The Nomad Junkyard

News from the Future: Sonic 4 Episode 3 Logo Revealed

2012-01-10T10:25:00.000-05:00

Sonic 4 Episode 2's logo reveal is old news. Via a time hole, I was able to jump ahead to 2013 when SEGA revealed the Sonic 4 Episode 3 logo. It looks alright, pretty much what I expected. Looks like Knuckles will be playable, which isn't too big a surprise. In other news, this time taking place in the present, I finally have the ability to make videos in HD! So to test out our new camera (yes, it is the family camera, as it was bought with wedding money) I made a short tour of my Sonic shelves. I do have more Sonic stuff, but it's either boxed or in book form, which isn't as fun to show off. I do plan to show off my Sonic kid's books in the near future, as well as some Japanese SEGA books. In the meantime, enjoy the video:

Introducing the SEGA Fusion!

2012-01-04T08:44:00.000-05:00

It's 2012, and SEGA is BACK in the hardware race! Okay, not really. But this is still pretty awesome. A crazy SEGA fan has crammed a SEGA CD, 32X and Genesis into a Saturn shell and dubbed it the "SEGA Fusion". Check out the video above in which he shows off the innards, and plays some games on it. At the moment, he is not accepting requests to build more of them, but never say never.

Sonic 4 Episode 1 HD Arrives on the iPad

2011-12-21T22:18:00.003-05:00

SEGA has given iPad owners an early Christmas present this year, Sonic 4 Episode 1 is now in HD on the iPad! For only $1.99, iPad owners can play the game in HD, no longer having to upscale the original iOS release. It'll be like holding an HD tv really close to your face. I can only imagine players getting dizzy when the screen rotates with Sonic as he goes through loops. Based on the screens, this is an HD version of the iOS release, meaning no new act 2's for Casino Street and Lost Labyrinth. Still, at $1.99 it's a good price. Check it out on the app store!

Sonic CD Hits the iOS and Android TODAY!

2011-12-15T09:24:00.001-05:00

Waaaaaay way back in 2009 I talked about Christian Whitehead's fan made port of Sonic CD. Two and a half years ago I said, "Hopes are high for SEGA to move ahead with this advanced port, and if the final release is anything like what Whitehead has now, it would make for an awesome port". Here we are now years later, and we finally are getting what we wished for... and then some! The iOS release of Sonic CD, out today for $1.99, is beyond perfect. It implements Sonic 2-like physics, including the spin dash, it features BOTH soundtracks AND as an added bonus gives players the option to play as Tails. A hint at what to expect from Sonic 4 Episode 2?

Best of all, the app is universal and can be played on even the oldest of hardware. Any reader of this blog should know that I have a first gen iPod Touch. Why haven't I upgraded? Because aside from a handful of games that don't support my device, I can still listen to music, watch movies, surf the web and play a number of great games like Whitehead's Sonic CD. Why discard a device when you can do all that? Also, Gamestop won't buy it back because I engraved "Don't Panic" on the back of the thing. Screw them.

So if you have an iOS device, or own an Android device, a 360 or a PS3, download this game now!

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing appears in latest iPod Touch commercial

2011-12-10T13:24:00.000-05:00

While most people find the Apple iPod ads to be pretty annoying (I liked the old silhouette ads), SEGA fans should crack a smile at the iOS version of Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing getting a nod in the latest iPod Touch ad. At the ten second mark the game makes an appearance. This is a pretty awesome bit of show for the game, considering it makes it look like Apple believes it is the best kart racer on the platform. Which it actually is. The game is a lot of fun, and is only $1.99. So if you have an iOS device, download the game asap.

The Nomad Junkyard is finally on Twitter!

2011-11-17T10:03:00.001-05:00

After years of begrudgingly avoiding Twitter, I've finally joined. Want to follow my "tweets"? Follow me here: http://twitter.com/#!/SEGANomad

I think my hesitance towards Twitter was in part because I friggin' hate when people post about nothing, like for example: "just ate a grape"and "saw a red car". Hopefully I won't succumb to this level of idiocy, and won't post something every five minutes. Mainly, I intend to use Twitter to highlight the various posts I make around the web or to make comments on current happenings in the SEGA world.

So, without further ado, let the great experiment begin!

Classic Game Room HD: PAC-ATTACK

2011-11-08T11:31:00.001-05:00

CGR strikes again, with a review of the underrated and highly complicated puzzle game PAC-ATTACK for the Game Gear. I discovered this game a few months back in a collection of Genesis roms. I was expecting a Pac-Man platformer, and it turned out to be something completely different! Instead, the game plays like a cross between Pac-Man and Tetris. It sounds odd, and it is, but it works! As Mark mentions, you feel like you're doing multiple things at once, and you are. Its a very tricky, but unique puzzle game.

Arts & Crafts: Make your own Sonic Generations Genesis box!

2011-11-01T10:39:00.003-04:00

Back in late 2010 I put together a nifty Sonic the Hedgehog 4 mock Genesis box complete with cover art, a cartridge sticker and a fake instruction manual. The project was a mini labor of love for both retro Genesis box designs and my favorite SEGA franchise. Today, as Sonic Generations releases, I'm happy to present another Genesis box design, this time for Sonic Generations. I figured, as the series focuses on both modern and classic, it would be fitting to provide a classic version of the game case. As the actual Generations cases for 360 and PS3 tout 3D support, I thought I'd throw Master System fans a bone and added the "SegaScope 3-D" logo to the case. Let's get started!

Here's what you'll need:

The files, available here
A plastic Genesis or Mega Drive case and game cartridge
Two 8.5"x11" sheets of printer paper
One 8.5"x14" sheet of printer paper, or whatever can fit a 7"x11" image
Tape, plain or double sided

Print the cartridge sticker and instruction manual on the 8.5"x11" pieces of paper, cut on the edge. Fold the manual in half and place a piece of tape inside to keep it shut. Use double sided tape or loops of regular tape to stick the sticker to the cartridge. Print the cover on the larger piece of paper, trim and place in the Genesis box, place the cartridge and manual inside the box. And presto: a retro Sonic Generations Genesis box that doesn't require a time hole to produce. Enjoy!

SEGA Celebrates Halloween via an App Store Sale!

2011-10-25T14:34:00.004-04:00

SEGA's getting into the Halloween sprit by way of an app store sale! Okay, so it really isn't Halloween related, though the port of Virtua FIghter 2 is pretty scary. The prices are great, with Brick People and ChuChu Rocket! being the standout titles. Check out the list below:

Brick People – $1.99 → $.99
Brick People for iPad – $2.99 → $.99
ChuChu Rocket – $2.99 → $.99
ChuChu Rocket! HD for iPad – $4.99 → $.99
Gunstar Heroes – $2.99 → $0.99
Virtua Fighter 2 – $1.99 → $0.99

In other handheld news, Sonic Generations for the 3DS has been given a date: November 22nd! You'll note I don't mention the 3DS too often on this blog, as I don't own one. However, with the releases of Shinobi and Sonic Generations, I may just take the plunge and get my hands on a 3DS. I have yet to play any DS titles, and really would like to try the Rush titles and Colors DS. I've also developed a Phoenix Wright obsession thanks to the iPod Touch port of the first game. Since Capcom have yet to confirm more Wright titles for the iOS, I might as well get a 3DS so I can enjoy all the titles as well as new releases.

[Source: Touch Arcade]

Brick People Out Now for iOS!

2011-09-29T10:10:00.000-04:00

If only it supported iOS 3.0...

SEGA Blog has announced the release of Brick People, an iOS version of the Japanese arcade title which used real blocks and a large video screen to create the illusion of tiny people climbing on the real blocks. SEGA Blog describes the game:

Build brick steps and structures to help the hungry Brick People reach a collection of delicious snacks. The fun-loving Brick People have varied abilities that can help you complete missions, but be careful as the Brick Monster will create obstacles and throw them in the path of these tasty treats! Aside from utilising the iOS’s multi-touch interface to enable quick brick stacking, BrickPeople will allow players to race against each other to become the best bricklayer. Use Bluetooth to compete against friends in multiplayer matchups, or use an iPad to compete head-to-head on a single device. Players can also compete with others around the world when posting high scores on the Game Center leaderboards.

I would love to try the game out! Unfortunately, it does not support older devices. Only iOS 4.0 and above, which is pretty lame. I can play Sonic 4, Chu Chu Rocket and All-Star Racing on my first gen iPod Touch, and yet a simple game featuring little people climbing on bricks is too much for my device to handle. However, if you have a current gen iOS device, check the title out! It's at the low price of 99 cents!

[Source: SEGA Blog]

Sonic CD heading to mobile devices!

2011-08-25T11:38:00.001-04:00

While a Sonic CD rerelease was leaked by Microsoft's Major Nelson earlier this week, the game has just been revealed to be releasing on iOS, Android and Windows Phone mobile devices! What more, the game is said to have iOS exclusive features (Game Center achievements?) and sounds like it will feature the original soundtrack.

The trailer itself is quite interesting, as it directly ties Sonic 4 into Sonic CD by peppering in images of Metal Sonic (who appeared post-credits in Sonic 4) and stating "THIS HOLIDAY SEE HOW IT ALL STARTED". I'd assume they mean, play Sonic CD to see how the Metal Sonic rivalry began. Personally, I think SEGA realized that Sonic 4 Episode 2 was not going to be released in 2011, and to keep the idea alive they rereleased Sonic CD as a stand-in, making the 2012 Episode 2 wait less of an annoyance. Hey! If SEGA wants to delay Episode 3, and give us Chaotix, I'll be more than happy!

The Best VMU Games

2011-08-05T10:49:00.000-04:00

Happy summer, all! Boy has it been a hot one. Thankfully, a majority of the places I spend my time are well air conditioned. I can't think of a proper segue from talking about the weather to Dreamcast VMUs, so I'll just start talking about the VMU. Check out my latest entry to my weekly series over at SEGAbits: The Weekly Five: The Best VMU Games. Where I list off my five favorite VMU games.

After all that typing about the VMU, I'm starting to get the itch for some Dreamcast gaming! With 9/9 coming up, I really should get into some more obscure titles that take advantage of the VMU. Perhaps I'll start playing a bit of Zombie Revenge to raise my own little zombie, or start fresh with a chao? Well, once I make my decision, I'll be sure to share my experiences here at the Nomad Junkyard. I think it's about time the VMU got a little love.

SEGA Says "Happy 20th Sonic" with All-Stars Racing iOS!

2011-06-23T10:53:00.000-04:00

First off: Happy 20th Birthday Sonic! I had to say it.

Secondly, SEGA said "happy birthday" in their own way by offering up a new iOS Sonic game. Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing has released for all iOS devices and is at a reduced birthday price of $1.99! After the festivities die down, the app will be $4.99. I downloaded the game this morning, and to my delight it plays on the first generation iPod Touch, meaning every iOS device will be able to play the game!

The game kicks off with the full CG intro as seen in the console version of the game. From there, you're presented with a slick menu featuring high quality menu music as heard in the console versions. So no downgraded Nintendo DS music to be found. Very nice. Menu options include: single player, multiplayer, shopping, achievements, leaderboards, OpenFeint (a mobile social gaming network that tracks scores, achievements and saves ones game to "the cloud"), licence and options. Single player features grand prix, single race, time trial and missions. So expect to see every single player mode from the console versions in this mobile version.

That isn't to say that the game is 1:1 with the console versions. Tracks and characters are derived from the Nintendo DS version of the game, however graphics have been improved and sounds match those from the home console versions. The character roster has been cut down to ten: Sonic, Tails, Eggman, Aiai, Billy, Amigo, Beat, the Chu Chus, B.D. Joe and Ryo. While I was sad to see certain characters not appearing in the game, it's still a rather solid cast and great for a $2 game. At least Ryo is still there!

Tracks have also been trimmed, with only twelve appearing. Sonic's casino tracks are absent, as are a number of other tracks. However, considering many tracks in SASASR are in similar environments, there isn't much lost in that regard. You sill see the curian mansion, Amigo's crazy world, Billy's hot and cold environments, the GG's turf and Eggman's fleet. You just won't see any casino track.

The game controls well for an iOS title. Players are given the choice of tilting the device like a wheel or controlling the left and right steering with a slider. I've yet to master the controls, but I have gone from placing last to placing third within 15 minutes so there is hope for me yet.

I'll hold off on saying more, as I'd like to officially review the title next week, but suffice to say things are looking very very good for the title and it is a must download for Sonic fans, racing fans and plain ol' SEGA fans. I mean, it's only $2!

Again, Happy Birthday Sonic!

Post-E3: SEGA's Handheld Releases

2011-06-14T16:25:00.000-04:00

Another E3, another great assortment of portable SEGA games! On display, but not the most talked about game at SEGA's booth, was Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing for iOS devices. From live coverage, I gathered that the game will be available for all iOS devices (here's hoping it even plays on the first gen iPod Touch), it will release sometime in the summer and it will be a cool $4.99. The game looks to be an enhanced port of the Nintendo DS release, however the game will only contain 10 of the 20 racers found in the original release of the game. Still, for the price I can live with having only half the roster. At least Ryo made the cut

While I don't typically cover DS or 3DS games, I should mention Sonic Generations and Shinobi. Both games were available to demo at E3, and in my opinion both are looking great! Sonic Generations is getting some slack for not being as graphically amazing as it could be, however the game is still a ways off so things could improve. Also, one has to wonder if development shifted from the DS to the 3DS as the HD versions of Generations started development in 2008. Well before the 3DS existed. As long as the game is fun, I look forward to giving it a spin.

Shinobi 3DS is definitly a game to watch. Being the first new title in the series since 2002, Shinobi (the fourth game to share this title) brings back the 2D gameplay of the original Genesis games, infuses a bit of the PS2 visual style and has a look of its own. The game is a prequel to the first Shinobi, starring Joe's father Jiro Musashi. I'm loving this bit, as Jiro is both a new character but also has a firm connection to Joe himself. We've already played as Joe's son Hayate, so why not play as his dad? Early impressions have been positive, and the game is said to have a load of bonus content. Expect Shinobi to release Sepetember, 2011.

Finally we've got the big new handheld from Sony, and I have to admit, as much as I am not a fan of the PSP, I really do like the look of the Vita. Good control layout, cool functions, backwards compatibility and great price. I probably won't be getting one this year, but between this and the 3DS, I'm leaning towards the Vita. If only it had a better name...

Too Many Games Convention 2011

2011-05-09T12:19:00.002-04:00

THE NOMAD ON-THE-GO

Over the weekend I had a chance to attend the Too Many Games convention in Oaks, PA. The convention touted guests including the ScrewAttack guys, the Angry Video Game Nerd and even that woman who played Rom's wife Leeta on Star Trek DS9. The convention was also said to be filled with vendor tables, selling more used games and hardware than one would usually see in one place. So, having been to the convention, how did it go? Read on to find out!

Hey look! ScrewAttack guys in the upper right.

I reached the convention at 3pm on Saturday, having brought along two friends of mine. We all had our missions for the day. My one friend was dead set of finding The Misadventures of Tron Bonne for the Playstation. His girlfriend was intent on finding a used Dreamcast and a few games (good for her!). I, meanwhile, had a laundry list of SEGA games to find.

I swear I saw this same cabinet two years ago.

James Rolfe (aka the Angry Video Game Nerd) had just started his AVGN episode screening as we arrived. While there were seats, it was a choice between sitting for the next 2 hours or shopping. I had the itch to buy games, so I went with shopping. Thankfully, with the AVGN screening going on, the vendor area was quite empty. About half the room was made up of used game tables, and half of those were quite impressive. One vendor offered up only sealed games, and he had a large amount of Dreamcast titles. However, a good portion of the games were quite common and there were multiple copies of each. So, want Phantasy Star Online? He has twenty of them!

