For 24 hours only, all Sonic the Hedgehog titles on Steam are 50% off! These prices won’t be around tomorrow, so get to Steam and pick out a new game!

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Metal Sonic DLC
Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure 2 Battle Mode DLC
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 1
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 2

Sonic Generations
Sonic Generations Casino Night DLC
Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing
Sonic 3D Blast
Dr.Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
Sonic Spinball

Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Sonic CD
Sonic Adventure

Did you grab a new Sonic game? Let us know in the comments below…

It’s a good day for fans of classic SEGA.

Available now for PlayStation Network — and in just a few days, on October 5th, for Xbox Live Arcade — are two well-loved classics, remastered in HD: NiGHTS Into Dreams… and Sonic Adventure 2!

Both NiGHTS and Sonic Adventure 2 are priced at $9.99/£6.49/€7.99 on PlayStation Network and 800 MSP on the Xbox 360. The games have been remastered in HD and are stocked with unique achievements.

Sonic Adventure 2 also offers players the ability to grab the “Battle Mode” downloadable content for an additional $3.00/£1.99/€2.49/AU$4.25/240 Microsoft Points this Friday, adding in maps and characters from the the Gamecube re-release of the game. Meanwhile, players who buy a copy of NiGHTS into Dreams… will receive free access to the Christmas NiGHTS bonus content, containing levels previously only available through special promotions and SEGA Saturn holiday bundles.

Additionally, anyone who buys a copy of either game on the PlayStation Network will receive a free, exclusive NiGHTS or Sonic Adventure 2 theme for their PlayStation 3.

Last bit of official notice before I pontificate for a bit about each game: both games will also be coming to PC digital download in the coming months, so if you’re a PC gamer (as I am) then you’re in luck — stay tuned for more info!

Sonic Swan Song

As a fan who grew up with Sega in the 1990s (okay, and the 80s) it’s definitely a kick and a trip to see these two games arrive on these platforms on the same day.

Sonic Adventure 2 released in 2001 for the Dreamcast — it was the last and the biggest Sonic game on that system. Introducing Shadow the Hedgehog and combining both the arcade thrills of old-school Sonic with the sprawling adventure made possible by new hardware, Sonic Adventure 2 was a wonderful swan song for a beloved system. Featuring an epic plot and six playable characters — including the he’s-so-bad-but-ladies-couldn’t-you-make-him-change Shadow the Hedgehog, the game was definitely memorable.

And yet it was nearly eclipsed by another feature within the game — to this day we get letters from fans about Chao Gardens, the delightfully ahead-of-its-time ‘battle’ feature that allowed you to raise, evolve, and battle for supremacy with the adorable little Chao. At the recent Penny Arcade Expo I had fans walk up and tell me that they still had their Dreamcast VMU, and still had their Chao saved to it.

Given the game’s critical success and lasting popularity with fans, it was also probably inevitable that it would end up with HD remastering as a digital release.

Dream a Little Dream

Maybe less inevitable was the (ahem) journey that NiGHTS took to get here. The pure definition of a cult classic, NiGHTS was released on the SEGA Saturn in 1996. Part of the middle-child “fifth generation” of consoles (along with the Nintendo 64 and the original PlayStation) released in the 90s, some truly unique and awesome games showed up for the Saturn, as games began for the first time to experiment with transitioning from 2D platformers to 3D spaces.

NiGHTS was and remains unlike anything else that’s been released. Partly, this is the still-dazzling aerial navigation through 3D space and the technical achievement of smoothly pulling off so much wizardly. But technically impressive achievements can always be surpassed and what’s given NiGHTS lasting appeal is that it has a unique and haunting story — there is an ethereal feel of other-worldliness to the game. The game follows the nocturnal journeys in the dream realm of its child protagonists, who use the form of the eponymous purple jester as a sort of avatar to explore the dreamscape and take back stolen dream aspects.

It’s a mythology-heavy and even existential plot that deals with the slippery nature of identity and how our dreams inform our reality and vice-versa — and if that seems kind of heavy for a wild-looking racing/adventure game bursting with color where you play as a magical purple-clad jester, tell that to the legion of fans who are to this day inspired by NiGHTS to create music and artwork. Since arriving at SEGA five years ago I have learned that NiGHTS fans are one of the most tirelessly devoted and best organized groups of I’ve ever encountered. They’ve been carrying the torch for this game for sixteen years, and it’s — ahh, I’ll just go ahead and say it, please forgive me — a dream come true to release this.

If it seems like I’m getting all emotional here, well … games like the enigmatic NiGHTS and the rollicking and ambitious Sonic Adventure 2 are why I love games in the first place, and it’s my pleasure to re-introduce them to our old fans, and introduce them for the first time to new fans.

If you came to see us at PAX earlier this month, you probably noticed the crowd of people waiting to play Sonic Adventure 2. In addition to playing this classic and fan-favorite game, everyone who played also got a ticket to fill out for a chance to win an Astro A40 gaming headset along with custom Sonic Adventure 2 speaker tags.

