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Sega trademarks Altered Beast, Eternal Champions, Kid Chameleon, and JSR in Japan

Eternal Champions, I don't get. It never caught the vanguard even in its anticipated debut, it seems to just be thrown in and ignored in classic collections, and it's not the type of fighting game that players are looking for or that SEGA excels at.

Eternal Champions had uniquely identifiable characters, a storyline (super unique for the time), fun fatalities and just an overall fun vibe. It wasn't the best game but there was a ton of potential. And the CD version just made it even better.

It didn't fit the Sega of JAPAN vibe. It was uniquely SoA in that regard. But arguably a lot of the SoA stuff was more daring than the stuff SoJ was developing at the time.
 

SF Kosmo

Al Jazeera Special Reporter
Altered Beast, Kid Chameleon, and Eternal Champions were never great games. Altered Beast was graphically stunning when it came out in arcades, and I liked it but not great gameplay wise.

Eternal Champions, fine, I guess in the right hands it could be something.

Kid Chameleon I really have to wonder why bother. Sega has 100 better games they could bring back.
 

CamHostage

Member
...Eternal Champions, if they twist the formula up on it and make something more akin to a Power Stone clone, it would be WAY more fitting with the original characters of EC. But, I would remain cautiously optimistic on both, but who knows.

But then, it's not Eternal Champions, it's a different game. And if they're going to make a different game instead of pleasing the few fans who have been waiting 30 years for a new EC, why wouldn't they make it with like Sonic or some other SEGA franchise/mashup?

Eternal Champions had uniquely identifiable characters, a storyline (super unique for the time), fun fatalities and just an overall fun vibe. It wasn't the best game but there was a ton of potential. And the CD version just made it even better.

OK. It's nice that there are still some people with fond memories of playing this as a kid.

Nothing about that would lead to a sequel now. It doesn't have particularly original fighting mechanics, the storyline would have to start from scratch since buyers generally wouldn't have any familiarity or maybe even memories of the roots, those unique characters are now pretty outdated and don't have any lasting fan following (has anybody ever been out there cosplaying as EC characters at cons?), fatalities don't sell games anymore, and even fans say, "it wasn't the best game..."

I'm not saying it's not a fine memory for SEGA fans, and I don't think it's impossible that SEGA could find a way in or an external developer with a hot concept for an Eternal Champions reboot, but there's not a demand and there's not much leftover conceptual value in this brand. It was just one of many of those "Street Fighter Killer" games made when fighters were super popular, and those times are past. Re-release Eternal Champions: Challenge From the Dark Side on Steam/eShop and make fans contented that way.
 
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Happosai

Hold onto your panties
Altered Beast, Kid Chameleon, and Eternal Champions were never great games. Altered Beast was graphically stunning when it came out in arcades, and I liked it but not great gameplay wise.

Eternal Champions, fine, I guess in the right hands it could be something.

Kid Chameleon I really have to wonder why bother. Sega has 100 better games they could bring back.
Not sure I agree with your take on Altered Beast or Eternal Champions never being great games. They were. However, I'm with you on Kid Chameleon. SEGA had plenty of great choices and I would have nominated Shining Force.
 

Heimdall_Xtreme

Jim Ryan Fanclub's #1 Member
Come on guys, let's support Sega... I do commit to giving them support from day 1...

Also, let's help for the Jet set radio puppy.

EabpHp4WAAACo6R_large.jpg
 

Azelover

Titanic was called the Ship of Dreams, and it was. It really was.
CAN I PLEASE JUST GET A BURNING RANGERS REMASTER!!
Maybe the source code is lost like Panzer Dragoon Saga's.. the Saturn era was bitter for Sega at the end. They threw everything out.
 
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fart town usa

Gold Member
I wonder if anyone at Sega is pushing for a Clockwork Knight reboot? I was playing that last night and it's actually pretty damn solid for what it is.

