This week's Xbox Live Arcade titles are Golden Axe and, finally, Sonic the Hedgehog. Both cost a mere 400 Microsoft Points, with Golden Axe allowing for co-operative play on Live and locally. The Achievements for both titles were made available yesterday, and led us to believe that at the very least, GA was coming today. Fortunately, we were only half right, as Sonic finally made its debut under the Sega Vintage Collection line of titles. With any luck, we'll see Ecco and Sonic 2followsuit.
We sort of missed this yesterday, and it's time to make it right. In addition to the ESRB revelation that Lara Croft's latest adventure, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, is heading to the Xbox 360 (possibly as DLC), Joystiq also uncovered an ESRB entry for Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Add this title to the ever growing list of Genesis classics rated by the ESRB -- Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage 2, Ecco the Dolphin, and now Sonic 2 -- and the existence of the SEGA Vintage Collection is becoming harder and harder to deny. Our only question: how many more titles does the ESRB need to reveal before SEGA makes an official announcement?
Further validating the screenshots of SEGA's Vintage Collection discovered earlier this month, ESRB ratings have been discovered for two of SEGA's classic titles. One of them, Sonic the Hedgehog, we've known about for some time. The other, however, is something of a surprise. Ecco the Dolphin is also listed for the Xbox 360. While we love the original Sonic as much as any self-respecting gamer, we have a special soft spot for Ecco. Given an HD makeover and the spiffy new age soundtrack from the SEGA CD version and we'd really have a special title on Xbox Live Arcade.
What other titles would you like to see in the SEGA Vintage Collection? Kid Chameleon, Altered Beast, Phantasy Star?
For the first time since its announcement back at The Last E3 Evar we finally have some new info regarding SEGA's involvement with Xbox Live Arcade, and the original Genesis/Mega Drive launch title, Sonic the Hedgehog. We were a little worried that Nintendo's Virtual Console scooped Microsoft, as the title's been available since the Wii's launch. SEGA's apparently going to be releasing their XBLA titles under the "SEGA Vintage Collection", with Sonic leading the pack. More screens available by clicking the "Read" link. So, is it about time, or does it really take AGES to be this good?
As more and more comic books are being turned into movies (X-Men, Hellboy, Sin City, etc.), comic book characters are becoming a hot commodity. SEGA is now jumping into the fray, picking up the videogame rights to Captain America, the Hulk, and Thor. All three characters are set to have feature films in the near future and it makes sense that SEGA would do their best to acquire them (blockbuster movie = free marketing). These characters will join SEGA's roster alongside Iron Man, whom the company acquired last year. Iron Man, incidentally, is also being made into a feature film.
Given the quality of recent SEGA titles (cough, Sonic the Hedgehog, cough), we remain suspect of the new Marvel games. Still, comic book heroes generally make decent fodder for videogames (Superman notwithstanding), so we're cautiously optimistic. Here's hoping.
Speaking to N'Gai Croal about the upcoming Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, SEGA of America president, Simon Jeffrey intimated that Sonic will soon be disappearing from the public eye for a while. Jeffrey notes that "we're not going to be bringing another [Sonic] game out on the other platforms for quite some time, because we feel that it is time to reinvent Sonic, to make Sonic contemporary again." While the recent Nintendo iterations of Sonic (Sonic Rush on DS and Sonic and the Secret Rings on Wii) have received decent reviews, his most recent outing on PS3 and 360 suffered from serious problems. Before that, the Sonic universe was subjected to the God-awful combination of hedgehogs and guns in Shadow the Hedgehog. To put it bluntly, the Sonic series has been faltering. Of course, that doesn't mean it hasn't been selling well, as Jeffrey points out.
Frankly, this can't be viewed as anything but a good thing. The quality of Sonic games has been slipping over the last few years and a "reset" sounds like exactly what Sonic needs. What would you like to see SEGA do with the next Sonic. We have only two words. No. Sidekicks.
Sonic the Hedgehog has a a few pieces of new content available on Xbox Live Marketplace. If you enjoyed the boss battles found in the game with, you might be interested in this. You can download, for 150 MS points each, "Boss Attack"s for each of the game's lead hedgehogs. Apparently, if you've completed Sonic, Shadow, or Silver's respective episode, you can use this content for what seems to be a game mode akin to Heavy Weapon's Boss Blitz, but for individual characters. Do you play the game, and would you pick this up if you do?
We haven't touched the Xbox 360 game Sonic the Hedgehog, but we're kind of glad we didn't. Following Revolution posted a video of the game's load times during some mini mission where you help out one of your human friends. And look what we have, a loading screen literally every five seconds. Seriously, if this loading screen appeared that much in the game Sonic would be ejected and flung against the wall out of disgust. This has to be horrible coding especially when a game like Gears doesn't bring up a load screen once during the game. Do you know of any other 360 game that we should avoid due to extremely long load times? Video after the break.