Now that we’re back from PAX, we had 6 different people in the office draw from the tickets we submitted… and we have our winners! Congratulations go to…

Cameron Worrell

Matthew Kuusmanen

Joshua Keely

Klayton Schaufler

Alyanna Castillo

Matthew Engstrom

Thanks to everyone who played Sonic Adventure 2 at PAX!

One of the questions we get asked most often lately is when the HD remakes of both NiGHTS into dreams… and Sonic Adventure 2 will be coming out. Today, I have an answer! Both games will be available for digital download this October.

On the PlayStation Network, NiGHTS and Sonic Adventure 2 will be available on October 2 for $9.99 USD, and available October 5 for 800 Microsoft Points on Xbox LIVE  Arcade for the Xbox 360.

Sonic fans will also be able to enhance their Sonic Adventure 2 experience with Battle Mode DLC for an additional $3.00 / 240 Microsoft Points. Battle Mode includes more maps and characters from the beloved Gamecube version of the title, including everyone’s favorite mode: Chao Karate.

As an added bonus for NiGHTS into dreams…, players who buy the title will receive free access to the dreams from the original 1996 holiday-themed expansion, Christmas NiGHTS - previously only available through a Saturn holiday bundle or from special game and magazine promotions.

See all of the screenshots for Sonic Adventure 2 and NiGHTS into dreams… on our Flickr.

The Penny Arcade Expo is nearly here! In a week’s time we’ll be in sunny Seattle showing off a ton of SEGA games and meeting the fans of our products. We’ve already detailed the games that are available for play on the show floor and today we show you the goods! As if playing the games is not a reward in itself, we’ll also have some very select giveaways on hand for those who come by and check out the games.

Aliens: Colonial Marines

We have some exciting stuff to show off for Aliens: Colonial Marines, everyone who plays the demo will pick up a free shirt for your Xbox 360 avatar.

We’ll also have T-Shirts on hand for those that come by and pre-order the game. These shirts were created in very limited numbers and are extremely rare, come by and pick one up!

And for those looking to show off their Xeno killing abilities, Alienware will have a tournament once a day to reward the top scorers in Team Deathmatch with an Aliens: Colonial Marines prize pack. The tournament runs for a full hour each day with the schedule available at the Alienware booth.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

We have very special buttons to pass out to the best of the best Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed players. To win, drop by the SEGA booth and do your best to beat the time!

Sonic Adventure 2

If there’s one thing we love about Penny Arcade Expo – it’s making awesome new lanyards! This year’s offering is for the upcoming fan favorite, Sonic Adventure 2! Also, everyone who plays the game will have a chance to enter a special sweepstakes for a custom Sonic Adventure 2 Astro A40 Headset!

The Cave

The Cave by Double Fine and Ron Gilbert will be playable at the SEGA booth.  We are passing out a special limited edition figurine to everyone who plays. The way the toys are packaged, you won’t know which character is inside, allowing The Cave to decide which character best suits you for the adventures that lie ahead.

Hell Yeah! – Wrath of the Dead Rabbit

Show your love for Hell Yeah! by picking up a chainsaw poo hat (yes, you read that right!) and wearing it all show long. Not only will you flaunt your knowledge of the next big thing in digital downloads, you’re awesomeness will go up by a factor of two.

Nights into dreams

Another fan favorite, NiGHTS into dreams will be playable at the SEGA booth and we’ve crafted some limited edition buttons for everyone that plays!

Jack Lumber

No matter if you’ve mastered the recently released iOS game, or are a new Lumberjack stepping out for the first time, these Jack Lumber keychains are a must have.

Phantasy Star Online 2

For everyone who comes by the SEGA booth and plays the demo (or tries the character creator), we have an exclusive Phantasy Star Online 2 mousepad giveaway, featuring art from the game!

We have already sent the loot to Seattle in shiny, shiny red boxes, so we’ll post images when we’re there, but just imagine this image, only on a mousepad.

We’re excited to announce a line-up of nine playable games, including one unannounced game, for this year’s Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle. Alongside our upcoming blockbuster franchise titles Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and Aliens: Colonial Marines, we are also showing off several digital titles, including Double Fine’s The Cave and Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit by indie developer Arkedo Studios. Phantasy Star Online 2, the popular multi-player online role playing game, which launched to more than 730,000 players in less than one month in Japan, will be making its Western debut at the show. Fans of the iconic blue hedgehog will also get to play the recently-announced HD version of Sonic Adventure 2.

SEGA’s full PAX line-up is below:

• Aliens: Colonial Marines
• The Cave
• Hell Yeah! – Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
• Jet Set Radio
• NiGHTS into dreams…
  
• Phantasy Star Online 2
• Sonic Adventure 2
• Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
• Unannounced digital title (new IP)

SEGA’s games will be showcased in booths 242 and 252 at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, Washington, from August 31 through September 2, 2012.