- November 16, 2001 -

A R C A D E   /   O T H E R S

- Sega has revealed a number of new arcade game titles at the New 2001 Winter - Private Show in Japan. The most noteworthy title in the show is a new multiplayer soccer team simulation game called World Club Champion Football Serie A2001-2002. To play the game, first you have to buy a starter pack from vender, which has 11 player IC-cards and club team records; then you set the formation by placing the trading cards in the field, the characters will begin the match automatically. During the battle, you can change the team strategies and attack target in real time. The game data will be saved back to the card after the match. Up to 8 players can play the game at the same time.

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- The King of Route 66 is the sequel of Sega's popular arcade truck driving game 18 Wheeler American Pro Trucker. The play mechanism is similar to Crazy Taxi, you need to transport the luggage to specific location within the time limit, and it is possible to use the microphone to voice activate the nitro accelerator.

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- Sega Hitmaker will release a new arcade sports game called Virtual Athlete in spring of 2002. This game will feature 6 track & field sports, up to 4 players can play the game simultaneously.

G A M E C U B E

- Here are some latest screen shots and movies of Capcom's GameCube remake of Biohazard (Resident Evil). The game is scheduled for a March 22, 2002 release in Japan.

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P L A Y S T A T I O N   /   P L A Y S T A T I O N   2

- Sega will release the "life interventional simulation" game Roommania #203 for PS2 in Japan in spring of 2002. The game is ported over from Dreamcast, in which you play as the "God" to manipulate the life of the poor guy in this resident, who happens to be a university student. You can point to another objects in the room to attract the guy's attention and make him changes his decisions. In the PS2 port, there are several new mini games and interactive objects that you can play with.

- Sega United Game Artists will release Rez for both PS2 and DC in Japan on November 22, for 6800 yen. A music action shooting game where there are color, shape and movement in all the sounds. In the game you use sound to destroy enemies, and sound can only be generated by following the rhythm of the music. Sega will release a USB Trance Vibrator controller for the PS2 version, which will be sold for 2480 yen. A Rez + Trance Vibrator bundle pack will be released on the same day for 8800 yen. (Note: The Dreamcast version of Rez will be available only at the Sega D-Direct online store.)

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- Sega Smilebit will release Let's Make a J. League Pro Soccer Club 2002 for PS2 in Japan next year, the latest installment of the popular sports promotion simulation game. The series has sold over 1 million copies in Japan alone. In the game your mission is to bring up the strongest soccer team in the world, things you can do include managing the club, promote and train the players, acquire new players, and challenge other soccer clubs.

- Here are some new images of Sega's PlayStation 2 "gag venture" game Switch, scheduled to release in Japan in spring of 2002. In the game a number of gags are placed in the each stage, your goal is to find all of them, and great things will happen when this is achieved.

H A N D H E L D S

- Capcom announced that they will release a new Battle Network Rockman EXE 2 & GameBoy Advance bundle pack in Japan on December 14, for 14600 yen. The GBA will have a special vivid blue color and Rockman sticker labels beside the GameBoy Advance logo, this bundle pack will be available only at the Ito-Yokado TV Game stores in Japan.

- Nintendo will release the Brownie Brown developed GameBoy Advance communication RPG Magical Vacation in Japan on December 7, for 4800 yen. In this game you started on a journey with 15 other companions from the magic school, who entered into another dimension to dodge the attacks from the monsters. In this world there are 16 attributes of magic like thunder, water, fire, ice, sound and so on. You can obtain the attribute magic from the 16 spirits of the dead around the world. The power of the magic increases as you use it more often. It is possible to exchange magic with your friend using a link cable.

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- Nintendo will release Super Mario Advance 2 for GameBoy Advance in Japan on December 14, for 4800 yen. A remake of the classic Super World World from Super Famicom / Super Nintendo. Similar to Super Mario Advance, a 4 player mini game Mario Bros. is included in the game.

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- Here are two new images of Sega's GameBoy Advance communication RPG Shining Soul, scheduled to release in Japan in spring of 2002. This game is the latest installment of Sega's popular Shining series (Shining in the Darkness, Shining Force, Shining in the Holy Ark, etc). Shining Soul supports up to 4 players simultaneously over the link cable. The outlook of the game is similar to the series, you can play as one of the 4 characters: Soldier (human), Sorcerer (human), Archer (elf) and Maniac Soldier (dragonyut - a type of beastman), the body color and name can be customized. During the quest, your team will travel in dungeons to search for treasures and battle with the enemies, sometimes super-rare items can be found by defeating tough enemies. In the multiplayer mode, you can also exchange items and equipment with other players.