The tables I spent most of my time at were the ones with piles of Saturn, SEGA CD and Dreamcast games. I've nearly given up on buying Genesis, Game Gear and Master System games, due to the fact that the cases take up so much space (with the exception of Game Gear games) and that I can emulate any title perfectly on my GP2X Caanoo handheld. Currently, the Saturn and SEGA CD are my focus as there are a number of great and bizzare games that I've yet to own for those systems. I still am on the hunt for Dreamcast games, however there are only around thirty that I really want and out of those, most are rare and expensive. So the chances of finding them in a bargain bin are next to none.

Having just bought a Wii, I was excited to find both House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return and Ghost Squad for $10 each. Funny, I feel no need to buy Super Mario Galaxy and yet a SEGA lightgun game will get my heart racing. I also found a SEGA CD 32X game titled Corpse Killer. Corpse Killer was one of those awful fmv games that had an enhanced release for those who had both the SEGA CD and the 32X. As I have both successfully hooked up, I figured "what the hell" and bought a near mint copy of the game for $4. The way I see it, if you have a working SEGA CD and 32X and were able to hook the thing up, Corpse Killer is your reward. Now I just need to get my hands on Night Trap.

Oh yeah, I bought a VMU too. Can never have enough of those!

At the same vendor table, I found Virtual On for the Saturn and picked that up for $8. Finally, I hit the ScrewAttack table and picked up all four volumes of AVGN for $50, a great deal! Usually these go for $20 each online. Whatever the price, I'm happy to support James and his work. I'm really looking forward to his AVGN movie.

James assisting a cameraman

Before leaving to get some dinner, we walked past the massive autograph line for James. Since the line was way too long, we decided to walk ahead and catch a glimpse of James. It looked like he was about to be filmed for something, and had to use his camera skills to assist the cameraman. Cool to see him in person and pick up his DVDs, maybe I'll get an autograph at some point in the future.

Overall it was a brief, but fun afternoon! Picked up a bunch of great games (all SEGA, I'm such a fanboy) and saw some internet celebs. My friend found Tron Bonne, but it was going for $80 (ouch!), so he passed on it. His girlfriend fared much better. She found a used Dreamcast, controller and memory card for $20 plus picked up Jet Grind Radio (after I begged her to pick it up) and Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2. I told her that it would be quite boring offline, but she seemed to not care. Oh well, as long as she had fun.

Oh yeah, and we met a demon:

SEGA App News Roundup!

2011-05-05T16:50:00.000-04:00

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Boy what a crazy week it has been. Royal wedding and bin Laden's death! But that's not the focus of this blog. No, dear readers, today I'm here to round up some SEGA App Store news! Let's begin.

Streets of Rage 3 Kicks the Crap Out of iOS

SEGA completes the Streets of Rage trilogy on the iOS platform with the release of Streets of Rage 3, now available at the iTunes Store for $2.99. As stated many times before on this blog, the SEGA Genesis emulator isn't the best, however the slower moving the game, the better the results. So RPGs like Shining Force are great, while fast paced games like Sonic 2 are not too good. The Streets of Rage games fall inbetween these, and thus is a good but not amazing port of the game. Still, reviews are reasonable and it sounds as though the game is fully playable and fun. What more, there is bluetooth peer-to-peer multiplayer support. So you can kick ass wirelessly with a friend.

Sonic Marches to the Beat of a Different Drummer

SEGA has teamed up with Namco to release a Sonic download pack for the tapping drum game Taiko no Tatsujin Plus. The app and the pack is Japan only, and features Sonic characters from Sonic 4 Episode 1 marching across the screen as players tap along with tunes from Sonic 4. Sounds very... odd. Which is just what I'd expect from a Japanese game.

[Source: SEGASHIRO]

Fast Striker Strikes the iOS

Indie Dreamcast shmup Fast Striker, released late 2010, has arrived on iOS devices thanks to NG:DEV.TEAM. The port looks to contain everything found in the Dreamcast version, along with updates including a portrait screen mode, online rankings, direct controls (I assume moving your finger about the screen to guide the ship, a very effective control method in my opinion) and a visable player hitzone. Check out the trailer below:

Take to the streets with Streets of Rage II for the iPhone

2011-04-15T10:26:00.000-04:00

Hey kids, I'm back! After a busy few weeks I have returned to the Nomad Junkyard to report on iPhone ports and post the occastional SEGA Nomad related post. In iPhone news, Streets of Rage II has arrived on the iPhone for $2.99. I've yet to buy it myself, and probably won't unless a 99 cent sale rolls around. Gaming news website GamesRadar makes mention of audio problems, specifically distortion. Hopefully SEGA patches this ASAP.

In other news, there is a strong chance that I will film part 2 of my Pier Solar video tomorrow. Part 1 can be seen in the post below, and if you watch until the end, part 2 is said to feature the game being played on the SEGA Nomad. Ooooh!

Pier Solar Reprint Edition for the SEGA Genesis Unboxing

2011-03-22T17:18:00.001-04:00

The Nomad Junkyard Youtube channel rises from the dead with an unboxing of the brand new indie release for the Genesis (and Nomad), Pier Solar!

SEGA Handheld Happenings - Racing and Game Gear go mobile!

2011-03-04T15:09:00.000-05:00

Quite a lot has happened in the past week when it comes to SEGA handheld games. Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing has been announced for iOS devices. Here's hoping my old first gen iPod Touch can play it. Also, is has been announced that the 3DS will have Game Gear titles available to purchase over the Virtual Console service. Pretty cool, though I'd prefer a Sonic Game Gear compilation. The titles available will be: Sonic Triple Trouble, Sonic Drift 2, Shinobi, Dragon Castle and Columns. Here's hoping for a solid framerate and while they're at it, why not a little 3D effect? It is a 3D device, after all.

Rumblings have started about a Sonic Anniversary title coming to the 3DS. So far, rumors have proven to be false, but one never knows what SEGA has up their sleeves...

I'm calling it now: Sonic Anniversary announced next week for the SEGA Nomad.

SEGA in the Media: Game Gear in the Bronx

2011-02-16T14:04:00.000-05:00

While most SEGA fans don’t have to go far for a glimpse of something SEGA (just look over at your game shelf or under your tv), spotting something SEGA on television or in a movie is far more difficult. In the past we’ve spotted Virtua Tennis 2009 on the Inbetweeners and a MadWorld poster on Weeds. Today we’re heading to the Bronx, where a certain Jackie Chan had quite the rumble. I think the movie was called The Spy Next Door. No wait, it was Rumble in the Bronx.

Click here to read more!

Check It Out! SEGASHIRO PODCAST - 3DS and NGP Round Table Edition!

2011-02-09T14:31:00.001-05:00

Fellow SEGA Network website SEGASHIRO recently released a great podcast focusing on modern SEGA handheld gaming. The SEGASHIRO writers talk about everything from SEGA's upcoming handheld titles for the PSP2 and 3DS to their SEGA handheld game dream releases. it's a great listen, so CHECK IT OUT here.

Until the next gen handhelds release, I'll be playing Snatcher on my Caanoo. Heck, I'll even be playing it after they release.

Shinobi III and Virtua Fighter 2 Genesis release on iOS

2011-01-27T11:49:00.003-05:00

I think it should be assumed by now that SEGA will be continually releasing Genesis games to iOS devices from here on out, It seems we're getting one or two a month. Think of it as the "Genesis Game of the Month Club". The latest two games to hit the device are Shinobi III and Virtua Fighter 2 Genesis, priced at $2.99 and $1.99 respectively. Early reviews cite spotty controls, TouchArcade goes into detail as to why the controls for Shinobi III are so difficult:

Like other Sega iOS releases running in their emulator, there is both a full screen and a windowed view. The fullscreen mode, with its larger image, is the most desirable play mode, I would say, but it suffers from the fixed arrangement of the onscreen D-pad and three action buttons; very often a thumb on either completely obscures your character, making gameplay highly awkward. This can be avoided by using the windowed view which renders the game at it's native resolution (fullscreen is a scale-up, not the other way around) with D-pad and buttons below, but on a screen with a pixel density as high as any iPhone or iPod touch device, it's a strain to behold. It's possible that an option to reposition the touch points would help matters but, frankly, I can't imagine an arrangement that would be truly acceptable. As is, the gameplay will leave you longing for your old Genesis.

At this point, I think SEGA should stick to releasing RPGs and slower paced games to the Genesis emulator. Shining Force was extremely fun on my iPod Touch, running smoothly and retaining the graphics and sounds of the console versions. Meanwhile, faster games like Sonic 2 have trouble on the emulator and suffer from imprecise touch controls. Here's hoping the complete Phantasy Star and Shining Force series make it to iOS before faster paced action games hurt SEGA's App Store cred.

Aaron Webber: Say My Name, Say My Name

2011-01-14T10:08:00.002-05:00

To thank those who bought multiple versions of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1, Ken Balough (Digital Brand Manager, Sonic 4) and Aaron Webber (Community Manager, Sonic 4) issued a little thank you video. As a nice surprise, they revealed that the public thanking would not be limited to those who bought three or more versions of the game. Instead, they would thank every single person who put their name into True Blue initiative. At 1:35 you’ll see and hear Aaron Webber saying my name as he looks deeply into the camera. No doubt hoping that I heard his thanks. Well Aaron, your thanks has been heard. And in return I say: thank you too!

I know Aaron and Ken got some (okay, a LOT) of flack from the community for asking fans to buy more than one copy, but c’mon guys, do you really blame them for telling people to buy a product produced by a company that they work for? How dare they! On top of that, the whole thing was optional and was effortless to get in on. It only took a forum post. Considering I had already planned to get the iPhone and 360 versions, putting my name in was no trouble at all.

Indie game Pier Solar offers up a white SEGA Nomad

2011-01-03T09:32:00.003-05:00

Pier Solar, and indie RPG developed for the Genesis and Mega Drive, is offering up a unique prize in their photo contest: a custom white SEGA Nomad! Owners of the game are encouraged to photograph their copy of the game, as well as any of the included goodies (stickers, poster, etc) in the craziest situation and location that they can think of. My ideal crazy location: Miyamoto playing the game (while crying) sitting atop the Great Pyramid of Giza.

You can order the game, necessary to enter the contest, as well as view the contest details at the official Pier Solar website.

Another Sonic Title Joins the iOS Family

2010-12-17T10:50:00.002-05:00

Sadly, it ain't Sonic CD, Sonic 3 or Sonic and Knuckles. Rather, SEGA has released Sonic Spinball for iOS devices. If I sound unenthusiastic about it, I apologize. It's just that I would much rather see the aforementioned Sonic games be released first and that I recently got into the handheld emulation scene via the Caanoo and see no point in spending $2.99 on a game when I can play a superior version for free.

Despite this, I should point out two cool aspects to Sonic Spinball for the iPhone: The app icon is pretty sweet, featuring artwork from the Japanese Mega Drive box, and that the game offers up two soundtracks: the US version and the slightly different Japanese version. Pretty cool! Also, SEGA has released Altered Beast for $2.99. If you have fond memories of Toxic Caves and and rising from graves, check these out.

Waahoo! The Caanoo!

2010-12-10T13:26:00.000-05:00

Back in 2009, South Korean company Game Park Holdings released the awesome GP2X Wiz handheld video game console. The Wiz was awesome for a number of reasons, but the cheif reason was that it was an open-source device, meaning anybody could develop just about anything for it. While the system does have a number of original developed games, such as the great Wind & Water Puzzle Battles (also available on the SEGA Dreamcast), there is also a massive scene of console emulators that make the device a home entertainemnet system on-the-go. Imagine having everything from the earliest home computers through to the SEGA CD and 32X on one handheld, and then imagine just about every handheld through to the GBA as well. Awesome.

In August of this year, Game Park Holdings returned with an upgrade to the Wiz, the Caanoo. The Caanoo offered a larger, better touch screen, an improved control pad, increased RAM and Wi-fi support. Even better, the Caanoo was priced the same as the Wiz. So after months of waiting, Christmas has finally arrived (almost) and I caved and bought myself a Caanoo! While I don't have it yet, I look forward to adding it to the Nomad Junkyard family of handhelds (which also includes the Game Gear, iPod Touch, GBA and obviously the Nomad). Maybe I'll even review it?

SEGA drops prices on all iOS games permanently

2010-12-07T08:39:00.000-05:00

From the SEGA of America blogs comes a cool piece of news: SEGA has decided to have the prices of their iOS games drop permanently! This is great for those who missed out on the past few sales and were waiting for the next one to come around. Now it's like there's a sale all the time! Check out all the deals:

ChuChu Rocket: Now: $2.99 (was: $4.99)
ChuChu Rocket HD: Now: $4.99 (was: $6.99)
Ecco the Dolphin: Now: $0.99 (was: $2.99)
Football Manager 2010: Now: $4.99 (was: $7.99)
Golden Axe: Now: $0.99 (was: $2.99)
Gunstar Heroes: Now: $2.99 (was: $4.99)
Phantasy Star II: Now: $2.99 (was: $4.99)
Shining Force: Now: $0.99 (was: $2.99)
Super Monkey Ball 2: Now: $2.99 (was: $5.99)
Super Monkey Ball 2 Sakura Edition: Now: $4.99 (was: $7.99)
Sonic The Hedgehog 1: Now: $4.99 (was: $5.99)
Sonic The Hedgehog 2: Now: $4.99 (was: $5.99)
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 1: Now: $6.99 (was: $9.99)
Streets of Rage: Now: $0.99 (was: $2.99)

I personally have to recommend ChuChu Rocket, Shining Force and Sonic 4. Three great games for $11!

Chu Chu Rocket gets 100 more puzzles!

2010-11-19T09:14:00.000-05:00

Not even a month has passed since Chu Chu Rocket released for iOS devices, and already SEGA has updated the game! Besides the usual bug fixes that come with an App update, Chu Chu Rocket will also be receiving 100 more puzzles created by Europe, Japan, and USA fans for the original Dreamcast release. Most interesting is how SEGA refers to this as "the first update" and stated "we definitely have more planned for the game", meaning more updates are to come and perhaps we can expect more puzzles in the future as well as the inclusion of a puzzle edit mode. Check out the full blog post at the link below, and buy the game if you haven't yet!

[Source: SEGA of America blog]

Recent Happenings in the Nomad World

2010-11-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

What a wild past couple of weeks it has been! Of course there has been some major game and hardware releases, but more importantly I proposed to my girlfriend and we are now engaged! (Insert Nokia N-Gage'd joke here)

In the gaming world, I've been up to my neck in Kinect games. A few months back I preordered the Johnny 5-like device, and just three days ago it arrived at our door. So far I've played six of the launch titles, some were demos, and overall I've been quite impressed. Check out my impressions here! I'm looking forward to trying a few more titles, including the cute overload that is Kinectimals.

In the portable world, I've been playing a lot of Chu Chu Rocket and Sonic 4 on my iPod Touch and recently discovered the digital crack that is Virtua Tennis for the GBA. I never would have thought I'd be making giant sandwiches in a tennis game. Once I get some free time, I hope to give more of the Game Boy Advance titles some attention here at the 'Yard. Sonic's Handheld Adventures Part 1 needs a Part 2!

Oh, and my SEGA Nomad is still doing well. Thanks for asking!

Chu Chu Rocket for the iPhone and iPad RELEASED!

2010-10-28T09:01:00.000-04:00

If you own an iOS device, buy this awesome game NOW! The iPhone/iPod Touch version sells for $4.99 and the iPad version sells for $6.99, adding HD visuals and local multiplayer. Still not convinced? Check out my first impressions.

I downloaded the game this morning for my iPod Touch and played it for a good thirty minutes on the ride into work. Upon booting it up, I was greeted by the classic “Sonikku Chimu” intro. Awesome. Graphics and music are much more in line with the Dreamcast version than the Game Boy Advance version, which really makes the game feel like the real thing rather than a portable approximation.

