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Dreamcast's Redux: Dark Matters looks to 3DS, Wii U eShops
Crowdfunded arcade-style shoot-'em-up Redux: Dark Matters could follow up on its recent Sega Dreamcast launch with an appearance on the Wii U and 3DS eShops, developer René Hellwig told Nintendo Life this week. "Since we developed the game on PC with HD graphics it will be easy for us to port the game to Nintendo consoles," Hellwig explained. "Nintendo is more straightforward with Indie devs, and we believe that in the coming years Nintendo consoles will be a great place to publish Indie games." Redux: Dark Matters is slated to hit Steam and iOS devices this year. Fellow Dreamcast devotee developer NG.DEV.TEAM turned to Indiegogo to drum up support for 3DS and Wii U ports of its run-and-gun platformer Gunlord last year, but failed to meet its funding goal.
Sega Dreamcast space shooter Redux: Dark Matters out now
Make room for your Sega Dreamcast right next to those shiny new consoles, everyone – Redux: Dark Matters is available now. After raising $53,000 on Kickstarter in 2012, the Sega Dreamcast version of Redux: Dark Matters has begun shipping, priced at €36 (excluding shipping costs). Redux: Dark Matters is an HD space shmup with seven stages, big bosses, arcade-style gameplay and a "competitive" scoring system. Check out every angle of the game – seriously, there are 75 screens – in the gallery below.
ToeJam & Earl 3 beta brings funk to the Dreamcast 12 years too late
Thanks to one fan's lucky eBay find, the long-lost Dreamcast incarnation of ToeJam & Earl 3 is now available for public download. Though it would eventually appear on Microsoft's first-generation Xbox, ToeJam & Earl 3 was initially planned as a first-party exclusive for Sega's ill-fated, final console. Unfortunately, the Dreamcast was discontinued in 2001, leaving the then-in-development ToeJam & Earl 3 to vanish for more than a decade. Fast forward to 2013, when a member of the Assembler Games forums calling his or herself "ZakhooiTM" ordered a Dreamcast development kit from eBay. Unexpectedly, the kit contained code that, with a minimum of effort, would be compiled into a playable beta of the Dreamcast ToeJam & Earl 3. ZakhooiTM claims that the game becomes increasingly buggy as you move further into it, but also that at least twelve of the game's stages are functional. Gameplay in ToeJam & Earl 3 is described as unlike the eventual Xbox release, and more akin to the earlier Genesis games, except in full 3D. If you'd like to test the beta for yourself, you can find everything you need to get it up and running (with the exception of a functional Dreamcast) on the Assembler Games forums. In lieu of seeking money for this release, ZakhooiTM asks grateful fans to make donations to the Mardan School. If that still feels too close to piracy for comfort, the video above contains more than 30 minutes of footage captured by ZakhooiTM while exploring the beta. Nobody's going to sue you for watching the clip, we promise.
Pier Solar HD to launch by March 2014, coming to PS3, PS4
Pier Solar HD, the Kickstarted remake of the Sega Genesis RPG Pier Solar, will be coming to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, Watermelon Games President Tulio Goncalves announced in a Kickstarter update. This is in addition to the previously planned PC, Xbox 360, Wii U, Mac, Android, Linux, Ouya and Dreamcast versions. The initial release of Pier Solar HD has also been delayed and is now planned to launch by March 2014. In the initial update, Goncalves explained that repeated applications for the consideration of Pier Solar HD on the Xbox 360's Marketplace were not met with a response. After hearing about Microsoft's self-publishing program for the Xbox One, ID@Xbox, Goncalves applied for the program several times. Although the video update states Microsoft had not responded beyond a request for more information about the project, Watermelon Games has since commented on the post to confirm that Microsoft has contacted them. While it's not an outright confirmation that Pier Solar HD will reach either the Xbox 360 or Xbox One, the comment states that it "looks like good news will be coming along!"
Gunlord hits Indiegogo to fund 3DS, Wii U ports
NG:DEV.TEAM launched Gunlord in 2012 for Dreamcast and Neo Geo, and now it's looking to bring the game to actual modern platforms. The developer recently announced an Indiegogo campaign to fund 3DS and Wii U ports, seeking 40,000€ ($52,616) by October 6. Inspired by games like Turrican, Gunlord is a side-scrolling shooter with 10 stages and 45 types of enemies. The game features a retro-inspired, 16-bit art style and promises 60 frames per second, non-linear action. Providing the game is successfully funded, it will launch on both the Wii U and 3DS eShops in 2014 in North America, Europe, Australia and Canada. [Thanks, Jonathan!]
