t1z4l

Sega and Don Quijote announced the release of three new men’s t-shirts based on the Sega Genesis (or Mega Drive in Japan and Europe,) Sega Saturn, and Dreamcast classic console systems. Each T-shirt will cost 2,199 yen (or about $14.61) and will be available in sizes L and XL.

The t-shirts will be limited edition only available on Don Quijote stores throughout Japan, and will release on March 29, 2025 sequentially from 9am JST. From what has been shown in the preview images, it seems like all T-shirts will only be available in black. They feature the logo of the console as a small icon on the left side of the chest, with a bigger version of the same graphic appearing on the back. Additionally, a sticker of the corresponding console logo illustration will be included with each purchase.

Fans of classic Sega console systems can find a variety of nostalgic merchandise goods in Japan, such as a set of wireless earphones designed to look like the Sega Genesis and Dreamcast consoles and controllers, alongside other goods released on December 2023. The Sega Saturn ed the aforementioned collection on December 2024.

The Don Quijote Sega Genesis (Mega Drive,) Sega Saturn, and Dreamcast t-shirts cost 2,199 yen (~$14.61) each. They will begin appearing in Japan from March 29, 2025.

The post Sega Genesis, Saturn, and Dreamcast Shirts Head to Don Quijote appeared first on Siliconera.

Both as a console maker and afterward as a third-party publisher, SEGA has released a lot of JRPGs. From the likes of Phantasy Star all the way up to the modern age of Like A Dragon, the distinct and varied library of SEGA JRPGs is one well-worth exploring. For those looking to dive into the classics, we've got a selection of some of the best retro SEGA JRPGs for you to enjoy.

Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium 33cm

SEGA's first big RPG franchise was Phantasy Star. The first game was among the earliest JRPGs to get released outside of Japan and is one of the Master System's best games. Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium, meanwhile, closed out the franchise's SEGA Genesis era with style. The unusual sci-fi setting, cool manga-style cut-scenes, and fast-paced battle system come together to form one of the best retro SEGA JRPGs a person could ask for.

Defenders of Oasis 5i725t

For a handheld console of its era, the Game Gear had quite a few strong RPGs released on it. Several of them saw releases in the West, and it's Defenders of Oasis that carried the traditional JRPG banner among that bunch. Another JRPG that opted to on a typical fantasy setting, Defenders of Oasis instead is based on the classic Arabian Nights setting. A heroic prince must save his people from an evil force, all with the help of a mighty Jinn. A truly spell-binding adventure, and there isn't much else out there like it.

Shining Force III 6r1n17

The Shining Force games have always had one foot in the tactical turn-based RPG genre and the other in the tradition JRPG framework. This SEGA Saturn release is actually three games, but only one of them saw official release outside of Japan. The idea was to show the events of the story from multiple perspectives. Each scenario can be played as its own game, but when you combine them you get something genuinely epic. Easily one of the best retro SEGA JRPGs, and one that needs a rerelease badly.

Panzer Dragoon Saga 303b28

Shifting the SEGA Saturn's most famous rail shooter into a JRPG was a gutsy move, but it's one that paid off for Panzer Dragoon Saga. Panzer Dragoon's setting always felt like it extended beyond the borders of those shooters, and Saga allowed players to fully explore it. You'll travel the world on foot and on the back of your dragon. The battle system blends turn-based strategy and action in a very unique way. One more outstanding SEGA Saturn RPG that desperately needs to find its way back to the market again.

Shining in the Darkness 6i1i21

This is the game that kicked off the Shining series. Shining in the Darkness is an excellent dungeon crawling JRPG with challenging turn-based combat. You'll want to bring some graph paper with you, as its mazes can be difficult to navigate without a map. Whether you make your own maps or borrow them, it's worth the extra effort. Learning the dungeon layouts while slowly increasing the capabilities of your party proves to be a compelling concoction. The later Saturn sequel is also worth checking out, if you can.

Let us know what your favorite retro SEGA JRPG is below!

The post The Best Retro SEGA JRPGs appeared first on Siliconera.

