Results tagged “Dreamcast”

Sega had a rather eventful week this past week in terms of news for their fans, other than just a new Vanquish trailer. A little of it may have been some of the worst kept secrets ever, but some of it was pretty surprising -- but hearing confirmation of the former was also neat. Let's sum it all up.

It looks like Yakuza 3 actually sold to Sega's expectations in America and Europe, because they confirmed this week that Yakuza 4 is being localized. It's possible that word spread around that Yakuza 3 was a great game despite Sega's suicide mission with it -- which included some unfortunate censorship and a horrendous release date. But there's a chance that the censorship ordeal might have given it some advertising and exposure. Anyone still miffed about that removed content will be relieved to hear that the fourth game will have the Hostess Clubs intact. Eurogamer's review notes that Yakuza 4's Hostess Clubs are integral to the storyline, so they really didn't have a choice.

The main difference between the upcoming title and the last one is that this time you have multiple characters to play through, along with the series' mainstay protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. The most dedicated fans of the series who have already played through it -- and probably figured that it didn't have a chance of getting localized -- have said the story itself is much better than the third game's. If you're a fan of the series, you really don't need me to tell you to look forward to it. It will release in spring 2011 (hopefully not alongside a bunch of high profile games this time), but Sega noted that it will be present at E3 this week, so look forward to some info from that.

Though many of us have known about this for a while, Sega finally confirmed that they're bringing Dreamcast games to both Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network. The lineup will start with Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi this fall, and I hope to god they don't finish with those. Time will tell whether the ports are actually handled with care or just shamelessly handed to Backbone Entertainment to mangle port. Heck, we may even find out this week if it's available for play at E3.

And I sincerely hope they handle them well, because this has serious potential for success. Similarly, this also has serious potential for disaster. I haven't had a chance to play Sonic Adventure since its original Dreamcast release in 2000, but word around the 'net is that time hasn't been kind to it. Some fans, or perhaps former fans, said it was showing its age when Sonic Adventure DX released on Gamecube back in 2003. Also, the chance that Crazy Taxi will keep everything intact from the Dreamcast release is minimal if the PSP version from a few years back is any indication, which removed licensed music and redubbed the voices. Still, it's nice of them to attempt this, and hopefully it opens the floodgates to more games. Like Jet Grind Radio and Skies of Arcadia.

This last bit is a few weeks old, but some of you might have missed it: Sega is localizing Phantasy Star Portable 2 for a release sometime this fall. These days, you could probably say that just about any PSP game getting localized is a surprise given the sad state of it outside of Japan. Unlike the last game, PSP2 includes online play via infastructure, which hopefully will make the cut when it releases in America. It's unknown as to whether it will hit PSN as well, but given how the first game still isn't on there, it's not looking likely.

I realize I may come down hard on Sega at times, but it's merely the classic "I criticize because I love" trope at work. Despite how all of their operations worldwide can make some silly decisions far too often, they've been one of the better Japanese companies this generation. Their localization arms have also taken a lot of chances on niche properties as well, though I'm admittedly very bitter that they, and many other companies, passed on localizing 7th Dragon. So yeah, good luck guys.

So here we are with the final feature on the Dreamcast's software lineup, though we're certainly outside of the anniversary month. At this time in the console's life, Sega had announced that they were ceasing support of the Dreamcast and not producing any more consoles, so unsurprisingly software developers and publishers were jumping ship for greener pastures. For someone who supported the system for so long and adored its games, it was a sad time. Fortunately, that "time" was short-lived, since the PS2 had began to hit its stride later in the year with games like Ico, Devil May Cry, Metal Gear Solid 2, Final Fantasy X, and more. The Gamecube and Xbox were also getting ready to launch in the fall; so while it was a time of mourning for Sega as a hardware manufacturer, it was an exciting (and, perhaps, expensive) time to be a gamer.

Last Blade 2

Probably one of the most underappreciated 2D fighters ever, Last Blade 2 is what you could describe, basically, as an enhanced Samurai Showdown. You could consider it a natural evolution of its spiritual predecessor's weapon-based mechanics, instead adding the twist of parrying attacks and characters and story with a more over-the-top mentality. The combination of those two help the Last Blade franchise (because it only needs two installments to be a franchise, right?) stand on its own, and make it endearing and enjoyable. It's playable in a multitude of ways today, so why not give it a try?

(No, it's not on XBLA/PSN. Though that would be great if SNK was capable of making an online netcode that's actually usable!)

Garou: Mark of the Wolves

To date, Garou: Mark of the Wolves is the last game to release in the Fatal Fury franchise, but hopefully it won't be the last. Garou was, basically, SNK's answer to Street Fighter III, featuring vibrant animations that certifiably pushed the power of SNK's MVS arcade system. The results? Well, pretty spectacular, making a fighting game that was actually more user-friendly than SFIII, while at the same time maintaining the depth you would expect from an SNK fighter in that age. The only problem is that the Dreamcast port was rather suspect, which featured numerous sound effects and voice quips that were out of sync with what was happening on screen. Good thing PS2 and XBLA versions exist now.

Sonic Adventure 2

Sega continued their tradition to be the anti-Nintendo, who would only release one major 3D Mario adventure on the system, and released Sonic Adventure 2 on the Dreamcast. The game, as you would expect, continued the antics of Sonic as his friends. Like the last one, this game also has six playable characters. Unlike the last one, you also get to play the villains, including the now-popular Shadow the Hedgehog. The game was just as good as the first one, though it also shared some of its flaws, like a bothersome camera. It's still worth playing though, which is more than you can say about most Sonic games nowadays.

