''My Hero'', known as in Japan, is a side-scrolling

beat 'em up The beat 'em up (also known as brawler and, in some markets, beat 'em all) is a video game genre featuring hand-to-hand combat against a large number of opponents. Traditional beat 'em ups take place in scrolling, two-dimensional (2D) levels ...

game released by Sega for arcades in 1985 and for the

Master System The is an 8-bit History of video game consoles (third generation), third-generation home video game console manufactured by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series of ...

on January 1, 1986. It was designed by

Kotaro Hayashida Kotaro Hayashida (小太郎林田 ''Kotarō Hayashida''), also known by the pseudonym ''Ossale Kohta'' (オサール・コウタ), is a Japanese video game designer best known for his work at Sega, which he joined in 1983. He has worked on games s ...

. The gameplay format is similar to

Irem is a Japanese video game console developer and publisher, and formerly a developer and manufacturer of arcade games as well. The company has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo. The full name of the company that uses the brand is Irem Softw ...

's '' Kung-Fu Master'', released in 1984. In contrast to earlier martial arts games, ''My Hero'' departs from a more traditional martial arts setting, instead taking place in a contemporary urban city environment with street gangs, like later beat 'em ups such as '' Renegade'' (1986) and ''

Double Dragon is a beat 'em up video game series initially developed by Technōs Japan and released as an arcade game in 1987. The series features twin martial artists, Billy and Jimmy Lee, as they fight against various adversaries and rivals. The original ...

'' (1987).

Gameplay

The arcade version consists of three different levels, each continuing in an endless loop until the player runs out of lives. It starts out with the player character (named Takeshi in Japan, and Steven according to the European arcade flyer) on a city street watching as a street thug runs off with his girlfriend (named Remy, also according to the arcade flyer, Mari in Japan). As he pursues him, he must fight off gangs of other various street thugs. Halfway through the level, Steven has an opportunity to save a captive bystander who (if rescued) will help him fight until the bystander is killed. Soon (after jumping across platforms and dodging fireballs) Steven arrives on a beach and fights the thug that has captured Remy. After the level boss is defeated by after being hit 10 times, the level is complete. This same process repeats for the remainder of the game, only with two other bosses and stage designs. The second stage design resembles an Edo Japanese ninja epic, with ninja themed enemies and boss, followed by a sci-fi theme loosely based upon ''

Planet of the Apes ''Planet of the Apes'' is an American science fiction media franchise consisting of films, books, television series, comics, and other media about a world in which humans and intelligent apes clash for control. The franchise is based on Frenc ...

'', including ape/human enemies and a boss. Due to space limitations on the

Sega Card The Sega Card, known in Japan as Sega My Card, is a memory card format used as game storage for the SG-1000/ SC-3000 and the Mark III/Master System. Produced from 1983 to 1987 by Mitsubishi Plastics, the cards are plugged into onboard cardslot ...

, the Sega Master System port only features the street gang in 3 stages that go in a continuous loop until the player loses all lives and gets a game over. The ninjas and the ape/human enemies from the arcade version are omitted.

Reception

In Japan, ''Game Machine'' listed ''My Hero'' on their August 1, 1985, issue as being the most successful table arcade unit of the month. Mike Roberts and Steve Phipps of ''

Computer Gamer ''Computer Gamer'' was a video game magazine published in the United Kingdom by Argus Specialist Publications, covering home gaming from April 1985 to June 1987. It was a colourful relaunch of the failing magazine '' Games Computing'', a mo ...

'' magazine reviewed the arcade game positively. They said that, though "a bit more basic than the incredible" ''

Hang-On is an arcade racing game released by Sega in 1985 and later ported to the Master System. In the game, the player controls a motorcycle against time and other computer-controlled bikes. It was one of the first arcade games to use 16-bit grap ...

'', it "is still quite enjoyable" and "an amusing variation on the kung-fu game theme." They said the "setting and the good graphics make this an enjoyable game to play", along with some "quite difficult"

puzzles A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together ( or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at the correct or fun solution of the puzzle ...

References

{{reflist

External links

The My Hero arcade flyerMy Hero at arcade-history
1985 video games Arcade video games Sega beat 'em ups Fighting games Master System games Platform games Sega arcade games Banpresto games Sega System 1 games Video games developed in Japan

Gameplay

Reception

See also

References

External links