Sega Dreamcast Review

Sega's last console also happens to be one of their best. The hardware was leaps ahead of the competition when it arrived on 9/9/99. It featured online multiplayer out of the box and made great use of it. Sadly the Dreamcast was short-lived, but the titles released on it are simply superb...at least some of them. We'll be taking a look at some of the best Dreamcast software coming up soon.

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• ProjectCOE
• Project
• COE
• Gaming
• Remembering
• the
• Dreamcast
• Sega
• Hardware
• review
• Video Game

[enigma1990]

The dreamcast was very nice looking console

[ProjectCOE]

@enigma1990 Yeah it sure was. It was nice, simple yet elegant. 

[mswatchvideos101]

OH THE IRONY

[ProjectCOE]

@megamanxCOE Yeah Soul Calibur is a fantastic game Tim. Really loved it and if you pick up more DC games, be sure to let me know :)

[ProjectCOE]

@megamanxCOE said "I love the Dreamcast. So many classic games. Unfortunately a large quantity of my DC collection went missing years ago, so I'm slowly rebuilding it (but being a poor college kid makes that difficult, lol). I think I'm going to have to replace my Dreamcast though...it's been having some problems. My favorite game for the console is definitely Soul Calibur. It's an amazing fighting game and I must have poured over a hundred hours into it."

[ProjectCOE]

@tendresseak27 Unlike the Saturn the Dreamcast was actually "online" similar to the PS3 where different companies took care of their own unique servers. As such everything is offline now. That said, certain popular games like Phantasy Star Online and Unreal now have private servers with saved data cracks that you place on your VMU and it bypasses the official servers to replace them with private ones. So yes, there are indeed some games still online just no longer officially.

[tendresseak27]

@ProjectCOE Can you still play the DC online?

[ProjectCOE]

@brenwicru Thanks :) If you're going to purchase a console now, see if you can get a good deal on a bundle with a bunch of games. Always be on the lookout for a system with a broadband adapter thrown in. That's the rarest peripheral for the Dreamcast and often goes for $300 alone. I've seen people sell their Dreamcasts with it included because they didn't know any better. If you're looking to start your game collection, check out some of the games I've covered here.

[brenwicru]

Great review! It convenced me to buy a dreamcast thanks.

[ProjectCOE]

@slayking666 Are you into the homebrew scene? It's pretty amazing what some people have done.

[slayking666]

first console i ever owned, and still my favourite!

[ProjectCOE]

@tendresseak27 This is why I am looking into variations. I have my Agetec joystick somewhere, but look how long it took me to find my Saturn joystick. So I'll let you know what I find out. The rule of thumb is this, whenever a quality joystick arrives on the scene for a console you enjoy, buy it right away, don't second guess it. Look at this generation, to find a good quality Mad Catz arcade stick now, it's almost impossible for under $150-$200.

[ProjectCOE]

@tendresseak27 For me, I went with the Agetec arcade stick, or simply the official Dreamcast arcade stick. They go for between $40 to $70. The North American variations are all but extinct now so you'd have to order one from Japan. That means you're looking at about $70 for a good condition one and then another $50 to ship it. Keep in mind that all arcade sticks are expensive, always have been. If you were looking to buy a 360 or PS3 joystick, it'd set you back over $100.

[ProjectCOE]

@megamanxCOE Well not sure I'd agree about Alpha 3 being the best on Dreamcast, I still stand by my Saturn version, but the Dreamcast version was indeed good. I'd also add Capcom vs. SNK 2, Vampire Chronicles, and Super Street Fighter II X (only 100% arcade perfect version of Super Street Fighter II). Whenever I have a few buddies over, we always check out SF II X just because it's so damn perfect. Sure it's dated by today's standards, but it remains a blast to play.

[ProjectCOE]

@megamanxCOE You'll be seeing some shmups soon enough Tim ;) There are a few virtually no one has played that I own. They go for around $250 each on eBay though. A great one is Under Defeat. Ikaruga is also an easy recommend ;) Let's see what else...Border Down, Castle of Shikigami 2, Chaos Field, Psyvariar 2 and the list just goes on and on.

[tendresseak27]

Which arcade stick would you recommend with this system?

[megamanxCOE]

@ProjectCOE Sucks that some other Dreamcast RPGs never left the system though. TimeStalkers and Record of Lodoss War (one of the few great licensed games), for example. Also tons of excellent shmups.

[megamanxCOE]

@ProjectCOE SO many good fighters. SF3: Third Strike, Alpha 3 (the BEST version), Marvel vs. Capcom 1 and 2, Powerstone 1 and 2, Plasma Sword, Soul Calibur, Mark of the Wolves, Guilty Gear X, Capcom vs. SNK and KoF. Excellent stuff.

[ProjectCOE]

@Tinhh Yeah the Dreamcast is most certainly known for its sega games and arcade ports. There are tons of excellent fighters available for the platform like Super Street Fighter IIx and countless others. I had a blast with this machine back in the day and still go back to it from time to time. You're right about the controller though, it really needed a second analog stick. You can feel it when you go back now and try to play some action games.

[Tinhh]

I always thought the DC as more of a console for arcade ports and sega games. And no I didn't like shenmue. I been to china and vietnam and they will beat your ass up with knives and guns no matter how much kung fu you know. I did like sega's yakuza games for the ps2 though. There actually ARE guns in yakuza albeit rarely and mostly in cutscenes but its more believable because japan's gun laws are really strict. DC's controller was too touchy for racing games. And no second analog stick!

[ProjectCOE]

@melficecoe I'll be starting off with a couple of fighters. One of my VMUs is completely empty so that works out perfectly. I recorded a whole bunch of footage today so I'll post something tomorrow if time permits. Otherwise, Monday it is.

[ProjectCOE]

@AFMSB It was worth being there Ahmed. Sure Skies of Arcadia, Grandia II, and others would make their way to the GameCube and PS2, but Soul Calibur never made it and neither did many of the fighters that were released for the Dreamcast.

[AFMSB]

I'm one of those people who is glad not to pick the DreamCast up. I really wanted to after seeing Sonic Adventure in motion, but I've been stung by Sega after loyally going with the 32X and Sega Cd yet getting nothing in return. Additionally, all the DC games I wanted came out on the GCN and PS2 at some point.

[melficecoe]

Awww my beloved Dreamcast how amazing you were! This is your best video yet man!!! I'm going to love to see the footage of the gream games soon! Can't wait, and I'm going to unpack my system and play it again haha.

I miss it so!