My Dreamcast Adventure so far (plus ?'s)

[Steven]

In 2003 I won a free DC with Evolution, Grandia II and Shenmue.

Only recently have I warmed up to it... it started with a trip to GameStop where I got Crazy Taxi for 4.99.

Since I've gotten:

-Carrier 9.99 at TRU
-2 generic memory cards at TRU 1.24 each
-Plasma Sword at GameStop 6.99
-Maken X at GS 4.99
-RE: Code Veronica eBay 10
-Soul Reaver 2 eBay 6
-Soul Calibur eBay 15
-Mars Matrix trade
-DOA 2 ditto
-MDK2 ditto
-Blue Stinger Game Krazy 1.99

And I'm currently tackling one game at a time. Right now I'm about 2 hours into Carrier. I like it. At points it feels a little slow and whatnot... but still I trek through and find enough incentive to play through the dang thing. It does remind me a lot of DEEP FEAR though. Consider this a warmup for Code Veronica.

I also been playing Maken X but I got stuck and am kind of tired of playing that game. It can give me a headache a bit at times... it started out really interesting but then my interest toward it kind of just fizzled out...

Questions:

A. I do not have a VMU. Is it recommended I get one? Right now I'm surviving off 2 generic 100 block each memory card. Is that good enough?

B. I saw these games at Game Krazy today. Are they a good deal?

-RE 2 (complete) 9.99
I can't seem to find this on eBay for any cheaper than 10 shipped so what the hell right? I should just get it.

-Power Stone (complete sans manual) 7.99
This seems to command 15+ on eBay right? Missing manual irks me but 8 bucks is not too bad...

-Quake III Arena (complete) 7.99
Does Quake III still have knights, grunts and shamblers? I almost bought this...

-Tech Romancer (CD only) 9.99
Is that a fair price for disc only?

-D2 (Complete) 7.99
I almost bought this too, but wanted to save money for Saturn games. Haha. So I only bought Blue Stinger for 1.99. Anyway, D2 looks good but does it play well too? What is its going rate on eBay?

-Last Blade 2 (CD only) 19.99
I really want to try out LB 2 but no manual and case for 20 bucks? It goes for 25-esque on eBay right? I'd want a complete copy...

C. BTW what do you guys think of these games?

-Blue Stinger
-Mars Matrix
-MDK 2
-DOA 2
-Carrier
-Maken X

Thanks!

PS- I'd like to add... Game Krazy rocks! They have NES games, Game Gear, Saturn, etc. Today as I was being ringed up for Blue Stinger (1.99!) one of the employees was testing out Virtua Fighter 2 and Virtua Cop 2 for SEGA Saturn. Ahhhh... almost took me back to the mid 90s.

PPS- I saw Shinobi for Game Gear for 7.99. Isn't that a good port/game? Is that a good price for cartridge only? I also saw Columns for 4.99.... damnit all too many good games not enough time/money....

PPPS- I now have a somewhat more valid opinion on the whole Saturn vs. DC debate. While I'm only a DC weener and at the same time a Saturn whore (haha) I guess bias alone dictates who comes out the winner for me. But I do love each system differently. DC just is a more today machine simply because of the power and the time it came out during. But somehow its somewhat mainstream success in the US always made me cringe a little. Eh, call me weird. I still will always love the Saturn most, but the DC has itself its own superior merits and games, likewise. But I think when you devote a certain amount of quality time with a system, it can never be replaced. All I need now is a Genesis to complete the Sega family.

[Querjek]

I suggest going back to get that copy of Power Stone.


Oh, and it's possible that you'll run out of memory space... out of 4 200 block VMUs, I have 1 completely empty and that's it.

[Ninja Blacksox]

Buy "Space Channel 5."

"Power Stone" is fun, too. It can probably be found for under $7.99, though. I got mine for $2.00 complete.

But yeah. "Space Channel 5."

-A Boy

[suppafly]

power stone and quake 3 are great games...

[NoahsMyBro]

I thought Mars Matrix and MDK2 were both very good games as well.

[kainemaxwell]

A. I do not have a VMU. Is it recommended I get one? Right now I'm surviving off 2 generic 100 block each memory card. Is that good enough?

Yes, get a VMU or two, it'll be worth it in the long run for games that take up larger block space.

Congrats on your free DC btw, that's how I got mine too.

[Richter]

some games have little things that make use of the screen when you're playing. Code Veronica displays your health. Aside from that there's no need to get a VMU

[Nez]

Get a Sega 4x memory card, it will be the only one you ever need.

Resident Evil 2 is the rarest Resident Evil title on the DC at a R4. Its damn fun a game I recomend playing.

MArs Matrix is a brilliantly fun game, play it now! This is from a guy who ownes half the dc library!

Dont bother with Power Stone, The sequal (Power Stone2)is a much better game that support 4 players instead of the previouse 2.

[Push Upstairs]

I agree with Nez

Screw Power Stone! Get Power Stone 2 and never leave your house.


That is the game that finally made me finally accept and justify the purchase of my Dreamcast (well, along with "Beats of Rage" & Gauntlet)

[Nz17]

MDK 2 has some realy mind-twisters for puzzles; it is the only action game I've ever had to use a FAQ for, and that's on more than one occasion.

In my opinion, the Game Gear Shinobi games are far superior to their Genesis counterparts. Don't go in expecting the arcade games and you'll be delightfully suprised.

Maken X is very stylish, but you are right, gets boring after awhile. I've never finished it because I lost interest.

Out of your list, I'd say Q3A is the only one worth buying, based upon the games' conditions and prices. Controller controls are good, keyboard + mouse control is great (and recommended), and you can still play it online if you choose.

I second that you should pick up Space Channel 5, and don't forget Jet Grind Radio.

And for the love of Peter Sanchez, pick up a VMU or several. They come in many colors outside of standard white, and you get so much more from Dreamcast games with it. The screen while in game can show stats, secret messages, and animations (such as Virtua Tennis [also highly recommended], where it displays a 3D wireframe representation of all the on-screen action you and your friends are playing). Also, the sound feature of it is used in several games such as Skies of Arcadia (awesome RPG, though some don't like it) for extra featues. Last, the VMU can store actual games on itself, and you can play these on the go like a Game Boy.

[Querjek]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that you should get a copy of Seaman if you can find it with the microphone.

[Cryomancer]

If you have any intentions of using imports I suggest a gameshark as well, the dreamcast one is accually a fairly high-quality product compared to other GS's, even if it crowds the VMU slots a bit. Definetely get as many vmus as you can have, I have about 7 and two of the official sega 4x's and I still am full most the time. The VMU minigames can also be fun and there's many games that use it's screen and speaker for useful features. Games that are DC classics include Space Channel 5, Chu Chu Rocket Samba de Amigo, and Jet Set Radio which can all be gotten cheap. Powerstone 2 is indeed awesome, but power stone isn't bad either. If you like crazy taxi, there is also a sequel to that. DC also has a lot of arcade ports, especially fighters, I suggest Soul Calibur, Marvel VS Capcom 2, and also Tech Romancer (although I dunno if i'd buy it disc only...great game though). For RPGs I suggest the Evolution series (also on cube now with both as one game), Elemential Gimmick Gear (highly underrated game, similar in ways to zelda), and Grandia II. If you prefer shooters, there are many avalable, but moreso via imports. Several current-generation sleepers are originally DC games, such as Rez, Shenmue II, and Headhunter (all of which are only available in PAL if you want english). Keep in mind also that the DC will run most backups completely unmodded, however making backups of your games is pretty tricky yet. Also, somel DC games still have ONLINE PLAY, even though many of the servers are down. The dreamcast is a very versatile machine, it offers many quality arcade ports, probably the best library of 4-player games, and also some of the most original single-player experiences ever. It is truly a machine to love.

edit: i apologize for the rambling, unstructured, unformmatted nature of this post but damn I just have so many good things to say about the DC.

[EnemyZero]

Carrier was a decent game, I enjoyed it...and as for powerstone, pick it up, even though powerstone 2 is better in everyway it commands a $40+ price tag almost everywhere.

Mars Matrix- Awesome game...'nuff said

MDK 2 - is a damn fun game as well

DOA 2 - need you ask? so pretty...

Blue Stinger - This game came out at DC's release..it recieve horrid reviews and I never met a person who liked it..or played it for that matter..and I can say it was the first DC game I played AND I LOVED IT!! Dunno what it is about that game but I had so much fun with it!, give it a try.

VMU - Pick one up, if you ever get Skies of Arcadia the many other games that utalize it..it will be invaluable!

[kainemaxwell]

I like the VMU animations from Soul Caliber most myself.

[AB Positive]

Skies of Arcadia and many others come with mini-VMU games that can help you out in-game. Can't tell you how many times I lucked out and nabbed a moonstone or three in Skies with that game. VMUs are key!

-AG

[kainemaxwell]

Hey, forgot to ask, where can I get a 4x VMU?

[fahrvergnugen]

4x memory cards don't have a vmu on them, they're just memory.

Also, import Ikaruga and Rez. They're much better on DC than their respective ports.

[blissfulnoise]

My US DC (exclusives) must own list:

1) Powerstone 2
2) Soul Calibur
3) Sega Marine Fishing (get the Sega brand fishing controller)
4) Mars Matrix
5) Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
6) Cannon Spike
7) Typing of the Dead
8) Project Justice
9) Tech Romancer
10) Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram (think about getting the twinsticks for Saturn/DC)

Games that are must own on DC if you don't have alternate versions

Bangai-O (I can't recommend a version, never played the N64 port)
Marvel vs Capcom 2 (I perfer this version, better responsiveness IMO)
Ferrari F355 Challenge (I perfer this version, tighter controls IMO)
Space Channel 5 (I perfer the PS2 version)
Sonic Adventure (I perfer this version for the VMU Chao rasing game)
Skies of Arcadia (I perfer this version for the VMU games, though the GC offers additional content)
Street Fighter Alpha 3 (I perfer this version by a wide margin)

Samba De Amigo didn't make the cut because of the very expensive import Maracas you have to buy. If you can afford them, this game becomes a must own (don't buy the off brand ones)

[SegaAges]

i am up to 10 mem cards (all 1st party) and all of them are pretty much filled (well, 10 counting the 4 from the 4x). The thing is though, most of those games saves are from when i used to pirate, so I have around 200+ game saves. You go ahead and do the math on that one

[TheRedEye]

Sonic Adventure (I perfer this version for the VMU Chao rasing game)

I prefer the Dreamcast one because YOU DON'T MAGICALLY FALL THROUGH THE FLOOR AND DIE EVERY FIVE MINUTES.