Before Sega had Sonic the Hedgehog, it had Alex Kidd, the high-flying protagonist of several ’80s platformers on the Master System and Genesis consoles. While Alex has long been regarded as a relic of gaming’s 8-bt and 16-bit era, forgotten after the blue hedgehog took over as Sega‘s mascot in 1991, Merge Games and Jankenteam are planning the little hero’s big comeback.
During the first day of IGN Expo in June, the studios announced Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX, a remake of the classic 1986 platformer for the Sega Master System. It’s fitting that Alex Kidd’s very first adventure over 30 years ago will also be his bridge to modern consoles. Alex Kidd in the Miracle World DX will adapt all of the original’s games levels with a new, colorful art style that’s sort of a fusion between modern graphics and the sprites the ’80s and ’90s were known for.
Merge and Jankenteam has also added new levels and modes, including a Boss Rush Mode. The studios have also teased new story elements. Other mechanics, like combat and movement, have also been updated since the 1986 title.
Those who prefer to just play the game the way it was originally intended for the Sega Master System can switch to Classic Mode. It sounds like this remake is a nice marriage between the old and the new.
You can watch the reveal trailer, which features a bit of gameplay, here:
For those unfamiliar with the story of Alex Kidd in Miracle World, the titular protagonist is a martial artist who discovers that he’s the long lost son of King Thunder, the deposed ruler of the kingdom of Radaxian. When Radaxian is threatened by the villainous Janken the Great, Alex Kidd sets out on a journey, shattering henchmen and obstacles with his mighty punch ability, to defeat the baddie and rescue the heir to the throne, Prince Egle. The story takes place across 17 levels.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World was originally conceived as a licensed Dragon Ball tie-in game, which accounts for the title’s emphasis on martial arts. When Sega lost the Dragon Ball license, the studio was forced to rethink the game as a new IP. The game was designed by Kotaro Hayashida and programmed by Papa Kouichi, with art direction from Rieko Kodama, one of the first female artists in the gaming industry. Hayashida and Kodama would go on to work on the Phantasy Star series. Let’s hope Merge and Jankenteam do right by their legacy.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX will be released in 2021 for PC as well as Xbox and PlayStation consoles.