Space Channel 5, Part 2

A sequel to the music game that became a sleeper hit, Space Channel 5, Part 2 once again pit you in the boots of Ulala to fight intergalactic aliens. Yeah, there isn't too much ingenuity in the plot, as it's mostly the same as the first game. But there's also a two player mode for whenever you have a friend over. Oh, and one of the biggest attractions to this game was that it featured a special appearance by the late Michael Jackson. A lot of reviews may use this as the lazy way out, but you can't help but say "if you liked the first game, you'll like this one" here. Sorry!

Illbleed

Illbleed was a unique little survival horror that, unlike a lot of entries into the genre at the time (this was when Resident Evil still typified the genre), actually focused on surviving. The game involved the player struggling through a theme park rife with booby traps and monsters that your character, Eriko Christy, had to survive to make it out. Oh, and it was pretty bloody too, so it lives up to its name. Oh, and it's clunky too, so be prepared for that. It's been surpassed by the likes of Haunting Ground now, but it was good for its time.

Crazy Taxi 2

Oh look! It's another sequel to a Dreamcast game that became popular early in the console's short life. Crazy Taxi 2 is...well, just like the first game, except for the slightly different setting and some enhanced features. You're no longer confined to one customer while riding around, and now you also have new moves to better your score at the end of a session. The last sentence here would be the same as the Space Channel 5, Part 2 description, so I won't repeat it at the risk of being redundant.

Metropolis Street Racer

Despite originally planned as being a launch title, Metropolis Street Racer finally released in January 2001 after numerous development hindrances. But it was worth it for its looks and gameplay, with it being a sight to behold at the time, along with being an enjoyable racing game. This game was also developed by Bizarre Creations, who's now perhaps best known for the Microsoft-published Project Gotham Racing franchise. This game, in terms of features, is fittingly a progenitor to the template utilized for PGR. You can currently find them working on Blur.

Outtrigger

Outtrigger was Sega-AM2's six-player shooter for arcade using Sega's Naomi arcade board, whose architecture was based on the Dreamcast's hardware. It was a perfectly natural fit for this system solely because of the hardware it's based on. But there are a few problems in a transition like this; the good thing is that, since it's a little difficult to replicate the arcade shooter experience at home, Sega did the best thing to try and amend this: online play. But the problem is that none of your control options are optimal on the Dreamcast controller, but that isn't to say it's not bearable. A pity the Dreamcast didn't have dual analog sticks.

That's all for this look back at a good portion of the Dreamcast software. If there was a game that I forgot that you liked, then I have to apologize. There's probably no way one person could've found every game that everyone liked on the console, since there's different tastes to account for, but I tried to cater to everyone. And I had fun writing all of this up too, so I hope you had just as much (if not more) fun reading it.

More of the third generation continued from yesterday, regrettably a bit later than the deadline I set for myself. My bad.

Shenmue

"Geez, some dude just killed my father. And I saw the whole thing! Man, I think I'm gonna play some arcade games and kick a soccer ball."

Its structure may have been illogical, but you have to have some respect for a game with some massive ambitions. Ambitions so large that they couldn't be fully realized within the confines of all three Dreamcast GD-ROMs. Shenmue was indeed ahead of its time, involving the main character, Ryo Hazuki, exploring a living, breathing Japan circa 1986 looking for clues as to who exactly murdered his father. What also helped with its immersion factor was its graphics, which were incredible for the time. It may not have sold well, but many who did purchase it were engrossed in its world, and hold it as one of their most memorable gaming experiences.

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

With the assistance of a team of developers responsible for Street Fighter III, Capcom succeeded in bring the world of popular manga Jojo's Bizarre Adventure into video game form. The game was one of the most vibrant 2D fighters in existence, which certainly isn't surprising given who was involved in its development. While it didn't reach the status of many other popular Capcom fighters in terms of popularity, even compared to Darkstalkers, the game is still fondly remembered as a fantastic fighter.

Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike

It was in this time that what's looked upon as one of the best Street Fighter games ever...no, one of the best fighting games ever received its first home console release for the Dreamcast. Some of the best and most imaginative characters in the franchise found a home (their only home?) here, and its deep-though-rewarding gameplay is responsible for it still being popular in numerous tournaments to this day. The thing is, the Dreamcast version is far from the best port of the arcade game, and suffered a serious visual downgrade. But it's not like we had any other way to play the game at home at the time.

Bangai-O

The funniest aspect of Bangai-O these days is that it's constantly remembered for its varying release formats than for the quality of the game. It originally saw a Nintendo 64 release in Japan, but it was limited to a mere 10,000 copies, which you can be sure sold out quick. It was later given a much more robust print run on the Dreamcast later on, which is also the version that was released worldwide. The game itself was a unique kind of 2D shooter that included the frenetic pacing inherent in most of Treasure's games.

King of Fighters '99: Evolution

To begin the cycle of confusion, King of Fighters '99 was released on the Dreamcast. No, the real Kof' 99, not Dream Match '99, the enhanced version of '98. KoF' 99 was actually quite a significant step for the franchise, adding the ability to make teams of four instead of three, though one of them was left to use as a Striker. Strikers, by the way, were very similar to the assist characters in Capcom's Marvel vs. titles, which were used to either intercept opponents or begin combos.

Also, the publishing story behind KoF '99 is also worth telling. The game was initially scheduled to release from SNK's American branch, but that plan fell through when the company folded in 2000. They would eventually reform, but in the interim Agetec decided to publish this game in America in their stead. It's not as good as Dream Match, but it's still plenty of fun.

