Jet Set Radio Fruit Machine (and more)

So recently in my eBay hunts for anything and everything Sega I came across this oddity. I had a crack at bidding on it but lost out though it didn't go for any where as much as I thought it would, but it's worth talking about I think.

Finding one of these in the UK is extremely rare as they were only seen in Japanese arcades. It's a jet Set radio fruit machine! The one on auction did not take money but rather tokens. The main draw of this machine the screen at the top of it which, judging from videos, uses in-game graphics from the Dreamcast game. Is this footage pre rendered videos or is this machine running on Naomi/Dreamcast like hardware?

There are a few videos of this neat machine on Youtube, which you can check out after the jump!

It's very slick, is it not? You wanna see it busting some Hideki Naganuma tunes though, right?

Here you go! There is a website for the machine still online here.It was developed by a company called Rodeo in 2003, so I'm surprised it's not jet Set Radio Future themed machine considering that game was released the year before.

On further investigation of the Rodeo website it appaers there made more Sega themed machines much like this one! First off, two cabinets based on Virtua Fighter from 2007, and these ones have an even more elaborate screens that wrap around the reels with graphics from Virtua Fighter 4. If this running on Naomi like hardware, is that was VF4 could have looked like on Dreamcast?

Last but not least there is 'Sonic Live!' from 2008. Don't worry, it has nothing in common with that infamous Archive comic special with the same name. Irt clearly uses assets and graphics from Sonic Adventure 2, but unlike the other two slot machines, does quite a lot of new things with them including having Sonic and his mates perform as a band with instruments! There are a few videos on the website, which show game play elements like racing against Shadow, UFO Catcher machines and even a Chao Garden feature!



There are only a handful of videos of this about, but boy does it look like a stunner. Who doesn't want to gamble to the beat of City Escapes annoying catchy theme? I would pay a high price for this, one day. Cor!

By the way if you were the lucky Brit who won the Jet Set Radio machine on eBay last week for such a cheap price, could you get in contact with us? We'd love to see some photos and videos of it! :D

Explore the World of Jet Set Radio Future!

Here at SEGA Memories we're all about anything outside the games (as detailed way back in the very first post), but sometimes there is something game related that is just too cool not to share. In my regular internet browsing, I came across a blog entitled JSRF Inside. The blog is dedicated to ripping models, textures and environments from the XBOX classic Jet Set Radio Future. What is so insanely cool about the blog is that the owner and model ripper provides a number of amazing images and files detailing every character, NPC, animal and piece of graffiti that litters the world of Tokyo-to.

One might consider it a "digital collection", as one can download every character icon (perfect for avatars), high res logos and listen to a number of sounds. Really awesome stuff! If you're a JSRF fan, make sure to add this to your favorites and download as many bits as you want.

Toys"R"Us Shows Sonic & SEGA Some Love

I felt like a kid in some kind of store!

Just as things were looking grim for Sonic and SEGA at my local Toys"R"Us, a recent visit brought with it a surprising number of new items! Last month I checked in on the video game figures aisle only to find that Sonic had been relegated to a foot length of shelving, with the only toys available being Knuckles in an ATV and a dozen werehogs. But enough about the sad past, the Sonic and SEGA section is bumping! Let's check out what is new in the world of figures and take a closer look at what I bought!

First up is the Vector and Espio comic 2-pack! While I didn't pick this one up, it is a real cool package. The Vector is spot on, and Espio is very detailed. I had to abstain from this one just because if I did get it, I'd be opening the door for even more figures. I have enough collecting addictions as it is, so I've told myself I am only allowed to buy the following Sonic figures: personal favorites Eggman and Metal Sonic, classic sculpts of the original Genesis cast, quality sculpts of modern Sonic, Tails and Knuckles and non-Sonic characters from the Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing line.

Oh heck, I know in a week I'll be picking this 2-pack up. It's too cool to avoid!

Next up is the Super 3-pack! This is a very cool pack, with the super forms of the main three hedgehogs as well as seven emeralds. Super Sonic is awesome, however the inclusion of Shadow and Silver caused me to not pick this one up. I just can't see them standing in my limited display space, and I have a feeling we'll be seeing single figures of the three in the near future. Still, if you like Shadow and Silver as well and collect the 3.5 inch line, this is a must buy. Note: nerds such as myself and those at The Sonic Stadium forums noticed that the emeralds are incorrectly colored. For shame, Jazwares!

