SEGA News

SEGA in the Media: The 1993 and 2022 Sonic the Hedgehog McDonald’s commercials were filmed at the same location

by

Would you believe that the 1993 McDonald’s Sonic 3 (the game, not the movie) Happy Meal commercial and the 2022 McDonald’s Sonic 2 (the movie, not the game) Happy Meal commercial, filmed 29 years apart, were actually filmed in the exact same location? That’s right! Over on Facebook the page Film Locations – Then and Now shared a post detailing a McDonald’s restaurant in California that is purely used for filming commercials. The MockDonald’s, as locals call it, is at 17030 Green Drive in City of Industry, CA and has existed for decades. The restaurant has appeared in the 1988 film “Mac and me” as well as dozens, if not hundreds, of McDonald’s commercials. The company is so committed to the location that it has seen numerous changes to the exterior to fit with the on-brand look of the company’s restaurants.

Continue Reading ➜

No Comments

SEGA Announces Sonic Rumble; Closed Beta to Be Held from May 24 – May 26

by

Today, SEGA has officially revealed Sonic Rumble, the newest addition to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, releasing this winter. The upcoming Sonic mobile game invites players to enter a twisted toy world created by the notorious Dr. Eggman.

In Sonic Rumble, players will take control of toy figures to compete in thrilling 32-player battle royale challenges, racing against each other to collect the most rings and prove themselves to be the fastest in the toybox. With iconic characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog universe available for customization, players can create their own unique avatars and dive into the action-packed gameplay.

Fans can look forward to the upcoming closed beta, set to take place from May 24 – May 26, 2024 which you can apply on the official website. What is everyone’s thoughts on this upcoming Sonic mobile game? Let us know in the comments below.

No Comments

Sonic Mania Plus Now Available on Netflix Games

by

Artwork illustrated by Mark Hughes

Today, Sonic Mania Plus is now available on mobile for the first time, exclusive to Netflix Games for free!

Sonic Mania Plus is a true, classic Sonic experience – gorgeous pixel graphics featuring a variety of new original Zones along with iconic favorites from Sonic 1, 2, 3, Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic the Hedgehog CD.

Play as Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles, as well as two characters seen in past titles: Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel, who return with their own unique abilities.

You can download Sonic Mania Plus on Google Play here.

1 Comment

SEGA Talk #139: Tom Kalinske (1976-Now)

by

On this episode of SEGA Talk we look back at the career of Tom Kalinske, the man who started at Mattel and took on Nintendo with the SEGA Genesis and leaped over to take over the education toy market with LeapFrog. This is the retrospective of Tom Kalinske!

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – RSS – Download]

Support us on Patreon! Get early access, have your memories read on the show, select the games we talk about!

No Comments

Animated “GOLDEN AXE” series in the works by Mike McMahan for Comedy Central

by

According to Variety, an animated adaptation of SEGA’s beloved franchise, Golden Axe, will be produced by Titmouse and is currently greenlit to air on Comedy Central with 10 episodes ordered. The show will be led by co-creators Mike McMahan and Joe Chandler.

Matthew Rhys (“The Americans,” “Perry Mason”), Danny Pudi (“Community,” “Mythic Quest”), Lisa Gilroy (“Jury Duty,” “Interior Chinatown”), Liam McIntyre (“Spartacus,” “The Flash”), and Carl Tart (“Grand Crew,” “Star Trek: Lower Decks”) will be part of the voice cast.

The official description of the series states the show “Follows veteran warriors Ax Battler (McIntyre), Tyris Flare (Gilroy), and Gilius Thunderhead (Rhys) as they once again battle to save Yuria from the evil giant Death Adder who just won’t seem to stay dead. Fortunately, this time they have the inexperienced and underprepared Hampton Squib (Pudi) on their side.”

You can find more details on the upcoming animated series on Variety’s website. What are your thoughts on the animated Golden Axe series? Let us know in the comments below!

7 Comments

Metaphor: ReFantazio live stream showcase set for April 22

by

Gear up, RPG fans! Atlus just dropped a bomb – they’re hosting a special livestream for their brand new fantasy RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio, on April 22nd! Mark your calendars for 3:00 PM PT / 6:00 PM ET to catch a 30-minute deep dive with director Katsura Hashino himself. Expect fresh info, never-before-seen gameplay, and all the juicy details about this epic adventure.

The best part? You can watch it on YouTube in English, Japanese, or Traditional Chinese! Bonus points if you can decipher the Japanese follow-up stream on April 23rd, which dives even deeper into the reveal with special guests.

For everyone else, Metaphor: ReFantazio is slated to hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, and PC later this fall. Get ready to explore a whole new world!

[Via Gematsu]

No Comments

Keanu Reeves cast as Shadow the Hedgehog in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie, and yes that is something I just typed

by

File this one under “headlines I never would have thought I’d type”: Keanu Reeves has been cast as Shadow the Hedgehog in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie. The news was a rumor earlier today, leaked from discussions held at last week’s Cinemacon, and has since been confirmed by Variety. Keanu Reeves was a long hoped for casting decision by fans, and despite rumors of Hayden Christensen getting the role, it has since been clarified that such casting was only considered AFTER a rumor emerged of Hayden landing the role and Paramount considered it once fan sites ran with the rumor. However, Keanu was the top of the list for Paramount and it seems a deal has been struck. Hopefully we hear from the man himself soon!

