Space Fantasy Zone

From Sega Retro

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Space Fantasy Zone
System(s): CD-ROM²
Publisher: NEC Avenue
Developer: NEC Avenue
Licensor: Sega
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up
Status of prototype(s): Prototype dumped

Space Fantasy Zone is an unreleased CD-ROM² game developed by NEC Avenue. It attempts to bridge the gap between Fantasy Zone and Space Harrier, two games set in the same fictional universe of the "Fantasy Zone".

It is a rail shooter similar to Space Harrier, but features Fantasy Zone's Opa Opa as the main character. Enemies are taken from both games and the music is a mix between the two as well. There is a shop similar to the one in Fantasy Zone also, and strangely the introduction sequence bears a resemblance to Galaxy Force.

Though it was mentioned several times in the gaming press, Space Fantasy Zone never saw the light of day. This is potentially due to legal disputes with Sega who at this point (1991) were planning their own CD-based add-on for the Sega Mega Drive. Another possible reason for cancellation was due to quality problems - as the CD-ROM² cannot natively scale sprites like Space Harrier in the arcades, it can lead to very "choppy" scaling and other restrictions making it look less appealing.

A prototype was leaked to the internet many years after cancellation. Though it seems to be mostly complete, levels can be bypassed by accessing the shop, and most of the music seems to be missing.

Promotional material

Magazine articles

Artwork

References

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Opa-Opa Fantasy Zone series of games
Arcade
Fantasy Zone (1986) | Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa (1988) | Fantasy Zone (1998) | Fantasy Zone II DX: The Tears of Opa-Opa (2008) | Medal de Fantasy Zone (2012)
Sega Master System
Fantasy Zone (1986) | Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa (1987) | Fantasy Zone: The Maze (1987) | Galactic Protector (1988)
PC Engine
TurboGrafx-16
Fantasy Zone (1988) | Space Fantasy Zone (Unreleased)
Sega Game Gear
Fantasy Zone Gear (1991)
Sega Mega Drive
Super Fantasy Zone (1992) | Fantasy Zone (2022)
Sega Saturn
Sega Ages Fantasy Zone (1997)
Mobile phone
Fantasy Zone: Boss no Gyakushuu (2001) | Fantasy Zone P1 (2002) | Fantasy Zone (2003)
Sony PlayStation 2
Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 3: Fantasy Zone (2003) | Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 33: Fantasy Zone Complete Collection (Fantasy Zone II DX: The Tears of Opa-Opa | Fantasy Zone Neo Classic) (2008)
LCD handheld game
Fantasy Zone (2009)
Nintendo 3DS
3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Bros. (2014) | 3D Fantasy Zone II W (2014)
Nintendo Switch
Sega Ages Fantasy Zone (2019)
Fantasy Zone related media
Music
(2008) | (2022)
Book
(1987) | (1987) | (1987) | (1987) | (1987) | (1989) | (1989) | (2019)
Film
(1987)