Flicky

From Sega Retro

n/a

Flicky Arcade Title.png

Flicky
System(s): Sega System 1, SG-1000, Sega Master System, Sega Mega Drive, FM-7, MSX, PC-8001, PC-8801, Sharp MZ, Sharp X1, Steam
Publisher:
Arcade
SG-1000
Sega Mega Drive
Sega,
Arcade
Bally Midway (US),
FM77AV
NEC PC-8001
NEC PC-8801
X1
Micronet
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP
(Game Toshokan)
Sega Mega Drive
US
1022
Sega Mega Drive
EU
1022
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Sega Mega Drive
CA
Sega Mega Drive
BR
SG-1000
JP
¥4,3004,300 G-1036
SG-1000
EU
SG-1000
NZ
SG-1000
TW
Sega Master System
KR
SG50C
MSX
JP

Flicky (フリッキー) is a video game released for Sega System 1 arcade hardware in 1984. The game stars a little blue bird called Flicky tasked with saving smaller birds from being eaten by predators. It was designed by Youji Ishii, and (according to text at the top and bottom of the ROM) was known as Busty and Flippy during development.

Gameplay

In the game, the player controls Flicky, a bird who has to save the Chirps (Piopio in Japan) from cats named Tiger (Nyannan) and iguanas named Iggy (Choro). The player has to collect all of the Chirps and guide them through the exit, with a bonus increasing in proportion to the amount of Chirps saved at once.

There is only one button in the game, which both causes Flicky to "jump" and, if he is holding and item, throw it across the screen. Items thrown at enemies will knock them off the screen temporarily, however they will re-spawn at specified locations until the game is over.

Players start with three lives and can gain more lives by acquiring certain scores, however only up to five lives can be gained by scoring.

There are 48 proper levels ("rounds") in the game. Completing these yields a "congratulations" message, followed by the possibility of playing through the game again at a faster speed. These levels are numbered 49, 50 and so on, and levels which previously did not contain Iggy may contain it. Furthermore, some throwable items are replaced with different ones. Once the game has been completed a second time (passing level 96, the "fast" version of 48), the game repeats again, but there is no speed increase (i.e. level 97 is identical to level 49), and the game simply carries on in this fashion until the player loses all his/her lives.

History

Legacy

Following its release, Flicky was ported to the Sega SG-1000, MSX, PC-8801, Sharp X1, Fujitsu FM-7, Sega Mega Drive, DoCoMo iMode mobile phones, and was released as part of Sega of Japan's Sonic Cafe mobile service.

Interestingly despite its Japanese origins, the Mega Drive version of the game was only released in cartridge form in the US and Europe. In Japan Flicky was only downloadable through the Sega Game Toshokan service, or available in the Mega CD compilations Wondermega Collection and Game no Kanzume Vol.1 . The game was also included as an unlockable game in Sonic Mega Collection and Sonic Mega Collection Plus and has been included in numerous Mega Drive compilations, from the 1996 Mega Drive release of Classic Collection to the 2009 release of Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

If the player completes the first ten levels with a high score in the Mega Drive version, (i.e. all under 20 seconds with a perfect score eventually totalling 240 000) a girl in a bikini will show up in one of the windows. It may also happen at few other certain levels. A level select screen can also be accessed by holding Up, A, C and  START  between the title and "round 1" screen.

Flicky has also made several cameos in several Sega games (such as Super Monaco GP) and became an integral part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island can be seen as a spiritual sequel to this game, with similar goals played out on an isometric field, paired with gameplay inspired by previous Sonic outings.

Production credits

System 1 version

Programming: Hideki Ishikawa, Shuichi Katagi
Game Design: Yoji Ishii
Character Design: Yoshiki Kawasaki
Security/Copy Protection: Shuichi Katagi

Mega Drive version

Director: K.Fuzzy
Designer: Yumi
Programmer: O.Samu
Sound Design: T's Music
Special Thanks: Lee, Bo, Arcade Flicky Staff, Test Players

FM-7 version

Staff: Y.Kitano, K.Endo, R.Komaita

PC-8001, PC-8801, X1 versions

Staff: Y.Koideya, M.Kobayashi, M.Yamada, R.Komaita, I.Nanji
Copyright by Sega
Produced by Micronet

Artwork

Magazine articles

Main article: Flicky/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Digital manuals

Physical scans

System 1 version

System 1, US
Flicky System1 US Marquee.jpg
System 1, JP
Flicky System1 JP InstructionCard.jpg

SG-1000 version

SG-1000, JP
Flicky SG-1000 JP Top.jpg
Flicky US SG1000 Back.jpgFlicky SG-1000 JP Spine.jpgFlicky US SG1000 Box Front.jpgFlicky SG-1000 JP Spine2.jpg
Cover
Flicky SG-1000 JP Carttop.jpg
Flicky SG-1000 cart.jpg
Cart
FlickySGJPManual.pdf
Manual
SG-1000, EU
FlickySGEUBack.jpgNospine.pngFlickySGEUFront.jpg
Cover
SG-1000, NZ

Flicky SG1000 NZ Cart.jpg
Cart
SG-1000, TW

Master System version

Master System, KR
<div style="margin:auto; max-width:Expression error: Unexpected < operator.px"> 320x120pxNospine.pngFlicky SMS KR cardcover.jpg
Cover
Flicky SMS KR card.jpg
Card
Master System, KR (cartridge)

