The Third World War

n/a

The Third World War

Publisher: Micronet (JP), Extreme Entertainment Group (US)

Developer: Micronet

Peripherals supported: CD BackUp RAM Cart

Genre: Simulation

Number of players: 1

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	1993-11-26	¥7,8007,800	T-22034
US	1994		T-22025

VRC

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The Third World War (ザ・サードワールドウォー) is a Sega Mega-CD strategy game.

The Third World War is a grand strategy game released for Sega Mega-CD. Players will take control a country of their choosing and attempt to gain military or economical supremacy while at the same time developing their economy and technology level. In addition to the grand strategy options played in a global map, players will also command their forces in real time strategy various maps.

Bignet/Micronet planned a Sega Mega Drive version of Third World War for release in December 1992. It was later shown at Winter CES 1992^[1].

Japanese version of the game has a hilarious cover depicting Bill Clinton and Saddam Hussein shaking hands and smiling while background is being ravaged by war.

Available Scenarios

The Third World War

This is the world situation at the early 90s. United States is immensely powerful while China and Russia have trouble keeping their armed forces due to economical problems. UK, Japan, Germany and France have similar troubles while underdogs like Iraq, Libya and South Africa are in perfect position to assert local dominance.

This is a recommended campaign for newcomers.

Cold War

Final stages of the Cold War takes place in late 80s. While both USA and Russia have immensely powerful military forces, this large spending is also bleeding their economies dry. Concentrating the GNP improvement is the key here.

War in the Pacific

After annexing several ASEAN nations, Japan becomes immensely powerful in this scenario, enough to challenge the US. Aiding the revolutionaries and terrorists in this scenarios will be beneficial.

Chaos

Superpowers reduce their military spendings while developing nations such as Iraq, Libya, South Africa and India are re-emerging as potential challengers.

The Economic Struggle

Unless you invade someone, there will be no wars during this campaign as every nation is focusing on developing their own economies and taking control of the others. Investments will be key to victory here. Try to defend your and your vassal states' economies from revolutions while spraking them in enemy countries.

Available Countries

United States of America

God bless United States and no one else

Powerful in terms of economy and military, USA is a perfect country for beginners. Use your strong economy to invest in technology and establish your domination over the globe. Don't be afraid to ~~invade and bomb the hell out of~~expand freedom and democracy to other nations.

Russia

Cyka Blyat

After USA, Russia is next best candidate for world domination. Use your ~~vodka powered~~ well-trained and motivated forces to expand into Eastern Europe and beyond.

Japan

お兄ちゃん!!!

With a mostly defensive military force, Japan is not the best candidate for military victory. However, your nation's strong economy will allow you to either establish economical dominance or rebuild your army to challenge other superpowers. Make good use of your ~~high school girls special forces, cosplayers, furries and anime~~international trust to make necessary treaties with other nations.

Germany

~~Sieg Zeon!~~ Deutchland über Alles!

Germany is very powerful economically and has a decent ground force. Their air force and navy is quite mediocre though. Either start a new ground war in Europe or conquer other nations with your potent economy.

China

Your massive manpower is your greatest strength. Focus on a ground war as your navy is utter crap.

France

Laissez à l'abandon. Juste au cas où.

An average nation. Focus on domestic policies to survive. Unfortunately you cannot play realistically as France in Third World War as this game has no "surrender" or "appeasement" options.

United Kingdom

By George, old chap. Perhaps we should bring the big guns?

Being an island nation, UK is pretty much immune to ground invasion. If everything else fails, you can send ~~Queen's mutated alien lizard army~~ powerful Royal Navy to expand your influence.

India

Pretty much everyone around you hates you. Be very mindful of terrorist attacks and revolutionary rebellions. Make good use of ~~Bollywood film industry~~ your status as an emerging superpower. An alliance with Russia might help too.

South Africa

Being in the southernmost tip of the Africa, makes SA an isolated nation. On the bright side, this means other countries will leave you alone. Expand further into Africa and swallow Libya. After that you are set for a world power.

