You know your girlfriend is awesome..

...when she buys you these for valentines day!

It's those smaller figures by First4Figures! They are rather awesome (though the Tails one has a hard time standing up). They are also taller than most of the other miniature Sonic figures and don't suffer from any dodgy paint work or wonky eyes like the old Sonic & Knuckles set. maybe I'll post some more photos another time.

AoStH 3 - Cover Art and Release Date!

Exciting news for Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog fans in the United States, the Volume 3 DVD has been given a release date as well as cover art. TVshowsonDVD.com broke the details:

This past December we broke the news that Shout! Factory's new "direct to consumer" online sales program would exclusively be offering The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog - Volume 3 on DVD. This 4-disc set finishes off the run of the popular animated series, which was spun off from Sega's classic videogame character.

Now Shout! Factory has revealed that this title will be available to begin shipping on March 16th. And the timing couldn't be better, either, since Sega is working on a Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Episode 1 videogame, available via digital purchase this summer for WiiWare, XBox Live and the Playstation Network.

Pricing for the DVD release of The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog - Volume 3 isn't available yet, but the studio kindly sent over the high-res cover art found below. Pre-orders aren't being accepted at this time, but when they begin taking them shortly you'll be able to pre-purchase your copy exclusively via Shout!'s website.

Finally US fans can complete their collection and fill that empty space between Volume 2 and the saturday morning series. While a region free complete set has been available for a while, Volume 3 outdoes that set by including a bonus "How to Draw Tails" with Milton Knight as well as the holiday special "Sonic's Christmas Blast"! Don't forget, volume 3 also includes the epic time travel arc. The episode "Blackbot the Pirate" has some of the best animation seen in the series, even outdoing the SatAM series in my opinion.

The Sonic Chess set and other bits and bobs

So we finally have some photos of the Gaya Entertainment range of classic Sonic stuff as seen over at the German website Spin Dash (thank Barry for finding these). Nice to finally see a classic Amy and Robotnik show up somewhere in all this stuff!

Squeeze toys for crushing in your hand over the many disappointments and frustrations that come in hand with being a Sonic fan!

Smaller squeezie keychains! The same deal but obviously smaller and with key chains attached to their noggins!

But best of all the Sonic Chess set (or '3D chess' as it says on the box just in case you've only ever played chess under a steamroller before). Notable for being the first classic Amy merchandise outside of Japan EVER, I believe.

A shame most of the pieces are just rings rather than say, badniks or something of that ilk. The rings aren't even gold painted! Oh well, you could always yank the rings out of their stand and chuck them all over the place if someone bumps into you, if you're odd like that.

So far I'm not aware if, where and when these are being released, but I'm pretty sure they won't just stay in Germany, or at least I hope not.

Project Needlemouse is Sonic the Hedgehog 4!

Sega yesterday announced that the forthcoming Sonic game previously given the codename Project Needlemouse (see my previous post about new game releases for this year) is in fact going to be Sonic the Hedgehog 4:

(Quote from an article in Yahoo! yeaterday)

Sega has announced that the game formerly known by the codename ‘Project Needlemouse’ is actually Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

Sonic 4, we’re pleased to report, heralds a return to his two-dimensional roots. In other words it’s a side-scrolling, high-speed, gold ring-collecting action/platform game, just like the good days of the Genesis/Mega Drive. That’s certainly no bad thing in our book – especially given the travesties of recent outings. Furthermore, being a bit, y’know, old school the new game doesn’t require the large storage capacities offered by DVDs or Blu-Ray discs. Instead it’s bound for download via Xbox LIVE Arcade, WiiWare and the PlayStation Network this summer.

The other significant component of Sega’s announcement is the new name – ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1’. Sega doesn’t illuminate on the implications of this, but it certainly looks like there will be other episodes in the pipeline. Let’s just hope that this is more than a means to pick our pockets several times over.

And that’s pretty much all there is to know at the moment, save to inform you that Sega has just launched an Official Sonic 4 website that boasts a number of countdown clocks, each ticking away towards the unveiling of new gameplay information, concept art and so on. In short there are plenty of reasons to be checking the site over the next few days and weeks.

(End quote)

Personally, I think it's fantastic that at long, long, long, long, long, long last (it's been 16 years in fact since Sonic 3!) Sega are producing a brand new proper style Sonic the Hedgehog game. It's about time! Hoorah!!

