Author Archives: Barry

IDW Sonic the Hedgehog villains Rough and Tumble revealed

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IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog comic books are due out with one issue per week in April and then monthly after that, and in the lead up to the new series we have our first look at the villains Rough and Tumble via Kotaku. Set to debut in issue three, these skunk brothers (Rough is the little one, Tumble is the big one) are described as “independent agents” and “more bullies than masterminds” but “tough enough to maybe become someone’s henchmen down the line”, according to associate editor David Mariotte. The character creation process is also touched on in the article, noting that SEGA has final approval on new creations.

IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog #1 releases April 4th! After the break, check out some additional images of the new villains.

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New Sonic the Hedgehog toys and figures coming from Diamond Select Toys

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Diamond Select Toys & Collectibles have announced that they have teamed with SEGA to create a line of Sonic the Hedgehog collectibles for, in their words, fans “young and old” (which to me translates to modern and classic Sonic). The first products will be unveiled at the International Toy Fair in New York City which is in just a few days on February 17. Product categories include Gallery PVC dioramas (9-inch scale PVC sculpted statues), Minimates block figures, Vinimates vinyl figures (4-inch block-style figures) and PVC mini-figures with collect-and-connect racetracks.

The new products are expected to release holiday 2018. We’ll be sure to share images of the new products as soon as they leak from the toy fair!

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Sonic the Hedgehog: Battle Racers board game Kickstarter launches

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A new officially licensed Sonic the Hedgehog board game has just hit Kickstarter, titled Sonic the Hedgehog: Battle Racers. Developed by Shinobi 7, the board game sees 2-5 players using re-painted miniatures to race past Badniks and bosses, while collecting rings in a sprint to the finish. While the game will see a commercial release outside of Kickstarter, there are bonuses to entice collectors. The bonuses, however, come at a cost as the only tier is $100 + shipping.

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Yakuza 6: The Song of Life delayed, demo release date announced

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We have good news and bad news. The good news is SEGA will be releasing a demo for Yakuza 6: The Song of Life on February 27th. The demo will allow players to bring their save into the full game upon release, so you can start your adventure early. The bad news is that the game will be delayed a month, releasing April 17, 2018. The move was cited as a tough business decision, but claims this gives more time to line things up for launch. The change puts Yakuza 6 4 days away from God of War, which some fear will hurt sales. However I personally think Yakuza has enough of a dedicated fanbase and the games are different enough that it really won’t be a big deal. Plus, does God of War have a premium edition that comes with drinking acoutrama?

You can still pre-order Yakuza 6: The Song of Life Essence of Art Edition for PlayStation 4, so if you haven’t already then get on it!

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Rare unreleased SEGA arcade game “Ribbit!” playable at the Galloping Ghost

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The largest arcade in the world, Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield, IL, has appeared quite a bit on our news page thanks to their continued efforts to make as many games playable as possible in their ever expanding lineup of machines (at well over 600). Their latest addition is a unique title from SEGA’s arcade past: 1991’s Ribbit!. Developed and published by SEGA for the System C Hardware (an arcade board most notably used for Puyo Puyo, Columns and SegaSonic Popcorn Shop), the game plays similarly to Frogger where 1-2 players control frogs in four directions with the goal being to eat all the small bugs but ignore the larger ones.

Unfortunately, the game played too similarly to Frogger and it is said Konami threatened a lawsuit which lead to the game not seeing a full release. How Galloping Ghost got their hands on the board is a story they say will be told soon. In the meantime, fans of obscure arcade games can head on over to the arcade and play this hidden gem now! Worth noting, the team at Galloping Ghost placed Ribbit! into an original Frogger cabinet and had custom side art, marquee and control panel art made at Galloping Ghost Reproductions.

After the break, check out a gallery of images and I’ll be sure to write up an arcade game review of the game the next time I head over there!

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Sumo Digital working on unannounced karting game – is Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing 3 in the works? [Update: Nope]

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Update: Sonic social media and PR man Aaron Webber said the following on Twitter: “Hi guys – saw rumors floating today about another SART game. Just wanted to confirm it’s not a thing!”

Developer Sumo Digital held a year end presentation and it appears there was a bit of a leak, as the presentation slides made their way online. The presentation details Sumo’s past, present and near future, and on the slide detailing current projects there is something that may be of interest to SEGA fans. Listed as being “in development” is an “unannounced karting game” which will feature “established global IP” and “original development”.

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Shining Resonance Re:frain rated by Australian Classification board – is the game releasing to the west?

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Shining Resonance Re:frain, the PS4 remaster of 2014’s Shining Resonance, could be releasing west based on a recent rating on the Australian Classificationboard website. Listed as being published by Sega of America, this is not out of line with previous SEGA titles rated for the region. The game is currently due out in Japan on March 29.

We did a SEGA News Bits video on the initial announcement of the game back in November of last year, noting that the developers considered this a “worldwide product”. So it looks like they are getting their wish with a western release! More news as we hear it. Now if only SEGA announced the new Virtual-On for the west…

[Source: Gematsu]

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SEGA Europe publishing new game from former Quantic Dream lead’s studio Interior Night

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Coming off the heels of SEGA Europe’s Two Point Hospital publishing deal is the news that SEGA Europe will be publishing a narrative-driven game from the studio Interior Night. Interior Night is an independent game studio of Quantic Dream and Sony veterans based in London, and their website states that they have “a keen interest in narrative games with rich stories and complex characters” and cites television shows like Breaking Bad, True Detective and Fargo.

