Xenon 2: Megablast

From Sega Retro

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Xenon2 Title.png

Xenon 2: Megablast
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System
Publisher: Virgin Games, Image Works
Developer:
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code

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Xenon 2: Megablast is a scrolling shoot-'em-up developed by The Bitmap Brothers and published by Virgin Games for a variety of systems including the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Master System. The original was well known for it's sample based soundtrack by "Bomb the Bass", arranged by David Witthaker It is the sequel to Xenon, a game that was released for several home computers in 1988. The game was one of the only Mega Drive games not to see a release in either Japan or North America.

The game is a typical vertical shoot-'em-up: move around the screen with the D-pad and shoot with A, collecting powerups dropped from enemies.

The Sega Mega Drive version is the more faithful port of the game, although there is heavy slowdown and sprite flickering. The color palette is also overly saturated, with too much blue and green compared to the grays of the original. Technical reasons (cartridge space) kept the soundtrack from being ported faithfully. Furthermore the final stage (mechanical world) is completely missing from the game.

The Sega Master System version omits player bullets during heavy processor workload, several bosses have been removed and the final stage is also missing.

Trivia

According to Mike Montgomery (interviewed by gaming site Sega-16) from the Bitmap Brothers, a 32X or Mega-CD port was considered, but no publisher could be found.

Promotional Material

  • Mega Drive and Master System print advert

  • JuegateloTodo ES PrintAd 1992-11.jpg

    Master System ES print advert

Physical Scans

Mega Drive Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
65
82
50 №14
52 №33, p201
72 №5, p95
45 №2, p66
88 №1, p65
82 №17, p48-50[1]
82
66 №28, p36/37
86 №12, p42/43
86 №18, p68
76 №17, p81
82 №36, p61
Sega Mega Drive
 72
Based on
14 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
50
[2]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
53
[3]
Console XS (UK) PAL
88
[4]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
59
[5]
Game Power (IT)
65
[6]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
82
[7]
Joypad (FR) PAL
50
[8]
Joystick (FR) PAL
52
[9]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
72
[10]
Mega (UK) PAL
45
[11]
Mega Action (UK)
88
[12]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
61
[13]
Mean Machines (UK)
82
[1]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
82
[14]
Power Play (DE)
67
[15]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
66
[16]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
86
[17]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
86
[18]
Sega Force (SE)
82
[19]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
76
[20]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
69
[21]
Video Games (DE) PAL
53
[22]
Zero (UK)
82
[23]
Sega Mega Drive
 69
Based on
23 reviews

Xenon 2: Megablast

Mega Drive, EU
Xenon2 MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
Xenon2 MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, AU

Master System Version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
94
90 №1, p24/25/26
80 №33
66
78 №1, p110[24]
86 №19, p190
84 №13, p78-80[25]
12 №16, p95
41 №22, p134
87 №24, p20/21
85 №1, p38/39[26]
89 №9, p31[27]
Sega Master System
 74
Based on
12 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
50
[28]
Console XS (UK) PAL
85
[29]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
88
[30]
Game Power (IT)
94
[31]
Gamers (DE)
27
[32]
Games-X (UK)
80
[33]
Game Zone (UK) PAL
90
[34]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
66
[35]
Joypad (FR)
78
[24]
Joystick (FR)
86
[36]
Mega Force (FR) PAL
55
[37]
Mean Machines (UK) PAL
84
[25]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
84
[38]
Player One (FR)
12
[39]
Player One (FR)
41
[40]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
87
[41]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
85
[42]
Sega Pro (UK)
85
[43]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
89
[44]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
85
[45]
Supersonic (FR)
81
[46]
Supersonic (FR)
81
[47]
Video Games (DE)
57
[48]
Sega Master System
 73
Based on
23 reviews

Xenon 2: Megablast

Master System, EU (Image Works)
Xenon2 SMS EU Box Imageworks.jpg
Cover
Xenon2 SMS EU Cart Imageworks.jpg
Cart
Master System, EU (Virgin Games)
Xenon2 SMS EU Box Virgin.jpg
Cover
Xenon 2 (Virgin) SMS EU Cart Top.jpg
Xenon 2 (Virgin) SMS EU Cart Back.jpgXenon2 SMS EU Cart Virgin.jpg
Cart
Xenon 2 (Virgin) SMS EU Manual.pdf
Manual
Master System, AU (Image Works)

Xenon 2 SMS AU Manual.pdf
Manual
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 File:MeanMachines UK 17.pdf, page 48 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachines UK 17.pdf_p48" defined multiple times with different content
  2. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 270
  3. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1992" (JP; 1992-07-08), page 28
  4. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 137
  5. ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 118
  6. ↑ Game Power, "Gennaio 1993" (IT; 199x-xx-xx), page 62
  7. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Enero 1993" (ES; 199x-xx-xx), page 78
  8. ↑ Joypad, "Novembre 1992" (FR; 1992-1x-xx), page 48
  9. ↑ Joystick, "Décembre 1992" (FR; 1992-1x-xx), page 201
  10. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 95
  11. ↑ Mega, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-15), page 66
  12. ↑ Mega Action, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 65
  13. ↑ Mega Fun, "11/92" (DE; 1992-10-xx), page 38
  14. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 143
  15. ↑ Power Play, "2/93" (DE; 1993-01-xx), page 142
  16. ↑ Sega Power, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-06), page 36
  17. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68
  18. ↑ Sega Pro, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-10), page 42
  19. ↑ Sega Force, "2/92" (SE; 1992-11-19), page 15
  20. ↑ Sega Force, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-04-01), page 81
  21. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 233
  22. ↑ Video Games, "2/93" (DE; 1993-01-27), page 88
  23. ↑ Zero, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 61
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 File:Joypad FR 001.pdf, page 110 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joypad FR 001.pdf_p110" defined multiple times with different content
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 File:MeanMachines UK 13.pdf, page 78 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachines UK 13.pdf_p78" defined multiple times with different content
  26. ↑ File:Segapro UK 01.pdf, page 38
  27. ↑ File:Segapro UK 09.pdf, page 31
  28. ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "Februar 1992" (DE; 1992-01-10), page 129
  29. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 147
  30. ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 163
  31. ↑ Game Power, "Gennaio 1992" (IT; 199x-xx-xx), page 36
  32. ↑ Gamers, "Februar/März 1992" (DE; 1992-xx-xx), page 48
  33. ↑ Games-X, "5th-11th December 1991" (UK; 1991-12-05), page 26
  34. ↑ Game Zone, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-10-08), page 24
  35. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Abril 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 161
  36. ↑ Joystick, "Septembre 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 190
  37. ↑ Mega Force, "Septembre/Octobre 1991" (FR; 1991-09-13), page 94
  38. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 137
  39. ↑ Player One, "Janvier 1992" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 95
  40. ↑ Player One, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-07-10), page 134
  41. ↑ Sega Power, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-10-04), page 20
  42. ↑ Sega Pro, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-xx-xx), page 38
  43. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 31
  44. ↑ Sega Pro, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-18), page 31
  45. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 72
  46. ↑ Supersonic, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 29
  47. ↑ Supersonic, "Novembre 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 18
  48. ↑ Video Games, "3/91" (DE; 1991-09-06), page 78
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