Official sega dreamcast 1 sep 1999

Page 1

INSIDE: Everything

you need to know about your next system!


Cft>M!DWAY

Cft>M!DWAY

*

Cfi> MIDWAY

*

C0>M!DWAY

Cffc>M!DWAY

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing ©1999 Midway Home Entertainment Inc. All rir intits reserved, likeness ot Michael Butter and Hie Ready to Rumble® trademark used under license tram Bolter Partnership (www.ietsrumble.com). All character names aie trademarks ot Midway Home Entertainment trie M.'dwa mark ol Midway Games. Inc. Used by Demission. Nintendo, Nintendo 6 1996. Nintendo ol America Inc. Licensed by Nintendo. Nintendo, Game Boy, Game Boy Color and The Otiieia! Sea! are registe'ed trademarks ot Nintendo ot M. and ttre 3-D N logo are trademarks ol Nintendo ot America Inc. ©1989. 1998 Nintendo ol America Inc. PlayStation and the PlayStalion logos are registered trademarks o! Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Sega. Dreamcas! and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks o! Sega Enterprises, Lid.

©

i

<ft>M!DWAY

i

I

Cft>M!DWAY

Cft>M!DWAY

Cft>M!DWAY

*

Cft>MIDWAY


Cyt>MIDWAY

Cft>MIDWAY

Cft>M/DWAY

Cf£>M!DWAY

READY TO GET DOWN & GET

IT ON.

BROWN

TANK

BUTCHER

THRASHER HIS WHUPPIN'

Cft>M!DWAY

vs.

COMES CHICKEN-FRIED

IN-CAMrjVNNOUNCEMENT BY MICHAEL BUFFER , THE VOICE OF CHAMPIONS ANGEL “RAGING”

BORIS

KNOKIMOV

vs.

MOVES FOR CRUSHING PUNISHMENT "RUMBLE POWER” UNLEASHES EXTREME MOVES •

SELENE

vs.

"Rll YOU WISH YOU C0U1D FIGHT LIXEAGIIL

AN ARSENAL OF TAUNTS AND VERBAL ASSAULTS

-

LOW BLOWS, LUNGING HOOKS, OVERHEAD PUNCHES AND MOR l

r

*

% k

a

ARCADE, CHAMPIONSHIP, AND TRAINING MODES • CREATE AND SAVE YOUR IDEAL BOXER

Sega#Dreamcast

Cj/bMIDWAY

Cft>M!DWAY

ne

C+t>MIDWAY

Cft>MIDWAY

Cfl>M!DWAY


We meet September

n

videogames

will

nineteen stellar

titles,

a

world

the

9,

of

be forever changed.

Sega Dreamcast

will

built-in

launch with

modem for surfing

the Internet and playing massively multiplayer

games, and a 128bit graphics engine to reality.

console.

rival

be, in every way, a revolutionary

will

It

deserves a revolutionary magazine.

It

Like the system, we’re

ahead of the curve.

Dedicated to bringing you the complete world of

Dreamcast that

we

in

every issue, our promise to you

will

work

tirelessly

for

the

is

biggest

most accurate most and the

exclusives, the best features, the

and

in-depth

reviews,

comprehensive tips and strategies. review a

when

game it

until it’s

until

We

will

never

completely finished. And

arrives in the office,

we

won’t score

it

we’ve played the whole thing through,


,

again... from the start

menu

to the end sequence.

But what about that

‘official’

tag? That means

we

can’t speak our minds, right? Wrong. This magazine carries the official license

way

Read the

because that’s the best

review, Shorty.

to give you, the reader, the best value every

issue.

It

gives you a

GD-ROM

(starting Issue 2)

packed with playable demos, and uninhibited access

to

Sega’s

development studios. pass. But

legendary It

Sega has absolutely no say

of this magazine.

world-class

gives us the backstage in

the content

We are editorially independent — We answer only to you.

beholden to no-one.

Welcome to the premiere issue of the Sega Dreamcast Magazine. We’ve been

Official

expecting you...

Simon Cox Editor-in-chief

Official

Sega ©'Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

01


.

.

Contents

Volume

1. Issue

1

Contact OFFICIAL SEGA

ADVERTISING

DREAMCAST MAGAZINE

voice: 415.468.4684

Imagine Media, Inc. 150 North Hill Drive,

fax:

no

DC DIRECT

Dreamcast News Network

please contact:

voice: 415.468.4684 fax:

robin@imaginemedia.com

If you have questions about a subscription,

EDITORIAL

Customer Service P.0. Box 53680, Boulder, CO 80322

faxes, please

DCMag@imaginemedia.com

email:

xlOO

415.468.4686

email:

CA 94005

Brisbane

This

issue:

Dreamcast prepares

peripherals announced, Sonic’s

800.678.3643

stunner F355 Challenge debuts,

custserv@dreamcastmagazine.com

for

launch, tons

TV adventure, pg 12

new

of

Sega’s arcade

http://service.dreamcastmagazine.

com/support/dc/index.html

PCM

People

Simon Cox editor-in-chief Randy Nelson senior editor Francesca Reyes reviews Gerry Serrano launch

editor

art director

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS Dave Cordon, Rey Serrano, Anna Cobb

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Jason Brookes, Jeff Chen, Sarah Ellerman, Dan Egger, Dean Evans, Philip

Mayard, Frank O’Connor, Lisa Renninger, Jorg

Tittel

REGULARS

PHOTOGRAPHY Hiroki Izumi,

Special Report

D-Mail

Aaron Lauer, Michael Sexton

ILLUSTRATION

Your

Kevin Marburg, Axal

rants, raves, questions,

Coin-op king Midway has a stunning

and other miscellaneous

missives processed by our mail droids,

pg 4

Dreamcast launch. Read

about

all

it

line

up

here!

for the

pg 80

For reprints call The Reprint Dept. 717.481.8500

ADVERTISING Doug

Faust,

CIRCULATION

Fantasy Zone

Amy

RPG

Nibbi,

manager

publisher

circulation

Chris Yatrakis, national advertising director

Jonathan Venier, newsstand marketing manager

Robin John Rosales,

Jeanne Mangabat,

manager

regional advertising

fulfillment

manager

and takes Crazy

Representative

PRODUCTION

Robert

J.

Editors

and Associates, 720 Post Road,

Susan Meredith,

Scarsdale,

Inc.

New York

0583

Taxi for a spin!

production coordinator

Yuji

Naka gets

Sonic Adventure, and

published bi-monthly by Imagine Media Inc.. 150 North Hill Drive, Brisbane. CA 94005, USA. Application to mail 2nd class pending at Brisbane CA and additional mailing offices. Newsstand distribution is handled by Curtis Circulation Company. Basic subscription rate: one year (6 issues/6 GD-ROMs) US: $20: Canada: $22; Foreign: $27. Canada and foreign orders must be pre-paid, US funds only. Canadian price includes postage and GST (GST#R1 28220688], Postmaster Send changes of address to the Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine, P.O. Box 52850, Boulder. CO 80322-2850. Standard Mail enclosed in the following editions: A2, B. Imagine Media also publishes PC Gamer, Next Generation, MacAddict, Maximum PC. PC Accelerator, PSM, Business 2.0 and Games Business. Entire contents copyright 1999, Imagine Media Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. Imagine Media Inc. is not affiliated with the companies or products covered in the Official is

IN

room with three

pg 94

revolution starts here!

his, er,

DCM on

chatty with

Namco

dream...

pg 34

pg 118

End Zone

Win a Hydro Thunder arcade machine and what’s cooking for Issue 2 of

COMING SOON

find out

DCM. pg 120

_

»

ft;'

Preview Zone

L

Sega Dreamcast Magazine.

PRODUCED AND PRINTED

a

The Dreamcast online gaming

pg 28

^34^

Sonic creator

in

DC Nation

Profile 1

Battle

locked

weird Japanese games...

Abramson

Richard Lesovoy, production director

Sega Dreamcast Magazine (ISSN 1525-1764]

revealed,

Q&A. pg 26

DCM visits Gameworks

Coin-op news. International Licensing

marketing director

Team

Ares

Project

Arcade Zone

J.C. Standish,

Official

news.

Langrisser update, and

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Bl072

imagine MEDIA

WITH PASSION

°

Imagine Media, 150 North

Hill Dr.,

(415) 468-4684

Inc.,

Brisbane,

CA 94005

Virtua Fighter 3tb ....

www.imaginemedia.com

IMAGINE ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION:

Chris Anderson

CEO

Tom

Jonathan Simpson-Bint

Valentino vice president/CFO

president

Holly Klingel

Matt Firme

vice president/circulation

vice president/editorial director

Sega Rally 2 Sega Sports NBA 2K Code Veronica Castlevania

Slave Zero

Charles Schug

.

.

50 52 54 56 58 63

Test Drive 6

Shenmue Toy

Commander

Sega Bass

is

aimed

at

magazines, websites and

a east-iron

rule

people who have a passion. A passion

CO-ROMs

imaginable.

always to deliver spectacular

you the information you need. With any

We

editorial value.

luck, we'll

for

games. For business. For computers.

love to innovate,

we

love to have fun,

That means doing whatever

it

and

we

have

takes to give

even make you smile sometimes.

Official

Sega

# Dreamcast

Fishing.

Soul Fighter

general counsel

Imagine Media

63 66 67 67 ... 68 68

Street Fighter Alpha 3

Magazine

Ecco the Dolphin

MSR V8 Second Offense Climax Landers Dynamite Cop Floigan Brothers

...

70 72 74 76 78 78


FEATURES D-Day: A

A

Survival Guide

survival guide to the

line-up.

We

launch

titles

September

Everything

give you the

9.

and

tell

Dreamcast launch low-down on all 19

you what to buy

i

pg 38

you ever wanted to

know about your Dreamcast, from the inside out. Plus:

We

reveal the

Dreamcast hardware designs that didn't

make the

cut.

pg 88

HOW TO...

ZONE

In-depth Reviews

Tips,

Codes, Strategies

Sonin Adventure Super Test Read our massive in-depth six-page Super Test review of the incredible

review

of

new the

substitutes!

Sonic game. This

FULL

US

is

the

version.

EXCLUSIVE Accept

no

pg 98

House

The return

of the

Dead 2

of the living dead!

The arcade

smash comes home to Dreamcast style. Read our review on pg 106

in

fine

Official

Sega ŠDreamcast

Magazine

03


D-mail

Introducing...

Team

S

DCM

asjkaskjs kjdfsl jalk jdksj dkajs dksjlkajskdjalkjs dlkjal

Ijkjd ajsikdj kajlskj

kjslkd asjkaskjs kjdfsljalkj

dksjdk ajsljkajs kdjaikjsd Ikjalaasjkask

jskjdfslj

jkas

kjskj dfsljalkjdk sjdka jsljkjdajslkdjka jlskjdks jlkajskd jalkjs

Tickled pinfev

dlkjalkjs Ikdjlka sdjfhdjf hdjf dfdjdrkdfhj

must

I

when

SIMON COX

say, I

magazine. Background:

Great coverage of imports.

1.)

know what

and

I’m missing,

provide honest reviews of

with Imagine’s ground-

breaking Next Generation magazine and (in a former full-time

months ago

tickled pink several

Dreamcast Magazine. That said, I’d add my two bits on what I’m hoping to see

Previously Executive Editor

life)

monthly repetition of “PSX Sucks, Nintendo blows”

was

I

never see here

in

worth the $60.

2.)

your

in

want

I

games we probably know if a game

the US, so

I

Brutal honesty in reviews

Quality screen shots. There’s

Arcade classic OutRun.

the

of topics to give us

owners’ opinions.

tirelessly for internet

games life)

minimum.

destination,

IGN.com, and

EB

web

Landon Hobbs

CS DBA Self Memorial Hospital

PLEASE

I

6.)

System bias kept

we

think

I

is

all

Landon! As

need not

And yoiKcan

fear.

we hope you can

in

your hands, you

rest assured that we’ll be

away frorrhSega’s “ass” as

far

is

by bestowing upon you our firsKietter of the Month

award. Expect a free year’s subscriplfam to as an extra Sega Dreamcast controller

to a

DCM,

i'd^the

as well

mail

the

in

very near future. Congratulations!

do without the

sales guy.

Favorite

Sega game:

Gunstar Heroes

SNK

The man who would be king Hello, was wondering if you can

know SNK games

Reviews Editor

US?

mainstream

US

Background:

much buy

DC just

Star writer for Imagine’s

person that works with

Game

Players,

SNK

Will

bring out

King of Fighters Dream Match '99 I

Fighters

Dream Match

the

in

fans

take note: both King of

I

answer one question.

FRANCESCA REYES

Ultra

humanly

possible. Anyway, allow us to, e*m, kiss yours for a minute

THE Dreamcast

could

for the gh$at letter,

keeping as

or via email, on a variety

realize that this

magazine, but

^hanks

see from the issue you’re now holding I

an idea of other console

a former

(in

pull

check out out.

no

good interviews with creators, programmers, Reader interaction. It’d be nice to

see polls run off the

can’t wait to

I

is

artists, etc. 5.)

Background: Previously seen working

waiting!

and see how things turn

issue

first

Best of luck to you,

will

(i-e.

and get decent screen shots without doctoring them (yes, this is a peeve of mine). 4.) Interviews.

Senior Editor

them with great

There you go. Good luck as you

lips). 3.)

try

love

Contests! Lots of

excuse for doing

little

screen grabs at 160X120 at 10dpi. Please,

RANDY NELSON

discs!

things together over the next month or two, and

remember we’re

to

Englishman.

Sega game:

7.)

prizes! ‘Nuff said! 8.) Last, but definitely not least,

demo

like to

you guys to

trust

I

signs of Sega’s ass stuck to the reviewer’s Favorite

garbage.

discovered that Imagine would be doing the

Official

Editor In Chief

aren’t very popular with the

‘99

for

PSM,

and Next Generation, magazines and (in a former life) coffee shop slave.

a

plans to release

crowd, but

but

it,

Please help us

yet.

for that

I

my friend would pretty game alone! talked to a and sad that they had

haven’t heard anything

SNK

fans

Dreamcast as well as the Neo

I

SNK if

Geo Pocket official

Color

you can!

version are

SNK

Fan,

on the way!

James Boone Favorite

Sega game:

Shining Force

via email

II

Help

is

on the way, James!

gamers another taste world:

of

SNK have

what

it’s

for

HOPING TO SEE IN YOUR MAGAZINE BRUTAL HONESTY IN REVIEWS (NO SIGN OF SEGA’S ASS

throughout the

preview and an

full

“I’M

US

decided to give

known

more King of Fighters'. Expect a

in-

depth look at SNK’s other fan favorite, the Neo Geo pocket, in

the next issue of

DCM. Expect

full

compatibility

between

the color hand-held and Dreamcast, as well as a great

King of Fighters

title

I

STUCK TO YOUR

LIPS)”

Landon Hobbs

little

wonder,

on the NGP.

will

beloved Sega

my

Saturn take the role of

CD

and

sit

TV

by the

my

once-

collecting dust?

I

think not.

Fanatic Case File No. 3021

I

With the Dreamcast almost out, difficult for

time to

take

4

SEPTEMBER 99

official

Sega ® Dreamcast

I

me

to avoid salivating every

hear about one of Sega’s schemes

back the market that

However, with

all

Magazine

it’s

rightfully

is

this anticipation,

I

theirs.

can’t help but

remember the day bought my baby (February 1997). spent more money on it than anything

still

20th,

else

I

my

in

(which Oasis,

Now,

I

life.

In

order to even play

bought almost a month

I

I

had

I’ve

to

later),

my

only

game

the Legend of

borrow an RF-switch from

spent more money on

my Saturn

my than

friend. I

care


to

my

tell

I’ve

parents,

slept these last

Sony

to hate

and logged more hours on it than two years. At the same time, grew I

for “killing"

my

god, and got

non-Sega video game systems myself. Even better,

rid

of any

to

purify

owned

I

imported Grandia, even though

I

I

official!

Sega has always supplied the fantasy realm of game industry. would also love to see an

the video

I

update to Space Harrier done as

fell in

Sega

love with

even got a tattoo

me what

is,

it

I

them

tell

When

Just like Hollywood

people

symbolizes hope.

it

all

the shape of the

in

Empire’s symbol from Panzer Dragoon.

ask

to

we

Dominic Jason Leeah Dominic.leeah@compaq.com

I

I

Sega needs

to begin with!

know no Japanese, because couldn't pass up the game of all time. In fact, to prove my undying

greatest

love for Sega,

well.

take a look at their roots, because that’s where

good

It’s

Kurt Best i

I

Magazine.

A

JYou’re pulling our leg!!

Dreamcast

That has to take

tattoo., really??! it

and

we’ll

send you a

T-shirt, Kurt!

Help! I’m a I’d

that

Mech

love to see

1

already love the Dreamcast.

game

US

for a

release

is

rumored

games

on Dreamcast (when

I

get one, of course) are:

to think that this really

this

is

might

they don’t release the

Just a thought.

mech

not...

Do we

I’m afraid that

blockbusters on

have their own time to shine.

(I

hope,

question: Exactly

I

me

R.

Murray

OH

fever

from Imagine, I

heard

it

was an

I

official

was

new magazine

really excited.

But

Dreamcast magazine,

I

maybe Konami I

hope,

where

is

hope!).

I

Sega

trying

Capcom has

a

Sega fan

new mode

so, will this

Shenmue

will

be

it

in

for the

US be dubbed

in

Japanese with English subtitles?

the support!

for

a Cross Fever

1. Yes, there is

mode

enables

that

action

fighting

four-player

Marvel

in

vs.

Capcom, which we think answers your next question. Imagine you

and three buddies going to head to

head

any

as

Megaman in

from

character

to Spidey! That’s sure

way the game

to change the

a good way.

2. A-ha, the six-button controller

debate! The best

way

to

remedy

your need for complete fighting

After hearing about a

when

Thanks

game

Hey, what’s up?

I'd

And

4.

English, or will

plays

I

make an update

still

It’s

Toledo,

a Nintendo machine, but

Lastly, here’s a

into overkill.

summer

of the

all

You give

I

have to say Metal Warriors by Konami on the SNES. could

all

They

day.

""1

sue

brought back for Dreamcast from an older system?

it’s

release.

Ken

these games. Okay,

realize

same

me... erm... maybe you money after buy all of what game would most like to see

freak... so,

won’t have any

I

wonder

kind of

I

dilute the market. Just like in Hollywood,

Gundam Frame Gride Space Griffon Virtual On 2 I’m a

going to turn

vs.

change the game? 2. What are your thoughts on the Dreamcast controller? Why didn’t Sega design a controller with six buttons on the face instead of four? 3. Will Sega bring out a Panzer Dragoon game on If

spirit

seen announced for

September 9th

need 20-plus games on one day?

Slave Zero

better

I’ve

true that Marvel

Is it

I

going to be the biggest launch ever, but I’m starting

freak!

just like to say that the five

I’d

9/9/99.

I’m a really big

have a few questions.

I

.

DcBoi06@aol.com

PSM, and

while doing a sanctioned mag. I’m majorly stoked for

though... almost every

1

called Cross Fever?

you guys are

Sega Dreamcast

I’m a big fan of

just hope that you can keep that independent

the cake! Send us a picture of

and

Dreamcast?

to hear that

doing the Official

Asbestos4@ hotma .com

Anyway,

really cried for joy.

control

official

which

Stick,

being brought Stateside by (formerly ASCII). You

check out some

“TO PROVE MY UNDYING LOVE FOR SEGA, EVEN GOT A TATTOO IN THE SHAPE OF THE EMPIRE’S SYMBOL

the

is

Dreamcast Arcade

may

of

is

AGETEC

also want to

the six-button

controllers being brought to

market

by interact.

I

whole Internet thing?

to take this will

assuming there

I’m

be a keyboard and mouse, and that there

Drive

the works, and the

in

mention

modem

is

lots of multiplayer games...

modular

a Zip

is

not to

...

FROM PANZER DRAGOON ”

Kurt Best

games know

I

Will

that weren’t previously Internet

be subscribing!

I’ll

Austin Rucker

Chowboy@onramp.net

I

that

DC

While

fanatics.

launch date, that await Rally 2,

Dead

am it

I

writing this letter in the

I

am

patiently waiting for the

Man

2.

it

tireless

Phantasy

with tons of dialogue and n^uitiple

V?

Yet one possible

from work for

I

know,

version.

The

game, we do

going to be a real bear

is

chapters.

We

can only hope that

Sega decides to go the Panzer

Ares may be it, but expect big

Dragoon Saga route and

subtitle

the

feels

things

authentic that wayT doesn’t

dialogue.

It ..Just

all

more

it?

either way.

US

game

The House of the

has escaped the

How

bad ass

to take a couple of days off

that. Project

Ares has been announced

is

PS on

the best news

Dreamcast since NiGHTS

2’s

I’ve

TALK

IS

CHEAP, AND SO

POSTAGE...

IS

title?

would have

by the original team that did System. This

US

the

localization for the

all of the wonders gaming hands. NiGHTS 2, Sega

be to have Phantasy Star V as a launch

oh man,

too far

can’t help but think of

my

MDK 2, Sonic Adventure, and

masses, the Phantasy Star franchise.

would

hopes

an early chord with other

will strike

much

for

Project

Dear Dreamcast Aficionados,

it’s

repent for its past sins on Saturn with

Star

Hands on

I

now,

changes being planned

of the

Sega

of

we’re hoping so.

be able to report on any

off to

capable? Thank you for your time and good luck on the magazine.

No word on a Panzer game as

yet, but 4. Right

but are they really

ready? Or are they going to pull a “Saturn” and rerelease the

3.

The pen

is

mightier than the sword.

Media, 150 North

Hill

And so

Drive, Brisbane,

DCM’s second

is

the keyboard... erm... and pencil. Drop us a

CA 94005.

Electronically

anticipation of

heard about the

related experience. The best letter gets a bunch of cool

development went

1

is

line at:

DCM, c/o Imagine

even better: DCMag@imaginemedla.com.

In

issue and the launch of the Dreamcast, send us a letter detailing your favorite Sega-

the Sega Master

official

Dreamcast swag direct from Sega and DCM!

Sega ©Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

J

5


m

PlayStation



ROM

Disc Guide

Loading Next Issue

EXCLUSIVE PLAYABLE TEST OUT THE HOTTEST GAMES!

DEMOS

Virtua Fighter 3tb Ready 2 Rumble

Trickstyle

Dynamite Cop

...AND

MORE!

EXCLUSIVE

GAME VIDEOS See every game

in action it hits shelves! Each disc will come jam-packed with loads of high-quality, hot-

before

from-the-Dreamcast gameplay movies viewable on your television!

official

Sega® Dreamcast

Magazine


STARTING ISSUE THREE, WE TAKE IT TO THE

NEXT LEVEL! •

EXCLUSIVE video interviews with top game

ISSUE #3

ON SALE DECEMBER

makers and Sega’s finest! •

EXCLUSIVE Downloadable games!

l

L

7TH!

VMU

Video walk-throughs

you how to master games!

all

— we show the top

— On-the-scene

DC Nation

reports from every Dreamcast event! FREE screen-savers, art,

Live

and extras!

Official

Sega# Dreamcast

Maga;izine



expi_ore Dinosaur iSLano as

eLue

sea rescue orqanizanon memser eliot BaLLaoe or pormer Heavy

weapons expenr ooqs Bower.

soLve puzzLes, swim, CLimB, piqHT, jump, crawL

anD BLasT

THrouqH more THan 230 reaLisnc 3-0 Locanons.

Loan up with Hi-TecH super Bazooxas, qaTLinq quns ano acio BLasTers

aqainsT 51 menacinq monsTers with

unique mooes op arracK.

AcIiyisioH

Sega 0

Dreamcast

1999 SEGA ENTERPRISES. LTD. Sega. Sega Dreamcast and Blue Stinger are trademarks of SEGA. This game

Published and distributed by Activision.

Inc.

All

is

licensed for use with the Sega Dreamcast system only.

Activision is a registered trademark of Activision. Inc. The ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.

rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade

names are properties of

their respective owners.


GAME

ON!

State of the art, webready technology, nineteen

amazing a bright

spa

SEPTEMBER 99

Official

Sega# Dreamcast

Magazine

titles at launch, and future for Sega...

new

Dreamcast


>

Dreamcast News Network

f you're

reading

that you’ve

then chances are

this,

already bought, or are

new made the

planning to buy, Sega's stunning

machine. The good news

that you've

is

done. Much as it normally hurts down two hundred big ones for anything,

With pre-orders already at 250,000,

base,

this

time you can rest assured that you have picked

the ultimate explosive.

games machine. Expandable, exciting,

Dreamcast is finally here. September 9, 1999, you can go

For $199, on

home with

with the world's a

built-in

technically

Internet-ready console,

first

modem and demos

of

most

the

and

initial

in

for plug-and-play the

second you get your

machine home. The

Dreamcast Passport

GD-ROM

is

included with the console, and

either your existing ISP, or hooking you

-

Sega's recommended partner

up with

complete with

special offers. You can immediately browse the

advanced console games ever made.

web, send email, chat with buddies friends.

launch,

after

A

play

keyboard

games will

online

- and, soon with

your

be available from day

Sega intends to make Dreamcast gaming the ultimate online experience. There will be an overwhelming 19 Dreamcast games available at launch, a figure made all the more incredible by the numbers the competition can boast Sony PlayStation, its next biggest rival, had only eight, while Nintendo 64 started life with a paltry two. Not one, and

At the time of writing, the following games were confirmed for September Of

some

9.

don’t appear, don’t call us.)

PLATFORM Sonic Adventure

Sega

FIGHTING Soul Calibur

Namco

only

number

the

it

covers every major genre; shooting,

fighting, driving,

King of Fighters:

the console from day one,

Dream Match

’99

but

like

SNK

And

Hydro Thunder

Flag to Flag

ASC Games

Yuji

Naka, has been here

Midway brilliant

the US, tweaking,

US

version of

Dead 2

The ninth of September, 1999, will be the most remarkable day in the colorful history of videogames. Sega is back and setting the pace

Sega

to fast-forward.

It's

complete

is

has been beefed up significantly since

Japanese

its

release.

NFL 2K Football

Huge,

never looked so good.

fluid

stunning incredible

polygon figures with

motion

show

capture

attention

to

detail.

SOUL CALIBUR Namco’s arcade fighter received a makeover before stepping up the Dreamcast stage. When in motion, the results are truly amazing.

THE BOX

IN

So what should you expect when you unpack your brand-spanking-new system on September 9? Here's a rundown of what you'll find inside the box (no,

you don’t get a 29-inch wide-screen TV).

(D Dreamcast console (2)

Metro 3D

rO

and even more fun than the Japanese original.

bigger, better,

Blue Stinger • Activision Airforce Delta • Konami

Armada

in

Sonic Adventure for months. Their hard work

ACTION/SHOOTING of the

SONIC ADVENTURE No console launch

without a platform game. Sonic

rivals.

and dedication means that the version American gamers get their sweaty mitts on is •

other good choices to be made):

back. Only a

is

changing, and improving the

Sega

SPORTS

House

Sonic

goodness

the

suggest you take the

(but bear in mind that there are

A crack team of Sega programmers, including Sonic creator

Tokyo Xtreme Racer • Crave Monaco Grand Prix • Ubi Soft

NFL Blitz 2000 NFL 2K • Sega

of course,

we

games home with new console on day one

following three

your

awaited around the world.

TNN Motorsports

spread

to

around,

already has a

it

antiquated

its

Just

reunion of the Beatles has been more eagerly

Midway

Trickstyle • Acclaim

HardCore Heat •

massive,

and platform. With companies Namco, Capcom, and Konami supporting

massive advantage over

RACING

games

of launch

is

Midway Mortal Kombat Gold • Midway Power Stone • Capcom Marvel vs Capcom • Capcom Ready 2 Rumble Boxing

SOLID GOLD Three games you simply must buy

will

guide you swiftly and simply online, using

THE LINE-UP

IN FULL

first

launch terms, has already crushed

success of Sony’s PlayStation.

The Internet-ready console will be prepared

right choice. Well

to plunk

the

it’s

console to launch with a firmly installed user

the

Controller x

1

(?)

(§)

(D Composite A/V cable

Power cord Instruction

manual

(D Dreamcast Passport

web software

time to play.

Even if you can only afford one game at launch, you’ll find a collection of superb demos ready to boot up. Sega’s Dreamcast Generator

sampler disc contains seven playable demos and four movies. Enjoy.

tf)

S ui x z o

V

PLAYABLE

DEMOS

MOVIES:

Sega Sports NFL 2K (Sega)

(£)

Sonic Adventure (Sega)

(8)

(2)

Ready 2 Rumble (Midway)

(D Sega Sports NBA 2K (Sega)

(3)

Monaco Grand Prix (Ubi

(4)

Power Stone (Capcom)

@ Hydro Thunder (Midway) @ NFL 2000 (Midway)

(5)

House of the Dead 2 (Sega)

Soft)

(D Flag to Flag (Sega) (7) Sega Bass Fishing (Sega)

Blitz

(clockwise from top

left)

Ready

to

Rumble, Power Stone, Flag to Flag, and

House of the Dead 2

official

Sega # Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

13


> DC Infogrames

porting

is

? Dreamcast News Network

its

PC adventure Outcast to Dreamcast. The title famously eschews polygons for a voxel-based engine and possesses some of the best visuals yet seen on Dreamcast (PC version below).

third-person title

For release next spring.

Peripherals up for grabs

S plenty

hould you find yourself with

ARCADE STICK

spare cash on day one (who

AGETEC

are you, of

Bill

Gates?), there are

third-party

peripheral

manufacturers lining up to tout their licensed wares. While not all the

and other gadgets listed below have been fully licensed at press all of the following products will be available on September 9.

(www.agetec.com)

Heavy, durable arcade stick

6 buttons

VMU

Slot

controllers

ALLOY ARCADE STICK

time,

Interact

(www.interact-acc.com)

For further information, Dreamcast

is

fast

becoming

Price:

contact the individual •

the

titles,

latest

comes courtesy Race developer

of

of

which

Ultimate

Kalisto

companies or their websites.

visit

iji

tlV I

$59.99

12 buttons

Aluminum base

TREMOR PAK—

Programmable

Interact

functions

early adopter of the PowerVR technology inside Dreamcast.

Price: $9.99

promises solid 60 fps racing on 16 courses encompassing arcade and championship modes.

Adjustable vibration

Compatible with Sega’s

XLeration (below)

pack-in controller

QUANTUM

FIGHTER PAD Interact

ACT LABS RS

Price: $29.99

Act Labs (www.act-labs .com) Price:

Armchair snowboarders will

soon be

Joining

Burn is

spoilt for choice.

^

8 buttons

$69.99

Programmable functions and auto-fire option and Jump Pack slots

Includes foot pedals

Programmable

Steering wheel cover

VMU

UEP's Cool Boarders

(although

Infogrames'

much later) Supreme

Snowboarding (below). The Housemarque-developed game is scheduled for next year.

STARFIRE LIGHT BLASTER

RADIUS RACING PAD

Interact

Interact

Price:

$29.99

Price:

Auto-fire function

VMU

$34.99

Doubles as regular/

Allows for turns up

Auto-reload function

racing controller

Slot

60 degrees VMU and Jump to

Pack

slots

ASTRO PAD Interact Price:

• •

$24.99

6 buttons Auto-fire option

VMU

Slots for

Jump Pack Comes in four

and

different colors

RALLY WHEEL Agetec Price:

imcaSt Magazine

$50-60

Lightweight, plastic frame

Gear

shifters

VMU

slot

on base


Dreamcast News Network

COURT SESSIONS

FYI.. Ubi

NBA Showtime hoops

HOME ALONE Capcom’s Resident

Evil

may have

of

DCM

preview

spooky passages and scramble along

manner

of dreadful

ghouls nipping at your heels. With Code Veronica (page 56) and AITD4 both arriving some time next spring, the new millennium is shaping up to be a nightmarish time for DC owners.

On

port

will

bikes, really.)

of

Showtime.

arcade

the

re-titled

a

offering:

NBA

coin-op

be

such as the Alstare GSX R600s and GSX R750s. (Well, you have to like and their bikes

next

its

pixel-for-pixel

will

feature the team’s top drivers

sneak

a

of

Dreamcast

game

the

Suzuki Alstare Racing and

launch volley (page 80), Midway has

given

a

Dreamcast motorbike racing sim, Redline Racer. Due this

four-title

forced, flashlight in hand, to navigate

gained

Team Suzuki

from

Alstare which lends a larger dose of realism to its first

impressive

its

has

Soft

license

fall,

can be traced back to Infogrames’ 1993 PC classic Alone in the Dark. Heading for Dreamcast is the fourth installment in the series (below), in which you’re original ‘survival horror’ experience

all

up this November

the gate with

truck-loads around the world, but the

rooftops, with

out

early

sold in

it

circuit

since early April, Showtime

takes

adrenaline-

the

charged two-on-two play of its

predecessors,

DMA

NBA Jam

broadcast

TV

(courtesy

of

truly

jaw-

slow-mo

dropping

dunk

that

some

includes

A

sophisticated

means

play

mode

Lemmings, for

where they’re dunking

in

slew of

a

(right)

slam

DC

statistical tracking. You’ll

more

title,

Wild Metal Country.

To

published by Rockstar

Games

fall,

WMC's mix a

be

of action

has

strategy

controlling

you

battlefield

of

fanciful (yet lethal) artillery in fully

new home-only season mode that features full

player mode, while throwing

play

Dreamcast

first

and

players will also have access to a

replays.

NBA Showtime retains NBA Hangtime’ s create-a-

its

this

new hidden

characters and codes.

assembling a

is

division of heavily-armed tanks

players don’t even look

presentation

NBC)

Scottish

Design,

creator of the 16bit classic

and NBA Hangtime, and employs full 3D, further spicing things up via a

3D

skirmishes.

see

of this next issue.

MDK SHINES AGAIN Sega

is

evaluating (starting,

with the name) the Japanese robot fighting game surely,

Once more unto the breach with Kurt Hectic (and a dog)

Frame Gride

for

possible

domestic release next year. Highlights are customizable robots and lush organic arenas.

bent on delivering a Schwarzenegger-sized helping ell

of gun-toting action, Interplay is long into development on MDK2, the sequel to Shiny’s gritty, yet darkly humorous, PC action game. Here are the details we’ve dug up so far:

Implausibly well-armed hero Kurt Hectic

is

back, joined by two additions to the character roster, his

dog Max and the

Hawkins. stealth,

Their

‘eccentric’

Doctor

talents

(Kurt's

collective

Max's firepower, and the Doctor’s

Quiz

MacGuyver-like talent for creating weapons) will

be put

to the test across nine stages.

