Sega
Official
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TO RIVAL REALITY
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FOR INTENSE ONLINE GAMING
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MORE THAN ANY OTHER SYSTEM EVER!
9 9.99 .
SEGA DREAMCAST GOES
INSIDE! DREAMCAST
NEWS PREVIEWS FEATURES REVIEWS
AND MORE!
NEW! JUNE 1999. ISSUE 0
Dreamcast 90210? Oh God,
no...
WELCOME... ....To
ful
the Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine- dedicated to the most power-
and exciting videogames console
modem
graphics engine and a
in
the world.
Armed with
a i28bit
that will allow you to surf the internet, play
massively multiplayer games and even e-mail your buddies- Sega
Dreamcast
It
is in
every way a next generation entertainment platform.
deserves a next generation magazine.
ahead of the game. Dedicated
Like the system, we're
work
you the
to bringing
complete world of Dreamcast every issue, our promise to you
is
that
we
will
tirelessly for the biggest exclusives- never flinching from asking the
We promise to furnish you with only the very best demos on our exclusive GD-ROM so that you can tough questions and never ever taking the PR
play before you pay and
in
We
game
will
never review a
arrives in the office-
we won't
through- from the start
But we're
official,
our reviews
menu
we aim
until it's
score
to the
it
to set a
until
standard.
it
we've played the whole thing
so we can't say what we want, right? Wrong. This maga-
Sega because
give you, the reader, the best value every issue. full
new
completely finished. And when
end sequence.
zine carries the official license from
with a disc
line.
of free
demos and
It
that's the best
way
to
means we can provide you
uninhibited access to Sega's legendary
and world-class development studios.
It
gives us the back-stage pass- and
that's better for you. But the door only swings
one way. Sega has absolute-
We We answer only to you.
are editorially independent-
ly
no say
in
the content of this magazine.
beholden to no-one.
So once again- welcome. Enjoy this sneak preview and ing forward to Septmeber,
join with us in look-
when the world's most powerful console
hits the
stores- coincidentally enough, just in time for Issue One. Looks
Christmas
is
coming
Simon Cox Editor In Chief
early...
like
i
DREAMCAST GD-ROM
WELCOME
SPIN
TOTH DISC! At
glance,
first
look like any
DCM’s
disc
may
your collection, but
in
much, much more. Simply pop
it’s
the disc into your Dreamcast, power up,
and
you’ll
no longer just read
about the hottest forthcoming
games
our pages - you can actu-
in
play
ally
months)
them weeks (and often in
advance of their
/
will
EMERALD COAST
around half-naked
Enemy smashing,
your idea of
isn’t
ring grabbing, a big
guy named Robotnik...
fun,
why not at least take control of someone who makes it their life’s work?
fat
controls diagram (see side panel) before
Hedgehog,
jumping
game on
star of this
it’s all
there,
but trust us, you’ll want to refer to the
month’s featured
the DC-ROM.
^
in spines-first.
year hiatus, and thanks to the modern
Once you’ve mastered the ^ demo, jet on over to our website at www.dreamcastmagazine.com and
miracle called the ‘demo,’ you can sam-
see
in
action after a nearly two-
also provide exclusive video inter-
ple the
est outing
the world of Dreamcast, video walk-
- which, consequently, we’ve
throughs and strategies for the
reviewed
toughest games, downloadable
IN
Yep, we’re talking about Sonic the
views with important figures from
VMU
OUT
painting yourself blue and running
He’s back
arrival
Every month, our disc
in stores.
f
first
level
in
from his
\
best time stacks up
against your fellow - obviously
lat-
Sonic Adventure
in full this
how your
much
slower - readers.
PGJ4
Happy spinning, and
ditch Tails
one
time for us, eh?
issue
(Supertest P24).
games, special saves, and cast
iron pick-up lines.
web browser
Plus, our special
makes
it
easy to go online with your
Dreamcast and check out the multitude of Internet-exclusive news, reports, contests,
goodies
we have
and other special
to offer at our
www.dreamcastmagazine.com website.
“Run, Sonic, run!” Playing hard to
Maintaining top speed through the
When
get with a killer whale
stage
is crucial, so no waiting around for that freakazoid fox.
Adventure's Emerald Coast
business
HANMGTROUBLE?
-
but
it
is
risky
sure looks great.
dolphins attack! Sonic
wouldn’t be right without them.
HOW TO... BLAST THROUGH STAGE ONE In
and our help they can
to. well, help, obviously. If
can't get the
still
do
line staff droids will
damn
S all
you
thing working,
replacement immediately with our compliments and probably
some phony
let-
ter from the editor.
er’s
intended to work
CD-ROM er-
in
your comput-
drive or a regular
it’s
CD
play-
only for Dreamcast, and
that’s the
way we’d
like to
keep
month’s
shave precious seconds
off
bypass
center.
for
them, as
has already done the legwork for
*
of these top-secret paths
is
D-Pad: Switches to a first-person view-
perform Sonic’s spin dash at
ramp
you’ll find after exiting the tunnel,
located mid-way through Emerald
hold hard right as you reach
Coast. Run along the steeply curved
Keep holding
rock wall (alongside the waterfall) and
beach below, and
make
sure to stay as far up as possible.
past an entire section of the stage.
You’ll
need to enter the small cave
in
you’ll
moment you
hit
the acceleration pads that lead into the
“corkscrew cavern” about a hundred
Publisher:
its
roundings
and
top.
you land on the have blown
Sega of America
look around at his sur-
A:
Jump
in
the air to perform a
(Tap again while
dash attack) B: Spin
Dash
X: Spin
Dash
Y:
Not Used
Contact: 1-800-555-7342
the level.
Another not-so-conventional shortcut involves leaping the
right until
at its will
CONTROLS Analog Stick: Walk and run
point, enabling Sonic to
Finally,
the base of the incredibly steep
you. first
KH M
the corkscrew and send you
your total
straight through the tunnel’s
DCM
propel you ahead
2
will
won’t have to poke around
end, where a series of springboards
9 - 555-4357
just encountered. Getting the
timing just right
will
time once uncovered. Fortunately, you
The
You should also note that the disc isn't
yards after the shortcut you
demo stage on GD-ROM contains a
onic Adventure’s this
handful of hidden shortcuts that
Online:
www.sega.com
R: Rotate L:
camera
Rotate camera
right left
:
s EGA RA LL AND
GET
Mittal laTT
N
othing’s
more
relaxing after a congested,
on the highway than
stressful drive
DRIVE
IN
firing
!
VMUDOWNLOADS
Stratos boasts the best acceleration of the two,
up
while the Celica
is
an all-around good handler.
your Dreamcast and getting behind the wheel of another car - one that, unlike your own, can be
Whichever you choose, you won’t be caught short of horsepower - these cars tear up the gravel with
rammed
into
Batmobile-like ease.
injury or
irksome lawsuits.
that
DCM
Rally
traffic
without
It’s
risk of bodily
with this goal
in
this
month’s DC-ROM.
starting up the
demo,
you’ll
Lancia
demo course, speed on over to DCM’s website www.dreamcast magazine.com and upload your
best time for comparison against those of your
skills
up to snuff
in
pals to
How
our
To section, which starts on page 30.
friends
light-
f
V
\
[
\
tell
your
"VMU Downloads" main menu of the GD-
highlight "Super Chao," hit the
"A" button, and he’ll be downloaded and in no time flat. For ^ more information on Sonic’s
ready to race l^rUOtO'
Back up through
cute comrades, be sure to read
our Sonic Adventure Supertest
Hand brake Change view
review, which starts on page 24.
R: Accelerator L:
him
select the
option from the
items
menus Y:
instill in
where you got him, eh?
first
ROM. Now
X:
f
with
animal
To get our extra-special Chao onto your
D-Pad: Digital
B:
dynamo
dashing good looks. Just don’t
VMU,
Analog steering
menu
sized
ening fast speed, not to mention
GO»
The
Stick:
A: Select
e’ve bred this pint-
only the best and most skilled of Sonic’s
Toyota Celica.
W
"
fel-
low readers. You’ll find more pointers on getting your racing
Stratos and
CONTROLS
SONIC
and turn of
twist
the at
be presented
with two cars: the
Analog
Once you’ve mastered every
mind
has slapped a playable track from Sega
2 onto
Upon
opposing
Publisher:
Brake
Sega of America
Contact: 1-800-555-7342 Online:
Ready, set, go! Keep the pedal to
Practicing proper cornering tech-
the metal and you’ll have no
nique
problem leaving your competi-
nudging other cars never hurts, eh?
tion in the dust.
is
www.seg a.com
Hurtling full-throttle into pud-
essential to winning, but
dles will
off the track
muddy your
car
-
PROFILE
just
don’t let this cool effect distract
In
you from the track ahead.
the
this
DCM
month
hot seat is
Bernie
Stolar, president
and
chief operating officer
of
EXCLUSI V DREAMCAST
T starts
the
on page
gills
o compliment DCM’s extensive
Game Show coverage which issue’s GD-ROM is packed to
Tokyo
6, this
with exclusive video footage from every single
Dreamcast game displayed at the three-day Japanese event - many of which you’ll see previewed in these pages in
the coming months.
each of the more than 25 games
PREVIEW minute So,
if
clip
you’re
is
represented by a two-
and accompanied by our running commentary. in
the
mood
for a
sneak peak at the games of
option on the DC-ROM’s main
2000, go for the “Watch
It!”
menu and
some popcorn.
grab yourself
Viewing pointers: Hitting the “A” button
will
video, and hitting “B” kicks you back out to the selection
From Sega’s Shenmue to From Software’s Frame Gride,
Sega of America.
menu. Pressing “Y”
trol that lets to
special
will
pause the
game
moments.
-
extra-
r IIqSMHI v v '
bring up a VCR-style con-
move frame-by-frame though those
•.
jmSSt
,
i
Frame Gride Watch
it
on the disc now!
3
_
OfficialS'Sega.
Dreamcast Magazine
Magazine Editor In Chief
SIMONCOX
CONTENTS
Art Director GREGOR Yf/4/V
Senior Editor
RANDY NELSON Reviews Editor
FRANCESCAff£>T5 Jason Brookes Editorial Contributor
Aaron Lauer J.C.
Photography
024 SON
01 6 SEGA' S
Marketing Manager
Standish
SHENMUE ADVENTURE
OFFICIAL SEGA DREAMCAST MAGA2INE Imagine Media, Inc. 1 50 North Hill Drive, Brisbane CA 94005
EDITORIAL
4684 fax: 415. 468. 4686 email: scox@imaginemedia.com
voice: 415. 468.
voice: 415. 468.
4684 x123
fax: 415. 468.
4686
email: cpovio@imaginemedia.com
you have questions about a subscription, please contact: Customer Service 800. 678. 3643 email: subscribe@imaginemedia.com with "Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine" as the subject If
ADVERTISING DOUG LORI
FAUST publisher
HOVLAND
AND OVER AND THERE'S WE BRING YOU THE FULL STORY ON THE GAME THAT COULD CHANGE THE WAY YOU IT'S
ADVERTISING
regional advertising
manager
TAKEN FOUR YEARS
20 MILLION DOLLARS
STILL
A WAY TO
PLAY FOREVER
GO
-
YET.
SONIC SPINS BACK INTO ACTION!
WE
RATE THE
GAME THAT YOU CAN'T
AFFORD TO MISS
DOWN ON
-
PLUS!
THE LOW-
THE LEVELS, THE SECRETS,
THE CONTROLS, AND HOW TO BREED YOUR OWN A-LIFE 'CHAO' THING!
CHRIS POVIO regional advertising manager
PRODUCTION RICHARD LESOVOY production
director
JOSE URRUTIA production coordinator
IMAGINE MEDIA.
