August 31, 1996

Iron Man/X-O Manowar In Heavy Metal featuring Marvel Comics' Iron Man and Acclaim Comics' X-O Manowar has been delayed till the final quarter of this year.

Afterburner 2, Space Harrier, Outrun, and Fantasy Zone are all being re-released for the Saturn in the Sega Ages series. They will appear on separate discs, not all on one.
from Game Fan Online

Yesterday, for the first time in the history of Dave's Sega Saturn Page, the page did not experience an update. I apologize for this, but it was out of my control as I was stuck in Troop 3 all day, awaiting my arraignment. Don't bother emailing me asking, 'for what?', cause I won't tell. But, if everything goes smoothly (let's all pray), it will not effect the page updates in the future, but if everything blows up in my face, there may be up to two years of no updates.

August 29, 1996

Virtua Fighter Kids and NFL Quarterback Club '97 have arrived in stores, today, August 29, 1996.

August 28, 1996

Two highly anticipated Saturn games have been released in Japan, Dark Savior and Fighting Vipers.

August 27, 1996

• Virtual On is currently in low-resolution. The entire battle stage is done using polygons and is very close to the arcade, minus some shading. The dual stick is a near replica of the arcade.
• Fighting Vipers looks to be a good translation, albeit, in low resolution. The special effects like the breaking of the fence, are present. There are 11 training modes to choose from.

August 25, 1996

In case you don't recognize the game from the initials, it is Super Street Fighter 2 X (Turbo in US). Isn't this an old title? Well, yes, but if you ask a lot of Street Fighting Fans, it is stll the best Street Fighter. And since the 3DO version was not perfect (unlike many magazines claimed), this can be the first perfect version of possibly the best Street Fighter to date. This information comes from Saturn Fan #18.

August 24, 1996

At the Tokyo Game Show, it was announced that Virtual On was 50% complete, and running at 60fps (although, some reports state 30fps). The game will be packed with the dual arcade mission stick and retail for a $100 (In Japan). The dual arcade mission stick will be an arcade replica and not be two mission sticks hooked up together.

World Series Baseball II has arrived in stores. In fact, a reader has already submitted a review, to check it out Click here.

August 23, 1996

Game Fan Online, yesterday, reported that Sonic X-Treme, the first Sonic game slated for the 32-bit Saturn, has been delayed until next year for unknown reasons. Sonic Blast is now coming out for the Saturn and will have many added features not found in the Genesis version including: a polygonal Sonic, 2 special bonus rounds, special climate effects (as in Nights), a 16 million color palette, CD quality (redbook) music and sound effects, and a CG opening movie. Sonic Blast for the Saturn will be out on November 21.

August 22, 1996

Next Gen Online reported, yesterday, that Sega has stated that they expect NiGHTS to outsell VF2, which is currently the Saturn's best seller. For more on this story, go to Next Generation Online

August 21, 1996

NiGHTS will start arriving in stores nationwide, today, August 21, 1996.

Japanese game maker Sega Enterprises Ltd. said Wednesday it had decided to ban the use of software depicting sexually explicit and excessively violent scenes for its television game machines.

Sega spokesman Munehiro Umemura said the company would eliminate its adult-category games, including sexually explicit graphics, and impose stricter standards for games recommended for those over 18 years old from October.

All the sonic games are to be released on one disc for the Saturn. It will be called Sonic Series.

information from Paul O'Keeffe

August 20, 1996

Sega of America Inc. Tuesday shipped to 20,000 stores nationwide its critically acclaimed 3-D flight-action title ``NiGHTS,'' a ground- breaking new Sega Saturn game featuring panoramic graphics and 360- degree flight.

Currently topping the video-game charts and pushing Mario 64 out of the top-10 list in Japan, Sonic Team's ``NiGHTS'' is proving to be the most sought-after next-generation video game.

August 17, 1996

Warp has announced a new title for the Saturn in Japan, tentatively called 'Real Sound'.

from Game Fan Online

August 16, 1996

Some of the bigger titles shown today by Sega's Third Parties: Mech Warrior 2, Tomb Raider, Crimewave, Die Hard, Doom, Hexen, Hardcore 4X4, Waterworld Abuse, Tempest, and Soviet Strike.

from Next Generation Online

August 15, 1996

Resident Evil 2 has been announced for the Sega Saturn by Capcom. Capcom will also be making a Saturn Exclusive game that will be announced in October.
from EGS.

Sega of America Inc. Thursday began a multi-tiered, national in-park promotion with Six Flags Theme Parks to premiere its revolutionary 3-D flight-action title, "NiGHTS," its new groundbreaking Sega Saturn game which will be available later this month.

