*We were the first to annouce SEGA-themed XBOX 360 avatar items some while back. It will soon become a reality, as some items (including an RC car) based Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing will hit the avatar marketplace.
*The PlayStation 3 boxart for the second Iron Man game (unsurprisingly called Iron Man 2) can be seen by clicking HERE. Big ‘meh’ from us.
*A few final review ratings:
-Napoleon: Total War -9.1/10 (Computer &Video Games)
-Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (Wii) - 7.5/10 (Game Informer)
-Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll -3.3/5 (Cheat Code Central)
-Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll -7/10 (N-Europe)
-Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll -5.8/10 (Digital Chumps)
==
’till next week!
*You simply can’t please some people..fans of the original Sonic the Hedgehog game say they’ll boycott Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Why? They think the game’s quality is lacking (good call from a single trailer and few screenshots, d’oh!). We think it’s a bit ridiculous, really.
*Looking for some quality wallpapers? Take a look at this lot. There’s some awesome artwork of Sonic, Shinobi, Phantasy Star, Ecco the Dolphin, Moonwalker and (our favorite) World of Illusion.
*Japanese PlayStation 3 owners will be able to download a playable Yakuza 4 demo from March 5. Size: 1.8GB (thanks: Gamefront).
*Intel (them of the processor chips) did a lengthy article on Napoleon: Total War. Read it HERE.
*Australian Wii owners will soon be able to buy something called the ‘Welcome to Violence’ bundle containing MadWorld, The Conduit and House of the Dead: Overkill. A packshot can be seen HERE.
*SEGA Europe posted a new Yakuza 3 ‘locations’ trailer. Take a look.
*Some new review ratings came in:
-Napoleon: Total War (PC) -9.3/10 (NZGamer)
-Napoleon: Total War (PC) -8.75/10 (Game Informer)
-Napoleon: Total War (PC) -8/10 (Eurogamer)
-Napoleon: Total War (PC) -B (1UP)
-Sonic & SEGA A.S.R. (XBOX 360/PS3/Wii) -8/10 (Videogamer)
-Sonic & SEGA A.S.R. (XBOX 360) -7/10 (Official XBOX Magazine UK)
-Sonic & SEGA A.S.R. (XBOX 360) -8.2/10 (TeamXbox)
-Sonic & SEGA A.S.R. (XBOX 360) -6/10 (Eurogamer)
It’s been a while since we last heard of Alpha Protocol, but now SEGA USA did a bumper update on what could be the surprise hit of the year..
*The game is due for release June 1, 2010.
*A new trailer can be seen on Facebook (you need to be registered, though)
*Packshots (XBOX 360, PC and PS3), screenshots and more information can be seen HERE.
*SEGA USA posted more details of the upcoming Valkyria Chronicles DLC.
*You’ve got the game (probably) but have you got the merchandise? Some of the Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing characters in toy-style.
*Napoleon: Total War went on sale in the USA. To celebrate the fact SEGA USA uploaded a final trailer.
*The Western release of Yakuza 3 will be slightly different from the Japanese one, content wise. More details HERE.
*A few new Sonic the Hedgehog 4 screenshots can be seen HERE. Doesn’t that boss look familiar? Hmm..
*SEGA Japan added some new videos to their Youtube channel; there’s one of Phantasy Star Universe (Ambition of the Illuminus) and another Sangokushi Taisen one.
*Both IGN (USA) and Gamespot ranked Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (Wii/DS/XBOX360/PS3) 8/10. 1UP gave them a ‘B’.
*Yet more new Yakuza 4 screenshots? Better believe it. A look at the different characters in the game and their individual storylines.
*As you could’ve seen in yesterday’s chart update Aliens vs Predator is selling like hot cakes. In fact, it’s the fastest selling game of 2010 beating Mass Effect 2 in the process. A sequel now seems very likely indeed..
*Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing went on sale in Europe and the USA. Make sure to pick up a copy!
