Reviewed: September 14, 1999
Reviewed by: Mark Smith

Manufacturer
Sega

Type: Game System
System: Dreamcast

Rating: 9.0

Supported Features:

I don't know if it was the last burst of media hype or what but around 11pm on 9/8/99 I started to feel a disturbance in the "Gaming Force". I started to second-guess my decision and wonder if I was missing out on something special. I knew I didn't stand a chance of getting a system on "launch day" without a pre-order so I waited until the following day. Meanwhile I started to scan the newsgroups and read all the negative reviews from the people who did wait in line the night before. Reports of faulty systems, defective CD's, poor performance and reports that 15% of all Dreamcasts sold on launch day had been returned reinforced my decision not to buy one; but in the back of my mind I also knew that only the people who were having problems had the time to write about them. There had to be thousands of satisfied gamers who were too busy playing to post on the usenet.

So on Friday with several of my EBWORLD $10 Rebate coupons and a bunch of Playstation titles (which were worth a minimum of $10 when used against any Dreamcast purchase) in hand I walked into EB and purchased one of ten remaining systems available for "walk-in" customers. I decided to jump in and go all the way. I purchased a second controller; a pair of VMU's (memory cards), and a pair of Jump Packs (rumble packs), and copies of all 18 launch titles.

Excited and broke I rushed home to plug it all in. What follows is a documented account of the following 72 hours; most of which found me glued to the TV for the entire weekend.

The Hardware

I unpacked the Dreamcast and was amazed at how small it is. It's half the size of my Playstation; although a bit thicker, with connectors for four controllers. I unpacked the pair of controllers, the VMU cards, and Jump Packs. I inserted the accessories into the controllers and plugged them into the unit. The Dreamcast easily integrated into my home theater rig with the standard red/white/yellow A/V jacks. A SVHS cable is available but EB was sold out at the time. Everything was ready to go - all I had to do was pick my first title.

I inserted Hydro Thunder (an arcade favorite of mine) and with great anticipation hit the POWER button. The opening white splash screen came on with the spiral logo and accompanying sound effects. Then the game loaded. I picked my course and boat and began to race.

The first thing I noticed was how different, yet comfortable the new controller was. The analog stick was right where it needed to be and all the buttons and triggers were in perfect locations. But something was wrong! The Hydro Thunder music was blaring through my sound system but I had no sound, engine noise, or voice-overs. I hadn't read any bad postings about this title so I was concerned. I turned off the system; restarted and this time had full voice and sound effects.

The jump pack was performing nicely, giving me a nice sensation of bouncing over choppy water, going still when I left a ramp to glide through the air, only to shake violently when my boat smacked the surface of the lake. I proceeded to get lost in this title for a couple of hours as I completed all the easy tracks and a few of the medium levels. Then I moved on.

Before I continue with the individual mini-reviews of each of the launch titles I'll finish up with the main console unit. This system is truly designed for the next generation of games and gamers. Four ports mean four players without having to buy special adapters. The digital AV interface ensures that you are getting the best picture you have ever seen on a console system - you can even plug it into a computer monitor with a special adapter sold separately.

The system uses special 1 gigabyte CD's which means these games aren't going to be easily pirated anytime soon. This should equate to cheaper games for all of us since developers don't have to mark-up prices to compensate for theft. In fact, most of the launch titles I bought were between $35 and $44, which is pretty good considering they could have asked just about anything they wanted and people would have paid it.

The VMU (Visual Memory Unit) is simply ingenious. Not only does it offer ample memory blocks to save tons of gaming data, you can also remove it and use it as a Mini-Gameboy type system. The LCD screen also interacts with several titles and enhances game play for those specific games.

And let's not forget about the 56K modem. Thrown in at the last minute, this little add-on puts a whole new spin on multiplayer gaming. Currently there is no support for online gaming since developers didn't have enough warning about the inclusion of a modem in the unit, but you can be sure that the next batch of games are going to let you log on and go head-to-head with people you would never had met otherwise.

I did pop in the Internet Access CDROM and set up the system to login using my existing ISP. There are some good bundled offers for Internet access using AT&T WorldNet if you don't already have a provider. At first I didn't see much advantage to using the Dreamcast to access the web until I tried to access the Dreamcast site on my PC. Apparently their website knows if you are using a PC or a Dreamcast system and most of the site is locked out to PC users.

The website does offer chat rooms, news, cheats and codes, and even mini-games you can download into your VMU and play. This is all pretty new but the potential is there. I can really see this console web concept going somewhere fast. The Sonic Adventure game already has a direct link to the web right from the game.

Rating the system was based entirely on playing the games. The quality of individual games didn't affect the system review.

INSTALLATION: Couldn't ask for anything easier. This is truly the plug-n-play system of gaming consoles. Plug in the power, AV cable, and controller(s) and you are seconds away from gaming. Even getting on the Internet was just a matter of filling out a few information screens and logging in.

