Jet Set Radio - Past, Present, & Future

[Barry the Nomad]

Seeing as it is Jet Set Radio week on the site, I thought I'd create a thread for any thoughts fellow forum members may have about the series - memories, ideas for future games, or even complaints about the games (GASP!)


If you missed it, here's the introductory article: http://segabits.com/blog/2014/04/28/over-the-hood-through-the-streets-and-right-into-your-brain-its-jet-set-radio-week/


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Jet Set Radio is probably my favorite SEGA franchise next to Sonic the Hedgehog. While Sonic contributed to my childhood in the early and mid 90's, JSR contributed to my teenage years in the early 00's. Thanks to JSR, I began to go a bit more "out there" with my drawing style, experimenting with more extreme sketchy poses. I also got into an array of music, thanks to the series soundtracks. I even went through a phase where I wanted to be a graffiti artist - as me and my friends built our own massive 6X8 foot canvases that we used to practice our graffiti skills for a summer. I have photos of my graffiti canvas somewhere... I'll have to dig them up.


Most embarrassingly, I went to Hot Topic when I was 17 and bought a pair of raver pants (big blue pants with reflector tape down the sides and bright orange bits hanging off) and a tight t-shirt featuring a silver logo for a Japanese pinball machine. If I have a photo of that... I'm not sure I'd share it, lol.

[JetSetRadioForever]

Sometimes, as a lark, I'll put JSRF into my old Xbox and just cruise around the sections. It's especially fun in the sewers. Just grind on stuff and try not to touch the floor. It's a bit sad there was no DLC at the time. Would have loved a new section or two. I may do it more often these days with Saints Row or GTA or the Batman Arkham games but JSRF will always be my favorite for just going in and killing 20 minutes with some open world fun.

[Barry the Nomad]

JSRF is a great time killing game, given the lack of time limit. When JSRF first released, I didn't own an Xbox but I was dying to play the game. So I rented an Xbox and the game from the local video store for the weekend and played each day from 8am until I felt tired. On Monday, when I had to return the game, it ended up being a snow day! So I had another 12 hours to play and complete the game!

Later that year I bought the JSRF/SEGA GT Xbox bundle (pictured below) and played through the game all over again!

[Centrale]

These two games are inspiring and artistically influential to me in so many ways... therefore if I had to choose, they would probably be my favorite video games of all time. To me, they represent a culmination of pure punk rock and hip-hop creative philosophy within the video game medium. Not as those cultural forms are often limited in restrictive dictates of fashions and styles - but, as I see them, in essence being a foundation for total creative freedom and individual style in a global culture.

I think the two games are also fairly unique in that, the second one is more like a re-imagining of the first one rather than a sequel. The first has some compelling gameplay features that the second removed, in order to implement some different but also very fun features. The graffiti "gestures" in the first one are effective and clever predecessors to the motion controls that would arrive on the scene several years later. In JSRF those are removed and the city is designed with more possibilities for continuous, fluid motion through the levels which is reminiscent of the ascendant popularity of parkour these days.

I wouldn't describe either game as perfect, especially as there are some distracting camera issues at times (much improved, but still present in JSR HD). Nevertheless, all the elements come together in these games in an expression of total artistic exuberance. These games are masterpieces and they contain a world within them that is a joyous experience to play in.

[RegalSin]

I really would like to see SEGA or somebody just release JSFR on the Dreamcast, and if any other games. Just for the heck of it. In fact that is the feeling I am having. Sometime, when we least expect, it SEGA is going to sell a dreamcast game just for fun, and not profit.

I have the Dreamcast game. That being said, it is easily the most easy to like game, between both nations. Especially if you were into "Kite" type animations, or even knew what Lupin was. I forget which other auwsome animation, before the Dreamcast days, that was auwsome. The characters are so Pa-rappa-the-rappa. They are fun happy, colorful, full of life, and joy. Brings tears to my eyes, when I am not like that anymore. Those days were sooooo auwsome.

It pretty much showed us, the capabilities of the dreamcast, and what it could truly do. However nowadays, they have that "Akiba game" where you pretend to walk around Japan, taking pictures of school girls, and cosplay, and even fight with people, stripping off their clothings. That next to that Superhero/Villan RPG, game is probably the only thing that out does this game. GTA beats this game, only because you use guns, and drive cars.....duh. However for a young adult themed game, it was sure great.

Sad part, I keep forgeting about to play it more often. I took the game nice and slow, uptil I got up to the laughing man, in the sewers. That was when the game started to get really insane.

