3D Space Harrier soon to hit Japanese Nintendo 3DS eShop?

According to Spong, via Japanese site Gamer via NeoGAF, a 3D rerelease of the original Space Harrier will soon be hitting the Japanese Nintendo 3DS eShop. Nintendo has done a fair share of 3D rereleases for their own games, but this would be SEGA’s first 3D rerelease on the 3DS. Images show that this will indeed be the arcade version, and not the 3D Master System version of the game. No mention of a Western release, but it would probably happen eventually. After the break, two screens of the supposed rerelease.

SEGA Tunes All Stars: After Burner theme, Bayonetta Remix

I think there are two things any group of SEGA fans can agree on: After Burner is pretty awesome, and the After Burner easter egg in Bayonetta is one of the coolest moments in the last decade of gaming. After years of dormancy, the After Burner franchise has seen a resurgence of sorts over the last several years, including the XBLA/PSN release of the latest superb entry in the franchise After Burner Climax, as well as cameos in four games including SEGA Superstars Tennis, Shinobi 3DS, the aforementioned Bayonetta easter egg, and of course Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed.

This track is easily my favorite rendition of the Afterburner theme. It’s a shame they didn’t use this version in All Stars Racing Transformed. Check out the original theme after the break.

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Sega finally announces the AM2 collection for LIVE/PSN in America and Europe

‘Bout time! (Sorry George, I stole your joke.)

If anyone was still wondering when the first half of the AM2 collection was coming out, wonder no more. Sega has finally announced the American and Europe release dates for Virtua fighter 2, Fighting Vipers and Sonic the Fighters. This trio of powerful polygon punchers will arrive in North America on 11/27 (PSN) and Europe on 11/28 (360). Europe will receive the PSN version on 12/5. The games will be a mere $4.99 (NA) or 4.49 (Europe) each. Click below to read the full press release.

Anarchy Reigns pre-order exclusives revealed

SEGA’s blog has shed more light on the upcoming release of Anarchy Reigns. Pre-order exclusive content has already been confirmed to available in Europe as a ‘Day One’ Edition, and we have now learned that those in the US can get the bonus content by pre-ordering at GameStop. Bonus content includes two multiplayer game modes, Mad Survival and Dogfight, and extra playable character: Bayonetta! After the break, a pair of trailers showing off the bonuses in action.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Wii U day-one patch predicament

 

UPDATE 2: Nuckles87 here. I’ve finally gotten to what I believe is the fourth and last boost challenge of the main career mode, and the glitch is preset in that one two. This means that 3 of the 4 are affected.

UPDATE: Nuckles87 Says that this only affects the first two boost challenges.

New Wii U owners may not want to update too fast. It seems Sega’s first patch for Sonic and All Stars Racing Transformed has a glitch in it that stops all boost challenges from having checkpoints. Leaving you with no other choice but to fail the mission, which leaves you stuck. However, there are some ways around it.

Play while it’s updating and finish the challenge. There’s no guarantee that there won’t be another glitched challenge, but it will get you past that. Editor Nuckles87 has discovered that if you fail the mission four times on easy, it will let you pass to the next challenge.

If you just got your brand new Wii U, I’d recommend holding off on doing the system update until this game breaking issue gets a new patch of its own.

Sumo Digital challenges SEGA community to get behind 3 DLC characters

Are you not happy with All Stars Racing’s current line up? Are there some other characters you’d like to see included in future DLC releases? Well, now may be your chance to let Sumo Digital and SEGA know… if you’re willing to work with other SEGA fans. Here is the challenge Sumo Digital Executive Producer Steve Lycett issued to the SEGA community on the SEGA forums a few days ago:

I’ll set you a challenge. Without any policing from the SUMO or SEGA crew, if you can all agree on three characters by the 1st of December and prove there is sufficient interest of at least 1000 unique people *per* character, I will present the result to SEGA. I can’t promise anything will happen as a result, but since you’re starting it…

Let’s see if you can organise yourselves in the next few weeks to pull that off!

My sole hints, first you probably need to define some rules, then agree on who will police them, and then run it fairly (no cheating) and deliver something professional and credible I’d be able to use. You are on your own for the rest

So nothing is guaranteed. Still, if the community can actually organize itself and put its weight behind three characters, we may get some awesome SEGA DLC characters. Are you guys up for this?

Sonic Talk 14: “Heathcliff and Felix All Stars Podcasting Transformed”

An early show this week as we are just two days away from the release of Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed! With that in mind, I talked to Brand Manager Aaron Webber with some final questions on the game that I didn’t get to ask Steve Lycett. I also talk with him about Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz on the Vita and the upcoming Anarchy Reigns. We have a shorter show this week due to everyone’s schedule, but Alex, GX and I still get in some chat about Paper Mario Sticker Star, The sonic Super Digest book and veer off topic on Felix the Cat and Heathcliff for some crazy reason (Which drives GX nuts).

