Author Archives: Barry

Total War: Rome II joins the PC version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

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Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed’s PC roster has expanded, with the addition of Willemus, a Roman soldier from the upcoming Total War: Rome II. Owners of the racing game spotted the new character in a free update that just recently rolled out. Willemus joins other PC exclusive characters which include General Winter of Company of Heroes 2, the Football Manager from Football Manager, Shogun of Total War: Shogun 2, and the Team Fortress 2 trio. While I find the PC characters to be pretty cool, it would be awesome if SEGA gave the same level of love to the console versions of the game. After the break, check out photos of Willemus in action.

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SEGAbits Visits SEGA of America, Inc. in Sunny San Francisco – Part 2

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Quick recap: a few weeks back I paid a visit to SEGA of America’s headquarters. In part 1, we explored the area where the offices are located, entered the office building lobby, got on an elevator, and entered SEGA’s lobby. In part 2, we’re going to explore the SEGA office lobby, taking a look at all the cool bits of SEGA history on display! Join me, as I venture inside SEGA of America.

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My Life with SEGA takes to the skies with Panzer Dragoon Saga

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Panzer Dragoon Saga. So much has already been said in regards to Yukio Futatsugi’s swan song for Sega’s then underrated Saturn console. It’s received unanimous praise from gamers and critics alike, and has become a highly sought after collector’s item since its release….

Expectations were exceedingly high throughout the course of Panzer Dragoon Saga’s 2 year development. Not only would it expand on the franchises mythology, but it would be the first – and, as of this writing, last – role-playing game in the series. Players would be free to explore this incredible universe by air and on foot. This series, much like the dragon itself, evolved.

Sadly, it fell on some dark days. Saturn was on its way out in North America, which resulted in Saga receiving a limited run of only 30,000 copies. Considering there were over 2 million units sold in the United States, Saga was spread pretty thin. Used copies have been known to fetch well over $500 dollars on Amazon and eBay. Just think, that’s the suggested retail price of an Xbox One.

Now, 15 years later, I’m finally going to review it. Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel!

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SEGA releases second Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse behind the scenes video

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SEGA has released the second behind the scenes trailer for their upcoming HD remake of the Genesis/Mega Drive classic Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse. The first behind the scenes video discussed the classic title, while the second video mainly covers the remake, going into character, stage and sound design. The game is looking great, with a lot of fun little graphical and gameplay details. I especially liked the bit where the lamp switch doubles as a rope, and using it causes the light to turn on and off. After the break, check out a piece of promo art for the game.

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SEGA 3D Classics series on Nintendo 3DS announced for the United States and Europe

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I feel like we’ve been reporting on these forever, but up until now the games in SEGA’s 3D Classics line-up have been exclusive to Japan. However, that isn’t the case anymore! The SEGA Blog and the latest Nintendo Direct from the UK has revealed that we can expect 3D Altered Beast, 3D Ecco the Dolphin, 3D Galaxy Force II, 3D Shinobi III, 3D Sonic The Hedgehog, 3D Space Harrier, 3D Streets of Rage, and 3D Super Hang-On to release “soon” to the Nintendo 3DS eShop in North America and Europe. You can see the announcement for yourself at 5:13 in the above video. Hooray!

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After Burner Climax mobile update adds new plane and in-game cinematics

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The SEGA Blog has announced that After Burner Climax for iOS and Google Play will be receiving a free update which will add a new playable plane as well as in-game cinematics. The plane, dubbed the X-47B, is desribed as being “the latest in stealth technology from Northrup Grumman”. The in-game cinematics come from the arcade and console versions, which until now were lacking from the mobile versions. All-in-all a great update, which gives app owners a reason to replay the game again. And again.

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New Sonic Lost World Wii U screens reveal a return of Casino Night Zone

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The Sonic Stadium got their hands on nineteen new screens from the Wii U version of Sonic Lost World, and they’re quite revealing! Desert Ruin is seen in a few screens, showing off a new giant cactus enemy, as well as iconic loops, a sand tornado, and the drill and eagle Wisps in action. A wild jungle stage is seen, which has been previously revealed in the Color Power trailer, also seen is a night stage filled with robotic owls which are seemingly on the lookout for our hero. Sonic Gear Solid? [Update: ONM UK has revealed that this stage is named Silent Forest] Most exciting for classic Sonic fans is the reveal of a Casino Night inspired zone, a stage which was sadly not a full-on action stage in the console version of Sonic Generations.

