Genki, who did the development of Virtua Fighter 3: TB have a new racing game in the works titles Capital Highways. The game should be released on the 25th May.
Denki DC Magazine in Japan recently had a chat to Yu Suzuki about the free movement mode in Shen Mue. Yu indicated that you can punch, kick, and throw your enemies, and even make any combos that you wish. Although it is similar to the very impressive arcade game, Spike Out, apparently there will be as much depth in Shen Mue as Virtua Fighter 3.
Here's an interesting rumour that was posted on Magic Box. Apparently Sega are working on an emulator so Saturn games can be played on the Dreamcast. Not only that, but effects such as transparency will be improved when a game is run on the emulator through the Dreamcast.
Fox Interactive have announced that the PC/PSX game Alien Resurrection which is nearing the end of it's development cycle will also be ported to the Dreamcast and will be ready in time for the systems launch in September. People who have seen the game in action seem very impressed with both the visuals and gameplay.
Sega Rally 2 has dropped to number 9 in the Japanese sales charts with just over 10,000 units sold. No other Dreamcast games made it into the top 30 but that will change next week with the release of Pop N' Music and Power Stone.
Just a quick reminder to all that today is the last day of the poll on the front paged. It will be changed very soon so get voting.
Sorry about the lack of updates this week. My regular job at the school has been extra busy with new computers having to be set up, and programs to be installed on the network. It was also my birthday on th 24th and I've been out and about celebrating. But on a brighter note the interview wih Sega-Ozisoft will be on the site next week and it WILL BE HUGE. Make sure you keep checking back for that.
Yu Suzuki has stated that Shen Mue probably won't make it for a Spring release in Japan, but should be out in Summer over there (Winter In Australia). The game is currently about 60% complete and even includes such fine details as the stores closing at 8pm. The game will be playable at the upcoming Tokyo Games Show.
The internet browsing software, Dream Passport, has been updated to version 1.03. This new version will be released shortly and apparently fixes some minor bugs from previous versions. All registered Dream Passport users will recieve it free.
Sega Otaku are reporting that Redline Racer has been given a release date 28th of April, while Digital Horse racing has been pushed back from mid March to the 8th April.
Australian developers Beam are about to sell off their games division. One possible buyer, if rumours on the net are anything to go by, are the Infogrames will buy them out. It will be interesting to see the results with Infogrames also buying out Ozisoft.
Famitsu Weekly have reviewed the two titles due out this week. Power Stone recieved a very respectable 34/40 (85%)while Pop N' Music recieved 30/40 (75%).
Capcom have shown Strider 2 at the AOU show in Japan. The game is still 2D based but has 3D grapics thatnks to the Naomi arcade system. A Dreamcast converson is almost certain.
Bandai has announced Mobile Suit Gundam Gaiden for Dreamcast, a continuation of the Saturn game Gundam: Blue Destiny. Expect the game to be released in June.
Tomy has announced Toukon Retsuden 4 for Dreamcast, a wrestling game with more then 30 wrestlers and 800 moves. Better news still is that the game will make use of the modem. Tomy expected to sell 250,000 units of the game after it's July release.
Sega have stated that there will be around 28 Dreamcast games shown at the Tokyo Game Show.
John Romero has hinted that all three of Ion Storm's games will be coming to Dreamcast. When asked by Dreamcast.net which titles may come to Dreamcast he said "I couldn't pick just one title, i'd have to pick them all - they are all so cool.". So it's quite possible that Daikatana, Anachronox and Deus Ex may all appear at some time.
Retro gamers take note. Hasbro have announced a new title for the Dreamcast. The game will be a remake of none other then the classic Missile Command.
Elemental Gimmick Gear, the RPG from Hudson Soft, has been delayed from the 4th April to and unspecified May date.
Another small tidbit about Power Stone has been revealed at the AOU 99 show in Japan. Apparently there will be a VS mode which will allow 2 player action with a split screen.
How about a Dreamcast for under $US 200 pricepoint ($AU 330)? Well a recent edition of the Investors Business Daily indicated that Sega will launch the Dreamcast at this price. Sega still aren't commenting but an announcement can be expected at this year E3 show in May.
Virtua Striker 2 will apparently be released in different versions around the world. Although nothing has been announced my guess is that the different versions will have teams from that part of the worl competing (ie Premier League in Europe, J League in Japan).
Heres some exciting news for the kiddies. THQ have annouced that they will develop and publish video games based on the Rugrats cartoon through 2002.
