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Games of a Lifetime: Sam's Picks
After more than ten years devoted to video games and the people who make them, Joystiq is closing its doors. We won't be reporting on the best games of 2015, so join us for one last hurrah as the Joystiq family reveals their Games of a Lifetime. Some days, it seems like cynicism and derision earn more applause than kindness and optimism, and the things we love most can feel like they're the most neglected. So it can go with games, as we see hatred and vitriol spread online, watch quality of games dip and companies utilize decidedly unfriendly business practices on consumers. But there's a reason I got into this hobby, and there's a reason I got into this job: I love games. I want to see games continue to evolve, change and grow. I want my enthusiasm for them to never die, for my joy and sense of camaraderie in my fellow gamers to always persist. And so, at a time when it would be very easy to be jaded, we've decided to instead continue talking about why we love games. These are my picks for games of a lifetime.
Sonic Adventure, Nights headline Humble Sega Bundle
Sega peeks into its storied past this week with the Humble Sega Bundle, a pay-what-you-want collection featuring a handful of classics adapted from the Saturn and Dreamcast eras. Pay any amount for the bundle and you'll get the surreal score-attack action game Nights Into Dreams, kart racer Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, and the Dreamcast Collection, which includes PC versions of Sonic Adventure, Sega Bass Fishing, Crazy Taxi, and Space Channel 5 Part 2. The package also offers Total War: Rome II's "Caesar in Gaul" expansion and the Miles' Tactic DLC for Football Manager 2015. Beat the bundle's average purchase price (currently $3.68) and you'll unlock Empire: Total War, Company of Heroes 2 - The Western Front Armies: Oberkommando West, and additional games that will be revealed as the bundle enters its final week. Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai is up for grabs as a $12 incentive, and you can also get an exclusive Dreamcast-themed t-shirt with a purchase of $50 or more. The Humble Sega Bundle will be available through December 9. [Video: Humble Bundle / Sega]
Sonic Adventure, La-Mulana feature in Japanese TV streaming service
Japanese cable company KDDI is set to roll out an Android app-based cloud service that will stream games from Sega, Konami, and other publishers to J:Com and JCN subscribers, Engadget reports. The Ubitus-developed GameNow service, which is compatible with an upcoming lineup of Toshiba Smart TVs in the United States, will offer a number of paid and subscription-based games when it launches in Japan this year. Announced titles include Sega's Sonic Adventure, Milestone's World Rally Championship 3, and Konami's World Soccer Winning Eleven 2014 (Pro Evolution Soccer 2014). Other featured games include Square Enix's puzzler Yosumin, Nigoro's indie adventure game La-Mulana, and Falcom's Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki FC (released stateside for the PSP in 2011 as The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky). Sony's similar PlayStation Now streaming service recently entered a closed beta ahead of a planned launch this summer. [Image: KDDI/Ubitus]
Buy the greatest song ever written (and other Sonic soundtracks) on iTunes [update]
The pinnacle of all human achievement, "Open Your Heart" from the Sonic Adventure soundtrack, is now available on iTunes, as are a plethora of other Sonic-related albums from across the breadth of time and space. The soundtracks to Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic CD and others can be yours for the paltry sum of $9.99 each, which is a small price to pay for 20 to 30 tracks per album of gloriously ridiculous nostalgia-metal.Soundtracks for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 and Episode 2 will be available before too long, according to Sega. Head on through to the other side for a full list of what's available now and how to get it.Update: As it turns out, these soundtracks have been available since last year or earlier. Sega decided to nest the announcement of forthcoming Episode 1 and Episode 2 soundtracks within a reiteration of the availability of its other musical offerings.
Sonic sale today on Xbox Live
The ninth day of Xbox Marketplace holiday deals rings in several Sonic the Hedgehog discounts. The blue mammal's escapades in Sonic 4 and Sonic Adventure are 320 MSP ($4) each, a 60 percent savings, and his Genesis games are down 60 percent, at 160 MSP ($2) apiece. The discounts are only available today, so run and catch 'em before they're gone -- just don't run like an idiotic Sonic.%Gallery-103055%
Sega discounts select PSN, iOS, XBLA games for the holidays
This time of year, you can count on two things: long lines anywhere you can purchase goods and/or services outside of your home, and sales at those capitals of consumerism. Sega's hitching itself to the sales star now by slashing prices on its digital wares across PSN, XBLA and iOS starting this week. PSN's lineup includes healthily discounted classics, added savings for PlayStation Plus subscribers and a smattering of newer stuff on the cheap until January 3: Daytona USA, Sega Rally Arcade, Sonic Adventure, Renegade Ops and more. On the iOS side, classic titles make up the majority of what's on sale for $0.99; Golden Axe 2 and 3, Chu Chu Rocket, Streets of Rage 2 and 3, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, and Sega's newest iOS game, Brick People, are on sale until January 9. Xbox Live Arcade users get the least amount of variety -- only Renegade Ops and After Burner Climax are on sale. You can download each at their reduced price of 800 MS Points ($10) and 400 MS Points ($5) respectively until January 2.
