(Redirected from Sonic Adventure: Limited Edition)
Sonic Adventure | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Sonic Team |
Publisher(s) | Sega |
Director(s) | Takashi Iizuka |
Producer(s) | Yuji Naka |
Programmer(s) | Tetsu Katano |
Artist(s) | |
Writer(s) | Akinori Nishiyama |
Composer(s) |
|
Series | Sonic the Hedgehog |
Platform(s) | |
Release |
|
Genre(s) | Platform, action |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Sonic Adventure[a] is a 1998 platform game for Sega's Dreamcast, and the first main Sonic the Hedgehog game to feature three-dimensional (3D) gameplay. The story follows Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles 'Tails' Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, Amy Rose, Big the Cat, and E-102 Gamma in their quests to collect the seven Chaos Emeralds and stop Doctor Robotnik from unleashing Chaos. Controlling one of the six characters—each with their own special abilities—players explore a series of themed levels to progress through the story. Outside the main game, players can play minigames like racing and interact with Chao, a virtual pet.
Following the cancellation of the Sega Saturn game Sonic X-treme, Sonic Team began work on Sonic Adventure in 1997. A 60-member development team created the game in ten months, drawing inspiration from locations in Peru and Guatemala. Yuji Uekawa redesigned the characters for their transition to 3D, and features were added to take advantage of the Dreamcast hardware. Sega announced the game in August 1998; it was released in Japan that December and worldwide in September 1999.
The game received critical acclaim and, with 2.5 million copies sold by August 2006, became the Dreamcast's bestseller. Reviewers lauded the visuals and gameplay, calling it a major technological advancement; some speculated that it could re-establish Sega as the dominant console manufacturer after the relatively unsuccessful Saturn. Others were frustrated by the camera controls and glitches, and reactions to its audio were mixed. Despite this, journalists have ranked Sonic Adventure among the best Sonic games, and it is recognized as an important release in both the series and the platform genre. A sequel, Sonic Adventure 2, was released in 2001.
Sonic Adventure was ported to the GameCube and Windows in 2003 as Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut, featuring updated graphics and more challenges. A high-definition version was released digitally for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2010, and for Windows in 2011. Reviews for these versions were less positive; critics felt the game was not ported well to newer hardware and that it had not aged well, while running at an inconsistent frame rate.
- 3Development
- 5Reception
Gameplay[edit]
Gameplay screenshot showing Sonic in one of the game's levels, Speed Highway.
Sonic Adventure is a 3D platform game with action and role-playing elements.[1] Players control one of six anthropomorphic protagonists as they venture to defeat Doctor Robotnik and his robot army, who seek the seven magical Chaos Emeralds and the evil entity Chaos. Six player characters are unlocked as the game progresses, each with their own story and attributes. Sonic the Hedgehog performs a spin dash, homing attack, and light-speed dash; Miles 'Tails' Prower flies, swims, and attacks robots using his tails; Knuckles the Echidna glides, climbs walls, and punches; Amy Rose can defeat enemies using her hammer; Big the Cat is slow and carries a fishing rod he can cast; and E-102 Gamma can shoot laser beams.[2][3]
At the start of the game, the player is placed in one of several Adventure Fields, open-ended hub worlds inhabited by advice-giving non-player characters. The player character is guided and instructed by the voice of Tikal the Echidna. Through exploration, the player discovers entrances to levels called Action Stages, some of which must be opened using keys hidden in the Adventure Field.[4]:141–142 Once the player accesses an Action Stage, they are tasked with a specific objective, which is different for each character.[5] Sonic and Amy must reach the level's end; Tails must reach the end before Sonic; Knuckles must find three hidden shards of the Master Emerald; Big must fish for his pet frog; and Gamma must fight his way through stages using projectiles as a defense.[3][4]:140
Some levels include minigames separate from the main story. These feature different styles of gameplay, among them rail shooting, racing, and sandboarding. Some minigames can only be accessed with particular characters. Fulfilling certain objectives allows the player to obtain bonus items. Unlocked minigames and stages the player has completed can be accessed from a Trial Mode on the title screen.[3]
Like previous Sonic the Hedgehog games, players collect golden rings as a form of health: if the player character is in possession of rings when they are hit by an enemy or other hazard, they will survive, but their rings will scatter and blink before disappearing. Canisters containing power-ups such as speed shoes, additional rings, invincibility, and elemental shields are also hidden in levels. In several stages, the player engages Robotnik or Chaos in a boss fight and must deplete the boss's health meter to proceed.[6][7] Each character starts with a limited number of lives, and the player loses a life if the character drowns, gets crushed, or is hit without any rings in their possession. The game ends when the player runs out of lives. Lives can be replenished by collecting 100 rings or a 1-up.[3]
Players may also discover Chao Gardens, hidden, protective environments inhabited by Chao, a virtual pet. Players can hatch, name, and interact with a Chao,[6] and raise the status of their Chao by giving it small animals found by defeating robots. The Dreamcast's handheld Visual Memory Unit (VMU) allows the player to download the minigameChao Adventure, in which their Chao walks through a course to evolve and improve its skills.[5][8] Evolving one's Chao improves its performance in competitions called Chao Races. Eggs that can produce special types of Chao are hidden throughout the Adventure Fields. Players can earn emblems by playing through Action Stages, searching through the Adventure Fields, or winning Chao Races.[2][9] Each Action Stage has three emblems that can be earned by replaying the stages and fulfilling objectives, such as beating the level within a time limit.[3]
Plot[edit]
Doctor Robotnik seeks a new way to defeat his longtime nemesis Sonic and conquer the world. During his research, he learns about an entity called Chaos—a creature that, thousands of years ago, helped to protect the Chao and the all-powerful Master Emerald, which balances the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds. When a tribe of echidnas sought to steal the power of the Emeralds, breaking the harmony they had with the Chao, Chaos retaliated by using the Emeralds' power to transform into a monstrous beast, Perfect Chaos, and wipe them out. Before it could destroy the world, Tikal, a young echidna who befriended Chaos, imprisoned it in the Master Emerald along with herself.
Seeking to use Chaos, Robotnik releases it from the Master Emerald, and tests the creature's natural form on the city of Station Square. When Sonic sees local police fail to defeat it, he and Tails work to stop Robotnik from empowering it with the Chaos Emeralds. At the same time, Knuckles, the only remaining echidna, sets out to find the shards of the Master Emerald and repair it. Activating a new series of robots, including one named Gamma, Robotnik orders them to find Froggy, an amphibian who had eaten a Chaos Emerald after mutating from contact with a piece of Chaos the night he was released. His owner Big seeks to find him as well. In Station Square, Sonic's friend Amy finds a Flicky being pursued for a Chaos Emerald in its possession, and decides to protect it. When both are captured, Amy convinces Gamma not to work for Robotnik, who helps her to escape, before seeking out and destroying the other robots in his series, sacrificing himself in the process.
Despite Sonic managing to disrupt Robotnik's plans, Chaos manages to absorb all the Chaos Emeralds. Transforming into Perfect Chaos, it rebels against Robotnik and attacks Station Square, devastating the city. Having experienced flashbacks from Tikal, who was released herself, Sonic realizes that Chaos has been in constant torment and sorrow, and that imprisoning it again will not stop it. Using the Emeralds brought to him by the others to transform into his super form, Sonic fights Perfect Chaos and defeats it. Returned to normal, Chaos calms down when he sees the Chao living peacefully in Station Square. Realizing its pain is gone, Tikal decides to take it somewhere safe to live in peace. With Sonic having won, he decides to leave to pursue a fleeing Robotnik.
Development[edit]
Background and concept[edit]
During the early 1990s, Sega was one of the most successful video game companies due to its Genesis console. Sales for the console were driven by the popularity of its flagship franchise of 2D platformers, Sonic the Hedgehog.[10] During this time, series co-creator Yuji Naka worked with Sega Technical Institute (STI) in the United States to develop Sonic games. After the completion of Sonic & Knuckles in 1994, Naka moved to work with Sonic Team in Japan.[11] STI began developing Sonic X-treme for the Sega Saturn, which would have been the first Sonic the Hedgehog game to feature full 3D gameplay. X-treme suffered a series of setbacks and was canceled in 1997.[12][13] The cancellation is an important factor in the Saturn's commercial failure; without it, the system had no original Sonic platformer.[14] Meanwhile, Naka and Sonic Team developed original Saturn games, such as Nights into Dreams.[4]:67[15] Due to the series' relative lack of presence on the Saturn,[b] according to Retro Gamer, '[b]y mid-1997 Sonic had essentially been shuffled into the background.. it was astonishing to see that just six years after his debut, Sonic was already retro.'[10]
Naka still wanted to make a 3D Sonic game, and felt that only Sonic Team should do it; for this reason, he refused to let STI use the Nightsgame engine for X-treme, a factor in that game's cancellation.[17][18] In August 1996, Nights into Dreams designer Takashi Iizuka proposed a role-playing-style Sonic game with a greater emphasis on storytelling, which formed the basis of Sonic Adventure.[19][20] Iizuka felt that Sonic fans had been let down because the team was not focusing on the series. Additionally, Kazuyuki Hoshino, who would serve as art director on Sonic Adventure, said he thought during the Saturn era Sonic had become outdated and strove to reinvent the character.[10]
Sonic Team started to work on Sonic Adventure in April 1997 on the Saturn with a 20-strong team.[4]:139[20] Sonic Team created the first prototype using the Nights engine,[18] but the Saturn's limited capabilities made development difficult.[4]:65 Sega president Hayao Nakayama informed Naka of the Saturn's successor, the Dreamcast, and he believed the new console would allow Sonic Team to create the ultimate Sonic game.[4]:67 When the team learned the Dreamcast was nearing completion, they moved development to take advantage of its greater quantity of RAM, stronger CPU, and the VMU. Not wanting to waste their completed work, they placed it as a bonus in the compilation gameSonic Jam, the final Sonic game for the Saturn.[4]:65[20] In July 1997, Sonic Team began redeveloping Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast, and the team expanded to 60.[20]
Iizuka served as director on Sonic Adventure, while Naka produced.[21] Although at the time one of the largest video games created,[1][22][23]Sonic Adventure was completed in a relatively brief 10 months.[20] Sonic Team undertook development in conjunction with the Dreamcast, aiming to release the game in December 1998, even if it meant making improvements after release.[4]:69[23] Developing Sonic Adventure at the same time as the system, which was not completed until two months before the game's release,[24] gave Iizuka influence over the console's development;[25] for example, he was able to request more RAM for the console specifically for Sonic Adventure.[23]
Art direction[edit]
Yuji Uekawa redesigned Sonic to appear slimmer and more 'mature'.
Sonic Team felt challenged by the new hardware to recreate Sonic and his world in a new way.[26] They began development using the character designs from the Genesis games, but quickly discovered the characters' bodies were too short and their heads too big, making them difficult to see. Yuji Uekawa redesigned each character to suit the transition to 3D and to give them 'new, edgy, more Western' design.[26] Looking to the animation of Walt Disney and Looney Tunes for inspiration, he made Sonic more mature, taller, and slimmer, and gave him longer quills. He darkened his blue color and gave him green irises in reference to Green Hill Zone. Uekawa tried to make Sonic look like a comic book character and compared the style to graffiti. After redesigning Sonic, he made the other characters fit this new art style.[26]
Because Sonic Adventure was a Dreamcast launch title, the team strove to demonstrate the console's capabilities with realistic graphics, which they felt would appeal to consumers. To achieve a more realistic feel for the environments, the core members of Sonic Team visited temples, jungles, and ancient ruins in Mesoamerican landscapes, including Cancun, Guatemala, and Peru. While Sonic Team members had to draw artwork by hand for games in the past, for Sonic Adventure they were able to use photographs taken during their visits as textures.[10] The greatest influences were the Tikal ruin in Guatemala and Machu Picchu in Peru.[25] The character Tikal was inspired by Peru and took her name from the Guatemalan ruins. The team also wanted to add elements unexpected in a platform game; the level in which Tails sandboards was inspired by a group of sandboarders in Ica, Peru.[4]:68[19] The 3D visuals were created using a Voodoo2 graphics chip.[20]
Design[edit]
One of the biggest challenges the designers faced was transitioning the series' 2D style to 3D.[23] In the Genesis Sonic games, the player simply had to go right to reach the end of a level, but in Sonic Adventure they could move in every direction. The designers created models for the stages before testing it as the player character, resulting in trial and error.[10] Some levels, such as the Lost World, were rebuilt dozens of times;[19][27] others referenced past Sega games, such as Ice Cap (Sonic the Hedgehog 3) and the Tornado levels (Panzer Dragoon).[4]:142 One particular difficulty was defeating enemies; in the 2D games, enemies were beaten simply by jumping on them, but this was harder to achieve in a 3D game. Therefore, Sonic was given the ability to target enemies in mid-air.[19] Iizuka said the cinematic sequences were conceived to take advantage of the environments, 'giving the player an element of discovery in addition to the platforming'.[23][25]
Stages featured gameplay similar to the original Genesis games and were designed to take at least five minutes to complete.[22] Sonic Team split levels into parts to save memory. Because Sonic Adventure had a stronger emphasis on storytelling than previous games in the series, the team implemented hub worlds to 'draw the players deeper into the world.' The hub worlds' emphasis on exploring to find new areas and power-ups was inspired by The Legend of Zelda.[10] When seeing the completed level designs, Iizuka and Naka decided to re-purpose them for other player characters.[22] Iizuka said they felt it would be 'a waste if Sonic just quickly ran through the levels that we spent so much time creating'. The first characters besides Sonic added to the game were Tails and Knuckles; Tails' stages turned portions of Sonic's levels into races, while Knuckles' treasure-hunting missions were designed as a contrast to the others' straightforward ones. Sonic Adventure was the first time Amy was playable in a Sonic platformer, and Iizuka aimed to use her to add tension, such as hiding from pursuers, that Sonic's gameplay could not offer.[10]
Sonic Adventure features two new playable characters, Big and Gamma.[10] Sonic Team had already implemented an in-game fishing rod with no context or use, leading to the creation of Big.[28] Big was designed to be giant and relaxed so the player would not expect something more intense.[10] Gamma and his playstyle were created in response to fans who wanted elements of a shoot 'em up in Sonic[22][19] and because of Iizuka's desire to include 'some type of satisfying gameplay that couldn't be done with Sonic'.[10] Neither Big nor Gamma were intended to play a large role, thus both of their campaigns were short.[29] Iizuka also wanted to create a villain who would have been impossible to make on older hardware. He settled on something liquid and transparent and created Chaos. Iizuka presented the concept to Naka, who was impressed.[19] Chaos was originally intended to have realistic blue scales in his final form, but this was abandoned because of the technological constraints of the Dreamcast.[30]
According to Iizuka, the team tried to include as much content as possible.[23] One addition was the Chao-raising system, which Iizuka conceived to take advantage of the VMU.[4]:70 Sonic Team had used a similar virtual pet system, the 'A-Life', in Nights into Dreams;[19] Iizuka used the A-Life as a base, while improving it with the VMU and the option to improve its skills.[4]:71 Iizuka hoped it would be made into a character players could touch and raise.[25] It was also designed to appeal to casual gamers not familiar with games like Sonic,[19] and to add replay value.[31] The design took considerable time to finalize and had to be made as simple as possible because the virtual pet's look changes form as it evolves.[25]
Audio[edit]
While some Sonic games, such as 1993's Sonic CD, contained limited voice work, Sonic Adventure was the first Sonic game to feature extensive voice acting.[1] The decision was made early in development as the game was more story-focused than previous Sonic games. Sonic Team's staff had differing opinions about how Sonic should sound. Iizuka recalled that the only element they agreed on was to avoid using an anime voice actor, favoring a film actor with an 'over-the-top' voice.[23] Sonic Team cast Jun'ichi Kanemaru as Sonic. In an interview celebrating his 30th anniversary as a voice actor, Kanemaru said one reason he was cast was because of his ability to speak English.[32] The English-language voice cast consists of Ryan Drummond as Sonic,[33] Corey Bringas as Tails, Michael McGaharn as Knuckles, Jennifer Douillard as Amy, Jon St. John as Big, and Deem Bristow as Robotnik.[21]
Sonic Adventure's score was primarily composed by Jun Senoue, with additional music by Fumie Kumatani, Kenichi Tokoi, and Masaru Setsumaru.[34][35] The group created the main theme, 'Open Your Heart';[21] other vocal themes were performed by Marion Saunders, Dred Foxx, Ted Poley, Nikki Gregoroff, Tony Harnell, and Johnny Gioeli.[4]:143 The team preferred 'hot, funky, and rock 'n' roll' music over the electropop of earlier Sonic games.[22][11] Iizuka stated the style was adopted because the Dreamcast's sound was a significant advance from that of the Genesis.[23] Some tracks were rearranged from the 1996 game Sonic 3D Blast.[36] A two-disc soundtrack, Sonic Adventure 'Digi-LOG Conversation' Original Sound Track, was released in Japan in January 1999.[37] In May 2011, a 20th anniversary edition of the soundtrack was released.[38] Digital versions were also released on iTunes and Spotify in September 2014 and January 2017, respectively.[39][40][41]Brave Wave Productions released a vinyl LP version of the soundtrack including interviews with Senoue and Iizuka in 2018.[42]
Release[edit]
The original Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast (top) compared to Sonic Adventure DX on the GameCube (bottom)
Sonic Adventure was kept a secret during production,[20][22] though screenshots were leaked in mid-1998 and plans for a 3D Sonic game had long been rumored.[22][43] It was unveiled by Naka and the rest of Sonic Team on August 22, 1998,[22] at the Tokyo International Forum. The team showed off several dynamic elements, such as a chase sequence from the first level and Tails' sandboarding sequence. Naka described the debut as intense, having '[given his] all' to make it fit for release.[4]:69
On December 23, 1998, Sonic Adventure was released in Japan.[44] The Japanese version shipped with many glitches and camera problems; several members of Sonic Team flew to Sega of America to patch the game, delaying its western release for several months.[4]:69 The localized version was released in North America on September 9, 1999,[45] and in Europe on September 23, 1999.[46] It includes Japanese and English-language audio tracks, as well as Japanese, English, Spanish, French and German subtitles.[47] Online features—including Chao daycare and downloadable content (DLC) such as minigames and new level assets—were also added.[48] The localized version was later released in Japan as Sonic Adventure International.[4]:69[49]
Prior to the launch of the Dreamcast in the United States, Sega made an exclusive deal with Hollywood Video to allow customers to rent the Dreamcast console along with a non-retail version of the game, Sonic Adventure: Limited Edition.[50][51] The promotion began on July 15, 1999 and took place at 1,055 Hollywood Video stores across the country.[52]
In 2001, Sega announced it would transition from a first-party to a third-party software publisher.[53][54] Wanting to reach new players by creating an enhanced version of one of their older games, in June 2003 Sega released Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut, a port of Sonic Adventure for the GameCube and Windows.[4]:141[19] While mostly identical to the original release, Sonic Adventure DX features updated graphics, including higher-resolution textures and more detailed character models,[9] has a locked frame rate of 60 frames per second,[2] and sports a redesigned Chao-raising system that uses connectivity with the Game Boy Advance (GBA). It includes 60 new missions and the option to unlock all 12 Sonic games released for the Game Gear.[9]Metal Sonic can be unlocked as a playable character if all 130 emblems are collected.[55] These features were added to appeal to players of the original game.[4]:141
In September 2010, Sega rereleased Sonic Adventure as a downloadable game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, followed by a Windows release in March 2011 via Steam.[56][57][58] This version is based on Sonic Adventure DX and supports high-definition visuals,[56] but the new missions, Metal Sonic, and the Game Gear games were removed; the missions and Metal Sonic can be reimplemented by purchasing them as DLC.[59] The game was also included in the Dreamcast Collection compilation in 2011,[60] and is backwards-compatible with the Xbox One.[61]
Reception[edit]
Reception (Dreamcast) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
As the first fully 3D Sonic platform game, Sonic Adventure was highly anticipated.[6][22] It received critical acclaim,[4]:143[62] and some critics called it one of the greatest video games of all time.[46][64] It is the bestselling Dreamcast game; by August 4, 2006, it had sold 2.5 million copies, including 440,000 in Japan and 1.27 million in the United States.[4]:143[65]
