Uzu Keobukseon (우주거북선, “Space Turtle Ship”) is a vertical scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Samsung for the Sega Mega Drive (Sega Genesis) in 1993. The title was released exclusively in South Korea; its menu, dialogue, and in‑game text are entirely Korean.
Development and Release
The game was produced by Samsung’s in‑house development team as part of the company’s licensed rebadging of the Mega Drive hardware (the “Super Aladdin Boy”). It is the only commercially released Mega Drive title created by Samsung. The official launch date was 5 May 1993, and it was distributed under the code GM4054KS.
Gameplay
Uzu Keobukseon is a single‑player shoot‑‘em‑up in which the player pilots a futuristic “Space Turtle Ship,” a stylised version of the historic Korean turtle ship. The vessel can move freely within the vertical scrolling playfield and fires continuously when the fire button is held.
The game features two selectable weapons that can be upgraded simultaneously by collecting power‑ups, with three weapon tiers each offering distinct shot patterns (spread shots, ring shots, laser/beam attacks). Weapon upgrades also increase the ship’s visual complexity. The player gains an extra hit for each collected weapon; taking damage demotes the ship to a lower tier, and loss of the base tier results in a life loss. Bombs can be deployed for area‑of‑effect damage.
Eight stages progress from prehistoric landscapes through ancient villages, modern cities, and ultimately outer space, culminating in boss encounters that display an energy meter indicating remaining health. A checkpoint system allows continuation after losing lives, and unlimited continues are available. Difficulty levels are offered in three settings (easy, normal, hard).
Story
The narrative is set in the year 2020, where a rogue “Power Computer” has been infected by a virus and begins attacking humanity. Two pilots, Titi (티티) and Koti (코티), operate the Space Turtle Ship to defeat the computer’s forces.
Legacy
Uzu Keobukseon is notable for being one of the few region‑exclusive Mega Drive releases and for illustrating Samsung’s brief involvement in console game development during the early 1990s. Planned but unreleased titles from the same developer include City Heroes and Princess Fighter. The game has been documented on Wikipedia, Sega Retro, and various retro gaming archives.