SEGA News Bits Live: Full Mega Drive Mini 2 Lineup & Ulala Goes Hollywood

On this SEGA News Bits Live, Barry runs through some of the notable titles releasing to the Mega Drive Mini 2 and Genesis Mini 2, talks the possibilities of a Space Channel 5 movie and shares his beef with Sonic fans on Twitter.

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SEGA plans to make Space Channel 5 and Comix Zone film adaptations

Thanks to the success of Paramount and SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog movies, it was only a matter of time more cinematic deals were made for other SEGA franchises to make the jump to the screen. The Hollywood Reporter has announced that SEGA has entered into a partnership with Picturestart to develop film adaptations of the Dreamcast classic Space Channel 5 and the SEGA Genesis platformer Comix Zone.

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack updated with Comix Zone, Mega Man, Zero Wing, and Target Earth

Since the launch of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, Nintendo and Sega have been updating the service with new Sega Genesis games every two months. On June 30th 2022, they surprised everyone once again with four more games for subscribers to play. This time, Expansion Pack subscribers now have access to Comix Zone (1995), Mega Man: The Wily Wars (1994), Zero Wing (1991), and Target Earth (1990). As a quick fun fact, this is the first update to the service to feature third party Sega Genesis titles since the initial launch lineup. The same four games have also been added to the Japanese NSO + EP service at the same time.

SEGA Talk #20: Comix Zone (1995)

With all the buzz of the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive Mini, we thought we’d discuss a game featured on the upcoming plug and play console! On this episode, George and Barry discuss the comic book inspired adventure game Comix Zone. We talk about the development history, the gameplay and the sequel that never was.

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SEGA Franchises That Need A Smash Bros Ultimate Roster Spot

A few weeks ago we asked our twitter followers what SEGA franchises or characters deserve a roster spot in the upcoming Super Smash Bros Ultimate. While its cool that SEGA has great representation with Sonic the Hedgehog and Bayonetta, but what if they could squeeze in one more? What franchise should get in? Something more obscure? Something Iconic? In this video I go over the franchises you all asked for and give my two cents on each choice.

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PlayStation Now adds 13 SEGA Games to streaming line-up

Sony has announced that they are celebrating ‘SEGA & Sonic Month’ over on PlayStation Now by adding 13 SEGA titles to its streaming line-up. If you don’t know what PlayStation Now is, its basically a pay-per-month service that allows you to stream titles on a number of devices including PC, PlayStation TV, PlayStation 4 and other smart appliances. Since the service uses ‘the cloud’, you’ll be able to play on one device and pick up where you left off on another. PlayStation Now is a great concept but I only recommend it if you have really fast and stable internet.

These are the 13 SEGA titles that are now available to stream on PlayStation Now this month:

  • Alex Kidd in the Miracle World
  • Altered Beast
  • Comix Zone
  • Fighting Vipers
  • Golden Axe
  • Revenge of Shinobi
  • Sega Bass Fishing
  • Sonic Adventure
  • Sonic Adventure 2
  • Sonic the Fighters
  • Sonic Unleashed
  • Super Hang-on
  • Virtua Fighter 2

If you think your ISP is fast and stable enough to stream playable games, you can give the service a try with Sony’s seven-day free trial. A bit weird that they added SEGA Genesis titles to the service, I would have assumed they would have tried getting more full fledged games like Vanquish, Binary Domain and other bigger titles. What are your thoughts on PlayStation Now?

Round Table: Is Comix Zone too hard?

RoundTable[Above art by SavinArtem via DeviantArt]

Welcome to another installment of our Round Table series. This one will be part of our Comix Zone week and will be looking at the questions asked by SEGA fans in the mid-90’s: Is Comix Zone too hard? There have been very few people I know that have beaten the game without using stuff like safe states or cheats. It is just one of those games that takes dedication and patience. Something most of us didn’t have much as a kid. Of course you can tell us your opinions in the comments.

Let’s get this discussion started!

Classic SEGA Ads: So you want to live in a comic book?

SEGA of America’s nineties advertisement strategy can be summarized thusly: come up with the most batshit insane thing you can and run with it. Anyone looking for proof need look no further than this…thing they produced to sell Comix Zone. I kind of get what they were going for, since old comic books often have over-the-top, melodramatic dialogue and bizarre storylines, but this is more like a crazy depiction of some weird cult than anything to do with super hero comics. Unless there was a weird cult in Comix Zone, since I’ve never been able to get much further than the second level.

Looking back though, does that really matter? I don’t think so! This is a fun, quirky little ad that encapsulate SEGA’s attitude more so then the game it’s advertising. It wouldn’t have sold me on Comix Zone back in the day, but it certainly makes me miss what video game advertisement used to be like. I’ll take this over a slick trailer filled with review scores any day.

As a little bonus, I thought I’d also include a print advertisement for Comix Zone, seen in comics and magazines. It’s a little blander, sure, but it also gets to the heart of what the game is a bit more. Check it out after the break!

Comics to Cartridge: Comics that inspired Comix Zone

carttocomics

[Sketch Turner drawn by RainDante]

It’s quite obvious that Comix Zone is a 16-bit video game tribute to the comic book medium. It takes several aspects from a variety of popular comics throughout history and uses them in its own way to create a unique world.  Here are some that I’ve noticed during play. Since the developers never talked about stories in comics that influenced them, some of these could only be coincidence.

Let’s have a look.

My Life with SEGA Season 3 begins with a pulpy SEGA Genesis classic – Comix Zone

My Life with SEGA is back, and in HD! That’s right, it’s retro gaming in high-definition.

In the season 3 premiere, I go back 18 years to re-experience a 16-bit piece of art, ripping through page after page of aliens and mutants in Comix Zone. Developed by Sega Technical Institute, this brawler from the mid 90’s was praised for it’s glorious presentation, but scolded for its late arrival and brief playthrough.

Now that Comix Zone is old enough to move out, how does it hold up today? Click it. Watch it. Love it. Damn! That sounds kinda’ dirty, doesn’t it? Oh well.

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SEGA Retrospective: Turn the page, it’s Comix Zone Week!

ComixZoneWeek
Welcome to Comix Zone week, where we will be giving you a whole week’s worth of Sketch Turner love. If you have a copy of this SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive classic, give it ago for nostalgia’s sake and stay tuned all week long for new content. This fabulous game was first made available in 1995 for the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive. It was later ported to Windows PC, Game Boy Advance, Virtual Console, Xbox Live Arcade, and PSN. Its also been featured in both Sonic Mega Collection Plus and Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection.

Check out our full overview of Comix Zone after after the break!

Swingin’ Report Show #14: Capes and Tights

Shigs joins us this week to talk about his sexy trip to Comic Con, we talk about this weeks news including the fact that SEGA Is loosing money and much more. Classic game talk this week is Comix Zone. Underrated masterpiece or overrated junk?

[audio:http://www.segabits.com/wp-content/uploads/Swingin_Report_Show_14_Tights_and_capes.mp3]

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Sony dates rest of the Genesis PSN releases

Awhile back SEGA announced it would be releasing a collection of SEGA Genesis titles, mostly titles already out on XBLA.  If you are a Playstation Plus subscriber, these games where free. But since only Sonic and Sonic 2 have been released, when will the rest?

Playstation Plus:

  • Sonic the Hedgehog 2: Mar 1 – June 14 (out now obviously)
  • Streets of Rage 2: June 14 –July 12
  • Golden Axe 2: July 12 – August 9
  • Comix Zone: August 9 – September 6
  • Altered Beast: September 6 – October 4

If you don’t have Playstation Plus, here is the regular schedule. Playstation Plus basically get the games a week early.