Xela Adult: Low-Tech Land/Ustimna Emih

***Alex Kidd: High-Tech World*** is a side-scrolling video game with platforming and adventure elements, released by Sega in 1987 for the Sega Master System. In Japan this game is known as ***Anmitsu Hime*** (あんみつ姫), being based on the manga and anime of the same name. As such, the western version replaces the main character with Alex Kidd and replaces most of the game's sprites, though the general setting remains the same.

## Plot

Alex Kidd/Anmitsu Hime is contacted by one of his/her friends, who tells him a new arcade, High Tech World/Cake shop, has opened in town. Alex/Anmitsu has a map to its location, but it has been torn into eight pieces and is needed to find the arcade/cake shop before it closes at 5:00 sharp. He/she solves puzzles, answers questions, runs errands and does housework to find the pieces. However, once he/she finds the pieces of the map, he/she learns that the front gates are shut, and thus is unable to leave. Using a hang-glider to leave the house he/she lands in the forest. On his/her way to the arcade/cake shop, a clan of ninjas appear, who attempt to attack him/her. Upon fighting through the forest of ninjas, Alex/Anmitsu finally makes it to the Arcade/Cake shop.

## Gameplay

The object of the game is to get through four stages. Half the stages contain puzzles to progress and people to talk to, while the other two are linear levels with enemies along the way. There are a variety of ways to fail in the puzzle stages when Alex/Anmitsu has some sort of accident or does something he/she should not.

## Why It Sucks

1. Incredibly boring gameplay - You just walk around the castle looking for pieces of a map.
2. There are things that can kill Alex/Anmitsu without warning, such as touching a broken computer, falling down a broken flight of stairs, and eating too many hot dogs/ramen bowls.
3. If Alex/Anmitsu dies **ONCE**, the game is over and you will be sent back to the title screen.
	* If you died in the castle, you have to **start the whole game all over again.** This was ingenious as the castle part is considered the **longest part of the game.**
4. You're tasked with solving puzzles, running errands, and at one point, you have to ***take a test***. Some of the questions are about *Space Harrier*.
5. Since Alex Kidd: High-Tech World came after Anmitsu Hime, the alterations caused inconsistencies for the Alex Kidd storyline. For example, Alex's dad is in the castle, Even though he hasn't found his father yet, until *Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle*.
	* This means that *High-Tech World* is not canon to the Alex Kidd series.
6. The only action parts of the game is where Alex/Anmitsu walks through the forest, while ninjas try to attack him/her. The player can jump and throw ninja stars, Alex can't punch the ninjas. Save for Anmitsu, but ***WHY CAN'T ALEX PUNCH THE NINJAS?. HE'S PUNCHED STUFF BEFORE.***
7. **False advertising:** Alex can't punch ninjas (As mentioned in WIS#6), On the cover, ***he punches a ninja.***
8. Poor ending for both incarnations.
9. HTW was only made as a big commercial for Sega's arcade games.
10. To top it all off, *Alex Kidd: High-Tech World* is just a lazy reskin of *Anmitsu Hime.* Causing the problem mentioned in WIS#5.

## Redeeming Qualities

1. Decent music.
2. Nice cover art, *Alex Kidd: High-Tech World*'s cover is average though.

## Reception

Four reviewers on Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game an average score of 6.5 out of 10. Mean Machines rated the game 76% praising the good graphics and sound, while pointing out that it did not offer anything better than the original. Defunct games rated it "F", describing the gameplay as "busywork" and akin to "a bunch of school tests".