Happy 13th Birthday, SEGA Dreamcast!

Thirteen years ago today, the SEGA Dreamcast released to the United States. Why is it that the US release is so widely celebrated? Well, the marketing geniuses behind the launch chose an incredibly memorable date: 9/9/99. Of course, that isn’t to say that the European launch date of 10/14/99 or the Japanese launch date of 11/27/98 aren’t just as important, but nothing sticks like a string of nines. Despite being one year older, and well past the point where it is still deemed a current gen console or even a last gen console, the Dreamcast has managed to remain relevant. SEGA has kept the dream alive with rereleases of popular Dreamcast games, including the Dreamcast Collection and the upcoming SEGA Heritage Collection titles. Indie developers have been hard at work on new Dreamcast games including the awesome GunLord, the Dux sequel Redux: Dark Matters and redspotgames Sturmwind. Like a fine wine, the Dreamcast just gets better with age. Even now, fans are still discovering titles on the console. Just check out our forums where fans are sharing their favorite obscure titles.

So whatever you have planned for today, try to squeeze in a play session of your favorite Dreamcast game. Don’t have a Dreamcast or don’t have the time? Check out a retrospective video, read an article, or just think back to that time thirteen years ago when SEGA ruled the console world and wowed us with hardware and games that were as technologically impressive as they were filled with innovation and imagination.

The Weekly Five: 5 games best experienced on Dreamcast

The Dreamcast’s birthday is right around the corner, and you know what that means? That’s right, Dreamcast articles! As a big fan of many of the Dreamcast’s more obscure games I enjoy writing about Dreamcast games that even many Dreamcast owners, over a decade later, haven’t played yet. The five games in this list are games that are still relevant, games that Dreamcast owners should still pick up even years later. These games have aged gracefully and while not necessarily unique to the Dreamcast, are still games that need to be experienced on the Dreamcast.

Why the SEGA Nomad is Awesome

The Mona Lisa

SEGA’s last handheld caught a lot of flack in its day. It was large, clunky, and while I’ve found accusations of the battery life to be rather outlandish, its paltry 3-5 hours of battery life was nothing compared to its contemporaries, particularly the hugely successful Game Boy.

In the days since, though, it seems people have grown a little more appreciative of the Nomad. The system has sold regularly on eBay for between $70 and $150 for over a decade now, having become sought after by collectors and Genesis fans alike as an ideal way to experience the vast Genesis library.

Rhythm Thief game coming to iOS

 

It has been confirmed by SEGA that a Rhythm Thief game will be coming to iOS as a freemium game sometime this winter. The exact nature of the game and whether or not it will be released in the west is currently unknown, though the game will supposedly be tweaked for shorter play sessions and will include social features. Freemium games typically give you a basic game package for free, than charge you for additional in-game items. SEGA’s Spiral Knights online RPG uses such a system.

We should find out exactly what this game will be when the Tokyo Game Show rolls around later this month. Cross your fingers for a western release!

Rhythm Thief is a rhythm game originally released for the 3DS. It uses rhythm games to play out a variety of scenarios in the game’s storyline. It received a B+ from us last month and has been well received by critics. As a major fan of the game myself, I would highly recommend picking it up and supporting SEGA’s original IP releases.

Hatsune Miku Project Diva F sequel unlikely due to development costs


We already know how much Hatsune Miku Project Diva F sold. But is this enough for a sequel? Not according to Nakanohito, spokesperson for Hatsune Miku, who stated on his twitter that seeing the current sales trend it will be difficult to make a sequel.

Also interesting is that the download version of the game only accounted for 10% of sales, 90% was the box version. Nakanohito has stated that his team at SEGA want Hatsune Miku Project Diva F to be the best selling Playstation Vita title of 2012 and will work hard achieving this.

