Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage - What about us, the west ?

[Parallax Scroll]

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/01/matters_of_import_sega_3d_fukkoku_archives_3_final_stage

 

 

 

Matters Of Import: Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage The end of an era

While Sega has been curiously reluctant to update its existing Wii Virtual Console catalogue for the Wii U and 3DS, it hasn't entirely forgotten its past glories this console cycle. Courtesy of emulation experts M2 we've had some amazing updates of vintage Sega games on the 3DS, each one blessed with auto-stereoscopic visuals and a raft of exclusive features and modes. These have been released one at a time on the 3DS eShop, but sensing the proclivity of retro gamers to purchase physical items, Sega has wisely bundled them together into collectable retail packages. We've only had one of these in the west so far – the superb Sega 3D Classics Collection – but in Japan two compilations have been published, and we now have a third (and, as the title suggests, final) offering to enjoy before Nintendo's handheld is put out to pasture.

Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage pulls together 11 old-school Sega classics from its arcade, Mega Drive / Genesis and 8-bit eras. Five of these – 3D Super Hang-On, 3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2, 3D After Burner II, 3D Streets of Rage 2 and 3D Gunstar Heroes – are already available on the 3DS eShop in both Japan and the west, while the remaining six – 3D Turbo OutRun, 3D Thunder Force III, 3D Alien Syndrome, 3D Columns, Girl's Garden and Champion Boxing – are currently exclusive to this package. As you might expect, the five games already available outside of Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3 are identical to the versions on the eShop, so if you'd like the lowdown on those, feel free to consult their individual reviews. The all-new games are more interesting for existing fans, and represent a fairly broad mix of genres.

Turbo OutRun is the arcade sequel to the original 1986 classic, and introduces more detailed visuals, a CPU rival who can steal your girlfriend, upgrades, police cars and the titular turbo function which gives your vehicle – in this case a swanky Ferrari F40 – a welcome speed-boost for a short period of time. This is useful for getting a quick start after a crash, and also helps you to deal with the various environmental hazards introduced in the game, such as changing weather (the rain effect is quite striking, especially in auto-stereoscopic 3D) and obstacles in the road. It's certainly a step up from the first title in terms of scope, but Turbo OutRun is perhaps a little too similar to its forerunner for casual players. When you consider the many other underappreciated Sega classics that could have been included here it feels like something of a wasted opportunity – diehard OutRun fans may well disagree, however, and there's no denying that it looks utterly gorgeous in 3D.

 

Thunder Force III is an altogether different story. Its inclusion has been made possible by the fact that last year, Sega acquired the dormant IP of the now-defunct Technosoft, granting it access to the company's enviable library. Thunder Force III is regarded as one of the best horizontally-scrolling shooters on the Mega Drive, and when displayed in 3D it has even more impact. The game makes judicious use of parallax scrolling and the auto-stereoscopic effect is put to good use to give this effect even more visual depth. Visually and aurally striking even by today's standards, Thunder Force III has also lost none of its aggressive edge in the past three decades; as if to acknowledge the stern challenge, M2 has kindly included a "Kids" mode which not only boosts your attack power and allows you to retain your collected weapons upon death, but also awards you with CLAWs (or "CRAWs" as the in-game voice hilariously states) and a shield when you die, making progress a lot easier than normal.

Alien Syndrome is a top-down shooter from 1987 which was ported to a wide range of systems at the time and more recently recieved a reboot on the Wii. Clearly inspired by the movie Aliens, it shares some visual DNA with Sega's later Alien Storm but keeps things pretty straightforward in terms of gameplay. You have to rescue various crewmembers in each stage and can take down enemies with a wide range of weaponry; once you've saved the required number of crewmembers and unlocked the exit to the level you're thrust into a boss battle with a series of grotesque xenomorphs. A local co-op mode has been included here, allowing you to tackle the challenge with a friend. The 3D effect isn't quite as striking as it is in Thunder Force III or Turbo OutRun, but it's a nice inclusion – especially as many 3DS owners may not be all that familiar with it.

