Earlier this year, SEGA announced a successor initiative of sorts under the (oft used) moniker, SEGA AGES. With M2 again at the helm, a plethora of first party classics were promised for the Switch. First out of the gate are Sonic the Hedgehog (yes, again) and the classic Mega Drive shmup, Thunder Force IV.

One for the AGES

For whatever reason the game was retitled Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar in the US, but those of you reading this from across the pond will be happy to learn that both it and the international release are available here. It’s worth also noting that although this AGES outing is based on the original Mega Drive version and not the 1996 Saturn Port, it does include the previously Saturn-exclusive Styx mode, which we’ll go into later.

The all new AGES interface is pretty slick, with large, colourful icons (presumably for visibility in handheld mode) and artwork, in addition to a great little animated intro sequence. There’s even a cool “SE-GA” like jingle on the title screen that’s sure to tug on the old heart strings when you’re not perusing bet365 betting.

As is par for the course nowadays with retro reissues, there are a ton of visual customization options, including the obligatory CRT filters. Sometimes these effects can be somewhat overbearing, but the AGES preset Vintage Mode actually looks pretty good, with just the right amount of blur and curvature applied to the image to evoke childhood memories of classic gaming via cathode ray.

Styx and Stones

Thunder Force IV follows the shmup genre’s broad strokes, while at that same time successfully forging an identity all of its own.

Unlike many horizontal shooters, in Thunder Force IV, the play area can also be scrolled vertically within a limited range on most stages. This serves to at least create the impression of freedom, even if in truth, you’re just as anchored to the inevitable rightward crawl as ever.

As you’d expect, weapon power-ups come in many shapes and sizes, but unusually, you’re free to cycle through any you’ve collected at will rather than being stuck with the last one you acquired. There’s also a rear fire mode, which is handy given that a great many enemies will try and flank you.

Moreover, it’s possible to control your ship’s speed, charging your engines to anything from 1 to 100% by holding down the Y button. We have two misgivings with this: first of all, in such a fast paced shooter, we don’t really understand why you’d ever want your ship at anything below 100% manoeuvrability at all times. Secondly, while you can adjust engine power by as little as a single percent at a time, we’re pretty sceptical that affording players such pinpoint precision was ever really all that necessary.

Given Thunder Force IV’s gameplay quirks, it’s no bad thing that there’s a digital manual specific to this AGES release to consult at your leisure. Interestingly, it actually opens in the Switch’s onboard web browser, which to be fair, doesn’t prove as cumbersome as it might sound. Most importantly, the manual is sharp and legible in both handheld and docked modes.

Now onto Styx Mode. As we mentioned earlier, this was previously exclusive to the Saturn version of Thunder Force IV, released as part of Thunder Force Gold Pack II. In Styx mode you take control of the eponymous ship from Thunder Force III, sporting a different array of weapons in addition to a dodge move of sorts. Interestingly, (minor spoiler alert) Styx also makes a cameo appearance in stage 5 to fight alongside your usual craft, Rynex. Styx mode is a nice addition and could prove attractive to Thunder Force IV veterans that never got around to picking the game up on the Saturn.

AGED to Perfection?

The shooting in Thunder Force IV is just as fun now as it ever was, but difficulty may prove a sticking point for the uninitiated. In short, it’s a pretty challenging game, even when tackled in the patronisingly titled Kids Mode, and unlike some retro shooter reissues we’ve reviewed recently, there’s no option for unlimited lives to abuse while you get your bearings. One one hand, this forces newcomers to actually play the game as intended, but on the other, many will find retreading the initial stages over and over off putting.

Enemies are loose riffs on the Giger-inspired biomechnical aesthetic very common in video games at the time (see Gynoug, Mega Turrican et al), but are far from the best examples of this particular sci-if trope. While rarely more than merely serviceable in the looks department as a whole, Thunder Force IV’s impressive parallax scrolling effect deserves a special mention. The many interweaving layers of sprites here, both in the fore and background, create a pleasing sense of depth and forward momentum.

