Alex Kidd the Sega icon that you might not remember turns 35 today.
35 years after first jumping onto store shelves in Japan, Alex Kidd turns 35 years old today. First seeing the light of a CRT display via the Sega Master System, Alex Kidd in Miracle World was an 8 bit platforming adventure built into almost every Sega Master System. The assured arrival of a console and this bright little adventurer meant almost every Sega fan has had the opportunity to escape to Miracle World, following Alex as he tries to save the Kingdom of Radaxian.
Where Nintendo has Mario, Sega assumed they’d have Alex, a martial arts master with the ability to punch with oversized fists. That is, of course, while you weren’t riding a motorbike or riding a peddle helicopter across levels. While designer Kotaro Hayashida’s concept might not have gained as much traction as a certain blue hedgehog, the much loved title even spawned a remake of sorts lately.
Merge Games has recently delved into detail about the process of bringing back Alex Kidd, with Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX. Spurred on by the release of Streets of Rage 4, and already fans of Alex Kidd, Merge and developers Jankenteam set to work resurrecting the IP. After negotiations with Sega Japan, we got a new version of this iconic platformer earlier this year. The team were ‘determined to faithfully include all the original content and levels and combined this with striking new art, improved boss fight systems and different modes.’
Whether you’re a retro purist and won’t take on Alex Kidd on anything but a Master System Controller or have found your way in late via the DX remake, it’s worth taking a trip to miracle World to see one of the earliest major console platformers to come out of Sega. You can grab Alex Kidd In Miracles World DX now on Steam.
