Features

Swingin’ Report Show #66: Interview with Roger Craig Smith, voice of Batman, Sonic the Hedgehog, and many more!

by


 
This week on the Swingin’ Report Show, hosts Barry and George welcome a guest who has helped shape the sound of SEGA’s speedy mascot – Roger Craig Smith, voice actor of Sonic the Hedgehog! Roger is also well known for voicing Batman, Captain America, Chris Redfield, Ezio Auditore, and more. Recent projects include Batman: Arkham Origins which features the recently released “Cold, Cold Heart” DLC pack and SEGA’s Sonic Boom which spans video games and a television show which release later this year.

Join us as we talk with Roger about voicing Gotham’s Dark Knight and Green Hill’s Blue Blur. Roger also provides details on how he got into the business, and has some great advice for aspiring voice actors. Yes, we even asked him about his work on Valkyria Chronicles and his earliest work as Sonic at Alton Towers.

[Download] [RSS] [iTunes] [Archive]

4 Comments

SEGAbits at Too Many Games 2014 – “Surviving the Dreamcast Apocalypse” panel and more!

by

SEGAbits made its very first convention appearance this year at TooManyGames in Oaks, PA. In addition to walking the convention floor, Barry the Nomad, Patrick aka Kori-Maru (Website of the Dead), David the Lurker (Sonic Retro) and A.J. Rosa (My Life with SEGA) held a panel discussing the life and death of SEGA’s swan song, the Dreamcast. The same panel also included a presentation from Sonic Retro, covering the history of Sonic the Hedgehog 2‘s Hidden Palace Zone – with rarely seen footage of Sonic 2‘s release and early efforts to remake the lost zone. We also met with several fellow SEGA fans, gave away a pile of rare SEGA swag, and did we mention the panel was standing room only? SEGAbits Does.

Also featured in this video is a convention walkthrough with the crew, and a one-on-one bout between Patrick and A.J.

Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel!

1 Comment

SEGA Retrospective: Sonic the Hedgehog’s Classic Trilogy

by

SONIC22

The following is a guest article from Sonic Stadium writer Brad, written as part of our intersite #Sonic23on23 celebration. Enjoy it, and maybe check out our guest article over at Sonic Stadium written by our own Ben Burnham.

Ah, birthdays. The perfect times for parents to get out those old, embarrassing pictures of you when you were a baby. Our spikey blue hero is no exception to this, however his own classic outgoings were never something to be embarrassed about. In fact, many fans still refer to the original trilogy of games as some of the best games the series has made. I’m not far removed from this ideal, and as such I wanted to look back at these old gems of classic gaming, chronologically.

Continue Reading ➜

No Comments

Visual Memories: Digging through Sonic Adventure & Sonic Adventure 2’s DLC

by

We’ve said it time and time again here at SEGAbits: the Dreamcast was an incredibly innovative console! Back in the late 90’s, Dreamcast owners could hop online via their console to surf the web and download various things to their VMU including free DLC. That’s right, not only did SEGA offer DLC in the late 90’s, it was free! Continuing our Sonic 23rd birthday celebrations, Liam aka TrackerTD of our This Is Saturn YouTube series put together this great showcase of most of the DLC offered in Sonic Adventure & Sonic Adventure 2. Celebrate New Years, the Dreamcast launch, Halloween, and more in the many fun additions made to these memorable Sonic titles.

2 Comments

Swingin’ Report Show #62: Console Wars with Tom Kalinske – SEGA of America’s President (’90-’96)

by

This is it! Our third Console Wars focused episode of the Swingin’ Report Show in which we speak with the man himself, SEGA of America’s former President Tom Kalinske! Tom has an amazing history with the toy and game industry. Before his years with SEGA, Tom served as President and CEO of Mattel, reviving the Barbie brand and creating the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe line. During his time at SEGA, Tom reinvigorated the SEGA Genesis brand, helped in the creation of Sonic the Hedgehog, and led the launch of many famous pieces of SEGA hardware including the Game Gear, Pico, 32X, Nomad, and Saturn.

Tom Kalinske’s career is chronicled in the book “Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation” by Blake J. Harris, and if you haven’t purchased a copy yet, do so today. If you’ve read the book, are reading the book, are awaiting delivery of the book, or are simply a fan of SEGA during the 90’s, our latest show is a must listen!

Also, make sure to check out our other Console Wars interviews including our discussion of SEGA’s marketing efforts with SEGA’s former Director of Marketing Al Nilsen and our interview with the author of Console Wars, Blake J. Harris.

[Download] [RSS] [iTunes] [Archive]

5 Comments

Classic SEGA Ads: The Godzilla VMU proves that size doesn’t matter

by

In celebration of Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla, we’re bringing you four Godzilla SEGA ads!

