To buy a Dreamcast or not? (1 Viewer)

[peter_i]

I'm wondering if anyone can advise me if it's worth my while getting a Dreamcast system now. I already have a PSone which my kids use mostly and have never played a Dreamcast at all before. should I go for it? I'm getting a pretty good deal on it, I'm trading a few dvd's for it. Can anyone help with advice? Is the console kid-friendly, ie. is there quite a few games for the DC that are kiddie-type?

 

[Masood Ali]

The Dreamcast is a bargain. The unit itself runs about $30, the games are about $5-$10, controllers are just a few bucks each.
This is a good list of games to get you started.

 

[Philip_S]

The Dreamcast had such a diverse array of games. The most creative stuff was probably what caught on the least. By all means, pick one up. At this point some of the more interesting games will be hard to find and may be pricey. But otherwise DC stuff is cheap, cheap, cheap!

 

[Joseph Young]

Is the console kid-friendly, ie. is there quite a few games for the DC that are kiddie-type?

I would say so, more so than PS2, definitely. However, keep in mind that in order to find games for the Dreamcast you will have to really scour the used bins and online sites for used games. A year ago this wasn't so much of an issue, but nowadays more and more B&Ms are pulling their DC stock altogether.

Also, finding a used Dreamcast in good condition is a bit of a challenge.

Some games I would recommend for the kiddie set:

Pen Pen Tri-Icelon
Sonic Adventure 1/2
Ecco the Dolphin
Seaman
Donald Duck: Goin' Quackers
Hydro Thunder
Looney Tunes: Space Race
Bust A Move 4
Mr. Driller
Bomberman Online
Chu Chu Rocket
Space Channel 5
Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge
Ms. Pacman Maze Madness
Jet Grind Radio
Rayman 2: The Great Escape
Toy Commander

And much, much more. Keep in mind that unless you have good sources for used games, be it online retailers or friends willing to part with goods, it will be challenging to find most of these games.

Good luck! I still play my Dreamcast daily and have a hard time not recommending it, despite its limited availability.

Joseph

 

[peter_i]

thanks 4 your comments and I think my biggest hassle right now is deciding whether to go for it because of the Customs Charges that I will unquestionably be nailed with. That could add another $20 to $30. on the package. Beautiful Canada Customs, huh!?! They have been horrible on incoming packages lately. I think I'll get it though.

 

[dave_brogli]

cant you find a dreamcast off of a canadian site?
Buy it, its a great system...... great price.. decent games.........
what im trying to do now is buy every single US release dreamcast game, i think theres about 226 games (currently I have 22. lol)
Figuring games are so chaep why not

 

[BrianB]

i think theres about 226 games

252 I believe. I've got about 140 DC games, including UK/JPN only releases. I like my DCs You can view my IGN list here, though I've got a couple of UK only titles due in the mail from a mate in the UK that aren't up there yet. I should hit 200 by the end of the year easily, there's bunch of US releases I want & a healthy number of obscure oddball JPN games to get too. Now's the time to snap up those DC games while you can. Definitely getting harder to find game shops with a good range in good condition, though there are no shortage of online sites selling them.
Here's a good US/UK full list with covers for the unique titles.

 

[Javier_Huerta]

Wondering whether to get a Dreamcast?!?

DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!

I'll be honest with you. I'd pick my Dreamcast over my GameCube, and over my cousin's PS2. It's *that* good. My friends always want to play the DC's multiplayer games (Tennis, Basketball, Chu Chu Rocket, Bomberman and the like). The thing has great graphics and sound.

I can't believe it didn't catch on.

 

[Scott_lb]

Alright, I'll be the minority on this issue and argue that you shouldn't get one. I bought a Dreamcast at launch and sold it (along with 12 games) for $40.00 to a friend. I don't miss it one bit- well except for Soul Calibur. As an aside, I realize I could have gotten more but my friend had very little money and was dying for a system as he didn't own any system for a number of years. When you add up the cost of the Dreamcast, the games, and the international charges (which I'm unfamiliar with), it just wouldn't add up for me. I know that you can pick up Sega games for cheap, however, I used to pick up games simply because they were cheap and have since changed my ways. For example, last summer I picked up the Dreamcast versions of NBA 2K1, NFL 2K1, Kiss Psycho Circus (don't laugh- I've been a Kiss fan since I was 6), Virtual Tennis, and Jet Grind Radio- all for under $50.00. However, the only title I really spent an extended amount of time playing was Jet Grind Radio and I wish I now had that remaining $40.00 to put towards that new Gamecube deal coming up. In short, I feel much more comfortable spending $50.00 on Splinter Cell than I do spending $10.00 on NBA 2K1. I just think that there are simply too many good games on the current three console systems (and bargin priced ones at that) to warrant spending a significant amount of money on a Dreamcast.

However, if you do choose to get one, I hope you have as much fun as I did during the 2 1/2 years that I owned mine.

 

[Allen_Appel]

Definitely get the Dreamcast. I think it's a bargain at twice the price. Another thing to pick up is a DC-VGA converter. If your TV has a VGA plug (or takes RGBHV), you don't need to buy a VGA-Component adapter. The graphics are superb. Or hook the VGA cable to your computer monitor, it's even better. For kids, get Sonic games, Chicken Run, Wacky Races, Tony Hawk.

