Wally o Sagase!

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Wally o Sagase!
System(s): Sega System 18
Publisher: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Developer: Sega AM3
Licensor: Martin Handford
Number of players: 1-3
Release Date RRP Code JP 1992-06 ¥? ?

Wally o Sagase! (ウォーリーをさがせ！) is a 1992 arcade game by Sega Enterprises, Ltd. for the Sega System 18 tying into the Where's Wally? (Where's Waldo? in the US) media franchise. It is only known to have been released in Japan, however most people use the translated name Where's Wally!; whether or not there was an overseas release is unknown.

Gameplay

Up to 3 people can play the game simultaneously, with player 1 controlling a human child, player 2 controlling a gorilla and player 3 controlling a robot. The majority of the game is played by using a trackball to move a cursor around the screen and pressing the button to click on things. Clicking on incorrect things will reduce a player's constantly ticking-down timer. This timer is replenished at the end of each level using food, which the character Wenda gives out to the winner of each minigame.

Each level is divided into 4 minigames, with the first two sharing the game's title, but which can be one of several types of finding Wally game. The first type plays an introductory scene before a white screen flash transition that turns into a static image, with Wally suddenly part of the crowd. The second type is always moving and has Wally popping out at different spots on the image, each time at a different place (hiding behind doors, trees, coffins, etc.). A third, more rare type, is always a static image and has many faces shown on screen, one of whom is Wally.

The third minigame is also a game where the player has to click on Wally, but it is always given a unique title that is shown in-between rounds. Most of these games use larger character sprites and have a crowd of people all disguised in some fashion (hiding under manhole covers, dressed in cloaks, etc.), although there is one which is more similar to the second type of Wally o Sagase! game.

The only type of game that doesn't have you searching for Wally (although he still appears in some pictures) is the spot the difference game. In these games the players are given a few second to look at a static picture, before the screen flashes white and it is replaced with a slightly different picture, with the players now having to click on all the differences. The amount of differences are different depending on how many people are playing and more differences are added later in the game.

Levels

The game has 10 themed levels with 4 predetermined games. These levels are all played in a random order.

