New top-down Genesis/Mega-Drive shooter Sovietborgs now crowdfunding on Indiegogo

Developer Retro Sumus are back with an all-new action shooter coming to Genesis/Mega-Drive called Sovietborgs. Spaniard developer Retro Sumus were previously known for their amazing 3D Dreamcast shooter Xenocider, released in 2021. That game, one of the first fully 3D indie games on Dreamcast, was a visual tour-de-force and a great tribute to Space Harrier and Sin & Punishment. With Sovietborgs, they’ve set their sights not just on Genesis, but aim to bring the game to Dreamcast and even MS-DOS and Neo-Geo. Quite the ambitious project indeed, and they’ve brought Sovietborgs to IndieGogo for the funding needed to make it happen.

Sovietborgs leverages pre-rendered 3D graphics, much like Vectorman or Sonic 3D Blast, to bring you into an alternate reality in which the Soviet Union became the dominant civilization following the Cold War. You’ll be controlling three mercenaries called “Sovietborgs” all at once to wipe out all the vicious mutants in every level. The game will play like a top-down shooter, but there are in-between levels more like a horizontal scrolling shmup as well. The music is inspired by the Strike trilogy and Command & Conquer: Red Alert and composed by the same Juanjo Martin who composed the music for Xenocider.

If you’re just itching to throw money at this game’s Indiegogo and get a copy of the game in the process following its completion, then journey on down past the break and find out what to expect from this campaign.

Remaining Sega Forever mobile games being hit with End-of-Service announcements UPDATE: Annnnnnnd they’re gone

Recorded from the Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II mobile app

The final nail in Sega Forever’s coffin has just been pounded in. The once-promising initiative out of Sega Europe to bring classic Sega games back on mobile devices as free, ad-supported games had already been quietly discontinued years ago and several games were delisted and left with their online services disabled in 2023. Now, most of the remaining games are meeting the same fate.

Like before, this comes without any official announcement from Sega outside of this end-of-service notice popping up within the affected games, along with a link directly to Sega’s website. Each of the games will remain playable offline and tied to your Google Play or Apple account if you had previously downloaded them, but they will no longer be updated, so it’s only a matter of time until they do become unplayable as Sega will no longer make sure they keep up with ongoing Android or iOS updates. This has actually already happened with each of the games that were delisted the last time since we reported on it two years ago. The topical games here are still available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store as of this writing, so you may as well download the remaining games if you haven’t already and enjoy them while you can. As part of this update, all online features will be shut down, which amounted to leaderboards and, for the Genesis/Mega-Drive games, save-states saved onto the cloud. Local save data will remain accessible. The option to pay $2 USD to disable ads, which will now be disabled anyway, is also gone.

Check past the break for a list of the affected titles.

Dreamcast online shooter Outtrigger now back online thanks to Dreamcast Live

We’re live with a new Dreamcast Live update, as Outtrigger’s online multiplayer is now back in action thanks to Dreamcast Live. This is all thanks to Dreamcast Live legends Shuouma and Flyinghead, who also recently brought Sega Tetris and Speed Devils: Online Edition back online through Dreamcast Live.

Similar to the story of Speed Devils Online, Shuouma began work getting Outtrigger online years ago, but was unable to finish the job by himself. Years later, he showed Flyinghead the work he had done and he finished it for him. Now we all get to enjoy some online Outtrigger action once again through a DreamPi or a Dreamcast Broadband Adaptor, for those lucky enough to own the latter.

Check out some more info beyond the break and then get to blasting in Outtrigger.

SONIC WEEKLY: What Ages Well?

This week, Grant is owning up to bad takes from the past while creating brand new ones in the present, Bo describes good dates and bad hats, and David is excited about OutRun and has a great idea for the future of Chao merchandise. And, as always, we cover the week’s news about Sonic, Rings of Saturn, and answer some mailbag questions too.

For more episodes, search SONIC WEEKLY on your podcast service of choice!

