Newsletter: Sega World Weekly issue 140
From Video Game Morgue File
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S E G A W O R L D W E E K L Y
M A G A Z I N E
~~ Issue No. 140 Sep 9th 2001 ~~
Proudly sponsored by http://www.lik-sang.com/
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-- Please Support Our Sponsors Intro --
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<<.>> Pre-Order a GAMECUBE Starter Pack!
Place your pre-orders now for Lik-Sangs GameCube Starter
Pack. This HUGE pack includes the console with all the
cables and of course the joypad. Plus two games, Luigi's
Mansion and Wave Race Blue Storm. Then there's still more,
with a Memory Card 59, and finally even more... a step-down
converter for Australian and European orders.
All packed into a MASSIVE GameCube Starter Pack, and sold
for US$449.00. Be the first to have a GameCube after it
launches in Japan this FRIDAY!
http://www.lik-sang.com/
> Share your thoughts online now at our brand new forum:
-- http://www.segaworldweekly.com/forum/
> Sega World Weekly is best read in the Courier New font.
For past issues see http://www.SegaWorldWeekly.com/
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-- Editors Comments Page 1 --
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Well, I said I'd be back (well, I hope I did), and here I
am! Fresh from a summer in the states, I'm all ready to
take Sega to their new platforms, and beyond!
With the release of the Gamecube in Japan this Friday, and
both the Xbox and Gamecube in America coming up shortly,
Sega coverage is certainly on it's way back up. Personally
I can't wait to see Panzer Dragoon!!
Jet Grind Radio Future is gonna rock even more so than the
original, Phantasy Star Online with three of your mates in
a split screen mode will be the way to spend many a night,
and then we've still got Virtua Fighter 4, Gun Valkyrie,
Sega GT 2002, House of the Dead 3, Crazy Taxi Next, Virtua
Striker 3, Planet Harriers, Super Monkey Ball, a new Space
Channel 5, Rez, Headhunter, Sonic Advance, Ecco The
Dolphin and more, more, more to come! Phew!!
Sega has been UNLEASHED, and we're gonna be right here to
bring you the goods every single game-playing-hedgehog-
rock'n week! Yeah baby! YEAH!!
This issue we take the cover feature to celebrate something
big, something real big! Dreamcast's 2nd BIRTHDAY! Gamers
who have been with the dream since the beginning, to those
total new comers, you don't want to miss this feature.
Also finally, don't forget to email Ross with your Q&A,
letters, or even ten dollar paypal deposits (heh) on
Zondaro@usa.net Plus we've got the online forums, which are
still, still going strong. Drop by and check 'em out at...
http://www.segaworldweekly.com/forum/
Until next week then, Happy Gaming, and let me just say,
America rocks!
- Graham "Survived New York" Parker (Editor)
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|| C O N T E N T S ||
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|| 2 - Cover Story ||
|| 3 - Weekly News ||
|| 4 - Lik-Sang Low-down ||
|| 5 - Cheats ||
|| 6 - Our Support Sites ||
|| 7 - Credits ||
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HOT QUOTE this issue: "With Phantasy Star Online coming to
the GameCube, we almost took it for granted that they
would be able to play over the net with us Dreamcast
owners."
-- Weekly News - Page 3
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-- Cover Story Page 2 --
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<<.>> 2 Years Living the Dream - Happy Birthday Dreamcast!
-- Written by Graham Parker
If you turn your head back two years ago today, around
every block, in every city, crowds were lining up to get
their hot little hands on Sega's newest console, the
Dreamcast. People snapped up the console with it's built in
56k modem, some games like Sonic Adventure and Soul
Calibur, then they threw in a second controller and a VMU
just for good measure. All for a price cheaper than buying
a single Playstation 2 console.
Now looking back upon those two years, despite it's short
life the Dreamcast really was an entertainment explosion!
Never before have gamers got such fun out of a machine in
just two years.
-- September 1999:
It all started back in September of 99, when Sonic took
Sega fans speeding into the third dimension, and Soul
Calibur was said by most to be the greatest beat 'em up of
all time.
But not only that, House of the Dead 2 proved how easy it
is to convert arcade games using Sega's Naomi hardware and
it gave peoples trigger fingers a real at the same time.
