Ludography
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Pulseman cover

1994 · Game Freak · Platformer

Pulseman

Timed Sega exclusive

Pulseman is a platform game only released on cartridge for a Japanese audience, but was available to North American consumers via the Sega Channel. The game was not sold in Europe.

Released
22 July 1994
Platforms
Sega GenesisWii
Genres
Platformer
Developers
Game Freak
Publishers
—
Modes
Single-player
Perspective
Side view
Themes
Action
Country
Japan
Age ratings
ESRB E
Languages
English
Directors
Ken Sugimori
Composers
Junichi Masuda

About

Pulseman is a 1994 Japanese platform game developed by Game Freak and published by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive. It was released in North America for the Sega Channel in 1995. It was re-released on the Virtual Console for the Wii in 2007 and 2009, and the Nintendo Classics service in 2023.

Keywords

  • 2d platformer
  • virtual console
  • sega channel
  • wii virtual console
  • nintendo switch online - expansion pack

Media

Pulseman screenshot 1

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Story

In the 21st century, noted scientist and computer engineer Doc Yoshiyama had succeeded in creating the world's most advanced Artificial Intelligence. He called his creation C-Life and managed to make her aware, thinking and feeling. However, he soon found himself in love with this C-Life girl and wanted to be closer to her, so he digitized and uploaded himself into his computer core, where the two "made love" by combining his DNA and her program core. The end result of their love was the birth of a half human, half C-Life boy named Pulseman. Pulseman was unique in that he did not need to remain inside a computer to survive and had the power to channel electricity through his body, using it both as a weapon and as a means of quick transport through the power of Volteccer.

Unfortunately, living in the computer world for so long twisted Doc Yoshiyama's mind, corrupting his brainwaves and his body. Doc Yoshiyama emerged back into the human world, but twisted and changed into the evil Doc Waruyama. Using a system known as EUREKA, which allows for C-Life beings to manifest in the human world, Doc Waruyama establishes the Galaxy Gang, spreading a new wave of cyber-terrorism across the world. Pulseman must fight his own father and put an end to his gang for the sake of the free world.

Development

When first announced, the game was titled Spark. It was directed by Ken Sugimori. Much of the staff who worked on Pulseman would later work on the Pokémon series, including Sugimori, designer Satoshi Tajiri, artist Atsuko Nishida, and composer Junichi Masuda.

Reception

The Japanese publication Micom BASIC Magazine ranked the game eighth in popularity in its October 1994 issue, and it received a 20.9/30 score in a poll conducted by Mega Drive Fan and a 7.72/10 score in a 1995 readers' poll conducted by the Japanese Sega Saturn Magazine, ranking among Sega Mega Drive titles at the number 178 spot. Pulseman received generally favorable reviews from critics when it was released on the Virtual Console for the Wii, holding a rating of 80% based on four reviews according to review aggregator GameRankings.

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
Sega Genesis22 July 1994Japan
Wii24 April 2007Japan · Europe 3 July 2009 · North America 13 July 2009

Games like this

Collections5 collections

Platform libraries

Years

Publishers

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.