Editorial Review

To say that Shenmue is an anticipated title is an understatement;the game made huge waves in Japan upon its release, and American gamers havebeen waiting since then to see what the fuss is all about. It's a game in whichthe concept itself is the selling point. What if you could portray a young heroin a fully realized Japanese city? Would you like to participate in andinfluence an over-the-top kung fu-style action-mystery flick in your livingroom? What if lots of combat, cinematic flourish, detail, and a dash of romancewere thrown in?

The game itself is awash in small details, crammed into a confined space. Thecity of Yokusuka circa 1986 is rendered beautifully in a short series ofneighborhoods that are long on detail even if short on variety. The story itselfis ripped straight from a chopsocky flick: you portray the young hero RyoHazuki, whose father (a kung fu sensei, naturally) is killed before hisvery eyes by a mysterious and frightening villain. Ryo must uncover the identityof the killer and fight his way through the city in an effort to avenge thiswrongful death.

Shenmue's Yokusuka might be short on space--in total, it represents maybea square mile--but the detail is overwhelming. You can interact with nearlyevery person or object that you see; 300 citizens go about their daily routines,and whom you encounter is as much determined by where you are as when you arethere.

Much of this interaction involves combat that ranges fromDragon's Lair-style reaction tests (such as timing a button press tododge an oncoming car) to freeform kung fu fighting. Further, each second ofreal time equals about a minute of game time, and Ryo has to be home by 11 p.m.each evening. The game moves at a brisk pace, and each challenge or battle feelslike a race against time. Some might say that gaming doesn't get shallower thanthis (you are essentially performing tasks and exploring, instead of gaming),but the game feels like no other and is ultimately satisfying by the time thatit all ends. In this way, Shenmue is more than a game--it's an eventthat's worth experiencing. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• Compelling, well-told story
• Good action and combat
• Fantastic sound and graphics

• Plot is familiar to fans of kung fu action films
• Task-and-exploration gameplay might seem slow to action gamers

Reviews (300)

The realistic sphere of emotion and time
Shenmue is a graphic adventure game from 2000 exclusive to the Sega Dreamcast.The setting is Japan in 1986.You're placed in the role of Ryo Hazuki, an 18-year-old student and martial arts disciple on a winding, multi-faceted quest to uncover the mystery behind his father's murder.Along the way you'll traverse myriad locations and interact with countless non-player characters, as well as engage in side interests and attend to personal issues.

The progression of gameplay is quite open and arbitrary.There is no particular pace you have to keep in playing; you can sprint through the entirety of it, or you can devour days and days roaming around, engaging in the oddities, practicing martial arts, chatting with passersby, playing mini-games or whatever else.The hands on the clock tick away in real time in Ryo's world.The date and time of day--morning, afternoon and evening--is presented in convincing fashion by the game, and is reflected in the towns and villages and industrial areas you'll be visiting.The streets may be thronged with pedestrian traffic during mid-day, shoppers and businessmen, families and children.But after nightfall things change.After the streetlights flicker into life, the locales take on an aura of eerie stillness as the crowds thin and--in the urban and industrial areas--are replaced by members of the seedy nightlife, while in the residential districts they begin to bob their collective heads towards sleep.Many, although not all, businesses, shops and residences are open and interactive for you to explore. Time of day comes into effect here, for certain businesses and shops are only open during particular hours of the day or night.In addition to the realistic sphere of passing time, there are varying weather effects in place as well: sun, rain, and even snow as the calendar edges into the winter months.

Your home is the Hazuki Dojo in Yokosuka.Ryo's mother and father, his last living relatives, are now both gone.You live there with a former student of Ryo's father, Fuku-san, and the elderly housekeeper, Ine-san.Ine-san is a grandmotherly figure who'll fret and worry about Ryo's safety, imploring him to be careful and to let the past go.Yet she's soft spoken and demure, almost resolved to the situation.Each evening Ryo must be home by 11PM, and when he's late Ine-san seems almost hurt by it.It creates a true sense of obligation, of emotion, of connection to the characters and situation.Shenmue excels at creating a sense of strong emotional ties between the player and the characters, as evidenced by the potent flashbacks of Ryo with his father and the difficult parting with Nazomi at the end.You begin to feel the things Ryo feels, to truly take on the role of a lost, yet fiercely indomitable 18-year-old boy up against overwhelming odds to avenge the death of his father.

Every NPC is interactive and will converse with you.Many characters you meet near his hometown know Ryo by name, and some are his close friends--such as Nozomi Harasaki or the American Tom Johnson.There are actual curves of character development as the game progresses, relationships that alter in scope and nature, and a seemingly new, wary awareness of a wider, more iniquitous world by Ryo.Indeed, the villains Lan Di and unstable, tittering Chai impose heavy, bleak footprints on the narrative.Most people Ryo speaks to will have a few lines of dialogue about this or that--sometimes relevant and sometimes not, or now and then sending you off on splinter pursuits apart from your more crucial objectives--and a few will offer up clues to where you need to go next, what items you might need to acquire and to whom you need to talk.Every interaction can be important as you struggle to uncover clues.And with a continuous, moving timeline, it's all-too-possible to miss certain events as they occur when you're someplace else.While most of the gameplay involves the patient, explorative extrication of mystery upon mystery, there are also occasional action segments of martial arts brawling and QTE (quick time encounter) events calling for some speedy button pushes.

About midway through the proceedings Ryo is obligated to find employment to further fund his undertaking, and in this the game's principal setting and structure is somewhat altered.Ryo secures a job operating a forklift on the harbor docks.Here the game delves even further into the realms of realism, for every morning you must get up and report to work first thing--and then do the actual work for eight hours before recommencing with the more important tasks.And while this sometimes leads to a certain degree of monotony and tedium from the player's perspective, it does seem to work well overall within the scope of the game.

Outside the core body of gameplay are multiple minigames and collectible items that Ryo can pursue.The mingames are found mostly in the You Arcade in Dobuita, where full, authentic versions of the Sega arcade classics Hang On and Space Harrier are playable.There are also darts, billiards, slots and QTE games available.And a jukebox that plays real music.And cassette tapes of music you can buy in stores.Every sunrise before work at the harbor, Ryo can participate in a forklift race.And over 600 collectible items are available--everything from photographs to ancient Japanese mirrors to light bulbs to a package of squid legs--and they're located just about everywhere.

Visually, Shenmue is a tour de force, a world you just fall into like a pool of water and then don't want to get back out of. Stylistically and thematically, in both architecture and culture, it's a purely Japanese world.And the Japanese vibe really gets under your skin after a while.In a strange way, by the end of the game, you almost feel as if you've actually been in Japan, not just playing a game set there.It's a striking ambiance and environment they've created; time's suffocating grip has no hold here on the Dreamcast.The environments spring to life around you: trees and grass sway in the breeze, fish dart around a pond, a kitten meows by the roadside, ships dock at the harbor, pigeons startle into flight by your footsteps, people go blithely about their daily lives, the structures appear so lifelike you can almost reach out and touch them.Character animations are carved with a fine chisel; every line etched in the face a graphic relief, hair strands that divide and drift on the winds, eyes that bore holes of meaning and emotion into you.Even the detail present in Ryo's brown leather jacket is stunning.And all this on the Dreamcast, easily looking as good here as later, more advanced gaming consoles.

Shenmue breaches generations and cultures, a game people of vastly different ages and backgrounds can concurrently enjoy and become absorbed with.In the act of investigating, something is revealed, and that points you to the next stage--and from there to the next.You want to see what happens next; you care about Ryo's journey and the people around him you've come to know.The settings are pragmatic and the basic storyline is simple enough that a child can follow it, yet there is depth enough to draw anyone in.It's a universal theme, and a game that has remained wedged in the memory over the years.Regrettably, the ultimate resolution isn't found here; Ryo's tale winds on in Shenmue II on the Xbox.

Yu Suzukies Masterpiece...
Shenmue for the Sega Dreamcast may possibly be the greatest video game experience I've ever had in my gaming days(including Shenmue II for xbox).Shenmue is about a young man out for revenge to find his fathers murderer but theres WAY more too it, I won't spoil anything other then this game is flat out beautiful and should be played by gamers that won't wyn about the slow paced action..

