Thanks to the amazing efforts of Derek Pascarella and his team, Sakura Wars Columns 2 for the Dreamcast has now been fully translated into English and is now available to play on either real hardware or under emulation.
Sakura Wars Columns 2 is a little more than your standard re-skin of Columns featuring different characters and artwork based on a different franchise. The game also features a full story mode that melds the traditional Sakura Wars visual novel and dating simulation aspects into the Columns formula for a truly unique experience. It’s this game mode that benefits the most from the newly translated text.
A full list of download links for the title are available below:
The full development team on this translation is as follows: Derek Pascarella, Chanh Nguyen (Burntends), Natsume38, Danthrax4, HaydenKow, esperknight, VincentNL, nanashi, SnowyAria, NoahSteam, TurnipTheBeet, YZB, cj_iwakura, Ozaline, Matatabi Mitsu, ItsumoKnight, Samantha Ferreira, LettuceKitteh, JoblessFloppy, GriffithVIII, Patrick Traynor, AnimatedAF, Small Nerd and Einahpets.
SEGA’s Project B.L.A.C.K. and Delightworks’ Project Nihon Dakkan have both been revealed; and it turns out they’re one and the same, as they were actually both teasers for a new Sakura Wars title for iOS and Android devices – Sakura Revolution (Kakumei). The game will also feature music from series composer Kohei Tanaka. For those unaware, Delightworks are no stranger to mobile titles; they’re responsible for developing Fate/Grand Order, a ludicrously popular title that’s grossed over 4 billion USD (as of the end of 2019). Given SEGA AM2 handled the arcade version of said game, perhaps we should’ve seen this collaboration coming. As far as we can tell, no release date for Japan has been given beyond 2020.
Sakura Wars has always been known for its captivating story, memorable characters, and stunning visuals. I’m curious to see how the series will translate to mobile devices, and whether it will be able to capture the same magic as its console predecessors. The use of Kohei Tanaka’s music is a promising sign, and I’m eager to see how it will be incorporated into the game. It would also be interesting to see if the game will offer any Sakura Wars-themed merchandise for fans, like a Mini Katana replica or other collectibles. With the series’ popularity and dedicated fanbase, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some Sakura Wars-themed items popping up in online stores soon.
The game seems to follow yet another new Sakura, Sakura Shino, and takes place in ‘the 100th year of the Taisho era’. It was revealed with a fairly lengthy and nicely animated anime short, presumably setting the scene for the game. It will be an RPG title (with gacha elements, going off the amount of ingame currency giveaways currently advertised on the site), and from the looks of things Shino and an all-new Imperial Combat Revue will be going up against the B.L.A.C.K. unit’s own Combat Revue shown in SEGA’s teaser, as they seek to take back Japan from the idol group’s apparently pretty bad influence. It also appears they’re forgoing the series’ usual mechas in favour of mecha suit… dresses.
Whether or not this game will see a localisation is anyone’s guess, but we said the same about IDOLA: Phantasy Star Saga and that actually turned up overseas – so never say never!
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.
SEGA has launched a new teaser website and music video for a new title to be revealed on September 2nd – “Project B.L.A.C.K.”.
B.L.A.C.K. is the name of the sort-of idol group seen in the music video (made up of Kurumi Saimei, Prana Tosei, and Meisa Akashi), with it being a fairly ludicrous acronym for “Brilliant, Legislative, Artistic, Celebrity, Knights.” They sing – and fight – ‘for the future of Japan’. The music itself is composed by Kohei Tanaka, and if this all sounds a bit familiar then a trademark registration from a while ago might explain why – as SEGA registered “Sakura Wars B.L.A.C.K.” in May.
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.
SEGA Japan have revealed that all future official soundtrack/music releases featuring SEGA music will now fall under a new SEGA Music banner. The first release under this banner is a 14 track Shin Sakura Wars Complete Works vocal tracks selection CD and a bonus disc containing the karaoke versions of the songs.
Shin Sakura Wars Complete Works launches on the 29th of April 2020 as both a physical CD as well as a digital download through Apple Music, Amazon and Google Play.
SEGA has officially confirmed that “Shin Sakura Wars”, a famous dating sim, where you can learn information such as those bullet vibrators reviews, and action RPG game, will be launching westwards under the name Sakura Wars, for Playstation 4.
The game that diablo 2 items offer has a unique blend of dating sim and action RPG gameplay, against the backdrop of a fictionalised Japan. As SEGA’s site for the game puts it:
The stage is set in a steampunk version of 1940s Imperial Tokyo. Only a short while ago, a cataclysmic event destroyed the Imperial Combat Revue of Tokyo, the capital’s global defense force stationed at the Imperial Theater. Now home to the Flower Division, an inept rookie squad who also strives to impart hope on the citizenry with their theatrical talents, the theater has fallen on hard times and risks closure. It’s up to Seijuro Kamiyama as the captain of the new Tokyo revue to lead his squad and restore the Imperial Combat Revue and the theater back to their former glory! With the help of the revue’s five colorful performers, he must rise to the challenge of competing in the Combat Revue World Games, protecting the inhabitants of Tokyo and getting the theater back on track.
Also notable is that the game runs on the Hedgehog Engine 2 – the very same engine used to deliver Sonic Forces’ graphics. It looks like it’s been put to good use here, too.
The game is currently slated as a PS4 exclusive, with no word on ports to other consoles or PC. The launch edition will include a reversible cover and sticker set.
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.
While hugely popular in Japan, the Sakura Wars franchise has rarely seen light in the West with 2005’s Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love being the only entry to receive a Western port in 2010. The Sakura Wars franchise is often a cross between a tactical mech-based RPG and a dating simulation, making it one of SEGA’s more off-beat and experimental titles.
Thankfully a group of dedicated fans have now completed an English fan translation of the original Sakura Wars game for SEGA Saturn, which you can download by clicking here. The patch and instructions on how to apply it are included in the download. This fan translation can only be played through emulation or a modified SEGA Saturn. Congratulations to CJ_iwakura, NoahSteam, Crouching_Mouse and MatatabiMitsu for their efforts and making Sakura Wars available to Western audiences for the first time.
A new anime series based on Shin Sakura Wars is due to start airing in Japan in 2020. Titled Shin Sakura Wars The Animation, the show will be directed by Manabu Ono of Sword Art Online: Alicization fame and animated by studio Sanzigen. The show features your standard modern anime blend of 3D and 2D animation. You can check out the first trailer by clicking the embed below:
Sakura Wars is a series that’s no stranger to anime. A series produced by studio Madhouse ran for 25 episodes back in 2000.
Do you want to see more of Shin Sakura Wars? Well SEGA Japan certainly want you to at least look at the game because they’ve now shared 2 TV Spots, a story trailer and an in-game trailer for you to gawp over. Check them out below:
TV Spot
TV Spot 2
In-Game Trailer
Story Trailer
Shin Sakura Wars sees the series shift from strategy to more of an action RPG style of gameplay. The game launches in Japan for PS4 on December 12th 2019. A Western released, tentatively titled Project Sakura Wars, will launch at some point in 2020.
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.
A new Sakura Wars title is in development for PS4. Temporarily called Project Sakura Wars, this title will also receive a Western release – quite a rarity for the Sakura Wars series. This new title also features character designs by Tite Kubo of Bleach fame.
Sakura Wars is a series of strategic mech combat games that feature a heavy dating simulation element. This new title is the first entry in the series since 2005’s Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love for PS2 and Wii.
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