Total Control: Issues 6 to 11

As discussed in the first part of this feature, Total Control was a multi-format games magazine from Rapide Publishing which lasted for only 11 issues. These ran between November 1998 and September 1999 and in that short window the Dreamcast hype train was fully boarded, had left its native Japan and was headed at full speed toward the US and Europe.

Because of this, Total Control - more than any other contemporary UK-based magazine - was very liberal with its Dreamcast coverage. Indeed, sometimes this was to it's detriment, as evidenced by the levels of reader vitriol in the letters relating to over-enthusiastic reporting on Sega's fledgling system. PlayStation 2 fanboys transcend both time and space, it seems. Naturally, I jest.

The first half of this feature explores the Dreamcast content contained within issues 1 to 5 of Total Control and can be found here. Now though, we turn our attention to the final six editions of this short-lived publication with issues 6 to 11. If you'd like to see bigger versions of the scans below, feel free to right click and download them to your device - I know Blogger's image viewing thingy is pretty rubbish for text-based stuff.

Enough procrastinating...let's do this!

Xenocider Update From Retro Sumus

A few weeks ago we brought you an exclusive video preview of Retro Sumus' upcoming Space Harrier homage Xenocider. The video was really only a taster of what we can expect from this ambitious indie title, and since then Carlos and his talented team have been slaving away behind the scenes to add even more to the game engine.

The latest video update throws in enemies, more scenery and shows how Xara's main weapon and targeting system will look. Obviously, this is still very early and there'll undoubtedly be many, many changes over the course of development but the video below provides a more accurate depiction of how Xenocider will play when the disc is actually spinning happily inside your trusty old Dreamcast. Here you go:

The Xenocider Kickstarter launches in May 2016 and Retro Sumus hope to be able to offer a downloadable playable demo in the coming weeks. As ever, we'll keep you posted on any further developments on either Xenocider or AMEBA as they come.

New Homebrew Tooth Cracker Available Now

We took a fairly comprehensive look at Ben Lancaster's homebrew Nintendo Game & Watch parody Tooth Cracker a few months ago here at the 'Yard. If you can't be bothered clicking the link and reading my thoughts though, I'll explain all over again. Because I'm nice like that. Tooth Cracker is the second title in Ben's James & Watch series and tasks the player with cracking human teeth with a (warm) can of bitter twinned with a well-placed fist. I appreciate that sounds very odd, but in practice it's a simple reaction-based skill game with some fairly basic visuals but highly addictive twitch game play - especially so when you progress through to the later stages. Also, whether the can of bitter is actually warm is open to interpretation, but I like to imagine that it spent a good three hours on a sunny window ledge before being incorporated into the game.

Built with the Unity engine.

Anyhow, I'm regurgitating all this because Ben has finally put this interesting little title on sale over at Retrogaming Roundup for the grand total of £15 with free worldwide shipping. For an extra £5 you can also grab the prequel, James & Watch Arm - another title we looked at some time ago.

These games aren't pushing the Dreamcast hardware in any way, but they are a nice throwback to the days when games were more about testing your skill and the hunt for a high score rather than trophies and the like. Ben will also be peddling his game at the upcoming Play Expo in Blackpool, so if you see him there be sure to tell him you read about Tooth Cracker at The Dreamcast Junkyard. Do this, and he'll furnish you with a manly hug and a kiss on the cheek (of your choice) as an exclusive DCJY bonus gift. Please bear in mind that the hug and kiss are mandatory, and non-transferable. This does not affect your statutory rights.

For Whom The Bell Tolls...

Question: What is the greatest piece of video game music ever written?

Answer: The Justice Ray, by Hyakutaro Tsukumo

This is the face of unparalleled musical genius. Truly.

What do you mean you've never heard of it? It's Tsukomo-san's magnum opus, and its legacy is entwined with Sega's own destiny. Before we skip ahead though, lets start at the beginning - the very beginning.

Total Control: Issues 1 to 5

Total Control was a multi-format print magazine that was sold in the UK between November 1998 and September 1999. Published by (the now defunct) Rapide Publishing, Total Control was marketed as a mature magazine aimed squarely at twenty-somethings with disposable income, and as such had a more adult style than some other magazines available at the time. The late 1990s saw a glut of print magazines come and go, and Total Control had stiff competition from publications like Arcade, CVG and Edge; the latter of which is the only one still going at the time of writing. Total Control only lasted for 11 issues due to Rapide Publishing going into administration just before issue 12 could hit the newsstands, but in this brief run it managed to pack in a ton of high quality Dreamcast-related content. This is no doubt down to the fact that it existed in that golden period between the Japanese and US launches, and died right before the PAL release - as illustrated, rather poignantly by the blue swirl adorning the final issue’s cover.

If you want to read an 'interesting' story about my acquisition of these magazines,
scroll down to the 'bonus feature' at the bottom.

There’s not much written about Total Control these days and the magazine seems to have passed into the annals of time with little more than a whimper, but since collecting the entire catalogue (thanks mainly in part to Matt from SegaMags) I thought it would be nice to feature this oft ignored source of Dreamcast nostalgia right here at the 'Yard. Because there’s quite a lot of Dreamcast coverage in these magazines, I’ve split this feature into two parts - the first of which will look at issues 1 to 5 of Total Control, with issues 6 to 11 investigated in the second part (coming soon!).

Are you ready? Here we go…!

Event: Southampton Game Fest 2016

Just a quick events notice, this. Not every post can be an Earth-shattering revelation about some hitherto unknown facet of Dreamcast collecting. Granted, most are...but not this one. Soz. Right then, The Dreamcast Junkyard will be supporting RetroCollect at Southampton Game Fest on 22nd May. The event is being run in aid of Southampton Hospital Charity and is being held at the Grand Harbour Hotel in Southampton, Hampshire, UK. It's only £6 a ticket and there will be plenty of retro and current gen stuff on show for people to have a play on...including all the usual Dreamcast gubbins we have at these events.

I say 'supporting' RetroCollect, but in actuality that just means there'll be banners up for both DCJY and RetroCollect in the same place and myself, Rob and the rest of the dudes helping out will be wearing two t-shirts instead of the usual one. Oh, and there'll be PlayStations, Saturns and N64s etc knocking about and interspersed with the Dreamcasts.

Anyway, if you'd like more information and to find out what other attractions will be at the event, visit the Southampton Game Fest 2016 website here.

Toy Racer Multiplayer Back Online Through Dial-Up

Remember Toy Racer? Of course you do - we only mentioned it a few days ago in this post about the work of two highly talented individuals working to get our trusty old Dreamcasts back online. There's a chance you've just clicked on this because someone's retweeted it or shared it on Facebook though, so I'll explain. Toy Racer was a PAL-only spin-off from Toy Commander that featured toy cars being raced around various tracks that were constructed from bits of Scalextric and broken stickle bricks. It was intended as a budget multiplayer racer to demonstrate the Dreamcast's online capabilities and for the most part it fulfilled its role amicably...until Sega's European servers were smashed to bits and thrown into a landfill. And then pissed on by several tramps.

The good news is that Toy Racer is now back online. And while we've told you this before, this time you don't need any other additional bits and bobs to experience it. All you need is a Dreamcast and a phone line. And Toy Racer, obvs. Plug it in with the standard modem cable and point your DNS at 46.101.91.123. Viola! Toy Racer is back online via dial up...right now!