Sega named as one of the world's coolest brands

This week the annual CoolBrands list was published, with Sega making it into the final selection.

Every year The Centre for Brand Analysis in the UK assemble an "Expert Council", made up of fashion designers, artists, presenters and more, to decide which are the world's coolest brands. Members of the general public are also invited to share their opinion, and can nominate brands for consideration.

Brands, which can be products or companies, are rated on their style, innovation, originality, authenticity, desirability and uniqueness. Then, based on this criteria, the nominations are whittled down to a list of just 500, creating the CoolBrands Top 500.

Sega was one of the few games brands to make the list, with Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox and Sony all finishing in the Top 20. Other games brands in the Top 500 included Atari, EA, Guitar Hero and Konami.

If this was the Nineties then Sega would surely have made the Top 20 ahead of Nintendo, who finished fifth. Oh well.

[Source: CoolBrands]

P.S. Today is SEGAtastic's first birthday! The blog managed to document an exciting year for Sega, which included the release of one of their best games for years (Valkyria Chronicles), marked them as the top publisher for hardcore Wii games (MadWorld, House of the Dead: Overkill) and (maybe) forecast a future of quality Sonic games (Project Needlemouse, All-Stars Racing).

Cupboard of Awesome: Day 2

Unfortunately, today's Cupboard of Awesome is not as awesome as yesterday. Partly because there are no shiny objects or scary teddies.

Anyway, the first item today is a Let's Tap soundtrack CD. CDs seems to be a staple in merchandising, as demonstrated here. The cover has a penguin on it, reflecting the fact that Let's Tap is so simple that even a penguin could play it.

Sega say they will give these away when the game is released in Europe. Yay?

Technically we could sue Yuji Naka as there is no proof that penguins can actually play Let's Tap. If that was your reason for buying the game, then demand your money back. Or at least a free copy of the next game in the series, Let's Waggle.

The next item is a CD from musician Bentley Jones, real name Lee Brotherton. Some of his music featured on the so-good-they-restarted-the-numbering Sonic the Hedgehog. Yes, the 2006 version.

More tat tomorrow!

[Source: Sega Europe]

Sega Europe's "Cupboard of Awesome"

Yes, it's time to journey to that "rather more British-sounding" Cupboard of Awesome (Gawd bless ya SEGAtastic).

The Sega Europe blog has started their series of finds from their "Cupboard of Awesome", in response to Sega of America's "Awesome Box". ArchangelUK said that the stuff in their cupboard was not as wondrous as in the box, but I beg to differ!

Take a look at these amazingly shiny Sonic 10th Anniversary coins. Aren't they ace? I would love some of these - they look so much better than the UK's new "shield" coins. We should just use Sega promotional currency instead.


If I were to take those photos I would use my star filter to make them look extra-shiny! So shiny in fact, that just by looking at the photos you would go blind. Seriously.


Other items found were some scary Bleach teddies, and a Bleach DS stylus. "Bleach" as in the anime and Sega game, not the household chemical stuff.

There were also some Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games pin badges, and some Sega keyrings. The worst item of all was a promotional copy of PSP game Ghost Rider. Blech.

I can't wait to see what other random filth is uncovered this week! Check back tomorrow.

Sega Europe responds to the Awesome Box

Sega Europe have decided to do their own version of Sega of America's Awesome Box, with a rather more British-sounding name - the Cupboard of Awesome.

ArchangelUK of Sega Europe's blog has been rifling through the marketing cupboard, unearthing some out-of-date Haribo and "a few items that will interest you". Exciting!

You can expect to see what they found in the Cupboard of Awesome from next Monday, right after the Awesome Box week has finished.

Speaking of which, here's today's heap of Sega-branded nonsense! First up is probably one of my favourite pieces of tat so far. It's a Phantasy Star Online bouncy ball! Not only does it bounce, but it lights up too. Lovely.

I honestly want one.

Next is this rather strange Shinobi silk scarf, presented in a lockable wooden box. Presumably this is so you can hide it from your friends when they come round.

Other random items include a tiny Sonic toy and some novelty Sonic gloves. Yes, Sonic's gloves actually say "Sonic the Hedgehog" on them so that he doesn't lose them.


Also included in the box today was a limited edition Shenmue instruction book, a 10th Anniversary Sonic soundtrack CD and an original Samba de Amigo maraca.

Tomorrow is most likely the last day of the Awesome Box, but from Monday we will have the Cupboard of Awesome. Joy!

US Gold's Out Run cover returns as a t-shirt

Those of us living in Europe probably had our first experience of Out Run thanks to US Gold, who ported many Sega licenses to home micros during the 1980s and 1990s. Clearly I did - I used the same font from the Out Run logo on this blog!

Generally, UK-made ports had unique cover art from the rest of the world, as was the case with Out Run. Americans may be familiar with this, the console cover art:


Whereas in Europe we got this, the computer version's cover art:

Ooh, shiny!

Anyway, what has this got to do with anything? Well, Sega Europe are offering the artwork on a t-shirt in a competition! The only problem is, they haven't told us how we can actually win it. All that has been said by Sega is "accept the challenge"...

