SEGA Memories: How Evolution proved that one man’s trash was another’s treasure

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For those of us who love video games, I don’t think there’s any doubt that the various consoles we’ve come in contact with throughout our lives have left behind their own unique memories. Gaming is an interactive medium, afterall, and it’s an art form that you don’t simply sit there and view, but one which you fully interact with. And it’s this interaction, I feel, that can make the experience so much more personal, by and large, than going to the movies for a couple of hours.

The Dreamcast, for me, was the system where I completed what had been my gradual transition from “childhood gamer” to “hardcore gamer.” It was when I went from simply playing multiplayer games with my friends, or games that I’d seen advertised on TV, to someone who actively looked up and discussed video games on the internet. It was when I began to follow the industry more closely and discover genres that I’d never known existed. And in the case of Evolution: The World of Sacred Device, it was my first real Japanese RPG experience.

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Transformed for Intel Ultrabook announced


SEGA has announced Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Transformed for Intel Ultrabook, the Ultrabook is a tablet/laptop hybrid. So Sumo Digital went in there and coded features to make use of the Ultrabook’s unique features like touch controls and ‘amazing’ tilt function.

“We tailored the game for the Ultrabook range to ensure we made the most of the hardware. We’ve specifically designed the user interface so touch can be used throughout. You can select modes, decide which track to play, and check out all the vehicles with a simple touch of your finger.” – Steve Lycett, Executive Producer at Sumo Digital

This is basically the PC version with tilt and touch controls added in. I hope for SEGA and Sumo Digital’s sake they don’t force Intel Ultrabook owners to re-buy the game to use these features, I hope its built into the old version of the PC game. Wasn’t there just an update a few weeks ago? Could have been in there.

Round Table: How we feel about Yu Suzuki bringing back Shenmue III

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There are many questions about how Yu Suzuki would bring us Shenmue III. He has stated many times he just wants to end the series and now more than ever has been making headlines. First he suggested he wants to use crowd sourcing like Kickstarter and recently was spotted at GDC in talks with Sony (and former SEGA) employee Mark Cerny. Hit the jump to hear what we think of this whole thing in this week’s round table!

Sega Pluto is up for sale

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How much is a super rare piece of Sega history worth to you?

As we reported just yesterday, one of the only two Pluto (the Saturn/Netlink hybrid) prototypes was picked up a few years ago by Destructoid reader kidvid666 for only $1. That protoype, designated Pluto-01 is now up for sale over at gamegavel.com As of this writing, the current bid is $7,600. Imagine, picking up some game system you’re unfamiliar with from a yard sale for $1 and having it worth near eight thousand if not more! Hurry up. Bidding ends April 26th.

New arcade game Sonic Athletics to release April 25th at Tokyo Joypolis

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Via the Tokyo Joypolis website and The Sonic Stadium comes news of a new Sonic arcade game set to release at the Japanese arcade on April 25th. Dubbed Sonic Athletics, the game features a line of eight treadmills set in front of vertical screens depicting a track stadium. Players choose from Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Amy, Metal Sonic, Silver, and Blaze and begin running. The faster you run, the faster your character runs. First to the finish wins. Pretty simple game, but quite a slick looking setup. I wonder if the arcade staff allows boosting? After the break, check out a few more images of the new game.

The second SEGA Pluto console has been found… at a flea market for $1

Yesterday we shared the news that a SEGA Pluto console existed, at least in prototype form, and that according to the source only two existed. Well, thanks to Destructoid reader, we now know where the second one is. The second console, which is designated as the first of two, is owned by kidvid666 who bought the Pluto around five or six years ago at a flea market for… $1. I’m sure many game collectors have their own awesome stories of flea market finds, but this one takes the cake. According to kidvid666, the system works, but the lid is broken and won’t stay shut.

kidvid666 has considered selling the SEGA Pluto on eBay, though given its historical significance, perhaps he should keep it safe and perserved? I’m sure SEGA Retro would take very good care of it.

