Sega -- Engadget

by **Tim Stevens** posted Nov 12th 2009 at 7:46AM

Ferrari-styled OutRun arcade machine set for crazy scooter transformation? (video)

If you're a child of the '80s and a gamer to boot you surely remember OutRun, the game that rocked a generation with only some parallax effects and pixelated blonde hair -- though the giant arcade cabinet with gold wheels certainly didn't hurt. Now "contemporary artist" Garnet Hertz (creator of the twitching, crunchy frog server) is proposing to give that very cabinet a new lease on life, and a motorized one at that. Hertz wants to take an arcade machine and merge it with an EVT America Electric Trike, making those stylized five-spoke rims actually move. But that's only half of it. He plans to power the display with an iPhone 3GS and use it to render a sort of halcyon 16-bit view of the world ahead, with every road a 64-color dream lined with palm trees. A recent video showing off some of the tech is embedded below, and while we think this is about as likely to turn a wheel as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cabinet is to travel in time, we'll certainly be first in line with four quarters if it ever does.

[Via Autoblog]

by **Laura June** posted Oct 24th 2009 at 5:27AM

Lighters are more often than not outside the scope of our coverage here at Engadget, and while we don't condone smoking or lighting anything on fire... well, these are just awesome. Banpresto's launched a pre-order of these two beautiful Zippo-style lighters, a Sega Mega Drive and a Sega Saturn which runs through November 6th, with a shipping date sometime in December. Each lighter runs ¥10,500 (around $115). We'll definitely keep our eyes peeled for more of these smokers.

[Via Joystiq]

by **Joseph L. Flatley** posted Oct 19th 2009 at 11:04AM

Looks like our old friend, Matthias -- the developer of the USB SNES cart reader -- is back on the scene, and this time he's going commercial. His newest project, Snega2USB, adds Sega Genesis, read and write for battery-backed SNES games, open source firmware, and up to four gamepads to the homebrew fave of classic gaming fanatics world o'er. This is a work-in-progress, but all the pieces are in place to have all orders met on the December, 2009 street date. Pre-orders will be taken until October 31 for $90 in the United States or €75 in Europe. Video after the break.

[Via Gadgetoid]

by **Tim Stevens** posted Oct 5th 2009 at 8:31AM

Dreamcast-mounted iPhone dock sends VMU into jealous rage

It was just over 10 years ago that Sega made the ill-fated move to release the Dreamcast, taking it down a road that would result in the company ditching the hardware scene entirely -- well, almost entirely. Out of the deal we got this wonderful white console, which Jay Hauf has remembered with this bit of simple hackery. He's popped the D-pad out, removed the controller's bottom-mounted cable, threaded an iPhone dock through, then, apparently, went back to creating cute little box-headed figurines. It's perhaps not the most amazingly complex controller mod of all time, but a worthy one nevertheless.

[Via iPhone Savior]

by **Thomas Ricker** posted Sep 22nd 2009 at 8:35AM

Is your name "harborneb?" It is? Then you might be out of a job. That's the name attributed to the author of a Microsoft Word document sitting on SEGA America's official FTP site at this very moment. The .doc file resides in SEGA's otherwise benign "news" directory. Now, it's very possible that the document could have been uploaded in jest as an Internet prank. But assuming it's real, then these meeting minutes between SEGA and Sony on August 5th reveal quite a few tantalizing details. Chiefly, that Sony will be launching its PS3 motion controller in Japan in March of 2010, Spring elsewhere. There's also discussion of PlayStation 2 emulation on the PS3 with a note that "SCEA wants to sell all PS2 titles on PSN (GTA Vice City/Sonic/etc)." Want more? Then hit up the read link and download the document yourself. Else, you'll just have to hope for news from the Tokyo Game Show kicking off Thursday.

Update: The document has been pulled. We've added the full text after the break.

