Gaming Systems

Sega Game Gear : Prelude to Retro

To be honest I was always a Nintendo (then Sony when Nintendo began to burn me in terms of title content and lack of good RPGs) man, so I never jumped in on the whole Sega Game Gear thing… too bad, I might have actually liked it while it lasted.

Because of this I know next to nothing about the Sega Game Gear.
Thankfully Wikipedia knows more than me, which is the basis of this, your first look at my upcoming retro reviews for the Sega Game Gear.

Thanks to Wikipedia for the info, and thanks to the people of GameTZ (from which I performed the trades which began to fill my review stocks with Game Gear games to review!) First off though, Sega Game Gear 101.

Sega Game Gear
Launched in 1990 in Japan
1991 in the Americas, Europe and Brazil.
1992 in Australia
Original price - $150.
Today’s price - $30 at Amazon.com (according to GameTZ).
Gen span - Became last gen tech in 1997.
NOTE - The Game Gear was Sega’s response to the Nintendo Game Boy, and was the third commercially available color handheld after the Atari Lynx and Turbo Express (and no, I don’t plan to review those since it’s hard enough to get people to give up their Sega Game Gear games, let alone an actual Game Gear or Battery Pack).

Schematics
According to Wikipedia, the Game Gear was “basically a portable Master System with a lower resolution screen (with a trade off of having a large color pallate to draw from for color in the games, which wouldn’t be seen again until the DS and the PSP most likely). Using headphones it could produce stereo sound (it won’t be until the PSP that system makers would find a way to attach actual stereo accessories onto the system, though it’s only for home use as I don’t think the bulky stereo attachment makes for portable use on the road), as opposed to it’s Master System counterpart which only had monaural output. Sadly while the Game Gear had the capacity for stereo, Sega underutilized this by having too few games for the system that could use this.

Also the controls for the GameGear was unique for it’s time, held in a “landscape” (to the sides of the screen) position. Of course by now you’ve seen this emulated in the GameBoy Advance (original) and the PSP so it’s not new anymore, but back then it was innovation. (And yes, both systems have Sega to thank for the inspiration for the control set up for both GBA and PSP).

According to Wikipedia, because of the similarities between the Master System and the Game Gear, it was fairly easy for Master System games to be ported to the Game Gear carts… only not so anymore as you’ll need the entire setup and BOTH systems to do this, which of course would take far too much work to get ahold of (unless you had both systems to begin with). Also, as a personal note to Sony, why is it you can emulate the control set up but have yet to innovate the ability to download games onto the PSP? (From the PS2 of course since, as you noticed on certain cross console titles like Pirates of the Caribbean : At World’s End and Spider-Man 3, the games are the exact same game on each system with only minor tweaks -- so really, how hard would it be to download my favorite PS2 game to the PSP so I can play it on the road?! If a system from the 90‘s innovated that years ago why can‘t the latest gen of handhelds do likewise?!?).

Yeah, the Game Gear seems to still be cutting edge in some respects over the “next gen” handhelds it seems.
Sega Game Gear Review

Sega Operation G.H.O.S.T. Arcade Game $20999.95 Join the ranks of highly-trained special force agents with the Operation G.H.O.S.T. Arcade Game from SEGA. This 2-player game offers realistic sights and sounds with weapons, equipment and gadgets that will blow other shooters out of the water. Players must use precision shooting and quick reactions to complete their missions. A full-color, 55'' deluxe monitor immerses you in the rapid fire action. The monitor surround is synced with the in-game action for the most adrenaline-inducing game play. Other awesome features include new enemy scanning gear that helps you take enemies down before they know what hit them! Detect enemy laser sights, tactically split your team and take on challenge sections for intensity and excitement that never let up! The gun-mounted speaker and LED lighting action keep you engaged and on your guard. Bring the thrill of an arcade shooter into your home game room with the incredible Operation G.H.O.S.T. from SEGA.

Sega Sonic Free Riders $51.99 2010 68049 Kinect for Xbox 360 controls: Turn, twist and jump, as you speed your way to the finish line! Use your whole body to take full control of a variety of hoverboards and bikes. Easy to pick up and play: Fun for all ages! Compete with family and friends in single and multiplayer modes, each with their own unique race rules. Customization: Customize your board and bike with unlockable gear and unlock upgrades to increase your speed, skills, and special abilities. Unforgettable Characters: Race as Sonic, Tails, Dr. Eggman and more, including your personal Avatar! Pick-ups & Weapons: Add even more excitement to each race with item pick-ups! Reach out and grab a variety of rockets, bowling balls, traps and more to knock your rivals off-course. Throw, shake, or swing to launch and give yourself the competitive edge. Over-the-top Environments: Race through epic settings including sun-drenched resorts, deep winding canyons, glimmering waterfalls and majestic ancient ruins, each with their own unique traps and surprises around every corner. Become your favorite character as you jump on your board and get ready to compete in exhilarating, adrenaline-fueled races against tough competition. For the first time use full-motion body control to twist and turn your way through a range of visually stunning courses. Hi-octane fun for 'riders' of all ages, Sonic Free Riders brings extreme fast-paced boarding action in a main event you won't want to miss! Kinect Sensor Action/Adventure Game Comic Mischief Complete Product E (Everyone) Game Mild Cartoon Violence No Not Applicable Sega Software Sonic Free Riders Standard Xbox 360 Yes www.sega.com

