bring_on_branstons

I mean as a soap opera this is great fun - I'm loving it and seeing what comes from it as they blunder from one catastrophe to the next.

If it turns out to be real then fantastic, it would be an amazing system. Let's see. I think it's pie in the sky based on everything we've (not) seen, but happy to be proved wrong.

There's so many red flags and the fact they want money up front to preorder a unit screams scam.

They are doing a completely woeful job of selling this thing with so many amateurish mistakes and unclear messaging - I did laugh at that video with those 'hidden' cuts. Did they think people wouldn't notice and thus be even more suspicious? Never mind the use of the name Sega and their actual logo - as if that's ever going to happen?! And now more tech minded people are throwing extra doubt on this thing.

Until they get a reputable and trusted third party journalist to see this thing working first hand everything is questionable.

Grab me a big vat of popcorn and settle back to watch this thing unfold!

Heheh that's cool.
It's nice we got two totally different games. I don't think the Megadrive game is better for having a sword - actually I found that element of it rather imprecise. The SNES one has that really great swinging mechanic pogo'ing off elements and enemies which I found great fun and far more original.
And whilst I really love the animation and look of the Megadrive version, I - and I know this is not the general view of many so don't shoot me down! - always preferred the SNES version over the MD one. I love the opening level of the Megadrive one but after that the levels just didn't grab me as much - found the platforming imprecise. That bloody dungeon level!

Great article!
Love these games - Magical Quest 3 on SFC has some of the best pixel art from that period.
Would be great to get a compilation on modern platforms - and to include both versions of MQ2 as I believe the Megadrive version is different to the SNES release and one I've never played.

@RetroGames Preach it man!!!

V cool!

Maybe it's time for me to take the plunge and buy a Polymega... I wonder how up to date they are with shipping systems and delays etc.

@RetroGames Man it really pisses me off to this day that there was an option to reduce slowdown in SNES games with FastROM and bloody developers didn't use it to save costs!! I didn't hear about this till a few years ago - we were all just unaware of it at the time.
ARRRGGGGH!!!!

@NatsuKaze Fantastic - thanks for replying! Good luck finishing it off!

@Soupbones Mmm likewise pleased this has turned out well but I was really disappointed in the Kickstarter campaign and the way it was handled.
Long periods with no updates on the KS page, incredibly late delivering (sure game development is hard but at least keep us in the loop) and then the biggest kick in the teeth delaying the PS and XB versions - personally I wanted it on PS so wasn't pleased.
Still they have said they'll try to follow through on getting the game to those platforms and providing keys for them - but how long will that take!?

@NatsuKaze Oh thanks for reaching out, how nice to chat to a developer - it's looking lush and the fact you're doing everything yourself is amazing - you can see the effort and time spent all over! I'm sure it will all be worth it.
Out of interest what do you animate in please? Is it traditional 2D techniques then manipulated in another program or using software like Pro-Motion?

Gosh what stunning visuals!

Oh wow loved reading this - Oka's music is some of my favourite from the SNES days. It has it's own distinctive sound which really sets it apart from other Nintendo composers. Back in the day I used to just sit and listen to the title screen music for Sim City over and over.

@Bonggon5 Agreed I wish she'd done more. Along with Hajime Hirasawa who I believe did the SNES StarFox soundtrack but then left the industry completely!? What a loss!

Oh so suddenly they need money to complete the project - either that's new or I missed it being reported before!

How convenient.

Anyone who parts with money up front for this is a fool as they've shown nothing to demonstrate they can actually pull this off. And now this car wreck of a 'Q+A'! It's all hypothetical hot air at this point. Repeatedly said it sounds cool but everything smells very fishy and reeks of naivety. The idea that Sega won't jump on them for using the actual Sega logo (and thus making it look like an official product) is nonsensical.

And the less said about the ghastly concept design of the machine the better...

Still - loving seeing how this unfolds and maybe - just maybe - we'll be proved wrong! (Gleefully grabs yet another tub of popcorn....)

@-wc- Good times for sure! It's a classic example of how to take an arcade game and plus it.
I beat it back in the day but as an ageing gamer I now find it very hard and have only made it as far as the final level in recent years.

