One of the most iconic 2D platforms of the 16-bit generation had to be Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse. It seems if you or anyone else owned a SEGA Genesis, then they also had this great platformer, which is why both Disney and SEGA are teaming up once again to create a remake of the game to be released this summer.
Disney Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse will be made available as a digital download on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC and will feature improved controls, music and graphics as the game will be built from the found up. (more…)
This strange looking box is capable of something no other device ever built is – it can play the original cartridges, ROMs and discs from 18 different retro gaming systems.
The beastly Project Unity system was built by modder Bacteria, and it took him over 3500 hours and three years to assemble. Inside, it contains original circuitry from 15 classic systems, but works with a single master controller, a single power supply, and a single (SCART) video output connector. All tolled, it cost Bacteria about £700 (~$1076 USD) in parts to build, but its really his time and labor that represents the majority of the cost.
Inside the system is approximately 100 feet of cabling, and the whole thing weighs in around 44 lbs. The system has physical hardware from an Atari 7800, Sega Master System, Sega MegaDrive (Genesis), Super Nintendo, Nintendo NES, Nintendo 64, NeoGeo MVS, Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo Gamecube, NEC TurboGrafx X, Colecovision, Intellivision, Sony Playstation 2, and Amstrad GX1000 consoles. He says it can actually play games from 18 total systems, including PS1 games on the PS2, Atari 2600 games on the 7800 and GBA games on the GameCube.
In order for all of the games to work with a single controller, he built a series of special NES cartridges which plug into the controller, providing system specific interfaces for the single mega-controller.
Bacteria explains the build and how Project Unity came together and how it works in the extensive video below. The system and controller demo starts around 9:30.
You could play all of these consoles using MESS or other emulators, there’s something to be said about using the original hardware to play games without the quirks that most emulators exhibit.
If you’re wondering about the big nondescript square box it’s all set inside of, Bacteria says he built it that way so it would all fit neatly into the cabinet under his TV. While it may not be the prettiest looking console I’ve ever seen, you’ve got to hand it to Bacteria for his persistence and technical abilities.
It was close to a year ago when Capcom, Namco Bandai and SEGA announced they would be teaming up to work on its Project X Zone Nintendo 3DS game. And after several months of development time, publisher Namco Bandai has announced the game will be made available on the 3DS on June 25th in North America.
Project X Zone will star Namco Bandai, SEGA and Capcom characters in a strategy RPG. The inclusion of characters from each developer’s roster is explained the in game’s story, which revolves around a stolen ancient treasure known as the Portalstone. The game’s roster will include stars of such franchise’s as Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, Tekken, Rival Schools and Mega Man X. Yes – we know the majority of these franchises are from Capcom’s stable of titles, but we’re sure we’ll hear about more stars from Namco Bandai and SEGA’s camp when we get closer to Project X Zone’s release date. Until then, keep your Nintendo 3DS fully charged to prepare yourself for the moment this interesting looking mashup RPG game releases.
Namco Bandai has confirmed that Project X Zone, its strategy RPG-game featuring over 50 characters from Namco Bandai, SEGA, and Capcom’s games, will be making its way to North American and PAL regions over the summer. The official release date for North America is set for June 25th, 2013 for the Nintendo 3DS. European countries, however, are looking at a vague “Summer 2013″ release date.
Project X Zone takes over 50 characters throughout the SEGA, Capcom, and Namco Bandai universes and brings them altogether in “dream scenarios”. The storyline revolves around a stolen ancient treasure known as the “Portalstone”. Due to a rift in space and time, characters from the all of these gaming universes are able to crossover and join forces to return everything back to normal.
In Project X Zone, you are able to create your dream team of various classic characters from your favorite games. These characters are able to create special attacks and combo attacks with each other thanks to the “Cross Active Battle System”. The game will also feature some of the best, nostalgic music from all the games across Namco Bandai, SEGA, and Capcom’s music library.
You can mix and match characters between various games like the Xenogear/Xenosaga series, Street Fighters, Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, .Hack//Sign, and more. The various combinations of teams you can come up with are almost endless. You will be able to purchase the game for $39.99 June 25th for the Nintendo 3DS. If you’re looking for other great Nintendo 3DS games to play, be sure to check out Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate as well. If you’re thinking about purchasing a Nintendo 3DS/XL, be sure to check out our Nintendo 3DS XL review.
I’m more of a vintage Nintendo fan myself, but I understand that many gamers have a special place in their hearts for the SEGA Dreamcast. And for those who still play it, you can now get a SEGA Dreamcast controller backpack to help you carry it around.
