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[Starlight Lotice]

It ha been over 20 years since launch now, so I guess referencing the Dreamcast has become an out of touch dad thing now

Watched that on Thursday and chuckled.

Could have went even further and said "That Saturn console nobody bought".

Given how R&M love to diss stuff.

 

[Kazza]

Watched that on Thursday and chuckled.

Could have went even further and said "That Saturn console nobody bought".

Given how R&M love to diss stuff.

I'm not sure it was a diss at the DC, I think they just like these less mainstream cultural references. Speaking of Sega references, does anybody remember this one from Jurassic Park: Lost World?




I was under the false impression that this movie came out in 1995 or so, but it was actually 1997, which makes the Sega reference a little strange (was she referring to the Saturn?). That line would have made more sense when the Genesis was at the height of it's powers in 94/95.

Anybody got any other Sega references in cinema/TV?

 

[Starlight Lotice]

I caught this in a Discord regarding the "SEGA news from Famitsu" that I frequent.

"Friend in England I just heard from earlier today in the know said he's not 100% certain, but rumor from someone in the Sega Europe office is that the big announcement is Sega re-launching a bunch of titles from within the last fifteen years for digital distribution."

Take with a grain of salt though.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

The last 15 years, eh?

*remembers Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic '06*

Haha...ha.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

Got some more info on it:

Apparently SEGA Europe have got back their Digital Press Kits from 5 Ywars ago or something and could ne making their own digital store like Epic games.

From the same person I chat with: "Yeah, friend confirmed that digital press-kits for games that were released 5+ years ago have been put back up on Sega Europe's press server.

"Yeah, he has a member of the press account, said there were couple dozen media kits that had been re-uploaded to the FTP within just the last few days, quite a lot of them for PSP titles."

"His opinion is they've ported all those titles to the PC. I mentioned to him it is also possible they might be putting together a new compilation release, but who knows."

So could be a SEGA Digital Client or a compilation release (related to New Game Plus).

 

[Kazza]

Got some more info on it:

Apparently SEGA Europe have got back their Digital Press Kits from 5 Ywars ago or something and could ne making their own digital store like Epic games.

From the same person I chat with: "Yeah, friend confirmed that digital press-kits for games that were released 5+ years ago have been put back up on Sega Europe's press server.

"Yeah, he has a member of the press account, said there were couple dozen media kits that had been re-uploaded to the FTP within just the last few days, quite a lot of them for PSP titles."

"His opinion is they've ported all those titles to the PC. I mentioned to him it is also possible they might be putting together a new compilation release, but who knows."

So could be a SEGA Digital Client or a compilation release (related to New Game Plus).

I hope that's true, but I'm keeping my expectations in check. I reckon it will just end up being another re-release of Altered Beast (Megadrive edition)

 

[Starlight Lotice]

A PSP compilation on the Switch would be epic! Especially when you have the Yakuza Spin Offs, Sonic Rivals 2, Valkyria 2 & 3, Phantasy Star Portable 1, 2 and Infinite, as well as 7th Dragon 2020/II!!!

I would love that as a Compilation!!!

 

[Kazza]

I'm glad I didn't allow myself to get hyped for this :




At $45 dollars for a tiny console with just 4 Game Gear games, I don't think this is one for me.

I don't want to give anyone hope, but this might not necessarily be the "big" announcement. We'll know in a few hours.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

Do you have to buy different colored Game Gear Micros to be able to play a different batch of games or did I just imagine that?

 

[Kazza]

Do you have to buy different colored Game Gear Micros to be able to play a different batch of games or did I just imagine that?

It seems like that is the case, yes. Definitely not good value for money in my view, but maybe the Japanese market likes these kind of cutesy collectables enough that it will sell well there.

 

[Kazza]

Another great video from Kim Justice, this time going through all the System-18/32 arcade boards (among others):




Not surprising to see Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder top the list.

 

[Kazza]

The latest part in the new Sega Segato ad series:




It really makes me think we'll still be getting something Saturn related during these 60th anniversary celebrations.

Here's a nice behind the scenes of the filming:




Didn't understand a word, but it's good seeing the old guy again.