1998 was a terrible year for Godzilla, but an excellent year for SEGA fans. While the big G’s legacy was shat upon by director Roland Emmerich, SEGA fans in Japan were enjoying the 128-bit Dreamcast. Despite the awfulness that was 1998’s Godzilla, something good did come of it by way of a Godzilla branded VMU featuring a little Godzilla that puts Sonic Adventure‘s Chao to shame. Today’s first featured SEGA advert depicts a young Japanese boy who is hooked on SEGA’s virtual Godzilla VMU game. The boy, who is likely playing the game so intensely in an effort to forget having seen Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla, bumps into a cute Japanese woman who is also playing the game and the two partake in some VMU connectivity. If only it were that easy to meet chicks.

The second commercial seen in the video above, kicks off with some good ol’ classic Godzilla footage of Mothra and is promoting standard VMU’s that were pre-loaded with Godzilla content and bundled with small Godzilla character figures. The third commercial, clocking in at 15 seconds, features an all out VMU subway battle of Godzilla proportions! Again, the VMU Godzilla figure bundles are being promoted, but this time the giant flying turtle Gamera – friend of all children – gets a shout out.

After the break, check out our fourth Godzilla SEGA advert in which Godzilla Generations puts a damper on an otherwise happy day in Japan.

Continue Reading ➜

1 Comment

SEGAbits to host Too Many Games 2014 panel on Saturday, June 28th at 12pm in Oaks, PA

by

SBTMG

No SEGA Dreamcast consoles were harmed in the making of this panel.

We’re excited to announce that SEGAbits and Sonic Retro will be hosting a panel at Too Many Games 2014 on Saturday, June 28th at 12pm in Oaks, PA! Dubbed “Surviving the Dreamcast Apocalypse: SEGA Fans in the 21st Century”, the panel is to feature SEGAbits admin and writer Barry the Nomad, Sonic Retro admin and writer David the Lurker, creator of the YouTube series “My Life with SEGA” A.J. Rosa, and SEGAbits writer and The Website of the Dead owner Kori-Maru as they discuss that fateful day when SEGA discontinued the Dreamcast, and where both the company and its fans ended up over ten years later.

Highlights of this SEGA celebration include stories from SEGAbits and Sonic Retro, rare materials from the development of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and unseen clips from the “My Life with SEGA” series! Whether you’ve lived and breathed SEGA’s blue skies since you could hold a game controller, or have just recently been welcomed into the next level, this is the panel for you. Scream it with me now: “SEGA!”

We’ll also be hosting a SEGA trivia contest at the panel, with rare SEGA prizes to hand out as rewards for your knowledge!

Register today at TooManyGames.com and we hope to see you there!

6 Comments

Swingin’ Report Show #61: Console Wars Release Day Party with Author Blake J. Harris

by

Happy Console Wars release day! That’s right, the long talked about book “Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation” by Blake J. Harris is now available to purchase anywhere where books are sold.

For this week’s podcast, the book’s author Blake J. Harris joined Barry and George to talk about his influences, the process of writing such an epic story, his upcoming documentary, and his teaming up with Scott Rudin and Seth Rogen. Blake also shares stories that didn’t make the final cut, and his thoughts on modern day SEGA and Nintendo. We also reveal our Console Wars giveaway winners, so if you entered on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to win a copy of the book courtesy of HarperCollins, give the show a listen and find out if you’ve won! We’ll also make an official winners announcement on our social networks later today.

More “Console Wars” content is to come, including a podcast with Tom Kalinske himself!

[Download] [RSS] [iTunes] [Archive]

2 Comments

This is Saturn goes Super Sonic Racing in Sonic R

by

This is Saturn is back to talk about one of the few Sonic games on the Saturn, Sonic R, in which Sonic and company go Super Sonic Racing! Sonic R was a game I’ve played on many a system, and it was actually one of my first Sonic games – but does it hold up today? Or is it a blemish on the hedgehog’s wonderful 90s career?

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.

Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel!

No Comments

Book Review: “Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation”

by

cwreviewheader
It Was A Battle More Deadly Than Any Videogame Could Ever Be…A Real-Life Mortal Kombat Between Sega And Nintendo

The above sentence is found on the official website for the book “Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation” by Blake J. Harris, and having read through the book myself, it’s an accurate description. Upon reading “Console Wars”, I couldn’t help but feeling a bit bloodied and bruised, but proud to have chosen the side that I’m on as a fan. “Console Wars” is not a detached history lesson of the SEGA vs. Nintendo rivalry of the 90’s, it does not read as several wikipedia articles.

Instead, “Console Wars” is a very real and personal story largely told from the perspective of SEGA of America President and CEO Tom Kalinske during the first 6 years of the 90’s. Taking the journey along with Tom, readers also occasionally go behind-the-scenes with Nintendo and Sony, and receive a few extended history lessons on the histories of companies like SEGA, Nintendo, Sony, and others. This mix provides the reader with both factual and emotional reasons for why SEGA and Nintendo did what they did, and as such is the most honest and truest account I have ever read of this period of video game history.

