INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Cast your mind back to the year 1999
Ricky Martin was Livin La Vida Loca and the millennium was just around the corner
1999 also gave birth to one of the most beloved and short-lived videogame consoles in history, the Sega Dreamcast, with its release acting
as a bitter-sweet endeavor for Sega as a hardware developer.20 years later and the Sega Dreamcast is still held in high regard by fans and
there's a lot to consider when it comes to what Sega's final console has to offer in 2019 - which starts with getting the little white
box up and running.Finding the console of your dreams(Image credit: TheIndianSubcontinent)You might be wondering where you'd even find a
Dreamcast console in 2019, since they've been discontinued since 2001
Well, one might be closer to you than you think, with many people finding their original hardware stuffed into dusty boxes in attics or
If, however, you didn't have a Dreamcast back in the day or got rid of it, there are plenty of ways to obtain one using your hard-earned
cash.When it comes to the second-hand market, eBay is where most people gravitate to first
Unfortunately, retro gaming hardware is extremely hard to find on the electronic marketplace at a low price, with Dreamcast prices averaging
That being said, it's worth keeping your eye on the ball when it comes to eBay, as clever bidding tactics can go a long way in achieving a
bargain.Brick and mortar shops such as CEX in the UK and Gamestop in the US also price their stock at around this price, with the difference
being the bonus of a warranty
If you're feeling especially thrifty, then your best bet is to put some graft into good old fashioned charity shopping, which means you can
contribute to a good cause while feeding your money to the nostalgia monster.Hooking up the dream machine(Image credit:
TheIndianSubcontinent)For those of you who checked out our previous guide to playing the best retro games, you may be aware of the caveats
involved when using retro consoles today
While some consoles can be extremely difficult to get working with modern TV's and monitors, the Dreamcast offers various solutions that
stand the technological test of time.Out of the box, the Dreamcast comes armed with a standard composite cable (red, white and yellow phono
connectors) which can easily be plugged into displays from the time
This type of cable offers a quick and easy way to get things up and running, with the main drawback being the muddy picture quality of a
composite video signal.If your TV has a traditional scart socket, there are various cables available that will provide you with a
high-quality video signal
These scart cables range from cheap and cheerful generic cables priced at around $10, to higher quality products from the likes of
modern TV's and monitors, the Dreamcast offers various solutions that stand the technological test of time"Depending on how new your TV
is, you might find that traditional sockets are completely absent, which is becoming the norm to make new displays slimmer
If this is the case then fear not, as third party companies such as Pound Technology offer cables that add HDMI functionality to the
Dreamcast.Pound's HD Link cable enables the console to be simply connected to modern displays via an HDMI port, with no additional
The cable retails for around $29.99, making it far from the cheapest available option
Users may also experience incompatibility with certain Dreamcast games, which is due to the fact they don't support the high resolution the
cable uses.The last method of connecting Sega's mighty little box up to a display is by using a VGA box, which essentially uses a classic
VGA PC style of video connector
This is a great way to get a crystal clear image from the Dreamcast by using a traditional PC monitor set up, with many displays still
Just like its HDMI counterpart, however, it will also be subject to the same incompatibility issues with certain games
Speaking of games, let's move on to the most important part of the Dreamcast experience.A library to stand the test of time(Image credit:
TheIndianSubcontinent)The Dreamcast may have only been around for a mere two years, but it managed to build itself one of the most
impressive gaming libraries in history
From innovative fighting games like Powerstone to beloved action-adventures like Shenmue, the Dreamcast's repertoire is one that gamers
titles might cost are completely understandable
Luckily, there are a few tricks you can try to obtain the best of the Dreamcast library, but at a much cheaper price.As innovative as the
Dreamcast may be, there's one thing Sega dropped the ball with when it comes to the console's design - region protection
This means that the Dreamcast can be easily manipulated to play any region by simply using a disk with specific software
If you're lucky, you'll occasionally find these disks paired with second-hand games on eBay, with the option of making your own by following
a tutorial online."The Dreamcast may have only been around for a mere two years, but it managed to build itself one of the most impressive
gaming libraries in history"You might still be wondering why you'd want to play games from outside of your region, especially when it comes
Well, like most things in life, it boils down to money, with certain games being drastically cheaper than their counterparts in a different
Of course, Japanese releases are usually always cheaper than their western equivalents, mainly due to the language and hassle of getting
Yet, it's worth mentioning that language issues don't actually apply to a huge chunk of the Dreamcast library and are negated by the cost
This a huge saving to make considering fighting games aren't affected by the language difference
Coincidentally, titles like the Resident Evil games on the Dreamcast don't even use the Japanese language, despite being the Japanese
versions, meaning it's possible to obtain the same game, while still saving money.A huge part of the fun of the 2019 Dreamcast experience
is exploring titles that you might never have played back upon their release
The console's short lifespan meant that many gamers completely missed out on the Dreamcast experience, with various titles such as Sonic
Adventure and Jet Set Radio only being known of due to their various re-releases
To add insult to injury, many gamers missed out on one of the most diverse hardware experiences in videogame history, with whole genres
things about the Dreamcast is its ridiculous amount of peripherals, many of which offer a truly unique gaming experience
Look at even the likes of the VMU memory card - a tiny Gameboy-esque device that could display game-specific content on its microdisplay,
with it even going as far as to function as a cyber-pet when used with games like Sonic Adventure.Having such a high tech memory card isn't
the only mind-blowing innovation Sega had in its arsenal at the time - the Dreamcast was also one of the first consoles to feature proper
Sure, we're not talking Xbox Live levels of internet connectivity, but there was certainly a solid online experience for gamers to enjoy,
especially considering it was still the early 2000's
Titles such as Phantasy Star Online act as monumental examples of how Sega pioneered the art of online gaming, progressing it past the
simplicity of previous multiplayer experiences."Everything seems far from mundane when it comes to the Dreamcast"Everything seems far from
mundane when it comes to the Dreamcast, with even the likes of the Dreamcast's Keyboard offering an unexpectedly better experience over a
lightgun, with parody games such as Typing of the Dead, which has players blast zombies with the power of frantic spelling
Even the tranquil experience of fishing becomes an exhilarating arcade experience when using the likes of the Fishing Rod controller and a
copy of Sega Bass Fishing.It would be a crime to talk about Dreamcast peripherals and not mention the legendary Samba de Amigo and its
marvellous maracas, which are objectively the single best thing anyone could bring to a party
Samba de Amigo is a shining example of how the Dreamcast was able to bring almost any arcade experience into the home, which is something
that consoles before and after didn't quite manage to achieve.In many ways, the Dreamcast is the dream console for anyone who wants to
venture into the unknown of gaming
There's guaranteed to be something that will surprise and please even the most seasoned of gamers, especially now that gaming has moved on
from many of the values that the Dreamcast posses
Nevertheless, if you have even the slightest interest in older videogame formats, your path is in no doubt going to cross with the
Dreamcast, forever proving itself as one of the most unique pieces of videogame hardware ever.bGtxF5ttDXDyDockEYgCw3.jpg?#