SONIC WEEKLY: Ports & Versions w/ BLAZE HEDGEHOG

Blaze Hedgehog (Ryan Bloom) joins in this week! We talk about the best ways to play games like Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and more, plus we cover the latest Sonic and SEGA news with a few laughs along the way. We also contemplate the Sega Genesis being your cool older brother’s console; Sonic 4: Episode 3; E.G.G.M.A.N.; and the fractal brokenness of the Sonic Adventure ports.

For more episodes, search SONIC WEEKLY on your favorite podcast service!

SONIC WEEKLY: Sonic & SEGA Fandom w/ KORI-MARU

This week, we’re joined by KORI-MARU to reminisce about Sonic the Hedgehog and other favorite SEGA franchises. We also cover DC x Sonic the Hedgehog #2 (with a spoiler warning and skip option), and the recent episodes of Chao Tales. All that plus your weekly Rings of Saturn update too. This is a fun one, folks!

For more episodes, search SONIC WEEKLY on your podcast service of preference.

Shenmue wins BAFTA award for “Most Influential Video Game of All Time”

It’s about time Shenmue got the recognition it rightfully deserves.

In a shocking turnout, Yu Suzuki’s darling Dreamcast epic Shenmue (1999) has just won a BAFTA game award for the “Most Influential Video Game Of All Time”. Over 2,800 people sent in text responses for what game was most deserving of this coveted award, rather than the British Academy of Film and Television Arts nominating a bunch of games of their choosing. Out of 20 other highly influential and well known video games that the public vouched for, including Super Mario Bros. (1985), Doom (1994), Minecraft (2011), Half-Life (1998), and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998), the majority ruled that Shenmue was the rightful winner.

If you’d like to see what BAFTA had to say about Shenmue, check in after the break.

Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast Tees Launch at Don Quijote

Alright, fellow Sega faithful! Dust off your VMUs and plug in those 6-button controllers, because Don Quijote is about to drop a pixel-perfect power-up for your wardrobe!

Yes, you heard right! Our beloved Sega consoles are getting the fashion treatment, courtesy of a collaboration with the legendary discount haven, Don Quijote. Get ready with three sleek, limited-edition black tees, each paying homage to the iconic Mega Drive (or Genesis), Saturn, and Dreamcast.

For a mere 2,199 yen (that’s roughly $14.61), you can snag these threads in sizes L and XL. Each shirt boasts a subtle chest logo, a bold back graphic, and—as if that wasn’t enough—a bonus sticker of the console’s logo to slap on your console, laptop, or wherever your Sega spirit takes you.

But here’s the kicker: these are Don Quijote exclusives! So, if you’re planning a pilgrimage to Japan, set your GPS for your nearest Donki and be there bright and early. These treasures drop sequentially from March 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM JST, and they won’t stick around forever.

Let’s recap:

Dreamcast racer Speed Devils: Online Racing back online thanks to Dreamcast Live

It’s Dreamcast Live time again. The “Online Racing” subtitle of Speed Devils: Online Racing (2000) finally has meaning again now that online servers have been restored thanks to Dreamcast Live, Shuouma, and Flyinghead. Now you can once again race online in this oft-forgotten Dreamcast classic via Dreamcast Live’s network.

As a special side note, although this also works with the NTSC version of the game released in North America, the fact that this also works with the European PAL release makes Speed Devils Online the last online-enabled PAL Dreamcast game that wasn’t online. Now all PAL Dreamcast games with online modes are finally online once again.

Dive on in below the break for more info.

SEGA Talk #159: SEGA Accessories Part 2

Plug in and power up for the second installment of our deep dive into the wild world of SEGA accessories! This episode takes you on a nostalgic journey through the best, the weirdest, and the most innovative add-ons for the Game Gear, Saturn, and Dreamcast. From the must-have Virtua Stick and Virtua Gun to the quirky Samba de Amigo maracas and the infamous Dreamcast karaoke unit, we’re breaking down the hits, misses, and hidden gems of SEGA’s hardware legacy. Whether you’re a die-hard SEGA fan or just love retro gaming, this episode is packed with insights, memories, and a few hot takes you won’t want to miss. Tune in and relive the glory days of SEGA’s most iconic accessories!

