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Archive for November, 2020

Prototype Genesis Nomad Codenamed ‘Venus’ Shown for the First Time in New ‘SEGA Test’ Video | Video Spotlight

Monday, November 30th, 2020

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!

SEGA Forever Releases Exhaustive Golden Axe Retrospective | Video Spotlight

Saturday, November 28th, 2020

The next SEGA Forever retrospective video is here, and this time it’s Golden Axe’s moment in the spotlight.

The video offers an extensive look at the history of the series, from the original beat-em ups to the one-on-one fighting game, and even the RPG spinoffs; the latter, I didn’t realise actually existed! Even as someone who’s not the biggest fan of the original Golden Axe, the video has made me want to check out some of the side-ventures I’d missed.

Fair warning: at around the 1:30 mark there’s an extremely harsh strobe pattern that would’ve worked fine on the Game Gear but is a bit eye-melting on a 1080p screen. If you’ve got epilepsy you might want to sit this one out.

 

Yakuza: Like a Dragon PC and PS4 Reviews

Tuesday, November 24th, 2020

The 7th mainline entry in the Yakuza franchise is finally upon us with Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Both Tracker and Sonic Yoda have played the game extensively on PC and PS4 and have prepared a bumper review of both versions for you to get stuck into. Does the franchise successfully transition from brawler to RPG? Find out by clicking below!

Click here to read our full, double review of Yakuza: Like a Dragon for PC and PS4.

Book About the Development of Treasure’s Mega Drive Titles Seeking Kickstarter Funding | Merchandise

Thursday, November 19th, 2020

Raster Scroll have opened a Kickstarter for a new book called Legends of 16-Bit Game Development. The focus of the book is aimed at Treasure and their 16 bit Mega Drive titles that include Dynamite Headdy, Alien Soldier, Gunstar Heroes and more.

The book is authored by John Harrison, who has extensively researched the company and is aiming to offer readers insight into the business-side of the developer, the actual game development process, key members of the development team and their backgrounds, the reception of the featured games after their release, and potential future investment avenues within the gaming industry, including analysis from other reputable sources like Invest Diva reviews.

As the gaming industry continues to boom, its impact is not only felt in the virtual world but also on the physical landscape. Real estate developers and businesses are increasingly recognizing the potential of incorporating gaming and e-sports facilities into their properties. From dedicated gaming zones in malls to e-sports arenas in major cities, the demand for such spaces has surged. The allure of large-scale gaming events, published rankings, and high-stake tournaments has attracted significant investments from both local and international entities, further solidifying gaming’s position as a mainstream entertainment phenomenon. As the Legends of 16-Bit Game Development sheds light on the success and intricacies of iconic game titles, it also highlights how this burgeoning industry has become an influential player in the world of business and real estate.

The global online gaming and e-sports industry has reached a tipping point in popularity. With more than one billion PC gamers worldwide, the industry has evolved from a niche community connecting and playing at local LAN parties, to filling out stadiums via competitive platforms such as Intel Extreme Masters and ESL One, which are viewed by millions. In India, the industry has come full circle with PC gaming taking centre stage yet again. With the world’s largest youth population, India is one of the fastest growing gaming markets globally and going on top with network systems, and wifi for business compared is necessary to improve any business and more a gaming company as connection is essential. A recent KPMG report predicts online gaming revenue will touch ₹11,900 crore by 2023. It also states that the number of game developing firms in the country have increased ten-fold from 25 in 2010 to 250 in 2018.

If you’re interested in funding such a project then head on over to the official Legends of 16-Bit Game Development Kickstarter. Several tiers are available with the lowest starting at $30. Each book aims to include 250 pages of full colour content.

You can read an excerpt from the book by clicking here.

[Source: Kickstarter]

SEGA Forever Release Sonic R Anniversary Artwork by Sonic the Comic’s Richard Elson

Wednesday, November 18th, 2020

Sonic R released on this day back in 1997 over the pond, and to commemorate it, SEGA Forever have pulled off something very special – a brand new piece of artwork based on the game, from Sonic the Comic’s Richard Elson!

