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I am putting together an encyclopedia of mark III and master system games and I am having a few issues with some of the games, one of which is Summer games.

I cant seem to pin down the release date for this game the rom says 1988 and sega fan sites say 1990 -1991.

Also the back of the box says 1 - 4 players, but when playing the europe rom I have the option for up to 8.

Anyone have any answers to these?

UK magazine reviews appear for cover dates of October 1990.

Summer Games was developed quite early and it shows in the style of the game. It's a much more 1988 looking game than a 1990 one.
I think it was just made earlier, first discarded /held off then released later.

Bock wrote

Summer Games was developed quite early and it shows in the style of the game. It's a much more 1988 looking game than a 1990 one.
I think it was just made earlier, first discarded /held off then released later.

You're probably right, on title screen it's noticed "adaptation game Sega 1988"

I interviewed the director/programmer. He would have been working on it around 1988. Like Bock said, they probably just delayed/held off the release. Maybe the fact it was done for Sega of America and then they didn't even release it in America had something to do with the delay.

Yeah I figured it may have been created in 1988 and then released later, So I may go with the 1990 release that MAXIM posted, assuming they didnt get early review copies, but I dont think that was a thing back then.

Any ideas on the amount of players?
I looked up the covers and the euro cover says 1-4 and the brazil cover says 1-8?

If the game supports 8, it's 8.

Magazines did get review copies back then, usually targeted at a given release date so for example they may have been given it in early August 1990 to review for printing in early September to hit the shops in mid September for a cover date of October. In the mean time the bosses at Sega may have decided to push the release date back because the carts were delayed in shipping or they just decided to delay it to even out the release rate.

Some reviews include the expected release date, sadly not the two we have.

Good enough for me ill make it 8,
Im happy to change this on the games page both the date and number of players
or do I need be a higher level user?

It's a privileged user thing, I made the changes myself.

Totally understand, if I find anything else whats the best way to notify you?

In here, just as you did.

Done,
Thanks again for your help

changed the name of this thread so I can put all my queries in here, saving me creating multiple threads

Maxim wrote

In here, just as you did.

California games is up to 8 players

I did some research on UK release dates of Master System games a while back, in case it helps:

http://www.smspower.org/forums/16110-SMSGamesUKReleaseDatesResearchPLEASEHELP

In the end I gave up updating my post since virtually nobody seemed interested in helping out.

I think the problem is that we don't have much information to go on beyond magazines, which are only recently starting to be widely available anyway, and are pretty unreliable. Even a dated till receipt isn't perfect because it only shows that something was stocked in a shop - grey imports can therefore confuse matters. Even trade ads may only indicate intention rather than reality. Sales data from retailers has probably been lost by now.

I work not too far from the British Library but I have no clue how I might get access to trade magazines, last I checked they wanted some genuine researcher credentials to get access to anything.

TheAssassin wrote

I did some research on UK release dates of Master System games a while back, in case it helps

With the list I'm creating I'm looking for the first time a game was released, wherever that may be in the world.
For AAA titles that tends to be Japan or the USA.

That being said the bulk of the games were only released in Europe and Brasil due to the consoles popularity in those regions and of those the UK generally got them first.

So I think with the remaining games I still have sketchy or no dates for the only answers I will get will be from UK magazines

If it's of interest to you, I noticed that in the Fall 1988 issue (#4) of the Team Sega Newsletter, they list "Summer Games I" in the Coming Soon section.

The Team Sega Newsletter was Sega of America's free subscription publication, beginning as Sega Challenge and then later being changed into Sega Visions magazine.

Centrale wrote

If it's of interest to you, I noticed that in the Fall 1988 issue (#4) of the Team Sega Newsletter, they list "Summer Games I" in the Coming Soon section.

Sounds like the game was announced in 1988 but for whatever reason didnt get released until 1990.

After 2 years it was very lucky to be released at all as there were heaps of games that were announced but never saw the light of day.
http://www.smspower.org/forums/16950-RumouredMasterSystemGames

It seems pretty clear - ported in Japan at the request of Sega of America but then they shelved it, Sega Europe picked it up a few years later. A finished, previously successful game is a safer bet than something new.