Phantasy Star Online

Here was the first Phantasy Star game to stray from the beaten path of a standard JRPG and into the world of online. Despite initial logical ambivalence from fans, Phantasy Star Online was seen as a welcome entry to the franchise. At the time, they definitely didn't know that Phantasy Star IV would, apparently, be the last standard game in the franchise. A bummer? Absolutely; but that didn't stop them from appreciating that PSO was a worthwhile game.

(Don't ask them about Phantasy Star Universe, though.)

Record of Lodoss War: Advent of Cardice

Another video game based on an anime that turned out to be a sleeper hit. Advent of Cardice, perhaps interestingly, looks to PC-style dungeon crawlers like Diablo for its inspiration. Though developer Neverland Co., known well for the Lufia and Rune Factory titles, made a game bearing the name Record of Lodoss War, it's only named that because of the world it takes place in: Forcelia. The game itself doesn't follow the exploits of the series' popular characters like Parn or Deedlit like you'd expect, but instead pits you in the role of an unnamed hero revived by a wizard and tasked with foiling the plans of the goddess of destruction, Cardice. For anyone who likes or at least found the concept of Diablo interesting, this is a game you'll likely enjoy...if you can find it. It's awfully rare these days, so be ready to shell out quite a bit.

Well, that wraps this one up. I have one more of these, though it'll be going up when September is over. Apparently there were more great Dreamcast games released than I remembered, which resulted in making multi-part feature a tad longer than anticipated. But I'm sure no one minds more features, even if they're not particularly timely.

Oh boy, it's the third generation! And it also marks the final time where the Dreamcast was a dominant power in America. It was a sad time for it when the Playstation 2 launched and sold much faster than the Dreamcast seemingly ever would. But that's not to say its software output let up. In fact, some of the best titles released during the fall of 2000 and in early 2001. It was still a great time to be an owner of the console, and it was still well worth the asking price, even if its outlook was bleak.

Capcom vs. SNK

This is the game that fans of both companies had clamored for, and it was pretty much destined to happen given how games from both of them played rather (but not completely) similarly. This game took the best of the Street Fighter characters and pit them against the best from the King of Fighters franchise; the end result was a game that prided itself on having far more depth than any of the previous Vs. titles. It's a shame that it wasn't free of any problems, like an unvaried character roster -- the only non-Street Fighter character on the Capcom side was Morrigan, and vice versa for King of Fighters where Nakoruru was only prominent, which is kind of ridiculous - within a curious tier system based on a character's strength, a lack of refinement in the gameplay, and uneven character balance. Thankfully, there was a sequel.

Quake III: Arena

Since the Dreamcast had online capabilities, it was only a matter of time until the system started getting deathmatch first-person shooters, and Quake III: Arena filled in the blank fantastically. The port itself turned out very good as well, with an online netcode that handled smoothly and a nice frame rate. Needless to say, it was pretty popular with gamers who didn't have access to a then-higher end PC. A shame there weren't many other games in this genre to follow it up.

Seaman

Though its name would (and still does) incite giggling among most people, Seaman was actually a very interesting experiment. It was like the realization of the older Dreamcast ads in that the game's itinerary was an attempt to gauge your thought process and respond to the person accordingly. If you think that's weird, well, you're absolutely correct. The game became a cult hit, but more because of its bizarre approach than the fact that it was an enjoyable experience.

Jet Grind Radio

When pursuing any kind of Dreamcast-related retrospective, you'll almost always hear the name Jet Grind Radio come up. It's for good reason, as it was one of the most innovative, fresh, and enjoyable experiences to be had on the console. The game centered around your exploits tagging tagging Shibuya, a concept that sounds a little dull on the surface. But as you play the game, its imaginative and stylish art style beings to take you in, adding to the addictive nature of its gameplay. Gamers who played it clamor for it again, which is why it's constantly wished for as a digital download on a current gen console.

Skies of Arcadia

Definitely the biggest RPG released on Dreamcast in terms of popularity. Skies of Arcadia is a game that looks at a lot of older Japanese RPGs on the SNES and utilizes its ideas. But it doesn't do so because of a lack of creativity on the developer's part, but to make an experience that's both nostalgic and a charming experience. Also like an older RPG, the random battle encounter rate is unbelievably high, but it's something you can easily disregard because of the superb quality of the overall product. It's been almost ten years since this game released, yet nothing has been able to touch this game in what it does.

Capcom Portorama: 2000 Edition

Capcom had gotten in the habit of supporting the Dreamcast with plenty of great titles, but being the Capcom we all know and love, they also supplied it with plenty of ports. In the Fall of 2000, Capcom released graphically-enhanced ports of Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, and Dino Crisis, all of which were ports of PSOne games. Heck, by the time it released, we had the fourth iteration of Resident Evil 2 in this version (following the PSOne, PC, and Nintendo 64, if you're curious). Good thing the Dreamcast version cleans up a lot of the pixelation induced by the PSOne's hardware capabilities.

(By the way, these are also the next three games from Capcom slated to release on PSOne Classics in America. Well, isn't that interesting.)

Cannon Spike

The Dreamcast was certainly no stranger to arcade ports, but Cannon Spike was pretty different for an arcade game from Capcom. It was an action game with primarily an isometric view, and starred characters from many of Capcom's franchises. Familiar faces include Mega Man, Charlie and Cammy (where the name was derived from, as the Cannon Spike is one of her moves in the games) from the Street Fighter games, and even B.B. Hood from Darkstalkers. Similar to an arcade brawler, it was definitely more fun when played with a partner. It was an interesting novelty for Capcom, though they've yet to make any other games in the franchise.

