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SEGA Talk Podcast #55: Ghostbusters (1990)

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On this SEGA Talk, Barry schools George on his favorite non-Sonic Genesis platformer: Ghostbusters! Developed by SEGA and Compile, the game is a unique non-linear action adventure game. Learn about the all-star development team, the game’s unique place in canon and the discovery of demo tracks from the game’s soundtrack.

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Madou Monogatari I for Mega Drive gets an English fan translation

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A new English translation for the Madou Monogatari series has been released, this time for the Mega Drive version of Madou Monogatari I. Like the other versions of Madou Monogatari I, you play as 6 year old Arle Nadja, who was chosen to climb up a monster infested tower to pass her exam at Magic Kindergarten. This version also adds extra plot elements, such as the inclusion of the two characters Camus and Lulu who occasionally appear throughout the tower, along with a secret boss fight against a mysterious foe implied to be Satan, who can only be fought once certain criteria is met. Another major change is the battle system, which has been overhauled to now play in real-time, using button combinations in order to execute spells or to dodge attacks.

This fan translation as expected translates the entire game into English, complete with a title renaming to “Sorcery Saga I”. For extra authenticity, you can mod your SEGA Genesis Mini to play this game, doubly so if you have a Japanese Mega Drive Mini on hand and want to properly play Madou Monogatari I in English.

[Source: ROMhacking.net]

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SEGA AGES Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Puyo Puyo 2 coming to western territories on February 20th

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The month of February seems to be sequel month, as two hit SEGA follow ups are coming soon to the SEGA AGES series, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Puyo Puyo 2! Both releases are planned for a February 20th release date on the Nintendo Switch eShop for a price of $7.99 (and equivalent), in both North American and European territories.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is the sequel to the original Sonic the Hedgehog released a year later. Like its predecessor, you take on the role of the titular Sonic as you run through different zones avoiding hazards and beating Badniks. However this time Sonic is joined by his best friend Miles Tails Prower, and has a new move called the Spin Dash that allows him to rev up and dash forward in a ball. This SEGA AGES version comes with the original game, but it also includes new features like the optional Drop Dash, ring counter like SEGA AGES Sonic the Hedgehog, and most notably Knuckles the Echidna being playable like he was when you connected a copy of Sonic 2 to Sonic & Knuckles.

Puyo Puyo 2 (aka Puyo Puyo Tsu) you once again take on the role of young mage Arle Nadja, as you are tasked with climbing up Satan’s tower by beating opponents and earning enough points to move up to the next floor. Like it’s predecessor, the main objective is to beat the opponent by dumping garbage called Nuisance Puyos onto their field, but Puyo Puyo 2 also polishes up the gameplay with new features such as offsetting, double rotation, and All Clear. With this SEGA AGES release, you also get a new mode called Endurance Mode where you must fight against every opponent in the tower, along with quality of life modifications such as the option to change the appearance of the Puyos and the ability to read up the descriptions of every character. Like its predecessor SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo, you also have the option to set up matches with people around the globe via internet.

[Source: SEGA AGES website]

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Madou Monogatari A for Game Gear gets an English fan translation

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Another Madou Monogatari game has received a fan translation, this time being the game Madou Monogatari A: Doki Doki Vacation. In a slight departure from the previous Madou Monogatari titles on Game Gear, this game is based on Madou Monogatari ARS originally released on the PC-98, specifically the “A” scenario. In Madou Monogatari A, you take on the role of 4 year old Arle Nadja from Magic Kindergarten who wants to visit her grandmother on the other side of a forest. While the original PC-98 version involves Arle getting lost in the forest and get harassed by an angry Owlbear, the Game Gear version instead has a story involving Satan cutting down the Fairy Forest to build an amusement park, with Arle going into the forest to find the fairies and stop Satan’s plans. Aside from the story changes, Madou Monogatari A: Doki Doki Vacation also changes a lot of the level design, overall making the game barely like its original incarnation on the PC-98.

This patch translates the whole game into English, including the title being renamed to Sorcery Saga A: Vivacious Vacation. This means that all Madou Monogatari games on the Game Gear can now be played in English, along with Madou Monogatari I, Madou Monogatari II, and Madou Monogatari III.

[Source: ROM Hacking.net]

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SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo Tsu releasing on January 16th in Japan

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SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo Tsu has finally got a definitive release date. This popular arcade game from Japan can be yours on January 16th, for a price of ¥999 on the Japanese Nintendo Switch eShop.

This SEGA AGES release of Puyo Puyo Tsu comes with the original arcade game, in addition to a new Kachinuki Mode, where players have to fight every opponent in the tower starting from the bottom and working your way up. Players will also be able to read up on the descriptions of every character, and have the option to change the colors of each individual Puyo color with six choices. Like with past SEGA AGES releases, there will also be online compatibility, with leaderboards and online match making.

