Any good Dreamcast games?

[raigon50]

I got a SEGA Dreamcast about a year ago, but I don't have very many games for it. Are there any good games I should get for it, I'm talking both shmup and not.

[Obiwanshinobi]

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?p=587403
Or just get Twinkle Star Sprites.

[drauch]

Shenmue. Get it. Live it.

[njiska]

D2. One of the strangest Survival Horror games I've played. The overall story and feel are very reminiscent of The Thing. The actual gameplay is a little harder to define. Outside of buildings it's a normal 3rd person free-roaming game. Go inside and it becomes an on rails puzzle. Encounter an enemy and it's like a pointer controlled light gun game. Low on health? go hunting. Back rabbits and caribou to gain back health.

It's an acquired taste for sure, but it's well worth taking a look at.

[cools]

Jet Set Radio and Metropolis Street Racer summed up the whole Dreamcast for me. Incredible games.

[Square King]

The entire shmup catalog is pretty awesome, especially Mars Matrix, Gigawing, Under Defeat and Border Down. I also enjoyed these:

Resident Evil: Code Veronica
Cosmic Smash
Grandia II
Marvel Vs. Capcom 2
Skies of Arcadia
Crazy Taxi
Jet Grind Radio
Rez
Bangai O

Never played D2, but it seems right up my alley. Time to bust out the ol' DC again.

[louisg]

Personal favorites: Test Drive Le Mans, F355 Challenge, Under Defeat, Mars Matrix, GigaWing, Zero Gunner 2, Ikaruga, Cannon Spike, Power Stone 1 & 2, Border Down, Crazy Taxi, Red Dog, Typing of the Dead, House of the Dead 2 if you're lightgun-capable, Rush 2049, Daytona (only if you have a wheel- it feels very wrong on a pad, and don't expect the new tracks to be any good), Virtua Fighter 3 if you're a fan or don't have VF4 yet (and it has varying height arenas which none of the others have afair), KoF98 if you don't yet have a version of that for something else, and Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram (if you don't have XBLA I guess).

The ports of Gauntlet Legends and Hydro Thunder are both respectable, but if you buy any launch games by Midway, make sure it says "HOT NEW!" on the cover. This reminds me that 4 Wheel Thunder is excellent. Shenmue 1 is worth it if you can find it cheap, just for the experience of exploring such a beautifully detailed world (I thought the actual *gameplay* sucked, but YMMV. It also comes with Space Harrier and Hang On. Shenmue 2 comes with those and adds Afterburner 2, but S2 isn't as finely detailed a game).

Code Veronica is also very good if you like that kind of thing and don't already own another version, though I suck too much to get too far into it. The Virtua Tennis games are also good, though back when I played it, it was the only decent arcade tennis around Cosmic Smash is like that though but more original (think squash-meets-Arkanoid). And if you like beat 'em ups, there's Zombie Revenge which isn't great, though I had tons of fun with it (especially in the DC-exclusive modes that even out the balance a little). That one's in cooperation with Data East, so you know what you're getting into

Damn, now I need to pull my DC back out! I've been 2600ing too long.

EDIT: if you have a HDTV, be sure to grab a VGA box.. almost all the games will do progressive scan. Most which don't can be coaxed by using a Utopia boot disc with them.

[njiska]

The ports of Gauntlet Legends and Hydro Thunder are both respectable, but if you buy any launch games by Midway, make sure it says "HOT NEW!" on the cover. This reminds me that 4 Wheel Thunder is excellent.

So that's why my copy of 4 Wheel Thunder says Hot New!

Double up on your recommendation of Hydro Thunder. It's weird not playing with a throttle, but other wise it's a fantastic port.

[Square King]

Anyone ever try Armada? I'm not going to not brush up on my not burning games skills to not play it one of these days.

[Battletoad]

No love for MDK 2? Seems like this game always gets a little underrated, probably due to the harsh difficulty. To me this is one of the best video games ever made. Besides definitely try out Crazy Taxi, I don´t play racing games anymore, but hell this game is loads of fun! When it comes to fighting games, Capcom made plenty good ones and there´s also Soul Calibur of course.

The console doesn´t have many exclusives anymore, regarding shmups this is still different. The home versions of both Giga Wings, Mars Matrix, Zero Gunner 2, Under Defeat and some others can still only be enjoyed on the Dreamcast. And these are some of the very best.

[Obiwanshinobi]

MDK2 is on the PC and so is Rayman 2: The Great Escape (which by all means should be experienced on either PC or DC).
MDK2 is also on the PS2.

[evil_ash_xero]

I have had a Dreamcast since day 1, and I have a pretty small collection.

Most of the good games have been ported(Virtual On, Resident Evil:CV, Ikaruga, Rez, Soul Calibur).

