Samba de Amigo

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Sonic Team

Samba de Amigo, much like many games on the Dreamcast, provided a unique experience for folks that played it. In later years, games like Guitar Hero made it popular in the West to have controllers modeled after musical instruments…but before that, Samba de Amigo hit North American shores with maracas. Playing a music game with maracas is unique and fun in itself, but the motion sensors within the maracas aren’t only put to use from shaking them, but also from striking poses during the music to make you feel like a cool muchacho or muchacha, as the kids say. Samba de Amigo really only suffered from two things – a lack of modes (though party mode has a ton of replay value if you’re lucky enough to have multiple maracas and enough friends to keep it interesting) and the unfortunate fact that there were not a lot of maraca controllers manufactured in North America…meaning most of us played this game with a Dreamcast controller, and that’s not nearly as fun. If you can get your hands on this game and some maraca controllers, though, and you’re a fan of music games, you won’t be able to help but enjoy yourself here…it may even make you want to randomly strike a pose in your every day life just for fun.

Review added: 04/25/2019

Seaman

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Vivarium

If you're looking for a game that will keep you engaged for hours at a time....Seaman isn't it. However, if you're looking for a game to turn on for a few minutes each day for a unique experience (and it's still a unique experience, even 20 years later) then Seaman fits the bill perfectly. Seaman is a game that would seemingly be a perfect fit for a reboot on cell phones - with a built-in microphone and easy access you play for five to ten minutes a day, it just seems like a natural place for this game to wind up should Sega decide to revive it. However, back in the days when only business folks had cell phones, and cell phones were ONLY phones, that experience was limited to the Dreamcast...an experience that caused a lot of parents and roommates to question the sanity of the people living with them when they were caught talking to the fish with human faces on their television screens. The voice recognition in the game, while not perfect, was incredibly impressive and remains impressive today. It was such a unique experience (and still is) that Seaman remains one of the most memorable games to be released on Sega's final console.

Review added: 03/31/2019

Sega Bass Fishing

Also known as: Get Bass (Japan)

Developer: SIMS

There probably aren't a lot of folks out there that think that a fishing game could be fast-paced, exciting, and fun...But Sega Bass Fishing manages to be all three. It's arcade-style fishing without the long, boring periods of not catching a thing. In fact, this game adds the stress of trying to capture enough fish (or one, big monster that meets the weight requirements for the level in a single catch) within a set time limit. With three areas to fish in, plus a fourth, secret area where every fish is a beast, there’s enough variety in the fishing environments to prevent things from feeling too awful repetitive. The time limit may be a little unforgiving unless you’re an expert (it’s a port of an arcade game that was designed to get folks to pop quarters in, after all) but overall, this is a very solid and surprisingly fun game. Even more so, if you’re able to nab the Dreamcast fishing rod controller to play with. If you try Sega Bass Fishing, you may wind up like the bass in this game – hooked.

Review added: 04/20/2019

Sega GT

Also known as: Sega GT Homologation Special (Japan)

Developer: TOSE

When Sega GT first came out, I swore to my friends that it was better than Gran Turismo. Aside from the fact that I absolutely loved the Dreamcast and was likely looking for reasons to get others to buy one, I’m not really sure why I thought that. Now that two decades have passed, I’ve gone back and played both games recently, and while I no longer insist that Sega GT is better, I still believe that Sega GT is a solid alternative to Sony’s racing money maker. The game itself is done well and well worth playing for folks obsessed with racing games, but with only a few exceptions, nearly everything comes across as a duplicate of Gran Turismo…which is fine, copying one of the greatest racing games ever made, but the lack of innovation here may be disappointing to veterans of Sony’s fantastic racer. Aside from the first Gran Turismo, I don’t think that I’ve ever put as much time into a racing simulation game as I have with Sega GT. I’m not really a car guy, but if Sega had released a few more games in this series, and improved upon each one, they may have converted me into one.

Review added: 04/15/2019

Sega Swirl

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Tremor Entertainment

Sega released its puzzle game Sega Swirl both on the Web Browser 2.0 disk and in the Sega Smashpack, and also on a few demo discs included with the Official Dreamcast magazines, both in the US and in the UK. On a personal note, Sega Swirl was one of the first games that I ever played online….over dial-up internet connection. The concept is simple – any swirls of the same color next to each other can be “popped.” The more of them that are next to each other when they pop, the bigger the combo and score. If you pop a single swirl, not touching any like-colored swirls, you lose points. The goal is to clear the screen of all swirls. There are a few modes that you can play solo, but unless you’re a puzzle game fanatic, they’ll probably get old quick. Where this game really shines is the multi-player. When you think you’ve had your fill of single player gameplay, invite some friends over and it becomes a pretty addicting party game that adds plenty of replay value. Not too shabby for a game that never sold as a standalone title on the Dreamcast.

