Dream Disc 25 is Here! - Key Details and an Interview with the Organisers

Guess who’s back? Back again? Dream Disc’s back. Tell a friend. Guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back un-nuh-nuh….

Emboldened by the stonking success of their inaugural Dream Disc game jam in 2024, today (1 December 2025) Psyop Studios and Orc Face Games launch this year’s iteration of the competition ‘Dream Disc '25: Monster indie hits to grind until your eyes bleed’. Ok… I made that subtitle up. But if the outputs from the jam are anything like last time, then its sentiment will hold true.

For those new to this project, here is a basic run-down. The small but mighty development outfit Psyop Studios and the publishing maestros of Orc Face Games team up to organise a game jam (like a musical jam, but with coding) in which creatives of all hues are invited to collaborate and compete to produce games, applications, or even hardware for our beloved Dreamcast. The idea being that, with a supportive atmosphere and a clearly defined deadline to keep to, those involved will be motivated to produce new material that may otherwise have failed to materialise. Not convinced? Well, there are also the much more tangible incentives of cash prizes and a potential spot on a physical professionally produced demo disc. 

Pop in Dream Disc 24 and zone out to the trippy menu screen. You won't be disappointed.

Last year’s jam brought forth 24 software submissions, many of which were staggeringly well polished given the circumstances. The top ten made it onto a demo disc which is still available at the extremely generous price of shipping alone, but some of my personal favourites (Dream Ride and Big "Mfkin" Drill) didn’t make it past the crooked esteemed judging panel, and so I would still highly recommend checking out the full range of entries which we covered on the blog and the pod. 

Dream Disc '24 winner: Sky Pirates of Etalmar

Get the gist? Alright, on to the important points about this year’s game jam: 

• It begins today (1 December) and runs all the way through until the end of February 2026, after which the public can review entries, and the judges begin the arduous task of whittling down the winners.  
• Everyone is welcome, from beginners to old hands. Think you fancy producing something for the Dreamcast? Then check out the jam’s itch.io page, read the rules over on the Orc Face website and drop into the Orc Face discord server to meet up with others. 
• The jam has a super wide remit. Aside from software and hardware for the DC, applications that run on other platforms which are directly related to Dreamcast development or gaming are welcome. However, all submissions must be based on original content or content you have the rights to use, which rules out most mods and fangames.
• Lacking in time or creative thoughts (I feel you), but want to support the jam? Consider throwing a few quid into the prize pool – every penny counts!

Here at the Junkyard we are delighted to be sponsoring the Dream Disc jam once again. In practice that means one or two of us from the editorial collective will offer up our meticulous and fair-minded judging services, and that we will endeavour to give the game jam entries the coverage they deserve. OK, maybe they deserve better, but we will try our best…

Alright enough rambling from me. Here are a few words from the keystones of the whole shebang, Cypress from Psyop Studios and Ross from Orc Face Games.

DCJY: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us. We know you’re busy, so we’ll keep this sweet and to the point. Its great to see the Dream Disc game jam return for a second round. Presumably the inaugural competition must have been good fun if you are back for more?!

Cypress: For me, it was the most fun I’ve had with a jam, so it’s a no brainer to attempt to host it every year for my own interest. That being said, when we were originally coming up with the idea for Dream Disc, we envisioned it as a yearly jam, but understood that the deciding factor would be whether or not the year one event actually went successfully. Back then there was a point where we were worried we wouldn’t even get 10 submissions to fill up the disc!

Ross: Indeed! There were way more submissions than we anticipated last time and this year it’s looking to be nearly double that again! Orc Face Games’ contribution will be the same as last time: to compile and manufacture the physical CD-ROM with the top 10 submissions and provide it free of charge (at the cost of shipping) to anyone who wants one. Our belief is that the indie Dreamcast scene will become more interesting and vibrant with organised jams like this, and hopefully it will encourage more developers to consider making full releases for the platform. That’s where we’d be happy to provide publishing services.

The jam is being organised by Psyop Studios and Orc Face Games. Practically speaking does that mean Cypress and Ross, or is there a broader network of people involved?

Cypress: At least on the Psyops side, it’s just me (Cypress) handling it. The rest of the Psyops team is going full steam ahead on our next game, with Haikuno handling his libGumball UI library for our game, Nupi working on game and engine code for our Dream Disc submission, and Chao-Etta working on her VMU games.

Ross: Although the jam belongs to the community, it does fall to Cypress and myself to handle the organisation side of things. Generally the work is split between us with me handling the rules, the submission format, the promotional assets and the physical disc production side, and with Cypress handling the promotion and outreach side - getting more people involved in the jam, looking for judges, setting up the itch.io page and nudging me to get things done in between my very busy schedule.

The timeframe for the jam seems to have been extended quite significantly this time around, running over a 3 month period. What was the reasoning behind that choice?

Ross: Last year there were at least three people who said they would be unable to participate because they were travelling or seeing family over the holidays. Running the jam over the winter break is a great idea for many people as they have enough time to dig in and get some work done, but it was a shame to exclude those with other commitments. We hope extending the time will give more people a chance to contribute.

