SEGA Powered 06

IS SUE From Racing to Showdown

Virtua reality

This month we give the Virtua series of games the in-depth cover feature treatment. All the games, plus a few surprises.

arcade fired

Mark Mk II, our resident Man in Japan, looks into what happened to SEGA’s arcades, and what the future holds for the company.

Top 10: welcome to the bonus stage

A new (semi) regular feature, we’re aiming to bring you at least one SEGA-related Top 10 each issue. The first is the very best bonus stages in SEGA games.

top 10: lights, camera, cameo!

And the second? The 10 best examples of SEGA characters showing up in other games for cheeky cameos.

reviews/RE - REVIEWS

alice dreams tournament (dc)

Another new game gets released for the Dreamcast, courtesy of WAVE Game Studios. Will this new(ish) Bomberman clone impress?

virtua fighter 2 (sat)

Undeniably one of the jewels of the Saturn crown during the console’s lifetime, we find out if this scrapper is still cruising for a bruising.

power stone (dc)

The big Dreamcast re-review is another classic from the console’s impressive back catalogue.

castle of illusion (md)

You asked for this one, and Neil was the lucky son of a gun who picked the short straw and got to re-review it.

croc: legend of the gobbos (sat)

We tried to be kind, we really did.

FIFA international soccer (md)

The game that launched a legend, but how humble are FIFA’s origins? hellfire (md)

Another shmup classic that you can also pick up on the Mega Drive Mini 2.

18 wheeler: american pro trucker (DC)

Can you believe that Sam Peckinpah directed the film Convoy? Us neither.

kolibri (32x)

So it’s a shmup, yeah? And you play as a humming bird? Trust us, it’s really not as bad as all that sounds.

golden axe (ms)

Paul’s love of games that scroll and let you punch things is put to very good use here.

star wars: Rebel assault (mcd)

The correct line here is: The Force is strong in this o

regulars

power play

Bits of news, the odd feature or two and the occasional strange bit – all revolving around the world we call ‘SEGA’.

blast from the past

Our regular chat with the great and the good of games journalism back when magazines really new how to properly insult each other. This month is one of the best with one of the best: Jaz Rignall.

special brew

There’s way more games still being developed across the range of SEGA consoles, and these are the three pages where, every month, we showcase the very best ones we can find.

the hardline

Based on the old Hardline from Sega Power, this is a breakdown of the games we think you should own. Disagree? Write in and let us know.

shop directory

We bet that you didn’t realise just how many independent games shops there are dotted around the country. We certainly didn’t, which is why decided to put as many as we could fit on a page in the mag.

counting down the days now until the Mega Drive Mini 2 is released on October 27, and if you’ve somehow missed out on some of the info regarding the launch, here’s a quick recap on everything you need to know.

So it’ll cost you £104.99 (which is a wee bit more than the original Mega Drive Mini), and you’ll only be able to buy it through Amazon. You get a SEGA six-button Mega Drive controller in the pack, and that’s about it. Stock levels are much lower that for the first Mega Drive Mini though, so if you’re thinking about getting one then I’d get in quick before the scalpers hoover them all up.

Like the original Mega Drive Mini, you can plug in up to two controllers via the two USB ports on the front of the console. There is a pricey official controller if you’re looking for two-player action, or you can pick up all manner of cheaper controllers online – including some rather lovely wireless ones.

The console is launching in Japan with the USB Cyber Stick Controller as an additional purchase, as well as the very cool Mega-CD add-on (cosmetic only), but neither are likely to be released outside of Japan.

Right, on with the games. Here are the 60 titles that’ll come bundled with it…

Third time’s a

Charm

We already knew it was coming, but it’s good to have an official release date: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will be troubling cinemas across the world from December 20, 2024. Seems like a long wait, but rumour has it part of the delay is to ensure Jim Carrey signs up for a third film. He recently indicated that he wanted to retire from acting after Sonic 2, but producers are banking on giving Carrey some time off before he commits.

Prepare the

Razzies

That’s not the only SEGA film news though, as word reached us that two more SEGA brands are being developed into movies. Firstly, we can look forward to Channel 5, a film adaptation of Space Channel 5 that involves a fast-food worker being recruited to save the world from aliens – like you do. And the other one? That’ll be Zone, which is based on Comix Zone and again involves saving the world from something alien and potentially lethal. Honestly? Our hopes are hugely high for these two, but we’d be delighted to be proven otherwise.

