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Who was your favorite Sega Studio from 2000 era?

Who was your favorite Sega Team?

  • Sega Am2

    Votes: 79 29.6%

  • Smilebit

    Votes: 69 25.8%

  • Amusement Vision

    Votes: 45 16.9%

  • Hitmaker

    Votes: 3 1.1%

  • Sonic Team

    Votes: 57 21.3%

  • Sega Wow

    Votes: 5 1.9%

  • Other

    Votes: 9 3.4%
  • Total voters
    267
eDIGI

eDIGI

Artist
Verified
Oct 27, 2017
515
All this news and talk about Sega lately really has started making me feel nostalgic about the days of old when sega had their various game divisions split into 9 semi-autonomous companies. They then later took these 9 studios and consolidated them to 6 studios. I believe that when the Sammy merger happened many of these studios got further absorbed and dissolved (correct me if I'm wrong). I was incredibly sad to hear this news when it happened as some of these studios produced some of my favorite games ever (in particular SmileBit). Did you have any fond memories of these studios and the games they made and if so what studio did you like the most?

Note: I know I'm missing a great number of titles that these studios have worked on so if there is one that you really love please be sure to mention it :)

Info added from fiendcode:

in 2004 with the Sammy merger there was a major reorg
  • Sega WOW: merger of Wow Entertainment & Overworks
  • Sega AM2: absorbed Digital Rex
  • Hitmaker: absorbed Sega Rosso
  • Amusement Vision: absorbed action team from Smilebit
  • Smilebit: absorbed sports team from Amusement Vision
  • Sonic Team: absorbed United Game Artists
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Smilebit.png

Game examples from Smilebit:

Hitmaker_logo.png


Game examples from Hitmaker:


SegaWow_logo.png


Game examples from Sega Wow:


1024px-Amusement_Vision_logo.svg.png


Game examples from Amusement Vision:

Sega_AM2_logo.png


Game examples from Sega AM2:


1920px-Sonic_Team_Logo.svg.png


Game examples from Sonic Team:
 
Last edited:
MykonosFan

MykonosFan

Member
Oct 25, 2017
844
Sonic Team from that era was king for me. SA1, SA2, and Chu Chu Rocket got so much play from me. The rest of my time was spent wishing I could play their other games like NiGHTS, PSO, and Samba. What a great period from them. Removing them from this question makes this much more difficult though as a lot of SEGA was making great stuff too.
 
Dolce

Dolce

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,256
I can't believe OutRun 2 wasn't mentioned in the OP at all... but AM2, of course.
 
OP
OP
eDIGI

eDIGI

Artist
Verified
Oct 27, 2017
515
xaM said:
Some of the examples are a bit funny considering that they're not from the "2000's".
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

They aren't from the 2000's but they were well known games that the studios were known for, so I thought maybe I should throw them in there anyways. I can delete them though if you think it makes them confusing!
 
SkoomaBlade

SkoomaBlade

Chicken Chaser
Member
Oct 30, 2017
1,054
Sonic Team from this era was it's absolute peak IMO. Such a great and creative output of games. It's a shame how far they've fallen.
 
fiendcode

fiendcode

Member
Oct 26, 2017
24,943
I'd rank 'em:
  1. Amusement Vision
  2. Hitmaker
  3. Sega AM2
  4. Overworks
  5. United Game Artists
  6. Smilebit
  7. Sonic Team
  8. Wow Entertainment
  9. Sega Rosso
  10. Digital Rex
  11. Wavemaster
 
Last edited:
Ferrs

Ferrs

Avenger
Oct 26, 2017
18,829
How is Sonic Team not winning?

They did Phantasy Star Online. That game was a revolution in console online gaming.
 
Maximum Spider

Maximum Spider

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,090
Cleveland, OH
eDIGI said:
They aren't from the 2000's but they were well known games that the studios were known for, so I thought maybe I should throw them in there anyways. I can delete them though if you think it makes them confusing!
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
It's a nice OP, I wouldn't worry about it. I think the people voting are well informed enough or can do a quick google search if they need additional info.
 
krossj

krossj

Member
Dec 4, 2017
371
Only one of those teams made PSO! A few very good games scattered amongst those dev teams though.
 