Are there any other changes to the format or approach? Anything you’re hoping to achieve that differs from the inaugural jam?

Ross: It was a struggle to get all the games working correctly on the compilation disc last time - so much so that it ended up taking me maybe two weeks of full-time work days including the time to build and optimise the menu and get the disc in the right format for pressing. I even had to modify the code for some submissions to fix bugs and get them to play nice on the final disc. This time around we’ve learned our lesson and are giving very strict submission format requirements. While this does mean a little more work for participants, the end result will be quicker to put together with fewer bugs. If this goes well, it will be our standard format for future years too.

The roster of entries last year was pretty special. Do you think enough time has passed for devs to cook up new projects?

Cypress: At least for Psyops team, the amount of steep competition has only driven us to work even harder on this year’s entry. I hope other developers feel the same heat, and bring some fire this time around. 

Ross: Even though the jam hasn’t formally started yet at the time of writing, we already have nearly double the submissions compared to last year. It looks like developers are really inspired to build something awesome for the Dreamcast and that’s everything we wanted for this project.

What’s the reception been like so far to the physical disc for Dream Disc ‘24?

Ross: Incredible! The quantity of orders of the physical CD-ROM has eclipsed our previous releases and this has pushed me to streamline our approach to picking, packing, labelling and shipping. It also boosted sales of our existing published Dreamcast titles, The Storied Sword and Chew Chew Mimic, plus an increase in preorders for our first in-house title HarleQuest! There are still a few copies of Dream Disc ‘24 left but we’re quickly running out. We don’t intend to manufacture another run, so if you haven’t got yours yet, I’d suggest ordering soon!

Cypress: It’s been big enough that it’s the first time I’ve heard people randomly talking about Psyops studios in the wild, as well as bringing up Orc Face Games too. Not only that, but seeing people online talk about it and introduce it to others - it feels surreal.

Producing a physical disc is quite the endeavour - are the time and resources available to manage that while keeping other projects on track?

Ross: For Dream Disc ‘24, the answer is no. Our other projects at Orc Face Games definitely took a hit as we had to divert time, money and energy into overcoming unforeseen problems. I felt a sense of guilt as HarleQuest! is already running quite behind our planned schedule from 2023, but at the same time I saw Dream Disc as a good investment for the company’s future and for the health of the scene.

It’s a tough balance trying to build a company with a strong presence in the indie Dreamcast world while also staying focused on the quality of our own releases. At the end of the day there isn’t a lot of money to pay people and so everything has to be done on a shoestring budget, with as much work as possible landing on a very small number of people (2 or 3 at a time maximum). The good news is that with all the lessons learned and processes in place, Dream Disc ‘25 will be much easier to put together and won’t have the same impact on our other work.

We’ve heard whispers that Murph’s big screen debut is in the works with Spielberg directing it… can you confirm or deny these rumours?

Cypress: Really? I’m going to have to grill my team and find out who the leaker is.

* * *

Thanks go out to Cypress and Ross for gracing us with a fresh edition of the Dream Disc game jam. As and when any other jam-related news drops we'll have it covered here on the blog. Of course, we're always interested to hear the views of our readers too. You've made it this far, so why not leave us a comment below?

Bang Bang Busters 2 Kickstarter Goes Live — a Sega Dreamcast Indie Sequel!

Have you finished the last puzzle on Chew Chew Mimic and are now finding yourself hungry for your next Dreamcast fix? Well, PixelHeart might have you covered with their latest Kickstarter campaign for Bang Bang Busters 2.

As the "2" in the title might infer, this is the sequel to the 2010 Visco-developed Neo Geo title Bang Bang Busters (also stylised as Bang² Busters), a single-screen arcade title akin to the likes of Bubble Bobble and Snow Bros where you clear stages by grabbing the enemies and hurling them at other enemies to build up combos and boost your score.

Bang Bang Busters 2 sees cutesy space bunnies Lazy and Refia return to once again defeat Emperor Honey and stop his evil plan to transform the kings of the universe into giant mascots and imprison them all in a planetary amusement park called Happy Universe. 

Okay, so the plot may have been ripped straight out of a 90s quarter-munching cabinet, but if you enjoy classic action platforming, Bang Bang Busters 2 could be well worth a look.

Although the lead platforms for the project are the Neo Geo MVS and AES cartridges, PixelHeart have confirmed that the Dreamcast version is a dedicated native port for the platform, and will sport improvements over the base game including a larger colour palette and refined visuals. The audio is also going to be improved with stereo sound and a CD-quality soundtrack. This is a definite improvement over the Dreamcast release of the original Bang Bang Busters, which was effectively just an emulated ROM on a disc.

As with other PixelHeart titles, regional packaging design options are available for Dreamcast, including our favourite love-to-hate option of a PAL jewel case (priced at €50) as well as US and Japanese themed versions (priced at €35) to best fit your current collection.

You can check out the Kickstarter here, where as of writing, the project is £15,042 towards its goal of £30,845. The Kickstarter runs until the 30th of November so it's looking promising that the goal will be achieved. There are also downloadable demos available for free for both Dreamcast and Neo Geo, if you want to test out an early build to see if it's up your street. 