Onkyo announced the release of new wireless earphones with motifs inspired by the Sega Genesis and Dreamcast consoles. T-shirts and acrylic stands with the same Sega Genesis and Dreamcast motifs be available as well. [Thanks, Game Watch!]

Sales for the new Sega Genesis and Dreamcast earphones and merchandise starts on December 22, 2023. The items will be available from the Onkyo Direct online store, and the Onkyo Direct Akihabara store in Tokyo, Japan.

The wireless earphones are the model -TWS01A, and they cost 15,500 yen (or about $109) each. In addition, Onkyo will also sell Sega Genesis and Dreamcast wireless chargers for 4,400 yen (~$31) each. The Sega Genesis and Dreamcast acrylic stands cost 1,200 yen (~$8,) and the T-shirts cost 4,000 yen (~$28).

The headphone case is designed after the consoles themselves, and the Sega Genesis earbuds feature the 16-bit and console logo. Meanwhile, the Dreamcast model earbuds are designed to look like the console’s controller. The earphones feature the startup and system sounds of each console.

You can take a better look at the new Sega Genesis and Dreamcast earphones and merchandise here:

Onkyo previously announced NieR Automata collaboration earphones on March 2022, and most recently VR collaboration goggles with motifs from the NieR Automata Ver1.1a anime adaptation.

The Onkyo Sega Genesis and Dreamcast -TWS01A earphones cost 15,500 yen (~$109) and will be available from the Onkyo Direct online store and Akihabara store from December 22, 2023.

The post New Wireless Earphones Look Like a Sega Genesis and Dreamcast appeared first on Siliconera.

The Mega Drive Mini 2 is an interesting little device, offering a new slate of Sega Genesis and Sega CD classics that reaches a little further into the library than the first one. We've already seen some of the titles revealed! But there's a lot more to go. What game do you want to see the most? Here are our picks.

Know what would be cool? If the Mega CD version of Shin Megami Tensei showed up on the Mega Drive Mini 2. I know it is probably more unlikely than some other games. Not to mention the game is more strongly associated with the Super Famicom. But that version did get extra demons! Like, you know, Skuld, Urd, and Verdandi. That’s pretty neat! — Jenni

I don't have much connection to the Mega Drive/Genesis, being one of the "Nintendo kids" of my elementary school. Still, I did look with some envy on the Sega CD games that the Sega kids would brag about. Among them were the crop of more "mature", cinematic titles that used FMV and other fancy-pants techniques of the day, like Night Trap. It would be fascinating to be able to play a game that helped launch a moral panic in its day on a machine that somewhat resembles the original hardware of the time.

That being said, Night Trap is already available outside the Sega CD, so barring that, I'd ask for that console's version of Snatcher. — Josh

While Sega has done a great job of slapping Genesis games on any hardware it can access, the CD stuff's a bit tougher to come by. Especially the rare releases! So why not bring on the fun and quirky Keio Flying Squadron? One of the few super-Japanese games of the era to not get a total overhaul in the West, it's a game we could enjoy even if the title (or console itself) doesn't see a Western release. Many other gems are a lot more text-heavy. — Graham

What Mega Drive Mini 2 games do you want to see? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter! And read our other handy roundtables for more thoughts from the Siliconera team.

The post What Mega Drive Mini 2 Games Do You Want? appeared first on Siliconera.

30 years ago this week, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System launched in North America, setting off the console wars and producing loads of memorable games. We’re fans of RPGs around here, and the generation was great for them! But what are the best 16-bit RPGs the generation had to offer? These are our selections. Let us know yours!

A game doing something different can really make it stand out and hold up longer than its peers. That's how I feel about Secret of Mana, an action-RPG that really set itself apart with its cooperative play. Sure, the combat is engaging, and the world is colorful and fun! But it wouldn't have burrowed its way so deeply into my heart without the experiences playing through with friends.

