Ranking the Alex Kidd Games

Andrew ranked the Alex Kidd games.

- Andrew Duncan

Since the announcement of an Alex Kidd in Miracle World remake, coming in 2021, I’ve itched to sit down and play the original games, to see why they would choose to remake a SEGA Master System title. And what better reason to play a game that came out when I was three, than to pit the entire series against each other, and see which is the best one?

Of course, I’ll be ignoring Alex Kidd BMX Trial, as that required a special controller, and was only released in Japan. It had some good ideas in it, though, so if you get the chance to give it a try there’s no reason to say no.

Let’s start off with the worst so that we can find the best Alex Kidd!

5. Alex Kidd The Lost Stars

(1986)

The second game in the franchise, this sees you heading across levels to find signs of the zodiac. Or something, it’s very vague but at least it has a story.

Unfortunately, it’s the worst because it’s the hardest. You’re timed, and getting hit/falling in a hole reduces your time as well as returning you to a checkpoint. Wherever that may be. You’ll get hit a bunch, too, because you cannot fight back. You can jump and that’s all, as you progress through sideways scrolling level after sideways scrolling level, with very little verticality. The timer is very punishing, too, because you need to avoid getting hit at all to have any chance of completing each level in the time given. The only things it did better than the first game are the nice, chunky, bright sprites, and an improved soundtrack. No, the added soundbite of Alex screaming when hit is not better than the silence of the original.