tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196349442024-03-18T14:21:16.158+00:00The Dreamcast JunkyardThe Epicentre of all things DreamcastTom Charnockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593308178739317252noreply@blogger.comBlogger1847125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-78691068027323164692024-03-15T19:12:00.002+00:002024-03-15T19:43:56.395+00:00DCJY welcomes SEGA SATURN, SHIRO!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgil3-N75ctAqx9y0gFae6mtF5NzCcFAQ3S1WlwiPutoMG7FXUlrtT-93vK61n7FRfBg_cQg1c7CdlLPD_eirpBOfRSqMe4l884iH9NC5uoHaC5O1ZWVIDAgdpN07-6STb8waFT3ltr-j4bE0QgnoXpeiQWzxYIC-FrajStSbVTYSiWHV8u_d-lww/s600/dp129.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgil3-N75ctAqx9y0gFae6mtF5NzCcFAQ3S1WlwiPutoMG7FXUlrtT-93vK61n7FRfBg_cQg1c7CdlLPD_eirpBOfRSqMe4l884iH9NC5uoHaC5O1ZWVIDAgdpN07-6STb8waFT3ltr-j4bE0QgnoXpeiQWzxYIC-FrajStSbVTYSiWHV8u_d-lww/w496-h278/dp129.png" width="496" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;">In the most exciting crossover since Jay-Z and Linkin Park did Collision Course, in episode 129 of our podcast, the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/p/podcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DreamPod</a>, Brian and Lewis are joined by two stalwarts of both the Sega Saturn and Dreamcast community: <a href="https://twitter.com/SegaSaturnDave" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SaturnDave</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/traynoco" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patrick (TraynoCo)</a> of <a href="https://www.segasaturnshiro.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SEGA SATURN, SHIRO</a>! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">SHIRO! originally started in 2017 as a podcast dedicated to the Saturn, but has since grown into a website, YouTube channel and community dedicated to spreading the love of Sega's misunderstood 32-bit wonder, and later the Dreamcast. We at the Junkyard are fans of the work these guys do, so it was great to finally get them on the pod to talk all about it, as well as their love for the Dreamcast.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In this episode, we go into detail about SHIRO!'s origins, the present and future of the Saturn, the strengths and similarities of both consoles, and much much more. We also put SHIRO! on the spot and ask them to name their top three Dreamcast titles.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div id="buzzsprout-player-14684559"></div><script charset="utf-8" src="https://www.buzzsprout.com/42610/14684559-the-dreamcast-junkyard-dreampod-episode-129-sega-saturn-shiro.js?container_id=buzzsprout-player-14684559&player=small" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div style="text-align: left;">You can listen to this episode of the DreamPod and all of our previous episodes on <a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/42610/13470613" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buzzsprout</a>, along with all great podcatchers... and remember. You MUST play Sega Saturn!</div><p></p>Lewis Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14780213240335170126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-36877086191434232972024-03-14T10:26:00.026+00:002024-03-14T17:36:58.712+00:00Replacement VMU Shells heads to Kickstarter - VGNYsoft give us the Lowdown!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-WCfdvGUl7CAwfr73XFt5imbQtxxqljUYSPGsdeb6HsCw88oqGIqZmfMSHb4-lSH0cecMzBm6v2Qt0QNB-ZPGctpJdQ27dXiK3FAtQ8sqYEKKj0runguaDfvAQDE3rI2c0fRejmuONyPzxY8gOtdRBTgkHIrbcsVBz50mJsp0i2E4ZpU6Knxwg/s1024/73cc6d4385e4e7cecca3f8cf1df34620.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-WCfdvGUl7CAwfr73XFt5imbQtxxqljUYSPGsdeb6HsCw88oqGIqZmfMSHb4-lSH0cecMzBm6v2Qt0QNB-ZPGctpJdQ27dXiK3FAtQ8sqYEKKj0runguaDfvAQDE3rI2c0fRejmuONyPzxY8gOtdRBTgkHIrbcsVBz50mJsp0i2E4ZpU6Knxwg/w507-h285/73cc6d4385e4e7cecca3f8cf1df34620.png" width="507" /></a><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Based out of New York video game boutique Videogamesnewyork, publisher <a href="https://linktr.ee/videogamesnewyork" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a> have been well known in the Dreamcast scene for a long time now for publishing a whole load of indie games stateside for our beloved Sega console. For a list of what they have released in the past, check out Mike's <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2024/01/the-complete-guide-to-commercially.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Complete Guide to Commercially Released Dreamcast Indie Games</a>.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I was particularly excited last year to see them venture into releasing custom <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VMUs</a>, starting with a limited edition of Hermes featuring a Hermes-branded VMU, which I <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/10/lets-take-look-at-hermes-limited.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">showcased on the blog</a> back when it came out. This was then followed by a Blockbuster-branded VMU (which was actually authorised by the Blockbuster's owner <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dish_Network" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dish</a>) which was offered as a prize for the fourth World Video Game Championship at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo. I rightly presumed these two VMUs were a sign of more to come, and today at 12pm EST VGNYsoft will <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/videogamesnewyork/replacement-dreamcast-vmu-shells-for-dreamcast-memory-card" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">launch their campaign</a> for replacement VMU shells in a variety of unique colours.</p><p style="text-align: left;">We got a chance to talk with Daniel Mastin of VGNYsoft and get the scoop on this brand new Kickstarter campaign, along with some teases about upcoming indie releases.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRF4R2dDOSyvYV_BIJ72IBpiFxEETBe-RwWyEkXDJ9oKCVLMg_0vW7OLBcJSbtr4nRgne6xwommIk5gvQHq6t74_IdfaVawRnoS7OYchtALC_0c-FEH6h1bGmmiQBbMCPsSXBnFK0oqGMuGdLixCKs3Md5omgehAPCbHp2W0UQJUKXEWoAE8tjhQ/s2048/F8gJYMGbAAA9mJ2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="2048" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRF4R2dDOSyvYV_BIJ72IBpiFxEETBe-RwWyEkXDJ9oKCVLMg_0vW7OLBcJSbtr4nRgne6xwommIk5gvQHq6t74_IdfaVawRnoS7OYchtALC_0c-FEH6h1bGmmiQBbMCPsSXBnFK0oqGMuGdLixCKs3Md5omgehAPCbHp2W0UQJUKXEWoAE8tjhQ/w400-h301/F8gJYMGbAAA9mJ2.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: <a href="https://x.com/AdamKoralik/status/1713629994713579668?s=20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Adam Koralik</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div><p><span style="color: #073763;"><b><i>DCJY: Hi Dan! Thanks for chatting to us about your Kickstarter. I think we can speak for a lot of Dreamcast fans when we say that we are excited for the prospect of replacement VMU shells. What can people expect from the Kickstarter? And what was your reasoning for going to Kickstarter as opposed to just selling them via your normal store?</i></b></span></p><p><b>Dan: </b>The Kickstarter is a way to connect with the community before all of the production numbers become finalized. The initial production is set to include six colors, with stretch goals and a community vote to help add additional colors. Each VMU shell includes five injection-molded parts: the front, back, cap, battery door, and the D-Pad, and will have an MSRP of $16. In future productions, we will continue to introduce new colors as we produce more. </p><p><span style="color: #073763;"><b><i>Where did the inspiration come from to produce replacement VMU shells?</i></b></span></p><p>The idea came to light as a culmination of circumstances. Our retail store handles a considerable number of repairs and shell swaps for customers. Additionally, our publishing company (VGNYsoft) continues to produce and release numerous indie games for the Dreamcast, and our warehouse happened to have an abundance of new, sealed clear green VMUs. With some creativity, we pieced together the concept of elevating Dreamcast indie releases to the next level! </p><p><span style="color: #073763;"><b><i>So were the Hermes and Blockbuster VMUs early tests for this idea?</i></b></span></p><p>Hermes was our proof of concept, we used new [official] VMUs for that production. The Blockbuster VMUs were a very small batch built using some of our early production samples.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5J7163mA9horhqeUOc5J5Uh009fJ9KlWCHgtH9N3YorFdu2dcLNvGizbtP8DvNFGxtsluujuibfa5SrTPO8ziq07dfD12nDm6XVPjwlWCfnibpYmZFjobf5lqW4JA1CWv3XsLU3-xWhorivMQUX5M_I6KS62sCJVadB5rnt7Id098Yc0gJwL6nw/s3826/IMG_6240%202.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2152" data-original-width="3826" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5J7163mA9horhqeUOc5J5Uh009fJ9KlWCHgtH9N3YorFdu2dcLNvGizbtP8DvNFGxtsluujuibfa5SrTPO8ziq07dfD12nDm6XVPjwlWCfnibpYmZFjobf5lqW4JA1CWv3XsLU3-xWhorivMQUX5M_I6KS62sCJVadB5rnt7Id098Yc0gJwL6nw/w400-h225/IMG_6240%202.heic" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="color: #073763;"><b><i>You are based in the USA, will fans overseas be able to get hold of these VMU shells?</i></b></span></p><p>The Kickstarter will ship to most international countries, and we will also collaborate with international retailers to offer additional overseas solutions once the production is complete. </p><p><span style="color: #073763;"><b><i>You previously released a Hermes-branded VMU. Can we expect to see more custom VMUs to tie in with other Dreamcast indie releases? </i></b></span></p><p>Custom VMUs are the secret sauce behind the entire production and the foundation for funding the very expensive injection molding process. We have a lineup of future limited edition releases that will feature custom-printed VMU shells. The first one will be announced in just a few weeks before the VMU shell Kickstarter is finished! </p><p><span style="color: #073763;"><b><i>That's exciting to hear! Finally, is there anything else that Dreamcast fans can expect from VGNYsoft in 2024</i></b></span><b style="color: #073763;"><i>?</i></b></p><p>VGNYsoft recently released North American versions of <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/ploid-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ploid</a> and <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/reknum-souls-adventure-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reknum</a> from Nape Games (who also has a new game currently on <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/napegame/super-cambur-hero-from-the-multiverse?ref=discovery" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kickstarter</a>). We have a few titles in the works for 2024 as well, which will be announced soon. In general, we are always looking to build deeper engagement with Dreamcast indie developers. Our goal is to help uplift their projects and bring them to a wider audience through high-quality physical productions.</p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p style="text-align: left;">Thanks to Dan for giving us the lowdown on the Kickstarter campaign. <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/videogamesnewyork/replacement-dreamcast-vmu-shells-for-dreamcast-memory-card" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Click here</a> to go check it out for yourself, and be sure to let us know in the comments below which colours you'd like to see VGYNSoft produce next.</p></div>Lewis Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14780213240335170126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-47763163190075075382024-03-11T12:42:00.014+00:002024-03-15T00:20:14.554+00:00Star Wars: Dream of the Rebellion - Rogue Squadron Inspired Prototype Playable on Dreamcast!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgva9u5I6NRoJ9BqvC7i4zmn0eQGKOEovHINyxUEulAXUjRjB7JraWYB4sPpEOVkH8MtVFjqpb4GyuMhhoNx7-uQs2jvB_ItDIr80esDR7nOFNxFKmFeAc6NZvMycLraifb3wMNVRSfXk9jA8RpAXAnV-7UiFbMMb_5vvdTJggiUGPr9ke7bZgVMA/s1044/Screenshot%202024-03-11%20at%2012.34.16%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1044" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgva9u5I6NRoJ9BqvC7i4zmn0eQGKOEovHINyxUEulAXUjRjB7JraWYB4sPpEOVkH8MtVFjqpb4GyuMhhoNx7-uQs2jvB_ItDIr80esDR7nOFNxFKmFeAc6NZvMycLraifb3wMNVRSfXk9jA8RpAXAnV-7UiFbMMb_5vvdTJggiUGPr9ke7bZgVMA/w400-h356/Screenshot%202024-03-11%20at%2012.34.16%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>As casual Star Wars fans tie themselves in knots with questions such as "who shot first? Han Solo or Greedo?", homebrew developer <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Frogbull55" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Frogbull</a> is asking the real questions. There were three Star Wars games on the Sega Dreamcast; Jedi Power Battles, Demolition, and Episode I: Racer, but why do none of them let you pilot an X-Wing?!?</p><p>If you haven't encountered Frogbull before, they are the talented individual who showed off a proof-of-concept back in November of <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/11/a-metal-gear-solid-2-sons-of-liberty.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty running on the Dreamcast</a>, which was actually built using Luke Benstead's <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/07/simulant-new-game-engine-for-dreamcast.html" rel="nofollow">Simulant Engine</a> and other homebrew tools. They also showcased similar prototypes of the first <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epZhxsDw03Y&t=2s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Metal Gear Solid</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLr7qQqsjDE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Final Fantasy VII</a> running on the Sega Saturn, too. Their mission as a developer is clearly to prove these games <i>can</i> run on these Sega systems that they never got a chance to release on.</p><p>Yesterday, Twitter was awash with hype as Frogbull <a href="https://youtu.be/MksuBS6TiKE?si=Ixan1_1Bek5CB5jD" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">released footage</a> of "Star Wars, Dream of the Rebellion" - a Rogue Squadron-inspired prototype - playing on the Dreamcast, which you can check out below. What's more, unlike previous efforts, Frogbull actually plans to release a playable demo of this project to the public for free in two weeks in the form of a .cdi file, for play on GDEMU, emulator, and I'm sure you’ll even be able to burn it onto a CD-R. Frogbull was generous enough to send me a playable build of it early, and I must say, I'm very impressed.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style></p><div class="embed-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MksuBS6TiKE"></iframe></div><p></p><p>Once again running on the Simulant Engine, the Dreams of the Rebellion demo currently features a single mission referred to as "Star Destroyer Pursuit". On the mission select screen, you can even press Y to hear C-3PO talk about the mission. Frogbull has utilised AI to get C-3PO's voice sounding accurate, and it really does sound good. Along with music and the famous title crawl Star Wars fans know and love, this demo is incredibly polished. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPSYQ7XkUSjSQGXjOEyHYaaDYMVOjyyZfgZb5iAXVrf4GxVe3LgHsrHEFBh1JbOgGItcMp7iNxj60dDuMpLy2xUhnwBkQF49l6fTUXZyRjMJgp5-bGFrOl5b8vNje1RdFeOh1f7tSB8aMr-TUR7yh0vVcOnQC2s7JiPFTzdtYDM7U2e0LZKp-pQ/s2401/Screenshot%202024-03-11%20at%2012.11.33%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="2401" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPSYQ7XkUSjSQGXjOEyHYaaDYMVOjyyZfgZb5iAXVrf4GxVe3LgHsrHEFBh1JbOgGItcMp7iNxj60dDuMpLy2xUhnwBkQF49l6fTUXZyRjMJgp5-bGFrOl5b8vNje1RdFeOh1f7tSB8aMr-TUR7yh0vVcOnQC2s7JiPFTzdtYDM7U2e0LZKp-pQ/w400-h299/Screenshot%202024-03-11%20at%2012.11.33%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>The gameplay of the mission has you following after the star destroyer in the X-Wing, shooting down approaching TIE fighters, with your goal being to get the best score possible by shooting down as many as you can as accurately as possible. You don't actually control the X-wing's forward movement, instead being limited to moving around the screen. But with the stars moving in the background and the slight movement of the star destroyer at the top of the screen, it really does give off the illusion that you are constantly moving forwards. If you dodge the TIE fighters, seeing their 3D models zoom off screen (as seen below) really is very impressive.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_PUefbKQXFnirUcYAb6j9xmLDi1M6dadyaYClq4oAbq7hUymaMzbEwJMnJN2efkllM1W6zcc1jtUMM_ZC8DOW-tu9iYH-KyfYzL5M2kuIgqfb0FO-pNfUX7cjvNaNi27mhOsakxlso9gD67rcEX6GSA5htZv8QWN_MOAkkMIXRJDvMIdlhyoQw/s1416/Screenshot%202024-03-11%20at%2012.27.02%20pm.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="1416" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_PUefbKQXFnirUcYAb6j9xmLDi1M6dadyaYClq4oAbq7hUymaMzbEwJMnJN2efkllM1W6zcc1jtUMM_ZC8DOW-tu9iYH-KyfYzL5M2kuIgqfb0FO-pNfUX7cjvNaNi27mhOsakxlso9gD67rcEX6GSA5htZv8QWN_MOAkkMIXRJDvMIdlhyoQw/w400-h293/Screenshot%202024-03-11%20at%2012.27.02%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Finally an X-wing on Dreamcast? Who knew it'd take until 2024 to see it happen. Anyhow, if you want to follow Frogbull, you can find them on <a href="https://twitter.com/Frogbull55" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Frogbull55" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube</a> and <a href="https://www.patreon.com/Frogbull" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon</a>. May the force be with you.</div>Lewis Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14780213240335170126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-45387827726866012962024-03-05T20:53:00.034+00:002024-03-14T18:39:18.565+00:00Kickstarter launches for Ambitious Multi-Platform RPG “Breath of Thunder” - includes Dreamcast stretch goal!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmoaFt79teuRtFcKHZwMPQf7rzzoglEV-wUMllqT5FDTRNmgn7klErxbe2zLdUfYwBNZFjaKVbenbcSdSuxz4E5ROqRlSfEbAUteOu58rrXk6IimJAvHYk9q_yK1CXSHz74hmnEMsKv_-a7I7oef5kiWV9bpMVu2r1SMDRmnB19omZyp8zNc1wzw/s1024/JbeDuAXd.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmoaFt79teuRtFcKHZwMPQf7rzzoglEV-wUMllqT5FDTRNmgn7klErxbe2zLdUfYwBNZFjaKVbenbcSdSuxz4E5ROqRlSfEbAUteOu58rrXk6IimJAvHYk9q_yK1CXSHz74hmnEMsKv_-a7I7oef5kiWV9bpMVu2r1SMDRmnB19omZyp8zNc1wzw/w400-h225/JbeDuAXd.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="color: red;"><b>Update (11/03/2024):</b> Due to online feedback, the creator of this Kickstarter has pulled all the stretch goals for retro systems, including Dreamcast.</span></p><p>It must be Dreamcast Kickstarter launch fever recently, as another <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/silverfallsmini/breath-of-thunder-a-jrpg-on-modern-and-legacy-consoles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">new Kickstarter campaign</a> was brought to my attention today in the <a href="https://discord.com/invite/qw9HJRRbVk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Junkyard Discord</a> by user Techno Hammer. For a goal of 30,510 AUD, developer Jerrel Dulay wants to develop an old school-style JRPG called "Breath of Thunder" for multiple modern systems, including the Switch, PC, the Atari VCS (the newer one that no one ever talks about, not the 2600), the PlayDate and the PS Vita (as free homebrew). But the project's ambitions for being a multi-platform release don't stop there, however...</p><p>I hadn't heard of Jerrel before, but from reading up on him, it seems he has a lot of development experience with a whole range of systems, with his survival horror series <a href="https://silverfallsgame.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Silver Falls</a> seeing releases across multiple platforms, such as the Game Boy, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, PSP, PS Vita, 3DS, Wii U, and Switch. He has even just delivered a Kickstarter-funded Silver Falls entry on the gosh darn <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/silverfallsmini/silver-falls-games-on-pokemon-mini?ref=profile_created" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pokémon Mini</a>, of all things!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_Hvna0h4eSTH8pzpqoFu75Hy4xU8ci6RGSX6JhtbdWWH7Jv8MasYK4f-SU6N0kBDmavQmH7TnU1Um1_gia5oax-TgjVp1Iy0R2e2IoA_NquCWfYOR_KjSomaWIN1jTGru7RdembUwPgpqitqgwN5HZy-VCvHkbvvxm0sn6aU3ZSZVRPqKbiKcg/s680/a10ebdbfc6f5c6597942f64700507872_original.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="680" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_Hvna0h4eSTH8pzpqoFu75Hy4xU8ci6RGSX6JhtbdWWH7Jv8MasYK4f-SU6N0kBDmavQmH7TnU1Um1_gia5oax-TgjVp1Iy0R2e2IoA_NquCWfYOR_KjSomaWIN1jTGru7RdembUwPgpqitqgwN5HZy-VCvHkbvvxm0sn6aU3ZSZVRPqKbiKcg/w400-h221/a10ebdbfc6f5c6597942f64700507872_original.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This actually looks really nice.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The game itself looks to pay homage to the kind of turn-based RPGs that were beloved on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, like Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire (it’s in the name!), Dragon Quest, and Secret of Mana; though that is probably the least interesting part of this campaign. Remember how I said Jerrel had development experience with lots of different systems? Well, if multiple stretch goals are reached, this game could come to <i>eleven</i> more potential systems, both modern and retro, including our beloved Dreamcast. Get a load of this list:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Sony PSP for 48k AUD</li><li>Nintendo DS for 61k AUD</li><li>Game Boy Color for 91k AUD</li><li>Dreamcast for 152k AUD</li><li>PlayStation 4 and 5 for 168k AUD</li><li>Xbox Series S and X for 168k AUD</li><li>PlayStation 1 for 229k AUD</li><li>Atari Jaguar for 305k AUD (Tom will appreciate this, I'm sure.)</li><li>Sega Saturn for 543k AUD</li><li>Game Boy Advance for 611k AUD</li><li>Nintendo Virtual Boy for 760k AUD</li><li>Other consoles that haven't even thought of yet for 916k AUD</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>All of the stretch goals for the retro systems mention that they are "unique" versions. On <a href="https://youtu.be/ukujhtD3U1w?si=qvrHMAhUZwt_rljJ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jerrel’s channel</a>, he showcases an early concept for the Atari Jaguar version and explains that it would have pre-rendered backgrounds instead of being 3D to avoid technical hiccups. I imagine this is most likely what would happen with the potential Dreamcast version, along with other retro versions. Also, for all the retro systems, including the Dreamcast, ROMs will be distributed for free upon completion, for play on an emulator (or maybe even an ODE?)</div><div><br /></div><div>Jerrel also put a video out explaining how he’d be able to tackle so many systems if the stretch goals were successful, which you can watch below.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class="embed-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2tk310WHqg8"></iframe></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I guess we'll have to see how the Kickstarter campaign pans out as to whether or not a Dreamcast version will be available even happen at all. Anyway, if you'd like to back this project, the campaign can be found <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/silverfallsmini/breath-of-thunder-a-jrpg-on-modern-and-legacy-consoles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>Lewis Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14780213240335170126noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-61213326685667362262024-02-29T16:59:00.012+00:002024-03-02T08:41:24.372+00:00Fragmented Almanac: Teaser Trailer and an Interview with Developer Roby Provost<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEici67234L3j4Z9vQdop5wqZ8IW6nBiqqQ933miBnD_KK2HtfO1aCcEEkzmafwrT8oe7WHV9paUiqX_U_i0k_WHvuExBy9qjTxzhrQNw1ZMMbCIox_2Y9tElqUQvDFjP8BgHG-2nbQUx8TfF6uDj7zWwQF-nQhZZYy2x1gVEPO1cd92onAJ2e46gw/s1280/IMG_5463.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEici67234L3j4Z9vQdop5wqZ8IW6nBiqqQ933miBnD_KK2HtfO1aCcEEkzmafwrT8oe7WHV9paUiqX_U_i0k_WHvuExBy9qjTxzhrQNw1ZMMbCIox_2Y9tElqUQvDFjP8BgHG-2nbQUx8TfF6uDj7zWwQF-nQhZZYy2x1gVEPO1cd92onAJ2e46gw/w400-h225/IMG_5463.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Last month, the Junkyard office was abuzz with excitement when we caught wind of the news that <i><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2024/01/fragmented-almanac-unique-dreamcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fragmented Almanac</a></i>, a compilation of two eerie narrative-based puzzle games, was soon due to be released by fledgling indie studio <a href="https://antiruins.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ANTIRUINS</a> on our beloved Sega Dreamcast. Alas, we don't actually have an office (yet), but the flurry of activity on our Discord and WhatsApp channels did a commendable job of emulating an exuberant water cooler experience nonetheless.</p><p>The duo of games contained within the <i>Fragmented Almanac</i> wrapper, <i>The Hideout</i> and <i>Summoning Signals</i>, have been in gestation for many years now, and whenever we had the opportunity to sample the work-in-development, our appetites for more only grew. At times it looked like the projects were sadly destined to join the extensive list of cancelled Dreamcast games, and so it was particularly sweet to hear that they are in fact now complete, and due for both physical and digital release in March of 2024.</p><p>Of course, after a lengthy session ogling the artsy ANTIRUINS website, I only wanted to learn more. Fortunately, lead developer Roby Provost has been kind enough to spill the beans in the following interview that covers everything from the conceptual foundations of <i>Fragmented Almanac, </i>down to the nuts and bolts of the game's printing and distribution. To put the cherry on top, Roby also provided us with a new teaser trailer that we are delighted to reveal for the first time here on the Junkyard.</p><p><style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style></p><div class="embed-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zxGulkuBmZs"></iframe></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><p><span style="color: #073763;"><b><i>DCJY: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us Roby. To kick things off, can you tell us what players should expect from </i>The Hideout<i> and </i>Summoning Signals<i>, the two games that are being released together as </i>Fragmented Almanac<i>?</i></b></span></p><p><b>Roby</b>: They are quite unique games. They're not shmups, that's for sure! I honestly think that <i>Fragmented Almanac</i> might be one of the most polished indie Dreamcast releases we've seen so far. As I tried to explain on our website, it is at the intersection of video game, art and alchemy. It's a game that makes you dream, or at the very least, makes you think. We wanted to make a project that lingers in the back of your mind, trying to decode the meaning of "scroll". The whole release is designed like a puzzle: full of secrets, truths and symbols. </p><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmnopVOMJsPMvr3ryUt0lOHW8hwvVVAKSL0G7b6r9Zm5y1EyY_r6xXMGIEZ-sfK9aPee1BJqh9I3ylIL07GLDUa_hjReXis1QgL_xag6nFmxkMMGfAOOwAyMEpMe7LQ8sH59oQkrNpMMBgMic8yaAa0SmhBjcC4jubd0fiPPBg6qKXoFpF66DzA/s749/Screenshot-2024-01-11-15-58-09.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="749" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmnopVOMJsPMvr3ryUt0lOHW8hwvVVAKSL0G7b6r9Zm5y1EyY_r6xXMGIEZ-sfK9aPee1BJqh9I3ylIL07GLDUa_hjReXis1QgL_xag6nFmxkMMGfAOOwAyMEpMe7LQ8sH59oQkrNpMMBgMic8yaAa0SmhBjcC4jubd0fiPPBg6qKXoFpF66DzA/w320-h240/Screenshot-2024-01-11-15-58-09.png" width="320" /></a></p><p>This being said, they are not long games. We wished we could have made the full version of <i>Reaperi Cycle</i>, a game which <i>The Hideout</i> was initially a demo of, but it was way too ambitious - especially when we first started back in 2016. Still, we think that people who enjoy strange, narrative-driven games with some puzzles will enjoy <i>Fragmented Almanac</i>. It's definitely a unique proposition, as games like <i><a href="https://segaretro.org/Seaman">Seaman</a></i> or <i><a href="https://segaretro.org/Seventh_Cross_Evolution">Seventh Cross Evolution</a></i> were. Of course, I really think <i>Seventh Cross Evolution</i> could have been way better. Maybe we'll have to make <i>Eig</i><i>hth Cross Evolution</i> one day 😉.</p><p></p><p></p><p><i><span style="color: #073763;"><b>And if you had to categorise them by genre, would it be fair to say they are "point-and-click" adventures, or is that too restrictive?</b></span></i></p><p style="text-align: left;">I honestly struggle to find the proper term for these games! You don't even click to move around, so perhaps it's more like a cursor adventure? But even that doesn't have a great ring to it. Maybe they are puzzle games? Strange, narrative-based puzzle games?</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeDv6sFxrmChnnpZjYbEqhtJIceZ0iQ8HtY3vLsNjQagef0Uqtdo4UfzxTm0SscIpnAIoFDAJbCBPmWAQ8uI2fgX7ycpnreGTUahL8NrMcblcnwtJ44mxgrxCAczIcuarPGYjJO_dUDq4BDeBZ2hBYiQRlJLRL-0GI52NwLhftLz2rcbELQc0Iw/s749/Screenshot-2024-01-11-16-20-37.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="749" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeDv6sFxrmChnnpZjYbEqhtJIceZ0iQ8HtY3vLsNjQagef0Uqtdo4UfzxTm0SscIpnAIoFDAJbCBPmWAQ8uI2fgX7ycpnreGTUahL8NrMcblcnwtJ44mxgrxCAczIcuarPGYjJO_dUDq4BDeBZ2hBYiQRlJLRL-0GI52NwLhftLz2rcbELQc0Iw/s320/Screenshot-2024-01-11-16-20-37.png" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b><span style="color: #073763;">Whatever they are, they have a distinctive eerie and mysterious style. What is the inspiration behind that?</span></b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;">I think eerie and mysterious is just in our DNA! More seriously, most of the inspiration for our games is drawn either from ideas of the past, or visions of the future - and in particular, things that have been forgotten or that are not bound to happen. The concept of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almanac" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">almanac</a>, a book or document that predicts the time, felt like a great starting point. It's interesting to think about what motivated the creation of almanacs. Were their authors trying to create a system to anticipate the future? Were they trying to provide a guide, a sense of security? Some almanacs are based on the words of religious texts while others get their predictions from the stars. It was interesting to research the many forms that almanacs take, both visually and in the information we provide.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ93ICObT_QlsmMMmjY3lbTTdeOIaXJlw_7mE0rAdUd4nADBbczaSmnviWUhpf_EfEedE4ZCA5wKxx6kZwF_luStktyjOaGpx7iNZ5bKf_d52rpbX7L6nQybNvdl3H79V19B4_emuh_zyafdsIXoICW1tfrGBdix06IYZbCoRU_Duzs_GkodO5dw/s749/ALMANAC.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="749" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ93ICObT_QlsmMMmjY3lbTTdeOIaXJlw_7mE0rAdUd4nADBbczaSmnviWUhpf_EfEedE4ZCA5wKxx6kZwF_luStktyjOaGpx7iNZ5bKf_d52rpbX7L6nQybNvdl3H79V19B4_emuh_zyafdsIXoICW1tfrGBdix06IYZbCoRU_Duzs_GkodO5dw/s320/ALMANAC.png" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">For us, the Almanac is used to somewhat guide and inform the player. As you play the game, you'll unlock fragments and access more lore and art from the game. Muet (Simon Chiasson Greffard), one of our team members, is the one who infused <i>The Hideout</i> with most of its alchemical philosophies. We dug deep within alchemical imagery and symbols and tried to craft something out of it.</p><a name='more'></a><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b><span style="color: #073763;">Some of our readers may recall the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/10/a-quick-look-at-summoning-signals-demo.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">demos you released back in 2020</a>. How have the games developed since then? Can players expect a lengthier experience or are there enhancements of a different kind?</span></b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>The Hideout </i>is very similar. We tweaked the puzzle a bit and changed a combination that was just too frustrating to unlock. We feel that this new version is a bit more "fair". The textures are slightly upgraded and the background music is crystal clear. And it runs at 60fps.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Summoning Signals</i> has a new ending and a handful of new areas. They're unlocked once you finish the storyline. As with <i>The Hideout,</i> the audio is glitch-free and it's running at 60fps 99% of the time. The menu and quest tracker have also been refined.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I would say that <i>Summoning Signals</i> is a bit longer than before, but to be perfectly honest, this is not a super lengthy release. Our intention is to deliver a high quality and very focused gameplay experience.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERssD-odzNcGcsuMfjJEIvpEyRdoBOAIzm3zfLhoIVHvRDTi6CPCaxjWY-fIt2XRzTOEp7-sbqHXhao35Zxz5-ExCm4m-QPxWmcz0hfEDBi_VEix1JaIV4NHM7Mz90NzngkBRCKM8wqEYTZSmFEFqwY5IdaojPKRb5tRq2zKBYjQSQGMkVVaI4Q/s749/Screenshot-2024-01-11-16-14-49.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="749" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERssD-odzNcGcsuMfjJEIvpEyRdoBOAIzm3zfLhoIVHvRDTi6CPCaxjWY-fIt2XRzTOEp7-sbqHXhao35Zxz5-ExCm4m-QPxWmcz0hfEDBi_VEix1JaIV4NHM7Mz90NzngkBRCKM8wqEYTZSmFEFqwY5IdaojPKRb5tRq2zKBYjQSQGMkVVaI4Q/s320/Screenshot-2024-01-11-16-14-49.png" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #073763;"><i>What was the rationale for combining the two games under the </i>Fragmented Almanac <i>banner? </i></span></b></p><div>Initially, it was primarily for practical reasons. We realized that we (the ANTIRUINS team) had made like... five or six game prototypes over the years. We decided to take the ones that were the most complete, finalize them, and create a structure that ties them together. </div><div><p style="text-align: left;">However, beyond the practical impulse, as we thought about those games, we began to see more links and patterns emerge. Their narratives are based on events that happen before or after the player actually engages with the story. You don't play a hero, you don't even have a name. You're just… a different version of you. In all games, the focus is on discovering new things, new worlds, assembling ideas, and figuring out what happened to the world around you. </p><p style="text-align: left;">By creating <i>Fragmented Almanac</i>, it also allowed us to include art and content that otherwise wouldn't have made the final cut, but that we felt could fit somewhere on a strange release like this. There are two short prototypes of games included that we have never shown before. They're hidden in there, somewhere. Maybe you'll find them? Good luck!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b><span style="color: #073763;">You mentioned your collaborator </span></b></i><span style="color: #073763;"><i><b>Muet </b></i></span><i><span style="color: #073763;"><b>(Simon Chiasson Greffard)</b></span></i><span style="color: #073763;"><i><b> earlier</b></i></span><i><b><span style="color: #073763;">, but we can see several other names listed on the ANTIRUINS website too. Can you tell us a bit about the team and how you came to work together?</span></b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;">The original project (<i>Reaperi Cycle</i>) grew out of the conversations Muet and I had about alchemy and mysticism science many years ago. Muet has a great occult book collection and he would suggest some readings to me and so on. He's not a game designer or into making games at all, but we bounced around some ideas for a game where you're a spirit that needs to prepare the return of the phoenix. </p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0J1vRFNoZ-z4tWAsD31CccA8P7VxjjL_kxa4j-_DS8_vNxXERHh3e8B6HvplO6OFI_2257E8ClykpYKbxcxderqZfV9VJHnRTorLk8nrpXvFdMrrub9XWs1-o26u_UmGLsIt0kWh5I63fYBtlROMvw24yFpj14lE8-fMDoRBQZr-GYXFzW7IaA/s749/ALCHEMY.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="749" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0J1vRFNoZ-z4tWAsD31CccA8P7VxjjL_kxa4j-_DS8_vNxXERHh3e8B6HvplO6OFI_2257E8ClykpYKbxcxderqZfV9VJHnRTorLk8nrpXvFdMrrub9XWs1-o26u_UmGLsIt0kWh5I63fYBtlROMvw24yFpj14lE8-fMDoRBQZr-GYXFzW7IaA/s320/ALCHEMY.png" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">We didn't have a proper artist at the time. I met Charles (Charles Arsenault Dionne), a couple months later at this painting exhibition. His art is very symbolic, colourful, and full of strange characters and landscapes. I asked him if he'd be interested in making art for an alchemical Dreamcast game. Prior to this, he had never touched any 3D modelling software or made art digitally. Eventually we all did a bit of art, puzzle design, and wrote the main story for <i>Reaperi Cycle</i> together. Gabriel Ledoux, the composer, is a long-time collaborator. I feel like he saw this project as kind of a crazy dream, but nonetheless got along and composed most of the music for <i>Reaperi</i> and <i>Summoning Signals</i>.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b><span style="color: #073763;">OK, moving onto more practical matters then. </span></b></i><span style="color: #073763;"><b>Fragmented Almanac <i>will be the first release by your Canada-based studio ANTIRUINS. Are you intending to handle everything from production through to distribution, or might we see collaboration with other parties?</i></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;">Right now we're handling everything ourselves. We were working with someone else, but things fell apart. We have a handful of retailers in the USA, Europe and <a href="https://www.rightsprite.co.uk/shop/fragmented-almanac-pre-order/">the UK</a> and are looking to get more. That being said, we are talking with other developers about the possibility of forming an indie Dreamcast developers alliance of some sort, though it's too early to say much more at present.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Currently the games are in English only, but if someone wants the original text file with a view to doing a fan translation, then they should feel free to reach out.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #073763;"><b>Can buyers of the physical copies be assured they will receive a quality product? And what exactly is the difference between the NTSC and "CYCLES" version?</b></span></i></p><p style="text-align: left;">Yes, we're producing the game at a factory that prints thousands of music CD projects every year. I think you can expect the very best in terms of CD production, jewel cases, etc. The CDs will be silkscreened and the inserts are on an offset print. We want it to look GOOD!</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLVd7OC0IFEDWcvOtoixVWkD3_FeALrmAfk2sahrjLtOLYQCtGf5C4TiM759d4sU7a9DEjCbWzCQhowoKdN4QRSdi-hve9Q5X0j17737TWKgcgdoMnoSR3GIbQEbHbj_VB8IgOSXDAdzJvmY1j2iOq13KWtooaRx_aJNAZdjg29aAwMQlr7dooA/s749/MOCKUPS-ALMANAC_CYCLE.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="749" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLVd7OC0IFEDWcvOtoixVWkD3_FeALrmAfk2sahrjLtOLYQCtGf5C4TiM759d4sU7a9DEjCbWzCQhowoKdN4QRSdi-hve9Q5X0j17737TWKgcgdoMnoSR3GIbQEbHbj_VB8IgOSXDAdzJvmY1j2iOq13KWtooaRx_aJNAZdjg29aAwMQlr7dooA/w400-h211/MOCKUPS-ALMANAC_CYCLE.png" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">The NTSC version has the standard black arc on the left style and the CYCLES version is really just an alternate cover. If you have a spare PAL case and want to have something a bit more PAL-like that would be the version to pick. This being said, both CDs are identical. We called it CYCLES because…. well you'll see in the game.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b><span style="color: #073763;">What tasks are left to complete in order to meet the slated release window of March 2024?</span></b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;">Honestly, not that much. I need to proofread the box art…. </p><p style="text-align: left;">We've all had our share of endless postponements and cancelled projects. Previously I "cancelled" <i>Reaperi Cycle</i> and then <i>Summoning Signals</i> and it didn't feel good. With <i>Fragmented Almanac</i>, I made sure that 95%+ of the project was done before announcing it.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #073763;"><b>We noticed that aside from </b></span></i><span style="color: #073763;"><b><i>being the title of the Studio, ANTIRUINS is also the name of the engine that has been used to create the games. Can you tell us a bit about this engine and the opportunities it might present to the Dreamcast indie and homebrew scene?</i></b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;">So, the ANTIRUINS engine is basically the toolkit I made over the last five years. It really stands apart from other Dreamcast tools because it isn’t necessary for the user to compile the toolchain (which used to be harder than it is now) or learn the intricacies of the hardware. It's very easy to get some sprites on the screen, move them around with your controller, display images on the VMU, and more. For now, it can only make 2D games. </p><p style="text-align: left;">One other major advantage is that with ANTIRUINS you can now program your game using Lua, a very flexible scripting language, instead of C and C++. Since the language is more or less similar to Python, some would say it is more modern and easier to learn.</p><p style="text-align: left;">There is already some decent documentation and simple examples available to help people learn the engine. As soon as <i>Fragmented Almanac</i> is released, I plan on making a video series on how to use it, write better documentation, and I'll also try to host a game jam to get people to try it. I have a lot of plans for the ANTIRUINS engine in 2024.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_of3vpwg21DPGswG4K7fPz1K2Fz3GTVSLOJsFjjp3UeiLkuFNZ_7X_z_xebCS-fjITG-wWIyjaZfasEfPH9YhgmyhcjHsH_tohyphenhyphenly324cEJtYskIXjzDzbRK3QAnxixsyBrzzfDF517FvDNort8DJGaqg_mxxWbCeTZ2zDQy0aFRqdbmXeKW6MA/s749/Screenshot-2024-01-11-15-59-41%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="749" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_of3vpwg21DPGswG4K7fPz1K2Fz3GTVSLOJsFjjp3UeiLkuFNZ_7X_z_xebCS-fjITG-wWIyjaZfasEfPH9YhgmyhcjHsH_tohyphenhyphenly324cEJtYskIXjzDzbRK3QAnxixsyBrzzfDF517FvDNort8DJGaqg_mxxWbCeTZ2zDQy0aFRqdbmXeKW6MA/s320/Screenshot-2024-01-11-15-59-41%20(1).png" width="320" /></a></p><div><i><b><span style="color: #073763;">Lastly, before we let you go, we have to ask, why did you choose the Sega Dreamcast as the primary platform for these games?</span></b></i></div><p style="text-align: left;">The Dreamcast is the machine that personally got me into programming. I remember stumbling across <a href="https://dcemulation.org/index.php?title=Welcome_to_DCEmulation!" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DCEmulation</a> in 2002 trying to figure out how to connect my console to the internet, only to discover that people were creating emulators and homebrew games. My mind was blown. I was 12 at the time and began attempting to figure out how you could generate something as "realistic" as <i>Shenmue</i> or as memorable as <i>Skies of Arcadia</i> and put it on a disc. Every couple of years I would try to compile the DC toolchain while watching Falco Girgis' "Adventures in Game Development" YouTube series for inspiration. It took more or less 15 years (mainly because I was also obsessed with other things like music and digital art) to reach this point. I owe a lot of my interest in hacking, programming and preserving technologies to the Dreamcast. It just makes sense to try to create something for the console that has inspired me for all these years.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDswoi5kej2fzzDSfMOMwIATHa2ynaLBJxLSe-M0d3uyjoxTHgZX3n25KaBAgbnbBsXb45iWwh1d6OMQrH4hPXGZpbK6MzDYL1hreTrIMNVbaeB7YzYm6Pw11Fdok-kqtfU8DiKWTFBEC_8BnCTpDFofR6E0xKCPSfKcizmsB1jb6BYjKL4pAVAA/s749/GUARD.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="749" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDswoi5kej2fzzDSfMOMwIATHa2ynaLBJxLSe-M0d3uyjoxTHgZX3n25KaBAgbnbBsXb45iWwh1d6OMQrH4hPXGZpbK6MzDYL1hreTrIMNVbaeB7YzYm6Pw11Fdok-kqtfU8DiKWTFBEC_8BnCTpDFofR6E0xKCPSfKcizmsB1jb6BYjKL4pAVAA/s320/GUARD.png" width="320" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Thanks once again to Roby for taking the time to speak with us.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To pre-order <i>Fragmented Almanac</i>,<i> </i>visit the <a href="https://antiruins.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ANTIRUINS website</a>. We'll be sure to report any developments on the Junkyard blog over the coming weeks, and will also publish a full review in due course.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If you enjoyed this interview and would like to see more content like it from the Junkyard, then please do consider <a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dcjunkyard" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">making a small donation</a> so we can continue to cover our running costs.</div></div>Laurence Goodchildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11878557822911475873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-33572227156433169252024-02-28T23:30:00.027+00:002024-03-03T13:35:47.233+00:00Flea!2 and Super Cambur Origins hit Kickstarter - Dreamcast Versions Available!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNluzEF-Yn9LNbz3d00SVQhp0afjC7T7oUTBx7Y7gtlcvbjFe7mQkxUTs0ZRkkrjd7FaSb5rSyxOIFW66Qkp0598WbOlC8Ur9bQMp6rXbxQ6c5tFGtOw2PbSvALXd3nPEEoGL6Tygn7DgVyCpt1p3bYeVEj8BtsOGaHEg5AEcyzVBcNvsTbEmYSQ/s600/FLEACAMBUR.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNluzEF-Yn9LNbz3d00SVQhp0afjC7T7oUTBx7Y7gtlcvbjFe7mQkxUTs0ZRkkrjd7FaSb5rSyxOIFW66Qkp0598WbOlC8Ur9bQMp6rXbxQ6c5tFGtOw2PbSvALXd3nPEEoGL6Tygn7DgVyCpt1p3bYeVEj8BtsOGaHEg5AEcyzVBcNvsTbEmYSQ/w400-h224/FLEACAMBUR.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On this leapiest of days, the Dreamcast indie Gods are smiling upon us. Not one, but <i>two </i>titles have hit Kickstarter today, and they both have Dreamcast ports available. Must be a record. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Let's get into them. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Flea!2</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtREaUNh60-bYA6jttUUP5yic4bYKHksPu1FspVs2WgysnLYUCp0P1fZilFpuEiUnJeZ6WMcUXOo0WnprhpRWuHQJvdW2s6obyLRCDPh_szAK1q5VRcKYmVEaYWPPNGBJS_FxLX3pKbIcC7NOfbai0juUMrqgKnzPcIyMg27MQup5ew0_9cqgLA/s1280/9JoyAagbq4k-HD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtREaUNh60-bYA6jttUUP5yic4bYKHksPu1FspVs2WgysnLYUCp0P1fZilFpuEiUnJeZ6WMcUXOo0WnprhpRWuHQJvdW2s6obyLRCDPh_szAK1q5VRcKYmVEaYWPPNGBJS_FxLX3pKbIcC7NOfbai0juUMrqgKnzPcIyMg27MQup5ew0_9cqgLA/w400-h225/9JoyAagbq4k-HD.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Despite its NES roots, Flea! - from Dundee-based developer Alastair Low - was one of the most surprising indie titles to hit the Dreamcast back in 2020. Mike reviewed it very positively <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/11/flea-brand-new-release-for-dreamcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here on the blog</a>, praising its fun but challenging gameplay that involved guiding a constantly jumping Flea through many deadly levels, collecting blood desperately needed by flea-kind. It seems it wasn't just Mike who thought this game was great though, as Flea! would go on to rank at 147 in our <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/p/the-top-200-dreamcast-games-voted-by.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2023 Top 200 Dreamcast Games</a> vote, and 11 in our recent <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2024/02/the-top-25-dreamcast-indie-games-voted.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Top 25 Dreamcast Indie Games</a> vote. The exceptionally fun <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/05/review-tapeworm-disco-puzzle.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tapeworm Disco Puzzle</a> followed next, building on the Flea! universe, and further cementing Alastair in the minds of the scene as a super talented developer. Have you seen the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtPz0t27c2w" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">pop up book game</a> he's been making too? Holy cow, dude.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbRQ3SDL3KGZudXiWiTOItLD_M5nnL3incK0O2-yd4VBiUR_5dmZcYf8kxVTroURvl9pMdYp3d0me9NfBBsZzqT3_RUDO3ZrqzGl-ZfEAbAPKgORVPLE4PaSIsklBuKSrbB7b9fEDX2DpkHCAW1e_ybzg6kJ3oKHffbsL5pijvbES2lnPfmAWUQ/s506/8580df0ad52974ff170ec2834460fb63_original.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="506" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbRQ3SDL3KGZudXiWiTOItLD_M5nnL3incK0O2-yd4VBiUR_5dmZcYf8kxVTroURvl9pMdYp3d0me9NfBBsZzqT3_RUDO3ZrqzGl-ZfEAbAPKgORVPLE4PaSIsklBuKSrbB7b9fEDX2DpkHCAW1e_ybzg6kJ3oKHffbsL5pijvbES2lnPfmAWUQ/s320/8580df0ad52974ff170ec2834460fb63_original.gif" width="320" /></a></div><p>Other than his upcoming collaboration with John Riggs, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3rODbJaNOM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chew Chew Mimic</a>, which will also eventually be coming to Dreamcast, Alastair has been teasing development of a sequel to Flea! on <a href="https://twitter.com/Wallmasterr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> for a little while now, but today it has <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flea-game/flea2-new-nes-game?ref=ksr_email_mktg_auto_user_watched_project_launched" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hit Kickstarter</a> - on a "leap" day, just as the original did! With a total backer goal of £7,000, Flea!2 is looking to to be more of the same goodness as the first game, but with some improvements and new mechanics. Alastair says in the Kickstarter teaser video that the game's "later levels will have you absolutely pulling your hair out". Basically, if you loved the first game, you're going to love this sequel too.</p><p>From the Kickstarter, improvements are listed as follows:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i style="color: #073763;">Dash ability from the start of the game </i></li><li><i style="color: #073763;">Animated tiles </i></li><li><i style="color: #073763;">Wormholes </i></li><li><i style="color: #073763;">New UI with Level numbers </i></li><li><i style="color: #073763;">More cutscenes like in Tapeworm New </i></li><li><i style="color: #073763;">Music Tracks</i></li></ul><div><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(7, 55, 99);"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div>And the fixes:</div><p></p><ul><li><i style="color: #073763;">Smaller spike hitboxes </i></li><li><i style="color: #073763;">Better swimming controls </i></li><li><i style="color: #073763;">Dash works in boss levels </i></li><li><i style="color: #073763;">Breakable boxes only break from top now</i></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVl9QMiu9-dHMLbL3M77SW3k6B6CLwoRWM_c4lweKj33mN7XX6BPwB7brqhzbFxclm8SKmHDcmM6bv3-C-yfefOLPEbeEbatXJyCxk_QprplUtE_KKxibTu4NYsSsul1fP5hD13keu3VW5_zmzUS3g9rarhiFYXirjNRffjG1pWTIo5ueUI2uHlw/s600/278dfa096b8cf9b9e76d8ea312039476_original.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVl9QMiu9-dHMLbL3M77SW3k6B6CLwoRWM_c4lweKj33mN7XX6BPwB7brqhzbFxclm8SKmHDcmM6bv3-C-yfefOLPEbeEbatXJyCxk_QprplUtE_KKxibTu4NYsSsul1fP5hD13keu3VW5_zmzUS3g9rarhiFYXirjNRffjG1pWTIo5ueUI2uHlw/s320/278dfa096b8cf9b9e76d8ea312039476_original.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>There is currently an early bird offer available which means you can grab the Dreamcast version of the game for £25 (early bird price is limited to the first 50 copies, and the normal price is £30). Of course there's NES carts available for £30+ (depending if you want the cart loose or complete in box), or if you'd prefer, a digital edition for £10. The Kickstarter is also offering some great add-ons, such as the Funstock Flea! plush, which I was sad to find was sold out on their store after reading <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/12/the-best-dreamcast-merchandise-post.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mike's article on Dreamcast game merch</a>. Well, there's only 30 left, so get one while you still can by backing Flea!2! Oh, now there's 29 left, because I just backed (sorry!) You can also add a copy of Tapeworm Disco Puzzle to your order too, which is definitely worth it if you've not played it yet. All this is expected to be delivered in <b>December 2024</b>.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo55-STCmDNCYD1IbqYKqO_jHN774Ym5C6vA6x8wRp-SHBUb2q7PJtbtWOvyOWfyJlqw4CCYzKN04dTHp3uvvRpTFhR624EE1OtcMX_0QYHuCur78WDD5NsSSbF4jq4zMJjlNIz1kYT94z61K9R82njrVFsuZz1f1KJsXqsp_jgXfgxGeYJScuzw/s680/6ab435fbdfec3b4e4a8a8bab7eaf4a66_original.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="680" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo55-STCmDNCYD1IbqYKqO_jHN774Ym5C6vA6x8wRp-SHBUb2q7PJtbtWOvyOWfyJlqw4CCYzKN04dTHp3uvvRpTFhR624EE1OtcMX_0QYHuCur78WDD5NsSSbF4jq4zMJjlNIz1kYT94z61K9R82njrVFsuZz1f1KJsXqsp_jgXfgxGeYJScuzw/w400-h189/6ab435fbdfec3b4e4a8a8bab7eaf4a66_original.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't talk shit about Mike's son.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>If you’re someone who is unsure about Flea!2 on Dreamcast due to it being an NES game, there is a demo currently available to <a href="https://lowtekgames.itch.io/flea2-demo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">download for free</a>. So give that a play and I'm sure you'll come away realising that the game is tonnes of fun, just as many others did. The quality and fun gameplay of Alastair's games speak for themselves.</p><p>Once again, the Kickstarter campaign can be found <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flea-game/flea2-new-nes-game?ref=ksr_email_mktg_auto_user_watched_project_launched" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="clear: both;">Super Cambur Origins</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NUYimu8FnNsa0gawXr9fuZTqQG5vdMZ-HdodKNW96x_rhNLe762APPHnLFf19Zrdkj39MHmTt92DgMvApccGsvDf2hOoSfiy9cYDbKqOgvzf_72bG9DPE79eiPgjR4CO6zqpfuMJj30obvZn25LyV-yhErPuvDhrOy_SJ2XJ7zMTAg8RpUChFg/s1178/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%206.45.46%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1178" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NUYimu8FnNsa0gawXr9fuZTqQG5vdMZ-HdodKNW96x_rhNLe762APPHnLFf19Zrdkj39MHmTt92DgMvApccGsvDf2hOoSfiy9cYDbKqOgvzf_72bG9DPE79eiPgjR4CO6zqpfuMJj30obvZn25LyV-yhErPuvDhrOy_SJ2XJ7zMTAg8RpUChFg/w400-h214/Screenshot%202024-02-29%20at%206.45.46%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Our second indie is Super Cambur Origins from Spanish developers NAPE Games, and their title actually shares more in common with Flea!2 than just a campaign launch date. Similar to Alastair, NAPE also have a penchant for threading together universes of connecting storylines and characters, with both Ploid and Reknum Souls Adventure setting things off in 2022. The other thing Super Cambur Origins has in common with a game like Flea!2 is its NES roots.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickPIrLfmfhue6VcYBKQUtjJhz-nKcFhqfKZ_SSJ48Vfe75H1pOGY1Lnzd1E0QPk08l_gsF5m7l7qg2hzFVJhFSIlQ53MaLX5ZjAFb2SyZuVAJko52fPW5hfGwKNqF_ofq9qnYsDg6oN8zDoGOI95iBT3vs52G6Woy4h6NnATSgXuHILOZ8yTO2g/s600/IMG_5470.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="600" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickPIrLfmfhue6VcYBKQUtjJhz-nKcFhqfKZ_SSJ48Vfe75H1pOGY1Lnzd1E0QPk08l_gsF5m7l7qg2hzFVJhFSIlQ53MaLX5ZjAFb2SyZuVAJko52fPW5hfGwKNqF_ofq9qnYsDg6oN8zDoGOI95iBT3vs52G6Woy4h6NnATSgXuHILOZ8yTO2g/s320/IMG_5470.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Super Cambur Origins is an NES platformer featuring a banana superhero (that's what "cambur" translates to!) whose concept may <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bananaman" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">evoke memories in British kids of a certain age</a>… Although that was a human who ate bananas to become super, not a superhero banana... anyway, there's a Dreamcast port available as part of this campaign for €27, along with a digital edition. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCxvcFxB5fozVfUVIIPCW6b-gd51X5JUA7FXnqbXh9UCL4ewmlugCtonXFQK1KJPXxJGwkAno1VADV8sKWi-DHU-TRhgwSvEm5GtoGmrx_hqeuHSRf1HdirtReiyh7zoNytlCM68cahbDRT15vTjTRDfCyZQ59o0SyDRCcSUFHkp-TG4sMdVHbQ/s300/5ef0706d6eae62066f131fd58501f82e_original.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="300" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCxvcFxB5fozVfUVIIPCW6b-gd51X5JUA7FXnqbXh9UCL4ewmlugCtonXFQK1KJPXxJGwkAno1VADV8sKWi-DHU-TRhgwSvEm5GtoGmrx_hqeuHSRf1HdirtReiyh7zoNytlCM68cahbDRT15vTjTRDfCyZQ59o0SyDRCcSUFHkp-TG4sMdVHbQ/s1600/5ef0706d6eae62066f131fd58501f82e_original.gif" width="300" /></a></div><p>Super Cambur's Kickstarter has actually launched as a campaign to fund multiple games all taking place in the same “multiverse”, with an RPG called Super Cambur and the Sacred Orbs - which appears to just be for PC (Steam) - also available. There is also stretch goal prospects for a Switch and Steam fighting game called Super Cambur Skillmasters. Either way, the game you're getting for the Dreamcast is Super Cambur Origins, the platformer. </p><p>You can check out the project page <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/napegame/super-cambur-hero-from-the-multiverse?ref=discovery" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. I also recommend watching The Sega Guru's video below for a good rundown of everything.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style></p><div class="embed-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tzJRmZPAFH0"></iframe></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p style="text-align: left;">Will you be backing either of these projects? Maybe both? Let us know in the comments below, or via one of our social media platforms.</p>Lewis Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14780213240335170126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-6262870457400081802024-02-25T15:01:00.010+00:002024-02-28T14:01:48.976+00:00The Top 25 Dreamcast Indie Games... Voted by You! (2024 Edition)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtlOfG0jCN00BnxRNWySh7hW4V5SqldoCu-6aOH1cEVU7u2qwdZSOs6Enr_gprjuzRrlTrRhsmUaEmJ2Grylhu2C1wtnA0fibtdwu5hPZvdrBkoZ6C8cqo8s7W_vGo8___A2MGsDvXgLGQ8MYGRiB51PD2ETpXEOYmlxks-eg_SWDOzQXRzBR_w/s600/indievote2024.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtlOfG0jCN00BnxRNWySh7hW4V5SqldoCu-6aOH1cEVU7u2qwdZSOs6Enr_gprjuzRrlTrRhsmUaEmJ2Grylhu2C1wtnA0fibtdwu5hPZvdrBkoZ6C8cqo8s7W_vGo8___A2MGsDvXgLGQ8MYGRiB51PD2ETpXEOYmlxks-eg_SWDOzQXRzBR_w/w528-h295/indievote2024.png" width="528" /></a></div><div>At the beginning of the year, we put the call out to the community to vote for their favourite indie releases for the Sega Dreamcast, and, as always, you have all responded in a big way! We had more than double the number of respondents than the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/11/top-10-indie-dreamcast-games-2016-as.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">last time we did this vote way back in 2016</a>, with 71 different titles receiving a vote and Dreamcast fans from 17 countries over five continents participating. Well, we've now counted up all your votes, and can finally reveal the results of the 2024 Top 25 Dreamcast Indie Games poll!</div><p style="text-align: left;">As well as our Top 25 indie game ranking, we also asked you to name your <b>favourite Dreamcast indie developer</b>, <b>favourite Dreamcast indie publisher</b>, and <b>most anticipated future Dreamcast indie release</b>, and these results too are presented below. As an added bonus, and because of the sheer number of replies we received, I've also been able to give out some regional awards for the favourite indie games in different locales - so we can present the US, UK, European and Rest of the World regional awards for best indie games alongside everything else... which is exciting if you're a bit of a nerd like me!</p><p style="text-align: left;">My thanks goes out to everyone who took the time to respond and share in our common love of the Dreamcast indie scene - it's been a really, really interesting period of voting, with positions shifting daily and some big surprises to announce!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Without further ado, let's head straight into the Top 25 - if you'd like to follow along with the Junkyard crew (along with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@thesegaguru" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Sega Guru</a> and a return appearance from founder Tom Charnock) as we reveal these positions in "real time", then you can check out episode 128 of the DreamPod podcast on <a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/share" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">your podcast platform of choice</a>, or on <a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/42610/14570521" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buzzsprout</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/42610/14570521" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqHttiuuUxBy2o9OvM_mwh2Cx8ZAwAP3kEaOmaJUMsyJrpjKc5WNm7GiJy6PCm0ZaEJDCgrAglrrNOajFKLv82rkjpNMXxxll5u1kvPlDu6y5C1uPRkcQbmnmffH-qYx1JXJQqUvykoJI3DlRQy8yDcyvrH3VBJ1_zfdZMf5WUJ3sAQfKETu3Lw/w400-h224/dp128.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">25. Fast Striker</span></b></p><div>2010 - NG:DEV.TEAM</div><p style="text-align: left;"><span></span></p><p><span>18 places down on </span><span>2016 poll </span>ranking</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5tE21yEB0gY8g_3bDzeqztfKe-y-URiyAFD-feVvzOMhHN84Zo0qRjIwU6Q7JfA84fNmKMzqS5EgpcmMM4B076k3ZQdCogqLnh89q5v_uwoP0JDaXjFt9Zsc1rtiwmznxswyTdwMDvRj5GTfN4mRNPBt8RkEoYgUxZxaP6LXF6Cf1YwPa4tLzg/s800/Fast_Striker_cover.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="561" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5tE21yEB0gY8g_3bDzeqztfKe-y-URiyAFD-feVvzOMhHN84Zo0qRjIwU6Q7JfA84fNmKMzqS5EgpcmMM4B076k3ZQdCogqLnh89q5v_uwoP0JDaXjFt9Zsc1rtiwmznxswyTdwMDvRj5GTfN4mRNPBt8RkEoYgUxZxaP6LXF6Cf1YwPa4tLzg/s320/Fast_Striker_cover.webp" width="224" /></a></div><p><span>T</span><span>he first entrant in this year's Top 25 and the first real surprise. Fast Striker may be getting on a bit now (14 years since its initial release), but it remains a technically competent and good-looking vertical shooter that is both accessible for the novice, while also packing some challenge for the veteran shooter fanatic. Whilst it peaked at the number seven spot in the 2016 indie poll, it's never managed to break into any of our <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/p/the-top-dreamcast-games-of-all-time.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Top 200 Dreamcast games lists</a>, and only just makes it onto this Top 25 indie list - which feels a little unfair for it, really. </span>If you're looking to pick this one up you'll have to rely on eBay or other online sales, as copies are no longer able to be purchased new. Ripe for a re-release though, surely?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWoVGd9HiyoZalQXGa5Ai3SVOw5-fUponiEoj9qHEbCBoI5cioNImmyOkWHWsZB_0GNBFruBwGEoJDWfJzxh_-9dtkizBM32V51rbqoSHZlEb2kn-ox1HEoxJs9WTYXcUwmjzlTc_1viKqwt6K2pyeihIn62MrnxsvWw3ghxa4LUaOsClF5tiI/s640/fast%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWoVGd9HiyoZalQXGa5Ai3SVOw5-fUponiEoj9qHEbCBoI5cioNImmyOkWHWsZB_0GNBFruBwGEoJDWfJzxh_-9dtkizBM32V51rbqoSHZlEb2kn-ox1HEoxJs9WTYXcUwmjzlTc_1viKqwt6K2pyeihIn62MrnxsvWw3ghxa4LUaOsClF5tiI/s320/fast%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">24. Rocketron </span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2021 - Astro Port / JoshProd</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>New entry</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84KVtV1bgOSuzJ40hFj4Tc-HF8ccwrk1qUUXDN5imngM8HgbWShKusNKBminCNRcmkeJZDKBTuF3kI4AtMGpZ0lmfd7ryWVkKEHSfHLgNyxjW_1-sOy4cqjpbE7rEA2ymzhFqETKq8Wl0plIzAqsom-K6bqyWph2WnoRQ16DYvCO4S9pUK_BW2A/s800/rocketron-dreamcast-pal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84KVtV1bgOSuzJ40hFj4Tc-HF8ccwrk1qUUXDN5imngM8HgbWShKusNKBminCNRcmkeJZDKBTuF3kI4AtMGpZ0lmfd7ryWVkKEHSfHLgNyxjW_1-sOy4cqjpbE7rEA2ymzhFqETKq8Wl0plIzAqsom-K6bqyWph2WnoRQ16DYvCO4S9pUK_BW2A/s320/rocketron-dreamcast-pal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span>A <i>criminally</i> low ranking for this one. Astro Port and JoshProd's epic sci-fi Metroidvania-style platforming adventure is a hugely enjoyable title that sees you flying around levels via a rocket pack, taking down an array of imposing enemies and exploring an expansive world. Unfortunately, it may be the case that this one was lost in the mix of other numerous JoshProd releases at the time, and despite reaching a very respectable position of 117th in our <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/p/the-top-200-dreamcast-games-voted-by.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2023 Top 200 games list</a>, it struggled to get much attention in this indie poll. Those who have played Rocketron, however, tend to love it, so I will encourage anyone reading this to pick up a copy from the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/?s=rocketron" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PixelHeart store</a> and give it a try.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTcIcP3wJO_O771FTcl7jUsRkU0F9ivjd3mZncWIFq2WqdpUDQoHV5UqlQMmN3xil9u25mMnTmQMJeRfneu8mbDAAiyJatYJOuzk6hBgH8i1VmY9bTJnQBP7PO-3IR4gGJfZsW7tm7AJV5y8mh3xrmP-RrzlQc867TQN0J88mHia1ri2RgLmV/s625/rokcet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="625" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTcIcP3wJO_O771FTcl7jUsRkU0F9ivjd3mZncWIFq2WqdpUDQoHV5UqlQMmN3xil9u25mMnTmQMJeRfneu8mbDAAiyJatYJOuzk6hBgH8i1VmY9bTJnQBP7PO-3IR4gGJfZsW7tm7AJV5y8mh3xrmP-RrzlQc867TQN0J88mHia1ri2RgLmV/s320/rokcet.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">23. NEO XYX </span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">2014 - NG:DEV.TEAM</p><p style="text-align: left;">Just outside top ten in 2016 poll</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbfxhKbk0rVkLwizuOn6ocMB1Hr2_doOEkVIxTJj7NvFI-CIgxn1rlZhM3IOM8Q_GUnehUk2ma2I3hNfqeF5mLIT76z1yHZpMXad2TzwWijbDMzwo8L1H_FnrIWi1s_mHrQPYw5vbHXAhLfcRm6tMyzE2_xHikrU7oPClb_DpHfeW1OMhTSo3lg/s800/53623--neo-xyx.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="568" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbfxhKbk0rVkLwizuOn6ocMB1Hr2_doOEkVIxTJj7NvFI-CIgxn1rlZhM3IOM8Q_GUnehUk2ma2I3hNfqeF5mLIT76z1yHZpMXad2TzwWijbDMzwo8L1H_FnrIWi1s_mHrQPYw5vbHXAhLfcRm6tMyzE2_xHikrU7oPClb_DpHfeW1OMhTSo3lg/s320/53623--neo-xyx.jpeg" width="227" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">The last of NG:DEV.TEAM's shooter quartet for the Dreamcast, NEO XYX missed out on a spot in the top 10 back in 2016 (although only marginally) and has never been in any of our Top 200s. Despite this, it clearly has some fans remaining a decade after its release. It's an enjoyable vertical shooter that inexplicably defaults to a horizontal perspective (which is not a good first impression), but boasts great visuals and exciting, fast-paced weaving gameplay. It's technically very well put together, but lacks a little bit of the novelty of the developer's earlier titles. 23rd best indie game for the Dreamcast is a pretty respectable position to be at, though. This is another game where you'll have to rely on online preowned sales to obtain a copy. NG:DEV.TEAM compilation re-release, anyone?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhsOr3_57GxO4FFvq2144tO_taub08SfXFyCWhYGd8vo33OQf9BrdUSMclecMX9H50jwmrYuukfjZYGW0ElZXyldGLQ2kTRqMMud59JoEi94WQfFjVDFUYHe5kItK5QMK-9mtcg8oTLegP-FYowiYMb3jxGdoY3cfOvwA2CP9M0JnKNSI3Tgg/s304/neo%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="224" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhsOr3_57GxO4FFvq2144tO_taub08SfXFyCWhYGd8vo33OQf9BrdUSMclecMX9H50jwmrYuukfjZYGW0ElZXyldGLQ2kTRqMMud59JoEi94WQfFjVDFUYHe5kItK5QMK-9mtcg8oTLegP-FYowiYMb3jxGdoY3cfOvwA2CP9M0JnKNSI3Tgg/s304/neo%202.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">22. Flashback</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">2017 - Delphine (original developer) / JoshProd</p><p style="text-align: left;">New entry</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-_omqvIqBXg-myeZZqoTTjFbf_HAjnmNPbqYkS2ioqdDjd05dK3Anu-JJsX0nkizNtPsDdTF1xvWstNCZVOeejSfLotvXxeRXGZUIX1yBr16en6N3uumkWeNpwIIyhEjwcJiKrKs8mhtSfxxumslnpcDx_vhf9CjNMf3qm73uNSgw-qCBBKROQ/s800/805816293142.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-_omqvIqBXg-myeZZqoTTjFbf_HAjnmNPbqYkS2ioqdDjd05dK3Anu-JJsX0nkizNtPsDdTF1xvWstNCZVOeejSfLotvXxeRXGZUIX1yBr16en6N3uumkWeNpwIIyhEjwcJiKrKs8mhtSfxxumslnpcDx_vhf9CjNMf3qm73uNSgw-qCBBKROQ/s320/805816293142.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">The port of this classic, atmospheric and cerebral '90s platform adventure to the Dreamcast gained some much warranted attention upon release. Alongside Another World and Fade to Black - two more classics of French video gaming that were also re-released for the Dreamcast by publisher JoshProd - Flashback was brought to a new audience in a highly impressive and feature-packed way, with improvements throughout. A deep, immersive and mature science fiction tale which rewards patience, Flashback is just as enjoyable now as it was back in the day. 22nd is a little bit low for it, it has to be said, although its never ranked in our Top 200, either. This one is still available to purchase from the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/?s=flashback" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PixelHeart store</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><b style="color: #222222;">Related: </b><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/06/retrospective-flashback-series-on.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Retrospective - The Flashback series on Dreamcast</a></span></li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGObTtPeqJz0dLJED_-vKBFsf3wM986U3AxlnerwUat5G3fUWbXxSnNS7iLM-LcTWS8CAI7BgwMkFNRKNygIyS0QTeEBRB71m9omsb69r6i4jos9LS1lNWhdM-QfwP_oMKLvbZQ/s596/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-09-07-18-46-33.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="596" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGObTtPeqJz0dLJED_-vKBFsf3wM986U3AxlnerwUat5G3fUWbXxSnNS7iLM-LcTWS8CAI7BgwMkFNRKNygIyS0QTeEBRB71m9omsb69r6i4jos9LS1lNWhdM-QfwP_oMKLvbZQ/s320/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-09-07-18-46-33.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">21. Feet of Fury</span></b></div><p style="text-align: left;">2003 - Cryptic Allusion / GOAT Store</p><p style="text-align: left;">Didn't place in the 2016 poll</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWGmX9_vmRFQ_DnlV6psy39w9EFXYHeqLZIkc_5PGEnqIUwZpnHZAoYzg6fjTI6tRDO7dAVnZSGo3BYJlfIq0mTwyyN5OqDxxnSgrBN236xuO5hpw-TdBAGHFMH3kQUlgkHzQzvH0WzVN8WV5iWnFP1LZ6muApRwL5kxat2PWG8tE2AWIUiw=s800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="800" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWGmX9_vmRFQ_DnlV6psy39w9EFXYHeqLZIkc_5PGEnqIUwZpnHZAoYzg6fjTI6tRDO7dAVnZSGo3BYJlfIq0mTwyyN5OqDxxnSgrBN236xuO5hpw-TdBAGHFMH3kQUlgkHzQzvH0WzVN8WV5iWnFP1LZ6muApRwL5kxat2PWG8tE2AWIUiw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Despite being 20 years old by this point, the dancing antics of Feet of Fury clearly still retains a fanbase out there judging by the number of votes this one received (although it's never graced our Top 200 polls). The only GOAT Store release in this Top 25, this is a professional, feature-rich game which is sure to still please those who enjoy dancing around in front of their TV screens (if you have a dance mat, at least), although you can play adequately enough on a standard controller. It's almost certainly time we had a re-release of this now.</p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><b style="color: #222222;">Related: </b><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2018/08/history-of-independent-dreamcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The History of Independent Dreamcast Development</a></span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOtmo77px_5DJxcGDs628_YvR6zV7OSwEcFK-kR1N6tpChzd7NDp0J8_Pe70pJTlwlXWj2Co7jG3eHIwnH8yBbDmuVQje7iORbBzg4EcPo31Bm0dz4SsEBk7ptWD21dDHhLsunD41x6TYnETbrp6umK-J5JHYQBkWJOeEYMhZggt1G31zXifU/s640/feet%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOtmo77px_5DJxcGDs628_YvR6zV7OSwEcFK-kR1N6tpChzd7NDp0J8_Pe70pJTlwlXWj2Co7jG3eHIwnH8yBbDmuVQje7iORbBzg4EcPo31Bm0dz4SsEBk7ptWD21dDHhLsunD41x6TYnETbrp6umK-J5JHYQBkWJOeEYMhZggt1G31zXifU/s320/feet%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">20. Witching Hour</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">2022 - M2 Software / PRO Studio</p><p style="text-align: left;">New entry</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWC8tPtsc4ymjln8sM0IYtI9xNISkZYL_2Jn00DAtjybv3E5hbEB28Gy67odbepUARCo_byOuoqtocp_aAYhXG6gxEMr78RAdf9jSk6SWwN2klfq9U_Lff8UWATzvu7CcI1eGba5Pqo8U3N5V3sn3ai576JWeZf340Kk7dR1yFj7CqcVPooonAg/s1500/uQ79s-qv.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWC8tPtsc4ymjln8sM0IYtI9xNISkZYL_2Jn00DAtjybv3E5hbEB28Gy67odbepUARCo_byOuoqtocp_aAYhXG6gxEMr78RAdf9jSk6SWwN2klfq9U_Lff8UWATzvu7CcI1eGba5Pqo8U3N5V3sn3ai576JWeZf340Kk7dR1yFj7CqcVPooonAg/s320/uQ79s-qv.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Whilst it may "only" be a Wolfenstein 3D mod, this is a hugely impressive indie horror title that succeeds in delivering an oppressive, atmospheric experience unmatched in the current indie library (we need more horror!) It's available to <a href="https://www.moddb.com/mods/witching-hour/downloads/witching-hour-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">download for free</a>, but did receive a limited number of physical copies as well (which are unfortunately no longer available to purchase). I was surprised by how highly this ranked - clearly it wasn't just me that this struck a chord with. The Dreamcast indie version of some sort of found-footage movie, whispered about in dark corners of the community, Witching Hour is fully deserving of its 20th place ranking.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><b style="color: #222222;">Related: </b><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/04/witching-hour-best-indie-horror.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Witching Hour: Indie Horror on the Dreamcast?</a></span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1vRYvXgI8cqvs0jg9W8N2h5OUPIpJ_HUvZfVJOT0wCaOyk_q6LJSjeZg-llJ5vnUPayC5yye7YK2NthaYGd2CmQUp4iQAyXdDv54PVfWn6d4fSJ18Cy8s1ZtJldiN-jhhrRtzhOxHgB3szAOprTUfiEL-owduWJ27UFYQxYW6PI1iRl0UKs/s800/Screenshot%202023-04-26%20at%205.30.39%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1vRYvXgI8cqvs0jg9W8N2h5OUPIpJ_HUvZfVJOT0wCaOyk_q6LJSjeZg-llJ5vnUPayC5yye7YK2NthaYGd2CmQUp4iQAyXdDv54PVfWn6d4fSJ18Cy8s1ZtJldiN-jhhrRtzhOxHgB3szAOprTUfiEL-owduWJ27UFYQxYW6PI1iRl0UKs/s320/Screenshot%202023-04-26%20at%205.30.39%20pm.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">19. Finding Teddy</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">2019 - Storybird / JoshProd</p><p style="text-align: left;">New entry</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0ZwDxz60YGVPCArngZNuL6-cD4asIaz-zsNNG85YN-ax1Sk7IFLLiX1iizbMUfvsZFxBhAuypbiJd8jpVU79JVK8O5Oo0PHDmFa5NU3-kvrtMD_wf63uydwKeaTs4U1x1hyphenhyphensNcDv0-WaDdMmZXavPUyN4iu6Gb6upaeSUqa1lexf9hfYR7t4/s800/find%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0ZwDxz60YGVPCArngZNuL6-cD4asIaz-zsNNG85YN-ax1Sk7IFLLiX1iizbMUfvsZFxBhAuypbiJd8jpVU79JVK8O5Oo0PHDmFa5NU3-kvrtMD_wf63uydwKeaTs4U1x1hyphenhyphensNcDv0-WaDdMmZXavPUyN4iu6Gb6upaeSUqa1lexf9hfYR7t4/s320/find%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Mixed reactions to this one. Whilst I'm really pleased to see this fantastical Burtonesque adventure appear on this list, I can't help but feel it deserved better. It's a bit unlike anything else in the library, a gorgeous, warm experience with a sedate atmosphere that entrances you with its pixelated style and charm. It initially saw a release back in 2013 on PC and mobile platforms, but it suits the Dreamcast just as well. As with many JoshProd titles, it may just have been slightly overlooked in the midst of their multi-title release waves, but I encourage you all, if you've not yet experienced Finding Teddy, to give this one a chance. Copies are still available to purchase from <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/?s=finding+teddy+dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PixelHeart</a>. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hEQNmAAHPhwb1F-I6xahP0SEtjnrSjuY7sHnGicSvDQwt2kNBsmZMbvX9Dq_9PJGIscMPlAzEbylWaQICOcLkoN2puxPfeEhXGQu88juv15obZ8DU3GrrIU17II_Ln3DIQJv0mN0RcPuUQz0cmzbu1PPbQXLdFN0Pp808Z4KRjJnCVceiRAr/s800/find%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hEQNmAAHPhwb1F-I6xahP0SEtjnrSjuY7sHnGicSvDQwt2kNBsmZMbvX9Dq_9PJGIscMPlAzEbylWaQICOcLkoN2puxPfeEhXGQu88juv15obZ8DU3GrrIU17II_Ln3DIQJv0mN0RcPuUQz0cmzbu1PPbQXLdFN0Pp808Z4KRjJnCVceiRAr/s320/find%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">18. 4x4 Jam</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">2017 - Invictus Games / JoshProd</p><p style="text-align: left;">New entry</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHp2Jrc4FlZsJ8ywOl_XI65S_bx94f1c_95tlz7c5ZqecAUveyPJagl3_1RoF1uK3fl1p8LFjEbc6IICzGn2s6XKDD8JiQynbu0BCnMfsIyUR5G0KY495OfL4IMxaOocC5vLzxxA/s1280/thumbnail_Jaquette+face+DC+PAL+4x4-JAM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1269" data-original-width="1280" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHp2Jrc4FlZsJ8ywOl_XI65S_bx94f1c_95tlz7c5ZqecAUveyPJagl3_1RoF1uK3fl1p8LFjEbc6IICzGn2s6XKDD8JiQynbu0BCnMfsIyUR5G0KY495OfL4IMxaOocC5vLzxxA/s320/thumbnail_Jaquette+face+DC+PAL+4x4-JAM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">It seems that time has been kind on 4x4 Jam - the first fully 3D Dreamcast indie release. This enjoyable off-road racing title has simple-but-fun arcade racing gameplay and a fair amount of depth, and signalled a potential new age of the indie scene upon release - one that it didn't quite manage to usher in. I criticised it upon release for a lack of multiplayer and its AI difficulty being set too low, but returning to it in recent years I can really appreciate how fun the racing here is - and clearly that's a sentiment shared by many others, judging by the number of votes this received. This one is still available from <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/?s=4x4+jam" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PixelHeart</a> and well worth a purchase.</p><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><b style="color: #222222;">Related: </b><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/08/review-4x4-jam.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Review - 4x4 Jam</a></span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSfJvoIrrMJJDgI8R-Xc4r9gVuPIQylj2-e4ddp_3qLinHnI_KED94TEMtzLAFrMB62qW9foLmUY4ZEi0d8Rsbx29_Lh3Obr8MwIXbXtwDW6aPJhq6l5ZBX03ZmM9KqXBzPORTduQXWXLZAyv-y0WJMYBBYCC5r9vp68cBzCHpXY-zAn4k69S/s597/4x4%20jam.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="597" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSfJvoIrrMJJDgI8R-Xc4r9gVuPIQylj2-e4ddp_3qLinHnI_KED94TEMtzLAFrMB62qW9foLmUY4ZEi0d8Rsbx29_Lh3Obr8MwIXbXtwDW6aPJhq6l5ZBX03ZmM9KqXBzPORTduQXWXLZAyv-y0WJMYBBYCC5r9vp68cBzCHpXY-zAn4k69S/s320/4x4%20jam.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">17. Andro Dunos II </span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">2023 - Picorinne Soft / JoshProd</p><p style="text-align: left;">New entry</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuP0d6fp0pnbOHyUo7rFKsHS61lBFlwxRMBLRahjDB78C6nppz2UEQJ53a7Qyn71rewFysCrL4UXwNJZi67wLYgc5XzuGc7wpXdKHACAHPUx3vEeOl8iDgxXn7I2YqZ8kieUSjDsD4iy-w6gT7E5P9K_df78sYWi5rZz7i4E_PqN-5yqO23quZg/s800/860831_front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuP0d6fp0pnbOHyUo7rFKsHS61lBFlwxRMBLRahjDB78C6nppz2UEQJ53a7Qyn71rewFysCrL4UXwNJZi67wLYgc5XzuGc7wpXdKHACAHPUx3vEeOl8iDgxXn7I2YqZ8kieUSjDsD4iy-w6gT7E5P9K_df78sYWi5rZz7i4E_PqN-5yqO23quZg/s320/860831_front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">I was worried that this shooter sequel from JoshProd wouldn't rank highly on this list, and whilst I believe it probably deserves to be a little higher, it's good to know that other Dreamcast indie fans appreciated this fun, vibrant and technically sound horizontal shoot 'em up. I was really surprised by how well this Dreamcast port held up against versions on contemporary systems; after spending an enormous amount of time with the Nintendo Switch version, the Dreamcast has some compromises but retains the excellent gameplay and attractive aesthetics. It's another game that probably missed out on some of the publicity that other indie releases see, but there's a fair few of you out there who clearly appreciate this game highly. You can purchase it on the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/?s=andro+dunos+2+dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PixelHeart store</a>.</p><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/07/review-andro-dunos-ii.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Review - Andro Dunos II</a></span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhvefdrt65QzIICnogmGG90J0AkIAJktr1C2IOu4FsN9xzvJusbMioNrcaQIUG5-2f2AmQYQNioeigSCgI_wdIWF3gmm03ht_1drIIEg7-I7dKmsVV1hyHFyaGuqfBfhmbrKaGDlK0VZNIVIWu6EENvHqaEQH5fo_XMeViBOppXM_tseZ8DF7Uw/s800/ADII%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhvefdrt65QzIICnogmGG90J0AkIAJktr1C2IOu4FsN9xzvJusbMioNrcaQIUG5-2f2AmQYQNioeigSCgI_wdIWF3gmm03ht_1drIIEg7-I7dKmsVV1hyHFyaGuqfBfhmbrKaGDlK0VZNIVIWu6EENvHqaEQH5fo_XMeViBOppXM_tseZ8DF7Uw/s320/ADII%201.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p></div><div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">16. Ghost Blade</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2015 - Hucast / JoshProd</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Seven places down on 2016 poll </span>ranking</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_W6N-LhCfQYhjiLIGt8eLcacNVictBfSUgVE8NiV3eAO5RK4OCU6chL15W5GZhYfrpMUV-jUpCht4PJPctw7wkZxoxFAPFyHWTmcDKCjCa_K37Hk9JjybjhESL9p1BNQilFC0acSjeGPmmSiBOCjqJ-IRjkOCqE1BMTPQ9wDvSVqZDEoJBw3QNg/s800/1600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_W6N-LhCfQYhjiLIGt8eLcacNVictBfSUgVE8NiV3eAO5RK4OCU6chL15W5GZhYfrpMUV-jUpCht4PJPctw7wkZxoxFAPFyHWTmcDKCjCa_K37Hk9JjybjhESL9p1BNQilFC0acSjeGPmmSiBOCjqJ-IRjkOCqE1BMTPQ9wDvSVqZDEoJBw3QNg/s320/1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p>Hucast's 2015 release finally removed the shackles of their many recycled Dux releases, but it was unfortunately the last time we would see the developers release a title for the console. If it is a swansong though, it's a good one - although not without some issues. An accessible, visually strong vertical shooter with solid game mechanics, Ghost Blade is probably the best entry point for anyone wanting to experience the genre's place in the indie library (with the exception of Sturmwind). It lacks challenge for the veteran player and could be accused of being somewhat generic, but that didn't stop the votes pouring in. It was ninth last time out in 2016, so has seen a pretty large drop in the ranking (although not surprising when you consider just how many games have came out in the last eight years). Still, 16th is a very respectable position, and coupled with its ranking of 164th in 2023's Top 200, it shows that the game has its fair share of fans out there. This one is still available on the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/?s=ghost+blade" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PixelHeart store</a>.</p><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em; text-align: left;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/09/review-ghost-blade-standard-review.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Review - Ghost Blade - Standard Review</a></span></li></ul><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_H4pMGTjJLY9gLrfWLiViyUdkUPw0Fe1jqoPSz38GMoHqXgQSoxqrmHBknbAenV8rWr0FkQmwoPhucJrRm9sMBre6vwr1jwsxnSyblFlmv_DpYF_VyCLSdbDcvWWh71Wsu-0Rw/s480/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_H4pMGTjJLY9gLrfWLiViyUdkUPw0Fe1jqoPSz38GMoHqXgQSoxqrmHBknbAenV8rWr0FkQmwoPhucJrRm9sMBre6vwr1jwsxnSyblFlmv_DpYF_VyCLSdbDcvWWh71Wsu-0Rw/s320/4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">15. The Textorcist</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2021 - Gamefairy / Headup / MorbidWare</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>New entry</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4vEcgCYvYZa2FlY5Le_lQRz5_GvXqwxUUcugVagc3c81EJl9YwoTusov0FCwCsep6VFYg86sbZ3NSV1TJIKhb5vIwG3vXncobpN6zB1jyI-gKWxL1xBqzKD5e1rXaUlfPhQ_rQvXT_L3uLXMwbOs1G2qqC22XtlIhdcJdYwIpUHR-Sd6QyS1ww/s800/10095635-the-textorcist-the-story-of-ray-bibbia-limited-to-666-dreamcast-.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="800" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4vEcgCYvYZa2FlY5Le_lQRz5_GvXqwxUUcugVagc3c81EJl9YwoTusov0FCwCsep6VFYg86sbZ3NSV1TJIKhb5vIwG3vXncobpN6zB1jyI-gKWxL1xBqzKD5e1rXaUlfPhQ_rQvXT_L3uLXMwbOs1G2qqC22XtlIhdcJdYwIpUHR-Sd6QyS1ww/s320/10095635-the-textorcist-the-story-of-ray-bibbia-limited-to-666-dreamcast-.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p>It's somewhat of a remarkable feat that MorbidWare's horror-themed "bullet hell typing game" The Textorcist manages to get to 15th place on this list. Not because it doesn't deserve it - this is a stylish, exciting mix of genres that sets out to merge a Cave shooter with The Typing of the Dead, and somehow manages to do so incredibly well - but because it had an appalling launch. The initial copies of the game were bugged, limiting any progression in the game with constant crashing and an inability to get past stage six. It took a while for publisher Gamefairy to acknowledge the problem, and longer still until we received free, bug-fixed discs for the game. This whole debacle could very well have ruined the title's reputation, but luckily for it, the Dreamcast indie fanbase could forgive the botched launch and recognise that the game itself is extraordinarily good fun. If there has been no initial issues, The Textorcist probably could have been a top ten contender. Gamefairy still have this game available on <a href="https://gamefairy.io/?s=textorcist&post_type=product" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">their store</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQz1GWORt-guHoHsju4nu2n_i1PufQWxmEfcu8OWeAk1op3rOC9faQbsQwY1SNUjQ_ugA5NvmGN3OOES1T-A7k4b9mRmPj2Fz0rMXzfeUowzimH6rXSUhZW-ezrZ5xEIeUwn5/s1920/game_screenshot_177.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQz1GWORt-guHoHsju4nu2n_i1PufQWxmEfcu8OWeAk1op3rOC9faQbsQwY1SNUjQ_ugA5NvmGN3OOES1T-A7k4b9mRmPj2Fz0rMXzfeUowzimH6rXSUhZW-ezrZ5xEIeUwn5/s320/game_screenshot_177.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>14. Arcade Racing Legends</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2020 - Intuitive Computers / JoshProd</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>New entry</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0nf1RgTUMn-0cBozD1VWcVclKGVX0a5szpKpqzV1BD3ovvraF0HK9Uv2HSenWMAq9t-5fFkxOD00t1OcMoORSzppiBXidHcl_r2Sbgx5qyl0jV2ERYIQhtBUgD22Nf7Z0iT8br4MqyOYND_zJt_jit9PBSHpYXjyLvuNlz60x28sQ7RWpxRi/s800/arcade.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0nf1RgTUMn-0cBozD1VWcVclKGVX0a5szpKpqzV1BD3ovvraF0HK9Uv2HSenWMAq9t-5fFkxOD00t1OcMoORSzppiBXidHcl_r2Sbgx5qyl0jV2ERYIQhtBUgD22Nf7Z0iT8br4MqyOYND_zJt_jit9PBSHpYXjyLvuNlz60x28sQ7RWpxRi/s320/arcade.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">I was pretty savage on reviewing this one, and I have to be honest, I'm slightly surprised by its ranking, but clearly this indie racing title with lofty ambitions struck a chord with many of you. JoshProd had already conquered the indie scene with a wide range of titles that expanded the library immensely, so when they announced the development of a new Dreamcast racer, there was lots of attention. The idea of bringing some of Sega's arcade pedigree to an indie game, with various unlicensed but readily familiar cars and exciting, exotic tracks was a great one, and after a successful Kickstarter, the publishers were able to fulfil their plans. Sadly, for me at least, the end product was a tad underwhelming, with dull gameplay and poor AI, however my view doesn't appear to be universally shared as shown by the game's pretty impressive performance in this poll. There may be a little bit of "original game" bias at play - games that are brand new or developed solely/primarily for the Dreamcast have tended to do better in the votes than games that are ports - but regardless, Arcade Racing Legends has put on a strong showing to edge into the top 15. A sequel, dealing with some of the originals issues, would be a very, very exciting prospect indeed, and something I hope we will see one day. Head to the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/?s=arcade+racing+legends" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PixelHeart store</a> if you want to purchase this one.</p><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/12/review-arcade-racing-legends.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Review - Arcade Racing Legends</a></span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwDAf6HhpUTLI7csOZe0ADRMZJbwDEC4Lf7xhMeYU2IIxFXhnn8TxwV8V_A4GT5spClYGogDtNSswSRgVG6bs3EaGLEXdRFFpHbG-TxzwPoGYsNubtIw6tabZir6-ikFkZknt/s2048/Arcade+Racing+Legends7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1626" data-original-width="2048" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwDAf6HhpUTLI7csOZe0ADRMZJbwDEC4Lf7xhMeYU2IIxFXhnn8TxwV8V_A4GT5spClYGogDtNSswSRgVG6bs3EaGLEXdRFFpHbG-TxzwPoGYsNubtIw6tabZir6-ikFkZknt/s320/Arcade+Racing+Legends7.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">13. Völgarr the Viking</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2019 - Crazy Viking Studios (original developer) / Marc Hall (Dreamcast port) / JoshProd</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Seven places down on </span><span>2016 poll </span>ranking</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSM1gdn9oVmHT9nyEQib3OXLOiod_wMdzXl-EpQQRA3Sm2gmOOerS4lTlGtxZYHqDbeGKdmuLSGnxTMdyHzIiZvn5pwsqHPKR5yAC1CCG2EJTNwUQJ54zcEXoyIrhtMXKcBm_tmlMrVVQTvOyG2YbwI0bIFlNVaBiXdPMNJ8QdhMpSIusUBa8/s800/volgarr%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSM1gdn9oVmHT9nyEQib3OXLOiod_wMdzXl-EpQQRA3Sm2gmOOerS4lTlGtxZYHqDbeGKdmuLSGnxTMdyHzIiZvn5pwsqHPKR5yAC1CCG2EJTNwUQJ54zcEXoyIrhtMXKcBm_tmlMrVVQTvOyG2YbwI0bIFlNVaBiXdPMNJ8QdhMpSIusUBa8/s320/volgarr%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p>Tough as nails, Norse mythology-themed action-platformer Völgarr the Viking wouldn't see a full commercial release until 2019 from JoshProd, but it had been ported to the Dreamcast back in 2015 by Marc Hall with the full permission of the original developers, which is what allowed it to reach the heady heights of sixth in the last indie poll we held. Whilst it has dropped a few places since then, there appears to be a large number of fans of the game out there still. The game takes heavy inspiration from arcade platformers of the '80s, like Ghosts 'n Goblins or Rastan, and wraps all that up in a Norse cloak which gives it some uniqueness in the Dreamcast library. It is adorned with some gorgeous retro-style visuals splattered with lots of pixelated gore, and the difficulty level throughout is extremely high. True to its own inspiration, this is like the "Dark Souls of the Dreamcast", where you will need to make repeated attempts at progress and deal with dying an awful lot, but this is very much by design and will be a familiar concept to many. Clearly the challenge didn't put off everyone, as the game received a fairly substantial number of votes and wasn't that far away from retaining its place in the top ten. It can still be purchased from <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/?s=V%C3%B6lgarr+The+Viking+Dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PixelHeart</a>.</p><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyPYw-6Ei2kxMKIwRARrvxeQ6kcgtqXp5__qCwjRMGvMttCaInv3z8vhWTQe-pbRt6PGQa9EDKnkj8BUz6WnS-IMqDKiwGOnyp0I-rX_pjSUT1U7Dfuoz_yqrGM6CHM0FpNAc5Swj4-SK7R9y_fVUsFCzYEvPPY9DKHByAYa4RUh9nvAzV9ak/s625/volgarr%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="625" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyPYw-6Ei2kxMKIwRARrvxeQ6kcgtqXp5__qCwjRMGvMttCaInv3z8vhWTQe-pbRt6PGQa9EDKnkj8BUz6WnS-IMqDKiwGOnyp0I-rX_pjSUT1U7Dfuoz_yqrGM6CHM0FpNAc5Swj4-SK7R9y_fVUsFCzYEvPPY9DKHByAYa4RUh9nvAzV9ak/s320/volgarr%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">12. Postal</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2022 - Running with Scissors (original developer) / Dan Redfield (Dreamcast port) / WAVE Game Studios</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>New entry</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTX0C57Pu5zMaCEgWtqG-CIHLdtacslII52he7FeQjKJhHpT28elX6ahCe52_axSLgFoellwekRbQ2-fke7i6Q29gePFwufE2T98fO_ruiv-0CEXDI5Qs1ZW8zqL9c0BsnsVdhJR6AgYFlcSfmghBcn0yN7R_yQIP3yURZxVGkfZNZl5Z516jpA/s800/Postal-Key-Art-Web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="800" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTX0C57Pu5zMaCEgWtqG-CIHLdtacslII52he7FeQjKJhHpT28elX6ahCe52_axSLgFoellwekRbQ2-fke7i6Q29gePFwufE2T98fO_ruiv-0CEXDI5Qs1ZW8zqL9c0BsnsVdhJR6AgYFlcSfmghBcn0yN7R_yQIP3yURZxVGkfZNZl5Z516jpA/s320/Postal-Key-Art-Web.