From: Sega of America, Inc. Average Rating: Binding: Electronics ESRB Age Rating: Rating Pending Graphics Memory Size: 8 MB Modem Description: Modem (analog) Platform: Sega Dreamcast Release Date: September 09, 1999 Studio: Sega of America, Inc.
Amazon.com Review: The Dreamcast system is, in a word, awesome. Fire up Soul Calibur, and instantly you'll appreciate that the graphics and gameplay are even better than in the arcade version. And Sonic Adventure, with its light-speed gameplay, is sure to wow even the most jaded gamer.
It's amazing that such a small machine (it's about the size of your mouse pad) can deliver such incredible performance. Chalk it up to superior engineering. Dreamcast's only downside is that it comes with only one controller and a demo disc. In order to truly take advantage of Dreamcast's capabilities, we recommend outfitting the controller with a Jump Pack and a Visual Memory Unit. Getting one or more extra controllers is also a good idea, because some of the best Dreamcast games support up to four players at once.
Why it's so cool:
Ultramodern components: Custom-made video, audio, and processor technology blows away the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation and puts Dreamcast in the same league as PS2 and XBox.
Integrated modem: In another video-game first, Dreamcast comes with a 56K modem. Use your regular Internet service provider and the separately sold keyboard to access e-mail, shopping, and the World Wide Web. Not only can you upload high scores, participate in chat discussions, and download updates and enhancements for your games, but, through a membership to the SegaNet Internet service provider, you can play Quake III Arena, NFL 2K1, and other games against Dreamcast owners over the Internet.
The Visual Memory Unit (VMU): More than just a memory card, the VMU is a miniature portable game system that fits inside a controller--so its LCD screen is easily seen by you but hidden from your opponent.
All-in-one entertainment: It plays games. It plays audio CDs. It connects to the Internet and lets you browse the Web or e-mail friends. Our note to the cost-conscious: If you have a Dreamcast system, you just don't need a separate CD player or a separate computer. Dreamcast does it all, and does it well.
QUite simply the king of consoles... ^ But got no respect in the united states.
GREAT for arcade ports fist and formost
pretty good for a few other genres as well
the little engine that could but was crapped on by the fickle brainwashed asshat american consumer who was so in love with their sony playstation.
Many of the games look AND PLAY better than games that came out for playstation 2....even a few that have come out for ps3.
I'm not unbiased and this really isn't all that much of a review but it really did have quite a few amazing and great games....most of which you can probably find on other consoles now but nothing can hang with the scrappy dc :D
This is a great system that had an unfortunate short life span ^ I've had this system since it came out and i love it. For the short amount of time it lived it put out an awesome assortment of great games! I just refurbished mine to restore it back to it's original state. I love this thing!
Good, but not for everyone ^ This review is directed more towards the gamer that is looking to get into older systems, because I do get the feeling that most (not all) of the love that the Dreamcast gets comes from people that owned one from the get go. I have been a gamer since the Colecovision/Atari days, and I do still very much appreciate good old fashioned games, but something tells me that many (again, not all) people that have grown too accustomed to 2 anologue sticks will have a hard time going back to 1 stick for 3D games. Personally, PSone 3D games haven't aged well with me either, and have preferred the Sega Genesis for my old school kick.
The Dreamcast does offer a decent set of adventure and survival horror games, but is rather sparse in RPGs and platformers - If you love RPGs (and little else), then this system is not for you. There are a couple of really good ones (Skies of Arcadia, Grandia 2), however, they are also offered on other systems, which might also be of interest. The Dreamcast also doesn't offer much for the FPS lovers that have gotten into the genre after the PS2 and original XBOX came out. Yes, there are a few (Unreal Tournament, Quake, Half Life), but most that love 2 sticks with their FPSs will probably squirm with 1 stick.
