Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed 3DS likely delayed until February

It’s not racing, it’s racing delayed! Via The Sonic Stadium comes news that Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed for the 3DS has most likely been delayed until February 2013. While the game released to 360, PS3 and Wii U in mid November, and the Vita version is due December 18th in the US, the 3DS version has been missing in action. SEGA hasn’t done a very good job in letting fans know when to expect the 3DS version of the game, and as such many have relied on retailers like Amazon and Gamestop. Both sites list a February 2013 release date, and a recent post from Nintendo Europe seems to confirm the delay as the 3DS version is listed with a February 2013 date.

3D Space Harrier soon to hit Japanese Nintendo 3DS eShop?

According to Spong, via Japanese site Gamer via NeoGAF, a 3D rerelease of the original Space Harrier will soon be hitting the Japanese Nintendo 3DS eShop. Nintendo has done a fair share of 3D rereleases for their own games, but this would be SEGA’s first 3D rerelease on the 3DS. Images show that this will indeed be the arcade version, and not the 3D Master System version of the game. No mention of a Western release, but it would probably happen eventually. After the break, two screens of the supposed rerelease.

Nintendo Direct gives us our first look at Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed on 3DS

The Nintendo Direct stream, which concluded moments ago, gave SEGA fans their first glimpse of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed running on the 3DS. The stream, which highlighted upcoming 3DS titles, ended with a montage of games and SEGA snuck in a few seconds of the game in motion. Sonic was seen flying through the Panzer Dragoon track, followed by Sonic in Seaside Hill changing from a car to a boat. It was quick, but the game looked great! Want to see it for yourself? Click here to skip right to the money shot. After the break, screengrabs of the video preview.

Spot the SEGA characters in the Project X Zone opening sequence

http://youtu.be/Nt5Qd7Mh8DU

While in-game screens of Project X Zone, the SEGA/Capcom/Namco Bandai crossover, don’t really wow, the opening to the game is certainly impressive. Entirely animated, the intro features dozens of recognizable video game characters including several notable SEGA all-stars. Rather than spoiling the cameos, I’ll let you watch it and in the comments share your favorite SEGA icons who appear. Thanks to Kori-Maru for the tip!

The SEGA Five: Revisiting Green Hill Act 1

segafiveghz

In the Sonic universe there is nothing more iconic than the zone that started it all: Green Hill. Any and every SEGA and Sonic fan should know the look and layout of this zone, specifically the first act and even more specifically the first few moments experienced by players. I’m talking about the line of rings, followed by the platform with an item box above and a Motobug below, a Buzz Bomber enters from the right of the screen, passing a palm tree with a spring hidden inside. For many fans, this was their introduction to Sonic as a character and as a franchise. Sonic Team knew the importance of the first zone, as (according to the Sonic Jam strategy guide) it took the team six months to perfect the look and design of Green Hill. In the years that followed, the opening layout of Green Hill reappeared a number of times. In this week’s SEGA Five, I’ll look back on those times, noting the strengths, weaknesses and possible reasons for referencing the classic layout.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed gameplay trailer reveals After Burner track and more!

Today SEGA has released a brand new trailer for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and it’s a must watch for any SEGA fan. Not only does the game looks pretty darn sweet, but it also confirms a few more tracks including an After Burner track named “Carrier Zone” where you race around air craft carriers, a track based on Starlight Carnival of Sonic Colours fame named “Galactic Parade” and a Samba de Amigo stage based on a movie studio named “Samba Studios”. But most exciting of all, for me, is that there is a track based on Skies of Arcadia, entitled “Rogues Landing”. Consider my timbers well and truly shivered! Names for previously revealed tracks have also been named: NiGHTS will race through “Dream Valley” and the special/bonus edition of the game will feature OutRun’s “OutRun Bay”.

See if you can spot anything I’ve missed, and after the break check out the first screen of the Seaside Hill track named “Ocean View.

ESRB rates two Game Gear Games for Nintendo 3DS

Back in March of last year, Nintendo announced that Sega’s Game Gear games would be coming to the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console. Sadly, we hadn’t heard anything new since…until today! The ERSB has put up ratings for Sonic Triple Trouble and Shinobi. Both these Game Gear games were rated for the Nintendo 3DS. Looks like we’ll be getting them sooner rather than later.

