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Why is the Sega Dreamcast so beloved?

K

KDash31987

Member
This is like asking why kids love Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Anyway, it's an amazing console with lots of wacky and creative games, pretty much perfect (or better) arcade ports, internet access, and a bunch of other stuff. It's super fun to play, and a lot of games never got ported to other consoles.

SEEEEGGGGAAAAAAAAAA
 
M

md99

Banned
It was the new found optimism amongst Sega fans borne out of the dark days of the Saturn been pummeled by the Playstation which was one of my favourite memories. Now we had a slick looking console that brought undoubted arcade quality (and best of all, Sega quality) games into the home that were way ahead of what the PS and N64 were capable of. We also had internet access when PC's were still hugely expensive. At the end though it just came down to the games. Sonic Adventure, Jet Set Radio, Space Channel 5, Shenmue, F355 Challenge, PSO, Crazy Taxi, etc.

What a pisser that we were pummeled once more :(

Gaming for me just hasn't been the same since Sega withdrew from the hardware business.
 
R

_Ryo_

Member
Why is the start button on that controller round in the OP? My controllers have an upside down triangle. Is that a proto controller!?
 
F

FonkyByNature

Member
For me it's because it had some of the best games and best memories from playing it.

I remember, i worked a full summer to prepare myself for 9/9/99 and got the console day one with 5 games, Sonic Adventure, Hydro Thunder, Power Stone, Soul Calibur and Blue Stringer.

It had the best arcade ports, online gaming with NBA 2K, Rival Schools, Tech Romancer, Virtua Fighter 3, Street Fighter 3rd Strike and was an all around hardcore console ! Something we don't see as often nowdays.

It also had colorful SEGA games... well overall, it was respected for being a hardcore SEGA console with some dope ass games. The console just had soul gaming all over it.
 
N

nded

Member
It had fun games and an online system that actually worked. We also didn't have to watch it degenerate into a shovelware and sad cross-gen port repository.
 
Ooccoo

Ooccoo

Member
Phantasy Star Online

Such a shame about SEGA. I hate these fools. PSO2 would have been great here. I stopped caring to play with JP people after a while. I know there are a couple of NA/EU players too but PSO2 isn't that good.
 
K

kess

Member
Jarnet87 said:
MvC2

The PS2 port is a sick joke. I spit on it.
Click to expand...

A lot of the PS2 ports were sick jokes. Acclaim's Crazy Taxi was a joke.

The PSN port of Jet Grind Radio isn't too bad, but there's something peculiar about the Dreamcast analog control that other systems have a hard time emulating. Sans arcade stick, the Dreamcast D-Pad was far superior to the Playstation's directional nubs.

There were dozens of interesting games that got cancelled when the system went down. Agartha looked cool, GunValkyrie was developed as a Dreamcast game, and I don't doubt that Virtua Fighter 4 probably started life on the Dreamcast -- it was bizarre to see a promotional tie in for it bundled with Shenmue II. A lot of cancelled Saturn games managed to find a home on the Dreamcast, but most of the third party devs were left in the lurch when the DC was discontinued.
 
goldenpp72

goldenpp72

Member
mr jones said:
Do any of you folks still play your Dreamcast?

Or is this a eulogy thread?
Click to expand...

I play mine here and there, one of the advantages to it having quick burst games rather than 20 hour epics I suppose, is that you can put in a couple hours and have a great time with it. This isn't a pot shot to long games, just an observation that it does make it easier to get in and out, kind of like candy the console :p
 
J

Jarnet87

Member
suppadoopa said:
Are there any jRPGs for this thing other than Phantasy Star?

I've been itching to pick up a dreamcast lately
Click to expand...

Evolution. There also some Action RPGs and Strategy RPGs. Time Stalkers, Silver, Record of Lodoss war.

If you are into importing there is Sakura Taisen and El Dorado Gate
 
A

AlfaTrion

Member
  • Arcade in your house
  • Only place to play Code Veronica since PS2 couldn't handle it
  • Came online ready
  • Shenmue
  • Street Fighter III

I have more to say but I'm at work
 
N

Nishastra

Banned
Kanik said:
1FrCjwb.png
Click to expand...
Time Stalkers? :p

I think it's a great game once you understand the systems, but I don't remember many people liking it at the time. Definitely unique, though!
mr jones said:
Do any of you folks still play your Dreamcast?
Click to expand...
Sure! I own two, one still in box for the inevitable day when my current one stops reading discs.
 
V

Voysa Reezun

Banned
mr jones said:
Do any of you folks still play your Dreamcast?

Or is this a eulogy thread?
Click to expand...

I do. I have four consoles hooked up to the entertainment deck right now: N64, Dreamcast, 360, and PS4. My Dreamcast gets quite a bit of play. I'm working off and on through a career in Tennis 2K2 (best tennis game EVER) right now for the most part.
 
L

Lorcain

Member
I bought a dreamcast when stores were trying to get rid of them. I wasn't expecting much. My first game on the system was Skies of Arcadia. I loved that game, so good.

The 2nd game I played on the dreamcast was NFL2K. My mind was blown. That game was so much fun. I played a ton of NFL2K. More love earned for the dreamcast.

And those were just the first 2 games I played on the system.
 
R

_Ryo_

Member
suppadoopa said:
Are there any jRPGs for this thing other than Phantasy Star?

I've been itching to pick up a dreamcast lately
Click to expand...

SEGAGAGA

The much under-appreciated

Elemental Gimmick Gear.
(not a JRPG but a Japanese 2D Action RPG in the vein of Zelda, that has amazing art. Has 3D boss fights though. )
 
B

Biker19

Banned
Zane said:
It was the last console that epitomized the play-at-home arcade experience.
Click to expand...