According to developer BioWare, the will

Which

game

be a more adventurous romp than

and character release

interaction.

MDK2

by year’s end

in-depth preview of the

game

-

is

kid’s cartoon character

®

omping

through toyland? Bonus

uestion:

what was the crappy foil w-up?

on target

look for an

next issue.

|0

saw a well-known

precursor with a stronger focus on exploration

for

DCM favorite

from the Genesis days

its

MDKZs cast (clockwise from top): the ‘eccentric’ scientist, and

Official

Max

Kurt Hectic,

i

eisejuej ‘uoisnm jo a/jsep :sja/wsuv

the dog

Sega © Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

15


Dreamcast News Network

RED ALERT Sega

is

planning a port of

throttle for

full

US arcades

2000

Virtua Striker Ver.

title

~\

Sega’s F355 Challenge heads

Naomi-based arcade soccer

its

on the Sega Sports label next year. The coin-op is currently limbering up on test in Japan, but we’re expecting for release

great things.

Jaleco

will

release schlock

horror adventure, Carrier early ,

next year. Set on a futuristic

“Hello,

— zombies and

please.

aircraft carrier overrun

you guessed monsters,

it

it

by

is

this

We’d

strangely features

Code

Hmmm.

Veronica.

Sega?

Hi, it’s

DCM. You know that new F355 coin-op?

like to test dri... (line

goes dead)

designers are hard

development, Ferrari has been

to

lending

be the most incredible

convincing

around display

Deep

Fighter: The Tsunami Offensive,

in parallel

-

-

this

we’ll

enough hardware

in this

game’s

and

issue

awesome

game, so look out

there’s

baby

its

the

to

have played

this

no

certainly

In fact,

support

spot on.

Next

and not one, is

technical slouch.

sound,

feel are

to

wrap-

but four Naomi boards running Trickstyle coders Criterion

Studios are working on

full

aspect of the look,

screens

three a

delivered to the office,

design team to ensure every

driving experience yet.

Using

we want one

pants off high-end

sim manufacturers. During

work on a Naomi-powered coin-op racer that’s shaping

simulate

Yeah, well

Sega? How about some screens, then? Hello?”

scare the

at

up

Er...

Yu Suzuki and a huge team of ega’s

backdrops and dynamic camerawork similar to Capcom’s Resident Evil: realtime

for

an

exclusive

in-depth report.

to

a underwater action shooter

3D and

for Ubi Soft.

Set

integrating

realtime strategy

in full

DISKY BUSINESS

elements, the developer's second DC release is heading Stateside in spring 2000.

The future

of

SEPARATED AT BIRTH Ryo Hazuki ( Shenmue

DC data?

H Rayman developer is

Ubi Soft

producing a third-person game based on The

clips,

the device

will

Cruise has a lot answer for. Since Top Gun, we’ve lost count of how many game characters aspire to his crap

Batman

Adventures animated series. Expect lots of high-tech gadgetry (and plenty of spandex) it’s

released

autumn.

next

when

to

80s

the web. Each disk

100 megabytes of information doesn't

HBk.

all

We'll

-

will

let's

hold up to

just

hope

go toward unwanted spam

have

details

of

this

(

it

mail.

we have

zip

Groan -Ed).

M

DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD Capcom has just announced convert

Honestly,

won’t

it

look anything like this.

(

Erm

,

who

exactly chose this picture? -Ed.)

(reamcast Magazine

Shenmue

add-on

peripheral as they're released

currently

style.

hero Ryo is, Sega assures us, taller than Cruise (and thankfully, he keeps his pants on).

eventually be called into play for downloading

game updates and demos from

action

New

Tom Cruise

star)

Tom

reamcast is an endlessly expandable beast, and to prove it, Iomega's clever Zip Disk technology will be resting snugly underneath American systems next year - in the shape of a re-writable drive from Sega. Initially, as a means for storing saved games, e-mail, and media

Sword

plans to

fighters Plasma and Tech Romancer to

coin-op

(right)

Dreamcast. Both games the autumn Tokyo

September

will

debut at

Game Show on

17, promising better-thanarcade graphics and gameplay.

(film star)


Dreamcast News Network

Sonic Adventure backpack Sega Price:

N/A

You won't 'n' Trail

find this Sonic collectable at

shop.

It's

and you can win

Shenhua

Rei

Giant

Gram

¥3,800

Giant

Gram

it

of only a

you dozen or so

local Track in

existence

(and other items) next issue.

figure

Sega

VMU

Price:

Sega (Japan) Price:

one

¥1,200

Rei, the starry-eyed

Shenmue,

t

is

heroine from

one of more than 50

tie-in

collectibles available in Japan.

coin-op

in

the

is

Japan

VMU

slot for

game

data. This

first

Naomi

to include a

uploading/saving

custom

VF2 figures

VMU

Sega

includes a training game.

Price:

Sonic toys Sega Price:

in

N/A

Cute, huh?

We

¥800

Reminding us just how far in-game character models have come since Virtua Fighter 2, these molded plastic figurines are available only Japan.

reckon

these Sonic Adventure soft toys are

some

of the

best videogame-related

goodies around.

You'll

be able to find them on US shelves in a few months.

Here

at

DCM towers we’ve started

Sarah Bryant figure

to receive lots of

Things like dull faxes (and bills) go straight in the garbage, while cool gadgets, Japanese goodies, and DC-related stuff are saved for this page. Over the coming months, we’ll be giving you the chance to win some of them, too. (We’re nice like that.) stuff.

Sarah Bryant

is

Fighter alumni,

one of the best of the Virtua and this limited-edition sculpture

features exceptional (ahem) attention to detail.

fficial

Sega# Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

17


> DC

nzj

Dreamcast News Network

SONIC’S TV ADVENTURES

FYI Britain's

bringing

Rage Software its

Contra tribute,

is

eye-popping Expendable, to

the US. Already consuming time, players' leisure

will arrive

its

on Dreamcast next look even

better than on PC).

Hedgehogness spins back onto afternoon TV

PC

massive explosions and twoplayer, third-person carnage year (and should

His

hat’s

super-day-glo

green,

hopelessly hyperactive, and closest thing you're

the

ever likely to get to an animated likeness of The Cure front man

is

newly-born younger brother of Sonic, who’s making his return to the airwaves in a new cartoon series Sonic’s only

new

whacked-out

sibling

character addition

isn’t

since

the

The

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (also created

by

Inspector Gadget animation house DiC)

the

the

air. In

another

new

new

series,

arrival,

left

Manic, Sonic, and

Sonia, have forged a

and now spend their days ‘underground’ and undercover banging out glam rock tunes to cheer up woeful

band {Oh dear

called Sonic Underground.

who

townsfolk

-Edi),

are lorded over by the

evil

Sheriff Robotnik. In

Family

shred

short:

-

it's

Sonic meets The Partridge

so you shouldn’t expect

it

to

be a

in

more

Sonic Adventure.

like

Sonic Underground m\\ be airing

than 182

cities

nationwide

when

it

hits

the

airwaves on August 29. Check your local listings for

exact airtimes and stations

-

just

keep the sequined clothes and giant wigs stowed well away.




1

i

4 '

*r

'

**

,

^

i

iff

Hi

milil

m

gr

1

1

-

m

m

T

*

'*

imSMr

in

M*

*

*

v jif

E

%

^

ACTUAL SCREEN SHOT

q 1 POSITION

LAP^dir

TOTAL TIM

TIME

0.5

8

'

POSITION

i

TIME

1:3 5

LAP9- TIME c

5

TOTAL TIMi 021*313

posit m\

LAP TIME

1.3 sal

0

r

2

1

*3

3

LAP

TIME

LAP TIME

3

RECORD 1

9*

9 4 5.

5 intense play modes. 6 extreme world-class locales. 8 renegade drivers. Complete car customization.

Advanced

HardCore Heat" Corporation.

is

a trademark of ASC Games'. ASC

Games'

1999 American Softworks Corporation. INN

INN Motorsports"

is

and the INN

a servicemark of Network Enterprises. Inc.

artificial intelligence.

'

logos are registered service marks and

coumry.com"

is

a trademark of country.com. Inc.

Sega. Sega Oreamcast. and the Sega Dreamcast logo arc either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, ltd. 1998-1999 CSK Research Institute Corp. (CRI) licensed from Four Winds. Inc. and CRI. The ratings

icon

is

Customizable replay mode.

a registered trademark of American Softworks

is

a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.

All

rights reserved.

Sega

Dreamcast


Dreamcast News Network

Idol nation I

heesy Japanese ‘idol’ pop may be a strong contender for the world’s worst

music (although Michael Bolton gets our vote), but it means one thing for the companies that churn it out: mega Yen. That’s probably why Bomberman creator Hudsonsoft is hard at work on Super Producers, a sim in which teenage girls play the role of a talent scout and all-round music biz head honcho.

The road

to

Japanese super-stardom

strewn

is

with decisions: Should your idols perform heavy

pop? {What, no country?

metal, hip-hop, or

-Ed.).

And what about fashioning the ‘look’ of your client and organizing TV exposure? Only when your cutie has a portfolio

Rainbow Six

the thinking man’s first-person shooter.

is

Guess we’d better

someone

find

to review

it

IforlJB)

WE GOT

is

the

victory claimed. More interesting, though, way you can dump underperformers on

is

Sega's Dricas website, which can then be picked

by other players and ‘remarketed’. Whatever

happened

Tecmo’s future Naomi coin-op, Dead or Alive looks a match for Namco’s Soul Calibur.

PC

Rainbow Six sneaks up

hit

raised for

smart, suspenseful take on the

its

shooter

first-person

Rainbow

PC

Six for

genre,

Clancy novel of in

charge of an

Redstorm's

stealthily

is

towards Dreamcast. Based on the Tom

been assigned to stop a ring of terrorists from wreaking havoc at a number of prominent global landmarks.

espite the fact that only visiting aliens |

As the team’s stage, you

leader, it

your job

into motion.

must choose which

action.

Only then

two-fold

is

plan

sharp-shooters

out your course of

you be able to

will

During the planning

skilled

map

initiate

the

operation and execute your attack plan. Playable from a relies heavily

first-

or third-person view, the

game

teamwork. One glance from the enemy

-

or an ill-timed

- and you're toast. The Dreamcast conversion of Rainbow Six will

shot from a confused teammate

feature

split-screen

is

gameplay,

version, the

game

D0A2

home

release

Publisher Majesco

version.

it’s

packaged as an add-on pack

22

is

SEPTEMBER 99

spring.

enjoy

the

in

-

Dead

of

Dead

of

see

Stateside

a ti it

wobble-

Magazine

capture

specifically for

amazing

-

even

and has been confirmed

Japan around

likely

free screenshots.

arrive shortly thereafter.

Sega ©Dreamcast

currently looking

Until

shooting for a September 9

official

new motion

Developed

While there’s been

confirmation

will

though the game may

gravity-

demo

six

the September roll-out of the arcade

release,

you play through a series

is

next to Soul Calibur a

called Eagle Watch.

release,

for the task).

gamers

will also let

of missions originally

probably coming to grips with

equipment

and

be more than a mere one-for-one port of the PC

the

or Alive 2 stunned passers-by at this year’s videogame trade events, even though its wobblier bits had yet to be added (the developers are

also in the cards. Aiming to

multi-player

cooperative Internet play

mistaken

reassuring, then, that a video

Naomi,

on a finely-tuned balance of stealth and

have

or Alive for bouncing breasts, you have to admit that this woefully adolescent attempt at simulating ‘real-life physics’ was pretty funny. It’s

you want on your team and

would

defying, helium-filled balloons in Saturn

Business as usual, then. your attack, then put

to unbridled musical ‘talent’?

2, already

features huge,

Bouncing back

‘Patriot

multi-national taskforce’ that has

‘elite,

It

animated backdrops (and huge animated cleavages).

heading

Games’ the same name, the game places you

and a

of chart-topping hits

bigger fan base than, well, Michael Bolton (heaven

for us, then.

YOUR SIX

full

no

months

for

after

The chances

of

are virtually

nil.

Super Producers being released In fact, let’s

say ‘minus

2’ to

in

the

US

be safe.

Fishy business ivarium’s

moniker

Seaman

it’s

the unfortunate

is

for the first title to

new microphone seen,

use Sega’s

peripheral. From what we’ve

a weird underwater

game where you

talk

to creatures controlled by artificial intelligence

something that didn’t seem to rub 500 Japanese for

DC owners

limited-edition

off

-

on any of the

that recently forked out

Seaman Dreamcast

packs.

included a transparent Dreamcast (left),

microphone

VMU, and course,

mini

the

headset,

game -

and, of

extremely weird

game itself. Those otaku, huh? More money than sense.


ON IMPORT COOL BOARDERS BURN Publisher

UEP Systems Developer Irvhouse

Release:

Out now (Japan) Price:

¥ 5,800 ($50 )

Snow

sports are so over-crowded

may

look like kids’ play, but

automatic weapons?

I

Furballs

Japan, the closest

in

most gamers get to a white slope is the elevation of their Dreamcast lid when inserting a new game. Cool Boarders Bum the latest in a popular series should change that. If you own an imported machine, be sure to check it out.

J

If

you said

we assure you

‘in

it’s brutal.

your dreams,’ you’re

one sick puppy, and this game might be right up your alley. Furballs sees you controlling an A-Team- like band of six mercenary animals — the Furballs — out to save the forest from marauding bears

DC Europe TRANS-ATLANTIC DREAMCAST

errect a strip mall on your Creations for

NEWS

its

16bit

The Euro invasion ‘1.5 party

developers’ to create a line-up of original

Dreamcast’s September 23 arrival in the UK, Germany, and all points in between. Sega of America’s part in the equation spells good news for US gamers previously used to a diet of mainly US- and Japanese-developed games. Whereas the 32bit era saw a relative trickle of European titles making their way onto American soil, for

Dreamcast

is

turf.

who

Bizarre

sometime mid-way through next year -

British

shooter

developer responsible for the classic

StarFox

is

preparing

Dreamcast arena. Slated to

ega Europe has signed a group of

home

currently seeking a world-wide publisher

if

not

all,

arrive

in

to

enter the

time for the

Red Dog seats you at eponymous off-road-tank-

UK

and

will

game

Racer, but Furballs

is

destined to

of

deranged violence thrown

course.

Where

else

-

show

evil

should be anything but a

it

work on Braveheart

is

one

this

to

out

roll

out.

Red Lemoi

for PC, butti^

develop a first-person light-^un ga b:

terrorist attack. Perhaps ability to

take

full

ending an under threat biggest draw

control of vour

will

movement as

asStssms^e assume this wl employ the light-gun’s umque directional batir^lthotigi this hasn’t been confirmed by the developer (they’n probably too busy eatingjiaggis or>something). Early reports suggest that the game~is

still

a

ways

froi

completion and that there’s a great deal of gameplay

tweaking to be done. Expected by the year end Europe,

will

service.

Hopefully not

all

the adversaries

in

Red Lemon’s

In the Line

of Fire-themed Take the Bu//etwill be this one-dimensional.

As one

of the only

Red Lemon’s

latest project

16-

Network online

Western first-person action

currently on the horizon (the other

titles

in

offer four-player split-

player melees via Sega’s Dreamcast

of

teddy bears with

Take the Bullet

screen deathmatch play (four light-guns!) and

can handle

good measure,

battles,

You can expect

you snipe at would-be

with a unhealthy dose

in for

drive.

Scottish developer

be the

to arrive

can you see cartoony zoo animals

blowing the stuffing out of

modem-based

Take the Bullet travels

67).

it

swamps), as well as four-player deathmatch and

from

with the stunning Metropolis Street

cutesy and cuddly themes, too

food.)

cityscapes and

where bodyguard Jack Trai American presidential candi

developer Bizarre Creations has already nailed

the driving

sprawling

as

Stateside before the year

quickly be followed

Commander (page

Mad Max.

punk and eat dog

environments (such

Sunday

Red Dog, as you take on an invading alien armada ( The more things change, eh? -Ed.). With some interesting free-roaming

futuristic-vehicle-thing,

Creations’ Metropolis Street Racer (page 72)

by No Cliche’s 7oy

firepower than

like a

European launch, Argonaut’s

Stateside between late 1999 and 2000. Bizarre starts the ball rolling

Red Dog packs more

(And you don’t have to dress

the controls of the

preparing to receive a torrent of

them, and Sega expects most,

Argonaut’s

but we’ll keep you posted.

The

games

is

release

is

is

Rainbow Six'),

worth watching.

Dreamcast Global

News Network

official

Sega

• Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

23


© CAPCOM CO., CAPCOM LOGO

LTD. 1999

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

are registered trademarks of

CAPCOM

© CAPCOM U.S.A., INC. 1999 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CO., LTD.

POWER STONE

is

a trademark of

CAPCOM

CAPCOM and

CO., LTD.

a trademark of the Interactive Digital Software Association.

the

Sega,

Dreamcast, and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ltd. The ratings icon

is


“Power Stone

is

breathtaking...quite

possibly the most

unique fighter ever - Next Gen Online

Finally

- 3D worlds where players

environment

like

interact with the

never before. Swing off a

light post,

run up

walls and pick up items like tables and barrels in

swashbuckling battles with opponents. Plus, three power stones and your character into a raging

Yeah. Power Stone rocks.

WWW.CAPCOM.COM

,

transforms^^^

super being, capable of

executing deadly, power fusion moves.

3BWKCOM

collect

#Dreamcas

;


FANTASYSMf

Dreamcast RPG Scene

PHANNING THE FLAMES Sega

FYI-.

introduces Project Ares to the world

RPG news

hantasy Star

V it’s

certainly not, but the core

team

responsible for the Star series (with the exception

1

At the forefront of Japan's are details of two of

the more beloved strategy series to

Sega

Japanese

grace

of the abysmal Phantasy Star III: Generations) has a brand new baby on the way, tentatively named Project

systems. Langrisser Millennium

Ares. Announced at the recent New Challenge Conference, Sega proudly touted its upcoming RPG as the game to break new boundaries in the genre — both visually and conceptually. Featuring a completely original cast of characters and a fantastic world in which flying ships are the main means of transportation, Project Ares capitalizes on

sequels and heirs to very

the power of Dreamcast by taking place in a

The game takes place opposed

in

3D

most RPGs

are both lofty

lineage

stretches back to the days of the

Mega

Drive,

port

the series the ill-received

in

War Song on the Genesis.

and

massive battles

for

character

distinctive

anime

by

illustrations

artist

Langrisser

Urushihara,

with swords, dragons, and mechs). This nugget of information

Satoshi

brings to mind images of historical figures like Shakespeare, and

Millennium strikes out into

other bearded

men

in tights

assume

control of a

explore

strange,

team

new

from the same time period, as you

show places

themes such as ‘romance’ and

far,

set out to

territory by incorporating

a press release given

series have been watching the

plenty of emphasis ‘courage.’

little

on grandiose

But with

little

hard

development of

too old.

same

scale as past role-playing classics such as

Team

Andromeda’s Panzer Dragoon Saga and Game Arts’ Grandia. Set for a year 2000 release, keep your eyes on Fantasy Zone for more information on Project Ares as it develops. We can’t wait.

this title closely,

worried that the series

screenshots have to do most of the talking. Expect this to be an the

new

Force-type

gameplay. Japanese fans of the

there’s

information regarding the actual gameplay or characters, the

RPG on

some Dragon

well as

3D, as

else

Though

confirmed concerning the storyline thus to attendees of the

who must

of adventurers

continents.

US

with the only

Known

[replete

AD

Langrisser's

thrones.

universe.

the Renaissance era of ‘exploration’, as

to the futuristic fantasy settings of

and Black Matrix

much

be

will

of a departure from

When

the

game

ships

in

Masaya, the game's

October, developer, First

will

face the music.

appearing on

Saturn,

AD

takes a

NEC’s Black Matrix

more Tactics Ogre approach

to

strategy with isometric views of

the

2D

members.

party large

battlefield

impressive

very

effects,

Black Matrix

AD

a late '99 release

No word on

W

Featuring

a

cast of characters and

some for

and multiple

£

Primed

a

US

in

spell is

set

Japan.

date, yet.

jM

ztrUMt,

for

releases

in

successful

DC

Japan: Langrisser

Millennium (top) and Black Ships are the main

means

of transportation

Early character sketches reveal a

26

SEPTEMBER 99

penchant

official

in

Matrix

Project Ares (top).

for elaborate dress.

Sega # Dreamcast

Magazine

AD (above).


Dreamcast RPG Scene

IMPORT

Evolution WILL

IT

BE TELEVISED?

Sting and ESP’s Evolution traditional

was the

first

RPG

after launch,

to hit the Japanese Dreamcast and the buzz about the game

coming to the States has been unprecedented. showing the game on their lists, but still no official word from Sega, its fate still hangs in the balance. With randomly generated dungeons, gorgeous 3D graphics, painfully cute character designs, and a pleasant, but With

retailers

predictable storyline, cross your fingers. Wouldn’t this one be perfect for the holidays?

While Espers and magical talking cats still

crossing our fingers for them to

Project Ares’ cast of characters are conspicuous by their absence, we’re

in

make an appearance.

Beautiful

3D environments

put Dreamcast through

its

paces.

Are

LETTER PERFECT

Mag

Launcher, Linear Cannon, and the rest of

the goofily

named cast destined for the US? Maybe.

ANSWERING YOUR DEEPEST, MOST INTIMATE ROLEPLAYING QUESTIONS Got a burning question about the Dreamcast RPG scene that needs immediate attention? Mail it to: DCM Fantasy Zone, c/o Imagine Media, 150 N. Hill Dr., Brisbane, CA 94005. Or email us at: DCmag@imaginemedia.com.

HOLD YOUR BREATH

Over the past few months,

I’ve been following the Dreamcast and everything about it even pre-ordered mine in April and can't wait to I

my hands on the system and the four games I'm Power Stone, House of the Dead 2, and Blue Stinger I’m also dying to play Shenmue and Climax Landers. do have two questions about facts that get

intending to buy at launch: Sonic,

I

I’ve

read

in

the past though, and

recent ones: First what ‘24-part

will

RPG’ be about?

of Fire, then bummer. sucked. Second,

will

I

some more

Capcom's new

If it’s

about Breath

thought

BoF //and

HI

Ah, curious about Capcom’s deal with Flagship for that longrumored multi-scenario RPG? Unfortunately, there hasn’t been any confirmation about content or even a title for the series, but it has something to do with Yoshitaka Amano’s C Final Fantasy

perhaps

Capcom game called Emblem of Eru? At this point, there are more questions than answers, so we’ll have to wait and see. Capcom hasn’t been incredibly forthcoming with information about the project and whether there are plans for it to cross the pond to the US. But you can rely on the fact that it has nothing to do with Capcom’s Breath of Fire franchise. As for Landers and Shenmue... Sega has announced that Landers will be out this winter (read more about it in our series artist) involvement with a

Coming Soon we’ll

be out before Christmas

hands on those games

this

year?

this holiday

I

see

it

section) and Shenmue is a ways off. next year - in the summer, perhaps.

We think

III

Shenmue and Climax Landers

Thanks

want my

to uber-talented artist. Axel,

to introduce

Fantasy Zone’s part-time dragon slayer

and full time postmistress,

season!

robot sidekick,

Roy Simpson roysimpson@aol. com

To

we are pleased

Noriko,

and her trusty

DC! 28.

check out more of Axel’s amazing

art, visit

Cafe Takara at http://clearscape.com/~axel.

/

Official

Sega # Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99


o

ARCADE ZONE

DCM

Sega’s giant Seattle arcade plays host to

A

rriving

unannounced

is

never a great

idea, whether it’s to your own funeral (always good for causing a few gapng mouths) or to GameWorks in Seattle. As one of the largest arcades on the West Coast, Sega’s interactive paradise is busy as heck when we arrive with photographer and a truck-load of gear in tow on the first of our regular outings to the biggest, brightest, and best Sega arcades in the country. But Matt Gerosin, Assistant Manager, takes it all in his stride, welcoming America’s

28^^SEPTEMBER99j

Official

Dreamcast magazine to his beat with open arms and plying us with free game cards, which we rapidly spend on Crazy Taxi (see page 30). From classics like Indy 500 and Manx 77 to Sega Rally Championship, House of the Dead 2, and Crazy Taxi, if you’re into Sega coin-op - then this is your Mecca. As Matt

clarifies,

“Sega games are

cutting

edge, and the most popular right now is, would say, House of the Dead 2" As our photography reveals, that’s I

not the only

game

that has the public digging into

its

pockets. Taking the temperature of the Sega coin-op

Sega® Dreamcast

Magazine

scene

is

what we’re here

to

very healthy animal [Erm. the thermometer? -

Next month, well as bringing

.

.

- and

be

at the

it

looks to be a stick

LA GameWorks,

as

you an exclusive report on Sega’s next

big arcade

smash - F355

we have to

know, Matt

-

Challenge. But before

got to be ‘the

game

not eat your card, and That’s okay, Matt

I

we

go,

what’s the lamest attempt you

hear to get a free credit on a “It’s

do

where exactly did you

Ed.).

DCM will

game? my card.’ The games do

ate

can show you that they

- we

believe you...

don’t!"


Sega Coin-op News “You only want to take my picture because I’m a girl, right? bet you don’t print the picture of my boyfriend with me, either. God, I

you’re sooo predictable.”

Clarissa's

accusations,

predictably of course,

A my

we

We'd

like to refute

but, can’t,

somewhat

y

“So how much longer do we have to keep smiling like this? think may have just bit ‘thung.’” “I don’t know, guess until they take their stupid picture and go away.” Jamie girlfriend grin and bear it with the popular shooter, LA Machine Guns. I

I

I

and

A

Cliff

plays

Sega

behind his right ear.

Rally “I

keep coming back to

A

2 Championship, oblivious to the camera team game more than any other game here.

play this

it.”

And he

I

only needs one

arm to beat

just just

it...

“This game sucked me in, and now can’t get away from it.” Jeff is having trouble dealing with his addiction to Top Skater. Well, Jeff, maybe if you let go of the bars you could get away? "What? Oh... yeah, guess. Hey, thanks!" Glad to be of service, Jeff. I

I

A

GameWorks

once there was

how it’s done on Indy 500. “The weirdest thing we've seen? Well, it’s kinda gross, sucking on a joystick from one of the fighting games.” (Does that count as a special move? -

host Lindsey shows them this

woman

Official

Sega © Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99


ARCADE ZONE Manufacturer: Sega

CRAZY You

me?

talkin’ to reedom within

Developer:

a bustling city

There’s nobody else here is

the core appeal of the latest coin-

op from Sega’s Japanese labs. Crazy Taxi throws you in the seat of a bright yellow open-top cab in San Francisco and offers one objective — to pick people up at the roadside and get them to their chosen destination as swiftly as possible. Reckless driving is not appreciated by some passengers, though — a lower tip is their way of letting you know. Packed with pedestrians and dense with other

we found

traffic,

career around trying to ram as at

progress can

Riders,

made

much

to

as possible

looks

that

as

Given the speed at which Power Stone and House of the Dead 2 have jumped to the home

Technnologically, there are

few differences between

console, only the most pessimistic

Dreamcast and Naomi apart

Dreamcast owner would doubt its imminent transferal. Rumors

from an extra amount of

abound

code being mounted

will

at

arrive

Sega

we

multi-player

rival

A

early as

Crazy Taxi looks amazing and plays so well go of the wheel.

many

relatively straightforward

required for

wrong

humor and

with

Perhaps the most

is

that

Naomi

is

cheap and

is

you therefore facilitating slightly

people, anyway?”

greater creative risks within

one

Sega. Apart from planned

-

classic 72Cf

skateboarding

perhaps no coincidence, previous

since the creator’s

was

multi-screen efforts such as

project

Airline Pilots

the excellent skateboarding sim

Challenge,

Top Skater In

terms of handling, the ultra-fast

of Crazy Taxi a

lesson

make Sega

in

Employing

compatibility

between

simulating car physics.

Dreamcast’s

VMS

some

coin-op

most

the

of

VMS

and

of the traffic trying to

cool head.

car chase.

very

It’s all

And

But this

it

works

in

sidebar), Crazy Taxi

hood

is

how good

new

at

is

Streets

unravel

into

minimum

distance with

pop-up, and everything

Sega’s

runs

at

a

^

the

^^

silky

smooth 60fps, but where it

really

scores

in its

use

of realistic lighting

and

shadows -

find

try

and

September^!

W official

fertilization of

A

^

Sega ® Dreamcast Mag azine

become

or three

will utilize this

throwing

polygons around the screen.

two

a further

Naomi [see

will

active

on the big screen. Sega says

near-death experiences, the

customer exits the cab more quickly than he entered it. You’re

perhaps the best

evidence yet of just

console

After several

rather

the visual

Packing its

arcade cabinet

less-than-satisfied

penalized for poor driving with lower fares.

like a treat.

either.

under

technology

characters

A

keep a

70s cop-show

no slouch

is

department

and the

— simply plug your

into the

and your favorite trained

even acceleration/braking combos are possible while you're weaving in

and out

All will

even feature cross

Rally look like

a racer, powerslides, jumps,

(the

titles

Japan Pro-Wrestling 2)

exaggerated driving moves yet seen in

and F355

some

be Giant Gram

first will

and comically exaggerated dynamics

30

to run on

it

Dreamcast.

encouraging aspect, though,

No? What’s

garish hues of Crazy Taxi also remind slightly of the Atari

is

and

tweaks such as reducing

the number of textures are

“Get in and I’ll scare the living daylights out of

time bonuses as possible.

Funnily enough, the urban

that the conversion process

only

M

you!

means

that you’ll be hard-pressed to let

rumble between

cab companies...

be

only

by hunting out shortcuts [often

ROM,

in

instead of on CD. This

think,

February 2000. Here’s hoping for

RAM

on the motherboard and the

that Crazy Taxi

ooner than

however - possibly as a

narrow one-way streets] and accruing as

game

another

vibrant as this.

But as with Harley-Davidson

first.

L.A.

tendency

there’s a

AM3

“Yeeeeehhhaaaahaaaa!”

The

streets of San Francisco as runway.

games

cross-

code

this year.


THIS IS THE HEART


SOULCALIBUR 'h

1998 1999 itamco

Ltd. All Rights

trademarks nr trademarks jjLSega Enterprises,

Ltd.

The

Reserved. Sega. Dreamcast. and the Dreamcast logo are either registered ratings icon

is

a trademark ol the Interactive

Digital

Soltware Association.


\

*

M It’s

pits

the

game

will

that will turn you into a

proud owner of the Sega Dreamcast! Soul Calibur

weapon-wielding warriors from around the globe

experience.

One

that

Next Generation

calls "the

in the definitive fighting

new benchmark by which

all

game

other games

be judged.� Soul Calibur from Namco. Sweet Dreamcasts are made of this.


Yuji

Naka

star Yuji Naka is the man behind Sonic Hedgehog and the Saturn blockbuster Nights. Now he talks exclusively to DCM...

Sega the

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

What you want

to

I

child, there

were

typical things... like a train conductor,

an airplane

pilot,

think about

making games

or an astronaut. at

the third grade years old]. in I

originally

I

came

with Sega for

33 years

I

was

I

in

high school [17-18

order to be able to

am

realized

I

game school come to Tokyo.

applied to a

I

stayed there

Then

is

in

didn't

I

all.

wanted to make games when

I

did

be when you were a kid?

When was many

WITH THE

from Osaka and

until

1

I

was 1 8 years

I

to Tokyo,

and

5 years now.

I've

old.

been

[Yuji

Naka

old.]

wanted

come

to

to Tokyo,

and

was

I

Ryuichi Sakamoto's Yellow

part-time job so

I

more and more

getting

interested in computers at that time. But the

main reason why

I

programming was because

to get involved with computers and

Magic Orchestra.

really loved

I

could save up for a synthesizer, but

I

wanted of

them.

finally

I

took a

bought a

computer, instead. By then, computers had become very interesting;

What games

when you were

did you to play

had started

child?

work

at

since

Initially,

Namco. But

Namco

I

really

it

wanted

to

wasn't possible

didn't hire high-school

degree at that time. And

I

didn't

study. So,

I

I

really

University to

eventually decided to

enter Sega [laughs].

H

What was the

legan at Sega

[a

decide to work

in

hit at

game

game you worked on

1984 and

first

the time.

I

games

I

Maybe

if

I

might have become

All

at

Sega?

worked on the SG-1000 Mark

the main characters

in

was

It

game were

the

actually a big girls,

industry?

bears.

It

was

off

really

the mark! There were even

original Sonic].

Ireamcast Magazine

like

II

some

bees and

funny [laughs]. Later on.

Naoto [the character designer

Photography by Hiroki Izumi

and

in

order get dates with boys, they had to buy or pick flowers for them.

annoying non-human enemies

with

of the

II

worked as a programmer on Girts

created to attract female players.

worked on Phantasy Star I and

SEPTEMBER 99

I

at Sega.

There was serious competition for dates, therefore players

did you suddenly

the

first

in

precursor to the Master System].

Garden, a

had to be quick

Why

began working

a musician [laughs].

graduates without a University l

want to go to

I

had bought the synthesizer, instead of a computer,

Namco's Xevious, Rally X, Bosconian...

games, and then

to play

^^k

I

Oshima

^^k ^^k

^^k


How At the

did the Sonic

start,

The two

myself.

the Sonic

Team

originally

come

Team was composed

together?

of

make

to

it

we

for creating

In fact,

started actually

handled the direction and planning

we

initial

concepts

for

Sonic the

in

Japan.

We were

Sonic Adventure

at the

beginning of the hardware development stage of Dreamcast

an action game, we began to

gather a small group of very talented people.

seven team members when

we

Oshima Naoto and

already thinking up

were the “team” responsible

of us

Hedgehog, and once we decided

-

around the summer of 1997.

only had about

making the game. ffiiWhat was the biggest hurdle you faced during the the development of Sonic Adventure?

how the concept

Could you give us an idea of of Sonic originally

The fact that we

came about?

didn't

have any hardware [laughs]. The

hardware was completed only two months before the Japanese

SONIC ADVENTURE in

a simple round

character design, and

we

kind of animal or character could

Sonic was a

rabbit!

of action, so

move

we

them

instead. To

a lot of small details, but nothing very drastic

as far as the game's visuals. For example, At

like this.

camera views and we

He could stop

same gameplay and

the

decided that

in

we were

atmosphere

what we saw while

Yes.