Grandia II

Another game that helped to fill the RPG void on the Dreamcast., the Grandia franchise once again found its next installment start on a Sega system. What the game featured was a refinement of the semi-realtime battle system found in the first game - which only came to America on PSOne, with an unfortunate translation. Grandia II isn't constantly looked upon like its predecessor, but it was still an incredibly enjoyable RPG with, unlike Skies of Arcadia, some pretty good voice acting. It's still well worth playing today, though you want to make sure you avoid the nightmarish PS2 port.

There was a system that was touted as the one to bring us new, breathtaking experiences that we could've only imagined previously. The wonders of the Emotion Engine were, needless to say, a bit overblown by Sony initially. After owning the system and enjoying it for seven years, I have to say I was never jacked into the Matrix. And yes, I've played Enter the Matrix, which was nothing resembling a worthwhile experience. Quite the opposite, actually! I guess we were all pretty gullible; and none of us knew (yet) that Ken Kutaragi was actually a pretty crazy guy.

But upon looking at all of the information I had in an old issue of Official Playstation Magazine -- dated from around the time the Playstation 2 launched in Japan -- I have to say that it was all pretty intriguing. At the time, most of us weren't entirely familiar with the empty promises that companies continually touted as an eventual truth. And yeah, I'm including myself in that mix, because after absorbing it all I was actually regretting my purchase of a Dreamcast a mere six months ago from that time. Especially when they were using images from Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within to preview the possibilities the PS2 was capable of. Could you imagine playing a video game like that?

(Though, after actually seeing The Spirits Within, that answer would be a "no, not really.")


There was a pretty big lesson to be learned here for everyone entranced with the hype of the moment. We, as gamers, allowed ourselves to be used as guinea pigs for a system that had only been hyped by the display of its mere graphical prowess. That's an insult gamers in-the-know like to hurl about the mindless hoi polloi, the "casual gamer," as they see it; but there were plenty of times where we were guilty of falling for this as well, and this was one of them. So, in a way, Sony was actually teaching us an important lesson, and Sega was the unfortunate recipient of it. Fortunately, we were all ready and waiting to laugh off the touting of 120fps Playstation 3 games or how we would be paying for potential with the system; not to mention the inane food comparisons (though Microsoft is guilty of that one too). Now you know why Kutaragi isn't at the company anymore! Though, honestly, I'm going to miss him.

The Playstation 2, as you're probably aware if you're reading this site, eventually went on to become one of the best selling consoles of all time. It was also undoubtedly the winner of the last generation, being home to some of the best software we would ever see.* But man did its potential seem vapid when it started out, especially with an honestly abysmal software launch (i.e. it was the typical software launch). You know, unless you're a big fan of Orphen: Scion of Sorcery, Evergrace, or Street Fighter EX 3 - the last of which was so bad it put the Street Fighter franchise into a coma for over nine years.** Fortunately, we all learned a lesson to never get caught in the hype, right?

Yeah, sure.

*Or perhaps you favored PC games? Nothing wrong with that, of course.

**Though the fact that Street Fighter III was a big financial failure probably contributed to that too.

More of the games you most likely didn't play, given existing probability statistics. So the least you could do is read about them! Not to say it's unlikely that you already have, but hey, what's one mere.

Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram

Another game where you controlled a robot, except this time it was within the confines of a one-on-one arena. Virtual On's gameplay required incredibly precise skill and mastery, involving becoming accustomed to each robot's unique movement as well as aiming, shooting, and knowing when to sidestep. It was pretty complicated, too much so for the Dreamcast controller in fact. It was manageable, but far from ideal with it, and really demanded the Sega Twin-Sticks for the best precision. The game combined with the expensive peripheral make it feel like a spiritual predecessor to Capcom's Steel Battalion. The Stick goes for incredibly high prices these days because of its rarity.

Space Channel 5

One of the more bizarre games from Sega during the Dreamcast days, Space Channel 5 placed you in the role of reporter/alien fighter Ulala - voiced by the then-real life anime girl Apollo Smile - who was tasked with warding off the alien invasion and getting the story. And she had to do it in style, countering alien attacks by moving to the beat. It was brief, sure, bit it was one of the most unique and heartwarming experiences to ever grace the console. Its sales may have been regrettably subpar, but everyone who experienced it came away impressed.

Street Fighter III: Double Impact

It took a long time in coming, but the first Street Fighter III games finally received a console release, despite the first game in the sub-franchise being released in arcades three years prior. This was a package that contained both Street Fighter III: New Generation and Second Impact on one disc, both of them gracing the first console that was powerful enough to handle their elaborate animation sprites. It helped that it was also cheaper than the typical Dreamcast release for that time, retailing at $29.99. Unfortunately, it was a bit too late, as every fan of the series was enthralled by Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.

Evolution 2: Far Off Promise

The sequel to the first game mentioned in last week's feature that released only six months after its predecessor. That's usually never a good sign, but it turned out pretty well for this one; if by "well," you mean "good." That means the second game really wasn't that much of a leap from the first game, featuring the same characters in the same outfits in similar situations. That's not bad if that's all you're after, but if you're looking for something new, that's a pity.

Though the text on Sting's old website sure did a good job of selling it:

We released the Evolution-The World of device in the U.S.
This is the first RPG of Dreamcast drawing attention of the foreign country.
Now,we are ready for the Evolution 2: Far Off Promise in the U.S.
Evolution 2 is coming at June 28,2000.
Come to enjoying!

Only the most heartless being ever borne of humanity could dislike a game with a sales pitch like that.

Marvel vs. Capcom 2

Capcom was pretty crazy to release three fighting games within the period of just under two months, but that didn't stop Marvel vs. Capcom 2 from ascending to popularity. Though character balance took a backseat, the game was (and still is) an incredibly enjoyable piece of entertainment whenever you had friends over. And they didn't even need to be die-hard fans of the franchise either, as the game was enjoyably simple for newcomers. It also played better on the Dreamcast controller due to its lack of reliance on the shoulder buttons. This was the best version of the game until this year's Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network release, which used this version as its template.