"Six Flags is the perfect location to unveil this awesome new game to our target market," Ted Hoff, executive vice president, sales and marketing for Sega of America, said. "`NiGHTS' is a video game `tour de force' based on flying and dreaming. Six Flags patrons will appreciate the thrill and adventure in this remarkable new game, as much as they like the rides at the park."

October

• Ayer's Adventure - RPG
• Worldwide Soccer '97 - Sports
• Riglord Saga 2 - Strategy/RPG

• Virtua Cop 2
• Daytona USA Remix - Arcade
• World Series Baseball 2 - Sports

• Terrafantastica - Strategy/RPG
• Sega Ages: Outrun - Arcade
• Virtual On - Arcade

• Shining the Holy Ark - RPG
• Act Remix - Action/Strategy
• Sega Ages: Fantasy Zone - Shooting

The following Titles will be showcased today:

• Worldwide Soccer 97
• World Series Baseball 2
• Sonic Extreme (one playable level)
• Virtual On
• The Netlink (web browser only)

August 14, 1996

Sonic Software Planning, responsible for Shining Wisdom, the Shining Force series and Shining in the Darkness, has announced a fourth original Shining title. It's called Shining the Holy Ark , and will be entirely 3D. It's currently set for release this year in Japan, for 5800 yen ($55).

All of the environments, from the event scenes, to towns, to dungeons, will be in 3D. Though not confirmed, it does seem that the enemies will be hand drawn and animated. Look for more details and screen shots as this title draws closer to its release.
from Game Fan Online

August 13, 1996

Sega of Japan has announced the release of the first Saturn title created by Quintet, "Act Remix." Quintet has formerly worked exclusively with Enix, creating such titles as Actraiser I&II, Slapstick, Soulblazer, Illusion of Gaia and Tenchi Sozo. Although Enix may own the titles, Quintet evidently owns the content, and are thus able to make Actraiser on the Saturn with a slightly changed name. (The name "Act Remix" is still tentative)

Act Remix will features levels from Actraiser 1 and 2, redone to take advantage of the Saturn's advanced capabilities. It will also mark the return of the simulation mode that was featured in Actraiser 1, but sorely missed in the sequel. New elements may include hidden fighting-only stages. The game will also feature new magics, voice in the conversation scenes, and a number of other surprises.

Sega of Japan expects to release Act Remix within the year, at a price of 6800 yen (around $65).
from Game Fan Online

SegaSoft, Inc., the independent interactive entertainment company, today announced that Gary Griffiths has been promoted to president and COO and Steve Payne has been promoted to executive vice president, product development and marketing.

Griffiths and Payne, along with Nobuo Mii, chairman and CEO and Andre Oberholzer, EVP and CFO, make up SegaSoft's senior management team.

August 12, 1996

It is called "the most revolutionary 32-bit game yet" by video game industry oracle Next Generation magazine.

Backed by a marketing campaign of equal stature, the newest Sega Saturn game, "NiGHTS," launches Aug. 20 with more than $10 million in advertising, promotions, and merchandising support.

This campaign, the largest yet for a Sega Saturn game, takes flight Aug. 12 with national TV and print teaser ads for the new dreamtime, 3-D flying adventure game. The "NiGHTS" campaign kicks off Sega of America's fall lineup which will receive more than $60 million in marketing support.

The cornerstone of the "NiGHTS" marketing effort is a multi-million dollar national TV advertising campaign that resurrects the hallmark "Sega Scream" and "challenges Sony with a taste of the sarcastic -- but good-natured -- Sega attitude," according to Shoichiro Irimajiri, chairman and CEO of Sega of America.

"We will grab the consumer's attention not only with our revolutionary games, but with our marketing efforts that have consistently been followed by others in the industry," Irimajiri said. "`NiGHTS' is the most significant game launched for the Sega Saturn to date. It proves the power of our multiprocessor architecture and demonstrates the fresh new direction in game development Sega is taking with titles like `NiGHTS' and those in our fall lineup."

The marketing effort behind "NiGHTS" takes bold new creative steps to bring to life the game's fast flying movement and maximize consumer trial and impact. In addition to bringing back the famous "Sega Scream," Sega's ad agency, Ingalls Moranville Advertising, has incorporated "Full Freakin' Frame Footage" -- a technique they coined for the use of almost-constant full-screen game footage -- in the TV spots.

