Tag: Sega

Kartography #5 – Team Sonic Racing

Published on by Chris Scullion4 Comments

Kartography is my regular series in which I look at licensed kart racers throughout gaming history, and figure out where they fit on my all-time karting game leaderboard.

For more information on my scoring policy for Kartography, check out this introductory article.

Sega / Sumo Digital
PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC (PS4 version reviewed)

My last Kartography article looked at Sonic R, Sonic’s debut home console racing experience.

Given that today marks the launch of the latest one – Team Sonic Racing – it only makes sense that a Kartography double-bill is in order.

Thanks to Sega, yer man Scullion has been playing the PS4 Pro version of the game for the past week and a half, which is just enough time to deconstruct the entire thing in trademark Kartography style.

In case you aren’t aware, Team Sonic Racing’s main gimmick is team races, where you’re grouped together with two other partners and your Grand Prix points are all added up for a total score.

Where will this new twist place it on my Kartography leaderboard though? Let’s find out. Continue reading “Kartography #5 – Team Sonic Racing” →

Kartography #4 – Sonic R

Published on by Chris Scullion3 Comments

Kartography is my regular series in which I look at licensed kart racers throughout gaming history, and figure out where they fit on my all-time karting game leaderboard.

For more information on my scoring policy for Kartography, check out this introductory article.

Sega / Traveller’s Tales
Sega Saturn, PC (Saturn version reviewed)

Not all karting games feature karts, you know.

While it’s clear that the majority do, it’s perfectly acceptable for a developer to ditch them in favour of something else.

What makes a game part of the karting genre isn’t the fact you’re using karts: it’s the idea of multiple characters – each with distinct personalities – racing against each other, often with items to collect.

After all, when you choose a bikes-only race in Mario Kart Wii, does it suddenly stop being a karting game? Does it balls.

Sonic R on the Sega Saturn was an early advocate of this idea: not only did it ditch the idea of using karts, many of its characters don’t even have vehicles at all, instead choosing to run across the course.

Does it work? Read on and find out. Continue reading “Kartography #4 – Sonic R” →

That time when Sonic played football in Virtua Striker

Published on by Chris Scullion6 Comments

This article is available in both written and video format. The voiceover in the video version is me reading out the article below, so if you watch the video you won’t have to then read the article. If you enjoy the video and want to see more, there’s bonus unedited footage of the game (without my voiceover) at the bottom of this page.

VIDEO VERSION:

Welcome to That Time When, a new series dedicated to weird and wonderful moments in the history of gaming. In episode one, let’s go back to that time when Sonic played football in Virtua Striker 3.

These days when you think of football games, there are only two series that stand out: FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer.

Back in the day though, there were a load of different football series all vying for gamers’ attention. And their money, obviously. Continue reading “That time when Sonic played football in Virtua Striker” →

Gemhunter #12 – Digital Pinball: Last Gladiators

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

With a new-look site comes a new-look Gemhunter, complete with a lovely new cheesy intro.

Yer man Scullion is now commander in chief of the spaceship Tired Old Hack, exploring the universe of retro gaming in search of forgotten gems.

Does Digital Pinball: Last Gladiators on the Saturn fit that bill? Well, you’re going to have to watch the video to find out, innit.

Gemhunter is my video series in which I try out forgotten, ignored, licensed or shovelware games I’ve never played in the hope of finding a hidden gem. The video is presented unedited so you can experience the game for the first time as I do. Enjoyed this video and want to see more? You can find past Gemhunter episodes here.

Tired Old Hack is an ad-free site for your browsing convenience. If you enjoyed this article please consider donating to my Patreon account.

Alternatively, if you’re a UK reader and can’t afford to support me on Patreon, please do your normal Amazon UK shopping via this link. Tired Old Hack is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.co.uk and affiliated sites.

Sega Mega Drive Classics (Switch) video review

Published on by Chris Scullion4 Comments

I already reviewed Sega Mega Drive Classics (known as Sega Genesis Classics in North America) when it was released on the Xbox One and PS4 this past summer.

If you want to read my general thoughts on it, head over there and fill your boots.

It’s now coming to Switch this week, and those interested are keen to know thing: how well does it run on Nintendo’s system?

So, rather than just tell you, I’ve decided to turn this review into an epic hour-long video, showing all 51 games in action and concluding with my final thoughts.

By the time you’ve finished this video, you’ll have seen the entire line-up of games included, know what they’re about, and know how they run on the Switch.

Enjoy!

Sega Mega Drive Classics is out on Nintendo Switch on 6 December. You can pre-order it from Amazon UK for £29.99. It’s also currently available on Xbox One and PS4.

In order that I could write this review, I received a digital copy of the game from Sega. The content of my review and the opinions therein were in no way positively influenced by this.

