Console Debate #17 Sega Dreamcast

[fox | 1,665]

 

[RH | 4,895]

If my backlog of games I want wasn't so huge, I'd definitely pick up a DC but I just can't have all the games. When the DC came out, I was a freshmen in college. Maybe one person had it and the rest of us kind of admired it for what it was, but everyone was just waiting for the PS2.

I gave it a 6 but it might be worth a higher vote. My usage was limited and all I really know about it personally is that it has the best version of THPS2.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,510]

I have no idea what to give it.  Probably not something very flattering.  It had a hot start and some great games, but they were all ported to PS2 and Cube.

I definitely have about zero interest in playing or acquiring one in 2021.

edit: But I suppose none of that really matters.  I should score it strictly off the strength of the library.  I'll ponder it.

I also expect someone to take this post very personally, and let me know how WRONG I am. 

[mbd39 | 2,017]

7/10

My favorites were Soul Calibur, Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi. On the other hand, I didn't care much for Jet Grind Radio and Daytona. The latter in particular was a huge disappointment that controlled like shit. Also Sega stopped supporting it no long after I bought it which pissed me off.

 

[mbd39 | 2,017]

The DC was a huge leap in console 3D graphics though. You probably needed a fairly expensive PC to rival what the DC could do at the time.

 

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,104]

I liked the Sega arcade ports like House of the Dead 2, Sega Rally 2, Sega GT, Virtua Fighter 3 and Virtua Cop 2. Games like Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Crazy Taxi, Soul Calibur, NFL 2K and Marvel vs Capcom are enough to give it a solid 7/10.

Edited February 26, 2021 by Bearcat-Doug

[Renmauzo | 1,198]

A 9 for me.

I remember when I bought mine (just before the price drop to $100) and picked up Grandia 2, MvC2, Capcom vs. SNK, Bomberman Online, and Shenmue to go along with. I played the hell out of each, and picked up games here and there as the prices were really dropping.

The library is full of amazing games: Tech Romancer, Project Justice, Canon Spike, SFIII, Gunbird, Giga Wing, Mars Matrix, Jet Grind Radio, a bevvy of fantastic SNK ports like Last Blade 2 and Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Virtua Tennis, the 2K sports lineup...there's just too many awesome games to list here.

Aesthetically, the system is gorgeous, the memory card gimmick was neat, practically implemented online brought something new to the table...really my only gripes are with the controller layout and not making the coin battery replaceable as with the Saturn.

The arcade stick is awesome, the maracas were cool, the karaoke attachment is really neat (with Dreamcast branded microphone!), the keyboard has great action in the keys, and there were really nice console variants.

The Dreamcast gets pretty regular play for me. I was recently playing JoJo with my son (he just discovered the anime and has been all about it) and he's loving the other titles he's discovering on the system as well. The Dreamcast is my favorite SEGA console, has my favorite SEGA library of games, and is great in form and function and will always be played on the regular in my house.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

I gave it a 7. It's definitely exceptional. I got it at launch and ended up having 20+ games for it between launch of it and the launch of the OG Xbox. 

My friends and I spent a lot of time going straight from school to my house to play DC, then watch DBZ and then go back to playing DC.

I was blown away playing NFL and NBA 2K online and talking trash with the keyboard to strangers. I have really fond memories of the Dreamcast even if it hasn't held up over the years. 

Power Stone, Sonic, House of the Dead, Daytona, the start of the 2K series, Street Fighter, Soul Calibur, hell even cheesey games like Silver and ChuChu Rocket. 

However, I just don't think everyone should play it and it was in the gap between the N64 and PS2 so the flaws might be hard for some people to look past.

[DefaultGen | 5,400]

6/10. I give it crap for the space ship controller and lots of ports but it’s the only 3D console that ever seemed to have a focus on 60fps which softened my stance on it. Makin’ games for the gameplay, not the screenshots! Powerstone, NFL 2K, Sonic, SoulCalibur, Crazy Taxi, HotD2, Chu Chu Rocket. Lots of the top games are smooth AF so they hold up better than a lot of the busted old trash of N64 and PS1 or the busted new trash of newer obsolete consoles.

[hyrulevyse | 151]

I gave it an 8 which (as someone who really enjoys it) feels like as high as it can realistically go.  Great arcade-y system with excellent fighters, shmups, etc... and even though they're always quickly surpassed in every era, the sports games were great as well.  Several quirky/unique games on the console that kind of set it apart from everything else, but ultimately this was a tweener system for most people that didn't stand a chance when the PS2 was released.  I think if this had more time going head to head with just the PS1 things could've worked out differently.......maybe.  The controller really is terrible.

Personal favorites would be Skies of Arcadia, Marvel vs. Capcom II, NFL 2K, Grandia II, Virtua Tennis, Power Stone, E.G.G., HotD2, and Mars Matrix.

 

[Nintegageo | 582]

9. This is a great console. Truly something special.

[nrslam | 474]

8 from me. A favorite of mine, it gets more play than the PS2 or Xbox and isn't so ridiculously large. Games on the DC always seemed bright and colorful compared to those on PS2/Xbox. I even like the controller, and the minigames on the VMU were a novel idea. Too bad it spelled the end for Sega as a console maker.

