Tomcat Alley

From Sega Retro


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TomcatAlley title.png

Tomcat Alley
System(s): Sega Mega-CD, PC
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Genre: Shooting

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega-CD
JP
¥7,8007,800 G-6039
Sega Mega-CD
US
$59.9959.99[3] 4429
Sega Mega-CD
EU
4429
Sega Mega-CD
DE
4429-18
Sega Mega-CD
ES
4429-06
Sega Mega-CD
FR
4429-09
Sega Mega-CD
BR
063290
Windows PC
US
$39.9539.95[4]
Windows PC
EU
MK-85014-50

Tomcat Alley (トムキャットアレイ) is a flight simulator-esque game for the Sega Mega-CD. It is heavily reliant on full motion video, with gameplay being little else but lining up cursors on targets within a short period of time. It was later brought in an updated form to Windows-based PCs.

Curiously Tomcat Alley recycles the photography from the Japanese version of After Burner III for its cover art.

Gameplay

While Tomcat Alley predominantly features the F-14 Tomcat, the player has no direct control over any aircraft in the game, just a target reticle. The objective is usually to lock on and fire at enemy targets within a certain time limit - failing to do so eventually leads to a game over. Aside from the HUD, all visuals are made up of full motion video, including the sequences shown when a weapon is fired.

History

Development

A Sega Saturn version was once scheduled for 1995, but cancelled for unknown reasons. It is not thought this version got very far - it was announced shortly before the Saturn's release, and disappeared from the schedules shortly afterwards.

Production credits

Mega-CD version

  • Cast: Gregory Balaban, Jolie Jackunas, Mark Carlton, David L. Crowley, Diana Lee Hsu, Miguel Marcott
  • Game Design by: Sam Nicholson, John Zuur Platten, Elliot Simon Gay, Chris W. Bankston
  • Original Score & Sound Design by: Mars Lasar
  • Director of Photography: Sam Nicholson
  • Executive Producer: Chris W. Bankston
  • Engineering by: Elliot Simon Gay
  • Written by: John Zuur Platten
  • Producers: Sam Nicholson, John Zuur Platten
  • Directed by: Sam Nicholson
Source:
In-game introduction credits


  • Visual Effects Supervisor: Dan Schmit
  • Special Effects Supervisor: David Kuklish
  • Aerial Photography by: Clay Lacy
  • Production Coordinators: Tony Cabalu, Janette Shew
  • Production Auditor: Dorothy Duder
  • Casting by: Patrick Rush
  • Programmed by: The Code Monkeys
  • Programming: Elliot Simon Gay
  • Additional Programming: Colin Hogg, Mark Richard Kirkby
  • Graphics: Joe Lewis
  • Special Musical Appearance by: Herbie Hancock
  • Production Designer: Tom Buderwitz
  • Mechanical Effects: Michael Haase, Michael Huitron, Eric Heisler, Rocky Gonzales, John Miles, Russ Zinter
  • Conceptual Artists: Jim Chrisoulis, Robert Miller
  • Set Decorator: Billy Mitchell
  • Set Dresser: Richard Mendenhall
  • Property Master: Bill King
  • Gaffer: John Kennedy
  • Motion Control Photography: Casey Wilson
  • Camera Assistants: Joseph Clauss, Andrew Turman, Scott Smith
  • Key Grip: Jerry Vaughn
  • Grips: Michael Graef, Brad Sharbit
  • Set Construction: Ronald Record, Joshua Record
  • Script Supervisor: Christina Gunderson
  • Key Costumer: Brenna Charlesbois
  • Assistant Costumers: Molly Mitchell, Kimberly Guenther
  • Make-up Artist/Hair Stylist: Danny Mark
  • Sound Mixer: Glen Berovitz
  • Boom Operator: Brad Bryan
  • Guitars by: Emery Kyneur
  • On-Line Editor: Tony Shepherd
  • Off-Line Editor: Tim Batt
  • Digital Production/Macintosh Consultant: Randy Fugaté
  • Additional Voices: Tony Cabalu, Cyrena Vladish
  • Production Assistants: Larry Gobel, Ross Vinstein, Tina Hill, Cyrena Vladish, Susan Townsend
  • Writer's Assistant: Melinda Bell
  • Miniatures: Larry Detweiler, Ziggy Carr, Larry Addison, Joe Commando, Dana Teisch, Paul Ozzimo, Justin Kraus, Brian Ranger, Sean Frazier, Erica Loomis, Rebecca Cambruzzi, Dina Duhl, Booka Bickar, Evan Jacobs, Ted Smith
  • Painters: Rachel Kelley, Laurah Grijalva, Babette Brunelle, Paulette Fox
  • Pyrotechnics: Pete Slegle, Paul Staples
  • Computer Graphics: Rob Menapace
  • Computer Consultant: Todd Mahon
  • Computer Generated Planes by: Homer & Associates, Peter Conn, Seth Greenberg
  • "Tomcat" Stock Footage Courstesy of: Grumman Aircraft
  • "Blackhawk" Stock Footage Courtesy of: Sikorsky Aircraft
  • Aircraft Interiors Furnished by: Ernie Sheldon
  • Camera Consultant: Leon Bijou
  • Cameras Furnished by: Arriflex Corporation, Volker Bahnemann, Bill Russell
  • F-14 and MiG Model Kits Furnished by: Revell
  • Special Thanks to: Riley R. Russell

