To complement the comprehensive guides to the impressive Sega Saturn and Playstation Shmups libraries, we’ve updated and expanded this Dreamcast 2D Shooter guide.   We now have more of the newer post-mortum shooters included and hopefully made it a bit more informative.  If you have anything to add, just let us know in the comments!

While it only started out with a few shooters from Psikyo and Capcom (most of which looked like nice 2D Saturn games), the Dreamcast gathered quite a library by the end of its life. In fact, MOST of the 2D shooters for the console were released well after the Dreamcast was “dead” in the United States.  So yes, if you wish to play most of these, you will need to learn how to play Dreamcast imports. But if you are a shooter fan, you will not regret investing in some of these Dreamcast gems.

Ikaruga

A pseudo-sequel to Treasure’s Radiant Silvergun, this mind-bending shmup is incredibly popular and combined high-precision shooter action with the color-matching gameplay element found in Treasure’s adventure game, Silhouette Mirage. Ikaruga still blew away every expectation that the shump community had while the rumors of a Radiant Silvergun sequel were discussed. Ikaruga is brutally difficult, but the gameplay is refined to near perfection. It has developed a strong cult following (much like other Treasure games) and is a common way to show up a shmup expert’s skills.  Treasure understood this challenge and included tutorials and a trial mode.

Ikaruga is a traditional vertical scrolling shooter like Radiant Silvergun, but there are a few twists. Like Silhouette Mirage, your ship and every enemy is assigned one of two polarities: dark or light. While your ship can switch back and forth between light and dark, the enemies are static. White enemies fire white bullets, and black enemies fire black bullets. As the player you have a choice: by choosing the same color as an enemy you can absorb their bullets and charge up your super weapon. By choosing the opposite color as an enemy you can double the damage you inflict, but their bullets will kill you. If you want to score big you need to kill enemies in groups of three according to color, “chaining” these groups together.  Since bosses retreat after a set period of time, it’s also possible to make it through the game without firing a shot, so some attempt to make it through by merely avoiding one color while absorbing the other.

The challenges in Ikaruga are nearly endless, and Treasure did an unbelievable job of presenting the player with all sorts of interesting and unique situations. The game even features a TATE mode where   the game can be rotated into a horizontal shooter and artwork featuring ship designs.  While every gamer will not be up for this gaming wonder, it’s definitely worth looking into if you want a challenge.
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Under Defeat

At the time of its release, Under Defeat was billed as the last Dreamcast game to be officially released.  And while this claim was a bit premature, this title would definitely have been a high point to end on.  Under Defeat is a retelling of WWII, where you play as a German-speaking helicopter pilot in a uniform reminiscent of the Nazis.  The enemy is a group known as the Union, who speak English and use WWII-era equipment and vehicles in an attempt to take you down.  The gameplay is done in vertical SHMUP style with 3D graphics, and follows a traditional system of controls.

That said, it also features different optional weapons with varying levels of firepower and recharge rates.  The weapons not only can deal massive damage but serve to add additional multipliers to score, so figuring out the best way to get points is part of the fun.  Multiple resolution modes can be jumped through on the fly as well, so there’s a large variety of ways to view the game, which is pretty cool for a game generally considered traditional.

And while the bosses can be a challenge, the player doesn’t actually have to kill them.  With each one comes a countdown.  Once it hits ‘0,’ the boss self destructs, for fewer points than would be given for beating them.  There’s also an alternate game mode known as 2-1 which flips the stages and increases the difficulty for those who make it through the game.

Three versions were presented when the game released, though they were functionally all the same.  The Limited Edition included a bonus soundtrack, while the Sega Direct version included the soundtrack, a poster, and a sticker.  The standard version was game-only.
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Bangai-O

Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999, Bangai-O(or Bakuretsu Muteki Bangaioh) is much better known as a Treasure release on the Dreamcast.  The game features 44 levels, where a brother and sister named Riki and Mami pilot an enormous robot named Bangai-O as they fight a group known as the Kosmo Gang, know throughout the universe as an evil band of fruit smugglers.

Ok, so it’s a little odd, but what you end up getting is a non-traditional title with large stages, two characters you can flip between with different attacks, and a massive amount of firepower.  If you like quirky Japanese storylines and getting to destroy a lot of stuff, this is probably the game for you.  The Dreamcast version added new enemies, bosses, different level layouts, and utilizes an ‘Explosion Meter,’ which keeps track of the number of explosions to give better fruit from killed enemies.

Keep in mind that when you start playing, the starting AB control scheme is considered terrible(even the manual acknowledges it isn’t as good).  Changing to the ABXY scheme is recommended for everyone, and is the preferred.
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Border Down

G.Rev’s first post-mortem Dreamcast shmup featured a new twist on the shooter genre. Your performance actually determined the branch of each stage you would play in.  The game is a horizontal shooter with a system of keeping score based on time, number of points accumulated in a stage, the hit-counter from boss fights, and so on.

Border Down features a unique “border system”, each stage has a green, yellow, and red border and these have 3 parts. Consequently, there are three different paths you can follow, each with different challenges. If you die, you go down a border: green to yellow, yellow to red. If a player dies on red, then the game ends.  One border is not necessarily harder than another(though enemies tend to fire faster on yellow and red, these versions also tend to be shorter), its a matter of personal preference and it differs from level to level.

The bosses in Border Down look especially cool and the explosive effects are very satisfying. In some stages you see battles occurring in the background and that makes you feel like part of a group rather than a lone fighter against a vast armada. Overall, the game looks very slick as you would expect from a late Dreamcast shooter.

A limited edition of the game was released, including a soundtrack CD and different cover art.  Both versions received a very limited release.
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Zero Gunner 2

Zero Gunner 2 is actually one of my favorite shooters, but that’s mostly because I’m not very good at most of them. This helicopter shmup is not overly challenging, so I find it to be the game I pop into the Dreamcast when I need to blow some stuff up without having to stress out. I would also recommend Zero Gunner 2 to those looking to get started in the shooter genre.  It offers nine levels of difficulty to play on and includes three different helicopters to play as.  There are 7 levels, which is brief enough for those who aren’t used to the genre to continue to the end.

One of the best parts of this game is the ability to change the direction your ship can fire. Holding down X or B prompts a cross-hair like cursor in the center of the screen, and using the D-pad while the cross-hair is visible rotates your ship around the cross-hair. If you have enemies coming in from the back left and right diagonals, simply rotate your ship around to fire at them instead of waiting for them to come into your line of fire. This also serves to spice up the conventional vertical or horizontal scrolling most shooters must abide by.

Certain parts of the stages, mostly during boss battles, will occur from a diagonal position, and the direction is constantly twisting and turning, adding a very fun but not frustratingly difficult aspect to the gameplay.

While Zero Gunner 2 has 3D styling, it operates on a flat axis with no vertical movement, so it is a pure 2D shooter at heart. While your ship itself is small, everything else is beautifully detailed. Enemies are characteristically tremendous, and litter the screen with weapons fire.

Overall, the gameplay feels comfortable after only a few levels, and definitely serves to breathe new life into what some call a tired genre.
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Mars Matrix

If you are looking for a challenge that depends more on dodging and a never-ending rain of bullets as opposed to the puzzling elements of Ikaruga, Mars Matrix is where you need to look.

Mars Matrix fills the screen with intricate backgrounds, dozens of independently moving objects, and intense arcade action. Your tools in dealing with an onslaught of bullets from all directions are a fairly standard laser gun, a powerful pulse weapon, and a special attack that can allow your spacecraft to inhale incoming fire and return it in a fierce volley.

Mars Matrix also offers a 2-player mode where two pilots can lay waste to the Red Planet in tandem. And then there’s the glorious Shop Mode. Picking up the gold cubes also nets you experience points, which you can then spend in the extensive Shop to buy more levels, ships, continues, options like ship speed and GHB gauge speed, and even ship and background colors. Mars Matrix has an extremely high replay value at it will be quite a while before you unlock everything.
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Triggerheart Exelica

This is one of the more recent releases for Dreamcast, not seeing release until early 2007.  The game focuses on Exelica and Crueltear, two ladies in the Triggerheart team fighting a war against the Ver’Mith.  A portal opens and the two are accidentally sucked in, finding themselves trapped on Earth.  While making themselves comfortable on their new home, a second portal opens, and the Ver’Mith come streaming through.  So now it’s up to the two of them to save our planet.

The game is a vertical shooter with 3D style, though it’s a 2D experience.  While it’s graphically not as impressive as the Xbox Live port, the Dreamcast version did add a Story Mode and Arrange Mode to add more replay value to the game.  Players must choose which of the two leads to run through the game’s 5 stages, with both having different standard weapons.  To add more meat to the game, both characters can fire anchors to catch enemies, and can then use them as shields, clubs, and even projectiles by hurling them into other enemies for better scores.  Just watch out, because the higher the score you acquire, the harder the boss at the end of the level.

When it released, Triggerheart Exelica also had a special edition release, including a guide book and soundtrack.  A phone card and poster were also included if ordered from Sega Direct.
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Castle Shikigami 2

This beautiful shooter is the sequel to the game known as “Mobile Light Force 2″ in the Western territories. Castle Shikigami 2 enables players to control flying humans instead of ships. It isn’t ground-breaking in any respect, but is a good game to pick up for shooter fans.

The scoring device for this game is called a Tension Battle System (TBS). Your score multiplier increases the closer you are to an enemy or bullet. Therefore, to get the highest scores, you must destroy enemies while brushing up near an enemy bullet or enemy (Think of it as Crazy Taxi meets shmups). To compensate for putting your character in harm’s way, your character’s shot power and shot pattern are enhanced while you are close to your enemies and their bullets.

