News

Meet Pinobee.

About a year ago at this time, there were a million wicked rumors circulating about Sonic Team, ranging from the unlikely (Sonic Team splits into three divisions: the Naka division, the Ohshima division, and the Iizuka division) to the unearthly (Sonic Team breaks up). But as with any rumor, it all stems from a (usually) harmless truth, and the truth in this scenario is that a number of key Sonic Team players left Sega to form their own development house: Artoon.

Green Gibbon (who originally revealed this) isn't sure at this point exactly which members of the Team defected during the upheaval, but the big word going around is that Naoto Ohshima is among the list of traitors. Actually, it kind of makes sense. Ohshima's style of direction is very mellow and fantasy-based, but the recent Team trend is towards off-the-wall, "wacky-cool" styles ala Samba De Amigo. It's not hard to predict just what we can expect from Artoon...think along the lines of Sonic CD and Ristar, both of which were made by certain members of Sonic Team.

Artoon's first independent project, Pinobee: Quest of Heart for the Game Boy Advance, ideally reflects the sense of fantasy direction found in the aforementioned titles (as well as NiGHTS). Players control Pinobee, a robotic bee who dreams of becoming real. (The name is actually a play on "Pinocchio.") Apparently, it's an action platformer with luscious hand-painted backgrounds and rendered characters. Pinobee: Quest of Heart is being published in Japan by Hudson. Other titles from Artoon include a couple of cell phone games not really worth mentioning, but if you absolutely must know about them, you can read all the gunky details here (in Japanese, of course).

Source: Neo Green Hill Zone

Microsoft has started the hype machine yet again to plug their upcoming videogame console, the X-box, with a press conference showing off 3rd-Party support for the console in a conference in San Francisco, London and Tokyo. To help kick the announcement off, Microsoft also showed off a demo reel of numerous titles headed towards the console, including a curious platformer that looks an awful lot like a hedgehog we know and love. After seeing the footage, it became obvious that the spikey lookalike was not Sonic, but just to help cut off the rumor mill on UseNet before it even gets started, IGN DC contacted Sega for the official word on the identity of this masked hop-aholic. Heather Hawkins, Manager of Gaming Press Relations for Sega of America stated, "That is not Sonic. Sure looks like him, though. There are no plans whatsoever to release a Sonic title on X-box."

So sorry, kids. Much like the rumor of Nintendo and Sega co-developing an RPG, this one is obviously a heap of bunk. As for the true identity of the title, no one knows who this Sonic wanna-be is, but rest assured that we'll keep an eye out for the guilty party should he pop up again.

As far as that Sonic/Mario RPG. Its been conflicting as to whether its valid or not everywhere, which it probably isnt (Ages and Odnetnin? Really now. ^___^) So no one knows for sure even though its one of the biggest whoppers I've seen. ^_^ But it certainly is fun to imagine what it WOULD be if it is. Hehehe

Source: IGN DC

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!

Sonic Team have just added a Neato Smaba Item to their page! A Samba Clock! Which has 2 pictures, a collection of the gang, and A Amigo head with Amigo's Gal :)

What is also cool about this, is that It doubles as a puzzle! Both images can turn into a pu8zzle which you move around the pieces to get it right, if you can get it, good on ya!

The little gizmo can be found here!

Source: Sonic Team.com

SonicUnderground.net pulls off another stop as those who been waiting for a season 2 of Sonic Underground have nothing to fear. A new team by the name of Sonic Underground Project 2000 have taken over and are bringing out TXT episodes of the new season, starting with #41, "Taking the Fall". The new season begins October 1st, and a new episode will be released AS THEY ARE FINISHED WRITTEN. Here's a little teaser:

SonicUnderground Project 2000 Presents...

10-01-00
Hedgehogs will leave Robotropolis.
One sibling will leave the band.
Angel Island will take the fall.
October 1st.
Nothing will be the same.

The Samba De Amigo v.2000 Upgrade has been shown at the JAMMA Show, Including new modes and songs, and surprisingly, THIS NEW MONKEY GIRL! (which I'd bet alot of money for, that shes in because of the Love Love Mode, You Go Amigo!)

