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Alex Kidd (アレックスキッド, Arekkusu Kiddo?) is a video game character whose popularity peaked during the late 1980s and who was the protagonist of both a series of video games released by Sega and their fictional universe, as well as in numerous spin-off merchandise such as novelizations and comics. For a time he was an unofficial mascot of the Sega Corporation.
Alex Kidd was the protagonist of several video games over the years, spanning various platforms, and appeared in the arcade and on the Sega Master System and the Mega Drive/Genesis home consoles. Alex Kidd's popularity was at a peak with the release of the first game in the series, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, in 1986, which was later built into the Master System console without need of a cartridge and was playable from purchase of the console.
In the mid-to-late 1980s, Alex Kidd overtook the character of "Opa-Opa" from the game Fantasy Zone as the official mascot for the Sega Corporation. However, in order to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's flagship character Mario (a task which Alex Kidd was not considered up to), in 1991 Sega introduced Sonic The Hedgehog, who did indeed become more popular and recognizable than Alex Kidd and Sonic subsequently replaced Alex Kidd as Sega's mascot. After this, the popularity of the character waned somewhat, although the character has made numerous cameo appearances in later video games.
[edit] History
The game for which he is best known, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, was released in 1986. It was rereleased in 1990 and was built into later versions of the Master System and the Master System II model, replacing the Snail Maze/Safari Hunt/Hang-On games of the first model. This integrated SMSII version reversed the attack and jump buttons from the earlier cartridge version to conform to that of other popular action games of the day.
Most games in the Alex Kidd series differ dramatically from one another, the sole exception being Miracle World and its direct sequel, Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle. While most games in the series were still platform-based, the only elements that tied the series together was the name and the title character. One game in the series, Alex Kidd: High-Tech World, was not an Alex Kidd game in Japan but was based instead on a Japanese animated series from the 1980s.
After the release of Alex Kidd in Shinobi World in 1990, Sega decided to remove the Alex Kidd series in favor of Sonic The Hedgehog as their new mascot. Alex Kidd has made some minor cameos since then.
The Alex Kidd franchise included:
- Alex Kidd in Miracle World - 1986, Master System and 2008, Wii Virtual Console
- Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars - 1986 Arcade Version, 1989, Master System and 2009, Wii Virtual Console
- Alex Kidd BMX Trial - 1987, Master System (Only released in Japan)
- Alex Kidd: High-Tech World - 1989, Master System
- Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle - 1989, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and 2007, Wii Virtual Console
- Alex Kidd in Shinobi World 1990, Master System, Wii Virtual Console
- Alex Kidd appears as a playable character in Sega Superstars Tennis and Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing. His appearance in the game is based on his appearance in the Enchanted Castle.
[edit] Cameos
Alex Kidd's cameo in the Master System game,
Kenseiden
(his face appears in the lower right of the screen).
- There is an homage to Alex Kidd in Altered Beast, where the names of Alex and Stella (Alex's girlfriend from the arcade version of Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars) appear on gravestones in the first round.
- Alex Kidd's face can be seen hidden in the screen in the third round of Kenseiden for the Master System. It is mold in the scenario, on the ground, near a dead end, next to a lava pit.
- Alex appears several times as collectable toys in the Dreamcast game, Shenmue, and the Dreamcast/Xbox sequel Shenmue II, this marked the first time Alex has ever appeared on a non-Sega console.
- One of his most recent appearances was in the Dreamcast game Segagaga, where he works in a video game store. He also narrates about his competition against a certain rival company's mascot and his fall from grace due to Sonic The Hedgehog's popularity, before finally being forgotten.
- Alex Kidd is an unlockable character in Sega Superstars Tennis and has been confirmed as a playable character in the upcoming Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. In the latter, he rides the "Sukopako" motorbike from the series, and his special move involves riding the Peticopter.
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