Jet Set Radio will be free for PSN Plus users this July

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Sony just announced the free stuff PSN Plus members can expect for July and Jet Set Radio joined both Battlefield 3 and Metal Slug XX.

Sony has recently celebrated 1 year of their Instant Game collection, where the games will be available to download whenever the user wants them (of course, you have to be paying for PSN Plus). So, if you are a PSN Plus member, has it been worth it? If not, does Jet Set Radio becoming free make you want to subscribe to the service?

SEGA’s Hero Bank at the Next Generation World Hobby Fair

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We posted before about SEGA’s Hero Bank video game getting promotional items to give away at the Next Generation World Hobby Fair. Now we have some pictures from the event and it seemed it was a hit with the kids (the audience they are reaching for with this title).

Below you can see more shots of the event, the mascot and other interesting bits. Oddly enough SEGA hasn’t put out a trailer for this game or talked about if it be coming west.

More SEGA Game Gear titles appear in the 3DS eShop – Sonic, Sonic, and Not Sonic

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The SEGA Blog has revealed the next three Game Gear titles fans can expect to find in the Nintendo 3DS eShop. This week sees the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic Labyrinth, and the RPG Crystal Warriors. Personal opinion on these titles? Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is perhaps my least favorite of the Game Gear Sonic platformers. Maybe it was the lack of Tails, or the bland first stage, or the overly difficult bosses (thanks to a zoomed in screen). Sonic Labyrinth is… an interesting Sonic spin-off. Playing similar to Sonic 3D Blast, due to being isometric, the game finds Sonic stripped of his speed thanks to Dr. Eggman replacing his iconic sneakers with “Slow-Down Boots”. As such, the game is more of a puzzle game. If a slow Sonic with clunky controls is for you, then check this one out. Crystal Warriors is probably the title to check out this week, as it is quite a fun strategy RPG. As a bonus, SEGA has included the ability to play the game over local multiplayer – assuming both players have a copy of the game.

SEGA promises that more Game Gear titles are on the way for the eShop, so stay tuned! Or bookmark this page. However “stay tuned” translates into internet usage.

A look at SEGA’s Hero Bank promotional items, including branded toilet paper

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Hero Bank is the latest project by Yakuza Team head Toshihiro Nagoshi (Yakuza, Super Monkey Ball), a 3DS RPG. Above is toilet paper that SEGA will be giving out as part of a swag bag at the ‘Next Generation World Hobby Fair’. Yes, toilet paper, what a way to set expectations for your upcoming game by giving people paper to wipe their ass.

The package also comes with a poster, stickers, Yen notepad, and a handy bag. Check out the photos below.

Obsidian talks more about their canceled Aliens survival RPG

Aliens_Crucible_GameplayObsidian recently talked to Eurogamer about their canceled RPG, Aliens: Crucible and some of the mechanics it would have had in the full version. Obsidian had a pretty cool idea about building a stronghold that seemed to be one of the main features in the game.

“If you’re dealing with a ship repair mechanic who may have no combat experience whatsoever, that obviously would serve a vital function in surviving in this predicament. So it’s more of a third-person, two companions with you survival game, but it had a lot of the RPG trappings in terms of you could set up your own stronghold and base and build that up over time, explore more of the environment, figure out how you get all of the resources and stuff to survive.”– Chris Avellone, Obsidian’s creative director

The game was in development for over three years, till it was finally canned in 2009. Chris says that SEGA told them that they had to “take a step back and carefully consider the type of game we want to release”. Yet they still released that awful Aliens: Colonial Marines. According to Chris it wasn’t that bad, SEGA paid for them to build their own engine and even though the game got canceled they had that to walk away with. So yeah, great way to manage your money, SEGA. No wonder you are at the position that Nintendo has to fund Bayonetta 2.

What about Alpha Protocol 2?

Conan O’Brien visits E3, falls in love with Bayonetta


Conan O’Brien went to this year’s E3 to check out the console war, what he didn’t expect was that there would be gorgeous women there. This eventually lead him to fall in love with Bayonetta, who he calls Sarah Palin from the future.

Seems this is the closest thing we will be getting to Conan actually having a SEGA published game on his show. Sad. Would have been pretty cool if he played Sonic Lost World.

Sonic Lost World: 3DS version gets online multiplayer, Wii U does not

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In an interview with Nintendo News Report, Sonic Team’s Takashi Iizuka confirms that Sonic Lost World will have online multiplayer on the 3DS, but not on the Wii U.

“We’ll have different multiplayer modes on both Wii U and 3DS. On the Wii U, there’s booth cooperative and versus multiplayer. In cooperative play, Sonic will be using the Wii U GamePad and someone can be supporting Sonic in co-op with the Wii Remote. In versus mode, one player will be playing on the TV screen and the other player will be racing using the GamePad so you don’t have to have split screen. You both have your own screen and can race each other. The Wii U multiplayer is not on the Internet. It’s basically everyone sitting on the same couch. The 3DS for the first time we’re having 4-player versus racing over Wi-Fi and the Internet.” – Takashi Iizuka

Pretty intersting. What are your guys thoughts on the lack of online multiplayer on the console version? Does this effect your purchase? Do you even care about multiplayer in a Sonic game?

SEGA silly Japanese ad for Yakuza 1&2 HD on Wii U


Seems that SEGA is making their ads more comedy focused when they are advertising their game on the Wii U, which I think I like. This ad really made me laugh and honestly, Yakuza games aren’t all serious business.

Just remember, don’t tell the hostess in the game how much you love them when your wife is standing right behind you.

Question for the SEGA Fan Community: What is the most positive and effective way to ask for Shenmue 3?

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Over the weekend a group of Shenmue fans came across an article I wrote over two years ago. In the article, I named five things I believed SEGA fans should stop doing, and one of these things was spamming SEGA’s Facebook page for titles like Shenmue 3. I love the Shenmue franchise and consider myself to be a huge fan. I read and reread every Shenmue article I could get my hands on in anticipation of the first game’s release, and bought it on day one. When the sequel was announced to be only available in Europe and Japan, with US fans having to wait nearly a year for an Xbox port, I learned how to play imported games and bought the European version on the week of release. Since then, I’ve debated with fans over what a third title would contain, bought Shenmue merch whenever the chance arrived, and even joined in on the infamous mass capsule toy mailings.

Sonic celebrates his 22nd birthday at Tokyo Joypolis in Japan

In a video that is sure to make Sonic fans smile, we see Sonic (actually a guy in a costume) celebrating his 22nd birthday at Tokyo Joypolis in Japan. Surrounded by SEGA staff, Sonic received a birthday cake complete with candles and blew them out with the assistance of Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka. The stage featured some snazzy graphics including assets from the upcoming Sonic Lost World, as well as a dancing strawberry cake. No doubt following the event, Sonic and Iizuka hit the club while Jun Senoue tried to convince the DJ to play some of his music. Good times.