SEGA '05 AM2 Autumn Show Highlights
Our Japanese correspodent checks out some of SEGA's latest arcade releases!
Article by Daniel Markiewicz (Email)
November 8th 2005, 10:09PM
The Japanese arcade scene is still lively and vibrant, and SEGA aims to keep it that way. With a heavy investment in the LINDBERGH platform and IC card technology, they plan to remind us that there are gaming experiences that we still can’t experience from the comfort of our homes.
Stepping out of our shelters and into the dangers of the outside world, we braved a journey to SEGA AM’s Fall expo for a chance to see and touch the future.
Shown only in video form, very little was revealed about Virtua Fighter 5’s gameplay, but new information about the VF5 arcade gaming experience was brought to light. Each character will have four basic costumes to choose from and a huge selection of customization options, from hats and sunglasses to tattoos and wristbands.
One of the most interesting piece of news was the announcement and footage of VF.TV which will play on dedicated monitors in arcades. Set to display not only national ranking and ongoing matches, it will also show staff interviews, special features and apparently live commentary. On top of that, programming will vary on a regional basis, with fresh content not available to the rest of the country.
Also shown only on video was After Burner Climax. It’s a given that it looks gorgeous, moves fast and features enough smoke trails and explosions to satisfy the war pig in all of us, but details are still pretty sketchy. The key sales points are currently nostalgic pick-up-and-play action, supersonic speed, and the F14D Super Tomcat license. Get ready to LOCK ON again in 2006.
