Sega 3D Ages coming to USA and Europe!

[AB Positive]

just caught wind of this through PLAY magazine, Sega's 3D ages is coming to the US for certain. Whether or not it's on the PS2 is still to be seen (a shift to GCN or XBOX is possible) but the entire series has a US distributor :)

all I need is a 3D Phantasy Star IV and Fantasy Zone. Me happy!

-AG

[Sand_monkey]

OMIGODOMIGOD!

Finally! I have been waiting for this synce I heard of it a while ago! I just want to play Phantasy Star SOOOOO much! It was the first RPG I ever played! I LOVE THE GAME!!! WHEEEEEEEEE!

[Sotenga]

Phantasy Star and Space Harrier on serious graphical steroids... *drool* :-D

Of course, I've heard of the neo-Sega Ages long ago, but thank GOD they're getting a U.S. release! *giddily leaps about* :dance:

[Ze_ro]

Hooray! Here's hoping for some Gamecube versions...

Any word on a North American release of the new Outrun game yet?

--Zero

[Jasoco]

Screenshots? You all say "3D", but what extent? Show me, I demand it! ;) 8-)

[SoulBlazer]

Phantasy Star has been my third favorite RPG series, behind Final Fantasy and Lunar. I can't WAIT for the upgrade of Phantasy Star 4! :D

[Atari7800]

Hooray! Here's hoping for some Gamecube versions...

Any word on a North American release of the new Outrun game yet?

--Zero

My understanding is that Outrun 2 runs on X-Box based arcade hardware, making an X-Box port an easy affair. However, Sega has (I believe) ruled out a home version. It's bizarre... Sega will bring niche titles like GunValkarye (sp) and Gungrave (so want to play it though I heard it's not so good) yet will ignore big-name games like Outrun 2 and Daytona 2 (remember that one? Hello... The DC got an upgraded version of the original Daytona yet ignored the Model 3 sequel while other Model 3 games like Virtua Fighter 3, Fighting Vipers 2, Sega Rally 2, and Virtual On got the Dreamcast treatment?!?)

Anyway, I can't wait for Space Harrier! Anyone know if it has added enemies/levels or is it just a graphical upgrade?


Bizarre English lesson out of absolutely nowhere (I'm a bit tipsy)... The word "its" is possessive, not "it's"... like "The dog loves its bone... it's very tasty and smells like bacon and dog drool. ("It's being the conjugated form of "it is.") It's a common mistake... English has loads of exceptions.

"There" is used like "The dog took his bone over there."

"Their" is used like "Both dogs love their bones."

Sorry about that lesson. English major and anal-retentive.

:D

[Ze_ro]

My understanding is that Outrun 2 runs on X-Box based arcade hardware, making an X-Box port an easy affair. However, Sega has (I believe) ruled out a home version. It's bizarre...

I think their reason (and I might have misread this) was because they didn't think that Outrun 2 would work well on home consoles. The idea here was that games for home consoles have to last a long time, and Outrun 2 was designed for short, arcade runs.

My answer to that is that they should do the same thing that Soul Calibur did on the Dreamcast. Add in some art galleries, challenge levels, some kind of "world tour" mode, and some nifty multi-player modes. Stuff like this is usually pretty easy to put into a game (making the tracks and writing the physics is the hard part... juggling around the physics and maps for different modes of play shouldn't be that hard), and could really draw out the replay value.

--Zero

[GameGuru]

Golden Axe - http://www.3d-ages.co.jp/05golden/index.html

Space Harrier - http://www.3d-ages.co.jp/04space/index.html

Phantasy Star - http://www.3d-ages.co.jp/01phantasy/index.html

Monico GP - http://www.3d-ages.co.jp/02monaco/index.html

Fantasy Zone - http://www.3d-ages.co.jp/03fantazy/index.html

It looks like they are just for the PS2.

[SoulBlazer]

Hum, those PS2 shots of Phantasy Star look like the original. Now I'm confused. :hmm:

I thought I read that PS4 was being ported to the PS2 in Jaoan? THAT'S the game I need released in the USA, cause I allready have the Phantasy Star Collection which Sega put out for the GBA last year (the first three games.)

[Half Japanese]

On topic: Flack reviewed Space Harrier and I think Golden Axe on his site www.reviewtoakill.com and I believe those reviews (or at least one of them) are floating around the reviews section here at DP as well.

Off Topic:

Gungrave (so want to play it though I heard it's not so good)

It's an awesome game if you go in expecting essentially what it is (which I did): a straight-up action game. What more could you expect in a game whose levels start with the words "Kick Their Ass!" at the beginning of each stage? Sure it's short, straightforward and simple, but it's a lot of fun and well worth the sub-$20 pricepoint it goes for these days. I think a lot of reviewers were expecting modern technicalities (leveling up, stats, etc.) and thus didn't review it as highly...then again it honestly isn't worth the $50 it premiered at, but at it's current price it's an excellent buy.

[Jasoco]

Well.. the shots look awesome.. I hope it does get ported to something other than the PS2. It's not enough to make me buy one, but I'd like to try it out.

[AB Positive]

Release schedule!

http://www.conspiracygames.com/games.php

-AG

[Jasoco]

2004 really says a lot about the release date, doesn't it?

[poe]

Well, their press release says Q1 2004, which narrows it down to within the next 2 months, delays notwithstanding.

