With the sad passing of Michael Jackson, I thought I'd pay hommage to something that alot of people may have forgotten about.  In 1990, Sega and Michael Jackson teamed up to create an Arcade game based on the hugely popular film 'Moonwalker'


ARCADE VERSION
The top view video game involved Michael Jackson using his magical powers to defeat the bad guys, rescue the kidnapped children and defeat the evil Mr. Big.  Incorporated in the game was instrumental versions of some of Michael's popular songs including 'Another Part of Me' and 'Beat It'.  Before the end of each level, Bubbles the monkey would appear and turn Michael into a gigantic robot.  You could also get dance attacks in the game:  If you were in trouble at any point, you could make Michael dance and destroy all the bad guys on the screen at the time.

One of the cool things about this game was that you could have three players playing at once:  Michael in white, red or black attire.  The only downfall of this game was that it only had 5 levels, and if you died while fighting Mr. Big for the last time, it was pointless to continue because there was no real skill to defeating him.  In the Arcade, it used to take me alot of quarters to finish it.  On the MAME, I can do it in roughly $1.25 worth of "pretend" quarters LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LXwYhkyBoE

http://img.vidaextra.com/2009/06/260609_moonwalker.jpg


CONSOLE VERSION
A home version was also released for Sega Master System and Sega Genesis.  This version featured side scrolling action, still had the dance attacks and featured more levels that made the game last longer.  The theme was the same:  Rescue the kids and defeat Mr. Big.  During several points in the game, if you caught a comet that flew through the air, you would transform into a Robot, and at the end of each level, Bubbles would appear and point the way to where the level boss was.  Instrumental versions of Michael's hits were included as well

SEGA MASTER SYSTEM (8-BIT):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuvBWsjWkz8
SEGA GENESIS (16-BIT):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH4kMOh82Cs

http://www.platformnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/moonwalkerjc.gif


COMPUTER VERSION
This version, which was released in 1989, was a quest style quest mode in which you had to find missing pieces of a rabbit costume in order to disguise yourself from fans, then find a motorcycle, and several magic orbs that transform it into a supercyclem then make your way to Club 30 to take on Mr. Big.  This game was apparently not endorsed by Michael Jackson and was made by various companies in which Sega was not one of them.  Can't say as I ever played this version, but from many reviews I have read, I didn't miss anything.

AMIGA:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dajwoUJmu_k
COMMODORE 64:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQgX2hKJbP8
ZX SPECTRUM:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb9mE9_Q2w0

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/images/09/june/moonwalker4.jpg

I have it for sega genesis... I always thought it kinda sucked tho.

It wasn't a bad game.  I liked the Sega Console version better than the Arcadeo ne cause it lasted longer and you felt like you got your money's worth.

I just finished the Arcade version in 4 "pretend" quarters in like 10 minutes.  When I used to play it in the arcades, it seemed like it was a longer game :-\\

ARCADE VERSION

http://img.vidaextra.com/2009/06/260609_moonwalker.jpg


Wrong screenshot.

Here's the complete walkthrough of the arcade game, in screenshots.

Every level starts with a classic giggle-inducing "Owww!" shriek.

The villain is named Mr. Big. 

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, involves children in bondage.

And when you touch the monkey...

...you get big and hard as steel! 

At the end of every level, the kids run to you with open arms, and the screen mercifully fades to black.  Thank the programmers for small mercies.  Still, every cutscene reminds you that this is a game about kids from predators.

Your biggest weapon is dance.  Press the dance button, and all game action ceases, spotlights descend, every monster stops what they're doing to dance, and is blown away by your awesome moves.  That's actually kinda cool, as long as you...

...pay no attention to what that monkey is doing...

...and the kids in bondage, and the robots that move kinda weirdly, and then things get phallic.  You really don't wanna know how those green and yellow robots move.  But imagine it.  Then press the "dance" button.  Go on.  I dare you.  I dare you.

No, sriously, what is it with the graphic design of the monsters in this game?

Those three oscilatting tubes did not just shoot one of those at me.  And those ghosts can't possibly be shooting that at me... (And aren't you glad I couldn't find a screenshot of what those three "ghost"-shooting tubes look like after you've blasted them into flaccidity?)

Thank God you're finally on the last stage.  You can't make this up.

After you defeat Mr. Big...

what of the children?

what, indeed.

And finally, the part that both frightens me and makes it all make sense.

Remember, this game appeared in the arcades years before the rumors began.  With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, it's not like we weren't warned.  (And with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, it's not like I didn't laugh my ass off while playing it last weekend at California Extreme.)

Michael Jackson was a musical genius.  And objectively, Michael Jackson's Moonwalker was actually a pretty decent isomorphic scrolling beat-em-up game with a well-executed soundtrack.  But subjectively (here's another review), and with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, that game couldn't have been more wrong than if it had featured a psychotic nun in a bondage outfit clubbing baby seals to death with an Al Gore doll.  I mean, ew.  (And I mean "I didn't even spend time looking for easter eggs.")

I remember watching my cousin play this game back in 1990 or 91'. He had it for the Sega Genesis!

Never played this game as a kid. Think they'll re-release it, lol?

I've played an illegally downloaded version since I was in fifth grade or so. I love this game! It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I actually beat it, though. The last few levels weren't as good as the beginning of the game.

It's so funny, though, the "smart bomb" dance moves and the crotch grabbing. The "Whoo!" in between levels and the "ooh..." when he dies...

Whenever I tell somebody about this game, they laugh their heads off.

Never played this game as a kid. Think they'll re-release it, lol?


...not after that review :)

But a little googling for Michael Jackson's Moonwalker will get you some ROMs that you can play on MAME.

MAME - the Multi-Arcade-Machine-Emulator - is something any student of pop culture should have on his or her PC.  Run the original arcade code against a virtual machine representing whatever the original arcade hardware was.  Any PC made after 2005 is able to flawlessly run any arcade game made before 2000.

I wanted to get that game, but since his death it's $50!

BTW-Look at this review....http://www.gametrailers.com/video/angry-video-screwattack/44106...also, this vid was done prior to MJ's death.

50 bucks? :o Damn.

I know...just for a Sega Game!

It would have cost like $59.99 when the Genesis cartridge came out in the 90s