Dream Room UK 2011 Marathon on YouTube!


If you missed my Dream Room UK 2011 livestream marathon from a few months ago, you could find it all on my livestream page, but now I have started uploading it to YouTube as well in 2 hour chunks with bits like me walking off to grab things cut out to save some time! The rest of it can be seen below!

Metropolis Public Transport Racer

Check this out -



Who knew you could drive buses and taxis and freakin' LAWNMOWERS in MSR? I certainly didn't! To be fair, seeing as I only ever managed to get as far as Chapter 13 or thereabouts in my crappy Vauxhall Astra, I shouldn't really be so surprised...but this awesome Youtube video has made me want to jump back into MSR and give it another go.

As a side note, I heard that once you beat every chapter you get to drive around each city in a sort of 'free ride' mode, with all the barriers removed. Anyone out there know if this is true? Answers in the comments section, please.

Dreamcast Versus Xbox 360 Part 3

Hello, and Season's Greetings (vomit). You may remember my previous forays into the world of video creation, Dreamcast Versus Xbox 360 Part 1 & 2 that I uploaded to Youtube a few years back and also published here at the 'Yard. To my utter astonishment, the first one has over 20,000 views at present so there's obviously demand out there. Demand to see videos comparing Dreamcast games to games from the current generation. Granted, the mind boggles...but I've dusted off my shitty old Fujifilm (non-HD) digital camera again, recorded some new footage and slapped together another DCJY-exclusive visual comparison. This time its WRC 2 on the 360 (which is a stonking rally sim, by the way) squaring up against V Rally 2: Expert Edition. Enjoy:



The quality is lamentable, I know. And the editing isn't amazing (what do you expect from a Media graduate?!), but I'm using shitty tools. Give me a 2002 Avid suite and I'll give you Avatar 2. Sort of. Meh.

Before anyone says it, I know that WRC 2 is an awesome visual showcase (although it's no DiRT 3...), and I know that V Rally 2 looks like a tramp's gusset in true comparison...but to be fair, it doesn't look too far removed from most Gamecube and PS2/Xbox rally games. Even if all the Gamecube ones were a stain on Humanity. Damn this digressing! Anyway, it's just a bit of fun, so don't go mental.

There's more:

If I don't get the chance to say (write) it - Happy Christmas to all on the DCJY team, and to all our readers around the world. You guys and girls make it all worth it - 6 years on!

Sturmwind delayed again!

Just heard this from redspotgames website. Bum cakes. 

In spite of best planing, the release of Sturmwind has to be postponed: Our long-term CD-ROM manufacturer surprisingly had to declare bankruptcy after 19 years in business. From 40 employees only a few remained. Therefore this resulted in the situation that the scheduled delivery date for Sturmwind could not be met in the end.
The only possibility has been to relocate the production – to avoid further delays of the bankrupt facility. Nevertheless items like the spaceship models have been completely manufactured already. Our new partner is one of the largest videogame CD / DVD press plants in Europe with over 50 years of experience in medium production. In the meanwhile we already placed our production order for Sturmwind. 
The release date is set to TBA (“to be announced”) consequently.
Details are currently clarified between redspotgames, Duranik and the new facility. Also we are arranging material for another announcement with more exact information within December, which will be after Christmas however. All orders in the redspotgames online shop will remain valid.
At least they've let us know why and this is clearly something that couldn't be prevented. Just more waiting I suppose, shame that this has now become a 2012 release but we'll eventually get to play it!

Off the Cuff

Like a monstrous and garishly-lit harbinger of inevitable over-indulgence, Christmas is on the horizon. Yes, it's the time of year where we have to spend money on other people for no good reason other than that we're expected to. But what to buy? What to get for the Dreamcast lover in your life? A new game? A new pack of VMU batteries so you don't have to listen to that fucking beep every time they power up their system? A VGA cable so that they can enjoy their favourite games in hi-res on the new HDTV?

All viable suggestions. But no. What they need are these:


Dreamcast-shaped cuff-links!

And don't worry if the DC fan you're buying for is a girl (yes, they do exist...or so I'm told)...these cuff-links can (probably) be turned into trendy ear rings with only minor modification! Who'd have thunk that in 2011 we'd still be able to procure Dreamcast cuff-link and belt combos? In your FACE, Sony!

*Sigh*

Get some here.

Dreamcast Cosplayers!

What to do while waiting for the release of Strumwind? Post some photos of people dressed up as Dreamcast characters, of course! Here are the best of the best I have found on DeviantArt.

Jet Set Radio
More after the jump!

The Dreamcast Junkyard is 6 years old!

From yesterday, that is! Tomleecee started up this blog back on 7th December 2005 and even though we don't all get to update this place with article as often as we used to, it is still one of the most active Dreamcast websites on the Internet, isn't it? I hope it is anyway. Either way it's the sixth site that shows up when you search for Dreamcast so that's pretty neat.

I can't even believe it's been that long. Having been here myself as a writer since April 2006, I'm not really sure where all those years went. Oh yeah, they went into taking photos and photoshopping them like this:


Remember that time I thought I'd found Maraca compatibility in a Baseball game only for it to turn out the game was playing itself? How about that time a commenter on UK: Resistance described me as a wank muffin? Good times!

But enough about me, no one cares! It's all about the Dreamcast coverage, of which we have had oodles of! Quite handy when a supposed dead console turns out to be undead really, gave us all more to talk about, and there's STILL some fantastic indie games on their way so we're going no where! There will defiantly be unboxing videos at least for the new releases from me, and the Dreamroom livestreams will be something of a annual thing for both Barry and me if we can help it.

By the way I really hope no one minds me messing with the layout of this place a little. You may notice it's a wee bit more roomy here now!

Anyhow, happy birthday you great big pile of HTML code you!

Purely Belter

Alright. Just been trawling eBay for Dreamcast stuff and I happened upon this little trinket:



It's advertised as a VMU Belt...which is a pretty accurate description...but look at it! It's just a VMU glued to a canvas belt! Call me cynical, but isn't this the cheapest attempt to glean cash from DC fans you've ever seen?