Each of the party feels markedly different to play, and boss battles require you to consider tactics and divide responsibilities. It's nice that we got its sequel, Trials of Mana, in English after all this time! But its broader ambitions mean Secret delivers a tighter, smarter experience. — Graham

Phantasy Star IV blew my mind as a child, especially since I came to it immediately after being a bit frustrated by Phantasy Star II and III. I loved the connections and references to past games. I adored how it maintained some fantasy elements, but was fully futuristic. The idea of going to multiple planets and exploring them in order to accomplish goals tickled me. Plus, as a kid very into comic books, a narrative presented in s was right up my alley.

It felt like it dared to be different. I appreciated that. — Jenni

Though anyone who knows me would be expecting an answer containing the words 'Final' and 'Fantasy,' I'm going to subvert expectations and say tri-Ace's Star Ocean. It was one of the first 16-bit RPGs I had the pleasure of playing, and I remain speechless when considering how this single title would lead to so many more memorable games to come. Being able to alter how the game ends through my interactions with other characters was mind-blowing. And the music, composed by Motoi Sakuraba of Valkyrie Profile fame, is also one of my favorite early gaming soundtracks. — Carley

There's nary a 16-bit RPG that, to me, exceeds Final Fantasy VI. Then known only as Final Fantasy III, it was the RPG that got me into games that were about more than beating up thugs as while walking across the screen. Even decades later, the game's biggest moments still resonate and feel novel. The big opera scene was also unforgettable. — Josh

What do you consider to be the best 16-bit RPGs? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter! And read our other handy roundtables for more thoughts from the Siliconera team.

The post What Are The Best 16-Bit RPGs? appeared first on Siliconera.

Today is the 10th anniversary of the ing of ‘The King of Pop’ Michael Jackson, and a new interview with some developers who worked with him on games like Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker and Space Channel 5 has been published in memory of him. [Thanks, DenFamiNicoGamer!]

Here are the highlights:

Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker

• Roppyaku Tsurumi was the planner and director of Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker, after the role fell into his hands when the original person who suggested the idea (Yutaka Sugano, who directed Shinobi and Crackdown) was reassigned to Sega of America. The idea for the game originated from SoA discussing making a Japanese game with a worldwide IP.

• According to Tsurumi, both the arcade and Genesis versions of Moonwalker were developed in parallel, reaching production milestones around the same time. The two teams, with one in Sega in Japan and the other at SoA, shared information, but ended up making two different games in the final product. For the arcade version that Tsurumi headed, the team was full of mostly new staff for which Moonwalker was their first developed game. This was also Tsurumi’s first time heading a game project.

• Sega of America provided a general schedule of production progress deadlines, and in an unusual move, had already signed a contract with Michael Jackson. Usually, they’d progress to a certain point and get approval from management before g the deal.

• Michael Jackson loved video games, and Sega in particular, so he personally checked and greenlighted the concept and image board for the game. Tsurumi recounts reading many faxes from Jackson’s manager, which would all start with, “Mr. Jackson says…”, and providing direct from the pop star. included that apart from the ultimate final boss, the enemies should not die. This included dogs as well. Surprisingly, he didn’t make many changes to the game graphically.

• The voice clips were recorded by Jackson himself, and despite Tsurumi and the team requesting only around 40-50 voice clips, Jackson sent in an hour’s worth of exclamations, shocking the development team. Sadly, with the lack of interest in preservation common back then, the voice material has been lost. Tsurumi recalls that it was his mischievous idea to add Jackson’s voice at the highest volume when coins were inserted into the arcade machine, in order to startle the player.

• Michael Jackson also had input on concepts added to Moonwalker. For example, in the final scene, he turns into a spaceship, which originated from his suggestion of adding such a scene during the final stage. He also asked to change into a giant robot like in the movie, but as that would break the gameplay, Tsurumi’s team compromised by having Robot Michael grow large for a moment then shrink back down during gameplay.

• Tsurumi said that Michael kept an open and generous attitude, saying things like “That’s just how games are.” In one case, the team realized that a certain robot enemy that looked like a penis thrusting in and out had somehow made it through prior checks, halfway into finalizing the ROM. (Ironically, it was even nicknamed ‘penis robot’ among the team.) While scrambling to make some minor changes, the team were worried as to whether they should keep it in, as rating boards with guidelines didn’t exist yet. They asked Michael, and MJ ended up giving approval, saying that they shouldn’t leave it out.

