Arts and Crafts: Make your own Sonic Origins Genesis box, manual and cartridge!

Fool your friends, be the envy of your enemies (or vice versa) with the Sonic Origins SEGA Genesis paper craft! I did it for Sonic 4 Episode 1, Sonic 4 Episode 2, Sonic Generations and Sonic Mania. So it only makes sense for me to do it again for Sonic Origins!

The process is pretty easy. Print out the images below, slip the cover in a Genesis case, tape or glue the label on a Genesis cartridge and fold and place the manual inside the case. I like to use old sports games, but you can use any old Genesis game case that you wish. Have fun!

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Fan Made: Sonic Mania Physical Release Box Art Round-Up

sonic mania fan art

Sonic Mania has fast become the most hotly anticipated Sonic the Hedgehog games in years, in large part because it is not only the return of classic Sonic but also the return to the graphics and gameplay that made the series so popular in the early to mid 1990s. While Sonic Mania is releasing to all major modern platforms, the development team has described the game as Saturn-esque with several fans taking things a step further and declaring Sonic Mania the Sonic Saturn game we never got but always wanted.

While we won’t actually be seeing Sonic Mania on the SEGA Saturn or the Mega Drive/Genesis, that hasn’t stopped fans from creating their own custom box art that can be printed out, trimmed and applied to an old Saturn or Mega Drive/Genesis case of your choosing! After the break, check out the fan made box art we’ve found online and in the comments share your own custom box art.

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Valkyria: Azure Revolution box art revealed, introduction trailer released

The latest game in the Valkyria, Valkyria: Azure Revolution, has it’s box art revealed, along with an accompanying introduction trailer. The box art for the PS4 and PSVita versions share the same artwork, with a noticeably more depressing color scheme that mixes grey and blue colors and features the character Amleth, a departure from the more vivid colors from past games. Both box art covers can be seen here and here.

Meanwhile the new trailer acts as a prologue to the events that take place in Valkyria: Azure Revolution, about how the titular Azure Revolution helped expand the Rus Empire into conquering the majority of Europe, and Jutland being the only kingdom left that can stop it.

Valkyria: Azure Revolution will release on January 19th, 2017 in Japan. No release outside of Japan has been announced.

[Source: Segalization]

 

Check out the groovy box art for Persona 4: Dancing All Night

P4D-JP-Box-Art_03-25-15
Atlus has updated their Japanese site with box art for the standard edition of Persona 4: Dancing All Night, which you can see above. As far as what the box art for the Crazy Value and Premium Crazy Box limited editions will look remains a mystery.

For those that don’t know Persona 4 Dancing All Night is a spin-off title that takes place half a year after the events of Persona 4 and this one (like the title suggests) is a Rhythm game instead of a JRPG.

The game is set to hit Japan on June 25th, only on Playstation Vita and everywhere else sometime within this year. So, what do you think of the box art?

SEGA by Design: Power Stone 2 and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Cover Art

SEGAbyDesign

Welcome to a new SEGAbits feature: SEGA by Design. Believe it or not, SEGAbits is not my day job. When I’m not working on the site, I’m a full time graphic designer. Before I decided to make graphic design my profession, I grew up wanting to be either an animator or a cartoonist. My childhood influences included 90’s cartoons and video game cover art, and while I loved such works as the covers of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games, I found myself even more attracted to the package designs that encapsulated the artwork. At the time, I had no idea what this sort of thing was called, I just knew that it was slick, uniform, and involved colors, shapes, and fonts. It wasn’t until the Playstation game Wipeout that I learned of what graphic design actually entailed through the work of The Designer’s Republic. From there on out, I knew I wanted to be a graphic designer and four years of college and seven years of professional experience later, here I am about to tear into the cover art of one of my most favorite SEGA Dreamcast games: Capcom’s Power Stone 2.

