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Jetsetradio logo outline

The international logo used for the first game.

The Jet Set Radio series, referred to as JSR for short, is an street action, sports platform video game series that was originally developed by Smilebit and published by Sega. The first release was Jet Set Radio in 2000, with the last original game being Jet Set Radio Future in 2002. However, despite the lack of games, the series has manage to develop a following and has been one of Sega's most requested IPs for them to return to as a result.

History[]

Jet Set Radio[]

In 2000, Sega would release Jet Set Radio on June 29 in Japan, the game was not a massive hit but was received positively in the end. Later on Sega would request the team to make additional changes to appeal to the international audiences so the game could have a better chance of selling, more specifically in the United States. Jet Set Radio would release internationally on October 31 under the name "Jet Grind Radio" in NTSC related regions and under its original name on November 24 in PAL regions. The game would be a bigger success internationally with critics praising it, but the game would not be a smash hit either, as the Dreamcast ultimately had a short run as a console.

De La Jet Set Radio and Typing Jet[]

In 2001, Sega would re-release Jet Set Radio under the name De La Jet Set Radio in Japan. This version of the game brought over what was present in the international releases of the game, more specifically the PAL one as the music exclusive to that version at the time was featured in it. Later in 2001 Smilebit would also develop a mobile phone game called Typing Jet for the J-Sky 50KB. However, the game itself has not been archived nor has resurfaced anywhere since its release making it lost media as a result.

Jet Set Radio Future[]

In 2002, Sega would release Jet Set Radio Future, a sequel in terms of following up from the original but is really a retelling and re-imagining of the first original Japanese release of Jet Set Radio. The game would unfortunately sell poorly due to the fact that the console it released on, Microsoft's Xbox, did not sell well in Japan at all, and would do somewhat better outside of its home country but not enough as Sega and Microsoft proceeded collaborate and make a console bundle for the game in a 2-in-1 disc with Sega GT 2002 that came packaged in with Xbox systems. Despite the low sales the game would receive the same amount of praise, if not more than its predecessor.

New game[]

In December 2023, Sega announced several new titles at the 2023 Game Awards show, including a new Jet Set Radio game.[1] The game is a part of their "Sega Power Surge" initiative.[2]

2003-2023[]

Since 2002, the Jet Set Radio series has not seen an original entry in over 20 years, making it one of Sega's longer dormant IPs. However, Jet Set Radio would get a Game Boy Advance demake under the same name in 2003 in North America and 2004 in Europe. Smilebit would eventually close down in 2004, but before doing so they would also help develop Ollie King alongside with Amusement Vision. In 2005 a slot machine would be produced by Rodeo.

Jet Set Radio itself would not receive any new content until 2008's Sega Superstars Tennis were both Beat and Gum made playable appearances along with a tennis court based on the bus terminal area of Shibuya-cho. Only two years later, Jet Set Radio would be represented again in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing with Beat making an appearance as a playable character along with three racetracks based on areas present in Jet Set Radio Future. In 2012, both Beat and Gum would return as playable characters in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed which included an entirely new racetrack and brought back Shibuya Downtown as a returning one.

Also in 2012, Sega would release Jet Set Radio for a multitude of platforms in high-definition with the help of BlitWorks. This version of the game attempted to give everyone all the content that was present in all four previous releases of the game, although some things had to be changed due to licensing. To promote the game Sega held another graffiti contest were fans could submit their own graffiti for the game and be included in with fans also picking out which aliases the pieces would belong to as well. The HD version would come with additional bonus content such as seven tracks from Jet Set Radio Future and a documentary titled: Jet Set Radio Documentary: The Rude Awakening. Also in the same year, both Jet Set Radio games would be represented in Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit, with a headpiece based on Beat's design from JSRF and a wheel based on the color scheme of JSR.[3]

In 2018, Beat, Gum, DJ Professor K, and Captain Onishima would appear as playable characters in the mobile match-3 role-playing game Sega Heroes. In 2020, for the 20th anniversary of the series, Sega would post a retrospective video on the series on their SEGA Forever channel. In the following year of 2021, Beat, in his Jet Set Radio attire, would also be included as a playable character in Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania. In 2023, Sega and Ubisoft would work together and bring Jet Set Radio content to their free-to-play game Roller Champions.

