SEGA News Bits: Favorite SEGA Games of 2018

2018 was a very good year for SEGA games, which made this year’s Favorite SEGA Games video a tough one. But we hope you’ll agree with our picks. If you don’t? No big deal. Happy new year!

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Sonic Team’s Takashi Iizuka wants to do a Sonic Adventure Remake

In a new article in Retro Gamer looks back at Sonic Adventure, goes into details about how Sonic the Hedgehog transition from 2D to 3D and the making of Sonic Adventure. After this whole reminisce and looking back at the work Sonic Team did with the first Sonic Adventure, Takashi Iizuka says:

“It was the first high-speed 3D action game that also featured scenario highlighted with six different stories, the A-life Chao, six unique styles of gameplay – it is a unique offering even 20 years after its release… However, it was the very first 3D game that we worked on and looking at it now I can see the rough edges it has, which really makes me want to remake it again.”

While on the other hand Kazuyuki Hoshino said he would like to continue the series with a new game. But what would you rather have? A new Sonic Adventure 3 or a remake of Sonic Adventure? I wouldn’t be shocked if Sonic Team tries going back to the Sonic Adventure brand considering fan demand is high and that Sonic Mania was a highly successful experiment that was pushed to its success by its enthusiastic fans, its not hard to see SEGA wanting to try capturing that lighting in a bottle another time with Sonic Adventure-type remake.

Streets of Rage 4 gets new screenshots and gameplay gif


DotEmu has released some new Streets of Rage 4 screenshots, one including a gameplay gif showing off the game’s new juggling mechanic. You can view that up on top in video format.

Below we have a few new screenshots showing off more of Streets of Rage 4’s art style. So far the screenshots don’t show anything brand new, still only includes Axel and Blaze. I guess we will see more announcements come 2019.

Sonic Team / SEGA CS2 developing upcoming Sakura Wars game

In the latest Famitsu magazine, they covered a SEGA Games’ recruitment talk where they recruited for new planners, producers, programmers and designers. One of the guest speaking at this event was Shun Nakamura, Producer of Sonic Forces and director of Sonic Team/SEGA CS2 where he revealed that Sonic Team/SEGA CS2 are the ones making the upcoming Shin Sakura Wars game announced last year.

During the speech Nakamura did mention that SEGA has finally re-organized the teams behind the new Sakura Wars and Valkyria Chronicles game, which where folded into Sonic Team/SEGA CS2 years ago. It really did seem for awhile that SEGA was killing off smaller teams to fold into Sonic Team, since Sonic the Hedgehog was so massive. But now it seems SEGA is happier to reorganize these teams and allow them to work on older IPs? Is this good?

So far the only people we have really heard talk about the upcoming Sakura Wars game has only been Toshihiro Nagoshi and now Shun Nakamura, really want to see the people actually working on the game talk about it. But I guess we shall see next year what the new Sakura Wars will be like.

[Via: Siliconera]

Sonic Mania Adventures returns with a heartwarming Holiday Special

SEGA gave fans a holiday treat today in the form of a sixth episode of Sonic Mania Adventures. The once thought to be concluded online exclusive animated series set in the world of classic Sonic returned and includes the debut of Amy Rose to the series. The special does a great job following up Amy’s complicated history with Metal Sonic, and features great nods to the series past. Give it a watch, and here is hoping for more animated Sonic content of this quality in 2019!

SEGA’s Judgment debuts third on the Japanese sale charts

SEGA’s Judge Eyes (Judgment in America) came out in Japan this month and now we have the games first weeks sales. The game came in third place on the chart behind Super Smash Bros Ultimate (still on top) and the newly released God Eater 3. While both these established franchise got the two top spots, Judgment did pretty well for a new IP selling 148,773 units in just three days. For example God Eater 3 sold 150,523, so SEGA was just 2,000 sales away from topping a well established Japanese brand. Judgment will hit English speaking countries, with a English dub, this summer.

Hit the jump to see the full media create sales charts starting on 12/10/18 through 12/16/18:

SEGA News Bits: New Sonic Movie Posters & Cast List Leak Reaction

Hooray! More Sonic movie news! On this SEGA News Bits, Barry works his hairy blue legs out and runs from story to story talking everything from a new poster, a leaked old concept for a poster, a leaked cast list, the official Sonic movie Twitter account and Ian Flynn’s take on this whole thing.

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Puyo Puyo and Puyo Puyo Tsu coming to the SEGA AGES lineup


It’s been recently announced in SEGA’s latest Puyo Puyo Championship stream that the first two Puyo Puyo arcade games, Puyo Puyo and Puyo Puyo Tsu respectively, are coming to the SEGA AGES lineup on the Nintendo Switch! No specific details have been dropped regarding what is new to these specific ports or when they’ll releases, though based on screenshots both games will be based on their arcade versions, and will sport borders like the other SEGA AGES titles. The borders themselves are based on the instruction flyers found on their respective arcade machines.

It’s unknown at this time if these two installments will receive a release outside of Japan. However, in the scenario that they do, Puyo Puyo would notably be the first time it got a western release untouched, unlike what happened with Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine and Kirby’s Avalanche in the past. It’s also worth noting that the Puyo Puyo series was a top 10 wanted choice in SEGA’s official SEGA AGES survey from nearly 3 months ago. It’s not clear if the poll had any influence with pushing out these Puyo Puyo releases, but we might expect similar results like Virtua Fighter titles appearing if they are genuinely taking the poll seriously.