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Released to some considerable acclaim in 2022, Postal may be a port of a controversial 90s PC kill 'em up, but it delivered an experience that we were largely missing on the Dreamcast, and did so in style. When Postal was originally released back in 1997, it was unfairly held up as an example of violent video games and blamed for everything wrong with youth culture, generating plenty of coverage and no doubt helping it sell more than it would otherwise have done. It was an okay game, but compared to the golden age of PC first-person shooters that it landed in the midst of, its more archaic-looking isometric visuals and simple gameplay would not have made much of an impression if it wasn't for the subject matter. Leaning into the perceived predilection of US postal workers to go on mass shooting sprees, the game sees you roaming around several "real life" locations, with your aim being to pretty much annihilate everyone living. The gameplay is always pretty simple, but the hand-drawn visuals, fun gameplay and nostalgia that the game conjures up adds up for a good experience. </span> </p><p style="text-align: left;">The Dreamcast port was handled by Dan Redfield - after Running with Scissors put a call out for someone to port the game to the console - and he did an exceptional job. Postal wasn't too far off grabbing a spot in the top ten, so it seems a lot of the Dreamcast fanbase quite enjoyed the rampant, mostly mindless violence the game delivers - which is fair enough! Head over to <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/product/postal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WAVE's store</a> if you want to get your hands on this.</p><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/05/review-postal.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Review - Postal</a></span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOytIfOUCZ3YQeQRepXLI423H-DUc7Ll2mMyvCk4wXlEEmlHsS1VBl1-0y04NNmOWa5FzZVRGb-T0GCdUaFnvB4hv3VB8mZIJK3TS-W85U6KnOoRcV4ALpntyb6BF54TprKk0XTtGznCEqHphBc6ZbKTrBSKMMRFOFgLiASZoNCL7nmacpvw/s800/Postal%20Dreamcast%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="800" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOytIfOUCZ3YQeQRepXLI423H-DUc7Ll2mMyvCk4wXlEEmlHsS1VBl1-0y04NNmOWa5FzZVRGb-T0GCdUaFnvB4hv3VB8mZIJK3TS-W85U6KnOoRcV4ALpntyb6BF54TprKk0XTtGznCEqHphBc6ZbKTrBSKMMRFOFgLiASZoNCL7nmacpvw/s320/Postal%20Dreamcast%203.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p></div><div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">11. Flea! </span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2020 - Lowtek Games / WAVE Game Studios</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>New entry</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHR4coUkW4RWtjioHt7xrM5G8Bevh0dET-afYPyYpVLYo1OaZeA2Wid2Mwa0T7zQEbsZB8nab93L7PHVn1StANtLEmGm3BVXQzO6rD6piUx8n8e2Silv2W5mTN0DQe7wupjuFlRMBQ7ALmpJFDNsRfvFqxbgcqDp6VztxrNNgzi89DmuYGgD3sJg/s800/Flea-EU-Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="800" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHR4coUkW4RWtjioHt7xrM5G8Bevh0dET-afYPyYpVLYo1OaZeA2Wid2Mwa0T7zQEbsZB8nab93L7PHVn1StANtLEmGm3BVXQzO6rD6piUx8n8e2Silv2W5mTN0DQe7wupjuFlRMBQ7ALmpJFDNsRfvFqxbgcqDp6VztxrNNgzi89DmuYGgD3sJg/s320/Flea-EU-Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p>The adorable Flea! may not be a Dreamcast exclusive, but its itchy little protagonist should still be a poster boy for our indie scene. Whilst it couldn't quite reach the top ten in these rankings, it has a sizeable support and an impressive number of votes (it also reached 147th in our 2023 Top 200 Dreamcast Games poll), so its 8-bit charms clearly struck a chord with many in the Dreamcast community. Flea! is a lesson in how a simple concept can be realised whilst still retaining plenty of charm and enjoyable gameplay. Originally published by the developer Alastair Low himself, Flea! would later receive a special edition courtesy of WAVE which would form part of their early Dreamcast publishing onslaught. With promises of a sequel coming soon and Lowtek Games' continuing output of really well put together and enjoyable titles, the adventures of this little star may have only just begun. You can still purchase this one from <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/product/flea/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WAVE's store</a>.</p><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/11/flea-brand-new-release-for-dreamcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Review - Flea!</a></span></li></ul><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1UOt02zvTQBwevOizMPxQ1MUrb5Y4rMzMcxKAp_dM9jArlcOUpK9LCEpDYc-1aN7eaZ2ALY6W4UCbVc65urae_709dgBO_rnKCmjpyGqZHGda2kAIXHE7Ptu4uswyLffV53B/s794/il_794xN.2603342977_qq6v.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="794" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1UOt02zvTQBwevOizMPxQ1MUrb5Y4rMzMcxKAp_dM9jArlcOUpK9LCEpDYc-1aN7eaZ2ALY6W4UCbVc65urae_709dgBO_rnKCmjpyGqZHGda2kAIXHE7Ptu4uswyLffV53B/s320/il_794xN.2603342977_qq6v.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">10. Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2008 - Yuan Works / RedSpotGames</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Five places down on 2016 poll ranking</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOLjHa1__uV37mBPUHZP5Qz-6zMx03DIh8c1MabOY0twxgogsih2xMcdKYgdA2cEmMidiMNBf_0p_-Wa611sKkH5glFCiY9yvj5-py9pZk7K-5CorfyARtVAfBDhCkVVaWgkhiajNbrzYrZMfNd6FcUkfXCTD4p9yxPwXKQxqJihiR-Lkd8Ey/s350/yuan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOLjHa1__uV37mBPUHZP5Qz-6zMx03DIh8c1MabOY0twxgogsih2xMcdKYgdA2cEmMidiMNBf_0p_-Wa611sKkH5glFCiY9yvj5-py9pZk7K-5CorfyARtVAfBDhCkVVaWgkhiajNbrzYrZMfNd6FcUkfXCTD4p9yxPwXKQxqJihiR-Lkd8Ey/s320/yuan.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p>The first entry in our top ten is also the oldest title, first released 16 years ago and reaching the heights of fifth in our 2016 poll. Wind and Water Puzzle Battles is an accomplished puzzle game that is chock full of content, with great visuals. There's an element of adventure, with an overhead map, and a full story mode to deepen a genre which often doesn't expand into those areas. The puzzle mechanic itself is pretty simple (colour matching diamonds) and packs a real challenge, but there's so much here (including mini-games and a museum mode) that you'll be playing this one for ages - which clearly seems to be the case when you look at just how many votes this one received. It's great to see that the "classics" of the Dreamcast indie scene are still getting the recognition they deserve, and this one thoroughly deserves its position in these rankings.</p><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/07/developer-interview-yuan-works.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Developer Interview - Yuan Works</a></span></li></ul><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpy0LSib8ImoZmpuQ180r5akP1ktQJoo-OROg671W_-EAjvMx2cg8lDd2CC8aq45aYmMIiHVY8pYMvVWeqDUIa9liVO1QqQMqvAW3shsm8xP2-bBVJxzGqeyubEha5m1IcyoqU/s320/amyvsrose.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpy0LSib8ImoZmpuQ180r5akP1ktQJoo-OROg671W_-EAjvMx2cg8lDd2CC8aq45aYmMIiHVY8pYMvVWeqDUIa9liVO1QqQMqvAW3shsm8xP2-bBVJxzGqeyubEha5m1IcyoqU/s320/amyvsrose.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">9. Gunlord</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2012 - NG:DEV.TEAM</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Six places down on 2016 poll ranking</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QtPBuUVH2SXHbc4b3A1ObYM7NvWkc5GcT_ZaALV-qkRBEoISL8Pc0hzSkeEqtLr7HD0RcfePcm8muwo3fFMA3gl6lStTf3Mw8rsOz4f9QqF8GhcE6tKvJTZSA0V8U2uRb8lOcOJ6m7FVy15GEkUwFcS93_Rpd0oIGu0lVojXzrwy_q3OF4K_dQ/s800/Game_Jacket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="568" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QtPBuUVH2SXHbc4b3A1ObYM7NvWkc5GcT_ZaALV-qkRBEoISL8Pc0hzSkeEqtLr7HD0RcfePcm8muwo3fFMA3gl6lStTf3Mw8rsOz4f9QqF8GhcE6tKvJTZSA0V8U2uRb8lOcOJ6m7FVy15GEkUwFcS93_Rpd0oIGu0lVojXzrwy_q3OF4K_dQ/s320/Game_Jacket.jpg" width="227" /></a></span></div><p>Claiming third place in our 2016 poll, Gunlord has been a Dreamcast indie staple for more than a decade, and has appeared in our Top 200 Games lists for 2013, 2016 and 2023 (reaching 56th, 149th and 143rd positions, respectively). Therefore, it's no surprise to see it appear in the top ten this time out, although slipping a few places down to ninth. A run n' gunner modelled after the sub-genre's '90s glory days; this is an explosive, graphically rich blast 'em up with a thumping Euro soundtrack, amazing level design and a high difficulty which rewards repeated plays to master the subtleties of the mechanics. NG:DEV.TEAM's highest ranked entry is definitely a high point for the developer, and at the time of release its arrival amidst the abundance of horizontal and vertical shooters felt fresh and much needed. Time has been good to the game - whilst there have been similar titles released since, nothing has quite managed to beat Gunlord at its own game.</p><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNj_3bUEX8mdsAaUwDkfN0JO4X9T-HlIF9KpThyphenhyphenNUprwW6USprY1WpunD-r_bk56Ocjjl_v_dm2B273rSQh9HV_tFw-sIhjf6G00u13uDE1b8XrI_aPhXKb0MgcUO-Gso8W9EjJbF6FUkDcJ7ugO_DOtHUHufzEtLjuOZf0avy5YOeoL-YJs4Z/s304/gun%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="304" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNj_3bUEX8mdsAaUwDkfN0JO4X9T-HlIF9KpThyphenhyphenNUprwW6USprY1WpunD-r_bk56Ocjjl_v_dm2B273rSQh9HV_tFw-sIhjf6G00u13uDE1b8XrI_aPhXKb0MgcUO-Gso8W9EjJbF6FUkDcJ7ugO_DOtHUHufzEtLjuOZf0avy5YOeoL-YJs4Z/s304/gun%201.jpg" width="304" /></a></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">8. Pier Solar</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2015 - Watermelon</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Seven places down on 2016 poll ranking</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlPlQyVjB1MB744twiGAZJh1Q0oUv7UjUgKZWYdqt-oMyigk8DtSZ4uYRkt1xEczGdc27jzbaB7bJmmYZ9vY-Cxd_hO2q0rShGoJW2gKeO-gVf3E-OZY3YUDRwCIWP0rJIFXnBjtU_7icBuFzoZMw6sR9rUJvsExodIIM-PrBZC5hCfZ-wYg2PA/s800/318028-pier-solar-and-the-great-architects-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="794" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlPlQyVjB1MB744twiGAZJh1Q0oUv7UjUgKZWYdqt-oMyigk8DtSZ4uYRkt1xEczGdc27jzbaB7bJmmYZ9vY-Cxd_hO2q0rShGoJW2gKeO-gVf3E-OZY3YUDRwCIWP0rJIFXnBjtU_7icBuFzoZMw6sR9rUJvsExodIIM-PrBZC5hCfZ-wYg2PA/s320/318028-pier-solar-and-the-great-architects-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" width="318" /></a></span></div><p>Pier Solar won our 2016 indie poll, a result which was mildly controversial judging by the amount of messages I received, but this RPG deserved its accolades both from a uniqueness point of view (the genre is still very rare in the Dreamcast indie library), and for its professional, polished production and story. It made it onto the last two Top 200 rankings as well (123rd in 2016 and 162nd in 2023), and judging by the votes it received this year, its charm has not diminished in the eyes of many gamers. It's an accomplished game built on a foundation of traditional, old-school RPG mechanics and some quite beautiful aesthetics, as well as throwing in some puzzle elements and a decent if unspectacular battle system. Whilst it leans slightly into "generic" at times, I found the story and character design to be solid and overall the game is an enjoyable experience. This year it made it into the top ten with ease, and at one point looked like a real contender for a top five spot, however it slipped down the rankings towards the end of the voting period.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><ul><li><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/12/pier-solar-collectors-edition-gallery.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pier Solar Collector's Edition Gallery</a></li></ul></div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK93kJs-SsMOb0yR-f31LBVSxRfMICyIRgiqg1Un84SlO9Pr6wAsnBGltrRUAi4FClu0bw7aftBSq2wNdkoawwi25bNx0JUGjlRxjHjmgctKHt20m8dGqKERIq_5KqWCMYQaBdjJjCh0bfU4OcEzD-hTW2PuvkuuJKfjdUbO_pHSp2pgO45nX_/s800/screenshots_rvb_0002_battle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="800" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK93kJs-SsMOb0yR-f31LBVSxRfMICyIRgiqg1Un84SlO9Pr6wAsnBGltrRUAi4FClu0bw7aftBSq2wNdkoawwi25bNx0JUGjlRxjHjmgctKHt20m8dGqKERIq_5KqWCMYQaBdjJjCh0bfU4OcEzD-hTW2PuvkuuJKfjdUbO_pHSp2pgO45nX_/s320/screenshots_rvb_0002_battle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">7. Rush Rush Rally Racing / Rush Rush Rally Reloaded </span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2009 / 2017 - Senile Team / RedSpotGames / JoshProd / WAVE Game Studios</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Three places down on 2016 poll ranking</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXWxv7I51SAeaHLmSZg9Aa6J3doNJWRmqrPy77nG1p8iWwQgmDosjATJafkyqK9oFtXJhnXvawvmXH8tIJJvnOOYeKWAAuCFX-Sb5VEwEYbgGEWv39pJR0sWTqdPFOtoqwNV-8Vxy2R5yCEpp7o71ZluhyzDMr5MRuSDCkm6EPiuZW4xFLfNtXQ/s800/278278471335.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXWxv7I51SAeaHLmSZg9Aa6J3doNJWRmqrPy77nG1p8iWwQgmDosjATJafkyqK9oFtXJhnXvawvmXH8tIJJvnOOYeKWAAuCFX-Sb5VEwEYbgGEWv39pJR0sWTqdPFOtoqwNV-8Vxy2R5yCEpp7o71ZluhyzDMr5MRuSDCkm6EPiuZW4xFLfNtXQ/s320/278278471335.webp" width="320" /></a></span></div><p>Seventh place goes to the top-down racing excellence of Rush Rush Rally (a combined vote for both the original and Reloaded versions, as they're basically the same game, and most votes were simply for "Rush Rush Rally"). It reached fourth place in our last indie poll, and 123rd in our Top 200 poll back in 2013, rising to 103rd in the 2023 Top 200, so it's no surprise to see it doing well here again. The original Rush Rush Rally Racing delivered great visuals, intricate track design and the sort of multiplayer fun that I've loved ever since the days of Micro Machines on the Mega Drive. It was bloody tough though, an issue that the improved Reloaded version addressed whilst also adding in some extra content (including expanding the single-player experience) to make it the definitive version of the game. Senile Team have gone on to even bigger things in the indie world, but this remains a highly enjoyable game that is well worth a pick up (it's still available to purchase from <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/product/rush-rush-rally-reloaded/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WAVE</a>).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><ul><li><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/08/a-quick-look-at-rush-rush-rally-racing.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Quick Look At Rush Rush Rally Racing</a></li></ul></div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDAV4MdWVG2WccnfeYIvhpQ_clVjlGz4e5H6m_Bxx8kKQYEIr0K3V2tsfLqTed5sHJiEnGAselxE2rn0Rn4vd-T_DWidiPTGtk_7zMvqE2PHvmH01qysFYt6XjAdJl45eAqIw1dD2y_cNiZVJPB3102EqXnqyyx7sVf4EPYgldZDPvJkQczn9/s800/rush%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="800" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDAV4MdWVG2WccnfeYIvhpQ_clVjlGz4e5H6m_Bxx8kKQYEIr0K3V2tsfLqTed5sHJiEnGAselxE2rn0Rn4vd-T_DWidiPTGtk_7zMvqE2PHvmH01qysFYt6XjAdJl45eAqIw1dD2y_cNiZVJPB3102EqXnqyyx7sVf4EPYgldZDPvJkQczn9/s320/rush%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">6. Shadow Gangs</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2022 - JKM. Corp / WAVE Game Studios</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>New entry</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja23khVfag71nvNx79cmHJxfcxEqUdohmp0MIbp_0yxsWSBuEBehC7AQPxPsAmQpPyMtZQXHRnT8JaMeHF_p_PF2Dxfbl25WDCwSJ0_OsKjKrWJ0tKUyDDDaauD0RYE2pl6JaMKPsNhucYayh8_CZJf_sBquFPr2oBql9YNWw9610HscV5WoZt7Q/s800/Shadow-Gangs-Key-Art-Web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="800" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja23khVfag71nvNx79cmHJxfcxEqUdohmp0MIbp_0yxsWSBuEBehC7AQPxPsAmQpPyMtZQXHRnT8JaMeHF_p_PF2Dxfbl25WDCwSJ0_OsKjKrWJ0tKUyDDDaauD0RYE2pl6JaMKPsNhucYayh8_CZJf_sBquFPr2oBql9YNWw9610HscV5WoZt7Q/s320/Shadow-Gangs-Key-Art-Web.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p>Shadow Gangs delivers a nostalgic trip back to the '90s and the age of the classic beat 'em up, and does it with a really professional, polished touch. It plays superbly, looks great, and is excellently designed, allowing players of any skill level to enjoy the adventure. Controls are tight throughout as you progress through the game's levels, kicking ninja arse and enjoying the wonderfully evocative stage design that is a love letter to the era which clearly influenced the ideas present. Shadow Gangs' "new retro" aesthetics give it a crisp visual look which is really appealing, and there is both enough challenge for those with quick reflexes, and enough accessibility for the more casual fan. This is a hugely enjoyable side-scrolling beat 'em up which fills a gap in the Dreamcast indie library. Shadow Gangs can be purchased from <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/product/shadow-gangs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WAVE</a>.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Shadow Gangs had a phenomenal response in our voting, and was only marginally outside of the top five. This righted the wrong of the game not appearing in our 2023 Top 200 Games listing.</span></p><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/07/review-shadow-gangs.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Review - Shadow Gangs</a></span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZxkzeGnv4MMMdCAAVSXEujWO04uzxZnCAv7kg2tdxloB-wONdicNO-7qSVid3sg5Umvo3K-0QA144dr-Y-2YKRcqK7qIZ89pxa5A0rW8JHqcfkEJ3CxPQePB2DKsiO310Z9xxhWCCwql5DZkQurwbUzzGy5je41YmtSbKkK-NT4sLKxE9A/s640/dc4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZxkzeGnv4MMMdCAAVSXEujWO04uzxZnCAv7kg2tdxloB-wONdicNO-7qSVid3sg5Umvo3K-0QA144dr-Y-2YKRcqK7qIZ89pxa5A0rW8JHqcfkEJ3CxPQePB2DKsiO310Z9xxhWCCwql5DZkQurwbUzzGy5je41YmtSbKkK-NT4sLKxE9A/s320/dc4.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">5. Xenocider </span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2021 - Retro Sumus / WAVE Game Studios</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>New entry</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSt-du-YAS3deB7TfVIJLFoeny8NcJdur7-vMrzogmAVOi1V55jvuUuo1OH1Edw7MBrJspTm0f2u3PHSBHoHeWlSW3lWkt2aXyeYILQSj12YisMTT1GDDBjXSfyAhRxiP0TjhNd9MSdrZgje_0lsAn90YEc72PYkKfPgm0YDQRfzXe0KRD9YuGwQ/s800/Xenocider-EU-Cover-Web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="800" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSt-du-YAS3deB7TfVIJLFoeny8NcJdur7-vMrzogmAVOi1V55jvuUuo1OH1Edw7MBrJspTm0f2u3PHSBHoHeWlSW3lWkt2aXyeYILQSj12YisMTT1GDDBjXSfyAhRxiP0TjhNd9MSdrZgje_0lsAn90YEc72PYkKfPgm0YDQRfzXe0KRD9YuGwQ/s320/Xenocider-EU-Cover-Web.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p>Now we're into the real high fliers. Breaking into the top five and with a considerable number of votes is Xenocider, a 3D indie release which promised a lot and delivered just that. Its into-the-screen shooting action is reminiscent of the Sega classic Space Harrier at times (indeed, there is an entire mode of this game which leans into that inspiration in quite a spectacular style), but utilises elements of modern gaming design as well to deliver something both new and nostalgic. It's an exciting, science fiction spectacle, and one that had a great reception upon release. We'd been following Retro Sumus' progress with the game for some time before release - the developer deserves some major respect for their interactions with the community and their constant updates - so it's great to see how the finished product ended up. It also has impeccable presentation and more depth than nearly any other indie title, with unlockable modes, achievements, mini-games and even movie sequences. Reaching a very respectable 135th in our 2023 Top 200 games list, Xenocider was only marginally edged out of fourth place here and saw a massive amount of support from our European voters in particular. Xenocider is available to purchase from <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/product/xenocider/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WAVE</a>.</p><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/01/review-xenocider.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Review - Xenocider</a></span></li></ul><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSWPlCNjpXUu_RuuJ5dAziahKwS1AoObcDosGSIIlb_vbfJHAm4ZhBUfQ8XsmpKQfLYYqkarv1OBbEUvWleQdJqcS9GTnk80RzzSWTg8xKtZA5NydhyBS8V14NgfHdmd1Y_2v/s1279/xenocider6+copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1279" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSWPlCNjpXUu_RuuJ5dAziahKwS1AoObcDosGSIIlb_vbfJHAm4ZhBUfQ8XsmpKQfLYYqkarv1OBbEUvWleQdJqcS9GTnk80RzzSWTg8xKtZA5NydhyBS8V14NgfHdmd1Y_2v/s320/xenocider6+copy.png" width="320" /></a></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">4. Driving Strikers</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2023 - Reality Jump / WAVE Game Studios</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>New entry</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJQh9V-klOg1GfogJWQm43unsh1AGMi2qng_6aSdo2q0CktnyymNQhyphenhyphenhOwSgjtS06F2pxvPUNyz5p_YEvmrgDcQDliSMWjQic_VZsuhX-37lTfsk-kxc6d6iFFWgnxbJTMCIkVoekgIn6xsV4T_2T7K7oS4KFmGO1WnO8F9E7qmjYPehmWxOgNw/s800/driving-strikers-cover-eu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="800" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJQh9V-klOg1GfogJWQm43unsh1AGMi2qng_6aSdo2q0CktnyymNQhyphenhyphenhOwSgjtS06F2pxvPUNyz5p_YEvmrgDcQDliSMWjQic_VZsuhX-37lTfsk-kxc6d6iFFWgnxbJTMCIkVoekgIn6xsV4T_2T7K7oS4KFmGO1WnO8F9E7qmjYPehmWxOgNw/s320/driving-strikers-cover-eu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">The highest-ranked release from last year, Driving Strikers soars into fourth position with strong support from the Dreamcast's online community. The headline grabbing feature of the game is of course the fact that it is the first Dreamcast indie release to have online-enabled multiplayer and it delivers that with style. Playing like a retro-styled version of the immensely popular Rocket League, it is the perfect game to experience the more social-side of Dreamcast gaming with. Driving Stikers' mix of driving and football forms a combination that results in exciting, nail-biting contests, spectacular goals and laugh-out-loud moments as your opponents catastrophically concede another own goal. The final release dealt with some of the issues the earlier demos exhibited (mainly awkward controls) and whilst the solo player whose Dreamcast remains offline may not have much content to experience alone, you can still gather some friends for a spot of local multiplayer fun. Driving Strikers is certainly a milestone release, and perhaps represents the ushering in of a whole new era for the indie scene. Its support in the voting for this poll was immense - indeed only one game received more nominations for the "what is your number one favourite indie release" question that we asked, which is quite remarkable. We await what Reality Jump do next with some considerable anticipation. In the meantime, head over to <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/product/driving-strikers/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WAVE's online store</a> if you haven't yet got yourself a copy of Driving Strikers. </p><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/08/driving-strikers-review-first-new.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Review - Driving Strikers</a></span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLu0BMIgkDMQqUVB2MMA5HWUq2LdqfWTeI4sNXNkBgPFx1BlBNZ0-AoFderR1f1DEZtyr5z7rkXAWi0vmDw9VDB5a7m3jC2Rlmikb9fAeEldMJ_Ly3VyEtZCMaR_EQPCxQeRRgxbRjzUJj4duL6eODweRDif_S0USyLtKvZi8FesqpStsodGrrA/s640/K4q54Q3N.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLu0BMIgkDMQqUVB2MMA5HWUq2LdqfWTeI4sNXNkBgPFx1BlBNZ0-AoFderR1f1DEZtyr5z7rkXAWi0vmDw9VDB5a7m3jC2Rlmikb9fAeEldMJ_Ly3VyEtZCMaR_EQPCxQeRRgxbRjzUJj4duL6eODweRDif_S0USyLtKvZi8FesqpStsodGrrA/s320/K4q54Q3N.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. Xeno Crisis</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2020 - Bitmap Bureau</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>New entry</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04aiU2bK1rcWBUQYFQyC9m6aa-8vSZ-gk1Q4MjspjAOdV25iAnsweGhb_0iZLLtArt3ELgaylujkmvFMKX38EuSfuGSHUIivPu1aSGIoxfFFIHuDi_kbQsRJ7xobQzL7fKnH5_hLYzcQpG312ED4pI9IamaupLHYwa5uTWxNIc5PylqfHUBnQOg/s800/1600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04aiU2bK1rcWBUQYFQyC9m6aa-8vSZ-gk1Q4MjspjAOdV25iAnsweGhb_0iZLLtArt3ELgaylujkmvFMKX38EuSfuGSHUIivPu1aSGIoxfFFIHuDi_kbQsRJ7xobQzL7fKnH5_hLYzcQpG312ED4pI9IamaupLHYwa5uTWxNIc5PylqfHUBnQOg/s320/1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p>I've made no secret of my love for Xeno Crisis; my own personal favourite indie game and an immensely gratifying alien arse-kicking multi-directional shooter that deserves all the accolades it has received. It looked for a while as if this was to be a real contender for the top spot - building on its 64th spot in the 2023 Top 200 with a strong and consistent number of votes throughout the duration of our poll - but third place is still a fantastic place considering the quality of the Dreamcast indie library. Xeno Crisis is a gloriously exciting and supremely playable romp with super-tight controls, excellent aesthetics and plenty of challenge; a nod back to the pixelated gameplay of yesteryear whilst still retaining modern-day sensibilities and production values. You can even dust off the twin sticks to play the game with, and this is probably the best way to experience the game (and arguably the best use of the actual twin sticks!) As the highest ranked game from a UK developer, it was also great to see the response the game received from British voters - who collectively ranked it as their favourite indie release. Bitmap Bureau still have this one for sale on <a href="https://shop.bitmapbureau.com/collections/sega-dreamcast/products/xeno-crisis-sega-dreamcast-cd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">their website</a>.</p><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/06/review-xeno-crisis.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Review - Xeno Crisis</a></span></li></ul><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPYrhDzRArwZcdmRy5DFI8PKsGzECX9gIoPsHKBA40J-2a-xSz6xb07SOpwqh2q3XzTWtCB6GRgX3_DZyuQTt93wW0LP3WBGy55GF-9EQJHa1YCFy0sQTVKxj-3AigP4l4CS1/s1280/XenoCrisis1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1280" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPYrhDzRArwZcdmRy5DFI8PKsGzECX9gIoPsHKBA40J-2a-xSz6xb07SOpwqh2q3XzTWtCB6GRgX3_DZyuQTt93wW0LP3WBGy55GF-9EQJHa1YCFy0sQTVKxj-3AigP4l4CS1/s320/XenoCrisis1.png" width="320" /></a></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. Sturmwind</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2013 - Duranik / RedSpotGames / DragonBox Shop / The Bit Station / JoshProd</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Same rank as 2016 poll</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgItdA6yai6tele5iRe1I4jKQCiV35pwIylfBn4S9wB5c2S3ueGTkls4CXxnl57FVnRY794bjQQvjqJ30Q-T2jQbhqOaMsnZxwS-4ZEi0zxLVO3R3xLpDDZB9wuZIwETgI_kW9_2tfSH58O610JAGxXPDxk1J60-d-UiqBGMTUSAmCzJnYgpBQQ/s800/790850538964.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgItdA6yai6tele5iRe1I4jKQCiV35pwIylfBn4S9wB5c2S3ueGTkls4CXxnl57FVnRY794bjQQvjqJ30Q-T2jQbhqOaMsnZxwS-4ZEi0zxLVO3R3xLpDDZB9wuZIwETgI_kW9_2tfSH58O610JAGxXPDxk1J60-d-UiqBGMTUSAmCzJnYgpBQQ/s320/790850538964.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p>Poor Sturmwind. A true indie legend for the Dreamcast, it has ranked highly in our last three Top 200 rankings - 36th in 2013, 96th in 2016 and a record 35th in 2023 - but was beaten in our last indie poll by Pier Solar in mildly controversial circumstances (at least to those who messaged me suggesting that Sturmwind was robbed). This time round it has been beaten to the top spot once more but its support throughout the voting period was astounding. It received the most "number one favourite indie release" votes and was the most popular game with our American voters, but lost out by a single vote to our eventual winner. Alas, it wasn't to be - but that does not take away from this masterpiece. An epic and beautiful space opera shooter, it was way ahead of its time in adding extras, employed a rewarding and satisfying weapon upgrade system, accessibility options for players of any experience level, and a thumping soundtrack. As immensely enjoyable as the gameplay was, it was the eye-popping visuals that were most well received. Sturmwind is a thing of absolute beauty, an intricately designed journey through a wonderfully realised universe with countless "wow" moments. A decade on, it is still setting a bar for the indie library that is near-impossibly high... but there is one game which has managed to just pip it to the first place...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><ul><li><b style="color: #222222;">Related:</b><span style="color: #222222;"> </span><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/11/why-sturmwind-is-still-incredible.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Why Sturmwind Is Still Incredible</a></li></ul></div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAoDlaS47BJPrNHtbyeehDRtwRgBleASE8fdrgdrY9pMPvmcm0nCNA1nv1J8rhV08zW0evEMkF8TXorJJP376qrorwpLhvr3QojysHa-MM5QRPEukjUf2pZ5z8XwbvHfekF9p/s599/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-11-30-22-19-0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="599" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAoDlaS47BJPrNHtbyeehDRtwRgBleASE8fdrgdrY9pMPvmcm0nCNA1nv1J8rhV08zW0evEMkF8TXorJJP376qrorwpLhvr3QojysHa-MM5QRPEukjUf2pZ5z8XwbvHfekF9p/s320/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-11-30-22-19-0.png" width="320" /></a></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Intrepid Izzy </span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2021 - Senile Team / WAVE Game Studios</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>New entry</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEx9zzhIjdvhHdQIuFc1qyp5j8MBeNXHcjEONczI2dIrCvmWQbm4874FLIJRfUVsriFD3opvQiPOnpWLSD1WjqCjwnG46OcGLyBsMUq16dVCR5QHPCxi4kePbjQgflCnnJsJYnNDS58BrK7-IxM-yql3HZ4QydcgAf31IPjxTLTzHqtvMjoW5uFQ/s800/Intrepid-Izzy-Cover-WEB__48367.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEx9zzhIjdvhHdQIuFc1qyp5j8MBeNXHcjEONczI2dIrCvmWQbm4874FLIJRfUVsriFD3opvQiPOnpWLSD1WjqCjwnG46OcGLyBsMUq16dVCR5QHPCxi4kePbjQgflCnnJsJYnNDS58BrK7-IxM-yql3HZ4QydcgAf31IPjxTLTzHqtvMjoW5uFQ/s320/Intrepid-Izzy-Cover-WEB__48367.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p>Our number one, leading the voting since pretty much the first day, and with an astonishing 75% of all respondents voting for it, is the impeccable Intrepid Izzy. Senile Team's return to the Dreamcast fold was highly anticipated, but even the most hopeful among us would never have thought that the result would be so amazing. Polished, high-quality visuals and a hugely enjoyable gameplay style that merges platforming and light beat 'em up elements are the headline topics when discussing this one, but it goes even deeper than that. It's an expansive, thrilling adventure with loads of variety - even including some simple arcade titles as games within the world - and a non-linear and intricate "metroidvania" design which rewards and demands exploration. It has a great soundtrack, a slick, modern style presentation, and some of the most astonishingly colourful, crisp and clean visuals of any indie game - so much so that you genuinely forget it is running on a Dreamcast at times. Intrepid Izzy only reached 62nd overall in our 2023 Top 200 games poll (although for context, it still beat some amazing games), and received slightly less "number one favourite indie release' votes than its top three compatriots, but there were so many of you who voted for the game that this victory seemed set early on in the process. A triumph for both Senile Team and WAVE, Intrepid Izzy is a thoroughly deserving victor.</p><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/08/review-intrepid-izzy.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Review - Intrepid Izzy</a></span></li></ul><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaLJfTjX_KalC_hZx8G6UTnrhysIkNwj13l6bkv0st29h9H8vnoHARev2U_uKS2WxnzpsapTd3cg26puAuxHhdQyr2nrGPqrCx6J6Cp_2E3jC2dK4MpU8vRUMfiWGAiK1mRSw8Q/s640/dreamcast-intrepid-izzy-shot00001.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaLJfTjX_KalC_hZx8G6UTnrhysIkNwj13l6bkv0st29h9H8vnoHARev2U_uKS2WxnzpsapTd3cg26puAuxHhdQyr2nrGPqrCx6J6Cp_2E3jC2dK4MpU8vRUMfiWGAiK1mRSw8Q/s320/dreamcast-intrepid-izzy-shot00001.png" width="320" /></a></div></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Games that just missed out...</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Whilst I wanted to stick to the Top 25 as originally intended, we could have easily managed a Top 50 with just the games that had multiple votes - which is a big difference from our initial indie poll eight years ago where the lower reaches of even the top ten struggled to get more than a couple of votes! </div><div><br /></div><div>Several worthy indie releases came within just a couple of votes of the Top 25, and so it's only right that we give these a shout out here as well:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Beats of Rage</b> - by far the highest-ranked non-commercial release, Beats of Rage only marginally missed out on the Top 25 in the last day of voting. This brawler which has spawned dozens of homebrew conversions clearly still has a place in the heart of many in the community.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlkQBcsq_C4zzA33bZTiiKD4NE2Kj0E0Pyofrj8QZl29qyhQ_ZaRAkmx0e8JSw2mwQ-i4tKAWyJ06THttBw-YtPI1iw2hHbb7WckucwoaJI6fPLBFf1j9qQtT3sDf8UOegjMAOMaNjpZLH7Xgkq1Ej6K45LiWzufMG_N_eVgh5BiPPpSLAMgH/s800/beats.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlkQBcsq_C4zzA33bZTiiKD4NE2Kj0E0Pyofrj8QZl29qyhQ_ZaRAkmx0e8JSw2mwQ-i4tKAWyJ06THttBw-YtPI1iw2hHbb7WckucwoaJI6fPLBFf1j9qQtT3sDf8UOegjMAOMaNjpZLH7Xgkq1Ej6K45LiWzufMG_N_eVgh5BiPPpSLAMgH/w200-h200/beats.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Dux / Redux</b> - one of the earliest headline-grabbing indie shooter releases, Hucast's Dux (as well as its darker incarnation Redux) saw a fair few votes but couldn't quite reach the Top 25. Dux has been surpassed by various other examples in the genre, and the original incarnation is especially showing its age (and has its fair share of issues, some of which were never totally dealt with in subsequent versions) but these are still games which deserve some attention.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnEQNHPGZp1FThusjFZMmKEuaD5K3wYVRUensNBx92Yk9DPhx0XaNwhbWm05HaW4z8E3Lih1S9dH-122N0NnEz0I42rtmkIISWWeQkMZFhDPlsKLms4RQsj0EzIRX5_MzqUqlT0fDLOWAan1aBC_HSU27cl1-Ru66_KwfB8Lw0B2QuxR-UDbdIw/s800/754810307623.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnEQNHPGZp1FThusjFZMmKEuaD5K3wYVRUensNBx92Yk9DPhx0XaNwhbWm05HaW4z8E3Lih1S9dH-122N0NnEz0I42rtmkIISWWeQkMZFhDPlsKLms4RQsj0EzIRX5_MzqUqlT0fDLOWAan1aBC_HSU27cl1-Ru66_KwfB8Lw0B2QuxR-UDbdIw/w200-h200/754810307623.png" width="200" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Leona's Tricky Adventures</b> - this puzzle adventure romp is a real hidden gem in the Dreamcast indie library, and missing out on the Top 25 is a harsh result for a game which deserves way more respect. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZXRNTouXPDgOP6xadmP1EDZCFv27iU_gpqpG0az1_65Q05nqxf1Fj-pJIrdgdnVhtq93TDFXjn0Ew7_9J4PLpUPkK4RERfTIcnNoX66IuHtq2LJWnmDKwRxgbFUlSbSgNgEv81Av9xJtHxhUjpzrFGKXeKj807S4EXoTyl-G2pAJZo5ODPx4KA/s800/3500897-leonas-tricky-adventures-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="800" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZXRNTouXPDgOP6xadmP1EDZCFv27iU_gpqpG0az1_65Q05nqxf1Fj-pJIrdgdnVhtq93TDFXjn0Ew7_9J4PLpUPkK4RERfTIcnNoX66IuHtq2LJWnmDKwRxgbFUlSbSgNgEv81Av9xJtHxhUjpzrFGKXeKj807S4EXoTyl-G2pAJZo5ODPx4KA/w200-h198/3500897-leonas-tricky-adventures-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Alice Dreams Tournament</b> - if you love Bomberman, you'll love Alice Dreams tournament, and with a great reception upon release and some really neat ideas, it's surprising to not see this reaching the Top 25 - although it did see a surge of late votes which left it very close indeed.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XR5yKtN6I2sHM-OJEyuqBctUyiKyVFnv6JEgyLi-wzBqa-5UVcrXabVDxeGZwtOd_yq5Y2nPY4z8nK3JsNRe-B3YErABAhU4MbLiedHfhqDLvZ2w20sRwL9u-f6IgCTNxyAayeNy4JOigyT09tw4zmEJ3_dmmHlF535_q8LT_cxedrrmyiWN/s800/WAVE-ALICE-DREAMS-EU-Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="800" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XR5yKtN6I2sHM-OJEyuqBctUyiKyVFnv6JEgyLi-wzBqa-5UVcrXabVDxeGZwtOd_yq5Y2nPY4z8nK3JsNRe-B3YErABAhU4MbLiedHfhqDLvZ2w20sRwL9u-f6IgCTNxyAayeNy4JOigyT09tw4zmEJ3_dmmHlF535_q8LT_cxedrrmyiWN/w200-h198/WAVE-ALICE-DREAMS-EU-Front.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Another World </b>- This classic cinematic platforming adventure suffered the same fate as many of JoshProd's ports - a lower number of votes compared to non-ported games. It wasn't far away from the top 25 however, and is definitely worth a pick up if you haven't already.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59k9zoDyh5OI1mFYxKGk_VXYZ2CZw49PJMX9K3P3rO6cVs0bGMoIke-Bdk-Bn6FGpuoyaZQFWEamCvF_0y729j5GCh3pKznJ_DvGphzfegWC_yBEJh_gXi0aa3kklRieCaUUZnVFtCu2Ypu7RGlyV2y-rBJck4o3su2C4E6QDPKv8xWBrRxhm/s800/aw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59k9zoDyh5OI1mFYxKGk_VXYZ2CZw49PJMX9K3P3rO6cVs0bGMoIke-Bdk-Bn6FGpuoyaZQFWEamCvF_0y729j5GCh3pKznJ_DvGphzfegWC_yBEJh_gXi0aa3kklRieCaUUZnVFtCu2Ypu7RGlyV2y-rBJck4o3su2C4E6QDPKv8xWBrRxhm/w200-h200/aw.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Breakers</b> - whilst only really a semi-decent port of a pretty average Neo Geo fighter, Breakers still managed to get a fair number of votes and was close to breaking the top 25.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPb5ZDHhaT2nSx_PHAQ0qVgqO8CwKKIvNt5jhps7Qzp6dgB_Y2BBhyphenhyphenNaYGuSeILA47VjOMbUHGJUEtucGxa9IHOTe7g-nYC9PXuKdpi8fakgfWs4J5yiZzCpcRppd7mR2oUJlFBb1dy1VWGko8BHDQN1PhN6ZU-wpXxcSE0npfrA1-xrCAhsEJug/s800/695415439897.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPb5ZDHhaT2nSx_PHAQ0qVgqO8CwKKIvNt5jhps7Qzp6dgB_Y2BBhyphenhyphenNaYGuSeILA47VjOMbUHGJUEtucGxa9IHOTe7g-nYC9PXuKdpi8fakgfWs4J5yiZzCpcRppd7mR2oUJlFBb1dy1VWGko8BHDQN1PhN6ZU-wpXxcSE0npfrA1-xrCAhsEJug/w200-h200/695415439897.png" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>Fade to Black</b> - whilst praised at the time of its original release in the mid nineties, time hasn't been kind to this early 3D action adventure sequel to Flashback. It's still a novelty to see a 3D indie release however, and Fade to Black nearly broke into the top 25.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEH3Pj6ErCk2r_Bm4yGbI2tvjWGvf8k9SCaQsalilF79a83bZd-vUyoxWWB_ErwYYC7_vaureudieOAuVDTfmjkSHQMrJ4JghH4LC-xvgxcnf8PzpvD-XcZtrJnLAOUkoDZEe1I32F5eM4yddE7PkR-P57XWUjzsAg4Jy2dG1BZAEaNgW2smtzIg/s800/804956702305-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEH3Pj6ErCk2r_Bm4yGbI2tvjWGvf8k9SCaQsalilF79a83bZd-vUyoxWWB_ErwYYC7_vaureudieOAuVDTfmjkSHQMrJ4JghH4LC-xvgxcnf8PzpvD-XcZtrJnLAOUkoDZEe1I32F5eM4yddE7PkR-P57XWUjzsAg4Jy2dG1BZAEaNgW2smtzIg/w200-h200/804956702305-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Tapeworm Disco Puzzle</b> - this cool puzzle game set in the Flea! universe has suffered from having less exposure than that game due to only seeing a release from Lowtek Games itself (at the current time at least) but deserves far more recognition. Only just missed out on a top 25 spot. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTdVlJG4v9jqXCVu2Fj1OsY7hOrWaMm2tvZo55BXiBLCxBNmvfuq_fu-9tbCQcAzYwWUlOd9hXpEw3T9m5bWnX19y5wnQTK_4Un4em873-v04dxQKUyDGpDtKtzgH2MTKjNmqmw5nVnPXoz_Qedn1W0TG6O2C5GhWg90TFgEA-_2g4XbdmiB6vQ/s800/eWW7l1tP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTdVlJG4v9jqXCVu2Fj1OsY7hOrWaMm2tvZo55BXiBLCxBNmvfuq_fu-9tbCQcAzYwWUlOd9hXpEw3T9m5bWnX19y5wnQTK_4Un4em873-v04dxQKUyDGpDtKtzgH2MTKjNmqmw5nVnPXoz_Qedn1W0TG6O2C5GhWg90TFgEA-_2g4XbdmiB6vQ/w200-h200/eWW7l1tP.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Escape 2042</b> - the highest ranked Orion developed game surprisingly did not reach the top 25 - perhaps another sign that we deserve a retrospective collection of the developers titles released to a wider audience. A fantastic dystopian platforming adventure.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSjtnbS5GDyEDMAXN1c0kyHHm0FEve4z7M92GVh6AOdqPTMtQCWPEV2Cu-yyf3ISKcSAr7AzMSrwpJ6orb7uA979LCuLklxiDj-qYsof7BTD1kWUwx_ouIdgLIAX0q-Q6bzXQE-iTCnt7_Amw0t867XgyJnbn4lMNNMmYpL7NI4BuN29bXsDfHg/s544/Escape_2042_cover.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="544" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSjtnbS5GDyEDMAXN1c0kyHHm0FEve4z7M92GVh6AOdqPTMtQCWPEV2Cu-yyf3ISKcSAr7AzMSrwpJ6orb7uA979LCuLklxiDj-qYsof7BTD1kWUwx_ouIdgLIAX0q-Q6bzXQE-iTCnt7_Amw0t867XgyJnbn4lMNNMmYpL7NI4BuN29bXsDfHg/w200-h196/Escape_2042_cover.webp" width="200" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Extra Top Ten List - Ranking just the Number One Favourites</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>As part of the voting process, we asked you to name a single Dreamcast indie game as your <i>absolute favourite</i>. Whilst this was conceived as a tie-breaker originally, I've used it as the basis of some further results to give a broader picture of how the indie community thinks. If we took those single votes alone, the top ten “favourite” indie Dreamcast games would be:</div><div><br /></div><div>10. Andro Dunos 2 </div><div>9. Rush Rush Rally Rally / Reloaded</div><div>8. Witching Hour </div><div>7. Shadow Gangs </div><div>6. Pier Solar </div><div>5. Xenocider</div><div>(Joint) 3. Xeno Crisis and Intrepid Izzy </div><div>2. Driving Strikers </div><div>1. Sturmwind<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsg_oiTrrgaMj6qNqDPoe7j6sMUuZjLlBgMpDyrm7LCojjPwyBueh2WhG7A0EAWwg2Tm3kK1Nl2duR7vAxeMNvbKl5Sx1hpXiokgcmYVrJ5tW33psHqCMsF8nfikYV4MDv4Br/s595/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-11-30-22-21-2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="595" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsg_oiTrrgaMj6qNqDPoe7j6sMUuZjLlBgMpDyrm7LCojjPwyBueh2WhG7A0EAWwg2Tm3kK1Nl2duR7vAxeMNvbKl5Sx1hpXiokgcmYVrJ5tW33psHqCMsF8nfikYV4MDv4Br/s320/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-11-30-22-21-2.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div>Sturmwind finally tops an indie poll at the ‘Yard! The game received a fair amount more favourite votes than any other game, showing that even though it's one of the older titles in the top ten, it still has many fans. Driving Strikers did well with the online contingent of fans, narrowly beating Xeno Crisis and Intrepid Izzy. The top ranked title of the 2016 indie poll, Pier Solar, still had a lot of support, plus there were two surprises in this top ten - a lot of love for indie horror Witching Hour and JoshProd's (really rather good) Andro Dunos 2.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Best Indie Publisher Vote</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>3. NG:DEV.TEAM</div><div>2. JoshProd</div><div>1. <b>WAVE Game Studios</b></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOxRzren93qfHSQOpmZLkHS6ku00NEc7ZOf7pGnetkTJjPG2_mQVOa2JZnMP0oxNTIkWRemu50684V3QxK2x15M9MgxmcPFtI9Yt-5HHuPeTWhLRp2NQ3Ke7md8TYIdjPXdCg/s1628/WAVE_black_flat%255B2236%255D.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="1628" height="82" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOxRzren93qfHSQOpmZLkHS6ku00NEc7ZOf7pGnetkTJjPG2_mQVOa2JZnMP0oxNTIkWRemu50684V3QxK2x15M9MgxmcPFtI9Yt-5HHuPeTWhLRp2NQ3Ke7md8TYIdjPXdCg/s320/WAVE_black_flat%255B2236%255D.png" width="320" /></a></div></b></div><div>This was a much tighter contest than I had expected. With several of the most publicised indie releases in the last couple of years coming from WAVE Game Studios, and many of those games making the Top 25, you would have thought this would be a foregone conclusion. However JoshProd / PixelHeart pushed them all the way to the end, despite that publishers lack of recognition (relatively speaking) in the upper reaches of our rankings. WAVE have started a new age of indie games on the system and revitalised the scene, and with much more promised from them in the future, this is a deserved recognition for their work. JoshProd started the previous “new era” of Dreamcast indie titles and are largely responsible for the massive surge in the number of releases we have to choose from, so it is only fair that they too were highly ranked here. NG:DEV.TEAM were a surprise third place for me here, and, although some way behind the top two, it's clear their series of releases on the console remain highly regarded.</div><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/12/wave-game-studios-interview-with-indie.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WAVE Game Studios – an interview with the indie publisher keeping the Dream alive</a></span></li></ul><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Best Indie Developer Vote</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>3. Duranik</div><div>2. Reality Jump</div><div><b>1. Senile Team<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDv1DliDQQH83PgWnhnOtFCtyU14x5RCWe-GaRvDH3cAoO-UUy-UhfH0fMAc0p_xCB_LcFpsIGn-JzWmDiIzG16Nd0Dczp8NbeedNp4ZVRvTfD1S2bfoElVlaPHpYRamB2kfCqkA/s1338/teamlogo-white.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1338" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDv1DliDQQH83PgWnhnOtFCtyU14x5RCWe-GaRvDH3cAoO-UUy-UhfH0fMAc0p_xCB_LcFpsIGn-JzWmDiIzG16Nd0Dczp8NbeedNp4ZVRvTfD1S2bfoElVlaPHpYRamB2kfCqkA/s320/teamlogo-white.png" width="320" /></a></div></b></div><div>I was expecting a bit of a battle here between some of the more established, multi-release developers, but it was a clear margin of victory in the end. With two titles in the top ten and one just outside the top 25, Dutch developers Senile Team soared to this award off of the back of a proven track record and their highly successful release of Intrepid Izzy. Rather than sticking to one genre, these veteran developers have covered three mightily well, and we are very excited indeed to see what they do next. Reality Jump - made up of Luke Benstead and David Reichelt - may only have released Driving Strikers so far, but they are at the forefront of the current indie scene and thoroughly deserve their ranking here. It was a tight scrap for third place with NG:DEV.TEAM, Bitmap Bureau and Duranik separated by only a couple of votes, but it was the latter who triumphed - despite their sole Dreamcast release being over a decade ago.</div><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/06/developer-interview-senile-team.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Developer Interview: Senile Team</a></span></li></ul><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Most Anticipated Indie Release</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>3. Shadow Gangs 2</div><div>2. Paprium</div><div><b>1. HarleQuest!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1W3eMaMVrtHPhturX1SRQ23Ry2-WGa_SOx88MRuPbggQquLClmQOCGvENnChRjeiGGKzKEd8UT3cmOrM0GswSZdWrPwy_gzUq5uDQGRIDkWhxd4i3VRd2teg47p6yiaTajDv3bwDX71pYpfPZl6dSic5OdBWbEXoVLwfo013hXNuZIO4K1G5/s680/harle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="680" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1W3eMaMVrtHPhturX1SRQ23Ry2-WGa_SOx88MRuPbggQquLClmQOCGvENnChRjeiGGKzKEd8UT3cmOrM0GswSZdWrPwy_gzUq5uDQGRIDkWhxd4i3VRd2teg47p6yiaTajDv3bwDX71pYpfPZl6dSic5OdBWbEXoVLwfo013hXNuZIO4K1G5/s320/harle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></b></div><div>This one wasn't even close. Whilst Paprium and Shadow Gangs 2 received a fair number of votes, no other title received more than the all-conquering HarleQuest! It seems the Dreamcast indie community are frothing at the mouth to play this dungeon-crawling brawler, as it received more than 80% of the total vote. We'll definitely be keeping an eye on this one, as will a lot of you, it seems!</div><p><span></span></p><ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: medium; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Related: </b><a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/12621911" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DreamPod Episode 115: Talking HarleQuest! with developer Ross Kilgariff</a></span></li></ul><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Extra: Regional Favourite Indie Games</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Due to the number of votes cast, I was able to compile a little something different to end this poll. Taking into account the single choice of best indie game and a complicated series of calculations from the other votes (not really that complicated if I'm honest), I've pulled together a top five for each "region". The US and UK had plenty of votes, and therefore have a top five to themselves, whilst the ten nations from Europe also had enough votes to group them together into their own region. Finally all the other nations (six, plus any vote with no country indicated) are together in a "Rest of World" region.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">America's Favourite Indie Dreamcast Games</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>5. Shadow Gangs </div><div>4. Pier Solar </div><div>3. Driving Strikers </div><div>2. Xeno Crisis </div><div><b>1. Sturmwind<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRqT6CS4rSWY-23cudwJqt5XoB9dHpgsvwcAXnaqnWwTvuUvpklyQu_4A1lRdY5rKjh69Y3Iz1DVWl-e9olXxX2z6lmSNkvApd2uWpEYNWt972bhmEu8kM0PdxY0rLvh49MrvzrLJS-YYCuUljIL4uqaSsWf6wtOLN3-N7dxq0IIQDf3N_LuTG4w/s600/USvote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRqT6CS4rSWY-23cudwJqt5XoB9dHpgsvwcAXnaqnWwTvuUvpklyQu_4A1lRdY5rKjh69Y3Iz1DVWl-e9olXxX2z6lmSNkvApd2uWpEYNWt972bhmEu8kM0PdxY0rLvh49MrvzrLJS-YYCuUljIL4uqaSsWf6wtOLN3-N7dxq0IIQDf3N_LuTG4w/w400-h224/USvote.png" width="400" /></a></div></b>These regional top fives are very interesting indeed. Voters from the USA left out Intrepid Izzy completely (it actually comes in at the seventh spot), which saw games shifting around a bit from their Top 25 positions. To be honest, the top ten was nail-bitingly close, and a couple of votes for any game in the top ten would have changed these rankings significantly, but it's the phenomenal Sturmwind which wins the award for America's favourite indie game, closely followed by Xeno Crisis and Driving Strikers. Pier Solar still has an above average level of support Stateside, whilst Shadow Gangs also clearly ticked the right boxes with our American readers. Shout out to Postal and Feet of Fury which were marginally outside the top five.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">The United Kingdom's Favourite Indie Dreamcast Games</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>5. Wind and Water Puzzle Battles</div><div>4. Sturmwind</div><div>3. Driving Strikers</div><div>2. Intrepid Izzy </div><div><b>1. Xeno Crisis <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf36szwjdkz5kXL4A_kpBA1TjRVfjBujWYh9FR2Q7Q3DFi6NT809MfJzOo1oLpenX8s-UES5RLAl7TfCqhNGKckPxVNwqbCPXSjkaHtHpPiCPVI3QcwCyLKx6Ku0orzZupp5QvZKD67KW-A-ftwZdXiNG9U3Df22smwYg8rzkVM4sqecbjerEm9A/s600/UKvote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf36szwjdkz5kXL4A_kpBA1TjRVfjBujWYh9FR2Q7Q3DFi6NT809MfJzOo1oLpenX8s-UES5RLAl7TfCqhNGKckPxVNwqbCPXSjkaHtHpPiCPVI3QcwCyLKx6Ku0orzZupp5QvZKD67KW-A-ftwZdXiNG9U3Df22smwYg8rzkVM4sqecbjerEm9A/w400-h224/UKvote.png" width="400" /></a></div></b></div><div>It was pretty much a dead heat at the top of the UK vote but homegrown heroes Bitmap Bureau scored the victory with their alien-crushing shooter Xeno Crisis, taking the top spot from Intrepid Izzy. Driving Strikers was a little way back but retained strong support from the UK voting contingent whilst Sturmwind scored a surprisingly low number of votes compared to the other regions. Also making an appearance is the underrated Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles. Just outside this top five we saw Xenocider and Andro Dunos 2 score highly but just miss out by the narrowest of margins.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">Europe's Favourite Indie Dreamcast Games</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>5. Intrepid Izzy</div><div>4. Witching Hour </div><div>3. Sturmwind</div><div>2. Driving Strikers </div><div><b>1. Xenocider <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiKYGMs6gjPItj7se531y7vJdUzmYggX93ORDb4Fl5VyYizKEFxa_xDZkVERRfSaeUBgyZK7sYgkIvA6mWaRRkho2XUAO5jZBobLRxMnazmLElQr41HtY4rOXto7N0REOJjkSg0s484w1xhMacrPJ1hchXzMeZrt0HwUkNWKXKvZnFXlr8TOxvQ/s600/EUvote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiKYGMs6gjPItj7se531y7vJdUzmYggX93ORDb4Fl5VyYizKEFxa_xDZkVERRfSaeUBgyZK7sYgkIvA6mWaRRkho2XUAO5jZBobLRxMnazmLElQr41HtY4rOXto7N0REOJjkSg0s484w1xhMacrPJ1hchXzMeZrt0HwUkNWKXKvZnFXlr8TOxvQ/w400-h224/EUvote.png" width="400" /></a></div></b></div><div>The European vote was quite a surprise. The top three from the main vote was upended, with Intrepid Izzy slipping to fifth, Sturmwind to third, and Xeno Crisis missing out completely. It was the Spanish-developed 3D shooter Xenocider which secured the victory here, with a very strong showing in the votes. Driving Strikers was marginally behind (in fact the top five were all pretty close), whilst the indie horror of Witching Hour secured an incredible fourth place - a massive sixteen places up on their Top 25 rankings. Just outside of the top five was the winner of the 2016 best indie poll, Pier Solar.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Rest of the World's Favourite Indie Dreamcast Games</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>5. Völgarr the Viking</div><div>4. Xenocider </div><div>3. Xeno Crisis </div><div>2. Intrepid Izzy </div><div><b>1. Sturmwind <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbs4Gbsfq68PBvzka9pY8gmVgIQco_9zk8cPDU8ecGlPygl0oU9peqKnZ7KSJxWBwn_i2BWb_P2LhjQ405W7FTsXu1IiplKBK5eon9b_JGavLQYvjfAYiS7bvkW8NlexYxfKRU8EWxDsF1ZQUUYtPWx6Qvw3jmJrTxjgvsx7DdPj8ZHvIB-U5pQ/s600/ROWvote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbs4Gbsfq68PBvzka9pY8gmVgIQco_9zk8cPDU8ecGlPygl0oU9peqKnZ7KSJxWBwn_i2BWb_P2LhjQ405W7FTsXu1IiplKBK5eon9b_JGavLQYvjfAYiS7bvkW8NlexYxfKRU8EWxDsF1ZQUUYtPWx6Qvw3jmJrTxjgvsx7DdPj8ZHvIB-U5pQ/w400-h224/ROWvote.png" width="400" /></a></div></b></div><div>The "Rest of the World" voting category covers no less than four continents and had some really interesting final results. Sturmwind's victory was secured at the last moment, edging out Intrepid Izzy and securing itself a second regional award. Völgarr the Viking scored a big improvement over its Top 25 ranking, whilst Xenocider and Xeno Crisis scored decently in this widest of regions.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div><br /></div><div>Congratulations on all the games, developers and publishers recognised in these results - it has been a blast compiling these results and seeing the love for the indie scene from across the Dreamcast community. Did your favourite game make the Top 25? Sound off in the comments below or via one of our social media pages.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Related articles:</b></div><span><ul><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2024/01/the-complete-guide-to-commercially.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Complete Guide to Commercially Released Dreamcast Indie Games</a><br /></li><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/11/top-10-indie-dreamcast-games-2016-as.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Top 10 Indie Dreamcast Games (2016)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/p/dreamcast-indie-games-publisher.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dreamcast indie games - developer, publisher & retailer directory</a><br /></li><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/02/the-dreamcast-commercial-indie-scene.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Dreamcast commercial indie scene enters a "Golden Age"</a></li></ul></span></div><p></p>Spaceturniphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11383741102834391718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-59094953609165033802024-02-15T16:46:00.003+00:002024-02-16T00:42:18.587+00:00NBA Showtime - For The Industry<h3 style="text-align: left;">Designed and published by Midway Games, Inc for the Sega Dreamcast in 1999, NBA Showtime is still worth playing in 2024, and its 128-bit graphics are worth preserving — for character artists and gamers alike.</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUg-CzHI_KhPTiDJ_ec-4iYHePTDmfXlXpcZNtqCJdW1zQ62cWJ-LAtfyxM6D6lFANyJ_PEwQYfGbd2r7OygnlayC6W1p441grDx0P2lamXUFEmdTZYHSbxRWf3sS_cMoIn5uLrZ_A5IU754ZzyqnTXvM-RU_uo6n6Cj-m8tlRq2OxE5ZIq5gtQ/s1106/1ZQzRCwiFmvr3CMZEkw4PoQ.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="1106" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUg-CzHI_KhPTiDJ_ec-4iYHePTDmfXlXpcZNtqCJdW1zQ62cWJ-LAtfyxM6D6lFANyJ_PEwQYfGbd2r7OygnlayC6W1p441grDx0P2lamXUFEmdTZYHSbxRWf3sS_cMoIn5uLrZ_A5IU754ZzyqnTXvM-RU_uo6n6Cj-m8tlRq2OxE5ZIq5gtQ/w400-h229/1ZQzRCwiFmvr3CMZEkw4PoQ.png" width="400" /></a></div>When we position NBA Showtime on the Dreamcast amongst today’s sports games, something interesting happens. Showtime feels surprisingly fresh with its simple controls and tight playing moves. That is because Showtime is accessible in a way that modern NBA 2K purposefully never will be.<br /><br />What’s more, Showtime’s old-school graphics and big time dunks led me to a major premise — design choices can impact the lives of the people who create and consume a game. That is because design choices made by big tech directly impact game budgets, development staffing decisions, and can even manipulate player spending habits, too. Powerful.<br /><br />Without question, economical and responsibly made sports games are needed in the 2024 sports game market. NBA Showtime is a reminder of what is possible on hardware from over 20 years ago; and its 128-bit design may serve as a prescription in the face of an industry profiting <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/ea-sports-fc-24-beats-expectations-leads-ea-to-q3-growth" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">billions</a> off of gambling mechanics in sports games.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRuh-b8lUjtpRLHoro4bulrd9lPeAx04mwKEV6Ig-uDQAPZen2LAEf6OH_qD0fK8yKQMP6_RvsSlBzmv1ZVTkVhFRWc4E4A5_j86KRfh8A6R5dbFuxxd8sRzXRSiMsEWFMdfLU4Jn9qsIxUNt3jOheHNlcNLV0v4UOJXuwCiOLIyc-IM76xHLAQ/s1338/1Zfq8P7NI_1iysPVoQwsXrg.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1338" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRuh-b8lUjtpRLHoro4bulrd9lPeAx04mwKEV6Ig-uDQAPZen2LAEf6OH_qD0fK8yKQMP6_RvsSlBzmv1ZVTkVhFRWc4E4A5_j86KRfh8A6R5dbFuxxd8sRzXRSiMsEWFMdfLU4Jn9qsIxUNt3jOheHNlcNLV0v4UOJXuwCiOLIyc-IM76xHLAQ/w400-h201/1Zfq8P7NI_1iysPVoQwsXrg.png" width="400" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>NBA Showtime’s Economical Design</b></h3><div><br /></div><div>Showtime’s economical design for the Dreamcast illustrates why arcade sports games are still worth playing. "The NBA on NBC", as it was known in the arcades at the turn of the millennium, is fun and super competitive without complex gameplay controls.<br /><br />I did not expect to play Sega Dreamcast sports games in 2024. And upon powering up, I did not anticipate Showtime’s orchestral strings to invoke such strong emotions about its standing. But when we position it amongst today’s lineup of sports games, nothing actually compares. Whereas NBA 2K, the top selling NBA Basketball game series of the last decade, adopts a model of endless combinations and movesets, Showtime has just four buttons. Easy. One of those buttons is capable of launching three point shots high into the atmosphere, where the basketball seems to sky just long enough to remind yourself to breathe. Hence, the game does fun things with the sport through its iconic presentation — taking a three-pointer and turning it into an exciting event to replay over and over.<br /><br />More importantly, Showtime is offline, and thus not connected to your credit card. It feels honest — unlike today’s games ruined by wallet exploits and complicated control schemes. The NBA 2K series, a prime culprit, builds its obfuscated player ratings and movesets into its game economy systems. Yes, the NBA’s flagship game has endless shops of in-game items to purchase. Everything is for sale.<br /><br />Moreover, sports gamers today are at the mercy of the engineers at 2K Sports because 2K’s gameplay is constantly patched, often without notice — an unethical and potentially illegal business practice. For example, an animation purchased in week one of a game release might lose all value by week ten. Thus, 2K’s confusing layers of ratings systems are purposeful, designed to extract maximum funds out of players’ pockets.<br /><br />Contrasting with 2K, Showtime’s rosters are locked in at specific ratings, and the game features a handful of player archetypes. Bigs, mids, and guards. That is it, and it works. Showtime is a game to enjoy, and its designers emphasized quick-hitting matches to keep the gameplay loop moving. For arcade machines, the gameplay loop was profitable, but on Dreamcast, players can play endless matches for a flat fee. For context, I purchased the game on eBay for the fitting price of $19.99 in late 2023.<br /><br />Additionally, Showtime provides an abundance of what it calls its “coaching tips” in-between quarters that provide insight into the game’s AI and logic. Hence, we know a good deal about how Showtime works. And Showtime is not going to unilaterally change its player ratings any time soon via an online update.<br /><br />When we look at Midway's arcade baller today, its simplicity comes across as a bit underrated. The graphics are blocky, the animations — awkward. But that is part of its charm, and the game can still hammer home the dunks on the genre to remind everyone it is still fun.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRB4HYHiF4a6kA6rUNF9QgqTigGg5RXn_JZ-DHUFXq_6CeSLu1AZfKWjEkpB93zYoVi18R8_RLby4yu9YGvac1a1SYScERk9KdPbuL1I2Zaz7rypM-ecYhNoUO0K1qie4XgcuU_cTyTA_jMch-8hZq3DpRiPGmnSyfCyWXuMyEJuXf8tspt0LVjg/s998/1SFQoRYHLRCGCnT5CLYTryA.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="998" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRB4HYHiF4a6kA6rUNF9QgqTigGg5RXn_JZ-DHUFXq_6CeSLu1AZfKWjEkpB93zYoVi18R8_RLby4yu9YGvac1a1SYScERk9KdPbuL1I2Zaz7rypM-ecYhNoUO0K1qie4XgcuU_cTyTA_jMch-8hZq3DpRiPGmnSyfCyWXuMyEJuXf8tspt0LVjg/w400-h276/1SFQoRYHLRCGCnT5CLYTryA.png" width="400" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">A 128-Bit Prescription for the Industry</h3><div><br /></div>Perhaps more importantly are the moral and ethical benefits of 128-bit gaming in 2024 in its various polygonal forms. In a word: remasters.<br /><br />Remasters of 128-bit polygon arcade games like Showtime may be a compromise for all parties to the sports gaming ecosystem. That is because NBA Showtime’s art-style is highly affordable for the industry to adopt in 2024. As such, a remaster of an NBA Showtime in 2024 would be less laborious on designers, and cost less than most AAA games. For an industry known to run artists into the ground, a remaster is a win. While this argument glosses over the issue of obtaining the requisite licensing for all the players, there are always solutions when there is money to be made. We can trust in that notion.<br /><br />The benefits of 128-bit games also extend to graphic designer and artist employment terms. Silicon Valley’s unethical practice of hiring and firing artists in waves is unnecessary when a 128-bit game costs a fraction of a major simulation sports production in 2024. The 128-bit graphic design choice is an act of acknowledgement to the artists from generations ago. Remasters can take us back to our roots, and maybe that is something the industry needs right now.<br /><br />Lower development costs for a 128-bit production also thereby lessen big tech’s need to exploit players through in-game monetization systems. And while we cannot conclusively draw a line between development costs and microtransactions in our games, we can certainly argue the correlation. Lower costs have numerous benefits on the industry. Art direction matters.<br /><br />Thus, remasters of classic sports games like Showtime represent a path towards dignity for everyone the game touches. Remasters can honor the original artists of NBA Showtime, while treating the artists of today with dignity. And remasters lessen the need for companies to build in morally bankrupt gambling modes into sports games. The premise is simple — companies should have a profound respect for persons and dignity. Human rights should be a part of our game design choices and the industry as a whole.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gD7izViMqkkA5H7im_HwAzF6nhZFGCKGxvusgw1ChXj-hGT4lOtRpyY8rB1dj0H7yZPoJfUqibTX0cOTYVKKkLzbs4Yq4fq8OE_HDKzPodUnW8qjcyIDRJo0vkqfBUNsgVvGhGgM81VfmRFESK8u69JWzsqvFZb9oPgTijAKmsnoTzX5u8ZyaQ/s720/1Pl5uMNifqnRQRlo6Wg4V7Q.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="720" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gD7izViMqkkA5H7im_HwAzF6nhZFGCKGxvusgw1ChXj-hGT4lOtRpyY8rB1dj0H7yZPoJfUqibTX0cOTYVKKkLzbs4Yq4fq8OE_HDKzPodUnW8qjcyIDRJo0vkqfBUNsgVvGhGgM81VfmRFESK8u69JWzsqvFZb9oPgTijAKmsnoTzX5u8ZyaQ/w400-h272/1Pl5uMNifqnRQRlo6Wg4V7Q.png" width="400" /></a></div>When we revisit NBA Showtime in 2024, it is less about nostalgia and more so about what the game now represents in the sports genre. The use of 128-bit graphics in sports games in 2024 is a practical path to more humane treatment of game artists and sports game players.<br /></div>Steven Montani, JDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13321095750138911819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-80643382882401440382024-02-13T19:44:00.010+00:002024-02-14T09:53:33.724+00:00Dreamcast Light Gun title Death Crimson 2 has been Translated into English!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheE8z84I1vQoDYKwkmkzugrhbkupJ-Gyxw7K2pzmue6WoSMzBNKNYa6SRNWoSm3umEiY6ZuyxgtAhadZg4WdohkgNmEDaYs2zBf3_NRMWIIqXt7p5VxJxhlv6_ej_OvQ-ieexAewJM6d5qhlyRBCpAjNqSoW0ebKM3WBbRD7VhBSHgptvli4Solg/s500/t23201gunsetfront.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="500" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheE8z84I1vQoDYKwkmkzugrhbkupJ-Gyxw7K2pzmue6WoSMzBNKNYa6SRNWoSm3umEiY6ZuyxgtAhadZg4WdohkgNmEDaYs2zBf3_NRMWIIqXt7p5VxJxhlv6_ej_OvQ-ieexAewJM6d5qhlyRBCpAjNqSoW0ebKM3WBbRD7VhBSHgptvli4Solg/w400-h356/t23201gunsetfront.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>For a console that famously championed peripheral use, the Sega Dreamcast sure had slim pickings when it came to games that utilised the light gun. Most notably, the console received arcade-perfect ports of both The House of the Dead 2 and the severely underrated James Bond 'em up Confidential Mission; but what else was there? Those who dared to discover were met with Silent Scope without light gun support, a port of Virtua Cop 2 that was <a href="https://segaretro.org/Sega_Smash_Pack_Volume_1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">stuck on a disc</a> with a load of poorly emulated Genesis games (unless you imported the standalone Japanese release), a hidden light gun mode in Demolition Racer: No Exit (<a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/08/the-hidden-dreamcast-light-gun-game.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">yes, really</a>), and the <i>Death Crimson series</i>.</p><p>Developed by Ecole and released exclusively in Japan in 1999, Death Crimson 2: Meranito no Saidan has the very distinct privilege of being the sequel to a game so notoriously bad that it had a particularly masochistic set of Japanese fans <a href="http://www.hashiyansoft.com/contents/dc/death.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gluing the game's disc into their Sega Saturn</a> so as to make sure the console could never play any other game. Luckily, Ecole did improve, and Death Crimson 2 was received better than its predecessor. Perhaps the most intriguing part about this sequel was the inclusion of a full story mode with almost Resident Evil-esque free-roaming sections where you explore in a third-person perspective outside of the light gun gameplay. While an "improved" version of Death Crimson 2 called Death Crimson OX <i>did</i> receive a Western release (in the USA, at least), it completely dropped the story sections, meaning non-Japanese speakers never got a chance to experience this weird mishmash of gameplay in the English language. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq3pJ4udEpGPxWuhvoyc2UjT5rx9Fv6weaBRCiPJMreYYZp-69PXuVEAMPVFJWwiUIXxxOLqpP2E6DJnM-RFoThC-qExype8xWNedG7rAVQsSWCJo-MVQKKJ2m6oDCOAs0XJ2WU_gx-qcrp_2TjGKORnK_x8nUqTePvRQ0K_21cKmCyYB6Smcew/s640/N0dNjMh.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq3pJ4udEpGPxWuhvoyc2UjT5rx9Fv6weaBRCiPJMreYYZp-69PXuVEAMPVFJWwiUIXxxOLqpP2E6DJnM-RFoThC-qExype8xWNedG7rAVQsSWCJo-MVQKKJ2m6oDCOAs0XJ2WU_gx-qcrp_2TjGKORnK_x8nUqTePvRQ0K_21cKmCyYB6Smcew/w400-h300/N0dNjMh.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well, fret no more, as a fan translation of Death Crimson 2 has just released today! And who translated this Dreamcast light gun oddity, you ask? Well, it's the same guy who did the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/10/dreamcast-shooter-trizeal-has-been.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">last English Dreamcast fan translation</a>, too, and many before that! That man being - of course - the ever-busy Derek Pascarella.</p><p>With Derek's patch, everything in the game is now translated into English. This includes everything from the story sections, to cutscenes, to textures and graphics; with misspelled English place names (such as street signs) also being corrected to match the official Western release of Death Crimson OX. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxo_v58POLlyPu_fVLwaFp-tfqAbIXxTXZp362NZx6w45ZktHZfIjcmjKB27Gz00NzJhzbWq2Zk4LjNfO8M3wd0h-I5NAU2_KGBbQWXO7gOJoM1zt52gQ4Us8ScH93f65NAaQj5PRtEAndEeX3gFl7xCTa_QUU_-QFTHIwgCFEkdJGzjhr_hDYA/s640/GGO7tTzWwAA4y47.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxo_v58POLlyPu_fVLwaFp-tfqAbIXxTXZp362NZx6w45ZktHZfIjcmjKB27Gz00NzJhzbWq2Zk4LjNfO8M3wd0h-I5NAU2_KGBbQWXO7gOJoM1zt52gQ4Us8ScH93f65NAaQj5PRtEAndEeX3gFl7xCTa_QUU_-QFTHIwgCFEkdJGzjhr_hDYA/w400-h300/GGO7tTzWwAA4y47.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>As always with Derek's releases, he's gone above and beyond with extras and enchantments. First up, Derek has added a VMU icon for the game, because Ecole were too lazy to implement one themselves. Next, he added a cheat function, which can up your lives and reset any countdown clock with a simultaneous press of the Dreamcast controller's left and right triggers. The reasoning for this is to allow players to experience the game's story without being having to endure going through numerous difficult stages repeatedly.</p><p>Then you have the bonus content section, which is accessible from the game's main menu. Utilising a modified version of the Dream Passport browser, players can access a variety of extras from the series, including a video of composer Kunitaka Watanabe tearing it up on the keyboard as he plays the original Death Crimson theme, along with an archive of fan support messages from Ecole's now-offline official Death Crimson 2 website, which have been machine-translated into English.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5C1K_FZdor23B7nbOAF5qnTPNwIdcwJu7nkPOk0n-LxAvcHm9oIAOqH4VrHqjl4bhu7vslyYAIDJufUgy-grHLJ2Wb_nUwnWZSfeITAQ9L23l8eHeuvx7TzkuTEp9NO-Jo0OKUkpUDpqNe57vPuYhde0PYIyhz1XpLVG3Eq1xvxpL_xwln_-fTA/s640/FfhxYNO.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5C1K_FZdor23B7nbOAF5qnTPNwIdcwJu7nkPOk0n-LxAvcHm9oIAOqH4VrHqjl4bhu7vslyYAIDJufUgy-grHLJ2Wb_nUwnWZSfeITAQ9L23l8eHeuvx7TzkuTEp9NO-Jo0OKUkpUDpqNe57vPuYhde0PYIyhz1XpLVG3Eq1xvxpL_xwln_-fTA/w400-h300/FfhxYNO.png" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">So, to download Derek's fan translation patch for Death Crimson 2, just head to its dedicated <a href="https://github.com/DerekPascarella/DeathCrimson2AltarofMelanito-EnglishPatchDreamcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">GitHub page</a> to download it. For detailed steps on how to apply the patch for your desired method of play (i.e. burning to a CD-R, playing on an ODE), see the <a href="https://github.com/DerekPascarella/DeathCrimson2AltarofMelanito-EnglishPatchDreamcast/?tab=readme-ov-file#patching-instructions" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patching instructions</a> section of the README. While the game does support the standard controller, if you're going to be using a light gun I recommend consulting the section on <a href="https://github.com/DerekPascarella/DeathCrimson2AltarofMelanito-EnglishPatchDreamcast/?tab=readme-ov-file#a-note-on-light-gun-compatibility" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">light gun compatibility</a>. Make sure you report back to Derek if you experience any issues with a particular light gun setup, as he will aim to try and resolve such compatibility bugs in the future.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Are you going to crack out the light gun and give this English fan translation a go? Let us know in the comments below, or by hitting us up on one of various social media channels!</p>Lewis Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14780213240335170126noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-1065229352446728012024-02-09T16:13:00.011+00:002024-03-03T22:55:51.866+00:00Dreamcast Covers that Go Hard (and Some More that Can Go Straight in the Bin)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OTQeMu8vzlwpi2Pk1jLjxomHmyJge2DMAcMbOKaQ9l3PrFQKFKdbcDxP-VShzZAu17JteT1E379T8-UGmzFLXD4Kd5rPzRpG83V50aKMtsduxabIlkP7_vcrxEQ6b2f7znSohb5S1MLjNzzgjqi-QUYMnMWMS7OT5Xm520qrWLsJf3UREPXWIw/s600/coverarts.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OTQeMu8vzlwpi2Pk1jLjxomHmyJge2DMAcMbOKaQ9l3PrFQKFKdbcDxP-VShzZAu17JteT1E379T8-UGmzFLXD4Kd5rPzRpG83V50aKMtsduxabIlkP7_vcrxEQ6b2f7znSohb5S1MLjNzzgjqi-QUYMnMWMS7OT5Xm520qrWLsJf3UREPXWIw/w508-h285/coverarts.png" width="508" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Like the greatest album covers in the world, some games make a great impression even when sitting on a shelf. Whilst previews in the media, video trailers and word of mouth are vitally important, it would be wise not to underestimate the immediate impact a game’s cover can have on those with more impressionable minds. Generic artwork or uninspiring stylistic choices may be fine if the game has loads of pre-release hype or a big name license, but stick some glorious artwork from a talented artist on the cover and you're near enough guaranteed some extra interest.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Dreamcast's small but beautiful library of games is jam-packed with turn-of-the-millennium style and innovation, and this is present in some of the artwork which adorned gaming shelves worldwide. Some are of course, iconic - Ulala's presence on the Space Channel 5 artwork, the striking simplicity of the PAL/Japanese covers of Crazy Taxi, Shenmue's epicness - but there are some that deserve more attention. These are works of art - they deserve to be blown up to a larger size, framed and hung in the finest of art galleries. So it's time to put my best gallery curator hat on and showcase why I think these fifteen choice cuts of Dreamcast cover art glory are examples worthy of so much praise, followed by five duds that deserve the complete opposite...</p><p style="text-align: left;">All covers used in this article come from <a href="https://segaretro.org/Main_Page" target="_blank">Sega Retro</a>, unless stated otherwise. Let's get into them...</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">The Dreamcast covers that go hard...</b></p><div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Spawn: In The Demon's Hand</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTm1Qj47G0rtnkVFkJgDET9OmaM0Qdip9HruTjnupyU8giRhMuj_r-HYisBlDInIe2pJs43-jupp2MeUzywFhKyMkgKI7Gl3GYcMUelPKpmwcI1v2EOIfcOtQmCSFkYLVzppZoEVJU_fz-GUV228pYZx0Wwcdi5zao59BrTwxRCC1qpXFo7C1z/s1400/Spawn_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTm1Qj47G0rtnkVFkJgDET9OmaM0Qdip9HruTjnupyU8giRhMuj_r-HYisBlDInIe2pJs43-jupp2MeUzywFhKyMkgKI7Gl3GYcMUelPKpmwcI1v2EOIfcOtQmCSFkYLVzppZoEVJU_fz-GUV228pYZx0Wwcdi5zao59BrTwxRCC1qpXFo7C1z/w320-h320/Spawn_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I could have picked any of the cover variations of this release, as they are all absolutely epic in nature, but I've chosen the standard Japanese cover. Looking more like some great, unknown fantasy war metal album cover, this puts Todd McFarlane's comic masterpiece centre stage with a swirling mass of metal, cloak and spikes. Spawn is the ultimate badass antihero, an imposing demonic hellspawn, and a character that is designed to be visually interesting in whatever angle, pose or situation he is depicted in. As a game, In the Demon's Hand falls a little short, but the cover art surely must have led to a few extra sales.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The artwork for the standard Japanese version, as well as that used on other examples of the game, seem to have been taken from Spawn issue 95. The limited first print edition of the game released in Japan came with a cardboard slipcase with artwork similar to the US and PAL releases - all of which are based on the cover of 95.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQgJ5WnGTWd0BSwol1kVhkXCLkTdXP1wu7ezv1qMXEhld7UoJ3M0D8ZjWFjNlzZHJS8U3mGrwZPHBAn1Y7FLj1OxqLh3EIw8O1wwHyEBSARxYiLnZZOFs9kwlxeqbeoBDfVV1W6spw4IRoS_tRzYOkSutWt7L0aZBHIocNwwkbPVUFXwrGaN6XA/s1000/pa.5872.3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1000" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQgJ5WnGTWd0BSwol1kVhkXCLkTdXP1wu7ezv1qMXEhld7UoJ3M0D8ZjWFjNlzZHJS8U3mGrwZPHBAn1Y7FLj1OxqLh3EIw8O1wwHyEBSARxYiLnZZOFs9kwlxeqbeoBDfVV1W6spw4IRoS_tRzYOkSutWt7L0aZBHIocNwwkbPVUFXwrGaN6XA/s320/pa.5872.3.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Japanese limited first print edition slipcase artwork (Credit: <a href="https://www.play-asia.com/spawn-in-the-demons-hand-limited-edition/13/704j4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PlayAsia</a>)</div></div><div><p style="text-align: left;"><b></b></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10lhUHfoKvDw2JXydQQ8zcwEnyExSA0Z4j3OHIs4VGQP-1_VDv59RcISRyF8OOOY7bQ8c1wcJFEM9b0JHaYN7n8ag_4rLVWW4fqZQVHIP1zh_ehJQri_rfnvKxo3BSaYlsELKTLTRkM_GYFs0rWMXNFH3PxnkIQpVApjc13WM8e3RnIxpO42w/s647/Spawn_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10lhUHfoKvDw2JXydQQ8zcwEnyExSA0Z4j3OHIs4VGQP-1_VDv59RcISRyF8OOOY7bQ8c1wcJFEM9b0JHaYN7n8ag_4rLVWW4fqZQVHIP1zh_ehJQri_rfnvKxo3BSaYlsELKTLTRkM_GYFs0rWMXNFH3PxnkIQpVApjc13WM8e3RnIxpO42w/s320/Spawn_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The US cover has the same artwork as both the Japanese slipcase and the PAL release. It's a bit cleaner than the standard Japanese cover, and not as impactful.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSv5vTOlpx5CRt1KF78i-_aeIiWTIlBjT11V9tVICIiKsxrzXcBlz8R8ZXmlfJ9VC0HTyfIdII1MpwC5Zs1cTlQqv6FlO3_keVNSFml4vWA0w9P3jWNlTSINehXAe6ASm7CUGGPA-wLW1H3iQ1xmBJZ8m6WwvmHxcYZyVdfjLJJfcHrAacijvy/s572/spawn%20comic.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="372" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSv5vTOlpx5CRt1KF78i-_aeIiWTIlBjT11V9tVICIiKsxrzXcBlz8R8ZXmlfJ9VC0HTyfIdII1MpwC5Zs1cTlQqv6FlO3_keVNSFml4vWA0w9P3jWNlTSINehXAe6ASm7CUGGPA-wLW1H3iQ1xmBJZ8m6WwvmHxcYZyVdfjLJJfcHrAacijvy/s320/spawn%20comic.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The cover art for Spawn issue 95, the artwork of which was the basis for the game covers above.</div><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mars Matrix (Japanese cover)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDD9DmavTG5nLfVJ0fNFMzz3EqLPOK_PJoqsvki2NXVFGiRsidrHJzeAm3DQ-QGVArTNO9Fah81yndqxrpS2b_ys6UMASOO9XUJQDpt0yaEz_kOPqGvyuLqdVXjPr8WDR46kiTUwGppi8Rty1lactKIhG40jFtX69vVEk5f9JTsRipifuqlUc/s1400/MarsMatrix_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDD9DmavTG5nLfVJ0fNFMzz3EqLPOK_PJoqsvki2NXVFGiRsidrHJzeAm3DQ-QGVArTNO9Fah81yndqxrpS2b_ys6UMASOO9XUJQDpt0yaEz_kOPqGvyuLqdVXjPr8WDR46kiTUwGppi8Rty1lactKIhG40jFtX69vVEk5f9JTsRipifuqlUc/w320-h320/MarsMatrix_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Takumi's underrated shooter delivers a depth to the genre that's unrivaled on the console, and has the best cover of any shooter on the system (particularly the Japanese version's cover). I will take no criticism of that viewpoint! This cover is a dynamic, colourful burst of energy which breaks away from the usual clichés seen on the covers of other shoot 'em ups, whilst never going so far out there that you'd be confused as to what genre of game it actually is. Taken as a whole, it's a piece of art; from the fonts used for the title (to continue with the metal references of this article, this text wouldn't look out of place as the logo for some sort of cosmic math metal band), to the colour gradation, to the sleek sci-fi lines and shapes in the background. The US cover (below) isn't awful either, but it lacks the eye-punching appeal that the Japanese release displays.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIcrtKICbDyGtnsRNgAWXLC53CuDitQSQ-ZV7jO_E3TdXQMnuT2jNwmYPoq51h2gUEg-huNXWYkYlAv2aqVu9daZPDHtE6rkkTNGDYcy8oleZUOBq3ibL7Fnel0o4e3cKFrK1-ysdgKFuPja-dV376TyhHo-EAjA2-FpBhxzUBflNr3z5SopaS/s1436/MarsMatrix_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1436" data-original-width="1431" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIcrtKICbDyGtnsRNgAWXLC53CuDitQSQ-ZV7jO_E3TdXQMnuT2jNwmYPoq51h2gUEg-huNXWYkYlAv2aqVu9daZPDHtE6rkkTNGDYcy8oleZUOBq3ibL7Fnel0o4e3cKFrK1-ysdgKFuPja-dV376TyhHo-EAjA2-FpBhxzUBflNr3z5SopaS/w318-h320/MarsMatrix_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The US version does many things the Japanese version did, but the change of colours diminishes the appeal somewhat. Still, a decent attempt.</div><br /><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Nomad Soul (PAL German cover)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmz1he7dEy-pIRKsysgg2kB3O_u8J1AZU2_Wo-z2sWUIXNT0SFxnMX4hiadYlzQd-C_oKpIbAXT4ToBt5lPrBl_MlrLndlU79bB07EtxhfRWZ_Fcy8nAHw3i-oKiUDYUUuZKfx9Upi7Wo_itcNJAjWgJ1g9Ee5KytHxr27V4pgroJDqV0nOp_7/s1435/OTNS_DC_DE_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="1413" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmz1he7dEy-pIRKsysgg2kB3O_u8J1AZU2_Wo-z2sWUIXNT0SFxnMX4hiadYlzQd-C_oKpIbAXT4ToBt5lPrBl_MlrLndlU79bB07EtxhfRWZ_Fcy8nAHw3i-oKiUDYUUuZKfx9Upi7Wo_itcNJAjWgJ1g9Ee5KytHxr27V4pgroJDqV0nOp_7/s320/OTNS_DC_DE_Box_Front.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>The David Bowie video game vehicle that is The Nomad Soul (or Omikron: the Nomad Soul for our US readers) is an underappreciated game which, despite some performance and technical issues, is still well worth a play, if only to see an early example of Quantic Dream's ambition on display. There were a variety of covers used throughout the different releases regions, with the US version (featuring David Bowie) being pretty average, while the PAL versions (of which there were three!) are far more interesting. The standard PAL and French versions (both below) look good, but it's the German version seen above that I've featured as the standout cover here. Similar to the standard PAL version, it takes a monotone approach, which is quite striking, and is a bit more mysterious and gothic in its design. This cover was also used for the German Windows release.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz99GkxsDxRP8m0mmaQJ-5qvYpm7EB0yvOA4LIefgqXl89XRhHslHDa4Y1bfadzzpQjzdoIGejUrreRhxE8_uU-Vo3yCIeUo81wGszStvm7AA-SyZMSFC4L8ng4AKkcDLSNcgL4iRx5B-QmMlddS0DHlvq_uZOYcOsFCxx6WPqusQ7Qhzx1U9e/s906/906px-OTNS_DC_UK_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="906" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz99GkxsDxRP8m0mmaQJ-5qvYpm7EB0yvOA4LIefgqXl89XRhHslHDa4Y1bfadzzpQjzdoIGejUrreRhxE8_uU-Vo3yCIeUo81wGszStvm7AA-SyZMSFC4L8ng4AKkcDLSNcgL4iRx5B-QmMlddS0DHlvq_uZOYcOsFCxx6WPqusQ7Qhzx1U9e/s320/906px-OTNS_DC_UK_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This standard PAL version isn't far behind the German version. Striking, effective and definitely would have appealed to me on a shop shelf.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZB1t7scXKLHKM8No9OIA6Qrx_hLlgKb2NGCUeo2bCCmcdCGyA3pCuqIOjJx29oqYxduqgDoVPtKW7bxpQjoZR7wXEbZ0tVYAbbjnPpsGMPc4U9KMY3FH9hoPW-GGYEBVvOah4aUqzl_nmJh9MeJJrLKQn-EllYYLu3_Z_nCytQIWpuu3qs8P/s708/OTNS_DC_FR_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="708" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZB1t7scXKLHKM8No9OIA6Qrx_hLlgKb2NGCUeo2bCCmcdCGyA3pCuqIOjJx29oqYxduqgDoVPtKW7bxpQjoZR7wXEbZ0tVYAbbjnPpsGMPc4U9KMY3FH9hoPW-GGYEBVvOah4aUqzl_nmJh9MeJJrLKQn-EllYYLu3_Z_nCytQIWpuu3qs8P/s320/OTNS_DC_FR_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This French cover is in some ways just as good as the German version. It is probably the PAL version which most closely mirrors the sort of experience you would get in the game. Decent. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">EGG (Japanese cover)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zDvneYXoDWxKiU3EANM1CHWyZe6McWTBMN9qW-sVaXGURN2qYoB3cCSsN9iAz1oGNqoa7kRhsbEi4bL1yeeKvRsO-YmPiBm1NQQiI4f71WTpVsCiIzXz0aTOjc23FogGgZHA18XEcST_z0EvhW9en19DRW9xRUncAG2wSYKVCj8-enYWyadj/s2828/EGG_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2821" data-original-width="2828" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zDvneYXoDWxKiU3EANM1CHWyZe6McWTBMN9qW-sVaXGURN2qYoB3cCSsN9iAz1oGNqoa7kRhsbEi4bL1yeeKvRsO-YmPiBm1NQQiI4f71WTpVsCiIzXz0aTOjc23FogGgZHA18XEcST_z0EvhW9en19DRW9xRUncAG2wSYKVCj8-enYWyadj/s320/EGG_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Elemental Gimmick Gear is yet another game which deserves far more attention than it gets, and the cover of its Japanese release is just superb. The intricate design is appealing, the colour scheme - whilst somewhat different than the game itself - which is bold and bright - works really well and it manages to convey a sense of mystery and intrigue in the final product that the US version... <i>does not</i>. I've included that version below and whilst it's not as bad as some of the very worst cases on the console, and indeed conveys the game quite well, it still comes across like the cover of a third-rate '70s sci-fi novel. The Japanese version manages to avoid that completely and is stylish as hell.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QNEZ4GAaKpxAixZer6qmeoPrSyw3LIcGXsbfP9_AJlhKGvOQkXaMhBwN_Pe8iTXYFl9SpfV8GeMPA2uaLxAeMW6JQkF_KIEdA7bgdb0kJPHsCxtU1j4QpbLCRe_uNIg5MgvR3mMxx7Xtw1jHovrmpEUk8ATW1416krKAqLa7OTxZYHNDfVO-/s1417/EGG_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1395" data-original-width="1417" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6QNEZ4GAaKpxAixZer6qmeoPrSyw3LIcGXsbfP9_AJlhKGvOQkXaMhBwN_Pe8iTXYFl9SpfV8GeMPA2uaLxAeMW6JQkF_KIEdA7bgdb0kJPHsCxtU1j4QpbLCRe_uNIg5MgvR3mMxx7Xtw1jHovrmpEUk8ATW1416krKAqLa7OTxZYHNDfVO-/s320/EGG_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The US cover in all of its outdated glory.</div><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Ikaruga </span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mGhv3hfl2hQIr50jy0BU5epVQ2XIDu1wgtfe7JsBC75Yt3u_Xr60NQa7MZl3mGyT0nRMf6GcHLQeoTs5UbaT0NIKiToSdS0czFhyyABx9SISrRghkFt89MbnGTalrrgcBWqgoXm-FpEgSqaHnS-bbjeCEAWZrXBLpu0kHapOxYcza8Uafvus/s1434/Ikaruga_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1408" data-original-width="1434" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mGhv3hfl2hQIr50jy0BU5epVQ2XIDu1wgtfe7JsBC75Yt3u_Xr60NQa7MZl3mGyT0nRMf6GcHLQeoTs5UbaT0NIKiToSdS0czFhyyABx9SISrRghkFt89MbnGTalrrgcBWqgoXm-FpEgSqaHnS-bbjeCEAWZrXBLpu0kHapOxYcza8Uafvus/s320/Ikaruga_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">There aren't many shooters featured in this list, not because their covers are awful (far from it) but because whilst striking, they sort of get lost in what you'd expect from the genre. Ikaruga is a bit different. The contrast between the warm colours of the left hand side and the blackness of the right hand side; the mysterious illustration which is intriguing enough to make you take notice; the stylistic throwbacks to classic cinema posters lends it both a futuristic and stylish element as well as a nod back to classic Japanese design aesthetics. It's a remarkable piece of work. The game as a whole is probably only beaten by Rez in the “dripping with style” stakes, and should be held up as a top tier piece of art.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Sword of the Berserk: Gut's Rage (PAL cover)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn30oXGZYlIqvA6_Wt5uZzIFx9vqrKiFzXIqlTqVq4OZ9apoZpRGUpod_TqtZ8vD_NlGAVjJx74O0wJKs9M1bYHjTnAq8LUm5rRNHBnf8NrPhL04r2rGmV8ctWJ5WcUkPIQSZ8IXQFZHZcnud0UCjtrfHCvcH05fumFziiv1GdPUV1067jWMDQ/s1422/SotB_DC_UK_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1408" data-original-width="1422" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn30oXGZYlIqvA6_Wt5uZzIFx9vqrKiFzXIqlTqVq4OZ9apoZpRGUpod_TqtZ8vD_NlGAVjJx74O0wJKs9M1bYHjTnAq8LUm5rRNHBnf8NrPhL04r2rGmV8ctWJ5WcUkPIQSZ8IXQFZHZcnud0UCjtrfHCvcH05fumFziiv1GdPUV1067jWMDQ/s320/SotB_DC_UK_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As appears to be a trend with the games listed in this article, Sword of the Berserk is another criminally underrated title for the Dreamcast and one of the best narrative-driven experiences on a system which is quite short of similar examples. Based on the late Kentaro Miura's "Berserk" manga, it is a blood-soaked, giant sword-wielding adventure with some seriously impressive source material. The game was released in all three regions, and whilst the Japanese cover is decent and the US version is a bit of a CGI mess, it's the PAL release which deserves a place here. Minimalist in design, this cover highlights all the important details of the game (Guts, the sword, blood) whilst remaining enigmatic enough to grab some attention. Clean lines and a great use of colours mark this one as a striking cover. It would not look out of place as an early heavy metal album cover - a compliment.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqJwFWDWwcV4TJMgBoBRtYnNgJWgqjSoLVeJNlnf2qUEgYYr1SKVmCpDlibM4s_mXZbIw3MMhYEGn-iW7DVbJeV-qvq_ZS0OlLcHlX_LnEsscxfq1p3vLTjSb5U8IzRJZn9akfldq-jWp471-7ODwMXNKHHDD9GsJySd6EpVDf6fL92AcaE8m/s1715/SotB_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1715" data-original-width="1712" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqJwFWDWwcV4TJMgBoBRtYnNgJWgqjSoLVeJNlnf2qUEgYYr1SKVmCpDlibM4s_mXZbIw3MMhYEGn-iW7DVbJeV-qvq_ZS0OlLcHlX_LnEsscxfq1p3vLTjSb5U8IzRJZn9akfldq-jWp471-7ODwMXNKHHDD9GsJySd6EpVDf6fL92AcaE8m/s320/SotB_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This Japanese cover is closer to the source material, but lacks a bit the flair you'd expect it to have.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41TdXVkxuXVua40CExLLJYfshEGWFb-m6ejId4j8L7sd_WOX7qooOmSHsbwj7XZ2w2ydY4vFWUU3abaWrPyzLiAAl5v5B0NT7Oghb77Xd8BG6fHUpjQ4yNDNJ38f6WfBK-aR1qc9G12G4nPXuxqdMVT1joiJTtPfmqPTsuV6yF8y0DPW-DB7Z/s1439/SotB_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1439" data-original-width="1433" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41TdXVkxuXVua40CExLLJYfshEGWFb-m6ejId4j8L7sd_WOX7qooOmSHsbwj7XZ2w2ydY4vFWUU3abaWrPyzLiAAl5v5B0NT7Oghb77Xd8BG6fHUpjQ4yNDNJ38f6WfBK-aR1qc9G12G4nPXuxqdMVT1joiJTtPfmqPTsuV6yF8y0DPW-DB7Z/s320/SotB_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The US cover relies heavily on CGI which just makes it look a little tacky.</div><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Plasma Sword: </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Nightmare of Bilstein </b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;">(Japanese cover)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAg5SQlqUEJ9OLrGtIVc1j1BISG3kwGW_txeM-3h27fxUxH8dpAUp8y_5UQCl3hgd0DwfdFgMCCD9QIAGoeTU0jy0ZiDRVIPAt8-QcUaLqxzmI7LodMpVSShjL29xpS9uQBVL57t3GXFjtbfHSI5jwoq7C9W2Q-WJAldUZaV0DvaP3kk7boSen/s2382/PlasmaSword_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2382" data-original-width="2382" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAg5SQlqUEJ9OLrGtIVc1j1BISG3kwGW_txeM-3h27fxUxH8dpAUp8y_5UQCl3hgd0DwfdFgMCCD9QIAGoeTU0jy0ZiDRVIPAt8-QcUaLqxzmI7LodMpVSShjL29xpS9uQBVL57t3GXFjtbfHSI5jwoq7C9W2Q-WJAldUZaV0DvaP3kk7boSen/s320/PlasmaSword_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein is often forgotten about amidst the extremely high-quality Capcom fighter lineup on the Dreamcast. It's not an awful game by any means, but it's not the spectacular genre hit that the publisher is well known for, and it doesn't exactly have a title that rolls off the tongue, either. Whilst the Western release makes it sound like a new franchise, this is actually a sequel to Star Gladiator, a 1996 Arcade and PlayStation release, and the Japanese release retains that title and makes clear that it is a sequel. It also received a much better cover in Japan, a fantastically illustrated collage; an epic piece of art that far more appealing than the otherwise bland Western covers.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0fLTyXeGV2xWLj8gceWotiQvH5boGPifLg7zHI8z5KY07HGaVKJdveX5H0yd5OP5-MbHXXky2nfIp1LXQ9h2YMnynQYvRua2_1RHSFWS8CtevyopaSKPU4jCGYQlCjNXqrnaddCHhOdqdbdVUVPqv9984AB6T9Qgr0Blj_p9yd_nufy7u3Y-/s800/PlasmaSword_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="800" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT0fLTyXeGV2xWLj8gceWotiQvH5boGPifLg7zHI8z5KY07HGaVKJdveX5H0yd5OP5-MbHXXky2nfIp1LXQ9h2YMnynQYvRua2_1RHSFWS8CtevyopaSKPU4jCGYQlCjNXqrnaddCHhOdqdbdVUVPqv9984AB6T9Qgr0Blj_p9yd_nufy7u3Y-/s320/PlasmaSword_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">The US cover is so uninteresting compared to the Japanese release. You have to wonder sometimes just why so many Western publishers decided that the North American market deserved such inferior artwork.</div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Silver (PAL cover)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdAR0RrYoXbtd835b79L_IpqoZ00JBJTCvNNWZ7ipKZHbpkrJyn90LoeFc_ernNOL0A8t93NPCWTroC5kUf1vo-H_VTpN1IEvJSHiRct8iONMZjPf6aFt-BO4PGT64HYvVc8AehJUJ0YVOpG_ek477UcUTE7kCoT8feEYbcwzKIt0zSUUG8mZ/s2830/Silver_DC_EU_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2830" data-original-width="2814" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdAR0RrYoXbtd835b79L_IpqoZ00JBJTCvNNWZ7ipKZHbpkrJyn90LoeFc_ernNOL0A8t93NPCWTroC5kUf1vo-H_VTpN1IEvJSHiRct8iONMZjPf6aFt-BO4PGT64HYvVc8AehJUJ0YVOpG_ek477UcUTE7kCoT8feEYbcwzKIt0zSUUG8mZ/s320/Silver_DC_EU_Box_Front.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Now this is epic. Another example of a relatively simple idea visualised superbly, this PAL cover for Silver successfully sells the game as some operatic adventure capable of giving the player god-like powers in a classic confrontation between good and evil. It's a masterclass of design - the character is centralised, shrouded in light, with arms steadfastly holding aloft dual swords as evil minions cower underneath. Sure, it's a bit clichéd, but then sometimes you need some well-known tropes in the design to make it work so well. Silver is yet another underappreciated game on the system, and I'd definitely pick it up at random if I saw this epic fantasy metal-like cover on display - and in fact, I did, from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woolworths_(United_Kingdom)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Woolies</a> back in the day. Now if you're from North America, I'm afraid the great US cover curse strikes once more, as Infogrames did you all dirty with a CGI-heavy cover that doesn't even compare to the artistic PAL masterpiece. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgvBU6ZzU3QE-eiZwu0ebueoRDw3QqQChUoqv2h6vyYvE-rMRCn_mx8_QQbo7Wr14ZBtqFU4HL41wrFWCbTY1alJB1kaiUlm8IsJDevDoJ7SZ-S9Jnp3jE_4wS9CWhqSn0PKJ9yFHRzvpSj7nbSeme5wawb0-Bvw6oBFsi2wPVolKdvcUZunl/s902/902px-Silver_DC_US_Box_Front%20(1).jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="902" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgvBU6ZzU3QE-eiZwu0ebueoRDw3QqQChUoqv2h6vyYvE-rMRCn_mx8_QQbo7Wr14ZBtqFU4HL41wrFWCbTY1alJB1kaiUlm8IsJDevDoJ7SZ-S9Jnp3jE_4wS9CWhqSn0PKJ9yFHRzvpSj7nbSeme5wawb0-Bvw6oBFsi2wPVolKdvcUZunl/s320/902px-Silver_DC_US_Box_Front%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">What a disappointment this is. Vague, boring and without any real texture, this is a sham compared to the PAL cover.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (Japanese Cover)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi959bz5tlUsXCwrBCR2tNvlRMub_FmPlzLu4nyF2FpNB6FN6Bz3pTuhH1Z71h54L9x1QMzW4SZwi7f31g1xc6BAPVzJ73QbIT7XiS648K26YwerpMof1t6CWtVSbeRCBwmlxeGsuuFF-HdKzJLm9Ph7EaPn9SIizOgIq2KU7IyyqXeisSYlLj4/s800/TombRaider4_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="800" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi959bz5tlUsXCwrBCR2tNvlRMub_FmPlzLu4nyF2FpNB6FN6Bz3pTuhH1Z71h54L9x1QMzW4SZwi7f31g1xc6BAPVzJ73QbIT7XiS648K26YwerpMof1t6CWtVSbeRCBwmlxeGsuuFF-HdKzJLm9Ph7EaPn9SIizOgIq2KU7IyyqXeisSYlLj4/s320/TombRaider4_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Some of you may think I've lost my mind picking a Tomb Raider game for this list but I can fight a strong case for its inclusion. There's something a little epic about this cover, as if the contents within are about to unleash some sort of ancient Egyptian-themed power metal (I'm labouring the metal connections in this article now, but it remains the best comparison I can make - epic album covers and epic game covers are one and the same, and awesome with it). The sun shining down over the dusty pyramids, Lara clutching her guns as she surveys her next quest, the desert wind blowing through her hair. It recalls classic adventure movie posters (yes, including Indiana Jones), and the almost incidental inclusion of Lara, rather than her face being the main focus, just adds to the sense of adventure, helped by a really well-chosen choice of colours. The PAL cover, seen below, is less interesting, although still not totally awful. There's a bit too much emphasis on a couple of assets (ahem) and the entire thing is a little too pre-rendered CGI for my liking, but it does try its best.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTBZ4Ml4uBMnV7jVSeBo-E6s4HleN3oC-lUkSZBtqg6XPxznXD0UJjQLx9woiwSehpWiqYo84B2ZzzlkyCtYrr_C6lGBU9Y6A4fnJR4oFQht8QHuEgXv8zqBrkVgGOejW9Af11yUGhR1PUrZh0ypCb-QOYyi0fJiChGKNvND5NajcHxusmeR8/s1415/TombRaider4_DC_UK_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1415" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTBZ4Ml4uBMnV7jVSeBo-E6s4HleN3oC-lUkSZBtqg6XPxznXD0UJjQLx9woiwSehpWiqYo84B2ZzzlkyCtYrr_C6lGBU9Y6A4fnJR4oFQht8QHuEgXv8zqBrkVgGOejW9Af11yUGhR1PUrZh0ypCb-QOYyi0fJiChGKNvND5NajcHxusmeR8/s320/TombRaider4_DC_UK_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I wonder what the focus of Eidos' Tomb Raider marketing was at the turn of the century...</div><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Cosmic Smash</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU2d0z7Zk2rX3923rWJxPl_pEfzGwOArW5KSFH5pUegLc06K9rVFC8pIC_KkeU-3NNeHtetYeEueQ8GS3gHUgrQUdUOQhXW0stYLydpWQxmsqrzBu8WUpUyM3Jxz_fV4Ty-PlC01tgrrvGb_-2MoKs_Q7QDT1rg9t-ByQoPMhTKt5IFsIEsDE/s510/20111101221824!CosmicSmash_DC_JP_Box.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="357" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTU2d0z7Zk2rX3923rWJxPl_pEfzGwOArW5KSFH5pUegLc06K9rVFC8pIC_KkeU-3NNeHtetYeEueQ8GS3gHUgrQUdUOQhXW0stYLydpWQxmsqrzBu8WUpUyM3Jxz_fV4Ty-PlC01tgrrvGb_-2MoKs_Q7QDT1rg9t-ByQoPMhTKt5IFsIEsDE/s320/20111101221824!CosmicSmash_DC_JP_Box.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">The ultra-stylish Cosmic Smash is a Dreamcast classic with timeless gameplay - not bad for what basically amounts to a futuristic game of squash. Joining Rez and Ikaruga in the top ranks of cool on the system, it also has a unique packaging design. Featuring a semi-translucent DVD case inlay with a minimalist design on the front, it allows the illustrations on the manual to show through, which is a perfect representation of the futuristic design aesthetics that the game aims for. Everything is stylised, mechano-organical in nature, and it's striking in both its simplicity and coolness. The splash of colours merely adds to the appeal, creating an eye-catching design that is very unique. This is one game where I'm glad it didn't receive a Western release - whilst the PAL version could have probably been quite cool, heaven knows what monstrosity the Americans would have had to contend with. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Resident Evil 2 (PAL cover)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRFR6pNRSnN1zjn4qchMlYeWZ6z8twimjB0QxzuyRAjlrdzZgmsPgx9hjIBIkubAcbbk89ECpSaAoFyxG7al8x0J6n7AvDP1LIzpYDQChOkg0oKWYVwhVQMydamSddEEJgGbuY-oL4LN4-wXnAMsUjf7qaYVCLhx1HDlULcD-RdzE3Jvm4G-x/s1421/ResidentEvil2_DC_EU_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="1421" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRFR6pNRSnN1zjn4qchMlYeWZ6z8twimjB0QxzuyRAjlrdzZgmsPgx9hjIBIkubAcbbk89ECpSaAoFyxG7al8x0J6n7AvDP1LIzpYDQChOkg0oKWYVwhVQMydamSddEEJgGbuY-oL4LN4-wXnAMsUjf7qaYVCLhx1HDlULcD-RdzE3Jvm4G-x/s320/ResidentEvil2_DC_EU_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">So many lists on the Junkyard always end up with us displaying our unwavering love for Capcom's awesome lineup on the Dreamcast, and this continues with the ever-popular and genre-leading survival horror sequel Resident Evil 2. For a change, the cover of the Japanese release (Biohazard 2) is outshone by that of one of the Western releases, namely the PAL version you see above (the German/Dutch PAL release shared the US release's design, which, whilst okay, isn't nearly as good as the main PAL cover). This is a great example of a minimalist, striking design which leans heavily into the horror genre (it would not look out of place as the movie poster from some '70s low-budget horror picture, which no doubt is what Capcom were aiming for. It's memorable, slightly gruesome, and excellently visualised. The game isn't too bad either.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM84rn8IlAHtX3BuYtfz5_fCr4c1iEKDeK2wv3bUUFbQQ00Fh_vPsL314HK-yWHEErnzqZh-clGrNkgfnrDs7JP7y7xh9fxaUKenfkeKOQUVYktdH7cWV3dpVZ14kibmPXYorh-eidlBD5lNuN0eez1l8am-9bsa_MoQNzFNks6sG8A65TnMWO/s1171/ResidentEvil2_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1171" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM84rn8IlAHtX3BuYtfz5_fCr4c1iEKDeK2wv3bUUFbQQ00Fh_vPsL314HK-yWHEErnzqZh-clGrNkgfnrDs7JP7y7xh9fxaUKenfkeKOQUVYktdH7cWV3dpVZ14kibmPXYorh-eidlBD5lNuN0eez1l8am-9bsa_MoQNzFNks6sG8A65TnMWO/s320/ResidentEvil2_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Japanese version of the game is adorned with a cover that, whilst successfully conveying the game itself, is just not as exciting as the PAL version.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBZ7U2wZMqonIrvASee5QxWbGOef4QQ-Q-bTA_Qade4bi1_Ps9lRkJpBxXmsWH-Dfxt5gxFMCrZiWfff7saMqf3G9_2hxzcmONIdPAMGUvbuSlIq1KlMqtsGKJiOn0GP1WE2YyJOceC7OH07nqv5iW9mDrnTcM36c1FmekxOxFkbY3VGDG40m/s903/903px-ResidentEvil2_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="903" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBZ7U2wZMqonIrvASee5QxWbGOef4QQ-Q-bTA_Qade4bi1_Ps9lRkJpBxXmsWH-Dfxt5gxFMCrZiWfff7saMqf3G9_2hxzcmONIdPAMGUvbuSlIq1KlMqtsGKJiOn0GP1WE2YyJOceC7OH07nqv5iW9mDrnTcM36c1FmekxOxFkbY3VGDG40m/s320/903px-ResidentEvil2_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This US cover is not bad at all (compared to some US covers, it's a masterpiece) but it can't quite match the PAL cover for its impact.</div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Heavy Metal Geomatrix (Japanese cover)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrf3tfcKvrVisAorQkYJ3iGnRDkwnx0OBf8YQRtyWxqgdNxfieN1BPDIWHgTQMNvG-V8nVceizMySs2x_VWDQKPoefpHoHn3ezb_MyzQ-dI63rTLxOGApco2E_0-HDE32I8EQZocTVnM6wbzUkI9ZT3vaCBt7VNiCClrXrkU2GlINpJ3NYOQey/s2834/HMG_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2811" data-original-width="2834" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrf3tfcKvrVisAorQkYJ3iGnRDkwnx0OBf8YQRtyWxqgdNxfieN1BPDIWHgTQMNvG-V8nVceizMySs2x_VWDQKPoefpHoHn3ezb_MyzQ-dI63rTLxOGApco2E_0-HDE32I8EQZocTVnM6wbzUkI9ZT3vaCBt7VNiCClrXrkU2GlINpJ3NYOQey/s320/HMG_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Whilst I've never been a fan of the Heavy Metal comics, I am a fan of one-time 2000AD contributing artist Simon Bisley (ABC Warriors, Slaine), who, along with Kevin Eastman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) designed the characters used in this game. The Heavy Metal magazine is an outlier of American comic books, with a distinct European influence, and its known for its superb artwork. While the characters in this game are not known quantities from the magazine's past, they all pretty successfully recreate the leather-and-metal, sci-fi-warrior stylings of the publication. The cover here is just a great, classic cover which collates the characters in an ensemble arrangement. It's fantastic artwork first and foremost, and is visually very appealing - sadly the game itself isn't as strong, a pretty average arena fighter very much like Spawn: In the Demon's Hand, with its fair share of control and camera issues. Banging cover though.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYeLcHxTDKlaQDLbhJwoy8JjJszXoXXH5xcYLFBDJ6OJdKQfIKstrKZIs_Bo7WDOq-PT6mcYBcv3n7F-TSS-QM5H5-QE11JtClZep6HhJzEn0KjN3qazZsokeRCpBUyTISWJOb-LaaiivFXNpNCgWIKC24ytPHw2dhyphenhyphenFqLalJ6cIzta0k61gfB/s649/HMG_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYeLcHxTDKlaQDLbhJwoy8JjJszXoXXH5xcYLFBDJ6OJdKQfIKstrKZIs_Bo7WDOq-PT6mcYBcv3n7F-TSS-QM5H5-QE11JtClZep6HhJzEn0KjN3qazZsokeRCpBUyTISWJOb-LaaiivFXNpNCgWIKC24ytPHw2dhyphenhyphenFqLalJ6cIzta0k61gfB/s320/HMG_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The US and PAL covers have the same artwork as the Japanese cover, but with different crops which lose some of the detail.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">De La Jet Set Radio </span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPERlSzyXh49So_z7mVCy_0zWXRPdZNtODx4StO0XDWXvZlCmXXDvihPB1GgLacA3zhgBG3uGqhxzud4u_0w8xfhpxl4omupeVe0Brdv9wJXYiR0QDDRXb-hYtV9PqGJXoDtfupa9Q95JHTUNn834PpWEGtB8oReT2n1_lnvAW-XDPmYu6oQq/s600/DeLaJetSetRadio_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPERlSzyXh49So_z7mVCy_0zWXRPdZNtODx4StO0XDWXvZlCmXXDvihPB1GgLacA3zhgBG3uGqhxzud4u_0w8xfhpxl4omupeVe0Brdv9wJXYiR0QDDRXb-hYtV9PqGJXoDtfupa9Q95JHTUNn834PpWEGtB8oReT2n1_lnvAW-XDPmYu6oQq/s320/DeLaJetSetRadio_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">De La Jet Set Radio is the re-released Japanese version of Jet Set Radio which includes the extra content of the Western releases, plus some much-needed bug fixes. It is without a doubt the definitive version (on the Dreamcast) of this all-time classic which oozes style, flair and attitude. Much has been written on this blog about the artistic glory of the game, and this is immediately evident as soon as you see the cover art. It's very similar to the original Japanese release's cover but replaces Beat with Gum. The collage of graffiti in the background, the outstretched spray can, the mix of colour and art which beautifully represents what the game is all about. You may be wondering why I've chosen the De La Jet Set Radio version rather than the original - well the reason for this is due to the limited edition box art for the re-release. This oversized box includes a T-shirt, which is frankly cool as hell, but the colourful, pattern-based box art is simply sublime. While other limited edition boxes are relatively plain, the designers of this one knew to play to the game's strengths. A work of art. </p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEahQM87JNhLVgxZod3oL8p1ht-OszBp109wCOQbS0CDRTpo-nBETNuL1p9GVFMkzeqTL9EJ40fkMakNWfUZYC6xnJjMVyvDMV8qw5EZH-4mB2vVQpemECwlHZiN8S0RUjkkSxQA527q98TZPO9-a-_Q6J8hGdOhO3mnR7BJV7SGvma7_fqhU/s1200/DeLaJetSetRadio_DC_JP_Box_Front_SD.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="765" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEahQM87JNhLVgxZod3oL8p1ht-OszBp109wCOQbS0CDRTpo-nBETNuL1p9GVFMkzeqTL9EJ40fkMakNWfUZYC6xnJjMVyvDMV8qw5EZH-4mB2vVQpemECwlHZiN8S0RUjkkSxQA527q98TZPO9-a-_Q6J8hGdOhO3mnR7BJV7SGvma7_fqhU/s320/DeLaJetSetRadio_DC_JP_Box_Front_SD.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The limited edition box artwork.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpakY7A25QhUmmPAk9-MONwXA9raZa6sYtDMF1N_zB2qnPyh1S1-CaNFwlRriKNPlVT8znyF5ftJx6a2jVts_fQa51euYS4ya-3Pf6asp75wm7fi987bAPSvU6xlJRqQ9cLuAu-HkUPAN-xq5UmhAUFn79fmbNmzWgSxb6U6HNj24mG_dypH7/s1870/Jsr_dc_jp_front_cover.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1870" data-original-width="1870" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpakY7A25QhUmmPAk9-MONwXA9raZa6sYtDMF1N_zB2qnPyh1S1-CaNFwlRriKNPlVT8znyF5ftJx6a2jVts_fQa51euYS4ya-3Pf6asp75wm7fi987bAPSvU6xlJRqQ9cLuAu-HkUPAN-xq5UmhAUFn79fmbNmzWgSxb6U6HNj24mG_dypH7/s320/Jsr_dc_jp_front_cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The original Japanese cover. It's every bit as cool as the De La Jet Set Radio cover (...because it's basically the same, bar the character change.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Zusar Vasar</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5Z3T9qirn4vMqDa0FhNe38c2z2tDtbVlciBZcRTZrxlfou2POpqyALrF16C-oo1OEP6xXqJLjnxGAZqTArOYScthkogZcmTqp1uAz_tFo8y2kV7ILbIWxl0C-tSnsZZS2scuGjKLYc-h99Qo-yKwOpK7P4PbMSCNS5kI0ZUbMmnNA2WhP_NQ/s2827/ZusarVasar_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2817" data-original-width="2827" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5Z3T9qirn4vMqDa0FhNe38c2z2tDtbVlciBZcRTZrxlfou2POpqyALrF16C-oo1OEP6xXqJLjnxGAZqTArOYScthkogZcmTqp1uAz_tFo8y2kV7ILbIWxl0C-tSnsZZS2scuGjKLYc-h99Qo-yKwOpK7P4PbMSCNS5kI0ZUbMmnNA2WhP_NQ/s320/ZusarVasar_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sometimes you just want some cheese. I've rallied against overly CGI-centric artwork in this article, so this is a cover you'd expect to be low down in my estimations, but there is something very appealing about it. On first glance, you would perhaps think it looks like an album cover of a semi-successful mid-'90s heavy metal band singing songs about giant mechanised lions, but no, this in fact, the cover of a video game. It's all a little odd and confusing if you're unfamiliar with the game itself (robot animals pulling chariots racing against each other), but somehow is a great representation of the title, both in its actual depiction of the action, but also in the metal-loving madness you can expect to enjoy. </p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Sonic Adventure</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbAheyEtISN17l9kYTCjX4GbeD-O9Y56PDS-t7D6SPXQAmfpSNv2ajkxg-i2wTe5BsolyfpanPBxUjrPq39xp_tiqFAfV6QEn0PvATl-mtIYB9ezUF5qhQrbCU6v_BIPVPZsR78rNsjEB_MzSBMS6EQNaoa1Ji8STHSf8blRZyUEDtD-cNfnBQ/s640/Sa-inter-front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="640" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbAheyEtISN17l9kYTCjX4GbeD-O9Y56PDS-t7D6SPXQAmfpSNv2ajkxg-i2wTe5BsolyfpanPBxUjrPq39xp_tiqFAfV6QEn0PvATl-mtIYB9ezUF5qhQrbCU6v_BIPVPZsR78rNsjEB_MzSBMS6EQNaoa1Ji8STHSf8blRZyUEDtD-cNfnBQ/s320/Sa-inter-front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I wanted to end this look at great Dreamcast covers with something a bit more "obvious" than some of my other choices. Sonic Adventure was the first system-selling title for the console, and a lot of that was due to the eye-popping demos and trailers which heavily promoted the 3D transition of our favourite hedgehog with some screen-grabbing set pieces (namely the still-impressive killer whale segment). Visual appeal was key to the success of the game and the system, and with the cover of Sonic Adventure - which remained pretty similar across regions - Sega knocked it out of the park. An iconic Sonic pose and almost <i>dream</i>-like background visuals successfully summed up the game and the concept of the console, while at the same time functioning as a welcoming first look into this adventure. It's a pretty simple design but packs in so much style and so much promise for what this new console would bring for Sega's loyal players. I could have gone for any of the versions here (and have indeed included them all below), but the Japanese "International" version is the one I've picked.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpcQfjrCfoPF9XwXhB9PanOEv5dOreBwc3HcvO-q1gPxINAwkBriYN3z3oV0gkJ9e-zb7-iE89rCg1JpgGfVUSCGUk-NHxFIEVK9gC5LBhA4FL4RbyzDTErjvZ3v6bjtNeLu3H2SvxSH7hdQRJ_6nmyS9UecEIVk9qBTw4MtdewsauEeR6WUj/s600/Sa_eu_boxart.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="600" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpcQfjrCfoPF9XwXhB9PanOEv5dOreBwc3HcvO-q1gPxINAwkBriYN3z3oV0gkJ9e-zb7-iE89rCg1JpgGfVUSCGUk-NHxFIEVK9gC5LBhA4FL4RbyzDTErjvZ3v6bjtNeLu3H2SvxSH7hdQRJ_6nmyS9UecEIVk9qBTw4MtdewsauEeR6WUj/s320/Sa_eu_boxart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The PAL cover is pretty much the same as the Japanese version.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoU3R32truXSzjOwnRXmrbvlmlT7yQ-hpJTu9xcUWYLI0Qy7yHI-ArCJWtf02HBIG1WT741LNBYkdCKCk70ieqUMD_6k9ZeMVOFoCvbn6Z4ZcWosJMDr0B4HUPXa3GpBgNSgXBurqaMAMkIYIvdY8SCRYSbmr3ngIrSKacNCvKs7zor0_6U05/s640/Sa_us_boxart.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="640" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoU3R32truXSzjOwnRXmrbvlmlT7yQ-hpJTu9xcUWYLI0Qy7yHI-ArCJWtf02HBIG1WT741LNBYkdCKCk70ieqUMD_6k9ZeMVOFoCvbn6Z4ZcWosJMDr0B4HUPXa3GpBgNSgXBurqaMAMkIYIvdY8SCRYSbmr3ngIrSKacNCvKs7zor0_6U05/s320/Sa_us_boxart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The typical US cover theming means this one is a bit more cluttered, however it's still fantastic.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvk3UXvJtUlB_vcXUIrX7HSoiCkXRJgFzrZZsXARGgKUCZIRCnyRR9YZMIUo-fUoDt0ONjuTn1wk6pdQRxSsw3Ir-eLTnLA6E9N6SEF4ZAEPpoesZcja0xGYgZgihg2BuOvz849MTd0OpZ2cqHCVu5ZJfIBD4TPkFJTbt1MOB4y2YxkHGdwbeH/s2858/Sadventure-box-jap.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2858" data-original-width="2858" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvk3UXvJtUlB_vcXUIrX7HSoiCkXRJgFzrZZsXARGgKUCZIRCnyRR9YZMIUo-fUoDt0ONjuTn1wk6pdQRxSsw3Ir-eLTnLA6E9N6SEF4ZAEPpoesZcja0xGYgZgihg2BuOvz849MTd0OpZ2cqHCVu5ZJfIBD4TPkFJTbt1MOB4y2YxkHGdwbeH/s320/Sadventure-box-jap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The standard Japanese cover. This could very much have been the first cover of a Dreamcast game for a large number of players - a pretty good first impression.</div><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Dreamcast covers that can go straight in the bin...</b></span></p>Of course the Dreamcast also lived during that period of time where computer-generated artwork sometimes didn't do justice to the subject matter it was trying to advertise. We all remember the haunting visuals of plastic-faced fantasy characters in weird, unnatural poses that graced all sorts of media in the mid-to-late-'90s, promising us a future that none of us really wanted to embrace. Here are five cover atrocities which take their subject matter in some bizarre stylistic directions that somehow publishers signed off on. Just to keep things interesting, I'm leaving out the usual suspects - so no licensed sports titles here.</div><div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Power Stone 2 (US cover)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdHCG1M-zzEmUpTgTfoI53ZfZCSJaVZezq8jjR_24iKEIphe_IaQw5M-6FXagwMqwzEWigE8xO5RsiiYBtr7MVlOPgxpCevznwle9K8tS-a-UnDj9dOmymRgCu38tF_M3D1xCmtGjncRku1AgVI0x9lyWjkrzv5kO7x19rY1OdbmHg8vPCOjf/s1429/PowerStone_2_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1429" data-original-width="1429" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdHCG1M-zzEmUpTgTfoI53ZfZCSJaVZezq8jjR_24iKEIphe_IaQw5M-6FXagwMqwzEWigE8xO5RsiiYBtr7MVlOPgxpCevznwle9K8tS-a-UnDj9dOmymRgCu38tF_M3D1xCmtGjncRku1AgVI0x9lyWjkrzv5kO7x19rY1OdbmHg8vPCOjf/s320/PowerStone_2_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our first entry into the hall of shame is this CGI monstrosity which demonstrates just how bad some of the US covers were. Whilst the PAL and Japanese covers were good (the Japanese cover nearly made it into the "covers that go hard" list above; I've included it below so you can bask in its awesomeness), this is an example of the simplified, soulless cover which some games were lumbered with rather than displaying beautiful anime-influenced artwork. Featuring Ryoma as the sole character on display, it looks clinical and completely misses the point of this being an ensemble-cast fighting game with multiplayer as its real selling point. Also - could the logo be any bigger?</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some ten years ago, Barry from SEGAbits ripped this cover a new one in a great article which is well worth <a href="https://segabits.com/blog/2014/09/19/sega-by-design-power-stone-2-and-the-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-cover-art/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">checking out</a>.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WbdCybLAwrUFeso6xitQqa73Ja899Z9hpEM9zgXoNllCB2I9LlUuswumncXidHRQCNc_OSrAR8f_OHVGPrap9fN_M1RhyFd6K8xWBSqu8t-L0g-nbdTubpmhTIzB8wJXplwOFgifM9MMqcvNcQ6KwLkHRs_cAd6AjHE3TjIZTBn2I1AKNcqI/s914/914px-PowerStone_2_DC_JP_Box_Front%20(1).jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="914" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0WbdCybLAwrUFeso6xitQqa73Ja899Z9hpEM9zgXoNllCB2I9LlUuswumncXidHRQCNc_OSrAR8f_OHVGPrap9fN_M1RhyFd6K8xWBSqu8t-L0g-nbdTubpmhTIzB8wJXplwOFgifM9MMqcvNcQ6KwLkHRs_cAd6AjHE3TjIZTBn2I1AKNcqI/s320/914px-PowerStone_2_DC_JP_Box_Front%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Japanese cover is much, much better, and could easily have taken a place in my main list. Glorious artwork, an explosion of colour... quite why the US version is so bad is hard to answer.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Rune Caster</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzu8fVOxrhgbmeI4b6V5GAnKeD0qTTgoFahZziP2SWF4NEC9INuMOOg5OyE1yY5GDDC5Aa0YvaQkh9l0kr14IRWNbfnNgvfP-2iJIfUMfRsPPnqUmAYY9Ui_2DAOSrURsMSf3TrY0W0OcG8-aYkfYljYaolgCn6LaRt9PoHxOB3vwlAE11PKI/s899/896px-RuneCaster_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="896" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzu8fVOxrhgbmeI4b6V5GAnKeD0qTTgoFahZziP2SWF4NEC9INuMOOg5OyE1yY5GDDC5Aa0YvaQkh9l0kr14IRWNbfnNgvfP-2iJIfUMfRsPPnqUmAYY9Ui_2DAOSrURsMSf3TrY0W0OcG8-aYkfYljYaolgCn6LaRt9PoHxOB3vwlAE11PKI/s320/896px-RuneCaster_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What can be said about this one? A Japan-only release that's not that hot; a game logo designed by someone who was trying to make something as Metal as possible but didn't quite meet the brief (that T should be inverted, missed opportunity) and a character lineup that looks like the worst band in the world ever. You know the type, overly eager young guitar player who has watched Conan too many times, a pretty-boy singer who is only into this music until he can find pop stardom, a veteran bass player who has seen (and taken) it all, and a scantily clad female keyboardist who is way too emotionally invested in the band. Oh, and a dragon. It's not the worst example on the Dreamcast, but it's just a mess of clichés and visually unappealing.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tech Romancer (US and PAL covers)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UbNF-Jabt8kD79v207y4oE5xFEiMPJIJHs4NCBmr1GO7LkdudB36_Yr-a1tdd6vwc75igfl1FJHKt_tUuCAPSRNS-VCLwOfbOpRIPUAVgiZ0j19AcObgUqL3j4LElPLvzWVln5UInAotScMcFzgSaBjV2US5vYHgGBe-du0UtzVimexhjp56/s887/TechRomancer_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="887" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UbNF-Jabt8kD79v207y4oE5xFEiMPJIJHs4NCBmr1GO7LkdudB36_Yr-a1tdd6vwc75igfl1FJHKt_tUuCAPSRNS-VCLwOfbOpRIPUAVgiZ0j19AcObgUqL3j4LElPLvzWVln5UInAotScMcFzgSaBjV2US5vYHgGBe-du0UtzVimexhjp56/s320/TechRomancer_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Capcom making another appearance in this list of shame, this time with their underrated one-on-one fighter Tech Romancer. In Japan, the game is titled "Choukousenki Kikaioh" and the cover aptly displays the pilot and mech dynamic of the title, as well as being a pretty great piece of artwork. For the Western releases, however, something went badly wrong. First of all, the US curse hit again with the above abomination. Not only is it completely unclear what is being depicted at first glance, and the artwork bears no resemblance to the heavily anime-influenced gameplay, but even the title text itself is cut off. It's a proper amateur attempt and not appealing in the slightest. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Then we have the PAL version, pictured below. It's just a mess, with no real attempt at context given to the layout, randomly placed mechs, a weird colour scheme, and title text that blends in with the actual background. It's certainly colourful and represents the anime element of the game better than the US version, but if I had seen this in a shop back in the day I would have walked right past it (as apparently many other people did, considering it wasn't one of the the biggest sellers on the system). Tech Romancer manages a rare honour of two regions having poor - yet different - covers.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWiHvSApOzZg2mSK451W01pmguaiTSX1hQ19ANFmwQtZyiqEy6iwdpoOFS6Ct8H9abU-lO6qIpc3Qn2o8IUUbM8QiVr49ScTJs62I-EUxGjGRf0dEdM3nI9xCnTFT_PQkCDZsNpp_yqJ6Q_CIm0Kuyl1KrdJcCqAAn9j_6PYwHOnl9z6HamaQ0/s907/907px-TechRomancer_DC_EU_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="907" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWiHvSApOzZg2mSK451W01pmguaiTSX1hQ19ANFmwQtZyiqEy6iwdpoOFS6Ct8H9abU-lO6qIpc3Qn2o8IUUbM8QiVr49ScTJs62I-EUxGjGRf0dEdM3nI9xCnTFT_PQkCDZsNpp_yqJ6Q_CIm0Kuyl1KrdJcCqAAn9j_6PYwHOnl9z6HamaQ0/s320/907px-TechRomancer_DC_EU_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The more I look at the PAL cover, the more it annoys me.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyjE185YTRA2KyGDQkRMt1GGub5TlS3ZoKo_3sNQWL5-wDRIbmrAGjsjg2RFX-FZYmI4JspgDEeazhd78gFi_bXgJllRKR43Ur5PCT0FVT_X9IpTTB6MBKwKoGaL261ehG9mR3s8yFRv0jWZ2meeb1xDFcd5-569GBiYfF4F3ry9A1gXGF6hWlQ/s812/s-l1200.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="812" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyjE185YTRA2KyGDQkRMt1GGub5TlS3ZoKo_3sNQWL5-wDRIbmrAGjsjg2RFX-FZYmI4JspgDEeazhd78gFi_bXgJllRKR43Ur5PCT0FVT_X9IpTTB6MBKwKoGaL261ehG9mR3s8yFRv0jWZ2meeb1xDFcd5-569GBiYfF4F3ry9A1gXGF6hWlQ/s320/s-l1200.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The much superior Japanese cover.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Zombie Revenge (PAL)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88lC9fUr67JoelqDV3zLzucwPUQsN2qfh9Tn8o07rJK4bM-huxQNEfuv06utg5JuEDWxbG4RK3gYhaJ8HoOPP4_YHMNNXy1qGqN5rTif6CmHWeg5xRaWwa1F0MNuiYqVheIobraBHLp6vMsL4WmOfsK0EYM0JcqRQ5MJMn3Ru9t2DWX09dAPI/s1425/ZR_DC_EU_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1425" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88lC9fUr67JoelqDV3zLzucwPUQsN2qfh9Tn8o07rJK4bM-huxQNEfuv06utg5JuEDWxbG4RK3gYhaJ8HoOPP4_YHMNNXy1qGqN5rTif6CmHWeg5xRaWwa1F0MNuiYqVheIobraBHLp6vMsL4WmOfsK0EYM0JcqRQ5MJMn3Ru9t2DWX09dAPI/s320/ZR_DC_EU_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span>I could have chosen the Japanese version of this cover, which is in many ways just as bad, but I've instead plumped for the PAL cover. It's a CGI mess, which, whilst depicting the characters of the game, just comes across like a poorly constructed collage with ugly visuals. When in-game graphics in the 3D era hadn't really mastered "real life", we had numerous examples of this sort of uncanny valley-like monstrosity. It's no surprise that Zombie Revenge didn't set the charts alight when this was the first thing people saw of the game.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUlN1TMRdwL-40oYzgwjq9Oq3Un6gwPIobGVjK0BC-TNqbjSrGWrXgPifLW6YOhpDZx_86L28kIq4UjLyQWcKdjJpLNhElm-WKEZwJBmQMj-RkAvT-ZF379V5VX_xoo8AnRS4wSKswCV-Wq2l_CRTZVsNukhRgunO1Mn5VUzDRNqUVjtv8g-B/s900/900px-ZR_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUlN1TMRdwL-40oYzgwjq9Oq3Un6gwPIobGVjK0BC-TNqbjSrGWrXgPifLW6YOhpDZx_86L28kIq4UjLyQWcKdjJpLNhElm-WKEZwJBmQMj-RkAvT-ZF379V5VX_xoo8AnRS4wSKswCV-Wq2l_CRTZVsNukhRgunO1Mn5VUzDRNqUVjtv8g-B/s320/900px-ZR_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Japanese version is a little better constructed but still looks like a cheap collage.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoR2fThZBSrGMUVPFH6KdSW7t0IAIZv97F4mdX4MdF8ldUAT3mj3gDA_EwafY447AXXAvz9bzi806HnDUvv7Ab1rrwaOzQy8Tm51KIe9k3lzuXJOz8cERKRQ3b5O3eS-c8dmCsEuagUA1HvJyhQNeOCil-8NAsPba6wrDkJGmpkMai410fFgro/s921/921px-ZR_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="921" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoR2fThZBSrGMUVPFH6KdSW7t0IAIZv97F4mdX4MdF8ldUAT3mj3gDA_EwafY447AXXAvz9bzi806HnDUvv7Ab1rrwaOzQy8Tm51KIe9k3lzuXJOz8cERKRQ3b5O3eS-c8dmCsEuagUA1HvJyhQNeOCil-8NAsPba6wrDkJGmpkMai410fFgro/s320/921px-ZR_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">For once, the US version is not the worst. It's a bit more appealing, although that text is bloody awful.</div><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Pen Pen </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>TriIcelon </b></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;">(all regions)</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmVohaCZn0TpqUpzjDBwbRzZrnI025mnJXZ7Jju7MdsOyElBvrmo16fa8FVeCG_2CrTU1SkviligZIUQZr0-QMwX__wGkcfw-OAB5VRyDihr2kl-C6Hfiok-wfN_st-yLKUbSvXQJbblzmYuQj92eiCwjwS6PtZl6DjL4g0NTaPKG9G_fMhtQ/s906/906px-PenPen_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="906" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmVohaCZn0TpqUpzjDBwbRzZrnI025mnJXZ7Jju7MdsOyElBvrmo16fa8FVeCG_2CrTU1SkviligZIUQZr0-QMwX__wGkcfw-OAB5VRyDihr2kl-C6Hfiok-wfN_st-yLKUbSvXQJbblzmYuQj92eiCwjwS6PtZl6DjL4g0NTaPKG9G_fMhtQ/s320/906px-PenPen_DC_JP_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">I really find Pen Pen to be a creepy mutated animal-led game which misses the mark with some really odd character designs. Whilst this Japanese cover for the game is not as bad as many other Dreamcast examples, it's the character themselves that just make me feel uneasy. Random hats, oversized limbs, warped physical proportions... I'm overthinking it no doubt but if I was told the entire artwork was designed by someone who had just taken their first ever batch of mushrooms, I would not be surprised.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguusXN10D2eSJPnzx3UG6hIRuzDCBeJiVgKAiUPXvlkbBesbpnrkzv4yAUFNK8QIc9vQy5TvB4Iov6Fdu5HRxJICB4wbFR35JXvevwgm_XPiTYeEDm581NLpE4SAm1xhBEShq4pdoqLhM8UkRwKITzKx_U3mZj3aobSEM6sLkTRX7ZJVagCfqT/s908/908px-Penpen_dc_eu_frontcover.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="908" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguusXN10D2eSJPnzx3UG6hIRuzDCBeJiVgKAiUPXvlkbBesbpnrkzv4yAUFNK8QIc9vQy5TvB4Iov6Fdu5HRxJICB4wbFR35JXvevwgm_XPiTYeEDm581NLpE4SAm1xhBEShq4pdoqLhM8UkRwKITzKx_U3mZj3aobSEM6sLkTRX7ZJVagCfqT/s320/908px-Penpen_dc_eu_frontcover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The PAL version isn't any better, although it is slightly less messy.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lUwdNSR8RxWpn42pVWonlr5eDjJFe0fO-6OuDqKnlHIbuBWcBkYD63gVsuh4UWG3OtrNFwrBU6b16bRO_KKA9SgvxH5FgwVKZbQTX1yeS1wohCIWLabMy7Y55Yk-9LLlCMD_tn-lHDyjOYPG5924O5uetD9dpnVKjyIZGAt2_l5LmIdSkAsF/s800/PenPen_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lUwdNSR8RxWpn42pVWonlr5eDjJFe0fO-6OuDqKnlHIbuBWcBkYD63gVsuh4UWG3OtrNFwrBU6b16bRO_KKA9SgvxH5FgwVKZbQTX1yeS1wohCIWLabMy7Y55Yk-9LLlCMD_tn-lHDyjOYPG5924O5uetD9dpnVKjyIZGAt2_l5LmIdSkAsF/s320/PenPen_DC_US_Box_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Dreamcast has taught us that Americans can't handle more than a few characters on their artwork at once. Poorly positioned, characters cut-off; the usual visual design atrocities.</div><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bonus cut: the best indie Dreamcast game covers</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Ghost Blade</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5f_8MgOItjkh8_aj2r6cX5IQa5FvrgfPXtemv2BLbvaM2dUBA5qIlYXc57IVpvHnqFEeXU4SilNE2h_-xgczl8uJnh_Ypxj2pkJ3vMkz0x5BrOJoK_2DxfXR9yNBNHp2eGelcMXGRjORhboEcQlREwmX6oscWGDQCXN3GSuxXDr1kQkwse33pMw/s1260/ghostblade.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="1260" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5f_8MgOItjkh8_aj2r6cX5IQa5FvrgfPXtemv2BLbvaM2dUBA5qIlYXc57IVpvHnqFEeXU4SilNE2h_-xgczl8uJnh_Ypxj2pkJ3vMkz0x5BrOJoK_2DxfXR9yNBNHp2eGelcMXGRjORhboEcQlREwmX6oscWGDQCXN3GSuxXDr1kQkwse33pMw/w448-h318/ghostblade.png" width="448" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hucast's Ghost Blade is a decent indie shooter that, like the other European indie shoot 'em ups for Dreamcast, delivers a tremendous soundtrack, solid visuals, and slightly average gameplay. What these indie developers do exceedingly well, however, is presentation. There are numerous examples of sublime artwork on display in the scene, easily enough to have made this entire list solely on German indie shooters, however I've gone for Ghost Blade as the first example due to the difference in styles across the editions and the quality of each one. The standard cover depicts an epic sci-fi battle, the limited goes for a slightly different approach with characters and a lighter colour scheme, but both are done really well.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Witching Hour</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGaV7CBqDqPXmwJ4BF3mZ0z1cBAYGs-4P7VyjG47iZ31ptNhbn2mIK9P2_XcgoxDd5uZf3r6aTVPkYjoLSdmLCrbBZDQrNSphmdavj1jG0gTUVA1EjY6Qs74YAR0v-3Jea5QvZ6ZmqaPncN3tlQhKGhIRdcZiXHlaFcJLC6TB259504_I0eFIBw/s1500/uQ79s-qv.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGaV7CBqDqPXmwJ4BF3mZ0z1cBAYGs-4P7VyjG47iZ31ptNhbn2mIK9P2_XcgoxDd5uZf3r6aTVPkYjoLSdmLCrbBZDQrNSphmdavj1jG0gTUVA1EjY6Qs74YAR0v-3Jea5QvZ6ZmqaPncN3tlQhKGhIRdcZiXHlaFcJLC6TB259504_I0eFIBw/s320/uQ79s-qv.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I waxed lyrical about Witching Hour in <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/04/witching-hour-best-indie-horror.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">my review</a>, and whilst it is not a game that everyone will enjoy, I do think the cover of the now hard-to-find physical edition is under-stated horror genius. Taking some cues from the likes of the Resident Evil 2 PAL cover, this presents a weird, skull-like bestial face on a black background, with scrawled writing for the title. Very simple, yet very effective. </p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Gunlord</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QtPBuUVH2SXHbc4b3A1ObYM7NvWkc5GcT_ZaALV-qkRBEoISL8Pc0hzSkeEqtLr7HD0RcfePcm8muwo3fFMA3gl6lStTf3Mw8rsOz4f9QqF8GhcE6tKvJTZSA0V8U2uRb8lOcOJ6m7FVy15GEkUwFcS93_Rpd0oIGu0lVojXzrwy_q3OF4K_dQ/s800/Game_Jacket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="568" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QtPBuUVH2SXHbc4b3A1ObYM7NvWkc5GcT_ZaALV-qkRBEoISL8Pc0hzSkeEqtLr7HD0RcfePcm8muwo3fFMA3gl6lStTf3Mw8rsOz4f9QqF8GhcE6tKvJTZSA0V8U2uRb8lOcOJ6m7FVy15GEkUwFcS93_Rpd0oIGu0lVojXzrwy_q3OF4K_dQ/w284-h400/Game_Jacket.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I miss NG:DEV.TEAM. Whilst the gameplay of their releases was always a bit difficult for me and my aging reflexes, their artwork was, without exception, sublime. Gunlord, a game held in high regard to this day by indie enthusiasts, has some incredible release covers that both convey the game itself and stand out as just great pieces of art themselves. Above is the limited edition cover, a colourful science fiction composition which elaborates on the core concepts of the game like only the best fantasy artwork can do. It's incredibly well done and highly enticing if you've never played the game before. Below is the standard artwork, a fiery mass with a conquering hero positioned in front - possibly the most "metal" of all indie covers.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrAniLPsDvm6HZxRFmP5dLujKJtKlcbPfqQT2_fo8hgZd6ZRjdQtZ0ktZ3ADrIzkCPnIXJOUXhV5gzssRjTahwc51PJ3TPkIMJz-T3F4yTTkjF_ab7sdzqDz4GqE1hQNsKh0XGmto6ZcvLBO0ZQPopphG2L2f6goD9mUBm1zCwEqEU9eJxvHO/s685/gunlord.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="483" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrAniLPsDvm6HZxRFmP5dLujKJtKlcbPfqQT2_fo8hgZd6ZRjdQtZ0ktZ3ADrIzkCPnIXJOUXhV5gzssRjTahwc51PJ3TPkIMJz-T3F4yTTkjF_ab7sdzqDz4GqE1hQNsKh0XGmto6ZcvLBO0ZQPopphG2L2f6goD9mUBm1zCwEqEU9eJxvHO/w283-h400/gunlord.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Standard cover for Gunlord. Gloriously fiery.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Yeah Yeah Beebiss II</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9r47RX80p4hgNxZVcnaT8ZurBiqKC_QvobBeycaTtSZbi-W5O_gfTiVrErUX09PFZRPVArh2dOUViCJuGY1XakhTV2IOlsLgGHov8X5ZCVeZCfYnfHx7ZlI6f9EGdIMTyn1E_y0MVx14LtnhvKkn0OgOP9jhUwKtjHsZ6IuGIdcjBEx5eBw5Lg/s800/YEAH%20YEAH%20BEEBISS%20II%20DREAMCAST.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="800" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9r47RX80p4hgNxZVcnaT8ZurBiqKC_QvobBeycaTtSZbi-W5O_gfTiVrErUX09PFZRPVArh2dOUViCJuGY1XakhTV2IOlsLgGHov8X5ZCVeZCfYnfHx7ZlI6f9EGdIMTyn1E_y0MVx14LtnhvKkn0OgOP9jhUwKtjHsZ6IuGIdcjBEx5eBw5Lg/s320/YEAH%20YEAH%20BEEBISS%20II%20DREAMCAST.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">This is an excellent cover for a good little game. It's colourful, sharp and clean; expands on concepts in the game to create an exciting piece of artwork (in the grand tradition of classic arcade titles), and is a great piece to entice people into playing the game. The two Jiangshi are presented with plenty of character and the whole piece is just loads of fun. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Neo XYX (limited edition)</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbfxhKbk0rVkLwizuOn6ocMB1Hr2_doOEkVIxTJj7NvFI-CIgxn1rlZhM3IOM8Q_GUnehUk2ma2I3hNfqeF5mLIT76z1yHZpMXad2TzwWijbDMzwo8L1H_FnrIWi1s_mHrQPYw5vbHXAhLfcRm6tMyzE2_xHikrU7oPClb_DpHfeW1OMhTSo3lg/s800/53623--neo-xyx.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="568" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbfxhKbk0rVkLwizuOn6ocMB1Hr2_doOEkVIxTJj7NvFI-CIgxn1rlZhM3IOM8Q_GUnehUk2ma2I3hNfqeF5mLIT76z1yHZpMXad2TzwWijbDMzwo8L1H_FnrIWi1s_mHrQPYw5vbHXAhLfcRm6tMyzE2_xHikrU7oPClb_DpHfeW1OMhTSo3lg/w284-h400/53623--neo-xyx.jpeg" width="284" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">As I write this, I am starting to convince myself that this may be the high point of indie covers. Whilst the game has its fair share of issues, it is an enjoyable shooter with an excellent organic-industrial Gigeresque style that ticks all of the right boxes. For the cover art of this limited edition of the game, these artistic influences are prominently displayed. It's an epic cover, with bright and bold colours, and an intricate illustration that leaves you in no doubt what to expect, but still retains enough enticing mystery to make you want to experience it yourself. A superb cover. </p><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Another bonus cut: the best and worst of Russian bootleg covers</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>A bit more bonus cover content for all of you here. Thanks to the folks at <a href="https://segaretro.org/Dreamcast_bootleg_games" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SegaRetro</a>, there is a readily available catalogue of Russian bootlegged Dreamcast titles that you can peruse. As with any other form of media that is bootlegged, these range in quality from cheap, nasty looking budget release-like examples, to random artwork thrown together in a jumbled approximation of what the game has to offer, with some examples even going as far as to actually <i>improve</i> on the official release's artwork. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Whilst I'm looking at presenting a more exhaustive look at these Russian bootlegs in a later Junkyard article, I wanted to display some of the most striking - both in a good and bad way - examples, especially as it's not an area of the Dreamcast which is covered all that much. I have to admit that I have a fascination with these; how an entire country's experience of the console were formed by unofficial releases, and in turn, their cover art. There's quite the story behind some of these Russian bootleg companies, which edges into the sort of black market, underground crime territories that you'd probably expect - but for now, enjoy some of these (or stomach them, depending on your point of view).</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>It's obviously worth noting that in some cases, these covers pinch from fan-made designs on the internet, as is always the case with some bootlegs.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJg06fk2RVvXvlnbrGwkUD87Kse1b2868KvZ2AiF1rLJZCSuFZZrOBRva0IT4oz29eytHOYQ9X-rBOxgwxFaIX6W8Vxadmq9Ev595F14jDyzZFzzYFmAVggQqadhXpcpHrNrfCJqrxouHZvKKblt6PLr0dvxi_mPwiJMZNzbUkfJXZzZgVCJh/s900/900px-MDK_2_Vector_RUS-05663-B_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJg06fk2RVvXvlnbrGwkUD87Kse1b2868KvZ2AiF1rLJZCSuFZZrOBRva0IT4oz29eytHOYQ9X-rBOxgwxFaIX6W8Vxadmq9Ev595F14jDyzZFzzYFmAVggQqadhXpcpHrNrfCJqrxouHZvKKblt6PLr0dvxi_mPwiJMZNzbUkfJXZzZgVCJh/s320/900px-MDK_2_Vector_RUS-05663-B_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I actually prefer this cover of MDK2 more than the published versions. Obviously taken from official artwork, it puts Max at the centre stage, which is the correct choice. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZ5bCBioJ7Ih6r9wlnOUY8KgDfx_wj5_LBHX1sapVecItj2jPOv4HnAOARNg1KBhxEN8JyZU5R2E4nhocHkZvU9LvGi_xmJnWHhQsNo20xMDqums68AOZgX6XShnOxE82U8fViGq9NXEuRvyk2143Dj3YpVojwqPARx2fauGjtp66GJYKxLpr/s900/900px-Reel_Fishing_Wild_Vector_RUS-04781-A_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZ5bCBioJ7Ih6r9wlnOUY8KgDfx_wj5_LBHX1sapVecItj2jPOv4HnAOARNg1KBhxEN8JyZU5R2E4nhocHkZvU9LvGi_xmJnWHhQsNo20xMDqums68AOZgX6XShnOxE82U8fViGq9NXEuRvyk2143Dj3YpVojwqPARx2fauGjtp66GJYKxLpr/s320/900px-Reel_Fishing_Wild_Vector_RUS-04781-A_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span><div style="text-align: center;">Whilst both the official US release of "Reel Fishing | Wild", and its Japanese equivalent "Fish Eyes | Wild", have relatively serene covers befitting the aim of the game, this bootleg just sticks an ugly-looking fish on the cover, making it look a bit more like the other fishing titles on the console.</div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkVcbIPCUCXmMPzjdD1I8B1yKIneyYpoZMDygUkJlP9UcjGInm0ZGN0UK6WhS9TO-qwhaV94cl8SF-RNB-6zRwGlFFWmYZPspRmwOu6qa6eikMIz7II4P6KtPbU0cDYjXEdas6mhjOX5L3LlWY5XB1R6I0MUNk7XprXvz_0rXPL7bl1XqV3Ex/s900/900px-THOTD2DreamcastRUFrontVector.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkVcbIPCUCXmMPzjdD1I8B1yKIneyYpoZMDygUkJlP9UcjGInm0ZGN0UK6WhS9TO-qwhaV94cl8SF-RNB-6zRwGlFFWmYZPspRmwOu6qa6eikMIz7II4P6KtPbU0cDYjXEdas6mhjOX5L3LlWY5XB1R6I0MUNk7XprXvz_0rXPL7bl1XqV3Ex/s320/900px-THOTD2DreamcastRUFrontVector.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span><div style="text-align: center;">This is another one by Vector (one of the "companies" producing these bootlegs), which is a bit of a mishmash of artwork.</div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdcn23zDPl2bFhjoEPsxnViQhW60F8pbyZnINf1OTgwJx_73sTdBvxJVAAfzZHXWl75LuU2XBs6478QKjyKY8z4VWgBbaCp8Dm10WrQb0VzbvjSeKyIaQdW7I1CuqhKm60jZQ-BgoToNapmJC8ujUrKJ9fJgUldJ205TIV0KtBemxQn-yqQpG/s902/902px-IkarugaDreamcastRUFrontRGR.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="902" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdcn23zDPl2bFhjoEPsxnViQhW60F8pbyZnINf1OTgwJx_73sTdBvxJVAAfzZHXWl75LuU2XBs6478QKjyKY8z4VWgBbaCp8Dm10WrQb0VzbvjSeKyIaQdW7I1CuqhKm60jZQ-BgoToNapmJC8ujUrKJ9fJgUldJ205TIV0KtBemxQn-yqQpG/s320/902px-IkarugaDreamcastRUFrontRGR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span><div style="text-align: center;">Clearly taken from a sci-fi source that I'm not immediately familiar with, this cover fails to demonstrate what the game is about, and doesn't come close to the quality of the official cover (which is one of the finest on the Dreamcast). Despite this, it does have its own sense of epicness.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hm_Ay3ruHhsqcrNdi7sEmFsQ_4xcRDL2NWgTc2sRL5hvLgcP2taITCV65i_uC4TL83cT4XfLp6uBR6ZdV4-8E4iSxvh_vfwtRSh_OvHuSzxexIes1tdDNs2bqeIEjNHaNyVBOQHvY7TLwZ4vV0iBAssAQr_anrU38_nUbMhyk7JCJSc8P3Yk/s904/904px-SonicShuffleDreamcastRUFront.jpg"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hm_Ay3ruHhsqcrNdi7sEmFsQ_4xcRDL2NWgTc2sRL5hvLgcP2taITCV65i_uC4TL83cT4XfLp6uBR6ZdV4-8E4iSxvh_vfwtRSh_OvHuSzxexIes1tdDNs2bqeIEjNHaNyVBOQHvY7TLwZ4vV0iBAssAQr_anrU38_nUbMhyk7JCJSc8P3Yk/w320-h318/904px-SonicShuffleDreamcastRUFront.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Can't lie, this is pretty awesome. Absolutely not reflective of the game, of course, but I'd buy a title with this cover!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqDCwxSMhQsmy7VaruBCorUwt_W5B0N64DgznuksR3Rd_3NkXkR1_90rdXJl314y4EHPtp6dJhZmm74DIVBm_ZTEI3PIpDoTe9R2EF4Qfqb0YejST_cVwCSV4Yt0vj9UU0ATig8hXJmxlDNUU8fPLGnWHiXDaOTBl3Lc2VZt6RmBJevYwwsnb/s906/906px-My_Tennis_Life_Kudos_RUS-04292-A_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqDCwxSMhQsmy7VaruBCorUwt_W5B0N64DgznuksR3Rd_3NkXkR1_90rdXJl314y4EHPtp6dJhZmm74DIVBm_ZTEI3PIpDoTe9R2EF4Qfqb0YejST_cVwCSV4Yt0vj9UU0ATig8hXJmxlDNUU8fPLGnWHiXDaOTBl3Lc2VZt6RmBJevYwwsnb/w320-h318/906px-My_Tennis_Life_Kudos_RUS-04292-A_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">One of the cool things about these bootlegs is that you'll see a few Japan-only releases renamed, with titles and covers that aren't that far away from what we'd probably have seen had these been officially released in the West. "My Tennis Life" is actually a literal Japanese-to-English translation of the title of Bimboosoft's game "Boku no Tennis Jinsei". It's not the best cover, but a glimpse into possibly what could have been.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_GEiCWChQ7WnwyYRl4dGo-NNC_8f1g2A5wD7K23cos2BKHa_dHLKxx0SK-U2C2vnWisUdh0e3m12hKILsqlZWJV2z4teE955RQOSqu2aLB9N80oq4cQAbY2ynihlPMhH_JpTQPDD8GFlkVpZPTO8THC3IpdunyLQR-qf3XnPenN3t8iY58aC/s909/909px-Max_Steel_Covert_Missions_RGR_Studio_RUS-07158-A_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_GEiCWChQ7WnwyYRl4dGo-NNC_8f1g2A5wD7K23cos2BKHa_dHLKxx0SK-U2C2vnWisUdh0e3m12hKILsqlZWJV2z4teE955RQOSqu2aLB9N80oq4cQAbY2ynihlPMhH_JpTQPDD8GFlkVpZPTO8THC3IpdunyLQR-qf3XnPenN3t8iY58aC/w320-h317/909px-Max_Steel_Covert_Missions_RGR_Studio_RUS-07158-A_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">It's probably a more interesting cover than the official version, but it does look a little janky. Also, it's been a while since I've played this but... isn't that just a <a href="https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Jem%27Hadar_fighter" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jem'Hadar ship</a> from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtKUr-a_ilTBLDQqmxDfGnT4SlGv_RLXaI8v50IaL891c-12N2kxKZVmqg-7J70CkNQdfjJuS0tuCgtH8n7myPqi32l6GYUpP6rPE0U8MwvjALvoGkljE5zsQKHsK-4wL6xQ8N9RB3alnYI0_77phXNK2-gFIdQggUNJbI2BUqk8Qu3q3GZzR/s909/909px-SakuraWars3DreamcastRUFr.jpg"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtKUr-a_ilTBLDQqmxDfGnT4SlGv_RLXaI8v50IaL891c-12N2kxKZVmqg-7J70CkNQdfjJuS0tuCgtH8n7myPqi32l6GYUpP6rPE0U8MwvjALvoGkljE5zsQKHsK-4wL6xQ8N9RB3alnYI0_77phXNK2-gFIdQggUNJbI2BUqk8Qu3q3GZzR/w320-h317/909px-SakuraWars3DreamcastRUFr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Can't lie, this is a great cover. No doubt taken from official artwork, this would have been a very decent Western release cover if we'd ever been lucky enough to have been graced with such a thing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJFEHvxqs5j9bWpGiQe-xbgZRE9DI_llmXtkAOiLFt9xvp0xtymonV0tti4thIQnPPXmgJ3bB3mHLXW1mGwfG8VCrKCgOlb98gOShkBAXBJlsyLsrGUir56x4d3WkJIOuoE6UxI__rHbyjMO7YlvNB3-L7Xs00H167fmR5pVpWXn6Q6CbQsR7/s911/911px-Sega_Rally_2_RGR_Studio_RUS-07055-B_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJFEHvxqs5j9bWpGiQe-xbgZRE9DI_llmXtkAOiLFt9xvp0xtymonV0tti4thIQnPPXmgJ3bB3mHLXW1mGwfG8VCrKCgOlb98gOShkBAXBJlsyLsrGUir56x4d3WkJIOuoE6UxI__rHbyjMO7YlvNB3-L7Xs00H167fmR5pVpWXn6Q6CbQsR7/w320-h317/911px-Sega_Rally_2_RGR_Studio_RUS-07055-B_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Random cars which seem to be drifting rather than rallying? Fair enough.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3i8gQ9Uus9wuFDCEwxvBbZ4NaHMp0wtZIl5IZlqsxuAnSSsuhH14zqKkjfVshjoRPIrxhcDFZIZ232cLIkwZdW7nKemhV0bk-5e58-LdNVutnHaao-wFvnVfLooIOJevPGP_NaSpfA6LSKr64PHcujyl39nabD-B-T5rMvG-4paFO6VmTWHnk/s911/911px-TombRaiderChronicleDreamcastRUFrontPlayZero.jpg"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3i8gQ9Uus9wuFDCEwxvBbZ4NaHMp0wtZIl5IZlqsxuAnSSsuhH14zqKkjfVshjoRPIrxhcDFZIZ232cLIkwZdW7nKemhV0bk-5e58-LdNVutnHaao-wFvnVfLooIOJevPGP_NaSpfA6LSKr64PHcujyl39nabD-B-T5rMvG-4paFO6VmTWHnk/w320-h317/911px-TombRaiderChronicleDreamcastRUFrontPlayZero.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I mean... they know why people played Tomb Raider at least, right? Bonus points for emphasis on the fact that Lara is basically a thief.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawRS5d56xpNh6UZ_Vg_kMsSWklj0sEDXTcmOz9E9NaJFXnGRe-8MR_sTYrMpCAZZrPyZo9bBDHoeMv5aVyGa8vmnKCjggmDbJwjkdnqhYQTxitV_2owMEabnXm6Gs3XQSBCKk2nt1gP0UivrDecsUZzgiA81EV_qL3g_eKOGbpU6JeBpRWX7-/s914/914px-FightingForce2DreamcastRUFrontVector.jpg"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawRS5d56xpNh6UZ_Vg_kMsSWklj0sEDXTcmOz9E9NaJFXnGRe-8MR_sTYrMpCAZZrPyZo9bBDHoeMv5aVyGa8vmnKCjggmDbJwjkdnqhYQTxitV_2owMEabnXm6Gs3XQSBCKk2nt1gP0UivrDecsUZzgiA81EV_qL3g_eKOGbpU6JeBpRWX7-/w320-h315/914px-FightingForce2DreamcastRUFrontVector.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">It's a shitty game, so this cover with a seemingly constipated Hawk Manson seems on point.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrCdrCW2wR1WYtZxoMDzCT3AulQx_Nmea00GWYOUvN2WP4kp7zPWiRvXUgdLkUy7aTEPFFy9CQy9Q5banC1IMUUTG7cDysZhJKmgzZrtSGxSJe4kerFqOVQpZC3lOU9BWLb0yp5uXXS-82j_bmQa0XSHFkwHy4pVODQq2X12mWQBXE_VGicvw/s917/917px-Illbleed_T-46001N_RGR_Studio_RU_1.jpg"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrCdrCW2wR1WYtZxoMDzCT3AulQx_Nmea00GWYOUvN2WP4kp7zPWiRvXUgdLkUy7aTEPFFy9CQy9Q5banC1IMUUTG7cDysZhJKmgzZrtSGxSJe4kerFqOVQpZC3lOU9BWLb0yp5uXXS-82j_bmQa0XSHFkwHy4pVODQq2X12mWQBXE_VGicvw/w320-h314/917px-Illbleed_T-46001N_RGR_Studio_RU_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not sure why they added "Final" as a subtitle, but RGR Studio's bootleg of Illbleed has a rather haunting cover and is pretty effective.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Nd0Kbhyphenhyphenv2bpRr3roaJdR9qHHDNf1MVTryfZDgaaMp_3PP49xnzCn8X2PuKAyYyZ_TuqFMj9WF5Rgwnfo2v8EgVq-4sD_iA8huNbUffkwe996AwPat5E1iPtfrLwawAZX6BaWahWzQQaAkbqFVpQVffvcyq5WPHa9E_epbM7wvnjcgQNRbxJv/s917/917px-Rune_Caster_RGR_Studio_RUS-04272-A_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Nd0Kbhyphenhyphenv2bpRr3roaJdR9qHHDNf1MVTryfZDgaaMp_3PP49xnzCn8X2PuKAyYyZ_TuqFMj9WF5Rgwnfo2v8EgVq-4sD_iA8huNbUffkwe996AwPat5E1iPtfrLwawAZX6BaWahWzQQaAkbqFVpQVffvcyq5WPHa9E_epbM7wvnjcgQNRbxJv/w320-h314/917px-Rune_Caster_RGR_Studio_RUS-04272-A_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Well now. Here's a cover which improves heavily on the official one, despite looking a little like some sort of power metal album cover (probably about beasts in the snow or something). It's not really very representative of the actual game (although its been a while since I played it) but hey, I'd buy it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHOpFKifs6mux2DnG4Tj-olM3yAXiuDUO7PqqrhcNMZfNzoOO1HCvE5v3SdZIFJ3LI7tPL4VfYrwLxmD1mA_XdPxiYYlRjC91UoVdyHOxpjbsA2Zfvvt6TT6itquXIw0yQtjBXO8lbuEEwanAI_5LwfIiPqiBPbRGR2Mjh0u9VPAAOwTZhq7O/s917/917px-Sonic_Adventure_PlayZero_RUS-03695-A_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHOpFKifs6mux2DnG4Tj-olM3yAXiuDUO7PqqrhcNMZfNzoOO1HCvE5v3SdZIFJ3LI7tPL4VfYrwLxmD1mA_XdPxiYYlRjC91UoVdyHOxpjbsA2Zfvvt6TT6itquXIw0yQtjBXO8lbuEEwanAI_5LwfIiPqiBPbRGR2Mjh0u9VPAAOwTZhq7O/w320-h314/917px-Sonic_Adventure_PlayZero_RUS-03695-A_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not a patch on the official Sonic Adventure cover, and Sonic looks like he's a member of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV2ViNJFZC8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Ministry of Silly Walks</a>, but this isn't too bad.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9TlCBToSTFm1Ui6eCQvI6IpZ5YYn0_aElnIwE2DEIAGWP8IjG7OwJUobfp7nUcrlBualcMqM08z6ePa7MsRUjY1nn_vSY1jI4APK0AIG29gnYZOUunQCm0oKXJ7axCvzPHddIoBJcUzjVQyMzmdm4cNDXVJviN10QEWUsXdDUfMCci5vLBrqe/s917/917px-Undercover_Cop_2045_RGR_Studio_RUS-04836-A_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9TlCBToSTFm1Ui6eCQvI6IpZ5YYn0_aElnIwE2DEIAGWP8IjG7OwJUobfp7nUcrlBualcMqM08z6ePa7MsRUjY1nn_vSY1jI4APK0AIG29gnYZOUunQCm0oKXJ7axCvzPHddIoBJcUzjVQyMzmdm4cNDXVJviN10QEWUsXdDUfMCci5vLBrqe/w320-h314/917px-Undercover_Cop_2045_RGR_Studio_RUS-04836-A_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Another example of a bootleg of a Japanese-only release, here we have Undercover AD2025 Kei. It's a pretty terrible game, and even the Russians forwarding the game forward two decades doesn't help matters. I'm also not a fan of anime so I had no idea what the source of the image was, but thanks to the investigative talents of my Junkyard colleague Lewis, we've discovered that this character is <a href="https://burnup.fandom.com/wiki/Maya_Jingu">Maya Jingu</a> from the Burn-Up series.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnMV683PPgt6WmVaqdeLZvbPD1he2cq-wPyljai3YOuOmOG1YMBcBFQtOmUUCp7xFEArh7xG1Nt3uGbDQC3zDK3_UijCpxegIvM6Fh4upU0ZYMmkir7BxcKaB_HVFvMoFDZKLsyIWvXufJYm8XR1txI2l-g9AEUC86zG9N1aGiFRlfBXzZsMK/s920/920px-Godzilla_Generations_Maximum_Impact_Vector_RU_1.jpg"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnMV683PPgt6WmVaqdeLZvbPD1he2cq-wPyljai3YOuOmOG1YMBcBFQtOmUUCp7xFEArh7xG1Nt3uGbDQC3zDK3_UijCpxegIvM6Fh4upU0ZYMmkir7BxcKaB_HVFvMoFDZKLsyIWvXufJYm8XR1txI2l-g9AEUC86zG9N1aGiFRlfBXzZsMK/w320-h314/920px-Godzilla_Generations_Maximum_Impact_Vector_RU_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">You'd have to be terrible to mess up a Godzilla cover. This leaves no doubt what the subject of the game is.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvjebcLarVCbWEJUAs0CfvZptNz7AFh-7kkwEJGuoBHIVEmE2L7dYSkiQB4tpHuOtf8xepsj28R1npjON-4KZMoqSmoh0J_PNfoefQ8cLC1p4IXU_Fc8-KoTKCjDM0PS2H6XzE38Dqbgs1ZBQU_bCChefCZVp59qy3xS_Z8V0WbKEQE3fH7D0/s921/921px-Sega_Extreme_Sports_RUS-05110-A_RGR_Studio_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvjebcLarVCbWEJUAs0CfvZptNz7AFh-7kkwEJGuoBHIVEmE2L7dYSkiQB4tpHuOtf8xepsj28R1npjON-4KZMoqSmoh0J_PNfoefQ8cLC1p4IXU_Fc8-KoTKCjDM0PS2H6XzE38Dqbgs1ZBQU_bCChefCZVp59qy3xS_Z8V0WbKEQE3fH7D0/w320-h312/921px-Sega_Extreme_Sports_RUS-05110-A_RGR_Studio_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sometimes these bootlegs miss the mark. Case and point: displaying a skier on the front of a game with... no skiing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a _rage_vector_rus-03742-a_ru_front.jpg="" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ydsFAh0p02y2-eqR7TJM7VkVRhJnL9bA6aD3pKRjt0yceJ4A9xolv-xDQzFotze-AAJlV3zqQAyECoyYcWxa2XxXRYPUv_MxgevHmG2SOw3uizxlc2HUxAzkxend7S8ppQVHgwT5jxkMawhth4w6sCBjZ2hSDpeV5skX9ftYgQk_jtrFDYV6/s923/923px-Sword_of_the_Berserk_Guts"><img _rage_vector_rus-03742-a_ru_front.jpg="" border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ydsFAh0p02y2-eqR7TJM7VkVRhJnL9bA6aD3pKRjt0yceJ4A9xolv-xDQzFotze-AAJlV3zqQAyECoyYcWxa2XxXRYPUv_MxgevHmG2SOw3uizxlc2HUxAzkxend7S8ppQVHgwT5jxkMawhth4w6sCBjZ2hSDpeV5skX9ftYgQk_jtrFDYV6/w320-h312/923px-Sword_of_the_Berserk_Guts" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm not entirely sure of the source of this image, or if it's even from Berserk at all (it's been a while), but this is a pretty decent cover.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2mQymyYm16P7j3lLUI2Yi28Y1hi4sZbOl6XhJnFenFQtHvxTodUVIIbJG1w1WqKIJLdLnO0tt5_ZbVuNrizjgb5O-aFnaHL808nTszZB-9wUxFyfBWJ26Da2HmIaADwv5jUksDh1KUqIAOrFP2VNFYhFerxyvGGRMCVbwrk21MNRGNed09Ew/s924/924px-Confidential_Mission_Vector_RUS-04204-A_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2mQymyYm16P7j3lLUI2Yi28Y1hi4sZbOl6XhJnFenFQtHvxTodUVIIbJG1w1WqKIJLdLnO0tt5_ZbVuNrizjgb5O-aFnaHL808nTszZB-9wUxFyfBWJ26Da2HmIaADwv5jUksDh1KUqIAOrFP2VNFYhFerxyvGGRMCVbwrk21MNRGNed09Ew/w320-h310/924px-Confidential_Mission_Vector_RUS-04204-A_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I have no idea what these images were taken from either. I presume stills taken from some sort of spy film, but unless I'm being stupid, I can't identify either character. Either way, this sure as hell isn't Confidential Mission. Looks positively boring.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZeEbc6wMdB-KwlJIwabfxpIxYWmr__I74wrliq8hcNgg5iwQxOh3NMGLComyQq-LWkHx7VTw43KjdkCVx_mkO2LJJ0rukxJcetjMLmFnWFG8sG7Zct-yDBRtfFSYkkyDiSIkPW_JoxskCLp0U_jPIc4Islxd9GmxZ50g33LtBiUHKbryRmML/s926/926px-Vanishing_Point_PlayZero_RUS-07442-A_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZeEbc6wMdB-KwlJIwabfxpIxYWmr__I74wrliq8hcNgg5iwQxOh3NMGLComyQq-LWkHx7VTw43KjdkCVx_mkO2LJJ0rukxJcetjMLmFnWFG8sG7Zct-yDBRtfFSYkkyDiSIkPW_JoxskCLp0U_jPIc4Islxd9GmxZ50g33LtBiUHKbryRmML/w320-h310/926px-Vanishing_Point_PlayZero_RUS-07442-A_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The official covers aren't exciting, and this one is no better.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjik2H6Ngo_Gm_R_inqHt37GCCBPzKeLfMegThVdALTDNbB_RgdzK0xbrfoRMlPHAyXA93aDCCT9Uaqowb9qpF2hLDweguqbesLOj3kLNQwvoiFuc7C0mmHrg-Ro5txKqcooAeSrd49jiIpgAOnD-9i0oGN_4uSKW4PikmAcuDWXuiBGiwTc9Qy/s1449/Crazy_Taxi_2_Paradox_RU_1.jpg"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjik2H6Ngo_Gm_R_inqHt37GCCBPzKeLfMegThVdALTDNbB_RgdzK0xbrfoRMlPHAyXA93aDCCT9Uaqowb9qpF2hLDweguqbesLOj3kLNQwvoiFuc7C0mmHrg-Ro5txKqcooAeSrd49jiIpgAOnD-9i0oGN_4uSKW4PikmAcuDWXuiBGiwTc9Qy/w320-h315/Crazy_Taxi_2_Paradox_RU_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Now, this is a pretty cool cover! I can't quite shake the thought that I'm sure these people are the members of a Ska band that I've seen live once before. Album title would clearly be "The Ska-taxi" and the bassist is clearly in a hardcore band as well. Good cover though.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDzTMuiRdL_gxEsP1Q6K3BYYB-Gm1YW97pEMbUcxmAdCGbH6IVEz5Z6wUrhvwC24qcNWg7KNUmQIg4GYC32w3laSTA2LzCnlebeqswP2JunX0NsQybUCDqM4NbeTnNohUpMsUZN-KcE4FuiE43kAIfXRJ0xOfptYsAAy-WDXwn07BNZJpBmwR/s1204/Grand_Theft_Auto_2_Vector_RUS-05665-A_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDzTMuiRdL_gxEsP1Q6K3BYYB-Gm1YW97pEMbUcxmAdCGbH6IVEz5Z6wUrhvwC24qcNWg7KNUmQIg4GYC32w3laSTA2LzCnlebeqswP2JunX0NsQybUCDqM4NbeTnNohUpMsUZN-KcE4FuiE43kAIfXRJ0xOfptYsAAy-WDXwn07BNZJpBmwR/w320-h318/Grand_Theft_Auto_2_Vector_RUS-05665-A_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is a pretty decent cover. Doesn't really represent the game, but looks good.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hPxlxYMt4VXlQsbjSPCiy-dYOqv18dpDMXVuJhrL1f_kkkrL8f7So-eka_XyCbztoNfc_MrDGiSOm9OBquVx7LATfyKNc7ZGCdo-p-vT_NhDPSM3cFyHk-jkddi400BLLh0FWBTsLcUapOCji-sNx0vNBVpUXbuVOXUz8Y57-tUpA8HvJ2Ja/s1416/MacrossM3DreamcastRUFrontRGR.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hPxlxYMt4VXlQsbjSPCiy-dYOqv18dpDMXVuJhrL1f_kkkrL8f7So-eka_XyCbztoNfc_MrDGiSOm9OBquVx7LATfyKNc7ZGCdo-p-vT_NhDPSM3cFyHk-jkddi400BLLh0FWBTsLcUapOCji-sNx0vNBVpUXbuVOXUz8Y57-tUpA8HvJ2Ja/w318-h320/MacrossM3DreamcastRUFrontRGR.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">One of my favourite bootleg covers. I don't know Macross well enough to know the source of the image, but it's a cool cover.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_hkJf79GB1daasaIAVR7_-XLZ78fvQgrywgayBfayyBAq7dgVW1M13z_IMdRKxuLxB6bPhA9hjqD-4DYxL30J3Mlw8x9wI81LETcDzKYHAhRku_5vI6duJQbNZzWatnZ6zzWqTRfsNN3Qw5Saubgsr_wXO3P7gOX5srMuMhV6ByQE3KSx6z8/s1448/Omikron_The_Nomad_Soul_PlayZero_RU_1.jpg"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_hkJf79GB1daasaIAVR7_-XLZ78fvQgrywgayBfayyBAq7dgVW1M13z_IMdRKxuLxB6bPhA9hjqD-4DYxL30J3Mlw8x9wI81LETcDzKYHAhRku_5vI6duJQbNZzWatnZ6zzWqTRfsNN3Qw5Saubgsr_wXO3P7gOX5srMuMhV6ByQE3KSx6z8/w320-h314/Omikron_The_Nomad_Soul_PlayZero_RU_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A bit of a bizarre, trippy cover for The Nomad Soul, but quite cool.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiisgitSCmll21iZHkVd9aSi6EvbZMUB2IVb66vz4X4aL3IbdxKhWGm2dP14V3gUGN9vFrkJ2ld28HAYV-o9bnzWa_py8zIhsdK18Y7MtsEbba06Dwu748_lqM8l4ziPkQjB1hwrxEL652us7WGPHVI0H4orpy_aWCNafLE4ddVUkibKOFruNbA/s1219/Record_of_Lodoss_War_Vector_RUS-04812-A_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiisgitSCmll21iZHkVd9aSi6EvbZMUB2IVb66vz4X4aL3IbdxKhWGm2dP14V3gUGN9vFrkJ2ld28HAYV-o9bnzWa_py8zIhsdK18Y7MtsEbba06Dwu748_lqM8l4ziPkQjB1hwrxEL652us7WGPHVI0H4orpy_aWCNafLE4ddVUkibKOFruNbA/w320-h315/Record_of_Lodoss_War_Vector_RUS-04812-A_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This appears to use official artwork, but doesn't quite match the mood of the game itself.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMeVm4VtYpsQVKays6dC1cAhAF5vO_6BPBet-HQ963bw4cs5yZql7ncNfoIE7Au7xcIlxXt04_vi2aCV4uLa05WViti5WJ2tH8ia-HvYCNixQM1taO6b4SyVXJCsEq6_qLkG5qpecjdasp93RjovOvICykSASvAnZnXToUEaxi0ApW6rFvy_ma/s1445/Shenmue_II_RGR_Studio_RUS-04163-A_RU_Front.jpg"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMeVm4VtYpsQVKays6dC1cAhAF5vO_6BPBet-HQ963bw4cs5yZql7ncNfoIE7Au7xcIlxXt04_vi2aCV4uLa05WViti5WJ2tH8ia-HvYCNixQM1taO6b4SyVXJCsEq6_qLkG5qpecjdasp93RjovOvICykSASvAnZnXToUEaxi0ApW6rFvy_ma/w320-h314/Shenmue_II_RGR_Studio_RUS-04163-A_RU_Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">There's a couple of examples of Shenmue bootlegs out there, and this one featuring Joy is about the same quality as most of them; that is, pretty average.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKrfhNVxP_OdDG4FhEhV6DFhUsabt7aAic1EjG4ShqqV5tclm0oD0OL3K9F1nxkO1pPJ_GkM4SBx4-aUiRetvaZeGvcbgkQLu4ax_Qnpkw1B_yHHg0uF7Nf2Ggx45V-0klekLFbxikxJvgjwvpZ49Yo8ATB-l5mnnsN4sJu1EYEsKMKDo4giS/s852/Sonic_Adventure_Paradox_RU_1.png"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKrfhNVxP_OdDG4FhEhV6DFhUsabt7aAic1EjG4ShqqV5tclm0oD0OL3K9F1nxkO1pPJ_GkM4SBx4-aUiRetvaZeGvcbgkQLu4ax_Qnpkw1B_yHHg0uF7Nf2Ggx45V-0klekLFbxikxJvgjwvpZ49Yo8ATB-l5mnnsN4sJu1EYEsKMKDo4giS/w320-h317/Sonic_Adventure_Paradox_RU_1.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">There are loads of games with numerous examples of bootleg covers, usually from different bootleg companies, and Sonic Adventure has some great examples. This one presents DJ Sonic, obviously the main focus of the title...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmnpGFn2SSgqUwHj9P2F4_EOtNKjHOB4fQ1Wd-TzCDtmi3yhC6mqpbvW9cyXyf_6yOsD8h15b-v0KanfDGJOLrrwJex1_daiKIcSG9mr2VfQj0iEkbB_Bc3YDBIqzfcJq1jsB8K03pgsO5jR7PF1qG6ZP6FBodVLDMjLAcUH3WehRWyLieQFt/s644/Taxi_2_T-17708D-09_RGR_Studio_RU.jpg"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmnpGFn2SSgqUwHj9P2F4_EOtNKjHOB4fQ1Wd-TzCDtmi3yhC6mqpbvW9cyXyf_6yOsD8h15b-v0KanfDGJOLrrwJex1_daiKIcSG9mr2VfQj0iEkbB_Bc3YDBIqzfcJq1jsB8K03pgsO5jR7PF1qG6ZP6FBodVLDMjLAcUH3WehRWyLieQFt/w318-h320/Taxi_2_T-17708D-09_RGR_Studio_RU.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Taxi 2 - Le Jeu is not a great game, but at least the cover of the actual release pretty much sums up the concept (driving fast in France), unlike this attempt by RGR Studio which is highly generic.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So that wraps up this extensive showcase of the best and worst covers that Dreamcast games have to offer. Which covers do you love or hate? Let us know in the comments below or via one of our many social media channels.</div></div>Spaceturniphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11383741102834391718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-85803442238118264082024-02-04T21:46:00.024+00:002024-02-29T18:36:44.525+00:00Minecraft-Clone "ClassiCube" now available for Dreamcast - supports Online Play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmDl-hpXc2EYmJ4I3gmUJ2gnVftjGjx5jzTfawPoLLvmTbquRJgc0Ez3T8I2wyMpFhpw7luf03SgGO2NrIZGpkpPwLfN05AQEhh-piSPgwPmju-_Px1hVvDkLmnxHRq13zBrDfffXs3yNwwmEGeqpJpWbmiPUYSwWVDaEib29ilrTAEMZcOMWLQ/s600/MINECRAFT.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmDl-hpXc2EYmJ4I3gmUJ2gnVftjGjx5jzTfawPoLLvmTbquRJgc0Ez3T8I2wyMpFhpw7luf03SgGO2NrIZGpkpPwLfN05AQEhh-piSPgwPmju-_Px1hVvDkLmnxHRq13zBrDfffXs3yNwwmEGeqpJpWbmiPUYSwWVDaEib29ilrTAEMZcOMWLQ/w400-h224/MINECRAFT.png" width="400" /></a></div>Do you know Minecraft? <i>No? </i>Have you been living under a block? Joking aside, if you <i>seriously </i>don't know what Minecraft is, then it is a game where you jump around swinging a pickaxe at all different types of blocks to build or destroy whatever your heart desires. It's like Lego with minerals... or something.<div><br /></div><div>The reason I'm referencing a game that is hugely popular with people too young to know that the creators of Sonic once made video game consoles, is because today I was made aware that ClassiCube, a free, open-source clone of Minecraft, has hit the Dreamcast, and it supports online play! Seems the news trail went as follows: YouTuber (and friend) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@thesegaguru" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Sega Guru</a> told YouTuber (and friend) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Itsmuchmore" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">James Jarvis</a> (aka ItsMuchMore) and then I found out from <a href="https://twitter.com/TheDCJunkyard/status/1754250642749637104" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a post</a> by excellent Dreamcast online gaming resource (and friends) <a href="https://dreamcastlive.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dreamcast Live</a>.</div><div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZqohkYrHMYBlejDxtR_u1uRS4ixiOFPKjNkjDUI16ikGcy-g7wnkF9NcEV6zNfqqXokADT2Kj3_menJAXozmmvwfoMdtufDJ1tanLq4HZDCejYY9zhwGF5oYGrrTvAzyOnNc586vfKxDrEWw4QaGUuZlbNU2CZJT_Y4rRME9IQuBhNHDDTkbqQ/s854/687474703a2f2f692e696d6775722e636f6d2f464369776c32372e706e67.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="854" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZqohkYrHMYBlejDxtR_u1uRS4ixiOFPKjNkjDUI16ikGcy-g7wnkF9NcEV6zNfqqXokADT2Kj3_menJAXozmmvwfoMdtufDJ1tanLq4HZDCejYY9zhwGF5oYGrrTvAzyOnNc586vfKxDrEWw4QaGUuZlbNU2CZJT_Y4rRME9IQuBhNHDDTkbqQ/w400-h225/687474703a2f2f692e696d6775722e636f6d2f464369776c32372e706e67.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screenshot from the PC version of ClassiCube.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>This Dreamcast port of ClassiCube is currently only in the early alpha stages, which means it is likely to crash/freeze or have issues with performance, but as a proof of concept, it really is an exciting project. <a href="https://www.classicube.net/download/dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Click here</b></a> to download the .cdi file for it, and if you want to try getting it online, I highly recommend checking out James' video below.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/PCMD9XBCIE4' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Also check out The Sega Guru's video, which includes an interview with the developers. </div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9sFovbdHDpo' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">Believe it or not, we actually saw another homebrew Minecraft project for the Dreamcast back in 2017 called "Crafti". Tom wrote about that <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/01/crafti-homebrew-minecraft-clone-for.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Are you going to give ClassiCube a go? Do you think this is an exciting project? Let us know in the comments below, or via our social media channels?</div>Lewis Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14780213240335170126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-30529162989824947562024-01-30T19:16:00.014+00:002024-01-31T10:14:50.943+00:00Fragmented Almanac: Unique Dreamcast Puzzle Collection goes up for Pre-order!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA405wuMtQwKeRwApyBIHRpW6X4HbUYu54fUcB12Qi5l1DNKe8w7KsKBMso-7KhQKyg5S4al8c1k4Vi1YmFcyYFNFgfGrYl6LMce1XwSGJnHbnm0KRKSvnwFZi3jsD-R8VlYTkrZUGXWrsxoYzqW_DhWkv3WeWhw5kVSqEHquuSiCzuiP7FzcelA/s1078/Screenshot%202024-01-30%20at%206.42.48%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1078" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA405wuMtQwKeRwApyBIHRpW6X4HbUYu54fUcB12Qi5l1DNKe8w7KsKBMso-7KhQKyg5S4al8c1k4Vi1YmFcyYFNFgfGrYl6LMce1XwSGJnHbnm0KRKSvnwFZi3jsD-R8VlYTkrZUGXWrsxoYzqW_DhWkv3WeWhw5kVSqEHquuSiCzuiP7FzcelA/w400-h398/Screenshot%202024-01-30%20at%206.42.48%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>One of my favourite memories from when I first got involved with The Dreamcast Junkyard happened towards the end of February 2020, when I played the demo for "<a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/02/reaperi-cycle-reappears-with-brand-new.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reaperi Cycle</a>" in preparation for an <a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/2907493" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">episode</a> of our podcast, <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/p/podcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the DreamPod</a>. Interesting extra tidbit: I'd got engaged to my now-wife just the day before! </p><p>Upon booting up the Reaperi Cycle demo, I was met with a point-and-click game in an isometric style, with really compelling pre-rendered graphics indicative of 90s PC titles, such as Sanitarium. This was not a style of game I ever expected to hit the Dreamcast, but something that I'm so glad I played. The mission of the demo was to solve puzzles in an alchemist's study to try and unlock a strange floating cube in the middle of the room. Not being <strike>that smart</strike> a puzzle game aficionado, I found some of the puzzles quite tricky to solve, which had me turning to fellow Junkyarders Tom, Mike and James for help, as they were also playing the game in prep for the podcast. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MAQ2Fkn0xkcyqxlswug9sMvPLAQvdtp1FPZaVhSev7L9Izs6a07xIjqE9IRAYfis5RyGXmHI1BafdH45T_CnTsjXIM_S5Z8FB6JDVs_lXS-sFumPYw8lUmgt3J6eKW00APh5k7Q3xAe0ZzrurJ84Ua4X6OkH0_eqwbL5Vqo46qqxiNqjBHItYw/s1600/ReaperiCycle3.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="1600" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MAQ2Fkn0xkcyqxlswug9sMvPLAQvdtp1FPZaVhSev7L9Izs6a07xIjqE9IRAYfis5RyGXmHI1BafdH45T_CnTsjXIM_S5Z8FB6JDVs_lXS-sFumPYw8lUmgt3J6eKW00APh5k7Q3xAe0ZzrurJ84Ua4X6OkH0_eqwbL5Vqo46qqxiNqjBHItYw/s320/ReaperiCycle3.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reaperi Cycle</td></tr></tbody></table><p>In this age of instant information, even if we'd tried to look for a walkthrough to this demo, we would've come back empty handed, so what followed was something I'd not experienced in a <i>long </i>time: we started exchanging hints and tips with one another about what we'd each managed to figure out. With everybody's help (particularly Mike's, if I recall correctly), I eventually managed to get that cube open and complete the demo, and it felt awesome. It took me back to my playground days of yore, when my friend who was a year older than me would effectively function as a walking walkthrough guide, helping me out with advice whenever I got stuck on Pokémon Red. Reaperi Cycle reminded me of that, and it was amazing to feel that same buzz once again of utilising the advice of friends to finally beat a game. </p><p>So then... why did I share this sentimental little tale? Because developer of Reaperi Cycle, ANTIRUINS, is finally releasing definitive versions of not only Reaperi Cycle (now known as The Hideout), but also <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/10/a-quick-look-at-summoning-signals-demo.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Summoning Signals</a>, another excellent demo that they also showcased back in 2020. And what's more, they're both combined into one release, called the <a href="https://antiruins.com/catalog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fragmented Almanac</a>, with enhanced visuals and audio. That's two really unique games for the price of one, and you can pre-order them today, for an expected release date of March 2024.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxePkHiGekFFsIiia8mH4t81V2hxeojiaKyryaXIx3Po2mACV9ACUupyPOxVj4spozEieD1SIZe-RDeZeZkyIEx57ATr_HiT5k0s6Ar_9Oup2LlEOnaHHJqzYWrGAr3ATcoBGBNYuZc7_4i10tq9j1ZK8OpnWsAZU2hyphenhyphenMiIRikFS1OinCkMEFxmw/s1800/MOCKUPS-ALMANAC_CYCLE.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1800" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxePkHiGekFFsIiia8mH4t81V2hxeojiaKyryaXIx3Po2mACV9ACUupyPOxVj4spozEieD1SIZe-RDeZeZkyIEx57ATr_HiT5k0s6Ar_9Oup2LlEOnaHHJqzYWrGAr3ATcoBGBNYuZc7_4i10tq9j1ZK8OpnWsAZU2hyphenhyphenMiIRikFS1OinCkMEFxmw/w400-h243/MOCKUPS-ALMANAC_CYCLE.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3iEgdfMHvbhok1gusz4UzJfQD78t5P9ZY9tS7x1jKbj-hNqa14-NwmaXA962VTOP285SXRk4w5NCYxcxAVLwXJsv3akLZy9pQ1xNQ3x5oATgj7w7Rfq_BBZAPgi-oVI52dmDpsxaBtfvDlWOjQp1E_g5vi60DHVq_kD8VjArwDK36lIyYJakug/s1800/MOCKUPS-ALMANAC_NTSC.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1800" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3iEgdfMHvbhok1gusz4UzJfQD78t5P9ZY9tS7x1jKbj-hNqa14-NwmaXA962VTOP285SXRk4w5NCYxcxAVLwXJsv3akLZy9pQ1xNQ3x5oATgj7w7Rfq_BBZAPgi-oVI52dmDpsxaBtfvDlWOjQp1E_g5vi60DHVq_kD8VjArwDK36lIyYJakug/w400-h243/MOCKUPS-ALMANAC_NTSC.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Fragmented Almanac will be available digitally for $14.99 (for play on emulator, ODE, etc), with disc copies costing $29.99. The physical game comes in two editions with different cover art, and they both look<i> absolutely sick</i>. You'd be forgiven for mistaking them for some underground band's short-run release on some boutique indie label's Bandcamp. "Dude, I really hope they release Fragmented Almanac on vinyl next!"</p><p>On <a href="https://antiruins.com/catalog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ANTIRUINS' store page</a> for this release, the collection is described as follows:</p><p><span style="color: #073763;"><i>"The Fragmented Almanac is a strange document, an oddity even amongst Dreamcast games. At the junction of video games, art and alchemy, this project is the culmination of 7 years of Dreamcast development, spread over 5 different games. The Fragmented Almanac re-unites two of these experimentations under a multifaceted and complex timeline."</i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And the games contained within:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #073763;">"THE HIDEOUT : This place is filled with alchemical knowledge, old tales and mystical symbols. It's the hidden path in the forest, seen by very few. Can you unlock its secret?</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #073763;">"SUMMONING SIGNALS : Sprinter-2 crashed on an Unknown Planet. Help the Pilot and figure out a way to leave the labyrinth. Discover this strange world where new technology and old ruins coexist."</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The games also boasts such features as a "new Almanac system [which] guides you through the complex world", an "eerie soundtrack composed by Gabriel Ledoux" and the useful extra of "hints [being] displayed on the VMU". Nice.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVkTfhcEuRTjt7x0OrVtJ4rZSrawNtjDCTIRRUaOb3K8toEqWC94GjJpu2ieufmQTMga3oZKLPxGkjWzkQ2hQxGQTy32gGI0KDPfQuUU1LjKyULpnhotA2kH1jHgosonTr0svlIgCNIr7blo5C8kyXoGqKEkcNyWTDT60nNxeGQTAnhgj9gZtAw/s2000/Screenshot-2024-01-11-15-58-09%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="405" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVkTfhcEuRTjt7x0OrVtJ4rZSrawNtjDCTIRRUaOb3K8toEqWC94GjJpu2ieufmQTMga3oZKLPxGkjWzkQ2hQxGQTy32gGI0KDPfQuUU1LjKyULpnhotA2kH1jHgosonTr0svlIgCNIr7blo5C8kyXoGqKEkcNyWTDT60nNxeGQTAnhgj9gZtAw/w540-h405/Screenshot-2024-01-11-15-58-09%20(1).png" width="540" /></a></div>The developers of Fragmented Alamanac are Canada-based, but did confirm in our <a href="https://discord.com/invite/qw9HJRRbVk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discord</a> that they are currently working to try and get a distributor arranged for Europe, although $11 to get one of these sent to the UK (where I'm based) isn't too bad a delivery cost. Once again, you can pre-order the game <a href="https://antiruins.com/catalog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.<div><br /></div><div>Are you going to check out The Hideout and Summoning Signals as part of the Fragmented Almanac? Let us know in the comments below, or on our socials.</div>Lewis Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14780213240335170126noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-63014404572587165142024-01-22T12:56:00.019+00:002024-01-23T00:19:23.924+00:00Hands On with the Retro Fighters StrikerDC Wireless Dreamcast Controller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2W5wyRvqLTdwWsFBjAfMeo9h996wG-aD-dNlHi4lfibH0Eu8cvxOmv5T6RxI-djCHqRRmV4oTR42gm9JZdAvObH5tBh2tB41pq4pb8ec9znd1bDqsaHb_6nkqx6la4l3tIVr1HqZWZLLBEeoeSC0aZiJZWYI4Zp-WVdr_oZK33sLUtW6329Kaw/s1280/YTSTRIKERDC.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2W5wyRvqLTdwWsFBjAfMeo9h996wG-aD-dNlHi4lfibH0Eu8cvxOmv5T6RxI-djCHqRRmV4oTR42gm9JZdAvObH5tBh2tB41pq4pb8ec9znd1bDqsaHb_6nkqx6la4l3tIVr1HqZWZLLBEeoeSC0aZiJZWYI4Zp-WVdr_oZK33sLUtW6329Kaw/w452-h254/YTSTRIKERDC.png" width="452" /></a></div><p></p><p>Retro Fighters have recently released the Wireless update to their StrikerDC “next gen” Dreamcast controller. We took a look at the original wired version <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/06/hands-on-with-retrofighters-dc-striker.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">way back in 2020</a>, which was so long ago I forgot that it was me who did the actual review.</p><p>Well, we here at the Junkyard have the new version in our grubby little hands (thanks to Retro Fighters for sending us some units to review), and we've started to put it through its paces… and everything is so far, so good. In the video below, you can see my initial thoughts and feelings pretty much in real time, with just one or two edits in and around the fat of the content.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ifGdfuKSFfw?si=BK6ySEUX94SMXHHm" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><p>Can't be bothered to see my stupid face? I get that. Then to briefly summarise my initial impressions: this is a product that improves on the original in most ways, the triggers and analog stick both feel nicer when in use. Having stopped to think about it, I’d say the triggers feel similar to something like the Razer controllers I have, as they have a nice audible click when pressed. It will be interesting to see if they hold up over time, unlike those of the wired version, which many had to send off to Retro Fighters for replacements. Also, as far as I can tell, the controller has no input lag.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapEUxBPqJhLoddcngQfcBI1_tOe-aexicgcNq8zE1wIVY7TwI26Uws4oQzUaoJ3euXmEOHUmQZKkfFlY_ogu6x_KvvCoSV6BsecTwfd9gvDDlA3OpjMuumQeGN29HzbqAuw9SCzE81RIQGfRxtjtkxvnj-RuffcQsUb130UUwb4XJv0-A5ovRZg/s701/IMG_4928.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapEUxBPqJhLoddcngQfcBI1_tOe-aexicgcNq8zE1wIVY7TwI26Uws4oQzUaoJ3euXmEOHUmQZKkfFlY_ogu6x_KvvCoSV6BsecTwfd9gvDDlA3OpjMuumQeGN29HzbqAuw9SCzE81RIQGfRxtjtkxvnj-RuffcQsUb130UUwb4XJv0-A5ovRZg/w256-h320/IMG_4928.jpeg" width="256" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p>For more information on all the controller's new features, check out <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/08/strikerdc-wireless-controller-announced.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lozz's original news post</a> about it.</p><p>If you have one of these, owned the original, or have a question, then let us know in the comments below or on one of our social media channels.</p>Kev Masonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10131866345318302272noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-24487653249190827292024-01-14T12:41:00.008+00:002024-02-01T00:02:06.115+00:00The Top 25 Dreamcast Indie Games 2024 - Voting Now Closed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJmbsspD1j84j8IL0saAdE8-citdx-7yLfczNo8D5wbgTDy4b-a8-QzW8uc9J879_ZBh-bikC8XuTCZckh-cP1RKrhablfmq_CWWBkxFExtJZeTirnCcOL8GakFqrqfTl9Y_pkZkWDNA44uYONifjK7cGukvA-PSKBjR53BEYHmdq9ADEuGbrVg/s600/indievote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJmbsspD1j84j8IL0saAdE8-citdx-7yLfczNo8D5wbgTDy4b-a8-QzW8uc9J879_ZBh-bikC8XuTCZckh-cP1RKrhablfmq_CWWBkxFExtJZeTirnCcOL8GakFqrqfTl9Y_pkZkWDNA44uYONifjK7cGukvA-PSKBjR53BEYHmdq9ADEuGbrVg/w537-h300/indievote.png" width="537" /></a></div><p>It's been <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/11/top-10-indie-dreamcast-games-2016-as.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">eight years</a> since we last went to readers, viewers, listeners and followers of The Dreamcast Junkyard to ask YOU what the best indie games for the Dreamcast are... and what an eight years it's been! Incredibly, no less than 43 new indie games have seen release for the console in that time - and that is just those that received actual physical versions.</p><p>As we're officially in the Dreamcast's 25th year of celebrations (I am now dubbing the time between the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/11/Japanese%20launchiversary.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese launch in 1998</a> and the PAL release in 1999 "the Dreamcast anniversary year"), it seems only fitting to bring this vote back and see what the current fan favourite indie games are, especially considering the increased number of releases since we last did the vote. Pier Solar topped the charts last time, just beating out Sturmwind, but a lot has happened since then!</p><p><br /></p><p><b>How to vote:</b></p><p>Simply click on the form at the bottom of the page (or <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/qwEGxdrStR" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, if its easier!) and name your selection of <b>a minimum of three indie releases, with a maximum of 10</b>. There's no need to order them, however you will be asked to select one of your choices as your <i>absolute favourite</i> on the second page of the form. I will then have the Junkyard gremlins work their magic, run the spreadsheets, click the dials and receive brown paper envelopes in dark parking lots so that we end up with the definitive Top 25 list of indie games.</p><p>That's not all though. As well as using this chance to work out the Top 25 indie games, we've also got a few additional votes that you can take part in, namely <b>Best Indie Developer</b><i>, </i><b>Best Indie Publisher </b>and<b> Most Anticipated Future Indie Release</b>.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Criteria:</b></p><p>I suppose we better clarify what an "indie release" is. Any commercially released or free game that runs on the Dreamcast that was not officially licensed by Sega but was sanctioned for release by its developers or rights holders, qualifies. This includes all the games listed in my <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2024/01/the-complete-guide-to-commercially.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Complete Guide to Commercially Released Dreamcast Indie Games</a> article, along with any other game that can be downloaded digitally for play on the Dreamcast for either a price or free, as long as it was allowed by its developer or rights holders.</p><p>The only titles that <b>don't </b>qualify for this voting would be unofficial ports of games, such as the Atomiswave ports, or unofficial mods or hacks of existing games (including any Beats of Rage mods, although Beats of Rage itself <i>does</i> qualify). Basically, if the developers or rights holders didn’t authorise it for play on the Dreamcast, it doesn’t qualify. Also, any unreleased games from the Dreamcast's official lifespan (such as Millennium Racer or Propeller Arena, for instance) don’t qualify either.</p><p>You have until the 31st of January 2024 to vote, and once we have closed the polls and had the time to write up the results we'll be announcing the final list on the blog and across social media.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Voting has now closed.</span></p>Spaceturniphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11383741102834391718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-51053394958838059032024-01-12T19:18:00.010+00:002024-03-03T17:20:17.854+00:00The Complete Guide to Commercially Released Dreamcast Indie Games<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29dlT1s7rBeQMjrMbYUp0ZrEovN_MavwJon98Xf5-WkfxkyzcakXFvRgOIMq6OwvlU1gE2ZqVQ-WDkOp-OaQn5blSTT8dQyEEay78-_Y9FYWS6-czDEOajhs6TOPvOtuKmoB696VntecqmndrtbIFXBzVocbd9oZvtgxgGddktG0ZJ3NTHRCQdQ/s600/indiegames.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29dlT1s7rBeQMjrMbYUp0ZrEovN_MavwJon98Xf5-WkfxkyzcakXFvRgOIMq6OwvlU1gE2ZqVQ-WDkOp-OaQn5blSTT8dQyEEay78-_Y9FYWS6-czDEOajhs6TOPvOtuKmoB696VntecqmndrtbIFXBzVocbd9oZvtgxgGddktG0ZJ3NTHRCQdQ/w528-h295/indiegames.png" width="528" /></a></div><p>The fact that we're still blathering on about the Dreamcast some 20 odd years after the console's demise is testament to two things - the fact that we're sad little people still holding on to a mere glimmer of nostalgia about our youth as we rapidly approach middle age, and also the fact that the community will just not let this console die. We obviously don't talk about the first of those points much (we don't want to remind ourselves that we're becoming less and less culturally literate with every rotation of this damn rock around the sun), but we do talk about how "alive" the system is all the time. Probably too much, to be honest, as many people like to put the Dreamcast firmly in the "past" folder in their brain, preferring to remember what it was like when it was new and current. This is completely understandable, to view the console solely through a sense of nostalgia especially now that we have so many ways of experiencing the console's library which don't rely on having shelves full of games (or spindles full of CD-Rs). We're in that stage of the console's post-life cycle that has many people who left their video gaming behind when they were young dipping into the console once more, stirring up their memories of happier times, and no doubt probably quite confused as to why some of us never left the machine in the past and have continued to be fascinated by Sega's last great home endeavour to this very day.</p><p>Whilst the nostalgia is to be expected, it is the vitality of the current Dreamcast scene which keeps us writing about it. In between the tired posts of social media influencers asking people if they remember Sonic Adventure or Crazy Taxi, there has been an incredibly active scene covering every element of the Dreamcast for years. We have new hardware and controllers, games with online modes re-activated, more translations of Japanese games than I can actually keep track of, books, magazines, an entire series of arcade titles <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/search/label/Atomiswave" target="_blank">ported</a> to the console, and a strong homebrew community that is creating some astonishing things. And it's that last point that allows me to pivot, finally, towards the point of this article. Alongside homebrew ports of classic titles (as I write this, the recent demo of the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/11/a-metal-gear-solid-2-sons-of-liberty.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Metal Gear Solid 2 port</a> is literally mind blowing) and fun little projects, we've now had 20 years of "proper" retail-released indie titles for the Dreamcast. My aim here is to document all of these in one article. I do love a long article...</p><p>I love Dreamcast indie titles. While they are not officially licensed by Sega, there is something very special about receiving a physical version of a game to be played on a console a quarter of a century old. The quality of the Dreamcast indie scene varies, which is to be expected, but even when a game is a bit crappy, I still have a certain sense of respect that it has been released on the console at all. Of course, I am a big weirdo, and will pick up anything you slap a "Dreamcast" label on, but for those who want to be a bit more selective with their hard-earned cash when expanding their Dreamcast library, a subjective view is always useful. In this article I hope to do just that - as well as take a look back at the various versions of the games that were released, where you can pick them up today, and any other interesting things that I can cram in before losing all excitement about writing this already massive article. This will also be constantly updated (hello, future people!) with my views on any new indie release, which will hopefully allow it to be a one-stop-shop for anyone interested in the broad DC indie scene - this will of course sit alongside our regular indie reviews from the entire DCJY team (I can also recommend Laurence's superb roundup of the indie scene in <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/02/the-dreamcast-commercial-indie-scene.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this article</a>, if you want a slightly different perspective). It's also worth checking out our <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/p/dreamcast-indie-games-publisher.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">directory of indie developers and publishers</a>, where you'll find direct links to all those involved in the indie scene.</p><p>Now, I need to add some context and "rules" here. The scope of this article will not include every single homebrew port or project - the first rule of the article is that it had to have been <b>released physically and could be purchased by anyone</b>. Of course, you can pick up a copy of any of the homebrew ports with nice printed inlays on Etsy - so that's when the second rule comes in: <b>the physical release must have been officially sanctioned by the developer or rights holder</b>. Finally, <b>only full releases will count</b> - so no demos, hacks or mods will be included, although total conversion mods that became standalone games in their own right do count. For the context of this article, only the games that meet the criteria I've just established will be called "indie releases". Will I probably end up breaking these rules to include something that I probably shouldn't? You betcha. Welcome to the wonderful world of "Mike doesn't stick to his own rules". </p><p>Enough of my nonsense (well, enough of this opening bit of nonsense, there's a lot more nonsense that lies ahead, I'm afraid!) - on with the article!</p><p></p><a name='more'></a><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">4x4 Jam</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHp2Jrc4FlZsJ8ywOl_XI65S_bx94f1c_95tlz7c5ZqecAUveyPJagl3_1RoF1uK3fl1p8LFjEbc6IICzGn2s6XKDD8JiQynbu0BCnMfsIyUR5G0KY495OfL4IMxaOocC5vLzxxA/s1280/thumbnail_Jaquette+face+DC+PAL+4x4-JAM.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1269" data-original-width="1280" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHp2Jrc4FlZsJ8ywOl_XI65S_bx94f1c_95tlz7c5ZqecAUveyPJagl3_1RoF1uK3fl1p8LFjEbc6IICzGn2s6XKDD8JiQynbu0BCnMfsIyUR5G0KY495OfL4IMxaOocC5vLzxxA/s320/thumbnail_Jaquette+face+DC+PAL+4x4-JAM.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Invictus Games<br /></p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2017</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: The Dreamcast's first 3D indie title delivers a fun off-road racing experience which didn't quite usher in a brave new world, but is well worth a play - even though the lack of multiplayer is disappointing.</p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSfJvoIrrMJJDgI8R-Xc4r9gVuPIQylj2-e4ddp_3qLinHnI_KED94TEMtzLAFrMB62qW9foLmUY4ZEi0d8Rsbx29_Lh3Obr8MwIXbXtwDW6aPJhq6l5ZBX03ZmM9KqXBzPORTduQXWXLZAyv-y0WJMYBBYCC5r9vp68cBzCHpXY-zAn4k69S/s597/4x4%20jam.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="597" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSfJvoIrrMJJDgI8R-Xc4r9gVuPIQylj2-e4ddp_3qLinHnI_KED94TEMtzLAFrMB62qW9foLmUY4ZEi0d8Rsbx29_Lh3Obr8MwIXbXtwDW6aPJhq6l5ZBX03ZmM9KqXBzPORTduQXWXLZAyv-y0WJMYBBYCC5r9vp68cBzCHpXY-zAn4k69S/s320/4x4%20jam.png" width="320" /></a></div><b>Review</b>:<p></p><p align="LEFT" class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Originally appearing on
iOS as a smartphone game, Hungarian developers Invictus Games ported 4x4 Jam to the PSP as one of the PSP mini titles, where it received
some degree of critical success. Its appearance on the Dreamcast as part of JoshProd's second round of releases was
unexpected, but significant. It became the first 3D indie title to be released commercially </span>for the Dreamcast,<span style="font-family: inherit;"> and the first proper 3D racing title for the
console since its early-2000s demise. It does often feel very much a product of its original platform, with a simple, arcade racing feel, but it has good depth and variety for the Dreamcast faithful to enjoy. The core gameplay here is the career mode which
sees a series of events competed throughout the eight environments on offer, which covers all of the different racing variety the game brings to the table. Normal races
and off-road races are pretty self-explanatory, whilst collector mode
showcases more of the game's open environments. The highlight is the
Jam mode - in these events, the game's Motocross Madness influence
can be seen as you race across the stages, aiming for randomly
indicated gates to gain points for being the first vehicle across the
line, with an aim of stringing together a series of these victories
to gain more points. It's great fun, and shows the game at its best.
There are a variety of vehicles available, each with different
handling characteristics, and there are several camera options, including a full interior view which was as impressive on release as it is now. The vehicles
drive well, if a little loose at times, but the game remains fun and enjoyable throughout your time with it. There are a couple of issues; the lack
of any multiplayer is a shame, and the poor AI on anything other than
hardest difficulty reduces some of its accessibility. There's also some graphical draw-in which can be quite distracting, but it's never a game breaker. When the game was first released, I was impressed, thinking it would be the start of a new generation of indie titles. Some six years on, it remains part of quite a selective group of indie releases that have taken on that third dimension, and playing it again, it's really quite impressive.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDpCJu0cv_WhuSxyI0vUztWBajrARvIU7br566WK3QZ5p7nJofIN3-k5Hz8dDaePwQBn61vMoV_8vGFkuB5qyd5PwDaF6NpOfTsceWj2xTSIE5XC1c1P6S6-T5YfvimouhdQY4A/s596/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-09-06-23-06-7.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="596" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDpCJu0cv_WhuSxyI0vUztWBajrARvIU7br566WK3QZ5p7nJofIN3-k5Hz8dDaePwQBn61vMoV_8vGFkuB5qyd5PwDaF6NpOfTsceWj2xTSIE5XC1c1P6S6-T5YfvimouhdQY4A/s320/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-09-06-23-06-7.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Both the PAL version (in a PAL case) and the US/Japanese version can be purchased on the PixelHeart website <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/4x4-jam-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here (PAL)</a>, <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/4x4-jam-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here (Japanese)</a>, or <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/4x4-jam-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here (US)</a>. As will be a recurring comment throughout this article, JoshProd/PixelHeart releases usually follow a pattern of a solo PAL release in a PAL case and a combined US/Japanese style release which has a reversible cover which features each of these orange-swirled NTSC packaging styles. As with all indie releases though, any version is playable on any console - the "PAL", "US" or "Japanese" identifications are solely used to differentiate packaging styles. You can also pick up the US cover version at <a href="https://videogamesnewyork.com/4x4-jam-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Video Games New York</a> (aka VGNYSoft). </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: My original and far more in-depth review of the game can be found <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/08/review-4x4-jam.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p> </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Alice Dreams Tournament</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XR5yKtN6I2sHM-OJEyuqBctUyiKyVFnv6JEgyLi-wzBqa-5UVcrXabVDxeGZwtOd_yq5Y2nPY4z8nK3JsNRe-B3YErABAhU4MbLiedHfhqDLvZ2w20sRwL9u-f6IgCTNxyAayeNy4JOigyT09tw4zmEJ3_dmmHlF535_q8LT_cxedrrmyiWN/s1423/WAVE-ALICE-DREAMS-EU-Front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1423" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XR5yKtN6I2sHM-OJEyuqBctUyiKyVFnv6JEgyLi-wzBqa-5UVcrXabVDxeGZwtOd_yq5Y2nPY4z8nK3JsNRe-B3YErABAhU4MbLiedHfhqDLvZ2w20sRwL9u-f6IgCTNxyAayeNy4JOigyT09tw4zmEJ3_dmmHlF535_q8LT_cxedrrmyiWN/s320/WAVE-ALICE-DREAMS-EU-Front.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: Alice Team (later re-released by WAVE Game Studios)</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Alice Team</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2017</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Influenced heavily by Bomberman, Alice Dreams Tournament brings so much variety and fun elements to the table that it can legitimately stand alongside its inspiration and is a treat for any Dreamcast indie fan. Best enjoyed with friends.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEVBsl6u3ksi65YstYLcsoux5gxI8apL8joDvQ4ymv9bOdSx5yIneWwXRVJawMEUBTLrjw6_-yN4FeRCwhid4Fbe-0Upik6Eav8mIT3zAGTVfW26LDe_6FKBl6nrDAF0FypsXWA/s640/Decharge.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEVBsl6u3ksi65YstYLcsoux5gxI8apL8joDvQ4ymv9bOdSx5yIneWwXRVJawMEUBTLrjw6_-yN4FeRCwhid4Fbe-0Upik6Eav8mIT3zAGTVfW26LDe_6FKBl6nrDAF0FypsXWA/s320/Decharge.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review:</b></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">After a long development process, Alice Dreams Tournament finally saw release on the Dreamcast in early 2017 with a successful Kickstarter campaign completed. Sprouting from a mid-00s platforming adventure project titled "Alice Dreams", Tournament started off as Bomberman inspired mini-game included with that title before morphing into a fully-fledged concept in its own right titled "Dynamite Dreams" - which would soon be retitled with the "tournament" moniker. You'd be wrong to dismiss this as either a clone or a mere mini-game though. The gameplay may be familiar to anyone versed in Hudson's classic (which let's be honest, is no bad thing; it's a classic for a reason) but the sheer amount of options available is almost overwhelming. There are tons of stages, lots of game modes, and plenty of settings to tinker with. The stages are incredibly diverse, including night mode options which fully darken the arenas allowing play on the VMU screen, which is an inspired design choice. Game modes range from single-player experiences like the traditional "battle" mode, to more intriguing ideas such as "Assault" or "Bodyguard" each adding something slightly different. Like its inspiration, the game is best experienced with friends and is a great excuse to connect four controllers to your console, and with the mass of arenas and options there is lots to get your teeth stuck into. The controls can feel a little "sticky" at times and some modes can be confusing, but these are only minor issues when compared to all the positives (which includes both graphics and audio, both of which are of a high-quality). It remains a Dreamcast exclusive and despite a recent re-release, it still doesn't get the love and respect it deserves.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The collectors editions include a second disc containing both the final demo release of the original Alice Dreams and a pixel-art inspired, retro gaming themed, slimmed down version of Tournament itself. The latter especially is absolutely excellent.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's also worth noting that this is one of three titles released in the Dreamcast indie scene that owes its existence, to a degree, to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Whilst the finished product contained sparse references to the classic nonsense tale, its origins as part of the Alice Dreams project were more clearly influenced. As husband to someone who has an entire room dedicated to Alice in Wonderland, I am obliged to bring this point up. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAhl3DrVCsNMlzKWay2cs-PZMwPKIHQ_AevXtL297dsZ9OBUQ0WIcT0FuJCd8heGLjI8nMIWaV15l-RfU1k2h0DZvf_VxLIXxphh5slMGGO5sbO3hrc3BnN951Vs1xu1oxv1sfQ/s640/Japon.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAhl3DrVCsNMlzKWay2cs-PZMwPKIHQ_AevXtL297dsZ9OBUQ0WIcT0FuJCd8heGLjI8nMIWaV15l-RfU1k2h0DZvf_VxLIXxphh5slMGGO5sbO3hrc3BnN951Vs1xu1oxv1sfQ/s320/Japon.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The game was originally released in standard and limited versions. The standard release had both US or Japanese style versions (as always, this makes no difference as to what console can play it, just a stylistic choice) and contained the main disc only. The limited collectors versions saw both a US and Japanese style double case version, which includes the extra disc chock-full of extras, and a PAL case release which does the same. All three of these versions shared the same slipcase. WAVE Game Studios then re-released the title with all three regional styles (although it seems VGNYSoft may have helped with the publishing of this in the US). This doesn't come with the extra disc of goodies. </p><p>The originals are available at some online retailers or good old eBay, but the re-releases are available at <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/alice-dreams-tournament" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WAVE here</a> in both European and Japanese styles, and the US style version is available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/alice-dreams-tournament" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYSoft</a>. As of December 2023, WAVE are currently offering the game at just £9.99, which is an absolute steal, but even its standard release price of £19.99 is well worth it. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Tom reviewed this for the Junkyard upon release, which can be <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/04/review-alice-dreams-tournament.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">found here</a>. Fun fact - Tom happened to visit my house when I first received the game, and we had great fun with it. On the same day we recorded <a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/498550-the-dreamcast-junkyard-dreampod-episode-49" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">an episode on the DreamPod</a> with now-editor of PC Gamer Rob Jones in the middle of Bristol and got interrupted by a train. I am full of fun stories, me. </p><p>You can also check the game's <a href="https://alicedreams.com/tournament/?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> (which is still live) for more information about it.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Alice's Mom's Rescue</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixroG8vodg-O1AhXIFsA3zSBOMadyWHkI0OAs6oX8fVFy2q6J5JLLpudgt65Dp2wRa_jtDrOOV6w3ROhMyvZhyphenhyphenN9mKONTjvek-37FtjX4k-V5aO_q9ib2OeX3wfM-nJiHJuv1RuqQYSDRm6hAaHH68J63yHZBgNhfr08tRRFb7UoMewE0DjObV/s800/639051454674.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixroG8vodg-O1AhXIFsA3zSBOMadyWHkI0OAs6oX8fVFy2q6J5JLLpudgt65Dp2wRa_jtDrOOV6w3ROhMyvZhyphenhyphenN9mKONTjvek-37FtjX4k-V5aO_q9ib2OeX3wfM-nJiHJuv1RuqQYSDRm6hAaHH68J63yHZBgNhfr08tRRFb7UoMewE0DjObV/s320/639051454674.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: Hucast (original), JoshProd/PixelHeart (re-release)</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Orion</p><p><b>Year of Release:</b> 2015</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A simple and whimsical idea which brings something a bit different to the Dreamcast indie scene. Colourful platforming action coupled with basic puzzle elements makes for an enjoyable title - but it doesn't push the system and is a tad overpriced. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOYWkAAJ1FzqtPmtLg3MtakeJBHgApuV7RHq_cVh3R3W9GjNZHckJ_2XyxKYygLs7U6q5f1Tg_sbFjU2fjSCmGtMVEkhGb3s7ah2wyynE8z-uL15tePot9UQb2yCSPbUbQoKeBIzaEg2rqWxt5_6YuMV4wW2YE9PSIHEuw4juLT4QIf40-NYPeA/s320/932109765261.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="239" data-original-width="320" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOYWkAAJ1FzqtPmtLg3MtakeJBHgApuV7RHq_cVh3R3W9GjNZHckJ_2XyxKYygLs7U6q5f1Tg_sbFjU2fjSCmGtMVEkhGb3s7ah2wyynE8z-uL15tePot9UQb2yCSPbUbQoKeBIzaEg2rqWxt5_6YuMV4wW2YE9PSIHEuw4juLT4QIf40-NYPeA/s1600/932109765261.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review:</b></p><p>Alice's Mom's Rescue is the first of one-man French developer Orion's titles to hit the Dreamcast (he would go on to publish many more). Marking a change from the shooter-heavy DC indie scene at the time, Alice's Mom's Rescue is an old-school 2D platformer that isn't afraid of ramping up the difficulty as the levels progress. Gameplay involves negotiating stages and enemies whilst solving some simple puzzle mechanics, as well as a fair bit of key grabbing. Whilst its simplicity is undeniable, the core mechanics work well and frustration is kept in check with unlimited lives. An Alice in Wonderland theme runs throughout the game, giving it a cute, whimsical look, and allows for little touches taken from Lewis Carroll's classic to set it apart from other similar titles (although truth be told, this style of game is somewhat rare in the DC indie scene). There are plenty of levels to make your way through, and a fair amount of variety evident in the artistic direction taken, whilst that all important "one more play" feeling sets in early thanks to the pick-up-and-play style. As with many of Orion's titles, this one is available on smartphones and tablets for peanuts, and some questions will no doubt be asked about whether such a simple mobile-orientated experience can really justify a full price Dreamcast release. Certainly, the game does nothing in terms of pushing the system's capabilities, but it can just about be forgiven due to its fun play mechanics and polished feel overcoming any perceived technical shortcomings. The original price was a bit on the heavy side, which is a little harder to defend. Don't expect Shenmue, obviously. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTdFpX46unVJfTIpQtiiZdXHbJ2KczL8-3UuG5ry5mrRZqxOItRU-j8Xee1k_7xSgNjppV33jiYlRHnn6Fes-lTAzEN_6D_b7LiiCbfDlETJKazRs7O8-qqlN3ub7rh0CpBEF_2nb28TukPVHu_V8jfDQa00lwO29FStORj6XJBGQM8P46tPg/s800/alicemom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTdFpX46unVJfTIpQtiiZdXHbJ2KczL8-3UuG5ry5mrRZqxOItRU-j8Xee1k_7xSgNjppV33jiYlRHnn6Fes-lTAzEN_6D_b7LiiCbfDlETJKazRs7O8-qqlN3ub7rh0CpBEF_2nb28TukPVHu_V8jfDQa00lwO29FStORj6XJBGQM8P46tPg/s320/alicemom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Originally released by once high-profile indie publisher Hucast, it saw both a standard release in a jewel case and a limited version in a DVD case which came with an extra soundtrack CD. A few years later, JoshProd re-released the game following their usual publishing format - a PAL case version and a US/Japanese style version which has a reversible manual/cover. This JoshProd release is meant to be version 1.5, but there's little notable differences between versions. You can pick up both from the PixelHeart website (PAL version <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/alices-moms-rescue-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, US/Japanese version <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/alices-moms-rescue-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/alices-moms-rescue-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>). It's also available from <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/alice-s-mom-s-rescue-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>. </p><p>You can also download the game from its <a href="https://orionsoft.itch.io/alicemomrescue" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">itch.io</a> page for a much lower price. If you are now in the world of a GDEMU-only Dreamcast, this is the best option to go for.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We never actually reviewed this one on the Junkyard. Dunno why, it probably sits in the 1,000 drafts that we've started and not finished when "real life" stuff got in the way. Not really sure what I should put here in its place though. How about the <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/11/11-h/11-h.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">original Alice in Wonderland in all its glory,</a> thanks to the Project Gutenberg library?</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Alice Sisters</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5hwzJOP3KugCHVN8v3rKByNib2hNYjfboWeqFJNzs4Det7_wqlFzvVJB7CfF4DsmBCCmxJXG7ZdHRmPhqlR7kL9D_PUroROS0-tprPNihyiuBpqLEXL9vRlBzpmUpTaF5XVNS0VrjWYvefS-MybFZ0wQPFmhTf9pU1Q6S3zubnMicKazfjtj/s800/Jaquette-Alice-Sisters-Dreamcast-JAP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5hwzJOP3KugCHVN8v3rKByNib2hNYjfboWeqFJNzs4Det7_wqlFzvVJB7CfF4DsmBCCmxJXG7ZdHRmPhqlR7kL9D_PUroROS0-tprPNihyiuBpqLEXL9vRlBzpmUpTaF5XVNS0VrjWYvefS-MybFZ0wQPFmhTf9pU1Q6S3zubnMicKazfjtj/s320/Jaquette-Alice-Sisters-Dreamcast-JAP.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Orion</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2021</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: This sequel to Alice's Mom's Rescue ups the ante by adding in two-player dynamics whilst retaining the original's whimsical and cute aesthetics. A fun, if somewhat simple, affair from an under rated developer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWARO50Lqzd9yUJrCqnnl3FOSD-XR2SJy_gK8Ai283ZB6WJrOyAQNF9JAtDGmMOyAxgWb8bfS-wyHhGjIKsIkF99IknpQEiiFQLXSbUYBq777Axb4mAUgtsFLes-724nId_mG8GTEKnr-5Hq66AK4En8iuC6tTGb-9Kk2sBDnu0k-02UzeW0Gz/s800/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="800" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWARO50Lqzd9yUJrCqnnl3FOSD-XR2SJy_gK8Ai283ZB6WJrOyAQNF9JAtDGmMOyAxgWb8bfS-wyHhGjIKsIkF99IknpQEiiFQLXSbUYBq777Axb4mAUgtsFLes-724nId_mG8GTEKnr-5Hq66AK4En8iuC6tTGb-9Kk2sBDnu0k-02UzeW0Gz/s320/Untitled.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>The sequel to 2015's Alice's Mom's Rescue, Alice Sisters continues its predecessor's puzzle-led 2D platforming whilst also adding a second sister to the mix, allowing for two-player puzzling that opens up the game dynamics significantly. Alice retains the ability to shrink in size that she exhibited in the first game whilst big sister is able to throw balls at enemies and obstacles. In two-player mode the dynamic works well whilst retaining the simple approach, and you can switch between characters in single-player mode to face the same challenges, so there's nothing here hidden behind a two-player only wall. The levels on offer are as colourful and bright as before (with an impressive 28 on offer this time out), and there is a twee soundtrack playing throughout the game which stays just on the right side of listenable. The puzzles themselves are relatively straightforward (use the right character to access the right sections, flick switches, find keys, etc.) but as the game progresses there is an element of challenge to stretch the more seasoned gamer, and some equally tricky platforming sections. As with Alice's first outing from Orion, the game doesn't push the console's capabilities, which no doubt will result in the same negative comments from some sectors of the community, but if you can overlook the simple premise and retro aesthetics this is a well-developed and fun title from an underrated developer that fans of the original will enjoy. Much like its predecessor though, the full price of its physical release is a little high.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnR4-ytodLEOrO-t_7CraM3A09armzyKBwVV78NSL1cNU_l41SwXBagwIbvFxCwfhjJIJvILHfjCDQs8wAN7zZcR0fSOkfnMy6IVJWrqXOoEFH1SFSAPh12XcGL4rgp13m10Dp/s347/Alicesisters.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="347" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnR4-ytodLEOrO-t_7CraM3A09armzyKBwVV78NSL1cNU_l41SwXBagwIbvFxCwfhjJIJvILHfjCDQs8wAN7zZcR0fSOkfnMy6IVJWrqXOoEFH1SFSAPh12XcGL4rgp13m10Dp/s320/Alicesisters.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The game followed JoshProd's standard releasing format - a PAL case version (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/alice-sisters-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">available here</a>) and a US/Japanese release that can be ordered separately but is in fact the same version with a reversible manual/cover - that can be found <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/alice-sisters-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here (US)</a> and <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/alice-sisters-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here (Japanese)</a>. As always, these versions differ only in artistic design, as any version can be played on any console. </p><p>Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/alice-sisters-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft.</a> </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We never reviewed this one on the Junkyard either (call ourselves a Dreamcast site? Pah. We're so shit), but this is a good opportunity to point you in the direction of <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/08/developer-interview-orion.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tom's interview with developer Orion</a>.</p><p>You can also find the PC version of the game at its <a href="https://orionsoft.itch.io/alice-sisters" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">itch.io</a> page, and check out Orion's own <a href="https://www.orionsoft.games/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> for all of their releases. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Andro Dunos</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0Su41javGBIjGQzKcLFgIcDD7_sOjxYwnBgJ33bU5jNyfeh1yENiukPwYUerwL5hGf2c2tN159LSMMAOdpNFRjWBjmv5EoXms9fyVFqhxawk-xBk9WQr54n_ZbrCqimrLsHkABiH_B4K3ZVyE60LzECGPlHemXUYHPIRwOtrtqzuyX-w0Mttlg/s800/Jaquette-Andro-Dunos-Dreamcast-PAL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0Su41javGBIjGQzKcLFgIcDD7_sOjxYwnBgJ33bU5jNyfeh1yENiukPwYUerwL5hGf2c2tN159LSMMAOdpNFRjWBjmv5EoXms9fyVFqhxawk-xBk9WQr54n_ZbrCqimrLsHkABiH_B4K3ZVyE60LzECGPlHemXUYHPIRwOtrtqzuyX-w0Mttlg/s320/Jaquette-Andro-Dunos-Dreamcast-PAL.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Visco</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2023</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A rather generic and uninspired horizontal shooter that isn't able to compete with the best indie shooters, but does nothing particularly wrong and at least delivers a passable playing experience. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11xAXWp9ijf1I5O-asGlNlnSGBB8hqOy9pkCjT8aknIT1hC0lU13Js1Jld7T3xPcTgZuvctlv2v71MH8sthdj2VFYaw-D5nnPGKzkULbsVcP0hqTriAjWpT5TDHrQq9-0jWsKyFTSBbc0ahg_ZjpqHHfUYid4bsqmC252GCXVtbpyWMHxJg/s565/Andro%20Dunos%20boss%20stage%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="565" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11xAXWp9ijf1I5O-asGlNlnSGBB8hqOy9pkCjT8aknIT1hC0lU13Js1Jld7T3xPcTgZuvctlv2v71MH8sthdj2VFYaw-D5nnPGKzkULbsVcP0hqTriAjWpT5TDHrQq9-0jWsKyFTSBbc0ahg_ZjpqHHfUYid4bsqmC252GCXVtbpyWMHxJg/s320/Andro%20Dunos%20boss%20stage%201.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>JoshProd's purchase of the back catalogue of Japanese developer Visco has led to some very interesting Dreamcast releases but it took until 2023 for us to see perhaps their most well-known title make the transition to the console, the colourful horizontal shooter Andro Dunos. Piloting the Yellow Cherry (or Red Fox if you're the second player in co-op mode), your task is to take on an alien invasion which threatens the future of mankind. It's not a very original plot, and truth be told, the word "generic" can be used to describe various aspects of the game. It's very much your traditional late-80s shooter, with rather uninspired stage settings and enemy craft - both of which look like those seen in countless other titles, a weapon system that will be familiar to anyone who has spent anytime playing through the Gradius franchise, and a difficulty level that often feels needlessly difficult - testament to the arcade roots of the title (seeing an arcade release shortly before a home version for the Neo Geo AES). It's also pretty bare-bones in terms of extras or presentation; not surprising when considering the game is playing through the Neo4All emulator, but a bit disappointing when compared to some other JoshProd releases. That all being said, however, there is a certain retro charm held within this title. The visuals are bright and vibrant and the soundtrack is decent, although not as good as some of the indie-developed titles for the console. The co-op mode is welcome and whilst the game may be generic, it doesn't do anything badly either, being a rather competent if uninspired take on the horizontal shooter genre. It also performs significantly better than some previous JoshProd releases which were also played through emulation, although there are still the occasional moments of slowdown. Not at the top tier of Dreamcast indie shooters, but worth a play.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfF89quB5ZTDZo6NpYo3LaZEF-dn3_4eWoU0RvxJBpJm12Ub_6lr8fv6fgcg9jkV3Ddfen1ewtN5trEbi66W3aL2ssJgHrF2Zp_FLMHKgjwoMm_mZWwlfDrHp99XpGNtgZULRS8AsKvz0qnt4FK1PbS9AsHeaEK6n6AdAmqJHUZmNwqw4_Q/s566/Andro%20Dunos%202%20player.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="566" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfF89quB5ZTDZo6NpYo3LaZEF-dn3_4eWoU0RvxJBpJm12Ub_6lr8fv6fgcg9jkV3Ddfen1ewtN5trEbi66W3aL2ssJgHrF2Zp_FLMHKgjwoMm_mZWwlfDrHp99XpGNtgZULRS8AsKvz0qnt4FK1PbS9AsHeaEK6n6AdAmqJHUZmNwqw4_Q/s320/Andro%20Dunos%202%20player.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Both the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/andro-dunos-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PAL case version</a> and the standard <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/andro-dunos-dreamcast-us/" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/andro-dunos-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> reversible manual/cover version are available to purchase via the PixelHeart web store. All of these are playable on any console version.</p><p>There are cardboard case versions of the game doing the rounds on the usual sites – these are not the official JoshProd release but instead are "homemade" versions which use the ROM and emulator, and have been around for some years.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Tom was on hand to review this one, you can check out <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/01/review-andro-dunos.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">his thoughts here</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Andro Dunos 2</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuP0d6fp0pnbOHyUo7rFKsHS61lBFlwxRMBLRahjDB78C6nppz2UEQJ53a7Qyn71rewFysCrL4UXwNJZi67wLYgc5XzuGc7wpXdKHACAHPUx3vEeOl8iDgxXn7I2YqZ8kieUSjDsD4iy-w6gT7E5P9K_df78sYWi5rZz7i4E_PqN-5yqO23quZg/s800/860831_front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuP0d6fp0pnbOHyUo7rFKsHS61lBFlwxRMBLRahjDB78C6nppz2UEQJ53a7Qyn71rewFysCrL4UXwNJZi67wLYgc5XzuGc7wpXdKHACAHPUx3vEeOl8iDgxXn7I2YqZ8kieUSjDsD4iy-w6gT7E5P9K_df78sYWi5rZz7i4E_PqN-5yqO23quZg/s320/860831_front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Picorinne Soft</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2023</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Vibrant and fun horizontal shooter that compares favourably to its modern generation compatriots. Well-designed from both a mechanical and aesthetic point of view, with an outstanding soundtrack to complement it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjQkcJjfGMYw9qWsiMaJtiAFpUi7t_0Hs-vDWsCFkoG-9HG94oeiVEPk_b1pmH_LiKhDYXeiHIrUbi5hQt-WuwmtuVt0xokrwuxj-kGz7GcTaMrFsSFEHtLz8QaXcMo9zRrazA9-Rn1buj6nSTCi6NvMgMrZvZOcIJObWTk6XxRARL6mV7klkbw/s800/ADII%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjQkcJjfGMYw9qWsiMaJtiAFpUi7t_0Hs-vDWsCFkoG-9HG94oeiVEPk_b1pmH_LiKhDYXeiHIrUbi5hQt-WuwmtuVt0xokrwuxj-kGz7GcTaMrFsSFEHtLz8QaXcMo9zRrazA9-Rn1buj6nSTCi6NvMgMrZvZOcIJObWTk6XxRARL6mV7klkbw/s320/ADII%203.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Whilst the port of the original Andro Dunos was mildly disappointing, the port of its sequel from modern day platforms to the DC deserves some serious attention. Developed by Japanese indie Picorinne Soft (also responsible for Battle Crust), this is a colourful, energetic horizontal shooter which once more takes a hefty dose of inspiration from the Gradius series. You have a multitude of weapons to rotate between, each of which is quickly powered-up as you dispatch the waves of enemy craft via generous numbers of weapon and upgrade drops. Before long you have an imposing arsenal at your disposal as you make your way through the game's well-designed and interesting stages, and can upgrade between levels as well. Whilst the gameplay is not going to win awards for originality, it does what it sets out to achieve – re-visiting the era of the original with its stages and enemy craft, as well as some very impressive bosses. Controls are smooth and responsive throughout and there is plenty of variation in the artistic direction taken to keep you interested, whilst from a game mechanics point of view, the game is solid throughout. The visuals are attractive and detailed, and there is a great, thumping soundtrack from Allister Brimble which instantly earns a place as one of the best indie scores on the Dreamcast. The range of difficulty levels allows those who aren't hardened shooter fans to make decent progress, whilst also challenging those grizzled veterans. The game saw release across several modern day consoles, and compared to these there are a few technical issues; namely that it's not quite as smooth, the visuals are more pixelated with some missing details and there is an initially long load time (so long I genuinely thought the Dreamcast had crashed). However, after playing the Switch version of the game first and enjoying it immensely, I found this port to be rather impressive, all things considered.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhvefdrt65QzIICnogmGG90J0AkIAJktr1C2IOu4FsN9xzvJusbMioNrcaQIUG5-2f2AmQYQNioeigSCgI_wdIWF3gmm03ht_1drIIEg7-I7dKmsVV1hyHFyaGuqfBfhmbrKaGDlK0VZNIVIWu6EENvHqaEQH5fo_XMeViBOppXM_tseZ8DF7Uw/s800/ADII%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhvefdrt65QzIICnogmGG90J0AkIAJktr1C2IOu4FsN9xzvJusbMioNrcaQIUG5-2f2AmQYQNioeigSCgI_wdIWF3gmm03ht_1drIIEg7-I7dKmsVV1hyHFyaGuqfBfhmbrKaGDlK0VZNIVIWu6EENvHqaEQH5fo_XMeViBOppXM_tseZ8DF7Uw/s320/ADII%201.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There are both standard and limited versions of the game available. The standard version has both PAL case (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/andro-dunos-2-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) and US/Japanese reversible manual versions (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/andro-dunos-2-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/andro-dunos-2-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) following JoshProd's standard publishing pattern. The limited edition is called "Space songs edition", which comes with the excellent soundtrack on a separate disc. There are both PAL versions (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/andro-dunos-2-space-songs-edition-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) and US/Japanese style versions (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/andro-dunos-2-space-songs-edition-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/andro-dunos-2-space-songs-edition-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) of this edition available. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Laurence delivered an excellent review of the game for the Junkyard, which you can read <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/07/review-andro-dunos-ii.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>You can see also how the game's modern gen versions hold up on <a href="https://www.metacritic.com/game/andro-dunos-2/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Metacritic</a>. Spoiler alert: it's doing pretty well!</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Another World</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59k9zoDyh5OI1mFYxKGk_VXYZ2CZw49PJMX9K3P3rO6cVs0bGMoIke-Bdk-Bn6FGpuoyaZQFWEamCvF_0y729j5GCh3pKznJ_DvGphzfegWC_yBEJh_gXi0aa3kklRieCaUUZnVFtCu2Ypu7RGlyV2y-rBJck4o3su2C4E6QDPKv8xWBrRxhm/s800/aw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59k9zoDyh5OI1mFYxKGk_VXYZ2CZw49PJMX9K3P3rO6cVs0bGMoIke-Bdk-Bn6FGpuoyaZQFWEamCvF_0y729j5GCh3pKznJ_DvGphzfegWC_yBEJh_gXi0aa3kklRieCaUUZnVFtCu2Ypu7RGlyV2y-rBJck4o3su2C4E6QDPKv8xWBrRxhm/s320/aw.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Eric Chahi, The Digital Lounge</p><p><b>Year of Release:</b> 2018</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A legitimate gaming classic gets a Dreamcast release. Whilst the technology employed may be old and the game's insistence on trial-and-error gameplay sometimes frustrating, this is still an artistic, cinematic experience.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0bT0nv58ro5EnXdL5lUc2FewKe_aDsP4at8NVtScuPHun5CJykUbqZ4WByCcf6-3SYU0vzPH-i0C4pSFPhRuMPzo8215-pwDHDy5TX7Yv-MSc73Er-g1VUd5fQVW_dYVVHd9hT6zT5Fn-LsRLpvrXEFVDYucpOOkc2l4kvwr98OtyXu-6Wyq/s800/awgameplay1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="800" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0bT0nv58ro5EnXdL5lUc2FewKe_aDsP4at8NVtScuPHun5CJykUbqZ4WByCcf6-3SYU0vzPH-i0C4pSFPhRuMPzo8215-pwDHDy5TX7Yv-MSc73Er-g1VUd5fQVW_dYVVHd9hT6zT5Fn-LsRLpvrXEFVDYucpOOkc2l4kvwr98OtyXu-6Wyq/w320-h198/awgameplay1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>JoshProd's emergence as a major player in the Dreamcast indie scene heralded a new age, not least due to the promise of classic titles receiving official Dreamcast ports. Following on from the excellent Flashback, it seemed only fitting that we received a port of its spiritual predecessor, the excellent Another World. Best described as a "cinematic" platform adventure, you take on the role of particle physicist Lester. who, after an experiment goes wrong, finds himself literally, in another world. What follows is an adventure with minimal dialogue, alien creatures, strange set pieces and a lot of instant deaths. <i>A lot. </i>That may not sound like fun but it's part of the nature of the game - being sent back to the last checkpoint each time to learn from your mistake and progress the story. There are a number of puzzles, story twists and set pieces to keep you entertained, and the deliberate minimalism of the game keeps it a fresher experience than its contemporaries. Another World is a gaming classic, and it's great to see it on the Dreamcast – even retaining features that modern generation platforms received with the "20th anniversary" reworking, such as a high resolution mode (which can be changed during the game), difficulty levels and higher quality sound. The rotoscoped animation was amazing at the time of its original release, and whilst it may not pack quite the same punch now, it's still a superbly fluid visual affair. The trial-and-error gameplay will not be to everyone's taste, but there is no denying the importance of the game and its success in making you feel like you're experiencing something "otherworldly".</p><p>Another World probably holds the record for most platforms a game released on the Dreamcast was also available on. At least, if you don't count stuff like Tetris, Bust-a-Move etc. I did spend a grand total of zero seconds double-checking if this fact was correct though, so send your complaints to the usual address if I'm wrong. The game received releases on the Amiga, Atari ST, 3DO, Apple IIGS, Jaguar, Mac, DOS, GBA, Mega-CD, Mega Drive, SNES, Mobile, Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, iOS, Linux, 3DS, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and most probably others that I've missed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQn8fbhYMlnSaQTFNa0UU_pe0btMvFtRjS4dPq4iTA5pHIRIUkW92YkwzlbdeMWbPNR1S1xnu_kmMZ27xuXUO4UxiPJ_KE8tkO3wg_0mnW3YiOYQU00ZXCCFSvK5t1oVZZuGGyjpLKfyS52CeKhKDh1aPZmo9hgFK_Fsngz6PXSgN6Q09zwoN/s800/awgameplay2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="800" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQn8fbhYMlnSaQTFNa0UU_pe0btMvFtRjS4dPq4iTA5pHIRIUkW92YkwzlbdeMWbPNR1S1xnu_kmMZ27xuXUO4UxiPJ_KE8tkO3wg_0mnW3YiOYQU00ZXCCFSvK5t1oVZZuGGyjpLKfyS52CeKhKDh1aPZmo9hgFK_Fsngz6PXSgN6Q09zwoN/s320/awgameplay2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: JoshProd released the game in it's standard publishing format, so there's a PAL case version (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/another-world-20th-anniversary-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">available here</a>) and a US/Japanese style reversible manual/cover version, which can be purchased as either a <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/another-world-20th-anniversary-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a> or <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/another-world-20th-anniversary-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> version. All are still available on the PixelHeart website at time of writing, although the numbers available are becoming ever lower. The Japanese-styled cover is also rather superb.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We've not reviewed Another World on the Junkyard before, so instead I'm just going to stick a <a href="https://www.gog.com/en/game/another_world_20th_anniversary_edition" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">link here</a> for the 20th Anniversary edition of the game on GOG. Mainly just because I can. </p><p>You can also check out the <a href="http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/another-world-out-of-this-world/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">article</a> on Hardcore Gaming 101 for the game.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Arcade Racing Legends</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0nf1RgTUMn-0cBozD1VWcVclKGVX0a5szpKpqzV1BD3ovvraF0HK9Uv2HSenWMAq9t-5fFkxOD00t1OcMoORSzppiBXidHcl_r2Sbgx5qyl0jV2ERYIQhtBUgD22Nf7Z0iT8br4MqyOYND_zJt_jit9PBSHpYXjyLvuNlz60x28sQ7RWpxRi/s800/arcade.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0nf1RgTUMn-0cBozD1VWcVclKGVX0a5szpKpqzV1BD3ovvraF0HK9Uv2HSenWMAq9t-5fFkxOD00t1OcMoORSzppiBXidHcl_r2Sbgx5qyl0jV2ERYIQhtBUgD22Nf7Z0iT8br4MqyOYND_zJt_jit9PBSHpYXjyLvuNlz60x28sQ7RWpxRi/s320/arcade.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Pubisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Intuitive Computers, JoshProd</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2020</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: This 3D racing title takes inspiration from Sega's prodigious past, but sadly doesn't fulfil its own lofty ambitions. Too simplistic with poor AI and not enough variety.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwDAf6HhpUTLI7csOZe0ADRMZJbwDEC4Lf7xhMeYU2IIxFXhnn8TxwV8V_A4GT5spClYGogDtNSswSRgVG6bs3EaGLEXdRFFpHbG-TxzwPoGYsNubtIw6tabZir6-ikFkZknt/s2048/Arcade+Racing+Legends7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1626" data-original-width="2048" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwDAf6HhpUTLI7csOZe0ADRMZJbwDEC4Lf7xhMeYU2IIxFXhnn8TxwV8V_A4GT5spClYGogDtNSswSRgVG6bs3EaGLEXdRFFpHbG-TxzwPoGYsNubtIw6tabZir6-ikFkZknt/s320/Arcade+Racing+Legends7.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review:</b></p><div>This successfully Kickstarted title from JoshProd promised much. The plan was to deliver a new fully 3D racing title, soaked in Sega arcade pedigree nostalgia. In part, this plan was fulfilled. The variety of cars on offer draw from various Sega games and wider cultural references (everything from a very crazy-like taxi to an Ecto-1 inspired creation), whilst the tracks offer a nice selection of suitably exotic locales. Driving around these locations is a relatively enjoyable experience with a handling model that tries its best to feel like the games that inspired it. Additionally the soundtrack, like so many of the Dreamcast indie releases, is of a good quality and an enjoyable listen. All of these points are impressive for a DC indie release. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly though, the game stumbles hard in many other areas. The AI performance is poor, with set paths for opponents who deviate little from the racing line. These rival cars string out early on, leaving each race feeling uninspired and rather dull. There are a few game modes available but the main career mode is just far too simplistic in its design to hold much interest. Additionally, all cars handle the same despite their size, there's a broken split-screen mode and a few graphical glitches (in the bonnet view, especially). Ultimately, it leaves it as a game which never manages to match its somewhat lofty ambitions, and despite some enjoyment from the simple racing on offer is generally a pretty unremarkable release.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsEsZTRRBlWJ3xbvlPXlcEiTZ18zNkTZyCkN8ptDODAKqRofgrNrKM5ReLQPb39CR3lO4kae7dl2iQ6qOeo2fxtUmVrB5_ci_ctag9uhBVTXtJI7_QXW1nLDasCyY5J52QbBt/s2048/Arcade+Racing+Legends5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1617" data-original-width="2048" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsEsZTRRBlWJ3xbvlPXlcEiTZ18zNkTZyCkN8ptDODAKqRofgrNrKM5ReLQPb39CR3lO4kae7dl2iQ6qOeo2fxtUmVrB5_ci_ctag9uhBVTXtJI7_QXW1nLDasCyY5J52QbBt/s320/Arcade+Racing+Legends5.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The standard release of the game is available on the PixelHeart website in both <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/arcade-racing-legends-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PAL case</a> and reversible <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/arcade-racing-legends-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/arcade-racing-legends-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> flavours. The US/Japanese style release has JoshProd's usual format of reversible manual/cover but purchasable in either regional style so that those who want to keep it sealed can have their regional choice. This same format applies to the "Road Trip" version which includes a soundtrack CD - <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/arcade-racing-legends-road-trip-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PAL</a>, <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/arcade-racing-legends-road-trip-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a> and <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/arcade-racing-legends-road-trip-edition-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a>. Some of these versions (especially the PAL case releases) are seemingly running low in stock according to PixelHeart's own data.</p><p>Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/arcade-racing-legends-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a> in both standard and <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/arcade-racing-legends-road-trip-edition-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Road Trip versions</a>. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: I reviewed the game for the Junkyard upon release, which you can <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/12/review-arcade-racing-legends.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">read here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Armed Seven</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfgXDT0ABAVcShG8brdjyU0hXmT4_Xk7qJLrqAZPQNKSDJ69KMT6QOR7FWRz7P86WIGr2tnwqZlVttARySSjeU4iPwQZea9wA9NizwpZT6MppYeG4stxZl47QbjA2F7NFh_Qgpsa03c6jbzCyIG0J6wKYuHPitfHTEs48Ij175YJaTjAq-8ny/s800/armed%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfgXDT0ABAVcShG8brdjyU0hXmT4_Xk7qJLrqAZPQNKSDJ69KMT6QOR7FWRz7P86WIGr2tnwqZlVttARySSjeU4iPwQZea9wA9NizwpZT6MppYeG4stxZl47QbjA2F7NFh_Qgpsa03c6jbzCyIG0J6wKYuHPitfHTEs48Ij175YJaTjAq-8ny/s320/armed%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Astro Port</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2019</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Retro-styled horizontal shooter which is presented in two separate visual modes. Customisable loadouts and an interesting scoring system elevate it slightly from being too generic, leaving a fun and accessible addition to the Dreamcast shooter library.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YqvVJw4QqsXXL6v3Z8Omx1je1Am5NKmpjVHQ-hAwKi4GUQXYW2ZavBRpZPmx4MJdb10qYJkwmE870rBkTYAs0VkOaj3TtmG8J1KemOiFrWXvN_m2LHOEBRDDzlhyphenhyphenp3QMhUgN0dNogSG2EiAoF7N6oM7sfOPhaZ9sfYSWsAh78w4RiVnyk11J/s798/armed%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="798" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YqvVJw4QqsXXL6v3Z8Omx1je1Am5NKmpjVHQ-hAwKi4GUQXYW2ZavBRpZPmx4MJdb10qYJkwmE870rBkTYAs0VkOaj3TtmG8J1KemOiFrWXvN_m2LHOEBRDDzlhyphenhyphenp3QMhUgN0dNogSG2EiAoF7N6oM7sfOPhaZ9sfYSWsAh78w4RiVnyk11J/s320/armed%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review:</b></p><p>JoshProd's continued support of the Dreamcast in the dying years of the 2010s saw many excellent games come to the console, and their output was praised as bringing something new to the indie library other than just "yet more shooters". However, alongside a re-release of Dux 1.5 and Sturmwind, they also brought some new experiences to the shooter library as well – Armed Seven being one of them. Originally released over a decade ago on PC by well-regarded and prodigious Japanese indie developer Astro Port (many of their other games would subsequently see ports to the Dreamcast), this is an old-school-flavoured horizontal shooter with big robots, lots of enemies and plenty of action. There are only seven stages in total, but it makes up for this in some interesting ways. First of all, it's a score-chaser – this is meant to be replayed over and over, encouraging players to sneak some extra points from the quite complex scoring system. The four difficulty settings prolong its life (with the easy mode very accessible for newbies), but most importantly you have a customisable weapon loadout. Whether it's spread shots, homing missiles or giant laser beams, there is something here to suit everyone's tastes, and allows for some fun combinations. The game plays as you'd expect – it's very much a traditional shooter rather than an all out bullet-hell, but there is plenty of variety in enemy design, good-looking (and tough) bosses, and a shield/life bar dynamic that keeps you on your toes. Your mech also shoots off-centre, in a similar manner to games such as Under Defeat, allowing for more aggressive or defensive play. The game has two visual styles– one titled "Armed Seven", which is the same as the earlier PC release, and "Armed 7", which changes the graphics a bit for a bolder, more colourful look. Both modes look okay, with a retro-chic style that definitely doesn't push the machine but runs smoothly, and the audio is decent. Overall, Armed Seven can't reach the heights of the shoot 'em up big boys on the DC – it ultimately doesn't do anything we haven't seen before – and some may question a full-priced port of a game available for a tenth of the price on Steam, but it's a fun and playable shooter nonetheless.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWKd1n7Sg1RUOFGTpeKkgvqfesChRu6pREV6ZRPFn7_YqPY12NDGWI8DuVowESqkNq1URAPO9TQ62gm52eLx4B09uVu2Vsl5roZjdDXtYUXbgXqzwQQ27q-cmm5SBO6h6Wk7GhgWru_gZcqF-PADcpOFLAQ-VqjULOrUQWQqp85d7sCSJeJ_q/s800/armed%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="800" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWKd1n7Sg1RUOFGTpeKkgvqfesChRu6pREV6ZRPFn7_YqPY12NDGWI8DuVowESqkNq1URAPO9TQ62gm52eLx4B09uVu2Vsl5roZjdDXtYUXbgXqzwQQ27q-cmm5SBO6h6Wk7GhgWru_gZcqF-PADcpOFLAQ-VqjULOrUQWQqp85d7sCSJeJ_q/s320/armed%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The standard version of the game comes in two flavours - the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/armed-seven-dreamcast-pal-2/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PAL case version </a>(limited to 2,000 copies) and the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/armed-seven-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/armed-seven-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> version which has a reversible cover/manual and can be purchased with either cover visible for those who want to keep their games sealed. These are available on the PixelHeart website, alongside the limited edition PAL style version, which is in a PAL case with a silver cover and an extra soundtrack CD. This is limited to 500 copies and <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/armed-seven-limited-ost-edition-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">available here</a>. </p><p>Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/armed-seven-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Whilst we've never reviewed the game on the Junkyard before, Scott did cover the game's announcement, alongside the other JoshProd titles released at the same time. You can read this <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2019/02/breaking-news-five-new-dreamcast-games.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>You can also purchase the PC version of the game on <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/349690/ARMED_SEVEN/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Steam</a>. Like all Astro Port games, it's a fair bit cheaper this way.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Astro Port Collector</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxA2rkGnFWV9tQ5qzJ9zlxwNzHjb-MS5FaI8gHrNCEHrDMusJSm8DSNAUbyGbpdoo8ADYrtLK2wYX5Hcc4smuTJX_yH8JMAYMKE4NFsDBBy-Bbh8r2uMww_3xHHPIgd6RT3heymn_F6LBDY7cfa-XSTJnExSklBbs0PlLFVWdJOP0q5CE-Mttpg/s800/Astro_Port_Collector.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="566" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxA2rkGnFWV9tQ5qzJ9zlxwNzHjb-MS5FaI8gHrNCEHrDMusJSm8DSNAUbyGbpdoo8ADYrtLK2wYX5Hcc4smuTJX_yH8JMAYMKE4NFsDBBy-Bbh8r2uMww_3xHHPIgd6RT3heymn_F6LBDY7cfa-XSTJnExSklBbs0PlLFVWdJOP0q5CE-Mttpg/s320/Astro_Port_Collector.webp" width="226" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Astro Port</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2022</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A collection of four Astro Port shooters which sees the only release of both Gigantic Army and Zengeki Warp. Spanning several variations of the shooter genre, there's plenty of good ideas on offer and enough firepower and carnage available to satisfy fans. Quality varies slightly between the included titles and the high price point is disappointing, but with some unique experiences on offer this set delivers some enjoyable gaming.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3d7lzB1_701hpiqdcUAu6VcgGJ-eWWzI3BWEgLo_e-CGlMX8JXFGPDxGq_qEkg4sz4lLFDTzziMJyt47gflZnIC4bp7EqxjT8mcUXz8oPPmrABE7QBEd50c5GBqNup4oEezqt/s640/Gogantic+screen+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3d7lzB1_701hpiqdcUAu6VcgGJ-eWWzI3BWEgLo_e-CGlMX8JXFGPDxGq_qEkg4sz4lLFDTzziMJyt47gflZnIC4bp7EqxjT8mcUXz8oPPmrABE7QBEd50c5GBqNup4oEezqt/s320/Gogantic+screen+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review:</b></p><p>JoshProd's 2022 wave of releases didn't get as much attention as their earlier games, in part due to a now crowded indie scene, but their continuing partnership with Japanese indie shooting developer Astro Port produced some of their very best releases. This four game collection (which was slightly highly priced at 100 euros) includes two titles that received standalone releases; the enjoyable but somewhat average <b>Wolflame</b> and <b>Satazius Next</b>, both of which have their own releases covered elsewhere in this article. The real attraction of this set is in the two titles whose only DC outing to date was part of this collection. </p><p>First we have <b>Gigantic Army</b>, a game first released on PC nearly a decade earlier, and which has subsequently received an upgraded Nintendo Switch port. A side-scrolling mech action-platformer, in the vein of classics such as Cybernator, you control the GMR-34 Saladin in a ferocious battle against the Ramulon army. Unapologetically retro in design, the game allows you to choose from a small selection of weapons before dropping you straight into the action, facing off with a huge number of mechanical enemies. The gameplay won't win awards for originality, but it plays surprisingly smoothly, with some good animation and plenty of screen-filling bosses that manage to impress. A needlessly tight time limit and the same grainy visuals that other Astro Port titles exhibit on the console are a tad disappointing, but it ends up being a rather enjoyable title. </p><p>The other game unique to this collection is <b>Zangeki Warp</b>. What looks on the surface like a traditional 2D horizontal shooter actually turns out to be an almost puzzle-orientated game, where the main gimmick is being able to "warp" (pausing time and drawing a line to another part of the stage to reappear at), slashing through enemies in a rather pleasing way in the process. Aside from this gimmick, it's pretty much a standard genre entry, but the warp ability really does give the game an added dimension, making you think in ways traditional shooters don't. It's also punishingly difficult, even on the easier modes, and is another example of that slightly grainy, dark Astro Port look (which I do admit to having a bit of a soft spot for). Both Zangeki Warp and Gigantic Army would be notable solo releases, and paired with two other decent games, this collection does pack a punch. It is a shame two very decent titles are stuck behind what is effectively a quite expensive paywall, and one which has also dampened the amount of attention either of those games have received in the community, but as it is, and with some very nice-looking packaging, it's a good addition for fans of shooters or the indie scene.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmt6E7GdQQ0isShO2TX4_V5So-TaTCPamvIAi7NXSyRQjGxa1kpMoUxlG3PLkVzCHl3UPW63lu5kex01oM1h2B9K3X94L62EC8kguE2nC3jMPers9GCKEBXOWF_ObTNra7MFCo/s768/Zangeki.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmt6E7GdQQ0isShO2TX4_V5So-TaTCPamvIAi7NXSyRQjGxa1kpMoUxlG3PLkVzCHl3UPW63lu5kex01oM1h2B9K3X94L62EC8kguE2nC3jMPers9GCKEBXOWF_ObTNra7MFCo/s320/Zangeki.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Available to purchase direct from the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/astro-port-collector-dreamcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PixelHeart webstore here</a>, at time of writing there was still nearly half of the 2,000 print run available to purchase for a slightly high €99.99. If you're in the States, <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/astro-port-collector-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a> may be a cheaper option to buy from. </div><p><b>Other links</b>: Whilst we've never reviewed the collection before on the blog, I did cover it as part of an upcoming indie games article back in 2021. You can read the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/04/upcoming-dreamcast-indie-releases-2021.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">article here</a> - it also covers numerous other released and unreleased indie games. </p><p>If you want to delve even deeper into the Astro Port catalogue you can purchase the Astro Saga bundle on Steam which contains all the games in the Dreamcast collection, plus a couple of others that had DC releases and some that haven't (yet). You can purchase that <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/12969/The_ASTRO_SAGA_Complete_Bundle/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bang² Busters</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-fmFibSMni6cqa7NKVkWd4y7W_-RhCSsoc2tHMOQL0Zl52MEilR8evSz1vtd0uN4puJnzf2_5a_ZSeR7-uR5nlAbNBoXgtzbcTn3DhxSoDrf37rPR8Sm4fRB56VAzrubedTdxjHAEhcgdy8cRA4PnaFoTQ26pgAN6f1dwqX5fJ2Yn55PNOduTw/s800/8420463-bang2-busters-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-fmFibSMni6cqa7NKVkWd4y7W_-RhCSsoc2tHMOQL0Zl52MEilR8evSz1vtd0uN4puJnzf2_5a_ZSeR7-uR5nlAbNBoXgtzbcTn3DhxSoDrf37rPR8Sm4fRB56VAzrubedTdxjHAEhcgdy8cRA4PnaFoTQ26pgAN6f1dwqX5fJ2Yn55PNOduTw/s320/8420463-bang2-busters-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Visco</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2018</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Cute and colourful arcade platformer with a fun gameplay mechanic, but without much else to make it stand out. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkpmVO-ti2VtzSNJqx-fSb7eX_mRgpNfwX9L1FKISQJGDcN8YDCVumA7nSVBpRD5U_hyVwCHdwmTrmoZfU0_7p28ub1TGq6cqP8XdZ9bzuCIRShAj7ze_K3ixBuI5lbPF5fQfL5Hf7Dc-jhyuWDbvPTY4QPy7JUXhdxHt1UuIHwDO-bUrzbZ4/s800/bang%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="800" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkpmVO-ti2VtzSNJqx-fSb7eX_mRgpNfwX9L1FKISQJGDcN8YDCVumA7nSVBpRD5U_hyVwCHdwmTrmoZfU0_7p28ub1TGq6cqP8XdZ9bzuCIRShAj7ze_K3ixBuI5lbPF5fQfL5Hf7Dc-jhyuWDbvPTY4QPy7JUXhdxHt1UuIHwDO-bUrzbZ4/s320/bang%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>JoshProd followed up their earlier ports of Visco titles (Breakers, Ganryu) with this release of arcade platformer Bang Bang Busters (which is saddled with the slightly awkward "Bang² Busters" moniker here). The original was set to have been a mid-'90s release for the Neo Geo, but only actually saw the light of day in 2010 with a Neo Geo CD release shortly thereafter. As with other Visco titles, it's a bright and colourful experience with an arcade gameplay sensibility. Similar in form to classics such as Bubble Bobble or Snow Bros., it involves one or two players controlling Lazy and Refia on the planet Palua as they encounter a variety of enemies (usually comparable to a level's theme, so there are snowmen and Santa Claus in the snow levels, Cleopatra-like figures in the mildly Egyptian-themed levels etc.) which they have to shoot to "inflate". Once inflated, the enemies can either be dispatched themselves or used to dispatch other enemies in a variety of ways – primarily by swinging the inflated assailant around and launching it at others. It's a fun little mechanic but there isn't much more to the game than that. There are seven worlds with a series of levels in each which gives some variety to proceedings. The cute cartoon-like graphics are charming and the chirpy sound is nice enough but a bit forgettable. Its Neo Geo roots are clear – even down to the easy, normal, hard or MVS difficulty settings, which smacks slightly of a rush job on the part of JoshProd who don't try and hide the fact this is running through an emulator. To be fair, the game generally runs quite well, better at least than many similar Visco ports, save for the occasional bit of slowdown. For those who like this sort of cute arcade platformer, there is probably just enough here to make it worthwhile, but as a full-price indie release in 2018, it felt dated and without the added nostalgia that previous ports inevitably had.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYCb-n-xhZpoXxKjCC80qqF6ad-euIbP0bD6ks9EF2yXXJ5uzqtpUNcvSfupwJ027cRCn3IeaP127JPGvXwHNPCDKAM8TdidfGA4CvUh3xJpzxAnoLmMf6RM__TyNSVTzIDyFMG0jWjhNWoCewSMbKEtQ87dEVQ8EvxLcl2H0Bm8X6vP1K793/s800/bang%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="800" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYCb-n-xhZpoXxKjCC80qqF6ad-euIbP0bD6ks9EF2yXXJ5uzqtpUNcvSfupwJ027cRCn3IeaP127JPGvXwHNPCDKAM8TdidfGA4CvUh3xJpzxAnoLmMf6RM__TyNSVTzIDyFMG0jWjhNWoCewSMbKEtQ87dEVQ8EvxLcl2H0Bm8X6vP1K793/s320/bang%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Two versions of the game are available - the PAL case release (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/bang%c2%b2-busters-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) and the US/Japanese reversible manual/cover version (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/bang-2-busters-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/bang-2-busters-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>). As always, all versions of the game play on any system.</p><p>Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/bang-busters-dreamcast-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We've not covered the game on the yard before (we have missed a lot of indie releases haven't we?), so <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DncxpUdQEQ&ab_channel=WorldofLongplays" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here's a link</a> to a gameplay video on YouTube from World of Longplays. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Battle Crust</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyUd_FvyDnWl9YnY9vimMVfPYF5ahxGFkItJgHeiyEKZu4DkclLrkotQVGW5iXb-bg7969rRXvECfy7TDyqmkrPYKk-rLYIpVuR-Vk8UhQcC198NgAAMW_x-I84vVFKo-RuSeOOro4R2uXUyx7_SKsrhxCmRuHHIj3KYDULvnch120nD88vR9Ig/s715/Livret%20DC%20US-JAP%20Battle%20Crust.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="715" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyUd_FvyDnWl9YnY9vimMVfPYF5ahxGFkItJgHeiyEKZu4DkclLrkotQVGW5iXb-bg7969rRXvECfy7TDyqmkrPYKk-rLYIpVuR-Vk8UhQcC198NgAAMW_x-I84vVFKo-RuSeOOro4R2uXUyx7_SKsrhxCmRuHHIj3KYDULvnch120nD88vR9Ig/s320/Livret%20DC%20US-JAP%20Battle%20Crust.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher:</b> JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer:</b> Picorinne Soft</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2018</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A throwback to '90s vertical shooters, Battle Crust is a short but enjoyable experience that doesn't innovate much but plays very much like the games it is inspired by. Also has an outstanding soundtrack.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbp6v5Bxuh6gGvhTTinDGUlkbLlfRNOcfAFEEcMHHGvVueIPqiTquEf_h8dn8TOenwTGvJ5eMlQwyyKXCr7X4NxCXIBi95XoK9U4boOvM5CuWd89YN9QqVVzG5NJ_HJDI16ca2/s593/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2018-09-03-17-57-3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="593" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbp6v5Bxuh6gGvhTTinDGUlkbLlfRNOcfAFEEcMHHGvVueIPqiTquEf_h8dn8TOenwTGvJ5eMlQwyyKXCr7X4NxCXIBi95XoK9U4boOvM5CuWd89YN9QqVVzG5NJ_HJDI16ca2/s320/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2018-09-03-17-57-3.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review:</b></p><p>Battle Crust is another addition to the Dreamcast's shoot 'em up library and was in fact the first Japanese-developed indie shooter to see a release on the console. Published by JoshProd, Battle Crust appeared on PC in 2016 and is very much a nostalgic throwback to 16-bit vertical shooters. It wouldn't look out of place as part of the PC Engine's stellar shooter library and that is most certainly a good thing. Those familiar with vertical shooters of old will know what to expect – plenty of enemy craft coming at you with a barrage of bullets (although this never reaches anything close to bullet-hell like projectile madness), screen-sized end of level bosses and a rather punishing difficulty level. You have a standard shot which can be upgraded, and are also equipped with one of three charge shots, which can be used defensively when held, or unleashed in a powerful attack. It's a familiar concept, and is well executed. You can swap between screen modes at the touch of a button, including TATE mode, and the game appears to run well for the most part. It's a short game at only six levels, and the bosses are a little underwhelming, particularly for their lack of challenge compared to the rest of the stages, leaving them somewhat anti-climatic, but other than that the game does the job. Some may find it a little uninspired and generic, and the fact that it doesn't save high scores is a rather large oversight, but it's a solid addition to the library. </p><p>Special mention must be made of the soundtrack, composed by Hyakutaro Tsukumo (responsible for several Technosoft shooter soundtracks in the '90s) which is just fantastic and easily sits near the top of the indie soundtracks for the Dreamcast, which is no easy task.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8zZy5oh3f0ofXlXUlceioVmrzHEew3B6gRQQ6-tqO_3hoII9ml1V1Ll2-HJYsUjqQPh7EExllCp0tY0nCo-aEmwuFfbyKnerccexA9wXJGY3gv6sjc2FSaKXIQ29f6_f9RE9/s595/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2018-09-03-18-00-3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="595" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8zZy5oh3f0ofXlXUlceioVmrzHEew3B6gRQQ6-tqO_3hoII9ml1V1Ll2-HJYsUjqQPh7EExllCp0tY0nCo-aEmwuFfbyKnerccexA9wXJGY3gv6sjc2FSaKXIQ29f6_f9RE9/s320/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2018-09-03-18-00-3.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Battle Crust's release followed JoshProd's standard approach of a PAL case version (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/battle-crust-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">available here</a>) and a US/Japanese reversible cover version, available to buy with either style displayed (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/battle-crust-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/battle-crust-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>). Additionally, random purchasers of the PAL case version were in for a chance of receiving the "limited edition" instead. This has a metallic silver cover and an additional soundtrack CD. This version would be made available to purchase on its own in early 2023 (and <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/battle-crust-limited-ost-edition-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">is still available</a> on the PixelHeart store at time of writing).</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2018/09/review-battle-crust.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tom reviewed the game</a> upon its original release, and as always with Tom's reviews it's worth a read. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Big2Small</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEila8MUhFrHyIAs3GYlPbeGaI4PNhFpluGFXCo55s-aUT6CjBEHcybwYtnsBkuGxQh2hGUM6IoaYWcPmG5ocjJY95IIPAlVM7HQU2dzj3uBNaKNderWWSnxxxlXVUdygTkhmI_fmsbl9HAfCrxbfqtGBb_CKaNcJqzLi7YaDI8x8NjYccf_nIh9eg/s1390/Screenshot%202024-01-01%20at%206.43.33%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="1390" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEila8MUhFrHyIAs3GYlPbeGaI4PNhFpluGFXCo55s-aUT6CjBEHcybwYtnsBkuGxQh2hGUM6IoaYWcPmG5ocjJY95IIPAlVM7HQU2dzj3uBNaKNderWWSnxxxlXVUdygTkhmI_fmsbl9HAfCrxbfqtGBb_CKaNcJqzLi7YaDI8x8NjYccf_nIh9eg/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-01%20at%206.43.33%20pm.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: RetroRoomGames</p><p><b>Developer: </b>MDSteele</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2023</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Charmingly cute and somewhat challenging puzzle title. Does not push the hardware at all and is a little pricey for what it is, but there is a fun little game here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5pkxCDmEFn7rjWWD1ibwkuG_LWJNFvYRJrgzUta2gtDXvZHBdE_K8kFbZjkXuD3tPd1AN9j49Z8TdVMZEg4Ywlhn-odd9HPI2dbKUJo339APgMExpR22RZfqIj1dWgTKTLkPwWzdT0fNfF0G_p3lByaC6viFy3KBEejx-bFWJl02Bo8x_DSb/s507/big1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="507" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5pkxCDmEFn7rjWWD1ibwkuG_LWJNFvYRJrgzUta2gtDXvZHBdE_K8kFbZjkXuD3tPd1AN9j49Z8TdVMZEg4Ywlhn-odd9HPI2dbKUJo339APgMExpR22RZfqIj1dWgTKTLkPwWzdT0fNfF0G_p3lByaC6viFy3KBEejx-bFWJl02Bo8x_DSb/s320/big1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review:</b></p><p>This delightfully charming little puzzle game from RetroRoomGames doesn't push the Dreamcast hardware in any way whatsoever, but it's hard not to take a liking to it. Don't let the simple Game Boy visuals and child-friendly concept fool you though – there is a devilish puzzle title here. You must guide Ellie the Elephant, Gisele the Goat and Melanie the Mouse through each single-screen puzzle to their preferred food item. Soon you'll realise this is much more tricky than it sounds, and involves ensuring you don't move them to a position where they become unable to reach their goal. As the levels progress, numerous new concepts are added to turn a simple premise into a more complex and taxing affair. Visuals and audio are of course not top-tier, this did after all receive a Game Boy port which is near identical, and puzzle games will always divide gamers, but with the glorious full-colour manual and a genuinely charming style, this is a cute little game that many may have missed, not helped by what it is a rather expensive price point.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHF_BejZ6sSaAxA2J5hS-aj3sPe6dgNd1CFMSXrIVPRC84YLUabcYESgqQnAWMp0gHD6C9-cFLiK5Z5v_P7KO3nzoVCMseRMnXErCZnn3VziicBkTBSonSLhH4MNPMoEiqEFkl-Qy2a72HIu-zF5RWuYL8w3QNpdwFwyiHGqgZAr_6pZ1Qz_sr/s635/big2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="635" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHF_BejZ6sSaAxA2J5hS-aj3sPe6dgNd1CFMSXrIVPRC84YLUabcYESgqQnAWMp0gHD6C9-cFLiK5Z5v_P7KO3nzoVCMseRMnXErCZnn3VziicBkTBSonSLhH4MNPMoEiqEFkl-Qy2a72HIu-zF5RWuYL8w3QNpdwFwyiHGqgZAr_6pZ1Qz_sr/s320/big2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Big2Small is available for £25 on the RetroRoomGames site <a href="https://theretroroomgames.com/products/big2small-presales" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. There are options available to purchase "PAL" or "US" versions, however this appears to be a hangover from other systems options (those that require different carts for different regions) as there is only the one version for DC and no regional lockouts. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We've not really featured the game on the Junkyard before, other than some mentions on Podcast episodes and news articles. <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/08/dreamcast-news-round-up-august-2022.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here's one</a> from Laurence which mentions the game (always good to go back to some news articles to see what the state of the DC scene was at a particular time). </p><p>You can check out what other projects developer MDSteele have been involved with <a href="https://mdsteele.games/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Breakers</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPb5ZDHhaT2nSx_PHAQ0qVgqO8CwKKIvNt5jhps7Qzp6dgB_Y2BBhyphenhyphenNaYGuSeILA47VjOMbUHGJUEtucGxa9IHOTe7g-nYC9PXuKdpi8fakgfWs4J5yiZzCpcRppd7mR2oUJlFBb1dy1VWGko8BHDQN1PhN6ZU-wpXxcSE0npfrA1-xrCAhsEJug/s800/695415439897.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPb5ZDHhaT2nSx_PHAQ0qVgqO8CwKKIvNt5jhps7Qzp6dgB_Y2BBhyphenhyphenNaYGuSeILA47VjOMbUHGJUEtucGxa9IHOTe7g-nYC9PXuKdpi8fakgfWs4J5yiZzCpcRppd7mR2oUJlFBb1dy1VWGko8BHDQN1PhN6ZU-wpXxcSE0npfrA1-xrCAhsEJug/s320/695415439897.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Visco</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2017</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Decent port of a mid-'90s 2D fighter which was heavily inspired by Street Fighter II. Tech issues including slowdown will turn off the more hardcore genre fans, but for most, Breakers delivers a decent game with some nostalgia for what is arguably the golden era of the 2D fighter. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8txV7jr4rugYN8llU5GY9ISazxXb3hMeR-y28IVpqEElFqYExnVfen8u3tkwRVFbWFO2MB-saYEJ-7dfKrDz6LvPYuG4Dyc-uLcaA1l58Jj1jDW-3DPOM2Dq2KZErF56JDzsqQ/s1125/Untitled+01+5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1125" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8txV7jr4rugYN8llU5GY9ISazxXb3hMeR-y28IVpqEElFqYExnVfen8u3tkwRVFbWFO2MB-saYEJ-7dfKrDz6LvPYuG4Dyc-uLcaA1l58Jj1jDW-3DPOM2Dq2KZErF56JDzsqQ/s320/Untitled+01+5.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Breakers is a port of a semi-obscure Visco 2D fighter from the mid-'90s, which saw an appearance on the Neo Geo and Neo Geo CD, officially licensed and approved by the original creators. Breakers' later port to the Dreamcast heralded the first indie one-on-one fighter release, and the start of JoshProd's journey of resurrecting old licenses for new ports to the console, a move which significantly changed the landscape of the indie scene. The game itself is a heavily Street Fighter II inspired 2D fighter, with characters that closely resemble the types typical of other nineties fighters, and boasts some nice pixel art and solid gameplay mechanics. As the game uses the Neo Geo emulator prevalent in the DC homebrew scene, it does have the occasional moment of slowdown and is not as smooth as the original Neo Geo release, which for some fighting fans could be a real turn off, messing with the core gameplay mechanics and timings which are so important for the most hardcore of fighting fans. For more casual fighting game fans, and those wanting a decent mid-'90s 2D fighter to add to their collection, Breakers is still playable and worthy of some playtime. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5bQ6rivZNoXimaVQlAdkC2rbhPmXU35_5wCfFcWB_FVgEj6Kwd6fADsq65pFR6D-m2EHZwHErJu0tS1aY9ouefCkeM_4iwQc0O7J7qtDOCjkd9XXkauYO1U428XyTBaEVCzbZQ/s1125/Untitled+01+25.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1125" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5bQ6rivZNoXimaVQlAdkC2rbhPmXU35_5wCfFcWB_FVgEj6Kwd6fADsq65pFR6D-m2EHZwHErJu0tS1aY9ouefCkeM_4iwQc0O7J7qtDOCjkd9XXkauYO1U428XyTBaEVCzbZQ/s320/Untitled+01+25.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The PixelHeart store still has all versions of the game available, of which there are two. The PAL case release (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/breakers-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) and the reversible US/Japanese version (available <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/breakers-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/breakers-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>). Interestingly, the site lists the game as "Breaker's" however the original name and every other mention of the game goes for Breakers instead.</p><p>Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/breakers-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>. </p><p><b>Other links</b>: The Junkyard featured an incredibly in-depth three person review and analysis which can be <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/03/review-emulation-analysis-breakers.html" target="_blank">read here</a>. Tom, Rob and Ross all had mixed views on the release, and the article is definitely worth a read if you want more information compared to my short look at the game. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Captain Tomaday</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8w14ctF2H8feY_ieBq2CcaofUugvJcN8WAw93YgyVGZS494Moaz68wCDdCFFQRTuoKpazfhzjLgGN7YxSSTr8s3eGsT9PpJ_shr9M3z0QmG7JtzEwCUQAaIACeolxwN7oT8dT1AWjeHF1D_jUvjrZVSQaXx44HNKCCiw2pLTnBh4GEqM2h_0/s800/cap%203.jpg" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8w14ctF2H8feY_ieBq2CcaofUugvJcN8WAw93YgyVGZS494Moaz68wCDdCFFQRTuoKpazfhzjLgGN7YxSSTr8s3eGsT9PpJ_shr9M3z0QmG7JtzEwCUQAaIACeolxwN7oT8dT1AWjeHF1D_jUvjrZVSQaXx44HNKCCiw2pLTnBh4GEqM2h_0/s320/cap%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer:</b> Visco</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2019</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A silly, colourful shooter with some wacky ideas, an artistic design and a unique gameplay concept. A fun, decent game, but let down by emulation issues and some pervasive slowdown.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu17xNisESkaQiXmvD1llRVB4zT7eUBtRvi8XxbpFbBEeLjaTRNMBjUBABF0_TlvLuslcQA2L1rVpGvA85VHYWmq9_kgwYk4kuptbhNakIaJr93vNknbmT5x_y2bQautFqJjPWy3DxizvUR-WoEiaGKcJXvgfRViBaLgdqc4b9KL-kmVG9lF1F/s800/cap%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="800" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu17xNisESkaQiXmvD1llRVB4zT7eUBtRvi8XxbpFbBEeLjaTRNMBjUBABF0_TlvLuslcQA2L1rVpGvA85VHYWmq9_kgwYk4kuptbhNakIaJr93vNknbmT5x_y2bQautFqJjPWy3DxizvUR-WoEiaGKcJXvgfRViBaLgdqc4b9KL-kmVG9lF1F/s320/cap%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Captain Tomaday is a bit of a strange one. Another of JoshProd's delves into the Visco back catalogue, the game sees you take control of the titular character, an anthropomorphic flying tomato (or his female counterpart), through a series of vertically scrolling levels, facing off against a bunch of weird enemies. Taking obvious inspiration from TwinBee and Parodius in the "cute 'em up" subgenre, you'll face jack-o'-lanterns, flying babies, demonic eggs, squids, turtles, robots, turnips, eggplants... it's all a bit silly, but colourful and nicely drawn. Power ups are also key – you can juggle these (another nod to its inspiration), and there are 17 different ones which will transform you into various forms. Just like the enemies, these power ups are a bit bizarre – giant form, cloned form, potted plant, giant baby, monkey. It's pretty cool to have these - each one plays slightly differently, and it's a change of pace from the more serious space shooter type settings. In standard form, the way you attack is also a bit different – two attack buttons control a fist each, and you can power up one fist by using the other one repeatedly. Again, this is a bit different to other shoot 'em ups, but it works pretty well. It adds to the quirkiness and fun of the title, something that shines throughout the game's five stages, helped by the colourful sprites and backgrounds. Sadly, there are some issues. The stages feel overly long and there is a noticeable amount of screen tearing which is really off-putting. It's also clear that this is an emulated version of the Neo Geo title – there wasn't really much of an attempt to hide this, which is disappointing from a presentational point of view, but also results in some pretty bad slowdown. If you're looking for a less-than-serious shooter that does things a bit differently, it's still a worthwhile title to grab, but the performance issues really do get in the way. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDWJMhLrhr2ldCq7CNhldxCNofudDGLxn4AkXU1V1fT-m-7qc0ryM7p1i6XQnPl6chPEFt4IPoCIAkb_PRBxyCvvBkdLQGjoaCRvyDq9H83ANy2XJq1Up22C2m685xsnfA0BjHGCtK0EgB1_oB170gD0Z-aOczGFWbbHmd4kHMkwnDAtCE5I6/s1466/cap%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1466" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDWJMhLrhr2ldCq7CNhldxCNofudDGLxn4AkXU1V1fT-m-7qc0ryM7p1i6XQnPl6chPEFt4IPoCIAkb_PRBxyCvvBkdLQGjoaCRvyDq9H83ANy2XJq1Up22C2m685xsnfA0BjHGCtK0EgB1_oB170gD0Z-aOczGFWbbHmd4kHMkwnDAtCE5I6/s320/cap%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: If you're reading through this article in order you will no doubt be bored of me saying what comes next - the game follows JoshProd's standard release format of a PAL case release (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/captain-tomaday-dreamcast-pal-3/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) and a <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/captain-tomaday-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/captain-tomaday-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> reversible cover version which can be purchased with either cover on display whilst sealed. </p><p>Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/captain-tomaday-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We never reviewed the game upon release, but <a href="http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/captain-tomaday/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here is a link</a> to an article on the always excellent Hardcore Gaming 101.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cool Herders</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-8hsX-LTjOha2YT6sJKXw28ndOe7b8GPyTT7AycjIOKEBWYjJfbBmEdIpmtOai3jNVdcoIUPoliIqLbyPhruKNXjzmPIcGWLRjE5rDQJ5kZ4GlO8zKfWMu6zt_gdN0M3flzTpUlpeV1cSw1Ntr4a3y86Mqjrm7YfB-JGxUCATVnsMRHaYXo6lQ/s809/4553280-cool-herders-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="809" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-8hsX-LTjOha2YT6sJKXw28ndOe7b8GPyTT7AycjIOKEBWYjJfbBmEdIpmtOai3jNVdcoIUPoliIqLbyPhruKNXjzmPIcGWLRjE5rDQJ5kZ4GlO8zKfWMu6zt_gdN0M3flzTpUlpeV1cSw1Ntr4a3y86Mqjrm7YfB-JGxUCATVnsMRHaYXo6lQ/s320/4553280-cool-herders-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: GOAT Store</p><p><b>Developer</b>: HarmlessLion</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2005</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A sheep herding multiplayer release which is a fun little title, if somewhat on the simple side. One of the earliest of the indie games for the system, being released nearly 20 years ago at time of writing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Ad5C9SWqCi9oiW6Zon_kTCEmvkDeiDOFYXbQKg8M4jMJzgkO9PLSS-hkpgQ4hgEkeISvrlgnjDv0mViLItos1rD2V0owxMwl9p8XrA0nsce39I0C0_Z2qyFcYcjw1D3-Nrgq3j4A8GoVO5N2GBqjYMzatk_W1mFA8UApl8VVkTvgRLlub_Gh/s640/cool%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Ad5C9SWqCi9oiW6Zon_kTCEmvkDeiDOFYXbQKg8M4jMJzgkO9PLSS-hkpgQ4hgEkeISvrlgnjDv0mViLItos1rD2V0owxMwl9p8XrA0nsce39I0C0_Z2qyFcYcjw1D3-Nrgq3j4A8GoVO5N2GBqjYMzatk_W1mFA8UApl8VVkTvgRLlub_Gh/s320/cool%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Originally brought to the attention of gamers for its inclusion on the infamous E3 2001 DC Tonic disc (an unlicensed disc of independent demos that impressed highly), the full release of Cool Herders is one of the Goat Store releases of the mid-noughties that helped keep the Dreamcast alive in the West. A sheep herding multiplayer game with obvious Bomberman influences, the game sees you running over various sheep to "herd" them, whilst stunning both the sheep and opponents with your magical shepherd staff, with winners determined by various scoring factors as well as number of sheep herded. There's also a story mode, which allows for some single-player fun as well. It's a polished indie release, with pleasant, colourful graphics and decent music. It can get tough in single-player pretty quickly, and the game is far more enjoyable generally when played against other humans. Basic, but fun.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_SS2Vy0Q3aXwe_imOgNdy3HR8UZpixtbKW8RpzWX95O668WFmwISb2VWxJrBFlq0X7bgY9PupcPKArPfBx_6W_xLTz0ND6_t5cKtoPF_I0wGOYtqam-ZYInTd1W3K-S_ks072RKWfF3vWLfKJJ2NO_C2m91ZBiwGp424wCrlHcCfk2NtmPN6/s953/cool%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="953" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_SS2Vy0Q3aXwe_imOgNdy3HR8UZpixtbKW8RpzWX95O668WFmwISb2VWxJrBFlq0X7bgY9PupcPKArPfBx_6W_xLTz0ND6_t5cKtoPF_I0wGOYtqam-ZYInTd1W3K-S_ks072RKWfF3vWLfKJJ2NO_C2m91ZBiwGp424wCrlHcCfk2NtmPN6/s320/cool%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There was only the one standard version of the game released and this can be picked up from various retro stores (including <a href="https://thebitstationgames.com/product/cool-herders/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Bit Station</a>). It usually retails for around $15 or the equivalent in your local currency.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Another one we never covered when released, check the <a href="https://indiedreams.fandom.com/wiki/Cool_Herders" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">game's entry</a> on the Indie Dreams wiki for more information.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dráscula: The Vampire Strikes Back</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pTaz49W0-mZf1Inev6JzNVY2MQWJpQDffxkzTBdtr6rEBEzmDiQii0KN_oNi_yOts9DT_ms3pKZAEgj7YB6fVxeRQsXbex1DiSDkTTv0E8jdg1CRiIaMhdsX_pcffRT5cpwj/s469/Drascula+cover.jpg" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="469" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pTaz49W0-mZf1Inev6JzNVY2MQWJpQDffxkzTBdtr6rEBEzmDiQii0KN_oNi_yOts9DT_ms3pKZAEgj7YB6fVxeRQsXbex1DiSDkTTv0E8jdg1CRiIaMhdsX_pcffRT5cpwj/s320/Drascula+cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: Erbe Software</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Alcachofa Soft</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2021</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Whilst the game itself is a decent, comedic '90s adventure game, this release is an insultingly low-quality version using ScummVM which runs terribly. One of the low points of the Dreamcast indie library.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhRONFUr7BzupF68sxnAsGVZTUZRHDcUc9Xw2WHAZA6j73EN-pKL66z00AS3OcA8o0tc3a9i7Hbk89x2xA16JkmXFJOtt6IzisqQrueTEX83xZGjxvJQosy3aWwt30EFCxpNH/s584/drascula+running.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="584" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhRONFUr7BzupF68sxnAsGVZTUZRHDcUc9Xw2WHAZA6j73EN-pKL66z00AS3OcA8o0tc3a9i7Hbk89x2xA16JkmXFJOtt6IzisqQrueTEX83xZGjxvJQosy3aWwt30EFCxpNH/s320/drascula+running.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Dráscula, a '90s Spanish point-and-click adventure from Alcachofa Soft, flew under the radar of many Dreamcast collectors when Erbe Software launched a low-target Kickstarter back in 2020. A bare-bones campaign, and a lack of much information in English, didn't help matters. To be honest, I'd written it off as an indie release we'd never see. Already available via the ScummVM genre emulator (and for free, as the original developers allowed it to be distributed as such), the game itself is not an awful example of the genre: a cheesy, somewhat dated comedic tale of campy comedic horror, somewhere between Young Frankenstein and Rocky Horror Picture Show. Nice pixel artwork, multi-language audio, and an interface familiar to anyone who has experienced a late 20th century point-and-clicker were also solid points in its favour. Unfortunately, you'll not know it from this release. Running via ScummVM (with no attempt to hide it, booting into an ugly selection screen), it's crippled with audio issues, freezing, and crashes galore. The packaging is of a very low quality with an inkjet printed cover (which looks awful) and a low quality CD-R. It's nearly impossible to make any meaningful progress due to the issues, and for a game which cost 35 euros on release, you'd expect better. Insultingly low quality throughout, this release doesn't do justice to the game and is a low point in DC indie releases.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4AhDGABmtIgEHBYkYHnujNU3_QJJ5ZkQvb9xNWaoy0k0Sz3hQ42JDmOQZhP-tSvxMrlelQg8NjZuc3ayIejwXlNFIfEr1UDop8saGh6H5-12-lkt33GJzVE7LTEUvBlInzptr/s598/drascula+game.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="598" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4AhDGABmtIgEHBYkYHnujNU3_QJJ5ZkQvb9xNWaoy0k0Sz3hQ42JDmOQZhP-tSvxMrlelQg8NjZuc3ayIejwXlNFIfEr1UDop8saGh6H5-12-lkt33GJzVE7LTEUvBlInzptr/s320/drascula+game.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: It doesn't look like there is any way of purchasing this release after the completion of the Kickstarter. For once this cannot be considered a bad thing. If you do want to seek a copy out, your only options would be eBay or Dreamcast/retro gaming forums. I wouldn't bother though, honestly. </p><p>The game was available in both DVD and CD cases, but the number of each is unknown.</p><p><b>Other links</b>: I <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/03/new-dreamcast-indie-release-review.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">reviewed this</a> back when it was released (thanks to Chris Nunn for lending me his copy) and was just as angry about it then as I am now!</p><p>You can download the PC version of the game as it’s freeware. <a href="https://www.scummvm.org/games/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ScummVM</a> is the best place for this, and whilst you're there, you can get some of those other classic adventures working on your Dreamcast!</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Dreamcastnoid</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uNReDT7uSEOXhNCc-rJRAH3W6_LeiaLnP2i_0dudUhBQTwthzek-W37R476W28Z-DR9rVja7SWXvZtMq6EUvT-QiebOmiHDwFnfLdpDT6GGHdcHzhBQxiaVEXbY7qQS_6hPaMcneQ-K1cBGRwBgKI2KrTrCZ96XNCd-jL1uNl6ThKFR7C6c_fg/s960/latest.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uNReDT7uSEOXhNCc-rJRAH3W6_LeiaLnP2i_0dudUhBQTwthzek-W37R476W28Z-DR9rVja7SWXvZtMq6EUvT-QiebOmiHDwFnfLdpDT6GGHdcHzhBQxiaVEXbY7qQS_6hPaMcneQ-K1cBGRwBgKI2KrTrCZ96XNCd-jL1uNl6ThKFR7C6c_fg/s320/latest.png" width="300" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Play/Matra</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Alfonso Martinez</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2017</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Simple Arkanoid clone with a ton of Dreamcast scene references, released on a mini-CD. The game itself is pretty rough, but that's only part of the fun with this release. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQDPR1U1Bdm8EpGhheHkzVxCa3SVpiYa3YN05h0gHe6QK40cLo5FqAdg8xyFUMCMbV-6NOcd5f1gfhWcpMnGOn1cx8_qlLYs91_sfTi0ZBjlBL-cl3Vc3YC6DwWa6fDwGW_arsA/s322/CzszRBuJ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="322" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQDPR1U1Bdm8EpGhheHkzVxCa3SVpiYa3YN05h0gHe6QK40cLo5FqAdg8xyFUMCMbV-6NOcd5f1gfhWcpMnGOn1cx8_qlLYs91_sfTi0ZBjlBL-cl3Vc3YC6DwWa6fDwGW_arsA/s320/CzszRBuJ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Originally an entry into the DCJAM contest in 2016, Dreamcastnoid is a notable release for various reasons. An unashamed Arkanoid clone, the game mischievously plays on the common enemy of the Dreamcast community, the PlayStation 2 (also known as "<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/ps2/comments/axju5y/hows_your_dreamcast_stand_is_doing_i_recently/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Dreamcast stand</a>"), and allows you to control a paddle in the form of a VMU in your attempt to destroy the enemy. Don't expect anything approaching a "proper" release as this is very proudly Homebrew with a capital H, complete with slightly shaky graphics and audio, and more than a few nods to the scene at large. There are lots of "secrets" and Easter eggs (all listed in the manual, oddly), but it's not exactly a triple-A title for the indie library. Solely as a game it's impossible to recommend though.</p><p>The other notable aspect of the release is the format – the very first (and as of yet, only) commercially released indie title on mini-CD. </p><p></p><div><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: It doesn't look like you can get this from the original source or any online retailer currently, so if you want to pick this up you're going to need to keep an eye on eBay or the usual forums. Worth noting it is free to download too. </div><p><b>Other links</b>: Tom covered this release a couple of times on the Junkyard, and you can check both of these articles out <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/01/arkanoid-clone-dreamcastnoid-available.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/10/dreamcastnoid-gets-mini-cd-retail.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>You can also download the game for free from the <a href="https://alfons-ryo.itch.io/dreamcastnoid" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">itch.io</a> page here. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">DreamParaPara</span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHp0KoKPbYISQF6DXDbcgJWmD5GtoAm35MgBR2iF47d4MTzquR28u6vux9VDizHgJgYacBumSkvtzeaRwqLjS_oPu_7LCAtvF-bntGeoYuvgF23V9dGFYUXVdA587WC_2MMd3zVYf6Mdp-hvZFuxbzowMdhAlGq55TYbcixlF2Pxwrl5ynTc4Guw/s500/f0002172_20483435.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHp0KoKPbYISQF6DXDbcgJWmD5GtoAm35MgBR2iF47d4MTzquR28u6vux9VDizHgJgYacBumSkvtzeaRwqLjS_oPu_7LCAtvF-bntGeoYuvgF23V9dGFYUXVdA587WC_2MMd3zVYf6Mdp-hvZFuxbzowMdhAlGq55TYbcixlF2Pxwrl5ynTc4Guw/s320/f0002172_20483435.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: <a href="https://electronic.exblog.jp/30977260/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Play & Time</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Publisher</b>: Unknown (bootleg)</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Konami (original version)</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: Unknown, presumed to be 2000</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Chinese bootleg of Konami's Para Para series which is nevertheless rather impressive, especially when considering it comes with a bespoke controller.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-HmFbOsxBIHNsO156X5fWuuV3BUbwQ7LEva_awaBk_82yDO_piHa0oExxzXJ_DosiqbTVWvXSXvx4A7FFmJq93iu838lxKwXFL8sEMCUa_FahossOPCpRqzyKm7u-KMAazSx_1hrrcT-o2YHwyBD8Zyb6n5VXjxooy9lGXeq79RSKK17LOS8/s1080/para%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1080" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-HmFbOsxBIHNsO156X5fWuuV3BUbwQ7LEva_awaBk_82yDO_piHa0oExxzXJ_DosiqbTVWvXSXvx4A7FFmJq93iu838lxKwXFL8sEMCUa_FahossOPCpRqzyKm7u-KMAazSx_1hrrcT-o2YHwyBD8Zyb6n5VXjxooy9lGXeq79RSKK17LOS8/w258-h183/para%201.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLbY4iMblag&ab_channel=MrPinpin6666" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MrPinpin6666</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <b>Review</b>:<p></p><p>An interesting one, this: a Chinese bootleg which rips video directly from the Konami Para Para series, recreating it, with bespoke controller, for the Dreamcast. A quick glance at the packaging will show that this certainly is produced at a rather lower quality level, with mangled English phrases dotted over the DVD-size case. Information on its origins are scarce, but it's safe to assume that the game came with the bootleg Para Para controller as standard (or as standard as these dodgy releases can be) – but that's not a complete loss, as the quality of the peripheral isn't actually all that bad. As for the game itself, those familiar with the official Konami releases will know what to expect. It's all about dancing with the arms and following the instructions on screen which indicate which of the five sensors your limbs should be above. Digitised routines from dancers appear on screen and you dance your way along to some Eurodance tracks that are relentlessly chirpy. It all works well, and you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who would actually guess that this isn't an official release (packaging issues aside). It won't appeal to all, but for those who get their kicks out of the Dance Dance titles, it's worth tracking down – and for everyone else, the quirkiness and rareness marks it as worth seeking out.</p><p>Should this be included in this article of commercially released indie games? Almost certainly not, but as it's notable for its bespoke controller as well as the game itself - and because I like the thing more than I should - I've included it anyway.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIbxaO3lbij7UjUgyC2xui67p8b1wfpuocvGAIzgcAF9yoJPN2IvpPmOVDHqod6EJw_7gDFU_VLQW4C6oOdt3-0bJ5tWJkaQT4XprBUX_-wxkNnm_WSZFCSCl9vjKkACb9NJEyvYh__Gtj-sD1ZEmdMP8edqfrX-IUjzNmIdzQ6HQrEoPtFcN7g/s500/f0002172_20482611.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="500" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIbxaO3lbij7UjUgyC2xui67p8b1wfpuocvGAIzgcAF9yoJPN2IvpPmOVDHqod6EJw_7gDFU_VLQW4C6oOdt3-0bJ5tWJkaQT4XprBUX_-wxkNnm_WSZFCSCl9vjKkACb9NJEyvYh__Gtj-sD1ZEmdMP8edqfrX-IUjzNmIdzQ6HQrEoPtFcN7g/s320/f0002172_20482611.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: <a href="https://electronic.exblog.jp/30977260/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Play & Time</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: You'll have to keep a keen eye open on eBay or private sales posts to pick this one up.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We've never really covered the game on the Junkyard before, other than some of us flexing that we had it like the sad, lonely men that we are. So <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww3P6vEka9o&ab_channel=OldSchoolCesspool" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here is a video</a> from Youtube user Old School Cesspool instead. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Driving Strikers</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJQh9V-klOg1GfogJWQm43unsh1AGMi2qng_6aSdo2q0CktnyymNQhyphenhyphenhOwSgjtS06F2pxvPUNyz5p_YEvmrgDcQDliSMWjQic_VZsuhX-37lTfsk-kxc6d6iFFWgnxbJTMCIkVoekgIn6xsV4T_2T7K7oS4KFmGO1WnO8F9E7qmjYPehmWxOgNw/s1423/driving-strikers-cover-eu.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1412" data-original-width="1423" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJQh9V-klOg1GfogJWQm43unsh1AGMi2qng_6aSdo2q0CktnyymNQhyphenhyphenhOwSgjtS06F2pxvPUNyz5p_YEvmrgDcQDliSMWjQic_VZsuhX-37lTfsk-kxc6d6iFFWgnxbJTMCIkVoekgIn6xsV4T_2T7K7oS4KFmGO1WnO8F9E7qmjYPehmWxOgNw/s320/driving-strikers-cover-eu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: WAVE Game Studios</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Reality Jump</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2023</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: The first online Dreamcast indie game, Driving Strikers takes inspiration from Rocket League to deliver a very enjoyable game of vehicular football. Best played with some friends (locally or online), it takes a little time to master the controls, but is an exciting first step in a new era for the indie scene. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLu0BMIgkDMQqUVB2MMA5HWUq2LdqfWTeI4sNXNkBgPFx1BlBNZ0-AoFderR1f1DEZtyr5z7rkXAWi0vmDw9VDB5a7m3jC2Rlmikb9fAeEldMJ_Ly3VyEtZCMaR_EQPCxQeRRgxbRjzUJj4duL6eODweRDif_S0USyLtKvZi8FesqpStsodGrrA/s640/K4q54Q3N.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLu0BMIgkDMQqUVB2MMA5HWUq2LdqfWTeI4sNXNkBgPFx1BlBNZ0-AoFderR1f1DEZtyr5z7rkXAWi0vmDw9VDB5a7m3jC2Rlmikb9fAeEldMJ_Ly3VyEtZCMaR_EQPCxQeRRgxbRjzUJj4duL6eODweRDif_S0USyLtKvZi8FesqpStsodGrrA/s320/K4q54Q3N.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Over two decades after the Dreamcast's official commercial life ended (at least in Europe and North America), and after 70+ indie releases, Driving Strikers finally brought a new, online multiplayer experience to the console. Taking an obvious inspiration from Rocket League, the game allows two teams of two cars to play each other in a game of vehicular football. Like the sport itself, the aim is pretty simple – score more goals than your opponents. To help you in that pursuit, you drive, jump and boost your way around each arena, frantically trying to either pass the ball to your teammate, push it in the direction of your opponent's goal, or get in the way of your rivals as they do the same. There are eight teams available to choose from, all with suitably late nineties-era names, and half a dozen arenas, although a couple of these need to be unlocked. From a single-player perspective, there's a league mode to play your way through which is enjoyable and useful in allowing you to learn the game's controls and developing tactics, but it's in the multiplayer that the game shines. Whether online or with some friends locally, it's easily the most enjoyable way to experience the often anarchic action, and any issues with the game are somehow easier to forgive in these circumstances. Certainly the controls can take some time to master although these are vastly improved over those present in the game's early demos, and in your first few games played against the sometimes uneven AI, don't be surprised to see the ball sailing past you and your teammate's cars and into your goal. Persevere however, and it soon becomes more intuitive, allowing you to make stylish and risky manoeuvres in pursuit of victory. The action does sometimes feel like it's too ground-based compared to something like Rocket League, but that's possibly a result of the fixed FIFA style perspective. A bit more aerial action would have made the game even more chaotic and exciting. The cars are varied, but all control the same, and the arenas themselves are a nice, varied mix, although the action only ever takes place on the same size pitch within these venues. The single-player modes are somewhat lacking, something that a sequel will hopefully one day remedy, and there are a couple of bugs present (including the occasional complete loss of control input for me), but these are forgivable when the core multiplayer experience is so good. A milestone of an indie release, Driving Strikers does what it set out to do whilst delivering a fun playing experience and lays the groundwork, hopefully, for what is yet to come. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XCzInIyuz1ty2im8ij5qSb00e89IAN8BGs8a0j6Fgwup2-xaGhv7H_IF1XYHZc-odczfw-Auf-gKLEE2qgt-QEyJc-lOo4P48-LdOO8Y-qUw46T5aakNEtjpysjG2ca237vFHWf5fsLlHMqv2Raz4wcui47trfEvlzIFA6ZLkAwoJSgHJ9cGYA/s640/tnxXPhPx.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XCzInIyuz1ty2im8ij5qSb00e89IAN8BGs8a0j6Fgwup2-xaGhv7H_IF1XYHZc-odczfw-Auf-gKLEE2qgt-QEyJc-lOo4P48-LdOO8Y-qUw46T5aakNEtjpysjG2ca237vFHWf5fsLlHMqv2Raz4wcui47trfEvlzIFA6ZLkAwoJSgHJ9cGYA/s320/tnxXPhPx.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>I of course also have to point out that, yes, that is a Dreamcast Junkyard logo in the game. We're everywhere, we are. Luke and Dave never went with our idea of having our faces lining the sides of each pitch though, sadly. </p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: WAVE Game Studios released Driving Strikers in the style of all three main regions the Dreamcast was released in. So you have a PAL/Euro style release, US style and Japanese style all of which are available to buy <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/driving-strikers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. As with any indie release, these are all region free. </p><p>WAVE are also soon to release (at time of writing) a limited edition version of the game with an added soundtrack. This will see US and Japanese style releases in jewel cases, and a PAL version in a nice shiny PAL case. All of these can be pre-ordered from <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/driving-strikers-le" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this link</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigoE67WJX1RZVimJ1us9FFUjRl0u-ZkCNXl9RiacxkOpPbK_IjwXquT2Xl-kCB_-0WQ3Gc4XvgZD_-4-jGKAY-SBTsAow2YHu756djMebmGtf80E6HWdTwij6VK0jgaW9kkpKROZ0RFss3LnU8knBtTO0gFaam8Z0yNkASFmsZeXzEUVXg-Prjhw/s800/dstrikers.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="800" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigoE67WJX1RZVimJ1us9FFUjRl0u-ZkCNXl9RiacxkOpPbK_IjwXquT2Xl-kCB_-0WQ3Gc4XvgZD_-4-jGKAY-SBTsAow2YHu756djMebmGtf80E6HWdTwij6VK0jgaW9kkpKROZ0RFss3LnU8knBtTO0gFaam8Z0yNkASFmsZeXzEUVXg-Prjhw/w400-h289/dstrikers.png" width="400" /></a></p><p>WAVE also offers a couple of other options for the game. Those who are solely bound to GDEMU or other such devices can purchase the digital version <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/driving-strikers-digital" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, and for those who want to upgrade their standard copy and have an empty PAL case lying around can purchase the PAL upgrade kit <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/driving-strikers-pal-upgrade-kit" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, which basically provides you with the physical inlays to fit the case. </p><b>Other links</b>: We've been covering this on the Junkyard since it was first announced - Lozz delivered another excellent review which can be <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/08/driving-strikers-review-first-new.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">read here</a>, whilst James interviewed one half of the development team - Luke Benstead - <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/10/driving-strikers-its-online-interview.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. <p></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Dux</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnYn_NUf7ApuBDEIbwbmKVErJU3vXDCh3AuLIMSjmVX6VcKXPlbAz5hIzv4ookL6jUcxk9V_4KXjyrGu81zhgXBWvkHb3DjDot7DhErJV1WwAd5MqDc4MHXHUyFgLDuq4UE9vwZupg8uu5DxRB47wG54KgTbdzWS-8Nmo4CMBMzhBnzA8hIgcEg/s800/569538-dux-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="562" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnYn_NUf7ApuBDEIbwbmKVErJU3vXDCh3AuLIMSjmVX6VcKXPlbAz5hIzv4ookL6jUcxk9V_4KXjyrGu81zhgXBWvkHb3DjDot7DhErJV1WwAd5MqDc4MHXHUyFgLDuq4UE9vwZupg8uu5DxRB47wG54KgTbdzWS-8Nmo4CMBMzhBnzA8hIgcEg/s320/569538-dux-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Hucast</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Hucast/KonTechs</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2009</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Hucast's first foray into the Dreamcast indie world delivers a nice looking horizontal shooter that has decent mechanics under the hood. A high difficulty and some annoying bugs do spoil this initial effort however - which would mostly be rectified with subsequent update releases.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDu7Bxnn8Ghct-cSU15zdfqAg8yGfyXisqGdumVmRXm4Fw8PWMXBUUoyZESG4V-DkgFDH9f48y4cqliQ9nHBSsnNKQoCCzPpTr8c7x8F33vYhCQcLiTzrTLyZbLc2TwfKyUdXb5MLKn-awQXlXKL70CUm_CIKvCJlTsap613X82tf7llJl87xu/s638/dux%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="638" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDu7Bxnn8Ghct-cSU15zdfqAg8yGfyXisqGdumVmRXm4Fw8PWMXBUUoyZESG4V-DkgFDH9f48y4cqliQ9nHBSsnNKQoCCzPpTr8c7x8F33vYhCQcLiTzrTLyZbLc2TwfKyUdXb5MLKn-awQXlXKL70CUm_CIKvCJlTsap613X82tf7llJl87xu/s320/dux%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <b>Review</b>:<p></p><p>The initial Dreamcast offering of the once prolific indie publisher and developer Hucast was this title, Dux. Taking a horizontal shooter approach, it is highly stylised and puts a lot of emphasis on the bullet soaking mechanic. Indeed, approach this as a straight-ahead shooter and you're more than likely going to be suffering frustration, as the game throws dozens of colourful enemies and bullets in your direction. The art style is nice, even more so as you progress, but the high resolution visuals can look a little clinical. The game is somewhat unbalanced, and a re-spawned craft is woefully underpowered, leading to more frustration – not helped by some disappointing bugs and high difficulty. It's still a nice looking indie release, but not at the top end of the DC's shoot 'em up arsenal. Hucast would release an updated 1.5 version, as well as a reimagined Redux version of the game, both of which are slightly better than this original. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIew36hOqHP5istoOJC9HcSEkK11zJ8O-GeKvQ0CKtzIxxvi_Xzx9L3VxYybYhSeLRKxKdoq6bytpz7Dfy_jw2HMwcu0IpkudaWZWxFA2X1AYQJSj0drvAIv9mWgs9uddWRlBRm-AF8EWv5TJm9RvxmghWfRvXQ495EfNvXORL4Z1nc4aC38rZ/s640/dux%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIew36hOqHP5istoOJC9HcSEkK11zJ8O-GeKvQ0CKtzIxxvi_Xzx9L3VxYybYhSeLRKxKdoq6bytpz7Dfy_jw2HMwcu0IpkudaWZWxFA2X1AYQJSj0drvAIv9mWgs9uddWRlBRm-AF8EWv5TJm9RvxmghWfRvXQ495EfNvXORL4Z1nc4aC38rZ/s320/dux%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Two versions of the game exist: a standard edition which comes in a DVD case and a limited edition of 500 which comes with an extra soundtrack CD, also in a DVD case. This limited edition is individually numbered. Your only real option to purchase either of these nowadays is to keep your eye on eBay or private sales.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: A quick search of the Junkyard will show we've covered Dux and its various iterations several times on the Junkyard - <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2009/06/dux-is-shipping-out.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, for example, is Aaron announcing the game's shipping. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Dux 1.5</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnEQNHPGZp1FThusjFZMmKEuaD5K3wYVRUensNBx92Yk9DPhx0XaNwhbWm05HaW4z8E3Lih1S9dH-122N0NnEz0I42rtmkIISWWeQkMZFhDPlsKLms4RQsj0EzIRX5_MzqUqlT0fDLOWAan1aBC_HSU27cl1-Ru66_KwfB8Lw0B2QuxR-UDbdIw/s800/754810307623.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnEQNHPGZp1FThusjFZMmKEuaD5K3wYVRUensNBx92Yk9DPhx0XaNwhbWm05HaW4z8E3Lih1S9dH-122N0NnEz0I42rtmkIISWWeQkMZFhDPlsKLms4RQsj0EzIRX5_MzqUqlT0fDLOWAan1aBC_HSU27cl1-Ru66_KwfB8Lw0B2QuxR-UDbdIw/s320/754810307623.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Hucast (re-released by JoshProd/PixelHeart)</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Hucast / KonTechs</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2013</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A reworked version of Dux that manages to address much of the criticism of the first release and is an altogether more accessible title. It's still tough, and the balance isn't at the level of more distinguished shooters, but it's a decent game.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNeFMkZWZ2muqhYbT7wP2QL80wLrB7352KEH6rtGb3neGn7kOiC95cRBtomWM0WEOK3yqpagqDcJVdMSn10Gzl6Yh_IFvDztvtg4ulKv1TuqqS7Qk1AWSuF_wBw1NHGTaoIYJiT6ztiHMNCfz48rqEQ4f78a3ycka9aGWcIXJivbl_v_tO_UA/s800/dux%201.5%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNeFMkZWZ2muqhYbT7wP2QL80wLrB7352KEH6rtGb3neGn7kOiC95cRBtomWM0WEOK3yqpagqDcJVdMSn10Gzl6Yh_IFvDztvtg4ulKv1TuqqS7Qk1AWSuF_wBw1NHGTaoIYJiT6ztiHMNCfz48rqEQ4f78a3ycka9aGWcIXJivbl_v_tO_UA/s320/dux%201.5%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Hucast deserve credit for listening to criticism of their initial release of Dux, as four years later they released this reworked version. There's nothing hugely different here, but what has been achieved is the ironing out of the bugs, the revamping of some poor design choices (dying now respawns you where you died, and your craft is more weapon heavy earlier on) and the further centralisation of bullet soaking within the gameplay. All these improvements are welcome, and if you're looking for the best version of Dux to play, this is the one, but the game still suffers from some flaws – it's still too hectic at times, with your craft an all too large target for enemy fire, and the difficulty is still probably too high for those who are not experts at shooters. On the positive side, progress is easier compared to Dux, allowing more players to see the later stages (where they'll still probably be annihilated by the high difficult levels, but still). Hucast set out to improve the original and they've done that, but Dux 1.5 – whilst enjoyable – is still not at the higher tiers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickr8I8fsLyGUs8OIfwFAFFUOKqp44E_2bAuQ2pzRN534mYgK3bzkyTIVIw0PdGOaiDD0JMSCXDoePwWkjnQ4fpCR4cR4Iz33subiJX1W8vr2CPCRqJw4LS-8WixHa-aRDN67XcGIo5tH-Zo1WgeIpQmLYbvrtHzh6CXphyphenhypheno9jsvr1ZlmblJIH/s800/dux%201.5%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickr8I8fsLyGUs8OIfwFAFFUOKqp44E_2bAuQ2pzRN534mYgK3bzkyTIVIw0PdGOaiDD0JMSCXDoePwWkjnQ4fpCR4cR4Iz33subiJX1W8vr2CPCRqJw4LS-8WixHa-aRDN67XcGIo5tH-Zo1WgeIpQmLYbvrtHzh6CXphyphenhypheno9jsvr1ZlmblJIH/s320/dux%201.5%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Okay, so there are a few versions of this one available, so strap yourself in. First there was a standard release in a pink DVD case. Alongside this there was a limited edition of 500 copies which came with a soundtrack CD and different artwork.</p><p>There was also a collectors edition, which contained both Dux 1.5 and Dux 1.1 (a slightly updated version of the original release which is exclusive to this edition) as well as the soundtracks for Dux 1.5 and the original Dux. Limited to 300 copies, this was released in a double jewel case. </p><p>There was also a standard release of the game in a jewel case, released after the original release of the game, and a "special edition" which is the most limited of all the releases (just 199), sports new artwork, and came packaged with the game disc and soundtracks to both the original game and 1.5. Both of these versions, and indeed all of the versions listed, are pretty much available now only on eBay, some retro stores and private sales.</p><p>But there is more. JoshProd also re-released the game in their usual format, so there's a PAL case version (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/dux-1-5-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) and the reversible manual <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/dux-1-5-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/dux-1-5-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a> style versions all available on the PixelHeart store. Every version of Dux 1.5 is of course region free.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Whilst there are several articles about Dux 1.5 and its predecessor on the 'Yard, <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/06/developer-interview-hucast-games-rene.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here's an interview</a> that Tom conducted with Hucast's Rene Hellwig instead. It's well worth a read. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Elansar & Philia</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhut1RPqvghoYIyUcROB9WIn4fOuQtzD6-V-jpasbN_B873PwhWrjfuAQ6TVWC6ZOG6hArk2noqPyNxPXLqSWDurwc4bZSeHk-JXtnvjUF1clpMPVFWMOZVk7OI9REmJBf-Cs5WisTnNM0vX1dr3QZ4o36PkiimAYjBmgIj4chkq2wWx32S5n2YTw/s1280/elysnar.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="908" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhut1RPqvghoYIyUcROB9WIn4fOuQtzD6-V-jpasbN_B873PwhWrjfuAQ6TVWC6ZOG6hArk2noqPyNxPXLqSWDurwc4bZSeHk-JXtnvjUF1clpMPVFWMOZVk7OI9REmJBf-Cs5WisTnNM0vX1dr3QZ4o36PkiimAYjBmgIj4chkq2wWx32S5n2YTw/s320/elysnar.png" width="227" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Hucast, Orion</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Orion</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2015</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A solid collection of two Myst-like adventure games. Whilst they both fall into the same traps that other examples of the genre are prone too, this is a rather unique release in the Dreamcast indie library which will appeal to the more cerebral gamer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinR2JAtmsH0gq41uJFqxT-Kgu2VijpC3jxuhEfpnwZxeBO9q4eegATZMBr7QckT0cqFb6XNFm_CRAtdYj3ZZZf0OcvHerZTm0261gdGvOsjL6tngk1x8BWEZ1VqXkSNzTq1uKsnbO0DSpvTX1vPInXm-FW76VJA3CMk564rPx_XMuyLj4lUiRV/s640/elan%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinR2JAtmsH0gq41uJFqxT-Kgu2VijpC3jxuhEfpnwZxeBO9q4eegATZMBr7QckT0cqFb6XNFm_CRAtdYj3ZZZf0OcvHerZTm0261gdGvOsjL6tngk1x8BWEZ1VqXkSNzTq1uKsnbO0DSpvTX1vPInXm-FW76VJA3CMk564rPx_XMuyLj4lUiRV/s320/elan%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Orion became somewhat prolific in 2015/2016, as the French developer released no less than four retail Dreamcast titles to the public, spanning several genres from 2D platformer to puzzle, to RPG and this, a point-and-click adventure very much inspired by Myst. Originally released on the Jaguar CD as two separate titles, the pair were bundled together in a single package for Dreamcast. Elansar takes a static screen approach, whilst the technology in Philia is a bit more advanced and uses 360-degree views. Both use the standard find item/use item approach to progress with a healthy smattering of puzzles thrown in (especially in Philia). These are of a decent quality, and the graphics bring back memories of the mid-'90s – both games could easily pass for examples of the sometimes maligned genre in its "glory days". The plot and writing in both are decent and it is nice to have another type of game emerging from the indie scene. It's not without its problems, with some obtuse puzzles and too many instances of retracing your steps to find well hidden objects, but that's not unusual for any game of this genre. Elansar is a bit more basic than Philia but feels more like an adventure, whilst Philia focuses on puzzles a lot more. The graphics aren't going to set the world alight, but the audio on both games is good. The package is worth a pick up for those who want something a bit different from their Dreamcast gaming.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZ7qp_5d7nmNojBSfqe1zqQIuG2MGRU5oGt8T-mT_geoEu21SS7EQL15x1FiUrlHYlhqk-1QPQcLsAIBUjcMbzZxGDJIowgNjY9tlVAXEF6BlI0mguaYSbiNLLykzNbM2sdi_oIx5LIQN0TWnJaDc-1Xr4HbIjEKj6ZQmWMcbTnzd9_pHPYY-/s1280/elan%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZ7qp_5d7nmNojBSfqe1zqQIuG2MGRU5oGt8T-mT_geoEu21SS7EQL15x1FiUrlHYlhqk-1QPQcLsAIBUjcMbzZxGDJIowgNjY9tlVAXEF6BlI0mguaYSbiNLLykzNbM2sdi_oIx5LIQN0TWnJaDc-1Xr4HbIjEKj6ZQmWMcbTnzd9_pHPYY-/s320/elan%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Just the one version of this game is available, on two discs in one DVD case. You can still purchase directly from Orion via their <a href="https://www.orionsoft.games/retroshop/el_ph_dc.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website here</a>.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Tom talked about the imminent arrival of <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2014/11/atari-jaguar-indie-titles-coming-to.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">these games here</a>. </p><p>There are loads of links to the various console ports of Elansar & Philia <a href="https://www.orionsoft.games/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">on Orion's website</a>, and I'd definitely recommend taking a look!</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Escape 2042: The Truth Defenders</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSjtnbS5GDyEDMAXN1c0kyHHm0FEve4z7M92GVh6AOdqPTMtQCWPEV2Cu-yyf3ISKcSAr7AzMSrwpJ6orb7uA979LCuLklxiDj-qYsof7BTD1kWUwx_ouIdgLIAX0q-Q6bzXQE-iTCnt7_Amw0t867XgyJnbn4lMNNMmYpL7NI4BuN29bXsDfHg/s544/Escape_2042_cover.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="544" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSjtnbS5GDyEDMAXN1c0kyHHm0FEve4z7M92GVh6AOdqPTMtQCWPEV2Cu-yyf3ISKcSAr7AzMSrwpJ6orb7uA979LCuLklxiDj-qYsof7BTD1kWUwx_ouIdgLIAX0q-Q6bzXQE-iTCnt7_Amw0t867XgyJnbn4lMNNMmYpL7NI4BuN29bXsDfHg/s320/Escape_2042_cover.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Orion</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Orion</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2017</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Accomplished 80s-inspired dystopian platformer that oozes atmosphere and neat design choices. Some nice mini-games break up the action and whilst the game doesn't push the hardware, its style and solid action make it a worthy addition to the library. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxwYfIP8-EtpcFsCnsK8ohduMCQ8HfuduZAAgprOHUGEwsm6FSkJNLxPktk72SAQO7VGCHdz8uDi2off5bmOJfdlTya8L6vo8XUjX586KxqaY60eBCdDyayCbo3fRPQZFeondQbXZKcwfOeKlynCiVn7uVUtHUHEm0jZgd3mgrJJwe_5bsaYM/s640/escape%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="640" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxwYfIP8-EtpcFsCnsK8ohduMCQ8HfuduZAAgprOHUGEwsm6FSkJNLxPktk72SAQO7VGCHdz8uDi2off5bmOJfdlTya8L6vo8XUjX586KxqaY60eBCdDyayCbo3fRPQZFeondQbXZKcwfOeKlynCiVn7uVUtHUHEm0jZgd3mgrJJwe_5bsaYM/s320/escape%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Orion's one-man mission to give the Dreamcast indie scene as many genres as humanly possible continued with Escape 2042, a title that takes inspiration both in gameplay and aesthetics from the 8-bit world of the 80s. Set in a dystopian future, the game is somewhat of a homage to titles such as Impossible Mission and features unforgiving platform action with puzzle elements as well as a couple of mini-games (including a great "reverse-shmup"). What elevates the game is its dark, moody atmosphere which perfectly fits in with the 80s dystopian view of an Orwellian future, with a great soundtrack and some spot-on pixel art. There is plenty of challenge on offer, in the way that old 8-bit platformers always had (although it's fair to say this may put some off, as at times it is a rather unforgiving game), and there is a fair amount of (thankfully) instant respawning as you attempt to navigate your way through the levels. Later on, the game changes setting and colour palette from the blues and blacks that set the earlier scenes, but it never moves away from being a nostalgic and well-programmed nod to a gaming era now gone. The variety on offer is rather nice – again a nod back to classic titles that broke up their platforming with the odd dip into other genres – and the game is the most well rounded and "complete" of all the titles Orion published on the DC. </p><p>It doesn't push the console, and if you don't have nostalgic feelings about a time when cold war paranoia and less-than-positive views of the world's future were rife, you may not get quite as much enjoyment out of the game as those that do, but it is a well-crafted, enjoyable platformer and yet another example of what a talented bloke Orion really is.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVC4cPfNdrP15uEoQaVRnEBKFojU31VJWlRsq4pF0DA6dMADSSI_F0C6RXibHRyaWh_UxE6Q_23hbvWhYvcl6a-NCAdEXHPajAwzzwq4V-eIpXXB7YGwkgI4WyhJ_jrDsY2jU1rLDxnjsNl3SnzlPKrzsHuzHvfgSu7EOcsy1jvppcpUV2Awbg/s1453/escape%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1453" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVC4cPfNdrP15uEoQaVRnEBKFojU31VJWlRsq4pF0DA6dMADSSI_F0C6RXibHRyaWh_UxE6Q_23hbvWhYvcl6a-NCAdEXHPajAwzzwq4V-eIpXXB7YGwkgI4WyhJ_jrDsY2jU1rLDxnjsNl3SnzlPKrzsHuzHvfgSu7EOcsy1jvppcpUV2Awbg/s320/escape%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There's only one version of the game available, but it's a bit tricky to source nowadays other than through private sales or eBay. Here's hoping for a re-release!</div><div><br /></div><div>You can, however, download the digital version of the game for a small sum from the game's <a href="https://orionsoft.itch.io/escape2042" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">itch.io</a> page, which I'd thoroughly recommend!</div><p><b>Other links</b>: Tom delivered an article upon the game's Kickstarter announcement which can be <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/01/escape-2042-truth-defenders-hit.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">read here</a>. I was genuinely confused when searching the 'Yard as to why my review of the game wasn't showing up. Fun fact: I've written a total 23 indie reviews that I thought I'd published but actually just sat in my draft folder. I have failed myself, the Junkyard fans, Tom, Lewis, Captain Kirk, little baby Jesus and my lord and master Lucifer. For this I apologise, but at least I'm making up for it now!</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Escapee</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxmZVBcNKbNuQY7FhmMCO4LQkrqmnzEIOC_a8S7HZznRj8gZQGRI-CHHfBdOCsruI2juOtMmmwIbLnLF-hcgtaOMpxfCXzObL_bInCDONl9Z4ThSdMZH3ZtZEIE2FI21IYpvXBqM-U1IeWz7mgD63Zr8SjFyT6h7l0ImwKdRbxe3KvyEzwrBmlw/s800/895008374912.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxmZVBcNKbNuQY7FhmMCO4LQkrqmnzEIOC_a8S7HZznRj8gZQGRI-CHHfBdOCsruI2juOtMmmwIbLnLF-hcgtaOMpxfCXzObL_bInCDONl9Z4ThSdMZH3ZtZEIE2FI21IYpvXBqM-U1IeWz7mgD63Zr8SjFyT6h7l0ImwKdRbxe3KvyEzwrBmlw/s320/895008374912.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Invictus Games</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2018</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A cinematic, dystopian experience in adventuring akin to games like Flashback and Another World. It relies somewhat on trial and error, but positively drips in its minimalist, stark atmosphere.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhyfR960s6o9izFJsP5JhfLkCxm0ulsxs-7yBrzjsPEXfs2Xemvaw0NNqJucctTXyoC2JHx8akU2oHyE0mB2Cyp7j5UojJrKsqwsFzd38XrrEXXxEgCxVZ6aQg8Qp_NIFEcutnHAGiAsRpRd_J0XKNgzM6JRFw5xPi6j1d6a0cgbzzN_qlau_/s800/escapee1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="800" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhyfR960s6o9izFJsP5JhfLkCxm0ulsxs-7yBrzjsPEXfs2Xemvaw0NNqJucctTXyoC2JHx8akU2oHyE0mB2Cyp7j5UojJrKsqwsFzd38XrrEXXxEgCxVZ6aQg8Qp_NIFEcutnHAGiAsRpRd_J0XKNgzM6JRFw5xPi6j1d6a0cgbzzN_qlau_/s320/escapee1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Dystopian futures were pretty popular in '90s gaming. Alongside the big name PC titles like Syndicate and Blade Runner, numerous games portrayed a bleak take on mankind's progression – especially, it seems, on the Amiga, a platform where this title developed by Invictus Games (who would also go on to develop the first 3D Dreamcast indie game 4x4 Jam) originally saw a release in 1997 under the name "OnEscapee". Two decades later, JoshProd allowed Dreamcast owners to enjoy this dark, but solid, title. Inspired by a couple of other late DC ports from JoshProd, namely Flashback and Another World, the game features detailed artwork, a cinematic experience, stark audio and fluid "rotoscoped" characters. It starts off with an excellent intro sequence which is ambiguous but sets the tone perfectly. Playing as Daniel White, you're abducted by alien creatures before crash landing and having to make your way through a series of seven hostile levels in a strange, otherworldly environment. Gameplay is very reminiscent of the Delphine games previously mentioned – 2D side-on adventuring with plenty of puzzles, instant death hazards and cinematic moments. The artistry on display is excellent, with a bleak, desolate dystopian look, and the audio enhances the unearthly feel of the title. There's an added hint system which helps with the trial-and-error mechanics of the original. The minimalism and atmosphere make for an intriguing, and welcome, addition to the library. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtbun-o5FKDxfV0hIL6KFgQIiLWX4chHlOpArkBMqo7E0F2aUmS5ff8282zrQ0QH-5X5nGuNLvrWG7YYi3a3mo3tbE_FEWgcYZKuVEpu3FVF_mO1eoGLhRKUNUhVrziJZAZCx-5F5M91Y0gmEfMgvYLlfyqWaGDolz5kvrTZrDXxdN2rV9DK_/s800/escapee2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtbun-o5FKDxfV0hIL6KFgQIiLWX4chHlOpArkBMqo7E0F2aUmS5ff8282zrQ0QH-5X5nGuNLvrWG7YYi3a3mo3tbE_FEWgcYZKuVEpu3FVF_mO1eoGLhRKUNUhVrziJZAZCx-5F5M91Y0gmEfMgvYLlfyqWaGDolz5kvrTZrDXxdN2rV9DK_/s320/escapee2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The game followed JoshProd's usual approach to publishing with a PAL case version and a US/Japanese version with a reversible cover. The PixelHeart store currently has the latter of these (with either the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/the-escapee-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US cover</a> or the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/the-escapee-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese cover</a> on display for the sealed game collector), but is out of stock of the PAL version. </p><p>Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/the-escapee-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Friend of the Junkyard Adam Koralik <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL5Csj1wm5w&ab_channel=AdamKoralik" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">took a look at the game</a> when it was released on his YouTube channel. Adam is obviously someone you need to follow if you have any interest in the Dreamcast indie scene. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Fade to Black</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEH3Pj6ErCk2r_Bm4yGbI2tvjWGvf8k9SCaQsalilF79a83bZd-vUyoxWWB_ErwYYC7_vaureudieOAuVDTfmjkSHQMrJ4JghH4LC-xvgxcnf8PzpvD-XcZtrJnLAOUkoDZEe1I32F5eM4yddE7PkR-P57XWUjzsAg4Jy2dG1BZAEaNgW2smtzIg/s800/804956702305-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEH3Pj6ErCk2r_Bm4yGbI2tvjWGvf8k9SCaQsalilF79a83bZd-vUyoxWWB_ErwYYC7_vaureudieOAuVDTfmjkSHQMrJ4JghH4LC-xvgxcnf8PzpvD-XcZtrJnLAOUkoDZEe1I32F5eM4yddE7PkR-P57XWUjzsAg4Jy2dG1BZAEaNgW2smtzIg/s320/804956702305-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Delphine</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2018</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A universally praised 3D innovator when first release in 1995, time hasn't been altogether kind to Fade to Black. It has some aged visuals and gameplay mechanics, but this is still a classic gaming experience and a welcome addition to the Dreamcast.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDk-q79bPpivOPlqf_bWA7P_5YffFRKta4DCcrLUMvdOZ3leNJXs2nDC6uhLqeZV7bASVxpPIqA7WIFc-ehTLpEjo18O2F6JP-ziCgAUesYmHR9Nztf7FeTlnxejWwyQv6HFkhZ01tGZFKQoqL00_SPnEeSV4wzex517uKqbESzt6B4p_dg/s597/fade%20to%20black%20dreamcast%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="597" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDk-q79bPpivOPlqf_bWA7P_5YffFRKta4DCcrLUMvdOZ3leNJXs2nDC6uhLqeZV7bASVxpPIqA7WIFc-ehTLpEjo18O2F6JP-ziCgAUesYmHR9Nztf7FeTlnxejWwyQv6HFkhZ01tGZFKQoqL00_SPnEeSV4wzex517uKqbESzt6B4p_dg/s320/fade%20to%20black%20dreamcast%202.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>As the sequel to Flashback, Fade to Black continues the story of Conrad Hart and his fight against the Morphs – but this time, there's an added "third dimension". A big deal when originally released (back in 1995), the game eschews most of the platform-based gameplay of the original and instead opts for a more action-orientated adventure with a greater emphasis on a weapon-based experience. Third-person action titles in a full 3D environment were still very much in their infancy when the game was originally released, and seeing the polygonal characters and enemies navigating their surroundings was, at the time, a major leap forward from the 2D platforming of old. The plot is decent if unspectacular B-grade sci-fi, and there are plenty of tricky, semi-puzzle elements to negotiate as you make your way out of your initial imprisonment. It also feels far closer to being a proper, "official" Dreamcast release than its predecessor – after all, this was only released three years before the console itself. That does however also draw attention to one of the game's major negatives. 3D gaming progressed at an incredibly rapid rate in the 1990s, and Fade to Black feels somewhat archaic, with the sharp polygons, clumsy interface and stiff, over-complicated controls. It is an issue that classic 2D games don't suffer from but these early attempts at the 3D environments we now take for granted have inarguably aged far worse. There's no denying that it is still a good game – a great game at the time, in fact – but the awkward controls, blocky visuals and somewhat overused themes do make it hard to fully enjoy now. Still – it's great to see 3D indie titles, and legitimate classic experiences, released for the Dreamcast! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49JXRcjwzonfrwZ2qmVDQq78qnqO6jmxzReBw9mec1mg5GiinVZnTvnJfxFNob0bn3bD048lHAau7rQhVkdoKb-0FAfJKRTNtV8BwGcqB69zwHPO9ry03_xtqH_6Hkl9RITRf71-hQzvwjZU5VtdM_GZOrM7XUbb0MiIa50SzDHfOVZfEyw/s593/fade%20to%20black%20Dreamcast.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="593" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49JXRcjwzonfrwZ2qmVDQq78qnqO6jmxzReBw9mec1mg5GiinVZnTvnJfxFNob0bn3bD048lHAau7rQhVkdoKb-0FAfJKRTNtV8BwGcqB69zwHPO9ry03_xtqH_6Hkl9RITRf71-hQzvwjZU5VtdM_GZOrM7XUbb0MiIa50SzDHfOVZfEyw/s320/fade%20to%20black%20Dreamcast.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Fade to Black received JoshProd's usual publishing deal - a PAL case version (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/fade-to-black-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) and a reversible <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/fade-to-black-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/fade-to-black-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> version that can be purchased with either on display. Other retro sites also have the game in stock (<a href="https://videogamesnewyork.com/fade-to-black-sega-dreamcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNY</a> especially for those in the States).</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Tom took a look back at the Flashback series (which of course is now playable on the Dreamcast) <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/06/retrospective-flashback-series-on.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">in this article</a> which, as with everything Tom ever writes, is well worth a read. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Fast Striker</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5tE21yEB0gY8g_3bDzeqztfKe-y-URiyAFD-feVvzOMhHN84Zo0qRjIwU6Q7JfA84fNmKMzqS5EgpcmMM4B076k3ZQdCogqLnh89q5v_uwoP0JDaXjFt9Zsc1rtiwmznxswyTdwMDvRj5GTfN4mRNPBt8RkEoYgUxZxaP6LXF6Cf1YwPa4tLzg/s1141/Fast_Striker_cover.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1141" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5tE21yEB0gY8g_3bDzeqztfKe-y-URiyAFD-feVvzOMhHN84Zo0qRjIwU6Q7JfA84fNmKMzqS5EgpcmMM4B076k3ZQdCogqLnh89q5v_uwoP0JDaXjFt9Zsc1rtiwmznxswyTdwMDvRj5GTfN4mRNPBt8RkEoYgUxZxaP6LXF6Cf1YwPa4tLzg/s320/Fast_Striker_cover.webp" width="224" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: NG:DEV.TEAM</p><p><b>Developer</b>: NG:DEV.TEAM</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2010</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Good-looking and technically competent vertical shooter from NG:DEV.TEAM. The game's four difficulty settings make for slightly different experiences which keeps things fresh. One of the better examples of a pure indie shooter. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3DVwvvdxj__RJo_ydHVX2cY8MgR7ffCLm3nT4oN8FBex5rkz0ByoC-6asCpuuIj4M0rXxgo_iF8dxoU29lQvWH64XLL1uS7coL4haIKf3DTdXwLQOXgaLuTr6BOHymRzEPgKjrUylEDT94iRAZyC6kCwtyQgL3ltl-oGa66_Te4ipX2jEn3rf/s640/fast%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3DVwvvdxj__RJo_ydHVX2cY8MgR7ffCLm3nT4oN8FBex5rkz0ByoC-6asCpuuIj4M0rXxgo_iF8dxoU29lQvWH64XLL1uS7coL4haIKf3DTdXwLQOXgaLuTr6BOHymRzEPgKjrUylEDT94iRAZyC6kCwtyQgL3ltl-oGa66_Te4ipX2jEn3rf/s320/fast%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Flying the flag for the homebrew scene, NG:DEV.TEAM followed up their well-received Last Hope with another Neo Geo port, this time with an updated version of Fast Striker. Eschewing the horizontal approach of their first release, Fast Striker is a vertical shooter which owes a lot to the 16-bit era of the genre. It never quite pushes the Dreamcast hardware, but the mixture of detailed (if slightly dull), mainly grey backgrounds, with an orgy of colourful sprites and no hint of slowdown, is enticing nevertheless. There are four difficulty settings available and unusually each offers a slightly different game. The easy mode, for instance, is a pretty much straight-ahead shooter, whilst bump it up to "extreme" or the ridiculously hard "omake" mode and the subtleties of the game's mechanics become clear. Chaining is important throughout, whilst on harder difficulty levels grinding makes an appearance, and the game's use of a shield system gives a degree of tactical play. Sharp controls and tough but fair bullet patterns mean death in Fast Striker is usually avoidable with skill. It doesn't redefine the genre or deliver anything particularly inventive, but it remains an engaging addition to the Dreamcast – a good-looking and technically competent shooting title. NG:DEV.TEAM also managed to release really professional-looking physical releases, with some attractive artwork on display.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWoVGd9HiyoZalQXGa5Ai3SVOw5-fUponiEoj9qHEbCBoI5cioNImmyOkWHWsZB_0GNBFruBwGEoJDWfJzxh_-9dtkizBM32V51rbqoSHZlEb2kn-ox1HEoxJs9WTYXcUwmjzlTc_1viKqwt6K2pyeihIn62MrnxsvWw3ghxa4LUaOsClF5tiI/s640/fast%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWoVGd9HiyoZalQXGa5Ai3SVOw5-fUponiEoj9qHEbCBoI5cioNImmyOkWHWsZB_0GNBFruBwGEoJDWfJzxh_-9dtkizBM32V51rbqoSHZlEb2kn-ox1HEoxJs9WTYXcUwmjzlTc_1viKqwt6K2pyeihIn62MrnxsvWw3ghxa4LUaOsClF5tiI/s320/fast%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Two versions of the game were released originally, both in DVD cases. These were the standard edition and the limited edition, the latter of which coming with a soundtrack CD and different artwork. Both of these are slightly pricey now and will probably have to be sourced from eBay or private sales. </p><p>In April 2016, NG:DEV.TEAM released a new version of the game alongside two of their other games. This was in a jewel case and limited to 333 copies. This too will probably have to be purchased privately or on eBay, although a few are still floating around at retro shops. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Aaron did an unboxing and quick look at the limited edition version of the game when it was released, which can be seen <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2010/12/dcjy-insideout-fast-striker-limited.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>The game's <a href="http://www.faststriker.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> is also still live with a little bit more information about the game. </p><p>Fast Striker is one of the games featured in friend of the Junkyard Retro Faith's excellent look at the Dreamcast indie shooter scene, which is well worth a read and is <a href="https://retrofaith.net/2021/01/13/indie-shmups-dreamcast/" target="_blank">available here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Feet of Fury</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWGmX9_vmRFQ_DnlV6psy39w9EFXYHeqLZIkc_5PGEnqIUwZpnHZAoYzg6fjTI6tRDO7dAVnZSGo3BYJlfIq0mTwyyN5OqDxxnSgrBN236xuO5hpw-TdBAGHFMH3kQUlgkHzQzvH0WzVN8WV5iWnFP1LZ6muApRwL5kxat2PWG8tE2AWIUiw=s800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="800" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWGmX9_vmRFQ_DnlV6psy39w9EFXYHeqLZIkc_5PGEnqIUwZpnHZAoYzg6fjTI6tRDO7dAVnZSGo3BYJlfIq0mTwyyN5OqDxxnSgrBN236xuO5hpw-TdBAGHFMH3kQUlgkHzQzvH0WzVN8WV5iWnFP1LZ6muApRwL5kxat2PWG8tE2AWIUiw=s320" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: GOAT Store</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Cryptic Allusion</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2003</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: One of the earliest Dreamcast indie releases, Feet of Fury is a dance mat compatible title (playable with a standard controller) with some interesting features. High quality and with a professional feel, this would help usher in an exciting indie scene and remains a quality experience. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOtmo77px_5DJxcGDs628_YvR6zV7OSwEcFK-kR1N6tpChzd7NDp0J8_Pe70pJTlwlXWj2Co7jG3eHIwnH8yBbDmuVQje7iORbBzg4EcPo31Bm0dz4SsEBk7ptWD21dDHhLsunD41x6TYnETbrp6umK-J5JHYQBkWJOeEYMhZggt1G31zXifU/s640/feet%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOtmo77px_5DJxcGDs628_YvR6zV7OSwEcFK-kR1N6tpChzd7NDp0J8_Pe70pJTlwlXWj2Co7jG3eHIwnH8yBbDmuVQje7iORbBzg4EcPo31Bm0dz4SsEBk7ptWD21dDHhLsunD41x6TYnETbrp6umK-J5JHYQBkWJOeEYMhZggt1G31zXifU/s320/feet%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>The Goat Store's independent releases of Dreamcast games in the years after the console's official demise helped greatly in keeping interest alive in Sega's machine, and the first of these releases, Feet of Fury, is arguably one of the best. Capitalising on the always popular craze for dancing titles, it features several dance-friendly tunes and plenty of modes to enjoy them. There's the item battle mode - the core of the game - in which a split-screen dance off against the AI or a human opponent is the attraction; practice mode allows you to perfect your moves and a "Typing of the Fury" mode, which is sort of a mash up between The Typing of the Dead and Dance Dance Revolution. The music is okay – there are no big name artists here but they're suitably danceable and the gameplay is simple and fun, and even without the dance mat, the controller is an acceptable substitute. There is even the ability to make your own swap CDs to bring other music into the game. There are a couple of technical hiccups (some game freezes and crashes), but these are few and far between. High quality and with a professional look, Feet of Fury remains one of the best indie Dreamcast releases.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPHwBIVPgb3gN4qQQqzFTWhLHIirQ3_La9NkhTv3WBBHRa1xdFcI0H6uVc1JU1cZEev3lp4RA_HHdnlcdy-4qlCKY0jNQPjkifaFRlO3Jn0EvbY-Xm1o5PJNS5aZxA11-Bt1Pq8NbvUsYm0DyaoWbIRkYdhTYUVGFW9ifmSXGZLV8mGvULee4/s450/feet%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="450" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPHwBIVPgb3gN4qQQqzFTWhLHIirQ3_La9NkhTv3WBBHRa1xdFcI0H6uVc1JU1cZEev3lp4RA_HHdnlcdy-4qlCKY0jNQPjkifaFRlO3Jn0EvbY-Xm1o5PJNS5aZxA11-Bt1Pq8NbvUsYm0DyaoWbIRkYdhTYUVGFW9ifmSXGZLV8mGvULee4/s320/feet%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Your best bet with this one is online sites, private sales and eBay, although <a href="https://thebitstationgames.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Bit Station</a> do appear to have some copies left in stock. There was only one version of the game released though, which make things slightly easier from a collecting point of view. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Jennifer took a look at the history of Independent Dreamcast Development, which includes Feet of Fury, and can be <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2018/08/history-of-independent-dreamcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">read here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Finding Teddy</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0ZwDxz60YGVPCArngZNuL6-cD4asIaz-zsNNG85YN-ax1Sk7IFLLiX1iizbMUfvsZFxBhAuypbiJd8jpVU79JVK8O5Oo0PHDmFa5NU3-kvrtMD_wf63uydwKeaTs4U1x1hyphenhyphensNcDv0-WaDdMmZXavPUyN4iu6Gb6upaeSUqa1lexf9hfYR7t4/s800/find%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0ZwDxz60YGVPCArngZNuL6-cD4asIaz-zsNNG85YN-ax1Sk7IFLLiX1iizbMUfvsZFxBhAuypbiJd8jpVU79JVK8O5Oo0PHDmFa5NU3-kvrtMD_wf63uydwKeaTs4U1x1hyphenhyphensNcDv0-WaDdMmZXavPUyN4iu6Gb6upaeSUqa1lexf9hfYR7t4/s320/find%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Storybird</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2019</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: An entrancing Burtonesque adventure with a fabulous, fantastical feel and gorgeous visuals. It's somewhat sedate, which may turn some off, but this is a bit if a hidden gem within the Dreamcast's indie library.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeQbJak9en-8Abp69TWI1jS2nSvK3gv-o6SrgOptpbZ_DIN2VkTQIu5D7zqVVZkUy7O0pab3HNmEo4Imxc6zbW1Y51ho8wiDlZEx8hqbSZjDlWnBppYcMCr-C9nqd7HeCzFfehB0qDAGR_0eSpSfZ3rei1arE-8rwDUVy9Yu2Lbv1S2sC6gof/s800/find%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="800" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeQbJak9en-8Abp69TWI1jS2nSvK3gv-o6SrgOptpbZ_DIN2VkTQIu5D7zqVVZkUy7O0pab3HNmEo4Imxc6zbW1Y51ho8wiDlZEx8hqbSZjDlWnBppYcMCr-C9nqd7HeCzFfehB0qDAGR_0eSpSfZ3rei1arE-8rwDUVy9Yu2Lbv1S2sC6gof/s320/find%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>This humble point-and-click adventure is a genre which has seen a resurgence in recent years, and Storybird first released this charming, Burtonesque pixel art-style example back in 2013. Thanks to JoshProd, its arrival on the Dreamcast six years later was welcomed. Stylistically, the pixel artwork is gorgeous, and is matched with a minimalist approach to gameplay. You play the part of a young girl, the game opening with a strange creature emerging from her wardrobe and stealing her teddy. She embarks on a journey to retrieve her beloved stuffed friend, through a fantastical landscape full of odd looking creatures. The dark, Alice in Wonderland theming seems to be a frequent destination for French developers, and aesthetically, this nails it. Pixels are beautifully arranged on screen to depict lighting effects, odd landscapes and the weird inhabitants of the world. You control by clicking on routes off that lead off the current screen or on objects to pick them up. Sometimes the routes can be obtuse – but hints will appear after a few seconds. Similarly the object-based puzzles can be rather unintuitive, but this adds to the game's minimalist, fantasy-like experience. Animation is superb and instant deaths lead to instant resurrection, thus reducing frustration. It won't be to everyone's tastes as it certainly is rather sedate, but the mix of great pixel art, entrancing sound and unique style for the Dreamcast mean that Finding Teddy is, yet again, an indie hit from JoshProd. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hEQNmAAHPhwb1F-I6xahP0SEtjnrSjuY7sHnGicSvDQwt2kNBsmZMbvX9Dq_9PJGIscMPlAzEbylWaQICOcLkoN2puxPfeEhXGQu88juv15obZ8DU3GrrIU17II_Ln3DIQJv0mN0RcPuUQz0cmzbu1PPbQXLdFN0Pp808Z4KRjJnCVceiRAr/s800/find%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hEQNmAAHPhwb1F-I6xahP0SEtjnrSjuY7sHnGicSvDQwt2kNBsmZMbvX9Dq_9PJGIscMPlAzEbylWaQICOcLkoN2puxPfeEhXGQu88juv15obZ8DU3GrrIU17II_Ln3DIQJv0mN0RcPuUQz0cmzbu1PPbQXLdFN0Pp808Z4KRjJnCVceiRAr/s320/find%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Whilst the game received the same two release format as other JoshProd releases, the PAL version is currently out of stock on the PixelHeart website. Your best bet for this one is other retro shops online. The <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/finding-teddy-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/finding-teddy-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> reversible manual version is available from PixelHeart or via <a href="https://videogamesnewyork.com/finding-teddy-sega-dreamcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNY</a>.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We didn't review this one upon release either. Yes, I thought I had and am now mortified that I didn't upload it. Oh dear. Anyway, whilst we are a bit shit in putting reviews out for stuff, it's well worth checking out SEGA-SKY's gameplay sample on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu-VRHPqTlo&ab_channel=SEGA-SKY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Flashback</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-_omqvIqBXg-myeZZqoTTjFbf_HAjnmNPbqYkS2ioqdDjd05dK3Anu-JJsX0nkizNtPsDdTF1xvWstNCZVOeejSfLotvXxeRXGZUIX1yBr16en6N3uumkWeNpwIIyhEjwcJiKrKs8mhtSfxxumslnpcDx_vhf9CjNMf3qm73uNSgw-qCBBKROQ/s800/805816293142.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-_omqvIqBXg-myeZZqoTTjFbf_HAjnmNPbqYkS2ioqdDjd05dK3Anu-JJsX0nkizNtPsDdTF1xvWstNCZVOeejSfLotvXxeRXGZUIX1yBr16en6N3uumkWeNpwIIyhEjwcJiKrKs8mhtSfxxumslnpcDx_vhf9CjNMf3qm73uNSgw-qCBBKROQ/s320/805816293142.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Delphine</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2017</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A feature-packed release of a legitimate classic of early-'90s platforming. Whilst its cerebral nature and slow pace may put off some, this is a fantastic and atmospheric science fiction romp which rightly deserves all of its plaudits.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGObTtPeqJz0dLJED_-vKBFsf3wM986U3AxlnerwUat5G3fUWbXxSnNS7iLM-LcTWS8CAI7BgwMkFNRKNygIyS0QTeEBRB71m9omsb69r6i4jos9LS1lNWhdM-QfwP_oMKLvbZQ/s596/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-09-07-18-46-33.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="596" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGObTtPeqJz0dLJED_-vKBFsf3wM986U3AxlnerwUat5G3fUWbXxSnNS7iLM-LcTWS8CAI7BgwMkFNRKNygIyS0QTeEBRB71m9omsb69r6i4jos9LS1lNWhdM-QfwP_oMKLvbZQ/s320/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-09-07-18-46-33.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Originally released in 1992, Flashback was a visually stunning 16-bit release that boasted animation that wowed gamers, and was graced with a mature, science fiction themed story. A pseudo-sequel to Another World, Flashback has seen releases on numerous platforms, and thanks to JoshProd, an official port graces the Dreamcast too. You play Conrad B. Hart, a scientist turned wanted man after he discovers a sinister plot by a race of shape-shifting aliens determined to conquer Earth. After escaping and a brief pursuit, as depicted in the intro, you're stranded on an alien planet. The gameplay is cerebral 2D platforming – puzzles, gun fights, lots of alien technology, and a fairly large array of controls to get your head round. The rotoscoped animation is still impressive and few games of the era managed to envelop you in a world like Flashback did. This Dreamcast version is an amalgamation of other releases, featuring graphical filters, both the CD-ROM and original cutscenes, the full 16-bit version (via Mega Drive/Genesis emulator), a choice between new or original music and on-the-fly saving – the last of which is most welcome. Flashback is a classic platform game and can be held up as one of the very finest examples of early-'90s gaming, and this version with all of its extras is one of the most impressive indie releases. It is, however, a game where the cerebral nature, backtracking and sometimes slow pace may put some off just like it did back upon its original release. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-I5rTdfsnGdwHIMR9D2_RP9k0X9vFMsVP81AvjOZuz102dtRUY9E0YwCmSTXzmujHNYf27rxCDTYo05UvxtLhWsbXmB8m1ET8jzW90kgrC7VQfjV24jBxgkUElINdkfJsucOWWA/s553/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-09-07-19-02-1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="553" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-I5rTdfsnGdwHIMR9D2_RP9k0X9vFMsVP81AvjOZuz102dtRUY9E0YwCmSTXzmujHNYf27rxCDTYo05UvxtLhWsbXmB8m1ET8jzW90kgrC7VQfjV24jBxgkUElINdkfJsucOWWA/s320/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-09-07-19-02-1.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There are two versions of the game - the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/flashback-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PAL case</a> release and JoshProd's usual reversible manual Japanese/US style release which is available in either style whilst sealed - US <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/flashback-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, Japanese <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/flashback-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>This version is also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/flashback-quest-for-identity-sega-dreamcast" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>. </p><p>There are a few disc versions from before the JoshProd release floating around. None of these are official and are usually home made versions which also lack most of the extras included here. Whilst it's a little pricey, it's always best to support the actual indie publishers so that we get even more great games in future. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We reviewed this one! Back in 2017, Tom reviewed this one very positively, which can be found <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/08/review-flashback.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Following on from that, in 2022, he also wrote a retrospective on the entire series' ports to the Dreamcast, which can be read <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/06/retrospective-flashback-series-on.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>There's also an excellent article on the game on <a href="http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/flashback-the-quest-for-identity/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hardcore Gaming 101</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Flea!</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHR4coUkW4RWtjioHt7xrM5G8Bevh0dET-afYPyYpVLYo1OaZeA2Wid2Mwa0T7zQEbsZB8nab93L7PHVn1StANtLEmGm3BVXQzO6rD6piUx8n8e2Silv2W5mTN0DQe7wupjuFlRMBQ7ALmpJFDNsRfvFqxbgcqDp6VztxrNNgzi89DmuYGgD3sJg/s1423/Flea-EU-Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1423" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHR4coUkW4RWtjioHt7xrM5G8Bevh0dET-afYPyYpVLYo1OaZeA2Wid2Mwa0T7zQEbsZB8nab93L7PHVn1StANtLEmGm3BVXQzO6rD6piUx8n8e2Silv2W5mTN0DQe7wupjuFlRMBQ7ALmpJFDNsRfvFqxbgcqDp6VztxrNNgzi89DmuYGgD3sJg/s320/Flea-EU-Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Lowtek Games (later re-released as a special edition by WAVE Game Studios)</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Lowtek Games</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2020</p><p><b>In Summary:</b> Charming 8-bit platformer with plenty of personality. Flea! isn't a technical powerhouse for the Dreamcast, but is highly enjoyable, very playable and has an iconic main character.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1UOt02zvTQBwevOizMPxQ1MUrb5Y4rMzMcxKAp_dM9jArlcOUpK9LCEpDYc-1aN7eaZ2ALY6W4UCbVc65urae_709dgBO_rnKCmjpyGqZHGda2kAIXHE7Ptu4uswyLffV53B/s794/il_794xN.2603342977_qq6v.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="794" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1UOt02zvTQBwevOizMPxQ1MUrb5Y4rMzMcxKAp_dM9jArlcOUpK9LCEpDYc-1aN7eaZ2ALY6W4UCbVc65urae_709dgBO_rnKCmjpyGqZHGda2kAIXHE7Ptu4uswyLffV53B/s320/il_794xN.2603342977_qq6v.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Released without much fanfare during the very odd year of 2020, this bouncy little 2D platformer came as a bit of a surprise to many in the Dreamcast community. Initially a successful Kickstarter for a NES release, developer Lowtek Games (vehicle for the immensely talented Allistair Low) brought this charming little 8-bit title to the Dreamcast. You play as Henry the intrepid flea, on a hunt to collect blood from the game's 80 levels, blood that is being hoarded by the greedy King and is desperately needed by the Refu-fleas. Blood can be converted to extra lives – and soon you'll rack up a substantial number of these. They'll be needed, for Flea takes its design cues from classic platformers. Your little friend continually jumps and the aim is to navigate around each level's obstacles without being stabbed by a syringe or hopping into an enemy. Death can come frequently but you instantly respawn, leading the game to a risk-reward strategy of obstacle passing and dwindling lives. The game does change it up occasionally for some auto-scrolling levels which makes for a nice break. It's not a system pusher technically, as it's still an NES game both mechanically and visually, but the simplicity is part of its charm. Henry himself should be recognised as an indie scene icon and the game should be praised for putting so much charm and joy into its otherwise humble concept.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4X3MM3-6koVrRm0r5kh90LJoVSB69u9UGStNix4yiqvEcrDPYpvV6e_04G5ic4YjSA5ao6T0tvf7oTU1f9kEKw_qsTq4F-ifsxmYCux0SwS-BjuPDj_zOT4Exf9TQK7UOaFs/s794/il_794xN.2603342985_6wb9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="794" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4X3MM3-6koVrRm0r5kh90LJoVSB69u9UGStNix4yiqvEcrDPYpvV6e_04G5ic4YjSA5ao6T0tvf7oTU1f9kEKw_qsTq4F-ifsxmYCux0SwS-BjuPDj_zOT4Exf9TQK7UOaFs/s320/il_794xN.2603342985_6wb9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The original release of the game was available on Lowtek Games' Etsy page, and was limited to just 200 copies, but since appears to have sold out.</div><div><br /></div><div>In 2022, WAVE Game Studios re-released the game as a "<a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/flea" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Special Edition</a>" on a pressed disc with added soundtrack CD and a longer, full-colour manual. It is the definitive version of the game. </div><p><b>Other links</b>: I reviewed this one for the Junkyard when it released, and you can check that out <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/11/flea-brand-new-release-for-dreamcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. I basically just copied most of the review for this entry mind, like the lazy scumbag I am, so don't go rushing off to read it or anything. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Frog Feast</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQz-QL7jiQxFOOCrNBnx8kHxJGS6TAFM5q4RHaa63Tqo1PlWdIqsOUvm7D5prgzeKzoQ8J9Bz4lK2wnLcN-zcVmk8w32yIx3cnuJRjmyCMmyqDa22rK4l7GRN7Gy9_qkH_0kbyLdy0lI1UM8y6nEZTXFokNX-tWzVyZRACAdpyf_hcCW1bhyphenhypheniB/s435/frog%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQz-QL7jiQxFOOCrNBnx8kHxJGS6TAFM5q4RHaa63Tqo1PlWdIqsOUvm7D5prgzeKzoQ8J9Bz4lK2wnLcN-zcVmk8w32yIx3cnuJRjmyCMmyqDa22rK4l7GRN7Gy9_qkH_0kbyLdy0lI1UM8y6nEZTXFokNX-tWzVyZRACAdpyf_hcCW1bhyphenhypheniB/s320/frog%203.jpg" width="221" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: OlderGames</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Rastersoft</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2007</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A cheap, early indie release, this is a simple "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frogs_(video_game)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Frogs</a>" clone with poor quality control in both its software and packaging. One of the rarest Dreamcast indie releases, though.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPuuQI2529TkoHc0eNwhzYfU1D-748QFdf1VD1Et4evkWwRPZ3BfKoAnzf_ijuGVZWHa2sbHgdv2swdRbuqAr31XPFHp8ZI5voDkGNe6tEV1tqe9wwLES00UatcIXZ-B3hF0pjqgMFCeQWtxLH8NnRZ4AdCnyKFge4ZtHpUMrDssBpX3REU09/s454/frog%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="454" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPuuQI2529TkoHc0eNwhzYfU1D-748QFdf1VD1Et4evkWwRPZ3BfKoAnzf_ijuGVZWHa2sbHgdv2swdRbuqAr31XPFHp8ZI5voDkGNe6tEV1tqe9wwLES00UatcIXZ-B3hF0pjqgMFCeQWtxLH8NnRZ4AdCnyKFge4ZtHpUMrDssBpX3REU09/s320/frog%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Possibly the rarest commercial Dreamcast release out there, Frog Feast is a rough and ready title that, despite reportedly being limited to 100 copies (as indicated by the numbering system on its cover), no one is quite sure how many are actually out there in the wild. The game was released on numerous platforms by its creator Charles Doty (Rastersoft), and is a homage to an old Sega/Gremlin arcade title "Frogs", a title of which saw many clones on other systems, including Frogs and Flies on the Atari 2600. It's not a great game; with ultra simple gameplay that has you jumping between lily pads trying to catch flies, and graphics and sound that are barely improved from other console versions.</p><p>Due to the rather amateur nature of the game's production (seemingly copied onto CD-R on demand), the quality isn't high, with several copies suffering from glitches, and individual numbered copies appearing to also be repeated in some instances. It's probable that far fewer than 100 copies are out there (although some sources do state 200 copies, others estimate as low as 20). None of this affects the collectible nature of the game, which, for those who collect for the console, is quite high. How many reproduced copies are out there is also unknown, adding another layer of confusion over the game's release. A "genuine" copy, if possible to confirm authenticity, would very likely be at the very upper end of indie Dreamcast gaming prices.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie68h2N_Fgbv4Uc6HTjha0p9UKaIQDWCcnk1xvvKru4SvDFdyebjbHJ0L31Qjai-NgmHt06B-GKyTkgkgbg0sNS8xIbGJKbV_mBDgbn90haHXRQrevjgfpRL-gS-6n24mRXeOn0Bf4WB4z4_wBRDi7enhom_DShQoeSCcA0JyFsbE1zUtwU2dk/s311/frog%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="311" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie68h2N_Fgbv4Uc6HTjha0p9UKaIQDWCcnk1xvvKru4SvDFdyebjbHJ0L31Qjai-NgmHt06B-GKyTkgkgbg0sNS8xIbGJKbV_mBDgbn90haHXRQrevjgfpRL-gS-6n24mRXeOn0Bf4WB4z4_wBRDi7enhom_DShQoeSCcA0JyFsbE1zUtwU2dk/s1600/frog%202.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><p></p><div><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: You'll have to resort to private sales or eBay to pick this one up, and expect to probably pay a premium for it too. It's definitely not worth it. </div><p><b>Other links</b>: You can check out some more information about the game, and its various ports, over on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frog_Feast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Fruit'Y</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTV1V7Q-czNhwgBKASCOljbRWeCeFvmIKcxZZ69a6l6_eMpG3W01JibjzJa8wFBRCO5FnGrX1c0_Eqt_WSmnMA_f9DsTOjpvJlNblc20MltGie2IqAmYYpUh0M_q7fQeIvnYb4B4mBrvCn2K_2iJ2eULTSgCppggCNFh6Oroaz6KFhGolYs4B2g/s640/137073--fruity.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="459" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTV1V7Q-czNhwgBKASCOljbRWeCeFvmIKcxZZ69a6l6_eMpG3W01JibjzJa8wFBRCO5FnGrX1c0_Eqt_WSmnMA_f9DsTOjpvJlNblc20MltGie2IqAmYYpUh0M_q7fQeIvnYb4B4mBrvCn2K_2iJ2eULTSgCppggCNFh6Oroaz6KFhGolYs4B2g/s320/137073--fruity.png" width="230" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: DragonBox Shop / Retroguru</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Retroguru</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2015</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Cheap and cheerful little matching puzzle title that was released at a sweet price point. Not a technical powerhouse, but the simple premise and challenging progression combine to make a fun game.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6VTGaFnFTWrLcUJt-ioco4u7F8nhepf_H0Jhj7WT3wnjnGLcpcS2DG7-vXz0wFhcMARJuJDuunYRhypjdFWlcj-4nLPce-dgRDxTpa1hvKYA_BsY-tO9pSu9xdgko9AhGn6jhdNUvWC8r5i6EKOp_fMCT1MyzH1Cx6tiMhADiu_Mh__QigJT/s640/fruit%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB6VTGaFnFTWrLcUJt-ioco4u7F8nhepf_H0Jhj7WT3wnjnGLcpcS2DG7-vXz0wFhcMARJuJDuunYRhypjdFWlcj-4nLPce-dgRDxTpa1hvKYA_BsY-tO9pSu9xdgko9AhGn6jhdNUvWC8r5i6EKOp_fMCT1MyzH1Cx6tiMhADiu_Mh__QigJT/s320/fruit%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Coming a little out of the blue when announced, this release comes from Retroguru (a talented collective of coders, responsible for download-only Dreamcast games such as Xump that deserve some attention) and DragonBox Shop, and whilst it had a limited print run, it was sold at an incredibly good price (just a few euros!). </p><p>Sporting a nice retro pixel look and an excellent soundtrack, Fruit'Y plays like the old Amiga title Gem'X, and displays two screens full of fruit on screen, with the goal being to change the left-hand side to match the right-hand side's layout. You do this by selecting fruit which then change corresponding to which you selected (directly selecting a fruit changes it two steps up the sequence of fruit changes, whilst the fruit above and below and to the left and right change one step). It's a simple concept but can get trickier as you progress through the game's 120 levels, although there are a few helpful options to get through the trickiest stages. The retro look, simple mechanics and superb value all add up to a fun little game to play. It doesn't push the hardware in the slightest, but it is hard not to like it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fJruViZKZmTg-w9V9wrCeMVM3Eaglray3ekSwUEHx8M6hIwrUC8YxDeydmNx2-4N53wylb0-VBArBRKlDH5ST5jpoiq5fhA9FF62EFuMVAmobHlqgqXqtNWOWVjNvIxzJBDKFB9d0XAjgHuay1oOhyoo6g4snaQ8zzJnHnpgo3nWfCbj0gim/s640/fruit%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fJruViZKZmTg-w9V9wrCeMVM3Eaglray3ekSwUEHx8M6hIwrUC8YxDeydmNx2-4N53wylb0-VBArBRKlDH5ST5jpoiq5fhA9FF62EFuMVAmobHlqgqXqtNWOWVjNvIxzJBDKFB9d0XAjgHuay1oOhyoo6g4snaQ8zzJnHnpgo3nWfCbj0gim/s320/fruit%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: It looks like the original release (which came in a DVD case) is pretty much sold out everywhere now, but you can still download the game for free from the <a href="https://www.retroguru.com/fruity/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Retroguru website</a> along with versions for various other platforms. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Mr Tom Charnock reviewed this one for the Junkyard, which you can <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/10/review-fruity.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">read here</a>. </p><p>The game's entry on the <a href="https://www.retroguru.com/fruity/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Retroguru page</a> is well worth checking out for lots more information about the game.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">FX Unit Yuki</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAqwn90LpIC25aiv76ZCYXMDFu_BZQ7uV0jj3IrBX0Bz1WLytjkm4P2lhYJg3YJyma7oFzgefoDKrVQ33haUIOzc74NtjcE5YAupc4SBkJFzy5OnGj9z7Z3pvyMqy7DB4ZgJyhS_nly9yraxsrdCTJSibJPmwXAOfSoAoqquYq2UNakRK4F-Cpw/s800/222507031016.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAqwn90LpIC25aiv76ZCYXMDFu_BZQ7uV0jj3IrBX0Bz1WLytjkm4P2lhYJg3YJyma7oFzgefoDKrVQ33haUIOzc74NtjcE5YAupc4SBkJFzy5OnGj9z7Z3pvyMqy7DB4ZgJyhS_nly9yraxsrdCTJSibJPmwXAOfSoAoqquYq2UNakRK4F-Cpw/s320/222507031016.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: SaruPro</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2019</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A platforming homage and semi-parody of the '90s gaming scene, FX Unit Yuki has charming visuals, a decent soundtrack and plenty of love for the games that inspired it. It's not a system stretcher technically, but the Segagaga-like feel elevates it above any shortcomings. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5nksjxYVTtcaaOoILZ-gunt5_SW_eBRuc0trxM_jv-FGt-up0DszKxRNCPU4riXIUB-1V8QK7APglZJ8PASarQzoZtraa5v0XkFMjos0or91FZoWxafpdHpGaMNRpRtDvB1cUngQqoBMxk7vbaLkkGtshIhXSlSqYw4Tk8Dt5LoFwI1zGneC/s800/FX%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="800" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5nksjxYVTtcaaOoILZ-gunt5_SW_eBRuc0trxM_jv-FGt-up0DszKxRNCPU4riXIUB-1V8QK7APglZJ8PASarQzoZtraa5v0XkFMjos0or91FZoWxafpdHpGaMNRpRtDvB1cUngQqoBMxk7vbaLkkGtshIhXSlSqYw4Tk8Dt5LoFwI1zGneC/s320/FX%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Conceived originally as a PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 title, and successfully funded via Kickstarter, FX Unit Yuki (which was known for some time as "The Henshin Engine") pays homage to the legendary console from NEC through a variety of gameplay styles and knowing nods to other titles. The plot, told through some pre-game and between-level static screens, follows young Yuki Shirakawa as she embarks on her dream career in the games industry, starting off as a beta tester for the Jipang Electronics Corporation, creators of the "FX Engine". This is when she happens across a secret prototype technology, which allows her to neurologically connect to the games to test them out, turning her into the eponymous FX Unit Yuki, but this tech is coveted by the nefarious "SG Corporation", who want to take over the market with their "Ultra Drive". It's down to Yuki to explore the games and clear them of corrupted data. </p><p>With various references - although tongue in cheek - to the PC Engine, NEC, Sega, etc., the tone of the game takes on an almost Segagaga-like semi-parody, and this continues through the levels. Eight in all, each is modelled loosely after retro titles. Cotton, Castlevania and Bonk fans, amongst others, will instantly recognise the stages, although all except the Cotton-style shooter level play in a similar manner to each other. Graphically, it is very much how you'd expect an indie PC Engine title to look – and therefore, not exactly pushing the Dreamcast. The on-the-fly ability to use the screen filter is cool, and the story screens look good; the entire game has a charming anime feel to it. It sounds cool too, with a nice soundtrack which fits the concept. The gameplay itself is okay but is a little rough. There is a "game maker" feel about the title, which is not necessarily bad, but can be a bit off-putting. The basic gameplay – jumping, shooting – works okay but can't match the classic titles it takes inspiration from. Don't expect the Castlevania-style stage to play much like that series, for instance – but rather, as an acceptable platformer from the era. There are some upgrades to your character as you progress and the shooter-style stages are a cool change of pace. It's very difficult to not like FX Unit Yuki, especially with the charming, well-written story elements and overall retro homage that it possesses, but it's less impressive as a Dreamcast title than it is on either the PC Engine or Mega Drive.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRoh_fsxevVvkB7eJnGQxlmzc_ifb_5AUtxgAEvQW0Nf3wEUVyBjNpfrxhS74IOIj-1BUkg7drrf26-5h17MCLyV1sQyUMh4il-vmlKaJo5zHePR8U2534l-V3xW_3Vdt65tP7gq6nmF4YGf9o9cWkj9XH4KWkTqmlMxLZ4xbA8vVegHho6mqE/s800/FX%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="800" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRoh_fsxevVvkB7eJnGQxlmzc_ifb_5AUtxgAEvQW0Nf3wEUVyBjNpfrxhS74IOIj-1BUkg7drrf26-5h17MCLyV1sQyUMh4il-vmlKaJo5zHePR8U2534l-V3xW_3Vdt65tP7gq6nmF4YGf9o9cWkj9XH4KWkTqmlMxLZ4xbA8vVegHho6mqE/s320/FX%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: JoshProd released the game in their standard format, with a <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/fx-unit-yuki-the-henshin-engine-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PAL case</a> version and the reversible <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/fx-unit-yuki-the-henshin-engine-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/fx-unit-yuki-the-henshin-engine-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> cover style. Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/fx-unit-yuki-the-henshin-engine-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>. </p><p>Additionally, the developer's webstore has a version available which appears to have different artwork, although still published by JoshProd. You can still purchase this version (cheaper for those of you in North America) <a href="https://www.sarumaru.com/product/fx-unit-yuki-for-the-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Scott covered the game's announcement trailer <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/10/review-fruity.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>The game also has its own <a href="https://www.fxunityuki.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> which has loads of information. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ganryu</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWtrP5qR7rdr7u0T9pkxhqExmi9JMeJ2O41yQA2kZWDtlH4FpVIA-VEBN78H2cNbUea_SGMllFiC57mWbN5ihKpiGnyXWCkQwHfw79eed5l1yUOEKD-RY1KsII2snjmy0f3-JPszpKbUw_jB-UkiGYhD0ZSQmj8gbBLI99PtCvpULYrDM15hS6w/s800/ganryu-dreamcast.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTWtrP5qR7rdr7u0T9pkxhqExmi9JMeJ2O41yQA2kZWDtlH4FpVIA-VEBN78H2cNbUea_SGMllFiC57mWbN5ihKpiGnyXWCkQwHfw79eed5l1yUOEKD-RY1KsII2snjmy0f3-JPszpKbUw_jB-UkiGYhD0ZSQmj8gbBLI99PtCvpULYrDM15hS6w/s320/ganryu-dreamcast.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher:</b> JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Visco</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2017</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A competent port from a technical standpoint, Ganryu unfortunately just wasn't a very good game to begin with. Poor AI and constantly spawning enemies soon leads the game down a path of tedious repetition. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWXv7tLwilfdYEq2SpyjajtR_Yc-0KYBguo_KCagvWlJ01qYcRwiKiZFQMdWXN35tOK0aqiKyTEaMlRMSHIiadWcVEwNQpoR6qzOXdJ-8dX8S8BTDjHeaI3PSHaAh7dwIjxK52Q/s565/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-09-06-20-57-1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="565" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWXv7tLwilfdYEq2SpyjajtR_Yc-0KYBguo_KCagvWlJ01qYcRwiKiZFQMdWXN35tOK0aqiKyTEaMlRMSHIiadWcVEwNQpoR6qzOXdJ-8dX8S8BTDjHeaI3PSHaAh7dwIjxK52Q/s320/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-09-06-20-57-1.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review:</b></p><p>Another Neo Geo game from Visco ported by JoshProd, Ganryu is a side-scrolling hack-and-slash title which received a competent port to the Dreamcast technically, but as a game isn't all that great. Inspired by the legendary figure of Miyamoto Musashi, this Shinobi-like title puts you in historical Japan, and challenges you to make your way through five levels, all while having to fend off a seemingly never ending supply of rather generic-looking enemy ninjas. The gameplay is uninspired; a basic side-on affair which looked outdated upon its original release in the late-'90s, and as the enemies constantly spawn around you whilst progressing through the stages, it is not long before tedium sets in. The constantly spawning enemies above you are especially tedious. There are some cheap deaths from poor enemy appearances or blind drops, as well as some downright dumb AI where, rather than being stealthy, highly skilled assassins, your enemies tend to walk off platforms to their instant doom. It doesn't help that the game is unimpressive graphically, looking more like an early 16-bit title than something that should have been on a powerhouse like the Neo Geo, a system with numerous titles that surely deserved this re-release attention before Ganryu. We are lacking in this sort of title on the Dreamcast and the game is not impossible to enjoy for short periods if you can forgive the many flaws, but playing it for any extended time just leaves a rather sour taste in the mouth. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVm5u5Paq5zNWwx3KySEZYoOg-8YPSh5d0aSb_i6-2yhZcgM4OVdWDE4LDUERnGmDXeA4r7IWMuTR1skTVb1si5sbOaZQXRpJFR_qsBScTW3yzKAsEV21OXiyiSJY04-rXFwg67w/s567/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-09-06-21-04-5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="567" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVm5u5Paq5zNWwx3KySEZYoOg-8YPSh5d0aSb_i6-2yhZcgM4OVdWDE4LDUERnGmDXeA4r7IWMuTR1skTVb1si5sbOaZQXRpJFR_qsBScTW3yzKAsEV21OXiyiSJY04-rXFwg67w/s320/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-09-06-21-04-5.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Both a <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/ganryu-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PAL case</a> version and JoshProd's standard <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/ganryu-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/ganryu-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> reversible manual version were released and are all still available on PixelHeart, although numbers do seem to be running a little low.</p><p>Also available from <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/ganryu-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We reviewed (and sorta savaged it, if we're honest) this one back upon release. You can check out Rob's review <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/09/review-ganryu_7.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ghost Blade</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_W6N-LhCfQYhjiLIGt8eLcacNVictBfSUgVE8NiV3eAO5RK4OCU6chL15W5GZhYfrpMUV-jUpCht4PJPctw7wkZxoxFAPFyHWTmcDKCjCa_K37Hk9JjybjhESL9p1BNQilFC0acSjeGPmmSiBOCjqJ-IRjkOCqE1BMTPQ9wDvSVqZDEoJBw3QNg/s800/1600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_W6N-LhCfQYhjiLIGt8eLcacNVictBfSUgVE8NiV3eAO5RK4OCU6chL15W5GZhYfrpMUV-jUpCht4PJPctw7wkZxoxFAPFyHWTmcDKCjCa_K37Hk9JjybjhESL9p1BNQilFC0acSjeGPmmSiBOCjqJ-IRjkOCqE1BMTPQ9wDvSVqZDEoJBw3QNg/s320/1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Hucast (re-released by JoshProd/PixelHeart)</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Hucast</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2015</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Good-looking shooter with solid mechanics, Ghost Blade is competent enough for more uncritical gamers, but its rather generic nature and relatively low difficulty level will put off the hardcore shooter fans. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_H4pMGTjJLY9gLrfWLiViyUdkUPw0Fe1jqoPSz38GMoHqXgQSoxqrmHBknbAenV8rWr0FkQmwoPhucJrRm9sMBre6vwr1jwsxnSyblFlmv_DpYF_VyCLSdbDcvWWh71Wsu-0Rw/s480/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_H4pMGTjJLY9gLrfWLiViyUdkUPw0Fe1jqoPSz38GMoHqXgQSoxqrmHBknbAenV8rWr0FkQmwoPhucJrRm9sMBre6vwr1jwsxnSyblFlmv_DpYF_VyCLSdbDcvWWh71Wsu-0Rw/s320/4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Ghost Blade, a shooter from Hucast, elicited a somewhat mixed response upon release, with players who just wanted to shoot things with pretty graphics on their Dreamcast enjoying the experience, whilst more expectant gamers had some issues with some of the gaming mechanics employed. On a simple level, it's a fun shooter for the uncritical – the graphics are good looking and do their job, the mechanics are solid enough and the game isn't as unforgiving as other entries in the genre, making it a more accessible experience. Delve a little deeper, though, and there are some issues. There is some distracting slowdown which is unfortunate and the difficulty level could be considered to be somewhat on the easy side, which, whilst a blessing for the casual gamer, is a potential turn off for the more seasoned shooting fans. There is also nothing particularly original or exciting in the game, which is a shame. For those just wanting another shooter to add to the library, it will do the job. For those wanting a Sturmwind-like indie game revelation, they may want to look elsewhere.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexB_IQQ7Cg1MHUenDaNC4TZFvafPmD0IXsH2vz_JkcnxzuFwPWB1OmMShkct4duBmEFs1z73spPX6KW1uGHKW7JzAuBEjH93PuJQ6wH8VS0Vo9tH_9gz6fyYhQLY_oKnujZy_6Q/s480/5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexB_IQQ7Cg1MHUenDaNC4TZFvafPmD0IXsH2vz_JkcnxzuFwPWB1OmMShkct4duBmEFs1z73spPX6KW1uGHKW7JzAuBEjH93PuJQ6wH8VS0Vo9tH_9gz6fyYhQLY_oKnujZy_6Q/s320/5.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There were no less than six versions of the game released. Two regular editions were available, one in a jewel case and one in a DVD case. If you want to get hold of either of these, you'd have to source them on eBay, private sales or in retro shops.</p><p>The limited edition is also in a DVD case with an extra soundtrack and different artwork. This will also have to be sourced online (or possibly from a brick-and-mortar retro store).</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWegw4LjHo17Y24RPiDNXcE5z5mQzWN4B7qDthPECHV89CCu28W7QbCxzEBbDM3Vf8zAHio9vuwe61JKcBsy3kQ9mTJ_iDF-aCtYWT0qlhokclkdWXIZiY5sbxndpZbEtQ0pk_/s960/12011242_1663302880594120_8181946256727485960_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="960" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWegw4LjHo17Y24RPiDNXcE5z5mQzWN4B7qDthPECHV89CCu28W7QbCxzEBbDM3Vf8zAHio9vuwe61JKcBsy3kQ9mTJ_iDF-aCtYWT0qlhokclkdWXIZiY5sbxndpZbEtQ0pk_/w400-h276/12011242_1663302880594120_8181946256727485960_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>The collectors edition is limited to just 600, and includes a soundtrack, manual, art book, stickers and an exclusive title screen. It comes in a larger box with unique artwork. This one will only be available now from the same sources as the regular and limited editions, and is a bit costlier than the other original versions.</p><p>JoshProd would also re-release the game in their usual format - with a PAL case version and the US/Japanese reversible manual version. The PAL case version is out of stock at the PixelHeart website, but the US/Japan version is available with both styles on display <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/the-ghost-blade-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/the-ghost-blade-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. This is also available from <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/ghost-blade-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: The Junkyard reviewed this game twice (and yet we can't even provide a single review for dozens of other indie games. God, we're pathetic) - Tom did a <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/09/review-ghost-blade-novice-review.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">novice review</a> from the point of view of a non-hardcore shooting fan, and Rob wrote one for those <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/09/review-ghost-blade-standard-review.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">more familiar</a> with the genre.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ghoul Grind: Night of the Necromancer</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsoR6sz0Pnc8dy8rgCFUROBGWK-neMUrHG8cyzWu7MfvBhTbv2RYdc-sNE3ScR_CxpxBoXKqB5nyMr_J3Ly6Vy7-d7BLTE_E_ZumiEf_1fDBrM2otUe83nsE29z636W6azld6j8C7tVmI-NDf0gu7BYiJcp1S8KODu-LICaUnkjTDblHXG8iLcog/s600/6-1-859614-13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsoR6sz0Pnc8dy8rgCFUROBGWK-neMUrHG8cyzWu7MfvBhTbv2RYdc-sNE3ScR_CxpxBoXKqB5nyMr_J3Ly6Vy7-d7BLTE_E_ZumiEf_1fDBrM2otUe83nsE29z636W6azld6j8C7tVmI-NDf0gu7BYiJcp1S8KODu-LICaUnkjTDblHXG8iLcog/s320/6-1-859614-13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Woog Worx</p><p><b>Developer:</b> Woog Worx</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2021</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Simple in concept and challenging but fair in difficulty, this 8-bit auto-scrolling platformer is chock full of Halloween style and atmosphere. It's no technical powerhouse but has plenty of heart.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjun5ZyNeHKlc5io0JR_rrGpBdiRWbPt7sXAFAjSXVPLCBakGshMJ2lmbu9JPxA18zlq_zUGkKhYwtdJbXs5o8yw-9CgPcbqjpaYIRTxJBSRioVuy3y4lFrZpeYQS6PtI2VMsO0Z6ShwSEiD4AjnS-L0CHfaDxJRWq-Y3PeLduVuV_9nJHs-g=s347" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="347" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjun5ZyNeHKlc5io0JR_rrGpBdiRWbPt7sXAFAjSXVPLCBakGshMJ2lmbu9JPxA18zlq_zUGkKhYwtdJbXs5o8yw-9CgPcbqjpaYIRTxJBSRioVuy3y4lFrZpeYQS6PtI2VMsO0Z6ShwSEiD4AjnS-L0CHfaDxJRWq-Y3PeLduVuV_9nJHs-g=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Ghoul Grind: Night of the Necromancer is a 2D, 8-bit auto-scrolling platformer with a distinctly Halloween theme. The plot (played out through a short intro and in the game's lovely full-colour manual) sees Nox and Veronica, boyfriend and girlfriend, tasked with saving the townsfolk of Saint Crypton from their own best friend Vladimir, who is raising the dead, bringing ghouls, ghosts and goblins out onto the streets, forests and crypts of the town. The game has a charming feel to it with a suitably ghoulish 8-bit soundtrack and a colour palette full of oranges, browns and blacks, to give it an autumnal look. Gameplay is pretty straightforward – your characters auto-run through the levels, with your control being limited to one button to jump, and one to fire your weapon. You can change between the two characters on the fly throughout, and need to do so to get past certain sections, but there is little in the way of complexity here. The levels have all manner of suitably Halloween-themed enemies, as well as tricky jumps and platforming elements, and on your first attempt at each stage, chances are you will die, and die a fair bit. When you do, it's straight back to the beginning where you attempt to traverse again, your knowledge of what is to come aiding your progress. It's fair to say that the game can certainly be challenging, but the instant restarts lower any sense of frustration. That really is just about all there is to the game though. It's a decidedly simple premise, although well executed, with a great style but it's not something which was made with the Dreamcast in mind (although, kudos to Woog Worx for replacing the NES controllers for Dreamcast controllers in the background of the training levels), or a game which will thrill those that want indie games to push the envelope of what we've come to expect on the console. </p><p>Originally, the game only came as one of the perks of backing the Kickstarter campaign, bundled with the NES release, but after fulfilment of that campaign, the developers did make the Dreamcast version available as a standalone purchase. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FsnQxYrdPsHmNDCI0dMeMJDIrD7kDdiQlJfBf5iOyKQOHpxsWVnAPbWwSCXhI_I_dg09RHtrNI8-BkcetHwusteUZiFdClzxQP-_plphIKwAuRhTxG82hMoZJYBFyy0tSjim-Trf01agrsYb3pHVRK02DU3mnkZYVr_H06h1aDK15IQniJaaWw/s698/Screenshot%202023-12-16%20at%204.06.37%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="698" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FsnQxYrdPsHmNDCI0dMeMJDIrD7kDdiQlJfBf5iOyKQOHpxsWVnAPbWwSCXhI_I_dg09RHtrNI8-BkcetHwusteUZiFdClzxQP-_plphIKwAuRhTxG82hMoZJYBFyy0tSjim-Trf01agrsYb3pHVRK02DU3mnkZYVr_H06h1aDK15IQniJaaWw/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-16%20at%204.06.37%20pm.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The developer's own website doesn't seem to currently be online, so the best option to pick a copy of this up is to visit the fine guys at <a href="https://thebitstationgames.com/product/ghoul_grind/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Bit Station</a>, who have some in stock currently.</p><p>You can also purchase and download the digital version of the game from the <a href="https://woogworx.itch.io/ghoul-grind-night-of-the-necromancer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">itch.io</a> page. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: I reviewed this one quite enthusiastically and you can read that <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/01/new-dreamcast-release-review-ghoul.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. I've obviously just copied that review to make this entry again, as I do have a life outside of the Junkyard ("no you don't" - Lewis) so there's no real need to read that really. Sorry. </p><p>You can also check out the game's original Kickstarter <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1640415401/ghoul-grind-night-of-the-necromancer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">campaign here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Gunlord</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QtPBuUVH2SXHbc4b3A1ObYM7NvWkc5GcT_ZaALV-qkRBEoISL8Pc0hzSkeEqtLr7HD0RcfePcm8muwo3fFMA3gl6lStTf3Mw8rsOz4f9QqF8GhcE6tKvJTZSA0V8U2uRb8lOcOJ6m7FVy15GEkUwFcS93_Rpd0oIGu0lVojXzrwy_q3OF4K_dQ/s1426/Game_Jacket.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1426" data-original-width="1013" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QtPBuUVH2SXHbc4b3A1ObYM7NvWkc5GcT_ZaALV-qkRBEoISL8Pc0hzSkeEqtLr7HD0RcfePcm8muwo3fFMA3gl6lStTf3Mw8rsOz4f9QqF8GhcE6tKvJTZSA0V8U2uRb8lOcOJ6m7FVy15GEkUwFcS93_Rpd0oIGu0lVojXzrwy_q3OF4K_dQ/s320/Game_Jacket.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: NG:DEV.TEAM</p><p><b>Developer</b>: NG:DEV.TEAM</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2012</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A classy run n' gunner in the traditions of the best '90s Euro-style shooters. Superb aesthetic design is coupled with excellent level design and an exhilarating soundtrack.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNj_3bUEX8mdsAaUwDkfN0JO4X9T-HlIF9KpThyphenhyphenNUprwW6USprY1WpunD-r_bk56Ocjjl_v_dm2B273rSQh9HV_tFw-sIhjf6G00u13uDE1b8XrI_aPhXKb0MgcUO-Gso8W9EjJbF6FUkDcJ7ugO_DOtHUHufzEtLjuOZf0avy5YOeoL-YJs4Z/s304/gun%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="304" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNj_3bUEX8mdsAaUwDkfN0JO4X9T-HlIF9KpThyphenhyphenNUprwW6USprY1WpunD-r_bk56Ocjjl_v_dm2B273rSQh9HV_tFw-sIhjf6G00u13uDE1b8XrI_aPhXKb0MgcUO-Gso8W9EjJbF6FUkDcJ7ugO_DOtHUHufzEtLjuOZf0avy5YOeoL-YJs4Z/s1600/gun%201.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Another high-quality release from indie powerhouse NG:DEV.TEAM, this Neo Geo port <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>does a hell of a lot right. A run n' gunner with more than a passing inspiration from the Turrican series, Gunlord revels in frantic action, massive weapons and a high difficulty level. The 2D artwork is unashamedly and gloriously retro in style, with finely detailed surroundings and enemies all composed in lovely pixels. The soundtrack is suitably exciting, and is an excellent selection of high-quality music that these Euro indie titles are renowned for. Running through the levels is not an easy task with enemies, projectiles and tricky platforming sections abound. Whilst this difficulty level is no doubt welcomed by those who want a challenge with their gaming, it will be a bit off-putting for the less hardcore, as making progress can be a tough task. Of course, repeated plays will help players become accustomed to the game's nuances, and this does give it some added depth. The level design itself is also cause enough for repeated plays; varied throughout, they're masterfully put together with superb artwork. It would be churlish to dismiss any game based on its difficulty, especially one so carefully constructed to appeal to the nostalgic 16-bit memories of gamers, and fans of retro blasting action will appreciate what often feels like a love letter to '90s Euro-style shooters, put together with class.</p><p>The high-quality artwork carries over into the packaging for even the standard version of the game, with a beautiful full-colour booklet, and is another sign of the love lavished on the title by the developers. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MR4xvqXxQsuuE8I_0f6V6NFwz-vknHKzvgLkl32LaqR4izm5bVfFVeeL1Mb3WUQrdtI3w8lz5lxmN7EZL78vJFjIr5_gBFXMsCnrfNWJ1DvuNG5O61K-Sr_-j_QZpvU7i0ANOJZzzO1D1tzaHeOVTmBKPDYjyCI5DQPyZSgvLy9YRdRiGELC/s304/gun%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="304" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MR4xvqXxQsuuE8I_0f6V6NFwz-vknHKzvgLkl32LaqR4izm5bVfFVeeL1Mb3WUQrdtI3w8lz5lxmN7EZL78vJFjIr5_gBFXMsCnrfNWJ1DvuNG5O61K-Sr_-j_QZpvU7i0ANOJZzzO1D1tzaHeOVTmBKPDYjyCI5DQPyZSgvLy9YRdRiGELC/s1600/gun%202.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There are four versions of Gunlord. The regular edition and the limited edition both came in DVD cases with different artwork, with the limited edition including an additional soundtrack CD. </p><p>There was also the "Dragon Box", which contains both the regular and limited editions of the game, plus some additional extras.</p><p>Finally in April 2016, NG:DEV.TEAM released a jewel case version, limited to 333 copies, alongside two other re-releases (Last Hope Pink Bullets and Fast Striker).</p><p>Your best bet to get a hold of any of these releases will be private sales, eBay or retro stores.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Aaron did another unboxing and first impressions video and an article when the Gunlord limited edition released, and you can check that out <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2012/06/dcjy-insideout-gunlord-limited-edition.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Hermes</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHdbaMDeOUZKBLYAz0EW8WulhTSmp7V6XHOEFVa9THEdE8VxGJooDOgf4mkZ5pkcUon8Sx7pUWt7sToOViYUYJwiogZUu3Hrdn8iJXT4RUMrN7Nvr2M_wj4YaPrMws0QjJGq2gN2pmgNN_Z-DyqHJwCde2ZO860IswRfFa4k_6kHsZRKP9PqXoQ/s640/135612--hermes.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="640" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHdbaMDeOUZKBLYAz0EW8WulhTSmp7V6XHOEFVa9THEdE8VxGJooDOgf4mkZ5pkcUon8Sx7pUWt7sToOViYUYJwiogZUu3Hrdn8iJXT4RUMrN7Nvr2M_wj4YaPrMws0QjJGq2gN2pmgNN_Z-DyqHJwCde2ZO860IswRfFa4k_6kHsZRKP9PqXoQ/s320/135612--hermes.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Retroguru/DragonBox Shop (re-released version published by VGNYsoft)</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Retroguru</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2017</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A charming run-and-jump platformer with an amazing chiptune soundtrack that is chock full of toilet humour. Hermes is a fun little game but not one which stretches the hardware.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGsulHUZeIoPsi8VmF2gUQp4rgc6_prnsYMdbP1PBPim2Z4GBlvLlkC_2Klef-Z9i3Lixpr3LGBW8PH7OliqFAyjDG5ilNPhGIJsYX2Xo42yXEK94Q2scSYUDCmLSTy1zPfoLHQ/s640/image2.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGsulHUZeIoPsi8VmF2gUQp4rgc6_prnsYMdbP1PBPim2Z4GBlvLlkC_2Klef-Z9i3Lixpr3LGBW8PH7OliqFAyjDG5ilNPhGIJsYX2Xo42yXEK94Q2scSYUDCmLSTy1zPfoLHQ/s320/image2.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>The second commercially released title for the Dreamcast from Retroguru sees the international crew deliver a run-and-jump platformer with oodles of retro charm, toilet humour and a superb soundtrack. The game itself isn't the most sophisticated of releases, but the simple platforming is made somewhat harder by a continually decreasing hunger "energy" bar which can be refilled by eating the abundant doughnuts littering the levels – but not too much, as greed has a price, and that price is... soiling yourself. A trip to one of the toilets spread around the stages will relieve the over-indulgence and keep you playing, and no, I'm not making any of this up. The gameplay is simple and fun, with plenty of challenge as it progresses. The retro 8/16-bit graphics are great and the soundtrack, in all of its Amiga chiptune glory, is fantastic. Hermes won't win awards for technical expertise, but it's a fun little title. The original release came with a full-colour comic book which sort of doubles as a manual. The game disc itself can be used as an audio CD.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiec2zMyLgAez_sV09F5X7FdMMjisiKDkdb1ZBef1VTJdWuuomVnP4YO67w87KmBTzVylAImq7mMlnEdI0lS2F7_xbqYCV8uZjSsbQB3aCakdrKAlWNjSAFnG1NNBBi3KeHA0mDhQ/s640/image3.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiec2zMyLgAez_sV09F5X7FdMMjisiKDkdb1ZBef1VTJdWuuomVnP4YO67w87KmBTzVylAImq7mMlnEdI0lS2F7_xbqYCV8uZjSsbQB3aCakdrKAlWNjSAFnG1NNBBi3KeHA0mDhQ/s320/image3.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The original release of the game was via the DragonBox Shop and came with an awesome comic book - you can still pick that up from the shop <a href="https://dragonbox.de/en/games-for-sega-dreamcast/hermes-dreamcast-incl-comic.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>VGNY re-released the game with a US packaging style (available <a href="https://videogamesnewyork.com/hermes-sega-dreamcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) as well as a limited edition larger box release which included a Hermes branded VMU. This is a little pricey but is still available <a href="https://videogamesnewyork.com/hermes-special-edition-sega-dreamcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPOQpHiZ0SSDrkg_p6jBcdv2iJdem4jLgAAY-jUUZSsyniCet5f3AANbw0zCKd3D87mqmqb97UHxVr3VnJZ_lPV2nhX95iFOGo3kxBp6GHtGgobQsbRzGJKH-OKCRTbtD50vcnrcg8HxqRX7L-NB6AaqYgdyWX7Sc2n2oQMZYQ6xW0SAFLAU/s800/IMG_6240%202.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPOQpHiZ0SSDrkg_p6jBcdv2iJdem4jLgAAY-jUUZSsyniCet5f3AANbw0zCKd3D87mqmqb97UHxVr3VnJZ_lPV2nhX95iFOGo3kxBp6GHtGgobQsbRzGJKH-OKCRTbtD50vcnrcg8HxqRX7L-NB6AaqYgdyWX7Sc2n2oQMZYQ6xW0SAFLAU/w400-h225/IMG_6240%202.heic" width="400" /></a></p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: It was me on review duty for this one (which you can <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/08/review-hermes.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">check out here</a>) and Lewis did a piece when the limited edition (with VMU) version was released as well, which you can find <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/10/lets-take-look-at-hermes-limited.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>You can also check out the game's page on <a href="https://www.retroguru.com/hermes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Retroguru</a> for loads of info about the game and its other ports. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Inhabitants</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFf-rfZHRTeNlgRllmAZKgU2p7AQZfZYhtuQbn3_sEtINsrIJyx3YrMVBUVjxOX1d4YKZ0ft_fbrp2qYF_pYNifnzsz_3LZUI3JpsIiInb6JFrPxpacvI1Ai_z5IRlCB-q6ctShom3QzwUC2qI0t_y9q6x4yfcafcHun5M3yHA4eeHFplN-bt/s305/inhab%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="300" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFf-rfZHRTeNlgRllmAZKgU2p7AQZfZYhtuQbn3_sEtINsrIJyx3YrMVBUVjxOX1d4YKZ0ft_fbrp2qYF_pYNifnzsz_3LZUI3JpsIiInb6JFrPxpacvI1Ai_z5IRlCB-q6ctShom3QzwUC2qI0t_y9q6x4yfcafcHun5M3yHA4eeHFplN-bt/s1600/inhab%203.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: GOAT Store</p><p><b>Developer</b>: S + F Software</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2005</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A solid tile-matching puzzler which can soon become quite challenging. As an early indie release it's a little on the basic side but it's still an enjoyable game. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-zSj-OY2oVfQLLWPs5ayuMIX4YnSmMZlOautQpgevCcvt_RxcJpU-cjm7vkqGbr0O3QubbCa4oCc2WPtgm5t08m1Aldo_XP6fpEXD0EEg9Fghdlx-CwOQJaygTSPy5zAE0-FLjG0QxvHo32njRHPOX2smfV4DFZewFripAHgBGj_w7xXkPge/s640/inhab%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-zSj-OY2oVfQLLWPs5ayuMIX4YnSmMZlOautQpgevCcvt_RxcJpU-cjm7vkqGbr0O3QubbCa4oCc2WPtgm5t08m1Aldo_XP6fpEXD0EEg9Fghdlx-CwOQJaygTSPy5zAE0-FLjG0QxvHo32njRHPOX2smfV4DFZewFripAHgBGj_w7xXkPge/s320/inhab%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>On first impressions, this looks like a simple tile-matching puzzler, but there's a little more under the surface. Inhabitants tasks players to find combinations of matching tiles to a maximum of five to maximise combo and chain scores, and to ultimately reach each level's target score, which increases stage by stage to more challenging totals. It all starts off quite easy, but soon the challenge ramps up and what started as an all too basic puzzler becomes, like all great puzzle games, an addictive quest to improve on your last attempt. There is a competitive mode where up to four players can compete, which adds some depth to proceedings, and there's a fair amount of unlockable content as well to keep you playing. There are different tiles and backgrounds, but it's not pushing the Dreamcast at any point, and as with all tile-matching puzzlers, ultimately, there isn't much in the way of variety. A good, solid little puzzle title though.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_3c35Z0Wgx9luVKLCL7e8QUPsPNa95YqQdaD_CxYWuItwbj5PqndYVs2oTkMo4XfqEdCkfGo_GXY-8IP6UWqUU7xjtkewYB-noWHa_Aew5QUmCLf1g59OuzR_ru3FSqMDcIsLrjNLhEdLfj-HFaRtOd800eFsczOXhFZmLEitL_6H66PezF_/s640/inhab%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_3c35Z0Wgx9luVKLCL7e8QUPsPNa95YqQdaD_CxYWuItwbj5PqndYVs2oTkMo4XfqEdCkfGo_GXY-8IP6UWqUU7xjtkewYB-noWHa_Aew5QUmCLf1g59OuzR_ru3FSqMDcIsLrjNLhEdLfj-HFaRtOd800eFsczOXhFZmLEitL_6H66PezF_/s320/inhab%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: <a href="https://thebitstationgames.com/product/inhabitants/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Bit Station</a> still has some copies of the game in stock, but the game is also readily available on eBay. There was only the single version of the game released.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: For some more information, you can check out the entry for Inhabitants on the Indie Dreams wiki <a href="https://indiedreams.fandom.com/wiki/Inhabitants" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Intrepid Izzy</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEx9zzhIjdvhHdQIuFc1qyp5j8MBeNXHcjEONczI2dIrCvmWQbm4874FLIJRfUVsriFD3opvQiPOnpWLSD1WjqCjwnG46OcGLyBsMUq16dVCR5QHPCxi4kePbjQgflCnnJsJYnNDS58BrK7-IxM-yql3HZ4QydcgAf31IPjxTLTzHqtvMjoW5uFQ/s1280/Intrepid-Izzy-Cover-WEB__48367.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEx9zzhIjdvhHdQIuFc1qyp5j8MBeNXHcjEONczI2dIrCvmWQbm4874FLIJRfUVsriFD3opvQiPOnpWLSD1WjqCjwnG46OcGLyBsMUq16dVCR5QHPCxi4kePbjQgflCnnJsJYnNDS58BrK7-IxM-yql3HZ4QydcgAf31IPjxTLTzHqtvMjoW5uFQ/s320/Intrepid-Izzy-Cover-WEB__48367.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Senile Team, WAVE Game Studios</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Senile Team</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2021</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A visually glorious and expertly designed 2D platformer, Intrepid Izzy revels in its aesthetics whilst delivering a thoroughly engrossing adventure at the same time. Incredibly polished, this is one of the very best indie games on the Dreamcast.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaLJfTjX_KalC_hZx8G6UTnrhysIkNwj13l6bkv0st29h9H8vnoHARev2U_uKS2WxnzpsapTd3cg26puAuxHhdQyr2nrGPqrCx6J6Cp_2E3jC2dK4MpU8vRUMfiWGAiK1mRSw8Q/s640/dreamcast-intrepid-izzy-shot00001.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikaLJfTjX_KalC_hZx8G6UTnrhysIkNwj13l6bkv0st29h9H8vnoHARev2U_uKS2WxnzpsapTd3cg26puAuxHhdQyr2nrGPqrCx6J6Cp_2E3jC2dK4MpU8vRUMfiWGAiK1mRSw8Q/s320/dreamcast-intrepid-izzy-shot00001.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Senile Team's Intrepid Izzy may have taken a few years to finally come to the Dreamcast (a console with an indie landscape that already had several high-quality releases), but boy was it worth it. A polished, beautiful looking 2D platforming adventure with metroidvania elements, it is an absolute joy to behold, but not just aesthetically. The levels are non-linear, promoting exploration and adventure, and the inclusion of various costumes for our heroine to find mixes up the core gameplay – straight platforming action this certainly isn't, as finding new costumes grants you new abilities that allow you to explore previously inaccessible areas. When the action needs to be more violent, Senile Team have implemented a beat 'em up-style combo system which works superbly. Few indie releases manage to envelop you in their world, but as soon as you see the streets of Awesometown, your first destination, you're struck by the loving detail of the world, with the developers even going as far as to squeeze in a trio of arcade game-in-games. Visually, Intrepid Izzy is fantastic, with buttery smooth, crisp, hi-res visuals, positively overflowing with vibrant colour and great artistic design, so much so that at times, you have to remind yourself that this is running on the Dreamcast. Don't be put off by the fact that it's a 2D platformer either; this is a fully realised, aesthetically delightful adventure romp that is among the very best of indie releases on the console. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJ6eobIOlomL_lLh2NsgHiUvXed4Qlkxjd2z8SuD0pNG2M7_xT3gnr_bzVUrCJaVYY48TncpCGyYWdq8Q_7hVM1HLNrOVzxbutUCLLw6tbuW3whv2QiFP_lXBwMWRTr8tgcHScA/s640/00001159.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJ6eobIOlomL_lLh2NsgHiUvXed4Qlkxjd2z8SuD0pNG2M7_xT3gnr_bzVUrCJaVYY48TncpCGyYWdq8Q_7hVM1HLNrOVzxbutUCLLw6tbuW3whv2QiFP_lXBwMWRTr8tgcHScA/s320/00001159.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There are no less than <i>12</i> versions of Intrepid Izzy that have been released so far, although I may very well have missed a version here or there!</p><p>First off, we have the standard release of the game, published by WAVE Game Studios, which came in three styles, all matching the respective regional design seen in officially released Dreamcast games. The <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/intrepid-izzy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">European and Japanese</a> style versions are available at the WAVE store, whilst the <a href="https://videogamesnewyork.com/intrepid-izzy-sega-dreamcast-usa/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US style</a> release is available at VGNY. The versions available on WAVE also come with a digital version of the game, which is a welcome addition.</p><p>WAVE then released a "Special Edition" of the game, which has an additional soundtrack CD and also comes with the additional digital version. Available in all 3 regional art styles <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/intrepid-izzy-special-edition" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>There were also two runs of the game in PAL cases - 50 from the Kickstarter campaign, and 25 limited edition ones with the soundtrack CD included. These are now sold out.</p><p>WAVE also released a collectors edition of Izzy. This came with figures, an art book and the soundtrack in a larger box. Technically, there are three versions of this, one for each regional style, however, only the included game differs between them. These are also out of stock, so now only available through eBay/private sales.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZx0uzrs7ky1x-iPEpFm1jLU4-vmiQC7dE8lLAM6pvquD01rFR0dM_MpEjcsVWGyCtylxaGKC4KEAzIsClf_YA4acjnSs7pAUg7oCc1rtc-GnqjCuDXDSsPiPEL3Hcfpe5HI1uU9kELZt3-B7PQYFZaU7Z9AoBLLPkqLIRQGJGP1f0oAY4rpDjzA/s2040/FBprChCWEAMK8Kn.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="2040" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZx0uzrs7ky1x-iPEpFm1jLU4-vmiQC7dE8lLAM6pvquD01rFR0dM_MpEjcsVWGyCtylxaGKC4KEAzIsClf_YA4acjnSs7pAUg7oCc1rtc-GnqjCuDXDSsPiPEL3Hcfpe5HI1uU9kELZt3-B7PQYFZaU7Z9AoBLLPkqLIRQGJGP1f0oAY4rpDjzA/w400-h216/FBprChCWEAMK8Kn.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And then finally we have an edition sold on the DragonBox shop, which appears to have been published direct from Senile Team. This is still available <a href="https://dragonbox.de/en/games-for-sega-dreamcast/intrepid-izzy-dreamcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>(You can also buy the game digitally from <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/intrepid-izzy-digital" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WAVE</a>.) </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We've covered Izzy from concept to release, but it's Lewis' review (which you can read <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/08/review-intrepid-izzy.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) that really sums up our views of the game. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Irides: Master of Blocks</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSACVZKC0Fexp5YDpflN6w7rYE9o9R559tyupg2o54HyAAIgIA8BzW377pHjOOSZ3L9QNdjSYNg6upq9RsR4NtfDvC-4UPngaFvk2p_N8zkWteOW20zGCaTmSaOsBSYI_UQiIo8Y7-cO-OmbJhSrQEhZxyM9SGqnxQ8-cfjxBCZOy3qHCiraO/s300/iri2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="299" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSACVZKC0Fexp5YDpflN6w7rYE9o9R559tyupg2o54HyAAIgIA8BzW377pHjOOSZ3L9QNdjSYNg6upq9RsR4NtfDvC-4UPngaFvk2p_N8zkWteOW20zGCaTmSaOsBSYI_UQiIo8Y7-cO-OmbJhSrQEhZxyM9SGqnxQ8-cfjxBCZOy3qHCiraO/s1600/iri2.jpg" width="299" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: GOAT Store</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Madpeet</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2009</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Addictive puzzle title, originating from a homebrew port of Lumines. A polished design and solid puzzle mechanics are coupled with plenty of extras. One of the stand out early indie releases for the Dreamcast.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/74/Co-op-screenshot-02.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="352" height="264" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/74/Co-op-screenshot-02.png" width="352" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Along with Cool Herders and Inhabitants, Irides: Master of Blocks was part of a triumvirate of puzzle titles from US publisher GOAT Store, and stands out as the best of the bunch. Originating as a homebrew port of Lumines, Irides is a block falling puzzler that has all the qualities needed to stand side by side with some of the great examples of its type. Blocks of 2x2 in dimension fall down onto the screen and your job is to create 2x2 combinations (or larger) of the same colour blocks to meet a required score or total cleared block target per stage. At the most simple level, it's enjoyable, but throw in some extra blocks which have varying effects on proceedings, along with both co-op and competitive modes and several tweakable options, and you have a puzzle game which keeps giving. The extras, especially the competitive multiplayer modes, are welcome, but the fact the game gets the basics right is the key to the appeal. There are several different types of background graphics and blocks, as well as the option for an "endless" mode to a stage, and even the music is of a decent level. Irides won't push the console, but its addictive puzzling qualities are a welcome addition.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEgu49laNdfplLrdSM_No8JWzsUIdH3sjtaDDKQ51LSylBWeGfXXbIdelK450CVcrx_R7DdYnotAqDzYaqpGmYaR3Q2aEMAR9HBFz9BLVXTy2h-9E9M20xLCX7k3qtcf3Eow_HF_ZB3i74Bkcz4-7r_xtwnID6cqYv2pJwq6oUCEFqxIcGOhm/s640/irid.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNEgu49laNdfplLrdSM_No8JWzsUIdH3sjtaDDKQ51LSylBWeGfXXbIdelK450CVcrx_R7DdYnotAqDzYaqpGmYaR3Q2aEMAR9HBFz9BLVXTy2h-9E9M20xLCX7k3qtcf3Eow_HF_ZB3i74Bkcz4-7r_xtwnID6cqYv2pJwq6oUCEFqxIcGOhm/s320/irid.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screenshot from <a href="https://indiedreams.fandom.com/wiki/Irides:_Master_of_Blocks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Indie Dreams Wiki</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The standard version of Irides is readily available from online retro stores and eBay (for instance, at The Bit Station <a href="https://thebitstationgames.com/product/irides-master-of-blocks/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>). There was also a limited edition of the game which had 144 copies - this came with a numbered coin, expanded manual, mini-poster and slightly different artwork. Private sales and eBay are your best bets for that one. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Aaron <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2009/09/goat-store-announces-irides-another.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">covered</a> the release announcement for Irides way back when. <i>14 years ago</i>. Where did the time go?</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">James & Watch - Arm</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pRM5G-a6jiu6EPm6ulBSUE6uLvZ8iBWGYvCOP3c7eCBClIbcdxt-ND_MuXCihRXbEk11UavYMVNd0dwRjwoYyx7oRt_SNuP1Ekpqjgicl5ZwXbH6cN_wZ-ebpk7sEJ14Nv_l/s1600/IMG_20150508_204144.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1600" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pRM5G-a6jiu6EPm6ulBSUE6uLvZ8iBWGYvCOP3c7eCBClIbcdxt-ND_MuXCihRXbEk11UavYMVNd0dwRjwoYyx7oRt_SNuP1Ekpqjgicl5ZwXbH6cN_wZ-ebpk7sEJ14Nv_l/w320-h318/IMG_20150508_204144.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: Lancaster Media</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Lancaster Media</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2015</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Extremely simple Game & Watch clone, but with a fun backstory to its creation. Really only one for the Dreamcast curio collector.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9uWPbC3PsKvbewaU6dEltbu0G25nRdwLSqBG45d2_OKS6tVnN-zCBi-3MebfoFCnl99cvD37ev0QhGb9JgEyIwCcYQE2sospejXrQaOxSQoWlYsSqM-pXr9pIU5jZbrt2Aapq/s661/3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="661" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9uWPbC3PsKvbewaU6dEltbu0G25nRdwLSqBG45d2_OKS6tVnN-zCBi-3MebfoFCnl99cvD37ev0QhGb9JgEyIwCcYQE2sospejXrQaOxSQoWlYsSqM-pXr9pIU5jZbrt2Aapq/s320/3.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>The work of one man, it is tales of childhood misadventures and a love for the classic Game & Watches of a bygone age that are behind the makings of this game. More specifically, inspiration is taken from a story told on an episode of the excellent <a href="https://www.retrogamingroundup.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Retro Gaming Roundup</a> podcast, involving the three James brothers and their ill-conceived younger selves popping down to the local football field. Throwing one of them in the air, the other two soon got bored and let their hapless brother fall, breaking his arm. Four decades on, it served as inspiration for this indie release, somewhat reminiscent of the classic G&W "Ball". There is only one game, presented as a full screen handheld, and control is limited to influencing the falling boy towards one of his brothers without doing harm to himself. To be honest, there isn't exactly a lot of gameplay here (much like Game & Watch titles themselves), but there is still something quite charming about a '70s childhood memory being turned into a classic handheld-style game. Any new indie release is a welcome addition to the Dreamcast's library, but this is one for collectors only, really. </p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The game had a standard release and a limited edition of 69 copies (nice) which also came with a mug, which is lovely. Both appear to still be available on <a href="https://www.retrogamingroundup.com/store/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Retro Gaming Roundup's store</a>.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Tom was on review duties for Arm, <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/05/james-watch-arm.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">check that out here</a>. He even got a special Junkyard version of the game!</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">James & Watch - Tooth Cracker</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vgdh4IT3gDfWufihXmHLawTUe_0muwNbAu-QD123As0LzfV3J3-Y_h9q5eNmDsHZhsxgpO_7QSId46HIexoEcyBAqdSu24XMX8T4CMaNOq-MAr0h6Ox5XARNc_Uc0UufKnO_WkaiqKSXUzhte9LHHDD2xejB0ksp9R_QMDPnq5z6EMq-9kQX/s300/james.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="300" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vgdh4IT3gDfWufihXmHLawTUe_0muwNbAu-QD123As0LzfV3J3-Y_h9q5eNmDsHZhsxgpO_7QSId46HIexoEcyBAqdSu24XMX8T4CMaNOq-MAr0h6Ox5XARNc_Uc0UufKnO_WkaiqKSXUzhte9LHHDD2xejB0ksp9R_QMDPnq5z6EMq-9kQX/s1600/james.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: Lancaster Media</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Lancaster Media</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2016</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Another simple Game & Watch-inspired indie release which is as simple as they come, but has a charming backstory. Another one for the curio or completist Dreamcast collector. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rfD7FAgXoJAB2EFBU886Prl-q1fGE3C66IvyozISbxim7Hdj21HJwHcysMbK2M-6Ob_aMTCd6zeC39IhNzGRGoN8A0j9CeApRAb2j1DfYgMxDV9YNGY82j1XChkRIAcdNNzQ/s581/3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="581" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rfD7FAgXoJAB2EFBU886Prl-q1fGE3C66IvyozISbxim7Hdj21HJwHcysMbK2M-6Ob_aMTCd6zeC39IhNzGRGoN8A0j9CeApRAb2j1DfYgMxDV9YNGY82j1XChkRIAcdNNzQ/s320/3.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>The Retrogaming Roundup boys and Random_Dave returned, following up the limb-breaking "Arm" with the second of the James and Watch titles, Tooth Cracker. As with the first, there is a little story on the case explaining the origins of the game, this time it being an all too familiar tale for many of us involving late night drinking, wild flying elbows and broken teeth. The RGR guys definitely seemed to have a thing for telling tales of life in modern Britain through the medium of the Dreamcast – we fully expected to see "queue waiting" or "pub closing time last orders rush" after this release, but alas, it was not to be. Tooth Cracker is built in the same engine as Arm so don't expect anything vastly different, as you attempt to line up the hand on screen to the randomly moving beer can to smash away at the teeth. It still looks and feels like a G&W title, and is as simple as you'd imagine, but again, it's quite charming. There are two modes this time, but there isn't a vast difference between them. Just as with the first James & Watch title, this is hardly Shenmue levels of gameplay, and it pales in comparison to even some of the simpler indie retail releases out there – but this is more about having a fun little independent release to add to your collection.</p><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There was only one version of the game released and it can be purchased on <a href="https://www.retrogamingroundup.com/store/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Retro Gaming Roundup's store</a>. There also appears to be an option available to bundle it together with Tooth Cracker, and even the mug.</p><p><b>Other links</b>: Tom took a quick look at this one upon release, <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/03/a-quick-look-at-james-watch-tooth.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">check it out</a>!</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Last Hope</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qlr0hQG2V6G69imTl_4oM-AAVR2HvOwj08dL5iljhBC4OJuZCXsVArGm8eZ-kuMkg4ylfUTZDvy7rNb3BHprU0k1KK2glDrq52TJBzGThGDGR5-AtNfltepF9klnGus_j5Z084VlxZPXuyaz6o3xwHjkkBfth3sUp6Iwjm144nucJqeDcUgq/s300/last.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qlr0hQG2V6G69imTl_4oM-AAVR2HvOwj08dL5iljhBC4OJuZCXsVArGm8eZ-kuMkg4ylfUTZDvy7rNb3BHprU0k1KK2glDrq52TJBzGThGDGR5-AtNfltepF9klnGus_j5Z084VlxZPXuyaz6o3xwHjkkBfth3sUp6Iwjm144nucJqeDcUgq/s1600/last.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: RedSpotGames / NG:DEV.TEAM</p><p><b>Developer</b>: NG:DEV.TEAM</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2007</p><p>In Summary: An early headline grabbing indie release, NG:DEV.TEAM's first horizontal shooter has the looks but struggles to appeal with an all-too-high difficulty. This release would soon be eclipsed by a revamped "Pink Bullets" edition.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/88/NEOGEO_Last_Hope.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="304" height="224" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/88/NEOGEO_Last_Hope.png" width="304" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>German developers NG:DEV.TEAM were one of the most important supporters of the post-life Dreamcast indie scene, and it all started with this one. As with their other games, this Neo Geo port revels in being both old school in its looks and play and having a difficulty level lying somewhere between insane and stupidly insane. Last Hope is a horizontal shooter, and in the best tradition of the genre, you acquire power ups to turn your little ship into an all out craft of carnage. A 360-degree rotating orb can be picked up to soak up enemy projectiles, whilst weapons will soon be powerful enough to home in on enemies, and the game fulfils that primal desire to blow the hell out of everything on screen. The artwork throughout is of a high quality, and the stages, of which there are six, vary from Geiger-inspired space ports to aquatic landscapes and volcanic backgrounds. The only problem with any of this is that for most gamers, seeing anything other than the first stage, even on the easiest setting, will be nigh on impossible. The various levels of scrolling scenery are often confusing to navigate, leading to too many instances of getting stuck on environmental elements, whilst enemy bullets will often be hard to see in the all-too-often hectic surroundings and too fast to avoid even if you can see them. Checkpoints help with the frustration a little, but they are too spaced out. To the developer's credit they realised all this, hence the improved "Pink Bullets" release a couple of years later, but it does relegate this release to one only collectors will want to pick up.</p><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Last Hope was released in two versions, both of which were styled the same as a standard Japanese release and share the same artwork. The standard release is in a single jewel case, whilst the limited is in a double with second soundtrack CD and a numbered spine. </p><p>Both of these versions will now have to be sourced from private sales/eBay/retro stores.</p><p><b>Other links</b>: Another one that we never got to review, you can check out some more information on Last Hope on its Wikipedia page <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Hope_(video_game)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Last Hope: Pink Bullets Edition</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blog.ngdevteam.com/img/lhpbcover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="300" height="429" src="https://blog.ngdevteam.com/img/lhpbcover.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: NG:DEV.TEAM</p><p><b>Developer</b>: NG:DEV.TEAM</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2009</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Improved version of Last Hope which addresses both visibility and difficulty issues that the original had. Excellent visuals and a fairer game make for a solid release. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIe5r1wrDNyDQcgkc36GFrR2djIhux6_xbmprkF3ixb5xJWL1FwFPSmoRDsy5nxspD7Plurby3DgyKSEuklpC5L5FGfxrT3cFmE_SU5i6n7A0RxZk9cHM9R8aP3gXYcwijr6yHkFNLxh-HJ2dFVPbCAsmtfFlmRVns7Dy7TndjLAxa5WaFNJyC/s640/pb1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIe5r1wrDNyDQcgkc36GFrR2djIhux6_xbmprkF3ixb5xJWL1FwFPSmoRDsy5nxspD7Plurby3DgyKSEuklpC5L5FGfxrT3cFmE_SU5i6n7A0RxZk9cHM9R8aP3gXYcwijr6yHkFNLxh-HJ2dFVPbCAsmtfFlmRVns7Dy7TndjLAxa5WaFNJyC/s320/pb1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>This is an improved release of the original Last Hope, and kudos to the developers for listening to feedback and making some much-needed fixes. Your ship is more powerful than before, and the "Pink Bullets" of the title refer to the improved visibility of enemy projectiles. It makes for a fairer game, and this time players may actually see the later stages and the excellent aesthetics they contain. The game is still tough, but for most players this is an improvement.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNlEq6eYv8Ga_EarVI5hVCo37EXKL6-TSrC7IJpVPN6t8oR_3YYBj20tiv4TP0wqjIm_IB9INVWV4dBAksD0kYV9lsxvN0n1zVwmfU19m9ExM5fWt79u6e4yzwfwqRXkf5kA1Qw47NiYj9WNNVITLvo7xIrwfuwUPUI-FykOrqK7EoKvpEQyI/s640/pb2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNlEq6eYv8Ga_EarVI5hVCo37EXKL6-TSrC7IJpVPN6t8oR_3YYBj20tiv4TP0wqjIm_IB9INVWV4dBAksD0kYV9lsxvN0n1zVwmfU19m9ExM5fWt79u6e4yzwfwqRXkf5kA1Qw47NiYj9WNNVITLvo7xIrwfuwUPUI-FykOrqK7EoKvpEQyI/s320/pb2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There were three versions of the game released, although one of these is only really a variant. The first release of the game was in a pink DVD case. There was also a version released in a black DVD case - this is the variant release. They're otherwise identical.</p><p>In April 2016, NG:DEV.TEAM released a jewel case version limited to 333 copies, alongside two of their other games. </p><p>Now out of stock on the developer's own store, you're going to need to peruse the usual destinations online for this one.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Caleb covered the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2009/06/last-resort-pink-bullets.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">release announcement</a> of this one back in 2009.</p><p>The game's <a href="http://www.lasthope.ngdevteam.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> is also still available. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Leona's Tricky Adventures</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZXRNTouXPDgOP6xadmP1EDZCFv27iU_gpqpG0az1_65Q05nqxf1Fj-pJIrdgdnVhtq93TDFXjn0Ew7_9J4PLpUPkK4RERfTIcnNoX66IuHtq2LJWnmDKwRxgbFUlSbSgNgEv81Av9xJtHxhUjpzrFGKXeKj807S4EXoTyl-G2pAJZo5ODPx4KA/s807/3500897-leonas-tricky-adventures-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="807" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZXRNTouXPDgOP6xadmP1EDZCFv27iU_gpqpG0az1_65Q05nqxf1Fj-pJIrdgdnVhtq93TDFXjn0Ew7_9J4PLpUPkK4RERfTIcnNoX66IuHtq2LJWnmDKwRxgbFUlSbSgNgEv81Av9xJtHxhUjpzrFGKXeKj807S4EXoTyl-G2pAJZo5ODPx4KA/s320/3500897-leonas-tricky-adventures-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: KTX</p><p><b>Developer</b>: KTX</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2016</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A puzzle-adventure game which has decent enough colour-changing block puzzle elements but really shines in the simple but effective adventuring sections which utilise an overworld map. As a complete package it is one of the best indie releases on the system. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwyzuwznt8YcFr_9MaX4K2ipWiZjVnZki5bvodzO1u27FdaZbTfluMDNzES52svijwN34_52MzkeWDPYoiPugyQ3ysIGoNDrpy-FzKWb6ZysXIYaLYjk_9KjH5u1EMoWnmcAt/s579/6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="579" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwyzuwznt8YcFr_9MaX4K2ipWiZjVnZki5bvodzO1u27FdaZbTfluMDNzES52svijwN34_52MzkeWDPYoiPugyQ3ysIGoNDrpy-FzKWb6ZysXIYaLYjk_9KjH5u1EMoWnmcAt/s320/6.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Spanish developers KTX had previous experience helping out Hucast with the development of Redux before launching a Kickstarter for this puzzle-adventure title, so it was a bit surprising that said community funding attempt failed. It was even more surprising when the title was released anyway, albeit a couple of years later in 2016 – this was a far more pleasant surprise, as any fan of classic puzzlers will find the game to be an enjoyable experience. The puzzle element itself is another take on the classic "Gem'X" game, and is very similar to anofther Dreamcast indie release, Fruit'Y. You have two screens of blocks and the aim is to change those on one side to match the other. You do this by selecting one to change with your cursor; the central point of this cursor changes the colour of the block two steps down the colour-change ladder, whilst the adjoining blocks change one colour down. You have a certain number of steps to match the screens and whilst it all starts off quite easily, it soon begins to tax the brain a little more. The puzzle element alone is okay but it's the adventure sections here that make the game stand out. Taking the form of a restricted-path overworld, you move across the map unlocking new puzzles and progressing through the story. Its not Grandia II level adventuring, but it is an enjoyable enough trip through the world and when mixed with the puzzles, makes for a pleasant experience. Graphics are retro in style (or "2D" as they used to be called before everything had to be labelled "retro") and the music is excellent, which just adds to the game's appeal. It never got the attention it deserved upon release, but Leona is one of the better indie releases for the console even today.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURMrnHCZpVadsOTvobm68bv7ENDY0wT5KzWpWrI23-3EcyEhpWQ0DctYPYtlqxr0NO1-JQMcdjsfExU27F6Mdn8RKAnBBGEOgP_PbvBHMD-vJtFywAE4SG7BO7MqMsKy0g77s/s578/17.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="578" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURMrnHCZpVadsOTvobm68bv7ENDY0wT5KzWpWrI23-3EcyEhpWQ0DctYPYtlqxr0NO1-JQMcdjsfExU27F6Mdn8RKAnBBGEOgP_PbvBHMD-vJtFywAE4SG7BO7MqMsKy0g77s/s320/17.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: It looks as though the developer's website is no longer up, so to purchase this one you may have to hunt round. When I checked though, the usual retro shops online were out of stock.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Once again, it's our very own Northern powerhouse Tom on review duties for Leona, and <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/05/review-leonas-tricky-adventures.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">his review</a> is a particularly good one!</p><p>Scott also interviewed developers KTX which is well worth a read <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/02/developer-interview-ktx-software.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Magic Pockets</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWltkULT5Dnb8qjfTswOxafZRbL6Vq3NBa4zoyYTDA0pr9qzFkU99ULObqY-sfk0VjABHRdeG5JFbl68KFozvJtyb-0xoBV8lyeEbkjoXpAMNNTieVURdwSYhRpRX38AzLwoB_MZUGn9d_je9zzdwOt5hhy3rCwNy-5GfIPKM7QvXKJCVtrdW0A/s800/584893872790.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWltkULT5Dnb8qjfTswOxafZRbL6Vq3NBa4zoyYTDA0pr9qzFkU99ULObqY-sfk0VjABHRdeG5JFbl68KFozvJtyb-0xoBV8lyeEbkjoXpAMNNTieVURdwSYhRpRX38AzLwoB_MZUGn9d_je9zzdwOt5hhy3rCwNy-5GfIPKM7QvXKJCVtrdW0A/s320/584893872790.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Bitmap Brothers</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2019</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A slightly odd but rather unique '90s platformer from legendary British developers Bitmap Brothers. Chunky visuals and some interesting design choices help to make the game a decent release. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOUVTz9-a6PCT9M642q-Xxm7amba7EdPR50jawiip8EoOxHjIcb_ACl-9nSYwvRROJuxK_ydfHvE8IQxldyBDodbC3FZuKeN6ZnerLqPmPZziW8c_8Nv4fAEJkrzGb7aog6PqJVeTJAVd0poSVy-_uMgbDc-qNfLjZr_7isXZvGKLVeYgXFYX/s800/magic%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="800" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOUVTz9-a6PCT9M642q-Xxm7amba7EdPR50jawiip8EoOxHjIcb_ACl-9nSYwvRROJuxK_ydfHvE8IQxldyBDodbC3FZuKeN6ZnerLqPmPZziW8c_8Nv4fAEJkrzGb7aog6PqJVeTJAVd0poSVy-_uMgbDc-qNfLjZr_7isXZvGKLVeYgXFYX/s320/magic%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>First released in 1991, and used as a phone-in-and-play game on kids TV in the UK, Magic Pockets is a 2D platformer with some neat ideas. Developed by the legendary Bitmap Brothers, you play as the Bitmap Kid, who has magic trousers with bottomless pockets. Unfortunately, he keeps losing his toys down them and whilst trying to fish them out he... pulls out a black hole, jumps into it, and finds himself in Pocketland. There are 16 levels to traverse, where you'll need to dispatch an assortment of enemies with various weapons that you pull from your pockets. These attacks can be charged, so there are various effects and gimmicks that you have to master to progress. It's also notable for a series of "set pieces" like the bike of the first set of stages. Visually, it's a '90s affair, with chunky characters and a dark colour palette. The music's good, as with all Bitmap titles, so aesthetically the game is decent if a little archaic. There is the option of using the Y button for a screen filter, but you'll want to stick to the pixel look. It's an alright game, although not a classic, and it can occasionally feel a little stiff, but there is plenty to do, levels become more interesting as the game progresses, and there is enough variety to keep you playing. Not one of the Brothers' best, but charming enough, and we can all live in hope that this is merely the first of many ports of the legendary developers' title to the Dreamcast.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4jbBJuH0UQCUyqQTPXYnDsD7S139-zEuQ6EEqaT2diH30HO6BCawZ36MJuEV-2E3MopBu-yt-7fT_5HyTlYg15uuOunfqp7o9matG2l8IIsytYPoN1R1hAeDymyiZ9b8umDMFDpErwlQ0DwtVXbX_lNQyYAHyag5uP5zW5FboG-cY8fDIMGo/s800/magic%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="800" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4jbBJuH0UQCUyqQTPXYnDsD7S139-zEuQ6EEqaT2diH30HO6BCawZ36MJuEV-2E3MopBu-yt-7fT_5HyTlYg15uuOunfqp7o9matG2l8IIsytYPoN1R1hAeDymyiZ9b8umDMFDpErwlQ0DwtVXbX_lNQyYAHyag5uP5zW5FboG-cY8fDIMGo/s320/magic%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There are a total of three releases of Magic Pockets. Following JoshProd's usual publishing format there is both a <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/magic-pockets-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PAL case</a> version and a reversible <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/magic-pockets-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/magic-pockets-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> manual version (available in both US and Japanese options - this is the same game but with the designated art style on display when sealed). This is also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/magic-pockets-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>. </p><p>There is also a limited edition release which comes in a PAL case with an additional soundtrack CD. This has a silver cover, and can be purchased from <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/magic-pockets-limited-ost-edition-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PixelHeart</a>. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We never reviewed this one before, so I wonder what to do in terms of link... I know, I'll <a href="https://www.gog.com/en/game/the_chaos_engine" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">link</a> to the PC version of Bitmap Brothers classic The Chaos Engine on GOG! </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Maqiupai</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHkdGn-FidXQFjxWKsghiHJiNbWaP9P1zp8P0Iz83Hboq-211OlASjS2p6SWey21F_vpLt5_4BA6mugKrTcpwsXvYRsYFgKxYibFcPAOktPyMmKXBnrYvDBuXOuwd0ILjzURSVtqTplSMFOfJQRkheAHn53arA7LQzkQxP67MU-H3g28Z-k_Ef/s450/maq%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="450" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHkdGn-FidXQFjxWKsghiHJiNbWaP9P1zp8P0Iz83Hboq-211OlASjS2p6SWey21F_vpLt5_4BA6mugKrTcpwsXvYRsYFgKxYibFcPAOktPyMmKXBnrYvDBuXOuwd0ILjzURSVtqTplSMFOfJQRkheAHn53arA7LQzkQxP67MU-H3g28Z-k_Ef/s320/maq%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: GOAT Store</p><p><b>Developer</b>: JMD</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2005 </p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A simple mahjong solitaire game which was one of the earliest indie releases on the platform. It's no masterpiece, but it is nevertheless a perfectly pleasant gaming experience.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmzXvbzT9P_DRM3wW7FMItwwzwnQueCceFZQXZiSIXQmQY9eJxecrJyrThFgFwXvqIB_k9eUH9X7q7-QKpr_par-TjTiWkhtVW4y2AUAp_C3jsSXfVxMdTP-0DVK30QOUfDsDOQHcPhEK9iEO-MJdBZAfob0HnjyfSkuIpbueijjzieZUQITy/s445/maq%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="445" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmzXvbzT9P_DRM3wW7FMItwwzwnQueCceFZQXZiSIXQmQY9eJxecrJyrThFgFwXvqIB_k9eUH9X7q7-QKpr_par-TjTiWkhtVW4y2AUAp_C3jsSXfVxMdTP-0DVK30QOUfDsDOQHcPhEK9iEO-MJdBZAfob0HnjyfSkuIpbueijjzieZUQITy/s320/maq%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <b>Review</b>:<p></p><p>This is an arcade-style mahjong title where the aim is to remove tiles in a puzzle format. Rather than a full-blown version of the traditional game, the game takes inspiration from mahjong solitaire (or Shanghai). There are two modes: the main challenge mode, which has increasingly tougher puzzles, whilst the time attack mode allows you to best your own times. It has simple presentation with basic graphics (although with varying tile-sets), and pleasant Eastern-sounding music, but puzzle titles have never been audio-visual masterpieces. It can be tough in the later stages where the use of the power tile (allowing you to remove one of the unmatched tiles and its partner) becomes necessary, but it's a pleasant enough way to spend an afternoon and can be quite engrossing. </p><p>Maqiupai was one of the earlier indie releases handled by GOAT store, and originated in the <a href="https://indiedreams.fandom.com/wiki/Dream_On_Contest" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dream On Contest</a>, which aimed to bring more titles to the system. Cool Herders and Alice Dreams Tournament can both trace their origins back to the contest as well.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcBTRf4rxH1VCmcExWgttIWG7oglPUXuOGbHVa-UcZR3ow2d_L-lB2tEy9E6bntQVFFA5mMxazxYbYZWoL7ojR8Qe0ht2Q7EqLZPsX2Ge1MZ89hybVxq0HBhdRW1BKpRcYbYxvm5gUuYzZaichhjrQs7LIJsPOCqHNIGnQdk05hTpIlcOTf5r/s450/maq%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="450" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcBTRf4rxH1VCmcExWgttIWG7oglPUXuOGbHVa-UcZR3ow2d_L-lB2tEy9E6bntQVFFA5mMxazxYbYZWoL7ojR8Qe0ht2Q7EqLZPsX2Ge1MZ89hybVxq0HBhdRW1BKpRcYbYxvm5gUuYzZaichhjrQs7LIJsPOCqHNIGnQdk05hTpIlcOTf5r/s320/maq%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There are still some copies of the game floating around on various online stores (and at the same low price as the other GOAT store releases) like here at <a href="https://thebitstationgames.com/product/maqiupai/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Bit Station</a>.</p><p>There was only the one version of the game released. Surely it's time for a re-release of the GOAT store releases on one disc, right?</p><b>Other links</b>: In the absence of a review, here's a <a href="https://indiedreams.fandom.com/wiki/Maqiupai" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">link</a> to the game's entry on the Indie Dreams wiki. <p></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mawthorne</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNSKH2YGq8Zzb9zwt8Cz2FkhpYQ_q671pEU8xiptPgKGUyTuEoZ1Qb7r6URIU8yD5Lcof_J3g_Ywx3Iy5UiisARYLHJRH0QbflG1IuHErnVzcE6tsT655o6QFQVDwba_pATrrwKNXzee1iDVjaF4XwkYxLS6xPR4yFpuy11p5J92pCKuoAbXO/s302/maw%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="300" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNSKH2YGq8Zzb9zwt8Cz2FkhpYQ_q671pEU8xiptPgKGUyTuEoZ1Qb7r6URIU8yD5Lcof_J3g_Ywx3Iy5UiisARYLHJRH0QbflG1IuHErnVzcE6tsT655o6QFQVDwba_pATrrwKNXzee1iDVjaF4XwkYxLS6xPR4yFpuy11p5J92pCKuoAbXO/s1600/maw%203.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: CrazyGroupTrio</p><p><b>Developer</b>: CrazyGroupTrio</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2022</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: An ambitious concept for an 8-bit Metroidvania, the end result on the Dreamcast is a slightly disappointing and often quite empty world to explore. The initial impression isn't great, but it does improve a bit as you progress.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9TTUNmLfn5uxykj036BlRY7SyKD-7dm-NjBvw-icwjhLgrBFDlkMDreE9lGlWTzwHMBWq36_KevKn9ieMEXi9_XMI92PizUoZ1N3qVdzGZPWpg5AncErp84jWZWRxbXkzXQrOnfPOFxBlSOjw-ee8Z95U69lZ6AsyOXUW4XizU_cNtb-oMVX/s347/maw%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="347" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9TTUNmLfn5uxykj036BlRY7SyKD-7dm-NjBvw-icwjhLgrBFDlkMDreE9lGlWTzwHMBWq36_KevKn9ieMEXi9_XMI92PizUoZ1N3qVdzGZPWpg5AncErp84jWZWRxbXkzXQrOnfPOFxBlSOjw-ee8Z95U69lZ6AsyOXUW4XizU_cNtb-oMVX/s320/maw%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>A 2D Metroidvania which, like other recent Dreamcast releases, uses the NESmaker software. Mawthorne was a successful Kickstarter campaign for both its intended NES physical release, and this Dreamcast port. The developer (which consists of a single individual, Zach Abernathy) had some lofty ideas, including a well-developed storyline (a last ditch effort by the Ozahk people to help them survive following a series of disasters), an open world consisting of nine areas with an array of bosses to overcome, character upgrades and NPCs to interact with. To some degree, the goal is fulfilled – the game successfully realises its Metroidvania ambitions within its 8-bit limitations with some neat animation and a nice soundtrack, coupled with a large world to explore. Unfortunately, the world is often empty and the initial weedy attack power of your character makes the opening period of the game rather tedious. It does get better the further you progress, but the first impression isn't great – and this is only made worse by the technical limitations. Unspectacular and slightly disappointing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbM9I1aGo3Q6I3FZoDrsHZBfOL3L7dWiuNJhyphenhyphenmT1xVeP1JmkUHp1Ab6quFO45KZJZ9LQciksNsrQX_yBJbskgL8SEG-DNQO0ii2a5iA2cPKBvjSsL2P0UDGZ_F0scXQTTMPmvvjkSIXuuG-XRNVlO6g-4B24qKUwVH5berggxTNmOl4pMG0nqr/s629/maw%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="629" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbM9I1aGo3Q6I3FZoDrsHZBfOL3L7dWiuNJhyphenhyphenmT1xVeP1JmkUHp1Ab6quFO45KZJZ9LQciksNsrQX_yBJbskgL8SEG-DNQO0ii2a5iA2cPKBvjSsL2P0UDGZ_F0scXQTTMPmvvjkSIXuuG-XRNVlO6g-4B24qKUwVH5berggxTNmOl4pMG0nqr/s320/maw%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: It doesn't appear that anyone is currently stocking the game (of which there was only the one version) for sale, which presumably means the Dreamcast physical version was only available to those who backed the Kickstarter. You can purchase the digital version of the game <a href="https://crazygrouptrio.itch.io/mawthorne-nes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> though. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: You can check out the game on its itch.io page <a href="https://crazygrouptrio.itch.io/mawthorne-nes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Whilst I was a bit disappointed with the final version of the game, I can only encourage you to back the developers so that we can continue to receive indie releases on the console. </p><p>You can also check out the Kickstarter campaign for the game <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crazygrouptrio/mawthorne-nes-game/description" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Neo XYX</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbfxhKbk0rVkLwizuOn6ocMB1Hr2_doOEkVIxTJj7NvFI-CIgxn1rlZhM3IOM8Q_GUnehUk2ma2I3hNfqeF5mLIT76z1yHZpMXad2TzwWijbDMzwo8L1H_FnrIWi1s_mHrQPYw5vbHXAhLfcRm6tMyzE2_xHikrU7oPClb_DpHfeW1OMhTSo3lg/s902/53623--neo-xyx.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbfxhKbk0rVkLwizuOn6ocMB1Hr2_doOEkVIxTJj7NvFI-CIgxn1rlZhM3IOM8Q_GUnehUk2ma2I3hNfqeF5mLIT76z1yHZpMXad2TzwWijbDMzwo8L1H_FnrIWi1s_mHrQPYw5vbHXAhLfcRm6tMyzE2_xHikrU7oPClb_DpHfeW1OMhTSo3lg/s320/53623--neo-xyx.jpeg" width="227" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: NG:DEV.TEAM</p><p><b>Developer:</b> NG:DEV.TEAM</p><p><b>Year of Release:</b> 2014</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A decent vertical shooter that inexplicably defaults to a horizontal perspective. Technically competent with good visuals, it unfortunately suffers from altogether being just a bit too average.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UPjYNg2-9kzRvkFAK-gWTZhQAY8NsYWNqx7Aq3XCvl5XhWyYN-J4Jz1ulz9OpzKmlID8-mDKGO8YQ4rq7Z-T3iXP-WbZ4xnHYxGFIy-uMSHQnBLkkDIrRJ-teaJhuoQxiRvsZ0O5IXceelwdWqm1G8sk22SVVPJOmqF1SsShDAPZrLjf8Nhp/s304/neo%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="224" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UPjYNg2-9kzRvkFAK-gWTZhQAY8NsYWNqx7Aq3XCvl5XhWyYN-J4Jz1ulz9OpzKmlID8-mDKGO8YQ4rq7Z-T3iXP-WbZ4xnHYxGFIy-uMSHQnBLkkDIrRJ-teaJhuoQxiRvsZ0O5IXceelwdWqm1G8sk22SVVPJOmqF1SsShDAPZrLjf8Nhp/s1600/neo%201.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>NEO XYX doesn't do itself any favours. A search of the internet reveals several people saying the same thing I'm about to – I very nearly dismissed NEO XYX earlier than I should have due to an inexplicable default horizontal screen orientation. Not very clever for a game which is very much a vertical shooter! Once you set the screen to the far more sane vertical mode (or if your TV is on its side, the full screen vertical arcade mode), things become far more entertaining. NEO XYX is a 16-bit-styled shooter with colourful sprites and lots of on-screen activity. Enemies have that organic-industrial Gigeresque '90s shoot 'em up look to them, and there are some pretty impressive half-screen enemies. The gameplay doesn't offer anything original but it ticks shooter fanatic boxes, with chaining central to the game's scoring system, tough but beatable bullet patterns, and a teeny weeny hit box that enables some death-defying weaving through the amassed enemy horde. The aesthetic nod to the '90s means that it doesn't appear to be pushing the hardware a great deal and whilst enemy craft are quite varied, the bosses are largely unimpressive. The soundtrack is another example of that Euro-techno style, but it is a bit underwhelming. This defines the game. The fast-paced weaving gameplay is enjoyable, but there is often a distinct feeling of "meh" throughout, lacking the depth of Fast Striker or the quality of Sturmwind, relegating it to only occasional plays. Hardcore genre fans will no doubt appreciate another example for the console, and the core game here is decent enough, but yet again this is an unlicensed Dreamcast release that won't convert the masses to the shooter cause.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhsOr3_57GxO4FFvq2144tO_taub08SfXFyCWhYGd8vo33OQf9BrdUSMclecMX9H50jwmrYuukfjZYGW0ElZXyldGLQ2kTRqMMud59JoEi94WQfFjVDFUYHe5kItK5QMK-9mtcg8oTLegP-FYowiYMb3jxGdoY3cfOvwA2CP9M0JnKNSI3Tgg/s304/neo%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="224" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhsOr3_57GxO4FFvq2144tO_taub08SfXFyCWhYGd8vo33OQf9BrdUSMclecMX9H50jwmrYuukfjZYGW0ElZXyldGLQ2kTRqMMud59JoEi94WQfFjVDFUYHe5kItK5QMK-9mtcg8oTLegP-FYowiYMb3jxGdoY3cfOvwA2CP9M0JnKNSI3Tgg/s1600/neo%202.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There were three versions of the game released, all showcasing the often incredible artwork NG:DEV.TEAM used for their games. The regular and limited editions come in DVD cases, with the limited having an additional soundtrack CD. The artwork for these two editions is different. The third version is the "Collectors edition", which basically contains both the regular and limited cases in a slipcase. 300 of these were available with a t-shirt included as a pre-order bonus. </p><p>Unfortunately, NG:DEV.TEAM don't have any of their Dreamcast games for sale anymore, so your choices for picking up this one will be limited to online or retro shops.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: <a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/149236/neo-xyx/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Here's</a> a link to the game's MobyGames entry, which contains links to reviews and other useful info about the game. </p><p>Neo XYX's <a href="https://neoxyx.ngdevteam.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> is still online as well, which has loads of additional info. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Orion's Puzzle Collection</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1da0mRcRhCqBlbV6aZYcOfbbeE5Cud9DYwQXIMlwmiGkAr7q8glmFTb_XW_mbCtcPZdEOsKQikt6xF2AWE1cNuNQpMdtDycTAAyCML8yh9BbI8IMoxzzwp6BPur6B62RrIPcree9aJUKsmNTmW3vDdVR3onujkd2bQeJjKQ9CLCUvq8xXxwFX/s302/orion%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="302" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1da0mRcRhCqBlbV6aZYcOfbbeE5Cud9DYwQXIMlwmiGkAr7q8glmFTb_XW_mbCtcPZdEOsKQikt6xF2AWE1cNuNQpMdtDycTAAyCML8yh9BbI8IMoxzzwp6BPur6B62RrIPcree9aJUKsmNTmW3vDdVR3onujkd2bQeJjKQ9CLCUvq8xXxwFX/s1600/orion%203.jpg" width="302" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: Orion</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Orion</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2016</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A collection of three simple but effective puzzle games from Orion. What they lack in technical prowess or visual splendour is made up for by them being solid and fun gameplay experiences - but don't expect a gaming revelation here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_73OVkTrTZYBq8CkXeVVCBhzsvlwB_vyNZ5vB8JJCgBb22D9McpkOdI3RpASnMa-ygZroRKNbAFFNIuZd_Y6RF9kdM899iyNY5NoezP9WTsTq20mbWPjWo05sSCFfOVePnLqxSQU-HO3-SGzzPsI7V40vhypT4E5ZeN4AZP4x_CrAoLkAqfH/s320/orion%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="320" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_73OVkTrTZYBq8CkXeVVCBhzsvlwB_vyNZ5vB8JJCgBb22D9McpkOdI3RpASnMa-ygZroRKNbAFFNIuZd_Y6RF9kdM899iyNY5NoezP9WTsTq20mbWPjWo05sSCFfOVePnLqxSQU-HO3-SGzzPsI7V40vhypT4E5ZeN4AZP4x_CrAoLkAqfH/s1600/orion%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>The ever-versatile Orion returned with a three-in-one puzzle package that works on Windows systems too. <b>Yopaz IceStar</b> sees you control a little smiley face (Yopaz) who has to negotiate a series of screens in the vacuum of space with the goal of collecting stars. The task is made more difficult by only being able to control the direction of travel once before hitting a block. It sets up a series of increasingly difficult levels where one wrong move will make collecting every star impossible. Throw in other obstacles, teleporters, enemies and direction changers, and what starts off as a very simple puzzle game can soon become a challenging little time sink (even including a level editor). <b>Yopaz 3D</b> adds a third dimension to the gameplay of IceStar, which makes things even tougher, as does the ever-present threat of seeing yourself disappear out of the play area. It's another decent game, but lacks modes and isn't as compelling as the first. The final of the trio of games included is <b>Turtle Chomp</b>, where you control a turtle and attempt to create lines of fruit and combos. It's a simple-looking game, but the challenges that pop up, of which failure on will hasten a game over, can be frantic to clear. It becomes quite addictive pretty quickly which is always a good sign, but is a tad lacking in content. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIuQPv4DD6mczzj1QwwtxBfjBpX5OJ7n3mDaT3sZaB1czTfkOnTYe45s_qDywn097HSGEImwgs0QD8UUEgqoTv4wHFbYOHuByllseNvi6b5Vn6fI0baUaRUSjdU4tRr4JIKJXSgLsU22XGqgfD2TsFQHw91waMofs-cBSStMu2eFliANkpWI5/s320/orion%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIuQPv4DD6mczzj1QwwtxBfjBpX5OJ7n3mDaT3sZaB1czTfkOnTYe45s_qDywn097HSGEImwgs0QD8UUEgqoTv4wHFbYOHuByllseNvi6b5Vn6fI0baUaRUSjdU4tRr4JIKJXSgLsU22XGqgfD2TsFQHw91waMofs-cBSStMu2eFliANkpWI5/s1600/orion%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>All in all, Orion's Puzzle collection slipped under the radar for many, which is a shame, as whilst it may not be much of a looker, the puzzlers included are good, simple fun. Orion is a constantly impressive developer who gets little credit for his contributions to the Dreamcast library, and anyone after a fun little indie title could do far worse. Don't expect a gaming revelation though.</p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Orion only released one version of the game, which is still available to order direct from the developer <a href="https://www.orionsoft.games/retroshop/ojc_dc.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWAQ4H8kpYM&ab_channel=SEGA-SKY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Check out</a> this gameplay video from SEGA-SKY, which does a good job of showcasing the three different games in this collection.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Pier Solar</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlPlQyVjB1MB744twiGAZJh1Q0oUv7UjUgKZWYdqt-oMyigk8DtSZ4uYRkt1xEczGdc27jzbaB7bJmmYZ9vY-Cxd_hO2q0rShGoJW2gKeO-gVf3E-OZY3YUDRwCIWP0rJIFXnBjtU_7icBuFzoZMw6sR9rUJvsExodIIM-PrBZC5hCfZ-wYg2PA/s806/318028-pier-solar-and-the-great-architects-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlPlQyVjB1MB744twiGAZJh1Q0oUv7UjUgKZWYdqt-oMyigk8DtSZ4uYRkt1xEczGdc27jzbaB7bJmmYZ9vY-Cxd_hO2q0rShGoJW2gKeO-gVf3E-OZY3YUDRwCIWP0rJIFXnBjtU_7icBuFzoZMw6sR9rUJvsExodIIM-PrBZC5hCfZ-wYg2PA/s320/318028-pier-solar-and-the-great-architects-dreamcast-front-cover.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Watermelon</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Watermelon</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2015</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: An accomplished old-school RPG experience for the Dreamcast, this has a solid story which is well written and has high-quality aesthetic design throughout. Some may find it a little generic in places, but this is nevertheless a highly enjoyable experience. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK93kJs-SsMOb0yR-f31LBVSxRfMICyIRgiqg1Un84SlO9Pr6wAsnBGltrRUAi4FClu0bw7aftBSq2wNdkoawwi25bNx0JUGjlRxjHjmgctKHt20m8dGqKERIq_5KqWCMYQaBdjJjCh0bfU4OcEzD-hTW2PuvkuuJKfjdUbO_pHSp2pgO45nX_/s1920/screenshots_rvb_0002_battle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1920" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK93kJs-SsMOb0yR-f31LBVSxRfMICyIRgiqg1Un84SlO9Pr6wAsnBGltrRUAi4FClu0bw7aftBSq2wNdkoawwi25bNx0JUGjlRxjHjmgctKHt20m8dGqKERIq_5KqWCMYQaBdjJjCh0bfU4OcEzD-hTW2PuvkuuJKfjdUbO_pHSp2pgO45nX_/s320/screenshots_rvb_0002_battle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Watermelon kept us waiting for the release of Pier Solar but the wait was worth it, and as the inaugural winner of the Junkyard's <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/11/top-10-indie-dreamcast-games-2016-as.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2016 Top 10 Dreamcast indie games poll</a>, it is clear gamers have taken the game to heart. A decent indie RPG was well overdue on the Dreamcast, and this higher definition upgrade of the original Mega Drive release delivers. A digital love letter to old-school RPGs which allows players to revel in some beautiful design with fantastic artwork throughout. The story is strong; criticised by some for being a weak point, I found it to actually be a rather well-written plot with good dialogue, and strong character design. Yes, it is a little predictable, but one man's "generic" is another's "nostalgic". There is a healthy puzzle element, and the adventure itself takes you on a journey through varied locales. The battle system is solid, although this too has become the target of some criticism, but as a non-"hardcore" RPG player, I found it perfectly serviceable. The soundtrack is also quite superb. </p><p>Watermelon must also be credited for the work that went into the packaging of these games, whether it be the feature-rich special collectors editions or just the choice between packaging which fits into each of the Dreamcast's three regional designs. Pier Solar won't be everyone's cup of tea, but RPG fans desperate for an adventure are well serviced here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjn-H1G53ceTjLFDt_AfSnqe-siNIaLQNBfOOjaxPg06WyedwT0yh1pqWfHVKFofjAEK8yZMMLNwRlfA41NUswi6bEGBp7hdx6WbtgudZXp2Ua4Edv8fGa5TOgyTZcZ3ZJXMhjK8frphyP5I5FDBqDBzAkV4PVKGNg1RERVoApuMBMvz9aODQA/s1280/screenshots_rvb_0007_secret_library.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjn-H1G53ceTjLFDt_AfSnqe-siNIaLQNBfOOjaxPg06WyedwT0yh1pqWfHVKFofjAEK8yZMMLNwRlfA41NUswi6bEGBp7hdx6WbtgudZXp2Ua4Edv8fGa5TOgyTZcZ3ZJXMhjK8frphyP5I5FDBqDBzAkV4PVKGNg1RERVoApuMBMvz9aODQA/s320/screenshots_rvb_0007_secret_library.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The standard version of Pier Solar comes in three varieties, one for each regional style. Each comes in a Watermelon outer plastic case, with a poster and sticker set. Watermelon don't seem to be selling the game anymore, so your best choice to pick a copy up would be Dreamcast forums/groups, eBay or retro stores. </p><p>There was also a limited edition which had 999 released, spread over the three regional styles. The only difference between them is the included game (a standard copy) as all come in a large box and includes a mug, figures and a lithograph. The quality of the box is superb, with gold inlay and a highly professional look and feel. Unsurprisingly, this is not on sale anymore and you'll have to pay a premium to pick one of these up online. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Pier Solar achieved the pinnacle of Dreamcast indie gaming by winning our inaugural and to date, only Top 10 Indie Games poll. You can check that out <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/11/top-10-indie-dreamcast-games-2016-as.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>Some high-quality photos of the excellent collectors edition can be found on <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/12/pier-solar-collectors-edition-gallery.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this post</a> on the blog, courtesy of <a href="https://blueswirlblog.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Blue Swirl</a>.</p><p>You can also read Hardcore Gaming 101's usual in-depth look at the game <a href="http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/pier-solar-and-the-great-architects/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> - although this was written before the Dreamcast version was released. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Ploid</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEyj0tKN5lwYYnNxjRx60EPiL2sxDC8lnbsWJgNHoClbWYWPCxIiOcp6JzSj0d6O5MMa4A0Ig3o9eldkj2-9i1-Tzg-2kUl35kKOD_Npi761siZ-jUPTe6LsruIofXnO5ci9Q_FnwVTKk15FhWqQbGKddghNqgzBLiOlfQlTR0m7YTctBR4Jn/s379/ploid3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="377" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEyj0tKN5lwYYnNxjRx60EPiL2sxDC8lnbsWJgNHoClbWYWPCxIiOcp6JzSj0d6O5MMa4A0Ig3o9eldkj2-9i1-Tzg-2kUl35kKOD_Npi761siZ-jUPTe6LsruIofXnO5ci9Q_FnwVTKk15FhWqQbGKddghNqgzBLiOlfQlTR0m7YTctBR4Jn/w318-h320/ploid3.jpg" width="318" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: Nape Games</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Nape Games</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2022</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A nostalgic trip back to another era of gaming, Ploid is a simple and somewhat underwhelming release which is probably best experienced on its original platform of choice. Top soundtrack though.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXL08OiTjf56l_ZdjfvirKpiJj-J6Oh3KbphrtP01WJytBxSXCbgN1Hhzy3nsPoMR-jsnN0e1e6SrysO-8ZVTDSTZtPUTpFbrVi0xDMuLLw-Xxgq9cnKAsaht2FhmNuh7FFyeNaiHkUu1F6vV4M222n7BT1GaYwfG3uJ5sDiVNK_Clc9uzkU2G/s680/ploid1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="680" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXL08OiTjf56l_ZdjfvirKpiJj-J6Oh3KbphrtP01WJytBxSXCbgN1Hhzy3nsPoMR-jsnN0e1e6SrysO-8ZVTDSTZtPUTpFbrVi0xDMuLLw-Xxgq9cnKAsaht2FhmNuh7FFyeNaiHkUu1F6vV4M222n7BT1GaYwfG3uJ5sDiVNK_Clc9uzkU2G/s320/ploid1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Ploid was initially only available as an additional extra for those who backed the Dreamcast version of Reknum, however sometime between the end of the campaign and release, it was made available for purchase by itself. This is an 8-bit sci-fi platform adventure, which sets it apart from Nape Games' other Dreamcast release (although it seems that the two do exist in the same universe). Taking a hefty inspiration from classic NES games like Mega Man, it sports a muted, '80s-influenced visual style which fits its original choice of platform well. The background story involves PLOIDS, an evolution of the human race which merge technology and DNA. Their planet is invaded by an extra-galactic race and the PLOIDS decide to take action to return the peace, specifically the two characters Alpha and Omega who travel through time to ancient eras to recover sacred stones that give them the power to defeat their foe. You control Omega whilst Alpha serves as the analyser of the recovered stones. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivp9FKk9QOwnGK036PVeitn36gGCnXqQMx2EcWhZ-wX3w8kYA_7jFV3V7znlc_auf4MnQSQmqN-HZdMldXGskmJD8j26KTShtk73fXtipsOKCI5RX1D6mji3D7z8aLTkS4t0aZUE0KTMPgPhhkRvVzMPCA425xUYaY8trzfDuaJ1UQc5GsiTdR/s680/ploid2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="680" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivp9FKk9QOwnGK036PVeitn36gGCnXqQMx2EcWhZ-wX3w8kYA_7jFV3V7znlc_auf4MnQSQmqN-HZdMldXGskmJD8j26KTShtk73fXtipsOKCI5RX1D6mji3D7z8aLTkS4t0aZUE0KTMPgPhhkRvVzMPCA425xUYaY8trzfDuaJ1UQc5GsiTdR/s320/ploid2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Chunky characters and stages, challenging platforming and often unforgiving enemies and traps await you within the game. Each of the seven stages has its own unique design and look, and comes complete with an array of enemies, which are suitably NES-like. Unfortunately, not everything from the 8-bit era is so fondly remembered, and for good reason. The enemy fire can often be difficult to avoid and with a paltry five hits allowed before you die, death can come rather quickly. Instant death falls are another less-prevalent problem, and whilst the controls are for the most part okay, climbing ladders can lead to some unforeseen drops, which is annoying. Enemy projectiles come at you with some pace which will test the reflexes of those who grew up in the era of punishing '80s platformers, and when you do die, you have to restart the stage over. All that being said, the consensus seems to be that the game is on the easy side – and admittedly, I'm no fan of the genre. Once you get a hang of how to dispatch the game's enemies (usually sending a barrage of fire their way before they can react), progress is rather straightforward and there isn't much excitement to be had. Ploid does feature some bosses, although these aren't very impressive, and the game has three difficulty selections as well as an "Ex-mode" that help bring some variety. The slowdown that is noticeable upon encountering some of the enemies would be forgivable on the NES itself, but looks rather out of place on the Dreamcast.</p><p>Ploid's real saving grace though is its music, composed by David Ko. Another excellent indie soundtrack, this has some very catchy and cool chiptune tracks. </p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Originally the game was only available for backers of Reknum, however it was made available afterwards on the <a href="https://www.napegames.com/product/ploid-dc/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nape Games website</a>, although this version is now out of stock. </p><p>VGNYsoft released a new edition of the game with new artwork in 2023 and this is still available <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/ploid-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Our friends over at SEGAbits covered the release of Ploid (and Reknum) and this can be checked out <a href="https://segabits.com/blog/2023/09/07/two-new-dreamcast-games-from-nape-games-reknum-souls-adventure-and-ploid-now-available-from-vgny-soft/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. We don't say it enough, but go and support SEGAbits and all the other Sega community blogs and channels!</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Postal</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTX0C57Pu5zMaCEgWtqG-CIHLdtacslII52he7FeQjKJhHpT28elX6ahCe52_axSLgFoellwekRbQ2-fke7i6Q29gePFwufE2T98fO_ruiv-0CEXDI5Qs1ZW8zqL9c0BsnsVdhJR6AgYFlcSfmghBcn0yN7R_yQIP3yURZxVGkfZNZl5Z516jpA/s1920/Postal-Key-Art-Web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1904" data-original-width="1920" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTX0C57Pu5zMaCEgWtqG-CIHLdtacslII52he7FeQjKJhHpT28elX6ahCe52_axSLgFoellwekRbQ2-fke7i6Q29gePFwufE2T98fO_ruiv-0CEXDI5Qs1ZW8zqL9c0BsnsVdhJR6AgYFlcSfmghBcn0yN7R_yQIP3yURZxVGkfZNZl5Z516jpA/s320/Postal-Key-Art-Web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: WAVE Game Studios</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Running with Scissors (original); Dan Redfield (Dreamcast port)</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2022</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: High-profile indie release of the controversial late-'90s PC shooter. Lovely hand-drawn stages and bucket loads of mostly mindless carnage await you here in this accomplished port, although the game is pretty simple at its core.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoD6dmB4PMwkrzdovQPit7usXdABlcAvL0ItiZlKaj_3sD4kqBB5C7HpGF3gjETHojGt1UQYgjHGn4w6m1xVpGUup8K2MoJq3PbEhi8IIu98ZC5WwU1zy4EJvGQ9hBzxiQ39r_rFUYw3ICfzKvD2Aa4l_N-08-iUHWaiddEqy11cnFKlkJ0A/s800/Postal%20Dreamcast%204.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoD6dmB4PMwkrzdovQPit7usXdABlcAvL0ItiZlKaj_3sD4kqBB5C7HpGF3gjETHojGt1UQYgjHGn4w6m1xVpGUup8K2MoJq3PbEhi8IIu98ZC5WwU1zy4EJvGQ9hBzxiQ39r_rFUYw3ICfzKvD2Aa4l_N-08-iUHWaiddEqy11cnFKlkJ0A/s320/Postal%20Dreamcast%204.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Just when we thought the post-2020 world of indie Dreamcast releases couldn't get any bigger, WAVE Game Studios go and announce an official Dreamcast port of the legendarily controversial PC game Postal, instantly putting the DC indie scene back in the spotlight. To be fair, it wasn't completely unexpected; Running with Scissors, developer of the Postal franchise, <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/12/pc-mac-shooter-postal-now-open-source.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">called for someone</a> to port the game to Dreamcast some years back, and developer Dan Redfield had been frequently updating the community via social media on the progress he was making with just such a project. </p><p>The game itself is a rather notorious late-'90s PC release that was met with a great deal of controversy due to its violent nature and subject matter. A (mostly) isometric shooter, you play the role of "Postal Dude", who has finally had enough of modern society and engages in a violent, brutal gun rampage with mass casualties. The game boasts some excellent hand-drawn stages which vary considerably in their settings, a variety of weapons, and plenty of challenge as you attempt to progress against a whole heap of similarly armed "enemies". Mechanically speaking, it's not a revolutionary game, with simple gameplay, uncomplicated controls and limited tactical possibilities. For the most part, you'll just be running around dispatching cops, armed militia and rednecks, taking cover when possible and collecting ammo and health boxes (you can also regenerate health by delivering final shots to wounded characters). It is fun, undeniably, but there isn't much to it and contemporary reviews were not overwhelmingly positive. It was the game's notoriety that overshadowed its gameplay and the real reason it achieved so much attention. Banned in several countries, it became a scapegoat for those who feared it would warp the minds of the youth. Absolute nonsense, of course. Whilst it's a stretch to claim the game is some avant-garde, satirical take on modern America's fascination with media portrayals of violence, it also isn't the repugnant vacuum of morality that it was claimed to be. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOytIfOUCZ3YQeQRepXLI423H-DUc7Ll2mMyvCk4wXlEEmlHsS1VBl1-0y04NNmOWa5FzZVRGb-T0GCdUaFnvB4hv3VB8mZIJK3TS-W85U6KnOoRcV4ALpntyb6BF54TprKk0XTtGznCEqHphBc6ZbKTrBSKMMRFOFgLiASZoNCL7nmacpvw/s800/Postal%20Dreamcast%203.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="800" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOytIfOUCZ3YQeQRepXLI423H-DUc7Ll2mMyvCk4wXlEEmlHsS1VBl1-0y04NNmOWa5FzZVRGb-T0GCdUaFnvB4hv3VB8mZIJK3TS-W85U6KnOoRcV4ALpntyb6BF54TprKk0XTtGznCEqHphBc6ZbKTrBSKMMRFOFgLiASZoNCL7nmacpvw/s320/Postal%20Dreamcast%203.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>The Dreamcast version of the game, to the credit of Dan Redfield, runs extremely well. All the original levels are included, as are those from two add-on packs, as well as a selection of challenge modes and a co-op campaign which is possibly the best way to experience the unhinged carnage. Even the audio from the original with Postal Dude's rants and descent into further madness, remains intact. Postal presents quite the challenge on harder difficulty levels, and the controls can occasionally be cumbersome (although the ability to use a twin stick controller here is cool), but it's an authentic recreation of the original. It's all very slick and very smooth, and whilst some of the criticisms of the original game remain as valid now as upon release, it's a high-profile and very enjoyable addition to the Dreamcast's indie library.</p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: WAVE released both a <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/postal" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">European and Japanese style version</a> of the game which are both still available (at time of writing) from the publishers direct. VGNYsoft have the co-published (with WAVE) US-style version of the game available on their <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/postal-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a>. </p><p></p><p>There was also a limited edition of the game in a PAL case (now out of stock) and a US-style release solely from WAVE which had just 25 copies and was sent to reviewers and social media content creators. Neither of these differed in any meaningful way from the standard releases. </p><p><b>Other links</b>: Laurence, our modern day literary maestro, reviewed Postal for the Junkyard and it's an excellent look at the game - check that out <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/05/review-postal.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>! </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Redux: Dark Matters</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY85rmarH9g5GORPtrRyVc0AtDhmVghsV3Gr4jXQZDLcizWYqrZvBAAMpU9fK3UTmdr4XyGeEj1IDNFO46yhoG0Q0YIuTAIaFY2y1FG3WnOCxYtWKv3MFcYJGxzyJeG9VQgCrhTS0WJFeLpVfjbDbjN-d_QkW7hCWezBD-MNBPviicmlZx_HlM6w/s800/redux_cover.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="800" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY85rmarH9g5GORPtrRyVc0AtDhmVghsV3Gr4jXQZDLcizWYqrZvBAAMpU9fK3UTmdr4XyGeEj1IDNFO46yhoG0Q0YIuTAIaFY2y1FG3WnOCxYtWKv3MFcYJGxzyJeG9VQgCrhTS0WJFeLpVfjbDbjN-d_QkW7hCWezBD-MNBPviicmlZx_HlM6w/s320/redux_cover.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Hucast</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Hucast; KTX</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2014</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A re-working of Dux with a darker sci-fi tone and some tweaks to difficulty and gameplay which makes it the best version of the game. The low-resolution visuals are disappointing though.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIfMTNdMLRM4myrid-bmw7NDZjNhtznJcUf_Nzk2tQeURZ3C6OhLpR5ZwB1TlvgOBpM1ucfvu9TPQ1jCs5xQw4JsP615lH9NQJkhSkLLA-P0yy9QGSZDEVMGlZLw26FnMJpUO/s853/rdx00000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="853" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIfMTNdMLRM4myrid-bmw7NDZjNhtznJcUf_Nzk2tQeURZ3C6OhLpR5ZwB1TlvgOBpM1ucfvu9TPQ1jCs5xQw4JsP615lH9NQJkhSkLLA-P0yy9QGSZDEVMGlZLw26FnMJpUO/s320/rdx00000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Did we really need yet another re-working of Hucast's 2009 indie release Dux? Probably not, especially seeing as the high-definition graphics promoting this release ended up being decidedly low-res, which was naughty. But criticism of the "creative" use of promotional screenshots aside, Redux does improve on what came before. The darker, more fittingly sci-fi-themed graphics look better despite the resolution drop. A smaller ship makes the gameplay less claustrophobic, and using Dux 1.5's weapon system makes this a more enjoyable experience (and progress is now more achievable, which helps with accessibility). An added veteran mode also helps bulk out the game. It is the best of the Dux releases, but it can't be forgotten that this is just the same game with a new, downgraded resolution look. Hucast didn't do themselves any favours in the Dreamcast scene with how they handled this release, and whilst enjoyable, wasn't it about time we had a sequel rather than another rehash? </p><p>After criticism of the first release of Redux, Hucast released a slightly improved "1.1" version. It plays almost identically. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJpuZ8BnT9DeY7m5iKtX_rVS_a4rq1hyphenhyphenM39IoRMzOfobW9PgXq1Ds7tTPM-fG8penO0Tx0O2xR5QRfdq0JmcyJ3fFMCHzcwDAB1kldSxPqnVWmv8ylKlR39p6s_huPx2U5gKpkoCfvJ3MIZnBqJzcNsjdanNXOqmuv86Vm8eZZ0rnmf4ZWzug/s1200/redux2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJpuZ8BnT9DeY7m5iKtX_rVS_a4rq1hyphenhyphenM39IoRMzOfobW9PgXq1Ds7tTPM-fG8penO0Tx0O2xR5QRfdq0JmcyJ3fFMCHzcwDAB1kldSxPqnVWmv8ylKlR39p6s_huPx2U5gKpkoCfvJ3MIZnBqJzcNsjdanNXOqmuv86Vm8eZZ0rnmf4ZWzug/s320/redux2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There have been no fewer than five versions of Redux released. The regular and limited editions of the game came in DVD cases with different artwork, with the limited edition including the addition of a Dux 1.5 disc.</p><p>There was also a special edition which came in a steel case. Buyers reported several cases of the case arriving dented, which didn't help the game's reputation.</p><p>We then received the "Redux 1.1" versions, the regular of which came in a DVD case, however the "collectors edition" is probably the best single version of any of the Dux games. This was in a double jewel case featuring unique artwork and included both the Redux 1.1 and Dux 1.5 discs, along with the Redux and "remix" soundtracks. </p><p></p><p>All versions of Redux are a bit tricky to purchase now, as you'll have to rely on seeking them out on eBay, private sales or the odd copy in retro stores. </p><p><b>Other links</b>: You can find out some more information about the game and its production by taking a look at its successful <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/redux/redux-dark-matters-a-shmup-for-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kickstarter</a> campaign. </p><p>Our friends at SegaDriven did a <a href="https://www.segadriven.com/dux-dux-1-5-and-redux-dark-matters-bumper-review/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">bumper review</a> of all three versions of Dux/Redux - worth a read! </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Reknum Souls Adventure</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Gm7yGjZJl55FZSDYp7mmpIfDeauKucLOnkjejbGPGjxrs-6_hkVJBZzK0HK4KQKmnnKOJ7DwuTqQKpKu0MIy3EO2rCmY1PGAOkyqCLU6U8O4hwm7Pa8LCIUWwf_R6meyQF7AHSOaKkJqu4EZzyA9KxZh1m5XoWtg7Td1WRs9AyXrE9LeDOBw/s379/reknum%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="379" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Gm7yGjZJl55FZSDYp7mmpIfDeauKucLOnkjejbGPGjxrs-6_hkVJBZzK0HK4KQKmnnKOJ7DwuTqQKpKu0MIy3EO2rCmY1PGAOkyqCLU6U8O4hwm7Pa8LCIUWwf_R6meyQF7AHSOaKkJqu4EZzyA9KxZh1m5XoWtg7Td1WRs9AyXrE9LeDOBw/s320/reknum%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: Nape Games</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Nape Games</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2022</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A rather enjoyable adventure title which takes inspiration from Zelda and Metroid (which I guess makes it a Zetroid? Melda? I dunno) with an expansive world that is fun to explore. It's way too easy and as a NES game ported to the Dreamcast, it isn't that impressive technically, but still a solid game nonetheless. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAE36z52Os4Zl4NtK1THWWuC9z7vUjPZZDqPLhuIcyMTzG_M6QIwRmJlCD6MU5zsU0H2wo2U9hI7Od5lsxiESOVVxxrcB7v8H_2yvIG5ZugLyGAP3CgOhe0d2FRtfj8mjyxmV1HIaZxLLInM-umytMO2zGBY9La3I-W0Vdv-CMKdmL8IMlcSA/s625/reknum%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="625" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAE36z52Os4Zl4NtK1THWWuC9z7vUjPZZDqPLhuIcyMTzG_M6QIwRmJlCD6MU5zsU0H2wo2U9hI7Od5lsxiESOVVxxrcB7v8H_2yvIG5ZugLyGAP3CgOhe0d2FRtfj8mjyxmV1HIaZxLLInM-umytMO2zGBY9La3I-W0Vdv-CMKdmL8IMlcSA/s320/reknum%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>This cute retro-style platform-adventure was successfully <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/napegame/reknum-fantasy-of-dreams-for-nintendo-switch-and-the-nes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kickstarted</a> for a Dreamcast release alongside its NES development (yes, it's another one of those NESmaker titles ported to the Dreamcast), and released to the Dreamcast's indie library in mid-2022 along with its predecessor Ploid. It promised old-school charm and gameplay taking inspiration from classics such as Zelda and Metroid, with an overhead world interspersed with side-on platforming. Nape Games are a rather productive indie development studio, and their original campaign for the game actually featured several different versions – alongside this NES-developed title was "<a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1582760/Reknum_Fantasy_of_Dreams/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Reknum Fantasy of Dreams</a>". Whilst this latter game would have been a more impressive port to the console, we instead only received the 8-bit version, which was slightly disappointing. </p><p>The plot won't win many awards for originality, featuring a backstory of central character Cheri losing her family in the "Battle of the Holy Realms" and her quest to find the four sacred souls and revive her loved ones in the underworld. It has the same sort of simple charm as the 8-bit adventures it is trying to emulate and does so quite effectively. From a gameplay perspective, it has some pretty strong Zelda vibes. You start from the overhead perspective armed with a sword and make your way through the map, flipping between screens, defeating enemies as you go. It's heavily reminiscent of Nintendo's classic but a curveball is thrown in when entering certain locations which switches things to a more side-on view, with gameplay consisting of various platforming elements, more enemies, and even some very light NPC interaction. This is also where the bosses appear, although these are slightly underwhelming and easy to beat. In fact, that is a criticism that can be levelled at the entire game: progress is remarkably easy, especially when you start finding new weapons. Your default sword is very quickly surpassed and both the boomerang and shuriken that you'll find end up making light work of just about every enemy. This low level of challenge at least allows you to experience the entire game (and I've never been a fan of games that are hard just for the sake of it), but it does make it feel a little routine quite early on. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JiwaUsIcZRG95UCC7QZGOE7CFuuoKOxdUtgQN09q5Hwn6YCCEaK0jrXCCigPkfS88Jd5srBfMa19bBCI-HVLLe70k6RGaSniAVIlUO8qzeyi0Kd_DzNyQYZsZPNtbkV-LIFbmTthF2sOQSLfuuRQRWL09WC-TPWZXD5gefaJNqBya7Eqj7xG/s640/reknum%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JiwaUsIcZRG95UCC7QZGOE7CFuuoKOxdUtgQN09q5Hwn6YCCEaK0jrXCCigPkfS88Jd5srBfMa19bBCI-HVLLe70k6RGaSniAVIlUO8qzeyi0Kd_DzNyQYZsZPNtbkV-LIFbmTthF2sOQSLfuuRQRWL09WC-TPWZXD5gefaJNqBya7Eqj7xG/s320/reknum%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>There are a variety of different locations and settings in both the overhead and side-on views, although these are relatively generic, which also applies to the various characters and enemies you will encounter. It's fun to explore the world of Reknum as it is a rather expansive one for a NES title, but its maze-like nature can become a little repetitive. Graphically, the developers have produced a cute, varied game but there are certain sections (namely the desert areas) where the visuals look pretty sub-par. Luckily, the chiptune soundtrack is yet another example of an indie game with a superb music selection, as limited as it is. </p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The game's original release was available to backers on Kickstarter and then later via the <a href="https://www.napegames.com/product/reknum-souls-adventure-dc/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nape Games website</a>, but this is now out of stock. </p><p>VGNYsoft re-released the game in 2023 and this is available on their <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/reknum-souls-adventure-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">store</a>. Both versions of the game are in single jewel cases. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: The review you just read above is the first we've done of this game on the Junkyard, but you can check out Tom's <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/01/gemaboy-zero-heads-to-dreamcast-in-2023.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">look at the next game from Nape Games</a>, which, at the time of writing, is still not released. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Rocketron</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84KVtV1bgOSuzJ40hFj4Tc-HF8ccwrk1qUUXDN5imngM8HgbWShKusNKBminCNRcmkeJZDKBTuF3kI4AtMGpZ0lmfd7ryWVkKEHSfHLgNyxjW_1-sOy4cqjpbE7rEA2ymzhFqETKq8Wl0plIzAqsom-K6bqyWph2WnoRQ16DYvCO4S9pUK_BW2A/s800/rocketron-dreamcast-pal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84KVtV1bgOSuzJ40hFj4Tc-HF8ccwrk1qUUXDN5imngM8HgbWShKusNKBminCNRcmkeJZDKBTuF3kI4AtMGpZ0lmfd7ryWVkKEHSfHLgNyxjW_1-sOy4cqjpbE7rEA2ymzhFqETKq8Wl0plIzAqsom-K6bqyWph2WnoRQ16DYvCO4S9pUK_BW2A/s320/rocketron-dreamcast-pal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Astro Port</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2021</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A criminally overlooked release from JoshProd that delivers an engrossing and highly enjoyable Metroidvania-style platforming shooter with some highly impressive enemies and excellent gameplay. A real gem of an indie release.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTcIcP3wJO_O771FTcl7jUsRkU0F9ivjd3mZncWIFq2WqdpUDQoHV5UqlQMmN3xil9u25mMnTmQMJeRfneu8mbDAAiyJatYJOuzk6hBgH8i1VmY9bTJnQBP7PO-3IR4gGJfZsW7tm7AJV5y8mh3xrmP-RrzlQc867TQN0J88mHia1ri2RgLmV/s625/rokcet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="625" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTcIcP3wJO_O771FTcl7jUsRkU0F9ivjd3mZncWIFq2WqdpUDQoHV5UqlQMmN3xil9u25mMnTmQMJeRfneu8mbDAAiyJatYJOuzk6hBgH8i1VmY9bTJnQBP7PO-3IR4gGJfZsW7tm7AJV5y8mh3xrmP-RrzlQc867TQN0J88mHia1ri2RgLmV/s320/rokcet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Rocketron may have been overlooked by many partly due the amount of titles JoshProd released simultaneously that year, but if you haven't yet checked out this Astro Port-developed title, I'd encourage you to do so. Rather than "just another shoot 'em up" from the talented Japanese indie team, this is an old-school platforming shooter in the Metroidvania tradition. Playing as a cyber soldier, your task is to take on the mysterious "Congregation of Gogoh". To do so, you have a variety of weapons and abilities to upgrade as you explore the planet Metnal 28, taking on an array of enemies as you go, from robotic foot soldiers to screen-filling bosses, many of which are very impressive. Those familiar with the genre will know what to expect, with light platforming and puzzle elements, an impressively large world to explore with plenty of variety in its surroundings, and a story which is slowly revealed as you come across fallen comrades. The controls are excellent and the ability to use your rocket pack to fly around the levels is implemented well (and is great fun). Enemies disintegrate into satisfying balls of flame and there are plenty of pick ups and chances to upgrade both stats and weapons. The game is quite satisfying visually, with a mid-'90s Euro shooter feel to its often imposingly large enemies. Like other Astro Port titles, Rocketron has a bit of a "grainy" look to it, but this just adds to the epic sci-fi feel of the game. On harder difficulty settings it can be a somewhat overwhelming challenge, but the inclusion of easier options opens the game up to everyone and is very much welcome. The game can sometimes experience a few performance issues (especially when a lot is going on), and it doesn't reinvent the genre, but Rocketron is a remarkably fun, enjoyable, and engrossing experience, making it one of JoshProd's best releases.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6o0qM7YQp-aW7tQCoxvyGkLxTkxo-OE2uxOkqxZ1aANPsuQegQFGMNDt8Tt1nhr3fm1ACNkOH2X9wbLtuZU9dw6WVs_JYNhspiz7Qa53230FMVnMbAqBuTHyi5AOO-kBFpgb-/s669/rocettron1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="669" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6o0qM7YQp-aW7tQCoxvyGkLxTkxo-OE2uxOkqxZ1aANPsuQegQFGMNDt8Tt1nhr3fm1ACNkOH2X9wbLtuZU9dw6WVs_JYNhspiz7Qa53230FMVnMbAqBuTHyi5AOO-kBFpgb-/s320/rocettron1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: JoshProd produced this one in their standard format of a <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/rocketron-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PAL case release</a> and <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/rocketron-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/rocketron-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> reversible manual versions.</p><p>Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/rocketron-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: It is a continual regret that I didn't review the game upon release, as it definitely deserved some attention. I did take a look at it before it was released (along with other games due in 2021) which you can check out <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/04/upcoming-dreamcast-indie-releases-2021.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>You can also purchase the game on Steam, which is just as good as the version released on the humble Dreamcast.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Rush Rush Rally Racing</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcs671ylbsqjpwJ6rlRn9XT0mMIGB4wqxZTWOZtHyd1QkFDZJIkFV0yNDwu5ScIMZ1xGkZesil_BxzwwefHaj0Mz2aXTFCTemrXA0gqkXHOLrzh-C-ZxmWlEVEUTPygLL9WbCcTpF5SIKmQhjx09eua79S5I4qioDJwC8MyeA6GqMDqVjSx1LkCQ/s2806/189054a6-5374-4ac5-8eb6-447dc2503485.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2806" data-original-width="2786" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcs671ylbsqjpwJ6rlRn9XT0mMIGB4wqxZTWOZtHyd1QkFDZJIkFV0yNDwu5ScIMZ1xGkZesil_BxzwwefHaj0Mz2aXTFCTemrXA0gqkXHOLrzh-C-ZxmWlEVEUTPygLL9WbCcTpF5SIKmQhjx09eua79S5I4qioDJwC8MyeA6GqMDqVjSx1LkCQ/s320/189054a6-5374-4ac5-8eb6-447dc2503485.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: RedSpotGames</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Senile Team</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2009</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Highly enjoyable top-down racer which really shines in multiplayer modes. It features great visuals and intricate track design, but is a bit too hard on the challenge front. Would be improved upon by the later "Reloaded" release. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju76s7m7AiV2Zaf8S0wi2xv8HnC3_nGdReRSD3_6IyTDG04nFiZj68ZrIqfPbRUlGLzWRthli5RH6FOUFIE6yVg6nf898_kFkyKcL4OZQanCeXc6p7Nik9PBruoo5_iglblzzo/s565/image1.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="565" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju76s7m7AiV2Zaf8S0wi2xv8HnC3_nGdReRSD3_6IyTDG04nFiZj68ZrIqfPbRUlGLzWRthli5RH6FOUFIE6yVg6nf898_kFkyKcL4OZQanCeXc6p7Nik9PBruoo5_iglblzzo/s320/image1.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Senile Team are well regarded within the Dreamcast indie scene, in part due to the development of the much-modded Beats of Rage engine, but also this highly entertaining top-down racer. Those familiar with the classics of the genre will feel at home with Rush Rush Rally Racing. Taking control of one of a variety of racers, there are both single-player and multiplayer modes. For the solo player, the "grand prix" mode takes an arcade approach, with the aim of finishing in the top three to make progress. The difficulty level is high – some of the later tracks can be confusing at first, and there is little room for error, but the intricate design of the tracks and varied surfaces keep things interesting on repeated plays. Multiplayer is where the real fun is, and up to four players can compete in the three modes which take inspiration from classics such as Micro Machines. If you only plan on playing solo, you'll miss out on half of the game's content, which is a shame. The soundtrack is good and there is a feeling of quality to the entire product. Fun yet highly challenging, and best enjoyed with some friends, Rush Rush remains one of the better indie releases on the console – although improved upon with the "Reloaded" release.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunC-RbFrXneUHJ2vBqDuAKcubCser0BH-LSrN542IW-l8FGy5IA4JTp8-OJxkztlU62Ua4g0aEEEZvbG0V8I0BCLXzTtqTqtd4baziV574igyzNyBZCIFkA9RH3NG3mWdFtZT/s565/image3.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="565" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunC-RbFrXneUHJ2vBqDuAKcubCser0BH-LSrN542IW-l8FGy5IA4JTp8-OJxkztlU62Ua4g0aEEEZvbG0V8I0BCLXzTtqTqtd4baziV574igyzNyBZCIFkA9RH3NG3mWdFtZT/s320/image3.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There were three different editions of the game. The standard release came in a single jewel case, whilst the "deluxe" edition comes in a double jewel case with additional soundtrack CD, stickers and a full-colour manual. This shares the same artwork as the standard edition, with the exception of the title being changed to "Rush Rush Rally Racing DX". </p><p>There was then an "alternate deluxe" version released which had the same case and extras of the first deluxe version, but had a new night-themed cover (pictured below). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpm5CCpMYs-VMlsycBtSDs1RB_oPAhQhI3PQPcDbXf0BY7A4NMcAlB5_gOExSN02tncZWXfux0-P9VvbGPtboNR3G_heO4tPOyRZSndDcBs6z5tUUyj6FTiXKePR67ZOjT12H5fafRZJ7zzWRiKZA9MWY-CMpBac49JtfVb1xsUQLd8y5tru2LTA/s640/134306--rush-rush-rally-racing.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="640" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpm5CCpMYs-VMlsycBtSDs1RB_oPAhQhI3PQPcDbXf0BY7A4NMcAlB5_gOExSN02tncZWXfux0-P9VvbGPtboNR3G_heO4tPOyRZSndDcBs6z5tUUyj6FTiXKePR67ZOjT12H5fafRZJ7zzWRiKZA9MWY-CMpBac49JtfVb1xsUQLd8y5tru2LTA/w200-h171/134306--rush-rush-rally-racing.png" width="200" /></a></div><p>All of these versions are no longer available to purchase but can be found on eBay and through private sales.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Tom took a <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/08/a-quick-look-at-rush-rush-rally-racing.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">retrospective look</a> at the game back in 2016 which is a thoroughly good read. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Rush Rush Rally Reloaded</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXWxv7I51SAeaHLmSZg9Aa6J3doNJWRmqrPy77nG1p8iWwQgmDosjATJafkyqK9oFtXJhnXvawvmXH8tIJJvnOOYeKWAAuCFX-Sb5VEwEYbgGEWv39pJR0sWTqdPFOtoqwNV-8Vxy2R5yCEpp7o71ZluhyzDMr5MRuSDCkm6EPiuZW4xFLfNtXQ/s800/278278471335.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXWxv7I51SAeaHLmSZg9Aa6J3doNJWRmqrPy77nG1p8iWwQgmDosjATJafkyqK9oFtXJhnXvawvmXH8tIJJvnOOYeKWAAuCFX-Sb5VEwEYbgGEWv39pJR0sWTqdPFOtoqwNV-8Vxy2R5yCEpp7o71ZluhyzDMr5MRuSDCkm6EPiuZW4xFLfNtXQ/s320/278278471335.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Senile Team, JoshProd/PixelHeart, WAVE Game Studios (special edition re-release)</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Senile Team</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2017</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Reloaded doesn't improve massively on the original release of Rush Rush Rally Racing, but the added single-player modes and some tweaks and small improvements help this to be the definitive version of the game and a great release. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdUzL0rwYetZpcMDuikx8SD5M9tiat5LjXfCPTWqeaJn9QL4waUcR1M3TVrzJmhVYcADCsUFGb_zMV3ETwyc2HX2MHrKgSmikXDh5H_3BBFX67TGKblp62Wa3b_uRGqNhRKIMO6BzrPa8HTOcKRnfv-zUZowuENPRXRbWfpZqIUX-N6_4_L5f/s800/rush%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="800" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdUzL0rwYetZpcMDuikx8SD5M9tiat5LjXfCPTWqeaJn9QL4waUcR1M3TVrzJmhVYcADCsUFGb_zMV3ETwyc2HX2MHrKgSmikXDh5H_3BBFX67TGKblp62Wa3b_uRGqNhRKIMO6BzrPa8HTOcKRnfv-zUZowuENPRXRbWfpZqIUX-N6_4_L5f/s320/rush%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>After the positive response to the release of Rush Rush Rally Racing, Senile Team decided to port their top-down racer over to the Nintendo Wii's WiiWare service with some tweaks and improvements. Fast-forward eight years and the improved version served as the basis for an update on the Dreamcast. It's certainly not just a re-release – there are several important changes, some more obvious than others. The slowdown which occasionally popped up is gone, menus are re-designed, and the graphics slightly improved. The big addition here are the two new single player modes – "time attack" and "challenge". Time attack allows you to get to grips with the tracks (including the multiplayer tracks which were previously unavailable in solo mode), whilst "challenge" is a solo version of the multiplayer "get ahead" mode, and plays much like the multiplayer in Micro Machines – score points by getting so far ahead of your opponents that they drop off the screen. Both modes are great additions and add some welcomed depth. Whilst there probably isn't quite enough here for those who played the original to death (no new multiplayer content for one), the extra solo modes mark this version out as the definitive edition.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDAV4MdWVG2WccnfeYIvhpQ_clVjlGz4e5H6m_Bxx8kKQYEIr0K3V2tsfLqTed5sHJiEnGAselxE2rn0Rn4vd-T_DWidiPTGtk_7zMvqE2PHvmH01qysFYt6XjAdJl45eAqIw1dD2y_cNiZVJPB3102EqXnqyyx7sVf4EPYgldZDPvJkQczn9/s800/rush%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="800" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDAV4MdWVG2WccnfeYIvhpQ_clVjlGz4e5H6m_Bxx8kKQYEIr0K3V2tsfLqTed5sHJiEnGAselxE2rn0Rn4vd-T_DWidiPTGtk_7zMvqE2PHvmH01qysFYt6XjAdJl45eAqIw1dD2y_cNiZVJPB3102EqXnqyyx7sVf4EPYgldZDPvJkQczn9/s320/rush%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The original release of the game, which was available direct from Senile Team, was in a DVD case. JoshProd also released a version (still available from <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/rush-rush-rally-reloaded-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PixelHeart</a>) which came in a PAL case.</p><p>WAVE re-released the game as a "special edition", which came with an additional soundtrack CD. This is still available from <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/rush-rush-rally-reloaded" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WAVE</a>.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: In the absence of a review, <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/06/developer-interview-senile-team.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here's an interview</a> Tom had with Roel from Senile Team. </p><p>There's also a neat little <a href="https://www.rushrushrallyracing.com/index.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> available for the game which includes the online scoreboards.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Satazius Next</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8rMILETcS21uxk-UugGsYyLZjdZSXQplX6EZDLQv0KqvbGHUwLAcoWX8oNe1Hp4DrQhvS475fgDalYEnRh5JZWOaPvR6IqGzyQB9UIS21UMQsNOQGwtj3kZWxJ9OZQUKZtfni8lWoAH815roAjUC3442RGcj1VcL04wUrPJx2FL9PhIGlc0Q/s800/sat%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8rMILETcS21uxk-UugGsYyLZjdZSXQplX6EZDLQv0KqvbGHUwLAcoWX8oNe1Hp4DrQhvS475fgDalYEnRh5JZWOaPvR6IqGzyQB9UIS21UMQsNOQGwtj3kZWxJ9OZQUKZtfni8lWoAH815roAjUC3442RGcj1VcL04wUrPJx2FL9PhIGlc0Q/s320/sat%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Astro Port</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2021</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A horizontal shooter in the vein of various Konami genre classics. It has a decent soundtrack and visuals coupled with solid gameplay mechanics, but is let down slightly by being a bit too generic for its own good. Also included in the "Astro Port Collector" collection.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf-rD0KUWyxQV9FsR4usS7zlb0S1Intg4el5JWlUTm7fCXLP64oBQC2_6jqCYOGnLAPx1MEkLXkMtC5vGOHzRUMvS527Vo0P2qsvAYj-ZbcbCBG3IAf20i4Bn30nRaxgMCNK5CJ4eAHhJMIMqzplBjeZqqVrbBFrRxzJ4hdvU63eJOgOqYIBT/s624/sat%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="624" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf-rD0KUWyxQV9FsR4usS7zlb0S1Intg4el5JWlUTm7fCXLP64oBQC2_6jqCYOGnLAPx1MEkLXkMtC5vGOHzRUMvS527Vo0P2qsvAYj-ZbcbCBG3IAf20i4Bn30nRaxgMCNK5CJ4eAHhJMIMqzplBjeZqqVrbBFrRxzJ4hdvU63eJOgOqYIBT/s320/sat%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>If you're a fan of the Gradius series, then you'll feel quite at home with Satazius Next, an upgraded version of Satazius (which is also included on this disc), an Astro Port PC title from 2011.</p><p>You begin your campaign (which has minimal explanation, not that uncommon for the genre) by selecting your loadout, after which you're thrown straight into the action. It's all fairly standard stuff, especially for fans of Konami shooters, with enemies coming from all directions, environmental hazards to contend with, and some impressively large and well-designed bosses. Your weapons can be powered up throughout the game with more unlocking as you progress, and it's quite the arsenal, with multi-directional bullets, homing missiles and laser beams all present. The visuals are decent, in that Astro Port "doujin" kind of way, as is the soundtrack. Satazius Next plays a respectable homage to the games that inspired it, but it never quite breaks out of being "generic but fairly good". The inclusion of the original Satazius on the disc is nice, but despite Next having redrawn sprites, it is pretty much the same game. A decent indie shoot 'em up.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2w1tZ4QwSz05NbIhRrVs9WR_p5LW1RBrbcTqTSSs9in37mL_EmGWYvS6w7T0qj4GX0Sto1No5EXjlZUiQo_rKel55dDa5U02WR5HmZgfjrXEqu1JkNDxpQYXX8edx4x9zVKyR6JP-A27nchb5EzoUqlKE3Hr6d-gJ3jzma9fhRHOfbh8tlDim/s625/sat%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="625" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2w1tZ4QwSz05NbIhRrVs9WR_p5LW1RBrbcTqTSSs9in37mL_EmGWYvS6w7T0qj4GX0Sto1No5EXjlZUiQo_rKel55dDa5U02WR5HmZgfjrXEqu1JkNDxpQYXX8edx4x9zVKyR6JP-A27nchb5EzoUqlKE3Hr6d-gJ3jzma9fhRHOfbh8tlDim/s320/sat%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: JoshProd published a <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/satazius-next-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PAL case</a> version and its standard <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/satazius-next-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/satazius-next-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a>, reversible manual version.</p><p>Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/satazius-next-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>. </p><b>Other links</b>: The <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/04/upcoming-dreamcast-indie-releases-2021.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">only coverage</a> we've really given the game (before this article, at least) was in my look ahead towards the indie releases of 2021. Hell of a line-up that year!<p></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Shadow Gangs</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja23khVfag71nvNx79cmHJxfcxEqUdohmp0MIbp_0yxsWSBuEBehC7AQPxPsAmQpPyMtZQXHRnT8JaMeHF_p_PF2Dxfbl25WDCwSJ0_OsKjKrWJ0tKUyDDDaauD0RYE2pl6JaMKPsNhucYayh8_CZJf_sBquFPr2oBql9YNWw9610HscV5WoZt7Q/s1423/Shadow-Gangs-Key-Art-Web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1423" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja23khVfag71nvNx79cmHJxfcxEqUdohmp0MIbp_0yxsWSBuEBehC7AQPxPsAmQpPyMtZQXHRnT8JaMeHF_p_PF2Dxfbl25WDCwSJ0_OsKjKrWJ0tKUyDDDaauD0RYE2pl6JaMKPsNhucYayh8_CZJf_sBquFPr2oBql9YNWw9610HscV5WoZt7Q/s320/Shadow-Gangs-Key-Art-Web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: WAVE Game Studios</p><p><b>Developer</b>: JKM Corp.</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2022</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A slick and professional throwback to '90s beat 'em ups, Shadow Gangs has superb aesthetics and compelling gameplay. Accessible for all skill levels, this is a master class in what indie releases can be and sits alongside the very best on the Dreamcast. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRruGd4dCeqAhNqEtL9k4ednU6UeerNWXvZ6X6Pqnm5GZAatEJq4NBS6IqPvzMZuHSbvMGRQKy_YgeI0hLpVEWep3QOjbCTSg5UE8RL8hFnP3R9JnUFSJl_Jls73n-16IQGR5b2Skfre8pB8AMELhuvZ94ZsIIkNcVPQjwWDaBRhSVDNPtw/s640/dc2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRruGd4dCeqAhNqEtL9k4ednU6UeerNWXvZ6X6Pqnm5GZAatEJq4NBS6IqPvzMZuHSbvMGRQKy_YgeI0hLpVEWep3QOjbCTSg5UE8RL8hFnP3R9JnUFSJl_Jls73n-16IQGR5b2Skfre8pB8AMELhuvZ94ZsIIkNcVPQjwWDaBRhSVDNPtw/s320/dc2.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>For a while it looked like Shadow Gangs would not come to the Dreamcast. Its first Kickstarter campaign had an unfeasibly high target, but luckily the developers came back after recieving some honest community feedback with a much more achievable goal and funding was successful, and it's a good thing too, as Shadow Gangs is easily one of the very best indie releases we've seen on the console. Taking a healthy level of inspiration from the Shinobi series, this is a side-scrolling 2D beat 'em up / platformer with heavy '90s vibes. JKM Corp should be commended for the game's "new retro" aesthetics, much like another WAVE-published release, Intrepid Izzy. The graphics are high resolution, crisp and colourful, and the soundtrack is superb. You take the role of Master Dan, a member of the Ninja Order, facing down the threat of the Shadow Gangs in a plot which is suitably ludicrous and reminiscent of the wackiness of '90s gaming. Over the next ten or so levels you'll face off against a small army of enemies ranging from gymnastic ninjas and lizard people, to car driving punks and executioners. It's a complete mish-mash of ideas and influences which works superbly. You can gain ninja powers which increases your own arsenal, as well as plenty of shurikens, landmines and more powerful weapons as the levels progress, and you'll definitely need all the help you can get as the game is not an easy one. The levels cover all of the gaming clichés (city streets, bridges, jungles, Japanese temples), which will bring to mind Streets of Rage, Final Fight and the aforementioned Shinobi series, but it all fits together so nicely as a nostalgic trip back 30 years. For those whose reflexes have waned somewhat over the last few decades, Shadow Gangs can be a tough game, but the developer has included an easy mode which allows players of all abilities to see plenty of the game, as well as a hard mode to cater for those who want an even more hardcore experience. Throw in some first-person single-screen mini bonus stages and achievements, and the package as a whole is a generous one. Slick and professional, the superb aesthetics and compelling gameplay make this one a real challenger in the indie library. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZxkzeGnv4MMMdCAAVSXEujWO04uzxZnCAv7kg2tdxloB-wONdicNO-7qSVid3sg5Umvo3K-0QA144dr-Y-2YKRcqK7qIZ89pxa5A0rW8JHqcfkEJ3CxPQePB2DKsiO310Z9xxhWCCwql5DZkQurwbUzzGy5je41YmtSbKkK-NT4sLKxE9A/s640/dc4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZxkzeGnv4MMMdCAAVSXEujWO04uzxZnCAv7kg2tdxloB-wONdicNO-7qSVid3sg5Umvo3K-0QA144dr-Y-2YKRcqK7qIZ89pxa5A0rW8JHqcfkEJ3CxPQePB2DKsiO310Z9xxhWCCwql5DZkQurwbUzzGy5je41YmtSbKkK-NT4sLKxE9A/s320/dc4.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: <span style="font-family: inherit;">Shadow Gangs received
seven different releases, although there is an argument to say there
could be as many as a dozen releases. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As well as the VGNYsoft
co-published version for the US market (available </span><a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/shadow-gangs-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">), there are
also the EU and Japanese style releases which share the same cover but have different packaging designs to reflect WAVE's
usual blue (Europe) and orange (Japan) approach. These are available </span><a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/shadow-gangs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">There is also the
limited PAL case release which shares the same cover as the EU and
JPN style releases. There was actually a US-style release produced by WAVE for Kickstarter backers, which has the same basic
artwork as the other versions, but with the traditional US-style hallmarks. Neither of these are available to purchase.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, there were both "collectors" and
"ultra" editions released, both in a larger black box.
The collectors edition included a copy of the game, soundtrack and
mini art book, whilst the "ultra" edition had an additional poster
and t-shirt. The game included within was a standard copy, so
technically there would be one version for each of these for each
regional style. Regardless, none of these editions are available to purchase from the publishers anymore so you would have to seek them out on eBay/private sales.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Additionally for all you cats who don't have a disc drive in your Dreamcast anymore, WAVE have a digital version <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/shadow-gangs-digital" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">available for purchase</a>. </span></p><p><b>Other links</b>: It was Laurence on review duties once again for Shadow Gangs, which you can read <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/07/review-shadow-gangs.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>You can also check out the Steam version <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1143430/Shadow_Gangs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Sturmwind</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgItdA6yai6tele5iRe1I4jKQCiV35pwIylfBn4S9wB5c2S3ueGTkls4CXxnl57FVnRY794bjQQvjqJ30Q-T2jQbhqOaMsnZxwS-4ZEi0zxLVO3R3xLpDDZB9wuZIwETgI_kW9_2tfSH58O610JAGxXPDxk1J60-d-UiqBGMTUSAmCzJnYgpBQQ/s800/790850538964.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgItdA6yai6tele5iRe1I4jKQCiV35pwIylfBn4S9wB5c2S3ueGTkls4CXxnl57FVnRY794bjQQvjqJ30Q-T2jQbhqOaMsnZxwS-4ZEi0zxLVO3R3xLpDDZB9wuZIwETgI_kW9_2tfSH58O610JAGxXPDxk1J60-d-UiqBGMTUSAmCzJnYgpBQQ/s320/790850538964.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: RedSpotGames, Duranik (original release); DragonBox Shop, The Bit Station (re-release); JoshProd/PixelHeart (re-release)</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Duranik</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2013</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Strumwind is a beautiful horizontal shoot 'em up space opera. Aesthetically extraordinary, it has finely tuned gameplay with an excellent weapon/upgrade system and is accessible to players of any skill level thanks to an expertly crafted difficulty level and helpful "quality of life" features. It wowed gamers upon release and still sets an incredibly high bar for any indie title that wants to match it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAoDlaS47BJPrNHtbyeehDRtwRgBleASE8fdrgdrY9pMPvmcm0nCNA1nv1J8rhV08zW0evEMkF8TXorJJP376qrorwpLhvr3QojysHa-MM5QRPEukjUf2pZ5z8XwbvHfekF9p/s599/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-11-30-22-19-0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="599" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAoDlaS47BJPrNHtbyeehDRtwRgBleASE8fdrgdrY9pMPvmcm0nCNA1nv1J8rhV08zW0evEMkF8TXorJJP376qrorwpLhvr3QojysHa-MM5QRPEukjUf2pZ5z8XwbvHfekF9p/s320/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-11-30-22-19-0.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review:</b></p><p>The pre-release video footage and early reviews for Duranik's Sturmwind built up some considerable hype for the game, and the final product delivered – and then some. A horizontal shooter, there are 16 expansive, distinct levels on offer, which are all played at a characteristically slower pace than the manic Japanese shooters; therefore, Sturmwind is much more accessible to genre newcomers. It attempts an epic space opera atmosphere and succeeds almost entirely, helped by a superb weapon/power-up/life system that keeps things interesting, challenging and ultimately fair. The three weapons can be upgraded only when being used, and taking a hit loses that weapon. You can recover it, rather than upgrading one of the others, giving a power-up/life symbiosis that works wonderfully, adding an extra dimension to the gameplay; it helps to give the game a sense of progression that many shooters simply don't have. Levels and enemies are varied and the tight controls and balanced gameplay are perfectly matched. Sturmwind is aesthetically quite beautiful too. High-resolution graphics, superb enemy design, awe-inspiring backgrounds (which are some of the best I've seen in any shooter), beautiful bosses, amazing projectile and explosion light shows – the visuals are some of the best ever seen on the console and are comparable to even fully licensed shoot 'em ups, which is an extraordinary achievement. </p><p>The soundtrack enhances the space-opera atmosphere with its sweeping score, and is equally as superb as the visuals. Add in support for the SD card reader (which has since been somewhat superseded, but is still a nice addition), a shorter arcade mode, achievements(!), unlockable content, a save progression system and even a FMV intro, and you have an indie release which puts most "official" games to shame. A hugely ambitious release, Sturmwind satisfies on just about every level.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsg_oiTrrgaMj6qNqDPoe7j6sMUuZjLlBgMpDyrm7LCojjPwyBueh2WhG7A0EAWwg2Tm3kK1Nl2duR7vAxeMNvbKl5Sx1hpXiokgcmYVrJ5tW33psHqCMsF8nfikYV4MDv4Br/s595/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-11-30-22-21-2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="595" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsg_oiTrrgaMj6qNqDPoe7j6sMUuZjLlBgMpDyrm7LCojjPwyBueh2WhG7A0EAWwg2Tm3kK1Nl2duR7vAxeMNvbKl5Sx1hpXiokgcmYVrJ5tW33psHqCMsF8nfikYV4MDv4Br/s320/AVerMedia_Capture_snapshot-2017-11-30-22-21-2.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There have been a total of four separate releases of Sturmwind. The original release was from RedSpotGames. This jewel-case version isn't on sale anymore and so the only source for this would be private sales or eBay.</p><p>There have been two re-releases of the game. JoshProd released a PAL case version, whilst The Bit Station and DragonBox Shop released a new jewel-case version (which dropped the RedSpotGames branding). All three of these are seemingly also out of stock - so unfortunately if you're looking to pick up Sturmwind (and you definitely should) you're going to have to source it from online stores/eBay/private sales.</p><p>There is a fourth version, the "Windstärke 12" limited edition. Released alongside the original version of the game, this comes in a larger box with some additional goodies (an extra disc, a guide, a model of the ship, and different artwork). There is also a Krakor (one of the game's bosses) plush toy which was available separately on release - it's not part of the limited edition but is nevertheless amazing. Like the other versions of the game, this one is long out of stock.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyS7JJyPlpVX-dq8K6ZpWgI7pd0xT_pNpeEGp9x6QhbAjK77dAfB5ROz7vlJpu2uCyVwrAewF1tyDoAIr75P2z9KXn-q4sMZE7VzDQd-u3kTMAKiN8IrkIEjAqnJlthB-GIWf7GpUsBdM-0Lf0CyLvArPVlKHU0F1u4Txhlih95V9k-TOD228Y6w/s885/Sturmwind_Dreamcast_Limited_Edition_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="885" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyS7JJyPlpVX-dq8K6ZpWgI7pd0xT_pNpeEGp9x6QhbAjK77dAfB5ROz7vlJpu2uCyVwrAewF1tyDoAIr75P2z9KXn-q4sMZE7VzDQd-u3kTMAKiN8IrkIEjAqnJlthB-GIWf7GpUsBdM-0Lf0CyLvArPVlKHU0F1u4Txhlih95V9k-TOD228Y6w/s320/Sturmwind_Dreamcast_Limited_Edition_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEke6eHSdNNqQOROjzMwikeK-A-NrToef-2c85FW3xtNt5jSYFY3e9abT66FTH0hyphenhyphen3FzYI4qIuVD9uPle1bbvg1bgzMplXW1trxFEX4jFojhw-2DayPOs0EIvlfhjRGwIzUCPO8sp0QTRSfeRi3bXfjQJPFv-z467aTXPGakDXFjz-DxSazNzKwg/s1000/Sturmwind_Limited_Deluxe_Edition.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEke6eHSdNNqQOROjzMwikeK-A-NrToef-2c85FW3xtNt5jSYFY3e9abT66FTH0hyphenhyphen3FzYI4qIuVD9uPle1bbvg1bgzMplXW1trxFEX4jFojhw-2DayPOs0EIvlfhjRGwIzUCPO8sp0QTRSfeRi3bXfjQJPFv-z467aTXPGakDXFjz-DxSazNzKwg/s320/Sturmwind_Limited_Deluxe_Edition.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Sturmwind is one of the most covered indie releases on the DCJY, and for good reason. Tom took a <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2017/11/why-sturmwind-is-still-incredible.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">look back</a> at the game in 2017 and concluded the game was still incredible. Six years on, it still absolutely holds up, and its placement at 35 in the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/p/the-top-200-dreamcast-games-voted-by.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2023 edition of our Top 200 Dreamcast Games list</a> (also making it the highest-ranked indie title) certainly shows that many agree. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Supercharged Robot Vulkaiser</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5wmI7XeI8xwWbWVbdoFX2xbJ5jToYcrZuNix21a4vtKWcjUGKmXUf6CBKrjyB5TADunHohO53f4gdac8veBuFrSRrz8BVSlM_bPl-Q4OrQunpSkNAsQtKeM3q7qQtLPEuZfC6czmaT8uQfDV8k4RbIb0TAbVOrqa9JPU1MMg0UkUqnlb1weD/s800/vulk%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg5wmI7XeI8xwWbWVbdoFX2xbJ5jToYcrZuNix21a4vtKWcjUGKmXUf6CBKrjyB5TADunHohO53f4gdac8veBuFrSRrz8BVSlM_bPl-Q4OrQunpSkNAsQtKeM3q7qQtLPEuZfC6czmaT8uQfDV8k4RbIb0TAbVOrqa9JPU1MMg0UkUqnlb1weD/s320/vulk%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Astro Port</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2021</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Like '70s Japanese anime? Chances are you'll like this then. Supercharged Robot Vulkaiser is unashamedly inspired by the colourful mecha serials of that decade. It's a pretty basic shooter which feels like a doujin game, but it gets by with its sheer wackiness and nostalgic charm.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZTIK2b7uVSrAF9Q-oYnJbKGOKEPt6__q2xOl4fO7VPDHvr0ZjQ81VV_ecJTdm63yhwSdyu-zDeSx1pCGi6rmlzdhyG-a2Yx2yb_ZkkX77MLnQ2vR8bPizfAn_yIX_rL6zTm3lNoGRE2lo7vQn8hPdfvylU9pL37SisIW8PFnFC8M3GqeDb7br/s625/vulk%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="625" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZTIK2b7uVSrAF9Q-oYnJbKGOKEPt6__q2xOl4fO7VPDHvr0ZjQ81VV_ecJTdm63yhwSdyu-zDeSx1pCGi6rmlzdhyG-a2Yx2yb_ZkkX77MLnQ2vR8bPizfAn_yIX_rL6zTm3lNoGRE2lo7vQn8hPdfvylU9pL37SisIW8PFnFC8M3GqeDb7br/s320/vulk%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Inspired by '70s Japanese anime, Supercharged Robot Vulkaiser is a colourful, nostalgic and rather simple 2D horizontal shooter. The year is 1977 and the Earth faces an invasion from the Gogoh army. Only the giant combat robot Vulkaiser and the VulFighter team stands in their way. In reality, this means having the ability to combine your robotic fighter with each of the four members of the VulFighter team, each granting a supercharged robot combo with varying weapons. Rocket Kaiser gives an onslaught of rockets, Needle Kaiser grants sharp projectile weapons, Thunder Kaiser seemingly harnesses the power of the gods with a lightning-based attack, and Drill Kaiser is just... well, a giant drill. It's all a bit wacky, but cheerfully so, taking massive inspiration from the over-the-top animated antics of 20th century Japanese serials. The action is frenetic, with screens full of enemies – robots, UFOs, giant mecha-wasps; the selection is diverse. The action is pretty much relentless, although it's rather straightforward on earlier levels with your overpowered combo robot clearing screens effortlessly, and it's about as bog standard a shooter in terms of gameplay as you can get. What elevates the game is its nostalgic style, catchy soundtrack and the bright visuals and varied enemies which capture the spirit of the material the game is inspired by. It's a shame the intro screens are blurry, as are some of the in-game graphics, and it really is a rather mindless affair which feels more like a good fan-made title rather than something worthy of a full retail Dreamcast release. Charming, if simple.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV97nm2srwai_fp0raRIXGYmToJgxz_lxZPtS4Nv_ppjW8f3_Cyr5fCszyAqTIzs1vKX96zOI2uOlkG3o9TGX-znfyTjBORMhaFn34pUnhI5MrtjA2SwtCBj4q16sYRTjopSOYEZ2UmgbemZT7LRkZr6mpDTS5Rr1R39tE1stcE0CWwyDK6Tyo/s625/vulk%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="625" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV97nm2srwai_fp0raRIXGYmToJgxz_lxZPtS4Nv_ppjW8f3_Cyr5fCszyAqTIzs1vKX96zOI2uOlkG3o9TGX-znfyTjBORMhaFn34pUnhI5MrtjA2SwtCBj4q16sYRTjopSOYEZ2UmgbemZT7LRkZr6mpDTS5Rr1R39tE1stcE0CWwyDK6Tyo/s320/vulk%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There are two versions of the game available; the PAL case version (<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/supercharged-robot-vulkaiser-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">available here</a>) and the <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/supercharged-robot-vulkaiser-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/supercharged-robot-vulkaiser-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> version with reversible manual that is available with either style on display.</p><p>Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/supercharged-robot-vulkaiser-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>. </p><p><b>Other links</b>: No review for this one, but it was one of the games featured when I covered JoshProd's announcement of their fifth wave of releases. You can check that out <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/09/joshprod-announce-5th-wave-of-dreamcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Tapeworm Disco Puzzle</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTdVlJG4v9jqXCVu2Fj1OsY7hOrWaMm2tvZo55BXiBLCxBNmvfuq_fu-9tbCQcAzYwWUlOd9hXpEw3T9m5bWnX19y5wnQTK_4Un4em873-v04dxQKUyDGpDtKtzgH2MTKjNmqmw5nVnPXoz_Qedn1W0TG6O2C5GhWg90TFgEA-_2g4XbdmiB6vQ/s1486/eWW7l1tP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1486" data-original-width="1486" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTdVlJG4v9jqXCVu2Fj1OsY7hOrWaMm2tvZo55BXiBLCxBNmvfuq_fu-9tbCQcAzYwWUlOd9hXpEw3T9m5bWnX19y5wnQTK_4Un4em873-v04dxQKUyDGpDtKtzgH2MTKjNmqmw5nVnPXoz_Qedn1W0TG6O2C5GhWg90TFgEA-_2g4XbdmiB6vQ/s320/eWW7l1tP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Lowtek Games</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Lowtek Games</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2022</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A Snake-like puzzle game set in the same universe as Flea!, Tapeworm Disco Puzzle is an excellently realised title with loads of retro charm and bags of character. It doesn't push the system, but is one of the best puzzle games in the indie library. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqpPe0lyPJPIaGyVfYG9q3EpoosbBzYyIgf-mqpxILyPedfsOCGBlbZiIz3cEJbYoc1etEFS5ciCjzE8lwTOXvR4OTHH8FeMauh8tQDbXZYniziDiJKJJBMWFyr5-6qwmU-MoEICg5dOau3DfBnVjKhWxFCk3MJzvvCoqOrkFz9nZzkhqX4I/s800/il_1588xN.3572324462_tsco.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="800" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqpPe0lyPJPIaGyVfYG9q3EpoosbBzYyIgf-mqpxILyPedfsOCGBlbZiIz3cEJbYoc1etEFS5ciCjzE8lwTOXvR4OTHH8FeMauh8tQDbXZYniziDiJKJJBMWFyr5-6qwmU-MoEICg5dOau3DfBnVjKhWxFCk3MJzvvCoqOrkFz9nZzkhqX4I/s320/il_1588xN.3572324462_tsco.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>The follow up to 2020's Flea!, Tapeworm Disco Puzzle continues the micro-world of its predecessor but this time puts you in the shoes (slime?) of the local tapeworm night club owner. Proprietor of the most happening place in town, you need to keep the tunes going all night for your parasitic patrons as well as unravelling the mystery of why some fleas are acting strangely. Rather than the perpetual jumping mechanic that Flea brought to the table, TDP is a puzzle title played out on grid-like stages, where the goal is to collect musical notes and blood to clear the stage. The puzzle element comes from the restrictions imposed by the length of your tapeworm – leaving many of the necessary pick ups out of reach. You can extend the length by collecting cassette tapes, but there are various other elements introduced throughout the game – wormholes, bouncing fleas, doors controlled via buttons, and enemy critters to name a few. Boss levels take inspiration from Snake, wherein you have to control your ever moving worm and avoid the various obstacles of the stage. </p><p>Just like Flea!, Lowtek Games have to be given credit for the amount of character they've managed to fit into the game – a colourful, 8-bit universe full of loveable parasites. It doesn't push the Dreamcast on a technical level but it's a charming title, with a great chiptune soundtrack and a really cool separate co-op mode which, like the rest of the game, is a well-realised concept. Like Flea! before it, this is a port of a NES title and there are some who will believe this has no place on a console like the Dreamcast, but they'd be missing out on an enjoyable indie release. Some stages can be a little too easy, although this is mainly because some are in place to introduce new mechanics throughout the game, but that's about the only criticism that can be levelled here besides the limitations of its source console. A great addition to the Dreamcast indie library.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xocPEfUmogNNLznqGNFMj3mkVvlViA7SO2LpqZG4CLjVHRnS0zIxLeXJbjtauHhE3kVvSA2NdTxJBXxdKbuGRgn1CGTqdPxJOpCHDXOUW05kCCtWX7EAWrjJ7-0tgFA3DjQXHIdvJaDIeXAsgE7NBZLY0-05unGzxyOR2r2rnZXGT2lYt7k/s800/il_1588xN.3572324630_nf1z.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="800" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xocPEfUmogNNLznqGNFMj3mkVvlViA7SO2LpqZG4CLjVHRnS0zIxLeXJbjtauHhE3kVvSA2NdTxJBXxdKbuGRgn1CGTqdPxJOpCHDXOUW05kCCtWX7EAWrjJ7-0tgFA3DjQXHIdvJaDIeXAsgE7NBZLY0-05unGzxyOR2r2rnZXGT2lYt7k/s320/il_1588xN.3572324630_nf1z.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: You can pick this one up from Lowtek Games' Etsy page <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1153752967/tapeworm-disco-puzzle-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. You can also purchase the digital version on <a href="https://lowtekgames.itch.io/tapeworm-disco-puzzle" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">itch.io</a>. </p><p>It would not be surprising if we saw a wider release of this one via one of the larger indie publishers at some point in the future. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: It was me on review duties for this one, and you can check out my longer form views of the game <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/05/review-tapeworm-disco-puzzle.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Or not, obviously. Honestly, if you're reading this entire article in one go my respect to you as I'm getting hand cramps. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4vEcgCYvYZa2FlY5Le_lQRz5_GvXqwxUUcugVagc3c81EJl9YwoTusov0FCwCsep6VFYg86sbZ3NSV1TJIKhb5vIwG3vXncobpN6zB1jyI-gKWxL1xBqzKD5e1rXaUlfPhQ_rQvXT_L3uLXMwbOs1G2qqC22XtlIhdcJdYwIpUHR-Sd6QyS1ww/s916/10095635-the-textorcist-the-story-of-ray-bibbia-limited-to-666-dreamcast-.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="916" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4vEcgCYvYZa2FlY5Le_lQRz5_GvXqwxUUcugVagc3c81EJl9YwoTusov0FCwCsep6VFYg86sbZ3NSV1TJIKhb5vIwG3vXncobpN6zB1jyI-gKWxL1xBqzKD5e1rXaUlfPhQ_rQvXT_L3uLXMwbOs1G2qqC22XtlIhdcJdYwIpUHR-Sd6QyS1ww/s320/10095635-the-textorcist-the-story-of-ray-bibbia-limited-to-666-dreamcast-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Gamefairy/Headup</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Headup</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2021</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Whilst its initial print run was botched, the "Exorcised" version of this game is legitimately one of the most enjoyable indie releases on the Dreamcast. Think of a Cave shooter crossed with The Typing of the Dead, mixed with a genuine love of classic horror and some excellent aesthetics. Immense fun, although one playthrough will probably be enough to see everything on offer. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQz1GWORt-guHoHsju4nu2n_i1PufQWxmEfcu8OWeAk1op3rOC9faQbsQwY1SNUjQ_ugA5NvmGN3OOES1T-A7k4b9mRmPj2Fz0rMXzfeUowzimH6rXSUhZW-ezrZ5xEIeUwn5/s1920/game_screenshot_177.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQz1GWORt-guHoHsju4nu2n_i1PufQWxmEfcu8OWeAk1op3rOC9faQbsQwY1SNUjQ_ugA5NvmGN3OOES1T-A7k4b9mRmPj2Fz0rMXzfeUowzimH6rXSUhZW-ezrZ5xEIeUwn5/s320/game_screenshot_177.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>My hopes for The Textorcist were high. When this self-described "bullet hell typing game" was announced – with a 666 copy limited edition to boot (Hail Satan!) – it promised to deliver the sort of horror film-fuelled, retro-aesthetic indie title that would always get me excited. And for the first 15 minutes after inserting the original disc, it absolutely delivered. The game has a tongue-in-cheek story with nods to classic horror, a gameplay style that sees you use your typing skills to deliver exorcisms via Latin prayers all whilst avoiding some rather challenging "bullet" patterns from your enemies (including, as you'd expect, pea-green projectile vomiting from a bed-bound teenager), and an atmospherically designed world. All of that managed to impress me greatly, but sadly, those responsible for porting the game to the Dreamcast failed on one element – actually testing the game. It became clear quite soon after playing that the game was riddled with several instances of game crashes (the first coming after the boss of the third level, around 15 minutes in), and whilst "workarounds" were initially suggested to allow some to make progress, those who did manage to progress to the later stages (usually by skipping in-game text. Not an ideal solution for a game with an entirely<i> text-based </i>story) would all run into a game-ending freeze on stage six with no workaround. After the initial reports of issues with the release, Gamefairy announced that they would send out replacement discs to purchasers of the game. Whilst this took many months to arrive, to their credit, they did deliver on this promise, and the replacement "Exorcised version" discs were shipped out, finally allowing the Dreamcast community to properly experience the game. </p><p>This fixed version delivers on much of the game's initial promise. The well-crafted pixel world is designed superbly, with an attractive old-school aesthetic. The story is well written (not always the case with indie titles), chock-full of humour and has lots of knowing references to the classic horror that inspired the game. The gameplay is also highly enjoyable, especially when using a keyboard. Prompts appear on screen to type the letters of the current prayer being recited, and you need to furiously type them whilst avoiding the enemy projectiles which can often overwhelm the screen. It plays really well and successfully delivers on the concept of "if Cave did a Typing of the Dead game". For those without the keyboard to hand, you can use the standard controller, selecting between two letter choices using the triggers, and whilst it's a little more clumsy to use, it does work fairly well. As the game is mostly just a series of boss levels with some light adventuring in between, it doesn't quite manage to hold your attention as long as it could – after one playthrough you will have seen pretty much all the game has to offer. Regardless, its original and enjoyable gameplay and great aesthetics combine to give us another excellent indie release – it's just a shame that they hadn't tested the first release more fully. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-J781g7nMegj0ry1eZbjfaWNHod6lSa6cplCmj3lkpHkc4Sz6CLJ3fDWuG_cK0_DksJ9NJ7cPK4mwsfdagBF9UPoXtvLeVa8kSIJxoeEq0DwJRl-Ig8xMovJRbG2o8XaQDdV/s1920/game_screenshot_182.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-J781g7nMegj0ry1eZbjfaWNHod6lSa6cplCmj3lkpHkc4Sz6CLJ3fDWuG_cK0_DksJ9NJ7cPK4mwsfdagBF9UPoXtvLeVa8kSIJxoeEq0DwJRl-Ig8xMovJRbG2o8XaQDdV/s320/game_screenshot_182.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Gamefairy still have both of the versions of the game available on their store. The standard release is in a single jewel case which presumably either comes with the "exorcised version" in the sleeve that early purchasers received, or possibly is placed inside the case instead of the original version. You can buy this version <a href="https://gamefairy.io/product/the-textorcist-dreamcast-standard-print/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>Also still available is the limited edition. With just 666 copies printed, this comes in an outer slipcase and contains a double sized jewel case with extra soundtrack CD. It's a really cool edition and it's a shame (but not surprising) that copies remain on sale. You can pick this one up <a href="https://gamefairy.io/product/textorcist-dreamcast-limited-to-666/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>Be careful in the future if you ever try to grab a copy of this game from eBay or other third-party sales, as you may end up receiving a bugged version - basically, The Textorcist is the new Metropolis Street Racer.</p><p>Sadly, GameFairy haven't delved into Dreamcast publishing since the debacle of this release, but I do hope that one day they revisit the Dreamcast as some of their other indie releases (on the Nintendo Switch, etc.) would be great additions to the Dreamcast library.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: I'd written an absolutely scathing review of the original release of the game which still sits in the DCJY drafts folder. I decided to keep it in the drafts as I wanted to give the publishers a chance to redeem themselves rather than just shitting on them, and thankfully they did exactly that, although we did have a little moan about the whole situation on DreamPod 94 while the UK was enduring a heatwave. You can listen to that <a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/8948780-the-dreamcast-junkyard-dreampod-episode-94-gun-golf-and-melting-dreamcasts-news-round-up" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>Tom covered the game when it was announced, and that article can be found <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/03/demonic-indie-textorcist-hits-dreamcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>You can also purchase the Steam version of the game <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/940680/The_Textorcist_The_Story_of_Ray_Bibbia/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. This version has had near-universal praise and is well worth checking out.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Tough Guy</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKRSZJXEGwJ9Hrg0I0-HjmnsSsCVUxojRNeZd3LTextxS_G3a-BBONaDvBPe2qfaGaQjiuhq7w5ov1pSPDtBmjpZZd7CtUOb7c6BKokBSebsPEG5_64bDPKDsSktXdZf2rWQ0jBF-KfXaA05S8NrzlsUP_QhRbnzms8W16jWDVeiZjaSW2yWo8Q/s800/tough-guy-dreamcast-pal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKRSZJXEGwJ9Hrg0I0-HjmnsSsCVUxojRNeZd3LTextxS_G3a-BBONaDvBPe2qfaGaQjiuhq7w5ov1pSPDtBmjpZZd7CtUOb7c6BKokBSebsPEG5_64bDPKDsSktXdZf2rWQ0jBF-KfXaA05S8NrzlsUP_QhRbnzms8W16jWDVeiZjaSW2yWo8Q/s320/tough-guy-dreamcast-pal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/Piko Interactive</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Panda Entertainment</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2021</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A port of a mid-‘90s Street Fighter II clone, Tough Guy has a few interesting ideas and an um… <i>varied</i>… cast of characters, but sadly some poor performance issues and a lack of quality in the gameplay itself are difficult to overlook.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQzgN7MlztO-F2Tpqtx4dDmK3NFC2TJ0MqlEBMugL5bzt4trCdCt0jM472eM9fS25OaPKwkQEs5udd-6lBa-Ib-negL4BZi8_be0d14zPjG0YBPX12kZlh8wUy9WaYkgvhM0zoS0J5AwyS1vaIWR2vMi-7LzrA7hoUOUYZMcJV1on4Pg9RSlM/s320/super%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="320" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQzgN7MlztO-F2Tpqtx4dDmK3NFC2TJ0MqlEBMugL5bzt4trCdCt0jM472eM9fS25OaPKwkQEs5udd-6lBa-Ib-negL4BZi8_be0d14zPjG0YBPX12kZlh8wUy9WaYkgvhM0zoS0J5AwyS1vaIWR2vMi-7LzrA7hoUOUYZMcJV1on4Pg9RSlM/s1600/super%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>You have to be a brave indie publisher to release a 2D fighter for the Dreamcast with its renowned fighting library, and even braver to release a second. JoshProd's release of Visco's Breakers didn't set the world alight and neither will this, their next foray into the genre. Calling it a “new” fighter would be pushing it as Tough Guy was originally published back in 1995 as a MS-DOS-developed game by Taiwanese developer Panda Entertainment (who developed similar 2D fighters at the height of the Street Fighter craze). It's very much in the mold of Capcom's fighting behemoth but struggles in comparison. The cast of fighters are interesting to say the least, including such characters as a Thai rock musician, a shaolin monk, a Romanian gymnast, and an actual Nazi whose special moves include throwing a blazing swastika; which, admittedly, is a bit weird and is more than a bit iffy to those of us in the West. Tough Guy’s gameplay includes the ability to recharge your health, whilst charging also allows for some interesting super moves, but it's otherwise very much your basic Capcom-inspired combo move list. There are a few game modes; standard single bouts, tournaments and versus matches but there is nothing notable enough to elevate it from mediocrity. Most frustratingly of all, the performance of the game is disappointing. Animation is jerky, the gameplay lacks fluidity, and it occasionally doesn't register inputs. The charging mechanic is also little more than a gimmick. Like Breakers before, it's cool to have a new Dreamcast fighter but sadly it's far below the quality of even mid-level games released on the console.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_9p-aiWHN7u3ElV4a3hp16fbFrKuGBjhFDBqBPUz-ao14zFHKsNNMYoep5S2lenDi4dbu1AKQASLqPVCr-6SzcIgTF2HTBHkSklma1F925T9Ic_wewPKaDz1MH_2eC6GrDPWdlzL8zrn6yNp9L2pKJoKI_EjrwqUxBzJmKRA1NWAN-VKfWxl/s320/super%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="320" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_9p-aiWHN7u3ElV4a3hp16fbFrKuGBjhFDBqBPUz-ao14zFHKsNNMYoep5S2lenDi4dbu1AKQASLqPVCr-6SzcIgTF2HTBHkSklma1F925T9Ic_wewPKaDz1MH_2eC6GrDPWdlzL8zrn6yNp9L2pKJoKI_EjrwqUxBzJmKRA1NWAN-VKfWxl/s1600/super%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The release of Tough Guy follows JoshProd's publishing format. There is a <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/tough-guy-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PAL case</a> release and a <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/tough-guy-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/tough-guy-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> release with reversible cover. As always, every version plays on any console and it's purely a stylistic difference in packaging. </p><p>Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/tough-guy-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Tough Guy was another game that we neglected to review individually upon release, but you can check out my initial impressions of the game, which formed part of my “Upcoming Dreamcast Indie Releases - 2021 and Beyond” article, <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/04/upcoming-dreamcast-indie-releases-2021.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>Super Fighter Team, who have released the game in English for Windows along with other Chinese/Taiwanese-developed titles, have a website with info about the game and its roster which you can see <a href="https://www.superfighter.com/tough/index.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Völgarr the Viking</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSM1gdn9oVmHT9nyEQib3OXLOiod_wMdzXl-EpQQRA3Sm2gmOOerS4lTlGtxZYHqDbeGKdmuLSGnxTMdyHzIiZvn5pwsqHPKR5yAC1CCG2EJTNwUQJ54zcEXoyIrhtMXKcBm_tmlMrVVQTvOyG2YbwI0bIFlNVaBiXdPMNJ8QdhMpSIusUBa8/s800/volgarr%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSM1gdn9oVmHT9nyEQib3OXLOiod_wMdzXl-EpQQRA3Sm2gmOOerS4lTlGtxZYHqDbeGKdmuLSGnxTMdyHzIiZvn5pwsqHPKR5yAC1CCG2EJTNwUQJ54zcEXoyIrhtMXKcBm_tmlMrVVQTvOyG2YbwI0bIFlNVaBiXdPMNJ8QdhMpSIusUBa8/s320/volgarr%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Crazy Viking Studios</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2019</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Polished side-scrolling action with a Norse mythology theme. Familiar to fans of Ghosts 'n Goblins and Rastan, there's plenty of enemies to face, tricky platforming sections and an absolutely punishing difficulty, befitting the era of gaming it emulates. Looks the part and plays well, but that difficulty... ouch.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyPYw-6Ei2kxMKIwRARrvxeQ6kcgtqXp5__qCwjRMGvMttCaInv3z8vhWTQe-pbRt6PGQa9EDKnkj8BUz6WnS-IMqDKiwGOnyp0I-rX_pjSUT1U7Dfuoz_yqrGM6CHM0FpNAc5Swj4-SK7R9y_fVUsFCzYEvPPY9DKHByAYa4RUh9nvAzV9ak/s625/volgarr%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="625" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyPYw-6Ei2kxMKIwRARrvxeQ6kcgtqXp5__qCwjRMGvMttCaInv3z8vhWTQe-pbRt6PGQa9EDKnkj8BUz6WnS-IMqDKiwGOnyp0I-rX_pjSUT1U7Dfuoz_yqrGM6CHM0FpNAc5Swj4-SK7R9y_fVUsFCzYEvPPY9DKHByAYa4RUh9nvAzV9ak/s320/volgarr%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Crazy Viking studios received some very positive press when they released their retro-styled action platformer Völgarr the Viking on modern platforms back in 2013, and thanks to the fine people over at JoshProd, Dreamcast owners can experience it on their preferred platform as well. Best described as a homage to '80s side-scrolling action titles such as Rastan or Ghosts 'n Goblins, it puts you in the role of the titular Norseman, resurrected by Odin to put an end to Fafnir the dragon. What follows is a deliberately challenging game of frequent deaths, abundant enemies and tricky platforming sections. You're armed with a sword and a spear – one for melee action and one for ranged attacks, neither of which are much help in the face of the enemy. You'll face off against a variety of beasts, some from Norse mythology and others that are more generic "bad guys", but all capable of dealing you damage. Taking a note from Capcom's Ghosts 'n Goblins, you can only survive two strikes before being reset to the start of the section; the first just loses you your shield. There are various other bits you can do such as using spears as makeshift platforms, double jumping to out-of-reach sections or descending into caverns, but it's all very much familiar to those who grew up with this genre in the '80s and '90s. Familiar also, will be the excessive difficulty – you will die. <i>A lot</i>. But that's part of the game's vision; repeated attempts to master its levels. Whilst vintage-aged gamers may have no issue with this, there are those who will find this approach rather tedious. Visually, it has some lovely pixel art, nice little humorous touches, and plenty of 8-bit gore, although it does run a little bit jerkily at times. This doesn't make the game unplayable, however, and the tight controls keep things just on the right side of "smooth". The levels themselves are a varied bunch that will illicit more memories of platformers of old but all are well designed and look the part. The soundtrack too is of a high quality, although not quite to the levels of other JoshProd releases.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PdDTf8qypK_5s7UZ5huzVfhUm_USfdY8p025bED-dddRjL3oxbRxHGQBDuWazj1I0stQxAMbiwR0TcJVqjT34B4vXnOZ3sKyd45E_9h7O9gcLOwJX62BRI76xDZ-bwWy44a7y3UwregfYFb_PMsNPLK5NHZnmihDigs-Y6COCsonf-jriI4c/s972/volgarr%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="972" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PdDTf8qypK_5s7UZ5huzVfhUm_USfdY8p025bED-dddRjL3oxbRxHGQBDuWazj1I0stQxAMbiwR0TcJVqjT34B4vXnOZ3sKyd45E_9h7O9gcLOwJX62BRI76xDZ-bwWy44a7y3UwregfYFb_PMsNPLK5NHZnmihDigs-Y6COCsonf-jriI4c/s320/volgarr%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Völgarr follows JoshProd's standard publishing pattern - alongside the PAL case release there was a <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/volgarr-the-viking-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/volgarr-the-viking-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> style release with a reversible manual. The latter of these is available from PixelHeart with either style on display, however the PAL case version is out of stock. </p><p>Strictly speaking, this is the second release of the game – members of a German retro forum self-funded a small quantity of the game, with the developers not seeming to mind, but this isn't included in this complete guide to indie games as it wasn't made available to all. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: As the game was ported to the console some time before the official physical release came out, Tom took a look at this one <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/09/xbox-one-platformer-volgarr-viking-now.html#more" target="_blank">back in 2015</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOLjHa1__uV37mBPUHZP5Qz-6zMx03DIh8c1MabOY0twxgogsih2xMcdKYgdA2cEmMidiMNBf_0p_-Wa611sKkH5glFCiY9yvj5-py9pZk7K-5CorfyARtVAfBDhCkVVaWgkhiajNbrzYrZMfNd6FcUkfXCTD4p9yxPwXKQxqJihiR-Lkd8Ey/s350/yuan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOLjHa1__uV37mBPUHZP5Qz-6zMx03DIh8c1MabOY0twxgogsih2xMcdKYgdA2cEmMidiMNBf_0p_-Wa611sKkH5glFCiY9yvj5-py9pZk7K-5CorfyARtVAfBDhCkVVaWgkhiajNbrzYrZMfNd6FcUkfXCTD4p9yxPwXKQxqJihiR-Lkd8Ey/s320/yuan.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: RedSpotGames (original release); DragonBox Shop and Yuan Works (re-release)</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Yuan Works</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2008</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Accomplished indie puzzle game which feels like a fully-featured release. There is loads to unlock, the puzzle mechanic is addictive (although very difficult at times) and it's aesthetically very nice indeed. A gem of an indie release.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpy0LSib8ImoZmpuQ180r5akP1ktQJoo-OROg671W_-EAjvMx2cg8lDd2CC8aq45aYmMIiHVY8pYMvVWeqDUIa9liVO1QqQMqvAW3shsm8xP2-bBVJxzGqeyubEha5m1IcyoqU/s320/amyvsrose.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpy0LSib8ImoZmpuQ180r5akP1ktQJoo-OROg671W_-EAjvMx2cg8lDd2CC8aq45aYmMIiHVY8pYMvVWeqDUIa9liVO1QqQMqvAW3shsm8xP2-bBVJxzGqeyubEha5m1IcyoqU/s1600/amyvsrose.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Costa Rica may not be the first place that springs to mind when talking about origins of awesome Dreamcast indie games, but that's exactly where this one hails from. This quirky little game has the attention to detail of a "proper" release, full of self-referential jokes and charm. The main game takes place on an overhead map with each location being a challenge or battle using the game's puzzle system. This system is a tile-matching one where you create diamonds out of the five coloured pieces, and hopefully combos, chains and a few other high-scoring moves. On its own, this would be a passable endeavour (although at times freakishly difficult), but it's the extra content that impresses most. A full story, arcade and puzzle modes, charming 8-bit style and music, a museum mode(!) with behind the scenes snippets and even mini-games. It's a real package and in terms of simple value for money, perhaps one of the best indie games on the Dreamcast. The puzzle element itself is addictive but it can be frustratingly difficult, especially in the versus battles. This stalls progress (a shame, as unlocking extra content is great fun), and leaves a slight sour taste in an otherwise delicious package. For puzzle fans it's a must. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6STlDD_LRMXHO9EjvYOVRo72M8msEiWU4NS3oS1CqeHw75Yq9VX0-or8_926xiS8aj7J1ARHOlvu7pDqUSLgtIxMJkVVPL4R68Ds-XsMhVLCEUGL8LVosC_bXBgWuLiNpPxa9/s320/map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6STlDD_LRMXHO9EjvYOVRo72M8msEiWU4NS3oS1CqeHw75Yq9VX0-or8_926xiS8aj7J1ARHOlvu7pDqUSLgtIxMJkVVPL4R68Ds-XsMhVLCEUGL8LVosC_bXBgWuLiNpPxa9/s1600/map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Wind and Water has received just two releases; the original from RedSpotGames in a jewel case with spine card, and a re-release by Yuan Works and DragonBox Shop which was very similar but had no spine card. The latter of these is still available at <a href="https://dragonbox.de/en/games-for-sega-dreamcast/wind-and-water-puzzle-battles-dreamcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DragonBox Shop</a> and is so cheap you'd be an absolute fool not to buy a copy!</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Aaron was on hand for an unboxing and first impressions video of the game way back in the year 2008(!) which you can take a look at <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2008/11/wind-and-water-unpacking-and-first.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>Tom also <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/07/developer-interview-yuan-works.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">interviewed Yuan Works</a> in 2016 which gives some insight into the production of the game. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Witching Hour</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVciEFSADj1CEGGAli3Y1i5Zrb3hOTaRWtvUNVLDxGjNHiuhGpUOEHw9ijnGORJC2eB2j4CwFAwTMIPkw7zLcCqOim0c5UiJFEnYoKY9UJKZGmwCoAsQZuU8kMbNET5LEpmrtMsANU9IDUyffbOMZecf64k0VLwwf2ym9u0WJCGGwnNEZIrEb6AQ/s1500/uQ79s-qv.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVciEFSADj1CEGGAli3Y1i5Zrb3hOTaRWtvUNVLDxGjNHiuhGpUOEHw9ijnGORJC2eB2j4CwFAwTMIPkw7zLcCqOim0c5UiJFEnYoKY9UJKZGmwCoAsQZuU8kMbNET5LEpmrtMsANU9IDUyffbOMZecf64k0VLwwf2ym9u0WJCGGwnNEZIrEb6AQ/s320/uQ79s-qv.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: PRO Studio</p><p><b>Developer</b>: M2 Software</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2022</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A Wolfenstein 3D mod that manages to create an impressively oppressive atmosphere for its horror survival gameplay. It's incredibly simple in concept and we're probably blurring the boundaries of what is and isn't a "commercial indie release" by including it here, but this is a highly successful attempt at minimalist horror.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4iFuqzFc1lrsz5QRdynVr2YulzkJ-3BuG8GPGhGqpl_QhkukXZDH4DyaBMg2l-xB23aGo3gt1QVmjH79diJjyrt_ms8t3yYJms0Bc38VeZnG6iC-tLfnk5IK-HkD5UEjw0kQtlOqlnENH5mjCDTI-nzSrB4X1DuTGcmMExZYBM0YAMm-F-o/s800/Screenshot%202023-04-26%20at%205.25.06%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="800" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir4iFuqzFc1lrsz5QRdynVr2YulzkJ-3BuG8GPGhGqpl_QhkukXZDH4DyaBMg2l-xB23aGo3gt1QVmjH79diJjyrt_ms8t3yYJms0Bc38VeZnG6iC-tLfnk5IK-HkD5UEjw0kQtlOqlnENH5mjCDTI-nzSrB4X1DuTGcmMExZYBM0YAMm-F-o/s320/Screenshot%202023-04-26%20at%205.25.06%20pm.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>The Wolfenstein 3D modding community has been active for over three decades at this point, bringing all manner of mods and total conversions to id's seminal first-person shooter. With the original game playable on the Dreamcast due to the work of the community, it's no surprise that some of these fan-made projects have also seen release on the console. Witching Hour, however, can claim to be the first to have a "retail" release – although we're quickly getting into slightly murky waters in terms of what is official and what is not. Published by Polish outfit PRO Studio, and developed by M2 Software, this release qualifies for this guide due to its original developers being involved in the Dreamcast version (originally porting it to the Dreamcast back in 2016), and because it has a few nifty ideas that sets it apart from being <i>just</i> a homebrew port. </p><p>It's a rather simple affair at its core – your van breaks down in the woods and you need to find various items (keys, tires, gasoline) to get going, whilst avoiding the evil which lurks amidst the trees and is in constant pursuit of you. Whilst based on Wolfenstein, there's no first-person shooter action here, with the sole gameplay being collecting the items needed and avoiding the evil. The game makes great use of the VMU, which can be used as a compass, map and checklist of required items. When you complete the admittedly short goal of the game, a survival mode is unlocked which requires you to rescue your friends. It's not a particularly long game, and the presentation is rather bare bones – but it's in the atmospheric terror that the game shines.</p><p>The now-aged engine the game runs on brings a suitably gloomy, retro horror feel to the title, which is enhanced by a minimalist soundtrack which is nevertheless immediately effective; a tense, lo-fi, dungeon synth-style affair, punctuated by screams, shotgun blasts and the hideous sounds of your pursuer. Visually, its green and brown muddy pixels reveal brutal, ripped apart corpses, dead bodies hanging from trees and a well-imagined, if horrifying, creature. It's all quite effective. It never quite feels like a "proper" fully formed game, but instead like some sort of video game equivalent of a lost-footage VHS tape found in the woods.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1vRYvXgI8cqvs0jg9W8N2h5OUPIpJ_HUvZfVJOT0wCaOyk_q6LJSjeZg-llJ5vnUPayC5yye7YK2NthaYGd2CmQUp4iQAyXdDv54PVfWn6d4fSJ18Cy8s1ZtJldiN-jhhrRtzhOxHgB3szAOprTUfiEL-owduWJ27UFYQxYW6PI1iRl0UKs/s800/Screenshot%202023-04-26%20at%205.30.39%20pm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1vRYvXgI8cqvs0jg9W8N2h5OUPIpJ_HUvZfVJOT0wCaOyk_q6LJSjeZg-llJ5vnUPayC5yye7YK2NthaYGd2CmQUp4iQAyXdDv54PVfWn6d4fSJ18Cy8s1ZtJldiN-jhhrRtzhOxHgB3szAOprTUfiEL-owduWJ27UFYQxYW6PI1iRl0UKs/s320/Screenshot%202023-04-26%20at%205.30.39%20pm.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Credit to PRO Studio for really going all in on the physical release, too. Whilst the disc isn't pressed, it comes with a poster, cover versions for all three regions, a fake film cell, a Japanese spine card and an awesome full-colour manual in both English and Polish. It just adds to that atmospheric feeling of the title, and is something I wish other indie publishers focused more on. Sadly, it looks as though the game is no longer available - but that does sort of add to the "found footage", "video nasty" horror appeal. Maybe the entire thing was merely a figment of my imagination and the real evil is still yet to emerge, waiting in the shadows. (....no honestly, this did come out).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSHvpPOj9bGoyWtSarf-UAzJM24g_fJ9aUL6WcSkSRNuoxIXk3LTN-UJK0RhpNmV-sldNzkoF48AKyS57pRngJyRkPbuYShGI5dCj6rSAUuxLMkXb0sE21txVRZGP72yMNPWcYkO788SfYmJcetGofrjPAk2302YtMu2XQOTGucUdBUHC0DI/s1024/16b2ca9c4fc4b526c71a853208e2.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicSHvpPOj9bGoyWtSarf-UAzJM24g_fJ9aUL6WcSkSRNuoxIXk3LTN-UJK0RhpNmV-sldNzkoF48AKyS57pRngJyRkPbuYShGI5dCj6rSAUuxLMkXb0sE21txVRZGP72yMNPWcYkO788SfYmJcetGofrjPAk2302YtMu2XQOTGucUdBUHC0DI/w400-h300/16b2ca9c4fc4b526c71a853208e2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><p></p><p></p><p>You can, however, download the game for free (yay!) from <a href="https://www.moddb.com/mods/witching-hour/downloads/witching-hour-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> so you too can experience this little horror gem for yourself. </p><p><b>Other links</b>: I went off on a massive tangent when I was on review duties for this one (you can read it <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/04/witching-hour-best-indie-horror.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) but if you want to read some horrendous creative horror writing alongside a review which is pretty much the same as what you've just read above, knock yourself out. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Wolflame</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjV9scXjA1KgrssxxkWyNuBmKWc2R83jdhNnIcV6JcxHckVDS1246Db_ferPnzeatjVeizKw4BjeJ4BOlaexvmE9wpGant69EIT-l9CzzcrmIrjIupoeGpU8zZiv9DLEbtIziHNMFiGq7bUQv1p_SQQUlrcOeFxpZyG1pt95ygS_u82Ef_9hSd7w/s800/Jaquette-Wolflame-Dreamcast-US.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjV9scXjA1KgrssxxkWyNuBmKWc2R83jdhNnIcV6JcxHckVDS1246Db_ferPnzeatjVeizKw4BjeJ4BOlaexvmE9wpGant69EIT-l9CzzcrmIrjIupoeGpU8zZiv9DLEbtIziHNMFiGq7bUQv1p_SQQUlrcOeFxpZyG1pt95ygS_u82Ef_9hSd7w/s320/Jaquette-Wolflame-Dreamcast-US.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: JoshProd/PixelHeart</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Astro Port</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2021</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Another port of an Astro Port PC title, this competent vertical shooter doesn't have much in the way of gimmicks, but delivers a solid shooting experience with good controls and a nice soundtrack. Really rather difficult though. Also saw a release as one of the four games on the "Astro Port Collector" release.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrvTbr4VLLCfczCm1JAXJYmItCkK0tidU4RUBBIxtpqDFh0ZSwbOnsrJRyEDhgAtZYE7y5vKHSlP9dxQCIaZ6P-B5pHmC0MVSWxVGiKyccFDGGFStmJwJJ3MHEuWOJALSgAjfbjciH2HsyxDtda1phLymmeCrRIq40EDW2hE44YN-6ntlGmTg/s547/wolf%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="405" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrvTbr4VLLCfczCm1JAXJYmItCkK0tidU4RUBBIxtpqDFh0ZSwbOnsrJRyEDhgAtZYE7y5vKHSlP9dxQCIaZ6P-B5pHmC0MVSWxVGiKyccFDGGFStmJwJJ3MHEuWOJALSgAjfbjciH2HsyxDtda1phLymmeCrRIq40EDW2hE44YN-6ntlGmTg/s320/wolf%201.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>After playing an early build of this release my hopes weren't high, as the technical performance was underwhelming. Thankfully, it seems that JoshProd ironed out most of the tech problems leaving us with a shooter which may not add much to the vertical shooter genre but does a decent job at being an enjoyable release. Those familiar with classics such as Raiden or Twin Cobra will feel right at home. There is little story, no loadouts or ship selection, instead you're just thrown into a world with large numbers of opponents to take down. Levels have a crisper look to them than some of Astro Port's other titles and they're full of tanks, various forms of enemy craft, and large bosses that can be quite impressive. There's not many gameplay gimmicks either – you're armed with a main fire weapon (which can be powered up to three different forms) and a secondary powerful bomb, and that's about it. It plays well, successfully emulating the classic shooter era with good controls and a mostly solid frame rate. It is a challenging game though. Whilst not a bullet hell-style shooter, you will still need super quick reflexes to deal with the fast enemy fire, which, whilst never unfair, can lead to quite a few game overs before you start to get a feel for the game. Nevertheless, Wolflame is a well-designed release, with a good soundtrack, that goes for a classic approach and succeeds – but doesn't add anything particularly fresh to the Dreamcast's substantial shooting lineup. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_VOzXQqAnAuWzt36kDuXHqEJzIAFYsh2MNanEszQS9kxIt2qHr3rI_6Wx2pzcdJin8vt2CMRutxnaqku4KfONncsEneaPWpgeEE9Ow_tw3UT1XBxrvC-vvq8xBOPWPBuOcWdanWv0dFVbkxAsTcLNkaybKEkkh3uSWoxdu0_rOpYJVKjqYfy/s546/wolf%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="411" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_VOzXQqAnAuWzt36kDuXHqEJzIAFYsh2MNanEszQS9kxIt2qHr3rI_6Wx2pzcdJin8vt2CMRutxnaqku4KfONncsEneaPWpgeEE9Ow_tw3UT1XBxrvC-vvq8xBOPWPBuOcWdanWv0dFVbkxAsTcLNkaybKEkkh3uSWoxdu0_rOpYJVKjqYfy/s320/wolf%202.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: If you're utterly insane and have been reading this article all the way through (honestly, respect to you for lasting this long) you'll know what the publishing of this JoshProd release looks like - a <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/wolflame-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PAL case</a> release and that very efficient <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/wolflame-dreamcast-us/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">US</a>/<a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/wolflame-dreamcast-jpn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japanese</a> reversible manual release. Got to hand it to JoshProd - these releases do look damn smart. <div><br /><div>Also available at <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/wolflame-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a>.</div><div><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Wolflame was another title featured in my preview of <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/04/upcoming-dreamcast-indie-releases-2021.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">what 2021 would bring us</a>. Yes, I'm getting as much use out of that article as I possibly can!</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Xenocider</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSt-du-YAS3deB7TfVIJLFoeny8NcJdur7-vMrzogmAVOi1V55jvuUuo1OH1Edw7MBrJspTm0f2u3PHSBHoHeWlSW3lWkt2aXyeYILQSj12YisMTT1GDDBjXSfyAhRxiP0TjhNd9MSdrZgje_0lsAn90YEc72PYkKfPgm0YDQRfzXe0KRD9YuGwQ/s1423/Xenocider-EU-Cover-Web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1423" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSt-du-YAS3deB7TfVIJLFoeny8NcJdur7-vMrzogmAVOi1V55jvuUuo1OH1Edw7MBrJspTm0f2u3PHSBHoHeWlSW3lWkt2aXyeYILQSj12YisMTT1GDDBjXSfyAhRxiP0TjhNd9MSdrZgje_0lsAn90YEc72PYkKfPgm0YDQRfzXe0KRD9YuGwQ/s320/Xenocider-EU-Cover-Web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Retro Sumus (original); WAVE Game Studios, VGNYsoft (re-releases)</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Retro Sumus</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2021</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: Xenocider delivers on its promise. A technically proficient 3D indie release with more content than just about any other post-life Dreamcast title and top-level presentation throughout. Retro Sumus have not just given us a great indie title, but they've released something that takes what made the Dreamcast era so great but adds some learnings from 20 years of gaming evolution.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSWPlCNjpXUu_RuuJ5dAziahKwS1AoObcDosGSIIlb_vbfJHAm4ZhBUfQ8XsmpKQfLYYqkarv1OBbEUvWleQdJqcS9GTnk80RzzSWTg8xKtZA5NydhyBS8V14NgfHdmd1Y_2v/s1279/xenocider6+copy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1279" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSWPlCNjpXUu_RuuJ5dAziahKwS1AoObcDosGSIIlb_vbfJHAm4ZhBUfQ8XsmpKQfLYYqkarv1OBbEUvWleQdJqcS9GTnk80RzzSWTg8xKtZA5NydhyBS8V14NgfHdmd1Y_2v/s320/xenocider6+copy.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Xenocider is an example of how Dreamcast indie development should be done. Whilst the game's Kickstarter didn't <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/06/xenocider-kickstarter-cancelled.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">see completion</a>, Retro Sumus stuck at it, engaged with the community, were open and honest with continual updates, and built up a lot of good will along the way. For Xenocider to finally be in the hands of Dreamcast players feels like a justified victory – even more so when you consider just how good a game it is. A 3D, into-the-screen shooter, inspired no doubt by the likes of classic Sega title Space Harrier, Xenocider puts you into the role of Xara, a cybernetic, cyberpunk destroyer of aliens, as she journeys from planet to planet dispatching an array of colourful and deadly life forms. The game sees forward momentum controlled automatically, leaving you the more important (and fun) job of aiming, along with avoiding oncoming enemies. You can move left or right across the screen into various lanes, a little like a 3D endless runner title, avoiding obstacles, collecting power ups, and all the while frantically trying to deal with the seemingly endless opposition thrown at you. This mix of styles gives the game a unique, and quite modern, feel. Stage and enemy design is strong, with the 3D visuals looking just right for a Dreamcast indie title and there is a huge amount of variety included in the enemy design, from hideous arachnid creatures to menacing yeti monsters, and screen-filling boss battles that are impressive both technically and for sheer ingenuity in design. The game is exciting, with some great music; is tough (sometimes brutally so) but fair, and even has branching paths as you progress through the main mode. It also runs exceedingly well – maintaining 60 frames per second throughout, which is in of itself, some achievement. </p><p>And if that was all the game had to offer, I'd be quite content. But Retro Sumus have not just delivered a technically impressive 3D indie title – they've also included an astonishing amount of extras. There are mini-games (including a quite brilliant retro 3D shooter), movie sequences, achievements, unlockable modes and more. The most impressive of these is a full 3D recreation of Space Harrier – an entirely new mode that could easily stand on its own merits in the indie library, and the part of the game I've probably spent most time with. This glorious digital love letter to old-school Sega plays brilliantly, and just shows the versatility within Retro Sumus.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtBmbaowho1hmEGA4HtzCBZjVO-b5Mzz_hOZ9iCtFlGVhoM-a5gdRHMQUyP_CT518eSAC95VpIwnFk-CIRk4tTiWTQmKE7_eUAzLbeeKtWak3pLWDH_mIG7OEnbOBDWH9jafq/s1277/xenocider9.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1277" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtBmbaowho1hmEGA4HtzCBZjVO-b5Mzz_hOZ9iCtFlGVhoM-a5gdRHMQUyP_CT518eSAC95VpIwnFk-CIRk4tTiWTQmKE7_eUAzLbeeKtWak3pLWDH_mIG7OEnbOBDWH9jafq/s320/xenocider9.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There have been half a dozen versions of Xenocider released (so far). Retro Sumus released a standard edition in a jewel case alongside a special edition which came in a DVD case with an additional soundtrack CD. Both of these are now sold out on the Retro Sumus store.</p><p>The developers also released two highly limited editions - a PAL case release and a steelbook release, both restricted to 50 copies and including the additional soundtrack CD. These too are now long out of stock.</p><p>WAVE Game Studios re-released the game in a European style which is still available from their <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/xenocider" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">store</a>.</p><p>Finally, VGNYsoft published their own version of the game which uses a mix of US and Japanese art styles. This is also still available via their <a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/product-page/xenocider-sega-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">store</a>.</p><p>You can also purchase the digital version of the game direct from Retro Sumus in both <a href="https://retrosumus.com/product/xenocider-digital-edition/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">standard</a> and <a href="https://retrosumus.com/product/xenocider-deluxe-digital-edition/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">deluxe</a> (which comes with the soundtrack) editions. The emergence of paid-for digital downloads for Dreamcast indie games is probably the most welcome move in the scene in recent years and it's great these are available.</p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: Xenocider had an exceptional review on the Junkyard from the man, Mr. Tom Charnock, which you can read <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/01/review-xenocider.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Great review! Great game! Great Scott! (Sorry, I've been writing this for like 60 hours now and am going ever so slightly more insane by the minute).</p><p>Also worth checking out Retro Sumus' <a href="https://retrosumus.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> for more information. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Xeno Crisis</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04aiU2bK1rcWBUQYFQyC9m6aa-8vSZ-gk1Q4MjspjAOdV25iAnsweGhb_0iZLLtArt3ELgaylujkmvFMKX38EuSfuGSHUIivPu1aSGIoxfFFIHuDi_kbQsRJ7xobQzL7fKnH5_hLYzcQpG312ED4pI9IamaupLHYwa5uTWxNIc5PylqfHUBnQOg/s1080/1600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04aiU2bK1rcWBUQYFQyC9m6aa-8vSZ-gk1Q4MjspjAOdV25iAnsweGhb_0iZLLtArt3ELgaylujkmvFMKX38EuSfuGSHUIivPu1aSGIoxfFFIHuDi_kbQsRJ7xobQzL7fKnH5_hLYzcQpG312ED4pI9IamaupLHYwa5uTWxNIc5PylqfHUBnQOg/s320/1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: Bitmap Bureau</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Bitmap Bureau</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2020</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: An absolutely epic and highly enjoyable multidirectional shooter romp through an alien infested universe. The action is immensely satisfying, delivering a smooth and exciting experience with gorgeous aesthetics. Xeno Crisis lays a blood-soaked claim to being the best ever indie release for the Dreamcast.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPYrhDzRArwZcdmRy5DFI8PKsGzECX9gIoPsHKBA40J-2a-xSz6xb07SOpwqh2q3XzTWtCB6GRgX3_DZyuQTt93wW0LP3WBGy55GF-9EQJHa1YCFy0sQTVKxj-3AigP4l4CS1/s1280/XenoCrisis1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1280" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPYrhDzRArwZcdmRy5DFI8PKsGzECX9gIoPsHKBA40J-2a-xSz6xb07SOpwqh2q3XzTWtCB6GRgX3_DZyuQTt93wW0LP3WBGy55GF-9EQJHa1YCFy0sQTVKxj-3AigP4l4CS1/s320/XenoCrisis1.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>From Southampton, England-based developers Bitmap Bureau, Xeno Crisis was a successfully Kickstarted title that has seen much praise for all of its numerous releases on modern, and not so modern systems, one of which (rather excitedly) being the Dreamcast. And it's a damn good thing it came to the DC too, as the game is awesome. Taking inspiration from a mix of twin-stick shooters, dystopian sci-fi, and a particular late-'80s/early-'90s aesthetic, Xeno Crisis rolled onto the Dreamcast amidst a shower of expended ammunition and dead alien bodies. The 16-bit artistry of Xeno Crisis is very much of the "British"-style of '90s Amiga developers like Bitmap Brothers, and looks ace, backed up with a great soundtrack. It runs flawlessly as you charge around the various stages, dispatching all manner of alien bastards with an assortment of weapons. As you enter each room it's just you, a dwindling ammo supply, and a horde of off-world nasties to dispatch to their makers. End of level bosses are screen-filling monstrosities, you can upgrade your character's "stats" between levels, and the stages change each time you boot it up, greatly helping the game's longevity. Most importantly of all, though, the game plays like an absolute dream. Best played with the Dreamcast's twin-stick controller, but still awesome without, it's pure enjoyment from start to finish. It can be relentless at times, and the difficulty is not something to be taken lightly, but Xeno Crisis is one of those rare games where the gameplay itself is so damn enjoyable it's hard not to smile every time you play. More than just a worthy addition to the Dreamcast library, Xeno Crisis is a retro-styled package of gaming joy, and a serious contender for the best the indie scene has so far delivered.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOITHEnX2LwIJy9dBMy22igrJaXn-g-g8Qh1kC9pGdQ6dsy2mhaUQgVvwRQT9zg9jYxr4IUrlhG4AXIJQ7iQI_kAeGo0u-2WQXsF0uOmXOrKkmMLGUVbFGOGtUz-0VOQ1a8RmV/s1279/xc8.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1279" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOITHEnX2LwIJy9dBMy22igrJaXn-g-g8Qh1kC9pGdQ6dsy2mhaUQgVvwRQT9zg9jYxr4IUrlhG4AXIJQ7iQI_kAeGo0u-2WQXsF0uOmXOrKkmMLGUVbFGOGtUz-0VOQ1a8RmV/s320/xc8.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Both Tom and myself get a shout out in the game's credits for providing some help with sourcing controllers to be tested on the game. You can also find me as one of the game's many hostages to rescue, although I've never actually found myself! (Honestly, if you do find me, I wouldn't bother. I'd be terrible in such a situation. I'm not great with blood or anything bug-like, so I'd definitely be more of a hindrance - unless, I dunno, you want someone to distract the alien hordes with talk of Black Metal, Star Trek or rally games. And yes, I know, that's an odd mix of interests. I'm a complex guy. I yearn for the episode of Star Trek where the crew beam down to a planet of Black Metal weirdos who engage in some sort of ritualistic, occult, Mad Max rallying through Finnish-like forest landscapes... but I digress, once more.)</p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: There are three standard releases of Xeno Crisis available, one for each regional art style. These can all be purchased on the <a href="https://shop.bitmapbureau.com/collections/sega-dreamcast/products/xeno-crisis-sega-dreamcast-cd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bitmap Bureau store</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopDaq_97l5LtHoAVnmdpbjfOS-m5LWGlGvYbjwYzNqGqR9yERTPPB0glBrtNnk2lpazyloRzo3C347o3cU3l233BM4reJjtj7zsMZHcL4BoEoMEgaXdiChAksUeZZ2PKwE2_V/s1600/dc_physical_4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="1600" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopDaq_97l5LtHoAVnmdpbjfOS-m5LWGlGvYbjwYzNqGqR9yERTPPB0glBrtNnk2lpazyloRzo3C347o3cU3l233BM4reJjtj7zsMZHcL4BoEoMEgaXdiChAksUeZZ2PKwE2_V/w400-h175/dc_physical_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p>Kickstarter backers received a slightly different version which has different artwork for all three regional styles, but is otherwise identical. There's no limited edition or collectors edition - although this is one game I really wish they had released one for!</p><p>You can also purchase the digital version of the game on the <a href="https://shop.bitmapbureau.com/products/xeno-crisis-sega-mega-drive-genesis-rom-download" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bitmap Bureau store</a> - another example of the newer indie releases having easily accessible digital options. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: It was myself who had the absolute honour of <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/06/review-xeno-crisis.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">reviewing</a> Xeno Crisis for the Junkyard and it's one I'm particularly proud of. What a game, though. </p><p>You can find a bit more info - including the other platforms the game released on - on the <a href="https://bitmapbureau.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bitmap Bureau site</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Yeah Yeah Beebiss II</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9r47RX80p4hgNxZVcnaT8ZurBiqKC_QvobBeycaTtSZbi-W5O_gfTiVrErUX09PFZRPVArh2dOUViCJuGY1XakhTV2IOlsLgGHov8X5ZCVeZCfYnfHx7ZlI6f9EGdIMTyn1E_y0MVx14LtnhvKkn0OgOP9jhUwKtjHsZ6IuGIdcjBEx5eBw5Lg/s1423/YEAH%20YEAH%20BEEBISS%20II%20DREAMCAST.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="1423" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9r47RX80p4hgNxZVcnaT8ZurBiqKC_QvobBeycaTtSZbi-W5O_gfTiVrErUX09PFZRPVArh2dOUViCJuGY1XakhTV2IOlsLgGHov8X5ZCVeZCfYnfHx7ZlI6f9EGdIMTyn1E_y0MVx14LtnhvKkn0OgOP9jhUwKtjHsZ6IuGIdcjBEx5eBw5Lg/s320/YEAH%20YEAH%20BEEBISS%20II%20DREAMCAST.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Publisher</b>: WAVE Game Studios & Rigg'd Games</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Rigg'd Games & Mega Cat Studios</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2021</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A simple single-screen arcade-platformer which purports to be a sequel to a game that probably never existed. Well designed and eminently playable, it's only held back by being a NES port which looks slightly out of place on the Dreamcast.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJN_wsGBDRyvrdDf9jMP8ZDb07-3Ci_LefRF5iISF-uAcNgS6abGZPcEJAm2barAfhWOaH-WNvLS5lGsoZUxMdzcVGyK8zN_i7d7N66shgzQiNG21DiOYstFeQpv24byDrJGEops0RsnXnmUJjyWnz8HzEKVU5RKx86JctdL-U26ivXqElOA/s596/beebiss%204.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="596" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJN_wsGBDRyvrdDf9jMP8ZDb07-3Ci_LefRF5iISF-uAcNgS6abGZPcEJAm2barAfhWOaH-WNvLS5lGsoZUxMdzcVGyK8zN_i7d7N66shgzQiNG21DiOYstFeQpv24byDrJGEops0RsnXnmUJjyWnz8HzEKVU5RKx86JctdL-U26ivXqElOA/s320/beebiss%204.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>A sequel to a game that probably never existed, a popular retro gaming YouTuber and a rapidly up-and-coming Dreamcast indie publisher – a strange mix to be sure, but one which lies behind Yeah Yeah Beebiss II, a quirky little arcade addition to the Dreamcast indie library. Yeah Yeah Beebiss I was a NES title that was listed in an ad for a mail-order service back in the late-'80s, but the existence of which is doubtful. Various theories have been raised about its nature – a copyright trap, an inside joke, a simple translation error and, of course, potentially an actual long lost title. The theory which seems to have gained most traction amongst those attempting to decipher the mystery is that the title is a slightly garbled English translation of the title of the Japanese Famicom release "Rai Rai Kyonshis: Baby Kyonshi no Amida Daibouken" – a game that had you control a young Jiangshi (a Chinese hopping vampire, familiar to fans of the Darkstalkers franchise as the basis of the character Lei-Lei/Hsien-Ko) through various stages. It's this Chinese folklore-inspired setting that is used as the basis for this "sequel", quite nicely bringing the whole saga full circle.</p><p>Developed by popular YouTuber <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8cZ9g1sopNc50D9NqVBbug" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">John Riggs</a> (probably most known as one of the members of the always-likeable Metal Jesus Rocks crew) with the assistance of indie masters Mega Cat Studios, this is the latest in a trend for NES-developed titles seeing a release on the Dreamcast. A single-screen arcade platformer, you're tasked with banishing the evil creatures which inhabit each stage before your time runs out. There are various pick ups, allowing you to freeze the action or add precious seconds onto your time limit which quickly becomes a necessity. Each of the game's ten stages (which are repeated on completion with harder difficulty and palette swaps) feature an arrangement of ladders and platforms which you utilise to reach the enemies; once all of these have been dispatched, it's onto the next stage. Difficulty creeps up gradually but it's the time limit which is your real enemy here. You can play as either Kyonshi Hui or Jiangshi Bo, although there's little to differentiate between them, as they both use a close-quarters attack as their only means of offence. Credit to John Riggs for the cool reference in the character's names to both the "original" game and the type of creatures they are (although it's weird that these names are only mentioned in the documentation, while in the game they're named differently).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqTX1IIKG_6h2u1wbvVDTC-aCZ6L7V7NgHCS3GRqtl8fBPgSNdQJABnq0fkmmonIlranQ_vCJ310V2wnPRwink-l1IhpV3JyyOIa-kqIqzCfZVAT6S8dWKDVCyWOPydkuIvEcOV74fw5_oguHIwpyJ6yjuIcWg9kyGx2r8fCQzHjtz66khA/s596/beebiss%205.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="596" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqTX1IIKG_6h2u1wbvVDTC-aCZ6L7V7NgHCS3GRqtl8fBPgSNdQJABnq0fkmmonIlranQ_vCJ310V2wnPRwink-l1IhpV3JyyOIa-kqIqzCfZVAT6S8dWKDVCyWOPydkuIvEcOV74fw5_oguHIwpyJ6yjuIcWg9kyGx2r8fCQzHjtz66khA/s320/beebiss%205.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Visually, the game does do a decent job at portraying its dark Chinese mythology origins – at least, it does on the NES. As a Dreamcast title, it is unsurprisingly held back by its source platform in this department, but even compared to other NES ports on the console, it appears a little blurry and indistinct. It runs through the NesterDC emulator, which is made clear when you have to go through a small menu screen to get into the game, and it is a little disappointing that this wasn't "cleaned up", so to speak. The game's audio is excellent, with chiptune renditions of several suitably spooky classical numbers, and the two-player mode is a nice addition to the game (although it doesn't add anything to the core gameplay). </p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: Whilst the game was originally available only on John Riggs' <a href="https://johnriggs.myshopify.com/products/yeah-yeah-beebiss-ii-dreamcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">own website</a> and unavailable outside the US, it was shortly after picked up by WAVE Game Studios – thanks in no small part to the European Dreamcast community's calls for such a move. This version is <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/yeah-yeah-beebiss-ii" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">still available </a>and at a budget price. </p><p></p><p><b>Other links</b>: We had Tom on review duties for this one, which you can read <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/05/review-yeah-yeah-beebiss-ii.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. By the way, Tom is still around. We get asked about him quite frequently. He's not gone missing or anything nefarious, so don't worry. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Zia and the Goddesses of Magic</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_N5U4R_YMBH3ii4UNGFq-B8Tc_DKqp5tcCACxVwJuY__FqGtc-c3gUlH9fDMQt6YF4jSqllmPvHBUxXTs8uEs8RRV_FwJWwp8WhARF35yxzRSUANuhoZG-zX0BpLoVs76CWOAOtkeY7plGKxSH1Nu1TeQGlMQSDLXb6Vhl_ERftml_qKTgRd-/s800/zia.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_N5U4R_YMBH3ii4UNGFq-B8Tc_DKqp5tcCACxVwJuY__FqGtc-c3gUlH9fDMQt6YF4jSqllmPvHBUxXTs8uEs8RRV_FwJWwp8WhARF35yxzRSUANuhoZG-zX0BpLoVs76CWOAOtkeY7plGKxSH1Nu1TeQGlMQSDLXb6Vhl_ERftml_qKTgRd-/s320/zia.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><b>Publisher</b>: Orion (original); JoshProd/PixelHeart (re-release)</p><p><b>Developer</b>: Orion</p><p><b>Year of Release</b>: 2016</p><p><b>In Summary</b>: A charmingly retro RPG inspired by the 16-bit era of the genre. Whilst it's undeniably a bit simple, it has plenty of heart and is technically competent with references to other Orion games and an excellent soundtrack.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RMhrhJrHnkU3VfZKxYCT1OCR5fuS_F4nMxHjrzlaayVtTMtJVU3iS7n30HQiRrtc3oKxLOh-iPWsWhjWSLoThlAO7Uc05w5r8SRHBAmSw6TpEh8RriewY2AtQ4EF5jRuI6J9/s635/667.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="635" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RMhrhJrHnkU3VfZKxYCT1OCR5fuS_F4nMxHjrzlaayVtTMtJVU3iS7n30HQiRrtc3oKxLOh-iPWsWhjWSLoThlAO7Uc05w5r8SRHBAmSw6TpEh8RriewY2AtQ4EF5jRuI6J9/s320/667.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Review</b>:</p><p>Orion returned to the Dreamcast in 2016 with this twee but nice little RPG. Whilst it may lack the more polished look of Pier Solar, it has a charming retro look and feel, and plenty of heart. In fact, whilst some may dismiss the game as having an RPG Maker look to it, delve deeper and you start to appreciate its quirks and qualities and can't help but be impressed by Orion's work (which had little pre-release hype, no long delays and no massive pre-order anticipation). You play the role of Zia, a young girl who is discovering the world of magic. She sets out on a quest to rescue the ten goddesses of magic. The story is pretty standard fare but it's well written (if a little naive) and the game plays like a 16-bit RPG should. Most of your time will be spent searching the environments which are a bit generic but nicely designed. Battles operate on a turn-based system and, interestingly, casting magic requires you to input a series of button commands corresponding to the spell you want to use. It works nicely and gives the game a little more character. Other than battles, it's mainly "search for this", "help this person", "fetch this item" gameplay that is typical of the genre. It's a good-sized game world, but some players will find it a struggle as there isn't a massive amount to do. The soundtrack is excellent, and the little references to Orion's other games are a nice touch. Don't expect a Skies of Arcadia beater, but for those wanting an enjoyable diversion for a few days, and the opportunity to support a prolific Dreamcast indie developer, this one is worth a look.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCEJtMI-BC2o9cJRO2SUqgRXOQLMNTWJst_45fOFInHnKIviPG_G8LLROg9uvZewxfw7hw-Yr4zg5kJJ0o8bvsQHEazUxpNrK7XkJ1Grkco87SUzuNvUxSXUQjL252sUWBuq_/s638/34.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="638" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCEJtMI-BC2o9cJRO2SUqgRXOQLMNTWJst_45fOFInHnKIviPG_G8LLROg9uvZewxfw7hw-Yr4zg5kJJ0o8bvsQHEazUxpNrK7XkJ1Grkco87SUzuNvUxSXUQjL252sUWBuq_/s320/34.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Versions available and where to buy</b>: The original version of the game came in a jewel case and was published direct by Orion. This version no longer seems to be available.</p><p>JoshProd released a PAL case version a little later, with new artwork - this one is <a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/produit/zia-the-goddesses-of-magic-dreamcast-pal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">still available</a>. </p><p></p><p>You can also purchase the digital version of the game via Orion's <a href="https://orionsoft.itch.io/zia-and-the-goddesses-of-magic" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">itch.io</a>. </p><p><b>Other links</b>: This one was reviewed by the man, the myth, the monster ("...what?" - Lewis) Tom back upon release, <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2016/09/review-zia-and-goddesses-of-magic_27.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">check it out</a>!</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Spaceturnip's Top 10 Indie Picks</span></b></p><p>I'm a massive fan of the Dreamcast indie scene (I did write this article, after all!) and trying to pick just ten games from the scene that I both recommend and enjoy highly was very difficult. The fact that games like Xenocider and Driving Strikers aren't in my top ten is testament to how many great indie games we have on the console, as both are legitimately superb. As is, I've picked a selection with a broad range of genres, with some hidden gems of the library.</p><p>Shooters are represented with the very enjoyable Sturmwind and Andro Dunos 2, which for me are both pinnacles of indie shooters so far. Orion, a developer who I have a lot of time for, is represented by the dystopian Escape 2042, whilst Lowtek Games' iconic Flea! is an indie title that surpasses its NES roots. Shadow Gangs and Intrepid Izzy are highly polished titles that look fantastic and bring different gameplay styles to the console compared to the rest of the library. The Textorcist had a horrid launch but is nevertheless both great fun and aesthetically hits the spot for me. </p><p>JoshProd have published a lot of average games alongside a number of good ones, but with the Burtonesque Finding Teddy and extremely impressive Rocketron we have two indie titles that deserve far more attention than they have received; both are absolutely superb.</p><p>For me though, my absolute favourite indie release has to be Xeno Crisis. Few games on the Dreamcast have impressed me as much as this from a pure playability perspective, coupled with a Bitmap Brothers-inspired feel and excellent aesthetics, it's an extraordinary game. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>My Top 10</b></p><p></p><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Andro Dunos 2</div></span><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Escape 2042</div></span><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Finding Teddy</div></span><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Flea!</div></span><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Intrepid Izzy</div></span><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Rocketron</div></span><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Shadow Gangs</div></span><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Sturmwind</div></span><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">The Textorcist</div></span><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Xeno Crisis</div></span><div><br /></div><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Other DCJY Staff Picks</span></b></p><div style="text-align: left;">It's not just myself at the 'Yard who has an interest in the indie scene. In what I hope will be a regularly updated section of this article, I reached out to the assorted group of ruffians that make up the staff at the Junkyard and asked them for their very favourite indie titles.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Tom Charnock</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Xeno Crisis</div><div style="text-align: center;">Leona's Tricky Adventures</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sturmwind</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hermes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Alice Dreams Tournament</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rush Rush Rally Racing</div><div style="text-align: center;">Intrepid Izzy</div><div style="text-align: center;">Xenocider</div><div style="text-align: center;">4x4 Jam</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Lewis Cox</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Intrepid Izzy (<i>"the one I loved the most, for sure"</i>)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Xeno Crisis</div><div style="text-align: center;">Witching Hour</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bang² Busters</div><div style="text-align: center;">Flea!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tapeworm Disco Puzzle</div><div style="text-align: center;">The Textorcist</div><div style="text-align: center;">Finding Teddy</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>James Harvey</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Driving Strikers</div><div style="text-align: center;">Intrepid Izzy</div><div style="text-align: center;">Xeno Crisis</div><div style="text-align: center;">Xenocider</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Laurence Goodchild</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wind and Water Puzzle Battles</div><div style="text-align: center;">Intrepid Izzy</div><div style="text-align: center;">Xenocider</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rush Rush Rally Reloaded</div><div style="text-align: center;">Postal</div><div style="text-align: center;">Driving Strikers</div><div style="text-align: center;">Xeno Crisis</div><div style="text-align: center;">Fast Striker</div><div style="text-align: center;">Flea!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cool Herders</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Statistics and Figures</span></b></p><p>I find it physically impossible to do an article for the Junkyard without adding some extra stats that are uninteresting to the vast majority of other people. It's my curse, I'm afraid. <i>What a horrible article to have a curse</i>. </p><p>We currently have an astonishing <b>75 games</b> in this article. 57 of these have been released since the beginning of 2015, which shows just how incredibly active things have been in the Dreamcast indie scene.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhufB5HfgdYgIhTCmkXL96cVF4HWuoNAGMvR0uLhT44eEra2JVYhUE1SWGtuMicHfteF3a1sap6Hkxu5cd-FaytzIEMfQhD1MI8HzN6dZtl8vvaOxKUQJFUMBf91AC56pfaZ9dOWkz5yP5-qEkfNV19Uxwvul9lFC2I9TGbsRiYKqhfbbxYPA/s635/games%20by%20year.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="635" height="515" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhufB5HfgdYgIhTCmkXL96cVF4HWuoNAGMvR0uLhT44eEra2JVYhUE1SWGtuMicHfteF3a1sap6Hkxu5cd-FaytzIEMfQhD1MI8HzN6dZtl8vvaOxKUQJFUMBf91AC56pfaZ9dOWkz5yP5-qEkfNV19Uxwvul9lFC2I9TGbsRiYKqhfbbxYPA/w608-h515/games%20by%20year.jpg" width="608" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: left;">We had 12 releases in the noughties - 2000-2009 (an average of 1.2 games a year...)</p><p style="text-align: left;">A further 36 were released in the... I dunno, is it called the "teens"? Anyway, I'm referring to the years from 2010 to 2019. That's three times the amount of the previous decade, and just under 50% of all indie releases (averaging at 3.6 games a year).</p><p style="text-align: left;">We've had 27 released in the twenties already, and we're only a few years in! In terms of per year rate, we're at an astonishing average of 6.75 games a year. If the decade were to continue with this sort of productivity, we would see a total of around 115 indie games by 2030. That's 40 more indie games to look forward to (hypothetically, of course!) </p><p style="text-align: left;">2021 remains the most productive year for indie releases so far, with an astonishing 12 new releases (and that's not even counting re-releases!)</p><p style="text-align: left;">The history of Dreamcast indie releases can be divided into four different periods... in my own head at least. Regardless, it is still a great way to look at the release history of the indie scene and understand what was going on at the time. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The first period can be called "<b>Early Indie period</b>". This stretches from 2000 to 2007 and is identified by a few low-profile releases (mostly from GOAT store). This was mainly a US-based period.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The second period, "<b>The Shooter period</b>" stretches from 2007 to 2014 and is called this due to the abundance of European-developed shooters (from NG:DEV.TEAM and Hucast, in particular) that were released. These had more publicity, were generally more impressive than the games from the first period. This is the first golden age of indie releases and was mainly German-based (with both NG:DEV.TEAM and Hucast prominent).</p><p style="text-align: left;">The third period began in 2015 and can be called "<b>The JoshProd period</b>". JoshProd totally changed the nature of the indie scene, not only by sheer number of releases, but because of their change in direction to ports. Not every game of this period was released by JoshProd, but they were such an overwhelming presence in the scene that it's only right the period takes their name. This was a very French-based period (which also includes Orion's releases), but with a big Japanese influence from Astro Port and Picorrine Soft. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The fourth and current period began around 2020/2021, and can be called "<b>The WAVE period</b>". We saw the emergence of WAVE Game Studios in 2021, who were the first publisher to really mix the scene up since JoshProd first appeared. They're certainly not the only publisher in operation (JoshProd are still very much active) but WAVE have already ushered in the first online indie game in Driving Strikers, a high-profile release in Postal, and a change in the way that the community is engaged with. This period also seems to be more British-based than previous periods, which was kicked off with a non-WAVE release of Xeno Crisis. </p><p style="text-align: left;">There is obviously lots of crossover between these periods, but it does quite nicely divide up what the indie scene was like over the years. </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZUneRCtb1futTeOi-8KrVsqrqv_TF-WLLn-ugbsdYfcqatva0-lI_EU_NHKUOADwyqLp9HGnYcxF4i4QHeANIL3ZC7_DdAzonvn0LvnDsKFYkD5C7spHdIiHF2FB2wYxVXnwjKS_cGwmV8je-oKIlRDkFNHeipGdReNEQPzZaOch_SnL_qkz/s1121/published%20games.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="1121" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZUneRCtb1futTeOi-8KrVsqrqv_TF-WLLn-ugbsdYfcqatva0-lI_EU_NHKUOADwyqLp9HGnYcxF4i4QHeANIL3ZC7_DdAzonvn0LvnDsKFYkD5C7spHdIiHF2FB2wYxVXnwjKS_cGwmV8je-oKIlRDkFNHeipGdReNEQPzZaOch_SnL_qkz/w580-h293/published%20games.jpg" width="580" /></a></div><div><p>WAVE have established themselves as the current darlings of the indie scene, and rightfully so, as they will easily surpass Hucast's output of brand-new games within a year. It is JoshProd, however, who were responsible for setting the scene on a completely different path since being established. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtaiLoMetFxMUxWMdVEqfGtH2l0dk4pR5ZNOo30_ikMOO0PeWkHv4O0-zMMDNrFUPEAOIkWOUQrPH__y6KUWH0shlH_tlp0fWbtiOthYEMpQuO0rQk9g9EW0H5G9Dnua2Tuhx9aMXJ0XE2KeDMn7xPPLVB9Ao6lC6sbbYvpaWar7j4B_bOr5nF/s6460/Number_of_Games.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3403" data-original-width="6460" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtaiLoMetFxMUxWMdVEqfGtH2l0dk4pR5ZNOo30_ikMOO0PeWkHv4O0-zMMDNrFUPEAOIkWOUQrPH__y6KUWH0shlH_tlp0fWbtiOthYEMpQuO0rQk9g9EW0H5G9Dnua2Tuhx9aMXJ0XE2KeDMn7xPPLVB9Ao6lC6sbbYvpaWar7j4B_bOr5nF/w582-h307/Number_of_Games.png" width="582" /></a></div><p>I also love a map. The above shows the number of indie releases per country (sort of - is a JoshProd game a French or Japanese release? Are games with multinational development teams really able to be classed as being "from" one country? Who knows. It's a pretty map though).</p><p>France are currently leading the way here, which is not surprising when you realise both Orion and JoshProd are French. Astro Port's releases have increased Japan's input to the scene, whilst the USA, Britain and Spain are the current locales with most projects on the go. Expect either of these three countries to challenge French dominance in the coming years.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmBrX0WN0kDiTWaKZ66g8buOVSt366UGUVH1B81I-6b-_nb5mmlhbmQSykrjXCEp252pX9ee5MfClJPFO4keNmPaRFHHvtS3QSS4DAl7rf0J6ZTaycgg05SAlFZtC4Xmjz3P0oGSb4xpXkv1T1y1DSphQFL11NvBUQgH-VipAXYLwVcY9eo7x/s699/type%20of%20release.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="699" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqmBrX0WN0kDiTWaKZ66g8buOVSt366UGUVH1B81I-6b-_nb5mmlhbmQSykrjXCEp252pX9ee5MfClJPFO4keNmPaRFHHvtS3QSS4DAl7rf0J6ZTaycgg05SAlFZtC4Xmjz3P0oGSb4xpXkv1T1y1DSphQFL11NvBUQgH-VipAXYLwVcY9eo7x/w564-h307/type%20of%20release.jpg" width="564" /></a></div><p>It's not always easy to define what "type" of indie release a certain edition is due to differing ideas from each publisher involved in the scene - however you can divide all releases into three broad categories:</p><p><b>Standard release</b> - these are the original editions of games, without much in the way of extras and the "normal" entry point for obtaining an indie release. The number here is more than the 75 individual games in the article because of various regional art styles (JoshProd for instance, who do two releases of their titles). In total there are <b>117</b> of these releases so far.</p><p><b>Limited release</b> - these are the limited or collectors editions of games. These will usually (but not always) be released alongside the standard versions and will have a selection of extras - additional soundtrack CDs, larger boxes, figures, stickers, etc. These versions are also nearly always limited in number to a relatively small amount. These will usually appeal to the collectors side of the indie scene. There are <b>55</b> of these releases so far. </p><p><b>Other release</b> - these are versions that aren't strictly<i> limited</i> editions (so no real "extras" to appeal to collectors) but tend to be things like re-releases, versions with slightly different content or artwork, or occasionally later-released regional art style variations. There are <b>32</b> of these releases so far. </p><p>In total then, we have no less than <b>204 different editions</b> of Dreamcast indie games. Wowzers!</p><p>We also have the emergence of digital versions of the game that can be purchased - something the community has been asking for more and more, what with the rise of <a href="https://www.retrorgb.com/dreamcastode.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ODEs</a>. There are <b>14 </b>games with this option (and an additional deluxe version of Xenocider too). The following games are all available digitally:</p><p><a href="https://orionsoft.itch.io/alicemomrescue" target="_blank">Alice's Mom's Rescue</a></p><p><a href="https://alfons-ryo.itch.io/dreamcastnoid" target="_blank">Dreamcastnoid</a></p><p><a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/driving-strikers-digital" target="_blank">Driving Strikers</a></p><p><a href="https://orionsoft.itch.io/escape2042" target="_blank">Escape 2042</a></p><p><a href="https://www.retroguru.com/fruity/" target="_blank">Fruit'Y</a></p><p><a href="https://woogworx.itch.io/ghoul-grind-night-of-the-necromancer" target="_blank">Ghoul Grind: Night of the Necromancer</a></p><p><a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/intrepid-izzy-digital" target="_blank">Intrepid Izzy</a></p><p><a href="https://crazygrouptrio.itch.io/mawthorne-nes" target="_blank">Mawthorne</a></p><p><a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop/shadow-gangs-digital" target="_blank">Shadow Gangs</a></p><p><a href="https://lowtekgames.itch.io/tapeworm-disco-puzzle" target="_blank">Tapeworm Disco Puzzle</a></p><p><a href="https://www.moddb.com/mods/witching-hour/downloads/witching-hour-dreamcast" target="_blank">Witching Hour</a></p><p><a href="https://retrosumus.com/product/xenocider-digital-edition/" target="_blank">Xenocider (standard)</a></p><p><a href="https://retrosumus.com/product/xenocider-deluxe-digital-edition/" target="_blank">Xenocider (digital deluxe with soundtrack)</a></p><p><a href="https://shop.bitmapbureau.com/products/xeno-crisis-sega-mega-drive-genesis-rom-download" target="_blank">Xeno Crisis</a></p><p><a href="https://orionsoft.itch.io/zia-and-the-goddesses-of-magic" target="_blank">Zia and the Goddesses of Magic</a></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Upcoming Games</b></span></p><p>The indie scene never dies! These are the games that should be coming to a Dreamcast near you in the next couple of years (...possibly). As this article's scope has to have some limits (as the long-suffering Lewis will attest to, my article ideas soon develop into life-long pursuits with no hope of finishing), I've only included games that have a realistic chance of seeing a physical release, and which the developer has been active in promoting/updating. </p><p>Of course these games will be added to the article in full as soon as we get our grubby little hands on them. </p><p><b>Chew Chew Mimic</b> - The next release expected to hit the Dreamcast should be this contribution from both Rigg'd Games (Yeah Yeah Beebiss II) and Lowtek Games (Flea!, Tapeworm Disco Puzzle), published by WAVE Game Studios. With a list of contributors like that, you should be a little excited. The game is a simple puzzle title where you guide some knights towards a treasure chest mimic, but it looks to be a fun little addition to the library. You can keep an eye on <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/" target="_blank">WAVE's site</a> for further news on this one, as well as John Riggs' various <a href="https://linktr.ee/johnriggs?fbclid=IwAR1UZH2MbMQeHaExD2kvPD-yB5XNIRGEEZZJvQeCJZqab-RbfplmrHAo1fk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">online presences</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoruqMEUtal50jLrO3lAusHBzY8Fxb_FXUs7p4lZBrdsKA7VOcujFOjGNoLqlpkFpwFrN4UxIRVYYeQf09XlqwLj6tMjoO6eFIzPWMgJKrN8CUuld4Kj_gCTl93FA0ZmoHy6VFBhtTT0Awzb4PU8IrYFxBRB1mSdfHFX2nZFFDYYaLAWEr2rIj/s614/chew.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="614" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoruqMEUtal50jLrO3lAusHBzY8Fxb_FXUs7p4lZBrdsKA7VOcujFOjGNoLqlpkFpwFrN4UxIRVYYeQf09XlqwLj6tMjoO6eFIzPWMgJKrN8CUuld4Kj_gCTl93FA0ZmoHy6VFBhtTT0Awzb4PU8IrYFxBRB1mSdfHFX2nZFFDYYaLAWEr2rIj/s320/chew.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Gemaboy Zero</b> - Nape Games' third release on the Dreamcast was successfully Kickstarted and is coming to the machine sometime in 2024. Another Metroidvania/platformer ported from the NES, it's a little disappointing that we're once more not getting a more modern version of their multi-platform release, but they have a proven record of delivering titles to the Dreamcast and this should be an enjoyable addition. For updates on this one, keep an eye on <a href="https://www.napegames.com/" target="_blank">Nape Games' site</a> and the game's <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/napegame/gemaboy-zero-x-epic-timetravel-non-linear-ploidmania/description" target="_blank">Kickstarter campaign page</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQ3eA-UPdT3ZVQIVPgf3FP9BSfI3t7Zgme0vp5KabOv0X4Dafk-lu52jdWOTJkhRzfuR7GYql_oTWgXCvC4yXCWZykrsHtcT5Mdl7PSZWafjU6g5-J28iUDUDGNIINVpv7Dw31utBmLxYIMlqPFnEC-SUceK2d224Vuj9uVakxS3HjViHBg/s680/2BCB834F-1FE5-4949-8FB1-7CD606CB1D95.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="680" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQ3eA-UPdT3ZVQIVPgf3FP9BSfI3t7Zgme0vp5KabOv0X4Dafk-lu52jdWOTJkhRzfuR7GYql_oTWgXCvC4yXCWZykrsHtcT5Mdl7PSZWafjU6g5-J28iUDUDGNIINVpv7Dw31utBmLxYIMlqPFnEC-SUceK2d224Vuj9uVakxS3HjViHBg/s320/2BCB834F-1FE5-4949-8FB1-7CD606CB1D95.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>HarleQuest!</b> - this one is highly anticipated and could be a real contender to challenge the best there is in the indie library. Another successful Kickstarter campaign, this is a 3D dungeon crawling hack n' slash with procedurally-generated stages and a co-op drop in mode. It looks fantastic, and with some early demos have been positively received, it is shaping up to be a real highlight of 2024. You can keep an eye on the game via its <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ross-codes/harlequest-a-new-3d-dungeon-crawler-for-the-sega-dreamcast/description" target="_blank">Kickstarter campaign page</a> and the <a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/" target="_blank">WAVE Game Studios site</a> (who will be dealing with the publishing of this in late 2024).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1W3eMaMVrtHPhturX1SRQ23Ry2-WGa_SOx88MRuPbggQquLClmQOCGvENnChRjeiGGKzKEd8UT3cmOrM0GswSZdWrPwy_gzUq5uDQGRIDkWhxd4i3VRd2teg47p6yiaTajDv3bwDX71pYpfPZl6dSic5OdBWbEXoVLwfo013hXNuZIO4K1G5/s680/harle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="680" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1W3eMaMVrtHPhturX1SRQ23Ry2-WGa_SOx88MRuPbggQquLClmQOCGvENnChRjeiGGKzKEd8UT3cmOrM0GswSZdWrPwy_gzUq5uDQGRIDkWhxd4i3VRd2teg47p6yiaTajDv3bwDX71pYpfPZl6dSic5OdBWbEXoVLwfo013hXNuZIO4K1G5/s320/harle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Paprium</b> - there's not enough space here to go into the long and convoluted history of Paprium and its Mega Drive release, or into how Watermelon - once viewed as shining indie darlings due to the release of Pier Solar - burned a lot of bridges with the controversies surrounding the game's release. Suffice to say, an announcement of a Dreamcast port of the game after (some) backers of the original had finally received their copies was met with a mix of scepticism and excitement (the original was positively received when finally released, after all). The port was first teased as an add-on to a Kickstarter campaign for Paprium to be ported onto modern gen systems. This campaign ultimately reached its goal, so now we can look forward to a vibrant cyberpunk influenced beat 'em up which improves on the original. The Dreamcast collectors editions should also be very cool to receive, judging by Watermelon's previous showings. Already slipping past its original planned release date, we'll probably see this one in 2024. You can check in on the game's Kickstarter campaign <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/573261866/paprium-the-16-bit-beat-them-all-coming-to-the-next-gen" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFgKinUOW9Hl1ug525-LZky5Uyz6UredXCpE6FJgXLoCiXjUNdRJ7OZ7gJoPq3HSBrVp-EyLjDVsaQi0L9nE1YFo6b7yAL04c2L74cHXcZPPAbOf9sp-RJn2zps0vbaQpsVryOEFb_yY_jYHe44K7NRvYsyvK4OQlm2md_3vAwP-vHdHNCngt/s680/pap.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFgKinUOW9Hl1ug525-LZky5Uyz6UredXCpE6FJgXLoCiXjUNdRJ7OZ7gJoPq3HSBrVp-EyLjDVsaQi0L9nE1YFo6b7yAL04c2L74cHXcZPPAbOf9sp-RJn2zps0vbaQpsVryOEFb_yY_jYHe44K7NRvYsyvK4OQlm2md_3vAwP-vHdHNCngt/s320/pap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Shadow Gangs 2</b> - it's early days for this sequel to the well-received Shadow Gangs, but the developers have confirmed work is progressing and with one release in their back pocket, we can be relatively secure in the knowledge that this one will release at some point. Promising to build on everything that made the first a stand out indie release, we're probably looking more at 2025 for this one. You can follow the developers on <a href="https://twitter.com/ShadowGangs" target="_blank">Twitter</a> for updates. </p><p><i>Updated as of January 2023.