Xenon 2: Megablast

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Xenon2 Title.png

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

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Master System
EU 		27012-50
Sega Master System
EU
(Virgin Games) 		27038-50

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Xenon 2: Megablast is a scrolling shoot-'em-up developed by The Bitmap Brothers and The Assembly Line and published by Image Works (and later Virgin Games) for a variety of systems including the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Master System. It is the sequel to 1988's home computer game Xenon, which was also the first game by Bitmap Brothers.

The game was notable for its soundtrack, an arrangement by David Whittaker of the 1988 song Megablast (Assault on Precinct 13) (which is also where the game's subtitle comes from), originally from British group Bomb the Bass. While North America and Japan got some of the other versions of the game, the Sega versions remained exclusive to Europe.

Gameplay

The game is a typical vertical shoot-'em-up: move around the screen with the D-pad and shoot with A, collecting credits dropped from enemies which can then be spent in a shop in exchange for weapon upgrades. Your ship continuously moves upwards, however it is also possible for reverse for a short period of time (as some of the forks in the road lead to dead-ends).

Versions

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.

History

Legacy

According to Mike Montgomery from the Bitmap Brothers, 32X and Mega-CD ports were considered, but no publisher could be found.

Magazine articles

Main article: Xenon 2: Megablast/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

  • UK print advert

  • Hyperreal8 MD SMS UK PrintAd.jpg

    UK print advert

  • JuegateloTodo ES PrintAd 1992-11.jpg

    Master System ES print advert

GamePower IT 02.pdf¦page#59¦Master System IT print advert in Game Power (IT) #2: "Gennaio 1992" (199x-xx-xx)

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
65
82
50 №14
52 №33, p201
72 №5, p95
45 №2, p66[4]
88 №1, p65
82 №17, p48-50[5]
82 №2/92, p15[6]
76 №17, p81[7]
66 №28, p36/37
86 №12, p42/43
86 №18, p68
82 №36, p61[8]
Sega Mega Drive
 72
Based on
14 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
50
[9]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
53
[10]
Console XS (UK) PAL
88
[11]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
59
[12]
Game Power (IT)
65
[13]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
82
[14]
Joypad (FR) PAL
50
[15]
Joystick (FR) PAL
52
[16]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
72
[17]
Mega (UK) PAL
45
[4]
Mega Action (UK)
88
[18]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
61
[19]
Mean Machines (UK)
82
[5]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
82
[20]
Power Play (DE)
67
[21]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
66
[22]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
86
[23]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
86
[24]
Sega Force (SE)
82
[6]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
76
[7]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
69
[25]
Video Games (DE) PAL
53
[26]
Zero (UK)
82
[8]
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, p24-26
80 №33
66
78 №1, p110[27]
86 №19, p190
84 №13, p78-80[28]
12 №16, p95[29]
41 №22, p134[30]
87 №24, p20/21
85 №1, p38/39[31]
89 №9, p31[32]
Sega Master System
 74
Based on
12 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
50
[33]
Console XS (UK) PAL
85
[34]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
88
[35]
Game Power (IT)
94
[36]
Gamers (DE)
27
[37]
Games-X (UK)
80
[38]
Game Zone (UK) PAL
90
[39]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
66
[40]
Joypad (FR)
78
[27]
Joystick (FR)
86
[41]
Mega Force (FR) PAL
55
[42]
Mean Machines (UK) PAL
84
[28]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
84
[43]
Player One (FR)
12
[29]
Player One (FR)
41
[44]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
87
[45]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
85
[31]
Sega Pro (UK)
85
[46]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
89
[32]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
85
[47]
Supersonic (FR)
81
[48]
Supersonic (FR)
81
[49]
Video Games (DE)
57
[50]
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)

XenonII SMS AU Cart.jpg
Cart
Xenon 2 SMS AU Manual.pdf
Manual

References

  1. ↑ File:SegaPro UK 01.pdf, page 9
  2. ↑ File:SegaPro UK 01.pdf, page 39
  3. ↑ File:Raze UK 06.pdf, page 16
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 File:Mega UK 02.pdf, page 66 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Mega UK 02.pdf_p66" defined multiple times with different content
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 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
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 File:SegaForce SE 1992 02.pdf, page 15 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaForce SE 1992 02.pdf_p15" defined multiple times with different content
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 File:SegaForce UK 17.pdf, page 81 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaForce UK 17.pdf_p81" defined multiple times with different content
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 File:Zero UK 36.pdf, page 61 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Zero UK 36.pdf_p61" defined multiple times with different content
  9. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 270
  10. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1992" (JP; 1992-07-08), page 28
  11. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 137
  12. ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 118
  13. ↑ Game Power, "Gennaio 1993" (IT; 199x-xx-xx), page 62
  14. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Enero 1993" (ES; 199x-xx-xx), page 78
  15. ↑ Joypad, "Novembre 1992" (FR; 1992-1x-xx), page 48
  16. ↑ Joystick, "Décembre 1992" (FR; 1992-1x-xx), page 201
  17. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 95
  18. ↑ Mega Action, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 65
  19. ↑ Mega Fun, "11/92" (DE; 1992-10-xx), page 38
  20. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 143
  21. ↑ Power Play, "2/93" (DE; 1993-01-xx), page 142
  22. ↑ Sega Power, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-06), page 36
  23. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68
  24. ↑ Sega Pro, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-10), page 42
  25. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 233
  26. ↑ Video Games, "2/93" (DE; 1993-01-27), page 88
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 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
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 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
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 File:PlayerOne FR 016.pdf, page 95 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:PlayerOne FR 016.pdf_p95" defined multiple times with different content
  30. ↑ File:PlayerOne FR 022.pdf, page 130
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 File:SegaPro UK 01.pdf, page 38 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaPro UK 01.pdf_p38" defined multiple times with different content
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 File:SegaPro UK 09.pdf, page 31 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaPro UK 09.pdf_p31" defined multiple times with different content
  33. ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "Februar 1992" (DE; 1992-01-10), page 129
  34. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 147
  35. ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 163
  36. ↑ Game Power, "Gennaio 1992" (IT; 199x-xx-xx), page 36
  37. ↑ Gamers, "Februar/März 1992" (DE; 1992-xx-xx), page 48
  38. ↑ Games-X, "5th-11th December 1991" (UK; 1991-12-05), page 26
  39. ↑ Game Zone, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-10-08), page 24
  40. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Abril 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 161
  41. ↑ Joystick, "Septembre 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 190
  42. ↑ Mega Force, "Septembre/Octobre 1991" (FR; 1991-09-13), page 94
  43. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 137
  44. ↑ Player One, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-07-10), page 134
  45. ↑ Sega Power, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-10-04), page 20
  46. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 31
  47. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 72
  48. ↑ Supersonic, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 29
  49. ↑ Supersonic, "Novembre 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 18
  50. ↑ Video Games, "3/91" (DE; 1991-09-06), page 78
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