Sonic The Hedgehog - A Little Ball of Energy in an Extremely Handsome Package

[Berto]

AI Racer Amy hacks into Rumblers' hearts!💘

She won't stop till she gets to you. Digitally, of course.
Available from the Sonic Rumble Party Season's Skin Fragment Challenge!
Collect them all to have her stay in your code!

🔗 Get into the mayhem: https://sonicrumble.com/playnow

[Berto]

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Unveils Packed September with Amigo and Anniversary

SEGA revealed the September 2026 event calendar for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, starting with Amigo's arrival on September 8 and the Samba de Amigo Festival from September 10–12.
The game marks its 1st anniversary on September 25 with special celebrations, followed by the Hatsune Miku 2nd Festival in early October.

Source: https://x.com/RaceCrossWorlds/status/2094591073758679276

[Mystic Monkey]

Dinosaur King, Love & Berry, and MushiKing rule because they were playable in arcade where arcade was still a big thing back then and SEGA was the King of Arcades.
It's different environment now. SEGA's arcade division focus are now in rhythm arcade games where they are the best at it meanwhile The Pokémon Company took the card battle arcade position.

The reason why I find it hard to believe Dinosaur King, Love & Berry, and MushiKing were that popular is because their success was only in Japan. It wasn't until the 4Kids dub of Dinosaur King I ever heard about it, and only found out about MushiKing years after. And I know even less of Love & Berry.

I can accept these games were big hit in Japans arcade, but I imagine Sega didn't figure they would be all that interesting for an international market, and rightly so given Digimon was giving Pokémon a run for it's money as well.
Not saying it would've been impossible for Sega to compete with Pokémon or Digimon, but Dinosaur King, Love & Berry, and MushiKing was catered for Japanese interest than western and international interest.

Sega All-Stars Trading Card Game I get it but Chao Trading Cards? Chao aren't as popular as back then.
If Chao were still popular SEGA would make them their own games like how Ubisoft make Rabbids their own games, comic book, kids reading book, and animated series.

While Chao were a side-game to Sonic Adventure and was released three years after Pokémon Red and Green which gives Pokémon a enough of a head-start to cement itself as popular battle-monster game, I really and truly believe that if Sonic Team did more with Chao at the time and continue to do so today, whenever a spin-off like Rabbid or side-series to Sonic Adventure, I really-truly believe Chao could've been the direct competition to Pokémon. Just as Sonic is on par to Mario, so could Chao be to Pokémon, if Sega were willing to put in the effort at the time.