Here?s what?s new with ver. 2000: a bunch of new songs have been added into the mix (along with the original game?s selection of Samba melodies), and there are two new modes available from the select menu. The first new gameplay mode is ?Normal Mode? (the default system for the sequel), which introduces the practice of waving both maracas between two of the six positions. You?ll also need to make wide, circular sweeping motions with both maracas. Whenever you?re required to do this, the ?pose? icon pops up, and voices start chanting. This does an exceptional job of making the player look even sillier, and it gets my seal of approval.

The other addition is the Dreamcast version?s notorious ?Love-Love Mode,? which calculates the romantic compatibility between two players. This is specifically designed for young couples who frequent game centers (which are hot Tokyo dating spots ? really!), and is appallingly cute. To increase the game?s red-hot sexual tension, a new character has been dropped in ? a lovely girl monkey who plays the tambourine. Rrrowr.

And that?s about it. Ver. 2000 isn?t particularly earth-shattering, but the new songs and the maraca-waving challenges are fun enough to warrant getting addicted all over again ? and I had a blast playing it at the show. Let?s hope that this paves the road for future, fruitier endeavors from Sonic Team.

There are movies and pictures, go check the source!

Source: DC.IGN.COM

The JAMMA Show has begun in Japan! And Sonic Team have brought out a new game! Shakka To Tamborine! The Sequal (Technically) To Samba De Amigo! However, instead of Maracas, we've got Tamborines instead, and a buncha of new characters!

Using a similar arcade cabinet, the gameplay is oddly reminiscent of Samba de Amigo, requiring you to shake a single tambourine in one of six positions. Colored dots show you where to shake, and where to smack the bright, yellow button located on both sides of the musical peripheral to make a clapping sound. Since the arcade game?s sensors are capable of tracking the maraca in 3D space, you?ll also be required to make circular, sweeping motions with the maraca while shaking it (similar to painting graffiti in Jet Set Radio). Is it fun? Yes. Oh, hell, yes. If you don?t move your butt to this game, there?s something seriously wrong with you.

The music threw us for a loop at first ? instead of the funky Latin beats of Samba, Shakka?s tunes are all J-Pop songs from Nipponese super groups like Morning Musume and Ayumi Hamazaki. Ranging from traditional Japanese melodies to fast-paced techno, the song selection is great? if you?re Japanese. If Sega?s considering an American release, 99% of these songs are gonna get the axe (though I hope they leave in the Gatchaman theme).

Shakka appears to use the same engine as Samba, sporting 60fps, cartoony visuals with stoopid-crazy amounts of background animation. And oo-wee, is it fruity! Seriously, this is one of the brightest, shiniest, happiest games we?ve seen since Super Magnetic Niu-Niu. Think the dancing monkeys in Samba de Amigo were weird-ass creations? They ain?t nothin? compared to the white tuxedo-clad freaks who smile insanely as they shake their tambourines in a fit of ecstasy. These guys scare me.

There are movies Avaliable at the source, check them NOW!

Source: DC.IGN.COM

Recently, Famitsu Magazine in Japan has brought out first screenshots of The New Daytona USA Title on the dreamcast, which will include tracks from DUSA1, Championship Edition, and DUSA2. And to no surprise, Sonic has once again showed himself up in the mountain in all his glory!

?

Source: Gamers.com

... will be Wednesday, 8:00PM EST, October 4, 2000. I'll be online for at least an hour, staying longer if it's anything like it was last time.

To avoid confusion and give everyone a chance to get their questions answered, I may ask everyone to refrain from chatting with others during the session. I only say this because many people were having trouble keeping up with the flow of the conversation as a result of the extra chatter.

Please keep in mind that anything connected with this website is a work in progress, and while Bob and I do work hard to try to improve things overall, we're not quite there yet. We ask for your patience and consideration to others. Thanks.

There you have it. I'll be there - what about you?

Source: Ken Penders' Message Board

If you still don't own a copy of Sonic Adventure, you can get one for 20 bucks from Mplayer.com as a special offer to its members. I'm not sure if you have to be a member or not, but it's there and only $20 (US dollars) from the List Price of $57.99! Here's the URL:
http://store.mplayer.com/...
Source: Mplayer Store Newsletter