Space Harrier

Space Harrier model kits featuring hero “The Harrier” and enemy IDA announced

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2016 is the year of awesome retro SEGA model kits! Between the 1/12 scale Astro City arcade machine and the classic polygon model Virtua Fighter figures, we thought nothing could impress us more. But get ready for yet another cool SEGA model, as Space Harrier models of the hero “the Harrier” and the iconic floating rock head Ida enemy will be available this July. The figures will be 1/12 scale and will be sold separately, with pre-orders running through June 25th. “The Harrier” hero model kit can be pre-ordered for ¥10,584 ($95) and comes (get) ready to assemble. Harrier will also come with two bonuses: a mini version of the character that is to scale with the Ida model kit, and an alternate hair sculpt that matches the game’s arcade poster. The IDA enemy model kit can be pre-ordered for ¥9,720 ($87) and comes in four (get) ready to assemble pieces. Oddly, the top of the head comes off revealing a “GET READY!” graphic and allows you to put whatever you want inside (pencils, other figures, carrot sticks, whatever). You only get one IDA, so if you want to replicate the game you’ll have to buy multiples.

Both are very cool looking, though buying the two will set you back around $200 with shipping. Far more expensive than Wave’s $22 Astro City model kit and FREEing’s $32/each Virtua Fighter figures. Still… it’s not often that you get cool Space Harrier model kits! Are you planning on pre-ordering this? Sound off in the comments below!

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DARIUSBURST Chronicle Saviours Fantasy Zone, Space Harrier and Galaxy Force II DLC now available

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Back in February, we reported that DARIUSBURST Chronicle Saviours, Taito’s latest entry in the DARIUS series of side-scrolling shoot’em up games, was getting SEGA themed DLC packs that included Fantasy Zone, Space Harrier and Galaxy Force II. The reveal came with a trio of trailers that were unfortunately posted and pulled within a day. Seems the Japanese news site Game Watch put the previews up by mistake. Thankfully, now those trailers can be seen again, as you can now buy each of SEGA DLC pack for $4.99 or pay $11.99 for all three!

Above, check out the Space Harrier trailer, and after the break see the Galaxy Force II and Fantasy Zone trailers.

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DARIUSBURST Chronicle Saviours getting Fantasy Zone, Space Harrier and Galaxy Force II DLC

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DARIUSBURST Chronicle Saviours, the latest entry in Taito’s DARIUS series of side-scrolling shoot’em up games is getting some very SEGA-fied DLC. Taito is set to release SEGA themed DLC packs that span from Fantasy Zone, Space Harrier and all the way to Galaxy Force II. Above is the Fantasy Zone one, which includes Opa-Opa as a ship to drive, theme music and even coins drop from the enemies (and is used as currency for other weapons!). Very interesting way of including the franchise.

Even more interesting, SEGA’s Hiroshi Kawaguchi is a guest composer on the game who wrote a few new remixes being used on the Space Harrier DLC. New Hiro remixes of his old tracks? Yes, please! DARIUSBURST Chronicle Saviours is out now on PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and PC.

If you want to see gameplay of the Space Harrier and Galaxy Force II DLC, hit the jump

[EDIT: Looks like the Japanese news site Game Watch put the previews in private. We will update the article when they release said videos]

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The History of Sega Japan R&D, Part 1: The Origins and the 80s

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THE ORIGINS

Sega is an interesting company when it comes to their origins. There are companies like Namco, Taito and Konami that started in the 60s with electromechanical games and there are those like Capcom and Square that started in the 80s with video games. Sega is different.

Sega had its roots even earlier with slots and jukeboxes in the 1940s in Hawaii, when they were known as Standard Games. Today, Sega of Japan would rather say that Sega didn’t start until it was moved to Tokyo and renamed to Service Games in 1951. However all that expertise in manufacturing slots and jukeboxes during the Standard Games days really gave Sega the boost they needed when they entered the market to manufacture their very first “Amusement Machine” in 1965, Periscope, which the company still prides itself for as it was their first worldwide commerical success.

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SEGA 3D Classics, Atlus sale on 3DS eShop

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SEGA and Atlus have given 3DS owners another reason to check out their games on the eShop, where the companies have put ten of their games on sale.

The following SEGA 3D Classics titles are being sold for half-off at $3 a piece until July 2:

  • Streets of Rage
  • Space Harrier
  • Sonic the Hedgehog
  • Shinobi III
  • Galaxy Force II
  • Ecco the Dolphin
  • Altered Beast
  • Super Hang-On

If you haven’t ever played these games before, now is a good a time as any to try them!

Atlus, meanwhile, is selling both Shin Megami Tensei IV and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked for a third off, at $20 each, until June 29.

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SEGA 3D Classics Space Harrier and Fantasy Zone themes now on North American Nintendo eShop

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While SEGA has released several awesome Nintendo 3DS themes over in Japan, here in the West all we have are Sonic the Hedgehog themes. Don’t get me wrong, I like Sonic, but what about SEGA’s non-blue hedgehog stuff? Well today things change, at least for North American fans at the time of this article. Via SEGA Localization Producer Sam Mullen comes news that 3D Space Harrier and 3D Fantasy Zone themes release today! Available now for $1.99 each, these two themes feature graphics and sounds from both games and are an excellent way to scrub every hint of Nintendo off of your 3DS. Fill the home screen with SEGA games, pick a SEGA 3D Classics theme, slap on a SEGA branded skin and you’re all set!

No word on Europe yet, but when we hear something we’ll update the story.

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These SEGA Classic Arcade LEGO sets need your support to become reality

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Above is a proposed LEGO Idea by creator SpacySmoke and if you want these to become reality you have to support the idea (which means creating an account at LEGO website). The project has about a year left to get 10,000 SEGA fans to support it and right now its hovering a little over 600 people supporting this awesome idea.

