Gods

From Sega Retro

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Gods MDTitleScreen.png

Gods
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Mindscape (US), PCM Complete (Japan), Accolade (Europe)
Developer:
Original system(s): Atari ST
Developer(s) of original games: The Bitmap Brothers
Sound driver: Graftgold custom
Genre: Action[1][2]

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP
¥8,8008,800 T-85013
Sega Mega Drive
US
$49.9549.95[4] T-87016
Sega Mega Drive
EU
T-119036-50
Sega Mega Drive
DE
DM 110110[7] T-119036-50
Sega Mega Drive
PT
MD119036
Sega Mega Drive
UK
£39.9939.99[8] T-119036-50
Sega Mega Drive
SE
(Rental)
Non-Sega versions

Gods (ゴッズ) is a 1991 platformer by The Bitmap Brothers, originally released for the Atari ST and later ported to a variety of home consoles and computers, including a 1992 port to the Sega Mega Drive. This version was the first game published by Accolade after acquiring an official license after winning Sega v. Accolade (though they still presumably continued to press unlicensed games).

Story

"Four guardians" have broken the citadel used to protect the city of the gods, and have asked any warrior to retake the citadel in return for a favor. The greatest gift of all: immortality. You play as one such warrior, who asks to become a god himself, equal to the others.

Gameplay

The game has a self adaptive difficulty level, sometimes giving out health and extra lives to players instead of score related items.

A shoots your weapon (which you carry one of and find throughout each level). B jumps. To jump off ladders, hold down B and tap left or right. By pressing Up, you face the wall, and can then use A to do actions like flipping switches on the wall. You can carry up to four extra items with you, such as keys (used to open doors). To take an item, hold Down to switch to item grabbing mode and hit A to pick the item up and put it in one of four slots (shown in the HUD), and then hit A again to move the cursor to the next slot. To drop an item, move the cursor onto an item and leave item grabbing mode. You do not need to drop items to use keys; they activate automatically when you approach a door.

Passwords are given out at the end of each world after defeating the respective boss. You are given a pre-defined amount of money to power up, should you continue using a password.

Enemies' appearance changes from world to world and sometimes also from stage to stage, but their behavior can be categorized:

  • walk a predefined path
  • walk straight for the player's position
  • fly for the player's position
  • turret like behavior
  • So called "thieves" take a special position. Starting with world 2, these characters will grab items and carry them around. They can be attracted by dropping a golden key, the item they desire the most. They can be utilized to transport items out of areas they player can't reach by himself.

Points are accumulated by defeating enemies and collecting treasure, often hidden away in secret areas that can only be accessed by solving puzzle sections. A lot of the bonus sections are very hard to find without the use of external resources. Extra lives and bonus points are rewarded for certain scores. As all score is lost when powering off the console, a play session focusing on score needs to be done in one sitting.

While the score system was carefully crafted, a design oversight exists: The beehives in the labyrinth stage release an unlimited amount of bees, and thus infinite score can be accumulated.

Worlds

Each world is split into three sections. Between these individual sections, new weapons, power ups and other items may be purchased at a traveling merchant's shop.

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The City

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The Temple

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The Labyrinth

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The Underworld

Weapons

  • Main Weapons:
Each weapon has three power levels. Level 1 is a straight shot, level 2 is straight and upward, level 3 is straight, upward and downward. The angle the weapons are fired can be altered by pickups.
  • Knife: standard equipment
  • Throwing Star: stronger than the knife
  • Spear: stronger than the throwing star, goes through walls
  • Mace: weaker than the knife, can break certain blocks
  • Axe: strongest weapon, no special properties
  • Sub Weapons:
Aside from these main weapons, the game also features sub weapons, which are fired simultaneously with the main weapons.
  • Energy star: arching shot, can be used together with the hammer
  • Hammer: jumps long the floor until it finds a target
  • Spiked Ball: homing shot