Review added: 04/15/2019

Sega Tetris

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Wow Entertainment

Tetris 4D came out on the Dreamcast in 1998…and it was pretty underwhelming, to be honest. Sega fixed that two years later, releasing Sega Tetris. The main mode is the basic Tetris that we all know and love, but with the difficulty ramped up a tad, and lots of colorful backgrounds that change as you play. But that’s not all, you can also play against another player (or the computer) in a fun battle where matches of two force the opponent to fuse two pieces together prior to placing, matches of three force the opponent to place a horizontal line with one, single hole in it on their own screen, and a Tetris simply brings four rows up from the bottom of their screen, reducing the space between where the pieces fall and where the nearest blocks are. It adds some extra strategy to the gameplay – do you stack up the blocks in a way to unleash a barrage of Tetris attacks on your opponent with the risk of your opponent sending attacks your way that may derail your planning? Or do you go for the easier, smaller matches instead, with less of a risk, but also less of a reward? This game also had online play available when it was released, with the ability to battle against players from around the globe. While Sega Tetris isn’t a groundbreaking game by any means, the visuals are different and the core gameplay is solid. If you’re a fan of puzzle games, it’s worth checking out.

Review added: 04/16/2019

Segagaga

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Sega

Segagaga is proof that if you put a smart person in charge of a video game with a very limited budget, you can make magic happen. Segagaga is one of the more bizarre RPGs that you can find on any platform, but it also happens to be an RPG that will fill you from head to toe with nostalgia if you happen to be a Sega fan. Not only are you taking part in an RPG in this game, complete with turn-based battles, but you're also playing a game development simulator at the same time. When not fighting, you'll be developing games like Fantasy Zone to the House of the Dead, and plenty of games in between. When you look at the graphics, it becomes obvious that that's where most of the budget was cut to get this game out on limited funds, but even though it lacks the graphical prowess of most other Dreamcast games of the time, it really works well within the context of this game…I'd argue that if you don't go into this knowing about the budget limit this game had, you'd assume that the graphics were a design choice rather than a budget cut. The only real downside to the game is that it can cost a pretty penny if you happen to find a copy. But, if you're like me and love bizarre games and have a fondness for Sega and its history, then it's worth the price of admission. Segagaga may not be the best RPG or simulator ever made, but it's still very good at both, and I highly recommend it if you're a fan of either genre.

Review added: 12/07/2022

Sonic Adventure

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Sonic Team

While it kinda gets some flack these days, Sonic Adventure wasn't terrible for its time, honestly. In fact, it was actually pretty fun to wander around as Sonic and the gang in a 3D environment, and that first level is also pretty memorable with the killer whales hurling themselves out of the water as Sonic sprints towards the goal. Sure, the camera wasn't great and many of the levels lacked the speed and didn’t put you in awe like the first level does...but that aside, I really enjoyed the varied gameplay mechanics of each playable character. And while most future 3D Sonic games didn’t seem to improve on much of anything from this game, it did feel like a decent first start towards a 3D Sonic future. The Chao Garden is also, still, one of the most addicting mini games in video game history…I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve probably spent more time raising those cute little boogers over the years than I’ve spent playing the main story. The game hasn't aged particularly well (though the Chao Garden is still as charming as ever) but Sonic Adventure can still be pretty fun if you're into nostalgia and/or the history of the Sonic franchise.

Review added: 04/05/2019

Sonic Shuffle

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Sega

I've always liked Sega, but also always felt like Nintendo was superior in terms of game quality. Games like Sonic Shuffle are the reason why. Nintendo found great success with its Mario Party franchise, so Sega took that formula and did a pretty blatant rip-off of Nintendo's party game…you don't see the number one company rip-off the number two company as much as you'd see number two rip off number one…know what I mean? The other thing I tend to notice is that when a game is a rip-off of another game, it's almost always guaranteed to be worse than the game that it's trying to emulate. Sometimes much worse, sometimes only slightly worse. Sonic Shuffle definitely falls into the “much worse” category. Sonic Shuffle wouldn't be so bad if its mini games were anywhere near as fun as the games found in Mario Party…but for the most part, they're not. At all. That’s not to say that you won't enjoy this game at all - it seems to be a game that people either love or hate. Some even consider it to be one of the best party games ever made, from what I see on the ol’ internets…I'm not part of that group by any means. I don't think that Sonic Shuffle is quite as bad as some people say, but I also feel like it falls short of being a passable game. Party games are supposed to be fun, but this one feels more like a party pooper.

Review added: 12/15/2023

Soul Fighter

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Toka

Can you imagine the number of tears that were shed when children asked their parents for SoulCalibur and they wound up with this heaping pile of steaming garbage? Controlling the characters in Soul Fighters is ridiculously horrible. Trying to walk in a straight line towards an enemy is like dropping a stone in a puddle and trying to prevent ripples from forming - it's impossible. When you finally manage to be in position to attack an enemy, there's a good chance that you'll completely miss your attack and then once again be stuck trying to maneuver around and get into striking position. This is horrible. At times it feels like the only way you can survive is to herd the enemies into a corner, then mash the attack buttons until they're all dead...mainly because if you find yourself in a corner, that's exactly what the enemy will do to you. They should have called this game “Shepherd Fighter” since herding always seems to be the best strategy. Even if everything I complained about was perfect, the combat itself is so tedious and boring that it almost makes struggling with the game's flaws interesting in comparison. If these buffoons are fighting for our souls, we're all doomed.

Review added: 04/12/2019

SoulCalibur

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Namco

SoulCalibur turned a lot of heads when it was first released on the Dreamcast. Not only was everything arcade-perfect, but in many ways, it surpassed the arcade version, which was already an amazing game in itself. Namco also tossed in a few extra modes to boot, including Mission Mode, which was absolutely addicting and brought players coming back for more and more. There are also plenty of characters, costumes, and modes to unlock, creating plenty of replay value to ensure that you keep coming back to brawl it out on the “stage of history.” I don't consider this to be the best 3D fighting game of all-time any more, I feel like Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution took that spot a few years later, but back when SoulCalibur was initially released, there weren't too many fighting games that could come even close to matching the quality of this gem....and twenty years later, it still holds its own as one of the absolute best fighting games ever released.

Review added: 04/14/2019

Space Channel 5

Also known as: N/A

Developer: UGA

Space Channel 5 is a very unique music game that has the player controlling Ulala as she tries to rid Space Channel 5 of a swarm of aliens that have infested the area...She tries to do this by dancing. It's essentially an interactive movie version of the game Simon. If you've read some of my reviews in other areas of this website, you'll likely know that due to my poor memory, I'm not a fan of Simon…but dang it, this game is so charming that it's the exception to that rule. Likewise, I've found that when I'm repeating everything to the beat of the background music, I'm better at repeating what I see than I normally would be. Anyway, unlike most music games, Space Channel 5 doesn't really give you any prompts on screen when you need to input commands. Instead, you'll see notifications in the corner when the computer is making their moves, then it'll change to let you know that it's your turn. Without notifications, you need to listen to the beat in the background and use that as your way to time your button presses out. Adding a little wrinkle to everything, there’s a need to pay attention to the screen to see who appears. Depending on if you see aliens or humans, you need to shoot or save them…and successfully saving people build up your entourage so that as Ulala walks through the level, it begins to look like she's leading a parade on her way to the end of the level. I wouldn't say that Space Channel 5 is the best music game I've ever played, but it's very good, and it may be one of, if not the most memorable game in the genre.

Review added: 09/14/2022

Speed Devils

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

Speed Devils is a deceptively good game. I remember the Official Dreamcast Magazine, here in the United States, giving it a poor review. A few issues later, they admitted that they had made a mistake, calling their rating for it (3 out of 10) a "blunder" on their end. At first glance, it just looks like your average racer with a pretty coat of paint and (mostly) interesting levels. Each level is hiding shortcuts and hidden routes within it to discover, which makes it fun to sometimes ignore the race that you’re participating in, just to see if you can find what each race track is hiding. You've got turbo boosts (and other upgrades) to use at your disposal, so the racing isn’t as simple as holding down the gas button until you cross the finish line. You can also customize the levels prior to racing, like what the weather will be like, what time of day it is, and if it's a regular course or a mirror course. Those minor customization options actually help prevent a feeling of repetition to a degree, since you’re not seeing the exact same environments over and over and over again. There's so much to do and discover that any fan of arcade racing can easily lose hours upon hours here. Some folks don't like this game for some reason, like the review from the Official Dreamcast Magazine, like I mentioned earlier…but I fail to see what isn't to like here. If you get a chance to play Speed Devils, give it a shot and find out for yourself.

Review added: 04/03/2019

Spirit of Speed: 1937

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Broadsword Interactive

I genuinely want to like Spirit of Speed 1937. I really do. I have always been fascinated with the 1930's and earlier, so I enjoy the concept of playing a game taking place during that time. I really like the concept of old-timey racing...But Spirit of Speed is just done so poorly. The races themselves are absolutely boring. If this is the spirit of speed, then they must be talking about the ghost-kind of spirit since any sign of entertainment here is dead. The racing is extremely bland...Well, until you touch a wall, in which case your car bounces off like a slingshot, hurling you out of control into another wall or any other racers unfortunate enough to be around you. Broadsword Interactive is apparently unaware of the rule of physics that states "every action has an EQUAL and opposite reaction." So, by grazing the wall, I suppose being launched into another wall is an equal reaction...Anyway, Spirit of Speed has a nice concept, but extremely poor execution. There are much, much better racing titles on the Dreamcast than this turd. Even if you enjoy history like I do and want to try to find a reason to enjoy this, you probably won't find much. Avoid it.

Review added: 04/12/2019

Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Capcom

Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike wasn’t as well received as Street Fighter II, and that’s kind of a shame because it’s just as good. In fact, there are some folks who consider this game to be the “perfect” fighting game. I think the problem for a lot of folks is that unlike the second entry in the Street Fighter franchise, which is very pick-up-and-play, the Street Fighter III games were designed for a slower-paced, more methodical, strategic fight – it’s not as easy to mash buttons on your way to victory. You need to learn to be defensive as well as offensive, otherwise you’ll have some difficulty picking up a victory in this game. In fact, once you begin to master the defensive aspects of Street Fighter III, you can pretty much destroy someone that relies purely on mashing buttons and performing all-out offense. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike also has one of the more interesting rosters in the Street Fighter franchise, in my opinion, with favorites like Ryu, Chun Li, and Ken mixed in with some “normal” characters and some absolutely bizarre ones as well, including Q and Twelve, two of the brand-new fighters for this game. When it comes to 2D fighters exclusive to the Dreamcast, I may consider Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike to be the best of the bunch. When if comes to 2D fighters in general, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike is definitely in the conversation for best of all-time.

Review added: 04/13/2019

Street Fighter III: Double Impact

Also known as: Street Fighter III: W Impact (Japan)

Developer: Capcom

When I first played the Street Fighter III games, I didn't like them. Street Fighter II felt like it was perfect - it was deep enough for hardcore fighting fans to love it, but it was also very easy to pick up and play for less experienced players. I expected the same pick-up-and-play gameplay here…and after plowing through a few opponents, I got absolutely trounced by the time I fought against Gill, the final boss in both games included in this compilation. I think a lot of folks had a similar experience. But Street Fighter III wasn't Street Fighter II…it had evolved. The more I played Street Fighter III, the more I absolutely loved the game. Once I realized that learning the new game mechanics were essential for effective fighting, I wasn't trounced any more, and I grew to really appreciate how deep and strategic the Street Fighter III games were. Unfortunately,, while these games are very good, by making them deeper, they also alienated some of the casual Street Fighter fans who just wanted to pop in, fight a few rounds to pass the time, and move onto something else. I have friends where some swear that the Street Fighter III games are the best games ever in the Street Fighter franchise…while other friends say that they're the worst. Still, if you consider yourself a fan of fighting games, and you don't mind taking the time to learn some of the new features here, I think you'll like both versions of Street Fighter III included in this little compilation. If you'd rather just pick up a controller and brawl it out without learning the game mechanics, then these games may not be your cup of tea.

Review added: 06/03/2025

Stupid Invaders

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Xilam

Like the title suggests, this is a pretty stupid game. Not an awful game…it's passable…but still stupid all the same. For those who haven't played it, Stupid Invaders is a point-and-click adventure starring the cast of the animated show, Space Goofs. Now, I've never seen an episode of Space Goofs, but I know it was on "Fox Kids" on Saturday mornings here in the United States during its brief run…I can't imagine that the jokes and imagery that you experience in this game are something that would have made it on a children's cartoon….but I suppose you never know, it they hid the humor cleverly enough for parents to understand while going over kids heads, it may have happened. Maybe one day I'll sit down and watch the shows and figure it out for myself. But anyway, I mention the children's cartoon because this is a pretty adult game….an adult game for adults that like fart jokes and the like. There's no nudity here, but plenty of hints at explicit stuff as you progress through the game. So, if that's your kind of humor, you may be in heaven playing this. I found a few jokes or scenarios in the game to be funny…but much of it, I rolled my eyes at, unfortunately. Outside of the humor, this is your basic point-and-click adventure game that doesn't really do anything wrong, but also doesn't really do anything to stand out. So, if you enjoy point-and-click adventure games, you'll likely find some enjoyment playing this game…just be prepared for some bad humor along the way.

Review added: 02/17/2024