The visuals and presentation attracted wide acclaim.[6][66]Arcade magazine described it as a 'quantum leap forward' in aesthetics and visual detail in video games,[66] and Hyper estimated they even exceeded what was possible on high-end personal computers.[67]IGN called it the most graphically impressive platform game released up to that date, praising its cinematic sequences and describing it as 'engrossing, demanding, and utterly awe-inspiring'.[6]GameSpot agreed and said only Soulcalibur's graphical quality surpassed that of Sonic Adventure.[7]Edge felt the graphical features showed off the Dreamcast's potential to the fullest and that the game was 'perfect' as a showcase for the system.[22]
The audio received mixed responses.[5][7]GameSpot and Game Revolution called the full-motion video (FMV) cutscenes and voice acting well-produced and fitting, though GameSpot noted poor lip-synching.[5][7]IGN thought the cutscenes were repetitive and voiced strong disapproval of the voice acting, declaring it 'a complete joke' and 'downright awful'. IGN had a particular distaste for Tails' voice, and retrospectively called it among the most annoying to feature in a video game.[6][68]AllGame was conflicted; they appreciated Tails' portrayal but found Sonic's and Knuckles' voices unfitting.[8]GameSpot and AllGame praised the rock-style music,[7][8] but Game Revolution described the score as 'absolutely horrible'.[5]
The gameplay was generally praised.[27][69]GameSpot admired the straightforward, linear approach to the 3D platform genre and particularly praised it for keeping the basic gameplay of the original Genesis games.[7]IGN said the game would keep players busy even after completion, noting its internet connectivity and other extras.[6] On the other hand, Game Revolution said apart from being quicker, it did not advance the platform genre's design.[5] Retrospectively, 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die called its environments vast and twisted, stating it 'brilliantly' captured traditional Sonic elements.[27]
The Chao minigame was noted as a major departure from the gameplay of the series.[5][8]GameSpot wrote that 'while really just a diversion', the Chao were an interesting, fun addition, singling out their internet functions as a highlight.[7]AllGame said the Chao helped increase the replay value, although it was 'strange', required patience, and did not provide bonuses in the main game.[8]Game Revolution called the Chao 'a neat addition' and praised its use of the VMU.[5]
Some critics compared Sonic Adventure to Super Mario 64—Nintendo's 'groundbreaking' 1996 game that propelled the Nintendo 64 and the 3D platform genre.[22][8]Edge said Sonic Adventure was a worthy rival to Super Mario 64,[22] but AllGame wrote that Sonic Adventure was not as ambitious and that those looking for exploration would be disappointed with its linear gameplay. They compared it to the similarly linear Crash Bandicoot but felt Sonic Adventure was more confined. Still, they praised the gameplay as varied and said its replay value was strong.[8] Game journalists Rusel DeMaria and Johnny L. Wilson retrospectively wrote Sonic Adventure was not as strong as Super Mario 64 and 'failed to catch on with players in nearly the way that [Mario] had done', though it had fascinating features, such as 'the use of the Tamagotchi-like memory card to incubate eggs for little pet creatures' and 'some good action segments'.[70]
The camera system and glitches were criticized by many reviewers.[71]IGN called the camera 'incredibly' frustrating and inconsistent, and GameSpot noted it caused problems with collision detection.[6][7]Edge complained the camera sometimes goes behind walls.[63] Authors from GamesRadar retrospectively wrote that Sonic Adventure was 'horrendously buggy', singling out falling through floors and getting stuck, but also said the sheer amount of content made up for this.[71]
GameSpot thought Sonic Adventure redefined the possibilities of the platform genre,[7] and according to Computer and Video Games (CVG), 'many things you thought were impossible to see and experience in computer games are now here'.[46]AllGame wrote that the game was an impressive showing of the Dreamcast's potential and that it was among the best of the series.[8]Edge said its criticisms such as scenery pop-up and instances of poor collision detection are 'minor flaws in an otherwise very fine piece of work'.[63]Arcade and CVG speculated the game could save the Dreamcast,[66][72] which had not sold well by the end of 1998.[66]CVG also thought it could re-establish Sega as the dominant console manufacturer after the relatively unsuccessful Saturn.[72]
Rereleases[edit]
Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut was received less positively than the original.[73]GameSpot was disappointed the rerelease did not address the problems of the original version, irritated the graphics were only marginally different, and dissatisfied with its collision detection. They offered some praise for the extra features, such as the missions, but concluded players were better off playing the Dreamcast version.[2]IGN agreed, calling it 'a sloppy port of a game that has long been undeserving of its high praise.' IGN noted its frequent frame rate drops and called its camera one of the worst they had ever seen. They said the connectivity to the GBA Sonic games added depth but concluded this did not compensate for the problems in the port.[9]Nintendo World Report was more positive, praising the Game Gear games for retaining their multiplayer support and finding Sonic and Tails’ gameplay enjoyable.[36]
Reviews of the 2010 rerelease were generally unfavorable;[74] most of the criticism was directed at the perceived lack of effort put into the port.[56][75]IGN called it 'so fundamentally flawed that it borders on unplayable', observing that the sections that worked best required the least input from the player. They criticized the lack of widescreen support but offered minor praise for its steady frame rate.[75]1UP.com lambasted the port for what they called its slapdash quality, criticizing its display, controls, and dated design, and saying it 'feels like it wasn't even tuned for the Xbox 360 controller and its analog sticks'.[56]Destructoid was less harsh, writing that fans of the franchise would be able to enjoy the game but warned casual players that 'all you'll find is a relic that was once considered greatness', and that it pained them to say that.[76]
Legacy[edit]
Prior to the release of Sonic Adventure, most 3D platform games focused on exploration and collecting items; Sonic Adventure changed this with its linear gameplay.[7] According to GamesRadar, it was one of the first sixth-generation console games and changed the industry 'forever', despite its glitches.[71]Joystiq wrote that both Adventure and the original Sonic the Hedgehog had innovated through effective linear level design and by feeling 'good to play'.[77] In 2009, GamePro listed Sonic Adventure as the seventh-best platform game of all time, saying it had not aged well in certain aspects but its core gameplay remained among the best of the Sonic series.[69] Several journalists ranked the game among the series' best,[78][79] but Kotaku argued the addition of voice acting and greater focus on plot changed Sonic into 'a flat, lifeless husk of a character, who spits out slogans and generally has only one personality mode, the radical attitude dude, the sad recycled image of vague '90s cultural concept'.[80]
Many of Sonic Adventure's designs and concepts were reused in later Sonic games. The direction, basic gameplay, and Uekawa's modernized character designs became series staples.[81][26] One level in the 2006 Sonic the Hedgehogreboot heavily references Sonic Adventure's Emerald Coast stage.[82] To celebrate the Sonic series' 20th anniversary in 2011, Sega released Sonic Generations, which reused aspects from past games in the franchise. The Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows versions contain reimagined versions of the Speed Highway level and the Perfect Chaos boss fight,[83][84] and the Nintendo 3DS version contains a remake of Emerald Coast.[85]
Several characters that first appeared in Sonic Adventure appeared in later games. As well as appearing in Sonic Generations, Chaos is an antagonist in the 2017 entry Sonic Forces;[86] it and Gamma are playable characters in the 2004 fighting gameSonic Battle;[87] and a recreation of its boss fight appears in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games.[88] The Chao creatures also feature predominantly in later games.[29][89] One of the characters introduced in Adventure, Big the Cat, became infamous for his negative reception. Game Informer considered his gameplay painful and boring,[90] while Destructoid decried his portrayal as a 'mentally handicapped imbecile' and his voice actor's incoherent performance.[76] Big is widely considered by video game journalists the worst character in the Sonic franchise,[90][91][92] and was named one of the worst game characters in a poll conducted by 1UP.com.[93]
On October 4, 1999, Sega announced that a sequel to Sonic Adventure was in development.[94]Sonic Adventure 2 made its debut at E3 2000[95] and was released in June 2001.[96] The sequel was designed to be more action-oriented than the slower-paced, story-centric Adventure and to give all the characters equal playtime.[29] Like its predecessor, Sonic Adventure 2 received positive reviews.[97] A concept for Sonic Adventure 3 was reworked into the 2008 game Sonic Unleashed.[98] In 2017, Iizuka stated there were no plans for a third Sonic Adventure game, saying it would not advance the series' design. He did not rule out the idea, saying 'If we can get the gameplay to evolve and get to a place where Adventure 3 makes sense, then you might see an Adventure 3 come out'.[99] In December 2018, Iizuka expressed interest in remakingSonic Adventure.[100]
The plot of Sonic Adventure was adapted in the second season of the 2003 Sonic the Hedgehoganime series Sonic X. American licensing corporation 4Kids Entertainment hired a new voice cast for the English-language dub but the Japanese cast from the games reprised their roles in the original version of the show.[101]Archie Comics also adapted the game in its Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series. The comic offered an explanation for the altered character designs and established that Station Square was hidden beneath Sonic's planet, Mobius.[102]
Notes[edit]
- ^Japanese: ソニックアドベンチャーHepburn: Sonikku Adobenchā?
- ^Only three Sonic games were produced for the Saturn: Sonic 3D Blast in 1996, and Sonic Jam and Sonic R in 1997. Sonic R was the only original game in the series for the Saturn, as 3D Blast and Jam were ports of Genesis games.[16]
References[edit]
- ^ abc'First Look at Sonic Adventure'(PDF). Computer and Video Games (203). October 1998. Archived(PDF) from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^ abcdVaranini, Giancarlo (June 23, 2003). 'Sonic Adventure DX Director's Cut Review'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ^ abcdeSonic Adventure instruction manual. Sega. 1999.
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstPétronille, Marc; Audureau, William (2014). The History of Sonic the Hedgehog. Pix'n Love. ISBN978-1926778969.
- ^ abcdefghiFerris, Colin (September 1, 1999). 'At least Chao don't piddle on the rug . . . Review'. Game Revolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ^ abcdefghiJustice, Brandon (September 8, 1999). 'Sonic Adventure'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ^ abcdefghijkBartholow, Peter (December 31, 1998). 'Sonic Adventure Review'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 29, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ^ abcdefghiMarriott, Scott. 'Sonic Adventure – Review'. AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
- ^ abcdCasamassina, Matt (June 20, 2003). 'Sonic Adventure DX Director's Cut Review'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ^ abcdefghijThorpe, Nick (December 28, 2018). 'The Making of: Sonic Adventure'. Retro Gamer. PressReader. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ abSmith, Sean (June 22, 2006). 'Company Profile: Sonic Team'. Retro Gamer. Vol. 3 no. 26. Imagine Publishing. p. 27.
- ^Fahs, Travis (May 29, 2008). 'Sonic X-treme Revisited'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^'The Making of Sonic X-treme'. Edge: 100–103. July 2007.
- ^Buchanan, Levi (February 2, 2009). 'What Hath Sonic Wrought? Vol. 10 – Saturn Feature at IGN'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
- ^Towell, Justin (June 23, 2012). 'Super-rare 1990 Sonic The Hedgehog prototype is missing'. GamesRadar. Future Publishing. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
The reason why there wasn't a Sonic game on Saturn was really because we were concentrating on NiGHTS. We were also working on Sonic Adventure—that was originally intended to be out on Saturn, but because Sega as a company was bringing out a new piece of hardware—the Dreamcast—we resorted to switching it over to the Dreamcast, which was the newest hardware at the time. So that's why there wasn't a Sonic game on Saturn. With regards to X-Treme, I'm not really sure on the exact details of why it was cut short, but from looking at how it was going, it wasn't looking very good from my perspective. So I felt relief when I heard it was cancelled.
- ^Williamson, Coliun (November 14, 2014). 'Sonic Jam overview'. AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
- ^'Whatever Happened To.. Sonic X-treme'. Retro Gamer. No. 22. Imagine Publishing. March 2006. pp. 36–38.
- ^ abHunt, Stuart; Jones, Darran (December 2007). 'The Making Of.. Nights'. Retro Gamer (45): 26–33.
- ^ abcdefghiThe Secrets of Sonic – Director's Commentary with Takashi Iizuka. Tokyo: Sega. June 5, 2003.
- ^ abcdefg'Sega Saturn Magazine Interview with Yuji Naka'. Sega Saturn Magazine (36). October 8, 1998. Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2017.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
- ^ abcSonic Team (December 23, 1998). Sonic Adventure. Sega. Level/area: Credits.
- ^ abcdefghijkl'Sega Unveils Sonic Adventure'. News. Edge. No. 63. Bath: Future plc. October 1998. pp. 6–7. ISSN1350-1593.
- ^ abcdefgh'Mini Making of.. Sonic Adventure'. Retro Gamer (91): 34–35. June 23, 2011.
- ^'Profile: Yuji Naka'(PDF). Official Dreamcast Magazine (1): 35. September 1999. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
- ^ abcdeGamesTM (2010). 'Behind The Scenes Sonic Adventure'. Retro Volume 3. Bournemouth: Imagine Publishing. pp. 60–63. ISBN978-1-90607-856-0.
- ^ abcdCook & Becker (April 7, 2017). 'How Sega moved Sonic from 2D to 3D'. Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^ abcDonlan, Christian (2010). 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. Universe Publishing. ISBN978-0-7893-2090-2.
- ^Betker, Gerjet (July 20, 2011). 'Die Sonic-Fans nie wieder enttäuschen!'. Gamers Global (in German). Jörg Langer. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
- ^ abcIGN Staff (June 4, 2001). 'Interview With Sonic Adventure 2 Director Takashi Iizuka'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^Sonic Generations Official Strategy Guide. BradyGames. November 1, 2011. p. 206. ISBN978-0744013429.
- ^'Afterthoughts: Sonic Heroes – A candid chat with Sonic Team's lord of the rings'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 30, 2004. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
- ^ソニック役でお馴染み、金丸淳一さん声優30周年! オリジナルアルバム再販記念ロングインタビュー (in Japanese). Animate Times. March 21, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
- ^Barratt, Charlie. 'Characters you never knew had the same voice actor'. GamesRadar. Future plc. Archived from the original on October 21, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^'Digi-Log Conversation Sonic Adventure O.S.T. Side-A'. sonic.sega.jp (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on June 16, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^'Digi-Log Conversation Sonic Adventure O.S.T. Side-B'. sonic.sega.jp (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on August 18, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^ abColes, Michael (June 28, 2003). 'Sonic Adventure DX Director's Cut'. Nintendo World Report. Billy Berghammer. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^'Digi-Log Conversion'. Sonic Channel (in Japanese). Sega. January 20, 1999. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^Sega (May 18, 2011). 'Sonic Adventure Original Soundtrack 20th Anniversary Edition'. iTunes. Apple Inc.Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^Sega (September 10, 2014). 'Sonic Adventure (Original Soundtrack), Vol. 1'. iTunes. Apple Inc.Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^Sega (September 10, 2014). 'Sonic Adventure Original Soundtrack vol.2'. iTunes. Apple Inc.Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^Leack, Jonathan (January 25, 2017). 'Sonic the Hedgehog Heads To Spotify As SEGA Adds Thousands Of Tracks'. Game Revolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^'The legendary soundtracks for SONIC ADVENTURE & SONIC ADVENTURE 2 are coming to vinyl this Winter!'. Brave Wave Productions. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
- ^'The Red-Hot Rumours Division!'. Computer and Video Games (15). July 1997.
- ^ドリームキャスト. Sonic Channel (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on December 7, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^'Sonic Adventure – Dreamcast'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 20, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ abcd'Dreamcast Special: Sonic Adventure'. Computer and Video Games (215): 60–61. September 1999. Archived from the original on June 20, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ^Gantayat, Anoop (August 28, 1999). 'Sonic Adventure US Shocker'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
- ^Gantayat, Anoop (August 24, 1999). 'Sonic Adventure: Internet Gaming!'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
- ^'Sonic Adventure International – Dreamcast'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 28, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ^Gantayat, Anoop (July 15, 1999). 'Sonic Adventure: Limited Edition Quick Look'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^IGN staff (July 15, 1999). 'A Sit-down with Sonic Adventure: LE'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^IGN staff (June 29, 1999). 'Sega Releases Full Details of Rental Program'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^Ahmed, Shahed (January 31, 2001). 'Sega announces drastic restructuring'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 4, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^IGN Staff (January 23, 2001). 'Sega Confirms PS2 and Game Boy Advance Negotiations'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
- ^Stratton, Bryan (June 17, 2003). Sonic Adventure DX: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games. ISBN978-0761542865.
- ^ abcdBarnholt, Ray (September 14, 2010). 'Sonic Adventure XBLA Review'. 1UP.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 19, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ^Sega (March 4, 2011). 'Sonic Adventure DX'. Steam. Valve Corporation. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ^'Sonic Adventure – PlayStation 3'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ^Sega (September 11, 2012). 'Sonic Adventure DX Upgrade'. Xbox Marketplace. Microsoft. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ^Buchanan, Levi (March 9, 2011). 'Dreamcast Collection Review'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
- ^Pereira, Chris (September 28, 2017). 'Two More Xbox One Backwards Compatible Games Now Available'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 30, 2017. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^ ab'Sonic Adventure for Dreamcast'. GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^ abc'Sonic Adventure'. Testscreen. Edge. No. 68. Bath: Future plc. February 1999. pp. 70–73. ISSN1350-1593.
- ^'100 Best Games Ever: Sonic Adventure'. Computer and Video Games. No. 240. November 2001. p. 60. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
- ^Boutros, Daniel (August 4, 2006). 'A Detailed Cross-Examination of Yesterday and Today's Best-Selling Platform Games'. Gamasutra. UBM plc. Archived from the original on July 2, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ^ abcd'Sonic Adventure'. Arcade (1): 23. December 1998.
- ^'Sonic Adventure'. Hyper. Next Publishing Pty Ltd. March 1999. p. 18.
- ^Sutton, Adam (March 3, 2011). 'Videogame Voice Acting: So Bad, It's Good'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^ abNoble, McKinley (May 6, 2009). 'The 20 Best Platformers: 1989 to 2009'. GamePro. International Data Group. Archived from the original on January 28, 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
- ^DeMaria, Rusel, and Johnny L. Wilson (2004), High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne, p. 312. ISBN0072224282.
- ^ abcCundy, Matt; Houghton, David; Irvine, Nathan; Towell, Justin (June 23, 2012). 'Top 7.. horrendously buggy games we loved anyway'. GamesRadar. Future Publishing. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
- ^ ab'Sonic Adventure'. Computer and Video Games (209): 20. April 1999.
- ^'Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut for GameCube'. GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
- ^'Sonic Adventure for Xbox 360 Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^ abGies, Arthur (September 23, 2010). 'Sonic Adventure Review'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 6, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^ abLegarie, Destin (September 27, 2010). 'Review: Sonic Adventure (XBLA)'. Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on February 25, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^Cocke, Taylor (June 21, 2012). 'Silver Lining: Sonic the Hedgehog and a history of disappointment'. Joystiq. AOL. Archived from the original on April 20, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
- ^GamesRadar Staff (May 19, 2017). 'The best Sonic games of all time'. GamesRadar. Future plc. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
- ^USgamer Team (August 8, 2017). 'Gotta Go Fast: Ranking All of The Sonic The Hedgehog Games'. USgamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
- ^Stewart, Zolani (August 4, 2014). 'Where Sonic The Hedgehog Went Wrong'. Kotaku. Gawker Media. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
- ^Fahey, Rob (November 24, 2006). 'Sonic The Hedgehog'. Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^Lotito, Tom (May 4, 2012). 'TGS 2006: Sonic The Hedgehog Impressions'. GameZone. GameZone Next. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^Towell, Justin (October 31, 2011). 'Sonic Generations review'. GamesRadar. Future Publishing. Archived from the original on February 10, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
- ^Sterling, Jim (October 31, 2011). 'Review: Sonic Generations'. Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
- ^Whitehead, Dan (December 9, 2011). 'Sonic Generations 3DS Review'. Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on March 30, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
- ^DeFreitas, Casey (June 15, 2017). 'E3 2017: Chao Will Not Be Featured in Sonic Forces'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
- ^Sonic Team (December 4, 2003). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega.
