If you’ve been onto our official website or any other gamesites over the past few months, then I’m sure you are aware that SEGA Rally is returning to your consoles (and PC!) for some groundbreaking next-generation race action.

Due out in September this year on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, SEGA Rally promises to tear up the track and bring back bumper-to-bumper racing like never before.

So it’s great news that we can announce that Rally won’t be stopping at that. PSP lovers everywhere can rejoice in the knowledge that SEGA Rally will also be hitting their screens this September too, with both multiplayer Wi-Fi and multiplayer online modes.

For full details check out the news story on our site, and keep your eye out for a weekly Rally blog starting in the next couple of weeks.

To find out more about SEGA Rally visit the official website at www.segarally.com we have videos, screens, downloads and much more. Plus, you can register to receive updates and exclusive offers.

SEGA Presents Touch Darts is on sale on the Nintendo DS now, and as part of launch week we’ve managed to get a copy of the official trailer to release to the world.

As you can see from the video, this title is a lot of fun and you’re certain to fall madly in love with the unique throwing action used by the DS stylus (I have!)

In Touch Darts, you get the chance to rise from the lowly world of pub no-hoper, to become world champion whilst playing a bunch of madcap characters on the way.

There are lots of cool mini-games to keep you amused whilst you’re not playing in tournaments too, allowing you to hone your throwing action and skills so you can compete with the contenders on the circuit.

It’s Darts like you’ve never seen it before, it the wonderful world of SEGA Presents Touch Darts!

(Find out more)

Yes I am afraid it’s the last of our blogs this week showing you the fantastic array of weaponry in Alien Syndrome. Sad though I’m sure you are to come to the end of this journey, rest assured it is not the end of the road for Alien Syndrome. We will be sure to keep you up to date with all the latest news coming in from Earth Command and its most valuable trooper, Aileen Harding.

Type: Projectile
Manufacturer: Kruger & Thompson
Model: Nanobot Swarm

Covert Ops issued Earth Command Forces the Kruger & Thompson Submicron Nanobot Swarm Launcher. Like a swarm of angry bees, the nanobots travel from target to target, dealing massive levels of damage to anything they touch. The swarm can be unpredictable, however, as it cannot be aimed at any one particular target; the nanobot swarm will choose its own target to attack. Because of this, the weapon can be difficult to use when a specific target is required. The swarm lasts for a short duration and it does its damage over time. It can be fired and forgotten so it requires less skill and can be used in combination with other weapons

Type: Energy
Manufacturer: LazTech Industries
Model: Dispersion Laser

Special Earth Command Forces use the X4-d 01 Quad-Trajectory Impulse Dispersion Laser Crowd-Control Rifle. It fires an array of lasers in a wide cone, doing moderate damage at long range. This gives the Dispersion Laser the best coverage in the game. It is most useful when there are aliens surrounding you as it allows you to hit multiple targets at once.

Type: Explosive
Manufacturer: BlastCorp Inc.
Model: Quantum Ripper

The most powerful explosive weapon, the BlastCorp Xw-74 Quantum Ripper fires a magnetically enclosed quantum singularity. High-powered electrical discharges damage any nearby enemies as the main projectile moves, allowing it to deal large amounts of damage to all enemies along its flight path. Woe to any enemy that actually gets hit by the quantum singularity itself.

Type: Energy
Manufacturer: LazTech Industries
Model: Reflect Laser

Elite Earth Command Forces are equipped with the XS-d 89 Supercharged Ionic Deflection Impulse Laser assault rifle. It fires laser beams with a very long range and high damage, but unlike the laser rifle, the Reflect Laser will reflect off of walls and other obstacles, allowing it to bend around corners, shoot into rooms, and damage aliens without exposing you to their line of fire.

Type: Energy
Manufacturer: LazTech Industries
Model: Sonic Blast

The LazTech S19 Sonic Pulse Rifle is a ground support rifle. It fires a sonic pulse that does minimal damage, but can knock an enemy back and stun them. It is an area-effect weapon that can affect multiple targets with each blast. Some targets may be immune to the knock back and/or stun effects of this weapon, particularly boss monsters. It is primarily effective when you are facing overwhelming odds and need a chance to break away or whittle down the opposition while they are stunned.

