Difference between revisions of "James Pond 3: Operation Starfish"

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Revision as of 00:26, 29 April 2021

n/a

  • Mega Drive
  • Game Gear

JP3 Title.png

JamesPond3 GG Title.png

James Pond 3: Operation Starfish
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Game Gear
Publisher:
Sega Mega Drive
Electronic Arts
Sega Game Gear
U.S. Gold
Developer:
Genre: Action[1]

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US 		$49.9549.95[2] 716601
Videogame Rating Council: GA
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		E234SMXI
Sega Mega Drive
DE 		DM 110110[5] E234SMXI
Sega Mega Drive
UK 		£44.9944.99[3][4] E234SMXI
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Sega Mega Drive
BR 		046300
Sega Game Gear
EU 		79158-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Game Gear
DE 		DM 79.0079.00[7] 79158-50
Sega Game Gear
UK 		£29.9929.99[6] 79158-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Non-Sega versions

James Pond 3: Operation Starfish (sometimes spelt James Pond 3: Operation Starfi5h, in reference to the in-game F.I.5.H. secret service), is the third and last game in the James Pond series and is a direct sequel to James Pond II: Codename RoboCod. The working title for the game was James Pond 3: Splash Gordon, a pun on Flash Gordon.

Initially programmed for the Commodore Amiga, it was ported to the Amiga CD32, Super Nintendo, Sega Mega Drive and Sega Game Gear.

Gameplay

Like its predecessor, the game is a platformer, this time set in space and contains elements of non-linear stage progression. The gameplay seems to be inspired by both Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario World. The Robocod suit from the prequel was completely dropped for a new system that allows to carry, throw and use objects. A new playable frog character was also introduced, although he needs to be rescued first.

The game employs a highly complicated password system, using colored symbols instead of letters and numbers.

Through clever programming the game simultaneously zooms and rotates text and logos during the title sequence, operations normally not supported by the Mega Drive.

Production credits

  • Design: Chris Sorrell
  • Main Programming: Chris Sorrell
  • Additional Programming: Alan McCarthy
  • Graphics: Sean Nicholls, Leavon Archer, Chris Sorrell
  • Music: Richard Joseph
  • Sound Effects: Richard Joseph
  • Level Design: Philip Bak, Katie Lea, Rupert Easterbrook, Gary Richards, Stuart Burrows, Stuart Green
  • In‑game Text: Martin Oliver, Chris Sorrell
  • Producer: Kevin Shrapnell
  • Associate Producer: Rupert Easterbrook
  • Game Testing: Nick Goldsworthy, Graham Harbour, David Bowry, Jamie Bradshaw, Darren King
  • Special Thanks To: Ian Saunter, Michael Hayward, all friends of Pond


Magazine articles

Main article: James Pond 3: Operation Starfish/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Mega Force (FR) #21: "Octobre 1993" (1993-10-08)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
83
94 №25, p108-110
75 [9]
78 [10]
93 №11, p76/77
89 [11]
75 [12]
78 №16
90 №14, p41
88 №6, p26/27
90
85 №23, p66-68
89 [13]
90 №36, p88-90
87 №49, p54/55
83 №26, p36/37
91 №13, p42-44
83 [14]
87 №25, p10/11
Sega Mega Drive
 86
Based on
19 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
50
[15]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
83
[16]
Console Mania (IT) PAL
90
[17]
Consoles + (FR)
94
[18]
Computer & Video Games (UK) PAL
75
[9]
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U
84
[19]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
60
[20]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 7 (RU)
40
[21]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
78
[2]
GamesMaster (UK) PAL
93
[22]
Hyper (AU)
87
[23]
Joypad (FR) PAL
89
[24]
Joypad (HU)
88
[25]
MAN!AC (DE)
75
[26]
Mega (UK) PAL
90
[4]
Mega Action (UK) PAL
88
[27]
Mega Force (FR)
90
[28]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
85
[29]
MegaTech (UK) PAL
85
[30]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
89
[31]
Player One (FR)
90
[32]
Power Up! (UK)
83
[33]
Sega Magazin (DE) PAL
87
[34]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
87
[35]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
83
[36]
Sega Zone (UK) PAL
91
[37]
Sega Force Mega (UK) PAL
83
[38]
Sonic the Comic (UK) PAL
87
[39]
Todo Sega (ES)
78
[40]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
78
[41]
Video Games (DE) PAL
64
[42]
Sega Mega Drive
 81
Based on
31 reviews

James Pond 3: Operation Starfish

Mega Drive, US
JP3 MD US Box.jpg
Cover
JamesPond3 MD US-EU Cart Top.jpg
JamesPond3 MD US-EU Cart Back.jpgJP3 MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
James Pond 3 MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, EU
JP3 MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
JamesPond3 MD US-EU Cart Top.jpg
JamesPond3 MD US-EU Cart Back.jpgJP3 MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
JP3 MD EU case.jpg
Case & sticker
Mega Drive, FR

James Pond III MD FR Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, BR
JamesPond3 MD BR Box.jpg
Cover

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Consoles + (FR) PAL
87
[43]
Digitiser (UK)
87
[44]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
76
[45]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
67
[46]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
88
[6]
Player One (FR) PAL
87
[47]
Play Time (DE)
65
[48]
Power Unlimited (NL)
79
[49]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
76
[50]
Todo Sega (ES)
79
[51]
Top Consoles (FR)
60
[52]
Video Games (DE) PAL
74
[53]
Sega Game Gear
 77
Based on
12 reviews