Think of what Sega could potentially do if they start releasing AA bangers with these old IPs. Sell them for $30-40. I dunno if I'm delusional but I'd like to think that if Sega nails these games, it could potentially start a trend with other studios and their dormant IPs. We've had remasters for years now but where are the smaller reboots? We have those too of course with various IPs but not at the level that people want. I really want to see studios making smaller games, the current development cycle and incessant focus on open world is just so damn stale to me! I really hope Sega can start a trend of arcade-style games that are built on replayability and score boards. Fingers crossed.
 

fart town usa

Gold Member
CAN I PLEASE JUST GET A BURNING RANGERS REMASTER!!
A few days ago was the first time I've ever put serious time into Burning Rangers. It's awesome! I read somewhere that it may have inspired aspects of Phantasy Star Online and I can totally see it when it comes to level design and character movement.

Do you know if BR takes place in the PS universe? Sure seems like it, especially when reading emails from people you rescue, they all look like PS characters.
 

AREYOUOKAY?

Member
Alright Sega this one’s for free.

ChuChu Rocket 99

The title has an extra bonus meaning with the original game that you can toss in for free with it’s 1999 release date (Well at least in Japan)

You’re welcome.

Then again that number might be an issue so make it 100. Multiple 4 player games going on at the same time and the winner of a match rockets off to face the other winners until the last man standing. Basically the usual deal with those kinds of games.

On second thought it could be a 99 game still but then it would just be 3 player matches instead.
 
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SirTerry-T

Member
Eternal Champions was decent. Problem was SF was way better. EC was a crazy game where you had everything from Barbarian dude to modern day Dick Tracy guy to sci-fi alien. It was weird. The thing that killed EC was the game had floaty collision detection and shitty muffed sound effects. In SF, when you got hammered with a throw or giant punch or kick, you saw it and heard it. In EC, you never really felt if things were connecting and hard hits didn't even sound harder.

(For those of you who didn't play the game, the fighter draining the Sega logo empty is a vampiric dude)


I do still think some of the pixel art in that game is gorgeous. Great use of dithering.
 

Papa_Wisdom

Member
A few days ago was the first time I've ever put serious time into Burning Rangers. It's awesome! I read somewhere that it may have inspired aspects of Phantasy Star Online and I can totally see it when it comes to level design and character movement.

Do you know if BR takes place in the PS universe? Sure seems like it, especially when reading emails from people you rescue, they all look like PS characters.
From what I remember it was actually a evangelion game (I think) that didnt work out and got reworked into what it became. As far as I’m aware it does t take place in the pso universe

I love burning rangers, it’s my top 5 games ever easily!
 

Papa_Wisdom

Member
I wonder if anyone at Sega is pushing for a Clockwork Knight reboot? I was playing that last night and it's actually pretty damn solid for what it is.

Think of what Sega could potentially do if they start releasing AA bangers with these old IPs. Sell them for $30-40. I dunno if I'm delusional but I'd like to think that if Sega nails these games, it could potentially start a trend with other studios and their dormant IPs. We've had remasters for years now but where are the smaller reboots? We have those too of course with various IPs but not at the level that people want. I really want to see studios making smaller games, the current development cycle and incessant focus on open world is just so damn stale to me! I really hope Sega can start a trend of arcade-style games that are built on replayability and score boards. Fingers crossed.
I actually really liked clockwork knight as well! And bug!, it wasn’t Like amazing or anything but it’s just one of those games for me, the original anyway I couldn’t get into bug 2 in the same way.
 

F31 Leopard

Member
I need a new Space Channel 5, ESWAT, Phantasy Star and Skies of Arcadia. Since Nintendo doesn't have a racing simcade franchise they should bring back Sega GT to Switch or next the Nintendo console.
 
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gladdys

Member
Bit surprised by some of the comments. Sega are looking to revitalise some dormant franchises. There will defo be some wins from this. Some may not be for you but that’s life. At least they are investing and attempting to grow. As someone who grew up on the master system and mega drive I am hyped.
 