Tomcat Alley is a trademark of Sega
Copyright 1994 Sega

Source:
In-game production credits

Japanese version

Sega Studios
  • Director of Digital Technologies: Randy Fugaté
  • Digital Video Editing/Digital Audio ReMix/Computer Graphics: Randy Fugaté
  • Assistant Producer: Vy Nong
  • Production Coordinator: Berj Beramian
Japanese Localization Team - AOI Advertising Promotion Inc
  • Producer: Hidomitsu Kobayashi
  • Director: Masami Higashida
  • Production Manager: Hiroko Arai, Tyomin Nakae
  • Recording Studio: Video Tech Co., Ltd.
  • Cast: Tsutomu Isobe, Osamu Kobayashi, Teseho Genda, Iomasa Kayumi, Mami Koyama, Hiroshi Isobe, Yuka Koyama, Kazunari Tanaka
SEGA of America, Inc.
SEGA Enterprises, Ltd.
Hiroshi Asoh, Ryoichi Hasagawa

Magazine articles

Main article: Tomcat Alley/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Mega-CD print advert in GamePro (US) #57: "April 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
also published in:
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PC print advert in Next Generation (US) #11: "November 1995" (1995-10-24)
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Mega-CD print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #158: "January 1995" (1994-12-15)
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Mega-CD print advert in Mega Force (FR) #32: "Octobre 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
also published in:
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Mega-CD print advert in SuperGamePower (BR) #7: "Outubro 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
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Physical scans

Mega-CD version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
91 №35, p144/145
54 №152, p56/57[12]
57 №18, p71
90 №31, p40/41 №34, p110
60 №23, p26/27
69 №21, p34/35
90 №10, p40/41
72 №29, p68/69/70/71
75 №21, p76/77[1]
86 №45, p48/49/50
68 №55, p46/47
86 №32, p58/59
80 №25, p32/33
Sega Mega-CD
75
Based on
13 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
63
[13]
Consoles + (FR)
91
[14]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
54
[12]
Digitiser (UK) NTSC
55
[15]
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U
100
[16]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
58
[17]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
60
[18]
Game Players (US) NTSC-U
67
[19]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
100
[20]
Gamers (DE)
53
[21]
GamesMaster (UK) PAL
57
[22]
Hyper (AU)
80
[23]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-U
90
[24]
Joypad (FR) PAL
90
[25]
Joypad (HU)
88
[26]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
78
[27]
Mega (UK) NTSC-U
69
[28]
Mega Force (FR) NTSC-U
90
[29]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
77
[30]
Mega Power (UK) PAL
90
[31]
MegaTech (UK) NTSC-U
72
[32]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
75
[1]
Player One (FR)
86
[33]
Play Time (DE)
75
[34]
Power Up! (UK)
75
[35]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
66
[36]
Sega Magazin (DE)
80
[37]
Sega Magazine (UK) PAL
90
[38]
Sega News (CZ)
90
[39]
Sega Power (UK) NTSC-U
68
[40]
Sega Pro (UK) NTSC-U
86
[41]
Sega Zone (UK) PAL
58
[42]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
76
[43]
Supersonic (FR)
80
[44]
The Zone (AU)The Zone (AU)
87
[45]
Todo Sega (ES)
85
[46]
Video Games (DE) NTSC-U
66
[47]
VideoGames (US) NTSC-U
90
[48]
Sega Mega-CD
77
Based on
38 reviews

Tomcat Alley

Mega-CD, US
TomcatAlley MCD US Box Back.jpgTomcatAlley MCD US Box Front.jpg
Cover
TomcatAlley MCD US Disc.jpg
Disc
Tomcatalley mcd us manual.pdf
Manual
Mega-CD, EU
TomcatAlley MCD EU Box Back.jpgTomcatAlley MCD EU Box Front.jpg
Cover
TomcatAlley MCD EU spinecard.jpg
Spinecard
TomcatAlley MCD EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Tomcat Alley MCD EU Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega-CD, JP
TomcatAlley MCD JP Box Back.jpgTomcatAlley MCD JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
TomcatAlley MCD JP Spinecard.JPG
Spinecard
TomcatAlley MCD JP Disc.jpg
Disc
Mega-CD, FR
TomcatAlley MCD FR Box Back.jpgTomcatAlley MCD FR Box Front.jpg
Cover
TomcatAlley MCD FR Disc.jpg
Disc
Mega-CD, DE
TomcatAlley MCD DE Box Back.jpgTomcatAlley MCD DE Box Front.jpg
Cover
Mega-CD, ES
TomcatAlley MCD ES Box Back.jpgTomcatAlley MCD ES Box Front.jpg
Cover
Mega-CD, BR
TomcatAlley MCD BR Box Back.jpgNospine.pngTomcatAlley MCD BR Box Front.jpg
Cover

