To address this confounding issue, two top minds from Internet blogging sites have agreed to debate the finer points of the conundrum, like Virgin Online Casino, and what better time than to do it on the 19^th anniversary of the Dreamcast’s release in the US? Supporting one side is avid Dreamcast collector and SEGA Nerds editor and chief Chris Powell, while the other side will be represented by gaming industry cynic and The Splintering lead writer Blake Worrell.*

Blake: First, I would like to say thank you to Chris for debating this critical topic with me today. I would like to say thank you, but his position is just so ridiculous that I just can’t do it. Chris, how can you still – with good conscience – recommend collecting for the SEGA Dreamcast? Shenmue is now available on PC and the HD consoles, as is virtually every other first-party SEGA Dreamcast title? You seem like a nice guy, but I can’t help but doubt your basic intelligence if you think the original Dreamcast is still worth keeping around. Were you dropped on your head as a kid, or what?

Chris: Before we begin, I want to thank you, Blake, for inviting to this friendly debate. To answer your question, yes … yes, I was dropped on my head several times as a child, but perhaps that’s one of the reasons I’m such a Dreamcast fanatic!

The release of Shenmue I and II HD (I know that’s not it’s official title, but c’mon!) is every SEGA Nerd’s wet dream, and despite its bugs, it’s amazing that we can finally play this masterpiece on the latest consoles. However, as great a game Shenmue is and as any Dreamcast owner will tell you, there’s much, much more that the Dreamcast has to offer than just Shenmue. In fact, there are nearly 250 commercially released Dreamcast games, many of which have never been ported elsewhere.

On the topic of collecting for the Dreamcast, most of the library is still very reasonably priced, especially compared to the likes of collecting for Nintendo consoles. Sure, there are those rare games, like Giga Wing 2 or Canon Spike, that will cost you upwards of $100, but the majority of Dreamcast games can be had for $20 or less.

Plus, thanks to the amazing work of the Dreamcast Online community, many Dreamcast games’ online connectivity features have been restored. That means, you can go back and play classics like Phantasy Star Online, Quake III Arena and Starlancer against people all over the world … just like they were meant to be.

I would argue, my pea-brained friend, that there’s never been a better time to start collecting for the Dreamcast than right now!

Blake: Playing old-ass online games is one of the Dreamcast’s best current selling points? Damn, that’s some niche-ass shit, Chris. It sounds to me like a labor of love just to get the online service up and running, much less to coordinate playing with other Dreamcast owners. Besides, the only reason PSO is even relevant at all is because SEGA refuses to release PSO2 here in the West.

You also noted two expensive-ass games and just glossed over the fact that the bulk of those cheaper games, the remaining 250, are largely available elsewhere, often in an even better form. Not only that, 250 isn’t even a very big number, and a crap-ton of those are sports titles. For comparison, that’s still less games than were on the N64 had 294 games released for it, and that is considered to be a paltry library.

If a friend of yours asked you “What is a good console to collect for?” I have a really hard time believing that you would look a friend in the eye and recommend the Dreamcast… not with a clear conscience, anyway.

Chris: The fact that the Dreamcast only has roughly a 250-game library is exactly one of the reasons why it’s attractive to collect for, my old friend. While other systems like the PlayStation 2 or Super Nintendo have a vastly larger library, I’d argue that they also have a lot more shitty games than what the Dreamcast has to offer.

There is so much quality to be had on SEGA’s 128-bit system that you can go down the list of each genre and find superb games that are immensely fun and reasonably priced. While it’s true the Dreamcast has its fair share of sports games, many of those games, especially the SEGA published ones, are exceptional offerings. Outside of the sports games, there is perhaps no other console that has such faithful arcade ports as the Dreamcast. Take, for instance, games like Marvel vs. Capcom, Crazy Taxi, Ikaruga and Soul Calibur.

My point about the online games, which you failed to comprehend apparently, is that if you purchase them today, you can still enjoy them as they were meant to be when they were originally released.

