Flink (Europe)

Flink is a side-scrolling platformer released for the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis) in Europe in 1995. Developed by DICE (the studio that would later become famous for the Battlefield series) and published by Sega, it puts you in the role of a young wizard's apprentice. The story, as detailed on the game's catalog page, involves the evil wizard Wicked Wainwright capturing four elders, and it falls to Flink to rescue them. This is not a hack or homebrew - it's an official commercial release from the mid-90s that saw a Japanese release as well.

The gameplay follows standard platformer conventions of the era. You run and jump through colourful levels - forests, caves, and castles - while using magic attacks to defeat enemies. Flink can shoot projectiles and perform a double jump to reach higher platforms. Each world ends with a boss fight against one of Wicked Wainwright's minions. Collectible items like extra lives and magic upgrades are scattered throughout the stages. The core loop is straightforward: navigate each level, defeat enemies, and free the captured elders one by one.

Today, Flink is an enjoyable but often overlooked title in the Genesis library. Its vibrant graphics and chiptune soundtrack capture the feel of early 90s platformers. The controls are responsive, and the difficulty ramps up nicely, offering a decent challenge without being punishing. It may not push the genre forward, but it's a solid, charming entry that fans of retro action games should give a try - especially if they appreciate obscure European releases from the 16-bit era.