Legacy[]

The Jet Set Radio series has managed to gain a following throughout the years, with fans and critics still praising both games and wanting a new game as well. There have been attempts of getting a new game made along with pitches of external media too that were ultimately rejected or turned down as a result. It has also been a major influence to many developers and music composers throughout its existence as many have noted it being influential in certain aspects, more specifically its aesthetic with the cel-shading technique and both game's soundtracks.[4]

Cancelled and rejected pitches[]

Jet Set Radio has had a few amount of pitches that have been turned down or flat out rejected. In 2006, there would be a pitch by Kuju Entertainment and Corey S. Lewis to make a Jet Set Radio game for the Nintendo Wii. Unfortunately, Sega showed little interest in the game and nothing came out of it in the end besides some concept art for the game depicting returning characters like Beat, Gum, Tab, DJ Professor K, and Poison Jam and new gangs such as the Skwable Hawks and Swivle Nozzle Ninja. The interest in the pitch was at least strong enough to make IGN write an article about it, suggesting what Sega could have done for this conceptual game.[5]

Nearly a decade later, another pitch, titled Jet Set Radio Evolution, by Dinosaur Games would be showcased off at the Games Developers Conference (GDC) with Sony taking interest in it. Dinosaur Games would make a proof of concept video for the pitch and show it off at Atlus, who would ultimately turn it down without further comment.

In 2018, it was revealed by the members of the Sonic the Comic team that they almost made a Jet Set Radio comic that would have been loosely based on the events of Grind City in chapter 2 of the game. The comic never went any further than five pages and was presumably rejected by Sega.

Potential new game (2021-2023)[]

While there has not been a new entry in the series over 20 years, certain people that have worked on or contributed to the series have expressed interest in a new game such as composers Hideki Naganuma and Richard Jacques.[6] However, Naganuma would reveal that investors and game companies would come up to him requesting him to make a new game with him only being able to say that he cannot do so as he just made music for the series.[7] In 2016, Jet Set Radio would come in second place on a most wanted revival poll held by Sega of Japan, only losing out to Sakura Wars.[8] Later on in 2021[9][10] and in 2022[11], Jet Set Radio would be mentioned in bringing back dormant IPs and the talks of a "super game" as well.

A new Jet Set Radio title was finally announced on December 2023, developed as a part of Sega's "Power Surge" initiative.[2]

Videos[]

References[]

  1. POWER SURGE: SEGA REVEAL TRAILER - TGA 2023
  2. 2.0 2.1 Bueno, Daniel (December 7, 2023) Sega Power Surge Brings Back Jet Set Radio, 4 More Games. Siliconera. Retrieved on December 8, 2023.
  3. Pimp My Rabbit: Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit DLC Trailer
  4. Wen, Alan (July 7, 2020) 20 years on, Jet Set Radio is still influencing developers. Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved on July 25, 2023.
  5. Bozon, Mark (January 6, 2009) Reboot: Jet Set Radio Wii. IGN. Retrieved on February 27, 2023.
  6. Richard's reply to a fan.
  7. Tweet by Naganuma.
  8. Sickr (November 20, 2016) Sega Survey Results Are In And Sakura Wars Is The Most Wanted Revival. My Nintendo News. Retrieved on July 25, 2023.
  9. Jordan-Oloman (May 13, 2021) Sega Considering Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio Reboots, and Working on a 'Super Game'. IGN Africa. Retrieved on July 25, 2023.
  10. Taggart, Corey (May 14, 2021) Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi Reboots Being Considered By Sega. Screen Rant. Retrieved on July 25, 2023.
  11. Vincent, James (April 19, 2022) Sega is reportedly working on big-budget reboots of Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio. The Verge. Retrieved on July 25, 2023.

Navigation[]

Games
Jet Set Radio series
Jet Set RadioDe La Jet Set RadioTyping JetJet Set Radio FutureJet Set Radio GBAJet Set Radio Slot MachineJet Set Radio Reboot
Ollie King
Ollie KingOllie King ME
Sega Crossovers
Sega Superstars TennisSonic & Sega All-Stars RacingSonic & All-Stars Racing TransformedSega Heroes
Unproduced
Jet Set Radio WiiSega Blast HeroesJet Set Radio Evolution
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