- ^Newton, James (October 16, 2009). 'Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Review – Wii'. Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
- ^Sterling, Jim (September 29, 2008). 'Destructoid review: Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood'. Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
- ^ abShea, Brian (May 16, 2016). 'The 10 Worst Characters In Sonic History'. Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
- ^Sterling, Jim (June 23, 2012). 'The 10 worst Sonic friends'. GamesRadar. Future Publishing. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
- ^'The best and worst Sonic characters'. Official Nintendo Magazine. Future Publishing. May 29, 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
- ^1UP Staff. 'Least Popular Character Tournament'. 1UP.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 19, 2013. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
- ^Justice, Brandon (October 4, 1999). 'Sega Speaks Out on Sonic Adventure Follow-up'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^Gantayat, Anoop (June 30, 2000). 'First Direct Feed Footage of Sonic Adventure 2'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^'Sonic Adventure 2 – Dreamcast'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 28, 2017. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^'Sonic Adventure 2 for Dreamcast Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. November 25, 2014. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
- ^Robinson, Andy (April 9, 2008). 'Sonic Unleashed 'has no relation' to Sonic 360/PS3'. Computer and Video Games. Future Publishing. Archived from the original on April 12, 2008. Retrieved April 13, 2008.
- ^Frank, Allegra (September 19, 2017). 'Sonic Adventure 3 may never happen'. Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
- ^Workman, Robert (December 31, 2018). ''Sonic Adventure' Remake Definitely of Interest, Says Studio Head'. ComicBook.com. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^Jones, Tim. 'Sonic X'. THEM Anime. Archived from the original on August 31, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
- ^Bollers, Karl (December 1999). 'The Discovery: A Sonic Adventure Tie-In'. Sonic the Hedgehog. 1 (79).
External links[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Sonic Adventure |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sonic Adventure. |
- Official website‹See Tfd›(in Japanese)
- Sonic Adventure DX at Sega's official website ‹See Tfd›(in Japanese) (archive)
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sonic_Adventure&oldid=903027702'
Manufacturer | Sega |
---|---|
Type | Home video game console |
Generation | Sixth generation |
Release date |
|
Lifespan | 1998–2001 |
Introductory price | |
Discontinued |
|
Units sold | 9.13 million |
Media | 1 GB GD-ROM, CD-ROM, Mini-CD |
CPU | Hitachi SH-4 32-bit RISC @ 200 MHz |
Memory | 16 MB RAM, 8 MB video RAM, 2 MB audio RAM |
Removable storage | 128 KBVMU |
Display |
|
Graphics | 100 MHz PowerVR2, integrated with the system's ASIC |
Sound | 67 MHz Yamaha AICA with 32-bit ARM7 RISC CPU core, 64 channels |
Online services | SegaNet, Dreamarena |
Dimensions | 190 mm × 195.8 mm × 75.5 mm (7.48 in × 7.71 in × 2.97 in) |
Mass | 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) |
Best-selling game | Sonic Adventure, 2.5 million sold |
Predecessor | Sega Saturn |
The Dreamcast[a] is a home video game console released by Sega on November 27, 1998 in Japan, September 9, 1999 in North America, and October 14, 1999 in Europe. It was the first in the sixth generation of video game consoles, preceding Sony's PlayStation 2, Nintendo's GameCube and Microsoft's Xbox. The Dreamcast was Sega's final home console, marking the end of the company's 18 years in the console market.
In contrast to the expensive hardware of the unsuccessful Sega Saturn, the Dreamcast was designed to reduce costs with 'off-the-shelf' components, including a HitachiSH-4CPU and an NECPowerVR2 GPU. Released in Japan to a subdued reception, the Dreamcast enjoyed a successful U.S. launch backed by a large marketing campaign, but interest in the system steadily declined as Sony built hype for the upcoming PlayStation 2. Sales did not meet Sega's expectations despite several price cuts, and the company continued to incur significant financial losses. After a change in leadership, Sega discontinued the Dreamcast on March 31, 2001, withdrawing from the console business and restructuring itself as a third-party publisher. 9.13 million Dreamcast units were sold worldwide.
Although the Dreamcast had a short lifespan and limited third-party support, reviewers have considered the console ahead of its time. Its library contains many games considered creative and innovative, including Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio and Shenmue, as well as high-quality ports from Sega's NAOMI arcade system board. The Dreamcast was also the first console to include a built-in modem for Internet support and online play.
- 1History
- 2Technical specifications
History[edit]
Background[edit]
Released in 1988, the SegaGenesis (known as the Sega Mega Drive in Japan, Europe and Brazil) was Sega's entry into the fourth generation of video game consoles.[1] Selling 30.75 million units worldwide, the Genesis was the most successful console Sega ever released.[2] The successor to the Genesis, the Sega Saturn, was released in Japan in 1994.[3] The Saturn was a CD-ROM-based console that displayed both 2D and 3D computer graphics, but its complex dual-CPU architecture made it more difficult to program for than its chief competitor, the SonyPlayStation.[4] Although the Saturn debuted before the PlayStation in both Japan and the United States,[5][6] its surprise U.S. launch—which came four months earlier than originally scheduled[7][8][9]—was marred by a lack of distribution, which remained a continuing problem for the system.[10] Moreover, Sega's early release was undermined by Sony's simultaneous announcement that the PlayStation would retail for US$299—compared to the Saturn's initial price of $399.[8][9][11]Nintendo's long delay in releasing a competing 3D console and the damage done to Sega's reputation by poorly supported add-ons for the Genesis (particularly the Sega 32X) allowed Sony to establish a foothold in the market.[5][12] The PlayStation was immediately successful in the U.S., in part due to a massive advertising campaign and strong third-party support engendered by Sony's excellent development tools and liberal $10 licensing fee.[9][13] Sony's success was further aided by a price war in which Sega lowered the price of the Saturn from $399 to $299 and then from $299 to $199 in order to match the price of the PlayStation–even though Saturn hardware was more expensive to manufacture and the PlayStation enjoyed a larger software library.[5][11][14] Losses on the Saturn hardware[14] contributed to Sega's financial problems, which saw the company's revenue decline between 1992 and 1995 as part of an industry-wide slowdown. Furthermore, Sega's focus on the Saturn over the Genesis prevented it from fully capitalizing on the continued strength of the 16-bit market.[5][11][15]
Due to long-standing disagreements with Sega of Japan,[16][17] Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske became less interested in his position.[18] On July 16, 1996, Sega announced that Shoichiro Irimajiri had been appointed chairman and CEO of Sega of America, while Kalinske would be leaving Sega after September 30 of that year.[18][19][20] Sega also announced that Sega Enterprises cofounder[21]David Rosen and Sega of Japan CEO Hayao Nakayama had resigned from their positions as chairman and co-chairman of Sega of America, though both men remained with the company.[18][19]Bernie Stolar, a former executive at Sony Computer Entertainment of America,[22][23] was named Sega of America's executive vice president in charge of product development and third-party relations.[19][20] Stolar did not support the Saturn due to his belief that the hardware was poorly designed and publicly announced at E3 1997 that 'The Saturn is not our future.'[17] After the launch of the Nintendo 64, sales of the Saturn and Sega's 32-bit software were sharply reduced. As of August 1997, Sony controlled 47 percent of the console market, Nintendo controlled 40 percent, and Sega controlled only 12 percent. Neither price cuts nor high-profile games were proving helpful to the Saturn's success.[23] Due to the Saturn's poor performance in North America, Sega of America laid off 60 of its 200 employees in the fall of 1997.[24]
'I thought the Saturn was a mistake as far as hardware was concerned. The games were obviously terrific, but the hardware just wasn't there.'
—Bernie Stolar, former president of Sega of America giving his assessment of the Saturn in 2009.[17]
As a result of the company's deteriorating financial situation, Nakayama resigned as president of Sega in January 1998 in favor of Irimajiri.[24] Stolar would subsequently accede to become CEO and president of Sega of America.[23][25] Following five years of generally declining profits,[26] in the fiscal year ending March 31, 1998, Sega suffered its first parent and consolidated financial losses since its 1988 listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.[27] Due to a 54.8% decline in consumer product sales (including a 75.4% decline overseas), the company reported a consolidated net loss of ¥35.6 billion (US$269.8 million).[26] Shortly before announcing its financial losses, Sega revealed that it was discontinuing the Saturn in North America, with the goal of preparing for the launch of its successor.[23][24] This decision effectively left the Western market without Sega games for over one year.[4] Rumors about the upcoming Dreamcast—spread mainly by Sega itself—leaked to the public before the last Saturn games were released.[28]
Development[edit]
As early as 1995, reports surfaced that Sega would collaborate with Lockheed Martin, The 3DO Company, Matsushita, or Alliance Semiconductor to create a new graphics processing unit, which conflicting accounts said would be used for a 64-bit 'Saturn 2' or an add-on peripheral.[29][30][31] Development of the Dreamcast was wholly unrelated to this rumored project.[30][32] In light of the Saturn's poor market performance, Irimajiri decided to start looking outside of the company's internal hardware development division to create a new console.[32] In 1997, Irimajiri enlisted the services of IBM's Tatsuo Yamamoto to lead an 11-man team to work on a secret hardware project in the United States, which was referred to as 'Blackbelt'. Accounts vary on how an internal team led by Hideki Sato also began development on Dreamcast hardware; one account specifies that Sega of Japan tasked both teams,[33] while another suggests that Sato was bothered by Irimajiri's choice to begin development externally and chose to have his hardware team begin development.[32][34] Sato and his group chose the HitachiSH-4 processor architecture and the VideoLogicPowerVR2 graphics processor, manufactured by NEC, in the production of their mainboard. Initially known as 'Whitebelt',[32] this project was later codenamed 'Dural', after the metallic female fighter from Sega's Virtua Fighter series.[28][33]
Yamamoto's group opted to use 3dfxVoodoo 2 and Voodoo Banshee graphics processors alongside a Motorola PowerPC 603ecentral processing unit (CPU),[32] but Sega management later asked them to also use the SH-4 chip.[33] Both processors have been described as 'off the shelf' components.[32] In 1997, 3dfx began its IPO, and as a result of legal obligations unveiled its contracts with Sega, including the development of the new console.[35] This angered Sega of Japan executives, who eventually decided to use the Dural chipset and cut ties with 3dfx. According to former Sega of America vice president of communications and former NEC brand manager Charles Bellfield, presentations of games using the NEC solution showcased the performance and low cost delivered by the SH-4 and PowerVR architecture. He further stated that 'Sega's relationship with NEC, a Japanese company, probably made a difference [in Sega's decision to adopt the Japanese team's design] too.'[33] Stolar, on the other hand, 'felt the U.S. version, the 3Dfx version, should have been used. Japan wanted the Japanese version, and Japan won.'[33] As a result, 3dfx filed a lawsuit against both Sega and NEC claiming breach of contract, which would eventually be settled out of court.[32] The choice to use the PowerVR architecture concerned Electronic Arts (EA), a longtime developer for Sega's consoles. EA had invested in 3dfx but was unfamiliar with the selected architecture, which was reportedly less powerful.[33] As recounted by Shiro Hagiwara (a general manager at Sega's hardware division) and Ian Oliver (the managing director of Sega subsidiary Cross Products), the SH-4 was chosen while it was still in development and following a lengthy deliberation process because it was the only available processor that 'could adapt to deliver the 3D geometry calculation performance necessary.'[36] By February 1998, Sega had renamed the Dural 'Katana' (after the Japanese sword[28]), although certain hardware specifications such as random access memory (RAM) were not yet finalized.[37]
Knowing that the Sega Saturn had been set back by its high production costs and complex hardware, Sega took a different approach with the Dreamcast. Like previous Sega consoles, the Dreamcast was designed around intelligent subsystems working in parallel with one another,[36] but the selections of hardware were more in line with what was common in personal computers than video game consoles, reducing the system's cost.[32] According to Damien McFerran, 'the motherboard was a masterpiece of clean, uncluttered design and compatibility.'[32] Chinese economist and future Sega.com CEO Brad Huang convinced Sega chairman Isao Okawa to include a modem with every Dreamcast despite significant opposition from Okawa's staff over the additional $15 cost per unit.[21][38][39] To account for rapid changes in home data delivery, Sega designed the Dreamcast's modem to be modular.[36] Sega selected the GD-ROM media format for the system.[40] The GD-ROM, which was jointly developed by Sega and Yamaha Corporation, could be mass-produced at a similar price to a normal CD-ROM,[36] thus avoiding the greater expense of DVD-ROM technology.[32][41][42] As the GD-ROM format can hold about 1 GB of data,[36][40]illegally copying Dreamcast games onto a 650 MB CD-ROM sometimes required the removal of certain game features, although this did not prevent copying of Dreamcast software.[41]Microsoft developed a custom Dreamcast version of Windows CE with DirectXAPI and dynamic-link libraries, making it easy to port PC games to the platform,[36] although programmers would ultimately favor Sega's development tools over those from Microsoft.[32]
Sega held a public competition to name its new system and considered over 5,000 different entries before choosing 'Dreamcast'—a portmanteau of 'dream' and 'broadcast'.[32] According to Katsutoshi Eguchi, Japanese game developer Kenji Eno submitted the name and created the Dreamcast's spiral logo, but this claim has not been verified by Sega.[43] The Dreamcast's start-up sound was composed by the Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto.[44] Because the Saturn had tarnished Sega's reputation, the company planned to remove its name from the console entirely and establish a new gaming brand similar to Sony's PlayStation, but Irimajiri's management team ultimately decided to retain Sega's logo on the Dreamcast's exterior.[32] Sega spent US$50–80 million on hardware development, $150–200 million on software development, and $300 million on worldwide promotion—a sum which Irimajiri, a former Honda executive, humorously compared to the investments required to design new automobiles.[32][45]
Launch[edit]
Despite taking massive losses on the Saturn, including a 75 percent drop in half-year profits just before the Japanese launch of the Dreamcast, Sega felt confident about its new system. The Dreamcast attracted significant interest and drew many pre-orders.[32] Sega announced that Sonic Adventure, the next game starring company mascot Sonic the Hedgehog, would arrive in time for the Dreamcast's launch and promoted the game with a large-scale public demonstration at the Tokyo Kokusai Forum Hall.[46][47][48] However, Sega could not achieve its shipping goals for the Dreamcast's Japanese launch due to a shortage of PowerVR chipsets caused by a high failure rate in the manufacturing process.[32][49] As more than half of its limited stock had been pre-ordered, Sega stopped pre-orders in Japan. On November 27, 1998, the Dreamcast launched in Japan at a price of JP¥29,000, and the entire stock sold out by the end of the day. However, of the four games available at launch, only one—a port of Virtua Fighter 3, the most successful arcade game Sega ever released in Japan—sold well.[50] Sega estimated that an additional 200,000-300,000 Dreamcast units could have been sold with sufficient supply.[50] Key Dreamcast games Sonic Adventure and Sega Rally Championship 2, which had been delayed,[32] arrived within the following weeks, but sales continued to be slower than expected.[51] Irimajiri hoped to sell over 1 million Dreamcast units in Japan by February 1999, but less than 900,000 were sold, undermining Sega's attempts to build up a sufficient installed base to ensure the Dreamcast's survival after the arrival of competition from other manufacturers.[52] There were reports of disappointed Japanese consumers returning their Dreamcasts and using the refund to purchase additional PlayStation software.[53]Seaman, released in July 1999, was considered the Dreamcast's first major hit in Japan.[4][21][54] Prior to the Western launch, Sega reduced the price of the Dreamcast to JP¥19,900, effectively making the hardware unprofitable but increasing sales. The price reduction and release of Namco's Soulcalibur helped Sega to gain 17 percent on its shares.[32]
Prior to the Dreamcast's release, Sega was dealt a blow when EA—the largest third-party video game publisher—announced it would not develop games for the system. EA chief creative officer Bing Gordon said that Sega 'had flip-flopped on the configuration [over whether to include a modem, and picking the then-unknown PowerVR over an established player like 3Dfx], and because the Dreamcast became the system that EA developers least wanted to work on the in the history of systems at EA, that was pretty much it. In the end, it felt like Sega was not acting like a competent hardware company'. Gordon also claimed '[Sega] couldn't afford to give us [EA] the same kind of license that EA has had over the last five years'. Stolar had a different account of the breakdown in negotiations with EA, recalling that EA president Larry Probst specifically wanted 'exclusive rights to be the only sports brand on Dreamcast', which Stolar could not accept due to Sega's recent $10 million purchase of sports game developer Visual Concepts. While EA's Madden NFL series did have established brand power, Stolar regarded NFL 2K as far superior and providing 'a breakthrough experience' to launch the Dreamcast.[17][33] While the Dreamcast would have none of EA's popular sports games, 'Sega Sports' games developed mainly by Visual Concepts[55] helped to fill that void.[33]
'Let's take the conservative estimate of 250,000 Dreamcast units at presage—that's a quarter of a million units at $200. We'll have a ratio of 1.5 or two games for every Dreamcast unit sold. That's half a million units of software. We think we'll be .5 to one on VMUs and peripheral items such as extra controllers and what have you. This could be a $60 to $80 million 24-hour period. What has ever sold $60 to $80 million in the first 24 hours?'
—Peter Moore, speaking to Electronic Gaming Monthly about the upcoming launch of the Dreamcast.[56]
Working closely with Midway Games (which developed four launch games for the system) and taking advantage of the ten months following the Dreamcast's release in Japan, Sega of America worked to ensure a more successful U.S. launch with a minimum of 15 launch games.[57] Despite lingering bitterness over the Saturn's early release, Stolar successfully managed to repair relations with major U.S. retailers, with whom Sega presold 300,000 Dreamcast units.[33] In addition, a pre-launch promotion enabled consumers to rent the system from Hollywood Video in the months preceding its September launch.[58] Sega of America's senior vice president of marketing[59]Peter Moore, a fan of the attitude previously associated with Sega's brand, worked with Foote, Cone & Belding and Access Communications to develop the 'It's Thinking' campaign of 15-second television commercials, which emphasized the Dreamcast's hardware power.[33][58][60] According to Moore, 'We needed to create something that would really intrigue consumers, somewhat apologize for the past, but invoke all the things we loved about Sega, primarily from the Genesis days.'[33] On August 11, Sega of America confirmed[61] that Stolar had been fired, leaving Moore to direct the launch.[57][62][63]
The Dreamcast launched in North America on September 9, 1999 at a price of $199—which Sega's marketing dubbed '9/9/99 for $199'.[4][52][58] Eighteen launch games were available for the Dreamcast in the U.S.[58][64][65] Sega set a new sales record by selling more than 225,132 Dreamcast units in 24 hours, earning the company $98.4 million in what Moore called 'the biggest 24 hours in entertainment retail history'.[33] Within two weeks, U.S. Dreamcast sales exceeded 500,000.[33] By Christmas, Sega held 31 percent of the North American video game marketshare.[66] Significant launch games included Soul Calibur, an arcade fighting game that was graphically enhanced for the system and went on to sell one million units, and Visual Concepts' high-quality football simulation NFL 2K.[33][59] On November 4, Sega announced it had sold over one million Dreamcast units.[67] Nevertheless, the launch was marred by a glitch at one of Sega's manufacturing plants, which produced defective GD-ROMs.[68]
Sega released the Dreamcast in Europe on October 14, 1999,[67] at a price of GB₤200.[32] By November 24, 400,000 consoles had been sold in Europe.[67] By Christmas of 1999, Sega of Europe reported selling 500,000 units, placing it six months ahead of schedule.[32] Sales did not continue at this pace, and by October 2000, Sega had sold only about 1 million units in Europe.[69] As part of Sega's promotions of the Dreamcast in Europe, the company sponsored four European football clubs: Arsenal F.C. (England),[70]AS Saint-Étienne (France),[71]U.C. Sampdoria (Italy),[72] and Deportivo de La Coruña (Spain).[73]
Competition[edit]
The PS2 provided stiff competition to the Dreamcast.