Controls are surprisingly better than the Dremacast original and the GBA version. Rather than moving the cursor to a spot and pressing the arrow buttons, one can simply tough and swipe a square in the direction they want an arrow to go. Fast, simple, easy and I’m amazed that a ten year old game has actually found a control method that beats the original. I’d assume things are even slicker on the iPad, as the squares themselves would be larger. Even so, I never found myself tapping a square that I didn’t mean to tap.

The game features online multiplayer via wi-fi, 100 puzzles, 26 challenges (think real-time puzzles) and a few cool unlockables (pians and chao return). The one omission is a puzzle edit mode, which may turn away some fans. However this is not to say that SEGA couldn’t release this mode in a free update, as they did in releasing additional mini-games to Super Monkey Ball 2. I’m sure that if the game proves popular, SEGA will introduce puzzle creation and trading to increase the lifespan of the game.

Sonic 4 Unboxing and Chu Chu iPhone Dated!

2010-10-14T08:44:00.002-04:00

Sonic nut and NJY reader Scott put together this deceptive unboxing video for Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1. Pay close attention to his actions. Did he "forget" to turn the TV on, or was he up to something else? Was the Sonic hat meant to draw your eyes away from other happenings on the screen? Also, stay tuned for the finale in which he makes a boat appear out of thin air. Truly magical. Great job, Scott! Anyone can make the box! All they need is this stuff.

In other news, Chu Chu Rocket for the iDevices has been given a release date of October 28th! The game will be released in two versions. One for the iPod Touch and iPhone and another for the iPad which will feature 4-player local play. No price has been given yet, but I assume it'll be between $7.99 and $9.99. Killer space cats eating space mice, just in time for Halloween!

[source: SEGAbits]

Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode 1 (iPhone)

2010-10-07T09:03:00.000-04:00

After a staggering two years of waiting, 2D Sonic gameplay has finally returned to the handheld world! What? Oh, you're probably used to the usual Sonic 4 article intro recounting the 16 year wait fans had to endure before seeing the return of a 2D Sonic to home consoles. Well, such is not the case with Sonic in the portable world. Ever since 2D Sonic left Angel Island, he had found a new home on handheld gaming devices. Between 1994 and 2010, Sonic fans have been treated to more than ten 2D adventures. It is probably due to this fact that the iPhone version of Sonic 4 hasn't been receiving the same level of enthusiasm and attention as its big brother console versions have.

Another reason for the lack of attention could be the fact that to some, the iPhone is not a gaming device. While that is a debate for another article, in my opinion the iPhone is just as much a gaming device as the DS or PSP. In fact, don't tell Marcus but as of September this year, App Store sales have surpassed combined PSP and DS software sales. SEGA seems to have noticed this, as over the past few years more and more attention has been given to the iDevices: Super Monkey Ball, Football Manager, Genesis rereleases, the upcoming Chu Chu Rocket and Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

Before Sonic 4's iPhone release, Sonic appeared on the iPhone by way of emulated Genesis games. The games themselves were good, but occasionally choppy framerates, buggy sound effects and inprecise controls made for less than steller Sonic gameplay. It didn't help that the Genesis games were developed with tangible controls in mind, and a touch screen d-pad could not do the games justice. With the release of Sonic 4 for the iPhone, SEGA has the opportunity to resolve a number of these problems simply because Sonic 4 was developed from the start with the iPhone in mind. So how did they do, does the iPhone's Sonic 4 surpass the emulated classics? Does it surpass every other platformer on the platform? It's reviewin' time!

Graphics, sound effects and music
I figure I'll get one of the more controversial ones out of the way first: I like the art style of Sonic 4. I can't quite say it's what I expected, but then again up until last year I wasn't even expecting the game to exist. I think the pre-rendered backgrounds make sense, considering a good deal of Sonic 3 was attempting to have a CGI look. Pre-rendered also helps the game keep a solid framerate, as the device isn't using processing power on rendering true 3D environments. Character models are definitely a step down from those seen in the console versions, however for the size of the screen they do their job. When the game is in action you really don't pay too much attention to how many polygons make up Sonic, you're too focused on getting to the next stage. Overall, environments are a step up from the classics (in crispness and clarity) but characters are a step sideways from the classics and a step down from the console versions of Sonic 4. Still, Sonic does whip out a little iPhone when idle.

"Yo Tails! Where you at?"

Sound effects are true to the Genesis classics, with new sounds falling in line with the classic ring and spring sounds. Some fans have pointed out that Sonic's spin dash sound does not retain the same peel out as before, but in the grand scheme of the game that's a minor detail. Sound effects are what I expected them to be which is really all I could ask for.

Now for the music. While I know this has been a great debate among fans, and whatever I write will do little to sway either side, I have to say that the music suits the game. Tunes are catchy throughout, however certain zones seem to have stronger music than other zones. It's almost as though the music raises in quality as the game goes on, as if Jun Senoue was slowly easing back into classic Sonic composing. If he had gone back at the end and tweaked Splash Hill and the first half of Casino Street, I think he would have nailed it. I do wish that the samples were more in line with the Genesis games, but at the same time I would like it to have more refined CD-quality sound. The music seems to fall in the middle of these two styles, sounding like a refined Genesis composition that works for a majority of the game but stumbles during certain acts. All in all, it is a soundtrack that shows Senoue still has it and could easily top himself in episode 2.

Gameplay

One of the most refreshing aspects to Sonic 4 is that the rules of the game are largely unchanged from the classics. While I did enjoy the Sonic Advance series, I found it quite jarring to boot up a game and find that I had no idea how to access acts or reach special stages (I'm looking at you Sonic Advance 3!). Thankfully, Sonic 4 takes it back to recognizable territory. In fact, Sonic 4 takes it so far back that it borrows from a few aspects of the very first Sonic game. The three act structure makes a welcome return, allowing for each zone to last a bit longer. I also liked the fact that bosses are now their own act (a quasi fourth act, if you will), allowing for the third act to stand on it's own rather than acting as a lead-in to a boss. The special stage access rule of Sonic 1 also returns, with a giant ring appearing at the end of an act if Sonic has fifty or more rings. No more putting an act run on pause while you jump through a sparkling sign post. But more on special stages in the controls section.

The one major gameplay addition that has had fans up in arms is the homing attack, and I want to take a look at both sides of the new attack. The biggest negative of the attack, according to those against it, is that is simply is not classic Sonic. It did not appear in Sonic 1 through 3, thus it has no place in the game. Another negative is that some believe it makes the game far too easy. Rather than aiming a jump at an enemy or item, one can simply jump and hit jump again to blast into it. The closest the classics came to having a homing attack were the untargeted blast, bounce and double jump of the elemental shields but those had to be earned and held on to, lest you suffer damage and lose them. So in summation: those in the nay category believe it makes thing too easy and is not of the classics.

Now for the positives: I have to wonder, if a Sonic 4 did arrive in 1996 on the Saturn would there be a new attack that allows for chaining enemies? Consider what Sonic Team was producing in 1995 and 1996: Sonic & Knuckles had concluded, Knuckles Chaotix was greatly experimenting with the Sonic gameplay formula and Yuji Naka and Takashi Iizuka were developing NiGHTS into Dreams. If a Sonic 4 was created after NiGHTS with Naka and Iizuka at the helm, who knows what the game could have been like. Obviously I'm speculating, but the idea of a chain attack being implemented in 1996 doesn't seem so far off based on the mindset of the senior staff at the time. The Sonic series has always been making additions to Sonic's abilities. Sonic 2 introduced the spin dash which made ground attacks and ground movements much easier, Sonic 3 introduced the insta-shield which gave Sonic a moment of invincibility and the elemental shields. Sonic 4 adds the homing attack which is in the same league as the spin dash and insta-shield. It makes things easier just as those other abilities, but at the same time it adds a new element to the gameplay. I think back to the final words of the Sonic 10th Anniversary booklet released in 2001: Sonic still goes on evolving.

Because we all know that this game was ruined by aerial combos

So how does the game actually play with the attack? I'll be honest, it's fun! Some moments I don't use it as it's just as easy to jump onto an enemy or item, other moments I've used it to keep the momentum going so as not to stop and line up an attack. At any moment that I'm standing or running I have the option to use the attack, and half the time I'll use it. I wouldn't say it's completely optional, I'll touch on that in a moment, but it definitely does not monopolize the gameplay and it can be avoided for the most part if one feels so inclined to limit theirself. There are moments when certain areas cannot be accessed, which requires the attack to be used. But then again, in Sonic 2 and 3 there are certain areas that can only be accessed with a spin dash. The homing attack is needed when coming off a slope in either a run or a spin as this causes Sonic to uncurl leaving him vulnerable to floating enemies. This is the one moment that haters will hate. I found it to not be an issue, as a simple tap of the button brought Sonic back into a protective ball and dispensed with the enemy. Point is, the homing is not game breaking. Even when vulnerable moments arise, there is a way out of it. Either by simply not directing an uncurled Sonic at an enemy, or using a swift homing attack and removing the obstacle.

The full game is spread across four zones plus a boss run zone. Kudos to Sonic Team and Dimps for offering a nice variety of environments when there are only four zones to play. Each of the most popular zone cliches are represented: tropical coast, underground caves, casino and an evil factory. Each zone features a variety of fun zone (and sometimes act) specific gimmicks. If there was one thing from Sonic 3 that Sonic 4 is heavily inspired by, it is that things never get dull or samey moving from zone to zone thanks to varied gimmicks and environments.

Controls

Sonic 4 offers up two types of control schemes, the first being tilt based. The tilt controls involve tilting the iPhone left and right for Sonic's left and right movement, tap anywhere on the screen to jump and touch and hold to rev up a spin dash, release to peel out. While tilt control frees the screen up of thumbs, it makes basic platforming too difficult. I could see tilt controls working better on an iPad, but when used on a smaller iPhone and iPod Touch screen it makes the game less like a Sonic game and more like a wacky tilt and tap adventure. In attempting the first zone, I found that less time was spent enjoying the game and more time is spent trying to master the controls. My advice: use the second control scheme, that being touch controls.

Touch controls are much improved over previous SEGA titles. Buttons are responsive and acts can be played through with little to no problems. iPhone novices may take some getting used to playing with an artificial controller, but those accustomed to touch controls shouldn't have many (if any) issues. Of course, all touch controls suffer from having no dimension, so in the heat of things thumbs can be prone to tapping too far from the button leading to missed jumps and movements. I found that the best practice with any touch control is to simply hover your thumbs over the button even when not using them.

While touch controls are the preferred method, that doesn't mean that tilt controls don't come into play at certain moments of the game. Players will be using tilt controls the most in the special stages, which are a lot like the Sonic 1 special stage. The key difference is that rather than moving Sonic through the area, now the area itself is rotated via tilting left and right and Sonic moves through it as a ball. It's ironic that the version of Sonic 4 lowest on the totem pole probably has the most accurate version of the special stage. I've found that there is a second method of touch control which allows the special stages and mine cart to be played with swipe gestures rather than tilting. It works well enough, but I preferred tilting in those stages as it felt more intuitive and freed up the screen.

Tilt controls also come into play in the second act of Lost Labyrinth. This act is, of course, the much derided mine cart stage. While I thank the almighty Segata Sanshiro that SEGA wisely revamped the console version of the stage, I actually found the iPhone version to be fun. Quite clearly this act was made with motion controls in mind, something that the Wii and iPhone would have benefited from but the 360 and PS3 would have ruined (as evidenced by that popular leaked video). The mine cart is a speedy run through mine tunnels involving tilting and jumping. It isn't a true act, which is a shame, but then again it isn't broken. It was nice to see that SEGA didn't ignore the abilities of the iDevices and the differing acts do provide incentive to try the console versions of the game. To put it in internet lingo: Mine cart is not fail.

Conclusion
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 is a highly enjoyable iPhone game. While the game isn't quite the perfect mobile version that fans were hoping for, it takes advantage of the device well and shows that things could only get better in Episode 2.

Positives

+ Classic gameplay rules apply
+ Touch controls beat out any of the rereleased Genesis games
+ One of the fastest and most professional looking iPhone platformers
+ Game runs smoothly even on the oldest iPod Touch and iPhone device
+ As many acts as Sonic 3 without lock-on

Negatives
- Character models aren't as good as the console versions
- Tweaks and improvements done to console versions were not carried over to this version
- Not as many acts as Sonic 1 and Sonic 2

Rating:

4/5

Sonic 4 iPhone Trailer

2010-10-04T11:01:00.003-04:00

Pretty cool, huh? Funny how the version that is getting the least attention has the best trailer. I plan on downloading this as soon as it hits the App Store and hope to have a review up as early as next Monday. Until then!

Sonic 4 and Chu Chu Rocket coming to the App Store in October

2010-10-01T09:08:00.003-04:00

For the two people who don't know, Sonic 4's release dates have been announced earlier this week and the big surprise is that the mobile version will be the first to release. Sonic 4 will be hitting the App Store on October 7th! No price has been announced yet, but SEGA rep Ken Balough stated "We haven't revealed the iPhone price but it will be price appropriately for the device". My guesstimate would be $7.99 to $9.99.

In other App Store news, iDevice owners can expect Chu Chu Rocket to release in late October. This news comes via SEGA's e-newsletter SEGA Pass. Two potentially great games to bookend my favorite month of the year! What could be better?

Oh yes, a certain mobile device has a certain birthday this month...

Arts & Crafts: Make your own Sonic 4 Genesis box!

2010-09-23T13:05:00.001-04:00

Fool your friends, scare your local video game shop... It's the Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Genesis box paper craft thing! Okay, don't fool your friends and local game shop, you'd just come off as some sort of goofball. However, you can make it for your own amusement. Here's what you'll need:

The files, available here
A plastic Genesis or Mega Drive case and game cartridge, I used a like-new copy of Death Duel
Two 8.5"x11" sheets of printer paper
One 8.5"x14" sheet of printer paper, or whatever can fit a 7"x11" image
Tape, plain or double sided

Print the cartridge sticker and instruction manual on the 8.5"x11" pieces of paper, cut on the edge. Fold the manual in half and place a piece of tape inside to keep it shut. Use double sided tape or loops of regular tape to stick the sticker to the cartridge. Print the cover on the larger piece of paper, trim and place in the Genesis box, place the cartridge and manual inside the box. Do the hokey-pokey and turn yourself about. That's what it's all about!

Next week: Make your own Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Game Gear box!

...

Okay, maybe not.

iPod Gets Chu Chu Rocket and More!

2010-09-10T08:30:00.001-04:00

At the rate that the iPod is getting SEGA classics, I should just rename this blog The iPod Junkyard! No no, I couldn't do that to the Nomad. I still love it dearly. However, just look at the lineup of games that SEGA revealed yesterday on 9/9: Altered Beast, Gunstar Heroes and Chu Chu Rocket! What more, SEGA also teased that should fans want Shining Force 2 on the iPod, it's best they request it on their official Facebook page.

While Altered Beast and Gunstar Heroes will probably be nothing more than emulated Genesis games, Chu Chu Rocket definitly will be an original creation for the iPod. Later that same day, SEGA revealed via twitter that Chu Chu Rocket will have all of the Dreamcast levels, multiplayer for up to 4 devices via Bluetooth/WiFi, and the iPad version will have 4 player multiplayer on same device. No word on other features, but I assume anything that was possibile on the Game Boy Advance version will also be on the iPod version.

So the mice are back! Hooray!

My Eleven Hour Dreamcast Party

2010-09-03T12:25:00.005-04:00

Last year I held a Dreamcast birthday party which streamed live online. As the Dreamcast was turning ten, I held the party for ten hours. This year, I’m doing one better: one hour better! I’m excited to share “Dreamroom 2010: The Eleven Hour Dreamcast Party”! The official date and times are as follows:

September 9th, 2010

12am-11pm EST (US), 6pm-5am GMT (UK)

Last year was a blast, and I’m sure this year will be just as fun. For those who missed last year’s Dreamroom, essentially it will be ten hours of Dreamcast gaming streamed live online with live chat. The first half will be me going solo playing Dreamcast games. During the second half the IRL party kicks off with whoever I invited showing up for multiplayer games and the occasional visit to Seaman.