SEGA Grid Racing Game $11399.95 Get on the Grid and ready to race with the incredible SEGA Grid Racing Arcade Game. Drive some of the world’s fastest and most legendary cars such as the Pagani Zonda, the Bugatti Veyron and the Aston Martin DBR9. Iconic racetracks include Donington Park, Spa Francorchamps and Okutama. You can also race down the narrow streets of San Francisco, Milan and Detroit in an attempt to open the secret track! Among the most innovative racing games on the market, Grid offers unparalleled cabinet feature lighting and detailed car damage for more realistic game play. The 32'' HD LCD screen offers a variety of road views and is enhanced by the force feedback steering and powerful 2.1 sound system. Choose from different race modes including a Championship mode and link up to 6 players for a true tournament of skill! Bring the arcade home like never before with the incredible SEGA Grid Racing Game!

Sega 108123 Sega Superstars Tennis $50.54 SEGA Superstars Tennis a game that brings together some of the most treasured and wellknown characters from the SEGA universe in some of the most unusual courts and outrageous settings ever imagined. SST has over 15 playable SEGA idols including Sonic the Hedgehog AiAi from Super Monkeyball fame Ulala of Space Channel 5 and Amigo from Samba De Amigo. In addition to their own unique attributes each character will also come equipped with their own superstar tennis skills putting a whole new spin on each match played. Exhibition mode offers the chance to challenge Sonic or the character or your choice to a match on one of many courts including Sonic s home court of Green Hill Zone or Amigo s Carnival Park court. Wherever you play there will be a host of SEGA celebrities cheering you on from courtside and by partaking in crazy doubles matches with your choice of partner you could end up playing against some pretty unusual couples. Prove your SEGA hero is the shining star of SEGA Superstars Tennis by collecting silverware in the Tournament Mode. Features: Zany SEGA Characters with Superstar Abilities Each of the 16 characters has their own superstar alterego which gives them the winning edge on the court. Ten Fantastical Themed Courts Guest umpires will supervise the action on a wide variety of colorful courts from Sonic s lush Green Hill Zone to Ulala s galactic Space Channel 5 world just to name a couple. Four ActionPacked Tournaments As you slice your way through the competitive tournaments you will unlock loads of bonus content. Classic Soundtrack Faithfully recreated in full Dolby Digital 5.1 treasured SEGA tunes will entertain SEGA fans new and old.

Sega 108125 Sega Superstars Tennis $37.8 SEGA Superstars Tennis a game that brings together some of the most treasured and wellknown characters from the SEGA universe in some of the most unusual courts and outrageous settings ever imagined. SST has over 15 playable SEGA idols including Sonic the Hedgehog AiAi from Super Monkeyball fame Ulala of Space Channel 5 and Amigo from Samba De Amigo. In addition to their own unique attributes each character will also come equipped with their own superstar tennis skills putting a whole new spin on each match played. Exhibition mode offers the chance to challenge Sonic or the character or your choice to a match on one of many courts including Sonic s home court of Green Hill Zone or Amigo s Carnival Park court. Wherever you play there will be a host of SEGA celebrities cheering you on from courtside and by partaking in crazy doubles matches with your choice of partner you could end up playing against some pretty unusual couples. Prove your SEGA hero is the shining star of SEGA Superstars Tennis by collecting silverware in the Tournament Mode. Features: Zany SEGA Characters with Superstar Abilities Each of the 16 characters has their own superstar alterego which gives them the winning edge on the court. Ten Fantastical Themed Courts Guest umpires will supervise the action on a wide variety of colorful courts from Sonic s lush Green Hill Zone to Ulala s galactic Space Channel 5 world just to name a couple. Four ActionPacked Tournaments As you slice your way through the competitive tournaments you will unlock loads of bonus content. Classic Soundtrack Faithfully recreated in full Dolby Digital 5.1 treasured SEGA tunes will entertain SEGA fans new and old.