Moreover, if gamers dip their toes into collecting for the Dreamcast, they’ll also have the option of buying the dozens and dozens of new indie games released each year for the system. These past few years have been some of the busiest in the indie Dreamcast scene since SEGA stopped officially supporting the system with some excellent releases.

One other thing I’d like to add that helps my cause is that North American Dreamcast games were shipped in standard CD cases, unlike other systems of the time and those that came before it, like the Nintendo 64, which had cardboard boxes. These old boxes are nightmares for collectors because they’re so flimsy and many gamers threw them away. With the Dreamcast, if you have a broken front cover, you can just swap it out with one of your grandmother’s copies of Kenny Loggins’ Greatest Hits and be set!

C’mon, man, I don’t see how you can say the Dreamcast isn’t highly collectible for today’s gamer!

Blake: How dare you bring my Grandmother into this, sir! You know she just died in August!

Besides, the fact that Dreamcast games came packaged in the cheapest, most generic packaging ever isn’t a selling point to me. I think hardcore collectors prefer more unique cases, such as those of SEGA’s earlier consoles. Finding a copy of Splatterhouse 2 on SEGA Genesis with an original case branded with the Namco logo on the inside makes the art of the retro game hunt that much more fun, as opposed to Frankensteining random cases together from your local Goodwill.

You seem convinced that the Dreamcast’s smaller library as though it’s a positive thing, but that is only true in that it would be easier for a completionist to get a complete set of games. That’s a somewhat niche type of collector. The rest of us are still here to play the very best games of yesteryear.

Speaking of the best games, you even made my own point when you specifically listed Marvel vs. Capcom, Crazy Taxi, Ikaruga and Soulcalibur as reasons to buy a Dreamcast. The latter three of those four games are readily available on modern HD consoles. In fact, with an Xbox 360 alone, you can play Crazy Taxi, Soulcalibur, Jet Set Radio, Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, Resident Evil Code Veronica, Ikaruga, SEGA Bass Fishing, Bangai-O, Rez, Garou: Mark of the Wolves, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Hydro Thunder… Jesus, I could probably keep going, and that’s just one of the modern consoles. Wrap in Steam and both Nintendo and PlayStation console libraries since the Dreamcast went belly-up, and you can’t even claim exclusives for Grandia 2, Skies of Arcadia, The House of the Dead 2, Headhunter, Ecco Defender of the Future, 18 Wheeler, Silent Scope, Dead or Alive 2, and now, Shenmue I and II HD.

I suppose the Dreamcast still has a healthy independent scene built around it, though several of the more successful indie titles also find their way onto mainstream platforms eventually (i.e. Volgarr the Viking and Pier Solar). I guess the Dreamcast is still the only place to find Blue Stinger, but I’m not about suggest to someone looking to get into console collecting that they get a Dreamcast for the likes of that particular game.

SEGA’s little white box had a great run, with a great library of games, but even for those collectors who stick to strictly legal means of playing retro games, the Dreamcast is painfully redundant.

Chris: I’m sure Grandma wouldn’t mind me bringing her or her love of Mr. Loggins into this discussion!

You keep bringing up the fact that because of some of the Dreamcast’s games have been ported to newer platforms somehow makes the system less desirable to collect for, and that’s just silly. Most mainstream consoles of yesteryear have their games ported to other systems, and they have very little impact on the value of the original games.

Besides if you’re a true collector, you have a deeper appreciation of the console you’re collecting for, and it doesn’t matter if those games are later ported to other consoles. Going with your line of thinking, the Super Nintendo somehow became less desirable to collect for when Secret of Mana was released on current-gen systems earlier this year. I reckon Super Nintendo collectors didn’t care all that much.

In the end, I think we can both agree that the Dreamcast was an amazing system that saw its life end far too early. It would have been awesome to see the impact it would have had if SEGA didn’t discontinue it after only a couple years. I’m sure its library would have been far bigger and better than it is now.

