Happy 10th Dreamcast! 0

by Adam Blue • Editorial

Today, the Dreamcast is 10 years old. In my eyes, and many others, it isn’t dead either. Back on 9/9/99 Sega released their final (for now) console, with probably the best software lineup ever. I played the heck out of it. But pretty quickly it faded away. Why was this? Well, there are multiple reasons, some which anger me.

Sony changed gaming with the Sony Playstation. Quick, fun, cheap, and mainstream titles with great marketing put the console in the spotlight. Because of this, it was obvious that the PS2 would be big time. As the release of the PS2 grew closer, Electronic Arts decided not to publish games for the Dreamcast and focus all their development dollars on the PS2. Electronic Arts being a huge video game developer was not a good thing to be missing from any console. Funny how Sega came back with a superior football franchise at the time. Not only that, but rumor was that Sony threatened retailers that they wouldn’t let them sell the PS2 if they stocked the Dreamcast. Also, piracy was a big influence apparently, even though that continues with today’s machines. Just a different generation?

All of this stuff truly sucked, but let’s get to the good times. Having a great version of Marvel vs. Capcom, plus a plethora of other great 2D fighters, the best version of SoulCalibur in existence, and online play with games like Quake III and Alien Front Online (with voice!). There was a site called booyaka that I used religiously for all downloads dealing with the Dreamcast. A few other great games being Jet Grind Radio, Chu Chu Rocket, Toy Commander, and Space Channel 5. My favorites are the two Sonic games, Adventure 1 & 2. To this day people talk crap about 3D Sonic, yet those games were spectacular. You could even raise your in-game Chao in the VMU! The console was ahead of its time! Another game lost in the shuffle was Propeller Arena. Because of the attacks on 9/11, the airplane arcade game got canned, yet a press copy later became available on the net. Even years after I imported games from Japan. I’m a huge fan of Shmups and luckily the console still saw regular releases.

I think Microsoft did a good thing and stepped in to take the Dreamcast’s place. Luckily MS had the funds to keep the XBox afloat while obtaining market share. Four control ports, modem, online play, and voice chat. These features were lacking on the PS2 which was cheaper for them, but a gimp for hardcore gamers. It was a new generation and Sony relied on the mainstream. Nintendo jumped in to dig even deeper with the Wii and Microsoft had a good hold on the hardcore that it was there for. Now, Sony suffers.

In the end, all gamers do recognize the brilliance of the Dreamcast and that such a machine could survive today. Especially to compete with the Wii…like at a $99 price-point? With the DC library as digital distribution through the console? It would be nice.

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