The original Mega Drive release of Thunder Force IV is notorious for chugging on occasion when things get too busy. Given how many orders of magnitude more powerful the Switch is than the Mega Drive, M2 have seen fit to include a ‘Reduce Processing Delay’ option, thereby utilising some of the Switch’s leftover horsepower to improve performance. There’s a tangible improvement, but the game still doesn’t deliver a locked frame rate, even with this mode engaged. A disclaimer states that some slowdown is by design, and thus unavoidable. We’ll have to take M2’s word for it on that one.

Sound effects are forgettable and of generally poor quality, particularly the harsh, lo-fi voice clips that play when you collect a power up. Weapons likewise sound brittle and tinny. The music is a mixed bag: we think the compositions are pretty great, but the actual quality of the samples leaves a lot to be desired. Ultimately, it seems that Thunder Force IV may have been hamstrung by the limitations of the Mega Drive’s Achilles heel: its notoriously lacklustre Yamaha YM2612 sound chip.

Summary

It’s easy to become weary of SEGA’s never ending cycle of modern re-releases, but to the company’s credit, each set of reissues is generally better than the last. This AGES version of Thunder Force IV is an excellent starting point, and certainly more interesting to hardcore SEGA fans than yet another Sonic the Hedgehog redux.

The game is satisfying to play with some nice and unique ideas, even if it hasn’t aged all that gracefully from an aural standpoint and pulls few punches in terms of difficulty. The new AGES wrapper is by far the slickest yet, and bodes well for future releases, among which is the arcade version of Thunder Force III, Thunder Force AC. .

PROS:

+ Original shmup gameplay

+ Extra STYX Mode

+ Slick AGES interface

CONS

– Poor sound effects

– Performance issues

– High difficulty

“This has more to do with how the teams are divided amongst Sega as a company,” he notes. “Up until now, M2 has been focused on 8-bit and 16-bit ports, whereas Dreamcast and Saturn titles were done by staff that were assigned to those games from teams like AM2 or Sega of China. The idea behind that was to make these porting lines run as efficiently as possible, with the teams learning the know-how behind specific systems.”

“At the time, if M2 had researched porting Model 2 or 3 on their own and come to Sega for that, we’d have told them we already had teams assigned to it, or the market isn’t right at the time. That said, that sort of corporate direction has ended recently, and M2’s is the only port line that really exists anymore. There’s a possibility that ports for Model 3 could continue on their side.”

Naoki Horii, president of M2 (developers behind SEGA’s 3D Classics Collection), has stated that they are “definitely interested” in creating ports of the various Saturn and Dreamcast classics. At this point, it is up to SEGA to pull the trigger.

“Model 3 might actually be easier than Model 2,” says Horii. “We’re obviously interested, but Sega would have to make the business call there. We’ve mostly been focusing on getting Game Gear and 3D Classics working, so there hasn’t really been any time to research much outside of that. If the opportunity presented itself, I’d certainly consider it.”

Okunari echoed Horii’s statement by saying that since M2 has slowly been learning each system, it would be logical “continue along that route” and head into Saturn and Dreamcast territory.

“Over the past 11 years of the Sega Archive Project, M2 has slowly crept its way through SEGA hardware history, learning each system one by one,” says Okunari. “As the hardware evolves, external chips get brought in, and the boards themselves get powered up – but a lot of the core programming is the same. Their studies are evolving along with the hardware itself. They’ve entered the 1990s, so perhaps we’ll continue along that route.”

The thoughts of playing 3D classics from the SEGA Saturn and Dreamcast days certainly has me excited. What games from those eras would you like to see? Sound off in the comments below!

Via Gamasutra 

By tapping the area right next to the “Back to Menu” button,  a little enemy from Fantasy Zone 1 pops up.  Tap on that,  and you will be taken to the original SEGA Master System version of Fantasy Zone,  included as a secret game in the collection.  The same features as the other SMS games on the collection are here as well,  like “Helper-mode” and the FM/PSG sound switch.

Now that you have booted Fantasy Zone once,  the game is permanently unlocked through the Game Select menu,  as well as the Extras menu you originally used to unlock it in the first place. So instead of having to have the data from the first Japanese collection,  you just have to tap on the menu, I can dig it.  Pretty cool stuff,  huh?

Earlier this year, Koihime Enbu arrived Japanese PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 systems. The title is part of the EVO waifu series tournament this year.

