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Top 11 Dreamcast Games
written by Shaun McCracken
The Dreamcast may have had one of the shorter lifespans in console history,
but somehow managed to squeeze out 250 games into it's library, in half the time
it took the N64 to accomplitsh the same feat. Here are the top 11 games for the
DC.
- 11- Soul Calibur: It's on the list, OK! Soul Calibur is a great fighter
with really sharp graphics and detail. I haven't played a whole lot of it to
appreciate it more, I do realize that this is a stand out title. I am looking
forward to the sequel, especially the GCN version (which should be better since it
was developed first, and has the exclusive Link character).
- 10- Sega Rally 2: This was a very fun rally game, and one of the only
rally games on the system. Too bad that the game looked really dark on my TV,
and that there weren't many courses. But still, a good, quick racer for those
who don't have the time to invest in a full blown career mode.
- 9- Daytona USA: Daytona USA is a full-blown arcade experience with
online gameplay, which would do a lot better now on recent consoles than on the
DC. Hard to get into, but once you master the skills to win, Daytona becomes
pretty damn fun. I would have like to have seen a few more courses and cars, and
a better soundtrack.
- 8- Sonic Adventure:Despite having a really poor camera that follows
the action, Sonic Adventure still manages to be a fun, playable, and often
difficult game.
- 7- Crazy Taxi 2: Basically it's the same as the first game, except in
a new location, 4 new drivers, new challenges and a new hopping feature. It's
still really addictive, and be sure to download the extra challenges if you have
the chance.
- 6- Grandia II: I haven't delved too much into Grandia II as I would have
liked (mainly because I'm afraid my DC will reset in the middle of the game), but
each time I've picked it up, I fould it to be very accessable and easy to play,
unlike some RPGs.
- 5- Resident Evil Code Veronica: Finally, we break away from pre-rendered
and static backgrounds! The first RE to have a camera that follows the action,
and it feels so much more improved that other RE games, but it still has yet
to catch up with Silent Hill, and is not nearly as easy to control as Eternal
Darkness. And even though pre-rendered graphics have been ditched, the designers
still made a great looking game with some really good textures. Sadly, we won't
see a RE game like this until the next RE game hits the GCN in a year or so.
- 4- Crazy Taxi: Along with SF Rush 2049, I bought this on the same day
I finally bought a DC. Never playing Crazy Taxi and not knowing much about it,
I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was one of the most addictive arcade
games to date, and actually a little better looking than it's arcade counterpart.
It only has two different "stages", but I played them for hours, trying to beat my
score each time.
- 3- Metropolis Street Racer (MSR): I thought I would never get the
chance to play this game. If it hadn't been for the two times (and copies) of
Air Force Delta that refused to work with my system, I would have never gotten
this game, especially for the price it went for (before it was $35 used, then
on the second time I returned AFD, it was $15, coinicedentally, the same amount
of credit I had from returning AFD.). MSR is quite an unusual game in graphics
and gameplay. All textures are photo-realistic, and really does make the game
stand out, until you realize that most of the polygons are pretty flat. Cars are
modeled fairly well, and over 40 licensed makes have been used. The gameplay is
less about placing 1st (although there are modes where this is required), but
about how you drive as well. Crashing is not an option, and is not essential to
your sucess. You'll need to learn how to turn gracfully, and stylishly to earn
new stages and cars. While the "sequel" Project Gotham Racing (on XBOX) refines
the formual, MSR is still really good, and looks fairly similar to the XBOX hit.
- 2- San Francisco Rush 2049: The console versions of the Rush series
seemed to get better and better (mainly on the N64), with new options added in
each version. SF Rush 2049 may be the best racing game on the DC, even though it
only has 6 circuit courses. But the wealth of secrets, options and modes makes this
the best Rush yet. And it looks just like the arcade game, all without an extra
RAM expansion (like the N64). Sure, the framerate drops when particle effects are
emitted, but as a whole, the art design and gameplay make up for it. The multiplayer
modes are highly adictive. Me and my brother have engaged in many Stunt competitions
for hours at a time. Bit for bit, this game has replay value written all over it.
- 1- Jet Grind Radio: Although Fear Effect was the first to use cel-
shaded characters (the backgrounds were CG FMV), the entire world of Jet Grind
Radio was cel-shaded. The game ran so smooth and so well, it just leaps off the
screen, and comes off as something you have never seen before. And this game is
not just #1 because I found it at Target for $5.50, no. It's gameplay is great,
the soundtrack is wonderful, and the graphics... COME ON! How can you not say this
is the best DC game? Sure, Soul Calibur was great, but JGR is in a whole leauge
of it's own. If you own a DC, or plan on getting one, this game is one to own.
