Ladies and Gentlemen of SX:
Four years ago on this very day, the game I had waited an excrutiating 2 years for finally came out.... Final Fanta...
UGH!
I mean Four Years ago on this very day, the greatest Non-Saturn ( :bow ) console was released. Hype had been surrounding it for months, hoping Sega would get it right (I'd say they got it right with the Saturn ( :bow ), well... game-wise at least 🙂), this time. Needless to say, the hype was worth it. Soul Calibur, NFL 2K, Sonic Adventure (Sonic Team = :bow ), were the top titles of the launch crop. Among other great games were Power Stone, Marvel vs Capcom, Ready 2 Rumble, etc. It broke records with it's vast number of launch titles, and number of consoles sold within a 24 hour period.
After this great launch, killer apps seemed lacking. NBA 2K was probably the hottest new game before the games came, and came, and kept coming. Six months after launch, NBA 2K the only game to quench your thirst of killer games (that is, if you were bored of the launch titles), until this six month drought was up. Crazy Taxi, Dead or Alive 2, NHL 2K, Resident Evil: CODE Veronica, Virtua Tennis, Space Channel 5, Jet Set Radio, among others. The year 2000 was the time for this console to shine, despite people saying that a certain upcoming console would crush it in one night.
2000 also saw a truly ground-breaking event occur: Online-Gaming via Game Console. X-Band and Netlink ( :bow ) aside, this was TRUE online gaming. Sega had servers set up ready to go. Chu Chu Rocket made by Yuji Naka and Sonic Team ( :bow ), was the world's first online console video game. Established and pioneered by this particular console, it would become the benchmark, by which all future console online games was measured. SegaNet. Despite major lag issues with Chu Chu Rocket, it was (and still is) a monumental event in the history of video games. This console made it a reality.
A few months later, the world's first Cel-Shaded Graphics game was released. The only Cel-Shaded game available for about two years, it's home was this console. The Sega Scream would make a comeback later that year. Truly a moment long awaited by long-time Sega fans everywhere. A new era was beginning. NFL 2K1 and NBA 2K1 laid the foundation for SegaNet to stay to this very day.
This console's primary competition, was released to much hype (mostly empty, but I was sucking in every ounce 🙁) was released the day before my Fourteenth birthday (October 26, 2001. The 27th is my B-Day). Lack of consoles, and hardware problems (big suprise eh? 😉 ) caused many to flock towards Sega's console. Many were happy with their purchases, NFL 2K1 was (and still is) a much better game than ANY Madden.
A few weeks after the competition's launch, another truly ground-breaking game was released. Shenmue, created by famed Yu Suzuki ( :bow ), was released on November 11, 2001. Many loved it, many hated it. Hate for it's slow pace, love for it's total immersion. It was (and still is) a game for the ages. Early in 2001, Phantasy Star Online was released. The world's first console RPG (Action RPG to me), was truly ground-breaking, and again, only on this console for close to two years. Amid all these great times, trouble arose:
Sega announced that their newest console, would be their last, and would be discontinued a year later. Many a fan were aghast at this announcement. Whereas many a fanboy, laughed at both Sega and its fans. Many more great games would be released for this console throughout it's final year:
This game console was discontinued on February 17, 2002. WAY before it's time. Many believed it's time had already passed (2000). And yet, to many, despite being pushed to it's absolute limit close to only six months after it's launch with Dead or Alive 2, many felt it had much more potential. It still does, as true fans are continuing the legacy with independent development.
The console I speak of is...
The Sega Dreamcast
September 9, 1999 to February 17, 2002
Farewell old friend, you may not be Saturn ( :bow ) but you're pretty damn close 🙂
:bow :bow :bow :bow :bow
I just wanna cry now...
Four years ago on this very day, the game I had waited an excrutiating 2 years for finally came out.... Final Fanta...
UGH!
