Stormlord

From Sega Retro

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Stormlord title.png

Stormlord
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: RazorSoft, Micro World (JP)
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code

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Stormlord (ストームロード) is a sidescrolling action game developed for the Sega Mega Drive by RazorSoft. The Mega Drive version was only released in North America and Japan.

Gameplay

Cheat codes

When paused:

  • More lives: AAAACCBBBCA
  • More Time: BAAACUpUpUpAAA
  • Skip current level: CBBBAAAACCAAAA

History

Lawsuit

Video game controversy, circa 1991.

Stormlord was controversial due to the inclusion of naked fairy statues. Sega refused to manufacture the cartridges until the graphics were censored and revoked RazorSoft's developer license in June 1991. RazorSoft then sued for breach of the Sherman Antitrust Act on the 22nd of July, as Sega refused to publish any of RazorSoft's titles. Sega then counter-sued both RazorSoft and Punk Development in August for copyright infringement and breach of contract, demanding the US courts issue a restraining order against RazorSoft[1][2].

The restraining order motion was denied by the courts, however Sega won the battle after RazorSoft admitted it had infringed its copyrights[3]. In the end, the game was censored and released with a license, and the North American cover art even proudly puts the censored graphic front and centre of one of its screenshots.

Uncensored versions made it to Winter CES 1991, and were reported by the gaming press prior to release (with Electronic Gaming Monthly apologising for the naked faries in its May 1991 issue[4]).

Curiously, Keeper of the Gates, the sequel to Stormlord was planned for release on the Sega Mega Drive, with Sega reportedly set to publish it.

Magazine articles

Main article: Stormlord/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

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Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #19: "February 1991" (1991-xx-xx)
also published in:
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Print advert in GamePro (US) #25: "August 1991" (1991-xx-xx)
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Print advert in Famitsu (JP) #170: "1992-03-20" (1992-03-06)
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Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
63 №49, p72[7]
67 №1, p45[8]
92 №21, p40[9]
70 №17
80 №1, p42/43[10]
82 №19, p166
75 №5, p94
45 №19, p62/63
57 №1, p80[11]
80 №23, p54
79 №24, p27
77 №18, p67
Sega Mega Drive
72
Based on
12 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[12]
ACE (UK)
63
[7]
Ação Games (BR)
67
[8]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
67
[13]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
58
[14]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
92
[9]
Games-X (UK)
70
[15]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
60
[16]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-U
80
[10]
Joystick (FR) NTSC-U
82
[17]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) NTSC
75
[18]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
60
[19]
Mega (UK) NTSC-U
45
[20]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC
57
[11]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
57
[21]
Power Play (DE)
43
[22]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC
75
[23]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-U
79
[24]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC
77
[25]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
46
[26]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
63
[27]
Sega Mega Drive
65
Based on
21 reviews

Stormlord

Mega Drive, US
Stormlord MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Stormlord md us cart.jpg
Cart
StormLord MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, JP
Stormlord MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
Stormlord MD JP CartTop.jpg
Stormlord MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Stormlord MD JP manual.pdf
Manual

References

  1. File:PhoenixtheFallandRiseofVideoGames Book US 3rd.pdf, page 153
  2. File:GamePro US 028.pdf, page 142
  3. File:PhoenixtheFallandRiseofVideoGames Book US 3rd.pdf, page 162
  4. File:EGM US 022.pdf, page 12
  5. Sega Visions, "April/May 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 8
  6. Sega Visions, "Summer 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 36
  7. 7.0 7.1 File:ACE UK 49.pdf, page 72 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:ACE UK 49.pdf_p72" defined multiple times with different content
  8. 8.0 8.1 File:AcaoGames BR 001.pdf, page 45 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:AcaoGames BR 001.pdf_p45" defined multiple times with different content
  9. 9.0 9.1 File:GamePro US 021.pdf, page 42 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GamePro US 021.pdf_p42" defined multiple times with different content
  10. 10.0 10.1 File:Joypad FR 001.pdf, page 42 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joypad FR 001.pdf_p42" defined multiple times with different content
  11. 11.0 11.1 File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf, page 80 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf_p80" defined multiple times with different content
  12. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 223
  13. Aktueller Software Markt, "November 1991" (DE; 1991-10-11), page 146
  14. Beep! MegaDrive, "February 1992" (JP; 1992-01-08), page 36
  15. Games-X, "15th-21st August 1991" (UK; 1991-08-15), page 39
  16. Hippon Super, "March 1992" (JP; 1992-02-04), page 82
  17. Joystick, "Septembre 1991" (FR; 1991-0x-xx), page 166
  18. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 94
  19. Mega Drive Fan, "June 1992" (JP; 1992-05-08), page 83
  20. Mega, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-17), page 63
  21. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 140
  22. Power Play, "10/91" (DE; 1991-09-xx), page 159
  23. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 54
  24. Sega Power, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-10-04), page 27
  25. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 67
  26. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  27. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 179