	Pokémon	Chao	How Chao make up for it over Pokémon	How Chao can potentially improve
Variety of creatures	Over a thousand variety of different creatures.	Just the one creature.	Chao have a more diverse evolution and can take on different shapes and attributes.	Include another state of growth/evolution before death that gives chao more diverse transformation after evolution. Such as hero swim chao being mermaid like while dark swim chao looking shark-like.
Combat with creatures	An advance turn-based battle system, with thousands of various attacks.	While there is Chao Karate, Chao Racing is more renown. Both games are mostly just encouraging your chao.	Chao were never about fighting, nor should I believe they should be. Chao are more like virtual pets than pokémon are, and I feel people bond more over chao than they would over pokémon.	Chao could still adopt either a basic turn-based combat system, or adopt MushiKing/Dinosaur King gameplay. Unlike Mushi/Dino which have a variety of dinosaurs and bugs to play and fight over, players can just buy Move Cards, and maybe Bonus cards, given chao raised in gardens will do the fighting for them (instead of actual physical cards, perhaps abilities that can be purchased in Chao Black Market). However, the combat system should not prioritise over raising chao in gardens, simply a better replacement to Chao Karate.
Growth with creatures	Pokémon "level up" through combat, but are mostly carried in pokéballs. Only the few recent games where players can groom and play with pokémon outside of battle.	Like traditional virtual pets, can be fed, pet and cared for in Chao Gardens. Depending on their diet of fruit and nuts and how they are raised, may alter their stats for races and karate.	Same as the above point, Chao were never about fighting and more of care and growth in Chao Gardens. It is only recent Pokémon games that allow you more interaction and care with pokémon outside of battle (Pokémon-Amie, Pokémon Refresh and Pokémon Camp) while Chao Gardens prioritise in caring for your chao.	Honestly, Chao Gardens are already Chao' strong point. A revised combat system as I suggested would be more for competitive players, but chao should still be primarily a virtual pet game over battle-monsters game.
Usual story/adventure	JRPG-adventure of travelling across the region, catching pokémon and training them in battles, to earn eight Gym Badges in order to compete and win the Pokémon League.	None. Chao Gardens are a side-game to Sonic Adventure. Winning the Jewel Races perhaps closest equivalent to Gym Battles.	While Chao never had their own games, Virtual Memory Units allowed players to take their chao out and about, just as Pokémon games themselves being portable on the Game Boy. "Chao Adventure" was no where near on Pokémon games level, but still allowed you to take you chao on the go and care for them like Tamagotchis.	I like to imagine the successor to Chao Adventure being a Smart Phone game similar to Pokémon Go, where you can upload up to three chao to your phone and take them for walks and make virtual discoveries together. This Chao mobile game being a partner-game to a mainstream Sonic game with revised Chao Gardens (either Sonic Adventure 3, or remake of DX+2B). Like "Bully Chao" in Chao Adventure, perhaps the combat system can be worked into this game to allow players to compete against one another, or perhaps random encounter with badniks or bully chao in the game.
Trading Card Game	Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh are perhaps the most popular trading card games out there.	Sega doesn't have a trading card game, other than Japan's exclusive Dinosaur King, Love & Berry, and MushiKing.	Honestly, this is where Sega are lacking in general than just chao. MushiKing, Love & Berry and Dinosaur King are popular in Japan but do not have an international market.	If Dinosaur King simply reuse MushiKing gameplay, why not the same for chao? However, if Chao were to remain on the Dreamcast, there wouldn't be a practical way to scan cards (maybe with the Dreameye). But given the Dreamcast was Sega's last console before Sonic moving onto GameCube and GameBoy Advance, the e-Reader could potentially be used for Chao cards. But, as I suggested, NFC cards could also potentially be used by smart phones for gaming.

As for more traditional trading card game like what Pokémon, Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh are, I'd recommend either Sonic and/or Sega All-Stars. Preferably the later given there is more content to work with as well as promotional cards for latest Sega games.

Chao Garden restaurants could've been a real thing, if Sega expanded and marketed chao well.

[Berto]

The reason why I find it hard to believe Dinosaur King, Love & Berry, and MushiKing were that popular is because their success was only in Japan. It wasn't until the 4Kids dub of Dinosaur King I ever heard about it, and only found out about MushiKing years after. And I know even less of Love & Berry.

I can accept these games were big hit in Japans arcade, but I imagine Sega didn't figure they would be all that interesting for an international market, and rightly so given Digimon was giving Pokémon a run for it's money as well.
Not saying it would've been impossible for Sega to compete with Pokémon or Digimon, but Dinosaur King, Love & Berry, and MushiKing was catered for Japanese interest than western and international interest.

It means SEGA knew their strength and weakness well. They didn't force to make their games go international when the market isn't promising.
For Japan, even until right now SEGA is still maintaning arcade trading card games too: Sangokushi Taisen, Sengoku Taisen, World Club Champion Football (WCCF), and KanColle Arcade.
And of course they're not interested in localizing it to the west making the since arcade is dead in the west.

