Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
Encyclopedia
is a side-scrolling
platform game
developed and published by Sega
for the Sega Genesis video game console
. The game was released in Japan in February 1989, North and South America in August 1989 and in Europe on November 1990. It is the first 16-bit platform game starring Alex Kidd
, and the fifth game in the Alex Kidd series of video games.
Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle follows Alex as he fights his way through the fictional planet Paperock in search of his long-lost father, King Thor. Alex has access to several items and vehicles that help him complete his quest, including a motorbike, pedicopter, and pogo stick, which each give him unique abilities. While traveling through eleven worlds, Alex must defeat several opponents in rock-paper-scissors
before finally finding King Thor.
The player guides Alex through eleven stages by fighting and avoiding enemies and obstacles. Alex can jump, kick, crawl or punch enemies, causing them to explode into gold coins, called Baums. New items and vehicles are gained by playing Janken (Rock, Paper, Scissors
) in gambling houses, including the Sukopako Motorcycle, the pedicopter (a small pedal-powered helicopter
), a pogo stick
and wizard cane which allows Alex to float in the air for a few seconds. One hit from any enemy causes Alex to die instantly.
In the original Japan
ese version of the game, when Alex or his opponent lose a Rock Paper Scissors match, the loser's clothes disappear, leaving him/her naked with a fig leaf
over his/her genitalia. In the Western versions, the loser is flattened by a heavy weight. Several levels were also renamed for the Western release.
and PlayStation Portable
and was also released on the Wii
's Virtual Console
on April 9, 2007 in North America and May 4, 2007 in Europe. The game later appeared in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection / Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection
for Xbox 360
and PlayStation 3
. The game is also included in the second volume of Sega Mega Drive Classic Collection
for PC, as well as in the box set of all volumes, Sega Mega Drive Classic Collection: Gold Edition.
The game is also available as a standalone unit on the Arcade Legends Sega Genesis
Volume 2 plug and play joypad, released by Radica, and the Sega Mega Drive Handheld, a portable game console containing twenty games.
It has also been released for Microsoft Windows
XP on Steam individually and as part of Sega Genesis Classics Pack 2.
Side-scrolling video game
A side-scrolling game or side-scroller is a video game in which the gameplay action is viewed from a side-view camera angle, and the onscreen characters generally move from the left side of the screen to the right. These games make use of scrolling computer display technology...
platform game
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
developed and published by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
for the Sega Genesis video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. The game was released in Japan in February 1989, North and South America in August 1989 and in Europe on November 1990. It is the first 16-bit platform game starring Alex Kidd
Alex Kidd
is a video game character whose popularity peaked during the late 1980s and who was the protagonist of both a series of video games released by Sega and their fictional universe, as well as in numerous spin-off merchandise such as novelizations and comics...
, and the fifth game in the Alex Kidd series of video games.
Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle follows Alex as he fights his way through the fictional planet Paperock in search of his long-lost father, King Thor. Alex has access to several items and vehicles that help him complete his quest, including a motorbike, pedicopter, and pogo stick, which each give him unique abilities. While traveling through eleven worlds, Alex must defeat several opponents in rock-paper-scissors
Rock-paper-scissors
Rock-paper-scissors is a hand game played by two people. The game is also known as roshambo, or another ordering of the three items ....
before finally finding King Thor.
Gameplay
Rock, Paper, Scissors
Rock-paper-scissors is a hand game played by two people. The game is also known as roshambo, or another ordering of the three items ....
) in gambling houses, including the Sukopako Motorcycle, the pedicopter (a small pedal-powered helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
), a pogo stick
Pogo stick
A pogo stick is a device for jumping off the ground in a standing position with the aid of a spring, used as a toy or exercise equipment. It consists of a pole with a handle at the top and footrests near the bottom, and a spring located somewhere along the pole...
and wizard cane which allows Alex to float in the air for a few seconds. One hit from any enemy causes Alex to die instantly.
Plot
Alex lives on Planet Aries, controlled by his brother, King Igul. After hearing a rumor that his long-lost father, King Thor, is still alive on Planet Paperock, Alex travels to the planet to search for him.Regional variations
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese version of the game, when Alex or his opponent lose a Rock Paper Scissors match, the loser's clothes disappear, leaving him/her naked with a fig leaf
Fig leaf
A fig leaf is the covering up of an act or an object that is embarrassing or disagreeable. The term is a metaphorical reference to the Biblical Book of Genesis, in which Adam and Eve used fig leaves to cover "their nakedness" after eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and...
over his/her genitalia. In the Western versions, the loser is flattened by a heavy weight. Several levels were also renamed for the Western release.
Versions and re-releases
Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle has been included in a variety of Mega Drive game compilations for newer platforms. The game is part of the Sega Mega Drive Collection (known in America as the Sega Genesis Collection) for the PlayStation 2PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
and was also released on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
on April 9, 2007 in North America and May 4, 2007 in Europe. The game later appeared in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection / Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, known as the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection in PAL regions, is a compilation of video games developed by Backbone Entertainment for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles...
for Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. The game is also included in the second volume of Sega Mega Drive Classic Collection
Sega Mega Drive Classic Collection
Sega Mega Drive Classic Collection is a series of compilations featuring Sega Mega Drive video games released for PC in Europe. The collections are split into "Volumes".-Volume 1:*Altered Beast*Comix Zone*Crack Down*Ecco the Dolphin...
for PC, as well as in the box set of all volumes, Sega Mega Drive Classic Collection: Gold Edition.
The game is also available as a standalone unit on the Arcade Legends Sega Genesis
Arcade Legends Sega Genesis
Arcade Legends Sega Genesis Volume 2 is a plug and play joypad released by Radica.It comes complete with a compilation of old school Sega games including: Sonic 2, Ecco the Dolphin, Gain Ground, The Ooze, Columns and Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle.-References:###...
Volume 2 plug and play joypad, released by Radica, and the Sega Mega Drive Handheld, a portable game console containing twenty games.
It has also been released for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
XP on Steam individually and as part of Sega Genesis Classics Pack 2.