World Series Baseball 2K1

This was revival of the popular World Series Baseball franchise that hadn't seen the light of day since the Genesis days. Sega decided to task NBA 2K/NFL 2K developer Visual Concepts with bringing new light to the series. Unfortunately, their efforts were hampered by the game's inherent flaws, which included unreliable controls and a lack of manual fielding. It sure looked nice, though! Fortunately the second game is a great improvement.

Power Stone 2

Another sequel that released less than a year after its predecessor, but all it took was a mere glance at both games to realize that this was quite a leap from the first game. Power Stone 2 contains the same basic gameplay that made the first one so much fun and amplifies it times three with four players on the field instead of two and multi-tiered levels that gave it an adventure-style twist. It was a great game to play when you had a bunch of friends over. I'll go as far as to say that it was even more fun than Smash Bros.

Sega GT

As you could probably predict from the title, Sega GT was Sega's response to Sony's Gran Turismo franchise. Upon realizing that each console starting with the PSX needed a fantastic playing and looking racing game to call its own, Sega decided to make their own simulation title that was strikingly similar to its obvious inspiration. The results? Well, pretty good, actually. It didn't sell as well as a Gran Turismo game, but it was regarded almost as highly as one.

Well, that does it for the second generation! My initial plan was to only do three features on each generation of software the Dreamcast had, but I think I underestimated how many games released over each period of time. Keeping on the current schedule, it's definitely not going to be finished by the end of the month, but I also don't like to do additions to the same features over and over again. So we'll see what happens! Well, I guess.

Edit: Just realized that half of the front page is covered by my Dreamcast features. Taking excess to new levels, I think!

It surprised me, but I had to split this into two parts as well. That's great, actually! I think this means the system was better than even I gave it credit for.

This time with actual screen shots of the games!

After a relatively brisk first generation of software, most consoles would settle down a little afterward as far as software offerings. But not the Dreamcast, whose releases continued to be plentiful. Releases typically scale down in order to give new adopters some breathing room, given that most consoles are a bit tough to find during the launch period. The difference when it came to this console is that, well, it was never really hard to find at any specific period, despite selling pretty well. A couple of weeks after launch, I had no problem waltzing right into EBGames and grabbing one with money I'd saved up for the event. That probably says something.

But hey, you're not here to read about that; you want to read about how the second generation of software was equally as good as the first, right? Right.

ChuChu Rocket

One of the first offerings going into the second generation was a puzzle game that caught everyone by surprise with how addictive it was. Initially sold as a retail game and later given away for free, Chu Chu Rocket proved how much potential the Dreamcast had as an online system.  It was basically an elaborate game of cat and mouse, with you guiding the mice to safety to avoid the game's predatory felines. Though it was sold for its aforementioned multiplayer potential, many gamers were more than satisfied by its single-player addictiveness and replayability. It was later also released on Game Boy Advance, but to this day, many clamor for an Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network release.

Dead or Alive 2

Ah, the sequel to everyone's boobtastic Virtua Fighter-lite 3D fighter! The still-popular Dead or Alive 2 refined on the first game's formula incredibly well, eliminating some of its more lambasted aspects (like the danger zone) and making a game whose core mechanics and counter system feel more intuitive this time around. OK, the egregious cleavage was once again a focus, though it was admittedly toned down a little (no, seriously). It wasn't as deep and rewarding as Soulcalibur or Virtua Fighter 3tb, but it was a very enjoyable game. It makes the first game look like a prototype!

And it also had a bizarre release schedule. It released in March 2000 in America, though it went without a release date for a while in Japan because of a dispute between publisher Tecmo and Sega. Instead, it released in Japan on Playstation 2 first - which launched in March 2000 there - with a Dreamcast release following in September of that year.

The game also had some fantastic Engrish, and I'm disappointed that it didn't attain a more legendary status. Ein/Hayate's "Victory arouses me!" being the best. They were Dreamcast exclusives though, with some of them removed from the PS2 version and all of them gone from the Xbox version.

Tech Romancer

A port of the enjoyable Japanese arcade one-on-one giant robot fighter from Capcom, Tech Romancer - known in Japan as Choukousenki Kikaoh -- was a game that drew its influences heavily from many Japanese mecha anime series. It even went as far as to have its designs created by Studio Nue, who was also responsible for the designs Mobile Suit Gundam 0083, SDF Macross, and Gunbuster. These days, it doesn't seem like Capcom remembers it very well, though; and you can't blame them given how miniature the fanbase is these days.

Resident Evil: Code Veronica

 The first and last original Dreamcast Resident Evil title, Code Veronica pitted you in the feet of Resident Evil 2's tomboy co-protagonist Claire Redfield, now on a quest to locate her brother Chris Redfield (of Resident Evil 1 and 5). It's rightfully hailed as one of the best games in the series pre-Resident Evil 4, striking the right balance between cheap horror and good gameplay. Like most Capcom games, it was ported almost everywhere in the days after the Dreamcast's heyday.

Sword of the Berserk: Guts' Rage

Sword of the Berserk was the game that first gave the Berserk anime and manga franchise some exposure in America, with the fansubs lending a hand. This particular game takes place between a time much later than what the anime series covers, and unlike most anime-based games, it's actually good. It was an enjoyable-though-short hack-n-slash title that was easy on the yes, though it made up for its brevity in replay value. It also had a splendid localization for the time it was released in.

Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 Side Story: Rise from the Ashes

Another enjoyable game based on an anime, Gundam: Rise from the Ashes offered a rather unique take on the usual formula: fighting from a cockpit view. It sounds like nothing special when described, but some hands-on experience will show how engrossing a view like that is. Anyone who'd watched any of the anime series and/or had a semi-desire to pilot a mobile suit felt right at home here.

Street Fighter Alpha 3

Having released on the PSX a year before and on Saturn only in Japan, the Dreamcast version was easily the best port of Street Fighter Alpha 3 at the time. Unlike the previous versions, the Dreamcast was able to handle an arcade-perfect version of the game. Hopefully you held onto the same stick you perhaps used for all of the previous fighting games (especially Marvel vs. Capcom), because it was a pain with the Dreamcast controller. If you were all set, you had one of the best fighting games ever at your disposal.

The second part of this should be posted tomorrow, and since this site receives such heavy traffic, I'll ask that you refrain the "Wait, where's ____!?" comments until tomorrow. Thanks!

Oh, and they're also memorable because some of them were damned weird. There's nothing that assures me that a video game console is great other than to hear that it's actually thinking when it's not plugged in! To be honest, I doubt anyone thought of that as weird at the time. The Dreamcast, the initial tagline insinuated, was actually more alive than any of those primitive, out-of-date consoles you were currently wasting your time on. No, here we had a system that was "thinking," that was actually a living entity similar to a human. When you give that some critical thought, that's kinda creepy.

The other side of the creepiness factor comes from the less abstract aspects of the commercials. 3D models are usually great in their inception, but sometimes they don't age very well. That goes for way too many of them in that commercial. I almost lost it when I saw the Allen Iverson one in the NBA 2k commercial. We've come far in ten years.

(Of course, none of us knew what weird advertising was until we saw the first Playstation 3 adverts.)

Weird or not, you can't deny that the Dreamcast ads were different from what we were used to seeing at the time. Though that, Sega was trying to send all of us an important message: they weren't a company to be taken for granted anymore. Actually, no, they were telling us that they were beyond that; they were now a company within an era beyond our accepted rudimentary standards for how we should be told what games are worth our time through TV adverts. Certainly a sound philosophy, though the Dreamcast wouldn't enjoy enough success for long.

And some of them were also weirder than others, depending on the game. The sports ads were more comedic than the others, while some like Sonic were along where you'd expect them. The Space Channel 5 and especially the Jet Grind Radio ads were among the more bizarre iterations, though they fit the themes of the game well. The Shenmue ads kind of conveyed the "someone just murdered my father; I'm gonna catch him after I play some video games" vibe it kind of had.


By the way, the print ads were also just as effective and different from the norm. Would you prefer a piercing, harrowing gaze or an apparently high-pitched scream to send you the message that you should line up for one of these things on launch day? Tough choice, I know.

Sega may have prepared a massive advertising campaign to counter the Playstation 2's launch in 2000, but their hindrance was that they were only a video game company going up against a much larger corporate monolith like Sony. For all of the millions of dollars Sega could pour into advertising, Sony could easily retaliate with that and more. And Sony could do it for a system that, at the time, of course, had a pitiful software lineup (which you could sum up as the typical console launch). It may have been a battle that Sega lost, but it was, at least, a memorable one that the console's owners will remember fondly.

The semi-madness continues from yesterday! This time focusing on quite a few arcade ports. And an RPG. This system never let up, and it's why gamers who were there for the entire ride remember it so fondly.

Virtua Fighter 3tb

Though a launch title in Japan, the Dreamcast port of arcade game of the same name ("tb" standing for "Team Battle"), itself an updated version of Virtua Fighter 3, missed the launch for the US by about a month-and-a-half. Though the home version kept its stellar gameplay intact, visually it looked nowhere near as good as its arcade counterpart. Sega usually does their home ports themselves, but they handed this one over to Genki, and it shows. Still, it was all us Dreamcast owners had as far as Virtua Fighter games went.

Marvel vs. Capcom

So, uh, did you know the Dreamcast had a lot of fighters? Yeah, it had plenty, especially from Capcom. Marvel vs. Capcom was actually the first arcade-perfect port of a vs. game to be released outside of Japan, the last two, that's X-Men vs. Street Fighter and Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, for Saturn being Japan-only since the system was pretty dead outside of that territory. It was a great port whose only hindrance was the system's default controller, which was abysmal for most fighters because of the position of the triggers (save the aforementioned Soulcalibur). Hope you had a stick!

The King of Fighters Dream Match 1999

An enhanced port of what's still one of the finest fighting games in the genre, Dream Match '99 was actually King of Fighters '98 prettied up to take advantage of the Dreamcast's hardware. This was one of the games to turn a lot of people who didn't own a ridiculously expensive Neo Geo and ridiculously expensive software on to the franchise, as it was the first title to release on a mainstream console in America since King of Fighters '95. It was a great way to introduce them to the franchise, and just about every other King of Fighters game has seen an American release since.

House of the Dead 2

The console also had a plethora of arcade ports, and this was one of them. This was the second in Sega's venerable light gun franchise, and it transferred to the Dreamcast very well. Uh, just one problem: Sega didn't distribute a light gun in America because of then-recent school violence (namely the Columbine High School massacre). But you could import them, right? Well, not quite, because the official Dreamcast Gun (which was distributed throughout Asia and Europe) intentionally wasn't compatible with American games. Fortunately, Mad Catz later released a light gun, but it wasn't until Q1 2000. This game is also remembered for its phenomenal voice work.

Zombie Revenge

Oh look, it's another arcade port. Zombie Revenge was a spinoff of the House of the Dead franchise that also served as a fun throwback to a lot of brawlers from the early-90s. It didn't last long, but it had a heavy replayability factor, especially if you had some friends to play with you. Like the early House of the Dead titles, its voice work is especially spectacular.

