Author Archives: Barry

[Exclusive] Classic SEGA Interview: Smilebit’s Takayuki Kawagoe talks Jet Set Radio Future with Xbox Nation Magazine

by

This interview originally appeared in the premiere issue of Xbox Nation Magazine. Stay tuned for scans of the magazine itself later this week!

Takayuki Kawagoe – Smilebit
Past projects: General development, project manager for various 16-bit titles, and head of the Saturn software lineup. Sega Rally 2 and JGR (Dreamcast), along with many others.
Xbox projects: Gunvalkyrie, JSRF: Jet Set Radio Future, Panzer Dragoon.
Favorite food: Any fish, Korean BBQ, and Italian food
Favorite movie: “Some Kind of Wonderful,” and any kung fu movie starring Jet Li.
Favorite music: Beastie Boys, De La Soul, Peter Gabriel, Joe Strummer/The Clash, Jim Foetus, Malcolm Mclaren, The Smiths, Nay Nays, Kyoko Koizumi, Robert Wyatt, Elvis Costello, Serge Gainsbourg, electro pop, hip hop, Latin beats, reggae, punk, and ’80s music in general.

XBN: Please describe your role in the development of Jet Set Radio Future?

Takayuki Kawagoe: As the producer for JSRF, I motivate my staff, consult with them, decide which direction the project should take, balance the budget, promote the title, etc.. Regarding the content in the game: because this is the second title, I trust Mr. Kikuchi (director) and Mr. Ueda (art director) with most of the finer details of the game. That said, I get my words in their works…I’m their “nagging father”…

Continue Reading ➜

No Comments

SEGA Talk Podcast #88: Illbleed (2001)

by

Horror returns in January as we take a dive into the spooky, comedic world of Illbleed. Can you survive this horrific theme park? Join Barry and George as they dive deep into this cult classic Dreamcast exclusive and find out how the game ties in with Sonic the Hedgehog!

Support us on Patreon! Get early access, tell us what games to cover, and have your SEGA memories read at the end and more!

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – RSS – Download]

If you want to give us feedback, suggest a topic for the next podcast or want to ask a question for us to answer on the next episode you can add  them as a comment below or send theme directly to our email. Make sure you use subject line ‘SEGA Talk’ and as always, thanks for listening!

No Comments

SEGA Talk #87: Gunvalkyrie (2002)

by

This time on SEGA Talk podcast we take a look at the overlooked Smilebit Xbox exclusive Gunvalkyrie! We take a look at the cancelled Dreamcast port, talk about its unique controllers and why the game has stayed exclusive to Xbox over the years. All this and more, on SEGA Talk!

Support us on Patreon! Get early access, tell us what games to cover, and have your SEGA memories read at the end and more!

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – RSS – Download]

If you want to give us feedback, suggest a topic for the next podcast or want to ask a question for us to answer on the next episode you can add  them as a comment below or send theme directly to our email. Make sure you use subject line ‘SEGA Talk’ and as always, thanks for listening!

No Comments

The SEGAbits Swingin’ Report Show LIVE: Into the SEGAverse

by

On our first live show of the year we look to Twitter and YouTube for YOUR questions and comments! Where is Jet Set Radio 3? Why can’t SEGA rerelease Saturn games? Oh, and where is Jet Set Radio 3? Also, we take a look at the deluxe release of the Sonic Encyclo-Speed-ia!

Support us on Patreon! Get early access, join in the conversation, get Q&A priority, become a guest on the show and more!

[Download] [RSS] [iTunes] [Archive]

No Comments

SEGA News Bits Live: Happy NFT Year!

by

New year, same nonsense! On this SEGA News Bits Live, Barry looks back on the week of news including SEGA’s stance on NFTs, Sonic 1 on Tesla vehicles and Ken Penders sharing his list of characters and concepts he owns.

If you want to support this type of content, you can check out our Patreon!

If you enjoy our SEGA News Bits segments and want to support us: Give us a sub and give this video a thumbs up so it shows up on more like-minded fans YouTube recommendations. You know, how that YouTube algorithm is.

 

No Comments

LEGO Ideas Sonic the Hedgehog set now available to purchase

by

The long awaited Sonic Mania inspired LEGO Ideas Sonic the Hedgehog set has both been revealed and released! The set has changed quite a bit from the original pitch. Gone are the Hard Boiled Heavies, Flicky birds and Death Egg Robot. As such, the Sonic Mania presence is pretty much gone, making this a Sonic 1 set. The set is available now at the LEGO online shop as well as in physical LEGO stores, and retails for $69.99.

No Comments

SEGA Talk #86: Alpha Protocol (2010)

by

SEGA Talk is back, for the last show of the year! This time we cover the SEGA x Obsidian espionage RPG Alpha Protocol! Clock your weapons, turn up the volume and let’s dive deep into this spy thrilling episode!

