Editor’s note: Dreamcast week officially kicks off with this post from Patrick, which summarizes just a few of the things that made the Dreamcast so great. We’ve got some cool stuff planned for the DC’s 10-year anniversary, so stay tuned. And don’t forget to slap the ‘Dreamcast’ tag on your own Dreamcast-related stories, as we’ll be highlighting plenty of community posts over the next few days as well. -Demian
September 9, 2009 is the tenth anniversary of the North American launch of Sega’s last (and best) entry in the console hardware market. Though clearly not the commercial success Sega had hoped for, the Dreamcast had an amazing library of software, cutting-edge hardware, and a cult following that remains strong to this day. Ten years is a long time — the Dreamcast may be a retro system today, but if you can get your hands on it and its games, you may question the retro tag.
Personally, I loved the system, and my massive Dreamcast collection testifies to my dedication. The Dreamcast ushered my gaming life into a whole other level; it provided experiences that at the time were unique among gaming culture. So it is with this post that I honor the Sega Dreamcast on its tenth anniversary as a console of firsts, a console that provided unique software and hardware and truly brought gaming into the next millennium….
First Next-Gen Console
Every new console generation is referred to as the ‘next-gen.’ That term not only distinguishes the current console generation from its successor, but also lets the public know that this is bleeding edge technology, only for those serious about their hardware. I graduated from the Sega Saturn and the Nintendo 64 to the Sega Dreamcast and was blown away by the graphics, hardware design, control, and features. A lot of the things we take for granted in current-gen gaming today came standard on the DC (see below for more on that). One thing was for sure: When you bought the DC on day one, you had next-gen technology for a gaming system.
First Online Gaming
The Sega Dreamcast was my entry to the online gaming scene, and a fun little combat-puzzler entitled Chu Chu Rocket was my first online game. I remember the night when my brother and I played our first networked game against each other. We used to play together all the time as we were growing up, so it was good to know that from then on, no matter where we were, we could still game together. The Dreamcast was also responsible for my online handle/Gamertag. I have been know as SUPERGHOST ever since.
First Internet
As a poor 20-something, I struggled finding my way in the world. I didn’t own a PC, so when the Dreamcast came along, I jumped at the chance to use it as a web browser. While it wasn’t the greatest way to surf, at least it worked. Today, it’s not unusual to have your console browse the Internet (unless you’re Microsoft), but back then it was a first.
First Arcade at Home
Sure, there had been arcade game conversions on home consoles for years, but the power of the Dreamcast brought the arcade experience home with comparable, or in some cases improved, quality. Games like Soul Calibur, Crazy Taxi, Dead or Alive 2, and Power Stone allowed gamers to save their quarters and perfect their skills in the comfort of the living room.
First Motion Control
Well, kind of. With light gun games like House of the Dead 2 and Confidential Mission as well as Sega’s own fishing controller for the Bass and Marine Fishing games, I wasn’t just stationary on the couch anymore. With the Mad Catz light gun I was able to enjoy the quality light gun games from the arcade in my home, and with the fishing controller I was able to cast a reel and fish with the best of them. If I had the money I would have also shook all night long playing Samba de Amigo (which has a new lease on life thanks to the Wii). The DC had you off your couch before it was cool.
First Emotional Impact
This certainly will be different for everybody, but for me, two games on the Dreamcast stood out for having unprecedented emotional impact: Kenji Eno’s D2 and Yu Suzuki’s Shenmue, two games that pushed the envelope and could be found no where else. I don’t think the world was quite ready for these two games, but I am thankful that I had the opportunity to experience them and for the feelings they brought out of me. I get such fond memories just thinking back on them now.
First Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO)
Phantasy Star Online was a phenomenon. There was nothing else like it in the console space. Such an incredible marriage of simplicity and complexity, Phantasy Star Online has since gone on to spawn several sequels, but for me they still cannot compete with the original (but I will give Phantasy Star 0 a try). The Diablo-esque ‘loot-and-shoot’ was many peoples’ first exposure to the joys (and pitfalls) of the MMO scene. While you adventured in parties of four, you could still converse with thousands of other gamers spread throughout the game’s lobbies. Unfortunately, this game arrived just as Sega was giving up on the console.
First Voice Chat / Conversational Game
Alien Front Online, a simple, futuristic tank-versus-alien-tank combat game was my first experience with online voice chat. Like with Phantasy Star Online, I was drawn in to the game’s community. I spent many an hour with my brothers and my cousin, having a blast. Consoles today still struggle with online chat, but the Dreamcast was making it happen on a 56K modem.
And I would be remiss if I did not mention Seaman. You not only raised your little human-faced fish/amphibian creature, but you also talked to him…and he talked back! Seaman wouldn’t hesitate to analyze your life. And like a tamagochi, if you did not take care of him properly, he could end up dead. You certainly wouldn’t want to kill a video game character you had a relationship with would you? Or maybe you would.
I could go on. I could talk about Dreamcast’s library of fighters, 2K Sports and their ground-breaking football games, VMUs (game-playing memory cards with screens)…but for all its triumphs, in the end Sega just didn’t have the muscle (or cash) to keep up with the industry leaders. Please use the comments for some of your own Dreamcast firsts, or to share your memories of this amazing system.
Source: Text Adventure
Twitter: @superghost