Above is the trailer for SEGA and Double Fine’s new game, The Cave. This is the second character trailer, if you missed the first one, you can see it here. This one introduces some of the characters you will be able to play as when the game comes out next month. I’m really liking the time traveling character. Which one tickles your feathers?
SEGA has released Sonic Jump to Android devices! Now Android users can see what all the fuss is about. The game is $1.99 on the Google Play store, and while the Android release doesn’t appear to have all the content that the iOS version currently has, the game will have free updates and will most likely get everything the iOS version currently has in time. Given the time it takes to level up, players probably won’t notice the lack of content until an update is set to appear.
Via the SEGA Blog comes news that SEGA and Icelandic developer Gogogic are teaming up to release a browser/tablet MMOG game entitled Godsrule: War of Mortals. The game is said to combine “real-time player-versus-player combat with RTS (real-time strategy) elements, in a unique fantasy setting with an epic backstory.” At the moment, the game is asking potential players to sign up for a closed beta for the game. Just visit playgodsrule.com to create an account and begin playing. For more information on the game’s features and further information on the closed beta, visit the SEGA Blog for details. After the break, check out a gallery of screens and concept art.
While some fans have known of Alex Kidd’s upcoming addition to Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed’s roster, SEGA has finally officially announced themselves that we can expect Alex Kidd to unlock on Christmas day. The news came from the Sonic the Hedgehog Facebook page:
Happy Holidays from Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed! If you fire up Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed on Christmas Day, you’ll find a little surprise under your tree — Alex Kidd jumps into the race! He doesn’t need to pedal to take to land, air and sea — two powerful JanKenPon engines allow him to roar around like it’s Christmas in Miracle World. Surely this is a better present than some paper, scissors and stones!
Alex Kidd wasn’t quite a surprise for all, as it was learned early on that files for him existed within the game and eventually fans figured out that they could unlock Alex if they used their console offline and moved the date ahead to December 25th. However, once they logged back on and the clock changed to the current time, Alex would disappear. So don’t open your gifts early, be a good SEGA fan and wait until Christmas day!
Cover by: Patrick “SPAZ” Spaziante
Sonic the Hedgehog comic universe is nearly twenty years old, its about time it gets a “best of” trade paperback release. For those that waited this long, here is a preview of what you can expect in the full release on the 26th (yes, the day after Christmas). Retail price for the trade will be $14.99 and be about 144 pages long.
Sega has just released the Sega Ages 2500 Phantasy Star Complete Collection on PS2 Classics today just in time to celebrate the series 25th anniversary for digital download. The collection contains all 8 titles from the entire original series I-IV and the side-story games. It’s only 800 yen ($10) to download. If your interested in buying it, make sure that you have a Japanese PSN account and buy JP PSN cards from import sites or Ebay. Even though players can play the original four games on Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection in English, this is a unique gift for die hard fans of the series. Here’s the list of games that are featured in the collection.
SEGA and Level/Up has teamed up once again to bring Virtua Fighter fans of North America a tournament of a life time, the “Sega Cup: Virtua Fighter Tournament 2013”. Sega Cup will feature a full day of Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown competition in the heart of SoCal’s fighting game hotspot Super Arcade in Walnut, California on April 20, 2013. There will be cash prizes given to the top 16 players. I would love to be a part of it, but I’m a bit better in Fighting Vipers. Anybody joining this awesome event? If so, do you have what it takes to win the battle? Read more for more details about the event.
As the year draws to a close, as a Dreamcast fan I always like to look back on the indie Dreamcast titles that were released and announced in 2012. While the start of the 2012 looked great for indie Dreamcast fans, it ended up being a less than stellar year. Sturmwind, published by redspotgames and developed by Duranik, was meant to have a release in the second quarter of 2011. But manufacturing delays lead to a November 11th, 2011 release date. However, according to redspotgames ,the release date had been postposed yet again “due to difficulties with the CD factory”. As such, the release date changed to some time in 2012. Now, just a few weeks before 2013, the game has yet to be released and the latest update from redspotgames is that they “decided to work on the game even more. So the weapon system and the HUD has been improved.” A better game is always great, but in my opinion a year and a half delay is uncalled for. Those who put money down for a pre-order are sure to be angry at redspotgames by this point. Which is a shame, given their past high quality efforts including the awesome Wind & Water Puzzle Battles and Rush Rush Rally Racing.