Flicky SMS KR Handoo carttop.jpg
Flicky SMS KR Handoo cartback.jpgFlicky SMS KR Handoo cart.jpg
Cart

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
80 №50, p110[1]
84 №120, p96/97[3]
58 №4, p37
70 №22
62 №18, p183[4]
28 №5, p92
88 №1, p78[5]
92 №13, p94/95[6]
55 №15, p105[7]
66
60 №23, p53
75 №25, p32
37 №18, p65
Sega Mega Drive
66
Based on
13 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
30
[8]
ACE (UK) PAL
75
[1]
ACE (UK) PAL
75
[9]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
57
[10]
Console XS (UK) PAL
67
[11]
Computer & Video Games (UK) PAL
84
[3]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
53
[2]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
20
[12]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
85
[13]
Games-X (UK)
58
[14]
Games-X (UK)
70
[15]
Joystick (FR)
62
[4]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
28
[16]
Mega Force (FR) PAL
50
[17]
Mega Play (US) NTSC-U
50
[18]
MegaTech (UK)
88
[5]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
55
[19]
Mean Machines (UK) PAL
92
[6]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
88
[20]
Player One (FR)
55
[7]
Power Play (DE)
66
[21]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-U
50
[22]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
75
[23]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
37
[24]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
27
[25]
Video Games (DE)
60
[26]
Sega Mega Drive
60
Based on
26 reviews

Flicky

Mega Drive, US
Flicky MD US cover.jpg
Cover
Flicky MD US Cart Top.jpg
Flicky MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Flicky MD US manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, EU
Flicky box eu.jpg
Cover
Flicky MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, AU
Flicky Sega Megadrive AU Cover.jpg
Cover
Flicky Sega Megadrive AU Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, BR
Flicky MD BR Box.jpg
Cover
Flicky MD BR Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, CA
Flicky MD CA Box.jpg
Cover

FM-7 version

Fujitsu FM-7, JP
Flicky FM7 JP Box.jpg
Cover

FM-77 version

Fujitsu FM-77, JP

MSX version

MSX, JP
Flicky MSX JP Box.jpg
Cover
Flicky MSX JP Cart.jpg
Cart

PC-8001 mkII version

PC-8001, JP

PC-8801 version

PC-8801, JP (cassette)

PC-8801/Sharp X1 version

PC-8801, JP (disk)

Sharp MZ version

Sharp MZ-2000, JP
<div style="margin:auto; max-width:Expression error: Unexpected < operator.px"> 320x120px
Cover
Flicky SharpMZ JP Cassette.jpg
Cassette

Sharp MZ-2500 version

Sharp MZ-2500, JP

Sharp X1 version

Sharp X1, JP (cassette)

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 4291c8ab
MD5 805cc0b3724f041126a57a4d956fd251
SHA-1 83d8bbf0a9b38c42a0bf492d105cc3abe9644a96
128kB 1991-02 Cartridge (US/EU)
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 31091537
MD5 a6e4e2806e804876d4a1991bf794979f
SHA-1 aaeaa10251667a843519a4a0a223e40c59ffded9
256kB 1991-02 Sega Game Toshokan Modified header
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
256kB 1991-02 Sega Game Toshokan

External links

References

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NEC Retro has more information related to Flicky
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 File:ACE UK 50.pdf, page 110 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:ACE UK 50.pdf_p110" defined multiple times with different content
  2. 2.0 2.1 File:EGM US 021.pdf, page 24 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:EGM US 021.pdf_p24" defined multiple times with different content
  3. 3.0 3.1 File:CVG UK 120.pdf, page 96 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 120.pdf_p96" defined multiple times with different content
  4. 4.0 4.1 File:Joystick FR 018.pdf, page 183 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 018.pdf_p183" defined multiple times with different content
  5. 5.0 5.1 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
  6. 6.0 6.1 File:MeanMachines UK 13.pdf, page 94 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachines UK 13.pdf_p94" defined multiple times with different content
  7. 7.0 7.1 File:PlayerOne FR 015.pdf, page 105 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:PlayerOne FR 015.pdf_p105" defined multiple times with different content
  8. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 82
  9. ACE, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-11-08), page 114
  10. Aktueller Software Markt, "Juli 1991" (DE; 1991-06-28), page 116
  11. Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 130
  12. Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 315
  13. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 47
  14. Games-X, "24th May 1991" (UK; 1991-05-17), page 37
  15. Games-X, "19th-25th September 1991" (UK; 1991-09-19), page 36
  16. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 92
  17. Mega Force, "Septembre/Octobre 1991" (FR; 1991-09-13), page 87
  18. Mega Play, "May/June 1991" (US; 1991-0x-xx), page 44
  19. Micromanía (segunda época), "Diciembre 1991" (ES; 1991-1x-xx), page 80
  20. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 138
  21. Power Play, "8/91" (DE; 1991-07-1x), page 126
  22. Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 53
  23. Sega Power, "December 1991" (UK; 1991-10-30), page 32
  24. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 65
  25. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 76
  26. Video Games, "3/91" (DE; 1991-09-06), page 91