Today, we celebrate another birthday of our dear Dreamcast, and whether or not gamers decide they want to go for a complete collection or just buy a few choice games to enjoy the system, I think it’s certainly worth their time and money.

How about we fire up an online game of Ooga Booga so I can kick your butt!

There you have it! What say you, devout readers? One of these two is an unabashed moron, but which one is it? Let us know your comments below, and be sure to visit The Splintering for a girthy helping of gaming and comic-related goodness!

*It’s fair to say that one of these fine fellows is taking a “Devil’s advocacy” approach to the debate!

It’s been well over 15 years since we have left Shenhua and Ryo in that cave, and various advancements in technology have taken the concept of what it means to be an open world game to a whole other level. I do, however, believe it is unfair to compare these titles with games like Grand Theft Auto V or Red Dead Redemption, as Shenmue I & II is an entirely different beast. As the Shenmue fanbase and SEGA have said in their recent marketing campaigns, this is the game that helped shape open world games as we know it.

In 1999, Shenmue was indeed one-of-a-kind and revolutionary for its time. You inhabited a living, breathing world where day turned to night, snow turned to rain, and NPCs went along their day with schedules designed just for them. You could knock on any door, examine every object, and talk with anyone you encounter. When I popped in the first disc into my Dreamcast, my little mind exploded at the sheer concept of such a game existing.

But enough of my reminiscing; Let’s take a look and see how well SEGA preserved and polished these games for the modern gamer.

Lucky Hits

The first thing you’ll notice is that Shenmue I & II  is playable in full 1080p. Despite being originally designed for your retro, square televisions, playing Shenmue on an HDTV feels quite natural. When it comes to cutscenes, however, the game is set back to its original resolution. If you would like to play the entire game in its original resolution, you have that option to do so.

For the longest time, Shenmue’s English voice dub has been viewed as campy and pretty hilarious. With the exception of Corey Marshall’s Ryo Hazuki and a select few main characters, the voices of the various NPCs are pretty hilarious. Although in my opinion, that’s what gave Shenmue its charm. If you’re not a fan of the English dub, however, you can play Shenmue I & II entirely in Japanese for the very first time! Fans of the Yakuza series and Japanese dub purists will surely be excited to take advantage of that option.

The iconic loading screens and UI have been completely overhauled to work with every port. Speaking of loading screens, load times have been completely obliterated. Staring at that black and white screen waiting for the next area to load is a thing of the past and makes for a much smoother experience. You can even save anywhere at any point in the game!

A feature that many fans in North America had missed out on was the ability to transfer your save file from Shenmue I to Shenmue II. While some may consider this to be a miniscule addition to the game, it really makes every decision you make in Shenmue I have more gravitas. All the training and capsule toy collection you do in the first game definitely pays off when Ryo steps off that boat in Shenmue II.

I (Can’t) See…

Although SEGA did deliver on a number of improvements in Shenmue I & II, the game isn’t without its hiccups. There are a couple of sound issues and graphical glitches that occur in the game, even after the day one patch. Certain cutscenes such as an interaction with Fuku-san would cut to the dojo floor and I would be left staring at some wood while I get asked if I would like to spar. The music in both Shenmue I and II would occasionally get a bit off tempo or I would get one sound effect playing repeatedly during gameplay. SEGA is aware of the issues and they are slowly but surely addressing them, so at least there’s that.

Summary

Although Shenmue I and II  were released over 15 years ago, I believe it was important for SEGA to re-release Yu Suzuki’s games to the modern audience and expose them to what is considered to be the pioneer of open world games. The games are not without their faults and another patch is necessary to alleviate some of those sound and glitch issues, but that shouldn’t take away the experience of exploring Yu Suzuki’s living, breathing, and detailed world.

A number of improvements had been made to these classics, and although it would have been nice (and wishful thinking) to get a complete remake of Shenmue I  and II, it feels great to play these classics on modern consoles.

PROS

+ New UI

+ Long loading times eliminated!

+ Dual voice audio

+ Transferring save files from Shenmue I to Shenmue II

CONS

– Minor audio issues

– Certain graphical glitches need to be addressed in a patch

Take a look below:

Programming stuff

All sorts of programming magic has been performed, including, but not limited to:

• Improvements to the sound code. The stereo audio is now actually stereo, with left being left and right be right and that ain’t wrong.
• Things (enemies, explosions, etc.) that are far away will have a lower volume than things that are close by. Super logical, but it still has to be programmed by someone!
• Saving the game actually works. Very useful for bug testing as well
• Improved Izzy handling. When you give Izzy a little nudge at a ledge, she will drop straight down, and no longer flies off the edge. Of course, when running off a ledge you will fly like the wind.

New Enemies

Three new enemies have been completed. Designs of two of them were already included in the campaign, and are now finished and dangerous. The third is new and will remain a surprise for when you get to play the game

Flying Squirrel Costume Completion!

The title really says it all. The Flying Squirrel Costume has been completed and will allow the player to reach new areas and look stylish at the same time.
Although Roel made a super-duper animation program to easily animate the characters, the squirrel costume had some very specific challenges. (Check out the animation editor here if haven’t seen it in action yet.)

With the Animation Editor arms and legs were easy to move around, but a billowing cape was not something that it was ever designed for. And a flying squirrel without wings will result in a plummeting squirrel.

So back-breaking manual labour was needed in making the wingless oddity (on the left) into a fully functional flying raging rodent (on the right)!

Via Kickstarter 

Following a surprise outing on the Gamecube, it’s also been made available on Steam, Xbox 360 and even Android, although the latter isn’t compatible with newer versions of the mobile OS and is no longer available on Google Play.

Even Though The Ideal Is High, I Never Give In

For the benefit of the uninitiated, Ikaruga is a shooter in the classic Treasure tradition, albeit with an ingenious twist. Your ship can alternate between black and white polarities, and enemies likewise come in one of two monochrome flavours.

You’re impervious to attacks from enemies of the same colour,  absorbing their bullets to fill your special gauge, but do bonus damage to those of the opposite colour. While a very basic risk/reward trade-off at its core, this easy-to-learn-difficult-to-master mechanics gels brilliantly with Ikaruga’s expertly honed fundamentals, resulting in a truly remarkable SHMUP that is as great today as it ever was.

From a technical point of view, this Switch port is based on the more recent PC, Xbox 360 and Android reissues, sporting a ton of customisation options. It trucks along at an all but constant 60fps in both docked and undocked modes, with nary a jagged edge in sight. Models and effects hold up well, even if backgrounds are somewhat sparsely detailed.

With what appears to be a full 1080p resolution when docked and the Switch screen’s native 720p undocked, it’s a massive step up from the Dreamcast original, which tops out at just 480p in VGA mode, but very much in line with the aforementioned more modern PC, Xbox 360 and Android ports.

Ikaruga works brilliantly as a portable game. As we’ve seen with other Switch SHMUP updates (see our review of Zero Gunner 2- in Mega Visions issue 6), the myriad difficulty and gameplay options on offer here go hand in glove with the Switch’s casual, pick up and play premise.

You can approach the game however you want, and engage in anything from a hardcore single credit score attack to a brief, laid back firework show, where enemies don’t even fire back and continues are unlimited. You can even give one of the Joy-Cons to a friend and play cooperatively in both docked and undocked modes.

I Never Die With Regrets

Perhaps the most appealing addition here for genre devotees is Tate mode. In short, it’s possible to play the game with your Switch placed vertically, mimicking the screen orientation of the original arcade cabinet and doing away most of the otherwise necessary onscreen borders. Which is a good thing too, because they do take up a lot of screen real estate.

But would it were that simple. While hardly the fault of Ikaruga, Treasure or Nicalis (this version’s publisher), the Switch is actually quite impractical to use longways, because the kickstand doesn’t work that way.

