Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games, like Mario and Sonic and the Olympic Games before it, combines the plethora of sports associated with the events with the somewhat madcap world of Nintendo and SEGA mascots. This provides a welcome relief from the charmless sports games that are often released around these major sporting events; the vibrant and less-than-serious world of Mario and Sonic certainly adds something to the sports game formula, but does it work as a game in its own right?

I’d like to start by emphasising that Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games looks great. As a Wii game, it’s up there with Super Mario Galaxy, and as a DS game it competes with the likes of Mario Kart DS. I was impressed as well with the frame rate during the high-speed events like the Luge and the Bob-sleigh; it was never anything less than smooth, even with two players on screen at once. Of course, being a Mario and Sonic game, despite the abundance of white snow the game remains very colourful and enjoyable to look at.

The game has an abundance of events to play, which in video-game terms could probably be described more at ‘mini-games’. The game plays very similarly to Mario and Sonic and the Olympic Games- for those who have not played that, it feels similar to something like Wii Sports/ Resort, with many more games to choose from. Obviously they are all events themed around the Winter Olympics- Skiing, Snowboarding, Bob-sleigh, Curling, Ice-Skating, and Hockey all have their pace in the game, with Skiiing being the most common, with all the types you can imagine. Fans of the Winter Olympics will doubtless be satisfied with the amount of games available.

Alongside real-world events are crazy “Dream” events, which combine sports with, well, Mario Kart. Most of the Dream Events are races with power-ups (shells, stars, banana skins, and even Chaos Emeralds), and are actually a lot of fun. I found myself thinking that with a lot more track variety this could be the subject of its own game- then I realised that it was already out, and called Mario Kart Wii (or Mario Kart DS for those of us who prefer).

The games all have their own control scheme, and most suit the game well enough, but I couldn’t help but feel that most of the motion control elements just didn’t feel fun enough. For most games, you have to waggle to move and tilt to steer, which can get irritating for people who want to accelerate around corners and the like. The waggle controls started to become more and more irritating as I played more and more of the game, realising that very few of the games quite manage to feel intuitive. The ones that do tend to be closer to Wii Sports style games- for example, the Curling controls similarly to Wii Bowling, and as such is good fun to play.

On the DS, the controls mostly revolve around dragging the stylus to move, which meant that a lot of the time I couldn’t see for my hand. However, I was pleased to find that some events, such as the Snowboarding, use the buttons and not a tacked-on stylus control scheme. Thus, these games feel much more at home on the DS. Generally I think the DS game controls better than the Wii version, unless you have particularly big hands.

Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games is without a doubt best enjoyed in multiplayer. The large number of events and Mario and Sonic elements give it a Mario Party-like feel. There is a ‘party games’ section, but I found these games to be drawn out too much. You have to play events competitively, but then you are required to play another mini-game to cash in on your victories, which takes away some of the gratification of winning a good game of Curling. The multiplayer is certainly the best part about the Wii version when played on a event-by-event basis.

The DS version is more of a single-player experience, due to the nature of the platform. This isn’t necessarily to the game’s detriment; it’s still a jolly good sports game, and on the DS it’s one of the best games I’ve played in quite a while. That sounds like high praise, but unfortunately the DS has been a little stagnant this quarter. Still, I think he game is a very solid title.

Although I must admit I only had a brief encounter with Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, I feel that Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games has a lot more to offer. The Wii and DS versions are very good-looking, have a lot of mini-games to play, and the Wii version is a blast with friends. My recommendation is that if you are expecting to be playing with buddies, get the Wii version. If you’re looking for a good set of single-player challenges, get the DS version. Although the games have control issues in some areas and a lot of useless features (I don’t really see the point in a Snowboard customisation shop), they are certainly at least worth a look if you’re interested.

If you like your women without body hair, Bayonetta is probably not for you. But, if you are willing to compromise your high standards, take a few minutes to check out the video below. It’s a pretty cool glimpse into the creation process of Sega’s latest heroine.

Thanks Scrawl

According to GameStop’s online pricing, the much discussed PlayStation 3 port of Bayonetta will apparently be available to consumers at a discounted price of five dollars ($54.99) over its Xbox 360 counterpart ($59.99).

If you are late in joining the conversation, Sega’s Bayonetta title was developed for the Xbox 360 and then ported over to the PlayStation 3. The pixel crunching scrutiny then began, and arguments as to which version was “better” ensued.