Like the title above, this is Yu Suzukies Masterpiece, the man worked EXTREAMLY hard on this amazing game(Shenmue is also known as one of the most expensive video games ever created).Sadly Yu Suzukies hard worked game never made any good sales because of the PS2's launch, I like many others got it at the time it was first released, This game is just pure brilliance.The visuals are some of the best seen in games...This may be the longest game review I've ever done so lets get to it..

Visuals
This is one of the if not THEEEE best looking DC game ever made, everything is so detailed and the character models are great.The building, the Atmoshpere, thank you so much Suzukie.

Gameplay
ok this is probably the reason this game is the most hated/loved game ever created.IT'S EXTREAMLY SLOW PACED, and may turn off some casual gamers but if you can hold on long enough the action will start to come up.The game play is simple and easy to get use to very quickly.The game plays like a mystery novel, ask people question and clues about something and when you find some clues you go ask other people that may know BUT THIS GAME PULLS IT OFF SO WELL IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY!This game(plus Shenmue II) has THE best fighting engine ever!!!It's taken straight out of the virtura Fighter games.And the Free Battle sequences are extreamly rare yet very fun in the game.Did I mention you can do almost everything in this game?Well not everything but alot of things like getting a job, gambling and alot of the other things that can be done in real life...

Sound/music
When I say this games music is beautiful IT IS, Ten times better then MGS 1.Especially the main theme which you'll notice alot, it's amazing if theres one thing Yu Suzki did well(other then everything els) it's the music in this game, pure brilliance

Controlls
I'm really lazy to get into this but there pretty good
Lemmi just some it up right now

The Good
-Superb Visuals
-Great Controls
-Superb sound
-Amazing Inviorments
-Loads of things to do
-AWESOME FIGHTING ENGINE
-One of the most expensive games ever made
-A beautiful story about vengence but with alot to it

The bad
-action gamers will be turned off by how slow paced this game go's
-For some long, for some a SHORT game, took me about 13 hours my first time but that's because I just did all the story parts and not the side quests
-The sales for this and Shenmue II did so bad that we probably won't see a Shenmue III anytime soon
-For anyone looking for a good challenge for this and Shenmue II, look elswere, it's pretty simple an pretty straight forward..

Other then that Shenmue is an instant classic with everything on the spot, Yu Suzukie created something more then a game....This game is not just good because it feels like you're acctually in that world and living Ryu'S life.....This is good because Yu Suzukie braught us something that just feels so real, and like as if there really is a world like that....acctually there is, JAPAN, duuhh, but still no other game has hit me or motivated to the point were I HAVE TO PLAY THIS GAME more then shenmue....This game is hands down...One of the greatest video game experiences you'll ever have...... When it all comes down to this, I give Shenmue for the sega Dreamcast a

5 out of 5 stars...

Brilliant....Just...Brilliant

Totally a great game a must have for dc fans.
This is a really sweet game. Totally a butt-kicking game. I mean you go around beating people up the game lets you see in real live play beating some one up you know without the pain and nose bleeding. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sega Dreamcast    3. Fighting    4. Role Playing Games (Game, rpg, rpgs)   

Features

• Hidden characters
• Multiple game modes
• For 1 or 2 players
• Battle Capcom characters and Street Fighters
• Choose from 28 characters

Reviews (20)

Amazing job Capcom and SNK!
This game is really good.Even though the DC really didn't do so well, this game really makes you wonder why.The game has the classic 2D look, with amazing special effects, and the gameplay is really cool.You can choose whether to use the SNK system (which is like a DBZ way of fighting, as you can gather power for your Special Combo), or you can use Capcom (which I really recommend using, since you have control over how strong your SC is).Also, you can unlock many different versions of characters, even Evil Ryu!The only problem is that the DC controller will destroy your thumb with all the thumb-sliding you have to do for the special attacks.But anyway, pick this game up if you wanna have a good ol' time with your buddies for hours.

Get Fatal Fury or Project Justice instead
You can not do any 10 hit airial combos because the screen does not pan up when you hit your opponent into the air.

The graphics are very bad. It look like a SNES game. Don't wate your money on this, you will be disoppointed as I was. I expected much better from a game with SNK and street-fighter characters.

Capcom's VS. Series continues to DOMINATE!
After four vs. games with Marvel, Capcom continues on with this legacy with SNK.This game is cool since you get to play with fighters from the KOF (King of Fighters) Series and the Street Fighter Series.There are also included two hidden bonus characters, one from Samurai Showdown and the other from Night Warriors.The stage entraces are another unique feature that makes this game really cool.I would recommend this game to anyone who likes to play fighting platform games or likes Capcom or SNK games. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. Sega Dreamcast    5. Fighting    6. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Editorial Review

CrazyTaxi was an arcade game turned Dreamcast showcase that reallyhelped sell the system. Now that the Dreamcast is on its last legs,Sega throws crazed drivers everywhere a bone by moving the sequel tothe system. Crazy Taxi 2 is the same as Crazy Taxi, onlycrazier!

First off, Sega moved the scenery from hilly San Francisco to thenarrow urban canyons of New York City--which is a bad thing if thehills in the first game were an attraction. But this one has CentralPark, and that's a thrill unto itself. Also, Crazy Taxi 2 letsyou pick up multiple passengers (on occasion), which is the best way tokeep that timer up and score bigger points.

Once again you've got aggravating and conspicuous advertising in thegame--from Burger King and KFC to clothing stores and other real-worlddestinations. Masters of Mayhem andOffspring supplythe music. The Offspring song is a new one--at least we're pretty sureit is--but like all Offspring songs it sounds like the one from thelast game.

Additionally, there are new Crazy Stunts you can perform. Crazy Golfentails a run at a massive ball, with a goal of smacking it a good 100yards. Crazy Balloon 2 challenges you to pop all the balloons in ashort span of time. Plus there are three more minigames you can play.You can play arcade style with a set time limit, or on a big or smallNYC map.

The controls are tight and easily as good as last time, but someplayers may still have trouble performing some of the more difficulttricks. Also, this game is extremely similar to the first one. Anyonebored with Crazy Taxi isn't going to find Crazy Taxi 2 abreath of fresh air. But the game is still really fun for players ofall ages. It's crazy, wild, and a completely realistic simulation of areal NYC cab ride. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• NY, NY is a heck of town
• Same tried-and-true gameplay as the original
• Lots of new minigames, drivers, and maps

• No hills
• Same tried-and-true gameplay as the original

Reviews (60)

Honestly I thought the 1st was better but still average..
Crazy Taxi 2 is the sequal to the Sega hit Crazy Taxi.Now I usually make bigger reviews to be honest I'll just make this my

SHORT and Sweet Review..

Now The 1st Crazy Taxi was DC game but lost its exclusitivity(yeah that sounds dumb but It just came up my head) and can be found on
Xbox
Gamecube and Ps2.Though the best version is the Dreamcast you can probably spend it on the Ps2 version or the other systems since DC games seem to be a pain to find now.

The graphics are solid and the gameplay loses its touch later on...OK MAYBE JUST FOR ME MAN!I didn't think the game was that great but like I said before...

Graphics good...gameplay...ehhh gets old.This is must for any Die Hard Dreamcast owner but For people who want more then just another sequal with "some" stuff stay clear away from this...I'm not saying the game is bad!I just think the 1st it better...

I really enjoyed the game over all and though it was an A-O-K Dreamcast Game..

I give CrAzY Taxi for the Sega Dreamcast a...

3.0 out5 stars.....

*NOTE*

Other then Crazy Taxi the Sega Dreamcast(R.I.P) has some really awesome amazing games... Some for example Sonic Adventure, Marval Vs Capcom2(and yes the DC version is the best mainly cause it was the original version and it was DC exclusive at one point)

And yeah.....well..

Lates..