Brazil

Just like SA, conquer the South and Central America first.

Australia

Remember the ~~Emu War~~ Tobruk

You are also in a isolated position so focus on swallowing your neighbors. You have painfully low manpower so pick you invasion targets carefully and never become overconfident.

Canada

Eh?

You are in a relatively safe area. Being a neighbor to USA can be either a blessing or a death sentence, depending on the scenario. Focus on domestic issues first and don't worry ~~aboot~~ about military expansions too much.

Iraq

Iraq, for obvious reasons, have very low international trust, so don't bother with treaties too much. Increase your GNP even further with your oil revenue and launch as many invasions as possible.

Israel

Israel is a country that punches considerably above its weight. Use your well-trained and powerful army to expand influence. Your economy will need some help though and you can't rely on economic aid from USA forever.

Saudi Arabia

Saddam is coming for you. Quickly use your powerful GNP to expand your armed forces. You may also ~~make Americans fight for you~~ask help from United States.

Libya

You have a pathetic military. On the plus side, your strong GNP can be used to aid terror attacks and revolutions around the world.

Production credits

チーフ: M.カトー
プログラム: M.カトー, 堀川謙太郎, 池田貴之, 常田稔, SKELETON
グラフィック: をたぼう, 奈良岡勇一郎, 本間仁, 小田桐孝一, のむやん
作曲・編曲・音源制作: 田中遊梦, PIRATA, KAPPA, FANDANGO CO., LTD
ナレーション: 篠原正典
SE・セリフ・TD: Studio メディアD
音響効果・編集: (株)ミツエーリンクス
デジタイズ: 常田稔
システムサポート: 釈迦
広報: PAGE BOY, おじゃえ, 奈良岡勇一郎
スペシャルサンクス: 黄木薫
Extreme Staff: SNM
アルバイター: 宮村恭子, 池田俊也
資料映像: WTN, CNN
プロデュース: 村上晶彦
映像提供: CNN Cable News Network (USA), WTN World TV News (USA)
制作・著作: Micronet

Source:

In-game credits (JP)^[2]

Magazine articles

Main article: The Third World War/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Game Players (US) #0705: "Vol. 7 No. 5 May 1994" (1994-0x-xx)
also published in:

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #58: "May 1994" (1994-xx-xx)^[3]

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1993-12: "December 1993" (1993-11-08)

Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1994-01: "January 1994" (1993-12-08)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

Beep! MegaDrive (JP)

NTSC-J

50

^[7]

Consoles + (FR)

74

^[8]

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US)

NTSC-U

58

^[9]

Famitsu (JP)

NTSC-J

55

^[10]

Game Players (US)

NTSC-U

74

^[11]

GamePro (US)

NTSC-U

73

^[12]

Hippon Super (JP)

NTSC-J

60

^[13]

Joypad (FR)

NTSC-U

80

^[14]

MAN!AC (DE)

NTSC

55

^[15]

Mega Drive Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

62

^[16]

Mega (UK)

NTSC-U

72

^[17]

Mega Power (UK)

NTSC-U

81

^[18]

MegaTech (UK)

NTSC-U

83

^[19]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

NTSC-U

85

^[20]

Sega Power (UK)

NTSC-U

55

^[21]

Sega Pro (UK)

NTSC-U

73

^[22]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

69

^[23]

Video Games (DE)

NTSC-U

72

^[24]

VideoGames (US)

NTSC-U

60

^[25]

	68
Based on 19 reviews

The Third World War

Mega-CD, US
Cover
Disc Manual

Mega-CD, JP
Cover
Spinecard Disc

Technical information

ROM dump status

System

Hash

Size

Build Date

Source

Comments

✔

CRC32
MD5
SHA-1

461,114,304

CD (JP)

