Segaiden #024: Mark III / Hang On / Teddy Boy Blues

Segaiden #024: Mark III / Hang On / Teddy Boy Blues

Author: Jeremy Parish January 2, 2022 Duration: 18:56

Continuing on from last week, we go from Hang On II to just plain ol' Hang On. But this in no way feels like a downgrade; quite the contrary. With Hang On (and Teddy Boy Blues), Sega brings its home hardware into line with Nintendo's Famicom/NES, boosting the basic SG-1000 architecture with a monstrous upgrade to its graphical capabilities and essentially creating a new console in the process. The continuity created between Hang On and Hang On II offers a remarkably convenient way to compare the SG-1000's state of the art with the entry-level capabilities of its successor, and frankly, there simply is no comparison.

Also in this episode: Notes on the Mark III hardware (which will be expanded when we make it to the Master System's U.S. launch) and extensive rumination on the history of pop idol video games. We're not done with SG-1000, though, so we'll resume exploring Mark III/Master System once that little journey is complete.

Production notes: Master System footage in this episode was recorded from an FM/RGB-modded Mark III SG-1000 with region converter passthrough. SG-1000 footage captured from a combination of Sega SG-1000 II with (with Card Catcher) and  @Analogue  Mega Sg with card adapter module and DAC. Vintage hardware mods courtesy of  @iFixRetro . NES/Famicom footage captured from  @Analogue  Nt Mini Noir. Video upscaled to 720 with  @Retro Tink  5X.

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Jeremy Parish's Video Works by Jeremy Parish is a curated collection of his long-running projects diving deep into the history and design of classic video games. Rather than a single focused series, this podcast serves as an archive and hub for several distinct endeavors. You'll find episodes from Game Boy World, which meticulously documents every pre-Game Boy Advance handheld title in chronological order, offering a unique historical perspective. Another strand explores the interconnected world of "Metroidvania" games, analyzing the design principles that define this beloved subgenre. The Anatomy of Games segments provide thorough, thoughtful critiques of classic game design, breaking down what makes these titles endure. Each episode, whether originally audio or adapted from video content, carries Parish's knowledgeable and considered commentary. This podcast is for anyone with an appreciation for gaming's foundations, presented not as dry history but as an engaging exploration of the artistry and innovation that shaped the medium. Tune in for a consistently insightful look at the pixels and philosophies behind the games you might have played-or always meant to.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Video Works by Jeremy Parish
Podcast Episodes
NES Works #087: Hudson's Adventure Island & Milon's Secret Castle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:04
Famicom mainstay Hudson finally makes its American debut this week with two sizable hits from Japan. First, Adventure Island brings a little taste of Sega to NES by converting Wonder Boy with a thinly veiled graphical ov…
Segaiden #27: Graphic Tablet / Wonder Boy / Champion Billiards [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:55
The penultimate set of SG-1000 games arrives as the system does its best to remain current and competitive in the medium's changing landscape with technology built around the expectations of an earlier generation of game…
Segaiden #26: Ninja Princess / Super Tank / Champion Kendou [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:05
A brief break in the SG-1000's strong run of final releases with a set of titles that will remind you of the not-so-good ol' days when the console's library was generally pretty rough. This trio earns most of its points…
Segaiden #25: C-So! / The Castle / Gulkave [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:14
The SG-1000 didn't have much going on during 1986, with Sega's attention focused primarily on the shiny new Mark III console, but what little did make its way to the older console was pretty strong. After an indifferent…
NES Works Gaiden #31: Chack'n Pop / Dig Dug / Flappy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:43
A real sense of deja vu this week as we look at three games that have all appeared on this channel in other versions. I would like to say that these iterations are all the superior works, but Mom taught me not to be a li…
Segaiden #023: Hang On II / Bomb Jack [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:26
This week bring us the first of a two-part episode—or should that be "the second"? Sega's imprecise SG-1000 launch date documentation makes it difficult to know if Hang On II did in fact debut before or after Hang On (no…
NES Works #086: Legendary Wings / Xevious / Galaga [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:10
This week is a bit of an ouroboros: While the primary feature here is Capcom's Legendary Wings, this episode also touches on the NES release of Xevious, the game that very clearly inspired Legendary Wings (not to mention…
Segaiden #021: Rock'n Bolt / Elevator Action / Soukoban [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:30
A bit of an emphasis on day jobs this episode, but fortunately one of these games offers more than mere workmanlike effort. Activision's Rock'n Bolt stands out this week as one of the SG-1000's most appealing puzzlers—ce…