I

me

if

I

moved

in this

way.

hedgehog had

and ruins and

2 heading this by

for

very

is

Dreamcast?

many

fans during

Even Nintendo's Mr. Miyamoto asked

games from

that

Nights

was making

on brand new

many animals

South America to get a

there.

was asked about

this year’s E3.

only found the armadillo and the

We went to

of the jungle rainforests

very satisfied with the results. Mystic Ruins

Finally, is

we

too.

What's your favorite level? Probably Mystic Ruins. feel for the

found that

faithful to

there aren't too

same way

bump

keep the action flowing, we

We

’net in the

order to

designed and programmed the character to have a streamlined shape that rolled well.

will offer

Japanese version, and you

levels as the

can download data from the

we changed some

few bugs. The US version

fixed a

objects, hold

destroy or defeat enemies, the character would into

thing for us.

What has changed since the Japanese version?

We changed

started to think about what

them, and then throw them at enemies. But that broke

up the flow

difficult

the program to simulate a character

on the screen. Then we started to work on the

first,

was the most

release. That

was

At the beginning, Sonic

shape we used

it!

titles

But

it’s

- maybe

also enjoyable to

even more so

-

work

than

existing series.

In fact,

this potential,

and decided to go with the hedgehog. Then Oshima-san began

work on Sonic's his

-

back

concept to

it

original design

took approximately three months from

initial

final design.

What do you

think has been the secret to Sonic's success?

always been very serious about the success of every

I've

’ve

such as adding the spines on

game

that

made. At the time that we were making Sonic the MegaDrive was not

selling at

USA [as to make

Japan and the hardware was about

all in

the

Sega Genesis].

Sonic a

hit in

In

to

be released

order to crack the market

in

Japan,

in I

the

wanted

decided to make a game that would be it was a common to believe that US would become hits in Japan, too. It's

the US, so

I

popular with Americans. At that time,

games

that

succeeded

the

is

began creating Sonic with US players

in

successful, as

When game

initially

Yes,

we

I

hoped. Though,

Mi

I

really

common anymore. So, game ended up very

not so

I

mind. The

wished

it

sold as well

in Japan....

did you have the idea for Sonic Adventure? Wasn’t the

planned for Saturn?

started to develop

R’s development

I

in

only recently that this type of thinking

was wrapping

it

for the

up. Sonic

Saturn around the time that Sonic

R was

being done

in

the UK, but

jpScial

Sega

# Dreamcasl

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

35


VTERPLANETARY DEBT COLLECTION RECLAIM THE FUTURE FUR MANKIND -

Sega DMA and the DMA

Dreamcast. logo are trademarks of DMA Design Ltd. Rockstar

Games and the

Rockstar logo are trademarks of Take-Two

Interactive, Inc.

The

ratings icon is a trademark of the Interactive Digital


'

f

r

X-

•* i.

Enemy

LilijlillllU-

tanks and airborne sentinels stalk and hunt like animals.

U ££-<>

1-;^'^

-

4

\

'~T5g

IT

I

are Association. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are registered trademarks of Sega Enterprise, Ltd.

;

=

Over 20 levels take place across 3 worlds in day and night during various weather conditions.

Employ

1

'-ifjSr

stealth or

armored

r'r~?

charge head-on into

confrontation.

ROCKSTAR GAMES

©1999 All rights

reserved.


?

On September 9, more games will beam down Marburg

Kevin

by

Illustrations

all

than nineteen shiny

new

at you from the shelves, trying desperately to win your hard-earned

cash. How will you pick the winners from the losers, the shining stars from the smelly socks, the Ishtars from the Jurassic Parks' Read on.



Your guide to our guide Sega Dreamcast Magazine

he Official

(DCM

to our friends]

would

like to

welcome

you to the world of Sega Dreamcast. Day one of this

new

September guides

-

like

America on

begins for North

future

When

9.

prepared. We'd

this

day comes, you need to be

you to think of us as your Yoda-like

wise beyond our years, revered by

possessed of an uncanny

muppet regardless

ability to

look

still

development

of the

like a

in

rubber

computer-

generated imagery that has occurred since the early

Your guide to the launch games perspectives

-

owned

game magazines

one]

(like this

'80s.

divided into two

is

the ‘veteran’ and the ‘newbie.’

an experienced gamer, have

and

all,

If

you’re

a few systems, read

religiously,

and don’t

have thumbs where your fingers should be, then figured you’d probably

newbie,

a

(there’s to

DISLIKES: Anything

MOST LIKELY TO

and

little

new game.

beat.

“It

this

character only

September 99

official

Sega

kidding.

You

Magazine

only

of if

plays to

do

we’ve catered

more

may

also find

likely to

want

bright colors

LARGE TYPE.

Just

newbie Katy’s advice a more what you should be spending your September. So without further ado, let's

will

find

useful guide as to

money on

this

introduce our panel of judges...

Katy (but

hangs out with

has

slightly older guys],

there’s nothing on

LIKES: Games that don’t expect you

to

TV

or to

spend the

annoy her rest of

brother.

your natural

learning the moves.

(well,

that

expect

you get the

MOST LIKELY TO SAY:

® Dreamcast

this fun

better

to do?], then

figure you’re

and enjoy books with

attractive

DISLIKES: Games sucks that

We

high on the action. You

life

35 combos.”

all

easier to get into, short on simulation,

PLAYS GAMES: When

easy.

SAY:

who

someone

or

something better

your tastes, too.

something a

AGE: Late teens

Early twenties (but acts like a teenager].

to figure out

to

probability have the cat-

videogames when they have nothing

AGE:

LIKES: Games that take ages

new

you’re

You should take the word

like reflexes of, well, a cat.

NAME:

a

if

in all

our cap-wearing buddy, Rob, as your gospel. But you’re

NAME: Rob PLAYS GAMES: All the time. WHEN NOT PLAYING GAMES, CAN BE FOUND: Buying

game than

You can handle simulations, games with complex

moves and combos, and

NEWBIE

U I DEOGFiME UETERRN

40

we

want something more and/or

from a

different stuff.

“This

you

to

picture], is

bor-ring. Later.”

spend

the

rest...


A videogame legend

runs rings around the velocity-challenged competition WHAT’S THE GAME? Hedgehogness through 10

Pilot His

environments ever seen

in

engage

a

in

little

levels of the

most

beautifully rendered

a videogame. Collect stuff, rescue your pals (a load

of cutesy critters) from the

Robotnick, and, should you feel the urge,

evil Dr.

A-Life action, breeding the teardrop-shaped fuzzies

known

as ‘Chaos’

SO? So

it

-

looks amazing

more cunningly populated with

Some

enemies. a

killer

some

the levels are incredibly detailed, and

game world been so

absolutely huge. Never before has a

or

manner

all

are

beautifully realized,

of surprising

and imaginative

Fancy being chased by

of the set-pieces are simply amazing.

whale? Look no further than the

particularly

disappearing

first level, Emerald Coast, where a huge one tailgates Sonic as he speeds along a rapidly wooden pier, in the process of being demolished by said

videogame equivalent everything

is

of Free Willy. Sonic

true 3D. Each level

is

can go pretty much anywhere, and

themed, and they vary from the Aztec

pyramids and temples of Mystic Ruin to the devoted almost entirely to showing

off the

futuristic

Speed Highway

(a level

sheer pace of the game).

It

immersive

It

looks amazing and

feel of

little

lot of

fun to

the levels. You can sort of do

- you know, you can every

a

it’s

explore and spend a

play,

and

I

like

depth Super Test review of the

the

It

doesn’t look to

through the Sonic

stuff,

though.

me It's

as a

if it

little

lot of

time getting to

would take that long

INSIDE TRACK:

know

producer/designer

- you want to know what think? Okay - well, it’s like he said. would add that liked exploring the levels - just seeing what was the blobby things were cool [A-Life -Ed.] but a little first. You have to stick with that. It’s definitely something ia Duy. ns preuy amazing looKingi

“Eh? Oh Only,

dozen

a

in

BOTTOM If

a battle royale of superheroes.

superheroes,

more

Marvel

Comics

Capcom fighters from games (and other Capcom

your favorite

all

2D

other

or

the classic Street Fighter

and,

throw

in

added

for

outrageous

they’ll

even better for the

US debut this fall.

like a

title

build

made up

some suitably exotic locations some special effects so make your eyes bleed and - voila!

spice,

this

should be

it.

In tights game is fast! There’s so much going on, it's crazy. I’m

looking

“This

pretender. You can

also

LINE:

you buy one game with your Dreamcast,

a big fan of the original Street

tag-teams

and

Fighter games,

of heroes from

like

oldies),

it

|

1

- and

East versus West

up

make

1

1

WHAT’S THE GAME? Round

his

Since then, he’s been working to

complicated at

It’s

life in Japan and was developed by world famous Yuji Naka. Working tirelessly with his “Sonic Team,” Naka Sega Genesis creation to Japanese Dreamcasts last December.

Sonic Adventure started

to get

easy.”

brought

there

in-

98.)

them any way you want

corner of the map, or you can just go for speed and get on

to what's next.

game on page

as

is,

our videogaming veteran says opposite, “awesome.” (You can read our "Awesome!

four-player battles are cool, too. Okay,

matching to create the

as deep as

perfect line-up.

for playing with

some

really

I

the Marvel universe. The

both sides, mixing and

fighters

I

like,

your buddies.

but

it’s

it’s

not

great

It's

a blast!”

until a

system

You’ve got an instantly accessible slugfest for the

INSIDETRACK

Ritalin generation.

Capcom

SO? So

if

you,

held off converting the

powerful enough to handle

you dig comics, and the idea of spending weeks

to master the likes of Virtua Fighter 3tb

then

animation detailed,

you’ve is

just

found

is

your game.

amazing, the sprites

their glory

all

game

for the

home

those huge sprites and effects

came around - Dreamcast was

“I

The are huge and

and the dazzling pyrotechnics leave every

BOTTOM Makes

a

had trouble

in all

keeping up with

that machine.

all

was going

that

poison to

the stuff

on,

but

it

wasn’t too hard to learn the

LINE

Kung Fu

moves. But

action flick look like a Czechoslovakian

drama

coming

Official

Sega

Dreamcast

you wind up with his buddies

over," (looks at

recommend

about basket weaving.

if

it

at

Magazine

all..."

Rob) “then

I

wouldn't

(laughs)

SEPTEMBER 99

41


T Pi IP A

coin-op fighter

new

in

garb. Classic cut, but cool cloth

WHATS THE GAME? Head back

some lethal

fully

to the time of

Michael

weapons-based combat on its ear. Throw in six new modes and you’re

swashbucklers and samurai for

3D, one-on-one combat, featuring a cast of 17

guys and gals Flatley

sweatiest

who can

and

spears, axes,

all

Unlike

Ireland’s

brandishing

swords,

espressos.

18

after

foot-tapper,

they’re

left

more moves than

pull off

with a

light

game

years beyond

offers a great deal

that not only looks

arcade cousin, but

its

more depth

Soul Calibur was released

SO? So

Namco

year ago, and

it’s

the

most drop-dead gorgeous

you’ve ever seen.

100%

of

close.

The

It

will

game

fighting

Namco has

"I

enough

seen. Plus

it’s

beating up don’t

this is easily

know

friends,

of the

in

and

ninth

if

game and

better animation,

transforming

it

will

be staring you

in

you can only get one, make sure

“I’m a

’X*

I’ve

in

the process.

huge fan

the face on the this is

it.

and

of the coin-op,

this

version looks a hundred times better.

new

got a bunch of

start

even though

moves

games

Five fighting

lot of fighting

the coolest

easy to jump

my all

a

has since spruced up the

totally

BOTTOM LINE

to turn the world of

haven’t really played a

games, but

arcades more than

gotten

resulting volley of hyper-realistic character

tiniest of details is

new modes -

several

animation, dazzling special effects, and acute attention to

even the

in

with higher-resolution graphics,

be a long time before anyone taps

Dreamcast’s potential, but

to boot.

INSIDETRACK

types of pointy miscellany.

it

I

HOUSE OF

It’s

but most of

all,

plays just like the original. Wait until

my

-

friends see this

yet.”

stuff,

they’re

gonna

freak!”

FLRG TO FLRG CART

racing, Dreamcast-style. No, not

shopping carts,

Zombies are on the rampage

(again)

A

WHATS THE GAME? Grab a

your

blast

way

One taking

The game sports 27

through a quaint European village overrun with zombies.

championship, time

SO? So

console take on the North American motorsport of

variant of Formula

and

friend (and a couple of light guns)

— race carts

silly

WHATS THE GAME?

drivers

trial,

CART

racing

-

a

place on permanent courses and city streets.

and 19 courses, with play modes including

and one-

to two-player

arcade matches.

SO? it’s

fast,

more zombies

challenging, addictive, and features

So thanks

than the average Jerry Springer Show.

to the

game’s

license

official

and some

visual

Sega, Flag to Flag not only features a complete line-up of

handwork by

real-life drivers,

courses, and cars, but incredibly fast (and good-looking] gameplay as well.

INSIDETRACK This

isn’t

a console

(from Sega’s

the next best thing to being

It’s

game -

it’s

the cockpit of a real FI speedster.

a state-of-the-art coin-op

Naomi arcade system) squeezed onto

INSIDETRACK

a CD.

Flag to Flag

BOTTOM

in

LINE

is

Sega’s

first

Formula-One-style racer since Virtua Racing,

and despite the North American

Sega gives you more zombies per square

foot.

in

BOTTOM “Ewww —

this

blasting the

is

horrible!

zombies

is

fun, although the

game

too hard later on.

It’s

so

But

much way

gets

easy

to pick

up and play whenever you fancy a — mine don’t last long!” quick go

sport, the

game was developed

A faster,

LINE

friendlier take

on the often stodgy realm of racing simulations.

“Most Formula One games are way too boring, but this one’s a lot faster I

-

and

don’t spend most of the race on the

grass or doing doughnuts.

I

couldn’t

care less about the licensed drivers and

great-looking

bomb! A game.

But what

really like

This

is

are

the

I

the

paths take

tracks, but the TV-like presentation

“Forget

different

-

it

it's

can

you

makes you want

to play

through more than once. The training

mode

is

cool, too.”

Magazine

wholly

Japan.

it

-

is

I

think

racing

around the

simulations,

racing

same

over and over just

track

doesn't interest me.

me, but

cool.”

even though he says

more exciting than other

I’d

Maybe

it’s

just

prefer racing the shopping carts.”


“Ugh. expecting I

first

was

“It

the

lot

Dreamcast

shooter

me

reminds

better

graphics,

new

course.

and exciting, but this sucks! It’s more like the ones played on my 16 and 32bit systems."

with

my friends

the time, but

I

fast.

it

a

of Asteroids,

but with

be

to

something

of

Get

played

I

for a while to

Armada

the

is

Dreamcast game

weapons and head deep space with up

Outfit your ship with various in

time)

in

INSIDETRACK

WHAT’S THE GAME? top-down-view melee

space

lost in

(and go back

pass

got boring pretty

Next, please.”

US-developed

first

on Microsoft’s

that runs

Windows CE operating system.

off for a

might be smiling, but we’re

to four

Bill

Gates

not.

simultaneous players.

BOTTOM LINE SO? So

Decidedly past-generation shooter on a next-generation

it’s

like

can have

it

Asteroids meets Star Control, except

now you

system. Wait for our

-

out against three buddies at once.

that’s

in the tooth than a saber-toothed not extinct yet...

Longer

WHAT’S THE GAME? A

conversion

globe.

SNK’s

of

'98.

but

tiger,

the addition of

means

the backgrounds

popular 2D arcade brawler King of Fighters

And

review before spending your hard-earned cash

full

an order, now.

better than the arcade

3D

objects

that

game,

in

looks

it

too.

Dream

INSIDETRACK

Match '99 boasts a roster of more than 36 characters, plus new 3D backgrounds and CD-quality music.

Dream Match '99 is the Dreamcast game that can communicate with SNK’s Neo-Geo King of Fighters:

first

Pocket handheld system, via a

link cable.

headache!’

SO? So

BOTTOM

got gobs of characters,

it’s

and they

all

have

but compared

You’re able to select a team of three to fight against other

LINE

Nirvana for old-school fighting-game fans,

tons of moves.

teams from around the

looks like

it

to Soul Calibur

should belong

gnawing

Bored of racing games? Try these boards for size

in

my

off

Trickstyle

Criterion

to

Michael

Fox].

J.

Rangers dress-alikes rack up

its

New

BOTTOM One skating or snowboarding

some pretty cool tricks in the games - least of all “How do stop addictive game? need to feed the dog, he’~ to pull off

future of skate

is

fast

-

a

lot

games

faster than

I've

some like

and add a

for

all

half-pipe.

lot

any of

me

great cartoons, but most of

the stunts

-

of depth to the

“It’s

a

of

all,

Pretty good."

lot to

tricks.

I

I

do

-

like

realistic,

if

especially with the

the characters, and

way you hover seems you know what mean.” the

they’re easy to pull

game.

not as hard to get into as

other racing games, and there’s

played on other

systems. The characters remind

be Soft

LINE

of Dreamcast’s best looking

your lifeblood,

I

“This

off

is

I

the racing

Deep will

by Ubi

next year.

games. Not

SO?

playing this

which

Fighter,

and like any futuristic boarding romp worth its Hover Wax™, it has a “skate park” for brushing up on those mad skillz. As Keanu Reeves might say, “Woah. Totally rad, cyber dude.”

need

developer Studios

next Dreamcast

released

at

once,

you’ll

leg,” etc.

blaster called

on

York,

London, and Tokyo. Two players can hover

So

museum.

game, a submarine

Power

trick points

post-apocalyptic

in

it

currently working on

hover-board

the Future 2-style

(without

racing

courses

VF3,

INSIDETRACK

WHAT’S THE GAME? Back

a

and

quite

I

Official

S<

racing fans, but it’ll

be

right

if

up your


Muscle-bound adventuring

Go

to Tokyo. Scream around the night in flashy cars. Get arrested

WHATS THE GAME? Not only Dreamcast’s to ditch

first

intricately

a

first

adventure game, but one of the

pre-rendered

detailed

game

world

favor of

in

More

game than

of a battle

difficult

team member and

buy a new one, you show-off).

a boat captain,

You take on a progressively more

a racer.

polygon sets. You play as two

characters: a rescue

highways at

WHATS THE GAME? opposition while using your winnings to upgrade your car (or even

both stranded on an asteroid-impacted island, with the goal to

make

way

their

off

- and

figure out just

why

inhabitants have been transformed into mutants.

its

SO? So

there’s really not another racer like

doing laps

for miles. Instead of

it

against several opponents, you try to outrun a single opponent whilst

SO? So the

dodging oncoming

looks gorgeous, promises hours of gameplay, and

it

first

and only adventure game

Dreamcast. There’s

for

plenty of exploration, but you’ll need to knock the snot out of

a horde of monstrosities with handguns and bazookas.

Developer Genki responsible

INSIDETRACK problems

“You really have to spend a while with

the crew Dreamcast

also

is

the

for

of Sega’s

this to appreciate

-

mighty arcade

of Blue Stinger was riddled with

has completely overhauled

this

aspect of the game.

BOTTOM This

is

one

LINE for the

maniacal drivers out

matte paintings compared to

you

this.

are).

It’s

and

I

have a

to

do and

looks

it

a

in

drivers

-

they’re real tough!”

so

their

There were a few points that were

“Sorry?

set

one

I

too, but this

at

just

and

all

it’s

night-time? get

don’t

sounds

This

one

Only

-

track

cars,

great!

lot to

find. This

-

movie

my adventure

like

games

being

like

"It’s

but

for

who like upgrading

those "The graphics are cool,

it

really

first,

know who

there (you like

at

once you start defeating opponents and upgrading your car, it gets better. Wait until you go up against the later

sometimes sickening camera

LINE

Other adventure games look

can seem

it

boring

fighter Virtua Fighter 3tb.

- thankfully, Activision

BOTTOM

the highway to your advantage.

in

INSIDE TRACK

conversion

The Japanese version

Use the forks

traffic.

is

it.

like j

has plenty

-

I

really frustrating, but

just wish

the story and dialogue had been

found

better."

it

fairly

easy to

make

is

Armchair off-roading

battle

it

it

his buddies.

And

he’s a loser.”

WHAT’S THE GAME?

out on seven courses.

Formula One motorsport with courses that span the globe. Racing fans may notice the lack of real-world drivers, though,

has a

appeal than

more bump and jump

bit

some

of the

DC

SO?

racing pack.

So

INSIDETRACK This one

what my younger brother does with

The world’s the most exciting GP circuits on one CD

dune buggies and trucks

SO? So

a

classic.

WHAT’S THE GAME? Eight different

hardly

I

progress.”

was

called

has more

it

than Flag to

Buggy Heat when

released

Japan.

in

lets

you

Flag,

car handling

realistic

and a

classic

mode that

Grand

race, well, classic

Prix cars

around a sole countryside course.

A

INSIDETRACK

rough-and-tumbley “I

racer that’s reasonably

like

the variety

courses

of

fun and looks cool,

and

This

was Ubi

Soft’s

game and came

first

out there

Japanese Dreamcast last year.

the fact that you

can

drive different

kinds of off-road

cars and trucks. But I’m holding out for

Sega

Rally

2-

it’s

gonna

rock!"

the

If

Asleep)

and

a

lot

I

did,

uh,

Flag to Flag or Monaco'.'

Official

it

Sega ©'Dreamcast

Magazine

and I’d

game

at launch,

then this

for you.

is

this

sorry

dudes,

for I

must have dozed off. Racing simulations can be so boring one didn’t change my mind.

rather sleep than play

"Way too technical

“Zzzzzzz...

(

controls

and once

Prix

be better ones coming along, though.

didn’t take long,

was pretty fun — more exciting than

LINE

you absolutely must have a Grand

They’ll

used

“Getting to

BOTTOM

this.”

my

tastes.

serious

like

but

I

think

I

don’t

racing

much,

simulations I

prefer

Flag to Flag to this anyday because

was so much

easier to

play.”

it


To fighting games what the Chemical Brothers are to Kenny Rogers WHAT’S THE GAME?

Sega’s Naomi board, so, just

Capcom smashes the 2D mold it created for games such as Street Fighter

II,

pitting

one another

against

Dreamcast conversion running

the cabinet

in

House of the Dead

like

2,

the

indistinguishable from the one

is

down

at

your local arcade.

combatants

its

BOTTOM

free-

large,

in

roaming environments where they can

If

leap off backgrounds, throw objects,

LINE

you want a glimpse

no

further.

If

at the future of fighting

you want a fun game,

games, look

that, too.

it’s

and use weapons. And then there are the power stones themselves

- when

all

“Now

three are collected, they transform your

character

capable attacks.

into

super-human damaging

a

massively

of

Not bad

for a

3D

although

get

g reat a nd

incredibly frantic, looks fabulous,

it’s

and

in

down

it

It’s

it

we

me

it’s

totally different

pat.

1

1

have a

played, and

a while to learn

a blast

once you

don’t think

mode, but when

sin gle player

play

1

took

it

the gameplay,

_

SO? So

this is cool!

from every other fighter

being special

novice.

my

it’s

so

friends

blast.”

unlike

is

any fighting game you’ve ever played before. There’s tons of strategy involved

in

is

playing

it

alone just

isn’t

It’s

tried to play, but

frantic for

snap up

to

three power stones as quickly as possible.

game -

“1

using the environment and

the various weapons, but the true drive all

party

before

a true

1

keep at

INSIDETRACK first

arcade

game developed

rsT

rr

for

“Wow!

1

loved the

this version is just

courses

— with

it

park

waves

-

game

in

the arcade, and

as good.

1

really like

they’re almost like

rides. Plus

the

amusement

my friends and had 1

Powerboat racing with more bumps than Baywatch. Eleven courses range from a post-apocalyptic

a blast

with the two-player mode."

New York City to an

“As

futuristic

course has

lots of

much

as

think this

I

Indiana Jones-

there are

1

hate to agree with him,

one’s

complicated

romp. Thirteen boats at your (and a friend’s] disposal, and each

like

some

great,

too.

It’s

1

not

those other racers, and hilarious touches.

The

time-saving shortcuts and jumps. Your boat also has a

handy turbo-boost - one

of the

game’s best features,

in fact.

SO? So the water

effects

realistic you’ll

to

wear It’s

are

so

be tempted

coin-op parent, and the variety of boats

plays just like

its

and courses

absolutely

to

is

be unlocked as

huge

- with

lots of

hidden ones

well.

a rain slicker. exhilarating,

looks and

INSIDE

TRACK

Hydro Thunder looker.

is another arcade port, and it’s a stunning The Dreamcast version has an extra course

(a training

park] not found

BOTTOM

in

the coin-op.

LINE

Great fun. Another state of the art coin-op squeezed onto a

official

Sega ©

GD-ROM.

1

it

was

way

just

too

kept getting clobbered

the

how

to

throw

other person.

I’ll

though, because everyone

ust be sorr ething there."

WHAT’S THE GAME?

style Nile

at

e se seems t o be having so

Power Stone was the

Rocket-powered racing

me.

could figure out

something

the same.

much

fun playing

- there


leet the next generation of top priority

football

game, and boy, did

in this

Remember

off.

where the players moved as

as you could twitch? Well, that

we

speed

traded

Now we

get the

play by play.

fast

style,

NFL 2K

They created an

with great audio,

identity, a

and even a back-story

commentary and

for his character,

make more than

then put him through the paces to

haven’t seen

14,000 individual play-by-play comments.

flashy graphics.

BOTTOM

smoothness and the

goes with

control that

for

football

a voice actor to provide

years as past 32 and 64bit football

in

titles

videogame

pay

it

the good old days of 16bit

This

it.

LINE:

THE game

is

sports fans have been waiting

for.

Don’t worry though, excellent graphics haven’t been sacrificed on the altar of speed.

WHATS THE GAME? Sega’s

first

Dreamcast

gridiron is

one

game

innovative play calling screen [which enables you to

for

years. With

in

smooth

potential to be the

graphics,

most exciting

the market since the

Madden

its

3D sound, and

radically different play calling system,

incredibly

see your plays lined up on the actual

of the best sports

we’ve seen on any system

titles

rxn

The player models, stadiums, and even the

NFL 2K has the game to hit

football

fantastic.

The motions are

between-play

will

game.

Add

this to Visual

all

since

\\Tjl

look

field)

game

Genesis Madden

classic

the

games on

other systems, but

came

missed

with those great sprite-based games.”

real

Concepts’ fanatical

and ear-popping 3D audio, and

"I

how when

love the fact that you can see

your plays

you’ve got something football fans can really get

will

run on the

field

can see you call them. This way where my receivers are cutting, and can immediately tell which receiver

SO?

excited about.

Tired of hearing robotic

made constant 60 frames-per-second movement

gun, big-name sportscasters? Visual Concepts hired

I

I

INSIDETRACK: is

commentary from

hired-

the one that

game

the

should be looking

I

for.

I

NFL BLITZ 2088

The

No-rules, high-octane football

definitive collection for fatality fiends

Given half a chance, right-wing Christian activists (and members of Congress)

MKs

army

of fans into hell’s hottest

and most painful

Kombat has long been an incredibly popular among American gamers. Based on last year’s Mortal Kombat 4,

Tossing good sportsmanship to the wolves,

2000

is

adrenaline-heavy,

corners for eternity. But Mortal

re-create

fighting

of

title

chapter

this latest

in

-

Blitz

but very few

SO? moves

it

moves, and plays just

like

the arcade version of Mortal Kombat

new characters and backgrounds. Just don’t games (or much of an evolution, for that matter).

the added perk of

4,

with

expect a revolution

you gather up three friends lots of different

you

have

also

for a

Midway estimates that Mortal Kombat Gold's characters are comprised of more than

-

an

that’s nearly three

times the detail found console version of

BOTTOM

for

of

MK4

and

ages,

for

this

4.

LINE

manages to deliver more even more than that. Soul Calibur is still way ahead, though.”

the

It’s

easy enough to

fans. play,

CAren't

they a

rapidly

dying

breed? -Ed.)

but

ability

NFL

create

to

license, so

league’s

your

VMU

for

own future

you

and

players

to boot.

INSIDETRACK NFL

coin-ops

of

last

a

of

“Blitz

is

fun

multi-player

in

lot

sessions, but being

2000 originated in the arcades and was one of the most successful year.

It

shares

its

huge football nut have more realism in the a

Blitz

I’d

rather

long run

-

like in

lot

It

Sega# Dreamcast

leaves

me

cold.”

Magazine

“I

BOTTOM

LINE

NFL 2K”

If

you

find

the

rules

and

pace

far

of

cards with your granny, then this for you.

like

is

the

simpler

this it’s

than

the other one. This

traditional football as tedious as playing

game

really

even though

there

seem to be a more to it than cheesy characters and fatalities to doesn't

memorize.

Official

teams

full

the

“What’s the point?

Mortal

Kombat

of

Midway arcade game: NBA Jam.

collection

for

got a

all

action-heavy slant with another classic

Sort of a ‘greatest hits’

It’s

get

when

arcade-perfect

version

the

in

MK

been waiting

"I’ve

use.

riot

game. There are

kinds of plays to choose from, and

from scratch and save them to a

INSIDETRACK

went

a cheetah that

faster than

without lunch and proves to be a furious

3,000 polygons apiece

NFL

your face, and aims to

in

of the sport’s hard hits

all

rules.

its

So

SO?

in fighting

a

the seemingly im-mortal series brings back four familiar

characters from past Kombats and introduces at least three all-new faces.

looks,

how

makes

WHATS THE GAME?

WHAT’S THE GAME? would probably cast

also like

includes trash talking. Nothing

great tackle feel better than a good taunt afterward.”

MORTRL KOMBRT GOLD

it

1

the tight control and the speed that

spectators

The strength of NFL 2K is its focus on speed. Spurred on by the visual impact and playability of arcade coin-muncher NFL Blitz, Visual Concepts

So

smooth

this

series. I’ve got nothing against football

and the stunning

make

question whether or not they’re watching a

attention to detail

series.

life-like,

graphics

haven't seen a

“1

much

is

so much,

-

great for quick sessions."

simpler football


Remember Punch Out? So do we

Come

WHAT’S THE GAME?

the unfriendly skies

fly

This

is

no heavyweight simulation - it’s a fast, fun boxing fest. There are 20 superb

arcade-style

WHAT’S THE GAME? Don’t

the

let

‘air

force’ in the

-

anything to do with the military

contracted to perform aerial hits full

in

fool

you

into thinking this

has

you’re a hot-shot mercenary

top-dollar assignments. You’ve got a hangar

(more than 30 real-world

of firepower

all possessing unique postures, strategies, and combo attacks. Unleashing a tough beating powers up your rumble meter, for a massive super attack.

characters,

title

jets in all)

from the Great Wall of China to the Middle

East.

It’s

and missions that carry you

SO?

a frequent-flyer-mile frenzy.

So

in

addition to the game’s arcade-like slug-outs, you can

assume the

boxing manager and buy equipment, sign a

role of a

'

SO? So

boxer,

it’s

the best-looking aerial shoot-

'em-up

this

side

million-dollar

of

military-training simulations, but lot

more

“Wow, the graphics

it’s

a

something. plenty to

action packed.

too,

INSIDETRACK One

of

of plotting

Konami’s very

during the 8bit era

are

this

in

games

first

gives

it

a

bit

some

shoot

it’s

at,

play

looks like Katy.” (laughs)

I

tell

my

Looks

a

like

terms,

beauty

the

is I

only skin-deep.

those

think you’ll only really like this one

you've got a thing for fighter

love Sonic, so he just

had

my

to be

moves

1

As

2K,

incredible, but I’m a

in it’s

.

Hydro Thunder

AND

FINALLY... FIVE

Okay, so you forgot to preorder a Dreamcast and you're now faced with the

prospect of waiting

in line

at the mall, like

common monkey. No need

to worry,

lazy bastard's

guide to not

with patient, normal, people:

sucker for

2D

boxing

fighters,

just the start!”

2 3 4 5

.

is

Soul Calibur Sonic Adventure

.

NFL 2K Power Stone

.

Marvel

.

vs.

Capcom

WAYS TO BEAT THE CRUSH

Call in

Swap

Swan

a

bomb

(4) Cross-dress. Will only work if you are particularly masculine. Do not shave, wear a tight lycra

scare*

clothes with a street bum, and then stand

as usual.

in line

It

will

directly past the

things,

ooh

dress,

shrink rapidly.

Dreamcast

clerk,

“I'll

isn’t this line terrible?

take one of those, too. and

some games. Oooh, what

I

What’s

suppose

pumps, and a wig, and then stand

singing, “Girl, You'll be a

it

I’ll

Woman

in line

Soon”

in

a

gravelly voice. Again, immediate line shrinkage.

line clutching

just take these

(§) Arrive

two

in a

limo with Johnny Cochran.

If

anyone

gives you any crap, have him do the talking.

for?

Oooh, D-r-e-a-m-c-a-s-t. What's that then? in line

great

game! Ka-pow!

are amazing, too -

hat then say to the

The ultimate

A

NFL 2K and Sonic

only a Zelda action figure and a jaunty Parappa

waiting

a

to think that this

black-ops expert has been examining

i

LINE

it

and

since our espionage celebrity party and

mall security in order to bring you this:

It’s

-

them

BOTTOM

fancy

too.

1.

.

.

lot of

silly.

tell

told you.

games. Soul Calibur and Power Stone are

to enjoy with friends."

Ready 2 Rumble NFL 2K House of the Dead 2

.

Not looks

VETERAN TOP PICKS

NFL

for

it

“As you can see, I’m a huge fan of fighting

and

2,

Sonic Adventure

.

2 3 4 5

game

a

to have fun,

looks so

jets.”

Hydro Thunder because you don’t need a Ph.D ‘executing combos’ to enjoy them.

know

to

By the way, Rob couldn't punch his way out of a paper bag.” riot.

if

top choice.

chose Ready 2 Rumble, House of the Dead

just a brilliant sports

we

“What a cool party game. You don’t have

easier to

NEWBIE TOP PICKS “I I

up.

responsible for Bio Freaks

lot

than

PC flight sims my brother spends all day and night with.

million

gameplay

dollars, but in

a

play

them

Ready 2 Rumble's development previously team was just don’t

"It’s

LINE

train

INSIDETRACK

much fun with

you which one

friends.

of depth, too.”

was Top Gun.