	Mystery-loving Wally (ふしぎだいすきウォーリー)
	First, a static stage where group of characters run through a stone tunnel until they run into a dragon. Based on the scene "The Underground Hunters" from Where's Wally? The Fantastic Journey. Second, a static (?) stage where a crowd of characters are posing for a photo. The screen is made pitch black, but the player's cursor is turned into a flashlight. Rattle the rock doors with the button: Characters hide behind 3 rows of rock doors, but occasionally open them to reveal who's inside. Based on the scene "The Stone Age" from Where's Wally Now?. The spot the difference game sees various animals frolicking in a plain field. Based on the scene "Safari Park" from Where's Wally?.
	Walk in the Town (まちでわさんぽ)
	First, a static stage where a crowd of people wander around a marketplace where meat and plants are being sold. Based on the scene "In Town" from Where's Wally?. Second, a moving stage in a train station where people move around and inside the train. There is a cameo from Wally's glasses. Open the manhole with the button: Characters hide under 4 rows of manhole covers, occasionally popping their heads out. There is a cameo from Wizard Whitebeard The spot the difference game sees Wally and his dog Woof posing for a photo near a fountain. Based on the scene "In Town" from Where's Wally?.
	Wally in Fairyland (おとぎの国のウォーリー)
	First, a moving stage where characters are hiding under the clothes of a sleeping giant. Second, a moving stage outside a forest during a battle between knights and tree people. Based on the scene "The Fighting Foresters" from Where's Wally? The Fantastic Journey. Turn over the hoods with the button: Characters disguise themselves in blue and red robes, occasionally dropping their hoods. Based on the scene "The Battling Monks" from Where's Wally? The Fantastic Journey. There are cameos from Wenda and Odlaw. The spot the difference game sees a Crusader and Middle Eastern army battling in a castle. There's also a caveman bystander riding a camel. Based on the scene "The End of the Crusades" from Where's Wally Now?
	Be Quiet in the Museum! (はくぶつかんではおしずかに！)
	First, a static stage with a cluster of portraits. There are cameos from Wenda, Odlaw, Wizard Whitebeard and Sonic the Hedgehog. Second, a static stage where people are walking around an exhibit, with a broken T-Rex skeleton at the forefront. There is a cameo from Wizard Whitebeard. Press the button to open the door: The 7 seven doors on the top floor have character silhouettes behind the windows, the bottom left 3 have opening that show the characters' feet, and the bottom right 4 give no clues. The spot the difference game sees Wally and Wenda visiting an exhibition of Sega-branded race cars. Except where noted, all stages are based on the scene "Museum" from Where's Wally?.
	Ghost & Monsters? (おばけにようかい？)
	First, a static stage where an assortment of horror characters attend a party during a full moon. Second, a moving stage set during the same scene as before with reused sprites and background, but with the camera moved down to show more of the castle windows. Switch on the TV with the button: A collection of coffins open and close as bats fly overhead. The spot the difference game sees a band of vampires and witches perform a song to a dancing crowd. All stages are based on the scene "The Nasty Nasties" from Where's Wally? The Fantastic Journey.
	Shopping at the Department Store (おかいものはデパートで)
	First, a static stage where a large crowd walks around a vacuum cleaner display. Lifted straight from the scene "Department Store" from Where's Wally?. Second, a moving stage with an overhead view of 2 tables filled with people eating, who will occasionally tilt their heads back to reveal their faces. There is a cameo from Wenda. If you press the button to open it...: A collection of TVs flicker on and off to reveal the person on screen. There are cameos from Wenda and Wizard Whitebeard. The spot the difference game sees a crowd trying out various cloths for sale, with 2 burglars sneaking past in the background.
	The Sea is Nice, isn't it? (うみはいいよね)
	First, a static stage where several divers are looking for treasure chests among the fish and mermaids. Second, a moving stage which first moves the camera from the previous up to above the water, where several people in boats are fishing and mermaids lounge on rocks. Looks through the shadows with the button...: A collection of pots with shadowy insides lay around the ocean floor with the tops of people's heads popping out. The spot the difference game sees a crew of pirates causing chaos as another pirate ship sails past in the background. Based on the scene "Being a Pirate" from Where's Wally Now? Except where noted, all stages are based on the scene "The Deep-Sea Divers" from Where's Wally? The Fantastic Journey.
	Wally Goes to Space (うちゅうにいってもウォーリー)
	First, a static stage where various mismatched travelers converge in a cluster of asteroids. Second, a moving stage with rows of people sitting, watching space out a window. They occasionally turn around to show their faces. There are cameos from Odlaw and Tadashi Kagawa. If you want to leave space, press the button: Set on the moon outside a building, there are windows which occasionally light up to reveal the characters inside, and several spaceships land with more characters. There are cameos from Wenda and Woof. The spot the difference game sees several people walking around, either outside on the moon or inside domes where a movie theater and clothes store can be seen. Wally can be seeing flying past on a jet pack. All stages are on the scene "The Future" from Where's Wally Now?
	Wally's Day Off (きゅうじつのウォーリー)
	First, a static stage where a crowd walk around a river or over a bridge as several people row boats along the river. Based on the scene "Camp Site" from Where's Wally?). Second, a moving stage with various people pop out of the hedges in a maze. There are cameos from Wenda and Odlaw. Unusually, the third stage is another classic Where's Wally game, a moving stage where various run up and down a track and field court. It is the only stage where Wally moves gradually along the screen instead of popping in and out of hiding spots. Based on the scene "Sports Stadium" from Where's Wally?. Several of the runners are Wenda. The spot the difference game is Christmas-themed, with Santa Claus being pulled in his Merry Xmas sled alongside several downhill skiers. Based on the scene "Ski Slopes" from Where's Wally?. There is a cameo from Woof and a snowman who looks like Wally.
	Wally in Memories (おもいでのウォーリー)
	This is the final level of every playthrough. First, a moving stage where the people pop in and out of the windows of a building with multicolored bricks. There is a cameo from Wenda. Second, a static stage which is a grayscale photo of various characters. There are cameos from Wenda, Wizard Whitebeard and Odlaw. This game's presentation is reused for the credits. Flip the cards with the button: A 9x4 stacks of cards are constantly being flipped to reveal the characters on their faces. There are cameos from Wenda, Odlaw and Wally's glasses. The spot the difference game sees a crowd of Wally doubles mingling with each other in a white void. Based on the scene "The Land of Wallys" from Where's Wally? The Fantastic Journey. There is a cameo from Wizard Whitebeard.