A slightly discounted price (if true) may help those who are on the fence about purchasing a ported title, however it may also reaffirm their notion that the port is inferior.

I’m personally not a big fan of ports knowing first-hand that there are many companies out there that take the time to develop a title individually with dedicated teams. That said, I am a big fan of Bayonetta and look forward to picking it up when it hits stores on January 5th (January 8th in Europe).

What do you think? Would discounted prices on ported titles make you happy in the end or is a better solution needed?

Source: Siliconera

This news won’t matter much if you live in Japan because you’re likely already playing the game, Everyone else will have to wait until early January 2010. Sega announced this morning that their Platinum Games’ title Bayonetta will be hitting store shelves in the United States on January 5th and available in Europe three days later on the 8th.

The news also comes with promise of pre-order exclusives but sadly no specifics were given. However, considering the attention given to sex appeal with this character, I’m going to guess a free Bayonetta blow up doll, a box of tissues, and some KY jelly.

The above video is the first in a series of video developer diaries for SEGA’s upcoming Bayonetta. The video discusses the concepts of Bayonetta’s character and enemy design, and the decision to create a world of angels for Bayonetta to fight through. Like almost every dev diary before it, it’s got a lot of insights and a lot of game footage, so if you’re looking forward to Bayonetta it should be of interest.

I’m still on the fence about Bayonetta, for some reason. When I played it it felt like it wasn’t something I would want to play, but everything SEGA has been putting out to advertise it makes it look really quite good. I guess I’ll just have to make my decision when someone isn’t waiting for a turn behind me.

Tired of the same old “bad cop”, “naughty school girl”, and “sexy french maid” Halloween outfits? Me too! Okay… not really, but either way, Sega has got the perfect pick-me-up guide for your last minute Halloween costume conundrum … Bayonetta!

That’s right ladies (and men if this is your sort of thing), firmly pack your boobs and butt into a full body leather suit, twirl your hair up in a Bouffant (think Marg Simpson only much sexier), throw on a pair of high heal boots, black rimmed glasses, and grab a handful or two of candy red colored fire arms to top it all off.

Hit the Halloween kid infested streets this year with a look that says “I’m smart enough to know better, but reckless enough to destroy anything that gets in my way.” The Bayonetta makeover is sure to have the men in each and every household rushing to the door for a chance to put their Snickers bars in your sweet sweet candy basket.

For some step-by-step tips on how to pull off the “Bayonetta” look, head on over to Sega’s Bayonetta “Make-A-Witch” Foundation website.

Banpresto has created a Sega Mega Drive and Sega Saturn zippo lighter case available by pre-order between now and November 6th via Net-You. Each lighter will run you approximately $115 US (¥10,500). That might seem like a steep price to pay for a video game themed lighter, but as you can see in the image above, Sonic the Hedgehog looks cool using it and that means you will too!

Somewhere out there, Joe Camel just lost his cool and the Marlboro Man rolled over in his red and white Marlboro branded coffin (actual cost 40 million Marlboro Miles).

Have something you think we should show on Geeked-Out? Email it to us.

I’ve been a fan of Sega’s multi-platform title Bayonetta from the moment I laid my eyes on an early preview of the game at E3. In fact, I rushed home and told everyone I could about the game … heck I even tried to sketch a few aspects of it for our readers.

Well, the popular Japanese video game publication Famitsu seems to think that Bayonetta is pretty spiffy as well.

Only twelve titles have received a perfect score of 40 in the magazine’s life span, with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time being the first in 1998 and Bayonetta being the most recent. Hit the jump for the full list of games awarded a perfect score by Famitsu.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
2. Soulcalibur (1999)
3. Vagrant Story (2000)
4. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (2003)
5. Nintendogs (2005)
6. Final Fantasy XII (2006)
7. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008)
8. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)
9. 428 (2008)
10. Dragon Quest IX (2009)
11. Monster Hunter Tri (2009)
12. Bayonetta (2009)

Source: Kotaku

Destructoid have noticed this post on NeoGaf detailing a leaked document from SEGA. The document was leaked and includes a lot of goodies. The biggest piece of gossip is that “SCEA wants to sell all PS2 titles on PSN (GTA Vice City/Sonic/etc)”. Similarly, “If [SEGA] provide a list of DC (Dreamcast) titles SCEA will let us know which ones they’re interested in having exclusively.”

