Gods

From Sega Retro

n/a

  • NTSC-U
  • NTSC-J
  • PAL

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Gods MD JP TitleScreen.png

Gods MD EU TitleScreen.png

Gods
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Mindscape (US), PCM Complete (Japan), Accolade (Europe)
Developer:
Licensor: Renegade Software[1], The Bitmap Brothers[1]
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[9] 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. The player controls one such warrior, who asks to become a God himself, equal to the others.

Gameplay

A shoots the player's weapon (which they carry one of and find throughout each level), and B jumps. Ladders can be jumped off by pressing HOLD BLeft or Right. By pressing Up, the player will face the wall, and can then use A to do actions like flipping switches on the wall. The player can carry up to four extra items with them, such as keys (used to open doors). To take an item, the player should hold Down to crouch and press C to pick the item up and put it in one of four slots (shown in the HUD), and then hit C again to move the cursor to the next slot. To drop an item, move the cursor onto an item and leave item grabbing mode. The player does not need to drop items to use keys; they activate automatically they you approach a door.

Passwords are given out at the end of each world after defeating the respective boss. Should the player continue using a password, they will be given a pre-defined amount of money to power up with.

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

  • Walking a predefined path.
  • Walking straight towards the player's position.
  • Flying towards 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 themselves.

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

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 the 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 along the floor until it finds a target.
Spiked Ball
Homing shot,

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

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 exclusively 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, the player is 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
Source:
In-game credits
Gods MD credits.pdf
[10]


Magazine articles

Main article: Gods/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

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Print advert in (US) #11: "February/March 1993" (199x-xx-xx)
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Print advert in (UK) #15: "January 1994" (1993-11-30)
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Print advert in (UK) #146: "January 1994" (1993-12-15)
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Print advert in (DE) #1994-03: "3/94" (1994-02-23)
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Print advert in (ES) #9: "Diciembre 1993" (1993-1x-xx)
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Print advert in (JP) #1993-01: "January 1993" (1992-12-08)
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Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
(RU)
70
[11]
(SA)
85
[12]
(DE)
92
[13]
(JP) NTSC-J
53
[14]
(FR)
88
[15]
(UK)
83
[9]
(UK)
87
[16]
(UK)
60
[17]
(RU)
70
[18]
(UK)
78
[19]
(JP) NTSC-J
55
[20]
(US) NTSC-U
87
[21]
(US) NTSC-U
95
[22]
(JP) NTSC-J
40
[23]
(DE)
59
[7]
(UK)
91
[24]
(UK) NTSC-U
91
[25]
(UK) NTSC
76
[26]
(UK) NTSC-U
76
[27]
(UK) NTSC
83
[28]
(UK) PAL
88
[29]
(FR)
82
[30]
(DE) NTSC-U
68
[31]
(UK) PAL
68
[32]
(UK) NTSC
89
[33]
(JP) NTSC-J
65
[34]
(UK) NTSC-U
89
[35]
(FR)
75
[36]
(DE)
81
[37]
(NL)
82
[38]
(UK) PAL
87
[39]
(UK) NTSC
92
[40]
(UK) NTSC-U
92
[41]
(UK) PAL
81
[42]
(UK) NTSC-U
92
[43]
(UK) PAL
74
[44]
(SE)
60
[45]
(RU)
68
[46]
(JP) NTSC-J
52
[47]
(UK) PAL
86
[48]
(ES) PAL
77
[49]
(RU)
79
[50]
(DE)
72
[51]
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
Gods md us manual.pdf
Manual
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 (HENT orange)
Gods MD SE rental cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, CZ (Datart)
Gods MD CZ Box Front.png
Cover
Gods MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Notavailable.svg
Manual

Technical information

Main article: Gods/Technical information.

References

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NEC Retro has more information related to Gods
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 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. ↑ Sega Pro, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-11), page 95
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Computer & Video Games, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-15), page 99
  10. ↑ File:Gods MD credits.pdf
  11. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 89
  12. ↑ Alaab Alcomputtar, "" (SA; 1995-08-xx), page 73
  13. ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "Juli 1994" (DE; 1994-06-06), page 118
  14. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "May 1993" (JP; 1993-04-08), page 23
  15. ↑ Consoles +, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 172
  16. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-15), page 71
  17. ↑ Digitiser (UK) (1993-04-09)
  18. ↑ Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 319
  19. ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 52
  20. ↑ Famitsu, "1993-04-16" (JP; 1993-04-02), page 37
  21. ↑ GameFan, "Volume 1, Issue 1: October 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 6
  22. ↑ GamePro, "January 1993" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 60
  23. ↑ Hippon Super, "January 1993" (JP; 1992-12-04), page 83
  24. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-xx-xx), page 38
  25. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 92
  26. ↑ Mega, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-16), page 87
  27. ↑ Mega, "April 1994" (UK; 1994-03-17), page 63
  28. ↑ Mega Action, "June 1993" (UK; 1993-05-20), page 65
  29. ↑ Mega Action, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-04), page 42
  30. ↑ Mega Force, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-12-10), page 90
  31. ↑ Mega Fun, "11/92" (DE; 1992-10-xx), page 39
  32. ↑ Mega Machines, "January 1994" (UK; 1993-12-09), page 40
  33. ↑ MegaTech, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-20), page 50
  34. ↑ Marukatsu Mega Drive, "January 1993" (JP; 1992-12-xx), page 107
  35. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-xx), page 90
  36. ↑ Player One, "Décembre 1993" (FR; 1993-1x-xx), page 157
  37. ↑ Play Time, "5/93" (DE; 1993-04-07), page 106
  38. ↑ Power Unlimited, "Nummer 5, December 1993" (NL; 1993-12-01), page 42
  39. ↑ Sega Power, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-xx), page 98
  40. ↑ Sega Pro, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-08), page 34
  41. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 65
  42. ↑ Sega Pro, "November 1993" (UK; 1993-10-14), page 62
  43. ↑ Sega Zone, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-28), page 60
  44. ↑ Sega Zone, "December 1993" (UK; 1993-11-25), page 54
  45. ↑ Sega Force, "2/94" (SE; 1994-02-23), page 12
  46. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Review, "1" (RU; 1995-04-03), page 57
  47. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  48. ↑ Sonic the Comic, "February 4th 1994" (UK; 1994-01-22), page 12
  49. ↑ Todo Sega, "Diciembre 1993" (ES; 1993-1x-xx), page 76
  50. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 16
  51. ↑ Video Games, "12/92" (DE; 1992-11-23), page 64


Gods

Gods MDTitleScreen.png

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Sega Mega Drive
Prototypes: 1992-06
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