BRIEF

Some recent news nuggets that may have passed you by

Frontiers soundtrack

Just before we went to press, we managed to hear word that SEGA are releasing a Sonic Frontiers soundtrack this December. With a frankly staggering 150 tracks – including I’m Here, the game’s main theme – the soundtrack will come over six CDs and will also be packed with a 40-page booklet, too. We did a quick yen-to-pound conversion, and we reckon you’ll be looking at between £50-£60 for the whole pack, so pretty good value if our maths are correct.

Online Pack expands

Three more SEGA games have recently made the jump across to the Switch Online Expansion Pack – and at least two of them are pretty darned good. The three in question are Alisia Dragoon, Beyond Oasis and Earthworm Jim. Our recommendation? Switch subscribers could do a lot worse than sinking a few hours in Beyond Oasis

Holding out for a SHIRO

The guys behind the SHIRO Saturn podcast have now launched their own print and digital magazine, too – called, unsurprisingly, SHIRO! Magazine. If you know the podcast (and if you don’t then you really should) then this is basically that in print form. Packed full of info and interviews and one Indie mag that we can heartily recommend – when you’ve finished reading this one, obviously. Scan the QR code to find out more, and read the digital version for free.

VMU 2 – Latest

Shadow Gangs 2 revealed!

JKM Corp recently released a single image from the development of Shadow Gangs 2, so we asked them nicely and they sent over a bit more information on the sequel to one of our favourite new Dreamcast games in recent years.

Once again released on a number of consoles –including Dreamcast – Shadow Gangs 2 will feature 10 regular levels, five boss ones and two bonus stages

and should be out in 2-3 years (remember these guys have day jobs, too). There will be a range of gameplay tweaks and additions, including a new wall-to-wall jump move – similar to Ninja Gaiden

This pic is taken from the ‘Apocalypse’ stage, and the game’s tagline? In the first game Dan fought to save his family, and in this one he’s fighting to save the world…

A couple of issues ago we mentioned the VMU 2, an updated version of the Dreamcast’s memory unit that was heading towards crowdfunding via Indiegogo. The good news is that funding has now been reached, with over 1,000 backers giving nearly £160,000 for the unit to be produced. Those who missed the funding can buy one for around £100 for delivery in August 2023.

In total, there were over 70 Virtua games released in the arcade and numerous consoles.

From the Master System (Yep, really. Virtua Fighter Animation, which was released through TecToy in Brazil? We’re looking at you) right through to the PlayStation 5 and pretty much every console in between, games that included the word ‘Virtua’ in the title have been delighting gaming audiences for over 30 years now.

When you talk about games like Virtua Racing, Virtua Fighter and Virtua Tennis then you’re talking about some of the finest games SEGA has ever released. In every genre they touched, they broke the ground and smashed the mould through innovation and originality, combining a straightforward control system with surprising amounts of gameplay depth.

The first driving game to feature multiple views and the first fully polygonal arcade game? Ah yes, that’s in here. The first videogame to motion capture its characters? Aye, that too. A shooter that completely relaunched the genre in the arcade? That’s here as well.

So what follows is a complete guide to all of them. You get a timeline covering all arcade and console releases as well as a breakdown of each game and all its many versions – as well as a few things you hopefully didn’t already know.

VIRTUA REALITY

18 wheeler: american pro trucker

Neil’s new job involves the slowest vehicle on the road, long hours, crappy food, and a bed so small that he feels like he slept in a hedge. His prize for such hardship? Pissing in a bottle

Thunder Road

Can’t be top dog without a rival, and the one you’re up against goes by the name of Lizard Tail. If it was just a matter of beating him to the finish line this’d be a cakewalk, but it ain’t. He’s a proper fruitloop who starts by screaming abuse over the CB – “Outta my way, Greenhorn!” – and quickly progresses to cutting you up or even trying to full-on ram you off the road with his super-speedy rig. What a slag. Our advice? Block his arse at every opportunity.

It ain’t exactly the sexiest thing, trucking. Straw poll on typical driving games, and they’re mostly four wheels and faster than a pit stop in rattlesnake country. Add the triple threat of dorky caps, boredom extremis and obesity, and you might be tempted to sack it off for, well, any other racer. Don’t. There’s more than meets the eye to 18 Wheeler – a whole load more.

First thing in its favour is the developer. This is AM2 territory, and those cool kids know what they’re doing with driving games. All those big-name SEGA racers? AM2.

Next on the inventory of invention is the deceptively simple set-up. Sure,

there are only four stages, but there’s more than just getting from A to B with your cargo. First up is the clock, which is a bastard. Even on Very Easy there’s barely enough time to hit the checkpoints before it runs out. In fact, without learning the subtleties of the open road, you’re roadkill.

Ain’t she a beautiful sight?

