Sega Ages Collection (Switch)

[Tracker_TD]

While not a SEGA AGES title, M2's just put out a game in Japan I'd like to bring attention to (and hey, SEGA's on the copyright so I suppose it counts)

The latest game in their ShotTriggers shmup line, ESP RA.DE PSI has just been released in Japan on Nintendo Switch and PS4. For those unaware, ShotTriggers is a bit like AGES but for shmups, although they do quite a bit more than AGES to try and justify their far more expensive price tag. In this case, ESP Ra.De has never seen a release outside of Japanese arcades due to legal issues with Atlus publishing it originally. I guess because they work with SEGA so much, who now own Atlus, M2 were finally able to cut a deal and sort it.

Rather than playing as a spaceship, you take control of one of three ESP wielding kids, and blow shit up. It's a bullet hell game, and immensely satisfying to play - and there's a slew of extra stuff in this version, like new modes, new voice acting, a newly arranged soundtrack, an entirely new character to play as, and... a room designer side-mode for the characters? Huh. 

Anyway, interestingly it's been found that there's a fully translated list of trophies for the PS4 version, which one of the previous games in this line, Ketsui Deathtiny, didn't have. Which gives me some hope that this might make its way overseas - perhaps SEGA are more interested in getting it out here alongside their AGES titles than Cave were alone? 

[Nova]

Some serious aesthetic right there. Glad to see there's a Switch version, hopefully we get it as I'm rather keen to play some bullet hell games on the system.

[E-122-Psi]

https://www.shacknews.com/article/115754/sega-ages-fantasy-zone-and-shinobi-dated-for-january-release

Shinobi and Fantasy Zone are out in the west on 23rd of January.

[E-122-Psi]

SEGA Ages Sonic 2 will also include Knuckles in Sonic 2:

https://www.sonicstadium.org/2020/01/sega-ages-sonic-2-switch-will-include-knuckles-in-sonic-2/

At least that's SOME form of S3+K acknowledgement. If they put in Tails' flying ability as well, I'll consider this a pretty solid rerelease.

 

Also Puyo Puyo Tsu is releasing in Japan tomorrow.

[E-122-Psi]

And now the official site has updated with a ton of info, suggesting Sonic 2 might be coming up next:

https://www.gematsu.com/2020/01/sega-ages-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-first-details-screenshots

Quote

■ Modes Overview

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

The standard mode. Start playing from three different game types. The Sega Agesversion also allows you to use the “drop dash” action added in Sonic Mania. Additionally, a window has been added to display your “Ring Chain,” the amount of rings you pick up without getting hit, and your “Max Ring Chain,” your greatest amount during that play session. Two-player co-op is also supported.

The additional elements that are not in the Mega Drive version can be turned off in the Option settings.

—01. Original Mode

A faithful reproduction of the Mega Drive version.

—02. Ring Keep Mode

A beginners mode in which you can enjoy a more casual Sonic the Hedgehog 2. You start the game with 10 rings and lose only half the amount of rings when damaged.

—03. Super Sonic Mode

A special mode in which you play as Super Sonic. This will be unlocked by clearing either Original Mode or Ring Keep Mode. Super Sonic Mode lets you play with possession of all the Chaos Emeralds and 50 rings from the beginning of the game. By jumping when you have 50 or more rings, you will transform into Super Sonic, who has overwhelming speed and strength.

Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2

A mode that reproduces the special mode originally only playable by locking-on the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 cartridge to the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge on Mega Drive. This allows you to play every stage of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 as Knuckles. By using Knuckle’s glide ability, you can reach places Sonic and Tails cannot, and maybe even discover some new secrets. Just like Sonic the Hedgehog 2, this mode offers three modes: Original Mode, Ring Keep Mode, and Super Knuckles Mode. (Super Knuckles Mode can be unlocked by clearing Original Mode or Ring Keep Mode using Knuckles.)

Challenge Mode

A Sega Ages-original mode where you compete against the time to collect 100 rings to make it to the goal. You can play as either Sonic or Knuckles.

Rankings

Sega Ages Sonic the Hedgehog 2 also features online rankings. “Ring Chain Ranking,” which was well received in Sega Ages Sonic the Hedgehog, now allows you to see replays. There are also Challenge Mode rankings for both Sonic and Knuckles.

