SEGA Talk #124: Snail Maze & SEGA Swirl (1988 & 1999)

The long awaited SNAIL MAZE episode is now upon us! Not only that, you get SEGA Swirl for free as a bonus! We also talk about other free SEGA offerings. All this and more in SEGA Talk.

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First ever Homebrew Games Summer Showcase airing live this Thursday, June 29th; confirms games for Sega consoles

Live video showcases of new video games are all the rage now ever since Nintendo debuted their popular Nintendo Direct showcase over a decade ago. Many large companies are doing their own showcases now, including Sega with their new Sonic Central showcases. There are a few indie showcases as well, but this is gonna be one to watch for retro gaming enthusiasts, especially as it’s confirmed that some of the games showcased will be for Sega Genesis/Mega-Drive, Master System, and Dreamcast.

Make sure to sign up for a notification for the above video’s premiere, taking place this Thursday, June 29th 2023 at 12:30 PM PST. After the break though, you’ll see more information about the consoles confirmed to have games shown.

Phantasy Star soundtrack heading to vinyl thanks to Ship to Shore PhonoCo.

The SEGA Master System classic Phantasy Star is receiving an LP soundtrack release thanks to Ship to Shore PhonoCo. The release, which can be found on their website, is up for pre-order now for a cool $30. The soundtrack is available in PSG (Programmable Sound Generator) and FM Synthesis versions and includes new liner notes from Retronauts’ Jeremy Parish and an 8-page booklet with rare artwork from the SEGA archives.

So head on over to Ship to Shore PhonoCo. now and place those pre-orders!

Former SEGA Sound Designer Kazuhiko Nagai Shares Ghostbusters and Rambo III Music Demo Tracks

It seems like video game industry creatives stuck at home have been spent some of that time unearthing and sharing hidden treasures from past development projects. First we had Craig Stitt sharing cool STI game concepts, and now we have former SEGA sound designer Kazuhiko Nagai sharing music demo tracks from the late 80s!

Posted to his YouTube channel, demo tracks from the Genesis/Mega Drive release of Ghostbusters, the Genesis/Mega Drive release of Rambo III and a track from the Genesis/Mega Drive game Mystic Defender have appeared in recent weeks. The tracks are labeled as rough sketches and “maybe rejected”, with Nagai providing his best guess at times for what the intention of the track was. As of writing, a new video was just uploaded (after the break) with fingers crossed for many more over the coming days.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX Announced, Coming Q1 2021 To PS4, Xbox One, Switch & PC

It looks like Alex Kidd isn’t dead after all, we got a Steam Page for Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX, which is set to be a remake of ‘Alex Kidd in Miracle World’ for the SEGA Master System. The game is set to release to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. The game has redone graphics with some ‘dream like’ bloom effects added in. The game is being developed by Merge Games and Jankenteam and being published by Merge Games. So far no console releases have been talked about. It also looks like the retro graphics will be there too, much like the remake of Wonderboy: The Dragon’s Trap.

“A legend returns in stunning new detail with Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX! Fire up your power bracelet and relive a platforming classic alongside new modes, levels and features! “

Merge Games is a independent company founded in 2010 who have also done a physical copy for Streets of Rage 4 recently. Looks like they learned from DotEmu and want to jump in the ‘revive SEGA brands’ idea. What do you guys think of this? Good? Bad?

SEGA Talk #23: Shinobi (1987)

On this SEGA Talk, George and Barry knuckle up and kick back to the 80s to discuss SEGA’s ninja arcade classic Shinobi! We discuss the game’s development, the fascination with ninjas and the many ports the game received.

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SEGA Ages: Alex Kidd in Miracle World for Nintendo Switch gets trailer

Alex Kidd in Miracle World was one of the first announced titles for the brand new SEGA Ages line-up on Nintendo Switch and it barely released in Japan today. That means that SEGA has uploaded the Japanese trailer for the game, you can check that out above.

Sadly we don’t know when the game will release on the West, but you can buy SEGA Ages: Alex Kidd in Miracle World from the Japanese E-Shop for 925 yen (around 8.30USD).

Zillion: The Complete Series anime now available on blu-ray and DVD

Back in July 2018 we shared the exciting news that the Zillion anime was receiving a blu-ray, DVD and digital release in the west. Westerners know Zillion best from the SEGA Master System games, as well as the five episodes of the anime and OVA Zillion: Burning Night which received dubbed VHS releases in the early 90s, as well as a short run of comics from the publisher Eternity. The series is loaded with Master System references and cameos from our favorite sentient space ship Opa Opa.