@Deuteros Couldn't agree more re: UN Squadron - considering it's such an early release I don't think it was bettered for shmups on the machine. It's also one of my all time faves for sure. The graphics, soundtrack and playability are off the chart good!
There's a false narrative around the SNES not having any good shmups. It might not have as many as the Megadrive, but the good ones it does have are really good. Super Aleste, Parodius trilogy, R Type 3, Axelay and Pop n Twinbee were all amazing. And that's just side/vertical scrollers. Star Fox... Contra 3... etc.
Likewise Issue 12 of Mean Machines was epic - slathering over the screen shots. We were all anticipating Super R-Type but suddenly out of the blue came Area 88 and blew our minds. Haha I too loved those old screen shots - they have so much warmth and seeing the CRT lines and sometimes the edges of the screen just add to the appeal. (Also Gary Harrod sometimes putting them upside down or the wrong image on the wrong review cracks me up.)
Congrats on the mint copies - nice! I own 3 copies - PAL boxed (my first copy and in fairly good nick), SFC Jap boxed (near mint) and an unboxed USA cart with instructions cos I thought why not?!
It's a shame they haven't managed to sort out the licencing issues which have no doubt so far prevented a re-release on modern hardware. I'd love to see both the SNES and arcade original given a fresh lease of life.
Oh - and you might like this but you've probably heard it - epic remix of the soundtrack. Just that opening gives me chills!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=834VuOf0KdM&ab_channel=breathofthesea

@Deuteros I've resorted to many many reproduction and romhack carts off ebay. SA-1 and DSP improved versions of games, an overclocked copy of StarFox, Satalleview games like F-Zero and Zelda, English translations of Japan only games (Marvellous Treasure Island being a real highlight). Currently bashing my way through ClassicMarioWorld 2 and loving it (although infuriatingly it's missing a couple of levels and exits but hey ho - still fun).
They're not cheap but I prefer playing them on my Super NT hardware and a TV set up, and I love em!

@Deuteros Carrier Airwing on SNES? Now you're talking! The original Area 88/UN Squadron is my all time favourite SNES shmup and I still play it regularly to this day. So good. I was always disappointed Carrier Airwing never got the same treatment, and with the added programming experience it would have probably been even better. I actually only got to play Carrier Airwing for the first time on the Capcom Arcade Stadium and loved it.
And plus one for more new original games on old hardware, as well as more homebrew and remastered games, especially on the SNES. I was loving all the games which got a post SA-1 speed boost - bought some bootleg carts to run on my Super NT - but they only released a few of them physically and then no one seems to do them any more. Flabbergasted such a capable machine doesn't get more of a love in!

Shovels more popcorn into mouth as this rumbles on and on....

My question is why the hell they didn't feel the need to include the Pico!? Tsk!

God I'm loving watching this unfold!!
All smells very fishy... like they want lots of people to preorder at $3 so they get some money for nothing and maybe never follow through on it?!
Will be happy to be proved wrong as this thing could be ludicrously cool!
But you'd be a fool to part with any money until reputable sites like TE get their hands on a unit and confirm if this thing is legit!
(oh and the design is fugly as sin and the renders look cheap and crap - or maybe they're intentionally going for that early 90s CG rendered look for authenticity for when SEGA were a real force...)
Bring it on (shoves more popcorn into mouth)!!

What Sega Shouldadone...... granted there was massive overload of Sonic during the early 90s after his debut - to the point of overkill as Sega flogged him to within an inch of his life. (In the time Sega released God knows how many Sonic games on every bit of hardware they made, Nintendo only released Mariolands 2+3? All Stars doesn't count imo and there's 5 years between Mario 4 and Yoshi's Island!)

But then with new 32-bit hardware after flogging Sonic so much they bizarrely inexplicably pretty much ignore him barring Sonic R and that compilation Jam one with the 3D stage. Oh and that in development Xtreme one with the fish eye lens which let's face it looked bloody crap.

Nights was cool and all but oh to have had a 32-bit 2D Sonic platform maxing everything out to 11 with some cool 3D sections thrown in?! More fool you Sega.... tsk!

(oh yeah and this Sonic UltraSaturn looks bloody great!)

Sounds great... but 30 years ago.... ouch... Can remember buying it like it was yesterday. Thanks for reminding me how OLD I am!!!

That looks AMAZING!!!

Excellent! Bring it on then!

JAZZZZZZZZZZZZZA!!!
Supremely excited about this - hoping it has lots of inside stories and gossip from his time on all the mags he worked on.
Going to be intrigued to see which games he picks as well! Would be very interested in his views on games released after he left for the US.
Edit - Just spotted the KP Skips bag of crisps by the PC Engine on the cover!! 🤣👏

Yeah that's great and all, but JAZ Rignall is releasing a book about his life and fave games start on 2025!!!
GIBBER!!!!!!!