If you enjoyed this and other reviews and want to help me write them more frequently, please consider donating to my Patreon account.

Don’t want to commit to a regular payment? I’ve now got a PayPal ‘tips’ jar: if you like what you read feel free to chuck yer man Scullion a couple of quid here or there and help stock up my Irn Bru fund so I can continue working away like a bastard.

Donate with PayPal

Alternatively, if you’re a UK reader and can’t afford to support me on Patreon, please do your normal Amazon UK shopping via this link. Tired Old Hack is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.co.uk and affiliated sites.

Gemhunter #11 – Cyber Speedway

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

After a not-so-brief hiatus – when you’ve just had a baby it’s hard to find enough uninterrupted time to make a lengthy, unedited video – Gemhunter is back!

This time the Sega Saturn makes its Gemhunter debut, as I try out the suspiciously WipEout-looking Cyber Speedway.

Does it hold a candle to that much-loved futuristic racing series, or is it little more than a pale imitation? Find out in the video below.

Gemhunter is my video series in which I try out forgotten, ignored, licensed or shovelware games I’ve never played in the hope of finding a hidden gem. The video is presented unedited so you can experience the game for the first time as I do. Enjoyed this video and want to see more? You can find past Gemhunter episodes here.

Tired Old Hack is an ad-free site for your browsing convenience. If you enjoyed this article please consider donating to my Patreon account.

Alternatively, if you’re a UK reader and can’t afford to support me on Patreon, please do your normal Amazon UK shopping via this link. Tired Old Hack is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.co.uk and affiliated sites.

VHS Preservation Project #9: Sega Saturn Magazine promo video

Published on by Chris ScullionLeave a comment

The Video Game VHS Preservation Project is an attempt to digitise as many video game VHS tapes as possible for the purposes of preservation. Click here for more information.

The ninth tape in my VHS Preservation Project is the first to celebrate the Sega Saturn.

It was given away with issue one of Sega Saturn Magazine, an official British publication that launched four months after the Saturn’s UK release (although technically it was just an evolution of the already existing Sega Magazine).

The tape is a 30-minute beast consisting of a short Saturn advert, followed by nothing but gameplay footage. Of particular note is the very early Virtua Fighter 2 footage, which is only around 35% complete at this point.

Continue reading “VHS Preservation Project #9: Sega Saturn Magazine promo video” →

Sonic Mania (Switch) review

Published on by Chris Scullion6 Comments
Sega / Christian Whitehead
Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC (Switch version reviewed)

I fucking hated the Chemical Plant Zone.

If all the zones in Sonic The Hedgehog 2 were like family members, the Chemical Plant Zone was my racist uncle: it was part of a larger group I loved, but any time I encountered it I had a lengthy, uncomfortable time interacting with it.

Even as a young 9-year-old sprog who was obsessed with Sonic and excitedly got his copy of the sequel on what was officially known as Sonic Twosday – Tuesday, 21 November 1992 – the Chemical Plant Zone rubbed me up the wrong way.

Yes, friends, I hated it. But the key word is ‘hated’, in the past tense. Amazingly, nearly 25 years later, I’ve come to peace with it: and it’s thanks to Sonic Mania. Continue reading “Sonic Mania (Switch) review” →

The day the console war stopped

Published on by Chris Scullion7 Comments

You may have heard the World War I story about how, on Christmas Day in 1914, British and German soldiers stopped their fighting for one day, opting to toss their differences to the side and instead play football and exchange gifts on No Man’s Land.

In my school, we had our own war. It was far more frivolous – lives weren’t lost and we used words, not weapons – but it still mattered to us. And on one special day, we had our own truce too. Continue reading “The day the console war stopped” →

World exclusive – A look at all the Sonic characters in Mario & Sonic At The Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Published on by Chris Scullion4 Comments

Mario_Sonic_-_Rio2016Mario & Sonic At The Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the fifth game in the Mario & Sonic series, is released in Europe on 8 April, which coincidentally happens to be my birthday.

The last Mario & Sonic game featured 20 playable characters, ten each from both the Mario and Sonic universes.

Recently Sega dropped a bombshell by revealing that another TWENTY characters would be added to the Rio game, on top of the 20 already there.

Naturally, this has led to some wondering what Sonic characters are left, considering the previous game had fucking Vector the Crocodile in it.

Well, here at Tired Old Hack I can finally bring to you this world exclusive look at every character in Team Sonic, thanks to Sega who gave me unprecedented access because of the whole birthday thing or something.

Enjoy, and remember where you saw this first – for future news bombshells, keep it tired and keep it old. Continue reading “World exclusive – A look at all the Sonic characters in Mario & Sonic At The Rio 2016 Olympic Games” →