Every month in our SEGA Europe newsletter we run a competition, and last month we offered members the chance to win a game pack worth over 100 quid for five lucky readers.

It was easy to enter the draw, too. All you had to do was tell us which city the SEGA headquarters are in. The answer of course was Tokyo!

This morning we picked out the five lucky winners from a competition bag of fortune and if your name is listed below, you are one of them:

James Pitt
Evgenios Anastasiadis
Manoj Maniar
Barrie Osgood
Denise Small

The lovely shiny pic taken in our glamorous community office shows you just how good the game pack was, with Virtua Tennis 3, Football Manager 2007, Full Auto 2, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Charlotte’s Web and SEGA Mega Drive Collection all included, plus a VT3 T-shirt just for good measure.

You can only enter our monthly competition if you receive our newsletter, so why not sign up now - just visit sega-europe.com and click Register at the top-right of the homepage.

Welcome to the second part of our three-part blog on the weapons of Alien Syndrome. Lining up for you we have yet more imaginative ways to obliterate those irritating Alien types with some fantastically devastating kit. Guns & Ammo doesn’t have a patch on this line-up…

Type: Incendiary
Manufacturer: PyroBlast Technologies
Model: Fragmentation Fireball

The PB-3 Incendiary Fragmenting Plasma Fireball Gun is similar to the Firebolt. It fires a large fireball-like projectile that travels great range and inflicts moderate damage. However, when the fireball hits, it splits into three smaller fireballs aimed at nearby targets. This allows the Fragmentation Fireball to damage a large number of enemies at once.

Type: Projectile
Manufacturer: Kruger & Thompson
Model: Gauss Rifle

Combat in space and in extraterrestrial atmospheres requires an alternative to the standard gunpowder-based bullets used for centuries on Earth. The Kruger & Thompson 12mm Semi-Automatic Magnetic Accelerator Rifle uses electromagnetic acceleration to launch a single bullet at a lethal velocity.

Type: Explosive
Manufacturer: BlastCorp Inc.
Model: Missile Launcher

The BlastCorp DX-1 Homing Missile Launcher fires a large rocket with the ability to track its target. Once the homing missile acquires a lock, it will follow the enemy until it detonates.  The missile’s guidance system is good enough that only the quickest and most agile of aliens will be able to avoid it. Its homing capability requires a less than skillful aim, making it a good fire and forget weapon.

Type: Energy
Manufacturer: LazTech Industries
Model: Laser Rifle

The X-d 99 Impulse Laser by LazTech Industries is the standard issue Earth Command Forces assault rifle. A classic weapon from the original Alien Syndrome, it fires laser beams with a long range but low damage. Energy usage is very low, allowing it to be fired for long durations.

Type: Explosive
Manufacturer: BlastCorp Inc.
Model: Mine Layer

Demolitions issue the BlastCorp Xv-10 Proximity Detonating Mine Layer to Earth Command Forces. The mine layer is a useful defensive weapon. It detonates when an enemy steps on it, creating considerable proximity damage. A limited number of mines can be laid out at any one time, and they will also self detonate after a limited duration. This weapon can form a useful barrier for either offensive or defensive purposes

It would appear lots of people have BIG collections of SEGA stuff. And quite a lot of people seem to be sending us pictures of them.

And when I say quite a lot, what I mean is loads. Literally hundreds of photos of folks’ games, merchandise, consoles, toys and - on occasion - even themselves.

So we figured they all deserved to be presented in a place where the world could marvel at them. A place people could visit via the blog - a place of significance and glory! Yes, people, we’re talking about SEGA’s Flickr account.

Check out all the pictures we’ve uploaded so far here. But don’t let it end there. Get your own stockpile of SEGA stuff into the gallery and claim a slice of immortality (and our monthly bandwidth allowance) now!