Not all SEGA arcade trading card games were successes though.
There were Soul Reverse that's shut down in 2018 and then Chrono Regalia and Code of Joker which were shut down in 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3ZugJi7sDc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWJL3QWVFNI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTsYyoW57iA

While Chao were a side-game to Sonic Adventure and was released three years after Pokémon Red and Green which gives Pokémon a enough of a head-start to cement itself as popular battle-monster game, I really and truly believe that if Sonic Team did more with Chao at the time and continue to do so today, whenever a spin-off like Rabbid or side-series to Sonic Adventure, I really-truly believe Chao could've been the direct competition to Pokémon. Just as Sonic is on par to Mario, so could Chao be to Pokémon, if Sega were willing to put in the effort at the time.

	Pokémon	Chao	How Chao make up for it over Pokémon	How Chao can potentially improve
Variety of creatures	Over a thousand variety of different creatures.	Just the one creature.	Chao have a more diverse evolution and can take on different shapes and attributes.	Include another state of growth/evolution before death that gives chao more diverse transformation after evolution. Such as hero swim chao being mermaid like while dark swim chao looking shark-like.
Combat with creatures	An advance turn-based battle system, with thousands of various attacks.	While there is Chao Karate, Chao Racing is more renown. Both games are mostly just encouraging your chao.	Chao were never about fighting, nor should I believe they should be. Chao are more like virtual pets than pokémon are, and I feel people bond more over chao than they would over pokémon.	Chao could still adopt either a basic turn-based combat system, or adopt MushiKing/Dinosaur King gameplay. Unlike Mushi/Dino which have a variety of dinosaurs and bugs to play and fight over, players can just buy Move Cards, and maybe Bonus cards, given chao raised in gardens will do the fighting for them (instead of actual physical cards, perhaps abilities that can be purchased in Chao Black Market). However, the combat system should not prioritise over raising chao in gardens, simply a better replacement to Chao Karate.
Growth with creatures	Pokémon "level up" through combat, but are mostly carried in pokéballs. Only the few recent games where players can groom and play with pokémon outside of battle.	Like traditional virtual pets, can be fed, pet and cared for in Chao Gardens. Depending on their diet of fruit and nuts and how they are raised, may alter their stats for races and karate.	Same as the above point, Chao were never about fighting and more of care and growth in Chao Gardens. It is only recent Pokémon games that allow you more interaction and care with pokémon outside of battle (Pokémon-Amie, Pokémon Refresh and Pokémon Camp) while Chao Gardens prioritise in caring for your chao.	Honestly, Chao Gardens are already Chao' strong point. A revised combat system as I suggested would be more for competitive players, but chao should still be primarily a virtual pet game over battle-monsters game.
Usual story/adventure	JRPG-adventure of travelling across the region, catching pokémon and training them in battles, to earn eight Gym Badges in order to compete and win the Pokémon League.	None. Chao Gardens are a side-game to Sonic Adventure. Winning the Jewel Races perhaps closest equivalent to Gym Battles.	While Chao never had their own games, Virtual Memory Units allowed players to take their chao out and about, just as Pokémon games themselves being portable on the Game Boy. "Chao Adventure" was no where near on Pokémon games level, but still allowed you to take you chao on the go and care for them like Tamagotchis.	I like to imagine the successor to Chao Adventure being a Smart Phone game similar to Pokémon Go, where you can upload up to three chao to your phone and take them for walks and make virtual discoveries together. This Chao mobile game being a partner-game to a mainstream Sonic game with revised Chao Gardens (either Sonic Adventure 3, or remake of DX+2B). Like "Bully Chao" in Chao Adventure, perhaps the combat system can be worked into this game to allow players to compete against one another, or perhaps random encounter with badniks or bully chao in the game.
Trading Card Game	Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh are perhaps the most popular trading card games out there.	Sega doesn't have a trading card game, other than Japan's exclusive Dinosaur King, Love & Berry, and MushiKing.	Honestly, this is where Sega are lacking in general than just chao. MushiKing, Love & Berry and Dinosaur King are popular in Japan but do not have an international market.	If Dinosaur King simply reuse MushiKing gameplay, why not the same for chao? However, if Chao were to remain on the Dreamcast, there wouldn't be a practical way to scan cards (maybe with the Dreameye). But given the Dreamcast was Sega's last console before Sonic moving onto GameCube and GameBoy Advance, the e-Reader could potentially be used for Chao cards. But, as I suggested, NFC cards could also potentially be used by smart phones for gaming.

