--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~ S E G A F A N S W E E K L Y ~ ~ ISSUE #11 - APR 23 2006 ~ copyright 2006 segafans.com------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A Message from benstylus ~ Page 1---------------------------------------------------------------------- Despite the fact that I've put more hours into Oblivion this past week than I'd care to admit, I still somehow managed to find the time to create yet another exciting issue of everyone's favorite weekly Sega newsletter (and quite possibly the ONLY weekly Sega newsletter), SegaFans Weekly! We've been going strong for well over two months now and things are only getting better. This last week I won a Sega CDX on eBay so with any luck I'll be getting that this coming week and finally deliver that Burning Fists: Force Striker article that everyone's been waiting for (including me). Of course that might get overlooked next week in favor of Out Run 2006: Coast 2 Coast! A thought occurred to me a few weeks ago - would you be more interested in seeing vids of the new games or of the older games? I understand there's probably a good deal more interest in the newer games, but keep in mind that the big sites like Gamespot, IGN, and even Sega release promo videos for their new and upcoming games. Finding quality vids of the older stuff is a lot harder to do, which is why I've been doing those. If you had to pick one or the other from SegaFans Weekly, would you want the vids on the new stuff or the not quite so new stuff? Sound off by emailing sfw@segafans.com (be sure to put SEGAFANS WEEKLY in the subject header) or by using the contact form on the website. - http://saturn.classicgaming.gamespy.com/contact.shtml Have a great week, and happy reading! ~ benstylus---------------------------------------------------------------------- To subscribe to the free SegaFans Weekly newsletter and have itdelivered to you via email before it shows up on the SegaFans website,send an email to sfw.subscribe@segafans.com & follow the instructions!----------------------------------------------------------------------Table of Contents ~ Page 2----------------------------------------------------------------------1 - A Message from benstylus2 - Table of Contents3 - Top Story - Importing we will go!4 - Weekly News Roundup5 - SegaFans Forum Digest6 - Feature - Sega Ages 2500: Part 17 - New and Upcoming8 - Game of the Week - Pop'n Music 2 (Dreamcast)9 - Links10- Credits / Contact Information----------------------------------------------------------------------Top Story - Importing we will go! ~ Page 3----------------------------------------------------------------------There's nothing worse than a drought when it comes to Sega. Browsing the "New Releases" section at the local game shop - seeing nothing bearing the mark of Sega. Even in Japan - typically the strongest Sega region, there hasn't been much going on lately. One of the benefits of the SegaFans Weekly format is that I call this article the "Top Story" for the week. Typically, this space has been filled with information on Sega's newest stuff, but thanks to my foresight with the title, I am not limited to that. So this week, I thought I'd go over the various options available for playing import games on your Sega consoles. Obviously, the guaranteed method is to get an import console, but not everyone has the money to buy two consoles - much less the space to have them both hooked up. MASTER SYSTEM/MARK III European and North American Master System games both use the same size cartridges, and will usually work on each other's systems. There are a few games that do not work, or have minor graphical glitches, but I'd say the compatibility is 97% or higher. The Japanese Mark III was designed to be compatible with their older systems (SG-1000 and SG-1000 II) and shares the same cartridge style and 44-pin connector layout. Unfortunately, this style is different than the US and European cartridges which use 50-pin connectors. I've been told that adapters exist to play Japanese games on a domestic Master System, but I have not seen one myself. Unfortunately, due to the different pin layouts, there is no simple "mod chip" that can be installed. GENESIS/MEGADRIVE The Genesis is a bit easier to play imports on than the Master System. The only difference between the US and Japanese cartridges is the casing - the chips have the same pin layout. Many spacer cartridges exist, and quite possibly the cheapest method to use would be the Game Genie. Alternatively, you can get the appropriate screwdriver bit and transplant the Japanese game's chips into a US cartridge and plug it directly into the Genesis. In later revisions of the Genesis, Sega implemented a software lockout in addition to the hardware lockout, so while some of the converters take that into account and have different settings to fool the system into