You can watch two trailer videos for the new game in my main YouTube channel here:

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - First Teaser Trailer

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Second Teaser Trailer

While we're all eagerly wating for this milestone game to be released, here are five great proper style Sonic the Hedgehog online games to play for free:

  Ultimate Flash Sonic the Hedgehog

  Sonic on Angel Island

  Sonic Mega Collection Mini

  Sonic Xtreme 2

  Sonic Sky Chase Zone

And if Mario is also "you're thing", here are two proper style Super Mario online games too:

  New Super Mario Bros. Flash

  Ultimate Super Mario World

You can find all the above games, plus 150 more great free Sonic and Mario games, in the Dan-Dare.info and MarioSonicGames.com sites.

Project Needlemouse is Sonic the Hedgehog 4!

Sega yesterday announced that the forthcoming Sonic game previously given the codename Project Needlemouse (see my previous post about new game releases for this year) is in fact going to be Sonic the Hedgehog 4:

(Quote from an article in Yahoo! yeaterday)

Sega has announced that the game formerly known by the codename ‘Project Needlemouse’ is actually Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

Sonic 4, we’re pleased to report, heralds a return to his two-dimensional roots. In other words it’s a side-scrolling, high-speed, gold ring-collecting action/platform game, just like the good days of the Genesis/Mega Drive. That’s certainly no bad thing in our book – especially given the travesties of recent outings. Furthermore, being a bit, y’know, old school the new game doesn’t require the large storage capacities offered by DVDs or Blu-Ray discs. Instead it’s bound for download via Xbox LIVE Arcade, WiiWare and the PlayStation Network this summer.

The other significant component of Sega’s announcement is the new name – ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1’. Sega doesn’t illuminate on the implications of this, but it certainly looks like there will be other episodes in the pipeline. Let’s just hope that this is more than a means to pick our pockets several times over.

And that’s pretty much all there is to know at the moment, save to inform you that Sega has just launched an Official Sonic 4 website that boasts a number of countdown clocks, each ticking away towards the unveiling of new gameplay information, concept art and so on. In short there are plenty of reasons to be checking the site over the next few days and weeks.

(End quote)

Personally, I think it's fantastic that at long, long, long, long, long, long last (it's been 16 years in fact since Sonic 3!) Sega are producing a brand new proper style Sonic the Hedgehog game. It's about time! Hoorah!!

You can watch two trailer videos for the new game in my main YouTube channel here:

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - First Teaser Trailer

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Second Teaser Trailer

While we're all eagerly wating for this milestone game to be released, here are five great proper style Sonic the Hedgehog online games to play for free:

  Ultimate Flash Sonic the Hedgehog

  Sonic on Angel Island

  Sonic Mega Collection Mini

  Sonic Xtreme 2

  Sonic Sky Chase Zone

And if Mario is also "you're thing", here are two proper style Super Mario online games too:

  New Super Mario Bros. Flash

  Ultimate Super Mario World

You can find all the above games, plus 150 more great free Sonic and Mario games, in the Dan-Dare.info and MarioSonicGames.com sites.

A free Super Mario game download for the Nokia N97, 5730 XpressMusic and 2700 Classic (and others)

If, like me, you love having great games on your Nokia mobile phone, then here's a lovely treat for you - a FREE with NO ADVERTS download of a really fun Super Mario Bros. Java game called "Super Mario Planet" for the Nokia N97, the Nokia 5730 XpressMusic, the Nokia 2700 Classic and other Nokia models (I have installed and tested the game on all three of the above-named models and it works fine, so presumably it will work okay on other modern Nokia models too):

Super Mario Planet .jad and .jar files - installation and executable game files

Download the .zip file above and unzip it, and then transfer the .jad installation file and the .jar executable game file to your Nokia phone, preferably to your phone's mass storage or memory card if you have either of them, in a new folder named "Web Games". Then check the new folder via your phone's File Manager to see if you can directly run the "Super Mario Planet" .jar game file - if your phone doesn't have File Manager, you should see the .jar file in your phone's gallery in the new "Web Games" folder.....