Continue Reading ➜

10 Comments

Swingin’ Report Show #60: Console Wars with Al Nilsen, SEGA’s Director of Marketing (’89-’93)

by

The SEGAbits Swingin’ Report Show is back, and boy do we have a special episode for you! Joining us for our 60th episode is Al Nilsen, SEGA of America’s Director of Marketing from 1989 through 1993. Al and his team were behind everything from the early days of the SEGA Genesis, including promoting the famous “Genesis Does What Nintendon’t” campaign, the creation of Sonic the Hedgehog, implementing the legendary “Sonic 2sday” worldwide launch of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in 1992, and rolling out the “Welcome to the Next Level” campaign. Suffice to say, Al is a legend, so the opportunity to sit down and talk about the good ol’ days for an hour and a half was a dream come true for us as SEGA fans.

Al’s appearance is in anticipation of the release of “Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation” by author Blake J. Harris, which you can pre-order today from Amazon.com. “Console Wars” tells the story of SEGA vs. Nintendo during the early 90’s, as told from the perspective of SEGA of America president Tom Kalinske. Based on over two hundred interviews with former SEGA and Nintendo employees, “Console Wars” is the underdog tale of how Kalinske miraculously turned an industry punchline into a market leader. It’s the story of how a humble family man, with an extraordinary imagination and a gift for turning problems into competitive advantages, inspired a team of underdogs to slay a giant and, as a result, birth a $60 billion dollar industry.

Expect more “Console Wars” content throughout May, including a podcast with the author Blake J. Harris next week, and a podcast with Tom Kalinske himself the week after that! We also have some surprises, but in the meantime enjoy Al’s interview!

[Download] [RSS] [iTunes] [Archive]

2 Comments

Round Table: We look ahead to Jet Set Radio’s future!

by

JSRroundtable

Jet Set Radio Week enters the final boss battle that is the SEGAbits Round Table! Despite containing only a few games, Jet Set Radio and its sequel pack in a lot of unique ideas and feature an amazing art style and selection of music. With all this unique content, it’s a shame that the franchise has only seen two and a half games (the half being the Game Boy Advance version). This week, our writers have assembled in the GG’s garage to share their ideas for the Jet Set Radio franchise’s future, and seeing as we’re SEGA fans, we can’t help but reminisce and share a few memories. After the break, join us as we look to the future!

Continue Reading ➜

1 Comment

SEGAbits Plays: Jet Set Radio Episode #1

by

Welcome to the first official episode of our new YouTube series SEGAbits Plays! In this episode, streamed live on our SEGA Channel Retro Twitch channel yesterday at 5:30PM Pacific/8:30PM Eastern, Barry and George play through the Official Dreamcast Magazine demo disc featuring the exclusive Jet Grind Radio demo and the original Japanese version of Jet Set Radio. Aside from the usual chit chat, we show off out some of the regional differences and towards the end attempt to play the game using the Dreamcast maracas and fishing controller.

Stay tuned for future episodes of SEGAbits Plays, in which we’ll play more classics, obscure gems, and show off some stuff you probably have never seen before. Anybody up for some SEGA Pico fishing? After the break, check out our test episode #0 in which Barry and Bartman play the SEGA Pico.

Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel!

Continue Reading ➜

No Comments

SEGA Tunes: Hideki Naganuma’s favorite Jet Set Radio tunes

by

naganuma

The question of “What makes a SEGA game a SEGA game?” is often debated amongst fans of the company. Some believe it is as simple as looking at the package and spotting the SEGA logo, others believe that there is a magical mix of various elements that give that true “SEGA feel”. While I’ll admit that I believe any game funded by and owned by the company qualifies, I can’t help but feeling that some games have a certain je ne sais quoi (or is that je ne sega quoi?) that elevates them to another level.

Jet Set Radio is one of those games. It is a game that oozes style, featuring unique characters that are adventurous and edgy. The game puts a unique spin on established concepts, and pays tribute to the company’s arcade past by featuring fast paced gameplay. Most importantly of all, the game carries on the grand SEGA tradition of memorable music – so much so that I’d argue that Jet Set Radio is one of the greatest SEGA soundtracks of all time.

Continue Reading ➜

1 Comment

SEGA Retrospective: Over the ‘hood, through the streets and right into your brain – It’s Jet Set Radio

by

JSRweek

We’re transmitting our signal straight to you! Y’all got your antennas on?
Welcome to Jet Set Radio Week – a week long celebration of SEGA’s off-kilter cel shaded Dreamcast classic! Past SEGA Franchise Weeks focused on more than one game, but Jet Set Radio Week is going to be different. Rather than splitting our time between the Dreamcast original and its radically different Xbox sequel Jet Set Radio Future, we’re devoting the next seven days to simply Jet Set Radio. But don’t fret, Jet Set Radio Future will have its own week soon enough!

Like Sonic The Hedgehog on the Genesis, and NiGHTS on the Saturn, Jet Set Radio on the Dreamcast turned heads with amazing visuals, memorable music, and unique gameplay mechanics. Jet Set Radio (Jet Grind Radio in America) may not have taken off like SEGA had hoped, but it did do well enough to warrant the previously mentioned sequel and has since become a SEGA cult classic. After the break, let’s take a look back and how such a crazy concept for a game came to be.

Continue Reading ➜

4 Comments