Model 2 Digital Collection Review

AM2 continues their high quality digital remasters with a set based on SEGA’s revolutionary Model 2 arcade hardware. Yu Suzuki, the head of SEGA’s AM2 studio helped create the platform in the early 1990s using incredibly sophisticated military technology. This allowed for not just higher quality visuals through 3D models and textures, but more effective controls and artificial intelligence to a scale thought completely improbable for the time.

As iconic and important the hardware was to video games, each game released in this digital Model 2 collection has only ever seen improper ports due to the power of home platforms at the time being far below what the games required, such as the SEGA Saturn. This current set of releases features the legendary Virtua Fighter 2, the wacky Fighting Vipers and Sonic the Fighters, one of the most obscure Sonic the Hedgehog games of all time.

NiGHTS Into Dreams is now available on Steam

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.

[Source: Steam]

SEGA Vintage Collection Vol. 4: ToeJam & Earl Review

With the release the fourth volume of SEGA’s new series of game compilations, appropriately titled the SEGA Vintage Collection, two more classic titles for the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive are now available — the funktastic co-operative games ToeJam and Earl and its sequel, ToeJam & Earl: Panic on Funkotron. After the break, we’ve included a basic overview of these titles and our general thoughts on them.

Jet Set Radio (HD) Review

Date Released: Fall 2012
Date Reviewed: December 5, 2012
Genre: 3D Platformer
Players: 1 Player
Length: 7 hours for main game, 25+ for extra content
Replayability: Very good

—————————————————

Introduction

Jet Set Radio is the unique 2000 platforming game where players take control of a rebellious group of spray-painting, rollerblading teenagers who intend on seperating the government’s corrupt and overblown power over the people of a fictional variation of a futuristic Tokyo, Japan called Tokyo-to. Originally available on the SEGA Dreamcast, Jet Set Radio has gone on to only have one true sequel, but a strong cult following and has been featured in references and cameos in several unrelated games. This modern high definition version is one of SEGA’s highest quality re-releases of all their past titles to date.

Virtua Fighter 2, Fighting Vipers, and Sonic the Fighters now available on XBLA and PSN

The first three games in SEGA’s collection of Model 2 arcade games is available now on the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. The three games available now are:

• Virtua Fighter 2
• Fighting Vipers
• Sonic the Fighters

Each game is developed by the iconic AM2 studio and as these titles imply, they are all in the fighting game genre. All games are hardware-perfect ports of the originals, but all include features spanning new secret characters, the ability to select updated or downgraded arcade releases, and of course online play. Unlike their original announcements, each game is priced at $5 USD (400 Microsoft Points on XBLA).

The games will also become available on the European PSN on December 5th, while Virtual-On and Virtua Striker, which are also part of this collection, will be released early next year.

Included after the break is the trailer for all of the released and upcoming games in the Model 2 collection.

ToeJam & Earl 1 and 2 available on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network

ToeJam & Earl and ToeJam & Earl: Panic on Funkotron have both been released on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 online stores. Both games, originally available on the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive in the early 1990s now have new content and features such as online co-op added by M2, who created the high quality ports of titles like Monster World IV and The Revenge of Shinobi earlier this year.

The first in the series is especially unique as a top down rougue-like where players can split up to explore pre-made or randomized environments either by oneself or co-operatively with a friend. The sequel is a side-scrolling platformer that focuses more on character interactions, but is still based around collecting and optional, but recommended two player gameplay.

On PlayStation Network each title is sold individually for 5 USD. On Xbox Live Arcade both games are sold together in a bundle with the name SEGA Vintage Collection: ToeJam & Earl and costs 800 Microsoft Points, or rather 10 USD.

Pier Solar HD upgrade on Kickstarter

A complete high definition remake of the recent indie RPG Genesis/Mega Drive title Pier Solar and the Great Architects has been added to the Kickstarter pledging platform. If successful, developer WaterMelon plans releases on not just the Xbox 360’s Xbox Live Arcade, PC, Mac and Linux, but also the SEGA Dreamcast. Concepts, new art and more have all been detailed for what this new version will have are listed on the Kickstarter page.