Some more information about the highly anticipated Blue Stinger has surfaced. There may be some contraversy surrounding some content in the game. The game contains scenes of people urinating as well as some rather questionable girls. In a totally different vien is the news that there will also be a mini game of Pen Pen Triathalon in Blue Stinger.
Sega Rally 2 is still holding up in the Japanese game charts. Last week the title was at the number 5 position with another 31,040 units sold, bringing the total to 231,604 units in 2 weeks.
Rage, the developers of Incoming on the Dreamcast, have announced a Dreamcast Soccer sim game called Ruud Gullit Striker. Apparently the name comes from a Dutch Soccer commentator for the game. The game should be ready by the end of 1999.
Great news for Shen Mue fans. Not only have Yu Suzuki and Sega announced that they expect Shen Mue to be the DC's first million selling game, but they are contemplating making the game into a series.
Relatevely unknown developers Quintet will release a new Dreamcast VMS game called Boy Kanipan in late April, for 2,980 yen. It will be released along with a new jade colored VMS card. A Dreamcast version of Boy Kanipan, which is a RPG game, will be released in June.
Take Two have announced 3 titles will be launch titles in September in Europe. As well as the previously reported Max Payne there are two other titles. Many people will be pleased to hear there is a new Grand Theft Auto as well as the unknown Hidden and Dangerous.
Just another quick reminder that in a few days I will be interviewing Sega OZisoft about the launch in Australia and am looking for questions from you, the readers. Send them to the usual address at, phantom@winshop.com.au.
Soccer fans rejoyce. Sega have confirmed that Virtua Striker 2 will be coming to the Dreamcast and best of all the game will be released worldwide in September.
Heres an exciting rumour from Magic Box Gaming. Apparently Street Fighter Zero (Alpha) 3 will include internet play so you can battle your friends through thte internet.
Shen Mue will be playable at the upcoming Tokyo Game show. This will be the first chance for the public to play this potentially huge title.
We all know that a VMS game based on Shen Mue was released on Sunday (14th February) but what has just been announced is the game was actually programmed by Asobi Create. Expect impressions on the VMS game soon.
Sega have confirmed that the 700,000 units sold are actually in the homes. This big jump comes mainly due to the huge success of Sega Rally 2.
Panther Software have a 3D adventure game, Little Dream due for release in Q'2 1999. The player takes control of a boy named Charlie who enters a fantasy world to defeat the monsters. Pretty ordinary story if you ask me, but who knows?
Sega-Holic are reporting that the Naomi arcade game All Japan Pro Wrestling 2 ~ Giant Gram will be heading to the Dreamcast. Although no date is set what is known is that the game will allow the players to create their own wrestlers.
UbiSoft have announced that Rayman 3 will be heading to the Dreamcast in late 2000. Not only this but they have also announced a new Dreamcast title, Gas. Apparently the game is very similar to Metal Gear Solid. Expect a release in mid 2000. But wait theres more. UBI Soft have also announced they are working on The Adventures of Batman and Robin, also set for a 2000 release.
Australian news here. Infogrames have bought a 62.5 percent shareholding in Australian distribution outfit, OziSoft, who will be distributing the Dreamcast in Australia. The agreement is with OziSoft's parent company, and allows Infogrames to increase its ownership in the distributor between 2002 and 2003, until the company is entirely under the publishers control.
A couple of days ago I posted a link so you could connect to the internet to register you Dreamcast's with SOJ. At about the same time however Sega decided to disallow international calls to their server. In effect this means anyone with a Dreamcast and modem outside Japan won't be able to use the Dream Passport. Little else is know at this stage and Sega haven't yet commented on the issue.
GOD has entered a deal with Rockstar Games (a console part of Take Two Interactive) to publish any PC games on the Dreamcast. The first title to be converted from the Gathering Of Developers is the 3D Action/Adventure gam Max Payne. The game is expected in late 1999. There are another 3 unannounced games also being converted to the Dreamcast as well.
NEC Interchannel has announced Sentimental Graffiti 2: My Only Love will be released on Dreamcast on January 27th, 2000. This game is a sequel to the Saturn dating game and is unlikely to ever be seen outside Japan.
The Dreamcast version of WebTV is now confirmed for this spring.
The Japanese Dreamcast magazine to be released on March 19th will contain demo's of Aero Dancing, Blue Stinger and Buggy Heat.
More encouraging sales figures from Japan for the week from 25th to the 31st January. Sega Rally 2 was the number 1 game with 200,564 units sold. Evolution was the 14th highest seller with 16,208 sales, for a total of 92,574 units, and Sonic Adventure sold 11,816 units (23rd) for a total of 342,027.