Though the Dreamcast launch had been successful, Sony still held 60 percent of the overall video game market share in North America with the PlayStation at the end of 1999.[67] On March 2, 1999, in what one report called a 'highly publicized, vaporware-like announcement'[74] Sony revealed the first details of its 'next generation PlayStation', which Ken Kutaragi claimed would allow video games to convey unprecedented emotions. The center of Sony's marketing plan and the upcoming PlayStation 2 itself was a new CPU (clocked at 294 MHz[11]) jointly developed by Sony and Toshiba—the 'Emotion Engine'—which Kutaragi announced would feature a graphics processor with 1,000 times more bandwidth than contemporary PC graphics processors and a floating-point calculation performance of 6.2 gigaflops, rivaling most supercomputers.[75][76] Sony, which invested $1.2 billion in two large-scale integrationsemiconductor fabrication plants to manufacture the PlayStation 2's 'Emotion Engine' and 'Graphics Synthesizer', designed the machine to push more raw polygons than any video game console in history.[77][78][79] Sony claimed the PlayStation 2 could render 75 million raw polygons per second with absolutely no effects, and 38 million without accounting for features such as textures, artificial intelligence, or physics.[77][78][79] With such effects, Sony estimated the PlayStation 2 could render 7.5 million[80] to 16 million polygons per second, whereas independent estimates ranged from 3 million to 20 million,[77][81] compared to Sega's estimates of more than 3 million[40] to 6 million for the Dreamcast.[36] The system would also utilize the DVD-ROM format, which could hold substantially more data than the Dreamcast's GD-ROM format.[82] Because it could connect to the Internet while playing movies, music, and video games, Sony hyped PlayStation 2 as the future of home entertainment.[83][84] Rumors spread that the PlayStation 2 was a supercomputer capable of guiding missiles and displaying Toy Story-quality graphics, while Kutaragi boasted its online capabilities would give consumers the ability to 'jack into ‘The Matrix’!'[53][85][86] In addition, Sony emphasized that the PlayStation 2 would be backwards compatible with hundreds of popular PlayStation games.[5][82] Sony's specifications appeared to render the Dreamcast obsolete months before its U.S. launch, although reports later emerged that the PlayStation 2 was not as powerful as expected and distinctly difficult to program games for.[11][77][87] The same year, Nintendo announced that its next generation console would meet or exceed anything on the market, and Microsoft began development of its own console.[88][89][90]
Sega's initial momentum proved fleeting as U.S. Dreamcast sales—which exceeded 1.5 million by the end of 1999[91]—began to decline as early as January 2000.[92] Poor Japanese sales contributed to Sega's ¥42.88 billion ($404 million) consolidated net loss in the fiscal year ending March 2000, which followed a similar loss of ¥42.881 billion the previous year and marked Sega's third consecutive annual loss.[93][94] Although Sega's overall sales for the term increased 27.4%, and Dreamcast sales in North America and Europe greatly exceeded the company's expectations, this increase in sales coincided with a decrease in profitability due to the investments required to launch the Dreamcast in Western markets and poor software sales in Japan.[93] At the same time, increasingly poor market conditions reduced the profitability of Sega's Japanese arcade business, prompting the company to close 246 locations.[93][95] Knowing that 'they have to fish where the fish are biting', Sega of America president Peter Moore (who assumed his position after Stolar had been fired) and Sega of Japan's developers focused on the U.S. market to prepare for the upcoming launch of the PS2.[96] To that end, Sega of America launched its own Internet service provider, Sega.com, led by CEO Brad Huang.[38][85][97] On September 7, 2000, Sega.com launched SegaNet, the Dreamcast's Internet gaming service, at a subscription price of $21.95 per month.[97][98] Although Sega had previously released only one Dreamcast game in the U.S. that featured online multiplayer (ChuChu Rocket!, a puzzle game developed by Sonic Team[98]), the launch of SegaNet (which allowed users to chat, send email, and surf the web) combined with NFL 2K1 (a football game including a robust online component) was intended to increase demand for the Dreamcast in the U.S. market.[97][99] The service would later support games including Bomberman Online, Quake III Arena, and Unreal Tournament.[33] The September 7 launch coincided with a new advertising campaign to promote SegaNet, including via the MTV Video Music Awards of the same day, which Sega sponsored for the second consecutive year.[98][100] Sega employed aggressive pricing strategies with relation to online gaming. In Japan, every Dreamcast sold included a free year of Internet access, which Okawa personally paid for.[101] Prior to the launch of SegaNet, Sega had already offered a $200 rebate to any Dreamcast owner who purchased two years of Internet access from Sega.com.[102][103] To increase SegaNet's appeal in the U.S., Sega dropped the price of the Dreamcast to $149 (compared to the PS2's U.S. launch price of $299) and offered a rebate for the full $149 price of a Dreamcast (and a free Dreamcast keyboard) with every 18-month SegaNet subscription.[32][97][98]
'We had a tremendous 18 months. Dreamcast was on fire - we really thought that we could do it. But then we had a target from Japan that said we had to make x hundreds of millions of dollars by the holiday season and shift x millions of units of hardware, otherwise we just couldn't sustain the business. Somehow I got to make that call, not the Japanese. I had to fire a lot of people; it was not a pleasant day. So on January 31st 2001 we said Sega is leaving hardware. We were selling 50,000 units a day, then 60,000, then 100,000, but it was just not going to be enough to get the critical mass to take on the launch of PS2. It was a big stakes game. Sega had the option of pouring in more money and going bankrupt and they decided they wanted to live to fight another day.'
—Peter Moore, on the Dreamcast's discontinuation.[104]
Moore stated that the Dreamcast would need to sell 5 million units in the U.S. by the end of 2000 in order to remain a viable platform, but Sega ultimately fell short of this goal with some 3 million units sold.[66][105] Moreover, Sega's attempts to spur increased Dreamcast sales through lower prices and cash rebates caused escalating financial losses.[106] Instead of an expected profit, for the six months ending September 2000, Sega posted a ¥17.98 billion ($163.11 million) loss, with the company projecting a year-end loss of ¥23.6 billion.[107] This estimate was more than doubled to ¥58.3 billion,[108] and in March 2001, Sega posted a consolidated net loss of ¥51.7 billion ($417.5 million).[109] While the PS2's October 26 U.S. launch was marred by shortages—with only 500,000 of a planned 1 million units shipped due to a manufacturing glitch—this did not benefit the Dreamcast as much as expected, as many disappointed consumers continued to wait for a PS2—while the PSone, a remodeled version of the original PlayStation, was the best-selling console in the U.S. at the start of the 2000 holiday season.[66][110][111] According to Moore, 'the PlayStation 2 effect that we were relying upon did not work for us .. people will hang on for as long as possible .. What effectively happened is the PlayStation 2 lack of availability froze the marketplace'.[112] Eventually, Sony and Nintendo held 50 and 35 percent of the U.S. video game market, respectively, while Sega held only 15 percent.[32] According to Bellfield, Dreamcast software sold at an 8-to-1 ratio with the hardware, but this ratio 'on a small install base didn't give us the revenue .. to keep this platform viable in the medium to long term.'[113]
Decline[edit]
On May 22, 2000, Okawa replaced Irimajiri as president of Sega.[114] Okawa had long advocated that Sega abandon the console business.[115] His sentiments were not unique; Sega co-founder David Rosen had 'always felt it was a bit of a folly for them to be limiting their potential to Sega hardware', and Stolar had previously suggested that Sega should have sold their company to Microsoft.[17][116] In September 2000, in a meeting with Sega's Japanese executives and the heads of the company's major Japanese game development studios, Moore and Bellfield recommended that Sega abandon its console business and focus on software—prompting the studio heads to walk out.[33]
Nevertheless, on January 31, 2001, Sega announced the discontinuation of the Dreamcast after March 31 and the restructuring of the company as a 'platform-agnostic' third-party developer.[117][118] The decision was Moore's.[104] Sega also announced a Dreamcast price reduction to $99 to eliminate its unsold inventory, which was estimated at 930,000 units as of April 2001.[119][120] After a further reduction to $79, the Dreamcast was cleared out of stores at $49.95.[121][122] The final Dreamcast unit manufactured was autographed by the heads of all nine of Sega's internal game development studios as well as the heads of Visual Concepts and Wave Master and given away with 55 first-party Dreamcast games through a competition organized by GamePro magazine.[123] Okawa, who had previously loaned Sega $500 million in the summer of 1999, died on March 16, 2001; shortly before his death, he forgave Sega's debts to him and returned his $695 million worth of Sega and CSK stock, helping the company survive the third-party transition.[124][125] As part of this restructuring, nearly one-third of Sega's Tokyo workforce was laid off in 2001.[126]
9.13 million Dreamcast units were sold worldwide.[2] After the Dreamcast's discontinuation, commercial games were still developed and released for the system, particularly in Japan. In the United States, game releases continued until the end of the first half of 2002.[17] Sega of Japan continued to repair Dreamcast units until 2007.[127] As of 2014, the console is still supported through various MIL-CD independent releases.[128] After five consecutive years of financial losses, Sega finally posted a profit for the fiscal year ending March 2003.[129]
Reasons cited for the failure of the Dreamcast include hype for the PS2;[58][130][131] a lack of support from EA and Squaresoft, considered the most popular third-parties in the U.S. and Japan respectively;[132] disagreement among Sega executives over the company's future, and Okawa's lack of commitment to the product;[17] Sega's lack of advertising money, with Bellfield doubting that Sega spent even 'half' the $100 million it had pledged to promote the Dreamcast in the U.S.;[33][133] that the market was not yet ready for online gaming;[120][132] Sega's focus on 'hardcore' gamers over the mainstream consumer;[58][120] and poor timing.[33] Perhaps the most frequently cited reason is the damage to Sega's reputation caused by several previous poorly supported Sega platforms.[132][134][135] Writing for GamePro, Blake Snow stated that 'the much beloved console launched years ahead of the competition but ultimately struggled to shed the negative reputation [Sega] had gained during the Saturn, Sega 32X, and Sega CD days. As a result, casual gamers and jaded third-party developers doubted Sega's ability to deliver.'[134]Eurogamer's Dan Whitehead noted that the 'wait and see' approach of consumers and the lack of support from EA were symptoms rather the cause of Sega's decline, concluding 'Sega's misadventures during the 1990s had left both gamers and publishers wary of any new platform bearing its name.'[130] According to 1UP.com's Jeremy Parish, 'While it would be easy to point an accusatory finger at Sony and blame them for killing the Dreamcast by overselling the PS2 .. there's a certain level of intellectual dishonesty in such a stance .. [Sega]'s poor U.S. support for hardware like the Sega CD, the 32X, and the Saturn made gamers gun shy. Many consumers felt burned after investing in expensive Sega machines and finding the resulting libraries comparatively lacking'.[58]
The announcement of Sega's third-party transition was met with widespread enthusiasm. According to IGN's Travis Fahs, 'Sega was a creatively fertile company with a rapidly expanding stable of properties to draw from. It seemed like they were in a perfect position to start a new life as a developer/publisher.'[17] Former Working Designs president Victor Ireland wrote that 'It's actually a good thing .. because now Sega will survive, doing what they do best: software.'[58] The staff of Newsweek remarked 'From Sonic to Shenmue, Sega's programmers have produced some of the most engaging experiences in the history of interactive media .. Unshackled by a struggling console platform, this platoon of world-class software developers can do what they do best for any machine on the market'.[136] Rosen predicted 'they have the potential to catch Electronic Arts'.[116]Game Informer, commenting on Sega's tendency to produce under-appreciated cult classics, stated: 'Let us rejoice in the fact that Sega is making games equally among the current console crop, so that history will not repeat itself.'[137]
Technical specifications[edit]
Hardware[edit]
Internal view of a Dreamcast console including optical drive, power supply, controller ports, and cooling fan (left), and the system's isolated motherboard (right).
Physically, the Dreamcast measures 190 mm × 195.8 mm × 75.5 mm (7.48 in × 7.71 in × 2.97 in) and weighs 1.5 kg (3.3 lb).[40] The Dreamcast's main CPU is a two-way 360 MIPSsuperscalar Hitachi SH-432-bitRISC[138] clocked at 200 MHz with an 8 Kbyteinstruction cache and 16 Kbyte data cache and a 128-bit graphics-oriented floating-point unit delivering 1.4 GFLOPS.[36] Its 100 MHz NEC PowerVR2 rendering engine, integrated with the system's ASIC, is capable of drawing more than 3 million polygons per second[40] and of deferred shading.[36] Sega estimated that the Dreamcast was theoretically capable of rendering 7 million raw polygons per second, or 6 million with textures and lighting, but noted that 'game logic and physics reduce peak graphic performance.'[36] Graphics hardware effects include trilinear filtering, gouraud shading, z-buffering, spatial anti-aliasing, per-pixel translucency sorting and bump mapping.[36][40] The system can output approximately 16.77 million colors simultaneously and displays interlaced or progressive scan video at 640 × 480 video resolution.[40] Its 67 MHz Yamaha AICA[139] sound processor, with a 32-bit ARM7 RISC CPU core, can generate 64 voices with PCM or ADPCM, providing ten times the performance of the Saturn's sound system.[36] The Dreamcast has 16 MB main RAM, along with an additional 8 MB of RAM for graphic textures and 2 MB of RAM for sound.[36][40] The system reads media using a 12x speed Yamaha GD-ROM Drive.[40] In addition to Windows CE, the Dreamcast supports several Sega and middlewareapplication programming interfaces.[36] In most regions, the Dreamcast included a removable modem for online connectivity, which was modular for future upgrades.[36] The original Japanese model and all PAL models had a transfer rate of 33.6 kbit/s, while consoles sold in the US and in Japan after September 9, 1999 featured a 56 kbit/s dial-up modem.[140]
Models[edit]
The limited-edition black 'Sega Sports' model.
The Divers 2000 CX-1 was a special edition of the Dreamcast that had a built-in television set.
Sega constructed numerous Dreamcast models, most of which were exclusive to Japan. A refurbished Dreamcast known as the R7 was originally used as a network console in Japanese pachinko parlors. Another model, the Divers 2000 CX-1, possesses a shape similar to Sonic's head and includes a television and software for teleconferencing. A Hello Kitty version, limited to 2000 units produced, was targeted at Japanese female gamers.[32] Special editions were created for Seaman[141] and Resident Evil Code: Veronica.[142] Color variations were sold through a service called 'Dreamcast Direct' in Japan.[143]Toyota also offered special edition Dreamcast units at 160 of its dealers in Japan.[144] In North America, a limited edition black Dreamcast was released with a Sega Sports logo on the lid, which included matching Sega Sports-branded black controllers and two games.[145]
Accessories[edit]
The Dreamcast controller has two dock connectors for use with multiple accessories, like the VMU
The Dreamcast controller includes both an analog stick and a digital pad, four action buttons, and two analog triggers. The system has four ports for controller inputs, although it was bundled with only one controller.[139] The design of the Dreamcast's controller, described by the staff of Edge as 'an ugly evolution of Saturn's 3D controller,'[146] was called '[not] that great' by 1UP.com's Sam Kennedy[132] and 'lame' by Game Informer's Andy McNamara.[147] The staff of IGN wrote that 'unlike most controllers, Sega's pad forces the user's hands into an uncomfortable parallel position.'[148] In contrast to the Sega CD and Sega Saturn, which included internal backup memory,[149] the Dreamcast uses a 128 kbyte memory card[150] called the VMU (or 'Visual Memory Unit') for data storage.[36] The VMU features a small LCD screen, audio output from a one-channel PWM sound source,[151]non-volatile memory, a directional pad, and four buttons.[36][151][152] The VMU can present game information, be used as a minimal handheld gaming device,[153] and connect to certain Sega arcade machines.[36][149][150] For example, players use the VMU to call plays in NFL 2K or raise virtual pets in Sonic Adventure.[149][154] Sega officials noted that the VMU could be used 'as a private viewing area, the absence of which has prevented effective implementation of many types of games in the past.'[36] After a VMU slot was incorporated into the controller's design, Sega's engineers found many additional uses for it, so a second slot was added.[36] This slot was generally used for vibration packs providing force feedback[151] like Sega's 'Jump Pack'[152] and Performance's 'Tremor Pack',[139] although it could also be used for other peripherals including a microphone enabling voice control and player communication.[36] Various third-party cards provide storage, and some contain the LCD screen addition.[139]Iomega announced a Dreamcast-compatible zip drive that could store up to 100 MB of data on removable discs,[139] but it was never released.[32]
Various third-party controllers from companies like Mad Catz include additional buttons and other extra features;[139] third-parties also manufactured arcade-style joysticks for fighting games, such as Agetech's Arcade Stick and Interact's Alloy Arcade Stick.[139][152] Mad Catz and Agetec created racing wheels for racing games.[139] Sega decided against releasing its official light gun in the U.S.,[139][155] but some third party light guns were available.[139] The Dreamcast supports a Sega fishing 'reel and rod' motion controller and a keyboard for text entry.[139][149] Although it was designed for fishing games such as Sega Bass Fishing,[152]Soul Calibur was playable with the fishing controller, which translated vertical and horizontal movements into on-screen swordplay in a manner that was retroactively cited as a predecessor to the Wii Remote.[149] The Japanese Dreamcast port of Sega's Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram supported a 'Twin Sticks' peripheral, but the game's American publisher, Activision, opted not to release it in the U.S.[156] The Dreamcast could connect to SNK's Neo Geo Pocket Color, predating Nintendo's GameCube–Game Boy Advance link cable.[58] Sega also produced the Dreameye, a digital camera that could be connected to the Dreamcast and used to exchange pictures and participate in video chat over the system's Internet connection. Sega hoped developers would use the Dreameye for future software, as some later did with Sony's similar EyeToy peripheral.[153][157] In addition, Sega investigated systems that would have allowed users to make telephone calls with the Dreamcast, and discussed with Motorola the development of an Internet-enabled cell phone that would have used technology from the console to enable quick downloads of games and other data.[153]
The console can supply video through several different accessories. The console came with A/V cables, considered at the time to be the standard for video and audio connectivity. Sega and various third parties also manufactured RF modulator connectors and S-Video cables. A VGA adapter allows Dreamcast games to be played on computer displays or Enhanced-definition television sets in 480p.[139]
Game library[edit]
Sonic Adventure was a significant game for the Dreamcast as the first 3D platforming game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Before the launch of the Dreamcast in Japan, Sega announced the release of its New Arcade Operation Machine Idea (NAOMI) arcade board, which served as a cheaper alternative to the Sega Model 3.[158] NAOMI shared the same technology as the Dreamcast—albeit with twice as much system, video, and audio memory and a 160 Mbyte flash ROM board in place of a GD-ROM drive—allowing nearly identical home conversions of arcade games.[4][36] Games were ported from NAOMI to the Dreamcast by several leading Japanese arcade companies, including Capcom (Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and Project Justice), Tecmo (Dead or Alive 2[159]), Treasure (Ikaruga[160]), and Sega itself (F355 Challenge and Crazy Taxi).[32]
In what has been called 'a brief moment of remarkable creativity',[4] in 2000, Sega restructured its arcade and console development teams into nine semi-autonomous studios headed by the company's top designers.[17][58][161] Studios included United Game Artists (UGA) (headed by former Sega Rally Championship producer Tetsuya Mizuguchi), Hitmaker (headed by Crazy Taxi creator and future Sega president Hisao Oguchi[162][163]), Smilebit (headed by Shun Arai and including many former Panzer Dragoon and future Yakuza developers from Team Andromeda[164]), Overworks (headed by Noriyoshi Oba and composed of developers from Sega franchises including Sakura Wars, Shinobi and Streets of Rage[165][166][167]), Sega AM2 (Sega's most famous arcade studio and the developer of Sega's Virtua Fighter fighting game series, headed by the company's top developer, Yu Suzuki[168]), and Sonic Team (the developer of Sega's flagship series, Sonic the Hedgehog, headed by Yuji Naka).[4][169] Sega's design houses were encouraged to experiment and benefited from a relatively lax approval process,[153] resulting in games such as Rez (an attempt to simulate synaesthesia in the form of a rail shooter),[170][171][172]The Typing of the Dead (a version of The House of the Dead 2 remade into a touch typing trainer),[173][174][175]Seaman (a pet simulator in which players use a microphone to interact with a grotesque humanoid fish whose growth is narrated by Leonard Nimoy),[176][177] and Segagaga (a Japan-exclusive role-playing-game employing commentary on the perceived over-abundance of sequels produced by the video game industry, in which players are tasked with preventing Sega from going out of business).[178] Sega also revived franchises from the Genesis era, such as Ecco the Dolphin.[33] Sega's internal studios were consolidated starting in 2003, with Mizuguchi leaving the company following the merger of UGA with Sonic Team.[4][179][180]
UGA created the music gameSpace Channel 5, in which players help a female outer space news reporter named Ulala fight aliens with 'groove energy' by dancing.[55][181] Intended for a 'female casual' audience, Space Channel 5 is considered one of Sega's 'most daring and beloved' original properties, combining a 'defiantly retro' and 'uplifting' soundtrack with 'dazzling' and 'colorful' visual presentation—despite 'a lack of real gameplay substance.'[4][182][181] Neither Space Channel 5 nor UGA's Rez were commercially successful, and Rez was only available in the U.S. market through a PS2 port released in limited quantities.[170][179] Hitmaker's arcade ports included Crazy Taxi—an open-world arcade racing game known for its addictive gameplay,[174] which sold over one million copies[4] and has been frequently cited as one of the best Dreamcast games[182][183][184]—and Virtua Tennis—which revitalized the tennis game genre with a simple two-button control scheme and use of minigames to test the player's technique.[4][185][186] Smilebit's Jet Set Radio—in which players control a Tokyo-based gang of youthful, rebellious inline skaters called the 'GGs', who use graffiti to claim territory from rival gangs while evading an oppressive police force—has been cited as a major example of Sega's commitment to original game concepts during the Dreamcast's lifespan. Lauded for composer Hideki Naganuma's 'punchy, psychedelic' soundtrack incorporating elements of 'J-pop and electro-funk' as well as its message of 'self-expression and non-violent dissent',[187][188] the game also popularized cel shaded graphics.[4][189] Despite wide praise for its style, some criticized Jet Set Radio's gameplay as mediocre, and it failed to meet Sega's sales expectations.[188][190][191] Produced by Rieko Kodama,[192] the Overworks-developed traditional role-playing gameSkies of Arcadia was acclaimed for its surreal Jules Verne-inspired fantasy world of floating islands and sky pirates, charming protagonists, unique emphasis on the environmental properties of weapons, exciting airship battles, and memorable plot (including a sequence viewed from multiple perspectives).[4][193][194]
AM2 developed what Sega hoped would be the Dreamcast's killer app, Shenmue, a 'revenge epic in the tradition of Chinese cinema.'[17][195] The action-adventure game involved the quest of protagonist Ryo Hazuki to avenge his father's murder,[196] but its main selling point was its rendition of the Japanese city of Yokosuka, which included a level of detail considered unprecedented for a video game.[197] Incorporating a simulated day/night cycle with variable weather, non-player characters with regular schedules, and the ability to pick up and examine detailed objects (also introducing the Quick-time event in its modern form[197][198]), Shenmue went over budget and was rumored[199] to have cost Sega over $50 million.[196][197][200] Originally planned as the first installment in an 11-part saga, Shenmue was eventually downsized to a trilogy—and only one sequel was ever released.[4][201] While Shenmue was lauded for its innovation, visuals and music, its critical reception was mixed; points of criticism included 'invisible walls' which limited the player's sense of freedom, boredom caused by the inability to progress without waiting for events scheduled to occur at specific times, excessive in-game cutscenes and a lack of challenge.[196][202][203] According to Moore, Shenmue sold 'extremely well', but the game had no chance of making a profit due to the Dreamcast's limited installed base.[204]Shenmue II 'was completed for a much more reasonable sum', while Sato defended Shenmue as an 'investment [which] will someday be recouped' because 'the development advances we learned .. can be applied to other games'.[4][200] In addition to the mixed reception for Shenmue, IGN's Travis Fahs stated that 'the [Dreamcast] era wasn't as kind to [AM2] as earlier years'—citing (among others) F355 Challenge as an 'acclaimed' arcade game that 'didn't do much at home', and Genki's port of Virtua Fighter 3 as inferior to the arcade version, 'which was already a couple years old and never as popular as its predecessors.'[4][205][206] The Virtua Fighter series would experience a 'tremendous comeback' with the universally acclaimed Virtua Fighter 4—which saw a console release exclusively on PS2.[4][207]
'If ever a system deserved to succeed, it was Dreamcast. Dreamcast has a hell of a library. It's dying now, 18 months old, with a larger library than the 5-year-old Nintendo 64. It's a better library than the Nintendo 64. Dreamcast was a wonderful system.'