Dreamcast shoot-'em-up 'DUX 1.5' now shipping
Sega may have shelved its final console more than a decade ago, but for homebrew developers, at least, the Dreamcast lives on. HUCAST Games announced this week that its R-Type-ish Dreamcast shoot-'em-up, DUX 1.5, is now available.Originally released back in 2009, DUX was later retooled and offered as an incentive for fans who helped to Kickstart an upcoming sequel. Along with a new soundtrack and rebalanced gameplay, DUX 1.5 gives players the option of respawning instantly upon death – a key addition, for those who have had it up to here with the original game's checkpoint system.If you happen to own a copy of the original DUX and are willing to jump through a hoop or two, you're eligible for a free upgrade. HUCAST Games notes that DUX owners can get a free copy of DUX 1.5 if they submit a proof of purchase or, alternatively, "a picture of your DUX 1.0 copy with a current newspaper in picture."
'Project Unity' is 15 fully-functional consoles in one giant box
Constructed by evil genius/mad scientist/hardware hacker Bacteria, Project Unity is a single, unified gaming console that can play Sega Master System, Neo Geo MVS, GameCube, Dreamcast, Saturn, Intellivision, Colecovision, Atari 7800, Turbografx 16, PS1/PS2, Mega Drive, NES, Super NES, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 64 and Amstrad GX4000 games.Project Unity's most impressive feature, besides the fact that it works, is that it was constructed entirely out of authentic hardware and does not make use of emulators or combo units like the FC Twin. It also manages to use a single power supply, video output and custom-built controller, regardless of the system selected.Jump to 09:30 in the video above for a demonstration of this behemoth in action, including the repurposed NES cartridges that contain different circuit boards for each controller type, or start from the beginning for some deliciously chaotic wiring shots.
Sega introduces line of console-themed laptops
It's not quite the return to hardware production that some Sega loyalists may be hoping for, but Sega's new line of retro console-themed laptops are expensive and doomed to obsolescence, so it's kind of the same thing.Manufactured in conjunction with Japanese retailer Enterbrain, the Sega Note PC laptops come in four styles: Generic Sega, Mega Drive, Sega Saturn and Dreamcast. Your choice of style can be ordered in one of four hardware configurations, with ascending prices ranging from ¥99,750 ($1075.47) to ¥194,250 ($2094.35). The base model comes equipped with the 64-bit version of Windows 8, a 1920x1080 display, 4 gigs of RAM and a 500 gig HD, all powered by a Pentium 2020M processor, according to our friends at Engadget.It's kind of a lot of money for not a lot of computer, but each laptop is packed with Sega-branded Windows 8 themes, replete with custom system sounds. Shipment is expected to begin in June for those who either live in Japan or are brave enough to import.%Gallery-178981%
Sega-themed notebooks beckon Japanese Mega Drive and Dreamcast lovers
"I don't care about the specs, I want one." That Neogaf user's comment likely sums up how other retro-gaming aficionados will feel about a new notebook PC from Japanese PC retailer Enterbrain, built in conjunction with Sega. The model sports covers themed in three of the classic consoles, namely Mega Drive, Saturn and Dreamcast, along with a generic Sega-branded model. We do care a little about the specs ourselves, so you'll get a 64-bit version of Windows 8, 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080 screen, Intel Pentium 2020M processor, 4GB of RAM and 500GB of HDD storage, as a minimum configuration. That'll start at a whopping ¥99,750 ($1,100) when it arrives in June, provided you live in Japan -- but if so, all you'd need to go with it for a full '90s game blast would be a cartridge adapter like this one.
Genesis RPG 'Pier Solar' goes HD via Kickstarter
Pier Solar was developed for the Sega Genesis and released on cartridge in 2010. With the benefit of fifteen years or so of technological advancements, developer WaterMelon Co. was able to put it on a 64MB cart, making it the biggest Genesis RPG ever. It's a traditional role-playing game about a botanist named Hoston on a quest to find a rare herb and cure his sick father. Now, the developer wants to update its turn-based throwback RPG for platforms people still use ... and Dreamcast too.Pier Solar HD is planned for Xbox 360, PC, Mac, Linux, and Dreamcast – that last one won't actually be in HD. The style is reminiscent of the original, but places more detailed 16-bit style sprites on hand-drawn HD backgrounds. To fund the redrawing of assets and licensing for new platforms, WaterMelon is seeking $139,000 on Kickstarter.Backers get a copy of the game for PC, Mac, Linux, or Xbox 360 by pledging at least $15; $49 is required for the Dreamcast CD or a physical copy on the other platforms. Naturally, there are more expensive collector's editions, as well as luxury items like a Pier Solar branded Dreamcast or arcade stick.