Send pictures of your prized SEGA collections - or anything else that proves your fandom - to blogs@sega-europe.com.

SEGA made three new classics available for download on the Virtual Console a week or so ago, and among them was seminal brawler Streets of Rage 2.

In a piece of eerily neat timing, we’ve just come across an excellent online gaming magazine called Play.d (www.playd-magazine.com), the latest issue of which features a nostalgic review of the original game on the SEGA Mega Drive.

The article - and the rest of the magazine - is a great read, and we heartily recommend it for anyone who takes their gaming seriously. Also reviewed in the mag is Virtua Fighter 5 on PS3 (9/10 - thanks guys!), and there’s lots of other stuff to read as well, about - y’know - games made by other people and all that.

You can download the May issue from the Play.d site now as a PDF. You’ll find the odd bit of slightly fruity language in the magazine, so be aware of that - we’d hate anyone to be offended.

Check out our Virtual Console site for our increasingly huge range of classic offerings for download on the Wii - also out this month are legendary Kid Chameleon and ToeJam and Earl in Panic on Funkotron.

In the first in a series of three blogs we reveal the arsenal of
weaponry available in the upcoming title Alien Syndrome for the Wii and
PSP. The game includes a myriad of weapons to help you fight off the
alien hordes.

What’s the best way to kill your
enemy? Know the guns you have at your disposal to do the
job…

Type:
Projectile
Manufacturer: Kruger &
Thompson
Model:
Blastcannon

The 10 Gauge Semi-Automatic High Powered
Shotgun packs a powerful punch within short range, but also fires out
in a wide cone so it can hit multiple aliens at once. This is a good
weapon to use if there are massed enemies nearby and you need to clear
them all out at once.

Type: Explosive
Manufacturer:
BlastCorp Inc.
Model: Bomb
Launcher

The BlastCorp Ti-E Isotope Gravity Dispenser
is a demolitions weapon issued to Earth Command Forces. The bomb
launcher fires like an artillery shell that detonates when it lands,
creating a scene of devastation within the impact radius. Because of
its artillery like nature, it will not hit targets that are nearby but
it does allow you to shoot over obstacles that other weapons can’t
penetrate. The bomb launcher is very useful for clearing out entrenched
enemies that cannot be attacked with conventional
weapons.

Type: Projectile
Manufacturer: Kruger

& Thompson
Model: Chain
Gun

The Kruger & Thompson 22mm Heavy
Repeater Chaingun is a Spec-Ops-issued heavy suppression weapon. This
multi-barrelled weapon fires powerful and rapid bursts at long range,
making it a deadly weapon that can tear through hordes of aliens with
ease.  Unfortunately, it also consumes ammo very quickly, so
it must be used carefully and accurately to be effective. Additionally,
it has a charge up period before it can actually fire.

Type: Incendiary
Manufacturer:
PyroBlast Technologies
Model:
Firebolt

The PB-2 Incendiary Plasma Firebolt Gun
fires a small fireball-like projectile that can travel over a great
range and inflict moderate damage to the target. Its larger projectile
makes it easier to land a hit than thin projectile weapons like some
laser and ballistic types. The Firebolt is a good multipurpose weapon
useful in any situation.

Type: Incendiary
Manufacturer: PyroBlast Technologies
Model: Flamethrower

Spec-Ops-issue Earth Command
Forces PyroBlast Tech PB-1 Flamethrower. The flamethrower is the base
weapon of the flame weapon tree and fires a continuous stream of flame
in a cone pattern. Anything caught in the stream will take immediate
damage from the active flames and sustain damage over time as they
continue to burn. It enacts moderate damage and is useful for clearing
out enemies nearby. Note that its short range makes it unsuitable when
aliens are attacking from a distance.

Type: Incendiary
Manufacturer:
PyroBlast Technologies
Model: Flame
Geyser

The last and most powerful of the flame
weapons is the PyroBlast Tech PB-4 Incendiary Geyser. It detonates at a
medium range from the player. Spectacular gouts of flame shoot up from
the floor upon detonation, engulfing any aliens in its area and
effecting massive amounts of damage. Because of the delayed detonation,
however, it is unsuitable for close-quarter combat.