James Pond 3: Operation Starfish

Game Gear, EU
JamesPond3 GG EU Box Back.jpgNospine.pngJamesPond3 GG EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
JamesPond3 GG EU Cart.jpg
Cart

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 26f64b2a
MD5 0a72b5846ff1766662809318cf000c22
SHA-1 df7fca887e7988e24ab2d08b015c6db2902fe571
2MB 1993-09-20[54] Cartridge (US/EU)
Sega Game Gear
 ?
CRC32 68bb7f71
MD5 1c88d6f7784efb05d2548f9f903889f3
SHA-1 53790edee813a0a444b0369fd15672bb2a343780
512kB Cartridge (EU)

References

  1. ↑ File:JamesPond3 GG EU Box Back.jpg
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 GamePro, "January 1994" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 65
  3. ↑ Sega Force Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-16), page 86
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mega, "November 1993" (UK; 1993-10-21), page 41
  5. ↑ MAN!AC, "12/93" (DE; 1993-11-10), page 59
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Mean Machines Sega, "May 1995" (UK; 1995-03-28), page 78
  7. ↑ Games World Magazin, "" (DE; 1995-0x-xx), page 85
  8. ↑ Mega Fun, "01/94" (DE; 1993-12-22), page 8
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Computer & Video Games, "November 1993" (UK; 1993-10-15), page 81
  10. ↑ GamePro, "January 1994" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 61 (65)
  11. ↑ Joypad, "Novembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 160/161 (160)
  12. ↑ Joypad, "Novembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 58/59 (58)
  13. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-10-xx), page 80-82 (80)
  14. ↑ Sega Force Mega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-16), page 58-60 (58)
  15. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 101
  16. ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "Avril 1994" (DE; 1994-03-07), page 112
  17. ↑ Console Mania, "Febbraio 1994" (IT; 1994-0x-xx), page 76
  18. ↑ Consoles +, "Novembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 108
  19. ↑ Electronic Games (1992-1995), "January 1994" (US; 1993-12-21), page 82
  20. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 322
  21. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 7, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 171
  22. ↑ GamesMaster, "November 1993" (UK; 1993-10-21), page 76
  23. ↑ Hyper, "February 1994" (AU; 199x-xx-xx), page 38
  24. ↑ Joypad, "Novembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 160
  25. ↑ Joypad, "1/1995" (HU; 1995-xx-xx), page 22
  26. ↑ MAN!AC, "12/93" (DE; 1993-11-10), page 58
  27. ↑ Mega Action, "November 1993" (UK; 1993-10-07), page 7
  28. ↑ Mega Force, "Novembre 1993" (FR; 1993-11-10), page 120
  29. ↑ Mega Fun, "11/93" (DE; 1993-10-20), page 84
  30. ↑ MegaTech, "November 1993" (UK; 1993-10-20), page 66
  31. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-10-xx), page 80
  32. ↑ Player One, "Novembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 88
  33. ↑ Power Up!, "Saturday, January 08, 1994" (UK; 1994-01-08), page 1
  34. ↑ Sega Magazin, "September/Oktober 1993" (DE; 1993-09-01), page 60
  35. ↑ Sega Power, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-xx), page 54
  36. ↑ Sega Pro, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-11), page 36
  37. ↑ Sega Zone, "November 1993" (UK; 1993-10-28), page 42
  38. ↑ Sega Force Mega, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-16), page 84
  39. ↑ Sonic the Comic, "May 13th 1994" (UK; 1994-04-30), page 10
  40. ↑ Todo Sega, "Enero 1994" (ES; 199x-xx-xx), page 66
  41. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 93
  42. ↑ Video Games, "3/94" (DE; 1994-02-23), page 82
  43. ↑ Consoles +, "Juin 1995" (FR; 1995-0x-xx), page 78
  44. ↑ Digitiser (UK) (1995-05-15)
  45. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Agosto 1995" (ES; 1995-xx-xx), page 94
  46. ↑ Mega Fun, "06/95" (DE; 1995-05-24), page 66
  47. ↑ Player One, "Juin 1995" (FR; 1995-0x-xx), page 100
  48. ↑ Play Time, "7/95" (DE; 1995-06-07), page 114
  49. ↑ Power Unlimited, "Jaagang 3, Jul/Aug 1995" (NL; 1995-06-28), page 27
  50. ↑ Sega Power, "June 1995" (UK; 1995-04-20), page 65
  51. ↑ Todo Sega, "Julio 1995" (ES; 1995-0x-xx), page 54
  52. ↑ Top Consoles, "Juin 1995" (FR; 1995-0x-xx), page 106
  53. ↑ Video Games, "6/95" (DE; 1995-05-17), page 108
  54. ↑ File:JamesPond3 MD SoundTest.png


James Pond 3: Operation Starfish

JP3 Title.png

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James Pond games for Sega systems
Sega Mega Drive
 James Pond: Underwater Agent (1991) | James Pond II: Codename RoboCod (1991) | The Aquatic Games Starring James Pond and The Aquabats (1992) | James Pond 3: Operation Starfish (1993)
Sega Master System
 James Pond II: Codename RoboCod (1993)
Sega Game Gear
 James Pond II: Codename RoboCod (1993) | James Pond 3: Operation Starfish (1995)
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