Arcade Classics

From Sega Retro

n/a

  • Game Gear
  • Mega Drive

ArcadeClassics GG Title.png

ArcadeClassics MD Title.png

Arcade Classics
System(s): Sega Game Gear, Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Licensor: Atari Corporation
Original system(s): Arcade boards, Atari Ultra Pong
Developer(s) of original games: Atari, Inc.
Game total: 3
Sound driver: GEMS
Peripherals supported:
Sega Game Gear
Gear-to-Gear Cable
Genre: Compilation

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Game Gear
US
$29.9929.99[2] 2330
ESRB: Kids to Adults
Sega Mega Drive
US
$50.0050.00 1715
ESRB: Kids to Adults
Sega Mega Drive
EU
1715-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Mega Drive
PT
MDJSE0415

Arcade Classics is a Sega Game Gear game compilation consisting of the Atari-developed Centipede, Ultra Pong, and Missile Command, developed by Al Baker & Associates and published by Sega. Released exclusively in the United States in 1996, it was also ported to the Sega Mega Drive by the same developer and published in the United States, Europe, and Portugal later that year. While the games are recreated mostly faithfully, gameplay suffers from slowdown issues and minor inaccuracies.

Gameplay

Games

Arcade Classics GG, Games, Centipede.png

Centipede
This is a recreation of the original Centipede. The player controls a spaceship that must destroy a centipede made up of several ball-shaped pieces crawling down from the top of the screen. The player can move freely with Left and Right but cannot move vertically. The player shoots with 1 and 2 (or B and C), which can be held down for rapid-fire. Every time one piece of the centipede is destroyed, the centipede is broken at the destroyed piece, with each new piece moving independently. If hit by either a centipede or a spider which also comes up occasionally, a life is lost and the centipede reforms. The spider can be destroyed for bonus points. Mushroom barricades are scattered around the field; if they are shot, they become weaker and weaker until they are destroyed. If the centipedes reach the bottom of the screen, they will start climbing back up.

The Sega version features new graphics. The game can be played with one player, two players taking turns, two players competitively (the players can paralyze each other with their shots), or two players cooperatively ("team game," the players cannot paralyze each other). There are four selectable difficulty levels (Novice, Standard, Advanced, and Expert).

Arcade Classics GG, Games, Ultrapong, Pong.png

Arcade Classics GG, Games, Ultrapong, Hockey.png

  • Arcade Classics GG, Games, Ultrapong, Pong.png

  • Arcade Classics GG, Games, Ultrapong, Hockey.png

Ultrapong
There are two modes to choose from: Pong and Hockey. The goal of both is simple: the player, controlling a paddle capable of moving vertically from edge to edge, must hit the ball through the other player's goal and stop the ball from going through theirs. The first player to reach 15 points wins. In Pong, the goal is the edge of the screen. In Hockey, the goal is the inside of a smaller shape resembling a hockey goal. The ball bounces around a goal if it is shot toward the top or bottom edge of the screen.

The Sega version features different sound effects for when the ball hits a paddle. The game can be played with one or two players. There are four "styles" that affect the paddle configuration: Regular (one paddle), Super (two paddles that move in lockstep), Hyper (two paddles where the second paddle follows the other with a delay), and Ultra (three paddles where two move in lockstep and the third follows with a delay). Barriers can also be placed for added difficulty.

Arcade Classics GG, Games, Missile Command.png

Missile Command
This is a recreation of the original Missile Command. The player controls a missile turret fixed to the bottom center of the screen. Use the D-pad to move the target crosshairs and 1 or 2 (or B or C) to shoot. There are two types of enemies: aliens which fly horizontally through the screen and can be destroyed normally or missed with no consequence to the player, or slowly falling ropes that must be destroyed at their tips before they hit the ground; should one hit the ground, a life will be deducted.

The Sega version features new graphics and a different title screen theme (the other games simply keep playing the main menu music). The game can be played with one or two players and on Easy or Hard difficulty.

