Chakan (Game Gear)

For the Sega Mega Drive game, see Chakan (Mega Drive).

n/a

Chakan

System(s): Sega Game Gear

Publisher: Sega

Developer: Paul Hutchinson^[1]

Distributor: Ecofilmes (PT)

Genre: Action^[2]

Number of players: 1

Release	Date	RRP	Code
US	1992-12^[3]		2414
EU	1992-12-19^[4]		2414
PT	199x		GGJ2414
UK	1993-04^[5]	£29.9929.99^[6]	2414

Chakan is a Sega Game Gear action platform game based on the character Chakan from the 1986 Robert A. Kraus comic book series Thunder Mace^[7]. It was developed by independent contractor Paul Hutchinson.

Story

The warrior Chakan considers himself so unbeatable that he challenges Death himself to a duel. Death appears and makes a wager: if Chakan wins, he gets eternal life, but if Chakan loses, his soul belongs to Death for eternity. Chakan accepts, and the two battle.

Eventually, Chakan triumphs and receives the gift of eternal life, but he learns that the gift has a stipend: he must wear the visage of Death and destroy all the evil in the world to earn his eternal rest.

Gameplay

Navigation Level

Ship of Death

Alchemy

The game is an action platformer played as the immortal swordsman Chakan. The player starts in a hub level and can choose to play the first six levels in any order. Each level has multiple segments and ends with a boss fight. Chakan's health is indicated by a skull in the corner of the screen, which fades away as he takes damage. Owing to its premise, the game has no concept of "lives". If Chakan runs out of health, he is carried away on a "Ship of Death" and then returns to the hub level with full health.

Chakan walks with and and ducks with . He jumps with ; he performs a double spin jump by pressing again while in the air. He rolls along the ground with +. He enters doorways and portals by standing in front of them and pressing . Some doorways require finding a key dropped by a slain foe. Chakan attacks using his twin blades with ; he performs a spinning attack by pressing while doing a double spin jump.

Chakan can collect potions, which are strewn throughout the levels (including the hub level). Potions can be combined into "alchemies" that grant him temporary powers such as enhancing his swords with elemental powers or increasing his jump height. The player can open the inventory of collected potions and list of alchemies with START and select one with . Chakan can also find special swords throughout the levels that are imbued with elemental strengths. Once found, these weapons are chosen through the same menu as the alchemies. The player can revisit levels after they have been completed to collect potions and swords; levels do not have enemies after they have been completed.

The game has multiple difficulty levels (Wicked, Deadly, and Mental), which are selected with and from the title screen before beginning the game. Chakan takes more damage from enemies in higher difficulties; on the highest difficulty, he starts the game and revives with only half of his health. The final level can only be played if the game is completed on Deadly or Mental difficulty.

Weapons

	Twin Swords
	Chakan's standard weapons. They have no particular strength and are initially available.
	Fire Swords
	These swords do additional damage to Water-based enemies. Found in the Lava (VI) level.
	Ice Swords
	These swords do additional damage to Fire-based enemies. Found in the Ice (V) level.
	Lightning Swords
	These swords shoot sparks when they are swung and do additional damage to Air- and Earth-based enemies. Found in the Fire (IV) level.

Alchemies


	Returns Chakan to the hub level. Requires 1 green potion and 1 yellow potion.

	Slows down enemies temporarily. Requires 2 grey potions.

	Damages all enemies on screen. Requires 2 yellow potions.

	Confuses Chakan and reverses the direction controls. Requires 1 green potion and 1 grey potion.

	Makes Chakan invulnerable temporarily. Requires 2 black potions.

	Makes Chakan invisible temporarily. Requires 2 green potions.

	Doubles the power of Chakan's weapon temporarily. Requires 1 black potion and 1 yellow potion.

	Fully restores Chakan's health. Requires 1 black potion and 1 gray potion.

Levels

The first six levels can be played in any order.

	Air (I)

	Earth (II)

	Water (III)

	Fire (IV)

	Ice (V)

	Lava (VI)

	Final (VII)
	This level is played after the end credits if the player completes the game on Deadly or Mental difficulty. Chakan can use the teleport chambers in this level by standing in them and pressing . He teleports to a different area depending on whether he is facing left or right.

Production credits

Produced by: Jerry Markota
Program by: Paul Hutchinson
Game Design: Mark Miller
Art Work by: Steve Ross, Mira Ross, Kim Biscoe and Paul Hutchinson
Music by: Nu Romantic Productions and Mark Miller
Sound by: Paul Hutchinson
Special Effect by: Samantha Hutchinson
Marketing by: Jaime Wojick
Based on Characters by: Robert Kraus, R.A.K. Graphics
Special Thanks to: Ed Annunziata

Thanks for Playing and Look for the Further Ventures of Chakan in R.A.K. Graphics Comics.

