Author Archives: Barry

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Yogscast PC DLC releases today

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Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed has added another guest racer to the roster by way of the Yogscast. What is the Yogscast? The Steam page for the DLC describes Yogscast as “the UK’s most watched YouTube channel”. The DLC, which is priced at $4.99/€3.99, came about though a partnership with SEGA to raise money for the YouTube channel’s annual charity drive. The racer is Yogscast’s very own Simon Lane, aka Honeydew. 100% of all SEGA and Yogscast proceeds are being donated to the SpecialEffect charity.

You can purchase the DLC and learn more about the content on the dedicated Steam page. After the break, check out a gallery of the guest racer.

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[Updated] Christopher Evan Welch did not voice Tails in “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog”

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Update: a friend of the family replied to my inquiry stating “I believe this is a miscredit”, and I was directed to his agents who could potentially give me a solid answer. At the moment, it looks like Christopher Evan Welch did not voice Tails.

UPDATE 2: I have reached out to Christopher Evan Welch’s talent agency Paradigm in New York and the credit of Tails attributed to Christopher Evan Welch is “not accurate”. Thank you to Courtney of Paradigm for her help.

UPDATE 3: Another confirmation, this time from Christopher Evan Welch himself. A friend of his contacted me and told me “I asked Chris about it a couple of years ago and he said it was a mistake.” Also the voice of Coconuts, Ian James Corlett, informed us that the recording for the show took place in British Columbia, meaning Christopher Welch was likely a young boy from that area much like his 1996 replacement.

UPDATE 4: Ian James Corlett tweeted some more information to us, stating that the voice of Tails was from Seattle, which is quite a coincidence as that is the city where Christopher Evan Welch was working. While Christopher (not Evan) Welch was close to Vancouver, it’s possible he recorded his lines in Los Angeles. Jaleel White recorded in Los Angeles, and given the chemistry needed between Sonic and Tails, it is possible Christopher Welch recorded in LA.

This means that the voice actor for Tails, Christopher Welch, is a different person entirely and may still be out there.

Since the news broke that the voice actor for Tails in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog had passed away, 90’s era Sonic fans such as myself were heartbroken to learn that we lost another actor from the iconic show. However, as I spoke with Sonic fans in various forums and instant message conversations, several red flags went up regarding Christopher Evan Welch’s participation in the cartoon series. For starters, there was the age. Christopher Evan Welch was 48 at the time of his passing, which means he was 28 in 1993. Several sources back this age up, including friends and family on Chris’s Facebook memorial page, comments on Variety.com’s story, and a photo on The Seattle Times which shows Christopher Evan Welch in 1993. He was definitely not an 11 year old in 1993.

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Our newest YouTube series, This is Saturn, takes a Rolling Staaaaaaaaaaart!

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Presenting a new SEGAbits YouTube channel original series dedicated to SEGA’s 2D and Arcade powerhouse, the SEGA Saturn. Our new series, entitled “This is Saturn”, is created by the latest member of the SEGAbits team, Liam ‘Tracker’ Ashcroft. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Tracker was the winner of our third anniversary contest back in February. It ended up being sort of a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory situation, where he not only won the prizes, but was also invited on staff. We just refused to also house his family, and we have no chocolate to share.

In this premiere episode, Tracker looks at the arcade hit Daytona USA’s conversion to the Saturn. Take it away, Tracker:

Daytona USA is a game I have fond memories of in terms of the arcade – both the original and the also fantastic sequel (which is crying out for a home port) have eaten many £1 pieces out of my wallet over the years, and the HD re-release on PSN was great!. As a result, the game was the first thing I bought for my Saturn – and it only set me back 50p!

So, is it still an arcade classic? Or is it just a polygonal pile of shit? Let’s find out, in a review certainly not ripped from my personal channel. Not in the slightest.

Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel!

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Update: Christopher Evan Welch was not the voice actor for Tails in “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog”

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Please read the follow-up story, we can confirmed that Christopher Evan Welch was not the voice actor for Tails in “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog”

Variety has reported that actor Christopher Evan Welch, the voice of Miles “Tails” Prower in The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon series, has passed away at the age of 48*. Welch voiced Tails in all 65 episodes of the series alongside Jaleel White’s Sonic and Long John Baldry’s Robotnik (Baldry passed away in 2005).

Welch’s other TV credits include AMC’s Rubicon, The Sopranos, The Practice, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: SVU and The Good Wife. Welch also appeared in several movies including Spielberg’s War of the Worlds and Lincoln, Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master and Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

All of us at SEGAbits, especially those of us who grew up on Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, send our thoughts and prayers to Welch’s family. He will be missed.