[Via Gamesindustry.biz, thanks DarKlar]

Read [Warning: FTP link]

by **Darren Murph** posted Sep 9th 2009 at 7:23AM

In at least a few time zones, today is 09/09/09. Aside from being the same day that Apple holds a keynote on the left coast, Leica launches something and The Beatles: Rock Band encourages gamers everywhere to call in sick, today also marks the ten year anniversary of Sega's iconic Dreamcast. Looking back, it's hard to believe that the always-Thinking console was only in production for two years, but even today it holds an oh-so-special place in our hearts. We still maintain that the defunct VMU could eventually be the next coming of the Tamagotchi, and there's still zero doubt that the designer of Seaman was on copious quantities of LSD during the conception process. Any particularly touching stories as we celebrate a solid decade of The Swirl? Share 'em below -- tissues are on us.

by **Vladislav Savov** posted Jul 29th 2009 at 7:19PM

Finally, your lovingly prepared SNES model is getting some well-heeled new friends to hang out with. Cubeecraft is a website wholly dedicated to the paper-based recreation of cultural icons, and it's prepared a pair of exquisitely detailed clones of the NES and Dreamcast. While some such projects might require patience and finesse, putting together the above templates doesn't even ask for any glue or tape. So what are you waiting for, grab your scissors and run to the links below for full 150dpi printouts -- just be sure to make the time for some imaginary Contra action afterwards.

[Via Technabob]

Read - NES cutout
Read - DC cutout

by **Darren Murph** posted Jul 13th 2009 at 8:31AM

We'll admit, that cheap-o Virtual On mod we peeked earlier this year was pretty stellar, but those obsessed with the anime-themed title are likely tired of using a hacked up Xbox 360 gamepad in order to advance from stage to stage. If you've found yourself in that increasingly narrow niche, HORI has a fine piece you should feast your eyes upon. The refreshed TwinStick EX was designed specifically for Microsoft's latest console and to be used specially with Virtual On. The result? A ¥30,000 ($325) joystick that you'll probably never quite justify the purchase of to your significant other. Get your pre-orders in early; we get the feeling these are bound to sell out.

[Thanks, Marv]

by **Laura June** posted Jul 6th 2009 at 10:46AM

Sega Toys has unveiled yet another iteration of the fake cat we've come to know and love, and this time, it's even more "real" than before. Dream Cat Venus -- as this one's been dubbed -- has sensors in its forehead, and touch sensors in its body so that it can react when petted. Apparently more lifelike than previous version Smile, Venus also purrs when certain words are spoken. Sega Toys says this is the right choice for those who just don't have the time for a real pet. We're also pretty sure it's non-allergenic (unlike real felines), cheaper to own (doesn't eat or need to see the vet), and totally won't mind if you head out on vacation for three weeks at a pop without telling him. We'll still feel the guilt though. This kitty's going to be available starting July 30th in Japan for about $110.

Warning: Read link is a PDF
[Via Slashgear]

by **Joseph L. Flatley** posted Jul 2nd 2009 at 4:44PM

Lovers of pyrotechnics everywhere have always struggled with the quandary: what to do on a rainy day? Well, firebugs, get a load of this: Sega Toys Japan has heard your prayers and answered 'em in the form of the Uchiage Hanabi. This is essentially a projector that displays "fireworks" on the walls and ceilings, with realistic movement and sound. And if that weren't enough, you can create your own fireworks and program your own shows. Now you can have Bastille Day, every day, in the privacy of your apartment! Out August 1, with a list price of $168. Video after the break.

[Via Japan Trend Shop]

by **Donald Melanson** posted Jun 26th 2009 at 5:35PM

Sega's already given its seal of approval to a few Genesis / Mega Drive-based handhelds, but never one like this new "Retro Gen" device from Innex, which makes use of actual, dust-collecting cartridges instead of just some mere on-board memory. Of course, not everyone has a stack of Genesis carts at their disposal (a sad state, indeed), so the handheld also apparently comes pre-loaded with 20 unspecified games, and you'll supposedly even be able to eventually load some "licensed ROMs" onto an SD card using a special cart. While it's still not clear exactly how widespread of a release it'll get, at least one retailer does already has it up for pre-order for just $49.99 (discounted from $59.99), and it's promising a ship date of July 25th.

