Sewer Shark

n/a

Sewer Shark
System(s): Sega Mega-CD
Publisher: Sony Imagesoft
Developer: Digital Pictures
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code US 1992-11 T-6201 EU 1993-06 T-93015-50 DE 1993-09 DM 119.95119.95 T-93015-50 FR 1993-10 T-93015-50 PT 1993 CD93015 UK 1993-06 £39.9939.99 T-93015-50 BR 1993-10
Non-Sega versions 3DO

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Sewer Shark is a Sega Mega-CD game. It relies heavily on full motion video.

The game was a launch title in North America, and later on in the console's lifespan Sewer Shark was distributed as a pack-in game with the Mega-CD console in certain regions.

Gameplay

'Sewer Shark is a simple on-the-rails shoot-'em-up game where player, piloting a customised "sewer shark" vehicle named "Hole Hawg", is tasked with cleaning up a large sewer network by shooting various creatures. Despite being labeled as the "sewer jockey" (pilot) most of the game involves aiming a target reticule with the D-Pad, and firing a "gattling gun" with .

Only limited control is given to the Hole Hawg's movements - if travelling over an intersection, holding and using the D-Pad allows the sewer shark to turn 90 degrees in another direction, assuming there is a tunnel to travel down. There is no specific route in Sewer Shark, and the game rarely dictates that you travel in a certain direction, however failing to react to a turn can cause the Hole Hawg to crash and the game end.

The Hole Hawg cannot be damaged during normal play (save for the "scorpion" enemies which appear in the latter half), however "energy" depletes over time, requiring the player to visit charging stations. Instead, the game is played for points, with navigation robot "Catfish" sometimes recommending directions towards more infested routes (and who has to detonate hydrogen-filled areas). Your co-pilot, "Ghost" also shouts at advice at you, and is also a feature of full motion video cutscenes which break up the action.

A set of full motion clips is used to simulate travelling through the sewers, and remain constant throughout the game, however as time progresses, the player's calling sign is "upgraded" (Dogmeat, Ratbreath, Exterminator, Beachbum) and the music changes. Enemies are a mixture of creatures baked into the full motion video and sprites overlaid on the screen. All in-game music is generated by the Sega Mega Drive's audio chips, as opposed to higher quality audio streamed off the CD-ROM.

The game will finish after roughly 40 minutes of play, with the plot resolving itself regardless of the player's actions.

History

Development

As with Night Trap, Sewer Shark was originally intended for release on Hasbro's cancelled Control-Vision (codenamed NEMO) console - a system that used VHS cassettes as opposed to ROM cartridges. Digital Pictures subsequently picked up the rights to bring the project to the Mega-CD.

On the Control-Vision, Sewer Shark, like Night Trap used four separate video streams which are read simultaneously, allowing for the game to react without the need noticeable loading of data. To achieve this on the Mega-CD, all of the footage was compressed using a bespoke video codec, meaning most of the game is viewed with a border. Night Trap uses similar technology, as does the later produced Prize Fighter.

Release

In North America, 100,000 copies of the Mega-CD game were sold prior to being packed-in with the console.

Legacy

Following its Mega-CD launch, Digital Pictures ported the game to the 3DO platform for release in 1994. While gameplay remains largely unchanged, the 3DO version renders at a higher resolution in more colours, bringing the footage closer to the intended VHS quality.

Production credits

• Cast:
  • Ghost: David Underwood
  • Stenchler: Roberty Costanza
  • Falco: Kari G. Payton
  • Girl Friday: Stevie Sterling
  • Voice of Catfish: Robert Weaver
• Production Coordinator: Craig Boyajian
• Tunnel Music Composed by: Mark Mothersbaugh
• Tunnel Music Orchestrated and Arranged by: Mark Miller
• Incidental Music Composed by: Tom Ferguson, Jay Ferguson
• Sound Effects: Jason Scher, Mark Miller
• Sound: Robert Weaver
• Motion Control Puppets: Chiodo Bros. Productions
• Effects Supervisor: Peter Donen

