The Space Adventure

From Sega Retro

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SpaceAdventure title.png

The Space Adventure
System(s): Sega Mega-CD
Publisher: Hudson Soft
Developer:
Supporting companies:
Distributor: Virgin Interactive Entertainment (Europe)
Licensor: Buichi Terasawa
Original system(s): CD-ROM²
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega-CD
US
$59.9959.99[2] T-143015
ESRB: Mature
Sega Mega-CD
EU
T-143015-50
ELSPA: 18+ OK
Sega Mega-CD
DE
T-143015-50
USK: 6
Sega Mega-CD
UK
£34.9934.99 T-143015-50
BBFC: Parental Guidance (PG)
Sega Mega-CD
AS
T-143015-11
Non-Sega versions

The Space Adventure, also known as The Space Adventure: Cobra the Legendary Bandit is a Sega Mega-CD graphic adventure game developed by Crosstalk and published by Hudson Soft. A port of the 1990 CD-ROM² game Space Adventure Cobra II: Densetsu no Otoko, and based on Buichi Terasawa's popular manga/anime series Cobra, it was first released in America, Europe, and Australia in 1995, and is the first and only game in the Cobra series to be localized into English.

Story

The story of the game follows the Crystal Boy arc.

Taking place in the far future, where humanity expanded to the entire galaxy and made contact with the other alien races, eponymous Captain Cobra is a legendary outlaw and thief. After pulling off the most audacious caper in the history (and almost getting himself killed in the process) he realizes that the entire galaxy is out to get him, so Cobra decides to undergo plastic surgery and memory suppression treatment to give up his old life behind and start anew. While living a peaceful yet boring life as an office worker, an assassination attempt brings back his old memories and Cobra decides to go back to his old life.

Cobra soon realizes that while he was hiding, the infamous Pirate Guild launched a reign of terror across the entire galaxy and the Police is holding him responsible. As a result of a chance meeting with a mysterious woman named Jane, Cobra receives an offer he simply can't refuse.

After fighting off an ambush by Pirate Guild, Jane tells him that the tattoo on her back is actually a treasure map left by her father Captain Royal, an infamous pirate. In order to keep the location secret, Jane's father divided the map into three parts and tattooed them to the backs of her three daughters. Jane offers Cobra a nice cut from the treasure if he helps him to find her long-lost sisters.

Not willing to skip an oppurtunity to get back at Pirate Guild, clear his name (he is a noble outlaw after all) and pull of another profitable caper, Cobra decides to get back into the business.

Characters

Cobra
Occupation: "Noble Bandit" who only steals from rich and corrupt. Giving it to the poor is optional.

A mysterious outlaw and main character of the story, this likeable troublemaker comes back from hiding for fame and fortune. (Mostly fortune) Do not be deceived by his unassuming and charming appearance. Cobra is an exceptionally fit and smart man who is capable of seemingly super-human feats of athletisim and tricking his opponents into doing what he wants. He is also an extremely skilled close combatant and marksman. His greatest weapon is "Psyho-Gun" a type of energy weapon which uses Cobra's psionic energy as a projectile. This weapon is capable of piercing through any metal known in the galaxy. When not blasting off creeps with his signature weapon, Cobra also uses an old but reliable 44 caliber revolver.

Lady
Occupation: Outlaw. Cobra's closest friend and partner-in-crime.

Lady is an armoroid, an android whose body is covered with extremely strong metal. Lady is usually acts as a voice of reason compared to Cobra's ridiculous plans but usually goes along with them anyway. Despite her rigid exterior, Lady has a very sweet personality for an android.

Jane
Occupation: Unknown.

Jane is a mysterious woman who Cobra saved from the Pirate Guild. (Even though that wasn't his intention in the first place) Jane shares the story of his father's immense fortune with Cobra and enlists his help. Her stunningly beautiful appearance hides a very tough woman who does not give up so easily.

Crystal Boy
Occupation: Assassin, Mob boss, Pirate, Big Bad Evil Mastermind, Douche

Crystal Boy is the leader of "Black Sheep", an elite group of enforcers and assassins within the Pirate Guild and primary antagonist of the story. Egomaniacal, ruthless and sociopathic, Crystal Boy is an extremely dangerous opponent. His gold plated endoskeleton is covered with a body made of special polarized glass that will reflect any energy weapon.