GRAPHICS: What can I say? Playstation and Nintendo 64 can't touch this system. In fact, I'd be surprised if my Pentium 500 with 3D acceleration could do what the insides of this small box are doing. Showcase titles include NFL2K and Soul Calibur; these two titles alone will have your friends running out to buy their own system.

SOUND: Excellent on almost every title, yet I was surprised that nothing was offered in Dolby Surround like most of the Playstation games. A few games are in QSound which is a virtual surround sound system used quite a bit back in the SEGA-CD days.

CONTROL: Simply inspired. Gamers who are accustomed to the smaller PSX controllers will have to make some adjustments but N64 veterans will feel right at home. The analog stick is much more precise than either of those other system's similar control pads. The VMU and Jump Pack modules are easy to insert and remove and all perform flawlessly.

SPEED: I did notice that load times, while not nearly as long as Playstation loads, are still noticeably long. But that is to be expected with any non-cartridge game console, especially when the CD's are packing up to a gigabyte of data. Once most games are loaded the menus and game levels load at an acceptable rate. A few games like Blue Stinger had unusually long load times between levels.

The Games

So how about the games? There were 18 games available the day I got my Dreamcast and I picked up a copy of each. Pen Pen Tri-Icelon came in two days later and I grabbed it too. Since these are not full reviews I won't use the standard 10-point rating system. Instead, I will rate the game as a KEEPER (buy this game now), RENTAL (try before you buy), or DUD (don't waste your time). I'll also tell you how long I played each game to form my opinion. So here are mini-reviews for each of the available games you can currently buy for your Dreamcast.

AeroWings - Rental (3 hours)
Don't get this game confused with Airforce Delta. AeroWings is actually a simulator more than an arcade combat game. You will probably want a real joystick to play this game as it was intended. I found the game a little too "busy" for my liking. Having to adjust trim and flaps before taxi and take-off is a bit much for a console jockey like me. The advanced levels where you fly in formation and do stunts with other planes was too intimidating for me to even try. The graphics and sound are excellent but this game will probably not appeal to the majority of Dreamcast owners.

Airforce Delta - Rental (5 hours - finished)
This game is a blast and features the best sensation of speed I have ever experienced in a console flight combat game. Airforce Delta is very much like the Ace Combat series on the Playstation only a lot better graphically. There isn't much to learn on this title; just fly around and shoot all your targets in the 20+ missions. The only reason I ranked this game a Renter is because it is very short and you can probably finish it within a single rental period.

Blue Stinger - Dud (3 hours)
The only thing that got stung was me. This title is lame. The opening movie is quite impressive but once that is over the game goes downhill fast. The story is bad and the action is constantly being interrupted with cut-scenes or radio transmissions. The game is supposed to be scary but with the bright cartoon-like colors it's hard to get frightened. Even the monsters look like throwbacks to John Carpenter's "The Thing." The later bosses are a bit better but you probably won't have the patience to play that far. If you want to be scared by a DC title then wait for Veronica.

Expendable - Dud (4 hours)
The title says it all. The fact that this game was $10 less than any other DC title on the shelf also gave me a clue as to what to expect. The game resembles the classic Ikari Warriors or Contra games from many years ago. For the younger crowd you might want to compare it to ONE or Apocalypse for the PSX. Anyway, the levels are way too dark and even on my 35" TV the main character and all the enemies are about 1/8" tall. In fact the only way you know where your man is most of the time is from where the laser blasts are originating. This is a mindless shooter with really cool special effects but no real substance.

Flag to Flag - Dud (2 hours)
This game is an insult to racing sims and arcade racers alike. There is no physics or strategy. Just keep your finger on the accelerator and hit anyone who gets in your way. The game is also incredibly easy so you'll win every time unless you bump the skill level to hard. Even the good graphics and sound can't make up for the flawed gameplay in this title. Leave it on the shelf.

House of the Dead 2 - Keeper (5 hours)
This game is a blast and when the light gun comes out in a couple of weeks it will be even better. Right now it's a bit tough to play with the standard controller so I am shelving it until my gun arrives. This is a great 2-player game and is a nearly perfect port from the arcade version. The graphics and sound are perfect and are even quite frightening in several locations. Zombie blood is green as always but there are rumors of being able to unlock a code for red blood. No matter what color the splats on the walls are, this game is a Keeper.

Hydro Thunder - Keeper (10 hours)
This title was one of the reasons I caved in and bought a Dreamcast and was also the first game I loaded when I got it home. This is a perfect translation from the arcade and is a blast to play. The courses are progressively difficult so the challenge is there to keep you racing for hours on end. A Jump Pack adds some additional fun to this title.

Monaco Grand Prix - Keeper (6 hours)
The visuals and realism on this title will blow you away. The exceptional control of the car adds to the enjoyment of the best F1 console sim available. Die-hard racers will be upset that there are no real driver names or real tracks (other than Monaco of course) but that is a licensing issue and shouldn't detract from your enjoyment of this game. There is even a Retro Mode, which is much like the Grand Prix Legends game for the PC which is practically an entire game in itself.