RAIDEN1

Member
Eternal Champions had uniquely identifiable characters, a storyline (super unique for the time), fun fatalities and just an overall fun vibe. It wasn't the best game but there was a ton of potential. And the CD version just made it even better.

It didn't fit the Sega of JAPAN vibe. It was uniquely SoA in that regard. But arguably a lot of the SoA stuff was more daring than the stuff SoJ was developing at the time.
Some say the original game pushed the Mega-Genesis to its limits...
 

fart town usa

Gold Member
I actually really liked clockwork knight as well! And bug!, it wasn’t Like amazing or anything but it’s just one of those games for me, the original anyway I couldn’t get into bug 2 in the same way.
One thing I never really considered is how early development started on some of these early Saturn games, were talking as early as 1993, that's just insane to me. Bug! is primitive as hell but it's not a bad game by any means, same with Clockwork.

Check out this channel sometime, this guy does such a good job with digging into the NA Saturn library. Has interview clips with one of the main developers for Bug!, truly fascinating stuff.

 
One thing I never really considered is how early development started on some of these early Saturn games, were talking as early as 1993, that's just insane to me. Bug! is primitive as hell but it's not a bad game by any means, same with Clockwork.
Man, a Sonic game made with this Bug! engine in 1995 it would go viral. you know Sonic Mars. Super Mario 64 would be superior and innovative but Sonic would receive the glory for having been released earlier. I really like Bug! the mere presence of the Sonic character would change everything.
 
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Arsic

Loves his juicy stink trail scent
Now that Sega is bringing back older IPs. I hope they bring back their JRPG Franchises like Phantasy Star, Shining Force, Skies of Arcadia, Dragon Force, etc

I’m so surprised skies of Arcadia wasn’t one of the obvious revivals.

I would’ve had a list of something like:

nights
Skies of Arcadia
Crazy Taxi
Virtua Fighter
 

RavageX

Member
They've already tried the "edgy" way :

Looks like they tried WAY too hard with this. I couldn't watch it all. This probably needs to stick with 2D like Streets of Rage. Eternal Champions, funny I was just thinking about that.

Whatever they do with it, it needs to keep the dark, grim setting of the series. No matter what happened, one person would be able to change things...everyone else still dies. Tone down some of the silly fatalities too.
 

RavageX

Member
I’m so surprised skies of Arcadia wasn’t one of the obvious revivals.

I would’ve had a list of something like:

nights
Skies of Arcadia
Crazy Taxi
Virtua Fighter
Technically Phantasy Star is still around, and they did announce Crazy Taxi.
 

CamHostage

Member
Looks like they tried WAY too hard with this. I couldn't watch it all. This probably needs to stick with 2D like Streets of Rage.

Altered Beasts isn't great in 2D either.



It's always been a rather chunky kick-and-puncher (originally limited as a linear-scrolling/single-line 2D game; the 3D game came up with no great innovations) with some near-useless flying play glued on. It might have been its best in the GBA game, and nobody even cares about the GBA game. Altered Beast really only ever worked as a quarter-muncher, where you could waste 13 minutes enjoying the mindlessness played loud. However, it had great, memorable atmosphere and beast design. Build it fresh on that and maybe something totally new can work out on the brand name.
 
Loved Altered Beast when I was a kid, lots of potential to turn this IP into something genuinely cool. Eternal Champions is a big surprise, I enjoyed this too back in the day. I guess they see Mortal Kombat making all that $$$ and want in on the gory fighting game market, Killer Instinct really being the only other game in the sub-genre and it's been a decade since the last one released.
 

Fat Frog

I advertised for Google Stadia
Altered Beasts isn't great in 2D either.



It's always been a rather chunky kick-and-puncher (originally limited as a linear-scrolling/single-line 2D game; the 3D game came up with no great innovations) with some near-useless flying play glued on. It might have been its best in the GBA game, and nobody even cares about the GBA game. Altered Beast really only ever worked as a quarter-muncher, where you could waste 13 minutes enjoying the mindlessness played loud. However, it had great, memorable atmosphere and beast design. Build it fresh on that and maybe something totally new can work out on the brand name.

