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SEGA in the Media: Opa-Opa & Zillion

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Before Sonic, before ToeJam & Earl , before Joe Musashi and even a few months before Alex Kidd, SEGA’s mascot was a sentient little spaceship called Opa-Opa, hero of the Fantasy Zone. Though there’s some debate regarding who was the “true” mascot before Sonic came around, I personally put myself in Opa-Opa’s camp. Why? Well, aside from cameoing in a bunch of SEGA games from the ‘80s, a few of which you can read about here, Opa-Opa was also a supporting character in an anime SEGA partially funded, Zillion.

Zillion is a 1987 sci-fi anime from Tatsunoku Productions. It centers around White Knight J.J. and his fellow White Knights Apple and Champ as they defend the earth colony Maris from the evil Nozas, an alien race intent on wiping humans off the face of the planet. The White Knights battle the forces of evil with their signature weapon, the Zillion Weapon System, a Master System light gun (literally, complete with the cord) capable of destroying the Nozas, who are otherwise invulnerable to human weaponry.

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The SEGA Five: Opa-Opa’s greatest cameo appearances

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Before Sonic came along in 1991, SEGA had its fair share of mascots. Ask a SEGA fan in the 1980’s who SEGA’s current mascot was, and you’d likely receive a variety of answers. Some may point to the Shinobi arcade game star Joe Musashi, while others may point to the Mario-like Master System star Alex Kidd. Opa-Opa of Fantasy Zone was another of these mascots vying for the SEGA throne, and if you ask me he was the most worthy of the crown. While Opa-Opa lacked an expressive face, a drawback that some say was the reason Alex Kidd came out ahead of the sentient spaceship, I say he made up for it with a simple yet memorable design that evoked SEGA’s quirky nature at the time. Opa-Opa is both cute with his bright colors and white wings, and hardcore with his jet propulsion and firepower. He also fits in perfectly with the “blue skies” aesthetic SEGA is well known for thanks to the fact that the skies are where Opa-Opa spends a majority of his time.

Since his debut in 1986, Opa-Opa has made cameo appearances in several SEGA games, a testament to Opa-Opa’s original design. In fact, Opa-Opa’s cameo career began the very year he debuted and his cameo appearances continue through to today. In this week’s Weekly Five we’ll be highlighting some of Opa-Opa’s greatest appearances, from playable to non-playable and from obscure to blatantly obvious. Yes, Shenmue made the list, you can stop holding your breath Ryo Hazuki fans.

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Alien Isolation screenshots leak, depicting a quieter take on the Aliens franchise

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Eurogamer has shared some interesting screenshots from the upcoming unannounced Creative Assembly title Alien Isolation, which appeared online yesterday via Twitter. The images depict a quiet, creepy space installation and the motion tracker as seen in the films. Not much else can be gleaned from the screens, aside from a taste of the atmosphere the game will likely convey. SEGA has yet to comment on the images, despite job listings, trademarks, and these new screens making it very clear that a game is in development.

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3D Ecco the Dolphin and Galaxy Force II hit the Nintendo eShop today, Sonic 2 out now for iOS and Android

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Today is a big day for classic SEGA releases, as the 3DS will see the release of 3D Ecco the Dolphin and 3D Galaxy Force II and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has released to iOS and Android devices. Those who have experienced M2’s 3D Sonic the Hedgehog, 3D Altered Beast, 3D Space Harrier, and 3D Hang-On should expect the same level of quality and features in 3D Ecco the Dolphin and 3D Galaxy Force II. 3D Ecco the Dolphin features a much touted “Super Dolphin Mode” for those who found the original game too difficult.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for iOS and Android is every bit as solid as SEGA’s previous remastering of Sonic the Hedgehog by Sonic Retro forum members Taxman and Stealth. The biggest addition that has excited many fans is the inclusion of the long lost Hidden Palace Zone stage. There are also a few new surprises, but we won’t spoil them for you just yet.

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Sonic 2 Coming to iOS and Android Tomorrow With Hidden Palace Zone Intact

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After missing it’s November release date, Taxman and Stealth’s remastering of Sonic 2 is finally coming to iOS and Android tomorrow. The delay is made worthwhile though with the addition of perhaps the most well known of the scrapped levels found in the beta versions: the Hidden Palace Zone. If you’ve played the duo’s Sonic 1 iOS/Android remastering, you probably know that they like to add other new stuff to the game. So you can probably expect other new features in this release as well.

