A Crash Course In Sega's ORIGINAL Mascot (Not Sonic!)

We all remember Sega's mascot, designed to compete with Nintendo's ever-present Mario. A popular charachter that cavorted through colorful varied adventures, and whose image graced advertisements and inspired comics and...

What's that? You thought I was talking about Sonic The Hedgehog? Oh dear.

Gather around, children, and let me tell you about Alex Kidd...



Alex made his way through a dozen or so games on the Sega Master System and was retired after his debut on the Sega Genesis. Why was he less popular in the US than in Japan? maybe it had something to do with the fact that the Japanese games had him look like THIS-



And in America, he looked like this-



Really, which of these guys would you play a game involving? The dude who looks like Link from Legend Of Zelda throwing kung-fu? Or a fat, pasty, jug-eared doofus?

Next thing you know, Sonic entered the picture and Alex Kidd was demoted to being a checkout clerk (as depicted in the Dreamcast game Segagaga)



Poor guy; tough break.