Sega Ages Collection (Switch)

[Tracker_TD]

It's as new as you'll get from SEGA's retro porting.

Like I just said, Columns 2 has never seen a Western release before. Let alone with all the added content. The same goes for upcoming titles such as Ichidant-R and Thunder Force AC. And the games that aren't new to the West have improvements to change how they're played fundamentally, such as Alex Kidd making the continue system less shit so you can actually get through it with reasonable skill, or Out Run's custom cars. For something like Sonic 1 - sure, whatever. But a lot of the games they're doing for AGES are specifically the ones that *aren't* fatigued from tons of re-releases, like Thunder Force IV or the improved version of Phantasy Star 1. 

This isn't just "oh SEGA put some more games in an emulator" and it's annoying to see it brushed off like that. 

[Blue Blood]

And while it's really awesome to see the often ignored games or games never released outside of Japan get attention, the point still stands that they aren't new. Re-releasing old games, especially with enhancement, it's a good thing. But they aren't new. SEGA is relying on its back catalogue and not breaking new ground with these game. People with more of a passing interest are going to look at these and not unreasonably think "why doea SEGA keep porting all of its old games over and over?". 

[Tracker_TD]

They do new stuff! Yakuza, Valkyria, Puyo, as well as publishing titles like Two Point Hospital or SolSeraph or Citizens of Space, Streets of Rage 4 - even Shining made it back over! SEGA's IP utilisation hasn't been this good in years, so I hate the idea that SEGA preserving these games has to be looked down upon when there's something for both the retro enthusiasts and those who aren't. 

[Blue Blood]

I don't disagree with you. But I am saying that it's tiresome to see so many of these franchises totally dead and kept going only by re-releases of very old games. I personally think that's rather crap as far as IP utilisation goes.

And let's not forget that games Streets of Rage 4, along with others like Shenmue 3 and he new Wonder Boy games, have basically nothing to do with SEGA..

[Tracker_TD]

I'm not splitting hairs over whether SEGA developed them. SEGA licensing out the IP to really talented studios isn't something I'm ever going to criticise - what got us Mania? That. Same principle with Cadence of Hyrule - I want to encourage the IPs coming back through means like that. 

It's true we don't have a new Jet Set Radio or new Skies of Arcadia... but in their stead, we have newer IPs like Yakuza or Valkyria, that are often just as good. Hell the common comparison for Yakuza is Shenmue - I think Yakuza beats the shit out of Shenmue, and Shenmue 3 is doing nothing to change that. SEGA can only make so many games and while obviously I'd love like, a new Thunder Force, a port of one of the best games in the series, only previously ported on a rare JP only collection, and with a new arrange mode and extra playable ship, is cool in of itself. 

[E-122-Psi]

The issue is that right now SEGA aren't really in top form so them reusing some of their old titles and IPs looks like them trying to cash in on their former glory. Truthfully the SEGA AGES  packages are pretty good, just they look underwhelming within loads of existing complications and few new games (the Mega Drive Collection was badly timed really). They would likely stand out more if they started to promote themselves to doing some old 3D titles rather than the 80s/early 90s era they've always been making rereleases for, though we did at least get Virtua Racing (hoping we might get a few other early Model 1 or 2 titles like Virtua Fighter or SEGA Rally).

Columns 2 seems to be a pretty impressive package all things considered, they really upped the extra bells and whistles with this one, even including Columns 1 for the hell of it to make it a double package. It does really make Puyo 1 seem underwhelming however, especially since its mass of ports and sequels meant they could have added just as many extras (most home versions of Puyo 1 even have an Endless Mode already). I do like that the team seem to be getting more fluent and ambitious in enhancing each title however. Leaves me hopeful their Sonic 2 and Fantasy Zone packages won't just be the same old stuff.

[Hurly Burly]

On 7/19/2019 at 5:08 AM, Tracker_TD said:

Only one of the games released so far is actually on Steam, and that's... Sonic 1. 

I am assuming they will have Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, Ecco, Shinobi, Phantasy Star series, Columns, etc. Well, what is a SEGA collection, without the franchise series?

[Tracker_TD]

4 minutes ago, Hurly Burly said:

I am assuming they will have Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, Ecco, Shinobi, Phantasy Star series, Columns, etc. Well, what is a SEGA collection, without the franchise series?

You assume wrong. The entire lineup of AGES titles for now has been confirmed - it does have games from those series, but far from all of them. Phantasy Star is represented by the first game which rarely sees a re-release as it wasn't a Mega Drive title but a Master System one. Shinobi is getting ported, but it's the again rarely ported arcade version rather than any of the Mega Drive titles. Columns is represented by Columns 2, which was JP-only in arcades; this AGES version does include Columns 1 too, however. 