Yes, you may now say “wow, I hope this is real”. Journalist Jim Sterling notes that he “tried the download link and it certainly comes from Sega’s own PR site,” so this could be legit. I certainly hope so. Go to the links to see the full list, or hit the jump. Your choice.

SCEA Meeting Aug 5th Notes
Aug 6 2009 – DRAFT FOR COMMENTS

Objectives of Meeting
Dyer agreed to regular quarterly meetings with SOA

Sony PS3
SCEA reiterated plans to sell 13 million PS3s this year
Big announcement back half of year they can’t talk about (potentially price cut of PS3 to reach hardware goals)
SCEA commented on indexing between PS3 and 360 SKUs, should be around 2:1 to garner most favorable treatment.

Motion Controller
Spring 2010 launch (March in JP)
No bundle/pricing details yet, should come Sept 1
Plan on selling 4-5MM units WW
SCEA agreed to provide a list of Sega IP that would work well with the motion controller, Virtua Tennis was an example
Motion Controller support allows easy way to differentiate PS3 SKU
Other differentiation opportunities include PSP/PS3 interoperability – think of features that would make users want to buy both PS3 and PSP SKUs.

Alpha Protocol
Michael Foster, product evaluator, said AP felt barely RPG. Initial level too challenging for players. “Mass Effect felt more RPG.”
Review notes sent to John Merlino a few weeks prior. After meeting Gerald mentioned AP is a high priority for his team.

Planet 51
Sell in of PS3 SKU – SCEA noted that other movie titles on PS3 had underperformed as well (inc. Transformers) this cycle.
Dyer suggests contacting Susan at Walmart and asking what she wants in the pack to sell this SKU (movie tix etc)
Other possibilities are Hybrid movie disc (BD 25 or 50 with Game and Movie on same disc).

Bayonetta
Collectors edition with Bayonetta Action Figure
Novo recommended launching PSN demo around Xmas based off a Jan 5th Ship date with 2-3 week run out to launch.
3-4 weeks is usually ideal demo timing with fresh content every week leading up to launch (trailers, insider video about PG heritage, video blogs).

Vancouver 2010
HOME, Olympic destination would garner a lot of positive attention from SCEA
Should be doing same with Bayonetta, Marvel etc. Easy to launch in all territories.
HOME merchandizing opportunities (clothes etc).

Sonic Racing
Open to DLC to differentiate PS3 SKU – not ratchet and clank but other characters
maybe characters from Rare or Fable universes

Yakuza
Could put Japanese games directly on PSN for download in a special Japanese Import section (pricing $9.99 to $39.99 for full game).
Might need to localize menus at least with subtitles.
SCEA interested in helping on MKTG side if they can have period of exclusivity.

AVP
Another great HOME candidate
AVP avatars
Hybrid BD disc with movie

Iron Man 2
Great candidate for HOME space – explore Tony Stark’s lab etc.
Should have one for Marvel in general.

PSU2
Could do bundle at GameStop with PSP 30-35K units on UMD, Go, or both.

Valkyria 1937
Could bundle with PSP as well.

Vanquish and Aliens: CM
Opportunity for PS3/PSP interoperability (see Eidos Batman, Army of Two, Assassin’s Creed for good examples).
If we offer that SCEA would be really interested in having us at their booth next E3.

Thor
SCEA would like a look at the code soon.

Sonic Anniversary
Could put out collectors edition with all old sonic games on one BD disc.
“Best of Sonic” for around $99.
SCEA would love PSN exclusive power ups/different game modes (like Castlevania’s flip it over/backwards)

PS2 emulator for PS3 (confidential)
SCEA wants to sell all PS2 titles on PSN (GTA Vice City/Sonic/etc)
For co Marketing money show PS3 controller on TV ads – similar to EA Madden Spots, NCAA, etc…

London Olympics
Perfect opportunity for Motion Controller integration.

DC Digital Titles
If we provide a list of DC titles SCEA will let us know which ones they’re interested in having exclusively.
If we give them a long period of exclusivity they’ll give us more marketing support.

PSP Titles
For SKU differentiation it’s best to offer features that are slightly different from PS3 version.
Titles that are coming up on PSP are Assassin’s Creed II, GTA China Wars, Resident Evil, Little Big Planet – all massive franchises.
SCEA has a specific PSP deck which they can send up with their hardware director for a chat.