Versions

  • All versions are region locked. The PAL version has speed up music but slower gameplay. Disabling the region lock with a cheating device (e.g. Game Genie code EAAT-AL1T) makes the game and music run at the correct speed. Content wise, the games are identical aside from translation differences.
  • Compared to the Atari ST and Amiga releases, the home console ports feature:
    • A new, animated intro screen (but without the image song) compared to the still image of the original
    • In-game music was added, while the ST and Amiga releases were silent
    • New HUD that displays all items, this works without compromising the visible area as the Sega Mega Drive version runs at a slightly higher resolution.
    • Some palette changes in all stages, likely due to the higher amount of simultaneously displayed foreground colors - Amiga:32 MD:64 (e.g. the hero's armor is slightly blue colored compared to the grey ST version armor, enemies now have their own palettes).
    • The Amiga's "copper mode" background gradients, which can't be reproduced on the Sega Mega Drive without heavy dithering, have been replaced with parallax scrolling buildings and scenery.
    • The final ascension to olympus scene was made exclusive for console versions.
    • The ability to perform a straight vertical jump was added & walking speed is much faster, making it possible to clear the game in ~1 hour (compared to the Amiga version, which took ~2 hours).
    • In the Atari ST version, you are given "immortality" by receiving a screen full of 1UP items after the final boss, which is missing in the Sega Mega Drive version. The extended ending scene is a replacement for this.
    • The game doesn't loop infinitely with an increased difficulty level after clearing it. Instead it brings the player to the highscore screen

Production credits

  • Design: Eric Matthews, Steve Tall
  • Original Coding: Steve Tall
  • Graphics: Mark Coleman
  • Original Music: John Foxx
  • Sega Conversion: Gary J. Foreman at Graftgold Ltd.
  • Sega Sound: Jason Page
  • Additional Graphics: Mark Coleman, Eric Matthews, Philip Williams


Magazine articles

Main article: Gods/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

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Print advert in Sega Visions (US) #11: "February/March 1993" (199x-xx-xx)
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Print advert in Mean Machines Sega (UK) #15: "January 1994" (1993-11-30)
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Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #146: "January 1994" (1993-12-15)
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Print advert in Video Games (DE) #1994-03: "3/94" (1994-02-23)
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Print advert in Todo Sega (ES) #9: "Diciembre 1993" (1993-1x-xx)
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Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1993-01: "January 1993" (1992-12-08)
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Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
92 [9]
53 [10]
52 [11]
83 [8]
87 [12]
78 [13]
87 [14]
95 [15]
40 №1993-01, p83
59 [16]
91 [17]
76 [18]
83 №1, p65
88 №7, p42-43
68 №2, p40-42
89 [19]
89 [20]
75 №37, p156
87 №49, p98-99
92 №13, p36-37
92 №18, p65
81 №25, p62-63
92 [21]
60 [22]
86 №18, p12
72 [23]
Sega Mega Drive
79
Based on
26 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
70
[24]
Alaab Alcomputtar (SA)
85
[25]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
92
[9]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
53
[26]
Consoles + (FR)
88
[27]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
83
[8]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
87
[12]
Digitiser (UK)
60
[28]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
70
[29]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
78
[13]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
55
[30]
GameFan (US) NTSC-U
87
[31]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
95
[32]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
40
[33]
MAN!AC (DE)
59
[7]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
91
[34]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) NTSC-U
91
[35]
Mega (UK) NTSC
76
[18]
Mega (UK) NTSC-U
76
[36]
Mega Action (UK) NTSC
83
[37]
Mega Action (UK) PAL
88
[38]
Mega Force (FR)
82
[39]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-U
68
[40]
Mega Machines (UK) PAL
68
[41]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC
89
[42]
Marukatsu Mega Drive (JP) NTSC-J
65
[43]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) NTSC-U
89
[44]
Player One (FR)
75
[45]
Play Time (DE)
81
[46]
Power Unlimited (NL)
82
[47]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
87
[48]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC
92
[49]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-U
92
[50]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
81
[51]
Sega Zone (UK) NTSC-U
92
[52]
Sega Zone (UK) PAL
74
[53]
Sega Force (SE)
60
[22]
Sega Mega Drive Review (RU)
68
[54]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
52
[55]
Sonic the Comic (UK) PAL
86
[56]
Todo Sega (ES) PAL
77
[57]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
79
[58]
Video Games (DE)
72
[23]
Sega Mega Drive
77
Based on
43 reviews

Gods

Mega Drive, JP
Gods MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
Gods MD JP CartTop.jpg
Gods MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Gods MD jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US
Gods MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Gods md us cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU
Gods MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
Gods MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
GODS MD FR Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, PT