—Journalist Steven L. Kent, March 2001.[208]
As the first fully 3D platforming game starring Sega's mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Team's Sonic Adventure was considered 'the centerpiece of the [Dreamcast] launch'.[4]Adventure garnered criticism for technical problems including erratic camera angles and glitches,[209][210][211] but was praised for its 'luscious'[212] visuals, 'vast, twisting environments' and iconic set pieces —including a segment in which Sonic runs down the side of a skyscraper —and has been described as the Sonic series' creative apex.[209][210][213] However, it failed 'to catch on with players in nearly the way that [Nintendo's] Mario 64 had done', perhaps due to a perceived lack of gameplay depth.[211][214][215] Distinguished by its innovative use of multiple storylines with varied forms of play,[216]Adventure sold 2.5 million copies, making it the Dreamcast's best-selling game.[42][217] Sonic Team also developed the Dreamcast's first online game--ChuChu Rocket!—which was widely complimented for its addictive puzzle gameplay and 'frantic' multiplayer matches,[182][218][219] and the critically successful music game Samba de Amigo, which was noted for its expensive maracas peripheral and colorful aesthetic.[220][221][222] Perhaps the most influential of Sonic Team's Dreamcast releases was Phantasy Star Online, the first online console RPG. Developed after Okawa requested an online game from Sonic Team, PSO was heavily influenced by the PC action RPGDiablo, but refined and simplified its style of gameplay to appeal to console audiences.[101][223][224]
In sports, Visual Concepts' NFL 2K football series and its NBA 2K basketball series were critically acclaimed.[225]NFL 2K was considered an outstanding launch game for its high-quality visuals[59][226] and 'insightful, context-friendly, and, yes, even funny commentary',[154] while NFL 2K1 featured groundbreaking online multiplayer earlier than its chief competitor, EA's Madden NFL series.[33][130][186]Madden and 2K continued to compete on other platforms through 2004—with the 2K series introducing innovations such as a first person perspective new to the genre,[227] and eventually launching ESPN NFL 2K5 at the aggressively low price point of $19.95—until EA signed an exclusive agreement with the National Football League, 'effectively putting every other pro-football game out of business.'[228][229] After Sega sold Visual Concepts for $24 million in 2005, the NBA 2K series continued with publisher Take-Two Interactive.[182][230] During the Dreamcast's lifespan, Visual Concepts also collaborated with Sonic the Hedgehog level designer Hirokazu Yasuhara on the action-adventure game Floigan Bros.[231] and developed the critically successful action gameOoga Booga.[232]
To appeal to the European market, Sega formed a French affiliate called No Cliché, which developed games such as Toy Commander.[4][233] Sega Europe also approached Bizarre Creations[234] to develop the critically successful racing game Metropolis Street Racer, which featured detailed recreations of London, Tokyo, and San Francisco—complete with consistent time zones and fictional radio stations—and 262 individual race tracks.[183][235][236]
Although Acclaim, SNK, Ubisoft, Midway, Activision, Infogrames, and Capcom supported the system during its first year,[33] third-party developer support proved difficult to obtain due to the failure of the Sega Saturn and the profitability of publishing for the PlayStation.[32] Namco's Soul Calibur, for example, was released for the Dreamcast because of the relative unpopularity of the Soul series at the time; Namco's more successful Tekken franchise was associated with the PlayStation console and PlayStation-based arcade boards.[4] Nevertheless, Soul Calibur received overwhelming critical acclaim[237] and has been frequently described as one of the best games for the system.[174][182][184] Capcom produced a number of fighting games for the system, including the Power Stone series, in addition to a temporary exclusive[183] in the popular Resident Evil series called Resident Evil Code: Veronica.[182][184][238] The Dreamcast is also known for several shoot 'em ups, most notably Treasure's Bangai-O and Ikaruga.[4][183][239]
In January 2000, three months after the system's North American launch, Electronic Gaming Monthly offered praise for the game library, stating, '..with triple-A stuff like Soul Calibur, NBA 2K, and soon Crazy Taxi to kick around, we figure you're happy you took the 128-bit plunge.'[240] In a retrospective, PC Magazine's Jeffrey L. Wilson referred to Dreamcast's 'killer library' and emphasized Sega's creative influence and visual innovation as being at its peak during the lifetime of the system.[241] The staff of Edge agreed with this assessment on Dreamcast's original games, as well as Sega's arcade conversions, stating that the system 'delivered the first games that could meaningfully be described as arcade perfect.'[146]GamePro writer Blake Snow referred to the library as being 'much celebrated'.[134] Damien McFerran of Retro Gamer praised Dreamcast's NAOMI arcade ports, opining 'The thrill of playing Crazy Taxi in the arcade knowing full well that a pixel-perfect conversion (and not some cut-down port) was set to arrive on the Dreamcast is an experience gamers are unlikely to witness again.'[32]Nick Montfort and Mia Consalvo, writing in Loading.. The Journal of the Canadian Game Studies Association, argued that 'the Dreamcast hosted a remarkable amount of videogame development that went beyond the odd and unusual and is interesting when considered as avant-garde .. it is hard to imagine a commercial console game expressing strong resistance to the commodity perspective and to the view that game production is commerce. But even when it comes to resisting commercialization, it is arguable that Dreamcast games came closer to expressing this attitude than any other console games have.'[153] 1UP.com's Jeremy Parish favorably compared Sega's Dreamcast output, which included some of 'the most varied, creative, and fun [games] the company had ever produced', with its 'enervated' status as a third-party.[58] Fahs noted 'The Dreamcast's life was fleeting, but it was saturated with memorable titles, most of which were completely new properties.'[17] According to author Steven L. Kent, 'From Sonic Adventure and Shenmue to Space Channel 5 and Seaman, Dreamcast delivered and delivered and delivered.'[242]
Reception and legacy[edit]
In December 1999, Next Generation rated the Dreamcast 4 out of 5 stars and stated, 'If you want the most powerful system available now, showcasing the best graphics at a reasonable price, this system is for you.' However, Next Generation rated the Dreamcast's future prognosis as 3 stars out of 5 in the same article, noting that Sony would ship a superior hardware product in the PlayStation 2 in the next year, and that Nintendo had said it would do the same with the GameCube.[243] At the beginning of 2000, Electronic Gaming Monthly had five reviewers score the Dreamcast 8.5, 8.5, 8.5, 8.0, and 9.0 out of 10 points.[244] By 2001, the reviewers for Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the Dreamcast scores of 9.0, 9.0, 9.0, 9.0, and 9.5 out of 10.[245]BusinessWeek recognized the Dreamcast as one of the best products of 1999.[246]
In 2009, IGN named the Dreamcast the 8th greatest video game console of all time, giving credit to the innovations and software for the system. According to IGN, 'The Dreamcast was the first console to incorporate a built-in modem for online play, and while the networking lacked the polish and refinement of its successors, it was the first time users could seamlessly power on and play with users around the globe.'[42] In 2010, PC Magazine's Jeffrey L. Wilson named the Dreamcast the greatest video game console, emphasizing that the system was 'gone too soon'.[241] In 2013, Edge named the Dreamcast the 10th best console of the last 20 years, highlighting innovations that it added to console video gaming, including in-game voice chat, downloadable content, and second screen technology through the use of VMUs. Edge explained the system's poor performance by stating, 'Sega's console was undoubtedly ahead of its time, and it suffered at retail for that reason.. [b]ut its influence can still be felt today.'[146] Writing in 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die, Duncan Harris noted 'One of the reasons that older gamers mourned the loss of the Dreamcast was that it signaled the demise of arcade gaming culture .. Sega's console gave hope that things were not about to change for the worse and that the tenets of fast fun and bright, attractive graphics were not about to sink into a brown and green bog of realistic war games.'[247] Parish, writing for USgamer, contrasted the Dreamcast's diverse library with the 'suffocating sense of conservatism' that pervaded the gaming industry in the following decade.[248] Dan Whitehead of Eurogamer, discussing the Dreamcast's portrayal 'as a small, square, white plastic JFK', commented that the system's short lifespan 'may have sealed its reputation as one of the greatest consoles ever': 'Nothing builds a cult like a tragic demise'.[130] According to IGN's Travis Fahs, 'Many hardware manufacturers have come and gone, but it's unlikely any will go out with half as much class as Sega.'[4]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Sczepaniak, John (2006). 'Retroinspection: Mega Drive'. Retro Gamer. No. 27. Imagine Publishing. pp. 42–47. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
- ^ abZackariasson, Peter; Wilson, Timothy L.; Ernkvist, Mirko (2012). 'Console Hardware: The Development of Nintendo Wii'. The Video Game Industry: Formation, Present State, and Future. Routledge. p. 158. ISBN978-1138803831.
- ^'Sega Saturn' (in Japanese). Sega of Japan. Archived from the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvFahs, Travis (September 9, 2010). 'IGN Presents the History of Dreamcast'. IGN. Archived from the original on September 28, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
- ^ abcdeMäyrä, Frans (editor); Finn, Mark (2002). 'Console Games in the Age of Convergence'. Computer Games and Digital Cultures: Conference Proceedings: Proceedings of the Computer Games and Digital Cultures Conference, June 6-8, 2002, Tampere, Finland. Tampere University Press. pp. 45–58. ISBN9789514453717.CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 502, 516.
- ^Cifaldi, Frank (May 11, 2010). 'This Day in History: Sega Announces Surprise Saturn Launch'. 1UP.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
- ^ abKent 2001, pp. 516–517.
- ^ abcDeMaria & Wilson 2004, p. 282.
- ^Schilling, Mellissa A. (Spring 2003). 'Technological Leapfrogging: Lessons From the U.S. Video Game Console Industry'. California Management Review. 45 (3): 23.
- ^ abcdeGallagher, Scott; Park, Seung Ho (February 2002). 'Innovation and Competition in Standard-Based Industries: A Historical Analysis of the U.S. Home Video Game Market'. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management. 49 (1): 67–82.
- ^DeMaria & Wilson 2004, pp. 282–283.
- ^Kent 2001, p. 504.
- ^ abKent 2001, p. 532.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 500, 508, 531.
- ^Dring, Christopher (July 7, 2013). 'A Tale of Two E3s - Xbox vs Sony vs Sega'. MCVUK. Archived from the original on October 23, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^ abcdefghijkFahs, Travis (April 21, 2009). 'IGN Presents the History of Sega'. IGN. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
- ^ abcKent 2001, p. 535.
- ^ abc'Sega of America appoints Shoichiro Irimajiri chairman/chief executive officer'. M2PressWIRE. M2 Communications, Ltd. July 16, 1996. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014.
Sega of America Inc. (SOA) Monday announced that Shoichiro Irimajiri has been appointed chairman and chief executive officer. In addition, Sega announced that Bernard Stolar, previously of Sony Computer Entertainment America, has joined the company as executive vice president, responsible for product development and third-party business .. Sega also announced that Hayao Nakayama and David Rosen have resigned as chairman and co-chairman of Sega of America, respectively.
(Subscription required.) - ^ ab'Kalinske Out - WORLD EXCLUSIVE'. Next Generation Online. July 16, 1996. Archived from the original on December 20, 1996. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- ^ abcKent 2001, p. 577.
- ^'NEWSFLASH: Sega Planning Drastic Management Reshuffle - World Exclusive'. Next Generation Online. July 13, 1996. Archived from the original on December 20, 1996. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- ^ abcdKent 2001, p. 558.
- ^ abcStephanie Strom (March 14, 1998). 'Sega Enterprises Pulls Its Saturn Video Console From the U.S. Market'. The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 30, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
- ^Feldman, Curt (April 22, 1998). 'Katana Strategy Still on Back Burner'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^ ab'Sega Enterprises Annual Report 1998'(PDF). Sega Enterprises, Ltd. pp. 1, 7–8. Archived from the original(PDF) on May 4, 2004. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^'Sega News From Japan'. GameSpot. March 18, 1998. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^ abcKent 2001, p. 559.
- ^'US Defense Corp Holds Key to Sega Plans'. Next Generation. Vol. 1 no. 11. Imagine Media. November 1995. pp. 12–14. Archived from the original on December 6, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
- ^ ab'Peep Show: Sega's New Console Creeps Out of the Shadows'. GameSpot. May 1, 1997. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^cf. 'Black Belt from a Lockheed Perspective'. Next Generation Online. April 29, 1997. Archived from the original on June 5, 1997. Retrieved January 20, 2015. cf. 'Interview: Toshiyasu Morita'. Sega-16. February 22, 2008. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
Toshiyasu Morita: [I] was involved in two pieces of hardware which were never released: an SH3E+Nvidia combo which never went anywhere, and I was on the compiler/debugger guy for the SH4+3Dfx board.
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaMcFerran, Damien. 'Retroinspection: Dreamcast'. Retro Gamer. No. 50. Imagine Publishing. pp. 66–72. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuPerry, Douglass (September 9, 2009). 'Features - The Rise And Fall Of The Dreamcast'. Gamasutra. Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^Parkin, Simon (June 24, 2014). 'A history of videogame hardware: Sega Dreamcast'. Edge. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ^'3Dfx's Initial Public Offering'. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Archived from the original on October 25, 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2011.
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvHagiwara, Shiro; Oliver, Ian (November – December 1999). 'Sega Dreamcast: Creating a Unified Entertainment World'. IEEE Micro. 19 (6): 29–35.
- ^'Good-bye Dural, hello Katana'. Next Generation. No. 38. Imagine Media. February 1998. p. 24.
- ^ ab'Sega's Superhero Vs. The Big Guys'. BusinessWeek. May 21, 2000. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^'How to Jump-Start Your E-Strategy'. BusinessWeek. June 5, 2000. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
In Japan, where employees are usually treated with kid gloves, Sega Enterprises Ltd. Chairman Isao Okawa shocked his staff by announcing, after months of trying to implement a new Net product strategy, that those who continued to resist it would be fired.
- ^ abcdefghiJohnston, Chris. 'Hands On: Dreamcast'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 115. EGM Media, LLC. pp. 26–27.
- ^ abBorland, John (June 30, 2000). 'Hackers break Dreamcast safeguards, distribute games online'. CNET News. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
- ^ abc'Dreamcast is number 8'. IGN. Archived from the original on August 30, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
- ^Szczepaniak, John (2014). The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 1. p. 35. ISBN978-0992926007.
- ^Sato, Yukiyoshi Ike; Kennedy, Sam (January 6, 2000). 'Interview with Kenji Eno'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^'Interview with Sega's Boss: Shoichiro Irimajiri'. IGN. August 26, 1998. Archived from the original on October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^Obuchi, Yutaka (July 16, 1998). 'Sonic Onboard Dreamcast'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^'International News: Sonic Rocks Tokyo'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. Vol. 10 no. 112. EGM Media, LLC. November 1998. p. 50.
Sonic Adventure's Tokyo premiere was a grand event–three stadium-packed showings, a demonstration of the game and more .. Afterward, Segata Sanshiro led the crowd in a Sonic chant, which will be used in the game.
- ^'News: Sonic's Back!'. Sega Saturn Magazine. Vol. 4 no. 36. October 1998. pp. 6–8.
On Saturday, August 22nd at the Tokyo International Forum, Sega showed the future of computer gaming to a 15,000 strong crowd—and they weren't disappointed.
- ^'Sega Dreamcast'. Game Makers. Episode 302. Los Angeles. August 20, 2008. G4. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008.
- ^ abKent 2001, p. 563.
- ^Kent 2001, p. 563-564.
- ^ abKent 2001, p. 564.
- ^ ab'Who's Got Game? Beleaguered Sega Hopes to Get Back on Top in the Video Game Wars with Dreamcast, the First of a New Generation of Superfast, Supercool Fun Machines'. Newsweek. September 6, 1999. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
- ^Langan, Matthew (July 26, 1999). 'Famitsu Weekly Reviews Latest Dreamcast Games'. IGN. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
- ^ abKent 2001, p. 581.
- ^'Dreamcast: It's here..'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 122. EGM Media, LLC. September 1999. p. 168.
- ^ abKent 2001, pp. 564–565.
- ^ abcdefghijkParish, Jeremy (September 3, 2009). '9.9.99, A Dreamcast Memorial'. 1UP.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
- ^ abcKent 2001, p. 565.
- ^'Dreamcast: The European View'. IGN. August 26, 1998. Archived from the original on December 8, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
- ^Kennedy, Sam (August 12, 1999). 'A Post-Bernie Sega Speaks'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
- ^'Dreamcast: In the USA'. Next Generation. Vol. 2 no. 9. September 2000. pp. 6–9.
- ^'News Bytes'. Next Generation (Lifecycle 2). Vol. 1 no. 3. November 1999. p. 14.
