Sega has shown a lot of love to the PC recently. Bayonetta launched on Steam last month and Vanquish is coming to PC later this month. The publisher even said it isn’t done with porting Sega games to PC. “There’s more to come from SEGA in this space, so stay tuned for further announcements,” said John Clark, Senior Vice President of Commercial Publishing for SEGA Europe in a press release. With their recent push to port games to PC we decided it was time to look at other Sega games that deserve PC ports.
Five Sega Games That Need PC Ports
Bayonetta 2
Of all the games on this list, this is the least likely to be ported. That doesn’t mean fans want it any less. When Nintendo announced that they were picking up Bayonetta 2 many fans weren’t exactly pleased. The Wii U wasn’t exactly selling gangbusters and the original games was released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, so many fans didn’t have the hardware to play the sequel on. Of course, since it’s the internet, they let Nintendo know they weren’t happy.
Nintendo’s involvement complicates matters when discussing a PC port. Sega owns the Bayonetta IP, PlatinumGames handled development, and Nintendo provided the funding. There isn’t a lot of information on how the deal for Bayonetta 2 turned out, so it’s hard to pinpoint each party’s involvement. It certainly won’t be a simple port job but there is hope. After all, Microsoft managed to get Rare’s Nintendo output included on their console.
Bayonetta 2 is one of the best games on the Wii U and more people should play it. It is both more accessible than the original while still offering a challenge for veteran players. Combined with some of the most outrageous set pieces in gaming, it’s one of the finest character action games ever made.
MadWorld
The Wii also has its share of games that never saw release on other platforms. MadWorld’s highly stylized and graphic violence made it stand out among the minigame collections commonly found on the system. Players take on the role of Jack Cayman as he participates in a futuristic bloodsport and game show. There is additional intrigue, but it’s just an excuse for Jack to use his chainsaw arm to cause as much damage as possible.
Getting the game onto the PC would require some extra work. The game was built for the Wii Remote and nunchuk and has some motion controls. Removing those motion controls and adding proper controller support are a must. As Platinum’s first game, MadWorld deserves a wider release.
Super Monkey Ball 2
Video games don’t always need grand stories or complex mechanics. Sometimes, you just need a monkey in a ball. Super Monkey Ball 2, as its name implies, features exactly that. The premise is simple: roll your monkey to the exit, while dodging obstacles. After tackling the game’s 100 single player levels you can invite some friends over for multiplayer. The game features race and battle modes as well as versions of bowling and golf.
All of this is wrapped up in a cheerful package. The game is colorful and cute, from a time before realistic and gray became the norm. On top of that, the soundtrack is fantastic. It’s funky techno-inspired jams are always upbeat. It’s impossible to sit still when one starts to play. Super Monkey Ball 2 is just fun. Everything from its design, to its look and its sounds make you smile. While there have been other games in the series since, none of them have captured the same vibe as this GameCube classic.
Rez Infinite
Words don’t do Rez Infinite justice. The VR enabled update to the classic Dreamcast game is a rail shooter at its core. Taken on its own, a rail shooter seems like an odd choice, especially in the context of Sega’s entire history. However, Rez Infinite is a complete audiovisual experience that is built within the confines of a rail shooter. Visual elements react and move with the music, and the music builds as you move though each level. It’s a surreal experience that is best witnessed firsthand.
Rez Infinite adds VR support and a new area, dubbed Area X. Even though the game supports VR, it’s not required. You can still enjoy the trippy visuals and disjointed beats with a controller. With VR support better and more capable on PC, Rez Infinite is a perfect fit on PC. Here’s hoping for a Steam release.
Persona 4: Golden
Sega owns Atlus, which means the popular RPG/social simulator series is fair game. Picking just one game was difficult, Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5 are all excellent. Ultimately, I decided on Persona 4: Golden, the enhanced remake of the most popular game in the series.
The game follows a group of high school students who are investigating a series of murders and disappearances in a small town. When they aren’t dungeon crawling, they have to balance their school and social lives. A huge part of the game is built around creating social links with other characters. Whether its befriending an elderly widow or helping a friend deal with tough times, there are dozens of meaningful side stories.
The game has a fantastic cast of characters, even minor characters have interesting arcs. It’s all held together with a fantastic sense of style. With the huge number of JRPGs on Steam, the Persona series would fit right in.
Honorable Mentions
Coming up with a single list of Sega games that deserve PC ports was difficult. It seemed like every time the list was finalized, a new game would pop up for discussion among The Game Fanatics staff. The team had a lot of support for Skies of Arcadia Legends. Panzer Dragoon Saga is another classic RPG that just missed the cut. Most of the Sonic the Hedgehog games are available, but a few, like Sonic Colors¸ remain trapped on the Wii. Lastly, some of the quirkier Dreamcast games, like ChuChu Rocket! and Samba de Amigo didn’t get as much love as these other games but are definitely a lot of fun.
With the company ramping up its efforts, it seems like we won’t have to wait long for more Sega games on PC. Did you enjoy the list or did we miss a must have game? Let us know in the comments!
