Happy 10th Anniversary Dreamcast

[exitspeed]

Here's a really good article about the history of the system.

IGN Advertisement (http://retro.ign.com/articles/102/1021947p1.html)

http://retromedia.ign.com/retro/image/article/102/1021947/ign-presents-the-history-of-dreamcast-20090907103205585.jpg

For me the Dreamcast was a new dawn in video games.

When news started flying about the Dreamcast I was so geeked. I didn't own a Saturn. I thought it was a pile of junk honestly.

In early 2009 video's started popping up online of Sonic Adventure. At the time I didn't have a computer at all. I only had one friend who had a computer and the internets. 56k baby. We would spend hours just downloading a couple 20 second long vids just to get a glimpse of the new Sonic game. And it was worth every minute. Even the low res vids just blew us away.

Fast forward a couple months closer to the launch and on of the coolest things in video game history happened to me. Sega announced that it would rent out pre-production Dreamcasts at select Hollywood Video stores around the country. This was an opportunity that I would not let pass up and was genius marketing. I called the closest Hollywood Video, which was 40 min away, and asked when they would be getting them, how much, etc etc. They actually knew right away so this wasn't some decision made on a whim by Sega. I reserved one during that call. I don't recall the day when they started renting them but I do recall I was the first one there. I put down my $300 deposit got a brand new shiny Dreamcast, one controller, and Sonic Adventure for a couple days. My friend was coming over early that day and we were planning on a marathon game day. Seeing the game in all it's glory for the fist time was just jaw dropping. You have to remember this was the first console were polygons were virtually invisible because the poly count was so high. After hours upon hours of playing Sonic we neared the end of the game and we realized something...we couldn't stop at this point because we couldn't save becuase we didn't have the cool ass insert memory card thing for the controller. We ended up beating Sonic three times that day and we loved every bit of it. I had no complaints.

Now jump ahead to 9-9-1999. This shit was huge. Dreamcast ads were everywhere. The phrase "It's Thinking" was embedded in yo brain! The hype machine was at full steam ahead. If you guys haven't figured it out by now, I'm a little extreme when it comes to certain things. I'm the asshole that has to have things before everyone else. This was no exception. I had my system paid off for months prior to the release date and I was damned if I was going to let anyone get it before me at that store. My gf (now wife) and I got to the mall at 5am! Damn right I was the first one there and I claimed my spot. Slowly as the hours passed and it got closer to closing people started lining up...behind me. They ended up opening early at 7am. I was so excited. I don't have a problem admitting how excited I was. I gave the guy my receipt and I had my very own brand new Dreamcast in hand. I didn't buy an extra controller. I bought one Visual Memory Unit, NFL 2K, and Sonic Adventure.

From then on I was just in love with this system. I didn't have a tremendous library of games but the games I did have I played the hell out of.

In 2001 when Sega announced that the Dreamcast was dead and they were going to become a software company I was devastated. The Genesis and the Dreamcast are easily two of my favorite systems ever and I was sad that I wouldn't see what else Sega had in store for us on the hardware end.

I ended up selling it at some point which I regret enormously now.

One of the reasons I loved the system so much is the time of my life when it came out. I was out of HS, working (I didn't got to college after HS), had my own money, a brand new car, and time to spare. This was like the golden age of video gaming for me because of all these circumstances. Hell even after I got my PS2, the PS2 sat there for ever because it had no good games at first. It was just a DVD player.

This also brings me to a game which ultimately brought me to Zilvia, Tokyo Xtreme Racer. This was really my first modern run it with the 240. At the time, I knew a little about cars, but mostly I had shit for brains. This game really introduced me to the import world all together. I spent so much time on that game looking back.

To say that the Dreamcast holds a special place in my heart is an understatement.

Please feel free to add your own retrospective to this thread.

[DALAZ_68]

never enjoyed dreamcast...

i went from super nintendo to N64 to PS2...dreamcast games never appealed to me...good to see someone did enjoy it though...