INC.
KATE BAILEY subscription director
BRUCE ELDRIDGE newsstand director THEA SELBY newsstand manager JENNIFER CARSON
direct marketing specialist
CHRISTOPHER BOILY newsstand mktg. analyst
020 FEATURE imagine IMAGINE MEDIA,
INC.,
150 North Hill Dr.. Brisbane, CA 94005 (415)468-4684 www.imaginemedia.com
CHRIS ANDERSON CEO TOM VALENTINO vice president/CFO HOLLY KLINGEL
vice president/circulation
CHARLES SCHUG
general counsel
IMAGINE ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION: JONATHAN SIMPSON-BINT president MATT FIRME vice president/editorial director J.C.
STANDISH
vice president/marketing
DREAMCAST 101 EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO DREAMCAST BUT WERE
KNOW ABOUT
AFRAID TO ASK. WELL, ALMOST...
DIRECT
006
TOKYO GAME SHOW
REPORT, PLUS!
NAMCO'S
DREAMCAST GAME!
FIRST
ZONE
010
RPG NEWS FEATURING CLIMAX LANDERS AND GRANDIA
2
CRAZY TAXI GAMES TO
Oil SEGA'S LATEST
COIN-OP TAKES DRIVING
012
WORLD
THE NEXT LEVEL
DREAMCAST REPORTAGE FROM JAPAN AND EUROPE,
PLUS!
IMPORT NEWS
SHINYONATHENISHIGAKI STINGER CREATOR CONFESSES DCM
0 4 1
BLUE
SOON: SHENMUE
0 6 1
THE GAME THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING
020 ALL
YOU NEED TO KNOW
-
SONIC RETURNS
HOW TO
030 WE
-
BUT
IS IT
-
REVEALED
DREAMCAST 101 THING TO OWNING
IT'S
THE NEXT BEST
ONE!
SONIC ADVENTURE YOU HOPED FOR? READ OUR REVIEW
024
028
COUCH
ALL
ALL
IN-DEPTH
NATION GET ONLINE WITH DREAMCAST
IN FIVE
SHOW YOU HOW TO
BEAT
MINUTES FLAT
SEGA RALLY THE CLOCK, AND THE BENDS
TO. ..BEAT
BLUE STINGER CREATOR, SHINYA NISHIGAKI, TALKS SHOP AND (COUGH!) SMOKES A LOT ON PAGE 14
o
LIFTOFF! Airport Limousine
FOR DREAMCAST AT TOKYO GAME
Bus
M
s well as giving the world
SHOW
its first
taste of Shenmue, the Tokyo
Game Show
played host to around
other forthcoming Dreamcast
fifty
games - demonstrating plenty of thirdparty commitment for the system. Sega knows that for Dreamcast to succeed, it needs to cover a number of popular genres
-
namely
driving, fight-
and RPGs and they were
ing, sports
all
well provided for (and a few decidedly
odd Japanese ones besides
-
see side
panel).
As the surging tide of Japanese gaming press flooded into the cavernous Makuhari Messe convention center,
DCM
used
its
long-legged
advantage to break early for the Sega booth, arriving seconds before Gaijin
the hordes and securing a stint on
Shenmue- Sega genius designer Yu Sega’s booth
Suzuki's epic action adventure.
We
are
Shenmue tion,
so
and
much
is is
happy to report that only months from comple-
to say about
Shenmue,
preview to what To get the
full
scoop, turn
and then come back here for the low-down
to
page
16,
of those
in
center of attention, with top titles
3tb, and
it
Sega's own Virtua Fighter
drew a great deal of
est from the press
-
as much-
which ran along side
__
if
inter-
may
it.
Capcom's
title
not look like a technical,
sprites lit
up the Sega booth. tions
MENI/VTIGHTS Namco weighed
its
with
its
superb
arcade conversion of fighting game,
Soul Calibur, to make good on the
Tecmo’s Dead or Alive 2 gave
Shenmue
a run for
its
money
in
the
the
left of
the ‘huh?’ department).
promise
it
made
to support
Sega as
long ago as last September. The char-
‘wow’ department (located just to It
acter models are a generation ahead
and detailed cartoon anima-
make
it
the best example yet of
when
playable code
Calibur,
will
be
available.
Sega took care of those who their fights a
Giant
Gram
little
like
less improvised with
wrestling which
was good
laugh.The only real disappoint-
ment was SNK's King of Fighters Match 1999 -which was still funny- but in
a ‘laughing at
it,
not with
it’
sort of
way. The crappy resolution of the
kind.
As in
saying
for a
erm... 'marvel', but the oversized
that
Shenmue, Soul
consisting mostly of journalists. Yikes!
not
more, than the 2D Marvel vs Capcom,
on the other hot Dreamcast titles
-
in
we have dedicated our lead we saw at the show.
fact, that
was once again the
and The House of the Dead 2 pulling the crowds
visually amazing. There's
for that other
chise- Biohazard -
of Code: Veronica
Capcom
all
was
that
fran-
what shown
a couple of min-
utes of video. They were great minutes, featuring giant spiders
usual assortment of
humans
their expiration dates, but
and the well past
no-ones
sprites,
coupled with severely dated-
looking animation
make
it
an excel-
lent candidate for next issue's Disc
Inferno.
Flying the flag for sports
Let's
Make A
were
Professional Baseball
Team and Soccer Team games from
looks amazing.
NEWSCAST** SNK announced that its handheld
6
Neo Geo Pocket
Color system will be coming to the States this
month
HOTi/MESAKE
Sega, which play well enough and
Software's Frame Gride, which
mix management strategy with
showed potential. This arena-based robot combat game was running
arcade style action.
Shenmue: at the
Coin-op conversion Get Bass was least three
modem
against
unknown opponents from
people stopped and
one combat
everything a fish-
here fishes, so
right.
It
all
resented-
person action.
first
even
one available
mated characters and
smelled fishy
phere than the
(although that
ly
sushi lunch packs).
DCM comman-
quiet
Sunday evening.
“
real star of the
undoubtedly Tecmo's Dead or Alive 2 -
remedy to Maken
X,
incredibly
and
own
is
Calibur.
version to match the coin-op pixel-
wherever
it
a
the 30 year huge turnout
rears its metallic
head
in
Japan. Which explains the crush sur-
rounding
Gundam Side Story.
in
for-pixel. For
to
page
more on
this
title,
turn
8.
With just four months to go before the
US
launch, the Tokyo
with third-person stomping-around,
Game Show proved that Dreamcast is just now beginning to reveal its
Bandai has captured well the
potential as the greatest
Blending first-person mech combat
feel of
marching about the landscape
200 tons of steel. The same goes
for
in
From
ished, but already lookir like a complete disaster
home
wide Anime
illicits
title
even
The version
Sega's Dreamcast-based arcade board, Naomi, so expect the
circuit too),
average arcade
currently running on
(and pretty popular on the world-
Gundam
Air Force Delta: Doh! Konami debut with a very
Virtua Fighter 3tb-
significantly better than
Namco's Soul the movie
the country
Ramen...”
complex character models. The detail of the in-game models is just breathtaking - way ahead of Sega's
the most popular giant
to defeat the evil genius
could just play Get Bass
which looked absolutely stunning.
Shown on a giant screen at Tecmo's booth, the game boasts the most
low start for Konami.
it
was
knock-off of
HEAVYMETAL
I
my brain turns to
terms of visuals)and the
pretty average
Namco's arcade hit Ace Combat. A competent, but shal-
can just reach that fishing controller,
Octopus! Or
until
perfect
a
I
I
Dr.
show, however
looking forward to
some Top Gun dog-
If
maybe can use
HELLOBOYS! The
Air Force Delta,
fights, only to find
old
comes good with this incredible arcade conversion
a particular-
(at least in
in
Soul Calibur: Namco
atmos-
less
moon on
deered Konami's
robot/mech franchise
Dead or Alive 2: Shown on video only- it’s the most impressive looking Dreamcast title yet
neatly
as well as gun games
for-
the form of the complete and
ing plodding controls, poorly ani-
could have been the
Still
(in
Regrettably, the only
which seems
about
accounted
was Maken X from Atlus- a textbook example of how not to do it, featur-
reel
and you could turn it,
and driving games
only one genre remained underrepa
it's
tell,
had the
it
flying
superb The House of The Dead 2)
ing controller
should be. No-one
but
particularly engaging-
With fighting, wrestling, sports,
new controller, which we can report its
hard to
wit..
and personal.
and Sega provided
little
Fully
of action
pitching you
the booth
and two picked up the controller and made fishing faces) it,
is
-
one of the other demo stations on - which made the one-on-
also pulling the crowds (well, at
stared at
built in
show,
taking visuals and plenty
online via the Dreamcast's 33.6Kb
GETF/SA/yWID’/r
games
machine ever made. Sega’s promise
Capcom has
a strong
plete Marvel vs
show with the com-
footage of Biohazard Code: Veronica.
US launch
no word on a release date beyond ‘1999’
is
right
on
target.
King of Fighters Dream
Match 1999: A nightmare!
Capcom and more video
of at least ten top-tier titles for the
Still
'COLDiMITSUSHI ' priced at $80
and can be linked
to the
Dreamcast via a cable
Core Design announced Fighting Force 2 for Dreamcast
7
/
BACKTOTHE FUTURE t’s
obvious that
/ someone at UKbased Criterion Studios has fond memories of
Back to the Future
BOUNCINGE4CJT
its first
game,
2 TAKES FIGHTING GAMES VIRTUAL PIN-UPS - TO THE NEXT LEVEL
DEAD OR ALIVE -
AND
2, as
Dreamcast Velocity:
Trickstyle,
borrows
heavily from the film to
create an experience
H
ard at work on Sega’s Dreamcast-driven Naomi arcade hardware, the talented staff at Tecmo - more specifically, the keenly-named ‘Team Ninja’ - are lending their fighting game know-how to a fabulous looking sequel to 32bit fighting favorite Dead or Alive. Boasting the
that’s
two parts Top
Skater and one part
most exquisitely detailed characters yet seen in a fighting title (which, consequently, have been animated entirely by hand - yes, even their bouncy bits). Dead or Alive 2 also makes strides in
3D
re-defining the ly vast.
Many
fighting arena itself. Rather than simple walted-in affairs, the stages are utter-
include whole annexes into which the melee spills over, whether by throwing your
opponent through windows or off waterfalls. Like Virtua Fighter 3tb, DOA2 also features tagteam play, but, unlike Sega’s fighter, your partners are always visible on the sidelines and can leap into battle mid-match without so much as a stutter.
Wipeout.
It’s
the
year 2066, and the world’s population
has taken
up anti-gravity
means combat the boredom brought racing as a
to
on by global “Gnnnr! Gnnnr! Gnnnrrr!” “What It’s
did you say?” Hulk Hogan’s stunt-
Ranger clones
pick-up line on Kasumi. Guess
what happens
peace. Nine char-
Spice Girls
acters are selectable,
wannabes versus Power
double, Bass, tests his latest
©TECMO, LTD.
in
and racing takes place in four locales - London, New York, Cairo, Tokyo -
a battle
for the future of fashion.
1^96.1999
next...
Let’s
hope they both
lose,
eh?
each holding a myriad of shortcuts to uncover. Tricks are central to the
package, and
CU
1 1
iNGHiiis
this in
ugely popular
in
arcades, Namco’s third
3D
weapons-based fighter is officially - and exclusively - bound for Dreamcast release.
Namco
unveiled a fully-playable version of
Calibur at Tokyo
attack, training, spectator,
team
play.
