The NAOMI Games That Deserved a Dreamcast Port

Ask your average gamer with a passing interest in the Dreamcast to name their favourite titles for the system, and there is a good chance that you might hear answers like Shenmue, Skies of Arcadia, or Resident Evil CODE:Veronica. The console certainly had a healthy crop of long-form, narrative-driven sagas like this which remain an enduring part of its identity to this day. However, it’s probably just as likely that the answers you’ll receive are replete with brash, high-tempo classics such as Crazy Taxi, Power Stone, or The House of the Dead 2. Titles in this vein, which were so obviously shaped by their arcade roots, also played a huge role in making the Dreamcast what it was – and some of them shifted big numbers too (OK, big numbers for the Dreamcast).

In retrospect, given what was just around the corner for video gaming, it is not uncommon to hear the opinion that Sega’s swansong console was overly reliant on arcade ports. If it were to serve evolving tastes, so the argument goes, perhaps it needed to have attracted more games that were divorced from the arcade scene. Considering the multitude of factors that coalesced to make the Dreamcast a commercial flop, it is impossible to say with any certainty whether this theory holds much weight. Personally, I suspect it may have the tiniest grain of truth to it. If so, then daydreaming about how the console’s release library could have been packed out with even more arcade titles is perhaps a little bit perverse, but this is the Dreamcast Junkyard after all, and pontificating on this type of nonsense is our jam.

The NAOMI-Dreamcast Connection

For the uninitiated, I should probably explain that, in the same year that Sega launched the Dreamcast to the home market (1998), they also launched the New Arcade Operation Machine Idea (NAOMI) system for the arcade market. And, barring a handful of differences which made the arcade system marginally superior, the two were practically twins. 

The front page of a NAOMI press release from 1998, with the Dreamcast swirl incorporated into the logo (later to be dropped in favour of clarity). Image courtesy of Sega Retro.

I am not at all technically minded, and plenty of other articles by highly knowledgeable authors have been written about the affinities between the two systems, so I won’t feign expertise and start talking about chips and memory. For now, it is sufficient to say that because of the similarities between the NAOMI and the Dreamcast, porting games from the former to the latter was a fairly simple affair. Naturally then, masses of NAOMI titles were brought over to the home market using this route - or were they?

Relying on the data assembled by the wonderful archivists of Sega Retro, by my count 159 titles were released for the NAOMI, either on ROM cartridge or GD-ROM, but only 60 of these made it over to our beloved Dreamcast. Sure, among those 60 there are many, many, stone cold classics, ranging from blockbuster hits like Crazy Taxi through to lower-profile titles that have garnered a cult following over the years, such as Ikaruga. As thankful as I am for ports like these, those numbers mean that 99 NAOMI games didn’t make the jump over to the Dreamcast, and indeed, many never left the arcade full-stop.

In certain instances, this is understandable. The Dreamcast had its fair share of bizarre accessories, but would anyone out there really have wanted to cram a StarHorse terminal into their living room? Probably not.

OK lads, back to mine for a few hours of StarHorse?

For other reasons, games like Dragon Treasure, where players sought out ‘medals’ in a thinly veiled gambling loop, were probably not well suited to the home market either. You can’t lose money to yourself after all. Yet there are plenty of other games that could have feasibly made it onto the Dreamcast, brightening up its library, bringing us hours of joy, and getting savaged by a grumpy and short-tempered reviewer in the Official Dreamcast Magazine. So, in no particular order, here are the NAOMI games that I feel should have been blessed with releases on the Dreamcast.

Monkey Ball

Landing in arcades with aplomb in July 2001, Monkey Ball had that upbeat, blue-skies aesthetic that Sega development teams of the era seem to have mastered. On the face of it, rolling a twee monkey character around maze-like platforms to collect bananas and reach an end goal is very simplistic, but the combination of platforming and puzzle elements proved to be a big hit, and the opportunity to master the controls and beat prior scores lent the game a degree of depth and replayability. 

Monkey Ball screenshot courtesy of the Video Games Museum.

Before the end of the year, the game was ported to the Gamecube as Super Monkey Ball - the first game Sega published on a Nintendo home console following their exit from the hardware market. To the delight of an ailing Sega, it was a commercial hit, spawning a quick sequel and a franchise that has remained active to this day. But really, this game’s first home console destination should have been the Dreamcast, and had it hit the arcades a year earlier, I don't doubt that I could have been clasping a well-used copy of Monkey Ball in a battered PAL case right now. Fortunately though, thanks to the dedication of Memorix101, an unofficial port is in the works, and we may well see a fully working version in the near future.

Crackin' DJ

Rhythm games were a big deal in the late nineties with the likes of Dance Dance Revolution and Beatmania first taking the arcades by storm and then quickly transitioning over to the lucrative home gaming market. Of course, the Dreamcast was not immune to this bug and had a small but high quality library of rhythm titles, including the internationally recognised Space Channel 5, as well as Japan-exclusive hits like the Pop’n Music series. Yet, to my mind, it was a crying shame that Hitmaker’s Crackin' DJ didn’t make an appearance on Sega’s home console. Created specifically with a view to capitalising on the rhythm craze, its drawn out development process was by all accounts a tough one, and upon release it flopped, with blame partly falling on the daunting dual turntable controller that beginners struggled to comprehend.

Look mum, I'm a crackin' DJ! Flyer scan courtesy of LaunchBox Games Database. 

In light of its woes in arcades, not porting Crackin' DJ to the Dreamcast was in all likelihood the right commercial decision, but it means I was denied the opportunity to play it back-to-back with Jet Set Radio, in a fit of hip-hop fueled euphoria, from my dingy house in a bland English town. It’s also a missed opportunity for the Dreamcast to have been saddled with yet another endearingly cumbersome accessory that is only suited to a single game (or two if Crackin' DJ Part 2 was also ported in this hypothetical scenario). For now, we’ll just have to make do with listening to the soundtracks and dreaming of what could have been.