Finally, here's a new celebration video:

 

[Kazza]

My personal favourite Sega moments:
- playing Green Hill Zone on Sonic for the first time. I had only seen blurry magazine pictures up until then (as was normal in the 90s), so seeing it in action for the first time with the controller in my hands was an amazing experience
- Virtua Racing in the arcade. Those 4 coloured buttons which switched the camera were just mindblowing. As good as they were, you could never do that with Hang On or Outrun.
- playing through Yakuza on PS2. I loved everything about that game, even the cool loading screens

 

[Carna]

Anyone have any opinion on Virtua quest? I intended to get it as a kid but skipped because of reviews, gameplay videos make it better than it seems.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

The latest part in the new Sega Segato ad series:




It really makes me think we'll still be getting something Saturn related during these 60th anniversary celebrations.

Here's a nice behind the scenes of the filming:




Didn't understand a word, but it's good seeing the old guy again.

Finally, here's a new celebration video:

The new SEGA ads are fun to watch.

I was just thinking back to Jet Set Radio and how I always chose Mew after unlocking her. Even today that game still has really good, memorable character designs, in my opinion. But really the entire Dreamcast was creatively inspiring. I wonder if SEGA published any artbooks collecting their work for that time?

Anyone have any opinion on Virtua quest? I intended to get it as a kid but skipped because of reviews, gameplay videos make it better than it seems.

I was the same, thought it looked interesting back then until I read the disappointing reviews.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

Was looking for some SEGA Fan Art, and came across a talanted guy called DOA687 who makes Gif sprites of Sonic characters.

The best one I found was of a Fan Character (that got big on Twitter) called Eggete, which is so cool and I honestly wish that SEGA would make this character in a new game. (akin to Bowser Junior). The lore behind it is that Robotnik has a Niece who is a little more obnoxious than the Main Villian.

It came about from one of the Robotnik Bosses in Mania where he is upside down, and someone saw a Girl in the Machine instead, including a Band on her head and a reversed coloured Attire (if you see the sprite in action on Mania, it honestly does look like a Girl instead of Robotnik upside down).

 

[Happosai]

I was on a Sega binge in the 2000's and bought back my Dreamcast, Saturn (with Action Replay Plus cart), Game Gear, Nomad, variations of the Genesis/Megadrive, and dozen of Japan imported games. Dreamcast IMO is still way ahead of it's time. It was the first console I recall having an online server, cutting edge texture filters, myriad of SEGA licensed original games which were better than some of the third-party publishers had for Dreamcast, my favourite Sonic game (Sonic Adventure), memory cards which had mini games (no one else ever tried that), compact design, and I recall there may not have been a region lock on the console (you could also burn games with CD-R s). Amazing. The original Shenmue, Sword of the Berserker, Powerstone 1 & 2 (it was like Soul Calibur on acid), Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Phantasy Star Online, House of the Dead, and so many more. I blew the fuse out of my grey model and ended up replacing it with the black sports model.

My first SEGA console was the Dreamcast, but I grew up playing friends' Genesis and Game Gear systems, plus I played SEGA games at the arcade.

A few years ago I got my first SEGA Saturn and my love for the company grew even deeper. It is now my favorite system by them. Great company with some truly bone-headed business decisions. I wish they would make an Arcade Collection instead of yet another Genesis compilation.

 

[Kazza]

I was on a Sega binge in the 2000's and bought back my Dreamcast, Saturn (with Action Replay Plus cart), Game Gear, Nomad, variations of the Genesis/Megadrive, and dozen of Japan imported games.

I'm guessing that was a great time to buy retro gaming stuff. It would cost you a small fortune to buy all that now.

 

[Happosai]

I'm guessing that was a great time to buy retro gaming stuff. It would cost you a small fortune to buy all that now.

It was more affordable. A lot of offer making on eBay to buy the consoles, rather than bidding or buy it now. Regrettably, I missed the chance to get some of the more rare North American releases on Saturn because I was buying mostly Japan imports (of games that were never released in the U.S.) for the Saturn.

interesting story on buy-backs for the Dreamcast. I had this game store called Mega Replay that was buying tons of used retro games. They would send me an email or text if anything came I that would spark my interest. I had just bought my grey Dreamcast and only had about 3 games. Then I got a message from my store informing me that some crazy guy sold his whole Dreamcast collection in mint condition. I rushed over and bought somewhere around 25 titles and some rare ones for $30. Whoever the guy was...he sold many duplicate copies of the same game...so there were many titles still around that week.

