Alex Kidd 3: Curse in Miracle World (Sega Master System)
The History of Alex Kidd and His Sega Legacy
Although this isn’t recent news, we wanted to highlight this wonderful Alex Kidd fan-game released in 2020 by Yéti Bomar. It’s worth remembering that before Sonic the Hedgehog burst onto the scene, Alex Kidd was Sega’s official mascot. His popularity skyrocketed because his debut game came built directly into the internal memory of Sega’s flagship 8-bit console: the Master System II.
6 Games and a Curious Origin: From Dragon Ball to Sega Mascot
Following Alex Kidd in Miracle World, five more official titles were released: Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars, Alex Kidd BMX Trial, Alex Kidd: High-Tech World, Alex Kidd in Shinobi World, and Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle (for the 16-bit Sega Genesis/Mega Drive).
Additionally, few people know that Alex Kidd was originally intended to be an 8-bit Dragon Ball game. However, for reasons lost to time, the anime project fell through, and it was adapted into the beloved platformer we all know today.
Rediscovering Indie Talent and the Magic of ROM Hacking
Even though it has been five years since its release, many retro gaming fans are just discovering it now, leaving glowing reviews across the community. The game is available for download on Yéti Bomar’s official page. While Sega never developed a proper sequel, this ROM hack is titled Alex Kidd 3 because a previous community project had already been released as Alex Kidd in Miracle World 2.
Yéti Bomar began the extensive development of this project back in 2012. Its journey started on the famous SMS Power forums—a hub for romhacking and homebrew development, and one of the most active communities for the system. Utilizing a development tool called KiddEd (a dedicated level editor for the original game), Yéti set out to create a completely overhauled, unofficial sequel. The end result is the fascinating game we are talking about today.
Alex Kidd DX vs. Alex Kidd 3: Why Not Both?
Furthermore, in 2021, the franchise made an official comeback with Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX. Developed by the Spanish studio Jankenteam and published by Merge Games with Sega’s blessing, it offered a brutal yet highly rewarding difficulty curve that left fans deeply satisfied.
So… why spend time covering Alex Kidd 3 instead of Alex Kidd DX? Perhaps because Alex Kidd 3 carries that passion-driven “auteur” vibe often found in indie passion projects. Or maybe it’s the sheer merit of a solo developer pulling off a project where the visual polish rivals that of an officially licensed product—much like what we recently witnessed with Sonic Galactic.
Limited Physical Edition and Stunning Custom Artwork
The game also saw an incredibly limited physical release of just 25 cartridge copies, distributed and sold directly through the SMS Power forum thread. This edition boasted meticulous packaging design, featuring cover art inspired by classic Japanese and Brazilian releases (the latter paying homage to Tec Toy, the company that held Sega’s licensing rights in Brazil).
The YouTuber Arcademan assisted the author in translating the game into Spanish. The wait was well worth it to finally get a fully polished final version, available as an IPS patch (currently in English and French) to be applied over a standard Alex Kidd in Miracle World ROM.
Visually, the game looks incredible, though it features a steep difficulty curve. It might prove quite a challenge for long-time fans who are now well into their 40s and sporting a few gray hairs—but inside each of them lives the child who once learned to conquer the digital world through the ancient, sacred art of Rock, Paper, Scissors.
If you want to keep supporting indie game development, we invite you to check out these fun titles by Surre Games, which are bound to put a smile on your face (or crack you up).