All road trips bring hazards. Adverse weather, the odd RTI, and, of course, other drivers. Your trip from New York to Frisco is a touch more challenging. How does a giant rockfall sound? Or a whacking great tornado? Plain sailing, it ain’t. But the award for ‘worst obstacle ever’ goes to Lizard Tail, a rival trucker who gets the boxout all to himself.

There are ways to redress the balance: small corrections and gentle braking are your bread and butter. Come into a turn too hot and you’ll understeer like mad, smashing through buildings, slowing to a crawl, and damaging your cargo –which costs precious dollahs. Keep an eye out for shortcuts and alternative routes, and if you tailgate a large vehicle, you’ll slipstream into a speed burst.

Once you roll up on your destination, it’s time to upgrade (‘you’ve got the horn!’ – that’s what she said) and tackle a parking challenge for bonus moolah. With little touches like the crud sliding around your dashboard in firstperson view, or the cheesy Country Rock radio, 18 Wheeler is a great, big cartoon of a game that’s king of the road.

neil

Trust SEGA to make the everyday an exercise in sheer enjoyment. Capturing the romance of the open road, the thrill of piloting an oversized rig, while compressing all the best bits into a compact arcade package is all in a day’s work for the arcade kings. Go get your haul on.

final verdict in a word: rubber duck

The in-cab view is ‘authentic’ but it ain’t for greenhorns

kolibri

So you like shoot-’em-ups? Well luckily there are plenty for the various SEGA systems. However there is none like Kolibri – a shmup where the main character is a hummingbird!

Anyone who thinks the game’s graphical style seems familiar won’t be surprised to find out that the same team are behind the Ecco the Dolphin games. I’ve never been a fan of Ecco so Kolibri never appealed to me. Game plot? Suitably bonkers. Years ago a crystal fell from space and gave life to the planet, but now another crystal has landed and is destroying everything. However, just as your hummingbird is collecting nectar from a nearby flower, the original crystal gives you its powers.

Wings of desire

So with great power comes great responsibility, and it’s now up to you to save the whole frickin’ planet – which, helpfully, is broken up into various levels: forest, swamp, temple and so forth. It isn’t plain sailing though, as each level contains various insect enemies – oh, and toads! Big nasty toads that swallow you whole if you get too close.

Like all good shmups there are plenty of weapons and power-ups to help you along the way. Homing shots, lasers and more can also be strengthened if you gather more nectar. The later levels soon get frantic – luckily one power-up is an hourglass which slows time. (It may sound strange but I feel as though it lasted too long.) Also, once you’re in a rhythm playing the game it’s usually more productive to avoid it altogether.

bird brained

There is some strategy to the game including some simple puzzles. Certain areas are blocked off until enemies are defeated (like the big fella pictured) or a section visited to allow you to continue your journey. Therefore there is some back and forth at times to make sure you didn’t miss anything.

Good luck trying to get me up here!

The graphics are one of the game’s strongest points. With some stunning backgrounds and sprites you can’t help but be impressed, especially as the game is almost 30 years old now. One level features a waterfall which makes it harder to fly past, effecting the game mechanics. There’s plenty of parallax scrolling in the game too, with some levels giving you the freedom to fly

anywhere in the level yet others will force you along a set path. Nice bit of variety, there.

The game soundtrack isn’t out of place with some very chilled music as you experience the sights of nature –while blasting it straight in the face!

Paul

With over a dozen levels there’s a lot to get through, but it does get a bit samey. Yes the levels look amazing but once the wow factor wears off you are more likely to load up a Mega Drive shooter which costs a fraction of the cost. Too much style, not enough substance.

final verdict in a word: hums along

“I’m like a bird,” sang Nelly Furtado. Paul was wondering what she means by that? Carefree? Has wings instead of arms? Or just spent time playing Kolibri on her 32X?

THE HARDLINE

Weeks of listing, debating and threatening has brought us to this point: the definitive list of essential games that all SEGA fans should own. And the only way peace could reign across the team was to allow each of us to add an additional title without argument – the ‘Court of Appeal’. Think we’ve missed one (or more) out? Keep reading to find out how you can have your say

MEGA DRIVE

advanced busterhawk Gleylancer £130

An office favourite – especially as it’s slightly easier than Thunder Force IV, which pleases Dean immensely.

Aladdin £13

A decent platformer with the famous Dave Perry polish. Definitely one of the better film licensed games.

Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine £25

Puyo Puyo in a slightly different skin. It may be a clone of numerous other titles, but it’s still fantastic to play.

Madden NFL ’95 £10

The first Madden game to come with all the licences, as well as oodles of other new content.

Micro Machines 2 £17

Quite possibly the most fun four people can have without a hot tub and a stacked cocktail bar.