Maxim wrote

I work not too far from the British Library but I have no clue how I might get access to trade magazines, last I checked they wanted some genuine researcher credentials to get access to anything.

I've done a lot of research work, and have already flipped through every single issue of Computer Trade Weekly (aka CTW) in the British Library's collection. Unfortunately despite the fact that legally they're supposed to have a copy of everything published, be warned that their CTW holdings are ridiculously incomplete. For starters they're missing the entire first TEN YEARS (!!) of CTW issues, and also have several other huge gaps where issues that are supposed to be held have been "lost" somehow. Even with the assistance of professional librarians, archivists, and private collectors, there are still hundreds of CTW issues that I can't find and don't appear to be preserved anywhere in the world.

Unfortunately CTW contained a wealth of information, scheduled release dates just being one example, much of which was not published anywhere else. This is particularly true for the late-80s and early-90s period of gaming.

Maxim wrote

In here, just as you did.

Alien 3 is 2 players

Author	Message
BIG D Joined: 09 Jan 2018 Posts: 228 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Master System release date issues Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 2:32 am Last edited by BIG D on Thu Feb 15, 2018 4:19 am; edited 1 time in total
	I am putting together an encyclopedia of mark III and master system games and I am having a few issues with some of the games, one of which is Summer games. I cant seem to pin down the release date for this game the rom says 1988 and sega fan sites say 1990 -1991. Also the back of the box says 1 - 4 players, but when playing the europe rom I have the option for up to 8. Anyone have any answers to these?

Maxim Site Admin Joined: 19 Oct 1999 Posts: 14745 Location: London	Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 7:46 am
	UK magazine reviews appear for cover dates of October 1990.

Bock Site Admin Joined: 08 Jul 2001 Posts: 8652 Location: Paris, France	Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 9:18 am
	Summer Games was developed quite early and it shows in the style of the game. It's a much more 1988 looking game than a 1990 one. I think it was just made earlier, first discarded /held off then released later.

balkry Joined: 22 Feb 2005 Posts: 173 Location: Caen, France	Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 12:38 pm
	Bock wrote Summer Games was developed quite early and it shows in the style of the game. It's a much more 1988 looking game than a 1990 one. I think it was just made earlier, first discarded /held off then released later. You're probably right, on title screen it's noticed "adaptation game Sega 1988"

CRV Joined: 02 Jan 2005 Posts: 668	Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 4:18 pm
CRV Joined: 02 Jan 2005 Posts: 668	I interviewed the director/programmer. He would have been working on it around 1988. Like Bock said, they probably just delayed/held off the release. Maybe the fact it was done for Sega of America and then they didn't even release it in America had something to do with the delay.

BIG D Joined: 09 Jan 2018 Posts: 228 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 9:58 pm
	Yeah I figured it may have been created in 1988 and then released later, So I may go with the 1990 release that MAXIM posted, assuming they didnt get early review copies, but I dont think that was a thing back then. Any ideas on the amount of players? I looked up the covers and the euro cover says 1-4 and the brazil cover says 1-8?

Maxim Site Admin Joined: 19 Oct 1999 Posts: 14745 Location: London	Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 11:37 pm Last edited by Maxim on Wed Feb 14, 2018 11:59 pm; edited 1 time in total
	If the game supports 8, it's 8. Magazines did get review copies back then, usually targeted at a given release date so for example they may have been given it in early August 1990 to review for printing in early September to hit the shops in mid September for a cover date of October. In the mean time the bosses at Sega may have decided to push the release date back because the carts were delayed in shipping or they just decided to delay it to even out the release rate. Some reviews include the expected release date, sadly not the two we have.

BIG D Joined: 09 Jan 2018 Posts: 228 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 11:45 pm
	Good enough for me ill make it 8, Im happy to change this on the games page both the date and number of players or do I need be a higher level user?

Maxim Site Admin Joined: 19 Oct 1999 Posts: 14745 Location: London	Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 12:00 am
	It's a privileged user thing, I made the changes myself.

BIG D Joined: 09 Jan 2018 Posts: 228 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 12:24 am
	Totally understand, if I find anything else whats the best way to notify you?

Maxim Site Admin Joined: 19 Oct 1999 Posts: 14745 Location: London	Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 1:02 am
	In here, just as you did.