In addition to the TBS system, some basic mechanics of the shmup genre have been altered. For one thing, you have a life bar, as opposed to dying as soon as you are hit, as in most other games of this type. You can be hit twice and still live; get hit a third time, and your character dies. Also, your “bomb” is not what you may think. As opposed to the usual “blow everything on screen up” type bomb, you have a character-specific move that, while powerful, requires a bit of strategy to use effectively.

There are five difficulties to play on, and an unlockable “extreme mode” for those who make it through the game.  Once again, a special edition released in Japan with a soundtrack and trading cards, while the Sega Direct version included a phone card.
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Psyvariar 2

To earn points in Psyvariar 2, you must destroy your enemies and also “buzz” their attacks, meaning get as close as possible to their bullets without actually getting hit.  Large portions of your ship are invincible, save for a couple of pixels in the center.  This means to get the best scores, you have to willingly risk death and pray you take nothing straight up the middle.

While the original Psyvariar was disappointing, Psyvariar 2 brings the real deal to the Dreamcast. While the shmup is flooded with a tremendous amount of “bullet hell”, the game’s controls are tight and responsive enough to give you a chance at staying alive.

Also, between the 2D/3D backgrounds and the wonderfully polished character/mecha designs, Psyvariar 2 also features a great deal of eye candy to keep you entertained.  Unfortunately the Dreamcast version would go without some of the features made available in the PS2 and Xbox ports, but that doesn’t mean the game was unpopular.  In fact, the Dreamcast version’s the most sought after.
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Twinkle Star Sprites

A port from the Neo-Geo original, this game wonderfully combines gameplay elements from both the shooter and puzzle genres to make one charming game.   Twinkle Star Sprites plays like a vertically scrolling shooter, but you actually play head to head against another player in split screen fashion. By destroying lots of enemies in one go (chain combos) you send more bad guys over to your opponents half of the screen. Once this process begins, it is very similar to modern competitive puzzle game like Puyo Pop Fever and Tetris Attack.

There are also bosses to contend with, Death Attacks if the match stretches on too long or if a player is idle for thirty seconds, and different kinds of attacks which can be created by reflecting enemy shots(creating Reverse Attacks or Extra Attacks).  To further instill competition, whenever a player takes damage, their opponent gains back half of that amount in health, helping to extend the match.  If you are a shooter fan that is stuck in a rut, nothing will give you a breath of fresh air like Twinkle Star Sprites.
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Last Hope

This game started as a homebrew project for the Neo Geo AES  by German independent game developer NG:DEV.TEAM.  The DC version was published via redspotgames.  It centers on the impending destruction of Earth, which can only be defeated by a single ship, the Z-42 Warpstar, which can be warped behind enemy lines to destroy the alien leader.

To do this, you have to pilot it through horizontally aligned levels, wielding a shield that can be rotated around you in full circular motion to deflect enemy fire.  The game is similar to R-Type in presentation, but features fully hand-drawn backgrounds across its six stages, and it runs at a smooth 60 frames per second.  Controls are simple, with one button to shoot and two to rotate the shield pod to the left and right.  The game features four difficulty settings.

Unfortunately, it’s difficulty has actually been one of its greatest criticisms, as shrapnel from exploding enemy ships was often the same color as enemy bullets.  To counter this criticism(as well as a few others), the development team has been working on a retooling, known as Last Hope: Pink Bullets, which does include pink bullets, as well as faster ship speed, lower difficulty, and slightly altered colors to make the game brighter.  The original version released alongside a limited edition version, which included the soundtrack.
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Trizeal

Trizeal is a vertical shooter ported from the Naomi board arcade version, combining 3D graphics with classical 2D gameplay. In the game, your spacecraft can be morphed into 3 models supporting different shooting types, including front missiles, homing rockets and wide shot.  Backgrounds are also played with a bit to show distant ships or things coming in from various angles, giving a sense of depth to the screen.

Trizeal delivers a steady stream of enemies to blast through. Bonuses can be “chained” together in combos to build up your weaponry, so you won’t want to share too many of them with your friend in two-player mode.  Also included in the Dreamcast port are several levels not in the arcade release, a score attack mode, and a sound test.  Both Omake Mode, where levels are short but enemy patterns are much faster, and Lifting Mode, where you have to juggle a stone on your ship to gain points, are both unlocked by beating the six stages of the game.  A ship from Triangle Service’s older game, XII Stag, is also hidden in the game.
While a sequel was released in 2007 under the name Exzeal, a Dreamcast port has not been officially announced.  That doesn’t mean it’s not rumored however, so keep your ears open for this one.
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Chaos Field

This vertical-scrolling shooter puts its own interesting spin on some aspects of the traditional shooter formula. Unlike most other shmups, Chaos Field features very few enemies on screen at one time. Large enemies that could be boss characters in other games are the majority of what you will see in Chaos Field — each with many points that must be destroyed before the player can advance.  Generally this style is known as “boss fest.”

In order to defend yourself, you have the traditional unlimited blaster, and a blade for clearing the incoming bullets (kinda like a windshield wiper). You will find this device indispensable, as often the screen becomes entirely filled with gunfire that must be eliminated to survive.

Finally, there is the ability to switch between an “Order” Field, and the namesake “Chaos” Field. Switching to the Chaos Field renders your craft’s fire more powerful, but makes enemy fire more damaging. Luckily, this is not a one-hit-you’re-dead affair. You are allowed to take more than one hit, and the amount is variable via the options screen.
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Gunbird 2

If you are familiar with Psikyo’s Strikers series of shooters, Gunbird 2 won’t offer you many innovations – in fact you will notice many similarities. While it is a typical Psikyo shooter, it  doesn’t have much to excite shmup fans that are addicted to Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga.

The game definitely looks a little long in the tooth graphically as it could easily pass for a Sega Saturn game like its prequel. In terms of gameplay, there is not much depth or strategy. You simply power your gun up as high as you can and try not to get shot.  Humor seems to be the real focus of the game.

To give you a little variety and replay value, players are offered the selection of four base characters, with two hidden characters, including Morrigan of Darkstalkers fame. Each character has their strengths and weaknesses that include differences in such categories as firepower, homing shots, and close range attacks.

Additional levels and more original gameplay elements would have made this one a must own title. Instead, we are left with a mediocre title that only keeps shooter fans mildly entertained.
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GigaWing & GigaWing 2

Giga Wing casts off the strategic elements that fans of the genre often look for in favor of exaggerating the action. Instead of shooting at you in big bursts, the enemies totally blanket the screen with fire that simply cannot be avoided with slick maneuvering and well-placed shots.

To combat this wave of fire, you have a tool that creates a force field around your aircraft to repel the countless projectiles back at your foes and produce oodles of items to snatch. You can also wipe the screen clean with smart bombs, which produce similar results.

There are several different planes to choose from, each with different standard weapons which can be upgraded via appropriate power-ups, but not a great deal of variety is added to the game because of this, because fighting your way to the end is really just a matter of using your reflect force at every opportunity and dropping bombs whenever the screen gets cluttered.

You are given unlimited continues and when you use one you pick up at the exact same point you left off, so there’s not much incentive to be careful where you fly or to deploy your bombs conservatively. Pretty much anyone can pick up this game and beat it on their first attempt with the proper amount of patience.

You won’t find a huge difference between GigaWing and GigaWing 2 other than the fact that Capcom pushed the graphics a bit further. While the original GigaWing was based off the older CPS2 arcade hardware and looks like a Saturn 2D game, Gigawing originally ran on the Dreamcast-friendly Naomi arcade hardware. With this new hardware, GigaWing 2 took cues from games like Radiant Silvergun with its 2D sprites on top of 3D backgrounds. Unfortunately, the graphics alone weren’t enough to boost Gigawing 2 above its predecessor.
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Radilgy (aka Radirgy, Rajirugi, or Radio Allergy)

This is an odd game.  Much like Chaos Field, you have three different ships to choose from and the gameplay is said to be like a cross of Chaos Field and Mars Matrix. If you’re just playing for survival, it’s not a very tough game for experts. Going for the big score is another story though. It’s a huge challenge to keep the multiplier meter going, especially during a boss battle. It’s tough enough just to destroy the bosses before timing out.  The gameplay also borrows heavily from its brother, Chaos Field such as the ability of the player’s ship to swing a sword to cause damage, and destructible enemy fire.

The graphical style is very unique for a shoot-em-up as it sports an anime-style, cell-shaded look that some have compared to Jet Grind Radio, but I think it looks more like a hand-drawn, Macromedia Flash-like style.

Radilgy breaks the mold from traditional shmup style and will stand out in a crowd. While it’s not one of the better Dreamcast shooters, collectors will probably want to pick it up.  A Sega Direct special release included a phone card, while another included a phone card and a refurbished Sega Dreamcast.
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Karous

With this release, the Dreamcast was officially dead to third party titles.  Featuring a visual style and some gameplay elements similar to Radilgy, this vertical shmup included a strange system known as the D.F.S. Bomb.  Wheranever a bomb is used, a shield goes up around the player which can then be used to kill enemies, garnering more experience points for them.  Both the weapons and shield can be upgraded after getting so much experience points, up to level 100.  Weapon levels are also treated as experience multipliers, and the sword generates more so if you’re going for a high score, that’s the way to go.

To further gameplay, there’s an interesting item system which can upgrade weapons, affect speed, recover health and shields, or fill the SP meter, so the Bomb can be used again.  Enemies and their shots aren’t very quick, and there’s a very limited number of enemy types, so after a couple of levels, you’ve seen everything.  Enemy waves also don’t vary much, so don’t expect a sudden change in gameplay.
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DUX

DUX is a horizontal shooter, developed and released by HUCAST.net & KonTechs Ltd.  A mysterious new material, named DUX, has been discovered, and a ship has been built out of it to fight a war against a group known as the Spiritual Spacers.  However, the material isn’t exactly stable, so they have to find a real nut to pilot it.  That’s where you come in.

