Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino's Butt!

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Awesome Possum Title.png

AwesomePossum MD JP TitleScreen.png

Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino's Butt!
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Tengen
Developer:
Supporting companies:
Sound driver: GEMS
Genre: Action[1]

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP 		¥8,800 (9,064)8,800e[2] T-48153
Sega Mega Drive
US 		$69.9569.95[3] T-48226
Videogame Rating Council: GA

Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino's Butt! (オーサムポッサム) is a platform game released by Tengen in 1993 for the Sega Mega Drive video game console. Inspired heavily by Sonic the Hedgehog and possibly Bubsy in: Claws Encounters of the Furred Kind, the game features a possum named Awesome who must defeat the evil Dr. Machino and his army of robots.

The game has a strong environmental message, involving the destruction of rainforests and pollution. The instruction manual includes a full-color comic introducing the character and information about environmental activism.

Story

Mad scientist Dr. Machino has sent his robots to pollute the earth and endanger the wildlife. Aided by his animal friends, Awesome Possum sets out to destroy the robots, put a stop to the mad scientist, and save the world.

Gameplay

Awesome Possum, Question.png

Environmental quiz question

The game is a platformer modeled after Sonic the Hedgehog. Awesome Possum moves with Left and Right and jumps with A, B, or C jump. He defeats enemies by jumping on top of them. After he jumps on an enemy, he bounces off in a ball form, similar to Sonic and Bubsy. In ball form, he can defeat enemies by hitting them from sides other than the top.

After finishing a level (except the last one), the player is quizzed on environmental and ecological questions. The player chooses an answer using the A, B, or C buttons. The player is awarded with 10,000 bonus points for a correct answer.

Awesome Possum has a health meter with five segments. If he loses all five segments, he loses a life with the next hit he takes. He can find items to replenish his health. He can also collect recyclables throughout the levels; when he collects 50, his health is replenished to full and the player earns an extra life.

The player can enter a bonus stage after the current level is completed by finding a Bonus B item. Bonus stages are similar in style to the regular levels but more linear and densely filled with items.

Animal Friends

Awesome Possum can find animal friends to help him in the levels. He can jump on them to ride them. They defeat any enemies they run into. Awesome Possum can jump off by pressing A, B, or C. Jumping off the rhino catapults him to a great height.

Awesome Possum, Animals, Rhino.png

Rhino
Awesome Possum, Animals, Rhino.png

Awesome Possum, Animals, Giant Bee.png

Giant Bee
Awesome Possum, Animals, Giant Bee.png

Awesome Possum, Animals, Manta Ray.png

Manta Ray
Awesome Possum, Animals, Manta Ray.png

Awesome Possum, Animals, Arctic Bird.png

Arctic Bird
Awesome Possum, Animals, Arctic Bird.png

Items

Awesome Possum, Items.png
 Recyclables
Collectible items such as bottles, newspapers, and aluminum cans. When the player collects 50 recyclables, the count is reset to zero and Awesome Possum gains an extra life and has his health fully replenished.
Awesome Possum, Items.png
 Recycle Sign
Equivalent to collecting 10 recyclables.
Awesome Possum, Items.png
 Mega Powers
Increases the movement speed of Awesome Possum.
Awesome Possum, Items.png
 Mega Jump
Increases the height of Awesome Possum's jump and changes it to a ball, which can attack enemies from any angle.
Awesome Possum, Items.png
 Extra Health
Fully replenishes Awesome Possum's health bar.
Awesome Possum, Items.png
 Extra Life
Awards the player with an extra life.
Awesome Possum, Items.png
 Bonus B
Collect to play a bonus level after completing the current level.
Awesome Possum, Items.png
 Checkpoint
Checkpoint where Awesome Possum is revived after losing a life.
Awesome Possum, Items.png
 Win Banner
Pass to complete the level. If there is a boss, the boss must be defeated first.