Sonic Adventure and sequel get 20th anniversary soundtracks
The soundtracks to the Dreamcast's Sonic Adventure games are being re-released in Japan to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first game's arrival back in 1991. The track listing isn't the full version of the soundtrack, evidently, but the first disc will have the classics, including the "It Doesn't Matter" theme as well as "Open Your Heart." The Sonic Adventure CD is due out on May 18, with Sonic Adventure 2 following on June 22. CDJapan will be selling both for about $27, and Amazon Japan also has preorders available. Ah, the memories -- we can almost feel that giant killer whale smashing up the pier behind us.
Dreamcast Collection puts four whole games on PC and Xbox this Feb.
The "Dreamcast Collection," first spotted on GameStop in November, is official. Sega announced the disc-based collection today, and we're a bit disheartened to see that it's exactly what we expected, because what we expected was pretty sad. The collection contains Crazy Taxi, Sonic Adventure, Sega Bass Fishing and Space Channel 5 Part 2 (all with "enhanced graphics"). In other words, the Dreamcast Collection is composed of just the four totally random games that have already been released (or announced for release) on PSN and XBLA, burned onto a disc for Xbox 360 and released digitally on PC. We suppose it could be good news for PC gamers who weren't going to have access to the games otherwise. The Dreamcast Collection will be available on February 22 in North America and February 25 in Europe. Pricing has yet to be confirmed by Sega, but GameStop's original listing showed $30, which would at least be cheaper than purchasing all four downloadable versions of the games separately. Yay?
Sonic games -- and The Notebook -- discounted on Xbox Live
The penultimate day of Microsoft's Xbox Live Countdown to New Year's promotion coincides with the December 30 "surprise" listed by Sega in its winter sale announcement. You can see where this is going -- Sega games are on sale today. Specifically, the sale covers a bunch of Sonic games ... a deal that was somehow hinted by this clue: "One Foe -- A world of good vs evil." Surprise! Microsoft is offering one-day discounts on Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2, and 3, (now 200 MS Points each), Sonic & Knuckles (120 MSP), Sonic Adventure (400 MSP) and Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (800 MSP). The Sonic car Avatar prop is on sale for 120 MSP. Also, The Notebook is discounted today to 380 MSP. We don't think that's part of the theme, but if you're buying all those Sonic games, you should probably go ahead and buy The Notebook to try and spot any Sonic the Hedgehog references in it. Just to be sure.
Select Sega downloadable games on sale until January
In a heartwarming, post-ghost Ebeneezer Scrooge-like manner, Sega has discounted a wide array of its downloadable titles from the PSN, Xbox Live and iOS platforms. On top of the recent, permanent price reductions applied to some of those games, purchasing titles featuring impossibly acrobatic rodents and extremely rollable simians has never been so cost-effective. Check out the full list of discounted games -- which will remain discounted until January 3 -- after the jump.
Sonic Adventure climbs, Dead Rising 2 tops Xbox Live Activity charts
After a poor, not-even-in-the-top-10 opening week for the XBLA version of Sonic Adventure, some worried that Sega might lose its interest in bringing more Dreamcast classics to the platform. However, it seems that contrary to the nature of its blue, pointy protagonist, Sonic Adventure is just a slow starter -- it placed fourth in this week's top Arcade sales. Dead Rising 2: Case Zero held down its spot at the top of the list, while DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue managed to debut in second. Halo: Reach managed to wrestle the top spot on the Xbox Live Activity chart from Modern Warfare 2 -- where it will likely remain for a good long time. At least, until Call of Duty: Black Ops makes a run for the throne. Ooooh, this is going to be so exciting! Check out the full Xbox Live weekly rankings after the jump.
European PSN releases for September 22
Things may have slowed down a tad since last week's Omega Update, but this week's batch of new content on the European PlayStation Store certainly holds its own. We've got Sonic Adventure, Deathspank 2: Electric Boogaloo and Blade Kitten, the "Liars and Cheats" pack for Red Dead Redemption, and a full Bob Marley album for Rock Band. There's a little something for just about everyone -- especially for PlayStation Plus subscribers, who get early access to the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow demo. Luckyyyyyyy. Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)
XBLA in Brief: Space Invaders: Infinity Gene, KOF Sky Stage, Sonic Adventure
With TGS in full swing, it's only appropriate that this week's trio of Xbox Live Arcade releases comes courtesy of Japan. There's Sonic Adventure, a King of Fighters-branded shooter and a new twist on Space Invaders -- not to be confused with that other new twist on Space Invaders. Watch the latest episode of XBLA in Brief and see if any of these games deserves a closer look. iTunes] Subscribe to XBLA in Brief directly in iTunes. [Zune] Subscribe to the XBLA in Brief directly. [RSS] Add the XBLA in Brief feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [M4V] Download the M4V directly.