If you can directly run the "Super Mario Planet" game (as happens on the Nokia 2700 Classic for example), you should see the game start and you can play it from then on whenever you wish (and you can delete the .jad file as it isn't needed);

If you can't run it directly (as with the N97 and 5730 XpressMusic for example), select the .jad installation file to install the game on your phone's mass storage or memory card, then delete the .jad and .jar files, and then you should find the "Super Mario Planet" game in a folder named "Games" in either your phone's Main Menu or the Applications Menu. You can play it from there whenever you wish.

The game works perfectly on both the N97 and the 5730 XpressMusic, and it is also fine on the 2700 Classic except that the sound doesn't work on that particular phone. It is great fun to play, and has really good graphics as you can see from the screenshots at the top of this post. The first time you play it you will have to watch a short tutorial level, but after that you can play the proper game every time you start it. Very usefully, the game remembers your progress each time you play it for when you go back to it in the future.

As an extra special treat for you, here are two more great free Nokia Java game downloads, both of which also work fine on the N97, the 5730 XpressMusic and the 2700 Classic (and presumably other Nokia models too):

Space Cowboy .jad and .jar files - installation and executable game files

Yet Another Tetris .jad and .jar files - installation and executable game files

Install both games in the same way as the Mario Planet game above. Have fun! :-)

A free Super Mario game download for the Nokia N97, 5730 XpressMusic and 2700 Classic (and others)

If, like me, you love having great games on your Nokia mobile phone, then here's a lovely treat for you - a FREE with NO ADVERTS download of a really fun Super Mario Bros. Java game called "Super Mario Planet" for the Nokia N97, the Nokia 5730 XpressMusic, the Nokia 2700 Classic and other Nokia models (I have installed and tested the game on all three of the above-named models and it works fine, so presumably it will work okay on other modern Nokia models too):

Super Mario Planet .jad and .jar files - installation and executable game files

Download the .zip file above and unzip it, and then transfer the .jad installation file and the .jar executable game file to your Nokia phone, preferably to your phone's mass storage or memory card if you have either of them, in a new folder named "Web Games". Then check the new folder via your phone's File Manager to see if you can directly run the "Super Mario Planet" .jar game file - if your phone doesn't have File Manager, you should see the .jar file in your phone's gallery in the new "Web Games" folder.....

If you can directly run the "Super Mario Planet" game (as happens on the Nokia 2700 Classic for example), you should see the game start and you can play it from then on whenever you wish (and you can delete the .jad file as it isn't needed);

If you can't run it directly (as with the N97 and 5730 XpressMusic for example), select the .jad installation file to install the game on your phone's mass storage or memory card, then delete the .jad and .jar files, and then you should find the "Super Mario Planet" game in a folder named "Games" in either your phone's Main Menu or the Applications Menu. You can play it from there whenever you wish.

The game works perfectly on both the N97 and the 5730 XpressMusic, and it is also fine on the 2700 Classic except that the sound doesn't work on that particular phone. It is great fun to play, and has really good graphics as you can see from the screenshots at the top of this post. The first time you play it you will have to watch a short tutorial level, but after that you can play the proper game every time you start it. Very usefully, the game remembers your progress each time you play it for when you go back to it in the future.

As an extra special treat for you, here are two more great free Nokia Java game downloads, both of which also work fine on the N97, the 5730 XpressMusic and the 2700 Classic (and presumably other Nokia models too):

Space Cowboy .jad and .jar files - installation and executable game files

Yet Another Tetris .jad and .jar files - installation and executable game files

Install both games in the same way as the Mario Planet game above. Have fun! :-)

Sonic the Hedgehog 4

Alright, alright. I know that the first post made here at Sega Memories clearly stated "Sega Memories is all about anything Sega outside of the games", but how could I not make an excited post about Sonic the Hedgehog 4?? Rather than mention the gameplay or systems it's on, I'll post the bit that is of pertinence to Sega Memories readers. From the official Sonic 4 (god, I love typing that) website:

Our Legendary hero returns! With the Death Egg finally destroyed, and Angel Island back in the sky, Sonic decides it's time to take a break and heads off to explore a new territory on his own. However unbeknownst to Sonic, Eggman has also survived their last encounter, and has begun taking measures to rid himself of our hero. Armed with his signature Speed, super Spin Dash - and powerful Homing Attack, Sonic is ready for an all-new adventure!

Now to speculate on what kick-ass merchandise this game will bring... :)

^ No, not this. ^