Astro Warrior / Pit Pot (Master System, 1987)

PLAYERS: 1-2 alternating

PUBLISHER/DEVELOPER: Sega

GENRE: Shoot-em-up / Dungeon Crawler

RELEASE DATE: 11/1987 – (EU)

Hey, I’ve played and reviewed these two games before!

Astro Warrior

Pit Pot

This combo cart release was the only release either game ever saw in Europe. Astro Warrior, by itself, only saw release in Japan and America, while Pit Pot was only released in Japan, not America. Why Sega thought Europeans would prefer Pit Pot is a mystery – Americans would have appreciated a goofy arcade dungeon crawler, right? – but I’m glad they saw fit to put it with Astro Warrior. The game is about as unremarkable and short as shoot-em-ups get, and should always be considered the lesser when bundled with another title.

In terms of genre pairings, Astro Warrior / Pit Pot makes a good deal of sense. The two games appeal to different frames of mind. When you just want to shoot random crap for a few minutes, Astro Warrior. When you want to partake in a difficult adventure through a dungeon, Pit Pot. Of course, neither game is the pinnacle of what their genre has to offer, but that’s budget-priced combo carts for you: a drop in quality for slightly more quantity.

C+