Eliding the Hydlide: Golvellius: Valley of Doom | Segaiden 068
1,058For those who found the authentic role-playing style of Phantasy Star a little too spicy (read: wordy) for their liking, Sega quickly followed up with a more Sega-style take on role-playing: Golvellius, which many people regard as the MSX's answer to Zelda II. I disagree, given that this is actually an MSX game reworked for the console, and that title shipped close enough to Zelda II's original release in Japan that their similarities almost certainly result from both games referencing the same foundational material. But "the Master System port of the MSX's answer to the games that inspired the Zelda series" doesn't really have the punchy zing of great marketing or console wars, so feel free to just shrug and go with the Zelda II comparisons if it makes you feel more alive.
Production notes:
Learn more about the Master System's history by preordering The NES Era Vol. III: NES and the Peak of 8-Bit, a comprehensive photographic atlas of every console game released for NES and its competitors—including the Intellivision—at the height of their power, from January 1988 through the advent of 16-bit systems in August 1989. Take a deep dive into the prehistory of NES with this limited-edition oversized (12x12"!) photo book: https://limitedrungames.com/products/the-nes-era-vol-3-hardcover
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Master System footage captured from U.S. carts running through a cart adapter on Japanese Master System hardware and MiSTer (thanks to MiSTerAddOns). Video upscaled to 4K with RetroTink 4K. RGB cables courtesy of StoneAgeGamer.com and Allie Bellrose.