Marble Madness
From Sega Retro
Marble Madness | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: Electronic Arts (US/EU) Tengen (JP) Virgin Games (JP) Tengen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: Electronic Arts (US/EU) Tengen (JP) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distributor: Domark (EU) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Original system(s): Arcade boards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer(s) of original games: Atari Games | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Peripherals supported: Sega Mouse | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Puzzle[1], Action[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of players: 1-2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Marble Madness (マーブルマッドネス) is an arcade game developed by Atari Games and released in 1984. Its popularity saw numerous ports to home platforms, including the Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear.
Contents
Gameplay
The object of the game is to move a marble down an isometric field from one point to another, making sure not to fall of ledges or be damaged in other ways. The original arcade release relied heavily on a trackball controller, but the console ports rely on directional pad, meaning the control is less accurate. On the Mega Drive, the D-pad moves the ball in the on-screen direction of the button press. For example, will move the marble vertically up on the screen, with the respective effect in the arena.
History
The rights to the game were passed across a multitude of developers and publishers. In 1991 Electronic Arts had publishing rights, and produced a copy of the game for the Mega Drive in North America and Europe. While this version is complete, music porting and text drawing is somewhat sloppy, some of the graphics were recreated, colors were changed (most notably, the marble is now red), and the marble's motion restrictions were somewhat relaxed (allowing for jumps and drops not possible in other versions of the game).
Atari Games' home console division Tengen produced their own Mega Drive copy for the Japanese market in 1993, which is different to the Electronic Arts version. This is similar to the situation regarding the Mega Drive port of Klax, in which Namco produced their own copy for Japan. This Japanese version, which appears to have been produced internally by Tengen of Japan, is much more faithful to the original game (but whether or not it is a direct port is unknown), and features trackball support through the Sega Mouse.
Virgin Games published a Master System version the following year.
Tengen would also publish the Game Gear version. Both the Master System and Game Gear ports were created by Steve Lamb.
Production credits
Mega Drive version (US/EU)
- Genesis version By: Michael Schwartz
- Music and Sound By: Steve Hayes
- ©1991 Atari Games Corporation and Electronic Arts
- Licensed by: Sega Enterprises Ltd.
Mega Drive version (JP)
As with Gauntlet IV, there are two screens of credits. The first screen, the original arcade version's credits, shows after three demo loops.
- Designer/Graphics Programmer: Mark Cerny
- Game Programmer: Bob Flanagan
- Animator: Sam Comstock
- Sound Design: Hal Canon, Brad Fuller
- Hardware Design: S Ly, J Margolin, D Paauw, D Snyder
- System Support: C Downend, M Hoff, J Ritter
- Software Support: M Albaugh, M Mahar, R Moore
- Hardware Support: J Castillo, E Durfey, P McCarthy, N Minh
The second screen, the porting credits, comes 12 loops later; just sit back.
- Project Leader/Programmer: Jun Amanai
- Programmer: Takayuki Muraoka
- Graphics Conversion: Ken-ichi Nemoto
- Audio Conversion: Kenji Yokoyama
- Customer Service: Naomi Takahashi, Mizuho Yoshioka
- Special Thanks: Bill Hindorff
Master System version
- TM Atari Games Corporation.
- Licensed to Tengen.
- ©1992 Tengen All Rights Reserved
- Licensed by: Sega Enterprises.
- Programmed By: Steve Lamb
Game Gear version
- TM Atari Games Corporation.
- Licensed to Tengen.
- ©1992 Tengen All Rights Reserved.
- Code By: Steve Lamb.
Magazine articles
- Main article: Marble Madness/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
- Main article: Marble Madness/Promotional material.