thinking the game is from the proper region, others do not. Game Genie also has some codes that can be entered to disable the region lockout on some popular games (like Golden Axe 3). GAME GEAR All Game Gear games will work with any Game Gear. So if you want to play import Game Gear games, you simply need to buy the game and own a Game Gear. SATURN Saturn has two main methods for playing imports: The converter cart, and the hardware region mod. The converter cart is the method of choice for most people, since you can just pop it in the Saturn and play. Not all converter carts are equal, however, so be careful which one you get. If you just want to play most imports, you'll be fine with an ST-Key which provides region switching, but nothing more. The ST-Key should run you 10 to 15 bucks at most. If, however, you want to play some of the games that require expansion RAM (such as Metal Slug or X-Men vs. Street Fighter), you'll want to have the EMS 4-in-1 cartridge. The 4-in-1 is a better solution, but at a slightly higher prices - you would be hard pressed to find one lower than about 30 dollars. Even then, it's not a perfect solution to play all imports, as a couple games are not compatible with it. The US version of Panzer Dragoon Saga will detect the cartridge and will not play with it in the system, and I assume the import acts the same way. Also, King of Fighters '95 uses a special ROM cartridge which obviously you would be unable to use if your cartridge port is taken up by the converter. The region switch is the most common mod - it will basically put a switch on the system that will trick it into thinking it's from another region. More detailed information can be found here: - http://www.gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=imports:sega_saturn Apparently there is also a switchless region mod that can be done using a chip from within a Genesis 3 button controller. Instructions are at the following site: - http://www.gamesx.com/importmod/sat_switchless.htm DREAMCAST Dreamcast has a number of swap discs available, such as Codebreaker, Gameshark CDX and DC-X. My recommendation is the DC-X. The Dreamcast can also be modded with the use of a Mod Chip. A bit of soldering is required, but it's not too difficult. The instructions differ depending on the mod chip. Just remember - modding your system has some risk attached to it - putting a wire in the wrong place can fry your system when you power it up. If you've got the money and the space, get the second console. If your funds are limited, try the converter cartridge. If you have electrical or soldering experience, you might want to try the modding solution. Whichever path you choose, good luck! And welcome to the world of import games! - benstylus----------------------------------------------------------------------Weekly News Roundup ~ Page 4----------------------------------------------------------------------The big news this week is that Phantasy Star Universe has been officially announced for the Xbox 360! Good news for gamers who want to play their console games on a console. Judging from Sega's history with Phantasy Star Online, chances are this 360 version will not tax the system particularly, and will likely be almost a straight port of the PS2 and PC game. Just cost $10 more or something :P - http://www.sega-europe.com/en/NewsStory/1132.htm Sega's holding a Puyo Puyo Fever 2 (Windows PC version) Online event from April 20 through April 26! It's a celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Puyo Puyo series! - http://puyofever.sega.jp/ Other than that, not much news - Sega Japan's done updates to some of their game sites such as Sonic Riders and Shining Wind, but thanks to the impending E3, I expect the Sega news world to be pretty quiet.----------------------------------------------------------------------SegaFans Forum Digest ~ Page 5---------------------------------------------------------------------- With the pre-e3 drought of Sega gaming goodness, there hasn't been much going on in the forums. There's a bit of discussion about SegaFans Weekly Issue #10... - http://www.segafans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1863 A bit more talk about the Sonic Xtreme video... - http://www.segafans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1844 The truth about what JoshF does with his spare time when he's not drawing nude pictures of das... - http://www.segafans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1875 And, oh yeah, the big rumor for the week is that a NiGHTS sequel is supposedly going to be on the Revolution. Rumors from spong (i'm not linking you there) always get people riled up, but considering the source and the number of times similar rumors have popped up before (on every system since the Saturn), I'd say it's almost a sure bet that it ain't gonna