This is Saturn gets puzzled, with Puyo Puyo Sun

This is Saturn bounces back with Puyos, Suns, Arle Nadja, Satan, and more!

This time, we’re having a look at the third game in the incredibly popular Puyo Puyo series, Puyo Puyo Sun! Many’s first experience with the puzzler series was Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine; a game I personally still don’t like much. But can the same be said of Sun? Find out in this episode of This is Saturn!

This is Saturn is a video series created by British teenager Liam ‘TrackerTD’ Ashcroft, aiming to give an alternative and in-depth look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of SEGA Saturn gaming, all whilst maintaining a somewhat strong accent.

Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel.

Axel Stone from Streets of Rage, Sakura Shinguji of Sakura Wars and more confirmed for Project X Zone 2

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Courtesy of the new issue of Famitsu (and the scans above, provided by @TACK0520 on Twitter), we now know three more characters showing up on the SEGA side of things in the upcoming Project X Zone 2: Brave New World.

Axel Stone of Streets of Rage fame has been confirmed to show up in the game, as have Sakura Shinguji and Gemini Sunrise from the Sakura Taisen series. Whilst both Sakura Taisen characters return from the first game, this is Axel’s first appearance in a seriously long time, and it’s great to see him added to the roster. In addition to these SEGA additions, Capcom’s Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey of their Ace Attorney series are also confirmed to be appearing, as well as characters from God Eater 2 and Summon Night 3. From the looks of things, Axel will be an assist unit, whereas the Taisen characters return in their role from Project X Zone. 

Overall, it’s awesome to see more SEGA love from this game; Axel was definitely near the top of my wanted list, and I’m ecstatic to see him return.

This is Saturn Season 2 is here, with a look at SEGA’s 3D Control Pad

This is Saturn returns after an extended hiatus!

This time, we’re delving back into the world of SEGA peripherals, with SEGA’s 3D Control Pad for the SEGA Saturn. The pad was bundled with copies of NiGHTS into Dreams… and is often something associated closely with the Saturn’s legacy; but has it earned its place as part of the Saturn legend? Find out, as Tracker takes a gander at this old piece of kit.

This is Saturn is a video series created by British teenager Liam ‘TrackerTD’ Ashcroft, aiming to give an alternative and in-depth look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of SEGA Saturn gaming, all whilst maintaining a somewhat strong accent.

Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel.

Support for HTC’s Virtual Reality kit could be coming to Alien: Isolation & Company of Heroes 2

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If you didn’t already need new pants after playing Alien Isolation, you might want to order a new pair in advance.

Reddit user “linknewtab” has discovered various titlecards for games coming to Valve and HTC’s collaborative virtual reality project within the Steam installation directory. There’s a pretty vast array of titles there, none more relevant to this article than the SEGA published Alien Isolation and Company of Heroes 2. This is pretty exciting stuff; it’ll be especially entertaining to see more of the reactions to Isolation in VR. The game was demoed with Oculus Rift back at E3 last year, but as of now it has no official VR support. Considering how long the Oculus Rift’s consumer release is taking, it’s likely it’ll be on the Vive before the Rift.

What do you think of CoH2 and Alien Isolation being realised in virtual reality? Let us know in the comments!

SEGA announce donation drives for Nepal earthquake victims

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In wake of the devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal last Saturday, SEGA has announced several of its games will begin donating money earned from in-app purchases to the Japanese Red Cross.

In Phantasy Star Online 2 all profits made from the Cosmo Atomizer item will be donated until May 30th. Profits from Chain Chronicle’s Spirit Stone item will be donated, as will all profits from the Saintly King Stone item in Hortensia Saga. Finally, all profits of the Magic Guiding Stone item from Puyo Puyo Quest will also be donated. The donation drives in these latter three games will only run until May 3rd, however.

In addition to any funds raised by these games, SEGA will be donating an additional 2 million yen (about $17,000) to the Red Cross. Overall, it’s great to see SEGA engaging with the relief effort, as the world comes together to support Nepal through such a tragic event that has claimed thousands of innocent lives.

You can donate to the Nepal Earthquake Appeal here.

Introducing… This is Playstation, a show all about the best 32-Bit system!

