Atomic Runner

From Sega Retro


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AtomicRunner Title.png

Atomic Runner
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Virtual Console
Publisher: Data East
Developer:
Genre: Action

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP
¥7,8007,800 T-13073
Sega Mega Drive
US
$49.9549.95[1] T-13036
Sega Mega Drive
EU
1140
Sega Mega Drive
PT
MDJ1144
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Wii Virtual Console
JP
600pts600
CERO
Missing Parameter!

Atomic Runner, known as Chelnov (チェルノブ) in Japan, is a 1988 arcade game by Data East ported to the Sega Mega Drive in 1992. The Mega Drive version of the game has since been released for the Wii's Virtual Console service in Japan.

Story

The original arcade version's plot was completely replaced in the Mega Drive version due to the controversy it caused. Instead of a coal miner who developed superhuman abilities after getting caught in Soviet nuclear failure and must now fight the evil organization who wants to hire him for his powers, Chelnov is now a scientist living happily with his father and sister Chelmi. One night, he goes out for a jog only to hear an explosion at his house. Racing back home, he finds his father near-death at the hands of the "Deathtarians," a group claiming to be the original intelligent life — and consequently, the true owners — of planet Earth, predating humans.

Chelnov's father had been working to try to stop the Deathtarians, and now he leaves a suit which grants its wearer superhuman abilities and numerous weapons to Chelnov. Chelnov donned the suit to become the Atomic Runner and went on his way to save the world and rescue his now-kidnapped sister, but was overwhelmed by the Deathtarians's numbers. The Deathtarians captured, tortured, and attempted to brainwash the Atomic Runner, but eventually failed, leaving him with one last attempt to stop the Deathtarians.

Gameplay

Chelnov always runs forward. Should there be need for him to stop, hold Left; the screen will continue to scroll to the right and he will start moving again if he touches the edge of the screen. A jumps. B fires a laser beam; there is rapidfire when the button is held down and shots can be aimed with the directional pad (but you cannot shoot straight up). Holding C and pressing Left or Right causes the player to run backward or forward, respectively. The player dies when hit once.

Magazine articles

Main article: Atomic Runner/Magazine articles.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
79 №13, p72-73
91 №1, p23[3]
95 №35, p52[1]
92 №13, p50-53
90 №32, p151[4]
40 №2, p40-41[5]
45 №16, p87[6]
80 №10, p38-40[7]
91 №1, p58-61[2]
85 №28, p80-81[8]
88 №36, p34-35
79 №12, p58-59
66 №10, p70[9]
Sega Mega Drive
79
Based on
13 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[10]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
58
[11]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
73
[12]
Consoles + (FR)
79
[13]
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US)
75
[14]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 4 (RU)
40
[15]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
91
[3]
Game Mania (UK) NTSC-J
91
[16]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
95
[1]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
60
[17]
Joypad (FR)
92
[18]
Joystick (FR) NTSC-U
90
[4]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
40
[5]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) NTSC-U
40
[19]
Mega (UK) PAL
45
[6]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-U
77
[20]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC-J
80
[7]
Marukatsu Mega Drive (JP) NTSC-J
85
[21]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
91
[2]
Player One (FR)
85
[8]
Play Time (DE)
75
[22]
Power Up! (UK)
83
[23]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-U
88
[24]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
79
[25]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-U
59
[26]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
66
[9]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
81
[27]
Supergame (BR) NTSC-U
93
[28]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
50
[29]
Video Games (DE)
64
[30]
Sega Mega Drive
72
Based on
30 reviews

Atomic Runner

Mega Drive, US
AtomicRunner MD US Box.jpg
Cover
AtomicRunner MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU
AtomicRunner MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
AtomicRunner MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, JP
AtomicRunner MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
Chelnov MD JP CartTop.jpg
Chelnov MD JP Cart Back.jpgChelnov MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Chelnov md jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, AU

Unreleased versions

Notavailable.svg
Atomic Runner
System(s): Sega Saturn
Planned release date(s): 1997
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1

Atomic Runner, in its original arcade form was once set to appear for the Sega Saturn. It appeared at the Tokyo Game Show and various game stores in the Akihabara district of Tokyo in 1997, though was canceled for unknown reasons. A prototype has since been leaked onto the internet.

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 0677c210
MD5 6ddf32102f20c6f91b0d97bb5da5caad
SHA-1 8a6e868fe36f2e5ac01af2557d3798a892e34799
1MB 1992-03 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 b2fe74d8
MD5 d769a45255a31638e336f77f33aba822
SHA-1 ac1ae7b38f6498472bc4f072726a4ca069e41204
1MB 1992-03 Cartridge (JP)
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 b3c05418
MD5 b953ab20d7bd508bd15d369339c67256
SHA-1 ab84274bc98a1f8f808bee3f41645884c95cc840
1MB 1992-03 Cartridge (EU)

External links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 File:GamePro US 035.pdf, page 54 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:GamePro US 035.pdf_p54" defined multiple times with different content
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf, page 58 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega01UK.pdf_p58" defined multiple times with different content
  3. 3.0 3.1 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, Virgin Books, page 23 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesEssentialSegaGuide Book UK.pdf_p23" defined multiple times with different content
  4. 4.0 4.1 File:Joystick FR 032.pdf, page 151 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 032.pdf_p151" defined multiple times with different content
  5. 5.0 5.1 File:MDAG UK 02.pdf, page 40 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MDAG UK 02.pdf_p40" defined multiple times with different content
  6. 6.0 6.1 File:Mega UK 16.pdf, page 87 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Mega UK 16.pdf_p87" defined multiple times with different content
  7. 7.0 7.1 File:MegaTech UK 10.pdf, page 38 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MegaTech UK 10.pdf_p38" defined multiple times with different content
  8. 8.0 8.1 File:PlayerOne FR 028.pdf, page 80 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:PlayerOne FR 028.pdf_p80" defined multiple times with different content
  9. 9.0 9.1 File:SegaForce UK 10.pdf, page 70 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaForce UK 10.pdf_p70" defined multiple times with different content
  10. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 23
  11. Aktueller Software Markt, "November 1992" (DE; 1992-10-09), page 147
  12. Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1992" (JP; 1992-07-08), page 28
  13. Consoles +, "Octobre 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 72
  14. Electronic Games (1992-1995), "October 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 68
  15. Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 4, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 13
  16. Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80
  17. Hippon Super, "August 1992" (JP; 1992-07-04), page 39
  18. Joypad, "Octobre 1992" (FR; 1992-10-xx), page 50
  19. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 90
  20. Mega Fun, "08/92" (DE; 1992-08-18), page 25
  21. Marukatsu Mega Drive, "September 1992" (JP; 1992-08-xx), page 119
  22. Play Time, "11/92" (DE; 1992-10-07), page 90
  23. Power Up!, "Saturday, April 03, 1993" (UK; 1993-04-03), page 1
  24. Sega Power, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-01), page 34
  25. Sega Pro, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-10), page 58
  26. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 64
  27. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
  28. Supergame, "Outubro 1992" (BR; 1992-10-xx), page 22
  29. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 16
  30. Video Games, "10/92" (DE; 1992-09-30), page 100