps
• Intro Graphics: Simon Phipps and Billy Allison
• Game Design by: Simon Phipps
• Level Design by: Bob Churchill
• Core Testing by: Mark and Darren Price
• Music by: Martin Iveson
• Produced by: Jeremy Heath Smith, Kaoru Tomiyama
• Thanks to: Chris Long, Billy Allison, Alex Davis, Satoshi Honda, Toshiyuki Nagai, Crazy Office Boy Takeshi Minagawa, Yoshiaki Iwasawa, Man on the Stairs and All of His Friends, and All at Victor for Their Help and Hospitality

Source:

In-game credits

Mega Drive version

• A Core Design Production
• Programming by: John Kirkland
• Graphics by: Simon Phipps
• Game Design by: Simon Phipps
• Level Design by: Bob Churchill
• Core Testing by: Mark and Darren Price
• Original Music by: Martin Iveson
• Audio by: Krisalis Software Ltd
• Music by: Matt Furniss
• Music Driver by: S Hollingworth
• Produced by: Jeremy Heath Smith, Kaoru Tomiyama
• Thanks to: Chris Long, Billy Allison, Alex Davis, Satoshi Honda, Toshiyuki Nagai, Crazy Office Boy Takeshi Minagawa, Yoshiaki Iwasawa, Man on the Stairs and All of His Friends, and All at Victor for Their Help and Hospitality

Source:

In-game credits

Master System and Game Gear versions

Core Design Limited

• Designed and Drawn by: Simon Phipps
• Coded by: Gilbert the Goat
• Music by: Matt (Krisalis Software)
• Sound Effects by: Martin Iveson
• Technical Support: Shaun Hollingworth
• Directed by: Jeremy Heath Smith
• Moral Support: Mark Avory

Virgin Games

• Produced by: Ian Mathias
• Quality Assurance: John Martin, Ken Jordan, James Dillon
• Manual Organisation by: Gary Penn
• Marketing: Sean Brennan, Matt Walker
• Logistics Manager: Catherine Spratt

Source:

In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Wolfchild/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: Wolfchild/Promotional material.

Artwork

• 

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 40 Computer + Video Giochi (IT) 76 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 53 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 90 Sega Opisaniy i sekretov (RU) 62

	64
Based on 5 reviews

Wolfchild

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega-CD version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source GamesMaster (UK) 47

	47
Based on 1 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J 58 Consoles + (FR) 69 Computer & Video Games (UK) 79 Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J 53 Game Power (IT) 79 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 95 Gamers (DE) 53 Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J 50 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL 64 Mega (UK) PAL 32 Mega Force (FR) 76 MegaTech (UK) PAL 82 Mean Machines Sega (UK) NTSC-U 57 Player One (FR) 58 Power Up! (UK) 65 Sega Magazin (DE) 59 Sega Power (UK) PAL 47 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 70 Sega Zone (UK) PAL 70 Sega Force (SE) 78 Sega Force (UK) PAL 63 Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J 56 Super Juegos (ES) 88 Video Games (DE) PAL 65

	65
Based on 24 reviews

Wolfchild

Mega-CD, JP
Cover
Spinecard Disc

Mega-CD, US
Cover
Disc Manual

Mega-CD, EU
Cover
Spinecard Disc Manual

Mega-CD, FR (Blister pack)
Cover

Mega-CD, PT
Cover
Disc Manual EU Manual

Mega-CD, AU
Cover

Mega-CD, BR
Disc

Mega-CD, KR
Cover
Disc

Master System version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

{{{{{icon}}}|L}}
Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Gamer (GR) 83 Gamers (DE) 40 Hobby Consolas (ES) 85 Joypad (FR) 70 Megablast (DE) PAL 70 Mega Force (FR) 80 Micromanía (segunda época) (ES) 78 Player One (FR) 73 Sega News (CZ) 90 Sega Power (UK) PAL 78 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 72 Sega Zone (UK) PAL 68 Sega Force (SE) 74 Sega Master Force (UK) PAL 82 Video Games (DE) PAL 56

	73
Based on 15 reviews

Wolfchild

Master System, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, IT
Cover

Master System, PT
Cover

Master System, AU
Cart

Master System, BR
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

{{{{{icon}}}|L}}
Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Computer & Video Games (UK) 76 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 73 Gamers (DE) 40 Hobby Consolas (ES) 78 Joypad (FR) PAL 83 Mega Force (FR) 84 Player One (FR) 67 Power Up! (UK) 76 Sega Power (UK) PAL 78 Sega Pro (UK) 55 Sega Zone (UK) PAL 72 Sega Master Force (UK) PAL 79 Todo Sega (ES) 77 Video Games (DE) PAL 57

	71
Based on 14 reviews

Wolfchild

Game Gear, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, PT
Cover
Cart Manual EU Manual

Technical information

Main article: Wolfchild/Technical information.