Indeed, you have little choice but to perch the console on your knee, and you can’t even attach one of the Joy-Cons to the bottom, as the console just keeps prompting you to attach a second. That is, unless you use some kind of third party solution: we found an old iPad stand just the ticket for keeping the Switch safely held at a favourable angle, while using the Pro Controller for input.

Elsewhere there’s also a pretty cool gallery of artwork and renders, plus the ability to browse and listen to the game’s soundtrack at your leisure. You can even upload your high scores to an online leader board – assuming you don’t touch the difficulty setting, of course – or choose to tackle the main game with Geikei, the ship originally reserved for player 2.

While these features themselves aren’t new, they still round out the overall package nicely, and ensure that Ikaruga for Switch really is the definitive experience, whether on the go or at home sat in front of your TV.

SUMMARY

There’s a ton more SHMUPS slated for release on Switch in the coming months, and our hope is that Ikaruga and the aforementioned Zero Gunner 2- will be the first of many Dreamcast ports. A Psyvariar redux is already confirmed, so here’s hoping Psyvariar 2: The Will To Fabricate, which came to Dreamcast first back in the day, isn’t far behind. And while we’re at it, what about Mars Matrix, Zero Wing or Border Down? If Ikaruga does the business, who knows?

While far from the first Ikaruga re-release, this latest for Switch is undoutedly the best yet. The ability to play on the go, in co-op with one set of Joy-Cons and in Tate mode, plus the myriad additional bells and whistles make Ikaruga for Switch easy to recommend unreservedly, and worthwhile even for die-hard Dreamcast fans that still have the original GD-ROM kicking around.

PROS

+ Timeless, polarity-shifting gameplay
+ Tate mode (some assembly required)
+ Local co-op with one set of Joy-Cons

CONS

– Most of the extras aren’t new
– Dull backgrounds
– Punishing difficulty unless lowered from default

Well, OrionSoft has launched a Kickstarter, not for a new game, but for the ‘Retro Game Designer’ – a piece of software that he has been working that will allow YOU to make your own games for the Mega Drive/Genesis, Dreamcast, Jaguar or PS1!

The good news is that, he’s promising the Retro Game Designer won’t require any coding knowledge, so anyone should be able to create their own games.

Now, admittedly, this idea isn’t totally new; there’s plenty of PC-based software out there that allows you to create your own games. But those software packages rarely allow development for console, and if they do it’s usually for modern platforms. This will be one of the few that caters for specific retro consoles.

The basic packages/tiers are aimed at people who want to dabble in game design, but not sell their wares. While the higher priced tiers (going up to 500Euros) will be for professionals and you’ll be free to sell your game made with the software.

By the looks of it, Orion is aiming to use stretch goals to help advance the creation of different game engines. He’s hoping, with full funding, to be able to include engines for: 2D Platformers, Point ‘N Click Adventures, Scrolling Shoot ‘Em Ups and RPGs.

This is definitely another Kickstarter project, I’ll be backing. If it’s successful, hopefully we’ll see plenty more games coming to the Mega Drive and Dreamcast for years to come!

Check out the Kickstarter project, here.

よし！
役ずくり(^-^) pic.twitter.com/TgVWFFLCnR

— 松風雅也LINEスタンプ発売中 (@matsukazest) April 16, 2018

Matsukaze tweeted out an image of the Shenmue: The Movie DVD cover on a stand with the message:

“Right!
Time to prepare for my part (^_^)”

With the response from Corey Marshall last month and Matsukaze’s teaser today, all signs seemingly point to Shenmue III‘s dialogue being recorded fairly soon. Could this mean the game is practically finished?

Discuss in the comments below!

Via Phantom River Stone 

Original post: SEGA Fes is turning out to be one hell of a show. For years, fans have been clamoring to get a modern release of Shenmue on current consoles and SEGA has heard our plea.

During today’s SEGA Fes live stream, SEGA announced that Shenmue I & II  would be heading to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Based on the trailer, it appears to be a straight port with shined up graphics.