Have you played the original Bang Bang Busters? Are you looking forward to a sequel? Let us know in the comments or on social media.

DCJY welcomes Andrew Fisher

In episode 146 of our podcast, the DreamPod, Lozz and Lewis are joined by freelance video game writer Andrew Fisher to discuss his career and everything Dreamcast homebrew.

With decades of experience in video game journalism, Andrew’s work spans publications such as Wireframe, ZZAP! 64, ZZAP! Amiga, Commodore Force, Commodore Format, Fusion, and of course, Retro Gamer magazine — where he pens his monthly column, “The Homebrewer’s Kit.” With the Sega Dreamcast having become such a prolific console for independent development in recent years, it’s only natural that our scene has crossed Andrew’s radar. In fact, in issue 277 of Retro Gamer, this year’s biggest Dreamcast projects featured prominently in Andrew’s column.

You can listen to this episode of the DreamPod and all of our previous episodes on Buzzsprout, along with all great podcatchers.

Dream Disc '24 Compilation Goes up for Preorder! Dream Disc '25 also Announced!

The Dream Disc '24 Game Jam —which ran from December 20th to January 3rd— was a huge success, showcasing a wide range of fantastic new software from the Sega Dreamcast's passionate coding community. It was also an absolute blast to cover here at the Junkyard, and we did so at any opportunity we could — our podcast episode discussing the winners with organisers Ross Kilgariff and Cypress was a particular highlight. 

As fabled in the jam’s original press release, the top ten entries —as selected by a panel of judges— were promised a spot on a physical demo disc. Perhaps this is the titular "Dream Disc"? (We’ll have to wait for Ross and Cypress to officially confirm that particular piece of Dream Disc game jam lore.) Well, Ross's publishing outfit Orc Face Games has finally announced that preorders are open for the physical Dream Disc release. The best part about this whole arrangement? The only thing you need to pay is the shipping fee. In my case, it only cost three measly Great British pounds, which is an absolute steal. If you're not based in the UK, though, Orc Face Games also ships internationally. 

The games featured on this compilation will be Rizzo Island Remix by Dreameater Games, dRxLaX by dRxL_dk, Murph's Big Puddle Fishin' by PsyOp Studios, Order of Titan by bertholet and Ajaxpigeon, Trick Truck and Sky Pirates of Etalmar by WufSoft, Starship Madness by yomboprime, Black Hole Descent by Frogbull, The Eternal Sleep by Locked Door Puzzle, and Defuseball by Freakdave.

For those who have consigned their Dreamcast to a digital-only fate, there is also a digital .cdi version of this release which you can download right now, totally for free. Of course, all of the Dream Disc '24 entries were available digitally for free anyway, but this still gives you the chance to experience the glorious landing screen that Ross has put together, which is a loving homage to the magazine demos of old.

Orc Face also announced on their Twitter account that the disc should arrive with them this month, so if you pick up any other games alongside your Dream Disc preorder, they can be shipped out all at once. Perhaps a perfect opportunity to double up with a copy of the upcoming Chew Chew Mimic, which is now imminently due for release following a video update Ross provided towards the end of last month.

The final version of Chew Chew Mimic we will be recieving.

So, with the final echoes of Dream Disc ‘24 fading, the question on everyone’s mind is… will there be a Dream Disc ‘25 this December? The answer is yes! The organisers are still working out the details, but it’s definitely happening. In the meantime, feel free to stare longingly at this sleek new logo that Ross designed for the event.

Will you be preordering one of these Dream Disc '24 compilations? Are you looking forward to Dream Disc '25? Let us know on our socials or leave a comment below.

New Dreamcast Game "Verdict Guilty Clash" up for Pre-Order — Exclusive Details Revealed!

While the Sega Dreamcast homebrew scene has been busier than ever as of late, the same sadly cannot be said for the console's commercial indie scene. Releases have slowed down considerably in the last few years, and the closure of WAVE Game Studios has left many questioning the future of the scene altogether. Fortunately, there are still reasons for optimism: upcoming titles from Orc Face Games —HarleQuest!, Chew Chew Mimic, and the Dream Disc '24 demo disc— promise fresh indie experiences, while publishers like VGNYsoft continue to keep the platform alive with new releases. Still, it’s become increasingly slim pickings for those eager to add brand new physical Dreamcast games to their collections.

Still soldiering on after all these years is PixelHeart (also known as JoshProd). Once known for releasing multiple Dreamcast titles each year, their output on the console has also slowed, but if their recent release GladMort is anything to go by, the quality is stronger than ever. 

On Friday we learned that the next release in the PixelHeart gameography —Retro Army's Verdict Guilty Clash— is now available for pre-order. This 90s arcade-style one-on-one fighter with a law enforcement vs. criminals theme, and a gritty, neon aesthetic, first saw a release in 2016 on Steam, with releases on the PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch eventually appearing in 2023. Now the game is coming to the Dreamcast with the "Clash" subtitle, and will feature exclusive content, unique to this port. During my research, I found that this game had actually been touted for release on Dreamcast all the way back in 2019, with a Saturn version also mentioned. Well, good things come to those who wait, I guess, although I doubt we'll be seeing that Saturn version any time soon.

