SEGA: May I have an E3 Dreamcast shirt, please?


 Hi SEGA, it's Barry.

I've been keeping up on all the E3 happenings over the past week and have very much enjoyed what you had to show. One of the strongest third party years yet! I was particularly happy to see Dreamcast classics on display, something that we haven't seen since E3 2001. Anyway, point I'm getting at is that I saw the t-shirts you were handing out and I genuinely want one. They look awesome. The "September 2010" line already gets me hyped for the upcoming Dreamcast anniversary as well as the rerelease of Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure. You asked us to share a Dreamcast memory to get a shirt, and while I can't be at E3 and the shirts are seemingly gone, I'm still taking a chance at getting one.

My favorite Dreamcast memory: The winter Phantasy Star Online released. I had just moved 2 hours south of where I had lived for 16 years, leaving all of my friends. We were stuck with the occasional weekend visit and phone calls, but it wasn't the same. Thankfully PSO changed all that. While we were hours apart, an online game of PSO made it feel like the good old days. I'll never forget weekend games that went into the early hours of the morning.

I gave my memory, now *cough* the shirt? :)

Signed,
-Barry

ps - I made that Ryo Hazuki is a Big Fat Liar! video, if that helps my chances. ;)

UPDATE: Front of the shirt!

Rez sequel announced: Child of Eden

Until I finish my Ph.D, my posts will remain few and far between. Sorry for the hiatus, but I fully intend on posting some high quality stuff once I am finished.

Anyway, in addition to the other news from E3, it's worth broadcasting this little snippet of information: Mizuguchi Tetsuya, the mind behind the amazing synesthesia-based Rez (and betaK-Project), showcased his new game at E3; Child of Eden.

Those of you that have played Rez will remember that the AI in Rez is actually called "Eden" and is actually personified as the image of a woman that you must rescue from numerous computer firewalls and other defence systems (man this game is a geek's vision!).

The new game makes use of Microsoft's Kinect system for the XBOX 360, but can also be played with the use of standard controllers. If there was ever a game to sell me on the idea of waving my arms around whilst stood in the lounge listening to trance music during a never ending computer visualisation, this is it.

The idea seems familiar to those of use that know Rez; take control within the computer and 'clense' (some say shoot) the area, which in turn progresses the musical score of the game. Quite novel stuff really. Personally, I think that much as NiGHTS was destined to be played on the Wii, Rez is destined to be played using the Kinect. At least, it has me partially sold on the idea!

Here's a couple of videos for your viewing pleasure. Please turn up your speakers and relax!





E3 News Roundup


Who knew that ten years after the launch of the Dreamcast, we'd have an E3 filled with Dreamcast releated goodies? The first of these bits comes from nuckles87, the SEGAbits E3 representative:

E3 2010: Crazy Taxi Hands-On

Aside from Shenmue and, perhaps, Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi is the most iconic franchise the Dreamcast every produced. So it comes as no surprise that the original game has joined Sonic Adventure as one of the first games in the Dreamcast revival SEGA is now pushing. Everyone here knows how the game plays: you play a taxi driver who drives people to far away locations in ridiculously short amounts of times, throwing every traffic law to the wind in the hopes of getting the largest fair possible from the customer.
Click here to read the rest

The second bit of news involves sequels to two great Dreamcast games: REZ and Hydro Thunder. The upcoming sequel to REZ isn't so much a sequel as it is a spiritual successor. Different name, different publisher, sure. But Tetsuya Mizuguchi (REZ, Space Channel 5) is behind it and many of REZ's elements are in place. Check out the awesome demo below featuring Mizuguchi playing the game via the 360's Kinect controller:



As you can see in the video, one hand is your gun. A grabbing motion pulls in ammo, and the player can throw it out at enemies for a blast attack. Clapping hands switches guns and your other hand fires the Vulcan cannon and auto-fires shots. The controls are definitly a step above the trance vibrator and looks to be a lot of fun! Child of Eden's release is TBA and will be hitting the 360 and PS3.

Next up is Hydro Thunder Hurricane, the sequel to the Dreamcast launch title. Check out the trailer below for old memories with stunning new graphics:



This sequel/remake will be hitting the 360's downloadable marketplace this summer!

Finally, I saved the best for last! I'll leave you with a quote from President of SEGA West Mike Hayes. When asked how many Dreamcast titles we can expect to have on XBLA and PSN by next summer, Mike replied:

We hope to have somewhere between 18 to 24. Around that.

 Nice.

Dreamcast Returns - High Res Screenshots

Following up on the previous post announcing SEGA rereleasing Dreamcast classics 'Crazy Taxi' and 'Sonic Adventure', we now have high res screens of said games! Other sites may have these, but probably not as huge as the Junkyard does. Click the images to imbiggen:


While it's unfortunate that 'Sonic Adventure' looks to be standard 4:3, it does look rather pretty and runs very smoothly according to an old leaked video. Word is that both will be available for demo at E3, and thanks to our association with SEGAbits we might be getting some video to show here at the 'Yard. Stay tuned, Dreamers!

Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi officially announced for digital download

by nuckles87 at SEGAbits


UPDATE: Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi themed pages have taken over the SEGA.com front page. I feel like it's 1999 all over again!




SEGA has just, finally, officially announced that Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi will be coming to the Xbox Live and Playstation Network services later this year. But more then that, apparently these games will be the first in a slew of Dreamcast games that are going to be made available on the service!

The games will be incorporating all new features including HD visuals, leader boards, achievements/trophies, and surround sound. The games will be at E3, so expect coverage from SegaBits and Sonic Stadium!

These games are expected to launch this autumn.

Source: SEGA Blog & SEGAbits

Dreamcast Game Titles Leaked From Ratings Board

http://www.siliconera.com/2010/06/01/crazy-taxi-and-sonic-adventure-rolling-on-to-xbox-360-in-korea/

http://resumeplay.net/home/2010/6/2/dreamcast-games-leaked-from-korean-ratings-board.html

Proof that Dreamcast games are going to be available for the Xbox Live Arcade?

Or just a simple mistake?

It doesn't seem like there would be any other reason for Dreamcast games to be on that list...

We will just have to wait until E3.

Introducing: The Dreamcast Boombox!

Thanks to DCJY regular 'tdinc' for this little gem:




Yep, just as other frantic Dreamcasters around the globe have turned their favourite console into a Millenium Falcon, an iMac and an electric guitar, the curiously monikered XCKDIY has converted a knackered old CD player into a fully functioning portable DC - even going as far as to rip out the cassette player and install a little LCD screen. Not sure if it'd run off 6 batteries from the pound shop, but it's still an awesome bit of reverse engineering. The original story can be found here.

Virtua Fighter 5 Has a Dreamcast!


Looks like cheetah print bandannas won't be the coolest accessories to be found in the latest and last version of 'Virtua Fighter 5'. Players of the upcoming game will have the opportunity to buy a Dreamcast, Saturn and Mega Drive to wear on the characters backs. For added awesomeness, the consoles prices match what they were when the consoles launched in Japan. Of course, you'll be buying them with in-game currency rather than yen.

In celebration of this event, I'd like to present three other SEGA games that featured characters wearing Dreamcast consoles.

The Cast of Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram
 

The Agents in Typing of the Dead

That Big Purple E-series Boss in Sonic Adventure

 [Source: SEGAbits]