After the break, check out a full gallery of all the images!

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Nintendo trademarks point towards a new Seaman game

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In February of last year, we reported on Nintendo wanting bring other publishers’ classic titles to their handheld, and Seaman was said to be one such game. Even earlier than that in 2010, Seaman creator Yoot Saito hinted that Seaman could very well be seeing a 3DS revival. Now, the blog Esuteru reports that Nintendo has registered trademarks that read very much like the beloved SEGA Dreamcast game. The trademarks are for games entitled “Mysterious Pet: Legend of the Fish With A Human Face” and “Mysterious Partner: Legend of the Fish With A Human Face”. While Vivarium Inc., the Nintendo 3DS, and Seaman himself were not mentioned in the trademarks, the previously mentioned news stories do support the possibility of these trademarks being a Seaman sequel or spiritual successor to Seaman. Siliconera notes that Yoot Saito worked directly with Nintendo on the Gamecube’s Odama and most recently developed Aero Porter for the 3DS.

What do you think? Would you want a talking fish in your pocket?

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SEGAbits Visits SEGA of America, Inc. in Sunny San Francisco – Part 1

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On the list of awesome opportunities that have presented themselves as a result of me becoming a SEGA fan site writer, a visit to SEGA’s San Francisco offices has taken a firm hold of the number one slot. I had already planned to take a trip to California starting in Los Angeles, heading northward via the coastal highway, and ending the San Francisco. When it came to San Fran, SEGA’s offices were at the top of the list of places to check out. At most, I figured I’d pose in front of the building, but given our connections with the SEGA community managers I went out on a limb and reached out. After a short correspondence, a date and time was set and I was in. I was going to visit SEGA’s American HQ! Through the powers of words and photos, come along with me as we step inside SEGA.

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New Sonic Lost World trailer reveals color powers and release date

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Courtesy of IGN comes a new trailer for Sonic Lost World, which based on the latest footage is very much a “Sonic Colors 2” in spirit. Before we get into the gameplay related bits, it should be highlighted that the trailer reveals a US release date for both Wii U and 3DS versions: October 22nd, 2013. New Wisp color powers are revealed, including Eagle – which allows Sonic to soar like NiGHTS, Astroid – a Void-like Wisp which sucks enemies and pieces of the game world into its orbit, and Rhythm – Sonic turns into a music note and moves through difficult areas to the beat. Drill, Laser, and Rocket are returning color powers. Also seen in the trailer are new zones and enemies.

Give it a watch and tell us what you think in the comments section, or discuss the game in our forums!

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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.

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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.

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Sonic celebrates his 22nd birthday at Tokyo Joypolis in Japan

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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.

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“Not Enough Rings” Sonic parody comic attempting a book release on Kickstarter

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The hilarious Sonic the Hedgehog parody comic “Not Enough Rings” has turned up on Kickstarter to fund a physical book release of the series. We’ve backed it! Why don’t you do the same? Creator Veronica Vera describes the series best: “We know video game webcomics are a dime a dozen. Especially Sonic ones! But in all our years on the internet, we never came across the comic we wanted. No sprite recolors, no tribal Echidna warriors, definitely no werehogs — just a real comic retelling of the remarkable games we grew up playing.”

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For just $25, fans get a slick looking copy of the book, featuring comics covering every stage from Sonic 1 through to Sonic 3 & Knuckles. As a special perk to buyers, many of the Sonic 3 & Knuckles comics will release in the book long before appearing on their website. Other goodies include a barrel of death t-shirt, signed copies of the book, original art, and more! So what are you waiting for? Spin dash over to their Kickstarter page and help them out.

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Sonic Boom and Summer of Sonic event locations and dates revealed!

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Hey Sonic fans, tired of the internet and want to mingle with fellow Sonic fans in the real world? Well, thanks to SEGA and The Sonic Stadium’s Svend Joscelyne, Summer of Sonic is back! The event takes place Saturday, August 3rd at the Westminster Central Hall in London, UK. Details can be found on the official website, including the mention of a theme for this year: Metal Sonic and Badniks. Live in America and can’t make it to London? Sonic Boom is also back, this year at The Pageant in St. Louis, MO on August 10th, 2013 at 5pm. Why St. Louis? SEGA figured the East and West coasts get a lot of love, and it was about time that we saw a midwest event.

More details can be found in the SEGA Blog post. Are you attending one of the events? Let us know in the comments section!

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