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  • Various Info on PSO, SA2, and Samba De Amigo!

    Samba De Amigo Version. 2000 was released for the Dreamcast yesterday in Japan, with many new songs and modes, such as a "dance" mode, where you have to dance with the maracas. They've also created this brand new desktop wallpaper on their site for the occasion, download it: 1280*1024 (1250KB) or 800*600 (470KB)


    Phantasy Star Online has been reviewed by Famitsu Weekly of Japan, given a 37/40 mark, with a Platinum award, here is what those wacky Japanese said about the game, thanks to DC.IGN.COM:

    1ST GUY: If you can handle the price of the phone system and the game itself, you should definitely buy it. Simply communicating over the system is fun. It's possible to chat in real-time without any stress. When you're in the room, you can become a new person. I felt like there were wonderful possibilities! When you play off-line, it's an average action-RPG. - SCORE: 9

    2ND GUY: You can play the game off-line single-player. However, you can go on-line to play as your own character. You can defeat your enemies, share the items you earn, and cooperate with your buddies via the chat mode. It's fun to experience the adventure with real-life people. If you dare to give candid advice, there may be some problem in cooperation. - SCORE: 9

    3RD GUY: The underlying system is fairly simple. As you defeat enemies, your player's level slowly goes up. Single-player mode gets tiring. Why do the multi-player modes become so interesting? Talking with people while you fight is too much fun! You can't feel any time-lag, either. People who are connected to the net will want to try it. - SCORE: 9

    4TH GUY: This is the first really complete consumer network game, and I applaud its perfection. You can enjoy the game with people you've never seen before, or play the game by yourself thanks to the decent gameplay system. It feels more like Diablo, but the game really shines because of the Yuji Naka touch. - SCORE: 10


    SegaWeb have recently had the pleasure of watching both a new SA2 video, and a PSO video, heres the link. This is what they concluded:

    SA2

    • A new character seemed to exist. He appeared to have Knuckles' skills, such as climbing and flying, but this character was white. Super Knuckles, perhaps?
    • A robot character, much like E-102 was seen in the footage. This robot was playable, and was racking up insane combos with its laser.

    PSO

    • Sonic Team did not really demonstrate the online play from the game; they focused mainly on the interface and the single-player gameplay
    • To summarize: It kicks ass ^__^
    • Sonic Team guided the character from the outdoor areas to the main lobby section, which allowed for a great demonstration of the games menu interface.
    • The Menus are VERY important to this RPG's Gameplay, if you don't know Japanese, don't bother importing :)
    • everything in Phantasy Star Online seems to be customizable. The character was shown equipping armor and weaponry, and it looked like he not only was able to select from a truckload of items, but he was also able to alter the color/designs of the items themselves.
    • Sonic Team then showed off the motion capture from the game, and how it played a key role in making Phantasy Star Online's characters more lifelike. They also displayed several icons that exist in the chat features of Phantasy Star Online, among them being Doraemon symbols (A fat, blue cat with a magic pocket.. also it has no ears :), NiGHTS symbols and Sonic symbols. Perhaps these are Sonic Team's versions of smileys? :)
    • Sonic Team apparently wants to make Phantasy Star Online have date-specific downloads. Much like Sonic Adventure had its Christmas Square, Sonic Team wants Phantasy Star Online to have a special graphical alteration done to it on Dec. 25, three days after it is released.

    The Super Sonic Zone has reported although Famitsu gave PSO a 37/40 rating, Famitsu Dreamcast, it's sister magazine, gave it a perfect 30/30! The game will come out around about the 27th of January in the US, and about a month after for the PAL release.

    More Sonic Shuffle Reviews and Movies!

    Both SEGAWeb and Daily Radar have recently reviewed the latest Sonic Game, Sonic Shuffle. Unfortunately, like DCIGN, Segaweb gives it a very poor score, 4.5/10. However, Daily Radar gave it a HIT Rating, which is the rating below their highest. I believe www.videogames.com have a review and fan reviews, but they seem to be down […]

    New Samba De Amigo Wallpaper!

    Over the past few days of the SonicTeam Fall festival, SonicTeam have added 2 new Samba De Amigo v.2000 Wallpaper designs for the public. The first is A Samba and his SISTER (I thought it was a love interest?!) on a Barbie Pink Background, the second shows what the new "Dance" mode goes like, on how you have to move your maracas around, not just pose.

