Sega Forever is the new promotion offered by Sega. They will be adding new retro games each month from platforms such as the Master System, Mega Drive, Dreamcast, and more.
These classic games now include additional features such as the ability to save your game, access leaderboards, bluetooth controller support and are fully playable offline (as one would hope).
To start off they have some classic Mega Drive games available for free.
In-game transactions exist to remove ads.
Unfortunately from the reviews I read, the frame rates were super stuttery and in some cases nearly unplayable (60fps but with huge frame drops). Apparently they went with Unity instead of RetroArch.
Sega wouldn't go with RetroArch because it's GPL (they refused to licence under MIT, which would allow Sega to sell their games without releasing the source code). Here is Ars Technica's take on the emulation performance problems. https://arstechnica.co.uk/gaming/2017/06/sega-forever-emulat…
Cool. Already had Sonic, but will grab the others now too! Nice find OP.
Already have Sonic but I will always be down to have Altered Beast on another device. Does it matter that I already have a Genesis emulator with it on my phone? No.
Legit though, I never saw Altered Beast on the Aussie store before, for whatever reason it would never show up for me when I searched, so cheers dude.
Arcade original of Altered Beast is much superior to Genesis'
I don't get why they didn't port the arcade version. Mega drive has ugly graphics and poor sound.
From what I have seen, these ports (the engine) are running terribly anyway unfortunately. Hopefully that improves.
Is this just Sega swapping to an advert based business model?
Yes but it's video games and the obese must upvote.
Excellent. I just downloaded Altered Beast this morning. Looking forward to Alex Kidd though, I loved that game. Currently playing it on my phone using an emulator, but would prefer if Sega polished/optimised it for Android and released it as a seperate app/game on the Play Store.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World please! :)
Accelerometer janken.
+1 for not saying Alex the Kid.
Damn, you've just shattered my childhood. I don't know what's real anymore
Phantasy Star not available for Aust IOS Store?
US Store only? Come on SEGA…
Click below the app title 'SEGA' and you can see all the games OP has listed on here. Don't know why 2 of his links are redirecting to US App Store though.
https://appsto.re/au/rPO1s.i
I've now updated the iOS links to the Australian app store, all except Phantasy Star II anyway as I cannot find that in the Australian store yet.
I'm an Android user so I didn't think there would be an issue with the US link that I got directly from the Sega Forever site.
Thx
Excellent first time post op :D
Great idea, unfortunately poor execution means other emulators offer much better performance: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-06-21-sega-releases-c…
But free is free, and you may get performance you are happy with.
Sigh, why couldn't they just license Retroarch?
Because RetroArch is GPL.
Kid Chameleon, that game was all kinds of weird frustration as a kid.
Altered Beast one of my favorites on the system, nothing more satisfying than catching balls and hulking out.
Oh cool. Thanks for the link. I've updated the post now with this and the iOS link.
Seems Sega just hasn't updated the links on their site yet.
Sonic working for anyone cant get it says retry
iOS or Android? I have updated both links so try and see if it works for you now.
Yeah just grabbed link was android
Thank you :)
No worries.
MD.EMU is still the best emulator for Android. Though it ain't free. I can't complain when I'm running mega drive games on my 55" sony bravia. Was able to download the emulator through the play store on the TV and to top it off, I can use my PS4 controller.
If anyone has one of the latest 4k bravia's, this is the best option by far! Just pop a usb flash drive with roms in and your set!
EDIT: Though I have several Dreamcasts and running a HDMI box, I'd still be interested in what Dreamcast games they release :)
good for the kids' tablets
Best freaking post!!! Downloaded everything! Thanks OP!
Contains ads · Offers in-app purchases
Got them all anyway
You can download all these games plus MORE straight from the store:
iOS = https://itunes.apple.com/us/developer/sega/id281966698?mt=8
(Some are iPad only games. My personal favourite is COMIX ZONE)
Android = https://play.google.com/store/apps/dev?id=789199003550621318…
(Just look for the icon that says 'SEGA' at the bottom to not confuse yourself with normal Android app games instead of old school Sega emulated ones)
Enjoy!!
SEEEEEEEEEEGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! <juk juk bing>
:'(
Anyone else having trouble with getting Altered Beast? It says the app is incompatible with my devices. But i have downloaded the others with no problem.
It's a horrible, laggy Megadrive emulator sadly.
I tried to mention this above and got downvoted.
I hope people get great performance, but don't be surprised if you don't, and be aware that there are other options out there with better performance to play these classic games.
bargain when its always something that will be free? lol
Would not have known about it if OP did not post.
I saw it all over my facebook feed… this isn't a news site… its a bargain site…
Not trying to be a dick here, but this isn't a "bargain"… its just something cool Sega did… haha
Had a pretty advanced saved game on Phantasy Star II which upon updating is gone.
So sad.
Come on Alex Kidd and Paper Boy!
Hi, thanks for this, was looking to get back into the Megadrive ecosystem.
Free forever with ads, pay to remove the ads: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jun/21/sega-fore…
Total collapse of all civilisation, nuclear holocaust, only a few thousand people survive. At least they still have Sega games on their beaten down ipods… forever.
Congratulations OP and Sega - great concept!
Unfortunately they didn't come up with it, emulators had been allowing people to play their games on the Android for a while now with some supported by ads. They just made the process Official.
Thing is, Phantasy Star 2 was silent on the Official one, but on my Emulator I use it works with sound and I only get ads when the game loads, not every time I save.
MD.Emu is the best available from what I can tell.
Give the kid his licence already, absolutely smashed it for your first post
Why no Golden Axe or Golden Axe Revenge of Death Adder?
Shinobi or Shadow Dancer?
They'll be releasing new games each month so hopefully we'll get those ones too in the near future.
Awesome!
But Revenge of Death Adder was never released on console, so far all games are Genesis/Mega drive emulator versions……so this maybe 1 title that gets left out.
SONIC! thanks so much major +1
First reviews showed very stuttery frame rates (almost unplayable in many cases).
its so hard to control and play properly with a touch screen
I meant to mention this forever ago but assumed someone else already would have, Crazy Taxi has been free for a bit too now, and since the Forever program is supposedly gonna span every Sega system over time, it could have been a part of it too, I don't know. Either way, it's got the OG soundtrack and it's a great port.
Edit: Realized like five minutes later that Crazy Taxi is a port, not an emu job like these suckers. Still a kickass Sega game for free though.
Wow great games, thanks op