Baby Boom

From Sega Retro

For the similarly-unreleased baby-themed Mega Drive game, see Baby's Day Out.

BabyBoom title.png

Baby Boom
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Mega-CD, Sega Game Gear
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Foley Hi-Tech[1]
Planned release date(s):
Sega Mega Drive
1994-12[2], 1995
Sega Mega-CD
1994-12[3][2]
Genre: Real-time strategy
Number of players: 1
Status of prototype(s): Found, dumped
Sound driver: GEMS

This teeny-tiny article needs some work. You can help us by expanding it.


Baby Boom is an unreleased Sega Mega Drive, Sega Mega-CD, and Sega Game Gear real-time strategy game developed by Foley Hi-Tech[1] and scheduled to be published by Sega around late 1994[2]. Originally conceived by the Sega Girls Task Force as one of the earliest Sega games designed firstmost for a female-audience, concerns with the game's control scheme and entertainment value eventually led to the project's formal cancellation.

While the Mega-CD and Game Gear versions were likely undeveloped, the Mega Drive version processed a considerable amount into its production, and eventually had ROM images of its numerous prototypes discovered and dumped for preservation.[4]

Gameplay

Players use a mechanical arm to keep the wandering babies out of potential danger.

Baby Boom puts players in control of a ceiling-mounted mechanical arm which can swing all around the playfield, challenging them to pick up and safely corral a large group of babies as they unpredictably wander about the numerous stages. Sometimes the babies appear in circular baby walkers, or wearing distinctive clothing like baseball caps, and overall boast a surprising variety of appearances.

There is also a diaper changing minigame.

History

Baby Boom was first announced at Sega Gamer's Day 1994 as an action game for the Sega Mega Drive, Sega Mega-CD and Sega Game Gear.

Development

Baby Boom was first conceived sometime in early 1993 as part of Sega of America's push in specifically developing games which would be more approachable to young girls than Sega's standard lineup - the Sega Girls Task Force. Headed by executives Michealene Cristini Risley and Pamela Kelly, the team set out to create a series of games which could be enjoyed by all genders, but also specifically marketed to female gamers.


It wasn’t fun [to control the game] with the D-pad.

— Designer Ed Annunziata on Baby Boom's cancellation.[5]


Physical scans

Mega Drive, US (prototype)
BabyBoom MD US front.png
Cover

Magazine articles

Main article: Baby Boom/Magazine articles.

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 bd697054
MD5 2dc49f8d7f371cdc003a296f379907a0
SHA-1 7baa515001aff4fa93c871189c891e5bd2eaab11
2MB 1994-08-11 CD-R archive Download.svg (514 kB) (info) Page
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 6e0cf48d
MD5 5d768a29192443b67e21c01d03aee1d9
SHA-1 22c8e6ac65de990a3f30aedf777f7336f7791e66
2MB 1994-06-06 CD-R archive Download.svg (210 kB) (info) Page
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 c0d97f6f
MD5 3e5176ccdd2849fc2cd28d7a14978eee
SHA-1 24b5a84fb68b89a5ac4e7a9e85af95880067fc5f
2MB 1994-07-11 CD-R archive Download.svg (209 kB) (info) Page

External links

References