Burning Rangers gets lost 2P Co-Op mode restored with downloadable patch

Did you know that Burning Rangers (1998) was planned to have a two-player co-op mode during development? This was shown in early previews and was found in some prototype builds of the game, but no such mode exists in the final retail release. Turns out that the code for the co-op mode was left within the game’s data, so dedicated Sega Saturn reverse engineer Bo Bayles has restored that co-op mode with a special patch. You can download the patch and try it out with your own image file of Burning Rangers. (Which I trust you obtained legally from a copy you own, which you may or may not have paid hundreds of dollars for, but that’s not my place to judge.)

Now then, to the next phase and to the next stage. Come with me past the break for the patch download and more info.

Fan recreates Burning Rangers with Unity

YouTube user, Andreas Scholl, demostrated a tribute demo of Burning Rangers, one of Sonic Team’s earlier titles for the Sega Saturn, through the use of the Unity Engine featuring a recreation of the first level and Tillis as a playable character.

He also adjusted the vertex coloring of the shader and the general light settings to resemble closer to the Sega Saturn visuals which is very impressive.

What are your thoughts on this demostration demo and would you like to see Burning Rangers remade for modern consoles the same as Panzer Dragoon and The House of the Dead? Leave us your thoughts in the comments below.

SEGA Talk #17: Burning Rangers (1998)

On this SEGA Talk, George and Barry discuss Sonic Team’s final game for the SEGA Saturn: Burning Rangers. Despite the all-star development team, few SEGA and Sonic Team fans have actually played the game thanks to a limited run in the west. We discuss the game’s scarcity, how it played, the story and setting and of course the catchy theme song!

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Sonic R – A Soundtrack Story

Note from the writer: This was originally a forum post I made over on the Sonic Stadium, but since that post I’ve learned even more about the surprising history of this soundtrack, and so I’ve decided to update it to celebrate Saturn month; enjoy! 

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Who loves Sonic R?

Released in late 1997, Sonic R  (ソニックR ) was first released for the SEGA Saturn, the under-appreciated 32-Bit powerhouse amongst SEGA’s console lineup. Sonic R had 10 characters to choose from, and presented 5 tracks to race across.

I gave my thoughts on it in my web series This is Saturn, which you can find here:

So, who does love Sonic R?

…not that many people to be honest. Some see it as an average racer, whereas others such as ScrewAttack see it as the absolute worst Sonic the Hedgehog game of all time.

We’re not here to discuss the game though – you probably could have guessed that from the topic title and the huge bloody banner saying “Sonic R – THE SOUNDTRACK.

This is Saturn puts out some fires in Burning Rangers for the SEGA Saturn

After a month or two away, This is Saturn strikes back with Burning Rangers, another cult hit from Sonic Team!

Burning Rangers remained considerably obscure upon release, being one of the final games released for the Saturn in the UK – this also makes UK copies quite rare. Is it really a hidden gem, or does it deserve to stay buried in the blaze?

This is Saturn is a video series created by British teenager Liam ‘TrackerTD’ Ashcroft, aiming to give an alternative and in-depth look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of SEGA Saturn gaming, all whilst maintaining a somewhat strong accent.

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SEGA Tunes All-Stars: Burning Rangers’ Angels With Burning Hearts

The inclusion of a Burning Rangers course is easily one of the biggest surprises in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. In addition to a surprisingly dynamic stage that has you racing through an underwater water park that is slowly falling apart and filling with water over the course of the race, you are also treated to an excellent remix of the game’s main theme; Angels with Burning Hearts, courtesy of Richard Jacques.

This week I’ve decided to go with the Japanese version of the track, given that I’m sure you’ve all heard the English lyrics ad nauseam while racing through the course. Keep an ear out for the awesome saxophone solo at the three minute mark! Check out Richard Jacques’ remix of this track after the break.

Retro Review: Burning Rangers

The year was 1998, and the Sega Saturn was on its way to obsolescence and breathing its last. Sega decided to give the system one last hurrah with some very limited edition games. Panzer Dragoon Saga, Burning Rangers and Shining Force III (I think) were released at a very limited 5,000 copies each. If you didn’t pre-order these babies, you were paying through the nose later. In fact, I payed $100 for my used copy last year. Does Sonic Team’s future fire fighting game still hold up or has its charm burned away?