Author Archives: Barry

Sonic Forces: Speed Battle revealed for mobile devices

September 12, 2017 by Barry

Various Sonic fans on Twitter have discovered a new iOS (and possibly Android) Sonic the Hedgehog game titled Sonic Forces: Speed Battle. According to the App Store listing, the game has players racing against other players from around the world in real-time four-player races. Weapons play a role in the game, and playable characters include Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, Vector and more. From the look of things, the game is very much an online multiplayer version of Sonic Dash set in Sonic Forces locations. Eagle eyed fans might notice that a Sky Sanctuary looking stage appears in the mobile game, perhaps meaning we will see the stage return in Sonic Forces?

After the break, check out the app store description and screenshots.

Sega Dreamcast: Collected Works Kickstarter launches – New book from Read-Only Memory!

September 12, 2017 by Barry

Readers of our site probably know that we are huge fans of the work of Darren Wall and Read-Only Memory, who was behind the excellent “Mega Drive/Genesis: Collected Works” book. Now, Darren and Read-Only Memory are returning to the world of SEGA books with “Sega Dreamcast: Collected Works”, a new book described as an “illustrated history of the cult games console, produced in collaboration with Sega”. The project is being funded by Kickstarter, and is already 30% funded with a £68,000 goal at the time of this article being posted. Given the project just launched today, that is impressive!

The campaign offers up several tiers, from the book itself to special slipcovers featuring Jet Set Radio, Shenmue and Phantasy Star Online logos. Already sold out are early bird editions at a reduced price and a Naoto Ohshima signed edition. There is also a Kickstarter exclusive Shenmue bookmark available for all backers. The campaign page has a LOT of information, from what the book will contain to who you can expect to be interviewed. Rather than copy and paste all that here, we urge you to check out the campaign page for yourself and consider supporting the project.

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SEGA News Bits: SEGA Dreamcast 18th Anniversary Discussion

September 9, 2017 by Barry

On 9/9/1999 the SEGA Dreamcast released in North America, and now 18 years later we’re still talking about it. On this SEGA News Bits, we celebrate the birthday of SEGA’s final home console by recommending the best exclusives, looking at the indie games released in 2017 and looking ahead to what indie games are coming in 2018 and beyond!

If you enjoy our SEGA News Bits segments 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.

Sonic Forces Bonus Edition announced, releasing November 7 – includes controller skin and SEGA/Atlus costumes

August 31, 2017 by Barry

SEGA has officially announced the release date of Sonic Forces, which is November 7, 2017. What more, there has also been announced Bonus Editions for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One featuring a controller skin and in-game add-ons of avatar outfits from SEGA and Atlus games. The costumes include: Jet Set Radio glasses and outfit, Persona 5 mask and outfit, Puyo Puyo hat, Super Monkey Ball ears and outfit and NiGHTS hat and outfit.

Sonic Forces Bonus Edition pre-order
Nintendo Switch | PlayStation 4 | Xbox One

Golden Axe joins the SEGA Forever mobile lineup

August 31, 2017 by Barry

The SEGA Forever lineup expanded today with the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive version of Golden Axe, available free-to-play now on iOS and Android devices. Like Ristar, this release features improved emulation, new screen modes, customizable controls and controller support. As an iPhone 7 owner, the game plays much better than the first wave of SEGA Forever titles. No doubt helped by the improvements to the emulator. It’s a shame this isn’t the superior arcade version, as I would love to eventually see the excellent Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder.

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Yakuza Kiwami now available in the Americas and Europe for PlayStation 4

August 29, 2017 by Barry

SEGA’s remake of the original classic that kicked off the popular Yakuza franchise, titled Yakuza Kiwami, releases today in the Americas and Europe for the PlayStation 4! To celebrate, SEGA has released a special launch trailer which can be seen above. As mentioned in the SEGAbits review, Yakuza Kiwami improves on the original game in almost all aspects and features additional plot points, includes the option to save anywhere and is the first time the game can be heard in Japanese outside of Japan.

If you still have not ordered the game, the special Yakuza Kiwami steelbook edition is available to purchase for a cool $29.88.

Have you picked the game up yet? If so, tell us what you think of it in the comments below or over on our Discord server or message board.

[UPDATE] Sonic Forces tag team mode gameplay footage released, Japanese release date revealed

August 24, 2017 by Barry

[UPDATE] The official Sonic the Hedgehog channel has released a new video of the tag gameplay, seen above. After the break, check out the Japanese stream video.
[UPDATE 2] New screens after the break!

With Sonic Mania released to the masses (well, aside from the PC version) Sonic Forces details have begun to release via Famitsu and Gamescon, and while I expect something from SEGA of America soon, I didn’t want to pass up newsing the new mode revealed for the game. In addition to Classic Sonic, Modern Sonic and the Custom Hero the game will include a Tag mode where players control both Modern Sonic and the Custom Hero, giving players the opportunity to see their creation running alongside Sonic.

