Jeremy Parish

Segaiden #15: Zaxxon and Champion Pro Wrestling (Patreon)

Published:

2021-08-25 13:00:00

Imported:

2024-04

Tags:

sega segaiden sg-1000 zaxxon

Content

OK, hopefully the past three episodes have been enough to sate the demands of those who insist I stop exploring the history of things they don't care about (everything that's not NES Works 1988) and only talk about the things they do care about (NES Works 1988). I'll get back to the NES in due time—after all, I vowed that 2021 would be the year I covered two Golgo 13 games, and like Duke Togo, I never leave a contract unfulfilled. Even if it's just a social contract based on a casual joke tweet.

However, as much as I love talking about NES, I'm still eager to trace out the (pre)history of Sega consoles and ultimately bring my Sega video chronology current with NES Works. With the course I have mapped out, they should be lining up right at the end of 1988... just in time for Sega to wind down Master System and move along to Genesis. Ah well.

Anyway, this week's episode gives us a look at Zaxxon, which is very good, and Champion Pro Wrestling, which is... well, it's there.

Files

Zaxxon & Champion Pro Wrestling retrospective: Grappling with the third dimension | Segaiden #15

Sega enters 1985 with the hottest game of 1982, and the good news is that Zaxxon looks and plays far more convincingly than its sibling release Congo Bongo did back in 1983. This adaptation of the arcade hit makes some curious tweaks to the game's flow and design, and it adds a bit of background music, which sets it apart from other conversions of the game. But in a good way, mostly. Champion Pro Wrestling fares less impressively, especially in hindsight. Apparently we have Sega to blame for how Tag Team Wrestling turned out on NES, with the sluggishness and the menus and the whatnot. Stupid Champion Pro Wrestling. Video Works is funded via Patreon (http://www.patreon.com/gamespite) — support the show and get access to every episode up to two weeks in advance of its YouTube debut! Plus, exclusive podcasts, eBooks, and more!