Sega Superstars

Sega Superstars
Developer(s)	Sonic Team
Publisher(s)	Sega
Director(s)	Yoshihisa Hashimoto
Producer(s)	Yuji Naka
Series	Sega Superstars
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Release date(s)	PAL October 22, 2004 NA November 2, 2004 JP November 11, 2004
Genre(s)	Party
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Sega Superstars is a party video game developed by Sonic Team for the PlayStation 2. It was published by Sega and released in Europe on October 22, 2004; in North America in November 2, 2004; and in Japan in November 11, 2004. The game features several minigames based on various Sega titles that are controlled using the EyeToy peripheral.

Gameplay

Gameplay is similar to that of EyeToy: Play, in which players use their body to play a variety of minigames. However, while that game only picked up player's movement, Sega Superstars uses a more advanced system. Before the start of each game, a setup screen with an orange area is shown. In order to start the game, players have to stand in a position where the orange area won't pick up any movement and select the continue button. This method determines what area is the background, allowing EyeToy to pick up the player's position, as opposed to just what areas are moving. This is particularly prominent in games like Puyo Puyo, that uses the player's entire body.

Games

There are a total of 12 different full games to play in the main mode of Sega Superstars. Additional difficulties and modes can be unlocked by clearing certain objectives:

• Sonic the Hedgehog – As Sonic runs down a round tunnel, he follows the position of the player's hand. Using this method, the aim of the game is to gather rings and Chaos Emeralds in order to obtain the highest score at the end of the game. It is much like the Special Stage on Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic Heroes, and especially Sonic Rush.
• Samba de Amigo – Players choose a song, and then must hit 6 different targets around the screen as the 'beat balls' reach them in time with the music. Posing with hands over 2 of the targets, or holding one position until a trail of beat balls is complete, may also be required from the player.
• ChuChu Rocket! – Movement over a certain target on the screen will cause a bridge to raise, which the chu-chus then follow to the goal. The bridge also must be dropped at certain moments to prevent KapuKapus from destroying the score.
• Puyo Pop Fever – Differently colored puyos will fall from the top of the screen, and the player's body must be positioned to guide them into the corresponding pots and allow bombs to topple off the bottom of the screen.
• Crazy Taxi – Large movements and loud sounds must be undertaken to stop the Crazy Taxi and complete the level.
• Super Monkey Ball – The player must move their arms into different positions in order to guide the monkey ball around obstacles and towards the goal, picking up as many bananas as possible along the way.
• NiGHTS Into Dreams... – NiGHTS must be controlled and navigated through rings, collecting chips along the way, by raising the arms into a 'flying' position and adjusting them along the way.
• House of the Dead – A multitude of different zombies must be attacked and defeated by hitting them. Innocent people who occasionally appear must also be avoided.
• Virtua Striker – As footballs drop from the top of the screen, the aim is to head them into differently colored and scored balloons on the opposite side of the screen in order to obtain the highest score.
• Virtua Fighter – Standing to one side, players kick and punch the corresponding attack prompts on the screen in order to defeat the opponent. Block and counter prompts also appear, and must be reacted to accordingly.
• Space Channel 5 – Different dance move combination must be remembered when shown by the Morolians, and then repeated in time to the music by hitting six different buttons on the screen.
• Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg – By waving their hands over two different targets, players must move Billy and the egg around, and crush enemies and collect fruits along the way to the goal.
• Chao Garden – Players can raise Chao, purchasing items using rings earned from the main modes.

Development and release

Before Sega Superstars, few games had made use of the EyeToy.^[1] As such, the game was developed as a product that would combine the novelty of this accessory with the familiarity of Sega's first-party franchises to extend the long-term viability of the PlayStation 2 console. It was announced in April 2004^[2] and exhibited at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)^[3] and Tokyo Game Show events of that same year.^[1]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores Aggregator Score GameRankings 74.52%[4] Metacritic 72%[5] Review scores Publication Score 1UP.com 7.5/10[6] Eurogamer 8/10[7] G4 [8] GameSpot 7.3/10[9] GameZone 8.3/10[10] IGN 7/10[11] The Sydney Morning Herald [12]

Sega Superstars was generally well received by critics, with scores of 72% and 74.52%, respectively, from review aggregators Metacritic and GameRankings.^[4][5]

Sequels

References