Columns is based on the Mega Drive version, which was billed as Sega's answer to Tetris at the time of release. It's not quite as addictive as Alexey Pajitnov's puzzle classic, but it's a close second and is perfect for portable play. As you might imagine the 3D effect is very subtle here; in terms of visual spectacle this is arguably the least striking offering, yet it's one we found ourselves playing an awful lot. Like Alien Syndrome, it benefits from local co-op play on 3DS.

The final two games – Girl's Garden and Champion Boxing – are only accessible if you already have save data for the previous two Sega Fukkoku Archives releases. The first collection unlocks Girl's Garden (notable for being the development debut of Yuji Naka, who would later co-create Sonic) while the second collection unlocks boxing sim Champion Boxing (another notable debut, this time for OutRun, After Burner and Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki). If you already own the two previously-released compilations then these are neat extras, but they're so basic by modern standards that we can't say it's worth retrospectively purchasing Sega Fukkoku Archives 1 and 2 just to obtain them – unless of course you don't own any of the previous 3D Classics on the eShop already, in which case a handy 3-in-1 bundle is available.

As has been the case with M2's previous retro updates, it's possible to save your progress at any time during gameplay, and some titles allow you to record your performance so you can watch it back later on. You'll also find control editing options, sound tests and screen filters on some of the titles, all of which will be instantly familiar with anyone who has played one of the many individual Sega 3D Classics releases already. One of the best features of the package is a quick menu which allows you to effortlessly jump from title to title without incurring any prolonged wait, and you can also view each game's zany credits sequence from the main screen. It's worth noting that all of the option menus are in Japanese, but they are fairly uniform from game to game so it doesn't take long to figure out what does what.

Sega hasn't confirmed if Sega Fukkoku Archives 3 will be making its way to the west as yet, although the existence of a Miiverse page suggests that it could indeed happen; when that will be is anyone's guess however, because the Japanese veteran was quite slow in localising Sega 3D Classics Collection for both North America and Europe. In the meantime, if you happen to own a Japanese 3DS console then this is a highly recommended purchase – but it's also somewhat bittersweet as it feels like the end of an era. With Nintendo turning its back on auto-stereoscopic 3D with the Switch, the days of Sega's vintage classics being elegantly retrofitted with lush 3D effects are well and truly over.

 

SEGA, what about the rest of us, the western world?

[NE146]

The Sega 3D collections are the entire and sole reason why I hacked my 3DS to be honest.. else I wouldn't have even looked into it.

[Flojomojo]

That looks nice, but honestly, all I really "need" is Alien Syndrome, and if I don't get it, I'll hold my nose (well, ears, actually) and play Alien Storm on the AtGames portable instead.

 

I'm shocked and somewhat disappointed M2 never did Golden Axe. I guess they don't care for those games.

 

In happier news, Sega Forever games on mobile are getting patched, and they run better now. Too bad about all the terrible "first impression" reviews. Just like with the AtGames Sega handhelds and consoles, and them finally fixing the Sega Genesis Flashback this fall.

[phoenixdownita]

What about us, the west ?

it's say right there

Fukkoku

[Atariboy]

Flojomojo, if you own a Xbox 360 or Playstation 3, Alien Syndrome is on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection.

[dj_convoy]

So irritating that the 3DS is region locked. I'd happily just import these... maybe I'll do the mod thing one of these days.

[Parallax Scroll]

That looks nice, but honestly, all I really "need" is Alien Syndrome, and if I don't get it, I'll hold my nose (well, ears, actually) and play Alien Storm on the AtGames portable instead.

 

I'm shocked and somewhat disappointed M2 never did Golden Axe. I guess they don't care for those games.