Sega Ages-Original Elements

In addition to being able to switch between the Japanese and western versions of the game, you can also turn on the Stage Select feature previously accessible through a cheat code. You can also enable “Vintage” picture mode, which emulates the image produced by a CRT TV. There HD Rumble support, which creates comfortable vibrations whenever Sonic does a spin dash, jumps off a spring, destroys an item box, and so on.

 

I like that Knuckles is getting all the same options instead of just being an extra mode, and Drop Dash and rumble are welcome extra features, though I'm disappointed poor Tails has gotten snubbed in his own debut game, with no back-ported fly ability or even letting him be playable in Challenge Mode.

So by the looks of things, this will be a good rerelease, but yeah, the whole 'this will be THE definitive Sonic 2 with loads of unused stuff' was baloney.

[TheOcelot]

Wait a minute. Is Tails actually playable solo in this release?

Yeah, it's says there's two player co-op (which obviously includes Sonic & Tails), but there are no screenshots of just Tails on his own and it doesn't mention he's playable solo. Surely he's playable? If not, then what a fucking stupid decision to omit him being playable solo.

I guess the challenge mode sounds kinda interesting. Hmm. 

[E-122-Psi]

40 minutes ago, TheOcelot said:

Wait a minute. Is Tails actually playable solo in this release?

Yeah, it's says there's two player co-op (which obviously includes Sonic & Tails), but there are no screenshots of just Tails on his own and it doesn't mention he's playable solo. Surely he's playable? If not, then what a fucking stupid decision to omit him being playable solo.

I guess the challenge mode sounds kinda interesting. Hmm. 

I think it's likely he is, just he's that much of a non priority, since he promotes none of the new extras (and the more they spotlight him, the more obvious that would become).

That said there was a concerning early screenshot that shown 2 Player VS taken out of the title screen menu.

[Tailikku]

 

On 1/16/2020 at 1:52 PM, TheOcelot said:

Wait a minute. Is Tails actually playable solo in this release?

He was always playable solo since 1992

[TheOcelot]

7 hours ago, Tailikku said:

He was always playable solo since 1992

Of course he was. I was only referring to whether he will be playable solo in the new SEGA Ages Switch release.

They've not released one screenshot for the SEGA Ages version showing Tails being playable solo and none of the new modes; including the new Challenge mode which states; "A Sega Ages-original mode where you compete against the time to collect 100 rings to make it to the goal. You can play as either Sonic or Knuckles" indicates Tails being playable solo. If Tails is playable (solo) in Challenge mode then why didn't they just say you can play as either Sonic, Tails or Knuckles". I mean Sonic 2 was Tails debut game for the Mega-Drive so it makes sense to focus on Tails as well as Sonic & Knuckles. Tails is one of the reasons why fans enjoy Sonic 2 so much-remember it so fondly. Why wouldn't they make Tails playable in Challenge mode?

Hopefully I'm wrong and Tails will be playable solo, but it sounds like they won't even be giving Tails the ability to fly like he could in the Taxman mobile remaster. If they're taking the time to add the drop-dash for Sonic (a requested feature by fans), then surely they'd take the time to give Tails his ability to fly (an even more requested feature by fans for future releases of Sonic 2).

Surely M2 would want to add Tails flight ability (and would know how to implement it), unless SEGA of Japan don't want them to...

Anyway, I guess we'll find out Tails fate soon enough.

[TheOcelot]

SEGA has announced a 20th February release date for Sonic 2 & Puyo Puyo 2

Sonic 2 now has a page on; https://segaages.sega.com/

Has a few screenshots:

 

 

 

2-player vs confirmed:

 

[E-122-Psi]

So another worldwide release for the Sonic title then.

I have to admit the press release for Puyo Tsu interests me even more, since it notes it will be the first proper English localisation of the game and apparently features Endless Puyo Mode, neither of those I believe are in the Japanese AGES release.

https://www.gematsu.com/2020/02/sega-ages-sonic-the-hedgehog-2-and-puyo-puyo-2-launch-february-20-in-the-west

[TheOcelot]

Sonic 2 was released on the Japanese eshop today, a week before US & EU get it. 

GameXplain did a playthrough:

 

[Dr Ryan]

Hey all. Weren't we supposed to get Sonic 2 on the UK eShop today? I can't see it anywhere. Anyone know the UK release date? Thanks!

