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Persona Q influenced by Etrian Odyssey’s dungeon mapping and combat

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Famitsu

When Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth was announced, it seemed like it would take aspects of the Atlus’ Nintendo DS long running dungeon crawler Etrian Odyssey and according to this week’s Famitsu, I was partly right. They have now said that the game will feature a map-making feature similar to the one featured in Etrian Odyssey games. This map feature will allow users to draw the layout of the dungeon on the 3DS touch screen and help you find your way around.

That isn’t all though, the game will also contain ‘F.O.E.’ monsters and give you a choice if it you are better off running or allow you to ‘try’ and take down the monster. If you do decide to take do F.O.E. monsters, you might just get a special reward.

So Persona Q is Etrian Odyssey with a Persona storyline and characters from Persona 3 & 4. Persona Q is set to come out in America this fall.

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SEGA announces their Virtua Fighter 5 SEGA cup 2014 prizes

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The point of winning tournaments is to rank up some cash and in next month’s SEGA Cup for Virtua Fighter 5, fans of the series will be able to do just that. SEGA  is set to give $15,000 dollars worth of prizes and how now divided that cash up to the top 15 winners of the tournament.  To see the prize information, hit the jump.

If you want to join in on the mayhem, you can sign up here.

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Hucast announces DUX 1.5 Collector’s Edition for the SEGA Dreamcast

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If you thought the DUX releases were over, then you don’t know DUX! Following Hucast’s release of Redux: Dark Matters, which included DUX 1.5 in the limited edition version, as well as standalone standard and limited editions of DUX 1.5, and a version of DUX 1.5 in a CD case, Hucast has now announced a collector’s edition of DUX 1.5, set to release in April.

The release, limited to 300 copies, will include DUX 1.5, a DUX soundtrack CD, a DUX 1.5 soundtrack CD, a yet to be announced “New Game Disc” (perhaps a demo disc of The Ghost Blade?), and a 12 page Color Manual. Pre-orders start on March 17th, and Hucast advises fans to stay tuned to their store and their Facebook page.

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New Pier Solar HD trailer arrives – the adventure is coming soon!

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A new teaser trailer for the upcoming Pier Solar HD was recently released by Watermelon Games. The game, which is an HD remake of the 2010 SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive indie RPG, is expected to hit Wii U, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Sega Dreamcast, Ouya, PC (Windows, Mac, Linux) and Android next month. The game is looking gorgeous, with a new widescreen presentation and updated art. Stay tuned to the trailer until the very end to see the Dreamcast logo among the supported platforms, there’s something special about seeing a SEGA console listed among Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft again.

The game is slated to release next month. In the meantime, stay tuned to the upcoming SEGAbits Swingin’ Report Show podcast in which our special guest is Watermelon Games president Tulio Adriano Cardoso Gonçalves! Have any questions for Tulio? Leave them in the comments section below.

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Retro Review: Vectorman

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It’s the year 2049. Earth, as portrayed in BlueSky Software‘s Vectorman, has become completely uninhabitable by the human race. Having left their polluted planet behind, they’ve set off through the galaxy in hopes of finding a new home, while a crew of mechanical Orbots remains in their place to clean the Earth up.

Into this scenario (one which today seems oddly reminiscent of Pixar’s Wall-E) appears Vectorman; one such Orbot with an attitude and the courage to stop Warhead, an Orbot who went rogue and took control of the planet. The adventure that ensues is a fun one with great atmospherics, an addictive scoring system, and a bit of an edge. Vectorman was a great showcase of the Genesis’ capabilities back in its day, and even today remains a must play for those who want a stylish and futuristic sidescroller.

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Hucast Games reveal new screens from the upcoming indie SEGA Dreamcast game ‘The Ghost Blade’

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Hucast Games, developer of the recently released Redux: Dark Matters, is at work on the upcoming indie Dreamcast game The Ghost Blade. Four new screens, as well as a photo taken of the game in action, were recently shared on the developer’s blog. Fans, including our own The Gagaman, complained of low resolution graphics in the recently released Redux, which might explain why Hucast shared a close up shot of The Ghost Blade showing off what Hucast promises is an all new engine that will take advantage of the Dreamcast’s RAM better leading to high-res graphics.

Expected to release in October 2014, the game is currently in an alpha state, and Hucast promises that they will be “adding more enemies to give the game a blasting Caravan shooting game thrill!”.

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SEGA in the Charts: MediaCreate charts for Feb 24 – Mar 2 2014

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Following last week’s major release of Ryu Ga Gotoku Ishin!, SEGA’s samurai epic continues to chart in Japan. But amongst the launch hype of the Playstation 4, the second week was always going to be an interesting one to watch and help us evaluate if the game was going to meet the target set by it’s publisher.  Hit the break to find how SEGA’s big Q4 title managed in this week’s chart!

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Hatsune Miku Project Diva f is available now on PSN

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Hatsune Miku Project Diva f is out now for the PlayStation Vita on the PlayStation Network in North America for $30. Europeans can get their hands on the game when PSN updates next week on March 12th. Existing PS3 DLC is compatible with the PS Vita version of Project Diva f. Project Diva f also has Vita specific DLC for $10 that gives you the extra songs that were added on the PS3 release. Project Diva f (Vita) came out before Project Diva F (PS3) in Japan, and that’s why you have to buy DLC to get the extra songs on the Vita version. Although, even with the extra song DLC added to the cost, the Vita version is still $10 less than the PS3 version.