Namco
is
chances are good that
company
for
it
Dreamcast
may be in
in
the
title’s
first
of
fouris
and PC players also a
success, and
many from
with
mode
the cards, with online
play between Dreamcast
and Virtua Fighter 3tb-\\ke tag-
confident of the
it’s
mind that a
player half-pipe
SOUL CALIBUR UNDERGOES A SIGNIFICANT TUNE-UP FOR DREAMCAST
distinct possibility.
the
coming months.
Game Show this
March, and the bevy of promised Dreamcast-only enhancements were already play. Vastly
in
improved character detail
and animation are the most prominent byproducts of the re-tooling, although the rock-solid
play
is
60 frames-per-second game-
certainly not to be discounted.
Also to be expected five
new
in
Racing luge-style yields
the final product are
play modes: versus, survival, time
more speed, while going Soul Calibur: Better visuals, more features than coin-op.
head-first allows for
basic combat.
STOP PRESS! Sega president and COO Bernie
Stolar has confirmed a price
and date
for
US Dreamcast
-
$199 on 9/9/99
\
:
SON'fA GUN
S
hiny has singled out
Canadian developer
BioWare to deliver a Dreamcast follow-up to darkly comedic action
its
game, MDK. predecessor,
Unlike
its
MDK2
has you controlling
three distinct characters
over the course of
NBA BASKETBALL 2000 Basketball 2000
game, Kurt Hectic Armored Coil
is
Suit intact, he
other basketball
play for
lision physics.
comes into stages where
coaches and cials,
stadiums.
individually
i-.^s
'
k/*\i
),
indi-
Add
60 frames-
brisk
Rounding out the
per-second game-
lot is
-j'-v
\
in
weapons simultaneously.
Hfl
v
Hawkins,
excels at combining
items MacGuyver- style to
MDK2
just
be looking at
the most realistic
hoops game
create exotic super-
remains
to
Shaq takes a time
date.
for
out,
presumably
from the filming of Kazam! 2, to fea-
a purely single-player affair.
game
modeled
,
wield up to four
weapons.
NBA
mind: ultra-realism. The
modeled
who can
Dr.
in
detailed facial animation, and true-to-life ball and col-
Sega also promises more than 400
offi-
and 28
vidually
who
developed by Visual Concepts, and with the same ultimate goal
title,
,
his jet-
pack-donning dog Max,
the elderly
along with the system this September. As with NFL Football 2000,
players, polygonal
and pin-point
accuracy are needed. Joining Kurt
is
title
boasts more than four times the motion-captured moves per player of any
returns.
stealth
DRIVES FOR ULTRA-REALISM
provide an unprecedented breadth of available genres at Dreamcast’s launch, Sega has committed to
V. delivering a second sports
nine stages. Hero of the first
HOOPDREAMS M^een to
its
ture
"We’re trying to go
in
the most jaw-droppingly
realistic basketball simulation ever.
more of a story-based
action-adventure game,
more so than MDKi was," says BioWare co-
founder Greg Zeschuk.
ia -
1
In
development concurrently with the PC version,
WRIST CTION
MDK2 will
simultaneously on both
£1 #%
formats this September.
Shock timepieces, the sky
"I
premiere
think the Dreamcast
blue
s the latest addition to
Casio’s growing line of G-
DW-9000 G-Lide
some ways
sents the pinnacle of
be the best looking of the
sports watch design.
version will
in
two, since that’s the one we’re spending the
It
most
lit
repre-
stopwatch, and
it’s
easier to
never been
manage
life in-
Dreamcast games.
and tough as
MDK2 videogame child of
Answers on
a
postcard, please.
Cool Boarders from
nails,
so even
won’t be.
UEP Systems
Price:
Contact: www.casio.com
Japan
in
title
since the
i6bit days,
and early glimpses suggest
may usher
in
a
new
June, featuring
it
level of realism for the is
gener-
ated via players that possess more than 1,300 motion-captured
moves
apiece, polyg-
onal sideline crowds, and 32 painstakingly re-created stadiums - right
down
to the
3D
spectators. Sega also plans to include an
Dreamcast
$140
Manufacturer: Casio
will hit
its
this
be accompanied
football
on-the-fly play editor
or love
Timothy Leary and
H.R. Geiger?
it
will
it
first
genre. This unprecedented realism It’s
you’re sleeping with the
fishes,
a
Genesis,
When Dreamcast makes
by Sega’s
also waterproof to 200 meters
when
Madden on
immediately at the launch of a new system.
September,
between rounds with your favorite
games have become
ootball
yearly staple since the massive
way onto US shelves cal-
endar-in other words,
F
but never has one been available
display, multi-
function alarm,
Zeschuk surmises.
SEGA HITS THE FIELD WITH NFL FOOTBALL 2000 success of EA’s
features a back-
time optimizing,"
KICK
VMU
which
utilizes
the
as a personal viewing screen,
Hyper-realistic physics
and player animation are
so your opponent won’t see the plays you’re
a given, but what about
running against them.
the beer and pork rinds?
trick, trial,
and half-pipe modes plus two-player racing
9
s
TIMEtV/U TELL CLIMAX LANDERS
O
ne
titles for
COMING. TIME TO DIG OUT THOSE
IS
AGRANDIA ENTRANCE
EARS
PIXIE
Dreamcast’s other big RPG on comes courtesy of the company responsible for some of
most anticipated
of the
the horizon
both US and
Japanese gamers
is
Climax’s
latest role-playing effort,
Climax
Landers. Close to release
in
the most successful and beloved role-playing titles on the Saturn,
Japan,
GameArts. Barring the system-sell-
Landers borrows both concepts and characters from
its
ing achievement of Red Co.’s
own back-catalog some
Sakura Taisen series, GameArts’
of RPGs, while promising to offer
character-driven RPG, Grandia,
new
features
.
Responsible for a compelling reason to
Landstalker on the Genesis and Dark
Dreamcast
and
uphold
whose expert handling
cial
battle
the
an elder
in his village to
dle of his to the
is
Now
solve the
the world of Climax Landers
rid-
nothing short of a graphical show-
show
has
is
able to travel to different
The multi-talented Sword
0&
of Landers’
fame
fight large bird creatures (bottom left)
will
have a chance to time travel
and chat up some
girls
do the screenshots
off impressive lighting effects
and detailed character designs, GameArts has also announced that Grandia II will support two players. How this feature will be implemented into gameplay is unknown, how-
through history. As a result,
Sword
ever,
(bottom right)
it
is
known
original with
One
of
my
favorite
games on
the
Saturn continues to be Panzer
expect any sequels to the game on the Dreamcast or does Team still
Andromeda own
prehistoric sites. Therefore, fully
Dragoon Saga. My question is, now with the news that Team Andromeda has parted ways with SEGA, can we
expect to be standing
check out
line
you can
in
warrior)
in
on any kind of sequels to the the develop-
ment team has disbanded. Sega retains
all
still
the rights to the series
and therefore, there’s nothing preventing them from delivering a Dreamcast Panzer Dragoon Saga II. Oh- and by the way- you’re not real are you? You’re just a for the
purposes of
made-up
letter
this prototype.
summer
similar
in
concept to those
ESP’s Evolution, Climax’s president,
Hiroshi Naito
comments
that "dun-
and Marion
(a
beginner and progressively power up."
made
That said, you’ll need as much help as
the success of
its
name
And with
for the its
most part
off
RPGs
the
action
VMU
in
possible from Sword’s party
past.
which include
more than 10 mini-games that allow players to swap monsters that they’ve
ed games
in
captured as well as participating
Grandia
has a
elfin thief
from
who made
her debut
in
Darkness. Also onboard
Shining is
mage in the
Lady (the
it
here
time for the launch.
be more action-oriented
would make sense; Climax has
Landstalker, as well as Marlin, a
more
for a
than most RPGs from the early versions of Landers which
Climax’s Genesis action-RPG
in
Japan, you
Christmas? Maybe.
geons change each time you enter
alumni as Lyle the
in
wooden female puppet). Combat appears to
them. You enter each dungeon as a
members such esteemed RPG
release
probably won’t see
half-human, half-lion in
Incorporating randomly-generated
of the main
mature form. Slated
Ladystalker), Rao
princesses and knights the next.
many
characters returning
from the
(a
that
game simply because
artist
one moment, and speaking with
dungeons
PDS is one of our favorite Sega RPGs as well, and you can expect Sega won’t be halting produc-
female martial Japan-only
the
of a convenience store
intellectual rights to
the franchise?
tion
that the sequel
takes place four years after the periods, including 1980’s Japan and
*
itself in
polygon power, gamers can expect case. Not only
also
is
to a space-time shift that
the power to warp characters back and forth
entrenched
set to
citizens residing
on the group of three small continents,
home
firmly
with Dreamcast, GameArts
do it all again. But, this time around with the system’s incredible processing speed and is
chosen by
homeland. Apparently, much
dismay of the
system wooed gamers and
game
the hallowed halls of classic RPGs.
ability for a spe-
type of magic, Sword
massive world and clever
Grandia’ it.
of the
blade grants him his moniker Sword.
Possessing an innate
his childhood friend, Sue,
first trip into
territory looks to
At the game’s forefront stands the hero,
was
a
Following the adventures of Justin
earned a strong reputation from RPG fans and the company’s
own
Saturn and learn Japanese.
Savior on the Saturn, Climax has
full
support for
breeding and "casino-type"
Climax Landers
is
a sure bet for
release. Can’t wait.
in
activities,
US
Possibly one of the most anticipat-
and
it
II
Dreamcast’s lineup,
looks like
lot to live it
will.
up
to,
ARCADE
SEGACO//VO/NEWS
CRAZY TO ME? THERE'S NOBODY
"YOU
F
TALKIN'
reedom within a bustling
city is
the core
Japanese
chucks you
labs. Crazy Taxi
of a bright yellow open-top cab
in
in
the seat
San Francisco
and offers one objective - to pick people up the roadside and get
them
to their
chosen
lower
tip is
we found
around the at
first.
be
there’s a
city trying to
a
made by hunting streets)
Rally look like a lesson in simulating car
this.
either.
no slouch
the visual department
in
Packing Naomi technology under
its
hood
perhaps the best
is
evi-
dence yet of just how good Sega’s new console at
is
throwing polygons around the screen. Streets
unravel
humor and
and everything runs
in to
the distance with
720°- perhaps no coincidence since the creator’s previous project was the excellent skateboarding
tic lighting
sim Top Skater.
and
really scores in
its
use of
the Dreamcast version, that could
in
mean
a slightly longer wait. Here’s hoping for a
multi-player rumble between rival cab
compa-
nies...
minimum pop-up
it
realis-
and shadows -
find another
expressed a desire to implement extra features
at a silky
smooth 6ofps, but where
Atari skateboarding classic
most pessimistic Dreamcast owner would doubt its imminent transferal. However, with the developers having already
is
(see box-out), Crazy Taxi
garish hues of Crazy Taxi also reminds
which
sole, only the
But this
out shortcuts (often narrow
at
Powerstone and House of the Deadhave jumped across to the home con-
all
ram as much as possible
Given the
speed
a racer, power-
jumps and even acceleration/braking are possible while you’re weaving in and traffic trying to keep a cool head. It’s very 70s cop show car chase. And it works a
treat.
and accruing as many time
age old
in
looks as vibrant as
of the most exaggerat-
out of the
bonuses as possible. Funnily enough, the urban slightly of
some
combos
tendency to career
But as with L.A Riders, progress can only
one-way
Sega
slides,
is
Packed with pedestrians and dense with other traffic,
and comi-
exaggerated dynamics of Crazy Taxi make
ed driving moves yet seen
at
some passengers, though their way of letting you know.
not appreciated by
ultra fast
cally
physics. Employing
desti-
nation as swiftly as possible. Reckless driving
ELSE HERE..."
terms of handling, the
In
appeal of the latest coin-op from Sega’s
game
try
that Not
all
fares are
happy with the
Some
T
on your car
echnically there are few differences
ster-
you pro-
ling service vide.
take if
it
out
they sus
pect you tried to scare
between Dreamcast and Naomi apart from an extra amount of RAM on the motherboard and the code being mounted in ROM, instead of on CD. This means that the conversion process is relatively straightforward and only
them, or otherwise reduce their
life
expectancy.
tweaks such as reducing the number of textures are required for it to run on Dreamcast. Perhaps the most encouraging aspect though is that Naomi is cheap and is therefore facilitating slightly greater creative risks within
Sega. Apart from planned multi-screen efforts such as Airline Pilots and Ferrari 355, some be Giant Gram All Japan Pro-Wrestling 2) will even feature cross compatibility between the Dreamcast’s VMS and the coin-op - simply plug your VMS into the arcade cabinet and your favorite trained characters will become active on the big screen. Sega says a further two or three games will
titles (the first will
utilize this cross-fertilization of
code this year.