Now you can own the complete series of 31 episodes plus the OVA movie Zillion: Burning Night in a box set containing 4 blu-rays, 5 DVDs and a digital download code. As of this article, the set is 40% off on Amazon, which you can order here.

I’ll admit, this release passed us by as the set has been out since October 2018, but better late then never!

SEGA Ages Phantasy Star hits Nintendo Switch in Japan on September 2018

SEGA has now provided the details for their upcoming SEGA Ages Phantasy Star release on the Nintendo Switch. They have confirmed that the game is set to launch in Japan in September 2018, so next month and will cost ¥925 ($8 USD).

Some of the new features for this release include:

  • Accessibility options.
  • Alter difficulty making the game easier
  • Original hiragana text option (from the Phantasy Star Collection‘s SEGA Saturn version) is included.
  • FM Sound Unit Music player with 19 tracks.
  • Auto-mapping option when entering dungeons.
  • Monster Codex: once you fight a monster you will keep a record of it including its name, sprite and other useful information.
  • Pause menu lets you see items, abilities, equipment and other options.

Hit the jump to see screenshots of the new features in the upcoming game.

Attention SEGA Master System fans: Funimation licenses 1987 anime Zillion – home video release coming in October

Good news, Master System fans! Funimation has licensed the 80s anime Zillion! Zillion is a 1987 sci-fi anime from Tatsunoku Productions than ran for 31 episodes. It centers around White Knight J.J. and his fellow White Knights Apple and Champ as they defend the earth colony Maris from the evil Nozas, an alien race intent on wiping humans off the face of the planet. The White Knights battle the forces of evil with their signature weapon, the Zillion Weapon System, a Master System light gun (complete with the cord) capable of destroying the Nozas, who are otherwise invulnerable to human weaponry.

Bitmap Books SEGA Master System: a visual compendium Kickstarter launches

UK based Bitmap Books have been around for a while, producing high quality art books featuring classic game consoles. “SEGA Master System: a visual compendium” is their first foray into the world of SEGA, and to make the book happen they’ve turned to Kickstarter. The book will feature pixel art, product design and graphic design associated with this iconic 8-bit system. The book is also officially licensed by SEGA and is the first book of this kind to be released for the Master System.

Backers can choose between digital, softcover or hardcover and add-ons include post cards, a poster, a t-shirt. Also included with each book will be 3-D glasses and a bookmark. If you want to support the book, check out their Kickstarter campaign.

The Jungle Book on SEGA Genesis, Game Gear and Master System gets Spanish fan translations

JungleBookGenMSGG

Romhacking.net user Wave has released a Spanish translation for all the SEGA versions of The Jungle Book. Ever want to play The Jungle Book but you don’t know English? Wait, how are you reading this blog? Never mind, just know that The Jungle Book is now playable in Spanish on your retro SEGA platform of choice.

Now when that one cousin from Mexico that doesn’t know English comes over, you can pop in The Jungle Book on your favorite SEGA retro console and show him a time when Disney made animated films and had decent video game tie-ins. Weren’t those the days?

[via: Romhacking.net]

Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap releasing physically to PS4 & Nintendo Switch February 13

Lizardcube’s remake of the SEGA Master System classic is getting another physical release. Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap got a physical released before with Limited Run Games and even an multi-language Asian version published by Arc System Works. But those both where on PlayStation 4, this new physical version will be the first time that the Nintendo Switch gets a physical version. This US release by publisher Nicalis will come with an instruction booklet, soundtrack sampler and Lizard-Man PVC strap!

If you haven’t played Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, I highly suggest picking it up because its a fantastic remake and deserves your attention! The Nintendo Switch cart even has a SEGA Master System design on it!

Indie games coming to classic SEGA consoles in 2018

indie

New year, new indie games! As we return from the holiday season, we look ahead to what indie developers have in store for our classic SEGA hardware in 2018. Thanks to SEGAbits Forums member Berto, we have a helpful topic which compiles all the upcoming SEGA indie games for 2018. Keep Berto’s topic bookmarked, as he will be updating it throughout the year as new games are announced.

Clicking on the games names after the break will bring you to the respective crowdfunding campaigns, pre-orders and ROM/ISO download links should they be available. So what indie SEGA games are coming in 2018?