The teaser site for the mystery SEGA game has unlocked, and as expected it is a follow-up to the original NAOMI arcade and Dreamcast game Cosmic Smash. Titled C-Smash VRS, the game is a VR reimagining of the original game and is set to release on the PlayStation VR2. A demo will be made available on March 23, 2023 and at the moment it is unknown if the game will remain digital or if a physical release is in the works.
A rating for Sonic Origins Plus has appeared on The Game Rating and Administration Committee of Korea website, potentially leaking the existence of an enhanced and expanded (and possibly physical) rerelease of last year’s Sonic Origins. Fans knew something has been in the works for the game, as various updates have been in the approval stages behind-the-scenes with nothing publicly released as of yet. Following the release of the digital-only retro compilation, SEGA sent out various surveys asking players to share their thoughts on the game and what sort of additions they’d like to see in a future update.
Amigo is BACK in a brand new game, and on this News Bits Live we break down who is behind Samba De Amigo’s return and take a look at past games in the franchise. PLUS, what is Sonic cooking?
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While news leaked earlier today on social media, Nintendo Direct has officially dropped the news that SEGA’s iconic rhythm action game series, Samba de Amigo, will be making a comeback on the Nintendo Switch titled Samba de Amigo: Party Central with Amigo sporting a new attire for the upcoming game.
Samba de Amigo: Party Central will include 40 musical hits from the world’s most popular genres including EDM, pop, Latin, and more along with a wide variety of mini-games and challenges to enjoy; a ton of unique costumes and accessories to unlock and wear; and new online features – including an 8-player World Party mode.
Samba de Amigo: Party Central will be released on the Nintendo Switch June 2023!
It’s happening! After years of personally asking SEGA, a Sonic the Hedgehog cookbook is arriving this October! Sonic the Hedgehog: The Official Cookbook will be written by Victoria Rosenthal (Official Fallout, Destiny, Street Fighter, GoW, Pokémon & FFXIV Cookbook) and Ian Flynn (IDW Sonic series, Sonic Frontiers), and will be published by Insight Editions physically and digitally. You can pre-order the book right now on Amazon, with a release date of October 17, 2023.
Outside of an art book and history book, both of which have since happened, I’ve long wanted a cookbook inspired by the Sonic franchise. Having cooked through ToeJam & Earl, The Sopranos and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (in both plain and Life Day editions) I am ready to take my cooking to The Next Level with whatever the authors have cooked up. Preview pages, which you can see after the break, include placeholder text but hint at chili dogs, blue smoothies and Evil Cookies. Read the official description after the break, and do not forget to pre-order yourself a copy!
Heads up! SEGA has officially surprised us with the release of Sonic Colors: Ultimate on Steam which is now available to purchase.
Along with the release of the remaster, other Sonic titles on Steam are on sale starting today until February 13 at 10:00 a.m. PST / 1:00 p.m. EST / 6:00 p.m. GMT between 30% and 75% off as part of the Sonic Franchise Sale. All Sonic Colors: Ultimate SKUs will also be 30% off during the sale.
You can find a breakdown of the regular pricing for Sonic Colors: Ultimate on Steam after the jump.
A number of games and associated DLC is set for removal from the Xbox 360 Marketplace on February 7th, 2023. Of interest to SEGA fans, the titles from our favorite company include: DAYTONA USA, Jet Set Radio and Sega Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co. It is unknown why these are the titles being pulled, but if you want them best to get them now! The full list can be found here.
As part of their A Very Discotek New Years livestream, Discotek Media laid out their plans for 2023 as well as some new announcements. Last year the company revealed that at long last the Japanese language version of the Sonic X anime would receive a release in 2023. Now we have a release date window as well as work in progress cover and disc art! The two disc set, which collects the entire series in standard definition on blu-ray disc (which they call “SD on BD”) will release in April of this year with packaging that will sit nicely alongside their already released English collection. The release will also feature bonus content including openings, endings, storyboards and the original pilots.
Once the series goes up for pre-order, we’ll be sure to let you know!
On this SEGA News Bits Live, Barry has some beef with action figure scalpers! Also, Cosmic Smash is apparently back as a VR game, plus a quick look at the Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection.
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UPDATE: Since SEGA shared the news, England based VR developer Wolf & Wood quote tweeted SEGA’s tweet with an eye emoji and the #csmashvrs hashtag. While they are not confirmed to be the developer, it seems pretty obvious that they are developing the game. Wolf & Wood’s VR titles include Hotel R’n’R, The Exorcist: Legion VR and A Chair in a Room: Greenwater. Their games have released to platforms that include PSVR, SteamVR and Oculus. You can check their website out here!
