Just as we previously interviewed SEGA staff about Sonic Forces for mobile devices, we are back with this light and friendly conversation about its newest iOS and Android release, SEGA Heroes.
It is a product that brings Sonic and his friends back to small screens, but unlike Forces, it is a puzzle RPG that also features an immense range of characters created and licensed by the company. We are talking about Adam Hunter from Streets of Rage, Ax Battler from Golden Axe, and many other characters from Shinobi, Phantasy Star, Super Monkey Ball, and the series already mentioned, for example.
It is a consistent and fun game that we decided to explore more deeply in a quick conversation with SEGA representatives for the release. Here it is:
Interview with SEGA
Epic Play: We noticed a major focus on nostalgic, classic SEGA characters, which makes it easier to reach the “old-school” audience by bringing back familiar faces from Streets of Rage, the classic Phantasy Star saga, and more. Is the idea to focus on characters from the 1990s, or will we see newer ones from Yakuza, the post-Online era of Phantasy Star, and even Atlus franchises?
SEGA: We have a strong pipeline of new content coming to the game. Although I cannot make any specific promises about future characters we will add to SEGA Heroes, I can say that you will be pleased with the growing variety of new characters to be added in future updates.
EP: How did you “arrive” at a hybrid RPG with puzzle elements reminiscent of Candy Crush, a hit on smartphones, but with characters who battle when the correct color matches are made?
S: We have seen great success from Marvel Puzzle Quest, which has some similarities in the “Match 3” puzzle and adventure genres. We applied what we had learned from tile-matching puzzle games and felt this would resonate well with players. That said, SEGA Heroes manages to be unique in its approach to how heroes fight enemies in the arena and survival mode.
EP: As an RPG, the game also has a story involving SEGA's heroes and villains. Since characters such as Shinobi and the Streets of Rage cast said few or no words in their Mega Drive games, what was the process of remaining faithful to their characterizations here?
S: To remain faithful to the original lore and personalities, we worked across several SEGA teams to collaborate on the characters and stories we brought to the game. The team had a lot of fun doing this—they went deep—and it was largely thanks to their efforts that we were able to incorporate all the unique characters cohesively into the game's universe.
EP: The character design is super-deformed, quite similar to the famous “chibi” style, depicting the characters in a “smaller” 2D version. How and why did you reach this artistic decision?
S: As SEGA explored mobile-device development over the years, it incorporated some of its classic console games and characters into its mobile games, combining them with a new look better suited to small screens. The 2D art style we adopted for our characters in SEGA Heroes reflects part of this artistic direction that SEGA shifted toward for mobile audiences.
EP: Since you said that new “SEGA Heroes” would arrive in the game in the coming months, can we learn what else you are planning for its future?
S: Yes, we have a complete “pipeline” of content planned for SEGA Heroes, and today I can share with Brazilian fans that this will include new events, specific features, and more heroes and enemies for the story!
EP: Since the game is localized into Brazilian Portuguese and we have an immense SEGA fan base here, how is SEGA Heroes performing in Brazil, and what results do you expect in our territory?
S: We have seen a very positive response from your players since the launch of SEGA Heroes! We are very grateful for our Brazilian community and would love to hear from you through our Discord, Facebook, or Twitter channels!