• After Michael Jackson’s death, Tsurumi watched the documentary This Is It, and it made him realize that this was just how Jackson was, exactly just as the title said.

Space Channel 5

Michael Jackson also played a prominent cameo in Space Channel 5, and then-development team head Tetsuya Mizuguchi also talked about working together with Michael.

• After some Sega staff showed a demo video of gameplay to Michael Jackson, Michael immediately said he wanted to appear in it, and soon Mizuguchi got a call saying that ‘Michael wants to be in the game.’ Mizuguchi went, “Wait, which Michael?”

• That said, it was one month before the deadline, so Mizuguchi opted to have Michael Jackson play a bigger role in Part 2. As for Part 1, Mizuguchi asked if Michael would accept only appearing as one of the people being forced to dance by the Morolians, and Michael said, “Oh, okay!”.

• The first takes Michael Jackson sent over weren’t excited-sounding enough, and Mizuguchi had to send samples of the general tone of the voicework, and the second takes ended up being used in the game.

Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker was released in arcades and on Sega Genesis. Space Channel 5 released on Sega Dreamcast.

The post Moonwalker And Space Channel 5 Devs Working With Michael Jackson At Sega appeared first on Siliconera.

Panorama Cotton, the third game in the Cotton series for the Sega Mega Drive that was never released overseas, has gotten an English fan translation by Malias.

Instead of the usual horizontal shmup gameplay, this “cute ‘em up” instead plays like Space Harrier, where Cotton flies into the foreground. The game is also notably more psychadelic than the other games.

Check out some more screenshots below:

You can find a link to the translation patch here.

Panorama Cotton was originally released for the Sega Mega Drive.

The post Space Harrier-Esque Cute ‘Em Up Panorama Cotton Gets English Fan Translation appeared first on Siliconera.

Hack n’ slash sidescroller Tanzer takes players on a wild journey across time, having them face monstrous beasts in the Wild West, Ancient Rome, the era of piracy, and more.

Various monstrous creatures mean to stop the player’s journey in Tanzer. From living chuck wagons to hostile hanged men to colossal skeleton sheriffs, players will need to cut down an endless array of surreal foes. They’ll be doing this using a six way slash that lets them attack in multiple directions, as well as a triple jump that will help them stay in the air and build up combos. They will also gain gold that will let them unlock transmutation abilities that will help them defeat even more foes quickly.

The eight stage game (with some optional side routes and secrets to find along the way) will be released on physical cartridges for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. These will be created in four variants designed for several regions (Japan, US, Europe, and Brazil).

Tanzer is currently raising development funding on Kickstarter.

The post Tanzer Is Time-Travelling Sidescroller Of Battling Demonic Chuck Wagons & Evil Sheriffs appeared first on Siliconera.

A lone hunter must step into a winding, labyrinthine crypt while on the hunt for Dracula’s treasure, but he isn’t the only vampire lying in wait in its depths in dungeon crawler Crypt of Dracula.

Crypt of Dracula tasks players with steadily finding their way through the various floors of a crypt, finding tools, treasures, and treachery under the earth. Players can expect danger in many vampiric forms as they explore as well, meeting characters like Orlok from Nosferatu. However, fighting a vampire isn’t just a matter of trading blows with whatever weapon the player happens to have, but must instead have a set number of stakes if they hope to take down the vampires in their path.

Crypt of Dracula is being developed for the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Genesis, and will be produced on actual cartridges for the system when the game is completed.

Crypt of Dracula is currently in development, with a Kickstarter beginning sometime soon.

The post Crypt Of Dracula Is A Vampire-Hunting Dungeon Crawler Coming To The Sega Genesis appeared first on Siliconera.

Xeno Crisis aims to recreate the look and feel of classic Sega games alongside its top-down shooter action, bringing the whole package to players through Sega Mega Drive and Sega Genesis cartridges, as well as CD-based releases for the Sega Dreamcast.

