It’s been rumoured but this week Sega made it official: Castle Of Illusion is getting a HD remake.

Sega Of America released a black and white teaser trailer for the game last week, and this has now been followed up with a far less ambiguous colour trailer.     

Neatly, the second trailer also expands the first’s dark intro to show Mickey approaching the eponymous castle in a way designed to mimic the classic box art of the original Mega Drive game (said artwork shown above).   

Sega also released a few screenshots, giving a glimpse of the new art style the remake will be adopting.

We really like how it looks, and look forward to seeing more of the project as the game edges closer to its summer release.   

Given that this news comes after Capcom announced that it will be releasing a HD remake of its classic NES platformer Duck Tales, it seems like 2013 will be the summer of Disney remakes, if not warmth.

A spiritual Ecco The Dolphin sequel could be heading to game shores if a new Kickstarter campaign meets its target.

Ecco The Dolphin was one of the more unique games on the Mega Drive.  A serene action-adventure game that saw the titular porpoise on a mission to find the whereabouts of his pod after it gets mysteriously sucked from the ocean, it was a massive hit for Sega and spawned several sequels.

Since 2000 though, following the release of Dreamcast sequel Defender Of The Future, the series appears to have sank to the bottom of the ocean and been forgotten about.

Well, game designer and producer Ed Annunziata has brought together members of the original Ecco The Dolphin team to try to salvage the essence of the series with a brand new game project, funded through Kickstarter, that will have clear ties to the franchise.

Named The Big Blue, Annunziata describes it as a ‘next generation, underwater, adventure game’.

While previous Ecco games were a mixture of shooter, puzzler and adventure game, the project (which is looking for USD $665,000 of fudning) will mark a slightly different direction by allowing players to control a whole aquatic ecosystem and breed and manage their own sea life.

The setting also sounds pretty intriguing too: an ocean one million years in the future.

As well as members of the original creative team, Annunziata will also be teaming up with acclaimed videogame musician Spencer Nielsen for the project – assuring fans that music will again play a big part in his team’s vision for the game.

More information about The Big Blue can be found on the Kickstarter page. The deadline for pledges is Monday Apr 29, 10:11am EDT.

Sega has just revealed that oddball couple Toejam and Earl are returning to consoles.

The funkey twosome will be returning in a Mega Drive double pack that will feature the original game, in addition to Toejam & Earl: Panic On Funkatron.

Released as part of the Sega Vintage Collection both games will feature achievements and trophy support, as well as online cooperative play. The games will be available on PSN at £3.69 a pop, or part of a double pack on Xbox Live Arcade for 800 points.

In issue 107 we have a making of Battle Squadron, a rather excellent shooter for the Amiga and Mega Drive.

As luck would have it, Battle Squadron has been recently released on iOS, allowing a whole new generation of gamers to enjoy the impossibly slick shooter. As further luck would have it, Battle Squadron is currently on sale for the quite frankly silly price of £0.69.

Alternatively, there’s a clever split screen version of the game for iPAd owners only that costs £1.99.

It’s the final day of the Steam sale, so don’t forget to pick up a bargain.

We’ve already mentioned the Mega Drive-laden Sega Pack, id Software’s excellent pack and the Hitman/Tomb Raider/Deus Ex offering from Square Enix, but there are still plenty of good deals to have if you’re after more modern games.

First up we heartily recommend The Walking Dead. It’s an excellent episodic game with amazing narrative and some really brutal game choices that will no dobut come back to haunt you in later episodes. Fans of old school action will want to check out Rockstar’s Max Payne 3, which is a bargain at just £14.99. Be warned though, it has a hefty 30GB install. The Elder Scrolls V: Skrim is another fairly recent game that has hit the sale. Not only does it look amazing, and feature lots of great Steam Works mods, it’s available for just £17.37.

Fall Out 3: Game Of The Year Edition can be purchased for just under four quid, while the Ultimate version of Fallout New Vegas will set you back £7.49. In short there’s something for everyone, but deals are ending fast, so visit now to avoid disappointment.

A talented Chinese programmer has created Angry Birds for the Sega Mega Drive.

The incredibly popular iOS game has already taken the handheld market by storm, but it would appear Sega’s console is also going to enjoy the physics-based delights of the popular game. Recently revealed on MN12BIRD’s Youtube Channel. It looks like a fairly decent (ish) clone which captures the sound and visuals of the original iPhone game, but hasn’t quite mastered the physics.

Needless to say we’ll be keeping an eye on this to see how things progress.

Retro Gamer Collection 6 is an essential  compilation of retro gaming goodness. Available now from the Imagine Shop and all good retailers, it’s the ultimate guide to the very best hardware and games from yesteryear. Featuring in-depth analysis, making-ofs, interviews and more, this book takes you through all the classics, from the N64 and Amstrad PC to Lemmings and Contra. You’ll also find interviews with gaming gods such as Sid Meier, and plenty more.

“I’m delighted to have been involved in the latest Retro Gamer Collection,” said Editor Darran Jones. “I’ve personally hand-picked some of the best content from our award-winning magazine to ensure that it’s an unmissable read that anyone with an interest in games will enjoy immensely.”

Retro Gamer Collection 6 is on sale now (7/6) priced £9.99, and is available from www.imaginebookshop.co.uk and all good newsagents.

With Alien prequel Prometheus nearing its release, Retro Gamer looks back at some of its favourite videogame aliens, both friendly and hostile.  

A run and gunner like few others, Alien Soldier is typical Treasure. With a large number of short and easy levels working at odds with many super-tough bosses, it’s a boss rush that has little time for casual gamers, and seems proud of the fact.

Epsilon Eagle is part of a parasitic race of genetically created beings that are able to link themselves to animals and machinery, and this explains why his appearance is comprises an odd mix of bird feathers and metal. Originally the leader of a criminal outfit called ‘Scarlett’ (Treasure often likes to link elements of its games to light and colour), the game explains that Epsilon turned on his team after bonding with a boy with paranormal powers, setting the scene for this unique and challenging Mega Drive title.

Alien Solider never recieved a physical release in North America and was instead only made available through Sega’s short-lived Sega Channel, a cable games service for Genesis. The same thing also happened to the Genesis games Golden Axe III, Pulseman and Mega Man: The Wily Wars in the region.