SEGA announced a partnership with JAKKS Pacific, Inc. for the animated Sonic Prime Netflix series, continuing a long history of collaboration between the two companies. This new Sonic Prime line will bring action figures, playsets, vehicles, plush and other collectibles to life inspired by the Blue Blur’s next adventure, along with accessories produced in tandem with Disguise, Inc., available in 2023.
SEGA has announced that the company will be partnering up with Tesla to bring the original Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) to Tesla’s in-car gaming console for older and newer models. Passengers will be able to play the classic title that started it all on the SEGA Genesis in all Tesla models around the world via the built-in display screen in conjunction with a handheld controller connected through the car’s USB ports. Here is the press email description on the Sonic the Hedgehog x Tesla partnership:
“Get ready, Sonic fans! SEGA has just announced a partnership with Tesla to bring Sonic the Hedgehog 1, the game that started it all, to Tesla’s in-car gaming console for both existing and new models. Passengers turn into players as they race at lightning speed across classic zones to defeat enemies on a mission to save the world from the evil Dr. Eggman, all in the comfort of their own car!
SEGA is excited to partner with Tesla to bring this iconic Sonic title to their extensive gaming library. Sonic the Hedgehog 1 will be available in all Tesla models around the world via the built-in display screen in conjunction with a handheld controller connected through the car’s USB ports. Now no matter where you travel, Sonic can come along with you!”
Let us know what you think about the Sonic the Hedgehog and Tesla partnership on the comments below!
We finally received news at the Game Awards with not only the announcement of the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie trailer, we also got a quick look at Sonic Frontiers which is set to be released this Holiday 2022 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Here are the details on Sonic Frontiers:
“Worlds will collide in Sonic the Hedgehog’s newest adventure. An experience like never before, accelerate to new heights and experience the thrill of high velocity open-zone freedom. Battle powerful enemies as you speed through the Starfall Islands – landscapes brimming with dense forests, overflowing waterfalls, sizzling deserts and more! Planned for Holiday 2022.“
According to Game Informer, Frontiers is an open-world game developed by Sonic Team Japan and led by Sonic Forces/Sonic Lost World director, Morio Kishimoto. Sonic embarks on an adventure to the Starfall Islands, a collection of forests, deserts, waterfalls, among other biomes. It’s unsure what to expect, but based on the trailer, Sonic has some titanic opposition standing in his way. Ian Flynn has also been announced that he will pen the story for the title.
On the recent Virtua Fighter esports Official Broadcast, Seiji Aoki provided new information on the next upcoming downloadable content for Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown.
The upcoming downloadable content will be collaborating with the Yakuza series celebrating the series 16th anniversary featuring 650 items, 19 costume types, 19 costumes of the iconic characters from the Yakuza franchise such as Akira Yuki with Kazuma Kiryu clothes. The DLC will also feature 20 BGM from the Yakuza series, 20 Virtua Fighter 3 BGM (Arranged), and new 40 stamps.
The Yakuza Collaboration DLC pack for Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown will be released on December 8th for $10.
Bandai Namco Entertainment recently released a new trailer for Super Robot Wars 30, a popular tactical RPG series that brings characters and robots from a variety of mecha anime together to battle their mutual foes, with mainline Sakura Wars key characters (Ichiro Ogami, Sakura Shinguji, Erica Fontaine, Shinjiro Taiga and Gemini Sunrise) will appear as part of the first DLC pack under the Deluxe Edition. What a way to continue to support Sakura Wars series beyond its 25th anniversary!
Super Robot Wars 30 will be available for Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Steam on October 27th.
Today, October 5th 2021, marks the 21st anniversary of Skies of Arcadia (aka Eternal Arcadia) in Japan and former Map Designer of the game, Kenji Hiruta, made an announcement that the Skies of Arcadia manga will be published electronically in 2022 only in Japan.
The short-lived serialization was a tie-in to the video game of the same name released in 2000. Illustrated by the game’s concept artist, HOSHI Itsuki, and written by the game’s official story consultant, FUJIMOTO Junya, it was briefly published in Gekkan Magazine Z, and was never collected in tankoubon format.
With the support from fans and Kenji Hiruta long journey in negotiating with SEGA and the publisher along with finding the mysterious person who was involved with the serialization, a tremendous miracle was achieved.
You can read his entire blog post on the process on how Kenji Hiruta was able to get the manga version of Skies of Arcadia published here. Fingers crossed if he can get the English version published for the western audience.