This region free game includes six levels, an upgradeable weapon system that can be charged up for more power, and an upgradeable shield pod(yes, like R-Type) device that can be launched as a weapon if necessary.  The scoring system features a similar risk/reward system to Psyvariar 2, though this time your ship’s a bit bigger than a single pixel.  The game’s graphics are an interesting point of contention: you either love them or you hate them.  Still, backgrounds can be disabled by choosing the “perfect” video selection in the Options menu, and if you really like the images, the game was designed with the Dreamcast VGA box in mind.

Unfortunately the game apparently had some bugs when initially released, though word is that replacements are free.  A special edition was also released that included the game’s soundtrack.
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Honorable Mentions

Drill
While it is possible to find the demo for this vertical shooter on the Internet, the production team making it apparently fell apart soon after its release when the lead programmer was given offers to work on titles for the Nintendo Wii.  So it appears Drill will never be released.

Rez
Some folks may debate whether this rail shooter should be on the list alongside all the scrolling shmups present on the Dreamcast.  That still doesn’t mean it’s not at least worth a mention, especially considering how many people seem to love this game.  REZ features the player as a hacker in a computer world, attempting to destroy viruses while stopping the central computer, Eden, from shutting down.  But killing enemies also adds beats, causing the player to affect the music.  Throw in the multi-colored wireframes that make up the game, and it makes for one unusual, but incredible, experience.

Note from racketboy: Thanks to Ack for helping me me revise and expand this guide (it really needed it).

Can you believe the Dreamcast has already been around for a decade?  (and that it was only on the retail scene for three of those years?)  To help celebrate the landmark, we’ve revised and expanded the Dreamcast beginner’s guide to help those interested in Sega’s little white box get started on their journey.

The RetroGaming 101 series is aimed at gamers who are just starting out in the classic gaming scene or are curious about an older console that they don’t know much about yet. Those of you that are especially knowledgeable about the featured console, I encourage you to add any information that you think would be beneficial into the comments section. If you are new to the featured console, and still have questions, you can also use the comments section and I will do my best to help you out.

Background Information

• After the Saturn’s poor sales in the USA, Sega’s American branch began pressuring it’s headquarters in Japan for a new console in 1997.  Two competing teams are formed, one headed by Tatsuo Yamamoto, the other by Hideki Sato.
• Though Sega first favored Yamamoto’s design, eventually Sato’s choice of using a PowerVR2 graphics processor from VideoLogic won out.  This resulted in a lawsuit from 3dfx, who had developed the graphics processor that Yamamoto’s team had been pushing.  The lawsuit was settled in 1998.
• Sega broke console sales records in North America on launch (9/9/99), and initially did very well worldwide, though sales eventually slowed to a trickle, and Sega announced in 2001 that they were stopping production.  In 2002, the US would see its last release, NHL 2K2.  New games continued to be developed in Japan until 2007, while Sega managed to sell off the last of its units in Japan in 2006.  There have been additional independent games released for sale as late as 2009.
• Watch G4’s Icons episode on the History of the Dreamcast
• More Dreamcast History at Wikipedia

Historical Impact

• The Dreamcast was Sega’s fifth and final video game console and the successor to the Sega Saturn. Sega cut off the Saturn’s lifespan early to try to get a head start in competing with the Playstation 2.
• Dreamcast was ahead of its time in many ways. It was the first console to include a built-in modem, make Internet support for online gaming commonplace, and natively provide stunning VGA video output. It was also a large leap in graphical and storage capabilities over the existing PS1 and N64 consoles.
• The Dreamcast only lasted a few short years on the retail scene outside of Japan, but still maintained a strong cult following due to its innovative games, homebrew capabilities and the trickle of interesting imports coming from Japan.

Strengths

• Fun & Quirky Game Library – While some of the games such as Crazy Taxi, Rez, and Space Channel 5 have been ported to other consoles, there are still a number of unique, and most importantly, extremely fun games on the Dreamcast that you can’t find on any other console (Jet Grind Radio, Cosmic Smash, and Typing of the Dead, just to name a few)
• Strong 2D Library for Hardcore Audience: In addition to the quirky Sega-developed games, the Dreamcast is very popular because of its deep library of 2D Fighting and 2D Shooting games (shmups).  If you are a fan of either genre, the Dreamcast is essential a most-own console.
• Great Arcade Ports: Many of the original arcade games were originally developed on the NAOMI arcade platform (which is basically Dreamcast hardware with extra RAM), which made it very easy to have arcade-accurate console ports.
• Very Affordable – While there are handful of other cheap consoles with strong libraries like the Gamecube and PS1, the Dreamcast is a great all-around console that is inexpensive to get started with the hardware, games, and accessories.
• Great Import Library – Don’t judge the Dreamcast purely on it’s US or even PAL libraries — there are so many great games that only saw Japanese releases that truly round out a quality selection of games.
• Powerful Hardware Considering It’s Place In Time: The Dreamcast was a very powerful machine in its day (before the release of the PS2, XBox and Gamecube) and still holds up surprisingly well in the modern era. It also had some of Sega’s more creative and innovative games, some of which have not yet been ported to other consoles.   A few games even utilized some of the Dreamcast’s slight graphical advantages over the PS2.  It would have been interesting to see what could have been done if it had lasted as long as the PS2.
• High-Quality VGA Video Connection: As mentioned above, in addition to many common video connections, the Dreamcast also supports native VGA output that makes it ideal for playing the Dreamcast on computer monitors or HDTVs.  The Dreamcast only pushes 480p resolution, but the VGA connection greatly increases the clarity that HDTV owners will desire.
• Homebrew & Piracy: I feel kinda weird listing easy piracy as an strength, but it’s a fact that many gamers factor this aspect in. Due to the discoveries made by piracy groups at the end of the Dreamcast’s retail lifecycle, it is very easy to run both rips of commercial games and homebrew efforts like independent games and emulators of older systems without any modifications to the hardware.

Weaknesses

• No DVD Support: The Dreamcast was developed before DVD drives had reached an affordable level, so it does not support DVD playback or playing homebrew off of DVD media.
• Not as Powerful as Later Consoles: This is quite obvious, but since it was released a year before the Playstation 2 and two years before the Gamecube and XBox, it does not quite have the graphical capabilities of the later consoles from the generation.
• No RF Wireless Controllers Availible – Wireless controllers hadn’t really taken off during the Dreamcast’s life, but the Gamecube, PS2, and Xbox each had quality wireless controllers in the form of Nintendo’s Wavebird and Logitech’s third-party controllers.  The Dreamcast wasn’t so lucky.
• Only a Few Strong RPGs: The RPG genre did not have a very big showing in the Dreamcast library. Skies of Arcadia and Grandia 2 were very strong games, but the rest of the library was limited to a small handful of gems.
• Short Retail Lifespan Outside of Japan: The Dreamcast’s retail lifespan out side of Japan was only a few short years, so the game library isn’t especially large.  It also got more ports of PS1 games that it did of the multiplatform games of the PS2/Xbox/Gamecube era, which would have made better use of the Dreamcast hardware.
• No Support from EA: Those gamers looking for many of the popular games from Electronic Arts will be disappointed as EA did not support the Dreamcast after its disputes with Sega during the Saturn era. However, Sega did an excellent job of filling the software gaps itself.
• Relatively Noisy: Maybe I’m nit-picking here, but it’s not unusal for new Dreamcast owners to think something is wrong with the disc drive when its ready.  While the noise level isn’t as bad as an Xbox 360, but considering the Dreamcast followed the smoothly -silent Sega Saturn, the Dreamcast’s noise level is a bit disappointing.

Dreamcast Game Library

• The Best Dreamcast Games Under $10 – If you need to start a quality Dreamcast library without spending much cash, this is the place to start.
• The Best Dreamcast Games for Today – A lot has changed over the last 10 years, so we try to round up the best Dreamcast games that hold up a decade after their release.
• Games That Defined the Dreamcast – If you want to see the games that gave the Dreamcast its unique personality, check out this little guide.
• The Best Multiplayer Dreamcast Games – When you have four controller ports at your disposal, its natural to want to find games the play with your buddies.  Luckily, the Dreamcast has a variety of titles to keep you and your friends busy.
• The Best Undiscovered Dreamcast Games – If you’ve already checked out all the big-name Dreamcast games, make sure to explore these Hidden Gems that are broken down by genre.
• The Best-Looking Games on the Dreamcast – This little guide will give you a good idea of what games will show off the Dreamcast’s graphic capabilities and quirky sense of style.
• Sega Dreamcast Exclusives – We try to keep a list up to date of the games that still are console exclusive to the Dreamcast (arcade, PC, and portable versions not included)
• Dreamcast Games That Appear on other Consoles – If you want to try out some Dreamcast games on some other consoles you own, this list might also be useful to you.
• The Rarest and Most Valuable Dreamcast Games – There are a handful of rarities and a lot of semi-rare cult favorites that have held their value quite well over the last 10 years.  See what to keep an eye out for or check if some of your existing games are worth a pretty penny.
• The Best Import Dreamcast Games – As mentioned before, the Japanese library adds a lot to the Dreamcast’s library.  There are also a number of good PAL games that never made it to the States.
• The Dreamcast 2D Fighters Library – Personally, I’m a sucker for a good 2D fighter and I am in a wonderland on Dreamcast.  Teamed up with the Sega Saturn, I’m set with most of the best 2D fighters out there.
• The Dremacast 2D Shooters Library – The Dreamcast started out just a little slow in the shooter genre, but it finished out strong even after it had already died off outside of Japan.  The Dreamcast is right up there with the Saturn and Playstation as one of must-own consoles for shooters.
• The Dreamcast Survival Horror Library – It might not have quite the lineup of the Playstation consoles, but the Dreamcast has a respectable collection to keep fans of the genre busy.
• The Best Unlicenced/Homebrew/Leaked Dreamcast Games – We haven’t developed a polished guide yet, but we are starting the discussion in the forum.

