News

Brave Wave bringing Sonic Adventure & Sonic Adventure 2 to vinyl this winter

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2017 is fast becoming the year of Sonic vinyls, as it was announced today that the music label Brave Wave will be releasing Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 soundtrack vinyls this winter. As revealed on their website, the first pressing will contain special colors that represent the respective game. Sonic Adventure will be pressed in blue and white 180-gram vinyl and Sonic Adventure 2 will be pressed in blue and red 180-gram vinyl. Following the first pressing, the soundtracks will be on standard black 180-gram vinyl. Both releases will include a booklet featuring interviews with Jun Senoue and Takashi Iizuka, liner notes by John Linneman of Digital Foundry, song lyrics and character art.

If you think each game has a soundtrack too big for a single record, don’t fret! Each release will come with two LP records featuring remastered tracks handpicked by series lead composer and sound director Jun Senoue and the team. After the break, check out the full tracklists, and keep your eyes on the Brave Wave site for pre-order information as it becomes available.

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SEGA News Bits: Sonic Forces: Speed Battle Hands-On Impressions

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The mobile tie-in game Sonic Forces: Speed Battle saw a wide release today, and after playing it for a few hours here are our hands-on impressions! How does it compare to games like Sonic Dash? Can fans expect any hints at what to expect in Sonic Forces? Give the latest SEGA News Bits video a watch and find out!

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.

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Sonic Forces: Speed Battle now available to download and play for mobile

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Late last night, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle left the status of soft launch and saw wide release becoming available in the App Store and Google Play store. Unfortunately, SEGA has not sent us a press release yet, so we don’t have many more details – like which regions has not yet received the game, what launch day deals there are, etc. The game, however, is now up and running and fully playable.

If you have played the past two Sonic Dash games, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle is essentially an online multiplayer version of Sonic Dash with characters and settings from Sonic Forces. Unlike Sonic Dash, hitting an obstacle does not end the stage, it just slows you down, and stages are not randomized endless courses, there are clear beginnings and ends making it more of a race.

Give the game a try and in the comments below, tell us what you think!

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Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap to receive retail release for PS4 and Nintendo Switch

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Nicalis, Inc. announced on Twitter today that they will be working with DotEmu and Lizardcube to publish Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap at retail for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. For those who have been following the game, Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap is a remake of the classic SEGA Master System game and it released digitally in April, 2017. The game was then given a PlayStation 4 physical release by Limited Run Games in standard and special edition versions.

Now, fans will have another chance at a PS4 physical release and add a Nintendo Switch physical release to their collection. We’ll share more details as we hear them!

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Aliens: Colonial Marines Overhaul Mod Version 5 released

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Aliens: Colonial Marines might have released as a huge disappointing game with a ton of broken promises but that isn’t stopping fans from fixing the 2013 disaster piece of a game. The peeps over at Templar GFX Modding have now released the fifth version of their Aliens: Colonial Marines overhaul mod which aims to make the game a somewhat more playable video game.

According to the version five update changes the game will improve visuals on all levels. This includes things like permanent decals and improved Pixel Shader for graphics. The mod is also aiming at improving the AI on both human and xenos including the dodging and jumping. You can see all the changes below. I’m honestly sad that SEGA mishandled the Aliens license the way they did, seeing as how the game’s fans are passionate enough to fix the terrible game, even half a decade after release. The saddest part is, SEGA should have shut and fixed it themselves. Regardless, you can see the notes after the jump and download the latest mod right here.

[Via: DSOGaming]

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Camelot Software wants to make Shining Force IV

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Camelot game producer Hiroyuki Takahashi joined a held conference in Japan titled “3rd Game Business Archive” along with Treasure President Masato Maegawa (where he teased an upcoming announcement) and Former Compile director Masamitsu “Moo” Niitani. During his talk he went into detail on Shining Force sale figures and numbers from games way back in the day. This is some of the information he discussed:

  • Shining in the Darkness shipped 300k units in Japan, while he states that it was about half the Mega Drive units sold at the time, its not 100% true. As of March 1991 the Mega Drive had 1.90 million units in Japan.
  • Shining Force CD was created for the team to practice on SEGA CD hardware, that’s why they added bonuses.
  • Hiroyuji Takahashi has confirmed that he would like to make Shining Force IV.

As you already know, Camelot Software had a falling out with SEGA after the development of Shining Force III on the SEGA Saturn. Shortly after they went on to work with Nintendo on the highly acclaimed Golden Sun series then after started making various Mario sport titles. If SEGA is serious about reviving older IPs on its road to 2020, then they should totally take Camelot Software up on this offer.

[Via: ResetEra]

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Treasure President teases announcement for 2018, vows never to work on social games

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The last time we heard about Treasure, we ran a rumor that the company was going to stop making new games. Is it true? So far it has stayed true since the companies last ‘new game’ was Gaist Crusher God which was released back back in 2014. Since then Treasure Games hasn’t made a single brand new game. Rumors suggested that the company was going to continue as an IP holding company. Now according to a Japanese twitter user, Treasure President Masato Maegawa stated that he has an announcement coming in 2018 and that Treasure games won’t make a social game (usually mobile games) as long as he lives.

“I’ll never work on social games for as long as I live! I’ll have something to share next year” – Treasure Games President Masato Maegawa

Maegawa also complained that there was a total lack of communication at SEGA during the Mega Drive, especially during the time they developed Yu Yu Hakusho. He also revealed that Gunstar Heroes shipped 70k units in Japan and 200k abroad. Said the initial 10k print run in Japan sold out fast. Treasure Games’ president also wished that SEGA would have their own ‘Mega Drive Mini’ much like what Nintendo offers.