[Source: Official SEGA AGES page]

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Madou Monogatari III for Game Gear gets an English fan translation

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For those that want to dig into the past for the Puyo Puyo series, a new English translation patch has been released for the Game Gear version of Madou Monogatari III. This English patch, renamed Sorcery Saga III: The Ultimate Queen, is a complete translation that has everything in English, and is compatible with both revisions of the game.

Like it’s predecessors Madou Monogatari I and Madou Monogatari II, you take on the role of Arle Nadja and her companion Carbuncle in an old school dungeon crawling RPG. In this game, Arle encounters the self-proclaimed Fighting Queen Rulue and her bodyguard Minotauros, but this encounter is short lived, as Rulue commands Minotauros to drive Arle and Carbuncle deep into a forest in order to win over Satan’s love. Now lost in a strange labyrinth, Arle must find her way out and get revenge on Rulue. The Game Gear version specifically makes changes to the story and game design compared to the previously released MSX2 and PC-98 versions, like the inclusion of the Frog Empire that assists Arle during her quest.

[Source: Romhacking.net]

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SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo Tsu coming soon, more information revealed

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Want some more Puyo Puyo action after playing SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo? Well the hit sequel from Japan, Puyo Puyo Tsu, is coming soon to the SEGA AGES series! Like the previous arcade game, you take on the role as heroine Arle Nadja, as you are tasked with stacking the titular Puyos to flood your opponent’s side with Nuisance Puyo. Puyo Puyo Tsu however fleshes it out further with several new mechanics, including double rotation, offsetting, and the All Clear. Combine that with the potential to fight over 30 different opponents and multiplayer that has different options to choose from, it’s easy to see why Puyo Puyo Tsu was a big hit in Japanese arcades back in the mid 90’s and why Puyo Puyo games to this day use the Puyo Puyo Tsu gameplay as the golden standard.

SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo Tsu adds several new features. It will include the original arcade mode, but there will be an additional Kachinuki Mode where you have to battle against every character in the tower. In addition to this, players will have the ability to read the character introduction for everyone, including Arle and Carbuncle who normally don’t have one, and the ability change the appearance of every Puyo with different styles. Like it’s predecessor SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo, it will also come with online play, allowing you to play with a friend and record your highest score on a rankings board.

Currently SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo Tsu is priced at ¥999 with a release date pending.

[Source: Official Website]

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New Aleste game “Aleste Branch” announced, being developed by M2

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Those that are a big fans of shmups and SEGA consoles, you might be familiar with the Aleste series by Compile, such as with the Master System version of Aleste or MUSHA on the SEGA Genesis. Well good news, because the developers at M2 are planning on reviving the series, under the title Aleste Branch. Not much has been revealed, but what is confirmed is that similar to past games, you’ll be controlling a female pilot named Eleanor Wiesen, and a teaser of what the game’s space ship will look like. According to Famitsu, the character designs are being handled by artist Eiji Komato.

Though not much information has been revealed, it’s promised that more information will be revealed by September 7th, while the appearance of the full ship will be revealed on July 28th at Wonder Festival 2019.

[Source: M2, Famitsu]

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SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo releasing on March 28th in Japan

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A lot going on with SEGA’s SEGA AGES series. While people in western territories will be enjoying Alex Kidd in Miracle World and Gain Ground on March 28th, fans in Japan will be instead be enjoying SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo on the same day.

SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo is based on the arcade version, with several enhancements available. In addition to the familiar blob popping puzzle fun from the original, players also have the addition of an optional double rotation feature that was absent from the original arcade version, online multiplayer, and most interestingly the inclusion of the extremely rare English arcade version that changes most of the names and the voice clips. SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo is slated for a price of ¥925 (roughly $8.50), so if you have spare yen, maybe pick this up along with the aforementioned SEGA AGES Alex Kidd in Miracle World and Gain Ground titles.

[Source: Official Website]

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SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo to feature obscure English version of the arcade game

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SEGA’s official Puyo Puyo Twitter account has drop some new information regarding to SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo, with the most significant news being that they are officially releasing the obscure English version of Puyo Puyo. This version of Puyo Puyo predates the more familiar localization attempts such as Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine and Kirby’s Avalanche, with the key difference is that it tries to retain the original graphics, with only some minor adjustments to the voice clips and most of the character names and dialogue. It’s been long rumored to have been soft-released somewhere in Europe, based on interviews in the book All About Puyo Puyo Tsu, but until now it’s existence by SEGA wasn’t acknowledged. This created speculation that the English version of Puyo Puyo was a bootleg, further fueled by it being originally found on a bootleg board.

A more minor reveal is a new border being confirmed, a collection of artwork from the Puyo Puyo manuals for consoles, showing off the different characters you face against during the single player mode. But the English version is obviously the more fascinating news, since it once and for all puts down the theory that the English Puyo Puyo arcade game was an unofficial modification. SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo is due out sometime in February in Japan, with a release internationally currently unknown.