Games will be played from my library, and requests are welcomed! Expect to see some of the best, worst and delightfully oddest Dreamcast games. Of course a Dreamcast birthday party isn’t a birthday party without the guests, so I hope to see everyone (virtually) there!

Phantasy Star II hits the iPhone!

2010-08-24T11:33:00.000-04:00

One month ago SEGA brought iPhone and iPod Touch owners Shining Force. This Thursday the SEGA RPG love continues with the release of Phantasy Star II! For just $2.99 the classic game will be fully playable, running on the same emulator as previous games. However, unlike games that require precise controls and fail on SEGA's Genesis emulator (I'm looking at you, Sonic 2), Phantasy Star II is promised to be a smooth experience as the game itself does not require fast timing or a fast frame rate.

Here's hoping that we get more SEGA RPGs in the coming months!

[Source: TouchArcade]

SEGA CD's Road Avenger coming to the iPhone

2010-08-12T10:56:00.000-04:00

It's always great to see post-Genesis games get the portable treatment. Data East's SEGA CD game Road Avenger, known in Japan by its original name Road Blaster, is slated for a September release on the iPhone and iPad thanks to a remastering by the developers at Revolutionary Concepts. The game was one of many FMV games to hit the SEGA CD, and was also an arcade game and laserdisc game within Japan.

Like past FMV iPhone releases, Road Blaster looks to be better than the SEGA CD version by leaps and bounds. Revolutionary Concepts promises crystal clear visuals at 60FPS and implementation of tilt controls as well as many more tweaks. Check out the comparison below, thanks to the TouchArcade:

Original arcade release:

iPad release:

Is that a SEGA Arcade in your pocket?

2010-08-07T16:20:00.002-04:00

A little over a month ago I went to my family cabin in northern Minnesota. It had been nearly seven years since I had last been there, and yet when I went back to the same bargain warehouse that I had been to back in 2003 I found the exact same SEGA Tiger LCD handhelds that I had seen hanging on the pegs all those years ago. Guess nobody wanted them.

The Tiger SEGA Pocket Arcade line hit stores during the Saturn years at a time when the clunky old Tiger handhelds were on their way out. Tiger, it seemed, was struggling in a world of Game Boy Colors and was attempting to use the names of big name SEGA Saturn console titles to sell cheap little flip open handhelds. I'm going to assume Tiger failed as a good number of these were found at an overstock warehouse, marked down from $15 to $8 to a final $4.79.

The first of these Saturn titles isn't a Saturn title at all, just don't tell the packaging that. It's Sonic 3!

I guess technically Sonic 3 is on the Saturn thanks to Sonic Jam, but I still think the packaging error is due to a sloppy cut and paste job. As seen above, the button layout is constant among all of the Pocket Arcade releases regardless of the genre, with the only variations being the color of the plastic. I also own Sonic 3D Blast, which essentially Sonic 3 played at an odd 3D-like angle.

For those who don't know what LCD games look like, think "calculator" and you've got a pretty good idea. The background remains the same, and every image on the screen remains hidden until it appears in black. As boring as I find playing LCD games, I always love the creativity that goes into assembling the puzzle that is every image. As nothing can overlap, you get this clusterfuck of character bodies, legs, arms, enemies and environments. To view every image at once, all you have to do is hit the "reset" button with a pencil.

As LCD games are so limited, one can imagine that the more complicated the game, the worse the gameplay. Stuff like Pong, Breakout and Tetris can be a lot of fun, but when you take a game like NiGHTS you have near unplayable junk. While I haven't opened the packaging, I do remember playing a friends NiGHTS handheld. If you played the Saturn version, then you sort of got how to play it, however the idea that you could be playing the real version sort of ruins the experience.

Virtua Fighter is definitely an odd choice when it comes to a Tiger game. How in the world can they fit 8 playable fighters on the screen at once? Well, they sneakily made it so that four fighters appear on each side of the screen, with a basic body and then defining characteristics showing up based on the fighter chosen. It isn't perfect, and it's not like they have their signature moves, but it's a creative way of including the full roster. Still, give me the Saturn or 32X version any day.

That's Dural to the right, and I'd assume Kage-Maru on the left.

The final Pocket Arcade title that I own is Super Monaco GP. The gameplay is similar to the old Atari 2600 racing games that required simple dodging and created the illusion of a track via alternating lines.

SEGA and Tiger produced quite a lot of these handhelds. I had thought that the five I own would be the complete set, however a little Google snooping brought me across more including SEGA Raceway and Ecco. Check out my finds below:

I can't even imagine how they'd make a game like Ecco on a Tiger handheld


Probably plays very similar to Super Monaco

Finally, Bug! on the go!

While the Pocket Arcade line isn't too fun a handheld, they make for a pretty cool collectible. The large number of odd titles and low prices make for interesting conversation pieces. Article ending in 3, 2, 1.

Shining Force shines on the iPod!

2010-07-29T13:26:00.001-04:00

Didn't SEGA say they were reassessing their iPod presence? Because it seems to me that they're doing the same thing they were doing before: the occasional great 3D title and a number of emulated Genesis budget titles. Despite that, I'm glad SEGA has finally released a Genesis game worth buying an iPhone version of: Shining Force!

Offered up on the same emulation software as past Genny titles, Shining Force actually plays very well. As the game doesn't require precise controls for split-second jumps (a la Sonic), players will barely notice the hiccups that may occur on older i devices. I might even buy the thing for my first generation iPod Touch.

The game is now available in the App store for $2.99

[source: TouchArcade]

"Ecco" and "Space Harrier II" hit the iPhone

2010-07-22T12:51:00.001-04:00

Remember ages ago when that Genesis emulator was announced for the iPhone and then SEGA canceled it? SEGA seems to have salvaged what they could from the canned project and have released Ecco the Dolphin ($2.99) and Space Harrier II (99¢) as single releases for the iPhone. The games are reported to run much more smoothly on the latest iPhone 4 than past Genesis releases, but any users on earlier platforms may encounter slowdown and crashes.

What else is there for me to say? Two more Genesis rereleases for the iPhone, the performance is a mixed bag... uh, let's show another screen shot:

Source: Touch Arcade

I'm Still Blogging!

2010-07-13T19:30:00.004-04:00

Hi NJY readers! (I know I have some as Google Analyitics does not lie)

I hate to see a blog go a week, let along a month, without a post. So, I'm dropping a short post to let you all know that the Nomad Junkyard isn't forgotten, it's just that busy time of year. Aside from personal and professional things, I've been quite busy with Sega Memories, the Saturn and Dreamcast Junkyards as well as following E3 and the E3 aftermath. In an effort to pad out a post, here are a posts I've made at the other yards:

My Big Fat Sonic Comic Book Collection
More of my Sonic collection!

Happy 4th! Let's look at a pin!
SEGA might re-release Saturn games
Dreamcast E3 News Roundup

Coming up next: We take a look at SEGA's Tiger Pocket Arcade

iPhone's Super Monkey Ball 2 Finally Updated

2010-06-17T14:43:00.001-04:00

3D graphics, Wi-Fi multiplayer, 115 levels, three mini games and monkeys.

While iPad users have had a complete version of Super Monkey Ball 2 since the launch of the device, owners of the iPhone and iPod Touch version have sadly been without the Monkey Target and Monkey Golf mini-games, only having Monkey Bowling available. Well today, SEGA's update has hit the App Store and is ready for those who already have the app, or those who have yet to purchase it. If you had held off spending $5.99, now is the time to download SEGA's best iPhone offering.

First Footage of iPhone Sonic 4

2010-06-15T21:35:00.007-04:00

The player above is using the tilt controls for left and right movement, however there is also an option for a virtual d-pad. Looking great so far!

REVIEW: The Firecore Genesis

2010-06-10T10:14:00.013-04:00

Before the insanity that is E3 begins, I thought I'd give a hardware review of the Firecore Classic Console. Manufactured by Innex under license by SEGA, the Firecore is essentially a mini SEGA Genesis. Fittingly, it was around this time last year that the Firecore as well as its mobile brother the Retrogen were previewed at E3. You can check out the preview here, but I warn you: a cringe inducing interview awaits.

As I said, the Firecore is essentially a mini SEGA Genesis but is better compared to Majesco's Genesis Model 3, released in 1998. Like the model 3, the Firecore is not compatible with the 32X and Sega CD add-ons. Also, both the Model 3 as well as the Firecore have less than ideal audio (more on that in a bit). Unlike the Model 3, however, the Firecore has a few extra features. The first is a handy little switcher located on the back for use in playing imports. Have a PAL Mega Drive cart? Simply pop in the game, switch from "NTSC" to "PAL" and power it up. Much easier than modding.

Also, you'll notice that the front of the console has an infrared receiver, for use with wireless controllers. Unfortunately, Innex has yet to produce wireless controllers and the existing official SEGA ones will not work making this about as useful as a Dreamcast karaoke machine. Here's hoping they revel wireless controllers at this years E3.

More portable than a Nomad!

The biggest and best feature of the Firecore is the ability to play 20 built-in licensed SEGA games! The games are accessible via a simple menu that appears when the system is powered up without a cartridge. Games are listed in two pages with a small screencap of the selected game. While games include some that have been overplayed in past compilations, there are quite a few classics to be found:

Sonic and Knuckles, Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle, Gain Ground, Arrow Flash, Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja, Ecco, Jr., Ecco, Golden Axe, Crack Down, Altered Beast, Flicky, Decap Attack, Cyber Police Eswat: City Under Siege, Alien Storm, Shadow Dancer, Columns III, Sonic Spinball, Jewel Master, Kid Chameleon, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine.

The console also comes with two wired controllers, which are very similar to the official 6-button pads. While a bit lighter than the official pads, they're responsive and buttons have a solid push to them. No mushy pads here. Still, I prefer the official pads and thankfully the Firecore is compatible with the ones I've tested. I did note that when plugging in the official pads, the connector wasn't as tight as the Firecore pads. As long as you aren't yanking on the cord, it stays put and won't throw you off mid-game.

While the above sounds all well and good, there are two big negatives about the Firecore. The first is that the console only outputs composite video and mono audio. No S-video and no stereo. The second negative is that, like the Retrogen, audio is in no way true to the original Genesis sounds. If you are used to the lovely sounds of a Model 1, Model 2 or Nomad, then your ears will be in for a surprise when you hear what almost sound like low-fi remixes. I'm no technical expert, so I can't explain why this is, but I can share a video I made comparing the Firecore and my Saturn, both playing 'Sonic the Hedgehog'.

Sounds pretty bad, doesn't it? Despite this glaring negative, I can't fully write off the Firecore. It has a number of cool features, especially once the wireless controllers are released. Also, the size makes it perfect for taking on a trip or for a crowded entertainment cabinet.

The Good

very small
region switcher
20 built-in games
eventual wireless support
2 controllers included
travel worthy

The Bad

composite video
mono audio
audiophiles will hate it
eventual(?) wireless support

The Verdict
The Firecore should not be your first Genesis. Buy a Model 1 or 2. However, if you already have an original Genesis, a Firecore makes for a nice second console for use in another room of the house or for use on the go.

Return to SEGAbits

The Colors, Sonic, the colors!

2010-05-27T08:55:00.002-04:00

Yesterday SEGA let 'Sonic Colors' out of the bag, the latest Wii-exclusive Sonic game. Unlike previous releases like 'Black Knight' and 'Secret Rings', 'Colors' will have a DS version. Let's have a look at the press release, shall we?

LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO (May 26th, 2010) – SEGA® Europe Ltd. & SEGA® America, Inc., today announced Sonic Colours™, a brand new high speed action adventure in which Sonic the Hedgehog races through incredible theme park inspired worlds to rescue a colourful alien race from the clutches of Dr Eggman. Sonic Colours will be available on the home video game system Wii™ and the Nintendo DS™ system late in 2010.

An extraordinary amusement park has been seen orbiting around the home planet of Sonic the Hedgehog, and rumours are spreading that an alien race of Wisps, who have a unique colourful energy, are being held captive there by the evil Dr Eggman. Soon after arriving at the amusement park Sonic discovers he is able to use these mysterious alien forces to help the Wisps escape! Sonic Colours for the Wii seamlessly combines both 3D and classic 2D game play perspectives, whilst the Nintendo DS version takes full advantage of the console’s dual screen.

“The vibrant alien world of Sonic Colours enables players to race at top speed through incredible looking planets, each with their own unique visual style.” commented Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing, SEGA. “In addition to the classic Sonic game play style, the colourful new Wisp power ups offer a fresh new way of exploring these worlds and helps make Sonic faster than ever before!”
Sonic Colours sees Sonic accelerating to adrenaline-pumping super speeds and blasting through obstacles in ways never before seen in a Sonic game. The alien Wisps in Sonic Colours each have a unique “Colour Power” that, once freed, Sonic is able to absorb whilst speeding through the various theme park inspired planets. The Wisp energy enables Sonic to create new paths through the stages by drilling through the ground (Yellow Drill) for example, or speeding through the stage as a laser (Cyan Laser). Stringing the Wisp power ups together creates a combo that increases Sonic’s boost gauge even more quickly and exclusive Wisp power ups will be available for both Wii and the Nintendo DS versions, ensuring a unique and super speedy gameplay experience for Sonic fans everywhere.

Sonic Colours will be available on the home video game system Wii™ and the Nintendo DS™ system late in 2010.

From the sound of it, we'll be getting a portable release that plays similarly to the 'Rush' games with the obvious addition of the color power-ups. As for the Wii, it sounds like SEGA liked the execution of the 'Unleashed' day stages and plans to replicate them with obstacles that can be passed via power-ups. There is a trailer too, but it doesn't give much information gameplay-wise. Still, it features Sonic and Tails running together which is always a happy image:

With the late 2010 release of 'Colors', handheld Sonic fans will be getting a double dose of portable goodness thanks to the iPhone version of 'Sonic 4'. It may be a dry Sonic summer, but it looks to be a hot Sonic winter!

Sonic 4 Coming to iPhone Late 2010

2010-05-20T18:08:00.009-04:00

Regarding the iPhone: I totally called it!

Regarding late 2010: Out of left field!

UPDATE: SEGA revealed via a GameStop interview that the iPhone version will have two exclusive levels that will take advantage of the iPhone's touch interface.

Majesco's Game Gear gets some love

2010-05-13T11:47:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the folks at GamesRadar, the Game Gear is getting some much deserved attention!

Specifically the Majesco Game Gear is being praised for its superior screen, control pad and battery life. What is the Majesco Game Gear, you may ask? Majesco is a US company that struck a deal with Sega to re-release their own model of a Game Gear in 2001. Unlike the Genesis 3, which Majesco also produced, their rendition of the Game Gear was almost a carbon copy in terms of body design. The only real aesthetic change was the Game Gear logo, which turned from the classic RGB (seen as this website's "favorites" icon) to plain white. The Majesco Game Gear is in fact my go-to model and was the first Game Gear I had owned. I'll admit, I was too busy playing the Nomad in the 90's to buy an original Game Gear. The Majesco model isn't perfect, however, as it lacks the ability to use the TV tuner and the official Sega Master Gear converter doesn't work. However, I have read that a third party Nuby produced Master System converter does work.

What are you waiting for? Check out the article here!

Classic Game Room Reviews the Nomad

2010-05-03T12:53:00.002-04:00

An excellent video, as always, from Classic Game Room!

Though I should point out that the reviewers comments about a touchy cartridge slot and so-so headphone output are probably problems specific to his Nomad. Always good to see another Nomad fan in the gaming media!

Introducing the Sega Network

2010-04-27T12:54:00.003-04:00

By now you may have noticed a little logo on the sidebar of most of the Junkyard blogs as well as at Sega Memories and SEGAbits. That little logo is for the Sega Network, a new convenient way for visitors of any of our fine blogs to click from one blog to another. It's like the "web ring" of old, but better because it's a "network". As a bonus, postings found at the Junkyards and at Memories will occasionally be seen at SEGAbits, a larger Sega community site that caters to all things new and current.