I wanted to add that the Seattle Times has a fantastic tribute to Welch’s stage acting career, featuring a great photo from 1993 which was around the same time he had worked on Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.

* Despite many entertainment outlets stating that Welch was likely 48, this doesn’t jive with his child-like voice in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog. At 48 now, Welch would be 28 in 1993. But given puberty has been the presumed cause for Welch not appearing in Sonic Christmas Blast in 1996, he would have been closer to 11 which matches with a 1983 birthdate floating around. And yet, the Seattle Times shows a photo from 1993 featuring a man much older than 11. So either Welch was much older and could do a great child voice, and did not appear in the Christmas special for other reasons, or something else is not matching up.

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Yogscast DLC teased for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

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Recently, Sumo Digital producer Steve Lycett has been teasing a new controversial character to be added to the roster of the PC version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Nothing has been formally announced as of yet, but according to a recent stream from the Yogscast – one of UK’s top Youtube channels – it was revealed that they’re pushing for a new Humble Bundle that is currently not active, which reportedly has Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and a new racer as part of the deal. In addition, their livestream revealed not only the bundle, but that there is charity DLC on the way for the PC version of the game. They didn’t reveal what it is, but given Lycett’s comments, and what they mentioned and showed on the stream, the new racer could be Yogscast’s very own Simon.

Keep in mind it is entirely for charity and not a deal of a Lets Play “celebrity” taking away a spot of a potential SEGA character. Lycett also mentioned that there is more stuff on the way that would be bigger. But for now, this is whats set for December 6th.

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SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog in the 2013 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

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SEGA returned to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2013 with their signature Sonic float. Back in 1993 Sonic was the parade’s first video game character to make the transition to parade balloon, even beating his rival Mario who by our knowledge has yet to even appear as a balloon in the parade. Unfortunately 1993 was a windy day and several balloons, including Sonic, popped as they ran into street lamps and buildings. Thankfully, 2013’s parade had no such occurrences despite returning windy conditions.

From all of us at SEGAbits, have a very happy Thanksgiving!

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The Dreamcast Junkyard Top 200 results are here – Happy 15th birthday to the SEGA Dreamcast!

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SEGA Network partner site The Dreamcast Junkyard, specifically the hardworking site contributor The Gagaman as well as myself who built the original poll (my fingers still hurt), have been busy the last few months polling SEGA fans to select their favorite Dreamcast games from a list of every single title. The end result would be a top 200 of the best Dreamcast games as selected by the fans! The polling has now ended and the results are live just in time for the Dreamcast’s Japanese release anniversary. Yup, that’s right, the SEGA Dreamcast is 15 years old today! Celebrate by checking out the Top 200 results and of course play some of your favorite Dreamcast games.

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My Life with SEGA proves that white men can’t jump in Jammit on SEGA Genesis

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It’s another sport’s edition featuring Lauren Buckler. This time, she’s going head-to-head with A.J. Rosa in GTE Entertainment’s Jammit; an arcade-style one-on-one street basketball game developed by GTE Vantage.

Will her winning streak continue after trouncing A.J. Rosa’s sorry ass last week with NHL Hockey ’94?

This episode also includes a teaser for No Limits: My Life with SEGA, the thrilling sequel to The Next Level! Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel!

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Round Table: What’s next for Sonic after Lost World?

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Whenever I complete the latest Sonic game, the first thing I think about is “what’s next?”. Following Sonic Colors, it seemed like for the first time since the Sonic Adventure titles, speculation was an exciting experience. Would they expand on the Wisp power-ups? Would SEGA continue with some form of boost, or would the slow things down? Sonic Generations answered these questions with a “greatest hits” game featuring modern Sonic gameplay that felt like a mix of the best elements found in both Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colors. Following Sonic Generations, Sonic Team promised us something new and unique, and that something was Sonic Lost World. We’ve all played and, and we all have varying opinions on it. Some enjoyed it and some… well, we’re sure to have an editorial soon.

With another Sonic game behind us, the SEGAbits writers and myself are once again asking that question of “what’s next?”. Join us in our super Sonic speculation in the return of the SEGAbits Round Table!

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The SEGA Five: Best SEGA games on the Xbox 360

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Today is the launch day for the Xbox One in America, and as people head to stores to pick up the latest console, the Xbox 360 officially becomes a “last gen” machine. Last week George named the five best SEGA titles to grace the Playstation 3, and seeing as how I’m the site’s Xbox guy, I thought I’d do the same for the Xbox 360. As with George’s list, these are my personal picks, so feel free to add any titles in the comments section!

