UltraGames 101 SEGA Play Party

Written by Didi Cardoso and Eve Cekanska

On the evening of June 23rd, as we walked into Dave & Busters in Toronto with butterflies in our stomachs, we didn’t know what to expect from this event. But one thing we knew for sure: we were there to play games and enjoy ourselves while covering the party, and that’s exactly what we did.

(Eve) It’s hard for me to explain precisely why the Ultra Games SEGA Play Party Didi and I attended on June 23rd was such a big deal. It’s not really because I consider video games to be the best of addictions, or that I consider Sonic to have been a fantastic part of my childhood and I wanted to celebrate his 15th with like-minded individuals. It’s not because SEGA was, is, and will hopefully continue to be a major player within the world of consoles and gaming. It’s not even because I’m glad to be able to use the service provided by Ultra Games, as the concept of renting games and returning them whenever thrills me in ways I can only describe as uncanny. Really, free alcohol, food, gaming and some rather profoundly entertaining renditions (by Didi) of the Police classic Roxanne aside, the SEGA Play Party was a big deal to me because it somehow justified all of the hours I’ve spent in front of a monitor or a television screen. Time well spent pulling teeth trying to solve a puzzle or just going into some imagined world with my guns blazing and my Duke-Nukem attitude firmly intact. I considered that Friday night as a way of validating my parking in the realm of life-long geekdom. Sure, that may not sound glamorous, but it feels great.
(Didi) As the staff directed us to an area with three large tables, chairs all around and ten system setups with games, we noticed no one else was there yet.

Next to this area, there was what seemed like a meeting room behind a velvet rope, with a huge Ultra Games 101 banner above the doors. We walked around a bit to see what was available: two Xbox 360 units, two Xbox units, five PS2s and one GameCube were ready to be played amongst a bunch of cute Sonic figurines and Ultra Games cards.

Featured in the area were Shadow the Hedgehog (with its respective tiny controller), Condemned: Criminal Origins, Sonic Riders, Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast, Over the Hedge and Full Auto. So we sat down and played, and someone even came over to offer us ice cream.

(Didi) Around 7.30 PM (which was the initial time for the press conference) my husband found out that it had been moved to 8.30 PM instead, so we still had time to play more games, take some pictures and have some fun, while everyone who was passing by seemed to be giving us strange looks.

Closing in on 8.30 PM, we finally discover that the press conference was being held on the opposite site of where we were… So yes, the Dave & Busters staff didn’t seem to have a clue about what was going on, and they even gave me wrong directions when I asked where the washrooms were.

As our names were finally printed on the VIP passes, we could jump for joy.

There was already a small gathering inside the upper area of the press conference room (no wonder no one else was at the other showcase station, they were all here already!).

On the lower area a DJ was playing some tunes (although I have to say, hip-hop while playing Condemned doesn’t really work) and in the background trailers for SEGA’s games were playing on a big projection screen.

(Eve) So, let’s talk about this party. First and foremost, I hope it goes without saying that SEGA has always been a giant influence on games and gaming, the very height of their reign arguably being the glory days of a certain system called the Genesis. Of course it went downhill from there as far as consoles go, Saturn was somewhat behind the times and the Dreamcast never managed to gain an upper hand over Sony or Nintendo. No matter, SEGA moved on with life and hopefully so have you because they have created some fantastic games since then. This is really what the party was about, games by SEGA.

(Didi) In the center of the upper area, there were seven setups ready to be played: Shadow the Hedgehog on a PS2 for two players (with those cute Shadow controllers again), Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast with steering wheel (I really didn’t care for the controls with it, the D-pad is a lot easier), Full Auto on a 360 for two players, Sonic Riders on Xbox and PS2, Sonic Gems Collection on GameCube and Condemned on another 360.

One of the 360s also had plenty of downloaded Marketplace games: Zuma, Smash TV, Geometry Wars, Hexic, Jewel Quest, Gauntlet, Outpost Kaloki X and Bankshot Billiards 2.

On the left side of this area, there was a table with plenty of coffee. On the right, there was a large buffet table with food and a very cool celebratory Sonic ice sculpture. At the center, someone was offering Mike’s Hard Lemonade and people were trying to juggle three lemons to win a prize.

Opposite of that, there was the bar, but there wasn’t an “open bar” after all. Maybe for the best. We still had these pina colada and strawberry floats that we couldn’t even finish, they were so sweet. Not to mention huge!

We learned that there were some computer problems, so the press conference was delayed again to 9.30 PM. But that’s ok, we still had games to play, so we tackled what systems were available. I got to try Sonic Riders, and I’m happy that I didn’t have to review it since I didn’t care for the gameplay at all. Eve and I played one of the Sonic Gems games (Sonic R) and it was all full of weird camera angles as we searched for balloons and got stuck through walls, between pillars and other odd places. My husband was actually having more fun with Full Auto and Sonic CD (part of the Gems Collection). We also played a bit of Condemned, which everyone around was very opinionated about: “do this”, “do that”, “When do you get to shoot someone!”, “Where is that guy?” and many other comments kept coming from behind us.