My Life With SEGA remembers it all in Flashback

This week on My Life With SEGA, AJ plays the SEGA Genesis classic Flashback: The Quest for Identity. Here’s a question: if it’s titled “Flashback”, why does it take place in the future? Anyway, here’s what AJ has to say about this week’s show:

This is largely considered one of the best cinematic platformers ever made, along with Prince of Persia and Another World. It had one of the most ambitious marketing campaigns I’ve ever seen, boldly exclaiming it’s “A CD-ROM game in a CARTRIDGE!”. My brother and I were amazed….back in 1993.

Is it a flashback worth having, or should we data-dump it like a fresh brownie?

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Hatsune Miku Project Diva F sells 158k copies first week, surges Vita sales in Japan


The Playstation Vita hasn’t been selling like hot cakes, but last week it saw a huge spike in sales thanks to SEGA’s Hatsune Miku Project Diva F. The Playstation Vita sold 46,877 units, quadrupling what it did the week before.

As for Project Diva F, the game came in #1 for the week with 158,009 units sold. Hit the jump for the full sales charts for last week in Japan.

SEGA re-trademarks Skies of Arcadia


No idea if this will mean that the game is coming to digital services, but seeing how we are getting NiGHTS into Dreams and Jet Set Radio, I wouldn’t be shocked if this is announced soon.

It could also mean that SEGA hates us and loves to tease us.

NiGHTS leaked Achievement list reveals Christmas mode

XBox360achievements.org has revealed the Achievement list for NiGHTS Into Dreams. The list (which I’ll reveal in the comments link) includes clearing Spring Valley in Christmas mode. This, along with the presents option finally confirms Christmas NiGHTS is in the game. However, it does not confirm playing as Sonic from the original demo but keep your fingers crossed!

Continue reading to see the full list.

Sonic Adventure 2 HD DLC confirmed along with some Big news

Some Big SA2HD news out of PAX. Sonic Stadium reports that SA2 will become SA2 Battle through DLC much in the same way Sonic Adventure became DX. This will either delight or enrage fans as this means that battle mode comes at a separate cost but you get the updated graphics in the regular version.

In other news, Big the Cat will return to the game as an Easter Egg of sorts. You may remember Big being in the background of certain levels and cutscenes in the original Dreamcast version but was taken out of the Gamecube “Battle” port. Well, now he’s put back in so keep an eye out for the fat cat.

Sega releases Heritage Collection trailer. Also, developer interviews.

TSega has revealed a Sega Heritage trailer featuring the 3 main digital Sega classics coming later this year. Jet Set Radio (September), NiGHTS (October) and Sonic Adventure 2 (also October) it was also revealed that each game will have “bonus developer interviews” Those who have played the Genesis collections on PSP or PS3 can expect something similar to those.

Stay tuned to Segabits for more news on these games coming later today.

Aliens: Colonial Marines multiplayer to have female characters afterall

Looks like the fans have gotten their wish.

In a decision that prompted much in the way of backlash, Gearbox had originally said that female characters would not be playable in the multiplayer for Aliens: Colonial Marines. This was despite the strong female presence that has always existed in the Alien films, and it was a choice that had many fans upset.

It looks like they can now rest assured, as Gearbox has now definitively stated that, yes, female characters will be playable afterall.

“We realized some people were starting to feel bad,” Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford said during a panel at PAX. “We exist to entertain people.”

He then revealed Jennifer Running, a female marine who will be playable in co-op.

“I want everybody to be clear that there are playable females in both the multiplayer and the campaign,” he went on to say.

Aliens: Colonial Marines releases, female characters and all, in February of next year.

Sonic Talk Episode 11 “Skype sucks”

[Download]

The internet is a very confusing thing to me sometimes. It carries a ton of data at insane speeds over phone lines and even wireless. The same kind of phone lines that we’ve been using for decades to have conversations. SO WHY CAN’T WE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS THAT DON’T DROP OFF?!! It’s really insane. It was so bad, I gave up a few times and this episode was originally in six pieces until I wrangled everything together. If you didn’t care for Episode 10’s 3-Hour podcast, you’ll be happy to know that this one comes in just barely over an hour.

Also, sorry for the poor audio quality of the intro. I was trying to do something funny and failed. (Also, I need to keep my fan away from the mic.) Read on for this week’s topics.