Source:

In-game credits^[8]

Lead Tester: Mark Lindstrom
Testers: Terry Banks, Joe Cain, Ron Calonje, Alex Fairchild, Ivan Fong, Roman Greco, Richie Hideshima, Keith Higashihara, Tri Le, Dermot Lyons, Heather Meggs, Dianna Myers, Eric Rawlins, John Russel, Siegie Stangenberg, Conan Tigard, Jeff Wagner
Special Thanks: Steve Apour, Clyde Grossman, Al Nilsen
Manual: Carol Ann Hanshaw

Source:

US manual^[9]

Cover artist: Greg Winters

Source:

Uncredited

Magazine articles

Main article: Chakan (Game Gear)/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in (ES) #58: "Marzo 1993" (1993-0x-xx)
also published in:

(ES) #1: "Abril 1993" (1993-03-15)^[10]

Print advert in (ES) #12: "Abril 1993" (1993-xx-xx)
also published in:

(ES) #19: "Abril 1993" (1993-xx-xx)^[11]

Artwork

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

(UK)

83

^[6]

(UK)

79

^[12]

(IT)

PAL

70

^[13]

(DE)

53

^[14]

(ES)

90

^[15]

(FR)

93

^[16]

(FR)

PAL

92

^[17]

(UK)

PAL

80

^[18]

(DE)

NTSC-U

60

^[19]

(ES)

77

^[20]

(FR)

84

^[21]

(UK)

PAL

67

^[22]

(UK)

PAL

90

^[23]

(UK)

PAL

69

^[24]

(GR)

PAL

90

^[25]

	78
Based on 15 reviews

Chakan (Game Gear)

Game Gear, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, PT
Cover
Cart

Technical information

ROM dump status

System

Hash

Size

Build Date

Source

Comments

?

CRC32	dfc7adc8
MD5	096e525c29af9f5a0a0ddd8b67dd8fbf
SHA-1	bdb82464147ef20792162cff7922824d4dee0dc1

256kB

Cartridge (US/EU)

References

Chakan (Game Gear)
	Main page \| Maps \| Development \| Magazine articles \| Reception No results

[http:.2F.2Fgdri.smspower.org.2Fwiki.2Findex.php.2FInterview:Paul_Hutchinson-1] ttp://gdri.smspower.org/wiki/index.php/Interview:Paul_Hutchinson

[:File:Chakan_GG_EU_Box_Back.jpg_p-2] File:Chakan GG EU Box Back.jpg

[:File:GamePro_US_036.pdf_p89-3] GamePro, "July 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 89

[:File:GamesMaster_UK_001.pdf_p14-4] GamesMaster, "January 1993" (UK; 1992-12-03), page 14

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p15-5] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 15

[:File:Go_UK_20.pdf_p22-6] 6.0 ^6.1 Computer & Video Games, "June 1993 (Go! Issue 20)" (UK; 1993-05-15), page 22

[:File:SegaVisions_US_13.pdf_p82-7] Sega Visions, "June/July 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 82

[:File:Chakan_GG_credits.pdf_p-8] File:Chakan GG credits.pdf

[:File:Chakan_GG_US_Manual.pdf_p2-9] File:Chakan GG US Manual.pdf, page 2

[:File:TodoSega_ES_01.pdf_p3-10] Todo Sega, "Abril 1993" (ES; 1993-03-15), page 3

[:File:HobbyConsolas_ES_019.pdf_p10-11] Hobby Consolas, "Abril 1993" (ES; 1993-xx-xx), page 10

[:File:MeanMachinesEssentialSegaGuide_Book_UK.pdf_p165-12] Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 165

[:File:GamePower_IT_21.pdf_p99-13] Game Power, "Ottobre 1993" (IT; 1993-xx-xx), page 99

[:File:Gamers_DE_1993-06.pdf_p54-14] Gamers, "Oktober/November 1993" (DE; 1993-09-24), page 54

[:File:HobbyConsolas_ES_015.pdf_p104-15] Hobby Consolas, "Diciembre 1992" (ES; 1992-xx-xx), page 104

[:File:Joypad_FR_016.pdf_p146-16] Joypad, "Janvier 1993" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 146

[:File:Joystick_FR_035.pdf_p194-17] Joystick, "Février 1993" (FR; 1993-0x-xx), page 194

[18] Mega Byte, "March 20, 1993" (UK; 1993-03-20), page 1

[:File:MegaFun_DE_1993-05.pdf_p84-19] Mega Fun, "05/93" (DE; 1993-0x-xx), page 84

[:File:Micromania2_ES_056.pdf_p61-20] Micromanía (segunda época), "Enero 1993" (ES; 199x-xx-xx), page 61

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_031.pdf_p82-21] Player One, "Mai/Juin 1993" (FR; 1993-05-10), page 82

[:File:SegaPower_UK_44.pdf_p36-22] Sega Power, "July 1993" (UK; 1993-06-03), page 36

[:File:SegaPro_UK_18.pdf_p48-23] Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 48

[:File:SegaForce_UK_19.pdf_p42-24] Sega Force, "July 1993" (UK; 1993-05-27), page 42

[:File:User_GR_39.pdf_p51-25] User, "Septémvrios 1993" (GR; 1993-0x-xx), page 51

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Chakan (Game Gear)

From Sega Retro

Contents

Story

Gameplay

Weapons

Alchemies

Levels

Production credits

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Artwork

Physical scans

Technical information

ROM dump status

References