 

In happier news, Sega Forever games on mobile are getting patched, and they run better now. Too bad about all the terrible "first impression" reviews. Just like with the AtGames Sega handhelds and consoles, and them finally fixing the Sega Genesis Flashback this fall.

 

I need Alien Syndrome, Thunder Force III and Turbo Outrun, as those are the major attractions of the collection. Even if we only got them digitally on the eShop, I'd be happy.

[Atariboy]

I'd happily just take Turbo Outrun on the eShop, but I'm starting to give up hope.

[Gabriel]

What about us, the west ?

it's say right there

Fukkoku

 

Yeah, that's pretty much Sega's stock historical answer to that question.

[Austin]

The Sega 3D collections are the entire and sole reason why I hacked my 3DS to be honest.. else I wouldn't have even looked into it.

 

Hm... At this rate I might have to look into hacking my 3DS too.

 

So irritating that the 3DS is region locked. I'd happily just import these... maybe I'll do the mod thing one of these days.

 

Exactly. I'd be totally OK with importing these, but with that region locking in place.. not happening.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Austin

[Parallax Scroll]

 

Hm... At this rate I might have to look into hacking my 3DS too.

 

 

Exactly. I'd be totally OK with importing these, but with that region locking in place.. not happening.

 

Same here.

[NE146]

Hacking your 3DS removes the region lock, so you could actually buy the cartridge and feel "legit".

 

Or of course you could download it. Up to you.. just stating the options.

[Austin]

Options are good. I like options.

[Atariboy]

I can't attest to the accuracy of this statement, but it's something to keep in mind for those considering importing.

 

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=235034107&postcount=521

Edited July 25, 2017 by Atariboy

[Austin]

I can't attest to the accuracy of this statement, but it's something to keep in mind for those considering importing.

 

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=235034107&postcount=521

 

Ha... Well, I guess I know what my other "option" is.

[NE146]

I can't attest to the accuracy of this statement, but it's something to keep in mind for those considering importing.

 

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=235034107&postcount=521

 

Really? As far as I knew it works with boot9strap but now you got me wondering again. Yknow it's funny because I was literally just in Japan a little over a week ago, and was considering just picking up the cart on the cheap, but ended up not doing so. Then I could have easily tested this statement.. darnit.

[NE146]

 

Ha... Well, I guess I know what my other "option" is.

 

Option it up man.

 

[koifish]

I hacked my system years ago, partially for this series. We're really lucky that we even got the second one, and we probably got it only because Sonic was on the cover.

 

There's a few reasons why we aren't getting the last one. The main one is that Sega just isn't a strong brand in the US beyond Sonic, and even if in Europe they enjoyed more success, they wouldn't likely bother localizing for Europe unless they expected to sell in the US as well.

 

The second reason is that they'll make more money selling the digital versions. Producing the physical game is a decently sized cost, and when they already have many of the 'big name' games on the eshop, there's not a lot of encouragement to put the package out there. Not to mention that they get a decent chunk of change off of the games, since ones like Gunstar Heroes and Sonic 2 sell for 8 bucks on the shop (if I recall correctly), meaning the money adds up quickly for those games, almost to the amount of a retail cart.

 

The last and possibly biggest reason, though, is that the 3DS is in a fundamental shifting point. Namely, they are losing the '3'. Nintendo announced the New 2DS XL. With that model they officially shut the book on '3D' games, and with it, any hope of releasing this package here. Sure, they could still do it, but that will not mesh cleanly with the image Nintendo wants for the remaining years of the system's lifespan. The timing is not right for us unfortunately.

[Atariboy]

I think I'm giving up hope now.

 

I suppose we'll just have to hope that Sega allows M2 to port all their arcade projects from the 3D Classics line to the current generation of home consoles, hopefully with 4-5 fresh additions like Virtua Racing added to the lineup.

 

Do the Switch specifications include support for 3D HDTV's? Would be a shame to see that effort not be able to be utilized on that system for those with compatible displays.

Edited September 12, 2017 by Atariboy