Ex-Mutants

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Ex-Mutants
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Malibu Interactive
Distributor: Tec Toy (BR)
Licensor: Malibu Comics
Sound driver: GEMS
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code US 1992-12 $59.9559.95 1074 US ▼ (Sega Channel) 1994 SUBsub EU 1992-12-18 1074 EU (Classic) 1994-08-12 1074-50 EU ▼ (Sega Channel) 199x SUBsub DE 1993-02 DM 99.9599.95 1074 UK 1993-04 £34.9934.99 1074 AU 199x BR 199x 044240

Ex-Mutants is a Sega Mega Drive action game based on the Ex-Mutants comic book series by Malibu Comics. The game was set to be published by Sage's Creation but was instead published by Sega, presumably after that company folded.

Story

Ackroyd and Shannon

In 2055, Earth is a wasteland and humanity has been transformed into mutants in the aftermath of World War III. Survivors now live underground, in forests, and in ruined cities. A cyborg named Professor Kildare has transformed six mutants back to human beings with the intent of restoring the planet's mutants in the same way.

The mutant ruler Sluggo, wishing to eliminate every last human, has captured four of the Ex-Mutants. He has kept them alive in order to lure the remaining two, Ackroyd and Shannon, to him so he can kill them all at once. Ackroyd and Shannon must rescue their teammates and then fight Sluggo.

Gameplay

Character select

The game is an action platformer played as one of the Ex-Mutants, Ackroyd or Shannon, who are trying to rescue their teammates. Ackroyd is armed with a battle axe. He starts with more health and his attacks do more damage. Shannon is armed with nunchaku. Her attacks are faster and have more reach. Most levels require finding a battery cell to keep Professor Kildare operational and then exiting. The other teammates (Bud, Tanya, Piper, and Dillon) are recovered after defeating bosses.

Characters move with and . They kneel with and jump with . They can jump down from some platforms with +. They climb ladders and ropes with and . Both characters are equipped with a melee weapon, which is swung with . They can swing their weapons directly above them with +. Most enemies require multiple hits to destroy with the standard weapons. Special items add projectile shots to each melee attack. The characters can also acquire secondary weapons, such as grenades and landmines, which are used with . These weapons can destroy enemies as well as barriers such as rock walls or steel beams to find hidden items. Only one secondary weapon can be held at a time; picking up another replaces the currently held weapon. Projectile shots and secondary weapons are both limited in quantity.

Characters have a health meter at the bottom of the screen that is reduced each time they take damage from a foe or a hazard. Hidden items can be found that permanently extend the health meter. The character loses a life when the meter runs out and must restart the level from the beginning. Extra lives can be gained by collecting coins in the levels. Losing a life costs the player any coins found in the level as well as any projectile shot, secondary weapon, or battery cell acquired. The game ends if the player runs out of lives. Levels have an invisible timer, and the character's health meter drains if the player spends too long on a level.

There are three difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, and Hard). The difficulty affects the number of continues given (unlimited on Easy, 8 on Medium, and 3 on Hard). The player's weapons do less damage as the difficulty increases and items are less effective. Extra lives are earned after collecting 50 coins on Easy and after collecting 100 coins on Medium and Hard. The Easy difficulty can only be played up to the Forest level.

