Hydro Thunder Hurricane hits the XBOX Arcade today!
While I admit this piece of news isn't exactly Dreamcast nor SEGA related, what Dreamcast fan DIDN'T play the original Hydro Thunder back in the day? Heck, it was a launch title! While the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 had their own versions of the game, it was the Dreamcast that offered the best experience. Hurricane, the first official sequel, carries over many elements of the original. A majority of the boats are back, tracks match or include nods to past tracks and graphics are as awesome as the original (though Hurricane obviously looks way better).
I've downloaded the trial version and plan on buying the full version this weekend. The full game is $15 and is only on the 360. Finally, I can race as Damn the Torpedoes in HD!
As requested by Anthony817, here is the Half-Life article that was touted on the cover of ODCM's November 2000 issue. Click the images to enlarge. I tried to get them as crisp and as legible as I could without crushing the magazine in a scanner.
If any other readers have a game review or article that they wish to see from the American run of the Official Dreamcast Magazine, let me know! You could be the next "Reader Request"!
In other news, a new retro gaming shop opened up in my neighborhood. I checked it out and was surprised to find a good amount of SEGA games and consoles. Nothing to the extent of Video Games New York, but still enough for me to take some time to browse and find a few gems. Unfortunatly, the store had just opened, so nothing was priced. The owner was preoccupied with a number of customers, so requesting prices would take some time. Instead, I just grabbed a "like new" copy of Toy Commander and got his attention for a moment to learn that the price was $8.99. Not too bad! It seems his pricing system is based on whatever GameStop and ebay charge and then me knocks a dollar off. A little odd and loose, but it works for me. At least the dude seems to be open to haggling. Other games that I did not pick up were Bomberman Online ($17), Giga Wing 2 ($35) and Gauntlet Legends ($16). As the store owner settles in, I'll make a return and write a bit more about the shop. Looks promising! You can find his under construction website here: classicgamejunkie.com
SEGA of America's free stuff Friday is tomorrow, and the Dreamcast is the grand prize! Details are on SEGA's blog, something involving that Twitter thing wins you the goodies. Here's what SEGA is offering up:
Dreamcast Pack
After many requests for a console giveaway, we’re very happy to giveaway a Dreamcast (!) in its original box, nearly unopened, with controller, demos, and VMU (not in video). We also have a copy of Samba De Amigo, including the original Samba novelty maraca! And last, but certainly not least, is a copy of the original Shenmue Limited Edition in it’s original shrinkwrap – perfect for any collector or someone looking to play this classic Sega game.
Note: the maraca is a keychain and is not for gameplay use! That Shenmue LE is pretty cool too, it has the jukebox music CD included. Check out the Dreamcast centric fun in the video below:
I've been keeping up on all the E3 happenings over the past week and have very much enjoyed what you had to show. One of the strongest third party years yet! I was particularly happy to see Dreamcast classics on display, something that we haven't seen since E3 2001. Anyway, point I'm getting at is that I saw the t-shirts you were handing out and I genuinely want one. They look awesome. The "September 2010" line already gets me hyped for the upcoming Dreamcast anniversary as well as the rerelease of Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure. You asked us to share a Dreamcast memory to get a shirt, and while I can't be at E3 and the shirts are seemingly gone, I'm still taking a chance at getting one.
My favorite Dreamcast memory: The winter Phantasy Star Online released. I had just moved 2 hours south of where I had lived for 16 years, leaving all of my friends. We were stuck with the occasional weekend visit and phone calls, but it wasn't the same. Thankfully PSO changed all that. While we were hours apart, an online game of PSO made it feel like the good old days. I'll never forget weekend games that went into the early hours of the morning.
Until I finish my Ph.D, my posts will remain few and far between. Sorry for the hiatus, but I fully intend on posting some high quality stuff once I am finished.
Anyway, in addition to the other news from E3, it's worth broadcasting this little snippet of information: Mizuguchi Tetsuya, the mind behind the amazing synesthesia-based Rez (and betaK-Project), showcased his new game at E3; Child of Eden.