BOTTOM

a

won’t

the best course of attack

and

absolutely gorgeous.

favorite

games, but

just so

to

but the strategy

my

of

fighting

There’s

to mention the fact that

not as deep as

"It’s

really

I'll

need

you do, DO NOT call in a bomb would be irresponsible, and besides,

*Whatever

scare.

It

then you’d have to leave the mall,

a choice."

Official

Sega® Dreamcast

too.

Magazine

1ER

99

47


>

0.0

a

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HINT

I

1

YOU KNOW

IT'S

ALIVE.

WORSE,

sega.com

III

U JL

^

n _TT=^ U

Sega is regraiared in ths U.S Patera and Trademark

office.

61999 SEGA.

AS righls

.n

IT

KNOWS

IT’S

ALIVE.

it’s

thinking

I


eady: reamcast

on September 9 with

will arrive

a staggering library of 19 titles to

choose

lot of games - more than some systems have seen in their first year right here in Coming Soon that you'll be

from. That's a

of

life.

It's

able to read about these

forthcoming releases each issue,

more exclusive

with

screens and in-depth information than

anywhere

else.

To get things off to a running

we've rounded up

start,

INCOMING! Shooter

Armada

Shooter

9/9/99 9/9/99

Blue Stinger

Action

9/9/99

CART

Racing

Racing

9/9/99

House

of the

Dead 2 Hydro Thunder

Gun

Light

of the in

Shenmue, Resident

Code

Evil:

Veronica,

Castlevania Resurrection, and a sneak-pre-

view of Sega's next big platformer, Floigan Brothers

-

not to mention a whole heck of a

more.

lot

You've probably noticed the other special

9/9/99

Incoming'

features of this page by now.

Racing

9/9/99

King of Fighters '99

Fighting

9/9/99

our comprehensive

vs. Capcom Monaco Grand Prix

Fighting

9/9/99

the next few months. ‘Hot List’

Racing

9/9/99

we

Mortal Kombat Gold

Fighting

9/9/99

NFL 2000 NFL Blitz 2000

Sports

9/9/99

Sports

9/9/99

Fighting

9/9/99

list

Sports

9/9/99

they far-fetched or not.

So welcome to Coming Soon - and if you'd like to

Marvel

Power Stone Ready 2 Rumble Sonic Adventure

Platform

9/9/99

Soul Calibur

Fighting

9/9/99

TNN

Racing

9/9/99

Hardcore Heat

Tokyo Extreme Racer

Racing

9/9/99

Trick Style

Racing

9/9/99

Aerowings Quarterback Club 2000 Rainbow Six

Simulation

Slave Zero

Action

Soul Fighter

Action

Speed Devils NBA 2000 Sega Bass Fishing Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense

Racing

September September September September September September

Sports

October

Sports

October

Action

October

Sports Action

Virtua Fighter 3tb

Fighting

October

Blades of Vengeance

Adventure

Fighting Force 2

Action

Sega

Racing

November November November November November Q4 Q4 Q4 Q4 Q4

Rally 2

Street Fighter Alpha 3

Fighting

Test Drive 6

Racing

Climax Landers

RPG

Dynamite Cop

Action

Metropolis Street Racer

Racing

NHL Hockey 2000 Red Dog

Sports

Take the Bullet

First -Person

Toy

Commander in

Action/Strategy

Racing

Xleration

Alone

Action

the Dark 4

Adventure

Batman Beyond

Action

Castlevania: Resurrection

Action/Adventure

Ecco the Dolphin

Adventure

Floigan Brothers

Platform

Shenmue

Adventure

Resident Evil: Code Veronica Action/Adventure Supreme Snowboarding Sports

Sega Sports Baseball

Sports

Baldur’s Gate

Online

Cool Boarders

Sports

Crazy Taxi

Frame Gride Frontier

RPG

Driving

Action Online

RPG

Furballs

Action/Platform

Konami Baseball Konami Basketball

Sports Sports

the

next six months. You'll find the latest on

Release dates as of press time Air Force Delta

all

major releases headed your way

TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

games due

games

five

is

is

in

where

that the

DCM staff and your fellow readers are looking forward of

games

to,

you'd

including a wish

be

like to see,

register your vote for the

Hot

List, feel free to

us

a

drop

hotlist@

at

line

dreamcastmaaazine.com.

PREVIEWS INDEX P52

THIS MONTH'S FEATURED GAMES AT A GLANCE p58

Castlevania: Resurrection

Climax Landers

p76

Dynamite Cop

Q4 Q4 Q4 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000

listing of

round up the top

p78

Ecco the Dolphin

HOT

LIST

WE RE LOOKING FORWARD 3.

Shenmue

4.

Ecco the Dolphin

Crazy Taxi

5. Project

Shenmue Code Veronica

Phantasy Star

2. Streets of

NBA 2000

p54

Code Veronica

p56

Resident

Evil:

Sega Bass Fishing Sega

Rage

Rally 2

p68 p52

Shenmue

p66

Slave Zero

p63

Soul Fighter

p68

Street Fighter Alpha 3

p67

Developer Intended Release:

4. Project 5.

YOU'RE DREAMING OF

3. Eternal

p78

p72

3. Castlevania

2. Resident Evil:

1.

...

GEIST

...

p70

Metropolis Street Racer

Areas

YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO 1.

f

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO

...

Code Veronica

1. Resident Evil:

2.

TO

LOST sN

Floigan Brothers

Ares

9/9/99

Climax Landers Sega's space shooter was originally scheduled for launch with the system but was suddenly yanked from the roster

...

4. Nights 5.

after more than a year in development. Sega claims It just wasn’t up to snuff.

Shinobi

Champions

It’s

Official

now

Sega

officially lost in

Test Drive 6

p63

Toy

Commander

Vigilante 8:

2nd Offense

p74

Virtua Fighter 3tb

p50

p67

space.

# Dreamcast

Maga zine

SEPTEMBER 99

49


S3 COMINGSOON |

Preview Zone

Virtua Fighter 3tb Sega’s flagship arcade fighter flexes its muscles. Welcome to art of finely tuned, one-on-one combat...

Zen and the

1 Lion's kicks prove more dangerous than a spill down the cathedral steps. 2 Shun attacks during a brief

moment

of sobriety.

3

Ill-timed

kicks can leave you ripe for reversal. 4 Fisticuffs errupt on KVNKtf 2

the Great Wall tour.

+

m

BRIEF

IN I

POINTS

console to

Deeper than reading

Deep'

The

a submarine at

in

the bottom of the Atlantic •

into

shape

Kung

unlike

Fu’s Cain, Sega’s top

arcade fighter has been wandering the earth for what seems like an eternity not searching for

call its

POINTS

Novices

may

home machine

could

that

Whereas countless other

truly

fighting

faceted gameplay

That’s not to say

or indeed, it.

yet another fighting

million

Japanese workers away from day

a year.

If

In,

day out

you thought

VF2 had depth, wait

50

rely

so

In fact, it’s

it

the game’s almost Zen-like approach to it

above

its

less

until

you

In

their

you’re

place,

an

incoming

attack,

get a load of this. The state

opponent’s

momentum

of the art

craftier yet,

snap a few bones).

SEPTEMBER 99

faced with

a

measured balance of standard attacks - throws that WWF proud - and what should be some especially satisfying reversals (for example, you grab

Official

few

IT’S

moves

A

ENLIGHTENED COMPETITION

button

quick

THE GAME’S ALMOST ZEN-LIKE

APPROACH TO COMBAT THAT ELEVATES IT ABOVE THE LESS

especially

at your disposal.

combinations

will

go a long way,

resulting

sweeps, back-flips, and more

leg

an

‘out.’ If

opponent

you is

- and

to slam

them

Sega® Dreamcast

and

use

into the

your

mat

or,

acrobatic

you big time, simply

craftiest

move, however,

arenas themselves. They at

in

there’s always

didn’t get that reversal just right, or

laying into

Perhaps the

itself.

would make the might

of

devastating

dodge button and side-step your way out

rivals.

of this stems from the fighting system

clobberings.

bevy

stabs and directional

an opponent.

memorable personality, moments. Far from

lacks a

have a

You’ll also

justice.

Gone are the fireworks, the colored trails, and the big glowing numbers that tally up consecutive

LINE

The game that kept a

their desks,

it

games

truly breathtaking

one-on-one combat that elevates

Most

for over

some

enlightened

game

BOTTOM

do

on flashy super attacks and seemingly

heavily

struggle to

get to grips with the multi-

• It’s

a stealthy side-step

endless combos for their appeal, Virtua Fighter 3tb instead embraces a near simulation-level take on the fine art of kicking the crap out of

brother, but for a

its

own. Performing

around Saturn, the game was instead (and quite up for first-string duty on the only

smartly) called

Added versus mode kicks Japanese version

ot

- some, such

may be

as Aoi’s

impressive depth of

field

is

your

hit

the

of danger. to utilize the

achingly pretty to look

snowy backdrop, employing

-

but their uneven surfaces

allow you to take the ‘higher ground,’ figuratively as well as

the

literally.

potential

This

to

means

that skillful players have

reverse-attack the

opponent who’s on a

slightly

lower

moves

of

an

level.

VF3tb’s globe-trotting scenario assembles a cast of

twelve skilled warriors from almost every continent,

Magazine


Virtua Fighter 3tb PUBLISHER:

SEGA

ORIGIN:

JAPAN

DEVELOPER:

AM2/GENKI

GENRE:

FIGHTING

1-2

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:

1 As

NO

ONUNE:

ARCADE STICK

PERIPHERALS:

FALL

RELEASE:

beautiful as ballet,

lot more painful. 2 Throws factor even more so here than in

but a

pro-wrestling.

3 Subway

,

self-

defense done by the book.

4 Taka’s

,

motto: ‘less moving, more '

squeezing.’

them against one another on their respective These vary from the high-tech urban

pitting

CHAPTER AND VERSUS .

,

'

TICKING OUT the few extra

made

a

is

taking that extra time to include a

versus

mode

— the most glaring

skyscraper,

liquid

metal fighter

Of course,

we

all

named in

know

happens

this

at

friends got left out in the Tokyo cold.

that

Being community-minded here at

expressions

DCM, we’d

you

ike you to help our

you see

it.

let it

know

that there are thousands of horribly

worried Japanese gamers that

and

its

'just

big

such

brother, the

techniques

-

but hey,

were

we

used

we were

can’t

a

for

be sure

the

facial

fooled. In fact, fooling

into thinking you’re actually fighting

is all

it.

please

of

how at

Dreamcast version employs

like

stacks of motion capture, although

If

and

higher resolution than the high-powered coin-op. Just

ability to

'really aren't angry'

is

VF3tb's case

In

60 frames-per-second,

battlegrounds after a match against

find

some

Dural (and rack up

the process). one of the best parts

that

every kung fu action flick (okay, the best part)

choose new characters and

Japanese friends to

the

to

but each fighter does have an

the brawling actually looks on screen.

omission from last November's

Japanese release. The

unfinished

plot,

frequent-flyer miles

little

knowledge that Sega

an

of

expanse of the Great Wall of China. Okay, so this clash of nations might not be explained in terms of a rural

ultimate objective: to secure a one-on-one against a

launch and the Virtua Fighter

easier by the

turfs.

landscape

tightly scripted

weeks between the system

3tb release should be

home

is

what VF3tb

about.

While absent from Dreamcast’s launch line-up, Sega’s fighter will

be out soon afterwards. By the way, does

anyone know

if

Cain ever did find his brother? Answers

on a postcard, please.

- Randy Nelson

Official

Sega ©Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

51


m |

COMINGSOON

Sega

IN

n

BRIEF

[, P OINTS |

Car physics are

Added

home •

n spite of

for

the

get going

roads.

Sega

extra features not

and

short

could get repetitive •

The

difficulty

really steep,

thrills

of the wildly popular

in

tricked-out descendant of the

which aims

are

found is

game

curve

is

daunting

it

to simulate the sport’s grueling

path

bevy of all-new cars. While placing above third nine years

first

20

are

to

in

great

in

mode. Each flavors

is

available in

you a brand new

with

mode

be tweaked

and, ultimately, a faster lap.

SEPTEMBER 99

in

the

rally

But what good

Official

Sega

is

eight in

being

the 10-year

completing the arcade automatic and manual

and have several handling

nothing to suggest that the

not better

still

Rally

2 offers

thrills,

simulation-level detail

from

seat-of-your-pants

-

where the

locals

marvel at the ‘horseless carriage’.

enough grueling courses to muck it up on? Not much. It’s with that fact in mind that the

all,

for

home

version won’t be at

Sega

and arcade

any

allow you passage to the

will

cars

mode, and one rewarded

sensation of speed. There's

52

the

set of wheels for your garage.

a

1-6

unlocking one of the game’s other primary bonuses, a

immediately selectable, 11 unlocked

if

as the

trying

lies

classic, noted for its superb

least as good -

racing

night-driving to the tight cornering required of

The arcade version was a

and

it

few

mode

quaint old European towns

There

handling

a

opponents that become even more

of the

LINE

rally

schedule, complete with twisty courses and hot-shot

next, only a ranking of first will land

BOTTOM

flooring

is

more than

coin-op counterpart.

in its

an all-new 10-year

seasons progress. Herein also

and can be

is

attempted to re-create

towards Dreamcast, bringing with

POINTS

Tracks

looks, rally racing

120mph on unpaved

first

1996’s Sega Rally, much to the and Sega Saturn fans. Now the

world motorsport

Leading the pack I

rugged

its

about as close to a gentleman’s sport as you’ll

delight of arcade

tracks

version

Impeccable heritage

— •

on

right

money

the •

And weather.

with proper tracks. and lots of mud

lots

the seat-of-your-pants

2

Rally

NASCAR, but

It’s like

And mud. Lots and

Preview Zone

attributes that

can

for optimal performance,

a shiny

Sega

Rally

2 crew has

outfitted

the Dreamcast conversion of their

game

with a whole extra locale

in which to compete - a lush rainforest - and at least two new variations of the arcade

version’s

three

courses:

desert,

mountain, and ‘snowy.’ Rounding out the pack are the hairpin-filled Riviera

new

® Dreamcast

rally

car without

Magazin

oval

and a top-secret indoor course that


Sega SEGA SEGA

PUBUSHER: DEVELOPER;

JAPAN RACING

ORIGIN:

GENRE:

HUMBER OF PLAYERS:

1-4

IT’S GOING TO TAKE EVERY OUNCE OF RACING KNOW-HOW YOU HAVE IF YOU EVER PLAN TO SEE THAT I SECRET TRACK

1

In

will

ever

Becoming the Steve McQueen going to be such a cakewalk.

S

EGA RALLY 2 games

IS

SLATED

to be one of the

first

that will use Dreamcast Network for

head-to-head gaming via the Internet.

Sega’s online service

rolls

will

ounce

human opponents

have access to a world wide

of racing

Mastery

It's

-

of

the

game’s

the Alps, returning that late video rental takes on

pictured

stage

-

will

in

(but

be essential

in

getting you past each checkpoint, closer to your next

opponent, and shaving precious seconds It’s

not your typical

racer

where

planted on the tarmac, either

-

the best all-rounder plenty

offers

your

off

themselves well to power Looking

in

of

but

in

in

the game. 2-3 The desert

opportunity

difference

But

if

sliding

you’ll

between

qualifying

your

want to

you want to

if

make the

and ‘Game Over’.

you’re logged onto Sega’s forthcoming Heat.net

laps.

different sight

drivers offline,

hesitate to

Did

rain lend

Dreamcast, you’re -

up

we

it’s

likely

to three other

vying for your coveted

amend

first

your rearview mirror won’t reveal your

to

see a very

human opponents

place position. Unlike the Al

a pretty safe bet that this lot won’t

nudge you

into the occasional ravine.

say ‘gentleman’s sport’? Our mistake.

that to

Let’s

‘lead-footed nightmare haven’t-had-

my-medication-today-but-l'm-fine-really-no-please-

don’t-send-me-back-to-that-place’

sliding.

Alrighty, then

- where

Sega ©Dreamcast

lunatic

sport.

do we sign up?

aunt Lois barking out unsolicited driving instructions.

official

honing

for

the ‘snowy’ stage

speed and

avoid losing those precious seconds that could

stay firmly

tires

skills,

tightly control both your

quite the opposite.

Loose gravel, snow, and copious amounts of

new

screenshot should get you there on time,

in this it’s

you ever

unconventional

convincing] physics and handling

FALL

urgency when you have checkpoints to beat. The Lancia

though

service for

ranking system and chat lounge for arranging races hey, it’s the

if

or get past year five

for that matter.

and giving the losers a hard time. But, taking part that counts, right?

to see.

going to take every

game know-how you have

plan to see that secret track first position,

out this November, you’ll be

able to race up to three other simultanously, and

When

manage

of rally drivers isn’t

YES

RELEASE DATE:

powersiidiung

only the very best drivers

Rally

PRUNE;

WHEEL, JUMP PACK

PERIPHERALS:

-Randy Nelson

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

53


19 COMINGSOOV |

Preview Zone

NBA 2000

IP

Forget hedgehogs and zombies, sports fans This is what you've been waiting for...

L

1 K

move

is

true-to-life,

with over 1,600 motion captured

animations [more than four times that of any current sports

game).

It's

no wonder

shaping up to be more

this

realistic

title

is

than any

I

II

j

basketball 1-2 For fans frustrated by the recent shortened season it

in

the NBA, you’ll

finally

be able to take

to the hoop as Raptor Vince Carter against the behind-the-back play of the Kings’

J.

Will.

variety of

that

when Sega

games have

Basketball

never been this realistic

mode

Arcade

should

satisfy players looking for

a less

— •

rigid

set of rules

‘line

up the arrows’ free

if

you’re used to

the traditional

moving

BOTTOM Sega

‘stop

the

LINE

takes

basketball

more we

like

it,

1

titles

its

in

all

three areas. No,

obsessive attention to sport, the

it

SEPTEMBER 99

the

it,

it

detail. In basketball,

little

oft-

already excels

stands out because of

its

more than

things matter most because

makes the game

"We

look so good.

motion captured seven different people, so small guys really run like small guys.

We

PH

have

^

medium, medium-large, and large, and depending on who you are, you’re going to

small,

;

see a different run. You’re going to see a different walk. You’re going to

HI

see different

dunks, obviously, and different lay-ups." This attention to detail

You can't

stuff a

rafMj

LTT

not just cosmetic.

is

360 degree

aerial

dunk from

ATTENTION TO DETAIL VISUAL CONCEPTS

how

hair color - but

down

polygonal facial features. Even the

official

Sega® Dreamcast

and

way that the

Magaz

fully-

players

left

out?

Brian Grant's Dreadlocks

Alan Iverson's Parole officer

Shaq's Superman Tattoo Chris Webber's Dealer

Rik Smits Knee-High Socks

NBA 2000 shows

to tattoos, dreadlocks,

almost no detail, no matter game. Can you guess which

left

small, out of this

they included and which they

c

you only have ten players on the court, and this game aims to gets those precious details dead right. One look at the player models will confirm this. In other basketball games, detail stops at Dennis

ever

54

see

flashy graphics, speedy

framerate, or great sound - although

everything right

than

we

game

this

on the horizon that did not gain that

overused label because of

by making them look and realistically

its

and the more we realize how powerful Dreamcast can be. one of the few certifiably 'cutting

Rodman's changing

more

for

jJttfjj

motion capture as one of the keys

is

simulations to the next level

play

NBA 2000

known

far.

a sports console

any other

method

ball'

best

should be taken seriously. The more

edge

|

confusing

is

no question that

action, however, there's

NBA 2000

throw system might be

Sports

phenomenal baseball game, World Series Baseball '98, and its upcoming NFL 2000 is so flashy that it casts a ominous shadow over any other Dreamcast sports title. After seeing NBA 2000 in

POINTS

The

easy to gloss over Sega's

t's

BRIEF

IN

game on any system thus

Producer Marcus Mathews points to the

Latrell Sprewell's

v

"

temper guage '

YES YES YES YES YES YES

E NOD NO[x|

e NOD NOS

E NOD NOS


NBA 2000 PUBUSHER:

SEGA

DEVELOPER:

VISUAL CONCEPTS

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: PERIPHERALS:

1-4

ORIGIN:

JUMP PACK

GENRE:

US SPORTS

NO

ONUNE? RELEASE DATE:

OCTOBER

1-2

Former teammates, Spree

and

Muggsy ham

it

up

while

muscling their way to the hoop glorious

hi-resolution.

NBA 2000

3-5

in

With

taking into account

each current players' physical attributes, expect this to be of the

most

realistic

Bryant, Hill

Boy,

little ball

with

line

Shaq, and you won't muscle your way through the heart of

San Antonio's defense with diminutive Alan Iverson. NBA 2000 even takes into account the weight of its players so even posting up becomes the pound-versus-

pound struggle that

it

in real

is

life.

You'd think with the developers paying so

much

attention to the players

and the gameplay

that the other details could be forgotten, but that's

not

the

Stadiums are

case.

to

be

down

to their individual seat

types, the stands are

packed with polygonal

recreated right

fans,

and even the team benches and court

perimeter are populated with splinter-gathering

backups, pacing coaches, score keepers and familiar referees.

Sega knows the importance of building a strong sports following for flourished with great sports

its

console. Genesis

games while Saturn

floundered without good sports

Judging by

NBA 2000

titles

Dreamcast

of is

its

own.

off to a

blazing start.

- Dan Egger

YOU WON’T MUSCLE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE HEART OF SAN ANTONIO’S DEFENSE WITH DIMINUITIVE

ALAN IVERSON

Official

Sega® Dreamcast

Magazin

in

filming Sprite and candy-

bar commercials.

the free throw

Kobe

and the Pistons’ Grant

decide to play a

between

one

hoops games

available. 6-7 Golden

SEPTEMBER 99


Resident

COMINGSOOIV

Resident

Evil:

Code Veronica

ACTION/ADVENTURE

GENRE:

JANUARY

RELEASE DATE:

Evil

Code Veronica Mom

- the hotel’s “Dear great, but there’s something

odd about the

really

staff...”

1-2 Claire’s back to her old job of offing

zombies

3 Guns are

in

tight quarters.

nice, but knives get

straight to the point. Har-har.

Realtime

dynamic

lighting

make

4

and

environments

for extra-

corridors give

way to

well

+

labs.

lit

BRIEF

IN

spooky atmosphere. 5 Gloomy 6 And no, the zombies haven’t

POINTS |

gotten any smarter. •

icking left off,

up where Resident

sure

before

sightseeing, she's

hidden

she can even take

ambushed and

stronghold

island

of

a

in

little

evil

Once knife

her in

there, Claire's

way - and

left

halls

and rooms

her

which

way

are the dark,

of the stronghold

dank

and the hideous

resources of Dreamcast's powerful

to

pre-rendered

silicon,

the

capable of delivering real-time scenes

game

is

in which to combat the undead hordes. Movie-like camerawork is

L.

possible,

and

Official

Sega ^Dreamcast

Magazine

surely

will

frightening atmosphere to an

take

the

series'

unprecedented

mode

game

who two

Resident Evils ?

BOTTOM

LINE

[which opens up a coffin-load little

sniper action), a cache

new high-powered weaponry, and the download new items and weapons from the of

While the

first

level.

Certain to push the series even further are the addition

of possibilities, including a

limited

environments and fixed camera angles. Tapping the

SEPTEMBER 99

also

of a first-person

Unlike the two previous Resident Evil adventures, isn't

chapter

latest

the

finished

cast of zombies, mutants, and other unsightly Euro-

Veronica

this

to please those us of

to find

trash which inhabit them.

Code

POINTS |

• Will

with nothing but a survival

hopefully locate her kidnapped sibling in

the

mode

contain enough innovation

of direction with

the process. Standing

and

Umbrella

Mary Poppins.)

and a hazy sense

First-person

spirited off to the

the

syndicate. (Not to be confused with the one chaired by

the estimable

graphics

increase

to

spook factor

Europe to rescue her missing brother, But

Chris.

Realtime

dramatic camerawork are

two in the series Code Veronica sees

part Evil:

heroine Claire Redfield setting off for

isn't

due

early next year, these latest

keeping us awake at night

‘survival

adds realtime 3D graphics,

scream-shots are already

in

Capcom’s groundbreaking

ability to

internet.

to hit these shores until

anticipation.

-Randy Nelson

horror’

franchise

first-person

gamepiay,

weapons,

and

new

Internet-

based expandability first

for its

outing on Dreamcast.


«

(samim

PERFECT AERIAL STUNTS AND FORMATION

PILOT ONE OF 11 DIFFERENT JETS

FLYING IN 20 TRAINING MISSIONS.

FROM THE F-86F SABRE TO THE F-15DJ.

ca is

a registered trademark ol CSK Research Institute. Sega, Dreomrosl,

and the Dreamcast logo are

lor. All rights

&

MODES INCLUDING BLUE IMPULSE

Segad^Dreamcast.

Aerowings Crave end their respective logos ore trademarks of Crave Entertainment, C8I

FIVE

MISSION. FREE FLIGHT AND EXHIBITION.

reserved. Crave Entertainment

either registered

£ is

o

lapaai

trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises,

NEXT GENERATION

WWW.CRAVEGAMES.COM ....... in

ltd.

All

the

ll.S.

© 1999 Crave Entertainment

Inc

other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


COMINGSOON

Castlevania: Resurrection

ORIGIN:

KONAMI KONAMI US

GENRE:

ACTION

PUBLISHER:

DEVELOPER:

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:

1_

JUMP PACK

PEMPHERAL&

NO

ONLINE?

SPRING

RELEASE DATE:

Castlevania r

Resurrection Old red-eyes back...

is

year's handheld

the ride

Evil

1 Indiana Jones would have wet

who

himself at this point, but our

heroine takes

it all

in

some

truly evil

crew

back,

is

summoned

bosses

classic

time

team up

they'll

Returning to

onami's

with

game

its

to

make

all

out for blood

things

- this

trickier.

its

more recent

siblings in favor of pure action. Dracula's

castle

as sprawling as ever

(five levels big,

with five to eight sub-sections), but you'll spend far

resurrection of the nearly two-decade-

more time whipping your way through baddies than exploring its every nook and cranny this time around.

(yes,

old Castlevania license

aims to win over

fans of the game's earliest ancestors and

make

those yearning for the series to into 3D. Fortunately for us, this

a proper leap

won't be accomplished

through the simulation of noisy tourists, tacky souvenir stands, or other hallmarks of modern-day castles, but rather by drawing on tried-and-true

gameplay and

Dreamcast's cutting-edge technology.

Employing cast from equips you

in

Classic elements that you’ll 16bit

Looks gorgeous

— •

POINTS |

remember from the

Seasoned

2D

to

3D

BOTTOM

is

across

clock

tower

cogs

chandeliers

will

some new

hair-raising twists

and

swinging

feature prominently,

three-headed serpent as

it

-

from

accompanied by

battling

against a

chases you, for one. is

still

a

few months

Konami classic series,

basics off,

is

Magazine

-Randy Nelson

reinventing

vampire

to

its

hunting

produce

an

adventure that’s lighter on

action,

Seaa® Dreamcast

move

going back to the

exploration,

last

a tough

LINE

and 32bit (re-)incarnations such as leaping

Castlevania Resurrection

from

it

past

installments

holy water and crucifixes within easy reach until then.

hails

find

than

shallower

with a current ETA of next spring. We'll be keeping our

who

Castlevania

might

veterans

previous chapters, this

whip-wielding Sonia Belmont,

3D

ancestry

the vampire hunting gear of

its

into

into step with

itsaction-packed platform

each

twelfth)

twelfth

Takes the series

gameplay standpoint,

roots from a

casts aside the exploration aspects of

is still

POINTS |

and back

them.

Frankenstein's monster (‘Frank’ to his friends), the

Wolfman, and Death himself are

5 A John Fog homage?

the

official

by the every-bit-

and they've brought a

of Castlevania,

of

BRIEF

IN

f

both be pitted against

they'll

3 Castlevania’s ghastly

latest outing

for

(and very dead) adversaries.

Countess

motley

6 Tomb sweet tomb.

SEPTEMBER 99

because

Count Dracula as-vile

theater ushers die...

Carpenter’s The

Along

mercenary

the

off

welcoming commitee. 4 When

58

Victor Belmont, a

her stride.

New enemies show

game’s accute attention to detail.

Castlevania: Legends.

bears an uncanny resemblance to

Dead's Bruce Campbell. Lucky him.

Fitting, really,

2

game

newcomer

is

from the future

heavier

on

and aims to be the

most gorgeous yet


HIGH SPEED At 60 frames-per-second, is

one of the

It’s

TOKYO XTREME RACER

fastest console

games

in existence.

a white-knuckle racing experience that will

leave you breathless.

HIGHM OUTAGE Throw down

against road rivals in point battle

mode, customize your import racer

in

quest

mode, or choose versus mode to go head-to-head at a blistering

60 frames-per-second.

HIGH OCTANE "This in

game

has unbelievable graphics that,

my opinion,

Gran Turismo

2

easily rival that of the

demo”

-SEGANET.COM

"Graphically,

this

game

is

better than any

console racing game to date. ..period.”

-GAMEFAN ONLINE

Available 9.9.99

Sega©Dreamcast. Tokyo Xtreme Racer, Crave and

their respective logos are

registered trademark of Genki Co., Ltd. Sega, Dreamcast,

trademarks of Crave Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Crave Entertainment is a registered trademark in the U.S. © 1999 Crave Entertainment, Inc. Genki and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

is

a


Sega HYDRO THUNDE

Dreamcast


THE #1 ARCADE SMASH POWERS ONTO SEGA DREAMCAST. THE MOST INTENSE RACING ACTION YOU'LL EVER FEEL!

IT'S

"Hydro Thunder

is

about speed and

EASE OF PLAY, RADICAL STYLE AND SPARKLING GRAPHICS." Gamer's Republic August

‘99

"Hydro Thunder is a thrill-aSECOND EXPERIENCE FROM BEGINNING TO END. THE GAME IS INCREDIBLY FAST AND FLUID AND THE TRACK DESIGNS ARE TO DIE FOR...” IGN Dreamcast June

‘99

"...A MIX OF DEATH-DEFYING LEAPS, TIGHT RACING ACTION, AND "THRILL-A- -J MINUTE TURNS AND BURNS.

GamePro June

‘99

*


www.advfilms.com info@advlilms.c:om

TT ca

ta

@

®®

g

ca

©

THE movie Scrape your Knuckles. Catch some

Tails.

COMING SEPTEMBER

AMU HS®® saUPirOlMMIHICKlff-

Available from these*

and other

line distributors:

nmiCMlM.

Think Fast!

sanwooc|y

O

got,,®

The prayers of millions of Sega

'

1

hyper hedgehog returns

in

game

players have been answered. Everyone's favorite

an animated spectacular that

will

blow

its

American coun\

terparts right off the tube. Sonic races deep into the heart of Robotropolis to save the

TOUllR

planet and comes face to face with an evil Hyper-Metal robot version of himself, crafted \

by

his diabolical

arch-enemy

Dr.

Robotnik. Speed, buddies, romance, humor, high-tech

and \

cool blue attitude combine to form A.D.V. Films' Sonic the

SUNCO/IST COMPANY MOTION PICTURE

Hedgehog!

08/10/99

09/07/99

863

1999!

7,

®® /

*

' 1

'


COMINGSOON S3

Preview Zone

Slave Zero One

evil

emperor. One giant robot. Revenge against

population of a massive metropolis has

incredibly nimble juggernaut, Slave Zero aims to let

been brought under the control of one man: an evil dictator named SovKahn.

you

This doesn’t bode well for the fate of mankind, and

out every Robotech fan’s fantasy.

live

If

you’ve

every fancied piloting a 60-foot-tall robot armed with

Plasma Rail Cannons in a bustling metropolis, this is your chance. Want to scale skyscrapers and squash puny little tanks with your giant metallic feet? Behavior

it’s

one would-be hero - that’s you - to save the day by hijacking one of SovKahn’s enforcer robots.

up

odds.

all

Wiring you into the cockpit of this massive, yet

n the not-so-distant future, the entire

to

of

sort

that

necessary for

is

highly

encouraged - and often

survival.

By accessing Slave Zero's online

capabilities, you’ll

be able to test your mettle against up to 16 other

also

human

pilots

simultaneously

in

a variety of cleverly

designed arenas. Tying together an epic story, frenetic action,

more than

15

and

missions,

game will stomp way onto Dreamcast the

late

its

in

September.

-

1

Piloting a gigantic robot

through a mile-high city frought

dangers

with

luckily you’re heavily

Francesca Reyes

2

Enemies

relentlessly,

will

so

is

armed.

pursue

you'll often

have to climb to safety.

Test Drive Throw caution (and 1

Drive like that boozy uncle

-

and get away with

Wave

to

officer

as you

the

nice fly

it.

2

police

past.

traffic laws) to

the wind

in

ombine 40 licensed vehicles, full-scale cop chases, high-resolution visuals, and what do you get? Test Drive 6, the latest installment in one of the best-known series on the planet. The franchise that put racing Accolade (now known as Infogrames North America) on the map has been evolving at a rapid pace, and this

Infogrames’ newest

first

be no

effort looks to

True to

its

6

Dreamcast racer Test Drive 6

different.

ancestry, Test Drive

6 take players on a

break-neck tour of global locations such as London and Hong Kong. But with the power of Dreamcast, cruising through any of the 30

new

tracks

will

surely look as

good as the game promises to play. Police chases have also been fine-tuned as well, allowing for multiple pursuits to be taking place simultaneously and whole convoys of pesky cops to tail

your

car.

Throw police

into

the

helicopters

mix and

night-time patrol courses

and

Test Drive 6

to

be

appears

shifting

quite

seamlessly into the next

generation

of

gaming.

Infogrames

will

give you

the keys and the pink-slip this

November.

-

Francesca Reyes

Official

Sega ©Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

63

|


Everything

you ever

wanted

to

know about

Dreamcast but

were

afraid

tn ask...


^

Official ŠSega

*

Dreamcast Magazine

Subscribe Today! THE OFFICIAL SEGA DREAMCAST MAGAZINE is

dedicated to the most powerful aod

excitiog

The

videogames coosole

Official

io

the world!

