Insector X

From Sega Retro

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Insector X Title.png

Insector X
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: HOT-B (JP), Sage's Creation (US), HiCom (KR)
Developer:
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

















Release Date RRP Code

Insector X (インセクターＸ) is a 1990 side-scrolling shooter developed by HOT-B for the Sega Mega Drive, with HOT-B themselves publishing it in Japan and the Sage's Creation unit publishing it in the US. It is a port of the 1989 arcade title of the same name, which appears to have been meant as a followup to Cloud Master.

The game has a strange history. HOT-B were originally contracted by Taito to produce a game called Insector X for arcades. The Family Computer port is entirely credited to Taito, but the Mega Drive port is almost entirely credited to Hot-B, with a small mention on the back of the US box being the only exception. Our best guess is that HOT-B bought the rights to Insector X in 1990 and produced this Mega Drive version. A similar situation seems to have happened with the otherwise unrelated Fire Mustang.

The port itself has an even stranger premise. The original arcade game used cute graphics with cartoony expressions, as does the Family Computer port. This Mega Drive port, on the other hand, has an almost complete aesthetic overhaul, now with a more serious player character and enemy force, and a completely replaced soundtrack. At the same time, most of the basic mechanics are the same, and enemy patterns are almost identical.

The game has the insect-like main character, Kai, 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.

The final retail version comes in 'June' and 'July' builds; differences are and release information is unknown.

Magazine articles

Main article: Insector X/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

[[File:SegaVisions US 02.pdf¦page#7¦US print advert in Sega Visions (US) #2: "October/November 1990" (1990-xx-xx); also published in Game Players Sega Guide! (US) #0101: "Vol. 1, No. 1: Fall 1990" (1990-10-xx)[1].|120x120px]]
[[File:SegaVisions US 02.pdf¦page#7¦US print advert in Sega Visions (US) #2: "October/November 1990" (1990-xx-xx); also published in Game Players Sega Guide! (US) #0101: "Vol. 1, No. 1: Fall 1990" (1990-10-xx)[1].]]

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
74 №4, p31[2]
77 №108, p101[3]
78 №10, p114[4]
80 №1, p81
74 №1, p78[5]
70
80 №2, p38[6]
80 №23, p53
95 №3, p61[7]
90 №18, p66
81 №14, p128
Sega Mega Drive
 80
Based on
11 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
40
[8]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
70
[9]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
74
[2]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK)
74
[10]
Console XS (UK) NTSC-J
94
[11]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
77
[3]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
78
[12]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
68
[13]
Joystick (FR)
78
[4]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
80
[14]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) NTSC
80
[15]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
64
[16]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC
74
[5]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
74
[17]
Power Play (DE)
70
[18]
Raze (UK) NTSC
80
[6]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC
75
[19]
Sega Pro (UK)
95
[7]
Sega Pro (UK)
90
[20]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
47
[21]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
82
[22]
Zero (UK)
81
[23]
Sega Mega Drive
 75
Based on
22 reviews

Insector X

Mega Drive, US
InsectorX MD US Box.jpg
Cover
InsectorX MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Insectorx md us manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, JP
InsectorX MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
InsectorX MD JP CartTop.jpg
InsectorX MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, BR
InsectorX MD BR Box.jpg
Cover
Insectorx md br manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, KR
InsectorX MD KR Box.jpg
Cover
InsectorX MD KR carttop.jpg
InsectorX MD KR cartback.jpgInsectorX MD KR Cart.jpg
Cart

References

  1. ↑ File:GPSG US 01.pdf, page 5
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 File:CGtC UK 04.pdf, page 31 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CGtC UK 04.pdf_p31" defined multiple times with different content
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 File:CVG UK 108.pdf, page 101 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 108.pdf_p101" defined multiple times with different content
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 File:Joystick FR 010.pdf, page 114 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joystick FR 010.pdf_p114" defined multiple times with different content
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf, page 78 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MegaTech UK 01.pdf_p78" defined multiple times with different content
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 File:Raze UK 02.pdf, page 38 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Raze UK 02.pdf_p38" defined multiple times with different content
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 File:SegaPro UK 03.pdf, page 61 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SegaPro UK 03.pdf_p61" defined multiple times with different content
  8. ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 99
  9. ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "November 1990" (DE; 1990-10-26), page 138
  10. ↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 47
  11. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 131
  12. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "October 1990" (US; 1990-xx-xx), page 74
  13. ↑ Famitsu, "" (JP; 1990-xx-xx), page 1
  14. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "September 1992" (UK; 1992-xx-xx), page 81
  15. ↑ Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 92
  16. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "December 1990" (JP; 1990-11-08), page 79
  17. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 139
  18. ↑ Power Play, "12/90" (DE; 1990-11-16), page 158
  19. ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 53
  20. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 66
  21. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  22. ↑ Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 17
  23. ↑ Zero, "December 1990" (UK; 1990-1x-xx), page 128
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