Originally started in June of 2004, Pier Solar and the Great Architects was completed in early 2011 and was made available for the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive and SEGA CD consoles. It is especially unique in that it had a 64 meg cartridge – Officially making it the largest game on the console ever. It is also the first ever game on the platform to optionally utilize both the cartridge slot and the SEGA CD add-on at the same time.

[Source: Pier Solar HD Kickstarter page via Official Site]

New DLC available for Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit

New downloadable content has been made available for Arkedo Studio’s offbeat platformer Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit. The DLC, which is available in two separate packs, adds a wide variety of brand new content to the game, which was released earlier this month. The first of these two packs, called the Virtual Rabbit Missions, adds 50 new challenges to the game. These missions are time-based and task the player with defeating all of the monsters in a given level in as little time as possible, with a particular focus on speed and efficiency. The second, aptly titled the Pimp My Rabbit Pack, adds over 70 unique items to the game with which the player can customize look of the titular dead rabbit, Ash. Interesting to note is that some of these items make reference to a number of different SEGA games and series, including Shenmue, Golden Axe, and Skies of Arcadia, among others. All of these and more can be seen in the game’s DLC trailer, which we’ve included after the break.

Both packs are available on PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3, Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360, and on Steam for Windows. Virtual Rabbit Missions can be purchased for $4.99, AUD $7.75, £3.69, €4.49 on PlayStation 3 and Steam or 400 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360, while the Pimp My Rabbit Pack can be purchased for $2.99, AUD $4.25, £1.99, €2.49 on PlayStation 3 and Steam or 240 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360.

Five SEGA Model 2 arcade games announced for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network

Five classic arcade titles have all been announced at the same time for the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network download platforms. They include:

-Virtua Fighter 2
-Fighting Vipers
-Sonic the Fighters
-Virtua Striker
-Cyber Troopers: Virtual-On

All five of these games were created on the revolutionary SEGA Model 2 arcade hardware that was first released to the public in 1993 with Daytona USA, which was released to both download platforms late last year. Each one of these games is also developed by SEGA AM2 with the exception of Virtual-On, which was by SEGA AM3. The only game in the lineup that is not a fighting game is Virtua Striker, which is a soccer game.

Although each release will include new features — such as online play — every game is intended to play exactly like their arcade counterpart, which is especially notable for Virtua Fighter 2 and Fighting Vipers, as they have only ever been converted into similar products. Even more surprising, the highly obscure Sonic the Fighters will include Metal Sonic, Dr Robotnik and Honey the Cat (an animal version of Honey/Candy from Fighting Vipers) as playable characters that were not previously accessible without hacking.

The first three games listed will be made available for download this fall. Each will be 10 USD (800 Microsoft Points on Xbox 360), but a deal across both consoles will allow players to purchase all three titles together for 15 USD (1200 Microsoft Points). Virtua Striker and Virtual-On will be released some time next year.

Included after the break is the reveal trailer and official Japanese website.

Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit available for download

The brand new action-adventure Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit is now available for download on Steam for Windows, as well as on Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 and on Sony’s PlayStation Network for PlayStation 3. Hell Yeah! is, in it’s own words, crazy, over the top, and completely absurd, both in its story, presentation, and gameplay, which sees Ash, the resident dead rabbit and Prince of Hell, on a quest to save face after a scandalous photograph is taken of him during a bath with his favorite rubber ducky and posted on the ‘Hellternet’, which garners over 100 page views. Ash then decides to do what comes naturally to him and opts to kill every single monster in a variety of ridiculous ways before word of his secret obsession gets out. The ways in which the player ultimately kills these monsters is unique, and one of the game’s most bizarre and interesting gameplay mechanics, as they engage in timing-based minigames, similar to those seen in Nintendo’s WarioWare series of games, which have a similar tone to that of Hell Yeah. It’s core gameplay revolves around platforming and exploration, with player gaining access to new items and abilities as they progress through ten large worlds.

A trial version of the game is available on Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network, which features the first world of the game. It’s also worth noting that those who pre-purchase Hell Yeah! on Steam will receive ten free games as part of the Classic SEGA Platform Collection, which includes Comix Zone, Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle, Kid Chameleon, Ristar, Decap Attack, Flicky, Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair, Gunstar Heroes, Dynamite Headdy, and Wonder Boy in Monster World, also available on Steam.

After the break, be sure to check out the game’s launch trailer.