Give it to Yakuza Studio, i'm sure they'll make it stylish, satifying with a great story line 🥳
 

NT80

Member
Most of those don't make sense especially Eternal Champions which I thought never even lived up to the hype all those years back on the Megadrive.
Virtua Tennis is what I was looking especially as there's been so few good tennis games in the last 2 gens. Licensing cost might be an issue but they could at least go for smaller names like in the first game.
Where have all the tennis games gone?
 
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Beechos

Member
Besides for the graphics at the time altered beast was a pretty bad game.

Eternal champions was alright. I could see that being successful with the lack of fighting games nowadays.

Don't remember what kid chameleon was lol

Wasn't a new jsr announced already?
 
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Fat Frog

I advertised for Google Stadia
Besides for the graphics at the time altered beast was a pretty bad game.

Eternal champions was alright. I could see that being successful with the lack of fighting games nowadays.

Don't remember what kid chameleon was lol

Wasn't a new jsr announced already?
The Eternal Champion/Kid Chameleon trademarks could be only for a game list in the Megadrive Mini 3 😜
 

RedC

Member
I think revitalizing Eternal Champions has a lot of potential, especially as a Japanese take on an M-rated fighting game with fatalities as a competitor to Mortal Kombat, despite its American origins.

However, I highly doubt Sega, would be willing to invest a AAA budget in its story mode and high production values.
 

s_mirage

Member
What killed EC was Sega, SoJ thought it was stealing Virtua Fighter's thunder in the states.

It was worse than that: it appeared to be pure spite.

Michael Latham created Eternal Champions, and he was also the producer for the 32X port of Virtua Fighter. That VF port added content over the Saturn version, which the core VF team were furious about and wanted removed. Latham and SoA management pushed for it to remain in and got their way. Shortly after, SoJ cancelled Eternal Champions for the Saturn. Latham didn't believe it was a coincidence.
 
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Fat Frog

I advertised for Google Stadia
It was worse than that: it appeared to be pure spite.

Michael Latham created Eternal Champions, and he was also the producer for the 32X port of Virtua Fighter. That VF port added content over the Saturn version, which the core VF team were furious about and wanted removed. Latham and SoA management pushed for it to remain in and got their way. Shortly after, SoJ cancelled Eternal Champions for the Saturn. Latham didn't believe it was a coincidence.
 

Soltype

Member
It was worse than that: it appeared to be pure spite.

Michael Latham created Eternal Champions, and he was also the producer for the 32X port of Virtua Fighter. That VF port added content over the Saturn version, which the core VF team were furious about and wanted removed. Latham and SoA management pushed for it to remain in and got their way. Shortly after, SoJ cancelled Eternal Champions for the Saturn. Latham didn't believe it was a coincidence.
Wow that's messed up.
 
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Kruza

Member
Man... imagine if there were any existing social media platforms like X/Twitter, Instagram, etc. tracking many of the actions and comments going on between SoJ and SoA back at the height of their fiery regional intracompany feud. It would've been absolute bananas.
 
Would love a new Eternal Champion game. Give Mortal Kombat some competition in the violent fighting game arena. Also, hopefully a new Altered Beast will be set in Greece. Hell, make it like the old GOW games, but with the beast abilities.
 

Pimpbaa

Member
(Wonder Boy Dragon Trap of course already got a remake. The developer Lizardcube, who also made Streets of Rage 4, could some day make new games in either of those franchises, but they appear to instead be busy creating the intriguing new 2D take on Shinobi.)

cdd7fcb942b68772ec8156cbaea9a6beca413a3c.gif
Cosmo Kramer Omg GIF


Holy crap! I had no idea this existed!
 

AREYOUOKAY?

Member
Okay but where is Vectorman?
A very late Christmas miracle but I'll take it Santa.

 
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