Here is something I DID buy, the SASASR figure 4-pack! There are so many awesome elements to this set, the first being the inclusion of Beat. How often does Jet Set Radio get a figure? Well I can tell you right now: two times. Once as a figure from Joyride studios and the second time in this set. There is also a very cool JSRF Hot Wheels car however no figure is included, it's just a detailed car. The second awesome element is the box itself, emulating the Seaside Hill track found in the game. While I'll admit, I only bought the set because it is the only way to obtain Beat, the other three figures are equally cool.

Eggman is riding in his converted Egg-O-Matic monster truck, appropriately called the "Egg Monster". This is my favorite of the set, simply because it is so rare for Sonic's arch rival to receive his own figure.

Tails is riding in his Tornado Racer. The detail of the face, especially the eyes, is great considering how tiny the figure is.

Sonic's face suffers a bit as his nose is not entirely painted, making it look like Sonic has a goofy Simpsons-style nose. I checked out all five copies that TRU had in stock and all five looked the same. Oh well, at least his car looks cool.

Here's a closer look at Beat. Yeah, he looks rather wonky but then again for the size of the figure it looks quite good when not held under a magnifying glass.

Check out the sweet JSRF logo on the hood of the car. The car itself is known as the "De La Custom GGs". Did I mention I love Jet Set Radio?

The second and final figure I picked up was a single package of Amigo in his Sun Buggy. I honestly think this is the first time Amigo has received his own action figure! There may be some rare plushies out there from Japan, but this must be the first figure.

Like Tails, the face is surprisingly detailed. He has his eyes, little nose and trademark toothy smile. I still wonder why his car is number 38. I also wonder how a monkey learned to drive. In addition to Amigo, the store also had Aiai, Amy and Shadow in single packs. I didn't pick those up, but I have a feeling those will be hanging on the pegs for a while.

On my way out of the store I passed this SASASR Sonic in remote controlled car. Pretty cool item! If only it shot spring loaded boxing gloves.


BONUS ITEM
While that concludes my visit to Toys"R"Us, upon arriving home I found a tiny envelope that had come in the mail. Inside was a tiny plush Wisp I had won in a giveaway at The Sonic Stadium. I'll allow 10" Sonic to show it to you.

Sonic and the most uncomfortable bike ever (and other hot wheels toys)

Title almost sounds like the next Wii exclusive Sonic game.

Man, I have truck loads of sonic junk that is stored in the loft that I have never got around to posting about, best at least have a go at showing some of it.

So let's start off with this one off oddity of a toy. Hot Wheels did this set of 'Crash & Smash' toys and amongst the Sewer Sharks and whatever other franchises represented was this Sonic figure on a motorbike. More after the jump..

For those interested in the back of the box and what the other toys were (probably nobody).

I have two of these toys, one boxed up all new because I'm sad like that and one not which is a little bit wreaked from *shock* being played as a toy when I was a kid. They were bought back when they were released sometime in...1995, I think? All I can remember is being surprised finding this in a shop as it was a little while after everyone had moved on from making Sonic toys. Time for some photos!

It's a rather angry attitude-y looking Sonic holding two rings (and the arms can rotate for some reason) and the motorbike has a seat that can spring up to launch the poor hedgehog flying as well as a road the bike clips to that you can pull it back and shoot forward. This thing chucks itself across the room bloody fast, so at it's definitely Sonic fast. In fact the only way I could show you how fast it is I took a quick video.








..and while we're at it here's another vid of Sonic being flung back into the loft box of doom (hitting the mug in there by the sounds of it) via the seat chucking button which just so happens to be the front wheel. Good times!







While we're having a good chuckle at the hogs' misery: just have a look at how the Sonic sits on the bike..

..via a rather nasty and deep looking butt plug. Ouch.

I've also got photos of a much more recent and non-Sonic related set of Hot Wheels cars, released around 2002 when Sega was making that at-first-very-promising-but-still-heart-breaking move to making games for every console out there. These are standard hot Wheels cars except for one obvious motif: they have sega games scribbled all over them!

To be exact the set of five features Shinobi (the PS2 game), Space Channel 5, Super Monkey Ball, The House of the Dead III and Jet Set Radio Future. Rather spiffy! I thought I had the Shinobi one but I seem to have mis placed it. These pop up on ebay from time to time and can be picked up quite cheap. The older Sonic toy however is a bit more elusive though.

EDIT: Found the Shinobi one, so here's a photo of it!

JSRF Gets Larger Than Life

The world of Jet Set Radio merchandise is a small one. Even the most avid collector could only fill a single shelf with what Sega has to offer. Thankfully a company thought outside the shelf by applying the JSRF license to large-format repositionable wall graphics!


