Game Gear

RGG Studio Directors Ryosuke Horii and Yutaka Ito reveal new behind the scenes info about the retro Sega games in Yakuza titles

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One of the many things people typically love about the Yakuza/Like A Dragon series of games are the old school Sega games included as part of the bonus games you can play in your downtime away from the main story. The latest game in the franchise, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, might have been a divisive entry, but what anyone can agree on are that the choice of new Model 3 games and the addition of Game Gear and NAOMI games are a welcome addition. It’s also just wonderful to have access to these games on modern platforms, even as side content in a Yakuza game.

Video game news outlet Automation JP have just sat down with current day RGG Studio directors Ryosuke Horii and Yutaka Ito to talk about the retro games added to the series. This should be a fun read if this is one of your favorite aspects about Yakuza, so sit down and join us past the break. We’re about to learn some unbelievable things about what went into choosing the games to include, how they implemented them into the larger game, and what the future holds for retro Sega games inside and outside the Yakuza franchise.

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SEGA Talk #179: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-Bit) (1992)

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We’re taking a trip back to 1992 for this week’s episode of SEGA Talk! We are revisiting Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-Bit), a game that many of us played in the back of the car on a battery-draining Game Gear.

Unlike the speed-focused Genesis version, this game was all about precision, exploration, and some seriously unforgiving platforming. From the Underground Zone to the Crystal Egg, this title proved that you didn’t need 16 bits to create a challenge.

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – Download]

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

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SEGA Talk #178: US Box Art Design (1989-2001)

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In this episode of Sega Talk, we track the radical evolution of SEGA’s North American branding, from the clinical “graph paper” grids of the Master System to the high-tech “black box” era of the Genesis. We dive deep into why Sega abandoned its uniform look for the iconic red-stripe rebrand of the 90s, the switch to the massive plastic long-boxes of the Saturn, and finally, the Dreamcast’s sleek transition from bright orange swirls to the edgy “SegaNet” black. It’s a nostalgic look at how Sega used graphic design as a weapon in the console wars, shifting from a toy company aesthetic to a lifestyle brand that defined a generation.

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – Download]

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Several mini-games and retro games in Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties revealed and detailed

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When you can’t focus on the main story because of all the side games stealing your attention

Today, Sega and RGG Studio have detailed a bunch of side games in the upcoming Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties. Here, they’ve talked about beloved returning games such as karaoke and Reaper hunting and brand new stuff such as retro Sega games, substories, the Kanda’s Damage Control side missions in Dark Ties (Mine’s Story), and LaLaLa Loveland in Yakuza Kiwami 3 (Kiryu’s Story).

Clear out your afternoon, warm up your vocal pipes, gather up as many AA batteries as you can, and step on past the break to find out what awaits you during any downtime you have in Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, which releases worldwide next month.

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SEGA Talk #173: Sonic the Hedgehog 8-Bit (1991)

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On this SEGA Talk, we take a look at Sonic the Hedgehog! No, not THAT one… and not THAT one… we’re talking about the one for the Master System and Game Gear! What’s the story behind this 8-bit version of the Genesis classic? What does it do differently? Find out 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!

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SEGA Talk #159: SEGA Accessories Part 2

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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!

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Homebrew Games Summer Showcase 2024 showcases 120 new homebrew games, including many for Sega consoles

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Yesterday, on June 6th, 2024, NES Homebrew developer extraordinaire Matt Hughson aired the second ever Homebrew Games Summer Showcase video presentation. The 34 minute long presentation showcased a whooping 120 games across many retro game systems, most notably including many Genesis/Mega-Drive, Master System, and Game Gear games, as well as even one Saturn game and two Dreamcast games. You can also expect many games for NES, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, and SNES, as well as two Turbografx-16 games and even a Virtual Boy game. This is one video you can’t miss if you’re really interested in seeing what talented developers are doing with long retired game hardware today.

You can watch the whole video above, but join me past the break for a quick list of all the games shown that are coming to Sega platforms, as well as links to follow their developers and/or download the games.

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Sega 8-bit game publisher 2Minds opens pre-orders for Game Gear adventure “The Sword of Stone” + new Mark III and Genesis/Mega-Drive games

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Looking for something new to play on Sega’s 8-bit console library, including the Game Gear? French publisher 2Minds has reopened their online store as well as opened pre-orders for a new narrative exploration adventure for Game Gear titled “The Sword of Stone”. In addition, they’ve also opened pre-orders for new Mark III and Genesis/Mega-Drive cartridges of their Master System game library, along with a new Game Gear version of their existing Master System puzzle game “Heroes Against Demons”. The new Game Gear games cost €59 ($63.65 USD), Mark III games cost €55 ($59.33 USD), and Genesis and Master System games cost €50 ($53.94 USD). All pre-orders are estimated to ship in September, while Master System games, as of this writing, are already available to ship. Make sure you get the correct game cartridge for your personal setup.