Levels

Awesome Possum, Stage 1-1.png

Awesome Possum, Stage 1-2.png

Awesome Possum, Stage 1-3.png

  • Awesome Possum, Stage 1-1.png

  • Awesome Possum, Stage 1-2.png

  • Awesome Possum, Stage 1-3.png

The Rain Forest

Awesome Possum, Stage 2-1.png

Awesome Possum, Stage 2-2.png

Awesome Possum, Stage 2-3.png

  • Awesome Possum, Stage 2-1.png

  • Awesome Possum, Stage 2-2.png

  • Awesome Possum, Stage 2-3.png

The Sea Caverns

Awesome Possum, Stage 3-1.png

Awesome Possum, Stage 3-2.png

Awesome Possum, Stage 3-3.png

  • Awesome Possum, Stage 3-1.png

  • Awesome Possum, Stage 3-2.png

  • Awesome Possum, Stage 3-3.png

The Arctic Circle

Awesome Possum, Stage 4-1.png

Awesome Possum, Stage 4-2.png

Awesome Possum, Stage 4-3.png

  • Awesome Possum, Stage 4-1.png

  • Awesome Possum, Stage 4-2.png

  • Awesome Possum, Stage 4-3.png

Dr. Machino's Domain

Awesome Possum, Stage 5.png

The Fortress of Garbage

Production credits

  • Design and Programming: Richard L. Seaborne
  • Associate Programming: May Yam
  • Art and Animation: Jose Erazo, Doug Gray, Manuel Laguatan, Jules Marino
  • Map Creation: Jose Erazo, Manuel Laguatan, Paul Lidberg
  • Concepts: Richard L. Seaborne, Earl Vickers
  • Music and Sound: Earl Vickers, Doug Brandon, Nu Romantic
  • Voices: Walter Fields, Laura Amat, Douglas Lawrence
  • Producers: Steve Calfee, Bill Hindorff
Source:
In-game credits
Awesome Possum MD credits.pdf
[4]

History

Reception

Awesome Possum was not released outside of Japan and North America, and was heavily criticized upon release for having poor physics and controls. The character of Awesome also also provides a running commentary while playing, which was often cited as being annoying, though there is an option to disable this.

Magazine articles

Main article: Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino's Butt!/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #15: "October/November 1993" (1993-xx-xx)
also published in:
  • GamePro (US) #54: "January 1994" (199x-xx-xx)[5]
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1993-11: "November 1993" (1993-10-08)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1993-12: "December 1993" (1993-11-08)
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Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1994-01: "January 1994" (1993-12-08)
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Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
Sega Mega Drive
 Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[6]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
55
[7]
Console Mania (IT)
82
[8]
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U
93
[9]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
62
[10]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
40
[11]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 3 (RU)
70
[12]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
80
[3]
GamesMaster (UK) NTSC-U
57
[13]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
50
[14]
Mega (UK) NTSC-U
48
[15]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC-U
49
[16]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) NTSC-U
39
[17]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-U
51
[18]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-U
25
[19]
Sega Zone (UK) NTSC-U
76
[20]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
35
[21]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
48
[22]
Video Games (DE) NTSC-U
67
[23]
VideoGames (US) NTSC-U
80
[24]
Sega Mega Drive
 57
Based on
20 reviews

Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino's Butt!

Mega Drive, JP
Ap md jp cover.jpg
Cover
AwesomePossum MD JP CartTop.jpg
AwesomePossum MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Awesomepossum md jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US
AP MD US Box.jpg
Cover
AP MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Awesome Possum MD US Manual.pdf
Manual

Technical information

Main article: Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino's Butt!/Technical information.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)
  2. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "November 1993" (JP; 1993-10-08), page 138
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 GamePro, "December 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 79
  4. ↑ File:Awesome Possum MD credits.pdf
  5. ↑ GamePro, "January 1994" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 63
  6. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 23
  7. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "January 1994" (JP; 1993-12-08), page 26
  8. ↑ Console Mania, "Gennaio 1994" (IT; 199x-xx-xx), page 49
  9. ↑ Electronic Games (1992-1995), "December 1993" (US; 1993-11-23), page 122
  10. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "November 1993" (US; 1993-xx-xx), page 50
  11. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 291
  12. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 3, "" (RU; 2000-xx-xx), page 9
  13. ↑ GamesMaster, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-20), page 52
  14. ↑ Hippon Super, "January 1994" (JP; 1993-12-03), page 43
  15. ↑ Mega, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-20), page 46
  16. ↑ MegaTech, "February 1994" (UK; 1994-01-20), page 16
  17. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "February 1994" (UK; 1993-12-28), page 55
  18. ↑ Sega Power, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-03), page 58
  19. ↑ Sega Pro, "Easter 1994" (UK; 1994-03-24), page 70
  20. ↑ Sega Zone, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-23), page 56
  21. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  22. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 17
  23. ↑ Video Games, "2/94" (DE; 1994-01-26), page 51
  24. ↑ VideoGames, "December 1993" (US; 1993-1x-xx), page 86


Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino's Butt!

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