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Online Stores</b></span></p><p>Throughout the article I've included links to the various online stores that sell Dreamcast indie games, however I'm sure some of you would rather just have a browse than be directed towards a game's individual listing, so just for you, here's that list of links to stores. Don't say I never give you anything.</p><p><a href="https://shop.bitmapbureau.com/" target="_blank">Bitmap Bureau</a> - Only Xeno Crisis currently, but hopefully one day they'll develop more Dreamcast titles!</p><p><a href="https://thebitstationgames.com/" target="_blank">The Bit Station</a> - A large selection of indie releases are available, which is especially useful for US buyers. </p><p><a href="https://dragonbox.de/en/" target="_blank">DragonBox Shop</a> - There's a fair few Dreamcast games for sale on this Germany-based store, plus a couple of site exclusives. </p><p><a href="https://gamefairy.io/" target="_blank">GameFairy</a> - This publisher currently only has The Textorcist for sale.</p><p><a href="https://www.orionsoft.games/" target="_blank">Orion</a> - This is the official website of the developer, and several of their Dreamcast ports are available for purchase.</p><p><a href="https://www.pixelheart.eu/en/home/" target="_blank">PixelHeart</a> - The home of JoshProd-published titles. Best for European-based gamers. </p><p><a href="https://www.retrogamingroundup.com/store/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Retro Gaming Roundup Store</a> - Go here if you want to get hold of the two James and Watch games.</p><p><a href="https://www.vgnysoft.com/sega-dreamcast" target="_blank">VGNYsoft</a> - A great selection of Dreamcast indie titles available to purchase for those living in North America. Also available to purchase from their general store page <a href="https://videogamesnewyork.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Videogamesnewyork</a>. </p><p><a href="http://videogamesplus.ca/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Video Games Plus</a> - A Canadian store that sells a lot of VGNYSoft releases.</p><p><a href="https://www.wavegamestudios.com/shop" target="_blank">WAVE Game Studios</a> - the best place for WAVE releases - direct from the source!</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Complete List of Indie Releases</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Here's every physical indie release for the Dreamcast available in one handy list, if that's something you really want!</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul><li>4x4 Jam (PAL case) </li><li>4x4 Jam (US/JPN style)</li><li>Alice Dreams Tournament (US style)</li><li>Alice Dreams Tournament (Japanese style)</li><li>Alice Dreams Tournament limited edition (US style)</li><li>Alice Dreams Tournament limited edition (Japanese style)</li><li>Alice Dreams Tournament limited edition (PAL case)</li><li>Alice Dreams Tournament (European style WAVE re-release)</li><li>Alice Dreams Tournament (US style WAVE re-release)</li><li>Alice Dreams Tournament (Japanese style WAVE re-release)</li><li>Alice's Mom's Rescue (jewel case)</li><li>Alice's Mom's Rescue limited edition (DVD case)</li><li>Alice's Mom's Rescue (PAL case JoshProd re-release)</li><li>Alice's Mom's Rescue (US/JPN style JoshProd re-release)</li><li>Alice Sisters (PAL case)</li><li>Alice Sisters (US/JPN style)</li><li>Andro Dunos (PAL case)</li><li>Andro Dunos (US/JPN style)</li><li>Andro Dunos II (PAL case)</li><li>Andro Dunos II (US/JPN style)</li><li>Andro Dunos II - Space Songs edition (PAL case)</li><li>Andro Dunos II - Space Songs edition (US/JPN style)</li><li>Another World (PAL case)</li><li>Another World (US/JPN style)</li><li>Arcade Racing Legends (PAL case)</li><li>Arcade Racing Legends (US/JPN style)</li><li>Arcade Racing Legends: Road Trip edition (PAL case)</li><li>Arcade Racing Legends: Road Trip edition (US/JPN style)</li><li>Armed 7 (PAL case)</li><li>Armed 7 (US/JPN style)</li><li>Armed 7 limited edition (PAL case)</li><li>Astro Port Collector</li><li>Bang² Busters (PAL case)</li><li>Bang² Busters (US/JPN style)</li><li>Battle Crust (PAL case)</li><li>Battle Crust (US/JPN style)</li><li>Battle Crust limited edition (PAL case)</li><li>Big2Small</li><li>Breakers (PAL case)</li><li>Breakers (US/JPN style)</li><li>Captain Tomaday (PAL case)</li><li>Captain Tomaday (US/JPN style)</li><li>Cool Herders</li><li>Dráscula: The Vampire Strikes Back (CD case)</li><li>Dráscula: The Vampire Strikes Back (DVD case)</li><li>Dreamcastnoid (mini cd)</li><li>Dream Para Para </li><li>Driving Strikers (European style)</li><li>Driving Strikers (US style)</li><li>Driving Strikers (Japanese style)</li><li>Driving Strikers limited edition (European style)</li><li>Driving Strikers limited edition (US style)</li><li>Driving Strikers limited edition (Japanese style)</li><li>Dux</li><li>Dux limited edition </li><li>Dux 1.5</li><li>Dux 1.5 limited edition</li><li>Dux 1.5 collectors edition</li><li>Dux 1.5 jewel case edition</li><li>Dux 1.5 special edition</li><li>Dux 1.5 (PAL case re-release from JoshProd/PixelHeart)</li><li>Dux 1.5 (US/JPN style re-release from JoshProd/PixelHeart)</li><li>Elansar & Philia</li><li>Escape 2042: The Truth Defenders</li><li>The Escapee (PAL case)</li><li>The Escapee (US/JPN style)</li><li>Fade to Black (PAL case)</li><li>Fade to Black (US/JPN style)</li><li>Fast Striker</li><li>Fast Striker limited edition</li><li>Fast Striker (jewel case re-release)</li><li>Feet of Fury</li><li>Finding Teddy (PAL case)</li><li>Finding Teddy (US/JPN style)</li><li>Flashback (PAL case)</li><li>Flashback (US/JPN style)</li><li>Flea!</li><li>Flea! special edition </li><li>Frog Feast</li><li>Fruit'Y</li><li>FX Unit Yuki: The Henshin Engine (PAL case)</li><li>FX Unit Yuki: The Henshin Engine (US/JPN style)</li><li>FX Unit Yuki: The Henshin Engine (sarumaru version)</li><li>Ganryu (PAL case)</li><li>Ganryu (US/JPN style)</li><li>Ghost Blade (regular jewel case release)</li><li>Ghost Blade (regular DVD case release)</li><li>Ghost Blade limited edition</li><li>Ghost Blade collectors edition</li><li>Ghost Blade (PAL case re-release from JoshProd/PixelHeart)</li><li>Ghost Blade (US/JPN style re-release from JoshProd/PixelHeart)</li><li>Ghoul Grind: Night of the Necromancer</li><li>Gunlord</li><li>Gunlord limited edition</li><li>Gunlord Dragon box edition</li><li>Gunlord (jewel case re-release)</li><li>Hermes (original with comic book)</li><li>Hermes (VGNY re-release US style)</li><li>Hermes (VGNY boxed release with VMU)</li><li>Intrepid Izzy (European style)</li><li>Intrepid Izzy (US style)</li><li>Intrepid Izzy (Japanese style)</li><li>Intrepid Izzy special edition (European style)</li><li>Intrepid Izzy special edition (US style)</li><li>Intrepid Izzy special edition (Japanese style)</li><li>Intrepid Izzy (PAL case Kickstarter edition)</li><li>Intrepid Izzy limited edition (PAL case)</li><li>Intrepid Izzy collectors edition (European style)</li><li>Intrepid Izzy collectors edition (US style)</li><li>Intrepid Izzy collectors edition (Japanese style)</li><li>Intrepid Izzy (DragonBox Shop edition)</li><li>Irides: Master of Blocks</li><li>Irides: Master of Blocks limited edition</li><li>James & Watch - Arm</li><li>James & Watch - Arm special edition</li><li>James & Watch - Tooth Cracker</li><li>Last Hope</li><li>Last Hope limited edition</li><li>Last Hope Pink Bullets (pink case)</li><li>Last Hope Pink Bullets (black case)</li><li>Last Hope Pink Bullets (jewel case re-release)</li><li>Leona's Tricky Adventures</li><li>Magic Pockets (PAL case)</li><li>Magic Pockets (US/JPN style)</li><li>Magic Pockets limited edition (PAL case)</li><li>Maqiupai</li><li>Mawthorne</li><li>NEO XYX</li><li>NEO XYX limited edition</li><li>NEO XYX collectors edition</li><li>Orion's Puzzle Collection</li><li>Pier Solar (PAL case)</li><li>Pier Solar (US style)</li><li>Pier Solar (Japanese style)</li><li>Pier Solar limited edition (PAL case)</li><li>Pier Solar limited edition (US style)</li><li>Pier Solar limited edition (Japanese style)</li><li>Ploid</li><li>Ploid (VGNY re-release)</li><li>Postal (European style)</li><li>Postal (Japanese style)</li><li>Postal (PAL case release)</li><li>Postal (WAVE US style)</li><li>Postal (VGNYsoft style)</li><li>Redux Dark Matters regular edition</li><li>Redux Dark Matters limited edition</li><li>Redux Dark Matters special edition (steelbook)</li><li>Redux Dark Matters 1.1</li><li>Redux Dark Matters 1.1 collectors edition</li><li>Reknum Souls Adventure</li><li>Reknum Souls Adventure (VGNYsoft re-release)</li><li>Rocketron (PAL case)</li><li>Rocketron (US/JPN style)</li><li>Rush Rush Rally Racing</li><li>Rush Rush Rally Racing DX (deluxe version)</li><li>Rush Rush Rally Racing DX (deluxe "night" version)</li><li>Rush Rush Rally Reloaded (DVD case)</li><li>Rush Rush Rally Reloaded (PAL case)</li><li>Rush Rush Rally Reloaded special edition (WAVE re-release)</li><li>Satazius Next (PAL case)</li><li>Satazius Next (US/JPN style)</li><li>Shadow Gangs (European style)</li><li>Shadow Gangs (Japanese style)</li><li>Shadow Gangs (US style, WAVE published Kickstarter exclusive)</li><li>Shadow Gangs (US style, VGNYsoft published)</li><li>Shadow Gangs (PAL case)</li><li>Shadow Gangs collectors edition</li><li>Shadow Gangs ultra edition</li><li>Sturmwind</li><li>Sturmwind Windstarke 12 edition</li><li>Sturmwind (DragonBox Shop/The Bit station re-release)</li><li>Sturmwind (PAL case re-release from JoshProd/PixelHeart)</li><li>Supercharged Robot Vulkaiser (PAL case)</li><li>Supercharged Robot Vulkaiser (US/JPN style)</li><li>Tapeworm Disco Puzzle</li><li>The Textorcist</li><li>The Textorcist limited edition</li><li>The Textorcist - Exorcised version (slipcase)</li><li>Tough Guy (PAL case)</li><li>Tough Guy (US/JPN style)</li><li>Völgarr the Viking (PAL case)</li><li>Völgarr the Viking (US/JPN style)</li><li>Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles</li><li>Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles (re-release from DragonBox Shop)</li><li>Witching Hour</li><li>Wolflame (PAL case)</li><li>Wolflame (US/JPN style)</li><li>Xenocider</li><li>Xenocider special edition (DVD case)</li><li>Xenocider PAL edition (PAL case)</li><li>Xenocider steelbook edition (steelbook)</li><li>Xenocider (WAVE re-release)</li><li>Xenocider (VGNYsoft re-release)</li><li>Xeno Crisis (European style)</li><li>Xeno Crisis (US style)</li><li>Xeno Crisis (Japanese style)</li><li>Xeno Crisis Kickstarter (European style)</li><li>Xeno Crisis Kickstarter (US style)</li><li>Xeno Crisis Kickstarter (Japanese style)</li><li>Yeah Yeah Beebiss II (John Riggs version)</li><li>Yeah Yeah Beebiss II (WAVE version)</li><li>Zia and the goddesses of magic</li><li>Zia and the goddesses of magic (PAL case re-release from JoshProd/PixelHeart)</li></ul><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><b>The stuff at the bottom: </b></p><p>This article is updated to cover all commercially released indie games up to January 2023; the last game added being Driving Strikers.</p><p>All screenshots and box shots in this article are either sourced from previous DCJY articles or from the publisher's/developer's official websites where available. On the few instances where I couldn't source adequate pictures, I have used either <a href="https://www.mobygames.com/" target="_blank">MobyGames</a> or <a href="https://segaretro.org/Main_Page" target="_blank">Sega Retro</a> which are both integral to the retro gaming internet scene. </p><p>All views expressed in this article have been mine alone, and shouldn't be taken as the views of other Junkyard staff members.</p><p>Do you want your indie release to be featured in this article? Whilst I'm not going to say no to free stuff being sent to me - chances are I'll be one of the first buying your game anyway - but feel free to contact us on our usual social media accounts or via the email address listed in the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/p/test-2.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">About</a> section of the website, where the rest of the crew will gladly receive any promo copies.</p></div></div></div>Spaceturniphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11383741102834391718noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-9144775490396974952024-01-07T20:34:00.025+00:002024-01-07T23:33:24.969+00:00Vanishing Point: The Dreamcast's Secret Ridge Racer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjai24PxmPZu3sBHgHTZSjjIE_Um72FuW4_XFK2WNWDlVo8Y8unfhbAJpALUP-aakIB5pYEpj-lt4m3DkvNh4DexdHG6BuiDEYrFRBAPLjhJ3YuD17ftfDuyItHVdVzeWVNUtlBWtOWh_oTJIqUVVfkeViQ5SKmM5xrjkEX97Bm3_sRy8bLTsVv8g/s800/MV5BM2Q2MGQ0MjctM2EyOC00ZjY4LTliZTYtNThjNjA4MTRlMGUwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTM2MDQ5NTU@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="800" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjai24PxmPZu3sBHgHTZSjjIE_Um72FuW4_XFK2WNWDlVo8Y8unfhbAJpALUP-aakIB5pYEpj-lt4m3DkvNh4DexdHG6BuiDEYrFRBAPLjhJ3YuD17ftfDuyItHVdVzeWVNUtlBWtOWh_oTJIqUVVfkeViQ5SKmM5xrjkEX97Bm3_sRy8bLTsVv8g/w472-h275/MV5BM2Q2MGQ0MjctM2EyOC00ZjY4LTliZTYtNThjNjA4MTRlMGUwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTM2MDQ5NTU@._V1_.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><p>In early January 2001, while most were still nursing hangovers and recovering from eating too many mince pies, Vanishing Point released on both the Dreamcast and PlayStation to little fanfare in what was an already overcrowded genre. As such, it unfortunately drifted off into obscurity as one of the most misunderstood and underappreciated racing games of its era.</p><p>The titular "Vanishing Point" was actually a reference to developer Clockwork Games' ambitions to create a racing game with neither graphical pop up or fog masking the draw distance. It was also inspired by popular arcade racers of the time, such as Sega Rally, SCUD racer, and there is definitely a taste of Ridge Racer in the visual and course design, with planes flying overhead, yachts in harbours, windmills, trains and of course, lots of big fancy bridges. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYG4noRYeCZ5Vsy_LMIyJmlLwV2VfGj5fydAFjsy-yEw1Uuu_D-9lYlCyZkw3l9MiC6FVXL-V-kfPxthjr2iJZEbYrvO1lEPBL6DSNK4kBafEBXPa-I7MfeooT7AMBziexufS67mcDR2Y4k_fjA7a1LMaekMm0fLObv5U7CA0q-0FVORpe-w9lOw/s566/10456911-vanishing-point-dreamcast-gotta-love-a-game-with-space-shuttles.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="566" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYG4noRYeCZ5Vsy_LMIyJmlLwV2VfGj5fydAFjsy-yEw1Uuu_D-9lYlCyZkw3l9MiC6FVXL-V-kfPxthjr2iJZEbYrvO1lEPBL6DSNK4kBafEBXPa-I7MfeooT7AMBziexufS67mcDR2Y4k_fjA7a1LMaekMm0fLObv5U7CA0q-0FVORpe-w9lOw/w320-h268/10456911-vanishing-point-dreamcast-gotta-love-a-game-with-space-shuttles.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/6341/vanishing-point/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MobyGames</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>But before we go any further, let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way. The game's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sLnU7wo0gY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">intro footage</a> is about as misleading as any opening FMV could be for a game. You do not directly race against opponents, there are no aggressive two-way or even three-way races, nor are there oncoming tankers with explosions to satisfy even the craziest of pyromaniacs. That said, what is here, is a rather unique take on the arcade racer. Instead of starting at the back and working your way through the pack to first place, the structure is more like an open time trial. This has led to the misconception over the years that Vanishing Point is just a time trial game. While the aim is to beat each race's set time, the real hook of the game is the traffic you have to weave through as efficiently as possible in order to be able to hit that time - you can’t just follow the most obvious path around the course. The traffic is also multi-tiered, adding an extra layer of depth to how you must approach your driving.</p><p>There are two types of traffic AI, the first being basic "drone" vehicles which are just cars that happen to be on the road. They pose very little risk, as long as you just don’t plough into them. But what does make the driving of Vanishing Point much more interesting are other racers on the road who are also vying for the fastest time. Being ready to respond to whatever is going to happen in front of you makes getting past these particular drivers much more challenging; they are much less predictable, and will even try to get around the drone traffic, often taking themselves out in the process.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrMPesZx5Fwh3mOw8ulrvhtWR45qML3_Rx4lMdkzC8qdN4s4rbEYuPJe0dpq0xFtQ759PUBN0EIff9tsTw-mgOFNVKc7q8jOMXhAMcmZV6zwvQMkPEDlEkzGlGDo33olXyWvnQJ9xfBlqm_v3JVw9kTMvOdHhco6unq3ghSyft6hCA1RTK3RACw/s564/10456914-vanishing-point-dreamcast-lots-of-traffic.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="564" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrMPesZx5Fwh3mOw8ulrvhtWR45qML3_Rx4lMdkzC8qdN4s4rbEYuPJe0dpq0xFtQ759PUBN0EIff9tsTw-mgOFNVKc7q8jOMXhAMcmZV6zwvQMkPEDlEkzGlGDo33olXyWvnQJ9xfBlqm_v3JVw9kTMvOdHhco6unq3ghSyft6hCA1RTK3RACw/s320/10456914-vanishing-point-dreamcast-lots-of-traffic.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/6341/vanishing-point/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MobyGames</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>This brings the three key pillars of Vanishing Point into view:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Momentum</li><li>Anticipation</li><li>Threading the line</li></ul><p></p><p>In order to keep your speed up, you need to carry momentum through the corners of the course into the straights, which entails not slowing down too sharply or steering too heavily. At the same time, you have to anticipate the traffic ahead, and may find that the fastest path forward is also going to lead you directly into a three-car pile-up, adding a great risk/reward hook. This makes threading your line around the course and through the traffic vital, and once you're familiar with the handling, this is an extremely satisfying gameplay mechanic, especially when combined with the incredible sense of speed the faster cars have.</p><p>There are a variety of licensed vehicles from several manufacturers available, including Ford, Toyota and Audi, each with their own unique handling and physics models. The differences between the cars provide a good level of variety to races, as it means there are better ways to approach certain courses depending on the vehicle you have selected. The courses and also nicely varied in both layout and aesthetics, which helps to prevent the game from looking and feeling samey as you progress.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnM1y3MeMgQortScxNksaetMYoxxpOFKrgwNLaqRwLmRLx_bOcwMiOBspoWYA2EcRGax5wwnAyVSsxb2mpsfGcODfF2SdMaMIhUgbboaONCANqFg7mrrUY6ha8Am3bdYbYTImB3GumG49WS-YoihmDEOLYRW5v0UbWTOODoN99PiSmvvxK7E7hw/s564/287910-vanishing-point-dreamcast-lots-of-cars-to-drive-but-they-all-mus.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="564" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnM1y3MeMgQortScxNksaetMYoxxpOFKrgwNLaqRwLmRLx_bOcwMiOBspoWYA2EcRGax5wwnAyVSsxb2mpsfGcODfF2SdMaMIhUgbboaONCANqFg7mrrUY6ha8Am3bdYbYTImB3GumG49WS-YoihmDEOLYRW5v0UbWTOODoN99PiSmvvxK7E7hw/s320/287910-vanishing-point-dreamcast-lots-of-cars-to-drive-but-they-all-mus.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/6341/vanishing-point/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MobyGames</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The structure of the game is very much of its time, having you start with a very limited choice of vehicles and courses, with more choices opening up the further you progress. Not only do you unlock additional vehicles and courses, but there are entire new game modes to discover, including a "Stunt Driver" mode, with objectives for stunts to carry out, and a "Rally" mode. There are also some multiplayer modes, including the usual head-to-head racing, but also "Balloon Buster" and "Chicken Races", which altogether makes Vanishing Point a surprisingly well-rounded package with plenty of replay value. What’s more, although only two can play at a time, the "Knock Out", "Tournament" and "Winner Stays On" modes support up to eight participants.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3cqLRgFWu4BXG0T5r8RRczNftUPhS_tE_RdhVNrjfNKcipwS2cGnRxax8ogokqf6R4sj9OdjgwFTXg4uu5k_PZ-XpAn6Ip5VnMBOy_AGJBg_9E4qOargH1e3JXWHaCZfQ2ajQwwPc1VrkP1dXhTonR_EBbRc6tIvWnPMHdRxFYaD2FzQ98yL6g/s565/10456908-vanishing-point-dreamcast-the-audi-tt-is-a-sweet-ride.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="565" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3cqLRgFWu4BXG0T5r8RRczNftUPhS_tE_RdhVNrjfNKcipwS2cGnRxax8ogokqf6R4sj9OdjgwFTXg4uu5k_PZ-XpAn6Ip5VnMBOy_AGJBg_9E4qOargH1e3JXWHaCZfQ2ajQwwPc1VrkP1dXhTonR_EBbRc6tIvWnPMHdRxFYaD2FzQ98yL6g/s320/10456908-vanishing-point-dreamcast-the-audi-tt-is-a-sweet-ride.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://www.mobygames.com/game/6341/vanishing-point/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MobyGames</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Visually, Vanishing Point has that "PS1 game" look about it… except, with a higher resolution, cleaner textures and a silky smooth frame rate of 60fps. The car models are rendered authentically, if a little lower in detail compared to other games on the system. </p><p>The game is no slouch on the sound front, with some pretty beefy engine sounds and a soundtrack that never quite hits the highs of Sega or Namco’s greatest, but is far from terrible and fits the high-speed action well.</p><p>Clockwork Games didn't quite achieve their ambition of making a game that feels like Sega Rally, but once you learn to ignore the urge to correct the oversteer, there is a very smooth and responsive arcade racer worth experiencing. All in all, Vanishing Point stands out as a unique racing title on the system, and with its relatively cheap preowned price, it is a worthy of addition to any Dreamcast owner's collection.</p><p>Have you played Vanishing Point? If so, what are your thoughts on it? Let us know in the comments below or via one of our many social media channels.</p>Michael Rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14970172580105372658noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-68619056569556341502024-01-04T11:37:00.016+00:002024-03-09T12:54:59.858+00:006 Games that Scratch the Shenmue Itch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtrM67KU5x3gwewExDNq8Am3TSXl7jDeZ4P8i7N2VzhFv9pNew0CN6E2UA4WvYd_ogQknUOd5d06JKy72Y-FxzthlTmfMBsQi5txDDAp4im_l4hShJVM_VXbrR6ye2aTuCH8Puq-jcpAGqtjX3m4N9pYJcxthyqTL5cc2A29NBGf7CiaXofJZLw/s600/shenmueitch.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtrM67KU5x3gwewExDNq8Am3TSXl7jDeZ4P8i7N2VzhFv9pNew0CN6E2UA4WvYd_ogQknUOd5d06JKy72Y-FxzthlTmfMBsQi5txDDAp4im_l4hShJVM_VXbrR6ye2aTuCH8Puq-jcpAGqtjX3m4N9pYJcxthyqTL5cc2A29NBGf7CiaXofJZLw/w484-h270/shenmueitch.png" width="484" /></a></div>There really isn't anything quite like Shenmue. As most Dreamcast fans know by now, the gameplay of Yu Suzuki's magnum opus, which juxtaposed snail's pace sleuthing around Japanese suburbia with frantic Virtua Fighter ass kicking, was polarising back when it surfaced in 1999. I am one of those many crazy people who absolutely loved everything Shenmue had to offer, especially the game's focus on the minutiae of everyday life. While some might prefer to escape to lands of medieval fantasy or vast universes of the future, I was completely entranced by the real world in which Shenmue was set, and the ordinary people that inhabited it. It felt like I'd finally found the game I'd always wanted to play.<div><br /><div>In the 18 year absence of the series' third entry, I still needed something to scratch the Shenmue itch, and with many now wondering when a fourth instalment is going to happen, I find myself searching once again (seriously though, <a href="https://www.shenmuedojo.com/forum/index.php?threads/letsgetshenmue4-promotional-material.3228/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#LetsGetShenmue4</a>). That's why I thought I'd present to you, dear reader, a selection of games that I believe capture the essence of Shenmue, some in more ways than others. Of course, I'm not implying that any of these games trump Shenmue in stature or quality. I'm simply suggesting that you may find some of the same enjoyment in them that you found that first time you assumed the role of Ryo Hazuki, as he set off on his quest to irritate his fellow townspeople with excessive deadpan and waste all his money on plastic Sega-shaped tat (a man after my own heart, really).</div><div><br /><div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Yakuza Series</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaPbtpTdVcm6iQTONc7xjHMNov74qv8MOFuFDNsQsUgkiqITQq0D9ePn-KOfiIQsBZjk9J1W925rhl2H5kGrJg6FUGbHkgW5trBengrrn5HmcKf38tZXXHhCoUhAwcFLfOlRjlVrocCMy0PENU5Q51SRdJMiC-cD_Yff1SR0yrTIMFjdZP-0Psg/s1500/81jtboB54qL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1202" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaPbtpTdVcm6iQTONc7xjHMNov74qv8MOFuFDNsQsUgkiqITQq0D9ePn-KOfiIQsBZjk9J1W925rhl2H5kGrJg6FUGbHkgW5trBengrrn5HmcKf38tZXXHhCoUhAwcFLfOlRjlVrocCMy0PENU5Q51SRdJMiC-cD_Yff1SR0yrTIMFjdZP-0Psg/s320/81jtboB54qL.jpg" width="256" /></a></div></div><div>For those of you who aren't aware of the Yakuza series (if you even exist at this point), it is a modern Sega franchise that often draws comparisons to Shenmue for obvious reasons. While Yakuza didn't necessarily copy Shenmue's homework, we'd be lying to ourselves if we didn't admit that the later games in the series definitely take some inspiration from Shenmue, at least when we compare the two at face value. <i>A man walks angrily around a Japanese neighbourhood, beats up a load of thugs, chugs a drink, then heads to the arcade to play Space Harrier…</i> I could be accurately describing Shenmue or Yakuza with that sentence, and the internet’s gaming population at large have picked up on these somewhat shallow similarities also. There’s not a single day that goes by without someone shouting "why don't you just play Yakuza?!" at some poor unsuspecting Shenmue fan on social media.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMiNiDttlosgqVe1E-mlA_WoSZNXSzwmn0h-dUeqGHeFuYeNzqI8pRyx0REwpVq5I_jjLwPqXyzB2DVQ64Uwi-8KTlkZj7x1eAHwJqq-aA6BQfJ71uraSw1allfEwqyW-iEjKWVvGdX_TGgv2q9n-AjwAc61AGduVMTyH_9CRNq6fVEym7JOW1A/s800/yakuza0_05.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMiNiDttlosgqVe1E-mlA_WoSZNXSzwmn0h-dUeqGHeFuYeNzqI8pRyx0REwpVq5I_jjLwPqXyzB2DVQ64Uwi-8KTlkZj7x1eAHwJqq-aA6BQfJ71uraSw1allfEwqyW-iEjKWVvGdX_TGgv2q9n-AjwAc61AGduVMTyH_9CRNq6fVEym7JOW1A/w400-h225/yakuza0_05.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://www.newgamenetwork.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New Game Network</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div>When you start to play any of the Yakuza games, however, you soon learn that the series very much has its own identity and its gameplay differs in many ways to the adventures of Ryo Hazuki. Sure, later Yakuza games started to incorporate a lot of the same time-waster stuff that is a beloved staple of the Shenmue series, like arcades and gambling, but Yakuza is overall much faster paced, and its beat-em-up style of brawling is even more dynamic and ridiculous than Shenmue's. Think Dynamite Cop on steroids. Let's just say you're not really taking time to appreciate the scenery in Yakuza, unless that scenery is a bicycle you can pick up to smash a dude's head with. Which style of game you prefer is all down to individual taste, of course.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqdeuXX5-XnIcQ4arNt_E4pMTsbAWKR-Oz6RlAD5V9JHRb9r356LZbQT04BFbtHDSJpHvlP87LQryh_F8gNsI5geEJjZDXgAuTR9uQOGhmw7t8lfLAFap5RKUJCEWXw_qd1qpJEJWqp56bx7SGoFeL7wGjF17vo6JKm1Mb3ApLVqqD_m_z4QJXw/s1280/yakuza0_13.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqdeuXX5-XnIcQ4arNt_E4pMTsbAWKR-Oz6RlAD5V9JHRb9r356LZbQT04BFbtHDSJpHvlP87LQryh_F8gNsI5geEJjZDXgAuTR9uQOGhmw7t8lfLAFap5RKUJCEWXw_qd1qpJEJWqp56bx7SGoFeL7wGjF17vo6JKm1Mb3ApLVqqD_m_z4QJXw/w400-h225/yakuza0_13.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://www.newgamenetwork.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New Game Network</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div>What the two series do have in common though is a commitment to escapism. Just like Shenmue, the Yakuza games contain excellent stories, all featuring likeable characters and gameplay loops that will keep you immersed for hours on end as you bond with characters through missions and become fully encapsulated in Japanese nightlife. For those still longing for that fourth Shenmue, Yakuza is a pretty fitting game to fill the void, and with a whopping number of instalments to play that span multiple console generations, you've got plenty to work with. Go forth and be the best organised crime bloke you can be.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Persona Series</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uyx8F4JYi9gNnAT6n0VWORTGaCJSJwY5_5cSIzKqv6F7xI8B-1tvTjvsq7BCtKDV4aQbOsqWSbc7t_j-gqUHJPkYwBkQn1m6-e8GZqpFJ520cD7tSeQUmAE3mQV2i5SznQSns_GvcXIteBwXanw-c80VS053g6EojgEFg6GlPFrO-1ivnKwwsg/s1899/81RYPL46ZhL.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1899" data-original-width="1524" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uyx8F4JYi9gNnAT6n0VWORTGaCJSJwY5_5cSIzKqv6F7xI8B-1tvTjvsq7BCtKDV4aQbOsqWSbc7t_j-gqUHJPkYwBkQn1m6-e8GZqpFJ520cD7tSeQUmAE3mQV2i5SznQSns_GvcXIteBwXanw-c80VS053g6EojgEFg6GlPFrO-1ivnKwwsg/s320/81RYPL46ZhL.png" width="257" /></a></div></div><div>In the past, Shenmue has been branded a "life simulator" by fans and critics alike. Well, if there was ever a series that took that concept and ran with it, it's the Persona games. Created as a spin-off of Atlus' dark-as-heck Shin Megami Tensei RPG series, Persona has grown from a quiet cult hit to a monolith franchise in the last decade. Combining turn-based RPG gameplay and creature fusing with (from the third game onwards) time management and relationship building, Persona will steal your heart and not give it back. Play it for a few hours and you'll soon find yourself thinking in the same mindset as the Japanese high school student turned defender of humanity you play as, asking yourself such questions as: "should I slay demons tonight or go sing some karaoke?"</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JFrWW9-Ym9GhJK7xXUDEvf6tSn8RGvfvVQ6m0V8Odo8F29IeJHjF11M6o67YKqPOW6O_4M17jx9_QJNrKb4BMFvAxPE5AW7Gz2nCgs3fozVV8Mi85usuHSwTyCe_yoKLLCCDsf5yE9zIChUfbGHAzZSzrJBMCfxanKMDeS5eGceGaBepvTiIzw/s1268/p5_15.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1268" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JFrWW9-Ym9GhJK7xXUDEvf6tSn8RGvfvVQ6m0V8Odo8F29IeJHjF11M6o67YKqPOW6O_4M17jx9_QJNrKb4BMFvAxPE5AW7Gz2nCgs3fozVV8Mi85usuHSwTyCe_yoKLLCCDsf5yE9zIChUfbGHAzZSzrJBMCfxanKMDeS5eGceGaBepvTiIzw/w400-h228/p5_15.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://www.newgamenetwork.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New Game Network</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div>While turn-based RPG battling and creature training has more in common with Pokémon than Shenmue, Persona's commitment to exploring the finer details of real life and asking you, the player, to make decisions on how to spend the main character's precious free time definitely shares some similarities with what Yu Suzuki was going for back in '99. While Persona is a lot less interactive than Shenmue (it's a JRPG, so be prepared for text galore), it goes a bit further in some ways. In Persona, you form more than just one-sided Ryo Hazuki relationships, and most activities you do in your free time have purpose (such as karaoke), boosting stats of some kind, rather than being there to simply kill time.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaEmoVDwfn0OTHM6UUG-oM0RF9sjjFQeCRpJDyA-vDc6M6mONzV5lEuKOVzlGqa6tfLdN_WlkWRSemGc0RRiUuiqSbyGyQwUijaOd7tTLSm3TNIPHd7YzdlJV-M-l-QkObcCs-2f809UivkgWYRzPW6SfLfAoF3KDT2i5XcGr4njgX9T0bUQspg/s1268/p5_09.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1268" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaEmoVDwfn0OTHM6UUG-oM0RF9sjjFQeCRpJDyA-vDc6M6mONzV5lEuKOVzlGqa6tfLdN_WlkWRSemGc0RRiUuiqSbyGyQwUijaOd7tTLSm3TNIPHd7YzdlJV-M-l-QkObcCs-2f809UivkgWYRzPW6SfLfAoF3KDT2i5XcGr4njgX9T0bUQspg/w400-h228/p5_09.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://www.newgamenetwork.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New Game Network</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div>As far as recommending a game in this series to start you off, I'd say start with Persona 5 Royal or the upcoming Persona 3 Reload (both of which can be found on modern gen systems and PC), simply for their sheer size, depth of mechanics, and level of graphical detail. The best storyline, however, is definitely that of Persona 4 Golden, which was previously stuck on the PS Vita, but eventually got ported to PC and Nintendo Switch, along with eighth/ninth generation PlayStation and Xbox systems. Small town countryside vibes, combined with the best plot and characters of the whole series, definitely makes Persona 4 Golden a candidate for everyone's first Persona game. <i>Reach out to the truth!</i></div><div><br /><a name='more'></a></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Bully</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitV6wJNfpqiJul2fMoj1A7cDAqPHW7USzTRsH0aWpCfgCJcgQb0psoPSZGgXvFCTp6RK5n6uTgWaTAIp-adXOpdU-VOj7uZlSkVzWF8G0WUnP4iNauj1YTut_S-UTrG3XXFtK5lpAn2OfbAYVIHX2oqJpaVL3atFzh6B6ejV_8o4BTGu4L_L6lkg/s914/latest.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitV6wJNfpqiJul2fMoj1A7cDAqPHW7USzTRsH0aWpCfgCJcgQb0psoPSZGgXvFCTp6RK5n6uTgWaTAIp-adXOpdU-VOj7uZlSkVzWF8G0WUnP4iNauj1YTut_S-UTrG3XXFtK5lpAn2OfbAYVIHX2oqJpaVL3atFzh6B6ejV_8o4BTGu4L_L6lkg/s320/latest.png" width="224" /></a></div></div><div>Some say if it wasn't for Shenmue, we would never have seen the likes of Grand Theft Auto III and all that followed in its wake. While Rockstar's ever popular series of 3D open world carjacking simulators constantly get brought up as one of the gaming mainstream's mainstays that should bow at the feet of Yu Suzuki, I would argue that Rockstar's 2006 game Bully (initially known as Canis Canem Edit in the UK <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/new-uk-bully-title-causes-controversy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">due to political meddling</a>) actually shares a lot more in common with Shenmue than some might think.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yet another open world from Rockstar, Bully puts you in the shoes of 15-year-old delinquent (and Wayne Rooney lookalike) Jimmy Hopkins, who, after a slew of expulsions from schools, has been sent to Bullsworth Academy, a boarding school which all the worst kids ever birthed seem to also attend. Despite the game's title, Bully is no "bullying simulator", something many politicians at the time tried to brand it as. Sure, you can be an absolute little bastard to everyone around you - you can get into fights, give unsuspecting nerds wedgies, dunk jock's heads into toilet bowls (complete with an appropriate quick-time event for maximum dunking) as well as many other things - but the game actually focuses on Jimmy's juvenile vigilantism as he fights and pranks his way through the school's various nasty cliques, taking each of them down a peg or two, with his ultimate goal being to rid Bullsworth Academy of bullies once and for all.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3eoc5LbG82u9N71iplasL76NtG1seVCCwPuwhI1wyaHYCGqFLO-_OmQGUn2dCDVV7KX1EcFA6KlKr-Q-x5UI97tBWkQisKnF3TvV9Z6zXGioIslHfASlMN1TSHk-itBIeF2siwQiZqkEefci9G4E11Esq0T0HEU0UmXDRiI0MVVJYAgTgZco9A/s1024/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1024" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3eoc5LbG82u9N71iplasL76NtG1seVCCwPuwhI1wyaHYCGqFLO-_OmQGUn2dCDVV7KX1EcFA6KlKr-Q-x5UI97tBWkQisKnF3TvV9Z6zXGioIslHfASlMN1TSHk-itBIeF2siwQiZqkEefci9G4E11Esq0T0HEU0UmXDRiI0MVVJYAgTgZco9A/w400-h250/image.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1400778591" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AdisPlays</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div>But what has any of this got to do with Shenmue? Well, let's talk about it. For a Rockstar game, Bully features a level of detail that not even the Grand Theft Auto series would see until its arrival on seventh generation consoles. Due to Bully having a smaller open world than GTA (the map consisting of the academy itself and the town surrounding it), the developers were able to put a larger emphasis on general detail. Every student that attends Bullsworth Academy has a name and a specific character model, and they can all be found walking around the academy's grounds or even traversing its surrounding town. While some of these NPCs are more important in the game's plot than others, every character you encounter within the story can be found and interacted with in the game's open world. They even interact with one another, whether that be in the form of conversations or playing pranks on each other. Just like Shenmue, all of these NPCs follow routines. They go to class when the bell rings, they go back to the dorm when curfew dawns, but also... sometimes they don't. Sometimes they cut class, sometimes they violate curfew, and when they get chased by prefects for breaking the rules, some surrender peacefully, while others might push their luck and try to make an escape. As you guide Jimmy through Bullsworth Academy, it definitely feels like the school is alive around him.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUrlg2KzSyPKL9VxuR58TovE5GiXf6FccNnUvFm-RyWxf1HQ9biKFpdsJBRrWR3SoJy16abRCQerKdn3OpmYJ7i2Cq7eGAb2YRRxqkfiLvi6r81JrRMQ1cY9DyPqHXERW6pqFn2uINQRJ2KzDFpg_dJTCoNUpgBt6YtBOQXhHRkDVSYcwbRmkPsQ/s970/zgTT42VihuFWauxghFEnLf-970-80.jp.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="970" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUrlg2KzSyPKL9VxuR58TovE5GiXf6FccNnUvFm-RyWxf1HQ9biKFpdsJBRrWR3SoJy16abRCQerKdn3OpmYJ7i2Cq7eGAb2YRRxqkfiLvi6r81JrRMQ1cY9DyPqHXERW6pqFn2uINQRJ2KzDFpg_dJTCoNUpgBt6YtBOQXhHRkDVSYcwbRmkPsQ/w400-h225/zgTT42VihuFWauxghFEnLf-970-80.jp.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://bully.fandom.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bully Wiki</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Added to this living atmosphere is a strong emphasis on changing seasons throughout Jimmy's school year. While Bully doesn't feature an in-game calendar system like Shenmue, the seasons do change with progression in the game's story. With these changes come some subtle new elements to the gameplay and fun seasonal missions. The Halloween night mission decks the whole of Bullsworth Academy out with spooky decorations, and Jimmy and his fellow classmates wear appropriate costumes. Dotted around the academy are tombstones and pumpkins that, if all destroyed, will unlock some neat costumes for Jimmy. In winter, you can slip on ice, start snowball fights, or help out a drunk homeless Santa. And, in a lesser seen bit of excellent detail, when you get given detention, instead of mowing the school field as punishment, you instead have to shovel snow. There's even an embarrassing reindeer jumper Jimmy receives from his parents on Christmas day, that when donned, causes his fellow classmates to laugh at him. I'm sure you get the message at this point - I absolutely adore the detail in this game, and these sprinklings of seasonal flair definitely evoke similarities with the many examples that were lovingly programmed into Shenmue.</div><div><br /></div><div>Without stolen cars and jet packs to ride, Bully offers a mundane spin on creating your own fun in its open world, just as Shenmue did. Win some prizes from fairground stalls, flirt with NPCs, get paid from doing odd jobs, take photographs of every student to populate the yearbook, go go-kart racing... you can <i>even</i> try to pass your classes. And of course, you can always waste some time causing some mischief by playing pranks and getting into all kinds of trouble. With beat-em-up combat, healing provided from vending machine cola, and a variety of arcade machines to play, it doesn't half make you wonder if the developers had played Shenmue at some point... perhaps so influenced by it that they even went as far as to start work on a sequel that has been stuck in development hell for as long as I can remember!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhme6gAD-B2YFN0_TH40v2x-JHZXVMKQudkRkkuLVgSGwk9gvGc-Fyy3LcBhtwovZcuHYA_UzW-t6Jb9Rf5ImIx_rdPFtoIzb251wCtleVjLuNH-14vxscE5mug0QSWVJ0Xi0Qr576dck9z2iSZshI5lLsjLHCutMjNk178nBsZ7yI07-t2VJt0kQ/s1280/canes-canem-edit-christmas.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhme6gAD-B2YFN0_TH40v2x-JHZXVMKQudkRkkuLVgSGwk9gvGc-Fyy3LcBhtwovZcuHYA_UzW-t6Jb9Rf5ImIx_rdPFtoIzb251wCtleVjLuNH-14vxscE5mug0QSWVJ0Xi0Qr576dck9z2iSZshI5lLsjLHCutMjNk178nBsZ7yI07-t2VJt0kQ/w400-h225/canes-canem-edit-christmas.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://bully.fandom.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bully Wiki</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div>The original version of Bully can be played on the PlayStation 2, and was later made available digitally on both the PlayStation 3 and 4 (although I've heard these digital versions have game-breaking bugs, so avoid!). The game was also eventually expanded and released for Xbox 360, Wii and PC as Bully: Scholarship Edition, the 360 version of which is backwards compatible on seventh and eighth generation Xbox consoles. Perhaps the most impressive port of this game comes in the iOS and Android mobile versions, called Bully: Anniversary Edition. Either way, there's a lot of choice if you want to give this title a go.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mizzurna Falls</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8RoVVRJjVFP6q0KBNd4XSL5Ng-UYPSJ3r-WsolWV9C17Ay_LPpXYcH6q05WLJGLLzLCxU2xi09XViNj6o2NHXkgGPtg_tWxv6QXR-D8Hk_UC8qObuy-RW8POILyxy6RfYR9EP9TErpts1GBkcWa6L0_beypT9lfODoGlSskF978pEhru7dQlxA/s500/tumblr_lfifibwiHL1qzqgkn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="500" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8RoVVRJjVFP6q0KBNd4XSL5Ng-UYPSJ3r-WsolWV9C17Ay_LPpXYcH6q05WLJGLLzLCxU2xi09XViNj6o2NHXkgGPtg_tWxv6QXR-D8Hk_UC8qObuy-RW8POILyxy6RfYR9EP9TErpts1GBkcWa6L0_beypT9lfODoGlSskF978pEhru7dQlxA/s320/tumblr_lfifibwiHL1qzqgkn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div>Gone but not forgotten, Japan's Human Entertainment pushed the boundaries of video games in the 90s, creating such cult hits as Clock Tower, Moonlight Syndrome, the Fire Pro Wrestling series, and... Super Soccer. If there was ever a developer that I wish could've created games for the Dreamcast, Human is that company. They sadly went defunct in the year 2000, but many of their past employees did move on to other companies, such as Spike, who developed Fire Pro Wrestling D for the Dreamcast. Anyway, the reason I've brought them up is because they released a very interesting game for the PlayStation in 1998 called Mizzurna Falls. I can only scratch my head as I wonder why this game was never released worldwide, as its existence really is a testament to Human's technical prowess - for a fifth generation title, it really does look excellent.</div><div><br /></div><div>Taking place in a very Twin Peaks-esque Colorado town, you are tasked with solving a mystery over the space of seven days. You explore the snowy town, along with the vast wilderness nearby, via foot, car, and even boat. Everything feels peaceful, your surroundings are thought-provoking, and talking to others is the key to solving the mystery at hand.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr13b0NZRfSPPM4oxxD0QIUhBoZf6bKbxFNZibM9Gl3rRyKENUkX3YAYINvDFCHoElrwi9U0-qdQBTIfp7GCoU2fpi8RkFkt7i94CDOmkIsd2hhF3uXhbWijDQWaJiuc4N7PhVSeFsPu5beYaXggLNTSokkDGdlUfhDGDtOHbT08dqnJvF0OyV6g/s415/qwha1fzwxiq61.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="415" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr13b0NZRfSPPM4oxxD0QIUhBoZf6bKbxFNZibM9Gl3rRyKENUkX3YAYINvDFCHoElrwi9U0-qdQBTIfp7GCoU2fpi8RkFkt7i94CDOmkIsd2hhF3uXhbWijDQWaJiuc4N7PhVSeFsPu5beYaXggLNTSokkDGdlUfhDGDtOHbT08dqnJvF0OyV6g/w400-h246/qwha1fzwxiq61.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/PlaystationClassic/comments/mhqzpa/mizzurna_falls_has_been_completely_translated_and/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HitokiriK</a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>The game features a full weather cycle, fighting mechanics, quick-time events, and the residents of the town all have individual daily routines. While Shenmue was well into development by the time of Mizzurna Falls' release, it's still interesting to see a fairly obscure game from 1998 attempting much of what Shenmue would become renowned for a year later. I'm honestly surprised Sony didn't stick this one out in the West just to say "look, we can do Shenmue too!". Luckily, this game has had both <a href="https://www.romhacking.net/translations/6027/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">English</a> and <a href="https://www.romhacking.net/translations/5330/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spanish</a> fan translation patches come out for it in the last so many years, so it can now be experienced by a much wider audience.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Lake</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj_QqIYA4-TbSKQdli9rqR2zMp9Lg6qg4JEvXAdG40qFmaSEuPLDCo37SfW1gOgWugvYqBE7G7oMcw_8_OMf19tUBQG-oPTUGMb-gbGpbs_m_8QD2mm-J-gOXxDG4kQ0szw0bHKynX3JsxrjA9SaMqUwLi1LlQUT8hI1nQe0TuWOxsXWYO45zTw/s1416/873235_front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="1128" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj_QqIYA4-TbSKQdli9rqR2zMp9Lg6qg4JEvXAdG40qFmaSEuPLDCo37SfW1gOgWugvYqBE7G7oMcw_8_OMf19tUBQG-oPTUGMb-gbGpbs_m_8QD2mm-J-gOXxDG4kQ0szw0bHKynX3JsxrjA9SaMqUwLi1LlQUT8hI1nQe0TuWOxsXWYO45zTw/w255-h320/873235_front.jpg" width="255" /></a></div></div><div>Were you one of the people who liked the forklift sections of Shenmue? Like, you actually found enjoyment in doing a real-life job in a video game? Well, let me introduce you to Lake.</div><div><br /></div><div>Developed by Gamious and released in September 2021, Lake takes place in the year 1986 and has you assume the role of forty-something Meredith Weiss, as you drive around the picturesque town of Providence Oaks, delivering mail to its many charismatic residents. To describe Lake as "quiet" would be an understatement. The majority of your time spent playing it will involve driving to various destinations to deliver letters and parcels to the residents of the town, all while taking in the beautiful woodland scenery of rural Oregon. While this is all very relaxing, what really keeps you going to your next destination is Meredith's interactions with the people she meets and the relationships she attempts to rekindle with those she hasn't seen for many years.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyAsTmeLkto2JEu5b4mWyVOEIbSDVcrWovVIsqhf75mMS7i43MyEMGBcWSVtrwn9o-02msCtpsbYuRiS1yHcMOpAs8WtgOLlab30E6Yd11j_Po2VvP1Z6i4vSjM1m2_B6Q7hU2ZNVGRfibRVpnwtt-4lyNycHJu-qDeChGAq2mD4SEYWT2u0ZTw/s1000/714XbXdqqKL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyAsTmeLkto2JEu5b4mWyVOEIbSDVcrWovVIsqhf75mMS7i43MyEMGBcWSVtrwn9o-02msCtpsbYuRiS1yHcMOpAs8WtgOLlab30E6Yd11j_Po2VvP1Z6i4vSjM1m2_B6Q7hU2ZNVGRfibRVpnwtt-4lyNycHJu-qDeChGAq2mD4SEYWT2u0ZTw/w400-h225/714XbXdqqKL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://gamious.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gamious</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div>With great writing and voice acting, along with branching paths, romantic options, and multiple endings depending on how you guide Meredith through the game, Lake definitely takes a page out of Shenmue's book with regards to showcasing beauty in the mundane.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lake is available for PC, along with eighth/ninth generation PlayStation and Xbox systems.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Good Life</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwDxvuQjOHNvEhxduCpxELP3fdS3Cvpkg4FAhCrpLmLr19P08oFgF1f8ABZgfda9AgSCZzQB7U5Ugw-1-ox-wshcZY4x_su8t3T9bFY-eZAJSlgWrIuqhL2O3_4nL092JEC1Shl9J_PlgqOD7v2pLSNB4zyRsMEweUp5BOMWuYDWpjB-aN-GAFg/s1450/The-good-life-limited-run-games.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1450" data-original-width="1306" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwDxvuQjOHNvEhxduCpxELP3fdS3Cvpkg4FAhCrpLmLr19P08oFgF1f8ABZgfda9AgSCZzQB7U5Ugw-1-ox-wshcZY4x_su8t3T9bFY-eZAJSlgWrIuqhL2O3_4nL092JEC1Shl9J_PlgqOD7v2pLSNB4zyRsMEweUp5BOMWuYDWpjB-aN-GAFg/s320/The-good-life-limited-run-games.png" width="288" /></a></div><div>The best summary of this game that I've ever read is from <a href="https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-good-life-review" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rock Paper Shotgun's Steve Hogarty</a>, who described it as "tonally stupid, structurally broken, surprisingly deep and occasionally self-aware". He couldn't be more spot on. From the mind of cult oddball Hidetaka Suehiro (more commonly known as SWERY), The Good Life clearly had a Shenmue-like ambition to capture the subtleties of everyday life, except it took a left turn at "drinking carbonated beverages and going to work", and arrived at "alcoholism, fighting alien chickens, and transforming into a dog to piss on fire hydrants", with any semblance of subtlety chucked out the car window somewhere along the way. It’s perhaps a game Yu Suzuki might have made if he was feeling particularly quirky one day, and if he'd taken drugs - <i>a fuck load</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Effectively a life simulation RPG, The Good Life has you play as Naomi Hayward; a cynical, opinionated reporter from New York who has been sent to the small fictional countryside village of Rainy Woods to investigate why they are the "happiest town in the world", in an attempt to pay off a debt of £30,000,000 she owes to the newspaper she works at. From the outset, I was totally in love with the setting of The Good Life. As I've grown older, I've really come to appreciate the natural beauty of the British countryside - I even considered joining the National Trust at one point (wanted the free binoculars) - and so to be able to run around a setting like that in some kind of open world adventure game was a dream come true. One of many reasons I originally fell in love with Shenmue was because it gave me a virtual taste of Japanese life. The Good Life is effectively that, but for the more scenic side of dear old Blighty, and considering it's a Japanese-developed game, the British culture represented is actually surprisingly accurate, while also being over-exaggerated just enough to the point that it is endearing.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUoNWUGor2DUaprwHpmI8wfbtqnZv7JRMmdLFr3p0QLksej7BFxY72KCrSIUJMoocMVmkw-qpzhE02BdTgtUqbTtuhN6FP2Y4xnoN-m0Vuuf8h0o7atcnYl7BNvzFO0lohHzXwl7s3xi_5iWU80RpTJNr1JbZamFQOIyuuwjwwmQYSJAokdG_9Q/s800/thegoodlife_SS_09_EN-800x450.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUoNWUGor2DUaprwHpmI8wfbtqnZv7JRMmdLFr3p0QLksej7BFxY72KCrSIUJMoocMVmkw-qpzhE02BdTgtUqbTtuhN6FP2Y4xnoN-m0Vuuf8h0o7atcnYl7BNvzFO0lohHzXwl7s3xi_5iWU80RpTJNr1JbZamFQOIyuuwjwwmQYSJAokdG_9Q/w400-h225/thegoodlife_SS_09_EN-800x450.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://playism.com/en/game/the-good-life/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Playism</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div>The majority of The Good Life's story progression involves talking to different townspeople, and sometimes retrieving or crafting items they request, with occasional mini-games and exploration thrown in too. It's a pretty simple gameplay loop, but it was the wacky storyline, the excellent dialogue, and the well-acted, larger-than-life characters that kept me going from mission to mission, along with the relaxing countryside exploration. There is also that Shenmue brand of life happening around you. The residents of Rainy Woods all have routines; they go to work, go to the café to eat, and in the evening, some get shitfaced at the pub before staggering home drunk afterwards. During a full moon, they even turn into cats and dogs (...it'd take too long to explain). There is also a weather system which affects the schedules of the townspeople, but also helps to create a lovely ambience. Downpour at night, <i>atmospheric delight</i>...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The Good Life is <i>definitely</i> not perfect. In fact, it'd probably be best described as "janky", but much of its flaws come as a consequence of its humongous ambition - it really wants to be a little bit of everything in its attempt to present all facets of this supposedly "Good Life", and some of the resulting systems run astonishingly deep, regardless of whether or not they always amount to enriching gameplay. You need to keep Naomi well fed and clean, or she can end up hungry or smelling bad (respectively). Without tender loving care, she can also lose stamina, catch colds or get a headache. If you're feeling particularly sadistic, you can even make her drink so much beer that she becomes an alcoholic.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaR48BkWKgGGibRdyC9W3Rez95HwzNvc2GGbrdNL_ovzmtOGpb8x-DkZEDhw8SU2LTVa_CfxwmhHaf7897dkIsYzIa_T7HRMYepFI_xsL2L-V4zThS7nBzzxvwV9xGmlzLthmKsDgfnXCMCimcgnohFIIIacycxloLN7SQtSciyGCud6f0k85vw/s644/TheGoodLife.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="644" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaR48BkWKgGGibRdyC9W3Rez95HwzNvc2GGbrdNL_ovzmtOGpb8x-DkZEDhw8SU2LTVa_CfxwmhHaf7897dkIsYzIa_T7HRMYepFI_xsL2L-V4zThS7nBzzxvwV9xGmlzLthmKsDgfnXCMCimcgnohFIIIacycxloLN7SQtSciyGCud6f0k85vw/w400-h225/TheGoodLife.webp" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="https://playism.com/en/game/the-good-life/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Playism</a></td></tr></tbody></table><div>The opportunities for goofing off are in abundance, too. You can earn money for taking photographs of ever-changing topics of interest. You can learn new recipes to cook. You can dabble in a spot of gardening and grow your own vegetables. You can challenge the town's drunkard priest to a drink-off. You can train a sheep - yes, <i>a sheep </i>- to be ridden as a means of transport; this includes levelling up its stats and even entering it into time trials. Some might say that The Good Life gives players<i> too much </i>to do, but people have also accused Shenmue of "not respecting the player's time", and well, they're wrong. When I dive into a game's world, I want to be enveloped by it, and so in that regard, I have a lot of respect for what The Good Life sets out to do.</div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>The Good Life is available for PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I sincerely hope you enjoy these recommendations, and if you have any games that you think "scratch the Shenmue itch", please comment them below, or let us know via one of our social media channels. In the future, I hope to bring back this style of article for other Dreamcast classics, but in the meantime, check out <a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/12795502-the-dreamcast-junkyard-dreampod-episode-116-non-dreamcast-games-that-embody-the-dreamcast-spirit" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">episode 116</a> of our podcast, the DreamPod, where we talked about non-Dreamcast games that embody the Dreamcast spirit.</div>Lewis Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14780213240335170126noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-10569727548676444942023-12-30T17:51:00.002+00:002023-12-31T18:48:27.330+00:00The Dreamcast Junkyard's choicest cuts and hottest takes of 2023<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1FULuIkvjdbRhXTvGlIGm8DjfUR1qqb6ZUlDAsewRnVyYx4x2yjr2MxKAB33kVClUjNN5C22-cLzTGtGgmOlW2NxixzDo8Dt9ecBxru2E84MSUm-61tByAkmfG1mKbvVbsGX0_aArf7EMNbiSTvWHjXt9j0mZkUsBlwifUZkleewYGkMSLt8/s2000/DCJY%202023%20ROUND-UP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="2000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1FULuIkvjdbRhXTvGlIGm8DjfUR1qqb6ZUlDAsewRnVyYx4x2yjr2MxKAB33kVClUjNN5C22-cLzTGtGgmOlW2NxixzDo8Dt9ecBxru2E84MSUm-61tByAkmfG1mKbvVbsGX0_aArf7EMNbiSTvWHjXt9j0mZkUsBlwifUZkleewYGkMSLt8/w400-h266/DCJY%202023%20ROUND-UP.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Well, here we are again. A whole 12 months since the last time <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/12/the-dreamcast-junkyards-choicest-cuts.html" target="_blank">we did one of these</a> yearly roundup articles, and 10 months since I decided to retire from the Junkyard for the sake of my fragile sanity. Going against my better judgement, I thought it would be nice to pop in to the 'Yard at this special time of year to look back <strike>in anger</strike> with fondness at some of the highlights of 2023, published by the hard-working and dedicated team of nerds who keep this place going in earnest. Even with the AI-powered threat of the Dead Internet™ and Big Gaming Websites™ slowly terraforming the entire World Wide Web into a sanitised, homogenous wasteland of black text on white backgrounds and carefully prepared press bullshots, The Dreamcast Junkyard is still here showing that little niche blogs can survive in the present era. But, y'know, that's not to say if some conglomerate wants to buy us out for a few million quid we wouldn't listen to offers. Of course, I jest...cough.</p><p>Now, back to that actual topic at hand. The dystopian nightmare that is/was the year 2023AD. It's been...interesting. So much new Dreamcast news to report on, new releases to salivate uncontrollably over, and original features that simply wouldn't write themselves without the aid of an advanced large language model and a few clever prompts. Yes, the humble Dreamcast has had quite the year, and so without further ado, I present to you a concise(ish) whistle-stop tour de force of the choicest cuts and hottest takes published here over the last 365(ish) days.</p><p>Are ya ready? Here we go...</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Reviews</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Not actually a Dreamcast release, but a title heavily influenced by Jet Set/Grind Radio, Lewis laced up his roller blades, donned his finest DayGlo lycra and tackled Team Reptile's excellent homage <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/11/bomb-rush-cyberfunk-review-or-how-i.html" target="_blank"><b>Bomb Rush Cyberfunk</b></a>. Reports of lycra chaffage are wholly unfounded, refuted and are to be quashed immediatley.</li><li>Taking a pinch of inspiration from Rocket League, the first online-enabled retail release in nigh on 20 years arrived on Dreamcast in 2023. As expected, Lozz buckled up, checked his mirrors, signalled and then manouvred into battle in Luke Benstead and David Reichelt's indie hit <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/08/driving-strikers-review-first-new.html" target="_blank"><b>Driving Strikers</b></a>.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmS2ucIyN0UssIpjJfEhCYpknEkSyiKBfbT_j96Y8HyxAoaXiQ6FR5WAbCeLbs9mZt6_7C-K74Y2PeD0-mfMOCBxndRoJhu5nnHQPGvlY88G4-h-aGJGTB916Yo4pfuwXThkE69SWHDa9yOLPUEjI6-bMgNypJCOMyWX_jYOLAeyXqXS4RCNO5/s640/driving%20strikers.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmS2ucIyN0UssIpjJfEhCYpknEkSyiKBfbT_j96Y8HyxAoaXiQ6FR5WAbCeLbs9mZt6_7C-K74Y2PeD0-mfMOCBxndRoJhu5nnHQPGvlY88G4-h-aGJGTB916Yo4pfuwXThkE69SWHDa9yOLPUEjI6-bMgNypJCOMyWX_jYOLAeyXqXS4RCNO5/w400-h300/driving%20strikers.png" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Another game heavily influenced by a much-loved Dreamcast original, Cosmic Smash homage <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/06/c-smash-vrs-cosmic-revival-in-revrie.html" target="_blank"><b>C-Smash VRS</b></a> from RapidEyeMovers and Wood & Wolf was given a thorough going over by a VR-helmeted Brian. Rumours that he destroyed his living room while jumping around in said VR helmet are wholly unfounded, refuted and are to be quashed immediately.</li><li>After Tom checked out the Dreamcast re-release of Visco's 1992 Neo-Geo title <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/01/review-andro-dunos.html" target="_blank"><b>Andro Dunos</b></a> (brought to us by JoshProd and PixelHeart), Lozz entered the very same (heavily sanitised) cockpit to take on the challenge presented by <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/07/review-andro-dunos-ii.html" target="_blank"><b>Andro Dunos II</b></a>.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4LRSHzArBbR5gSW31SZeA-sdKhbBRC1D6n1yeGm6-BweJMO5GGfVpSqW0cTJcDMGw8piIg5PIR3B466QkdQqad9od55vY4NFFknarHU6OLAKlnIOEitlz0YdJLVSanV6P08Qir-KGjNYnhuhgNpYQ_ghc1fyY0fZQtsG9Nlb5izWMTH3tn1s/s1437/ADII%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1437" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4LRSHzArBbR5gSW31SZeA-sdKhbBRC1D6n1yeGm6-BweJMO5GGfVpSqW0cTJcDMGw8piIg5PIR3B466QkdQqad9od55vY4NFFknarHU6OLAKlnIOEitlz0YdJLVSanV6P08Qir-KGjNYnhuhgNpYQ_ghc1fyY0fZQtsG9Nlb5izWMTH3tn1s/w400-h299/ADII%201.png" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Our colleague Andrew Dickinson wrote a book once - did he mention that? Well, guess what - he wrote a sequel to it and it was released this year. <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/06/lets-take-look-at-dreamcast-year-two.html" target="_blank"><b>Dreamcast: Year Two</b></a> featured many contributions from across the Dreamcast community and Lewis was on hand to leaf through it. Will there be a Dreamcast: Year Three? Will Andrew mention he wrote a book again? Answers on a postcard.</li><li>Mike kicked off his Dreamcast-themed loafers, donned his velvet smoking jacket (probably) and delved betwixt the pages of Fusion Retro Books' Dreamcast-themed special edition, the snappily titled <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/03/lets-take-look-at-fusion-dc-magazine.html" target="_blank"><b>Fusion Dreamcast Magazine</b></a>.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUbqDEzUs1wiHSF4qSIV8hC4HF5MosMcd2d1hgeDLiEm5ORI5wxN4Z2ueC01vdrz-H6kB3NvIde8z2mUvILEu9SaWMhzlwpzdKyTT4InRvk-NLZUtsYBwIb3c-NGxP52LJCDHWDsajCjtuzuZni7R4RknajXLHgGP03QidBMaQqKHFOFibzDq/s1588/Tapeworm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1413" data-original-width="1588" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUbqDEzUs1wiHSF4qSIV8hC4HF5MosMcd2d1hgeDLiEm5ORI5wxN4Z2ueC01vdrz-H6kB3NvIde8z2mUvILEu9SaWMhzlwpzdKyTT4InRvk-NLZUtsYBwIb3c-NGxP52LJCDHWDsajCjtuzuZni7R4RknajXLHgGP03QidBMaQqKHFOFibzDq/w400-h356/Tapeworm.png" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Mike also cast a critical eye over two indie releases this year, with PRO's physical release of Wolfenstein 3D mod <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/04/witching-hour-best-indie-horror.html" target="_blank"><b>Witching Hour</b></a> and Lowtek Games' semi-sequel to Flea!, <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/05/review-tapeworm-disco-puzzle.html" target="_blank"><b>Tapeworm Disco Puzzle</b></a>, both getting the Phelan treatment. Which sounds way more ominous than I thought it would now I've typed that sequence of words out.</li><li>Drunk on nostalgia while waiting for some form of Crazy Taxi reboot to appear (it'll never happen), Brian hailed down Cassius John-Adams' Fifth Element-inspired Crazy Taxi homage <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/03/mile-high-taxi-hovercab-homage-to.html" target="_blank"><b>MiLE HiGH TAXi</b></a> - a game which presumably also took at least some naming inspiration from psychedelic Saturn k-hole NiGHTS into Dreams.</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Features and News</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A highly skilled Dreamcast developer who goes by the name Frogbull decided they wanted to see PlayStation 2 stalwart <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/11/a-metal-gear-solid-2-sons-of-liberty.html" target="_blank"><b>Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty</b></a> running on Sega's superior hardware. So they went out and created a proof of concept demo. No, we aren't making this up, and Lewis was on hand to investigate.</li><li>Tom noticed that it was high time he delved back into the Atomiswave library that was recently made playable on Dreamcast, with a look at Sammy's lesser-spotted Need for Speed: Underground <strike>rip-off</strike> homage <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/02/faster-than-speed-closer-look-at.html" target="_blank"><b>Faster Than Speed</b></a>.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSe_TLcksA8qiaq2e2Ed-lROaU8atpjw1ukvy6qZajwYiXAkt7ypcljW4xlcHs1gz4G5xeMIbk0jfR8ixb0_68WS-3K-WpIQ7OaeB21P2O_yDZdJmiaxaLyBmhuHWiGXBprcrYt5H-EoYm6E3RrDwNGWmTPdxAMQIdlr-aJf6DtDjpFW1DhtqP/s1280/metal%20gear%202%20dreamcast.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSe_TLcksA8qiaq2e2Ed-lROaU8atpjw1ukvy6qZajwYiXAkt7ypcljW4xlcHs1gz4G5xeMIbk0jfR8ixb0_68WS-3K-WpIQ7OaeB21P2O_yDZdJmiaxaLyBmhuHWiGXBprcrYt5H-EoYm6E3RrDwNGWmTPdxAMQIdlr-aJf6DtDjpFW1DhtqP/w400-h225/metal%20gear%202%20dreamcast.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>2023 represented a major milestone in the history of the Dreamcast - 25 years of existence. To mark the occasion, <b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/11/Japanese%20launchiversary.html" target="_blank">Brian revisited the Japanese release of the console</a></b>, and even looked at the four launch titles on offer, particularly zooming in on one of the more maligned of the four - Godzilla Generations.</li><li>Y'know, it wasn't always like this. Not very long ago, just before your time, right before the towers fell, circa '99, this was catalogues, travel blogs, a chat room or two. And loads of random Dreamcast-themed fan sites. To illustrate, and take a look at what became of our brothers and sisters in arms, Lozz sampled a load of other <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/12/dreamcast-graveyard-websites-we-miss.html" target="_blank"><b>online Dreamcast resources</b></a> that were founded after the Dreamcast was discontinued (some even before the Junkyard started)...and where they are now. Thanks to <a href="https://youtu.be/k1BneeJTDcU?si=_3Irs3kiyefDH-nc" target="_blank">Bo Burnham</a> for this guest entry.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6x798KWYxeWTVxldJxxkXskskDlfngOAAUu7SDLWFP4xKBiTJT0046O9wZTpyMTtIaCtvTAwBr8_zkaBAMZY4EOnwlo0qH4_fCPDihsjxSdJah2mH59YIkNQPQqLoIUaS48Mprrq9iBqOkIutHo5C-ZyMD1UpuIYqF1BD3zw1eGJvLnAT_qtk/s343/Title%20Defense%20Dreamcast.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="343" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6x798KWYxeWTVxldJxxkXskskDlfngOAAUu7SDLWFP4xKBiTJT0046O9wZTpyMTtIaCtvTAwBr8_zkaBAMZY4EOnwlo0qH4_fCPDihsjxSdJah2mH59YIkNQPQqLoIUaS48Mprrq9iBqOkIutHo5C-ZyMD1UpuIYqF1BD3zw1eGJvLnAT_qtk/w400-h295/Title%20Defense%20Dreamcast.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Back in 2022, Tom lamented over the lost Dreamcast boxing game Title Defense. With the help of Dreamcast community legend PC Wizard, he managed to track down and speak to someone who was heavily involved with said game's development and ultimate demise, and uncover <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/12/title-defense-true-story-of-why-it.html" target="_blank"><b>the true story of why Title Defense never came to the Dreamcast</b></a>. Spoiler alert: it never existed.</li><li>Apparently modern Sega isn't simply a hollow shell and shadow of its former self, and this year <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/12/new-jet-set-radio-and-crazy-taxi-games.html" target="_blank"><b>teased reboots of two of its most popular Dreamcast franchises</b></a>. So you can disregard the previous comment about Crazy Taxi never coming back. Because it is, along with Jet Set/Grind Radio. Hopefully not as mobile games, but only time will tell. As ever, Lewis was on hand to take a look at the teaser trailer.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkQqmAOJSlkERuNDZdH5hbjfsXlCrV8rgllrQLP16oEOsCMaFLkqLE_vF11RBqrlJPiHSLBF24bCsARqU5atrOHIaOEEGC4c3Z6St1AFMbF9lWqtk3yXUJDH7SvLoOaUuAr0BPzBi8F9Rn0iM-UF1ClQo024B2FE_1R3Ze-xZqPNU8wphX6Wr/s2000/Smallest%20Dreamcast%20games.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkQqmAOJSlkERuNDZdH5hbjfsXlCrV8rgllrQLP16oEOsCMaFLkqLE_vF11RBqrlJPiHSLBF24bCsARqU5atrOHIaOEEGC4c3Z6St1AFMbF9lWqtk3yXUJDH7SvLoOaUuAr0BPzBi8F9Rn0iM-UF1ClQo024B2FE_1R3Ze-xZqPNU8wphX6Wr/w400-h300/Smallest%20Dreamcast%20games.png" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Long time Junkyard contributor Aaron "The Gagaman" Foster checked in earlier this year with a rather fascinating <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/03/the-worlds-smallest-dreamcast-games.html" target="_blank"><b>investigation into the smallest Dreamcast games</b></a>. Not small in stature, but in file size. No, it's actually more interesting than you'd think. Honest.</li><li>How many versions of The Typing of the Dead are you aware of? Apart from the Dreamcast release of this zombie-themed Mavis Beacon homage, you might be surprised to know that there were numerous spinoffs and ports to both computers and other console platforms. Want to know more? Of course you do, so be sure to check out Lewis' superb dissection of <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/02/the-typing-of-deads-weird-and-wonderful.html" target="_blank"><b>The Typing of the Dead's weird and wonderful ports</b></a>.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrwkCueAFz40sp878RiV0m7dg7MtWcyCRWfWEjLgVDx4Nv4ngF_ykfVjqYSUTBY3Ag0xUxeDSVutuSKeArVLwJy-aQEHkiNDgJjdTUMcYgF8Hx6hSqM-EzijbW2tzri38f1syJgpe9HKDHsiuPbO2C8M-vBx9KF3E_DyEUMnoZvutGrouMKpF/s1716/Modded%20Dreamcasts.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1278" data-original-width="1716" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLrwkCueAFz40sp878RiV0m7dg7MtWcyCRWfWEjLgVDx4Nv4ngF_ykfVjqYSUTBY3Ag0xUxeDSVutuSKeArVLwJy-aQEHkiNDgJjdTUMcYgF8Hx6hSqM-EzijbW2tzri38f1syJgpe9HKDHsiuPbO2C8M-vBx9KF3E_DyEUMnoZvutGrouMKpF/w400-h297/Modded%20Dreamcasts.png" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Many Dreamcast releases were originally promoted via the arcane medium of the humble flyer or leaflet, and in this excellent deep dive into one of the more esoteric aspects of Dreamcast lore, Lozz investigated the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/01/come-flyer-with-me-exploration-of.html" target="_blank"><b>myriad flyers and leaflets now preserved online</b></a> for all and sundry to gawp at.</li><li>If you've been online for as long as most of us have, and have been trawling the Dreamcast-flavoured underbelly of the internet for an equally terrifying stretch of time, you'll have undoubtedly come across heavily compressed images of Dreamcast consoles modded to resemble the Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Gamecube and Sony PlayStation 2. Ever wondered where these curiosities came from, or what became of them? Enter contributor Dark, who investigated the origins and fate of these <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/10/the-hunt-for-playstation-2-gamecube-and.html" target="_blank"><b>mysterious variations of the Dreamcast</b></a>.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihlCPKVOXfggkD1DYjfBdNdxqzclxmAMcOJlHjqiaStqhcQHrBvAe-gjV5zHhGguiloz7tvDvQLQUkSPiIdwoVKNS9SMg24lAQyNqLE8e8V2MXjacciFnhgbYMwWzaFLAlHBBKWPOay9VF6uf5fFdCqJ_hchSz8Ss0wXwzaHut3kDXCGZ3M8S/s1000/Dreamcast%20Steering%20Wheels.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="1000" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihlCPKVOXfggkD1DYjfBdNdxqzclxmAMcOJlHjqiaStqhcQHrBvAe-gjV5zHhGguiloz7tvDvQLQUkSPiIdwoVKNS9SMg24lAQyNqLE8e8V2MXjacciFnhgbYMwWzaFLAlHBBKWPOay9VF6uf5fFdCqJ_hchSz8Ss0wXwzaHut3kDXCGZ3M8S/w400-h208/Dreamcast%20Steering%20Wheels.png" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Tom took time out from shaking his fist at a cloud, put some clothes on and ventured out of his delapidated shack; and then took a train to London to experience C-Smash VRS and interact with some real life humans. <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/02/hands-on-with-c-smash-vrs.html" target="_blank"><b>Read his report on the launch event here</b></a>, and then scratch your head in bemusement at the final paragraph where he annouces his retirement from the Junkyard...while you simultaneously read these very words which are being written by him on a keyboard right now.</li><li>Contributor Oliver Luddy announced his debut at the Junkyard by checking out the various iterations of steering wheel peripherals with which Dreamcast users can control onscreen vehicles. Some are good, others are not so good. But how will you know which is which without checking out Oliver's <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/02/dreamcast-racing-wheels-overview.html" target="_blank"><b>Dreamcast Steering Wheels - An Overview</b></a>?</li></ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbIEfuz0g_vmz0prwejYfMegBZ-hBYSTzsTYE0sBGMcbZ3gxl6JVH4qRUKC2IQxd1o4R_wjh41Sw108XAqy7dEGeQI78nX-tWUU6eDioehU9jcdCVn_MktZARV7uxvmJJZY5uopDfi4xy4_2FQwUg730bSgxUAwQCQ3pM-Id8AnH-L8RfN3Cg/s800/Dreamcast%20Christmas%20Collection.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="800" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbIEfuz0g_vmz0prwejYfMegBZ-hBYSTzsTYE0sBGMcbZ3gxl6JVH4qRUKC2IQxd1o4R_wjh41Sw108XAqy7dEGeQI78nX-tWUU6eDioehU9jcdCVn_MktZARV7uxvmJJZY5uopDfi4xy4_2FQwUg730bSgxUAwQCQ3pM-Id8AnH-L8RfN3Cg/w400-h398/Dreamcast%20Christmas%20Collection.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: <a href="https://youtube.com/@thesegaguru?si=L0oUtXx5uGvEeKxB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Sega Guru</a></td></tr></tbody></table><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Dreamcast indie royalty and wombat appreciator Ian Micheal fully inserted himself into something commonly known as 'Christmas spirit' by releasing his latest creation - a compendium of Christmas-themed games for the Dreamcast. Featuring rom hacks and ports of games from a multitude of genres, the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/12/ian-micheal-releases-christmas.html" target="_blank"><b>Dreamcast Christmas Collection</b></a> is also notable for featuring covers of various festive songs which are sung by Ian himself. Ian, your talents are clearly wasted on indie dev.</li><li>The DreamPod crew asked our listeners to share their <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/12/dreamcastic-christmas-2023-heart.html" target="_blank"><b>favourite Christmas Dreamcast memories</b></a> from years gone by, and boy did they not disappoint. In this festive roundup which served as a companion piece to <a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/14148806-the-dreamcast-junkyard-dreampod-episode-125-we-re-dreaming-of-a-sega-christmas-radiosega-winterfest-23" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>DreamPod episode 125</b></a> for RadioSEGA's WinterFest, Lozz packages them all up for your reading pleasure, while nursing a hangover inevitably brought on by enjoying too many <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/10/dreamcast-themed-ale-spotted-for-sale.html" target="_blank"><b>Creamcast ales</b></a>.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2OcMjA7Ku61jN8sKgtEXy_BmxeSLsKLCkmUcoHQIXBIQQevacndyxPN3-OTcjn8E4UU07cZV7e0Z0WQxxG1xsfjihzGPRthWxhdsHBgsndl9YVGoUWLuF-5V0QUUPuGRgD4Q-a_WRCeh9eqzE8NXA2kPuns3pxVRqvum4Tnxj9w-91QCj02-/s1280/dreamcast%20wireless%20controllers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2OcMjA7Ku61jN8sKgtEXy_BmxeSLsKLCkmUcoHQIXBIQQevacndyxPN3-OTcjn8E4UU07cZV7e0Z0WQxxG1xsfjihzGPRthWxhdsHBgsndl9YVGoUWLuF-5V0QUUPuGRgD4Q-a_WRCeh9eqzE8NXA2kPuns3pxVRqvum4Tnxj9w-91QCj02-/w400-h225/dreamcast%20wireless%20controllers.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Bet you didn't know Radirgy/Radilgy received a spinoff on the Nintendo 3DS. Well, it did, and in his deep dive, Lewis discovers that not all is rosy in this particular entry's cel-shaded garden. To be fair, the clue is in the title of the feature: <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/04/radirgy-de-gojaru-radirgys-terrible-3ds.html" target="_blank"><b>Radirgy De Gojaru! - Radirgy's Terrible 3DS Spinoff</b></a>.</li><li>It's been a good few years at this point since Retro-Bit teased their wireless Dreamcast controllers. While wireless controllers for the Dreamcast have been available for quite some time thanks to the work of Chris Diaoglou, the Retro-Bit ones are officially sanctioned by Sega and were <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/10/retro-bits-wireless-dreamcast.html" target="_blank"><b>spotted "in the wild" a few months ago in 2023</b></a>.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Y2VXVJZ5niLOXlas3SEASjGBmywmytwdhGGXd4ZkWBElW581q4-vl8BKzUg4zHqZbzhkIhqX0nCmbkV5JBOgQXEDwsoCXxog1Kr3iF9sjGPJCV-iqYh23dxFYrOPMagiREv8EbLESgvgZQT1BkKtdQUgQULtrvH09zupp0IOnKKhvmvNZ3_y/s600/top2002023FINALorange.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Y2VXVJZ5niLOXlas3SEASjGBmywmytwdhGGXd4ZkWBElW581q4-vl8BKzUg4zHqZbzhkIhqX0nCmbkV5JBOgQXEDwsoCXxog1Kr3iF9sjGPJCV-iqYh23dxFYrOPMagiREv8EbLESgvgZQT1BkKtdQUgQULtrvH09zupp0IOnKKhvmvNZ3_y/w400-h266/top2002023FINALorange.png" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Fresh from his recent foray into the world of Dreamcast soccer management blockbuster <b><a href="https://youtu.be/xZa0Ex0a0o4?si=nJN5HJXeRV_SQQ8I" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Giant Killers</a></b>, Kev decided it was high time to turn his attention to American sports games. More specifically, the unusual Japanese releases of NFL 2K1 and NBA 2K1. What makes these two titles so notable? Well, it's the fact that they received special “bible” editions. Want to know what any of that means? Then check out Kev's feature on the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/05/lets-take-look-at-sega-sports-2k1-bible.html" target="_blank"><b>Sega Sports 2K1 Bible Editions</b></a>. Note: God and/or Jesus are not involved. Sorry.</li><li>Sticking with Kev for a moment, he also investigated the experience of playing a range of games with the Dreamcast Arcade Stick (see what I did there?), but the twist here is that they aren't games that any normal person would actually want to play with an Arcade Stick, but which are fully compatible. The things we do in the name of science, eh? You can read about Kev's highly empirical <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2018/08/games-you-may-never-have-used-your.html" target="_blank"><b>findings in his feature here</b></a>.</li><li>Last but by no means least, and after a whole year, many hours of work and hundreds of contributions, The Dreamcast Junkyard's refreshed <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/p/the-top-200-dreamcast-games-voted-by.html" target="_blank"><b>Top 200 Dreamcast Games 2023</b></a> was finally unveiled to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the system. This really was a Herculean effort from all of those involved, and the final list throws up some very interesting placings in the definitive ranking as voted for by you - the loyal readers of t'Junkyard.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">English Translations</h4><p>This year saw even more Japan-only titles translated into English by the dedicated Dreamcast fan translation community. There are many talented people involved in this niche within a niche (with a special nod to the likes of Derek "God" Pascarella, VincentNL, SharkSnack, Rolly, RafaMGam, TheKitchenSunk, Harpu, Ozidual, DocHikari, dukeblooders, Marshal Wong, Duralumin, James Tocchio/GGDreamcast, Yuvi, Cargodin, rio de popmocco and TapamN, to name but a few).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD3RabF040A-_UakLOZbXIrJQv6mILA7H9Eq0YQ1BQRojS0BKFf4Jt5iPPvAD-sB6IjfC1yxDyj2rlUTs0JpJXl4mI0jYPG0f6JUxsoJpux9lh1ephMTH5DaUYuWeE1b1m0ZSphqZUwuEb7f7dgujJ89cijM6X0Si19ZYF5wteY-UaQpWrjBc5/s2400/cool%20cool%20toon%20english%20translation.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1798" data-original-width="2400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD3RabF040A-_UakLOZbXIrJQv6mILA7H9Eq0YQ1BQRojS0BKFf4Jt5iPPvAD-sB6IjfC1yxDyj2rlUTs0JpJXl4mI0jYPG0f6JUxsoJpux9lh1ephMTH5DaUYuWeE1b1m0ZSphqZUwuEb7f7dgujJ89cijM6X0Si19ZYF5wteY-UaQpWrjBc5/w400-h300/cool%20cool%20toon%20english%20translation.png" width="400" /></a></div><p>Some of the most notable titles to receive an English language translation were covered by Lewis here at The Dreamcast Junkyard, with one of them even being worked on by him (Nakoruru). Check 'em out:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/02/english-translation-demo-of-shiren.html" target="_blank"><b>Shiren the Wanderer Gaiden: Asuka Kenzan</b></a></li><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/03/samba-de-amigo-ver-2000-has-been.html" target="_blank"><b>Samba de Amigo Ver. 2000</b></a></li><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/05/rent-hero-no-1-has-been-translated-into.html" target="_blank"><b>Rent-A-Hero No. 1</b></a></li><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/06/nakoruru-gift-she-gave-me-samurai.html" target="_blank"><b>Nakoruru: The Gift She Gave Me</b></a></li><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/07/cool-cool-toon-has-been-translated-into.html" target="_blank"><b>Cool Cool Toon</b></a></li><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/10/dreamcast-shooter-under-defeat-has-been.html" target="_blank"><b>Under Defeat</b></a></li><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/10/dreamcast-shooter-trizeal-has-been.html" target="_blank"><b>Trizeal</b></a></li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Interviews and Podcasts</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Daytona USA 2001 was brought back online in 2023, restoring much of the original multiplayer experience that was enjoyed by Dreamcast owners in Japan and the USA back in the day. The bulk of the work to bring the game back online was completed by developer ioncannon, and <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/03/daytona-usa-2001-due-to-be-playable.html" target="_blank"><b>Lozz was on hand to get all the details</b></a> on this excellent resurrection project.</li><li>On <a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/14180780-the-dreamcast-junkyard-dreampod-episode-126-nick-thorpe-features-editor-for-retro-gamer-magazine" target="_blank"><b>episode 126 of our podcast DreamPod</b></a>, Lewis and Kev welcomed Nick Thorpe, Retro Gamer Magazine Features Editor. The conversation covered a wide range of topics, including how Nick's career in games media started and progressed, some contentious entries in the <b><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/p/the-top-200-dreamcast-games-voted-by.html" target="_blank">2023 Top 200</a></b>, Nick's memories of the Dreamcast launch and favourite games, and how he would get hooked on playing the Dreamcast demo pod in order to get his Sonic Adventure fix, much to the frustration of the other kids.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwqaE3jood0CEE9LNx-1I1i7F2T3JDLr1aVxd7Vu5Js0G2eU5m1YeSEdPGR2v5iQiO1pEtZtEOzfOi5HwxoCtpejzPG5JJMHCTUuOj9Gd4qX8kAWnAN_tG_7wrkT7An4BgLwO6G1YEtNNGfByHK1G3VvatQYAUIrJJEECNlQRhLpbGzHZp818/s600/dp126.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwqaE3jood0CEE9LNx-1I1i7F2T3JDLr1aVxd7Vu5Js0G2eU5m1YeSEdPGR2v5iQiO1pEtZtEOzfOi5HwxoCtpejzPG5JJMHCTUuOj9Gd4qX8kAWnAN_tG_7wrkT7An4BgLwO6G1YEtNNGfByHK1G3VvatQYAUIrJJEECNlQRhLpbGzHZp818/w400-h224/dp126.png" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Seasoned games journalist Chris Scullion joined Kev and Mike for <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/09/dcjy-welcomes-chris-scullion.html" target="_blank"><b>episode 121 of the DreamPod</b></a>, during which Chris detailed the process of writing his latest book <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/09/lets-take-look-at-dreamcast.html" target="_blank"><b>The Dreamcast Encylopedia</b></a>, his memories of the Dreamcast, and some of his favourite titles. Mike mentioned that he is also writing a book. Andrew wrote a book once, too. Not sure if he's ever mentioned that.</li><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/08/dcjy-welcomes-dreamcast-enjoyer.html" target="_blank"><b>Episode 120 of the DreamPod</b></a> saw Andrew and Lewis welcome <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@DreamcastEnjoyer" target="_blank"><b>YouTuber Dreamcast Enjoyer</b></a> (aka Dominic) to the podcast, during which they spoke about a range of topics, from the Dreamcast's “cosiest” games to Dominic's foray into the world of YouTube.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzKjK9_zOo9P8cn6wAiW0TGPuJbwQcT1hdUtnNjn9IhFk7gYoNMp2A1PUcMePXTZTc5G9RP2ioDFXC78hnWC-PcPeHKSB4nNvdSnlMlOXUV1MiMH7ezGMzM1ocsSntJzjB1Plx4hfEtfk_oZPWIJfXtLIhJNnHFlzXHpQTc_8T2e3X9Cfstmx/s600/dp121.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzKjK9_zOo9P8cn6wAiW0TGPuJbwQcT1hdUtnNjn9IhFk7gYoNMp2A1PUcMePXTZTc5G9RP2ioDFXC78hnWC-PcPeHKSB4nNvdSnlMlOXUV1MiMH7ezGMzM1ocsSntJzjB1Plx4hfEtfk_oZPWIJfXtLIhJNnHFlzXHpQTc_8T2e3X9Cfstmx/w400-h224/dp121.png" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Regular hosts Lozz and James welcomed guests Harvey (aka Pizza Hotline) and Holsten to <a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/13143741-the-dreamcast-junkyard-dreampod-episode-118-gaming-online-with-the-dreamcast-in-2023" target="_blank"><b>episode 118 of the DreamPod</b></a> to discuss the burgeoning online gaming scene, which has had something of a resurgence on the Dreamcast thanks to DreamPi. If you ever wondered how to go about getting your Dreamcast online, and which online games are worth your time, then this is the episode for you!</li><li><a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/04/harlequest-new-3d-dreamcast-game.html" target="_blank"><b>Harlequest</b></a> developer Ross Kilgariff joined Lewis and Lozz on <b><a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/12621911-the-dreamcast-junkyard-dreampod-episode-115-talking-harlequest-with-developer-ross-kilgariff" target="_blank">episode 115 of the DreamPod</a></b>, during which the jolly trio discussed all things indie dev, Kickstarter and of course Harlequest - a brand new 3D platformer heading to Dreamcast in the not too distant future.</li><li>Of course, you can find all of the other episodes of <a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/" target="_blank"><b>The Dreamcast Junkyard DreamPod</b></a> on all of your favourite podcatchers, so be sure to give us a review and a rating if you can be bothered. We'll love you forever if you do. It doesn't even have to be positive. I left a one star review myself on all the ones I'm on, for example. Can't stand the sound of my own voice.</li></ul><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Community Collaborations</h4><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Mike and Lewis were special guests on episode 377 of the excellent podcast <a href="https://theretrohour.com/the-dreamcast-junkyard-ep377/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>The Retro Hour</b></a>, chatting all things Dreamcast and Dreamcast Junkyard. Turns out the episode Mike and Lewis appeared on was one of The Retro Hour's most popular episodes of the year...who'd have thunk it?</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEaoEcf8xmZrIxdTPpXbwBJ8dDSj14zAMAERVDYJgUf1zWSWQitsddMyuVlCI1EGVepXeqAqKXA2DZcdQmjLrnSw8QGSG6i2WCm2v3rHqziyrIc3Um8PJR4-hXDis064aRsboVVgHSDcdVZyjDrC8UMsqtE7sfq5A4tGkznmm7wNBK2iUW24f/s1388/Collaborations.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1388" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEaoEcf8xmZrIxdTPpXbwBJ8dDSj14zAMAERVDYJgUf1zWSWQitsddMyuVlCI1EGVepXeqAqKXA2DZcdQmjLrnSw8QGSG6i2WCm2v3rHqziyrIc3Um8PJR4-hXDis064aRsboVVgHSDcdVZyjDrC8UMsqtE7sfq5A4tGkznmm7wNBK2iUW24f/w400-h371/Collaborations.png" width="400" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We also appeared as guests once again on <a href="https://www.radiosega.net/news/sega/2023/12/radiosegas-winterfest-2023-full-event-schedule/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>RadioSEGA's WinterFest 2023</b></a>, sharing fuzzy memories of Dreamcast Christmases past for the <b><a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/14148806-the-dreamcast-junkyard-dreampod-episode-125-we-re-dreaming-of-a-sega-christmas-radiosega-winterfest-23" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">125th episode of the DreamPod</a></b>, joined this time by none other than Patrick Traynor of <a href="https://www.segasaturnshiro.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Sega Saturn, SHIRO!</b></a> fame. WinterFest is an institution within the Sega community at this point, so as ever we thank the team at RadioSEGA for having us.</li><li>Lewis was invited to appear on <a href="https://www.thesegalounge.com/201-lewiscox/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>episode 201 of The SEGA Lounge</b></a> podcast by venerable host David "KC" Luis, where he spoke about his own personal history with the Dreamcast and gave a little glimpse at what goes on behind the scenes at the Junkyard (hint: it's organised chaos).</li></ul></div><p></p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">What's next?</h4><div>I'm pretty confident that the Dreamcast scene will continue to go from strength to strength in 2024, and no doubt the fine team manning The Dreamcast Junkyard will be on hand to offer a familiar torrent of news, features, reviews, previews, podcasts and interviews. If you haven't already, please go and give The 'Yard <a href="https://twitter.com/TheDCJunkyard" target="_blank"><b>a follow on Twitter</b></a>, or join our lovely<b> <a href="https://discord.com/invite/qw9HJRRbVk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discord community</a></b> so you don't miss anything.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll return at the same time next year to post my annual round-up of other people's hard work; but until then, I wish you all a very happy 2024 and give you my thanks - as ever - for continuing to support the Dreamcast, the Dreamcast community at large, all the indie devs doing amazing stuff, and of course this very blog. Ciao for now!</div><p></p>Tom Charnockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593308178739317252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-16024732204352295582023-12-27T18:46:00.016+00:002024-01-09T00:17:37.702+00:00The Best Dreamcast Merchandise: a Post-Christmas Breakdown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZKK6Hp3joJQEJyWt_v0nOAedR0OkfWnda_y5PjZoZ66q2HiG0O0B7L2AYAweNIMzFfI3DNRWP25gssj3D_8LNtJ5zjNmZrIeoZM_vWg2leDyeZSpxthKWkp5pwKixzJ1-OG8qcKNlxwO0OX5zZ66VHCtxmpY1woWizPu3qnyT3dgeJBJMHf9hQ/s600/merchfire.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZKK6Hp3joJQEJyWt_v0nOAedR0OkfWnda_y5PjZoZ66q2HiG0O0B7L2AYAweNIMzFfI3DNRWP25gssj3D_8LNtJ5zjNmZrIeoZM_vWg2leDyeZSpxthKWkp5pwKixzJ1-OG8qcKNlxwO0OX5zZ66VHCtxmpY1woWizPu3qnyT3dgeJBJMHf9hQ/w518-h290/merchfire.png" width="518" /></a></div><p>As a group of proudly obsessed Dreamcast fans here at the Junkyard, we don't simply leave our admiration for Sega's 128-bit box of wonders at talking endlessly about the games, hardware or accessories that most people associate with the console. For us, the Dreamcast is <i>life</i>, and we need little encouragement to escalate our borderline obsessive behaviour by purchasing as much <strike>plastic tat</strike> merchandise associated with the console as our little wallets can handle. Genuinely, we would buy a bin full of sick if Sega printed a swirl on the side and called it the “DreamBin” (Lewis, copyright that shit <i>right now</i>).</p><p>But of course, we don't actually need to stock up on vomit-filled metal containers, because Sega, and the various publishers of Dreamcast games, have seen fit to release or provide their license to a whole assortment of items related to the console and the games that made it great. Some of these are awesome… so awesome in fact that this article will mark the start of what will become a long-running series of “Mike's Random Dreamcast Top Tens”, with this first one looking at some of my favourite pieces of merchandise that you too can buy and put on a shelf, and admire from a distance with a tear in your eye as you realise you'll never have enough time to play all those games you've bought, but purchasing mass-produced nonsense for display like your 80 year old grandmother’s collection of porcelain dolls is now your life. </p><p>Enough waffle. Let’s get on to today's random list, and too late for you to be able to get these in your stocking for Christmas! A pre-emptive warning - I may have my tongue firmly in my cheek for much of this article.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Dreamcast Socks</span></b></p><p>I write this as the full charade of Christmas is upon us. There are the sounds of happy little children outside, seasonal songs fill the airwaves and I can catch a glimpse of a tinsel and fairy light bedecked tree from my games room. I hate it. The children are little arseholes, the songs are shit and that tree is a fire hazard. No one remembers the true meaning of Christmas anymore - no, not Jesus (hail Satan), but family members you see for one day a year giving you shitty socks because they are bereft of ideas and refuse to indulge you in your childish love of gaming. </p><p>But here's an idea - get those family members to buy these snappy little numbers and everyone's a winner! When Sega remember they have licenses they haven't used for decades they release some cool stuff, and this selection of two different Dreamcast sock designs fulfils both our collective need to keep buying Dreamcast stuff while also allowing us to be all grown up and shit at the same time. </p><p>You can get these in traditional festive sock grey with a swirl on them or in a slightly wrong coloured approximation of the controller. They obviously missed a trick by not putting some kind of hilarious message in the VMU window, such as “I wanted a new Skies of Arcadia game but all I got were these socks”, but who cares when you can proudly display your love of the 128-bit wonder to your significant other every night with these?<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscEOLy2tI4cNYoiGvcJPsiEIfC4Nqv7nDvL7EdLfDKLnqv-cv4TKhEmv0EmyWov87cMH2HuIUmSEpnLunL-iLXMVT77daxSaPPwrb73P_SDmFFKUGQo0SNevMDqQSSFaALbEiU-MzrY188YgAyaPj46zJc3JxDn2PAoi5uQCuKXpKi8RwVQYM/s1920/thumbnail_image1%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscEOLy2tI4cNYoiGvcJPsiEIfC4Nqv7nDvL7EdLfDKLnqv-cv4TKhEmv0EmyWov87cMH2HuIUmSEpnLunL-iLXMVT77daxSaPPwrb73P_SDmFFKUGQo0SNevMDqQSSFaALbEiU-MzrY188YgAyaPj46zJc3JxDn2PAoi5uQCuKXpKi8RwVQYM/w300-h400/thumbnail_image1%20(2).jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fetching grey of the socks on the right doesn't quite embody the blue-sky aesthetics.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdrfPya4m0ynsUgaMyHLu4UT_cWsUesp8pk1r3F-WZWrQdCE8LWxd-vfFxsUU9EgCl6qYgWlwdQOLP054Xp8Npf7d-Nic2zK_wm2ypZFlySXqYfbfRnsL8n5Bo040yQJmv28LCZ8e0561hPoyV3NPEOR0Y4jAtJGrt4g5SGqnKPibmUM3qQAu/s1920/thumbnail_image0%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdrfPya4m0ynsUgaMyHLu4UT_cWsUesp8pk1r3F-WZWrQdCE8LWxd-vfFxsUU9EgCl6qYgWlwdQOLP054Xp8Npf7d-Nic2zK_wm2ypZFlySXqYfbfRnsL8n5Bo040yQJmv28LCZ8e0561hPoyV3NPEOR0Y4jAtJGrt4g5SGqnKPibmUM3qQAu/w400-h300/thumbnail_image0%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pile of socks! Christ - what a time to be alive.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><a name='more'></a><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Crazy Taxi Toys</span></b> </p><p>I'm pretty sure there's no better game on the Dreamcast to recreate through the medium of toys than the mighty Crazy Taxi. Sure, if you wanted to really do the game justice you'd have to clear a room, stick Lego road plates down at weird angles to recreate the streets of not-San Francisco, gather a large number of cheap Matchbox cars to line the streets and be ploughed through by the world’s most unsafe cab drivers while you blast The Offspring and Bad Religion tunes at top volume. You could even get a little toy priest and draw an orange circle around him, before crashing right into him with your little taxi, claiming you are “just picking him up”. This unhinged little playtime is made somewhat easier if you utilise the official Crazy Taxi vehicles/playsets that were released by GamePro and JoyRide studios some two decades ago.</p><p>These recreations of the vehicles from the first two titles in the franchise feature one driver each (everyone just picked the first choice driver anyway, didn't they?) and a few of the various demanding customers so you can recreate your wildest Crazy Taxi dreams. They're pretty faithfully recreated, although the inclusion of the mimes from the second title is a bit of a punch in the arm as anything with mimes in is automatically cursed. The cabs are of course the stars of the show and are well made, allowing for plenty of “<i>vroom vroom, get out of my way, I'm craaaazy” </i>antics. You can even recreate the sequel's jumping mechanic by picking up the car and throwing it in the air, which is infintely more fun than the actual game mechanic itself.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmspV1MbSZfEe8ABB-XEBAlT_kfLUaUqnjsMeoVU7XevZSXQNgot2gEYQ_hpViDlTrmdvVo4ouuLBVz4DvqUM6cQh72W_CdEq3tJLbJGPCMxLiBvl-BL-8PAyg_3kPnvqc51q8JzbEyQtGHa4hi1f4i2rOZsMsW6mx2L0HdRVlpnU-R6Ww23Q/s1920/thumbnail_image0.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmspV1MbSZfEe8ABB-XEBAlT_kfLUaUqnjsMeoVU7XevZSXQNgot2gEYQ_hpViDlTrmdvVo4ouuLBVz4DvqUM6cQh72W_CdEq3tJLbJGPCMxLiBvl-BL-8PAyg_3kPnvqc51q8JzbEyQtGHa4hi1f4i2rOZsMsW6mx2L0HdRVlpnU-R6Ww23Q/w300-h400/thumbnail_image0.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at those mimes. Freaks. </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>I'll go against previous statements here too - no one should keep these sealed. Free them from their plastic coffins and whizz them around the floor with all the glee of a toddler and you'll instantly be transformed into the most alpha of alpha males. You must sing The Offspring and Bad Religion songs whilst doing this though, otherwise what's the bloody point?</p><p>There's a few other bits of Crazy Taxi merchandise available for those who really want it. The <a href="https://youtu.be/dIEbxQd8IB4?si=ezwbdyHQ9mCfmCoP" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">remote control taxi</a> is particularly lovely, but as I don't have one it won't be featuring in this or any other list… because i'm annoyed I don't have one. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CCc3VQ8baAChWbKCjL1GIN-SUwSBL5fZee9nHcQ2ezeyI6tUtZR7k5vgvGa5slQsgUHfnH2Fq00JFe-HfCVZgyawGUAC_8cqTVXhfnuHMJMPTZfSoVqUP1shKGiJpyG_zG8qsi9nA5GKN48QJNqyMJdF39IKmuZnf235YT-d7FveA1A3Zp8c/s1389/thumbnail_image1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1371" data-original-width="1389" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CCc3VQ8baAChWbKCjL1GIN-SUwSBL5fZee9nHcQ2ezeyI6tUtZR7k5vgvGa5slQsgUHfnH2Fq00JFe-HfCVZgyawGUAC_8cqTVXhfnuHMJMPTZfSoVqUP1shKGiJpyG_zG8qsi9nA5GKN48QJNqyMJdF39IKmuZnf235YT-d7FveA1A3Zp8c/w400-h395/thumbnail_image1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close up shot. I couldn’t be arsed to take something more artistic. </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Shenmue Statue</span></b></p><p>I love Shenmue. Sure, I may have pissed off the more hardcore side of the fanbase by saying the fighting is dull (it is, though, admit it) but this is the game that made me fall in love with gaming again and is the reason I'm here now writing this stupid article. One of the only games that is legitimately “life changing”, I've experienced the highs and lows of the last few years with the franchise and await both the forlorn hope and inevitable disappointment that the next few instalments will bring. One thing that Sega has done in recent years is revisit the franchise for some merchandise, and alongside the <a href="https://www.segashop.co.uk/products/ryo-hazuki-shenmue-tubbz-duck" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">rubber duck Ryo</a> and the <a href="https://www.segashop.co.uk/products/shenmue-tobacco-and-gold-cologne" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">aftershave that smells like mid-‘80s Japanese warehouses</a>, they released this rather splendid looking statue.