Sega VANQUISH $57.99 1 1 x Online 2010 69042 Fast, fluid and frenetic - This is gaming at its most explosive and exciting, as you storm into battle. Experience a game character like no other - Sam is the ultimate weapon, donning a futuristic battle suit of destructive firepower and superhuman speed and agility. Fight your way through the enormous, open environments of the space station. The most advanced, futuristic city in the skies becomes home to the action. The story of VANQUISH is set in the near future. Russia and the United States are vying for ownership of the world's fast-depleting energy resources and the US has constructed a space station in order to harness energy from the sun. Russian forces capture this space station and divert its harvested solar energy into a blast wave that destroys San Francisco, aiming to force the US into a total and unconditional surrender. In response, the US tasks its armed forces with recapturing the space station before the Russians can annihilate their next target - New York. Blood and Gore Complete Product Game Intense Violence M (Mature 17+) No Not Applicable PlayStation 3 Retail Sega Software Standard Strong Language Third Person Shooter VANQUISH Yes www.sega.com

Sega Superstars Tennis $18.99 1 2008-03-18 4 Zany SEGA Characters with Superstar Abilities: Each of the 16 characters has their own superstar alter-ego, which gives them the winning edge on the court. Ten Fantastical Themed Courts: Guest umpires will supervise the action on a wide variety of colorful courts, from Sonic's lush Green Hill Zone to Ulala's galactic Space Channel 5 world, just to name a couple. Four Action-Packed Tournaments: As you slice your way through the competitive tournaments, you will unlock loads of bonus content. Classic Soundtrack: Faithfully recreated in full Dolby Digital 5.1, treasured SEGA tunes will entertain SEGA fans new and old. Sixteen fan-favorite SEGA characters from Sonic to NiGHTS are serving up non-stop fun in SEGA Superstars Tennis. Multiple madcap mini-games will keep the party rolling and up to four friends can challenge each other in tournaments, exhibitions and unlockable special events. With hilarious cameos and comical guest umpires from SEGA's rich gaming history, this fun-filled tennis party is guaranteed to be a smashing good time for the whole family! E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) Game Mild Blood Mild Fantasy Violence Mild Suggestive Themes No Not Applicable SEG65015 Sega Software Sports Game Superstars Tennis Wii Yes www.sega.com

Sega 108124 Superstars Tennis $39.1 SEGA Superstars Tennis a game that brings together some of the most treasured and wellknown characters from the SEGA universe in some of the most unusual courts and outrageous settings ever imagined. SST has over 15 playable SEGA idols including Sonic the Hedgehog AiAi from Super Monkeyball fame Ulala of Space Channel 5 and Amigo from Samba De Amigo. In addition to their own unique attributes each character will also come equipped with their own superstar tennis skills putting a whole new spin on each match played. Exhibition mode offers the chance to challenge Sonic or the character or your choice to a match on one of many courts including Sonic s home court of Green Hill Zone or Amigo s Carnival Park court. Wherever you play there will be a host of SEGA celebrities cheering you on from courtside and by partaking in crazy doubles matches with your choice of partner you could end up playing against some pretty unusual couples. Prove your SEGA hero is the shining star of SEGA Superstars Tennis by collecting silverware in the Tournament Mode. Features: Zany SEGA Characters with Superstar Abilities Each of the 16 characters has their own superstar alterego which gives them the winning edge on the court. Ten Fantastical Themed Courts Guest umpires will supervise the action on a wide variety of colorful courts from Sonic s lush Green Hill Zone to Ulala s galactic Space Channel 5 world just to name a couple. Four ActionPacked Tournaments As you slice your way through the competitive tournaments you will unlock loads of bonus content. Classic Soundtrack Faithfully recreated in full Dolby Digital 5.1 treasured SEGA tunes will entertain SEGA fans new and old.

Sega Vancouver 2010 $41.99 69033 Vancouver 2010 will set a new standard for the Olympic-themed video games genre, commented Hugh Binns, Director of Eurocom Development Ltd., developers of Vancouver 2010. With the innovative first person mode to immerse players even more in the game, an all new challenge mode providing hours of entertainment and stunning high definition graphics, Vancouver 2010 will be a fantastic experience. Game Not Applicable PlayStation 3 Players: 1 - 4 RP (Rating Pending) Sega Software Sports Game Vancouver 2010 www.sega.com

Sega Let's Go Island Deluxe Arcade Game $21199.95 Bring an island adventure into your home game space with the SEGA Let's Go Island Deluxe Arcade Game! Players set out on a South Pacific island driving tour but are soon besieged by modern day pirates and other perils! Work together to survive what the island has in store! A deluxe 52'' LCD screen brings you right into the action. Rapid fire, fixed pivot guns help you aim and fire as you set out on multiple routes and conquer multiple stages. Test your skills with mini games and work together to defeat your enemies! With a small footprint and a bright, island-themed cabinet, this arcade game will make an ideal addition to your home game room and a perfect activity for your next party or family game night.

