Sega unleashes surprise new Sonic game

And the publisher has promised fans that more titles based on Sega's classic properties will be added to the site in the near future.

CasualGaming.biz can exclusively reveal that the age-old software company is busy developing 30 more titles for the site, Play Sega – many of which dip back into the firm’s historic collection of IP.

Only a handful of games are available from today, which sees the portal’s soft Beta launch.

Sonic At The Olympic Games is joined on the initial slate of games by the official tie-in of the Beijing Olympics, The Hollywood Adventure Movie Quiz, curling game Ice Shuffle and more.

“It’s a mixture of Sega classic titles and some new innovation,” explained Sega’s Network business director Nick Pili to CasualGaming.biz.

“We have a fantastic operation here. Play Sega has three elements: mini-web games, item collecting and social networking. A lot of websites do fantastic elements of those – but we bring it all together.

“There are only a couple of other companies out there that have anything like the heritage we do – or can inspire the same affection amongst their fans. This is the first time the Sega community can come together in one place, whilst enjoying some of our most exciting vintage and new IP.

“There was a story out there recently that we have a locked vaut full of retro Sega classics in Japan. Well, it’s true – and we’ve been given full access to most of the properties in it.”

The site offers seven categories of games: Arcade; Card; Puzzle; Quiz; Sports; Word and Sonic – indicating there is more to come from the blue hedgehog.

Registration is free, and users can even create their own personalised areas on the site – dubbed ‘Escapes’ – using the site’s currency, Sega Rings. These are free, but must be earned through play.

Gamers can use them to enter a weekly prize draw to be in with a chance of winning £50.