SEGA Racing Games - You Don't Just Play at Steering, You Live It

[Berto]

A New Collectors Edition of Sonic Racing CrossWorlds on Switch 2 announced which includes a 3D Crystal!

Multiple options available.
Can include tapestry, hoodie, keychains, 3D crystal, and pass case.

Link: https://bit.ly/3YC9O7e

[Berto]

SEGA Celebrates 35 Years of Sonic the Hedgehog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJJZ6Cq9tqg

Throughout the upcoming year, SEGA will roll out a high-energy slate of anniversary programs designed to celebrate Sonic’s legacy while bringing fans together around the world. Planned activities include digital content highlighting Sonic’s evolution across the decades, fan meet-ups and community gatherings, exclusive brand and retail partnerships featuring limited merchandise, museum pop-ups and art exhibits, live concert celebrations, and a brand-new narrative podcast.
“We’re incredibly proud to celebrate 35 years of our beloved Sonic franchise with our fans,” said Marcella Churchill, Vice President of SEGA/ATLUS Brand Marketing at SEGA of America. “This milestone is ...”

Article: https://segabits.com/blog/2026/01/15/sega-celebrates-35-years-of-sonic-the-hedgehog/

[Mystic Monkey]

Well, expansion still exists as a form of many DLCs form.
They usually called it Expansion Pass or Season Pass.
Usually it consist of many individual DLCs that's not released yet but we could get them cheaper than buying the individual DLCs separately if we buy them.
Still if we are a "patient gamer," we could wait for a "Complete" or "Game of the Year" edition later which consist all of them.

True. In a way DLCs and Expansions are not redundant, unless you're willing to play the long waiting game for re-releases HD Special Editions.

For example, I waited for FF7R and Spider-Man to be released on PC as special editions... though that's mostly because I didn't bother to get a PlayStation 4 or 5.

I also noticed the Kingdom Hearts series is also on Steam as their special editions. I might get it, but I haven't been into Kingdom Hearts for ages.

[Berto]

True. In a way DLCs and Expansions are not redundant, unless you're willing to play the long waiting game for re-releases HD Special Editions.

For example, I waited for FF7R and Spider-Man to be released on PC as special editions... though that's mostly because I didn't bother to get a PlayStation 4 or 5.

I also noticed the Kingdom Hearts series is also on Steam as their special editions. I might get it, but I haven't been into Kingdom Hearts for ages.

I found Kingdom Hearts stories' confusing, but may be that's because I didn't play them in order.

[Berto]

Best-selling games of November 2025 in the U.S. on Nintendo platforms

1. Pokemon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo
2. Kirby Air Riders – Nintendo
3. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment – Nintendo
...
6. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – SEGA
...
9. EA Sports FC 26 – EA
10. Nintendo Switch Sports – Nintendo

Article: https://nintendoeverything.com/best-selling-games-of-november-2025-in-the-u-s-on-nintendo-platforms/

[Berto]

Several mini-games and retro games in Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties revealed and detailed

The full list of Game Gear games are as follows:

1. Pac-Man (1991)
2. Mappy (1991)
3. Galaga ’91 (1991)
4. Sonic Chaos (1993)
5. Sonic Drift (1994)
6. Streets of Rage (1991)
7. Columns (1991)
8. Puyo Puyo (1993)
9. The GG Shinobi (1991)
10. Fantasy Zone Gear (1991)
11. G-Loc: Air Battle (1990)
12. Woody Pop (1991)

Besides the Game Gear games, they have also revealed the Like A Dragon debut of the NAOMI arcade board with Slashout (2000).
Magical Truck Adventure (1998) is also here, joining Emergency Call Ambulance (1999), ...

Article: https://segabits.com/blog/2026/01/15/several-mini-games-and-retro-games-in-yakuza-kiwami-3-dark-ties-revealed-and-detailed/

[Berto]

SEGA Saturn's Rarest Game, Delisoba Deluxe, Gets An English Translation







https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr-v2hsTsS8

ExxistanceDC's patch redraws the title screen and adds in new English font tiles – as well as translating the options menu, pause menu and track editor sections of the game.
"The game is known as the rarest Sega Saturn game as it was (apparently) only given out to either contestants and/or audience members of the Japanese game show 'Tokyo Friend Park 2'," says the translator. "The game sees you racing through the streets of Japan, attempting to deliver soba to the TBS HQ in record time, all while dodging traffic, construction, and a giant gorilla tossing ..."

Article: https://www.timeextension.com/news/2026/01/saturns-rarest-game-delisoba-deluxe-gets-an-english-translation

[Mystic Monkey]

I found Kingdom Hearts stories' confusing, but may be that's because I didn't play them in order.

