The Sega Dreamcast was not a successful console, especially compared to its competition, the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and the original Xbox. Despite that, the Dreamcast remains a popular console long after it was discontinued, with both collectors and those using emulators striving to play the best Dreamcast games.
The Sega Dreamcast didn’t get as many releases as its competitors did due to a relatively short life cycle, but there are some gems that are worth revisiting. Whether you have the actual console or are using a Dreamcast emulator, here are the 20 best Dreamcast games you should play.
Sonic Adventure
Release: 1998
Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Sonic has a very familiar interface, even when in 3D. Sonic Adventure is one of the most popular older Sonic games, being among the first to be in 3D and have decent gameplay. This game has been released on multiple platforms, including the PC, Xbox 360, GameCube, PlayStation 3, and Dreamcast.
As a single-player game, it features some RPG elements, though they are minimal in nature. You do get multiple playable characters, the main ones being Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. As you progress in the game, there is an option to unlock more characters. Chaos emeralds, bonus levels, it has everything a Sonic game should.
Sonic Adventure 2
Release: 2001
Developer: Sonic Team USA
Publisher: Sega
Sonic Adventure 2 continues the legacy of the previous game, building on it. There are new mechanics, new characters, and a totally new perspective in a Sonic game. It was released for all the platforms as the previous game, though the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC versions were released in 2012.
The gameplay is more advanced, offering three perspectives on gameplay, as well as two for the story. Sonic and Shadow are speed-focused, Tails and Dr. Eggman (previously Robotnik) are shooter-oriented, while Knuckles and Rouge are more on the beat ‘em up style of gameplay.
Crazy Taxi
Release: 1999
Developer: Hitmaker
Publisher: Sega
Crazy Taxi is one of those games that are simulators but without the realistic part of the simulator. The main objective of the game is to drive people to their desired location, earning money in the process. The game spices things up by rewarding you for dangerous driving.
It is about as difficult as older games tend to be, only pointing you in the general direction of your objective. It was released for multiple platforms, from different consoles, and arcade cabinets, as well as PC, iOS, and Android points, though those came later.
Shenmue I
Release: 1999
Developer: Sega AM2
Publisher: Sega
Action-adventure games were very popular at the start of the 3D revolution. Shenmue I is a game that was very popular at the time. It elevated world design. Released for the Dreamcast initially, it was later ported to PS4, Xbox One, and Windows, in 2018.
What the game brought was an open world with persistent events such as NPC schedules, buses, shops, and, overall, a feeling of a working world. It is credited as the first open-world game, the predecessor to games like Grand Theft Auto III.
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
Release: 1999
Developer: Capcom/Iron Galaxy Studios
Publisher: Capcom/Virgin Interactive
Street Fighter is by no means an unknown series. Street Fighter III has three games in the series. This one is the latest, and the most popular one. The games progressively added more characters, though the overall gameplay didn’t evolve as much.
Even though the game adds four new characters and a classic one, the story actually continues on that of the previous game, so they should technically be played in order. It has great animations and, overall, some of the best gameplay ever found in an SF game.
Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Heroes
Release: 1998
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom/Virgin Interactive
The original Marvel vs. Capcom was a popular game, released on multiple platforms, from consoles to arcade cabinets. It is the continuation of a series of versus games, starting from X-Men vs. Street Fighter, to Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, this one being the third in the series.
It has seven Marvel and eight Capcom characters, with multiple characters that are able to assist you in the game, but are not playable. In order to win the fight, you have to beat both the opposing characters. You can switch between your two characters at any time. There are powerful combos between the characters.
Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes
Release: 2000
Developer: Capcom/Backbone Entertainment
Publisher: Capcom/Virgin Interactive
The sequel to the popular Marvel vs. Capcom title was even better, which is not often the case with sequels. They took what was great about the previous game and expanded on it. It was released for multiple consoles and was later ported to newer consoles, as well as iOS.
You can now have three characters instead of two. There are multiple assists, from healing to attacking. The match ends when one player loses all three health bars or when the timer runs out. The one with the most cumulative health wins the match.
Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000
Release: 2000
Developer: Capcom Production Studio 1
Publisher: Capcom/Virgin Interactive
Fighting games were very popular on the Dreamcast, and this one was no exception. This time, Capcom’s finest battle SNK’s finest.
Gameplay is different from other games, using SNK’s four-button system. Each character has a strength rating of 1 to 4. You can build a team of up to four characters but your total ratio must not exceed 4.
Resident Evil – Code Veronica
Release: 2000
Developer: Capcom Production Studio 4
Publisher: Capcom
Code Veronica follows up on the successful Resident Evil 2. Released initially for Dreamcast and then for other consoles, it is one of the best Dreamcast games. It featured a 3D-rendered environment, unlike the previous game’s pre-rendered levels.
A typical survival horror, it follows the story of Claire and Chris, as they fight for their lives against an outbreak of zombies. The dynamic camera makes the gameplay more digestible from a modern perspective.
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
Release: 1999
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Resident Evil 3 was released on the PlayStation initially, in 1999, and was later ported to Windows and Dreamcast in 2000, and eventually the GameCube in 2003. It had beautiful graphics, despite its backgrounds being pre-rendered.
It introduces a new villain, the Nemesis, which everyone would be forgiven for thinking was the T-1000, which it was inspired by. Jill Valentine is this game’s protagonist, who simply wants to survive the outbreak in Raccoon City.
