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After Math: Take a mental health break from this crisis with these games
It’s been a bonkers week. So if you feel the need to take a breather from this hellscape reality before diving back into the political fray (or even doomscrolling through Twitter again), this week’s headlines have your back.
Sega wants to turn Japanese arcades into 'fog gaming' data centers
The company might be developing a streaming platform for arcade machines.
A 'Sonic the Hedgehog' movie sequel is on the way
After 'Sonic the Hedgehog' pulled in over $300 million at the box office this spring, Paramount and Sega are working on a sequel.
NHS healthcare workers in the UK have been given free access to 85,000 games
NHS workers in the UK are being thanked for their efforts fighting COVID-19.
'Total War: Shogun 2' is free on Steam until May 1st
One of the best entries in the Total War series is currently free on Steam.
An SSD can resurrect your old Sega Saturn and Dreamcast consoles
Terraonion's MODE can replace the optical drives of Sega Saturn and Dreamcast consoles, with no soldering skills required.
The best games for Xbox One
A series of missteps put Microsoft in second place before the Xbox One even came out. While it's likely to remain there until the next generation begins, there are a lot of people out there who have never experienced what the console has to offer. With the Xbox One X having a clear advantage over Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro when it comes to gaming on a 4K TV, there's never been a better time to jump in.
E3 will return June 15th, 2021
The Entertainment Software Association may have cancelled E3 2020 due to COVID-19, but it's still committed to holding an event next year. The organization has announced that E3 will return between June 15th and June 17th, 2021. It characterized the future expo as a "reimagined" event, although that's the language it used for its since-scrapped 2020 gathering. It won't be surprising if the 2021 event is really a look at what you might have seen this year, just with a different mix of games.
'Phantasy Star Online 2' will finally come to North America next week
It's been a long time coming, but Phantasy Star Online 2 is set to make its North American debut this month. Japan's hotly-anticipated online action RPG will launch in open beta on Xbox One on March 17th. You'll be able to start downloading the client from March 16th.
Sega Saturn classic 'Panzer Dragoon' is getting the VR treatment
Well, that was unexpected. Out of nowhere, a relatively unknown game developer has announced a VR version of Panzer Dragoon, a beloved rail shooter franchise that started on the Sega Saturn in the mid-1990s. Panzer Dragoon Voyage Record will be a single-player experience that covers various episodes (the series' term for stages) from the original Saturn trilogy, according to a press release. Unsurprisingly, the game will use a first-person perspective, rather than the classic third-person view, and turn the player's VR controller into a handgun. There's no word on when it will come out, though, beyond "2020," or which platforms will be supported.
Miraculously, 'Sonic the Hedgehog' is a fine movie
Sonic fans are used to being let down. Unlike Mario, who has rarely starred in a bad video game, the famous 'blue blur' has featured in countless duds. These include Sonic the Hedgehog 4, a disappointing follow-up to Sega's Genesis classics, and Sonic the Hedgehog, a 2006 reboot that was full of bugs and featured a now-infamous kiss scene between the hyperactive hero and a human princess. Expectations for the Sonic movie were, therefore, low. The film's distributor, Paramount Pictures, had already been criticized for releasing a trailer with a horrifically unfaithful and human-like version of Sonic. The backlash was so severe that the studio was forced to delay the movie's release, redesign the character and remake every shot he featured in. A second trailer revealed a more recognizable and authentic Sonic, which earned some respect and appreciation from the Sega faithful. Still, many were understandably skeptical. Shockingly, though, the Sonic movie is okay. Amusing, even. The 99-minute feature rarely feels original, ambitious or narratively interesting, but it's also not the cinematic train wreck that so many were expecting. The bar was exceptionally low, but this simple live-action comedy might be the best video game to movie adaptation ever made.
'Sonic the Hedgehog' breaks record for a video game movie debut
The Sonic the Hedgehog movie has come a long, long way from that horrifying initial trailer. Paramount's adaptation just broke the record for a video game movie's three-day opening in the US, pulling in $57 million compared to Detective Pikachu's $54.3 million. Estimates have Sonic raking in $68 million over four days, which could give it one of the best Presidents Day performances of any movie -- and definitely the best for the 2020 holiday weekend. That's not adjusted for inflation, but still no small feat. Remember, Sonic premiered in February (when audiences are smaller, and studios often slot their less promising movies) where Detective Pikachu debuted at the height of the early blockbuster season in May.