Sega’s Crazy Taxi: You race around the city picking up fares and dropping them off at their destinations best fares are usually the most difficult to get to, but pay more. There’s a time-limit, of course, and
them down with your taxi-
at least not before they’ve paid the
bill.
it’s
in
as
best
little
if
time as possible. The
you don’t try to
Expect this one to arrive on Dreamcast before the year
is
mow
out.
DCJAPAN
GAMING NEWS FROM THE TOKYO BUREAU
lil-ililiJi-l.t-LiXilxli.li-la.t
IMAGE PROCESSING Sega’s current wave of ads in Japan are something of a departure from previous campaigns and feature Sega General Manager Yukawa Hidekazu trapped in a sinister daydream where children are not what they seem. Below is a translation of this latest media salvo- along
i
J
with our
own
interpretation of events...
..Li.t.l-tl.i.li-ljJ-
1
-U.i-i-lxLi.l-i
1
1 1 1
1 1 ! .
Translation: Hidekazu
Appearing
appears on a mountain-top-
the charming Hidekazu into a
they
friendly,
lull
Suddenly- their eyes turn
.
i .
liULiltLLUUUlJxIil-iXUiL.ltlj.ljJjXii-iluUijUlii.l.-LLLl
dressed, in a Saville
some
with
Row suit
false
sense of security. "Sega
has changed", they
children
cry.
"
black and they scream: "No! It’s
We don’t need we want PlayStation!"
a joke!
Sega-
Really?" replies Hidekazu
ZIMPORTG AMEQFTH EMONTH GET BASS It’s
Bowling
Tour.
dub: “Hello. I’m looking
to buy
some
children for a top
"You can have
my sister for
secret government project
100 Yen. She’s the one
codenamed
yellow hat."
Akira."
in
the
"No! You can’t have her! You can’t
buy any of us!
We’re...Children of the Corn!"
either your idea of heaven or officially the
least interesting sport this side of the Seniors
comes
DCM
Lawn
Whichever side you find yourself on when it Bass will have you dreaming of elecweeks to come.
to fishing. Get fish for
tric, er...
Currently only available on import, Sega’s bass fishing
sim
is
a pixel-perfect port of
its
arcade classic of the
same
name- with an added ‘consumer mode’ featuring extended multi-stage tournaments
the option to fish as the fairer sex and access to your very own tackle box. Not convinced? Play it, and you’ll be (ahem) hooked. With the time limit ticking down, and the ever present danger of losing a big catch, Get Bass is a lot more exciting than you might at first assume. Catch a ‘Big One!’ and you’ll realize just
how
you’ll get right
,
game can get. Lose one, and there for another go - every time.
satisfying a
back
in
Oh
no! Hidekazu has been
duped by demons!
"Children of the Corn! I
wish
I
had a big hole
Oh in
Suddenly, the ground opens
His secretary has caught
up and swallows ladies-man
the worldly Hidekazu sleep-
Hidekazu
ing on the
the
As
if
by magic...
Luckily, his fall is
But for the ultimate thrill-ride (or what passes for the fishing community), you should buy the bun-
office.
thrills in
a
dle and get your hands on the fishing controller. It has a litgyroscope hidden inside for detecting your arm movements so that you can cast your line without using a button. Of course, you look sort of stupid doing it, unlike real fish-
j
tle
fjgfs
ing (apparently).
*
Y5800 ($50) Developer: Sega Price:
•ir’”"’”
PublishenSega
"Are you okay?
Yes," he replies.
Online:
‘
she asks.
"
Hidekazu reflects on his nightmare.
No
Multiplayer: No Peripherals:
VMU,
Fishing Controller
"
The Children
of the Corn
are here to see you, “
Hidekazu.
Mr
broken by
an exact replica of his own
ground to jump into!"
Origin: Japan
job...
no!
"Perhaps this giant logo protect
me?" He
thinks,
emerging from the desk.
will
TWO/WO/V7WSWITHOUT7WZ.E7PAPER!
SAMEDIFFERENCE Okay- so we admit
it,
If
there are other
Dreamcast magazines worth looking at on the planet- but they’re in Japan. The
now supports
Game Show. Japan’s
is
magazine
‘interactive’ areas
in this
covered by -yep- an eggplant.
case, we’d be sort of relieved
if it
didn’t.
a room with his only sustenance for 15 months
Sunday night. His first several meals consisted of nothing more than the Tokyo equivalent of Alpo, and it took him months to win toilet paper. Spying an opportunity for a game, Tokyo-based publisher Hudson (better known for its hit Bomberman
picked up while at
DC Dreamcast
his,
but
in
being whatever he could win through entering competitions in magazines, airing his plight for 15 minutes every
official
with a naked cartoon Nasubi-
Nasubi (which translates as ‘eggplant’), the show locked
him
Dreamcast magazines the best two of which the Tokyo
show - complete
ahem,
We would usually be the first to bemoan the fact that Japanese games so rarely make the leap to the States,
four different
we
the
Japanese variety show Susunu Denpa Shonen (Don’t go for It, Electric Boy!). Taking an unemployed comic named
magazine market over there
you thought the Truman Show or EDTV took telefar, then wait ‘til you get a load of
vision a step too
for
our beloved system and
has created the interactive Dreamcast version of
titles)
has been around since
December
of last year.
GD-ROM
Oddly, the free is
packaged with
DCEUROPE
Softbank’s ‘Dreamcast Magazine’unofficial, but equally unrivalled in
terms of news, previews and
pages
full
mad Manga
of readers soft-porn
And before you
illustrations.
TRANS-ATLANTIC DREAMCAST NEWS
ask, no.
Not ever. Keep them to yourself.
DRIVERS W4/V7E0 METROPOLIS STREET RACER GATHERS SPEED Follow that car! Metropolis Street Racer features cars from Europe, Japan
As Cozy
Taxi (see
page
and the USA
11)
-
and some of the most amazing lighting effects ever!
demonstrates, the Next Big Thing
when
comes
it
city driving.
to racing
games
is
called him up...
BW:
If
4
that.. just hit, I
Racing around a
city
throws
an erm.. rabbit
or something.’
you’ve ever wanted
up many challenges..hang on a
DCM:
to take part
minute..’ (screeching of brakes).
big rabbit, Brian.We could
hear the
chase, complete with screaming
DCM: ‘Brian?’ BW: ‘Sorry. Now where were we?
pedestrians, empty cardboard
Challenges. The main one
boxes and (inexplicably) chickens, then Metropolis Street Racer will
maintain accuracy and a feel
take you there.
structure
real
a
in
Hollywood
car-
Racing through London, San Francisco and Tokyo, you’ll be
map
at each stage
in
one
of twenty different licensed sports cars that include the Acura NSX, Ford
Mustang and the
how
without compromising the
game
Italian Fiat
and playability of the You can use made up
itself.
most games do, but we’re doing real life, so you need to represent what’s there, and therefore the choice of which areas to model has to be really carefully considered (A hair-raising thud
ed European and japanese autos.
lowed by more screeching of
We
called Bizarre Creations
bump
BW:
and crunch fol-
‘Look-
it’s
ing to you, but
from here.’
been nice talkhave to go. I
Thanks for the opportunity and stuff. Bye.’ (click.)
DCM:
‘Yeah, so
long.’
Metropolis Street Racer
is
due
September. Read our
out
in
full
preview of this stunning
4
Barchetta, as well as other assort-
must’ve been a pretty
(Sirens) to
‘real city’
cities, like
screeching around over two square miles of
is
‘It
game
next issue.
brakes)
producer Brian Woodhouse, and he
DCM:
explained the challenge thrown up
you there?’
by creating such an open road. He was on his cell phone doing about 7omph on the freeway when we
Sorry about
BW:
‘Brian? Are
‘Sure.
I.
I
.1
.1.1.
I
.1.1.1 .1.1. I.l.
I
.1 .1
.
1:1,11.1,1
up close
&
personal with
GAKI BLUE STINGER
PROFILE
C Stinger
and Spielberg. But also the newer generation of directors such as John
in
list.
Climax Graphics’ Blue
an
all-action, thirdperson
is
specialists in visual effects.
neck and attempts to
its
DCM met with
it.
weapon, which you keep with you throughout the game.
DCM:
collision of the
I
think the
my game have been
SPECIALEFFECTS
influenced by Dragon Quest.
specific
Is
Blue Stinger aimed
at
any
DCM: Sega initially thought that all Dreamcast titles would run at 6ofps, but
age group?
that’s not the case for Blue Stinger, is
SN: We’re particularly targeting people
who
will offer...
rent
it?
Hollywood movies during the
DCM: What do you
great experience of
think Blue Stinger's
strongest asset is?
Shinya Nishigaki
'In
terms of content,
we wanted
important thing
players to have the experience of a
Hollywood movie
we
that
I
SN: We use a refreshment rate of 3ofps. We could have used 6ofps, but because
to
we wanted
how
see
far
we
to
we wanted
could
terms
In
players to have
the experience of a Hollywood movie
an interactive way. Players
will
Dreamcast development, what have you
designed
too.
It’s
new genre
come about?
like that
I’m a fan of
market. partner.
movies.
impossible to
movies -
to
it’s
In
Japan
used
in
Japan.
I
want
to see
are also
DCM:
it’s
make Hollywood-style
too expensive - but with
in
I
it’s
prefer to view
D2 as
for the
titles
today, including
own Sonic Adventure, Blue
Stinger offers multiple characters.
is
we use two sources
is
a
moving source of
we have
the
weapon
and we also have the regular
lights.
But for realtime lighting we
use Nephilim and the weapons.
DCM: Do you think you’re
all
It’s
of
difficult to say.
its
capabilities
not using the
How
-
really
example, we’re
bump mapping,
but
SN: You can select two characters -
hardware.
a ‘standard’ type and a ‘hard’ type,
answer that particular question.
become possible
for
films influenced
the look and feel of Blue Stinger?
SN:
I’ve
been influenced by Kurosawa
game
feelings. For
example, the combination of
Dogs - they use
different
are
always many different ways to use any
gameplay?
providing different
to copy.
DCM: Which Hollywood
we
using the lighting features. There are
does that
me
pushing
We’re not using for
possible. All the stages of movie
production have
of
‘Nephilim’ [a flying female
who
computers many things became
affect
There
filters.
game?
the Dreamcast hardware?
a
SN:
many
libraries.
kind of lighting effects are
the
After that
effects,
map’s
played the
would be a good thing I’d
One
character], light.
Blue Stinger
genre.
