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The Dreamcast: Pioneer of Gaming
Kubinator
April 15, 2010
Gamers tend to agree--of all the systems released in late 1990s--the Dreamcast was one of the best. As the successor to the ill-fated Saturn, gamers had mixed expectations about the Dreamcast. By the end of its four years in North America, gamers could truly say the DC defied expectations. Who can forget the great games and ideas this 128-bit wonder brought to the gaming world?
The Dreamcast pioneered online play with a system-supported 56k modem and broadband cable connection. Games like Phantasy Star Online, Unreal Tournament and Worms World Party dominated my weekends. For some reason I had a better experience playing Dreamcast games online than their PC counterparts.
The Dreamcast had some great accessories. I distinctly remember VMU's. I had hoped they would function as game devices on their own. Instead, VMU's were used to display in-game information. It was semi-handy for Resident Evil Code Veronica, as VMU's displayed players' health. The light gun was a required accessory for gamers, just as gun games were must haves for the Dreamcast.
Who can resist House of the Dead 2? There was the Bleemcast, a wonderful accessory that let gamers play their Playstation 1 games on a much more powerful system. It was sad that the Bleemcast never took off. The microphone was a hit and miss, since most gamers used it only with Seaman. Too bad gamers never experienced the Zip drive or DVD drive add-ons. Perhaps if the Dreamcast had lasted longer these might have seen the light of day.
The Dreamcast was well-known for its games--RPGS, FPS', racing games and fighting games. The fighting genre is where the Dreamcast created its legacy. The extensive list of titles includes Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Jo Jo's Bizarre Adventure, Soul Calibur, Capcom vs. Snk, PowerStone 1 and 2, Street Fighter Series, King of Fighters, Last Blade 2, Project Justice and Dead or Alive 2! The list is endless. Even today, there are three fighting games I cannot put down. The first is Marvel vs. Capcom 2. This was such a perfect arcade port. Actually, the game was better than what was offered in the arcade. This game reignited my love of fighting games even though the music was slightly annoying. Power Stone 2, the answer to Super Smash Brothers, was the party game that went on and on. There was so much packed into the game. Soul Calibur was another one of those great games, a perfect arcade port with the much needed depth other games did not have.
Thinking back, there were so many games for the Dreamcast, but only a few still stand out to me. Resident Evil Code Veronica is one. Despite the other survival horror games such as Resident Evil 2 and 3, Blue Stinger, Carrier, and D2, Code Veronica was king. I remember reading the review in Gamepro, and immediately buying the game. Granted, the game has been ported to other systems in such a way the tank controls would frustrate most modern gamers. Code Veronica has the look and feel of the Resident Evil series moving forward. Good looking cut screens, a story outside of Raccoon City, multiple characters, and one hell of a fun Battle Game. Too bad it was one of the only RE games I could not finish. There just wasn't enough ammo.
Besides fighting games and survival horror, the Dreamcast produced other great games like Skies of Arcadia and Toy Commander. The latter is another stand out title in desperate need of a port. Games like Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 were instant classics, Sonic team take note--those games were great! Why do the recent Sonic titles stink?
Sega GT forced gamers like me to learn to love racing games. Sega GT was all about customization of the cars, everything from the engine to the paint, what a great game.
There are two games on the Dreamcast that redefined a genre: Shenmue I and later II. Those two titles made adventure games fun again. No longer were gamers forced to endure point and click! These games thrust gamers into an interactive world as seen through the eyes of Ryu. This game kept me in the basement for weeks. I especially loved the QTE. By the way Sega--where's Shenmue III? Honestly, readers what would you rather see, Shenmue III, or a decent Sonic game?
The Dreamcast was a great console, and today, most of the games can be found for cheap. The homebrew community has been keeping the console alive. Gamers owe it to themselves to grab a piece of gaming history and play the DC.