The game will include the following features:

• Play as 13 different characters and 7 “assist” characters to create a huge variety of strategies!
• Explore the Fatal Counter system which gives moves different properties that make comboing easier, and longer!
• Utilise the Tactics Meter with special moves, ex special moves, super moves, and ultimate moves!
• Save your best bouts for later, or learn from your previous battles with Replay Mode!
• Ascend the online rankings by battling in ranked matchmaking, keep it closer to home and play with your friends in local versus mode!

Preorders have started on Steam, you can get the game for $31.99. [LINK] [via Press Release]

It appears the cause of death is cancer, according to some posters on NeoGAF, but we haven’t been able to confirm that as of yet.

Saito played a major role in programming many of the 3D Classics on the Nintendo 3DS, but his work included bringing the Genesis, Master System and arcade Virtual Console apps to the Nintendo Wii, among many others.

Its truly a sad loss for the video game industry, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Saito’s family and friends.

Here’s the full, translated blog post:

Or the original of such should write such a thing in this place, I was very troubled.

But in on the net of time, which has been referred to as the personal computer communication, is that of Saito who was the numerous friends.

That he is now, I will consider it written because it is widely known that you are in our company.

It Akiyoshi Saito mokimoki Saito has died. That’s right it was that of a 16-afternoon at home. Last year in a battle with discovered the gun to his head, was still at most 43-year-old.

Saito-chan, we made ​​or “Dejiko Myunikeshon” or “2” in the GBA at the inner of the company.

Gem of the music group by the sound driver that worked relentlessly not say whining to GBA of the CPU,
has burned into my ears even now.

Here recently out to buy a start-up members of the 3D reissue project that it is, such as by forcibly 3D the “Space Harrier”, fairly succeeded in Misr steward eagle the heart of the old man both.

Its also still worked the 3DS of the CPU in the momentum that black companies of Nan’nosono time,

I was me firmly cemented into the world sends out based on the 3D reprint project.

According to the Koga of colleagues, which is also the old friends, it seems to have been the game spree since I was a student.

That’s right had Mitsui to experience the game to float the lunch bill.

While shooting and character action was Karakishi, Space Harrier and afterburner is like had reached the ending to curiously.

Mitsugu well, I had the crazy driving in the ear copy music, etc. on your computer you know. It declared that “‘ll be ear copy!” On the net, was the one who, such as the “Dekita!” The next day in the morning. Well, again I think I a translation more to circumstance … in the street.

His life had with the video game.

I received a favorite Sega in job hunting, Yet not recruited even think of the game exactly the developers of unrelated system system, we lower the curtain of life eventually continues continue to make the game in Emutsu.
His later years there along with the 3DS and the Sega game, dropping to hand riding size Sega of experience game loved by the high degree of perfection, the last year of Sega’s meta critic ※ the world one game publisher of Metasukoa by 3D reprint project It was pushed up to the position.

It did not come true what to be a yearning Segaman, but the push-up in the ranking first place the Sega company from the standpoint of the outside of 1 developers, has left the world. I think I would have been long-cherished ambition.

Please give playing time to time whether the person who has the his involved game.
Please give to hear if from time to time If you have a music group that he made.
You joy surely.

He says prospects and projects to participate until the next time just before, the idea that you want to try if there is time to hurry myself. In the past would be surprised even you’ve seen the problem, it was supposed to tackle this year. I also it was looking forward to come the day that you can show you to everyone in a lordly manner.

We are feelings, not losing his enthusiasm, it is the world send prepared for video games as long as the desire is the world.

Thank you for reading.

The first 2 videos released are 3D Puyo Puyo 2 and 3D Fantasy Zone II. Enjoy them below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHqplfW42CA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecEjgAbH23Y

According to an item listing on the Xbox One game store, the Streets of Rage SEGA Vintage Collection will be one of those games. However, the page listing has the game becoming available on Nov. 3, so it will be interesting to see if it somehow becomes available ahead of the Xbox One’s new operating system’s roll out.

The Streets of Rage collection was originally released on the Xbox 360 on May 30, 2012, and was ported by M2, which has been most recently known for its work on the SEGA 3D Collection for the Nintendo 3DS. The collection included new game trials and supported local and online co-op.