Addictive Fun
The reason that "Crazy Taxi 2" doesn't get a prefect 5-star rating is that it's only one player, which destroys the possibility of what potentially would be the most enjoyable way to play the game, sitting beside a friend frantically competing to pick up the most customers and money, last the longest without running out of time, etc.
That said, Crazy Taxi 2 functions surprisingly well as a party game. Something about the bright visuals, loud sound effects, and raucus music, along with the fast pace of the action -- there is always a new task to complete -- make it almost as much fun to watch someone play the game as it is to play oneself. I've often found myself cheering along with a friend's efforts. (Or jeering, depending on my mood)
As for playing solo, make sure you clear your schedule. While an individual game might only take five minutes, one can easily sink hours into trying to earn more money, a better license, etc... the very fact that "one more game" takes such a short amount of time contributes to the addiction.
In short, if you can pick this game up at a gamestop or on Ebay, I highly reccomend it as one of the better Dreamcast titles.

Fun for a while but a game with NO depth is destined to fail
Crazy Taxi 2 is fun for a while but when you either beat the pyramid or become upset because its too hard to beat then the game will slowly make its way to the bottom of your collection.

It has great graphics and tight control but the music is a letdown and my aren't those cab drivers crude. The game is a welcome addition to any Dreamcast library even if it will eventually get old. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sega Dreamcast    3. Racing    4. Flying   

Editorial Review

It's a shame that the Dreamcast went the way of the dodo, because by theend of its reign it was the undisputed king of sports titles, as games likeNHL 2K2 prove. This sequel to Sega's NHL 2K improves on its flawedpredecessor in every way to emerge as arguably the best overall hockeysimulation on any platform.

The key word is simulation. There are no arcade trappings to be found here. Thepace is toned down to match the speed of the real sport, goals are infrequentand hard-won, and the offensive and defensive strategies come straight from thehockey textbooks. The graphics are excellent, and special note must be made ofthe phenomenal animation for everything from the players to the spinning puck(which flips end-over-end after particularly aggressive slap shots and careensrealistically off any object it encounters). Beginners will have an easy enoughtime warming up to the controls in the default mode, but much more depth isoffered by switching to the advanced control layout. Here, button combos makenearly any trick possible, from dekes and precise shot control to hooks and sidesteps. The more you put into the game, the more it rewards you, and the enhancedAI makes single-player games nearly as challenging as a multiplayer match.

Everything from an exhibition mode to a full-blown career mode is offered, andplenty of options exist for adjusting penalties, toggling rules, and setting theoverall speed of the game. There's no way to turn it into an over-the-top arcadeexperience like NHL Hitz, but as the focus here is strictly onsimulation, that's not really a problem. As it stands, NHL 2K2 is amongthe best sports games ever released, and we can think of no more fitting swansong for the Dreamcast. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Lifelike animations, realistic physics, and a focus on simulation bring the game of hockey right into your home
• Incredibly tough AI offers a consistent challenge
• Advanced control mode gives expert players more options than ever

• Graphics overall are not as sharp as those found on Xbox or GameCube
• Sound--especially crowd noise--is lackluster

Reviews (26)

Great Hockey Game
This is a great hockey game. The graphics are realistic, and the gameplay is fun. There are a few things though. For one, when you use speed burst, usually you can get around all the people. The goalies also look a little weak (but this doesn't interfere with gameplay so dont worry about it). The only other thing is that you can't adjust period lengths. So games can get to drag on after a while, even though the timer does go fast.The announcers are a little slow, and they repeat a lot, but there are the occasional funny lines.Otherwise, this game is really great.

Flawed, but the best hockey game out there
This shows what a shame the unrealized potential of the dreamcast console was. It has very realistic physics and low scoring, making competition extremely intense. It's just a lot of fun, and it's easy to play. That said, it feels like they rushed it out. The announcers seem to deliver the same three lines over and over again, and faceoffs take place in the wrong zone after some penalties. Despite this, it beats the EA Games pretty handily.

Dreamcast's Swan Song!!!!!!
this game, NHL2K2, is simply fantastic!i can not tell you how important it is for you to get this final game for the Dreamcast. the most beautiful graphics...unbelievable player animations....puck physics that will blow your mind...amazing!!!
the gameplay is superb.you have the option to use basic controls, or advanced controls.the advanced controls are excellent...everything from deke moves to sidestepping to poke checking to flip passes to you name it!!!the gameplay is so fluid, so lifelike, it is scary.there is create-a-player....you can edit your team as far as who you want to be captain, assistant captain, jersey numbers...plus the Blue Jackets and Wild are on here too along all international teams!throw in camera pans of the bench with coaches and players...throw in the penalty box camera...throw in the towel!!!!this game is simply amazing!!the goalies are incredibly lifelike...butterfly move...stacking the pads...stick save...snaring glove saves.plus, great stat keeping, great play-by-play, easy to navigate menu screens.NHL 2K2 lights the lamp!!I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!

peace ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sega Dreamcast    3. Sports    4. Outdoors   

Editorial Review

Experience the thrill of catching 20 feet of air while pulling a double tail whip with Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX. The game lets players ride like the 10-time world vert champion Mat Hoffman or seven other top-ranked vert, dirt, and street BMX pros, and features eight of the sport's hottest riders, including Cory Nastazio, Simon Tabron, Dennis "DMC" McCoy, Kevin Robinson, Rick Thorne, Mike "Rooftop" Escamilla, and Joe "Butcher" Kowalski. Players perform hundreds of tricks and signature moves in a variety of realistic street, vert, and dirt jump courses. Game modes include two-player H-O-R-S-E, split-screen Trick Attack, and Graffiti for all three types of courses. Gamers can also play in the career mode, moving up the ranks to win the ultimate BMX crown by unlocking new courses and upgrading their bikes and rider abilities. This title was developed utilizing an enhanced version of Activision's Tony Hawk's Pro Skater game engine. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

This game rocks!!!
Go buy this game now. It rocks. You can play as the legendary Mat "The Condor" Hoffman, Cory "Nasty" Nastazio,Mike "Rooftop" Escamilla, and a lot of other great BMX riders. There are 8 great levels to play. If you like the Tony Hawk games, you'll like this. You should also get Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2. It is even better.

Could have been better, but its ok
Pretty much Tony Hawk on a bike, Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX is a good bit of fun, and it is a lot better than the only other BMX game for Dreamcast, Acclaim's Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX.My only complaints are that its just not as fun as the Tony Hawk games, and it can be quite frustrating at times as well.Also, there is not much difference between this version and the PS1 version.The graphics are a bit better and the loading times are almost non-existent, but so much more could and should have been added to this package to makes this game a must have.All in all though, if your looking for a good sports game, and this is one of the last third party Dreamcast games, then you can't go wrong with Mr. Hoffman.

''THIS GAME ROCKS''
This has to be the funest game ever. If you like to bike this is the game is for you.The riders look real and the bikes are amazing you have to buy this game. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sega Dreamcast    3. Racing    4. Flying    5. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Reviews (13)

Best Game I've ever played!!!!!!!!!
when I got this I thought all the aliens were alive but you're in a vehicle.You can be on either the army or alien team(My best is the aliens).On the army you can ether be a markava,an abrams or I dont know what its called but it's heavy artiliry.On aliens you can be a hover craft,a 2 legged walker,or a spider walker.

Not for adults!
Expect to be killed every 30 seconds because the tanks are very slow. This game is only for the kids. An adult will find it to be very frustrating.

There is no real strategy involved. You either blow the enemy up, or get yourself blown up. The cumpter controled characters are pretty good at finding you, so trying to hid is futile!

Don't fall in love with the fact that you can fight as an alien. There are only 3 alien vechiles, and their weaponry is basicly the same. The only differenes is how fast the vechicles are able to drive.

If you want a sega game that is like a PC shooter, then get Spawn instead.

Rock and a hard place
This is a great little game, nice graphics, good sound and nice simple addictive gameplay. A warning though, when playing this game single player you wwill be confronted with the toughest game you will ever experience, some of the later missions are nigh on impossible and if you somehow manage to complete it your a better man than me. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sega Dreamcast    3. Action    4. Adventure   

Reviews (9)

a great game!
this game was for my brother but one day i just decided to see how much fun it really is and it was so fun you get to desine a person and a bike and even a track if your track is good you can race on the track in the game aginst other people that game is so fun you should check it out!

A good game but not on my top 15.
Everyone is saying this game is [junk]. All of you are trying to group together. This game is good. Graphics are SOMETIMES 2-D. Gameplay is good,tons of modes. This game is good buy it and don't listin to everybody else.