Crazy Taxi

Continuing the trend of arcade ports, Crazy Taxi was a fun Sega title whose gameplay involved you, the taxi driver, picking up passengers and dropping them off at their specified locations (many of which were based on real locations, like Pizza Hut. And, wouldn't you know it, some of the passengers loved it when you drove crazily. The game was a lot of fun, though the franchise hasn't really gone anywhere significant since.

Evolution: The World of Sacred Device

You know how every console has to have at least one RPG regardless of its inherent quality? Well, Evolution was it. Fortunately, it was on the "good, but not great" side, with it being a rather endearing Sting-developed (Riviera: The Promised Land, Yggdra Union) dungeon crawler. You know the game doesn't take itself seriously when it stars characters with names like Mag Launcher, Linear Cannon, and Gre Nade. No, really!

Man, that's a lot of games, a lot more than I initially wanted to discuss. I don't intend to gush about its qualities, but it's definitely a testament as to how good the Dreamcast's entire output was and it backs up my earlier statement (though you didn't think I was lying, did you?). And there are a lot more of them as well, and I'll describe them in a few more features. Meanwhile, I'm sure I probably forgot someone's favorite game(s) that released early on, so feel free to hurl insults at me in the comments section!

A feature about the second generation should be up next Sunday, though I have no idea if it will also be two parts since I haven't made a list yet. So, uh, look forward to it.

This actually wasn't supposed to be two parts, but this feature got so long that I didn't want to pack so many words and pictures into one post. That's good! Well, at least I'd like to think it is. So, uh, please don't flame me if I didn't include your favorite game. Yet.

The arrival of the Dreamcast stunned quite a few gamers, not because Sega was taking another - and, regrettably, final - stab at releasing a gaming console, but because of the quality output of software for the console's entire duration on the market. That's something most other consoles only dream of; even the Playstation 2's software lineup, great as it was overall, started out rather rough. And though the DS would go on to prosper, initially the lineup was so spartan that most people thought it was doomed to failure. It appears that time does heal all wounds.

The Dreamcast's launch lineup was Sega's bold decree that, yes, they're back, and they really mean business. It was a brilliant way to usher in the then-new generation, with plenty of games that displayed the power of the system; games like this were necessary to tell people that it was a necessary investment and upgrade from whatever current console they currently owned. Sure, not every game offered was great, and time hasn't been kind to some (the latter of which even make this list!), but it was an impressive beginning.

Sonic Adventure

Do you remember when the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise was still worth caring about? The franchise had kind of fallen of the radar of Sega during the Saturn days, but it returned to relevancy with Sonic Adventure (and Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure for Neo Geo Pocket Color). Sega had finally created the game that franchise loyalists had been clamoring for years: a full 3D Sonic game that retained most of what made the 2D titles so charming. The results were a tad askew in a few places, but overall it turned out pretty enjoyable.

And that's more than you can say for most Sonic games these days. Sonic Adventure had you playing a plethora of characters, some of which were much more enjoyable to play than others. Big the Cat's adventure was incredibly bizarre, but the fortunate thing was that you didn't have to play characters like that for too long. Sega made sure to place most of the focus on the most popular characters (Sonic's quest is the most robust, with Knuckles coming in second). So it's a shame to see how the franchise has mostly lost its way nowadays (except for Sonic Rush). Though it's not stopping them from still trying. Oh, and it's also better if you ignore the certifiably inferior Sonic Adventure DX.

SoulCalibur

If you were looking for the game to show all of your friends how great Dreamcast games could look, Soulcalibur was it. Much more than a mere port of the PSX-hardware powered arcade game, the Dreamcast version featured fully polygonal backgrounds instead of the usual 2D scrolling faux-3D backdrops fighters like this usually contained. Oh, and the game was pretty good too, enhancing the formula that Soul Edge/Blade established back on the PSX in 1996. Just to prove how ahead of its time it was, it definitely outclassed Tekken Tag Tournament in its looks when it launched with the PS2; and people saw SoulCalibur II as merely an upgrade to this when it released in mid-2003, a whole four years later. These days, it's certainly been outclassed, but its soul still burns.

Power Stone

Though we weren't aware of it at the time, Power Stone was the first sign of Capcom's bountiful support for the console. One look at it would tell you that it certainly wasn't your usual fighter, with it being a flashy hybrid between that and an action game. It was also very easy to get into, making it very good to show someone who just wanted to play a quick game, which also made it great for in-store displays. It also didn't take itself too seriously. Capcom also made a superior sequel; more on that at another time.

Ready 2 Rumble

Though it's not commonly discussed as one of the console's most memorable games, Ready 2 Rumble was actually pretty big when the Dreamcast launched. That wasn't solely because it was a boxing game, but also because of its rather appealing graphics. It was a clever mesh of polygons and comic book-style cartoon graphics, creating a boxing game that didn't take itself too seriously. It was no Punch-Out, but it was serviceable enough; and that's more than what you can say for the recent title.

Hydro Thunder

A port of a fun arcade racing title, except featuring power boats. For good reason, it was one of the early and successful Dreamcast titles. I also hear it's a fun game! (Yes, I'll admit that I haven't played it in any significant capacity.) Unfortunately, it never received its once-promised sequel.



NFL 2K & NBA 2K

The Dreamcast would eventually become a very popular console for sports titles, but initially it had a tough time. EA refused to jump on board and develop for the system (and never would), so Sega had to develop their own titles in their place to become the Sega Sports brand. Most of the games that were a part of it were very good, so good that Sega eventually sold a bundle containing a limited edition black Sega Sports Dreamcast. These days, whenever you hear anyone refer to the 2K franchises seeing better days - published by Take-Two subsidiary 2K Sports -, they're referring to this particular era.

