What's So Great About the Dreamcast?

[Doom]

I love trollbait. My question was honest. I think I don't need a Dreamcast. At all. Thanks guys!

[ShoothimNow]

Don't even think about forgetting "Chu Chu Rocket"!

[the7k]

He's not saying the Dreamcast has no fighters, guys. He's saying that he's not interested in fighters.

Here's a small overview. Read it to get a bigger picture.
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2007/02/sega-dreamcast-101-beginners-guide.html

Here's a list of all the games on the Dreamcast that are still great to this day. Granted, many have been ported - but disturbingly, not all have.
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2006/10/best-dreamcast-games-for-today-top.html

These are the Dreamcast games that have, most puzzling, not been ported to other consoles.
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/sega/dreamcast/2007/07/sega-dreamcast-exclusives-the-dream-lives-on.html

Not being a fighting game fan doesn't mean you will have no reason to get a Dreamcast. There's still plenty of unique games that have not be ported yet.

As a fighting game fan, I have plenty of reason to both need a Dreamcast and to ridicule anyone I know that doesn't have one. Otherwise, I can recommend:
Jet Grind Radio
Chu Chu Rocket (This Is Important! The GBA version DOES NOT suffice!)
Giga Wing 1 & 2
Mars Matrix
Shenmue
Zero Gunner 2
Virtual On
Daytona USA 2001
Cosmic Smash (This is one of my favorites. I really wish it would get a PSN & XBLA port)
Cannon Spike
Maken X

I haven't played Lack of Love, but I've heard good things. Also, I really enjoyed Sword of the Berserk, Record of Lodoss War and Gunbird 2, which aren't listed on the Exclusives list even though they haven't been ported.

Also, keep in mind that the Dreamcast has the healthiest homebrew scene of any console. You'll never be in want of a game and not be able to find one.

The reason the Dreamcast 'deserved' to fail was that it was providing unique experiences. The games were filled with heart and soul, and the creator's brilliance got a real chance to shine through. And for that, they fell to a corporate giant who was more than willing to deny many a great game on their platform because they weren't taking advantage of whatever hot new trend they dictated to be necessary for their platform.

And seriously, I don't understand how any serious gamer could not have a Dreamcast by now. Go to a flea market. You will find one, and most likely, for less than $20 w/ extra controllers and games.

[BadChad]

I didnt know about Bangai-O. Looks hard as shit but fun. Ill have to try it out.

[sheep2001]

What about: (from a quick glance at my DC shelf)
Metropolis Street Racer
Mr Driller
F355 Passione Rossa
Tony Hawk 1 & 2 (better than PS1 versions)
Vanishing Point (Better than PS2 version)

and IMO Heavy Metal Geomatrix and Floigan Brothers are well worth a play.

From the price that you can pick up a DC for these days, usually with a bunch of good to great games, i would say any collector should grab one.

[KaiserWAVE]

I honestly think that in terms of realism and overall car handling (not that I have been fortunate enough to drive a F355 myself) F355 Passione Rossa is to this day THE best realistic driving game. Even better than any Gran Tursimo up to part 4 or Forza or PGR. It's hard as hell, but so incredibly rewarding. But even that was not an exclusive. The DC version is superior to the PS2 version but still no exclusive.

I'd say the best exclusives for Dreamcast, the ones that would match Doom's criteria would be Outtrigger, Toy Commander and Daytona USA.

[AppleQueso]

I love trollbait. My question was honest. I think I don't need a Dreamcast. At all. Thanks guys!

so are you just going to ignore the several games mentioned that DO fit your criteria or what?

[MedaForce]

You're absoutely right, all fantastic reason to own a Dreamcast. But based on Doom's criteria: Sonic Adventure 1&2 were ported to Gamecube, Shenmue 2 to Xbox, Resident Evil Code: Veronica to Gamecube and Playstation 2 - all fantastic games but no longer Dreamcast exclusives.