Everything old is Neo again: NG:DEV.TEAM on GunLord
The Neo Geo X has people contemplating the possibility of buying "Neo Geo" hardware in 2012. But SNK and Blaze aren't the only companies bringing back the 24-bit platform in the new millennium. In fact, there's a group with an even keener eye for accuracy.Indie developer NG:DEV.TEAM has been steadily releasing games developed specifically for the vintage hardware since 2006, and porting them to Dreamcast for an extra touch of retro accessibility.Its latest work is GunLord, a Turrican-inspired side-scrolling run-and-gun. For those of you not familiar with Turrican, that means vast levels that expand out in every direction, full of platforming challenges and tons of enemies to shoot Contra-style. The first stage of GunLord alone features scenery varying from a wooded mountainside, to a waterfall-fed underground cave, to a series of ruins against a stormy sky.
Sonic Adventure 2 coming to PSN/XBLA this fall
An XBLA/PSN port of Dreamcast classic Sonic Adventure 2 was announced during Sega's Sonic Boom event at this week's San Diego Comic-Con. While details remain sparse, the shaky-cam footage above shows the port as part of an ongoing Sega Heritage initiative and gives the game a "fall" launch window. It also shows a massive crowd of Sonic fans freaking out, which is incredible on several levels.Should this be the same Sonic Adventure 2 port that briefly showed up on the Xbox Marketplace last month, it'll be an HD remake, rather than a straight port, though the logo seen in the video above lacks any sort of HD branding. We'll update as soon as an official missive arrives from Sega with more information.
GunLord now available for Dreamcast
GunLord, NG:Dev-Team's new(!) Dreamcast run-and-gun game, is now available for purchase through retailer Play-Asia. The standard edition costs $39.99, with a soundtrack-bearing Limited Edition available for $49.99. An extravagant "Dragon Box" is on the site for $120, but is not available for purchase yet.If you're put off by newfangled Dreamcast technology and would prefer to play GunLord on Neo Geo, you can get that directly from NG:Dev-Team.
Project Unity stuffs 20 classic consoles into one: if you can't play it, it's probably too new (video)
Most gamer who want to play with more than one or two vintage console platforms often turn to software-based emulators that may or may not be above-board. How about stuffing all of the authentic hardware into one controller and one base unit? Modders at Bacteria's forums have developed Project Unity, an attempt to natively address 20 consoles across 17 actual platforms folded into a single device. The gamepad, arguably the centerpiece, includes two each of analog sticks and directional pads, along with multiple shoulder buttons and a central button grid that can either be used to steer an Intellivision or fill in for otherwise missing controls. Stuffing the unique controller hardware into one gamepad obviously presents problems with board sizes and the laws of physics, so much of the relevant circuitry sits in modified NES cartridges. Our only dismays are the lack of original Xbox support and the slightly imposing challenge of aggregating and modifying that much classic gaming componentry in one place -- if you're more concerned about convenience in your retro gaming than preserving the original feel of that Sega Master System or SNK NeoGeo, though, you've just found Utopia.
Indie shmup Redux succeeds on Kickstarter, adds plans for Vita and 3DS
How much interest is there in an indie Dreamcast shooter? At least $41,983 – that's how much developer ReduxGame has raised on Kickstarter for the Dreamcast (and iOS/PC) shooter Redux: Dark Matters. The team crossed the $40,000 goal for its drive, making it one of only two console game projects to succeed on the platform (the other is Star Castle for Atari 2600) and prompting the team to make additional goals, like two-player support and a new stage for $60K worth of backing.According to an email we received from the team, the plans for platforms have been altered since we last reported on this labor of love. "Sega Dreamcast, iOS and STEAM/PC are already set in stone and will be released this year, the team notes, and it is "actively working" to get Redux on PSN, XBLA, Vita, and 3DS.