Several social media accounts for a SEGA project titled CSVRS have appeared, directing users to a teaser website (csmashvrs.com) with a countdown clock ending 20 days from now. The teaser site for CSVRS presents trippy music over a grid of circles with different images appearing within, including eyes, tunnels and a game of Pong being played.
All signs point to a revival of Cosmic Smash, the Japanese arcade and Dreamcast exclusive game from Sega Rosso. The name “CSVRS” points to it being a VR game. Worth noting, SEGA of Japan has not teased this yet, so it is possible it is a SEGA Europe creation much like how SEGA Hardlight handled a sequel to ChuChu Rocket!.
We will share more news as we hear it!
We’re only a few weeks into 2023, but that doesn’t mean we can’t look back and talk about our favorite and most disappointing SEGA and ATLUS games of 2022! Special guest Sonic Yoda from SEGA Driven will also be featured, selecting HIS (and by extension Europe’s) favorite game of 2022. Also, Patreon picks and Discord member picks!
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Bitmap Books has been hard at work on their next visual compendium book, this time centering on the SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis, but today they have announced the project is cancelled. Past visual compendium books have been a mix of official and unofficial releases.
SEGA fans might remember years back Bitmap Books covered the Master System, in fact we newsed, interviewed, backed and reviewed Bitmap’s endeavor. While the Master System book was officially licensed, their now cancelled Mega Drive book was unlicensed. According to Bitmap, they attempted to obtain the license, SEGA declined and they then attempted to go the unlicensed route.
Unfortunately, SEGA threatened legal action and now the project is cancelled. Given Bitmap Books is in the UK, I have to wonder if this is another case of SEGA Europe being jerks to well intentioned publishers. Some years back, The Dreamcast Junkyard attempted an unofficial book acting as a checklist for every Dreamcast release. SEGA Europe told them to take it down or suffer legal action.
You can read more here, and hey if you work for SEGA and are reading this: rethink this. It is a shitty way to treat publishers covering video game history.
Translated by the same team behind the original Sakura Wars game for the SEGA Saturn, the sequel, Sakura Wars 2: Thous Shalt Not Die, will be receiving a fan translation for the SEGA Saturn. The project was worked on last summer for a year in a half. Not only that the game will be translated, the team has released the special edition demo of the game for everyone to try out.
Sakura Wars 2: Thou Shalt Not Die, is the sequel to the original game developed by Red Company and SEGA for the Sega Saturn and was released in Japan in April 1998 and ported to other systems, including the Dreamcast in September 2000. The game takes place one year after the first game following Ichiro Ogami and the all-female Flower Division of the Imperial Combat Revue as they fight against new supernatural entities in Tokyo as well as hostile political forces led by Keigo Kyogoku.
Not only Sakura Wars 2 is getting a fan translation, the third game in the series is also receiving one as well. It’s only a matter of time that all four main Sakura Wars games will be available to play.
Here is the link to the demo and screenshots to check out to below.
On Thursday, December 15th, Sega has added 4 more of their own Genesis classics to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack online subscription service. Alien Storm, Columns, Golden Axe II, and Virtua Fighter 2 are immediately accessible after updating the Sega Genesis – Nintendo Switch Online app to it’s latest version. Japanese players get the same four games in their own update as well, and this is despite the fact Virtua Fighter 2 Genesis did not originally release in Japan. (Although it was developed by Sega of Japan.)
Of course, these four games are all some of the usual mainstays in Sega’s many Genesis compilations, including the Sega Genesis Classics Collection also available on Switch and other consoles, (Golden Axe II is also on the recently released Sega Genesis Mini 2) so chances are many of you are already quite familiar with these games. If you still wanna hear me ramble on about what these games are, then make yourself comfy and check in after the break.
Sonic Prime, the Netflix animated series which sees video game Sonic entering a multiverse of realities, is set to release December 15, 2022. However, fans can get an advance look in two places! First, the embedded video above, which details a scene in which Sonic meets shatterverse Tails. The scene is interesting, as it details the moment Sonic met Tails, which matches up with the same scene that played out in this year’s Sonic Origins. Ian Flynn, scenario writer for the game’s cutscenes, had said at the time that the meeting was the new game canon of the historic event. However, the fact that Sonic Prime, which is releasing less than a year after the game, is retelling the story is a clear sign that SEGA is serious about Sonic canon connecting across media. Heck, we might see other game events referenced in the series, which is exciting!
So how does one see the first episode before the Netflix premiere? Roblox of course. That’s right, the first episode will be shown on Saturday, December 10th at 10am EST in Sonic Speed Simulator. Weird venue, but cool. Will you be checking out the premiere?