Saying that though, if this Frankenstein's belt had been around back in the day (1999), I probably would have bought one. Beats carrying the enormous and unwieldy bulk of the massive VMU in your pocket. Hmmm.

Fancy one? Go here.

Sturmwind Special Edition revealed, new release date!

Now how's this for a nice surprise? Redspotgames have finally revealed their special edition of their upcoming Dreamcast game Sturmwind, and it contains the following:

- Sturmwind game (obviously)
- Sturmwind Soundtrack CD (of course)
- Full colour tactical guide booklet (ooh)
- Full colour Sturmwind 3D printed model 1:72 scale (whaaa?)

Well that last one sure is a first for an indie Dreamcast release! The whole set comes in a rather snazzy looking blue box too! This can be all yours very soon for 69,95 EUR / US $96.60 / around £60.50 GBP. At that price it's not going to be for casual Dreamcast gamers but for the collectors amongst us it's a rather lovely bundle, and it will only be available for a short time in limited numbers so pre-ordering now is a must if you want it!

Oh, and the release date? We can now expect the game to arrive on the 22nd December! That's a bit later than 11/11/11, but they have been doing a lot of bug testing and the like to make sure the game is ship shape! More on this game as we find out more!

NG Dev Team releases Gunlord trailer!

NG: Dev Team have finally revealed gameplay footage of their next Neo-Geo and Dreamcast release Gunlord, and boy is it a meaty trailer! We're treated to almost 9 minutes of footage, including the story. As everyone probably expected from the screenshots, this is very much a Turrican style game, right down to the way the character walks about! Hardy a bad thing when the Dreamcast is sorely lacking in any games of this run and gun genre mind: remember the Dreamcast was never treated to any Megaman, Metal Slug or Contra games!

The game is due in December on the Neo-Geo and January the 15th for the Dreamcast in both regular, special and even a expensive collectors edition which contains both the regular and special editions in a box with some bonus goodies!. The official website for the game is now live so go check it out!

Quick drinking game: take a swig every time the narrator says "THE MASTER."

New Sturmwind Footage!


We have new footage from Redspotgames of their upcoming Dreamcast shooter Sturmwind in from a German TV show interviewing the developers. Skip to the 12 minute mark to see the gameplay footage. The game is due out later this month!

Sonic Generations Dreamcast Era Trailer



Courtesy of IGN comes the second era presented in the upcoming Sonic Generations, the Dreamcast era! Why SEGA chose IGN and not us to present this trailer, I'll never know. Sonic Adventure fans should enjoy the first look at the HD remix of Speed Highway, while Sonic Adventure 2 fans get yet another glimpse of City Escape. Seaside Hill, while not a Dreamcast stage, looks amazing. Far better than the original Sonic Heroes stage both in graphics and gameplay (no more incessant chattering from Sonic, Knuckles and Tails). To those arguing that the title "Dreamcast era" doesn't work for two Dreamcast games and one multi-platform game, remember that the same year Sonic Heroes released in Japan, many Dreamcast games were still being sold. So of the same era? Sure!

SEGAbits Celebrates the Dreamcast's 12th Birthday!


As most Junkyard readers probably know, I write for a number of SEGA blogs including SEGAbits. Thanks to SEGAbits admins George and Sharky, as well as their technical wizard Shadi and myself, we decked out the site in Dreamcast imagery and made sure that the writers contribute Dreamcast-related articles throughout the month of September. There is still a week and a half left, but you can catch up on the past three weeks of Dreamcast articles by clicking here. Check out nuckles87's multi-part "Years of the Dreamcast" series as well as editorials and special features.

Some interesting e-mails I've had recently.

Yep, it seems when people want stuff posted at the Dreamcast Junkyard in some fashion they come to me. I'm not sure why, because a lot of the time I take far too long to reply to these e-mails or post them up here. So seeing as I've had quite a few lately I may as well get them all out there..

This first one from Jack Clough is a long one about convincing Sega to not only make Shenmue III, but to make it for the Dreamcast!

Hello Gagaman. Like the majority of people who owned or own a Dreamcast, I currently own two working PAL and a new NTSC US dreamcast (which I bought as I was reminded that eventually all Dreamcasts will die and that scared me, triggered by using a UK plug with my pink Hello Kitty dreamcast resulting in it's smoky demise, annoyingly finding her original plug with step-down convertor shortly afterwards, I'm still grieving. Anyway I digress), most are obsessed with with the Shenmue series. This was the first game I had an emotionally bound with, and it plagues me that the series never got a conclusion, it left me a hollow shell. The only way I can explain this situation to anyone who isn't acquainted with Shenmue is to imagine reading the first two of Tolkein's Lord Of The Rings and then discovering that The Return Of The King will never get published.

       I understand why Shenmue 3 is unlikely to be made. The Dreamcast was an period where SEGA allowed their creativity flow, which led to exciting games however it with hindsight was damaging financially. Shenmue was a prime example of this as the ambition of the games is equalled by none, however the extraordinary costs and the poor sales means it's near impossible to for SEGA to rationally back a second sequel.

       There are also obstacles for developing on a current system. It has been a decade since the release of the sequel fans expectations would be hard to match. Remember the mixed response with Nights: Journey of Dreams on the Wii, SEGA's attempts to cater for fans of the original and a new audience essentially left the game in limbo. Gaming has changed a lot over the years and Shenmue's intrinsic style would be alien to modern gamers. However if they changed the mechanics of the game it would ultimately disappoint Shenmue's loyal fan base who've been praying for a finale and this would leave them with a bitter taste.

When SEGA pulled out of the hardware market, fans scattered across the platforms, aligning themselves with different companies. I personally went with Nintendo, my second love of games, they felt familiar. It's impossible to please all Shenmue fan boys, like with another Suzuki series Virtua Fighter which became a PlayStation 2 exclusive if you didn't own one you had to purchase one especially or, like me, do without.

You could argue they should release across multiple formats, but this leads to another issue. Shenmue was an astounding feat in technology, and no matter how hard a developer tries with a multi-format release it will not push the machines to the limit, and as a GameCube owner I know that at least one will get an inferior port.  