Out of the unported games, i'd suggest Bangai-O(my fave that hasn't been ported), Mars Matrix, and maybe the G Rev games such as Border Down and Under Defeat. There's a few others, but that's what mainly sticks out to me.

[maxlords]

Yeah, for sure the shmups. Square King nailed most of the good NTSC domestic titles. I'd also add:

Cannon Spike
Armada (I like it...and it's cheap! I wish it would come out on Steam...would be amazing online with hundreds of people)
Confidential Mission
Maken X (just weird)
Blue Stinger (horror game that gets a bum rap)
Illbleed (horror game that isn't great but IS very unique)
Chu Chu Rocket (why did NO ONE else metion this???)
Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare (only one in the series I can stand, and best on the DC)
Shadowman (DC port is the best one)
San Francisco Rush 2049 - easily the best port of one of the best racers EVER IMO

I had D2, tried to play it...got bored and sold it lol Maybe I didn't give it a fair shake?

[njiska]

I had D2, tried to play it...got bored and sold it lol Maybe I didn't give it a fair shake?

It's definitely an love it or hate it kind of game and the opening is very slow. I usually recommend people at least go through the first disc before deciding as the like it or not. Like all Warp Interactive games it's weird and definitely not to everyone's tastes.

[raigon50]

A lot of titles going on here. It's good to know you people can give honest opinions without raging at each other (I've seen that happen a lot with stuff like this. Not sure why though...)
Anyways, I guess I should have listed out which games I own:
Atari Classic Collection
Sega Smash Pack
Sonic Shuffle
Soul Caliber
Power Stone

I used to have a copy of Sword of the Berserker, but I may friend wanted it back. Same happened with Sonic Adventures.
I also bought a copy of Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram, which was a really good game, but it was freakishly hard. Now I kinda wish I hadn't pawned it...
I own Ikaruga on the GameCube, so I don't think I want to spend the money to have two copies of it. Also own Chaos Field and Castle Shikigami 2 on other consoles.

Also, are there any good RPGs? Not asking about Evolution either. I'm thinking about picking up a copy of Phantasy Star ONLINE. It is playable offline like the PS2 version, right?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The DC port of Ferrari 355 Challenge also got a PS2 port courtesy of Sega. The original Sega Naomi powered with three CRT monitors endowed Ferrari 355 cab has a whopping four Naomi motherboards: one for each monitor and the fourth one for the actual game engine itself. Very impressive racing cabinet indeed. Tried it out at the 2010 California Extreme show and was blown away by how realistic it was -- closest experience short of getting into a real Ferrari 355 and putting it through it's paces.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Acid King]

One of my favorite Dreamcast games is a little gem called Super Magnetic Neo, or as the announcer says "SUUUPER MAGNETIC NEEEOOOO!!!" It's a 3d platformer in the mold of Crash Bandicoot, with forward and side scrolling stages. Your character is a little blue robot with a magnetic head. Pressing A or B will emit red or blue magnetic fields and let you stick to opposite colors and bounce off the same color. It looks very childish, but it's got some pretty devious level designed and there are a ton of bonus stages that will test your patience. It's a charming little game and one of the few that I've held on to despite not owning a working dreamcast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJZZ9zbdPnw

[Battletoad]

MDK2 is on the PC and so is Rayman 2: The Great Escape (which by all means should be experienced on either PC or DC).
MDK2 is also on the PS2.

Well I never said it´s a Dreamcast exclusive.

[Stormwatch]

Any good Dreamcast games?

Yes: most of them.

Also, are there any good RPGs?

Shenmue 1 & 2 (do they count as RPGs?), Grandia 2, Skies of Arcadia, Record of Lodoss War, Silver, Elemental Gimmick Gear.

I'm thinking about picking up a copy of Phantasy Star ONLINE. It is playable offline like the PS2 version, right?

Or you can just get the PC version of PSO:BB from SCHTHACK, it's still playable online there.

[drauch]

I'd say Shenmue is an Adventure game if anything. Definitely not an RPG, though...

[THE]

Fast Striker:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr96liMQIis

[Stormwatch]

I'd say Shenmue is an Adventure game if anything. Definitely not an RPG, though...

Action-adventure, perhaps. Definitely not a pure adventure.

[Zeether]

Did anyone say Tokyo Xtreme Racer?

[crithit5000]

Seaman. Any game where you say 'shit' into a microphone and the character then flings some at you is win in my book.

[raigon50]

Seaman.

I saw a review for Seaman in Tips & Tricks Magazine. The game looks REALLY weird (almost creepy). o.O

[crithit5000]

Oh, it's most certainly weird and creepy. Hardly a game, though; more like a slightly more complicated Tamagotchi. But still an interesting experience.

[drauch]

I'd say Shenmue is an Adventure game if anything. Definitely not an RPG, though...

Action-adventure, perhaps. Definitely not a pure adventure.

Agreed.