Hardware Variations

	Sega Sports Dreamcast The United States and Canada would see a black Sega Sports Dreamcast released, including matching controllers and came bundled with a couple of Sega’s great sports games.   If nothing else, the Sega Sports Dreamcast is nice for those that want a Black Dreamcast without having to paint one (or without paying a ton for a Japanese R7 or “Super Black” Dreamcast). Find Sega Sports Dreamcast on Amazon.com Find Sega Sports Dreamcast on eBay
	Special Editons There were actually quite a few limited edition Dreamcast models, including an official Hello Kitty model, a Sonic anniversary Dreamcast, a Toyota model, and a pink Sakura Taisen model.  To check out a more extensive listing and gallery of limited edition Dreamcasts, check out this guide at SonicRetro
	Fuji Television DIVERS Series 2000 CX-1 This all-in-one TV/Dreamcast device remains as a bit of a novelty.  Taking a bit of inspiration from both the iMac phenomena of the day and retro-futuristic stylings of Space Channel 5, the setup has a bit of a curvy and colorful gumdrop look to it.   It features LEDs on the side that cycle based on the audio,  four controller ports under the screen, a cute little antennas on the top and some TV buttons lining the top of the screen (see this Flickr photo for more detail and annotations). Find DIVERS Series 2000 CX-1 on eBay
	Treamcast An unofficial portable device known as the Treamcast can also be found for sale online, using official components.  It is unknown how many of these units actually exist.  There are actually two revisions of the Treamcast — the newers SE model has a better screen and comes in black. Check our the full review of the Treamcast unit.

Accessories

	VMUs The Visual Memory Unit, or VMU for short, is perhaps the best known accessory for the Dreamcast, because it functions as the console’s memory card.  Certain DC games could also bring up mini games on the VMU, giving it a similar design to Sony’s PocketStation on the PS1. These are a necessity for any Dreamcast.  VMUs plugged into the ports on the top of the Dreamcast controller, in the same place the console’s rumble packs plug in.  They come in a variety of colors and there even some limited edition VMUs for collectors as well. Find Dreamcast VMUs on Amazon.com Find Dreamcast VMUs on eBay
	VGA Box Another important accessory to note is the VGA box, allowing the console to put out signals in VGA mode.  The difference in clarity from your standard AV outputs (even S-Video) with be incredibly surprising.  A few minutes with this, and you will not want to ever play a DC game any other way again.  There are essentially two types of adapters — one that is just a simply VGA adapter, and another that supports VGA, but also switches to Composite or S-Video Buy Dreamcast VGA Box in Racketboy Store Buy Dreamcast VGA Box with Extra Video Outputs in Racketboy Store Find Dreamcast VGA Box on eBay
	Jump Packs These are essentially rumble add-ons in a form factor similar to VMUs that are designed to slip into the second VMU slot on your controller.  In my opinions, the rumble feature never felt quite as useful on the Dreamcast as it does on many other systems, so I usually do without. Find Jump Packs on Amazon.com Find Jump Packs on eBay
	Light Gun It is important to note that while Japan, Europe, and Asia saw an official Sega light gun, other regions were forced to deal with 3rd party equipment.  The “official” light gun in the United States is the Star Blaster by Mad Catz, which is similar in design.  However, since peripherals on the Dreamcast work regardless of region, getting an official Sega gun isn’t too much of a hassle. There were numerous other light guns, such as the SRC Bio Gun(similar in design to the Sega Saturn light gun), Hais DC Lightgun and Hais DC Mini Gun(meaning small, not spinning cylinder of death), StarFire LightBlaster, and DCX Blaster.  There’s even a wireless light gun, the SRC DC Wireless. Also, make sure you look into region compatibility if you’re thinking of importing a gun. List of Dreamcast Light Guns on Wikipedia Find Dreamcast Light Guns on Amazon.com Find Dreamcast Light Guns on eBay
	Keyboard and Mouse The Dreamcast also featured a keyboard and mouse combo, for use with certain games such as the console’s first person shooters can use these controls.  They are also absolutely required for the Typing of the Dead games.  Plus, they work with the console’s web browser.   To check out all the uses for the Dreamcast Keyboard & Mouse, check out the feature we did a could of years ago. Find Dreamcast Keyboard & Mouse on Amazon.com Find Dreamcast Keyboard & Mouse on eBay
	Agetec Arcade Stick If you are serious about 2D fighters or shooters, it is easy to get fed up with the standard Dreamcast controller.  While it may not be as good as a high-end Hori stick or a custom job, the Agetec stick is reasonable affordable, make frequent appearances on eBay, and has solid construction.  Even though it isn’t made by Sega, it is often referred to as the “official” Dreamcast arcade stick. Find Agetec Arcade Stick on eBay
	ASCII Pad If you aren’t much for arcade sticks, but would still like a more traditional gamepad to assist you in 2D fighters or other select games, you might want to consider the ASCII pad.  Just keep in mind, like the arcade stick, it is missing an analog stick and some of the buttons that certain games may require. Find Dreamcast ASCII Pad on eBay
	Broadband Adapter The Dreamcast came standard with a 56K modem, which at the time its release was a reasonable good Internet connection.  However, as just about everyone knows now, a DSL or cable connection will dramtically improve one’s online gaming experience.  Sega offered an optional Broadband Adapter (essentially an Ethernet connection) for those wanting the higher networks speeds.  To this day, the Broadband Adapters have held their value quite well and sometimes sell for more than their original retail price of $100. Find Dreamcast Broadband Adapter on eBay
	Twin Sticks If you plan enjoying Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram, you’ll really want a set of Twin Sticks for the best arcade-like experience.  You could, however, use an adapter (see below) to use a Saturn set of Twin Sticks. Find Dreamcast Twin Sticks on eBay
	Accessory Adapters While adapters are quite common for various platforms, the once-common adapters (mainly the Total Control series) for the Dreamcast was especially useful.  There were adapters that let Dreamcast owners use Sega Saturn controller, Playstation controllers and/or PC keyboards and mice (PS/2 connection).  Not only was this handy for using existing hardware instead of buying Dreamcast specific controllers, but using certain Saturn controllers was especially useful.  The Saturn gamepads are especially more practical for certain types of games (2D fighters, for instance) and the adapters were often used for Virtual On fans that wanted to use their Saturn Twin Stick controlls instead of having to invest in a separate Dreamcast set. Find Dreamcast Controller Adapters on eBay
	Maracas Like Dance Dance Revolution, Samba De Amigo is a fun rhythm game even without the specialty controllers, but to really get the full arcade-like experience, you’ll want to pick up a set of Maracas controllers or maybe the full Samba de Amigo Box Set.  Third-party maracas can be a bit hit or miss, so even through they are a little pricey, you might want to go for a set of offical Sega controllers. Find Dreamcast Maracas on Amazon.com Find Dreamcast Maracas on eBay
	Fishing Controller The Dreamcast offered two Sega Bass Fishing games and Sega Marine Fishing.  To complement these niche titles, Sega developed an interesting Fishing Controller that actually had motion detection (a bit of a predecessor to the Nintendo Wiimote).  It’s even a not-so-hidden secret that you can also use the fishing controller to play games like Soul Calibur if you were so inclined. Find Fishing Controller on Amazon.com Find Fishing Controller on eBay
	Microphone The Dreamcast microphone was another item in the long list of the console’s innovations.  The microphone was first used/included with the game Seaman.  It let you communication and interact vocally with the game’s character/creature.   The late Dreamcast game, Alien Front Online also included a microphone that could be used for voice chat while playing online multiplayer.  A similar feature was to be included in the cancelled game, Propeller Arena.  The microphone’s main body was much like a VMU or Jump Pack and plugged right into the controller. Find Dreamcast Microphone on eBay
	Bleemcast Not your typical “accessory” as it’s a disc as opposed to a piece of hardware, but these Bleemcast retail emulation discs let you play Metal Gear Solid, Tekken 3, or Gran Turismo 2 on your Dreamcast with enhanced graphics.  As we discussed in our Bleemcast write-up, hacked versions of the Bleemcast emulator also allow Dreamcast owners to play other Playstation games as well. Find Bleemcast Discs on eBay
	Dreameye The Dreameye was a webcam released in Japan that could capture still (3 megapixel – quite good for the time) and motion images. The device came with a microphone headset, a stand, batteries, software, a cable to connect the Dreameye to the Dreamcast and a Dreameye microphone plug card. This was yet another solid Sega innovation that paved the way for similar products for the Playstation and Xbox platforms. Find Dreameye on eBay
	Steering Wheels The Dreamcast has a lot of respectible racing games in both the arcade and simulation subgenres, but it can be a challenge to find a Dreamcast steering wheel that will suit you better than a standard controller.  Check out our discussion on the Racketboy Forum about choosing the best Dreamcast raching wheels. Find Dreamcast Steering Wheels on Amazon.com Find Dreamcast Steering Wheels on eBay

Of course, the Sega Dreamcast had a number of other controllers including specialty controllers for games like Densha De Go! and other rather innovative items like a  karaoke microphone and a midi cable to hook various musical tools like a drum machine to the console

Emulation Other Systems on the Dreamcast

• Because of the large homebrew community for the Dreamcast, there are a multitude of emulators for the Dreamcast.  Through programs like NesterDC, Super Famicast, or MameDC, the Dreamcast is capable of emulating everything from the Vectrex to the WonderSwan.
• One of the most popular emulators on the Dreamcast is NesterDC.  It provides and slick way of playing your NES ROMs easily.
• One of the most impressive emulators from a technical standpoint is Neo4All, a Neo-Geo emulator that pulls off emulating large Neo-Geo ROMs — a feat that many developers once thought would be quite difficult.
• Of course, as mentioned above, there was the Bleemcast set of commercial emulators that let you run Playstation releases of Metal Gear Solid, Tekken 3, and Gran Turismo 2.   As we discussed a while back, a Dreamcast enthusisasts hacked around with Bleemcast to let people play a number of other Playstation games.
• For more information on Dreamcast emulation, the folks at DCEmulation.org are probably the best place to look.