Bonus Stages

At the end of each level is a bonus stage, each of which have unique controls and take up only a third of the screen. Players are not penalized for failing these bonus stages, but completing them sees the character Wizard Whitebeard rewarding the winner with a large food item to replenish their timer. Each stage is accompanied by a piece of public domain music many Japanese school children are exposed to.

Unlike the way the main game's levels work, these 5 bonus stages are always played in the same order in-between the 10 levels.

	Enormous! Tickle the feet with the ball! Do it violently! (大変！ボールを使って足をくすぐるの！はげしくやってね！)
	Controlled by rotating the trackball. The player must rub a giant's injured foot. These giants resemble the giants from the scene "The Underground Hunters" in Where's Wally? The Fantastic Journey and have distinct voice lines which seem to be voiced by Takenobu Mitsuyoshi. The background music is Orpheus in the Underworld (a.k.a. The Can-Can). It is the only bonus stage with a unique introduction scene and jingle.
	Cut it down with the button and hit it at the right time! (切り倒すのはボタンでねタイミングよくガッン！とね！)
	Controlled by pressing the button, timing it with a bar which fills up and drops down quickly, doing more damage the more full the bar was when pressing. The player must chop/punch/laser beam down a tree until it falls over to reveal the character Odlaw. The background music is Yankee Doodle.
	Press the button repeatedly to crush it more and more! (ボタン連打でどんどんにぎりつぶして！)
	Controlled by pressing the button, mashing it until an object is crushed. The player must crush 4 different objects (an apple, a can, a tennis planet and Earth). The background music is Orpheus in the Underworld (a.k.a. The Can-Can).
	Match the pictures with the button (ボタンでうまく絵合わせよ)
	Controlled by pressing the button, timing it with when the correct piece of a character slides past. The player must match up 3 pieces of a character's portrait. The background music is O Vreneli (Swiss Folk Song).
	Hey Wally! Let's run with the trackball! (ウォーリーをおえ！トラックボールでレッツ・ラン！)
	Controlled by flicking the trackball. The player must run on a track to catch up to Wally, who is running away. The background music is the William Tell Overture.

History

Development

The game started development around October 1991, when Sega AM3 department manager Hisao Oguchi approached new director Juro Watari with the idea of creating a game based on Where's Wally?. The game was originally suggested by Oguchi's daughter, who was fan of the books.

Legacy

The game was the subject of a tournament held at Sega headquarters on August 8th 1992, created by Sega and gaming magazine Gamest (the fifth annual tournament in this partnership). Because the game doesn't have a high score system, a scoreboard was created exclusively for the tournament.

According to Watari, the game's trackball was later reused in the release of SegaSonic the Hedgehog.

Production credits

Main article: Wally o Sagase!/Production credits.

Magazine articles

Main article: Wally o Sagase!/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Game Machine (JP) #425: "1992-05-01" (1992-05-01)

Print advert in Gamest (JP) #74: "July 1992" (1992-05-29)

Physical scans

System 18, JP
"Top" instructions
Instuction card(s)