Virtua Hamster

About

Virtua Hamster was a cancelled project from Sega that put rodents in rocket packs. Players would control characters like Chip as they zipped through connected tubes. The goal involved fighting other hamsters and dodging obstacles while racing toward the finish line. This prototype runs on the Sega Saturn using an early build dumped by Ryo Suzuki in 2009. You can move the camera forward or backward with specific buttons to explore the single empty level and see the static models of characters that never made it into a final state. The game remains a curious piece of hardware history since development shifted from the 32X to the Saturn before cancellation. Rumors suggest Sega Japan disliked the Virtua name, fearing confusion with their fighting and racing hits. The prototype shows clear potential despite its unfinished state. Fans can still view this odd racer today through archived footage and screenshots. It stands out as a rare example of what could have been for the 32X era. No community ratings exist yet because most people just know it as an unreleased title.