Author Archives: Barry

SEGA News Bits: Sonic Utopia Fan Game Trailer and Demo Reaction

by

Sonic Utopia is the brand new Sonic the Hedgehog fan game from Mr Lange, Murasaki Fox, Tpot and PicsAndPixels. Making its debut at SAGE 2016, Sonic Utopia features open world 3D Sonic the Hedgehog gameplay. On this SEGA News Bits, George and Barry share their reaction to the initial trailer and give their thoughts on the demo as well as how the gaming media has responded to the game.

Want to try Sonic Utopia for yourself? You can download it here!

As always, if you like our SEGA News Bits segments, please give us a like and a subscribe on our YouTube page. Thanks!

No Comments

Watch raw footage of Sonic Mania’s Mirage Saloon Zone and enjoy the new music!

by

Hey, Polygon did something right! While yesterday footage of Sonic Mania‘s new zone Mirage Saloon released, the video featured commentary meaning we could not hear the sweet Tee Lopes music and retro sound effects. Now, Polygon has uploaded footage of Knuckles in Mirage Saloon Zone. Aside from showing off some new areas in the stage, we get a good listen to the music which features a very Ennio Morricone sounding “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” whistle.

Check it out for yourself, and in the comments below let us know what you think of the new zone and music!

1 Comment

See the new Sonic Mania stage Mirage Saloon Zone and Tails & Knuckles in action

by

SEGA has granted YouTube channel Kinda Funny Games the exclusive reveal of a new Sonic Mania stage, Mirage Saloon Zone, as well as our first look at Tails and Knuckles in action as well as the Sonic & Tails mode. Interestingly, the new zone is very reminiscent of Desert Dazzle, a scrapped original zone that Taxman had planned to include in the remaster of Sonic CD. There are several easter eggs and fun visuals that can be spotted in the new zone, including a Fang the Sniper wanted poster and pinball flippers that resemble bird heads. We also get a look at the CRT filter which, to be honest, I’m not that big a fan of.

Give the video a watch and in the comments below, sound off on the new zone!

7 Comments

3D Power Drift standalone Nintendo eShop release to feature a SEGA all-stars bonus mode

by

3dclassicspower

Okay, this is amazing. Remember when SEGA released the SEGA 3D Classics Collection (Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 2 in Japan) and it featured some new games including the arcade Power Drift? Well, SEGA is planning on releasing a standalone Nintendo eShop release and as an added incentive the game features a new special mode! As detailed on the official Japanese product page is a special mode that is earned upon completing the game once. One element of this mode replaces course music with medleys from other SEGA arcade classics. The course and medley breakdown is as follows:

  • Course A: Space Harrier medley
  • Course B: OutRun medley
  • Course C: Fantasy Zone medley
  • Course D: Thunder Blade medley
  • E courses: AfterBurner medley

The other element of this special mode is really cool. Each Power Drift driver is replaced by an all-star cast of characters from past SEGA 3D Classics, effectively making it a super scaler SEGA All-Stars Racing game! The roster is as follows: Harrier, Binsbein (3D Space Harrier), Nameless Beast Warrior (3D Altered Beast), Flagman (3D OutRun), Joe Musashi (3D The Revenge of Shinobi Ⅱ), Dralinflore (3D Fantasy Zone), Axel, Blaze, Adam (3D Bare Knuckle), Mr. Hang-On (3D Super Hang-On), Galaxy Lady (3D Galaxy Force), and Alex Kidd (who did not appear in a 3D Classics title yet, but has made cameos in many credit sequences in the series).

This mode is exclusive to the Japanese Nintendo eShop release of 3D Power Drift. More information on this awesome bonus as we hear it, and here’s hoping we get a localization with this new mode! After the break, check out a full gallery of the roster.

Continue Reading ➜

6 Comments

SEGA Talk: Our Favorite OutRun Spin-offs

by

The SEGA Talk Podcast hit the open road last week with the first episode featuring SEGA’s iconic OutRun. Now, as promised, we have our first SEGA Talk video highlighting our discussion of our favorite OutRun spin-offs! The OutRun franchise is unique, as while there are really only two main series games, there have been a whole assortment of spinoffs – all existing in the racing/driving genre. Learn our favorites in the video above, and in the comments below sound off on YOUR favorite OutRun spin-off.