History

The compilation is most notable for being the product of a 1993 lawsuit between Atari Corporation and Sega.[4] Atari Corp. had filed a 1980 patent for video games featuring horizontal scrolling, and while nebulous enough to generally discourage the company from the numerous lawsuits it could have launched, it was experiencing significant financial difficulties at the time, and initiated the lawsuit as a means to generate additional cash flow for the ailing company.[4] When Sega of America received notice of the lawsuit, they instead chose to settle with Atari Corp., and the two companies entered into an agreement to license each others' game libraries. The resulting agreement only produced a single Sega game, Arcade Classics, while Atari Corp. would not produce any games with the licenses it acquired.[4]

Development

Sega wanted three Atari classics converted to the Mega Drive with as much integrity as possible. Therefore, the games used in the compilation were based directly off Atari code. The Atari 7800 version of Centipede and Atari 2600 version of Missile Command were converted from the original 6502 assembly language code to the Z80 for the Game Gear version and then from Z80 to the 68000 for the Mega Drive.

While all the code specifically associated with sound and graphics had to be re-written, the initial conversions were done using the developer's own 6502 to Z80 and Z80 to 68000 assembly language converters. Pong, a hard-wired console game which was reverse engineered for the Game Gear, was initially converted from the Game Gear to the Mega Drive using a Z80 to 68000 assembly language converter. The video and sound modules were then rewritten to complete the process.

Quotes

Sega wanted three Atari classics converted to the Genesis with as much integrity as possible. Each game would have two play modes: the orginal game and an updated version.

7800 Centipede and 2600 Missile Command were converted from the original 6502 assembly language code to the Z80 for the Game Gear version and then from the Z80 to the 68000 for the Genesis. While all the code specifically associated with sound and graphics had to be re-written, the initial conversions were done using our own 6502 to Z80 and Z80 to 68000 assembly language converters.

Pong, a hard-wired console game which was reverse engineered for the Game Gear, was initially converted from the Game Gear to the Genesis using our Z80 to 68000 assembly language converter. The video and sound modules were then rewritten to complete the process. All its play modes were faithfully reproduced.

Design update, programming and music/sound effects by Al Baker & Associates.

Al Baker & Associates Founder and head programmer Al Baker[5]


Production credits

Mega Drive version

Source:
In-game credits


Game Gear version

Source:
In-game credits


Magazine articles

Main article: Arcade Classics/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
70
[6]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
39
[7]
Game Players (US) NTSC-U
32
[8]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
35
[9]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
51
[10]
Next Generation (US) NTSC-U
0
[11]
Player One (FR)
50
[12]
VideoGames (US) NTSC-U
30
[13]
Sega Mega Drive
38
Based on
8 reviews

Arcade Classics

Mega Drive, US
ArcadeClassics MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Arcade classics us cart genesis.JPG
Cart
Arcade Classics MD US Majesco Sales Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US (cardboard)
ArcadeClassics MD US cb back.jpgNospine.pngArcadeClassics MD US cb front.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, EU
Arcade Classics-Megadrive-EUR.jpg
Cover
ArcadeClassics MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Arcade Classics MD EU Manual.jpg
Manual
ArcadeClassics MD EU PCB.jpg
PCB
Mega Drive, PT

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
70
[2]
Mega Force (FR) NTSC-U
40
[14]
Sega Force (SE)
75
[15]
Sega Game Gear
62
Based on
3 reviews

Arcade Classics

Game Gear, US
ArcadeClassics GG US back.jpgNospine.pngArcadeClassics GG US Box Front.jpg
Cover
ArcadeClassics GG US Cart.jpg
Cart
Arcadeclassics gg us manual.pdf
Manual

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 8aed2090
MD5 1c0b65d3cc82f56f7ad05ce63dc4d097
SHA-1 ec29aec7848dbcea6678adb4b31deba0a6ecf1e2
512kB 1996-03 Cartridge (US/EU)
Sega Game Gear
 ?
CRC32 3deca813
MD5 647847fe498841762625ae9d604b9018
SHA-1 fde19f418f4f13bbe43e6610f411065db9a6f550
256kB Cartridge (US)

External links

References


Arcade Classics

ArcadeClassics GG Title.png

Main page | Comparisons | Magazine articles | Reception | Region coding | Technical information


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Midway, Williams and Atari compilations for Sega systems
Sega Master System
Arcade Smash Hits (1992)
Sega Mega Drive
Arcade Classics (1996) | Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits (1996)
Sega Game Gear
Arcade Classics (1996)
Sega Saturn
Midway Presents Arcade's Greatest Hits (1996) | Midway Presents Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Atari Collection 1 (1997)
Sega Dreamcast
Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits Volume 1 (2000) | Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits Volume 2 (2000) | Atari Anniversary Edition (2001) | Midway's Greatest Arcade Hits Volume 3 (unreleased)