Sega's 3D Ages Remake Series Rated

Thanks to 1UP for their feature reviewing the Sega 3D Ages remake series for PlayStation 2. Unfortunately, it appears "the games aren't coming to the US; this is import-only stuff", but the budget price (2500 yen, or "$25 to $30 for US buyers" via import stores) may still attract nostalgists hunkering for updated versions of Space Harrier ("the textbook example of how to remake a game: improve the things that need improving, highlight the good bits, and sell it for a song"), Monaco GP ("It's as fun as it is dumb, and it's really dumb"), Phantasy Star Generation 1 ("a decent remake of a fantastic game"), and, well, maybe not Golden Axe ("A slap in the face to fans.")

Virtua Racing

[Apreche]

Hey Sega! You're remaking all the wrong games. I want Virtua Racing back!

If anyone knows where a Virtua Racing 2 machine is, tell me, I'm dying to play it again.

Re:Virtua Racing

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

You're the guy who after a friend shows you the cool product they just bought, you call them up a week later and let them know you saw it priced for significantly less than they paid or found a better model that was at or below what they paid. You're not helping anyone by doing that and usually just annoying people!

Re:Virtua Racing

[simoniker]

Also, good news - a Virtua Racing remake is in the third batch of Sega Ages 3D titles - GameSpot has hands-on impressions [gamespot.com] - yay. I used to play the original arcade machine a heck of a lot, so it's pretty tempting.

Monaco GP?!

[mrshowtime]

C'mon! Monaco GP?! I though it was a joke at first. Fuck, why not "redo" TURBO while they are at it! Fantasy Zone (best shooter ever) needs a real sequel too. Golden Axe? Eh, I have played that type of game a bazillion times now and now that I have Gladius I can't go back to hack and slash anymore.

Nice try... just a little too late....

[imperator_mundi]

Of course the targets of these remakes are the old school player, don't think the palyer of the newest generations will lose they sleep for Space Harrier or Golden Axe... well the point is that any player who ever had a nostalgic crisis already got and installed Mame [mame.net] or just another emulator [system16.com] out of the zillions available on the net...

of course there's the rom's IP issue... but well, I can't really figure out how many people would erase the rom of Golden Axe and buy the "slap in the face" PS2 remake.

Re:Nice try... just a little too late....

[simoniker]

It's worth pointing out that the remakes are _somewhat_ enhanced - for example, Space Harrier has been converted to 3D and has proper 3D explosions, etc.

But I think I'd prefer to get lots of good emulated versions on one disc than one 'updated' version - see Midway's Arcade Treasures [gamespot.com] for an excellent-looking emulation-based compilation I'm really looking forward to.

Re:Nice try... just a little too late....

[Saige]

I'm picking up the Treasures for my Gamecube, even though I already have all those games for MAME on my PC. The ability to play them on a TV, with stereo sound, and a group of friends, that's just going to be too good to pass up. I am seriously looking forward to 4 player Gauntlet sessions. I must admit to being very disappointed they left Gauntlet 2 off though.

Now, perhaps Midway should try redoing some of their best games Sega Ages style, keeping the game intact and just making it look better. After

Re:Nice try... just a little too late....

[Guppy06]

I wouldn't have bought a Genesis and all four Phantasy Star games if I hadn't first discovered Phantasy Star on Meka. I can't say much about the other games in the Sega Ages series, but I believe that the remake of Phantasy Star is definately worth the 2500 yen price tag, even in the age of emulators.

The gap

[MMaestro]

Hmm... Amount of data a PS2 DVD disc can hold vs old Sega Master System and Sega Genesis capabilities... Anyone not seeing the potential to cram another twenty or so games in there?

genres

[zenintrude]

In fact, it's an interesting game to play nowadays, since nothing quite like it is out there anymore; the 3D rail shooter is not a genre that's boomed over the years. (Rez and Panzer Dragoon Orta, the only other entries in recent memories, are also Sega products.)

Space Harrier is hardly an rail shooter, as you move around your character and not mearly your targeting area. This fundimental difference makes Space Harrier an offensive game where as rail shooters are largely a defensive affair. The only game(

Phantasy Star G1

[Joe Tie.]

I bought a ps2 for little reason other than to play this game - and I consider it money well spent. I was a big fan of the original series, but the online installments left me nostalgic for the characters and story of the first four (or 14, whatever) games. Some of the changes I've found a bit odd, but all in all I'm loving it. Though it helps that one of my friends speaks Japanese and is interested enough in PS to be willing to translate as we play.

Space Harrier

[FauxReal]

There was a sequel to Space Harrier at a local arcade... you could sit down in it and it could also be played w/ two players on the screen at the same time. They had different characters with items as weapons... such as an electric guitar. It had a lock on missile system too I think. Anyway... it was pretty fun and I wish I remembered the name of it.

Re:Space Harrier

[zenintrude]

Planet Harrier.

One character was a rock star with a guitar, the other was a nurse with a hypodermic needle. And you thought N20 was the only shooter with drug references...