So, you can start trying to win the t-shirt now! First-posting on Sega's blog didn't work, so maybe you have to send them a nice email outlining why you should win it. Or maybe the first person to drive to Sega Europe HQ in a Ferrari Testarossa wins it? We'll just have to wait and see.

OutRun Online Arcade is released on April 15th on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

[Source: Sega Europe]

New Sega Vision info emerges

One lucky reporter over at Sega Nerds has actually gone to this year's ATEI, and has found out more information on Sega's portable media device the Sega Vision.

Unfortunately the Sega Vision will not be able to play games yet. The current model can play simple flash games, although the retail version has this feature cut out. Sega Europe have said that they do not want the games to look like a failed attempt to rival other handhelds, instead waiting until newer models with better specifications are released in the future.

The unit is slightly bigger than a credit card, and is extremely light. It has 2GB of memory and an SD card slot. There is no definite word on battery life, but apparently it can last for an entire film. The TV and radio functions are analogue, which is slightly useless in the UK as these signals are being switched off over the next few years. Sega have said future models will have digital capabilities.

Future models may even have a touch screen, which, along with better games, could bring it on par with the iPhone. Obviously it won't be able to make calls, but who uses the iPhone as an actual phone anyway?

The Sega Vision is being released this year at an estimated price of £70 - £90, with the £49.98 price being trade only. Hopefully we will have more information soon!

Sega actually uses Metacritic

In an interview with Gamesindustry.biz, it seems that Sega Europe president Mike Hayes actually uses score aggregation site Metacritic. For those who don't know, Metacritic takes review scores from many publications and produces an average. This applies to film, television and games among others.

Hayes says that Metacritic provides "objectivity into the business", with good scores contributing to a game's success. He also says that "there’s too much evidence that shows games which score below a certain level in certain genres are not going to cut through", but "there are other genres and other platforms where we wouldn’t put a developer against that score, because it’s more about the brand, the license, the release timing".

He must have been talking about Sonic in the last part there. Sonic games sell so much regardless of quality, there's no point in trying to make them any good. Maybe one day Sega will realise that high quality is still important, as are review scores to a certain extent.

[Source: Crispy Gamer]

Anyone for some Sonic-themed tat?

Sega Europe have posted some of the things they will be showcasing at this year's Amusement Trades Exhibition, and some of the prizes you can win from the machines are pure tat. That doesn't mean us Sega fans don't want them though, does it?


These are some Sonic slippers, but are not guaranteed to increase your running speed. I have always wanted Tails' shoes, but it doesn't look like Sega will ever manufacture them. I'm still waiting for the Nike 2015s THAT AREN'T LIMITED EDITION.


Next is a giant Sonic MP3 player. It holds 1GB of memory, and the buttons are situated all over Sonic's body. Yes, even there. Now, I thought one of the main advantages of MP3 players was their portability, something this is sorely lacking. Anyway, it's yours for just £24.98!


Next are some plushies that you can win from this Sonic UFO machine, sans any Sega Visions. Thankfully they are not as deformed as ones I have seen.

Unfortunately I have never seen a Sega Amusements machine with anything Sonic related in, instead having rubbishy phones and iPods in them. JE VOUDRAIS UN CHEAPLY MADE SONIC PLUSHIE, S'IL VOUS PLAÎT!

Sega confirms Q1 release dates

When I reported on this month's upcoming releases, Sega had not confirmed many definite dates. However, today they have provided some new information regarding Europe's early releases.

They have confirmed that House of the Dead: Overkill will be released on February 13th, with Mega Drive Ultimate Collection coming out a week later on February 20th.

Bleach: Dark Souls will be released on March 13th, although this is the last game Sega has released any information on. Hopefully by next month we will have more confirmed dates.

Win a Mega Drive Ultimate Collection record!

Yes, that's record as in vinyl. It features classic songs found on Mega Drive Ultimate Collection, released sometime in the next few months.

The record itself is blue, and has six songs:

Side A
Space Harrier - Main Theme (4:09)
Ristar - Star Humming (3:28)
Vectorman - Day 3/Tidal Surge (3:03)

Side B
Golden Axe - Turtle Village (2:13)
Phantasy Star 2 - Restration [sic] (2:07)
Vectorman 2 - Scene 18/Shout and Twist (3:46)

Unfortunately, the record is only limited edition, and is not available to buy. The only way to get hold of one of these is to win one of the competitions run by Sega Europe, on their Facebook and blog pages. I would so buy one if I could!

The song choices are not what I would have gone for. I would have chosen some Streets of Rage I/II tracks, and some Sonic ones. Revenge of Shinobi had ace music, and so did Columns! It would be too hard for me to pick just six songs from the Mega Drive's excellent musical library.

Some new screenshots of the compilation have been released, this time of the Phantasy Star series. See the rest on Sega Europe's Flickr.

Why try and appeal to the kids with "HD" graphics when it's the adults who will buy this?

Look at this tasteful Sonic ice sculpture!

In future, Sonic should avoid Mork.