I agree. Kind of makes me wish that Sega had the funds of Microsoft so that they could be back in the console hardware scene. They know how to make their systems arcade like.
 
C

chronic_archaic

Member
For it's short lifespan it got so many good games. While I was too young at the time anyone can tell you in 2000 and most of 2001 you'd want a Dreamcast more than a PS2. It just had so many freaking games. It had the first major console MMO (sorta). It still gets love from the homebrew community. Just an all around great console that died too fast.
 
K

kess

Member
The Dreamcast nearly as much a Capcom system as it was a Sega one, they released, what, almost 30 games for the system?
 
J

JPeeples83

Member
Time and place. When it came out, it was a MASSIVE step up from what was presently available. The game library remains one of the most creative of all-time for a mainstream system, even with indie games becoming huge on consoles after the system's demise.
 
A

AwayFromInfinityx

Member
It had some very fun games. And weekends having friends come over playing power stone 1/2 were fantastic. And it gave us jet set radio, I can't be mad at that.

I still have mines. And wasn't it the first console to try online play?
 
S

Shanlei91

Sonic handles my blue balls
Nishastra said:
Time Stalkers? :p

I think it's a great game once you understand the systems, but I don't remember many people liking it at the time. Definitely unique, though!
Click to expand...

I just remember getting into it because it was one of the few, if any, console games that sported the Pokemon concept of capturing enemies and leveling them up as part of your team.

The quirky characters and story along with starting every dungeon at level 1 was a turnoff for reviewers but I loved it.
 
A

Arc Christelle

Member
It had an amazing catalogue of games and the best graphics at its time running at 60fps and sharp as hell. Not to mention all those Naomi arcade perfect titles.

Majority of games in its catalogue are games we will never see again nor a sequel.

Shenmue, Powerstone, Project Justice. It was cool colorful and edgy like old school SEGA. Also I loved Sonic Shuffle.... cheatin ass game.
 
T

Tigerfog

Member
Always loved my Dreamcast and still do.
It's hooked up by VGA to my TV and every now and then I'd play it and appreciate how nostalgic it makes me feel - too bad the VMU has to beep every time I turn on the console. It's grating.

What's funny is that often when games from Dreamcast get ported or re-released on other consoles, there's always something that's better on Dreamcast.

-Grandia 2
Dreamcast: Steady framerate.
PS2: bad framerate and slowdowns.

-Skies of Arcadia
Dreamcast: Good quality music but high encounter rate, less subquests.
Gamecube: Lower encounter rates, more subquests, but "different" synth (lower quality?) music­.

-Rayman 2
Dreamcast: 60 FPS!
PS2: inconsistent framerate, but more content, more voice language options.

-Evolution Worlds
Dreamcast: Comes in 2 different full games.
Gamecube: Comes in a single game, first game has been shortened a lot.

By no way I'm saying the Dreamcast has ultimate versions of those games, but on certain aspects, they play better than on other platforms.
 
M

marc^o^

Nintendo's Pro Bono PR Firm
Because its games had an arcade soul that died after Sega collapsed.

Sega at the time was EVERYTHING I loved in gaming.
 
P

pakkit

Banned
Because it's the best multiplayer console.

Because it's the only way to enjoy arcade-perfect titles of the 2000s.

Because it was ahead of its time, with VMUs and internet functionality.

Because it was the last hurrah for SEGA when it helmed some of the most creative people in the industry.
 
Bumblebeetuna

Bumblebeetuna

Gold Member
1. It was very innovative.
2. Amazing arcade ports.
3. Idk of a system that saw as many incredible games in such a short span.
 
M

Mammoth Jones

Member
I mean just so many great games so damned fast. I loved it.

Powerstone
Capcom vs SNK 2
Shenmue
SF 3 3rd Strike
PSO
Skies of Arcadia
Soul Caliber
Dead or Alive 2
 
F

foxuzamaki

Doesn't read OPs, especially not his own
For its time it was like the PS4 today, it was a incredibly solid system with agreat design and other cool gimmicks not many if not not nobody was doing before with great games, which unlike the PS4 actually started by the time it launched in the west.
 
K

komarkaze

Member
I never had a console growing up. Most of my gaming was done at the arcades or PC playing poor arcade ports. When I finished all my school and started working in 2000, I looked at all the consoles on the market. The Dreamcast was the best tech available with state of the art graphics. And it was the first console that had arcade ports that were equal to or better than the arcade games they were based on. And it brought online gaming as a standard with the built in 56K modem. Finally, the game selection was really diverse and interesting. There's too many list, but they really covered everything from action, adventure, sports, racing, horror, role playing, music - all in unique and really fun ways.
 
cireza

cireza

Member
Dreamcast will always be the most advanced console I have ever seen.

It was powerful, such an incredible step forward. It was affordable considering the power of this beast, and its design is still incredibly cool and up to date.

It was also featuring the VMU, which was a very good concept for memory cards, and of course all my first online gaming experience were on Dreamcast. First controller that was fine for FPS. And as with all Sega consoles, very clean graphics and smooth games. RGB + VGA. Ahead of its time indeed.

It spawned a library of fantastic games in its short (official) lifespan. Sega really gave it all they had. This is what killed them as console manufacturer in fact.
 
O

ozfunghi

Member
Because it was the best thing Sega ever did, before pulling the plug.

Rez, Ikaruga, Skies of Arcadia, Soul Calibur, Power Stone, Grandia 2, Chu Chu Rocket, Code Veronica, Metropolis SR, Jet Grind Radio...
 
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