According to the June NPD numbers, Sega’s hyped Wii-exclusive FPS, The Conduit, only sold a less than stellar 72,000 copies between its June 23 launch and the NPD cutoff date of July 4. Although it still hasn’t been out for a full month, these numbers still have to be a dissapointment to Sega who have seen their other adult-themed Wii-exclusives, MadWorld and House of the Dead: Overkill, sell very poorly.

So what is it about the Wii and so called hardcore games? I think the Wii needs these kinds of games, but is just seems as if the Wii owners don’t want them. I wonder how well The Conduit would have done if it were released for the 360 and PS3? Probably much better, but who knows.

Source: Edge

Following the death of “The King of Pop” last thursday, sales for Sega’s Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker video game have rised on Ebay.

Released for the Sega Genesis in 1990, Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker reached prices as high as $205. The game featured music from the best-selling Thriller album and BAD album, including hits like Smooth Criminal, Beat It, Billie Jean and BAD.

It’s funny cause I actually remember playing this game as a child at my cousin’s house and it was actually pretty fun, back then nevertheless. Rest in Peace Michael Jackson, we lost one of the greatest entertainers of all time, if not ever.

Punch Jump

As a kid that grew up owning a Sega Master System, I have always had a special spot in my heart for Sega. It’s nice to see that they are not only alive and kicking these days as a publisher, but working on several new titles that add value to the gaming industry.

I was excited to see a promising Sonic title as well as new projects like Bayonetta and MadWorld shaping up nicely at last years E3. In their continued effort to create unique IPs for the Nintendo Wii console, Sega is bringing us a first person shooter titled “The Conduit” this summer.

Giving away my age, I can remember playing another alien based Sega title called Alien Syndrome — and I’m not talking about the recent Wii adaptation — I’m talking about the 1980’s SMS version of the arcade classic.

Unlike the overhead shooter I played as a kid, The Conduit’s alien ass kicking fest is set in Washington D.C. and just like any good season of 24, there are suspicions of government involvement in the invasion. You will play a former secret service agent codenamed Jack Bau…err “Mr. Ford” equipped with enough Wii-tastic sci-fi guns and gizmos to get the job done.

Next gen junkies shouldn’t pass on this simply because it’s a Wii exclusive. If you own a Wii (or thinking about picking one up), you’ll be happy to know that this bad boy looks pretty darn good on screen, complete with detailed environment textures and real-time reflective surfaces. The controls are everything you’ve come to expect from the Nintendo Wii console too, with customizable configurations that help the game adapt to your play style.

In addition to the challenging AI in the single player campaign, the title features several online multiplayer modes allowing you and twelve friends to carpet our nations capital with the carcasses of would be alien invaders.

So if first person shooters are your thing, and you don’t want the citizens of earth getting thier brains scooped out by aliens HULU style, you may want to slap a few bucks down on Sega’s The Conduit. Giggity.

Title: The Conduit Publisher: Sega Rating: Teen Content: Blood, Mild Language, Violence Platforms: Nintendo Wii Dive into a Wii exclusive award-winning shooter this summer. Featuring advanced graphics and fully customizable controls, take charge in intense single-player or up-to-12-person multiplayer battles.

I’ve been a fan of this Platinum Games project since I first sketched it for you back at last year’s E3. Bayonetta features killer hair, big boobs swaddled in leather, fashion statement gun accessories, and now … a child abducting villain! Seriously, what’s an epic battle between two forces without a little hostage negotiation?

Sega’s E3 Trailer, sent to us last night as a 600+ meg file via email (too much work), is available for you after the jump courtesy of the video department over at GameTrailers. In addition to baby Bayonetta, you will find a good chunk of gameplay footage. Hit it.

Sega and Rebellion have released this teaser trailer for the upcoming Aliens Vs Predator game, along with some pics and details of the game. Check out the video and then hit the jump for more info.

Aliens Vs Predator will give players the options of choosing from three different playable species: alien, predator and marine. Each of the species will have their very own distinct story during the single-player campaign that will somehow connect to the campaign story of the other two species.

Along with the diverse campaign mode, the game will feature a three-way online multiplayer, of which the maximum number of players is yet to be known. Aliens Vs Predator will be coming out for the 360, PS3 and PC.

Check out the Sega UK blog post for more info on the game.

Source: Joystiq via Sega

At first glance, the above trailer looks like nothing more than a game that requires you to tap on a box faster than your friend. At second glance, it looks exactly the same, but around the third view, Let’s Tap starts to look a little intriguing. But don’t watch it four times- you’ll lose all interest.

