By: Giancarlo Varanini, GameSpot - Posted on September 10, 2009
Sega's last attempt at a successful console platform was a valiant one. For many, the Dreamcast--which launched September 9, 1999--righted many of the things that Sega's previous console, the Saturn, did wrong. In fact, in many ways, the Dreamcast was the antithesis of the Sega Saturn. Instead of being a complex, multi-CPU system, the Dreamcast had a single, zippy CPU, a built-in 56K modem, and a powerful graphics processor that could produce some dazzling effects and detailed visuals in both 2D and 3D--whereas the Saturn mainly excelled in the 2D department. Therefore, it was clear from the start that the entire machine was designed to make development as easy as possible, as further evidenced by the inclusion of Windows CE as a development platform.
Equally important for Sega was retailer support. Many stores felt burned by the knee-jerk-reaction launch of the Sega Saturn (to get the system out before the PlayStation), which gave them little time to adequately prepare for its arrival. Of course, the early launch also didn't do the Saturn or retailers any favors in terms of the system's launch lineup, because only a few games were available. But the Dreamcast was a different story. Sega spent almost an entire year ensuring that retailers had adequate time to prepare for and promote the Dreamcast, which led to some impressive preorder numbers. Additionally, the Dreamcast launch lineup was diverse, ranging from arcade and sports games like Hydro Thunder and NFL 2K, to fighting games like SoulCalibur, Power Stone, and Mortal Kombat Gold. Truly, there was something for everyone, including all of the Sonic the Hedgehog fans who finally got a proper 3D follow-up to the popular series with the original Sonic Adventure.
Ultimately, the Dreamcast ended up being a remarkably well-rounded console that tried to bridge the gap between the classic 2D graphics of older consoles and the 3D graphics of modern games, and it arguably succeeded. Some Dreamcast fans remember the console as the last great bastion of 2D fighting games such as Street Fighter III, Street Fighter Alpha, The King of Fighters, and the Marvel vs. Capcom games. Others remember it as the sports fan's console--the birthplace of what would become the outstanding 2K Sports series, particularly the early installments of the NBA 2K and NFL 2K series, the latter of which was killed off after the NFL signed a licensing exclusivity agreement with EA Sports in 2004. Other fans remember it as a great racing-game console, home to both excellent simulations and arcade racers, including Test Drive Le Mans, F355 Challenge, Sega Rally Championship 2, and, of course, Crazy Taxi. Then there are fans who recall the Dreamcast as a very quirky, "very Japanese" console with a varied game library that included such oddities as Seaman, ChuChu Rocket!, and the love-it-or-hate-it adventure odyssey Shenmue--it was definitely a great choice for fans of quirky imported Japanese hardware and software, given its unusual Virtual Memory Unit (VMU) memory card and cross-functionality with SNK's NeoGeo Pocket handheld. And still others look back on it for being the first modern console to explore online multiplayer gaming with such experiments as Quake III Arena and Phantasy Star Online--trailblazing hardware that arguably set the stage for Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.
And now, we look back on the console and its tumultuous history--its many triumphs and its frustrating shortcomings. Browse the timeline of the Dreamcast, and then get our editors' take on the hardware and their experiences yelling at Seaman, exploring online in Phantasy Star Online, and looking for where Chinese sailors hang out in Shenmue.