Those of you that have played Rez will remember that the AI in Rez is actually called "Eden" and is actually personified as the image of a woman that you must rescue from numerous computer firewalls and other defence systems (man this game is a geek's vision!).
The new game makes use of Microsoft's Kinect system for the XBOX 360, but can also be played with the use of standard controllers. If there was ever a game to sell me on the idea of waving my arms around whilst stood in the lounge listening to trance music during a never ending computer visualisation, this is it.
The idea seems familiar to those of use that know Rez; take control within the computer and 'clense' (some say shoot) the area, which in turn progresses the musical score of the game. Quite novel stuff really. Personally, I think that much as NiGHTS was destined to be played on the Wii, Rez is destined to be played using the Kinect. At least, it has me partially sold on the idea!
Here's a couple of videos for your viewing pleasure. Please turn up your speakers and relax!
Who knew that ten years after the launch of the Dreamcast, we'd have an E3 filled with Dreamcast releated goodies? The first of these bits comes from nuckles87, the SEGAbits E3 representative:
E3 2010: Crazy Taxi Hands-On
Aside from Shenmue and, perhaps, Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi is the most iconic franchise the Dreamcast every produced. So it comes as no surprise that the original game has joined Sonic Adventure as one of the first games in the Dreamcast revival SEGA is now pushing. Everyone here knows how the game plays: you play a taxi driver who drives people to far away locations in ridiculously short amounts of times, throwing every traffic law to the wind in the hopes of getting the largest fair possible from the customer.
The second bit of news involves sequels to two great Dreamcast games: REZ and Hydro Thunder. The upcoming sequel to REZ isn't so much a sequel as it is a spiritual successor. Different name, different publisher, sure. But Tetsuya Mizuguchi (REZ, Space Channel 5) is behind it and many of REZ's elements are in place. Check out the awesome demo below featuring Mizuguchi playing the game via the 360's Kinect controller:
As you can see in the video, one hand is your gun. A grabbing motion pulls in ammo, and the player can throw it out at enemies for a blast attack. Clapping hands switches guns and your other hand fires the Vulcan cannon and auto-fires shots. The controls are definitly a step above the trance vibrator and looks to be a lot of fun! Child of Eden's release is TBA and will be hitting the 360 and PS3.
Next up is Hydro Thunder Hurricane, the sequel to the Dreamcast launch title. Check out the trailer below for old memories with stunning new graphics:
This sequel/remake will be hitting the 360's downloadable marketplace this summer!
Finally, I saved the best for last! I'll leave you with a quote from President of SEGA West Mike Hayes. When asked how many Dreamcast titles we can expect to have on XBLA and PSN by next summer, Mike replied:
We hope to have somewhere between 18 to 24. Around that.
Following up on the previous post announcing SEGA rereleasing Dreamcast classics 'Crazy Taxi' and 'Sonic Adventure', we now have high res screens of said games! Other sites may have these, but probably not as huge as the Junkyard does. Click the images to imbiggen:
While it's unfortunate that 'Sonic Adventure' looks to be standard 4:3, it does look rather pretty and runs very smoothly according to an old leaked video. Word is that both will be available for demo at E3, and thanks to our association with SEGAbits we might be getting some video to show here at the 'Yard. Stay tuned, Dreamers!
UPDATE: Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi themed pages have taken over the SEGA.com front page. I feel like it's 1999 all over again!
SEGA has just, finally, officially announced that Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi will be coming to the Xbox Live and Playstation Network services later this year. But more then that, apparently these games will be the first in a slew of Dreamcast games that are going to be made available on the service!
The games will be incorporating all new features including HD visuals, leader boards, achievements/trophies, and surround sound. The games will be at E3, so expect coverage from SegaBits and Sonic Stadium!
Thanks to DCJY regular 'tdinc' for this little gem:
Yep, just as other frantic Dreamcasters around the globe have turned their favourite console into a Millenium Falcon, an iMac and an electric guitar, the curiously monikered XCKDIY has converted a knackered old CD player into a fully functioning portable DC - even going as far as to rip out the cassette player and install a little LCD screen. Not sure if it'd run off 6 batteries from the pound shop, but it's still an awesome bit of reverse engineering. The original story can be found here.