Mega Drive, SE (Rental)
Gods MD SE rental cover.jpg
Cover

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 fd234ccd
MD5 7c3fcd8a86e01e5b542434fd37a49002
SHA-1 bfc84beba074c7dc58b0b4fcac73fffcf0c6b585
1MB 1992-06 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 6c415016
MD5 b4b855462eba7076407a7fa6265b61e4
SHA-1 404bc6e67cd4942615ccb7bd894d780278ec6da7
1MB 1993-09 Cartridge (EU)
Sega Mega Drive
CRC32 e4f50206
MD5 020bf924cf6073e52f9df6e70eeaa800
SHA-1 804fd783c6fb7c226fbe4b227ed5c665d668ff57
1MB 1992-06 Cartridge (JP)
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 2c06bb64
MD5 8d08d9aa97bd912870cfe13f9995a25d
SHA-1 dd9c03eaf3160303775ca1bca048101614507203
1MB 1992-06 Page

References

  1. File:Gods MD JP Box.jpg
  2. 2.0 2.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)
  3. Sega Visions, "November/December 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 93
  4. GamePro, "January 1993" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 61
  5. 5.0 5.1 Mean Machines Sega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-11-30), page 67
  6. MAN!AC, "11/93" (DE; 1993-xx-xx), page 12
  7. 7.0 7.1 MAN!AC, "12/93" (DE; 1993-11-10), page 47
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Computer & Video Games, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-15), page 99
  9. 9.0 9.1 Aktueller Software Markt, "Juli 1994" (DE; 1994-06-06), page 118
  10. Beep! MegaDrive, "May 1993" (JP; 1993-04-08), page 21 (23)
  11. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85 (87)
  12. 12.0 12.1 Computer & Video Games, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-15), page 71
  13. 13.0 13.1 Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 52
  14. GameFan, "Volume 1, Issue 1: October 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 6/11 (6)
  15. GamePro, "January 1993" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 56-57 (60)
  16. GamePro, "January 1993" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 47
  17. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-xx-xx), page 38-40 (38)
  18. 18.0 18.1 Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-16), page 87
  19. MegaTech, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-20), page 50-52 (50)
  20. Mean Machines Sega, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-xx), page 90-92 (90)
  21. Sega Zone, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-28), page 60-62 (60)
  22. 22.0 22.1 Sega Force, "2/94" (SE; 1994-02-23), page 12
  23. 23.0 23.1 Video Games, "12/92" (DE; 1992-11-23), page 64
  24. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 89
  25. Alaab Alcomputtar, "" (SA; 1995-08-xx), page 73
  26. Beep! MegaDrive, "May 1993" (JP; 1993-04-08), page 23
  27. Consoles +, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 172
  28. Digitiser (UK) (1993-04-09)
  29. Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 319
  30. Famitsu, "1993-04-16" (JP; 1993-04-02), page 37
  31. GameFan, "Volume 1, Issue 1: October 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 6
  32. GamePro, "January 1993" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 60
  33. Hippon Super, "January 1993" (JP; 1992-12-04), page 83
  34. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-xx-xx), page 38
  35. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 92
  36. Mega, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-17), page 63
  37. Mega Action, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 65
  38. Mega Action, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-04), page 42
  39. Mega Force, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-12-10), page 90
  40. Mega Fun, "11/92" (DE; 1992-10-xx), page 39
  41. Mega Machines, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-09), page 40
  42. MegaTech, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-20), page 50
  43. Marukatsu Mega Drive, "January 1993" (JP; 1992-12-xx), page 107
  44. Mean Machines Sega, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-xx), page 90
  45. Player One, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 157
  46. Play Time, "5/93" (DE; 1993-04-07), page 106
  47. Power Unlimited, "Nummer 5, December 1993" (NL; 1993-12-01), page 42
  48. Sega Power, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-xx), page 98
  49. Sega Pro, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-08), page 34
  50. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 65
  51. Sega Pro, "November 1993" (UK; 1993-10-14), page 62
  52. Sega Zone, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-28), page 60
  53. Sega Zone, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-25), page 54
  54. Sega Mega Drive Review, "1" (RU; 1995-04-03), page 57
  55. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  56. Sonic the Comic, "February 4th 1994" (UK; 1994-01-22), page 12
  57. Todo Sega, "Diciembre 1993" (ES; 1993-1x-xx), page 76
  58. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 16


Gods

Gods MDTitleScreen.png

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Sega Mega Drive
Prototypes: 1992-06