Ingalls Moranville also devised an ingenious way to bring the power of moving game footage to print advertising. Debuting in August, the "NiGHTS" print campaign will feature multiple rows of consecutive screen shots that, when cut out and stapled together, become a flip book showing what the game looks like on the television screen.

The "NiGHTS" campaign runs from August through December and is designed for mass consumer exposure with national TV ads during prime time programming and 30-second cinema spots in theaters across the country. Thirty malls in major U.S. markets will bring "NiGHTS" to life with morphing 3-D images on 40-inch by 50-inch back-lit displays featuring breakthrough imaging technology from Eastman Kodak Co.

The campaign also includes promotions with high-visibility companies like Fox Kids Network, Cherry Coke, Toys R Us and Tang Instant Breakfast Drink. Additionally, all 5,500 in-store demo units across the country will be playing "NiGHTS."

"The `NiGHTS' campaign is just the tip of the iceberg in what promises to be Sega's most innovative mass consumer marketing program heading into the holiday season," Ted Hoff, Sega's executive vice president of sales and marketing, said. "We're putting as much muscle as possible into showing the consumer the value and appeal of Sega Saturn games because we're convinced that once they see the games, they'll vote Saturn as the `must have' game system this fall." Sega Saturn sales are strong nationwide, having doubled and tripled in volume sales since the price reduction to $199.99. New hardware shipments are arriving now to replenish sold-out retailers and to meet consumer demand generated by "NiGHTS." Recent sales data indicates that Sega Saturn sales are ahead of schedule to meet the company's 1.5 million unit goal in 1996.

To meet this sales goal, Sega is expanding its marketing and sales efforts in all categories. At $60 million, the Sega Saturn advertising budget has increased by $10 million over last year. The number of in-store demonstration kiosks has been boosted three-fold to more than 5,500 units in major U.S. markets to increase consumer interaction with the products.

And a newly trained team of Sega merchandising managers will be disbursed throughout more than 30 U.S. markets to provide comprehensive hands-on in-store sales support.

"NiGHTS" can be purchased bundled with the new Sega Saturn 3D Control Pad, for a suggested retail price of $69.99; the products can also be purchased separately with "NiGHTS" priced at $49.99 and the controller priced at $39.99.

August 8, 1996

Sega will be spending $8.5 million in the promoting their personal "big gun" of the season--NiGHTS. 80 percent of that budget will be spent on TV spots for major networks, along with the usual onslaught of print ads and in-store promo items.
from EGM Online

E0 will use the most recent version of TrueMotion that is superior to both the first version of TrueMotion and Cinepak, both in quality and compression. E0 is 40% complete and is looking at a late November or December release in Japan. E0 will retail for around ¥6800 in Japan, which is in the area of $68 in the US depending on the exchange rate. E0 will cover 4 CD's.
from Game Fan Online

NEC has announced that an agreement has been struck whereby Sega Entertainment is to begin development for NEC's PowerVR architecture. For those who don't know, the PowerVR is a 3D Accelerator card for PC's.

August 6, 1996

Sega will be displaying some impressive coin-op games at this year's AMOA on September 26-28 in Texas. Here's a complete list:

• Manx TT
• Virtual On
• Gun Blade
• Die Hard
• Touring Car (a cross between Sega Rally and Daytona)
• Wave Runner
• Virtua Fighter 3
• Last Bronx
• Sonic Championship (Sonic the Fighters)

August 5, 1996

Dragon Force is looking like it'll be released in September, and Magic Knight Rayearth is looking at a November release. So far, the Dragon Force translation is not coming off too smooth, Working Designs has been experiencing some technical problems with Dragon Force.

August 4, 1996

According to the recent issue of Saturn Fan, Virtua Cop 2 has been delayed till December in Japan.
from Saturn Fan

August 2, 1996

Executives are flying out to Japan to see Saturn Bomberman and its progress there before making a call about whether to bring it over here. The decision should be made within the next two weeks.
from Next Generation.

Speculation is growing that a batch of Saturn titles could be re-published at a new value price. Tests are underway in Europe for a 'Hot Price' brand of old Saturn games. Titles such as Daytona, Virtua Fighter, Robotica, Cyberspeed, Panzer Dragoon and Digital Pinball are being sold in Germany for as little as $30.
from Next Generation.

Square is developing for Saturn, and has two exclusive games planned. Speculation suggests that the first game may be a Secret of Mana game, or very similar.
from Silver Pheonix (from Gameplayers)

August 1, 1996

PlayStation hits Krazy Ivan, Assault Rigs and Discworld will all appear on Saturn, but will probably not be published by Psygnosis.
from Next Generation Online