Now, where the Dreamcast's library really shines is 2D fighters and space shooters. If you absolutely love either, then the Dreamcast is pure heaven, and buying one is practically a no brainer. Actually, you can throw 3D fighters in there too since games like the original Soul Calibur and the Power Stone series are still incredibly fun. Sports games are another strong suit for the library if you don't mind playing with outdated rosters (Sega really gave EA a run for their money).
Sega also had a knack for releasing some quirk that was easy to fall in love with - Games like Chu Chu Rocket and Ooga Booga are still very fun multi-player games. Unfortunately, some of that good quirk (Samba de Amigo, Seaman) are best used with accessories that have gotten rather expensive and tough to come by (although, I'm sure collectors won't mind at all).
In the Dreamcast's favor is that it has gotten cheap. Although some of the games that makes the system a worthwhile purchase have gotten expensive, there are still some moderately priced options that are totally decent for those with a passing curiosity for the system.
I do view this as a very niche system, and I don't think that it will appeal to everyone. Again, this review is geared more towards people that never grew up with (or owned) a Dreamcast. I do think that ANY gamer could probably have some fun with this system, but I also think that many of the passerbys that picked one up years later will wonder what all the fuss was about. Sure, it was revolutionary in it's heyday, but that doesn't mean much to people that are in love with their PS3s, Wiis, and 360s (or people that simply skipped the Dreamcast on their way to a PS2, Gamecube, or Xbox).
If you're thinking about picking up a Dreamcast, I would suggest doing a little homework to make sure that the library suits your tastes. Although, it is not expensive, you might end up spending a bit on games just to find out that you're really not that into it.
oh how i miss thee ^ i can still remember the day i had one of these bad boys. this system, i believe, was the start of those shiny 3-d graphics that is in the new systems of today. the system came out i think in 98 or 99 and is still a good system to own. my pops bought it for me brand new from, at that time, funcoland. (yeah, you remember that video game store that used to rip people off, now replaced by gamestop. you probably still remember the song too)
i forget what my first game was but i know i owned crazy taxi and hydrothunder at one point. loved both of those games. very fun. liked hydro thunder the most because of the way the boats "transformed" when you went over a power up. the graphics were amazing at that time and the games where very good.
i even had a gameshark for it that you plugged into the controller. i didnt per say like the controller to much (the xbox seems to have modified the sega's controller a lil' bit, especiall considering the fact that the original xbox had memory units you plugged into the controller itself just like the dreamcast controller) the visual memory unit was probaby the best and is still the best memory card ever made in my opinion on any system from any year. the fact you can save and still play those games on it that you save is just amazing. no system has done that before and to tell you the truth probably never will since they all seemed to use hard drives now.
i do remember some type of game disc that came out sometime in mid to late 99 or 2000 that you can use to play your playstation one games on the dreamcast. the man that created the disc had, i think, just one game and that was gran turismo 2. i had that disc and remember the graphics on gt2 and how so much more improved they were.
the creator said on his web site that he was trying to get other stores to participate and sell his product if he can sell enough of them but that never happened. i remember going to his web site and seeing sonic the hedgehog standing by a tomb stone weeping at the death of the product he was trying to create.
then the unthinkable happened. the dreamcast itself died. i think it was only in production for a year or so before sega pulled the plug. very sad situation. and to think that the dreamcast was on its way to become something big. but all isnt lost, maybe the dreamcast paved the way for playstation and xbox to be where they are today, maybe, i dont know. i kept my dreamcast for another year and traded it in for the ps2 in 2001 and traded my ps2 in for the xbox in 2002. i never forgot about the dreamcast, though, and how great of a system it was to me and seeing this on amazon not only brings me back to when video games where really starting to get good but also just bring me back to my child hood. i think i was like 13 or something. but to me this was one of the best game systems.
Sega finally gets it right...but too late ^ Sega finally got it right with the Dreamcast despite the Nintendo knock off controllers. This was Sega's last effort in the console wars but we all know how that turned out. By Sega, makes so good games on Nintendo.
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