Cogg

Cogg

Prophet of Truth
Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,162
Torn between Smilebit and Sonic team, that OG Xbox Smilebit output was great. Gotta give to to Sonic Team though cause PSO was virtual crack for my small developing brain
 
TheAggroCraig

TheAggroCraig

This guy are sick of the One Winged Slayer
Member
Nov 6, 2017
5,945
Sonic Team purely for Sonic Adventure 1/2 and PSO. Smilebit would be #2 though for JSR/JSRF.
 
thekonamicode

thekonamicode

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,730
What an amazing variety of output from a single publisher over a pretty small period of time. I really miss the zeitgeist of this era in games.
 

Deleted member 1839

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
11,625
I feel like if Sega was alive as a console publisher today and how pretty much the same output as they did during the time then they would probably be my favorite out of the bunch easily.
 
fiendcode

fiendcode

Member
Oct 26, 2017
24,943
eDIGI said:
Think you might be right but I'm not sure, Was the original team called Overworks?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
There's sorta 2 eras here really.

Dreamcast to early 3rd party era:
  • Wow Entertainment (previously AM1): HOTD, Columns, Dynamite Cop, Sega GT
  • Sega AM2: Virtua Fighter, Virtua Cop, Beach Spikers, F-355 Challenge, OutRun
  • Hitmaker (previously AM3): Virtual On, Virtua Tennis, Crazy Taxi, Derby Owner's Club
  • Amusement Vision (previously AM Annex): Daytona, Monkey Ball, Virtua Striker, SpikeOut
  • Sega Rosso (previously AM11): Sega Rally, Initial D, Cosmic Smash
  • Smilebit (previously CS1): Jet Set Radio, Let's Make a Pro Sports Club, Panzer Dragoon
  • OverWorks (previous CS2): Sakura Wars, Shinobi, Skies of Arcadia
  • Sonic Team (previously CS3): Sonic, PSO, Puyo Puyo, Chu-Chu, Billy Hatcher, Samba
  • United Game Artists (new division): Space Channel 5, Rez
  • Digital Rex (new division): Shenmue
  • Wavemaster (Sega Sound Studio): Roomania
Then in 2004 with the Sammy merger there was a major reorg
  • Sega WOW: merger of Wow Entertainment & Overworks
  • Sega AM2: absorbed Digital Rex
  • Hitmaker: absorbed Sega Rosso
  • Amusement Vision: absorbed action team from Smilebit
  • Smilebit: absorbed sports team from Amusement Vision
  • Sonic Team: absorbed United Game Artists
 
OP
OP
eDIGI

eDIGI

Artist
Verified
Oct 27, 2017
515
fiendcode said:
There's sorta 2 eras here really.

Dreamcast to early 3rd party era:
  • Wow Entertainment (previously AM1): HOTD, Columns, Dynamite Cop, Sega GT
  • Sega AM2: Virtua Fighter, Virtua Cop, Beach Spikers, F-355 Challenge, OutRun
  • Hitmaker (previously AM3): Virtual On, Virtua Tennis, Crazy Taxi, Derby Owner's Club
  • Amusement Vision (previously AM Annex): Daytona, Monkey Ball, Virtua Striker, SpikeOut
  • Sega Rosso (previously AM11): Sega Rally, Initial D, Cosmic Smash
  • Smilebit (previously CS1): Jet Set Radio, Let's Make a Pro Sports Club, Panzer Dragoon
  • OverWorks (previous CS2): Sakura Wars, Shinobi, Skies of Arcadia
  • Sonic Team (previously CS3): Sonic, PSO, Puyo Puyo, Chu-Chu, Billy Hatcher, Samba
  • United Game Artists (new division): Space Channel 5, Rez
  • Digital Rex (new division): Shenmue
  • Wavemaster (Sega Sound Studio): Roomania
Then in 2004 with the Sammy merger there was a major reorg
  • Sega WOW: merger of Wow Entertainment & Overworks
  • Sega AM2: absorbed Digital Rex
  • Hitmaker: absorbed Sega Rosso
  • Amusement Vision: absorbed action team from Smilebit
  • Smilebit: absorbed sports team from Amusement Vision
  • Sonic Team: absorbed United Game Artists
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

OMG I was honestly about to add something regarding the absorption of companies. Mind if I add a bit of this info in the OP?
 
civet

civet

Member
Jul 6, 2019
460
France
Hard to answer really! I picked up Sonic Team because I've played PSO and Chu Chu Rocket more than the rest.
 
