Hardcore [Mega Drive / Genesis & Mega CD – Cancelled]

Hardcore [Mega Drive / Genesis & Mega CD – Cancelled]

This little-known game appears as a ‘work-in-progress’ in the September 1994 issue of Sega Power, it was developed by DICE (originally for the Amiga) but it doesn’t have a decent description. According to the article, Hardcore was a typical run-and-gun platformer, similar to the Turrican series or Super Star Wars, with many different enemies to destroy. The press release for the game boasted that ‘you are able to shoot almost everything, even if it’s not necessary’. There was also a Mega-CD version to be released, which was to include a driving segment at the end of each level, similar to Batman Returns. Although planned for a November 1994 release, both versions of the game were seemingly cancelled.

Little else is said about the game in the article, which is a common trend for previews in Sega Power… They seem to have spent far more time writing the amusing captions, which you can see in the article scan.

It seems that the original Amiga version of Hardcore only got half-finished. Then they decided to do it on Megadrive instead; the MD cartridge version was 99% finished (just a bug or two in the game logic, and highscores aren’t saved) when Psygnosis decided not to publish it. The MD-CD version did not get very far in development.

Thanks a lot to Repi for the contribution! Thanks to DarkFalzX for the video!

Images:

Thanks to Grzegorz here are some screenshots from when Hardcore was developed for Amiga by Digital Illusion:

Videos:


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16 thoughts on “Hardcore [Mega Drive / Genesis & Mega CD – Cancelled]

  1. repi

    Yes according to Kalms (a fellow DICE:er):

    “The Amiga version of Hardcore only got half-finished. Then they decided to do it on Megadrive instead; the MD cartridge version was 99% finished (just a bug or two in the game logic, and highscores aren’t saved) when Psygnosis decided not to publish it. The MD-CD version did not get very far in development.

    Figuring out who has the rights for it now would be tricky I’m afraid. (but I suspect the rights lie with SCEE.)”

    1. monokoma

      Thanks a lot for these informations Repi, they are really appreciated and useful to understand better why we’ll never be able to play the game.

  2. GiantPooka

    Wow, thanks for that info, repi! I was the one who uploaded the original article for this game, and I thought no-one else had ever heard of it. Had no idea it was originally for the Amiga, but it makes sense- lots of Amiga games made the jump to the MD. Thanks again!

  3. Grzegorz

    I’m sure I have bit more screen-shoots in Amiga magazines for that game. I will search and send them To You soon.

    DICE should release that game, just slap blinking “demo version” at start and everybody will be happy. I hope they keep that game in digital files.. If it’s on cartridge it will be doomed – did Genesis cartridges use battery? and how long that battery could work?

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