BIG D Joined: 09 Jan 2018 Posts: 228 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 1:05 am
	Done, Thanks again for your help

BIG D Joined: 09 Jan 2018 Posts: 228 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 4:20 am
	changed the name of this thread so I can put all my queries in here, saving me creating multiple threads

BIG D Joined: 09 Jan 2018 Posts: 228 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 11:55 am
	Maxim wrote In here, just as you did. California games is up to 8 players

TheAssassin Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 177	Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:57 pm
TheAssassin Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 177	I did some research on UK release dates of Master System games a while back, in case it helps: http://www.smspower.org/forums/16110-SMSGamesUKReleaseDatesResearchPLEASEHELP In the end I gave up updating my post since virtually nobody seemed interested in helping out.

Maxim Site Admin Joined: 19 Oct 1999 Posts: 14745 Location: London	Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 10:06 pm
	I think the problem is that we don't have much information to go on beyond magazines, which are only recently starting to be widely available anyway, and are pretty unreliable. Even a dated till receipt isn't perfect because it only shows that something was stocked in a shop - grey imports can therefore confuse matters. Even trade ads may only indicate intention rather than reality. Sales data from retailers has probably been lost by now. I work not too far from the British Library but I have no clue how I might get access to trade magazines, last I checked they wanted some genuine researcher credentials to get access to anything.

BIG D Joined: 09 Jan 2018 Posts: 228 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 11:25 pm
	TheAssassin wrote I did some research on UK release dates of Master System games a while back, in case it helps With the list I'm creating I'm looking for the first time a game was released, wherever that may be in the world. For AAA titles that tends to be Japan or the USA. That being said the bulk of the games were only released in Europe and Brasil due to the consoles popularity in those regions and of those the UK generally got them first. So I think with the remaining games I still have sketchy or no dates for the only answers I will get will be from UK magazines

Centrale Joined: 06 Apr 2015 Posts: 89	Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 3:59 am
Centrale Joined: 06 Apr 2015 Posts: 89	If it's of interest to you, I noticed that in the Fall 1988 issue (#4) of the Team Sega Newsletter, they list "Summer Games I" in the Coming Soon section. The Team Sega Newsletter was Sega of America's free subscription publication, beginning as Sega Challenge and then later being changed into Sega Visions magazine.

BIG D Joined: 09 Jan 2018 Posts: 228 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 7:48 am
	Centrale wrote If it's of interest to you, I noticed that in the Fall 1988 issue (#4) of the Team Sega Newsletter, they list "Summer Games I" in the Coming Soon section. Sounds like the game was announced in 1988 but for whatever reason didnt get released until 1990. After 2 years it was very lucky to be released at all as there were heaps of games that were announced but never saw the light of day. http://www.smspower.org/forums/16950-RumouredMasterSystemGames

Maxim Site Admin Joined: 19 Oct 1999 Posts: 14745 Location: London	Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 8:59 am
	It seems pretty clear - ported in Japan at the request of Sega of America but then they shelved it, Sega Europe picked it up a few years later. A finished, previously successful game is a safer bet than something new.

TheAssassin Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 177	Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 8:41 pm
TheAssassin Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 177	Maxim wrote I work not too far from the British Library but I have no clue how I might get access to trade magazines, last I checked they wanted some genuine researcher credentials to get access to anything. I've done a lot of research work, and have already flipped through every single issue of Computer Trade Weekly (aka CTW) in the British Library's collection. Unfortunately despite the fact that legally they're supposed to have a copy of everything published, be warned that their CTW holdings are ridiculously incomplete. For starters they're missing the entire first TEN YEARS (!!) of CTW issues, and also have several other huge gaps where issues that are supposed to be held have been "lost" somehow. Even with the assistance of professional librarians, archivists, and private collectors, there are still hundreds of CTW issues that I can't find and don't appear to be preserved anywhere in the world. Unfortunately CTW contained a wealth of information, scheduled release dates just being one example, much of which was not published anywhere else. This is particularly true for the late-80s and early-90s period of gaming.

BIG D Joined: 09 Jan 2018 Posts: 228 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2018 1:32 am
	Maxim wrote In here, just as you did. Alien 3 is 2 players

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