Items

	Crate
	Destroy to find an item.
	Food
	Restores 3 points to the health meter on Easy, 2 points on Medium, or 1 point on Hard.
	Heart
	Fully restores the health meter.
	Extend
	Permanently extends the health meter by 2 points.
	Battery Cell
	Must be found in each level to complete. Exceptions include the first level, boss levels, and speed levels.
	Super Shots
	Enhances the character's main weapon with knives for Ackroyd and shurikens for Shannon. They are fired three at a time in a spread. Gives 75 uses on Easy, 50 uses on Medium, or 25 uses on Hard.
	Special Shots
	Enhances the character's main weapon with throwing axes for Ackroyd and bamboo for Shannon. They are thrown forwards in an arc one at a time. Gives 75 uses on Easy, 50 uses on Medium, or 25 uses on Hard.
	Grenades
	Equips 25 Grenades for a secondary weapon, which are thrown in an arc and explode when they hit an enemy or a hard surface.
	Bouncing Bombs
	Equips 20 Bouncing Bombs for a secondary weapon, which bounce off surfaces or explode when they hit an enemy.
	Landmines
	Equips 25 Landmines for a secondary weapon, which are dropped on the ground and explode when touched by an enemy.
	Explosive Charges
	Equips 25 Explosive Charges for a secondary weapon, which are dropped on the ground and explode after a short timer.
	Homing Orbs
	Equips 25 Homing Orbs for a secondary weapon, which seek out nearby enemies.
	Coin
	Worth 250 points. Collect 50 for an extra life and 12,500 bonus points on Easy or 100 for an extra life and 25,000 bonus points on Medium or Hard. Coins are lost after losing a life.
	Bag of Coins
	Collects 10 coins at a time (worth 2,500 points).
	Star
	Worth 500 points.
	Diamond
	Worth 1,000 points.
	1-Up
	Awards an extra life.

Levels

The game is divided into several areas with multiple levels.

The Minecar and Rapids levels are "speed levels," where the character rides a vehicle through an autoscrolling level and collects bonus items. The Subway level is similar but contains more enemies and does not autoscroll.

	Laboratory
	Cave
	Minecar
	Forest
	Rapids
	Sewer
	Subway
	Skyscraper
	Sluggo

History

Development

Programmer Chris Shrigley has released the source code to the game on his web site.

Production credits

• Program: Chris Shrigley
• Graphic Artist: Terry Lloyd
• Producer: Bernie Whang
• Game Design: Terry Lloyd
• Intro and Cinemas: Jayne Shrigley
• Music: Russel Lieblich, Brian Howarth, Bernie Whang
• Sound Effects: Brian Howarth
• Additional Design: Chris Shrigley, Bernie Whang
• Additional Animation: Jayne Shrigley
• Additional Fluff: Terry Lloyd
• Voice Talent: Grace Chang, Bernie Whang
• Digitizing: Bernie Whang
• Utilities: Chris Shrigley, Andy Green
• Produced for Sega by: Scott Rohde
• Play Testers: Eddie Jacob, Bernie, Terry, Sage's Creation, Brenda, Daverin, Dave Forster, Andrew Gacula, Steve Patterson, Unni Pillai, Chris Sinclair, Jeff Todd
• Special Thanks to: Nobumitsu Kubo, Malibu Comics (Chris Ulm, Tom Mason, Dave Olbrich)

Source:

In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Ex-Mutants/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #45: "April 1993" (1993-xx-xx)

Physical scans

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 Consoles + (FR) 85 Cool Gamer (RU) 30 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 85 Excalibur (CZ) 80 Joypad (FR) PAL 88 Joystick (FR) PAL 86 Mega (UK) NTSC-U 81 MegaTech (UK) PAL 89 Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL 85 Player One (FR) 88 Play Time (DE) NTSC-U 76 Sega Power (UK) NTSC-U 72 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 69 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 69 Sega Force (UK) PAL 87 Supersonic (FR) 88 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 57 VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) NTSC-U 80 Video Games (DE) 69

	75
Based on 20 reviews

Ex-Mutants

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual PCB

Mega Drive, EU (Classic Mega Drive)
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, AU

Mega Drive, BR
Cover
Cart Manual

Technical information

Main article: Ex-Mutants/Technical information.

References

Malibu Comics games for Sega systems
	Ex-Mutants (1992) | Dinosaurs for Hire (1993) | Firearm (unreleased) | Prime (unreleased)
	Prime (1994) | The Strangers (unreleased)
	The Incredible Hulk: The Pantheon Saga (1997)