Initially Sega's pulling the plug on Propeller Arena might have seemed a bit of an overreaction to the events of 9/11. After all, what did a fantastical WWII-style arcade game have in common with modern day events? The action is more along the lines of Snoopy's Red Baron dogfights than anything grounded in reality. There was speculation from fans that it was just a convenient way for Sega to avoid releasing a title that stood a dubious chance of being profitable so late in the Dreamcast's run, a game that would also further prolong the dismantling of the DC's online gaming network. The PS2 had been out nearly a year, and interest in Sega's final console had waned considerably since they'd announced in early 2001 that they were abandoning the hardware market to go software-only. To many, Sega's motives might have seemed suspiciously like a tax write-off under the guise of public sensitivity.We recently had a chance to go hands-on with a final beta copy of Propeller Arena, and once one actually plays the game Sega's decision seems much more understandable. One level is called "Airport," while another, "Tower City," is apparently patterned after Manhattan, the anchoring feature of the stage's city skyline being huge replicas of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers. Sega's fears that some players might re-inact the 9/11 tragedy online by deliberately crashing their planes into those buildings or staging hi-jackings at the airport may have had some merit. Don't forget that the game was to feature online voice-chat as well, and you can see nightmare scenarios unfolding in Sega executives' heads that would make a public relations rep cringe.