I
Like
Sega’s
new
can
some impressive sound
DCM: So what
light.
game
D - thought that more games
it
also very easy to
support and some good
it
you using
a
It’s
develop on Dreamcast; there’s good
for Japan.
really. Like
strongest feature?
its
important, and there’s also the
lighting effects.
in
Japan,
be competing with?
original
camera, so naturally
I
in
be
is
SN: Basically
creating a
12-years-old,
strong
DCM: Do you view Warp’s D2 as SN: Not
8mm
is
to
SN: The number of polygons display
WARPED you’ll
I
found
actually
not really a character game;
not exist before
as a
No- half action, half adventure. DCM: How did the concept for the game SN:
When was
game
US market?
Blue Stinger falls into a genre that did
pure action from Blue Stinger then?
play with an
the
Hollywood movies
DCM: Should Dreamcast owners expect
SN:
Is
for the
in
become
the main character of an action movie.
to display lots of creatures,
to rethink things.
DCM: During your time working on
Influence from the visual effects
We wanted
we had
You’re talking a great deal about
Dreamcast graphics
terms of realtime polygons.
of content,
with an easy
game
DCM:
Hollywood.
is
use the
push the Dreamcast in
we wanted
a movie-like
interface.
SN: No, that’s not our intention.
card.
interactive way."
fully
movies. Because of that
make
capabilities of the
an
in
:
believe the most
games but who
Why’s that?
like
weekend; people who do not have a
ACTION HERO
How
because of Dragon Quest. emotional parts of
HQ to talk
Dreamcast and what the
some
weapon can you use?
games, entered the game industry
producer Shinya Nishigaki at Climax’s
about Blue Stinger,
of
SN: There are eight different types of
for
I
shoot ’em up that takes Sega’s console
by the scruff of
many types
As
features
pretty spectacular explosions.
Carpenter and Joe Dante, plus
Dreamcast’s most-wanted-
shake the best out of
two
DCM: The game
urrently rocketing from total
obscurity to high priority
software
Elliot
and
weapons and
have very different characteristics.
It’s
actually very hard to
SHENMUE Developer:
AM 2 Publisher:
Sega Origin:
Japan
Genre:
Adventure Players:
One Peripherals:
Puru Puru Pack
VMU ESRB
Rating:
Pending Online?
No Release Date:
TBA 2000
WHAT'S THE It’s Shenmue, the most ambitious (and expensive) adventure title ever created - to the tune of a
20 million dollar development budget and four years of painstaking work by Sega’s legendary AM2 division, headed by Yu Suzuki.
WHY MIGHT n
O
riginally
known
under the working title
of Project
Berkeley,
began
Shenmue
its life
long
before Sega man-
•''l
WHY MIGHT rr
Shenmue may
prove to
be too ambitious. It attempts to elude nearly every notion there is of what an adventure title
may
objectives in non-linear fashion,
ulti-
mate outcome, but Shemmue
more
tasks. Ryo Hazuki, the game’s central
a living, breathing experience than a
just didn’t
with him - he
have the canvas on which
dream
Dreamcast.
until
in
Shenmue
is
con-
nails
down
to their individual finger-
and teeth ("ick!’~ Ed), and
some 1,200 rooms and exquisitely detailed
its
locales are
- carpets have
individual weaves, cherry trees boast
thousands of
petals,
and
tiny crea-
it
influence over gameplay.
Shenmue aims keep
to
do both. From shop will
their
character, can also accrue
that will take days (and
weeks) to
fully heal,
his ability to travel
damage
fight.
be
up
in
a hospital bed while Ryo’s
recovering, or sitting on a steamer for
week to mainland
a
ing the already immersive atmos-
example, going slowly insane at the
phere. Suzuki and crew have also
Japanese equivalent of the DMV.
China. Or, for
provide the eerily
Shenmue’s
life-like
When
searching rooms or manipu-
lating objects, the
digitized
game switches
mode. The
AM2
to a
have
staff
and motion captured a
model’s hands to create this onscreen, and the effect of
them
rifling
through cassette tapes, grabbing a flashlight,
and dialing telephones
almost akin to real
is
life.
Environment and atmosphere
in its
meat of Shenmue
four primary
will
gameplay
modes: Quest, Quick Timer Event,
movement Sound
cast.
is
scripted play.
be
actors and trained martial artists to
of
course be a strong plot thread, so as
aside, the true
painstakingly motion-captured both
interact
with countless objects. There will of
first-person
Of
will
compressed, so as not to keep you laid
speak with any character, and
sometimes
thus hampering
and
course, the passage of time
tures scurry about the place, further-
is
an area that has received
equal attention. An entire symphony
Quick Timer
Quest
is
Battle,
just
and Free
about how
Battle.
it
sounds;
orchestra has been hired to record the
explore lavishly-detailed locales and
game’s soundtrack, and some of
achieve numerous goals, whether
Japan’s finest voice actors brought on
to deliver items from
from actual data on the game’s locales
to give believable personalities to over
another, or track
over the past 20 years) adds to the
a dozen central characters.
son who may hold clues to your next
ultimately
seem too foreign (and even cumbersome) for many players to enjoy or comprehend.
at will, achieve
to keep you on track toward the
game had always been
should be, and, as a result,
many
game
own schedules, so you’ll have to learn them - and act accordingly - in order to accomplish many
each,
human emotion far beyond the means of other game before it.
every area of the
keeps to key players, characters
structed from thousands of polygons
convey
abili-
time, and even fewer have attempted to give
mold with
ability to
ulti-
mate freedom by giving them the and explore almost
ty to travel to
four years ago. Suzuki has said that
Each character
captivating characters,
HANDSfAP/ Suzuki proposes to afford players
accurately portrayed the passage of
agement introduced Suzuki to its proposed Dreamcast specifications nearly
to realize his
and the
dimension: time. Few games have
the desire to create an epic adventure
Shenmue has the potential to utterly smash the its deeply immersive environments,
realism, along with (drum-roll, please)
what Suzuki - and more than one physicist - refer to as the fourth
Realistic
weather (which
is
modeled
it
be
one character to
down
a specific per-
.
Suzuki and his team traveled extensively throughout Asia to survey the locales in which Shenmue takes place. As a result, each of its hundreds of locations are breathtakingly detailed, from the placement of buildings all the way down to individual signposts. Environments, such as those above, will be rendered in real-time by Dreamcast’s powerful 3D hardware.
in
accordance with flashing on-screen prompts.
most often used
This form of play will be
able objects and entering certain rooms will
game’s more elaborate
bring your hands into view, giving you a Ryo’s-
as
eye perspective and complete control.
rafters,
mode,
you’ll also
have the
ability to
In
Quest
take part
in
various sub-games within the grander adventure, including (you’ll
- but not
need
ticket to
to earn
limited to
- part-time jobs
enough money
to afford the
mainland China) and even re-creations
of classic
AM2
own
Die Hard Arcade,
Virtua Fighter-style real-time.
has the
the
balancing on
ability to
In
this
in
mode, Ryo
punch, kick, guard, parry, and
Who? He’s the
man behind
Sega's famed
R&D
AM 2
division, the
group responsible for some of the most played arcade titles this side of Pac-Man.
Shenmue
is
his first high-profile console
and he has lived and breathed almost four years now.
project, for
it
block.
that of
result
is
an experience totally unlike
any adventure
title
that Suzuki has coined a his
before
it,
new term
Eyes Entertainment. Or,
commands and
Earth-speak,
it’s
his
if
hope
so
much so
to describe
treatment of the genre: FREE, or
Events and QuickTime Battles require directional button presses on your controller
in
sequences, and well
city streets,
take out your aggressions on the bad guys
The end
QuickTime
fight
and other timing sensitive scenarios. Free Battle is self-explanatory - you’re able to
arcade games.
THEQUICK&THEDEkD Like Sega’s
mad dashes through
Full
Reactive
you prefer planet that, by seamlessly
Finest Hour
AM2'S sempai has conjured up some of the coin-op world's biggest games Space Harrier, Out Run, Daytona USA but his crowning achievement Virtua Fighter series,
is
one which
the re-
defined the fighting genre with each sub-
sequent installment. Don't mention
Sword of Vermilion
Why? It
was
and
his first
stab at a console RPG,
his naivete in the field
shone
through. He subsequently dropped the pixies,
and got back
to
more
visceral pur-
suits.
What's next? When not been burning the midnight oil on Shenmue, Suzuki has been seen tinkering with his newest arcade racer, the Naomi board powered Ferrari F355, due this winter.
Shenmue’s cinematic sequences are produced
entirely in real-time so, as Suzuki is keen to stress, there is never a discernable shift in visual quality
between gameplay and story elements
This sequence illustrates one of the
game’s first Quick Timer Events, in which Ryo and Ren escape from a gangster’s hideout.
One
hitch: they’re
handcuffed to each other.
integrating these elements,
Shenmue
will truly
of its parts - and if the finished anywhere as groundbreaking as but
become the sum product
one of
is
its
facets, those ‘killer app’ pundits will
not only have their cake, but eat
By the time you read
been
split
up
this,
it
release in 2000.
will
first
have
of which
being nearly finished and scheduled for Japanese
coming, and
’
to partaking in a
game
money
(left).
needed
travel
3KING
of dice for
much-
3JROUBLE
DCM HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE SHENMUE’S COMBAT SYSTEM FIRST HAND AT THE RECENT TOKYO GAME SHOW Sega set up two rows
of
Dreamcasts devoted to
Shenmue at the show, each demonstrating a different mode of play. Shenmue is unique in that it is divided into a number of different game styles -
depending on where you are
in the game. mode - where you and the game does the rest for chasing a street punk through
There's the Quick Timer Event just hit a button
you
-
in this case,
the maze-like streets of tle like
Hong Kong.
an interactive movie
(ulp!),
It
feels a
lit-
but requires
and is incredibly cinematic (phew!) ample opportunities for Suzuki to
fast reflexes
and
offers
show
off his meticulously created street scenes.
Mother and baby obstacles, old people carrying shopping and workmen - are all positioned to litit seems, erally trip you up. All that's missing,
are glaziers
making their way v-e-r-y
s-l-o-w-l-y
across the road with a giant sheet of glass. And, of course, a herd of sheep.
The biggest crowd gathered around the Free
mode - the cause of much consternation journalists when the game was originally
Battle for
announced - owing to its absence. For a heartstopping month there, it looked as if all the batwould be decided in the Quick Timer Event - merely requiring one or two quick button stabs to resolve. But no! Suzuki has taken much of what was seen in coin-op hit Spikeout, and has included a full Virtua Fighter style battle tles
style
system.
Wandering through a dimly lit warehouse, Ryo is accosted by packs of ruddy-faced bruisers, of the A-Team rent-a-goon variety, which can be dispatched with a flurry of kicks and sweeps, throws and well-timed knees to the groin. After kicking about 30 flabby butts, the stage is clear. It’s a little easy - presumably to make the demo accessible to all, and Like Virtua Fighter, the brawls are as complicated as you want to make them - a lot depends on how skilled you are with the controller. Button-mashing gives way to more elegantly choreographed encounters as your martial arts repertoire grows.
It’s
it
play adventure forever.
Character interaction within Shenmue s world ranges from conversations with town-folk (top left)
Sega of America
game
vintage Suzuki.
will
itself
has
see stateside
Whether or not both chapters
be integrated for U.S. audiences remains to is for certain: Shenmue is may very well change the way we games - and experience them -
be seen, but one thing
too.
Shenmue
two chapters, the
into
release on August 5.
confirmed that the
will
N
Dreamcast is finally here. Sega consoles dating back to
early four years in the making,
The
latest in a long line of
the early i98os-era Master System,
it
represents the
convergence of the company’s home gaming know-how and bleeding edge technology from ing:
its
four partners
in
the undertak-
NEC, Microsoft, Hitachi, and Yamaha.
