Segaaaaa~

Ahh, the sweet sound of nostalgia. Yes, despite being Nintendo Life, Sega is unmistakably a part of our childhoods. Equally important, it's also a part of the Big N's history. From the great rivalry of the late '80s and early '90s, to Mario and Sonic teaming up and facing off in more recent years, Sega's position in video game history is undeniable, with all of the developer's ups and downs.

So when Sega revealed it developing new games for five iconic franchises — with more to come — we may have squealed a bit. It was arguably the reveal of The Game Awards 2023 for us, and it got us a bit heady over what we may well see mark a return.

The five games we know are returning to Sega's shelves are Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, and Crazy Taxi — a huge slice of '90s Sega, from stylish action to challenging combat, it represents some of the best of the Mega Drive / Genesis and Dreamcast eras. In some cases, some of the original team are even returning.

So this is the first stage of the Next Level of Sega, but with the company leaving the door open for other franchises, and a plethora of gems to dig out of the closet, what else do we want to see make a comeback? Sega made some trademarks in Japan on 6th December for a number of games, and while one of those has been confirmed, Kid Chameleon, Altered Beast, and Eternal Champions have all be registered. Hmmmm.

With this in mind, we've briefly become Sega Life and slipped our red sneakers on to share what Sega games and franchises we want to see get a reboot. Check out our picks below, then tell us what you want to see!

The House of the Dead (Ollie Reynolds, staff writer)

The House of the Dead Remake Screenshot
Forget the remake — give us a brand new game! — Image: Forever Entertainment

Now before you say anything, yes, I know the Switch got a remake of the original The House of the Dead in 2022 and yes, it's only been five years since the arcade-exclusive House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn. Regardless, I'd still love it if Sega revisited this excellent (and wholly underappreciated) franchise properly with a brand-new entry for consoles.

It doesn't even need to be a light gun shooter, either. I'd take a standard FPS in a similar vein to ZombiU (another underrated gem) any day. What always stood out to me with Sega's franchise - particularly the arcade original - was its delightfully gothic aesthetic: the rain, the cobwebs, the gigantic full moon. It was a game that knew what it was and didn't take itself too seriously.

Some of the biggest publishers in the business have a great survival horror franchise to call their own: Capcom has one with Resident Evil; Konami has one (sort of) with Silent HIll; and EA has one with Dead Space. It's time for Sega to join the big leagues and evolve The House of the Dead into something that can not only survive in the modern age, but thrive. It has the chops to do it, but Sega needs to approach it with the utmost care.

The ball's in your court, Sega.

Phantasy Star (Alana Hagues, deputy editor)

SEGA AGES Phantasy Star
The SEGA AGES version is great, but where is Phantasy Star V? — Image: Sega

Sega is killing it in the RPG market nowadays. The studio is responsible for publishing both the Like a Dragon and Persona franchises, and they're arguably the two of the biggest Japanese-developed games out there right now. So surely now is the time to bring back Phantasy Star, right?

"But Alana! Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis launched in the West in 2021. It's still alive." Well, okay, I'm not talking about the Online games — as much as I love the OG Phantasy Star Online. I'm talking classic Phantasy Star: Turn-based RPGs with a sprawling, interplanetary narrative and fun characters. Phantasy Star IV can easily be placed up there along with the other RPG greats of the '90s with its manga panel cutscenes, awesome music, and addictive combat.

But there hasn't been a proper mainline Phantasy Star game since Phantasy Star IV. Seriously. 1993 ('95 in the West) was the last main game before the franchise jumped into the MMO sphere. There were the action RPG spin-offs in Universe and Portable, but there's such potential in creating a throwback RPG with gorgeous pixel art, or even a unique art style like that new Shinobi game. I just want Phantasy Star back: a return to Algol; fun alien characters; a badass heroine like Alys; and the unintelligible spell names (without a manual, anyway). Just don't bring back those first-person dungeons — unless you're taking the SEGA AGES Phantasy Star route.

(And you probably thought I'd say Skies of Arcadia, huh?)

Alex Kidd (Jim Norman, staff writer)

SEGA AGES Alex Kidd in Miracle World
We've seen the original so many times, already! — Image: Sega

If you had asked me this question a week ago, I would have said Jet Set Radio in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, we know that one is coming, so I better reach into the sack of long-forgotten SEGA franchises and see what else there is to pull out.

Wait a second. What’s this dusty one right at the bottom? I can wipe away some of the dirt to see the title... Alex Kidd? Not to ring the same bell as Alana, but we got one of them back in 2021, didn't we? Well yes, we did, but hear me out here. If there is any SEGA series that needs a reboot in the strongest possible way, it's this one.

Without counting Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX, the Master System's Shinobi World was the last time that SEGA's OG poster child got an original game. That was in 1990. Today, it's hardly a hot take to say that these original games have their flaws (which were only emphasised in the 2021 remake), but where there is platforming, there is promise.

Rebuild this one from the ground up. Give us some well-designed levels and some crisp visuals to boot. Yes, we're full of platformers on the Switch, but there's always room for a throwback.

Streets of Rage / Out Run (Gavin Lane, editor)

SEGA AGES Out Run
Still effortlessly cool, all these years later. — Image: Sega

While the news that Sega would be revisiting its back catalogue for new projects wasn't a surprise, that trailer certainly tickled the nostalgia gland. Streets of Rage is the most exciting franchise from the selection shown, but the early dev footage featured has me wary. After Dotemu, Lizardcube, and Guard Crush did such stellar work on Streets of Rage 4, this apparent switch to 3D (or 2.5D perhaps — it's tough to tell exactly how much freedom of movement you have from the glimpses in the trailer) opens the door to all sorts of issues. Bare Knuckle's gameplay has a very specific, balletic rhythm and without knowing who's behind this new entry and how they will translate that beat-based flow, I'm approaching with extreme caution. Still, it's the series that excites me most from the trailer.

As for those 'other' franchises, I'd love to see Out Run return. We all need those Sega-blue skies to brighten our lives, and while plenty of other studios have tapped into that Magical Sound Shower vibe, there's still nothing like the real McCoy. In fact, it needn't be a totally new game — I'd be ecstatic to see an Out Run 2006: Coast 2 Coast remaster. It's not easily available in an official capacity, and the Ferrari licensing is no doubt the cause, but give it to M2 to craft a modern remaster (removing the real-life branding and designs if necessary) and I'd be a very happy camper.

And hey, run-based games have been all the rage for years now. This one's got it in the title.

Well, those are our picks for our dream Sega franchise reboots, but what are your picks? And what already-announced game are you looking forward to the most? Vote in our polls below and share your favourite Sega games in the comments.

Note: We know that some of the options below have made a comeback in some way or another — some as remakes, others as mobile games, or even as hugely successful Kickstarter campaigns à la Shenmue III — but with Sega back at the helm, and a potential reboot or new game on the horizon, we're asking you to reach into your dreams here.

What Sega games/franchises do you want to see rebooted?

(You can select up to 3 answers)