Turrican

From Sega Retro

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Turrican Title.png

Turrican
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Ballistic
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US 		ACLD004
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		ACLD004
Sega Mega Drive
UK 		£39.9939.99[3] ACLD004
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Non-Sega versions

Turrican is a run-and-gun game originally developed by Rainbow Arts for the Commodore 64. Rainbow Arts licensed Accolade to make console ports, one of them being an unlicensed Sega Mega Drive port released 1991.

Story

The lost colony of Alterra is a completely man-made world in a nearby galaxy, abandoned long ago. Alterra consists of five self-contained habitats, separately bio-engineered by a powerful ecosystem generation network known as the Multiple Organism Unit Link (MORGUL). However, a cataclysmic earthquake severed all system interface functions and caused MORGUL to violently rebel. Few colonists survived.

Mankind has sought to return to Alterra for generations. Turrican, a genetically engineered mutant warrior, was created for the purpose of reclaiming the planet. Turrican must eliminate the hostile organisms created by MORGUL from Alterra's life forms and finally destroy the three faces of MORGUL.

Gameplay

The game is a side-scrolling run-and-gun. Levels are large and non-linear. Turrican moves with Left and Right and kneels with Down. He jumps with B or Up; he jumps higher if the button is held for longer. He can transform into a "buzzsaw" form where he curls into a ball and rolls along the ground with Down+B. This can be used to attack enemies or fit into small spaces, but it can only be done three times per level or life. He exits the rolling form by jumping.

Turrican is equipped with multiple weapons. He fires his main weapon, a laser rifle, with A. This weapon does not have rapid-fire. The weapon can be upgraded by finding power-ups. Turrican can fire his weapon while kneeling, jumping, or rolling. He has a special "lightning whip" weapon, a long energy beam that damages enemies continuously, that is activated by holding A. The lightning whip can be rotated around Turrican with Left and Right. He can also drop mines by holding Down+A. Mines explode on the ground after a moment and do area damage but are limited in supply. Turrican has two additional weapons, grenades and the "power line"; pressing C cycles between the rifle and these special weapons and A fires them. The grenades shoot out horizontally until they hit a surface and then explode. The power line attacks all enemies on the screen with two pillars of energy that radiate out from the Turrican. The rifle is equipped again after using a special weapon.

Turrican has an energy meter that depletes as he takes damage from enemies. He loses a life if he runs out of energy and revives in place after a moment if the player has extra lives remaining. Since Turrican does not have a moment of invulnerability after taking damage (as is customary in platforming games), he can take a large amount of damage in a short span if the player is not cautious. Levels are timed, and the player loses a life if time runs out as well. The game ends if the player runs out of lives, but it can be continued if there are continues remaining. The player earns a continue for every 300 crystals collected in the levels.

Items

Turrican, Items.png
 Item Container
Shoot to release an item. The item container damages Turrican if it touches him.
Turrican, Items.png
 P
Fully restores Turrican's energy meter.
Turrican, Items.png
 Multiple Shot
Equips the Multiple Shot weapon, a spreadshot.
Turrican, Items.png
 Laser Blast
Equips the Laser Blast weapon, a penetrating laser.
Turrican, Items.png
 Force Field
Makes Turrican temporarily invulnerable.
Turrican, Items.png
 Extra Mine
Gives Turrican another mine.
Turrican, Items.png
 Grenade
Gives Turrican another grenade.
Turrican, Items.png
 Power Line
Gives Turrican another power line.
Turrican, Items.png
 Lightning Whip
Increases the length of the lightning whip.
Turrican, Items.png
Turrican, Items.png
Turrican, Items.png
 Crystal
Collect 300 to earn an extra continue.
Turrican, Items.png
 1-Up
Gives the player an extra life.

Worlds

Turrican, Stage 1-1.png

Turrican, Stage 1-1 Boss.png

Turrican, Stage 1-2.png

Turrican, Stage 1-3.png

  • Turrican, Stage 1-1.png

  • Turrican, Stage 1-1 Boss.png

  • Turrican, Stage 1-2.png

  • Turrican, Stage 1-3.png

World 1

Turrican, Stage 2-1.png

Turrican, Stage 2-1 Boss.png

Turrican, Stage 2-2.png

Turrican, Stage 2-2 Boss.png

  • Turrican, Stage 2-1.png

  • Turrican, Stage 2-1 Boss.png

  • Turrican, Stage 2-2.png

  • Turrican, Stage 2-2 Boss.png

World 2

Turrican, Stage 3-1.png

Turrican, Stage 3-2.png

Turrican, Stage 3-3.png

  • Turrican, Stage 3-1.png

  • Turrican, Stage 3-2.png

  • Turrican, Stage 3-3.png

World 3

Turrican, Stage 4-1.png

Turrican, Stage 4-1 Boss.png

Turrican, Stage 4-2.png

Turrican, Stage 4-2 Boss.png

  • Turrican, Stage 4-1.png

  • Turrican, Stage 4-1 Boss.png

  • Turrican, Stage 4-2.png

  • Turrican, Stage 4-2 Boss.png

World 4

Turrican, Stage 5-1.png

Turrican, Stage 5-2.png

Turrican, Stage 5-2 Boss.png

  • Turrican, Stage 5-1.png

  • Turrican, Stage 5-2.png

  • Turrican, Stage 5-2 Boss.png

World 5

History

Legacy

Rainbow Arts allowed Accolade to hold its console license for Turrican II, but the game was actually rebranded and released as Universal Soldier, a tie-in to the Jean-Claude Van Damme 1992 movie. After that, Factor 5, the developers of the Amiga versions which the Mega Drive versions were based on, went on and produced Mega Turrican on the Mega Drive by themselves.