New Team Sonic Racing track and tune revealed – Sand Road takes us back to Sand Hill

Here’s a nice pick-me-up after the awful Sonic the Hedgehog movie reveal news from earlier this week! Next year’s Team Sonic Racing will feature a desert track called Sand Road which is a nod to Sonic Adventure‘s Sand Hill. The track will feature music from Tee Lopes and Jun Senoue, which is a new take on the classic Sand Hill music. Overall it looks and sounds very cool. It’s clear that SEGA’s postponement of Team Sonic Racing is for the best, and these drip feeds of music and track reveals are a great way to keep fans excited before the game’s release.

SEGA News Bits: Panzer Dragoon Remakes Announced

What was a surprise to all of us, SEGA and Forever Entertainment will be releasing remakes of Panzer Dragoon and Panzer Dragoon II Zwei! On this SEGA News Bits, George and Barry discuss the press release, and how the phrasing of some bits might mean major things for the gameplay. We also look at other games from the developer for an idea of how the finished product might look.

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Editorial: Celebrating ten years of me (Barry) blogging about SEGA

I’m a sucker for anniversaries, and so I couldn’t pass up making a post talking about my personal ten year milestone of blogging about SEGA. Back in 2008 I was recently graduated from college and landed my first cushy job. Working a 9 to 5 in front of a computer, I did what everybody else does and browsed the internet between projects. I had recently returned to SEGA fandom, buying up PS2 games I had missed during my college years, saving up for an Xbox 360 and searching for SEGA news sites to keep me up to date on what was going on with the company and its fans.

SEGA News Bits: Sonic Movie Teaser Reaction

You knew this video was coming. On this SEGA News Bits, George and Barry discuss the Sonic the Hedgehog movie trailer. What do we think of Sonic’s new design? How about those shoes? What do Japanese fans think of the teaser?

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Sonic the Hedgehog movie teaser and poster revealed – “Mr. SEGA, are you serious?”

I think the reaction from a Japanese Sonic fan sums up my feelings on today’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie reveal: “Mr. SEGA, are you serious?”

Revealed as a motion poster by IGN, the video features a blue blur not unlike what we saw in the old Sonic 4 teasers. The blur eats through a path of rings which don’t quite make the correct sound we’ve known for the past 25+ years. Finally, the movie Sonic stops, hidden and shadow, and he looks… oh god. So, instead of opting for the tried and true design that has suited the character since 1998 (if we’re going by the modern design), Paramount opted for a bizarre hyper realistic design. Sonic is very hairy, has human proportions, weird little eyes and shoes that are in no way his signature sneakers. This looks bad. Very bad.

IGN’s has a lengthy interview with the filmmakers, and this bit jumped out at me:

The most challenging part of Sonic’s updated design isn’t revealed in this teaser: his eyes. The filmmakers struggled with how best to depict Sonic’s eyes because often he’s only seen with one, and that wouldn’t translate well to the live-action movie.

“I don’t think SEGA was entirely happy with the eye decision, but these sorts of things you go, ‘It’s going to look weird if we don’t do this.’ But everything is a discussion, and that’s kind of the goal, which is to only change what’s necessary and stay true to the rest of it,” said Miller. “He’s not going to feel like a Pixar character would because I don’t think that’s the right aesthetic to make it feel like part of our world.”

Really? Sonic’s eyes would not translate to live action? Have the seen the countless CG cutscenes? The many times a 3D Sonic has appeared in real world settings (Sonic Boom adverts, Progressive Auto Insurance adverts)? How does a real world setting change how you’d depict a 3D model of an iconic character like Sonic? He could easily appear in his traditional design and nobody would complain. I also like how they ignore SEGA’s feelings towards their design. Smart move, right? Ignore notes from SEGA on Sonic’s design.

Dear god, this movie…

Panzer Dragoon: Remake and Panzer Dragoon II Zwei: Remake announced

It has been officially announced that Forever Entertainment and SEGA will be releasing Panzer Dragoon: Remake and Panzer Dragoon II Zwei: Remake! The first title is due out by late 2019, and while we don’t have platforms just yet it is likely that it will release to modern consoles and possibly PC. The games will feature brand new graphics and will remain faithful to the game’s original story. It is mentioned that “several modifications” will be made to the game to make it “more attractive to modern players”. This could be disconcerting, if they veer too far off from the original gameplay, but we’re hoping it isn’t too radically different.

The official press release:

Forever Entertainment together with SEGA Holding Co., Ltd. from Japan will co-create and publish Panzer Dragoon: Remake and Panzer Dragoon II Zwei: Remake. The premiere of the first part is planned before the end of 2019!

Panzer Dragoon: Remake is a refreshed version of Panzer Dragoon. The original version of the game had its premiere on the Sega Saturn console in 1995 and was well received by both players and critics. The entire Panzer Dragoon series has been repeatedly remade and released on many platforms. The last re-launch took place in April 2018 on Xbox One, where players can play Panzer Dragoon Orta with a backward compatibility. The new version of the game will be characterized by a completely new graphics compatible with today’s standards and several modifications of the game, making it more attractive to modern players, while remaining faithful to the original in terms of story. The first materials from the game will be presented in the upcoming months!

More news about this exciting upcoming release as we hear it!

Project Judge being called “Judgment” in the West, coming Summer 2019 and will include an English dub!


Judge Eyes (in Japan) got its official name revealed in the West, the game will be called “Judgment” in America and Europe. We also found out that the game will release in English speaking countries this upcoming summer. Huge news if you are a Yakuza fanatic, like yours truly.

One of the bigger surprises? The new trailer features a English dub. Yup! Check it out. I kinda joked about this game getting a English dub after Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise got one. Nice to have options.