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"SEGA SOFTWARE DIRECTIONS"

Okay, so you're a big SEGA fan and you've only got enough pennies to invest in one console - which way do you swing? - which of the three current consoles do you choose?

Hmmm, it's a tricky dilemma, so let's look at where the latest SEGA games have gone and are going:
(I've not included any of the American sports titles, as it's all too confusing.)

*GAMECUBE*
Super Monkey Ball (out now/exclusive)
Super Monkey Ball 2 (exclusive)
Phantasy Star 2 Online
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (out now/further Sonic games in the pipeline)
Beach Spikers (exclusive)
Soccer Slam
Virtua Striker 2002 (out now)
18 Wheeler Pro American Trucker (out now)

*PS2*
Shinobi (exclusive)
Rez (out now)
Virtua Fighter 4 (out now)
Space Channel 5 (out now)
Space Channel 5 v.2 (exclusive)
Sega Bass Fishing
Ecco the Dolphin (out now)
Zombie Revenge (out now)
18 Wheeler Pro American Trucker (out now)
Skies Of Arcadia
Ferrari F355 Challenge
Gungrave (exclusive)

*XBOX*
GunValkyrie (out now/exclusive)
Jet Set Radio Future (out now/exclusive)
House of the Dead III (exclusive)
Toejam & Earl III (exclusive)
Panzer Dragoon Orta (exclusive)
Sega GT 2002 (exclusive)
Shenmue IIx
Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller (exclusive)

* * * *

At first glance the GameCube line-up looks very good especially on the Sonic front. Even though SONIC ADVENTURE 2 isn't the best Sonic game by a long way, future Sonic titles are being developed exclusively for GameCube.
Also there's SUPER MONKEY BALL which I'm reliably informed is a quality game, and there's a sequel in the pipeline.
PHANTASY STAR 2 ONLINE and SOCCER SLAM can't be classed as exclusives because several magazines claim that they are both coming to XBOX.
The VIRTUA STRIKER games have never been anything more than mediocre, and BEACH SPIKERS is a limited albeit flamboyant SEGA arcade title.

So the future SONIC games, the SUPER MONKEY BALLS and PHANTASY STAR 2 ONLINE are the main SEGA games that stand out on the GameCube.
(It also should be noted that SEGA are collaborating with Nintendo on the new F-ZERO game, but traditionally F-ZERO is a Nintendo title so I haven't included it on the GameCube list of SEGA games.)

* * * *

Now let's look at SEGA's line-up on the PS2.
REZ, ECCO THE DOLPHIN, SEGA BASS FISHING, SKIES OF ARCADIA, 18 WHEELER, SPACE CHANNEL 5, ZOMBIE REVENGE and FERRARI F355 were released on the Dreamcast many moons ago, so these games are nothing new, although I must say that REZ and SKIES OF ARCADIA are quality.
SHINOBI, SPACE CHANNEL 5 v.2 and GUNGRAVE are the three SEGA exclusives on the PS2. An update of SHINOBI sounds very interesting indeed; GUNGRAVE is a completely new game and reading previews it also sounds promising; and SPACE CHANNEL 5 v.2 should also be good if you like that kind of thing.
VIRTUA FIGHTER 4 is not a PS2 exclusive as a version of the game entitled VIRTUA FIGHTER 4.1 is planned for release on XBOX and perhaps GameCube, yet at the moment information and release dates are sketchy.

So as it stands I'd say that REZ, SHINOBI, VIRTUA FIGHTER 4 and perhaps GUNGRAVE and SPACE CHANNEL 5 v.2 are the SEGA games that stand out on the PS2.

* * * *

Every SEGA game (but one) on the XBOX is an XBOX exclusive - whether they stay that way is another matter - but looking at the line-up I think that the SEGA games on XBOX just beat the other two consoles.
JET SET RADIO FUTURE, PANZER DRAGOON ORTA, HOUSE OF THE DEAD III, CRAZY TAXI 3: HIGH ROLLER and TOEJAM & EARL III are all updates of celebrated SEGA classics.
Further to these it appears that the SHENMUE series will be continuing exclusively on XBOX - this is another huge plus in the XBOX's favour.

Even though the GameCube has snapped up Sonic and the PS2 has the likes of Shinobi and the largest number of SEGA titles, I think it's pretty clear that the freshest, most varied and generally most wanted selection of SEGA games are definitely being released on XBOX - at least in the present and near future.
The GameCube and PS2 only have a limited number of exclusive SEGA titles whereas every game but one on the XBOX is an exclusive.
So if like me you are a SEGA fan and you only have enough cash to buy one console, I'd say that for current and future SEGA games the XBOX is the place to be.

Of course if the Dreamcast had been a commercial success and had flourished, all of the above games would have been "exclusively" released on the Dreamcast - which is how it was meant to be but alas it now cannot. Just think how good the Dreamcast software library would now be if it had survived....

The games line-up isn't that great - not much originality in there - but I'm still eagerly looking forward to updates of some of the classics like Panzer Dragoon and Toejam & Earl.

I'm sure I read something in a recent issue of GamesMaster about NiGHTS being brought back to life....

I also don't reckon that SEGA would be doing all that better with the games they producde if they were still pushing the Dreamcast forward or even a just released machine.

What's wrong with them!???
Hopefully they'll get it right within time.

And Edgy said somewhere that he recently e-mailed SEGA about Skies of Arcadia on the Cube and they confirmed it WILL be released on it. :D

Well, whether the NiGHTS! thing is true or not, I'll be sure to pay Naka-san a little visit next time I'm at the Tokyo Games Show!

NiGHTS on the GBA would be a good thing. NiGHTS on one of the three main consoles would be a red letter day!

Hmmm, decisions, decisions......

I already chose my choice of console not because of the Sega games (they are an added treat) buts all its other Brilliant games.

Xbox.