If Sonic creator, Yuji Naka, knew that this is where SEGA wanted Sonic to go, it's no wonder he left the company. The Sonic demo, if you haven't played it yet, is bad. Really bad. Believe me, I am a Sonic fan. I write for 360 Fanboy it's true, but I am a SEGA fanboy at heart. Thus, it hurts me even more to tell you that the demo is just not very good. It's not unplayable, but parts of it are close. Read on for more.
Another day, another demo in the latest batch of X06 content. Today we get a brand spanking new demo of Sonic the Hedgehog. Is it possible we could see a new demo every day? The possibility is titillating. As for the rest, well, there isn't much. Just this: Kane & Lynch: Dead Men trailer
It should also be noted that the Alan Wake theme and picture pack are also available now, though they weren't mentioned in yesterday's official list. The picture pack is 80 MS Points and the theme will cost you 150. Curious by their absence are the promised HD trailers of Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon. We can only hope they'll hit sometime today as scheduled. We'll keep you posted. In the meantime, we're downloading the Sonic demo and working on the sh*t-ton of X06 info that is starting to hit. Stay tuned.
Another day, another batch of BIH content. See what we did there? BIH. See, it's an acronym for Bringing It Home. Pretty sweet, huh? Anywho, here's the almighty list for today:
Forza 2 Physics & Damage trailer NBA 2K7 trailer Sonic The Hedgehog trailer Shrek 3 trailer Just Cause trailer NHL 2K7 trailer The Darkness trailer LEGO Star Wars II demo(!)
A potent list indeed, capable of discombobulating even those of the strongest constitutions. The real winner here is of course the demo of the UK's recent chart topper, LEGO Star Wars II. On a more peculiar note, wasn't there a trailer for The Darkness up yesterday? Is this one different? We'll be back shortly with our thoughts on the LSWII demo. We're sure you're waiting with bated breath.
Now that we know when Sonic is coming, why not take a gander at some movies shown at the Japan Expo -- which was held in Paris, oddly enough. The videos have no sound it seems, but they do give us a glimpse at the telekinetic powers of Silver (the white one) and show off one of Sonic's levels, too.
Also in the video: a rather lengthy load screen and a cameo by some guy's face. Enjoy.
IGN has the scoop that Sonic the Hedgehog -- of the next gen variety -- will launch for the 360 on November 17th. This rendition of the classic franchise is supposed to take Sonic back to his roots. One can only hope, I suppose. The mere fact that the number of playable characters has been reduced to three is a huge improvement in my book.
Anybody out there think this one will recapture the Blue Blur's glory days?
In celebration of Sonic the Hedgehog's fifteenth anniversary, SEGA has released a veritable bounty of next gen Sonic the Hedgehogscreens. The shots effectively showcase the game's detailed and otherwise "real perty" graphics. It also looks like one of the new characters will sport psycho-kinetic powers á la Psi-Ops. I'm still not sure of a hedgehog's odds against a giant lava monster, though.
On a side note, if Big the cat is in this game, I may never play Sonic again.
Further validating the screenshots of SEGA's Vintage Collection discovered earlier this month, ESRB ratings have been discovered for two of SEGA's classic titles. One of them, Sonic the Hedgehog, we've known about for some time. The other, however, is something of a surprise. Ecco the Dolphin is also listed for the Xbox 360. While we love the original Sonic as much as any self-respecting gamer, we have a special soft spot for Ecco. Given an HD makeover and the spiffy new age soundtrack from the SEGA CD version and we'd really have a special title on Xbox Live Arcade.
Speaking to N'Gai Croal about the upcoming Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, SEGA of America president, Simon Jeffrey intimated that Sonic will soon be disappearing from the public eye for a while. Jeffrey notes that "we're not going to be bringing another [Sonic] game out on the other platforms for quite some time, because we feel that it is time to reinvent Sonic, to make Sonic contemporary again." While the recent Nintendo iterations of Sonic (Sonic Rush on DS and Sonic and the Secret Rings on Wii) have received decent reviews, his most recent outing on PS3 and 360 suffered from serious problems. Before that, the Sonic universe was subjected to the God-awful combination of hedgehogs and guns in Shadow the Hedgehog. To put it bluntly, the Sonic series has been faltering. Of course, that doesn't mean it hasn't been selling well, as Jeffrey points out.
We haven't touched the Xbox 360 game Sonic the Hedgehog, but we're kind of glad we didn't. Following Revolution posted a video of the game's load times during some mini mission where you help out one of your human friends. And look what we have, a loading screen literally every five seconds. Seriously, if this loading screen appeared that much in the game Sonic would be ejected and flung against the wall out of disgust. This has to be horrible coding especially when a game like Gears doesn't bring up a load screen once during the game. Do you know of any other 360 game that we should avoid due to extremely long load times? Video after the break.