Let’s Tap for the Wii is Sega’s newest entry into the Games That Will Get Boring Really Fast genre, and boy will it excel in that. With the world’s most rudimentary control scheme, and only 5 different games, this seems more like a WiiWare title than a full-fledged $50 Wii game. Plus, if they plan to charge me for that little white box, there will be hell to pay.

It’s not like the trailer’s very exciting either- the deadpan expressions on everyone’s faces don’t help to sell me on the game as much as it does creep me out. I plan to reserve full judgement until the game is released on June 16th though- every game deserves a chance. Hit the jump for the box art Sega sent out too.

Sega have announced that Bayonetta will be releasing simultaneously worldwide in Autumn 2009. It’s shaping up nicely from what we’ve seen so far, and the fact that the renowned Platinum Games is the developer is certainly encouraging. Fans of clothes made of hair will love it, too.

If you ever wanted proof that the Nintendo Wii console is not just for little kids and rump shaking girls in their twenties, you can find several limbs strewn about England grasping a game you won’t see advertised during Sesame Street … or will you?

Just how far will Sega go with their latest graphic and viral campaign to promote the upcoming release of MadWorld? In addition to the strategically placed “limbs in London” (sounds like the title of a movie), the publisher is also sending out quite a lovely review package to the press (shown in the left portion of the image above).

I personally think we need more of this type of thing surrounding a game’s release, however some british publications have already begun to paint Sega’s promotional antics as sickening to their public. Oh Benny Hill, where are you now.

Image source: flickr via: /gamer

I published the cinematic intro for Sonic Unleashed a few hours ago, and I’m back with yet more Sonic video to feed your speed addiction — and by speed I mean running really fast. Anyway, here’s a look at some opening dialog between Sonic and Chip, the Hub World area, and the Windmill Isle level which was playable at TGS 08.

I know there are some hardcore Chip haters out there, and while I admit he isn’t needed in terms of gameplay, a game does benefit from character interaction on multiple levels. Does Sonic absolutely need a sidekick? No. Do I think it breaks the game? No.

Overall, I think Sonic Unleashed is shaping up nicely. I was impressed by the title at E3, and I continue to remain impressed. What are your thoughts?

Source: Ruliweb

Sonic Unleashed Image Gallery – Click Here To View

Sega has just sent us over two new trailers for their upcoming Sonic Unleashed title. The next-gen trailer showcases Sonic making his way through both day and night versions of Shamar, a sand filled backdrop, complete with ancient buildings and an Arabian beat.

Those concerned that the music may cause Sonic to suffer the same fate as Sackboy can rest easy. This Middle Eastern number is purely instrumental. No lyrics FTW!

In addition to the next-gen stage, the second trailer highlights two levels for the Wii titled Spagonia (openly influenced by European architecture) and Apatos (one feta cheese crumb away from being Greece).

Grab your tabbouleh and hit the jump for a look at all three stages.

Next-Gen Sonic Unleashed Shamar Stage

Wii Sonic Unleashed Spagonia and Apatos Stages

Bookmark junkies can also add sonic-unleashed.com to their list, as Sega launched the official website today. The site comes with instructions on how to navigate it, and like most guys, I didn’t bother to read them. After a few seconds of fiddling with the giant globe in the center of the screen, I gave up and clicked on the Quick Nav link in the upper left hand corner.

An over the shoulder video showcasing some gameplay footage from Sega’s highly stylized action game, Bayonetta, is now available for your viewing pleasure. If you read the site regularly know that I am very excited about the potential of this game — so much so that I drew some loose sketches for you after seeing initial footage of it at E3.

Those sketches will not be needed anymore, as you can now get a look for yourself after the jump. Keep in mind this is off-screen, and that the quality and color in this video does not do the game justice at all — but it’s better than my sketching.

Bayonetta is the sexy (borderline slutty) gun packing librarian of our dreams. Some may say that the sex aspect is a bit much, but I would quickly direct them to another female heroine who has done quite well for herself.

The same new issue of Famitsu that included footage of Bayonetta also contains another Mad World video. The MW offering doesn’t show much in the way of graphic content and was a tad bit disappointing considering there are a ton of videos floating around the web that better illustrate the games violent content.

If anything, this video is a watered down version of the game designed to be presentable to the masses. Have at it after the jump.

