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Puyo Puyo Chronicle announced for Nintendo 3DS – just in time for the franchise’s 25th anniversary!

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The latest issue of Japan’s Famitsu magazine has revealed a new installment in the Puyo Puyo franchise, due out later this year. Titled Puyo Puyo Chronicle, the game is described as a puzzle RPG timed to celebrate the franchise’s 25th anniversary. The story involves the franchise’s heroes Arle and Carbuncle entering an alternate world, in which they must work with a girl name Arie to return to their own world. Graphics will be in 3D and players will be able to explore freely – so apparently no sprites or pre-set paths. Outside of the RPG mode, the game will also feature traditional Puyo Puyo play, featuring seventeen different rules found in past games.

The game will also feature a mode called “Boss Fight With Everyone” in which players team up with a party of four via local connectivity to battle a boss. The game also promises over sixty sub-quests. In terms of packaging, a special Anniversary Box has been announced, which will contain a soundtrack, a vocal track, a drama CD and a 25th anniversary theme for your 3DS. The game is set to release in Japan on December 8th of this year. Sadly, no word of an American release, and given SEGA’s Western track record with the franchise it is unlikely. Then again, 7th Dragon III: Code: VFD happened, so never say never.

[Source: Siliconera]

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SEGA News Bits: Streets of Rage Turns 25 Years Old

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On this SEGA News Bits, George and Barry split a trash can chicken and look back on SEGA’s iconic beat ’em up franchise Streets of Rage. Known as Bare Knuckle in its country of origin, Japan, Streets of Rage was SEGA’s answer to Final Fight. Now, 25 years later, many would argue Streets of Rage completely overshadowed the very franchise it set out to compete against. Enjoy the video, and after watching why not play some Streets of Rage? In the comments below, tell us your favorite franchise memories.

If you enjoy our SEGA News Bits segments, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube and never miss a video.

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Monster Boy’s Gamescom Trailer Looks Wonderful

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We are very excited over here to get our hands on Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom later this year. If you haven’t heard, Monster Boy is a successor to the Wonder Boy series of games. Its crazy that we will be getting a spiritual successor and a remake of Wonder Boy III within the same time frame. I think we can consider ourselves a lucky bunch since the last official Wonder Boy game came out all the way back in 1994.

We actually got to talk to Monster Boy developer Fabien Demeulenaere on our Swingin’ Report Show Podcast where he talked about the process of getting the game off the ground, how he started working with Wonder Boy creator Ryuichi Nishizawa and how the Wonder Boy copyrights work with this title.

Check out the trailer and if its tickling your nostalgia funny bone make sure to pick it up when it launches later this year on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.  More information from the developer FDG Entertainment after the jump.

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SEGA Renews Virtua Fighter Trademark

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maxresdefaultI saw this floating around Twitter a few days ago, but has now been covered by VFDC and Shoryuken so why not cover it? SEGA has renewed the Virtua Fighter trademark according to trademarkia on July 4th. What does renewing the Virtua Fighter trademark possibly mean for the future of the franchise? Possibly nothing, seeing as SEGA does this all the time. Back in 2012 we did a story about SEGA renewing the Skies of Arcadia trademark and now we know that didn’t mount to much.

Of course SEGA renewed the Virtua Fighter trademark to protect its IP, not to mention they still do stuff with the franchise from time to time. For example Virtua fighter characters have had cameos in games like Smash Bros, Dead or Alive 5 ,Project x Zone 1/2 and even Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax. As we covered before, it has been a decade since the release of Virtua Fighter 5 and if the franchise needs anything its a new entry. Bring on Virtua Fighter 6, SEGA!

I personally think SEGA can test the market by re-releasing Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown definitive edition on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Maybe try some experiments like Tecmo Koei did with Dead or Alive which had a free-to-play version and a full package release. But anyway, what are your thoughts on SEGA renewing the Virtua Fighter trademark? What do you want to see for the future of the franchise?

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SEGA 3D Classics Collection European release date revealed

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On a special SEGA Central Live, the SEGA Europe community team released the long (too long, in our opinion) awaited release date of the boxed and digital European release of SEGA 3D Classics Collection for the Nintendo 3DS. That date… will be revealed on an upcoming live stream next week! Just kidding, the game will release to Europe on November 4th, 2016.

It was also confirmed that the game is coming to Australia, though no additional information was given.