I mean thinking about it, all puts a smile on something I keep forget about I own. I mean Dreamcast, wow, just wow. Brings tears to my eyes, I am not playing a Dreamcast game everyday.

Seriously, Dreamcast could have kept on going. They could have, made it region free, and lowered the censoring ratings, in the west at least. Of course Jet Set Radio, pretty much proved how SEGA was copying the Playstation exprience. The best part about a Dreamcast is playing PSX ports on it, that are perfected.

I mean Jetset represented everything it was to be young, before you turned into not-a-minor. Where everything almost everything fun is a felony, nowadays. It puts a smile on my face. I might have not had roller-blades, or skates, But just walking all over the city, between school, the shopping center, and various hang out points. Reminds me alot about Jetset. Like going to the park, or some abandon alley, all kinds of crazy things are occurring. Once again it is a young thing.

I really loved, the officer zenigati/paperfold guy. He is a Lupin rip-off obviously, to the max. The police-men for some reason, are shown like that in almost every Japanese comic. I don't know if they actually dress like that. But it is funny how the whole game works together.

The NPC characters are auwsome. The only other NPC characters, that are better then these are the ones from 8-bit games ( I mean to say the reaction, of doing things to enemies ) or ones from the Arcades. Like for example, you could annoy the lving daylights out of a bunch of people, make them go one direction or another. It is like playing tag in a winter wonderland, but it is colorful, and their are all kinds of shapes.

[Moody]

I got into the series around when I was just getting into SEGA, a couple years back. I never grew up with the company, even though I grew up after they had left the hardware scene, and the only Sega stuff I played was whatever Sonic games friends had at their house. I didn't really think anything about them until I got a hand-me-down Genesis and decided to look into them.

I had only ever heard about Jet Set Radio in passing, never in detail, I only knew it as that "really colorful rollerskating game on the Dreamcast." Though I DID play JSRF when I was really little, in fact around that time was pretty much the most exposure I had to Sega until I got into them years later, since I played Panzer Dragoon Orta and Shenmue II on the Xbox. I didn't even know JSR had gotten a re-release until a couple months after it came out when I just stumbled upon looking for games to add to my Steam wishlist for Christmas. And lo and behold, on Christmas Eve, one of my friends did indeed gift the game to me.

I fell in love instantly. My experience with cel-shaded games is limited, and despite it being the first, and a then-twelve year old game, it looked absolutely amazing. Everything about it just tickled my imagination right and sparked me in ways I don't think a game has really done for me. It's gotten to the point where half my ideas spring from ideas I'm having about the characters, world, story, whatever. It's one of those games that's had a huge impact on me and it just...makes me happy, you know? In fact it's done a lot of good for my life.

I've met a ton of great friends through the fanbase on Tumblr, and although I've made bad ones too, I can't deny that it's been a wild and great time getting to know these people and sharing our love for the game. The game's song "Moody's Shuffle" gave me my now name after deciding I'm genderfluid, and I had a fantastic relationship with my boyfriend(though we're not dating anymore due to complications with distance). It's really helped shape me into the person I am today and I can only really name one other game that's done that.

I only recently played JSRF again, and it's...okay. There's a lot of small flaws and big flaws to it and some of it really bugs me, like how I have to talk to Roboy to change the volume settings or how by the end of the game, only eight songs out of around thirty play. Lots of small nitpicks like that that just bring the experience down for me. Stuff like the framerate and some control quirks REALLY bring it down though, it's easier to control than Grind, but not by much. I've beaten it twice, and I can say that playing through the story is really fun and the little flaws aren't as noticeable during it but Hikage Street can seriously just die.

[RandomHobo587]

To be honest, I just got into the series at the beginning of the year.  Even then, Jet Set Radio has become one of those games that is a must for my library.


I started off trying to figure out if this was a game I would enjoy.  I searched all over the web for reviews (specifically on the HD version because I don't have a Dreamcast).  Eventually, I decided to pick it up for $5 on Steam.  It was one of the best purchases I've ever made.


Probably one of the most annoying parts was that first character race.  You know, the one in Benten-Cho against Yo-Yo.  It took me well over 2 hours to finally figure out a route.  At that time, I was still getting used to the controls (Thank goodness I have I gamepad).  However, after much persistence, I was able to find a faster route and unlock him.  So far, he has proved his worth in the journey to get all Jet rankings...Except in Chapter 3.  That one is SOOOO annoying.