The set that is being proposed comes with a Space Harrier, Out Run and Thunder Blade LEGO arcade replicas. But that isn’t all, it also comes with a male, female and Yu Suzuki themed LEGO persons.

Want to support it? Click here. Want to see more information including screenshots, hit the jump.

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The SEGA Five: How SEGA-AM2 changed video gaming

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Welcome to our new video series The Weekly Five, a top five list covering a wide range of SEGA topics. We are celebrating The Year of Developers over at SEGAbits.com, that means that each month throughout the year we will be covering notable notable SEGA developers. This month is all about a developer that is close to my heart, SEGA-AM2. What better way to kick off the new series than to discuss five ways SEGA-AM2 changed video gaming.

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Developer Retrospective: We celebrate the legacy of SEGA AM2

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SEGA AM2 is just one of those developers that always puts a smile on my face whenever I talk about their games. Not only do they have one of the most vast libraries, but they also revolutionized gaming in general multiple times over the past decades. Let’s look at the developer that popularized sprite-scaling in the 80s, gave us modern 3D with their Virtua series and created one of the most expensive games ever as we walk through their legacy.

Don’t forget to join us all month long while we talk more about SEGA AM2 and all their legendary franchises.

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Check out SEGA of Japan’s trailer for the physical SEGA 3D Classics Nintendo 3DS release

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Not too long ago, we speculated that a physical release of SEGA’s 3DS 3D Classics was in the works, and shortly thereafter such a release was revealed to be happening! Releasing December 18th, and featuring cover art by Ken Sugimori, the compilation is to include a mix of wave 1 and wave 2 titles: 3D Space Harrier, 3D Fantasy Zone, 3D Outrun, 3D Streets of Rage, 3D Shinobi 2, and 3D Ecco the Dolphin. Also included are two bonus titles, Space Harrier 3D and Outrun 3D which originally released to the SEGA Master System and utilized the 3D glasses.

For a sampling of what to expect from the compilation, check out the trailer above. If you have a Japanese 3DS or alternate means of playing import titles, you can pre-order the game from Play-Asia. In the meantime, I’ll just sit here watching the trailer, fingers crossed for a US release. Tears running down my face.

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“Diggin’ in the Carts” interviews Hiroshi Kawaguchi and Yuzo Koshiro

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The new series from Red Bull Music Academy, Diggin’ in the Carts, that we previously reported on, has uploaded it’s fourth episode, in which we get brand new interviews with SEGA music legends Hiroshi Kawaguchi and Yuzo Koshiro.

For those unaware, Kawaguchi was behind the soundtracks to several of SEGA’s finest soundtrack work, such as OutRun, Space Harrier, After Burner, Power Drift… we could go on. To this day, he still works at SEGA, and still his output never falters. Suffice to say, he’s probably one of the most talented video game composers of all time, and his list of works is nothing to scoff at.

The same can be said for Yuzo Koshiro, whose works include the soundtracks to the Streets of Rage games, as well as The Revenge of Shinobi. In addition, he’s even worked on the new Super Smash Brothers for Wii U/3DS, and if that wasn’t enough, he too has generally kept a consistent quality throughout all of his work.

He also worked on Shenmue, which is of course no small feat, with the game boasting a breathtaking score.

The episode also mentions Masato Nakamura’s work on Sonic the Hedgehog; somewhat unsurprisingly, he was unavailable for comment. It is quite entertaining to see Flying Lotus and Thundercat’s rendition of Green Hill Zone. There’s also a bit of pretty rare SEGA merch in there, as the vinyl record “SEGA Music” with various arcade SEGA tunes turns up in the possession of J. Rocc!

Overall, it’s a fantastic episode, and one I personally recommend SEGA fans check out. And if that’s not enough, an upcoming episode also features Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, so stay tuned!

You can catch the episode by clicking here!

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Yakuza Zero’s Game Center to have playable versions of AM2 arcade classics

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Famitsu has confirmed a few titles that will be in Yakuza Zero‘s Game Center. The titles confirmed so far include:

  • Out Run
  • Fantasy Zone
  • Space Harrier 
  • Hang-On

If you didn’t catch the early information on this title, it is a pre-quel taking place in 1988, so it is fitting that they would include SEGA arcade classics like this. You know who also did this over a decade ago? A little game called Shenmue, you might have heard of it?

Honestly, this is what I wanted to hear when I found out that Yakuza Zero was taking place in the 80’s, classic AM2 arcade hits.

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More 3D SEGA classics in production for 3DS

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Video game developer M2 has just confirmed via Twitter that they are working on a second series of 3D SEGA classics for the 3DS. M2 went on to confirm that there is a good chance these games will head west if they sell well enough in Japan. M2’s first series of 3D titles is currently being released weekly on Nintendo’s US and European eShops, with 3D Space Harrier and Super Hang-On already available on the service for $6 each.

What kind of games would you like to see?

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The Making of 3D Space Harrier and New 3D SEGA Classic Series Interview With M2 and SEGA Developers

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Naoki Horii, President, M2 (left), Yosuke Okunari, Producer, SEGA CS3 (right)

Impress Watch sat down with Naoki Horii, President of M2, and Yosuke Okunari, producer at SEGA CS3, for an interview on how the 3D Space Harrier was developed in the making and games they’ve ported in the past years. M2 is very well known for porting numerous SEGA titles to consoles like Sakura Wars 1 & 2 for Dreamcast, the SEGA Vintage Collection, and many more. The interview is quite interesting and I recommend our to read this awesome interview here.

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