That was the first part, it continued on to another e-mail:

 My solution, prematurely sending email means I'll cut to the chase, is that Yu Suzuki should finally resolve this series by releasing the third Shenmue on the Dreamcast.
       This may sound odd, but as you know there is a thriving dreamcast community and independent games from companies like redspot games are intermittently released. This means there is a market there and I assume SEGA still have the original Shenmue game engine so it should be relatively easy, they wouldn't have to (and I wouldn't want them to) create a game with updated graphics and gameplay to suit the contemporary gaming audience as this would essentially be a love letter to the fans, much in the same way as SEGAGAGA (although wouldn't it be nice if SEGA aided the current translation for SGGG that could be included with Shenmue III). As most of the Dreamcast community are now adults now, and judging by the prices that these limited run of independent games go for on ebay, SEGA could charge more to cover financial costs, no amount would stop me (I've recently bought the limited edition Border Down with mousemat for just over £120 and I've only recently got into scrolling shooters, which by the way I think is one of my favorite shooters).

I think that it be nice to have the Shenmue series from beginning to end on SEGA's last console, although this could be me just being selfish as the only console I play these days is the Dreamcast, I had an XBox 360 briefly (bought one, broke, bought another then sold it after about a month when I got bored) and I've got a Wii but again I've lost interest in it.

       The reason I'm contacting you is because I need your help to get this idea out there. I personally have bugger all internet presence, I'm not on any social network site, forum or anything like that. I read your blogs and watch your videos on Dreamcast junkyard and I know you have a passion for the Dreamcast, I very much enjoyed your top 100. But not only do you have the passion, you also have a following and you know others within the community.

I apologise for the rushed nature of this second part of my email. Since your an illustrator I hope you enjoy this photo of part of my art installation on my emotional connections to three video games consoles I have owned.


I'll be honest: I had no idea how to reply to this e-mail. Either way if you're reading this Jack I hope you don't take offense to this but I don't think the likely hood of this ever happening is all that great. I'd love to see a Shenmue III like most people would, but I think it's hard enough to sell them on the idea of simply porting the first two to XBLA/PSN, let alone have them produce a new one on hardware they haven't supporting for almost a decade for £120. Blimey.

Four days ago I got this from Tris Bates:

"I didn't realize that the Phoenix mirror was a real thing in china , check out these 




If only Ryo had knew he could pick them up on eBay."

Well would you look at that. The resemblance of this one in particular is quite uncanny! Looks like we have an idea for a expensive prop for a Ryo Hazuki cosplay right here! If these are real does this mean i can also obtain a Sega Saturn with a 1986 copyright? I sure hope so.

..and finally here's one I got just yesterday from 'Lewis':

"you are my hero

thank you for the junkyard, just thank you"

Well isn't that nice? Except I think people are starting to forget that Tomleecee is the man to thank for this blogs' existence.

There are some perks to being e-mailed by fans of the blog though, I must say. I'll back to that in a future article.

Another Year Down, 364 Days Until the Dreamcast's 13th Birthday!



I've finally cleaned up the pizza plates, the beer bottles and the many wires and cables. Another Dreamroom has come and gone. Though I turned the feed off three hours ago, those who missed it can catch it NOW at our YouTube channel in 5 parts totaling nine and a half hours! We started things off with some demos and videos from the original demo disc bundled with launch consoles, the Dreamcast Generator. We then played the Japanese demo "What's Shenmue?" followed by Senior Managing Director Yukawa's goofy contest game. I had some lunch and threw on Shenmue the Movie, then returned with the awesome Skies of Arcadia and made a good amount of progress with my still in progress save file. Skies of Arcadia, someday I will complete you. Part 2 continues the Skies gameplay, and then I moved on to Jet Grind Radio. We made a bit of graffiti that memorialized the forgettable Dreamcast game "The Grinch" and tagged it about Tokyo-to.

Part 3 featured Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2, with some entry level Forest gameplay. A bit more of Shenmue the Movie played, and then I returned with Bust a Move 4 and Tech Romancer. Part 4 saw the arrival of my guests, so we cracked open some multiplayer games! But first... some VMU games played via the VMU Tool emulator. Pretty simple, but nostalgic, stuff. We then played some Power Stone, had a gripping game of Sonic Shuffle (I won!) and played a bit of Power Stone 2. In the final part 5 the goofy indie title Cool Herders was played, we headed to the islands to play Ooga Booga, we blew s*** up in Fast Striker, then finished the night off with Ready 2 Rumble and Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles. Overall, it was a great night! Lots of fun chatter and memories. I know next year's marathon is a long ways off, but I'm already looking forward to it. Thanks to everyone who joined in to watch!

Following the marathon, I jumped into an hour long podcast with writers from SEGAbits to talk about the Dreamcast. It's a great listen, check the episode out here!

Dreamroom UK 2011 is Today!

Watch live streaming video from gagaman at livestream.com

Today is the day before the 12th anniversary of 9/9/99 and because I won't have time to livestream tomorrow just before barry's one I've decided to dedicate today for my show!

I will be starting at 1pm UK time (7:00am Eastern Standard Time) will take a couple hour break somewhere between 3 and 5pm, then return continue on into the night! That's a lot of Dreamcast gameplay

So make sure to come and visit at the video link above sometime today for the celebrations! Then tomorrow it will be Barry's turn for him to treat you to some Dreamcast gaming goodness!

EDIT: It's over! Thanks to everyone who popped in! If you missed out you can watch it in the 'Dreamroom UK 2011' folder here. It was running for roughly a total of 8 and a half hours! Here is a list of the games that were played throughout the day:

  • Mars Matrix
  • Segagaga
  • Gundam E.F.F vs Zeon DX
  • Marvel Vs Capcom 2
  • Rush 2049
  • Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
  • Alien Front Online
  • Daytona USA 2001
  • Power Stone
  • Pro Yakyu Team de Asobonet!
  • Zombie Revenge (complete play-through of arcade mode)
  • Densha Deo Go! 2
  • Sengoku Turb - Fanfan I Love me Dunce doublentendre
  • Fast Striker
  • Heavy Metal Geomatrix
  • 18 Wheeler

Celebrate the Dreamcast’s 12th Birthday With Us!