*Some new review ratings came in, including the last couple of Aliens vs Predator ratings we’ll feature:
-Aliens vs Predator (XBOX 360/PS3) - 7/10 (ZTGameDomain)
-Aliens vs Predator (XBOX 360) - 7.7/10 (Gametrailers)
-Aliens vs Predator (XBOX 360) - 2/5 (Giant Bomb)
-Aliens vs Predator (XBOX 360) - 6/10 (Eurogamer)
-Aliens vs Predator (PS3) - D+ (Game Revolution)
-Aliens vs Predator (PS3) - 7.2/10 (PSX Extreme)
-Aliens vs Predator (PS3) - 7/10 (Digital Chumps)
-Aliens vs Predator (PC) - 5.5/10 (Gamespot)
-Aliens vs Predator (PC) - 7.3/10 (IGN USA)
-Aliens vs Predator (PC) - 6.7/10 (AtomicGamer)
-Napoleon: Total War (PC) - 9/10 (Gameplanet)
-Sonic & SEGA A.S.R. (DS-/Wii) - 7.5/10 (Official Nintendo Magazine UK)
-Sonic & SEGA A.S.R. (PS3/XBOX 360) - 8/10 (JeuxVideo)
-Sonic & SEGA A.S.R. (XBOX 360) - 7.5/10 (XBOX World 360 Magazine UK)
-Sonic & SEGA A.S.R. (PS3) - 8/10 (GamesRadar)
All-format, all prices
[#1](NEW) Aliens vs Predator
[#8](+3) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
All-format, full price
[#1](NEW) Aliens vs Predator
[#7](+2) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
[#9](+31) Vancouver 2010, the official video game
Wii, full price
[#3](+1) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
[#10](+2) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Nintendo DS, full price
[#1](+1) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter games
PC, full price
[#1](NEW) Aliens vs Predator
[#3](-1) Football Manager 2010
PlayStation 3, full price
[#1](NEW) Aliens vs Predator
[#5](+13) Vancouver 2010, the official video game
[#6](-1) Bayonetta
XBOX 360, full price
[#1](NEW) Aliens vs Predator
[#8](+20) Vancouver 2010, the official video game
[#10](-3) Bayonetta
PSP, full price
[#6](-) Football Manager 2010
PlayStation 3, budget
[#3](+1) SEGA Megadrive Ultimate Collection
*Someone with art skills did a cool Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing cartoon. Read it HERE.
*Straight from the AOU 2010 arcade show in Japan:
-Pictures of SEGA’s new Romance of Three Kingdoms card battle game.
-Pictures of the cabinets of Project DIVA Arcade, Border Break, ..
-Some ‘floor-footage’ courtesy of Weekly ASCII.
*Yet another unreleased 32X made it out; SoulStar X, the futuristic shooter by Core Design (and an update of the Mega-CD version). More info HERE (to be able to download it you need to register).
==
’till next week!
*PlayStation 3 owners can now download two new playable demo’s; Sonic & SEGA All-stars Racing (with Sonic and Robotnik playable on a Billy Hatcher themed track) and -wait for it- Yakuza 3!
*Gamefront posted six new After Burner Climax (XBLA/PSN) screenshots. Check them out HERE.
*Recently the sixth-millionth (!) copy of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games was sold. Impressive!
*The first review score of Napoleon: Total War came in. IGN (USA) rated the game 8.9/10.
*SEGA Europe posted a trailer of the DS version of Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing.
*Bored Valkyria Chronicles fans ‘waiting for some new action’ rejoice; SEGA USA lets us know new DLC is just around the corner.
*GamesTM (the UK magazine) rated three SEGA games in their latest issue. They weren’t very keen on them apparently; Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (5/10), Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll (4/10) and Bleach: The 3rd Phantom (5/10). Sounds a bit harsh to us..
All the latest ratings of Aliens vs Predator, Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll and Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing:
-Aliens vs Predator (XBOX 360) - 7.75/10 (Gamervision)
-Aliens vs Predator (XBOX 360) - 2.5/10 (Gamespy)
-Aliens vs Predator (XBOX 360) - 6/10 (TeamXbox)
-Aliens vs Predator (XBOX 360) - 7/10 (IGN USA)
-Aliens vs Predator (XBOX 360) - 7.5/10 (MS Xbox World)
-Aliens vs Predator (XBOX 360) - 7/10 (Planet Xbox 360)
-Aliens vs Predator (XBOX 360) - D (1UP)
-Aliens vs Predator (XBOX 360) - 7/10 (Official Xbox Magazine USA)
-Aliens vs Predator (PS3) - 5.5/10 (Gamespot)
-Aliens vs Predator (PS3) - 9/10 (PlayStation Official Magazine AU)
-Aliens vs Predator (PS3) - 7.75/10 (Gamervision)
-Aliens vs Predator (PS3) - 7/10 (IGN USA)
-Aliens vs Predator (PS3) - 7/10 (VideoGamer)
-Aliens vs Predator (PC) - 8.2/10 (PC Zone UK)
-Aliens vs Predator (PC) - 8.5/10 (ImpulseGamer)
-Aliens vs Predator (PC) - 7.75/10 (Gamervision)
-Aliens vs Predator (PC) - 7/10 (VideoGamer)
-Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (Wii) - 8/10 (Nintendo Power)
-Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (XBOX 360) - 8.3/10 (Games Master UK)
-Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing (DS) - 6/10 (Nintendo Power)
-Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll (Wii) - 7.8/10 (IGN USA)
-Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll (Wii) - 6/10 (NGamer UK)
-Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll (Wii) - 7/10 (VideoGamer)
-Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll (Wii) - 7.5/10 (NintendoWorldReport)
-Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll (Wii) - 6/10 (Kikizo)
-Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll (Wii) - 5.5/10 (Nintendo Power)
-Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll (Wii) - 5.4/10 (Gametrailers)
-Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll (Wii) - 7.8/10 (IGN USA)
-Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll (Wii) - 5.5/10 (Gamespot)
SEGA won’t be happy about this, but a new gameplay video was leaked; check it out HERE. Don’t be surprised if it gets taken down later, though..
