We’ve finally populated every remaining entry in the SEGA Music Index part of our Merchandise section! This does not mean we have catalogued every SEGA music release ever – just the releases we have in our personal collection. Head on over to the SEGA Music Index now to browse everything, but you can also access each new entry via the list below:
Strictly Limited Games are producing a boxed run of DariusBurst CS Core that features the SEGA DLC ships on cartridge for the first time ever.
DariusBurst CS Core is an enhanced version of Taito’s DariusBurst that boasts an expanded CS mode with new stages, arranged stages based on DariusBurst ACEX+’s event mode/PSP version, a replay mode, the Ghost Score mode, force feedback, DLC stages and new DLC ships based on different Taito and SEGA properties.
The SEGA ships are Harrier from Space Harrier, the Try-Z from Galaxy Force II and Opa-Opa from Fantasy Zone. While this content isn’t new and has been available digitally for a while, this is the first time it will be included on cartridge.
This new Switch release from Strictly Limited will be available as a standard edition for €29.99, limited to 3000 copies and a collector’s edition for €59.99, limited to 2000 copies. Both versions go on sale tomorrow October 23rd 2022.
A UK distributor for the Astro City Mini has finally been confirmed and it’s Funstock to the rescue! The Astro City Mini is only available in the UK in two configurations; the base console is available for £129.99 or a version with 2 gamepads is available for £189.99. Shipping within the UK is completely free as Funstock waive the shipping fees for all orders over £100. Click the links below to be taken to each of the listings on Funstock’s website:
Blind Spot, the band comprised of former SEGA Sound Team Band members and who we’ve covered on Driven in the past, are back with a new album; Blind Spot V. As the name suggests, it’s their 5th main album, and it brings with it a slew of both original tracks and rearrangements of classic, and often underrated SEGA music.
The full tracklist is as follows, via BEEP:
01 Bonanza Bros（ボナンザブラザーズ）
02 Outride a Crisis（スーパーハングオン）
03 Ooimachi Blues
04 Jyuouki（獣王記）
05 Parallel Spokes
06 OPA-OPA（ファンタジーゾーン）
07 Hakone Party
08 NervePaint10
09 Eventide
10 Super MonacoGP（スーパーモナコGP）
11 This Is My Happiness（スペースチャンネル５）
One of the highlights of these albums is seeing the band get to cover SEGA tracks that they didn’t get to during their original tenure as the S.S.T. Band; the previous album included a cover of Dreams Dreams from NiGHTS… into Dreams, and this time around we’re getting a cover of This Is My Happiness, from Space Channel 5. The new tracks such as Parallel Spokes also sound absolutely sublime!
The album will debut at the Tokyo Game Music Show as usual, but it’s also available for mail order via BEEP. All of Blind Spot’s previous albums have also appeared on Spotify eventually, so if import fees have you worried, a digital option shouldn’t be too far off.
When Tracker isn’t playing SEGA games, he’s talking about SEGA games. Or drawing about SEGA games. Or all of the above. You can also catch him over on Twitter.
The most recent games in M2’s SEGA AGES lineup for Nintendo Switch, Fantasy Zone and Shinobi, finally have Western release dates. You’ll be able to get your hands on them on January 23rd.
Both games will cost £5.99, and include a slew of upgrades over their original incarnations. Fantasy Zone has all of the added content from the 3DS version, as well as an overhauled HUD akin to M2’s ShotTriggers lineup. Shinobi has a rewind feature that’s been improved over its implementation in previous AGES titles, and the AGES mode has benefits such as Joe being able to take more than one hit, and use his melee attack with a button rather than context-sensitivity. He also has his white garb from the later titles, as a cool nod for longtime fans.
When Tracker isn’t playing SEGA games, he’s talking about SEGA games. Or drawing about SEGA games. Or all of the above. You can also catch him over on Twitter.
Sound the SEGA AGES klaxon – because Fantasy Zone will be joining SEGA’s lineup of Nintendo Switch re-releases this week, in Japan at least.