Since 2009, It has become a yearly tradition for me to throw a Dreamcast birthday party by way of Dreamcast gaming, a live stream, chit chat, drinking and pizza. This year will be no different from last year: Starting at 11am Eastern Standard Time (5pm GMT) on Friday, September 9th, I’ll be kicking off the party at twitch.tv/dreamroom. We’ll play a ton of games, chat, reminisce and celebrate the 12th anniversary of the Dreamcast’s American launch. We’ll check out the original launch titles, play some wacky imports, go on a Dobuita shopping spree and I even have a few surprises.

So mark your calendars and keep your eyes on The Dreamcast Junkyard and SEGAbits as the big day nears!

Guy on Reddit Finds a Dreamcast in the Trash

Amazing find. Among other games he got a copy of D2, one of the hardest games to make copies of. And TWO lightguns!


There are some excellent comments.

http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/jxpqo/just_found_this_on_the_curb_next_to_my_house/

-Caleb


DCJY Rummage - Sonic Adventure 2



My first Rummage video in two years, blimey! I hope to get time to do some more of these though they'll probably be shorter than this one: I sure had a lot to talk about with this massive game and there's still some stuff I didn't talk about like the music, but I think 13 minutes is more than enough to sum up the game! Enjoy!

DCJY InsideOut & Rummage - Bomber hehhe!



It's about time I make a Rummage video! I've had a sealed copy of "Bomber hehhe!" on the shelf for a little over a month, and knew I had to record myself opening it. What started as an InsideOut snowballed into a Rummage thanks to a vacation day. Join me as I blow buildings up in this crazy obscure import!

Sturmwind delayed till 11-11-11. Improvements being made.

Redspotgames have just revealed that Sturmwind, it's next scrolling shooter for the Dreamcast, has been delayed. The reasoning being that the developers Duranik are making some major improvements to the game including a revision of the weapon system and plenty of extra polish based on feedback they have had from beta tests and the like. The new release date is planned for 11/11/11. I like it, reminds me of 9/9/99! You can read the full statement here.

While we'll have to wait a bit longer for the game to release this can only be seen as good news as it means we will be getting a even better game that hasn't been rushed out the door! I have yet to pre-order, but that's only because i'm waiting to see if they will announce a special edition first!

DCJY InsideOut - Sonic Adventure 2 Anniversary Box Set



(Sort of) in time for Sonic's 10th anniversary and Sonic Adventure 2's 10th anniversary, here's a quick look at the birthday pack that was sold with Sonic Adventure 2 between June 23-24 2001. I filmed and edited this all up yesterday and am currently in the process of recording footage for a Sonic Adventure 2 video review, so hopefully I can get that done within the next week or two.

New Hypertension gameplay



Remember this upcoming homebrew/indie Dreamcast release? Well I've been sent over this new footage to show you lot of it, showing off a split screen mode, though it turns out both players are being played by one person here, using a mouse for one player and a keyboard for the other! The team are even aiming for net play with this, however tricky that may be!

Classic Game Room HD - Crazy Taxi 2



The Dreamcast Junkyard always likes to see a Dreamcast game featured on Classic Game Room HD. This time, Mark plays Crazy Taxi 2 and reminds us of how awesome a game it is. Mark makes a good point too, stating that despite the many ports of the original Crazy Taxi, there has yet to be another home console port of Crazy Taxi 2. This one is still a Dreamcast exclusive!

Speaking of Classic Game Room, I wanted to give a shout out to a DVD documentary which follows the early years of the internet gaming show. Titled "Classic Game Room: The Rise And Fall Of The Internet's Greatest Video Game Review Show" and released in 2007, the 100 minute documentary is narrated by Mark and features a number of early episodes intercut with new footage. Dreamcast fans should take note that the series began just two months after the American launch of the Dreamcast, so some of the included video reviews cover Dreamcast games. It's a fun documentary, with Mark never taking the subject matter too seriously, and it's a nice time capsule for Dreamcast fans who recall the early days of the console. Yes there are cheesy jokes, and the guys behind the original shows aren't seasoned professionals, but the early episodes have a public access charm and the grown up Mark is an apt filmmaker.


While the DVD shows up on most major retail sites, it isn't often in stock. The only place I've found it in stock was walmart.com and I can confirm that they do have it as I ordered it from them a few months back and received it within a few days. The DVD is also available to rent on Netflix, so add it to your queue. The Dreamcast episodes included are SEGA GT and Seaman and there is also a review of X-Men for the SEGA Genesis.

Some guys scribbled all over my Dreamcast!

Who would do such a thing? Some vandals that go by the names of Yuji Naka, Takashi Iizuka and Jun Senoue.


Whoever they are two of them also scribbled on my copies of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Adventure 2 as well! I was just casually walking around with this stuff in London like I always do and I wasn't the only one they attacked: hundreds of people who also just so happened to have Sonic games, soundtracks and I believe someone else with a Dreamcast.

We were all wandering around this place. Who knows how we all just so happened to be in the same place at the same time like that.

Best bit is one of the men in question, the one with a guitar so probably from a rock band of some sort, rubbed it in by taking a photo with me in a confused and frightened state. I got away from the other two too quick for them to do the same. Let us know if you were also a victim of this bizarre crime.

Lisa Foiles Wore an Awesome Dreamcast Shirt.


Who says there was no Dreamcast news at E3?

Lisa Foiles looks really excellent with her new hairstyle and Dreamcast Tshirt. (Now does she make the shirt look good or does the shirt make her look better?) Kudos to her! This and her interview with Spoony about the new Startrek game totally make up for her hanging out with that degenerate Tim Rogers. (It doesn't, however, excuse her for putting a video game console on a carpeted floor in that one video she did. Jebus Lisa! You should know better.)

This is probably a a bit of a stretch to create an article about but honestly I didn't hear any other Dreamcast related news at this years E3. Well besides Keith Apicary probably asking someone about the Dreamcast 2 again. (Keep on believing the Dream Keith!)

