Marsupilami

n/a

NTSC-U PAL
Marsupilami
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Apache Software
Distributor: Ecofilmes (PT), Sega-Ozisoft (AU), Tec Toy (BR)
Licensor: Marsu
Sound driver: GEMS
Peripherals supported: Six Button Control Pad
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1
Official in-game languages: English Deutsch Français Español Italiano
Release Date RRP Code US 1996-05 $39.9939.99 1841 US ▼ (Sega Channel) 199x SUBsub EU 1995 1841-50 PT 1995 MDJ1841 UK 1995-10-27 £49.9949.99 1841-50 AU 199x FMAR05SMC BR 1996-06 R$79.9979.99 051060
ESRA

Marsupilami is a 1995 action game by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive based on the Belgian comic book series Marsupilami. The game has no direct ties to the 1993 Disney animated television series Marsupilami aside from the shared source material.

Story

Marsupilami, who belongs to a fictional species of marsupial with leopard spots and a long, prehensile tail, is playing in the forest with his elephant friend Bonelli. The pair are captured by the notorious hunter Bring M. Backalive, who forces them to tour with a circus. Homesick for his wife and three children, Marsupilami decides to escape with Bonelli and free all the other animals as well. Marsupilami also discovers that his children were captured by Bring M. Backalive after they set off to rescue their father, so Marsupilami must rescue them too.

Gameplay

The game is a puzzle platformer. The player must controls Marsupilami and must use his special tail abilities to guide Bonelli through each stage. Bonelli has capabilities of his own that are sometimes necessary to overcome certain obstacles. Bonelli automatically walks forward, changing direction when he is harmed or runs into something and drinking water when he comes across it. Along the way, Marsupilami must also rescue his three children, who appear in three of the stages, to get the good ending. Tignass the hummingbird occasionally appears to provide a hint on how to solve a puzzle.

Marsupilami moves with and . He pushes some objects by walking into them. He jumps with . He can jump on top of Bonelli to ride him or to jump higher. If Bonelli's trunk is full of water, he spits it out when he is jumped on. Marsupilami extends his long tail with (or upwards with +), which is used to "punch" enemies or to tap Bonelli to turn him around. His tail can also hit switches or grab something across a span to make a bridge for Bonelli. Marsupilami picks up fruits for bonus points, which he can drop with + (which can be done in midair) to control Bonelli, who stops walking to eat the fruit. Marsupilami climbs ladders and trees with and .

Marsupilami starts each stage without any special tail abilities but finds them as item pick-ups. He uses the selected tail ability with . The player selects the current tail ability by pausing the game with  START  and using and ; using a Six Button Control Pad, the player can select the tail ability with and without needing to pause the game.

Marsupilami's health appears as his tail in the bottom-left corner of the screen, which shrinks as he takes damage. He loses a life if he loses all of his health. Bonelli is invulnerable, and he turns around to walk in the other direction if he is hit by an enemy or a hazard such as a falling rock. Each stage is timed, and the player loses a life if time runs out.

The game has three difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, and Hard), which affect the time limits and the toughness of the enemies. The game uses a password system for continuing, with a password given at the end of each world.

Tail abilities

Marsupilami starts each stage with no tail abilities and must collect them before he can use them.

	Steps
	Marsupilami transforms his tail into a staircase that Bonelli can climb to reach a higher platform.
	Mouse
	Marsupilami turns his tail into a mouse head, which scares Bonelli and causes him to charge in the opposite direction. Bonelli can break through or knock down certain objects when he runs through them.
	Shield
	Marsupilami uses his tail as a shield, which can protect Bonelli from falling objects or be used as a bridge.
	Parachute
	Marsupilami uses his tail like a parachute, allowing him to control his descent.
	Hammer
	Marsupilami shapes his tail into a hammer, which he can use to smash obstructions.
	Pole Vault
	Marsupilami uses his tail to vault himself high into the air and over large gaps.
	Spring
	Marsupilami coils his tail like a spring and then launches himself high into the air.
	Winch
	Marsupilami lifts Bonelli up to a higher platform with his tail if Bonelli is stopped and eating a piece of fruit.
	Lever
	Marsupilami uses his tail as a lever to dislodge a large object.