Mortal Kombat 2 £27

Quackshot starring donald duck £17

Very much the same game as Castle of Illusion, but you’ll get no complaints about that from us.

Ristar £65

…or ‘What Sonic Team did Next’. Slower and more thoughtful than Sonic, sadly we never saw a sequel.

Dragon’s Fury £22

There are many fine pinball games for the Mega Drive, but we recommend you start with this one.

Dynamite Headdy £17

Treasure rarely put a foot wrong in the gaming world, and this is no exception. Original and unmissable.

Strip away the hype and the Fatalities – which are little more than a novelty feature – and this is still a cracking game.

Road Rash II £17

The undulating road may not be quite as smooth as we remember, but this is still a fantastic game to play.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 £7

Bigger, better, faster, more. The best Sonic game ever made? Very possibly.

Sonic the hedgehog 3 £25

Originally planned as a much larger game, Sonic 3 delivers just enough to give it a space in this list.

Driving games were never easy to get right on a 16-bit machine, but ASSMGPII remains one of the finest.

Castle of Illusion starring mickey mouse £13

An essential purchase. One of the smartest, smoothest and funnest platformers you’ll ever play.

Castlevania: The new generation £20

Remarkably, this was the only Castlevania game released on the Mega Drive. Thankfully it’s bloody great.

FIFA 95 £7

Arguably better than the first FIFA game, and probably the last great FIFA game for some years.

Gunstar Heroes £135

Fun, with a capital ‘Fuh’. Gunstar Heroes will enter your brain, find a space to reside, and never leave.

Hellfire £40

Another shmup, yes, but Hellfire’s unique four-directional firing system works extremely well.

NBA Jam Tournament Edition £12

The finest arcade basketball game you’ll ever play – and one of the best list of cheat modes, too.

NHL 94 £17

Before we had a decent footie game, this was our sport of choice that was constantly played on the Sega Power Mega Drive.

Phantasy Star IV £200

Different people have different favourites when it comes to the Phantasy Star series. Collectively, this is ours.

COURT OF APPEAL

Rocket Knight Adventures £45

The Mega Drive wasn’t short of stunning platformers, and this one is very near the top of the pile.

Shining Force II £110

A wonderfully playable RPG that is now, quite rightly, labelled a classic.

Splatterhouse 3 £140

Splatterhouse 3 was never officially released in Europe, but of the two games on the Mega Drive, this is the one we recommend that you seek out.

Streets of Rage 2 £45

Moving Right across the screen and repeatedly stabbing the Punch button into people’s faces has never been more fun.

Strider £30

Comix Zone £50

This original beat-’em-up is one of the most requested games for a remaster/ remake, and for good reason.

Desert Strike £12

As fun now as it was 30 years ago. Destroying buildings in an attack helicopter doesn’t get better than this.

Landstalker £40

One of Dean’s favourite MD games of all time, so it had to go in. Thankfully we all think it’s rather spiffing too.

probotector £200

Style-over-substance. Aladdin Mega Drive goes in, but no sign of Probotector? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight... – Neil

Shining in the Darkness £45

The first Shining game on MD was a very different beast to the games that followed it. Different, but still lovely.

Shinobi III £175

If you have a Mega Drive then you have to own this game. Oh, and play it, too. Obviously.

Sonic the hedgehog £7

Sonic fact: Several issues of Sega Power listed the game in the charts as ‘Sonic the Cheesegrater’.

One of the first must-have games for the Mega Drive. Impressively, it’s still hugely playable now.

Super Street Fighter II £35

More characters and other tweaks give this the edge over the Special Champion Edition

Ayrton Senna’s Super Monaco GP II £10

COURT OF APPEAL

Crazy Taxi £20

Arcade action of the most disposable kind. But those graphics, that music, and fun, fun, fun.

Mars Matrix £125

Manic, vertical shmuppery on Dreamcast doesn’t get any more pure.

the

theme Park (MD) £7

New rides and terrain textures mean this isn’t just a stripped-back port of the original, this is a unique masterpiece. – Marc

Thunder Force IV £55

Thunder Force IV hates you and laughs at your puny attempts to defeat it. But defeat it you will. Eventually.

Dead or Alive 2 £20

Fast and technical, Tecmo’s bouncy sequel is a high point among Dreamcast beat-’em-ups.

Get Bass £35 (with Fission Rod)

Only SEGA could make fake fishing as much fun as this is – especially with the rod.

Grandia 2 £50

Easily the best in the series, and cut through with a streak of humour.

Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes £90

Huge scrapping action, and stacks of specials to unleash, topped off with that fan-service roster.

rez £90

A hypnotic, immersive masterpiece. Strap on the Trance Vibrator and get blissed out.

Samba de Amigo £110 (with Maracas and sensors)

SEGA at its most inventive, running with an idea to its most ridiculous and fun.

Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike £120

Possibly the most finely tuned 2D DC brawler of them all (and totally swappable for Alpha 3).

World of Illusion starring mickey mouse and donald duck £22 Liked Castle of Illusion? Liked Quackshot? Ah, you know the rest.

COURT OF APPEAL

Headhunter £17

A sprawling, sci-fi mystery adventure with an epic orchestral score. Totally underappreciated and overlooked.

House of the Dead 2 £41 (with gun)

Blasting zombies was never this much fun, making it the premier lightgun shooter on DC.

metropolis street racer £2

The definitive DC racer, it excels in every department, and plays like a beautiful dream.

NFL 2K2 £30

That there ’Murican Football in one of its best-ever digital plays, even to this day.

Phantasy Star Online £15

SEGA’s online RPG – an ambitious, landmark outing married to a classic franchise.

Seaman £60 (with mic)

A freakish exercise in psychology, delivered by a talking fish with a human face. Man alive…

Sega Rally 2 £10

Still ranks as top-tier racing action of the Model 3 variety, and a must-have for DC owners.

Shenmue £9

A standard bearer, open-world adventure, and the then-most expensive videogame ever.

Virtua Tennis 2 £14

Expanding on an already brilliant recipe, the sequel makes for a top tennis time.

Saturn

baku baku animal £20

Apparently ‘Baku Baku’ roughly translates to ‘Chomp Chomp’.

Batsugun £130

The game that coined the term ‘danmaku’ – you against loads of bullets.

battle garegga £130

A hugely popular and extremely rare (so therefore expensive) Japanese shmup.

Zombies ate my neighbors £50 Over 50 challenging levels with a horror setting? That has to be my Court of Appeal. – Paul

dreamcast

F355 Challenge £13

Serious simmery from Ferrari fiend, Yu Suzuki. It’s no pushover, and one hell of an achievement.

Border Down £235

Gorgeous looking, with a smart border system, and a challenge from the outset.

Chu Chu Rocket! £5 Mad brilliance with a four-player, online mode to test your reflexes.

Ikaruga £72

Gobsmacking graphics and real depth makes Treasure’s tour de force one of the best ever.

Power Stone 2 £12 Bigger arenas made for greater laughs in this classic, four-way party smasher.

Quake III: Arena £2

A hellishly good PC port, and the game that extolled Dreamcast online. Shooters done proper.

Skies of Arcadia £70

A JRPG work of art for the ages. Now, where’s our effing remaster, eh? Well? WELL!?!

Sonic Adventure £13

The true 3D arrival of Sonic, and still thoroughly entertaining – pop-up notwithstanding.

Burning Rangers £175

This game is HOT STUFF! Because they are firefighters. And there’s fire.

COURT OF APPEAL

jet set radio £20

How does one game ooze so much style? A living, breathing work of graffiti art.

Resident Evil –CODE: Veronica £6

Originally a DC exclusive, and still the best of the classic Resi games for our money.

Soulcalibur £5

One of the greatest, kinkiest 3D fighting games on any system, ever. If you haven’t already, buy it. Then worship it.

Space Channel 5 £12

Sexy and stylish, with a wicked soundtrack – and SEGA proving its love for life again.

die hard trilogy £12

The graphics may look like they’re made of LEGO, but it’s the gameplay that shines through. All three films wrapped up in a delicious and enormously playable bundle – Dean

Dark Savior £45

Not quite a sequel to Landstalker, more like a spiritual successor. And that’s more than good enough for us.

POWER down

us!

Aanndd that’s yer lot. Sorry to end quite so abruptly, but we do hope it’s given you a flavour of what you can expect from the full version of the magazine.

If you’re new to SEGA Powered then hello, it’s lovely to meet you –albeit virtually. As you’re reading this then you clearly have excellent taste in magazines, so I suspect we’d get along swimmingly. SEGA Powered is a professional magazine created by independent writers with industry backgrounds. We’re proud to have worked on some of the biggest games magazines in the UK, and hopefully you’ll see some of that experience leaking out onto the pages.

SEGA Powered is a monthly magazine, and goes on sale towards the end of the month. You can find out more about the magazine by following us on Facebook (HERE) or Twitter (HERE), or feel free to pop by our Discord server (HERE). Finally, you can head to our website (HERE), where you can pick up a copy of the magazine in either digital or print formats. Thanks again for reading.

Dean Mortlock – Editor