SEGADriven is a SEGA news and information source that focuses on SEGA's console history, retro games and new software hitting the shelves. We want to share a love of great, quirky, clever and down-right fun games - something that SEGA have always specialised in. See below for the latest news, reviews and features added to the website.
Columns 2: The Voyage Through Time is joining the SEGA AGES for Nintendo Switch lineup in Japan this week, bringing with it a slew of bonus features.
As previously reported, extra content includes a Endless Mode, an unlockable gallery featuring the art used in the SEGA AGES series’ cameo-rich intros, netplay, and even a single-player version of the original Columns. This marks the first time Columns 2 has seen an international release, too!
SEGA AGES: Columns 2 will launch on Thursday 8th August, so about 4pm UK time on Wednesday 7th August. It’ll be 999 JPY.
The Sonic Adventure Music Experience is coming to the UK thanks to the people who brought you the Summer of Sonic convention.
Taking place on the 8th of December 2019 at The Garage in London, the Sonic Adventure Music Experience is a live music show lead by Jun Senoue and the SAME band where they perform new arrangements of music from the Sonic Adventure 1 & 2 soundtracks.
The event is being organised by Svend Joscelyne and Adam Tuff who have previously helmed various Summer of Sonic events. To secure your place at the event, tickets can be ordered via the event’s Kickstarter page which is now live and available to view by clicking here. Various ticket bundles are available for groups up to 4 and the event needs to raise £13,500 to secure all the various costs that come with putting on a live show in central London.
A few new additions have been made to the Book Catalogue and Music Index in our Merchandise section. Click below to go straight to the individual pages for each of the additions:
SEGA fans in Europe and the Middle East will have to wait a bit longer to get their miniature dose of Blast Processing, as SEGA has announced the mini-console will be launching two weeks later in these regions than originally planned – now it’ll release on October 4th.
SEGA has cited “unavoidable logistical challenges” for the date change. Whilst unfortunate, two weeks extra isn’t too long too wait, and they’ve given plenty of advance notice this time around. The American, Japanese and presumably Asian releases of the console are still set for September 19th.
A whole host of new books and CDs have been added to our Merchandise section. You can go direct to the Book Catalogue or Music Index to browse the various entries, or you can look below for a list of the latest additions:
Our first look at Project Sakura Wars in action has revealed that the game is actually an action RPG as opposed to the more traditional strategy RPG action the series is known for.
SEGA Japan just finished a lengthy stream showcasing the game’s in-game action and you can watch the archived stream below (in-game footage starts at 49:57):
We’ve also got confirmation of the final game’s title. In Japan the game will be known as Shin Sakura Wars. Shin Sakura Wars is a PS4 exclusive with character designs being lead by Tite Kubo of Bleach fame. There is currently no word on a release date for the Western release of the game, but a Western release was confirmed at SEGA Fes 2019.
Bitmap Books’ Visual Compendium series are some of the most beautifully presented books about video games out there, and with their 6th entry in the series the team are focussing their sights on SEGA’s 8 bit powerhouse, the Master System. SEGA Master System: A Visual Compendium is a hefty, 432 page slab of nostalgia that highlights a strong portion of the Master System software library.
Theme Hospital spiritual successor Two Point Hospital is breaking away from PC exclusivity to come to PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch later in 2019. Coming bundled with its 2 expansion packs, this version of Two Point Hospital is being released both digitally and physically. Check out the reveal trailer by clicking below:
Two Point Hospital was the first development from Two Point who feature ex-Bullfrog staff Mark Webley and Gary Carr.
SEGA has confirmed that Columns 2: The Voyage Through Time will be the next game to join the SEGA AGES lineup. Notably, this is the first time the game has ever seen a release in the West – it was previously exclusive to Japanese arcades and a JP-only Saturn compilation.
The game’s standard modes, Flash Columns and Vs Columns, will have you clearing puzzle stages and battling it out for Columns supremacy with a friend, respectively. In addition, new rulesets and Netplay have been added, plus a new mode – Endless Columns, which simply challenges you to get the best score. One particularly surprising addition for this release though – Columns 1! The well-known Mega Drive version of the original game will actually be included in this release, though modified a bit – there’s no multiplayer, as it’s based on a version of Columns produced by M2 for a Japan-only Yakuza 0 PSP app. Talk about deep cuts.
One last cool tidbit is that beating Flash Columns stages in this release will actually unlock content for an in-game art gallery. Here, you can unlock the art used for the characters in the SEGA AGES intros to view at your leisure, as well as profiles for the characters.
On the whole, the beefed up content in this port has certainly put it on our radar – going off previous releases, it’ll probably be released next week in Japan. No news for the West, but again based on the other titles of late, it’ll probably be released alongside Space Harrier in the future.
Original Streets of Rage composers Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima will return to the franchise to work on the soundtrack for Streets of Rage 4.
This time around they’re brought some friends. Contributions to the soundtrack will also be done by Hideki Naganuma of Jet Set Radio fame, Yoko Shimomura of Street Fighter II fame and Keiji Yamagishi of Ninja Gaiden fame.
A fascinating little behind the scenes video has also gone live on Dotemu’s YouTube channel where you can watch the composers themselves discuss their music. Check it out below:
Streets of Rage 4 is currently being developed by Lizardcube and Guard Crush Games. No release dates or systems have been revealed at this time, but the game was demoed on a PC last month at Bitsummit.
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