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    1280x1024 BMP File (1282KB)

    800x600 BMP File (470KB)

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    1280x1024 BMP File (1282KB)

    800x600 BMP File (470KB)

    Source: Sonicteam Fall Festival

    SEGA Japans Sonic Shuffle Page up!

    SEGA Japan have opened a small site deticated to Sonic Shuffle. Although fully Japanese, a translator like E-lingo will do the trick. Unfortunately, it doesn't tell us much more new, It Only tells of 4 characters (Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy, it doesn't even mention big) and the storyline doesn't say much.

    SEGA Japan Sonic Shuffle Page

    NEW SA2 PICS: DR. EGGMAN!

    ?

    Dr. Eggman stands in front of a mysterious terminal. Can it be...Eggman is fighting with the enemy !? But why?

    The Latest Pictures Have Emerged! EGGMAN! And from the looks of that Second picture, he might be some sort of Playable Character! (I doubt they'd have some power up like that)

    also (THEROY TIME) The first picture looks kinda like a comet. And the Sonic "Clone" seems to be black. Is it just me, or does this look like it's gonna be a Spiderman/Venom type Story? :)

    Crazy mustache and round glasses...can only mean that diabolical scientist of evil, Dr. Eggman is back! Could it be that our leader of evil who's primary mission has been to stump the heroic efforts of Sonic... is engaged in a battle with the enemies? Check it out!

    The Latest SA2 pictures are in!

    The Latest Sonic Adventure 2 Pictures are out! Knuckles finally gets his turn, i what looks kind of like Red Mountain.

    With the wide variety of playable characters...the charm of Sonic Adventure is back! Characters intertwine behind the scenes to reveal another Sonic epic. Our story would not be complete without the undisputed guardian of the Master Emerald, Knuckles the Echidna.

    Amigo and Amiga, Sitting in a tree..

    The USA Samba De Amigo page has added some new Samba De Amigo wallpaper for your downloading pleasure, which includes faces of all the characters from Samba De Amigo 2000, Including the new monkey girl, and also shows us her name, AMIGA! (oo, what a original name eh? ^_^ Its also an old console :P) Download:

    1280x1024 version

    800x600 version

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    On top of that, they have created Brand new Game/Clocks! Now which include Sonic Adventure 2, Chu Chu Rocket, and Phantasy Star Online (To the left is the SA2 one) All have 2 pictures each and can become puzzle games via the menu.

    Sonic Adventure 2 Clock

    Chu Chu Rocket Clock

    Phantasy Star Online Clock

    Shakka no SonicTeam?

    Shakka To Tamborine, A Game which looks mysteriously similar to Samba De Amigo, was reported as a game made by Sonic team themselves. However, during a chat with some top japanese blokes (I'm in their Chat! WHEE! and with My Translator on ;P) which I think include members of the Sonic Team themselves (although I don't think they even noticed that I posted links to Sonic BETA shots :)) That Skahha is NOT made by Sonic Team, but a Mystery Developer, who is most probably using the same engine.

    ?

    And while chatting, it has come to me that the Japanese are much more calmer in Chats then in english speaking chats, where you have trash talk. Also they aggree that The SonicTeam USA seem to be Lazy with their live Camera, and that Ozisoft are not very good :D

    SonicTeam LIVE! Broadcast starts now!

    Sonic Team have released a NEATO Live Camera, for coverage of the JAMMA Show for themselves! YAY! However, at the moment, They are just showing the Development site. Which at the moment has Chu Chu Rocket playing on a monitor, a few Sonic dolls stuffed around the area, and if your lucky, Some Japanese top Blokes wandering around ^__^

    They've also brought out a? Schedule of whats happening, although in Japanese, we've kindly enough got a good Japanese Translation for you here. It seems to have chats with developers of Samba, ChuChu Rocket, and PSO, and the boss himself, YUJI!

    To Acess the LIVE Broadcast, you need to snag Windows Media Player. Then click here!, Beware though, I've been sitting through it for 1/2 an hour, and the Chu Chu Rocket Music gets quite annoying. :)

    Happy Broadcasting, I'll let you nkow if anything pops up!