If you enjoy our SEGA Talk YouTube series segments, make sure you subscribe to our channel as we try to update it weekly. Thanks!

1 Comment

Sonic X The Complete Season 3 DVD now available to pre-order

by

SonicX_Coll2S3

Sonic X The Complete Season 3 is now available to pre-order on Amazon. Earlier this year, video distribution company Discotek Media announced that they had acquired the rights to release the complete English dub of Sonic X and the Japanese dub of SEGA Hard Girls to North America. While Sonic X complete seasons 1 and 2 is available to pre-order and due out November 8th, season 3 was announced to release a month later on December 6th. Described as “Collection 2 – The Metarex Saga”, the release contains episodes 53 through 78 and will complete Discotek Media’s releases of the series.

Prior to Discotek Media’s acquisition, the series had been released on a variety of DVDs including single disc releases containing three episodes and saga releases. These releases have since gone out of print and many are quite expensive, making it difficult for fans to complete the series. Discotek Media’s release is by far the most simple that Sonic X has received in America with only two collections.

No Comments

Opinion: What the Nintendo Switch means for SEGA

by

NX_Partners-1200x794

Nintendo unveiled their latest home console, the Nintendo Switch. Codenamed the Nintendo NX, the Switch was long rumored to be both a home console and a handheld system, and following the debut video the end product appears to be right on with leaks and predictions. Obviously SEGAbits is not a Nintendo site, so we don’t news the debut of new hardware from other companies. But since SEGA is a third-party software developer and they have been confirmed to be supporting the Switch I thought an op-ed was in order. Based on SEGA’s past with Nintendo hardware, what can we expect from the company? How could SEGA’s recent internal changes affect how they approach the Switch?

Continue Reading ➜

12 Comments

SEGAbits at New York Comic Con 2016: Interview with Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Comic Colorist Matt Herms

by

While covering New York Comic Con 2016, SEGAbits writer FlareHabanero had a chance to talk to Archie Comics freelance colorist Matt Herms. Matt has worked on a variety of Archie’s video game books, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Universe, Mega Man and the incredibly popular Sonic Mega Drive. Check out the interview for yourself to learn about how Matt got his start in the industry and what it’s like to work in comics as a colorist!

Enjoy our video content? Please give us a like and subscribe on our YouTube page. Thanks!

After the break, check out a bonus video of Matt drawing Sonic!

Continue Reading ➜

1 Comment

SEGAbits at New York Comic Con 2016: Shenmue 3 Interview with Cédric Biscay

by

SEGAbits attended New York Comic Con 2016 and had the opportunity to speak about Shenmue 3 with Cédric Biscay, president and CEO of Shibuya Productions. Cédric was kind enough to sit down with our own Kori-Maru to tell us how he got his start in the industry, what it’s like to work with Yu Suzuki and more!

Enjoy our video content? Please give us a like and subscribe on our YouTube page. Thanks!

2 Comments

Check out the latest Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls dialogue screenshots

by

Superdimension-Neptune-VS-Sega-Hard-Girls_10-07-16_010

A slew of new screenshots for the upcoming Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls game has been released by Idea Factory International, with the game’s dialogue being the focus. The 36 new screens, half of which are from the North American release and the other half being from the European release, give fans a peek at how the game will read and the color differences between Dreamcast’s outfit in both regions.

You can see the gallery of new screens after the break, and you can pre-order Superdimension Neptune VS Sega Hard Girls for PS Vita today and can expect the game to release on October 18th in North America and on October 21st in Europe.

Continue Reading ➜

3 Comments

SEGA and Cook & Becker to team up to release the Sonic the Hedgehog 25th Anniversary Art Book

by

sonic the hedgehog art book announce

Via the Cook & Becker blog comes the awesome news that SEGA has teamed with the art dealer to release a Sonic the Hedgehog 25th Anniversary Art Book. The book will cover Sonic’s entire history and will include design sketches, official illustrations, in-game and pixel art, promotional art and box art. The book will also contain never-before-seen artwork and will have interviews with designers and artists who worked on the series. Pre-orders have not yet opened, but Cook & Becker expect pre-orders to open wordwide in October or November with the ship date set as early 2017. There will be two versions, a Standard Edition and a Collector’s Edition.