We took some pictures, I took some notes, talked to some people, and by the time the press conference started we could barely stand anymore, and as I peeked into the lower area, I found out that it had no chairs whatsoever… I’ll never wear heels to an event again. We also noticed some people who were tired of waiting had left, without ever hearing what the hosts had to say.

Mark Bartkowiak, founder and President of Ultra Games 101, had a small speech prepared, but that didn’t make him sound any less nervous. But it’s ok, it’s their first big event, so we can put all that aside. With a welcoming thank you and an apology for the delay, he told us we were there to “peek into the future” and to see that what’s to come “it’s not just next, it’s absolutely new”.

(Eve) As the night of free gameplay and general fun-having at the lovely establishment of Dave&Buster’s wore down, the people behind the party took the stage to deliver a speech detailing their own mission. As it turns out, Ultra Games 101, our hosts, are in charge of a video game rental service (think of it as the Canadian Gamefly). This is pretty straight forward, you make a list of games you want to play, they are sent to you and you return them to play more. However, Ultra Games 101 offers a free trial and your first two games shipped for free, which I personally consider a trial well worth my time. The pricing plans are of course reasonable as well and I hope you check them out because I really don’t see a reason not to. That said, I was disappointed with how brief the presentation was as I was looking so forward to hearing more about them. Alas though, great times were had.

As far as previews go, those in attendance caught a glimpse of games to come. The party worked to definitely keep alive the custom of SEGA providing the entertainment, currently and with the fast approaching launch of the next-gen consoles.

(Didi) With all eyes turned to the big screen, we watched a series of trailers showing what SEGA has in store for us in the near future.

Chromehounds for the Xbox 360 is a squad-based multiplayer mech fighter set to release in July. The Hounds are impressive monstrous war machines that completely redefine the rules of combat. Next we saw The Club for PS3, which is being developed by Bizarre Creations (same team who brought us PGR 3). This is a third-person action shooter set in a time where underground gun fights are held for spectator’s viewing pleasure, set for a 2007 release.

Medieval II: Total War footage was quite impressive, showing us a wall breach war that seemed pulled right out of Kingdom of Heaven. Medieval II will include an online multiplayer mode for up to six players, and is being developed by Creative Assembly and is schedule for a Fall 2006 release.

Phantasy Star Universe will be coming out for PS2 and PC this fall, offering plenty of new dungeons, over 15 bosses (we saw an amazing two-headed dragon), 4 new races (including a very cool Beast race with a morphing ability), vehicle transportation and actual character development in the storyline. What we don’t know is what to expect of the Hunter’s Fee this time around but we do know there are plans for progressive updates throughout the years (either patches or expansions).

Sonic the Hedgehog is reminiscent of Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast in terms of gameplay, level design and music. It’s being released this fall for Xbox 360 and PS3, supporting up to four players. Full Auto 2: Battlelines will be a PS3 exclusive (probably a launch title as well), bringing more of the furious combat racing with added features such as a multiplayer arena and destructive environments. Yakuza needs no other description other than it’s Grand Theft Auto with Japanese Mafia instead (so you know it’s going to be good), coming out for the PS2 this Fall.

SEGA Rally Revo (2007 release for PC and Xbox 360), Sonic Rivals (Fall 2006 for PSP) and Virtua Tennis 3 (Spring 2007 for PS3 and Xbox 360) were also showcased, as well as some of SEGA’s already released titles (Condemned, Sonic Riders, Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast, Shadow the Hedgehog).

With a few more words from Mark, we learned that Ultra Games will be launching their online store within the next couple of months, and that there are plans for parties to come “a lot more, a lot bigger, a lot better”, showcasing other companies’ titles.

The icing on the cake was an unexpected parting gift. After the trailers, a few girls came up to the games area carrying a bunch of Ultra Games101 tote bags. Inside, there was an adorable Knuckles plush doll, four Sonic comic books, two game guides, a pen, a tin CD case with the Ultragames101 logo, and a collectible Sonic X figurine. How cool was that?

(Eve) And that’s it for our summary of an event I credit with my first (but not last) press-pass and the ability to bore you with musings inspired by a gaming both casual, social and swanky in its own right. Ultra Games and SEGA threw a great party for our friend Sonic, and I’m glad to have been a part of it.

(Didi) It was with huge smiles on our faces that we thanked Mark for the chance to come to this event, and with hopes of meeting again at the next one, which will be showcasing Rockstar titles this Fall.

Is it Fall yet?