The Dreamcast port of Verdict Guilty will include new stages and four exclusive fighters, each with their own unique story mode. Among the newcomers are Sho Kamui and Tia Langray from Breakers (another of JoshProd’s previous Dreamcast releases), as well as Saizo Tobikageno from Breakers Revenge. Rounding out the roster is perhaps the most intriguing addition: Ken Anderson, a genuine real-life professional wrestler who goes by the ring name Mr. Kennedy.

We can also reveal that this port is running natively on Dreamcast, and is not emulated in any way. This seems to be something PixelHeart have been prioritising going forward, as some of their previous releases to Dreamcast —such as their Neo Geo releases— were powered by emulation.

Verdict Guilty Clash's physical release will be available in three region-themed variants familiar to Dreamcast collectors, with the PAL-style edition coming in a PAL case with a certificate of authenticity. As with all of PixelHeart's Dreamcast releases, it will be professionally pressed on MIL-CD.

To pre-order yourself a copy of Verdict Guilty Clash, head over to PixelHeart's store, where you can pre-order your preferred edition for a cost of €39.90 (about £34.52), plus shipping. The game has an expected release date of October 24th 2025.

Mute Crimson DC Releases for Sega Dreamcast – Play It Now for Free!

 

Well, this was a nice surprise! To mark the 26th anniversary of the Sega Dreamcast’s North American launch (the iconic 9.9.99), two-person indie studio Iced Lizard Games has released a Dreamcast port of their stylish ninja platformer Mute Crimson DX, fittingly renamed Mute Crimson DC. And the best part: it's totally free to play!

Mute Crimson can already be found on all the usual modern platforms (Steam, Xbox, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch) — so to see the Dreamcast being added to a lineup like that is wild. The Dreamcast's weak copy-protection may have been one of many factors that hindered its commercial success, but it's also the reason the console gets to live on more than two decades later, continuing to receive a steady stream of new indie titles and homebrew constantly.

So, what's Mute Crimson DC like? Well, it's a lot of fun! It's a one-hit death kind of platformer (like Super Meat Boy, Celeste, that kind of thing). You know, the kind with instant respawns and no fear of running out of lives, but a focus on timing precise jumps to reach the next platform. Miss a beat and you’ll be spectacularly splatted, but a second later you're back into the action. I’m also happy to report that the controls are tight and responsive as you slash, double jump and wall-climb through the game's various levels. If the challenge does prove to be slightly too much for you though, there's always an easy mode with more checkpoints. Oh, and there's also a save system.

The retro-inspired monochrome graphics, with their accents of crimson, look lovely on the Dreamcast, and the game runs fast, flawlessly, and with surprisingly little compromise. To achieve this level of performance, the developers did have to scale back a few things: particle effects were reduced, audio bitrate was lowered, rumble support was removed, and the modern versions’ rewind system was cut. These are all relatively minor concessions, however, and they do nothing to diminish the gameplay experience — especially if, like me, this Dreamcast version is your first time playing Mute Crimson.

Oh, and the cutscenes are charming and well illustrated, too.

If you want to play Mute Crimson DC, simply head over to the game's itch.io page and download the available .cdi file for play on your ODE (such as GDEMU or MODE), or for burning onto a CD-R.

Hopefully we will see more from Iced Lizard Games on the Dreamcast in the future, but if you do enjoy what you play of Mute Crimson DC, they have other games available on other platforms, including one planned for release in 2026.

Sovietborgs on IndieGoGo, El Dorado Gate Translation, Outtrigger Back Online - Summer DC News Round-Up

 Credit to Dreamcast Enjoyer for the Virtua Fighter 3TB background.

The scorching summer heatwave has finally dissipated, providing me with the opportunity to sit here and type up a Dreamcast news round-up without melting into my creaky computer chair. Fortunately though, while I've been lounging around outside, Mr Freeze in hand and with the neighbours clingy cat at my feet (Trevor, generally chill, occasionally bitey), others in the scene have been busy cooking up all sorts of goodness. And, really, given the variety on display, there should be something here to suit everyone's tastes...

One of the few consumer goods to have avoided the savage inflation of recent years. I'm still waiting for a response to my enquiry about a DCJY edition though - call me back Mr Freeze!

News from the Indie Front

The stream of commercial indie releases on Sega's swansong console has definitely slowed over the last year or two. During the frenetic period that roughly coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, dozens of titles were being published each year, and the pipeline of forthcoming games was packed. In hindsight, maybe that was never sustainable in the long-run, and it is feasible that the market became a little oversaturated. Who knows, maybe I'll scribble a deeper dive into the phenomenon soon, but regardless, the indie market is certainly far from finished and there is still plenty to look forward to.