Dreamcast has
its
similarities to past
consoles -
it still
uses
enough controllers (guess that "VR" craze never quite caught on) and its games still come stored on unassuming, albeit higher capacity, compact discs. But beneath its pearly white exterior lies a brave new world of earth-shaking innovations and familiar
unprecedented With
possibilities.
Visual
its
Memory
decidedly two-dimensional ply storing
games on
able to interact with
Sega has given
Unit (VMU),
memory
life
to the
card concept. Instead of sim-
a boring gray piece of plastic, you’ll it.
now be
Whether exploring dungeons from your car you just won, it’s all
RPG or tuning up that new race possible - and while on the go, no less.
favorite
EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO
ABOUT
SEGA'S POWERFUL STORY
KNOW
NEW CONSOLE BY:
RANDY NELSON
Dreamcast full
to
is
its built-in
of your couch
is
also the first internet-ready console, thanks in 56k modem. Browsing the web from the comfort one thing, but how about going head-to-head
buddy across town (or the country) in a match of Sega Rally 2 to settle that "who’s the best driver" bet once and for all? And if you lose, you can always blame your sixagainst your loudmouth
year-old
nephew
you were But
it
Urkel
who
up the controller" while
"just picked
in
the bathroom.
is
the capacity to evolve that
is
perhaps Dreamcast’s
most intriguing facet. More so than any other system before Dreamcast can accept a myriad of future expansions and
it,
DVD movies in your future? Digital television perhaps? Or how about some extra memory to make your games look more upgrades.
real than real?
Dreamcast can, and
will,
handle
it all.
In the following pages, we’ll give you the lowdown on exactly what to expect when Sega welcomes us all to the next level this fall. So sit down with our feature and take some quality time to
get to
know your Dreamcast.
FRONT Controller Ports
A:
No cutting-edge console would be worth its without more than two controller ports, and Dreamcast as it just so happens boasts four - perfect for multi-player games. But these aren't your average sockets. They can send data in two directions, paving the path salt
such advanced peripherals as printers, digcameras, or perhaps even a Dj-style
for
Videogame consoles
are ultimately
ital
turntable.
the
and
sum
of their
component
parts,
Dreamcast’s case they’re stag-
in
TOP
geringly powerful. Here’s a break-
down
of the bleeding-edge silicon B:
under the hood of the most techno-
GD-ROM
Drive
Dreamcast’s innovative CD unit runs at 12 times
CD-ROM
the speed of normal
logically stunning -
and damn good
game system
drives and boasts
nearly twice the storage capacity of data in total. This
looking -
ever.
means
you’ll
-
1
Gigabyte
see lighten-
ing-fast (or often unnoticeable) load times,
and
won’t be swapping discs as often for longer
and larger games. Of course,
it
will still
play
all
of your favorite audio CDs too. C: Eject
Button
When
pressed, this button makes the Dreamcast open wide for insertion of games and music CDs. Mind your fingers as the discs spin down after playing though - it’s nearly like a saw blade at 12X speed.
D:
Power Button
Pressing this magical button will cause your system to sprout wings and fly around the room frantically. Just kidding...
it
just turns the
power on.
Techno-Babble: CPU
Memory
(Central
Processing Unit): Hitachi SH-c,
26 Megabytes of total
RAM (16MB main
SuperH
tem memory,
memory, 2MB sound memory).
processor running at
What No Reset?
sys-
8MB video
RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Chip)
By now, you’ve probably noticed that Dreamcast
200 Megahertz, capable of
360
million instruc-
Disc Format
Custom 12X speed
tions per second.
Graphics Chip NEC Videologic PowerVR2DC chipset
second with the follow-
56k ITU V.90 standard,
mapping,
all
in
progress,
four action but(A, B, X,
and Y)
hit Start. Viola!
Gigabyte of information.
Modem
ing effects: perspective-
game
and
1
capable of rendering 3 million polygons per
correct texture
missing a reset but-
simply hold down
tons on your controller
Yamaha CD-ROM drive (known as "GD-ROM") which holds up to
is
ton. To reset your
BACK
upgradable through replacement.
point, bilinear, trilinear,
and anisotropic mipmap filtering, gouraud
E:
ored light sourcing,
where you attach a cord
full
modem to the phone jack on your The modem itself can be removed for replacement with a faster model in the future. Alternatively, this is also where undisclosed future upgrades will connect, sliding in underneath the system and offering their own extenwall.
fog,
and bump mapping.
Sound Chip Yamaha Super Intelligent
Sound
Supplied Accessories Composite A/V cable, power cord, modular
Processor capable of
telephone cord, internet
generating 64 simulta-
access software, one
neous audio channels
controller.
with
3D environmental
effects.
Firstly, it’s
for connecting
Dreamcast’s
scene anti-aliasing,
hardware-based
Modem Port
This port serves dual purposes.
shading, z-buffer, col-
sion slot for accommodating the
modem.
Illllllllll F:
A/V Multi-Out Port
Here’s where your four video output options are connected: S-video, composite video, an RFU
adapter, or the exceedingly high quality
VGA
Box.
G: Serial Port Exact purposes of this smallish port have yet to be revealed, but it’s likely that Sega’s proposed Local Area Network adapter (an add-on for setting up your own multi-system, multiplayer games at home) will connect here.
Light
Gun
Memory Unit
Visual
(VMU) From: Sega Price: Packed-in with
the
Dead
2,
House of
From: Sega
$33 (¥3800) sepa-
Price:
$33 (¥3800)
Release: Out
rately
Release: Out
Now
Now
(japan)
Compatible Games:
(lapan)
All
Compatible Games: House of the
Dead 2
Dreamcast’s most unique
VMU
peripheral, the It’s
the Dreamcast Light
like
game system than
Gun, the most innovative videogame blaster in the world. Do you feel lucky? You should, because its pinpoint accuracy
is
second
ry card,
used
a
it
more
memo-
can be
game
saving
(128 blocks worth
data
in all).
VMU’s
remarkableness are
its
diminutive LCD screen, con-
tional
being the
although
for
Central to the
to
none, and its built-in direcpad will undoubtedly open up a whole new world of possibilities for light gun shooters. The least of which
is
a smallish hand-held
trol
pad, and action buttons,
which enable you to organize data, and, tantly, play
ability to actually
move around freely inside the game world while blasting away with a "real” gun.
more impor-
mini-games that
can be downloaded from
many Dreamcast titles. From: Sega Price:
$’5 (¥2800)
Release: Out
Now
(japan)
Compatible Games:
Keyboard
Arcade Stick you’re looking at represents the absolute peak of perfection in videogame control - it
From: Sega
looks great, works great, and
Price:
$33 (¥3800) Release: Out Now (Japan)
Surf the
least a lot
in
more
style
Dreamcast's boasts two control pads, one analog and one digital. Four action buttons grace its face, accompanied by two fully
-
analog shoulder buttons. What make Dreamcast’s pad extra-special, however, are its two extension slots. The top-most one is intended primarily for holding a VMU; the lower one, while it can hold a VMU as well, will most often be where you’ll slap in a Puru Puru Pack for force feedback effects.
or at
effectively
than you can with a controller.
Featuring
all
the keys
and doodads you’ll find on a standard computer keyboard, the Dreamcast keyboard also boasts a number of shortcut keys designed specifically to
incredibly
trollers,
WebTV browser
web
is
comfortable. Not unlike other modern con-
Compatible Software: Dream Passport,
All
What
make using
From: Sega Price:
$50 (¥5800)
Release: Out
Now
(japan)
Compatible Games: Virtua Fighter 3tb, vs.
Power Stone, Marvel
Capcom
For true arcade-style control,
there’s
no substitute
for
having an actual arcade controller
-or,
in this
case,
something incredibly close. Modeled after Sega’s own arcade cabinets, such as the one used for Virtua Fighter 3, the Arcade Stick is as
the system’s bundled inter-
close as you’ll get to the real
net software easier to navigate by automate the typing of such common things as
thing without buying a
"www" and ".com"
weighted, metal base, and
site
for
$3,000 coin-op
features a built-in
addresses.
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unit.
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It’s
also
especially heavy, with a nice
web-
'
1
'i
i
1
'i
'i
VMU
slot.
&
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SONKADVENTURE ith
a distinctly
Gen X
Yuji
hurtling through side-
space
scrolling
of light, Sonic has
at the
Under the direction of series creator
atti-
tude and a talent for
subtle animations of
gone on to capture
the imagination of millions around the globe, joining the ranks of Mario and
elements are the
first
intact,
completely smooth 3D polygons, each of
as a run-through of
stage, Emerald Coast, confirms:
the six playable characters
gold rings to collect, cute enemies to
know
dash, and most importantly, tear-induc-
sive looking.
videogames. With the launch of Dreamcast in Japan, his-hedgehogness has arrived outing.
As
in style for his first truly
startling a
change as
this
be for a series so firmly entrenched
ing speed-
3D
may in
side-scrolling
Right a
and
it's all in
of gaming,
full
is
some
designed
equally amazing
a long
gameplay.
levels.
way
the different characters on page and the stages are equally impres-
and flawlessly
come
Sega
ESSENTIALS
VMS:
defying tracks that house super-speed
launch pads that rocket the blue
fella
The most basic move
in
the
book, Sonic’s jump move has been enhanced to help him navigate the brave
new world
of 3D.
Jumping by pressing X, then pressing jump again at the height of Sonic’s leap allows him to
do one of two things: home
in
on the nearest enemy for a good
bashing or jump dash to cover a greater distance more quickly.
HEDASHES!
HESPINS!
Sonic’s dash move is little more than a way to get around town or stages more quickly. Pressing and holding the B or X button powers up your dash. Releasing it sets you on your way. Only
After Sonic picks up his
until you get a hold of the Super Spin dash will this move be of any real use against enemies or in specific environments.
Puru Puru Pack
ESRB:
ing
E
Origin: Japan
5800 yen
HECARRIESSWFP. first
upgrade, the super speed shoes, he’s then able to really pack a punch with his Super Spin Dash with the B or X button. With each upgrade, Sonic’s spindash will become more useful in
1
No
Peripherals: VMS,
Price:
HEJUMPS!
Yes
Players:
Online:
from a speed standpoint -the gravity-
since the Genesis. From the
visual depth of each environment to the
Team
PUBLISHER:
ele-
where Sonic runs around looking for shortcuts and secret areas (of which there are many) and - most impressive
to bursting
Sonic has indeed
game
ments. There’s the exploration parts,
point with silky-smooth animation,
a visually stunning
the
Each consists of three essential
beautiful 3D.
incredibly realistic scenery
ideology, the result
experience with
26)
away you know you’ve entered
new world
in
are rendered with crystal clarity (get to
bonk on the head, red bumpers that launch you into orbit, the super-spin
mugs
in
DEVELOPER: Sonic
Sporting bright, colorful textures and
having one of the most recognizable
recently inducted Crash Bandicoot as
the objects on
be believed.
of the quintessential "Sonic"
start. All
all
each screen, this game must be seen to
Naka, Sonic Adventure gets off to a
blazingly fast and fabulously familiar
speed
the action stages by allow-
you to power up and cross gaps in the ground by flythem in a straight line.
An
ability only accessible to
Sonic during the adventure segments of the game, you’ll need to carry things like keys from one area to another in order with the Y button to unlock new stages. This
skill
shows
Sonic’s
increased interaction with his surroundings and even lets him
large
cuddle a
ing over
this really a
bit
with his Chaos.
Is
good thing?
V 25
VJHO’SWHO
itib
tifctt.