Source: Gamekyo

I was so excited after seeing Bayonetta at this years E3 that I did everything I could to share what I had seen with all of you — including sketching some key moments from the presentation. Well, thanks to the latest issue of Famitsu, you will all be able to see a short video clip released by Sega that highlights a small sampling of the games footage.

Unfortunately the clip doesn’t showcase any of the fighting mechanics we got to see at E3, but it does give you a glimpse into the style and overall art direction. Having seen the footage again myself, I stand behind my original statement comparing the games look to a mix between DMC and Final Fantasy.

The short video clip as well as three high res scans from the magazine are available after the jump.

Source: Gamekyo

Touted as a pulp horror game, The House of the Dead: OVERKILL (the name is actually in caps) was announced today at Leipzig, and although it’s no Jet Grind Radio, it does still look to be an awesome addition for the Wii.

Sticking to the classic on-rails shooter mechanic, but adding “a new retro look, with distinctive graphics, sound and attitude that will add to its horror cool status,” this new addition to the House of The Dead franchise looks to be styling itself, quite rightly, on the classic 80’s zombie films.

Now, just add a hot chick with a gun for a leg and I’m sold.

LEIPZIG (August 19th, 2008) – SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced The House of the Dead: OVERKILL, an all-new pulp-horror reinvention of the classic SEGA light-gun shooter franchise. Created by London-based studio Headstrong Games, The House of the Dead: OVERKILL will take you right back to the beginning of this classic horror series. Available exclusively on the Nintendo Wii early in 2009 and announced to coincide with Games Convention at Leipzig, The House of the Dead: OVERKILL will be presented live by developer Headstrong Games for specially invited members of the press in SEGA’s business centre suite.

The House of the Dead: OVERKILL uncovers the ugly, terrifying, red hot secrets behind the House of the Dead; the daddy of all over-the-top shooters. While staying true to the classic gameplay this hugely successful SEGA series is getting a new retro look, with distinctive graphics, sound and attitude that will add to its horror cool status. Plus, thanks to the Wii Remote™, players will fight off zombies when they get too close; pistol-whipping jaws off and smashing in skulls with their shotgun butt.

“We wanted to do something really different with The House of the Dead: OVERKILL,” commented Bradley Crooks, Studio Head at Headstrong Games. “With SEGA we’ve been able to create a fresh look for the franchise. I think you’ll agree it’s like nothing you’ve seen before on Wii.”

“Paying homage to the pulp horror comics and films that inspired generations of gore fans, The House of the Dead: OVERKILL will expose gamers to a brand-new fleshy rollercoaster ride of revolting dismemberment,” commented Gary Knight, European Marketing Director at SEGA Europe. “This is the hardcore Wii title you’ve been waiting for.”

The House of the Dead: OVERKILL takes you back to when Special Agent G was fresh out of the academy. Teamed up with hard-boiled bad-ass Detective Washington, they are sent to investigate stories of mysterious disappearances in small-town Louisiana. Little do they know what blood-soaked mutant depravity awaits them in the streets and swamps of Bayou City…

The House of the Dead: OVERKILL will be released in early 2009, exclusively for Nintendo Wii. For more information about the game, please visit www.houseofthedeadoverkill.com.

Reports have surfaced, and it appears that Sega will be announcing a new Nintendo Wii title tomorrow at Leipzig. At this point we know that the game is being developed by Headstrong, and as we reported a few days ago, Sega recently renewed the trademark on Jet Grind Radio.

JET GRIND RADIO
Standard Character claim: Yes
Current Status: Newly filed application, not yet assigned to an examining attorney.
Date of Status: 2008-07-30
Filing Date: 2008-07-24

Armed with that information, if we had to guess, we would have to lean in that direction as of now, but final word will be coming your way tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Sega’s PS3 exclusive Valkyria Chronicles looks good. It looks really good. Alternate WWII-timeline, elegant painterly graphics, cameos from Skies of Aracdia characters and some newfangled take on strategy-RPG gameplay? We won’t even have to wait too much longer for it, either, as Sega has announced that the game will come out on American shores on November 11.

For the serious Japanophiles out there, the game will include the original Japanese voice-over work – a nice backup option in case the American voice-overs are too hammy. Hit the jump for more info.

Sega Japan recently released downloadable extra episodes for the JP release of Valkyria, but so far mum’s the word on whether this content will be making it over to the US PlayStation Network. It’ll definitely not be on the retail disc, Sega confirmed in a conversation with Siliconera.

