latest
Sega Forever games ironically disappear from the Play Store — not a first for Sega
It's double ironic as the Forever games replaced titles Sega removed in 2015
Few companies in the history of video games have had the rollercoaster ride that Sega has endured throughout the years. Thus, for every high in Sega’s history, there must come the inevitable low and with it, the loss of something good. Sega appears to be shutting down its Sega Forever mobile game service.
Back in 2013 Sega released its mobile version of After Burner Climax on the Play Store as a premium game priced at three dollars. In 2015 it was removed from the Play Store along with a bunch of other premium titles from Sega. Slowly these games have been returning to Android under new free-to-play listings as part of the SEGA Forever program, and After Burner Climax is the latest title to make a return.
Back in August of 2017 Sega released a SEGA Forever title called Golden Axe Classic on Android. Today that Play Store release has been updated to include Golden Axe II and III and an "s" has been added to the end of the title so that it's now appropriately called Golden Axe Classics. A small distinction, but also a significant addition to the app that I'm sure any fan of the Golden Axe series will be excited to see.
Alright, it's been a while since the last SEGA Forever release, but today we a have a new title that contains a three-pack from the Shining Force RPG series. One thing to keep in mind is that this is a series that has gone through a few changes over the years. The first title, Shining in the Darkness, is a first-person dungeon crawler with turn-based battles. The thing is, Shining Force and Shining Force II play more like a tactical RPG. So as you can see, this collection contains a solid selection that should cover just about anyone's interests.
The SEGA Forever program may have had it's release schedule slowed down earlier this year, but that doesn't mean there aren't a few classics left in Sega's library that are slated to come to Android. Last month we received a re-release of Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II, and today the classic beat 'em up Streets of Rage 2 is on the menu. This is the first time an official release of Streets of Rage 2 has landed on our digital shelves, and you can play it for free right now as long as you don't mind a bunch of annoying advertisements.
Ah, good 'ol Sega, re-releasing what used to be paid titles as new ad-filled releases that contain the exact same game. The SEGA Forever program is rife with similar re-releases, so it's no surprise to see that Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II is the next to join the bunch. If you own the old version that is now delisted, you will still have access to the download, but updates are now out of the question, which means it's only a matter of time before an Android OS update breaks your old copy. Luckily Sega provides a way to remove the ads in this new listing, but I doubt those of you who just had a death sentence handed down to your old purchase are going to freely give Sega more money.
Sega may have slowed down the release schedule for its SEGA Forever program, but the company is still plugging away by providing us with a few new classic games every so often. The latest classic to join the ranks is everyone's favorite '90s run and gun platformer VectorMan. Like all SEGA Forever releases, you can choose to play for free and deal with numerous advertisements, or plunk down $1.99 through an in-app purchase to remove those ads and enjoy a premium experience.
Sega's Super Monkey Ball series has had an odd history on mobile. Back around the time when the first iPhone hit the scene, there was a lame pixel-based Monkey Ball that was available as one of the App Store's selling points. Suffice it to say it wasn't all that great. Then in 2012 Super Monkey Ball 2: Sakura Edition was released on iOS and Android, though the Android version was eventually pulled from the Play Store in 2015. Well, since then people have been clamoring for a new Monkey Ball game on Android, and obviously, the SEGA Forever program is the best way to go about releasing such a title. But what we just received is no classic in the vein of the arcade or Gamecube games, it's just a remix of the same gameplay found in the original Super Monkey Ball 2: Sakura Edition, just with an ever so slightly tweaked skin.
The SEGA Forever program has seen better days. Back at the beginning of March Sega announced that they would be focusing on direct ports to mobile, instead of ROMs that use their wonky in-house emulator. There are still some new titles planned for the program though, and the recently released Dynamite Headdy is one of them.
Sega has been releasing new Android games for their SEGA Forever program on a bi-weekly basis for quite a while now. Sonic CD Classic is the latest to hit the Play Store. It is, of course, an HD port of the classic Sega CD platformer. Just like every other SEGA Forever release, Sonic CD Classic is a free-to-play title with a single $1.99 in-app purchase to remove the game's plentiful advertisements. Sadly I do not recommend spending any of your money on this release, which I will detail in full below.
Sega has been re-releasing its back catalog of Genesis / Mega Drive games as part of the Sega Forever collection on a bi-weekly basis. Gunstar Heroes is the latest game in the lineup, though actually being able to play the game is another problem altogether.
Sega Forever has given us a chance to relive some classic gaming experiences on Android, and they just keep coming. Past titles have included Golden Axe, Virtua Tennis Challenge, and Beyond Oasis. The latest release is the beat 'em up classic Streets of Rage. You can start playing it right now, and it'll cost you nothing if you don't mind some ads.
Sega's latest SEGA Forever release is a moderately unknown title and something of a hidden gem from the Genesis library. It is called Decap Attack Classic, and it is a classic 2-D sidescrolling platformer from the 16-bit age. You play the part of a headless mummy named Chuck D. Head, and it is your job to take on the underworld demon Max D. Cap. Despite the silly puns, this is a competent platformer that Sega has seen fit to release on Android. But the question remains, has it held up?
The action RPG genre came into its own in the 90's, with releases such as Secret of Mana, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Soul Blazer. The thing is, those were games released on the SNES. When it comes time to consider the Sega Genesis, Beyond Oasis was the one action RPG that could stand on its own against those SNES offerings. Suffice to say, if you grew up with a Sega Genesis in your house, Beyond Oasis probably holds a special place in your heart.
Sega has been releasing new titles for their SEGA Forever program on a bi-weekly basis. Their last release Golden Axe came out on August 31st, and just a day short of two weeks later we have the release of Space Harrier II Classic, an on-rails shooter that was originally published as a launch title for Sega's 16bit Genesis home gaming system.
Earlier this month Sega released their classic platformer Ristar on the Play Store as part of their SEGA Forever classic games collection program. Today they have released the traditional side-scrolling beat 'em up Golden Axe as part of the same program. You can grab the advertisement supported title for free or pay $1.99 to remove those ads and enjoy the game as it was intended.
Ristar is the latest game in Sega's back catalog to be released under the SEGA Forever classic games collection. While Ristar may not be as popular as some of the other classic Sega titles released recently, it just may be one of the best platformers you have never played. So hopefully this Android port holds up, as the original was quite a lot of fun.
It feels like these Sega Forever games keep trickling out every couple of weeks. This time around we have the release of The Revenge of Shinobi, a classic ninja themed platformer with a hack and slash feel. If you couldn't tell from the title, this is a sequel to the first game in the series, Shinobi. While many feel that the second game is the best in the franchise, the question remains, how does it hold up on Android as a Sega Forever release?
Virtua Tennis Challenge is the latest Sega game to be added to the Sega Forever classic games collection. Like all Sega Forever games, Virtua Tennis Challenge is free-to-play with advertisements and contains a single in-app purchase of $1.99 that removes said ads. This gives players a way to try the game without going out of pocket. What is funny is this appears to be biting Sega in the butt, as the reviews so far have not been kind at all.
If your formative years happened to overlap with the heyday of Sega, you likely have fond memories of games like Sonic the Hedgehog, Altered Beast, and Shinobi. You will soon be able to relive those days on Android. Sega has announced the Sega Forever collection with an assortment of classic games that are completely free, as long as you don't mind some ads.