Every other series you mentioned is a no-show. I do wish they'd done SoR2 mind, but with SoR4 on the way I can let it slide.

SEGA AGES isn't the 'collection' the thread title paints it as. They're individual titles - and I would much rather have rarer titles such as Puyo 1 (moreso, it's English version, which has never even been officially released period), Ichidant-R (same deal as Puyo 1), Thunder Force IV, and the original Phantasy Star, than our dozenth re-release of... Ecco the Dolphin. 

[Hurly Burly]

On 7/21/2019 at 12:15 PM, Tracker_TD said:

You assume wrong. The entire lineup of AGES titles for now has been confirmed - it does have games from those series, but far from all of them.

Then my point still stands.

[E-122-Psi]

I think it's largely that it's still stuff within the same time capsule as all their other rereleases. Their 16 bit early arcade style games. People wanna see SEGA release some of their early 3D titles for once, their Model 1 and 2 stuff is filled with gems equal to their Megadrive era. I know emulation is a key obstacle, and the Saturn is allegedly HORRENDOUS to emulate, but Nintendo and Sony have rereleased more modern and complicated games YEARS ahead of SEGA. It took SEGA the same rate just to get Virtua Racing released.

[Tracker_TD]

29 minutes ago, Hurly Burly said:

Then my point still stands.

...but it doesn't, because they're not the ones that have actually been regularly re-released, or released on Steam. Which was your original point. 

It's like saying "because Sonic 1 and 2 got Taxman ports, Sonic 3 doesn't need one". It's like... alright, but I still would like a Taxman port of Sonic 3, thanks. 

[Hurly Burly]

8 hours ago, Tracker_TD said:

...but it doesn't, because they're not the ones that have actually been regularly re-released, or released on Steam. Which was your original point. 

It's like saying "because Sonic 1 and 2 got Taxman ports, Sonic 3 doesn't need one". It's like... alright, but I still would like a Taxman port of Sonic 3, thanks. 

My original  premise is, I, have a lot of these games on Steam, as stated here...

"Anyway, I already have these titles on Steam"

You said...

"it does have games from those series, but far from all of them"

...Which was my point; I, have no intention on getting it. I guess it is great for.....

"Those whom do not have a gaming PC"

So basically, my point that I have no intention on getting this collection does not stand......That is very interesting....If I was a bit younger; I would sent you my birthday list. Heck, why think for myself when others can do it for me? Why have a preference in purchasing when others tell you what you will buy...

I mean, if you Paypal the money for a Switch and the game, I will buy it lol. Other than that, it is a no go. My point still stands.

[Tracker_TD]

30 minutes ago, Hurly Burly said:

My original  premise is, I, have a lot of these games on Steam, as stated here...

"Anyway, I already have these titles on Steam"

You said...

"it does have games from those series, but far from all of them"

...Which was my point; I, have no intention on getting it. I guess it is great for.....

"Those whom do not have a gaming PC"

So basically, my point that I have no intention on getting this collection does not stand......That is very interesting....If I was a bit younger; I would sent you my birthday list. Heck, why think for myself when others can do it for me? Why have a preference in purchasing when others tell you what you will buy...

I mean, if you Paypal the money for a Switch and the game, I will buy it lol. Other than that, it is a no go. My point still stands.

My point is the "gaming PC" or whatever point is irrelevant, because all but two of these games are not available on Steam. If folks don't want to buy them regardless, that's fine - it's not like I've bought every game they've put out myself. 

To make this crystal clear as I can, my point was - you literally cannot "have a lot of these games on Steam", because out of the announced lineup, only two of the games are available to buy on Steam, Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 (and even then, not the AGES enhanced versions, though that's being more specific). I was calling a bluff on the idea this is just the same as other available SEGA rerelease sets.

[Hurly Burly]

1 hour ago, Tracker_TD said:

My point is the "gaming PC" or whatever point is irrelevant, because all but two of these games are not available on Steam. If folks don't want to buy them regardless, that's fine - it's not like I've bought every game they've put out myself. 

To make this crystal clear as I can, my point was - you literally cannot "have a lot of these games on Steam", because out of the announced lineup, only two of the games are available to buy on Steam, Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 (and even then, not the AGES enhanced versions, though that's being more specific). I was calling a bluff on the idea this is just the same as other available SEGA rerelease sets.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/34270/workshop/

You do realize Steam is known for it's content, notably mods, right? Hence my whole, PC gamer thing....

Like I said, I have a ton of SEGA titles on Steam. Even titles that were multiple platform like MK. My point stands, if you are not a pc gamer, you could easily skip this. As Steam has a crap ton of SEGA titles on there.

Do a Steam search function, fairly certain Wonder boy & Virtual Racing is in there.