Ugly, uninspired gameplay, and terrible.
Do not make the mistake of buying this game.The graphics are terrible.They look bad, even if they were on a playstation.Then you get to the controls.Its very easy to learn, so easy you will have trouble losing.There is no challenge in this game.Overall, I can't say anything good about this.You could find a better bike racing game on every system that makes this look bad. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Racing    3. Motorcycles    4. Sega Dreamcast    5. Flying    6. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Editorial Review

Red Orb's Dreamcast debut is a quirky mix of simplistic hand-to-handcombat, maze crawling, and power-up eating. And you'll need the strength of a stomachfull of soul food to mow down the plethora of townsfolk turned beasties in SoulFighter. Whack a bad guy, and his soul is put into your magic bottle for safekeepinguntil you've freed enough souls to pop open the door to the next level.

While on the surface, the game may seem to borrow heavily from the fantasy-actionromp Gauntlet Legends, it actually has a lot more in common with old SegaGenesis games such as Streets of Rage. Only instead of a side-scrolling brawler,this game presents the world in stunning 3-D, with a rather fussy camera-angle systemthat can be detrimental to both gameplay and your full stomach. Still, since the controlsare so simplified--with only three main buttons for kick, punch, and jump--it's hard tofault the game for using awkward camera movement to make things more challenging. Arather odd epicurean collection of power-ups uses pig's heads, roasted chickens, andwood-planked fish to boost your strength. Projectile weapons such as crossbows andthrowing axes can be uncovered by brashly shattering treasure chests that are strewnabout, or by giving some beastly bag of bones a few soul-freeing punts.

Three characters to choose from make the game slightly more deep, but the lack oftwo- or three-player simultaneous beast-busting is a serious drawback. The level designsare very simple and uninspired, with an odd amount of backtracking required to finisheach one. Soul Fighter is by no means original, but it does deliver a limbic systemthrill, like a plotless, yet alluringly action-heavy, Jean-Claude Van Damme film. --JeffYoung

Pros:

• Two buttons can unleash a varied and impressive amount of fighting
• Great frame rates and animation
• Easy to pick up, arcade-style gameplay

• Motion sickness-inducing camera movement
• Replayability reduced by lack of multiplayer mode
• Tediously drawn-out intro movie

Reviews (18)

Get Dynamite Cop instead
This game has absolutly no fun factor. You'll play it once and then throw it away. The graphics are an example of sega rushing to make a game during the early days of Dreamcast.
There are only 3 characters and their moves a very weak. The magican isn't even able to cast any spells. He can not turn enemies into cats, frogs, etc.

Spend your money on Dynamite Cop instead.

Great Game
Pros
-Funny
-Great background
-Choose three charecters Orion, Sayome and Altus
-Good variaty of items
-Dscribes items
-Cheep

Cons
-May cause motion sickness
-Annoying background music
-No multi-player

Turn off the voleun while playing!! It will get annoying

kids like this game
I played this game and when I played it I liked it becuase it is like golden axe.Both of those games are fun to play. Eventhough it is rated for teens I thought it was not too scary, maybe just a little in the dark places. I think other kids will like it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sega Dreamcast    3. Action    4. Adventure    5. Fighting    6. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Editorial Review

Perhaps a better name for this game would be Mild Metal,because playing it won't likely raise your temperature. Playing thisenjoyable mission-based tank game is rather meditative, in that playersare required to think tactically in order to reach their goals. Don'texpect to be wowed by graphics or sound effects, but do bring yourbrain for this old-school treasure hunt that looks and feels much morelike a PC game than a Dreamcast title.

To beat each level, players must drive a tank around large, hilly,desolate areas while scooping up precious containers of glowing energycapsules before dropping them off at your home base. This gamechallenges the player with a wildly varying elevation and drab-coloredterrain. The control scheme for shooting is also tough to tackle.Players fire their tank's cannon by pressing a button, but holding thebutton down will increase the angle of trajectory. Not only that, theenergy capsules are often obstructed, requiring all sorts of physicalpuzzle solving to get at them. While not exactly thrill-a-minute, thisgame has plenty of depth and challenge to keep thoughtful gamers happyfor quite some time. --Jeff Young

Pros:

• New control scheme
• Impressive explosions
• Fun puzzle solving gameplay

• Drab graphics and sound fail to excite the senses

Reviews (17)

cheesy game
this gaMe looked cool when i bought it because of the cover. i read the back and it seemed prety cool.but once i put it in i got boredthe first twenty minuets.the missions were lame, the game play stunk. ...

this game is ok
This game is relly fun on 2 player. One player is kinda fun but the tanks are too slow and there are to many hills. But it has cool weapons. the other problem is on some stages it is hard to see if you look up to shoot flying robots.

this game is ok
This game is relly fun on 2 player. One player is kinda fun but the tanks are too slow and there are to many hills. But it has cool weapons. the other problem is on some stages it is hard to see if you look up to shoot flying robots. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Action and Adventure    3. Military and Spies    4. Sega Dreamcast    5. Action    6. Adventure    7. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Features

• Ultrarealistic football game with updated pro leagues, players, and stadiums
• Enhanced artificial intelligence for stronger defenseMore than 1,700 moves featuring motion-capture animation for realistic gameplay
• Manage your favorite team in franchise mode
• Play against up to 8 other Dreamcast owners via the Internet

Reviews (122)

2K1 is very good, but is it better than Madden's series?
I like this game and have not played Madden much at all.
How to control defensive linemen:
off the snap:
press A and hold with heel of thumb
-press trigger L or R for club
-hold A and a trigger, then lightly tap B for spin
-hold A and a trigger, then tap Y for swim maneuver
-hold A and a trigger, then tap X for rip(I think)

WOW...football on the Dreamcast peaked here
NFl 2K1 is the best NFL game around! It has great graphics, lots of replay value and great commentary that is not annoyingly repetative. The backround graphics could have been touched up but the games still ROCKS. If you own a Dreamcast (the best system that never made it) then get this

Better than 2K2.
This is probably the most complete NFL game there is. Certainly the best one I've ever played. So it's 2002 and the rosters are out of date and the graphics are a little dated. That shouldn't bother you. The passing, running, and catching are all top notch in my opinion. If you get the hang of it on Rookie, bump up the difficulty to Pro. You'll have to be pretty good to do well on Pro. The A.I. doesn't learn your patterns very well, and you can usually win games by running the same plays over and over (I have about 8 plays I run all the time and I won the Super Bowl last season on Pro setting). I can't say how tough it is on All-Pro, but I will find out some day. If you don't mind if your football is a little old, you really should get this one. You can get it for real cheap usually. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sega Dreamcast    3. Sports    4. Outdoors   

Editorial Review

NFL Blitz 2001 brings over-the-top pro-football action to your Sega Dreamcast. Train players in three minigames: First and Goal Frenzy, Quarterback Training, and Goal Line Stand. Create teams, players, and even plays from scratch. Enjoy new player models, attributes, and animations. NFL Blitz 2001's new features include new playbooks, updated stadiums, new in-game camera angles, and improved artificial intelligence. Play against the computer, or compete against other players in season mode. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Football players with butter fingers = mass fustration
DO NOT buy NFL Blitz 2001 even if its on sale for a cent!

The game is the most fustrating game i've ever played. In what other game would your recievers fumble the ball when they are tackled mere inches from the End Zone (sometimes on a first down, sometimes when the game is on the line)? This happened to me at least 3 times in one game! Needless to say it resulted in 3 costly turnovers and I lost the game. The hardest part was the fact that the game was on the EASY level. I expect this kind of CHEAP play on the hardest setting but not on easy. The constant fumbling by players throughout the game is a SERIOUS TURN OFF especially for fans who just want to enjoy a good game. The random and FREQUENT fumbles made this game a worthless piece of junk.

The game is also flooded with too many loading screens that get really old really fast when you just want to get into the action. Very poorly designed, Midway. If you still have a bad taste in your mouth from NBA Hoopz then AVOID this game. The graphics are on the same level and the announcer is the same.

Do not waste your hard earned money on this poor game! Read the other reviews that warn of the fumbling problem and do not make the mistake I did!