Undoubtedly deserving of top billing here is the launch of the Sovietborgs crowdfunder by Dreamcast scene heavyweights Retro Sumus. After blessing us with the sublime Xenocider in 2021, this European development outfit took a well deserved break, but thankfully, last year we began to hear them stirring again. This time around they are pitching a top-down run 'n' gun game set in a parody world where the Soviet Union won the Cold War (and Gorbachev didn't end up starring in Pizza Hut adverts). Ample detail is available on the IndieGoGo page, so I won't regurgitate it all here. The campaign has around three weeks left to run, and the crew are 57% of the way towards their £41k funding goal. Here at the Junkyard we're hoping Retro Sumus are successful - if anyone is deserving of backing, then it is scene-stalwarts like them!

In other recent news, Gladmort, the 2D action-platformer that pays homage to titles like Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Metal Slug and Magician Lord, has been landing on the doormats of nerds all around the globe. Lewis was enamoured with the game's visual panache when he covered its KickStarter launch last year, and now we'll get to see if it lives up to his (and others) expectations. Those who missed the pre-orders but are now interested can pick up a copy from Pixelheart should they wish. I didn't take the plunge on this one, but a couple of our other writers-at-large did - hopefully one will turn out a review (yeah, Mike, that means you, buddy).

The PAL edition of Gladmort. Photo courtesy of MikeRox.

Elsewhere, occasional updates continue to arrive about the handful of other indie titles that are in the oven. A few days ago, the good folks at JKMCorp let us know that Shadow Gangs Zero is making steady progress and that the Dreamcast version is expected to be ready in early 2026. Orc Face Games, who published The Storied Sword earlier this year, are juggling several projects. In late April they announced that Chew Chew Mimic was available to pre-order (for a mere £15 a piece), but their latest news is that the Dream Disc '24 build is tested and "good to go", which hopefully means that discs will be printed soon. Ross of Orc Face has admitted that development of their key title HarleQuest! has slowed as a result of these other initiatives, but nevertheless, transparent KickStarter updates continue to arrive on a steady basis, and the latest post (May 2025) notes that the aim is to get the game to a content-complete state by the end of Q3 2025. Personally, as long as the game gets there in the end, I wouldn't begrudge a few delays - Orc Face are doing a lot of good for the scene and are worthy of some patience...

A work-in-progress version of the Dream Disc '24 demo disc cover.

Patience? Patience?! But Lozz, I here you cry, where is the news on Izzy's Arcade and Terminator 2D No Fate? Well, since Senile Team playfully hinted that Izzy could make a return to the Dreamcast, Roel and his posse have been tight lipped. We really must see that semi-sequel on our beloved console, though. Ditto for Terminator 2D NO FATE, which Bitmap Bureau have declared will be coming to retro consoles (without specifying which).

Whopping Big Translations

Anyone with even a passing interest in the Dreamcast will know that the Japanese market received swathes of titles that never saw the light of day over here in Europe or across the pond in the States. However, thanks to some plucky and selfless people who dedicate hours to producing translations, this disparity has been gradually chipped away at over the years.

Most recently, bigbanana23 (look, that it a perfectly good username alright?) announced that they have begun translating Capcom's multi-volume RPG El Dorado Gate. Spanning seven(!) entries on the Dreamcast, which, if you are lucky enough, you can pull together in a neat slipcase, this title has undoubtedly been high on the wishlists of many for a long time now. Clearly it is still early doors on this project, but the initial signs are looking positive. 

A complete set of El Dorado Gate, including the snazzy green slipcase.

It also fills my heart with joy to see that Exxistance is inching ever closer to being able to release their translation of the iconclastic Segagaga. This month they released a new video which demonstrates how far the project is progressing. Word has it that the aim is to drop this muther as a 25th anniversary patch, which would suggest that 29 March 2026 should be booked off work (and maybe a few days after that actually). Of course, we don't want to apply any undue pressure - when it's ready, it's ready. For now, if you've got Segagaga on the mind, be sure to check out our interview with its creator Tez Okano.

Oh, and how could I make a blog post without mentioning the Italian Stallion himself, Derek Pascarella?! Those with an interest in the technical side of translations should check out his recent social media posts exploring some problem-solving in action on the Love Hina: Suprise Engagement translation (W.I.P).

Sovietborgs hits IndieGoGo on June 25th — Dreamcast Version Details Revealed!

Update (June 25th): this campaign has now launched! You can back it by clicking here.

Back in November, we took a first look at Sovietborgs, the upcoming release from Retro Sumus, the Spanish development studio behind the excellent Dreamcast indie shooter Xenocider.

Set in an alternate reality where the Soviets won the Cold War, this top-down run-and-gun game is coming to the Dreamcast, Mega Drive (Genesis), and Neo Geo. Retro Sumus has been sharing development updates for a while now, and have finally announced that the project will launch on IndieGoGo on June the 25th.

We caught up with Retro Sumus themselves to get the scoop on everything you need to know about the Dreamcast version — the one that really matters!

Drawing inspiration from retro classics like The Chaos Engine and Gauntlet, Sovietborgs features pre-rendered graphics reminiscent of Donkey Kong Country and Vectorman. We had a blast with an early Mega Drive build, and with Retro Sumus confirming to us that the Dreamcast version will have enhancements like twin stick compatibility, no colour/palette limitations, achievements and improved sound (including an original soundtrack and additional voice samples), things are only looking up for us here at the Junkyard.