PC version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
59 №173, p58/59[6]
50 №7, p30[49]
30 №42, p89[50]
Windows PC
46
Based on
3 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Computer & Video Games (UK)
59
[6]
Dimension-3 (US)
50
[49]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
30
[50]
PC Gamer (UK)
8
[51]
Windows PC
37
Based on
4 reviews

Tomcat Alley

PC, US
TomcatAlley PC US Box Back.jpgNospine.pngTomcatAlley PC US Box Front.jpg
Cover
PC, EU
TomcatPC-Box-Außen.jpgNospine.pngTomcatPC-Box-Außen-Front.jpg
Cover
TomcatPC-CD.jpg
Disc
TomcatPC-Cover.jpg
Manual
TomcatPC-Inlay-back.jpgTomcatPC-Inlay.jpg
Jewel Case
TomcatPC-Cover-back.jpg
Manual (back)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 File:MeanMachinesSega21UK.pdf, page 76 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega21UK.pdf_p76" defined multiple times with different content
  2. File:GamePro US 056.pdf, page 174
  3. File:GamePlayers US 0705.pdf
  4. Press release: 1995-11-08: Sega delivers arcade gaming action on the PC
  5. File:MeanMachinesSega42UK.pdf, page 88
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 File:CVG UK 173.pdf, page 58 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 173.pdf_p58" defined multiple times with different content
  7. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "May 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 122
  8. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "June 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 198
  9. Sega Visions, "August/September 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 24
  10. CD Consoles, "Novembre 1994" (FR; 1994-xx-xx), page 15
  11. CD Consoles, "Décembre 1994" (FR; 1994-xx-xx), page 23
  12. 12.0 12.1 File:CVG UK 152.pdf, page 56 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 152.pdf_p56" defined multiple times with different content
  13. Beep! MegaDrive, "January 1995" (JP; 1994-12-08), page 25
  14. Consoles +, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 144
  15. Digitiser (UK) (1994-07-20)
  16. Electronic Games (1992-1995), "June 1994" (US; 1994-05-24), page 100
  17. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "May 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 34
  18. Famitsu, "1994-12-30" (JP; 1994-12-16), page 42
  19. Game Players, "Vol. 7 No. 5 May 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 40
  20. GamePro, "May 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 54
  21. Gamers, "Juli/August 1994" (DE; 1994-07-01), page 45
  22. GamesMaster, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-05-26), page 71
  23. Hyper, "June 1994" (AU; 1994-xx-xx), page 44
  24. Joypad, "Mai 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 40
  25. Joypad, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 110
  26. Joypad, "3/1994" (HU; 1994-xx-xx), page 13
  27. MAN!AC, "05/94" (DE; 1994-04-13), page 38
  28. Mega, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-05-19), page 34
  29. Mega Force, "Juillet/Août 1994" (FR; 1994-07-04), page 110
  30. Mega Fun, "07/94" (DE; 1994-06-22), page 40
  31. Mega Power, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 40
  32. MegaTech, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 6
  33. Player One, "Septembre 1994" (FR; 1994-0x-xx), page 48
  34. Play Time, "7/94" (DE; 1994-06-08), page 131
  35. Power Up!, "Saturday, July 30, 1994" (UK; 1994-07-30), page 1
  36. Saturn Fan, "1995 March" (JP; 1995-02-08), page 41
  37. Sega Magazin, "Juni 1994" (DE; 1994-05-11), page 22
  38. Sega Magazine, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-05-15), page 88
  39. Sega News, "Říjen 1996" (CZ; 1996-xx-xx), page 19
  40. Sega Power, "June 1994" (UK; 1994-04-28), page 46
  41. Sega Pro, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-21), page 58
  42. Sega Zone, "May 1994" (UK; 1994-04-xx), page 22
  43. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
  44. Supersonic, "Octobre 1994" (FR; 1994-xx-xx), page 32
  45. The Zone (AU)The Zone (AU) "Season 1, episode 4" (1994-05-21, ) (+0:00)
  46. Todo Sega, "Septiembre 1994" (ES; 1994-0x-xx), page 36
  47. Video Games, "5/94" (DE; 1994-04-27), page 89
  48. VideoGames, "May 1994" (US; 1994-0x-xx), page 61
  49. 49.0 49.1 File:Dimension3 US 07.pdf, page 30 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Dimension3 US 07.pdf_p30" defined multiple times with different content
  50. 50.0 50.1 File:MeanMachinesSega42UK.pdf, page 89 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega42UK.pdf_p89" defined multiple times with different content
  51. PC Gamer, "March 1996" (UK; 1996-02-22), page 100