At the moment, only a Modern Sonic team-up is confirmed, no word on Classic teaming with the Custom Hero. The Tag mode allows players to use both Sonic and Custom Hero’s abilities, meaning you can speed and boost like Sonic, and use the Wispons. Also, as seen in the video after the break, the duo will have the opportunity to fist bump into a special boost mode in which the vocal theme Fist Bump plays. If you’d like a peek at the controls, take a look at this Twitter post. Nothing too revealing, but it’s worth checking out.

Other details revealed include confirmation that Sonic Forces will be at Tokyo Game Show with special guests and new content and, as confirmed by SEGA, Sonic Forces is set to release November 9th, 2017 in Japan.

Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life Gameplay Trailer released, pre-orders now open

August 19, 2017 by Barry

SEGA has released a new trailer showing off various aspects of Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life gameplay. Take a look at how cutscenes will play out, epic in-game brawls, menu systems and mini games.

In Yakuza 6, Kazuma Kiryu will find out exactly how much people are willing to sacrifice for family – be those ties through blood or bond – when he investigates a series of shadowy events that involve the ones he holds closest to his heart. Fresh out of a three-year prison sentence, an older and weathered Kiryu comes to find out that his surrogate daughter, Haruka, has gone missing from the orphanage he looks after. The trail leads him to his old stomping grounds in Kamurocho, where he discovers that she has been struck by a car and now lies in a coma. To make matters worse, Kiryu learns that Haruka now has a son that he must look after. With baby in hand, Kiryu journeys to the seaside town of Onomichi, Hiroshima to unravel the truth about Haruka, her son, and a sinister secret that the Hiroshima yakuza are harboring.

Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life is now available to pre-order in two impressive launch editions. The Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life After hours Premium Edition comes with an art book, two drinking glasses, whiskey cubes, coasters and a collector’s box for $89.99. The Yakuza 6: The Song of Life Standard Edition, meanwhile, comes with an abridged art book which doubles as the game case and sells for $59.99. Both are available to pre-order now and release March 20, 2018.

Sonic Mania Review – Classic Sonic Returns! (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)

August 14, 2017 by Barry

I have no doubt that many reviews released today for Sonic Mania, releasing August 15 to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch and releasing August 29 to PC, will chart the ups and downs of the Sonic franchise, make mention of the recent Sonic Boom games, and make the assertion that Sonic has not been good for a long time. I also have no doubt that reviews like my own will smugly mention such reviews in an attempt to show how I’m coming at Sonic Mania from a more educated and informed place. Really, I just wanted an intro paragraph and now that that’s done we can get to what we’re all here for: my review of Sonic Mania!

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Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth releases October 17, check out the new Fencer trailer

August 10, 2017 by Barry

Atlus has announced that Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth releases October 17 in the Americas, and as previously revealed Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth will have a launch day edition which will include extras like a physical 24-page art book, six-track CD and a outer box to hold all your goodies including the game. Amazon has the game for pre-order, if you have Amazon Prime the game will cost you $31.99.

In addition to the release date, Atlus has released a new trailer showcasing the Fencer and included the following description:

It just wouldn’t be smart to traverse the Yggdrasil tree without someone who is pretty handy with a blade, so why not have an Earthlain Fencer watch your back when exploring? The Fencer is master of both rapier and shield, and let’s just say that during fights they really like to get straight to the point. Quick on their feet, Fencers excel at evasion, stabbing, initiating defensive buffs, stabbing, chaining together attacks with other party members, and stabbing. They can further specialize in their agility by sacrificing unnecessary equipment for speed or go all in with their swordsmanship to become a whirlwind of pain.

Sonic Mania revives the beloved Competition Mode

August 8, 2017 by Barry

SEGA has announced a new Sonic Mania feature that many classic fans are sure to love: Competition Mode! Players will be able to take on their friends as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles with the winner determined by different factors: clear time, score, number of items acquired, number of rings acquired when clearing the level, and total number of rings acquired throughout the level. Rules can be adjusted via changing the available items in item boxes and the number of rounds.

Update: It is incredibly probably very likely that the announcer is Takenobu Mitsuyoshi.

Check out the mode in the video above, and after the break check out screenshots of the Competition Mode menu.

Fan Made: Sonic Mania Physical Release Box Art Round-Up

August 7, 2017 by Barry

Sonic Mania has fast become the most hotly anticipated Sonic the Hedgehog games in years, in large part because it is not only the return of classic Sonic but also the return to the graphics and gameplay that made the series so popular in the early to mid 1990s. While Sonic Mania is releasing to all major modern platforms, the development team has described the game as Saturn-esque with several fans taking things a step further and declaring Sonic Mania the Sonic Saturn game we never got but always wanted.

While we won’t actually be seeing Sonic Mania on the SEGA Saturn or the Mega Drive/Genesis, that hasn’t stopped fans from creating their own custom box art that can be printed out, trimmed and applied to an old Saturn or Mega Drive/Genesis case of your choosing! After the break, check out the fan made box art we’ve found online and in the comments share your own custom box art.

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Sonic Mania special stages, bonuses, and time attack revealed

August 3, 2017 by Barry

SEGA has released new information about the upcoming Sonic Mania by way of a new trailer showing off the special stages, bonus stage and time attack mode. Special stages see the players chasing down enemy UFOs to obtain those precious Chaos Emeralds. As revealed at Comic Con, the spheres give the players an added speed boost.