Illmatic Envelope

It’s well established that the Dreamcast has an exquisite library of shoot-em-ups. Furthermore, thanks to the circumstances that made the NAOMI an enduringly attractive home for shmup developers, it's also fairly well known that shmup ports from the NAOMI gave the Dreamcast a much longer official lifespan in Japan than elsewhere. Between 2002 and 2007, ten such games were released as Japanese exclusives for the Dreamcast, and in fact, the last ever Dreamcast GD-ROMs to be pressed and sold were reprints of Border Down in January 2008. Nevertheless, there were a handful of shmup titles released on the NAOMI that never saw the light of day on the Dreamcast, and one which would have been a perfect match for the little white box was Illmatic Envelope.

Released to arcades in June of 2008, Illmatic Envelope (AKA Illvelo) uses the same basic architecture created by Milestone for predecessors Radirgy and Karous, but applies an even more bizarre premise and what can only be described as a near-psychadelic visual presentation to produce a chaotic experience that is hard to put into words. We had glimpses of Milestone’s iconoclastic approach before, but in Illmatic Envelope it was allowed to run rampant.

A still screenshot really doesn't do this title justice... I'd recommend a video instead, such as this playthrough hosted by Insert Coin.

In late 2008, the chances are that an officially licensed Dreamcast port would have been just as viable as Milestone’s prior titles, with a small but dedicated fanbase still ready to snap up a print run of a few thousand copies. However, by the time Illmatic Envelope hit arcades, GD-ROM production had halted, which made such a prospect an impossibility regardless of demand. Fortunately, the game was not destined to be confined to the arcade with a Wii port appearing in late 2008, but that didn't fully satisfy my appetite. To this day I still yearn for a proper late-stage-Dreamcast DVD-case style release.

Mazan: Flash of the Blade

Released by Namco to arcades in 2002, Mazan: Flash of the Blade is a first-person hack and slash-type game, where the player takes on the role of an ancient Samurai tasked with defeating hordes of historically accurate monsters, including some rather terrifying penguins. The key feature the game is built around is that of a sword controller surrounded by a ring of sensors, the movements of which are then relayed into the game. Given that the action progresses on-rails, and considering the manner in which enemies present themselves, perhaps the most apt way to describe Mazan is as a “pseudo light gun game”.

Flyer scan courtesy of Neon Rocketship.

In the post Wii-era, the kind of motion controls the game offers probably aren’t as much of a draw as they once were. Indeed, after experiencing the horrendously clunky sword-fighting of Red Steel, some may have been put off the concept for good. However, the online consensus seems to be that Namco implemented the technology for Mazan well, and the game has drawn high praise from some well-informed commentators, such as Video Game Esoterica who describes Mazan as their “favourite unported arcade game ever”.

I’ll accept that releasing a Dreamcast port with a plastic sword and enormous sensor-ring accessory kit in 2002 would have been a reckless move. But surely something could have been worked out between the Samba de Amigo maracas and the fishing controller? Too ridiculous? Well then, I’d have settled for playing it with my Dreamcast mouse, or even the keyboard, à la The Typing of the Dead.

Kasei Channel Mars TV

The final game I'll cover here is the wonderfully vibrant Kasei Channel Mars TV, in which groups of up to three players compete in a succession of "quiz shows" that are broadcast from the planet Mars. Developed by Sega Software R&D Dept. 3 and released to arcades in 1999, Kasei Channel Mars TV is typically categorised as a "table game", but it is perhaps clearer to state that it ultimately consists of a set of mini games.

Screenshot courtesy of LaunchBox Games Database. However, again, seeing a video is a must, and I would highly recommend this footage from Insert Coin.

Obviously, the 2D art style and straightforward gameplay mechanics wouldn't have exactly been ideal for showing off the power of Sega's new home console back in 1999. However, in my eyes, Kasei Channel Mars TV could have been a perfect early online multiplayer game, perhaps releasing at a budget price in the vein of Toy Racer, or even being bundled as a magazine disc, as was done with Planet Ring in Europe. A trick was missed here, and the fact that the game has never made it out of the arcade is unfortunate.

Honourable Mentions

Some of you may be aware of the heartwarming story from 2004 where Dreamcast fans effectively saved the developer Triangle Service (a one-man band consisting of Toshiaki Fujino) from bankruptcy. Trizeal had tanked at the arcade, and upon gaining a licence to publish a Dreamcast port, Triangle Service issued an open letter calling for Dreamcast owners across the world to pre-order the game, which they duly acted upon. Perhaps less well known is that Triangle Service had intended to release their next NAOMI title, Shooting Love. 2007, on the Dreamcast in November 2008 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the console and pay thanks to those who had supported Trizeal. This would have been a fitting end to the console's official lifespan, but alas, it was not to be, because GD-ROM production had stopped.

The NAOMI cartridge for Shooting Love. 2007 courtesy of Sega Retro. 

While not releasing a game because there is no physical capacity to produce discs is reasonable, what is less forgivable is that in PAL regions the Dreamcast only had two light gun games (Confidential Mission and The House of the Dead 2), and even in Japan, the Dreamcast only managed to muster two more (Death Crimson 2/OX and the Virtua Cop 2 re-release). A bit stingy, considering that there were several perfectly serviceable NAOMI light gun games that could have made the jump with little effort. OK, maybe not Gun Survivor 2: Biohazard CODE:Veronica, which was a hot mess with a terrible title to boot (six words and two colons, really?!), but the ancient Egyptian-themed The Maze of the Kings would have been lovely.

The Maze of the Kings title screen, courtesy of Sega Retro.