Box-art and Release Dates for Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Shattered Crystal Revealed

rise of lyric box thumbnail

We already knew that both Sonic Boom games will be coming out in this November, but now we know when exactly we can expect them to be in stores. In the US Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric will be released on November 18th, while Shattered Crystal will be out a week earlier on November 11th. We don’t know yet when the games will be released in Europe, but this post will be updated when we do.

Along with these dates SEGA released the box covers as well, both of which feature Sonic looking at the customer and doing something potentially threatening. The Wii U box has a Nintendo Network logo on it, meaning the game does have some sort of online functionality.

 

What’s Wrong with Binary Domain’s Box Art?

Since the reveal of Binary Domain’s box art, I’ve been thinking about just what is it that makes it so… ineffective. I hesitate to use the word “bad”, as artistry clearly went into producing the cover. However, I think the reason for the cover’s failing is that not a lot of thought went into it. Sure they threw a lot into the scene, but perhaps they threw in too much? I’ve been working in the graphic design industry for five years now, so I thought I’d put some of my professional experience to practice and pick apart Binary Domain’s cover art problems, and perhaps find a better solution. Is it worth the time picking apart the game’s cover? Of course it is! As a new IP, the only thing the game has going for it is SEGA’s name when it comes to appearing on a shelf. First impressions are key for a new franchise, and sadly Binary Domain is not making a good first impression.

Binary Domain box art looks pretty lame

Don’t get me wrong, I love how Binary Domain is looking. But if I never heard of Binary Domain and was just going off of box art, I wouldn’t pick this game up. The box art looks way too cheesy.

This is the confirmed cover for both America and Europe. Hopefully SEGA sees their mistake and changes it. What do you guys think? I’m I being a negative Sally?

[Via: Gematsu]

SEGA Spain show off Sonic Generations Special Edition box art


SEGA Spain have officially revealed the box art for their special edition version of Sonic Generations. The game will get unique box art that changes between classic and modern Sonic.

The special edition has a sticker showing off exclusive DLC, Casino Night Zone. Which in the US is available through pre-order at Gamestop and in the UK through GAME.

[Via: Sonic Stadium]

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games gets yellow case, release date


[Better concept on how finished product shall look.]

SEGA’s new assets for Mario & Sonic at the London Olympic Games is showing off a new, never before used, yellow case. The only other time I recalled Nintendo putting a different case color for a game was in Japan when M rated titles got a black case.  (edit: Forgot that New Super Mario Bros Wii had a red case. Oops.)

Why its yellow? I don’t know. I do know is that the Wii version of the title will be coming out in North America on November 15th. 3DS version isn’t expected until February of next year.

Now enjoy some screens.

New House of the Dead: Overkill Extended Cut screens & box art


[Only on Playstation?]

SEGA has released the box art and a ton of screenshots for the Playstation 3 port of House of the Dead Overkill, being billed as the ‘extended cut’. So what is in the extended cut?

List of PS3 exclusive features:

  • PlayStation Move and Sharp Shooter compatible
  • OVERKILL fully remastered – available in high definition, with stereoscopic 3D for the first time ever
  • Extended with 2 additional levels not featured in the original game
  • Exclusive crossbow weapon
  • New baby mutant type
  • New Hardcore Mode – mutants can only be killed with headshots
  • New Classic Mode – play through the entire game using only the AMS Magnum
  • Exclusive Missing Reel – an extended boss fight with “Mother” in “OVERKILL”, the game’s final level
  • Online leaderboards to track high scores and player statistics
  • Collectibles to grab throughout all levels to unlock bonus materials; comic pages, music tracks, 3D models and 2D artwork
  • New PlayStation Trophies to unlock
  • Improved boss fights in all levels
  • New and improved cutscenes using motion capture
  • And more still to come!

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New HD Sonic Generations box art says it supports 3D

If you go to SEGA’s Sonic Generation product page, you will notice that they put up a new cover. This one looks less like a place holder and more like an official retail one. If you look closer, you will see that it has the 3D enabled badge right on it.

That’s right, you will be able to play as both modern and classic Sonic in 3D. So all 3 versions of the game (announced so far) will support 3D!