To clarify what was noted from the toy show in Germany a couple of days ago, although a modem is confirmed in Europe Sega still haven't decided if it will be included with the Dreamcast, or be an additional peripheral to be purchased seperately. As well as this the Dreamcast logo will remain orange in the United States.
The arcade version of Power Stone will be in the arcades in eary March, only a couple of weeks before the Dreamcast version is due on the shelves.
Anybody who loves 2D fighting games will love this. There are currently rumours going around that a new game is being developed on either CPS-III, or Naomi. The title : SNK Vs Capcom. This would be an excellent title with fighters from the Street Fighter series battling it out with those from the Fatal Fury and Art of Fighting series' to name a few. A release is expected towards the end of the year.
The other day I got some Infobeat mail which had a link to an associated press story about the Playstation. The interesting point was that the article mentions that the Playstation will have more competion when the Dreamcast is launched in November. I still believe that September is the actual date.
Sega are reporting that the number of internet users is now up to 200,000. With 500,000 units sold this means that just under 50% of people are using the internet.
The biggest news today, and so far this year comes from the Dreamcast Technical Pages web site. They have a report from Tyger of German web site, Game Over. Tyger went to the "Nuernberger Spielwarenmesse Show" (Nuernburger Toy Show) which is being held from the 4th to 10th February. Below are the main points about the Dreamcast launch in Europe.
Treasure, one of Japan's most respected developers have a Naomi game in the works. Known as Gunbeat the game is apparenty an action racing game. Although no release date is give for the arcade game you can bet the Dreamcast version isn't too far behind.
Well the peripherals keep on coming. Not only are there rumours for a Hard Drive and Printer on the Dreamcast, but rumours are now surfacing of a digital camera for our beloved system. The chances of ever seeing this peripheral outside Japan are fairly remote.
Game-Online in the UK are reporting that DMA Design have confirmed development on the Dreamcast. Apparently the scottish company are looking at Wild Metal Country to be their first title on the system. The game will be a launch title in Europe.
I have had a lot of people asking me how to use the modem outside Japan. Well without ripping off another site I suggest you have a look at this address which tells you all about it.
http://dreamcast.ign.com/news/6776.html
Sega are now looking for subscribers to their daily newsletter on their Dricas website. The newsletter will supply users with the lates news in relation to the Dreamcast and Sega games.
Digital Horse Racing Newspaper, Shouei System's horse racing simulation, is apparently a race betting program where the players can pick horses in races to win money. There will be enough stats to keep any betting man happy. This game probably won't make it outside Japan however, I would love Sega to prove me wrong.
Sega X are reporting that the Model 2 based Pilot Kids will be translated to Dreamcast. No release dates have been announced yet.
Sega have confirmed dates for some upcoming Dreamcast games. They are as follows:
Digital Keiba Shinbun: 18th March
Cho-Hamaru Golf: 18th March
Elemental Gimmick Gear: 4th April
Web Mystery: 8th April
Although Rage have already released Incoming on the Dreamcast in Japan, and have Expendable on the way, an employee of the company said "Sure, it's a possibility," when asked if Incoming 2 will head to the Dreamcast.
Weekly Famitsu has released a top 100 chart for 1998 which is compiled from votes from readers. The only 2 Dreamcast games to enter the chart were VF3:TB and Sonic Adventure which appeared at numbers #69 and #73 respectively. In encouraging news for Sega Resident Evil 2 was the #1 game, ensuring that Resident Evil :CV will be highly anticipated in the coming months up to release.
According to Japan's Dreamcast Magazine, Sega Rally 2 has sold around 300,000 copies in the first week, with sales of the Dreamcast also taking off at the same time.
The biggest news of the day comes in the form of Capcom announcing that Street Fighter Zero (Alpha) 3 will be heading to Dreamcast, possibly in June. Expect more news from the Tokyo Game Show next month.
A couple of days ago we got the biggest indication that Konami might be porting Metal Gear Solid to Dreamcast. An interview on AllGames.com with Jon Sloan from Konami confirmed a enhanced 3D accelerated PC version of the game, but when asked about a Dreamcast version his response was "I wouldn't want to give too many things away".
Sega have released more information about House Of The Dead 2 which is scheduled to be released on the 25th March in Japan. The game will come in 2 versions. One will contain the light gun and one won't. What is great news is that the light gun will be able to hold the Puru Puru (Rumble) pack and also has a D-Pad on it. The gun also features 2 buttons, apart from the trigger, to access menus or change weapons.