[TheOcelot]

It will be released on the UK eshop later today. Probably around 6-8pm.

[Dr Ryan]

@TheOcelot cheers! Fingers crossed. I feel the need to buy the game for the millionth time for some reason.

[TheOcelot]

2 hours ago, Dr Ryan said:

@TheOcelot cheers! Fingers crossed. I feel the need to buy the game for the millionth time for some reason.

Just checked again. It's now available on the store.

[Dr Ryan]

Gotta say that at present Sega Ages Sonic 2 is buggy as hell. I got stuck in a wall in Chemical Planet, the physics just went absolutely nuts in Oil Ocean (Sonic stuck moving at double speed, jumping extremely high plus high gravity) and now Tails is rapidly sliding around the screen whilst doing his stood still yawing animation!

Hoping for a patch soon! It's perfectly playable, but weird stuff happens pretty often!

[Blue Blood]

All of those bugs sound typical of any version of S2. In particular, the Oil Ocean physics glitch was so well known back in the day that it was passed around in cheat code websites as a sort of Hyper Sonic or Pseudo Super Sonic. You can look up the "cheat code" here. I've yet to play the AGES release of S2 myself (and probably never will) but I'm going to say with confidence that it's no buggier than the regular game and you're coming across bugs that you simply weren't aware of before.

[E-122-Psi]

I'd prefer a patch for SEGA AGES Sonic 1 that bug fixed spin dash/drop dash and added this release's rumble option. That would be a pretty solid rerelease with that done.

Sonic 2 sounds okay, but kinda meh in its obvious but overlooked choices for refinement (weirdly no 2 player optimisation or online considering M2's usual emulator magic trickery, and while Drop Dash is added, there's no Tails' flying).

By the way, is Puyo Tsu an actual English localisation like they advertised, or is all the dialogue still in Japanese?

[Tracker_TD]

On 2/21/2020 at 6:09 PM, E-122-Psi said:

I'd prefer a patch for SEGA AGES Sonic 1 that bug fixed spin dash/drop dash and added this release's rumble option. That would be a pretty solid rerelease with that done.

Sonic 2 sounds okay, but kinda meh in its obvious but overlooked choices for refinement (weirdly no 2 player optimisation or online considering M2's usual emulator magic trickery, and while Drop Dash is added, there's no Tails' flying).

By the way, is Puyo Tsu an actual English localisation like they advertised, or is all the dialogue still in Japanese?

Dialogue is still Japanese - the SEGA AGES EN site has actually been updated to make the description actually accurate now. There's EN versions of the tutorials, at least. 

[Turokorok]

I'll probably buy both the first and second Sonic games. I already have like thirty copies of them, but I see no harm in getting yet another one. I might get Outrun as well.

[Tracker_TD]

I have come to revive this thread... with some bittersweet news.

The good news: Herzog Zwei is out this week in Japan! It's got online play, an academy mode (if you've ever needed an anime girl to teach you how Herzog Zwei works), a revised ShotTriggers style HUD, some extra helper toggles, all that good stuff.

The bad news: SEGA AGES is over. 

Sure enough - Herzog Zwei was the last scheduled game, and M2's confirmed that it's the last. Which I guess isn't too shocking - this project overran its original completion date by two years, but it's sad all the same. I was hoping we'd at least see Power Drift at some stage, but for now it's curtains.

On the whole though, I'm really glad SEGA AGES got to happen. When the Switch was first announced, one of my first thoughts was "we need 3D Classics style SEGA ports on this thing." And I think they delivered; so many of the games in AGES were, contrary to popular perception, not the 'same old stuff'. Games like G-LOC, Ichidant-R, Herzog itself, Phantasy Star, Thunder Force AC - they've rarely ever been ported, if ported at all, and often if they do see ports it's stuff like a now-expensive JP-only Saturn collection. A lot of people bemoan AGES because they didn't get their eleventeenth port of Sonic Adventure, but I think the picks here, while not always the most commerically sensible options, made for a far more interesting roster.

So I'm sad to see the series end; but I'm glad it happened, and we got some killer ports out of it. Okunari-san has stated he's already working with the AGES team on something new, but whether it's SEGA-related or not is yet to be seen.