Not to toot our own horn, but back in July of 2015, we interviewed Aaron Webber and when asked what sort of Sonic merchandise we’d like to see, we asked for a Sonic the Hedgehog art book. Aaron sounded genuinely interested in making such a thing happen. So, you’re welcome and Aaron… can we have a free copy of the book?

3 Comments

Review: Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (Nintendo 3DS)

by

SonicBoomReview

Prior to sitting down to write out this review for Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice, the third Sonic Boom game and the second to appear on the Nintendo 3DS, I told myself I would not fall into the reviewers trap of carting out some year that pinpoints when the Sonic series “went bad”. Not only have far too many reviewers done this already, but often I feel they are incredibly misinformed. Sonic Boom was, and is, a product of SEGA of America. While Sonic Team members do have their names attached to the multimedia project, credit really should go to select SEGA of America staff, OuiDo! Productions, Big Red Button and Sanzaru Games. Past games like Colors, Generations and Lost World were completely separate, both in canon and production, and as such I think it is unfair to say that the failings of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric should sully the main brand.

Sonic Boom was a chance for SEGA of America to fully control a piece of the Sonic pie, and while some elements of the multimedia experiment fell flat, others were and are actually quite enjoyable, namely the TV series and the short lived Archie Comics adaptation. When Sonic Boom is at its best, it evokes the old Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon and early Archie Comics. Light, funny and self-aware whilst retaining the sense of adventure. Does Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice fall into this category? Did Sanzaru Games learn from their previous title? Am I going to ask questions with the promise of answers if you click “Continue Reading”? Find out in my review of Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice!

Continue Reading ➜

3 Comments

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed now Xbox One backwards compatible

by

sonic-all-stars-racing-transformed-17545-1920x1080

SEGA and Sumo Digital’s Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed was a huge deal when it released back in 2012. Fans were surprised to see a sequel to the original Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, and were even more surprised to see just how ambitious the game was. Featuring three different vehicle modes that actually played differently (sorry Mario Kart 7), the game touted far more diverse racers and tracks, compared to the original, and appeared on just about every piece of modern hardware.

Today, the game adds a new console to its belt by way of Xbox One backwards compatibility. Via Major Nelson comes news that Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is now playable on Xbox One! If you haven’t picked the game up yet, there is really no excuse not to. Regardless of the SEGA fan service, it is a quality racer on its own. Want our expert opinion on the game? Check out our reviews of the console and handheld versions.

10 Comments

SEGA News Bits: Tokyo Game Show 2016 Impressions

by

Another Tokyo Game Show 2016 has passed, and in this SEGA News Bits your hosts George and Barry are joined by SEGAbits’ Tokyo Game Show 2016 correspondent Steve aka ap0c. Steve shares with us his firsthand impressions of what SEGA had to show at the event. Yakuza 0, Valkyria: Azure Revolution, Puyo Puyo Chronicles and more are covered in this special SEGA News Bits!

In the comments, let us know what SEGA or Atlus titles you are most excited for from the event.

You know the drill. If you like our SEGA News Bits segments, please give us a like and subscribe on our YouTube page. Thanks!

1 Comment

Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live prices and release dates revealed

by

unnamed

SEGA has announced prices and release dates for the upcoming Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live. That’s right, we’re using plurals, as the game – or should we say, “experience” – is releasing in three stages to both the US and Europe. Timed to coincide with the release of PSVR, Stage 1 will release on October 13th for $14.99 and will include seven tracks. The experience itself is free to download and comes with one free song, but of course if you want more you’ll need to download the Stages of which there are two more after Stage 1 with release dates to be announced. A Season Pass Bundle can be obtained at the discounted price of $39.99.

Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live is best described as a virtual reality concert, allowing players to sit in a stadium filled with Miku fans. Players are given free movement throughout the audience and are even allowed up on stage. Players can use their controllers as glow sticks to unlock easter eggs, and after progressing through three songs players receive a special solo encore performance.

After the break, check out the list of songs included in Stage 1 and in the comments below share your thoughts on Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live.

Continue Reading ➜

No Comments