Anyways, the last level was also something I will never forget from my first play through.  I knew what to do and where to go.  The problem was actually getting there.  For those who remember, the freaking gears were the worst part.  Trying to get over those with enough spray cans almost drove me to insanity.  I even resorted to a strat where you hit the L-Trigger, complete the first command, cancel out of it, and do it again and again quickly until you finished the grafitti.  Then I would proceed to jump off of the building to get back to the middle.  XD  It was still a fun time and one of the more epic final stages I've seen in platformers lately.


Even as a newly-introduced fan I can still have my fun and memories with this game.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go take down Golden Rhino with their leader in order to get more Jet rankings.  Lord, help me.

[CrazyT]

Jet set radio future for me was one of those games once you picked em up, you just had to continue playing to the end. I know my younger self would usually quit games halfway through but JSRF just kept staying great from environment to environment. The world was really cool

The first jet set radio however I only finished recently on PC. I like the challenge of the first game more even tho its a bit unfair sometimes, but jsrf as a whole is just a better experience.

If they ever made a sequel, I would like to see a best of both games put into 1. The open world and fluid traversal from the 2nd game with the challenge and tagging of the first.

[Barry the Nomad]

First off, a big welcome to RandomHobo587 and Moody! Great stories from recent Jet Set Radio fandom recruits!

@CrazyT – Totally agree on JSRF. It's a fantastic game, and I do think that while it does have downsides, so too does the original game. Both compliment each other in that regard. JSRF offers up what JSR can't and vice versa, and a third game combining what worked for the first two would be amazing!

[CrazyT]

Definitely. I hear a lot of others say  the same so we're basically echoing many people's thoughts. It could be something really great if it'd happen.

There's an indie game being made inspired by the series for those who are interested

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/midgarstudio/hover-revolt-of-gamers#

Hideki naganuma is actually gonna compose for it :O For those who are looking for a JSR fix.

[Barry the Nomad]

Definitely. I hear a lot of others say  the same so we're basically echoing many people's thoughts. It could be something really great if it'd happen.

There's an indie game being made inspired by the series for those who are interested

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/midgarstudio/hover-revolt-of-gamers#

Hideki naganuma is actually gonna compose for it :O For those who are looking for a JSR fix.

Yup! In fact we're hoping to interview the devs and Naganuma, though given their english skills, it'll probably be written.

[RegalSin]

I saw the hover game preview. So I responding towards, that in reflection to Jet.

 They kinda did that, translation thing, instead of subs. Honestly they look real stocked, already. I don't know. their game is just a futuristic game, with the same logics of "Jetset radio", but instead of having one nationality it is doing the "Alien thing", or "colored people thing", where they hide behind, that guise. Take the MTV animation "downtowners", or even Nicks "Doug". That is what they are doing, but they are making all the people into animal people. An easy way to avoid negativity.

Then to make things better, they mention "Mirror Edge". By that, they mean to say the speed and physics of a game like "portal", or even "Sonic". My problem is that, I live in a city like that, already, and the police would probably shoot first, then ask questions later. They have an officer, around the other end waiting, when you see two officers in the front. All the time.

Otherwise, if the game had a hard mode, where the "evade" was limited, space. it could make sense, to buy it. Also everybody is small bodied. Figures because the game would be projected at children.

Now we have magical powers, yet the police does not use extreme force. They better have some guns in this game, or even some lasers.

So the Mayor has an mohawk....along with power packs on his back. I guess he is evil because he is purple. How did a city elect such officials. This is why Jetset worked, because the badguys, where the good guys, and they look like good guys.

So we can't fight real people, we have robots, instead.

Oh look, the story about how China, forbids, shipping of computers, for materials, as well as how New Zeland banns everything.

So in Jetset Radio, I am armed with skates that could power up from moving fast, but in this game I get magical anti-gravity suits.

So the game has no real cut scene, and works like Golden Eye. I remember Jetset having a few cut scenes.

That is real nice, we are going to have drones, taking advantage of us, and giving us tickets. Lame.

Oh look the random race animals, all have human traits. Like girls have hair and guys are bald.

So lets be clear on something, during Jetset Radio, the whole entire thing was a control over turf, by Graffiti the area. To makes things clear, all of them are of street gang culture, and do not represent anything pro of society. To make things even more clear, they are just rival gangs. Not hey look, that guy is strong, and that girl has braids, so they are bad people. Riggggggghhhhttt

So they just created a GTA thing, where you can purchase apartments. Not buildings like in GTA. Ha.
So they made a Jetset game, inside an action realm. Amazing.