As for more traditional trading card game like what Pokémon, Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh are, I'd recommend either Sonic and/or Sega All-Stars. Preferably the later given there is more content to work with as well as promotional cards for latest Sega games.

Chao Garden restaurants could've been a real thing, if Sega expanded and marketed chao well.

These are all good but kinda too late if they're to be implemented.
For example, I agree Chao Gardens are already Chao' strong point.
But that was back then, many games are already surpass it right now including Tamagotchi mobile games that recently has colab with SEGA's Colorful Stage.









Yeah, most of Chao Garden-like games are in Japan, but if it couldn't beat Japan market, it'd be hard to propose the game to the higher-ups.
And sadly NFC cards for mobile gaming were never widely popular, though many companies experimented with them to bridge physical trading cards with digital mobile apps.
Survey said the new generation of gamers didn't like it, saying tapping physical cards on a smartphone screen or back reader felt clunky compared to pure digital microtransactions.
They prefer to have digital cards on their smartphones.

[Berto]

Sonic Rumble Party - ✨Skin Bundle Sales underway!✨

Ronin Shadow, Samurai Sonic, Whisper, Lanolin, Zazz!
They are in the shop with a discount so check it out!

⏳Discount until September 17th 7:59am (UTC)

🔗 Get into the mayhem: https://sonicrumble.com/playnow

[Berto]

Café Server Sonic and Amy are here to... serve!✨

Can the plates handle Sonic's speed?
The charm of the café comes with Amy's hospitality!
Find them in the Sonic Rumble Party Red Star Ring Shop for a limited time!

🔗 Get into the mayhem: https://sonicrumble.com/playnow

[Mystic Monkey]

It means SEGA knew their strength and weakness well. They didn't force to make their games go international when the market isn't promising.
For Japan, even until right now SEGA is still maintaning arcade trading card games too: Sangokushi Taisen, Sengoku Taisen, World Club Champion Football (WCCF), and KanColle Arcade.
And of course they're not interested in localizing it to the west making the since arcade is dead in the west.

Not all SEGA arcade trading card games were successes though.
There were Soul Reverse that's shut down in 2018 and then Chrono Regalia and Code of Joker which were shut down in 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3ZugJi7sDc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWJL3QWVFNI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTsYyoW57iA

Soul Reverse gives me Dark Soul vibes.

But, do you think Sega has a chance making a TCG for international release? I mean, they probably won't due to the juggernaut that is Pokémon TCG, but you'd think they would've tried an international TCG at some point.
Well, they did, but it was mostly a novelty with a limited market, which didn't last long.

These are all good but kinda too late if they're to be implemented.
For example, I agree Chao Gardens are already Chao' strong point.
But that was back then, many games are already surpass it right now including Tamagotchi mobile games that recently has colab with SEGA's Colorful Stage.









Yeah, most of Chao Garden-like games are in Japan, but if it couldn't beat Japan market, it'd be hard to propose the game to the higher-ups.
And sadly NFC cards for mobile gaming were never widely popular, though many companies experimented with them to bridge physical trading cards with digital mobile apps.
Survey said the new generation of gamers didn't like it, saying tapping physical cards on a smartphone screen or back reader felt clunky compared to pure digital microtransactions.
They prefer to have digital cards on their smartphones.

I know, as I said, if Sonic Team were to went hard on Chao after Dreamcast-era, than just letting them be minor characters to the Sonic franchise, perhaps like Rabbids, spin them off into their own game series, I truly believe they would've been a genuine contest with Pokémon.

Sega could've done a lot with chao...



