Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars

Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars is a 1986 arcade machine from Sega Enterprises and the second outing for Sega's mascot of the day. It arrived shortly after Alex Kidd in Miracle World and is built on completely different foundations — anyone who knows the Master System version will recognise this as its source.

The premise is thin: the twelve signs of the zodiac have vanished from the sky and Alex has to collect six miracle balls to put them back. The balls are hidden inside a wonderfully random assortment of objects — pumpkins, clamshells, Christmas presents, golden eggs, even a desk bell — and hunting for them is half the game. There are six themed worlds and a closing trip into space towards a shrine at the end.

The big change from Miracle World is simplification. The punch that let Alex smash blocks is gone, the vehicles are gone, and what remains is a fairly straight run to the right with enemies dealt with by landing on their heads. The time limit matters most: time is not decoration here but a second health bar, and when it runs out you lose a life no matter how healthy you are. That keeps the whole game moving and forces risks in places where you would rather scout carefully. The arcade version also supports two-player co-op, with the second player controlling Alex's companion Stella.

It is sharp and reasonably hard, but also far blander than the first game. It threw away the ideas that make Miracle World memorable and offers a fast, brightly coloured platformer instead, complete with Alex's unmistakable yelp every time he gets hit. As a curiosity and a companion piece it is worth an hour; on its own merits it is average.

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