Xeno Crisis drops players inside a procedurally-generated labyrinth of alien foes and hostages, tasking them with shooting their way through hordes of enemies while seeing who they can rescue. Players will need to stay on the move, not just due to the number of foes, but also because their weapons all have limited ammo, requiring players constantly grab new guns to stay in the fight. Players are able to use a rolling dodge to get out of danger as they look for a gun, but they’ll want to grab new firearms quickly.

Xeno Crisis gives players three continues to reach the end of its five areas, with running out of health bringing players to the continue screen. They can avoid that by having a second player the fray, making battle easier but also reviving the dead character by having the surviving player walk safely to another room. However, things get a little more difficult because players will be sharing the ammo pickups that enemies drop, meaning they’ll need to take a bit more care with their shots.

Rocket launchers, vulcan blasters, lasers, and a handful of other guns give players a varied arsenal to battle with. Players can also customize their character with upgrades purchased with dog tags enemies drop, allowing them to change their powers to better suit their play style.

Xeno Crisis is currently raising funding on Kickstarter, with a projected release for the roms and cartridges/cds in October 2018 alongside the 30th anniversary of the Mega Drive’s launch in Japan.

The post Xeno Crisis Is A New Top-Down Shooter Coming To Mega Drive, Genesis, Dreamcast appeared first on Siliconera.

Sacred Line Genesis Remix, a kinetic novel adaptation of the 2013 Sega Genesis/Mega Drive game Sacred Line Genesis, has released its horror storyline onto Steam.

Sacred Line Genesis Remix stars Ellen, a private detective about to close her business. On her final day, she gets a call that takes her out to a hidden forest outpost, one that will lead her on a case from her nightmares.

Sacred Line Genesis was digitally released in 2013, with a release on Genesis/Mega Drive Cartridges following that in 2015. Sacred Line Genesis Remix is a simplified version of that release, featuring only the normal ending and a kinetic novel style for PC. 

The post Sacred Line Genesis Remix Is A Kinetic Horror Novel Originally For Sega Genesis appeared first on Siliconera.

Piko Interactive has announced that it’s localizing the previously Taiwan-exclusive Sega Genesis and Mega Drive beat ‘em up Shui Hu Feng Yun Zhuan under the new title of Water Margin – The Tales of Clouds and Winds (via Retro Maniac).

It was originally released by Never Ending Soft Team in 1996 and then re-released in 1999. It’s similar to games such as Golden Axe in that there are three playable characters and you fight back waves of enemies with swords and magic. However, it’s set in ancient China.

Shui Hu Feng Yun Zhuan has become notorious among bootleggers for its use of assets from other games, including voice samples from Streets of Rage, graphics from Street Fighter II, and the sound driver from High Seas Havoc.

Piko Interactive has wisely taken at least some of these unlicensed assets out of Water Margin – The Tales of Clouds and Winds as can be seen by comparing the video above with this one of the original Taiwanese game. Other than that, and localizing and fixing a couple of bugs, nothing else will be changed.

Also, Piko Interactive recently acquired Sega Genesis cases so copies of Water Margin should be sold in these once the game is ready, giving it that authentic presentation.

The post Previously Taiwan-Exclusive Sega Genesis Beat ‘Em Up Is Being Localized For The West appeared first on Siliconera.

Cinemaware originally made Sega Genesis action-shooter It Came From the Desert back in 1990 but never actually released it. Now, thanks to a collaboration with WaterMelon, the team behind Pier Solar and the Great Architects, it will finally be released for the Genesis in 2015.

It will be a full physical limited edition release titled “It Came From the Desert™: The Action Game – Extended Cut” which will have a case with a slipcover, a manual, a cartridge, and a mini-poster.

This new version of It Came From the Desert also has additional content that wasn’t included in the free ROM released for emulators 10 years ago. This includes a new intro sequence, new cutscenes, a new ending sequence, and an ambiguous “additional gameplay elements.”

It Came From the Desert follows a teenage pest controller who has to save his girlfriend and the town of Lizard Breath from a giant ant invasion. So, yes, it’s an all-out B-movie of an action-shooter. You’ll be able to pre-order the game on its website in 2015.