T-22034

References

↑ GamePro, "April 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 24
↑ File:ThirdWorldWar_MCD_JP_SSEnding.pdf
↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "May 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 91
↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "December 1993" (JP; 1993-11-08), page 25 (27)
↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 84 (86)
↑ Mean Machines Sega, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-04-30), page 70/71 (70)
↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "December 1993" (JP; 1993-11-08), page 27
↑ Consoles +, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 166
↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "May 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 38
↑ Famitsu, "1993-12-03" (JP; 1993-11-19), page 1
↑ Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 6 June 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 60
↑ GamePro, "July 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 66
↑ Hippon Super, "December 1993" (JP; 1993-11-02), page 43
↑ Joypad, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 41
↑ MAN!AC, "05/94" (DE; 1994-04-13), page 70
↑ Mega Drive Fan, "February 1994" (JP; 1994-01-08), page 67
↑ Mega, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 38
↑ Mega Power, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 34
↑ MegaTech, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 52
↑ Mean Machines Sega, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-04-30), page 70
↑ Sega Power, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-03-31), page 50
↑ Sega Pro, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 46
↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 86
↑ Video Games, "5/94" (DE; 1994-04-27), page 88
↑ VideoGames, "June 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 73

[:File:GamePro_US_033.pdf_p24-1] GamePro, "April 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 24

[:File:ThirdWorldWar_MCD_JP_SSEnding.pdf_p-2] File:ThirdWorldWar_MCD_JP_SSEnding.pdf

[:File:EGM_US_058.pdf_p91-3] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "May 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 91

[:File:BeepMD_JP_1993-12.pdf_p27_.2825.29-4] Beep! MegaDrive, "December 1993" (JP; 1993-11-08), page 25 (27)

[:File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf_p86_.2884.29-5] Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 84 (86)

[:File:MeanMachinesSega20UK.pdf_p70_.2870.2F71.29-6] Mean Machines Sega, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-04-30), page 70/71 (70)

[:File:BeepMD_JP_1993-12.pdf_p27-7] Beep! MegaDrive, "December 1993" (JP; 1993-11-08), page 27

[8] Consoles +, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 166

[:File:EGM_US_058.pdf_p38-9] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "May 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 38

[10] Famitsu, "1993-12-03" (JP; 1993-11-19), page 1

[:File:GamePlayers_US_0706.pdf_p60-11] Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 6 June 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 60

[:File:GamePro_US_060.pdf_p66-12] GamePro, "July 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 66

[13] Hippon Super, "December 1993" (JP; 1993-11-02), page 43

[:File:Joypad_FR_031.pdf_p41-14] Joypad, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 41

[:File:MAN.21AC_DE_1994-05.pdf_p70-15] MAN!AC, "05/94" (DE; 1994-04-13), page 70

[:File:Mdfan_JP_1994-02.pdf_p67-16] Mega Drive Fan, "February 1994" (JP; 1994-01-08), page 67

[:File:Mega_UK_20.pdf_p38-17] Mega, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 38

[:File:MegaPower_UK_10.pdf_p34-18] Mega Power, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 34

[:File:MegaTech_UK_29.pdf_p52-19] MegaTech, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 52

[:File:MeanMachinesSega20UK.pdf_p70-20] Mean Machines Sega, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-04-30), page 70

[:File:SegaPower_UK_54.pdf_p50-21] Sega Power, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-03-31), page 50

[:File:SegaPro_UK_32.pdf_p46-22] Sega Pro, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 46

[:File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf_p86-23] Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 86

[:File:VideoGames_DE_1994-05.pdf_p88-24] Video Games, "5/94" (DE; 1994-04-27), page 88

[:File:VideoGames_US_65.pdf_p73-25] VideoGames, "June 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 73

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The Third World War

From Sega Retro

Contents

Available Scenarios

The Third World War

Cold War

War in the Pacific

Chaos

The Economic Struggle

Available Countries

United States of America

Russia

Japan

Germany

China

France

United Kingdom

India

South Africa

Brazil

Australia

Canada

Iraq

Israel

Saudi Arabia

Libya

Production credits

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Physical scans

Technical information

ROM dump status

References