So many games in the first generation that they can't possibly be contained in one feature! How many other consoles can you say that about. Well, OK, you could say that about the PSP, but you also have to account for the era of nothingness that followed shortly thereafter.

Do you believe that it's been ten years since the Dreamcast was bestowed upon America? It's hard to believe given how quickly time tends to pass (of course, your mileage may vary), but it's true. It's been a decade since the system that kicked off the last generation of gaming consoles released, despite how many people tend to forget it was even a part of the last generation. Down the line, though, it will probably be regarded as being more memorable than even the Xbox and Gamecube, and that's because if its story, its short-lived-yet-endearing legacy.

The Dreamcast marked the beginning of a changed Sega; a Sega that wanted to put the crippling mistakes of the past behind them and start anew. The truth is that the company hadn't been all that faithful to its fans, especially outside of Japan. By releasing add-ons like the Sega CD and 32X, which really didn't have the software support to keep it afloat, Sega made a strategic error in assuming how much the faithful consumer would by. There was also the case of launching the Sega Saturn a little too early (with a surprise launch, no less), and denying the release of some of the best games on the system overseas because they weren't pushing the power of the system. Not to mention that the Saturn was a pain for developers to program for.

Given how they intended to do everything right (and mostly did) with the Dreamcast, it's a shame that its time on the market was regrettably short. But during that time, it gave gamers a plethora of excellent software. The Dreamcast had one of the best (perhaps, the best) first-year software lineups of any console in gaming history, with developers, including Sega themselves, releasing plenty of games that offered either what gamers wanted or something completely off-the-wall. A proper 3D Sonic and a bunch of great ports of arcade fighters and shooters are what piqued the interest of dedicated gamers, but every now and then the system would offer something like Space Channel 5 and Jet Grind Radio to introduce us to genres we didn't even know we liked.

Suffice it to say, it's no exaggeration that the Dreamcast made its owners glad to be gamers. It also represented some of Sega's greatest days as both a developer and publisher. Few companies had come out with excellent and appealingly innovative software simultaneously, making sure that the system catered to whichever genres people were interested in. It was also a system that was easy on the eyes, and had a bunch of nifty accessories, however useless some of them were as far as practicality was concerned.

Considering the promise it held, fans and gamers in general didn't hesitate to lineup at midnight on this day for the console. But in the Dreamcast's case, things were a little different: there were plenty of games to choose from, and there was likely something you may have liked among its extensive launch lineup. And everything was perfect for it as well. Retailers had plenty of time to properly prepare for it, the opposite of having the console shoved on to them like the Saturn. Its architecture was less esoteric, enabling developers to take advantage of its hardware without ripping hair from the top of their heads. And the price was also perfect and competitive at $199, precisely half the price the Saturn cost at its launch.

It also had the best representation of online play for a console during its release, utilizing an internal interface powered by Microsoft's Windows CE. It's primitive compared to how far we've come with internet play these days - there was only so much you could do with a 56K modem -- but something the Dreamcast is significant for is that the concept began its evolution here. Games like the Phantasy Star Online titles and Capcom's Matching Service titles made it so gamers could start interacting with others without even leaving the house. The system itself had more online-capable games than the Gamecube.


By this time, Sega had thankfully dropped the inane policy of not allowing too many 2D-intensive titles in order to show of a system's prowess. The Saturn may have been complicated architecture that could only push polygons so far, but the Dreamcast was incredibly capable as a graphics powerhouse. Quite a few of the launch titles even showed this off, with Sonic Adventure and especially Soul Calibur as the highlights for how good games could look. You could refer to Soul Calibur for Dreamcast as a port, but it was so much more than that. The arcade game ran on PSX-based hardware, so Namco decided to do a little extra for the Dreamcast iteration, giving it more detailed character models and fully-polygonal backgrounds. You know they did a good job when the game still looks pretty good today. You could also make a lot of games look even better than they appeared on your television, as the Dreamcast was one of the only systems that had an official way to hook it up to your VGA monitor; something that wouldn't be done again until the Xbox 360.


It's commitment like Namco's that showed how developers knew that the Dreamcast was the real deal. While development studios like Squaresoft and Electronic Arts refused to support the system, other developers were committed enough to it that it made up for it in return. The RPG genre always had a slow start for every new console, and while the Dreamcast was no exception, there were a few games to help fill the void. For the lack of Electronic Arts, Sega started its 2K titles to perfectly fill that void. Capcom was also incredibly committed to the console, supplying it with plenty of ports of excellent arcade games.

You can tell how much of an impact the Dreamcast had on gaming as a whole thanks to the plethora of retrospectives on the internet today. If you had a Dreamcast, or ever had an interest in it, then I highly recommend them. Among them, Gamasutra and 1up definitely have the best of them, though there are undoubtedly plenty of others that are also quality retrospectives.

And though so many were pessimistic enough to think they would, Sega is acknowledging the fact that the Dreamcast released a decade ago. Granted, they're not doing that much to make it a memorable day, but everything counts regardless of how miniature. That image above acknowledging the 10th Anniversary is taken from their official Twitter, and they confirmed that they have a new HD 2D Sonic game in the works. At least it's better than their previous acknowledgment: the release of Sonic & Knuckles on Xbox Live Arcade today. Yeah, a Genesis game. By the way, would you believe there are still games releasing for it?

It's times like this where I wish I still had my Dreamcast around so I could boot it up and really bask in nostalgia. Quite a few gamers around the country are doing exactly that, and if you're reading this now, then I welcome you to do the same.