Sega Cd Sega Classics Arcade Collection
Kerrie Gingrich
Shenmue was a landmark game from the mind of Yu Suzuki, the man responsible for classics such as Hang-On, Space Harrier, Out Run and After Burner. Set in the 1980's, the world of Shenmue features many of the classic games proposed in this project, so it is only fitting that the protagonist, Ryo Hazuki, be included!
Now, many Lego fans know that the minifigures are usually the most expensive pieces in a Lego set, so if this project passes review and Ryo is chosen as one of the minifigures, The Lego Group might decide to replace one of the other minifigures to keep the cost and price of the set down. If so, would you rather get the male or female Sega fan minifigure? Of course, this is not set in stone, but I don't want people to think that all four minifigures would be guaranteed.
I was planning something else for my next update, but it's not ready yet. I wanted to post something for the 9k milestone though so here's an idea I've kicking around that I probably should have made a long time ago to help promote the project:
New Hang-On build and new photos! I updated the base to be smoother and more durable. I also tried seeing what it would look like with stickers/printed parts. Unfortunately, this motorcycle piece doesn't have much room to add stickers to.
Work in progress build of Hang-On! Got tired of trying to build the motorcycle out of bricks, so am using this one. Doesn't look too bad, but there's no room for a screen! Bike tilts left and right, just like the arcade machine!
So I started with redesigning the screen area, because I felt it was important to use a tile for the screen which would allow it to be swapped out with different screenshots a lot easier (you could have different screenshots printed on different tiles). I also used the build technique I used on my Space Harrier cabinet to get rid of the gap below the marquee. This all changed the internal structure quite a bit and I basically had to redesign it almost completely.
It was all for the better though; I think you'd have a fun time putting this together because it is built in all directions! Yes, there's quite a bit of upside-down building here to get everything to fit in such a small space. So if you like intricate builds, you'll love this!
Big thanks to Brickset staffer, FlagsNZ, for showcasing this project for the second time on Brickset! No doubt a chunk of the new supporters came from Brickset because of this article. If you're into Lego, or are just getting into Lego, Brickset should be your number one stop on the web for Lego news. They've got some fantastic reviews and articles, plus you can track your collection there!
Sorry for the lack of updates on this project. I really do want to continue making actual updates, but other responsibilities have been keeping me from my hobbies. In my last update, I told you about how I had to move a couple of times. Well, the moving is finally done, but my second daughter was also born not too long ago! If you have kids, then you know what a handfull one child can be, let alone two children.
Unfortunately, my Lego is still all over the place in various boxes, but I did manage to pull out the original models for this project and snap a photo with the new Lego Dimensions Sonic the Hedgehog figure for a bit of fun (sorry for the lousy iPhone photo).You can also see how the models look without the stickers (the stickers were added digitally).
Have I worked on any new cabinets? Sadly, I haven't been able to work on much of anything Lego; I recently moved so all of my stuff is still packed, AND I'm probably going to move again within the next year. The next place should be permanent so I'll finally be able to unpack everything and get back to building.
I had a great time talking SEGA with one of the show's hosts, KC. HUGE thanks to RadioSEGA for having me on the show and helping getting the word out about this project! If you love SEGA games, please check out RadioSEGA and listen to some great SEGA music 24/7!
The only exception so far has been the Minecraft Lego set. It apparently was so popular/profitable that Lego decided to develop an entire Minecraft lineup. So please keep these points in mind, especially if you are going to support the project.
The upcoming Sega Classics Collection is a compilation of 10 classic games that have been enhanced for the PlayStation 2. It predictably makes for something of a mixed bag in the year 2005, because some of the games play as well today as they did when they were first released, while some of them weren't terribly good even then, thus making them just as bad today. And one or two of them have become, we're sorry to say, shadows of their former selves. For that reason, we'll talk about each game individually from here on out.
