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.
UPDATE 19/07/18 – Additional information has now been released on the first two titles.
Sonic 1’s added features include a Spin Dash toggle, a Ring Keep Mode for beginners, the Mega Play arcade version, and two Time Attack modes – a full Mega Play run, and a Green Hill Act 1 run, seemingly based on the Mikado Arcade’s speedrunning challenge. By far one of the coolest additions however, is that Sonic Mania’s Drop Dash is being added to the game!
Thunder Force IV meanwhile adds the Styx Mode, previously exclusive to Saturn. However it will also include online leaderboards and a Kids Mode to make the game less punishing. There also seems to be an option to reduce slowdown, which can affect the game’s difficulty.
ORIGINAL POST
The first two titles in the new SEGA AGES line for Nintendo Switch, Sonic the Hedgehog and Thunder Force IV, have been confirmed for an August release by Famitsu. Previously, SEGA has stated the titles will receive a worldwide release – so unless things have changed, we’ll be getting them in the West next month too.
Coming from porting wizards M2, SEGA AGES is as of now set to include a range of SEGA Mega Drive, SEGA Master System and Arcade titles. Currently confirmed titles are Sonic the Hedgehog, Thunder Force IV, Phantasy Star, Gain Ground, and Alex Kidd in Miracle World. M2 has also stated they’d like to expand to later SEGA consoles – but that hinges on the sales of these titles, and is likely a very long way off.
These aren’t just standard ports however – for instance, Sonic 1 includes the Sonic 2 spin dash, a Ring Keep mode for beginners, and even the rare Arcade version of the game, from SEGA’s Mega Play unit. Thunder Force IV meanwhile features Styx Mode, which lets you use the ship from Thunder Force III – this feature was previously exclusive to a Japan-only Saturn collection!
Pricing is set to 999 JPY, which works out at about £6. A bit steeper than the previous 3DS ports, but likely justified by the added features over those ports. We’ll keep an eye out for any concrete updates on the Western release of these titles.
Two Point Hospital finally has a release date! The first game from ex-Bullfrog developers Mark Webley and Gary Carr and their new studio Two Point will launch on the 30th of August for PC.
You can visit the store page on Steam by clicking here or you can pre-order the game now and get a 10% discount to bring the price down to £22.49. If that sounds tempting then click here to pre-order.
Two Point Hospital follows the formula of Bullfrog’s own Theme Hospital and is promising to deliver a similar set of laughs and overall absurdity. One of the illnesses you have to cure is one that turns the infected’s head into a light bulb.
There’s also a new trailer to look at, so why not click the embed below?
Please note that we are currently in the process of reorganising the SEGA Book Catalogue so that every entry now has its own page on the website. The landing page where you can browse the various books is currently under construction and might look a little weird at the moment, but we are working to resolve this as soon as possible.
In one of the most bizarre discoveries of recent memory, it turns out you can greatly improve the enemy AI in the PC version of Aliens: Colonial Marines by fixing a typo.
This can all be done with a quick edit in the PecanEngine.ini file. A modder on Moddb explains the process:
A new update will be coming soon with this change included, however after getting reports back from several players on how much this effects the game, I just had to post it now
Inside your games config file (My Document\My Games\Aliens Colonial Marines\PecanGame\Config\PecanEngine.ini) is the following line of code :
If you fix it to look like the above and then play the game, the difference is pretty crazy!
Why is this line important? There are two reasons :
1) AttachXenoToTeather doesn’t do anything. Its basically empty or stripped
2) AttachPawnToTether does ALOT. It controls tactical position adjustment, patrolling and target zoning
When a Xeno is spawned, it is attached to a zone tether. This zone tells the Xeno what area is its fighting space and where different exits are. In Combat, a Xeno will be forced to switch to a new tether (such as one behind you) so as to flank, or disperse so they aren’t so grouped up etc. (*disclaimer* this is inferred opinion, I cant see the actual code only bits)
Whenever the game tried to do this, nothing happened. Now it does!
So if you fancy a dip back into Aliens: Colonial Marines and own the PC release, you can now play a considerably more challenging version of the game with this quick fix.
The Sonic Amateur Games Expo is returning this year, but a little later than usual. The event will run from August 25th to Septmeber 1st and registration is now open. Got a Sonic fan game you’d like to showcase? Then head on over to Sonic Retro and read the submission guidelines.
The SAGE organisers are also putting together an event trailer so if you want your game featured in it, send a 10 second clip of your game to the official SAGE email address – sageentry[at]gmail.com
If you want to keep track of all the SAGE 2018 news then head over to the SAGE Twitter and give it a follow. A kick-off livestream will also take place on the SAGE YouTube on August 24th and 6pm CDT (12am BST).
Hot on the heels of Read-Only Memory’s Mega Drive/Genesis and Dreamcast Collected Works books, the company are now running a Kickstarter to fund a pop-up book featuring SEGA arcade cabinets. Called SEGA Arcade: Pop-Up History, this new book promises 5 pop-up cardboard sculptures of famous SEGA arcade games and their cabinets, with additional notes that chart the history of each machine.
The Kickstarter version of the book will feature an exclusive foil, embossed cover that will be replaced with a printed cover design if the book makes it to later editions.
If you’re interested in securing a copy of this rather unique little piece of SEGA merchandise then you can by backing the Kickstarter which will run from now until August 9th 2018. The book is currently scheduled to ship in April 2019.
In a surprise announcement, Shenmue I & II for PS4, PC and Xbox One will release earlier than expected, on August 21st 2018. You can check out a new trailer showing the games in action below:
As previously revealed, Shenmue I & II will feature an updated user interface, a choice of classic or modern controls, both Japanese and English game audio and fully scalable resolutions. The collection will release for PS4, PC and Xbox One on the 21st of August 2018. Pre-orders are available now with a 10% discount on all digital platforms. The first print of the game will also come with a double-sided poster and a reversible cover.
An unreleased prototype version of Castlevania: The New Generation has been leaked online. Also known as Castlevania Bloodlines, this prototype features some noticeable differences from the final Mega Drive game:
– Black title screen with longer intro
– Title screen says “1P PRESS START” suggesting the possibility of a 2P mode
– Different mermen
– Different wolf boss
– Music restarts every time you enter a room
– Layout changes
– The inside part of the second half of stage 1 has no background
– The outside part has a light blue background and the falling bone bridge portion is more difficult
– The knight boss’ sprite is different
– The stage 2 water is different
The ROM can be downloaded from the Castlevania Dungeon forums and originates with a user called @TheCount#5993 in the CVDungeon discord.
Sam Dyer and Bitmap Books have returned to Kickstarter to crowdfund a new visual compendium, but this time around it’s the publisher’s first foray into a SEGA system. Bitmap Books are now seeking funding to help create SEGA Master System: A Visual Compendium. The book will be officially licensed by SEGA.
As with previous books in the series, the SEGA Master System compendium will feature large features and interviews with a range of developers and artists, as well as double-page spreads on specific games with accompanying text.
Bitmap Books are looking to crowdfund £50,000 to create and produce the SEGA Master System compendium, and the Kickstarter campaign will be running until the 31st of July. There are various bonus items you can get in the various Kickstarter tiers, so why not head over the Kickstarter page right now and have a look?
Each physical book also comes with a custom bookmark and a set of anaglyph 3D glasses which can be used in conjunction with certain pages that are printed to make use of the 3D glasses; a nice little nod to the Master System’s own 3-D Glasses.
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