Droool....
We really do seem to be in a golden age of retro gaming with the wealth of retro systems being released or being made. As well as an abundance of mods and improvements to many classic games.
Having these options and keeping classic games fresh and in people's minds is great!

@slider1983 Yeah I agree completely.
I really hope it's real as it could be friggin amazing! Lot of scepticism about it's veracity but you never know...
Until a reputable site like TE gets hold of an actual production model for review or sees one demonstrated in the flesh I (along with many others) do wonder!
And if it's real I'm happy to eat humble pie!

@slider1983 Yeah I watched it.

Never owned it, but I have really fond fuzzy memories of playing this when visiting family friends. Having to wait patiently for a go as I was the youngest! Will have to pick this up.

Wow that was fast...

Either this is the coolest thing ever or it's the videogame equivalent of those 'photos' of the Loch Ness Monster and fairies that fooled everyone. I really hope it's the former...

What a great read! Love this stuff.

But what happened in Japan with Square and FFVII and did they get the Spanish version done in time? Left us hanging there...

I remember well that the PSX wasn't highly regarded at first, purely because Sony was such an unknown compared to Nintendo and Sega. Hype levels were off the chart for the Saturn based on Sega's rep - even when the machines were launched in 94 people were convinced Sega would come good.

A preview and feature on the next gen machines in (I think) CVG was quite dismissive about PSX as they just didn't know what Sony might do, with more column inches given to other manufacturers which is hilarious in hindsight after Sony steamrolled everyone. Even the 3DO and CDi seemed to get better coverage...!

Holy crap... if they actually pull this off... IF!
Dream machine indeed!

What an interesting article.

Not really on topic but just a chance to say what a great great game Buster Busts Loose is. I think I have 3 copies... (2xSFC and 1xPAL SNES)

I always loved the train level on Stage 2 - it feels like a 16-bit precursor to the amazing train chase in Uncharted 2, but obviously within the limitations of the time.

@RetroGames Yeah I think it's a real power house performance from Rare and also the SNES doing these graphics. It really sets it apart from the Megadrive in this regard (which of course had it's own different strengths.)

There's a brilliant DF Retro on how they performed this magic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ7qtqqgTlo

Unpopular opinion - my favourite of the original trilogy is DKC 3. I very much seem to the loner in that regard!
Love em all though!

OMG a Paul Davies article reminiscing on the good ol days. It's like I'm almost back in college reading this outside on the steps before going round my mates to play his imported N64 and be blown away by SM64 and Waverace.

1 - a chance for me to let Paul know how friggin great his tenure of CVG was in the mid 90s and to say Thanks! Your enthusiasm for the PSX, N64 and Saturn (and everything else) was infectious and really elevated that era for me and I'm sure many others. Halcyon days for me.

2 - With this in mind, I'd love to see more regular articles like this one from Paul recalling events and the industry back then. How about it Time Extension? The highs and lows on making CVG, the inside scoop on production companies offering bribes or getting peeved when their games scored badly, how the team got on with one another... There must be so many stories that can now be told.

And whilst you're at it, get Jaz, Rich, Paul G, Rad and anyone else in on it as well.

Cool!

There's a StarWing poster in the corner so this surely cannot be 91/92.

We didn't get StarWing till Summer 1993 and the name change wasn't announced much earlier. Plus the control options screen from the start is shown on one of the monitors and there's no way we'd see that being leaked prior to release before 93.

Holy crucifix. That looks amazing - actually it looks and sounds almost too good for the Megadrive! The trade off is really minimal.
Bit hard to fully tell from this video recording but this looks and sounds better than New Generation/Vampire Killer, which for me always paled in comparison to the SNES game in these departments.
Amazing stuff.

Gaaawd this looks so good. I've always wanted to go to Japan and do this, not just to buy a few gems but also just to experience it. Have to take an empty suitcase with me to bring stuff back in. Hopefully one day...

Awesome stuff Jack.

A lot of these pics really remind me of the basement from the Rathbone Place CEX where they had the most insane amount of imported games in the early noughties. Treasure trove and most of them out of my price range which would probably be the case in Japan as well ha!

@bippity_bop And when games launched and almost always worked out of the box without post launch patches!!!
Things sure have got better and worse in so many ways!