According to twitter user @gosokkyu, this lines up with what he has heard about from Treasure, that most publishers are only wanting them to work on mobile or ‘social’ type games. I’m glad to see a Japanese developer that doesn’t want to succumb to mobile gaming. Some developers just don’t transition over well and since a lot of Treasure Games are about the gameplay, I don’t think it would work out on mobile. But hey what do you think this announcement will be? Are you excited? Sound off in the comments.

[Via: ResetEra]

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New Sonic the Hedgehog sticker activity book and short story collection releasing July, 2018 – available to pre-order

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Earlier this year we shared that three new Sonic the Hedgehog books from Penguin Random House – including a short story collection, a handbook and a Mad Libs book – were releasing in March, 2018. Now, two more books are due out July 10, 2018 including another short story collection and a sticker activity book! after the break, check out the descriptions of the upcoming books, as well as how to pre-order a copy.

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NiGHTS into Dreams free on Games With Gold November 1st – playable on Xbox 360 and Xbox One

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Released October 2012 as part of the SEGA Heritage lineup, NiGHTS into Dreams was an excellent HD rerelease of the classic SEGA Saturn game. Initially released to PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, the game was added to Xbox One’s backwards compatibility lineup in November 2015. Now, as part of the Games With Gold service, NiGHTS into Dreams will be available from November 1 to 15 free to members of the service. As with past Games With Gold titles, once you download a Games With Gold title, you have access to it as long as you still have an active Xbox Live Gold membership.

Do you have the Games With Gold service, and if not would you join for a free download of NiGHTS into Dreams?

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Sonic Forces demo hits PS4 and Nintendo Switch’s Japanese stores

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SEGA has released the Sonic Forces demo in Japan on both the PlayStation 4 and the Nintendo Switch. The demo will let you play through three separate stages, one for each playable version including Modern, classic Sonic and avatar hero. Each stage is on a timer.

As for both demos, the Nintendo Switch version is 573MB in size while the PlayStation 4 version comes in at 1.9GB in size. That’s quite the difference. Will you be making a Japanese account on either consoles to try out Sonic Forces? Or will you just wait for it to be released in English?

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SEGA Forever loses its head and adds Decap Attack to the mobile lineup

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The latest SEGA Forever title has been revealed, releasing later today, and it is none other than the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive classic Decap Attack. A westernized version of the Japanese Mega Drive game Magical Hat no Buttobi Tabo! Daibōken, Decap Attack is arguably the better game if only because it stars a decapitated mummy named Chuck D. Head. As with previous SAEGA Forever titles, they are available on smart devices and are free-to-play. Expect Decap Attack to roll out later today!

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Sonic Mania physical version coming to Nintendo Switch, hints ESRB

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Sonic Mania has been out for a few months and while the game got physical collector’s edition, the game itself was never available in a physical medium. There is still a pool of gamers that are hoping SEGA does a physical version of the game and that might be happening. Earlier today, the ESRB twitter account posted a updated ESRB rating for Sonic Mania. If you look into the replies, someone already asked what we are all thinking: Why re-rate a game that has been out for months? ESRB’s reply:


When the ESRB account was pressed more on its reply, it said they don’t know if Sonic Mania is going to be released physically and that they only rate games. But they did say that all physical games need a ESRB summary, which is why the rating had been updated. We could be seeing a physical version of Sonic Mania, at least on the Nintendo Switch. Would you buy Sonic Mania again and if so, how much are you willing to spend on a physical version of the game?

Update: According to Sonic the Hedgehog social media manager Aaron Webber, this ESRB update actually has to do with the Collector’s Edition. Still not adding up why they would update the ESRB summaries months after the game released.

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Nintendo Switch Shin Megami Tensei game revealed to be Shin Megami Tensei V

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Back in January, we were teased that a new game in the Shin Megami Tensei series for Nintendo’s new system the Nintendo Switch. What it was wasn’t specified at the time, but commonly speculated to be a new “main” title. Now we have official confirmation that indeed it is a new installment in the main series, officially called Shin Megami Tensei V.

No specifications have been dropped, including a release date or gameplay, however similar to past installments it will take place in modern day Tokyo, along with having the franchise’s signature focus on demons and dark themes. The trailer shows two high school students walking in a hallway presumably from an airport, and then transitions into a tunnel with countless dead demons, set in what appears to be an apocalyptic Tokyo ravaged by monstrous winged demons.

While information is scare on Shin Megami Tensei V, more information might be dropped by next year. So stay tuned for more.

 

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Sonic Team producer expresses interest in making a new Samba de Amigo for Nintendo Switch

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Sonic Team producer, Shun Nakamura, was recently interviewed by Eurogamer discussing Sonic Mania and its impact on future Sonic titles. When asked about the Nintendo Switch’s features and his time working on Samba de Amigo for the SEGA Dreamcast, the producer expressed high interest in making another title in the franchise for the console. Here’s what he had to say in the matter:

“I really, really want to make it! This is coming from someone who had to make physical items you had to buy and plug into your console in order to play Samba de Amigo at home. When the Wii came out, there was only one Wii Remote, and you had to buy another one. You could still do it, but it’s a bit of a hurdle to get over. The first time I saw the Switch, I thought oh my god – this is it! You don’t have to buy another peripheral, you don’t need to buy another controller. I’m really, really interested in that.” – Shun Nakamura

Samba de Amigo made it’s latest outing on the Nintendo Wii with the help from Gearbox. What are your thoughts if Sonic Team themselves can produce another game in the franchise for the Switch?

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