No Comments

Unboxing: Pix’n Love Sonic Origins Plus – Collectors Edition

by

After many months, the Pix’n Love Collectors Edition of Sonic Origins Plus has arrived! This big box edition went up for pre-order last year and it has been several months. But now fans have it in hand and I just had to make a quick unboxing video showing off all the cool items included. If you like what you see, the PS4, PS5 and Switch versions are still up for order and the bonus Mega Drive style case is included.

No Comments

SEGA Releases Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble – Adventure Trailer; Announces Optional Assist Features

by

SEGA released the latest Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble trailer this morning showcasing the game’s Adventure Mode, an immersive story mode which features 200 all-new stages set across different worlds with their own unique twist and turns players can experience either solo, or with friends local or online 4-player co-op.

Here is the synopsis of the story:

“While visiting a tropical island, AiAi and the gang meet an adventurer named Palette who’s searching for the Legendary Banana. They agree to join her journey across wondrous worlds to collect special parts said to be the key to locating this prized relic. Along the way, they’ll meet new friends and encounter mysterious rivals in a thrilling story told through fully developed cutscenes.”

Banana Rumble will also offer a variety of optional assist features to help both new players and those who would like to improve their skills to challenge any obstacle. These include:

  • Rewind to a previous point of a stage and attempt a tricky area once more.
  • Ghost Guide adds a transparent racer alongside the player, demonstrating the key methods needed to reach the goal.
  • Checkpoints inside stages, and more!

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble will launch on June 25, 2024 for Nintendo Switch. Pre-Orders for the game is now available on the official website.

1 Comment

Fearless: Celebrating the Year of Shadow – SEGA announces celebration of Sonic’s not-so-friendly rival

by

To celebrate all things Shadow the Hedgehog who made his debut in Sonic Adventure 2 for the SEGA Dreamcast, SEGA has unveiled their second annual fan celebration with Fearless: Year of Shadow to celebrate the amazing fans of Sonic and Shadow similar to last year’s campaign, Fast. Friends. Forever, which highlighted the special bond that Sonic and friends Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose share with their fans.

This year the focus shifts to everyone’s favorite brooding hedgehog, Shadow, who is set to star in the upcoming video game, SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS, as well as the highly anticipated movie, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3”, later this year. The campaign celebrates what it means to be Fearless and embracing your inner Shadow by bravely facing challenges head on.

To kick off the campaign, SEGA released a bold launch trailer featuring original music that celebrates Shadow and the fearlessness of the fans.

Hit the jump for more information on other events and action packed activations that will take place during the Year of Shadow.

Continue Reading ➜

No Comments

Sonic 3 Movie Speeds Up! Big Screen Battles Meet Deep Dives in New TV Shows

by


Knuckles Gets His Own Show: Diving Deeper into the Sonic Movieverse

Gear up, Sonic fans! The lightning-fast blue blur may be sharing the spotlight as the movie franchise ramps up for “Avengers-level events,” but that doesn’t mean your favorite side characters are getting left behind. In a recent interview, Sonic movie producer Toby Ascher hinted at an exciting future for the franchise, with television shows offering a deep dive into lesser-known heroes.

“We got really excited about the idea of expanding our characters in our world into television,” Ascher says. This is fantastic news for fans who crave more backstory and development for characters like Tails, Knuckles, and maybe even Amy Rose! The movies, according to Ascher, are primed to become massive crossover events, much like the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s epic team-ups. “Sonic 3,” with the introduction of Shadow the Hedgehog, is a clear sign of this direction.

Continue Reading ➜

No Comments

Sonic the Hedgehog Co-Creator Yuiji Naka Blasts Yu Miyake in Square Enix Shakeup

by

Looks like there’s some drama brewing on Twitter! Yuji Naka, fresh off his legal dust-up with Square Enix, isn’t exactly stoked about their recent employee shuffle. Apparently, the longtime Dragon Quest producer heading to mobile games ruffled some feathers. But hey, at least the new president seems alright in Naka’s eyes! I guess there’s always a silver lining, even in the land of corporate musical chairs.

Below is a tweet on Yuji Naka’s thoughts on Yu Miyake’s internal transfer within Square Enix:

Continue Reading ➜

No Comments

Review: Sonic the Hedgehog X IHOP Menu – Blueberry pancakes and onion rings are a winning combination!

by

Sonic the Hedgehog speeds his way back into restaurants with a Sonic themed menu at IHOP (aka The International House of Pancakes), and SEGAbits was there to sample Sonic’s offerings! Longtime readers of the site might know I have an affinity for Sonic food promotions, so much so that I dedicated a YouTube series to chronicling past promotions. When SEGA emailed me to tell me about the limited time menu, I had to make plans to visit my local IHOP to see how the promotion was rolled out.

Continue Reading ➜

3 Comments

Sega Genesis Mini 3 announced for North America and Japan exclusively; Details and first 10 games revealed (April Fools)

by

Sega, out of nowhere, just announced their newest mini console and successor to the Sega Genesis Mini 2. The Sega Genesis Mini 3 will be releasing on October 16th, 2024 exclusively in North America and Japan (Sorry, Europe, but you better get ready to import.) Unlike the previous two Genesis Mini plug-and-play consoles, this console will release in the exact same condition both in North America and Europe, as the Majesco-built Genesis 3 console was released originally only in North America. This means the console will have the exact same game lineup worldwide and will be known as the Genesis Mini 3 even in Japan.

At the same time, Sega have revealed that the console will include 50 games while also revealing what the first 10 games will be. Like with the previous two Genesis Minis, more games will be revealed gradually throughout the year before the console’s retail release. To find out what the first ten games are, check in after the break while containing your excitement.

Continue Reading ➜

10 Comments