Brilliant! One of my fave games.
I'd love a guide on how I could play these mods and games, like that new mod of MarioKart which was also recently released. I have no idea how to play these things and always been concerned about downloading dodgy viruses!

@obijuankanoobie I think you've hit the nail on the head! But we all know it happened and they released the thing! And wasn't the Warioland game supposed to be quite good?

Touched on this before on here - companies not releasing these oddities on modern digital services is odd and annoying imo - other perfect examples are the Super Famicom Satelleview and N64 DD software being (officially at least) locked to their respective systems...

@KingMike They very well might have done and indeed the early Sonic promo stuff (in Japan at least) was marketed as SegaSonic as well. Here's an interesting article on it:
https://mdshock.com/2018/10/15/the-sega-vs-taito-trademark-dispute-why-sonic-was-rebranded-as-segasonic-in-japanese-arcades/
I read about the Taito thing in Steven L Kent's excellent books The Ultimate History of Video Games - both volumes well worth anyone's time!

Fun fact - they had to call it SegaSonic as Taito had the arcade copyright for the use of the word Sonic for Sonic Blast Man so they had to come up with a creative workaround!

@Ruka I'd be willing to play with an analogue stick regardless! Always wanted to try this.
I don't get companies sitting on oddities like this. It's like Nintendo not releasing the VB games on 3DS which would have been brilliant! Considering how often Sega roll out bloody Megadrive era compilations again and again, why not give us something new and unique like this?
(and also Saturn and Dreamcast games etc etc whilst they're at it!)

@MarkusM Nice tip about retromags.com nice one - not seen that before. 👍
The other obvious resource is Out of Print Archive - phenomenal job being done by Andy cataloguing old mags:
https://www.outofprintarchive.com/magazine_catalogue_UK.html

Another lesser mentioned mag I enjoyed back in the day was Game Zone. (Edit - started typing this comment so long ago just saw Sketcz also mention this!)

A cheeky chap at my school (whose only machine was the Gameboy so he wasn't bothered about other consoles) used to take Go! out of CVG in the supermarket and place it in the trolley. The unsuspecting cashier would pass it through the till without charging him anything for it - it does say FREE in large letters on it after all!

Cool - but it never occurred to me to want to go back in there!

@Azuris IKR! You're spot on. Considering Japan's smaller living spaces and the need to be economical even with things like controller cable length, this seems like a very convoluted and bulky solution. Kinda mad actually.

At the point of this pic (1988) Sega hadn't released the Power Base converter for the Megadrive which is a far more elegant solution.

Considering the whole SNES/SFC CPU debacle and Uemura going for the 5A22 to allow it to play 8-bit games and be backwards compatible, quite why Nintendo never released an official 8-bit adaptor is beyond me.

ie: since they didn't ever use this feature of the CPU and make an adapter, they could and should have put a more powerful processor in the base unit from the start. They knew it was too slow from the off as they were using DSPs in things like Pilotwings and were chatting to Jez San about the SFX chip as early as 1990! Quite why they shot themselves in the foot in this regard is... well.... very Nintendo like!

@Azuris The machine to the left with the SMB3 cartridge is a Famicom adapter you would plug into the SFC to play FC games via the SFC. This was Nintendo's original idea to get backwards compatibility on the new 16-bit system.
This has been known for years - much much more info and pics on here:
https://www.chrismcovell.com/secret/SFC_1988Q4.html

@rob7979 I don't know this for sure but I'm guessing they didn't ask for permission for the image on Christmas Issue 3! They would have just gone ahead and done it - all the magazines of the era seemed to use artwork from wherever often cutting them out of Japanese mags seemingly with no issues!? Back then maybe this slipped under the radar more easily? Plus this is bespoke artwork so maybe that also helps the copyright issue? Gary Harrod's Mean Machines images also spring to mind like his Turtles and UN Squadron covers which use copyrighted characters.

My issue of RG dropped through the letterbox today and it was a genuine joy to see this image again. Fantastic bit of artwork - what I like about Will's work is it doesn't slavishly copy the original but is his own interpretation but still instantly recognisable.

Another of my absolute fave's Will created (amongst many) is the one for Issue 36 where they reviewed Yoshi's Island.

I'd instantly buy a book with these covers collected together - kickstarter perhaps? I'm sure Will is reading this so how about it eh?!

@Damo Ahhh thanks for the heads up Damo. What a damn shame it was so cool going in there.
I remember asking another importer just off Carnaby St what happened and he refused to say anything! 20+ years later mystery solved.