Watch Lisa's E3 video at Kotaku. (Warning does contain images of Tim Rogers. Just try to focus on the shirt and ignore him)

http://kotaku.com/5812278/what-you-really-missed-at-e3-2011

City Escape Hits E3!



People playing City Escape at E3, what is this? 2001?! No, it's the latest stage reveal for Sonic Generations. This time, SEGA has unveiled the classic and modern acts for the HD remake of the famous Dreamcast stage. Gamestop sat down with a SEGA rep and chatted as footage played. Check it out, I can't wait to hear what other Dreamcast era stages we'll get to play!

Somewhat Shady Site Offering Portable Dreamcasts For $470 Each


I got an email about this.

Apparently some Japanese site is now offering to sell portable dreamcasts for just under $500.

I don't like the look of the site however.

http://pachimon.tv/goods.php?code=438310&menu=&kind=NEW&keyword=&shop_id=aqsASsrSx

So yeah. Like I said earlier companies can sell portable SNES and NES units legally because Nintendo let their patents expire.

But Sega never let the Dreamcast patents die out as far as I know.

So even if you happen to have a half grand sitting around I would probably pass on this deal.

It's very interesting to note that a company is trying to do this though.

Sonic Adventure Pose Appears in Sonic Generations


Okay, so this might seem like a stretch for Dreamcast news, but I think Sonic Adventure fans will get a kick out of it.

A recent preview video of Sonic Generations featured the game's new combo system in which you pull off a variety of mid-air tricks by moving about the analog stick. One of those tricks is none other than the Sonic Adventure pose famously seen on the cover of the Dreamcast version of the game. Check out the pose below!



Gamespot Dreamcast Retrospective

Oh yes, another dreamcast retrospective this time from gamespot for their Video game History month. Talks to a few people responsible for the American launch as well as some random gamers. 15 minutes of telling us everything we at the Junkyard have heard dozens of times, but still worth a quick look.

Phantasy Star Online - Offline Gameplay


Digging through my old files, I came across this long video of me playing some PSO offline. The video was recorded for the Dreamcast 100, but was never used. But now it's available for all to view!

Reiko is my HUnewearl which I usually used to play with Japanese players. Not that they ignored my other character, but I did find that a Japanese sounding name and a cute girl character was far more accepted than my male hunter character Fokker. Fokker was a level 102, and carried quite a few rare mags and weapons, as you'll see in the video. When PSO2 arrives, I am certain that Fokker will return in all his glory!

Dreamcast 2 Internet Rumors Still Persist.


*Edit*

Just to be clear I don't think Sega is going to make a new console. I just thought it was funny that people are still posting these videos.

All the patents filed pretty much cover existing Dreamcast technology. I am assuming that Sega simply doesn't want a third party to be able to rush in and use their tech.

In the past Nintendo let some of their patents expire and that is why we have all those different "Retro Duo" consoles that can play NES and SNES games.

GunLord Concept Art & Screen Shots

by cube_b3 of SEGAbits


NG:DEV:TEAM have released the first screenshots of their upcoming Neo Geo and Dreamcast platformer GunLord on their Teaser Site. The images are stamped with the words “ALPHA VERSION” to give us an impression that things might still change.They show off a very interesting art direction, the likes of which we’ve never seen on the Neo Geo or the Dreamcast. Very dark and surreal tones are displayed along with very eerie creatures throughout to give a cryptic feel to the game. The tone is set even more forcefully by what seems to be the game’s theme song by Rafael Dyll of Soniq Factory.

Source: Dreamcast-Scene

Objection! Dreamcast Swirl goes to Court


In honor of the now dead UK:Resistance, I thought I'd feature another Dreamcast swirl sighting. This time, the iconic red (sometimes blue) swirl appeared in the fifth episode of the first Phoenix Wright game. I have to admit, I would love to try a "Salmon Swirl" lunch. Looks delicious!

Sonic Generations to Travel Back to the Dreamcast Era!


Every SEGA and Sonic fan should know about Sonic Generations by now, so I'll spare you the description. If you don't know what it is, check out the press release and official trailer. The game is sounding insanely awesome, probably the most exciting 3D Sonic game since Sonic Adventure. While current gameplay videos and screens are all about Green Hill Zone, various preview articles and interviews are popping up that reveal a bit of info that might be of interest to Dreamcast fans. Gamespot's preview reports:

The game will be set across the three defining eras--the 2D Mega Drive/Genesis era, the Dreamcast era, and the modern-day HD graphics era

Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 stages remixed in HD and featuring 2D Sonic sections?! Exciting! I would assume that both games would have one stage each represented in Generations. Personally, I could see Speed Highway and City Escape as the most likely candidates. Emerald Coast, while a defining stage of Sonic Adventure, has too much in common with Green Hill Zone. Meanwhile, Speed Highway was one of the most iconic stages of the game, appearing in countless commercials and ad campaigns. Who can forget this moment:

Yes, I know this is the XBLA version, relax.
As for Sonic Adventure 2, City Escape is very likely. Not only because it was a defining stage of the game, but also earlier this year musician Tony Harnell (vocalist from “We Can” and “It Doesn’t Matter”) let slip on Facebook that he was heading to the studio to record a new version of the Sonic Adventure 2 track “Escape From The City”. Since then, nothing has been seen or heard of this rerecording. It doesn't even look like it would be on the upcoming rerelease of the Sonic Adventure 2 soundtrack. So what does this mean? Either the new recording will be in an upcoming anniversary album OR it was for Sonic Generations. We shall see.

In the comments section, let us know what Adventure stages you'd like to see return in Generations.

SegaGaga Translation project Interview on Racketboy

Racketboy has just posted a superb interview with the manager of the Segagaga translation project James Howell. it gives an in-depth look into the process, the reasoning, and the troubles that come with translating such a unique game that is so rooted in Japanese game culture and the many in jokes that even many Japanese natives may not get, let alone us. One thing that is noted is that the translation will be released as a patch as they do not intend to release a hacked version of the game itself as that would be breaking Sega's copyright of the game. They really do have a lot of passion and respect for the source matreial and i really can not wait to see more of this translation come to fruition.