Sega Dreamcast Magazine

will

keep you up-to-the-minute on everything Dreamcast. The coolest new moves... authoritative reviews... best-kept secrets. ..the

miss techniques. Everything there

can't

know

within the world of

on

all

Sega

titles,

to

you'll

receive exclusive

import

news from Japan

With your subscription, info

is

Dreamcast!

and Europe, interviews with Dreamcast dynamos, coin-op and arcade updates. You'll also get

a

with every issue,

demos

FREE GD-ROM packed with

of not-yet-released

games. ..video walkthroughs and strategies. ..downloadable

VMU

games. ..special saves, pick-up lines ..and much, much more! .

GET A GD-ROM included with every issue


Shenmue

gg COMINGSOON

SEGA SEGA JAPAN ADVENTURE

PUBUSHER: DEVELOPER: ORIGIN:

GENRE:

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:

1_

VMU GAMES

PERIPHERALS:

YES TBA

ONUNE? RELEASE DATE:

Shenmue Sega’s epic may be a small step

man, one giant leap

game

very system needs a sell

capabilities. Since the earliest

it

it

in

cheesy 80’s

development

Shenmue attempts from of i

all

to

that

its

as

you’ll

new category

Reactive

Eyes

FREE means

that

(Full

Entertainment). Conceptually, '

title in

system,

obsessive creator Yu Suzuki

FREE

be able to do

to within the

townsfolk

to

practically anything you choose game’s world, from interacting with

choosing

your

transportation to participating

in

own

And from

Shenmue,

this

everything

may

we’ve

very well

mode

of

learned

about

shape up to be a

boundless experience set to reinvent the genre. But

in

practical

terms,

completely different thing.

A

FREE

may mean

big part of

He’ll

mixture

of

exploration,

QTEs,

real

POINTS

I

be your likeness through the

treacherous streets of urban China and beyond. 2-4 action

Shenmue promises

to

A

and free-roaming

bits,

immerse you

• Ultra-realistic •

button

at

precisely the

survive.

Or

in

moment

game and

will

be randomly placed throughout

free-roaming action and adventure segments. Bearing in

mind the luke-warm press reception

seems

that

like a

exceed expectations, not.

revealed,

it’s still

Shenmue

a

to this

the

title

While the plot has yet to

Shenmue promises all

sell

in

modes

the 80’s

POINTS |

Does anyone what

this

really

game

is

know

really

about besides Yu Suzuki? • It’s

set

in

the (gulp!) 80's

mode,

to

continuing to

to beat

for

all it

ages, approaching the holy-grail of a

mass-market game. TV had the moon landings it to the masses. Videogaming has Shenmue. -

BOTTOM

LINE

- QTEs

be completely

up the ante

adventure games to come. Sega are betting on appealing to

set

wise move.

With every other aspect of

or

types of

all

one adventure

order to

not feature as prominently as the

truly

Shenmue's

in

other words: Simon Says. Suzuki claims

that these QTE’s will

the

right

• It’s

graphics

gameplay that

Innovative

mixes

realism.

in its

gameplay features the inclusion of sequences called Quick Timer Events. These consist of scripted action sequences where you’re required to hit the right

any number of mini-

games. You can stumble unexpectedly into a warehouse brawl, bike to the local grocery store, gamble with street merchants for money... the list goes on.

Hazaki.

into

mix elements

to

three genres to create a

gaming

refers

any

for

1 Meet Ryo

outfits?

most ambitious

Easily the '

+

that

everyone dressed

BRIEF

IN

off its

days of

game has been Shenmue. While details on the game continue to emerge at a steady pace, there are still many questions left unanswered. Is an RPG? Is it an adventure? Or is a fighting game? And why is Dreamcast,

for

gaming

that will both

and show

to the skeptical

it

for

to

Francesca Reyes

Ambitious

promising impressive

in

its

to

scope and be

Dreamcast's

prove to be ‘killer

changing the way

games

equally

in its realization,

Shenmue may

forever

we

app,' play


COMINGSOON El

Preview Zone

3

Street Fighter Alpha Capcom's famed

2D

fighting series sticks to

— but adds online play Street Fighter Alpha

3

rcade-goers have been pummeling away

on the

line

-

latest

installment

since

debut

late last year,

few short months the game more than intact on Dreamcast.

just a

Unlike the version of the

will

now

initial

new

all

of the

the arcade

over

home

fighters

sound, head-to-head Internet brawls via Dreamcast's

from

the

port

are

built-in

(which

are

train

There's also a four-player

mode

in

the Dreamcast vs.

port of sister-title

Capcom.

modem

be possible, as

the ability to

will

VMU - which can then

some

be

pint-sized pugilism.

goes as planned, you'll even be able new characters via Capcom's website.

all

to

but, like a pair of fit

If

download

1 Ryu and the gang to perform flashier

Vans sneakers, should prove

-

to be a

moves

such as Guile are playable from

the

clobbered

for fans.

-Randy Nelson

and

are able

than ever. 2 Old favorites

Street Fighter Alpha 3 might be strictly old-school

perfect

graphics

flashier

will

your fighters using the

linked with a friend's for

the works similar to the one found

Beyond

YES FALL

RELEASE DATE:

background in

playable from the get-go), and

Marvel

1-2

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:

Street

the World Tour adventure mode.

in

JAPAN FIGHTING

with zero load time.

carried

Capcom's

ORIGIN:

GENRE:

ONUNE:

present

game coupled Being

DEVELOPER:

be coming home

and

character

CAPCOM CAPCOM

PUBUSHER:

in

already available for

Dreamcast's

Fighter Alpha 3 will feature

animation

and

PERIPHERALS: ARC/^ STICK JIF/P RACK

game

PlayStation,

several

-

and most outrageous

the Street Fighter Alpha

in

its

get-go. like this

3 Get

by players

over the Internet.

Toy Commander Pint-sized warriors 1 This Godzilla must be stopped, for his

look-alike if

not just

poor fashion sense. 2

Not to be confused with other ‘Army men’ games. 3

No bats

in

these rafters

ow come

wage

your parents always insisted

that your toys be put neatly

away when

you were done playing with them?

Commander

is

anything to go

probably feared a sharp jump

in their

by,

insurance

If

Toy

they bill.

battle on the real warped

Putting a particularly

come game

of

movies

like Pixar's

front

on the

‘toys

Toy

Commander

Toy Story, the

casts you as a would-be general charged with

waging your

theme

alive’

home

twist

full-scale (or

room.

living

was

You'll

that sixteenth-scale?)

have

all

war

in

sorts of pint-sized units

your beck and call, including radio-controlled cars, model aircraft, and the requisite plastic Army men. Ordinance will be suitably low-caliber as well - atom at

bombs

get replaced by rubber erasers

from the oft-seen

Straying

model, the

game spans

in this

real-time

world.

strategy

several forms of gameplay,

including first-person shooting, racing, and flying, with

movement commands kept to a minimum. French developer No Cliche (known for such games as

tedious

work combat and modem-based

Twinsen's Quest on the PC) also has designs to split-screen four player

melees If

brilliant

to

into the

stow

as it

game's remarkably detailed world.

Commander

Toy

its

concept,

turns out anywhere near as

we

reckon

you'll

be just as slow

as you were with your real toys.

-Randy Nelson

Official

Sega ® Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

67

|


IB COMINGSOOV

Preview Zone

Sega Bass

Fishing

Sega confirms what you’ve always suspected: Size Sega Bass Fishing

really

does matter

magine a world where fishing is the sport and the highest achievement is hooking that elusive 20 pound bass... Okay, so that may not be

supreme

the world that we’d

all

perfect port of

but Sega has more than arcade-

like to live in,

created such a universe with

Sega Bass

its

Fishing.

Featuring a Dreamcast-only Original

you

allows

through

a

Mode

that

to

play

tough

tournaments

against

fishermen

other

women),

of

string

progressively

(and

Sega

Bass

Fishing also gives you a

chance

to test your skills

against

the

clock

in

Arcade Mode. Controlling the

game promises

enough never

for those

virtually

to

be

there

will

assuredly be enough simulation elements to

please even the most veteran fishing fiends.

Add

in

controller,

the option to use Sega’s clever fishing

and

you’ll

ferocious reeling of fishing

game

be able to

gameplay, secret

trawled the

out the package.

lures,

Soul Fighter Pig-faced monsters and barbarians square off f

PIGGYBACK

not for the lack of gnome-like fellows

dishing out rotisserie turkeys, you might

INTERACTIVE

just mistake

Piggyback Interactive’s

first

go on Dreamcast as a 3D successor to the mighty arcade classic Golden Axe at first glance. NUMBER OF PLAYERS:

JUMP PACK RELEASE DATE:

SEPTEMBER

Choosing one of three medieval action-romp archetypes mysterious

- a burly warrior, scantily-clad mage - you set off to hack

through several with

all

vixen,

and

your

way

3D stages populated

fully

assortments of baddies, from

boar-like warriors to

bona

fide

giants.

Unlike past treatments of the genre, you

can zip 1-2

Depending

taste,

Soul

on

your

Fighter offers

both first-person and third-

person views to take

in all

the action. 3 Don’t expect a

stroll

Street, this

down Sesame game isn’t for

dagger, crossbow, or If

SEPTEMBER 99

mode

for

bomb

some

power-ups.

hand-to-hand melees are more your

you can always sheath your weapon and charge up for a devastating combo

thing,

move

that

would leave Conan scrambling

for his video

the faint of heart.

| 68

into a first-person

high-accuracy slaying after procuring the

camera. Or more steroids.

- Randy Nelson

official

Sega ©Dreamcast

Magazine

the tugs and true-to-life

graphics, challenging

and day-glo

lakebeds for bass, while

Soul Fighter

all

what may be the most

yet. Super-realistic

who’ve

feel

fishing

caps round

1

All

the fun

of

fishing

without the drag of having to

gut

and

clean

the

suckers after they've been hooked! 2 Easy to progressively

play,

tough

but to

master, Sega Bass Fishing

promises to be the fishing

-

Francesca Reyes

game

to beat.


THE ONLY WAY YOU COULD POSSIBLY GET MORE OUT OF OUR WEB SITE

INTRODUCING THE ULTIMATE GAMER WEB-SITE.

An

Einstein brain load of info plus a freakin’

warehouse of cool

stuff to buy.

It’s

adios to zzzz's, baby...

www.thegamestop.com Powered by Babbage’s and Software

Etc.


EB COMINGSOOV |

Preview Zone

Ecco the Dolphin Defender of the Future Ecco resurfaces in stunning 3D to prove he’s more than just a sub-aquatic substitute for Lassie. Woof! (gurgle)...

olphins

BRIEF

IN

»

»

Beautifully-realized

levels

smile].

“He

and astounding graphics

making

clicking noises,

Massive environments to

creepy,

Dolphins are cool

— •

just stood there “

on

his tail smiling “

claims Randy.

It

was

and

sort of

actually.” Ecco, however, happily remains untouched by the warped mirror of fame, and has

returned looking better than ever.

And

with a great big

smile on his face.

POINTS

It’s

rare that classic

make

titles

the jump to

2D 3D

successfully •

And we

Flipper at a Hollywood schmoozefest, (though was unnerved by the Wet-One’s permanent

explore, and plenty to do *

you’ve gotta love’em.

-

do here at DCM. Senior Editor Randy Nelson claims he actually ‘met’ TV star

POINTS

It’s

fish,

The producer on the project, Gergely Csaszar, remarked that this title looks so realistic "that one cannot help but forget that this whole world is 'just a videogame.' For

reality,

meaning

BOTTOM

me

it

went beyond

but

it

a

game:

like

to

call

ideal

it

is

creating

have

proves that Ecco

what you might looks as though it will be an

LINE

It's

Obviously, even the developers

sense of

essentially

will

lost

titles

horizon that look as

on the

good as

Ecco the Dolphin, and fewer still

that

provide the

arcade-obsessed with

a

sizable

less

gamers world

to

explore. Appaloosa’s Dolphin

Safe

70

title is

one to watch

SEPTEMBER 99

game

set

World

Appaloosa uses

Builder’

development

‘tool’

"virtual

its

2 “Look, You’re

of

new It

for the

‘Game

a combination of and game engine, all running on a

Magazine

have

to

game

(placement

technology,

Sega® Dreamcast

"Our goal was

part

objects

sound

.lighting,

a

4 all

the sun.

building the

give

showcase

in

an easy to use tool set for

reality."

proprietary

round. 6 Ecco’s island

every

Windows-based interface.What all that means is that the teams can add and subtract parts of the game world at the touch of a button, and create new maps and levels quickly. It’s kind of like Lego - but in code.

Official

his sonar.

mom, okay?

life."

awesome power, much like the Genesis new standards in the 16bit era. To make all

this possible,

your

not

a real

Dreamcast's There are few

I’m

shark, I’m a dolphin.” 3 Dolphin HQ.

Ecco explores. 5 Turtle-burgers

place with real living creatures.

game about

a

1 Ecco activates

effects,

behavioral patterns, etc.)

and

an

interactive,

engine which

realtime

allows

us

to

run

the

game instantly, as soon as we have completed some tuning." Csaszar makes

it all

seem

easy.

"With a few other

game on

mouse

clicks

you can run the

the target platform, which

Dreamcast.

Basically,

in this

case

is

anybody can tune the game


Ecco the Dolphin PUBLISHER:

DEVELOPER:

SEGA APPALOOSA INTERACTIVE

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: PERIPHERALS:

1

I'm

“Hi,

intelligent

1

ORIGIN:

JUMP PACK, VMU

GENRE:

Ecco,

and

a

too

little

5 “Gurgle”

and hours instead

of days

why Ecco made many games

pale

comparison

in

only been

YOU BUILD

at E3,

and

development

in

the

to

addition

In

great

and

attention to graphical detail

A

realism,

ppaloosa created a special ‘world builder’

program to help them

at

construct these amazing levels

the production schedule and allows the to spend their time dreaming up ever

weeks

(this boring

in

behave as

team

we

more

is

what

will

it

if

they were truly

alive,

'videogame'

the

elements blend into the natural as Csaszar explains. Ecco

well,"

will

looks like to the lucky whizkids designing

be an "adventure game with many

the game).

action

explore

elements."

You’ll

widely

four

get to

different

worlds, each subdivided into areas

packed with

all

sorts of puzzles

and enemies. You can also choose between a "simulation" and "arcade" type control, based on

how

comfortable you are with the

dolphin controls and "navigating, diving,

climbing

around

in

and

spinning

a virtual world." Not

only will the veteran

gamer be

served with this game, but people less

interested

adventure

will

in

"find

ECCO MADE MANY GAMES PALE IN COMPARISON AT THIS YEAR’S E3 SHOW, AND IT’S ONLY BEEN IN DEVELOPMENT FOR A YEAR

impressive

continue this approach

make

and

the drink for

gray screenshot

hard at work

is

similarly

"Once we have an

environment that looks beautifully real and creatures that look and

ands tricks to keep even the

most Flipper-obsessed gamers

Appaloosa

creating

gameplay.

for

game quickly and easy. Slyly codenamed Game World Builder', it’s shaved months off

fiendish traps

it's

for a

year or so.

IT...

the

TBA

be your

I’ll

results with minutes

or weeks." This explains

IF

RELEASE DATE:

3 Back to school. 4 Future

super-villain headquarters.

and get

NO

ONUNE:

mammal." 2

sub-aquatic

An octopus boss gets friendly.

US/HUNGARY ADVENTURE

finishing

the

just playing

around with the dolphin

remote

very special indeed" planned for the VMU, which is meant to remain a surprise for now. A tuna cannery sim, perhaps...

was created by none other Hugo Award-winning author of

Interestingly, the story

than David sci-fi

Brin, the

epics such as The Postman and Startide Rising

(Here’s hoping this story, at least, won’t

eh

agent,

Costner’s

Kevin

David?].

collaboration with Appaloosa he

was

reluctant

-

have a pretty

1

movies. But then

I

full

tells

make "At

to

it

Regarding

DCM,

his

first

plate with novels

I

and

got to see the Genesis version of

Ecco and was captivated! This wasn’t just another found myself imagining a shoot-em-up game. back-up the action-packed game storyline to I

sequences. Well, as long as story,

I

was day-dreaming

I

might just as well get paid for

Just as long as

we

never

Costner arrives on screen

live

in

a

it!"

to see the

day Kevin

a rubber dolphin outfit,

the prospect of such an amazing-looking adventure title is

a

welcome one indeed. -Jorg

endless fun

Official

in quiet,

lagoons "(Is that legal?- Ed] and performing various acrobatics in the air. Appaloosa also has "something

Sega@Dreamcast

Magazine

S. Tittel

(gurgle

SEPTEMBER 99

. .

J

71


D COMINGSO |

Preview Zone

Metropolis Street Racer “Drive", she said. So you did, and she hasn't seen you in weeks

ega originally wanted the Liverpoolbased coders Bizarre Creations to create a cutting edge Grand Prix

BRIEF

IN

+

POIN TS

game

|

the best-looking racing

• It’s

game

ever

made

You get to race

And absurdly quick

real cities

and

came

in

another racing

game

European of

thrills

mean

few

too

be able to drive at least 20 production

different

Will the detail in the car

models

the

joyously reckless powersliding. You’ll

• It’s

rag-top

and

speedsters

POINTS

I

felt

the yellow flags and the pit-stops,

Japanese sports cars

Dreamcast. But

for the

company founder Martyn Chudley he needed to do another FI game like a moose needs a weekend in Vegas. So out went the Ferraris,

cars

(Ford

Mustang, Honda NSX, Euro-sportscar Fiat Barcetta

and more), licensed from 13

And

‘background’ vehicles?

different manufacturers.

The hype

able to race against other super-convertibles

is

building...

around the

BOTTOM

gives the

LINE

tricky twists of

game

its

yes, you’ll

is

that

its

Bizarre

racing

know

Creations

games

anyone

can

Colonel

like

ambitious

pull

project

those guys.

If

this

off,

it’s

You can

bet

-

London and San Francisco. While other games thunder around

Racer has

fictional

realistically

fall,

you’ll

London

(Buckingham

Palace,

and

Sega

tourist traps of

Trafalgar

Picadilly Circus), before tackling the

San Francisco’s own

# Dreamcast

Square,

narrow streets T-shirt

Magazine

challenge for Bizarre

icvcia,

is

nibicuiuiy

The cars look simply is

ucidiieu.

fantastic.

The

to add multiple cars to scenes while

keeping the frame-rate smooth - the programming equivalent of hitting the

exhaust port of the Death

Star.

Without The Force.

you

the game’s launch this

taking notes

Official

let

courses, Metropolis Street

Come

be able to zip past the

tight turns of

Tokyo,

modeled three two square mile

areas per urban sprawl.

Sega's racing teams are

SEPTEMBER 99

2-4

nine circuits

are based on real areas of three world cities

Sanders knows chicken.

me

be

urban street tracks. What

unique edge

Mecca

and

home

of

tastless

tourist

knick-knacks,

Fisherman’s Wharf.

The extent of the realism is staggering. Not only were the game’s cars modeled from official schematics and technical specs, but Bizarre Creations also dispatched researchers to photograph

and

film

the featured cities to get the building textures and the


Metropolis Street Racer SEGA BIZARRE CREATIONS

m

1-2

ORIGIN:

ENGLAND

WHEEL, JUMP PACK

GENRE:

RACING

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: PERIPHERALS:

ONUNE: RELEASE DATE:

FALL

1 The

Ford Mustang takes a

spin around the

San

of

enough

hilly

Francisco,

without

a

one

streets

oddly driver.

Spooky. 2-4 The Honda

NSX

is

of the fastest cars in the

game.

Here

makes

It

somewhat wayward progress around Tokyo's hyper-trendy

Note the

Shibuya

district.

lens-flare

from the headlights

and the specular highlighting

bodywork.

we

It's

think

the

on

(reflections)

okay to gasp

-

are

visuals

the

breathtaking too.

A

ccurately- modeled

city tracks?

Laudable. Split-screen multiplayer (and

modem

background minutia unprecedented individual

windows,

neatest feature of Metropolis Street Racer

thousands

possibly a

promises to be the Gang recreates the

thrills

and

Mode which illegal spills of late-

night, hot-rod street racing.

“We’d

videos of cars racing up and

Yokohama freeway,

One

of our

member

we

seen

down the

lights blazing, engines

roaring,” explains the law-abiding

Chudley. “So

all

tried to

capture a

Martyn bit of that.

producers at Sega used to be a

of a

London street gang, the Scorpions,

so he’s been very helpful culture and

how

it

telling us

could work

in

about the

a game.”

just right.

of

level

The

in-game

result

detail

an

is

from

-

lampposts to accurate wall surfaces,

option)? Let’s have

a round of applause, please. But probably the

escapes and billboards

fire

-

as the

DETAIL BRICK-PERFECT THE COUNTS FOR NOTHING IF YOUR CAR BOASTS ALL THE AGILITY OF AN ICE-SKATING HEFFER...

of photographs were painstakingly turned into textures and squeezed into the game. The bottom line is that if you live on a street that makes up one of San Francisco’s tortuous tracks, you’ll be able to drive past and check out a

Shibuya

recreation of your house, pixel-style.

neighborhoods of San Francisco, the brick-perfect

makes

“What Chudley,

Nobody

the

“are

MSR

Formula

heritage,

1

done

environments.

that before - not to

an idea which goes back to our

It’s

recognizable

suggests

different,"

hyper-realistic

else has really

this extent.

of

representing

environments. At the

we’re not going to be too anal about the end of the day the

game has

real

same it,

and time,

because

got to play

Official

at

And

that’s the key: playability.

Whether you race

in

daylight or darkness, around the neon-lit suburbs of

detail

or

counts for nothing

agility of

an ice-skating

cars

going

is

to

be

if

your car boasts

heffer.

as

the

through

Bullitt-style

hilly

all

to

their

real-life

not going to be intrusive. Metropolis Street Racer

have an arcade

feel to

expense

and gameplay.”

of detail

it,

Sega® Dreamcast

for sure,

Magazine

it’s

will

but not at the

-

well.”

the

“The handling of the

true

counterparts as possible,” promises Chudley. “But

Dean Evans

SEPTEMBER 99


Second Offense

Vigilante 8:

COMINGSOGIV

ACTION

GENRE:

OCTOBER

RELEASE DATE:

8

Vigilante Second Offense Activision redefines digital road rage

1-2

Whether playing against the

computer

or friends, car

combat

ensures a satisfying experience for

those with an appetite for

destruction. 3

Activision

hints

Dreamcast gamers

that

will

have exclusive three and four player

The

modes to

variety

of

play with. 4-6

new powerups

allow you to cruise almost any

BRIEF

IN

terrain with equal ease.

et against the disco-fever

+

backdrop of

|

POINTS

1970s America, the original Vigilante 8

game

• Bright,

(released for those quaint old 32bit

aiming to recapture the adrenaline-charged drama of

the original, but

is

Incorporating a

going the distance to ensure that

new system

its

between

17

new

different

cars to transform

modes

including

a

elements from the

sure to

multiple

hovercraft,

original,

1

melees. This

BOTTOM

combat

for single

and four-player modes

some

is all

truly wild

players

with

the

for

what

multi-player

handled split-screeen, and

from the early version shown to well

its all-action still

have

such as recurring LINE

2 arenas in total, as well as

gameplay modes

are sure to be

yet to be seen

still

Even though

to be identifiable and cool

over

Being the

divided into Quest, Brawl and Desperado and two-, three-

and detailed controls

are

robot-style

carry

characters and completely destructible arenas. There are

POINTS |

Al

the characters

made

has also

modes, as

Loads of new features

it

to collect icons that

snowmobile, and hydroplane. Luxoflux

variety of

of power-ups, Vigilante

Second Offense allows you

enable

Huge

well as multiplayer options

won’t be a simple rehash.

8:

shiny objects that

explode really well

consoles) pitted rival car gangs against one another, armed to the teeth with fantastic artillery and equally fantastic hair-do’s. Developer Luxoflux is

added

framerate slow-down

load,

DCM,

copes

with

little

(though the detail

first

combat

car

game on Dreamcast, and level

drops a

level or

two

-

but that’s to be expected).

With 17 brand-new vehicles, as well as the addition of the particularly vicious Drifter Vigilante 8:

Second Offense could

to be the king of the

gang

to the lineup,

well have

what

it

takes

car-combat sequel road. -

Francesca Reyes

a

promising

one

Vigilante 8:

Second Offense

has

little

making of the

it

chance

at

that,

of failing,

a good bet for fans

genre and newcomers

with a taste for explosives


>

0.02 -

”[

nui

sfeieied in the U.S. Patent

and Trademat

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HINT

II OUTSMARTING

MAKE

it

sega.com

IT

WILL ONLY

smarter.

it’s

thinking

(


COMINGSOON I

Preview Zone

Climax Landers Wanted: Role-playing game with cheeky female party member; preferably in form - fitting attire. No experience points necessary ST-

——

b?

• v

'

LAY OF THE

LANDERS

Jm.

-

\ Name: Lady Origin: Ladystalker (Japan only)

Type:

v

/

Elf

Specialty: Martial Arts

;>*•

Name:

Lyle

Origin: Landstalker

Type:

Elf

Specialty: Thievery

Origin:

N/A

Type: Half-man, half-roast beast

Q

BRIEF

IN

Gorgeous graphics feature a

fully •

3D

universe

on

it

seems

that there’s

Monster

breeding,

time

excited about.

and checkout

lines

Among

characters to play

of

lips

RPG

title

every

And

fan.

Origin: Shining in the Darkness

Type: Magician Specialty: Magic

detailed polygonal cast of characters,

traveling, • Six

the

dedicated

the

is

with good reason. With environments and highly

lush

its

Specialty: Strength

limax Landers

plenty to

be

many

interesting features, the

One

town

prove a

How

dull

little

long

to

alongside your character. 3 Marion pulls off the

Origin:

daring stunt of flying through the air on what

Type: Wooden Puppet

looks like a large Dreamcast dinner mint.

Specialty: Flammability

course,

is

and less

spritely

RPGs

magic

but

LINE

five

its

gameplay,

Climax Landers should give us a peek at what’s to for

RPGs, but

relies

more on

characters.

its

come

success

storyline

It’s still

and

wait-and-

see on this one.

76

on

rely

the

SEPTEMBER 99

periods.

You’ll

landscape

be

prehistoric

able

ruins

in

to

several different time

shop in

-

Ed).

modern

a

in

the game, then

complete with

peoples and dinosaurs the next (sounds mall

The combination

offers

opportunity not only for jokes about

official

Sega

all

capture

animals

them

have

fight

Another of Climax Landers'

like

classic

RPGs, such as Landstalker and

Shining in the Darkness on the Genesis,

most

likely

mugs

recognize the

of

spunky mage who was one-third

ears and

Magazine

in

much-

the strangely familiar

my local

an interesting elf

is

band of characters cast in the game. Savvy gamers who remember Climax’s other

the former games’

too predictable

® Dreamcast

and

primitive

Slurpees, but also plenty of innovation and variety a genre that can be

launch her and her comrades back and forth

Specialty: Swordsmanship

through time. 2 The battle systems allows you

publicized features

only really features one town,

convenience store at one point explore

will

his inherent

solve the mystery by joining up with a

game

Climax Landers gives you the chance to experience

beautiful landscapes

promising

And so

‘busy’).

other wanderers.

this multi-faceted

With

and

presumably

young Sword must then

skills to

band of

Landers?

he’s

While the

BOTTOM

Type:

near the town (the elder would go himself of

exist

may

expansive than other •

look at the machine that

decipher the mystery of the strange time portals that only

and

regenerating dungeons

1 Lady takes a good

most notable is the ability to travel back and forth time. Sword, the main character, is approached by one of the elders in his village to

through

POINTS

N/A Human

Origin:

the game’s

heroes.

dungeon exploring team Darkness, as well as thief

in

Lyle,

will

two of

Marlin,

the

of the

Shining in the

the cocky

elfin

from Landstalker, both play integral

roles in Landers.

Name: Marion A tree, perhaps?


Climax Landers PUBLISHER:

SEGA

ORIGIN:

DEVELOPER:

CLIMAX

GENRE:

JAPAN RPG

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:

1 Approaching the stage deep fabled

Batcave,

to

in

the

game

IS

the

many

prepare for

defends

bosses

right

lavender tights large

within

some tough

her

wooden

4 Marlin

wear

by wielding a

stick.

of

Landers;

battles.

to

AND FORTH THROUGH TIME

are simply

breathtaking. 3 Sword confronts one

MOST NOTABLE YOUR ABILITY TO TRAVEL BACK

FEATURES, THE

-

wrong universe). 2 The textures and environments

WINTER

RELEASE:

AMONG THE GAME’S MANY

inside the

Sword prepares

audition for the part of Robin (oops

NO

ONUNE:

1

VMU GAMES

PERIPHERALS:

who had

For those

paws on the

the chance to lay their

import, Ladystalker, will no doubt also

bright

recognize Lady, the female martial arts master,

rather

too.

Sword will also call upon the help of newcomers, Rao, a powerful beastman, and Marion, an enigmatic female wooden puppet character of which little is known in the game (apart from her aversion to

characters

will

be

naked flames]. but

playable,

All six

only

one

character can be controlled at a time, so don’t

expect to be traipsing about the dungeons with six of

these powerful warriors

in

all

tow.

With a release date tentatively set for Winter,

Sega plans on promoting Climax Landers not only on the strength of its

its

gorgeous

visuals, but with

multitude of unique features.

VMU-related

mini-games

to

A

string of 10

support

the

monster-breeding options and casino-type sub-

games sound gameplay

will

cool. tell

But ultimately the story and Climax Landers’

tale.

Expect

more coverage of this amazing looking RPG in Fantasy Zone in the coming months. - Francesca Reyes

Official

Sega® Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99


53 COMINGSOOfV

Preview Zone

Dynamite Cop gone

Pirates of the Caribbean Dynamite Cop

horribly

wrong

rading foreign terrorists for the scariest

action

pirates this side of Captain Ron, Sega’s

clothesline

0RI6IH:

SEGA SEGA JAPAN

GENRE:

ACTION

you donning the gear of a police special

PUBLISHER:

DEVELOPER:

1-2

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:

JUMP PACK

PERIPHERALS:

NO

ONUNE?

unofficial sequel to

weapons member on

mission

a

Fortunately,

nothing

you’ll

look

you can choose

Instead,

from three different characters.

pummel your eye-patch-wearing onboard

anything

lets

you

adversaries with

not

that’s

nailed

feats.

Explaining yourself

rescue

don’t

daughter

you’ll

is

the

amazing

truly

Comprised of three missions, the game nearly

amazing

to the President

- and

be well armed

Keanu Reaves.

like

when prompted in order to oncoming baddies and perform amongst other marginally

button

jumps,

tricky

rescue the

to

president’s daughter off a hijacked cruise ship.

FALL

RELEASE DATE:

Die Hard Arcade has

if

you his

one feat

hopefully never

have to

pull off.

- Randy Nelson

down,

including (but certainly not limited to) hat

1 Most

of the baddies are

pirates,

although this one

looks

suspiciously

Team

hero,

Mr.

moment you boat.

Sega

A-

like

2 The

T.

commences

action

the

rule,

beat-’em-up

These are

plungers.

in

toilet

addition

whole host of punches and

to

a

kicks, not to

mention intentionally-lethal objects the likes of

.9mm handguns and up

Breaking

set foot on the

3 As a

arcade machines, and, uh,

racks,

the

Uzis.

beat-’em-up

every

shenanigans are timing-oriented action

must

sequences

feature a disco brawl.

Hard

similar to those in Die

Arcade, whereby

you’ll

have to press the

Floigan Brothers Sega’s top-secret platforming duo steps out of the shadows Floigan Brothers VISUAL CONCEPTS

world

JUMP PACK

will

of next year: Hoigel

Their

PLATFORM NUMBER OF PLAYERS:

duo behind what Sega is be one of the biggest games

eet the dynamic

hoping DEVELOPER:

and Moigal

names may be

straight out of old Laurel

lifted

and Hardy

but these two decidedly

goofy brothers

may be

the best thing to happen

Floigan.

funny, and their skits,

to the popular platform

genre

in

many

years.

Playing as Hoigal (he’s the smaller one), you’ve got to

work together with your Al-controlled sibling, in order to solve the game’s various puzzles -

Moigal,

such as having him toss you up to hard-to-reach places and moving large objects.

Developer Visual Concepts (NFL

2f

2000)

is

keeping a tight

rest of the

lid

on the

game’s inner-workings,

we do know

but

FT

the

motivation

behind their mission: they’re about to lose their junkyard

"l

1

^

fc.

greedy

Floigan

*

home

developer,

shaping

.

if

We’ll

not

Brothers

won’t

be it’s

up as one of the most its

class.

have much more on the game

next month, so stay tuned to this station...

- Randy Nelson

78

SEPTEMBER 99

official

Sega © Dreamcast

Magazine

1 Moigal

is

easily im-

pressed. Let’s hope he’s as

easy

for Hoigal to control.

2 The Floigan's junkyard

original representatives of -

to a

but

fight.

available until next spring, but

1* -

land

without a good

home

is

stunningly

rendered, and

appearing

in

will

be

Better

Homes

and Gardens next month.

3 Both characters look they’ve jumped straight

out of a cartoon.

like


TAKE CONTROL

Check out our complete

line of

controllers, peripherals, cables

and connectors for your Sega Dreamcast "system. SEGA DREAMCAST'

AVAILABLE

"'>

l'l'l'l

Mad

Cat/. Inc.

Mad

9.9.99

Cat/ and the

Mad

Cal/ logo are trademarks nl

Mad Cat/. Inc. its affiliates and/or

subsidiaries OiieslionsV Visit our website

.



Come

to think of

it,

‘full-tilt’

31LEADERS

might

be an understatement. When September

9

rolls

games

quarter of the 19

around, almost a

you’ll

be able to

lay

Enter the punch-drunk bunch Within minutes of arriving at Midway’s offices

some hands on carry the

at your local

games emporium

Midway logo

the largest day-one

turn-out from anyone but Sega. Mortal

and NFL

Blitz will

show

will

Kombat

be two fresh faces

1 v

will also

-

a

we were

at least they

Federal

Penitentiary

muggers,

serial

and had a few scores

killers,

to

settle.

They were

granny bashers (or possibly even night club

doormen),

all

multiple chins

and the kind

boasting of

sunken eyes that hadn’t

seen sleep for weeks. But

Thunder and Ready 2

racer Hydro

they’d just broken out of

like

dark, in

face-to-face with

Some of them weren’t too hard on the were well-groomed and had good complexions. It was

very sketchy-looking guys.

up, of course,

the bunch, namely the high-octane

but there

eye

the other bunch that scared us. They looked

wasn’t

this

the

slumber-deprived rabble that

Rumble, Dreamcast’s But we’ve before

all

boxing

title.