 

[Tornado]

2 hours ago, Hurly Burly said:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/34270/workshop/

You do realize Steam is known for it's content, notably mods, right? Hence my whole, PC gamer thing....

Is there some sort of mod for Sonic 3 that makes it Virtua Racing?

Quote

Do a Steam search function, fairly certain Wonder boy & Virtual Racing is in there.

 

Nope. Nothing there. Strange, since you'd think you'd know since you'd already own a ton of Sega games on Steam, or something.

[Hurly Burly]

1 minute ago, Tornado said:

Is there some sort of mod for Sonic 3 that makes it Virtua Racing?

 

Nope. Nothing there. Strange, since you'd think you'd know since you'd already own it, or something.

Yesssirr

https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/browse/?appid=34270&searchtext=Virtua+Racing&childpublishedfileid=0&browsesort=textsearch&section=home

https://steamcommunity.com/workshop/browse/?appid=34270&searchtext=Wonder+Boy&childpublishedfileid=0&browsesort=textsearch&section=items

That is why I specially alluded to PC players; we have a ton of games in the form of mods.

[Tornado]

8 hours ago, Hurly Burly said:

Yesssirr

So no. Since Steam Workshop has a ROM hack on top of Ristar of the borderline unplayable Genesis SVP version of Virtua Racing (instead of the better-than-arcade-perfect version in the AGES Switch release). Which based on the comments doesn't even work.

And I'm not sure if you actually checked what your second link said, but Monster Land isn't in it as far as I can tell. You'll have to do a bit better than a keyword search as proof of it being accessible. But even in that case:

8 hours ago, Hurly Burly said:

That is why I specially alluded to PC players; we have a ton of games in the form of mods.

I'm well aware that Steam Workshop is used for the purposes of software piracy. That doesn't change the fact that those two games are not on Steam; or how it's a pretty dumb argument to make that PC gamers shouldn't care about enhanced Switch ports of infrequently rereleased games because they can just pirate the originals.

 

 

So to correct your original post:

On 7/19/2019 at 2:30 AM, Hurly Burly said:

Anyway, I already have pirated some of these titles on Steam. I guess this is good for those who are not software pirates.

[Tracker_TD]

Man, if piracy was the answer here, why even bother with the Steam middle-man? It's not like paying for Sonic 3 entitles you to a copy of Virtua Racing just because they're both MD titles, if that's how you somehow justify it. Just get a regular emulator at that point - I'll stick with the official ports since unlike most, they actually bothered adding new content to these that I won't get just throwing the ROM into KEGA. 

[Tracker_TD]

Sorry to double-post, but news innit:

Columns 2 launches this week!

As previously mentioned, extra content includes a Endless Mode, an unlockable gallery featuring the art used in the SEGA AGES series’ cameo-rich intros, netplay, and even a single-player version of the original Columns. This marks the first time Columns 2 has seen an international release, too!

[E-122-Psi]

Puyo Puyo and Space Harrier to get a western release on the 22nd August.

https://www.destructoid.com/sega-ages-puyo-puyo-and-space-harrier-release-later-this-month-563288.phtml

Looks like they're keeping to these double dips for the west.

Next month will be the one year anniversary of the project starting by the way. I'm hoping we at least reach a proper dozen titles by then.

[Tracker_TD]

SEGA AGES Columns 2 released,

Columns 2 is hard.

The game is seriously insanely difficult. I've read at least 5 separate tweets from players who spent 4 hours on Stage 7. Out of 70.

...anyway the good news is I'm insane and poured 20+ hours into beating it, so here's everything in the Jewel Case so you don't have to Suffer Like G did.

 

 

[E-122-Psi]

Looks like we've a more obscure one next:

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/08/sega_ages_puzzle_and_action_ichidant-r_coming_soon_to_japanese_switch_eshop

Puzzle and Action Ichidant R is next on Japan's list.

[TheOcelot]

Ichidant-R was released on the Switch in the west today.

[E-122-Psi]

Columns II has also been released in the West.

Judging by updates on the Japanese site, it seems Shinobi might be next in development.

[E-122-Psi]

Just to keep everyone updated, Shinobi and Fantasy Zone have been released in Japan and will hopefully be our double bill in the West this month.

It looks like Puyo Puyo Tsu will be the last game to release in 2019.

https://gematsu.com/2019/12/sega-ages-puyo-puyo-tsu-first-details-screenshots

While the bells and whistles are nice, I'm disappointed by the lack of extra modes again. Like Puyo 1 in the Sega Ages line, it doesn't seem to have Endless or Nazo Puyo modes like other versions of the game have. There is online multiplayer again however, and a tournament version of story mode where you can face every player instead of at random.

Looks like they're really taking their time with Sonic 2.