This is a photo of an ice sculpture from Sega Europe's Christmas Party. As you can see, it is a sculpture of Sonic in a Father Christmas hat. I can't really make out much else, except that there is a person in the background.

The sculpture is reminiscent of Sega Europe's 2008 Christmas card, which also shows Sonic is a Father Christmas hat. Stylish.

I WANT ONE!

Giant Sonic appears on Sega Europe building

Over on Sega Europe's Flickr page, a photo of their building has been posted. Anyone who is familiar with the building will know that the front has an enormous Sega logo on the front - however on the back a giant Sonic is now present.

Sonic doesn't normally adorn the back of the Sega Europe headquarters, but according to the Flickr page he just "appeared" sometime in late December!

How I would love to prise that logo off their building and attach it to my house. Actually, when Ocean Software in Manchester was taken over by Infogrames, I wanted to go and nick the logo from the front. The same can be said for when B&Q closed in our area, although I have never gone through with any of my plans. Maybe one day.

OutRun Online Arcade officially announced

A while back I reported that the name "OutRun Online Arcade" had been trademarked. Well, today Sega has officially announced the game, with a release date set for early 2009.

The game is a HD remake of OutRun 2: Coast 2 Coast with added features such as online multiplayer. It will be available for the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live.

Watch the trailer here.

Sonic Unleashed demo: "It's coming"

Sega Europe's blog has announced that demos for Sonic Unleashed are being released soon on the PS3 and Xbox 360. Now you can personally say the game's rubbish instead of quoting reviewers! Or maybe the game will actually be good.

Here's what the blog said:
Sonic.
Unleashed.
Demo.
It’s coming.
More next week.

On the topic of Sonic Unleashed, you can pick the game up for as little as £9.78 delivered from GameStation for one week only. Party!

New Sonic and the Black Knight screenshots released

Hmmm... I wonder what these little green tablets do... *gulp* ARGH!

Today, Sega Europe has released lots of new screenshots for the upcoming Wii game Sonic and the Black Knight. Most of the screenshots feature Sonic wielding a sword, battling enemies or grinding down a rope. Yes, a rope.

EXTREME!

How did Sonic even get to Arthurian Times anyway? I'm sure even Sonic's wondering that in these screenshots. That and how anyone could possibly GRIND DOWN A ROPE.

See the rest of the screenshots here, and be amazed at how versatile Sonic is as a gaming franchise. I've forgotten now that Sonic games are blazing-fast platformers, and children will not know any different.

What's your favourite Sega console?

Sega Europe's blog has reported that there is a poll on their Facebook page asking users "What's your favourite Sega console?". Obviously I voted for the Mega Drive, which is clearly the best Sega console.

As I am writing this, the Dreamcast and Mega Drive are neck-and-neck, gaining 43% and 37% respectively. The Game Gear and Master System have had no votes, sadly. Maybe the people who are responding are too young.

Apparently if you leave a comment on Sega's Facebook page you could win a Sega goody bag. The most passionate wins, so get writing!

House of the Dead: Overkill comic book pictures

Here are some pictures of the comic book that comes with the European House of the Dead: Overkill Collector's Edition. They have been drawn in an authentic classic comic book style, resembling Sin City and other graphic novels. If only the game would come out on platforms other than the Wii!

Sonic Unleashed European release dates updated

Over on Sega Europe's blog, the latest European release dates for Sonic Unleashed have been posted. There has been much speculation over these, as every retail website gives a different date.

Anyway, Sega have confirmed that most versions of the game will be released on November 28th, whilst the PS3 version has been delayed to December. There is no definite date for this. Release dates for North America have yet to be confirmed.

I'll update when there has been more release date confirmation.

Ultimate Mega Drive Collection blobbiness is optional!

When we learned that Ultimate Mega Drive Collection was real, we all rejoiced. Then we saw the "HD" screenshots. And puked. But luckily, Martin Snelling (careful not to misspell) of Sega UK confirmed today that the vom-inducing filter can be turned off. Phew. On top of that, the game will support whatever aspect ratio your television has.

"I’ve had confirmation that the filter can indeed be switched off... and the games will display at whatever ratio your console is set at – 4:3 or 16:9. If playing in 16:9 the game will fit and not have black borders at the side."

That's good news. Now let's hope that the PAL versions of Sonic aren't included!

Empire: Total War goes Steam

Sega Europe announced today that Empire: Total War will use Steamworks as its online client. This means that Steam will be used for multiplayer, updates, downloadable content, friend lists and achievements.

“We are delighted to be working with an infrastructure as effective as Steam” said Mike Simpson, Studio Director at the Creative Assembly. “Having their matchmaking and support systems on board for Empire: Total War makes a huge difference both for players and for the development team. It not only helps make multiplayer slick and sizzling, it also frees up a huge chunk of the team’s time which helps make the whole game better.”

“Total War has become one of the most successful franchises in PC strategy gaming, one of the industry’s mainstay genres,” said Gabe Newell , president of Valve. “We’re honoured Sega selected Steamworks as they expand the franchise with leading-edge online services."