Sega Games That Never Came Home

[crazyjackcsa]

I've always been a Sega fan, and I've always wondered, why are there so many arcade games that never came home?

There seems to be a time starting around that a tonne of games never came home.

Just off the top, Scud Race, Daytona U.S.A 2, L.A. Riders, the Jurassic Park Arcade Games, The Star Wars Arcade Game, Moto Raid and that skateboarding game all spring to mind.

Until recently, Jambo Safari, Gunblade and L.A. Machine Guns could have been included on that list.

I've never read anything official as to why they were never released/ported to ANY console.

Anybody know?

[klausien]

Don't we all wish we knew? I hope Sega keeps going back to their arcade legacy, because I know I really love the GunBlade NY/LA Machineguns pack. AfterBurner Climax on Live was also a pleasant, and extremely welcome, surprise. My next hope is for Planet Harriers or Revenge of Death Adder (or any System 32 game for that matter) to show up somewhere, but I'm not holding my breath.

On a related side note, you do know that the tracks from Scud Race & Daytona 2 were made into bonus stages for the first XBox release of Outrun 2 no? It's definitely a tease more than anything else (I'd imagine they were proof of concept in some way and they just made them an easter egg), but it is still super cool that they're in there.

[dendawg]

Star Wars Arcade

Star Wars Arcade came out on 32X.

[crazyjackcsa]

I knew they were on Outrun 2, but it just isn't the same.

I was referring to Star Wars Arcade Trilogy, the 1998 release.

[Greg2600]

Well, one thing to note is that SEGA made quite a few arcade games many of us probably never even saw in person back in the days. Star Wars "Arcade" was ported to the 32X; however its follow up Star Wars Trilogy Arcade, was not. Like with Daytona 2, SEGA likely didn't want to pay the home license, or couldn't get one. Indy 500 is another arcade racer that wasn't ported. I'm sure if you go back, likely the only reason SEGA didn't port was licensing.

[Graham Mitchell]

I remember a little system 16 arcade game by Sega called Aural, I think. It was an overhead tank shooter with first-person exploring/shooting segments, like Contra. (sorry I'm on my cell phone so I can't search the link on klov. Somebody should though...)

Anyway, I don't think that was ever ported to anything.

I do know that the Japanese Saturn had collections of extremely old Sega games that I'd never heard of. (Pengo is the only one I recognize). While they were ported to the Saturn overseas, there are probably several games in those collections that never made their way to the U.S.

[diskoboy]

-Planet Harriers
-Brave Fire Fighters
-Airline Pilots
-Top Skater/Air Trix
-Crackin' DJ

And pretty much all of Sega's old laserdisc titles, with the exception of Time Traveler.

[j_factor]

Well, one thing to note is that SEGA made quite a few arcade games many of us probably never even saw in person back in the days. Star Wars "Arcade" was ported to the 32X; however its follow up Star Wars Trilogy Arcade, was not. Like with Daytona 2, SEGA likely didn't want to pay the home license, or couldn't get one. Indy 500 is another arcade racer that wasn't ported. I'm sure if you go back, likely the only reason SEGA didn't port was licensing.

Indy 500 was ported -- to Game.com

[Compute]

I still haven't seen a decent home version of Thunderblade.

[Brianvgplayer]

I do know that the Japanese Saturn had collections of extremely old Sega games that I'd never heard of. (Pengo is the only one I recognize). While they were ported to the Saturn overseas, there are probably several games in those collections that never made their way to the U.S.

Not really, all of the games in the first Memorial Selection and most in the second came to the US. Most games in the second collection didn't get US home ports, though.

I have the first Sega Ages Memorial collection for Saturn. It has Head On, Up 'n Down, Flicky, and Pengo. Head On got a GB version (Power Racer) in the US and a clone of it (Dodge 'em) was on 2600. Up 'n Down is more obscure, but still got various ports in the US (Colecovision, Atari 800, and even Atari 2600). Flicky got a Genesis port in the US. Pengo got ports on 2600, Atari 8 bit computer, and 5200 in the US.

The second Memorial Selection has Doki Doki Penguin Land, Monaco GP, SEGA Samurai, Ninja Princess (aka Sega Ninja), Sindbad Mystery, and Star Jacker. A few of these had US arcade releases, but only Ninja Princess and Monaco GP got US home versions. Monaco GP has a remake in SEGA Classics Collection on PS2 and Ninja Princess had a version with altered graphics on Master System named The Ninja. Doki Doki Penguin Land didn't come to the US, but its sequel for SMS came to the US under the name Penguin Land.

[Steve W]

I could swear that both Jambo Safari and Planet Harriers were lined up to be released on the Dreamcast before Sega threw in the towel on the console way too early.

[maxlords]

Planet Harriers is one they should DEFINITELY release. I'd have gotten the arcade version, but it's literally the most fragile arcade board EVER made. I even called a rep at Sega to ask about it and HE said to avoid it...75% of them that they fix and shipped back broke in shipping on the way back....

[Leo_A]

Why would it be any different then any other Naomi board?

I never quite got the fascination with Planet Harriers, but I never did like Space Harrier either...

[j_factor]

I remember waiting and waiting for some announcement of a home version of Ollie King. Never came, and I never saw the arcade game. I've also always wanted to try Crackin' DJ.

I could swear that both Jambo Safari and Planet Harriers were lined up to be released on the Dreamcast before Sega threw in the towel on the console way too early.

Yes, they certainly did. There was also supposed to be a Dreamcast version of Shakka to Tambourine. That one was canceled in favor of a Playstation (yes, PS1) version, which was then changed from a port of the arcade version to a reworked version starring some J-Pop girl group and featuring their songs.

Why would it be any different then any other Naomi board?

Planet Harriers is not a Naomi game, it's Hikaru.

[retroman]

dont forget Golden Axe Revenge of Death Adder

[exit]

Only one I can think of is Quartet 2, I remember playing it once at an arcade in the early 90s and always wondered why it was never released on Genesis.

[Graham Mitchell]

I don't know if these count, but the arcade versions of Michael Jackson's Moonwalker and Ghostbusters are quite different from their Genesis counterparts. Those two have never been released on consoles as far as I know.

[Brianvgplayer]

Only one I can think of is Quartet 2, I remember playing it once at an arcade in the early 90s and always wondered why it was never released on Genesis.

Quartet 2 is nothing more than a 2 player version of Quartet. There is a home version on US SMS, though it's very different from the arcade.

[todesengel]

I don't know if these count, but the arcade versions of Michael Jackson's Moonwalker and Ghostbusters are quite different from their Genesis counterparts. Those two have never been released on consoles as far as I know.

That Real Ghostbusters arcade game wasn't Sega, I believe it was Data East. It did get ported to the Amiga, Amstrad, Atari ST, C64 and Spectrum though.

I always found it odd that Sega never ported that Sonic trackball game.

[Brianvgplayer]

I find it odd how Colecovision had a lot of ports licensed from Sega, but no SG-1000 ports (not counting homebrews). The carts even have a similar shape.