PLAY OR RENT BEFORE YOU BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Save your money
if you think this game is quality then think again. this game has nothing more than the original blitz!you fumble the dang ball any time any one touches you! you get intercepted if you even pass the ball! the mini games are twice as bad as the actual game and the graphics are as bad as super nintendo! Don't even get me started about the game play. it is so horrible. You have to walk in the direction the reciever you want to pass to! How bogus is that!

DO NOT GET IT! SPEND THE MONEY ON SOMETHING
THAT'S WORTH THE AMOUNT YOU PAY!
(Which means not this game because this is worth $$$tops)

NFL Blitz 2001
I returned this item to you over 3 months ago and have not received confirmation of a credit to my account.I would like to have this taken care of.I returned the item using your return label.I would like to purchase more item but am not receiving customer service on this returned item.

I would expect that my credit card would have been credited the amount by now!PLEASE RESPOND. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. nflblitz2001    2. Video Games    3. Sega Dreamcast    4. Sports    5. Outdoors    6. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Reviews (9)

Great gameplay for puzzle fans
Wetrix is a cool Tetris-like puzzler game with a three dimensional twist - you're stacking shapes in order to form pools, to hold in water!

With so many games out there involving mayhem and slaughter, it's great to find a game that really catches your attention that involves logic and strategy. In one sense, this is a game similar to tetris. Shapes fall from the sky - Ts, lines, hollow squares - and you arrange them as they fall. But you're arranging them onto a 3D grid and they stack to form mountains and valleys. Then, interspersed with those falling shapes, you get falling water to form lakes, or fireballs to dry up your lakes, or other special events.

It does take a little getting used to to think in three dimensions, and I can see where some people might be challenged by this. But it's really not that hard once you get the hang of it, and it is really cool to watch the mountains stack up, forming a landscape of your construction. You need to balance your growth though - if you get too high, an earthquake will happen. This is a reasonable balance - if you built your mountains 80 stories high, how could you possibly view the gameboard any more :) So the trick is to lower sometimes, raise at other times, and keep your lakes intact to hold in the water.

The sounds aren't great on this one, but really, they are not great on most puzzle games. I might even suggest you turn down the volume on this and get your stereo to play some of your favorite music while you play. It's the strategy and mind-challenge you're getting here, not a classical sonata for the ears :)

Highly recommended, this is the time of game that really tunes those little grey cells of the brain!

Addictive, Strategic Experience
Recent reviews of this game have not given it the proper credit it deserves.You may first believe this game is dull, but it grows more and more complex as you play.The gameplay takes a few attempts to understand,but eventual mastery of the game takes hours, if not days.I love Tetris,and this game is a lot like Tetris in the fact that the biggest challengeis beating yourself.And with that, the higher you raise the bar, the moreentertaining and challenging the game can be.And I believe the Amazon.comprice for this is now ....How can you go wrong with that?

A reason to own a Dreamcast
The game is excellent. Seemingly quite simple, it is chock full of subtlety as well as fun. The graphics are primo, especially in the higher levels, and the audio is superb as well. It is very difficult to pullmyself away from this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sega Dreamcast    3. Classics (Classic)    4. Retro   

Editorial Review

Get past the broadly sketched X and O graphics of past football simulation games with the finely detailed NFL Quarterback Club 2001. Precision artificial intelligence (AI) brings out the chess aspects of the game without taking away any of the sport's brute power. The team-management functions let you draft rookies and sign, trade, and release players, all while managing your salary cap. There are 31 team-specific playbooks to work from, or you can create your own playbook--heck, you can even create your own players and team! You can also settle those "what if" questions by replaying key moments from historical Super Bowl games using authentic game stats. This installment of the series brings incredibly detailed player models--including injury tape, eye black, and breathe strips--motion-captured animation, and the all-new shoulder charge for breaking through defenders. And for you third-string players, there are E-Z Pass and E-Z Catch functions. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

AWFUL FOOTBALL GAME EVER MADE.
Bad is a to nice of word for this game.

This game sucks
This game should be banned, because its like you are just wasting your money. the game play is horrible, i hate the controls. madden 2001 is the best!just about everything about nfl quarterback club sucks, if you like this game than i suggest you check with your doctor

Worst Game EVER
This is beyond any shadow of a doubt the worst game that has ever been made.I would rather play Pong than this game.The controls are totally inaccurate, and the game is beyond slow.If you want to play a good football game, look elsewhere because this disk is best used as a frisbee. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sega Dreamcast    3. Sports    4. Outdoors    5. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Editorial Review

When it comes to digital hoop action, there's no doubt thatNBA 2K sports the most luscious visuals ever seen in abasketball game. It's not the best-playing basketball game out there,as it does commit some serious fouls with its questionable artificialintelligence. But like NFL 2K before it, this is yet anothersports game that Dreamcast owners will want to show off to friends.

The clean graphics show some extremely well-detailed players,stadiums, fans, and even coaches. While the player animationsaren't quite smooth as glass (there are quite a few speed-ups andslowdowns), the players do move in a fairly realistic manner. When yousee the instant replay of your favorite power forward delivering amassive dunk, you'll cheer. To complement the visuals, Sega has addedplay-by-play and color commentary to document the on-screen action.While this does get a little repetitive, this feature ultimately addsto the atmosphere of realism.

NBA 2K shows some trouble with controls. This is most apparentin handling loose balls. You'll cringe as you occasionally watch longpasses sail out of the court, resulting in mindless turnovers. This isespecially painful to watch when the Dreamcast can't complete passesto computer-controlled players. These stupid turnovers can, will, anddo affect a game's final score--and have even caused a few games to berestarted in disgust. On the positive side, NBA 2K contains anew finesse-based method of hitting foul shots that requires that yousqueeze the control triggers in near perfect synch.

The create-a-player and coaching options make it relatively easy tolead your team from postseason TV watchers to championship ringowners.

While the 2000 season's prettiest basketball game offers more thanjust the most delicious eye candy, there is still a lingering feelingthat NBA 2K could've been much better with alittle more fine-tuning. At the very least, while NBA 2K is recommended, it isanticipated that the successor NBA 2K1 will offer even morebackboard-breaking fun. --Mark Brooks

Pros:

• Spectacular graphics that show plenty of detail
• Play-by-play and color commentary add to the fun
• Easy to play, but different from most console roundball games
• Foul shots are a highlight

• Graphics suffer from occasional slowdown for no apparent reason
• Controls could be stronger

Reviews (100)

Decent basketball game
i usually get nba live but when i bought 2k it changed the way i think about basketball games .the graphics are good and the gameplay is good .this was the game i chose when i first purchased mt dreamcast i got it after it was already sold out and now here i am writing a review

The Best Basketball Game Ever
My tittle says it all. Hands down, no comp., aint nothin' else coming close to the classis, the very first NBA 2K. The BEST sports graphics I've ever seen. This is a true story, no lie. Alright, I was playing NBA 2K on Dreamcast and my father walked past the room and saw only the TV screen and said to me, "There're still playing NBA games? I thought the season was over". It's crazy how technology drastically change, and that game was out over 4 years ago and nothing since has been even able to come close (except ofcourse the other NBA 2K's).NBA Live is just getting up to par with Live 2004. NBA 2K has surpass all other basketball video games and reached a whole new plateau. Not only the graphics are the best but the game play was too real. The moves were so detail. I can't say enough about the game. My Dreamcast is inop. because I think I played it to much but I would buy a whole new system just to play this game.It's a shame the whole Dreamcast system went out of business. I think people were runnin' with playstation just off name alone. If you ask me, If they would have made all games for playstation and Dreamcast, Playstation would have been the one out of business. Anyway, Three words to describe NBA 2K. OFF THE CHAIN!

dreamcast has the best sports games
I think the now defunct Sega Dream Cast has some of the best sports games out there (NFL 2K, Virtua Tennis, etc), and NBA 2K is no exception. The graphics and game play are great. I think this is the best basketball game I've come across. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sports    3. Basketball    4. Sega Dreamcast    5. Outdoors    6. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Editorial Review

"No refs. No rules," boasts NFL Blitz 2000, making it clear that this game is nottrue-to-life football simulation. The game disregards strict realism in favor of outrageous moves,bone-crushing tackles, and jaw-dropping plays. And you'll need those big plays: a first down in NFL Blitz2000 is 30 yards, and there aren't any rules against pass interference.