[LeftNutOfGowd]

I loved my dreamcast for the simple fact that it was the first system to play burnt games without having to do anything to it. I guess to day I'll be busting out the old DC and playing some MVC2 and Power Stone and some crazy taxi and finish it off with some fishing

[cserrano86]

Sega... Pioneers they were.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer was also what made me start liking S-chassis. That god damn Grim Reaper in his stupid S15 that I could never beat.

[backwoods]

I'm going to go home and play Tokyo Xtreme Race 2 on my Dreamcast tonight

Happy 10th

[exitspeed]

It's weird to think I was 20 years old when this system came out.

[S13Boosts]

Dreamcast was coo when it was out!! damn sega alwas leaving good systems...

[exitspeed]

Legacy og Kain: soul Reaver. This game is a classic.

YouTube - Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver Dreamcast (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9icAB6Ol9fk)

[enkei2k]

the dreamcast lasted 2 years only? damn i didn't know that...i honestly thought it felt longer, probably because they always had the kick ass games that the other systems never had...never got into dreamcast personally though...i was content with my playstation, n64, whatever the heck was in back then. everything except dreamcast. i have no idea why.

[HyperTek]

yeah i hever had a dc, had a genesis though... n64 then traded that to my bro for his ps1.. had a chance to buy a dc from my friend for $50 back in 00 or 01 but i slept on that.. I do miss sega in the console market though. I remember kids in highschool always talkin about tokyo xtreme racer etc. I was mostly pc gaming back then.

[exitspeed]

the dreamcast lasted 2 years only? damn i didn't know that...i honestly thought it felt longer, probably because they always had the kick ass games that the other systems never had...never got into dreamcast personally though...i was content with my playstation, n64, whatever the heck was in back then. everything except dreamcast. i have no idea why.

Well officially it was around for 3 years. They announced that it was dead after 2. Games kept coming out a year later though.

I'm kinda bummed I didn't order a new one when someone made that thread on here.

[exitspeed]

The more I think about it the more games come to mind.

Sega GT was a very good Gran Turismo competitor. There's still some things I wish GT would adopt from that game, like the sponsorships.

http://www.gamershell.com/static/screenshots/6956/142168_full.jpg

http://www.planet-sega.de/img/articles/930/SEGA-GT-3.jpg

[kingkilburn]

I absolutely love the Dreamcast. I got one at launch. Sadly it was stolen from me a few years ago with 20 plus games.

Now I'm waiting for emulation to catch up.


That reminds me, I'm dying to play Shenmue and Sonic Adventure.

[BustedS13]

ten years ago, i walked into a Best Buy, past a line of hopefuls who hadn't reserved it, waiting to see if they'd have any left at the end of the day, and picked up my Dreamcast. unfortunately, they were sold out of all the worthwhile launch titles, so i spent the next few weeks playing Trickstyle.

[OBEEWON]

Rush, I loved that game. I destroyed anyone that picked up a controller. I think Im giong to buy a Dreamcast.

[exitspeed]

I just checked and you can still get new ones on Amazon and Ebay.

[LeftNutOfGowd]

foARPDyZrXk

[nisco]

Dreamcast is still my favorite system to date. So many sentimental memories with it..
Countless hours of playing PSO on dial up (and crazy phone bills.... lawl), countless ours playing the mini-games in Shemue, running people over in Crazy Taxi, jamming to Jet Grind Radio. I wish those days would come back...

[exitspeed]

Dreamcast is still my favorite system to date. So many sentimental memories with it..
Countless hours of playing PSO on dial up (and crazy phone bills.... lawl), countless ours playing the mini-games in Shemue, running people over in Crazy Taxi, jamming to Jet Grind Radio. I wish those days would come back...

Damn you were 10. So Dreamcast to you was like NES to me. That is nutty to me.

[HyperTek]

foARPDyZrXk

dam these guys are freaking nerds lol
they make gamers look uncool lmao
you can be a secret nerd but they even dress like typical nerds

[SimpleSexy180]

the system way ahead of its time.

yeah, thats it.

I mainly played it for Phantasy Star Online, Power Stone 2, Jet Grind Radio

[kingkilburn]

Damn you were 10. So Dreamcast to you was like NES to me. That is nutty to me.

