Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed review (All versions)

Date Released: Winter 2012 for most versions
Date Reviewed: February 17, 2013
Genre: 3D Party Racer
Players: 1-4 players locally (up to 5 on Wii U), 10 online
Length: 3-30 minutes per event, 12-25 hours to unlock all content
Replayability: High

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Introduction

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is the sequel to 2010’s crossover party racer Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing. Not simply a basic sequel, the game focuses around the concept of vehicles that change during the race to traverse over land, water and the sky with a few courses that even head through lava or outer space. Presented as kid-friendly but designed to be enjoyable for all ages, Transformed is a quality racer for fans of SEGA and the genre. Difficult but not unfair, the game succeeds in making a unique and fun game for groups online or off, but somewhat sloppy direction and awkward marketing attempts keep it from becoming a true classic.

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.

Aliens: Colonial Marines Extermination edition announced for UK

United Kingdom-based video game retailer GAME is currently stocking an exclusive special version of Gearbox’s upcoming first-person shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines for Windows PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3. Extermination edition, as it is called, will include several pieces of bonus content for those who pre-order the game, including multiplayer characters, weapons, weapon upgrades, and several items used for player customization. Playable characters available with the Extermination edition include Gunnery Sergeant Apone, Corporal Hicks, and Privates Hudson and Drake from the film Aliens, on which the story of Colonial Marines is based. Other bonuses include two weapons, a flamethrower and a sawed-off double barrel shotgun, additional items that can be used to customize the appearance of the player’s Marine, and a ‘Gear Upgrade Boost’, which will give players early access to high-end equipment and upgrades for their weapons. It is currently unknown whether or not this edition of the game will see release elsewhere in the world, or if this content will become available for download at a later date.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will be released worldwide on February 12th, 2013 for Windows PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and later for Wii U, as well as for OnLive cloud computing services.

[Source: Game]

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed now available for PlayStation Vita

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed has finally been made available for Sony’s PlayStation Vita handheld after initial delays in production caused it’s release to be pushed back. Developed by Sumo Digital across all platforms, this version of the game retains all of the features of its console counterparts, save for the number of racers per race, which has been downsized to eight from the console version’s ten. A version for Nintendo’s 3DS is also slated for release on February 8th in Europe and February 12th in the United, while versions for Microsoft Windows and iOS are also planned, but have yet to been given release dates. Also of note is that if any is version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is purchased through all GameStop retailers (including pre-orders for the 3DS version) will come bundled with an exclusive Hot Wheels toy car modeled after Danica Patrick’s ‘Danicar’ vehicle from the game.

After the break, we’ve included the launch trailer released for the game back in November.

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

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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.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed out now

Sumo Digital’s latest arcade racing title, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, is now available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and Wii U in North America and Europe. The sequel to 2010’s Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, Transformed brings a myriad of new changes and additions to the series, with the most notable feature being the dynamic transformations of the game’s vehicles, which allows them seamlessly race on land, sea, and air. Transformed also assembles an all-star cast of characters from across SEGA’s long history, with several newcomers entering the fray, including Joe Musashi from Shinobi and Vyse from Skies of Arcadia. In addition, two guest characters from non-SEGA properties make an appearance on the game’s playable roster, those being auto racer Danica Patrick of NASCAR fame and the character Ralph from the 2012 Walt Disney film Wreck-It Ralph, which features several cameos of SEGA characters including Sonic the Hedgehog and the zombies from The House of the Dead.

Those who pre-ordered the game will receive a special ‘Bonus Edition’ of the title, which includes an extra course modeled after SEGA’s hit arcade driving game OutRun, as well as Metal Sonic from Sonic CD as a playable character. In addition to its release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Transformed will also be released for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita on December 7th in Europe and on December 11th in North America. Versions for Microsoft Windows and iOS are also planned, but currently do not have release dates.

Be sure to check out the game’s launch trailer after the break.

Jet Set Radio available for PlayStation Vita this week, mobile versions late November

The high definition upgraded version of Jet Set Radio will finally be available for PlayStation Vita users this week for download on the PlayStation Network. It was previously released this fall on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Steam for Windows PC.

Originally launched in 2000 on the SEGA Dreamcast, Jet Set Radio was praised for it’s unique take on the platforming genre, along with it’s graphical style and soundtrack, most of which is included in this version. Modern alterations, such as new camera controls and achievements/trophies have been added, the Vita release includes even more functions, such as optional touch-based spraying.

In addition, Android and iOS versions of the game will be released at the end of month. Jet Set Radio is available on all platforms for $10 USD, the title is set to be the first free game on PlayStation Vita for PlayStation Plus subscribers.