Out with the old, in with the new is very much the latest piece of news from SEGA’s PR team, as the company has announced that the standalone digital releases of the Classic Sonic games included in Sonic Origins will be delisted. That’s Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Sonic CD.
There’s no mention of specific platforms, but it’s safe to say this probably applies mostly to Steam (the only platform that currently offers all four of the titles standalone). That being said, the press release does note that the versions of Sonic 1 and 2 released for the SEGA AGES line on Nintendo Switch will survive the purge, as will the available titles on the Nintendo Switch Online Mega Drive app.
It’s perhaps to be expected, but still quite a shame. In particular the Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Sonic CD releases offered legal means to use fan projects such as Sonic 3 A.I.R. and the Sonic CD decompliation project. It’s also somewhat odd as the versions of Sonic 1, 2 and 3&K on digital platforms aren’t even the souped-up Retro Engine versions offered by Origins. That is, unless this purge includes the mobile releases… which would be confusing seeing as Origins isn’t coming to that platform.
On the whole it’s a bit of a rubbish situation for preservation as delistings always are, but from a business standpoint was probably to be expected. We’ll forgive them if they relist After Burner Climax on consoles somehow. Maybe.
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.
Mega Drive FPS Zero Tolerance is back in a brand new collection for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Switch called Zero Tolerance Collection.
Zero Tolerance Collection includes the original Mega Drive game alongside the unreleased sequel Zero Tolerance Underground. Completing both games also unlocks the unreleased Zero Tolerance Beyond demo.
The games will be available with 4 different screen filters and each game has up to 5 save game slots. You can check out the reveal trailer by clicking the embed below:
Zero Tolerance Collection is being developed by QUByte Interactive under license from infamous IP hoarders Piko Interactive. The collection will be available digitally and physically via Strictly Limited Games who will offer a standard boxed edition and a ‘special limited edition’ that includes posters, stickers and a soundtrack CD. Pre-orders are currently not available but should be appearing soon. There is currently no word on a release date.
Fresh off the back of the recent artwork leak and ratings from South Korea, SEGA have officially dropped the first trailer for Sonic Origins and revealed a whole host of information for the upcoming retro Sonic compilation.
Sonic Origins will feature the Taxman versions of Sonic 1, CD and 2 alongside a brand new port of Sonic 3 & Knuckles developed by Headcannon who previously assisted with the Taxman ports as well as Sonic Mania. The games can be played in their remastered anniversary editions in full widescreen, or in their classic 4:3 aspect ratio versions. The game will also feature a mission mode which tasks players with completing new custom stages that earn them tokens to be spent on in-game unlockables in the game’s virtual museum.
The games will also be available to play as one big title that combines all four titles. The games will also feature new animated opening and ending sequences from SEGA in collaboration with Powerhouse Animation.
Sadly the game is currently a digital only release. What’s more confusing is the 5 different editions the game is being sold in; each with their own exclusive content like a mirror mode, hard missions, additional character animations and additional music tracks. You can see the breakdown of each edition in the graphic below. Thankfully there is only a £4 difference between the base game and the ‘digital deluxe edition’, with the base game priced at £32.99 and the digital deluxe edition priced at £36.98.
Sonic Origins will release on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Switch on June 23rd 2022.
Deadline have revealed that Paramount are developing a Streets of Rage movie with John Wick franchise creator Derek Kolstad. dj2 Entertainment are also tied to the project who recently signed a contract with Amazon to develop an adaptation of the video game It Takes Two for cinema and television.
As with any early movie development reporting, we urge our readers to not get their hopes up. Multiple video game adaptations have been green-lit in the past and some even making it as far as casting and promotional material before being shelved indefinitely (Kane & Lynch being a great example). If the Streets of Rage movie does happen, don’t expect to hear or even see anything for quite a while.
Bloomberg have reported that SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc. are working on new entries in the Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio franchises, but they are being made as live service games in order to compete with Fortnite.
The games are supposedly a part of SEGA’s ‘Super Game’ initiative which was launched last year as a way to build online communities around its games. The new Crazy Taxi game has supposedly been in development for a year and is aiming to launch in the next 2-3 years. There is currently no word on how far along in development the new Jet Set Radio game is.
Bloomberg have received this information from an unknown Tokyo-based entertainment group so take this information with a grain of salt. There are already words saying that it is possible these games may end up being cancelled behind closed doors and SEGA are refusing to comment on the story directly. More on this story as it develops.
It’s been very quiet on the Sonic Origins front. We haven’t heard anything since the game’s initial reveal back in May 2021, but something is definitely happening soon because the game has been rated in South Korea and some key art has been leaked via the back door of the PlayStation Network. You can see the key art in the header for this this article.
Sonic Origins is a new collection of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic the Hedgehog CD. Sonic 3 & Knuckles will also be available to play in their full combined glory, and it has been promised that all games will be displayed in a widescreen resolution. This has led many to believe these ports are being based on Christian Whitehead’s mobile versions of Sonic 1, 2 and CD.
Sonic Origins is scheduled to release at some point in 2022 for “the latest platforms“. Here’s hoping more news on Sonic Origins is coming soon!
Gamefam Studios have released a new Sonic the Hedgehog fan game within Roblox called Sonic Speed Simulator. The fan game is officially endorsed by SEGA, marking their first fan game endorsement since Big’s Big Fishing Adventure 3 in 2016.
Sonic Speed Simulator offers players the opportunity to race in multiple, large, 3D environments against other players. You can also unlock new worlds, collect chao and earn new skins to customise your character with.
Sonic Speed Simulator is currently in beta and can only be played via paid access within Roblox. The game will move to a free-to-play model when the game comes out of beta. Click here to access the game’s page on the Roblox website. You can also watch our pals at The Sonic Stadium playing the game via the embed below:
The House of the Dead is a long-running series from SEGA’s beloved arcade team AM2. The original game sees AMS agents Thomas Rogan and ‘G’ set off to the Curien Mansion, after Rogan’s fiance Sophie warns them that the research team based there are being murdered. Sure enough, the duo arrive just in time to see a creature (the original development team insist they’re not zombies) eating a researcher’s face, and so they get to work trying to find the cause of all the bloodshed. The setup is exactly the same for this remake as you’d probably expect.
SEGADriven and its original content are copyrighted to their respective authors. Media related directly to SEGA is copyrighted to its respective authors. Any comments on SEGA-related materials do not represent SEGA themselves. All rights reserved 2008-2022.
Out with the old, in with the new is very much the latest piece of news from SEGA’s PR team, as the company has announced that the standalone digital releases of the Classic Sonic games included in Sonic Origins will be delisted. That’s Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Sonic CD.