*If you’re living in Europe you might have noticed Aliens vs Predator is available NOW from several (online) stores. It shot straight up to the #1 in spot in the PS3, XBOX 360 and PC sales charts from Play.com so it’s HOT.
*SEGA Europe posted pictures of a ’special edition’ of Sonic Classic Collection (DS) and some screenshots as well. Take a look. The special edition (with postcards, a figurine and metal case) sadly won’t be for sale in Germany, reports Gamefront.
*SEGA USA announced that another piece of concept art was unlocked at the official Sonic the Hedgehog 4 website. It’s nothing major, so don’t get your hopes up..
*SEGA Japan uploaded a whopping 19 new Virtua Fighter 5R videos to their Youtube channel. Some crazy outfits await!
*Jeuxvideo rated the European versions of Bleach: The 3rd Phantom (6/10) and Phantasy Star Zero (7.5/10).
Some strange happenings this week..check them out..
All-format, all prices
[#10](+26) Bayonetta
All-format, full price
[#8](+19) Bayonetta
[#9](+5) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Wii, full price
[#4](-) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
Nintendo DS, full price
[#2](+2) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter games
PC, full price
[#2](-) Football Manager 2010
PlayStation 3, full price
[#5](+8) Bayonetta
XBOX 360, full price
[#7](+13) Bayonetta
PSP, full price
[#6](-) Football Manager 2010
PlayStation 3, budget
[#4](-) SEGA Megadrive Ultimate Collection
PlayStation 2, budget
[#10](+10) Sonic Unleashed
*Rebellion uploaded a new version of the Aliens vs Predator demo for the PS3. The reported problems should be fixed now. More details HERE.
*European Wii owners will be able to download another classic; Sonic & Knuckles was added to the Virtual Console. It’s compatible with the earlier Sonic games (if you have them).
*SEGA Europe posted the first part of a Yakuza 3 ‘dev diary’ with the main man behind the game; Toshihiro Nagoshi.
*SEGA Europe also posted two news bits on Resonance of Fate. There’s a bit about the packaging and an introduction to the main heros.
*Some new review ratings for Aliens vs Predator came in and they paint a different picture from the 5.75 given by Game Informer;
-4/5 (TechDigest)
-8.5/10 (IGN UK)
-8/10 (Official XBOX magazine UK)
==
’till next week!
As retro news is far more infrequent that ‘regular’ news, we’ve made a roundup of the last few weeks..
*A ‘military video game’ fanatic called ‘Nebelwurfer’ started an English translation of the Japanese Dreamcast game Advanced Daisenryaku 2001. You can check his progress and download a patch HERE.
*SMSpower released three new classics; there’s Okamoto Ayako no Match Play Golf, Uranai Angel Cutie and Doki Doki Penguin land.
*The five Dreamcast games published by GoatGames (Feet of Fury, Maqiupai, Inhabitants, Cool Herders and Irides are now available from Play-Asia. Buy more than one game and you’ll get a slight discount.
*A ‘one of kind’ Master System / Mark III game recently sold for 800,000 Yen. (roughly $8000). It’s called ‘Game de check! Koutsuu Anzen‘ and is a learner driver simulation. Full details HERE.
*According to Play.com the portable Master System LCD handheld with 30 built-in games should be available this time next week. We’ll keep an eye on it..
*Our friends at SegaOnline posted the list of Sonic & SEGA All-stars Racing achievements. The maximum of 50 achievements was used, so get ready to race!