This cool backpack is being launched as a part of SEGA’s new brand, “SegaKawaii,” line. In English that means “SEGA Cute” and this is a pretty darn cute way to kick things off, especially if you are a fan of the console.
The Dreamcast controller backpack will set you back ¥13,860 (~$146 USD) and goes on sale April 25 in Japan. The backpack will join other SEGAKawaii items that you can buy, like a Dreamcast t-shirt and a Genesis tank top. If you love the console, don’t miss out on this one.
One of my all-time favorite video game consoles has to be SEGA’s Dreamcast as I feel it was way ahead of its time in terms of graphical ability, user-interface as well as it believing in online multiplayer games on consoles before it was even a thing. I can sing the praises of the Dreamcast for hours, which is why when I saw there was a Dreamcast Controller backpack, I knew I had to write about it for all of you Dreamcast lovers out there.
SEGA has started to roll out a backpack which resembles its monstrously large Dreamcast controller. In fact, I believe this backpack might be an exact replica in terms of the controller’s size, but I might be wrong considering it’s been years since I held the console’s controller. The backpack is being launched as a part of SEGA’s new brand, “SegaKawaii,” which translates to SEGA cute or adorable in Japanese. (more…)
Sega has been making their Homestar planetariums for a number of years, and has finally created one that might just be worthy of a place in my geek sanctuary, with the release of their new Darth Vader Homestar projector.
Shaped like Vader’s iconic helmet, a flap on top conceals a small planetarium projector that splashes about 10,000 tiny stars and planetary bodies on your walls and ceiling. You’ll also see Vader’s TIE fighter floating among the stars. Though I’m surprised there’s no Death Star out there in the heavens. For that, you actually need to go with the R2-D2 Homestar.
You can the Darth Vader Homestar projector over on Amazon Japan for ¥4,200 (~$45 USD) now, but if you absolutely must have one outside of Japan, you can find it over at the Japan Trend Shop for about double that price.
If you’re a fan of military-themed real-time strateg games, you’re probably familiar with the game Company of Heroes. Sega has announced that the second game in the franchise is set to start its closed beta early next month. Company of Heroes 2 will kick off it closed beta April 2. That is next Tuesday if you don’t have a calendar in front of you.
The initial phase of the closed beta is open to eligible pre-order customers only. Sega says that in the coming weeks it will have a second phase of the beta allowing a wider audience to take part. The closed beta will use Steam and players will need the free Steam client to redeem their closed beta access key.
During the closed beta, players will have access to multiple player and skirmish game play with six maps. The beta will support 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4 competitive game play and single player game play. Players will have access to the first 40 levels of progression and will be able to customize load-outs. The full game is set to launch for PC gamers in June 2013.
There are a number of military-themed shooters on the market today with some of the big ones being the Battlefield franchise and Call of Duty. A lot of gamers are also big fans of the Company of Heroes franchise and Sega has offered up some new news for the second game in the franchise. Sega will be running an exclusive early access beta phase that will launch on April 2 for Company of Heroes 2.
The closed beta test will offer players the chance to get a sneak peak at the competitive multiple player and skirmish game play. Players in the beta will be able to access six maps featuring 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4 competitive game play. The beta will also allow players to play alone or with teammates against the computer AI.
During the beta, players get access to the first 40 levels of progression and will have the ability to customize load outs. Company of Heroes 2 has an all new Army Customizer that allows players complete control over their loadout to suit their style of play. The Company of Heroes 2 closed beta will be hosted via Steam and uses Steamworks.
Sega points out that players will need to download the free Steam client to be able to redeem the closed beta access keys and participate in the beta. If you don’t have keys to participate in the beta, it’s unclear how you get those. Company of Heroes 2 will launch for the PC in June of 2013.
Hyperkin has developed a reputation for modern takes on legendary game consoles that are often better than the real thing. If true, its just-unveiled Retron 5 is a nostalgia singularity. The hardware emulator can use its namesake five cartridge slots to play original games from no less than nine vintage consoles, including the Genesis (Megadrive), NES (Famicom), SNES (Super Famicom) and GameBoys from the original through to the GameBoy Advance. It keeps going: there’s a custom Bluetooth controller that can handle every system, mix-and-match original controller support, save states and upscaling for both video (to 720p, through HDMI) as well as audio. While we’ll have to see just how well the Retron 5 works whenever it exists as more than a conceptual graphic, that opportunity may come quickly when Hyperkin is tentatively shooting for a July release at less than $100. About all that’s left for a follow-up Retron are Jaguar and Turbografx 16 slots — pretty please?
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