I knew that the SEGA Dreamcast existed and that my grandmother bought one when it came out (she wanted something for us kids to play at her house and had no idea) but part of me remains completely convinced that that was just about the only one sold. I've never seen a Dreamcast anywhere else nor a Dreamcast game in any electronics store.

Anybody else own one or can at least prove that more exist?

And a greater quest: any hidden gem games for it?

I'm not arguing any sort of quality for the console; I just want to make sure it's not something I hallucinated after too much of Grandma's perfume.

Is this a joke? Loads of people have them.

mintsauce:
This is a joke, right?

Mostly.
I live in a Midwestern hick town and there is even one person at a local GameStop who has never heard of it.

Mainly I just want to snag a cheap game off of Amazon so I can bring a decent disc to my grandma's house, if any good ones exist.

I do.

And I play it regularly, even. Still has some of the best shmups to date.

Woe Is You:
I do.

And I play it regularly, even. Still has some of the best shmups to date.

Any games worth plucking off Amazon or something?

Right now she's got the games that came with it: Dead or Alive 2, SEGA Racing and Echo the Dolphin, to explain my lack of enthusiasm.

(although I admittedly love Echo, but that may be a remnant of my childhood Genesis.)

Ah, I see. Yeah, I didn't want to sound too harsh with my comment, hence the edited quote!

There's loads of decent games. And by decent, I mean excellent, even classic. Try Shenmue, Jet Set Radio (also known as Jet Grind Radio in the US), Virtua Tennis, Crazy Taxi, Mr Driller, Bangai-O, Power Stone 2, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Streetfighter 3: Third Strike, Skies of Arcadia, Ferrari F355 Challege, Seaman, and Chu Chu Rocket.

I own one still, I occasionally plug it in to play some Power Stone 2 with a buddy of mine.
That game SO needs an XBLA/PSN remake!

hehe. i've had completely the opposite experience.

Dreamcasts were never a 'popular choice' when they got released (probably the high price at the time), but i knew a few people who bought them....

since then, however, they've been everywhere! second hand dreamcasts in Gamestation, in Forbidden Planet, in Cash Converters...... i can't escape!

and rack upon rack of old second hand dreamcast games as well.

i, myself, bought one about a year ago for £15, with 2 controllers... second hand from Gamestation. since then i've been looking around for 'hidden gems' as you called them, and found a few.

power stone is a good fighting game which utilizes the "many platforms arena" concept.

Soul Calibur... first in the current series (the VERY first was Soul Blade, i think). much faster than the new versions of the game and still really fun. the graphics are still pretty good.

Sonic adventure..... well ok, i'll admit, this game isn't that good.... but it's got serious novelty value.

and there's a HUUUGE catalogue of japanese style RPG games that were released for the Dreamcast before it fell through. worth googling it a bit, methinks.

anywa, yes =). they exist. most of my friends own them (because they are so cheap second hand) and they are a laugh. some of the better PS2 games started out on the Dreamcast, and you'll find a lot of the games have a strong japanese-ness to them.

Holy gadzooks, yes. The dreamcast is a gorgeous little system, aint it?
It had so much potential, but got crushed on the corporate line, IMHO. A pity.

We've got one. It's happy.

Wow, replies. x3

My Dreamcast experience has been a pretty vomity one, but the games I've played have had decent enough graphics and showed promise for better ones.

They just seem hard to come by in my corner of the world-- I work at a Gamestop (the only electronics store for an hour's drive) and have yet to see the Dreamcast logo even once.

Didn't know there's be so many enthusiasts!
I'm looking up games now-- thank you all~

I played one in a store, when I was about nine and still shoved bits of plastic up my nose. But that's it.

LowLadyDeuce:

It had so much potential, but got crushed on the corporate line, IMHO. A pity.

a damn shame....

SEGA have a history of making consoles with the best hardware that was available (compare the Gamegear and the Gameboy, lol).... and so much potential! but they always got crushed by Nintendo, with their inferior hardware consoles, but far more games and financial backing.

i was always rooting for SEGA, in the console wars. if only they would make a new one *sigh*

k0no:
i was always rooting for SEGA, in the console wars. if only they would make a new one *sigh*

It is a shame they're down for the count.
I still whip out my much-beloved Genesis now and then for some therapeutic Sonic sessions; it gets more play time than my GameCube, as it should be.