I had got an NES from my uncle when I was like 4 or something. After the first time I played a SNES I begged my mom for one and got it that Christmas.

I played both until my brother decided to take them apart and destroyed them. I still have the games for the SNES so I think I'll replace it one of these days.

[Walperstyle]

Dreamcast was ahead of its time. Its unfortunate that sony had no idea how to organize the project better. There was only a handful of games. I guess thats the hazard of pioneering something. Takes forever to get it out there where people will buy it. I never did.

N64 had the games, thats why most got it.

[shishcabobers]

Nah man I got gamecast. Jk. I really enjoyed playing crazy taxi.

[kingkilburn]

N64 had the games, thats why most got it.

Dreamcast IMO had more quality games. Tons of good action games plus a few hardcore rpg and adventure games.

When I think of N64 games outside of first-party stuff I always come to Quest64. Fuzzy graphics and boring gameplay. I can't think of a single third-party game I owned for any lengthy period aside from rouge squadron.

[Bushido]

dreamcast was the shit.

best console ever.

I have one with a clear blue case, clear blue vmu, and clear blue controller. been thinking of putting it on ebay, wonder how much i could get for it...

[Manuelitoohno]

foARPDyZrXk

+1 for you sir.

good vid

[meteorite_flo]

I have a dreamcast I would really like to play it, but I can't find my A/C adapter. Sonic never gets old!

[Ares240SX]

I remember my Atari... and my Commodore 64 computer... I did Atari, NES, Sega Genesis, PS1, and than I stopped playing with console video games...

[BustedS13]

Dreamcast was ahead of its time. Its unfortunate that sony had no idea how to organize the project better. There was only a handful of games. I guess thats the hazard of pioneering something. Takes forever to get it out there where people will buy it. I never did.

N64 had the games, thats why most got it.

what the hell did you just say?

1.) Sony makes the Sony Playstation line of consoles, not the Sega Dreamcast.
2.) N64 came out in 1996. it was late to the party by two years. the Sony Playstation and Sega Saturn were of the same generation as the N64. Dreamcast was of the following generation, and came out in 1999.
3.) of the N64 generation, the Playstation was the system most people bought. Sony has sold over 100 million Playstations, while Nintendo sold just over 30 million N64's.
4.) The Dreamcast's demise was caused by the release of the more robust Playstation 2 in 2000, and then the Microsoft Xbox in 2001. You could also make the argument that due to poor sales of the last few Sega offerings (32x/Sega CD/Saturn), people were reluctant to purchase the Dreamcast.

[Touge Noob S13]

dam these guys are freaking nerds lol
they make gamers look uncool lmao
you can be a secret nerd but they even dress like typical nerds


LOL, havent you been to an eb games recently? Those people are a common sight there.

[SimpleS14]

Great video, it really laid out the reason why the Dreamcast failed. SEGA really burned the game developers and customers in the past.

I remember having a Genesis I held onto for YEARS before Sega CD came out (which I also bought). Then I got really iffy about Sega once a new smaller Sega CD came out, then 32X and a year later Sega Saturn.

Because I was such a fan of Sonic, I went ahead and got a Dreamcast and still have it with me boxed up some where. TXR2, Soul Calibur and Sonic Adventure 2 were my favorite games.

Some times I wonder what would have happened if Sega didn't cause such confusion with their products and stayed with a stable platform that game developers can work with.

[WanganRunner]

I wish I could read enough Japanese to play this:

http://www.segagagadomain.com/dc-covers2/segagaga_boxopen.JPG

[exitspeed]

4.) The Dreamcast's demise was caused by the release of the more robust Playstation 2 in 2000, and then the Microsoft Xbox in 2001. You could also make the argument that due to poor sales of the last few Sega offerings (32x/Sega CD/Saturn), people were reluctant to purchase the Dreamcast.


This is true.But it wasn't JUST the release of the PS2 itself but the fact that it was a DVD player.