Items

	Fruit
	Collect for bonus points. Fruit can also be dropped with + to stop Bonelli in place temporarily.
	Heart
	Replenishes part of Marsupilami's health.
	Star
	Replenishes all of Marsupilami's health.
	Alarm Clock
	Adds another 30 seconds to the timer.

Worlds

Each world consists of three stages followed by a boss fight.

	Circus
	The Alps
	Password: CATG
	Building Site
	Password: NKEM
	The Docks
	Password: YKRZ
	Theme Park
	Password: GWQB
	Palombie
	Password: RPMJ
	The Chahutas
	Password: PNNX
	Jungle
	Password: USYH

Bonus stages

A bonus stage is played after defeating the boss at the end of each world. The two stages alternate. The player earns an extra life for successfully completing a bonus stage.

	Battle of the Marsupials
	Marsupilami battles his rival Mars le Noir.
	River Clean-Up
	Marsupilami must clean up the trash in the river by grabbing it with his tail and carrying it to the surface. Marsupilami swims with the D-Pad and grabs an item with . Touching a fish harms Marsupilami and causes him to drop anything he is carrying.

Versions

The NTSC version was released after the PAL version and contains numerous changes to the stage layouts, item placements, and time limits to make the game easier.

Production credits

• Programming: Mark Page
• Graphics: Lloyd Murphy, Michael Ryan
• Music: Matthew Owens
• Producers: Paul Chamberlain, Patricia Sorrell
• NTSC Producer: Duncan Kershaw
• Localisation Team: Lia Ithell, Simon Bradley, Cara McMullan, Dave Thompson, Thomas Wolter, Roberto Parraga, Tiziano Riolfo
• Test Manager: Andy Johnson
• Testing: Jason Cumberbatch, Ola Sanusi, Sean James, Michael Coker, Andy Squirrell, Darren Murphy, Nick Ryna, Douglas Patterson, Wayne Scott, Sarah Wadsley
• Additional Thanks: Douglas Patterson, Debbie Sorrell, Frank Szendzielarz, Steve Deacon

Source:

In-game credits

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• Product Managers: John Garner, Bill Onderdonk, Eric Dunstan
• Producer: Greg Becksted
• Test Lead: Don Carmichael
• Assistant Test Leads: Amy Albertson, Todd Slepian
• Testers: Chris Johnson, John Jansen, Shari Shanklin, Deserae Blevins, Arnold Feener, Rebecca Colbourn, Maya DeCampos, Byram Abbott, Kathleen Silkworth, Daniel Dunn, Nicole Tatem, Kenneth Chan
• Manual Production: Groovy Dog Productions
• Programming, Graphics and Sound by: Apache Software
• Produced by: Paul Chamberlain of Sega Europe Ltd.

Marsupilami © 1995 Marsu Productions.

Licensed to © Sega Enterprises, Ltd. 1995

Source:

US manual

Magazine articles

Main article: Marsupilami/Magazine articles.

Artwork

• 

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 70 Consoles + (FR) 75 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 63 Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU) 70 Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 7 (RU) 80 Fun Generation (DE) 50 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 53 GamePro (DE) PAL 60 Gamers (DE) 60 Hobby Consolas (ES) PAL 82 Joypad (FR) PAL 84 MAN!AC (DE) PAL 69 Mega Force (FR) PAL 85 Mega Fun (DE) PAL 72 Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL 81 Next Generation (US) NTSC-U 25 Player One (FR) PAL 90 Power Up! (UK) 77 Sega Power (UK) PAL 69 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 83 Svet Kompjutera (YU) PAL 85 Sega Megazone (AU) 78 Sega Saturn Magazine (UK) PAL 82 Sonic the Comic (UK) PAL 86 Super Juegos (ES) 78 Todo Sega (ES) 83 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 75 Video Games (DE) PAL 64

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Based on 28 reviews

Marsupilami

Mega Drive, US
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual PCB

Mega Drive, FR
Manual

Mega Drive, PT
Cover
Cart Manual EU Manual

Mega Drive, AU
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, BR
Cover
Cart

Technical information

Main article: Marsupilami/Technical information.

External links

• Sega of America webpage: Mega Drive