Emulating the Dreamcast on Other Machines

• While there are multiple programs to emulate the Dreamcast on the PC, none are perfect, and certain ones are no longer being worked on.  Programs like Chankast or Swirly seem to have gone by the wayside, though certain projects thought dead, like DCemul, have recently been brought back.  NullDC is probably the best bet right now.
• Linux and Mac users, don’t fret, there is at least one emulator for you.  Lxdream was released in 2008 and is still being regularly updated, so there is some community for it.
• However, since the Dreamcast is so affordable and the emulation still has room for improvement, we still recommend you just pick up the real machine.  If nothing else, it will ensure 100% compatibility and save your time and effort.
• For more information on Dreamcast emulation, the folks at DCEmulation.org are probably the best place to look.

Playing Imports

• How to Play Imports on the Dreamcast – there’s a couple of ways you can handle the import situation
• The Best Import Games for the Dreamcast – don’t be afraid to explore the best other regions have to offer!

Affordability

• The Dreamcast is actually one of the most affordable consoles on eBay. It is very easy to find one on eBay or in pawn shops or flea markets for under $20. (Looking locally will shave off a lot of the cost by saving on shipping)
• In the US at least, many of the most popular games for the Dreamcast are also available for just a few dollars each. Add that to the emulation capabilities and you have a very good classic gaming value.
• Accessories for the Dreamcast are also generally inexpensive, and specialty controllers can go for less than $30.

I started the Cheapest Games series quite a while ago and I figured I should revise some of the posts to reflect some of the changing values and give more relevant recommendations. Hopefully, this revised list of Dreamcast games will help you start or build up your collection without having to spend much.. (Prices listed are an average eBay price for US games, including shipping)

I was quite surprised on some of the prices changes over the last couple of years. The Sonic Adventure games have seen quite a jump — especially considering that they are also availible on the Gamecube. Shenmue really took off in value since it’s a cult classic and still a Dreamcast exclusive. Jet Grind Radio is another one of the big hold-outs of top-end Dreamcast games that haven’t been ported, it’s starting to rise in value. However, the Dreamcast’s great selection of racing games has seen lower prices and most gamers have moved onto newer and equally-cheap alternatives.

	Jet Grind Radio: $9 Not only is the gameplay in Jet Grind Radio compelling and unique, but the graphical style hits you like a brick in the face (in a good way) with its well-executed cel-shaded models and landscapes. The Jet Grind Radio soundtrack is also one of the most popular gaming lineups of all time featuring an array of eclectic songs combining the musical genres of J-pop, Trip-hop, Hip-hop and Electronica. Between the slick graphics, upbeat and quirky audio, and intense gameplay, Jet Grind Radio is a gaming experience that completely envelopes you when given the chance. Shop for Jet Grind Radio at eBay Shop for Jet Grind Radio at Amazon.com
	Space Channel 5: $7 While the rhythm genre has moved on to full instrument controllers, Space Channel 5 topped the charts with Dreamcast owners. Both the graphics and the music had a phenomenal retro-futurist (reminds me of a hip Jetson’s atmosphere) feel to them and kept Space Channel 5 from becoming just “another” simon-says-type game. Shop for Space Channel 5 at eBay Shop for Space Channel 5 at Amazon.com
	Soul Calibur: $9 This Dreamcast launch title is one of the best examples of the incredible graphics the little white box is capable off. Between the polished visuals and the deep gameplay, the original Soul Calibur still holds surprisingly well to its newer siblings. The Soul Still Burns! Soul Calibur is also one of the Dreamcast games that has had the largest price drop over the last couple of years. Shop for Soul Calibur at eBay Shop for Soul Calibur at Amazon.com
	Crazy Taxi: $6 This arcade port was one of the main reasons I initially jumped on the Dreamcast. Crazy Taxi gives you control of a cabby racing around two San Francisco-esque cities, picking up customers and dropping them at their required destinations by any means necessary. It’s a race against the clock, resulting in no-holds-barred racing around the two cities, flying off hills and screeching around bends. Although some may argue that the game lacks some depth, they forget that this is a pure arcade game that compels you to beat your best scores. Crazy Taxi 2 is also availible for a little over $10 if you need more tracks to choose from. Shop for Crazy Taxi at eBay Shop for Crazy Taxi at Amazon.com
	Tennis 2K2: $7 Having the essential quality of being easy to play and difficulty to master, Virtua Tennis (and it’s successor, Tennis 2K2) was one of the sleeper hits on the Dreamcast. It is often overlooked as a killer party game — I have had many parties with both guys and girls of all gaming levels having a blast on a 4-player doubles tournament. Shop for Tennis 2K2 at eBay Shop for Tennis 2K2 at Amazon.com
	Chu Chu Rocket: $8 This little gem from Sega was extremely popular and recognized by most gamers who had actually played it and virtually unknown otherwise. Chu Chu Rocket is a unique puzzle game that not only served as a good brain-teaser in single-player mode, but also has solid multi-player features. Shop for Chu Chu Rocket at eBay Shop for Chu Chu Rocket at Amazon.com
	Samba De Amigo: $9 This Latin-flavored rhythm game involves waving/shaking maracas in certain directions to match the upbeat music. Not only is Samba wonderful to play, but it also fun to watch other people shake their maracas like there’s no tomorrow. Of course, a follow-up was released on the Wii, but the Wiimotes didn’t provide as accurate and enjoyable control as the Dreamcast’s maracas. Shop for Samba De Amigo at eBay Shop for Samba De Amigo at Amazon.com
	Resident Evil Code: Veronica: $6 As a Resident Evil game that wasn’t a port of an older Playstation title, Code Veronica actually took advantage of the Dreamcast’s power and still serves as a cheap thrill to this day. (Some still consider it the best in the series up until Resident Evil 4) Shop for Resident Evil Code: Veronica at eBay Shop for Resident Evil Code: Veronica at Amazon.com
	Test Drive LeMans: $6 Le Mans was one of the best all-around racers for the Dreamcast and one of the most under-appreciated. It can be found for a surprisingly low price even through it isn’t terribly common. Shop for Test Drive LeMans at eBay Shop for Test Drive LeMans at Amazon.com
	Toy Commander: $9 On the surface, Toy Commander looks like a cheap third-party game that would only interest young kids, but this little Dreamcast gem actually has a lot of charm to it. Get it for less that $10 before everybody learns about it. Shop for Toy Commander at eBay Shop for Toy Commander at Amazon.com
	Virtua Fighter 3tb: $9 Even though it was probably the least celebrated title in a fighting series with a cult following, Virtua Fighter 3TB is a deep and polished 3D fighter. Virtua Fighter 3tb isn’t as eye-catching as Soul Calibur or Dead or Alive 2, gameplay and strategy is where VF3tb excels. Shop for Virtua Fighter 3tb at eBay Shop for Virtua Fighter 3tb at Amazon.com
	Sega Rally Championship 2: $7 Even though many hardcore fans still prefer the original game on the Saturn, Sega Rally 2 is a great graphical upgrade, is still an enjoyable racer and is well worth the small investment. Shop for Sega Rally 2 at eBay Shop for Sega Rally 2 at Amazon.com
	Rayman 2: $8 This 3D platformer is one of the most beauttiful games on the Dreamcast and is the highlight in the rather limited selection of Dreamcast platforming games. Shop for Rayman 2 at eBay Shop for Rayman 2 at Amazon.com
	Ecco The Dolphin: Defender of the Future: $9 Ecco the Dolphin for the Dreamcast is one of those rare instances of a company taking a 2D game (the Genesis and Sega CD originals) and making it work in 3D. Defender of the Future is an amazing looking game — the rich textures and animation really bring the sea life to life. The game is also among the most challenging around again, but you’ll enjoy the brilliant atmosphere and story. Shop for Ecco The Dolphin at eBay Shop for Ecco the Dolphin on Amazon.com

Other Cheap Favorites:

• Metropolis Street Racer: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Unreal Tournament – $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Quake 3 Arena: $5 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Dead or Alive 2: $8 -
• Alien Front Online: $7 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Re-Volt: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
• 2K2 Sports: $4 each – eBay
• Tony Hawk 2: $5 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Sega Bass Fishing: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Sega Marine Fishing: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Oooga Booga: $7 – eBay / Amazon.com
• MDK 2: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Ms Pacman Maze Madness: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Elemental Gimmick Gear: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Red Dog: Superior Firepower: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com

Note from racketboy: A special thanks goes out to Ack from this roundup of the Dreamcast’s survival horror genre. I have very little experience with this genre, so it’s especially appreciated!

The success of Resident Evil for the PlayStation really brought horror games to the forefront of gaming, finally giving them a genre name to call their own.  Unfortunately, much like the success of Street Fighter during the 16-bit era, it would lead to a slew of clones, ranging from decent to garbage.  Even the next generation would see their share, and the Dreamcast is no exception.  But what were the survival horror games on the Dreamcast?  How do they play?  And were they any good?  I decided to take a look to find out.

Before we begin, it’s important to note that any time “Tank Controls” are mentioned, it means the Resident Evil movement scheme that so many have complained about over the years.  Up is forward, down is back, left and right rotate the character.  The majority of horror games would still be using them at this time, though the practice would largely drop after the death of the Dreamcast.

Also, though this is everything I found for survival horror, these are not the only games with horror elements.  Titles like Shadowman, Typing of the Dead, and Zombie Revenge all incorporate horror imagery and themes, though their gameplay really doesn’t lend them to the SH category, at least not in my mind.

