Insector X
From Sega Retro
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Insector X | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
System(s): Sega Mega Drive | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: HOT-B (Japan), Sage's Creation (US), HiCom (South Korea) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: HOT-B (programming: Genki?) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Licensor: Taito | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Original system(s): Arcade boards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sound driver: Cube[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Shooting[2][3] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of players: 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.
Insector X (インセクターX) is a Sega Mega Drive horizontal shoot-'em-up developed by HOT-B and published by Taito. A port of the publisher's titular 1989 arcade game Insector X, and a spiritual successor to the developer's earlier Chuka Taisen, it was first released in Japan in September 1990[3], and was later brought to the United States two months later.[5]
The arcade version of Insector X was originally developed by HOT-B with a dark, realistic insect-themed motif, but during production, the developers were asked by Taito to lighten the game's tone, resulting in the character and enemy sprites being swapped out with cute, chibi-like artwork (but notably leaving the original backgrounds intact.) When developing the later Mega Drive port, HOT-B returned to their original designs and published Insector X as the game was originally intended to appear.
Contents
Story
“ | Unknown to the human eye is a world where exists two micro-tribes, BELZERS and INSECTORS. The king of the BELZERS is BAGLON-BELZEID. Obsessed by an evil ambition to conquer the world, he created half machine/half insect forces to carry out his plan. He ordered his mechanical-insecter forces into the peace-loving INSECTOR world and destroyed its inhabitants. Now, BAGLON-BELZEID and his forces are about to invade the human world.
|
„ |
— US manual[6] |
Gameplay
The game has the insect-like main character, Kait, going through a number of nature-based and cave environments. The player can collect a variety of powerups and weapon upgrades to defeat oncoming enemies and bosses. The plot is fairly simplistic and ultimately involves defeating the dark ruler queen, freeing the insect world from her power.
Scoring
Weapons
Propera-Missile | |
---|---|
Fires spinning discs which travel in a sine-like wave in front of Kait. | |
Parachute-Bomb | |
Fires a bomb which slowly descends to the ground below Kait. | |
Ring-Laser | |
Spray-Bomb | |
Fire-Missile | |
Bound-Fire-Bomb | |
Formation-Missile | |
Sweeper-Bomb | |
Power ups
During the game's normal stages, creatures named Sparrow Carriers will fly on-screen holding an egg-like object. Destroying one of these will reveal a power up, which can be collected to increase Kait's abilities and firepower.[7]
Power Up | |
---|---|
Increases the firepower of Kait's current weapon by one stage, with up to seven stages of firepower. If Kait loses a life, his firepower is reduced to its minimum stage.[8] | |
Speed Up | |
Increases Kait's flying speed by one stage, with up to five stages of speed.[7] | |
Point Up | |
Increases Kait's score by 1000 points. | |
Double Power Up | |
Increases the firepower of Kait's current weapon by two levels. | |
1 Up | |
Increases Kait's extra lives by one. | |
Special Bonus | |
Unknown. | |
Crash | |
A bomb which significantly damages all on-screen enemies. Unused charges remain after death.[9] | |
Special Weapon | |
Upgrades Kait's default weapon with a secondary special shot. Dropped by enemies other than Sparrow Carriers.[9] |
Stages
Desert Area | |
---|---|
Plateau Area | |
City Area | |
Jungle Area | |
Their Empire | |
Enemies
Wellfly | |
---|---|
Yonakuni-Thunder | |
Day=Biser | |
Happy-Gerogero | |
Lady Bird | |
Sub-Bomber | |
Black-Cutter | |
Hammer Saw | |
Bosses
Death-Blader | |
---|---|
Lance-Hopper | |
Disaster-Mothwing | |
Boss 4 | |
Boss 5 | |
History
- Main article: Insector X/History.
Magazine articles
- Main article: Insector X/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
- Main article: Insector X/Promotional material.
Physical scans
Sega Retro Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
75 | |
---|---|
Based on 22 reviews |
Technical information
ROM dump status
System | Hash | Size | Build Date | Source | Comments | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
✔ |
|
512kB | 1990-07 | Cartridge (US) | ||||||||||
✔ |
|
512kB | 1990-06 | Cartridge (JP/KR) |
External links
- Insector X article by Kurt Kalata at Hardcore Gaming 101
References
- ↑ https://vgmdb.net/forums/showthread.php?t=7946
- ↑ File:InsectorX MD JP Box.jpg
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software_l.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-02 23:21)
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "November 1990" (JP; 1990-10-XX), page 19
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://groups.google.com/g/rec.games.video/c/6QDro7CFno0/m/8meerOsBTG4J
- ↑ File:Insectorx md us manual.pdf, page 5
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 File:Insectorx md us manual.pdf, page 12
- ↑ File:Insectorx md us manual.pdf, page 14
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 File:Insectorx md us manual.pdf, page 13
- ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 99
- ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "November 1990" (DE; 1990-10-26), page 138
- ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 31
- ↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 47
- ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 131
- ↑ Computer & Video Games, "November 1990" (UK; 1990-10-16), page 101
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1990" (US; 1990-xx-xx), page 74
- ↑ Famitsu, "" (JP; 1990-xx-xx), page 1
- ↑ Joystick, "Novembre 1990" (FR; 1990-1x-xx), page 114
- ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "September 1992" (UK; 1992-xx-xx), page 81
- ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 92
- ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "December 1990" (JP; 1990-11-08), page 79
- ↑ MegaTech, "Xmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-06), page 78
- ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 139
- ↑ Power Play, "12/90" (DE; 1990-11-16), page 158
- ↑ Raze, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-10-25), page 38
- ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 53
- ↑ Sega Pro, "Christmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-12), page 61
- ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 66
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
- ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 17
- ↑ Zero, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-1x-xx), page 128
Insector X | |
---|---|
Main page | Comparisons | Maps | History | Hidden content | Magazine articles | Reception | Promotional material | Region coding | Technical information | Bootlegs
|