CRUSH is out, some truly magnificent reviews are coming in, and everything’s looking rosy for our unique PSP puzzler.

With that in mind we thought we would treat you to some lovely developer diaries, filmed by the guys who made it down in sunny Brighton, UK.

The first developer diary we have is from lead designer Alex Butterfield. He goes into the story of the title while letting you know a little of the effort it takes to create such a unique gaming experience.

Our second developer diary is from Ben Hebb, the art director on CRUSH. Ben concentrates very much on the look and feel of the game, as you’d expect, being that he’s the art director and all. He gives us an insight into the use of light, sound and environment in the game, as well as details on how they came to create the unique 2D/3D CRUSH experience.

Finally we have Ed Daly, studio head at Zoe Mode. Ed explains why the developers chose the PSP as an exclusive platform for CRUSH, as well as the original genesis of the game.

We’re happy to report that CRUSH has received practically universal praise from websites and magazines across Europe, all of whom apparently appreciate the fact Zoe Mode has produced something refreshingly new to the puzzle genre.

Check out this pretty little lot.

UK

IGN UK: 8/10 (PSP Game of the Month)
“…a unique game concept that’s executed well and challenges the way you normally think about videogames.”

PSM3: 9/10
“It does exactly what a memorable puzzle game should - lets you explore the inside of your own head, and feel smarter and more refreshed for it.”

CVG.com: 90%
“Dimension-flipping puzzler joins the PSP elite.”

GamesMaster: 88%
“A hard thinking puzzler needing a hard thinking brain - but it’s justifiably rewarding.”
 
PSW: 8/10
“A classic puzzler with an inspired concept that you’ll fall in love with immediately.”
 
Eurogamer: 8/10
“Crush is a rare beast and deserving of praise for the many things it gets so very, very right.
 
Total Video Games: 7/10
“…a highly imaginative experience that walks the fine line between compulsion and frustration that any good puzzler should provide.”
 
OPS2: 8/10

PLAY: 8/10

Games TM: 7/10

GERMANY

Play3: 86% + AWARD
“SEGA launches the most innovative puzzle game of the year for PSP.”

Games Aktuell: 86% + AWARD
“The best mix of puzzle and skills for ages.”

OPSPM: 86% + AWARD
“Run and buy this UMD.”

Mobile Gamer: 80%
“Finally - a new gameplay idea. Challenging and genius at the same time.”

4players.de: 85% + GOLD AWARD
“SEGA beams you into the 5th dimension - with a new and completely unique concept.”

BENELUX

Power Unlimited: 86%
“This game is completely new and has totally sucked me in.”

PSPonly.nl: 85%
“A must have if you ask me!”

GameZ.nl: 85%
“CRUSH has pleasantly surprised me (which doesn’t happen that much) and can be called a true PSP hit!”

Gamer.nl: 80%
“It is a recommendation, because it has been so long since we have played something so fresh and challenging.”

PlayStation Magazine: 79%
“CRUSH can be placed next to Columns, SEGA has added a successful puzzle game!”

SPAIN
 
Revista Oficial PlayStation: 89%
“It is the best challenge that we have encountered for PSP. And about time too.”

Superjuegos Extreme: 89%
“CRUSH demonstrates that not everything is invented. Brilliant.”

PlayMania: 79%
“An original and fun test for your intelligence”

3DJuegos.com: 7.6/10
“It’s great that, after so many years, there are titles like this one coming out, able to surprise us with ingenuity and originality.”

FRANCE

Consoles + 15/20
“CRUSH is an original and addictive title that blows a fresh breeze on PSP. You must try it!”
 
Joypad: 7/10
“Complex but very addictive, CRUSH goes above its simple graphics. A good surprise!”
 
Kid Paddle: 15/20
“Staggering!”

Jeux Video Magazine: 15/20
“Amazing and funny with sober but efficient graphics, there is no doubt: CRUSH is an original title.”