A disappointing departure from the first two games in the Alex Kidd series, Alex Kidd: High-Tech World consists of two exploration levels and an action level, the latter of which is plagued by poor controls, tough jumps and cheap deaths. The two more adventurous levels require interacting with people and items to solve puzzles (some of which seemingly have random solutions), such as finding map pieces, answering trivia questions or acquiring a pass to an arcade. Despite the fact that the manual says "survive all the obstacles and you'll play in the hottest arcade in the land," the game ends once you reach this area. Adding to the disappointment are average (though colorful) graphics and repetitive music.