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Read on for the full list of topics discussed.

SEGA releases the launch trailer for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

It’s here! Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (how many times have we typed that game’s title?) has released in the UK and has stealthily released to select stores in the US earlier this week. To celebrate the game’s launch, SEGA has put together a celebratory trailer showing off the game’s many modes whilst blowing high powered fans in teenager’s faces. This may be a spoiler for some, but a certain unannounced SEGA Saturn franchise track is briefly seen in the trailer. Did you spot it?

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Fan Made – Father and daughter create an Amy Rose Pinewood Derby car

SEGAbits reader Shawn reached out to us to share an awesome Amy Rose Pinewood Derby derby car that he and his daughter carved. Shawn told us that the inspiration came from the upcoming release of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, and it really shows! The car is all wood, aside from the wheels and four nails, and the resemblance to Amy Rose is excellent. After the break, check out more photos of the derby car. Kudos to Shawn and his daughter, and if you’re participating in a Pinewood Derby race, best of luck!

32X Month – My Life With SEGA packs a punch in Cyber Brawl

While the modern SEGA gaming world is enthralled with Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, the retro SEGA gaming world is in the midst of 32X month. In celebration of the little add-on that couldn’t, we continue with a brand new episode of My Life With SEGA. This week, AJ and Mickey Mac play Cyber Brawl.

Mickey Mac joins the 32X celebration. This week, we’re playing Cyber Brawl, otherwise known as Cosmic Carnage in North America. Released alongside Doom, Virtua Racing and Star Wars Arcade, this was the first fighting game to grace the ‘shroom with it’s presence….

I guess the big question is, “How does it fare after 18 years?”

The answer lies within.

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Community fundraiser: Help us raise some money in memory of a young fan

Earlier this year, SEGA and Sonic fans heard the sad news of a four year old Sonic fan who lost his life in an unfortunate accident while on holiday. The boy, Dylan Cecil, was such a big Sonic fan that the family had a Sonic casket and flower arrangements made for the boy. Really heartbreaking stuff. Members of the Sonic and SEGA community, from Sonic Retro to Sonic Stadium, knew something had to be done to help the family. AAUK of Sonic Wrecks, with the support of SEGA of America and several fan sites, has created a series of eBay listings featuring rare and unique Sonic items. All profits will go towards the Burnham Area Rescue Boat fund at the request of the Cecil family. Fans who do not want to bid, but still want to help, can donate on the BARB website directly.

Items include a rare Sonic Generations press kit, t-shirts and Generations gold Sonic rings. There are currently ten items up but there will be more additions in time.

You can find a summary of goods on the SSMB Marketplace whilst the items themselves are on sale here: http://www.ebay.co.uk – Seller: Kevskingdom

Jet Set Radio Vita free for PSN Plus Members on 11/20

Jet Set Radio will finally be out on Playstation Vita November 20th, but if you’re a member of Playstation Plus, the game will be free*. This is done to help promote Playstation Plus’ debut on Vita. Jet Set radio is only one of six free* games that will be available next week. The other games include Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Gravity Rush, Wipeout 2040, Final Fantasy Tactics and the awesome Mutant Blobs Attack.

*Free, outside of the $50 a year and the fact that if you stop being a member, you no longer own the games and they’ll no longer work.

 

Watch the Valkyria Chronicles anime now on Crackle in North America

You read that right. Crackle, Sony’s free streaming video service which is available on PS3, XBOX 360 and online, includes many anime programs which they own the rights to. Turns out, one of them is Valkyria Chronicles. It includes all 26 episodes subtitled. This is a great opportunity for fans to see this rare anime which hasn’t been released on DVD yet. Watch the full series at Crackle’s site now! Or watch it on your PS3 or XBOX 360 via the Crackle app.

SEGA announces release dates for Jet Set Radio Vita and Mobile

While the HD version of Jet Set Radio has been out since September, fans were left wondering when the Vita and mobile versions would be announced. SEGA’s blog has the answers! Jet Set Radio is heading to iOS, Android Devices and Playstation Vita. Vita players get the game on the 20th of November, and iOS and Android fans can buy the game on the 29th of November. In North America, the game will be a PlayStation Plus Vita Instant Game Collection launch title. PS Plus members can enjoy Jet Set Radio for free from November 20th through December 31st. After the break, screens of the Vita and mobile versions!

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SEGA Tunes All Stars: Vyse’s Theme

With All Stars just a week away, now seems like the perfect time to start posting Tuesday Tunes again, focusing tunes for the characters and tracks featured in the game.

Skies of Arcadia is an upbeat game that eschews the usual heavy drama common in Japanese RPGs for optimism and a thrill for adventure. Embodying this is Vyse, a young idealistic air pirate who wants explore the world and do things no one else has ever done before. The above track is the perfect theme for the character, embodying Vyse’s energy and optimism.

I’ve got Fina’s character theme below the fold for another dose of Skies of Arcadia auditory glory!