 

[Kazza]

It's funny seeing those big floppy disks again. Those already seemed ancient (hehe) even when I was a kid at school:

 

[cireza]

So I made this, because I would love to see this happen (a collector console). Original artwork not by me.

(I am not an expert at this, I did my best)

I though that it would be cool to have a Series X for the 30th anniversary of Sonic. Sega Sonic Xbox Series X

 

[Starlight Lotice]

Seems that Yakuza 6 and Kiwami 2 are going onto Playstation hits! So is the Fist of the North Star game!

More Yakuza games on Playstation Hits

Does this mean that Yakuza is finally recognised as a great franchise for PS fans?

Yakuza 0, Kiwami, Kiwami 2, Yakuza 6 and First of the North Star: Lost Paradise are all obtainable on the Playstation Hits label for PS4.

Funnily enough, no Sonic game has achieved this for the first time since the PS2/P days!

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

Is Sonic Heroes considered a good Sonic game? I didn't really get far into it. At the time I thought it was average but more because it was a departure from the Adventure sub-series.

Also, BioWare made a Sonic game, Sonic Chronicles, which I somehow missed despite owning a DS then. It was adapted into a comic too.

 

[cireza]

Is Sonic Heroes considered a good Sonic game?

It lacked polish but it wasn't too bad.

 

[Carna]

Is Sonic Heroes considered a good Sonic game? I didn't really get far into it. At the time I thought it was average but more because it was a departure from the Adventure sub-series.

Also, BioWare made a Sonic game, Sonic Chronicles, which I somehow missed despite owning a DS then. It was adapted into a comic too.

i still like it, and don't consider it to be a bad game, but i consider it the point where people were rightifully skeptical where the series was heading (fyi, people who aren't hostile genesis-era sonic fans)

i just wish when shadow got his own game, they should have avoided adding weapons/guns that alienated fans of the series, otherwise i was fine with the airboards in the riders games.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

Is Sonic Heroes considered a good Sonic game? I didn't really get far into it. At the time I thought it was average but more because it was a departure from the Adventure sub-series.

Also, BioWare made a Sonic game, Sonic Chronicles, which I somehow missed despite owning a DS then. It was adapted into a comic too.

I absolutely hate Sonic Heroes. It is too long, there are endless bottomless pits and by end game, you are taking more time to destroy the Egg Pawns than platforming. I honestly was so hyped for the game as a Kid and despite having an amazing UI and Music, I honestly could not recommend it. To me, it was the first real dip in quality for Sonic. For reference, I actually enjoyed Sonic 2006 far far more than Heroes, because despite being a Turd, I got my laughs and entertainment out of it.

I also bought this (Chronicles: Dark Brotherhood)....and I broke my DS in frustration on some of the Touch Control requirements...also the Ending is Shilling Bioware so hard and it basically says "If you want to know how this ends, buy this game to get a Sequel". It isn't "Bad", but you could do a lot better than Chronicles.

 

[Kazza]

Famitsu front page:

So much Saturn teasing...come on Sega, don't keep us waiting.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

Famitsu front page:

So much Saturn teasing...come on Sega, don't keep us waiting.

LOL Is it just me or is Segata showing the Mighty Saturn and his Son showing a Game Gear Micro reflecting each other's penis size figuratively?

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

It's interesting to think about how they managed to make these complex electronics much smaller over time. But then the screen size is also smaller which makes it unappealing (going from a 3-inch display to 1-inch). That said, a Saturn Mini and Dreamcast Mini will be more interesting provided we also get the best games included.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

I haven't played the original but this looks like a nice remake.

 

[Kazza]

Great to see Alex Kidd back. I'm glad they are doing extra levels too, rather than just a straightforward remake.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

If my Post about Sonic was overtly negative and triggered anyone here I am terribly sorry and will give all Sonic game's a 10/10 in future.

