Whizz

From Sega Retro

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  • NTSC-J

Whizz title.png

Whizz Saturn JP SSTitle.png

Whizz
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: Konami (Europe), Bandai Visual (Japan), B-Factory (Japan)
Developer:
Distributor: Halifax (IT), Ecofilmes (PT)
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (5 tracks)
Genre: Action[1][2]

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Saturn
JP 		¥5,8005,800 T-36102G
Sega Rating: All Ages
Sega Saturn
EU 		T-9514H-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Saturn
DE 		T-9514H-50
USK: 0
Sega Saturn
ES 		T-9514H-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Saturn
PT
Sega Saturn
UK 		£39.9939.99[3] T-9514H-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Saturn
IT
Sega Saturn
PL
Non-Sega versions

Whizz, called Akupyon Game Whizz (アクピョン・ゲーム ウィズ) in Japan, is a 1997 action game by Flair Software for the Sega Saturn.

Story

Whizz, a wizard rabbit, is racing his hot air balloon through the mystical worlds against his rival Ratty, a rat.

Gameplay

The game is an isometric platformer played as the anthropomorphic rabbit Whizz. The goal of each level is to guide Whizz to his hot air balloon at the end before time runs out. Whizz is moved in any direction using the D-pad. His movement is constrained to a grid, so he can only move at right angles to the tiles and never at an oblique angle (similar to isometric RPGs such as Landstalker but unlike Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island). He can jump with C. He can attack enemies by spinning like a tornado with B. His spin attack can also be done while jumping. Enemies that are both red and white are invulnerable to Whizz's spin attack and damage him if he tries to attack them.

Whizz loses health when he is hurt by an enemy, and he loses a life when he runs out of health or runs out of time. His health is indicated by a mushroom in the corner of the screen. He does not have a period of invulnerability after taking damage, so it is possible to take a large amount of damage from a single foe if badly positioned. Defeated enemies drop mushrooms. Red mushrooms restore his health, but blue mushrooms harm him instead. Red mushrooms turn into blue mushrooms after a duration.

Whizz progresses through four themed worlds, each containing two or three levels. There are no boss battles in the game. Each level contains four rockets that can be launched by Whizz; launching all four awards the player with an extra continue. The player can also collect flags and gems for bonus points. There are many doors within the levels that can be opened with keys or broken with Whizz's spin attack after finding door breaker items.

Bonus points are awarded at the end of each level for flags collected, rockets launched, and time remaining. There are three selectable difficulty levels (Easy, Normal, and Hard). The lower difficulties have less onerous time constraints.

Items

Whizz, Items.png
 Flag
Collect for bonus points at the end of the level.
Whizz, Items.png
 Gem
Collect for 200 points.
Whizz, Items.png
 Red Mushroom
Heals Whizz by a small amount. Turns into a blue mushroom if not collected quickly enough.
Whizz, Items.png
 Blue Mushroom
Damages Whizz. Can be destroyed by Whizz's spin attack.
Whizz, Items.png
 Potion
Heals Whizz by a big amount.
Whizz, Items.png
 Poison
Poisons Whizz, which causes him to lose health until he loses a life or finds a First Aid Box.
Whizz, Items.png
 First Aid Box
Removes poison from Whizz.
Whizz, Items.png
 Hourglass
Adds extra time to the timer.
Whizz, Items.png
 Keys
Opens wooden doors with keyholes, treasure chests, trapdoors, and cages containing items.
Whizz, Items.png
 Treasure Chest
Can be opened with a key for 100 bonus points.
Whizz, Items.png
 Door Breakers
Breaks through a door of the same material or a weaker material. Door breakers come in five materials, of increasing strength: ice, wood, stone, brick, and iron. Whizz keeps the door breaker until he loses a life, completes the level, or replaces it with another material.
Whizz, Items.png
 Rocket
Each level contains four rockets. Whizz earns an extra continue if he launches all four. Worth 1,000 points each.

