Panzer Dragoon, Gunstar Heroes, and more coming to ps2

[Muscelli]

http://racketboy.blogspot.com/2005/07/gunstar-heroes-panzer-dragoon-and.html

Gunstar Heroes, Panzer Dragoon and Other Sega Classics on PS2
The latest issue of Japanese games mag Famitsu contains good news for SEGA fans like me who have been waiting for some of their old favorites on newer consoles. The magazine reports that the PS2 will soon have a bunch more retro titles from Sega's library.

The games mentioned as Sega Ages re-releases are:
Panzer Dragoon (with graphical upgrades)
Last Bronx
Dynamite Deka [Die Hard Arcade]
Advanced Daisenryaku [Iron Storm]
Space Harrier 2
Quartet
Gunstar Heroes Treasure box (Gunstar Heroes, Alien Soldier, Dynamite Headdy)
Galaxy Force II
Sega Memorial Selection (Head On, Tranquilizer Gun, DokiDoki Penguin Land)

It was not stated how many of these games will be included together on one disc, or how they will be grouped.

In the last year or so, I haven't been terribly excited about Sega's choice of games to be included in the Sega Ages series, but these are definately worth getting excited for. The Panzer Dragoon series is a worthwile venture and hopefully this reissue will be a success so we might see a reissue of the sequal, Panzer Dragoon Zwei and the rare and adored RPG, Panzer Dragoon Saga. It's a shame that the PS2 ports wouldn't be on the same platform on the XBox sequal, Panzer Dragoon Orta.

By far the most exciting news, though, is Gunstar Heroes Treasure Box, a selection of games from twitch gameplay maestro developers Treasure, originally published by SEGA on the Genesis/Megadrive. Naturally, it includes Gunstar Heroes, the platform/side scrolling shooter which I know many Retrogaming readers are familar with. Also included in this collection are Alien Soldier, another space platform/shooter which was a rarity on the Genesis, and Dynamite Headdy, a rather surreal platformer.

I've been waiting for some Treasure reissues for quite some time, and it couldn't get much better without emulating newer titles like Guardian Heroes, Radiant Silvergun, and Mischief Makers. To find out more about Treasure's gems, check out this page at ClassicGaming.

It is understandable that Radiant Silvergun and some of the others are not included since they were not published by Sega originally like Gunstar Heroes was on the Genesis. It's a shame though, since Radiant Silvergun on the PS2 would sell like hotcakes as people are getting sick of paying hundreds of dollars for the Saturn version on eBay

Anyway... I'm really looking forward to the PS3 now just so I can have a nex-gen system and play there PS2 games (I just can't bring myself to buy a PS2).

[PDorr3]

A graphical upgrade of panzer dragoon? count me in! I hope they upgrade the soundtrack too, I especialy love the level 1 track.

[Six Switch]

wow that is good news,i really hope these make it to america.

[Leroy]

I'll be picking up the Treasure Collection with the mad quickness. The rest of those seem passable. C'mon Sega.. you've got to get to the Wonder Boy in Monster Land series at some point.

[racketboy]

I appreciate your linking to me, muffinman943, but at least don't copy the thing word for word and make it sound like it's coming from you :)

Anyway, I am definately excited to see how these PS2 ports turn out.

[drewbrim]

very cool, I've been wanting to play alien soldier for some time now.

[shvnsth]

that is sweet as hell. hope the look spectacular

[hezeuschrist]

A graphical upgrade of panzer dragoon? count me in! I hope they upgrade the soundtrack too, I especialy love the level 1 track.

Count me out... all of Sega's other "updates" on the PS2 have completely ruined the games. Just do a Panzer Compilation with all 3 saturn games on it and leave them untouched.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

If Sega was smart they'd make a Panzer Dragoon Sega Ages collection and release it as a budget title. I mean, just about every one who ever wanted to play Panzer Dragoon Saga and didn't want to pay Ebay prices would be all over that. No to mention the people who already own it. Though we are talking about the same people who decided not to re-release REZ for the PS2 even though it'd probably make them a ton.

[davidbrit2]

Count me out... all of Sega's other "updates" on the PS2 have completely ruined the games.

Nonsense! The US Sega Classics Collection is worth it just for Fantasy Zone, Outrun, Virtua Racing, and Alien Syndrome alone. The Golden Axe update was a real turd, though, I'll grant you that.

And yes, this list looks hot. Hopefully these will get some US releases too. And hopefully Sega will eventually realize that they need to get around to the Daytona series, and the rest of the Outrun series. Heh.

[maxlords]

Ah, but the details said this was a "Sega Ages" collection. And the Sega Ages games are direct ports, not graphical updated versions. I'd bet these are all direct ports.

[racketboy]

A graphical upgrade of panzer dragoon? count me in! I hope they upgrade the soundtrack too, I especialy love the level 1 track.

Count me out... all of Sega's other "updates" on the PS2 have completely ruined the games. Just do a Panzer Compilation with all 3 saturn games on it and leave them untouched.

The don't need to do anything fancy -- just add a little anti-aliasing, textures, and smoothing.