For Apogee, Inc

• Executive Producer: Bob Shepherd
• Producer: Jo Ann Knox
• Production Coordinator: Geri Robert
• Staff Production Coordinator: Michael Yost
• Assistant Director: Harry Wypich
• Director of Photography: Bob Collins
• Assistant Camera: Gary Andertin
• Gaffer: Bob Jason
• Key Grip: Mark Kuramoto
• Script Supervisor: Morgan
• Chief Model Maker: Tom Pahk
• Prototype Engineer: Mike Sorensen
• Sound Mixer: Susan Chong
• Boom Operator: Eric Carr
• Home Economist: Barbara Gray
• Stylist: Debbie Shine
• Production Designer: Jack McAdams
• Casting: Sandra Merrill
• Production Assistants: Jeff Fridlund, Holly Fernandez
• Production Accountant: Debbie Nikkel
• Bookkeeper: Adele Zager

Additional Crew in Hawaii

• Production Coordinator: Hunter Johnson
• Production Assistant: Loke Lani Lau
• Electrician: Jim Rosel
• Best Boys: Jim Takahashi, Phil Miller
• Grip: Roger Thompson

For Editel, Inc.

• Optical Supervisor: Roger Dorney
• Editorial Supervisor: Dennis Kelly
• Editors: Michael Jackson, Peter Beyt, Tom Sing
• Assistant Editor: Joe Bateman
• Paintbox/Harry Designer: Vikki North
• Film to Tape Colorist: Lyle Hellman
• Assistant Colorist: Earl Williams

For Sony ImageSoft Inc.

• Product Manager: Rich Robinson
• Tester: Nathan Rose

For Digital Pictures, Inc.

• Chairman of the Board: Martin Erlichman
• Legal Counsel:
  • Business Affairs: Barry Tyerman, Armstrong & Hirsch
  • Intellectual Property: David Hayes, Fenwick & West
• Additional Programming: Steve DeFrisco, Ken Soohoo
• Testers: David Pier, Matt Kellner
• Production Assistants: Dena Maheras, Malia Lewis
• V.P. Engineering: Mark Klein
• Director, Computer Graphics: Lode Coen
• Computer Graphic Animation: Cuyler Gee
• Interface Design: Joshua Solomon
• Production Accountant: Anne Flautt Read

The events and characters depicted in this photoplay are fictitous. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Ownership of this interactive U-Direct™ motion picture is protected by copyright, patent, and other applicable laws. Any unauthorized duplication, distribution, or exhibition of this interactive U-Direct motion picture could result in criminal prosecution as well as civil liability.

Filmed in Hollywood, California and on location at Sunset Beach, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii.

Sewer Shark, Ratigator, Zerk, and Crazy Looking Thing are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc.

U-Direct is a trademark of Digital Pictures, Inc.

Portions © 1992 Sega

© 1992 Digital Pictures, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Source:

In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Sewer Shark/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #10: "November/December 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #41: "December 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
• Sega Visions (US) #11: "February/March 1993" (199x-xx-xx)

Print advert in Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) #5: "February 1993" (1993-01-12)
also published in:

• Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #43: "February 1993" (199x-xx-xx)
• Sega Visions (US) #11: "February/March 1993" (199x-xx-xx)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 50 Consoles + (FR) 93 Computer & Video Games (UK) 46 Computer & Video Games (UK) 83 Computer + Video Giochi (IT) 46 Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U 76 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 70 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK) 78 GameFan (US) NTSC-U 86 Game Power (IT) 55 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 100 GamesMaster (UK) 85 Joypad (FR) 86 Joypad (FR) PAL 81 Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL 92 Mega (UK) PAL 56 Mega Action (UK) NTSC-U 82 Mega Action (UK) PAL 82 Mega Force (FR) 70 Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-U 61 Mega Fun (DE) PAL 63 MegaTech (UK) PAL 87 Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL 82 Player One (FR) 55 Power Up! (UK) 60 Power Unlimited (NL) 78 Score (CZ) 82 Sega Power (UK) PAL 28 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 75 Sega Zone (UK) NTSC-U 77 Sega Force (UK) PAL 92 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 60 VideoGames Shopper (UK) PAL 32 Video Games (DE) PAL 68

	71
Based on 34 reviews

Sewer Shark

Mega-CD, US
Cover
Disc Manual

Mega-CD, US (console pack-in)
Disc Manual

Mega-CD, US (console pack-in; alt)
Disc Manual

Mega-CD, EU
Cover
Disc

Mega-CD, UK
Cover

Mega-CD, PT
Cover

Mega-CD, BR (console pack-in)

Technical information

ROM dump status

System	Hash	Size	Build Date	Source	Comments
?	CRC32 MD5 SHA-1	489,947,472		CD (EU)	T-93015-50
✔	CRC32 MD5 SHA-1	489,594,672		CD (US)	T-6201