The Top List of Super Awesome Dreamcast Best Games
Jun 08 '06
The Bottom Line Twenty reasons to own a Dreamcast.
So you have a Dreamcast sitting around, and don't know what to do with it. Sure, it has many uses: doorstop, footrest, paperweight, wall art, catapult ammunition, and more. But if it's still in working order, why not use it to, you know, play games?
"But sir," you object, "surely this lowly console is defunct! I shall only play games on the newest, most luxurious systems available!" To this I say pshaw, or some other anachronistic dismissive interjection. The Dreamcast has its own great, timeless games that can now be considered classics, so you can get that warm old-school vibe without having to resort to buying a Frogger coin-op machine. And of course, what follows is a list of the best of the best, to help you save time and money in building the ultimate Dreamcast library, which will undoubtedly be the envy of all your friends.
20. Rayman 2
Rayman isn't your typical hero, and Rayman 2 isn't your typical platformer. Sure, his hands and feet may not actually be connected to his body by arms and legs, but Rayman knows how to get around, and get around he does -- in some of most interesting and dazzling environments you'll ever see. No, this isn't a graphical powerhouse; it's more about design than effect. The mix of collection, exploration, and puzzles never gets stale, and this is one of those few games that has a true sense of humor.
19. Power Stone 2
One of several fighters to make this list, Power Stone 2 is multiplayer mayhem rather than one-on-one beatdown. Four players can take part at once, using the interactive environment to their advantage as they try to get the power stones that make them near-invincible for a short time. Think of it as a more technical, 3D Super Smash Brothers.
18. Vanishing Point
A good number of racers ranked up here as well, helped by the Dreamcast controller's analog triggers which give precise throttle and brake control. Vanishing Point is half sim, half arcade racer, with a variety of crazy stunts (long jump, loop, balloon pop), decent collision physics, and real cars with plenty of tuning options. Good vehicle models and silky smooth frame rates made it visually impressive, while online competitions -- while they were available -- brought the challenge to a whole new level.
17. Metropolis Street Racer
You might not know that Project Gotham Racing 3 is actually the fourth in a series that Metropolis Street Racer started. Take a handful of licensed sports cars, mix with hundreds of courses and challenges, and add aggressive AI and style points, and you have one of the most inspired racing games ever. It's not about how fast you drive; it's about how you drive fast, with insane drifts, air, and setting your own extreme challenges giving you more points and unlocking additional levels. The racing is always white-knuckle, edge of your seat stuff whether you're in a Miata or a Jaguar.
16. Seaman
Is it a game? A pet? Is that really Leonard Nimoy's voice? I know the answer to the last one is yes, but I don't know how much I can help with the other two. Seaman charges you with raising, well, a Seaman, a creature that starts life as a fish with a human face. With the included microphone you can actually talk with your new pet- er, friend- er, whatever it is, and as it grows it responds more intelligently, even learning about you by asking questions. Using the Dreamcast's internal clock, Seaman developed in "real time", as if you were really raising a pet... uh, thing.
15. Skies of Arcadia
The Dreamcast may not have had a ton of RPG's, but what it did have was top-notch. Skies of Arcadia is a great example with a sweeping story about sky pirates, traditional RPG battles mixed with aerial ship combat, and a little bit of humor sprinkled here and there. Perhaps the best thing about Skies of Arcadia are the many deep but optional gameplay mechanics that add to the game for obsessive RPG-philes but don't detract for those who are less about micromanagement. Maybe that's why this is a game that's so hard to find today. Thankfully an improved version was released for the Gamecube, in case you missed it the first time around.
14. Sonic Adventure
Sega wouldn't be Sega without ol' blue. Sonic jumps, spins, and dashes his way onto the Dreamcast in a 3D platformer that, which not without faults, is a must-play for fans of the Genesis Sonic games. Multiple characters, exploratory and timed level runs, and a chao minigame that even uses the Dreamcast VMU's give this one some serious, uh, legs.
13. Marvel vs. Capcom 2
Another fighter, and the only 2D one on the list, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 may just be the definitive "battle royale" game. Dozens of characters from the Marvel universe and years of Capcom games go head to head in 3-on-3 tag team battles, with a nearly endless array of combinations. Sure, some characters and teams are obviusly stronger than others, but that lets veterans take a disadvantage to newbies. Nonstop, seizure-inducing action that's just as fun while button mashing as it is for technical players, this is a game that Street Fighter fans do not want to miss.
12. Worms Armageddon/World Party
Two games, but they both play the same and in the important part -- multiplayer -- is practically identical. Worms World Party had the distinction of online play, but this is long defunct. If you have a choice, it's the one you want, but Armageddon serves just as well. The ultimate tactical party game (if such a genre exists), up to four players can command teams of worms on destructible, hazard-laden 2D fields with one simple goal: utter annihilation. Traditional arms like shotguns, mortars, and rocket launchers are complimented by banana bombs, explosive sheep, and the holy hand grenade. The fact that the worms are kinda cute makes it that much more fun.
11. F355 Challenge
Possibly the best vehicle simulation to ever hit a console, F355 Challenge focuses on just one car: the Ferrari F355. By limiting themselves, the creators were able to fine tune the game to reflect the real deal as accurately as possible, and it shows. This isn't a game for lightweights; the F355 is a real racing machine, and the game doesn't pull any punches. Lift off the throttle at the wrong time and you'll be sitting in the grass, looking at where you just came from. Yet for the dedicated, the rewards are more than worth it.