Sonic Adventure 1 on the GameCube was a awful port, for me it was painful to play.
Sonic Adventure 2 on the other had was a Great Port.

He's not saying the Dreamcast has no fighters, guys. He's saying that he's not interested in fighters.

Oops! My bad I miss read that. :p

[PDDestro]

Here's a small overview. Read it to get a bigger picture.
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2007/02/sega-dreamcast-101-beginners-guide.html

Here's a list of all the games on the Dreamcast that are still great to this day. Granted, many have been ported - but disturbingly, not all have.
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2006/10/best-dreamcast-games-for-today-top.html

These are the Dreamcast games that have, most puzzling, not been ported to other consoles.
http://www.racketboy.com/retro/sega/dreamcast/2007/07/sega-dreamcast-exclusives-the-dream-lives-on.html

And seriously, I don't understand how any serious gamer could not have a Dreamcast by now. Go to a flea market. You will find one, and most likely, for less than $20 w/ extra controllers and games.

I've had my Dreamcast hooked up to my main living room TV since I first bought it Sept. '99! I just had a mini tourney with some friends this past weekend on Garou: MotW!  

Revisiting those links you posted brought back so many memories! So many great games in roughly 2 years time! Sure, a ton of them have been ported in one form or another since then, but fuck, the variety and ingenuity of what was put out by Sega, Capcom, et al. was just awesome!

My wife and I still reminisce about playing PSO for way too many hours on end back in 2001 when our relationship was in its first year. 

That reminds me, I still never finished Grandia II...

[Psychlonic]

There are too many good games to mention but it almost looks like this topic was made with a predetermination to not get a DC regardless so I won't waste time listing them.

However, I'm surprised light wasn't brought onto the fact that the Gamecube port of Skies of Arcadia had several features cut back making the DC version far better. In addition, while Shenmue 2 was ported to XBox, the value of the DC version was that you could import your save from the original and end up with different fighting styles and items you'd never be able to get on XBox. There we no enhancements on XBox other than the game being a single DVD. I thought the Sonic Adventure ports were straight across the board, with the Dreamcast having an edge if you're into the Chao mini-games as the VMU was integral to raising a superior racing Chao.

Dreamcast probably did deserve to fail; it was marketed poorly by a company who gave up on it way too early. Many titles felt very experimental in nature, showing off really awesome features but not quite creating the full game experience. That said, for all these quirky titles there were plenty of gems. At it's price today, the system is surely worth owning. Glad everyone else realizes this.

[Doom]

It did deserve (or at least was destined) to fail - being CD(ish) based like SEGA's last 1.5 consoles when DVDs were a HUGE selling point for the PS2. (DVD drives probably would be VERY expensive if they were put into the DC from the start, but it still caused it to fail)

My criteria for buying it is very strict because I don't think I need it alongside a PC and the other consoles I already have. Sorry SEGA fans! I can't find very many games on the PS2 that I should get because most of the "best" PS2 games are also on Xbox or GC.

[AppleQueso]

Has anybody pointed out yet that a huge chunk of the better dreamcast games (and saturn games for that matter) are really expensive nowadays?

[Psychlonic]

You're right, there really aren't any good games for it. Don't waste your time stooping to other folks' level, let them enjoy their inferior system for some inexplicable reason. After all, gaming is about good taste, not personal enjoyment. God forbid anyone enjoy that failure of a system with no good games on it. I'm right and you know it! Argue and I'll ignore you and post a witty picture.

[Doom]

WTF? I hereby grant all DC owners a one-time non transferable license to enjoy Dreamcast games. I asked, you answered. I'm sorry that there aren't enough games that interest me on it.

[Psychlonic]

That would rock if I were still a Dreamcast owner. As it were, I sold mine back in 2008. I also owned a PS2 right alongside my DC and probably contributed to it's demise. I never said anything about being a Dreamcast/Sega fan. Love the picture about jumping to conclusions, by the way.