I'm quite ignorant about fighting games, and so I didn't think it was appropriate to pick one out in the section above, but I will note here that there were at least five fighting games released on the NAOMI which were never ported to the Dreamcast (Akatsuki Blitzkampf Ausf.Achse, Toy Fighter, Jingi Storm, several variants of Melty Blood and several variants on Guilty Gear XX). Given how well regarded Guilty Gear X on the Dreamcast is, I can only assume that fighting game afficionados would have been thrilled to see one of the four Guilty Gear XX variants that were released between 2002 and 2006 ported over too. As to why shmup developers of the time universally agreed that Dreamcast ports were still worthwhile, yet fighting game developers did not, I don't know. Maybe that's an investigation worthy of another article...

* * *

So there we have it. Based on a perfectly fair, rigorous and transparent methodology, I've decreed which games should have been ported from the NAOMI to the Dreamcast. However, I am humble enough to concede the possibility that I may have made a minor mistake - if there are other titles that you believe warranted a port, then do let us know in the comments below. Oh, and keep your eyes peeled for news on such ports becoming a reality in the near future. As we reported earlier, a port of Monkey Ball is underway, and a port of Cleopatra Fortune Plus (albeit "vibe-coded") has recently released, which hopefully means that the flood gates are now open.

P.S. To read a similar case made for titles from Sega's other arcade hardware (Model 3, Hikaru, Naomi 2) check out this article by Gregory Oborne over at It's Still Thinking.

The Tragic Fate of DC-UK Magazine and Its Unreleased Issue 21 — Four Lost Reviews Found!

These days, typing "DC-UK" into your search engine of choice will lead you to the UK web stores for an American comic giant, a classic skate shoe brand, or even a company that makes delightful wooden duck sculptures. But for British Dreamcast fans of a certain age, those four letters still spark memories of one of the best unofficial magazines to ever cover Sega's final console. DC-UK was Future Publishing's cheeky, offbeat stab at covering the Dreamcast, and it struck the perfect balance between solid game coverage and creative features, without ever taking itself too seriously.

In 2026, Future stands as one of the few remaining large-scale UK magazine publishers, having gobbled up many of its competitors over the past decade. But back at the turn of the millennium, many more publishing houses were vying for a slice of the magazine market, and for a time, a magazine dedicated to Sega's exciting new Dreamcast console seemed like a fair punt. We previously had the pleasure of chatting about the creation of DC-UK with its first editor, Caspar Field, on our podcast, but today we're fast-forwarding to the end of its run.

How DC-UK introduced itself in its debut issue.

Echoing the fate of the console it was created to celebrate, DC-UK would end not with a bang, but with a whimper. Just like Dennis Publishing's Official Dreamcast Magazine, DC-UK would be killed off seemingly overnight — no final farewell within its pages, and a promised next issue that would never materialise. 

If you, like me, believe a magazine as great as DC-UK deserved a more dignified send off, then read on, because I've found out why it didn't get one. I even spoke with three former members of the DC-UK editorial team, whose insights help shed light on the circumstances behind the mag's untimely end. And, as you may have noticed from the title of this article, I've also managed to recover and preserve four unreleased reviews that were originally intended to appear in DC-UK's cancelled issue 21... Pretty exciting, right? It only took 25 years for them to see the light of day!

But before we get into all that, let's first see how DC-UK bowed out. The magazine's final issue, issue 20, hit shelves on the 15th of February 2001...

All scans in this article were sourced from Sega Retro.

The front cover of what would turn out to be DC-UK’s final issue would certainly look good, but the game featured so prominently was an unremarkable one: Fighting Vipers 2, the often-forgotten sequel to a Sega Saturn fighting staple. Considering the online multiplayer-RPG phenomenon that was Phantasy Star Online was also getting a review inside, you'd think that might have gotten pride of place over fiery helmet guy (or whatever he's called) from Fighting Vipers, but it was instead demoted to a secondary coverline just below it. With Official Dreamcast Magazine running a big PSO cover that same month (issue 17) and promoting its own review as "the first in the UK", it appeared that DC-UK's response was to counter by securing a UK-first review for Fighting Vipers 2 instead.

The editor for the issue was Lee Hart, as long-time editor Keith Stuart —who'd been in the role since issue seven— had moved on to greener pastures (although he did provide some freelance writing for this issue). And greener pastures they were, as Lee's first port of call as the new editor of DC-UK was to announce that Sega was to become a third-party developer.

Despite the change of editor, and a reduced page count (100 pages, down from around 130 pages at the magazine's peak), issue 20 of DC-UK was still a decent read, although the kind of off-the-wall features and cutaways the mag had become known for were largely absent. Where were Nostradamus' Dreamcast predictions? The hungover fishing trips? Instead, readers got four pages at the front of the issue dedicated to Toy Commander developer No Cliché's then-upcoming Agartha — and that game didn't even release! Surely that space would've been better filled with a spread showcasing photos of the DC-UK team's body parts? (That was actually a genuine reoccurring DC-UK feature. I'm not being weird!)

All jokes aside, the Agartha feature is certainly interesting, and offered a staggering amount of behind-the-scenes content considering the piece's short page count, including screenshots, concept sketches, work-in-progress renders, and a conversation with former head of No Cliché, Frédérick Raynal. Reading it in 2026 feels somewhat surreal, knowing what ultimately would (or wouldn't) become of the game.

Being that the issue released in February of 2001, there were still enough upcoming releases on the horizon to give worried Dreamcast fans reason to keep the faith. Previews this month included Sega heavy-hitters Daytona USA 2001 and Skies of Arcadia, alongside a number of titles that would ultimately end up as Japanese and US imports for us here in old Blighty. The Last Blade 2 and Giga Wing 2 promised niche thrills for arcade connoisseurs, while The Typing of the Dead and Illbleed lay in wait to deliver their own uniquely quirky brands of horror.

