On the 20th of September 2021, SEGA Japan sadly shut the doors on the SEGA GiGO arcade in Ikebukuro, Tokyo after 28 years in business. It’s another major loss to SEGA Japan’s arcade business that has seen major casualties thanks to the COVID-19 epidemic.
Thankfully an explorable, 3D, virtual version of the arcade has been created and you can take a trip through this mammoth arcade via the comfort of your own home. This follows on from the previously released virtual version of SEGA’s Retro Game Floor in Akihabara.
SEGA streamed the events of the Ikebukuro SEGA GiGO’s final day of operation on YouTube, and the stream is archived and available to view by clicking here.
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We have just published a huge set of additions to our SEGA-Related Magazine Features section in our Merchandise Catalogue. Every addition is a Japan-exclusive SEGA publication. See below for the full list of additions:
– Great Saturn Z July 1997 issue complete with front and back cover scans added
– SEGA Jack issues 3, 4, 5 added. Cover scans added for every issue but inside shots are only available for issues 3 and 4
– 11 issues of SEGA Maga added. Cover scans added for every issue but inside shots are only available for the August/September 1998 issue
– SEGA Saturn Magazine (Japan) 6th of June 1998 issue complete with cover scan and inside shot added
Each magazine also has a brief description about what content is available in each publication, when it was published and who published it if the information is available online.
Ever wanted to explore one of Japan’s greatest retro arcades from the comfort of your own home? Now you can thanks to this wonderful virtual recreation of SEGA’s Retro Game Floor that is currently located in Akihabara Building 3 in Tokyo, Japan.
The arcade is host to a fantastic selection of SEGA arcade classics including Scud Race, Daytona USA 2, Thunder Blade, After Burner, Space Harrier, Rad Mobile, AB Cop, Wild Riders, LA Machineguns and many, many more. This virtual version of the Retro Game Floor is a fascinating look at a beautiful arcade that is keeping loads of classic games up and running for fans of arcade gaming.
When the arcade first opened in its current location, the grand unveiling also featured a recreation of a classic SEGA High-Tech Land archway – a lovely nod to SEGA’s original chain of arcades that operated through the 90s.
The Mega Drive Mini is getting another accessory in the form of the Mega Drive Tower Mini Zero. Releasing exclusively in Japan, this is a miniature Power Base Converter (or Mega Adapter as its known in Japan) that comes with two cartridges of Penguin Land and Alex Kidd in Miracle World. The accessory is entirely cosmetic and doesn’t allow you to play these games on a Mega Drive Mini.
The release of the Mega Drive Tower Mini Zero is actually to coincide with the release of Lost Judgment which also features an in-game Master System that allows you to play Alex Kidd in Miracle World within the actual game world of Lost Judgment.
The Mega Drive Tower Mini Zero will release in Japan on October 21st 2021 and will cost 4,950 yen which currently converts to around £31.93.
Our hardware section has been updated with 2 new console features and a stack of high quality photographs. The hardware section now has a new section at the bottom of the page that features Aftermarket/Mini Consoles, and with it comes 2 new console features on the Astro City Mini and the Game Gear Micro respectively. Click the links below to be taken to each console feature as well as the accompanying image galleries:
SEGA is having yet another organisational shift, as the start of the new fiscal year looms. From April 1st, corporate functions will be integrated between the SEGA SAMMY Holdings group (aligning the operations of SEGA and Sammy more, from what we understand), and there’ll be some staff shifting about too. Perhaps none more eye-catching than Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi, who’ll be stepping back from his role as SEGA’s CCO (that’s Chief Creative Officer) and into a Creative Director role.
The corporate changes aren’t anything surprising and are fairly normal around the start of a new fiscal year, and it might not even mean a whole lot to the average SEGA fan; but SEGA’s getting it out of the way quite early, and Nagoshi stepping back is at least somewhat of a surprise. He’s certainly had a bumpy couple of years; with his revelation in 2019 that he’d had heart surgery, and the furore he kicked off in 2020 after managing to insult a pro Puyo Puyo player live on air. Either way, we do wonder if this could mean Nagoshi gets closer to the games being developed at SEGA again, because that would obviously be no bad thing.
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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If you’re unfamiliar with the Sonic Cafe line of mobile games they were a series of i-Mode titles released exclusively in Japan between 2001 and 2007. The service is due to be discontinued which has sparked Japanese YouTuber Ruwa into action. Ruwa is currently capturing as many i-Mode games as possible and among them are direct feed captures of various Sonic Cafe titles like Sonic Darts, Sonic Golf, Sonic Jump and Sonic Kart 3DX. It makes for some truly fascinating viewing for Western SEGA fans as these games never made their way across the pond.
There’s also a number of SEGA i-Mode games like Out Run, Pengo and Monaco GP in there. Here’s an incomplete list of SEGA i-Mode games captured by Ruwa. I would list them all but there’s honestly just too many for me to list here. Check out the channel to browse more of his i-Mode captures by clicking here:
In the new year, SEGA are running a 60th anniversary initiative called the SEGA Test. This will be an online course that will contain 60 questions and take roughly 60 minutes to complete. The test will take place 3 times a day on January 23rd and 24th 2021.
In preparation for the test, Hiroyuki Miyazaki, the Chief Contents Officer at Sega of America, is hosting a series of online SEGA history videos and the first is now available to watch below. In this video, Professor Miyazaki discuss SEGA’s console history and the code names used for its various hardware.
A real surprise occurs at 11:36 has Professor Miyazaki shows the Venus prototype of the Genesis Nomad for the very first time. It’s a fascinating look at the console’s development and it clearly uses the buttons of a stock 6 button Mega Drive controller and a directional pad from a Game Gear. Check out the full video below and brush up on your SEGA knowledge so you’re ready for the SEGA Test!
The official Astro City Mini website has now gone live and with it we have the reveal trailer you can watch below, and our first look at one of the system’s extra peripherals which will be sold separately.
The Astro City Mini control pad will be sold for an additional 2,780 yen (approximately £20) and feature a d-pad instead of an arcade stick, as well as the standard 6 button setup.
We also have a more accurate release date of December 2020, but the console is still Japan exclusive at the time of writing. The same lineup of 10 titles from yesterday’s news leak are also confirmed. There was some confusion about whether it was Puzzle & Action: Tant-R or Ichidant-R that was making it to the system, but as previously reported it is in fact Puzzle & Action: Tant-R.
Pre-orders from Amazon Japan are now available but only the Astro City Mini ships worldwide. The control pad is Japan exclusive:
– Astro City Mini
– Astro City Mini Control Pad
SEGA Japan (more specifically their SEGA Toys subsidiary) are back on the micro console hype train with their latest effort – the Astro City Mini. This mini arcade cabinet features 36 SEGA arcade titles and is due to release by the end of the year.
The full list of games has yet to be revealed, but a small selection have been confirmed and they are listed below:
– Alien Syndrome
– Alien Storm
– Golden Axe
– Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder
– Columns II
– Dark Edge
– Tant R
– Virtua Fighter
– Fantasy Zone
– Altered Beast
All games will be presented in their original arcade format just like the old gold king slot game. The Astro City Mini can be played using its built-in screen or sent to a television via HDMI. The system itself has its own arcade 8 way micro-switched joystick and 6 button setup. When the console is powered on the marquee also lights up. The system needs to be powered via a micro USB connection and there are also 2 extra USB slots for additional joysticks which are going to be sold separately. There is currently no word on whether the system will release in Western territories. The Astro City Mini will be priced at 12,800 yen which currently converts to £93.70.
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