Kane

Hold onto your enchanted joysticks, pixel pilgrims! This week’s Play Comics episode is diving headfirst into the glorious chaos of SpellCaster—the Sega Master System gem that’s part Buddhist demon-hunting simulator, part side-scrolling magic blaster, and 100% “why is there a cybernetic samurai in medieval Japan?” energy.

Joining us in this dimension-hopping debacle is none other than SegaMasterTim, the human encyclopedia of 8-bit obscurities, here to help untangle a game so bizarre it makes Twin Peaks look like a PBS documentary.

Based on the Kujaku Ō manga (Peacock King for us non-manga scholars), SpellCaster serves up more genre mashups than a Sega CD compilation disc. Spoiler alert: There’s a first-person adventure segment where you’ll TAKE SWORD, TALK TO GHOST, and question every life choice that led you here.

Strap in for hot takes, FM synth jams, and Tim’s valiant attempt to explain why Sega thought “Let’s make Mystic Defender next!” was a logical sequel pitch. No sacred temples were harmed in the making of this podcast…probably.Continue Reading