Sure, rumors that the iPhone was prepared to take on Nintendo and Sony may have been scoffed at in the past, but is anyone laughing now? Sega recently premiered a demo of Super Monkey Ball (perhaps their best creation post-Dreamcast) running on Apple’s iPhone. Developed using the iPhone’s new software development kit (SDK), the game is controlled using the tilt function of the device. Wait, so the iPhone is basically a Wii and DS in one? Uh oh.
How the mighty have fallen. Then gotten back up, dust themselves off, and fallen again. But yet, gotten up again. That’s basically the story of Sega over the last seven years or so as the once mightily publisher has flipped and flopped about, eventually merging with Sammy. Yet, despite all of this, they have no interest in joining forces with anyone else.
Sega’s Dreamcast was, in many minds, the last great old school console. The games were a mix of arcade ports and Japanese styled classics. When it died many hoped that Sega would bring its superb blend of games to other consoles as a third party. They did go third party, but the great games didn’t come with them. Instead, Sega as a third party basically drove itself out of business before Sammy stepped in and saved it. (more…)
There really isn’t much to say about this image other than to note how pretty it is graphically (and some might argue the background character, as well). Soul Calibur was the killer-app for the Dreamcast launch all those years ago. It outshone even the excellent for its time Sonic Adventure. While Soul Calibur II was a fair success, many fans felt let down by the PS2 exclusive Soul Calibur III. Now, both fans and Namco hope that the third time is the charm for making a truly worthy sequel that again recaptures the attention of the gaming community. Click on the image for a full sized version.
Sega is one of the great tragedies of gaming. Just a console generation ago the Dreamcast was flying high with high quality arcade ports and original titles. Now, just one generation later we see what may be the end to one of the great names in gaming as they are hit with 400 layoffs.
The downfall began with the death of the Dreamcast. At the same time, Sega announced their move full-time to third party developer. While many assumed this would turn them into a powerhouse on the level of Electronic Arts, it instead quickly ended them up in the red and in a merger with Sammy. That new combined company has done little to rescue Sega’s profits and may have contributed to the decline of their game quality. The Sega we see today is sadly a mere shell of its former glory. (more…)
Ever since the death of the original Dreamcast, there have been rumblings of a Dreamcast 2. These would have seemed to been officially put to rest with Sega going exclusively third party as a developer, but gamers have kept the fire flamed. Why? Despite the implosion that was the Dreamcast, many still regard it fondly as one of the best systems made to date.
The Dreamcast 2 rumblings were started up again last August when Sega filed papers with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office to extend their trademark over the Dreamcast name. One argument is that Sega was simply doing this to extend their control over a brand name they had invested heavily in. Still, why should Sega care at all? It isn’t like they’re still marketing anything under the Dreamcast banner. Of course, there’s always a chance they might re-release some classic Dreamcast titles under some Dreamcast Greats Hits name, but why wait this long to do so?
This has sparked interest among fans who believe Sega could be readying a Dreamcast 2. Still, could a company abandon hardware for this long and make a return? Atari certainly tried. Their Lynx handheld and Jaguar home console were at best valiant attempts to recapture their lost glory, though neither ever rose above being a niche product. Pile on top of all this that Sega’s original partner for the Dreamcast, Microsoft, has now entered the market themselves with the Xbox. It doesn’t seem likely that the Dreamcast could resurface. (more…)
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