Resident Evil 2

Synopsis: Umbrella Corporation’s bio-weapons experiments are let loose in Raccoon City.  A rookie cop, Leon Kennedy, and the younger sister of a S.T.A.R.S. officer, Claire Redfield, must team up to survive as they attempt to understand what is going on in their town and escape it before it kills them.
Release Date: December 15, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Capcom, Angel Studios
Publisher: Capcom, Virgin Interactive (EU)
No. of Discs: 2
Controls:

• A = Run/Cancel
• B = Status Screen
• X = Action/Fire Weapon When Raised
• Y = Map Screen
• START = Options Menu
• L TRIGGER = Change Targets
• R TRIGGER = Raise Weapon

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Displays name of current weapon, loaded ammunition, and status.
Save Blocks Required: 8
Personal Opinion: This is my absolute favorite Resident Evil game.  It took everything done well in the first game, then increased the scope from a house to an entire city and let me play as a couple of greenhorns as opposed to specially-trained police officers.  In fact, Resident Evil 2 on the PlayStation was my first foray into the genre, so the game is very heavy with nostalgia, so please pardon if my opinion is a bit skewed.  I do have to knock it in comparison to other Dreamcast games, since graphically it was designed on a weaker console, but the trade off is that it comes with all the artwork and unlockables of the PC version, including concept art.  Seriously, if you’re new to the genre, or if you’ve never gotten the chance to play it, this is an excellent starting point.  Highly recommended.
Notes: Arranged game available from start.
Video: Intro / Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

Synopsis: Jill Valentine returns in the third installment of the official Resident Evil storyline.  This time she must escape a Raccoon City overrun by hordes of the undead while being hunted by Nemesis, an enormous bio-weapon sent to kill the members of S.T.A.R.S. team.
Release Date: November 17, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Run/Cancel
• B = Status Screen
• X = Action/Attack When Weapon Is Raised/Zooms Map
• Y = Map Screen
• START = Game Config Screen
• L TRIGGER = Dodge/Change Target/Raise Weapon
• R TRIGGER = Dodge/Change Target/Raise Weapon

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed.
VMU: Shows current status, including poison. In pause or inventory screens, shows portrait of current character.
Save Blocks Required: 12
Personal Opinion: While I do think this is where the series starts to go downhill, it’s only because Resident Evil 2 was such an awesome entry.  This game is still good, and Capcom did an excellent job with the locales.  I actually feel like I’m wandering city streets, though in reality the game’s not nearly as open as I would have liked.  Still, there’s solid gameplay here and Nemesis doesn’t fail to impress.  Running from him is tough, but exhilarating.  I should note, much like RE2, the graphics were not improved from the title’s PlayStation version.
Notes: Alternate costumes and mini-game unlocked from the start.
Video: Intro / Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Resident Evil: Code Veronica

Synopsis: While search for her brother, Claire Redfield is captured by Umbrella Corporation and sent to their private prison and military training facility island.  There she must fend off yet another zombie outbreak while also battling against the weirdest pair of twins on the face of the earth, an effeminate multiple-personality disorder sufferer who thinks he’s his sister, and a royal bitch with a God complex.
Release Date: February 29, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Nextech Corporation
Publisher: Capcom, Eidos (EU)
No. of Discs: 2
Controls:

• A = Run/Cancel
• B = Status Screen/Cancel
• X = Action
• Y = Map Screen
• START = Options Menu
• L TRIGGER = Change Targets
• R TRIGGER = Raise Weapon

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Shows current status, including poison.  In pause or inventory screens, shows portrait of current character.
Save Blocks Required: 11
Personal Opinion: It’s still Resident Evil, but the plot in this one is pretty bad, and after having watched the opening cinematic, I really just couldn’t sympathize with the characters.  This game is one of the harder of the original Resident Evils to me, mostly because you start surrounded by enemies and the game just doesn’t seem to let up until you’ve made it to the second disc.  I also felt that by this title the Resident Evil formula had grown somewhat stale, which is a shame as this is still a decent game.  I’d definitely recommend it to fans who don’t mind a lack of real innovation, though newcomers to the series should start with an earlier title.
Notes: Unlockable mini-game which allows first-person view.  First Resident Evil to not use pre-rendered backgrounds.
Video: Intro & Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Dino Crisis

Synopsis: The Secret Operation Raid Team (SORT) has sent an operative to investigate a research facility on Ibis Island.  The agent reports that the facility is conducting a secret weapons project.  A team of four SORT members are sent in to capture the research head, Dr. Edward Kirk.  Once the SORT members arrive, they discover dinosaurs have overrun the facility, so are forced to fend them off while attempting to complete their mission.
Release Date: November 14, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom, Virgin Interactive (EU)
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Run/Quick Turn/Confirm
• B = Cancel
• X = Cancel/Action/Attack When Weapon Is Raised
• Y = Inventory Screen
• START = Pause
• L TRIGGER = Change Targets
• R TRIGGER = Raise Weapon

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Displays name of current weapon, loaded ammunition, and status.  The word VITALITY flashes when you are bleeding.
Save Blocks Required: 8
Personal Opinion: It’s Resident Evil with dinosaurs.  Seriously.  You will be making Jurassic Park quotes before you finish this game.  The only real strike against it that I have(beyond it technically being a Capcom-made Resident Evil-clone in every respect) is that it holds true to Capcom’s PS1 to DC ports: graphically it looks outdated, and there are some issues with polygon errors.  But since when did that stop retrogamers?  The inventory is also a bit of a hassle, but it does allow for the player to handle a larger quantity of items easier.  If you can see past these issues, this is very much a quality title.  By all means, pick it up.
Notes: Does not work with VGA cables unless the VGA swap trick is used(still displays a black screen for FMVs).  Unlockables include alternate costumes, infinite ammunition for one weapon, and an alternate game mode.
Video: Intro & Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Blue Stinger

Synopsis: In the year 2000 an island appears where the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago crashed into the Earth.  Eighteen years later, the island is home to a biotech corporation performing various experiments.  Meanwhile, a young ESER agent named Eliot Ballade is vacationing nearby when a new meteor collides with the island, forming an impenetrable dome around it.  Now a mysterious creature named Nephilim is following Eliot around, and he must figure out with the help of his friends Dogs and Janine the secret of the island and why these events have taken place.
Release Date: August 31, 1999 (USA)
Developer: Climax Graphics
Publisher: Sega (Japan), Activision (USA)
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Action
• B = Cancel/Swim
• X = (Eliot)Attacks With Close-Range Weapon.  Rapidly Press For Combo/(Dogs) Defends
• Y = (Eliot)Fires Long-Range Weapon/(Dogs) Attacks With Equipped Weapon
• START = Menu Screen/Audio-Visual Unit When Prompted
• L TRIGGER = Zooms Map Out
• R TRIGGER = (Eliot)Fires Long-Range Weapon/(Dogs) Attacks With Equipped Weapon/Zooms Map In

Movement Style: 3D movement.
Camera: Varies(see notes)
VMU: Shows picture of character currently selected.
Save Blocks Required: 4
Personal Opinion: It’s fun, but the massive amount of firepower and infinite healing items kinda kills any fear I might have had of this title.  There are a few parts that can be difficult, though for the most part the game’s pretty easy.  I did love the monster designs, and the Christmas decorations made me laugh.  Some of the little touches were kinda freaky, like the bloody supermarket or having to navigate exposed pipes after an earthquake.  It’s still a great action game and definitely worth a look.
Notes: Camera style changes depending on region.  Japan fixed, America free-floating behind character.  Unlockables can be obtained by beating the game in under specific amounts of time.
Video: Intro
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare

Synopsis: After the murder of his best friend, Edward Carnby heads off to Shadow Island to get revenge and recover three stone tablets that his friend was searching for.  He is joined by Aline Cedrac, a young archaeologist with a possible hidden agenda.  On the way their plane is attacked by something not seen, and the two are separated.
Release Date: September 24, 2001 (USA)
Developer: Darkworks
Publisher: Infogrames
No. of Discs: 2
Controls:

• A = Action/Attack When Weapon Is Raised/Walkie Talkie In Equipment Menu
• B = Switch Flashlight On/Off
• X = Run/Map In Equipment Menu
• Y = Equipment Menu/Actual Equipment Menu
• START = Options Menu
• L TRIGGER = Deactivate Auto Lock
• R TRIGGER = Raise Weapon

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Shows title of game.
Save Blocks Required: 12
Personal Opinion: I had played both the PlayStation and Game Boy Color versions of this title before ever trying the Dreamcast version, and both had left negative impressions on me, so I really wasn’t expecting much.  After a few minutes, I have mixed feelings.  As far as controls, there was a need for a lot of buttons in this game and the Equipment Menu handles it well.  I also like that the analog stick is used for flashlight control.  Graphically it’s very nice, and while I’m generally annoyed with jump scenes as a horror device, this title’s good about their placement.  Voice acting could use some work, but not as bad as some other titles.  It’s the quirks that get me, like a 2-cylinder, 12-shot revolver and a 3-barrel shotgun.  Also, ambiguous names like Shadow Island don’t exactly thrill me.  All in all, I feel the Dreamcast version is the superior of the three I’ve tried, and it’s not a terrible game.  Not perfect, but you could do a lot worse.
Notes: Analog stick controls flashlight beam.
Video: Intro / Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Illbleed

Synopsis: Eriko Christy is a normal high school girl who also happens to be president of the Horror Movie Research Club.  After giving a speech about how her father used to test his horror theme-park traps on her, she meets with several friends and learns that one of them has scored tickets to the latest horror park, Illbleed.  While her three friends decide to go and win the $100,000,000 prize, Eriko decides against it and says she’ll see them later.  Three days later, Eriko’s friends haven’t returned.  So she heads inside Illbleed to see if she can find them.
Release Date: April 25, 2001 (USA)
Developer: Climax Graphics
Publisher: Jaleco
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Action
• B = Cancel
• X = Jump
• Y = Map Screen
• START = Status Screen
• L TRIGGER = Centers camera behind player
• R TRIGGER = Activates Horror Monitor(use analog stick to look around).