Assemblergames.com has the Geist Force Beta!

Embedding has been disabled on the video so go watch it here. The video below is a trailer from before the game was canceled.


Does anyone remember hearing about a game called Geist Force back when the Dreamcast launched? No? Well there wasn't much coverage of it outside of a video showing it off a bit, and soon after it just vanished off the face of the earth. Well a Sega insider joined the forums of Assemblergames.com and sold a beta copy of the game from 1998, and now it is in the hands of those that can not only play it on dev hardware, but will be dumping and releasing it to the Internet as soon as they can! In the video you will see the opening cut scene and some gameplay which is very much like that of the Starfox/Lylat Wars series, but without the talking animals.Looks like quite the interesting game and looking forward to getting a shot at trying it out!

Now where's Dee Dee Planet? Now there's a game I'd love to see leaked seeing as it was near complete supposedly and a beta was spotted in a photo of Sega archive room. Someone get in there and nab it!

Where there's smoke...


... there's a Dreamcast!

I had an appointment this morning to have blood drawn, so in an effort to lift my spirits before a needle was stabbed into my arm I stopped and snapped a photo of this Dreamcast logo sighting. Located in the middle of a a long depressing hallway, this was probably placed by hospital staff who knew a Dreamcast swirl can lift even the most depressed of patients. Either that, or it was a coincidence.

But wait! Using the powers of photoshop, lets just see how close the two are:


Amazing! Looking at this overlay, we get a swirl factor of 90%! Very impressive. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to collapse from blood losssssssssdwsFEFsffsfffff..........

Segagaga Translation Project Resumes!


A long while back, a group of english speaking SEGA fans made it their mission to translate the Dreamcast cult classic Segagaga. During the past year and a half, the project slowed to a near halt. Thankfully, things seem to be speeding up again as the Segagaga Translation Blog has returned with new posts and an update on the project! Check out their blog for all the details, and make sure to wish them luck!

I can't wait to see the finished product.

Check it out: Segagaga Translation Blog

Dreamcast Collection Winners Announced!


The Dreamcast Junkyard Dreamcast Collection Contest has officially ended!

I've received over 200 awesome entries, and having read through each one, I've decided on the winners! Before I list 'em off, let me just give a big thanks to the fans for writing in with all their Dreamcast memories. Lots of great stories, some I have experienced myself and others that were downright nuts. Even if you didn't win a prize in the contest, know that the true prize is being a Dreamcast fan. (aww!) Also, a big thanks to SEGA of America's community team for providing the awesome prizes!

The winner of The Dreamcast Collection for the XBOX 360 is...

Jill N.! For her unique memory of abusing Sonic Adventure chaos. Admit it, we've all done it at some point. Jill can now relive the chao torture with her own copy of the Dreamcast Collection. Congrats!

The winner of the vinyl record is...

Giles O.! For his story of turning on his housemates to the awesomeness that is Crazy Taxi. Way to go Giles, spreading the crazy word. Just hope that they didn't develop an all out addiction. Congratz!

The winner of the Dreamcast hoodie is...

Sam W.! For his story of fooling his friends into thinking they were playing Sonic Adventure DX on the Gamecube when in fact they were playing the Dreamcast original. Way to fool the haters! Here is Sam's story reprinted:

My favorite moment would have to be with Sonic Adventure. It was 2004 or so, and I was one of the kind of video game nerds that would get into debates about video games, consoles, etc. I was always, always a big Dreamcast fan. (At this time, at least around me, the general sentiment was that GC and PS2 were the kings, and DCs were a rightfully forgotten failure.) I, of course, argued that the Dreamcast was really, really ahead of its time, and, even at this time, not too far behind the GC and PS2. Anyway, it was me versus about every other gamer, so it wasn't much of an argument. They were all in agreement that the DC was pretty bad and that's why it failed. A few weeks later, I had my friends come over and I was playing Sonic Adventure on my faithful Dreamcast. They came in, saw what I was playing, and sat down. The important thing to note is that my DC, because of my setup, was kind of placed right behind my GC, which was currently on, but not plugged in (forgot to turn it off after I switched to my DC). They immediately sit down and say something like "see! I told you the GC version is better. Look at those graphics--you wouldn't see a better frame-rate on your little Dreamcast." They thought they caught me secretly playing the GC version when they wouldn't notice. After their little teasing, I was laughing and without a word I leaned over and turned that GC off in front of them; lo and behold, Sonic was still standing there, in all his 1998, Dreamcast glory! Got'cha! My friends aren't one to admit defeat, but it was pretty hard for them to say too many words against the DC after that.

I still bring that moment up to them today, haha.

Winners will be contacted via email. Again, a big congrats to all and thanks for playing! Stay tuned for more contests and original content here at The Dreamcast Junkyard. Still thinking...

The Dreamcast Collection CONTEST!


CONTEST ENDED! Thanks for playing!

Hey there space cats! Barry here with great news: we're having a contest and it starts NOW! Thanks to our friends at SEGA of America comes Dreamcast Collection goodies that you, the readers, can win. What are the goodies and how do you win? Read on!

The Prizes

We're giving three lucky readers the chance to win one of these three prizes:
  • • One reader will win a copy of the Dreamcast Collection for the XBOX 360
  • • One reader will win a Dreamcast Collection vinyl record
  • • One reader will win a Dreamcast hooded sweatshirt, a brand new exclusive item from SEGA!
How to Enter

To enter all you need to do is answer the following:

Tell us your favorite moment from one of the games in the Dreamcast Collection. Could be a favorite cutscene quote, or a gameplay moment. Be nostalgic and be creative!

Email your name, mailing address and answer to: CONTEST ENDED! Thanks for playing!

Want to double your chances of winning?

Enter over at SEGA Network affiliate SEGAbits for a chance to win!

The contest will end next Tuesday on March 8th. Good luck!

