Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed disscussion

[Kori-Maru]

I agree with Aki-at about Sakura Taisen, the series is one of SOJ's money maker. The first game was one of the best original titles on the Sega Saturn selling 360,000 copies in Japan and just recently Sakura Shinguji was ranked number 17 among other 50 video game characters on Famitsu along with Sonic who came in #10 and Kazuma Kiryu in #11. I would say that she would have been a perfect candidate among the Sega Gal roster. Her games may not be that known in the west, but at least in some well made OVAs, TV series and movies. I wouldn't mind to see some other female characters like Janet and Honey too. As for Segata, other Japan character I would like to see in the gam, probably won't make the cut either.

But that won't matter anyways since the game is going to be out in 3 months. Just got to deal with it. At least the game play and tracks are still amazing after playing the game a couple of times. Still waiting on reps and track for The House of the Dead 2. Let it be Goldman Building since the game is more focused in a Dreamcast style.

[Barry the Nomad]

Really? To the average western gamer Sakura Taisen is VERY obscure. SEGA hasn't even released the series outside of Japan. It took another publisher to do that. I'll bet even a good deal of western SEGA fans don't even know of the series. So I can totally understand why it probably won't show up in the roster and why it's probably very low on Sumo's list. Segata, however, is well known mainly due to YouTube and has this cool and crazy cult going for him. He has pretty much become Kevin Butler to SEGA fans. Or maybe I should reverse that since KB came second.

Anyway, not to sound like a Samura hater. Just calling it like it is. It's unfortunate, but that's how it played out. Shame he Dreamcast never got the games in the west.

As for my complaining comment, I'm sorry if it was taken the wrong way. Do I think all forms of complaining are bad? Course not. I'm complaining right now. But nonsense like thinking the game is doomed or not worth playing is what gets my goat. Not saying people HERE are saying shit that extreme, but I've seen some pretty stupid stuff round the fan forums. Lol, one person cancelled their preorder because Banjo isn't in the game! Can you believe that? Ha!

[Radrappy]

gonna have to agree with barry on sakura being "obscure".  There's no way she's in this game. 

however gonna ALSO say that Segata is equally obscure.  At the end of the day this game is for western audiences anyway.  I'm afraid characters like nei, temjin, and sakura are going to have to sit this one out. 

[Kori-Maru]

Will we every see a Sega All-Star game with characters from eastern and western? And if they we're to add Segata, they would have to pay the guy to use his face in the game which I would assume would cost a lot of money since the actor who played Sanshrio-san is a popular icon in Japan. I think he played Kamen Rider in the 70's.

Sakura maybe obscured to western gamers, but not Sega and anime fans. Most of the characters in this game are made in Japan, but it wouldn't hurt to see some JP IPs in future crossover titles. I wouldn't mind seeing Zobio & Zobiko again too. Heck, PXZ has more Sega character representation from the Saturn and Arcade era. When I played Fighters Megamix back then, I didn't know who Rent-A-Hero was, until I played him and let me tell you that he had one of the best songs in the game sung by Takenobu Mitsuyoshi and had an awesome appeal (well to me)

And really?! Someone canceled their pre order to this awesome game because Banjo is not in the game? That's just stupid. I really didn't like playing as him that much, felt off of him being in the game anyway. If this game had at least two more guest characters, I might as well have Spider-Man & Batman.

[Aki-at]

Really? To the average western gamer Sakura Taisen is VERY obscure. SEGA hasn't even released the series outside of Japan. It took another publisher to do that. I'll bet even a good deal of western SEGA fans don't even know of the series. So I can totally understand why it probably won't show up in the roster and why it's probably very low on Sumo's list. Segata, however, is well known mainly due to YouTube and has this cool and crazy cult going for him. He has pretty much become Kevin Butler to SEGA fans. Or maybe I should reverse that since KB came second.

But to the average gamer even Jet Set Radio or Skies of Arcadia are obscure though, which is what I adressed later on. It just should not be how character selection is judged because there are many bigger games in SEGA's history too, it should be judged on balance itself.

gonna have to agree with barry on sakura being "obscure".  There's no way she's in this game. 

Not saying she will be in the game, fact is she will not. But my point was rather obscurity should not really matter as Skies of Arcadia and Jet Set Radio are hardly well known series. Especially when you start throwing Virtual On, SEGA Rally, Virtua Cop, Streets of Rage etc on the pile.