MK and

Blitz

first

played

a racer’s just a racer,

normally passes for a

and

games

development team. No,

this

crew

motley

all

were the gang of Ready 2 Rumble -

neatly-designed

those

questionable

‘sims’

surely

spelled

32bit

boxing

the end

of

thugs

,

Jl

Midway’s splendid new boxing title

sleep-depriving, edge-of-your-chair

videogame pugilism,

that

lodges

firmly in its bruised

Giving

right?

in

cheek.

It

most

Even though

and getting a curious in

response

W3S

/

t'

‘No’

to this query,

me

S6t

tongue

and bloody

some

of the

were loosely based on team members, we found a and enthusiastic bunch at work

fictional fighters

actual

it

friendly

t0

its

definitely pulls

no punches.

our magic eight-ball a good shake,

t0

on the

Midway’s San Diego,

project. “It’s got

an over-the-top

and we’re on fun than programmer Dave Wagner. “We’ve had people who don't even play games pick it up and look, a very responsive feel,

concentrating

California studios to

more

anything else,” assured

^investigate further.

Ready 2 Rumble taps Dreamcast’s enormous

start having fun right away.”

graphical

Bigger, stronger, fester To create Ready 2 Rumble’s unique cast

of

some 20

and the multitude of boxing arenas, the team has been drawing upon equal doses of classical boxers,

in

the

same way as

brought to

life

a cartoon character,

3D model and

as a

From

artist.

given

average

a

lot

The

of our

facial

in

own

-

tools to

all

“It’s

make

the

expressions and the swell

points and the bruising,” adds lead

Terry Bertram.

run-of-the-

mill pugilists.

in realtime.

"We have

play,

are anything but your

w

even the occasional missing tooth

programmer

even more

official

it

animation into

animation, realistic bruises,

motion and the

like

Calling traditional

character

tecniques

the form of outlandish facial

occurring

real

bleed,

roster of characters that

motion capture model, a real-world kick boxer.

the

also

own

footwork by the team’s

crowning touch comes

like

Midway has created a

and then

fancy

their

but

‘painted’ by

here, they receive their

unique array of moves, and then are

move

deal

too.

programming know-how.

Each of the fighters has been conceived much

texture

only

sweat, and bruise

animation techniques, motion capture, and stateof-the-art

to

potential

render boxers that not

Sega © Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99


e|

READY TO RUMBLE TEAM Not everyone on Midway’s Ready pugilists

— or so they

say.

2 Rumble crew

fancies themselves as would-be

You certainly wouldn’t be able to

tell it

judging by their

recent projects, which have included the console-exclusive fighting or that visibly

worn Soul Calibur machine displayed proudly

in

title

their

Bio Freaks,

work space...

even another human player over the modem, the latter

game

puts you

maybe even

the

in

ill-fitting

stark-white

a

‘fro?)

manager. Given an entry-level to

you to

them

hire a fighter,

blazer (and

of

a

boxing

of cash,

it’s

up

train

for a valiant victory.

It’s in

this portion of the

(see page 91) will come hone your prize fighter’s

trade

sum

buy equipment, and

them with

game

that your

into play, enabling skills

friends.

VMU

you to

on the go, and even

Your fighters can also

work out within the game on jump ropes, weight machines, punching bags, and the like. There’s even an ‘exhibition’ mode, where you and a friend can load up your boxers and watch them duke it out, the victor

winning not only bragging

rights,

but the other player’s character to boot. comical

BRIEF

IN

when your boxer

few teeth

missing.”

It

smiles at the end and he has a

saves on polygons, too.

T.K.O. It

Hard

POINTS •

Could well turn out to be

Punch Out, DC-style

fat-lipped caricatures •

come about from

the exception.

First- person

view

will

need

some more work •

usually the rule

You can’t punch Don King

special punches,

all

LINE

and

directional

button

when caught

in

we

learned

how

a flurry of flying

terrible

one shines

like

George

quickly ‘pick-up-

fists,

swelling faces

and cheering fans at 60 frames per second. It’s an impressive and thoroughly entertaining package.

One

thing

back and

it’s

is

for certain: Over-the-top boxing

never looked so good.

And

as the real thing.

is

fortunately,

these black eyes don’t sting anywhere near as

much

A

named Rumble

when

Meter, which,

elastic

yields

one

be used to launch into a sort of berserker rage

jaw

will

into orbit.

First-person perspective

little

more

detail,

but

else at this point.

Motion

trails

add to

the game’s arcade look.

charged, can

fully

good, solid blow

send your opponent’s

from the word ‘rumble’ for your appropriately

letter

-

complete with fantastically glowing gloves. Go down for the count, and a garter-wearing referee

way

out onto the

this point is the best

know how

boxing games can be, but this

and not

and chain combos can be executed

predetermined

will

-

course of action

it’s

regaining stamina for the remainder of the

Of

course,

apart

knocking

from

senseless, your other main goal

is

And through use

Foreman’s smooth, sweat-

stars

covered noggin

buttons, life-saving ducks,

yourself.

make

his

accompanied by cinematic

mat,

camera angles. Tapping the shoulder buttons

BOTTOM We

in

addition to the two basic high and

Delivering a thunderous hit rewards you with

game has

yet to be seen in action •

In

blows

combinations, and, of course, precision timing.

POINTS

Single player

particularly hard

mid-blows (oomph!), each boxer can land a variety of

60fps arcade-style speed

via

and dislocated jawbones

missing teeth,

Ready 2 Rumble, and these are

• Hilarious, super-detailed,

wasn’t long before

and-play’ can turn into ‘pick-up-and-never-put-down’

hitting

Bruises,

generally

rapidly at

essential for fight.

your

foes

to avoid seeing

of the

shoulder

and side-

steps are possible.

Road

to victory

Whether you choose smack-talking

to

Afro

compete as the Thunder,

the

grotesquely obese Salua, or any of their Left-

outlandish companions,

Ready 2 Rumble

provides two basic gameplay

modes -

Arcade and Championship. Whereas the former

is

straightforward

enough {you go

up against one Al opponent a

82

official

Sega

friend, or

® Dreamcast

Magazine

and right-handed blows are executed via separate

buttons, and, using a second set of buttons, can be directed

toward your opponent’s head or chest.

Each boxer

falters

and sways differently depending on the blow they’re dealt, serving to further cement their individual character

traits.


version

latest

now

that

warrants a ‘Gold’

While

suffix.

effortlessly

executing a 14-hit combo, Kaffka explains

biggest

able

that

is

be

to

play

to

“The

all.

thing

going

you’re

a

better-than-arcade perfect version Familiar foes such as the

four-armed

Goro

bosses.

Reach out and

home.

as

return

[

why parents and

backgrounds that

politicians

grimmace at the

add

of its

name.

"

to

make

'

»

it

Kombat update goes

that

we

Before

make our way

could

some

to

the

BRIEF

latest,

Mortal

and

sound

of

warriors

Biggest, boldest, bloodiest

than

“Better

arcade-

perfect,” you lucky people •

Horrible

new

characters

While

guru back

of

arcade-perfect characters of

around 3,000 polygons each are hurtled around over the

universe,

Mortal

Kombat

invited

Andy

one

“Ed

DCM staffer MK

• Your little sister

won’t

identity

in just

very involved

and

in

the

of the

all

decisions,”

reports

Kaffaka. In other words, he’s the

one

Having dabbled

60

about

we

they’d be answering to

of those

hidden characters

if

the

aforementioned

made

a no-show.

away with

He’d never get

this

it.

like

(hang on, that's a plus)

Long

Remember,

in

THE

the tooth

clever to

it’s

rip

not big or

out spines

NEW KOMBATANTS

Apart from cosmetic tweaks and new backdrops, extra characters

BOTTOM

come in the form of some familiar faces from past MKs which make the cut for MK4. There’s the blade-wielding mutant,

mostly didn't

Barraka; the noble, fan-throwing Kitana; the Scorpion-esque robot

LINE

Cyrax; and For the legions of obessive

MK fans, and guts

At

is still

creative

watched the mayhem unfolding on screen before into the fray.

power,

at a blistering

creative content

we

jumping

had to know what was so special about

for

been

And what role has renowned series co-creator Ed Boon had to play in all this?

on screen.

the days of MKII (Finish them! -Ed),

Dreamcast’s

backdrops

have

frames per second.

Gold.

Kaffka

us to pull up chairs as they

that at least

have been updated

advantage

elements. Taking

blood-curdling

every incarnation of the series published to date,

POINTS

II

command, “finish him!” was no test screening of a new UPN gameshow, but, of course,

may be true in

Pit

This

entertained vague delusions of themselves as an

just

it

it

and

familiar

the game, production staffers

and Ed Tucker

team has brought along Arenas such as

Living Forest

screams and the decidedly grave and

casually disemboweled each other

Mortal Kombat yet •

in

to

from the past MKs, the

brought over from the last game enhanced with new animated

potentially greatest, addition to the

Kombat

better.”

familiar fighting locales as well.

MKIfs

Fortunately bearing no resemblance to the armor-clad

POINTS

much

addition

the polygon age with added depth, and even those

darkened conference room, came the distant

we’ll

going to

resurrecting ‘kombatants’

for gold

Ready 2 Rumble's title fight we were quickly whisked away to a very different kind of combat. From a

are

it

In

ATTRACTION

IN

of

all

the extra characters and

reminds us

mere mention

the

in

arcade, but then

MK

disembowel someone.

at

as good

It’s

MKIV

as

no amount will

least

of blood

ever be enough.

MK

silence the fans

Gold could

Kung

Lao,

who may

very well have learned his razor-sharp

hat throwing skills from James Bond’s Odd Job. Each character has their

own

high-resolution

FMV

ending that has been created especially

this latest chapter in the series,

tweaked subtly to compensate

and the storyline has been

for their inclusion. “There’re also

one to three other characters,” Kaffka caught himself. This was clearly

one of those

you moments.

network of

We

‘I

could

later

unofficial

tell

you, but then

I’d

have to

kill

dug out the information from our

sources

— the Ogre-like Belokk has

spines across his head and back and looks utterly

fearsome. Well, what did you expect, Pee-Wee Herman?

official

Sega ©Dreamcast

Magazii


I

Left to right:

Ed Tucker (associate producer), Michael Gottleib (producer), and

Andy Kaffka (assistant producer). This supervising the coin-op conversion of

and the

BRIEF

IN

MORTAL KOMBAT GOLD AND NFL BLITZ TEAM

POINTS

tireless trio serves double duty

NFL

2000

Blitz

original efforts of Bristish developer

by US-based Avalanche

Eurcom on Mortal Kombat

Does away with

Somehow managed

Gold.

but to slow things

millennium

purposes

II,

is Blitz ‘99] is

of

7

YARD RUN

Still

MK Gold,

why

headed

for

his

not be as

of

new features awaiting them,

including weather effects, better opponent Al,

and a greatly expanded play book. The latter

game, whereas

takes

Blitz

much

all

of the fun

Think of

we

of

You

still

find to

all

of the

LINE as a diet version

it

comes

NFL 2000

to adherence

when

to rules, but

elements that

it

comes

to the grit and hits of real

well

be the

football

it

Jolt

may

very

Cola of

games

new rules (such as the ability to perform superhuman tackles, or run faster than a freight train) thrown

into the fray.

can be expanded to include

Boosting play speed doesn’t hurt either.

Thanks / "

then be saved to a VMU.

to

the

similarities

between

Dreamcast and the hardware running w

Blitz in

L

home

arcades, this

version of the

as fast as

its

be the

will

game

first

to run every

coin-op counterpart.

P/I

DOWN AND

OUCHDOWN

'Z\

w Seeing the snap of the a 10 yard gain happen a sobering experience

PHILAfeiJTHIA

TENNESSEE. <3

it

Sega's own

when

have the basic structure of

6 YARD

Sega

hit

unfortunately

BOTTOM

such as pass interference and

fun,

game, but you lose

bit

official

say after

gridiron clashes,

f

SEPTEMBER 99

don’t

The moral is, football, like so many other aspects of life, can be made more entertaining when certain rules are removed. But it doesn’t hurt to have a few

&

84

I

rules remaining,

slow things down.”

player-created plays, which can

m /r~

some

associate producer Ed Tucker explained

certain other rules.

bevy

• Still

heated match

aspects of football and eliminates anything

a football

full

do that?”

players

an especially nasty

day one release on

shaken from

visibly

a

POINTS

Rival

“Sorry, did

of the other

of a football

Players of last year's version have a

game has become such a phenomenon. games are pretty much simulations

the

“All

NFL Blitz has become one of games of the ‘90s. Now its for all intents and

(which

edition

Dreamcast.

heads home

hit

Barring Street Fighter

the most-played arcade

down

NFL license anyhow

TIME NFL coin-op

pesky

no point

rules that serve

relegate role of a

you

to

the

in

ball,

the hand-off, and

the blink of an eye

is

enough perhaps to

infinitely

more placid

bystander during multi-player sessions.


\8&0UB

tEHa FINISH

IN

Hydro racer vamps up the pace This

more

possibly be

BRIEF POINTS

what could

play sessions,

After three bone-jarring

is

no Sunday pleasure

relaxing than an leisurely boat cruise cruise for

around a tranquil lake? Not Hydro Thunder,

pagoda peppered Far East. 2

Its

have seemingly taken lessons

one

is

of

13

total

in

Vast courses with massive

boats

whopping 500ft drops. Not very

turbo

mammoth

hot

air

Boost

be

gleaned

then.

that will

way Hydro Thunder

high-pitched whine of the boat’s engine.

ominous

Hurtling headlong towards an

edge,

from

waterfall

perhaps understandable for a novice

it’s

number could be

their

natural (albeit dangerous) sources.

-

and

well

truly up.

DCM

offices for

some

nautical gymnastics. Wilson, our instructor for

in

ages so we were well prepared

for

another thing that our boat racing has that you simply

he

swaying

yelled,

you’re basically on a track.

mean, you go

I

these

off

500ft drop which

the depth of courses,"

in his seat. “In

We

most racing games

catch

cliffs..."

We

some

serious

hurtle

down

air.

the

accompanied by a suitable "yee-

is

Missing hydraulics

Arcade-style

hull

could

possibly spring

some

leaks

the

the day, decides to put minds at rest anyway. “That’s

game -

for lunch

we

better

the coin-op has been sitting

reminded

be

could

what you ate

to think

However,

know

can't do with a driving

POINTS

You

does," associate producer Sean Wilson yelled over the

to the minute, such as

can

all,

game

arcade quality

other boats, react to

running into walls, or jumping the

balloons orbiting Lake Powell fuel

relaxing at

"You’re never going to see a boat realistically react to water, react to

courses

Track-side details range from

the

know

• Naturally,

each uttered with shortcuts and stunt ramps.

will

question has a jet engine strapped to

in

and that the lake includes huge stunt ramps and

it,

boosting from Knight Rider's KITT. Lost Island

Midway’s coin-op

stomach-churning drops that the boat

— from the polar ice cap to the

globe

familiar with

wusses

that’s for •

Those

sure.

Hydro Thunders courses span the

BOTTOM

LINE

Short of a simulation of the sinking Titantic (where Leo di

gets

Caprio

in

the

Ranging from Lost Island to the Far East

to

rule

the

waves

Dreamcast boating games

to the Ice

Cap, the rest of the game’s post-apocalyptic courses all

have something

common: Handily-placed jumps,

in

ludicrous drops, (and most useful of

-

shortcuts. Each boat

a

and super-hard

M

BEST

in

varieties

easy,

-

plenty of

all)

medium, hard,

also has

one

across-the-board feature: a time-saving

Ti

nitro

boost which

second floating

recharged

is

increments

by

in

five

and

picking

10-

up

buoys. Triggering your boost also

invokes the aptly-named

which enables you

‘mighty

hull,'

send competitors

to

hurtling end-over-end.

Amidst

this flurry of jet spray,

precision jumps, and break-neck

we decided to part company with Midway before someone got hurt speed,

POWERBOATS

IN

PORT

for

the arcade, Hydro Thunder

Originally

developed

barrel to

Dreamcast.

All of

being ported lock, stock, and

is

-

the coin-op’s 13 powerboats (some of which are hidden)

and 11 courses remain

intact,

as are

its blindingly

we’d

had enough

excitement for one

fast visuals,

day.

On September

which, at the time of writing, are promised to

remain at a consistent 30

9

you

the

same

could way...

well

feel

HI

frames-per-second. True to so

many

other arcade-to-home conversions produced

generation age, Hydro Thunder specialized attention on

is

also receiving

in

the next

some

Dreamcast to the tune

of

two new

courses including a training area and a hidden cavern

Now,

if

circuit.

only the hydraulics were included...

HYDRO THUNDER TEAM Heading up the Dreamcast conversion of Hydro Thunder are associate producer Sean Wilson

(left)

away

and assistant producer Ed Duran

(right). Its

creators are presently locked

at Midway’s Southern California offices working on a new, top-secret

first five

minutes), this one deserves

hah!” from our virtual co-pilot.

00:25.86

pushed

overboard and glugs to a

watery grave

title.

SEPTEMBER 99

of



SegdS^Dreamcast

JF

EXCLUSIVE!

R2 ik\ Cft>MIDWAY m m m\m mirlu/au rn www.midway.com \

MORTAL KOMBAT® GOLD 0

1997, 1999 Midway

Games

Inc. All rights

reserved.

MIDWAY, MORTAL KOMBAT, the

DRAGON DESIGN and all character names are trademarks of Midway Games

Inc.

Used by permission.

Distributed

by Midway

Home

•'•••

\

Entertainment Inc. under license. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ltd.



DREAMCAST Introducing the most advanced videogame system in the world. We give you everything you need to become a certified Dreamcast expert

new

Welcome

world. Here your to the brave preconceptions of videogames will quickly be redefined as Sega realizes its most powerful vision of interactive entertainment yet. Dreamcast is no amble along the videogaming highway, it’s a nitrous-oxide-fueled drag race to the next level, leaving current

gaming systems spluttering in the dust. Representing the absolute peak of Sega’s home gaming know-how, it pulls together bleedingedge technology from electronics wizards NEC, Microsoft, Hitachi, and Yamaha — and it’s going to blow your mind. On the surface, Dreamcast has many similarities to past consoles. It still

uses a traditional-style controller

to catch on)

not

some

beneath

and

its

games once

(Virtual Reality

again

come

sort of Star Trek holo-cube, as

its

unassuming, pearly white

never quite seemed

stored on

compact discs -

you might have thought. But

exterior,

however,

lies

dimension of earth-shaking innovations and unprecedented

Over the following pages, this exotic

we

give you the

beast so different from

its

a

new

possibilities.

lowdown on what makes

predecessors, and provide you with

more than enough tech-talk with which to astound your uninitiated So fix yourself a drink and a tasty snack, sit down, put your

friends.

up,

and take some quality time to get

A

brave

new world

awaits,

and

to

you’ll

feet

know your Dreamcast. want

Official

to

be prepared...

Sega €> Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

89


DREAMCAST 101 Dreamcast's custom

V

ideogame machines are ultimately the

component

sum

parts,

and

CD unit runs at

12

times the speed of normal drives, often

reducing

of their

load

you’ll-miss-it”

in

times to “blink-andinsignificance.

play your audio CDs, though

Dreamcast's case, those parts are Here's a

still

It'll

-

even

the ones cheesier than Camerbert.

staggeringly powerful.

breakdown of the cuttingedge silicon under the hood of the world’s most technologically WEEk advanced gamebox. And you don’t need /

X

f

a pair of overalls

/gigabyiedix

and an

/

oily wrench...

recordabl£

POWER

Sega has created a new storage format especially for Dreamcast

CPU (Central Processing Unit) SH-4 SuperH RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) running at 200 Megahertz, and capable of 360

called

Hitachi

GD-ROM

[Gigabyte Disc

Read-Only Memory).

It

can store

twice the data of normal discs,

meaning you won’t have to swap discs as often in “epic" RPGs.

million instructions per second.

You can hardly wait, can you? Press this vitally important button and bear witness to the power of the most fully armed videogame console in existence.

Say “ahhh” as your Dreamcast lid glides open with the grace of a space ship entry ramp. Mind your fingers though - the discs are almost like saw blades

when

spinning

down from

their 12x speed.

Graphics

NEC

PowerVR2DC

Videologic

chipset

capable of rendering 3 million polygons per second with the following effects: perspective-correct texture mapping,

These are high-bandwidth ports (i.e. very, very fast at moving data) that can handle not only controllers, but a host of peripherals such as digital cameras and storage devices.

and anisotropic Gouraud shading, zscene fog, and

point, bilinear, trilinear,

mip-map

filtering,

buffer, colored light sourcing, full

hardware-based mapping.

anti-aliasing,

bump

Sound Yamaha ‘Super

Intelligent

Sound

Processor’ capable of articulating 64 simultaneous audio channels with 3D environmental effects.

Attach your A/C power cord here.

Memory

It’s

16 Megabytes of main system memory. Elsewhere on the board is 8Mb of video

memory

and

Dreamcast

isn’t

2Mb

for

gonna forget

sound.

by 7 and 11/16 inches

Modem 56k ITU V.90 standard - upgradeable through replacement (in the future).

ai

down

7 and 7/16 inches (W) by 3 inches (H)

things.

Storage 12x speed specialized Yamaha CDROM drive (known as “GD-ROM") capable of holding up to 1 Gigabyte.

SEPTEMBER 99

detachable, so you can run

shop and buy a replacement the event your cat gnaws its way through it. Me-oooooooow! to the in

Dimensions (D).

Weight 4.4lbs.

The the

Supplied Accessories Composite A/V cable, power cord, modular telephone cord, internet access software, one controller.

Sega

Dreamcast

Magazir

This

modem

can be taken out of expansion bus connector. socket will accommodate

add-ons (such as the proposed Zip Disk drive, which

future

will sit

underneath the system).

Here's of

where four types

audio-visual

cables

This

port can

variety of

accept a

communication

attach:

Composite Video, RGB, and the sharper-than-real-life

add-ons, such as the

S-Video,

cable,

VGA

Neo Geo Pocket

adaptor

for PCs.

data

for to

link-

transferring

and

from system.

a


CONTROLLER VISUAL MEMORY

t

From: Sega Price: $24.95

Release: 9/9/99 of Dreamcast's most unique features, the VMU (which stands for “Visual

One

Memory

Unit”),

is

Games:

All

VMU PORTS

more

smallish hand-held

like a

game system than memory card — which

Not,

a

VMU

intended to replace. Central to the VMUs

ij

in fact,

Two

making

for

recesses for the

toast, but

it’s

and Jump Pack. can exchange

VMUs

data sitting side-by-side.

functionality are its LCD screen, control pad, and action buttons, which

enable you to organize data independent of your

WHAT, NO RESET?

system. More importantly,

you can also play a variety of mini-games that can downloaded from be Dreamcast titles.

By

now,

noticed

probably

you've

Dreamcast

that

is

missing what would normally

otherwise

be an

component system

-

a reset button.

possible

still

common

videogame

of a

(and

It's

quite

simple) to reset the system

You simply hold

though.

down Mini-games, such as

all

four action buttons

on your controller “X”, and “Y") and

this

(“A”,

hit

“B",

Start.

one downloadable from

Viola! Just don't let this slip to

Sonic Adventure (above), can be downloaded into the tea bag-sized device.

your annoying little brother or clumsy friends, okay?

The

results (in this case,

better-trained Chaos) can

then be used in the main game to increase your performance, and so on.

VMUs

also have a built-in

and

clock

function, so

calendar not only do

they make storing your data more manageable, but they also help sort out your social life as well.

Sega

VMU

is also including ports on some of its

Naomi arcade machines, which are are essentially Dreamcasts in coin-op

START BUTTON

fAL PAD 2D sprite-based games, this can also be used as four Aero Dancing employs it for extra

Usually saved for

directional controller

extra buttons

(

control over your

aircraft, for

example).

it sounds - it starts your games, and, in most cases, pauses them while in progress.

Just as

(The latter

is,

of course,

essential for those

urgent pizza-craving moments.)

ANALOG STICK

ACTION BUTTONS

full 360-degrees of movement and levels of “give". This means that you can move characters with extreme precision - from

Color-coded for easy recognition, these are used for selecting menu options and making your on-screen persona run, jump, shoot, fish oh, come on, you know the drill by now.

Provides a

256

crawling to jogging

in virtually

every direction.

cabinets. This will enable the use of data saved onto

VMUs at home (things like specialized fighting game characters) to come to life in the arcade. So far, the only Naomi coin-ops to

JUMP PACK Adds punch Sold

on day-one, be an essential

separately

VMU

the

will

purchase. (See

left

the

highly promising) Virtua Striker 2000. Many more are planned, though.

BUTTONS is

the

Price: $19.95

clarity,

with

in

on the controller, the “A” and “B” buttons are used

‘visual

It’s

Release: 9/9/99

to to

none

of

for selecting

game

menu

fits

games -

snugly into

on your gun) and rumbling forceslot

systems.

not back-lit, so you’ll have

‘sleep’ turns

use it in direct light in order see what you’re doing.

the unit off for

conserving battery power.

Official

Sega

a

feedback effect with certain games. The effect varies in feel intensity, so you can everything from the pitter-

options

and controlling games. “Mode” lets you switch between data management and game modes, while

the

usually associated

with handheld

Games:

All

‘visual’

memory.' The VMU’s liquid crystal screen displays text and images with remarkable blurriness

From: Sega

provides

Just like their counterparts

This

VMU

controller (or light

include this feature are the

Japanese-only wrestling Giant Gram, and the (and currently-on-test title,

to your

This

literally.

for details.)

Dreamcast

patter

Sonic's

of

feet

to

massive, booming explosions.

From: Sega Price: $19.95

Release: 9/9/99

Games:

Magazine

All

SEPTEMBER 99


DREAMCAST 101 PROTOTYPE PROLOGUE

LIGHT GUN

ARCADE STICK

While

Built from the same components as Sega's coin-op joysticks, such as the one used by

this

model won’t be

available at will

words.

Virtua Fighter 3tb. Durable, in other

launch, others

include

features

Csee

the

same

page

107).

Boasting an eight-way directional pad, the gun

From: Agetec Release: 9/9/99 Calibur,

From the moment its tech specs were drafted up, a product design team began the long process of creating the look of

can accommodate a VMU or Jump Pack the latter will add force-feedback recoil effects in compatible games.

Price: $39.95

Games: Power Stone, Soul

and more

Dreamcast. As you can see

From: Various Price: From $29.95 Release: 9/9/99 Games: House of the Dead 2

In

below, efforts

some were

of

the

earlier

truly “out there”...

commonplace trigger, action, and gun features a eight-way directional

addition to the

start buttons, the

that can be used to move around the game world firing. The first game to make use of this feature be Sega’s Take the Bullet (page 23). The potential for even simplistic H0TD2- style shooters to include some degree of realtime, directional control is exciting.

pad

while will

The had

RALLY WHEEL

conceptual designs

presumably controller

From: Agetec

ports.

MENU BUTTONS

Price: $39.95

Release: 9/9/99

Dreamcast you skip forward and backward through your game’s menu options. These substitute

Games: CART R Monaco Grand P

the

for

controller’s directional pad, letting

Tokyo Extreme Racer,

first

more in common with William Gibson’s Neuromancer than a games system (although it could pass for a custom Super Hang On controller, perhaps). Its nozzle-like appendages are

Hydro

Thunder,

Hardcore Heat,

and more

Attempt number two mimicked

ACTION BUTTONS Beyond

letting

you

confirm

menu

options, these buttons (which mimic the console controller’s A, B, X,

and

Y

buttons) can be used in

various

honk activate

and (er,

racers

your

the design sensibilities of the Sega Saturn, with the obvious addition of two more gamepad ports. This design also displays one of the earliest prototype names for the system, “Vortex” — just one of several working monikers given to Dreamcast while it was under construction.

to

horn,

headlights,

raise the hood maybe).

Sega’s near-complete design bears many similarities to the production model —

final

except, of course, for the

You can save data

in

the wheel’s built-in

your racing games thanks to

which looks

VMU slot. The VMU window displays

race-related

information

looking at the

TV

(should

windowed

you get bored of

((o)5

Ufe V/

screen).

S/

^Sf

92

SEPTEMBER 99

Official

Sega

Dreamcast

Magazine

like a

CD lid,

22nd century

toilet seat. Eek.


/

EXPANSION IS THE KEY Dreamcast than

is

more expandable

Inspector

Big Briefcase Full

Gadget’s of Gadgets™.

capable of “evolving” adapt to new technologies. Here are three next-generation add-ons that Sega has planned for the year 2000 and beyond:

\

TRIVIAL BUT

TRUE ACTION BUTTONS In

Serving these little-known morsels of trivia at your next

Sega Bass Fishing these buttons are used for menu commands, ,

gaming get-together

four

will

forever affirm your status as

In fact, it’s

confirming

to

getting out your tackle (huh,

a smug,

huh), and selecting lures.

gaming

next generation

know-it-all. Just cross your fingers that your friends didn’t read this feature

first

Microphone Pack This should be out in Japan by

Before Dreamcast... were actually two

this, and will be used by games programmed

the time you read

...there

next-generation Sega game machines in development in parallel. One of them used graphics technology from Japanese chip giant NEC,

react to vocal commands. But that’s not all. Sega intends the device to be used as part of a video phone system in Japan using the Dreamcast’s built-in modem and coupled to a small digital camera positioned on top of the monitor. to

while the other involved PC 3D card maker 3Dfx. NEC’s won out in the end.

The

Zip Drive Similar

to

available for

those

on removable disks, which can be over-written again and again. The device will have a number of Internetrelated

uses,

downloading of music, game expansion data.

including the digital movies,

demos,

and

most popular own videogame The Fishing Controller makes reeling in your catch in Sega Bass Fishing (and, no doubt, future fishing engrossing titles) an incredibly internal experience. Thanks to its motion sensor, casting and tugging at of the world’s pastimes deserves its

DVD

Dreamcast enabling the

pearly white console to play them in the future. We’ll have more on this as it’s revealed.

you to let out your to decrease line tension, while toward you will reel in your

eel forward will allow

during

ishing line

3Dfx’s prototype silicon

spinning

it

your lure

is

performed just as

was

later “Project Katana”.

you feel hooked.

The word “Katana” can still be found stamped on Dreamcast’s motherboard and power supply, making you wonder if it was, at some point, destined to be

through the sets of lures in your tackle box and highlighting menu options.

From: Sega Price: $34.95

Release: October

Games: Sega Bass

development.

Codename Katana Sega Bass Fishing employs the analog stick for moving your boat to various positions on the lake, as well as paging

in real life,

lets it’s

its

given the name “Black Belt”, while NEC’s was dubbed “Dural” (after the Virtua Fighter 3tb character) and

catch (and your dinner).

controller.

and the feedback motor every tug of the fish once

The future of video is DVD, and Sega has already announced plans to release an add-on box for

ust like on a real fishing rod, spinning the

One

Name Game

“Vortex” is just one of the names given to Dreamcast

currently

home computers,

the drive will be able to store up 100 megabytes of information

the Fighting

final

name Who knows?

production

for the system.

Sega, for sure.

J

k

x^ From: Sega

Okay, so console manufacturers have, at

some time

or

adding a keyboard to a system. However, only now does a console pack enough potential to really warrant the use of one. If Dreamcast's connectivity to the internet figures highly in its future, a keyboard could eventually

Price: $19.95

other, flirted with the idea of

Release: 9/9/99

games

become as

DC

essential to the

controller (for surfing the

player as the standard

Web,

rooms, and playing online

participating in chat

games

that

require text

be about as useful as the fishing all the keys and doodads you'll on a standard computer keyboard, the Dreamcast model also boasts a number of shortcut keys designed specifically to make using the system's bundled internet software easier to operate (such the automated typing of common things as ”www’’ and entry, the latter will

controller). Featuring

find

“.com” for website addresses).

oifidai 1

Sega

^ Dreamcast

Perhaps the most ingenious of Dreamcast’s peripherals, the adaptor enables you to connect your system to a VGA computer monitor for the sharpest display features possible. It also

composite and S-Video ports so you can switch between a television and monitor by simply flipping a switch.

From: Sega Price: TBA Release: TBA Games: All

Mag;azine

SEPTEMBER 99


•9 TEAMB477LE A magazine team. Three weird-ass

A

Big Night

In

What’s going on? very issue, the

Japanese games. No beer. Welcome to

Team

Battle.

for

night

a

DCM team

gets together

gaming.

of

member has one

goal

in

Each team mind - to

convince the others that their

game

is

Team Battle trophy 0-e., having beers bought for them that night by the losers].

the best, and worthy of a

There are no

rules,

but the team

member

that argues

we

pick three

the best case wins. inaugural

For this

Japanese games

RPG

nut,

to

Team

throw

Battle,

into the mix. Fran’s a

is all

about Godzilla movies

Cwith the obvious exception of the last one)

the

huge

so she grabs Sengoku Turb right out of the

FedEx guy’s hand. Randy Generations

Godzilla

title.

Simon’s

and picks

into

racing

games and naturally gravitates toward the weird Pen Pen Tri-lcelon. What follows are edited highlights from what was obviously a very long night.

“If

I

can just nudge

Simon out of the way,

my

then

creature

waddles

dwarf shark-bear

get a few

could

ahead

of

his

blue

penguin-dog creature.” Team

DCM gets

into

Pen Pen

Tri-lcelon.

Photgraphy by Michael Sexton


A

Big Night

In

The Contenders GODZILLA GENERATIONS (SEGA) Simon: Right,

A

see what you’ve got.

let’s

Randy: A bunch of weird games, that’s what we’ve got.

Simon: Look,

try to get in the spirit of this,

Simon:

Randy boots the game up in the Japanese Dreamcast, and everyone gathers around the giant TV.

Fran:

in

Fran:

Fran:

It’s not.

Randy: Hey! You just haven’t played it. It’s cool. You get to step on stuff. How many games do you know where you get to step on stuff, eh? Yeah, right, not many, (looking smug and nodding his head) He loads it up and starts the game in Original Mode. Godzilla appears at the water's edge next to a really badly rendered town.

Fran:

it

look like

he even moving?

Is

makes a pathetic squealing noise, and shuffles towards the nearest building. Randy works the analog pad and tries desperately to make the oversized Godzilla inches forwards,

gecko do something other than creep about the landscape occasionally making buildings spontaneously combust by swooshing them r-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-w-l-y with its tail.