Worlds

Whizz, Stage 1-1.png

Whizz, Stage 1-2.png

Whizz, Stage 1-3.png

  • Whizz, Stage 1-1.png

  • Whizz, Stage 1-2.png

  • Whizz, Stage 1-3.png

Green Grassed Castle

Whizz, Stage 2-1.png

Whizz, Stage 2-2.png

Whizz, Stage 2-3.png

  • Whizz, Stage 2-1.png

  • Whizz, Stage 2-2.png

  • Whizz, Stage 2-3.png

Frozen Arctic Wastes
Password: CBAACA 

Whizz, Stage 3-1.png

Whizz, Stage 3-2.png

  • Whizz, Stage 3-1.png

  • Whizz, Stage 3-2.png

South Seas Beaches
Password: BCBAAB 

Whizz, Stage 4-1.png

Whizz, Stage 4-2.png

  • Whizz, Stage 4-1.png

  • Whizz, Stage 4-2.png

Gamesville
Password: CACBBA 

Versions

The game was originally released for the Amiga and IBM PC in 1994. It was ported to the Super NES in 1996; a Mega Drive version was planned but never released. It was ported to the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation in 1997. Its graphics and gameplay were considered dated for the 32-bit consoles.

Localised names

Also known as
Language Localised Name English Translation
English Whizz Whizz
Japanese アクピョン・ゲーム ウィズ Akupyon Game Whizz

Magazine articles

Main article: Whizz/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Mega Drive print advert in Joypad (FR) #61: "Février 1997" (1997-0x-xx)
also published in:
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
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
50
[6]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
56
[7]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
62
[8]
Sega Saturn Magazine (UK) PAL
61
[3]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
47
[9]
Sega Saturn
 55
Based on
5 reviews

Whizz

Saturn, JP
Whizz Saturn JP Box Back.jpgWhizz Saturn JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
Whizz Saturn JP Spinecard.jpg
Spinecard
Whizz Saturn JP Disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, EU
Whizz Saturn EU Box.jpg
Cover
Saturn, IT

Saturn, PT
Whizz Saturn PT cover.jpg
Cover

Unreleased versions

Notavailable.svg
Whizz
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Psygnosis, Titus
Developer: Reflections Interactive[10], Flair Software
Planned release date(s): Autumn 1994[11], 1995, 1996-09[12]

A Sega Mega Drive version was at one point in development, having been ported by Reflections Interactive for Psygnosis. Psygnosis dropped the game in mid-1994[13] leaving the project without a publisher. It was then taken back by Flair Software and Titus in 1996, only to be cancelled entirely, a situation mirrored by Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame which was also first discarded by Psygnosis and then by Titus. Working titles appear to have been (The) Castle Game[10][14] and Top Hat[15].

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Sega Mega Drive
 N/A
Based on
0 reviews

Whizz

Technical information

Main article: Whizz/Technical information.

References

  1. ↑ File:Whizz Saturn JP Box Back.jpg
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://sega.jp/fb/segahard/ss/soft_licensee3.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-03-20 23:05)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Sega Saturn Magazine, "May 1998" (UK; 1998-04-15), page 60
  4. ↑ http://centromail.es:80/nuevo/consolas/sat.asp (Wayback Machine: 1998-04-30 18:14)
  5. ↑ Consoles +, "Février 1997" (FR; 1997-0x-xx), page 163
  6. ↑ Famitsu, "1997-09-05" (JP; 1997-08-22), page 1
  7. ↑ Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 17" (JP; 1997-08-29), page 168
  8. ↑ Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 20" (JP; 1997-10-17), page 98
  9. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "1997-30 (1997-09-05)" (JP; 1997-08-22), page 219
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Megazone, "May 1994" (AU; 1994-04-20), page 16
  11. ↑ Mega, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-17), page 8
  12. ↑ Mega Force, "Été 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 46
  13. ↑ Mega, "July 1994" (UK; 1994-06-16), page 6
  14. ↑ Sega Magazine, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-15), page 15
  15. ↑ MegaTech, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-21), page 31


Whizz

Whizz title.png

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