'Space Channel 5' returns in VR form on February 25th
If you're still pining for Space Channel 5, Tetsuya Mizuguchi's first big music-focused games, you're in for a treat... if you have the right hardware, anyway. Grounding and Sega are releasing a VR take on the franchise, Space Channel 5 VR Kinda Funky News Flash, on February 25th for PlayStation VR owners. You're not taking Ulala's place as she dances her way to saving the galaxy. Rather, you play an intern reporter who dances along to the action while dodging blasts from enemies. The super-colorful '60s style and music remain intact.
Sega Europe is moving to recycled packaging for PC games
Remember when PC games came in a box and you had to buy them at a store? Apparently that's still a thing. To curb pollution and waste, Sega Europe is committing to using 100 percent recycled and 100 percent recyclable packaging for its PC games. The company promises that the boxes and manuals will have a premium look and feel, so collectors can still display their games with pride. The packing materials are printed with water- and vegetable-based inks to further cut down on waste. Even the shrinkwrap is recyclable.
Sega's new app lets you remotely win prizes from a real claw machine in Japan
If you've ever wanted to play around on a claw machine without all the hassle of leaving your house -- or even standing up -- technology has come through for you. Sega has launched a new mobile apps, Sega Catcher Online, that lets you do exactly that: play on a real life claw machine (also known as UFO catchers) via a video feed on your phone. Also, the machine is literally located in Japan, and if you win something it'll be delivered to you free of charge -- but that doesn't mean you don't have to pay to win.
What do you love most about the Genesis Mini?
Over the past few years, several companies have released throwback gaming systems intended to tug at gamer's heartstrings over the consoles (and games) of years gone by. Nintendo released the NES and Super NES Classic Editions, Sony botched the PlayStation Classic and more serious retro gamers will find a lot to like about Analogue's Mega SG and Super NT. Of all these contenders for the nostalgic crown, the one that scored best with Engadget editors was Sega's Genesis Mini. Thanks to its solid build quality, faithfully recreated controllers and strong game library, the Genesis Mini earned a well-deserved score of 89.
Sega's Genesis Mini is just $45 today
Following years of shoddy third-party consoles, Sega took matters into its own hands and produced a replica console worthy of the Genesis name. The Genesis Mini has everything we look for in a miniature: a faithful design, a great collection of games and solid performance. It scored 89 in our review back in September, with praise for its large selection of titles, faithful emulation, high build quality and intelligent interface. The only negatives we found were the controllers (they're fine, but we would've liked to see the six-button rather than the three-button controllers) and that some games don't quite hit the mark.
One fan’s struggle to fix the worst game in Sonic history
The 2006 reboot of Sonic the Hedgehog was supposed to be a turning point for the blue blur. It was the character's first outing on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 hardware, and Sega clearly wanted to make an impact. The game, simply titled Sonic the Hedgehog (commonly referred to as Sonic 06), was a visual leap forward for the franchise and offered three playable characters, including telekinetic newcomer Silver, with separate but interwoven story lines. But the game was a massive flop. Critics slammed the ambitious but poorly written story, which combined time travel, all-powerful gods and a post-apocalyptic future filled with nothing but fire and abandoned skyscrapers. They hated the finicky controls, too, as well as the uncooperative camera system, agonizingly long load times and glitch-riddled levels. Patient players were rewarded with a passable-at-best blend of platforming and action as well as open-world zones that were barren and seemingly half finished. Oh, and it was also the game that had a universally hated kiss scene between Sonic and a human princess. Many consider Sonic 06 to be the lowest point in the franchise. The PS3 version has a 43-percent rating on the reviews aggregation site Metacritic, which is lower than Sonic Forces, Sonic & the Black Knight and Shadow the Hedgehog -- the hugely divisive game where Sega's black-and-red antihero skated around with sub-machine guns and said "damn" a lot. Most Sonic fans want to forget the game was ever released. But not Ian Moris, a developer known online by his handle ChaosX. Instead of condemning and ridiculing the title, he's one of a select few trying to fix it.
The Sega Genesis Mini is $30 off for Black Friday
After toying with lackluster miniature versions of its Genesis console, Sega finally hit its stride with the Genesis Mini. The HDMI-equipped emulation device faithfully recreates the 16-bit experience without the laggy or choppy performance of previous efforts, making it a worthy competitor to Nintendo's SNES Classic. The tiny console is currently on sale for $50 -- $30 off its usual price, making it an even more alluring purchase as a holiday gift.
Microsoft is adding 10 'Final Fantasy' games to Xbox Game Pass
Earlier today, Microsoft announced that it's adding more than 50 new games to Xbox Game Pass -- as well as giving three sweet freebies if you sign up for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. By any measure, that's a lot of games, but it's an especially exciting crop if you're a fan of Japanese role-playing series Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts.