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| Credit to Dreamcast Enjoyer for the Virtua Fighter 3TB background. |
The scorching summer heatwave has finally dissipated, providing me with the opportunity to sit here and type up a Dreamcast news round-up without melting into my creaky computer chair. Fortunately though, while I've been lounging around outside, Mr Freeze in hand and with the neighbours clingy cat at my feet (Trevor, generally chill, occasionally bitey), others in the scene have been busy cooking up all sorts of goodness. And, really, given the variety on display, there should be something here to suit everyone's tastes...
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| One of the few consumer goods to have avoided the savage inflation of recent years. I'm still waiting for a response to my enquiry about a DCJY edition though - call me back Mr Freeze! |
News from the Indie Front
The stream of commercial indie releases on Sega's swansong console has definitely slowed over the last year or two. During the frenetic period that roughly coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, dozens of titles were being published each year, and the pipeline of forthcoming games was packed. In hindsight, maybe that was never sustainable in the long-run, and it is feasible that the market became a little oversaturated. Who knows, maybe I'll scribble a deeper dive into the phenomenon soon, but regardless, the indie market is certainly far from finished and there is still plenty to look forward to.
Undoubtedly deserving of top billing here is the launch of the Sovietborgs crowdfunder by Dreamcast scene heavyweights Retro Sumus. After blessing us with the sublime Xenocider in 2021, this European development outfit took a well deserved break, but thankfully, last year we began to hear them stirring again. This time around they are pitching a top-down run 'n' gun game set in a parody world where the Soviet Union won the Cold War (and Gorbachev didn't end up starring in Pizza Hut adverts). Ample detail is available on the IndieGoGo page, so I won't regurgitate it all here. The campaign has around three weeks left to run, and the crew are 57% of the way towards their £41k funding goal. Here at the Junkyard we're hoping Retro Sumus are successful - if anyone is deserving of backing, then it is scene-stalwarts like them!
In other recent news, Gladmort, the 2D action-platformer that pays homage to titles like Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Metal Slug and Magician Lord, has been landing on the doormats of nerds all around the globe. Lewis was enamoured with the game's visual panache when he covered its KickStarter launch last year, and now we'll get to see if it lives up to his (and others) expectations. Those who missed the pre-orders but are now interested can pick up a copy from Pixelheart should they wish. I didn't take the plunge on this one, but a couple of our other writers-at-large did - hopefully one will turn out a review (yeah, Mike, that means you, buddy).
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| The PAL edition of Gladmort. Photo courtesy of MikeRox. |
Elsewhere, occasional updates continue to arrive about the handful of other indie titles that are in the oven. A few days ago, the good folks at JKMCorp let us know that Shadow Gangs Zero is making steady progress and that the Dreamcast version is expected to be ready in early 2026. Orc Face Games, who published The Storied Sword earlier this year, are juggling several projects. In late April they announced that Chew Chew Mimic was available to pre-order (for a mere £15 a piece), but their latest news is that the Dream Disc '24 build is tested and "good to go", which hopefully means that discs will be printed soon. Ross of Orc Face has admitted that development of their key title HarleQuest! has slowed as a result of these other initiatives, but nevertheless, transparent KickStarter updates continue to arrive on a steady basis, and the latest post (May 2025) notes that the aim is to get the game to a content-complete state by the end of Q3 2025. Personally, as long as the game gets there in the end, I wouldn't begrudge a few delays - Orc Face are doing a lot of good for the scene and are worthy of some patience...
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| A work-in-progress version of the Dream Disc '24 demo disc cover. |
Whopping Big Translations
Anyone with even a passing interest in the Dreamcast will know that the Japanese market received swathes of titles that never saw the light of day over here in Europe or across the pond in the States. However, thanks to some plucky and selfless people who dedicate hours to producing translations, this disparity has been gradually chipped away at over the years.
Most recently, bigbanana23 (look, that it a perfectly good username alright?) announced that they have begun translating Capcom's multi-volume RPG El Dorado Gate. Spanning seven(!) entries on the Dreamcast, which, if you are lucky enough, you can pull together in a neat slipcase, this title has undoubtedly been high on the wishlists of many for a long time now. Clearly it is still early doors on this project, but the initial signs are looking positive.
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| A complete set of El Dorado Gate, including the snazzy green slipcase. |
It also fills my heart with joy to see that Exxistance is inching ever closer to being able to release their translation of the iconclastic Segagaga. This month they released a new video which demonstrates how far the project is progressing. Word has it that the aim is to drop this muther as a 25th anniversary patch, which would suggest that 29 March 2026 should be booked off work (and maybe a few days after that actually). Of course, we don't want to apply any undue pressure - when it's ready, it's ready. For now, if you've got Segagaga on the mind, be sure to check out our interview with its creator Tez Okano.
Oh, and how could I make a blog post without mentioning the Italian Stallion himself, Derek Pascarella?! Those with an interest in the technical side of translations should check out his recent social media posts exploring some problem-solving in action on the Love Hina: Suprise Engagement translation (W.I.P).