Psycho Fox

n/a

Psycho Fox
System(s): Sega Master System
Publisher: Sega of America (US), Sega Enterprises, Ltd. (EU)
Developer: VIC Tokai
Supporting companies: Aicom (sound)
Distributor: Ecofilmes (PT), Tec Toy (BR), Samsung (KR)
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code US 1990-05 $29.9529.95 7032 EU 1989 7032 PT 19xx UK 1990-01 £24.9524.95 7032 AU 19xx BR 19xx AE 19xx KR 19xx GB-7032

Psycho Fox is a Sega Master System game developed by VIC Tokai and published by Sega in 1989. It is a platform game starring Psycho Fox, who must rid the land of an evil god named Madfox Daimyōjin. "Psycho" is meant to mean "psychic," similar to its use in Psychic World. Due to a typo, some European cartridges are labeled as "Psyco Fox."

Psycho Fox is second in a line of similar platformers by VIC Tokai, succeeding the 1988 Famicom release of Kakefu Kimi no Jump Tengoku: Speed Jigoku (released in the West in 1990 as Kid Kool and the Quest for the Seven Wonder Herbs), and preceding the 1990 Sega Mega Drive game, Magical Hat no Buttobi Turbo! Daibouken (which was extensively reworked to become Decap Attack when released in the West).

In Brazil, the game was re-released in 1995 with graphical changes as Sapo Xulé Vs Os Invasores do Brejo.

Story

Shrine

Among a group of fox priests who worship the Inari Daimyojin (Fox Deity), an evil fox named Madfox Daimyōjin has infiltrated his way to the highest ranks and taken over the shrine. After seizing power, Madfox corrupted the land and created hordes of creatures. One young fox has been chosen by his people to rid the land of this evil deity.

Gameplay

Pause menu

Psycho Fox is a side-scrolling platform game. The player takes control of Psycho Fox, a fox with the ability to transform himself into other animals. Psycho Fox can be moved around with and or crouch with . He can punch enemies at short range with and jump with . He can punch enemies while moving or in midair but not while crouching. He can also defeat enemies by jumping on them; the first hit stomps the enemy into the ground, but the enemy can recover from this momentarily if not jumped on again. Some enemies must be jumped on several times to be defeated.

The physics of the game have much heavier inertia than most other platformers. Psycho Fox's jump covers very little horizontal distance unless he first builds momentum by running, for instance. Momentum can also affect stopping distance. Acceleration is relatively slow from a complete stop but less onerous from a partial stop. Psycho Fox can skip across water if he is running.

The goal is to make it to the "Round End" sign at the end of each level. The screen does not scroll backward, so the player cannot backtrack, but it does scroll downward after traveling up. Levels are designed with ground paths as well as higher routes on aerial platforms.

Psycho Fox uses a Shinto stick to change into other animals, each of which has its own special ability. He must find a Psycho Stick item to transform; each transformation consumes a stick. There are also other items that Psycho Fox can find to help him on his journey. The  PAUSE  button brings up a menu that allows the player to choose an item to use. Psycho Fox also has an ally named Bird Fly, who perches on his back like a backpack. Bird Fly can be thrown at enemies with , replacing the punch attack (though Psycho Fox can still punch by hitting again while Bird Fly is deployed). He returns to Psycho Fox like a boomerang after being thrown. Bird Fly can hit multiple enemies when thrown, both on his way out and his way back. Bird Fly leaves for boss fights but returns afterwards.

Psycho Fox loses a life if he takes any damage from enemies or hazards, including falling into water traps. If Psycho Fox is hit while carrying Bird Fly, Bird Fly goes away and the player does not lose a life. The player starts with three lives and can obtain more through eggs and through bonus games. If the player runs out of lives, the game ends, but the player can continue it from the beginning of the current round from the title screen. The player can continue as many times as desired but loses all items in doing so.

Animals

	Fox
	The original form of Psycho Fox, which has balanced characteristics.
	Hippopotamus
	The hippopotamus is slow and cannot jump very high, but this form can punch through special destructible blocks.
	Monkey
	The monkey is slightly slower than the fox but can jump higher than the other creatures.
	Tiger
	The tiger is the fastest runner. His jump is lower, but he can jump farther while running.

Items

Items are contained in eggs or sometimes dropped by defeated enemies. Punch an egg to break it open. Sometimes eggs contain no item or an enemy.

The Psycho Stick, Straw Effigy, and Magic Medicine items are collected in an inventory and not used immediately. The Money Bag item is collected and saved for bonus games. The player can hold a maximum of nine of each item. The  PAUSE  button opens a menu for selecting and using items.

	Egg
	Punch to break open.
	Psycho Stick
	Allows Psycho Fox to transform into another animal.
	Straw Effigy
	Destroys all enemies on screen when used.
	Magic Medicine
	Grants temporarily invincibility. Stars encircle Psycho Fox for the duration of the effect.
	Money Bag
	Used as credits for the bonus game. Money Bags are lost if the player loses a life.
	Extra Life
	The egg releases an apparition of the current animal, who runs away. The player must catch the apparition to earn an extra life.
	Bird Fly
	Summons Bird Fly, who acts as a projectile attack for Psycho Fox and protects him from a hit.