The SEGA Europe deal will see the company publishing the studio’s first game. Nothing more has been revealed, but it is worth noting that this is not an acquisition, just a publishing deal. But you never know where things could lead! After the break, read some comments from SEGA and the development team.

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Preview: IDW Sonic the Hedgehog #3 & #4 – Meet Tangle the Lemur

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Yesterday we shared previews for IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog issues 1 and 2, and today we have previews for issues 3 and 4 which will round out the month of April which will see an issue released each week. While the first two issues feature Tails and Amy, issue 3 will feature Knuckles while issue 4 will feature Blaze. We will also be introduced to new characters including enemies named Rough and Tumble in issue 3, and a new hero named Tangle the Lemur in issue 4. IGN got the exclusive on what Tangle the Lemur is all about. Their preview features a quote from IDW associate editor David Mariotte who says that the intention was to create a character with a special ability tied to their features, like Sonic’s speed and Tails flight. The end result was a ring-tailed lemur who could use her tail as a whip or a fist.

After the break, check out the synopsis for issues 3 and 4 as well as the available covers!

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Preview: IDW Sonic the Hedgehog #1 & #2

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IDW’s Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series begins in April with an issue per week, and the publisher has been releasing exclusive previews on various sites. Yesterday, Entertainment Weekly debuted the previously revealed issue 1 cover art along with a variant cover reveal and some story details. Each issue released in April will star Sonic and spotlight a classic ally, with issue 1 featuring Tails. Issue 2, revealed today by CBR, will feature Amy Rose and – if the cover follows the story – Eggman robots from Sonic Forces as well as new characters including a pink goat girl (possibly IDW’s soon to be revealed character). Also, Amy will invite Sonic to join the Resistance, which makes me wonder if the first arc will be a Sonic Forces adaptation. The next two solicits should hit tomorrow.

After the break, check out the newly revealed covers and solicitation information.

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Unboxing: Jet Set Radio Beat action figure

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Let’s unbox the brand new Jet Set Radio Beat action figure which is part of the GAME CLASSICS line from Union Creative! Unlike the long running Figma line from Max Factory, GAME CLASSICS is just two figures deep with Arthur of Ghosts ‘n Goblins being the first. While GAME CLASSICS has room to improve, this is a really cool figure. Watch the video above to hear my thoughts on it, and if you like what you see you can own one yourself!

If you enjoy our SEGAbits Unboxing videos and want to support us: Give us a sub and give this video a like so it shows up on more like minded fans YouTube recommendations. You know, how that YouTube algorithm is.

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IDW reveals cover art for Sonic The Hedgehog #1, revealing the return of artist Tracy Yardley!

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IDW’s Sonic The Hedgehog comic book series is fast approaching, with the first four issues releasing weekly in April 2018. While we don’t know much about what we can expect from the new series, we do know a few things. The numbering will not resume from where Archie left off, IDW is starting back from square one. Also, we should expect a new canon, likely more game based. We even have an official description of the first arc thanks to the Amazon description for the first trade paperback which is due out September 18 and is titled “Fallout!”:

Join the Blue Blur for brand-new adventures as he and his friends race around the world to defeat the evil Dr. Eggman’s robotic forces!

The evil genius Dr. Eggman has been foiled–but the work of Sonic the Hedgehog isn’t over yet! In the aftermath of the latest epic battle, rogue robots continue to attack small villages around the world. In order to succeed, Sonic will need the help of his friends Tails, Knuckles, and Amy, along with some new and surprising allies. This new collection from acclaimed writer Ian Flynn features the blue blur like you’ve never seen him before. Gotta go fast!

Oh, and we also have the cover art, which can be seen above. Shared on the IDW Sonic Comic Squad Facebook group, the post reveals one of the official covers for issue #1 created by artist Tracy Yardley, meaning the longtime Archie Sonic comic artist is back alongside writer Ian Flynn. We’ll share more IDW Sonic news as we hear it!

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Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux set to release May 15 in the Americas for Nintendo 3DS

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Atlus has announced today that Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux is set to release for the Nintendo 3DS on May 15. This is a full 16 days earlier than we had originally slated the game for release. Compared to the 2009/2010 Nintendo DS release, Redux will feature additional story content, new illustrations by Masayuki Doi and a new character named Alex.

You can pre-order Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux now for $39.99, and if you’re a Amazon Prime member the pre-order price is just $31.99.

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Yakuza 6: The Song of Life mini-games trailer reminds us that Virtua Fighter 5 is coming soon to PlayStation 4

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The Yakuza 6: The Song of Life mini-games trailer has hit, and as expected they are packing a TON of side content into the latest title in the franchise. Everything to batting cage, darts and karaoke to undersea spearfishing, baseball management sims and playable SEGA arcade games including the likes of Hang-On, Space Harrier, Puyo Puyo and Virtua Fighter 5. The latter of which sold as its own game for the PS3 and Xbox 360 over ten years ago, and is now essentially a bonus game.

You can pre-order the Yakuza 6: The Song of Life Essence of Art Edition for the PlayStation 4, and act quickly as SEGA tells us they are just about sold out! The package features the game and a collectible hardcover art book.

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