Brian F. Colin launches a Kickstarter for the General Chaos sequel

Arcade veteran Brian F. Colin has officially launched the Kickstarter campaign for General Chaos: Major Snafu. The project is a direct sequel to the 1993 Sega Genesis tactical combat game, bringing back the squad-based slapstick warfare for PC.

The original General Chaos was a staple of early console multiplayer. Developed by Game Refuge Inc. And published by Electronic Arts, it pitted the armies of General Chaos and General Havoc against each other in frantic, cursor-driven skirmishes. It was also one of the few titles to really justify owning the EA 4-Way Play multi-tap accessory.

The 1993 release stood out because it mapped real-time strategy concepts to a standard Sega Genesis controller. Instead of managing a massive base, players controlled a small squad of specialists, moving a cursor around the battlefield to direct fire, throw explosives, and occasionally engage in close-quarters fistfights. It was loud, funny, and relentlessly aggressive.

A resume built on quarters

Colin is directing the new project, and his background reads like a masterclass in arcade history. Before founding Game Refuge, he spent the 1980s at Bally Midway working on the art, design, and concepts for some of the biggest coin-op machines of the era. His credits include Kozmik Krooz'r (1982), Spy Hunter and Discs of Tron (1983), Sarge (1985), and the original Rampage (1986). He also worked on Spy Hunter II and Xenophobe in 1987, followed by Arch Rivals in 1989 and Pigskin 621 AD in 1990.

After forming Game Refuge and releasing General Chaos in 1993, Colin and co-founder Jeff Nauman kept going with titles like Rampage World Tour in 1997 and Star Trek: Voyager - The Arcade Game in 2002. The sheer volume of broken glass and giant ape punches in that portfolio is impressive, so seeing the original creator return to his 16-bit passion project makes sense.

The return of the Scorcher

Major Snafu was teased late last year, but the crowdfunding campaign is now live and taking backers. The sequel retains the 2D sprite-based aesthetic of the Genesis original while expanding the mechanics. Classic unit classes like the Gunner, Chucker, Scorcher, Blaster, and Launcher are returning, alongside new commando archetypes and larger tactical arenas.

Game Refuge is building the new title as a sprite-based real-time strategy and action game. The developers are modernizing the inputs for PC, allowing for standard mouse and keyboard setups alongside modern controller support. The arenas are larger, taking advantage of modern widescreen displays rather than being constrained to the 4:3 aspect ratio of a CRT television.

The original game was notorious for friendly fire incidents, and I'm curious to see if modern mouse and keyboard controls make it easier to avoid blowing up your own medics. The sequel is currently in active development for PC, with a Steam store page already up alongside the active Kickstarter.