Randy

(defensivelyf. It’s

Simon:

It

was the sound

of the ’80s.

A

it,

cat-spaceship-biscuit-cookie

rollergirl in

it.

It

flies

through

until it reaches a planet with continents shaped like a sleeping cat with a flower for a head. It crash-lands and the title “Episode 1: Visitors" appears. Switching to the game-

space

engine, the

rollergirl

some

music.

Fran:

Now Is

then?

a piece of era

it’s

a good way. Erm... anybody want to

Randy

hadn’t really finished with Godzilla...

I

so.

— Sengoku

game on the Dreamcast, and throws Godzilla Randy dives out of his seat and catches it does a T.J. Hooker roll back to his desk carefully back into the case.

at the trash.

and puts

it

teeth,

(sarcastically):

Great save, Randy.

Meanwhile, Sengoku Turb’s bizarre

A

intro

be a giant it.

Diamond in the 21” century! (He begins on Your Heartlight. ")

It’s Neil " Turn

to

ability

buildings (very

agony, to the tune of

the king a turb?

some

truly dreadful

marching band music. No

all

around.

The exact nature

guess.

I

didn’t really sell that too well, did I?

I

Randy

(solemnly):

of

Turb remains shrouded

You did what you could, Fran.

mystery.

Simon: think we have a winner! Pen Pen can’t possibly be worse than those two. That’s that, then. Well, goodnight. I

And you

all

owe me a

Maybe we should see your game

Fran:

I

that look like they’re first?

agree.

(wearilyj.

if

you’re going to be like that.

and midgets

Oh my god.

Randy:

It’s It

of cookie-dough,

stick people, neon hearts Alright,

Pen Pen boots, and the team is immediately dropped into a Yellow-Submarine-///ce animated world, with psychedelic colors, weird creatures with giant gaping mouths, and jaunty music. Everyone starts laughing.

Simon:

brought you Godzilla Generations

Pen Pen

comes the is

Tri-lcelon. You'll

never look at penguins

Seconds later, Simon's controlling a weird, stunted, blue dog/penguin as it slides across the first part of Pen-Pen ’s wings, propelling

it first

across

ice,

(or dogs) the

The Winner It’s It’s

weird.

It’s

a shark-

thing and weird walking Turbfi

races and

if

you play

so cool! That one's doing a for too

dance!

long

it

you go funny all

play this one.

funky.

got a blue flapping

penguin and

Simon: Yes.

we can

way.

its

Randy: So it’s a racing game where you press the buttons to keep moving, and the last stage is basically a walking race between seven tubby-looking monsters in a Play-Doh world.

Easily. Look, they’re

same

then through water, and

to the finish.

Fran: At least

in

wheelbarrows.

From the people that

complete head-trip that

kinda cool.

looks whacked, but good. I’m going to be this

guy.

Simon:

in

a fact not at

of weird cat-creatures

made Randy:

Simon

It’s

helped by the addition

all

beer.

cling to her back.

stereo with a huge neon heart glowing above

singing

2 The

slowly) prolongs the

Randy: And you think that beats Godzilla and

sequence is in full chased by

and

but she keeps going. The end of the

tunnel is in sight, along with what appears to

Randy:

slowly).

so scared of Godzilla...

little

falls off,

moving very

(also

Simon: Yes, but what’s a turb?

stick figure, rollerblading in a tunnel, is

flames. Three tiny floating cat-people

One of them

in

Japan, occasionally

then, eventually, waddling along in the final stage of the race Turb.

Fran boots the

between his

somewhere

‘town’

resisted by a small tank

getting really weird.

three-stage jungle course. Pressing the (A) button flaps (offended):

inching slowly towards a

stomp

it’s

jibe at

a while before

for

appears, shot out of a hole in the

give up.

I

monster suits

in

the latest movie. 1 Here Godzilla splashes about

ground in what looks a lot like TeleTubbie land. A nurse stickfigure appears and then speaks in what sounds to everyone like the backwards-talking dwarf from Twin Peaks. Midgets in wheelbarrows, a king, more stick figures without hands, and

little

Simon: That’s great, Randy. So, Fran

swing.

A

bubble-ship appears, with the

Fran:

of Seagulls.

in

Fran

a space biscuit.

It’s

and the inevitable

Japanese ‘RPG’ Sengoku

Fran (helpfullyf. But see Sengoku Turb?

guess

inbetween jokes about

that?

Randy: On to Pen Pen,

the in-game music.

Randy: So you don't think much of

I

provides minutes of fun is floating

guys hell is

Randy: What’s going on?

sounds like the kind of really dull band music that you always used to hear in those news stories about Russia, where they’d always just show a really big parade of tanks and missiles, to the tune of a really moribund version of “She’ll Be Coming ’Round the Mountain.”

but

have no idea what’s going on.

I

What the

Simon:

Is

It

Simon: Randy,

General Entertainment

thing. In space.

Fran:

It

SENGOKU TURB (NEC)

that a turb, then?

Is

Blank stares

Simon: That and A Rock

PEN PEN TRI-ICELON (SEGA)

Godzilla Generations from

wonder the Japanese are sounds like a marching band.

PSYCHEDELIC COLORS, WEIRD CREATURES WITH GIANT GAPING MOUTHS, AND JAUNTY MUSIC. EVERYONE STARTS LAUGHING

Fran:

and the

girl,

trying to eat

space.

Fran:

Fran: What’s that noise?

Simon:

if it's

Urn...

it.

there a marching band?

Randy

looks as

she does more than that. You just

(nervously): Well,

need to get into

One

her.

The scene changes. A huge cat-shaped cookie

Simon: This had better be an improvement on the movie.

Simon: It’s amazing. They’ve managed to make a guy in a suit, even for the videogame.

around

is hit by a laser-beam. The camera flashes back to the abandoned cat-thing in the tunnel. It makes a squeaking noise.

Okay, I've got Godzilla.

(Ulp!)

fall

the back of her head. The gray guy

okay? Or

you’re fired, or something.

Randy:

gray-colored stick figure appears in front of the

cat-things

It's four-player,

it

makes in

the

too.

head.

Simon: The winner! And the beers are on you two. But before we split, let’s try and figure out what a ‘turb’ is. have a hunch it's the little wheelbarrow creatures. Want to hear my theory? Hello? Fran? Randy? EH

It’s

lcelon and

Pen Pen it’s

Tri-

a winner!

I

Official

Sega ©Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

95


>

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HINT

EVEN IT

IF

YOUR MEMORY DOESN'T

CANT HELP

YOU.

sega.com

FAIL YOU. it’s

thinking

I


.

N<

BS ntering. elcome

to Test

.

never happen to you again

Zone, your

if

you read Test Zone

HOW WE SCORE

comprehensive guide to every US

every issue. Publishers and developers have

Dreamcast

absolutely no influence

We

the most complete and in-depth reviews

mark out

of 10.

When we believe game is merely average, we give

a

around and provides you with a solid-gold guide to what you should be buying for the greatest videogames console on the planet. No one likes to throw away $50 on a sub-standard game, and that will

it

5/10. Unlike other magazines, we don’t believe

in

release. Every issue features

giving

7/10. We think you’re smarter than that. You deserve a system that uses the whole range of marks. Below is a short guide to how we rate the games we review.

give you

honest,

unbiased,

independent reviews, written by

who know games inside-out and who know what you

M^ertest? The lead review

in

Test Zone

is

Here, you’ll find the biggest and

exhaustively play-tested.

where

DCM

It’s

most important release

just one of the

game

on-target Dreamcast

9

near perfect

8

excellent

7

good

many areas

has the advantage over other games

pages to giving you the most

phenomenal

want from a Dreamcast title.

called “Super Test”.

magazines out there. We’re able to devote

six

packed

detailed, in-depth,

So welcome once again to Test Zone. Don’t leave

home without

it!

and

reviews on the planet!

DREAM game

DISC INFERNO!

AWARD

software lineup,

for

games will achieve the Dream Game Award, and we

Very few

With

4 3

promise to

journalists

advertiser-friendly

6 5

We

experienced

everything a catch-all,

10

here.

fans

game each

average

a

Award.

flawed

title,

It’s

coveted

stellar

hope that fewer

be hardpressed to pick a

issue that goes above and beyond the

duty and scores a hefty

call of

such

we won't

Dreamcast’s

9/10

or more. For

we've created the Dream

Game

still will

worst

game

and

developers

here,

be embarrassed

our highest recommendation to buy, no

qualify for our

shame. Every Issue,

hall of

more

in

these

Dreamcast. Disc Inferno

your collection.

of

feature the

will

same upon our beloved

foisting

Game

In

Disc Inferno

will

travesties

enough to think twice before

matter what your particular tastes. Every Dream should be

DCM

the hope that the publishers of

the

fires

up

for Issue 2...

IN THIS

ISSUE

THIS

MONTH

weak Super Test Madness!

2 1

+

ou can expect us to finish every game we review and play them into the ground. But there are games that keep us playing beyond the final score. Here's what we had locked into our systems

Y

pathetic

embarrassing

during the making of this issue of

DCM:

SONIC ADVENTURE

VIRTUA FIGHTER 3TB

Our Chaos are doing well. Oh, wait, what’s that one doing in the corner? Ew!

Balanced, elegant, and as

deep as a well (but not as wet or dark, obviously).

N

1

Sonic Adventure

Maying... POWER

STONI

It’s still

(Japan)

A

for a quick blast

sneak peek at the future of 3D fighting games.

HOUSE OF THE DEAD

2

A round-up of the best and the worst of the game

SUMMARY The whole review in a handy bite-size chunk

1-^ Official

oSegd

,

Dreamcast

scary, and perfect between extended VF3tb slugfests.

tantalizing

Magazine

Official

Sega f> Dreamcast Magaz

SEPTEMBER 99

p98


SUPERTEST

Featured Review

1-2 While Sonic Adventure retains many of the trademark elements (like the red bumper pad shown in this shot), the dazzle is amplified hundreds of times over. 3 Warp pads the Chao areas allow you to transport live goods easily. 4 With the gift of gab on his side, Sonic can now converse with anyone in town (but his lip-synch is a little off).

in

Sonic Adventure Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue - Sonic the Hedgehog reborn for the new millennium 1

Knuckles the ornery is back as well. 2-3 with brainbending spectacular stunts and rather breathtaking views, Windy Valley is simply the most visually amazing stage ever designed in a videogame. Period. And it echidna Filled

turns,

plays as well as

it

looks to

boot.

ummer

1991.

Hedgehog

Millions

carts

of

Sonic

are plugged

into

the the

oddly frisbee-shaped cart port of the 16bit

Genesis. Sega finally has a worthy

mascot to take on arch

rival

marvel and a gaming legend

Back then,

despite

popularity, playing

Mario. Sonic is

is

them was seen

to

Turtles. Of you’ve

still

in

be about as cool

as wearing a pair of tightie-whities covered

Mutant Ninja

a technical

born.

videogames exploding

in

Teenage

got ‘Cowabunga!’

emblazoned across your butt cheeks then you’re reading the wrong magazine.) So while Sonic

been the cool face of videogames

charm

sure thing

98

SEPTEMBER 99

Official

may have

his heyday, the

of his blue spikes, pointy finger gestures

entourage of woodland

|

in

in this

critters CarrrhQ,

and

are no longer a

age of mature action and adventure

Sega ® Dreamcast

Magazine

themes. Cute mascots are hardly

where

Sega knows still

a place

it.

in

at,

it’s

So

is

and

there

the nation’s

hearts for the spiky but

SONIC ADVENTURE TAKES THE LEGENDARY CUTESY FLAVOR OF THE SERIES AND STIRS IN A HELPING OF FUTURISTIC FANTASY

cuddly one? Sonic Adventure takes the legendary cutesy flavor of the series

fantasy

-

and

stirs in

pulling the

a healthy helping of futuristic

little

guy out

of the past

and

into

the now. Sonic has never looked as contemporary or as


Sonic Adventure SEGA

QNUHE;

YES (SCORE UPLOAD)

JUMP PACK, VMU

(MINI-GAME)

PRICE:

New features, like these mini-cannon launchers, are become staples in the Sonic library. 2 Your ability game as several different characters ensures a new experience in every level. 3 Many of the game’s events play like interactive cinematic features, like the killer whale chase in Emerald Coast. 4 For gamers predisposed to motion sickness, down a few bottles of Pepto then take a ride down this ramp. Or you’ll probably be too busy forget the Pepto altogether marveling over the sights to get sick. 5 Each character has his or her own set of objectives to complete in every 1

set to

to play through the

level,

Official

but the rings remain the same.

Sega® Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

99


SUPER7ES7

Featured Review

ITS

A GORGEOUS AND MASSIVELY WORLD, POPULATED

DETAILED

WITH CHARACTERS THAT INTERACT SEAMLESSLY WITH ENVIRONMENTS relevant as he does

Sonic Adventure. Under the

in

watchful eye of series creator, Yuji Naka, not only this the biggest first

1-2 While

many

of the secondary

skill

scrolling convention since

Familiarity then,

with as Sonic

Incredibly useful

‘a

robot

in

its

conception,

it

2D

3D

side-

represents

nothing less than a step out into the great unknown.

Dr.

when you reach the Red Mountain stage. 5 We’re convinced that Sega put E-102 Gamma in the game merely to meet Randy’s request for game.’

is

for the Blue Blur, but also the

world. For a series that’s been enslaved to

characters’ adventures tend to be a bit shallow in comparison to Sonic’s, you’re guaranteed a satisfying thrill ride as E102 Gamma or Tails. 3 The obligatory fishing segment is met with Big the Cat’s mission to save Froggy. 4 As Knuckles, you’ll be able to scale nearly

every surface; a

game yet

time he has stepped out into a truly expansive

Robotnik

is

in

is

a

welcome shoehorn

once again

pitted against the maniacal

a fight to preserve the world from an

uncertain (but probably pretty robotic) time, there are

every

more

and turns

twists

zone of the

And those who

fondly

original Sonic the

But this

fate.

to the storyline,

who

join

remember the

first

courtesy of Sonic’s chums, both old and new, the action.

to begin

Hedgehog, stage one of

ALL THE RIGHT MOVES

S

onic runs, dashes, and... erm, carries things

Some

all

through his

abilities

first

3D

adventure.

are new, while others are

pure vintage Sonic. Here's a handy guide to the

He jumps!

blue dude’s signature moves.

SEPTEMBER 99

Official

Sonic’s dash

move

more than a way to get

around town or stages more

in

on the nearest enemy

jump dash

to cover a greater

distance more quickly.

-

100

He dashes! is little

home or

little

Jumping, then

pressing (A) again at the height of Sonic’s leap allows him to

Sega ©'Dreamcast

Magazine

quickly.

Press B to get around

at light speed.

He

spins! Get the Speed Shoes

pick-up, press (B)

and you get

He

carries stuff! An

ability

only accessible to Sonic during

the Super Spin Dash. With each

the adventure segments of the

upgrade you receive, Sonic's

game. Pick things

dash

will

become more and

more powerful.

babies) up or set

pressing (Y).

Chao them down by (like


Sonic Adventure

WHO’S WHO

W

ay back industry,

in

1991, Sonic entered the

all

bright-eyed and bushy-spined.

Now, eight years

later,

what wisdom can

he impart to us as the decade comes to a close?

~~

SONIC

|

Species: Hedgehog

Best Level:

Windy

Valley

Favorite ‘90s

1

hedgehogs to

perfectly normal for

It’s

moment: Starring in my own game and TV

ride trains,

right? RIGHT?! Uh... Hello?

series, of course

Sonic Adventure

will

be pleasantly familiar

too. |

As the reveals,

first ‘action stage,’

many

Emerald Coast,

quintessential features

collect,

Best Level:

Speed Highway

have survived the that

it’s

now

it's

transition. all

Favorite ‘90s

cute enemies to bonk on the

head, and red bumpers that launch you into orbit

in

The obvious difference

glorious 3D. The result

is

-

moment: Turning down that Disney

is

contract

a

gorgeous and massively detailed world, populated by cleverly

TAILS Species: Fox

-

such as speed boost pads, gold rings to

|

AMY ROSE Species: Hedgehog

designed objects and characters that interact

Best Level: Final Egg seamlessly with the lush environments.

The heart

new

of Sonic’s

world

Favorite ‘90s

the fictional

is

moment:

and central hub, of Station Square. From

metropolis,

and events, search

way

for a

local casino, or simply

to

open the doors

hop on a

Square contains

tropics. Station

Backstreet Boys

at the

bullet train to the

1

KNUCKLES Species: Echidna

by which

‘flagpoints’

Lillith Fair,

pepper spray,

here you locate the entrances to the ensuing stages

Best Level:

you meet different characters or find power-ups that give you that

added edge

in

Sega hasn’t forgotten how to

be

its

favorite

Favorite ‘90s

mascot came and

Pure speed

by millions.

loved

Red Mountain

the action stages.

moment: Grunge rock and attending the

blissful

X-Games

spectacle are Sonic trademarks, and they haven’t been ditched

in

favor of talking foxes or fishing fat-cats. The

showcase such moments

action stages

in

stunning

|

are displayed stuff

such as

in

breathtaking detail, as well as

riding

Best Level: Ice Cap

canyon course

just

one step ahead

avalanche. Such set-pieces clearly

1 Speed boost pads are essentials in any Sonic game and Sonic Adventure is no different. 2 Knuckles plays an important role the actual storyline of the game.

hasn’t lost his

Favorite ‘90s

mad

moment: 24-hour

edge one

down of

show

a

fast

food drive thru,

on the landing gear of a helicopter

across a 50-mile drop, or snowboarding

BIG THE CAT Species: Guess

sequences. Dizzying loops and gravity-defying tracks that propel Sonic like a pinball into rollercoaster runs

bought a ‘Clapper’

a steep

massive

that Sonic

|

E-102

GAMM A

Species: Robot

bit.

Best Level:

But a problem that has lingered over from Sonic’s

Red Mountain days of yore

no matter

is

the tendency for these action segments,

how

spectacular they appear, to feel a

too scripted. Even with the

new

ability to

Favorite ‘90s

little

move about

moment:[computing] ...Randy Nelson...

in

in

Official

Sega ® Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99


SUPER7EST

Featured Review

Hi!

CHAO TIME hough

T

1 While this shot of Tails not be so complimentary, the skyline

may is

Adventure's virtual pet mini-

game can be

whole game, unto

absolutely breathtaking.

will

2 Chaos bring out the

these

considered a

itself.

Not only

creatures give you

little

hours of love and entertainment,

sensitive, nurturing side of

Sonic. This photo

optional, Sonic

was

to

use your

How do

good reason

give you a

they’ll also

taken somewhere deep in the secluded privacy of a Chao Garden. 3 The Lost World level recreates a genuine Indiana Jones feel.

VMU.

get started? A: First, you must find an egg. There are two pastelcolored ones sitting in the Q:

4 Oh, how very ‘extreme.’ Next issue: Sonic ‘slammin’ a Dew.’

I

Chao Garden

in

Station

Square that can be hatched, but you can also find additional eggs as well as special colored eggs in many of the adventure stages such as Mystic Ruins and the Egg Carrier. But you can only hatch and care for them in a Chao Garden.

up and bring it near a Chao. The Chao then nuzzle the animal and take on some of its characteristics. You can also feed your Chaos by shaking down coconuts from the trees in the garden. Never hurt your Chaos by spinning into them or jumping on top of them. If you will

any

direction,

you

feel you’re

snout. After

it

all,

would be

foolish to

deny

that, at times,

being lead around by your hedgehog Sonic’s

all

about speed,

not ambling

around pulling switches and collecting keys. But just

when you

think this might begin to get on your nerves,

you discover the trump card.

game

After completing the

with Sonic, you’ll have the option to play through

Q: A:

How do hatch an egg? Chaos are very sensitive I

actions, so

it’s

to your

best to avoid dropping

or throwing an egg. Hatch

it nice and first picking it up with the (Y) button, then holding the button down and pressing any direction on the analog stick. You’ll begin caressing the egg, coaxing out the Chao. Once you set it back on the ground, it’ll hatch.

slow by

accidentally do,

Q:

you meet Q:

along the way. The staple duo of the series, Tails and Knuckles, as well as

newcomers Amy, E-102

PURE SPEED AND BLISSFUL SPECTACLE ARE SONIC TRADEMARKS AND HAVEN’T BEEN DITCHED IN FAVOR OF FISHING FAT-CATS

102

SEPTEMBER 99

Official

Big the Cat

Gamma,

entirely

new

all

and

possess

objectives

suited to their individual

unique

Who’s

Sega @ Dreamcast

features

Who

(see

boxout on

Magazine

What should

I

do with

it

once

how

acts At this early stage it

each time you visit. in a Chao’s life, you can assimilate different animals with it. This can be done by freeing some of Robotnik's animal slaves

stages then returning to a Chao Garden. Pick one in different

on the

A: You can it

hatches? A: Pay close attention to

It

sure to feed

it

also doesn’t hurt

them once

Can you mate Chaos

or only

different sets of levels as various characters

make

plenty of coconuts. to (ahem) cuddle

in

in

awhile.

the gardens

VMU?

mate them anywhere, but When a Chao

preferably not in public.

reaches adulthood, it will enter an egg phase, then hatch with a larger body.

Now

it’s

ready to find a mate. Set the

two adults next to one another, then give them some privacy (you’d want some too!). If successful, the Chaos will

produce an egg!


— Sonic Adventure

Li rv>s-

%

page

Our

101).

favorite

who

is Tails,

kind of videogame character

despite being the

who would

clearly

be

beaten to a pulp within nanoseconds of arriving at school, can

fly.

This

makes the scenic

routes of the

game even more breathtaking. 1-2 Sonic will have to face all sorts of danger and menace as he pursues Dr. Robotnik. 3-4 Knuckles and Tikal, the past guardian of

the Chaos, have more in common than pseudodreadlocked coiffants. 5 Amy gets to take out some

much needed

‘female’

aggression on Sonic, Tails and Dr. Robotnik during a surreal Whack-A-Mole type mini-game. Camille Paglia, eat your heart out. 6-7 Little details, like a dandelion puff floating by or the leaves swirling around in the air, leaves an indelible visual impression on the player.

And while none adventures

found

the

of

value.

You

individual

characters’

match up to the depth and fun

really

to be

game, they do add a great new

Sonic’s

in

dimension to the in-game universe, and a feel there’s

lot of

replay

always more you can explore of

the levels, and even coming back to

mastering the other characters

it

after a

week

we

gripe

creeps

in

have

off,

a challenge.

is

But what about the bad stuff? Well, the only

SECOND OPINION

real

with the cheesy voice-acting that

is

as the auxiliary characters’ adventures are

S

progressively unlocked. At least you can reach for the

volume knob when Despite

breaks barriers retaining

keep

enough

it

all

in

original fans happy. With in

some

to satisfy

an improved camera

Welcome

to get through six hours

it's

a

if

it

It’s

as Sonic

a

(it

little

I’ve

to savor, not chug beer. It’s a truly

It’s

damn

and a perfect

back, Sonic old pal, we’ve

Yuji

.

r

easy

\

takes just

X

you’re not a complete loser),

but, like a fine glass of wine, this

enough depth

not the only reason to buy a Dreamcast, but

convincing one.

every way, a work of

hidden

flair for

depth and replay-value.

the Japanese release),

even the most jaded gamer.

is, in

The graphics are simply the best

ever seen, the characters look unbelievably

Naka’s trademark

novel gameplay features,

a fast, furious rollercoaster ride with

onic Adventure art.

good, and the levels are designed with creator

of the series’ quintessential quirks to

system [from the one seen

and beauty

to bear.

gameplay and graphics, while

vast environments, and it’s

much

gets too

every other respect Sonic Adventure

this, in

like

%

is on*-

a cheap

^

awesome adventure

intro to

the power of the mighty

Dreamcast.

-Simon

missed you! -Francesca Reyes

Official

Sega

I

Dreamcast Magazine

+ _

+ -

Drop-dead gorgeous graphics

Camera system

SUMMARY

still

+

Cleverly designed levels

isn’t perfect -

+

Secondary adventures a

High replay value with six different characters

bit

shallow - Have you heard Big the Cat talk?

Sonic’s back and on better form than ever for his Dreamcast debut. Stunning graphics, imaginitive level

designs and tons of replay value deserve to send

Official

it

to the top of your ‘Most

Sega ©Dreamcast

Wanted’

Magazine

list!

9 out of 10

SEPTEMBER 99

103

I



m

III

W Soil

|

|

* -C*

'i

Sega Dreamcasf

Nintendo

64

Monaco Grand

Prix”

is

the most challenging

racing simulation ever created. 22 expert racers compete on 16 famous, international

tracks. The

advanced driving engine

redefines the meaning of expert racing. Every turn, pass, and acceleration must be

timed to perfection. This

and your car

is

is

not a toy. Blow

it

shrapnel. Bred for the 1

1

Pentium

II,

tuned for the PlayStation

console, the Nintendo Dreamcast” Go ahead, play

64 and in

the

game

Sega

rain.

“...ultra-detailed racing animal

-EGM

MONACO GRAND PRIX


JESTZONE

In-depth Reviews

1 “The driver said it would be here in 20 minutes or it’s free.” 2 “More pepperoni please...” A zombie gets up close and personal for a hot lead dessert. 3 Expect all manners of the undead, complete with individual patterns of attack you’ll need to learn in order to survive. 4 Meet the enemy part-time 4X4 driving J. Crew model, full-time flesh eater.

House of the Dead 2 Welcome

to the land of the living dead (we sometimes look like this after a tough deadline well, Randy does anyway...)

1 Saving citizens from the fate of an early zombie-

induced death is one of your primary goals in H0TD2. With a haircut like that, though, this guy surely knew what was coming. 2 “Hello. Can interest you in a set of encyclopedias?” 3 By 6:00am, the ravers were looking well past their best. Two more hours of techno and they’ll be the living dead, alright. 4 This game does have educational leanings it explains how to defeat each of the game’s bosses. 5 A level boss tougher than an iron box full of I

onsider this: Without zombies, videogame players would probably have a lot of time on their hands. (As would

nails.

video store workers

VCRs -

in

the early days of

but that’s another story.) Despite smelling

like

Herrings and having the vacant look of an

rotting

gaming public loves them. Well, loves shooting them to be more precise. Thankfully, mass zombie slaughter is the name of the game in House of the Dead 2 - and it's utterly fantastic. infomercial host, the

In

the cerebrally challenged domain of the lightgun

shooter, it

all

(unless

SEPTEMBER 99

really

need

a human,

really).

in

to

know

is, if it

which case,

H0TD2

try

moves, shoot not to

drops you headfirst

-

quite

into a

strange cobblestone town overrun with zombies, with

though, and

handgun for protection. While chasing the maniacal mind who set them loose, you’ll need to save the lives of any stranded citizens left in the city. Start mowing them down

collect

life

routes.

It’s

only

106

you

it’s

important,

Official

a

six-round

Sega

# Dreamcast

Magazine

you’ll

lose

bonuses or

precious

to take the

this feature that sets

opportunities

to

game’s alternate

HOTD2 apart

gun-game competition and makes

for

from

its

extended replay

value. Structurally, the different scenarios are activated


House

ORIGIN:

AMI JAPAN

GENRE:

LIGHTGUN SHOOTER

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:

NO

VMU PAGE

1-2

ESRB:

JUMP PACK, VMU

LIGHT GUN,

PERIPHERALS:

path

S

incredibly fast-paced, tough

tough

Sega’s decision to not bring over its custom lightgun for the US launch of Dreamcast may hit House of the Dead 2 fanatics hard. Since so many units have proved defective in Japan, we think it’s just as well. Instead, US company Interact has promised that it will deliver the goods with its

through

all

mode

“Original"

zombie

H0TD2 is

enough to keep

killers

to

the

is

around the

terrible,

but

it’s

office.

My

if

pretty funny,

in

the extras combine to

H0TD2 is

a cheap-ass B-movie

Official

Sega

think this

is,

-

Get Zombie?

make H0TD2 a good

all

for the voice acting

value.

the most of

not calibrated correctly, you’re guaranteed

wield.

If it’s

to be

worm

food

-

unlike your

zombie no

friends,

once

for

you.

afterlife

it’s

not quite as enjoyable

away at the screen with a plastic gun. For a game so rich in cinematic potential, it’s a shame Sega used a bunch of ex-carpet ad salesmen

in

Ed.)

the accuracy and quality of the lightgun you

your credits are up, there’s

f

While the joypad sometimes works pretty well Ots rapid-fire ability gives you an edge over big targets

green fishing lures instead

real variable in truly getting

But the

—Simon —

$30.

as blasting

is

sort of way.

r >.

Imagine blasting through

sadly you can’t use the fishing controller

What do you

in

you don’t have a lightgun,

— and the speech

retailing at

the Dreamcast version that gives

in

Okay, these are token additions, but they’re fun, and

only

that you only have six rounds

out for it in stores at launch,

such as bosses], obviously

-

hit

Look

(right).

of

the chance to pick up items that add a

proceedings.

friends], or using

C

it

smacks

make some the latter

problem with

licensed StarFire

whose

final boss,

zombieville as a gray-haired granny [hey, she might

of bullets

has been a big

officially

and

more than a few players to the brink of tears. As you’d expect Sega has also implemented an

you coming back day after day after day

you’re really missing out. Oh

six

very

treat,

cheapness Che morphs the previous bosses] and is sure to send

difficulty level

(and missing certain magazine deadlines...) and

Arcade mode, and

1

LightBlaster

with the possible exception of the

twist perfectly.

some

at

harboring unique weaknesses, these guys are a

SECOND OPINION it

away

clever boss creatures, too. Creatively designed

EGA HAS NAILED

At the end of each of the

revealed.

is

“chapters” you must also plug

I

GUN RUNNERS

new

doing something slightly different, a completely

stiffs in suits

2 Want to see the next section? Then you’ll need to find each boss' own weak point. 3 Hostage fashion tip #12: Always wear a ‘sports casual’ sweater when your town gets invaded by zombies. 4 Michael Jackson’s Thriller crew returns for their first paid work in years. 5 “Spare a quarter, man?” the head. It’s best to aim where it’s sure to hurt

7

$49.95

by either saving humans or collecting certain items. They add a sufficient amount of replay value, too, so by

1 A touching moment between two

Dead 2 MATURE

IT’S A SHAME SEGA USED A BUNCH OF EX-CARPET AD SALESMEN FOR THE DIALOGUE ACTING — IT GRATES QUICKLY

(sniff).

of the

COUNT;

PRICE:

-

kitsch

and grates very

sheen

is

it

transcends B-movie-esque

quickly. This aside,

tarnished by very

not going to deliver endless

little

Magazine

-

B-movie voice

of tents (kind of)

overkill

-

End boss

is

cheap, and

we

don’t

mean

stingy

- It’s

tough

if

you’re

new

to

gun games

Fast-paced lightgun “survival horror” with tough bosses and some amazing set-pieces. If

you’re “mature enough” to handle

it,

then this has loads to

official

it

lasts.

-Francesca Reyes

Amazing arcade graphics + Alternate routes increase replay value + As campy as a row

SUMMARY

it’s

(unless you have the

.

Dreamcast

HOTD2’s

indeed. Of course,

thrills

memory of a zombie], but it’s great fun while And that, flesh fiends, is surely what counts.

8 out of 10

offer.

Sega © Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

107

|


TrickStyle"*

and AcclaimÂŽ

Š 1999 Acclaim Entertainment. Inc.

All

Rights Reserved. Developed by Criterion Studios Ltd. Sega. Dreamcast, and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises. Ltd.


IF YOU WANNA GET YOUR SWERVE ON, YOU

WANNA GET INTO TRICKSTYLE. THAT’S WHERE YOU GO UP AGAINST THE BEST IN THE WORLD IN AN ALL-OUT, GO-FOR-BROKE RACE WHERE THE ONLY RULE IS TO WIN. BUT YOU

GOTTA WIN WITH STYLE. So PRACTICE AT the Velodrome until you've got the SKILLS TO POUND

YOUR OPPONENTS RIGHT INTO LAST PLACE. Then you can drop some ill 720 ° spins, METHOD GRABS AND BARREL BACKFLIPS, AND

OUT-RACE AND OUT-STUNT YOUR OPPONENTS RIGHT INTO THE WINNER'S CIRCLE. AND SINCE TRICKSTYLE IS POWERED BY THE REVOLUTIONARY

DREAMCAST GAME CONSOLE, IT LOOKS AND PLAYS BETTER THAN ANYTHING YOU'VE EVER SEEN. SO GO GRAB SOME AIR. FEEL THE SPEED. AND TRICK YOUR WAY INTO THE NEXT MILLENNIUM.

Winner, Best Racing Game.

Clockwise from the top right.

Bronx slam. Zak

T.

lays down the sick heelflip luge into a luge 360 and finishes with a headspin flip.

Sega d'Dreamcast.

>K<laim www.acclaim.net


. .

,.

CHAOS, EMBLEM o one can fault Sonic Adventure for not having a deep set of side-games and submissions to accomplish. This game is literally bursting with secrets and tasks for the meticulous Sonic fanatic to discover. Intrigued by the 130 Emblems waiting to be unlocked throughout the game? Need a helping hand getting started with raising your Chao? has the answers, and more.

filled to

TO.

DCM

Getting alL

. .

the Emblems

Y

ou’ve finally finished the call

With

all

it

game

a day. Not quite. You've

of these

with

still

all

six of

the characters, and you’re ready to kick back and

got Chaos to

raise,

DCM’s

secrets to uncover, and

side-games and sub-quests to play through,

devoted to getting the most out of Sonic Adventure. Feel

complete guide to getting

all

it’s

like

almost

like

total of

r HEDGEHOG HAMMER Set the high score

IS) Eft

'

HEDGEHOG HAMMER Set the high score again

viihh —

I3ft

SKY CHASE ACT

Eft Eft

/

Complete the

1

VlHi

level

t SKY CHASE ACT

1

Beat the high score

Eft

/ SKY CHASE ACT Emblem Guide

no

A-B-C Emblems

112

Chao Guide

114

Sonic Network

116

|110

Complete the

2

r

SKY CHASE ACT

official

2

;

Sega

m)

fate

as

m m m m m m

'

ESS

*Lba

@1amy

P%1 SONIC

fell ROBOT

(j-ll TAILS

m a fal ® m m m’] Am m m, m Hi m 1

l.ySg-l

r

TWINKLE CIRCUIT Set the record lap time

Eft

t

ZJ

&&i

FAT CAT

Fafcl KNUCKLES

TWINKLE CIRCUIT

1”

SAND

cte

tft

for those

the secrets.

Complete the course once

1

HILL

Complete the course once *

SAND

Eft

HILL

Total

1

ift fflll

Set the record lap time

0B @1 mm Eft

Beat the high score

SEPTEMBER 99

all

*

Eft

Emblems

to be earned:

10

level

1

V.

@1

to collect!

Read no further than

ft e

10 Emblems to be earned by playing Sonic

Adventure’s various mini-games.

HOW

Emblems

whole new game

H m ^

Mini-Games There are a

a

you’re missing out?

the Emblems, raise a respectable Chao, and unlock

© Dreamcast

KaB.I

mm (@]

Eft

Magazine

By passing through gates, you receive points. The more gates you clear, the higher amount of points will be when counted toward your course score.

the

E9 iS3


Tips,

cfb n_r

Codes, Strategies

MORE! Adventure Field f

MYSTIC RUINS On

cliff

behind

Tail’s

(HE)

m

£321

There are a

total of 12

Emblems

around on the adventure

i

lH

1

STATION SQUARE

gfii On

home

that you can find lying

field.

platform across from waiting area

in

Train Station

STATION SQUARE

MYSTIC RUINS Beneath a

fallen tree trunk

near Big’s

home

Dig or cut grass

[fPl

in front lavvn

area of City

Hall

J&Ma* r

STATION SQUARE

MYSTIC RUINS Inside the tree next to Big’s

MYSTIC RUINS Off the

left

side of the

home

mm wooden

bridge

leading to Chaos Emerald on Angel Island

HQ

m

High above the alley near Casinopolis

feP’JHhi

mm1

EGG CARRIER

feln On

tip of

high platform above Robotnik’s

pool

EGG CARRIER On

NT.. I

A

II

H

the spinning platform on Egg Carrier

deck

EGG CARRIER Underneath Robotnik’s bed*

EGG CARRIER In

a steel crate on the deck, near the boss

fight area**

Total

Emblems

to be earned:

12

Egg Carrier must be in winged form to find this Emblem. Use the cannons near the ship’s bridge to launch up to the high platform and reach Robotnik’s bedroom. Inside, step on the switch to reveal his bed.

'

Step on the switch

in

the ship’s bridge to transform the ship into

to the circular platform elevated that’s high

platform and use inside

one

them

above the deck. Hop

its

winged form, then head outside cannons surrounding the

into the

to destroy the steel crates scattered around. You’ll find the

Emblem hidden

of them.

Official

Sega © Dreamcast Magaz

SEPTEMBER 99

in


* HOW

ODD

Tips,

Codes, Strategies

TheA-B-C’s of

Elmblems by Level

Get the C Emblem

SONIC

C Emblem

is

easy enough to

characters. You’ll receive an

characters the

first

Windy

»

Windy

Casinopolis

>

Casinopolis

Ice

Cap Speed Highway Sky Deck

Twinkle Park

Speedy Highway Sky Deck

Lost World

Egg

Final

Twinkle Park

Final

Hot Shelter

Egg

you need to do finish

is

each

play throipT a level as each of the level

TAILS

»

as each of the

Valley

>

Ice

Cap

finish the level!

all

Emerald Coast

Emerald Coast

Valley

get;

Emblem when you

six different

time through.

Simple enough,

rfUri

The

»

KNUCKLES

Finish the level by

Find

beating Sonic or

shards of the

Robotnik to the

Chaos Emerald

all

Casinopolis

Speed Highway Red Mountain Sky Deck Lost World

three

end point

mm

AMY

BIG THE CAT

Reach the balloon

Catch Froggy!

Ice

Twinkle Park

level within

Hot Shelter

limit or find

and escape

ZERO

E-102

Emerald Coast

Emerald Coast

• •

Windy Valley Red Mountain

Hot Shelter

GAMMA

(Varies) Finish

Cap

time

Froggy

Get the

Collect 50 rings

and keep ’em the end

till

With the exception of Knuckles and Big, Adventure, you must finish each

level

in

order to get the B

with at least 50 rings

in

Emerald Coast Windy Valley

Windy

Casinopolis

Casinopolis

Ice

Twinkle Park

Speedy Highway Sky Deck

TAILS

Collect 50 rings

Find

Lost World

and keep ’em

pieces of Master

SONIC

B Emblem

Emerald Coast

Cap

• Final

Egg

Ice

till

the end

KNUCKLES all

in

Sonic

your pocket.

1

Valley

Cap Speed Highway Sky Deck

emblem

Casinopolis

Speed Highway Red Mountain Sky Deck Lost World

three

Emerald without hint balls

>

Twinkle Park

*

Final

Hot Shelter

AMY

E-102

Collect 50 rings

and keep ’em

till

the end

1121

Egg

SEPTEMBER 99

GAMMA

Emerald Coast

BIG THE CAT

Collect 50 rings

and keep ’em

Windy Valley Red Mountain Final Egg

weighing 1,000

• •

Hot Shelter

then catch Froggy

the end

Official

Sega® Dreamcast

Maga

till

Land a

fish

grams or more,

Emerald Coast

Cap

Ice

Twinkle Park

Hot Shelter


Codes, Strategies

Tips,

Get the

By

A Emblem

if

far the hardest

you’ve got the

SONIC Complete the level in under the time

limit

to receive

and shortcuts

Emerald Coast

Windy

Casinopolis

Ice

Twinkle Park

• •

Speedy Highway Sky Deck

Lost World

out of the three, the

to beat

each

A Emblem

under

level

1

1

1

TAILS

yours only

Windy

Valley

Casinopolis Ice

Cap

Speed Highway Sky Deck

Win the race to the end of the level,

Egg

yet again

Casinopolis

Speed Highway Red Mountain Sky Deck

• •

Lost World

is

a variable time limit.

Emerald Coast

Valley

Cap

• Final

gill

Emblem

skills

Emerald Coast Windy Valley Red Mountain Egg

• Final

KNUCKLES

E-102 with

Hot Shelter

Twinkle Park

Final

Hot Shelter

GAMMA

Complete the Find three shards of Master Emerald

level

more time on

the clock than you

within time limit started with

Emerald Coast

Ice

Twinkle Park

Hot Shelter

Cap

Egg

AMY

BIG THE CAT Catch a 2,000+g

fish,

Complete the

then catch Froggy

level within a

certain time limit

Total A-B-C

Emblems

But I’m

to be earned:

96

missing six Emblems!

still

Okay, you’ve finished the

game

with

all

six characters,

managed

to find

all

the

Emblems on the Adventure

Field,

mastered the mini-games to grab even more, then relentlessly tracked down each and every A, B, and C Emblem levels... So why do you have only 124 Emblems instead of 130? Don’t fret - there are six Emblems still hiding

from the out.

are they? Read on.

Where

Play as Once you

SUPER SONIC!

finish the

game

with each of the six characters, you’ll

discover that a secret seventh character has

SUPER SONIC! Now, you must available to him and beat a real is

ending

- and

become

play through

the

available:

secret level

whole new end boss to see the game’s Emblem in the process. SuperSonic

earn an extra

powered by gold

rings,

so take care not to run out!

Chao Races

Enter the

Chao side-games in Sonic Adventure, you’ll be able to enter your little guy in the Chao Races. Place first at the races five times and you’ll be awarded an Emblem each time - making for a grand total of 130. For more info on how to raise a winning Chao, If

you participate

in

the

check the Chao-specific section on the next page!

Official

Sega® Dreamcast

Magazine

SEPTEMBER 99

|

113 |


|l14

HOW

nan

E

Chaos m

five of the six missing Emblems in Sonic Adventure, but haven’t a clue as to what a If you’ve taken a moment to explore any of the adventure fields in the game, you’ll undoubtedly have come across special areas harboring pastelcolored eggs and special warp pads. These areas are called Chaos Gardens, and you’ll be spending a good deal of time in them if you plan on having anything to do with Chaos.

Chao

eed to earn

is?

The Basics Now

that you’re

set to start on your

need

you’ll

make sure you

own

personal

be equipped with the

to

basic knowledge, or the ‘Chao to

to,’

raise a strong

if

you

will, in

and healthy creature

one

the Adventure Stages of in

Station Square on the

second

find

enter, you’ll

floor of the Hotel.

two regular Chao Eggs

you’ll

be able to enter the

letter plates to spell

‘E-G-G-M-A-N’. will

third

the Mystic Ruins

wander down the path leading

Chao Garden left

past

Tails’

you home. if

Enter the small cave and follow the tunnel until you

reach a mine cart resting against a gate.

Hop

in

the

out

Never jump,

set as far

to feed in

back

Chao Gardens are

its favor. If not,

parenthood. Choose an egg

the

Pick

it.

00 down. Now move

analog

stick

should

and

gently

If

hatch

you’ll

your very

with

it

Sega® Dreamcast

Magazine

familiar

hatch

the

with

Download/Upload Station Pick up the Chao and bring it

selected

red

on the

button and place the

of the large

VMU

in

front

screen.

You’ll

be able to select a

on avoiding a dysfunctional

VMU

port to teleport the

If

need to be as careful it

as possible.

your

CHAO DO

after a while.

Chao on the ground

way.

in

in

you’ll

you plan

you’ll

Official

so

now be in charge of own live Chao! It’s

relationship with your Chao,

or

is the only way that the Chao Adventure become

or extract one. This

you can participate

to the Station. Step

this

Chao

to place a

VMU

after,

shortly

and gentle with

SEPTEMBER 99

the

well,

important to always your eggs

your

down on

goes

all

tumbles

There are also a few other points of interest each Chao Garden that you’ll want to take note a Download/Upload station in every

quite

it

fruit

garden that allows you

cuddle the egg. After bonding

the ripened

You’ll find

game,

ground.

else (right).

of.

direction repeatedly to slowly

egg, set

it

any

in

until

this

your Chao.

up using the

it

be

then

it up and place it in front which will automatically eat whenever you get a chance, and especially when you happen to injure or infuriate

Do

it.

in

the Garden to

in

tree,

of the chosen Chao,

you’ve

into

button, taking care to hold

U/D make

fruit will

grab onto the tree and

to the ground. Next, pick

plenty of

got one angry creature.

virtual

easy from the

Continue to do so

you then

so, it

order to win

need to

your journey

Uploading a Chao to the

the fact the

(Y). You’ll

by pressing back and forth on the analog pad, your character will begin to shake the tree.

throw

If

do

make sure coconuts

start

00

spin, or

Chao!

accidentally

you’ll

know by

press and hold

your

now that you’re

You’ll

brown, instead of green. Stand next to the

hatch and then stand next to

Station (above), but

by shaking down coconuts from any of the palm

CHAO DON’T

Hatching

located,

sure to avoid injuring

to It’s

trees in a Garden.

Doing so

Gardens beyond.

So,

regularly.

it

seem very happy. You can do

they don’t

Find a tree with a fully developed coconut waiting to

unlock the door, giving

of the

is

this

if

be picked.

as knowing where each

Garden

Chao

light-rail station of his ship.

doorway on the second

the station and hop on

you access to the Chao

waiting for you. You’ll find

level of

the

need

you’ll

to tend to

important to feed your Chaos from time to time, especially

Find the

Chao Gardens located in Sonic Adventure. There is one

of the

your charge,

in

few facts about how

a

Chao Garden can be found on Robotnik’s Perhaps the Eggman’s not as tough as he

Gardens inside the main Start off by finding

know

third

Carrier.

The Egg

seems, since

Chaos Gardens

With a newborn Chao

there are two regular

order

of your own.

Once you

Chao Garden Goodies: What to do

and it will automatically take you to the Chao Gardens on the other side of the mountain. Again, Chao Eggs waiting for you there. cart

all

Chao Adventure,

Chao

to.

Once you

do,

disappear and your will

be saved.

it

will

game

Make

sure that your Chao

never gets too close to the

water

hasn’t

if it

to

swim.

in

water

An

been trained

untrained

will flail

drowning. While

a

bit

Chao

before

some Chaos

may have

a natural affinity

for water,

most need

taught to swim

in

the

to

be

VMU

before they can enter water.


special r~s Chao Eggs

L

find that the resulting

from the

rest.

If

Chao

EGG CARRIER

STATION SQUARE

MYSTIC RUINS

In the Antique Shop near City Hall. You need to swap out the Golden Egg in the shop for the rock-colored egg on the lawn of

In the waterfall area near the Jungle Area mine cart entrance.

City Hall.*

Silver Eggs.

ach of the different adventure fields yields Eggs that look different from the ones found in the Chaos Gardens. If you take them back to a Garden and hatch them, you’ll

E Chao

also different

is

you plan on getting the most

out of the Chao mini-game,

make

sure to find to round out your Chao collection. Here’s a list of the three different eggs and where you can find them

and hatch these special eggs

game.

within the

Push the rock on the

Go to the

jail cell

block onboard

Egg Carrier. Look behind the Hedgehog Hammer game area you’ll find an Ebony Egg.

right side

and

of the waterfall to receive the

‘Note: Only available after completing Speed Highway.

CHAO DO

One

point

interest

your Chaos

Try to play with in

VMU

your

possible.

way

This

their

some

Station.

and

some

is

of

Chao

the warp

pad area near the D/U

stats.

fruits,

the

in

Gardens

as

one sure

is

check

to

Give them

much

as

The warp pads

only be activated

will

if

of

you’ve completed the

that very important one-on-

Adventure Stages that

one

they

provide them with

quality time.

are

linked

to

and bring

its

way to transport Chaos

your choice with a Chao

appear

in

in

your arms, and

you’ll

soon

characteristics. This

makeup

of your

Chao and

vary

only different features, but

way

its abilities.

In

another

a combination of

some

assume not

will

its

- if all goes well, they will mate. You’ll now new Egg to hatch! The resulting Chao will have

have a

Depending on

have some of

will

the garden, set two adult Chaos next to one

then

some

will

change the

to

little

parents’ stats, including

its

of the animal features from both.

VMU

Using the

stats

adjusted, too.

to

mate your Chaos

saved onto

You can either mate your Chaos Garden. The only requirement

be adults (or

you

tell

once

it

if

risk

that

it’s

in

the

VMU

is

old

enough

mate?

to

now

it’s

VMUs

together and to Mate from the Chao Adventure menu. An egg that will show up on

One way become

A small

the Status screen, which

animals

as

indicating

can then be downloaded

preferably

ones from the

How

You’ll

in

a

re-enters an egg phase, then rehatches.

grow around the Chao,

choose

can

into a

ready to breed!

Garden

to

same

any time.

at

all

after returning

from an Action Stage,

will literally fly off

that you

of you. This

can get your Chaos

is

a sign

to interact with

the animals that you’ve saved.

To do

this,

have your Chao

special-colored it

is

many

with as

possible,

type (check the box at

decipher which color family little

the animals you save from the previous

stage

to

combine

the bottom of the screen to

time to start raising your

ones and getting the real work done. You may notice that each time you enter a Chao

Garden

a

CHAO DO

know

or

Chaos must

that both

is

delinquency of a minor!).

your Chao

Connect the

it.

Assimilating Abilities Okay,

is

need two VMUs,

different. You’ll first

each with an adult Chao

Mating and More

ring of flowers will

the respective Garden.

a great

is

the animal you choose to use, your Chao

(Station Square, Mystic

Ruins, Egg Carrier). They

provide you with a quick and easy

from one Garden to the next Simply hop onto the pad of

The Chao

front of your Chao.

in

it

nuzzle the animal delightedly and promptly take on of

simply pick up one of the animals

the animal belongs

W can’t

ith

the basics out of the way, you’ll

how

as knowing

tell

you what

it’s

your Chao

is

it

[Heart]

While

to get a grip

it’s

on some of the

its

head from time to

happy with you. You’re a

it

sounds,

to decipher is

this a

its

easier than

it’s

A bad sign.

with you. Feed

it

It’s

angry or upset

it

with

Pick

[Exclamation] A

surprised Chao. Wait

to find out

good or bad.

this

very

unhappy or

coconuts.

across eyes]

it

or feed

it

to

[Waving arms]

next.

if

such

a quick

Chao-to-English dictionary of sorts:

Very happy Chao.

[Half-closed eyes]

do

is

coconuts.

[Question mark] Your Chao is indecisive. It doesn’t know what it wants to

rearing,

sounds. Below

it

[XX across eyes] A

[

Chao

obvious that your pet

sentiments. By interpreting

angry Chao. Feed

parent.

[Swirl]

way

time, the task

and what they mean. Consider

It's

finer aspects of

not quite as touchy-feely as

can’t talk. But there’s another

of your Chao’s actions

good

now need

feeling.

thinking since

the different symbols that appear above list

Save some animals and use them to g your Chaos some new attributes!

to!).

Chao Sense: Mindreading your Chaos

is

Official

it

up.

it

Chao wants

love.

up.

[Flailing

Sega&Dreamcast

Tired Chao. Play

wake

Your

arms] Temper

Magazine

tantrum.

SEPTEMBER 99

1 1

5

H


HOW

I

Tips, Codes, Strategies

ffli

\

S

Sonic Network

W

ith

Usin

the Internet capabilities of Dreamcast,

be able to do several cool things

you’ll

using the

modem and

some

Sonic Adventure,

which are exclusive to the US version

game. What

Y

ou can’t simply

on raising your Chao in a Chaos Garden in order to prep it for the Chaos Races in Sonic Adventure. You’ll need to do a little training with your VMU to rear a strong, healthy Chao that can kick much butt in rely

Using a special limited access browser through

your Dreamcast, you can start

amongst your

on a new adventure! Simply

VMU, you can begin switch the mode on the

your

up.

Game, and a Chao Adventure screen will pop press the [A) and (B) buttons to begin. Your Chao will now begin its quest, and it’s up to you

to

attend to

to

Now

its

needs

the meantime. The

in

Chao

do

dot. If you manage to You must repeat this until

meter to stop on the open your Chao

so,

will attack!

across different landscapes. During

different items.

things can happen that

may affect

its

its

journey, several

stats

and

inventory.

you can name your Chao by using the

option on the

Name

Items screen to heal your

Chao Adventure menu. To reach the menu,

simply press (A) at any time during the game.

in

These items the

Chao

and Getting Items

just

Occasionally during your journey, you’ll

enemies that this

happens,

will

run

across

fight.

When

need to watch the dot meter

at the

challenge your Chao to a

you’ll

will

then

show up on your

by feeding

it

two

Battling

fruit!

Chao during the journey

was

in

order to spruce up the

be other add-ons that

background will

be used

in

elements,

swap and trade Chaos

to

in

a

mode

a password protection option available in mode, as well. The best feature is one that is only available to US players. Wonder what all that Emblemthis

Use

often in order to really help your

collecting

was

for throughout the

Once you’ve managed you’re ready to take

to beef

up your Chao,

to the races! Located

it

through the double door

in

the Station Square

Chao Gardens, you’ll find a friendly race of alien Chaos have set up a tournament consisting of different types of races for

Chao

in.

unique

you to enter your

Each of the different races

abilities

such as

flying,

will

focus on

swimming, power

and running. In order to grab those last five Emblems, you’ll need a power Chao with stats reaching over 300 apiece, so keep training them in

order to

come

Chao

fruits in

injuries or

access to a special section of the your

feed

to

game?

its

by playing the

Game

or finding

in

chests. Here’s

an ultra special

them

Chao

what each

ms

eat, eat, eat!

item does for your Chao.

Power +4

Cherry.

Chaonut. All x2

Grape Run +4

Lifenut Recover

:

Lemon: Swim +4

Plum

Fly

:

Starnut.

Hastenut.

+4

Punch x2

HP

Speed x2

Lazynut. Puts

Chao

to sleep

in first!

The

Fruit

One way

Game

Game

Game

Concentration-type pairs of food items You’ll

Chao is using the Chao Adventure menu. When

to earn fruits to feed your

option from the

you choose the

option, you’ll

game

in

on a grid

be able to play

you reveal them

or

116

SEPTEMBER 99

official

Sega

® Dreamcast

in

a

fruit.

You can feed your Chao

Chao Garden. HI

Magazine

will

tricks on

over

win you a

fruits in

j

all.

surviving it’s

and you must begin again. Winning the game without making a mistake will reward you with a special fruit, while using up one or two chances

Get useful tips and

a

which you must match until

have three chances to win the game, or

regular

Chao that

if

have the

has been specially

created for players by Sonic Team.

stats.

fruits

Fruit

Well,

you’ll

site called

‘Black Market.’ Here you’ll be able to download

order to heal

boost

Win

across

called ‘Chao Daycare.’

Share your race-winning Chaos with other Sonic

that can help your pet to

well!

The option

junkies, or exclusively with your friends by using

List

need

will

like

conjunction with

you collect more than 100 Emblems,

Grocery You’ll

directly

available for

time for the holidays.

which

the Internet

and treasure chests are can happen to your

from Sonic Adventure, as

Chao Adventure Chao develop.

in

billboards,

evolve at a steady pace. You can even run into the different characters

all.

work

some special contests.

fruits.

of the different events that

the

be able to access

addition, there will

change various

Chao Adventure menu. Make sure

after a fight

that

Sega has created the same type of

game just • In

Once in a while, you’ll come across a treasure chest its own on the adventure field. You can open it to

on

possibly receive a

Battling

you’ll

be three different buttons below the chest,

will

download

holiday-themed add-on for Sonic Adventure which

Afterward, you’ll be rewarded with a treasure chest.

and you can choose from any of the three to receive

for

Nights limited edition disc that Saturn,

the enemy’s hit points have been completely depleted.

There

Cool add-ons

with Sonic Adventure. Similar to the Christmas

order

in

Adventure basically consists of your Chao traveling

First off,

your scores rank against other

punch.

first

bottom of the screen and press the (A) button for the

With

rights

and even across the nation

Sonic Adventure players. But that’s not

Throwing the

fight, fight, fight!

in

site.

be able to earn bragging

friends

how

by seeing

Chao

VMU

by uploading

off

high scores to the Sonic Adventure-on\y this option you’ll

a race.

Chao Adventure! Now that you have a Chao

of

of the

you be able to do?

will

the

VMU

Sonic Adventure straight

v_ from Sega!


Z

.

)

Rj=AD/N/G PREVIEWS’

AwD

P-E'/lEkVf

4.

CoPY/WG CODEf An/D

f.

R-EADin/G

rrfcATEG/ff

i

akodt

IMPOPTE D GAMfr I

6.

F/n/Din/G IN/TO

iVHAT

ICN. com’

What

I

You

%

pc games ©

1999 ign.com

videogames

movies

tv

s

I

M

AT lCN.COM

n-E

in/to


DCNATION

Dreamcast Online Community

Dreamcast Network goes ega

Dreamcast isn’t just a game machine it’s a

new breed

on changing the way you

intent

is

play

games

forever, but

plans don't

its

have as much to do with cutting-edge

gameplay

graphics or groundbreaking as you'd think.

of interaction

It

has to do with

how you'll

- whether

other Dreamcast owners

interact with

they're

between gamers. Enter

block or on the other side of the globe.

DC

electronic frenzy of the

down

Serving as a beacon for Dreamcast owners

all

Nation, your guide to

Dreamcast Network enables you

aspects of this

in

the

the

superhighway,

connect with other

to

players from around the country, and, in the process,

aims to enhance your gameplay experience

burgeoning community, online and

information

ways

in

never before possible.

off...

How does Pop

it

work?

the Dreamcast Passport disc that

in

your system, click a

comes

and

button,

has

its

own

Service

with

1

be Sega

you'll

connected before you know

it.

Provider

Internet (ISP)

for

from Sega

roughly $20

role-playing

and competitions.

hundreds

game

use

Dreamcast game to

first

From the main Dreamcast Network

Far

more ambitious

same

the

be Baldur's Gate, a

Based in Realms universe, and played from a sprite-based,

game

work together in

is

and combat other

against several other users simultaneously. But that's certainly not

third-

Where's

parties.

Due to launch 3D world where

Sega's Frontier.

battle against other parties,

landscape

*\

games

Slave Zero

Sega

Rally 2

Action

Shooter

September

real-time.

when

means

that

In

change, seasons

you're

what

will

called

is

game

pass,

of

will

day

players will

in store.

Dreamcast Network

every

your will

Games such

bit

own

in

will

if

serve as

of a far grander

as Sega Rally 2 and Slave Zero

to let

you go up against several

action-packed competitions

as fast as living

first

that'll

move

you were playing against friends

in

room. Over the next several months, this

expand to encompass games enabling hundreds

of users to participate simultaneously within massive, fully

Fall

Fighting

Fall

Racing

Winter

grow older and gain experience, and events will transpire depending on the

Action

Winter

global clock.

RPG R pG

Spring

TBA

Look

DC

Sega® Dreamcast

3D

worlds.

Interaction like this

gaming to the next

for the latest

these games of

Official

Sega has

be among the

other users

a

keep

will

Baldur’s Gate

SEPTEMBER 99

magnitude. will

not connected.

the time

Red Dog

Frontier

118

in

going even

Take the Bullet

Street Fighter Alpha 3

all

going?

ground zero for multiplayer gaming

and explore the vast

“persistent online world,” the

This

it

Starting this winter,

game will place you within a massive, fully you can form parties composed of other human players,

by the end of 2000, the

Multiplayer network

have

site, you'll

enable you to form parties of several

will

to complete quests

terms of player interaction

INCOMING!

you already have an

updates, live chat with other users, and what Sega calls “games extras” - online competitions, downloadable VMU games, and saved games. Upon its launch on 9.9.99, interactive gaming on the network will comprise a set of real-time parlor games, such as backgammon and solitaire, that can be played

PC role-playing game. the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten

person isometric viewpoint, the players and

will

if

instead for no additional charge.

access to private e-mail, message boards, daily news

conversion of Interplay's popular

support hundreds of simultaneous players online.

human

of players participate within

out of the gate

it

What can you do?

be

will

world simultaneously.

First

be the

or,

Internet account for your personal computer, you can

smashed into tiny little bits. How's Sega has two new online adventure games in the cards that will enable

will

other

keep you

the Dreamcast system),

that?

Baldur’s Gate

will

(full

included with

ext year, your every notion of

console

and

are

details

frontier of online

Network’s

your portal to

updated on new features

monthly fee of

for a

new RPGs

Exploring the vast

is

chat,

resources. 2 Daily reports

connecting to the service

Worlds apart

Dreamcast

main page e-mail,

preferred

in

next issue’s edition

Nation. d3

Magazir

on both of

level,

what Sega believes will truly take and Dreamcast Network will make it

is

as simple as clicking a button on the screen

— figuring

out

how

you ever played games the “old-fashioned” way, however, won't be quite so easy.

H


Dreamcast Online Community

www.phantasy-star.net

The Phantasy Star Pages: Find out why everyone and their brother

is

aching

Dreamcast installment this classic

RPG

for a in

series.

www.alexkidd.org

Sega Master System Museum: Gobs of info on Sega’s

first

US system,

including a complete

game

bios archive.

www.suneet.com/soniczone

Out there aving a few

of

your friends over for

a

games The Sonic Zone: History of

Sonic the Hedgehog

in

games, animation, and television series.

Sega’s high-tech mobile tour van.

isn’t

day

of

certainly

out of the ordinary

give

few thousand videogame the chance to play Dreamcast months before its US debut, and you end up with

a

fans

something altogether

different.

Such was the case

at

Irvine

ONLINE

TIMELINE

Meadows

Ampitheater

Irvine, California this

in

past June

19 as Sega sponsored

KROQ

annual Weenie

Roast

radio’s

music festival. Undaunted by the Southern summer, gamers and rockers alike got their hands on the likes of Namco’s alternative

Californian

Calibur and Midway’s Ready 2 Rumble under the

Soul

Dreamcast

as Sega’s mobile tour

nation.

well

Look

Japan.

It’s

slow

— so

that’s playable on

is it.

for tour dates

information

as

-

something a stronger

to

events of

DC

-

get a

first

shot at

Dreamcast’s

1999: Dreamcast Network launches on 9.9.99 with mail, chat,

first

in

the

some

of

games.

and

parlor

e-

games.

I

2000: Dreamcast Network

Saturn NetLink

brings Internet access to

adds support

Sega's 32bit system.

multiplayer games.

official

bit

Coke,

alternative

Southern California sun to

on other

1994: The Sega Channel downloadable games

199‘

Diet

®

via cable television.

the mahjong

of

music fans stood out

future installments

in

Nation.

than

thousands

as

forthcoming Dreamcast-related

r in

rolls

malls and landmarks across the

offers

1989: Sega introduces MegaDrive modem

game

tent.

Events such as this

become even more commonplace this summer

will

Sega ©'Dreamcast

Magazine

for massively

SEPTEMBER 99

119


END ONE

It’s All

Next Month:

WIN!

• EXCLUSIVE GD-ROM!

Packed with playable demos and movies that will run on your Dreamcast system! Not available anywhere else!

The ‘Win an amazingly fabulous, eye-bulging, palm-sweatinducing, headache for parents and old people, really heavy, kick-ass Hydro Thunder coin-op with adjustable seating

VF3TB Ready 2 Rumble Trickstyle

position’ competition.

-

kay

our rec-

like this: In

it’s

room here at DCM towers, we have two Midway Hydro Thunder coin-op machines, and they’re great. So great, in fact, that when we were racking our brains trying to think of what to offer our readers in this premier

way

issue by

we

right that

of a competition,

only

home

ourselves. At

first

all

we

thought some kind of weird South American

One

entry total per Individual. All entries

4,

2000.

entering

this

their decision is final.

and

paint-job} will be

name and

do

watching

it

past

run past legal

literally

‘it’

little less...

we were

cabinet),

filing

come up

with something a

well, potentially lethal, frankly.

All prizes will

weighed equally

is

awarded

to their parents or legal

not responsible for

damages

or expenses

that the winners might incur as a result of the Contest or the receipt of a

and winners are responsible

of the prize received.

A

list

for

of winners

Harms. 150 North

Hill

may

Maryland,

Inc.,

c/o

B.

Vermont,

Puerto Rico, and where

Midway,

prohibited by law.

to impress the hell out of us

your

mechanical

speak

-

minds.

your

Or,

From Japan: In-depth behind-the-scenes look at Sega’s next coin-op smash-hit F355 Challenge, plus interviews with the developers and more!

We

roadtest Yu Suzuki’s F355 Challenge and

plain-

in

make

ability to

stuff

out of cereal packets and old

bring you a

toilet roll tubes.

What do

I

the

set about

full report!

need to do?

the

Eat ‘finish’

rated!

• SPECIAL REPORT

and

creative

brilliantly

game

also be obtained by sending

CA 94005. This contest is limited No purchase necessary: void in Arizona,

Drive, Brisbane,

Hydro Thunder arcade machine, courtesy of with

Every launch

PLUS: World-first review of Sega Sports NBA 2KL

income taxes based on the value

a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Imagine Media.

you have to do to win your very own

is

Over 20 new Dreamcast games completed, reviewed, and rated in our massive Issue 2 reviews bonanza!

33%. By

at

be awarded and no minimum number of entries

to residents of the United States.

All

• TONS OF REVIEWS!

contest you agree that the Official Sega Dreamcast

required. Prizes won by minors will be

prize,

under a

than

criteria

competition entry for promotional purposes without further

is

legal Q.e.

Each of the judging

Magazine, Imagine Media, and the other contest sponsors may use your

payment.

‘encouraged’ to

later

The editors of the Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine will

be the judges, and

guardians. Imagine Media

and

must be received no

Dynamite Cop ...and more!

for

you

October 24, 1999. with the winner being announced on or around

cool would

but after running

if

Stuff our lawyers want you to read:

January

jungle animal that stings and looks really it,

The closing date

October 24, 1999, so snooze, you lose. Good luck! is

(design, originality,

them something we’d

give

love to have at

was

it

Okay, off you go.

entries

Over

and,

cereal,

uh,

and then

toilet roll

making an

Issue 2 GD-ROM On sale Oct. 5

original

scale model of a Hydro Thunder

Then paint

boat.

look

into a ‘

it

and make

box and send

Hydro

with

it

the real thing and put

like

it

to us at

it

Don’t miss

Thunder

Competition,'

Sega

Dreamcast

Official

it!

Magazine, Imagine Media, 150 North

Hill

94005, where

we

will

judge

design, originality, and

Needless to

say,

non-returnable in

be

made from One

designs.

entry, please,

inches

1

20

you

love with your work,

toilet roll tubes,

W\

if

in

WHO WOULD WIN IN A FIGHT?

on

it

paint-job.

are

entries

all

- so

the shelf at home.

CA

Brisbane,

Drive,

really fall

keep

All entries

it

NAKA

on

and

original

boat per person per

and the maximum

length, width,

SEPTEMBER 99

and

size

is

12

height.

Official

Sega

# Dreamcast

Magazine

Sega

star Yuji

Naka

squares off against his most creation, Sonic the Hedgehog. It’s like Darth and Luke, only with less heavy breathing. Write in and tell us who you think would win and why. Send your theories to fight@dreamcastmagazine.com.

famous

must

cereal packets

and must be

This issue,

SONIC


$10 off any purchase of $25 or more, or $20 off any purchase of $100 or more*, only at

f=>f=VM 251 Park

New

Avenue South

York,

New

get hooked up Use VIP

code D9999 *

5

1999

UGO Networks,

Offer

is

available

Inc. All rights reserved.

in

on orders

of

1-800-610-2614

York 10010

for less.

the shopping cart to receive your discount. $25 or more, expires September 30, 1999 and

GameDealer

is

a registered trademark of

UGO

Networks.

is limited

All

to

one per customer.

other marks are the property of their respective holders.


V--

-

^LA-

~~

::.;V t

IV

\

A

3rd generation Ultra Hi-Rez graphics for the ultimate

in

NFL realism

All-new player models feature real-life faces,

and breathe

eye black, strips

Over 1,200 all-new motion-captured animations by the New York Jets

Includes the expansion Cleveland

Browns and Tennessee Titans debut

including punishing wrap tackles

PLAYERS

Q.BClub

National Football League. Team names, nicknames, logos and other Indie a are trademarks of the teams indicated. TMA§> The NFL Qua:iitorback Club and NFL shield arc registered trademarks ol 1987NFLP. Officially Licensed Product of the National Football League Players. 'The PLAYERS INC logo is an official trademark of the National Ifcotball League Players © 1999. Nintendo 64 and America Inc. Sega, Drearncast. and the Dreamcast logo are.either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega -logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. © 1996 Nintendo *' ' taken from the NintaogftMjrersion of the video game. Enterprises, Ltd. ® & © 1999 Acclaim Ente

d


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.