TAILS Species: Fox Abilities: Flying
and racing different characters
through each level Goals: Finding short-cuts to outrun opponents
Best level: Emerald Coast or Sky Deck If
he were a Simpsons character, he’d be:
MilhouseVan Houten
KNUCKLES An anteater with a single
Species: Echidna. fice for expelling
waste and
Abilities: Digging,
ori-
fluid. Ick.
climbing and gliding
Goals: Find hidden locations of Emerald pieces in
(Top) Sonic gathers with Knuckles, Tails and
Amy
in
a special ending to take
down
Perfect Chaos. Bring on Super Sonic! (Right) E-102 takes a stroll around town; (cen-
each level and make a whole gem.
ter) Frog-catching in
Best level: Casinopolis
Emerald Coast; (bottom) Tikal, the Chaos Emerald guardian
Simpson’s counterpart: Nelson Muntz
S5£A AMY Species: Abilities:
number of sub-games
that range from snow-
game
Hammer
another way to get just a
The of Love.
level
moments
design
is
more out of
little
further
it
again
killer
entrances
hidden
throughout Station Square. You’ll
it.
enhanced by certain
of blissful spectacle. From a
each of the level
when
with Amy. Even
you’ve completed a stage, you can always play blow.
Goals: Outrun Eggman’s robot through levels
equipped with her glorious
like
also a
boarding, to pinball simulations (guess who’s the ball?)
w/hammer
Double jump
a bullet train. For a change of pace, there are
along
to a “whack-a-Mole”-type
Hedgehog
need
to
complete the
whale
levels in a specific order to access
No, seriously...
chase
in
Emerald Coast to Wind Valley’s dizzying torna-
stage, giving the
game
each successive
a strictly linear structure.
Best level: Twinkle Park or Hot Shelter
do, complete with a vortex of brilliantly rendered
Simpsons counterpart: Jessica Lovejoy
leaves, Sonic Adventure wields flash
equal
BIG THE CAT Abilities:
Very few. Fishing,
if
you must know
Goals: The obligatory “fishing element” in every
Japanese game. Fish to rescue his pet frog
where you can participate
in
seeking out
new
the raising, breeding and
training of the Tamagotchi-style Chaos. Think of
gameplay
Chaos
a
new
stellar visuals
in
Sonic Adventure also takes a bold leap
direction as well. Sonic not only receives the
in gift
gab (with full voice tracks), but he’s also able to use newfound voice on the characters roaming the fic-
his
tional metropolis, Station Square. Here you’re required
to interact with other characters, read signposts
carry out minor tasks in order to progress.
E-102r
isn’t just for
stages. You’ll also be able to visit the Chao Gardens,
go hand in hand with introducing Sonic to a more powerful system in Dreamcast, the
of Best level: Hot Shelter
Simpsons counterpart: Barney Gumble
CHAOTIME But Station Square
skill.
TOBOLDLYGO While
Species: Take a big fat guess
and function with
and
In fact,
good bulk of the challenge within the game
is
it
as an
introduction to virtual pet sims, Sonic-style. (More on in
the sidebar "Chao Baby" on page XXX).
Controlling Sonic in his
3D
universe
is
surprisingly
smooth allowing you to get a good grasp on navigating both depth and direction without any problems. The layout of each level takes the pressure off the controls
by defining the actual room you have to move around.
By using elements such as water, lava or umpteen mile
a
finding
drops to surround limited areas,
you’ll
have a good
Species: Sentry Robot Abilities:
Super Multi-targeting Blast
Goals: Save as
each all
level,
many animals
as possible from
while destroying evil sentry robots
under a time limit
Best level: Red Mountain
Simpsons counterpart: Professor
DCM
Frink
Counterpart: Randy Nelson
SUPERSONIC Species: Uber
Hedgehog
Abilities: Invincibility
Goals: Destroy Perfect Chaos and
amass
maintain super powers
Simpsons counterpart: Radioactive Man
V
rings to
Emerald Coast, your starting point
in
Sonic Adventure,
is
a showcase piece with plenty of dazzling sights and breakneck speed.
FEATUREDffiEV/EW
r
CHAO Not only
will
these
little
creatures give
you hours of love and entertainment, they’ll also give you a
damn good reason to use your VMU. It can be a bit tricky- so here’s a mini-guide to parent-
hood.
? How do First,
get started?
1
you must find some e
There are two pastel-colored ones sitting
Chao Garden
in
the
Station
in
Square that can be hatched.
? How do
I
hatch
eggs? Sonic Adventure manages to include not
Very carefully. Chaos
one... not two... but countless of
are very sensitive to
your actions, so
picking
button
it
nice and slow by first
it
up with the Y button, then holding the
down and pressing any
direction on the ana-
out the Chao.
Once you set
back on the ground,
it
idea as to where you can or can’t go. But,
log stick. You’ll begin caressing the egg, coaxing it
you also never
restricted
incredibly open,
? What should do with I
Pay close attention to how At this early stage
in
once
acts each time you
assimilate different animals with
done by freeing some
hatches?
it
life,
it.
in
Dramatic camera angles work both for and against Sonic Adventure. Thankfully,
While some gamers
of Robotnik’s animal slaves
may have
it
feels too
able
much
like
you’re being
around by the snout, rather than forcing you to use
led
any
real skill, the
speed segments
in
avoid feeling too scripted. Level designs are paced well
and bring
and include enough variety to neatly sidestep
near a
in
the face of the game’s abundant strengths,
lucky for us
US gamers
this prob-
But the camera problem also highlights another of the
lem.
game’s few (but
CAUGHT0/VCAMERA
through certain corners
your Chaos by shaking down coconuts from the trees in the garden.
annoying angles. Not just annoying, the experience can
the next,
leave you disoriented. Imagine cruising along, collecting
relieved to
some
of
its
to avoid to close associ-
ations with
?
,
say. Echidnas...).
Can you mate Chaos the
in
You can also feed
the gardens or only on
public. Set
on a steel platform -
next, you’re staring, bald-
warning), as well as tion take a
two adults next
them get started and
to if
one another
in
in
order
successful, they’ll
no idea where you are or where the hedgehog has gone Imagine
off to.
this kind of thing
happened
in
the
movies. You’re watching the T-Rex approach the
upturned jeep
produce an egg!
if
in
Jurassic Park,
in
weaknesses: bugs. Clipping
the environment (parts of the
rather
dodgy
collision detec-
of the shine off the otherwise gleaming
surface of Sonic Adventure. To be absolutely bowled
falling
through a wall is
for
no reason to an untimely death
sure to spoil the mood. Once again, you’ll be
know that
this will all be corrected for the
US
release.
Despite these problems, however, Sonic succeeds delivering a fast, furious rollercoaster ride with
in
enough
depth and beauty to dazzle even the most jaded gamer. It’s
when suddenly the cam-
little
some
over by the beauty of a waterfall one moment, then
faced at the backside texture of a wall with absolutely
VMU?
You can mate them anywhere, but preferably not
to let
rings
significant)
scenery suddenly disappear and then re-appear without
The same cannot be said for the game’s camera. Nicknamed "Cammy" around the office, the camera system has a bad habit of taking on a life of its own at times. Due to the speed of Sonic himself, you’ll find Cammy lagging behind or getting stuck at the most
bly take on
it’s
cameras are being
BUGGIN OUT
Chao. The Chao will
characteristics (so best
that the
corrected for the domestic release.
then nuzzle the animal, delightedly, and possi-
it’ll
saying more often than not
Sonic Adventure
can then pick one up it
you’ll find yourself
a
distaste for the speed-factor in Sonic
games, claiming that
and you
be “ooh’s,” not “aarghs” that
a pond as Big the Cat.
This can be
Garden. The animals will automatically be freed into the area
red-
set track as Sonic or you’re fishing
you can
stages then returning to a Chaos
in different
in feeling
whether your
sneakered feet are zipping along a
it it
a Chao’s
feel too
when roaming. Each
environment succeeds
willhatch.
visit.
those
“gaming moments.”
elusive
best to avoid dropping or
it’s
throwing an egg. Hatch
not the only reason to buy a Dreamcast, but
damn
it’s
a
convincing one.
era gets stuck behind a giant green fern with a tiny bee-
? What can you do with the VMU Train, train, train!
By moving a Chao
you can participate
in
in all of this?
to your
VMU,
a number of games that will
boost your Chao’s stats
.
The mini-quest
improve your Chao’s abilities so
it
in
on
it.
the
And the camera stays there
until the
scene
ends. Aargh!
While this doesn’t happen too frequently, some
seem worse
stages
will
can win
tle
off than others (cough...
cough... Emerald Coast).
Sky Deck...
Though the problem
is
FRANCESCA REYES
forgiv-
Chao Races.
0
'Brilliant level
#
-Beautiful graphics
designs
O O
"Cammy's”
fickle behavior
•Buggy areas detract from gameplay
27
DCW4
DREAM CASTO/VL/yVE
GET READY! DREAMCAST Dreamcast’s
built-in
GJ VES
YOU
modem makes
mail,
browse the world-wide web,
or,
THJE
it
be to send
best of
all,
DREAMCASTO/V1V/VE101
WORLD!.
easier than
it
ever to access the internet, whether
part
in
Nation
e-
take
site,
massively multiplayer online games. DC is
but
your monthly guide to not only DCM’s weball
things Dreamcast online.
WORLD WIDE WHAT?
mil
v
Ojack
BATTLE TIME
I
Sega’s original online service, Dricas (top
Unlike the movies, plugging the
left),
went
you don’t,
phone
also hurt.
a network of
A
phone
connect
its
modem
the first online-compatible Dreamcast game on the block - it’s also DCM’s current favorite. Few things compare to going head-tohead against three friends (or complete strangers) for some of the most thrill-packed racing available anywhere. In only a few short minutes, you can be up and racing online too. Simply start the game, select the ‘Network Race’ option from the main menu, and enter the name you’d like to appear above your car while racing. Select ‘connect’ and you’ll be zipped off to Sega’s racing server and plopped into a chat room. (Sounds kinda painful Ed) Here you can talk to other would-be racers and set up a match. Highlight your three virtual opponents using the controller and select ‘race/ Don’t worry if you suck - you can brush up on your racing skills by following our in-depth strategy guide that starts on page isn’t just
electronics stores)
open phone
if
most
necessary.
movies, information -
some
)
fill
out
all
the
required fields, and your system will
connect to Sega’s register itself, as
toll-free if
server and
What’s that?
by magic.
Racing Wheel
easier-to-use interface. still
takes
ages though.
)
LOG ON Now
first
you’re ready to go online for the time.
IN
From Dream Passport’s
provide access to three other key areas
Sega’s server. Once you’re signed on, the browser
window
will
open and you
can start exploring the net.
A whole
world of educational information
TOUCH
Both browsers also
main menu, select the ‘connect’ option, and your system will dial into
will
then become available to you. That
and 200 fan-sites devoted to Pamela Lee’s ‘considerable talents.
of the internet: E-mail,
Your
means
first
getting around
is
newsgroups, and chat.
of via
E-mail lets you
Dream Passport software, which was
exchange private mes-
included with your
newsgroups
Sega’s
Dreamcast system. all
It
of the neces-
web
sites,
VMU
(also
known as ‘message boards’) are forums for
sages, and chat lets
you interact with hun-
watching movies, and
downloading
sages with others,
posting public mes-
sary features for
accessing
VMU,
of
search features and an
Everything
viewing pictures,
Multiplayer: Yes
web
number
providing a
TO BROWSE
Origin: japan
Peripherals:
WebTV
chased separately, but browsing process by
TWO WAYS
Publisher: Sega Online: Yes
Microsoft’s
software must be pur-
simplifies the
($50)
Developer: Sega
An alternative to
Dream Passport,
basically the
Oh, God...
has
Y5800
It’s
internet.
