As part of this year’s Golden Joystick Awards, avid gamer James Richards was invited to take part in the Lucozade Alert Plus Super Sonic Challenge, with the aim of setting a new Guinness World Record for the first level of Sonic 2. Actually, not one World Record but two, as James tackled the challenge on both Xbox 360 and PS3 ... » Read More

Relive your favorite retro SEGA games, way less than you paid back in the day. Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection was a great bargain for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 when it first came out at $29.99. Today, as Amazon.com's Video Game Deal of the Day, it's a no-brainer to own this slice of 16-bit history for $19.98. There are over 40 games included, some being SEGA arcade and Master System games as well. It's being offered for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, while supplies last. Even compared to the re-release prices on Wii's Virtual Console ($8 per SEGA Genesis game) and Xbox LIVE Arcade, this is an excellent bargain.
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VideoGamer.com writes: "Have you ever wondered why Sonic the Hedgehog can't swim? No, neither had we - but that didn't stop us from stumbling across the answer during a brief-yet-bizarre interview with Yuji Naka."
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411mania gives a rundown on this week's game releases. Highlights include Retro Game Challenge, Onechanbara: Bikini Samurai Squad/Bikini Zombie Slayers, X-Blades, and Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection.

Retro Game Challenge (DS)
The challenges do not require you to finish each game. However, all of the games are complete, so you can if you want to. They can take up to eight hours or longer to beat and are not what I would consider shovelware - there is some depth to all of them. One of the action games, for example, has its own power-up screen where you can use certain items you've collected to improve your character. Abilities such as jumping higher and throwing more projectiles are essential for getting further in the game. Another example is how one of the racing games has a very cool drifting mechanic which makes it much more interesting than most of the others that I played in the 80s. So, at the very least, some of the games offered here rival those that were actually released back in the day.

Onechanbara: Bikini Samurai Squad (360) / Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers (Wii)
This week's releases of Bikini Samurai Squad and Bikini Zombie Slayers mark Onechanbara's first official appearance in the US. It originally started out as one of D3's Simple Series games in Japan. History lesson: The Simple Series is made up of mostly budget titles that rip off other successful games. The low-budgetness isn't always a bad thing though, as it gave the developers some freedom to experiment, which is probably how Onechanabara was born. I mean, where else would they have gotten the idea for zombie-hunting bikini-and-cowboy-hat-wearing girls with swords? Somehow, Onechanbara was popular enough to break away from its Simple Series roots and has spawned quite a few sequels.

X-Blades (PC, PS3, 360)
After playing the retail version I can safely say that this game is fun for a hack-and-slasher. There isn't anything new or...
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SEGA of America, Inc. today announced that Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system has shipped to retailers across North America. This compilation features the entire series of Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage, Phantasy Star and Shining Force, as well as other classic titles from SEGA's 16-bit Genesis, 8-bit Master System and 1980's arcade era games library.
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SEGA revealed 9 more unlockable games in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection. At the $29.99 MSRP for the PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360, it's just about 60 cents a game!
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SEGA starts "Retro Tuesdays" with fun facts from Phantasy Star 1-4 (and a bonus clip from a 1988 TEAM SEGA Newsletter featuring Phantasy Star).

From SEGA:
"Welcome to the first installment of Retro Tuesdays! This week's trip down video game memory lane features the entire collection of the classic franchise, Phantasy Star! This is the first time ever that all four titles have been featured in one compilation!

A few fun facts you may not have known about the Phantasy Star series:
- A graphically enhanced version of Phantasy Star was the first title released in the Japan-only SEGA Ages series.

- The U.S. box art for Phantasy Star II depicts lead characters Rolf and Nei not in their usual anime style, but as shockingly older versions of themselves. Nei's long ears have also been transformed into horns.

- In Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom, there are four different endings to the game, depending on which characters you marry at the end of each generation.

- When Phantasy Star IV was first released the retail price was almost $100. Think about how much this collection cost. You're welcome."
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It's the money, stupid. And enough gamers buy crappy Sonic games for Sega not to care, according to an anonymous Sega employee. Boss Rush was an anonymous blog, currently deleted, run by someone who actually turned out to be Sonic Europe employee Ben Andac (who is no longer with the company).
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Dana Olson on Tawkn.com writes: "Here is the list of confirmed Master Drive titles included in the upcoming Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (aka Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection in the UK).

* Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
* Alien Storm
* Altered Beast
* Beyond Oasis
* Bonanza Bros.
* Columns
* Comix Zone
* Decap Attack
* Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
* Dynamite Headdy
* E-SWAT: City Under Siege
* Ecco the Dolphin
* Ecco: The Tides of Time
* Fatal Labyrinth
* Flicky
* Gain Ground
* Golden Axe
* Golden Axe II
* Golden Axe III
* Kid Chameleon
* Phantasy Star II
* Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
* Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
* Shining in the Darkness
* Shining Force
* Shining Force II: Ancient Sealing
* Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
* Sonic 3D Blast
* Sonic & Knuckles
* Sonic Spinball
* Sonic the Hedgehog
* Sonic the Hedgehog 2
* Sonic the Hedgehog 3
* Streets of Rage
* Streets of Rage 2
* Streets of Rage 3
* Super Thunder Blade
* Ristar
* Vectorman
* Vectorman 2

Also note that the collection will support trophies, and unlocking trophies will unlock games to play. Look for it on shelves starting February 10th, 2009 in North America."
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1 Platinum
4 Gold
13 Silver
17 Bronze

Descriptions of all the trophies after the jump. Power down your old Sega, because classic Sonic is here on this gen.
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Something strange is going on with Sonic Unleashed, better known as Sonic World Adventure in Japan. Instead of coming out on December 18th Sonic Unleashed won't be released on the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 in Japan until spring 2009. The official Sonic World Adventure page explains the extra time will be used to further improve the quality of the game. Meanwhile, the Wii version isn't affected and the Night of the Werehog T-shirt in Sega's Winter campaign is still valid.

But, wait a minute Sonic Unleashed is scheduled to ship on every console under the sun, including the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, next week in North America.

So, is Sega USA going to announce a last minute delay? Or is Sega Japan getting a retooled version of Sonic Unleashed?

Images courtesy of Sega.
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Developed by Backbone Entertainment, SEGA Mega Drive Ultimate Collection contains over forty celebrated SEGA classics in one package; making it the largest collection of SEGA first-party games ever offered. Featured games include; 1, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Columns, Alien Storm, Ecco the Dolphin...
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