The high-definition remastering of Sonic Team’s classic title for the SEGA Saturn, NiGHTS Into Dreams, is now available for Windows PC on Steam. This updated version of the game, which was released for Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 and Sony’s PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3 earlier this year, features enhanced visuals and full support for widescreen displays, as well as new online features including leaderboards and achievement support on Steam. This version also includes a faithful port of the unaltered SEGA Saturn version, as well as several bonus features including art and cinematics from the game. Also included with this version is a port of Christmas NiGHTS, a special version of the game that came bundled with some SEGA Saturn consoles in December of 1996, which features a two complete levels, as well as a number of extra features and content, including new music, art, and game modes all themed around the revelries of the Christmas season.
Sonic Team’s NiGHTS into Dreams… and Sonic Adventure 2 will both be available for download on the Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 and PlayStation Network on PlayStation 3 this week with PC versions for both titles being released at an unknown future date. Across all platforms, both games will cost 10 USD (800 Microsoft Points).
Originally released on the SEGA Saturn, NiGHTS into Dreams… was a flagship release on the platform and received critical acclaim for it’s unique take on the platforming genre and the amount of replay value it offered based on it’s scoring mechanics. This modern version of the game is based on the obscure PlayStation 2 port, which was only released in Japan. It features some of the extra content from the demonstrative Christmas NiGHTS and includes newly created higher resolution models and textures.
Sonic Adventure 2 was one of the last major releases on the Dreamcast and was ported to GameCube as Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, one of SEGA’s earliest games on a Nintendo platform. Additional purchasable content for multiplayer will also be available for the game, but it is unknown if that will be playable online.
The SEGA AGES 2500 PlayStation 2 release of SEGA’s arcade classic ‘beat em up’ Dynamite Deka is now available on the PlayStation 3 for download on the Japanese PlayStation Store for 800 yen.
Titled Die Hard Arcade (after the popular 20th Century Fox film series) in many regions, this version of the game features updated graphics and various additional features, such as a mode where the characters are replaced by the cast of Golden Axe or Altered Beast and a digital remake of Periscope, one of SEGA’s earliest ever arcade experiences.
Unlikely to be released outside of Asian regions, interested players are able to purchase and play it regardless of their PlayStation 3’s region with a Japanese PlayStation Network account and with yen added to their account through purchasable ‘Point cards’. Several import sites exist that email the point card’s code, meaning those previously unprepared should not have to worry about shipping costs or dates. It is also worth noting that although very little of the English language is used in the game, the menu layouts and designs are simplistic, meaning those who do not read or speak Japanese should have little trouble navigating the game.
SEGA have revealed a high definition remastering of the classic SEGA Saturn title ‘NiGHTS into Dreams…‘ for the Xbox Live Arcade on Xbox 360, PlayStation Network on PlayStation 3 and Steam for Windows PC. An undetailed ‘Saturn Mode’ is the only addition mentioned with the announcement, but the expected online leaderboards, as well as achievements and trophy support will be included. Little overall is expected to be altered as the original took full advantage of analog controls and was one of the first home console video games to feature a widescreen display.
Initially developed by Sonic Team, NiGHTS was a flagship release for the Saturn console. Before now it was only otherwise available in Japan on PlayStation 2, confusingly not part of the SEGA AGES 2500 series. This newest release will be available for download sometime in the Fall.
We have included the announcement trailer after the break.
SEGA Rally Championship is the 1994/1995 arcade rally racing classic developed by SEGA-AM5 and later ported by SEGA-AM3 to the Saturn console and eventually several other platforms. Designed by Tetsuya Mizuguchi, whom would go on to later create and be best known for several music-focused titles such as Space Channel 5, REZ and Child of Eden. A different style entirely, SEGA Rally Championship was no different by the importance of it’s music as the soundtrack was assembled to best emulate the frantic and unpredictable nature of the world of rally racing.
This time we will we will be listening to the song featured in Desert, the first course of SEGA Rally Championship. Included after the break are several remixes across various platforms.
Recent research by the leading third-party authority on the Clockwork Knight franchise has revealed a rare fact to the SEGA fandom. The toy knight known only as Sir Ginger is playable in the Japan-only compilation Clockwork Knight Fukubukuro. This SEGA Saturn game’s additional content makes it worthy of any importer’s collection and it should be sought after for a complete Clockwork Knight experience.
Below are instructions on how to activate Sir Ginger, as well as a gameplay demonstration of Sir Ginger’s abilities.
Date Released: October 12, 2011 Date Reviewed: October 20, 2011 Genre: Side Scrolling Fighting with Role Playing elements Players: 1-2 Players in story, up to 12 Players in multiplayer battles Length: 20-40 minutes in each playthrough Replayability: Excellent
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Introduction
Guardian Heroes is the 1996 side scrolling fighting game developed by the heralded Treasure Co for SEGA’s Saturn game console and recently released with mostly optional upgrades through the ‘Remix Mode’ on Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade service for Xbox 360. Designed to play as a fast action game in the typically much slower adventure role playing setting, the title succeeds in making a chaotic yet accessible arcade styled game that offers a lot of charm, depth and replay incentives.
The SEGA Source 