The 360 version was only 285 MB, while it looks like the Xbox One version is 937 MB, so it will be interesting to see why it’s more than three times the size as the original game.

As of now, Streets of Rage is the only game coming up for the Xbox One, while the rest of the SEGA Vintage Collection still only show they’re available for the 360. Here’s hoping that SEGA will make the whole Vintage Collection backwards compatible for those of us who supported it on the 360.

What other Xbox 360 games are you hoping will be backwards compatible? We’re looking at you, Vanquish!

Round 1: FIGHT

Chris: Well, ol’ buddy, it seems like it’s been so long since we’ve done one of these that I almost *aaaaaaalmost* missed ya. We really shouldn’t wait so long next time because I live on making you look like the buffoon you are in front of all our dear readers.

Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let’s get on to the issue at hand, and that’s that I posit the idea that the 3D Classics are simply a shiny object meant to take our attention away from the fact that SEGA has been just a tad more active in the West than Hudson, Atari or Acclaim, all mashed together into a giant amalgamation of lost hope and glory.

Now, don’t take this as a knock on M2 or the 3D Classics; I think they’re superb, but take away those old arcade and Genesis ports on the Nintendo 3DS and what has SEGA really done the past year or so?

Off the top of my head, there’s a bunch of mobile stuff (many with suspect quality), a couple a Miku games (each of which do a wonderful job of making me feel like a pervert) and there was that attempt by a Western developer at making a Sonic the Hedgehog game. My mind has tried to block out that abomination, but it might be forever etched in my brain for good.

Anyway, my point is, just what the hell is SEGA of Japan even doing anymore? I mean it’s like they take some sick pleasure in announcing some badass new game only to cap it off with the fact “they have no plans to release it outside of Japan.” Our SEGA Nerds in Japan are seemingly drowning in SEGA games while we’re left to pick up the scraps. What the fuck, SEGA?

The Requiem:  It has been a while, Chris, but as your wild speculation proves, idiocy has no expiration date. I love the 3D Classics games as much as you do, but suggesting that they exist on this side of the Pacific solely as a means to pacify western audiences is exactly that: speculation.

If Japanese developers have proven anything over the past several years, it’s that they don’t give a crap about western audiences. Part of the reason is that so many of them, SEGA included, just don’t have the spare cash to be purely altruistic. If they are releasing the 3DS 3D Classics here, it’s because there is either a high enough return or a low enough barrier to do so.

As much as I would like to see more games released here, I feel pretty certain that the same risk/return equation is being calculated for every title. More often than not, I expect that the cost of risk is just too high for a struggling third party like SEGA. It’s math, bitch.

Round 2

Chris: Look, I’ll readily admit that I love a good conspiracy theory, and there’s no way you can convince me that SEGA of Japan doesn’t hate each and every one of us Western SEGA Nerds. Who knows, maybe it’s left over resentment from when our lord and savior Thomas Kalinske nearly toppled Nintendo, filling his SEGA counterparts in Japan with intense loathing and jealousy.

I mean how else can you explain the fact that Phantasy Star Online 2 is still “delayed” in the West? At this point, it’s become a huge joke online, and for some reason SEGA of America’s community team won’t (or can’t) just admit the obvious and say it’s never coming. Meanwhile, the game has been translated into English and released in English-speaking Asian countries for quite some time now. Why couldn’t SEGA make a few servers available to us Western fans to play the English version? It’s simple – they hate us.

Instead, they keep their fingers plugged tightly in their ears, blocking out the cries from fans for games like PSO 2, Phantasy Star Nova, Shining Resonance and Puyo Puyo Tetris, and keep releasing a new 3D Classic every couple months.

At this point, it’s like us Western SEGA Nerds are a sick, starving dog sitting hungrily next to the dinner table hoping our obese, hairy owner will throw a chicken leg our way but would happily settle for a few miserable scraps.

Games like PSO 2 are the chicken we’re hoping for as our owner leans over and smiles, revealing a crooked row of yellow teeth, while we’re groveling and licking our chops at the tantalizing idea of tasting the hot, greasy meat. Instead, he takes the chicken and swallows it whole, all the while staring straight into our now watery eyes. He lazily flicks a couple small pieces of gristle (i.e. 3D Classics) off the table, while we eagerly swallow them in a single bite, full of appreciation.

