Poor Sega. They have been the game industry’s continued proof that just because you have the best hardware – or are the first through the gates – doesn’t mean you’re going to be the one to succeed. The superior Game Gear – with backlighting and colour gameplay – was beaten by a black and white, non-backlit console called the Game Boy. And then there was the Dreamcast – the first console to be released after the 64-bit era – that in the end, couldn’t beat the might of Sony’s Playstation 2, the surprise entry of Microsoft into the territory or even the underrated Gamecube.
But, selling 10 million consoles worldwide over its all-too-short two and a bit years on the market, it definitely had its fans all the same, and launched some now iconic franchises into the market. For myself, some of the games remain some of my favourite. It’s why we at VideAU Games want to see more done to retain the legacy of the console.
Let’s start with Soul Calibur. Easily one of the best fighting games of all time, it was one of the “must own” games on the Dreamcast, offering innovate 3D gameplay and some moves never before possible on a home console. It was very, very fun. The product still holds up today and earlier this year, it finally made its way onto mobile devices, which has become a treasure trove for ports of classic games. So why shouldn’t we see more great Dreamcast games make the move? And with that in mind, what else would we love to see on our mobiles from the Dreamcast era? We asked our writers to share their thoughts…
Tales of Arcadia
Part of the Tales series, Tales of Arcadia is a JRPG, but set on sky ships the likes of which should be in the Caribbean. This means improved battle systems, in the scope of ship to ship combat (as well as the usual RPG combat), as well as different treasure and experience gains for exploration and combat. Sort of an old school version of Black Flag except without the Templars, Assassins and shiny graphics. On the iOS it could be the next Final Fantasy – a big open world to discover, save and loot, all with a party of companions, and a sprawling storyline. – Daniel Dunne
Space Channel 5
Disco dance beats, blinking with the tempo of stars, lasers set the tone of this futuristic DDR sci-fi game. Playing as space reporter Ulala, you’ll dance and shoot your way through space to rescue hostages from the alien Morolians – all the while securing ratings for your broadcasting station Space Chanel 5. Rhythm and groove based games have always been successful on handheld based platforms, just look at Elite Beat Agents or Patapon – why not have one for the iOS of a much more funky variety. Hopefully with more tunes and multiplayer functionality. – Daniel Dunne
Seaman
Because, this:
An innovative voice controlled game when it was released, this fish – whose face was modeled after its creator Yoot – featured in a game narrated by Leonard Nimoy. Why can’t I replace Siri with Seaman!? WHY!? It’s just crying for a rebirth. Without much emotion… but crying all the same! – Larry Heath
Shenmue
A true classic. A 3D adventure title that captured the imagination of millions of players all over the world in the Dreamcast’s heyday with its mysterious story and characters, slow-paced, detail-oriented gameplay and intricate inner city world (complete with playable Sega arcade machines). Progressing the narrative only occurred through scrupulous searching of the world for clues – the game flatly refused to hold your hand. Many players kept a notepad next to them for any recording any information that might come in handy. This kind of game is perfect for a touch interface, with minimalist controls and lots of quicktime events. – David Smith
Daytona USA
Anyone who grew up during the 90’s is familiar with the cry of “DAYTONAAAAA” emanating from racing arcade machines in movie theatre lobbies across the country. Sega ported an upgraded version of Daytona USA to the Dreamcast, retaining the speed and giddy thrill of the 1993 original. This would be a major nostalgia trip for anyone familiar with the series, especially as a multiplayer game. It’s simple controls would port extremely well to tablets – turning the tablet to steer would perfectly emulate it’s arcade heritage. – David Smith
Virtua Cop
Another arcade staple of the 90’s later ported to the Dreamcast, this is one of those games that would be a complete slam dunk on a touch interface. An action movie inspired, on-rails lightgun shooter that would make for the perfect touch screen shoot-’em-up. Replace the lightgun with simply tapping to shoot the baddies, and shake to reload. I want this one to be a reality so badly. This one really is simplicity itself. – David Smith
Powerstone
A fantastic, old school, Smash Bros. style beat-em-up. Players are dropped into a 3D arena and cartoonishly beat the hell out of each other with all sorts of wrestling inspired items, like chairs and tables. Players pick up power stones that fall into the arena to increase their power and defeat their opponent. Crazed, intense fun. Again, simple controls means an easy port to a touch interface AND the multiplayer is a joy. – David Smith
