Sega's Very Own Alex Kidd Returning in Miracle World Remake
These past couple of weeks have been kind of like a Sega history lesson, haven't they? That trend continues with the announcement of a remake that returns to one of Sega's older titles. But first: Context! IGN kicked off their Summer of Gaming Expo yesterday, which serves as a sort of mini-replacement for a bit of E3 in the wake of its cancellation. Many big-name publishers and developers are taking part in the multi-day event, which will be holding host to a wide range of game news, announcements, trailers, and developer interviews. The first day had plenty of exciting reveals, but one of them was something I don't think anyone expected: A full-on remake of Sega's Alex Kidd in Miracle World. Talk about a blast from the past.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World originally released near the end of 1986 for the Sega Master System, before making its way stateside in 1987. The game was a cute and colorful 2D platformer starring the titular Alex Kidd as he makes his way through the (also titular) Miracle World. Weirdly enough, the game originally began as a Dragon Ball tie-in game that would go hand-in-hand with the manga at the time. Sega ended up losing the license to Dragon Ball during development, shifting the game into the original property we see today. The game had a total of 17 unique stages, each which would end off with Alex forced to play a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Scattered throughout the stages were enemies of varying difficulty and puzzles. Vehicles could be unlocked through the use of in-game money found by exploring the levels thoroughly. The game met with critical success upon release, and it's nice to see Sega bringing back an old hit in a new way.
Alex Kidd was considered Sega's mascot for a time there, but as you likely know, that all changed in 1991 with the arrival of Sonic the Hedgehog (which in turn became Sega's answer to Mario). The remake goes by the name Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX, with development and publishing being handled by Merge Games, whom you may know as the publishers of the new Streets of Rage. As a from-the-ground-up remake, Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX sports very modern-looking 2D graphics and sprite work. Those longing for a taste of the original can switch on-the-fly to a Classic Mode, which trades the new look in favor of the original game's appearance. It's not just looks either: Classic Mode swaps in the original stages, mechanics, boss fights, and dialogue. On the remake side of things, you'll be able to enjoy brand new levels and story beats. Some of the boss fights work differently this time around, and there's even a boss rush mode. Pretty much everything has been tweaked and improved. Plus, thanks to the addition of Classic Mode, you're basically getting the old game and new game all in one package.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is being developed for Windows PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. The game is already listed on the Steam storefront, and currently has a planned release window of 2021. No other information beyond that is available at this time, but I'm sure there will be more as the new year gets closer. You can check out the game's trailer from the IGN Expo down below: It's a quick 50-second trailer that gets right to the point and lets you know exactly what to expect. With this remake, a newer generation of kids can finally see what all the fuss was about back in the 80s. I'm all for more remakes letting you play their classic versions like this one does; a nice way to preserve gaming history. Keep an eye out for more news from IGN's Summer of Gaming, as well as other industry events in lieu of E3 2020.
Tanner is a freelance writer. He enjoys all things video games, particularly the weirder ones, and can often be found drinking coffee and trying to get through his backlog.
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