Looks like cheetah print bandannas won't be the coolest accessories to be found in the latest and last version of 'Virtua Fighter 5'. Players of the upcoming game will have the opportunity to buy a Dreamcast, Saturn and Mega Drive to wear on the characters backs. For added awesomeness, the consoles prices match what they were when the consoles launched in Japan. Of course, you'll be buying them with in-game currency rather than yen.
In celebration of this event, I'd like to present three other SEGA games that featured characters wearing Dreamcast consoles.
"Sega pulled the plug on the Dreamcast a year and a half after its debut, due financial difficulties and gamer interest in the coming PlayStation 2, but, in its brief run, it was the greatest video game console of all time."
I am not sure why the iPhone was considered for this list since the number of good games for it can be counted on one hand.
Last time I brought you scans of the ODCM review of 'Shenmue', which gave our favorite game a 10/10. This time I present the December, 2000 NextGen review of 'Shenmue' courtesy of Sega Stylista from the SEGAbits forums!
A 'Shenmue' review is always a happy read, I especially love when the drawers and cabinets of Ryo's house get a shout-out. Who didn't spend hours in Ryo's house searching through anything and everything for items and clues? Enjoy the retro review and make sure to check out the other Shenmonth articles conveniently listed at the bottom.
Thanks to the latest internet time waster, TubeDubber, we now know how awesome it can get when Bayonetta music is combined with Space Channel 5 visuals.
The website tubedubber.com is simple: take the audio of one YouTube video and combine it with the visuals of another YouTube video. It's as easy as copying and pasting, however what is not so easy is finding the perfect mix. Trust me, I've played with this thing for a good hour and only came up with a few gems. One of these gems is the aforementioned SC5/Bayonetta mash-up.
So, now that we have the technology I have one simple request: take a Dreamcast game, either audio or video, and combine it with something non-Dreamcast. Winner gets a smiley face emoticon.
May is Shenmonth! That's right, a whole month devoted to articles about the beloved Dreamcast series 'Shenmue'. Expect an article a week here at the Dreamcast Junkyard as well as a few at SEGAbits. If writers here or from any other Sega blog wish to participate, feel free to grab the header image above, slap it atop a blog post and write whatever you wish about 'Shenmue'. A "Top Ten Ugliest NPC Characters" article is up for grabs.
You might be asking: "Why May?" Well, any 'Shenmue' super-fan should know that today is the birthday of Ryo's dearly departed father, Iwao Hazuki, born on May 3rd, 1940. So what better day than today to kick off Shenmonth?
In death, Iwao became both the catalyst and driving force for the epic story of 'Shenmue'. Despite two games of plot, much of Iwao's life is still a mystery. Did he really kill a man named Zhao Sunming in Meng Chun? Why did he have a white leaf in his possession? Is it really all that important for a boy to eat his carrots? These are the questions that Iwao's past holds the answers to. I intend to revisit these questions in a later Shenmonth article, but in the meantime...
I'd like to share what to many American Dreamcast fans was the first 'Shenmue' review to be read: The Official Dreamcast Magazine 'Shenmue' Review! Click the images for high res readable photos.
10/10! I won't argue with that. As a bonus, check out this crappy GameStop ad featuring a badly designed mock-up of the Dreamcast cover art:
So let Shenmonth begin! Hopefully I make it to a third entry.
Last year I chronicled a trip to New York, specifically the video game mother load that is Video Games New York. Well warm weather has returned and so another trip to New York seemed in order! While the trip consisted of a number of non-gaming related activities (I'll save you from stories of glowing lobster heads), I'll just detail the the video game moments. Unless you'd like to see a glowing lobster head.
Last time I visited the shop, I was overwhelmed by the amount of games. Literally shelves and shelves devoted to each console! Used games were out in the open, while hundreds of sealed games sat behind glass. The last time I had seen that many sealed Dreamcast games in one place was GameStop in 2001. Still, I had a sneaking suspicion that the reason why so many games go unsold is because of another factor. I ruled out ghosts and assumed the games were marked up to insane prices. After checking the tags, I was mostly correct.
