SEGA nerds of the world unite! You no longer need to worry about running your classic consoles through modern TV’s, because with SEGA Forever you will soon be able to play them through your mobile phone or tablet.
After months of speculation over what SEGA had in the pipeline, we can now confirm that the once mighty games manufacturer will be bringing a collection of its most famous, and well-loved titles to the iOS and Android App stores.
The games will be free to play, with ads running in between levels etc to help garner some revenue. If ads aren’t your thing, then you can buy them instead for a measly $1.99. Imagine what you could pay for a re-released version of the same games, or even more if it’s an original copy!
SEGA Forever’s line up will include games from every era, including: SG-1000, Master System 1 and 2, Gensis/Mega Drive, Game Gear, SEGA Saturn and the Dreamcast.
Evans, the CMO of SEGA’s Mobile Division issues the following statement:
“Above all else SEGA Forever is a celebration of nostalgia. It’s about allowing fans to reconnect with past experiences and share them with family and friends in an accessible and convenient way. Join us on a journey of rediscovery as we roll out two decades of classic games free on mobile. Create your own SEGA Forever folder and collect your favorite classics. Enjoy moments of nostalgia on the go, or sync a Bluetooth controller to enjoy a console-like experience in your living room. SEGA Forever democratizes retro gaming, and seeks to change how the world plays, rediscovers, and shares in classic game experiences.”
So far, only 5 games have been confirmed for the June 22nd launch. However, there are plans to release hundreds of beloved retro video games. The initial titles are as follows:
Sonic the Hedgehog, Altered Beast, Phantasy Star II, Comix Zone, and Kid Chameleon
Not too shabby, eh?
Each game – which will be a standalone app – will also feature leader boards, Cloud save functionality, offline play, controller support and menus in a variety of different languages. iMessage sticker packs will also be released for each title included in the bundle.
This appears to be SEGA’s response to Nintendo’s mini-consoles, which have been incredibly popular to the point where they were sold out in most markets within hours of their release. There have been mini SEGA consoles too over the years, but SEGA Forever is certainly their most marketable idea in decades.
You can check out the trailer below, and let us know which games you’d like to see released as part of the SEGA Forever launch.
*UPDATE: The Sega Forever catalog has gone live a day early in the UK. They are retailing at £1.99, or free if you’re OK with the ads*
