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Archive for September, 2021

Retro-Bit Reveal Officially Licensed Larger 6 Button Mega Drive Controllers in 3 Button Form Factor

Sunday, September 26th, 2021

Retro-Bit Gaming have revealed that they are officially working with SEGA on a new Mega Drive controller shaped like the original 3 button Mega Drive controller but now with 6 button functionality.

While there is currently no word on a release date and only a single production mock-up image, Retro-Bit have promised the controller will be sold in original port, USB wired, and 2.4 GHz wireless (with USB-C) variants and more details are coming soon. This should be a great alternative for those looking for a bluetooth Mega Drive controller for the upcoming Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack which adds a selection of Mega Drive games to the service. Japan are getting an official bluetooth 6 button Mega Drive controller for the Switch, but unfortunately Western Mega Drive fans have to settle with a 3 button pad if they buy from Nintendo directly.

Retro-Bit Gaming are no stranger to SEGA controllers and have developed and released a line of Mega Drive and SEGA Saturn controllers in the past.

[Source: Retro-Bit Gaming on Twitter]

Mega Drive Games Coming to Nintendo Switch Online “Expansion Pack” Service Alongside Bluetooth Mega Drive Controller

Sunday, September 26th, 2021

During the most recent Nintendo Direct, Nintendo have revealed that a collection of SEGA Mega Drive games will be added to the Nintendo Switch Online service as a part of an upcoming “expansion pack”. This expansion pack will add N64 and Mega Drive games to your existing NSO subscription and will go live in October 2021. No pricing has been set at time of writing.

The full list of Mega Drive games being added are: Castlevania Bloodlines, Contra Hard Corps, Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, Ecco the Dolphin, Golden Axe, Gunstar Heroes, MUSHA, Phantasy Star IV, Ristar, Shining Force, Shinobi III, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Streets of Rage 2 and Strider.

Alongside this announcement, Nintendo have revealed they will also be developing and selling their own bluetooth 3 button Mega Drive controller. Nintendo Japan have also revealed they will be releasing a 6 button variant as well, but this variant is currently Japan exclusive.

The Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack launches in October 2021.

Explore a 3D Recreation of SEGA’s Recently Closed GiGO Arcade in Ikebukuro, Tokyo

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021

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.

Click here to access the virtual recreation of SEGA’s GiGO arcade in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

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.

[Source: GENDA]

135 Unreleased Dreamcast Prototypes Released by Hidden Palace

Sunday, September 19th, 2021

Hidden Palace’s amazing archiving efforts with Project Deluge continue! This time we have a brand new set of 135 unreleased Dreamcast prototypes and some SEGA Xbox prototypes as well.

Some notable inclusions on the Dreamcast side of things are an unreleased English localisation of Shanghai Dynasty, an early build of 4 Wheel Thunder called Offroad Thunder, an early prototype of Deep Fighter and a prototype of SEGA GT that features a track called “sonygt2” and features Luigi (see above). This one was clearly not made for public distribution!

On the Xbox side of things we also have prototypes of Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller, ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth and Gunvalkyrie.

You can explore every new prototype released by Hidden Palace by clicking here. These disc images will work under emulation or on real hardware if you have a solution to play backups.

[Source: Hidden Palace]

Sonic Colours Ultimate PS4 and Xbox One Reviews

Tuesday, September 14th, 2021

The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise is now 30 years old and along with this monumental anniversary comes a brand new port of Sonic Colours to PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC called Sonic Colours Ultimate. Both Tracker and Sonic Yoda have played the PS4 and Xbox One versions and have put together an extensive, bumper review of both versions for you to read. Is Sonic Colours Ultimate really the ultimate version of Sonic Colours? Find out by clicking below!

Click here to read our full, double review of Sonic Colours Ultimate for PS4 and Xbox One.

Lost Judgment DLC Announced, Including Additional Master System Games and Playable Kaito

Friday, September 3rd, 2021

RGG Studio has revealed the release schedule for the upcoming Lost Judgment’s DLC content, spreading out into Spring 2022.

At launch, the Detective Essentials pack will be released. As well as an extra boss fight, more girls for Yagami to woo, and some content for side-activities such as skateboarding and drone racing, you’ll also get access to additional Master System titles to play ingame. You’ll get Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa Opa, SDI, Alien Syndrome and… Darius II! It’s good to see SEGA’s love-in with Taito’s shooter series continuing.

On October 26th, the School Stories pack will add new outfits, new battles with Yagami’s allies in sparring settings, and the ability to take a new fighting style to the streets.

Finally and most significantly, Spring 2022 will see the launch of a new campaign starring the ever-lovable Kaito, Yagami’s best friend. This mode is estimated to clock in at 10 hours of additional story content.

Digital Deluxe Edition owners will get the first two packs as they release, while Digital Ultimate Edition owners will get all three.

Lost Judgment launches on September 24th for Playstation 4/5 and Xbox One/Series. Digital Deluxe buyers will get access to the game on September 20th.

A Vile Creature from Monster Rancher Added to Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania as Paid For DLC

Thursday, September 2nd, 2021

Remember Monster Rancher? SEGA certainly do and now we have another surprising guest character for Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania. SEGA will make an abhorrent freak (aka Suezo) from Monster Rancher available as a playable character in Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania as paid for DLC. The character will cost $4.99 (or equivalent) like Hello Kitty on the same day the game launches (October 5th 2021). Click below to watch the character reveal trailer for disgusting abomination (Suezo):

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania launches on October 5th 2021 for the Switch, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game is an enhanced port of Super Monkey Ball Deluxe from 2005.

Huge Japanese SEGA Magazine Update Now Published in Our Merchandise Section | Merchandise

Wednesday, September 1st, 2021

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.

Hello Kitty Coming to Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania as Paid For DLC

Wednesday, September 1st, 2021

SEGA continue their trend of adding the absolute best bonus characters of all time to Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania with today’s reveal that Hello Kitty is coming to the game as a paid for DLC character. Hello Kitty will cost $4.99 “or equivalent” and the in game bananas also become apples when Hello Kitty is in use. You can check out the reveal trailer below:

Hello Kitty will launch as paid for DLC on October 5th 2021. The base Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania game also launches on the same day on Switch, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game is an enhanced port of Super Monkey Ball Deluxe from 2005.

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