Meanwhile even at the very start of the Dreamcast's life,
Model 3 conversions were possible as drivers of Sega Rally
2 found out.
Still looking at the launch titles, Virtua Fighter 3: TB
required such a level of skill and perfection that without
a doubt there are still gamers out there today working to
"master" VF3. But for those who took fighting a little less
seriously, Midway's Ready 2 Rumble Boxing was a totally
original game just for owners of the Dreamcast, later
followed up with an even funnier sequel.
Finally as if fighting fans didn't have enough to do with
Soul Calibur, Virtua Fighter and Ready 2 Rumble Boxing,
Capcom unleashed the worlds first true 3D fighter, Power
Stone. Later they did the impossible and repeated that
originality and success with Power Stone 2, again just for
Dreamcast owners.
Gamers thought they had it made in just the first month of
the Dreamcast's life, but as we'd see, it was only the
beginning of a tradition in fun and originality...
-- October 1999:
Ubisoft brought another style of racing to the Dreamcast
with Speed Devils, and much later, Speed Devils Online.
Then at the same time Toy Commander brought an original
next generation take on the shooting genre, taking toy
planes, tanks and helicopters and putting them into a well
designed single and multiplayer game.
-- November 1999:
As the Christmas season approached, Sega Bass Fishing
proved they would stop at nothing to bring the arcade
experience home, complete with an entire fishing rod
peripheral! Then if fishing wasn't your game, Shadow Man
let players go nuts with their trigger fingers, and at the
same time showed them a world fresh out of their worst
nightmares.
-- January 2000:
While every other machine had drained their big hits before
Christmas, Sega saved their best till January. Crazy Taxi
was the most fun many gamers had ever had, and it was all
thanks to gameplay in it's purest form. It was like a
breath of fresh air in an industry dominated by stale Sony
style sequels. Later Sega even dished up a second serving
with Crazy Taxi 2.
But that wasn't the only way for gamers to keep the action
going into the new millennium. Si-fi fans were treated to
Armada, with it's space style strategy gaming, and
un-matched depth. Then Virtual On 2 was the return of
robo-fighting on a Sega machine, and it was so good people
were shelling out over a hundred dollars for a special
Virtual On twin-stick controller.
-- February 2000:
The adventure continued in February as Soul Reaver sent
shivers down players spines nationwide. The Dreamcast
version of this game proved once and for all how superior
this 128-bit console was, and pumped the atmosphere all the
way up in Soul Reaver.
-- March 2000:
Once gamers had finished up with Sonic Adventure, Rayman 2
was there to keep platformers busy with it's beauty and
original style levels. Then while MDK 2 might have lacked
Lara Croft's chest, the puzzles, action, and imagination
put into this game was just amazing. More like an
experience than a simple game to Dreamcast players that
managed to work through this entire title.
If puzzle fans thought they were going to be stuck for
months with just MDK, they were in for a surprise. As Sega
gamers of the past begged for a return of some 16-bit
characters, Sega delivered the puzzler Ecco The Dolphin.
This was also the month Tecmo brought Dreamcast owners
virtual beauty with the bouncing breasts and a fighting
game called Dead or Alive 2.
-- April 2000:
Fur Fighters was a shoot 'em up with teddy bears. Doesn't
sound like much but those who've played it will tell you
it was almost like a Rare quality title. There was enough
in there to keep gamers busy for a long time to come.
V-Rally 2 also came out in April of 2000, and made a great
companion to Sega Rally 2. The game included several
innovations like a track designer to boot too.
-- May 2000:
Bet you never thought you'd be dancing away with a monkey
and a pair of maracas did you? Well Samba De Amigo was
Sega's take on the whole music based games, and complete
with the Maracas this was an experience anyone lucky enough
to play will never forget. Samba was Sonic Team at their
best, but that wasn't their only title this month. Sonic
Team took console gamers on their first ever trip into the
online world with the puzzler Chu Chu Rocket.
Meanwhile 3rd parties were still going strong, with
Capcom's Resident Evil Code Veronica. An original Dreamcast
adventure through Zombie ridden territory.
-- June 2000:
Marvel Vs Capcom and later the sequel, surprisingly titled
Marvel Vs Capcom 2 (heh) showed Dreamcast gamers there's
more to Capcom fighters than plain old Street Fighter.