First released as an arcade game in 1986, OutRun is perhaps best known for two things: its killer soundtrack and the fact that it saw you driving an open-top Ferrari with a beautiful woman beside you. This PS2 remake of OutRun is definitely one of the games in the Sega Classics Collection that we've had the most fun with thus far. And while the new 3D vehicle models certainly can't be described as cutting edge, they represent a significant improvement over the sprites of 1986. The scenery, like that in the original game, is flat and repetitive, but roadside objects race past at such speed that you'll barely have time to notice. More noticeable, unfortunately, is the pop-up the game suffers from in certain places. Despite the fact that OutRun is a "retro" game, seeing large chunks of road and scenery suddenly materializing in front of you can be quite disconcerting, so it doesn't seem unreasonable to expect more from an updated version of a game that was first released almost 20 years ago.
If you played the Golden Axe arcade machine that was first released in 1989, you'll remember it featured three playable characters: a barbarian named Ax Battler, an Amazon named Tyris Flare, and a Viking dwarf named Gilius Thunderhead. As you walked from left to right, you'd be confronted by all manner of armor-clad and undead enemies, some of whom were riding mounts that you could climb onto yourself. The game's other most memorable feature, perhaps, was the inclusion of the small thieves who appeared and ran around the screen occasionally, dropping food and magic potions from their bags every time you hit them. The PS2 remake of Golden Axe replaces the original's 2D visuals with some pretty poor 3D ones, in addition to making all three mount types useless (for the most part), introducing some annoyingly unresponsive controls, and actually making the game struggle to maintain a healthy frame rate any time there are more than five or six characters onscreen. We should also point out that while the game does feature two-player support, we were able to take a solo Gilius Thunderhead all the way to the last level using only one move, his forward roll, during which he's practically invulnerable.
This popular 3D shooter, which challenges you to run, fly, and battle your way through 18 levels filled with obstacles and enemies, first appeared in arcades in 1985. Your objectives in the game were simple: shoot as much stuff as possible, avoid stationary objects, and avoid enemy bullets, fireballs, and missiles. The PS2 remake of Space Harrier boasts improved visuals and four difficulty settings, and, unlike some of the other titles included in the Sega Classics Collection, it plays about as well as we remember.
In case you're not familiar with Columns, which Sega first released in 1990, the game is basically a lot like Tetris, except all the blocks consist of three different-colored gems that are arranged in a vertical line. You can't rotate the blocks, but you can move the gems around (within the confines of their falling rectangles) as you attempt to create lines of three identical gems or more so that they disappear. In addition to the requisite "endless" gameplay mode that you can keep playing until your screen fills up and you have nowhere else to put any gems, the PS2 version of Columns boasts a versus mode for two players and a versus-CPU mode that will see you facing off against increasingly difficult enemies that you're introduced to in what we're loathed to call 2D cutscenes. The game also presents two different graphical styles in-game. One of them features updated (but still downright ugly) graphics from the original, while the other is a little easier on the eyes, since it's taken from the new versus-CPU mode.
Certainly one of the best games in the Sega Classics Collection, Alien Syndrome for the PS2 is an update of a game first released in 1987. Assuming the role of either Ricky or Marie (or both if you have two players), Alien Syndrome challenges you to rescue hostages aboard various spaceships that have been overrun by aliens. The game is played from a top-down perspective, and it features visuals that don't look nearly as out of place on the PS2 as most games on the compilation. Each level is played against a time limit, and as you explore each area while searching for hostages, you'll find plenty of varied weapons to try out, map screens that automatically pop up when you walk near them, and, of course, more than enough enemies to keep you busy. The dual analog control system (you use the left stick to move and the right stick to shoot in any direction) works very well, and the boss fights that we've played thus far, while not particularly challenging, have been enjoyable and varied.
This colorful side-scrolling shooter is an unchanged PS2 port of the original arcade game released in 1986, and it might very well be the result of a sordid union between R-Type and Rainbow Islands. The premise really couldn't be simpler: You fly around colorful levels in your Opa-Opa craft (which looks like a multicolored peanut M&M with wings) and shoot at everything that moves, including a number of larger enemies that you're required to kill before you can advance to the next level. Many of the enemies that you shoot will drop coins, which, when you see a red balloon with the word "Shop" written on it, you'll have the opportunity to spend on upgrading your craft's weapons and engines. Fantasy Zone proves surprisingly challenging at times, because the patterns that many of the enemies follow aren't nearly as predictable as they first appear, and the bosses are certainly a lot tougher than they look.
c80f0f1006