G-Cube Returns! — New Versions of the PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox-Themed Dreamcasts Discovered

Long-time readers may remember our 2023 feature about G-Cube, a Japanese group of artists and model builders who put their skills to work creating custom modifications of things like model kits, toys and yes, even Sega Dreamcasts. At the time we focused on the recent rediscovery in Thailand of the mysterious PlayStation 2 and GameCube case mods for the Dreamcast, pictures of which have been circulating on the internet since the early 2000s.

As part of the previous feature, G-Cube was interviewed and confirmed that they would even accept new commissions for these unusual Dreamcast modifications decades later, though it seemed such an order would appeal only to the most dedicated of Dreamcast fans as conditions included paying a substantial upfront fee, providing necessary materials (including a Dreamcast console and accessories) and agreeing to Japanese domestic shipping only to receive the finished work.

An astute reader of the Junkyard from Japan recently tipped us off about some interesting posts on the G-Cube website. Over the last few years since the publication of our feature, it appears that G-Cube has been preparing multiple brand-new versions of their PS2, GameCube, and Xbox-themed Dreamcast case modifications. The links below to G-Cube’s website show some of the build process and many in-production photos of these new creations.

PlayStation 2 case mod: https://g-cube.cocolog-tnc.com/gcube/2024/03/post-7ab347.html

GameCube case mod: https://g-cube.cocolog-tnc.com/gcube/2024/12/post-c9f426.html 

Original Xbox case mod: https://g-cube.cocolog-tnc.com/gcube/2026/01/post-b80f55.html 

A new Xbox-style Dreamcast comes together in 2026!

While the new versions of the modifications look very much like they will turn out to be highly reminiscent of the original case modifications from the early 2000s, G-Cube has identified certain improvements to the designs on its website, such as using a magnetic attachment for the Gamecube case handle rather than the glue used in the old version (indeed, when the old Gamecube modification resurfaced in Thailand, the handle had been broken off from the case).

A new GameCube-style Dreamcast takes shape in G-Cube's mysterious workspace!

It is fantastic to see these complex designs come to life again and to know that there are more than one example of each out there. G-Cube appear to be masters of their craft and their Dreamcast designs have led to much discussion over the years. To close the story for now, I’d just like to point out that it is quite the coincidence that these elaborate Dreamcast designs are being made by a group called "G-Cube", since, as confirmed by IGN in its reporting from the year 2000, Sega itself had once considered “G-Cube” as a potential name for the Sega Dreamcast!

Memories of One Last Dream — Sneak Peek of Continue Magazine Vol. 88

The cover of Vol. 88 of Continue Magazine featuring the design classic Dreamcast swirl.

Although the Junkyard is almost an entirely online operation, our editorial collective has always harboured a love for print media. Sure, broadcasting your ramblings to a global audience via the world wide web is neat, but there is also something undoubtedly special about holding a book or magazine in your hands - the texture of the paper, the smell of the ink, the coffee mug rings on the cover and all that jazz. As laid bare in my prior Junkyard posts, and our latest DreamPod episode, I too am afflicted by a borderline unhealthy obsession with Dreamcast magazines. Therefore, when I was trawling eBay looking for old issues to scan and happened to lay eyes on the latest issue of Continue magazine, with its tantalisingly minimalist cover advertising a Dreamcast special feature, I knew I had to get my grubby mitts on a copy.

Of course, as this is a contemporary magazine which is still very much alive and kicking, scanning the entire mag or even the special section is out of the question. However, following a long honoured Junkyard tradition (sometimes titled “Let’s take a look at”), I am able to share my humble thoughts on its contents, along with a few choice snapshots and info on where readers can purchase this product themselves. 

So, here we go. Let’s take a look at Continue Volume 88…

Continue: The Story so Far

Continue, or Continue Motion Graphic to use the full title, is a Japanese magazine that describes itself as “the world's greatest otaku, subculture, and entertainment magazine”. Its first issue was published in March 2001, arriving on newsstands at a time when the Dreamcast was in a peculiar state of limbo - officially discontinued, but with several more years of software releases ahead of it (in Japan, at least). Published by Ohta Publishing Company on a quarterly basis through until the end of 2002, it then picked up pace, publishing bimonthly through until February 2010 when what would appear to be its final issue appeared. 

Top: Three covers from the initial run of Continue (2001-2010).
Bottom: Three covers from the revived run of Continue (2018-Present).
Cover artwork © Continue Motion Graphic.

Fortunately that wasn’t the case. In 2018, Ohta decided to shake Continue out of its lengthy hibernation, spruce it up, and put the magazine back to work, with little change in terms of its scope. Since its revival, the magazine has been published continually on a bimonthly basis, with each issue containing coverage of contemporary and retro gaming (among other 'otaku' topics) over a span of 120 pages or so. 

As someone who has only just come across the mag, my understanding of it, beyond what I’ve been able to glean from internet sources, is admittedly shallow. According to the blurb on RetroMags, right from its early days Continue was characterised by an avoidance of “fluff” previews, in favour of more considered coverage of games and the gaming industry, along with in-depth interviews. And, flicking through Volume 88, that description seems to hold up…

Volume 88: Memories of One Last Dream

The first pages of the special feature with a snap of one fine looking Dreamcast. 
Magazine content © Continue Motion Graphic, 2026.

Front and centre in this issue (or should I say volume?!) is a special 48-page feature on Sega’s swansong console aptly titled “Memories of One Last Dream”. The remainder of the issue has a variety of other neat features too, including a 2025 Game of the Year section, but given our remit, I will exclusively focus on the former item. Broken down into its constituent parts, the Dreamcast feature encompasses:

• Brief reviews of 24 games;
• Two full page panel comic strips (including one where the Dreamcast meets the PS5);
• An interview with Akira Nishino and Takaharu Terada (focused on Sakura Taisen, aka Sakura Wars);
• An interview with Yosuke Okunari (Dreamcast and Sega-wide discussion);
• An interview with Tadashi Takezaki ((Dreamcast and Sega-wide discussion); and
• A reproduction of Sega of Japan's 31 Jan 2001 "To everyone who supports Sega" message addressing the end of the Dreamcast and the shift to third-party software development.

