Parachute is a newly released independent homebrew title for the Sega Genesis. The idea is to create a decent facsimile of the classic Nintendo Game & Watch portables. For someone learning how to use the Sega Genesis Development Kit (SGDK) software, they certainly achieved their goal.

Parachute is fun in short bursts

I do not want to misrepresent what Parachute was intended to be here. Right on the ROMHacking.net page the developer states they had no intentions of creating a complex game. They are learning the SGDK and wanted to put those skills to work. That they did and what fans get is a fun short game.

Do not go in on this thinking there is a huge storyline or anything. There is not.

Your goals are simple

When loading Parachute for the Sega Genesis you are put right into the game. This is a single screen affair. There is a helicopter flying back and forth across the top of the screen. There are soldiers parachuting out of that helicopter. You control a boat in the water below attempting to catch those parachutists.

Miss them and they will fall into the water where a hungry shark awaits. He too is moving back and forth looking for his next meal.

Not exactly a Game & Watch recreation

There are concessions taken for the sake of a better game on better hardware. While Nintendo’s Game & Watch were quite limited, Parachute can take advantage of some 16-bit power. The graphics are not “clicky” or limited to certain parts of the screen. This gives Parachute a much smoother look.

I wonder what other titles the developer may choose to port in the future. Are there any classic Game & Watch style games you want to see get a port to the Sega Genesis? Let me know in the comments below.

Carl Williams

It is time gaming journalism takes its rightful place as proper sources and not fanboys giving free advertising. If you wish to support writers like Carl please use the links below. https://www.paypal.me/WCW https://www.patreon.com/CarlWilliams