ALF
From Sega Retro
| ALF | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| System(s): Sega Master System | ||||||||||
| Publisher: Sega of America | ||||||||||
| Developer: Nexa | ||||||||||
| Distributor: Tonka | ||||||||||
| Licensor: Alien Productions | ||||||||||
| Genre: Action[1] | ||||||||||
| Number of players: 1 | ||||||||||
|
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ALF is a Sega Master System platform adventure game developed by Nexa and published by Sega. Released exclusively in the United States in May 1989, it is one of the first games produced under supervision of Sega of America, and one of the system's first Western-developed games. Based on the titular 1986 American sitcom ALF, the game is infamous for its poor control, gameplay, and production values, and has gained a reputation as one of the worst games released for the Sega Master System.
Contents
Story
| “ | Everybody knows Alf; that 229 year-old, furry, lovable alien life form from the planet Melmac! He's everywhere ... even on your Sega system in an all new exclusive adventure.
It all started in 1986 when Alf left Melmac to find a space-age candy store. Everyone on Melmac plugged in their hair dryers at the same time ... and the planet exploded! Only two other Melmacians escaped, Alf's good friends Skip and Rhonda. They ended up on Mars. The Alfer crash-landed on Earth in the Tanner family's yard. Now he's getting home-sick for his two pals. Especially for Rhonda, who is the cutest little ball of fur! The problem is, Alf's spaceship has seen better days. It needs to be fixed before he can go zooming off into space. But to do it he needs your help. Next to the Tanner's house is a space scooter. It will take you into the sky .…. if you figure out what it needs to go ... and where to get it! This game will take you from deep space to the bottom of lakes ... from city streets to dark caves ... up-stairs and downstairs! Collect all the necessary items and you'll be able to make it to the moon! But remember ... the Alien Task Force knows the Alfer is around ... and they're out to get you! And they aren't the only obstacle to your success! So sit back, grab your Control Pad and get ready for a rockin' good time with the Alien Bad Boy himself! |
„ |
— US manual[3] | ||
Gameplay
ALF's goal is to collect all the scattered pieces of his spaceship so he may reassemble it and return to his home planet. As a side-scrolling platformer, ALF can move along a horizontal plane with 
or 
, and jump with 
. The 
button serves as a general-purpose "use" button, utilized to operate the menu, open doors, and pick up items.[4]
Stages
| Home | |
|---|---|
| Cave | |
| Street | |
| Lake | |
| Sky | |
History
Development
- Main article: ALF/Development.
As one of the poorest-received Master System games ever released, the development of ALF has piqued the gaming community's interest for some time. Thankfully, the game's lead programmer Kevin Seghetti has provided a wealth of knowledge on the title's troubled production cycle and insight into the kind of game design choices that resulted in the game's eventual reputation.
Release
ALF received overwhelmingly negative reviews upon release, and is often cited as one of the worst games released for the Sega Master System. Lead programmer Kevin Seghetti has, in good humor, agreed with this evaluation. Being only twenty years old at the time, and with only a single previous game as development experience (Monopoly), his inexperience compounded upon the fact that virtually all sections of the game were notably rushed to meet deadlines. Seghetti has suggested that, as he felt the ALF television series was just as bad, its Sega Master System counterpart is at least in line with its source material.
Production credits
- Musician: Randy Roseberry
- Programmers: Kevin Seghetti, Jinda Pan
- Producers: John Sauer, John Emerson
- Artists: Jody Sather, George Kanalias
Hints
US hints
Magazine articles
- Main article: ALF/Magazine articles.
Promotional materials
Physical scans
| Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
 |
14 |
|---|---|
| Based on 4 reviews | |
| Master System, US |
|---|
 Cover
|
 Cart  Manual |
Technical information
ROM dump status
| System | Hash | Size | Build Date | Source | Comments | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
128kB | Cartridge (US) |
External links
- Collision Detection is Hard: The Story of Alf article by Nicole Branagan at Nicole Express
- Alf 2: Collision Detection is Hard, Blog Posts are Harder article by Nicole Branagan at Nicole Express
References
- ↑ File:Alf SMS US Box.jpg
- ↑ Computer Entertainer, "June 1989" (US; 1989-06-19), page 16
- ↑ File:Alf sms us manual.pdf, page 4
- ↑ File:Alf sms us manual.pdf, page 5
- ↑ File:ALF SMS credits.png
- ↑ Computer Action, "Juli/August 89" (DK; 1989-0x-xx), page 35
- ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 55
- ↑ Sega Pro, "September 1992" (UK; 1992-08-13), page 36
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 70
| ALF | |
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Main page | Maps | Hidden content | Bugs | Development | Magazine articles | Reception | Technical information | |