It’s finally September and Lost Judgment, the sequel to Judgment, is around the corner. For those who purchase digital deluxe & ultimate editions of the game will be treated with tons of extra content. The contents will include:
Digital Deluxe – Detective Essentials Pack & School Stories Expansion Pack which will include extra detective dogs, Master System games, additional girlfriend, battle Super Shin Amon and more.
Digital Ultimate – The Kaito Files which will feature 10 hours of story content and the chance to play as Kaito.
Get Early Access from September 21st by pre-ordering the Digital Deluxe and Digital Ultimate Editions now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. Standard editions of Lost Judgment will be released on September 24th.
SEGA has announced another newcomer entering the Super Monkey Ball World. The magical worlds of Monster Rancher and Super Monkey Ball collide as Suezo rolls into Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania! Collect CDs as Suezo as you blast through multiple puzzling worlds.
Suezo will be a post-launch DLC character, launching October 19th for $4.99 will be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S|X when Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania launches on October 5th, 2021.
An unexpected guest character has entered the world of Super Monkey Ball as pop culture icon, Hello Kitty will be joining the cast in Banana Mania as DLC for $4.99. While playing as Hello Kitty, you will be able to collect apples around each level as you progress.
The Hello Kitty DLC will be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S|X when Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania launches on October 5th, 2021.
An announcement was made at this year’s Gamescom Opening Night Live that some of you might have never seen coming as Persona 5’s Phantom Thief, Morgana, will be joining the Monkey Gang in Super Monkey Ball as a post-launch DLC character and will feature the ability to collect treasure boxes across numerous stages. The feisty Phantom Thief will arrive on November 2nd for $4.99 USD (or equivalent) across all platforms. Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania will be available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S|X on October 5, 2021.
From the streets of Kamurocho to the slopes of Jungle Island, Kazuma Kiryu from the Yakuza series rolls into Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania! Instead of collecting bananas, Kazuma Kiryu can collect Stamina X bottles (a item he uses to recover his health gauge in the Yakuza games) as he progresses through numerous puzzling worlds. This would have to be one of the greatest SEGA crossovers so far as RGG Studio, formerly known as Amusement Vision, worked on the Super Monkey Ball series and then became CS1 R&D (RGG Studio) later to develop the Yakuza series.
Kazuma Kiryu will be free and unlockable on all platforms when Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania launches for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S|X on October 5, 2021!
Vespa and Hive today released a first look preview of “Shining Force: Heroes of Light and Darkness for mobile devices. Iconic characters from the “Shining Force” series such as Bowie, Sarah, and Max appear with a mysterious baby wrapped in a blue and red cloth, suggesting a grand story that unites the entire series as the game inherits the world view of the original, where the heroes become the “Shining Force” and win the battle against the Army of Darkness, and the story is set about 1000 years after the original game.
Shining Force: Heroes of Light and Darkness retains the simulation RPG elements of the original series with lively graphics and turn-based gameplay. Shining Force is scheduled to launch globally in the first half of 2022.
To celebrate Sonic the Hedgehog’s 30th Anniversary, roll around puzzling world and collect rings as Sonic the Hedgehog and Miles “Tails” Prower in their classic iterations from the Sega Genesis (Sega Mega Drive) days by unlocking them in Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania for free on all platforms through normal gameplay when the game launches for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S|X on October 5, 2021!
It seems that Shining Force series, the classic turn-based role playing game originally developed by Climax Entertainment, Sonic! Software Planning, will be returning to mobile devices as Hive, the Japanese subsidiary of Korean company Vespa has acquired the rights from SEGA to develop a new title and announced Shining Force: Hikari to Yami no Eiyuu (tentative)(Heroes of Light and Darkness).
The new game will launch in the first half of 2022 worldwide as a free-to-play title with item-based in-app purchases. Specific territories were not announced, but the licensing includes right to distribute games in Japan, South Korea, and other Asian countries, as well as North America and Europe with a beta test being planned.
Shining Force: Heroes of Light and Darkness is currently in development with the goal of brining the strategy and fun of tactical RPGs to mobile devices, based on the unique setting and story of the Shining Force series and the fun of developing unique and charming characters.
It’s time to get funky as one of the iconic GG members, Beat, from the Jet Set Radio series makes his way into the Super Monkey Ball world as a free and unlockable character through normal gameplay in Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania. If you’ve been a fan of Jet Set Radio since it’s launch on the SEGA Dreamcast, then this is a treat for you. Happy to see that SEGA and RGG Studio were able to pay tribute to such an awesome classic SEGA video game series into another franchise.
Glide, grind, and roll your way through the wondrous worlds of Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania as the iconic rebel graffiti artist when the game launches for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S|X on October 5, 2021!