More than one Sega employee was witnessed during the festivities raising a glass and toasting ousted COO Bernie Stolar. 'This was his launch,' they would say; one or two was seen crying.
cf. Kennedy, Sam (August 12, 1999). 'A Post-Bernie Sega Speaks'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2014. - ^Gantayat, Anoop (September 9, 2008). 'IGN Classics: Dreamcast Launch Guide'. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^Kato, Matthew (October 30, 2013). 'Which Game Console Had The Best Launch Lineup?'. Game Informer. p. 4. Archived from the original on December 30, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^ abcEdwards, Cliff (December 18, 2000). 'Sega vs. Sony: Pow! Biff! Whack!'. BusinessWeek. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
- ^ abcd'Dreamcast beats PlayStation record'. BBC News. November 24, 1999. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^'Defective Dreamcast GD-ROMs'. GameSpot. September 10, 1999. Archived from the original on April 1, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^Gestalt (October 17, 2000). 'Dreamcast - thanks a million'. Eurogamer. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
As Sega themselves point out, although Sony are shipping as many consoles in two months as Sega have in an entire year, this is still likely to leave retailers in short supply and unable to meet the massive demand for the Playstation 2.
- ^'Sonic signs for Gunners'. BBC News. April 22, 1999. Retrieved July 19, 2007.
- ^'SEGA EUROPE strikes third major European sponsorship deal with A.S. SAINT-ETIENNE'. PRnewswire.co.uk. June 15, 1999. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2007.
- ^'SEGA EUROPE strikes sponsorship deal with U.C. SAMPDORIA'. PRnewswire.co.uk. June 11, 1999. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2007.
- ^'SEGA announce new price for Dreamcast'. SEGA. September 1, 2000. Archived from the original on August 19, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2007.
- ^Croal, N'Gail (March 6, 2000). 'The Art of the Game: The Power of the PlayStation Is Challenging Designers to Match Its Capabilities-And Forcing Sony's Competitors to Rethink Their Strategies'. Newsweek. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 560–561.
- ^Parkin, Simon (June 25, 2014). 'A history of videogame hardware: Sony PlayStation 2'. Edge. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ^ abcdCasamassina, Matt (November 3, 2000). 'Gamecube Versus PlayStation 2'. IGN. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
Jason Rubin: If the PlayStation 2 is going to sell as many hardware units as the PlayStation 1 sold, then I don't care if I have to pierce my nails with pins to get it to work, I'm going to do it because that's where the money is.
- ^ ab'Sony Playstation 2 and HPC'. Asian Technology Information Program. December 31, 1999: 4–5.
- ^ abDiefendorff, Keith (April 19, 1999). 'Sony's Emotionally Charged Chip'. Microprocessor Report. Vol. 13 no. 5. pp. 1, 6–7.
- ^Reaching for the limits of PS2 performance (page 32), SCEE, 2003
- ^Kent 2001, p. 560.
- ^ abKent 2001, p. 561.
- ^Kent 2001, p. 562, 580.
- ^'The 30 Defining Moments in Gaming'. Edge. August 14, 2007. p. 3. Archived from the original on October 23, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
The Sega Dreamcast was the first home console that could go online out of the box, and the first to offer pay-to-play online games. These features clearly affected Sega's primary rival, Sony, who promised many online features for the upcoming PlayStation 2 in press reports from 1999. Once Sega abandoned the Dreamcast, Sony quietly dropped its plans for online gaming and movie distribution, and settled for a much less ambitious patchwork strategy.
- ^ abKent 2001, p. 571.
- ^'Here Comes PlayStation 2: More Than Just a Superpowerful Game Console, Sony's New Black Beauty Aims to Turn the Company into an Internet Giant'. Newsweek. March 6, 2000. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014. cf. Grift, Kris (September 17, 2008). 'How Consoles Die'. Edge. p. 4. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
The Sony hype machine didn't help Dreamcast's prospects either, as execs promised PS2 graphics on par with the CG movie Toy Story.
cf. Smith, Tony (December 19, 2000). 'Iraq buys 4000 PlayStation 2s in world conquest bid'. The Register. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2014. - ^Kent 2001, pp. 561, 568–569.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 563, 574.
- ^DeMaria & Wilson 2004, p. 313.
- ^Parkin, Simon (June 27, 2014). 'A history of videogame hardware: Xbox'. Edge. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
In the run-up to the launch of Sony's PlayStation 2, a number of Microsoft engineers became concerned at the Japanese company's claims that their new console was set to wipe the PC from the home.
- ^Davis, Jim (January 11, 2001). 'Sega's sales fly despite business woes'. CNET News. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
- ^Kent 2001, p. 566.
- ^ abc'Sega Corporation Annual Report 2000'(PDF). Sega Corporation. pp. 10–12, 18. Archived from the original(PDF) on September 25, 2007. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^'Sega warns of losses'. BBC News Online. February 28, 2000. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
- ^Kent 2001, p. 582.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 578–579.
- ^ abcdSatterfield, Shane (September 7, 2000). 'SegaNet Launches'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 13, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
- ^ abcdKent 2001, p. 579.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 578–579, 581.
- ^'Sega.com Launches the World's First Online Console Gaming Network, SegaNet'. BusinessWire. September 7, 2000. Archived from the original on December 9, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ^ ab'Behind The Scenes: Phantasy Star Online'. GamesTM. February 16, 2011. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^Thurrot, Paul (April 4, 2000). 'Sega unveils plans for free Dreamcast, online gaming'. Windows IT Pro. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
- ^'Sega Announces Formation of New Company, Sega.com, Inc.; Offers Rebate On Sega Dreamcast Hardware for SegaNet ISP Subscribers'. BusinessWire. April 4, 2000. Archived from the original on December 9, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ^ abStuart, Keith (September 15, 2008). 'Peter Moore Interview: Part One'. The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on December 9, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 581, 588.
- ^'Dreamcast may be discontinued, Sega says'. USA Today. January 24, 2001. Archived from the original on December 25, 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^Smith, Tony (November 24, 2000). 'Sega full-year loss to widen'. The Register. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
- ^'Sega Issues Financial Statement'. IGN. February 1, 2001. Archived from the original on December 8, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
- ^'Sega Corporation Annual Report 2001'(PDF). Sega Corporation. August 2001. p. 22. Archived(PDF) from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^Becker, David (December 5, 2000). 'Old PlayStation tops holiday game console sales'. CNET News. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 585–588.
- ^Kent 2001, p. 588.
- ^Kent 2001, p. 585.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 581–582.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 577, 582.
- ^ abKent, Steven L. (April 2001). 'A Few Words on Sega, From the Founder'. Next Generation (Lifecycle 2). Vol. 3 no. 4. Imagine Media. p. 9.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 588–589.
- ^Ahmed, Shahed (January 31, 2001). 'Sega announces drastic restructuring'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on May 10, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^'Revisions to Annual Results Forecasts'(PDF). Sega Corporation. October 23, 2001. p. 4. Archived from the original(PDF) on July 26, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
- ^ abc'Sega pulls plug on Dreamcast'. Next Generation (Lifecycle 2). Vol. 3 no. 4. Imagine Media. April 2001. pp. 7–9.
- ^Ahmed, Shahed (November 21, 2001). 'Sega drops Dreamcast price again'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 2, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^'Sega Ships the 'Dreamlast''. GamePro. Vol. 14 no. 162. March 2002. p. 30.
- ^'Dreamcast Collector's Edition Giveaway'. GamePro. Vol. 14 no. 163. April 2002. p. 117.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 582, 589.
- ^Stout, Kristie Lu (March 19, 2001). 'Late Sega exec leaves legacy, new leadership'. CNN. Archived from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
- ^'Sega: The Blue Sky Company'. Edge. May 31, 2007. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ^'Death of the Dreamcast Official'. Edge. April 2, 2007. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ^'Keeping The Dream Alive: The Men Behind Dreamcast Homebrew'. Gamasutra. May 2011. Archived from the original on May 15, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
- ^'Sega Corporation Annual Report 2004'(PDF). Sega Corporation. p. 2. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 25, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^ abcdWhitehead, Dan (January 2, 2009). 'Dreamcast: A Forensic Retrospective'. Eurogamer. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
- ^'The ten greatest years in gaming'. Edge. June 27, 2006. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ^ abcdKennedy, Sam. 'Dreamcast 2.0: 10 reasons why the Xbox 360 will succeed where the Dreamcast failed'. 1UP.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
- ^Kent 2001, p. 573. Charles Bellfield: 'When you consider that Microsoft has announced a $500 million marketing program for the launch of Xbox and that Nintendo has a $5 billion war chest and the overall power behind Sony's PlayStation brand, Sega does not have the ability to compete against those companies'.
- ^ abcSnow, Blake (May 4, 2007). 'The 10 Worst-Selling Consoles of All Time'. GamePro. Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
- ^Parish, Jeremy (November 18, 2014). 'The Lost Child of a House Divided: A Sega Saturn Retrospective'. USgamer. Archived from the original on December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
- ^'Sega Gets Hip to Reality'. Newsweek. January 30, 2001. Archived from the original on February 18, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- ^'Classic Reviews: Burning Rangers'. Game Informer. Vol. 12 no. 110. June 2002. p. 104.
- ^'SH-4 CPU Core Architecture'. STMicroelectronics and Hitachi, Ltd. September 12, 2002: 15.
- ^ abcdefghijkl'Dreamcast Arrives!'. Next Generation. No. Lifecycle 2.1.1. Imagine Media. September 1999. pp. 51–57.
- ^Carless, Simon (2004). Gaming Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools. O'Reilly Media. p. 198. ISBN978-0596007140.
- ^'Model:SEAMAN' (in Japanese). Sega of Japan. June 15, 1999. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^'Dreamcast CODE:Veronica' (in Japanese). Sega of Japan. December 6, 1999. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^'Dreamcast Direct' (in Japanese). Famitsu. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^'Toyota to market Sega's Dreamcast'. Kyodo News International, Inc. January 28, 1999. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014 – via The Free Library.
- ^Justice, Brandon (June 29, 2000). 'Sega Reveals Details on Sega Sports Pack'. IGN. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ abc'The ten best consoles: our countdown of the greatest gameboxes of the last 20 years'. Edge. September 20, 2013. Archived from the original on November 28, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ^'Marvel Vs. Capcom-Dreamcast'. Game Informer. October 28, 1999. Archived from the original on October 25, 2000. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- ^'The Xbox Controller'. IGN. January 5, 2001. Archived from the original on November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^ abcdeRedsell, Adam (May 20, 2012). 'Sega: A Soothsayer of the Games Industry'. IGN. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^ ab'Dreamcast VMU'. IGN. August 13, 1999. Archived from the original on November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^ abcLoguidice, Bill; Barton, Matt (2014). Vintage Game Consoles: An Inside Look at Apple, Atari, Commodore, Nintendo, and the Greatest Gaming Platforms of All Time. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 278. ISBN978-0415856003.
- ^ abcd'Sega Dreamcast Launch Titles and Peripherals'. BusinessWire. September 2, 1999. Archived from the original on December 7, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ^ abcdeMontfort, Nick; Consalvo, Mia. 'The Dreamcast, Console of the Avant-Garde'. Loading.. The Journal of the Canadian Game Studies Association. 6 (9): 82–99.
- ^ abEkberg, Brian (August 2, 2005). 'GameSpot Sports Classic - NFL 2K'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^Chau, Anthony (May 23, 2001). 'Confidential Mission'. IGN. Archived from the original on December 7, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
Unfortunately, if you have the Japanese DC light gun, Confidential Mission will only work with US third party light guns.
- ^Gantayat, Anoop (June 5, 2000). 'Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram'. IGN. Archived from the original on December 7, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ^'IGNDC Talks Dreameye with Sega'. IGN. March 6, 2000. Archived from the original on December 7, 2014. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
- ^Ohbuchi, Yutaka (September 17, 1998). 'How Naomi Got Its Groove On'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^'Dead or Alive 2 [Japan] (PlayStation 2)'. Archived from the original on March 20, 2016.
- ^'Ikaruga Review'. Edge. October 10, 2002. Archived from the original on May 31, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 577–578, 581.
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 324, 578.
- ^'Sega Sammy Holdings Inc'. Businessweek. 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
- ^cf. Mielke, James (September 11, 2007). 'Panzer Dragoon Saga Retrospective'. 1UP.com. p. 5. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
Yukio Futatsugi: The director of Orta was in charge of the battle system in Panzer Dragoon Saga.
- ^'Overworks'. IGN. Archived from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
- ^'E3 2002: Shinobi Interview'. IGN. May 23, 2002. Archived from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
- ^Parish, Jeremy (September 26, 2008). 'Valkyria Chronicles Interview'. 1UP.com. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
Ryutaro Nonaka: Yes, definitely—I've had a lot of experience with strategy thanks to Sakura Taisen. But I've also worked with a fair number of action titles as well, including a game called Nightshade .. The team also worked with Skies of Arcadia, and we gathered a staff from many different titles.
CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) - ^Kent 2001, pp. 501, 578.
- ^The others were Wow Entertainment, headed by Rikiya Nakagawa; Amusement Vision, headed by Toshihiro Nagoshi; and Sega Rosso, headed by Kenji Sasaki. Visual Concepts was led by Greg Thomas and Sega's audio studio, Wave Master, was led by Yukifumi Makino. See 'Sega Corporation Annual Report 2002'(PDF). Sega Corporation. July 2002. pp. 18–19. Archived(PDF) from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ^ abKennedy, Sam (January 29, 2008). 'Rez HD (Xbox 360)'. 1UP.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
- ^'Rez Review'. Edge. November 29, 2001. Archived from the original on November 22, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
In its appreciation of 3D space and in the way themes of evolution and transcendence are intertwined with, and layered on top of, exhilarating abstract soundscapes, Rez is a work of genius.
- ^Parkin, Simon (January 30, 2008). 'Rez HD'. Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 26, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^'Retro Reviews: Typing of the Dead'. Game Informer. Vol. 15 no. 150. October 2005. p. 165.
One of the strangest titles to come out of Sega's workshop .. It's actually a more addictive and challenging game than the original game that it is based on.
- ^ abc'From the Living Room to the Grave: Remembering the Top 10 Dreamcast Games'. Game Informer. Vol. 16 no. 166. February 2007. pp. 116–117.
- ^Mott 2013, p. 415. 'I'm dating the head cheerleader', you might type while playing The Typing of the Dead, before digressing into an extended discourse on health and safety measures or financial prudence'.
- ^'Retro Reviews: Seaman'. Game Informer. Vol. 15 no. 151. November 2005. p. 198.
A surreal adventure with a certain brand of humor rarely achieved today.
cf. Provo, Frank (August 8, 2000). 'Seaman Review'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on August 30, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2014.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) - ^Mott 2013, p. 407.
- ^'The Story of Sega's Oddest Game Ever'. Edge. July 21, 2008. Archived from the original on May 27, 2012. Retrieved October 24, 2014. cf. Vore, Bryan (March 2012). 'Alex Kidd: Sega's Forgotten Mascot'. Game Informer. Vol. 22 no. 227. pp. 98–99.
Alex Kidd, Segagaga: I debuted as Sega's mascot, and went head-to-head against Nintendo's Mario. But it didn't work out in the end. For the longest time after that, I beat myself up about it, thinking about why it turned out the way it did. I spent a lot of time on this riverbank, staring at the sunset.
- ^ ab'Tetsuya Mizuguchi Interview 2005'. Kikizo. October 13, 2005. Archived from the original on August 3, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014. cf. Thomason, Steve (March 2006). 'Love Story'. Nintendo Power. Vol. 19 no. 201. pp. 38–39.
- ^On July 22, 2003, Sega announced the merger of Sonic Team with UGA, Hitmaker with Sega Rosso, and Smilebit with Amusement Vision. See 'Sega Details Future'. IGN. July 23, 2003. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^ abMott 2013, p. 410.
- ^ abcdef'Best Dreamcast games of all time'. GamesRadar. September 9, 2014. Archived from the original on March 6, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
- ^ abcdWhitehead, Dan (January 2, 2009). 'The Dreamcast Dozen'. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
- ^ abc'The Top 25 Dreamcast Games'. IGN. September 11, 2009. Archived from the original on November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^Hegelson, Matt (September 2002). 'Tennis 2K2'. Game Informer. Vol. 12 no. 113. p. 81.
.. universally hailed as the greatest tennis game ever.
cf. Chen, Jeff (July 7, 2000). 'Virtua Tennis: Sega Professional Tennis'. IGN. Archived from the original on October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014. cf. Gerstmann, Jeff (July 10, 2000). 'Virtua Tennis Review'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 18, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014. cf. Reed, Kristian (November 19, 2002). 'Virtua Tennis 2'. Eurogamer. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014.Two of the greatest sports titles ever made were released on the console: Virtua Tennis and its superior sequel Virtua Tennis 2.
cf. 'Virtua Tennis (Dreamcast)'. Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 17, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2014. - ^ ab'Top 100 Games of All Time'. Game Informer. Vol. 11 no. 100. August 2001. pp. 22–41.
- ^Mott 2013, p. 431.
- ^ abIngenito, Vince (September 17, 2012). 'Jet Set Radio Review'. IGN. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
The overall gameplay in Jet Set Radio is merely passable .. But the game didn't enslave a throng of loyal fans because of its gameplay, odd as that might sound. It was its style and spirit that made it worth experiencing.
- ^Leone, Matt. 'The Essential 50 Part 48: Jet Grind Radio'. 1UP.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
Takayuki Kawagoe: It would be a success if it can become a part of the memory of the users rather than set a record for sales.
CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) - ^Justice, Brandon (October 27, 2000). 'Jet Grind Radio'. IGN. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
Smilebit shows why Sega has the best development stable in the world .. It truly is an original creation, and you can see this distinctness shine through in every aspect of the game.
cf. Reiner (December 2000). 'Jet Set Radio'. Game Informer. Vol. 10 no. 92. pp. 116–117.The rewards are magnificent, and each stage is something to behold, but the gameplay is mediocre at best.
cf. Venter, Jason (September 17, 2012). 'Jet Set Radio Review'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.Even the simple act of skating in a straight line can sometimes prove difficult.
- ^Kent 2001, p. 587.
- ^Thomason, Steve (January 2007). 'Birth of a Hedgehog'. Nintendo Power. Vol. 20 no. 211. p. 71.
- ^Chau, Anthony (November 14, 2000). 'Skies of Arcadia'. IGN. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014. cf. Shoemaker, Brad (October 16, 2000). 'Skies of Arcadia Review'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 23, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014. cf. Reiner. 'Skies of Arcadia Legends'. Game Informer. Archived from the original on November 12, 2005. Retrieved November 4, 2014. cf. 'Time Extend: Skies of Arcadia'. Edge. July 19, 2009. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
The moment when Vyse officially leaves home .. with his skyfaring dad acknowledging him as an equal, is as touching as it isn't melodramatic, with both parents on hand to offer their blessings instead of blubbery histrionics. Vyse's down-to-earth nature is buffered by the aforementioned Aika, an ever-present confidante and childhood friend, and a playful female companion. More games need a marriage like this: splitting the emotional and verbal duties of the lead character into a double act, a sexless husband and wife who can reassure and question one another without the game having to resort to the internal monologue of a glum teen. Aika and Vyse's relationship is flirty and loving, but never blooms into the dreaded romantic subplot, filled with ellipses and uncomfortable mutterings.
- ^Mott 2013, p. 438.
- ^'Shenmue, the History'. July 13, 1999. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
- ^ abcKolan, Patrick (August 7, 2007). 'Shenmue: Through the Ages'. IGN. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
- ^ abcMott 2013, p. 406.
- ^Lamosca, Adam (June 24, 2007). 'On-Screen Help, In-Game Hindrance'. The Escapist. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
- ^In 2011, Suzuki stated that the actual cost of Shenmue was $47 million: See Gallegos, Anthony (March 2, 2011). 'GDC: The Future of Shenmue'. IGN. Archived from the original on November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^ abKent 2001, p. 578.
- ^Corriea, Alexa Ray (March 19, 2014). 'Creator Yu Suzuki shares the story of Shenmue's development'. Polygon. Archived from the original on June 28, 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
Yu Suzuki: The biggest challenge we encountered was project management. By the end, we had 300 people [working] and no experience on such a large project. At the time there were no project management tools .. so instead we made a job order sheet that was a list of action items in Excel. Because we kept testing, the items did not decrease. At one point we had 10,000 of them.
- ^Chau, Anthony (November 3, 2000). 'Shenmue'. IGN. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2014. cf. Provo, Frank (November 11, 2000). 'Shenmue Review'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 8, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
Like an old style text adventure, albeit filled with appointments and curfews.
cf. Jay (December 2000). 'Shenmue'. Game Informer. Vol. 10 no. 92. p. 120.Every critical encounter .. lasts for less than a minute, and if you fail, you simply try again .. what once seemed so intricate in the Japanese version has become elementary now that the language barrier is broken. Determining your character's next move requires little more than talking to someone, who will then tell you who to see or where to go .. Shenmue is not the next step in video games; merely a glimmer of what the future of gaming might hold .. all that's left is a guy walking around an amazingly detailed environment. If I wanted to experience that, I could see it in another game with proven endless entertainment value. It's called life.
cf. 'Shenmue Review'. Edge. November 29, 2000. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.Shenmue is much more than an interactive movie, but certainly does not deliver the freedom expected. It's involving, and ultimately rewarding, but only represents a step towards what may be possible in the future, rather than the milestone Edge hoped for.
CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) - ^In a 2009 retrospective, IGN's then senior vice-president of content Peer Schneider, among others, criticized IGN's contemporary coverage of Shenmue, stating: 'I'm as amazed today as I was back in 2000 when we gave it a 9.7.' See 'Where the F@!* is Shenmue?'. IGN. September 11, 2009. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2014. The game was defended by IGN UK's Martin Robinson: 'Shenmue's stupendously large canvas, its superlative evocation of a time and place that to date remains alien territory to videogames and its unfading beauty all ensure it classic status .. the sweetest memory came just this year, when on a trip to Japan with my girlfriend I convinced her to come with me to Yokosuka, the port town that stars in the original game and is only an hour's ride from central Tokyo. It's the ultimate Dreamcast fanboy's pilgrimage, and as I took my first steps down Dobuita Street and recognized locations I'd walked past countless times before—Kurita's Military Store, Mary's Embroidery Store and the parking lot where Ryo honed his fighting skills—I couldn't help but go a little dewy eyed.'
- ^Kent 2001, pp. 587, 578.
- ^cf. Matt (December 2000). 'F355 Challenge: Passione Rossa'. Game Informer. Vol. 10 no. 92. p. 124.
F355 Challenge was breathtaking when played in the three-monitor coin-op unit, but it seems to lose impact on Dreamcast.
For an alternative perspective, see Wiley, Mike (September 19, 2000). 'F355 Challenge'. IGN. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2014.It is smoooooth.
- ^cf. 'Virtua Fighter 3tb'. Game Informer. October 25, 1999. Archived from the original on June 3, 2000. Retrieved October 26, 2014. cf. Gantayat, Anoop (October 1, 1999). 'Virtua Fighter 3tb'. IGN. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2014. cf. 'Virtua Fighter 3 TB Review'. Edge. December 23, 1998. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
The omission of a proper 'versus' selection is unforgivable, forcing twoplayer fights to be organised via the singleplayer mode. Purists may well argue that the arcade original lacked said option, but in Edge's view, buyers of modern coin-op conversions have the right to expect more from their investments than unenhanced facsimiles.
- ^'Virtua Fighter 4'. Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 17, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2014. cf. Andy (May 2002). 'Virtua Fighter 4'. Game Informer. Vol. 12 no. 109. pp. 78–79.
Will change everything you have ever come to expect from this genre.
cf. 'The Top 50 Games of 2003: Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution'. Game Informer. Vol. 14 no. 129. January 2004. p. 64.The most balanced and challenging fighting game the world has ever seen.
- ^'GI 'Quotables''. Game Informer. Vol. 11 no. 100. August 2001. pp. 44–45.
- ^ abMott 2013, p. 370.
- ^ abJustice, Brandon (September 8, 1999). 'Sonic Adventure'. IGN. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
Engrossing, demanding, and utterly awe-inspiring, Yuji Naka's vision has finally come full circle in this phenomenal title.
- ^ ab'Sonic Adventure-Dreamcast'. Game Informer. October 27, 1999. Archived from the original on December 3, 2000. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
I wish more time was spent to make this game truly remarkable, rather than the decent game we see today.
- ^Smith, Sean (June 22, 2006). 'Company Profile: Sonic Team'. Retro Gamer. Vol. 3 no. 26. p. 27.
- ^Noble, McKinley (May 6, 2009). 'The 20 Best Platformers: 1989 to 2009: Number 7: Sonic Adventure'. GamePro. p. 3. Archived from the original on January 28, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
- ^DeMaria & Wilson 2004, p. 312.
- ^While Sonic Adventure 2 was positively reviewed, the extent of its improvements over the original have been debated. See 'Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast)'. Metacritic. Archived from the original on December 27, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014. cf. Chau, Anthony (June 22, 2001). 'Sonic Adventure 2'. IGN. Archived from the original on November 2, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
There aren't many viewing problems .. be prepared to take a more active role when playing.
cf. Reiner (August 2001). 'Sonic Adventure 2'. Game Informer. Vol. 11 no. 100. p. 100.Hardly any mistakes from the original were fixed .. The lackluster difficulty and cartoon-like presentation is perfect for kids, but it really does nothing for hardcore gamers or Sonic fans of yesteryear.
- ^'Sonic Adventure'. Edge. Vol. 7 no. 68. February 1999. pp. 70–73.
Sampling one of the earlier levels out of context could leave many with the impression that Adventure is a flashy but essentially shallow experience. It isn't until a good portion of the game world has been explored with a few of the characters .. that the charm and style of Sega's title is fully appreciated ..It must be said, however, that none of Adventure is hugely challenging to the experienced player .. Edge only managed to discover a few places where poor collision detection detracted from the gameplay .. Given the never-before-witnessed scope and detail of Adventure's levels, these are forgiveable–but somehow the smaller problems are not .. The camera's occasional visits behind walls do little to aid the case for forgiveness, either, although it never frustrates to the extent that Banjo-Kazooie does .. a wonderfully absorbing game experience.
- ^Boutros, Daniel (August 4, 2006). 'A Detailed Cross-Examination of Yesterday and Today's Best-Selling Platform Games'. Gamasutra. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
- ^Justice, Brandon (March 7, 2000). 'Chu Chu Rocket'. IGN. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014. cf. Jay (May 2, 2000). 'Chu Chu Rocket-Dreamcast'. Game Informer. Archived from the original on December 5, 2000. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
I consider it the best and most original puzzle game since Tetris.
cf.Nutt, Christian (December 13, 1999). 'ChuChu Rocket! Review'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on September 15, 2009. Retrieved October 4, 2014. - ^Mott 2013, p. 385.
- ^'Samba de Amigo (Dreamcast)'. Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 17, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2014. cf. Justice, Brandon (October 18, 2000). 'Samba De Amigo'. IGN. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014. cf. Gerstmann, Jeff (June 16, 2000). 'Samba De Amigo Review'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 9, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
- ^Mott 2013, p. 405.
- ^For a negative review, see Reiner (December 2000). 'Samba de Amigo'. Game Informer. Vol. 10 no. 92. p. 124. cf. 'Retro Reviews: Samba de Amigo'. Game Informer. Vol. 18 no. 178. February 2008. p. 110.
- ^Mott 2013, p. 435.
- ^Parish, Jeremy. 'The Decade That Was: Essential Newcomers: Phantasy Star Online'. 1UP.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved November 27, 2015. cf. Oestreicher, Jason (July 4, 2013). 'Time Sinks-Phantasy Star Online'. Game Informer. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
Certainly, by today's standards, it was rudimentary and repetitive. But at the same time, it was revolutionary.
cf. 'Retrospective: Phantasy Star Online'. Edge. June 15, 2014. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015. - ^'NFL 2K1 (Dreamcast)'. Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 17, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2014. cf. 'NFL 2K2 (Dreamcast)'. Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 10, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014. cf. 'NBA 2K1 (Dreamcast)'. Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 17, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2014. cf. 'NBA 2K2 (Dreamcast)'. Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 17, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^'Best Launch Titles'. GameSpot. September 30, 2005. Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014. cf. Kato, Matthew (February 2012). 'Which Game Console Had the Best Launch Lineup? We Look Back to Find Out'. Game Informer. Vol. 22 no. 226. p. 99.
- ^Kato; Reiner (September 2003). 'ESPN NFL Football'. Game Informer. Vol. 13 no. 125. p. 106.
Madden has become a deeper simulation, but it hasn't evolved to the degree that Sega's title has. ESPN NFL Football is jam-packed with new features, innovative ideas, and must-see elements. First-person football sounds like a nightmare, but Sega figured out a way to make it work.
- ^Bissell, Tom (January 26, 2012). 'Kickoff: Madden NFL and the Future of Video Game Sports'. Grantland. Archived from the original on November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^Feldman, Curt; Surette, Tim (December 13, 2004). 'Big Deal: EA and NFL ink exclusive licensing agreement'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^'SEGA Sells Visual Concepts Entertainment to Take-Two Interactive'. Businesswire. January 24, 2005. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^GI Staff (August 2003). 'Sonic's Architect: GI Interviews Hirokazu Yasuhara'. Game Informer. Vol. 13 no. 124. p. 116. cf. Andy (August 2001). 'Floigan Bros.'. Game Informer. Vol. 11 no. 100. p. 101.
- ^'Ooga Booga (Dreamcast)'. Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 17, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^cf. 'Toy Commander-Dreamcast'. Game Informer. October 25, 1999. Archived from the original on December 3, 2000. Retrieved October 24, 2014. cf. Justice, Brandon (November 4, 1999). 'Toy Commander'. IGN. Archived from the original on October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^'The Making Of: Metropolis Street Racer'. Edge. October 7, 2012. Archived from the original on November 5, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ^'Metropolis Street Racer (Dreamcast)'. Archived from the original on January 17, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2014. cf. Paul (December 2000). 'Metropolis Street Racer'. Game Informer. Vol. 10 no. 92. p. 121.
I found the game's control and physics to be exceptional. Likewise, the graphics are brilliant and are probably the best of any racing game on the Dreamcast.
cf. Justice, Brandon (January 19, 2001). 'Metropolis Street Racer'. IGN. Archived from the original on November 5, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014. - ^Mott 2013, p. 432.
- ^'Soul Calibur (Dreamcast)'. Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 26, 2018. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^Mott 2013, pp. 421, 432–434.
- ^Mott 2013, pp. 382, 465.
- ^'..Should you buy a Dreamcast or Wait?'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 126. EGM Media, LLC. January 2000. p. 150.
- ^ abWilson, Jeffrey L. (May 28, 2010). 'The 10 Greatest Video Game Consoles of All Time'. PCmag.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
A collection of creative, fun, and quirky games that you'd be hard-pressed to find in such abundance on any other platform.
- ^Kent, Steven L. (October 9, 2006). 'SOMETIMES THE BEST'. Sad Sam's Place. Archived from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
- ^'The War for the Living Room'. Next Generation. No. 2.1.4. Imagine Media. December 1999. p. 95.
- ^Davison, John; et al. (January 2000). 'Electronic Gaming Monthly 2000 Buyer's Guide'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. EGM Media, LLC.
- ^Leahy, Dan; et al. (January 2001). 'Electronic Gaming Monthly 2001 Buyer's Guide'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. EGM Media, LLC.
- ^Kennedy, Sam (December 10, 1999). 'Business Week Praises the Dreamcast - GameSpot.com'. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
- ^Mott 2013, p. 434.
- ^Parish, Jeremy (September 13, 2014). 'What if Dreamcast Had Won?'. USgamer. Archived from the original on December 15, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
Bibliography[edit]
- Mott, Tony (2013). 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. New York City: Universe Publishing. ISBN978-0-7893-2090-2.
- DeMaria, Rusel; Wilson, Johnny L. (2004). High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games. Emeryville, California: McGraw-Hill/Osborne. ISBN978-0-07-223172-4.
- Kent, Steven L. (2001). The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Prima Publishing. ISBN978-0-7615-3643-7.
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dreamcast&oldid=903468216'
Please consider supporting The Cutting Room Floor on Patreon. Thanks for all your support!
< Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
This is a sub-page of Sonic Adventure 2: Battle.
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is a port of Sonic Adventure 2 for the Sega Dreamcast. There are actually tons of changes from the original version, ranging anywhere from tiny to huge.
As can be expected, almost anything having to do with the Dreamcast was removed in the port, such as the file selection menu, the posters in levels that referenced the Dreamcast, and button prompts.
- 2Opening Sequences, Title Screens, and Menus
- 5Multiplayer
- 6Chao World
- 7Cutscenes
Sub-Pages
Stage Differences Something in each Stage was generally changed or enhanced in some way for Battle. |
Opening Sequences, Title Screens, and Menus
- The Dreamcast version does not feature the short opening sequence with Sonic and Shadow at Radical Highway before the title screen. There is simply a small intro clip of the title of the game popping into view extravagantly in space, the Dreamcast intro is still in the game, just broken.
GameCube |
---|
- The title screens are different, albeit using the same music. The GameCube version features a scrolling background of the game's main characters, whereas the Dreamcast version is not animated.
GameCube |
---|
- With the exception of the main menu, the background of each menu in the Dreamcast version uses art of Sonic and Shadow's faces under different sets of colors. In the GameCube version, a different background is used featuring all the characters instead and does not change colors. The functionality for the color-changing menus was not removed (as can be seen in the leftovers of the original 2P menu), but for whatever reason is not compatible with the GameCube version's background.
- The demo mode that appears after the title screen remains idle for a bit is changed.
- On the Dreamcast, the demo is of a character playing one of their stages to their character theme. So for example, the first demo is of Sonic playing City Escape with 'It Doesn't Matter' playing as the music. There's a demo for each character.
- On the GameCube, the demo is of a two-player match played under usual conditions. The original demos are still in the game, but they aren't used.
GameCube |
---|
- 'SONIC ADVENTURE 2' in various fonts can be seen scrolling in the background of menus in the Dreamcast version. In the GameCube version, this was replaced with various floating orbs.
- The two player option says '2P Play' on the Dreamcast and '2P Battle' on the GameCube.
- Seeing as the GameCube cannot get online, the Home Page option on the main menu was removed.
- The kart race menu in the Dreamcast version featured a 4th course option where players could choose downloaded tracks. As the GameCube version had no use for it, it was removed for SA2B.
- Unlockable skins were added to each character in the Kart Race, Two of the special karts used for downloaded tracks in the Dreamcast version (High Speed Trial Sonic and Eggrobo) were included among these as alts for Sonic and Rouge respectively.
GameCube |
---|
- On the Dreamcast, the sound test is located in the options menu. In the GameCube version, the sound test slot in the options menu was replaced with the ability to delete multiplayer records. The sound test was moved from the Options menu to the Extras menu in order to replace the Download Event option that was on the Dreamcast, which was for reading downloadable themes for the menu and alternate costumes/karts from the VMU.
- The icon for changing between stereo and mono was changed. In the Dreamcast version, it's a megaphone-looking speaker with sound waves coming out of it. On the GameCube, this was changed to a modern-looking speaker emitting sound waves.
- The TV settings menu option no longer appears in the GameCube version's options menu.
- When the game is switched to Japanese text, the Dreamcast version doesn't translate the main menu or the 'Now Loading' indicator into Japanese. This is all translated in the GameCube version.
GameCube |
---|
- The Dreamcast needed to download menu themes from the game's website. As the GameCube version doesn't have an equivalent for this, it had to make a lot of changes. The themes for the 6 main characters are available from the start of the game, with no download required. The Amy, Maria and Omochao themes can be bought at the Black Market in Chao World and the secretary's theme is unlocked by rotating through the theme select a certain number of times. The Christmas and Halloween themes were removed.
- The order of the themes, as well as the design of each theme was revised for the GameCube version. In the Dreamcast version, themes are color swaps of the default menu background with character art overlaid in the Options menu. In the GameCube version, an entirely new graphic is used instead.
Debug Menu
Despite not being able to be accessed without the use of cheats, the game's hidden debug menu was also enhanced for the GameCube release.
GameCube |
---|
- The title graphic was changed for the GameCube version. Interestingly, Sonic and Shadow both still use their Dreamcast models in the SA2B version.
- The Japanese text on the title was changed.
- In the Dreamcast version, there's text around the logo that reads PSO, ver.2, ガンバレ (Do your best), ガンバロウ ('Let's do our best') and ソニ2 (SA2). There's also a much larger line of text at the bottom that says 祝!日本ゲーム大賞受賞 ('Congratulations! Japan Game Grand Prize Winner').
- In the GameCube version, there's text above and below the logo. The above line being いつもよりたくさんだしてます ('getting out a lot more than usual') and 行楽のお供に ('to accompany for a picnic').
- The text at the top of the screen to toggle missions and upgrades does not appear in the GameCube version unless the player selects '1P ONLY' or '1P DEMO'.
- Stage Selection was reworked for the GameCube version. In the Dreamcast version, all stages are listed and are ordered by their internal ID, but in the GameCube version it only lists stages for the selected character and in the order they're played in.
Sonic Adventure Dreamcast Model Download
GameCube |
---|
- A timestamp was added to the Event menu. It lists the version as 07 November 2000 at 17:14:20, with the year most likely being a typo as the listed date would mean it predates SA2:The Trial.
- Both versions are color-coded, but for different reasons.
- The Dreamcast version lists 'New Event' entries as Yellow (None are listed), 'Complete Event' entries as Green and 'Incomplete Event' entries as Gray.
- The GameCube version separates events by 'Normal', 'Big' and 'SFD', with Big events being two scenes from Last story (The cutscene before Cannon's Core and the cutscene where Sonic and Shadow transform) and SFD events being the game's prerendered SFD files.
- The upgrade toggle was added to the event menu in the GameCube version.
- Events consisting only of time stamps (Such as those before in-stage cutscenes) are not listed in the GameCube version of the menu.
Graphics
- All characters and objects are lit differently in the GameCube version. This is due to shaders used in the original game that aren't present in the GameCube version, so the object lighting looks slightly bland in comparison.
- The draw distance for objects is greatly extended in the GameCube version.
- All of the main character models were enhanced slightly for the GameCube release. (Note: Aside from select moments, these changes do not appear in cutscenes)
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
- Eggman's mech was given a flashlight effect that lights up anything in front of him.
- The 'Now Saving'/'Now Loading' icon that appears in the upper right corner of the screen doubles as a progress bar that gradually fills as the save/load progresses. While the icon remains in the GameCube version, it does not act as a progress bar anymore.
- The Life box icons were changed slightly. Notably, Sonic's icon uses a more up-to-date model than the Dreamcast version.
GameCube |
---|
- When a character uses a special move during a battle/race, the Dreamcast version has a background (with inverted/monochrome colors) specific to that level, showing the level. Meanwhile, a fairly opaque background was added for every playable character on the GameCube version.
- The GUN robots that use shields (Shield Hunters) had their shields redesigned for the GameCube release. The shields on the Dreamcast looked as though they were made to cover a little bit more of the robot, but the GameCube version made them narrower and more revealing. There's also a '01' shield variant in the Dreamcast version that was removed in the GameCube version.
- The Beetle robots have a GUN logo on their foreheads on the Dreamcast version. It's still there in the GameCube version, but due to a layering error it doesn't show up. This same problem can be seen on Eggman's mech.
- The item balloons and the bodies of Artificial Chaos are slightly transparent on the Dreamcast. On the GameCube, they were made fully opaque.
- The SOAP posters in City Escape, Radical Highway and Mission Street have not only been modified but also swapped around. City Escape uses Radical Highway's design, Radical Highway uses Mission Street's design and Mission Street uses City Escape's design:
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
- The 'TIME EXTENDED' text in Route 101/280 does not overlap the pause menu in the GameCube version.
- A border was added to the Mystic Melody doors.
- The bright light under the player when travelling over transparent floors in the ARK stages looks slightly different.
- All of Big the Cat's cameos in levels were removed (some of them replaced with a ring), though he can still be seen in some cutscenes by rapidly pressing the A or B buttons.
Gameplay
- Knuckles and Rouge can climb on and dig into walls underwater on the Dreamcast. This ability was taken out on the GameCube. This is likely because this ability was actually a glitch, seeing as the Dreamcast version never necessitates the use of it, much less even mentions it.
- When Knuckles and Rouge are close to one of their objectives, an exclamation point in a red bubble pops up above their heads in the GameCube version. This makes pinpointing a hidden emerald/key much easier.
GameCube |
---|
- When Sonic completes a stage, while his pose is the same between versions, he doesn't directly look at the camera on the Dreamcast. On the GameCube, he looks directly into the camera.
- On the Dreamcast, when Eggman or Tails (or any other mech character) gets hit with a shield on, they lose health on top of losing the shield. On the GameCube, they only lose the shield, no health, like they should.
- The emblem distribution for Chao World is completely different between versions:
- In the Dreamcast version, Chao World awards 10 emblems, all of which are obtained by completing each of the five groups of races in Chao Race. Each group awards two emblems each.
