What is the greatest arcade game ever made? If you said anything besides Crazy Taxi, you would be wrong. For many years, Sega’s taxi sim has been one of the first things you should look for when entering an arcade. Arcades are a dying breed, however, and you need to get your Crazy Taxi fix. Until now, the game has only been available on game consoles, but it will soon be on everybody’s favorite mobile devices.
Sega announced today that Crazy Taxi will be launching on iOS devices – iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch – in the near future. They even shared a short teaser trailer that redefines the meaning of short:
The trailer is only 11 seconds long, but it does serve one very useful purpose. It confirms that the music from the original game is back. The recent rereleases of Crazy Taxi on game consoles removed the music from The Offspring and Bad Religion as Sega had lost the rights. It seems they got the rights back for the iOS release. Here’s hoping the games get updated on consoles to include the music as well.
It’s no secret that Sega has been hurting the past few years. A renewed focus on mobile is definitely going to help them make some cash as they work on major AAA console titles like next year’s Aliens: Colonial Marines. Speaking of Sonic, Sega also has a new Sonic game called Sonic Jump launching on iOS devices soon.
Crazy Taxi, Sonic Jump and whatever else they can cook up will hopefully make Sega one of the few traditional publishers to find success on iOS. These kind of games are perfect for the short gaming sessions that iOS gamers demand.
Sega is always a safe bet at E3. They never really try to hide anything and they are usually pretty open about what they’re going to show at the industry’s biggest trade event. To start up the hype, the company has announced the games that they will be showing at E3 2012 next week.
Since Sega has to show off a Sonic game every year, they have apparently chosen the sequel to the best kart racer this generation – Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. We previously covered the game back during its initial announcement. It looks like more of the same while adding in some new mechanics like transforming vehicles. It’s definitely one to watch for at the show.
Next up is Aliens: Colonial Marines. The oft-delayed title is finally coming out, but will be missing out this year in favor of a February 2012 launch. Gearbox says it’s for quality reasons, but I think it’s more about not wanting to compete with themselves. Gearbox will be launching the much anticipated Borderlands 2 later this year and Aliens: Colonial Marines could clash with that.
Sega hasn’t forgotten the Vita as the company will be showing off Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz for Sony’s new handheld. The title is reminiscent of Banana Blitz which was a Wii launch title. It’s looking a new title, but the developers seem to be pushing the Vita’s gyroscope for controls. You can thankfully play the game with the analog sticks though.
Even thought it was only recently announced last week, Sega will be showing off The Cave at this year’s E3. From our previous report on the title, you’ll know that it’s the new game from Ron Gilbert, creator of Monkey Island and general funny man, and Double Fine, Tim Schafer’s studio that’s currently also working on its Kickstarter funded adventure game.
One of the less known titles coming from Sega is Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit. If this game has not been on your radar, shame on you. It’s looking to be one of the most stylish 2D action/adventure games ever made. The name itself should automatically sell you on how awesome the game is.
Rounding out the list are two rereleases coming to Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. The first is Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown. For those who have already played more VF5 than you care to admit, this game will probably do nothing for you. For people new to the franchise, there’s never been a better time to jump into the most technical 3D fighter ever made.
As for the other rerelease, Sega will be showing off its HD remake of Jet Set Radio, one of the gems that really made the Dreamcast something special. Fortunately, Jet Set Radio will be coming to not only Xbox Live Arcade and PSN, but also PC and the Vita.
On a final note, Sega, like Nintendo, is really embracing the social media movement this year. That’s why the company has set up an Instagram account for E3. During the show, they encourage anybody that’s taking pictures of their games to post them to Instagram with their Twitter hashtag – #SegaE3.
The company has also created a foursquare account. Why foursquare? Sega claims they know food and want to help those in LA for E3 find the best food in town. If you check out their foursquare account, you’ll see Sega’s recommendations of the best food one can get while running around checking out the wares for the big show.
While we wont be in LA for E3, you can bet that we’ll be bringing you the biggest news from the show. Expect big things from all the major players and maybe even Sega will have a surprise or two. I doubt it, but I’ve been wrong before and I’m ready to be wrong again.
While everybody may just be starting up Diablo III, I’m going to be playing the next episode in Sonic the Hedgehog 4. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m more excited about Sega’s new 2D platformer than Blizzard’s hellish epic. Chalk it up to misplaced priorities or my boundless love for Torchlight II.
If you’re like me, you have reason to be excited. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II is launching today on PS3 and PC. It will be launching tomorrow on Xbox Live Arcade and iPhone on May 17. Android owners will have to wait until June. That’s a lot of platforms to get your Sonic on, but that just means more people will get to experience a game that looks better than its predecessor in every way.
The new episode brings Sonic’s longtime partner Miles “Tails” Prower along for the ride. This means that there will be some flying levels and co-op focused levels that utilize the powers of Tails to the fullest. We haven’t seen Tails being this useful since, well, never. There’s a time for everything and it’s finally Tails time to shine.
The one thing I was worried about, however, was the bosses. Sonic bosses have generally been kind of weak ever since Sonic and Knuckles, but it seems that big bosses are back on the menu. The examples shown in the launch trailer are absolutely massive.
On a side note, you should probably get Episode II on whatever platform you picked up Episode 1 on. This allows you to unlock Metal Sonic as a playable character in the original game as well as opening up four new levels. It’s a throwback to the connector technology in Sonic and Knuckles that allowed you to connect Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to for the complete game.
Check out the trailer below to see how awesome Sonic’s next adventure looks.
Sonic the Hedgehog games follow a certain pattern, regardless of being in 2D or 3D. They all feature Sonic and pals entering zones, reaching the end and collecting rings along the way. It’s a tried and true formula that has served the franchise well since Sonic’s introduction on the Genesis in 1991. It seems that formula is no longer good enough if certain rumors turn out to be true.