If you already own the former Sonic 2 iOS port, you’ll be able to download this new version as a free update. This is the first time the game is released on Android though, so your only option is to buy it new when it comes to that platform. You can find a couple more screenshots of the remastering below.

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Japan’s next Nintendo 3DS SEGA classic is After Burner II

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While the West is still enjoying SEGA’s weekly releases of 3D arcade and Genesis titles for Nintendo’s 3DS, with 3D Ecco the Dolphin and 3D Galaxy Force 2 releasing this week, Japanese gamers have the next wave of 3D classics to look forward to. Releasing December 18th to Japan is the arcade classic After Burner II, which features many of the same features that made 3D Space Harrier and 3D Hang-On so great. Players can expect 3D gameplay, reproduced arcade cabinet graphics and sound effects, stage select, the ability to save the game at any time, varying degrees of difficulty, a music test, and several control and screen settings. Check out the official 3D After Burner II site for more images and details, no announcement has been made for a Western release but once we hear something we’ll be sure to share it.

Thanks to forum member NiGHTS for the tip!

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My Life with SEGA tackles the ultimate cute ’em up: Fantasy Zone

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This week on My Life with SEGA, we’ll be exploring Opa-Opa’s very first adventure in the Fantasy Zone.

Fantasy Zone is one of many titles brother insisted on buying for the Master System. It was so strange and other-worldly. Fantasy Zone was unlike any other he shooter he had seen before. While the gameplay is similar to something like Defender, that game was nowhere near as colorful and cheerful. I can’t remember ever seeing this fucker in the arcades, so I thought this was a Master System original for many years….

Playing it again after two decades, let’s see if it’s just as good – and frustrating – as I remember it being. Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel!

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Sonic Lost World Wii U software update is a real game changer!

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In a rare occurrence, Sonic Team and SEGA have released a software update for the Wii U version of Sonic Lost World that will not only fix some bugs, but will also significantly affect gameplay. The SEGA Blog made the announcement that the new patch will go live soon, and check out the changes and additions they’re making to the game:

Gameplay Updates:

• Collecting 100 rings will now grant the player an extra life.
• In the event of a Game Over, we have doubled the amount of lives the player will begin with when continuing. (From 5 to 10)
• The Indigo Asteroid, Crimson Eagle, Orange Rocket, and Black Bomb Color Powers can now be controlled using the analog stick and buttons.
• Fixed a rare graphical issue that would sometimes appear during the pinball section of the Frozen Factory casino area.

Additional Updates:

• When completing the NiGHTMARE DLC, users will be notified that they can re-play it after scoring 100,000 points.
• Items will now appear on the world map.

Those that read my review of the game may remember I noted that the wisps felt forced, as though Sonic Team was making use of the GamePad because they had to, not because it improved the gameplay. However, Controlling many of the wisps with the analog stick and buttons may just fix this issue I had with the game, or at the very least make the wisps easier to control. Another biggie is the 100 rings earns a life addition, a gameplay rule that has been in effect since the series began and was found by many to be an odd omission. Once the update goes live, we’ll update the review accordingly.

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SEGA Tunes: Super Fantasy Zone’s Water Melody

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Praising SEGA arcade games for their spectacular music is kind of like applauding a cat for being furry: it’s just something you come to expect. So really, the superb quality of Fantasy Zone’s soundtrack should not shock anybody. It’s happy, laid back and a joy to listen to.

The definitive Fantasy Zone soundtrack is probably the music from Super Fantasy Zone, the obscure Genesis-only sequel to the series. A lot of people tend to insult the Mega Drive’s sound capabilities, but there’s no doubt in my mind that the machine was capable of some sick tunes, SFZ being a prime example. Though not technically an arcade game, SFZ’s soundtrack has all the trappings of a classic SEGA arcade OST, making it worth a listen to any SEGA music connoisseur.

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SEGA Retrospective: Welcome to Fantasy Zone Week, get ready!

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Welcome to Fantasy Zone Week, a week in which all our features and original content will be dedicated to SEGA’s side-scrolling shoot-’em-up franchise Fantasy Zone! It’s no surprise that the franchise is near and dear to our hearts, as Opa-Opa himself is our official site mascot, always seen flying over the SEGAbits logo. Between 1986 and 2008, the original game has been released to a multitude of platforms, from the arcade and SEGA Master System to mobile phones and the Wii virtual console. This week we’ll be celebrating the music, the gameplay, the rich and diverse history of the franchise, and even look ahead to the future. But before we look ahead, let’s look back. After the jump, we shine the SEGA Retro spotlight on the many games from the Fantasy Zone franchise.