All of the above is laid out beautifully, with the text interspersed between some extremely clean shots of the console and its paraphernalia, some interesting photos of Sakura Wars sketches and concept artwork, and of course, some shots of the interviewees during their in-person interviews (photography by Kazuki Ohashi and Hiroyuki Matsuzaki).

Left: Examples of the brief game reviews. Right: Sketches and concept artwork for Sakura Taisen.
Magazine content © Continue Motion Graphic, 2026.

The 24 games that are selected to be reviewed/highlighted are invariably bangers and would make a decent menu for those new to the console. They include the iconic titles that were big hitters in western markets like Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio, as well as a smattering of more understated delights like Death Crimson 2, Segagaga, and The Typing of the Dead. For incorrigible DC obsessives like us though, these reviews are unlikely to be of much interest. After all, we have probably played the featured titles many times over, and have little desire for our stubbornly held views on them to be challenged (ok, maybe that last part is just me). 

The mag's main hook then, beyond the admittedly gorgeous aesthetics, is its interviews with those who helped make Sega tick during the Dreamcast era. For those of us who don’t comprehend Japanese, an extremely rough inkling of what is said can be ascertained using a translation app of one sort or another. Of course, this method is replete with potential issues, and cannot match the touch of a skilled human translator. We're hopeful that Ohta may permit us to translate and publish one of the three interviews in English, but until then, here is a rough synopsis of each:

Akira Nishino and Takaharu Terada are interviewed about the Sakura Taisen series, whose multiple releases on the Dreamcast were central to the identity of the console in Japan. They have both been employed by Sega since the 90s and took up key roles in the creation of the Sakura Taisen game series. They speak about the creative process; the generosity of other Sega colleagues; brainstorming over late night beers; their desire to ensure Sakura Wars 3 utilised everything the Dreamcast hardware had to offer; and much much more. Perhaps the most poignant moment discussed is when the news arrived that Sakura Wars 4 would be developed as a proper-finale for the Dreamcast, despite the fact that Sega had already ceased production of the console.

Akira Nishino and Takaharu Terada proudly pose with an extensive range of Sakura Taisen/Sakura Wars games released for the Dreamcast, along with the special edition version of the console. 
Magazine content © Continue Motion Graphic, 2026. 

Yosuke Okunari, a Sega employee since 1994 who is renowned for his knowledge of the company, gives a wide ranging interview about the Dreamcast as "one last dream". He speaks about the period between the end of the Saturn and the start of the Dreamcast when hard decisions had to be made about whether games in development should shift to the new consoles; about Sega's self-reflective (self-deprecating?) advertising campaigns of the era; the split between Sega's different development arms (Overworks, Smilebit, Sonic Team); and Phantasy Star Online representing "the dream come true", among many other topics. 

Yosuke Okunari giving it the big 'un in a suave Sega jacket. 
Magazine content © Continue Motion Graphic, 2026.

Tadashi Takezaki, a marketer for Sega between 1993 and 2015, provides insights into a whole host of topics that are regularly mulled over by Sega enthusiasts including: the decision to cease the Saturn (despite it performing well within Japan) in a bid to return Sega to global success; the strategic choices made regarding the Dreamcast's hardware, aesthetics and its launch date; the lack of a "killer app" among Japan's four launch titles; and the prominence of innovative and cutting-edge games in the Dreamcast's library. Perhaps the key detail though, is where Takezaki explains how, once Sega had decided to discontinue the Dreamcast, he arranged for Sega to directly and warmly address its fans in what is referred to as the "To everyone who supports Sega" message, instead of only publishing a matter-of-fact press release.

Snaps of Tadashi Takezaki in mid-flow during his interview.
Magazine content © Continue Motion Graphic, 2026. 

Those seeking to get their hands on Continue Magazine Vol. 88 should visit its dedicated page on the publisher’s platform, which gives numerous options for it to be bought physically or digitally at a price of 1,980 yen (roughly a tenner). 

How to Enter Our Competition

This competition has now ended.

Of course, one lucky reader could also get their hands on a physical copy of the mag by winning our competition. Entrants simply need to email us and tell us which of the three interviews featured in Continue Vol. 88 they would most like to see published in English and why (in less than 50 words). They must do so by no later than Sat 28 March, and be located in the UK or Europe only (apologies, delivery costs elsewhere are too high for this rag-tag non-profit outfit). 

Our hope is that Ohta Publishing will give us permission to translate and publish one of the interviews featured in Continue Vol. 88 here on the Junkyard blog. Once we know what readers preferences are we will crack on with pleading for permission.

This Peter Moore interview from E3 2000 features some intriguing background details

As I was trawling YouTube t'other day, an interesting video appeared on my feed. Amongst the usual walkthroughs on how to check motorcycle valve clearances and (totally warranted) rants about the rising price of PC hardware, an intriguing compilation of interviews from E3 popped up. Titled simply 'E3 2000 Los Angeles,' the video is a collection of interviews and rushes shot at the Electronic Entertainment Expo which took place between the 11th and 13th May 2000 at the Los Angeles Convention Centre. The video was uploaded by a channel named The RAW Footage, which seems to publish unedited 'behind the scenes' clips from a range of media events, conventions, movie promotions and the like.