Here’s SEGA’s overview of Shenmue:

Since their original release, Shenmue I & II have established a passionate following and are revered as one of gaming’s greatest series of all time. These revolutionary masterpieces deliver a gripping story of retribution as Ryo Hazuki sets out to avenge his father’s death and attempts to unravel the secrets behind a mysterious artefact known as the Dragon Mirror.

Shenmue I & II comes complete with the original feature set that defined modern gaming, including enthralling jujitsu combat, investigative sleuthing, and RPG elements in addition to memorable mini- games. Shenmue I & II is set within engrossing real-time open worlds that feel truly alive thanks to day-to- night cycles and weather changes, with a population of civilians who follow their own schedules.

This is the definitive version of these all-time classics and will be the best Shenmue experience to date. The re-release will stay true to the originals with modernised features including fully scalable screen resolution, choice of modern or classic control schemes, PC graphics options, an updated user interface and the option to enjoy either the original Japanese or English voiceovers.

Shenmue I & II  is scheduled to be released worldwide this year. It will be released as a physical and digital release.

Update: Shenmue I & II assets, courtesy of SEGA

Press Release:

A LEGEND IS REBORN. SHENMUE I & II LAUNCHING FOR PLAYSTATION 4, XBOX ONE AND PC IN 2018.

SEGA’s most requested re-release of all time finally comes to a new generation of gamers!

London, England – April 14, 2018 – SEGA® Europe Ltd. is proud to announce that the pioneering epic saga Shenmue I & II is to be re-released for a new generation. Get ready to go on a thrilling voyage across faithful recreations of Japan and Hong Kong, China, in a timeless tale of revenge and mystery when Shenmue I & II launches both physically and digitally on PlayStation® 4 and Xbox® One with a PC release on Steam in 2018.

Since their original release, Shenmue I & II have established a passionate following and are revered as one of gaming’s greatest series of all time. These revolutionary masterpieces deliver a gripping story of retribution as Ryo Hazuki sets out to avenge his father’s death and attempts to unravel the secrets behind a mysterious artefact known as the Dragon Mirror.

Shenmue I & II comes complete with the original feature set that defined modern gaming, including enthralling jujitsu combat, investigative sleuthing, and RPG elements in addition to memorable mini-games. Shenmue I & II is set within engrossing real-time open worlds that feel truly alive thanks to day-to-night cycles and weather changes, with a population of civilians who follow their own schedules.

This is the definitive version of these all-time classics and will be the best Shenmue experience to date. The re-release will stay true to the originals with modernised features including fully scalable screen resolution, choice of modern or classic control schemes, PC graphics options, an updated user interface and the option to enjoy either the original Japanese or English voiceovers.

The physical and digital editions will be available to pre-order from first party stores, Steam and US and EMEA retailers soon. For all the latest information on Shenmue I & II, head over to: https://shenmue.sega.com/

Switchは縦画面で遊べるから斑鳩を移植して欲しいという要望を頂き、DAISOの108円のスタンドで縦に置いてみた。あと3mm幅を広くしてくださいよ。横置きは完璧なのに、縦置きは少し足りない。この写真は、色々反射で写り込んでいて面白い。りんこ姫の横で、何か光輝いてたり、後ろの黒い何かも怪しい。 pic.twitter.com/TMAcIOcMfP

— 株式会社トレジャー (@TreasureCoLtd) April 10, 2018

While it is not explicitly stated that Ikaruga is coming for the Switch, the tweet seems to all but confirm the idea. Would you get Ikaruga for Nintendo Switch? Discuss in the comments below!

“It would be an add on, as it you would be able to add it to your reward, by increasing the pledge for an extra amount! If we reach it, we would give instructions on how to do it etc.”

So yeah, it will cost you extra to get the Dreamcast version, when/if the stretch is reached. However, Piko has also confirmed that it would consider a separate goal for a Dreamcast version, but only if the stretch goal is either close, or reached. Right now it’s too early for them to do that:

“If we somehow are very close to the 200K mark, and there is still several days to go, we’ll add a Dreamcast reward tier for people that only want the dreamcast version.

“At this time, we are so far away that it would be not be a good idea to add that option.”

Alternatively, depending on community response, they might look into doing a separate Dreamcast Kickstarter – but that would be entirely on community response and demand, so there’s a chance that if this stretch goal doesn’t come close, they may not bother with that option:

“However, we may consider running a follow up KS only for the Dreamcast version after this one is done. Depending on the community response.”

[Original Post] I’m sure many of you retro gaming fans have been aware that the N64 3D platformer, 40 Winks, recently got a chance at finally being released – some 19 years after it was originally meant to come out on the system.

The game was originally released on the PS1 back in the day, with an N64 version planned, coded and… cancelled when its publisher, GT Interactive, went under. GT Interactive was bought out by Infogrames, but they, for whatever reason, decided not to released the N64 version of the game.

Roll on 19 years and Piko Interactive (a developer specialising in new games for old systems) acquired the license and original code for the game, and launched the Kickstarter. It has been going on for some 15 days and has already smashed its original goal of $20,000 (£14,329), meaning the N64 will finally be seeing this lost title. But why is this news to SEGA Nerds everywhere?

Well, when the Kickstarter launched, the hidden stretch goals for the project were leaked, indicating that a Dreamcast version could be on the cards. At the time, we didn’t report on it, as it was speculation and not an official confirmation from Piko Interactive. But, a couple of days ago (sorry for the delay in reporting), Piko Interactive updated the Kickstarter page to reveal their 3rd and 4th tier stretch goals, with the final tier being a Dreamcast version of the game! (Woo!)

The downside is that the stretch goal has been set to $200,000 for the Dreamcast version, which is 10 times higher than the original N64 goal. However, this is understandable, as the team already had the code for the N64 version and the funding was to help with production of the N64’s costly cartridges among other things, while the Dreamcast version will need to be coded natively for SEGA’s system (which costs a lot more money).

The good news is that the campaign is about halfway through its lifecycle (15 days remaining), but it is also just over halfway funded ($108,000) to achieving that $200,000 stretch goal – so it is wholly possible for them to hit this goal.

So, if you fancy playing a new/old 3D platformer for the Dreamcast, you might want to hop on and back this project.

You will notice there is not a specific ‘Dreamcast Pledge’, but that’s because the team has said that the Dreamcast game will be “an add-on for backers” which I believe means that if you back any of the N64 cartridge versions, you should also receive (or get the choice to receive) the Dreamcast version as well (I’ve asked for confirmation on this). [Update] Piko has confirmed: “It would be an add on, as it you would be able to add it to your reward, by increasing the pledge for an extra amount! If we reach it, we would give instructions on how to do it etc.” (see top of post for full update).

For those who aren’t sure what a Dreamcast VS Link Cable is, it was a cable originally released by SEGA to allow two Dreamcast consoles together via the serial port for multiplayer on dual screens. A bit like networking two PCs together for multiplayer back in the day.

But only a handful of games were ever made compatible with the VS Link Cable, namely: Ferrari 355 (available worldwide) and the Japanese-only Aero Dancing F, Aero Dancing I, Sega Tetris, and Virtual-On: Oratario Tangram.

Now, I’m sure some of you might be thinking that $40 for a cable that only supports five games is a lot of money, and I guess it is. But for avid Dreamcast gamers/collectors it’s a bargain, as official/original Dreamcast VS Link Cables can go for upwards of $200 these days!

Just to note: DreamcastLive is a small site and the store isn’t setup like most major online retailers, it’s a little old school and to place an order, you need to email Pcwzrd: pcwzrd13@dreamcastlive.net. But don’t worry, several members of the team at SEGA Nerds (myself included) and others in the Dreamcast community have used the store before and (so far at least) we’ve all had good experiences.