10. Test Drive LeMans
More forgiving than F355 Challenge, Test Drive LeMans gives you dozens of real LeMans GT2, GT1, and prototype cars and lets you loose on the real circuits. You can even stage an actual 24 hour race on the famous LeMans course, with saves during the pitstops. This is one of those Dreamcast games that's better than its PS2 counterpart, with much improved graphics and a better sense of speed. And trust me, barreling down the Mulsanne in a GT1 Audi gives you a sense of speed.
9. Grandia II
Another excellent Dreamcast RPG, even if the story is a bit predictable. The real draw here is the overall feeling of the game world, helped by the town and dungeon visuals, and the excellently balanced combat system. Active timed battles are complimented by a tricky attack selection mechanic, and even distance between characters is taken into account. Add in a lack of random battles, an interesting magic system, and some great boss battles, and this one's a keeper.
8. Dead or Alive 2
Being the sequel to a fighting game that's known primarily for it's "bouncing breast mode" option isn't easy. Dead or Alive 2, like Test Drive LeMans, is superior to the same game on the PS2, if only because it looks and feels better. Beautifully detailed, animated graphics without a glitch or hiccup in sight, the visuals are only half of the story. The fighting consists of a rock-paper-scissors counter system with simple combos, so even the most gaming inept players can get a quick grasp but there's depth enough for the hardcore elite. And yes, they still bounce.
7. Ecco the Dolphin
One of Sega's underrepresented mascots gets a huge makeover. Graphically stunning, some of the underwater effects look as good as anything being done today, and the movement of Ecco and his deep sea friends and enemies is almost zoologically perfect. So what if the story about collecting shards of a crystal that protects the earth isn't quite thrilling; this is a visual masterpiece of an underwater adventure game that anyone from six to sixty can easily pick up and play.
6. Sega Marine Fishing
Most people wouldn't consider a fishing game for a best-of list unless, well, unless it was a best fishing games list. But there's something about Sega Marine Fishing that, when combined with the Sega fishing controller, is endlessly entertaining. Five different and unique fishing areas, dozens of different fish, lures, and even special items and equipment mean plenty to unlock and there's always more to come back to. Like real fishing, it can be relaxing to kick back on an weekend afternoon with your beverage of choice, trying to break that weight record -- but without the sunburn or nasty smell.
5. Virtua Tennis
Tennis might not seem like the best sport for a video game. After all, its simplicity is why Pong was the first video game ever, and it's only really exciting when a player goes into fits over a call or gets stabbed in the back. Yet somehow, Sega managed to make a great tennis game that has stood the test of time, with the kind of simple-yet-deep gameplay that's instantly addictive, a world tour mode that can really crank up the challenge, and several minigames that make it feel less like tennis and more... well, fun. A must-have Dreamcast title.
4. Jet Grind Radio
It introduced the world to the cartoony style of cel-shaded graphics and the phrase "Uki-uki-waku-waku". No, I still don't know what it means. But the graffiti tagging and freestyle skating action combined with great licensed music and plenty of hidden secrets makes this an instant classic. No confusing trick controls to learn, just exploration and pathfinding as you skate and grind through pseudo-Japanese cities, tagging everything in sight -- even the cops and army who are after you.
3. Phantasy Star Online
Phantasy Star Online is more of an honorable mention here. All of the other games on this list are examples of the Dreamcast titles that are still great when you play them today. However, there's really no reason to play Phantasy Star Online today since the hook was that it was an online RPG, and all of the official servers have long been shut down. But this gorgeous imagining of the futuristic Phantasy Star universe along with the addictive nature of dungeon running and loot collecting changed the face of console gaming, if only for a few months while tens of thousands of players were online at any one time. If you're really itching for the online play, there are versions on the Gamecube and XBox, as well as Blue Burst on the PC.
2. Soul Calibur
Looking at this game today, it's hard to believe that it was a Dreamcast launch title, and at the same time it shows how much wasted potential the console had. As visually exquisite as anything on the PS2, Gamecube, or XBox, Soul Calibur is the weapons-based fighting game. With a variety of characters wielding everything from giant axes to swords to staves to, well, whatever it is that Voldo sticks you with, there's something for everyone here. The one-two-three combo system is easy for anyone to pick up, and the unique differences between characters and their weapons is immediately apparent. Don't forget the quest mode with additional weapons, customization, and special challenges, either. All in all one of the best total packages in a fighting game yet, on any console.
1. Shenmue
The ultimate attempt to thrust the player into a virtual world, Shenmue is also the ultimate example of a concept so grand that it overreached its own boundaries and could never see fruition. Shenmue was supposed to have sixteen chapters, but Shenmue II, more easily found for the XBox, only brings the story through chapter four, with no completion of the rest in sight. As martial arts student and otherwise normal teenager Ryo, you start on a quest to avenge your father's death. Set in various rural and urban areas of Japan, Shenmue's environments are are realistically modeled and populated with people who seem to have their own schedules, changing routines as the time passes from morning to afternoon to night. A sweeping adventure with touches of beat-em-up fighting Shenmue must be played to truly understand how involving a game can be with the right design.
And there you have it. Twenty of the best Dreamcast games. Twenty reasons why you should go get a Dreamcast if you haven't already. If you're pining for a deeper description of these games after reading my thrilling teasers, I've reviewed many of them here. I chose not to link to them from this article, but you can easily find them from my profile.
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