Katherine
Occupation: Teacher, currently missing

Katherine is Jane's youngest sister. Not wanting to have anything to do with her father's past or his ill-gotten fortune, she left her home at a young age and worked as a teacher until she was abducted by Pirate Guild and thrown into the floating prison in planet Sid. Finding her and getting her out will not be easy.

Schultz
Occupation: Warden, former gentleman's club owner

This sinister looking man who looks like he has jumped straight from a BDSM club is the warden of the infamous prison that is floating above the planet of Sid. Taking bribes from the Pirate Guild, Schultz turned the prison into a slave market and concentration camp, in which people who Pirates want to disappear are thrown into and never heard again. As Cobra, you will have an oppurtunity to educate him about humane incarceration methods.

Dominique
Occupation: Kidnapping victim

Dominique is the twin sister of Jane and has the final part of the map. Her location is unknown as she went missing months before Jane and Cobra met.

Gameplay

The Space Adventure is a visual novel, similar to Snatcher. Players will have to use D-Pad to highlight decisions. The A button opens the save/load menu, B is the cancel button, and C is used to confirm commands.

Some parts of the dialogue are dubbed without any subtitles. Due to the high volume of the background music, this sometimes makes it hard to hear dialogue. Additionally, subtitles are not assigned to a specific character, leaving players unsure who is speaking in faster conversations.

Production credits

  • COBRA Created by: Buichi Terasawa
  • Executive Producer: Eiji Aoyama
  • Produced and Directed by: Kaori Sazawa
  • Associate Director: Toshihiko Ichimaru
  • Programmer: Kazuhisa Mitani
  • Screenplay and Graphic Supervisor: Buichi Terasawa
  • English Adaptation by: Earl F. Russell
  • Dialogue Arranged and Directed by: Steve Kramer
  • Recording Engineer: Thomas Chan
  • Dialog Recording Studio: Wally Burr Recording, Burbank, California
Voice Characterizations
  • Cobra: Doug Stone
  • Jane: Edie Mirman
  • Crystal Boy: Jeff Winkless
  • Armaroid Lady: Carrie Gordon
  • And...: Betsy Begian, Sally Ann Brooks, Barbara Goodson, Melora Harte, Joyce Kurtz, Michael McConnohie
  • Original Music Composed by: LEJ Music
  • Sound Composer: Tokoyuki Hamada
  • Sound Supporter: Shinichi Sakamoto, Hiroyuki Hamada
  • Special Effects: Huggies Sakamoto
  • Sound Supervisor: T. Hara
  • Mastering Supporter: Syota Takahashi
COBRA Original Staff
Source:
In-game credits
Space Adventure MCD credits.pdf
[5]

Magazine articles

Main article: The Space Adventure/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (US) #70: "May 1995" (1995-0x-xx)
also published in:
  • (US) #0101: "Volume 1, Number 1: August 1995" (1995-0x-xx)[6]
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
(FR) PAL
89
[7]
(US) NTSC-U
55
[8]
(US) NTSC-U
35
[2]
(FR) PAL
80
[9]
(DE) PAL
43
[10]
(UK) PAL
80
[11]
(FR) PAL
50
[12]
(DE)
26
[13]
(UK) PAL
72
[3]
Sega Mega-CD
59
Based on
9 reviews

The Space Adventure

Mega-CD, US
SpaceAdventure MCD US Box Back.jpgSpaceAdventure MCD US Box Front.jpg
Cover
SpaceAdventure MCD US Disc.jpg
Disc
Spaceadventure mcd us manual.pdf
Manual
Mega-CD, EU
SpaceAdventure MCD EU Box Back.jpgSpaceAdventure MCD EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
SpaceAdventure MCD EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Space Adventure MCD EU Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega-CD, UK
SpaceAdventure MCD EU Box Back.jpgSpaceAdventure MCD UK front.jpg
Cover
SpaceAdventure MCD UK spinecard.jpg
Spinecard
SpaceAdventure MCD EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Space Adventure MCD EU Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega-CD, AS
SpaceAdventure MCD AS front.jpg
Cover
SpaceAdventure MCD AS Disc.jpg
Disc

Technical information

Main article: The Space Adventure/Technical information.

References

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NEC Retro has more information related to Cobra II: Densetsu no Otoko


The Space Adventure

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