As mentioned, some Junkyards are not listed in the network yet but I'm working on contacting the others to hopefully get them on board. I'm talking about you Sega Master System Junkyard and Sega CD Junkyard!

In handheld Sega news, check out a write up from Gagaman about the Sega games found on Tiger's abysmal R-Zone. Read the article here, or better yet click the link to Sega Memories in the sidebar!

Revenge of VGNY

2010-04-23T10:00:00.007-04:00

THE NOMAD ON-THE-GO

Last year I chronicled a trip to New York, specifically the video game motherload that is Video Games New York. Well warm weather has returned and so another trip to New York seemed in order! While the trip consisted of a number of non-gaming related activities (I'll save you from stories of glowing lobster heads), I'll just detail the the video game moments. Unless you'd like to see a glowing lobster head.

Last time I visited the shop, I was overwhelmed by the amount of games. Literally shelves and shelves devoted to each console! Opened games were out in the open, while hundreds of sealed games sat behind glass. The last time I had seen that many sealed Dreamcast and Saturn games in one place was GameStop in 2001. Still, I had a sneaking suspicion that the reason why so many games go unsold is because of another factor. I ruled out ghosts and assumed the games were marked up to insane prices. After checking the tags, I was mostly correct.

VGNY is great, don't get me wrong, but the prices were and still are selectively insane. I can understand why a sealed 'Capcom vs. SNK" is priced at $60, but do they really have to charge $10 for used copies of NFL2k when they clearly have over two dozen of them? For the most part, $10 is the lowest used price, even for the crappiest of crappy games. A disc-only copy of the first 'Tony Hawk' might be $7, but that's as low as they'll get. So forget about picking up 'Razor Freestyle Scooter' for a few bucks as a laugh.

Having this knowledge of inflated prices, I came prepared with a list of games that I had my eyes on as well as the average ebay prices for said games. That way, if I were to spot 'Stupid Invaders' for $25, I'd know that on ebay it can be found for $30 and I'd be making a wise choice to pick it up at VGNY. Unfortunately, I didn't encounter anything from my list at VGNY that I couldn't get for a half to three quarters of the price on ebay.

Fortunately, and this is the HUGE positive I have about VGNY, there is always a treasure to be found. Something that slipped through the cracks and avoided a crazy price. Last year I snagged 'Illbleed' and 'Floigan Bros', this year I found a PAL copy of 'Headhunter' for $25 and the XBOX version of 'Sonic Riders' for $9.

While I didn't leave VGNY with the pirate's bounty I was hoping for, I did leave knowing I was a smart shopper. Not as cool as a pirate though...

'Sonic the Hedgehog 2' Plops Onto the iPod

2010-04-20T13:07:00.007-04:00

Not to be confused with 'Sonic Advance 2'

Like 'Sonic 1', 'Sonic 2' is now available on the iPod for download. Unfortunately, early impressions sound as though it is the same emulation that was found on all other Genesis ports. That isn't to say the release is awful, it's just "alright". Minor to substantial framerate drops have been said to occur, and the controls can be tricky in later levels. The price, $5.99, is too steep when you consider an excellent full featured port on the XBOX costs a dollar less at $5.

Check out the gameplay video courtesy of TouchArcade:

Must I end every Genesis port article with "of course, you could always play a Nomad"?

New Sega iPod Releases - Sonic 2 and Soc- er, Football!

2010-04-13T08:34:00.006-04:00

Just when things looked bad for Sega retro releases on the iPod, a glimmer of hope appeared in the announcement of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the iPod, iPad and iPod Touch (for the sake of this posting and the future I'll just say "iPod"). The game isn't out until later this week or next, yet Appolicious has already scored the game a 5/5. Perhaps Sega has fixed their so-so emulation methods? Images and video have yet to be released, but I'm certain they will look the same as the Sonic 1 screens.

With Sonic 1 and 2 hitting the iPod, could it only be a matter of time before we see Sonic 3 & Knuckles? The rumor of Sonic 4 coming to the iPod just got more valid.

In other Sega mobile news, Sega's popular Football Manager 2010 has quietly debuted on the iPod and user reviews are largely positive. I myself am no sports game fan, especially when it's a sports management sim, but I am very happy to see Sega releasing another quality iPod title. Could this be a part of their new mobile strategy?*

*To not release crap?

Here are a few screens:

It's no SimAnt, but I'm sure it has its fans.

The iPad Debuts with Super Monkey Ball 2: Sakura Edition

2010-04-05T08:54:00.005-04:00

Yeah, yeah. So the iPad can do a lot of things. Mapping, web browsing, etc. All those features are great, but they pale in comparison to Super Monkey Ball 2: Sakura Edition! The game is essentially the already released Super Monkey Ball 2 for the iPhone and iPod Touch, but in a higher resolution and with a few new exclusive features. PCWorld breaks down what iPad owners can expect in this upgraded version:

Now Sakura Edition comes to the iPad with even better graphics, four new mini-games (one of which is an iPad exclusive), and ten exclusive new levels. The four new mini-games include old favorites like Monkey Bowling, Monkey Target, Monkey Golf, and the iPad exclusive multiplayer mini-game Monkey Base. Monkey Base allows four players on the same iPad to launch orbs at each other as each player tries to be the last one standing. The ten iPad exclusive levels are from the Far East World and Other Ocean Interactive boasts that they are some of the most visually stunning to date.

Want to see it in action? Check out this video review:

Nomad LCD Mod in Action!

2010-03-30T14:17:00.006-04:00

Back in December I wrote about an awesome Nomad mod which upgraded both the screen and battery to modern day quality. Now it looks as though that same genius had posted a YouTube video of his mods in action. Watch and weep:

To double the awesome, he offers to do the mod for others (at a price of course). While $70 is a bit much for an upgraded screen, I'm sure there are Nomad fans out there would would love crystal clear gameplay.

Again, great job jonjandran!

Sega Genesis Ultimate Collection Canned

2010-03-26T11:47:00.003-04:00

And Sega is reevaluating their iPhone strategy. Pocketgamer.co.uk has the full story:

Announced as a free app from which you could download classic games like Sonic The Hedgehog, Ecco the Dolphin, and Golden Axe, Sega Genesis Ultimate Collection has been slated for release before the end of February. Well, February came and went without the game appearing on the store, let alone any word from Sega. Despite enthusiasm for the concept, Sega has decided to pull the plug on the in-app purchase anthology. The decision had less to do with the actual game and more with general struggles the company wants to remedy in its general iPhone and iPod touch gaming strategy. In short, Sega is completely re-evaluating its approach to iPhone games, and this just wasn't a part of that picture. Before the tears start to roll, this is actually great news. Kudos to Sega for making quality a priority and working to deliver better games to the iPhone community. I know I speak for a lot of us in saying that I'd love to see well-made Sega games hit the device.

In my opinion this is good news. Sega has, for the most part, done very well with their iPhone releases such as the solid Super Monkey Ball 2 and the feature-packed Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games. However, the Genesis ports were dodgy and did need a reworking. Perhaps the rumored Sonic 4 iPhone release led Sega to rethink placing a killer app beside dodgy ports of Sonic 1-3.

Of course, Genesis gaming on-the-go is not dead due to this announcement, remember we'll always have the Nomad!

Get it? 'Cuz the Nomad is like the God of mobile gaming?

Super 32X 15th Anniversary Album

2010-03-21T10:12:00.003-04:00

As no other Junkyard blog covers the 32X, I thought I'd take it under my wing and occasionaly post about it here. When you think about it, the Nomad Junkyard is the perfect fit for the 32X; both the Nomad and the 32X were made primarily for the North American market and both sold poorly.

It looks as though Sega has not completely forgotten about the little mushroom (or Genesis tumor as some see it as), as Sega and Wave Master will be releasing an album to celebrate the 32X's 15th birthday. The 3 disc set will include tunes from Space Harrier, Virtua Fighter, Virtua Racing Deluxe, code Pallas and Metal Head. You can view the full track listing and more details here. Like the 32X, the album will cost a pretty penny: $40 retail in Japan and probably much much more as an import.

Now where is the Nomad's birthday album?

Goodbye to Virtual iPod Touch Pads?

2010-03-17T16:56:00.003-04:00

While not really Sega related, the proposed GameBone from 22Moo could help in ridding Sega fans of those pesky touch screen controls.

While I'm all for the iPod touch screen, I have to admit that I really dislike how classic games are hurt thanks to so-so touch d-pads and buttons. While games like Golden Axe play well, faster more sensitive games like Sonic the Hedgehog suffer from virtualpaditus.

22Moo is currently working with Apple to get their device approved, and if all goes well we may very well see developers like Sega implementing an option to play games the old fashioned way.

Check out the GameBone's specs:
• Styling to compliment iPod/iPhone with optimized design for ergonomics and comfort
• 2000mAh Lithium-ion Battery for additional power for your iPod touch / iPhone*
• LED showing charging state and capacity
• 8-way D-Pad with 6 buttons
• Built-in Stereo speakers
• Highly sensitive omni directional Mic
• 3.5mm audio headphone jack
• Apple authentication IC + "Made for iPod" and "Works for iPhone" certification**

I could definitely see Sonic 4 playing very well with the help of GameBone.

Sonic Classic Collection Gets a Trailer

2010-03-12T11:24:00.004-05:00

You'd think with the VAST library of Sonic tunes they could have picked a song that wasn't stock game trailer rock music.

Classic Sonic Hits the DS, iPhone Genesis Emulator is MIA

2010-03-05T09:26:00.003-05:00

It has been a big two weeks for Sonic fans! Not only has the excellent Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing hit nearly every platform, but Sonic Classic Collection has hit the Ninetendo DS in America. The collection arrives in Europe and Australia on the 12th of this month. Check out some footage below, it looks quite solid!

In other portable Genesis release news, February and passed and the promised Sega's Ultimate Genesis emulator for the iPhone is nowhere to be seen. Sega promised that the app would be free to download and would include Space Harrier II. Additional games would be available to purchase within the app, allowing for a one stop app for all Genesis games. Hopefully March will be kinder to iPhone owners.

Sega of America Says "Great job!" to the Nomad Junkyard

2010-02-25T17:47:00.005-05:00

Is it possible to get YouTube comments framed?

And if that wasn't enough, they even made an official blog posting about it! The video also hit SoA's Twitter and Facebook and several other gaming blogs. Whee! :D

A Game Boy Advance SP Enters the 'Yard

2010-02-20T14:53:00.007-05:00

While out shopping today, I stopped into the local game store to see what dented up, sticker covered used games I could find. While I usually stick to the PS2 and Xbox sections, I was drawn to the Game Boy Advance shelf. I've always considered buying a Game Boy Advance, especially when Sega went third party and released a slew of Sonic games for the system. But due to college and my already rather large Sega console collection, the Game Boy Advance took a back seat.

Well lucky me! Today Segata was looking kindly upon me, for behind the glass of the Game Boy Advance case was a copy of Jet Grind Radio for the low low price of $2.99. Just above JGR was Chu Chu Rocket for $3.99 and just above that was a sign advertising used GBA SP systems for $20. Well, I'd have to be a cold hearted Sega fan to not rescue the GG's and the Chu Chu's! So $30 later I left with a Nintendo system in hand and two Dreamcast classics in portable form.

Now that I have a GBA, this opens up a whole new world of portable Sega goodness! I already have Sonic Advance, Sonic Advance 2, Sonic Advance 3, Sonic Pinball Party, Pinball of the Dead, Sonic Battle and Space Channel 5: Ulala's Cosmic Attack on my "to get" list. Of course, I guess I have to get at least one Mario game. I hear he's alright.

Any GBA recommendations? Let me know in the comments!

SASAR Mobile Phone Preview Is Silent, But Deadly

2010-02-17T20:33:00.007-05:00

I have to say, Gameloft's mobile phone version of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing has completely flown under the radar. Hardly anything has been said or seen of the game until now. Despite lacking audio, the preview footage looks to be rather fun, albeit simple. If the Nintendo DS version can be likened to an early N64 or Playstation game, Gameloft's effort looks to be the Sega Genesis version.

Ten racers are offered up including, thankfully, Ryo Hazuki.

Here's the bullet point break down:

10 famous SEGA characters including Sonic, Knuckles, Dr. Eggman, Tails, Alex Kidd and more, each with their own unique vehicle & abilities
8 memorable tracks set in SEGA’s various game worlds like Sonic the Hedgehog™, Super Monkey Ball™, House of the Dead™, Jet Set Radio Future™, and many more!
Collect rings to trigger the Mini-Boost for extra speed.
Master drifts, slipstreams and stunts to be the fastest racer.
Grab 6 varied weapons and power ups: K.O. Glove, Rocket, Ghost, Confusing Star, and Dash.
4 games modes: Race, Tournament, Time Trial, and Mission

Not too shabby! Too bad the iPhone won't be getting any SASAR love, but hopefully Sonic 4 will fill that void. Check out some gameplay footage, unfortunately without audio:

First Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing DS Footage!

2010-02-15T16:36:00.004-05:00

While I generally don't cover DS releases (as I don't own one), I thought this warranted a post. I was on board for the XBOX 360 version of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, and wrote off the DS version as a cheap alternative. But the footage above shows that Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing will look awfully pretty on the DS. As a bonus, all the Sega tunes will be given a synthesized midi makeover! I cannot wait to hear "Can You Feel The Sunshine" in a retro blippy-bloopy format.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 on the iPhone!!!

2010-02-04T06:37:00.007-05:00

If today's reveal of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 for the 360, PS3 and Wii wasn't enough, assets from Sega's FTP (that have since disappeared) point to Sonic 4 hitting the iPhone. This would make the iPhone the ONLY way to play Sonic 4 on a handheld device.
Obviously when there is more information, I'll post it here. :)

Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Released for the iPod!

2010-01-29T20:13:00.003-05:00

As announced at the official Sega of America blog, Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games has released for the iPhone, iPod Touch and the new iPad! What makes this release exciting is that it's the first new Sonic game to be released on the iPod platform. The game is also the first mobile release for Sonic of the decade. Sonic's previous handheld release was Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games for the DS in 2009. Sega of America's blog posting had this to say:

Sega is excited to announce the official release of Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games for iPhone and iPod Touch. Featuring Sonic and friends (including Tails, Vector, Metal Sonic, Eggman, Knuckles and Shadow) this addictive game takes players on a journey to the slopes as they compete in some of the most challenging winter sports including curling, figure skating, snowboard cross, and skeleton.

There are 10 characters that are available: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, Eggman, Vector, Blaze, Metal Sonic and Silver. There are 4 events in the game: snowboard cross, curling, skeleton and figure skating.

The single player allows you to compete for Olympic gold in a single event or across all events in circuit mode. In addition to fun single-player mode, the game also has 3 multiplayer modes — Pass & Play, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi.

Once you’ve earned some rings by playing events, you can use them at the Village Store to unlock additional content to customize your experience.

Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is available NOW for iPhone and iPod Touch, and is on sale in the iTunes store for $4.99.

Expect a review next week and have a great weekend!

The Nomad Junkyard is on YouTube!

2010-01-29T09:12:00.002-05:00

Check it out!

While I've had the account for a while, I never called attention to it here outside of linking videos that I've uploaded. So far, the upload library is slim, but I have plans for video reviews as well as content created for Sega Memories and the Saturn Junkyard. Dreamcast Junkyard videos, once I get around to them, will be featured on The Dreamcast Junkyard's own YouTube Channel. So subscribe now and keep your eyes peeled for future content!

Sonic's Handheld Adventures - Part 1

2010-01-25T13:05:00.030-05:00

It's safe to assume that any Sega fan and just about any gamer knows of Sonic's 16-bit adventures. Sonic 1, Sonic CD, Sonic 2, Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles followed Sonic from his early South Island scuffles with Eggman through to his final assault on the Death Egg. All in all it was a solid series featuring speedy gameplay, memorable side characters and a surprisingly deep overarching plot (well, deep compared to Mario's exploits).