Stages

Stages consist of three rounds followed by a fight against a Boss Monster.

	Mystical Mountains
	Maps: 1️⃣ | 2️⃣ | 3️⃣
	The boss fight is against the Mad Tumber.
	Skull Land
	Maps: 1️⃣ | 2️⃣ | 3️⃣
	The boss fight is against the Robo Fly.
	Diabolical Desert
	Maps: 1️⃣ | 2️⃣ | 3️⃣
	The boss fight is against the Doramaru.
	Wind Zone
	Maps: 1️⃣ | 2️⃣ | 3️⃣
	The boss fight is a rematch against the Robo Fly.
	Underground Passageway
	Maps: 1️⃣ | 2️⃣ | 3️⃣
	The boss fight is a rematch against the Mad Tumbler.
	Ice Zone
	Maps: 1️⃣ | 2️⃣ | 3️⃣
	The boss fight is a rematch against the Doramaru.
	Underground Cavern
	Maps: 1️⃣ | 2️⃣ | 3️⃣
	The boss fight is against the Evil Madfox Daimyōjin.

Bonus Game

Bonus game

At the end of each round, there is a lottery minigame similar to amidakuji. The player can place multiple Psycho Foxes on five pathways. The number of Psycho Foxes given corresponds to the number of Money Bags found in the round. Multiple Psycho Foxes can be placed on the same pathway. Once they have all been placed, they walk up the path to the end, crossing whenever there is a juncture. The end can contain item prizes or a hole that Psycho Fox falls into for no prize.

If Psycho Fox arrives at a shrine at the end of the path, the numbers on the shrine spin around like a slot machine. The player can press to stop the numbers. The player is then rewarded extra lives corresponding to the number that the shrine stopped on. If multiple foxes land on the shrine, the number is multiplied by the number of foxes (rather than rolling multiple times).

Production credits

• Character Designer: Dark Side Toshi
• Sub-Character Designer: Peetan Yamaguchi
• Programmer: Blushed Machiya, Cheeked Shotaro
• Map Designer: Monkey Naochan
• Data Puncher: Big Nose Ohkawa
• Sound Editor: Mr.Question
• Responsible Person: Big Foot Shijoh
• Director: Professor Toshi
• Producer: The Rich Man
• Produced by: SEGA

Source:

In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Psycho Fox/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #100: "March 1990" (1990-02-16)
also published in:

• ACE (UK) #30: "March 1990" (1990-02-01)
• ACE (UK) #31: "April 1990" (1990-03-xx)

Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #101: "April 1990" (1990-03-16)
also published in:

• ACE (UK) #32: "May 1990" (1990-04-xx)

Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #102: "May 1990" (1990-04-16)

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #2: "October/November 1990" (1990-xx-xx)
also published in:

• GamePro (US) #18: "January 1991" (199x-xx-xx)
• GamePro (US) #20: "March 1991" (1991-xx-xx)

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #4: "April/May 1991" (1991-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Sega Visions (US) #5: "Summer 1991" (1991-xx-xx)
• Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #27: "October 1991" (1991-xx-xx)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source Consoles + (FR) 90

	90
Based on 1 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score ACE (UK) PAL 84 Aktueller Software Markt (DE) 58 Complete Guide to Consoles (UK) 92 The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) PAL 92 Console XS (UK) PAL 88 Computer & Video Games (UK) 85 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 70 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 90 The Games Machine (UK) 83 Mean Machines (UK) 90 Mean Machines Sega (UK) 90 Power Play (DE) 73 S: The Sega Magazine (UK) 93 Sega Power (UK) PAL 75 Sega Pro (UK) 87 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 88 User (GR) PAL 68

	83
Based on 17 reviews

Psycho Fox

Master System, US
Cover
Manual

Master System, EU
Cover
Manual

Master System, EU (Sega®)
Cover
Cart

Master System, EU (Typo cart)
Cart

Master System, PT
Cover

Master System, AU
Cart

Master System, AU (NIAL sticker)
Cover

Master System, BR (cardboard)
Cover
File:PsycoFoxv1-SMS-BR-Manual.pdf Manual

Master System, BR
Cover
Cart File:PsycoFoxv2-SMS-BR-Manual.pdf Manual

Master System, KR
Cover
Cart

Master System, GCC
Cover
Cart Manual

Technical information

ROM dump status

System	Hash	Size	Build Date	Source	Comments
✔	CRC32 97993479 MD5 a9c2facf9ef536d095414ce2e7ce2f4f SHA-1 278cc3853905626138e83b6cfa39c26ba8e4f632	256kB		Cartridge (EU/US)
?	CRC32 4bf0e1cc MD5 1c0e96e0a9c70c99ac170c46acab7991 SHA-1 ab7b40bc696f533b5f9fcd0bbdb7fb00595ed4cc	256kB		EPROM cartridge				Page