-- July 2000:
As if Sega had the touch of Midas, the example of pure
golden gameplay that was Virtua Tennis came out and
instantly had gamers serving up aces left right and centre.
Soon to be topped with a sequel.
The summer of sports continued with F1 World Grand Prix 2,
a title that proved the Dreamcast was the console of choice
for any budding racing drivers, no matter what the vehicle
of choice.
Then finally Hidden and Dangerous made gamers think and
plan in the heart of a world war, along with graphics far
more realistic than any Army Man title.
-- September 2000:
September brought Ferrari 355, the ultimate driving
simulation from AM2's Yu Suzuki. Mastering this monster was
archiving perfection, nothing less.
At the same time Ulala sent us on an intergalactic dance
with the very original Space Channel 5, and the very
realistic UFC helped ensure there was a fighting style for
everyone on the Dreamcast.
September 2000 is also the birthday of the worlds first
talking fish, Seaman. Packed with a microphone you were,
for the first time in history, given the chance to talk to
a video game character, and believe it or not have some
pretty inteligent conversations.
-- October 2000:
Sega did what they do best back in October of 2000 with
Jet Grind Radio, creating an entire new genre and style of
videogame for their gamers. Nothing like Jet Grind Radio
had ever been seen before.
No racing game tracks had ever come as close to reality
before either as was seen in Metropolis SR. The game, when
finally released, took drivers on a tour around the REAL
cities of New York, LA, and Tokyo.
Namco released another title on the Dream machine this
month too, Silent Scope. An original approach on the
shooting genre, Silent Scope worked perfectly at home,
despite the lack of specially designed light-gun.
-- November 2000:
Sega GT helped give the Dreamcast an even better range of
racings games, if such a thing was possible, adding racing
simulation in the style of Gran Turismo. At the same time
Le Mans 24 Hours let gamers really push their endurance
to the next level.
With a controller or maybe mouse and keyboard in hand, Sega
gamers took on the world with Quake 3 Arena online that
month, but the biggest title of all was still left...
Yu Suzuki's Titanic of the videogame world, Shenmue. Just
for Dreamcast owners, the tale of Ryo began back in
November of 2000. A tale that might last many more years,
and span many more consoles in the future. We were there
for the beginning, and the games amazing detail, beautiful
graphics, atmospheric music and of course well crafted
story line blew everyone away, no exceptions.
-- December 2000:
December 2000. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2. Nuff said really.
Also that month however, Capcom Vs SNK was what all the
fighters amongst us had been begging for, just as much as
the skaters had been for the return of Tony Hawk. Capcom Vs
SNK took the biggest characters in the videogame world of
fighting, and putting them in a ring with each other at
long last.
-- January 2001:
Starting off the year of 2001, Starlancer brought space
shooting games into the next generation with online gaming.
-- February 2001:
After years of painstaking work, Game Arts brought their
traditional RPG, Grandia II to the Dreamcast back in
February this year. Some gamers had been waiting since the
days of the Saturn to get their hands on a Grandia title.
Sonic Team again gave Dreamcast owners the first bite into
the future of videogames with their role playing game,
Phantasy Star Online (it's worth noting at this point these
are the European release dates, that's why it's under Feb).
Later they updated it with the improved Version 2, and have
since captured even more of the worlds population into
their virtual world.
-- March 2001:
While the singing might rub some the wrong way, no one
could deny that the more than perfect arcade conversion of
Daytona USA 2001 was what many a Sega gamer had been
waiting for since 1994. Now it finally arrived, with all
new graphics, new cars, new tracks, and even online racing!
Daytonnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.......
In the same month Typing of the Dead showed how Sega is
still willing to try anything, and no other games company
in the world took so many risks.
Finally a month after the release of Grandia 2 and Phantasy
Star Online, role playing gamers were given another feast
of phantasy action. Skies of Arcadia, a traditional RPG
just for Sega players that could compete with Final
Fantasy. The graphics, the length and the style of the game
had never been seen before.
