Segaiden #031: Fantasy Zone & Ghost House

Segaiden #031: Fantasy Zone & Ghost House

Author: Jeremy Parish March 15, 2023 Duration: 20:16

Sega leads off its non-pack-in Master System lineup with a solid conversion of an arcade masterpiece and a respectable original title: Fantasy Zone and Ghost House. While the former suffers some compromises in the move from System 16A arcade hardware to the less powerful home console, it retails its key features, and its charming personality still shines through. As for the latter, Ghost House falls short of greatness due to its lack of content and clumsy control mechanics, but it nevertheless features a lot of fun ideas and secrets to unravel... and, like Fantasy Zone, it packs in plenty of personality, which makes it a winner. Maybe not, like, "gold medalist" winner. But at least a solid bronze.

Production notes: Why watch when you can read? Check out the massive hardcover print editions of NES Works, Super NES Works, and Virtual Boy works, available now at Limited Run Games (https://limitedrungames.com/collections/books)! Look forward to Segaiden Vol. I: The SG-1000, due summer 2023. 

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Light gun and arcade footage captured from MiSTer with thanks to MiSTerAddOns. Most Master System footage captured from U.S. carts running with an adapter on Sega Mark III hardware with FM Sound Unit and RGB bypass modification. Video upscaled to 720 with xRGB Mini Framemeister.


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 Gaiden #041: BattleCity / Super Mario Bros. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:49
The Famicom finally reaches maturity with the arrival of Mario's greatest adventure—and perhaps the greatest action game anyone had ever created to this point in history. Pushing the Famicom hardware to its absolute limi…
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NES Works #091: Ghostbusters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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NES Works #090: Spy Vs. Spy / MagMax / Seicross [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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NES Works #089: Bubble Bobble & Racket Attack [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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It's two for two for the road this week with Bubble Bobble, a game specifically designed to be played with another person, and Racket Attack, the second-ever NES tennis game which, like Nintendo's Tennis, offers support…
NES Works #088: Jackal / Wheel of Fortune / Jeopardy! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:16
The prevailing theme for NES games in 1988 has been multiplayer. From Contra to Life Force to Jackal, many of the best games for '88 played best with friends. (That was probably also true for games that weren't published…
NES Works Gaiden #039: Astro Robo Sasa / Honshogi / Robot Gyro [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:46
The machines have risen, taking control of this trio of games and obviating humanity altogether. Well, almost altogether. R.O.B. at least demonstrates the value of mankind working together, hand-in-, uh, claw with its ne…
NES Works Gaiden #038: The Tower of Druaga [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:51
Although I've previously covered The Tower of Druaga on Game Boy Works, this version precedes the portable rendition by half a decade and stands as the more towering achievement of the two. So to speak. Another solid arc…
NES Works Gaiden #037: Zippy Race / Super Arabian / Front Line [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:06
OK, this week we have the ACTUAL debut of Irem on Famicom, but it's hard to say TOSE's take on Zippy Race makes for a splashier debut than 10-Yard Fight would have. At least 10-Yard Fight had the benefit of not having be…