Sonic fan site TSSZ spoke to a source close to SEGA that said the company is exploring a Sonic reboot. He’s quick to point out that a reboot isn’t in development right now, but that Sonic Team is only exploring the details of a possible reboot. The team does have an idea that they are currently favoring over all the rest though.
The source claims that the current reboot in talks has the basic premise of Sonic remaining the same. “Anything and everything else is under review” though which includes established Sonic canon like the supporting cast, including Tails. It would be a reboot as its meant to be – getting rid of everything and starting from scratch.
The most interesting part of the rumors comes from how the team would handle zones. In previous Sonic games, even in expansive games like Sonic Adventure, the zones were still very linear and had a set of objectives for the player to complete. In the supposed reboot, zones would become open world and non-linear; containing a mess of objectives for Sonic to complete within them.
The worst part of this reboot idea are the possible plans of monetization through collectible toys and items. The source uses the example of Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure where players buy physical toys to scan them into the game. Imagine if you will having to buy toys of Sonic’s friends to unlock them as playable characters in the game.
I don’t know about anybody else, but I thought Sonic Colors was the reboot Sonic needed. It returned the franchise to what it needed most – a focus on Sonic fighting Robotnik instead of world destroying fire demons and human princesses falling in love with anthropomorphized animals.
Regardless, this is all rumor and speculation for now. TSSZ’s source even clarifies multiple times that this is all just preliminary discussion at the moment. The earliest we’ll see any movement on a possible Sonic reboot will be be next year.
It was sad news for SEGA last week when the publisher announced layoffs and canceling an unknown amount of games. One of the franchises SEGA left intact was Sonic and for good reason, the blue hedgehog’s games always tend to do well. To that end, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 is still on track for a spring release.
SEGA released a new trailer for Sonic 4 that details Miles “Tails” Prower’s contributions to the gameplay. If you remember Sonic 2, and coincidentally every 2D Sonic game after, Tails was always just kind of there. Unless you were playing the co-op mode, Tails was just the poor sucker who always ended up getting killed by spikes, drowning and everything else.
The new trailer for Sonic 4, however, shows a Tails that is there to help out Sonic through the many sections of the game that will require his unique flying capabilities.Tails will also help Sonic through swim through the water using his twin-tails as a propeller. The most interesting team mechanic, however, comes from the new spin dash maneuver. It sees Sonic and Tails locking hands and feet to form a ball of destruction the likes of which the Sonic universe has never seen.
As far as the rest of the trailer goes, it’s still old school Sonic goodness. It’s obvious the team learned from the weaknesses in the first Sonic 4. The new game looks faster, more fluid and has more of a focus on what made Sonic great in the first place – meticulous platforming accompanied by a sense of speed.
The game will be out at an unspecified time this spring for XBLA, PSN, iOS, Android and Windows Phone.
Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think:
UPDATE: Well, that was fast. GameSpot, during their On the Spot show, has confirmed that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 will launch on PSN on May 15, XBLA on 16, an unspecified date in May for iOS and PC and an unspecified date in June for Android and Windows Phone.
Many gamers were excited last year when Sega announced the first sequel to the classic Genesis Sonic games in over 15 years. When it was finally released, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 failed to capture the hearts of old school Sonic fans. The culprit – Sonic moved way too slowly.
Sega, always willing to improve and proving they could with last year’s excellent Sonic Generations, is back at it with Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2. The trailer released today showcases some of the ideas at play in the new game.
The biggest change is the addition of Miles “Tails” Prower to the game. It seems that these episodes are following a similar format to the original games on the Genesis, so we can assume that Episode 3 will feature Knuckles.
Besides Tails coming back as an original character, the levels themselves seem to have received some major improvements to aesthetics and interactivity. It doesn’t hurt that the levels appear to be more varied this time unlike in the first episode.
While the first episode of Sonic 4 failed to really capture my interest, it looks like Sega has really improved just going by this trailer. Of course, there is always the dreaded Sonic cycle that may have been broken after the last few quality releases, but it’s still out there lurking in the shadows.
In all honesty, if the second episode fixes Sonic’s movement and velocity, then it will be a success in my book. I have faith that Sega will fix the problems that were inherent to the first episode.
For those of you who think playing video games is mindless fun and has the potential to offer tons of time-wasting opportunities, well, you’re right; but, there’s also a lot of good that can come from it, especially if it’s being done for charitable purposes.
…a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 70 hospitals worldwide.
The Gaming Chronicles marathon began at 12:01am, Friday morning (1/6) and runs until Sunday (1/8), and for your viewing pleasure, the gang has set up a UStream channel so you can watch them endure their arduos battles with Dr Robotnik.
It should be noted the content of the stream is just a couple of guys sitting around with video controllers in their hands. In the lower portion of the video player, there’s in-screen footage of the Sonic game in progress. The page also features a ChipIn! widget so you can donate right then and there. Those who make donations can make requests of the guys playing, which they will perform live on camera. An explanation from the site:
Your donations will affect the marathon in the following ways:
Punish us for failure via a “Fail Pie”. And we’ve activated the FAIL PIE! When a donation is made in honor of the FAIL PIE (currently a $4 donation will suffice) the pie comes out. If the current player loses a life during the level the pie is issued he will receive said pie to the face. If that player finishes his level the pie is passed to a player of their choice.
Keep a frustrated gamer playing through a tough level
Voting for the next game played
Earning yourself a shout out or hilarious request (performance, singalong, etc)
Unfortunately, it seems as if the donations are slow going. The current ChipIn! total is $157, thanks to the eight people who contributed. Considering the worthiness of the cause they are supporting, surely we can do better than that. To donate to their worthy cause, check out their GC Marathon page.