Pop the Dream Passport disc in and power up your machine. Select ‘Getting Started,’
relating to
videogames and some
SIGN UP
Anderson Price:
all
sorts of pictures, to an
not.
Sega Rally 2
web
On these
pages, you’ll find
cord provided with your Dreamcast to
jack, using a splitter (available at
(top right), a digital postcard service of sorts.
ONLINEG AM EOFTHEMONTH S SEGA RALLY 2
And
is.
each comprised
of ‘pages.’
live in
November 1998 and serves as a one-stop information source Japanese Dreamcast owners. In addition to daily news and some more unique features, such as Mail
for
may
and-mouse games with clumsy Feds.
everything takes ages.
Just in case It’s
It
Instead, use the modular
world maps, or
the
Web
‘sites,’
head won’t work. lot.
chat, the site offers
IN
know what
World-Wide
jack directly into the back of your
ONLINE Chum
you should
did,
already
Ztl» 571050*8
not involve
lots of
‘hackers’ playing cat-
around the
same time Walt Disney
GET WIRED! bO-080® "3*»-Xo4»o’
movies, surfing the
web does
keeping up with current events
U:a-7ftA*H
you. Unlike the
Unless you stopped
pro-
grams. Once more,
Hollywood has duped
dreds of other people in real-time.
NATION
GO!
CONNECTING TO THE OFFICIAL SEGA DREAMCAST MAGAZINE SITE
ONLINE CONTEST Simply head over to our site and upload your best Sega Rally 2 times, and we’ll compare them against those of your fellow readers. If you’re good enough, you just might be able to pull away from the pack and win the ultimate prize, a Subaru Impreza 555 of your very own. No, wait! Heck, it’s the dummy issue - for one
After a rousing online multi-player
bout of Sega Rally line
2,
make
over to DCM’s online
a bee-
home
at
www.dreamcastmagazine.com Featuring
live
events, special
online-only features, and a great
means
to interact with your fellow
Dreamcast owners, our
site is
the
month
only, the prize for the
ultimate online resource
fastest
Sega Rally 2 lap time
Dreamcast-related information.
is...
the planet Mars!
PROFILE ‘.LIVE LIVE MONTHLY CHATS WITH DREAMCAST CELEBRITIES Every month,
DCM
hosts a
live
online
Blue Stinger creator Shinya Nishigaki
be
will
live
on
event featuring the personalities
our site to answer questions, take feedback, and give
behind Dreamcast’s games and cut-
his
thoughts on Dreamcast and gaming
in
general.
ting-edge technology. This month,
BALLOTS0X HAVE YOUR SAY IN OUR MONTHLY ONLINE POLL Want
to
be heard? DCM’s website gives you a
chance to voice your opinions Last month,
we posed
‘Life:
J
in
our monthly
the question: ‘What
you most looking forward
to
poll.
game
are
on Dreamcast?’ and
What’s the point?’
a-
Your overwhelming response would put a smile on
Yu Suzuki’s face. Shenmue dominated the
BOOKMARKS
the most anticipated lineup.
FREE DOWNLOADS AND UP-TO-THE-MINUTE NEWS Now to
here’s a great idea. Dreamfiles.com allows
download ready-to-go save games
Can’t
seem
for the
to unlock that secret character
site.
Check
it
out at www.dreamfiles.com.
is
Also on our hot
list
this
month
is
Sega
on
interviews, reviews, previews, codes, it’s
a site that every
bookmark cache.
one of the
X,
web’s premiere fan-operated Dreamcast
Power
Stone? Chances are that they have and the save the
you
VMU.
in
sites.
and
Sega fan should have
Visit
them
at
As
With
daily news, in their
Saturn
title in
poll as
Dreamcast’s upcoming
for the other question...
This month, title
we want
to
know what Genesis
you think deserves
a
or
Dreamcast update.
From Phantasy Star to Guardian Heroes, there are plenty to choose from. Give us your two cents at the
DCM
site
and
we’ll post the results next issue.
DCM
www.segadreamcast.net.
29
m HOWfOBEAT
SEGA RALLY2 GO FROM DRIVING MISS DAISY TO BULLITT IN 60 MINUTES WITH DCM'S CRASH COURSE IN RALLY RACING LEARN
STEP Power
J
remember
is
Sega Rally 2 The most .
the timing of braking and accelera-
optimal cornering, you’ll need to keep as close to the
tion. For
inside of the turn as possible as
you enter
it,
on the brake, and then point your car a in
fine tune them Two fundamental changes should always be made, and gear ratio. You’ll find that a low gear ratio (two clicks down right for
will
further than the turn
keep your car from
each course, using the test run option to
We
whole-heartedly recommend sticking with
automatic shifting
until
you’ve gotten cornering
as necessary before the race.
down
however:
can yield significant increases
tires
from normal) usually yields the best results, and dirt/gravel’
whenever the
likelihood of rain
S1EPTHRE last
mode and
you’ll
want
greater than
to select ‘wet’ or ‘wet
you’ll
in
acceleration off
the curve. Check the diagram to the right to find
pick Riviera, then start the race as usual.
out exactly where the secret course entrance
hard turn before the second checkpoint, you’ll notice
Knock them both over and
Once you have, manual transmission
80%.
that there are two orange cones sitting along the left-hand side of the barrier wall.
pat.
the starting line and after tight turns.
SECRET UNI-GAME!
FIND
Enter Arcade Championship
As you approach the
is
sliding out too
CAR
step should be to experiment with the various car settings to determine
first
which ones are
little
order to slide ‘out and around.’ Pressing the accelerator while
mid-way through the turn
tap ever-so-slightly
CUSTOMIZE
STEP Your
SLIDE
slides factor heavily in mastering
crucial thing to
is
along the main track.
hear a tone to confirm access to the secret
course. Turn your car completely around and drive to along the outer wall along
VMU ONLINE Sega Rally 2 uses the VMU for a lot more than simply saving high scores
IUE Enter the following codes at the title screen.
digital
in
Use the
D-pad and action
buttons
order to enter one.
in
For
-
30 Frames per Second,
enter: UP, A,
it
DOWN, DOWN, UP
race replays on the device, so
LEFT,
UP, B,
all cars, enter:
DOWN,
UP, B, A, LEFT, B,
DOWN
For
60 Frames per Second,
DOWN, DOWN,
RIGHT, B, B,
UP, LEFT, B,
30
RIGHT,
DOWN,
DOWN
RIGHT, B, A,
If
crucial data a snap.
Online support for the
DOWN
game
includes
uploading your best times to Sega’s webIf
you enter the code
you’ll
your strategy, and
make
not,
handy menu that makes saving
LEFT,
To complete the 10-Year
Championship Mode, enter:
there’s a
and loading
enter:
UP, A,
to plan
sure you have one slapped into your
RIGHT, B, B,
controller before playing.
To unlock
enter a driver name, chat with
stores everything from unlocked
cars to season statistics to entire
correctly,
hear a tone afterwards.
site,
and a superb four-player network
competition
mode complete
capabilities for setting
up
with chat
races. Simply
E;: O ' 19 '951
hit
some
pals
the track!
=
UNLOCK EVERY CAR
TRACKS Elwood Blues. Now hang of it. You can do the shopping mall without ever leaving your car. Skill Level:
you’re getting the
DESERT Quick Tip:
It’s
a good Skill level:
idea to adjust your tires to
accommodate
mud
for
in
Driving Miss Daisy. No, wait- this
the
pretty basic stuff.
slicks that you’ll
1
maybe
undoubtedly splash
Morgan Freeman If
is
you can win Year
you’re probably Miss Daisy - or
Keep working.
just her dog.
Skill Level: Burt
through on your way to first
Smokey and
place.
'
Quick
cop, you can be sure he’ll
Tip: Alternating
,
between asphalt and
mud, the Mountain track a good set of combat both sur-
With
You’re
tight
Speed Racer. You’re little
kid hiding in
—
ter handling car for
er
Take a load Relax.
in
And
try to ignore that 16-wheel-
the next lane.
your
run-through and
Skill Level: Mad Max. Nothing phases you. You’ve mastered the art of aggressive driving. Just remember
what you did
to the gas-tank before
you try to
up, or your season
fill
turning.
Skill Level:
Adjust the
tire
type to snow/ice and
lower your gears
David
I
|
Hasslehoffin Knight Rider. Man and slightly-effeminate -machine in perfect harmony. You lose points for not doing your own driving though, for talking to your dash, and for needing rescuing every episode by a Trans Am.
in
order to get the maxi-
mum
handling on
track.
Take your turns a
Snowy
earlier to start slid-
Skill Level:
ing earlier.
Bo and Luke
Duke. You can drive
SB
=
pretty good, but
you
stupidly welded
the doors shut and took out the windows.
What
if it
rains,
eh? What then? Fools!
a
^
Steve McQueen in You solve the murder, get the
Skill Level: Bullitt. girl,
the sideburns, and permission
to never ever smile... ever.
L=gB5BEHBBB=
may be prematurely
adjusting braking and
SNOWY
air
SHigggBBS
look terrified. Chill out.
can
off.
little
"
making
undoing. Try using a bet-
tip:
=
progress, but you
prove to be a racer’s
Quick
wiw
nearly one with the road. There’s a
turns and nighttime
first
Skill Level:
chimpanzee and
its
lighting, Riviera
ai-mfli .
later, hilari-
your trunk. You let opponents get right up on your bumper, then launch suddenly into the as they hurtle unwittingly into the ravine ahead.
RIVIERA tip:
moments
ously pick a small fish out of his pants.
,
face conditions.
Quick
—
you’re chased by a
a duck pond, and then,
in
T.J.
demands tires to
William Shatner in Hooker. Driven around by the heavily blow-dried Romano, you still need help getting out of the car- and during the race, you’re actually replaced by a stunt-double several hundred pounds lighter. With a beard. Skill level:
in
Whenever
traffic
wind up
MOUNTAIN
Reynolds
the Bandit. Getting
faster.
over.
Dreamcast 90210? Oh God,
no...
WELCOME... ....To
the Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine- dedicated to the most power-
and exciting videogames console
ful
modem
graphics engine and a
in
the world. Armed with a i28bit
that will allow you to surf the internet, play
massively multiplayer games and even e-mail your buddies- Sega
Dreamcast
It
is in
every
way
a next generation entertainment platform.
deserves a next generation magazine.
ahead of the game. Dedicated
Like the system, we're
to bringing
complete world of Dreamcast every issue, our promise to you
work
is
that
you the
we will
tirelessly for the biggest exclusives- never flinching from asking the
We promise to furnish our exclusive GD-ROM so that you can
tough questions and never ever taking the PR
you with only the very best demos on play before you pay and
in
We
game
will never review a
arrives in the office-
we won't
through- from the start
But we're
official,
so
our reviews
menu
we
we aim
until it's
score
to the
can't say
it
to set a
until
demos and
standard.
it
we've played the whole thing
what we want,
right?
Sega because
give you, the reader, the best value every issue. full of free
new
completely finished. And when
end sequence.
zine carries the official license from
with a disc
line.
It
Wrong. This maga-
that's the best
way
to
means we can provide you
uninhibited access to Sega's legendary
and world-class development studios.
It
gives us the back-stage pass- and
that's better for you. But the door only swings
one way. Sega has absolute-
We We answer only to you.
are editorially independent-
ly
no say
in
the content of this magazine.
beholden to no-one.
So once again- welcome. Enjoy ing forward to Septmeber,
this
when
sneak preview and
join with
us
in
Christmas
is
coming
Simon Cox Editor In Chief
early...
look-
the world's most powerful console hits the
stores- coincidentally enough, just in time for Issue One. Looks
like
its: of
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
I
want
the Official
to get
one year
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Sega Dreamcast Magazine
a savings of
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