The gridiron action is enhanced by the voices of the players. A safety who body-slams a wide receiver willstand over the writhing body and jeer, "You're in MY house, sucka!"A sacked quarterback may limpaway, wailing, "I think it's broken!"Even the game's announcers get in on it, gleefully pointing out thatyour star running back just got clobbered.

So NFL Blitz 2000 is the perfect game to play with your buddies. It's fast, fierce, and quickly getseveryone talking trash and slinging taunts. Up to four people can play at once, two on each team (eachplayer needs their own controller).

Fans of deep, realistic football strategy should check out NFL 2K. But fans of the kind of football foundin highlight reels will love NFL Blitz 2000.
Pros:

• Terrific multiplayer game for up to four players
• Brutal tackle animations
• Trash-talking players, great commentary from announcers
• Players can design custom plays and save them to a VMU

• Single-player game quickly gets old
• Turbo mode and other unrealistic moves may turn off hard-core sports fans

Reviews (16)

Arena Football meets NBA JAM
If you like Arena Football and love fast paced, thumb twitching, sweaty palm action then this game is for you.If you're looking for REAL football go for NFL 2K1.THE GOOD NEWS.This is really a game about scoring massive amounts of points, pounding the crud out of NFL players that you hate in real life, and having ARCADE fun.The tackles are right out of the WWE, the game speed is that of NBA JAM, and the thrill of winning is surpassed by none.THE BAD NEWS.The big hits get boring, you get used to the game speed as you keep playing, and winning flat out becomes way too easy.All in all, this game was fun for awhile (it lasted longer than some games), and the more I played it the less I said WOW! LOOK AT THAT!The only real replay value comes from inviting your friends to partake in the slugfest and then talking crap as the feel of the bone-breaking hits make you say WOW! again.

Fun, but not for very long.
I can see how some folks would enjoy a pure arcade version with no reality whatsoever involved.Myself, I think I'd like something more realistic.

First downs are 30 yards, there are no penalties, there's no kickoff, and there is no realism involved as far as athletic ability of the players.For example, if you complete a pass from Young to Rice (remember, this is 2000!), and Rice has the open field, two defenders are actually able to catch up to Rice and tackle him.This is flat out ridiculous, even for an arcade game.Ditto Terrell Owens and Tim Brown, and I was able to stop other wideouts with linebackers just by squeezing the turbo button.

The emphasis is obviously on bone-crushing tackles, but after an hour of play, the only really enjoyable aspect of this is the ability to cheap-shot the offensive players long after the ball is whistled dead.The field-goal kicking system is particularly vexing, as it was apparently designed by a chimp with ADD, and requires eight espresso-mochacchinos in order to maintain the twitch focus required to accurately split the uprights.

Overall, I see this as a fun arcade game for younger kids not up to simulation-level gameplay, and guys/gals who just want to have fun beating each other's players up.Me, if I want to beat up some guy, I'll play Soul Calibur.

blitz
I think that thisis one of the best football games I have ever played.It is fast paced, and a lot of fun.I usually don't like football games, but this one is awesome. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sports    3. Football    4. Sega Dreamcast    5. Outdoors    6. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Editorial Review

Sega's new NFL 2K is the type of game that makes a very, very good first impression. For starters, this is without a doubt the best-looking sport video game ever produced on any platform--hands down. Not only are the players more detailed and lifelike than in any other game we've seen, but they move fluidly and with such an impressive array of animations that it's sometimes hard to forget you're playing a game and not just watching one on TV. You can even see the breath of each player during cold-weather games--we're talking graphical realism here, make no mistake. But NFL 2K goes way beyond skin-deep. This is an excellent football game, with gameplay that's easy to pick up at novice level but hard to master as you increase the level of difficulty. The game's controls are the most intuitive of any we've seen, and the playcalling interface is simply the best that anyone has ever come up with for a football title. And just when you think it can't get any better, you discover features like the full-league fantasy draft, a tutorial mode, extensive game and season statistics, and excellent play and player creation options. Put simply, this game makes every other football game on every other platform look dated. Even the play-by-play and color commentary are better and more fluid than any we've seen elsewhere. If you have even a passing interest in football and are planning to pick up a Sega Dreamcast console, you owe it to yourself to get this game as well. It is the new standard by which all future football--and sports--games will be judged.--Michael Ryan ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Good looks, awful gameplay
Don't pay a penny for this, folks. Move on to an EA game. There is very little in the way of actual physics calculations between players in this game, every interaction is merely a scripted animation. RBs are stopped in full stride by shoestring tackles. WRs run their routes at half speed while the DBs shadow them *IN FRONT* of their routes. Offensive line programming is horrible. Guards and tackles blow assignments on EVERY play, doubling up on a DT and allowing LBs to come free and tackle the RB at the handoff. There is no player momentum, a flaw I've noticed in a number of Sega Sports games, meaning any player can stop in mid-stride and immediately run full stride in the opposite direction. Sit back and watch the computer play: 3and out, 3 and out, 3 and out... This was an incomplete game that should not have been released. So what if it looks pretty? It plays like crap.

Almost great.
The 2K1 version of this game is much better, if for only one reason:you can actually gain yards rushing.Just try to have a 1,000 yard season with any premier back in this (2K) version.Other than that, great graphics, good game speed, and all the bells and whistles any sports game geek can handle!

for the Sega DreamCast
I thought with Playstations Madden 99 I had the only football game I'd need for years. But when my brother got the Game Cube, Playstation 2, and XBox, he gave me his Dreamcast, and a few games along with it, NFL 2K being one of them. Turns out, this is a great game. The graphics are good and game play is as good as anything on Playstation. You can force trades to create your dream team, and while you can't play a franchise, you can save your season. The passing game is a little easy, bu it makes up by making a tougher running game. And lik most of Dream Cast's sports games, it is well done and fun. Would I pick this over Madden 99? probably not, but it is a nice addition, and the two games are fun to own together. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sports    3. Football    4. Sega Dreamcast    5. Outdoors    6. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Reviews (12)

BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD
Indeed, this game looks like it was put together by a bunch of first graders.Every function of the game-gameplay, sound, graphics-are laughable.Anyone in their right mind would take this godforsaken joke ofa game back within hours after their purchase.Thus garbage makes some old8-bit NES game look magnificent by comparison; this will make you wonder ifAcclaim Sports is just trying to get some laughs out of it.

Avoid at all costs
This game has nice graphics and sound. Unfortunately, the gameplay is so horrible, I cannot believe this game was play-tested before its release.

The controls are more complicated than necessary. For example, threeseparate buttons must be pressed to complete a pass, one to fade back,another to select a receiver, and finally another to catch the ball. Youhave very little time to do this even at the easiest level. Even if youkeep backs in to block, you rarely have more than 2 seconds to complete apass. Even bad rushing teams can sack the QB 10 times per game playing 5minute quarters. This is not realistic, which is consistent with the restof the game.

Passing is also blind, since your perspective is from behindthe QB, you rarely see the receivers and have no idea what the coverage is.Your completion success has little to do with these factors, which arecritical in the real game. It's easy to complete passes once you get theknack of pushing the right buttons quickly, but there is little sense ofaccomplishment when your success or throwing has nothing to do withthrowing to the open receiver or exploiting a weakness in the defense.

Infact, the type of defense called seems to have no effect on the outcome ofa given offensive play. You can stack the line against the run, completelyplug the hole, and the computer running back will stay on his feet for 10seconds, then break into the secondary for a long TD. This can happen withmediocre backs and excellent defenses. Conversely, the computer willroutinely complete long passes into triple coverage and score longtouchdown passes against a prevent defense.

Despite the difficult andnon-responsive controls, once you get the hang of passing, you'll throw oneTD pass after another. Interceptions are few and far between. Ridiculouslyhigh scores are common even when playing 5 minute quarters.

I tried toplay a season with my favorite team, and gave up after two games becausethe gameplay was so unrealistic and irritating.