As famous as the Genesis/Mega Drive series was, not too many fans know of Sonic's 8-bit adventures. One would assume that they were adaptations of the 16-bit series, especially when one considers that the first two Game Gear Sonic titles were Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Well that "one" couldn't be more wrong! Despite sharing titles, the Game Gear Sonic series was as far from the Genesis series as they could get. Join me, Barry the Nomad, as we walk down a less trodden path of memory lane and take a look back on Sonic's Handheld Adventures!

Sonic the Hedgehog was Sonic's first Game Gear appearance. Developed by Ancient, who also created the Mega Drive classic Beyond Oasis, the 8-bit Sonic the Hedgehog was a faithful albeit downgraded adaptation of the original 16-bit classic. I say adaptation rather than port as while many zones from the original are absent, there also exist zones unique to the Game Gear. After running through the requisite Green Hill Zone, Sonic continues through Bridge Zone (???) , makes a diversion through Jungle Zone (?!?) revisits Labyrinth Zone, blasts directly to Scrap Brain Zone and then completes his adventure at Sky Base Zone (what is this? Sonic 2?). If you can't tell, those levels completely disregard the 16-bit order. Despite the differences, 8-bit Sonic the Hedgehog is a very enjoyable handheld game with peppy music and great visuals for a Game Gear. Were I to rate it, I'd give it a 4/5 on the Game Gear scale.

Remember Sonic the Hedgehog 2? The game in which Tails is kidnapped by Eggman and Sonic must pay a ransom in Emeralds? Oh, thats not the game you remember? You must be thinking about the GOOD Sonic 2 , y'know, the 16-but one. The 8-bit Sonic 2 is a completely different beast. Might as well called it Tails is Missing. Developed by Japansese developer Aspect (not to be confused with Sonic 1's Ancient), 8-bit Sonic 2 does everything wrong that 16-bit Sonic 2 did right. Despite appearing on the cover and in the zone title screens, Tails is MIA as Sonic goes solo to rescue his pal.

Do not believe the act intro screens, Tails is MIA.

The game commits a cardinal sin in starting with an eerie mine level. What happened to the requisite first lush green zone? Oh, that happens in the second zone, Sky High Zone. Then, after a water level, Sonic revisits the first Sonic 1 level in a retooled Green Hills Zone. I guess they added more hills. All in all, Sonic 2 is alright for what it is but fails at what it promises to be. Outside of the title, it is not the well known Sonic 2 and the fact that Tails is not playable gives this game a 1/5. Okay, I'll give it a 2/5 for the music:

Things turned around for Sonic on the Game Gear with Sonic & Tails aka Sonic the Hedgehog Chaos outside of Japan. While Aspect is still the developer, they seem to have learned some lessons since their last game. Like the Japanese title states, both Sonic and Tails are playable. The plot, while weak, is the classic Eggman attacks South Island, the emeralds scatter and Sonic and Tails must find them before Eggman does. The game is filled with new moves, including a standing peelout known as Sonic's strike dash and Tail's inherent ability to fly. Items, such as a pogo spring (as seen on the game's cover) and rocket shoes give Sonic the temporary ability to bounce and fly about. The items are quite fun to utilize and it's surprising that they didn't see further use outside of the Game Gear series. Levels are nicely designed and take full use of the Game Gear color palette. Overall, Sonic Chaos is a great game that proves "more is better" in the Game Gear world. 4/5

Sonic & Tails 2 aka Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble is a "more of the same" sequel to Sonic Chaos, but that's not a bad thing. The plot is similar to the previous game: an explosion sends the emeralds flying across the globe. This time, however, Eggman isn't the only one Sonic must compete with. Knuckles makes his Game Gear debut as an NPC and fan favorite Fang (aka Nack) the Weasel is also after the emeralds. Interestingly, according to the Japanese manual Knuckles is unknown to Sonic, insinuating that the game's events precede Sonic 3 or occur in an alternate handheld timeline. Skills such as Sonic's peelout and Tail's flight return, as do the fun items. New items include screw shoes (they sound dirty, I know) and Sonic's snowboard. Sonic Triple Trouble really does have it all; a slew of enemies, every sort of zone, a variety of power-ups, great music and even a decent comic book adaptation! 5/5

More like Sonic Quadruple Trouble

Despite having the option of ending on a high note or attempting to outdo Sonic Triple Trouble, Aspect chose to release the "big blue booger" (theghz.com's words, not mine) that is G Sonic aka Sonic Blast. The less said about Sonic Blast the better. Bearing no resemblance to the Genesis and Saturn's Sonic 3D Blast outside of pre-rendered "3D" sprites, the 8-bit Sonic Blast follows Sonic and Knuckles (in his first playable Game Gear appearance) going after Eggman after Eggman blasts an emerald into five smaller emeralds. It is unknown if these five shards are of the Master Emerald or if they are five pieces of one of the seven Chaos Emeralds. Whatever the answer is, it's stupid. Rather than write any more about Sonic Blast, let's put it where it belongs.
The Sonic Game Gear series was, for the most part, good fun. Sure they couldn't rival the 16-bit originals, but after the fun Sonic 1 and the abysmil Sonic 2, Sonic appeared in two excellent and unique handheld offerings. Other Game Gear adventures include the kart racing spin-offs Sonic Drift 1 & 2, the pinball spin-off Sonic Spinball and Tails' spin-offs Tails' Sky Patrol and Tails Adventure.

Join me for part 2 when we venture into Game Boy territory! Ooooh!

Official Genesis Emulator Coming to the iPhone!

2010-01-20T10:16:00.005-05:00

On a day when I have nothing to write about, this exciting piece of news drops!
Gizmondo reports that Sega will be releasing a free app titled Sega Genesis Ultimate Collection in the beginning of February that will come with a free game, Space Harrier II. Via the free app, players can then purchase additional games to play within the Genesis app. This is exciting news as it (1) allows iPhone and iPod Touch users to have all their Genesis games under one umbrella, (2) provides Space Harrier II as a free game, (3) opens the door to more obscure console games and (4) is launching with Ecco the Dolphin and Shining Force for $2.99 each.

I'm happy.

Cheaper Chimp Balls 2!

2010-01-11T13:11:00.004-05:00

Thanks to the Sega of America blog, it has been announced that Super Monkey Ball 2 for the iPhone and iPod Touch has dropped to $4.99! This is a real surprise, considering the game was just recently released. Regardless, it looks to be better than the original and at this price it is a very tempting impulse buy. I might just download it right now!

Sega will be offering download codes via their Facebook page and Twitter page. If you spot one, snap it up!

Game Gear "Game of the Month" - Sonic Drift 2

2010-01-08T09:02:00.008-05:00

A new year and a new feature at the Nomad Junkyard!

With the release of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing fast approaching, I thought I'd highlight an early entry into the Sonic racing collection of games. Sonic Drift 2, obviously the sequel to Sonic Drift, released on the Game Gear in 1995. I'm sorry to say that both Sonic Drift titles came out a few years after Nintendo's Mario Kart series, so Sega fans cannot rub this in a plumber fan's face saying "Sonic did it first!". Despite this, Sega AM2 did in fact create a kart racer called Power Drift that predates Mario by five years. So if you want to win a Sega/Nintendo kart argument, just bring up Yu Suzuki. Ahem, moving on...

Despite being a "Mario did it, so why can't Sonic?" title, Sonic Drift is a great portable kart racer. Personally I prefer the sequel as it features a larger roster than the first game, adding fan favorites Fang and Metal Sonic as well as Knuckles. Sure the graphics were simplistic, but that's where much of the game's charm comes from. What really stood out was the music. Sonic Drift 2 featured both happy and haunting tunes. The music for Rainy Savannah has a fast tempo and sense of urgency that makes what would be a usual trip around the track much more of an intense experience:

I could go on and on but really, you should play it for yourself. You can find both games on the Game Gear (obviously) as well as in a variety of compilations. Sonic Drift can be found in Sonic Mega Collection Plus for the PS2 and XBOX. Sonic Drift 2 is included in Sonic Gems Collection for the Gamecube and both games are unlockable in the Gamecube's Sonic Adventure DX. Of course the best way to play is on a Game Gear in a dark room with headphones.

Played the game? Share your experience in the comments below! :)

A message from Yuji Naka

2009-12-31T08:31:00.004-05:00

Hello beloved Nomad Junkyard readers! I hope the holidays brought portable Sega goodness to you all. I wish I had had a stronger Sega Christmas, but the new year looks to offer great things. On the console side we have Bayonetta, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, and Project Needlemouse, while on the portable side we have the Sonic Classic Collection, Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, some additional mini-games for Super Monkey Ball 2 and maybe (just maybe) some bigger portable announcements from Sega. Come on Sega, Sonic CD for the iPhone!

Speaking of iPhone games, I've recently completed Let's Tap: Tap Runner and have to say that it is an awesome game! Not as good as the Wii version, but the controls and variety of courses make it rather addicting. Once one completes the game with all gold medals (first place in each course) they're greeted to this happy certificate:

Aw Yuji, you shouldn't have! I promise to aim for higher records, but only because you asked.
Happy New Year!

One Year of the Nomad 'Yard!

2009-12-22T08:17:00.002-05:00

On December 12th, 2008 I posted the first article for The Nomad Junkyard (I missed it by ten days, but I'm remembering it nonetheless). Much has changed since TNJ debuted; visits have quintupled, I've been invited to write for Sega Memories, The Saturn 'Yard and The Dreamcast 'Yard and thanks to my spending addiction my Sega collection has nearly doubled!

A special thanks to all the readers, I'm excited to see what the second year of portable Sega gaming coverage will bring.

As a special holiday gift, here's a Sega holiday recipe:

Ice Cap Night Cap
1 Genesis or Mega Drive handheld
1 Sonic 3 Cartridge
1 Headphones
6 oz Eggnog
2 oz Spiced Rum
Nutmeg

Mix the rum and eggnog in a medium glass and sprinkle nutmeg on top. Insert the Sonic 3 cartridge into the handheld and plug in and put on headphones. Boot up game. After Sega logo appears, press Up(x2), Down(x2), and Up(x4). The sound of a ring will confirm correct code entry. Hold A and press Start to enter the level select menu. Select Act 1 of Ice Cap Zone. Enjoy!

Sonic and NO Mario at the Olympic Winter Games on the iPhone

2009-12-18T23:14:00.008-05:00

Sega has just revealed that the popular Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games will be hitting the iPhone, but there's a catch! It seems Sonic pulled a Tonya Harding and shattered Mario's kneecaps, causing him to sit this one out (Olympic reference, though the real Tonya Harding failed to take out her competition). The game will feature zero Mario, with the title simply being Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games.

The reason for the lack of Mario is, of course, because the iPhone is a direct competitor in the world of online gaming with the Nintendo DS. No worries, the game looks to be packed full of Sonic characters, ten are available with two of them locked, and four events are featured: curling, figure skating, snowboard cross and something called skeleton. Rings, chaos and old school animal friends are littered throughout the stadiums and the graphics seem on par with the DS release. Of course, this isn't the full game, but at the presumed $9.99 price tag it looks to be worth it.

The game hits early 2010.

By the way:

Sweet.

[source: TouchArcade]

Mobile Sega News Roundup

2009-12-10T10:44:00.012-05:00

Hey gang! I feel so dirty when I go a week without making a post. I intend to rectify that right now!

Super Monkey Ball 2 for the iPhone Released
Just last week those monkeys in hamster balls returned to the iPhone and iPod touch. So far, reactions to the game have been mixed, but lean in the positive direction. The controls are much more responsive, the Wi-fi multiplayer is a welcome addition and the mini-games, while represented by "coming soon" messages, are promised to be released in a early 2010 update. As long as that update is free (which it will be) then I'm not complaining. The game is currently on sale for $9.99 at Apple's app store.

Thanks to the TouchArcade for the image and gameplay video:

Sonic Classics Collection officially announced
While I usually don't cover DS or PSP news, the Nomad Junkyard has a history of covering rereleases of Sonic the Hedgehog. This time, Sonic 1-3 & Knuckles are arriving on the Nintendo DS. What makes this rerelease unique is that it is the first time all four games have been rereleased together on a mobile platform. What more, they could very well be near-perfect versions of the Genesis classics (here's hoping).

SoA's press release:

Sonic Classic Collection™ allows fans both old and new to speed through the much loved zones of the four original Mega Drive adventures, in a bid to collect the chaos emeralds and save the world. Optimized to take full advantage of the Nintendo DS™ system, Sonic Classic Collection will feature a new save anywhere feature, a first in this original series, meaning that the games can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime! Gamers will also be given the chance to expand their knowledge with a wealth of extras including video and collectable pictures that are sure to be fan favorites.

Sonic Classic Collection™ gathers together the first four Sonic The Hedgehog adventures - Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles - introducing some of the most influential Sonic titles to a whole new generation of gamers exclusively for the DS.

The American box art (bright and happy!):

The European box art (sleek and blue, hindered by the ugly gigantic "U" rating symbol):

A Worthy Nomad Mod

2009-12-02T09:09:00.004-05:00

While many of the Nomad mods that I've seen are little more than bizarre case modifications, Racketboy user hailrazer created a mod worthy of respect. If you're going to alter a Nomad, the best method is to alter it for the better. hailrazer picked up on two of the Nomad's weaker points and succeeded in improving them; those two points being the dated Led screen and short battery life.

hailrazer explains his process for replacing the screen:

First things first. Get rid of the old Lcd.
Open up the Nomad. You will need a security bit for the bottom/middle screw. After you open the Nomad , pull the circuit board up and you will see the Lcd. Pull it of and then pull of the lcd cable attached to the main board.

Now you just ruined your Nomad. Just kidding

Here is the new Lcd we will be using :
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.20415
It is $50 shipped.

When we take it apart it will look like this :

Now what you want to do is get out your hot glue gun and glue the new Lcd into place. Make sure you get it centered. be aware the Lcd hole on the Nomad is slightly slanted so the Lcd will be slightly slanted when mounted.

Now it's time to solder the wires necessary to power the screen and get video to it.
You will be soldering 4 wires. 2 grounds, power, and video. the 2 ground wires go to the same spot on the Lcd's board.

Here is where the wires will be soldered to the Nomad's board :

After it is wired you will want to mount the Lcd's board on top of the Lcd. I put a small piece of paper between them to protect against shorts. You can then hot glue the 4 corners to hold it in place. :

Now put the Nomad back together. Make sure the wires are crimped anywhere, or in the way of the buttons.

Plug it in and see the new Lcd in all it's glory.

Here's a pic of what the old screen looked like:

hailrazer's images and walkthrough has been borrowed from his original post at Racketboy. I'm reposting it here out of respect for his awesome achievement. Check out the original posting for how he upgraded the battery for a life of 8.5 hours compared to the original 5.5 hours. Really impressive stuff!

PlaySEGA Joypad REVIEWED!

2009-11-28T13:26:00.004-05:00

Today is my Birthday, and what a perfect day for my PlaySEGA joypad to arrive!

The PlaySEGA joypad was, and still is, a membership perk for those who join SEGA's online gaming community. The pad garnered a lot of entusiasm from fans a few months back as it is an exact copy of the famous Saturn pad, complete with triggers and even CD control icons for stop, play, repeat and previous and next track. Unfortunately, the pad itself was delayed a month and a half. Despite this hiccup, the pad is finally here! Let's unbox it, shall we?

An unassuming white box.

An unassuming white bag.

An awesome pad!

There she is! A real beauty, eh? I can confirm right now that the pad is every bit as solid as the Saturn pad. They even used rubber on the start button! The only major difference from the Saturn pad is in the triggers. While the Saturn pad had a light computer mouse "click" to them, the PlaySEGA pad triggers are a little firmer. Still, this is not a negative as they function just as well and if anything they won't suffer from accidental clicks.