All of the games are packaged with high quality cartridges containing brand new game PCBs of 2Minds’s own special design. They also come in a box with a color manual. The Game Gear games also come with brand new plastic shells for the cartridges, just like all brand new Game Gear games had. Really takes you back, right? Keep in mind, the Genesis cartridges are still Master System games, but playable on Genesis without the need of a Power Base Converter. They may not work with Genesis consoles incompatible with Master System games, such as the Nomad and Genesis 3, as well as the 32X. (Fun fact: Sega actually released a Master System game in a Mega-Drive cartridge themselves once.) Mark III games will have all text on the box and manual written in Japanese.

You can see links to the store after the break, along with picture galleries of all the available games.

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SEGA Talk #113: Sonic Triple Trouble (1994)

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On this SEGA Talk we dip back into the world of Classic Sonic with the portable classic Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble! We look at this Game Gear exclusive and the creation of Fang… or is it Nack?

[iTunes – Stitcher – YouTube – RSS – Download]

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

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SEGA Game Gear Micro Hardware Review – Bite-Sized Nostalgia

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In June 2020, SEGA revealed the Game Gear Micro. Prior to the full announcement, fans speculated on if this would be the successor to the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive Mini, how big the actual device was, how many games would be on the handheld and if it would receive a western release. Once the details were confirmed, internet reaction – specifically from westerners – was largely negative. With dimensions of 80×43 mm (about the size of a Dreamcast VMU) and four colors featuring four unique games each, the Micro truly was living up to its name. Micro in size, micro in game lineup, and micro in not living up to expectations set by the Genesis/Mega Drive Mini.

Now, five months later, I have the full lineup in hand (literally, I can hold all four in one hand!) and can make my own determination on the Game Gear Micro. Is it worthy of an import?

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Game Gear Micro White Announced – Included with M2’s Aleste Collection

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M2 has just announced, via a Famitsu stream, an Aleste Collection of games for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.

The collection will include Aleste / Power Strike (Mark III, Master System), Power Strike II (Master System), Aleste GG (Game Gear) and Aleste GG II (Game Gear). Also announced, and exclusive to the upcoming collection, is a white Game Gear Micro which will include the same four games and is set to sell for ¥14,800 ($141) as part of a special bundle which will also include a white Big Window Micro, a 32-page art book, and a staff interview book. The collection is set for a December 24, 2020 release.

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figmaPLUS SEGA Consoles collection now available for pre-order – tiny accessories for your Figma action figures!

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If you’re unfamiliar with Figma, Figma is a Japanese action figure line produced by Max Factory and distributed by Good Smile Company. Various anime, movies, video games and even the occasional celebrity have Figma figures, what what’s so cool about them is that they are all the same scale, are super articulated and can mix and match accessories. The figmaPLUS line focuses on accessories and playsets, and of interest to SEGA fans is the figmaPLUS SEGA Consoles collection, which is now available for pre-order!

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SEGA announces Game Gear Micro handheld – Release date and price revealed!

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Following the success of the Genesis/Mega Drive Mini, SEGA has announced that they are working on a Game Gear Micro handheld. The news came as part of SEGA’s 60th anniversary, in an interview between CEO Haruki Satomi and the new SEGA of Japan mascot Sega Shiro. The revealing interview, which is worth a read even with Google Translate, touches on fans speculating that the SEGA Saturn will somehow be revived (perhaps as a Mini plug-and-play console) but instead the plan is to release a Game Gear Micro!

No additional details are given, aside from a landing page, and according to Famitsu more details are coming at 13:00 Tokyo time today (so just in a couple of hours). Pre-orders will open soon after the reveal.

UPDATE: Twitter user NintenDaan discovered the teaser site’s featured image reveals the release date of October 6, 2020, a price of 4,980 Yen ($46 USD) and four color options for the console. So basically, hardcore SEGA fans are dropping $200.

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SEGA Game Gear title Eternal Legend gets an English fan translation

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A new English translation has been produced by TheMajinZenki, Supper, and cccmar, for the Game Gear title Eternal Legend. Eternal Legend, originally developed by Japan Art Media (aka “JAM”) and published by SEGA, was one of the earliest JRPGs released for the SEGA Game Gear, even predating Phantasy Star Gaiden. It was originally released back in August 9th, 1991 for Japanese markets only.

In Eternal Legend, you take on the role of Arwyn, a young treasure hunter who accidentally got himself roped up in searching for a long lost city called Millennium. Together with Ryall and Blue Moon, you will go on an adventure across the world fighting monsters and finding secrets, all to solve the mysteries of Millennium and it’s rumored lost treasure and technology. This patch translates the game entirely in English, along with other minor changes such as different fonts.

[Source: ROMhacking.net page]

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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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