Versions

While the Mega Drive port is faithful in terms of content, health depletes at a faster rate (approximately four times faster), making the game considerably harder.

Chris Hülsbeck's famous musical score was not faithfully reproduced either, although this can be partially attributed to the hardware. He would personally program the music for Mega Turrican, which was highly praised.

In order to be played at the correct speed (using the Amiga version as a reference), the game needs to be played on 50Hz PAL setting.

The game is not region protected.

Production credits

  • Produced by: Chris Bankston
  • Programmed by: The Code Monkeys
  • Programmers: Colin Hogg, Elliot Gay, Mark Kirkby
  • Graphics by: Joe Lewis and Manfred Trenz
  • Musicians: J.D. Rogers and Paul Kenny
  • Game Testers: David M. Friedland, Robert V. Daly, James R. Kucera
  • Game Design: Manfred Trenz
  • Technical Advice: Chris Bankston, Tim Wilson, Russell Shiffer, Dave Rogers, Natalie Healy
Source:
In-game credits
Turrican MD credits.pdf
[4]
  • Designer: The Code Monkeys
  • Producer: Chris Bankston
  • Tester: David Friedland, Robert Daly, James Kucera
  • Manual: Larry Hall
  • Additional Thanks to: SoftGold GmbH, Rainbow Arts, Factor Five, Boris Vallejo, Al Miller, Peter Doctorow, Randy Oyler, Jeff Hoff, Shirley Sellers, and all others involved.
Source:
US manual
Turrican md us manual.pdf
[5]
Source:
Uncredited


Magazine articles

Main article: Turrican/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (UK) #118: "September 1991" (1991-08-15)
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Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (US) #27: "October 1991" (1991-xx-xx)
also published in:
  • (US) #30: "January 1992" (199x-xx-xx)[6]
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (US) #29: "December 1991" (1991-xx-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in (US) #0203: "Vol. 2, No. 3: June/July 1991" (1991-0x-xx)
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
(RU)
60
[7]
(UK) PAL
86
[8]
(RU)
60
[9]
(UK)
48
[10]
(IT)
89
[11]
(UK)
70
[12]
(UK) PAL
87
[13]
(ES)
86
[14]
(FR) PAL
76
[15]
(FR) PAL
81
[16]
(UK) PAL
59
[17]
(US) NTSC-U
85
[18]
(UK) PAL
73
[19]
(ES)
70
[20]
(UK) PAL
73
[21]
(UK)
73
[22]
(FR)
78
[23]
(DE)
72
[24]
(UK) PAL
67
[3]
(UK) PAL
86
[25]
(RU)
67
[26]
(GR) PAL
66
[27]
(DE)
69
[28]
Sega Mega Drive
 73
Based on
23 reviews

Turrican

Mega Drive, US/EU
Turrican MD US Box Back.jpgTurrican MD US Box Spine.jpgTurrican MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Turrican md us cart.jpg
Cart
Turrican md us manual.pdf
Manual
Turrican MD US pcb.jpg
PCB
Mega Drive, EU
Turrican MD US Box Back.jpgTurrican MD US Box Spine.jpgTurrican MD EU front.jpg
Cover
Turrican md us cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, FR
Turrican MD US Box Back.jpgTurrican MD US Box Spine.jpgTurrican MD FR front.jpg
Cover
Turrican md us cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, DE

Technical information

Main article: Turrican/Technical information.

References

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NEC Retro has more information related to Turrican
  1. ↑ GamePro, "June 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 42
  2. ↑ Computer Trade Weekly, "" (UK; 1991-10-07), page 19
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 36
  4. ↑ File:Turrican MD credits.pdf
  5. ↑ File:Turrican md us manual.pdf, page 3
  6. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "January 1992" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 76
  7. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 252
  8. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 135
  9. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 365
  10. ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 111
  11. ↑ Game Power, "Gennaio 1992" (IT; 199x-xx-xx), page 52
  12. ↑ Games-X, "17th-23rd October 1991" (UK; 1991-10-17), page 35
  13. ↑ Game Zone, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-10-08), page 28
  14. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Enero 1992" (ES; 199x-xx-xx), page 54
  15. ↑ Joypad, "Octobre 1991" (FR; 1991-09-17), page 46
  16. ↑ Joystick, "Septembre 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 172
  17. ↑ Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-16), page 87
  18. ↑ Mega Play, "July/August 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 64
  19. ↑ MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 81
  20. ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Marzo 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 33
  21. ↑ Mean Machines, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-27), page 74
  22. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 142
  23. ↑ Player One, "Novembre 1991" (FR; 1991-xx-xx), page 84
  24. ↑ Power Play, "11/91" (DE; 1991-10-11), page 168
  25. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68
  26. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 27
  27. ↑ User, "Septémvrios 1992" (GR; 1992-0x-xx), page 85
  28. ↑ Video Games, "4/91" (DE; 1991-12-06), page 29


Turrican

Turrican Title.png

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Turrican games for Sega systems
Turrican (1991) | Universal Soldier (1992) | Mega Turrican (Director's Cut) (1994)
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