Jet Grind Radio Vs The City Of Milwaukee

Milwaukee is a city that not only boasts a brilliant name (although still not on a par with the small hamlet of Shitterton in Dorset, England), but it is also the largest settlement in the US state of Wisconsin. I have personally never been to either Wisconsin or Milwaukee (or the United States, for that matter), but I have no reason to doubt that they are lovely places to live, work and play. So lovely even, that once upon a time the city council decided to team up with an organisation called Keep America Beautiful in an effort to take down their common enemy. Was this common nemesis crime? Invading aliens? Zombies? No. Nothing as malevolent as those: it was a video game.

Milwaukee. Probably.

A video game that, at the time was set for imminent release on the Sega Dreamcast - Jet Grind/Set Radio. The story goes like this. Upon learning of the upcoming release of Sega's graffiti and rollerblading title, the Milwaukee Common Council passed a resolution petitioning Sega to cancel the release of the game, citing that the glamorisation of tagging walls and trying to evade cartoon cops would inevitably encourage the youth of the city to immediately rush out and start spraying every piece of street furniture and bus with the help of a neon curly arrow. As reported in the October 2000 issue of Dreamcast Magazine and on Spong.com in September 2000, Suzanne Brier of the Milwaukee Common Council warned that Jet Grind Radio would "...lionize taggers as creative artists."

There are 9 million bicycles in Tokyo-To.

Jet Set Radio HD to Lose Deavid Soul?

Joystiq is reporting that Jet Set Radio's HD rerelease will not retain the full soundtrack. While I expected the HD version to shed a few tracks, I had thought the losses would be limited to the US and Euro additions. However, Joystiq points to even more cuts, most notably four tracks from Deavid Soul and Idol Taxi's OK House. JSR fans will immediately recognize Deavid Soul's tracks: Miller Ball Breakers, On the Bowl, Up-Set Attack and Yappie Feet.

Now I'm not saying that the game will be ruined without these tracks, it'll be a blast to have the right stick FINALLY controlling the camera and 60fps widescreen in HD will look stunning. But with a game like Jet Set Radio, where music is a major element of the game and story, the loss of five tracks is a big deal. Up-Set Attack and OK House define Shibuya-Cho, the former track serving as the introductory music for the first stage. Miller Ball Breakers and On The Bowl ARE the sound of Benten-Cho.

As the game has yet to be released, the best course of action is to hit SEGA up on Twitter and Facebook and request that they do all they can to bring Deavid Soul and Idol Taxi's songs to the HD version. In the meantime, don't sell your Dreamcast copies just yet.

Which Version of Jet Set Radio is the BEST?

In the latest edition of my weekly article series for SEGAbits, I compared three regional versions of Jet Set Radio to find out which version was the best. Those unacquainted with the US, European and Japanese versions of Jet Set Radio may be thinking: “whats the big deal? A ton of Dreamcast titles were released in three regions.” Well, unlike most Dreamcast games, Jet Set Radio had rather notable differences between regional releases. Each version features unique graffiti tags, unique songs, different stages, different character names and voices and even different titles. Of the three, which is the best? That’s what we’ll try to decide today, by comparing five aspects of the games and choosing a winner! 

Check out my full article over at SEGAbits!

Jet Set Radio Coming This Summer!

SEGA Blog has just shared some VERY exciting news regarding the next Dreamcast rerelease. The game being released is Jet Set Radio,as if there was any doubt. They also confirmed that the game will be known as Jet Set Radio, so say goodbye to the original US title “Jet Grind Radio” (and good riddance!). Also, the game will be in beautiful widescreen, as seen in the screen shot above, and the game is coming to XBLA, PSN, and Windows PC Digital Download this summer! SEGA has also announced a contest where fans can get there art in the game and win prizes for doing so. Reminds me of when the game originally released, I recall SEGA having a similar contest. So far so good! Now SEGA just needs to confirm that there will be no music cuts. 

Dreamcast Cosplayers!

What to do while waiting for the release of Strumwind? Post some photos of people dressed up as Dreamcast characters, of course! Here are the best of the best I have found on DeviantArt.

Jet Set Radio

More after the jump!

VGV: Jet Set Radio

At first I was sceptical but the end cracked me up

Jet Set Radio Soundtrack

It's not always easy for the team at the DCJY to come up with news for a console that's been 'resting' for the last seven years. My own Dreamcast 'news' since the completion of Gut's Rage has stagnated somewhat. I'm still playing Jet Set Radio, but have become somewhat stuck on the mission of Coin and Cube, finding it hard to wall ride high enough to tag the higher grafitti near the skate park and constantly running out of time or being beaten to a pulp!

Still, I have been lucky enough to obtain the soundtrack to both Jet Set Radio and Jet Set Radio Future direct from Japan for under a tenner. This brings my game soundtrack CD collection to three titles. I've got the two titles above plus the soundtrack of Space Channel 5 (which includes remixes of all the tracks you hear in the game.) Now if I could only find a sound track for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, I'd die a happy man...

Jet Set Radio! (or Grind Radio If You'd Prefer...)

Oh my god! Having ponced about all over the next generation, going "Oooohhh! Aren't these graphics lovely?..." and "Wow! These motion controls are really cool!" I've just given Jet Set Radio on the Dreamcast a proper play and I'm in love...

Dreamcast June was a little idea I came up with over at one of my favourite hang outs, the PDC Forum. Of course, way back in May it was just a concept. I had no intention of having a Dreamcast only month, but I was painfully aware that my Dreamcast was gathering dust and that with my whopping Dreamcast software collection finally sorted, there were loads of games that I'd spent the Krishna family budget on, that I'd only dipped into, or more criminally never played.

However, after messing about on Crazy Taxi and falling in love with Soul Calibur all over again, playing Manchester United with Sheffield Wednesday (and beating them hands down) on Sega World Wide Soccer 2000 (Euro Edition) and then completing Sword Of The Berserk (Gut's Rage) I realised that Dreamcast June was actually a good idea...

Therefore, I've not touched the Wii or the 360 for over two weeks... All of my unfinished and unexplored games on those consoles remain in that state. I nearly cracked on Monday though, fancying a little dabble on Viking or a little zombie dispatching on Dead Rising...

Or maybe I should have completed No More Heroes? After all I was about to waste the number two assassin... *(note to self... "Were you really? I thought you'd tried to loads of times and kept getting your sorry arse kicked all over the show...)*

But no! My resolve stayed strong and I picked out the original cell shaded epic for my gaming pleasure... Jet Set Radio!

Now here is a game that I've dabbled with in the past. Usually that means completing the tutorial and even once completing the first level, but I never really understood the game or got any good at it.

Well all that's changed. I'm two thirds of the way through Garam's challenge after completing three levels. I'm fucking in love!! What a game! The graphics, the gameplay, the soundtrack!!! Fan-fucking-tastic!!!!

Now if you want to know more about it please click on this link...

For now I'll just state that this has been one of my gaming highlights this year. There is so much Dreamcast goodness that I've only ever played in a half arsed fashion, or more ashamedly, not at all...

Here's a little video to make you all go and play it. Right now! (BTW... What should I play on the Dreamcast next? Answers on a postcard please...)

Jet Set Radio Pub. Jap N°2
Uploaded by objectifsega