Darxide

From Sega Retro

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Darxide Title.png

Darxide
System(s): Sega 32X
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Genre: Simulation

















Release Date RRP Code
Sega 32X
EU 		84580-50

Darxide is a Sega 32X shoot-'em-up game developed by Frontier Developments and published by Sega in early 1996. It is notable for being one of two 32X games only to be released in Europe, and the only one which is region locked.

Darxide was developed with the canceled Sega Neptune Sega Mega Drive/Sega 32X hybrid console in mind (with the aim of becoming a launch title), but delays in production and the subsequent halting of the Neptune project meant it premiered as the very last 32X game in Europe (with North America seeing theirs, Spider-Man: Web of Fire in early 1996). Darxide was once set for release in North America but the plans fell through for unknown reasons.

The game is a 3D shooter, similar to Asteroids but with an extra dimension. The player's task is to eliminate all asteroids and alien ships within a certain time limit, and is said to be extremely difficult as a result. It is one of the few 32X games to make use of textured polygons and basic lighting, setting it aside from most other 32X games which stuck with two dimensions.

Despite receiving mixed reviews from the press at the time, in recent years Darxide has become one of the rarest (or at least, most sought-after) 32X games, with copies being known to sell for $700-$1000 USD second-hand. Frontier released a sequel (or partial remake), Darxide EMP for Pocket PCs and the Nokia Series 60 in 2003/2004.

Production credits

Designed by: Peter Irvin, David Braben
Programmed by: Peter Irvin
Assisted by: Chris Mullender
Produced by: Duncan Kershaw
Music and Sound Effects by: Adam Salkeld
3D Shapes by: Aggy Finn
2D Graphics by: Aggy Finn, Chris Mullender, Reece Millidge
Additional Thanks to: James Dixon, Jonathan Roach

Artwork

  • North American prototype cover

Magazine articles

Main article: Darxide/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
51 №39, p58/59
36 №4/96, p67[2]
63 №3/96, p87[3]
79 №40, p72/73[1]
82 №28, p16[4]
59 №76, p38/39
72 №2/96, p88[5]
Sega 32X
 63
Based on
7 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Hobby Consolas (ES) PAL
87
[6]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
36
[7]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
63
[3]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
79
[1]
Sega Magazin (DE) PAL
82
[4]
Sega News (CZ) PAL
80
[8]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
59
[9]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
85
[10]
Video Games (DE) PAL
72
[5]
Sega 32X
 71
Based on
9 reviews

Darxide

32X, EU
Darxide 32X EU Box.jpg
Cover
Darxide 32X EU cart.jpg
Cart

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 File:MeanMachinesSega40UK.pdf, page 72 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega40UK.pdf_p72" defined multiple times with different content
  2. ↑ File:MAN!AC DE 031.pdf, page 67
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 File:MegaFun DE 1996-03.pdf, page 87 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MegaFun DE 1996-03.pdf_p87" defined multiple times with different content
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 File:SegaMagazin DE 28.pdf, page 16 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaMagazin DE 28.pdf_p16" defined multiple times with different content
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 File:VideoGames DE 1996-02.pdf, page 84 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:VideoGames DE 1996-02.pdf_p84" defined multiple times with different content
  6. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Enero 1996" (ES; 199x-xx-xx), page 74
  7. ↑ MAN!AC, "04/96" (DE; 1996-03-13), page 67
  8. ↑ Sega News, "Listopad 1996" (CZ; 1996-1x-xx), page 29
  9. ↑ Sega Power, "March 1996" (UK; 1996-01-18), page 38
  10. ↑ Sega Pro, "March 1996" (UK; 1996-01-25), page 58
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