LTL Prints, the company responsible, was founded in late 2008 by by entrepreneurs Kendall Schoenrock and Carsten Petzold. Taken from their own "about" page: "We set out to create a platform for creative expression that would bring larger-than-life repositionable wall graphics to empty walls everywhere," according to LTLprints founder Kendall Schoenrock. "And we are working with the worlds' premier artists, designers, and brands to literally CREATE a new medium."


VP of Marketing John Doffing was nice enough to get me in touch with Kendall and Carsten, and I was surprised to find out that both LTL Prints and myself are located within in the same city (Philadelphia)! What more, I was a short ten minute subway ride from their HQ! So taking an extended lunch break, I headed on over to LTL Prints. Once there, I was greeted by Kendall and Carsten and was able to have a look about. The printer they use is enormous, think "the grand piano of printers", while the walls of their office was covered in a variety of images available on their online catalog.

An example from the LTL catalog, laptop sizes go for $14.99

Carsten revealed to me that JSRF was VP of Marketing John Doffling's idea. “we did JSRF as the first video game license for one simple reason: cel-shaded characters look AMAZING as big wall graphics and I personally LOVED this game! I approached SEGA directly to make it happen, and we just launched!" said an enthusiastic Doffling, "I personally am a huge fan and proponent of VIDEO GAME ART, and this new medium is a perfect way to bring this artwork to consumers globally."

Before I left LTL, I asked what other Sega licenses they were considering. Carsten turned the question around and asked what I'd like to see. Of course, any Sega image would look awesome on a wall (with the exception of maybe Silver the Hedgehog), but I limited my requests to Virtua Fighter, Outrun, Space Harrier, HangOn, After Burner, Panzer Dragoon (Saga and Orta), classic Japanese Sonic art and the original Jet Set Radio (which LTL actually has some images of, though they aren't seen in the catalog... yet).

Before leaving, LTL was nice enough to let me choose a JSRF image from their catalog to place on my wall and to share with all of you! Of course, I chose my favorite character Bis (aka Bisu aka Rhyth aka Mew) holding an iconic yellow spray can. Take a look at my hanging process below:

Note that LTL's prints are fabric, not vinyl, so there is no fear of ripping. The adhesive will not damage walls or stick to skin or any other surface in the way that a usual sticker would.



Upon applying Bisu, I discovered that she was crooked and that her arm was going behind the shelf. Thankfully, LTL promises that their prints can be moved 100 times without losing adhesion. So after a few removals and readhesions, Bisu was in place!

Special thanks to LTL Prints. Head on over to look at their extensive JSRF catalog. Even the electric police fences got their own page!

Beat in the Box - JSRF Merch

When it comes to SmileBit's Jet Set Radio franchise, I guess I'd say I'm a fan...

Okay... I own five discs when there are essentially two games. I'm a BIG fan. While I have yet to snag the holy grail of JSR merch, the De La Jet Set Radio Dreamcast Direct box, I was able to find another JSR item that has been on my want list for a while:

It's the GamePro Beat figure! I found this bad boy (or is that Rudie?) on ebay for $20, quite a good price considering how infrequently the figure appears and how high the starting price usually is. For those interested, a "buy it now" auction with a quantity of three figures has appeard on ebay, the cost per figure is just under $40. For those with deep pockets, a limited edition run of 500 "prototype" figures are out there, but when you do find one look to spend between $250 to $400. WAY too much for essentially an unpainted version of the same figure.

Big Go!

The figure itself is not too bad. A true Beat can never be captured in figure form, as JSR never look quite looks right when not cel shaded. Just look at Beat and Gum in Sega Superstars Tennis. While I'll probably never open the box, it doesn't look like many more poses are possible than the one already seen. Beat also comes with a nifty character card, the requisite spray can and a section of street which, according to the box, can hang on the wall for gravity-defying poses. Ooh!

The package opens to reveal a glowing review from GamePro. It took me forever to realize that the background is a huge squashed picture of Professor K. Can you see him?

I know Gagaman has one of those Crazy Taxi cabs.

The back advertises some more figures that I'd like to own as well as a game that I already have two of. Besides the Beat figure, there is very little in terms of Jet Set Radio merchandise. Hot Wheels released an easy to aquire Cougar Tuner car with a JSRF paintjob (premonitions of Beat's cameo in All-Stars Racing?). Also available are two soundtracks of the respective games, although bootlegs of these are plentiful and ebay can't always be trusted. Another piece, which I hope to share here someday if I ever find it, is a big JSRF poster that I bought back in the day. I'm unsure if it was legit, but it featured huge high res in-game models of Beat, Gum and Corn and featured a swirly blue background.

Oh, and I need to add this to my collection as well:

Apologies to ~camilliette on deviantART