-- May 2001:
As if having Quake 3 Arena online wasn't enough for us, we
received Unreal Tournament this month! Again, online :)
-- July 2001:
Celebrating the 10th birthday of Sega's mascot, Sonic
Adventure 2 was released in July of 2001. A title that
helped put the spiky blue hedgehog back on the map, if
he ever left in the first place!
While other machines had their strategy based shooters,
their realistic and violent shooters, Sega saw a hole and
filled it with AM2's arcade style Outtrigger.
-- August 2001:
As busy as Visual Concepts were with all the sport titles
in development, they still had time to bring out the
totally original Floigan Brothers. Then AM2 continued to
show Sega are still live and kick'n with the brand new
title, Alien Front Online. Still innovating, you could use
the microphone in Alien Front Online to talk trash at your
opponents.
-- But what about Sega Sports ??
And you thought we forgot about them didn't you. No we
saved these till last. Because while we hope many of these
awesome (and we do mean awesome!) Dreamcast titles listed
above will live on, there is no doubt at all that the Sega
Sports line-up is going to just end.
Visual Concepts literally took sporting to the next level
with NFL 2K and soon after NBA 2K. Then they did it again,
taking gamers up to yet another level with the 2K1 series,
online. Imagine playing a game of football with someone
half way across the world. They made it happen.
Then the Sega sports line-up continued, leading right up to
this month actually, with NBA 2K2, NFL 2K2, World Series
Baseball 2K2, NCAA College Football 2K2, and Virtua Tennis
2K2.
-- September, October, November and December 2001:
As the year goes on, Sega still bring home the bacon (erm,
ok) long after production of the Dreamcast console
stopped. Original titles like Floigan Brothers, Alien
Front Online, Propeller Arena, Ooga Booga, NFL 2K2, NBA
2K2, Virtua Tennis 2K2, and of course Toejam & Earl 3 are
still coming out.
But if you thought that was it, we can't forget Evil
Twin, Bomberman Online, and Alone in the Dark from 3rd
parties. Then finally on the 4th of December 2001 Sega
will finish with an all mighty hurrah the seven disc
adventure that is Shenmue II.
With all these titles, even with just the most popular
being listed, it's easy to see what a unbelievable ride
the Dreamcast has been. I for one am glad I was, and still
am on board, as I for one will still be playing my
Dreamcast and shaking my maraca's in many years to come.
Happy 2nd Birthday Dreamcast, you certainly deserve it!
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-- Weekly News Page 3 --
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<<.>> Dreamcast & GameCube together in Phantasy Star?
With Phantasy Star Online coming to the GameCube, we almost
took it for granted that they would be able to play over
the net with us Dreamcast owners. But now Sonic Team may
have other plans.
When they created PSO Version 2, several rare items were
locked away in the Dreamcast version, and several others in
the GameCube version. The idea being that Dreamcast owners
would have to go and play with GameCube owners to access
half those rare items, and the reverse to get the other
half.
But, however, Gameshark quickly managed to locate these
hidden items and bring out codes to open them up. Now Sonic
Team are thinking they don't want to expose brand new
GameCube gamers to all the cheating that goes on in the
Dreamcast version.
We'll keep you updated.
<<.>> Subtitled Shenmue II
The original Shenmue was one of the best examples of voice
acting in a videogame ever. Yu Suzuki himself even stated
he preferred the English voices to their original, Japanese
counterparts. The only problem was, it took about a year to
complete the English version that way.
Now with Shenmue 2, a game far larger than the original,
unless Sega worked on the English voices in unison with the
Japanese voices, there was going to be no way we could wait
for a full translation. After all who wants to wait until
Christmas of 2002 to find out what happens to Ryo in Hong
Kong?
Well instead of dubbing over the voices, Sega have chosen
to go with subtitles for Shenmue II. The reaction of gamers
had been a love 'em/hate 'em attitude, but like we just
said, when it comes down to it this is the only way we're
going to get the game this year.
<<.>> Sega's All Star Tennis Team Revealed
This fall Sega will serve up 16 tennis stars in the
highly anticipated Virtua Tennis 2. Including eight male
and eight female athletes, the following is a complete
list of all contesters going for the Sega Cup...
