Dark Empires

This game was never completed and/or given a public release. As a result of this, keep in mind that the developers might have used or deleted some of the content featured here, had the game actually been released.

This prototype is documented on Hidden Palace.

Dark Empires was one of Sega Technical Institute's earliest original projects, beginning production in 1990 alongside Kid Chameleon. A fantasy strategy game inspired by the likes of Herzog Zwei, it was an experiment in bringing tactical strategy gameplay to the early 16-bit market. The game was scrapped by management in December 1991, reportedly due to its niche market appeal clashing with studio head Mark Cerny's desire to focus on more character-driven blockbuster titles like Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

The dumped build, a first-playable prototype, has a date of "1991 SEP" in the ROM header, putting it just a few months before the game's cancellation.

Download Dark Empires (Prototype) File: Dark_Empires_(Prototype).zip (info)

Header Oddity#

The ROM header refers to the game as KEVIN KIDD, a working title for Kid Chameleon when it was planned to be connected to the Alex Kidd series.

Unused Units#

A tree-like unit with pulsating eyes which appears to be capable of movement. It has an overlay graphic similar to the purple dragon's attacks.

Its palette is currently unknown, though Craig Stitt's resume reveals it had purple coloring.

Unused Graphics#

Battle icons for the zombified head that shows up in Craig Stitt's resume. Its palette is currently unknown.

Battle icons for the unused tree unit. Its palette is currently unknown.

Several upward- and downward-facing animations for the dragon unit. While some of these frames are used in turning animations, the full animations are never seen in-game due to the hexagonal shape of the playfield. Damage animations reuse their diagonal frames.

Associated upward and downward-facing fire attack animations for the gold dragon. No such animations exist for the purple dragon's attack.

An alternate, uncentered animation of the gold dragon's horizontal fire attack. Some tiles here are not present in the used animation.

Map sprites of a generic human character.

Map sprites of the skeleton leader facing backwards.