*SEGA’s/Tri-Ace’s RPG End of Eternity (PS3) remains in the Japanese all-format chart top 10. It claimed the #6 spot with 28,665 copies sold in the past week. Other SEGA games in the top 50; Valkyria Chronicles 2 (17), End of Eternity (XBOX 360 version, 23) Phantasy Star Portable 2 (26), Yakuza 3 (budget label, 38) and Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympics (Wii/DS, 49 & 50).
*Some more sections of the official Sonic the Hedgehog 4 website were unlocked; Intro, Badniks and concept art.
*SEGA Europe posted the results and wrap-up of the recent Aliens vs Predator tournament. Check them out HERE.
*SEGA USA posted info on the pre-order bonuses of Yakuza 3. There’s four different types of DLC given away.
*You probably already saw some of the All-star moves in the recent Sonic & SEGA All-stars Racing demo, but SEGA compiled a trailer with some more of them.
*The first Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll review score came in: Official Nintendo magazine UK rated the game 7.2/10
*XBOX 360 users can now download a playable Sonic & SEGA All-stars Racing demo from XBOX Live. Players can choose either Sonic or Banjo & Kazooie and race the Seaside Hill track.
Opponents in this demo are: Ryo Hazuki, Billy Hatcher, Shadow the Hedgehog, Amigo, Beat and Knuckles. The standard demo difficulty is ‘advanced’ (which can be changed) and provides a very tough challenge!
For 240 points you’ll also be able to download a Sonic & SEGA All-stars Racing background theme.
*SEGA Europe’s been busy again; they’ve posted a Bleach: The 3rd Phantom launch trailer, a Valentine’s day Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll wallpaper and news of a..
*.. new game! Nobody really seemed to picked up this news, but SEGA just announced a new game called Tournament of Legends. This 3D one-on-one fighting game featuring legends from world mythology will be developed by High Voltage software and released on the Wii this string. Screenshots HERE / Q&A with High Voltage HERE.
*The first Aliens vs Predator review score came in; Game Informer rated the game (PS3/XBOX 360 versions) 5.75/10. Hopefully that’s not the range for future ratings..
Another weak week, sales wise..
Wii, full price
[#4](-) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
[#10](-1) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Nintendo DS, full price
[#4](+1) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter games
PC, full price
[#2](-) Football Manager 2010
[#10](-4) Empire: Total War
PSP, full price
[#6](-) Football Manager 2010
PlayStation 3, budget
[#4](-) SEGA Megadrive Ultimate Collection
XBOX 360, budget
[#8](+2) SEGA Megadrive Ultimate Collection
*Folling this week’s playable multiplayer demo, there’s been some problems for PS3 and PC owners to join a game. Rebellion is looking into the issue at the moment. The XBOX 360 demo was unaffected.
*Eurogamer posted a multiplayer ’hands on’. Read it HERE.
*Need some multiplayer tips & tricks? SEGA USA posted a handy guide for each of the characters (Alien/Predator/Marine) and some tips on blocking and countering attacks. Read it HERE.
==
‘’till next week!
*SEGA USA posted a trailer for the upcoming Iron Man 2 (the game, naturally). It also features War Machine.
*PSP Go owners (from the USA) will now be able to buy another classic PSP from the PlayStation store: After Burner: Black Falcon.
*No Short news roundup or Big barrel of news would be complete without another Aliens vs Predator trailer, so check out this Marines one.
*SEGA Sammy posted some sale figures (up untill December 31, 2009):
-Bayonetta (XBOX 360/PS3) sold 1.100.000 copies (JPN/USA/PAL)
-Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter games (Wii/DS) sold 5.670.000 copies (JPN/USA/PAL)
-Football Manager 2010 (PC/PSP) sold 740.000 copies (USA/PAL)
-Phantasy Star Portable 2 (PSP) sold 540.000 copies (JPN)
*More good news: SEGA Sammy made a net profit of €138 million / $189 million in the period April-December 2009. (thanks: Gamefront)
*The Official website has opened at SonictheHedgehog4.com. It’s a little empty now, but there are various ‘countdown timers’ for more content.
*The game’s official name now is Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, so it seems the game will be expanded upon in the future.
*Gamespot posted a new teaser trailer (!) and a Q & A SEGA USA’s
associate brand manager Ken Balough.
*It seems the game will be released on the Wii (under the Wii-ware label) after all, but more interestingly, the official website mentions another ‘???’ platform