Previously announced to be the next game in the lineup, we now know the game will launch this Thursday, November 28th (thanks to timezones, that’ll be Wednesday afternoon in the UK). It’ll be the usual price of 999 JPY. The release includes the content of the 3DS port, such as the Upa-Upa mode, as well as new elements like a Time Attack mode and revamped HUD display similar to M2’s own ShotTriggers releases. More information is available on the Japanese page for SEGA AGES.
There’s currently no word on a Western release date for SEGA AGES Shinobi or Fantasy Zone, but we imagine it can’t be too far off now – we’ll report if one shows up.
When Tracker isn’t playing SEGA games, he’s talking about SEGA games. Or drawing about SEGA games. Or all of the above. You can also catch him over on Twitter.
The next game to join the SEGA AGES lineup for Nintendo Switch will be the arcade shoot-em-up Fantasy Zone.
As expected, this release of the game will include the extra content introduced in the 3D Classics release of the game, such as Upa-Upa Mode (which lets you switch between power-ups freely, charging you for ammo rather than for each weapon), a ‘Coin Stock’ that accumulates over your playtime (so you can jump into the game with a loaded inventory of coins if you want), and bosses from the Master System version implemented as extra bosses in the arcade version. As you play and accumulate more coins, you’ll also unlock more options, such as increased power-up ammo, and the ability to change how many coins enemies drop when defeated.
There’ll also now be a time attack feature that gives you infinite lives, HD rumble support, the standard replay and ranking functions of the other AGES releases, and a massively overhauled HUD. The HUD is notable, as it’s actually very in-line with M2’s separate ShotTriggers line of shmup ports.
There’s no solid date on Fantasy Zone’s Switch release right now, but we’d expect it to show up within the next two weeks. Over here, it’ll probably launch alongside the recently released Shinobi port.
When Tracker isn’t playing SEGA games, he’s talking about SEGA games. Or drawing about SEGA games. Or all of the above. You can also catch him over on Twitter.
The full games line-up for the PC Engine Core Grafx Mini has been revealed and there’s a surprising inclusion of 2 SEGA titles in the form of the PC Engine versions of Fantasy Zone and Space Harrier. Check out the full line-up reveal trailer below:
The PC Engine Core Grafx Mini features 24 English Turbografx-16 titles and 26 Japanese PC Engine titles. Mega-CD owners will recognise Lords of Thunder, Dungeon Explorer and Snatcher, and while Lords of Thunder and Dungeon Explorer are also available in English, Snatcher is sadly presented in its original Japanese language with no translation options being offered at this time.
The PC Engine Core Grafx Mini will launch on the 19th of March 2020. Pre-orders will go live exclusively through Amazon shortly.
A fresh batch of SEGA Ages titles have been revealed for Nintendo Switch at SEGA Fes. There’s a heavy focus on SEGA’s arcade history with these announcements – 5 of the 6 titles are all arcade ports.
The revealed games are:
– Shinobi (arcade)
– Puzzle & Action Ichidant-R (arcade)
– G-LOC Air Battle (arcade)
– Herzog Zwei (Mega Drive)
– Fantasy Zone (arcade)
– Wonder Boy in Monster Land (arcade)
Herzog Zwei is an interesting inclusion as it marks another instance of SEGA drawing on Technosoft’s library of games, which SEGA acquired in 2016.
There is currently no word on release dates for any of these titles. We are still expecting SEGA Ages ports of Sonic 2, Puyo Puyo 2, Virtua Racing, Thunder Force AC, Columns 2 and Space Harrier. These will likely release before the newly announced titles.
Some unfortunate news for the musically inclined – several SEGA OSTs that were previously available for streaming on Spotify have suddenly vanished from the service.
SEGA doesn’t appear to have mentioned the removals on any social media accounts or statements, making the removals rather mysterious. It’s a pretty sizeable set of removals too; the affected soundtracks include:
When Tracker isn’t playing SEGA games, he’s talking about SEGA games. Or drawing about SEGA games. Or all of the above. You can also catch him over on Twitter.
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