Speaking of those voice samples, Dreamcast YouTube royalty Adam Koralik will be providing voices for all characters in the game, including the enemies. Seeing as the Dreamcast version will have even more voice samples, that means more opportunities to hear Adam do a fake Russian accent. Winner.

Along with standard Dreamcast editions, the IndieGoGo campaign will feature an exclusive PAL Dreamcast case version of Sovietborgs, along with another for Retro Sumus’ previous title Xenocider —featuring brand new artwork— as pictured below. This will be the second chance collectors will have to get their hands on a PAL case version of Xenocider, as the original run was limited to 50 and sold out fast.

People who love fragile game cases are going to lose their shit

Retro Sumus have also let us in on what people can expect the Dreamcast versions to be priced at.

"The Dreamcast version will most likely be the cheapest option available. Both because it's (naturally) cheaper to manufacture and because it's kind of "our" community and we feel that's the way it should be. So the price range would be close to what we had for Xenocider, around €45 for the standard edition and somewhere between 60 and 100 for the special or super-ultra-extra limited whatever." 

When we asked Retro Sumus whether other variants of the Dreamcast release would be available —such as Japanese or US style versions— here’s what they had to say:

"The crowdfunding campaign will tell us what the demand nowadays is for the Dreamcast, in general, and for specific regional variants, but yes, that's totally the plan!"

***

Exciting stuff! To set yourself a reminder for when the campaign goes live, go to the IndieGoGo page and sign up for updates. You can also check out the reveal trailer below.

Will you be backing the campaign on June 25th? Let us know by leaving a comment or by dropping us a line on social media.

Chew Chew Mimic - Dreamcast Edition Now Available for Pre-Order from Orc Face Games

Chew Chew Mimic, one of the latest efforts from renowned UK-based developer Lowtek Games, has taken a step closer to reaching the Dreamcast with pre-orders opening on the Orc Face Games website over the Easter weekend. For the princely sum of £15 (inclusive of shipping until the end of April), you can pick up a physical copy of the game, which comprises a professionally pressed disc and eight page full-colour manual enclosed within a sealed jewel case. Fortunately for the those who have long since switched their disc drive for an optical disc emulator, a complementary digital version is included too, to be accessed via a QR code on the manual. Also of significance is that those pre-ordering will not have a lengthy wait either, as Orc Face have informed us that they are aiming to have copies out the door by the end of May 2025.

So what is Chew Chew Mimic all about? Well, in a nutshell, it’s a bright and breezy puzzle game where the player is tasked with placing tiles in a formation that will allow one of four knights to reach the end of each of the 100 levels. Following on from the likes of Flea! and Tapeworm Disco Puzzle, the game maintains numerous signature Lowtek elements, including a distinctive art style, pun-heavy cutscenes, and a chiptune soundtrack from composer Tuï. The story goes that the game, which takes inspiration from a certain cat-and-mouse (and spaceship) Dreamcast classic, was first conceived by retro gaming YouTube personality John Riggs (who previously also brought us Yeah Yeah Beebis II) and Alastair Low after a couple of fateful encounters at gaming conventions. 

Right from the off, although being primarily developed for the NES, Chew Chew Mimic was touted for a Dreamcast release. Indeed, when we first got wind of the project in 2023, it was looking likely that a version for our beloved Sega console would be made available simultaneously with, or at least soon after, the NES version, as arrangements had been made with prolific Dreamcast publisher Wave Game Studios. Alas, versions for the NES, Evercade and Playdate came and went, whereas the DC edition entered a state of limbo when Wave seemed to enter an indefinite publishing hiatus as the months of 2023 rolled by with little progress. Thankfully though Orc Face Games, founded in 2024 by HarleQuest’s lead developer Ross Kilgariff, has picked up the thread, and will now be ensuring that Chew Chew Mimic isn’t added to the Dreamcast’s voluminous directory of cancelled indie titles.

Dream Disc '24 Game Jam - More Details and an Interview with the Organisers

On the 23rd of October, the organisers of the Dream Disc ‘24 Game Jam revealed their forthcoming event to the world, and, in the days that have since passed, their announcement has produced quite a buzz, not only within our niche scene, but across the wider gaming world too.

For some, the title of this hotly anticipated 'jam' may be confusing though, so let me break it down in lay terms. A game jam is a time-restricted event at which developers of various kinds will conceptualise and begin creating games. Much like a musical jam, the idea is that people with complementary skills will band together, sometimes with total strangers, and experiment in an open-minded environment. The hope is that the focused attention these conditions produce will result in some innovative results. Alas, it’s always a possibility that some of the outputs will be hideous abominations, but the learning and networking experience can be useful in and of itself nonetheless. 

In the case of the Dream Disc’ 24 Game Jam, developers are being encouraged to congregate online around itch.io and the Simulant Discord between Friday 20 December and Friday 3 January to “collaborate, build, tinker and show off” their projects. That being said, projects that were begun prior to these dates can be submitted, and entrants are welcome to drop by and introduce themselves whenever they may wish. In another wise move from the organisers, it’s also the case that, in addition to games, software utilities and even hardware can be accommodated for too.