The Dreamcast Collection VERSUS My Dreamcast Collection


A package from SEGA arrived in the mail today! In it were two copies of the 360's Dreamcast Collection. One for me to review, one for a certain contest I keep hinting at. While a proper review will turn up Monday, I thought I'd have the Dreamcast Collection face off against my Dreamcast collection. Is the compilation disc worth it for a Dreamcast collector? Which version of the games will I come back to when I need my fix? Let's find out!

CONTENT

The Dreamcast Collection contains four games: Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi, SEGA Bass Fishing and Space Channel 5 Part 2. The Dreamcast Collection version of Sonic Adventure is actually a port of the PC version of the game but with the original Dreamcast menus and the Gamecube content stripped away (available via DLC). 360's Sonic Adventure has an aspect ratio of 4:3, just like the original game, so unfortunately no widescreen. However the game runs at a very solid frame rate and loading times are much faster. Despite not being as great as it could have been, you'll never see a smoother or crisper version of Sonic Adventure than here. The 360 version does not feature the Chao Adventure VMU game, however the chao garden has been beefed up as it was in Sonic Adventure DX. That means high polygon counts on the chao, more ways to raise them and a black market where rings can be traded for items.

Crazy Taxi is a mixed bag. While the gameplay is there, as is all the modes from the Dreamcast original, the iconic Bad Religion and Offspring songs were swapped out for different music. It's a drag, but it's understandable that music rights would change over time. Despite this, the game runs in widescreen AND has a very solid frame rate. Plus, if you have the original soundtracks on your 360 hard drive (or stream from your computer) you can play all the original music and more via the 360's custom soundtrack option. Personally, I play the soundtrack from all three Crazy Taxi games while playing this one. It really does make the game feel complete.

SEGA Bass Fishing and Space Channel 5 Part 2 are the winners when it comes to comparing content. Everything from the original games are here, plus the games run in widescreen, have a solid frame rate AND are crisp. The only drag (fishing pun) is that SEGA Bass Fishing isn't as good without the fishing controller. Still fun, but not as fun as it could be.

On the 360, all four games feature their own achievements and avatar awards, providing an incentive to replay the games. I cannot wait to earn my Moralian costume.

CONTENT VERDICT: 360 and Dreamcast Sonic Adventure are a tie, Crazy Taxi Dreamcast is preferred for the original music but widescreen on the 360 is worth it for Crazy Taxi fans, 360 SEGA Bass Fishing wins (unless you own a fishing controller) and 360 Space Channel 5 Part 2 wins.

PRICE

The Dreamcast Collection retails for $29.99. According to videogamepricecharts.com and ebay: Sonic Adventure can currently be found for around $9, Crazy Taxi for around $5, SEGA Bass Fishing for $3 (around $20 with fishing controller) and Space Channel 5 Part 2 for $80 (game only) and $200 (box set). Assuming you have both systems, you can either spend $30 for the 360 compilation or between $97 and $234 for the Dreamcast originals. There is also a version of SC5 Part 2 on the PS2, and that will run much cheaper, for around $15. Replace the Dreamcast version with the PS2 version and we're looking at $32. About even with The Dreamcast Collection.

PRICE VERDICT: In an all Dreamcast vs. 360 battle, 360 wins. In a Dreamcast and PS2 tag team versus 360, it's a tie. Space Channel 5 Part 2 saves the Collection.

CONCLUSION
And the winner is: Everyone's a winner! HA! Didn't see that coming, did you? But seriously, it's great to have these games on next gen consoles. While Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi don't beat the originals, the achievements and avatar awards give an added bonus for playing through those games once again. The fact that the two recent releases, Bass Fishing and SC5 Part 2, are far better ports is hopefully a sign that upcoming Dreamcast Collection releases will follow suit in providing widescreen support and minimal cut content. I'd love to see a widescreen version of Jet Set Radio or Sonic Adventure 2. 

Coming this Wednesday, a contest!

Classic Game Room: Dreamcast Collection vs. Genesis Collection


If you haven't figured it out yet, the DCJY loves Classic Game Room. Heck, we even gave it a tag! In the above video, Mark compares the boxart of the Dreamcast Collection to the boxart of Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection. As always, it's humorous and all in good fun. No ranting, no cussing, just good ol' CGR. Enjoy!

Personally, I like the Dreamcast Collection cover more. I could see a few more volumes coming out in the same style. I never was a fan of the Ultimate Genesis Collection having that wonky looking Sonic on the front. Plus, you got a big Dreamcast console and controller right there on the cover!

Dreamcast Collection (360, PC) releases today! Contest to come...


The Dreamcast Collection is now available to purchase in the USA for the 360 and the PC! The collection will be available in Europe on the 25th. Are you planning on picking it up? Did you pick it up? Sound off in the comments section!

Keep visiting the Dreamcast Junkyard in the coming weeks, as there is a contest with Dreamcast Collection prizes (courtesy of SEGA of America) in the works. What is the contest and what are the prizes? Stay tuned.

Personally, I'm very interested in seeing how Space Channel 5 Part 2 plays. If it is a solid port, it could be the selling point of the collection. SEGA Bass Fishing, while lacking the fishing controller, also has the potential to be good as it will be in widescreen and is presumably uncut. Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure have already released on PSN and XBLA.

Classic Game Room's Fast Striker Review!


...Part one of two! This is the kind of attention this game really deserves: the game has been selling out since it was reduced on Play-Asia temporally and in my opinion it's the best indie shooter on the Dreamcast to date. There will be a 2nd video to this review soon.

Love Hina Limited Edition Survives Explosion in Japan

From Kotaku comes an odd story about a gas leak explosion in Japan, and the limited edition Dreamcast game that survived. Check out the original story:


Over the weekend, an explosion completely blew off the wall of a one-room Kyoto apartment. The occupant was not seriously injured, and fingers crossed, neither was the limited edition Dreamcast game he owned.


