Retrospective: Alex Kidd Celebrates 35 Iconic Years In Gaming

Alex Kidd is celebrating 35 iconic years in video games since it first launched for the SEGA Master System in 1986.

Taking a trip down memory lane (and to show my age), Alex Kidd in Miracle World was the first game I ever played as a console owner when my parents bought me a SEGA Master System for Christmas. Since that moment, the Alex Kidd in Miracle World theme music has been forever etched in my mind.

Greeting from Miracle World!

Here’s the latest trailer for #AlexKiddinMiracleWorldDX with the sights and sounds of Miracle World, and a little surprise at the end… Alex Kidd is coming June 22nd! pic.twitter.com/X5MkLss3Ao

— Merge Games (@MergeGamesLtd) June 8, 2021

Though to be fair to my age, I did own my Master System a good few years after 1986, as being quite a poor family, I’d always be way behind everyone else on my street. However, it didn’t make a difference to my younger self as I’d spent countless hours playing my beloved game built-in to my Master System 2.

So here we are 35 years later, and Alex Kidd is still a beloved franchise to fans both young and older. Earlier this year, in collaboration with Merge Games, Alex Kidd in Miracle World would benefit from a fantastic remake by DotEmu, the team behind Streets of Rage 4.

The remake, Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX would retain the fun gameplay of the original but would come with snazzy new visuals and some added new features to boot. Improved boss fights, new modes, a Retro mode and more. Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX really was an example of a remake that inspires to be a love letter to fans.

“It was a pleasure to work with Sega and Jankenteam reviving this retro classic,” said Luke Keighran, Managing Director, Merge Games “The success of Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX has given Merge a blueprint in this niche, and we intend to continue to drive that objective and look at other potential franchises we can resurrect.”

The popularity of Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is also celebrating some impressive numbers, as Merge Games hopes to break over 200,000 units sold by the end of this year.

Have you got any memories of Alex Kidd in Miracle World to share, whether it’s the original game or the remake? Let us know across our social media channels.

In my review of Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX, I said: “Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX is not just a love letter to yesteryear, it’s also a friendly reminder that the retro 2D platform still has its place in our gaming world.”

Featured Image Credit: Merge Games/DotEmu