Jeremy Parish

Segaiden #056: Global Defense & Zaxxon 3-D (Patreon)

Published:

2023-09-27 12:47:50

Imported:

2024-04

Tags:

sega sega 3-d glasses segaiden zaxxon

Content

Oops, did I make fun of bad politics from worse politicians this episode? Well, blame Sega for starting it. There's probably a really interesting academic study to be conducted about the way terrible American politics creep their way into the pop media of other countries in a way that distorts and softens the actual negative impact of those policies. But I'm not an academic, so I'll leave that to someone else and simply settle for lobbing softballs while explaining the real-world history behind Global Defense... or, as we Real Ones call it, S.D.I.

I also had to write about Zaxxon 3-D, a personal affront to me, a lifelong fan of Actual Zaxxon. Oh well. Starting next week, we move back over to some real NES bangers. Well, OK, no, next week's games are kind of mediocre-to-bad. But after that...!

Files

No-win scenario for the Gipper: Global Defense & Zaxxon 3-D | Segaiden #056

Even as Konami was getting cheekily political on NES and in arcades with their audaciously titled "Contra," Sega cautiously dodges controversy by meekly retitling S.D.I.: Strategic Defense Initiative as "Global Defense" for Master System. Nice try, guys, but we all know the truth. Meanwhile, Zaxxon 3-D probably SHOULD have been given a different name, since it plays more like Zoom 909 with a few Zaxxon-esque embellishments. Production notes: Why watch when you can read? All 420 full-color pages of SG-1000 Works: Segaiden Vol. I are now in print at Limited Run Games (https://limitedrungames.com/collections/books). You can also grab the massive hardcover print editions of NES Works, Super NES Works, and Virtual Boy works as well. Look for NES Works Gaiden Vol. I and Master System Works Vol. I in 2024-25. 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! Master System footage captured from U.S. carts running through a cart adapter on Sega Mark III hardware (with FM Sound Unit and RGB bypass modification by iFixRetro) and MiSTer (thanks to MiSTerAddOns). Video upscaled to 720 with xRGB Mini Framemeister. RGB cables courtesy of StoneAgeGamer.com and Allie Bellrose.