- In the GameCube version, Chao World now only awards nine emblems. Chao Race awards five emblems for completing each group of races, with the remaining four awarded by clearing the four levels of Chao Karate. The absent 10th emblem is now awarded for achieving A Ranks in every mission of Cannon's Core.
Multiplayer
The multiplayer was overhauled for the GameCube release, which is the entire reason why 'Battle' was tacked onto the end of the GameCube version.
- In the Dreamcast version, teams are determined and then the type of match is chosen with the alternate option to choose a stage manually. In the GameCube version, the type of match is chosen first, followed by character selection and a mandatory stage select.
- The 2 Player menu was heavily redesigned for the GameCube version, with unique music and a new menu featuring the main cast of characters standing in the background. In the Dreamcast version, the 2 Player menu is more like the story select - even using the same music and team icons.
- Selecting the type of match is done through the 2 Player menu itself in the GameCube version. In the original game, the match types were separated into 'Action', Kart Racing and Chao Racing on the main menu. The match select within the 'Action' menu was merged with the main 2P menu in the GameCube version.
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
- In the Dreamcast version, one player is set to Hero and the other is set to Dark. In the GameCube version, individual characters are selected instead. This allows match combinations that were not possible in the Dreamcast version (such as Sonic vs. Amy).
GameCube |
---|
- Alternate costumes are accessed differently. In the Dreamcast version, they're found by pressing Left or Right (depending on the player) while highlighting the preferred match or stage. In the GameCube version, they're found by pressing Up while highlighting the corresponding characters in the character select.
- The stage select is significantly different. In the Dreamcast version, a list is shown alongside the icons of characters compatible with each stage. In the GameCube version stages are ordered on a tiered list, from short to long. Each stage is represented by a thumbnail and a name display when highlighted.
GameCube |
---|
- 21 new stages were added to the GameCube version. The 9 stages found in the original game were listed as Level 3 stages (Excluding Weapons Bed, which is Level 2).
- A 'Battle Option' menu was added to the GameCube version via stage select that includes settings for handicaps (stronger special attacks), time limits (usually around 5 minutes) and the number of matches. In the Dreamcast version, there are no handicaps or time limits and the number of battles is solely determined by whether the player started a match through the main menu (Best of 3) or the stage select (Single match).
- In the Dreamcast version, the alternate costumes for each character are unlocked when you complete every mission available to that character. The alternate characters would unlock when the player gets A Ranks in every mission as a specific character. In the GameCube version, the alternate characters are available by default and have new, unique abilities and fitting sound effects (in the Dreamcast version only Amy had unique sounds). In turn, new karts would unlock for the kart racing mode when a player completes every mission as a character, and achieving all A Ranks now unlocks the costumes.
- Each alternate costume was redesigned in some way. Tails is the only character who retains the same costume from the Dreamcast version, albeit modified.
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
- Each character was given a unique background for their special attack animations in the GameCube version.
GameCube |
---|
- Eggman has a different intro camera.
- All of the alternate characters are the same in the GameCube version with the exception of one. In the Dreamcast version, Eggman's alternate character slot is occupied by Big the Cat, who rides in Eggman's walker. In the GameCube version, Big was replaced with a Dark version of the Chao Walker.
GameCube |
---|
Seasonal Costumes
The Dreamcast version of the game included a number of seasonal costumes for Christmas and Halloween in 2 Player mode. These costumes could be enabled through special menu themes that (like all themes in the game) were unlocked via downloads to the VMU. They were removed entirely from the GameCube version.
- Halloween
- Sonic
- Tails
- Knuckles
- Shadow
- Eggman
- Rouge
Kotor 2 mods. Like the other alternate costumes in the original game, the seasonal outfits are completely aesthetic changes and do not affect gameplay at all.
- Christmas
- Sonic
- Tails
- Knuckles
- Shadow
- Eggman
- Rouge
Chao World
The Chao World underwent many changes between the two versions as well.
General Differences
- When picking up a Chao, the Dreamcast version only displays the Chao's name in a text bubble above its head. A window displaying the Chao's stats is used instead for the GameCube version, with the name being moved to the top of it instead of being in a bubble.
- Chao stats range from 0-9999 in the Dreamcast version (However, the last digit is hidden) and are increased every time a Chao is given an animal or drive. In the GameCube version, stats increase via level ups with a cap of 99 levels in place. Due to this cap, the max possible value a stat can be in the GameCube version without cheats is 3266. The magnitude of the stats was adjusted accordingly.
GameCube |
---|
- Grades from S to E were added to determine how many points are added to each stat upon level up. This means that every Chao has a different stat cap in the GameCube version, whereas the Dreamcast version's rate is constant for every Chao.
- Many new breeds were added to the GameCube version, with the new breeds including Two-tone and Mono-tone Colored Chao as well as their shiny variants. 4 New Jewel Chao were also added (Aquamarine, Peridot, Topaz, Onyx). However, the Moon Chao is unobtainable in the GameCube version.
- The types of fruit that can be obtained are different, as well as the method of obtaining them. The Dreamcast version's seeds could be obtained through Chao Adventure, whereas the GameCube version's are bought via the Black Market.
- Chao cocoons are white in the original game, but they were given colors in the GameCube version. Blue for evolution, Pink for reincarnation and Gray for death.
- Hidden Tails, Knuckles and Amy Chao were added to the GameCube version. The Tails Chao could be obtained through Phantasy Star Online while the other two were obtained via events. Currently, the only way to legitimately obtain the Knuckles and Amy Chao is to transfer them from a certain catalog disc.
- In the Dreamcast version, the player can still use attacks in the gardens with just as much ease as if they were in a level. While they can still be selected on the action command, the attacks in the GameCube version are not automatically available so that players wouldn't accidentally hit their Chao. It was also made impossible to somersault or Spin Dash.
- The music used in the lobby was changed to the race entrance theme from Sonic Adventure. The music that was used in the Dreamcast version's lobby is instead used for the Chao Stadium entrance.
- Omochao greets the player with 'Welcome to Chao world!' upon entering the Chao Lobby in the Dreamcast version. His welcome is removed from the GameCube release. Instead, a title graphic shows upon entering (as well as for any other place entered in Chao World).
GameCube |
---|
- The menu for leaving the Chao World was redesigned for the GameCube release.
GameCube |
---|
Gardens
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
- In the Dreamcast version, you can see the background behind the exit to the Chao Garden. The GameCube version turned this into a more natural cave exit.
- The skybox in the Chao Garden is centered around and follows the player in the Dreamcast version just like the ones in the main stages do. In the GameCube version, it's stationary. However, it should be noted that this only applies to the first garden and that the Hero and Dark Garden's skyboxes are stationary in all versions of the game.
- Each Garden's decorations were moved around, as well as some trees in case of the Dark Garden.
- In the Hero Garden, there is a river and bridge in the Dreamcast version. These were taken out in the GameCube version, and the pond around the fountain was made bigger to compensate.
- The pools in the Dark and Hero Garden were made shallower, likely to prevent Tails from drowning.
- In the Dark Garden, there is a large cliff with a cave hidden underneath. All of that was removed and replaced with a tree. A large branch from the mountain was reused for said tree, with the bottom of the cage on it even being made solid.
- Also in the Dark Garden, there were submerged steps in the blood pool that made it have various depths. These were removed on the GameCube - it's completely flat. The decorations, like in the Hero Garden, were also rearranged slightly.
- Animals and dropped fruits are removed when the player leaves the garden in the Dreamcast version, but remain in the GameCube version and can actually be brought to other gardens through the lobby.
- The amount of trees was increased from 2 to 3 in the GameCube version, with the added tree occupying a tree seed spot.
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
- The design of the transporters was changed from a VMU to a GBA to fit the platform transition. The GBA transporters only have a single design, whereas the VMU ones fit the theme of each garden.
- The transporter menu was redesigned heavily in the GameCube version. Whereas the Dreamcast version can only transfer a Chao to/from VMUs, the GameCube version allows Chao to be moved between GBAs and Memory cards, as well as the feature to remove a Chao altogether.
- The Chao Transporter is stylized in the Hero and Dark Gardens in the Dreamcast version, while in the GameCube version the same model for the transporter is used in all gardens.
GameCube |
---|
Races
- A new minigame was added - Chao Karate. While the Dreamcast version goes straight to the race entrance upon entering the stadium, the GameCube version presents another menu first asking whether the player wants to do Races or Karate.
- The music used in the race entrance was changed. The original theme was repurposed for the Chao Transporter.
- Four emblems from the challenge races were relocated to the Karate. A fifth emblem was redirected to all A Ranks on Cannon's Core.
- The lights on the Chao statue in the Race entrance are brighter in the GameCube version. The statue is also missing the platform it was standing on in the Dreamcast version.
- The area behind the numbered doors is a wall in the Dreamcast version, but black fog in the GameCube version.
- The amount of Chao that can participate in Party Race was reduced from 8 to 4.
- The Chao selection screen was revised for the GameCube version, adding a display for the Chao's stats:
GameCube |
---|
- Names no longer appear above the heads of Chao at the beginning of a race. The names given to Chacron and the Ranger Chao (GREEN, YELLOW, RED, BLUE, PINK) are thus never displayed.
- The Cockroach Chao racers were changed from Black to Onyx Chao for the GameCube version. They were also given animal parts from dragons to appear more cockroach-like.
- The 'Kid Troops Chao Rangers' were given animal parts and changed into shiny Chao. The unobtainable breeds they use in the Dreamcast version were removed.
Chao Kindergarten
The Kindergarten was mainly adjusted to accommodate features from Chao Adventure and the Dreamcast's Internet features that couldn't be ported to the GameCube.
How to download assassins creed 1. He Can Alter These Memories. An Organization Uses A Machine “the Animus” Which Allows Desmond To Control And View The Memories Of His Ancestors.
GameCube | |
---|---|
- Two new rooms were added: The Fortune Teller and the Black Market. Both of these are replacements for features that were unable to be ported from the original game (The Fortune Teller being the VMU's naming abilities and the Black Market being the replacement for the Dreamcast's online version).
- The bulletin board offers to launch the player to an online Chao message board, in-game, on the Dreamcast. Since the GameCube can't connect to the Internet, it simply refers the player to the game's website with the URL.
GameCube |
---|
- The small clip of the player character walking up to or away from the Kindergarten is skippable on the GameCube when it wasn't on the Dreamcast.
- In Dreamcast version, there's a small table in the middle of the kindergarten that serves no purpose except for decoration. It was removed in the GameCube version.
- The music in the Classroom changes to Chao singing in the GameCube version, whereas in the Dreamcast version, the music doesn't change at all.
- There are captions that pop up in the upper left corner in both versions of the game when an entrance to something in the Kindergarten is approached. However, in the GameCube version there is a colored backing for it so that it is more noticeable.
GameCube |
---|
- Most room text boxes in the Kindergarten (other than the Classroom) are transparent in the GameCube version.
- In the Dreamcast version, the introductory text for the Principal in the Kindergarten progresses on its own eventually if no buttons are pressed. In the GameCube version, they only progress the text when the player presses a button.
- The headers for each room in the Kindergarten were given a minor redesign.
- The objects in the background in for the Principal's room were flipped to the opposite side of the room.
- For some reason, the Principal's line 'Chao doctor will give you tips on how to raise your Chao.' does not complete in the GameCube version. Instead, he just says 'Chao doctor will give you tips'.
- The Principal's tutorial text was given a considerable revamp in the GameCube version. The categories were reorganised and all of the text was re-translated.
- The Health Center's functions were redesigned in the GameCube version. In the Dreamcast version, the doctor examines the Chao and then says a line related to a random quality of the Chao (E.g. 'This Chao likes Sonic.'). The GameCube version removes this and instead offers a 'Medical Chart' of the Chao's details. The Examine option in the GameCube version is only used to check if the Chao is sick.
Cutscenes
To do: Many more cutscene differences can be found in this YouTube video. |
There are many slight modifications to most of the cutscenes between the two versions. In general..
- Some camera angles were altered slightly from the GameCube, ranging from more relevant shots to simple zoom-outs.
- The way lights and shadows work is different between the two versions. The GameCube version removed most of the shadows that appeared in the Dreamcast version. This is because the shadows didn't have any kind of fading, so they looked awkward in the cutscene sometimes. The lighting, however, was changed for the worse. On the GameCube version, bright lights affect the characters, but don't affect any upgrades that they're wearing. Also, there are rays of light from specific light sources that are missing in the GameCube version. On the Dreamcast, bright lights do affect character upgrades, and there are light rays where necessary.
- The Eclipse Cannon's control panel monitor is very incomplete when Rouge accesses it and in the Dark story's ending. In the Dreamcast version, elements displayed on its screen are created in-game, show relevant information and progress alongside the scene (noticeable using the time manipulation features of the Debug menu's Event Test). In the GameCube version, the screen is a movie file of what looks to be a very incomplete port of the original game's version - with a lot of elements from the original appearing crushed into the top left corner.
- Emeralds in the Eclipse Cannon were edited to stand out more in the GameCube version.
- In general, the 'Off' mode of all screens looks different in the GameCube version.
- Earth's texture was changed, it's a lot smaller and has faded edges. Though this has the side-effect of leaving empty space in cutscenes, and the planet wasn't updated in stages or some cutscenes.
- Despite the in-game models changing, most cutscenes still use the Dreamcast models. Some models have been ported, but aside from one scene, only Sonic's was changed. His belly is a lot smaller than the Dreamcast version.
GameCube |
---|
- There are many layering issues in the GameCube version. Usually, this appears in the form of lights showing up behind objects, but it also has effects such as the monitor in Eggman's base displaying information in the background and Chaos Emeralds being notably distorted.
GameCube |
---|
- Maria is missing eyelashes in the GameCube version.
GameCube |
---|
- The ARK's main room shows reflections in the glass that are lost in the GameCube version.
Hero
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
The intro was revised far more than any other scene in the game. Camera movement is more fluid and Sonic uses his updated model through most of the cutscene. Sonic also does not incorrectly wear his regular shoes briefly in the GameCube version.
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
The scene where Sonic and Shadow meet for the first time was also heavily revised compared to others - including the only instance of using an updated character model that isn't Sonic.
- Sonic loses some expressions in the GameCube version of this scene - his ear moves in the Dreamcast version when he hears Shadow land on the crashed Big Foot and his eyes squint when Shadow leaves, but these was lost in the GameCube version.
- The pilot of the crashed Big Foot is missing in the GameCube version. It's actually still there, but can't be seen due to a transparency error with the glass.
- Sonic and Shadow are very bright in the GameCube version. The lighting on the updated models just seems to be incomplete, as more accurate lighting is used before Sonic notices Shadow.
- The camera is further away from Shadow when he performs Chaos Control.
- Some background objects were added in the GameCube version, such as signs.
Sonic Adventure Dreamcast Download Free
- When Knuckles and Rouge first meet, Rouge screams after the shot of Eggman flops onto his dashboard, followed by her throttling Knuckles. On the GameCube, Rouge screams the exact moment Knuckles shatters the Master Emerald, obscuring Eggman's line and causing the cutscene to briefly desync.
GameCube |
---|
- The bars of Sonic's cell cast shadows in the Dreamcast version that aren't present in the GameCube version.
- When the president talks with Eggman in his limo, there is a little more interference added to Eggman's video screen on the GameCube version.
- When Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy find the pyramid where Eggman's base is located, a lens flare is present in the original game that is not in the GameCube version.
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
- The cutscene after Pyramid Cave lacks glowing Eggman signs that were present in the Dreamcast version.
- Sonic's thumbs up pose to Knuckles was revised with a new camera and updated model.
- The FMV in which Sonic boards the shuttle mistakenly depicts him with his regular shoes in the Dreamcast version, instead of his redesigned Soap sneakers. This was fixed for the GameCube version.
- When Sonic, Tails, and Amy meet in a hallway in the ARK, the hallway they're in has been redesigned slightly. Notably, there is now a red stripe along the floor and walls that follows the rest of the patterns.
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
The scene where Eggman shoots Sonic into space is different to the Dreamcast version as well:
This leads to a huge amount of customization. Ultimate custom night download. Email.A brand new game in the Five Nights at Freddy’s series has just been released. Players can set the difficulty of each character they put into the game, with a rating of 0 to 20 used to determine how hard a character will be to avoid. Ultimate Custom Night is a greatest hits game of sorts, allowing players to pull from a 50-strong cast of characters, and customize the classic horror formula that the series is known for.FNAF Ultimate Custom Night is available now to download from Steam, and it’s completely free.
- Sonic noticeably did not walk into the circular area that would encapsulate him in the Dreamcast version, but appears there when he's captured. He correctly enters the circle in the GameCube version.
- Sonic's reaction to being encapsulated was revised.
- There is a lens on Eggman's gun that was removed from the GameCube version.
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
- The Emerald is missing a shine effect.
- Sonic uses his updated model when he holds the Fake Emerald and when he runs into the distance before fighting Shadow.
Dark
GameCube |
---|
- A large door is missing behind Eggman when he first appears in the GameCube version.
- Eggman enters the password to release Shadow, there is a slight glow from the screen that is lost in the GameCube version.
- Rouge breaks into Eggman's quarters and looks through his computer, text from the transparent screen is overlayed over Rouge looking at the computer in the GameCube version, making it look more like the camera is behind the transparent screen. Again, the glow from the screen that hits Rouge is lost on the GameCube.
GameCube |
---|
- When Shadow announces the true power of the ARK to Eggman, a flash of light appears. However, in the GameCube version a layering bug causes it to appear behind the control panel and Shadow's spines, yet in front of Shadow's face.
GameCube |
---|
- When Amy hugs Shadow, her head is in a different position - leaving her looking slightly crosseyed.
GameCube |
---|
- When Shadow decides to go save Rouge, Rouge is surrounded by the three Chaos Emeralds that she just collected in the Dreamcast version when the scene cuts to her. These are missing in the GameCube version.
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
The scene where Shadow and Rouge escape Prison Island had some camera and animation tweaks done:
- The way Shadow leaves Sonic is different between versions. On the Dreamcast, Shadow slips away, while on the GameCube he jumps.
- When Shadow lands at Rouge's location, his movement is different and more fluid than the Dreamcast version.
- The camera on Eggman's bomb is different.
GameCube |
---|
- The camera when Shadow first spots Tails at Sky Rail is different.
- Shadow watches Tails fly past after having completed Sky Rail, the background for the mountain is lower in the Dreamcast version than it is in the GameCube version, making it look as though Shadow and Tails are at a higher altitude on the Dreamcast.
Dreamcast | GameCube |
---|
- When Rouge looks through the computer on the ARK, completely different screens are shown to her between versions.
- Rouge's hand is different when she calls Eggman.
- When Eggman discovers two Emerald readings at his base, he enlarges a map of the ARK. In the Gamecube version, this briefly appears at first to be a copy of the same view of Sonic he was already looking at.
- When Eggman leaves Shadow at his base, the camera is different at the end of the scene.
- When Rouge confronts Shadow about the 'ultimate life-form' in the ARK's database, in the Dreamcast the music played is Fly In The Freedom (Rouge's theme) throughout the entire cutscene, but in the GameCube the music cuts out for about ten seconds as Rouge begins to read the report before switching to Throw It All Away (Shadow's theme).
GameCube |
---|
- The message on the control panel monitor in the ending says 'DANGER' in the Dreamcast version. This was changed to 'WARNING' in the GameCube version.
Last
- When Eggman looks at the control panel monitor of the Eclipse Cannon, the screen is different. Aside from the windows behaving differently, the picture of Gerald Robotnik is easier to see and comes up much earlier on the Dreamcast, giving Eggman time to look at the picture and deduce who it is.
- The door to the main room disappears after Rouge finishes Gerald's diary in the GameCube version.
GameCube |
---|
- Sonic's thumbs up pose uses his updated model.
- There was an error in the Dreamcast version which caused Sonic's right eye to not show up, this was fixed in the GameCube version.
- When Sonic and Knuckles encounter the prototype, the slightly transparent clip of Gerald that is made full screen for a moment was mistakenly put over the subtitles on the Dreamcast and were not very easy to see as a result. This was fixed on the GameCube version so that the subtitles are over the clip and a bit easier to see.
- The red panel where Knuckles places the Master Emerald in the core flashes in the GameCube version.
GameCube |
---|
- Sonic's wave at the end of the game uses the updated model.
- The reflections on the glass are missing.
(Source: Sonic Retro (Various info))
Retrieved from 'https://tcrf.net/index.php?title=Sonic_Adventure_2:_Battle/Changes_from_the_Dreamcast_Version&oldid=663189'