4 Get!

4 Get!

Alt Account
Banned
Apr 8, 2019
1,326
I secretly hope OP is working for a covert division of Sega looking to bring back Smilebit and/or AM2.
 
flattie

flattie

Member
Nov 5, 2017
599
I picked Smilebit. Panzer Dragoon and JSR. That being said, it brings a tear to my eye to look at that Sonic Team listing and think about what they are today. They really were a premier studio back then. Quality and originality all over the place.
 
ghostcrew

ghostcrew

The Shrouded Ghost
Administrator
Oct 27, 2017
30,399
That's a lot of great studios from a golden time. But it's Sonic Team for me.

Nights into Dreams, Burning Rangers, Sonic Adventure, Billy Hatcher, PSO2, ChuChu Rocket etc.

They were on fire.
 

Deleted member 8468

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
9,109
That's a stacked list of developers no matter which way you look at it. Long live Sega.

Sonic Team was probably my favorite back then, while Smilebit has the most games I like to revisit now. AM2 is a solid second place, though Virtua Fighter 5 is probably my favorite single game from the OP.
 
nanskee

nanskee

Prophet of Truth
Member
Oct 31, 2017
5,071
I guess sonic team followed by amusement vision.

I think amusement vision knocked it out the park with super monkey Ball 1+2 and Fzero GX.

Only reason why I give sonic team the edge is because of Phantasy Star.
 
Soap

Soap

Member
Oct 27, 2017
15,282
Am2 were god like. I feel like amusement vision are second for making one of the best Nintendo franchise games on GameCube and two other fantastic games for it.
 
Polyh3dron

Polyh3dron

Prophet of Regret
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
9,860
Can't make me choose between AM2, Amusement Vision, Sonic Team, Smilebit and Hitmaker.

They were all god tier at this time.
 
NotLiquid

NotLiquid

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
34,834
Back then I wouldn't hesitate to say Sonic Team. With the benefit of hindsight.... I'd probably still say Sonic Team? Though AM2 and Amusement Vision are certainly on par.
 
GamerJM

GamerJM

Member
Nov 8, 2017
15,689
Amusement Vision were on another fucking level. Super Monkey Ball 2 and F-Zero GX are dead classics. I know they basically folded into the Yakuza studio and the staff that worked on those games still release great stuff today, but I'd give anything to have them back.

I still need to delve into Smilebit and AM2's stuff, though. I suspect I'll really appreciate JSFR and Orta but not as much as my favorite Amusement Vision games. I'm skeptical about how much fun I'll have with AM2's Shenmue games, but I've really enjoyed what I've played of Virtua Fighter at least.

I also really love Sonic Team from this era. I've played a few of Hitmaker's games in an arcade context and they're fun there but I don't really have a strong appreciation for Crazy Taxi and Virtual-On outside of the context of arcade nostalgia. Sega Wow has little appeal to me.
 
Tailzo

Tailzo

Fallen Guardian
Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,978
Holy fuck all of these are legendary, but AM2 are video game gods.
 
PeakPointMatrix

PeakPointMatrix

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,207
Sonic Team from that era just plain rocked my world. There isn't a week of my life since then where I don't fondly reminisce on one of their games if even for a moment. AM2 and SmileBit are such a close, close second though.
 
batfax

batfax

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,420
Sonic Team in that area was going on all cylinders and is one of the reasons people really wish they could bring that level of output back. PSO alone was revolutionary, and games like Burning Rangers, NiGHTS, and even Chu Chu Rocket are classics.

Even that said, it's pretty close. That entire era was amazing games all over the place.
 
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