happen. - http://www.segafans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1871 ----------------------------------------------------------------------Feature - Sega Ages 2500: Part 1 ~ Page 6---------------------------------------------------------------------- There's a boatload of Sega Ages 2500 games released on the PS2 already, and with the two newest entries Dynamite Deka and Panzer Dragoon being released this week, I thought it would be fun to take a quick look at each of the games released thus far. Naturally, there's too many to do all at once, but hey, I've been wanting another multi- part article, so here it is! First off, what ARE the Sega Ages 2500 games? they're ports and remakes for the Playstaion 2 of some of Sega's classic games from years ago. The 2500 refers to their budget price - just 2500 yen each ($21.39 USD)! New games typically cost closer to 6000 yen ($51.32 USD), RPGs are often 8000 yen ($68.43 USD) or more. A few of these games have been released in the US on the Sega Classics Collection disc for the PS2 - you can probably find it for $10-$15 used, and that's an even better bargain, considering you get 9 of these games for that price instead of paying roughly 200 dollars for the separate Japanese releases. At any rate, here's a rundown of the first few titles. I've also noted the ones that make an appearance in Sega Classics Collection. PHANTASY STAR: GENERATION 1 (VOL. 1) I really can't think of a more fitting way to begin the Sega Ages 2500 series than with Rieko "Phoenix Rie" Kodama's Phantasy Star. Apparently Sega felt the same way, and Phantasy Star received the royal treatment: Lush new high resolution graphics, more modern styling, enhanced music, and more entertaining combat like in Phantasy Star II. One brand new feature included is an automap for the 3D dungeons, which is SUPER useful. And yet, at heart, it's still the same Phantasy Star we've all known and loved for the past 19 years. Yes, Phantasy Star turns 20 years old in 2007. Thank you, Ms. Kodama. We owe you big time. MONACO GP (VOL. 2) (Part of Sega Classics Collection) Upon first seeing the title, you might think it's a remake of Sega's Super Monaco GP from 1989. This remake, however, hearkens back to about 10 years before that - the 1979 arcade hit Monaco GP. Where Super Monaco was a behind the wheel type racing game, Monaco was a simple overhead racer. The remake maintains the same overhead view, but adds some new gameplay elements to what would otherwise be a very simplistic racer. In the Sega Ages 2500 remake, the course can be rotated by pressing the left or right triggers. Additionally, you can get more points by causing your opponents to crash by hitting them at high speed. You can link these crashes together for huge score bonuses. There are also some power ups that have been added, such as invincibility, boost, high jumping, etc. These little changes drastically improve what would otherwise be a very simplistic game. It's still pretty simple, but it's a lot of fun as a little arcade racer. It's also playable with up to four players with the use of a multitap. FANTASY ZONE (VOL. 3) (Part of Sega Classics Collection) To be honest, growing up I had really never given Fantasy Zone a chance - I found it to look pretty lame when compared to games like Gradius and Life Force on the NES. After having sat down and played it for a while, my opinions have changed somewhat. I still like Gradius and Life Force better, but Fantasy Zone is excellent in its own right. This remake is done in full 3D graphics, but everything still looks almost 2D. It's still bright and pastel, and very much Fantasy Zone. The big change to this game was the addition of 3D special stages after you defeat a boss. Basically once the boss dies, you'll start chasing him as he releases tons of coins to collect. After 30 seconds or so, the bonus stage ends and you get to keep whatever money you went away with. This makes the main game a bit easier, as you can afford more stuff at the shop, but it's still quite good. SPACE HARRIER (VOL. 4) (Part of Sega Classics Collection) I was somewhat disappointed with the way this Space Harrier remake turned out. Yes, it's 3d and looks great, but there's something missing. Sega added a Panzer-Dragoon style lock-on system to the game (which was also implemented in Planet Harriers) as well as screen-clearing superbombs (again, also in Planet Harriers). While these additions certainly make the game more accessible to newcomers, they come at a price. The 3D graphics for some reason make the game seem a bit sluggish compared to the old 2D sprite-based Space Harrier. The challenge isn't as high, and the pace isn't as frantic. It's not bad for what it is, but I've been a huge fan of Space Harrier since I first played it back in the mid 1980's. Sometimes changes are good, but other times I think it's better to leave well enough alone. GOLDEN AXE (VOL. 5) (Part of