Sega Archives

You’re currently viewing the SEGA news archives, filled with wonderful rants, gems, rambles, and other assorted written works of confusion about SEGA games. In all seriousness, it’s mostly news and updates on the SEGA section of the site with a few editorials sprinkled in for good measure.

Go to Local Ditch Gaming – Club SEGA.

Sonic CD Returns

Tails in Sonic CD

Sonic CD, notably absent from recent Sonic compilations, is being made available on most major digital distribution platforms.
Via SEGA Blog.

UK:R Closes

Sega blog UK:Resistance is down for the count. Sad to see it go, but it was probably time.
Via UK:Resistance.

Outrun Dreamin’

Sega's original Outrun game.

Warm weather, convertibles, girls, palm trees, fast cars, sandy beaches, more cars, the ocean, tons of highway, blue skies… What could it be? California, of course. And what game reminds me of California more than any other? Outrun.

January. The coldest month of the year for the middle of the eastern half of the US. Living here nearly all of my life has made me expect a few things out of this month: snow, cold, ice, sunsets at 5:20, overcast skies, heavy coats, scarves, dead trees, dead grass, cars powdered with road salts, snow tires…

So, it’s much to my happy surprise to find that I’m shipped off to southern California for a couple of weeks in January.

Two things immediately stick out: The weather is great. And the traffic is horrible. (more…)

Virtually There

Virtual On Arcade Cabinet

Out in California, on the opposite side of the US, and what do I happen across? Something I thought I may never see in person: an authentic Virtual On arcade cabinet.

In a semi-random situation, I found myself on the opposite side of the US for the past couple of weeks, and somehow I ended up at the Redondo Beach Pier outside of LA. Little did I know that when I stumbled upon the “Fun Fish Market & Restaurant,” that I’d actually be wandering into an awesome arcade. The place definitely looked the part; Unlike the glitzy sheen of the neon-coated GameWorks and Dave & Busters of today, the dim lighting and concrete floors felt a tad grimy and very well-worn.

So, I perused the place, and in a corner, found some retro machines with classics like Centipede, Galactica, Tempest, and Mortal Kombat. It was definitely worth a quarter to play the original MK, which unfortunately my brain had completely forgotten over the years. The result: Sub-Zero kicked my ass.

I was afraid I spent my quarter too soon, though, when I ran into an arcade rarity: a Virtual On machine

This may be the first time that I’ve ever seen one in person. I checked my pocket and, lucky me, there were enough quarters left for the ultra-expensive, 50-cent Virtual On. I sat down, adjusted the seat, leaned back, grabbed the twinsticks and hit Start.

Virtuaroid… Apharmd, of course.

Now, it’s time to get down to business. The twinsticks on this game seem very natural, and after a couple of seconds, I was jump cancelling like nobody’s business… because I soon realized that the right trigger was broken. Shit. I’ve only the bomb to work with? No melee attacks? No shotgun?

Sucks, but I managed to beat Temjin, and was well on my way to taking out Viper II via clock stoppage until I got cocky. Damn, I wish Sega had made more of these machines.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (Demo)

Loop-de-loops in Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

After years of Sega announcing that Sonic has returned to his roots, it finally happens. Sonic’s back in a solo 2D platforming adventure, but despite the appearance, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 seems lacking.

Sonic the Hedgehog, I like to remember you in your glory years. Your original Genesis games are some of the best sidescrollers I’ve ever played. The sheer size of Sonic 3 and Knuckles is amazing.

The Saturn years were rough. Sonic 3D Blast was probably a sign that the end was in sight. The Dreamcast’s Sonic Adventure was the series’ last hurrah. Blazing fast Sonic levels, an exploration hub, big stories with different points of view told from each character – it all really created an experience. (more…)

Rez HD

8, 7, 6... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Rez.

That game called Rez finally gets the mass availability that it deserves on the Xbox 360. In this rundown, The Local ditch checks out the new features to see if Rez HD is a worthy release.

Rez, Sega’s techno shooter tale of self-awareness and kinesthesia, saw a limited release on the Dreamcast and PS2 in 2001. In 2008, mass availability finally happened when the game arrived on Xbox Live and was later packed with Lumines Live and E4 in the Qubed set.

I like Rez. Rez is still Rez. Rez is still good. The selling point, of course, is that the game is in HD, with enhanced resolutions and a 5.1 channel mix. No doubt, the additions complement the game. The sharper images give the Tron-like world a nice clarity, while extra effects, like bloom, help push the game’s visuals over the top. (more…)

Dreamcast Collection

Rumor has it that SEGA may be creating a Dreamcast collection for release on the XBOX 360 and PS3 consoles.
Via Fudzilla.