Physical scans
Mega Drive version
74 | |
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Based on 35 reviews |
Mega Drive, AU |
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Master System version
Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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72 | |
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Based on 14 reviews |
Game Gear version
Sega Retro Average | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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79 | |
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Based on 13 reviews |
Technical information
ROM dump status
System | Hash | Size | Build Date | Source | Comments | |||||||||
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✔ |
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512kB | 1992-02 | Cartridge (US/EU) | ||||||||||
? |
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256kB | Cartridge (EU) | |||||||||||
? |
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256kB | Cartridge (US/EU) |
References
- ↑ File:MarbleMadness GG EU Box Back.jpg
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "July 1993" (JP; 1993-06-08), page 146
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Sega Pro, "November 1991" (UK; 1991-xx-xx), page 9
- ↑ Sega Force, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 67
- ↑ Sega Pro, "June 1992" (UK; 1992-05-21), page 39
- ↑ Sega Power, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-05), page 11
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Sega Force, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-xx), page 68
- ↑ GamePro, "July 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 90
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Game Zone, "September 1992" (UK; 1992-08-19), page 63
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Sega Power, "September 1992" (UK; 1992-08-06), page 39
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "September 1993" (JP; 1993-08-07), page 19 (21)
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 83 (85)
- ↑ Consoles +, "Juin 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 86/87 (86)
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Joystick, "Janvier 1992" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 140
- ↑ MegaTech, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-20), page 44-46 (44)
- ↑ Mean Machines, "January 1992" (UK; 1991-12-27), page 82-84 (82)
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Player One, "Avril 1992" (FR; 1992-04-10), page 90
- ↑ Sega Power, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-06), page 34/35 (34)
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Sega Pro, "Christmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-12), page 68
- ↑ Sega Force, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 66/67 (66)
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Sega Force, "1/92" (SE; 1992-xx-xx), page 14
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Supersonic, "Mai/Juin 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 10
- ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 123
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "September 1993" (JP; 1993-08-07), page 21
- ↑ Consoles +, "Juin 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 86
- ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 131
- ↑ Dengeki Mega Drive, "August 1993" (JP; 1993-07-08), page 37
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "March 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 28
- ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 67
- ↑ Famitsu, "1993-08-20,27" (JP; 1993-08-06), page 38
- ↑ FX (UK) (+0:00)
- ↑ Génération 4, "Juin 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 153
- ↑ Game Zone, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-24), page 24
- ↑ Hippon Super, "September 1993" (JP; 1993-08-03), page 49
- ↑ Joypad, "Janvier 1992" (FR; 1991-12-1x), page 96
- ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 63
- ↑ Mega Force, "Janvier 1992" (FR; 1992-01-15), page 98
- ↑ MegaTech, "February 1992" (UK; 1992-01-20), page 44
- ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Junio 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 80
- ↑ Mean Machines, "January 1992" (UK; 1991-12-27), page 82
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 139
- ↑ Play Time, "6/92" (DE; 1992-05-06), page 93
- ↑ Power Up!, "Saturday, March 14, 1992" (UK; 1992-03-14), page 1
- ↑ Power Play, "3/92" (DE; 1992-02-12), page 140
- ↑ Sega Power, "March 1992" (UK; 1992-02-06), page 36
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 66
- ↑ Sega Force, "April 1992" (UK; 1992-03-19), page 66
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
- ↑ Super Juegos, "Mayo 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 48
- ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 108
- ↑ VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "March 1992" (US; 1992-0x-xx), page 42
- ↑ Video Games, "1/92" (DE; 1992-02-03), page 30
- ↑ Consoles +, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 132/133 (132)
- ↑ 55.0 55.1 Joystick, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 205
- ↑ Mean Machines, "June 1992" (UK; 1992-05-28), page 72/73 (72)
- ↑ Player One, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-07-10), page 135 (131)
- ↑ Sega Pro, "June 1992" (UK; 1992-05-21), page 38/39 (38)
- ↑ 59.0 59.1 Sega Force, "2/92" (SE; 1992-11-19), page 24
- ↑ Sega Force, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-xx), page 66 (68)
- ↑ Consoles +, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 132
- ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 143
- ↑ Joypad, "Août/Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-07-1x), page 66
- ↑ Mean Machines, "June 1992" (UK; 1992-05-28), page 72
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 135
- ↑ Player One, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-07-10), page 135
- ↑ Sega Power, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-02), page 27
- ↑ Sega Pro, "June 1992" (UK; 1992-05-21), page 38
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 71
- ↑ Supersonic, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 24
- ↑ Video Games, "8/92" (DE; 1992-07-22), page 99
- ↑ 72.0 72.1 Consoles +, "Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 119
- ↑ 73.0 73.1 Joypad, "Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 100
- ↑ 74.0 74.1 Joystick, "Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 165
- ↑ Player One, "Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-09-10), page 116 (112)
- ↑ 76.0 76.1 Sega Pro, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-16), page 48
- ↑ Sega Force, "September 1992" (UK; 1992-08-13), page 56/57 (56)
- ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 167
- ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Septiembre 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 62
- ↑ Player One, "Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-09-10), page 116
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 74
- ↑ Sega Force, "September 1992" (UK; 1992-08-13), page 56
- ↑ VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "September 1992" (US; 1992-0x-xx), page 85
- ↑ Video Games, "8/92" (DE; 1992-07-22), page 121
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