It’s Sega day on XBLA
Posted by Graham. Filed under Arcade, G, Microsoft Xbox 360, News, Retro, Sonic, Worldwide. Tagged with Altered Beast, Comix Zone, Downloads, Genesis, Gunstar Heroes, Mega Drive, Phantasy Star II, Retro, Sega Vintage Collection, Shinobi, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, XBLA.
Do you remember last month that Sega announced several titles that would be joining the Sega Vintage Collection on XBLA? Well they’re here!
As announced in the press release, the new titles now available on XBLA are:
- Altered Beast (Arcade version)
- Comix Zone (Mega Drive/Genesis)
- Gunstar Heroes (Mega Drive/Genesis)
- Phantasy Star II (Mega Drive/Genesis)
- Shinobi (Arcade version)
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Mega Drive/Genesis)
Each game costs 400 MS points and the games that feature multiplayer modes are online enabled - so you can happily play Altered Beast, Gunstar Heroes and Sonic 3 with a friend.
Of course if you want value for money, then it would be better getting your hands on the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection, which features over 40 titles, including all these games with the exception of Gunstar Heroes.
Also don’t forget that Sega announced that Sonic & Knuckles would be joining the Vintage Collection, but that is not due till late this summer. Sonic & Knuckles will allow players to use the lock-on feature on both the Sonic 3 and Sonic 2 titles on XBLA - which should be fun.
Note: Gunstar Heroes should also be available for the PS3’s PSN service. However not owning a PS3 I cannot check to see if it has also been released today - so if someone can confirm that’d be great.
Sega confirms next titles for the Vintage Collection
Posted by Graham. Filed under G, Microsoft Xbox 360, News, Sonic, Sony PlayStation 3. Tagged with Altered Beast, Comix Zone, Download, Genesis, Gunstar Heroes, Mega Drive, Phantasy Star 2, PSN, Sega Vintage Collection, Shinobi, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic 3, XBLA.
Sega has updated their website with a new page for the “Sega Vintage Collection 2.“ Basically this is a list of seven new/old Sega classics that will be joining the existing Vintage Collection titles already available on XBLA.
Not surprisingly pretty much all the new games joining the Vintage Collection were rumoured a while back in various articles, here, here and here. And, quite excitingly, one of the titles will also be appearing on PSN.
More information after the break.
Rumor: Phantasy Star II coming to XBLA?
Posted by George. Filed under News. Tagged with Phantasy Star II, rumor, Sega Vintage Collection.
The website GamersReport got a strange email, someone reported that Phantasy Star II was coming to Xbox Live Arcade and provided these screen captures as prove it. I guess this can go with our Sonic 3 and Gunstar Heroes coming to XBLA rumors. Find it odd that anyone would pay $5 only for Phantasy Star II, when they can get all four of the Phantasy Star games and 40 plus more games for $29.99.
I have to question these images, if you see the title screen above, you will notice that it says ‘XBOX 360′ with the date and time right next to it. I only have one Vintage Collection game (Streets of Rage II) and that game doesn’t have that.
What do you guys think?
[Source Gamers Reports]
Rumour: Sonic 3 and Gunstar Heroes coming to XBLA?
Posted by Graham. Filed under G, Microsoft Xbox 360, News, Retro. Tagged with Altered Beast, Comix Zone, Gunstar Heroes, Rumour, Sega Vintage Collection, Shinobi, Sonic 3, XBLA.
The Dutch website SegaOnline is reporting that Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Gunstar Heroes are making their way to XBLA, in the form of Sega’s “Vintage Collection” titles. Plus they also mention that there is a possibility of Altered Beast, Comix Zone and Shinobi joining the Vintage Collection ranks too!
Naturally we take rumours with a pinch of salt, but their “anonymous source” has also slipped them a few screenshots of Sonic 3 and Gunstar Heroes on the Xbox download service (one posted above).
Could Ecco the Dolphin be delisted on XBLA?
Posted by Chris. Filed under Chris. Tagged with Ecco, Sega Vintage Collection, XBLA.
You may or may not have heard the recent news that Microsoft plans to remove certain Xbox Live Arcade titles that aren’t performing at an acceptable level. That level is games that have been available for at least half a year, have a Metacritic score less than 65 and have a conversion rate of under six percent.
While Microsoft doesn’t openly share its conversion rates with the public, the other two criteria are easy enough to find out. Mygen has done the hard work for us and has discovered that more than 40 games could possibly be on the chopping block, including Sega’s Ecco the Dolphin.
Ecco was released on XBLA Aug. 15, 2007 and is saddled with a Metacritic score of only 53, which only serves to prove how silly mainstream reviews have become in recent years. While things certainly don’t look good for our underwater ally, we still don’t know what the game’s conversion rate is, which could actually save its life on XBLA if it’s higher than six percent.
It’s truly sad that the game might be axed due to some badly written reviews on Metacritic. It seems a lot of the publications that scored it the lowest, didn’t score the game based on its own merits, but compared it to other games that are available on the platform today. I don’t think I really need to go into detail on why that’s a problem. Ecco is currently available to purchase for only 400 points.
[Via Mygen/Image via Tree Bugger]
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on XBLA
Posted by Nathan. Filed under Microsoft Xbox 360, Nathan, News, North America, Sonic. Tagged with Sega Vintage Collection, XBLA.