I don’t know about you, but I’m fucking tired of eating gristle.

The Requiem:  I like the idea of finally getting PSO 2 as much as anyone, but more than any other title, PSO 2 requires a significant investment on SEGA’s part to establish and maintain those extra servers. What if the game flops and SEGA has put all of that extra effort into establishing and maintaining servers that now nobody is using, and it’s a near total loss? This is the company that couldn’t even afford to take a risk on Bayonetta 2, after all.

Instead of chicken and gristle, think of the PSO 2 situation like a long-term relationship, and the 3D Classics are like one-night stands with your ex. Yes, SEGA can just get their fan base good and drunk with the 3D Classics, which are sexy, nostalgia-tapping returns to form, then throw us all to the curb after having their way with us, blowing their six-dollar load into our stereoscopic eyes. We may do the walk of shame the next day, and our gait may look a little funny, but you know what? I for one don’t regret it. As a matter of fact, I kind of hope that I’m pregnant with 3D Opa-Opa’s love child, which would then mean that SEGA could never leave me, right?

Anyway, now think about the other scenario: the long-term relationship of PSO 2. SEGA would have to coyly attract a massive amount of western gamers to a series which hasn’t had a US release in several years, wine and dine them to get them online, keep the relationship exciting yet respectful by teasing out extra content over several months/years instead of trampishly bending over and giving us the full bacon, eggs and sausage spread, and still somehow keep the whole process profitable.

Now reality should set in. You’re a western gamer looking to get into a long-term relationship with an MMO, and set up a page on a mythical MMO dating site. SEGA has put up a page, as well, and you check it out to see if you’re a match. SEGA is nearly broke. They don’t have a good reputation. Their hardware history tells you that they have commitment  issues. Would you date SEGA?

Fuck no.

That’s why we’re getting smaller, downloadable games like the 3D Classics. Not because they’re trying to pacify us, but because it’s just where they are right now. They’re not looking for a serious relationship and they know that they’re not dating material, but some quick and easy one night stands will stave off the blue balls just fine. There’s no malice behind it. No scheme. Just a nostalgic hook-up for old times’ sake.

And let’s stop kidding ourselves. Virtually nobody in the west (outside of our own beloved readership) would buy Shining Resonance either, and you know it.

Final Round

Chris: I think I can probably speak for most our readers and say that got pretty damn weird. How about we shift gears from that uncomfortable yet oddly seductive analogy and get down to brass tacks. 

This week’s release of 3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has heralded the end to the latest wave of 3D Classics. Despite some hints here and there, SEGA has to yet officially announce if they’ll continue the series. Have they been worth SEGA’s investment? We really don’t know, but it’ll be interesting to see what they do with the series going forward and if their partnership with M2 continues beyond the 3D Classics.

Whether you believe my conspiracy theory or not, SEGA won’t have the 3D Classics to fall back on as a means to distract us from their lack of productivity or as a continued revenue stream. Have you bothered to take a look at SEGA’s list for the rest of the year? Yeah, it’s pretty much Yakuza 5. Beyond that the only other new games we know about on the horizon are Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice and Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and I don’t think anyone is wetting themselves over either of them.

These next few months are going to be pretty painful for us SEGA Nerds, outside the releases of Sonic: Lost World on PC and Yakuza 5 on PlayStation 3. Hopefully, they have something exciting up their sleeve for us later this year or early next year, but hasn’t that been something we’ve been wishing for quite sometime now? I don’t know about you, but I could certainly go for a few more distractions to get me through these dark times.

The Requiem:  I don’t think anyone is arguing against getting more o’ ‘dem sweet, 3D Classics. I for one would love M2 to tackle Phantasy Star, Comix Zone, and Alex Kidd in Miracle World, but your original question was whether they are specifically released to distract from SEGA’s lackluster western release schedule. So to stay more on point this time, let’s look at recent history to prove your thesis as wrong as a pornographic Jack Thompson fan-fiction.