[GaijinPunch]

The Phantasy Star games are not 3D -- most of the other games are... or at least have some type of polygon graphics in them. Fantasy Zone has a few 3D-ish scenes, but is still mainly a 2D game.

Golden Axe and Space Harrier now use polygons.

There's lots of info here, but unless you can read Japanese, you'll get frustrated playing the new Phantasy Star. The story is the same, but there's a lot more key events that are triggered by "going over there and talking to such-and-such".

[jerkov]

Does anyone know if they'll be doing any Streets of Rage remakes for this series? That's one of my favorite Sega franchises.

[Ed Oscuro]

I for one am really looking forward to the Phantasy Star remake (I recently found out what the axe-wielding fellow's name is through reading the following sentence at a certain fan website: "Odin's hair is still terrible") It looks great (even though they've messed with Landale's look...her new design is cute, for sure, but I like the old look), and REALLY looking forward to the PS2 remake. I'd like to see that one, in particular, look a bit more like what the box art for the Japanese version promised, instead of running through a crazy looking super deformed version of a city. PSIV should be nice, but the other two were the ones needing an update.

The fighting games...not so sure if I'm quite as hot on the idea anymore, but they should be interesting plays.

[NE146]

I for one am really looking forward to the Phantasy Star remake (I recently found out what the axe-wielding fellow's name is through reading the following sentence at a certain fan website: "Odin's hair is still terrible") It looks great (even though they've messed with Landale's look...her new design is cute, for sure, but I like the old look)

Who's Landale? :?

[GaijinPunch]

Alis (Arisa) Landale is the main character of the first Phantasy Star.

I'm still waiting on #2... didn't know they'd take this long. The sad thing is that Phantasy Star remake sold awful (even at 2500 yen). Space Harrier and Golden Axe sold well though.

[AB Positive]

weird, Phantasy Star is one of the two games I'd pick up for sure! that and Fantasy Zone, but it goes to show how tastes differ across the ocean

-AG

[ddockery]

Phantasy Star not selling well makes sense to me. RPGs are supposd to be mainly about the story right? Updated graphics don't realy change anything. I don't have the attention span for them myself, but the ones I have liked looked horrible, and it didn't affect me in the least. I can't see rebuying one for a prettier picture.

On a huge tangebt... I would love to see an updated and expanded Legacy of the Ancients. I haven't seen another game that touched it since it came out for C64!

[Flack]

I have all five of the imports. I never played the original Phantasy Star so it would be tough for me to make comparisons. I still kind of like the Golden Axe one, and the Space Harrier one frustrates me to no end. I hate not being able to see what's shooting at me!!!

[NE146]

Alis (Arisa) Landale is the main character of the first Phantasy Star.

Aaah k I see. How'd you find out her last name was Landale? All I saw was the name "Alis". But then again I hear the jap version had much more verbose/sophisticated text and storytelling.. was it in that version?

[Ed Oscuro]

I just know, don't know how though. Random places. The music that plays when you use a spaceship in Phantasy Star IV seems to be called "Take off! Landeel [sic]" It's a reference to the old days, sort of like how one of the towns on Dezoris is named "Tyler" after the pirate from Phantasy Star 2.

[poe]

Well, I got my reply from Conspiracy on their release schedule, which was basically "watch the website for more announcements." Not content to do just that, I did find a list (on GameFAQs.com) of all PS2 titles announced in Japan, so at least we can wildly speculate on which of these have been licensed beside the original 5:
After Burner
Alex Kidd in Miracle World
Bare Knuckle
Bonanza Bros.
Columns
DecAthlete
Fantasy Zone
Fist of the North Star
Gain Ground
Golden Axe
Last Bronx
Monaco GP
Outrun
Phantasy Star
PS 2
PS 4
Space Harrier
Streets of Rage (2 line items on their list for this, so one might be a misentered entry for a sequel)
Tant R
Virtua Racing

[rbudrick]

I know I'm probably the only one in the world, but I loved Last Battle (Fist of the North STar, Hokuto no Ken) for the Genesis....can't wait for this remake.

Oh yeah, and ALEX KIDD IN MIRACLE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!


-Rob

[SegaAges]

updated versions of old school sega games is just calling my name

[Ed Oscuro]

Streets of Rage (2 line items on their list for this, so one might be a misentered entry for a sequel)

Could be SoR and SoR 2...

Oh, and a Gain Ground remake? AWESOME!

[killersquirel]

Have all 5 games been licensed to come over here? Nobody has mentioned this one, but I look most forward to Monaco GP. The game looks incredible, and the original was great fun. I have played both the japanese versions of golden axe and fantasy zone, both of which played great and offered some good improvements in graphics.

-mike

[Spoony Bard]

I wonder if their going to use the broken US translations or the coherent JP script for the PS games.

[Drexel923]

I played the Golden Axe remake at Joe's house and I wouldn't waste my money on it. The orginal plays so much better and the graphics are an insult to this generation. Also the hit detection was a little funky.

[Ed Oscuro]

I wonder if their going to use the broken US translations or the coherent JP script for the PS games.

Hey, don't be dissin' the "MUMBL" command from Phantasy Star IV. That was funny. I'll agree that they need to change the character names back to their proper ones...in most cases...Dark Falz can keep his US name, thanks.