Comix Zone

From Free net encyclopedia

{{Infobox CVG2 | title = Comix Zone | image = | developer = Sega Technical Institute | publisher = Sega | concept, Design & Art Direction = Peter Morawiec | technical Director & Programmer = Adrian Stephens | music & Sound Effects = Howard Drossin | backgrounds = Kunitake Aoki, Chris Senn, Fei Cheng | animation = Tom Tobey, Chris Senn, Robert Steele, Ross Harris, Craig Stitt, Dean Ruggles | conceptual Art = Tony De Zuniga, Alex Nino | AI Scripting = Adrian Stephens, Peter Morawiec, Robert Morgan, Dean Lester | character Voices = Howard Drossin (Sketch / Mortus / Strigil / Kung-Fung), Deborah Costa (General Alissa Cyan), Peter Morawiec (Gravis), Fei Cheng (Styx the Monk), Sue Ortlip (Mongoria) | executive Producer = Dean Lester | associate Producer= Mike Wallis | lead Tester = Kim Rogers | testers = Sean Doidge, Fernando Valderrama, Stephen C. Wong, David Wood, Chris Colon, Marc Dawson, Michael A. Williams, Arnold Feener, Aron Drayer, Abraham Navarro, Roger Somerville, Michael McCollum, Rob Prideaux, Joel Breton, Tony Lynch, Jeff B. Junio, Janine Cook, Rey Alferez | localisation Team = - Sega Europe: Lia Ithell, Cara McMullan, Simon Bradley, Dave Thompson, Thomas Wolter, Roberto Parraga - Sega of America, Inc.:Yumiki Shimura, Emi Kawamura, Osamu Shibamiya - Sega Enterprises, Ltd.: Shinobu Shindo | special Thanks = Shinobu Toyoda, Roger Hector, Sidd SN Systems, Sue Ortlip, Sheri Hockaday, Deborah Costa, Terry Tang, John Duggan, Tim Gedemer, Mrowa "The House" for the best lamb in town! | engine = | released = 1995 | genre = Beat 'em up | perspective = Side-Scrolling | modes = Single player | ratings = | platforms = PC:Windows 3.x, PC:Windows, Sega Mega Drive, Game Boy Advance | media = 3 1/2 Floppy disk, CD-ROM | requirements = PC: 386, DOS 3.3+, 2 RAM</br>Talkie: CD-ROM & Sound card | input = Joypad, Computer keyboard (on computer) }} Image:Comix zone sega-genesis.png

Comix Zone is a 1995 arcade-style action game for the Sega Mega Drive. Gameplay involves defeating enemies with punches, kicks, holds, and combos of the three, the managing your inventory, and solving puzzles.

The game's most remarkable feature is that it is set within the "panels" of a comic book. Each level consists of two "pages" and secrets are discovered by shredding the "paper" and revealing items. Dialogue is rendered within talk bubbles with the typical comic font. Sprites and backgrounds possess the bright colors and dynamic drawing style favored by superhero comics. Although many comic-themed games have come out since it release (most notably XIII and Viewtiful Joe), none has ever been like Comix Zone's implementation of the theme.

The music was composed by Howard Drossin, a known video game and movie composer. Graphics were done mainly by comic artists.

The plot concerns Sketch Turner, a cartoonist who becomes trapped in his own comic book. The villain of his story, a powerful mutant named Mortus, comes to life in an unusual thunderstorm, and he decides to trap him in his own world. Inside the comic book, he meets General Alissa Cyan, who believes he's a superhero that came to save their post-apocalyptic world from the evil.

The "drawn on paper" theme is held throughout, and the player can even rip shreds out of the backdrop and fold them into paper planes to throw at enemies. But because this paper world is also part of themselves (because they are drawn on it), this action takes a small slice off the player's health bar. Certain combos will send enemies hurtling, and if a fragile border between frames is in the way the enemy crashes through it, tearing it to shreds. When confronted with an unbreakable frame barrier, the hero merely swings himself out of the frame, over the top of the border, and back down into the next scene.

There are three episodes in the game, each consisting of two pages in a distinct area (levels):

• Episode 1: "Night of the Mutants" (Newer York City)
  • Streets/Sewers
  • Mutant base
• Episode 2: "Welcome to the Temple" (Himalayas)
  • Mountain path/Tibetan city
  • Temple
• Episode 3: "Curse of the Dead Ships" (Zealand Atolls)
  • Caves
  • "Abandoned" ship

There are no lives whatsoever in this game, falling down a hole or being killed by enemies leads immediately to the bad ending, but Mortus did intend to give him a sporting chance. After the first area, Mortus will give Sketch another chance by saying "Oh, come on -- that was just too easy!" and allow him another chance. After the second area, Sketch will get another such chance.

Like in many arcade games, the player has access to "berserker" moves that will deplete their health each time they are used, but ONLY if they hit an opponent or a breakable object. There are several such moves. Some work better in some situations or on some enemies better than others and the player must learn how and when to use each.

The game is hidden within the Japanese version of Sonic Mega Collection and is locked part of all region versions of Sonic Mega Collection Plus, which is unlockable with having a Sonic Heroes game save, or is unlocked over time.

The game was ported to the Game Boy Advance, but fans criticized this rerelease because its significantly smaller screen size allowed much less onscreen. This was said to lessen the effect of seeing into the other frames around the player, making it more like a traditional platform game.fr:Comix Zone