This week’s XBLA game is none other than Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Funny, considering the Virtual Console got Sonic the Hedgehog 3 this past Monday.
With his new Super Spin Dash and “Tails” the Fox, Sonic is back and better than ever in Sonic The Hedgehog 2! Defy gravity in hair-raising loop-de-loops, bounce like a pinball and race like lightning. Play against friends at home or against others over Xbox LIVE® in this classic game.
- Classic Sonic action: One of the world’s most famous video game characters comes to Xbox LIVE in one of his fans’ favorite titles. Experience the thrill of the fastest hedgehog in the universe.
- Enhanced graphics and sound: The game stays true to the original, but takes full advantage of high-definition graphics, with enhanced sound effects.
- Achievements and leaderboards: Take on the challenge of new achievements to conquer, and use the leaderboards to compare scores among friends and the rest of the Xbox LIVE world.
- Multiplayer: Play with a friend at home, or go online and play Sonic and Tails with the world at large.
Ooh, online multiplayer. Shiny.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2, like every Sega Vintage Collection game before it, costs 400 Microsoft points. Which is kind of like $5.
Sega Nerds play Streets of Rage 2 on Xbox 360
Posted by Nathan. Filed under Microsoft Xbox 360, Nathan, Video. Tagged with Fan Stuff, Sega Vintage Collection, Streets of Rage, XBLA.
My brother Jason and my friend James tried out Streets of Rage 2 on the Xbox 360 today. I took some video of the hot Sega action. Watch and be amazed.
Streets of Rage 2 now on XBLA
Posted by Graham. Filed under G, Microsoft Xbox 360, News. Tagged with Downloads, Sega Vintage Collection, Streets of Rage, XBLA.
That’s right, Streets of Rage 2 is now available for the Sega Vintage Collection on Xbox Live Arcade. By the looks of our forums, quite a few of you already know about this, but for those that don’t check XBLA for new releases as often, I’m telling you.
Like all Vintage Collection titles (so far), the game comes with some enhancements such as “smooth graphics” (which I actually think look terrible, but I guess some people prefer them), and achievements. Plus, this version of Streets of Rage 2 features online for two players, in co-op and battle modes.
Speaking of achievements, the game features 12 ways to unlock those much sought-after points. Some of these are incredibly easy, like “pick up a knife” or “pick up a pipe.” But then you get some which seem pretty challenging, like “Hard Win - Beat the game without using a special attack” and “Perfect Win - Beat the game with using a continue.” Just before writing this, I gave the game a quick spin, and I am halfway through level 3 without losing a single life, so I guess I’m almost on my way for the “Perfect Win.”
I should also give a special thanks to one of our site/forums members, Diogo, who interrupted my intense playing of BioShock to inform me that Streets of Rage 2 was now on XBLA. At which point I messaged him back, saved my game and quickly went to the Xbox Live Marketplace. Yes, it seems that even beautiful, modern masterpieces such as BioShock cannot hold me back from some classic Sega gaming!
Streets of Rage 2 will set you back 400 Microsoft Points, and is available in all regions.
Win Golden Axe or Sonic on Xbox Live Arcade!
Posted by Ryan. Filed under Microsoft Xbox 360, North America, Ryan, Sonic. Tagged with Fan Stuff, Giveaways, Golden Axe, Sega Vintage Collection, XBLA.
The nice people over at Xbox 360 Rally have teamed up with SEGA to give you the chance to win one of 5 copies of either Sonic the Hedgehog or Golden Axe for Xbox Live Arcade.
It couldn’t be easier to win your copy of Golden Axe; all you need to do is leave a comment and your Xbox Live GamerTag on their article, and include a reason why should get Golden Axe. It’s as simple as that! Contest ends on Saturday, August 25th at 11:59pm EST
ENTER THE PISS-EASY CONTEST HERE!
To win Sonic the Hedgehog is a little harder. Basically, you need to edit Sonic into another Xbox 360 game. It doesn’t matter which one. Use Photoshop, MSPaint or whatever you have. Judging will be based on humor, creativity, and overall quality of the image. Upload it to the Internet using a free image hosting website such as ImageShack and post it on their article with your Xbox Live GamerTag! Contest will end on Monday, September 3rd at 11:59pm EST!
SLIGHTLY LESS EASY BUT STILL QUITE EASY CONTEST HERE!
Vintage Collection site open (in case you didn’t know)
Posted by Graham. Filed under G, Microsoft Xbox 360, News. Tagged with Sega Vintage Collection, XBLA.
 
With all the buzz and hubbub of E3 and Sega announcing XBLA’s ‘Sega Vintage Collection’, and almost immediately releasing Sonic and Golden Axe for the service, it seems that few people really checked the main Sega sites. Most news was posted on other sites, regarding E3, plus live online videos of certain conferences, so there was not much need to visit Sega’s official sites.
But on a visit to Sega-Europes official site today, I noticed that Sega have actually setup a seperate, and official, website for the Vintage Collection. Â So being the kind person I am, I have decided to post this information up. Â Chances are many of you will have, in true Sega Nerd fashion, been checking the official sites regularly. Â But this news is for anyone who hasn’t seen the site yet.
Right now, the site still only has details for Sonic and Goldenaxe. But it looks like the site is designed to be updated, with a list for ‘Latest Games’ and ‘All Games’. So expect to see more details and news of games on the official site here.