So, that clears up the sticky issue of what ‘jam’ means. What about the ‘Dream Disc ‘24’ part? Well,  thanks to one of the event’s main sponsors, Orc Face Games, the top ten entries (as judged by expert panel) shall subsequently be featured on a physical CD-ROM to be made available to the public for the cost of shipping alone. If that wasn’t enough incentive, there is also a cash prize pool to be shared by the top three entrants. This currently stands at close to $900 USD, and in a peculiar twist of fate has been buoyed by advertising income that had been set aside for a contest to be hosted by the website DCEmu 15 years ago that never materialised. Those funds are now finally being put to good use thanks to one of the administrators of that OG website, darksaviour, digging them out all these years later. Of course, the pot is likely to grow further too as news spreads and additional donations are received. 

Shadow Gangs Zero - What We Know So Far... Kickstarter due 1 August

Almost exactly two years ago the Junkyard published my review of Shadow Gangs, a side-scrolling beat ‘em up that was released for the Dreamcast in 2022, hot on the heels of a successful Kickstarter campaign. Perhaps due to a threadbare skillset, my personal experience of the game was less ‘beat em up’ and more ‘get beat up’, which I must admit detracted from my playing satisfaction quite a bit... Even so, I couldn’t deny that Shadow Gangs was a well polished effort with smooth, bug-free gameplay, an endearing art style and a thumping soundtrack. And, what’s more, the game was delivered to customers within the expected timeframe without any fuss or bother - a commendable feat that is far from guaranteed in our niche community (or in gaming more widely for that matter).

Why the hell am I bringing this up again? Oh, yeah, JKM Corp have now confirmed that Master Dan, the protagonist of Shadow Gangs, will be making a triumphant return to the Dreamcast in Shadow Gangs Zero, a Kickstarter for which shall be launching on Thursday 1 August. Though, as Zero is actually a prelude not a sequel, perhaps this marks an arrival rather than a return?! Theories of time and space are not my forte, so let’s side-step that rabbit hole and get down to business: what exactly is Shadow Gangs Zero and why should Dreamcast enthusiasts care about it?

Well, as I said above, Shadow Gangs Zero is a prequel to Shadow Gangs, and although it is sticking to the same fundamental beat ‘em up formula, there are a significant number of differences to be aware of. First of all, rather than being developed primarily for the Dreamcast and PC, the primary console which Shadow Gangs Zero is being built for is the Neo Geo. Apparently Ali Jakamy, head honcho over at JKM, had some time on his hands awaiting the submission of art and animations commissioned for Shadow Gangs II, and instead of taking a well-earned break, he couldn’t help but try to get Shadow Gangs running on SNK’s mid-90s powerhouse. Of course, with his enthusiasm unbound, that little tinkering project quickly escalated into the full scale production of the 16-bit 320*224 resolution prequel that we are now discussing here.

So, the Dreamcast version will be a port from a lesser console (a fucking great console, yes, but still lesser) something which may not excite those who are seeking indie titles that push the capabilities of our beloved little white box. However, Ali has assured us that the Dreamcast version will be a native port (no ROMs running on Neo Geo emulators here) and will make use of the Dreamcast’s hardware to deliver more colours, as well as rumble and VMU saving. Given his record with the first game, we have little reason to doubt that the Dreamcast version will be solid from a technical standpoint.

The other key characteristic which will differentiate Shadow Gangs Zero from its predecessor is that it shall be designed to deliver a home console experience, as opposed to an arcade-like one. In practical terms, what that appears to mean is: a) a shift away from brutal difficulty, and b) a longer and more in-depth game. The former aspect will be delivered through the binning of time limits and deaths from falls, as well as the addition of mid-level health pickups. The latter seems to come down to the provision of longer and potentially more levels, as well as opportunities to discover different scenarios through replaying the game with different characters or settings.

From what I can gather, Shadow Gangs Zero is not going to be entirely new. It seems that some of the settings and assets from the initial game will travel across, and so it may come down to interpretation whether it is to be viewed as a thoroughly substantial remake or a standalone new entry. We’ve been assured that many significant distinctions, such as those I outlined above, are nailed on and that owners of the first entry will have reasons to go in for the prequel. However, the extent of differentiation between the two entries will also ultimately come down to whether certain stretch goals (e.g. the inclusion of a two-player mode or composition of new music by Naim Soufiane) are met, leaving the matter somewhat open-ended until the conclusion of the funding campaign window.

Now, moving on to what we know about the funding and publication of the game. As already mentioned, a Kickstarter campaign will be launched on Thursday the 1st of August. Although we don’t know the exact funding goal, Ali has informed us that it will be higher than that of Shadow Gangs (£25,000). This is because the money raised shall be covering development costs, rather than simply covering manufacturing costs (at the point of going to Kickstarter the original Shadow Gangs was all but finished, whereas Shadow Gangs Zero is currently only about 10% towards completion). However, while the funding goal shall be higher, the pricing for the Dreamcast versions will be the same as the first time around. Given how early the game is in its development, timelines are inevitably very tentative at this point, but JKM Corp have told us that they are hoping to deliver the Neo Geo version of Shadow Gangs Zero by December 2025, and the Dreamcast and Mega Drive/Genesis version by March 2026.