Movement Style: Full 3D movement.
Camera: Third Person behind the player.
VMU: Displays game title.
Save Blocks Required: 7
Personal Opinion: This has got to be one of the most unique survival horror games I have ever played.  It’s campy, but in an ’80s B-horror movie kind of way.  Unfortunately this makes the game more funny than scary, though the large resource system is probably meant to make up for it.  This system is too complex, leading to frustration and aggravation as minimum levels must be maintained to progress through each section.  The controls also need work, specifically the run and jump commands.  Jumping just seems poorly executed, and running requires players to hammer down on the analog stick.  If you don’t hit it hard enough, you walk, and must let go of the analog stick and try again.  The game’s unusual, but not much fun, which I think is pretty sad as I really want to like it.
Notes: Items, enemies, and trap locations are randomized each time you play.
Video: Intro / Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Carrier

Synopsis: All radio contact on the USS Heimdal, the US Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, after it is returning home from an attack on the terrorist group Southern Cross.  A SPARC team is sent to investigate, though when communication fails, a second team is sent in.  The second team’s helicopter is shot down by the Heimdal’s anti-air turrets, and now SPARC members Jack Ingles and Jessifer Manning must fight for their lives while attempting to carry out their mission.
Release Date: January 31, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Jaleco
Publisher: Jaleco
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Confirm/Attack With Raised Weapon
• B = Cancel/First-Person Scope
• X = Run
• Y = Map Screen
• START = Menu Screen
• L TRIGGER = Change Weapon/Zoom Out Scope
• R TRIGGER = Raise Weapon/Zoom In Scope

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Current health displayed.
Save Blocks Required: 42
Personal Opinion: Ultimately Carrier feels like a mediocre Resident Evil clone.  I didn’t find it that original, and while the little unique touches like the targeting system are nice, they really kill the difficulty.  Graphically, it’s hit-or-miss, and the audio varies in quality.  The voice acting isn’t the worst I’ve ever heard, but it certainly isn’t great either.  There are better survival horror titles out there, but Carrier is not a bad game, and if you’ve played the others, give this one a look.
Notes: Instead of auto-aim, the game features a targeting system.  Unlockables available after beating both scenarios.
Video: Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

D2

Synopsis: Laura Harris is falling asleep on an airplane flight over northern Canada when terrorists led by a cultist suddenly attack.  A meteorite then hits the plane, forcing it to crash in the Canadian wilderness.  Laura wakes up several days later in a cabin being cared for by another passenger.  But they quickly discover that something is driving the other passengers insane and turning them into monsters.  Laura must now go into the wilderness to find another survivor, a little girl.
Release Date: August 2, 2000 (USA)
Developer: WARP
Publisher: Sega
No. of Discs: 4
Controls:

• A = Action/Attack/Take Picture/Ride Snowmobile
• B = Face Enemies (Left)/Cancel
• X = Face Enemies (Right)
• Y = Item Search
• START = Status Screen
• L TRIGGER = Item Window/Targeting Zoom Out/Brake Snowmobile
• R TRIGGER = Weapon Window/Targeting Zoom In/Accelerate Snowmobile

Movement Style: Track Indoors/Tank Controls Outdoors
Camera: First Person Indoors/Third Person Outdoors
VMU: Displays Compass
Save Blocks Required: 7, 4-10 per picture
Personal Opinion: Again, a game that I want to like, but just can’t force myself too.  I will say that part of what keeps me from really enjoying this game are the large amount of problems I had with it, such as it freezing, videos slowing down, and at one point the game had a video get stuck in a loop that lasted several minutes.  The game is expansive and encourages exploration, which while I enjoy it, I could see becoming very tedious.  Battles operate like a combination of a first person shooter and an RPG, but leaves out a few elements that I would have liked, like the ability to move…  The plot is also a bit nonsensical, though to be fair, survival horror games have always tended towards being a little strange.
Notes: Combat is First Person, and the player gains experience after each fight to level up.  The opening movie can be found on Disc 4.
Video: Intro / Video Review
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Nanatsu no Hikan: Senritsu no Bishou

Synopsis: Reina Shiragawa and Kei Asuka attempt to visit their friend Dr. Ernest MacFerson at his research institute on a small island.  But when they arrive, they discover their friend is nowhere to be found, and strange monsters are running loose.  Reina and Kei must use their brains to navigate the institute and attempt to find the missing doctor.
Release Date: January 20, 2000 (Japan)
Developer: KOEI
Publisher: KOEI
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Action/Confirm Button At Terminal
• B = Map Screen/Delete Button At Terminal
• X = Change View Mode/Back Button At Terminal
• Y = Subscreen Menu/Exit Button At Terminal
• START = Pause Menu/Highlight Enter Key At Terminal
• L TRIGGER = Aim Weapon
• R TRIGGER = Attack With Equipped Weapon

Movement Style: Varies depending on View Mode(View 1 is Tank controls, View 2 and 3 are 3D movement).
Camera: Three modes(first is Third Person, second is over-the-shoulder, third is First Person).e
VMU: Displays title of game.
Save Blocks Required: 7 for Story Mode, 3 for Training Mode
Personal Opinion: My ability to play this game is unfortunately tainted by my inability to read Japanese, so please understand that I really didn’t get very far.  But from what I did play, I came to some interesting conclusions.  First, the game gives you lots of control.  Multiple view modes, which effect how you fight.  Lots of options for appearance.  A training option.  There’s a lot of power in the hands of the player to do what they want in this game, which I think is really cool.  Unfortunately what little I saw of combat did not impress me, and I did notice a few little bugs that could easily be exploited.  But I enjoyed the time I spent with it, so I figure I’ll be coming back…with a guide so I know what I’m doing.  Since this is an import title, I’d say hold off on purchasing it unless you’re really interested, but if you understand Japanese or can figure a way around it, give it a look.
Notes: Only available in Japanese.  The game features multiplayer.
Shop for Game: eBay

Evil Dead: Hail to the King

Synopsis: Ash returns to the cabin in the woods in an attempt to finally destroy the Necronomicon and finish off the Deadites once and for all.  But things don’t go exactly as planned, the Deadites kill his girlfriend Jenny, and he must once again fend them off while collecting the Necronomicon’s lost pages.
Release Date: December 17, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Heavy Iron Studios
Publisher: THQ
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Use Chainsaw
• B = Use/Activate/Confirm
• X = Use Left-Handed Weapon
• Y = Taunt
• START = Inventory Screen
• L TRIGGER = Turn Chainsaw On/Off
• R TRIGGER = Run(while holding press direction)

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Nothing shown on the VMU.
Save Blocks Required: 23
Personal Opinion: I really like the Evil Dead films, but unfortunately I really didn’t care for this game.  The controls feel overly stiff, and the combat system just doesn’t feel very good  The respawning enemies are also very annoying, though thankfully they drop healing items.  I suppose it doesn’t help that one of the most common enemies seems to be one of the most annoying as well.  If you’re a fan of the Evil Dead series, there are better games on other consoles, but if you really need a fix and only have access to the Dreamcast, don’t go in expecting much.  On the upside, Bruce Campbell did do the voice acting for Ash.
Notes: Based on Evil Dead property.
Video: Commercial / Intro
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

The Ring: Terror’s Realm

Synopsis: Meg Rainman’s boyfriend Robert is killed by a mysterious virus that…well, you never find out what it does.  Meg then starts at the Center for Disease Control, apparently as Robert’s replacement.  From there she discovers a computer game called The Ring, which will apparently kill her in seven days.  I’m not making this up.
Release Date: September 9, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Asmik Ace Entertainment
Publisher: Infogrames (USA), Asmik Ace Entertainment (Japan)
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Confirm/Attack With Selected Weapon/Physical Attack When No Weapon Equipped
• B = Cancel
• X = Run
• Y = First Person Look(use analog stick to look around)
• START = Inventory Screen
• L TRIGGER = Turn Flashlight On/Off
• R TRIGGER = Raise Weapon/Ready Physical Attack When No Weapon Equipped

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Nothing shown on VMU.
Save Blocks Required: 29
Personal Opinion: No way around it, this game is terrible.  All the audio is terrible, the plot nonsensical, and the enemy design is bizarre and out of place.  Graphically I constantly found myself comparing it to PS1 games, which isn’t a good sign.  If you read the review of it over at Planet Dreamcast, I think the reviewer was crying.  Seriously.  I couldn’t recommend this title to anyone, even die hard survival horror fans or Ringu enthusiasts.
Notes: Based on Ringu property.  Hold down on the D-Pad while executing a Physical Attack to Kick.  Hold Run button and press back to leap backwards.
Video: Intro / Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

The Dreamcast is a perfect example of a console that had relatively low commercial success, but a huge underground following after its death.  These two factors help brew up a strong library of games that have high collectibility among gamers that are just now finding out what was so great about the Dreamcast.

There are two major trends you will notice in the list below.  First of all is the dominance of fighting and shooting games, mostly of the 2D nature.  This is of little surprise to those that know the Dreamcast well as there games are some of the main draws for the system — especially when they don’t get ported to other systems.  The second trend you may notice is that Capcom hold eight of the ten places on the US release list — Treasure and SNK are the only others to break the list.  Capcom was one of the few third party publishers to really support the Dreamcast, but they new put out quite as many copies as Sega did with their first-party releases.  Anyway, lets get on with for rest of the formalities and this highly-anticipated list.

