The monkey lovers over at Sega Mobile have just flung some poo at T-Mobile and AT&T mobile phones with the release of Sambe De Amigo for the mobile phone. It’s all the phone of the Sega classic, only without a great deal of the fun! Seriously guys, taking a game famous for its innovative controls and excellent music and then getting rid of both? Not generally a good idea. “A classic and beloved rhythm music game, Samba de Amigo has had fans shaking for years with its party-like soundtrack, colourful characters and casual yet addictive gameplay,” said Tammy Robinson, Senior Director of Mobile, SEGA of America. “Samba de Amigo is another great example of the fun that can be had on the mobile platform.”
The folks at the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) dropped us a line today to let us know they were sending a thank you gift to Sega for pulling advertisements for Samba De Amigo that featured chimpanzee actors. After the lovely, uplifting information PETA passed on to the publisher I can’t see that they really had much of a choice. We explained how involuntary chimpanzee “actors” are taken away from their mothers when they are just a year or so old and forced to perform confusing and repetitious tricks. We also explained some of the horrible methods that chimpanzee “trainers” use, such as electric shocks with shock collars and prods, isolation, beatings with sawed-off pool cues and slapjacks, and food deprivation. Then, at the ripe old age of just 8, the chimpanzees reach puberty and their showbiz careers are over–and they end up being dumped at dismal roadside zoos or sold to laboratories for experimentation.
Samba! This Friday, the Gearbox-developed Samba de Amigo Wii title gets its retail shake on. To get everyone ready, SEGA Europe’s rolling out the dancing Carnival girls. And yes, there are feathers. (There are always feathers.)
Gearbox Software is celebrating the upcoming release of Samba De Amigo and Brothers in Arms Hell’s Highway with a Victory Party, being held this evening at the Palladium Ballroom in Dallas, TX. Festivities kick off at 8:30PM, running til whenever the booze runs out. The party features musical guests Candy West and the Whatchamacallits, Josh Taylor, and (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air guest star) DJ Jazzy Jeff featuring SKILLZ.
The party is open to everyone, but you have to be 21 (Samba De Amigo is pretty racy) and you have to RSVP at the website before heading out. They’ve still got slots open, so if you’re in the Dallas area tonight or just a really big DJ Jazzy Jeff fan with airfare money to burn, hit the link below to sign up!
Gearbox Software Victory Party [Gearbox Software - Thanks Connor!]
Reader John E writes in to give us a heavy dose of not news. “I was driving on the freeway with some friends and we saw a Samba De Amigo truck driving around”, according to his e-mail. “I haven’t seen anything on this anywhere else on the web, so I’m not sure what it’s for”. (OMG, does that mean we have an exclusive?!)
We know what it’s for John: making us seriously consider purchasing a commercial truck with bright red rims and Samba de Amigo branding, then having a custom horn installed that blares “El Ritmo Tropical” at anyone whose driving technique we disagree with.
We already figured you’d be getting some replica maraca controller shells with a Samba De Amigo bundle, but now you’ll also be able to stock up on spares, should you wish to give a second player the same kind of faux-Mexican authenticity. Or add a little flair to your kitchen utensils or tool set. Either or. Amazon have standalone maracas listed at $US 15 for the pair, and unlike the HMV ones, these are all red, so they should shake even faster.
Wii Maracas [Amazon, via Go Nintendo]
Sega’s rocking maraca Wii game hits Europe on Sept. 19 and North America on Sept. 23, Sega announced today. Samba de Amigo, the famously fun Dreamcast title, will include have more than 40 songs to play through including some songs from the original game.
Samba de Amigo will be the first Wii game to offer downloadable content as well, with the first song pack hitting on Sept. 23. Song packs will come in groups of three and will feature songs by the original performers.
The first song pack, which has yet to be priced, will feature: Mambo Mambo – Lou Bega I Want Candy – Bow Wow Wow Are you Going to Be My Girl – Jet.
Pictured: A scene from Sega’s business centre booth, far from where consumer eyes survey, where only check-signin’ shot-callers (and lowly press) have access. That means that even an innocent title like Samba de Amigo for the Nintendo Wii has to be sexed up for those who might not “get it”, an attempt to lure in buyers (and creepy press) with means other than good gameplay.
These spotted ladies aren’t just loitering in the business area, they’re attracting the regular Joes at Sega’s on-floor display booth. The outfits are demure by E3 or TGS standards — as are the majority of Games Convention’s “booth babes” — but certainly designed to get the job done.
Sega has just announced their line up for Games Convention 2008 in Leipzig, Germany next week, with Sonic the Hedgehog and the public debut of Samba De Amigo at the forefront of their presentation, though both could be upstaged by the super-secret world premier hinted at in Headstrong’s pre-convention postcard. Along with the world premier of a new title, Sega will be parading about Sonic in both Unleashed and Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood flavours, with Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games thrown in for good measure. Rounding out their booth presence will be the game of the TV show Dinosaur King, and Gas Powered Games’ Space Siege.
The company’s presence in the Business Centre closely mirrors that of E3, with Alpha Protocol, the new RTS Stormrise, and PlatinumGames titles Bayonetta and MadWorld on display, along with Empire: Total War, Golden Axe, and Valkyria Chronicles. Between the titles we know about and the one we hope we know about, it should be a very exciting GC for Sega indeed.
