Press release: 1997-04-04: Sega's Spring Line Up

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: Sega Europe (archived)

'FIRST ON' AND 'EXCLUSIVE TO' - SEGA'S SPRING LINE UP

4th April, 1997

Never mind the comet, serious gamers after the best software should look no further than Saturn. Sega's spring software line up boasts four new titles that are either 'exclusive to' or 'first on' their mighty super console.

Saturn gamers can look forward to the welcome return of Bug - the green 3D platform hero with a spike in his tail - with the launch of Bug Too! Saturn Bomberman brings his explosive mayhem to Sega's super-console in a new version of a classic game. This Saturn exclusive allows as many as ten players to blast the smithereens out of each other on the same screen!

Sega is taking the wraps off Scorcher, a futuristic bike racing sim produced by third-party developers, Scavenger. Formula Karts from the Manic Media development team is yet another winning Sega exclusive. This stunningly realistic kart racing sim is also being released by Sega PC for Pentium owners.

Title 			Genre 			Console 		Release date 		Price
Scorcher 		Racing sim 		First on Saturn 	10th April 		£39.99
Bug Too! 		3D Platform 		Only on Saturn 		24th April 		£39.99
Saturn Bomberman Blast 'em up 			Only on Saturn 		1st May			£39.99
Formula Karts 		Kart racing sim 	Only on Saturn 		22nd May 		£39.99

Details of Sega's 32-bit game release schedule for April and May follows:

Scorcher - Sega Saturn - 10th April - £39.99
Scorcher is a futuristic bike racing sim is set in the year 2021 when the planet's cities have become abandoned wastelands and people travel on hovering speed bikes.

Players take the controls of a speed bike and challenge other racers in a fight to the finish on six amazingly designed tracks. The game's tracks are packed with a variety of treacherous obstacles and corners to test players' handling skills.

Scorcher includes 'Championship' and 'Time attack' modes to keep gameplay active. A number of valuable power-ups are scattered throughout the game to help riders with the tough tracks. Items include extra energy, speed boosters, bike repair, extra weapons and armour to fend off attacks from other racers.

Scorcher features super smooth high-resolution graphics with excellent light effects and appropriately, an industrial dance soundtrack.

Bug Too! - Sega Saturn - 24th April - £39.99
The cool green one returns to the Saturn in an all-new 3D platform adventure - packed with even more of the humour, compelling gameplay and amazing graphics which made Bug's debut such a hit the first time around.

One of the highlights of Bug Too! is the introduction of new characters. Superfly is a comical 70's throwback complete with killer afro, platform boots and bell-bottomed pants. Superfly moves faster than Bug and comes armed with a 'Luv gun'! The little grub Maggot Dog is the smallest player-controlled character in the game and jumps around reaching the parts no other vermin can!

The new game taps into the power of the Saturn's polygon-rendering and texture-mapping capabilities with awesome detailing and eerie mist special effects on some levels. The action in Bug Too! takes place over a huge gameplay area with scores of levels to explore. Quirky platform designs add to the game's fun and players will love the new corkscrew level. There are also hidden bonus levels and sub games to discover and explore including a section where the action is transferred to a racing game and the stage where gamers are pitted against the challenge of a giant fruit machine.

Saturn Bomberman - Sega Saturn - 1st May - £39.99
With easy and compelling gameplay, Saturn Bomberman proves that the simple ideas can be the best. Gamers have to plant bombs in the paths of opponents and then run for cover before the explosion.

The mighty Saturn's power has been used to offer as many as ten simultaneous gamers one of the best multi-player titles available. Gamers can connect ten joy-pads to two of the Saturn's 6-player adapters for the ultimate in chaotic bombing action.

Saturn Bomberman includes full narrative 'Story', single or multi-player 'Battle' and ranking 'Master' modes for variations on the game's hilarious blast-them-to-bits theme.

The game also features a host of handy power-ups to help with players' smart getaways and sneaky tactics. Different icons scattered throughout the game allow players to send UXBs to the other side of the screen, plant extra bombs in multiple drops and shift live bombs out of the way. Others release small dinosaurs, which the bombermen can ride to get around the game and use as a shield to protect them from blast attacks.

The Saturn release of Bomberman is a hugely enjoyable gaming favourite that has previously been seen on the best-selling Mega Drive and the game's Saturn release brings the title bang up-to-date.

Formula Karts - Sega Saturn - 22nd May - £39.99
Formula Karts gives gamers the thrill of wheel-to-wheel kart racing. The game includes eight stunningly detailed polygon-rendered karts complete with motion-sampled driver animation and realistic handling.

Gamers select one of eight tracks in different countries to compete on and race over a variety of road surfaces. The tracks and corners have been specially designed to test even the most experienced drivers and keep the game action active at all times.

The game controls the competing drivers with Artificial Intelligence to make sure players are constantly surrounded by a pack for lots of bumper smashing action. The AI works by increasing and decreasing the speed of the other karts depending on the players driving style.

Players can select from 'Single Race', 'Arcade' or 'Championship' modes to enjoy quick blast gameplay or an extended racing game. Gamers can also choose the most appropriate skill level. The options are 'Easy' (up to 70 mph), 'Medium' (up to 100mph) and 'Hard' (up to 130mph) which are based on engine sizes of the kart and the Artificial Intelligence of the other drivers.

Formula Karts is yet another of Sega's exclusive releases and this high-revving kart racing simulation comes from Manic Media - the leading third-party software developers that created the top-selling PC CD-Rom titles Super Karts and Manic Karts.

Further information: [email protected]
Nelson Bostock Communications