Where the magic happened. Image credit: SEGA Retro 

The thing that makes this video particularly interesting to me, apart from it being shot at E3 in the early, hope-filled days of the Dreamcast's natural lifespan, is a segment which begins at 20:25 and features an interview with Sega of America head honcho (and one-time DreamPod special guest) Peter Moore. The video doesn't say which outlet conducted the interview, and there is no watermark or any other identifying information - as the name of the channel suggests, this really is raw footage. In the segment, which you can view below, Peter talks candidly about the threat of the PlayStation 2 and the importance of online gaming to Sega's strategy for the Dreamcast in the face of such stiff competition from Sony's impending juggernaut. What really caught my attention though, is the big screen visible over Peter's right shoulder.

Throughout the interview, Dreamcast game footage plays out and anyone on the show floor who took the time to glance up at the gigantic display would have no doubt been mesmerised by the awesome lineup of titles being beamed into their retinas. Seaman, Space Channel 5, Deer Avenger, Half-Life, SWAT3, Game Room...hold up! Yes you read that right - this promo video shows footage of Dreamcast games that never actually released, yet they were being shown at E3 to try to garner interest in the system. 

Now, some of these games we have featured here at the Junkyard over the years, and some of them have actually been dumped online since those halcyon days: Dreamcast Half-Life is freely available online at this point; Deer Avenger gained some notoriety several years ago when a disc containing the game was discovered in a box in a basement and it eventually ended up in the hands of our good friend Adam Koralik; and SWAT 3 was announced for Dreamcast and subsequently cancelled (and as far as I know, a playable build has never seen the light of day). 

The one game shown on that screen presents the biggest question mark, is Game Room. In development by Sierra Sports (a subsidiary of Sierra Entertainment) it was intended to be a compendium of online-compatible mini games, with pool, darts and pinball featured, similar to the PAL exclusive microphone-bundled Planet Ring. 

Marvel Vs Capcom 2 there. Nice.

From what I can tell, Game Room was actually released on PC and utilised the Maximum Pool engine, but the Dreamcast port was cancelled along with the majority of the other Sierra properties that were announced. Like SWAT 3, whatever actually exists of Game Room for Dreamcast has never been leaked online, and there's very little information about how far along the game was before it was hoofed spectacularly into the gaping maw of gaming anti-history. Here's a better look at the footage shown in the background of uncle Peter's interview segment:

It's pretty clear that Sierra Entertainment had big plans for the Dreamcast, and had a number of titles in development before they ditched support for the platform. There are numerous games, including Game Room listed in this press release from around the exact time of E3 2000, and they did actually release two titles for the Dreamcast in Maximum Pool and Hoyle Casino. Indeed, the back cover of the Hoyle Casino manual even features a full page promo for Game Room, so you'd be forgiven for thinking its release was pretty much nailed on before the proverbial plug was pulled.

The back page of the Hoyle Casino NTSC-U manual.

As an aside, after Peter Moore's section there follows an interview on the E3 show floor with John Golden, former Director of Product Marketing at Sega of America, during which he waxes lyrical about the majesty of Samba de Amigo and the Dreamcast maraca controllers. The man clearly has exquisite taste (as well as an absolutely ballin' moustache, specs and tie combo), and the segment is well worth a modicum of your attention.

John was only 19 when this photo was taken. True story.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed this rather fascinating and whimsical glimpse into the past. This video literally popped up on my feed by pure chance, so if you ever needed proof that we live in a simulation, this is it. Probably. Anyway, if you know anything about Game Room, or indeed what became of it (information on the Dreamcast port - as mentioned ad nauseum - is very hard to find), please do pipe up in the comments!

Special thanks to Lewix Cox for his help in digging up some of the sources in this article.

The Final Days of Official Dreamcast Magazine (UK) and What Happened to Issue 22

As I bid 2025 farewell to the tune of the traditional New Year's Eve song Auld Lang Syne, I contemplated the lyrics and their theme about leaving things in the past. I promptly disregarded that message and continued to write for a blog about a console that was discontinued 24 years ago. 

But that idea of "farewells" sparked an idea — one that taps into a new collecting obsession I fell into in 2025. You see, I developed a bit of a bug for tracking down old Dreamcast magazines, specifically ones that were published in the UK. Although I was able to frequently play the Sega Dreamcast during its commercial heyday round a friend's house, I was probably too young for the magazines of the time to cross my radar, and even if they had, I probably would've been too busy reading the Beano and Dandy to care.

Anyhow, last year I managed to pick up several bundles of assorted issues of Official Dreamcast Magazine, Dreamcast Magazine (the unofficial one), and DC-UK. I quickly noticed a common thread with these lots, however. While I did manage to acquire some earlier issues in them, the majority consisted of each magazine's final entries. It seemed that the sellers were particularly keen to offload these last issues — and upon reading them, it was easy to see why.

As the death knell rang for the Dreamcast with Sega’s announcement of its discontinuation and their intentions to develop games for rival systems, there was a clear scramble from these magazines to reassure their readers that the console still had plenty of epic games on the horizon. As the issues wore on, however, the cracks began to show. The number of games reviewed in each issue dwindled, features became steadily less inspired, and page counts shrank. In the most egregious cases, past reviews were simply reprinted in a desperate attempt to pad out pages.

Of course, this strange editorial limbo couldn't last forever, and eventually each of these magazines would come to accept that the Dreamcast’s fate was a doomed one, and sail off into the sunset — most of them rather unceremoniously. Next issues were promised, but never came. Only one publication, Paragon Publishing's unofficial Dreamcast Magazine, managed to last long enough to earn itself the privilege of a proper send-off.

In what I hope to be an ongoing series, I will be taking a look at how each of the UK's Dreamcast magazines said their farewells —or didn’t— with an additional goal of uncovering what went wrong behind the scenes for those that ended prematurely. You know we love solving a mystery here at the Junkyard.

To start off, I'll be taking a look at Dennis Publishing's officially licensed offering, Official Dreamcast Magazine. Its final issue, issue 21, was released in June 2001.

My scan!