That was the peak of the rise of DVD's. In Japan all the video game stores turned into videogame/ DVD stores. And in all those stores they have countless PS2's playing DVD's. PS2 sales SORED in Japan while the Dreamcast started to collect dust. Even though the Dreamcast would still have a better library of games then the PS2 for a good 6-9 months later.

This is the LARGEST reason the Dreamcast didn't make it and it was just a side effect of being the first out the gate.

[SimpleS14]

This is true.But it wasn't JUST the release of the PS2 itself but the fact that it was a DVD player.

That was the peak of the rise of DVD's. In Japan all the video game stores turned into videogame/ DVD stores. And in all those stores they have countless PS2's playing DVD's. PS2 sales SORED in Japan while the Dreamcast started to collect dust. Even though the Dreamcast would still have a better library of games then the PS2 for a good 6-9 months later.

This is the LARGEST reason the Dreamcast didn't make it and it was just a side effect of being the first out the gate.


Mel, I'm going to have to say the largest reason was developer support and brand image to the consumers. This of course is my person opinion. :coolugh:


The Xbox 360 supports DVDs, while the new format out there is Blu-Ray (ala PS3)...however with great developer support and brand loyalty it's still holding its own.

[exitspeed]

Mel, I'm going to have to say the largest reason was developer support and brand image to the consumers. This of course is my person opinion. :coolugh:

I disagree and so do most experts. Sega had the support. And the lack of support they may have had from third parties was easily made up by their high quality and high quantity of first party titles.

And the brand itself was tarnished slightly with the Saturn but the Dreamcast broke sales records and changed the industry. Obviously consumers were supporting it.



The Xbox 360 supports DVDs, while the new format out there is Blu-Ray (ala PS3)...however with great developer support and brand loyalty it's still holding its own.

Yeah but the switch from DVD to BR is no where near as significant as the switch from VHS to DVD.

[WanganRunner]

This is true.But it wasn't JUST the release of the PS2 itself but the fact that it was a DVD player.

That was the peak of the rise of DVD's. In Japan all the video game stores turned into videogame/ DVD stores. And in all those stores they have countless PS2's playing DVD's. PS2 sales SORED in Japan while the Dreamcast started to collect dust. Even though the Dreamcast would still have a better library of games then the PS2 for a good 6-9 months later.

This is the LARGEST reason the Dreamcast didn't make it and it was just a side effect of being the first out the gate.


^^
Yeah, when the PS2 launched, most Japanese didn't yet own DVD players. The devices had very low market penetration, so people were buying the PS2 left and right *just* to watch DVD's on.

That was like the absolute pinnacle of gaming....1999-2001. I remember picking up my DC on launch day and camping overnight for a PS2.

[exitspeed]

and camping overnight for a PS2.

I camped out too. It was sooo much fun. People brought grills, we tossed around a football, people had the systems in their cars bumping. Man it was fun.

The next system I waited in line for was the 360...and man did that suck. It was Nov (IIRC) and it was cold as shit. It got down to like 30 degrees over night. I had a sleeping bag and slept on the hard blacktop. Man it sucked.

[dirtdiggler666]

funny this just came up, i just bought a dreamcast off ebay about a month ago with about 10 games for $27.00 shipped.

crazy thing is that i have never owned one tell now

[kingkilburn]

What games did you get?

[nisco]

The Xbox 360 supports DVDs, while the new format out there is Blu-Ray (ala PS3)...however with great developer support and brand loyalty it's still holding its own.

I mean the 360 had HD DVD. But we all know how that went:mepoke:

[BustedS13]

funny this just came up, i just bought a dreamcast off ebay about a month ago with about 10 games for $27.00 shipped.

crazy thing is that i have never owned one tell now

that's a pretty good deal, even with the games.
back in high school i didn't have high speed internet. wasn't available on my street until senior year. so i had to go over to a buddy's house to download dreamcast games..
funny story. sometimes i wish the internet didn't exist, so i'd have more of a reason to hang out with people.

[Brian]

The only time I ever played Dreamcast was in high school at my friend's house. This was 2001ish. I think they were already being sold off for super cheap at GameStop locations and whatnot.