So, are you excited? Did you buy it already? Do you plan on buying Project Diva f for the PS Vita?

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SEGA releases new Alien Isolation screenshots featuring guts and 1979 inspired electronics

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SEGA’s press site has released a batch of new screenshots for the upcoming Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 game Alien Isolation, developed by The Creative Assembly. Like previously released screens, we see a quiet and creepy setting in which you play as Ellen Ripley’s daughter Amanda trapped in isolation on a space station with the titular alien. Some cool elements on display are the electronics Amanda uses which double as the game’s HUD, clearly inspired by the 1979 film. After the break check out a full gallery of the latest screens! Alien Isolation is expected to release in the 4th quarter of 2014.

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Sketch group BEASTS gives their humorous spin on the creation of Sonic the Hedgehog

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Having just recently written about the history of Sonic’s many redesigns, it’s fitting that sketch comedy group BEASTS reached out to us to share a video they made on the creation of Sonic the Hedgehog. BEASTS member James McNicholas shared the following information with us:

Let’s face it: video games are weird. Those from the 80s and 90s are arguably weirdest of all — try explaining the logic behind Pac Man to someone whose never encountered it.

Few games make less sense than Sonic The Hedgehog, with its blue rodents, gold rings and magic emeralds. Fortunately, sketch group BEASTS have stumbled upon this footage of SEGA’s planning meeting for the original Sonic. Hope you like it!

BEASTS are comprised of Ciaran Dowd, James McNicholas and Owen Roberts. They’ve been going for two years, and have two sold-out runs at the Edinburgh Festival under our belts. You can find nice things that other journalists have said about them here (they don’t put the nasty ones up). They’re also over on Twitter @BEASTScomedy.

As regards the sketch itself, you’ll notice two of the characters are named Yuji and Naoto – an allusion to messrs Naka and Oshima. “Mr. Needlemouse”, as you’re probably aware, was the name given to the prototype for the Sonic character on Naoto Oshima’s early concept art.

Thanks to BEASTS for reaching out to us and sharing their work!

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Sega Genesis/Mega Drive shooter Steel Empire slated to release on the Japanese 3DS eShop this month

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Via Polygon comes news that the SEGA Genesis shooter Steel Empire, also known as Empire of Steel in Europe and Koutetsu Teikoku (鋼鉄帝国) in Japan, is set for a Nintendo 3DS release later this month. Members from the original development team, HOT-B, reformed to create Starfish which will be publishing the 3DS remake. Mebuis is in charge of remaking the game. Steel Empire is expected to release at the end of the month as a 2,940 yen eShop download.

Yoshinori Satake, former Hot-B lead game designer, is currently working on a sequel to the original game, entitled Burning Steel.

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Noah Pass, SEGA’s answer to GREE, reaches over 33 million users

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Back in September of last year, SEGA announced an ambitious cross-promotional network for Japan called “Noah Pass” to help its fellow developers undercut the cost of advertising on networks such as GREE and DeNA. After initially launching with thirty developers, SEGA has revealed that fifty-one companies are now participating and that it reaches over 33 million users, numbers which no doubt pleases SEGA.

The main benefits of using Noah Pass include reducing advertising costs by eighty percent and not requiring gamers to register like other networks do. This helps to drive traffic from one game to another and keeps players downloading games from Noah Pass publishers. Currently SEGA, Capcom and Sqaure Enix  (In the form of Taito) are all part of Noah Pass, and there no restriction on the number of publishers that can join the network.

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SEGA gets a new president as group lowers profits forecast

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HidekiOkamura

SEGA Corporation president Naoya Tsurumi will be stepping down from his positions as President, Representative Director and Chief Operating Officer and to be replaced by Hideki Okamura (pictured above) as of April 1st, 2014. Okamura has been a long time SEGA employee but has mostly held marketing positions since joining the company in the 1990s. He moves from his position as Chairman of TMS Entertainment, whilst Tsurumi becomes Vice Chairman of the Board. Also announced today by SEGA Sammy is that the group is expecting lower forecasts for the full year. Hit the break to get a rundown on the full figures and how SEGA Sammy hopes to rectify the situation.

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Akira Yuki and Pai Chan of Virtua Fighter fame appears in Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax in the latest screenshots

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In one of Virtua Fighter’s 20th Anniversary announcements of last year, SEGA and publisher ASCII Media Works announced that Akira Yuki will be appearing as a boss character in the upcoming Degenki Bunko Fighting Climax, as part of the franchise’s 20th anniversary.

Not only the Hakkyoku-ken master but the movie star, Pai Chan joins the fray as well as his supporting character. More will be announced on Akira’s appearance when the next Dengeki Bunko event that will take place in Japan on March 16th.

Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax will be launching in Japan in spring 2014 in Japanese arcades. Hit the jump for more screenshots of Akira performing his infamous “Hougenki Unshin Soukoshou” on Kirito from Sword Art Online.

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Registration opens for SEGA Cup Virtua Fighter Tournament 2014

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Fans of SEGA’s Virtua Fighter listen up – registration for the SEGA Cup opens today! Announced earlier this year, the SEGA Cup features a Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown Tournament, held in partnership with Alex Valle and Level|Up. The tournament takes place in Los Angeles at the Super Arcade on April 26, 2014 from 10am to 10pm. The top 16 players will be awarded cash prizes, and the PS3 version of the game will be used for the competition.

Think you have what it takes, or are you just up for a day of kicking ass or having your ass kicked? Head on over to their official site today!

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