Sega Classics Collection) The original Golden Axe was released in 1989, and its straightforward no-nonsense gameplay thrilled and delighted many. The most noticeable thing about this remake is the totally underwhelming graphics. In addition to the low graphical quality, the game is marred by slowdown. It tries to maintain much of the classic Golden Axe feel, but ends up feeling like a homebrew remake. There's still some fun to be had with the game, but it's definitely a big disappointment - especially compared to what it could have been. Sega released a promotional video of these games just before the launch of the Sega Ages series, and it is quite good. So, rather than make my own, I'll just link you to that one. - http://www.fileplanet.com/dl.aspx?/ClassicGaming/saturn/videos/ 3D_Ages/ages1-5_cm_500.wmv ----------------------------------------------------------------------New and Upcoming ~ Page 7----------------------------------------------------------------------Here's a list of Sega's upcoming releases (within 2 weeks of thisnewsletter) as well as recent games in case you accidentally missedany of them. This list covers games developed by Sega, published bySega, or on Sega systems. These dates are direct from Sega, butsometimes they change em. So this should be considered a "roughestimate" rather than hard facts.RECENTLY RELEASED - USA-----------------------Condemned: Criminal Origins PC 04/11/06UPCOMING GAMES - USA--------------------OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast PS2 PSP XB 04/25/06RECENTLY RELEASED - EUROPE--------------------------Football Manager 2006 360 04/13/06Football Manager Handheld PSP 04/13/06UPCOMING GAMES - EUROPE-----------------------None :(RECENTLY RELEASED - JAPAN-------------------------Guilty Gear XX Slash PS2 04/13/06Zoo Tycoon DS DS 04/20/06 UPCOMING GAMES - JAPAN---------------------- Machi ~ Unmei no Kousaten Tokubetsu Hen PSP 04/27/06 Sega Ages 2500 vol. 26 - Dynamite Deka PS2 04/27/06 Sega Ages 2500 vol. 27 - Panzer Dragoon PS2 04/27/06 ----------------------------------------------------------------------Game of the Week - Pop'n Music 2 (Dreamcast) ~ Page 8----------------------------------------------------------------------Several years ago, Konami pretty much single-handedly created a new type of arcade gaming experience - the music game. Beatmania was quite an unexpected hit, allowing players to play the role of a party DJ, mixing up the hottest tracks on the planet. After the game's runaway success, Konami expanded their Bemani lineup beyond the DJ-simulation of Beatmania. Some of their other exploits include games like Dance Dance Revolution, Drummania, Guitar Freaks, Keyboardmania, and Pop'n Music. I'd like to thank Konami for creating link capabilities between certain versions of Drummania, Keyboardmania, and Guitar Freaks. It's extremely fun to have a "jam session" where everyone's playing different parts of the same song. Truly one of the pinnacles of social arcade gaming. A shame most arcades in the US barely had one Bemani game set up, much less three linked ones. But this article is not about Drums, Keyboards, or Guitars, it's about the colorful cartoon world of Pop'n Music. For whatever reason, Pop'n Music is one of the most successful of Konami's console bemani games, as they just recently released Pop'n Music 12 on the PS2. Those of you who are new on the Pop'n Music scene might be a bit overwhelmed, wondering where to start. And my answer is always the same: Start anywhere but the original. Your best bet is Pop'n Music 2. Why should people choose Pop'n Music 2 over the original? Most of the Bemani sequels contain a few favorite tracks from the previous game or games, and a good selection of new ones so it doesn't feel like too much of a rehash. In the case of Pop'n Music 2, however, ALL the tracks from Pop'n Music are included, and about twice as many brand new ones than were in the original game for almost 50 songs in total! In addition to that, there is a fun new "Party" gameplay style which was not present in the original Pop'n Music. Finally, Pop'n Music 3 and 4 were released as "Append Discs," which means they won't run on their own - you need to have a "Key Disc". Pop'n Music 2 is the "Key Disc" for those games. A word to the wise - you'll need a Japanese system (or a modded US system) for Pop'n Music 3 and 4 - since the game requires you be using the Key Disc first, you won't be able to simply use a swap disc like you would on bootup. If you're wondering why on earth Konami would do such a terrible thing to gamers, keep in mind that it was great for fans of the series at the time. The Append Discs only cost a little over half what Pop'n Music 2 cost - they were essentially expansion packs much like you'd see for PC games. Unfortunately, time has somewhat changed things so most of the Pop'n games on the Dreamcast are roughly the same