A nearby resident said the walls shook, thought it was an earthquake and opened his window to see a fire. TV Asahi reports that it is possible that the explosion was caused by a leak in one of the 5 gas cans that power a portable stove that ignited. The 35-year-old tenant made it out of the apartment with light burns to his hands and feet. “I fell asleep with the stove on,” the man told investigators.
As evident in the destroyed structure, the build quality doesn’t seem to be of the highest order. For many years, especially after World War II and right on through the 1980s, buildings in Japan were thrown up quickly. The buildings from right after the war were of especially low build quality, due to scarce materials and an overwhelming demand for construction. They did improve, but it’s still common to find even later buildings like this that seem to be held together with glue and gumtack. Another reason for the less than solid quality is that it was believed that a powerful earthquake would hit Tokyo and not Kansai (Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto), which is why stronger structures were built in the Tokyo area.

Kobe, however, was hit by the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995 and many old, shoddy buildings fell in on occupants, often killing them. It was after this tragedy that the vast majority of the construction industry really began to take building very, very seriously, resulting in the sound, strong structures that are built today.

As serious as this explosion is and as dangerous as it could have been, Japanese netizens were quick to point out that in the tenant’s room, there is a copy of Dreamcast love simulator Love Hina: Totsuzen no Engeji Happening. But not just a copy of the game, a limited version of the game, which came with a limited edition Love Hina wall clock, a Love Hina towel, a stuffed animal, a shrine tailsman for good luck. The box appears to be in tact, but no word on whether the game made it out okay or if the wall clock was affixed to the wall that was blown clear off.


Love Hina was originally a manga, and it was quite popular, selling over six million copies and spun off into an anime. Besides the Dreamcast game, Love Hina was also turned into Game Boy colour and Game Boy Advance games as well as PlayStation and PlayStation 2 titles.

Check out the original story here.

Dreamcast Collection gets Pre-Order Bonus Vinyl in Australia !

Does anyone remember that Vinyl LP that some people were lucky enough to get as a pre-order bonus with Mega Drive Ultimate Collection on PS3 and 360? Well looks like they are doing a similar deal again for the 360 release of Dreamcast Collection! So far though this only appears to be in Australia, but if it turns out anything like the Mega Drive one it *might* show up in areas of Europe too, I manged to pick up the mega Drive LP on Ebay in the end and only paid a tenner for it. Either way see where this offer has been first spotted here. Turns out the LP contains 3 Crazy Taxi tunes (not Offspring I'm presuming so er...kind of pointless IMO) 1 Sonic Adventure track (Open your Heart surely?) 1 Space Channel 5 part 2 track and one Bass Fishing track. Will make a cool collectible none the less if just for the design of it.

Via SegaBits and TSSZ

Arts & Crafts: Make your own DUX spine card!


Any Dreamcast fan should know what a spine card is. But for those who don't, it's that little strip of paper that wraps around the left spine of Japanese Dreamcast CD cases. You'll also find these on Japanese Saturn games and nearly any other Japanese thing in a CD case. Why do they do it? Well, I'd assume so they can cram even more information on the front cover without littering the actual cover with all that information. Also, the Japanese LOVE little bits of paper. I remember when I first opened my sealed copy of Jet Set Radio, it was like a confetti parade with all the inserts that fell out.


Anyway, I decided to give the indie game DUX its own spine card. Why? Well for one thing, DUX is the only retail indie game in a DVD case that does not feature the Japanese Dreamcast style spine. Instead it's a very stark (but stylish) white. While the special edition of DUX did feature a orange and white spine, it was limited to 500 copies, so you're sure to never see one of those unless you pre-ordered one at the time of release. Another reason I made one was so that anal retentive fans, like myself, can have a more orderly game shelf. I also added "Dreamcast" on the front bit of the card so that you know what system the game is for. Also, I designed two versions: Japanese and English. So you have a choice of language (DUX is such a simple word, that I'm surprised the Japanese translation is twice as long).

Let's get to the arts & crafts! First off, download the DUX spine cards here.

Next, print the file out on a piece of paper, preferably a slightly glossy, thicker (but not too think) paper stock so that you cannot see through the paper. I used 32lb premium choice laserjet paper, and printed it on a laserjet printer to create solid bits of color.


Now, with an x-acto knife and ruler, use the guides and cut out the spine card you wish to use, or just cut them both out. If you're using scissors, be careful and create a straight cut.

Finally, lay the DUX case out flat (like the picture at the top) and slide the spine card in over the cover art. Carefully line up the card so that the spine is in the correct spot. Finally, close the case, adjusting the card if needed. The result should be a clean, convincing spine card.


Enjoy! If you have any problems with the uploaded files, let me know and I'll see how I can help.

Classic Game Room Reviews DUX


Classic game Room, by far my favorite video reviewer on the web, has finally got his teeth stuck into some Dreamcast indie goodness, starting off with DUX and hopefully more will follow. He does a much better job at reviewing this than i ever could simply because I couldn't even beat the first level in it! Lord Karnage has been reviewing a lot of Dreamcast games recently that you should also check out, such as Capcom vs SNK 2, Mortal Kombat Gold, Street Fighter Alpha 3, the Rumble (or Puru Puru) pack, and the Blue VMU. oh, to do this for a living..

Wind & Water Puzzle Battles Arrives on PC for Free! Also free on Wiz and GP2X!


Thanks to Wind and Water Puzzle Battles developer Hao via a reply to my article "5 Indie Dreamcast Games Worth Your Time" over at SEGAbits, it was revealed that the great indie Dreamcast game Wind and Water Puzzle Battles has been released for free on the PC! What more, the Wiz and GP2X handheld versions are also now free. Even more what more, if you scroll down on their main page you'll find that they have knocked down the cost of a custom sprite for a limited time. $10 for a custom avatar sprite, and $15 for a full animated set of four avatar sprites! The sprite can be used in the PC version, as well as on the handheld versions. I'll be picking one up, if only to fund potential future Dreamcast projects (Little Ninja, please?). Hao also mentioned that depending on the feedback for the PC version, they will develop W&W Online with netplay.

You might be asking "where does the Dreamcast play into this?", well I downloaded the PC version and spotted Mr. VMU himself! Finally, an anthropomorphic piece of SEGA hardware on my computer screen. So give it a download, buy a custom sprite and give the Yuan brothers your thoughts!

Note: While I only operate on Macs, I was able to get the game running flawlessly via the Mac application CrossOver. I'm certain other PC emulating applications will also do the trick.