Riddle Wired was released exclusively in Japan in 1991 on the Sega Genesis via the Sega Game Toshokan service. Before I can explain what the game is about, we need to talk about what in the world the Sega Game Toshokan service is... or was.
Sega Game Toshokan (toshokan translating to "library") was a cartridge for the Sega Mega Drive in Japan that worked alongside the Mega Modem, a modem for the system. Using the Mega Modem (and provided you had a Sega Meganet subscription), players could download games to the cartridge when the service was active from 1990 to late 1992.
Fun Fact: the Genesis stinker Flicky was, for a time, an exclusive Meganet game before coming to America physically. Thanks, Sega of America... you really pulled through for us.
Riddle me this, riddle me...in Japanese.
Among the exclusives was Riddle Wired, a quiz ga—ohhhh, this might be a bit of a challenge, considering I read Japanese as well as a dog reads Tolstoy. Five other quizmasters will battle against you to see who is the most knowledged in all the land. Fierce quiz brawls ensue, where you try to whittle down the enemy's hit points by correctly answering multiple choice questions! Oh, the thrill! In between stages, you get to play a bonus game to earn additional hit points for the next round.
Also, there's some weird battle in space, but isn't there always?
There isn't much else to say about this one; it's actually relatively bland, though also relatively harmless. Graphically, it's as exciting as unbuttered toast, and the music isn't going to set dancefloors ablaze. If you're looking for heart-pounding thrills and non-stop action... this lost gaming nugget won't get you "wired".
Unfortunately, being entirely in Japanese, it's going to be rough on outsiders. Luckily for those outsiders, the Sega Game Toshokan's been out of service since 1992, so it's not as though anyone is likely to play it anyhow. Like so many mobile games, Riddle Wired has never been re-released or likely even been thought about, thus disappearing to the land of forgotten games people put programming time into only to be delisted and removed from society at large. Sega keeps revisiting the same old games over and over again; why not bring back some Riddle Wired?
