Brandon Cobb’s Super Fighter Team have been the talk of the retro gaming scene since their game Beggar Prince was released last year… on the Sega Mega Drive. Beggar Prince, an old school styled RPG in a similar vein to Shining Force and The Story of Thor, was produced on a Mega Drive cartridge and sold via the company’s website. 900 copies later, they are preparing for their third production run and orders are flying in. Digital Lard cornered Mr. Cobb and asked him some incredibly probing questions.
1. Describe Super Fighter Team in 20 words without any of them being ‘Super’, ‘Fighter’ or ‘Team’.
An energetic videogame company whose primary focus is to produce and release brand new, commercial quality games for vintage systems.
2. What’s the reaction been to Beggar Prince so far? Any highlights from press or fan reactions?
By far, people have been very excited about Beggar Prince, enjoying it very much. Perhaps one of my favorite pieces of press comes from the pages of Retro Gamer magazine, which says: "The lengthy script is reassuringly void of errors and, in places, is reminiscent of some of Working Designs' best work as conversations are littered with comical touches, self referential humour and even the odd film quote." As I spent a great deal of time and care to heavily edit and rewrite the game's entire story, comments like these mean a lot to me because I know that people are understanding and appreciating that work for what it is.
3. Beggar Prince comes in the form of a cartridge stored inside a classic-style Mega Drive box. How important was it for you to produce your game with authentic packaging?
It was absolutely 100% necessary. The game would have never shipped without it.
4. What would you say to people who stick their noses up and said ‘Pfft, who cares about the Mega Drive? It’s all about the X-Box 360 and PS3 now. These guys are wasting their talent!”
They simply don't understand just what it is we're trying to do here.
5. So much emphasis is put on this being a Mega Drive game that the game itself can accidentally be forgotten! What inspired Beggar Prince?
The retrogaming movement seems to have just about left the Megadrive behind in the dust. For reasons unknown and despite the machine's popularity, it gets very little attention from developers these days. Well, we couldn't let that trend continue! We wanted to make a big splash that would really get people to turn their heads and notice this great system once again. As Beggar Prince is such a uniquely fascinating game, it was the perfect title for us to release in pursuit of our goal.
6. What are you favourite video games of all-time?
Here are the ones that immediately spring to mind:
- Alone in the Dark (1992, PC)
- Boomzoo (1995, Super A'can)
- Day of the Tentacle (1993, PC)
- Gobliins 2: The Prince Buffoon (1992, PC)
- Quest for Glory I - IV (PC)
- Rise of the Triad (1995, PC)
- Risky Woods (1992, PC)
- Shining Force II (1994, Sega Megadrive)
- Snow Bros. - Nick & Tom (1993, Sega Megadrive)
- Star Blazer (1981, Apple II)
7. What games are you currently playing?
About the only time I can make for playing games is when I'm visiting my nephew. Together, we play and enjoy some of his favorite games: Mario Kart Double Dash!! (Gamecube), Halo 3 (Xbox 360), Darkwatch (Xbox).
8. If you could have been the brains behind any classic Mega Drive game, which one would it be and why?
One of my favorite arcade games, which my older brother owned during the heyday of the arcade business, was DJ Boy. I thought very highly of this game as a child. Years later, upon discovering the Megadrive version, I was sorely disappointed. While I can understand that they were up against deadlines and limited cartridge space, I still felt very cheated.
9. What does the future hold in store for Super Fighter Team?
We're working on several new projects, including a fast-paced horizontal shooter for the Atari Lynx (Zaku) and an action-puzzle game for the mobile phone (Super Fighter Block Battle). We'll also continue to support the Megadrive.
10. Finally, do you remember the level select cheat for Sonic The Hedgehog?
Up, down, left, right, A + Start. In fact, that game's soundtrack is very soothing to me, and I find the 'special stage' to be a surreal, calming experience.
Digital Lard says...
The third run of Beggar Prince cartridges is compatible with all Mega Drive / Genesis consoles. The game is an example of timeless, high quality gameplay - proof that new games don't need high tech new graphics to be worthwhile. If you have a Mega Drive still hooked up to your set, Digital Lard highly recommends you pop over to www.beggarprince.com for more information.
Ray Whitney
Special Thanks to Super Fighter Team for the interview.