- Thomas Enqvist
- Tommy Haas
- Tim Henman
- Yevgeny Kafelnikov
- Carlos Moya
- Magnus Norman
- Cedric Pioline
- Patrick Rafter
- Lindsay Davenport
- Jelena Dokic
- Mary Pierce
- Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario
- Monica Seles
- Alexandra Stevenson
- Serena Williams
- Venus Williams
<<.>> Planetweb Browser 3: Taking you online for real!
Planetweb was proud to announce the release of their
updated browser for the Dreamcast this week. The Planetweb
Browser 3.0 boasts a slew of advanced features that will
take the online experience of gamers to a whole new level.
The three biggest features include Instant Messaging,
giving gamers the chance to chat with their buddies all
around the country, Flash 4 animation support, and full use
of the Broadband adapter. Also updated is the JavaScript
support, making the web run much smoother.
Planetweb have also created their own web portal, including
links to chat rooms and online games that work with the
Planetweb Browser 3. This gives you access to hundreds of
online web-based games, including shooters and even RPG's
just to name two genres.
Finally again there's full-screen movie support, MP3
playback, POP3 and Web-based email, IRC chat, and VMU file
downloads.
You can order the browser now for $14.95 + $4.95 shipping
at Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/shops/planetweb
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-- Lik-Sang Lowdown Page 4 --
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Yu Suzuki Proudly Presents...
S H E N M U E I I
Ryo continues his adventure throughout Shenmue 2, the
biggest RPG in the history of videogames. Spanning
4 GD-ROMs, plus an extra disc including exclusive
movies of Virtua Fighter 4, VF History, & more.
On-sale now at http://www.lik-sang.com/ for US$79
Shenmue II - US$79 - Out Now
- http://www.lik-sang.com/ -
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-- Cheat Codes Page 5 --
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<<.>> Alien Front Online
-- Fog Mode:
To play a game in fog mode, start an online game called
"FOGFOGFOG". You will begin the game in a soupy morass of
mist. Enjoy the lack of visibility! Thanks to IGN.
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-- Support Sites Page 6 --
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Sega World Weekly goes out to 40,000 gamers, but how did we
get so many people signed up? With the help of these
websites, that's how...
<<.>> System Zero - http://system-zero.com
As game music goes well beyond the beeps and bleeps of the
past and into the soundtrack quality tracks we hear today,
Perfect Zero becomes one of THE most important sites for
game fans. Hosting hundreds of MP3s from different games,
turn up those speakers and click that link.
<<.>> DC-United - http://dc-united.com
The Premiere Dreamcast Community, DC-United.com gives you
the ability to view members online, build your own
homepage, send messages, read in-depth reviews, and much
more. DCU Network Members are also eligible for various
monthly prizes.
<<.>> The Next Level - http://www.the-nextlevel.com
The Next Level is a multi-platform gaming magazine focused
on current and upcoming next-generation systems. We provide
up-to-date news, in-depth reviews, reader reviews,
intriguing editorials, and more.
<<.>> PSY Online - http://www.consolereviews.net
PSY Online is a multiformat reviews website specialising in
the Sega Dreamcast console. With 24/7 updated news, forums
and chat, its a great place to hang out for Sega fans.
<<.>> Future Gamez - http://www.futuregamez.net
What ever console your looking for, Future Gamez have them
all. From Dreamcast to GameCube, and X-Box to Playstation
2. So get your news, reviews, previews, and more at Future
Gamez, and stay on top of all systems.
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-- Credits Page 7 --
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O Editor / Writer / Advertising: Graham "Tails" Parker
O Q&A / Letters: Ross Fisher - Zondaro@usa.net
O Staff Writer: Michael Monahan - Mikelad1@aol.com
O Staff Writer: Chris Heggelund - Heggelun@pilot.msu.edu
<<.>> http://www.segaworldweekly.com/ - Our Website
<<.>> http://www.segaworldweekly.com/forum/ - Our Forum
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Copyright 1998-2001 Graham Parker
No parts may be copied without prior permission or correct
credit where due. There should probably be a pile of other
legal lines here, but please just play nice and don't
steal, lol! Thanks for reading Sega World Weekly!
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Just off topic... Mac Donald's Apple Pies in America are
really, really bad compared to the ones here. Oh and while
I'm at it, American add-your-own-salt Popcorn is pretty
bad too. lol! But the pizza is tops!!!