Kickstart Steam/XBLA/PSN shmup Redux to get a Dreamcast version
Redux: Dark Matters is the sequel to Dux, a 2009 shooter you may not have played ... because it came out on Dreamcast. However, developers Rene Hellwig and KTX Software want to bring the side-scrolling followup to PSN, XBLA, and Steam, and have posted a $25,000 Kickstarter drive toward that goal.But the developers haven't forgotten their insane drive to keep the Dreamcast alive. If you contribute $65 or more, you'll get a limited-edition Dreamcast copy of Redux, exclusive to the Kickstarter campaign. This is all we needed to clear up our mixed feelings about the Kickstarter phenomenon; anything that leads to more Dreamcast games can only be a good thing.
Daily iPad App: Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is gonna take you for a ride
After quite a while, Capcom has finally released Marvel vs. Capcom 2 in the App Store, and you probably know right away if you want it or not. This Dreamcast-era fighting game might be a little silly and colorful, but it offers up some insane, excessive action that other fighting games have yet to match. Those on full consoles are already playing version 3, of course, but version 2 is a masterpiece of 2D animation, with all of Capcom's and Marvel's heroes decked out with great graphics and animations. Unfortunately, the game suffers from the same issues that most fighting games on the iPad and iPhone do: The virtual controls aren't the best for this type of gameplay. Capcom's dealt with it as best they can with something called the "flick button," but still, for games like this, nothing's going to substitute for a real joystick and buttons. The app description doesn't mention iCade support, but that would be nice. The title does have local multiplayer over Bluetooth, however, so you and a friend can face off locally, and all 56 characters are here and playable out of the game. If you have a new iPad, the graphics aren't yet compatible with the new Retina Display, but that's not too big a bother, and an update might fix that anyway. For its launch sale price of $2.99 (until May 6), Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is definitely a great title for those who love fighting games. It's so Pringles!
Rumor: Shenmue 1 and 2 HD finished, hitting XBLA/PSN
All right, before we go any further than that headline up there, we want everyone playing along at home to go to the kitchen and bring back one of those big cardboard cylinders of Morton's salt with the little metal flap on top.Got it? Okay great, because you're going to need more than a grain for this one: HD versions of Shenmue 1 and 2 have been completed for more than a year and are pending release on XBLA and PSN, according to an anonymous source reporting to Gamerzines. The source goes on to say that Sega has been sitting on the remakes while it decides the fate of a potential Shenmue 3, though the source did not specify what that fate is.Look, we're not saying that it isn't true, or that we don't want HD remakes of two of our favorite games ever, because of course we do. We just want you to be careful and not get your precious little hopes up, only to have them dashed to pieces -- your broken, mangled hearts never able to trust or love again.
The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The players
After last week's foray into the colorful world of Phantasy Star Online, I knew I had to step it up for a great follow-through. That's why I got in touch with three excellent MMO bloggers who have long histories with PSO and were more than eager to share their perspective on this unique game world! The Game Archaeologist: Who the heck are you and how did you first get into Phantasy Star Online? What class and race did you play? David: I'm David Lambert, but many people know me better as Branick, host and producer of the LOTRO Academy podcast. I first got into Phantasy Star Online with the original Dreamcast release, which I picked up only about two weeks after it came out. I actually had eight different characters (I bought six VMUs in addition to the two I already had specifically for this purpose), but I definitely favored the HUcast. I wasn't big on using techniques, and the HUcast had the highest attack power in the game.
The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The highlights
The Dreamcast was a brief but shining aberration in the gaming world. Coming along years after Sega had fallen out of its position as a top-runner in the console market, it represented the company's big attempt to reclaim its former glory. While it failed to succeed in that respect and ultimately closed up shop in 2001 (ending Sega's interest in the console market), the Dreamcast became a gaming cult favorite responsible for some of the most innovative titles ever made. Games like Jet Grind Radio, Space Channel 5, and Shenmue have remained fan favorites long after the Dreamcast's demise, which shows the legacy that these dev teams left behind. But perhaps the Dreamcast's greatest gift to the gaming world wasn't crazy taxis or space dancing but a surprisingly forward-looking approach to online gaming. In 2000, the Dreamcast took the first steps to bringing an online console RPG to market, and while it wasn't a true MMO, it certainly paved the way for titles like EverQuest Online Adventures and Final Fantasy XI. It was bold, it was addictive, and it was gosh-darned gorgeous. Ladies and gentlemen: Phantasy Star Online.