Source: Siliconera

Sega has announced its Leipzig GC line-up, and they’re trying to make a song and dance out of Samba De Amigo. More interesting is the promise of the world premiere of a new title and the attendance of Headstrong Games on their booth.

Headstrong, rebranded from Kuju Entertainment at the end of July, is working on an as-yet-undisclosed Wii title for Sega, so it’s a fair bet they are not turning up to Leipzig just to soak up the atmosphere or see how it compares to E3.

So what could it be? Much as I would love it to be another Shenmue, it seems like it might be another Dreamcast classic – Jet Grind Radio. Sega filed this handy trademark, dated 24 July 2008, which gives us hope that they’re returning to the franchise.

They promise we’ll find out for sure before the event. Here’s the rest of their line-up, sadly devoid of any other Dreamcast greats begging for a resurrection:

Samba De Amigo
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
Sonic Unleashed
Mario and Sonic at the Olympics Games (well it is that time of year)
Bejing 2008
Dinosaur King
Space Seige
Empire: Total War
Alpha Protocol
Mad World
Bayonetta (follow up to Golden Axe apparently)
Valkyria Chronicles
Stormrise

Man-on-top Simon Jeffrey has rounded on developers for drowning Wii in below-par tat, but is confident that publishers – starting with Sega, naturally – can put that to rights.

Chewing the fat over at Venture Beat, he says:

“There is a lot of crap coming out for the Wii in general. But if it’s not a good game, it doesn’t sell. That flood of crap will die down as publishers become more coherent.”

Let’s hope this isn’t a case of Simon Jeffrey misspeaking again. He also lets loose on the tug-of-war between Sony and Microsoft for Wii ‘graduates’, putting everyone’s favourite game – Mad World – on the frontline for reaching out to the more hardcore Wii audience.

“No one is doing that. With Mad World from Platinum Games, we are trying to show that millions of Wii gamers want to move on to mature games. They don’t have to have an Xbox 360 to do that.”

There’s more to come from Sega when it comes to Wii – Jeffrey just loves the accessories:

“We are fans of the Wii Zapper. Our Ghost Squad game keeps selling. We have more Zapper games going. The same for the Wii Balance Board, although we have nothing announced yet.”

Never say never. Nothing may be announced *yet*, but Leipzig GC is only round the corner.

I recently reported that Sega CEO Simon Jeffery, in an interview with Gamastura, stated that Yu Suzuki, Sega’s long time game designer, was no longer employed by the company. The interviewer then made an interrogative statement seeking to further confirm Suzuki’s situation, to which Simon said “Not as far as I know.”

Well, apparently the CEO does not know very much. The creator of Virtua Fighter, Virtua Cop, and Out Run is still very much with Sega as a Creative Officer. Just how many layers their are between a clueless CEO and a legendary gaming “Creative Officer” — the world may never know.

One good thing came out of all of this — if Simon can misspeak on the fate of one of their most influential employees, who’s to say he has any idea at all what is going on with the fate of the Dreamcast 2. For all he knows, Suzuki is working on it right now.

Source: Gamasutra

First-quarter results from the industry mainstay posted SEGA at a loss of $963 million.

Despite the brutal blow, consumer growth has gone up 90.6%. However, the company’s current woes can be laid directly at the feet of Sega’s pachinko arcade interests which cost them more than $39 million.

However, Videogame sales have continued to climb for the publisher as Iron Man and Valkyria Chronicles continue to exceed sales expectations in Japan and worldwide.

No word yet from the titular blue hedgehog on the considerable loses of his sugar-momma Sega. Those close Sonic say that he now wishes he hadn’t spent all his money sniffing lines of blow of the ass of Princess Elise.

Source: gamesindustry.biz

In an E3 interview conducted with Sega’s President, Simon Jeffery, the Dreamcast revival is jokingly brought up, only to be shot down immediately by Jeffery. The tone of his response in doing so is very routine, and downright unaffectionate to the plight of the many loyal Sega fans who continue to grasp at Dreamcast 2 straws.

We get the business side of it Simon, we really do, but is it really asking too much for you to seem sympathetic when you utter the words that break our collective hearts?

Have at the video interview after the jump, and make sure to have a box of tissues handy — you may need them.

Oh, and if you like the image featured at the top of this post, I am considering making up a few t-shirts if enough people express interest. Leave a comment if you want one and we will go from there. Once again, thank you Sega.

Source: Kotaku