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – Download]

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

SEGA Talk #155: Blue Stinger (1999)

Rewind to the Dreamcast era and join us as we revisit the cult classic survival horror game, Blue Stinger. Developed by the short-lived but talented studio Climax Graphics, this forgotten gem blends thrilling action, immersive exploration, and a captivating storyline. We delve into its groundbreaking graphics, haunting sound design, and the unique challenges it presented. Tune in to discover why Blue Stinger, despite its limited audience, deserves a place in the pantheon of cult classic games.

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – Download]

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

SEGA Talk #151: SEGA Controllers (1983-1998)

On this SEGA TALK we go hands on with SEGA’s many controllers! We take a look at the base controller for each major console, pointing out the weirdest and most essential controllers and share our personal preference. Stick around until the end, because we will crown best SEGA controller of all time! On SEGA TALK!

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – Download]

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

SEGA Talk #149: Official Dreamcast Magazine (1999-2001)

On this SEGA Talk, we page through each issue of the North American Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine! What articles caught our attention? How did the magazine come to be? Joining us via archival SEGAbits interview clips are magazine staff members Simon Cox and Francesca Reyes to give us an inside look at working with SEGA, the final days of the Dreamcast and more on SEGA TALK!

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – Download]

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

The Sega Dreamcast turns 25 years old today (In North America)

The year is 1999. In that year, films such as Toy Story 2, The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, Fight Club, and Pokémon: The First Movie came out in theaters. Shows like SpongeBob SquarePants, The Sopranos, Futurama, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, and Ed, Edd, n’ Eddy premiered on TV. Songs such as “…Baby, One More Time” by Britney Spears, “Can I Get A…” by Jay-Z feat. Amil and Ja Rule, “No Scrubs” by TLC, “Butterfly” by Crazy Town, and, yes, “All Star” by Smash Mouth topped the charts. In Japan, anime such as Corrector Yui, Excel Saga, Medabots, and One Piece premiered on TV while Digimon Adventure premiered both in Japan and internationally. Video games like Super Smash Bros., Unreal Tournament, Final Fantasy VIII, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Roller Coaster Tycoon, and Persona 2: Innocent Sin came out while Sega launched arcade games like Crazy Taxi, Emergency Call Ambulance, Harley-Davidson pinball, and South Park pinball. (Sega Pinball‘s last two games before they were sold off to Stern Pinball this same year.) Sega had done something else even more significant on this day that very same year, though. (Anyone else feeling a little Déjà vu?) Sega launched the Dreamcast on the easiest date in video game history to remember: 9/9/99. Happy 25th Anniversary!

Throughout 1999, Sega had cranked the hype machine up to 11 for Dreamcast, setting this up to be Sega’s grand return to the console race following their many missteps with the Sega Saturn. On September 9th of that year, the Dreamcast would launch with an abundance of excellent games available right away, including Crazy Taxi, The House of the Dead 2, NFL 2K, Power Stone, Soul Caliber, Hydro Thunder, and, of course, Sonic Adventure, and that’s not even half of what gamers could choose from on day 1. In fact, because Sonic hadn’t made a big splash on the Saturn, Sonic Adventure was as much a return to glory for Sonic as the Dreamcast was for Sega. With such an incredible launch, Sega raked in almost $100 million USD in just that first day, insuring that no matter what happens after that, Sega rang in the new millennium in style. While the console did not last long commercially, even compared to the Saturn, it made such a lasting impression that it enjoys just as much of a lofty spot in gaming and pop culture history as the Genesis before it.

Join us after the break as we start thinking about this incredible legacy.