However, similar to Half-Life 3 fans, there is a sizeable portion of the Sonic fanbase who are still hoping Sonic Team will release a "Sonic Adventure 3" or, the very least, remakes of SA:DX and SA2B. If Sega were to decide to make a Sonic Adventure 3, then (while it won't put them on par with Pokémon) Sonic Team could renovate Chao Gardens and chao gameplay to be more engaging.

As I mentioned on my fancy table-graph, I find that an advantage and strong-point Chao have over Pokémon is that they're treated more as virtual pets than battle-monsters. And that "Chao Adventure" was still a popular, portable way to take your chao on the go.
If we were to get a "Sonic Adventure 3" for Steam and modern consoles, I think it would make sense for smart phones to replace VMUs in this case, and I can imagine the new "Chao Adventure" being something like Pokémon Go. You can use Augmented Reality to interact with your chao, or use Augmented Reality to find hidden things, or, like in original Chao Adventure, use AR to see Sonic and his friends that may surprise visit you.

Chao Adventure had a rudimentary combat (mostly a roulette-like micro-game against "Bully Chao") and SA2B had Chao Karate. If not an adaption of MushiKing/Dinosaur King gameplay, then then very least a basic RPG battle-system for chao. The "Black Market" could be wear Special Attacks or Combat Items are purchased, or Special Attacks be developed when you raise your chao.

I know I'm being a bit contradictory stating that Chao should be virtual pets over battle monsters, but its because of Pokémon, Digimon and other similar games that made monster battles popular, and that there will be competitive chao owners who want to duke it out with other chao. That and maybe if "Chao Adventure Go" had NPC Bully Chao or enemy encounters, then combat system may apply there.
But, I'd say Chao Racing is more Chao Garden's equivalent to Pokémon Battles. So perhaps a combat system can be forego entirely and all chao settle their disputes with races.

[Berto]

Soul Reverse gives me Dark Soul vibes.

But, do you think Sega has a chance making a TCG for international release? I mean, they probably won't due to the juggernaut that is Pokémon TCG, but you'd think they would've tried an international TCG at some point.
Well, they did, but it was mostly a novelty with a limited market, which didn't last long.

No, all SEGA's succesful trading card games are tied to the arcade games and arcade environment in Japan are different with oversea.

I know, as I said, if Sonic Team were to went hard on Chao after Dreamcast-era, than just letting them be minor characters to the Sonic franchise, perhaps like Rabbids, spin them off into their own game series, I truly believe they would've been a genuine contest with Pokémon.

Sega could've done a lot with chao...

Yes, they could've done a lot with Chao, but will it be succesful? That's another question. Chao isn't that popular outside SEGA fanbase. Pretty sure SEGA already did the math.

However, similar to Half-Life 3 fans, there is a sizeable portion of the Sonic fanbase who are still hoping Sonic Team will release a "Sonic Adventure 3" or, the very least, remakes of SA:DX and SA2B. If Sega were to decide to make a Sonic Adventure 3, then (while it won't put them on par with Pokémon) Sonic Team could renovate Chao Gardens and chao gameplay to be more engaging.

As I mentioned on my fancy table-graph, I find that an advantage and strong-point Chao have over Pokémon is that they're treated more as virtual pets than battle-monsters. And that "Chao Adventure" was still a popular, portable way to take your chao on the go.
If we were to get a "Sonic Adventure 3" for Steam and modern consoles, I think it would make sense for smart phones to replace VMUs in this case, and I can imagine the new "Chao Adventure" being something like Pokémon Go. You can use Augmented Reality to interact with your chao, or use Augmented Reality to find hidden things, or, like in original Chao Adventure, use AR to see Sonic and his friends that may surprise visit you.

Chao Adventure had a rudimentary combat (mostly a roulette-like micro-game against "Bully Chao") and SA2B had Chao Karate. If not an adaption of MushiKing/Dinosaur King gameplay, then then very least a basic RPG battle-system for chao. The "Black Market" could be wear Special Attacks or Combat Items are purchased, or Special Attacks be developed when you raise your chao.