The issue hit newsstands sporting a rather fitting PAL-blue cover featuring Sega’s iconic spiky mascot. Like the rest of the magazine, the cover is clean as hell — and perfectly timed to coincide with the mag’s review of Sonic Adventure 2. Readers would have also found Volume 22 of the Dream On demo disc adorning this issue's cover, which was responsible for its premium £4.99 price tag.

Depending on where you were in your Dreamcast journey, this demo disc may have proved to be either a blessing, or slightly disappointing. Rather than including playable previews of the latest upcoming titles, the 22nd instalment of Dream On served as a "best-of" compilation, packing in demos for nine Dreamcast bangers. These included Jet Set Radio, Metropolis Street Racer, Sonic Adventure, Virtua Tennis, Space Channel 5, Toy Commander, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, Ready 2 Rumble, and Ultimate Fighting Championship. Seeing as all nine of these games were voted into our Top 200 Dreamcast games list, with the majority of them ranking inside the top 30, it was a well-curated selection, and maybe even well timed for any new Dreamcast adopters who had picked up the console following its price drop to £99.99 earlier that year. If you were a long-time ODM reader, though, you may well have played a fair few of these titles already thanks to the magazine’s high review scores, and were perhaps instead expecting demos for the brand-new Sonic Adventure 2 or Crazy Taxi 2. If that were the case, you might have been left feeling a bit miffed.

Credit: Chromagi

The magazine's editor, Warren Chrismas, made the reasoning for this demo selection clear in his note at the front of the issue. While he began by calling out the "gloom merchants" for insisting the Dreamcast was dead and buried months before —citing the high quality of both Sonic Adventure 2 and Crazy Taxi 2 as a reason for fans of the console to remain excited— this positive tone was soon contradicted by the sobering reality of Sega's situation.

Dreamcast New Years Resolutions 2026

Console photo credit: 20th Century Video Games

It’s nearing December as I sit down to write this at my typewriter... an opening that is actually just two lies as I am obviously not using a typewriter and I am actually lying in bed.

However, as the year is drawing to a close, I am reminded that I once made a deal with the Devil to be part of the Dreamcast Junkyard team and in 2025 I have contributed less than Floigan Bros did to the 3D mascot platformer genre.

So to appease the Devil and make sure I meet my yearly quota of content to satiate Dreamcast fans, here are my Sega Dreamcast 2026 resolutions that I wish to share with thee...

Credit: Sonic Wiki Zone

The Dreamcast Junkyard video game book club will return!

Yes, okay, that was a stupid name for an entirely video-based chat about video games and not books, but the premise itself was a sound one. We would announce the game we were going to discuss ahead of the actual stream and then people would join the chat to share their memories and ask questions. It’s actually been four years since the 11th —and as of now, final episode— which was actually just a badly lit stream of me playing Sonic Adventure badly, without any game audio. Anyway, I plan to make at least one more episode in 2026. Feel free to tell your loved ones it's back!

“Hey, Honey! Guess what? That thing no one wanted is returning!”

From our Sega GT stream

To Play Crazy Taxi 2 for at least 30 minutes. 

Is that a weird one? It might be. Crazy Taxi is one of my most beloved Dreamcast games and is responsible for some of my favourite memories with the console. The Dreamcast is actually the only console that has been an ever-present fixture of my gaming setup since I got it. I played it constantly from receiving it at Christmas to leaving for university in September 2000, and it joined me throughout my three years living in Cheltenham at various places, even as I regularly moved other consoles back and forth between student life and my parents' home on a whim. When I did finally return home in 2003, the Dreamcast was a key part of battling what I now see was a form of depression fuelled by a lack of direction. Then it was packed up once again to join me for my move to Sheffield in 2005 where it, and I, have remained since. That original Dreamcast was actually packed away for a few years as it wasn’t working, but it has since been revived and continues to loudly and proudly play discs to this day.

Despite all this, and having now owned several different copies of Crazy Taxi 2, I’ve never played it for longer than about 10 minutes before ultimately stopping and just returning to the original. Will 2026 be the year I finally give this sequel an actual shot? Especially as it’s not like I am actually any good at the original, it's merely familiarity and memories that bring me back, so maybe it's finally time to make some new ones.

Credit: LaunchBox Games Database

To buy the Hello Kitty Dreamcast...

The Hello Kitty Dreamcast is an insanely ace looking console that I have loved since I first laid my eyes upon it, despite still not really knowing what Hello Kitty actually is. I have seen the video where the creators claim she is actually not a cat but a little girl, and that seems like fantastic banter to me to say about something that is quite clearly a cat — and that honestly just adds to its charm a little.

The Dreamcast and its many variants aren’t getting any cheaper. In fact, it is probably cheaper now to buy even a fully modded Dreamcast than any modern consoles, so would I rather have a PlayStation 5 I don’t have time to play on, or the Hello Kitty Dreamcast? I look forward to constantly telling people “she isn’t actually a cat a you know…” when they ask me what the hell it is. 

Credit: Hit-Japan

...and play Giant Killers Season 2 on it!

It’s dawning on me that a huge amount of my contributions to the Junkyard are things nobody wanted, but did anyone say Giant Killers career playthrough Season 2?! Someone somewhere must have… maybe you there in the back? For those unaware, this was a series of YouTube videos I fired out a few years ago known as "The Premier League Replacement service" as it was while the World Cup was going on. Apparently, I don't see the need for brevity with my naming conventions. I probably won’t dress as a goal keeper again for one of the episodes this time, mind. It’s pretty much led to my new life predominantly playing Football games and sims over on YouTube, so I think it makes sense that I return to my roots and do it here for a spell again. Don’t act like that hasn’t already made your 2026!

I actually don't remember why I dressed like this.

Play the top 25 games of the Top 200 Dreamcast Games list.