Another annoying featureis if you want to switch players, you can only do so for one play at atime. Playing the Rams, I wanted to use Kurt Warner instead of Terry Green.The game allows you to switch them by formation, so if you haven't decidedon a formation, it won't work if you happen to choose a differentformation. After the play is completed, the game reverts to the defaultplayer setting. Extremely annoying.

I gave it 1 star because that was thelowest rating possible. It deserves 0 stars. Sega's NFL2K is far farbetter.

Horrible, THE WORST DREAMCAST GAME YET
See Jack Buy-See Jack Play-See Jack cry Ok first i gave it a one because there was nothing lower. This game tried to challenge NFL 2K and didn't even get as good as Super Nes Football. Before this game i never thought afootball game could stink so much. Linemen running as fast as DeionSanders. I rented it and returned it 5 minutes later. FOR THE SAKE OF YOURJOY DON'T BUY THIS GAME OR ACCEPT IT AS A GIFT! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sports    3. Football    4. Sega Dreamcast    5. Outdoors    6. Great Deals (Outlet store)   

Editorial Review

As the first boat racing game on the Dreamcast, Hydro Thunder takes full advantage of the advanced processing power of this 128-bit machine. You'll steer one of 13 different boats through 14 fast and furious racing environments. As with the arcade version, you'll race against the clock and numerous other boats in a quest to reach the finish line first. The spectacular graphics and detailed race environments make this a most atypical racing game. In fact, there are times when you might find it difficult to concentrate on the racing because there is so much peripheral eye candy. We were most impressed by the New York Disaster, Far East, and Arctic Circle racing areas.

Many of the best elements of Hydro Thunder are likely to be completely bypassed by casual gamers, since there are numerous hidden tracks, boats, and other elements to be uncovered in this game. However, persistent racers will be well-rewarded, since some of the best tracks can only be unlocked after winning several races. --Brett Atwood

Pros:

• Detailed race environments
• Numerous hidden game elements

• Difficulty level will challenge beginning gamers

Reviews (35)

There are more than 3 tracks
This game has 13 tracks. You start the game with 3 tracks which are easy level, but after you beat those 3, then the others become selectable.

There are also 13 boats which become selectable after beating each track. Although 4 of those 13 boats are very difficult to obtain on one player mode. They are however easy to obtain on two player mode.

Awful
I cannot believe how terrible this game is. With it's increidibly long load times and impossible difficulty, this game is something that will just collect dust on your shelf. I guess the graphics are a bit superior to other games, as well as the fact that there is plenty of eye candy make for a good visual feast, but everything else is awful.

Great game!
I don't know much about gaming, but this is a great game. Graphics, sounds, controls. The courses start out easy, and then gradually get harder. However, I think I like the "Bonus Tracks" better than the Hard ones. The hard ones are hard! It's great for adults and kids. My 6 year old son has a great time and can, sometimes, beat me.
Either way, it's fun for both of us! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Racing and Flying    3. Sega Dreamcast    4. Racing    5. Flying   

Editorial Review

In Jet Grind Radio, you play a whacked out kid who's completelytorqued off about the system. It seems that the city of Tokyoto is not terriblykid-friendly and wants to keep things neat and pretty. You, the skater punk,figure that the only way to rebel is with your inline skates and a couple ofcans of Krylon. That kind of attitude can lead to trouble when you're in thereal world; but, in the world of Jet Grind Radio, there are no paintfumes, and it's all done in the name of fun and scoring points.

Jet Grind Radio's gameplay has some of the feel of Crazy Taxi. Asyou skate, you see little floating arrows that indicate where you should go (andwhere you should be tagging). Also, like in Crazy Taxi, the pace of thegame is absolutely nonstop. There is moving traffic in the street, and nearlyeverything can be jumped, hopped, or ground. Underscoring all of this action isa DJ at the local hip-hop station, who spins cool tunes while you tear up LittleTokyoto.

The game starts out with a training course that's designed to bring you up tospeed. Pay good attention to this section; it teaches you the basics, and you'retested on one of the lessons right away. Learning how to hop over obstacleswhile keeping a rail grind going is particularly helpful.

After graduating into the real game, you have the option of going it cool oreasing up and figuring out how to do the flips, splits, and other midair anticsthat make this game so much fun. Once your skating skills are set, you'll learnthe spray-can side of things. You pick up cans of paint as you maneuver around(keep your eyes open--some cans are placed in those hard-to-reach places, sothat you'll have to catch serious air to get them). After securing your fill,use the left trigger and the analog to spray as you pass by areas that have beenindicated by the arrows.

The game's tunes are right on schedule. Much of the Japanese soundtrack has beenretained, with new tunes rounding out the selection. The new playlist additionsgive the game that special flavor that U.S. audiences crave: Jurassic 5, MixMaster Mike, and Rob Zombie, to name a few.

Much about Jet Grind Radio has "classic" stamped on it; but, of course,liking it or not liking it will be up to the individual. With its freshcharacters, cool design, great music and audio, and high replayability, JetGrind Radio is likely to lodge itself into the library of many a Dreamcastowner. --Todd Mowatt

Pros:

• Nonstop pace
• Cool design of both characters and backgrounds
• Great soundtrack

• Some might be turned off by the rebellious theme and graffiti gameplay

Reviews (91)

The best Dreamcast game ever!
Jet Grind Radio is not your average skating game and that's what I love about this game.It's hip, it's new and fresh something that's has never bin done before.Jet Grind is not only a terrific Dreamcast game but it simply one of the best Dreamcast games next to Shenmue and Soul Calibur.The game is an instant classic that no one with a Dreamcast should miss out on.The game is extreamly original and a very underrated gem, heck this is better then the Tony Hawk series.It has a pretty cool story.You're are the GG's a skate gang that pretty much takes over other groups of skaters turfs and to make matters worse you are being chased by a ruthless cop and his minions(AKA swat teams)and Tanks, Helicopters and so on.This game unlike the sequal JET SET RADIO FUTURE is more challenging because it has a timer.The games level desighn just keep getting better and better and the best part about this game is.....THE MUSIC.This game has the best music next to Metal Gear Solid.The music will really get you into this game which if really awesome.The game is also pretty original cause you can spray grafiti on walls, trash cans, windows ect.And no game has ever pulled this off but this game is Cell shaded and is very well done.Every character and level is so well desighned that your mouth will be drooling in such amazment.Put simply...the visuals in this game are amazing.I'm going to make this short and sweet.

PROS
-This game has extreamly addicitve gameplay
-The cell shading in this game is absolutley amazing~
-Very Original and ten times better then the rest of those Skating games..

-The Characters compared to the enviroment look nothing alike which gives the game some flavor..

-BEST MUSIC EVER!This game has some really awesome tracks inculding Rob Zombies "Dragula"

Cons...
-.............Nothing

Overall Jet Grind Radio lives up to my opinion as the best game for the Dreamcast and is highly original very addictive.It has sweet cell shaded visuals which even put games like Zelda Wind Waker to shame.The game is a bit of challenge with the Timer and everthing..Overall Jet Grind Radio screams Originality and awesome....

Final Verdict..This game truly deserves its

5 out of 5 stars

And I'm sticking to it......Jet Grind Radio is....AMAZING..

Lates

An Awesome Adventure
Jet Grind Radio is an awesome fast paced game, with only one real disadvantage.This disadvantage is that some people may hit a point where they are just not skilled enough to do what has to be done, or it becomes difficult to figure out what has to be done in order to finish that level, and then you have to repeat the level over and over until you can get it right, but this can get annoying when you have some crazy law enforcement people/things chasing you while you are trying to do something challenging.One way that I have found to minimize this problem is, after failing a mission 3 or 4 times, stop for the day, and come back the next day and try again.This way you don't get too angry, and just stop playing.
Overall the game is definently worth it's cost, and, along with maybe 2 or 3 other solid games, makes it worthwhile to get a dreamcast, even though the system is so old, and many of it's games are on other systems.