I know I'm being a bit contradictory stating that Chao should be virtual pets over battle monsters, but its because of Pokémon, Digimon and other similar games that made monster battles popular, and that there will be competitive chao owners who want to duke it out with other chao. That and maybe if "Chao Adventure Go" had NPC Bully Chao or enemy encounters, then combat system may apply there.
But, I'd say Chao Racing is more Chao Garden's equivalent to Pokémon Battles. So perhaps a combat system can be forego entirely and all chao settle their disputes with races.

I already said that it would be hard for them to battle Tamagotchi / My Tamagotchi Forever mobile games if they entered virtual pets genre, hell I'd be surprised if they even could top Neko Atsume or Wobbledogs.
And for tother genre, f Sonic Racing CrossWorlds which have many characters aren't enough, I don't think Chao Racing could ever had a chance.
And don't blame Sonic Team for lack of Chao. SEGA higher-ups would never greenlit Chao stand-alone games. Iizuka noted that asking for a new Chao Garden is basically asking for Sonic Adventure 3 and preparing Sonic Adventure 3 is hard because the higher-ups would have very high expectation of it considering SA1 and SA2 were a big success.
And sadly, there's only Sonic 3D game that could top them in term of success and that is Sonic Frontiers, which's released 20 years after SA2.

Also, you already know that right now Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop (developed by Sonic Team and h.a.n.d.) features a mode called Puyo Garden that works very similarly to the classic Chao's Garden.
We can adopt, name, and care for our very own Puyo.
We can even poke your Puyo, feed it treats, do exercises together, and train our raised Puyo & enter it into mini-battles to see how it performs.
Higher ups at SEGA may reject SA1-2 remakes or Chao Garden games but Sonic Team still somehow continuing its spirit to their other game. If they're allowed pretty sure they would put Chao too in the game, but of course they aren't.

[Berto]

Nintendo Switch Blockbuster Sale is here!

Save on select top-rated digital Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch games including :

Switch 2

Persona 3 Reload – $35.99 (was $59.99)
Persona 3 Reload Digital Premium Edition – $15.99 (was $39.99)
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S – $53.99 (was $89.99)
RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army - Digital Deluxe Edition – $35.79 (was $64.99)
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage 30th Anniversary Edition – $29.99 (was $49.99)
Yakuza Kiwami & Yakuza Kiwami 2 Bundle – $29.99 (was $49.99)
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Deluxe Edition – $37.49 (was $74.99)

Switch

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim – $14.99 (was $59.99)
Alien: Isolation – $14.99 (was $19.99)
Catherine: Full Body – $9.99 (was $49.99)
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board! – $17.99 (was $59.99)
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles – $29.99 (was $59.99)
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 Deluxe Edition – $27.99 (was $69.99)
Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection – $27.99 (was $79.99)
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix – $19.69 (was $39.39)
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Mega Mix Mega Pack – $29.99 (was $59.99)

Persona 3 Portable – $9.99 (was $19.99)
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax – $8.99 (was $29.99)
Persona 4 Golden – $9.99 (was $19.99)
Persona 5 Strikers – $17.99 (was $59.99)
Persona 5 Tactica: Digital Deluxe Edition – $19.99 (was $79.99)
Persona Collection – $26.99 (was $89.99)
Puyo Puyo Champions – $3.99 (was $9.99)
Puyo Puyo Tetris – $1.99 (was $12.99)
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 – $15.99 (was $39.99)

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SEGA AGES Columns II: A Voyage Through Time – $2.39 (was $7.99)
SEGA AGES Fantasy Zone – $2.39 (was $7.99)
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SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo – $2.39 (was $7.99)
SEGA AGES Puyo Puyo 2 – $2.39 (was $7.99)
SEGA AGES Sonic The Hedgehog – $2.39 (was $7.99)
SEGA AGES Sonic The Hedgehog 2 – $2.39 (was $7.99)
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SEGA AGES Virtua Racing – $2.39 (was $7.99)
SEGA AGES Wonder Boy: Monster Land – $2.39 (was $7.99)

RAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army - Digital Deluxe Edition – $35.79 (was $64.99)
Samba de Amigo: Party Central Digital Deluxe Edition – $9.99 (was $49.99)
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster Digital Deluxe Edition – $20.99 (was $69.99)
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Digital Deluxe Edition – $20.99 (was $69.99)
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance – DLC All-in-One – $5.99 (was $14.99)
Sonic Colors: Ultimate – $11.99 (was $39.99)
Sonic Origins Plus – $11.99 (was $39.99)
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Digital Deluxe Edition – $31.99 (was $79.99)
SONIC SUPERSTARS Deluxe Edition – $20.99 (was $69.99)
SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS – $17.49 (was $49.99)
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD – $5.99 (was $29.99)
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania Digital Deluxe Edition – $12.49 (was $49.99)
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble – $14.99 (was $49.99)
Unicorn Overlord – $17.99 (was $59.99)
Valkyria Chronicles + Valkyria Chronicles 4 Bundle – $9.99 (was $39.99)
Valkyria Chronicles 4 – $5.99 (was $29.99)
Valkyria Chronicles 4 DLC Bundle – $9.99 (was $24.99)

now through Sept 9 at 11:59pm PT.

See the deals: https://ninten.do/6016aOWxs

[Berto]

Idol Cream joins the Sonic Rumble Party in song and dance! 💫

Bright sunshine smile greets from atop the stage!💫

🔗 Get into the mayhem: https://sonicrumble.com/playnow

[Berto]

SEGA HARDlight asks players for quick feedback for Sonic Forces Mobile game

SEGA HARDlight: "Hey everyone!

Do you have 5 minutes to answer a few questions?

We’d like your feedback about unlocking & upgrading characters to help us make Sonic Forces Mobile even better!
Please follow the link to fill out the survey: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/N3Fj54Vib2

Thanks!"

Source: https://x.com/SEGAHARDlight/status/2095532365200126076

[Mystic Monkey]

No, all SEGA's succesful trading card games are tied to the arcade games and arcade environment in Japan are different with oversea.

But Pokémon proves a trading card game can still be successful without being an arcade game.

Yes, they could've done a lot with Chao, but will it be succesful? That's another question. Chao isn't that popular outside SEGA fanbase. Pretty sure SEGA already did the math.

Just because chao weren't that popular outside the Sega fanbase didn't mean they couldn't have pushed Chao Gardens to be a bigger franchise.
Tell me "Rayman Raving Rabbids" was popular at the time enough to warren a spin-off series for those annoying white things.

Even if a spin-off Sonic game, Chao Gardens could've been more.

I already said that it would be hard for them to battle Tamagotchi / My Tamagotchi Forever mobile games if they entered virtual pets genre, hell I'd be surprised if they even could top Neko Atsume or Wobbledogs.
And for tother genre, f Sonic Racing CrossWorlds which have many characters aren't enough, I don't think Chao Racing could ever had a chance.
And don't blame Sonic Team for lack of Chao. SEGA higher-ups would never greenlit Chao stand-alone games. Iizuka noted that asking for a new Chao Garden is basically asking for Sonic Adventure 3 and preparing Sonic Adventure 3 is hard because the higher-ups would have very high expectation of it considering SA1 and SA2 were a big success.
And sadly, there's only Sonic 3D game that could top them in term of success and that is Sonic Frontiers, which's released 20 years after SA2.

Also, you already know that right now Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop (developed by Sonic Team and h.a.n.d.) features a mode called Puyo Garden that works very similarly to the classic Chao's Garden.
We can adopt, name, and care for our very own Puyo.
We can even poke your Puyo, feed it treats, do exercises together, and train our raised Puyo & enter it into mini-battles to see how it performs.
Higher ups at SEGA may reject SA1-2 remakes or Chao Garden games but Sonic Team still somehow continuing its spirit to their other game. If they're allowed pretty sure they would put Chao too in the game, but of course they aren't.