Sega have released a few more details about the Get Bass game and fishing rod. The combination will retail for 9,800 yen in Japan, or around $AU120. The fishing rod controller uses two motors to simulate resistance and angle from a virtual fish. Only time will tell how it compares to the excellent arcade fishing rod.
Here's a surprise. The latest console charts from Japan show that Evolution is the second highest selling game for the week with 53,120 units sold.
The keyboard peripheral has been a surprise hit for Sega in Japan, with sell outs across the country. Sega are now preparing a new keyboard for release later this month or early next month. It is believed this new keyboard will use infra-red transmission signals with a reciever being plugged into the main console.
Pulse Interactive have finally shown off Under Cover, which now has the full name Under Cover: AD 2025 Kei. The game follows the adventures of a female detective in Japan's police force. It seems as if the game isn't the expected light gun game rumoured previously but takes a more Resident Evil styled gameplay.
Sega have officially announced that sales of the Dreamcast have now passed 500,000 units. They expect to sell 1 million units by April. Sega Of Japan have also predicted selling 2 million units by June/July, and over 4 million in Japan by the 31st March 2000.
Infogrames have announced that they will be releaseing a sequel to Mission Impossible on the Dreamcast in 1999. We can only hope that it will be better then the original N64 game.
Sega seem to be distancing themselves from the September 9th launch date. Latest rumours from America are that another date is under consideration, possibly September 2nd. Apparently they want to surprise the public with the release date.
Sega of Japan have announced another game for the Dreamcast. Gather! Dreamcast is a compilation of games such as Chess, Solitaire and Mahjong. Players will be able to compete against each other using the modem. The game is expected to be release the middle of the year.
Super Speed Racing is a surprise game that Sega Of Japan only announced a few weeks ago. Pictures of the game have now be released which seem to lack the visual punch of many other Dreamcast games.
More rumours out of Japan concerning 2 very high profile games. Apparently Virtua Striker 3 is currently in development on the Naomi board. This would mean that a Dreamcast conversion is almost certain. Less encouraging news for Dreamcast owners is that Virtua Fighter 4 will apparently be programmed on the Model 4 board, thus making a Dreamcast conversion a lot harder to be faithful to the arcade version.
Another hot rumour from Japan is that Capcom will release Star Gladiators 2 in time for Christmas. No official word from Capcom yet however.
I am hoping to get another interview with Sega-Ozisoft due to the overwhelming response from the previous one last month and was hoping everyone can send me some questions to ask them, preferably about the Australian Dreamcast system. I will include the best in the interview.
It's going to be a very quite month in February with only 2 games being released. Both Pop N' Music and Power Stone will be released on the 25th of this month. But before you dispair too much, March should be an absolute cracker month with 14 games due for release. I wouldn't be surprised if a few relesase dates slip though.
I have to apologise for the lack of updates over the last week. Unfortunately, I have been pretty crook and have had stocktake at BIG W which meant I wasn't getting out of work until around midnight. Combine that with my day job and I'm pretty screwed right now. Anyway I promise a weekend of great updates.
A couple of weeks ago Sega of Japan announced on their web site that Super Speed Racing would be released in Japan on March 25th. It is now known that the title is based on the America CART racing series and that "Team Rahal" has helped with development. Other features in the game include sounds of actual CART racing using digitally sampled recordings from real cars, 27 official CART drivers from 17 different teams and 19 different racing tracks. Super Speed Racing is a 2 player game.
Housemarque Games has announced a new snowboarding game titled Snowboarding Supreme for Dreamcast. Early screen shots of the game look promising to say the least.
A couple of days ago I reported that Shen Mue would include Sega's classic Hang On as a playable game in an amusement arcade in the game. Well that's not all. Apparently Outrun, Afterburner and Space Harrier will also be included.
Video System, who hold the official Formula 1 license for Dreamcast have announced that they are developing F-1 World GP II. The game should be out towards the later half of 1999.
Magic Box are reporting that Sega will be putting a Shen Mue mini game for the VMS on the internet on February 14th. This game can be accessed through the Sega Of Japan web site using the Dreamcast's modem.
Now who would have guessed this. Toyota will be selling Dreamcast systems and peripherals through it's dealers network. It's believed Toyota are looking at the venture as a lead-in to selling cars on the internet. Initially Dreamcast's will be sold in about 160 out of the 430 dealerships and the company is hoping to sell 50,000 units in 1999. Only in Japan.