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SEGA Central Doing Live Show on August 12th

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SEGA Europe’s SEGA Central show will be doing a live broadcast on August 12, 2016 at 8:30 AM PST. The show promises to finally reveal the release date for SEGA 3D Classics Collection in Europe, plus talk about the latest going on with SEGA and Dan (SEGA Central host) will answer people’s questions that have been sent in.

While it doesn’t seem like SEGA Central will have something mind blowing, like a new game announcement, it is still nice that SEGA Europe are doing these types of shows. So make sure to tune in and support the show.

 

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Etrian Odyssey V Debut Tops Japanese Charts

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etrianodysseyvIt seems that Japan went crazy for Atlus’ Etrian Odyssey V: The End of the Long Myth as it was the top selling new game released in Japan last week. Etrian Odyssey V managed to sell 92,518 units. The chart tracked from August 1st to August 7th, considering Etrian Odyssey V came out on August 4th it would mean it did 92,518 units in only three days. In second place came Bandai Namco’s Dragon Ball Fusions that manage to sell 77,509 copies. and that’s a game based on a highly popular IP.

It seems that the Nintendo 3DS can still move software since the top five selling games happen to be on the Nintendo 3DS. Etrian Odyssey V hasn’t gotten a western release date yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised when it does considering all the past titles in the series have been released outside of Japan.

To see the full Japanese sales charts, hit the jump.

[Via: Gematsu]

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Yakuza 6’s prologue focuses on Kazuma Kiyru and Haruka Sawamura

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Yakuza6FeatSEGA has released Yakuza 6‘s prologue story to the public. It seems that Yakuza 6 will focus on Kazuma Kiyru and Haruka Sawamura relationship as it will have to do with Kazuma Kiryu investigating an accident that has occurred. If you haven’t played and beat Yakuza 5, I warn you not to read the prologue of Yakuza 6 since it explains what happens at the end of the last game.

Interesting enough Yakuza 6 has been teased as the last chapter in Kazuma Kiryu’s story line and also that it will have to do with ‘family bond versus those you consider family’. Want to read the prologue? Head to Gematsu or hit the jump!

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Multi-System Emulator Mednafen Now Has SEGA Saturn Support

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The SEGA Saturn emulation scene is pretty lacking compared to other, more popular consoles from the same time period but we have gotten impressive emulators like Yabause and SSF. But if that wasn’t enough the SEGA Saturn has now been added to the multi-system emulator Mednafen.

If you never heard of Mednafen, it is trying to provide an all-in-one emulation package that spans a ton of consoles including:

  • Atari Lynx
  • Neo Geo Pocket (Color)
  • WonderSwan
  • GameBoy (Color)
  • GameBoy Advance
  • Nintendo Entertainment System
  • Super Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Famicom
  • Virtual Boy
  • PC Engine/TurboGrafx 16 (CD)
  • SuperGrafx
  • PC-FX
  • Sega Game Gear
  • Sega Genesis/Megadrive
  • Sega Master System
  • Sony PlayStation

According to the new Mednafen 0.9.38.7 update, the SEGA Saturn emulation is being added as experimental. You can check out a video of the emulator running Guardian Heroes above.

[Via: Retro Collect]

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Persona 5 releasing in Europe the same day as US

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PERSONA51Publisher Deep Silver announced today that Atlus’ Persona 5 will launch in Europe and other PAL regions on February 14, 2017, which is the same day Persona 5 launches in the United States. Persona 5 will come out in Europe and PAL regions with a PlayStation 4 edition that costs  €70 / £55, on the other hand the PlayStation 3 version will launch at €50 / £40.

The PlayStation 4 ‘Take Your Heart’ premium version of Persona 5 and the SteelBook launch edition will also make their way to Europe. The Take Your Heart premium edition will cost €90 / £80, click here for all the contents on that version. Persona 5 on the PlayStation 3 will be the only version to launch with its standard packaging (since first time buyers of the PlayStation 4 version get a SteelBook launch edition.)

If you are confused about why Deep Silver is publishing the game in Europe and not SEGA or Atlus, its because they announced their European publishing deal a few months ago. This is good news because it means that Europeans get to enjoy Persona 5 the same day as we Americans, but then again the Japanese get Persona 5 this September. Damn them.

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Superdimension Neptunia VS SEGA Hard Girls gets ESRB rating for a PC version

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Superdimension Neptunia VS SEGA Hard Girls is a crossover game for the PSVita, that as the name implies combines the Superdimension Neptuna franchise by Compile Hearts and the SEGA Hard Girls franchise by SEGA, both franchises being known for their satire on video game tropes with moe anthropomorphic consoles as the lead. As previously announced, Superdimension Neptunia VS SEGA Hard Girls for the PSVita will receive a western release by the usual international publisher Idea Factory International.