Interestingly the publishing duties (printing, sales, distribution etc.) shall be managed by PixelHeart rather than WAVE Games Studios this time around. Ali informed us that this is down to former's expertise/experience in releasing Neo Geo games, which makes sense. The shift is probably not too surprising either given that WAVE seem to have taken a breather in 2024. Of course, the hibernating Norwich-based studio handled the first Shadow Gangs release with aplomb, but we know PixelHeart are a well oiled machine when it comes to matters of manufacturing and distribution too, and will likely be a safe pair of hands for Shadow Gangs Zero.

That’s about as much as we can share for now. More details may well be available when the Kickstarter launches on Thursday the 1st of August, so if you are interested then be sure to bookmark the page. As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below - is Shadow Gangs Zero a title you’ll be backing immediately or are you going to give it a pass?

Sturmwind Reissue coming from VGNYsoft - Includes Sturmwind VMU Shell!

 

Duranik's shooter Sturmwind is renowned by Dreamcast fans the world over, often seen as the best indie game on the console - whilst it held onto second place in both our 2016 and 2024 Top Dreamcast Indie Games votes, it also ranked at 35 in our 2023 Top 200 Dreamcast Games poll, becoming the highest-ranked indie game on the list, and beating out many beloved contemporary releases on the console. Just shows how much love the game has.

Of course, with such acclaim comes demand, and unless you look to eBay, the last proper re-release of this title (from PixelHeart) is now sold out. Step in, US-based outfit VGNYsoft, who have a brand new reissue of the game now up for pre-order, and most exciting of all, there is also a limited edition available which comes with a Sturmwind-branded VMU shell!

No CD-Rs! 😉

VGNYsoft recently went to Kickstarter with their brand new injection-moulded VMU replacement shells. We chatted to Dan from VGNYsoft when the Kickstarter launched, and he made us aware that they were planning to include indie game-branded VMU shells as part of future indie releases. Well, they are certainly starting this new wave of limited releases off with a bang by starting with Sturmwind!

The regular edition of the game will cost $39.99, while the VMU edition, which is limited to 500, retails for $59.99. This limited edition will include the regular game in a box with the Sturmwind VMU shell. The parts included are a black silicone pad, the D-pad and the outer shell itself. YGNYsoft previously sent us some of their shells to look at, and they are really high quality, built as tough as official VMU shells. You'll of course need to supply your own donor VMU, but it'll thank you for it when it looks cool as hell. 

The pre-orders launch at 10am EST (that's 3pm UK time) on the 15th of May, and are available from VGNYsoft themselves. For those outside the US, you can order from Video Games Plus. VGNYsoft have also told us that they may have some available to order from suppliers based in Spain and Japan, along with Play-Asia at some point in the future.

Looks legit.

Are you going to grab this reissue of Sturmwind? Are you excited for more indie-branded VMU shells? Let us know in the comments below or via one of our many social media pages!

GladMort: New Kickstarter from JoshProd/PixelHeart!

It's been a little under a year since SEGA Dreamcast indie scene stalwart publisher Pixelheart (also known as JoshProd) last released something new for the console, with their most recent release Andro Dunos II finally landing back in July - but it's been even longer since they last turned to Kickstarter to gauge interest for a new project. It was Arcade Racing Legends the first time round, and now it's GladMort, a 2D action-platformer that pays homage to titles like Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Metal Slug and Magician Lord.

Like quite a few of PixelHeart's releases, GladMort was developed for Neo Geo first and foremost (by Chipsonsteroids), with Dreamcast (a full port with enhanced music) and PC ports also available. The game is 95% complete, but just needs backer support to push it over the line and finally get it released. At the time of writing, the Kickstarter - which launched earlier today - has already soared past its funding goal, so you can now back the campaign with confidence knowing that everything will definitely be going ahead.

Looking at the gameplay footage, the game looks excellent visually, as is most often the case with Neo Geo games. Playing as the titular GladMort, the gameplay has you traversing through five levels, dispatching enemies, while also trying your best to avoid traps and... death. Considering GladMort pays homage to Ghouls 'n Ghosts, though, you might end up doing that a lot... Challenge is something the game wears as a badge of honour. The developers have made a demo available for download that you can play on your computer. Give it a try and see how you fare.

Obviously PixelHeart will be producing the physical Dreamcast editions of the game in their typical "configuration", i.e. the Japanese and American style versions will have a reversible manual that allows you to choose between the Japanese and American cover to display (with the separate backer tiers simply being for sealed game collectors to choose which cover is displayed when the game is sealed), while the PAL-style edition comes in a PAL case with a bonus soundtrack CD (there is also a stretch goal for a reversible PAL manual as well).

Provisional covers, not final.

So there you go, something new from PixelHeart! Once again, click here to go to the campaign page. Will you be backing GladMort on Dreamcast? Maybe even Neo Geo?! Let us know in the comments below, or via one of our many social media pages.