I will try and not be as repulsive as well.

 

[Kazza]

If my Post about Sonic was overtly negative and triggered anyone here I am terribly sorry and will give all Sonic game's a 10/10 in future.

I will try and not be as repulsive as well.

I've never played it myself, but it does seem to get a somewhat mixed reception. The idea of having three characters working together is a good one, but many say they didn't quite pull it off here. I always like implantgames for super in-depth analysis:

 

[Starlight Lotice]

I've never played it myself, but it does seem to get a somewhat mixed reception. The idea of having three characters working together is a good one, but many say they didn't quite pull it off here. I always like implantgames for super in-depth analysis:

My 13 year old self was so hyped as I only owned a PS2 at the time and my dreams were shattered after Level 1. ;____;

 

[Bullet Club]

We have released the lineup video of the "SEGA Arcade Game" currently in operation at the game center.

A world view of the Sega arcade game in which the melody and lyrics by Nijiiro Samurai Zuma...

Please take a look!

 

[Kazza]

I don't think saw Border Break in that. HotD Scarlett Dawn is the only one in the video which really piques my interest. With the HotD remakes coming, hopefully that will come eventually too.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

I must have missed the new House of the Dead being announced because whenever I see footage of the game it always looks brand new to me. I like those kind of horror games from Japan. Especially during the early 3D PS1 to PS2 console generations (baked textures and shaders and green blood).

 

[drganon]

So far sakura wars has been pretty good. The combat sequences are easy but fun while the visual novel/dating sim aspect of the game has been quite amusing and charming.

 

[Kazza]

I must have missed the new House of the Dead being announced because whenever I see footage of the game it always looks brand new to me. I like those kind of horror games from Japan. Especially during the early 3D PS1 to PS2 console generations (baked textures and shaders and green blood).

Apparently it's a really good game. I like the cabinet design a lot:

So far sakura wars has been pretty good. The combat sequences are easy but fun while the visual novel/dating sim aspect of the game has been quite amusing and charming.

It looks pretty good. I might give the game a try, if it ever releases on PC. We have a good OT for the game here:

Sakura Wars |OT| The Mecha Action Game Anime Samurai Girls Are Made Of

*** Developer: SEGA CS2 R&D Publisher: SEGA Engine: Hedgehog Engine 2 Platform: PlayStation 4 Release: April 28, 2020 Sakura Wars is a Japanese steampunk media franchise created by veteran designer Oji Hiroi and owned by Sega. The original Sakura Wars was an ambitious title for the...

www.neogaf.com

 

[Kazza]

This man obviously ha a lot of love for the company. Come on Sega, let him do another Jet Set Radio:

 

[Starlight Lotice]

This man obviously ha a lot of love for the company. Come on Sega, let him do another Jet Set Radio:

Heineken is a horrible drink, I expected better from this man. Castrate him!

We need more of his music as it's sad to not hear his stuff in SEGA games anynore.

 

[Kazza]

Heineken is a horrible drink, I expected better from this man. Castrate him!

We need more of his music as it's sad to not hear his stuff in SEGA games anynore.

They were probably just a sponsor of the event. Free beer is free beer!

 

[Starlight Lotice]

They were probably just a sponsor of the event. Free beer is free beer!

You should go to a Football Match when they sponsor one. You can only buy that beer so the fans sneak in their own favourite brand.

But yeah, if it is free, chug it down!

 

[Kazza]

More Sega arcade goodness from Kim Justice:

 

[Kazza]

A website called Mega Drive Shock has just released a translation of then Sega president Hayao Nakayama's 1994 New Year's Speech.

Here's a small excerpt, the whole thing can be found here:

From the second half of 1992, Sega has been putting a lot of pressure on Nintendo in America, and this past year, in terms of revenue, Sega has achieved 55% to Nintendo’s 45%. This is in reference to each company’s entire business operations. If we just look at the retail market for 16-bit consoles, in the month of November, Sega accounted for 63% of console sales. In terms of game software sales, the top three titles were for Sega hardware, as were seven of the top ten. I’m sure those of you working in the home console industry find this quite different than the situation in Japan.

