Space Harrier

[Joe Redifer]

The SMS Space Harrier manual gives you a continue code that lets you continue three times, but if you want the code to continue 9 times you had to call some hottie at Sega of America (1-800-USA-SEGA) who will hit on you.  The SMS booklet also gave you the code for the sound test because they knew the music rocked hardcore.

[Keranu]

Man I still love calling 1-800-USA-SEGA til this day. I've been calling that hotline since around 1993 just for fun. It's gotten pretty unexciting for the past seven years though.

[esteban]

I've tried calling various TG16 hotlines throughout the past few years, but they aren't available . I believe one of them is 1-(708)-FUN-TG16.

I've never called, but now I wish I had, just to see what it would have been like. In fact, I wish I called any of the tip lines (i.e. NOA's!) just to experience it.

BIG QUESTION: Did anyone ever record their phone conversations with tip lines? My god, why did I not do this? Well, I didn't want to spend the money, but seriously, I'd love to hear about it.

Unfortunately, it would be incredibly easy for folks to create fake conversations and pass them off as genuine (there's some potential here to get a good laugh or two).

Anyway, I can't believe no one has ever documented this aspect of video game culture. Are the scripts that phone operators read available anywhere? That would be interesting, IMO.

[Joe Redifer]

Man I still love calling 1-800-USA-SEGA til this day. I've been calling that hotline since around 1993 just for fun. It's gotten pretty unexciting for the past seven years though.

Man it was so awesome calling that line in the 80's when the Master System was out.  They'd have great recorded info that I'd listen to over and over.  That's right, I was actually ALIVE in the 80's.  Worship me.

[Keranu]

BIG QUESTION: Did anyone ever record their phone conversations with tip lines? My god, why did I not do this? Well, I didn't want to spend the money, but seriously, I'd love to hear about it.

Unfortunately, it would be incredibly easy for folks to create fake conversations and pass them off as genuine (there's some potential here to get a good laugh or two).

Anyway, I can't believe no one has ever documented this aspect of video game culture. Are the scripts that phone operators read available anywhere? That would be interesting, IMO.

Man that would be so awesome if someone ever did record their hotline conversations. There might be a chance though because it's possible someone recorded the hotline to remember the tips they gave.

[esteban]

BIG QUESTION: Did anyone ever record their phone conversations with tip lines? My god, why did I not do this? Well, I didn't want to spend the money, but seriously, I'd love to hear about it.

Unfortunately, it would be incredibly easy for folks to create fake conversations and pass them off as genuine (there's some potential here to get a good laugh or two).

Anyway, I can't believe no one has ever documented this aspect of video game culture. Are the scripts that phone operators read available anywhere? That would be interesting, IMO.

Man that would be so awesome if someone ever did record their hotline conversations. There might be a chance though because it's possible someone recorded the hotline to remember the tips they gave.

Ha! I never thought of that. I wonder how many folks had the mini-microphone (or whatever) that would have made it possible to record a conversation. Could answering machines have done it? I've never recorded a phone conversation. OK, looks like I'll have to look this up...

[Keranu]

Ha! I never thought of that. I wonder how many folks had the mini-microphone (or whatever) that would have made it possible to record a conversation. Could answering machines have done it? I've never recorded a phone conversation. OK, looks like I'll have to look this up...

Well they could've used any recording device really. Check out http://www.lazerdorks.org/quintin/wii.wav
funny phone call my brother made recorded with his MP3 player to get an example. Lets just pray some nerd back in the day recorded hotline phone calls with his cassette recorder .

[nat]

I had one of those original cord-less phone/answering machine combo sets back in those days. You know, the phones that had those 10 foot long extendable antennas and weighed 10 pounds. That thing had all sorts of funky features including an option to record your conversation to the answering machine tape. Unfortunately, I never used it to record my calls to a game hotline.

[esteban]

I had one of those original cord-less phone/answering machine combo sets back in those days. You know, the phones that had those 10 foot long extendable antennas and weighed 10 pounds. That thing had all sorts of funky features including an option to record your conversation to the answering machine tape. Unfortunately, I never used it to record my calls to a game hotline.

Yeah, I actually had to spend my own money to convince my dad to get one of the early wireless phones. The antennas! Of course, we didn't have cable and still had rabbit ears on our TV -- so the phone fit right in.

Did I mention that we still had rotary service (and a "party line" where you shared a phone line with a neighbor!). It was an awesome old skool + new skool technology combo.

My parents didn't get an answering machine until I gave them my old one, though .

[nat]

I played through Space Harrier yesterday in Hard mode. I was curious because I've never played on any difficulty but Normal. Not much is different except the projectiles enemies launch at you are a lot faster.

The blue cyber peanuts ("Rolly") at the end of Olisis (stage 6?) handed my ass to me. There are so many of them initially and on hard mode the projectiles come so fast my normal evasion strategy wasn't effective. I got a Game Over at stage 13 and had to continue from there to beat it. I can beat it on Normal mode with one credit, usually. I wonder how easy Easy mode is.

Space Harrier is one game I actually wish utilized the backup memory to save the high score list.

[Keranu]

Space Harrier is one game I actually wish utilized the backup memory to save the high score list.

Same here .

[Joe Redifer]

The SMS version of Space Harrier DESTROYS the wimpy underpowered Turbo version when it comes to saving your scores.  It's built right in to the instruction manual.  If you get a high score that you'd like to save, you just write it down in the space provided in the manual and it is saved FOREVER!  You don't even have to worry about the battery dying... it must use some sort of flash ram or something.

I beat the PS2 Space Harrier tonight on normal.  It was easy.

[Black Tiger]

Space Harrier is one game I actually wish utilized the backup memory to save the high score list.

Same here .

All PCE games with hi scores should save them. 

[TR0N]

I beat the PS2 Space Harrier tonight on normal.  It was easy.

I've also beat space harrier on sega gameworks for the dc.

Safe to say easy also since the continues are unlimted.

How ever try beating it on, Sega Ages for the saturn no unlimted continues at all.

Far as i got in that version was halfway through the game 

[Keranu]

The SMS version of Space Harrier DESTROYS the wimpy underpowered Turbo version when it comes to saving your scores.  It's built right in to the instruction manual.  If you get a high score that you'd like to save, you just write it down in the space provided in the manual and it is saved FOREVER!  You don't even have to worry about the battery dying... it must use some sort of flash ram or something.

I beat the PS2 Space Harrier tonight on normal.  It was easy.

Agreed.