Prime / Microcosm

This article only covers Prime. For information relating to the latter game, see Microcosm.

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Prime Microcosm
Prime / Microcosm
System(s): Sega Mega-CD
Publisher: Sony Imagesoft
Developer: Malibu Interactive (Prime), Psygnosis (Microcosm)
Licensor: Malibu Comics
Genre: Compilation
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code US 1994-12 T-93325

Prime / Microcosm is a Sega Mega-CD compilation featuring Malibu Interactive's Prime and Psygnosis' Microcosm on two separate discs, published exclusively in the United States by Sony Imagesoft in December 1994. This article only covers Prime; for information relating to the latter game, see Microcosm.

Prime, also known as Ultraverse Prime, is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up developed by Malibu Interactive. Based upon the Malibu Comics superhero of the same name, it was developed by Malibu Interactive and sold under their Ultraverse brand. Originally intended for a individual release on both the Mega Drive and Mega-CD, it was ultimately only included in this compilation.

Story

Prime is the superhero form of Kevin Green, a fifteen-year-old boy. His parents had trouble conceiving a child and turned to a government program for assistance. The government put his mother through experiments related to his research to create a super soldier. This gave Kevin the power to transform into the physical form of a super-powered adult but with his adolescent mind unchanged.

Kevin's teenage crush, Kelly Cantrell, has gone missing, so he sets out to find her.

Gameplay

Cutscene

The game is a single-player beat-'em-up. Prime moves with and and jumps with . He moves backwards and forwards in the plane with and . He punches with and kicks with . Each attack combos into a stronger attack when pressed repeatedly. He can attack while jumping. He can grab opponents by holding when near them and then pummel them while holding them or throw them. He can grab two enemies at once and bash their heads together. By finding Stars, Prime can use his Big Burst ability with ++, where he flies into the air and explodes with energy. This damages all enemies on screen and also stuns enemies as well as Prime for a short time.

There are two flying segments. In these segments, Prime flies forward automatically. He can be moved in any direction with the D-Pad, punches with , and kicks with .

Prime's life is indicated by a health bar at the top of the screen. When he loses all of his health, he loses a life. An extra life can be obtained by collecting all of the "EXTRA BONUS" letters throughout the game. If the player runs out of lives, the game ends. Opponents occasionally drop healing items when they are defeated.

Items

	Little Heart
	Restores a small amount of health.
	Big Heart
	Restores a large amount of health.
	Star
	Gives Prime another use of his Big Burst ability.
	Letters
	Collect letters throughout the stages to spell "EXTRA BONUS" to gain an extra life.

Acts

Each Act contains three Scenes, the last of which contains a boss encounter.

	Act 1
	Act 2
	Act 3
	Act 4
	Act 5

Comic viewer

Comic viewer

The game includes several issues of the comic book as a bonus. zooms out, zooms in, and turns to the next page.  START  selects a comic or exits.

• Prime #1
• Prime #2
• Prime #3
• Prime #4
• Prime #5
• Prime #6
• Prime #7
• Break Thru #1
• Break Thru #2
• Prime #8
• Mantra #7
• Prime #9
• Prime #10
• Prime #11
• Prime #12

History

Prime was originally developed as a Mega Drive game, scheduled to be published by Sony Imagesoft around late 1994. However, its cartridge release was cancelled for unknown reasons, with the game soon moving to the Mega-CD. While originally intended to be released as an individual disc, this was also cancelled, with Prime only ever appearing in this two-disc compilation.

Another version of the game was in development for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, but also went unreleased.

Legacy

Due to the relative unfamiliarity of the titular Malibu Comics superhero and the company's Ultraverse brand, as well as the obscurity of the game itself, the character's Mega-CD outing is commonly known under the name Ultraverse Prime.

Production credits

Prime

Malibu Interactive

• Programming: Allan Shortt
• Background Art: Simon Butler, Robert Hemphill, Terry Lloyd
• Animations: Jon Eggelton, Neal Sutton, Simon Butler
• Title Art: Jon Eggelton, Bill Harbison
• Music/SFX: Tim Follin, Geoff Follin
• Comic Programming: David Pridmore
• Comic Conversion: Helen Jones
• Video Processing: Tom Higgins
• Testing/QA: Mick Thompson, Tony McColgan
• Management: Ian McGee, Steve Wahid
• Based on a design by: James Higgins, Gerry Jones, Len Strezewski

Malibu Comics

• Prime Creators: Gerry Jones, Len Strezewski

Sony Imagesoft

• Executive Producer: Rich Robinson
• Producer: Nathan Rose
• Assistant Producers: Mark Smith, CJ Connoy
• Testers: Jose Cruz, Andre Leighton, Bruce Cochrane, Tobin Russell, Seth Luisi, Andrew Stein, Kurt Schwengal, Jody Kelsey, CJ Connoy

Source:

In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Prime / Microcosm/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score GamePro (US) NTSC-U 38 Game Informer (US) NTSC-U 72

	55
Based on 2 reviews

Prime / Microcosm

Mega-CD, US
Cover
Manual Prime disc Microcosm disc

Technical information

Main article: Prime / Microcosm/Technical information.

ROM dump status

System	Hash	Size	Build Date	Source	Comments
✔	CRC32 MD5 SHA-1	468,948,816	1993-12	CD-ROM (US)	T-93325 (Microcosm)
?	CRC32 MD5 SHA-1	418,082,112	1994-12	CD-ROM (US)	T-93325 (Prime)

References

Malibu Comics games for Sega systems
	Ex-Mutants (1992) | Dinosaurs for Hire (1993) | Firearm (unreleased) | Prime (unreleased)
	Prime (1994) | The Strangers (unreleased)
	The Incredible Hulk: The Pantheon Saga (1997)