Okay, specifically five of them. I famously don’t particularly like Rez, but there are five games in the top 25 that I have basically never played. I've tried Grandia II in the past and it didn’t click with me, but am counting it here as I can never remember if that’s the game with a talking parrot that I hated or not, which is probably a sign I didn’t give it a proper chance.

The other games include Sonic Adventure 2 and Skies of Arcadia, both of which feel a bit crazy to admit I've never played as someone who is constantly beating the drum for Dreamcast.

Credit: LaunchBox Games Database

***

So there we have it. Would you ever get an article this obtuse and all over the place from Ai? Well, probably actually, but it wouldn’t be able to so easily back it up with links to previous videos and works, plus added memories of handing out cupcakes at events.

So with 2026 nearing, what are you looking forward Dreamcast wise? Regardless of if you are a die hard, new fan, or returning to the scene, what would be your resolutions to make sure you are still Dreamcasting in 2026?

Joy to the Swirl: A Festive Feast of Christmas(ish) Dreamcast Games

This post has been updated and expanded from a version that was originally published in 2024. Enjoy!

This time of year the barrage of shopping, crowds, attention-thieving ads, and obnoxious mall displays can take their toll. Their cacophony of superficial Christmas chaos drowns the soul. 

Approaching my wits' end, I try to slow down and reclaim the seasonal spirit in whatever small ways I can muster. First there's the traditional stuff: the Christmas markets; the Griswold family antics; the catching up with friends over pints...

Before long, it's time for the festive video games.

I'll start with playing the obvious ones: Restoring cheer to Twin Seeds City in Christmas NiGHTS. Scaling the giant snowman in Banjo Kazooie's Freezeezy Peak. Mario dropping the baby penguin off a cliff...

It'sa wholesome holiday tradition!

Inevitably, I'll boot up my Dreamcast and really kick the season into high gear. Sega's swansong console is blessed with a multitude of titles which radiate a festive aura in one sense or another. Some are decked with Christmas cheer, others are dusted with wintry snowscapes, and a few simply relish in escapist revelry. Whatever the case, I thought I'd take a stroll through the platform's jolly games in this blog post. Settle in, grab a hot beverage, and huddle up to the warmth of your Dreamcast fan…

***

Blue Stinger 

Ditching any semblance of survival horror, Blue Stinger stirs a cocktail of action/beat ‘em up, B-movie camp, and Yuletide vibrancy. And that understates how hard it goes on all counts.

 

Whether you crave gory fisticuffs or holiday cheer, Blue Stinger indulges in both and spares all nuance. Want to obliterate Dinosaur Island’s mutant folk? Its vending machines dispense a feast of gatling guns, rocket launchers, lightsabers, and stun rods (my personal favorite) for your destructive delight. Need a jolt of merriment? It’ll bury you in an avalanche of neon snowmen, chipper earworms, and bizarre Pen Pen cameos. There are no half measures in Blue Stinger and God bless it for that.

Hassy Holidays, everyone!

In all, Blue Stinger embodies holiday excess and it will charm the shit out of you if you open your heart to its violent revelry.

Anyway, I’ll move on as I've spilled plenty more ink championing Blue Stinger as a highlight of the Dreamcast’s festive offerings and its library in general. We also celebrated it on the Dreamcast Junkyard's DreamPod Episode 137 and The Sega Lounge Episode 282, two podcast episodes fully dedicated to Shinya Nishigaki and Climax Graphics’ immortal holiday classic.

Christmas moral: We can brute force our way to Christmas cheer with a little kung fu and napalm.

Beverage pairing: Hassy & vodka

Dessert pairing: Gingerbread dinosaurs

Song pairing: This song on loop for 10 hours

Cool Boarders Burrrn! (NTSC-J) / Snow Surfers (PAL) / Rippin’ Riders (NTSC-U)

UEP System's Dreamcast snowboarding game sports a different title in each region but I've always appreciated their common commitment to alliteration. The game itself, though? Eh — 

My expectations were likely overblown by the spoils of other turn-of-the-millennium snowboarding games. I've always balked at Snow Surfers' relative rigidity. It affords limited potential for exploration and improvisation which contrasts unflatteringly against the expressive freedom of SSX, Amped, and Steep Slope Sliders. 

I still revisit Cool Boarders Burrrn! each winter, hoping to somehow enjoy it more than I traditionally have. The checkpoint timers are unforgiving and tricks are restricted to a handful of dedicated launch points (a la other Cool Boarders games). Each run offers just a couple viable approaches, yet — only recently — I've felt compelled to keep retrying them to improve my best times and trick scores. There's a certain hook there.

Decades onward, and unmoored from the shadow of its contemporaries, I've found a merry little game in Snow Surfers. With some persistence, carving the slopes feels refreshingly kinetic and the chill beats, nifty set pieces, and wintery village locales are charming as hell. It only took a couple of decades but Cool Boarders Burrrn! is beginning to feel a lot like a toasty tradition in its own right.

Christmas moral: Something...patience...something, something. Also, alliteration is alright.

Beverage pairing: Jingle Juice with Mountain Dew

Dessert pairing: Christmas crumble

Song pairing: "Walking in a Winter Wonderland"

Shenmue

AM2’s classic Santa stalking simulator needs no introduction here. I’ll just say that few things feel as cozy as moseying around Dobuita's bustling streets at Christmastime with the snow crunching under Ryo's sneakers. Tailing Santa around town, It's always amusing to see him peddle local boozers to underage teenagers before imbibing at them himself. Ryo can't stay out too late, though. Ine-san will worry and he still has to wake up early for his forklift job on Christmas Day. 

On a related note, Mark's pre-shift forklift races are mandatory but don't pay jack squat. That's bullshit.

Christmas moral: Unionize.

Beverage pairing: Milk

Dessert pairing: Nothing. Ryo doesn’t eat food in Shenmue because he is a ryobot

Song pairing: “Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes)” by Harvey Danger