Mortal Kombat Gold - Dud (2 hours)
Here is a title that should have never been made. Midway must feel obligated to release a MK game for any system made. When you are going up against Soul Calibur, why even try? Mortal Kombat has had its 15 minutes of fame (if not more) and should die a graceful death. In MK Gold, the product is showing its age with 2D gameplay and sprite-like graphics. Even the fatalities aren't impressive anymore. Unless you are a Mortal Kombat junkie and sold your six other versions of this game then you have no reason to bother with this title.

NFL Blitz 2000 - Rental (4 hours)
This sports title has great graphics, good sound, commentary, plenty of plays, weather, and everything else you've come to expect from the arcade version. The only thing it has going against it is NFL2K. NFL Blitz 2000 just pales in comparison to the realism and features of NFL2K and when given the choice your dollar is best spent on the better game. Feel free to try NFL Blitz 2000 and form your own opinion but once you play NFL2K you'll never go back.

NFL2K - Keeper (20 hours)
I'll be the first to admit that I have never really liked any console or PC sports game...until NOW! This game is breathtaking on so many levels that you simply won't believe your eyes. From the opening movie to the full-featured game and play-by-play commentary, you'll find yourself thinking you are controlling an actual NFL game on Sunday afternoon. Use your VMU screens to make your play selections and your opponent will no longer have that unfair advantage of knowing your play picks. An awesome tutorial mode will get even the most novice gamer started. You'll be making the big plays by the second half of your first game. This is definitely one of the showcase titles for the Dreamcast system.

Pen Pen Tri-Icelon - Rental (5 hours)
This is a cute racing game aimed at the younger kids. Game play is short and you can finish the entire thing in 3-5 hours. The graphics are really good and while track selection is limited, what there is is very good.

Power Stone - Keeper (6 hours)
Any fighting game that goes up against Soul Calibur is going to suffer a bit of extra criticism but CapCom managed to pull this title off. There is plenty of action and little up-front learning time. Not having to memorize huge combo moves is always a plus, and the bright graphics and special effects are fabulous. This game will keep you busy for endless hours of fighting.

Ready 2 Rumble - Rental (4 hours)
This is one of those games that is hard to review -even a mini-review. I don't like boxing (or wrestling); either watching or playing. It just isn't fun or remotely entertaining (to me). But in all fairness to the millions of people who do like it, Ready 2 Rumble is a really good game despite its premise.

Solo play gets old really fast and even playing human opponents wears thin after awhile. The graphics are top-notch and the ability to create a boxer and take him through a career is done really well. The game supports the Jump Pack but I doubt that a person vibrates when hit in the face or body so it's a bit unrealistic. I recommend renting this title and if you don't get tired of it in a few nights then go buy it.

Sonic Adventure - Keeper (6 hours)
SEGA's mascot is back in this 3D extravaganza. Sonic ranks up there with the few showcase titles that all Dreamcast owners must purchase. Multiple characters offer plenty of replay opportunities and the intense 3D action and graphics have to be seen to be believed. The levels are one of this game's best features and the rocking soundtrack will get you pumped up. The 3D camera angles take a bit of getting used to but overall this game is one of the best launch titles you can buy.

Soul Calibur - Keeper (12 hours)
I'd be playing Soul Calibur right now if I weren't writing this review. This game redefines the fighting genre. Nothing can touch it on this or any other system. The fluid graphics, perfect sound, and impressive library of moves and combos puts this game at the top of the launch list. There is so much to do, so many players, arenas to unlock, and quests to complete that you will be playing for a long, long time. The analog controller finally allows me to pull off those tough combos that require a smooth rolling through the directional pad - something I could never do with the regular digital pads. GET THIS GAME!

TNN Motorsports Hardcore Heat - Dud (3 hours)
Off-road racing has never been this bad. The game looks and sounds okay but unrealistic driving and terrible controls makes this one of the worst driving games on the Dreamcast. The action is very slow and has no sense of real speed.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer - Rental (6 hours)
I almost rated this game a Keeper - it is for me, but for a majority of you it may be worth renting only because this is like no other racing game I've ever seen. Tracks are limited to a fixed set of highways and you are always racing at night. Instead of racing from point A to B you find an opponent while cruising the freeway and challenge him to a race. Then your objective is to pass him and stay in the lead for a certain amount of time. The further ahead you are, the faster the timer goes down. Win races and earn money to upgrade your car or buy new cars. This game reminded me of Grand Turismo only with better graphics. While cars look like real-life cars there are no real manufacturers or model names used in this game.

Trickstyle - Keeper (8 hours)
As a veteran of three Cool Boarders games on the Playstation I thought this game would be boring... WRONG! Combine snowboarding with Wipeout and you start to get a feel for Trickstyle. Learning the tracks and the shortcuts are the first things required to even hope to win a race. You can challenge champions in the dome and learn new tricks/stunts when you beat them. Use these stunts to beat the bosses in each of the three cities to earn more stunts and better boards. The control of your rider is perfect and the tracks are detailed and beautifully lit.