James Pond: Underwater Agent

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James Pond Title.png

James Pond: Underwater Agent
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer:
Sound driver: Electronic Arts/Rob Hubbard
Genre: Action

















Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
US
$49.9549.95[2][3] 705301
Sega Mega Drive
EU
E174SMXI
Sega Mega Drive
BR

James Pond: Underwater Agent is first in a series of games developed by Millennium Interactive. It was first released on the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST in 1990, and was ported to the Sega Mega Drive and Acorn Archimedes in 1991. In the game, the player controls a fish named Pond, who needs to complete a series of rescue missions and stop the evil Doctor Maybe from polluting the world's oceans. Unlike later games in the series, James Pond is not a traditional platform game, as most of the game takes place underwater (similar to Ecco the Dolphin).

Gameplay

Before each level, James Pond is given mission criteria. A and B shoot bubbles to trap enemies. B will also pick up and drop keys and other mission-critical collectibles. Power-ups and bonus items can be picked up by simply swimming into them. Holding Up and reaching the surface will cause James Pond to jump out of the water and back in — use this to reach dry land for more items. While on dry land, C jumps high. In each level, there is a set amount of time to complete the mission objectives and go into an exit (holding Down while over a tube).

Production credits

  • Game Design: Chris Sorrell
  • Graphics: Chris Sorrell
  • Programmer: Steve Bak
  • Original Music and Sound Effects: Richard Joseph
  • Music and Sound Effects Translation: Michael Barlow
  • Producer: Christopher Erhardt
  • Associate Producer: Roland Kippenhan III
  • Product Management: Lesley Mansford, Robert Sears
  • Art Director: Nancy L. Fong
  • Package Illustration: Mark Nightingale
  • Documentation: Michael Humes
  • Documentation Layout: Jennie Maruyama
  • Game Testers: Ed Gwynn, Michael Meischeid, Jeffrey Lee, Michael A. Lubuguin
  • Quality Assurance: Michael C. Prince

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
58 №3, p42[4]
72 №23, p47[3]
80 №1
75 №15, p114[5]
79 №5, p92
82 №1, p65
77 №1, p78[6]
79 №8, p16-18[7]
87 №9, p39[8]
71 №5/91, p136
86 №8, p54[1]
83 №18, p10/11
60 №23, p53
73 №3, p61[9]
70 №18, p66
85 №2/91, p93[10]
90 №58, p65[11]
Sega Mega Drive
77
Based on
17 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
50
[12]
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
50
[13]
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[14]
Ação Games (BR)
58
[4]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
78
[15]
Console XS (UK) PAL
70
[16]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
43
[17]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
63
[18]
Game Power (IT)
74
[19]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
72
[3]
Games-X (UK)
80
[20]
Joystick (FR) PAL
75
[5]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
79
[21]
Mega Action (UK)
83
[22]
MegaTech (UK)
77
[6]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
80
[23]
Mean Machines (UK) PAL
79
[7]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
77
[24]
Player One (FR)
87
[8]
Power Play (DE)
71
[25]
Raze (UK) PAL
86
[1]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
83
[26]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
50
[27]
Sega Pro (UK)
73
[9]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
70
[28]
Supergame (BR)
85
[29]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
60
[30]
Video Games (DE)
66
[31]
Zzap! (IT)
90
[11]
Sega Mega Drive
71
Based on
29 reviews

James Pond: Underwater Agent

Mega Drive, US
JamesPond MD US backcover.jpgNospine.pngJamesPond MD US Box.jpg
Cover
JamesPond MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
James Pond MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, EU
James Pond MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
JamesPond MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, AU

James Pond Underwater Agent Megadrive AU Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, BR
JamesPond MD BR Box.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, FR

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 d0e7b466
MD5 aacf7533fd8e45b95321a57b01fb3ac8
SHA-1 b4e1c945c3ccea2e76b296d6694c0931a1ec1310
512kB 1991-03 Cartridge (US/EU)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 File:Raze UK 08.pdf, page 54 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Raze UK 08.pdf_p54" defined multiple times with different content
  2. File:VG&CE US 28.pdf, page 43
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 File:GamePro US 023.pdf, page 49 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GamePro US 023.pdf_p49" defined multiple times with different content
  4. 4.0 4.1 File:AcaoGames BR 003.pdf, page 42 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:AcaoGames BR 003.pdf_p42" defined multiple times with different content
  5. 5.0 5.1 File:Joystick FR 015.pdf, page 114 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 015.pdf_p114" defined multiple times with different content
  6. 6.0 6.1 File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf, page 78 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf_p78" defined multiple times with different content
  7. 7.0 7.1 File:MeanMachines UK 08.pdf, page 16 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachines UK 08.pdf_p16" defined multiple times with different content
  8. 8.0 8.1 File:PlayerOne FR 009.pdf, page 39 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:PlayerOne FR 009.pdf_p39" defined multiple times with different content
  9. 9.0 9.1 File:SegaPro UK 03.pdf, page 61 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaPro UK 03.pdf_p61" defined multiple times with different content
  10. File:VideoGames DE 1991-02.pdf, page 89
  11. 11.0 11.1 File:Zzap IT 58.pdf, page 65 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Zzap IT 58.pdf_p65" defined multiple times with different content
  12. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 100
  13. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 101
  14. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 102
  15. Aktueller Software Markt, "Juni 1991" (DE; 1991-05-31), page 120
  16. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 131
  17. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "May 1991" (US; 1991-xx-xx), page 18
  18. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 60
  19. Game Power, "Febbraio 1992" (IT; 1992-0-xx), page 52
  20. Games-X, "3rd May 1991" (UK; 1991-04-26), page 21
  21. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 92
  22. Mega Action, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 65
  23. Micromanía (segunda época), "Septiembre 1991" (ES; 1991-0x-xx), page 28
  24. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 139
  25. Power Play, "5/91" (DE; 1991-04-12), page 136
  26. Sega Power, "May 1991" (UK; 1991-04-04), page 10
  27. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 53
  28. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 66
  29. Supergame, "Junho 1992" (BR; 1992-06-xx), page 21
  30. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 92
  31. Video Games, "2/91" (DE; 1991-06-07), page 94