But recently, an ESRB rating has popped up that suggests there may also be a PC version in the works too. Though nothing has been announced, it would make sense since previous games from the Neptunia series have appeared on Steam. It would also make sense from a business point since the PC has a far larger install base then the PSVita could ever hope for.

The rating itself describes the game as such:

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This Virtua Fighter fan made robot is very impressive

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A Japanese Virtua Fighter fan has embarked on a project to make a Akira robot based on the Virtua Fighter polygon model. Using specs from the recently released Virtua Fighter  action figure, 3D modeling software and of course a 3D printer we got ourselves a robot Akira Yuki that looks like he is straight out of the game.

A few little things I noticed on the Virtua Fighter themed robot was that they added a small SEGA Saturn on his back, sort of how SEGA did it for their Typing of the Dead characters but with a small Dreamcast backpack. According to the video the robot is 50cm (19.6 inches) in height and I have to be honest the movement is rather impressive. Look at his side steps! Can someone put this thing on sale, please!

[Via: VFDC]

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SEGA Announces New Mobile RPG World Chain

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Remember that mobile teaser SEGA Networks put together, that we covered? Well, the game has finally been announced as World Chain which will be a time traveling ‘chain scenario RPG’ for mobile platforms. World Chain is being developed by the staff at SEGA that did Chain Chronicle and is expected to launch in Japan this fall.

The developer has listed World Chain‘s genre as ‘school life X history IF’ which will probably be something like a Japanese high school anime with historical what if scenarios. World Chain‘s story has you playing the protagonist that has just woken up in the an academy where history has been warped and some people have disappeared. In his hands he finds a ‘Chain Driver’ smartphone, which is a device that lets you travel time and ‘rewrite’ history. The game will have you answer questions like where did everyone go and who is rewriting history.

Anyone in the game that goes back in time to rewrite history are known as ‘Rewriters’, which allows you to share strong bonds with people in history and borrow their powers whenever you need them. The game promises up to 140 heroes each with their own story line.

So far World Chain has only been announced for release in Japan and is coming this Fall for Android and iOS.

[Source: Siliconera]

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Looks Like Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live Will Come West

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It seems like a huge possibility that Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live, the debut Project Diva game for the PlayStation VR, will be coming West. Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live has not only been rated by the Australian ratings board but also the German ratings board.  If the game is coming out in two English speaking countries its likely that it will come to the rest of them. Don’t be surprised when SEGA announces Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live as a PlayStation VR launch title shortly after Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X comes out on August 30th.

In Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live players use the virtual reality headset to experience being an audience member at a Hatsune Miku concert, allowing the user to have a interactive stage experience not possible in real life. Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live will be a PlayStation VR launch title in Japan.

[Source: Siliconera]

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Yuji Naka wants to see a Mario and Sonic crossover action game

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We know that Mario and Sonic have had a long line of crossover Olympic titles throughout recent years, but that isn’t what Yuji Naka, one of Sonic’s creators envisioned for the duo’s cross over.

Recently Yuji Naka spoke with the Japanese website Famitsu about the origins of Mario and Sonic game, which started talks as an action game during the GameCube era when SEGA first went 3rd party. As we know today, this lead nowhere and Mario and Sonic didn’t happen until SEGA acquired the license to make Olympic video games.

Here is Yuji Naka talking about Mario and Sonic co-starring on titles based around the Olympics and the origins of the project:

“Actually, I wanted Mario [and Sonic] to appear together, so one time I went to give Miyamoto-san a presentation on how I want to create an action game which is co-starred by Mario and Sonic. It was in the GameCube days, and I took around four planners with me. It is a pity that the discussion was ‘clearly it isn’t necessary for Mario and Sonic to co-star in an action [game]’ and it didn’t become a reality, but SEGA was able to get the license for the Olympics just at that time, so in order to make the best use of the license, companion characters appeared together. A little later Sonic appeared in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. However, this too came into reality because I requested from Sakurai-san, ‘I want Sonic to appear [in Smash Bros.]’. The Olympics is a bit different from my wish, but I think it’s a good thing that children around the world are happy about them co-starring. But someday I want to realize an action [game] together with Mario. I think I’m going to give another presentation so that Takashi [Iizuka] finds the necessity [of a Mario & Sonic action game] (laughs).” – Yuji Naka

Yuji Naka wasn’t the only original Sonic the Hedgehog creator to chime in on the interview, original Sonic designer Naoto Ohshima said the following:

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