[WanganRunner]

It's like it's 1999 all over again:

Sega Dreamcast System +Plus+ Everything NEW IN BOX !!! - eBay (item 260472020892 end time Sep-13-09 13:21:17 PDT) (http://cgi.ebay.com/Sega-Dreamcast-System-Plus-Everything-NEW-IN-BOX_W0QQitemZ260472020892QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVideo_ Games?hash=item3ca5579f9c&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14)



EDIT: Or maybe the Karaoke add-on that clipped to the bottom?

http://cgi.ebay.com/JP-Sega-Dreamcast-Karaoke-set-boxed_W0QQitemZ350236005894QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVide o_Games?hash=item518bb15606&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

[exitspeed]

It's like it's 1999 all over again:

Sega Dreamcast System +Plus+ Everything NEW IN BOX !!! - eBay (item 260472020892 end time Sep-13-09 13:21:17 PDT) (http://cgi.ebay.com/Sega-Dreamcast-System-Plus-Everything-NEW-IN-BOX_W0QQitemZ260472020892QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVideo_ Games?hash=item3ca5579f9c&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14)




Oh that is tempting. If a new development in my life comes together, I'm buying this.

[aznpoopy]

dreamcast was undoubtedly a great system.

unfortunately, it wasn't great enough to make people forget about sega ripping them off with the whole 32x/saturn debacle.

shame too, the landscape of consoles today might be different if sega hadn't been so douchey with its fanbase.

[WanganRunner]

Naomi 2 Arcade Hardware - pretty uncommon.

NAOMI 2 Sega Arcade System Mother Board naomi2 JP model - eBay (item 140340283911 end time Sep-16-09 00:53:04 PDT) (http://cgi.ebay.com/NAOMI-2-Sega-Arcade-System-Mother-Board-naomi2-JP-model_W0QQitemZ140340283911QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item20aceeca07&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14)

http://gi83.photobucket.com/groups/j290/A3FRUE645D/DSCF1935.jpg?t=1245383100


Pretty good deal, actually. It's fully compatible with all Naomi 1 titles also, and it'll run arcade-perfect Virtua Fighter 4.

I've never owned any NAOMI gear. I had a dedicated VF3 model 3 cab for awhile, but it was a one-trick pony.

This would be a neat thing to have, but I'm not sure if I want to get into another arcade system. I've got a lot of money tied up in SNK MVS, and I can't imagine starting a whole new sub-collection of something as expensive as Naomi carts.



EDIT:

I've always wanted one of these, but this one is way the hell up in Boston: (Dreamcast Store Kiosk)

http://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/for/1365456543.html

[LeftNutOfGowd]

It's like it's 1999 all over again:

Sega Dreamcast System +Plus+ Everything NEW IN BOX !!! - eBay (item 260472020892 end time Sep-13-09 13:21:17 PDT) (http://cgi.ebay.com/Sega-Dreamcast-System-Plus-Everything-NEW-IN-BOX_W0QQitemZ260472020892QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVideo_ Games?hash=item3ca5579f9c&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14)



F that I wouldn't pay 200 bucks for this lol maybe like 50 bucks

[WanganRunner]

F that I wouldn't pay 200 bucks for this lol maybe like 50 bucks


Honestly, most people buying sealed stuff don't ever intend to open it. You wouldn't pay that because you'd be buying it just to open it anyway, so why not just get loose stuff?

I'm actually surprised it's all only $200. Those sealed VMU's should be worth more than that.

Sealed shit can go for a LOT of money. A sealed copy of Chrono Trigger for SNES or something can easily cost a thousand bucks or more.

[ZX88]

so i hear dreamcast 2 was announced for 2010 release.

[exitspeed]

so i hear dreamcast 2 was announced for 2010 release.

If I wasn't so informed you'd totally be playing with my emotions. If I was a mod still, you'd be banned for at least 2 minutes for such shenanigans.

[kingkilburn]

Maybe you can pull some strings for the Dreamcast crowd and get him banned any way. :)

[Javi.NES]

I still have mine and play it from time to time along with all my other classic systems =D