A new gameplay patch for Mad Stalker: Full Metal Forth on the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis has been released, addressing one of the game’s biggest annoyances — its clunky control scheme. Created by Mengze-L, this update finally makes full use of the Genesis’ three-button layout, allowing smoother combat and more intuitive guarding.
Originally developed by Fill-in-Cafe and Family Soft, Mad Stalker began life on the Sharp X68000 in 1994 before later being ported to the PC Engine CD, PlayStation, and Mega Drive. The Genesis version, released decades later as Full Metal Forth, retained the same high-energy mecha combat but suffered from awkward controls that limited its potential. Players control a humanoid mech called a “SlaveGear,” battling through futuristic cityscapes in side-scrolling beat ’em up fashion reminiscent of Cybernator and Guardian Heroes.
In the original version, both the A and C buttons performed a light punch, while B handled heavy punches. Guarding required pressing multiple buttons simultaneously, which often led to accidental inputs during heated battles. The new patch reassigns the controls as follows:
- A: Heavy punch
- B: Light punch
- C: Guard
Additionally, performing a forward + forward + C input now triggers a dash guard move, improving responsiveness and control flow during fights.
Download the patch here.