Sonic Generations 3DS: Water Palace looks a lot like Apotos

Turns out that the little peek we had at the final Sonic Generations 3DS stage was wrongfully interpreted, and not just by us. All over the web, SEGA fan sites thought Sonic Unleashed’s Apotos stage was going to be the modern era stage to join Sonic Colors in the haldheld version. However, a scan from the Spanish Official Nintendo Magazine says otherwise. As it turns out, a handheld game IS getting representation. The 2005 Sonic Rush DS stage Water Palace will be remixed in 3D, and surely we’ll also be hearing a remix of Hideki Naganuma’s awesome “Back 2 Back”. This is great news for fans bemoaning Sonic Team for featuring a first stage from a non-handheld title, as now we’re getting a second stage from a handheld title. It’s just a shame that the Game Gear and Advance titles did not get representation. Oh, by the way, the magazine seen above gave the game a 90%.

[Source: Sonic Paradise]

New Speed Highway Screens Go Up and Down and All Around

Six days to go until Sonic Generations arrives! In the meantime, enjoy these new screens of the rarely seen Speed Highway while your digital copy of Daytona USA downloads. The screens come courtesy of Famitsu, and show not only the remade Sonic Adventure stage, but also the Sonic and Shadow race plus more screens on the 3DS stage Radical Highway. You’ll note that the above screen seems to be taking place at dawn. Could that mean… at dawn concludes the stage? Also, nearly every Speed Highway screen features a fan service sign somewhere in the background. One screen in particular, you’ll know it when you see it, name drops just about every Sonic character in a cluster of road signs. Pretty funny stuff.

UPDATE: See high res versions of the screens here.

[Source: Famitsu]

New Generations 3DS Stage Revealed PLUS HD Birthday Picnic

From The Sonic Scene comes two special screens from Sonic Generations. The first, seen above, reveals a new stage for the 3DS version of the game: Sonic Adventure’s Emerald Coast! While I had thought they would have gone with a stage from Sonic Advance instead, I much prefer this. Unless, of course, this is actually Neo Green Hill from the first Sonic Advance with the whale thrown in. I’m interested to see if they copy the modern layout verbatim, or offer up something new. The second image, which can be seen after the break, might be a spoiler to some, as it appears to be from the opening cutscene. Want to see it? Continue on!

You know me, Sonic Generations 3DS. And we’re at Mushroom Hill, you ready?

From SEGA Press and Sonic Stadium comes eleven new screens from the Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Generations. But wait! These aren’t the same ol’ stages that we’ve known about, this is a brand new reveal! Straight out of Sonic & Knuckles comes Mushroom Hill featuring both classic and modern gameplay, set in both the green act 1 and the autumn colored act 2. It looks like classic Sonic will be taking the green sections of the zone, while modern Sonic will be taking the orange sections. Many of the gimmicks return including bouncy shrooms (I can hear the “boing” sound now), mechanical pulleys and helicopter plants. Check out the screens after the break!

SEGA Reveals Classic Tails, Chemical Plant and Stardust Speedway Screens

No longer are blurry scans the only way to see Sonic Generations Metal Sonic and Chemical Plant zone. SEGA of America has just updated their Flickr account and added a load of screens including new CG renders of Modern and Classic Tails as well as new shots of Chemical Plant and the Metal Sonic race taking place in Stardust Speedway. Oh, and they’ve also added the 3DS package art, though it isn’t very exciting. To see all the images, head on over to SEGA’s Sonic Generations Flickr page.

Famitsu Scans Reveal Chemical Plant and Stardust Speedway for Generations

The recently released issue of Japanese magazine Famitsu spills the beans on two hotly anticipated classic Sonic zones making their return: Sonic 2’s Chemical Plant and Sonic CD’s Stardust Speedway. The first is a full blown classic and modern stage, featuring the iconic yellow and blue paths and copper colored factories of Chemical Plant. Stardust Speedway will be the location for Sonic’s race, and possible battle, with the recently revealed rival Metal Sonic. The magazine also shows what appear to be the 3DS special stages, taken from Sonic Heroes.

After the break, drool over the scans!

Shinobi & Sonic Generations confirmed for Nintendo 3DS

Following our article earlier in the day, the newest cover of Nintendo Power not only shows Sonic Generations for the Nintendo 3DS (This despite SEGA’s attempt at hiding such information in their recent report) but indeed confirms the revival of the classic SEGA series Shinobi. Nothing else has been released just yet, but in the coming hours or days we are sure to get some scans of both particular games and confirmation if the original protagnist Joe Musashi returns or a new character once against takes on the title of the ninja master.

[Source: NeoGAF]