I mean Four Years ago on this very day, the greatest Non-Saturn ( :bow ) console was released. Hype had been surrounding it for months, hoping Sega would get it right (I'd say they got it right with the Saturn ( :bow ), well... game-wise at least 🙂), this time. Needless to say, the hype was worth it. Soul Calibur, NFL 2K, Sonic Adventure (Sonic Team = :bow ), were the top titles of the launch crop. Among other great games were Power Stone, Marvel vs Capcom, Ready 2 Rumble, etc. It broke records with it's vast number of launch titles, and number of consoles sold within a 24 hour period.
After this great launch, killer apps seemed lacking. NBA 2K was probably the hottest new game before the games came, and came, and kept coming. Six months after launch, NBA 2K the only game to quench your thirst of killer games (that is, if you were bored of the launch titles), until this six month drought was up. Crazy Taxi, Dead or Alive 2, NHL 2K, Resident Evil: CODE Veronica, Virtua Tennis, Space Channel 5, Jet Set Radio, among others. The year 2000 was the time for this console to shine, despite people saying that a certain upcoming console would crush it in one night.
2000 also saw a truly ground-breaking event occur: Online-Gaming via Game Console. X-Band and Netlink ( :bow ) aside, this was TRUE online gaming. Sega had servers set up ready to go. Chu Chu Rocket made by Yuji Naka and Sonic Team ( :bow ), was the world's first online console video game. Established and pioneered by this particular console, it would become the benchmark, by which all future console online games was measured. SegaNet. Despite major lag issues with Chu Chu Rocket, it was (and still is) a monumental event in the history of video games. This console made it a reality.
A few months later, the world's first Cel-Shaded Graphics game was released. The only Cel-Shaded game available for about two years, it's home was this console. The Sega Scream would make a comeback later that year. Truly a moment long awaited by long-time Sega fans everywhere. A new era was beginning. NFL 2K1 and NBA 2K1 laid the foundation for SegaNet to stay to this very day.
This console's primary competition, was released to much hype (mostly empty, but I was sucking in every ounce 🙁) was released the day before my Fourteenth birthday (October 26, 2001. The 27th is my B-Day). Lack of consoles, and hardware problems (big suprise eh? 😉 ) caused many to flock towards Sega's console. Many were happy with their purchases, NFL 2K1 was (and still is) a much better game than ANY Madden.
A few weeks after the competition's launch, another truly ground-breaking game was released. Shenmue, created by famed Yu Suzuki ( :bow ), was released on November 11, 2001. Many loved it, many hated it. Hate for it's slow pace, love for it's total immersion. It was (and still is) a game for the ages. Early in 2001, Phantasy Star Online was released. The world's first console RPG (Action RPG to me), was truly ground-breaking, and again, only on this console for close to two years. Amid all these great times, trouble arose:
Sega announced that their newest console, would be their last, and would be discontinued a year later. Many a fan were aghast at this announcement. Whereas many a fanboy, laughed at both Sega and its fans. Many more great games would be released for this console throughout it's final year:
- Sonic
- Adventure 2
- Phantasy Star Online Version 2
- NFL 2K2
- NBA 2K2
- NCAA 2K2
- NHL 2K2
- WSB 2K2
- Tennis 2K2
- Virtual On: Ontario Tangrem
- Grandia II
- Skies of Arcadia
- Crazy Taxi II
- Capcom vs SNK
- Marvel vs Capcom 2
- Shenmue II (Import)
This game console was discontinued on February 17, 2002. WAY before it's time. Many believed it's time had already passed (2000). And yet, to many, despite being pushed to it's absolute limit close to only six months after it's launch with Dead or Alive 2, many felt it had much more potential. It still does, as true fans are continuing the legacy with independent development.
- This console brought Sega back from the depths.
- It brought them respect.
- It brought their fans back.
- It established Sega as a force to be reckoned with.
- It made console online gaming possible.
- It made emulation on a console a reality.
- It made everyone sit up and take notice. $ony wasn't the only powerhouse in gaming. Sega was striking back, and with a vengeance. But $ony, with all it's faceless drones and slaves, managed to stop the onslaught.
The console I speak of is...
The Sega Dreamcast
September 9, 1999 to February 17, 2002
Farewell old friend, you may not be Saturn ( :bow ) but you're pretty damn close 🙂
:bow :bow :bow :bow :bow
I just wanna cry now...