In stark contrast to the Cheapest Games series, this Rare & Valuable series by JJ Hendricks and Racketboy will round up the rarest and most valuable games for a given console or handheld so you’ll know what to look for whether you are buying or selling. JJ owns VideoGamePriceCharts.com and writes a Video Game Pricing Blog which analyzes video game prices, pricing trends, and charts historic video game prices. He used his pricing statistics to find both the average selling price and the highest selling price for each game over the last three months.

Below you will see two prices beside each title. The first is the average daily selling price, which is typically the going rate for the game by itself. The second price is the highest price in the past three months which is usually the price for the new/sealed game. The list is ordered by the balance of the two prices. Note that some of these games are not rare in the sense that there are not many available, but rare relative to demand, which makes the games expensive.

Limited Edition Collectables

	Bangai-O: Prize Edition: $500 – $1,200 Rarity = This version of the shooter was given out by Treasure to exactly five people as the top prizes in a Japanese high-score competition. While the game itself is identical to the original Bangai-O, the Prize Edition can be identified by a sticker on the case declaring itself as a winner’s trophy. In the past, two of these games have been sold, both very quietly. its unknown the price of the first sale, but the most recent was placed in the inventory of an online store for $500, and at that selling point was quickly snatched.  Now, with the most interested of collectors turned on to its existence, any future sales would likely break $1000.
	Border Down LE: $250 – $280 Rarity = After the Dreamcast was already buried by US retailers and the last big name import releases like Shenmue II, Rez, and Ikaruga had been released, a small developer by the name of G.Rev (who worked with Treasure on Ikaruga) took a chance on the Dreamcast and helped start a trend of 2D shooters being released on the “dead” platform.  The production of this Limited Edition of Border Down was halted at 5,000 copies.  Initially, it has the same print run as the standard edition, but the original has since been reprinted at least once, at least doubling its availability and the premium placed on the Limited Edition. Check for Border Down LE on eBay
	Space Channel 5 Part 2 LE: $200 – $250 Rarity = Space Channel 5 was one of the best examples of quirky fun that made the Dreamcast special.  The game actually received a sequel, but it never came to the Dreamcast outside of Japan.  As if getting the game wasn’t good enough, Japan also received a special box set that included headphones and a carrying case. See Pictures of Space Channel 5 Part 2 Box Set
	SegaGaGa Box Set: $150 – $200 Rarity = Segagaga may well be one of Sega’s best love letters to its fans.  Released in 2001, this “Sega Simulator” lets you run the company and battle its nemesis, which is essentially a disguised Sony.  The game was initially only availible through Sega’s online store in Japan and came in a few different flavors with this box set being the most elaborate.    You can see a picture of all the included goodies in this pack on this recent eBay auction. See the SegaGaga Box Set on eBay

The Expensive Dreamcast Imports

	Border Down: $100 – $130 Rarity = Since releasing a new game on a “dead” platform was seen as a bit of a risk, only 5,000 of this standard edition were initially released (along with 5,000 of the limited edition), but since they sold quickly, another 5,000 were released.  At the beginning of 2008, there was also to be another very small print run, but numbers have not been disclosed. Check for Border Down on eBay
	Under Defeat: $76 – $96 Rarity = After an impressive string of shmups being released on the Dreamcast, well into the 21st century, G.Rev added one more to the mix with Under Defeat.  It was initially billed as the “last Dreamcast game ever”, but there was actually a few more shmups on the way from Milestone over the next couple of years.  There is also a Limited Edition that includes a soundtrack that is on the higher end of the price range above, but as you can probably tell, its isn’t that much more “limited” or valuable. Check for Under Defeat on eBay
	Ikaruga: $60 – $95 Rarity = If you have read the Rare and Valuable Saturn games list, you’re probably well aware of Radiant Silvergun and its strong following and inflated resale values.  When Ikaruga was announced and rumored to be Radiant Silvergun’s follow-up, collectors thought it was a sure-thing investment for their game collections.  And while it did have some rather high prices for a while, it never reached Radiant Silvergun’s levels for multiple reasons.  Because everyone was expecting it to be a collectors item, many people hoarded them and even left them sealed.  So unlike Radiant Silverun, its very easy to find a mint copy of Ikaruga on eBay.  The other reason for Ikaruga’s recent decline (20% decrease in 10 months) in value was retail release in the US for the Gamecube and then the very affordable XBox Live version that is in infinate supply. Check for Ikaruga on eBay

Treasured Standard USA Releases

	Project Justice: $60 – $400 Rarity = Rival Schools 2, known as Project Justice in the US, obvisouly built on the original and remains as one of Capcom’s most popular (with a rather nice following) 3D fighters.  Like its predecessor, Project Justice has a lot of quirky characters that cater to the anime crowd and is just a real pleasure to play.  It isn’t especially rare, but Capcom released it in May 2001, several months after the Dreamcast was discontinued by Sega.  Finding a sealed copy of this Dreamcast exclusive is very tricky and has sold for a few hundred dollars. Check for Project Justice on eBay
	Marvel vs. Capcom 2: $50 – $100 Rarity = If you want the biggest mashup of characters in your fighting games, Marvel vs Capcom 2 is the place to be.  It may not be the most balanced game for tournaments, but its one of the hottest mainstream 2D fighters out there.  Most gamers may flock to the PS2 version, but the Dreamcast release still commands strong collectability. Check for Marvel vs Capcom 2 on eBay
	Cannon Spike: $31 – $180 Rarity = Cannon Spike is very similar to the overhead shooting Smash TV OR Commando and has a heavy focus on boss battles. The shooter also features playable characters and cameos from other Capcom franchises like Mega Man,Ghosts ‘n Goblins, Darkstalkers and Street Fighter. Cannon Spike was released during the Dreamcast’s final Christmas and did not receive much promotion or word-of-mouth until it was long gone from stores. Check for Cannon Spike on eBay
	Power Stone 2: $31 – $175 Rarity = Capcom may not have had much success with 3D fighting games, but it really got it right with the Powerstone series.  Both games are fun-filled arena fighters that allow full 3D movement and interactive environments.  Powerstone 2 added 4-player support and is significantly harder to find than its predecessor.  It’s also very surprising that the series hasn’t been brought to any other platforms besides the PSP. Check for Power Stone 2 on eBay
	Street Fighter III Third Strike: $35 – $105 Rarity = While it did not get the attention of Street Fighter 2 and the Alpha series, Street Fighter 3: Third Strike is one of the best installments in the series, especially when it comes to finely-tuned tournament players.  Its combination of smooth animation, great characters, and a new parrying system keep fighting enthusiasts coming back for more.  Even though the game was included on the Street Fighter Anniversary Collection for the PS2 and XBox, the Dreamcast version is still in strong demand. Check for Street Fighter 3: Third Strike on eBay
	Bangai-O: $45 – $90 Rarity = Treasure is known for quirky action games, and Bangai-O is definitely on the higher part of that spectrum.  This multi-directional shooter is all about explosions, chaos, and fun.  Like most Treasure games, it’s a cult classic and is the Dreamcast version is the only English version of the game so far.  (It had a small release in Japan for the N64). Check for Bangai-O on eBay
	Fatal Fury Mark of the Wolves: $48 – $69 Rarity = Mark of the Wolves was ported from the Neo-Geo and served as the last game in the Fatal Fury series.  It is essentially SNK’s answer to SF3: Third Strike as it shares many of the same types of advancements, but it has its own unique fighting elements and showed off SNK’s strength in character design. The Dreamcast version ended up on store shelves more than six months after the Dreamcast’s demise and quickly ended up on clearance shelves Check for Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves on eBay
	Mars Matrix – Hypersolid Shooting: $40 – $77 Rarity = As one of the most popular vertical shooters released in the US, Mars Matrix still commands a respectable price from collectors.  And with the high likelihood of it remaining as a Dreamcast console exclusive, that value should hold up for a while longer as shmup fans build up their Dreamcast collections. Check for Mars Matrix on eBay
	Marvel Vs Capcom: $23 – $167 Rarity = Even though Marvel vs Capcom 2 has more character and flashier visuals, there is still a strong following for the original Marvel vs Capcom.  Personally, I prefer it to the sequel as it is seems to be a bit more balanced and slightly less chaotic.  It is also the only console version of the game that accurately replicates the arcade game (the PS1 version is very crippled) Check for Marvel vs Capcom on eBay
	Tech Romancer: $25 – $100 Rarity = Tech Romancer is a 3D fighting game fought on a 2D plane. In this hidden gem, you fight as Mechs (designed by established anime creators, Studio Nue) and release power-ups by destroying the environment around you. The Dreamcast version also includes an unlockable version of the Tech Romancer anime. Check for Tech Romancer on eBay

Additional Sega Dreamcast Games of Value

These games aren’t especially rare, but are quite collectible; resulting in a high resale value, especially for sealed copies.

Limited Editions

• Love Hina LE $100 – $150
• Nakoruru LE – $90 – $100
• Castle of Shikigami 2 LE (Japan) – $83 – $89
• Sonic Adventure Limited Edition (USA) – $43 – $50

USA Releases

• Resident Evil 2: $22 – $85
• Giga Wing 2: $32 – $48
• D2: $21 – $98
• JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: $25 – $75
• Stupid Invaders: $21 – $60
• Skies of Arcadia: $21 – $70
• Last Blade 2 Heart of the Samurai: $20 – $80

Imports

• Eldorado Gate Box Set (includes multiple games): $180 – $200
• Shenmue II (PAL):  $59 – $93
• Trigger Heart Excellica: $80 – $85
• Cosmic Smash: $74 – $85
• Zero Gunner 2: $69 – $75
• Twinkle Star Sprites: $65 – $75
• Trizeal: $53 – $70

Credits: Dreamcast Game Prices provided by VideoGamePriceCharts.com. The source for daily updated prices on over 10,000 video games. The prices are the highest daily price and average daily price from April, 30th 2008 to July, 30th 2008. Rarity scores are courtesy of my friends at DigitalPress.