So Sega know chao are popular, but won't give us new Chao Gardens because of high expectations of Sonic, but won't make Chao Gardens an independant game because of low expectations of chao?

Meanwhile the indie game called Poglings is pretty much Chao Gardens but expanded upon, which goes to show there is an interest for virtua pet games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYnYBbOs6cs

[Berto]

But Pokémon proves a trading card game can still be successful without being an arcade game.

Pokémon is already popular franchise before they hit the TCG genre.

Just because chao weren't that popular outside the Sega fanbase didn't mean they couldn't have pushed Chao Gardens to be a bigger franchise.
Tell me "Rayman Raving Rabbids" was popular at the time enough to warren a spin-off series for those annoying white things.

Actually yes, Rayman Raving Rabbids sold about 1.5 million copies while Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 sold around 2 million copies and most reviews praise the rabbids as the new characters (they seems annoying now since then since they're almost everywhere, but not when they're first introduced).
For comparison Sonic Adventure 2 sold around 500,000 copies on Dreamcast.

Even if a spin-off Sonic game, Chao Gardens could've been more.So Sega know chao are popular, but won't give us new Chao Gardens because of high expectations of Sonic, but won't make Chao Gardens an independant game because of low expectations of chao?

Meanwhile the indie game called Poglings is pretty much Chao Gardens but expanded upon, which goes to show there is an interest for virtua pet games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYnYBbOs6cs

Yes, there is interest. I did mention Tamagotchi, Neko Atsume, and Wobbledogs, right?
It's just Sonic Team's focus are mainline Sonic games and all spin-off (like Shatterred Crystal, Fire and Ice, Dark Brotherhood, and mobile games) are done by second parties. They probably haven't found yet ones that's fit for making Chao Garden all this time.

[Mystic Monkey]

Pokémon is already popular franchise before they hit the TCG genre.

And Sonic and Sega All-Stars were not at the time?

Actually yes, Rayman Raving Rabbids sold about 1.5 million copies while Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 sold around 2 million copies and most reviews praise the rabbids as the new characters (they seems annoying now since then since they're almost everywhere, but not when they're first introduced).
For comparison Sonic Adventure 2 sold around 500,000 copies on Dreamcast.

I thought Raving Rabbids were met with mediocre reviews? (Since when can't I trust Google these days to give me a straight answer?)

Yes, there is interest. I did mention Tamagotchi, Neko Atsume, and Wobbledogs, right?
It's just Sonic Team's focus are mainline Sonic games and all spin-off (like Shatterred Crystal, Fire and Ice, Dark Brotherhood, and mobile games) are done by second parties. They probably haven't found yet ones that's fit for making Chao Garden all this time.

Well, it still feels like Sega has abandoned Chao Gardens, and the Dreamcast-era of Sonic games.

[Berto]

And Sonic and Sega All-Stars were not at the time?

It pains me to say this to say but Pokémon was a lot lot lot bigger franchise.
Pokémon is ranked as the highest-grossing media franchise of all time, generating over $130 billion to $150 billion in total lifetime revenue (for comparison the biggest SEGA franchise, Sonic, accumulated around $18 billion in lifetime).

I thought Raving Rabbids were met with mediocre reviews? (Since when can't I trust Google these days to give me a straight answer?)

Reviews sadly have nothing to do with sales. Shinobi AOV got good reviews but sales are dissappointing
Yes, not everybody enjoy the multiplayer mini games route they take, but the ones that praised are Rabbids characters, not the gameplay.

Well, it still feels like Sega has abandoned Chao Gardens, and the Dreamcast-era of Sonic games.

Yeah, I was wishing they came back after Sonic 3 movie, but Sonic 3 movie's being bombed in Japan (always wondered why though, it was a success everywhere else) shattered my wish.