Kingdom Hearts is like a... "Fantasy Opera", if I'm using the term opera correctly. Just as Star Wars is regarded a "Space Opera" despite no opera singing.

You probably already know the jist of it. Sora visit worlds based on animated Disney films (before the live-action slop) to fight the heartless and stop Organization XIII and "The Darkness". That's all you really need to know, really. Sure there' how, when and why explained, but yeah, complicated.

[Berto]

Kingdom Hearts is like a... "Fantasy Opera", if I'm using the term opera correctly. Just as Star Wars is regarded a "Space Opera" despite no opera singing.

You probably already know the jist of it. Sora visit worlds based on animated Disney films (before the live-action slop) to fight the heartless and stop Organization XIII and "The Darkness". That's all you really need to know, really. Sure there' how, when and why explained, but yeah, complicated.

Part of the story with Sora is good, but then there are Roxas and Xion too.





Usually in any game we can understand the story just from the main numbered titles,
but Kingdom Hearts spin-offs aren't just spin-offs like any franchise.
Their stories are also important.

[Mystic Monkey]

Part of the story with Sora is good, but then there are Roxas and Xion too.





Usually in any game we can understand the story just from the main numbered titles,
but Kingdom Hearts spin-offs aren't just spin-offs like any franchise.
Their stories are also important.

yeah, even I can't keep up with it all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndgto6h4z9w

[Berto]

yeah, even I can't keep up with it all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndgto6h4z9w

Yet, you're interested to play them all?

[Mystic Monkey]

Yet, you're interested to play them all?

I said I "might" get them.

And yeah. Despite the complexity of the story, the games themselves are still good.

[Berto]

I said I "might" get them.

And yeah. Despite the complexity of the story, the games themselves are still good.

The gameplay is just like modern Final Fantasy games, ARPGs (real-time hack-and-slash combat) but with JRPG elements.
Except Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory of course, it's a rhythm-action game.

[Mystic Monkey]

The gameplay is just like modern Final Fantasy games, ARPGs (real-time hack-and-slash combat) but with JRPG elements.
Except Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory of course, it's a rhythm-action game.

Y'know, I was going to bring up Virtual Quest as a comparison. I've been playing it along with Skies of Arcadia Legends.

I mean, yeah. It's a really huge stretch and that it's not a crossover game and technically part of the Virtua Fighter series. But at the same time, Virtua Quest feels mostly like it's own thing. Yeah, it takes place in the "future" of the Virtua Fighter series, but whenever I come across a Virtua Soul it's like which guest star will I meet? Sort of like in Kingdom Hearts when a new world based on a Disney movie shows up.

Other than that, Virtua Quest has its own design style that was different from Virtua Fighter 4 at the time... Sort of leaning a bit towards Phantasy Star Universe-ish at the time (including exaggerated mocap gestures). I doubt Virtua Quest is no longer "canon" to Virtua Fighters storyline.

Just saying, imagine if Sega decided to make the game where instead of Virtua Souls, it's "Sega Souls" and you learn abilities from various Sega characters. Or the Nexus consist of servers themed on locations from various Sega games, things like that.

I know going a bit off topic, it's just playing Virtua Quest gives me Kingdom Hearts vibes.

[Berto]

Y'know, I was going to bring up Virtual Quest as a comparison. I've been playing it along with Skies of Arcadia Legends.

I mean, yeah. It's a really huge stretch and that it's not a crossover game and technically part of the Virtua Fighter series. But at the same time, Virtua Quest feels mostly like it's own thing. Yeah, it takes place in the "future" of the Virtua Fighter series, but whenever I come across a Virtua Soul it's like which guest star will I meet? Sort of like in Kingdom Hearts when a new world based on a Disney movie shows up.

Other than that, Virtua Quest has its own design style that was different from Virtua Fighter 4 at the time... Sort of leaning a bit towards Phantasy Star Universe-ish at the time (including exaggerated mocap gestures). I doubt Virtua Quest is no longer "canon" to Virtua Fighters storyline.

Just saying, imagine if Sega decided to make the game where instead of Virtua Souls, it's "Sega Souls" and you learn abilities from various Sega characters. Or the Nexus consist of servers themed on locations from various Sega games, things like that.

I know going a bit off topic, it's just playing Virtua Quest gives me Kingdom Hearts vibes.

Yes, but sadly Virtua Quest was not selling well.
It was considered a failure both critically and commercially within the context of the Virtua Fighter franchise.
If it's a success may be it could lead to a sequel which expanded into another SEGA franchises too just like Sonic Racing series.