Game:

Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle (1989)

Duration: 10:33

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Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle is an oldie but sort of a goodie as well as one of the last games starring what was once a potential mascot for Sega, Alex Kidd, (the last currently being "Alex Kidd in Shinobi World") and one of the first games for the Gen/MD. The game was re-released on several platforms, such as in the Sega Mega Drive Collection (known in America as the Sega Genesis Collection) for the PlayStation 2 and PSP, Wii's Virtual Console, Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and as part of one of Radica's Plug n' Play devices (a small unit with several built in games).

Playing as the titular Alex Kidd, you go from level to level searching for Kidd's father, King Thor, who is rumored to still be alive on Planet Paperock, a dangerous planet with strange creatures and deadly bosses who battle you in deadly games of Janken or "Rock-Paper-Scissors". It is a simple side-scroller for the most part, with a variety of hidden passages and challenging levels. You collect money which is basically used to win items that will make your journey easier, such as a Pogo Stick to reach higher places and jump on enemies, an item to see what lesser Janken opponents are thinking, etc.

Bosses in this game are also fought via Janken and is probably the biggest problem with the game. Unlike the lesser Janken encounters, you can't see what the opponent is thinking and it's based more on luck than skill. Losing in a boss encounter doesn't result in the loss of money, but in the loss of a life. In the U.S. game, losing in Janken causes you to get flattened by a heavy weight. In Japan, the character who loses is naked and covered by a fig leaf.

The game wasn't particularly impressive in the audio/video department, but was serviceable. This is a video of some of the game. Enjoy.