For those stuck on the Apple ecosystem and wanting to play Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (not Transformed), the wait ends tomorrow. The game will come out exclusivly on the Mac App Store and will haveonline multiplayer using Apple’s own Game Center. The game will cost fans $24.99 (£17.49, €21.99).
Hit the jump for the press release and see you on the racing tracks!
Hey, after the game has sold a truck load of copies over in Europe, SEGA is finally going out of there way to tell people they were right. The trailers they created and posted are a bunch of hog wash. Do they reflect the final product? Nope!
“Sega Europe acknowledged your objection that the trailers did not accurately reflect the final content of the game, [Sega] agreed to add a disclaimer, both on their website and in all relevant YouTube videos, which explains that the trailers depict footage of the demo versions of the game. The disclaimer will be visible when each online trailer is played.” – Niall McVeigh, Advertising Standards Authority
The ASA has received four complaints of misleading advertising. Thanks to Reddit, SEGA will now put disclaimers on their trailers. A bit too late, since the game has already sold a ton of copies. Oh well, justice is justice.
During the Sympathy Concert to celebrate the Phantasy Star’s 25th anniversary SEGA and Sonic Team announced their first expansion pack for Phantasy Star Online 2. The expansion is being called Code Episode 2. Below is some of the keywords we know so far from the trailer that was shown at the event.
- Oracle’s Collapse
- Arks Road/Lord?
- Photoners
- “Who is the real enemy?”
- The Third Darkers
- The Beginning and End of the Arks
- New Race, New Planet, New Classes.
- New Weapon Categories.
- Coming this Summer!
So it seems that it is confirmed that it will have new playable races, new planets and new character classes. More of everything you want, this Summer… While we wait in America for them to port the non-expansion packed version. Get on it SEGA West, stop delaying it.
SEGA has released an update today that drastically changes the iOS game Sonic Dash. First off, the game is now free to play. Great news for those who have yet to buy the game, though it is a bit of a kick in the leg to fans who paid for the game initially. However, the game has been improved across the board. For starters, performance is much better on iPhone 4 and iPod Touch 4 devices. I’ve noted much smoother gameplay on my own iPhone 4. Another big improvement is the tweaking of object placement. Before, players might run up a hill, only to reach the top and run right into a barrier with little time to react. Now, SEGA promises that players will encounter this far less. A major complaint lodged at the game was that it was very difficult to earn red rings, and there was a finite amount. Red rings allow players to buy additional playable characters.
Now, thanks to daily play challenges, players are tasked with collecting four puzzle pieces a day, which in turn can be redeemed for a daily prize. Day one gives 100 rings, day two gives two head start power-ups, day three gives five respawns, day four gives two red star rings. Day five is the big prize, as you have the chance to win five red rings, ten respawns, 200 rings, five head starts, or a new playable character (in the case of this week, it is Tails).
Do these changes make Sonic Dash a better game? Sound off in the comments section! Also, after the break a detailed list of what the update contains.
“Mark Cerny & Yu Suzuki talking strategy for Shenmue III. For reals you guys.” – Megan Scavio
You had me at Yu Suzuki, you sold me on Mark Cerny and you made me smile at Shenmue III. Let’s make it happen!
SEGA and Creative Assembly have just announced their new game they have been teasing, Total War: Arena. The game is a ‘Multiplayer Online Battle Arena’, the game seems like it is aimed to compete against titles such as Leagues of Legends and DOTA 2. It doesn’t mean that the title is a MOBA type game, unlike those games, in this game you will have 10 vs 10 based battles.
Also unlike those MOBA type games, each player in this game will be able to control armies and command over 500 men in 3 units. The game has also been confirmed to be free-to-play. The game will be supported with add-on packs that will change the battlefield, even saying they will introduce stuff from different time periods.
SEGA has stated today that they will be launching the Company of Hereoes 2 closed beta next week. Players that get in will get to test the game’s competitive multiplayer and skirmish gameplay. You will be able to play six maps including ones that are for 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4. You will be able to progress to the first 40 levels of the game, customize your loadout using the new Army Customizer.
“We are excited to be able to launch the closed beta for Company of Heroes 2. We invite our fans to help us test and balance the game prior to launch, as well as see the changes we’ve already made since the Alpha test in December.” –Greg Wilson, Producer of Company of Heroes 2
So how do you get into the closed beta? According to SEGA its open only to pre-order customers only. It will be hosted on Steam and will utilize Steamworks (awesome).
As GDC 2013 continues, more details regarding the upcoming rerelease of Sonic the Hedgehog are rolling in. Pocket Gamer reports that on-screen controls will retain the virtual d-pad and single button layout, however new features include a cartridge art gallery and the ability to use Sonic’s spin dash attack, which can be turned on and off in the game’s menu. As most Sonic fans know, the spin dash made its debut in the sequel, while the first game has only featured the addition of the move in Sonic Jam and various ROM hacks.
Meanwhile, Slide to Play expanded on the on-screen controls, noting that “the large, visible buttons of the Genesis controller have been replaced by one tiny jump button in the corner. The joystick is now a virtual stick that feels much more natural and suitable for touchscreen gaming.”. Slide to Play also noted that a SEGA executive indicated that future Genesis games on digital marketplaces would receive the remastering treatment, by casually stating “that was the plan.” If true, SEGA could eventually update existing games like Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, Shining Force, and Gunstar Heroes, as well as release titles not yet seen on mobile devices.
Thanks to SSMB member Shadzter for the info!
SEGA and Sumo Digital have unleashed a new update for Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Transformed on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and as of today also on Wii U. So what is new? What is this patch going to fix? Hit the jump to see the lengthy patch notes.
Seems that Creative Assembly’s James Russell (Lead game designer at Creative Assembly) has posted on twitter that he will be announcing a new game during their GDC talk.
“Very excited that in my
#GDC talk tomorrow, I can announce a new@totalwar game in development – and it’s like nothing we’ve done before…”– James Russell, Lead designer at Creative Assembly
Here is the thing, there are few games that Creative Assembly has been working on that they haven’t announced yet. One being an Aliens title and the other one having to do with the franchise. Both of which have me excited, Assembly Creative can do some great games. But this seems to be more of a Total War entry… (Total War: Viking 2 please!)
Courtesy of GameSparkChannel is a walkthrough of SEGA’s history exhibit at GDC 2013. SEGA set aside a sizable exhibit filled with a variety of SEGA items including arcade games, consoles, and collectables. In the video above you can see old store displays for SEGA consoles, rare SEGA consoles like the JVC X’Eye, promotional posters, and more!
After the break, check out another walkthrough courtesy of The Inquirer.
Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2 remastered weren’t the only games on show at GDC 2013. SEGA has also revealed information and screens pertaining to a few existing and new mobile titles. First off is Puzzle Pirates from SEGA-owned developer Three Rings. Puzzle Pirates is a puzzle-based MMO with quite a history. Released back in 2003, this Java based browser game is considered by many to be one of the earliest free-to-play successes. Now, with SEGA in ownership of the developer Three Rings and the franchise, they’re setting their sights on an iOS and Android tablet release complete with touch screen optimization and the ability to play with the existing Mac, PC and Linux versions of the game. Also on show was SEGA’s other free-to-play browser game Godsrule: War of Mortals, which has iOS and Android versions planned for release this year and will support cross-platform play.
Finally, saving the best for last, SEGA has revealed an iOS and Android version of The House of the Dead: Overkill dubbed The House of the Dead Overkill: The Lost Reels. The game will not be a straight port, but rather a remix, repurposing characters and levels to suit mobile play. As for controls, SEGA has stated that the game will allow players to choose between a virtual joystick or the accelerometer, with tap to shoot being unlocked only after beating the game. Perhaps the developers found tap to play to be too easy? No price or date has been given, but if SEGA’s past mobile titles are any indication, we should expect a release very soon following this reveal. As for price, The House of the Dead Overkill: The Lost Reels will likely be priced between $2.99 and $4.99.
After the break, a gallery of images from the three mobile titles.
SEGA has revealed, at GDC 2013, that the original Sonic classic Sonic the Hedgehog will be releasing to iOS and Android this Spring for $2.99. While SEGA is only commenting on Sonic the Hedgehog at the moment, AndroidPolice.com is reporting that the sequel Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is also set for a remastered release. Thus far, iOS and Android are the only platforms announced, but if Sonic CD’s rerelease is anything to go by, we’ll see console ports as well. Speaking of Sonic CD’s rerelease, Christian “Taxman” Whitehead is likely behind the Sonic 1 & 2 rereleases if his recent tweet is anything to go by: “Those feels, I’m preparing a build for GDC and I won’t even be there.”
Now I hear you saying “but Sonic 1 & 2 are already on digital marketplaces! I don’t want to buy it again!”. Well SEGA has a few new features to entice you to buy the classic again. SEGA promises widescreen support, 60fps, a remastered soundtrack, and an added time attack mode. As soon as we learn more details, we’ll be sure to share! In the meanwhile, check out the gallery below.
UPDATE: Over on the Sonic Retro forums, Christian “Taxman” Whitehead has confirmed that he is behind the project, and that iOS users who already bought the past release of the game will receive the remastering as a free update. Also, in regards to the soundtrack, Whitehead promises that “The arrangements are identical to the originals, using FM synthesis. But they have been put together in a DAW environment and given an actual mix as opposed to simply recording the existing music. The Drum samples are sourced from the original synthesiser so they’re super clean and crisp too.”
Above is the newest teaser image from the unannounced SEGA Japan game. The game is supposed to come out on the Playstation 3 and the Playstation Vita. According to the Famitsu leak this week, the game is going to be a new entry in the “Let’s make a soccer team!” franchise that SEGA has in Japan.
Seems to me that this was a huge disappointment. But hey, did you know the last game in 2006 was developed by Smilebit?
Are you one of the many people waiting for the Western release of Phantasy Star Online 2? Well there is some good news, SEGA has stated that the game has been delayed. This might not be the fantastic news you wanted, but in the end at least SEGA is mentioning the intention of still releasing it.
“Originally slated for an early 2013 launch, Sega can officially confirm that PS02 has been delayed. We don’t have any specifics but will update everyone as soon as there are more details to share.”
Well, all I hope is that the title is ready before summer so it can eat all my hours and make me depressed come October.