Spider-Man
Release: 2000
Developer: Neversoft/Treyarch
Publisher: Activision/Aspyr
One of the many Spider-Man games in the series, this one was famous for having witty comments and lots of fast action. Neversoft developed the game for the PlayStation, using the THPS engine, while Treyarch developed it for the Dreamcast.
Each of the many console releases, as well as the PC release, had its own developer. The gameplay has web-swinging, fighting, and shooting webs, as well as different costumes. It has a memorable plot with sequels in three different games.
Legacy of Kain – Soul Reaver
Release: 1999
Developer: Crystal Dynamics/Nixxes Software
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Soul Reaver is the second game in the series and we see the world through the eyes of the now-resurrected Raziel, once a servant to Kain.
The game has a very rich backstory and is a hack-and-slash title with lots of puzzles. Released initially for the PlayStation and Windows, it was ported to the Dreamcast in 2000.
Power Stone 2
Release: 2000
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom/Eidos Interactive
Power Stone 2 is the successor of Power Stone, and it builds upon its already interesting gameplay. This is a multiplayer fighting game, in a 3D environment. Most players have ground and air combos. You can find weapons on the map and evolve once you get the power stone.
It was initially released as an arcade cabinet game, but eventually released as a Dreamcast title. Most Dreamcast games had this cycle of development. The more popular ones got ported to other consoles, just as this one did, to the PSP in 2006.
Sega Rally 2
Release: 1998
Developer: Sega AM Annex
Publisher: Sega/Mattel and Empire Interactive
Sega Rally 2 is a direct successor to Sega Rally Championship, a rally game. It has changing elements and tracks on different surfaces. The objective of the game is to race on a track while going through checkpoints. Checkpoints give you more time to finish the race.
Another arcade release initially, it was released for the Dreamcast in 1999 and ported to Windows in 1999, as well. The Windows version had a much lower frame rate than the original arcade version, which it was criticized for.
Jet Set Radio
Release: 2000
Developer: Smilebit
Publisher: Sega
Jet Set Radio is an inline skater video game with graffiti elements. Your goal is to tag the graffiti painted by opposing gangs and eventually, tag the bosses in boss levels. Be careful, the more you paint, the more you will anger the authorities.
This game had some of the most modern graphics and soundtrack and it was dubbed as the best Dreamcast game of its time. It was ported to multiple consoles, such as the GBA, and in 2012, Windows, Xbox 360, PS3, PS Vita, Android, and iOS.
Rayman 2: The Great Escape
Release: 1999
Developer: Ubi Pictures
Publisher: Ubi Soft
Rayman 2 is a 3D platformer, similar to the first game, but with an extra dimension. You control Rayman, a hybrid between a human and an eggplant. He can use his helicopter hair to slow down falling, punch at a distance or send energy projectiles.
It was a very successful title, released on multiple platforms. The Dreamcast title is regarded by the game’s director, Michel Ancel, as probably the best title out of all the versions. As a part of a large series, the second game is still among the best of the bunch.
Dino Crisis
Release: 1999
Developer: Capcom Production Studio 4/Nextech
Publisher: Capcom/Virgin Interactive
Dino Crisis is a survival horror game, set in a world where dinosaurs are your predators. Sent to a research facility, Regina must survive a dinosaur rampage. Dino Crisis has a 3D-rendered world, which sets it apart from the Resident Evil series, which it shares much of the gameplay with.
It never took off compared to the Resident Evil series but was popular enough at the time to get two ports and a couple of sequels. It was an effort from Resident Evil director Shinji Mikami to step away from a fantasy setting into something a bit more realistic.
Mortal Kombat Gold
Release: 1999
Developer: Eurocom
Publisher: Midway Home Entertainment
Mortal Kombat Gold is much like Mortal Kombat 4, with additional characters, Baraka, Cyrax, Kung Lao, Mileena, Kitana, and Sektor. It features modes like arcade, 1v1 or 2v2 fighting, survival, as well as a practice mode.
It wasn’t as successful as other fighting games that were released at the time, though it had its ups, namely the new characters. After the first revision, it remains one of the best Dreamcast games, especially since it is an exclusive.
Soulcalibur
Release: 1998
Developer: Project Soul
Publisher: Namco
Soulcalibur builds on the success of Soul Edge, its predecessor, and does it well. As such, it exceeded expectations once more and helped solidify the Soulcalibur series of games, to this day played.
The Dreamcast version is an upgrade to the original arcade version, much better in terms of graphics, and gameplay, as well as featuring new game modes. It became so popular that it was later ported to Xbox 360, as well as Android and iOS.
Virtua Fighter 3
Release: 1997
Developer: Sega AM2
Publisher: Sega
Virtua Fighter was released in 1996, but the Team Battle or tb version was released in 1997 for the arcade and 1998 for the Dreamcast. It was the highest-selling arcade game of 1997. It was the first game in the series that featured vertical movement on the levels.
The story revolves around an organization seeking world domination and the protagonists who want to stop them. While it is not the most original story, the gameplay more than makes up for it, being one of the best Dreamcast games.
Conclusion
The Dreamcast was short-lived, but even as such, it was popular all over the world, and to this day, its titles spark curiosity and are coveted. These are among the best Dreamcast games, though everyone will have their own preference.
With an emulator, they can easily be played in a modern way, some of which even fix the issues that were persistent at the time. The Dreamcast lives on, as a console that had huge potential and a great library of games.
Notably, some of these titles are available as packs that you can purchase and use with emulators, while others might have to be purchased used. Either way, the Dreamcast library has games that everyone should play.