They even used the same font and Saturn CD controls!

While intended for use with PlaySEGA.com, most gamers will be using this pad with emulator programs. I've just begun to test it out with Genesis Plus 1.3.0 on my iMac and it works great!

Essentially the exact same pad, and that's a good thing!

Overall, I really can't say much more than that the PlaySEGA pad is awesome. It's basically a Saturn pad with USB output. The different color scheme and quality PlaySEGA logo make it unique enough to be a must have for any SEGA hardware collector. C'mon! How often does SEGA make gaming equipment these days? Order yours today with a PlaySEGA membership!

PlaySEGA's pad receives:

Saturn Anniversary Pickle Experience

2009-11-25T08:42:00.005-05:00

THE NOMAD ON-THE-GO

It's been a while since I've done a Nomad On-The-Go article, mostly because I didn't have anywhere to go. This past Sunday I fulfilled one of my girlfriend's dreams by taking her across state lines to New York for the International Pickle Fest. Sunday was not only a special day for pickles, but also for Sega; it was the Sega Saturn's 15th Anniversary!

While I understand that the Saturn is not a mobile system, I just can't help myself in celebrating Sega anniversaries here at the Nomad 'Yard. In order to infuse Sega into a non-Sega day, I brought along my Sega Nomad as well as my iPod Touch for some mobile Sega gaming. I also promised myself that I would find at least ONE Sega related thing on our trip, photograph it and then write an On-The-Go article around it. I can happily tell you that I have done just that! In fact, I've done just that times three!

The trip began with myself at the wheel, so no mobile gaming was possible. Sonic 2 (which celebrated its 17th anniversary yesterday) had to wait until the ride home. Halfway to our destination I stopped at a Wal-Mart for some pickle cash and spotted this:

I'll admit, I don't believe I've ever seen a Sega UFO Catcher in person. It was really quite an experience. Unfortunately time was short, and there were no Eggman plushies to be won inside, so I snapped this photo and left. I have to say, though, that the UFO Catchers are quite eye... catching. Much more sleek than the crappy prize grabbers one finds in most arcades.

Upon arriving at our destination, my girlfriend's aunt's home, we settled in and got ourselfs drinks. I went to the cupboard to get a glass and look who should appear:

A GameWorks glass! I asked where they got it, and my gf's aunt told me that they picked it up at a GameWorks in Michigan. She described this awesome game they used to play involving seats that would raise and fall based on how well you shot at targets. Ah, GameWorks, I miss you.

The next day we piled in a van and headed to Pickle Fest. A bunch of non-Sega related things happened and then I saw him:

To the untrained eye, this is a kid in a pickle suit. But to the eye that has brains, this is a Saturn star of old! Don't know who it is?

It's Deku of Fighters Megamix fame! Originally a cactus, Deku has since picked up odd-jobs playing green cylindrical objects. With a few dimples drawn on, Deku really does make a great pickle. Despite not appearing in a game for years, Deku seemed quite jovial and enjoyed this freelance gig.

Our trip continued and remained Sega-free for the most part. I played a bit of Sonic 2 on the ride home and then gave my Saturn a loving tap before heading to bed. Overall, it wasn't the biggest day I couldv'e given the Saturn, but it wasn't all bad. I met a Saturn celebrity and wrote an article about it.

I also took this photo for Father Krishna:

Spot the fried object of FK's desire

Twice the Monkeys, Double the Balls

2009-11-20T08:46:00.003-05:00

Sega has recently announced that they will be releasing Super Monkey Ball 2 for the iPhone and iPod Touch just in time for the holidays. The first iPhone release was a hugely successful Apple App Store launch title, and the sequel looks to improve on many things that the first game lacked. For starters, thos who gave the game a roll have stated that turning is MUCH easier. Sega also promises mini-games, such as bowling. By 2010, free updates will bring golf and target mini-games. Outside of the mini-games, the sequel will offer 115 levels and local wi-fi multiplayer. While a price has not been announced yet, my guess is $9.99 just as the original was.

Check out this video from TouchArcade:

[source: TouchArcade]

In non-mobile news, I had recently posted a drawing of Sonic, that I had done on the back of a notepad, to the SonicStadium message boards. One member, Tizo Teh Hedgie, was kind enough to do a quick coloring of the drawing. Check it out:

Old skool 4 life

Classics and Kiwis Go Mobile

2009-11-16T08:16:00.006-05:00

While I try not to write about DS or PSP releases, as I don't have either portable, I thought this was quite an interesting find. Discovered by TSSZ, the British Board of Film Classification has recently rated a Sega game titled "Sonic Classic Collection". The collection looks to be a Sonic Jam-like compilation featuring Sonic 1-3 & Knuckles plus a bit of bonus materials. While some Sega fans are squabbling as to what platform it will be released on, a quick rundown of the game's content gives a massive hint. Take a look at the listing here or read below:

n/a SONIC CLASSIC COLLECTION
n/a SONIC THE HEDGEHOG (GAME)
n/a SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 (GAME)
n/a SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 (GAME)
n/a SONIC & KNUCKLES (GAME)
n/a KNUCKLES IN SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 (GAME)
n/a KNUCKLES IN SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 (GAME)
00:00:45:00 SONIC CHRONICLES - THE DARK BROTHERHOOD (VIDEO)
00:03:05:00 THE HISTORY OF SONIC (VIDEO)
n/a SONIC ART (IMAGE GALLERY)
00:05:15:00 SONIC CLASSIC COLLECTION CREDITS
n/a GAMEPLAY FOOTAGE

Obviously a next gen system isn't going to have a video preview of Sonic Chronicles, a Nintendo DS game, so it's pretty clear that Sonic's Genesis games are heading to the DS. While Sonic 1-3 & Knuckles may not be a beefy compilation, especially when compared to the PSP's Sega Genesis Collection, it still is a solid collection of games chronicling the early half of Sonic's adventures. If perfect emulation is achieved then this is definitly a Sonic compilation to look out for.

In other portable news, Prope has released their first Sega-free game! Unfortunately, what looks to be one of Prope's better mobile offerings has no Sega affiliation so it really has no place at a mobile Sega gaming blog. However, I have a soft spot for kiwi birds so I'll cut them some slack.

Ivy the Kiwi, developed for the Windows Phone platform, takes advantage of the pen stylus to create a Lemmings sort of game featuring a wayward kiwi bird that runs across leafy vines drawn by the player. While the game looks pretty sweet, it's unfortunate that Sega did not get behind it for a iPhone and/or DS release. From what I've read, Windows Phone does not require a publisher for games distribution, so it isn't so much that Sega turned down distribution of the game than it is that Sega was not required for the game's release on Windows Phone.

Despite the lack of Sega name, the game looks pretty sweet and I hope to play it someday. Have you played Ivy the Kiwi? Let me know in the comments section!

Game Gear Commercials - IN COLOR!

2009-11-09T08:17:00.006-05:00

At the Nomad Junkyard, the Nomad reigns supreme. However, in the world of mobile Sega gaming the Game Gear is the true number one. The Game Gear trumps the Nomad in almost every field (save for graphics and sound), with a number of awesome print ads and television adverts. Let's take a look at some of the most memorable Game Gear ads that ran in the US.

"Creamed Spinach Color" says it all. The number one reason I never owned a Game Boy. Sure the Virtual Boy gets a lot of flack for the eye trauma enducing red graphics, but for me the green Game Boy screen was worse. Thankfully the Game Gear came along to save us:

The fat guy from My Name Is Earl stars in this classic. Why beat yourself with a dead squirrel when you can just buy a Game Gear?

In today's world of flight restrictions, the following situation would be impossible. Again, the Game Gear saves the day. However, this would make an excellent Nomad commercial as the man truly wants to play Genesis games on the go. Guess it wasn't 1995 yet.

To conclude, I present a .gif gift from me to all of you. May it haunt your dreams.

Sega Fan Sites Graphed

2009-11-02T10:51:00.004-05:00

click to enlarge

In my morning routine of checking up on the Sega fan sites I frequent, the idea came to me to graph my "canon" of Sega fan sites. As you can see, it is all laid out above. I avoided sites that cover more than Sega, such as Racketboy, and defunct sites, such as Dave's Sega Saturn Page. Interesting to note that a SG-1000 blog does not exist (to my knowledge) and that there has yet to be a 32X Junkyard. I've been considering adopting the 32X into the Nomad Junkyard, making the NJY not only a portable Sega gaming blog, but also a home to battered Sega systems. With that in mind, I should also consider adopting the Pico.

Gen Mobile Sports Genesis Logo

2009-10-30T12:52:00.002-04:00

...thus making it the better of the two Genesis clones on the market.

Okay, so there is more to it than that. While the Gen Mobile has a smaller screen that the RetroGen, the Gen Mobile has 20 built in games which saves you from carrying about tons of cartridges. Unfortunatly both have the same sound issues. Check out this new preview video:

Kids Love Their Didj!

2009-10-26T08:53:00.005-04:00

Well, I'm only assuming they love it, they could possibly hate it. While shopping for a new coffee maker yesterday, I ran across LeapFrog's Didj handheld. Didj, pronounced "dij" as in the first half of "digital", is touted as a Custon Gaming System for children 5-10 years old. As it is developed by LeapFrog, it is also a covert teaching tool. Thankfully, unlike the Pico the Didj games actually look like fun.

The Didj game that attracted my attention was Sonic the Hedgehog. As recent years have taught us, naming a game Sonic the Hedgehog does not necessarily mean that it will be a straight port of 1991's Sonic the Hedgehog. As Didj is a learning tool, I was skeptical of this being a port so I checked out the box and played a demo.

The box itself is rather cool. New school Sonic holding a ring (what is this, Chaotix?) with a drawing of Green Hill in the background. Nothing eye popping, but at least some effort was put in to make it look more than a piece of stock art on a white background. The game itself is rather interesting. Sort of a mashup of Sonic 1-3 featuring 3D Sonic moves (homing attack and wall jump) and a remix of the Mushroom Hill Zone theme. From what I can tell, each stage features gadgets that must be destroyed, similar to hunting down and destroying machines in Sonic CD. In the Didj Sonic, gadgets are word games featuring cannons, badniks gears and other devices that are controlled to fill in the blanks of words. While the game is pretty elementary (it IS for 7-10 year olds) it's rather fun. Think of it as Typing of the Dead meets Sonic the Hedgehog. If you have a little one, or must own every Sonic game ever made, both the handheld and game only cost $55 total.

The Fortress of Segatude

2009-10-23T20:49:00.011-04:00

Okay, so its a bit of a lofty title for a small entertainment room, but its a fitting title (as you'll soon see). Since moving into our apartment a year ago, I've been slowly building up our second bedroom which was to be the computer room. One month I'd buy a shelf and a lamp, another month I'd buy some curtains and a TV stand. As time went on it grew to be a room for computer use, gaming, a DVD library and lite television watching. Let's enter the roo- er, I mean The Fortress of Segatude!

The TV, topped with Crow T. Robot, features one of my Sonic animation cels above it. I figure I'll rotate between the three cels that I have, one can't look at a half-baked Tails forever.

The heart and soul of the room, featuring Sonic who invites you to play a game. I've just recently purchased the 32X and played Star Wars Arcade on it. Amazing graphics and sound for a souped-up Genesis!

I've had this plastic storage cart since I was ten. It's perfect for the Genesis, leading me to believe it was made with the Genesis in mind. The cart holds up to 32 Genesis boxes while the upper lid is intended to hold a Model 1 or 2 Genesis. Since I have the Genesis/CD/32X monster, I had to sit it on top. The inner lid now holds the Nomad (hey, the star of this blog!), the Game Gear and the controllers.

The Men in Black themselves!

Beneath the TV are the duplicate consoles to the ones that are in the living room. This way, if the living room TV is taken I can easily play a game of Pen Pen on the clear Dreamcast. Also, having the original XBOX is the only way to play the awesome Gunvalkyrie.

At the top of the game's shelf are my Dreamcast magazines and strategy guides, my boxed Beat action figure (only $15. Thanks, ebay!), some anime and Pixar DVDs and some good ol' fashioned Sega games.

Moving up the Sega timeline are my Dreamcast games. Shenmue II not pictured :(

At the bottom are the once competition. You'll note I own Final Fantasy 7, yet I have never played it. Guess I was too busy with Tenchu 2.

On the opposite side of the room is the reason why I named the joint "The Fortress of Segatude". Admittedly, I'm not a huge Superman fan. However I did own all the movie posters, thanks to a mail-away offer included in the Superman DVD set, so I chose to frame the goofiest of the four posters. I find the "Superman III" poster inspirational, as no matter how stupid the idea was to have Superman carrying Richard Pryor, they made it happen. Proof that anything is possible.

Don't worry, I've put the better "Superman II" poster next to it. While I'm at it, why not move into the living room.

Here's the real gaming setup! The Dreamcast seen above is my Japanese model bought several months ago. It wasn't until last week that I discovered it had been chipped! Seems the ebay seller failed to mention that in the description. Now I can play any game without the need of a boot disc.

The left drawer holds all the Dreamcast accessories. It's like an orgy in there.

Things are a little more tidy in the other drawer. Beneath the stunner is my homemade Segagaga walkthrough book.

So thats the gaming setup for the time being. Geez, now I have to start actually playing the games!

Barry's Blog Roundup

2009-10-19T10:40:00.004-04:00

NEW AVATAR!

Regular NJY readers may be wondering, "Barry, where are the posts?". Well, firstly, I spoil you all with two postings a week (but thats because I love you). Secondly, I've become made a member of the Dreamcast Junkyard writing team, so I've been busy taking photos of my collection. I've also been busy with collection post at The Saturn Junkyard as well as an assortment of Sonic merch at Sega Memories. Lastly, I've been busy with a secret project that I wish I could share, but I can't. I can tell you that it is not Sega or gaming related, it has to do with design and it involves me working with a major cable television channel. ;)

Here's what I've been busy with at the other blogs:

I'm Thinking.
My introductory article at The Dreamcast Junkyard in which I share my history with the system and photos of my collection.

Barry the Nomad's Saturn Collection
Exactly what it sounds like. Photos of my humble, but fun-filled, Saturn collection. Mmm... mint Burning Rangers...

Sonic's Mystery Box
When my parents visited two weeks ago, thy brought with them a box of random items from my Sonic collection. Take a peek inside the mystery box... if you dare!

Nomad articles to come!

Happy 10th Anniversary PAL Dreamcast!

2009-10-15T10:00:00.001-04:00

Yesterday the blue swirl turned 10! Cheers n' all that, mates!

RetroGen and GenMobile User Reviews

2009-10-14T16:33:00.005-04:00

While I've been happily playing my Sega Nomad which recently has returned to me (thanks Mom and Dad!), others have been receiving their RetroGen and GenMobile handhelds and have written or taped reviews. Rather than scour the internets and the Google to find these, I've conveniently linked and posted them here for you Sega fans. Are these the Nomad killers we've been waiting for? Or simply the Nomad's smaller dumber cousins? I'll give my opinion after the reviews.

The first RetroGen review comes from The Coolinator, you can read the full review at his blog. Here are some snippets:

The device itself is incredibly light and well made. The screen is a good size, it's not as big as it appears on the box or in pictures, but its a solid 2.8". The buttons are nice. It takes a little while to get used to them because they are set at an angle but they get the job done.

The only thing that isn't too good about it is the D-Pad which surprised the hell out of me because the D-Pad on the Retrogen "looked" a whole lot better then the GenMobiles one.