Heck, PXZ has more Sega character representation from the Saturn and Arcade era. When I played Fighters Megamix back then, I didn't know who Rent-A-Hero was, until I played him and let me tell you that he had one of the best songs in the game sung by Takenobu Mitsuyoshi and had an awesome appeal (well to me)

It's a shame SEGA West has made it solely on feedback from SEGA fans and non-fans here but I guess that is why SEGA Japan is not interested even though almost all the characters are from SEGA Japan.

But hey ho we'll be getting another Genesis series that no one asked for and was only really good in the 90s to statisfy the Mega Drive representation like we did with the Bonanza Bros.

[Barry the Nomad]

Jet Set Radio and Skies of Arcadia had worldwide releases and both appeared on both Dreamcast and as third party software (Gamecube for SoA and XBOX for JSRF). So right there you've got Dreamcast fandom recognizing the titles as well as Gamecube fandom for Skies and XBOX fandom for JSR. Not to mention both were often requested for the Dreamcast Collection, one of which is getting a rerelease soon.  So, "Skies of Arcadia and Jet Set Radio are hardly well known series"? Really? Hardly obscure!

I'd also say that Virtual On, SEGA Rally, Virtua Cop and Streets of Rage are also well known thanks to VOOT releasing to XBLA not to long ago and Force releasing to Japan recently (with a fair amount of importing happening in the west). SEGA Rally had SEGA Rally Online Arcade, and Streets of Rage had the vintage collection. I will agree that Virtua Cop is obscure, only because it hasn't had a rerelease in a long while and the last time it was given a reference was in Superstars Tennis.

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I think the problem is your definition of "obscure" and my definition of the word just don't match up.

[batfax]

The Sakura Taisen series isn't completely obscure to western audiences. Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love managed to make it outside Japan so I'm surprised no one's brought up the idea of using Gemini Sunrise instead of Sakura if the older games being JP-only were such a big deal.

Still, to me the only way the series would get represented is if SOJ wanted to actually release this one in Japan. Sakura Taisen seems like a ridiculously obvious choice if they did.

[Barry the Nomad]

The Sakura Taisen series isn't completely obscure to western audiences. Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love managed to make it outside Japan so I'm surprised no one's brought up the idea of using Gemini Sunrise instead of Sakura if the older games being JP-only were such a big deal.

Still, to me the only way the series would get represented is if SOJ wanted to actually release this one in Japan. Sakura Taisen seems like a ridiculously obvious choice if they did.

I agree on that, though I'd think SEGA West doesn't care if the series had a US release given the fact that it wasn't technically their release. Not sure how that worked out in terms of which part of SEGA received a cut of the sales, but I'm assuming NIS America and SEGA of Japan shared profits. Would actually be interesting to know.

[Kori-Maru]

If only Sega of America brought the Dreamcast ports over to the West while the anime, television series, and movies was coming out. Could have had a larger cult following. It's not actually a bad series.

[Nameless 24]

I would say that Virtual On has more of a chance then Sakura Wars simply because it has been released in the West on it's debut whilst with Sakura Wars it took it's fifth release to finally reach the west and SEGA doesn't even publish it!

Kind of shows you what SEGA thinks of Sakura Wars selling in the west.

I doubt Valkyria will be considered again after the refusal of releasing the third game here (a game based on European affairs/war not being released in Europe or America?)

I do think Segata has a chance given the "Ultimate Fanservice Character" hint.

[Nameless 24]

Could anyone list the things S0L mentioned in one big post?

I heard some of the stuff such as the co-op modes and challenges, but there was quite a lot of stuff from it.

Perhaps if Nuckles87 remembers it all maybe he could post them in better detail?

[Nameless 24]

Look what I found on SEGA's Facebook guys:

http://www.facebook.com/Sega/app_274893659292279

This is very interesting:

Over 25 tracks and arenas which challenge you on land, water and air.

So we are getting 5 Arenas?

[Kori-Maru]

Oh snap 25 tracks and Barry has informed me that the game has been rated E10 with "Animated Blood". Looks like The House of the Dead is going to be represented after all which makes me a bit happy to hear.

[Barry the Nomad]

25 tracks and arenas, so since there are 21 tracks total (including outrun), I'd assume 5 arenas since they wouldn't count OutRun in the 25 count since it's bonus material.

[Nameless 24]

I assume there will be 7/8 arenas since it says over 25.