These numbers are not just coming directly from Sega. They are the results of TRSTS (Toy Retail Sales Tracking Service), which is an independent service that reports on actual retail sales in America. Because of that, these numbers can be viewed as quite accurate. It’s also likely that Sega’s sales have increased even more in December. I don’t think I would be going too far by saying that Sega has fully recovered in the American market.

Looking at our progress in overtaking Nintendo so far, I think it is possible this year in the 16-bit home console market that Sega can achieve a 70% market share to Nintendo’s 30% in America. In the handheld market, in terms of units sold, the Game Boy sold about twice as much as the Game Gear in 1993 due to its low price. However, in terms of revenue, the Game Gear is exceeding the Game Boy due to its higher per-unit cost. If we continue with this same momentum, I think there is little doubt that, in regards to overall business operations, we can reach between 60-40 and 70-30 against Nintendo.

Although the speech begins by complaining about the economic environment and the high value of the yen, he sounded pretty bullish about Sega's 1993 and their prospects for 1994. Interesting to hear that the Game Gear outdid Gameboy in terms of revenue due to its higher price, even though it only sold half as much. I've heard that the Gameboy only really started to pull away from the GG in terms of sales after the first Pokemon released in 1996, and this seems to back this up.

There's some interesting Saturn stuff too, but I'll save that for the Saturn thread.

 

[Kazza]

What I wouldn't give for the chance to have a quiet word with Mr Nakayama then! Actually, what he later says about the upcoming 32 bit generation was pretty prescient, SoJ obviously weren't as clueless as they are often made out to be.

The company would have another good year in 1994, with the successful launches of both the Saturn in Japan and the 32X in the US (hey, it sold really well that first holiday season!), plus the continued success of the MD/Genesis in the west.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

I am surprised they praised the Game Gear's Sales and didn't follow through by getting better support for it by this notion. Feels like they left it to die after 94.

Call it sour grapes, but I honestly am surprised they didn't try and change the Game Gear's look and build by 93/94 akin to the Mega Drive 2, it may have been able to use less batteries, have a better screen AND a smaller size! Dump the older models at a lower price and for that time, get more Japanese Support for the system.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

Great news, everybody: I am working on a Sega Genesis book! It's either going to be titled "Sega Genesis 500" or "Sega Genesis: The 500 Greatest Video Games" and will feature a ranking of the 500 most popular titles for the system. The data was compiled from numerous polls taken over the past several years, as well as various magazines, websites, forums, and videos. I consulted everyday gamers, journalists and influencers to create the definitive list of Genesis games. That list is now fully complete and it's an excellent collection, featuring all of your beloved favorites, JP and PAL exclusives and even a few surprise gems.

I'm sharing a photo from my notes compiled today. It shows the breakdown by genre, including the highest and lowest ranking for each. I worked tirelessly to assemble a 500 list that would accurately represent the Genesis, both in its heyday and today, and this book will reflect that.

Of course, I did scour the NeoGAF archives for votes and asked members for their input on a couple occasions. Much thanks to everyone who participated and shared their favorite titles.

This book will appear in paperback, likely 7" x 10". A digital version will follow, it won't simply be a PDF scan of the printed edition, but optimized specifically for phones and tablets. If you've seen my art & photography ebooks (particularly Bocanada), then you'll have an idea of what to expect.

Finally, here are some screenshots from Streets of Rage 2. I'm taking photos from OpenEmu with the "Super CRT" filter. Taking good Genesis photos is always a challenge, as most emulators pixelate the images far too much, but using real hardwrare on a CRT or HD television poses numerous problems as well (no clean pause screens being the worst). I think this filter strikes the best balance of color, detail and smoothness, with some added scanlines and just a touch of CRT curvature. It looks very much like a Genesis modded with S-Video. Cross your fingers that the scanlines won't cause moire patterns in smaller sized photos.

I'll update everybody on the new book when more progress is made, including release date and price. I'm really excited about this project and am eager to share the final results.

 

[SpiceRacz]

I love collecting books like this. Day one purchase for me, Daniel Thomas MacInnes . Please tell me a Saturn book is next.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

Please do a detailed Section for Cotton Panorama, the only Sunsoft game that uses a Normal Sized case!