Next is a YouTube review of the RetroGen from EddieJ1984:

QuickSciFi created this two part review:

Finally we have a review of the GenMobile:

GENmobile

DDRGame|MySpace Videos

So there you have it! Both portables have been released and are receiving fairly positive reviews. What do I think? Maybe it's the cranky old man in me, but I'm not impressed. Sure the screen quality is great and the battery is awesome, but the control scheme, screen size and especially SOUND are all nothing compared to the Nomad. The Nomad even has the extra advantage of having a second control port. Sure, the Nomad has a short battery life, but batteries have improved greatly since 1995. Batteries exist that have nearly twice the juice as old batteries, and with rechargeable batteries you don't have to repurchase at every draining.

My final word: If you need to play Genesis games on the go, and aren't afraid to look like a dork, stick with your Nomad. If you are Nomad-less, don't care about sound quality and want to look cool, buy a GenMobile. The GenMobile controls seem to beat the RetroGen, and the built-in games save you the trouble of carrying a bunch of carts.

Nomad Does What RetroGen Don't

2009-10-12T17:20:00.003-04:00

The often delayed and soon to be released "Nomad 2", the RetroGen, seems to deliver in every department... except for the audio. According to this direct feed footage, the RetroGen chews up lovely Genesis music and spits out a fuzzy garbled mess.

While I have yet to write the RetroGen off as a failure, this does not bode well. I'd take bulkiness and limited battery life if it meant quality stereo sound.

The Dreamcast Party Isn't Over Yet!

2009-10-09T10:34:00.014-04:00

You may be puzzled as to why the 10th Anniversary image has returned and turned blue. No, the swirl is not holding its breath, it's the European Dreamcast logo!

October 14, 1999 saw the release of the Dreamcast to Europe and Australia. Why was the logo blue? Well, this was done to avoid copyright complications with a video game/DVD publisher named Tivola, which already used an Orange swirl as their logo. Maybe it was meant to happen, as the blue swirl has since defined a different Dreamcast territory with fans who feel as much love for the blue swirl as Americans feel towards the red swirl. The name "Blue Swirl" even became the name of one of the best VMU resources on the internet.

While I'll leave the proper tributes and historical recollections to real European Dreamcast fans, I did want to share some PAL Dreamcast games that American Dreamcast fans didn't receive, but should definitely import.

Shenmue II
While Americans were crying over the exclusive deal that Sega had made with Microsoft, effectively delaying the US release of part 2 for a year, Europeans were basking in the glory of this game. I remember importing this within a month of the release and feeling so elite, or 1337 as the kids used to say.

Jet Set Radio
Yeah, its almost the exact same game as the American release but the small differences make this a must for any JSR fan. For starters, this is the only english-language version of Jet Set Radio. In fact, this is the only version of the game to open with the proper english logo. Secondly, many of the US exclusive tracks were switched up with with much more fitting funky beats. I'll take "Recipe for the Perfect Afro" over "just Got Wicked" anyday. Finally, some of the exclusive US graffiti has been switched out for band logos and images of the UK contributors.

Headhunter
Like Shenmue II, Headhunter never hit the states as it was reserved for the PS2. I'll admit, the PS2 version looks better, especially the video cutscenes, but there is something special about playing a game on the Dreamcast.

REZ
Again, a Dreamcast game that was cancelled for a US PS2 release. While the Japanese version is the same game, the PAL version is just as good. Get whichever region you find for the lowest price.

Evil Twin
A mysterious game that I know little about. The star looks a bit like Chucky from the Child's Play films. I remember seing screens of this before it went MIA in the States. It did, however, see a PAL release and had decent reviews online.

EDIT: Cosmic Smash removed per Gagaman's comment. Shame it never made it to Europe!

Share Your Nomad

2009-10-06T08:47:00.006-04:00

In a celebratory post at Racketboy I asked other members to share photos and memories of the Nomad. Let's see what they had to share, shall we?

Member Thierry Henry has an impressive two Nomads. I always loved that the Maximum Carnage cart was red, rare to see a Genesis cartridge in a color other than black. Thierry Henry had this to say: I've also got custom made carry cases for both, the only thing I still need is to get a battery pack for the unit to the left of the pic. It works fine off of the AC adapter but then that's not the point of a portable system.

Member aw93053 displayed his Nomad in a ray of sunshine, just as the Nomad is a ray of sunshine in all our lives.

HellHammer said: I've got two Nomads that I've had since I was a kid, I freaking loved to play Bloodlines on airplanes. My brother and I got into an argument once and he threw one to the floor. Now I have one Nomad and one Nomad with a cracked screen.

Dakinggamer87 said: I just recently got a Sega Nomad earlier this year to add to my systems collection and it is a fun portable system. I played it years ago but never owned one till now. Happy 14th Anniversary Sega Nomad!!

forsigmar said: I remember I had the official Nomad carry case. I have never seen one of those again. It had the Nomad logo stitched in the side and fit the system, battery pack and a few games.

and jalvarez82 had this to say: I regrettably sold mine a few years back. Had some good times with it. In the final weeks of owning, I spent most of the time listening to all the BGM with headphones cause I felt the sound chip was so good and so clear.

Remember, jalvarez82, theres always more Nomads in the sea. Thanks for the memories and photos!

Happy 14th Birthday Sega Nomad!

2009-10-01T07:01:00.001-04:00

In October, 1995, the US retail chain Toys R Us unleashed the most amazing portable gaming system in the world: the Sega Nomad.

Okay, it wasn't the greatest gaming system ever. It had a poor battery life and was roughly the size of a Disney VHS case (you know, the puffy white plastic ones). Despite some downfalls, it was and still is an awesome portable. No other official portable can play original home console games, and even recent Nomad imitators fail to offer all the features of the Sega Nomad. No other portable Genesis has a control port for 2-player gaming.

In celebration of the Sega Nomad's 14th anniversary I will be providing a variety of Nomad related articles here at the 'yard. Expect top ten lists, memories, speculation and, most exciting of all, a Nomad hardware review! Yes, that's right, the stack of Sega games and consoles that I always talk about being at my parent's house will be coming to their true home in just a week.

Happy birthday, little guy!

PlaySEGA Joypad Delayed

2009-09-27T13:46:00.003-04:00

Earlier this month Sega announced a special offer for those who became members of PlaySEGA: an awesome USB Saturn-style controller. PlaySEGA offers a unique mobile gaming experience, allowing members to sign in to almost any computer to play games from a large library of Genesis games, PlaySEGA exclusive games and level creators. Toss your USB controller in your bag and you've got a Sega gaming experience at any computer you use! Pretty awesome.

Unfortunatly, Sega has sent out an email informing members of the status of their controllers, originally due in mid-October. The email read:

We regret to inform you that due to a manufacturer delay your PlaySEGA Joypad will now not be shipped until mid November. To thank you for your patience with this setback, we will be extending your membership with a complimentary 20 days free of charge.

Additionally, as we are offering a promotional offer to our SEGA Pass subscribers for PlaySEGA, we are also adding an extra 25 days to your account so you do not miss out. Your 45 days free membership will be amended on your account automatically. You will not need to do anything, we will move back your next due date payment for you.

While it stinks that the controller has been delayed for a month, Sega is awesome for extending the membership for 45 days. This makes a normal three month membership a four and a half month membership! More time for me to perfect my Sonic level creating skills.

Let's REVIEW Let's Tap: Tap Runner

2009-09-25T08:45:00.012-04:00

It was only a week ago that I wrote about the recently announced Let's Tap games for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Now, a week later, both Tap Runner and Gem Game have been released. As Tap Runner was the defining game of the Wii version, producing the little clear jelly man that has become Prope's unofficial mascot, I decided to download it and give it a try on my iPod Touch. How does Naka's latest fare on a portable platform? Let's Review!

Tap Runner is one of five modes found on the original Wii, and to many is the standout game in the collection. Rather than releasing a more expensive iPod version of the complete Let's Tap, Prope is offering up each game at $3.99 each. This approach allows iPod owners and Let's Tap fans (I accidentally typed "Let's Fap" as a typo and it made me laugh) to pick and choose what games they wish to play at a lower price. Let's say you want to play the platforming and shooting games only. Well for $7.98, I can!

THE GAME:
Tap Runner is a racing game, pitting four translucent jelly-like men against each other. While running is the main method of reaching the goal, obstacles including trapeze wires, spring pads, crushers and hurdles will stand in their way. Running, walking and avoiding obstacles is done by tapping. To maintain a run the player must steadily tap at a medium weight, heavy taps cause the player to jump and light to little taps slow the player down. The game rightfully avoids telling the player what taps work the best in various situations, allowing for experimentation in the best ways to overcome traps and reach the goal. The full game includes 16 courses, each being unlocked when earlier courses are completed. With such a wide variety of obstacles and methods of propelling the runner, the game continues to be fresh even when the final course is played. One complaint: you are restricted to playing as the blue player, no player/color select screen precedes a race.

THE CONTROLS:
Obviously the make or break of this game is the controls. Unlike other iPod Touch games, Tap Runner utilizes vibrations picked up by tapping near the iPod. Unfortunately, when one is on their commute to work, they can't simply pull out a box and start tapping without looking like a crazy person. Thankfully Prope has provided three control options. Tap Style is similar to the original Wii control mode. The player sets their iPod on a box and adjusts the Tap Strength by tapping and reading the level meter. This is the most accurate mode and works quite well when played. It took a few failed games for me to find the proper taps, but once I got it right it worked rather well.

The second control mode is Touch Style which shows a bar on the bottom of the screen, ranging from light to heavy representing tap strength. Rather than picking up vibrations, the player uses touch controls along the bar, tapping on the left to run and the right to jump. This is the easiest of the three modes, and while it isn't a true tapping experience, it is perfect for playing while commuting and almost always wins a race. The third mode is Free Style, and from what I can tell is a much more sensitive Tap Style mode. The mode suggests players hold the device while tapping anywhere on the iPod, unfortunately the tap detection can be dodgy in this mode as there are too many variables in holding the device. I suggest the latter two modes for optimal playing- er, optimal tapping.

THE SOUND AND GRAPHICS:
The sound is first rate! Directly ripped from the Wii version. I'll admit I've sat through the title screen a few times to hear the Let's Tap theme. All the actions in runner game are supplied with suitable cartoony sound effects.

Graphics are bright and colorful. The runners are pre-rendered sprites and go through a variety of actions. The runner's courses are fully rendered in 3D, looking a bit like wire frame TRON architecture. The frame rate is consistent. There really isn't that much to complain about in the sound and graphics department. Very solid.

I would like to point out the one glaring mistake of the game:

THE RED AND GREEN RUNNERS ARE IN THE WRONG LANES!!!

Ahem, excuse me. Besides that, Let's Tap: Tap Runner is a solid port of the Wii game, taking advantage of the iPod's capabilities (for the most part). The only areas Tap Runner fails in is that Prope really could have implemented an online mode, allowing players to upload high scores and race against ghosts of other players runners. Here's hoping these modes are implemented in an update.

Overall a good game from Prope, recommended for Let's Tap fans and Sega fans looking for a new original iPod game.

Let's Tap on the iPhone!

2009-09-18T08:31:00.003-04:00

Why would Yuji Naka not put two and two together? He has Let's Tap on the Wii, and an iPhone division within Prope. Well thankfully Naka-san has put two and two together, and came up with Let's Tap for the iPhone and iPod Touch!

Unlike the Wii version, Let's Tap on the iPhone will be a series of games released as five individual apps for $3.99 each. This is a smart move from Prope, as rather than releasing a $10 to $15 title, they have allowed users to pick and choose what Let's Tap mini-games they wish to own. I personally plan to download Tap Runner (available now) and Bubble Voyager (coming October 9th). Other Let's Tap games include Gem Game (coming September 25th), Silent Blocks (coming October 2nd) and Rythem Tap (coming October 16th). Check out game descriptions and more videos at iPrope's website.

SEGA Anniversaries Ahoy!

2009-09-16T10:13:00.006-04:00

As 9-9-09 becomes a sweet memory, SEGA fans should not rest just yet. This year still holds three more noteworthy anniversaries:

October 14
The Dreamcast enjoys its 10th anniversary in Europe! The blue swirl will enjoy a spot of Twinnings as it blows out the candles.

October 15
The beloved Nomad turns 14 in October. While a specific date in October is difficult to find, as the Nomad was initially a Toys R Us exclusive, I thought I'd just throw a guess right down the middle.

November 22
The Saturn turns 15 as we celebrate the Japanese launch. As this is a special number, I decided to change up the Nomad Junkyard banner in celebration of the Saturn. Seagata Sanshiro!

Game Core 2009 - Nomad Edition

2009-09-14T08:49:00.010-04:00

THE NOMAD ON-THE-GO
This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Game Core 2009 convention which was just outside Philadelphia. My complete report of Game Core can be found at SEGA Nerds. While my Saturn-centric report can be found at The Saturn Junkyard. Despite two articles, that wasn't the complete report. Yes, I held off on a few Nomad related tidbits.

The convention was a mix of dealer tables and tournaments. There were also Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic card stuff going on, but I rightfully avoided those. The dealer tables were quite large and varied. I have never seen so many 32X's in one room. Speaking of unpopular SEGA hardware, the Nomad himself (not me, the handheld) was on show at quite a few tables!

The Nomad seen above was still in its lovely box, with an asking price of $80. Meanwhile, a open Nomad was below for the price of $60 with battery pack and a/c adaptor included. Not bad when you consider the high prices it goes for on ebay. Another dealer had an unstickered Nomad with a cracked screen. I'd assume that were I to haggle, I could get the system for $40 and buy a replacement screen on ebay.

Nomad games were in strong supply, both boxed and loose. I, however, didn't have the cash to pick up any as I already blew my allotted convention budget (and then come) on this:

Yes, I've already posted this photo on two other SEGA blogs, but I'm just so proud! A lovely white Saturn is finally mine after thirteen years. I also nabbed Sonic 3D Blast, one of the few Sonic games that I did not own. I had always assumed it was the same game as the Genesis version and boy was I wrong! The awesome soundtrack and kickass bonus stages make the game much more than the Sonic Flicky hybrid that the Geness version was. Metropolis Street Racer was my other game purchase. I had only played MSR during a long weekend back in 2001 when I rented the game from Blockbuster. It was bit challenging but was so damn sleek and polished. The real-time clock and Richard Jacques radio stations were also awesome additions. Finally I got a vinyl Dreamcast sticker for participating in the Crazy Taxi tournament. While I lost, placing second or third, I didn't miss out on much as the prize was a Wii accessory. Surly a Dreamcast racing wheel would have been a more fitting prize!

Another Genmobile Advert (it's still delayed)

2009-09-11T09:03:00.006-04:00

While we're a week past the pre-order date of the RetroGen, it is still delayed. And as we enter mid-September, the GenMobile is still at a pre-order status of "early September". My thoughts: CONSPIRACY. While developed by different companies, I suspect that Innex and Hyperkin are in fact SEGA operating as a covert hardware manufacturer. Why else would both be simultaneously delayed?

While I work out anagrams for "Innex and Hyperkin", take a look at this fancy advert for the RetroGen which includes a list of the preloaded games and a look at the color variations:

I've got it! "Innex and Hyperkin" is an anagram for "Die Prank Hex Ninny"!
Die = The (in German), Prank = practical joke, Hex = curse, Ninny = Nintendo.

"The practical joke curses Nintendo."

Folks, it's SEGA covertly making hardware to bring down Nintendo! I knew it.

The Dreamroom Aftermath

2009-09-10T10:55:00.002-04:00

It's 9-10-09! You know that that means? Dreamcast fans across the globe are tired and hungover. But the memories made were well worth it. My own celebration of the big 10, The Dreamroom, was a major success! Read all about it in my article at SEGA Memories.

Now that the Dreamcast celebrations have concluded, does that mean you'll see less of it here at the Nomad Junkyard? Possibly. I'll still be doing the occasional non-portable post, but will be shifting my focus more towards the Nomad and portable Genesis again. Who knows, once those friggin' Nomad clones see a release we might have a review of one here at the 'yard!

Hope everyone had a happy 9-9-09 and stay tuned to the Nomad Junkyard! Well, you can't really "tune" to a website, but you get what I mean.