It’s a beautiful tribute; no surprise, as Elson’s stuff is always gorgeous. The art has a sort-of blend of his own Sonic the Comic style and the more style-guide accurate Classic Sonic art, to make something really special! It’s lovely to see something for the Sonic the Comic fans in audience, and hopefully this acknowledgment could lead to more down the road, as we’d be very much down for reprints!

SEGA Forever Release The House of the Dead Retrospective | Video Spotlight

Friday, November 13th, 2020

The next retrospective from SEGA Forever has arrived, and this time it’s all about The House of the Dead!

The video focuses mainly on the original arcade series, running from The House of the Dead all the way up to the most recent game in the original canon, Scarlet Dawn. That said, a nod is given to Overkill and even Pinball of the Dead; and they even give some love to The Typing of the Dead II, a great game that flew under the radar compared to its predecessor.

Each title also has the list of platforms it’s available on listed alongside it; very handy for those looking to shoot some mutants at home. We’re really loving this series, and we can’t wait to see what gets the retrospective treatment next!

 

SEGA Request 650 Employees To Retire “Voluntarily”, Cut Salaries of Executives By Up To 30%

Friday, November 6th, 2020

There’s been a lot of celebration around SEGA lately, what with their 60th Anniversary and all; but sadly, it’s not all been cause for partying. SEGA has published extraordinary losses from its amusements division (thanks to COVID-19), leading them to outright sell off the majority of their arcade business to Genda Inc (formerly Midas Entertainment). SEGA will still be producing arcade games, and their arcade centres will still be plastered with the SEGA logo, but those centres are Genda’s now.

That’s not all though, as it’s now emerged that SEGA have asked 650 employees to “voluntarily retire”. Supposedly those who accept the offer to retire by February 2021 will receive a “payment of extraordinary retirement allowances and reemployment support”. SEGA’s executives are also getting hit by the changes, though not nearly as severely as those losing their jobs; instead, the company’s Senior Executive Vice President and Senior Vice President will have 20% and 10% taken out of their monthly salaries respectively… which isn’t exactly much for the salaries they’re probably on. The Representative Director will see a slightly more substantial cut of 30%.

It’s been a rough year for businesses across the world this year, and given their presence in Japan’s arcade scene, it’s not surprising that SEGA got hit hard; but the layoffs are disappointing news all the same. It’s also very likely that SEGA’s mooted ‘Fog Gaming’ concept may not be going ahead anymore, but time will tell if Genda choose to adopt that instead.

Archipel Caravan Releases Interview with SEGA Music Legend Takenobu Mitsuyoshi | Video Spotlight

Thursday, November 5th, 2020

Archipel Caravan, responsible for a slew of documentaries on Japanese video game creators, have published a new, 20 minute long interview with beloved SEGA composer and vocalist, Takenobu Mitsuyoshi.

The interview goes through how he got his start at SEGA, and what pushed him to join in the first place; as well as how the vocal aspect of Daytona USA came to be (we have Ridge Racer to thank, apparently!). It’s genuinely fascinating, and it feels surprisingly rare that we get to see a down-to-earth interview like this with Mitsuyoshi-san. Of course, once the music starts he’s just as excitable as ever, and in turn it’s a lot of fun to watch.

Archipel’s previous videos have included interviews with Saori Kobayashi of Panzer Dragoon, and Toshihiro Nagoshi of… well, a lot of things, including Yakuza, Daytona USA and Super Monkey Ball. Their stuff is well worth a watch, and this latest interview is no exception.

SEGA Forever Releases Jet Set Radio Retrospective, Covering the Dreamcast Classic and Its Xbox Sequel

Sunday, November 1st, 2020

Just like Crazy Taxi a few weeks ago, SEGA has published another retrospective for its 60th Anniversary; this time covering the beloved (that might be an understatement) Dreamcast IP Jet Set Radio.

As always there’s some cool facts sprinkled throughout the video, such as how the Game Boy Advance version of JSR later had its engine repurposed for other games. There’s even a short section on De La Jet Set Radio, the second Japanese release that served as an ‘international’ edition, as was common at the time. And there is of course a section on Jet Set Radio Future, the Xbox sequel; as always, it leaves us hoping for a port down the road. Perhaps someday…

On the whole, it’s a great watch as usual; we can’t wait to see what series is up next on the retrospective block!

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