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Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse released today to iOS

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The rollout of SEGA iOS titles continues with Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse! I don’t recall this title ever being announced for iOS, so this is quite the surprise. The game itself is fantastic, which you can read all about in our review. The game can be played on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch for $9.99 USD. What game can we expect next from SEGA? Well, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was promised a November release, so stay tuned for that one. Also, the Nintendo 3DS SEGA 3D Classics begin releasing next week with 3D Space Harrier and 3D Super Hang-On on Thanksgiving day.

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Demon Tribe now available and free to download on iOS

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Demon Tribe, produced by Masayoshi Kikuchi of Panzer Dragoon, Yakukza, and Jet Set Radio fame, is now available to download on iOS for free! That’s right, no need for us to convert prices or post a list of currencies for each country. The title is free to download now, and those who get into the game early gain access to exclusive KISS Demons and other launch rewards. As shared by the SEGA Blog, completing the following objectives unlocks exclusive demons designed to look like members of the band KISS:

Receive KISS ‘The Star Child’ Rare Demon (Paul Stanley) when you complete the tutorial!
Receive KISS ‘The Demon’ Rare Demon (Gene Simmons) when you share the exciting launch of Demon Tribe to your Facebook or Twitter profile from within the game!
Receive 1,000 CP (in-game currency) by raising your Organization Level to 20!
Receive Bonus Gems to summon more Demons just for logging in!

A weird, but welcomed, bonus indeed. SEGA describes the game as an intense real-time blend of MOBA, Card Collection and RPG gaming. Players are tasked with building a powerful team of fighters by capturing demons and fusing them into magic that transforms you and your tribe into the very demons you vanquish. For more info on the game, head on over to the SEGA Blog or simply download it now!

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Can you play a SEGA Dreamcast through the Xbox One’s HDMI in?

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Despite it being a big week for video games, with both Sony and Microsoft releasing new consoles, very little has applied to SEGA fans. Aside from Xbox One’s Crimson Dragon, there are no actual SEGA games releasing on either console at launch. However, thanks to GameSpot editor Peter Brown, who we’ve been chatting with on Twitter, we may have an answer for whether or not you can play a Dreamcast through the Xbox One. After we tweeted “Awaiting the first video of a Dreamcast with VGA out going through an HDMI converter box, and into the HDMI in port of an Xbox One”, Peter replied, “I tried passing a composite signal into a HDMI conv box, and it won’t work. Following up with Microsoft re: HDMI passthrough reqs”. So it looks like the Genesis, Saturn, or any other composite signal console running through an HDMI converter is a no go. Peter then tried running a VGA signal through an HDMI converter and….

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First 4 Figures Sonic Generations diorama up for pre-order, prices revealed

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First 4 Figures latest line of Sonic statues departs from the Modern or Classic designations for a theme dubbed The Sonic Diorama Collection. Promising to “celebrate iconic scenes from Sonic’s amazingly diverse history”, the first of these diorama statues features Modern and Classic Sonic rolling around at the speed of sound through City Escape in Sonic Generations. The statue is now up for pre-order, with an exclusive edition featuring illuminated sparks and ramp for $329.99, limited to 450 pieces. The standard edition lacks the lights and is $299.99, limited to 1,000 pieces. Both are estimated to release on the second quarter of 2014.

While the first of these dioramas is quite attractive, as with previous First 4 Figures Sonic statues, the price is ever going up as each new statue is revealed. The first Sonic statue, released in 2009, featured Sonic in his classic design on a Green Hill base for $129.99. The most recent Sonic statue, featuring Shadow, in the exclusive form was $229.99. By comparison, this new diorama is a $100 increase from the last statue, and a $200 increase from the first of the Sonic statues. What do you all think? Is $300+ worth it for this new statue? What Sonic diorama’s would you like to see in the future?

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Charles Bellfield, former SEGA VP of strategic planning and corporate affairs, has passed away

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Sad news this morning as we have learned that Charles Bellfield, SEGA of America’s former VP of strategic planning and corporate affairs from 1998 to 2003, has passed away. Bellfield was best known as the spokesman for Sega of America during the launch of the Dreamcast. The news of his passing came from his brother Edward through Facebook, saying that Bellfield had passed away in San Francisco on Friday night. Bellfield held other positions in the gaming industry including executive roles at Edelman, Capcom, Codemasters, 3DV Systems, EmotionPlay, and Imagination Technologies’ Pure North America division.

Peter Moore, Bellfield’s SEGA boss during the Dreamcast era, described him as “good time Charlie. The life of every party, a true bon vivant. The quintessential Englishman abroad. You’ve left us way too soon Charlie, but you’ve also left us with a hundred stories to tell and a thousand smiles on all of our faces. The room was a better, more fun-filled place when you were in it.”

We here at SEGAbits send our condolences to Bellfield’s family and friends. He will be missed.

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