For Nintendo’s Wii Virtual Console service, SEGA published 56 Genesis games (that’s more than the Nintendo-published SNES and NES VC releases combined), 15 Master System games and seven arcade games. SEGA also released 16 Game Gear games on the 3DS Virtual Console, and let’s not even start with their re-releases on other services like Steam, Xbox Live, PSN or mobile.

Re-releasing their classic titles in downloadable form, for better or worse, has been a staple of SEGA’s strategy for nearly a decade now. Many of these releases accompanied a much more robust retail game release schedule in the west; they were certainly not meant to be a distraction for western fans. There’s really no evidence to suggest that SEGA isn’t simply still pursuing the same path regardless of what is happening with the localization issues plaguing their full retail releases.

If anything, the 3D Classics line is a distraction from SEGA not releasing any more Virtual Console games, whether they be Game Gear games on 3DS or anything on Wii U. I’m just happy that their partnership with M2 has produced such great results, and very often the definitive home versions of some of SEGA’s greatest games.

So there it is, SEGA Nerds! We want to know your thoughts on who you agree with. Do you agree with toolbag Chris with The chump muffin Requiem? Let us know in the comments!

Some would place it as early as 1992’s Sonic 2. Released in the US on what SEGA dubbed ‘Sonic two’s-day’, the game successfully extrapolated on its predecessor’s core tenets, yet retained a tight, focused purity of essence that later installments would arguably lack.

Enter SEGA’s excellent 3DS exclusive 3D Classics initiative, which is seeing the company re-imagine its most popular Mega Drive/Genesis era titles with – you guessed it- full 3D support, along with other assorted bells and whistles. With the original Sonic the Hedgehog taking pride of place in last year’s initial batch, it’s hardly surprising that Sonic 2 is this second wave’s encore release.

Putting a Ring On It

Of course, any gamer worth their salt will already be intimately familiar with Sonic 2‘s gameplay mechanics, premise and such, so we’ll skip all that and jump right into discussing the new stuff.

As with previous 3D Classics, two different types of 3D are available, pop-out on fall-in. They’re pretty self explanatory in terms of what they do, and choosing between them is purely a matter of taste, although I did find pop-out harder to resolve into a proper 3D image. The implementation of the 3D itself is exemplary, in line with previous Classics.

Gotta Go Fast

Somewhat surprisingly, multiplayer is present and correct. You can play Sonic 2‘s original competitive mode in addition to tackling the main game cooperatively as Sonic and Tails. What’s more, there’s ‘Ring Keep’ which sees you start with 10 rings, losing half every time you’re hit. While fun distractions, none of these are likely to hold your attention for long.

The most pleasing addition comes in the form of an optional automatic level select, which allows you to decide which Zone to start from without all that usual Sound Test cheat jiggery-pokery. How many times have you, my fellow Sonic fan, fancied a spot of Sonic 2 but rolled your eyes at the prospect of going through Emerald Hill, Chemical Plant and Aquatic Ruin for the umpteenth time? Well, now you can skip them entirely.

Summary

Sounds at least worth a punt so far, right? Well, yes, but as much as I’m loathe to, I’d be remiss in my duty of impartiality if I didn’t point out that in a number ways, the iOS/Android port of Sonic 2 is better. Not only does it add Knuckles as a playable character, but also restores a previously cut zone from the main game. In short, it adds something new and fresh to the mix, where sadly, the 3D Classics version does not. Also, as you might expect, Sonic 2 looks and plays noticeably better on state of the art, high resolution displays than the 3DS’ aging LCD.

However, as a reader of this site, I’d assume you’re a fully paid-up SEGA enthusiast, and therefore urge you to take a somewhat more philosophical view. SEGA are keen to keep releasing 3D Classics while ever there is demand, and there’s a ton of 16-bit gems simply begging for the Z-axis treatment.

So, while Stealth and Christian Whitehead’s officially sanctioned mobile port of Sonic 2 may be a marginally stronger offering on balance, hardcore fans should consider this 3DS Classics release as something of an investment for the future.

Also, Sonic 2’s still a pretty a pretty good game.

Pros

+ Excellent implementation of 3D
+ Built-in level select
+ Classic Sonic gameplay

Cons

– No widescreen support
– “SEGA” choir soundbyte sounds awful
– Overshadowed somewhat by the mobile port