The SEGA Pluto console revealed!

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Thanks to the Assembler Games forums, we can now check another item off our list of “SEGA hardware with planetary code names”. While Pluto is no longer classed as a planet, Assembler Games forum member Super Magnetic has revealed that it was in fact a proposed SEGA console! Don’t get too excited, however. Super Magnetic revealed that the SEGA Pluto was a SEGA Saturn with the Netlink Adapter built in. As Super Magnetic explains:

After a good 14 years or so of sitting on this, I’ve decided it’s time to share a little bit of Sega lore with those who would appreciate it most.

First, a little background info — I was introduced to this site by Monkfish (a great friend who recently passed away, RIP), who provided everyone with the Geist build, if memory serves. We worked together at Sega back in the day, and a bout of reminiscence over my old friend led me to remember this site, which leads us to today.

I’m here to reveal a piece of unreleased Sega hardware — the Pluto. And no, it’s not that Nomad wannabe — it’s a Saturn with a Netlink built in.

Retro Review: Zombies Ate My Neighbors

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The following Retro Review of Zombies Ate My Neighbors was written by SEGAbits third anniversary contest winner Nicholas C.

Our current era juxtaposes AAA titles, with huge expectations on presentation and endless cutscenes, and smaller package XBLA/PSN/Steam/etc budget titles. There’s a lot to love on both ends and in between. But a few elements many recent games lack, for me, are local co-op. The ability to not take yourself too seriously, and simply being able to pick up and play the game (sadly, there are only so many levels to Earth Defense Force 2017).

Check out SEGA’s extended look at 7th Dragon 2020-II


Above is SEGA’s extended look at 7th Dragon 2020-II, showing you over 17 minutes of gameplay footage.The video has Director Dai Oba playing the game with legendary SEGA producer Rieko Kodama.

Check out that dragon fight in the end, gets me excited. The game comes out in Japan tomorrow, April 18th. No western date announced for the game, but don’t expect it coming over, since both 7th Dragon and 7th Dragon 2020 didn’t make it over.

Yakuza’s Kazuma Kiryu to be a downloadable character in Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational

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SEGA has made Yakuza series one of the biggest Playstation only series’ this generation and seems the franchise is getting a bit deeper ties with Sony. Kazuma Kiryu is set to be a paid downloadable character in Sony Computer Entertainment Japan’s latest Hot Shots Golf game.

You will be able to download the infamous, 7 foot tall gangster for a overpriced 500 yen ($5). This isn’t the first time Kazuma has golfed, since the Yakuza series has featured Golf mini-games in their past titles. Hey Sony, how about adding him in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale?

SEGA Tunes SEGAbits Staff Spotlight: Kori Maru

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“Hello SEGABits readers! I’m Kori-Maru, admin of The Website of the Dead. Some call me one of the more “hardcore” Sega fans out there for my extensive knowledge of Sega’s games and my love for HotD. I would like to share some of my favorite SEGA tunes with you guys and my experiences with them. Let’s start out with…

Sega Hard Girls Novel: A manga inspired by SEGA Hardware

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[Left to right: Dreamcast, Sega Saturn, Mega Drive/Genesis, Game Gear, and Master System]

Dengeki Bunko has announced that they will be collaborating with SEGA for a couple of projects to celebrate their 20th anniversary. The first project is ‘Sega Hard Girls Story’, a SEGA-themed novel serial that will be published in Dengeki Bunko Magazine. The novel is set to re-imagine SEGA game systems as goddesses, who go all over modern Japan doing goddess business.

SEGA has another Hatsune Miku game up their sleeves

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Hatsune Miku is on fire over there in Japan, with her latest cameos and now a new teaser site for a new game. All we know is that the game is set to be revealed in 3 days via Famitsu, which usually leaks information earlier than publishers intend to.

So with SEGA West expressing interest in bringing over Project Diva F, maybe its wiser to wait it out and release this new one. But what console or handheld will it be on? Vita again? Playstation 4? I guess we will find out.