[TDIRunner | 2,727]

Probably my favorite Sega console after the Genesis.  There aren't a ton of games that I enjoy for it, but the ones I enjoy I absolutely love.  Typing of the Dead is my favorite.  I love doing a play through at least once a year.  The rally games are fun too.  Perfect for pickup and play when you have some free time to kill.  Never got into the Sonic Adventures game though.  Sonic needs to be in 2D for me.  

[CMR | 519]

I loved this system when it came out.  When SEGA quit and canceled the system I was really upset.  I was so disappointed I boxed it all up and traded it in to Babbages.  I really regret that now, and wish I still had that original system.  I think I've got four of them now.

I rated it 7, but probably should have went higher for it's cool homebrew scene.

Edited February 27, 2021 by CMR

[OptOut | 8,881]

All my Dreamcast games are sealed, so I have no idea! 

[OptOut | 8,881]

10 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

I also expect someone to take this post very personally, and let me know how WRONG I am. 

I mean, I don't think you're wrong... But I DO take it personally! 

[sp1nz | 611]

Ahead of its time and I appreciate the smooth 60Hz gameplay a lot but on the flipside the library is relatively small and doesn't have too many killer exclusives. The library doesn't have too many absolute stinkers either though. It can be your favorite or least favorite Sega home console (disregarding Sega Pico) and both sides have merit.

7/10

Edited February 27, 2021 by sp1nz

[JamesRobot | 5,786]

[Foochie776 | 1,051]

[AstralSoul | 502]

Really fantastic console that had it's plug pulled far too soon. Had this console been able to live a full life and not die 2 years in like it did, I truly believe this would've been a 10/10 console. It had some seriously great games and the technology ahead of its time. The controller was uncomfortable and could've really used a second analog stick, but it was interesting looking and worked well enough. The console design was beautiful, one of the best looking consoles imo. The disc drive was insanely loud iirc though. Overall, a small but strong library and even though the majority of its good games received ports on other consoles after a while, I still believe the DC versions are the superior versions. Dreamcast us such a bittersweet end for Sega as a console developer, because although I was a Nintendo boy through and through, I wanted a Dreamcast for years until I finally got one last year. It still holds up extremely well too in my opinion. 9/10. 

[Bighab | 58]

I'm a Sega guy and was excited at the time when the system came out. I have fond memories playing the Bass fishing games with the fishing rod controller with my daughter as a toddler. Sadly the games/genres I wanted never came. No strategy/rpg's like a new Shining Force. The only strategy game I can think of was conflict zone and I didn't care for it. I like Action/Rpg's and the only one was Record of the Lodoss war.  I loved Quake 3 Arena but that genre is done better on modern systems. I got rid of the system over 10 years ago and have zero desire to try it again. I gave it a 4/10. Now if you love shooters or fighting games it's an awesome system to have. Just not a system for my gaming tastes.

[hyrulevyse | 151]

21 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

I have no idea what to give it.  Probably not something very flattering.  It had a hot start and some great games, but they were all ported to PS2 and Cube.

I definitely have about zero interest in playing or acquiring one in 2021.

edit: But I suppose none of that really matters.  I should score it strictly off the strength of the library.  I'll ponder it.

I also expect someone to take this post very personally, and let me know how WRONG I am. 

Yeah I think punishing it for the ports is unfair.  It does take away from the 'specialness' (definitely a word) of the console now but many of those never would've happened had the console been around for a full cycle.  But if you do want to punish it for the ports then you should probably also give it credit for the games that certainly would've been on it down the road.  Panzer Orta, Shenmue II,  HotD3, Toe Jam and Earl III, etc....

[cj_robot | 540]

7/10

The Dreamcast was pretty damn cool. I always loved the way the console looked, although the thing was pretty noisy at reading discs. I was really excited about it's online capability out-of-the-box, although I didn't end up using it much.

I found the library a bit peculiar. Had lots of great arcade-style games, which Sega always excelled at, of course, but I found it extremely lacking in the kind of epic adventures I'm always craving. Not nearly enough good RPGs. Honestly, after I got my PS2, I barely touched my Dreamcast again.

[elprincipe | 142]

5

Some great games for it, but not enough of them (not surprising as it didn't last too long on the market). Jet Grind Radio is my favorite game and is an absolute masterpiece. I loved Crazy Taxi, Virtua Tennis (and then Tennis 2K2), Typing of the Dead, Dynamite Cop, Power Stone 2, and a few others. Wish Sega would have come through with some new versions of their more popular Genesis/Saturn series - a Dreamcast Streets of Rage, Shining Force, Shinobi, etc. would have been awesome if done well.

The controller is horrible. It gives my hands cramps to play it too long. The VMUs were a neat idea but basically just ended up making you have to change watch-style batteries all the time - I just got a 4x memory card without the screen and called it a day. And of course, the system is very loud which can be a bit annoying.

Definitely worth trying if you are interested in the games.

[YOURTURN | 1,256]

I gave it a 9 out of 10.

Out of every controller I ever used, this console offered my favorite. The same goes for the memory card and how it interested with a slew of games. And when it comes to Japan releases the only real rivals this had for my interest ended up being both the PS and PS2, as well as the Wii. But even then I have a wireless phone charger that looks like a mini version of this system. And still hope to expand from there.