Update: SEGA announces iOS & Android winter release lineup: Sonic 2, Rhythm Thief, Demon Tribe, and Racing Transformed!

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Update: A press release has arrived, and with it clarification of the platforms! The story has been revised to reflect the new information.

Fans of mobile SEGA titles will be excited to hear that a bunch of releases are on the horizon! Today, SEGA has revealed that Sonic the Hedgehog 2 remastered will headline the mobile releases. Also coming is an iOS version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, a mobile adaptation of the 2012 Nintendo 3DS title Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure entitled Rhythm Thief & The Paris Caper, and the Japanese action RPG Demon Tribe. As of now, we’re only hearing about iOS releases, if we learn of other mobile operating systems getting the games, we’ll be sure to update this story.

After the break, learn more about each of the titles and check out some snazzy screenshots.

Rhythm Thief Now Available on the Nintendo eShop

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Rhythm Thief may have become one of the more obscure 3DS titles to hit store shelves, but SEGA has made it easier to get a hold of the title by releasing the game on the Nintendo eShop starting this week and is retailing at $19.99 in the American eShop while priced at €44.99 / £39.99 in the European eShop. Quite a difference in price between the two regions. This joins Sonic Generations 3DS on the eShop as part of Nintendo’s initiative to put up titles for download that were made available prior to their push for retail games on the eShop.

If you want more information on the game, be sure to hit up Shigs’ review of the 3DS version here.

 

Rhythm Thief game coming to iOS

 

It has been confirmed by SEGA that a Rhythm Thief game will be coming to iOS as a freemium game sometime this winter. The exact nature of the game and whether or not it will be released in the west is currently unknown, though the game will supposedly be tweaked for shorter play sessions and will include social features. Freemium games typically give you a basic game package for free, than charge you for additional in-game items. SEGA’s Spiral Knights online RPG uses such a system.

We should find out exactly what this game will be when the Tokyo Game Show rolls around later this month. Cross your fingers for a western release!

Rhythm Thief is a rhythm game originally released for the 3DS. It uses rhythm games to play out a variety of scenarios in the game’s storyline. It received a B+ from us last month and has been well received by critics. As a major fan of the game myself, I would highly recommend picking it up and supporting SEGA’s original IP releases.

Sonic Talk Episode 10 “Better Late than Never”

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FINALLY!! Yours truly learned how to edit audio and has a double dose of Sonic Talk for you this week!

Sorry about the lateness of this episode. We recorded this just days before We left for the San Diego Comic Con and it took us forever to get it out. This episode has a lot of GX and Nuckles87 getting on each others nerves in a fun way while I’m lucky to get a word in. One thing I’ll say, this week’s episode has more music than ever before.

Tuesday Tunes: Rhythm Thief Month “Melody of Hope”

Melody of Hope is a very dynamic, beautful track. Despite it’s name, it does not start out as an optimistic song. Indeed, from the offset it’s quite foreboding. Then, about midway, it begins to change it’s tone. There is some genuine conflict in the song as it evolves into something truly optimistic and uplifting. This is the kind of track that can really be appreciated on it’s own, even without a game, and highlights just how spectacular the Rhythm Thief soundtrack can be. It also goes very well with its plays in the game’s storyline, which I won’t elaborate upon so as to avoid spoilers.

Below is Moon Princess, Marie’s first song in the game and alongside Melody of Hope, also one of the its best tracks.

Review: Rhythm Thief and the Emperor’s Treasure

It’s been a very long time coming, but after months of being in Japan and Europe Rhythm Thief has finally arrived on American shores. If the rumors of the game selling out are true, it seems to be a hit! But was this game worth the long wait? Will Phantom R’s musical escapades win you over or does it fall out of tune? Read on.

Rhythm Thief is out now in North America: Check out the launch trailer

It’s sure taken its time getting here, but North American 3DS owners can now get their hands on Samba de Amigo director Shun Nakamura’s latest rhythm adventure.

Combining rhythm mini-games with puzzles and light exploration elements, the game’s a good bit of fun and has no shortage of charm.

Check out its official launch trailer above and be sure to pick it up while you can still find it.

Tuesday Tunes: Rhythm Thief & The Emperor’s Treasure: The Musical!

Today, the first original SEGA rhythm game since the days of Space Channel 5 and Samba de Amigo, makes it’s debut. Rhythm Thief, available exclusively for the 3DS, is part rhythm gam and part Professor Layton-esque puzzle game, with a healthy amount of inspiration from SEGA’s classic rhythm games sprinkled throughout. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, since the game is directed by Samba de Amigo director and Sonic Team alumni Shun Nakamura.

To mark the occasion, the good people over at Random Encounter Entertainment have put together a little musical based around the game’s characters and plot. It’s a funny little musical number that does a pretty good job of actually explaining what the game is about. Big thanks goes to the people of Random Encounter for putting together this little tribute to a game that will probably go ignored when it is released today, and to Aaron Webber for both co-producing this and sending it in to us!

Tuesday Tunes: Rhythm Thief Month, “Claire de Luna”

Welcome to the first installment of a month long Tuesday Tunes Feature: Rhythm Thief Month! It’s been years since we’ve had a new SEGA rhythm game, so Tuesday Tunes is going to mark the occasion with over a month’s worth of the game’s awesome soundtrack!

Featuring this weak is the game’s official music video for the game’s J-pop theme, “Claire de Luna” by Japanese singer/song writer miwa. While not representative of the game’s in-game tracks, which features a wide range of genres, it’s a pretty awesome J-pop track accompanied by a well put together selection of animated scenes from the game’s numerous animated cut scenes.

Rhythm Thief looks like it will be a very special game, something I hope all of our readers will pick up, especially in light of SEGA’s recent troubles. The game has a spectacular track. This is going to be a very fun month! Two more tracks including the Rhythm Thief Main Theme and It’s Show Time are below the fold.

Hands-on with Rhythm Thief: Find out why this should be on your radar

There’s no doubt about it; there are many games out there, all of them vying for your money and attention in a competitive marketplace. At a time when the industry’s favoring, by and large, a play-it-safe approach to development, it’s always a breath of fresh air when a game surfaces that feels like something truly unique. Judging by its latest demo (now available on the 3DS’ North American eShop) Rhythm Thief and the Emperor’s Treasure is one such game.