I have one in my closet

Soda ex Machina:

I still whip out my much-beloved Genesis now and then for some therapeutic Sonic sessions; it gets more play time than my GameCube, as it should be.

hells yes... and don't forget Goldenaxe, Streets of rage, Street Racer (why was everything "street"?), theme park (actually kinda fun on the console), mortal kombat, street fighter, Zool, James Pond 2.... the list goes on.

the Megadrive (in America, the Genesis) was a brilliant console. still is, in fact.

Never had one but they were pretty big.

I've seen a lot of (even obscure) game consoles, but strangely I've never seen a Dreamcast in my life. I still played a lot on the Mega Drive (Genesis), I loved that console.

I have one right behind me all hooked up to my TV as we speak, heck I even have a gameshark to it! When it comes to great games for it go wtih Shenmu, Sonic Adventure 1, and maybe powerstone.

I got one second hand for a bargain and ended up with 60+ games for the thing. Haven't used it in a while but I'd definatly recommend powerstone 1 or 2, They are just awesome party brawlers.

Yeah I have one, got it around when it launched, Sonic Adventure was so sweet. But yeah, gamewise, definitly pick up Shenmue, amazing game.

Soda ex Machina:
They just seem hard to come by in my corner of the world-- I work at a Gamestop (the only electronics store for an hour's drive) and have yet to see the Dreamcast logo even once.

The Dreamcast has been dead for years. That is why you won't see most Dreamcast products at any electronics store.

What games to get?

Marvel vs Capcom 2
Seaman
Resident Evil Code: Veronica
Jet Grind Radio
Crazy Taxi
Shenmue

LowLadyDeuce:
Holy gadzooks, yes. The dreamcast is a gorgeous little system, aint it?
It had so much potential, but got crushed on the corporate line, IMHO. A pity.

We've got one. It's happy.

It really is--nothing ever felt more like a pure game system.

Interesting blog article on the demise of the Dreamcast: http://software.jonandnic.com/article/who-really-killed-the-dreamcast

here we go

reslik:
here we go

Hey! Good work. A picture of the new Xbox 1080...

The Microplay store I work at has 5, according to the inventory. I'm just checking it right this second. $40.00 CDN seems a tad steep for a used machine, and no games, maybe that's why we have so many.

Still, the Dreamcast was pretty much a decade ahead of it's time. It's worth owning just for the historical importance, nevermind the absolute blast it is to play.

Cheeze_Pavilion:
It really is--nothing ever felt more like a pure game system.

Interesting blog article on the demise of the Dreamcast: http://software.jonandnic.com/article/who-really-killed-the-dreamcast

It's a famous blog, and well worth mentioning. Thanks for takin' the time to find it!

i still have mine its in my closet i had good times getting to lvl 200 on phantasy star online

I too have a dreamcast in my closet. I bought it used and I was supposed to burn some games for it, but apathy got the better of me.

Sega still sells Dreamcast in Japan through their website and new games are release but they are mostly Shoot'em ups.

I know a place in nyc that has several for sale. If you really want one let me know.

k0no:
hehe. i've had completely the opposite experience.

Dreamcasts were never a 'popular choice' when they got released (probably the high price at the time), but i knew a few people who bought them....

since then, however, they've been everywhere! second hand dreamcasts in Gamestation, in Forbidden Planet, in Cash Converters...... i can't escape!

I wish that were me. I'm selling all my rare Japanese Dreamcast games because I can't seem to find a working Dreamcast anywhere and I'm forced to order one off the internet for £50 every 2 months because they keep breaking down.

My favourite games console ever, but I just wish the things were durable. Here's hoping a decent working emulator comes out for it in the near future and I'll be able to play Under Defeat again.

I'd try and track down a copy of Snow Bros if I were you.

My older brother's Dreamcast managed to break, and my sister owns a working one. They were very good consoles with fun games; SEGA just sucked at marketing at the time.

If you do have one, make sure you have 4 controllers and get Chu Chu Rocket; that is crazy fun.
We also had House of the Dead 2 and a light gun. I don't know of any console since that does light guns.

I remember a game where you played a girl working for a tv station about music and you shot people with ray guns using by tapping buttons to a beat, also there was Space Michael Jackson.
Does anybody know the name of this game? I want to buy a copy.

I've got one in the closet.

The best translations of VF2 & Dead or Alive. Skies of Arcadia was one of the better RPGs of that time period as well. Never understood the big fuss over Shenmue though. Boring game really. Oh yeah..Phantasy Start Online...a 56k modem and a keyboard on your couch equal months of fun...one of the best online game experiences I've had. I think I have a dusty copy of the Echo the Dolphin sequel as well. Hard freakin game that was=)