Sonic Adventure arrives on XBLA September 15 for $10
The first (but certainly not last) Dreamcast title to arrive on Xbox Live Arcade is, appropriately enough, the fastest. Major Nelson's latest schedule for the platform has revealed a September 15 release date for Sonic Adventure, which will be available for 800 Microsoft Points ($10). No word yet on the release plans for Sega's other previously announced Dreamcast revival, Crazy Taxi. We've contacted Sega to find out if the game will arrive on PSN on a similar timetable. We also sent them an email with the subject line "Give us Seaman," followed by a body of text which simply read, "SEEEEEAAAAAAAAMAAAAAAAN."
Sonic Adventure on PSN and XBLA won't venture outside of 4:3 aspect ratio
The Xbox Live Arcade versions of both Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure were playable at Sega's booth, and both still look great, even ten-plus years after their release. However, each game has one issue that keeps the XBLA (and PSN) version from absolute perfection. In Crazy Taxi's case, it's the lack of licensed music and locations, meaning that destinations like Pizza Hut have been replaced by generic stores, and the Offspring and Bad Religion soundtrack has been swapped out for sorta/kinda soundalikes. Actually, given how many times we've heard the Crazy Taxi soundtrack in our lives (too many!), that might be a plus. For Sonic Adventure, the limitation of the XBLA version is immediately apparent even to those who haven't played it before: it displays only in 4:3, with vertical bars (featuring a blue patterned background) on the sides of a widescreen display. A Sega rep told Joystiq that the code for Sonic Adventure couldn't be altered to support widescreen as easily as Crazy Taxi's.%Gallery-94873%%Gallery-94872%
Dreamcast Returns on PSN and XBLA this year
"I want to go to the baseball stadium, and then the image gallery"As hinted by the ESRB -- and predicted on our Xbox E3 Bingo card, Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi, two of Sega's standout games for its dearly departed Dreamcast, will be released on PS3 and Xbox 360. But they're just the first Dreamcast titles. Sega announced that those two games will be available this fall in North America and Europe, calling them the "first two classics" to be released as part of Sega's plan to republish Dreamcast games on PSN and XBLA. The games will include improved resolution, surround sound, and modern amenities like online leaderboards, Achievements, and Trophies. We're going to spend the rest of the day fantasizing about the release of our favorite Dreamcast games. For example, all of them. %Gallery-94873%%Gallery-94872%
ESRB rates Sonic Adventure (and DX) for Xbox 360, PS3
Dreamcast classic Sonic Adventure and its "director's cut" edition, Sonic Adventure DX, have been rated for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 by the ESRB. Sonic Adventure was recently classified by the Korean ratings board, and briefly appeared in January in tandem with an "extend package," purportedly seen on the Xbox marketplace. Sonic's companion on the great Sega ratings board journey, Crazy Taxi, has apparently not yet been re-classified for current consoles by the ESRB. We've followed up with Sega for details on both titles, but with E3 next week, the publisher likely wants it to be a "reveal" for the show. Start practicing your "we had no idea" face for the surprise next week.
Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi submitted to Korean ratings board by Microsoft
Microsoft Korea has submitted Sega's Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure to the Korean ratings board, leading to speculation that the Dreamcast titles are racing to XBLA. Sega was unable to officially comment on the ratings. Sonic Adventure popped up like a blue blur on radar back in January, while Siliconera points out that Crazy Taxi has been banging around as a rumored XBLA release for a little while. With E3 only a couple weeks away, it wouldn't be surprising to hear more about the titles then -- you know, unless another ratings board accidentally posts a classification. [Via Siliconera]
Rumor: Sonic Adventure coming to XBLA
A Netherlands-based Sega fansite recently posted a titillating report received from an anonymous source, who claimed Sonic Adventure would soon be running at breakneck speeds onto Xbox Live Arcade. Accompanying this report is the image seen above, which, in addition to listing the game itself, also mentions an "extend package," which ... well, which we can't say out loud without giggling like schoolchildren. As psyched as we'd be to see the azure rodent make a not-terrible appearance on the 360, we're going to treat this with as much apprehension as we can muster until we hear something official from Sega.