SEGA has updated the iOS game Sonic Jump today, adding two new characters: Silver and Rouge, more boss battles, new level objects and gimmicks, new wallpapers, graphical updates and more. Upon starting up the game, players will notice additional screens including an easy to access pop up panel that gives gameplay records including completion percentages and ring totals, as well as a panel that shows total zone progress. Within stages, graphical flourishes have been added including animation on once static objects and new elements such as Green Hill Zone flowers. Later stages feature diagonal springs and swing gimmicks. Each zone has double the boss battles, with the sixth stage of each zone being replaced by a new Eggman fight featuring new layouts. Additional characters, Silver and Rouge, bring with them more levels with 30 looking to be the new maximum level to attain.
SEGA’s recently launched Archives site reveals more details of the 3D rerelease of Space Harrier, including release date, price, features and more. The game is set to release on December 26th in Japan, for 600 yen (about $7). According to a translation of the site, features include: the ability to put in credits to increase your playtime, stage select screens, the ability to save the game at any time, the ability to save and watch replays, control with either the circle pad or the d-pad or the touchscreen, change difficulty, change the number of lives you start out with, change rate of fire, a time trial mode, change the range of movement, an enhanced sound test and a variety of screen sizes (seen below).
Perhaps the most interesting feature is, what appears to be, a mode which simulates the arcade experience: “When ON, the game screen is tilted up, down, left and right according to the movement of the player.” Environmental sounds also play, which are said to simulate the various sounds that were heard from the arcade machine based on the movement of the player. For an idea of what that might feel like, check out a YouTube video of the arcade machine in action after the break.
No details have been given on a Western release, but when we hear something from SEGA we’ll be sure to share it! This is looking to be a truly awesome rerelease of a SEGA arcade classic.
Just today, one of the SEGA producers who is in charge of bringing back many classic games that we all know and love has launched a new Sega website called “Archives.sega.jp” . It’s a web portal of all 150 titles available for digital services and a pretty neat web design too. The site includes digital games from the SEGA AGES Online line-up to the MODEL2 Collection. Just looking at all the games in one site brings back good SEGA memories I had back in the day. I hope we can get more games like Virtua Cop & Sakura Taisen next. Check out the site here with a click on the link.
Vita owners in the United States can finally get their hands on Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, as the game is now available to purchase! While released on the 7th in Europe, Americans had to wait a little longer to get the game. Was it worth the wait? Vita owners who picked it up, feel free to sound off in the comments section or over in our lovely forums. So far, critic reviews hover around 8/10, which is a great score! For those of you who plan to buy the game, remember that Gamestop is still giving away a free diecast Danicar Hot Wheels car with the purchase of any version of the game.
It’s a Christmas NiGHTS miracle! The Saturn classic NiGHTS into Dreams is now available to download on Steam for a cool $9.99. Buy it now so you can enjoy Winter NiGHTS and on Christmas day, Christmas NiGHTS. Make it a holiday tradition!
Features include:
Hd Dreams
See NiGHTS come to life like never before with HD graphics and widescreen. All 7 original dreams have been enhanced for an invigorated gameplay experience.Christmas Nights
Experience the holiday season early with playable content from Christmas NiGHTS.Achievements and Leaderboards
Track your progress against the most dedicated NiGHTS fans in the world.Saturn Dreams
Long-time fans can re-play the game in its original form.Extras
The Movie Theater and Gallery offer a behind-the-scenes look at the story and artwork that make NiGHTS into dreams… so special.
Though it may seem a bit late at this point, North American Wii U owners still on the fence about picking up SEGA’s well-received kart racer now have the opportunity to try it before buying it. Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed may have an unwieldy title, but it’s a fun game with a massive amount of content easily worth your $39.99, so check it out if you haven’t yet!
The internet has gone into a tizzy over the news that SEGA has taken game company Level-5 to court, claiming Level-5 has infringed on two patents held by SEGA. SEGA claims that the Level-5 developed Inazuma Eleven games infringe on a patented mechanic which allows players to move characters with their fingers or a stylus. The lawsuit, if won, could prohibit sales of all eight Inazuma games on the DS, Wii, and 3DS, as well as win SEGA 900 million yen (roughly $11 million). Internet sites from Joystiq to Kotaku are reporting on the story, though in my opinion they are jumping the gun when it comes to the details of the lawsuit. For starters, following the news, Level-5 responded by stating that the first Inazuma Eleven game was released in 2008, while Sega didn’t file its first patent until 2009. Level-5 also claims that the second followed in 2011. “As a result of examining these discrepancies,” Level-5 stated, “we’ve concluded that there is no patent violation.”