Support us on Patreon! Get early access, tell us what games to cover, and have your SEGA memories read at the end and more!

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – RSS – Download]

If you want to give us feedback, suggest a topic for the next podcast or want to ask a question for us to answer on the next episode you can add  them as a comment below or send theme directly to our email. Make sure you use subject line ‘SEGA Talk’ and as always, thanks for listening!

No Comments

Sonic the Hedgehog 4K Bonus Stage Edition Steelbook releasing in time for the sequel

by

Paramount and SEGA’s 2020 Sonic the Hedgehog will be seeing a 4K + Blu-Ray + Digital re-release to coincide with the upcoming sequel. Dubbed the Bonus Stage Edition, the boxed set will include the previously released comic book, as well as mini posters, what appears to be a collector card, and an outer box and a mini CD sized Steelbook case. The set will release March 15th, 2022 and the sequel is due out April 8th, 2022. You can pre-order it now here.

No Comments

Official Sonic the Hedgehog HORI Switch Split Pad Pro revealed, available to pre-order now

by

Revealed today is an officially branded Sonic the Hedgehog HORI Switch Split Pad Pro, and guess what… you can pre-order it now! While Mario and Pikachu seem to have all the fun when it comes to branded Nintendo controllers, it’s great to finally see SEGA and Sonic stepping into the ring. The split pad retails for $59.99 and is said to release at the end of January, 2022.

Continue Reading ➜

No Comments

The SEGAbits Swingin’ Report Show LIVE: Our Favorite and Most Disappointing Games of 2021

by

Let’s close out the year by talking about our favorite and most disappointing SEGA and ATLUS games of 2021! In previous years, we’ve presented these as two SEGA News Bits videos, but this year we’ve combined them into one big SEGAbits Swingin’ Report Show awards show. Special guest Sonic Yoda from SEGA Driven will also be featured, walking us through the games released throughout the year.

Support us on Patreon! Get early access, join in the conversation, get Q&A priority, become a guest on the show and more!

[Download] [RSS] [iTunes] [Archive]

No Comments

Discotek Media announces Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog SD on Blu-Ray release, packed with bonus features

by

Longtime readers of SEGAbits should know by now my love for Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog. I’ve written about it a lot, so much so that each one of those words is a different article. So it pleases me to write about it AGAIN to share that Discotek Media will be releasing an SD on Blu-Ray release of the series, meaning the full series in standard definition on two blu-ray discs. But that’s not all!

Continue Reading ➜

No Comments

SEGA Talk #85: Astro Boy: Omega Factor (2003)

by

On this SEGA Talk, we cover all things Astro Boy and we dive deep into the manga and anime world created by Osamu Tezuka. We also discuss how SEGA’s Hitmaker studio and Treasure teamed up to create the Game Boy Advance classic Astro Boy: Omega Factor!

Support us on Patreon! Get early access, tell us what games to cover, and have your SEGA memories read at the end and more!

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – RSS – Download]

If you want to give us feedback, suggest a topic for the next podcast or want to ask a question for us to answer on the next episode you can add  them as a comment below or send theme directly to our email. Make sure you use subject line ‘SEGA Talk’ and as always, thanks for listening!

No Comments

SEGA News Bits Live: Sonic Frontiers & Movie Sequel Trailers Analysis

by

Wow! What a night at the Game Awards! That one game won, and that lady got an award too! Okay, we don’t care about the awards. It was a trailer show, and Sonic fans had a plate full of footage to sift through! On this SEGA News Bits Live, Barry analyzes the trailers for Sonic Frontiers and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 the movie.

If you want to support this type of content, you can check out our Patreon!

If you enjoy our SEGA News Bits segments and want to support us: Give us a sub and give this video a thumbs up so it shows up on more like-minded fans YouTube recommendations. You know, how that YouTube algorithm is.

No Comments

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie trailer debuts at the Video Game Awards

by

The expected and anticipated Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie trailer debuted at the Video Game Awards, and it largely delivers! Sonic, Tails and Robotnik are all on display sporting refined designs thanks in large part to the movie not starting production with that wonky early design and Jim Carrey finally truly looking the part. What more, we get a look at Knuckles and hear more Emerald Hill Zone music. All-in-all, an impressive trailer. Though, the big question I have is will we return to Sonic’s world and explain that whole owl versus echidna thing? I guess we will find out on April 8, 2022.

No Comments

Check out the poster for SEGA and Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2, plus trailer update

by

The Sonic movie twitter account dropped a poster for the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and revealed that the first trailer debuts at the Game Awards, tomorrow December 9th at 8pm ET. The poster actually reveals quite a bit! Tails will be taking a co-starring role and the iconic red biplane will be making the jump to the live action movie series, though whether it is christened the Tornado remains the be seen.

Continue Reading ➜

No Comments