Difference between revisions of "Sega Ages"

Sega Ages is a label given to a number of Sega video game re-releases. Four sets of games use the branding - thirteen Sega Saturn games released between 1996 and 1998, thirty-three PlayStation 2 games released between 2003 and 2008, a number of mobile phone games released in the mid-to-late 2000s, and a digital download series starting in 2012. "Ages" is "Sega spelt backwards, an anagram previously used in European advertising in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Saturn Sega Ages

The Saturn Sega Ages series is comprised of various ports, most of which were originally released in the arcades in the late 1980s (by Sega AM2) or for the Sega Mega Drive. At the time, it was impossible to play more accurate representations of these games in the home. Some games have extra features such as CD audio, or difficulty settings.

• Sega Ages Vol.1 Syukudai ga Tant-R (a version of Puzzle & Action: Tant-R; 24 May 1996)
• Sega Ages Vol.2 Space Harrier (9 August 1996)
• Sega Ages OutRun (20 September 1996)
• Sega Ages After Burner II (27 September 1996)
• Sega Ages Rouka ni Ichidant-R (a version of Puzzle & Action: Ichidant-R; 27 December 1996)
• Sega Ages Fantasy Zone (21 February 1997)
• Sega Ages Memorial Selection Vol.1 (28 February 1997)
• Sega Ages Columns Arcade Collection (30 October 1997)
• Sega Ages Memorial Selection Vol.2 (27 November 1997)
• Sega Ages Power Drift (26 February 1998)
• Sega Ages Phantasy Star Collection (2 April 1998)
• Sega Ages Galaxy Force II (2 July 1998)
• Sega Ages I Love Mickey Mouse: Fushigi no Oshiro Daibouken/I Love Donald Duck: Guruzia Ou no Hihou (15 October 1998)

None of these games were released in the west, however the After Burner, OutRun, and Space Harrier sets were compiled onto one disc and sold as Sega Ages: Volume 1 in North America and Europe. The Saturn's short lifespan in these regions meant a volume 2 was never made.

Interestingly many of these games can be purchased in Shenmue, as can a Sega Ages version of Super Hang-On which does not exist in real life. They are all straight arcade ports in this game though.

Sega Ages 2500

Sega and D3Publisher teamed up to create a new Sega Ages series in 2003, with each copy retailing for 2500 yen. Games range from enhanced ports to compilations spanning Sega's entire history up until this point. D3Publisher would leave part-way through the series and focus would shift towards huge compilations. See its article for details.

Mobile Phone "Sega Ages"

No English info on this is currently known, though Sega has two pages in Japanese, one of which refers to SoftBank Mobile in its URL.

Sega Ages Online

In early 2012, Sega opened a new collection of games for digital download services. Several sources claim that some of these games will also be released overseas under a Sega Vintage brand.

This collection is available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and is divided into collections, like Sega Ages 2500. On the Xbox 360, you will be able to purchase entire collections; on the PlayStation 3 the games have to be purchased individually.

• Sega Classics Collection (Xbox 360)
  • Alex Kidd in Miracle World (PS3)
  • The Super Shinobi (PS3)
  • Super Hang-On (PS3)
• Monster World Collection (Xbox 360)
  • Wonder Boy in Monster World (PS3)
  • Wonder Boy V: Monster World III (PS3)
  • Monster World IV (PS3)

Miscellaneous and Merchandise

A soundtrack compilation, Sega Ages Sound Track The Best Plus, was released by TEAM Entertainment in 2004. It also marks the earliest known recording by [H.], the latest incarnation of Sega's sound team band.

External Links

• Sega Ages Online homepage
• Sega Ages 2500 homepage