</p><p>Capturing an iconic scene from the game, this is a fully featured statue that brings the true likeness of Ryo to your home. Sort of. The statue had a bit of pushback from some fans due to Ryo's face looking a little... off. I will admit that it doesn't look exactly like our favourite Japanese martial arts loving teenager (more like a perpetually haunted version), and the detail of the figure is a little lacking in places, but I can't bring myself to not like this. Maybe I’m just so in need of a Shenmue fix that I'd buy anything, but honestly it doesn't look that bad at all. </p><p>Anyway, I'm off to splash the scent of a forklift over my Ryo duck, ta ta for now. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cGauTkVKYTth1ojZEu1pxKC42KPoTlt5yXQN_RBH1IiImScyFJ1dokJlRUr-jOGXB6FZY0zRMPGEr8Mzq9sUysIIg6puvX7HWGIQ5hUjNwsYCMw6wJVVDQth9YatMl5tl3lLrxu7DPCKFtACD4J4hqoDcFd-VzjgAVFd5h9DNt2dWofC4E_u/s1920/thumbnail_image2%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cGauTkVKYTth1ojZEu1pxKC42KPoTlt5yXQN_RBH1IiImScyFJ1dokJlRUr-jOGXB6FZY0zRMPGEr8Mzq9sUysIIg6puvX7HWGIQ5hUjNwsYCMw6wJVVDQth9YatMl5tl3lLrxu7DPCKFtACD4J4hqoDcFd-VzjgAVFd5h9DNt2dWofC4E_u/w300-h400/thumbnail_image2%20(2).jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's an iconic pose, and the jacket looks cool. Maybe a bit shiny, though?</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmix7u2I8yxS9LwRsqwF7Lcd_ngWQ6OAWkyiLCGDtw1glYjvboOvHd9iiSsJDYQi483kegcVWE0a4o2vQ_FEpDM2_940-tOxM-aK_TpNtxUmQvV0BXnIHOT-vbylcjdvU1-Uh9rtwdGaF_cdvXUECPUJX0wmAX1khuKwmgfJUWr1BG48OtL53X/s1920/thumbnail_image1%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmix7u2I8yxS9LwRsqwF7Lcd_ngWQ6OAWkyiLCGDtw1glYjvboOvHd9iiSsJDYQi483kegcVWE0a4o2vQ_FEpDM2_940-tOxM-aK_TpNtxUmQvV0BXnIHOT-vbylcjdvU1-Uh9rtwdGaF_cdvXUECPUJX0wmAX1khuKwmgfJUWr1BG48OtL53X/w300-h400/thumbnail_image1%20(3).jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The face is definitely haunted.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jLYrWNu0xJDZE7A_6uWbAw6rfoNTEidkJmi3enudpA_9lrktUllH5bUDHTCuOgqtp5Vm7FMSuZ5Oq-xHxPcWOdtjR6EdEh10LxSSfCt8PKNKsrYuosHbEeQp5PDHXMe8liHHYeSVEgDnK1G2zseGzW-ydiCDhU93Vg1KbXR0JVjdpLefsOP9/s1920/thumbnail_image0%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9jLYrWNu0xJDZE7A_6uWbAw6rfoNTEidkJmi3enudpA_9lrktUllH5bUDHTCuOgqtp5Vm7FMSuZ5Oq-xHxPcWOdtjR6EdEh10LxSSfCt8PKNKsrYuosHbEeQp5PDHXMe8liHHYeSVEgDnK1G2zseGzW-ydiCDhU93Vg1KbXR0JVjdpLefsOP9/w300-h400/thumbnail_image0%20(3).jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It isn't awful though, is it? The internet would have you believe this was an awful statue. You know what is awful? <i>The internet</i>.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>ChuChu Rocket! Plush Toys</b></span></p><p>I'll tell you what, there aren't enough Dreamcast-related plushies. Sure you can get several variations of Sonic (boring) but what true Dreamcast fan wouldn't want to cuddle up to the stars of the console’s best (yep, I said it) online game? Released back in 2000 in Japan alongside characters from Space Channel 5, Rent-A-Hero No. 1 and... one of the <a href="https://segaretro.org/Pro_Yakyuu_Team_de_Asobou!" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Let's Play Baseball</a> titles (none of which I currently have in my collection, boo!), these two little soft friends will make even the most grizzled Dreamcast veteran feel a little sense of joy. They're not very big but that just makes them all the more cute and cuddly. The eyes would probably fall off if you gave this to a child under the age of five, which could cause a choking hazard and frankly, would be wasted on them. Kids nowadays don't want the cheery fun of space cats wanting to devour space mice, they just love violent video games, TikTok influencers and heroin… or something.</p><p>Regardless, this pair is one of the highlights of my collection, a somewhat random eBay find from years ago that aren't too easy to come by nowadays. It's hard to choose a favourite - which is yours? The chirpy little mouse or the psychotic-looking cat that has done way too many space drugs and will literally bite your face off if there was ever a Toy Story-esque “coming to life” of these toys?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojvfCuLITAkHoXnkibERI7Rc5U0jGE12l3P_VwoX1AimPXEkt01XAbUASE89vr6r0fsQu0CVmEIyh0nu9ym1j1d3QO7hDDhQVmE84tG4eFEtD6iyzoFecf3MShcMADVJDQgtF5JnwbFf9Sd64zOvEOmJfoC4PhUQFiQoQbx-pYImQQ_GYVvCT/s1920/thumbnail_image0.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojvfCuLITAkHoXnkibERI7Rc5U0jGE12l3P_VwoX1AimPXEkt01XAbUASE89vr6r0fsQu0CVmEIyh0nu9ym1j1d3QO7hDDhQVmE84tG4eFEtD6iyzoFecf3MShcMADVJDQgtF5JnwbFf9Sd64zOvEOmJfoC4PhUQFiQoQbx-pYImQQ_GYVvCT/w300-h400/thumbnail_image0.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There have definitely been drugs consumed by these two.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Dreamcast Girl Statue</span></b></p><p>I dunno about you, but I often visualise my favourite video game consoles as scantily dressed anime girls. You should see what the Atari Jaguar looks like in my fantasies. And the Amstrad GX4000? <i>Phwoar</i>. Sega don't want us merely using our imaginations though, and thoughtfully decided that what the world needed was an actual real anthropomorphised Dreamcast that they could team up with a similarly humanised Saturn and Mega Drive girl for the unfortunately named “Sega Hard Girls” project.</p><p>In fairness, the anime and games based on this idea aren't all that bad and whilst the idea might sound a little... creepy, it's a relatively harmless exercise in Sega using their own branding to create something for the fans, and that's never a bad thing. As part of their multi-format use of the Sega Hard Girls idea, Sega produced figures for each of the three heroines and it is the Dreamcast version of these that is pictured below.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2LhdTDAybqOdiZdOCJT7YvVGYzARjFbOUXsCuUT2wZEJHllf_zLVhtDSzgMxKvFGrvNfV-OWlxPUjjGhaMsQDec2a3irGvL0nkKfXms4XmRylarC-fqi_8_g4KW2_3bwt722TRNJBZon3upN-FI1ZSPXNMaa1KFHtiQnfAN_2Q-0qzh2ocB7/s1920/thumbnail_image3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2LhdTDAybqOdiZdOCJT7YvVGYzARjFbOUXsCuUT2wZEJHllf_zLVhtDSzgMxKvFGrvNfV-OWlxPUjjGhaMsQDec2a3irGvL0nkKfXms4XmRylarC-fqi_8_g4KW2_3bwt722TRNJBZon3upN-FI1ZSPXNMaa1KFHtiQnfAN_2Q-0qzh2ocB7/w300-h400/thumbnail_image3.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Striking a pose. Oh yeah, cool stand too.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLOdvzwmxu8hPu396C_ChA2cQ9o95XyKD-GOp1Y4P5Px9JYk1en3luASmr3i1aVI_gGxMBB0lvECHkB0eQLuHyI6MVbf9Zy3b4SNb4ygr-LNRgZCuAMrTQgmA-8LmLb1t0Zra2mbLPh9IVO1KtL3HP6TBPKqgI4G8hZZF0BthduxtlFs_wLZD/s1559/thumbnail_image2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1559" data-original-width="1277" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLOdvzwmxu8hPu396C_ChA2cQ9o95XyKD-GOp1Y4P5Px9JYk1en3luASmr3i1aVI_gGxMBB0lvECHkB0eQLuHyI6MVbf9Zy3b4SNb4ygr-LNRgZCuAMrTQgmA-8LmLb1t0Zra2mbLPh9IVO1KtL3HP6TBPKqgI4G8hZZF0BthduxtlFs_wLZD/w328-h400/thumbnail_image2.jpg" width="328" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'd wear that hat/tiara thing. I don't care.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>It's probably best to ignore the description given to this character as it's all a bit twee, but she is instantly recognisable with her orange and white dress, VMU knee pads (or socks? I dunno), controller tiara and swirly hair. It's probably quite close to how most of us would’ve envisioned a Dreamcast-turned-anime character, so that's pretty neat. There's not much more to say about it though - this figure will grace the discerning Dreamcast fan's shelves rather inoffensively. Saying that, I'm just going to check no internet weirdo has made this into some perverted porn thing... oh my. Don't search that on Google. For Christ's sake, don't!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsnJjDTfP3ha0xvb8WliACudsUhx-y69UML1f6-LTYEpSrxHR7biZ3gqrn0Ip0Y8TrtuTxptuQyQOXPBuq638qh6D34MlRvrjkLTnMqX4HEGIuzW-b9PPLJINVokfYB9Hy4lTaWLldpK704lMlEYZ8u8NtrYl72WmlCFe9MChiYMnFvLyRdDV/s1576/thumbnail_image4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="1506" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsnJjDTfP3ha0xvb8WliACudsUhx-y69UML1f6-LTYEpSrxHR7biZ3gqrn0Ip0Y8TrtuTxptuQyQOXPBuq638qh6D34MlRvrjkLTnMqX4HEGIuzW-b9PPLJINVokfYB9Hy4lTaWLldpK704lMlEYZ8u8NtrYl72WmlCFe9MChiYMnFvLyRdDV/w383-h400/thumbnail_image4.jpg" width="383" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The box is really cool too. Not motorbike, speedboat or monster truck cool, but still cool nonetheless.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Sonic Adventure Statue</span></b></p><p>We'll probably never see another Sonic Adventure game. There are some in the Dreamcast community who are heartbroken by this (not talking about the Sonic fandom, which is borderline insane at the best of times), whilst others view it as a blessing. Let's be honest - it's not aged wonderfully, has it? It’s an enjoyable game, and yeah the killer whale scene is awesome, but regardless of what some internet history revisionists like to say (usually to make a quick buck on a YouTube video) it's not really a top tier title. Doesn't stop us lot feeling nostalgic about it, though, of course, and I'd happily spend my hard earned money on something even vaguely related to the Dreamcast Sonic era if someone produced it.</p><p>This is where First4Figures came in when they released a trio of statues based on the iconic Sonic Adventure cover artwork. It's a bit Goldilocks and the three bears though - the base statue is far too simple for a Dreamcast-obsessed cretin like me, but the “definitive edition” costs more than a kidney on the black market and is too rich for my blood. The “collector's edition”, priced in the middle of the two, is just right. It is even named in such a way to illicit more sadness in me as I realise for the rest of my life I'll probably spend more time collecting games and game-related stuff than actually playing them.</p><p>Upon receiving this resin monster (this morning, by the way - literally 15 minutes before writing this. Breaking news as always here at the Junkyard) I carefully opened the box (gotta think about the resale value, kids) and removed everyone's favourite hedgehog. Now I've not had the pleasure of purchasing a First4Figures release before, but the quality of this rather reasonably priced statue is very good indeed. It recreates the famous cover pose very nicely, and it brought a little tear to my eye seeing the Sonic Adventure logo all lit up in blue. Obligatory photo dump following in 3, 2, 1...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOgPhwtiSW19pSb3PPosQoY0P1MEnq9EUTo5XkXqJ4VXIfJDY74S_YXi27D_oqlB1j6UNcF9yFcEm6x0VpGsI8MKF1I-W6V0ZFbe6pGI-PuqFgcdA5FrJXctNe8iFlF-czh4UwgihT3uvUfPfjebHQ-flrSM1m0p2AOtfVo4ptQuE_hEygz2P/s1920/thumbnail_image2%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOgPhwtiSW19pSb3PPosQoY0P1MEnq9EUTo5XkXqJ4VXIfJDY74S_YXi27D_oqlB1j6UNcF9yFcEm6x0VpGsI8MKF1I-W6V0ZFbe6pGI-PuqFgcdA5FrJXctNe8iFlF-czh4UwgihT3uvUfPfjebHQ-flrSM1m0p2AOtfVo4ptQuE_hEygz2P/w300-h400/thumbnail_image2%20(3).jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PRETTY LIGHT.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrBz7pQN4H79gNU-ujtxQxcIgx9fF-jZ1I-qqqHy3811to4otlxhbVCBNLJ7cCxeTxTUUQsN8mBWgmWoS-DdhvSt3gXF5T6Hepn_OHnJf_KJU0rQkZwZYluxS2uUW5lw-m12hyphenhyphenpwVNR1SiRXOZ2RIzgmGQGmyiCd-nLhpKl9siStjzXyjtD5vC/w300-h400/thumbnail_image3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PRETTY LIGHT IN DARK!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXZO6kFT3ax1dqXGAfGB9IKlU6rYVRMbIINztHvYPL0MItX3r1_VLXf3TQCmvmHezAUpgJFiuFvRLAubOVRAzOadO7_Ni9k_eOsDz17t6d40WA5JtZrAXN0K49ivmop1mPc1Dwp563DFgydPGihLc901hyphenhyphen4cVmtyq6Xl5mt_meoFR5uHA_4QE/s1920/thumbnail_image1%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXZO6kFT3ax1dqXGAfGB9IKlU6rYVRMbIINztHvYPL0MItX3r1_VLXf3TQCmvmHezAUpgJFiuFvRLAubOVRAzOadO7_Ni9k_eOsDz17t6d40WA5JtZrAXN0K49ivmop1mPc1Dwp563DFgydPGihLc901hyphenhyphen4cVmtyq6Xl5mt_meoFR5uHA_4QE/w300-h400/thumbnail_image1%20(4).jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No light. Sad face. </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eB3WpnEc8wZpq4kMSZnk3I86c7FslQ-0j3QbC_uT-cRb97ZulSs-NbvrbZ2OQxiF2c-G7lElBAkWJSQCN7eHE6XGN987PXt0lSvoI5p2FsIa45Dk_2wNrxjdg-nM6qNKw8UmAsNsM_QgSuw4updZ-AtYof7MD8lW_qSnIn15dwEiZrpf3kcZ/s1920/thumbnail_image0%20(4).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7eB3WpnEc8wZpq4kMSZnk3I86c7FslQ-0j3QbC_uT-cRb97ZulSs-NbvrbZ2OQxiF2c-G7lElBAkWJSQCN7eHE6XGN987PXt0lSvoI5p2FsIa45Dk_2wNrxjdg-nM6qNKw8UmAsNsM_QgSuw4updZ-AtYof7MD8lW_qSnIn15dwEiZrpf3kcZ/w300-h400/thumbnail_image0%20(4).jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a box. A nice box though.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of course, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the definitive edition (although that version only really has an additional ring behind Sonic and a heavily mentioned extra “knob” for the lights, which is rather amusing to my childlike mind. “Play with Sonic's knob!” is a phrase they should have advertised this with, and which would not have brought out the very worst of the Sonic fandom at all) but for the gentleman (or gentlewoman) Dreamcast collector, this is clearly the right balance between being a fanboy and being able to pay the electricity bill. Oh, and there is a battery in this thing despite all the advertising saying it didn't have one. No cable though, which is a bit shit. </div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Jet Set Radio Water Bottle</span></b></p><p>Everyone knows Jet Set Radio is the raddest of all Dreamcast titles, and as someone who takes great personal care to always be with it when it comes to being cool and hip, I can assure you that all the babes will think you’re “wicked” and “phat” if you're seen around town or even just in your “crib” with this jazzy bottle. Cowabunga!</p><p>Shit, sorry, had an awful episode of ‘90s nostalgia there. Terrible slang aside, there's no denying that this is a cool-looking bottle and somehow manages to capture the colourful joy of JSR as well as not being something you will instantly be ridiculed for by those peers who have managed to move on with their lives. I'm reliably informed it works pretty well as a drinking vessel but any real Dreamcast fan will of course not be using this as it's too precious to sully with liquid. Released a few years ago via the European Sega Shop as part of one of the company’s periodic bouts of remembering they have franchises that aren't blue hedgehogs, the fact that it sorta looks like a spray can is pretty neat and so incredibly ‘90s and “extreme”. “<i>Haha, I both am keeping myself hydrated and sticking it to the man by pretending to spray paint this funeral home! I'm so unbelievably extreme! What am I like?</i>”</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdX4wfE86j3UtIGiRGZOg-tYB7y1gryVfB6MgnXt5GJvUP463o0y277vUmznWiGPjgTF4oQUlm2vHL_W5cSstoVI4bmuMH9XhAyvixGw5zxD-5WWByTwfixa5uSG8ecsBLji6865zi-e760UYX2Khl3mDSF1ZAkMaMjuIrIv3FR5l_z8UqF0g/s1920/thumbnail_image2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdX4wfE86j3UtIGiRGZOg-tYB7y1gryVfB6MgnXt5GJvUP463o0y277vUmznWiGPjgTF4oQUlm2vHL_W5cSstoVI4bmuMH9XhAyvixGw5zxD-5WWByTwfixa5uSG8ecsBLji6865zi-e760UYX2Khl3mDSF1ZAkMaMjuIrIv3FR5l_z8UqF0g/w300-h400/thumbnail_image2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Radical!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshMlANNhrueEKqnhcy_HJ-y9OORnxOiyNVcH2gRF75UnF_Fuu3An6pHeicCzmZyGeufruXOEnkjzBkUmjhiY0ONYY-7zNyOdoS_fWOxeYEDUyw3ABgkJ4JttktgC9E2XELFO66p6NyCQvdrI-8aIUjqV-kcB0R6FdpYEODofeAXZOvP258_0f/s1920/thumbnail_image1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshMlANNhrueEKqnhcy_HJ-y9OORnxOiyNVcH2gRF75UnF_Fuu3An6pHeicCzmZyGeufruXOEnkjzBkUmjhiY0ONYY-7zNyOdoS_fWOxeYEDUyw3ABgkJ4JttktgC9E2XELFO66p6NyCQvdrI-8aIUjqV-kcB0R6FdpYEODofeAXZOvP258_0f/w300-h400/thumbnail_image1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's very bright.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Flea! Plush</span></b></p><p>Remember I said there wasn't enough plush toys for Dreamcast fans? You know what else there isn't a lot of? Dreamcast indie game merchandise. Yeah, Sturmwind had that plush Kraken (which was awesome, but i don't have it, so forget I said anything) and you can get a couple of Intrepid Izzy figures, but for God’s sake, it's 2023 and we need more!!! Anyway, you know what Alistair Low of Lowtek Games and Funstock did with the remarkably fun Flea! game? They made a plush of the main character and released it to hardly any fanfare. This thing should be on every Dreamcast fan’s shelf immediately. Look at his little face! <i>LOOK AT HIS ANGRY LITTLE FACE!</i></p><p>If there was ever a character that I resonate with more, then I'm yet to find him. The flea is so grumpy, so “done with this shit” that it makes my heart bleed a little. He's the star of his own game and an indie icon (well, for me at least) but he thoroughly hates everyone and everything and frankly, I appreciate that in the little man. He may only be palm-sized (he is a flea, after all) but that little face is impossible not to love like your own child. His little whisps of hair, his angry little upturned mouth. Those naysayers who moan about some Dreamcast indie titles just being “NES ports” should take a long hard look at this little fella and then never complain about me or my son again. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicw79PCJlnjZCRMgwrRE5g4JR7LYNtr78hVF5naLbojEAPWAw-NNBJ0dAJHo5fNO4mARC01cg_otkqfl8AzDPlDkhXWq8SJc3aXYociFJV56SKqDvsTSL993ze7GGaBh5QFwiO_XoeNxhQ_65kZiJEppGgMfN5vUcl-yLOHzuyV8xt_JoJbsD2/s1920/thumbnail_image2%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicw79PCJlnjZCRMgwrRE5g4JR7LYNtr78hVF5naLbojEAPWAw-NNBJ0dAJHo5fNO4mARC01cg_otkqfl8AzDPlDkhXWq8SJc3aXYociFJV56SKqDvsTSL993ze7GGaBh5QFwiO_XoeNxhQ_65kZiJEppGgMfN5vUcl-yLOHzuyV8xt_JoJbsD2/w300-h400/thumbnail_image2%20(1).jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My hero.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1aoDussg0pIPUM48IIy-mwD2xOBC8TFH2wysXjSOUpatTnjShfpJbxYPwN3L6WWToadmvEPv8S9YYVBXTEHnzjvXScTnvZQbpMAnwVFJg3F3MrZTyf3ehbcTs_TR9KGG3KMc907HWoMzQMFF0QJToiK8BKlaU1olcbbOnrYnRx7w97nJA-xi/s1920/thumbnail_image0%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL1aoDussg0pIPUM48IIy-mwD2xOBC8TFH2wysXjSOUpatTnjShfpJbxYPwN3L6WWToadmvEPv8S9YYVBXTEHnzjvXScTnvZQbpMAnwVFJg3F3MrZTyf3ehbcTs_TR9KGG3KMc907HWoMzQMFF0QJToiK8BKlaU1olcbbOnrYnRx7w97nJA-xi/w300-h400/thumbnail_image0%20(1).jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at his tiny little face.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dreamcast Vinyl Records</b></span></p><p>The Dreamcast is quite “cool” right now, and cool things attract a bunch of hipster posers, and what do those tight jean-wearing beardy fools like more than anything else? Yes that's right, vinyl records. Long considered a dead medium for music by anyone with sense, we’ve unfortunately seen a resurgence of these ridiculous circular death slabs of resin, so now everyone wants every piece of music ever recorded pressed onto some oversized coaster so they can hang them on their walls and never play them, no doubt thinking they'll be worth the price of a house in ten years despite 40 million copies being released. Personally, I think we should have done away with vinyls at the same time we did away with the legacy of ‘70s British comedians, both of which are examples of things from the past that were never that good, have better modern choices available, and should never have been left alone in a room with children.</p><p>Anyway, despite calling vinyls “hipster shit” whilst sat here in a room with 200 of them (yes, I know I'm a fraud. I don't even own a Dreamcast, I just drug our founder Tom Charnock with truth serum and get him to tell me his thoughts so I can write them down and claim them as my own. I don't even know what an “Sega” is), there have been some interesting releases of Dreamcast game soundtracks on vinyl in recent years. One of these would be the release of the Skies of Arcadia vinyl set.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGocytDSpmdgH9ZUn5At_9G4SjEvVK5M0_ws08YcRUhX-1iCTYnMIASaGsvrsf9HcAH6VaKDm4_XKCPdYeYI3CJoX2hnAt3lnpgDZvMvFAJk_6WdWBn7w27zyCYnYsCpTRm7XQ1YfpcjBRKbSSQ6anBBtqsY1RIbvyd_FcLO7sx7pjMfmT9SM/s1518/thumbnail_image6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1518" data-original-width="1510" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGocytDSpmdgH9ZUn5At_9G4SjEvVK5M0_ws08YcRUhX-1iCTYnMIASaGsvrsf9HcAH6VaKDm4_XKCPdYeYI3CJoX2hnAt3lnpgDZvMvFAJk_6WdWBn7w27zyCYnYsCpTRm7XQ1YfpcjBRKbSSQ6anBBtqsY1RIbvyd_FcLO7sx7pjMfmT9SM/w398-h400/thumbnail_image6.jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this on Christmas day morning. I could not give two shits about the shadow.</td></tr></tbody></table>Coming in a larger box with a total of three vinyls, a large artbook and some admittedly excellent artwork, this is definitely something that looks cool and, of course, sounds excellent. The only issue you may have with this one to explaining to the record shop owner what it is when you inevitably sell your vinyls in ten years time, and they find it sat amongst a bunch of depraved Black and Death metal records. Tell ‘em it's a limited edition <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigh_(band)?wprov=sfti1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sigh</a> record or something.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNV6bwhbknrLfFWzoMmpTqFtrTNRoL2hyphenhyphenUodPD8BR-ZhgjE5F1_1KvVHGNV2YN_AmbM123qTQg6dpSWNRpwi99Hlx5PCZsRdLjlGsNI_DgSri-iEJIQsh8FnrIl0EXZX39CC6dPlr9xmQz_hrYVe-qn3_PLXDP5K0zK6WM3vFYizJLcaU9jjn/s1592/thumbnail_image8.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="1592" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNV6bwhbknrLfFWzoMmpTqFtrTNRoL2hyphenhyphenUodPD8BR-ZhgjE5F1_1KvVHGNV2YN_AmbM123qTQg6dpSWNRpwi99Hlx5PCZsRdLjlGsNI_DgSri-iEJIQsh8FnrIl0EXZX39CC6dPlr9xmQz_hrYVe-qn3_PLXDP5K0zK6WM3vFYizJLcaU9jjn/w400-h240/thumbnail_image8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My blue vinyl brings all the hipsters to the yard.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4QUJQlMjOe85h_sEC3Y4uGNc1wFKUj_7ykG9vgMClz-jPVyfmFoG4kpp6pZ0AOYXp1epd0qeON7MhJa7gx-egtFtZxr5JoyY56_UtInLGPzll89_4yBbFlpBgm-46z3oGg3SVZUW8wMePc9eHyC9cdD4NyeDNDR3UcPF7YUS5Mz4627Q8FXX/s1856/thumbnail_image5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="1856" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4QUJQlMjOe85h_sEC3Y4uGNc1wFKUj_7ykG9vgMClz-jPVyfmFoG4kpp6pZ0AOYXp1epd0qeON7MhJa7gx-egtFtZxr5JoyY56_UtInLGPzll89_4yBbFlpBgm-46z3oGg3SVZUW8wMePc9eHyC9cdD4NyeDNDR3UcPF7YUS5Mz4627Q8FXX/w400-h309/thumbnail_image5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The artwork is pretty cool though. Put that stuff in a frame and you'll be as cool as me.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dreamcast Shoes</b></span></p><p>I know what you're thinking - “<i>I really want to show off my love for the Dreamcast by wearing shoes emblazoned with the console!”</i>, which is honestly kind of a weird thing to think, but as luck would have it, a few years ago these Dreamcast shoes were released in Japan. Perhaps about the only collectors that are more insufferable than vinyl-loving hipsters are those who have shelves full of trainers or shoes. What's that about? You can just about convince people that vinyl and games have artwork that looks nice on display, but shoes? <i>Really</i>? What next? Will people start collecting belts too? Or underpants?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuaurXCzosgE3QXXdC3tHRrO7r_MqyjYd4jY26HIKMKSdLxMoEpdo_nm0NEvafeqMoKkuMYn9yphR87lrxjYRvqO3RQpEY8dry_EZfC37APyhAdtwLNaPt0WWegFTTQ_1CPQQ6QAcQ76wPJTj2pJbKMBXM9Xcaf8_xMy8r96-pHJFbT-35vFR/s1512/thumbnail_image10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="1512" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuaurXCzosgE3QXXdC3tHRrO7r_MqyjYd4jY26HIKMKSdLxMoEpdo_nm0NEvafeqMoKkuMYn9yphR87lrxjYRvqO3RQpEY8dry_EZfC37APyhAdtwLNaPt0WWegFTTQ_1CPQQ6QAcQ76wPJTj2pJbKMBXM9Xcaf8_xMy8r96-pHJFbT-35vFR/w400-h313/thumbnail_image10.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Box is nice.</td></tr></tbody></table>Anyway, if you are someone who must collect shoes, then these are pretty cool. I say “pretty”, as the words of Tom upon seeing me receive these are unrepeatable on this blog. I can still hear him scoffing at me and berating these shoes even now. When I stopped crying about his rejection of the latest addition to my collection, these went and sat on my shelf quite nicely. The box they came in is pretty cool and despite the shoes being very (very) orange, they just about straddle that line between cool collecting item and mid-life crisis.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCHGvActAcPyOo0FG930nb-A8IObK_OcsSP0qVI9omPasgklSPgnowqvzggjNm7BcxvsHNvzSduX6ag6VRTYYdyCFSKQXB-gsGcB1GKpV1xJzdPaXiMM9UoyquwSe1TOFR9J1bDKdhP5P9SN3mca_OkcqVuZfG5cRcg_JFfQLhFaavSB9kf8O/s1920/thumbnail_image9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCHGvActAcPyOo0FG930nb-A8IObK_OcsSP0qVI9omPasgklSPgnowqvzggjNm7BcxvsHNvzSduX6ag6VRTYYdyCFSKQXB-gsGcB1GKpV1xJzdPaXiMM9UoyquwSe1TOFR9J1bDKdhP5P9SN3mca_OkcqVuZfG5cRcg_JFfQLhFaavSB9kf8O/w400-h300/thumbnail_image9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They're very orange.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjbJPdoh75aeEiknJkqJLw9xb46usENFBR5dl9EDl5GXZ5L4i_WgGQel-gx6fKpIPTWJ5GHriaD80FgEnLI8hkGInWfafd6pD6zW1bmQ8McfO-yee7_OVygM9_bOQLnbhnMk_A28nWfQ57otVx561YEm7PlBZf11pVzzNMmpYEcNaVRQFsf8s/s1427/thumbnail_image7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="1427" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjbJPdoh75aeEiknJkqJLw9xb46usENFBR5dl9EDl5GXZ5L4i_WgGQel-gx6fKpIPTWJ5GHriaD80FgEnLI8hkGInWfafd6pD6zW1bmQ8McfO-yee7_OVygM9_bOQLnbhnMk_A28nWfQ57otVx561YEm7PlBZf11pVzzNMmpYEcNaVRQFsf8s/w400-h271/thumbnail_image7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But they're quite nice. Tom can do one for mocking them.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;">***</p><p>So that was my look into the world of Dreamcast merchandise. To be honest, I was in a bad mood before writing this, so now I'm just sat here with a bottle of mead liquor in one hand regretting my life choices.</p><p>And, once again, my tongue has been firmly in my cheek throughout this article.</p>Spaceturniphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11383741102834391718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-31590316584410446962023-12-24T11:08:00.002+00:002023-12-24T11:09:49.389+00:00Dreamcastic Christmas 2023: Heart-warming Tales from DreamPod Listeners<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKkSApV3CuWsYnF_I5J36jO0QxSwpwrKJ8TKbqXBKN47qzp4cxzQ1dqVO-WrZJV04bsLMLIRoa0o0NWWikq-KC1h3TkKx8i8hx8DCQprRIR_8IvXf1ZJ2zZWC37aaHU9EIsMzCoq9dFyBa4tuQ6a4R3LkMdpbyWb7xpCbexpyCY5RljjWK9VQ7g/s940/IMG_4560.jpeg"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="940" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKkSApV3CuWsYnF_I5J36jO0QxSwpwrKJ8TKbqXBKN47qzp4cxzQ1dqVO-WrZJV04bsLMLIRoa0o0NWWikq-KC1h3TkKx8i8hx8DCQprRIR_8IvXf1ZJ2zZWC37aaHU9EIsMzCoq9dFyBa4tuQ6a4R3LkMdpbyWb7xpCbexpyCY5RljjWK9VQ7g/w507-h304/IMG_4560.jpeg" width="507" /></a></div><p>Ahead of recording <a href="https://thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/14148806-the-dreamcast-junkyard-dreampod-episode-125-we-re-dreaming-of-a-sega-christmas-radiosega-winterfest-23" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">episode 125 of the DreamPod</a>, which first aired as part of <a href="https://www.radiosega.net/news/sega/2023/12/radiosegas-winterfest-2023-full-event-schedule/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">RadioSEGA’s illustrious Winterfest</a> and is now available in all the regular places, we appealed to our listener base to send us their festive Dreamcast-related ideas, memories and musings. And thankfully, in generous Christmas spirit, our mailbag promptly filled-up with a hefty slab of responses ranging from the witty, to the heart-warming, to the downright impressive. Quite a few were discussed on the pod, but many are undoubtedly worth sharing on the blog too, and so here we are. </p><p>Thanks to all the wonderful Junkard-ers (yardies?) who made submissions, tuned into the podcast or are currently reading these hungover scribblings of mine. The Junkyard wouldn't be what it is without you and we are blessed to have such a wonderful community gathered around the site eighteen years on from its founding. </p><p>So, if you'd like to amplify your festive cheer, pour yourself a glass of <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/10/dreamcast-themed-ale-spotted-for-sale.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Creamcast ale</a>, and read on.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyXdSSrAS3ALtXVwui7IzTYQ3V-hay4XWMEqP2hphek6wgiyYdPvHx-hhN-MlhULj59Q6mKt8Lf_NyYg943c5Lg8Drdo7GpdOvtyJLvwsuQ3vIGdk6_JgSdmsFzuWDH6QJMwtFGNSRWBjBymvQmD1ZThBCGSSKh98k9eaZMjrOr0KThxxkqxDgA/s1696/img009.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1127" data-original-width="1696" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyXdSSrAS3ALtXVwui7IzTYQ3V-hay4XWMEqP2hphek6wgiyYdPvHx-hhN-MlhULj59Q6mKt8Lf_NyYg943c5Lg8Drdo7GpdOvtyJLvwsuQ3vIGdk6_JgSdmsFzuWDH6QJMwtFGNSRWBjBymvQmD1ZThBCGSSKh98k9eaZMjrOr0KThxxkqxDgA/s320/img009.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Our guest on DreamPod 125, Pat from <a href="https://www.segasaturnshiro.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sega Saturn, SHIRO!</a>, lovingly embracing the Dreamcast that Santa brought him as a child.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Christmas Cracker Extravaganza</span></b></p><p>In typical parochial British fashion, I had assumed that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cracker?wprov=sfti1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christmas Crackers</a> were a widespread phenomenon, when in fact, it turns out they are pretty much contained to the shores of the UK. Nevertheless, we had some fantastic responses from all over the world to our call for Dreamcast-themed Christmas cracker ideas, several sent in by folks who had no prior familiarity with the concept (but evidently got with the programme quite rapidly).</p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/kurokumoclutch?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Horror host extraordinaire</a><b> Uncle Clutch</b> knocked it out of the park, delivering a set of eight sublime watercolour paintings. Feast your eyes on their magnificence below, and, if you ever happen to meet the dude in person, be sure to buy him a drink (or three) on us.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-FTnceC828tcyYjsE7cZWl2fQfGFwi65gLa3wubZg4gZF2Bm8JCdy7sBrBrA3xsRPLrcgcBiPPrSbeRjfGKKadyG6j6ofVHSf-I-Iam9o3vQRfPxvY02jA01uLYNSlGZv0TcyBwDFsWzRIdlSUAJXNTKQd02xMJIKXF_frR5h9b2igY6ExHgPA/s2000/Uncle%20Clutch%20Shenmue%20Crackers%201.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-FTnceC828tcyYjsE7cZWl2fQfGFwi65gLa3wubZg4gZF2Bm8JCdy7sBrBrA3xsRPLrcgcBiPPrSbeRjfGKKadyG6j6ofVHSf-I-Iam9o3vQRfPxvY02jA01uLYNSlGZv0TcyBwDFsWzRIdlSUAJXNTKQd02xMJIKXF_frR5h9b2igY6ExHgPA/w544-h435/Uncle%20Clutch%20Shenmue%20Crackers%201.png" width="544" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copyright Uncle Clutch, 2023. Not to be reproduced without permission of the creator.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccycSBTFynGMtZhKUfQzzDTJ3LOrlCnd4ObWxwIMR1_a6dnyykvKfStMvoFxy7J2pCdaBpjKfvjCHqC6aE-Go_GincaHehGrb4BCn2JZiQ5WOZtxI8Q8uAAPVuAosBTpChfxVGyJ_hY7feSmjpMSw_zHfwF7Sm1TvV1eGSNQ0TKa8GXfUZLvkcA/s2000/Uncle%20Clutch%20Shenmue%20Crackers%202.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccycSBTFynGMtZhKUfQzzDTJ3LOrlCnd4ObWxwIMR1_a6dnyykvKfStMvoFxy7J2pCdaBpjKfvjCHqC6aE-Go_GincaHehGrb4BCn2JZiQ5WOZtxI8Q8uAAPVuAosBTpChfxVGyJ_hY7feSmjpMSw_zHfwF7Sm1TvV1eGSNQ0TKa8GXfUZLvkcA/w544-h435/Uncle%20Clutch%20Shenmue%20Crackers%202.png" width="544" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Copyright Uncle Clutch, 2023. Not to be reproduced without permission of the creator.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://pizzahotline.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Drum and Bass superstar</a> <b>Pizza Hotline</b> delivered a detailed pitch for some garish Hello Kitty crackers: “A mixture of pink and blue semi-transparent non-recyclable plastic Hello Kitty crackers, like the consoles. There’s confetti inside that consists of mini plastic hello kitty faces and Dreamcast swirls which gets everywhere, sticks to your carpet and clothing, and no matter how much you brush or hoover it, it won’t come off. The prizes in the crackers are any of the capsule toys from Shenmue 1 or 2. You might get a poorly formed Sonic or Virtua Fighter character, or, better yet some dice or a mini forklift. It’s a Christmas miracle! When you pull each cracker, they don’t go BANG. Instead, they make the annoying VMU beeeep sound, and, instead of jokes you get awful one-liners from Shenmue. However, if you’re lucky you might get the odd inappropriate line from Blue Stinger’s Dogs Bower too. ‘Years ago I was Chinese’, ‘Try asking Chinese people about Chinese’, ‘Ugly like the worst sin’, or perhaps ‘Our jackets are too cool for that scum. I want guys like you to wear them’”. </p><p>Of course, we assume that the emphasis on plastic-heavy construction is in fact a tongue-in-cheek throwback to the excesses of the late '90s and not something for David Attenborough to be worried about. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHENG-3G2vTEn_LV_WzL_PiSG6ZZ0acQnsTiL2Fbs9leXWHej1hpxhRLldyUGY4xhgboQifKcY56GaTWmfCbQzQrozDYUHF0hB5qIP2wgcEIbUNY3ro2PVca-XFyeUDTv8IInRkSuhjYm4bccg5i_uCFpM3Tw_Uj8PIMzFRuuy0iYS68B2-F7kQ/s1364/Hello%20Kitty%20Dreamcast.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHENG-3G2vTEn_LV_WzL_PiSG6ZZ0acQnsTiL2Fbs9leXWHej1hpxhRLldyUGY4xhgboQifKcY56GaTWmfCbQzQrozDYUHF0hB5qIP2wgcEIbUNY3ro2PVca-XFyeUDTv8IInRkSuhjYm4bccg5i_uCFpM3Tw_Uj8PIMzFRuuy0iYS68B2-F7kQ/s320/Hello%20Kitty%20Dreamcast.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hello Kitty Dreamcast has certainly become a bit of a style icon in recent years.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Bobby </b>(purveyor of the magnificent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNFcvAYee2w6574bBC1Eznw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wandering Through Shenmue YouTube channel</a>) provided an equally detailed pitch for some crackers that we would love to see on our tables – and gets top marks for including a bad joke: “I believe the cracker itself should be in the shape of a VMU. They could even come in different colours seeing as we had so many to pick from when the Dreamcast was originally released. To open it, you put your fingers where the finger grip traditionally is and pull the protective dust cap right off. In addition, the VMU screen will have traditional Sega images that are slightly altered. Sonic wearing a Christmas hat. Amy with mistletoe above her head. Nozomi wearing a scarf.</p><p>All of the hats will bear the traditional Dreamcast swirl logo. I suppose if the cracker is released in Great Britain the swirl will be blue, whereas if it's released in Japan or North America, it will be the traditional orange. But what's inside? How about some rubber erasers in the shape of different character heads from Sega franchises. One of them could have Skies of Arcadia characters. Another one would have Sonic characters of course. Maybe the other would have Virtua Fighter characters.”</p><p>And how about that bad cracker joke? Make sure you are seated for this one folks.</p><p style="text-align: left;">“Q: What do you tell your friend when the laser on your Dreamcast is having a hard time reading a disc because it's dirty?</p><p style="text-align: left;">A: It's thinking”</p><a name='more'></a><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Dreamcastic Christmas Tales</span></b></p><p><a href="https://dreamcastforever.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Translation patch supremo</a> <b>Derek Pascarella </b>put a smile on our faces with his story that I’m sure many will be able to relate to – especially those of us who are bad at keeping secrets.</p><p>“It was just before Christmas 1999 when I made the phone call. As a Sega obsessed youth, I'd already procured my launch edition console just a few months earlier on September 9th. While I was losing my mind over the awesomeness of playing Sonic Adventure, Soulcalibur, and Power Stone, my cousin Joey oozed with envy. We were living on opposite ends of the East Coast at the time, so he hadn't even got the chance to play mine yet.</p><p>Leading up to that fateful Christmas of 1999, I'd mentioned something to my parents about how much I anticipated all the new Dreamcast stuff that they (or Mr. Kringle) had in store for me. As always, I was told to be patient, but that wasn't all... I was also told that my cousin Joey was getting a Dreamcast for Christmas that year, so when we flew over to see their family after the holidays, he and I could play each other’s games. So, picking up the old land line, I dialled my cousin, brimming with excitement, and the conversation went something like this:</p><p>‘Joey, you're getting a Dreamcast for Christmas? That's awesome! What games did you ask for?’</p><p>‘Wait, what? There's no way, my parents said it's too expensive. Hey, Mom... Derek says I'm getting a Dreamcast for Christmas!’</p><p>(Insert here my aunt yelling in the background about how I ruined his giant surprise Christmas gift.) </p><p>From here on, a chain reaction of phone calls took place between my aunt and my parents, and several rounds of scolding followed, which taught me the lifelong lesson to never accidentally spoil someone's surprise gift. Fast forward to our visit to his family, where my cousin and I played endless hours of Dreamcast, grinning ear to ear, the memories of which are etched into my heart, forever.”</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHv-dI-nbBhVJ120D8zx8GfQo3vAa8rXefmALELxkQJKGM3wXzBihUK5kNy2TLSA7UmDKcAbqKpgyY8iXzsg1PR6QWSzXawUM11GgE6pqqXbp9jPhBA9C3IBDtbMawOMxVt2iEdvXAV8CUoKuXP46SF6VJDc6rpmLs8GZr1tQgrldcyIPjZhHjXg/s800/Fonejacker.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHv-dI-nbBhVJ120D8zx8GfQo3vAa8rXefmALELxkQJKGM3wXzBihUK5kNy2TLSA7UmDKcAbqKpgyY8iXzsg1PR6QWSzXawUM11GgE6pqqXbp9jPhBA9C3IBDtbMawOMxVt2iEdvXAV8CUoKuXP46SF6VJDc6rpmLs8GZr1tQgrldcyIPjZhHjXg/w400-h225/Fonejacker.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Junkyard we strongly suspect that Derek later escalated his phone shenanigans when he took on the role of the mysterious '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNswoVE5vws" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">fonejacker</a>'. That's right, we're on to you Derek... </td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Damien Etourneau</b> invited us to take a trip down memory lane to pre-Euro France where he experienced a genuine Christmas miracle as a student. Never mind that the story took place in May, it still qualifies as a Christmas story in our eyes because of the game that is at the heart of it:</p><p>“I live in France, and at the time (May 2001), I was going to high school. One day, one of my teachers was ill and did not come in. In such situations, we were allowed to go outside or go to a special room to study or do our homework. I didn’t want to study so I went outside.</p><p>But, just before leaving the school, my eyes were drawn to a small tuft of grass nearby where I saw a strange little piece of paper. I had an idea what it was, but at the same time, it seemed too good to be true. So, I bend down, pick it up, and to my amazement, it was indeed a 100 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_franc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Franc note</a>. Just there, on the ground! The Euro had not yet been introduced, and I think at that time, 100 Francs was equivalent to £10 or so.</p><p>I looked around, and there was absolutely no one present. No teachers, no supervisors, no students, no one. People were all in class or outside the school. I was all alone with this banknote. I decided to take it... and I rushed to the video game store that was not far from the high school. I looked at the used Dreamcast game shelves and saw this unfamiliar game, Blue Stinger, that was priced at 99 Francs. It was as if it was fate; I had just found exactly the right amount to buy it only minutes ago, and it was practically the only one I could afford with that amount. So, I bought it.</p><p>After school, I played it and it became an instant favourite. And of course, I especially love to play Blue Stinger, a game that is riddled with Christmas themes, during the holiday period. With its unique atmosphere and characteristic humour, it's a game that puts me in a perfect Christmas mood. </p><p>And by the way, I always kept the receipt from that miraculous day when I bought my favourite game. Thanks to the person who dropped that bill, and sorry for spending it without trying to find out who it belonged to!”</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgplPlw0WGXdEkkHnAra38rkoS9itjdiXX7OF86YY6k-a4fzdA2SztcN77S5Qf4-ZZ0EZSReeUwqbma_73Ewtm1L0ye1BiF_IId_TFIWo3Bbo5a8XJHNu-q1Yd_kdwvGLfFTuaVMt1-Hgf9eADepSwZRMOvYMRkca7ZtL6urVL-iWjOy1oDOi385w/s1867/receipt%20blue%20stinger.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1513" data-original-width="1867" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgplPlw0WGXdEkkHnAra38rkoS9itjdiXX7OF86YY6k-a4fzdA2SztcN77S5Qf4-ZZ0EZSReeUwqbma_73Ewtm1L0ye1BiF_IId_TFIWo3Bbo5a8XJHNu-q1Yd_kdwvGLfFTuaVMt1-Hgf9eADepSwZRMOvYMRkca7ZtL6urVL-iWjOy1oDOi385w/s320/receipt%20blue%20stinger.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rest in peace, Dock Games.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The final audience-submitted story we’ll share in this blog post came from a regular of our <a href="https://discord.com/invite/qw9HJRRbVk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Discord channel</a>, <b>MikeRox</b>. And, if it fails to warm your heart, then we don’t know what will!</p><p>“Back in't day [N.B. Mike is from up North] when I were a wee lad I got a Sega Saturn from Halifax indoor market in the summer of '99 for a whopping £30. That summer I spent lots of time with the Saturn, merrily picking up other really cheap clearance games, and for the first time I really started to fall in love with Sega. We had always been a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX_Spectrum" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ZX Speccy</a> and Nintendo household before, so the Saturn introduced me to a whole new style of gaming.</p><p>Having developed my new found love of Sega arcade brilliance, a few months later, on a trip to the local cinema I stumbled across these random demo pods for something called a ‘Dreamcast’. My curiosity was only enhanced when the print marketing started to hit and I saw that Sega Rally 2 was to be coming out on the Dreamcast. Having spent hours upon hours shaving hundredths of a second off my lap times on the Saturn port, that was it, I had to have one!</p><p>However, being an unemployed school bum, buying a brand-new gaming system was a very lofty ambition. If I saved every penny of my pocket money perhaps I would have been able to get this Dreamcast system in 2002 or 2003, but the wait would have been unbearable. So what was a humble Yorkshire school boy to do? Well by this point I had been playing trombone for the best part of eight years and unlike most things, it turned out to be something I was quite good at.</p><p>Luckily for me, December rolled around, and it was the one time of year where it was socially acceptable to busk in the street, cheering people up with festive carols. I had done it before, and when you are 10 it's amazing how many £1 coins little old ladies will throw at you. Having hit puberty, it turned out the difficulty level of busking increases dramatically, but I was not to be put off.</p><p>Bringing festive cheer to the streets of Huddersfield, my tally rose slowly but surely. Busking for an hour or so every Saturday, I was able to get most of the way to that magical £199 for the console. Chuck in a December birthday and I was able to buy my Dreamcast on the 23rd of December 1999, bringing it home with Sonic Adventure.”</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Carols… But, You Know, Dreamcasty Ones</span></b></p><p>Last, but not least, we received some creative ideas for Dreamasty carols. <b><a href="https://twitter.com/adrianoneil" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Adrian O'Neil</a></b> demanded that our founder, Tom Charnock, rock-up on his doorstep and belt out Sonic Adventure 2’s ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WcyVvWZJU4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Escape from the City</a>’. We're still working on that one Adrian. I wouldn’t hold your breath for Christmas 2023, but who knows what 2024 will bring. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLr7uYP77LMZLwnjkOdfM-vax60UDfXjIYURw-JUMYgEwGJzQYYJsH4CWe0G8SPnmtt-2x9k7G5w3MiB5Pc6PB9C6L1JaoEJyWLksJ6HtJMUV_BUVqCWxG4nL1OPYF63C4sC7ds8dZQWgM5Wk-b5-tsLWX6UVRPcrPT8kmfl1gE6wZRz10EJZwQ/s960/Tom%20Charnock.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLr7uYP77LMZLwnjkOdfM-vax60UDfXjIYURw-JUMYgEwGJzQYYJsH4CWe0G8SPnmtt-2x9k7G5w3MiB5Pc6PB9C6L1JaoEJyWLksJ6HtJMUV_BUVqCWxG4nL1OPYF63C4sC7ds8dZQWgM5Wk-b5-tsLWX6UVRPcrPT8kmfl1gE6wZRz10EJZwQ/w400-h266/Tom%20Charnock.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean, who wouldn't want to have Daddy Dreamcast singing on their doorstep?!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@DreamcastEnjoyer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube maestro</a> <b>Dreamcast Enjoyer</b> also put in a call for a doorstep carolling experience that we would love to make a reality: “Me and my wife are chilling by the tree drinking hot chocolate when there's a knock on the door. I open it to see Dr Robotnik standing there. He immediately shouts ‘GET A LOAD OF THIS’ upon which a robot orchestra that he has built starts playing the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAxgIoHIxug" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Egg Carrier theme tune</a> (a song that keeps us on the move). The whole time Robotnik would be standing there doing one of his awkward idle animations and I would be going nuts dancing.”</p><p>However, top of the class is undoubtedly <b>Drew Onia</b>, who delivered the lyrics for a tastefully modified version of ‘Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer’. We strongly urge all readers to pound some eggnog and bellow this out during your Christmas dinner tomorrow…</p><p>You know Saturn and Xbox and Super Nintendo<br />PlayStation, GameCube, and SNK’s Neo Geo<br />But do you recall<br />The most amazing console of all?</p><p>Dreamcast the online console<br />Had a dial-up modem<br />And if you ever played it<br />No one else could use the phone</p><p>All of the other consoles<br />Used to laugh and call it names<br />They never let poor Dreamcast<br />Garner many sixth gen games<br /><br /></p><p>Then on 2000's Christmas Eve<br />Peter Moore came to say<br />Sign up for our ISP<br />Get a Dreamcast console free</p><p>Then how the gamers loved it<br />And they shouted out with glee<br />"Dreamcast the online console,<br />You'll go down in history!"</p><div style="text-align: center;">* * *</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If you'd like to help the Junkyard cover its running costs, then feel free to drop a few quid in our bucket over at <a href="http://www.buymeacoffee.com/dcjunkyard" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">buymeacoffee.com/dcjunkyard</a>. Of course, we appreciate times are tough, so if you can't afford it then we understand.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>To those who celebrate it, we wish you a very merry Christmas!</div></div>Laurence Goodchildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11878557822911475873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-25898806219274150152023-12-23T16:42:00.040+00:002024-01-06T22:21:38.055+00:00Ian Micheal has released a Christmas Collection for Dreamcast!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHABZ6Caspd_EkB7SQv76D8MjsPzACu2bfpZIq_Rb17jOYRPUqp9JPAjCvm-i14bLlmRnsYDb6NlJtxue4etsImyev0KO0trKp2I3WrhEADM5UCDXBLR2txNMpDMwoQVc-bZUckMicxFq73p5NT5mNZewOChnfYq7PoYnY99IXKgPgP1i-YSFNjg/s800/IMG_4558.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="800" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHABZ6Caspd_EkB7SQv76D8MjsPzACu2bfpZIq_Rb17jOYRPUqp9JPAjCvm-i14bLlmRnsYDb6NlJtxue4etsImyev0KO0trKp2I3WrhEADM5UCDXBLR2txNMpDMwoQVc-bZUckMicxFq73p5NT5mNZewOChnfYq7PoYnY99IXKgPgP1i-YSFNjg/w400-h398/IMG_4558.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover by <a href="https://youtube.com/@thesegaguru?si=c0ItSNCGSdO7ezNq" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Sega Guru</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p><i>On the 23rd day of Christmas, Ian Micheal gave to the community... a Christmas collection for the Sega DC.</i></p><p>Ever since his work on the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/09/lets-take-look-at-sega-powered-issue-5.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sega Powered demo disc</a>, homebrew extraordinaire <a href="https://twitter.com/ianmicheal10?s=21&t=vXTMKoiyZtaE5BGyK3bpdQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ian Micheal</a> has really been experimenting with the idea of Dreamcast "collections" using the same UI. Around this time last year, he released the much anticipated (unofficial) Dreamcast version of <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/09/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-cowabunga.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection</a>, which featured a wide range of old-school Turtles games, ROM hacks, cartoon episodes, music, and more, to peruse and enjoy on your Dreamcast. </p><p>In October, Ian decided to put a seasonal twist on this concept with a <a href="https://www.dreamcast-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16940" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Halloween collection</a>, and now, in a similar vein, Ian has released a Christmas-themed collection for play on the Dreamcast, which he’s been teasing since the <a href="https://www.dreamcast-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17024&sid=631676372257f2b5d298159b1b6ffdef" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">beginning of the month</a>. There's so much packed onto it, I'm not even sure where to start...</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUFmrjNqnzoJiJSy6mMIhtf0XPWjXV1l9Xf_LLXHxwHz3Ig38bS2-XzmEbHz6flDXQDbGYoreOZopNd2qkLpRTuoI5eonSfOcuORQmTBz_B9VJVbhwJJRL-W7ENtT_h87GnTMEsmFeMDEBqeF0kIpttJlX-yiksJQwW_yxLXM2z-R36VtYlfoHw/s1917/Screenshot%202023-12-23%20at%204.04.47%20pm.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1596" data-original-width="1917" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUFmrjNqnzoJiJSy6mMIhtf0XPWjXV1l9Xf_LLXHxwHz3Ig38bS2-XzmEbHz6flDXQDbGYoreOZopNd2qkLpRTuoI5eonSfOcuORQmTBz_B9VJVbhwJJRL-W7ENtT_h87GnTMEsmFeMDEBqeF0kIpttJlX-yiksJQwW_yxLXM2z-R36VtYlfoHw/w400-h333/Screenshot%202023-12-23%20at%204.04.47%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He stares into your soul as he asks "have you been a good boy this year? <i>HMM</i>?!"</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Let's start with the games. This collection is chock full of Christmas-themed games to play, from the Europe/Australia exclusive Mega Drive title Daze Before Christmas, to the Home Alone games, to Christmas ROM hacks of Sonic, Mario, Pokémon and even Wolfenstein 3D! There's nothing quite like a festive spin on old favourites to get you in the mood for the season. Just don't let Santa know we shot him in the Wolfenstein mod…</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_2GgArq3QWEgWxgTXs-6-7ixlMquHU4ZrBTrZrtTxKixJodG9yERPgE7YVW5c_BfqPkgO6PAwUuTtdlYqMzR6AkCRMLUBRDyvMhAkL91pBNVUTtw4UHY-a-4noYoLqKdR9mQdXcdIQhbpP-LNcXOuRQv-zMEV_pcmiTuDMmai2nYYDI5gQHrlA/s1923/Screenshot%202023-12-23%20at%204.17.24%20pm.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1605" data-original-width="1923" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_2GgArq3QWEgWxgTXs-6-7ixlMquHU4ZrBTrZrtTxKixJodG9yERPgE7YVW5c_BfqPkgO6PAwUuTtdlYqMzR6AkCRMLUBRDyvMhAkL91pBNVUTtw4UHY-a-4noYoLqKdR9mQdXcdIQhbpP-LNcXOuRQv-zMEV_pcmiTuDMmai2nYYDI5gQHrlA/w400-h334/Screenshot%202023-12-23%20at%204.17.24%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The longer you look…</td></tr></tbody></table><p>But of course, the most important reason why you'd want to download and boot this collection up on your Dreamcast, is to hear Ian sing his own renditions of classic Christmas songs, such as Jingle Bells and Chris Rea's "Driving Home For Christmas", along with many others. This man really is multi-talented. Sadly, he didn't cover blink-182's "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KYOAw47O-I" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Happy Holidays, You Bastard</a>" this time round, but let's hope he does that on a 2024 edition of this collection.</p><p>With interactive and musical delights covered, this collection wouldn't be complete without something to watch. How about the 1964 stop-motion classic <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058536/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer</a>? Well here it is, on your Dreamcast. <i>Sorted, mate</i>. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHY4ROOiBPxhq1RfgXAEbpLJBBBWDMZHn1mckCcJMtIZSI6Jrv89TO9ZGQQYdAt5GF3DvlRxD6KpevPtyVBYd669wMDULHLHrtyIrfxkawjid2v0p6-Gpf_eMvtj9ahSFqwfCfUcTgJ3bxOQXRGxQs8KyZczh3-9uJcdrz9pklGQVKPTeIjpvyDg/s1941/Screenshot%202023-12-23%20at%203.55.06%20pm.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1617" data-original-width="1941" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHY4ROOiBPxhq1RfgXAEbpLJBBBWDMZHn1mckCcJMtIZSI6Jrv89TO9ZGQQYdAt5GF3DvlRxD6KpevPtyVBYd669wMDULHLHrtyIrfxkawjid2v0p6-Gpf_eMvtj9ahSFqwfCfUcTgJ3bxOQXRGxQs8KyZczh3-9uJcdrz9pklGQVKPTeIjpvyDg/w400-h334/Screenshot%202023-12-23%20at%203.55.06%20pm.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ultimate Christmas question: are we listening to George Michael or Ian Micheal?</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To play Ian's Christmas collection, head over to the <a href="https://www.dreamcast-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17024&sid=631676372257f2b5d298159b1b6ffdef" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dreamcast-Talk forums</a> to download the CDI. There's even a <a href="https://youtu.be/epR8unoZvxY?si=ihtBQNrApiwXfO3r" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">video</a> to watch of Ian showcasing it. I definitely think this'll make an excellent addition to the Junkyard's usual Dreamcast-related Christmas traditions, which include <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2021/12/BlueStingerXmas.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Blue Stinger</a>, the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2018/12/sonic-adventure-christmas-dlc.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sonic Adventure DLC</a> and that one <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2014/08/the-land-before-dlc-toy-commander.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Toy Commander DreamOn demo</a> where you zoom about as Santa on a jetpack.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Are you going to download this? Let us known in the comments below or via one of our many social media pages! Either way, we here at the Junkyard wish you a very Merry Christmas!</div>Lewis Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14780213240335170126noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-35205191544166346772023-12-21T08:47:00.003+00:002024-01-29T09:50:46.196+00:00DCJY welcomes Nick Thorpe<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yOSr3zj2bOBas7ndoMTPk9kzDiqvlc_buflIOIdxz1lVqZvOoH_s0AINormHO5vsaAxzOUrf2M23MHmkf9G0BMdynUU_p7gOyln0O0Q9q-P3uenkHqsWrEZnZ3emQUQfpnRqb7y0-s8P36lOSRvm0br5f_H3fk1-CbxrtFTU3nWwV-2gG63s7w/s600/dp126.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yOSr3zj2bOBas7ndoMTPk9kzDiqvlc_buflIOIdxz1lVqZvOoH_s0AINormHO5vsaAxzOUrf2M23MHmkf9G0BMdynUU_p7gOyln0O0Q9q-P3uenkHqsWrEZnZ3emQUQfpnRqb7y0-s8P36lOSRvm0br5f_H3fk1-CbxrtFTU3nWwV-2gG63s7w/w517-h290/dp126.png" width="517" /></a></p><div>In episode 126 of our podcast, the <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/p/podcast.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DreamPod</a>, Kev and I welcome Nick Thorpe - the features editor for the excellent Retro Gamer magazine - to chat all about his career and the brand new <i>issue 254</i>, a Dreamcast special of the mag that releases today on the 21st of December. </div><div><br /></div><div>We also dig deep into Nick's long-time passion for the Dreamcast, touch on his meetings with the likes of Yu Suzuki, Yuji Naka and Kenji Kanno, and also take a trip down memory lane as Nick recalls his earlier days of writing for his own <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2023/12/dreamcast-graveyard-websites-we-miss.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dreamcast fan site</a>!</div><div><br /></div><div>It was an absolute pleasure to talk to Nick, and his burning passion for the Dreamcast is clear. I for one am very excited to get my hands on the latest issue of Retro Gamer!</div><div><br /></div><div>Retro Gamer magazine issue 254 is available to purchase from a wide selection of brick-and-mortar stores that sell magazines in the UK and other countries, but is also available to purchase online as a single issue from <a href="https://www.magazinesdirect.com/az-single-issues/6937134/retro-gamer-magazine-single-issue.thtml?" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Magazines Direct</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div id="buzzsprout-player-14180780"></div><script charset="utf-8" src="https://www.buzzsprout.com/42610/14180780-the-dreamcast-junkyard-dreampod-episode-126-nick-thorpe-features-editor-for-retro-gamer-magazine.js?container_id=buzzsprout-player-14180780&player=small" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div></div><div>You can listen to this episode of the DreamPod and all of our previous episodes on <a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/42610/13470613" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buzzsprout</a>, along with all great podcatchers.</div><p></p>Lewis Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14780213240335170126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-81891046306820532882023-12-19T14:09:00.008+00:002024-01-09T00:13:00.646+00:00Title Defense: The True Story of Why it Never Came to Dreamcast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzhY-W9OdlRUwOVAFYGdA4dJjcLJDFCQ_U153DRlop9lloItQhnEpSgETTkPxtayPu2hZgN0x2beFxoho9S4Z4oShpW5uo18WLUZxfnSnFPcp7wv1RYMOfk27RjWCkbHkMiTgJHmNdPwLjqDcdtLKVESKxePMXRwxXHUj63WV5oHVmAf8zQ/s343/Title%20Defense%20Dreamcast.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="343" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzhY-W9OdlRUwOVAFYGdA4dJjcLJDFCQ_U153DRlop9lloItQhnEpSgETTkPxtayPu2hZgN0x2beFxoho9S4Z4oShpW5uo18WLUZxfnSnFPcp7wv1RYMOfk27RjWCkbHkMiTgJHmNdPwLjqDcdtLKVESKxePMXRwxXHUj63WV5oHVmAf8zQ/w400-h295/Title%20Defense%20Dreamcast.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Some time after the publication of our <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2022/12/title-defense-dreamcasts-lost-boxing-sim.html" target="_blank">article on the lost boxing sim "Title Defense"</a> last year, I was contacted by friend of the Junkyard and all-round Dreamcast super-sleuth <a href="https://twitter.com/pcwzrd13" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PC Wizard</a>. Intrigued by the promise of Title Defense after reading that very article, PC Wizard tracked down a member of the development team (who shall remain anonymous, as we weren't totally sure if any of this was still under some arcane NDA) and made them talk. No doubt with a lamp in their face, CIA style. That’s how I like to imagine how things went down, anyway. <div><br /></div><div>In reality, PC Wizard sent a polite email asking what our source remembered about Title Defense, and to our pleasant surprise, they actually replied and explained to us what the deal was with that particular pugilism sim, Climax Studios, some of the other canned Dreamcast projects, and why we never saw Title Defense on our Dreamcasts - or any other contemporary platform, for that matter. With all that out of the way, over to our informant...</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2y1kUDTp4CPA5OtYVPK34ltvgLIeU6w54dRGSrMpfsW_OkDNfryF6L5-MdhSDsxW_uylrF8H5A4A8vGw8LJHrsZj9Fjl4HEhVYp6-crDM3ByMc-zIJpsgR8hR6nb29a8pVjsJ4PO1VhgdhnAQcNQ9UVMWbBM3SdDBx3m7fxMsaZ2W53gRBJ_bA/s900/ELASFZbVAAAN7HW.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2y1kUDTp4CPA5OtYVPK34ltvgLIeU6w54dRGSrMpfsW_OkDNfryF6L5-MdhSDsxW_uylrF8H5A4A8vGw8LJHrsZj9Fjl4HEhVYp6-crDM3ByMc-zIJpsgR8hR6nb29a8pVjsJ4PO1VhgdhnAQcNQ9UVMWbBM3SdDBx3m7fxMsaZ2W53gRBJ_bA/w200-h133/ELASFZbVAAAN7HW.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How mysterious...</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><span style="color: #073763;">"OK, so the first thing to do is to frame this appropriately. At the time, Climax was a work-for-hire developer, which meant most of our work was either porting (often PC to console conversions such as Warcraft II, Diablo, Populous: The Beginning, Sim Theme Park/Theme Park World, etc.) or pitching for projects that publishers were looking for developers to do on their behalf. In addition to this we had our own original concepts that we would pitch to publishers and see if they were prepared to fund. </span></div><div><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #073763;">So, on to Title Defense. I think the tl;dr on this - and which will probably be most disappointing to know - is that Title Defense as an actual game <i>never really existed</i>. From memory it was a fairly non-interactive PC tech demo to show physics-based dynamic mesh deformation - in this case the changing muscle shape of the boxers as they threw and received punches. </span></div><div><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #073763;">Once we saw it internally, we decided that it could be the basis of a boxing game and came up with a high-concept design document. We then put out a press release to say that we had started development, naming every high-end system we could think of (including Dreamcast, naturally), as a way of gauging publisher interest and hoping to encourage a few of them to come to talk to us about the game and hopefully sign it. </span></div><div><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #073763;">We’d just signed a PR agency to represent us to the press so a lot of it was their work, and to be fair to them, they did get us a lot of press! Also, given the interest in Dreamcast at the time, anything that mentioned it as a potential platform was guaranteed to generate hype.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq60bA7RKI7w8fFhve0ZO9mXK7LUw7jjpZqkRfUecL5qp23CVp4VCiEx_0HxadseHRnMFAD4GX56X_D5ENMp178DG1vvDMy5kk80BNdAjCJltUIGd9kPr0jAKQRuWaAxVBoXP9PQlB4nKiCTSytWBfAMs2MpBxS7VOTTRNHTNrc3GWrQGyy0k/s952/Title%20Defense%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="952" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq60bA7RKI7w8fFhve0ZO9mXK7LUw7jjpZqkRfUecL5qp23CVp4VCiEx_0HxadseHRnMFAD4GX56X_D5ENMp178DG1vvDMy5kk80BNdAjCJltUIGd9kPr0jAKQRuWaAxVBoXP9PQlB4nKiCTSytWBfAMs2MpBxS7VOTTRNHTNrc3GWrQGyy0k/w400-h283/Title%20Defense%201.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><span style="color: #073763;">I didn’t have much to do with the concept design of Title Defense as I had doubts about the viability of the project. At the time sports games really needed official licenses to work and Electronic Arts had all of the boxing licenses sewn up with their Knockout Kings series; a lot of the work was done by our Development Director - it really became his 'baby' from an internal championing point of view. </span></div><div><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #073763;">I think I just gave some feedback, edited and generally knocked it into shape so we could give it to interested publishers. Beyond that we pushed the project to the press and potential publishing partners and the larger management team put detailed business proposals together. </span></div><div><span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #073763;">We did have some discussions with a few publishers and some of them came to see the demo, but in the end none of the discussions got very far. As I suspected, a game like Title Defense really did need official licenses to make much sense. We sent a few proposals out to Acclaim and possibly a few others, but certainly conversations never really advanced beyond that, so eventually the project was shelved as we moved on to other things. So yeah, not much of a story from a Dreamcast point of view but at least now you know why it never saw the light of day!</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLqFG-FEMrRdI70XNrdtr1lx00mOcVdISN7OZ0NdOGzAjttQM49NlPw8frHl6B6gkmxyLqZpNTVfyfItgJvlGYUEOmlG_5JN38vPieLFtu2oh2Is8_Ey_ATmyB6HLii-ok4KnHz-QjYM4N-kVMkpJ3dvZ5lNVpWvptTtS4ozaIIduMRXX9DlK/s575/title%20defense%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="575" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLqFG-FEMrRdI70XNrdtr1lx00mOcVdISN7OZ0NdOGzAjttQM49NlPw8frHl6B6gkmxyLqZpNTVfyfItgJvlGYUEOmlG_5JN38vPieLFtu2oh2Is8_Ey_ATmyB6HLii-ok4KnHz-QjYM4N-kVMkpJ3dvZ5lNVpWvptTtS4ozaIIduMRXX9DlK/w400-h268/title%20defense%202.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><span style="color: #073763;">If memory serves, pretty much all of the titles in the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkanOrehT-h6buPSjq3k_w4OfQLhQmbyC90ZhKPH4uqjkrua6szfcCC4AnhBfYZlrm3v41FSFNnOjfRcPz6lojmtBX52pqQtanH5N2_Vh8hvmjMEyHQVfUL12pmJ_JuLVCVN-GGiHOzjv87PaYjwTeHMDoK6K8NYYM5U8qUqWHIrHc1gy22Q/s1500/DC-UK%20Title%20Defense.jpeg" target="_blank">DC-UK feature</a> you showed existed in some form or another, either as paper design docs or demos, or were actual in-development titles on other platforms that either publishers requested or that we were trying to convince them to make. <a href="https://segaretro.org/Stunt_Driver" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stunt Driver</a> was a playable PC demo that we pitched as a Dreamcast (plus other ‘next-gen’ platforms) title that came to be responsible for the formation of Climax Brighton, which was then sold to Disney and turned into Black Rock Studios - home of Split/Second.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTeO2JMQp2kEIKgNi1d3o4nW0UvSJmxE7xKdPYiW0e9-ovtkHQuy0DVzLO2_O7Y20_Gz27ynCloMnHzwI6zWMJ1zbyYjime7-VHX4oOdBDP8n8Z_UVJm44lv67aSCWZfMdUsakHichG8HsSlEKD-9_G0rZ5WacuC3oNUNPIo5y2iNWAfRqtGm/s880/split-second-880x430.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="880" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTeO2JMQp2kEIKgNi1d3o4nW0UvSJmxE7xKdPYiW0e9-ovtkHQuy0DVzLO2_O7Y20_Gz27ynCloMnHzwI6zWMJ1zbyYjime7-VHX4oOdBDP8n8Z_UVJm44lv67aSCWZfMdUsakHichG8HsSlEKD-9_G0rZ5WacuC3oNUNPIo5y2iNWAfRqtGm/w400-h195/split-second-880x430.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><span style="color: #073763;">Of the other titles in that article, <a href="https://lostmediaarchive.fandom.com/wiki/Austin_Powers:_Mojo_Rally_(cancelled_Dreamcast_game)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Austin Powers Mojo Rally</a> was a project we'd been asked to pitch to Rockstar who had the Austin Powers license at the time - I kid you not! <a href="https://segaretro.org/Roswell_Conspiracies" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Roswell Conspiracies</a> was an in-development title on the Nintendo 64 for Red Storm based on an animation series, and I think Red Lemon Studios (who were involved in the cancelled Dreamcast shooter <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2015/11/take-bullet-revealed_13.html" target="_blank">Take the Bullet</a>) were doing a game for the Sony PlayStation that may have seen the light of day. Anyway, they asked us to pitch an enhanced Dreamcast port and shortly after cancelled the N64 game. As I recall through the mists of time, there were quite a few Dreamcast titles that we were asked to pitch for - we had very early access to Dreamcast dev-kits that nothing really happened on, mainly as the Dreamcast failed to take off in the way that everyone hoped - oh, what might have been!</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPze01msq_SU6Rk1Omanvuueky7obLkLr6dvkck97NxRpKGbSI06-_NSe8aRRi6TmU1y0voiURhF5pWomcPSm1QAfrn3vbfLsTMDbtuY7fMB-K0tE5vIAH3-hWuZDJPuqlTUrhG7Oa5hogiQtcTEpSXJBBuQK9nVnrHVTtygrbbAoIDBwnwSY/s500/CLIMAX_Logo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="79" data-original-width="500" height="64" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPze01msq_SU6Rk1Omanvuueky7obLkLr6dvkck97NxRpKGbSI06-_NSe8aRRi6TmU1y0voiURhF5pWomcPSm1QAfrn3vbfLsTMDbtuY7fMB-K0tE5vIAH3-hWuZDJPuqlTUrhG7Oa5hogiQtcTEpSXJBBuQK9nVnrHVTtygrbbAoIDBwnwSY/w400-h64/CLIMAX_Logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><span style="color: #073763;">I heard much later through the grapevine that was because someone at SEGA Europe thought we were related to the Japanese company <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climax_Entertainment" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Climax Entertainment</a> (known for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landstalker" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LandStalker</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Stalkers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Time Stalkers</a> and some of the Shining games), and so we were delivered kits in the first wave by mistake!"</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>So there we are - straight from the horse’s mouth (well... keyboard)! Title Defense was never really anything more than a glorified tech demo. And it's somehow linked to Rockstar so maybe also Grand Theft Auto. Yeah, I'm really reaching here. Anyway...mystery solved!</div><div><br /></div><div>Huge thanks to both PC Wizard and our source for helping us shine a light on some of these forgotten Climax Studios games that never were. Maybe somewhere out there in the wilderness, playable builds of Austin Powers Mojo Rally and Roswell Conspiracies are waiting to be unearthed like priceless relics from some forgotten era. The truth, as they say, is out there. Cue X-Files music...</div></div>Tom Charnockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05593308178739317252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-54554432714379942332023-12-08T14:28:00.024+00:002023-12-11T14:49:47.113+00:00New Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi Games Announced by Sega!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3FYN-BRqLwD70UrJAhrUdXmXGpB3R2oBWMeJTobZ6pvmjNUcYaT_0WbzJw5sL9uynD-EW1t57r3q5hyphenhyphenqC_KNECzrBAD7lSjT_FtI9fXInWvCQVthDzDy8tJskfSmdQnFJmWfGqZ2_q8BjlkwMy64VZ0e56RFA-4G-Z_Dt5JldCXgPQZJWzDk9w/s600/jsrcrazy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3FYN-BRqLwD70UrJAhrUdXmXGpB3R2oBWMeJTobZ6pvmjNUcYaT_0WbzJw5sL9uynD-EW1t57r3q5hyphenhyphenqC_KNECzrBAD7lSjT_FtI9fXInWvCQVthDzDy8tJskfSmdQnFJmWfGqZ2_q8BjlkwMy64VZ0e56RFA-4G-Z_Dt5JldCXgPQZJWzDk9w/w483-h270/jsrcrazy.png" width="483" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are a Sega enthusiast, I'm sure you are already well aware of the big announcement they made last night at <a href="https://thegameawards.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Game Awards</a>. If you still need filling in, then here's the news: Sega have announced new games based on some long-neglected IPs, and much to our delight here at the Junkyard, two of them are Dreamcast staples: Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi! You can view Sega's teaser trailer below</span>.<div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z9d9tGZWG70?si=BEYFDXPqaINVvbL8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>While not a whole load is known about these two new games other than the brief flash of footage shown in Sega's teaser trailer, they do look really cool. The Jet Set Radio game shown is actually the one which had <a href="https://twitter.com/SEGAbits/status/1645175949586051074" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">images leaked</a> following a July 2022 survey from Sega. The footage shows Beat tricking - and also parkouring - around Tokyo-To. The game looks to still retain the series' distinctive cel-shaded look, but appears to opt for more realism in its graphical style. A brand new take on Jet Set Radio's very own DJ Professor K is shown off too. In an interview with <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/video-games/2023/12/08/sega-reboots-crazy-taxi-jet-set-radio/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Washington Post</a>, Sega of America CEO Shuji UtsumI confirms that “the original creators” are involved in some regard.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbu_GjLsPgjFmALULBxZVY6S_nPpq-tqklPappBiLA-VIAN7uhAVjqkRKeF1iC-IRKQt3IyP9s1Npe0wNO3DvV_IrcPP-7ux9ElEZORSwwG2CX3RBXW7ORDj7ncPLA_OTjIUAlkA2rOaKY7cr1gUMSqyIjgRHh7d2r7JCPdyGnIiRGTIeb2pYuA/s1366/JSR.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbu_GjLsPgjFmALULBxZVY6S_nPpq-tqklPappBiLA-VIAN7uhAVjqkRKeF1iC-IRKQt3IyP9s1Npe0wNO3DvV_IrcPP-7ux9ElEZORSwwG2CX3RBXW7ORDj7ncPLA_OTjIUAlkA2rOaKY7cr1gUMSqyIjgRHh7d2r7JCPdyGnIiRGTIeb2pYuA/w400-h225/JSR.png" width="400" /></a></div><div>The Crazy Taxi game looks great too. The gameplay looks as energetic and flashy as any modern take on <span>Hitmaker's</span> arcade classic should be. The teaser shows a taxi being chased by the police, drifting around large, open streets. The footage also seems to imply that players may also be able to take control of the police car, which makes me wonder if there will be some kind of multiplayer mode involved where some players ride the taxis while others chase them down as the cops... perhaps even the dreaded "games as a service" model based on Fornite that was <a href="https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/sega-has-greenlit-big-budget-crazy-taxi-and-jet-set-radio-reboots/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mentioned back in 2022</a>? Of course, I will save any judgement until I know more, but let's hope that Sega know who the <i>real</i> audience is for these reboots.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh407eOcMo8hUF9Ugpof1PAupnleTInJeXMqHoJaZIJruDUJ4go0ImBnRSIF9KUly5b9JeCbIEPgmQWIZy9hV52DEaVSqXqMQU62l6ah9i-L1rNVRcFvfyI39AvjAp9kcy3LpzmXawaYlyCpuDa1uIj7NT5fNhohTOpnmto2qGbp1dH8fWaxDDDJw/s1366/craztaxi.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh407eOcMo8hUF9Ugpof1PAupnleTInJeXMqHoJaZIJruDUJ4go0ImBnRSIF9KUly5b9JeCbIEPgmQWIZy9hV52DEaVSqXqMQU62l6ah9i-L1rNVRcFvfyI39AvjAp9kcy3LpzmXawaYlyCpuDa1uIj7NT5fNhohTOpnmto2qGbp1dH8fWaxDDDJw/w400-h225/craztaxi.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">The other games announced include some very awesome-looking 3D Golden Axe and Streets of Rage reboots (makes me wish we'd got <a href="https://www.thedreamcastjunkyard.co.uk/2020/04/streets-of-rage-4-is-out-nowbut-do-you.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">that cancelled Street of Rage for Dreamcast</a>!), which look very much like they'd be a lot of fun as co-op experiences. The last game showed off is a new entry in the Shinobi series which utilises an absolutely stunning 2D art style. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">At the end of the teaser trailer it is clarified that all the games announced are still in development, so it's probably going to be a bit of a wait before we finally get to play them, or even find out more information, like which platforms they'll be available on (hopefully not mobile exclusives!). The Sega fan community have also picked up on the fact that after the announced games are listed, it reads "and more", meaning there is a potential for even more games (hopefully all reboots!) to be unveiled from Sega at some point. Maybe a HD rerelease of Skies of Arcadia? Shenmue 4? The much anticipated Floigan Bros. Episode 2? Only time will tell...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKy8PM_gXSAzrQ9bM91Ux7jmerKuzlS2lBsUWObDfGuPIP3epN-pig2vATj9Jwe8a7Ttm3x5C6QM6Q05SNLH8wdtj3BzxFJSp4JuZdNvLYNAvbQazfTBJyHClOD9P3wdfWMol0U7E7HgNLSCp2xyDNu5mJNtmgEXkOT3MpCWbcUqIc897uaxmYw/s2097/IMG_4344.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="2097" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKy8PM_gXSAzrQ9bM91Ux7jmerKuzlS2lBsUWObDfGuPIP3epN-pig2vATj9Jwe8a7Ttm3x5C6QM6Q05SNLH8wdtj3BzxFJSp4JuZdNvLYNAvbQazfTBJyHClOD9P3wdfWMol0U7E7HgNLSCp2xyDNu5mJNtmgEXkOT3MpCWbcUqIc897uaxmYw/s320/IMG_4344.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">For now, though, this announcement has made the Sega fan community very happy indeed. It's good to see Sega have finally pulled their finger out after countless years of shrugging off the passionate cries of fans asking them to revisit their abandoned IPs.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fCIuXzb0FNCmncIfeOM_DHs7xc8t5k0gvwDFGJVXfM-5PTm03edWIa8nj2QZCwwmszF0npzkmP82JlV9H21-35TFdZloI9uGpaal-X1xyQYLoXjs84q-pnV2u4cPHHexaAgsIhrgem7huZwRLG2DvOWE59vsDTvy4PRvqX1EunmNxVoot35-Rw/s509/download.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="463" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fCIuXzb0FNCmncIfeOM_DHs7xc8t5k0gvwDFGJVXfM-5PTm03edWIa8nj2QZCwwmszF0npzkmP82JlV9H21-35TFdZloI9uGpaal-X1xyQYLoXjs84q-pnV2u4cPHHexaAgsIhrgem7huZwRLG2DvOWE59vsDTvy4PRvqX1EunmNxVoot35-Rw/s320/download.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They finally did something!</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What do you think of these new reboots? Which ones are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments section below or via one of our various social media pages!</span></div></div>Lewis Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14780213240335170126noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19634944.post-10319711149970895292023-12-01T17:42:00.004+00:002023-12-02T00:02:27.093+00:00Dreamcast Graveyard: Websites We Miss from the Post-Sega Era<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdPADrj_ckRKSqflTDY6Nu8fodNwWOg2KoWgrMrKto6wR13hpFhX8206EkYyX2Wh9fcaVnDILd7wjwY8dAXltxeZ4FuO7pLp963djZATiwh_VIGPvGxdjI5fBGUH6L4Z9ooLPWMJyBuanOJIy3AYxMnlLEgeU4_wxf3skS16x-F3f2Dj64Ngc4Q/s600/SegaSites.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdPADrj_ckRKSqflTDY6Nu8fodNwWOg2KoWgrMrKto6wR13hpFhX8206EkYyX2Wh9fcaVnDILd7wjwY8dAXltxeZ4FuO7pLp963djZATiwh_VIGPvGxdjI5fBGUH6L4Z9ooLPWMJyBuanOJIy3AYxMnlLEgeU4_wxf3skS16x-F3f2Dj64Ngc4Q/w443-h248/SegaSites.png" width="443" /></a></div><p>While logging into Phantasy Star Online the other night, with my GD-ROM screeching away under the immense pressure of having to load a lobby with <i>three </i>other players, it struck me that my character is now 18 years old. That’s a bloody long lifespan in gaming terms, and in fact, means that this morsel of code stored on my VMU is now quite a bit older than I was when I first brought it into existence. </p><p>Flicking through the guild cards (effectively virtual business cards) my character has amassed, and especially the early ones, I was presented with a snapshot of the Dreamcast scene of yesteryear. In the notes of these cards, aside from the frequent appeals for cannabis legalisation made by idealistic teenage stoners, the URLs of a multitude of Dreamcast fan websites cropped up - the majority of which are sadly now ceased or in a moth-eaten state.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqapmZk-nfm7joQeIMSqcT_4s9ggMMx13kt4FRwyjlGW_rJdG-FD3CLuE74-c3VKNYemhr_T-RltzG7F7P_5Mufe96Th348szDk1OeKRlXSqxs_jCJyrzYkY_i-7gI6ENC9FUThMpH_HH_SfwX0bxzovqVmZwsNnyMP6ApBfu_lkR9fSh2s1GCw/s1578/Guild%20Card%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1578" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqapmZk-nfm7joQeIMSqcT_4s9ggMMx13kt4FRwyjlGW_rJdG-FD3CLuE74-c3VKNYemhr_T-RltzG7F7P_5Mufe96Th348szDk1OeKRlXSqxs_jCJyrzYkY_i-7gI6ENC9FUThMpH_HH_SfwX0bxzovqVmZwsNnyMP6ApBfu_lkR9fSh2s1GCw/s320/Guild%20Card%202.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grubensau of 18 years ago would be pleased to hear how his dream has now turned into a reality in some parts of the world.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So, instead of tackling one of the many unfinished D.I.Y. jobs that are strewn though my house, I’m scribbling this post and inviting you to celebrate the good times that these fallen virtual-comrades-in-arms gave us. A blog post that contains a list based on nostalgia might be a worn out trope, but that's what I'm serving up, so strap in. In no particular order...</p><p><b><a href="https://Dreamcast-Scene.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dreamcast-Scene.com</a></b> (2002-2018)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpNb8gnAYMnsIrdUr46CbXwCbwr8FNevyPs5rtjU_XmybJ6BdPKCZcCgF7-2luCmWQiWFMvVXGnSt6KiqSE-PhJ0XSU7lfAhvjiWlzBBLoawB8kLpQ-n7mWrHfw1hsYDIEnWtddQKtHDqPMsuFv8jV4EFe4PwPhM94S6Ie6xwcORihhsUvbRCYw/s940/Dreamcast%20Scene.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="940" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpNb8gnAYMnsIrdUr46CbXwCbwr8FNevyPs5rtjU_XmybJ6BdPKCZcCgF7-2luCmWQiWFMvVXGnSt6KiqSE-PhJ0XSU7lfAhvjiWlzBBLoawB8kLpQ-n7mWrHfw1hsYDIEnWtddQKtHDqPMsuFv8jV4EFe4PwPhM94S6Ie6xwcORihhsUvbRCYw/w400-h84/Dreamcast%20Scene.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final Dreamcast-Scene website header image.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The project of Max Scharl and a close knit team of associates, Dreamcast-Scene was a bit of a powerhouse back in the day. As their initial moniker of ‘Dreamcast-Petition’ would suggest, their roots lie in directing campaigns for GD-ROM production to continue, and for Dreamcast ports of late-stage Naomi arcade games to be made. How influential these campaigns were is hard to gauge, but the demonstration of consumer demand certainly can’t have hurt, and the subsequent flow of shmup releases on the Dreamcast between 2003 and 2007 no doubt exceeded expectations. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLa7nBwSkGtA_Ugh5fO-uejVV4IbHY71YivTrroitvX6J6ab4NfPX7wRcupk2L6-I5yLe9-blckZH2VdSgJ0g-u36-vV9elIW-l-aA92W_qUhhxWoDcOOk63OceIT0wjra0gBxW2ttBwpgo16t5o3FmUFt4DLPeqd2qQNYNiRZEahg3SN5RbB0qQ/s450/DCS%20Lik-Sang.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The DCS crew sticking up for the Dreamcast alongside now defunct import store, Lik-Sang.com" border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="450" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLa7nBwSkGtA_Ugh5fO-uejVV4IbHY71YivTrroitvX6J6ab4NfPX7wRcupk2L6-I5yLe9-blckZH2VdSgJ0g-u36-vV9elIW-l-aA92W_qUhhxWoDcOOk63OceIT0wjra0gBxW2ttBwpgo16t5o3FmUFt4DLPeqd2qQNYNiRZEahg3SN5RbB0qQ/w320-h213/DCS%20Lik-Sang.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The DCS crew sticking up for the Dreamcast alongside now defunct import store, Lik-Sang.com, at a gaming conference in 2003. <a href="https://www.jeuxvideo.com/screenshots/340591-1825001-0">Image courtesy of jeuxvideo.com</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Rapidly expanding beyond their founding purpose, the website morphed into a place for Dreamcast news to be reported at a time when mainstream outlets had halted their coverage, and to act as a kind of life-raft for those who didn’t wish to give up on the console after Sega pulled the plug. With in-person events, contests, press releases, t-shirts, and the rest, Dreamcast-Scene was a flame that burned brightly; the website is still online, but has not been updated for five years. Founder Max Scharl would go on to establish indie publisher RedSpotGames that delivered several top quality indie games, including Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles and Sturmwind<i>, </i>which, alas, has also since bit the dust.</p><a name='more'></a><p><b><a href="https://dreamcast.onlineconsoles.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dreamcast.OnlineConsoles.com</a> </b>(2003-2018ish)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqjOxHXxu4bwgNvvLNRg8-uQM6PP9CtysyZgOYe-feMk2YG4Ld7-8_ywN_6FHZjdmlKsDBRmVQYefr1Kl-uSyNZ9HNKakmzKLl6qy-1h4wolbCzkCis5Kw3CdxRu9P54DndbUVId1rdQDvsOG7sxiJ1rWnlf_LBAt6nzfHrpYxwHhbTj5GJTcfw/s882/dreamcast%20onlinesconsoles.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="134" data-original-width="882" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqjOxHXxu4bwgNvvLNRg8-uQM6PP9CtysyZgOYe-feMk2YG4Ld7-8_ywN_6FHZjdmlKsDBRmVQYefr1Kl-uSyNZ9HNKakmzKLl6qy-1h4wolbCzkCis5Kw3CdxRu9P54DndbUVId1rdQDvsOG7sxiJ1rWnlf_LBAt6nzfHrpYxwHhbTj5GJTcfw/w400-h61/dreamcast%20onlinesconsoles.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This beautiful forum header image takes me back...</td></tr></tbody></table><p>OnlineConsoles.com was the umbrella under which three distinct forums for the Dreamcast, PS2 and GameCube lived. Stirring into life in 2003, it served a much needed purpose in connecting those who wanted to play the Dreamcast online, giving guidance on how to connect, and reporting on the status of servers. Picking up where the much more barebones DreamCast Online Gaming (dcog.netfirms.com) left off, the forum was home to a plethora of kind and knowledgeable people from across the globe, without whom things would have been difficult for fresh-faced ignorant newbies like me. You needed to know how to get a free copy of DreamKey 3.0 or a new PSO serial number from Sega? Check. You wanted detailed assistance setting up a Japan-only account to play Sakura Taisen<i> </i>or<i> </i>Guru Guru Onsen online? Check. You had a hankering to get trounced by some unmerciful French lads on F355 one last time before its server was axed in 2006? Check, check, check.</p><p>Of course, it’s public knowledge that quite a few users had run-ins with the site’s owner LordNikon over the way he chose to administer the site. It would be tasteless to try and recount all the ‘he said she said’; suffice it to say that the forum was run like a tight ship, perhaps too tight for some, which was one of the factors motivating the establishment of <a href="https://www.dreamcast-talk.com/forum/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dreamcast-Talk</a>.</p><p>Formally speaking OnlineConsoles is still online, which I personally appreciate as the thousands of posts it contains can be a rich archive for investigative purposes. However, as acknowledged by its administrator, it has been practically dead for several years now.</p><p><b>Blue Swirl</b> (2003-2023)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkT7l2LPygXI6W4TGtoymYvJf5saqeLbjnozkEPYbs1xiEVkWAuo7wY09PYrQogWngmX7_to_VW1yU72dv0atlr0J_ExbEg9_iJ9WFJ6TDA-d_5Squ6XnQc7SzGFsoplLALpOjIwUzSPHb2qakjyApgN8K1j-BWHw5ZyRePZfAkQb5qeh9M_Tm1Q/s811/Blue%20Swirl.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The header image for the now defunct Blue Swirl website" border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="811" height="79" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkT7l2LPygXI6W4TGtoymYvJf5saqeLbjnozkEPYbs1xiEVkWAuo7wY09PYrQogWngmX7_to_VW1yU72dv0atlr0J_ExbEg9_iJ9WFJ6TDA-d_5Squ6XnQc7SzGFsoplLALpOjIwUzSPHb2qakjyApgN8K1j-BWHw5ZyRePZfAkQb5qeh9M_Tm1Q/w400-h79/Blue%20Swirl.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feast your eyes on all those VMU icons!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>One of the latest Dreamcast websites to kick the bucket (the world is a cruel place), Blue Swirl (bswirl.kitsunet.org) was an Aladdin's cave of VMU files and saves. Founded by Speud, who also created the immensely useful VMU explorer tool, the site was a one stop shop for VMU downloads and served the community admirably during its twenty year stint. While VMU files can be found elsewhere, they are disparate and unorganised, which is why the loss of Blue Swirl is such a crying shame. Fingers crossed that its contents may yet reappear on archive.org or somewhere similar. For the time being, you can still survey the website as it once stood via the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230000000000*/http://bswirl.kitsunet.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wayback Machine</a>.</p><p><b>DCArena.de </b>(2004-2016)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rldTSx_KDo02vuQ6W96hN8v-S-YTccyG-xlZnDhRMUtb5dOk1ShAnudiZX4Ao396dDefMawMgb50yT_g2dQUcbZOBRQA37KVKgThg3hFTOiEVE93vVwfMUXskxtZ50A9YuCWL_S8BEIM6lOTCMRAfVCyyGtpdLRv8ckWySQcuYqREG0-WaAowg/s680/DCArena.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="120" data-original-width="680" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rldTSx_KDo02vuQ6W96hN8v-S-YTccyG-xlZnDhRMUtb5dOk1ShAnudiZX4Ao396dDefMawMgb50yT_g2dQUcbZOBRQA37KVKgThg3hFTOiEVE93vVwfMUXskxtZ50A9YuCWL_S8BEIM6lOTCMRAfVCyyGtpdLRv8ckWySQcuYqREG0-WaAowg/w400-h70/DCArena.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The DCArena header image from 2005 showing the games that could still be played on official servers at the time. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Sprechen sie Deutsch? No, me neither. However, the number of times DCArena would crop up in signatures and during online conversations made me wish I could. Its proponents repped the site hard, displaying the URL proudly at any opportunity. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if there were respectable professionals out there in Stuttgart or Munich with DCArena tattoos hiding underneath shirt sleeves. The website was clearly a valued hub for German-speakers who wished to play the Dreamcast online in the noughties, with a forum, online game schedule, player database and more. Given the sustained voluntary effort required to maintain such a website, and with behemoths like Reddit and Discord eating into the territory of independent online message boards, it is probably not too surprising that the site ceased in 2016. Nevertheless, we’ll remember DCArena fondly, and pour out a high-quality hefeweizen in their honour. A more detailed retrospective has kindly been <a href="https://www.sega-dc.de/dreamcast/DCArena.de">provided by our friends of SEGA-DC.DE</a>.</p><p><b>DreamcastGallery.com </b>(2003-2011)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRsL4_bktd_Xt3X02N34F4CEBQN-d_hyphenhyphenNhhbwXAOk5vY_-vFKC3b7ezrZ9q4c2qX6pG6tr0YK3MoZH5zeui4SwLmWCk_mV2B_jih5Oq56ZoflIpfuaocvyaI17D9HjcwBmXQ_FQAQHQkx5Oka9TagynRaGUPKdhyphenhyphen4062CA8ttPp7S6xD5GwQVBA/s760/Dreamcast%20Gallery.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="760" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRsL4_bktd_Xt3X02N34F4CEBQN-d_hyphenhyphenNhhbwXAOk5vY_-vFKC3b7ezrZ9q4c2qX6pG6tr0YK3MoZH5zeui4SwLmWCk_mV2B_jih5Oq56ZoflIpfuaocvyaI17D9HjcwBmXQ_FQAQHQkx5Oka9TagynRaGUPKdhyphenhyphen4062CA8ttPp7S6xD5GwQVBA/w400-h70/Dreamcast%20Gallery.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's the "freakin' button", I hear you ask? DON'T PRESS THE FREAKIN' BUTTON!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Back when I was earning £4.50 an hour in my weekend job serving up lunches to kids that were practically my own age at the local private school, I would frequent this website frequently to daydream about acquiring a glitzy limited edition Maziora Dreamcast. The creation of Bert Hardy, Dreamcast Gallery featured high quality photos of practically every piece of Dreamcast hardware out there, including many a fancy non-retail item. Much of it was well out of my price range, and still is today, but the site was an excellent source for browsing all those elusive Japanese variants at the time. Look, but don't touch.</p><p><b>dcserv.org </b>(2014-2018)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwZ7zRCRBOppM0nXBevRo8rhBGqKGx5BSO0RtWeX_rpptTGmEyE1lRGDoNVXKFMWomdLLKXv7Kl-heXBnRGb-JVCWpczsrt-U1nRwP1vdHbameTU-eQyc0wdgPEvwxKzFk8mF_H3YUFUkD-M7EIAXxvb11CCry2-4bjteD8OMB0QJ6SIqKY8rxQ/s1609/dcserv.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="1609" height="59" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwZ7zRCRBOppM0nXBevRo8rhBGqKGx5BSO0RtWeX_rpptTGmEyE1lRGDoNVXKFMWomdLLKXv7Kl-heXBnRGb-JVCWpczsrt-U1nRwP1vdHbameTU-eQyc0wdgPEvwxKzFk8mF_H3YUFUkD-M7EIAXxvb11CCry2-4bjteD8OMB0QJ6SIqKY8rxQ/w400-h59/dcserv.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dcserv wasn't pretty to the eye, but it sure delivered the goods.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Founded and operated by petter3K, one of a handful of saviours who have made meaningful contributions to the revival of the online gameplay of Dreamcast games in the preceding two decades, dcserv.org acted as a central hub for all kinds of information pertaining to this task. Looking through the news posts it is heartening to see people excitedly commenting as progress was made on highly anticipated titles like Alien Front Online and Worms World Party. The <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171023141656/http://www.dcserv.org/?page_id=23">repository of information gathered by petter3K</a>'s outreach to a huge number of old developers is particularly impressive. Fortunately, many of the functions that dcserv.org served, such as publicly hosting some of the acquired server hosting software, are now covered by <a href="http://DreamcastLive.net">DreamcastLive.net</a>. </p><p><b><a href="https://Dreamcast.es" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dreamcast.es</a> </b>(2007-2021)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyzp81iRw3bMS2cUJzvbIsZuLiThFgoKn94UXFDK8vGWPMxMao6qCHeXZ6w6pSxu4l4jZb3rsn-zLXx4HqgR_aG1APmWagU3UL8UZJIRbHjqCVoCvb592efBV0NMA_pMbrS-3FEI2SMkJ-d10XM7-TKAShtquCqg9ErnZVSpJKlEnpuKZ73jaAg/s1563/Dreamcast%20es%20covers.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1563" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyzp81iRw3bMS2cUJzvbIsZuLiThFgoKn94UXFDK8vGWPMxMao6qCHeXZ6w6pSxu4l4jZb3rsn-zLXx4HqgR_aG1APmWagU3UL8UZJIRbHjqCVoCvb592efBV0NMA_pMbrS-3FEI2SMkJ-d10XM7-TKAShtquCqg9ErnZVSpJKlEnpuKZ73jaAg/w400-h136/Dreamcast%20es%20covers.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't this a sight to behold? Makes us look a bit scruffy over here at the Junkyard...</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Another website that is in internet purgatory: technically still online, but effectively moribund with no updates for several years. As the domain suggests, Dreamcast.es is a site designed to cater to Spanish-speaking fans. News posts began in 2007 and ran all the way up to 2021, with the forum fairly active over this same period, though it is sadly now overrun by spam bots offering “high quality counterfeit bank notes” (if this isn't spam, and you can sort me out, then do drop me a line). The most noteworthy project stemming from our Iberian comrades was their magazine, which published seven issues between 2014 and 2017 and provided enthusiastic coverage of the indie and homebrew releases of the time.</p><p><b>Dream-Storming.com </b>(2004-2007)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmiAuDYEIP27B-nVyirkEd-RnFqBFTkvkiUW8vcMo7Yc2CqJyyqjMgrETsH_Up-5mGcUsJVAWJaqIBPQwyQYQfxWK0pH6P92JrQERlsxsDgNbND1MllJDvftFczPMIvyWwhmmu7hnAUyXUQanHTRdyZPX9VEDtUjCo3C7vrLegO0XECB2fSqWzEw/s398/Dream%20Storming.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="398" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmiAuDYEIP27B-nVyirkEd-RnFqBFTkvkiUW8vcMo7Yc2CqJyyqjMgrETsH_Up-5mGcUsJVAWJaqIBPQwyQYQfxWK0pH6P92JrQERlsxsDgNbND1MllJDvftFczPMIvyWwhmmu7hnAUyXUQanHTRdyZPX9VEDtUjCo3C7vrLegO0XECB2fSqWzEw/s320/Dream%20Storming.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodies?! Why doesn't the Junkyard have goodies?</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I'll level with you, I hadn't heard of this site until I decided to do some last minute checks for this article. I was also a little hesitant to plug the URL into the Wayback Machine, as I wasn't entirely sure what I would be greeted by (I don't want my dreams being stormed!). Therefore, it was a relief to see that this was in fact another Dreamcast fansite; a French one founded on the prospect of Dreamcast fans getting together and brainstorming some cool stuff. Like Dreamcast.es, they offered up a stylish in-house PDF magazine, along with an archive of promotional videos, Dreamcast literature, and a bunch of other bits and bobs. Check them out on the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230000000000*/https://dream-storming.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wayback Machine</a> if you'd like to get a hefty dose of magnifique mid-noughties website design.</p><p><b><a href="https://Itsstillthinking.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Itsstillthinking.com</a> </b>(2012-2022)</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJrahAikI6pkn9ah0oLeqLn5AtH-i6-h9uFumTJo2QR7itQou9rc9_bRmKPXfX62nGuqsz0DWHX79O2sG3qeNPvDIq2ZFuNlrHj0gn8xtWZiM6NkYvonI-jv4C1QEGwN4rJOrk1LLTuzMvoV8d3280guDTFauoXR_bBIy2JgWqjwAoDkfPbwSMQ/s1808/Itsstillthinking.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Headline banner image from Itsstillthinking.com" border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="1808" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJrahAikI6pkn9ah0oLeqLn5AtH-i6-h9uFumTJo2QR7itQou9rc9_bRmKPXfX62nGuqsz0DWHX79O2sG3qeNPvDIq2ZFuNlrHj0gn8xtWZiM6NkYvonI-jv4C1QEGwN4rJOrk1LLTuzMvoV8d3280guDTFauoXR_bBIy2JgWqjwAoDkfPbwSMQ/w400-h68/Itsstillthinking.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their minimalistic design sure is purdy.</td></tr></tbody></table>A tidy little blog that offered up news, reviews and retrospectives, titled after the renowned Dreamcast marketing slogan. Founded by a talented collective of four writers, It's Still Thinking surfaced with a flurry of posts between 2012 and 2014, including several longer form pieces such as <a href="https://www.itsstillthinking.com/the-pioneer-its-sequel-experiencing-phantasy-star-online/">Gregory Osborne's introspective ode to PSO</a>. Things have slowed considerably since, with the last post being from October 2022. Technically speaking Itsstillthinking.com could spring back to life yet, but even if it doesn’t, then the content on show is still worth a rummage through.<div><br /></div><div><b>Dreamcast-Lives.tk </b>(2003-2006)</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVJNB0FSFWrZEltqDxFTU_ng3kI2CGtKDyxY8GnEdZE43STo-FkH9xJgdPB4-lwFaHKv4ryfkNLhgApxbWJI5kbx750Kd2RPdwaaIXcRyr4lO2lnesl6nu_a9KNAArm22ADHLLKOGwl5qNCB9vcwelKI64bKd4TH9OlIXy_BCxg-nNDmAQrqLsw/s700/mainlogo3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="700" height="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVJNB0FSFWrZEltqDxFTU_ng3kI2CGtKDyxY8GnEdZE43STo-FkH9xJgdPB4-lwFaHKv4ryfkNLhgApxbWJI5kbx750Kd2RPdwaaIXcRyr4lO2lnesl6nu_a9KNAArm22ADHLLKOGwl5qNCB9vcwelKI64bKd4TH9OlIXy_BCxg-nNDmAQrqLsw/s320/mainlogo3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the banners for the website's forum, Dreamcast Online.</td></tr></tbody></table><div>NiktheGreek's homage to "the best thing to happen to hardcore gamers since the Neo Geo" screams early noughties web design, topped off by that .tk domain name (whatever happened to those, huh?). It offered what would become the standard fare of reviews (some of which covered then contemporary titles such as Border Down and Shikigami no Shiro II), news, and a discussion board, all now only accessible via the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230000000000*/www.dreamcast-lives.tk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wayback Machine</a>. Fortunately though, under the guise of his proper grown-up name <a href="https://twitter.com/HKT3030">Nick Thorpe</a>, NiktheGreek is now the features editor for <a href="https://www.magazinesdirect.com/az-magazines/6936729/retro-gamer-magazine-subscription.thtml?j=RET" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Retro Gamer magazine</a> and is still demonstrating his love for the little white box to this <a href="https://twitter.com/HKT3030/status/1729126508277682200" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">very day</a>.<br /><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p><p>If you’ve made it this far, reading a list of defunct Dreamcast websites, then congratulations, you are truly <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09LTT0xwdfw">down with the sickness</a>. A bit of pointless esoterica is harmless now and then though, right?</p><p>In the near future I’ll compile a list of active Dreamcast websites, which may prove a little more useful. In the meantime, let us know in the comments if you have any fond memories of the websites highlighted above.</p><p>Oh, and if you'd like to help the Junkyard avoid the fate of our peers listed below, then do consider sending a few quid our way over at <a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dcjunkyard" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BuyMeACoffee</a>.</p></div>Laurence Goodchildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11878557822911475873noreply@blogger.com5