Summary
Like a Dragon Gaidenreleased this month, tiding over fans of the franchise between mainline entries. WhileGaidenfeatures a shorter narrative than previous entries in the series, it hosts more side content than any previous entry has.Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Nameis not just a greatest hits collection of the franchise’s most beloved mini-games, however; it also pays homage to Sega’s history. From home systems to arcade titles, this newestLike a Dragongame has has a huge variety to offer, letting the game serve not only as a celebration of Kiryu Kazuma’s journey, but as a celebration of the company that has overseen it.
Sega was founded in 1960 on the remains of a pre-war coin-game and slots machine manufacturer that dated back to the early 1940s. The company struck gold during the 1970s arcade boom, beginning with its first machine,Pong-Tron. While the company began in the arcades, and has remained an important part of the history of arcade culture throughout, the company eventually began to manufacture gaming consoles. Their second generation system, the Master System, is inLike a Dragon Gaidenalongside plenty of its games. These games accompany the likes of Arcade giants such asVirtua Fighter 2.1, one ofSega’s dormant seriesthat needs a revival.
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Like a Dragon Gaiden has 6 Sega Arcade Games
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Namefeatures six types of arcade machines, serving as a sort of greatest hits of many games included in previousLike a DragonandJudgmenttitles. While series likePuyo Puyoand the modern JRPG giantPersonago unmentioned, these absences can be forgiven asPuyo Puyo TetrisandPersona 4 Arenaboth have up-to-date versions on modern consoles. The machines that have been included are:
The included games are an excellent selection, paying homage to Sega’s vast arcade history.Sonic the Hedgehogis Sega’s most well known character, so picking an arcade fighting spin-off is a great way to represent the character inLike a Dragon.Fighting Vipers 2andVirtua Fighter 2.1both pay homage to Sega’s fighting game history as well.Virtua Fighterwas one of the first major arcade games to feature 3D graphics, and whileTekkenhas surpassed it as the go-to 3D fighting game series,VF’s influence can’t be understated. These fighting games accompany two arcade racing staples and the iconicUFO Catcherclaw machine. These machines contain figures referencingMonkey Ballas well.
Kiryu Can Play 12 Master System Games
On top of a selection of arcade games that pay homage to Sega’s most famous series and prominence in arcade culture, the game also features a playable Master System. While Sega’s home system the Genesis is better remembered, the Master System is whereSonic The Hedgehogfirst appeared, and where the company first found success in the home market. While fellowLike a Dragonspin-offLost Judgmentalso featured the Master System,Gaidenhas a more generous selection of games. These games are:
Like A Dragon Gaiden Contains A Full Retro Collection
With 17 retro titles from Sega’s arcade machines and the Master System, alongside the iconicUFO Catcher,Like a Dragon Gaidenprovides a snapshot of various eras of Sega’s history. The game’s vast amount of historical gaming content makes it not just a greatLike a Dragonspin-off, but a fantastic retro collection in its own right. This collection sits alongside the return ofPocket Circuitand other beloved mini-games from the series' past. In many ways,Like a Dragon Gaidenis not just the perfect celebration of the games that Kiryu Kazuma starred in, but also Sega’s history as a giant of the home and arcade gaming market.
