Sega recycles yet more old games

Sega will recycle further Master System, Mega Drive and Saturn games. Yesterday the former platform holder announced plans to release many of its old games in updated or "retro" versions on PS2 for 2500 yen (about £10) apiece in Japan. The games will be published by the recently established 3D-Ages.

3D-Ages will also be handling the update process, and plans to launch the first round of four titles (Space Harrier, Fantasy Zone, Phantasy Star and Golden Axe) next summer. Space Harrier will be rebuilt to take advantage of polygons and Phantasy Star will be redone with 3D dungeons and other changes.

Further titles will follow the initial four in batches. The second batch will consist of Monaco GP, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Gain Ground, Bonanza Brothers and Streets of Rage, and the third will consist of Phantasy Star 2, Virtua Racing, Phantasy Star: End of the Millennium and Last Bronx.

Quite frankly, this writer wouldn't pay ten quid for any of those, updated or not. Some things are simply better the way you remember them, as evidenced by the recent release of Virtua Cop: Elite Edition on PS2. However, their popularity is assured by the legions of Sega die-hards who snuggle up to their every word. With this in mind, Western conversions are quite probable.