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Puyo Puyo and Puyo Puyo Tsu coming to the SEGA AGES lineup

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It’s been recently announced in SEGA’s latest Puyo Puyo Championship stream that the first two Puyo Puyo arcade games, Puyo Puyo and Puyo Puyo Tsu respectively, are coming to the SEGA AGES lineup on the Nintendo Switch! No specific details have been dropped regarding what is new to these specific ports or when they’ll releases, though based on screenshots both games will be based on their arcade versions, and will sport borders like the other SEGA AGES titles. The borders themselves are based on the instruction flyers found on their respective arcade machines.

It’s unknown at this time if these two installments will receive a release outside of Japan. However, in the scenario that they do, Puyo Puyo would notably be the first time it got a western release untouched, unlike what happened with Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine and Kirby’s Avalanche in the past. It’s also worth noting that the Puyo Puyo series was a top 10 wanted choice in SEGA’s official SEGA AGES survey from nearly 3 months ago. It’s not clear if the poll had any influence with pushing out these Puyo Puyo releases, but we might expect similar results like Virtua Fighter titles appearing if they are genuinely taking the poll seriously.

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New Madou Monogatari Game Gear collection announced

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Madou GG

A new collection for the Madou Monogatari by D4 Enterprises and Project EGG has been announced. A follow up from past collections, such as the Mega Drive version of Madou Monogatari I and Madou Monogatari: Hanamaru Dai Youchienji ones previously reported, collection focuses on the Game Gear versions of Madou Monogatari I, II, III, and A. In addition to these game, the collection will also come with reprints of the manuals and a soundtrack, similar to the other Madou Monogatari collections.

Unlike the original Madou Monogatari I-II-III, the Game Gear versions were originally separate releases. These versions of the original trilogy contain elements of both the MSX and PC98 versions, still retaining the first person dungeon exploring and turn based battles. However they also introduce some changed elements, for example the Game Gear version of Madou Monogatari III has Rulue as the final boss instead of Minotaur like the other versions. Meanwhile Madou Monogatari A (technically called Madou Monogatari A: Doki Doki Vacation) is a remake of the “A” scenario from Madou Monogatari A-R-S, focusing on a 4 year old Arle obtaining her powers for the first time. Only the “A” scenario got a Game Gear remake, possibly due to it being a late 1995 Game Gear release.

The collection is slated for a 2018 release for 8,000円 (roughly $72)

[Source: Compile Station]

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Opinion: Why Puyo Puyo Chronicles is getting attention outside of Japan

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puyopuyoeditorial

This article is from the opinion of the author only. None of the statements here are necessarily associated with SEGABits or SEGA as a whole.

Puyo Puyo Chronicles. This was a game that was expected to come out for the majority of the year, since it’s the 25th Anniversary of the franchise. Normally when it comes to anniversaries SEGA focuses their cards on Sonic, but people outside of Japan don’t know Puyo Puyo also gets attention with a sudden boom of merchandising and a new game. This also happened with Puyo Puyo’s 15th and 20th anniversary, where they got rather expansive games in the form of Puyo Puyo! 15th Anniversary and Puyo Puyo!! 20th Anniversary, respectively. The fact the franchise has endured for 25 years defying the “hiatus” problem many of SEGA’s franchises suffer from for one reason or another, should be a testament to it’s strength as an IP.

However, something is notably different this time around in contrast to the past.

Continue Reading ➜

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Puyo Puyo Tsu 3D getting an independent 3DS eShop release

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Puyo Puyo Tsu 3D

Puyo Puyo Tsu (or Puyo Puyo 2) is regarded as an arcade classic in Japan, setting the foundation for future titles with it’s fleshed out mechanics. Which is why recently the game received not only a 3D remake on the 3DS, but also made it one of the exclusive titles to SEGA 3D Reprint Archives Vol. 2 (SEGA 3D Classics Collection outside of Japan). That is until recently, where it’s been announced the game will receive an independent version on the eShop, and adding an additional Tournament Mode on top of the base game. This version will release on August 3rd, 2016 for the price of ¥864 ($8.22) in Japan.

Whether or not the similarly exclusive Power Drift 3D or the Master System games will receive an independent release too is currently in the air. No release for outside of Japan is currently announced, but keep an eye out in the near future.

If you want to learn more about Puyo Puyo Tsu 3D, read up on our review of SEGA 3D Classic Collection which includes Puyo Puyo Tsu 3D, and our guide on Puyo Puyo Tsu that talks about how the game works.

[Source: Nintendo Japan]

 

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D4 and EGG Project release new Madou Monogatari collection

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madoumonogatari

After the success of the first collection with Madou Monogatari 1-2-3 and Madou Monogatari ARS, a new compilation has been released for Windows in Japan regarding to the Madou Monogatari series called Madou Monogatari yu~ Kyoku Taizen-Tsu MD & DS by companies D4 and EGG Project. In this collection contains the Mega Drive version of Madou Monogatari I and varies DiscStation titles, along with the original cover from the Mega Drive Madou Monogatari I and an OST. In addition, the first collection that contains Madou Monogatari 1-2-3 and Madou Monogatari ARS is receiving a reprint until September 2016.

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