The post Pier Solar Devs Helping To Bring Out A 24-Year-Old Sega Genesis Shooter In 2015 appeared first on Siliconera.

Those of you who grew up playing the Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis may how fierce the competition was between the two during the 16-bit era. While Sega aren’t part of the hardware market anymore, they have plenty to look back to in celebration of their 30th anniversary. Famitsu ed in on the celebration in a fairly recent interview with Masami Ishikawa, known for deg the Sega Genesis and earlier consoles.

Masami Ishikawa serves in a managerial position at Sega’s research and development division. He entered the company in 1979, prior to their entry into the home console market in 1982, then began his work on hardware starting with the SG-1000 II (pictured above), followed by the Sega Mark III and the Master System.

Upon the completion of developing the Master System, Sega appointed him to work on the company’s first 16-bit console, the Sega Genesis.

“Yes, the designs for the graphics parts had already begun, and we had an issue regarding the cost, as it was quite a late stage when he had decided on the main U would be the 68000 (Motorola 68000 processor),” Ishikawa reminisces. “The reason we used two Us was because we believed that the load would be too heavy, had we used one to handle both sound and visuals. Due to that reason, we used the Z-80 as a sub-U to handle the sound, which reduced the load on the main U while maintaining compatibility.

“What became the base of the board was the one that was already being used for arcades, with the addition of the 68000 and Z-80 on the System 16. There was a time when it was said to make it 16-bit if we wanted to take a big step for home consoles,” says Ishikawa.

A couple years after the release of the Sega Genesis, the company had released a CD-ROM drive add-on device called the Sega CD, which was mainly created as a way to expand the size of games using discs.

“Originally, it wasn’t designed to play CD-ROMs,” Ishikawa shares. “Even so, the main focus was to increase its capacity. The Sega CD had the DSP (Digital Signal Processor) implemented into it, which provided operational processing abilities of scaling graphics. The functional inspections needed a huge lapping board, so moving it was always troublesome.

He continues, “We also had trouble with the random access. On top of having games being interrupted when the reading was slow, the capacity of data the RAM cartridge could read at once was low. It came to a point where we had to focus on increasing the speed of the random access. We went through some significant hurdles just to increase its performance,  but thanks to having been able to increase the data capacity, we were able to create a nice RPG and were also able to expand our games.”

Sega then released the Sega 32X shortly after in 1994. It was made to be another add-on the Sega Genesis; however, it did not sell as well as they had hoped, as it was around that time that the consumers were anticipating the succeeding console, Sega Saturn, along with Sony’s PlayStation. According to Ishikawa, it didn’t perform as well as they had expected, but it was a nice learning lesson during the time where they had began thinking in of polygons.

Famitsu concludes the interview by asking Ishikawa what kind of business he’s been involved in lately.

“I’m currently doing my best at Sega’s N Pro research and development section, where we are currently working on arcade games and new products. The ‘N’ stands for ‘New’ and ‘Next’ so I’d like to be able to deliver some news regarding the Sega Genesis in the near future.”

The post Sega’s Original Hardware Developer Talks About The Company’s Past Consoles appeared first on Siliconera.

Hyperkin are a videogame peripheral company founded in 2009 that offer add-ons to consoles such as cheaper controllers, memory cards and 18-in-1 DS accessory kits. They also manufacture their own retro consoles. Two of these include a portable Genesis system and the Retro Twin Video Gaming System, which plays NES and Super Nintendo cartridges.

Their latest system, the RetroN3, however, adds Genesis . It costs about $70, so if you've amassed a giant collection of older games and / or don't own a Wii, you now have a way to play them. The system comes with two wireless controllers, but also has two original controller ports on board for each system it s. Just keep in mind the system only s S-video and composite AV inputs.

Hyperkin plan to launch the RetroN3, which they say was developed through and suggestions they received from consumers, officially at E3 this year.

The post RetroN3 NES, SNES And Genesis Compatible Console To Launch At E3 appeared first on Siliconera.