Think of how nice games looks on a good ePSXe setup.
Same game -- just a bit easier on the eyes :)

[mr_nihilism]

Great news. Please don't ruin Panzer Dragoon, Sega.

[Leo_A]

No Turbo Outrun or Outrunners :(

[Overbite]

PENGUIN LAND

[hezeuschrist]

A graphical upgrade of panzer dragoon? count me in! I hope they upgrade the soundtrack too, I especialy love the level 1 track.

Count me out... all of Sega's other "updates" on the PS2 have completely ruined the games. Just do a Panzer Compilation with all 3 saturn games on it and leave them untouched.

The don't need to do anything fancy -- just add a little anti-aliasing, textures, and smoothing.

Think of how nice games looks on a good ePSXe setup.
Same game -- just a bit easier on the eyes :)

Oh it certainly would be a site to behold if they didn't screw anything up, as Panzer Orta was an amazing game. I know they couldn't get that kind of power out of the PS2, but if they got it closer in-line to this generation with the same exact experience, I'd be all over it... I simply don't think they'll manage it based on their history.

[Crush Crawfish]

Awesome news. I'll be all over the treasure and Panzer dragoon releases if they come out in the US.

[Anthony1]

I want them to do brand new souped of versions of Kid Chameleon, Ecco the Dolphin and Comix Zone.

[racketboy]

I want them to do brand new souped of versions of Kid Chameleon, Ecco the Dolphin and Comix Zone.

Have you played the Dreamcast version of Ecco?
At least that was a great 3D upgrade

[Leroy]

Update from Magic Box:

- Sega announced that Treasure will take over the development of its Sega AGES title Gunstar Heroes Treasure Box, the game features remake of 3 classes titles, including Gunstar Heroes, Dynamites Headdy and Alien Soldier.

[Sylentwulf]

I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights!

[le geek]

No Turbo Outrun or Outrunners :(

Man I want these bad!

Cheers,
Ben

[ddockery]

If Sega was smart they'd make a Panzer Dragoon Sega Ages collection and release it as a budget title. I mean, just about every one who ever wanted to play Panzer Dragoon Saga and didn't want to pay Ebay prices would be all over that. No to mention the people who already own it. Though we are talking about the same people who decided not to re-release REZ for the PS2 even though it'd probably make them a ton.

I doubt Rez woukld make them much of anything. At the end of Rez's retail lifespan, it was $10 in a lot of stores, but nobody wanted it. Most of the demand now is more because it's rare than because people NEED to have it to play.

[rbudrick]

Yeah! More Ages releases! <happydance>

Quartet! Is no one a Quartet fan?

Still waiting for Alex Kidd and PSIV (PS trilogy too for that matter), but this gives me renewed hope the titles I've been waiting for are going to be released.

Rob

[Sotenga]

Update from Magic Box:

- Sega announced that Treasure will take over the development of its Sega AGES title Gunstar Heroes Treasure Box, the game features remake of 3 classes titles, including Gunstar Heroes, Dynamites Headdy and Alien Soldier.

OH SNAP!!! *plotzes*

I know a few humans who would drool over this information... *disappears like a ninja* :D

[segagamer]

Most of the games announced will be the original versions, as Sega has decided not to remake them like the games on the Sega Classics Collection in the US, which I actually enjoyed.

[Gemini-Phoenix]

Now why on earth they haven't done Panzer Dragoon Saga I do not know! You'd think that having Dvd technology would be ideal for such a game, and they could also rework the sound and graphics too.

Why do they keep rehashing old Mega Drive games? Why not resurrect some better Saturn ones which only ever saw a Saturn release?

There's also a whole load of DreamCast games which could still be exploited too...

[racketboy]

I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights!

I know what you mean! A sequal would be great too!

But I would love to see Nights with more polished graphics

[racketboy]

Now why on earth they haven't done Panzer Dragoon Saga I do not know! You'd think that having Dvd technology would be ideal for such a game, and they could also rework the sound and graphics too.

Why do they keep rehashing old Mega Drive games? Why not resurrect some better Saturn ones which only ever saw a Saturn release?

There's also a whole load of DreamCast games which could still be exploited too...

It would also be great to see some releases that have a cult following, but never got a proper US (or PAL) release.

Just think of all four Shining Force III discs :)

[Lemmy Kilmister]

I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights! I want Nights!

I know what you mean! A sequal would be great too!

But I would love to see Nights with more polished graphics

Screw Sega Ages, I think a new Nights game would work perfect on the DS. Even if it was just a simple port with a few added levels throw into the mix.

[sabre2922]

The Sega classics collection was worth every penny as far as Im concerned. ;)

Also I actually liked the Golden Axe update sure the graphics are look like a PSone update but I still find it enjoyable for a playthrough evey now and then.

Outrun and Virtua Racing are excellent Alien Syndrome and the Columns updates were good as well I really was surprised at the columns port.

If they do release the original Panzer Dragoon it really is in dire need of at least a graphical upgrade but PD2 and PDSAGA would be fine without any graphical touch-ups.