A DC legend.
Man, when I got this back in 2001, I was addicted to this game. I had never played anything like Jet Grind Radio, and I still haven't. You're part of a rollerblade gang in Tokyo-to: the GGs. You skate around tagging over rival gangs' graffiti while evading the authority run by Captain Onishima. This guy is freakin' insane. Just to get rid of one kid, he sends riot police, attack dogs, helicopters, and more. But later on, it gets worse: some assassins called The Golden Rhinos are after you too. Along the way you build up your gang after being challenged by other kids. If this sounds a little weird, that's because it is, but it's still a good game. The skating system isn't complex at all, and not combo-focused like the Tony Hawk games. When you jump during a grind, the character does a trick automatically. If you're looking for a game that has more combos to do, go for the sequel: Jet Set Radio Future. It lets you do chains of tricks if you have the right height.

The tag edit feature was a nice addition, but it's pretty limited on what you do. Small and Medium tags can only fit 1-4 letters, while the Large ones only fit a few more. But I guess the real point of this was for when you could go online with the DC: saving pictures from sites and importing them over to JGR so you could tag with that picture. Yeah, I bet a lot of kids had porn tags. Personally, I'd rather have ones of the JFK assassination. Another extra is the radio feature where you can listen to all the background music heard in the game.

The graphics, for their time, were great. So much was going on at once on-screen that sometimes you'll stop just to admire the scenery. Colors are done beautifully, as are the character designs. We need more characters like the ones here. Each one has their own unique style. From the straight-up hip hop looks of Tab, to the techno-driven Noise Tanks, to the neo-punk looks of the Love Shockers (who look so much better here than in JSRF). There's just one problem though, after playing JSRF, I have trouble playing this. Everything's so slow compared to the newer sequel [obviously] to the point where it gets annoying. JGR runs at 30 frames a second, and there's a lot of slowdown when in crowded parts of town. I highly reccomend you play this before JSRF if you have the chance, otherwise you'll be disappointed probably.

And the music is downright gnarly. This was the first game soundtrack I ever got (read my review of that for the whole deal). It has a great mix of techno, a few raps, rock, metal, and a terrible salsa track. Hideki Naganuma should be proud for coming up with most of this stuff. As for the voices, I don't get why people go on about how JGR has "some of the best voice actors in a game". The only one who really talks is DJ Professor K...and Combo talks for a little bit. But other than that, everyone has the default "OW!" and a few lines like "Sweet!", "Cool!" and "Yeah!" when they do tricks. Not that the game is very vocal-driven, it's just something worth mentioning so you don't think all people do in it is talk.

If you're a Sega fan and know that they put out innovative games, then this is something you'll want. If it's the usual action game you're into, look somewhere else. Jet Grind Radio is an instant classic that didn't get the attention it deserved (probably thanks to that weird-ass commercial). At the very least you should get this to hear the cool music. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sega Dreamcast    3. Action    4. Adventure   

Editorial Review

Test Drive Le Mans is the official game of the internationally famous Le Mans auto race, which dates back to 1923. Players can select from among a series of Le Mans circuit tracks that wind through the Sarthe region of France, and choose from among over 40 cars that reach speeds approaching 200 mph. Also, race fans can compete in GT and prototype classes, and choose from officially licensed racing teams.

Along with distinct engine sounds, the cars also exhibit realistic engine conditions, so that racers need to factor a pit strategy into their racing. Lighting effects around the tracks mimic the race's 24-hour cycle from day to night to day. Precise road conditions and collision effects allow for realistic crashes, spinouts, and flips. The Le Mans mode allows players to compete in a 24-hour race, or compress it into 10-minute, 30-minute, one-hour, or six-hour modes. Up to four players can compete simultaneously via a split screen. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Great Game, Amazing Price!
This is a very well made video game.It made EGM's 100 Greatest Games Ever and that is no small feat. I recently ordered it and Can't wait to play.It has great graphics and gameplay.From what ive seen, this game is worth it's 4 dollar price.

Hey, also try Jet Grind Radio, Crazy Taxi, and Countless others of DC games that are cheap and better than the crap now that comes out for PS2 and Gamecube and X-Box.

Sweet Game
Test Drive LeMans is an awesome game. The graphics are sweet, i would compare them to Gran Turismo in some ways. This Game has lots of different cars and many modes of play. From Quick race to the actual 24 hour race(this will take some patience). It has something for every race fan. What i really like about this game is not just the graphics but all the little details. When your racing the sky changes, the clouds move, it will start to sprinkle then a down pour. Plus when ever you go off the track it leaves trails in the dirt or grass, and it just doesn't go away after awhile, it stays, its just neat to see where other cars or yourself have gone off the track. I know its not something to get excited about but it just makes the game a lot more real. Test Drive LeMans is a great great game, if you don't have, then your missing out on a sweet Dreamcast Game.

Best. Racer. EVER!!!
Ok, ok, so the best racer ever might be overdoing it a little, but hey, it's still a darn good, and the undisputed king of Dreamcast racers. Let's get on to the review.

This is yet another attempt from Infrogames to give the Test Drive series a comeback, in hopes of bringing the series back to the greatness of the good ol' days of Test Drive 1, 2, &3.4, 5, and 6 failed horribly, and V-rally didn't take the series anywhere. The good game in the TD series was Test Drive Off Road. Now Le Mans has changed that. While not successful in terms of money, it was successful in giving the aging series its first magnificent game since Test Drive 3. Le Mans has realistic physics, detailed courses, good handling, and just about everything else that could make a racer great.

Graphics: Beautiful! It really shows what the DC can do, and is the first game to have photo-realistic cars that I know of! It puts over 5 million polys on screen per second, even though the Dreamcast is supposed to be limited to 3million polygons per second. Just marvelous. Each car is great detailed, with each sponsors name on the car, imitating how the car really looks in real life. While you can still easily tell that the cars are fake, they still look darn good! The sky is also cool. if you pay attention, you can actually see the sky change color, go from sun up, to sundown, to night. To light grey skies, to dark clouds. It can even change weather in the middle of a race.
This game is one of the best looking games on Dreamcast, giving this game 5 stars in this category!

Gameplay: Fun, fast, and furious. The 3 F's. Every good racer has to have 'em, and Le Mans has all of 'em!

Fast: Heck, your car can go nearly 300 mph! If that aint fast, than Sonic's a sloth.

Furious: In expert mode, other cars try and ram you off the road, there are tons of twist and turns in each track to make each a challenge, you have to time your pit stops, so you can fill up on gas and get some new tires before your tires blow out, you run out of gas, or lose your top spot! The AI is smart, and well, the game can be fast.

Fun: Come on, how could racing a fake car on a fake track not be fun? Ok, so some of you aint into games, but if you are, this is the sweet part. The AI is very intelligent, and can be a big challenge. The courses are very hard, and can be very long, and there are 7 to unlock (bringing the total number of courses to ten). There are 11 championships to unlock, each harder than the last. There are a total of 40 cars to unlock, each with its unique handling and look.

The game is fast, the game is furious, and most of all, the game is fun. 5 stars here!

Sound: This game has fairly average tunes. Each course has its own, jazzy theme that matches the mood of the game. And for anyone who doesn't like jazz, can listen to rock. But not the loud rock from EMINEM, but nice, calm rock. You can switch the music in the options menu. This game has realistic racing sounds. The race starts with horns blowing and people screaming, heck if you have surround sound and a decent imagination you could literally think you are really there! It also has the standard screeching and bumping sounds like any other racer.
So, since the sounds are so realistic, and the music isn't annoying like "cough"Crazy Taxi"cough", I give this section full 5 stars!

Replay Value: Good news my now bored-out-of-your-mind audience, were almost done. The replay value is very good; with over 40 cars to unlock and 7 unlockable courses, you will be playing and replaying this game, testing out each on each car, fooling with the weather, and heck, just having fun!

Best version out: The Dreamcast version is the best out of the three versions. In case you don't know what I'm talking about, I am referring to the PC and PS2 versions. When the game was ported to PS2, it lost stuff along the way. The handling wasn't as good, and the graphics seemed almost down graded from the DC original. The PC version is an absolute disgrace, with controls that are not good for a PC gamers, and bad car handling. The graphics are good though, but that's about it.

Another reason to buy a Dreamcast: Despite the fact that the DC is dead, it's still worth buying, and this is yet another reason to back it up. Hope this review helped a few decisions.

Thanks for reading!
... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sega Dreamcast    3. Racing    4. Flying    5. Sports    6. Outdoors