 

[Romier S]

Everyones already said most of what needs to be said, so I'll add my quick comment.

RESOUNDING YES!!

 

[CaptDS9E]

I used to play dreamcast all the time and loved it. But ever since getting GC and Xbox they take up all my game playing time so DC sits on my table. If you have time to play DC. Then by all means get it.

capt

 

[Cary T]

I don't play my dreamcast now, but have no regrets with the purchase. Some of my favorite games were on the dreamcast. My top 5 were: Shenmue, Vitura Tennis, Jet Set Radio, Shenmue 2(import only), and Skies of Arcadia. It's also a great system for sports and fighting games. If you can still find dreamcast games, then go for it.

 

[Javier_Huerta]

I'd be interested in finding out why people would stop playing with a DC after buying a GC or an Xbox.

The DC games have something going for them. Some are so inventive or fun, you just can't put down the control. Sega Swirl on-line, Chuchu Rocket, Tennis 2K2, Sega GT, Bomberman, Jet Set Radio, Samba de Amigo... the list goes on and on.

Personally, I think of the DC as one of the best console systems EVER. I can't understand why it failed.

 

[Cary T]

I stopped playing my DC because I've finished playing most of the games I want to play on the system. The only game that I hold interest in playing on the DC is Alone in the Dark. My genre is RPG and there are literally like 5 RPG games on the DC. Naturally I moved on. But I still own my DC and will never sell it.
It failed because games were so easily copied. The only successful system Sega produced was Genesis.

 

[Romier S]

I'd be interested in finding out why people would stop playing with a DC after buying a GC or an Xbox.

Moving on from what folks consider "older" technology? Lack of time? Who knows. I agree with you on the games Javier, I still play Ikaruga (one day I will beat the beast!), FirePro Wrestling D and several others when I have the oppurtunity.
I think many people may just be saying they have reduced the amount of time spent playing the Dreamcast to make room for a lot of newer releases. Nothing too out of the ordinary or wrong about that. Especially when considering the amount of new titles that are worth playing.
Though I do know a few personal friends who are the love it till its considered outdated and then drop it like a bad habit types (You know, the folks who are quite content to never play a Genesis, SNES, NES game again cause they are so damn "OLD"). Never quite understood that mentality personally (Nor do I think I want too really) but thats a subject for a different thread.
While we are on the subject of old vs.new....I remember going to a local EB that I frequented regularly a number of years ago and having a rather nice and refreshing conversation with a gentleman who lived, breathed and swore by the Saturn. Mind you at this point in time the Saturn was all but dead here in the US and the Playstation was in total domination mode. He refused to even acknowledge the existence of any other system on the market (even after my attempts to turn him onto the Playstation as being a good alternative machine with some worthy games to play).
This guy came into the store every week or so to look for any used or hard to find Saturn games they got in. Big time importer too. It was interesting to see someone so devoted to one console even in the face of stuff like Mario 64, Metal Gear Solid etc.. being released. God, he was in gaming bliss with his Saturn though, so who the hell was I too argue?
Up until that point I had been the type to get rid of my older systems when the next generation of consoles arrived. After talking to him for about an hour I decided to stop doing that.(A little late in the game of course which leads too....)
The shittiest part about talking to him was I then had to go out and start the hunt for all of the older systems and games I got rid of in my stupidity cause I wanted to replay all of them so bad. An expensive hunt it is too

 

[BrianB]

This guy came into the store every week or so to look for any used or hard to find Saturn games they got in.

Sounds like me with the DC. Went looking for a VGA box locally the other day as the one the local GameStop sold me on Wednesday didn't work. "VGA box? What's that? Dreamcast's dead, mate.". "VGA what?" "For the Dreamcast?"

 

[Javier_Huerta]

Romier, I understand your statement perfectly, but I meant why someone would *stop* (not gradually decrease in time) playing with his / her Dreamcast.
I mean, I have never stopped playing Intellivison; I just don't play it as long as I did before A good game is a good game now, and will be in 20 years. I can still get into games like Tron Deadly Discs on the Intellivision or Pac-Man Jr. on the Atari. I don't play them that much because I have so many more options today - BUT I still play and enjoy them!
That might be the reason I stay away from RPG games and the like - once you finish them, you are done. A game like Bomberman, ChuChu Rocket or Tennis 2K2 *never* ends - especially if you have a couple of friends at hand.
And that is the reason I'd never sell my Dreamcast or my Intellivision. The only system I've ever sold is the original PlayStation - for some reason, I never really liked it. I have never undestood why.

 

[Cary T]

If that was the reason, the PSX should have died a month after the UK launch. But it didn't.

DC games were downloaded from the internet. Of course this was not the only reason. Sega failed to market their games was another.

 

[BrianB]

DC games were downloaded from the internet.

And so were PSX games, long before the DC was even announced. The DC died because a) consumer apathy, b) Sega's lack of decent marketing & c) lack of longterm support from third party publishers.

If piracy killed a modern console, then the PS2 wouldn't be 50 million units strong.