[Via Softpedia]

by **Tim Stevens** posted Apr 24th 2009 at 10:35AM

Modder brings Virtual On's dual sticks to the Xbox 360 on the cheap

Most fighting games are pretty badass, but fighting games that feature giant robots? Overwhelmingly badass. Such was Virtual On, one of Sega's most beloved (and seemingly most quickly forgotten) franchises, where two anime-themed (and frequently Saturn-wearing) virtualroids duked it out in full 3-D and blew our minds with great graphics and a humbling dual-stick control scheme (push both forward to run ahead, apart to jump, together to crouch, etc.). With the game making its triumphant return to action on the Xbox 360, a Japanese gamer has created the above monstrosity by wedging a couple of candy packages onto the controller's analog sticks, then wiring up weapons buttons. With a little paint they'd almost pass for the arcade's controller, but we're not entirely sure that thin plastic would hold up to repeated deploys of Grys-vok's ICBM attack.

[Via Joystiq]

by **Darren Murph** posted Mar 29th 2009 at 7:47PM

9.9.99 will always hold a special place in our hearts, and so long as hackers are making the most of Sega's last great console, we'll continue to pay attention. Today, we're doing our best to wrap our minds around the Dreamcast SD Adapter, which could be used to easily bring SD-based homebrew apps and emulators over to the console. It's still a touch unclear what exactly the device would be used to deliver, but needless to say the potential is mind-boggling. Right now, the creators are feeling out the market to see just how many Dreamcast loyalists would be willing to hand over €20 ($26), so if you think you're willing to pony up, tap that read link and let 'em know.

[Thanks, Craig]

by **Paul Miller** posted Mar 28th 2009 at 7:26PM

An uncompromising vision of a future world dominated by roving, power-up-collecting bobsled gangs, Sega's new Storm-G arcade game puts a "spin" on things by rotating the rider a full 360 degrees in accordance with the action. It's not exactly the most immersive arcade experience ever produced -- at some point you'd think Sega would get tired of rolling people down virtual tubes -- but it does look pretty wild and stomach-wrenching. The folks at Akihabara News got to try it firsthand at Sega's Joypolis in Odaiba Japan, and found the experience rather exhausting. Check out the video after the break.

by **Darren Murph** posted Feb 26th 2009 at 10:50AM

Clearly, this is the month to be making portable PSOne mods. Just weeks after checking out Bacteria's totally bodacious IntoPlay comes a formidable opponent from G-force. The aptly named PlayMad gets its label from the innate ability to handle original PlayStation titles and its uncanny resemblance to Sega's own Nomad. We could just bore you with more details, but instead, we'll point you to the build links below and the hands-on demonstration vid just beyond the break. Trust us, it's worth a look (or two).

[Via NowhereElse]

Ferrari-styled OutRun arcade machine set for crazy scooter transformation? (video)

Sega lighters: smoking will never be cool again

SNES / Sega Genesis USB cartridge adapter now available for pre-order

Dreamcast-mounted iPhone dock sends VMU into jealous rage

PS3 Motion Controller launching in March?

Sega's Dreamcast turns 10, inspires us to find that VMU and finish Shenmue

Papercraft NES and Dreamcast cost less, play just as many cutting edge games

HORI's revamped TwinStick EX: fit for Virtual On addicts only

Sega Toys' Dream Cat Venus is sure to be your favorite fake pet ever

Sega Toys makes indoor fireworks infinitely safer, to Elvis Costello's dismay

Sega-licensed "Retro Gen" might have you hunting for cartridges

Modder brings Virtual On's dual sticks to the Xbox 360 on the cheap

Dreamcast SD adapter could make for homebrew magic

Sega's Storm-G arcade experience puts the "g" in puking

PlayMad takes PSOne portable, shouts out to Sega's Nomad

Palm Pixi review

ASUS UL80Vt review

HP Envy 15 unboxing and hands-on

Motorola DROID review

Crazy-hinged Dell Adamo XPS hands-on!

BlackBerry Bold 9700 hands-on and impressions

HTC's HD2 hands-on

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 hands-on

Engadget Podcast 170 - 11.08.2009

Breaking news Feed

Featured stories Feed

Resources

Sections

Joystiq

Download Squad

TUAW

Daily Finance

Asylum

Autoblog

Switched.com

FanHouse

Autoblog Green