Sega Resonance of Fate $60.99 68039 Experienced RPG development team: Tri-Ace, the creators of RPG franchises Star Ocean, Valkyrie Profile and Infinite Undiscovery are behind this entirely new vision of fate within a steam punk world Battle system: Battle in fantastic cinematic action as your characters wield firearms in a semi-real time gameplay system. Invincible mode: Pull spectacular moves and precision attacks through this special mode designed to chain enemy attacks together Unique story: Built around a gigantic tower machine, the story will delve deep into fate and the machinery that controls it Beautiful environments: Masterfully crafted environments pepper this title to illustrate the deep tapestry of this dystopian world Resonance of Fate is developed by the heralded RPG developers, tri-Ace, who have had a hand in developing some of gaming's most celebrated RPG franchises from Star Ocean to Valkyrie Profile. Sega and tri-Ace now introduce Resonance of Fate, which adds a new spin to the genre with a new cinematic action gameplay system centred around gun play and a steam punk styled world. Game RP (Rating Pending) Resonance of Fate Role Playing Game Sega Software Xbox 360 www.sega.com

Sega Yakuza 3 $57.99 69039 Rich Stories to Tell: Japanese author Masayoshi Yokoyama returns to deliver the next chapter of Yakuza bringing the game to life through a rich cast of characters and dozens of stories. All told across over 100 missions and engaging mini-games featuring original Japanese voice cast to ensure the authenticity fans have come to expect. Ultimate Street Brawls: Seamlessly transition into intense fights more brutal than ever before thanks to the improved fighting engine and the power of the PlayStation 3 system. By stringing together a combination of fighting moves, players can unleash devastating moves to take out multiple enemies simultaneously or use objects in the environment as weapons. Real-world Immersion: Discover the authentic, sandy beaches of Okinawa or travel to the neon-lit adult playgrounds of Tokyo. Become a regular at nightclubs, restaurants and real-world stores to uncover hidden truths and gain access to side missions. New ways to Explore: With new locations to venture through, the all-new free camera mode and high energy chase battles, Yakuza 3 offers an unprecedented level of exploration and interaction not seen in the franchise before. The Yakuza series is the brainchild of Toshihiro Nagoshi. Along with the Yakuza saga, Toshihiro also created the beloved Super Monkey Ball series and has worked on other well known SEGA games such as Daytona USA, F-Zero GX, Spikeout. Introducing the next cinematic chapter in the prestigious video game saga offering an authentic, gritty and often violent story set in modern day Japan. Following the events of the previous game, Kazuma and Haruka have left Kamurocho to seek a new life in Okinawa where they manage an orphanage for children. However, their peaceful life is soon interrupted when a series of events unfold pulling Kazuma back into the shadowy past he thought he had left behind Action/Adventure Game Blood Game M (Mature 17+) PlayStation 3 Sega Sexual Themes Software Strong Language Use of Alcohol Violence Yakuza 3 Yakuza 3 v.3.0 www.sega.com

SEGA Bass Fishing for Nintendo Wii $21.99 SEGA Bass Fishing is back and better than ever returning with all-new intuitive controls utilizing the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. With over 20 different types of lures to choose from, gamers can cast off using the Wii Remote to try and land one of four different types of freshwater bass. SEGA Bass Fishing also offers gamers the freedom to select time-of-day and season during play which impacts the activity of the fish, their appetite, and their depth. When players hook a big one, they can use the motion sensor to reel it in! Featuring 15 beautifully designed lake environments, SEGA Bass Fishing has four fun-filled game modes including Arcade, Tournament, Practice and Nature Trip modes.

Sega Iron Man 2 $31.99 69037 Research, Develop, Refine: From Tony Stark's base of operations, direct R&D efforts and prepare for your selected mission by building and customizing your suit and weaponry. Epic Foes and Cinematic Action: Accomplish super heroic deeds and battle epic villains as large as skyscrapers while in the maelstrom of a global crisis. Unrivalled Fire Power: Feel the impact of Iron Man's weaponry. Blow holes through walls and bring down huge enemy structures and vehicles. Go Beyond The Movie: A unique story crafted by renowned MARVEL comic writer Matt Fraction brings you into Tony Stark's world with new locations, scenarios and villains. Suit up and take to the skies again on PlayStation 3. This brand-new story thrusts you deep into the Iron Man comic world adding to the excitement of the upcoming Iron Man 2 movie. Battle epic enemies, like the classic Iron Man villain Crimson Dynamo, only featured in the game. Action/Adventure Game Game Iron Man 2 PlayStation 3 RP (Rating Pending) Sega Software www.sega.com