Hey dudes! Are you ready for the most radical gaming show this side of 1996? It’s THIS IS PLAYSTATION!

Yes, an all-new show dedicated to the sleekest, most powerful 32-Bit system on the planet; the Sony Playstation! To give this thing quite the test drive, we’re booting up some “RIIIIIIDGE, RACEEEEEEER”! It’s gonna be a gnarly time, with plenty of driving, drifting, and 90’s techno jams! So gear up dudes and dudettes!

This is Playstation is a video series created by AWESOME teenager Liam ‘Radicool’ Ashcroft, aiming to “swood” look at Sony Playstation gaming, all whilst doing some TIGHT skateboard tricks offscreen!

…Now, bow to your new Sony Overlords. This is a hostile takeover. 

“Miracle Girls Festival,” new SEGA rhythm game announced for Playstation Vita

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Well, here’s something; Famitsu has revealed a new rhythm game from SEGA (and presumably Dingoo), Miracle Girls Festival (Working Title)The game is due for release on Playstation Vita this winter, and takes the form of an anime crossover game, similar to the likes of Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climaxexcept, well, it’s a rhythm game.

The anime confirmed to have some form of representation so far in the game are:

  • Arpeggio of Blue Steel: Ars Nova
  • Engaged to the Unidentified
  • Go! Go! 575
  • Kiniro Mosaic
  • Nourin
  • Nyaruko: Crawling with Love F
  • Tesagure! Bukatsumono
  • Vividred Operation
  • Wake Up, Girls!
  • Yuru Yuri

Plenty of SEGA merchandise inbound at Comiket Special 6

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Running from March 28th to the 29th in Japan this year is the Comiket Special 6 – Otaku Summit 2015,” a massive event packed with stuff for, well, ‘otaku.’ However, SEGA have announced they will be in attendance at the event, with a corporate booth to sell merchandise. And when they say “sell merchandise,” they aren’t kidding!

SEGA has shown off some of the items available for purchase at the event, a snippet of which we’ve included below. It covers a huge range of SEGA stuff; Fantasy Zone, Space Channel 5, Sakura Wars, and Virtual On all get nods, along with some obvious faces such as Sonic, and the usual console themed stuff (including a rather nice SEGA Saturn bag). Also slated to be available at the event is merchandise for the SEGA feat. Hatsune Miku Project (plus Mikudayo, the terrifying Project Mirai mascot costume that became something more) and the much-loved SEGA Hard Girls. 

This is Saturn celebrates one year of SEGA Saturn reviews with SEGA Touring Car Championship

It’s been one whole year of This is Saturn! To celebrate, Liam takes a look at SEGA Touring Car Championship, in the newest episode of This is Saturn; the Season One finale! 

AM Annex’s very own arcade racer for the Model 2 board and Saturn has been very much maligned throughout it’s stay in SEGA’s history, often criticised for supposedly lacking playability. But this is Liam’s show; and considering his love of the similarly maligned Gale Racer, is there something in Touring Car that can shine through likewise? Or is this one better left in the scrapheap?
Find out, in this episode of This is Saturn!

This is Saturn is a video series created by British teenager Liam ‘TrackerTD’ Ashcroft, aiming to give an alternative and in-depth look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of SEGA Saturn gaming, all whilst maintaining a somewhat strong accent.

Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel.

This is Saturn celebrates AM2 Month with Fighting Vipers for SEGA Saturn

Kicking off 2015 in style, This is Saturn celebrates SEGA AM2 month on SEGABits with a look at Fighting Vipers!

One of the very first episodes of This is Saturn covered Fighters Megamix, a crossover between Virtua Fighter 2 and Fighting Vipers; however, the original release of Fighting Vipers actually has some considerable differences to its representation in Fighters Megamix, and so it’s time for Liam to head back to Armstone City to punch some more people in the face, all whilst discovering the true significance of… Pepsi?

And what’s this about a sequel?

So, an overlooked classic, or a poor attempt to recreate the success of Virtua Fighter? Find out, in this episode of This is Saturn!

This is Saturn is a video series created by British teenager Liam ‘TrackerTD’ Ashcroft, aiming to give an alternative and in-depth look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of SEGA Saturn gaming, all whilst maintaining a somewhat strong accent.

Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel