The Sega Dreamcast was a sixth-generation video game console released by Sega in Japan in 1998, followed by North America and Europe in 1999. It was Sega’s final home console and an innovative machine that developed a cult following despite its early commercial failure.
Innovative features
The Dreamcast pioneered features that are now standard in modern consoles.
- Online gaming: It was the first console with a built-in modular modem for internet access and online multiplayer, paving the way for services like Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.
- Visual Memory Unit (VMU): The VMU was a removable memory card with a built-in LCD screen, D-pad, and buttons that could serve as a secondary display on the controller or a miniature handheld gaming device.
- Windows CE support: Dreamcast games could include a version of the Windows CE operating system, allowing developers to easily port PC titles to the console.
Hardware specifications
- CPU: A Hitachi SH-4 RISC processor running at 200 MHz.
- GPU: An NEC PowerVR2 rendering engine clocked at 100 MHz.
- RAM: 16 MB of main RAM, 8 MB of video RAM, and 2 MB of audio RAM.
- Media: The console used a 1 GB GD-ROM optical disc format, co-developed with Yamaha, instead of the more expensive DVD format.
- Video output: It supported progressive scan video at 480p with a VGA adapter, making it capable of displaying higher-quality images on computer monitors and enhanced-definition TVs.
Game library
The Dreamcast was known for its creative and critically acclaimed games, many of which were arcade ports from Sega’s powerful NAOMI arcade system.
- Key first-party titles: Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Space Channel 5, Samba de Amigo, and the influential open-world RPG Shenmue.
- Third-party gems: Popular titles from other publishers included Soulcalibur, Power Stone, and Resident Evil – Code: Veronica.
- Enduring community: A dedicated homebrew community continues to create new games and private online servers for the console, keeping its legacy alive long after its official end.
- Getting closer
Thanks for good friends and donations we are getting closer to completing. Dreamcast VA1 very yellowed and good one to […]