VGNY is great, don't get me wrong, but the prices were and still are selectively insane. I can understand why a sealed 'Capcom vs. SNK" is priced at $60, but do they really have to charge $10 for used copies of NFL2k when they clearly have over two dozen of them? A new in box late production model Dreamcast went for $160, used VMUs (sans cap) were $15, used lightguns were $50 to $60. For the most part, $10 is the lowest used game price, even for the crappiest of crappy games. A disc-only copy of the first 'Tony Hawk' might be $7, but that's as low as they'll get. So forget about picking up 'Razor Freestyle Scooter' for a few bucks as a laugh.
Having this knowledge of inflated prices, I came prepared with a list of games that I had my eyes on as well as the average ebay prices for said games. That way, if I were to spot 'Stupid Invaders' for $25, I'd know that on ebay it can be found for $30 and I'd be making a wise choice to pick it up at VGNY. Unfortunately, I didn't encounter anything from my list at VGNY that I couldn't get for a half to three quarters of the price on ebay.
Fortunately, and this is the HUGE positive I have about VGNY, there is always a treasure to be found. Something that slipped through the cracks and avoided a crazy price. Last year I snagged 'Illbleed' and 'Floigan Bros', this year I found a PAL copy of 'Headhunter' for $25 and the XBOX version of 'Sonic Riders' for $9. VGNY also stocked a number of copies of 'Wind & Water Puzzle Battles', 'Rush Rush Rally Racing', 'DUX' and 'Last Hope Pink Bullets'. For the most part, the indy games were on par with their online prices. Though $60 was a bit much for the 'Rush Rush Rally Racing Deluxe Edition'.
While I didn't leave VGNY with the pirate's bounty I was hoping for, I did leave knowing I was a smart shopper. Not as cool as a pirate though...
eBay eXtra
After my visit to VGNY, I hit up eBay on my iPod and went shopping. I couldn't end the day with buying only one Dreamcast game! I found a sweet Dreamcast game lot and placed a bid. Four days passed and the auction countdown began, and so too began a bidding war. In the end my top asking price became too much for them and I won a lot of three games I didn't have: 'Tech Romancer' (complete), 'Record of Lodoss War' (complete) and 'Bangai-O" (disc only). I also won two games I already had: 'Soul Reaver' (complete) and 'Sonic Adventure' (disc only). Total price: $39.
I had once rented all three games, and loved each of them. It's nice to have them in the permanent collection. 'Tech Romancer' especially. I've always loved games that truly take advantage of the VMU. Capcom seemed to have been masters at VMU utilization, whether it be mini-games in 'Tech Romancer', item trading in 'Power Stone 2' or the health bar display in 'CODE: Veronica'.
Alreet! Been a while! Profuse apologies for my absence from the hallowed Junkyard for the last umpteen months...although I'm not sure my presence has been missed much, what with the quality of Barry, Caleb and Gagaman's recent bloggage. I'll be back with a proper post in the next few days (If I can get my ass in gear), but in the meantime, here's a little something that kinda ties in with the previous post:
A Dreamcasting dude by the name of Andrew sent me an email stating that Ryu's native Dobuita is now up on Google Street View. Have a look here. Like he says, it doesn't look an awful lot like the town as depicted in our beloved Shenmue, but you can kinda get the feel of the virtual version, and there's a jacket shop that looks fairly familiar...
Also, I was in WH Smith t'other day and noticed this little periodical hiding behind the May edition of Chicks with Dicks Magazine on the top shelf:
That's my thumb. I need to buy some nail varnish.
Yep, it's the Retro Gamer Hardware Handbook. It costs a fair bit (about a tenner if I recall...although my mind is cloudy through excessive alcohol consumption), so I naturally eschewed the option to purchase it. Furthermore, it appears to just be a collection of hardware features previously published in the actual Retro Gamer magazine It's still a good read though...and all the better when you discover that the DCJY is again featured in the re-produced Dreamcast special that was raved about here a few years back:
It's nice to know that we've been immortalised in print more than once. Even if it is a screen grab of the old layout. Saaaaweet!
