Star Odyssey Released – Time To Dig Out The Genesis!

Awesome. SuperFighter Team has released its latest retro game project, the long-awaited Star Odyssey for the Sega Genesis and Mega Drive systems. The game (known as Blue Almanac in Japan) was one of a number of projects for Sega’s 16-bit console that was started but never fully completed in terms of an English localization, but thanks to the dedication and a ton of hard work by Brandon Cobb the rest of SFT, it’s finally done with many improvements and ready for purchase HERE.

As usual, expect a high-quality package complete with a the game cartridge, clam shell case, full-color manual and art insert. As someone who remembers reading a preview article for this one back in the day (and later ended up buying and playing carefully through some of the Japanese version without knowing a bit of the language), you better believe I just ordered a copy. I’ll post a review around the end of July. In the meantime, go dig out that Genny from the closet (or go buy one cheap on ebay) and shell out the $48 (including US shipping) for this resurrected sci-fi RPG gem – I’m betting you won’t regret it one bit.

Super Fighter Team Debuts Star Odyssey in France

Sure, it happened last November, but for a time-traveling gaming junkie like me, it’s always going to be 19XX at some point during the day. How come games like this aren’t given the royal(e) treatment in the US? I guess flashy 3D graphics, millions of bucks spent on ads, parties and hype and generating celebrity-based buzz is more important than keeping these flames alive, but as Super Fighter’s Brandon Cobb says: “Never let Dreams Die!” I can’t wait to plunk down some hard-earned cash for this game once it’s all done. More information on Star Odyssey is available at the game’s official website

Review: Zaku

Platform: Atari Lynx

Developer: PenguiNet

Publisher: SuperFighter Team

Players: 1

Rating: E (Everyone)

Official Site

Score: A+

Dust off that Atari Lynx* and get ready for some hardcore shmup action – Zaku is finally here and it’s an instant classic that you don’t want to miss. SuperFighter Team and developer PengiNet have cooked up a solid and spectacularly tough 4 Meg chunk of horizontal arcade shooting set in 16 stages set over five worlds packed with big-eyed cartoon enemies and wacky screen-filling bosses that will give you candy-colored nightmares on each of its difficulty levels. The game is a near-perfect throwback to the days of classic 8 and 16-bit shooters and every level, every second of the game oozes quality, if not sheer programming genius. How this is running on the Lynx and looking as great as it does is a wonder, but it truly shows just how powerful (and under appreciated) the hardware was (and is).

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Zaku Update: Ready to Launch 10/24/2009

Well, alrighty then! Super Fighter Team has announced that its NEW PengiuNet-developed Atari Lynx game, Zaku, will be available for purchase on October 24, 2009, the same day the game makes its debut at this year’s Classic Console and Arcade Gaming Show in Cleveland, Ohio (see below for the full details).

And whaddya mean “What’s Zaku?” Hey! Go click that link above for the official site, then read my preview and interview with Super Fighter Team’s Brandon Cobb to see what I’m all hopped up about! At $40 US + shipping, this one looks like money well spent if you’re a Lynx owner.

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Interview: Bringing Zaku to Life With Super Fighter Team’s Brandon Cobb

“Never Let Dreams Die!” indeed. When you get an e-mail from Brandon Cobb, President of Super Fighter Team, that credo is at the bottom, right under his signature. Based on the upcoming Atari Lynx exclusive shooter, Zaku, it’s clear that this credo was also a call to action that kept the project going for six years. Not only is Zaku the first complete new release for the Lynx in about five years, it’s looking like one of the best games ever created for the handheld system.

My interest in the Lynx led me to the Super Fighter web site and eventually, to have the opportunity to send off a few questions on the project over to Cobb, who took the time to answer them in a straightforward, non-nonsense manner with flashes of humor that’s more than welcome in this age of quick sound bites and evasiveness. Here, Cobb weighs in on bringing Zaku to market as an all-around quality product, sticking it to the man with citrus as well as a few other choice topics.

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Gallery: Zaku (for the Atari Lynx!)

If you’re one of those folks who remembers the late, lamented (and technically superior to other handheld gaming systems of the period) Atari Lynx, well, guess what? There’s actually a small, dedicated group of folks out in California working away on a brand new game for the handheld, which still has a small, dedicated user base. Zaku, published by Super Fighter Team is a horizontal shooter being created on an actual Lynx development kit and according to the official website, will run at a blazing 60fps, making it the fastest game ever on the system… Continue reading