price now, so you don't get the benefit. You just get to feel cheated if you buy Pop'n Music 3 or 4 without first owning 2. As I've said repeatedly (especially to j_factor), the only reason to get the original Pop'n Music is if you're a completist. I consider it to be somewhat of a "Demo version" of Pop'n Music. At this point you might be a bit curious as to how it would play - it's pretty similar to Beatmania, but with four extra keys and no turntable. The notes fall from the top of the screen and you have to press the appropriate key as it crosses the bottom of the screen. For the beginners, there are a few options to get you started. First off, there's the beginner mode, which places you through a simple training song to teach you how to play, then it's off to a couple of simple stages. In order to win, your performance meter must be above a certain threshhold after each song. If that's even too much for you, you can change the options to play on 5 or 7 keys instead of the full nine. It's a good way to get used to the game, but you really should move up to 9 keys as soon as possible. Once you've gone through beginner mode, you'll likely want to start out in Normal mode. You play the songs well, and you feel so good. You play them poorly, and you DJ so bad. After a couple rounds of Normal, you might be wondering what the other two modes - Excite and Party - have to offer. Excite mode features the same songs as normal mode, but the opponents you face will not simply let you play the song: they'll try to interfere with you - either by obscuring part of the screen or shaking the notes so they change spots and you have to press the new key. Party mode takes this to a different level, adding all sorts of special icons to each song in addition to the notes. If you press the button on an icon, you'll activate it. The effects run anywhere from making the notes invisible as they get close to the bottom to increasing your performance meter. Party mode is a lot of fun, but thanks to those performance-enhancing icons, it's a lot easier than Excite mode. Beating a song on excite mode when your opponent is shifting the notes around is quite satisfying. For this week's video, I've put together a video showing each of the three main game types - Normal, Excite, and Party. Enjoy! - http://www.segafans.com/gotw/dc_pop'n_music_2.mov -benstylus----------------------------------------------------------------------Links ~ Page 9----------------------------------------------------------------------SegaFans: Covering the past present and future of everything Sega - http://www.segafans.comSega of America - http://www.sega.comSega Europe - http://www.sega-europe.comSega of Japan - http://www.sega.jpCuddly Gamers: A forum where gamers are nice to each other - http://cuddlygamers.comGame Trading Zone: Buy, sell, or trade your games online for free - http://www.gametz.comGame Tribute: Provides ad free hosting to quality game fan sites - http://www.gametribute.comWhip Ass Gaming: A very hip gaming site run by BelPowerslave - http://www.whipassgaming.com----------------------------------------------------------------------Credits / Legal / Contact / Subscription Information ~ Page 10----------------------------------------------------------------------This issue was created in its entirety by benstylus.All original content copyright 2006 segafans.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------------You may redistribute this newsletter under the following conditions:1 - You will not add, remove, or change any part of this newsletter. 2 - You will not charge for this newsletter. If you run asubscription-based website, this newsletter must be in a non-subscription area of the site.3 - You will provide proper credit and a link to www.segafans.com----------------------------------------------------------------------All games featured are copyright their respective owners.----------------------------------------------------------------------Would you like to subscribe to the free SegaFans Weekly newsletter?Just send an email to:sfw.subscribe@segafans.comNOTE: To avoid spam, you will receive an auto-reply from that address.Read the instructions in the auto-reply to confirm your subscription.----------------------------------------------------------------------Tired of receiving the newsletter in your email every week? If youwant to cancel your subscription, send an email to:sfw.cancel@segafans.com----------------------------------------------------------------------Got any comments, suggestions, complaints, or even submissions (hinthint)? Just e-mail:sfw@segafans.comMake sure to put SEGAFANS WEEKLY in the subject header to get pastthe spam filter!Do not send file attachments without my approval - unsolicited e-mailwith files attached will simply be deleted.---------------------------------------------------------------------- ~I FEEL SO GOOD!~