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Retro Community Day for PC Version of Sonic Transformed Today

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Watch live video from VidyaRetro on TwitchTV

Watch the aftermath of what we did instead of watching the VGX. It involves Yogscast, Sonic Adventure DLC, bad Sonic rap and more for six hours.

Its free weekend for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed on Steam once again and its Saturday night, which means its time for another Retro Community Day. We’ll be kicking off at 5 PM central with the return of the pre-game show the hour before. You can expect Yogscast DLC characters to appear. Of course its either this or Pewdiepie on VGX. It’s your choice really.

Start sending in your friend requests to VidyaRetro on Steam now! We’ll periodically send out requests to join a two round game for each person added to the friends list. See you there!

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Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Yogscast PC DLC releases today

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Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed has added another guest racer to the roster by way of the Yogscast. What is the Yogscast? The Steam page for the DLC describes Yogscast as “the UK’s most watched YouTube channel”. The DLC, which is priced at $4.99/€3.99, came about though a partnership with SEGA to raise money for the YouTube channel’s annual charity drive. The racer is Yogscast’s very own Simon Lane, aka Honeydew. 100% of all SEGA and Yogscast proceeds are being donated to the SpecialEffect charity.

You can purchase the DLC and learn more about the content on the dedicated Steam page. After the break, check out a gallery of the guest racer.

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[Updated] Christopher Evan Welch did not voice Tails in “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog”

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Update: a friend of the family replied to my inquiry stating “I believe this is a miscredit”, and I was directed to his agents who could potentially give me a solid answer. At the moment, it looks like Christopher Evan Welch did not voice Tails.

UPDATE 2: I have reached out to Christopher Evan Welch’s talent agency Paradigm in New York and the credit of Tails attributed to Christopher Evan Welch is “not accurate”. Thank you to Courtney of Paradigm for her help.

UPDATE 3: Another confirmation, this time from Christopher Evan Welch himself. A friend of his contacted me and told me “I asked Chris about it a couple of years ago and he said it was a mistake.” Also the voice of Coconuts, Ian James Corlett, informed us that the recording for the show took place in British Columbia, meaning Christopher Welch was likely a young boy from that area much like his 1996 replacement.

UPDATE 4: Ian James Corlett tweeted some more information to us, stating that the voice of Tails was from Seattle, which is quite a coincidence as that is the city where Christopher Evan Welch was working. While Christopher (not Evan) Welch was close to Vancouver, it’s possible he recorded his lines in Los Angeles. Jaleel White recorded in Los Angeles, and given the chemistry needed between Sonic and Tails, it is possible Christopher Welch recorded in LA.

This means that the voice actor for Tails, Christopher Welch, is a different person entirely and may still be out there.

Since the news broke that the voice actor for Tails in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog had passed away, 90’s era Sonic fans such as myself were heartbroken to learn that we lost another actor from the iconic show. However, as I spoke with Sonic fans in various forums and instant message conversations, several red flags went up regarding Christopher Evan Welch’s participation in the cartoon series. For starters, there was the age. Christopher Evan Welch was 48 at the time of his passing, which means he was 28 in 1993. Several sources back this age up, including friends and family on Chris’s Facebook memorial page, comments on Variety.com’s story, and a photo on The Seattle Times which shows Christopher Evan Welch in 1993. He was definitely not an 11 year old in 1993.

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Our newest YouTube series, This is Saturn, takes a Rolling Staaaaaaaaaaart!

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Presenting a new SEGAbits YouTube channel original series dedicated to SEGA’s 2D and Arcade powerhouse, the SEGA Saturn. Our new series, entitled “This is Saturn”, is created by the latest member of the SEGAbits team, Liam ‘Tracker’ Ashcroft. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Tracker was the winner of our third anniversary contest back in February. It ended up being sort of a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory situation, where he not only won the prizes, but was also invited on staff. We just refused to also house his family, and we have no chocolate to share.

In this premiere episode, Tracker looks at the arcade hit Daytona USA’s conversion to the Saturn. Take it away, Tracker:

Daytona USA is a game I have fond memories of in terms of the arcade – both the original and the also fantastic sequel (which is crying out for a home port) have eaten many £1 pieces out of my wallet over the years, and the HD re-release on PSN was great!. As a result, the game was the first thing I bought for my Saturn – and it only set me back 50p!

So, is it still an arcade classic? Or is it just a polygonal pile of shit? Let’s find out, in a review certainly not ripped from my personal channel. Not in the slightest.

Like this video? Subscribe to the SEGAbits YouTube channel!

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