The SEGA Dreamcast was more than just a console. It was a cultural moment which heralded the release of some of the most iconic and influential titles in video gaming history. Games like Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Shenmue, and Sonic Adventure have had a cultural impact that has lived long beyond the life of the console they were released on.
While we’re all keenly aware of the most famous titles and continue to eagerly play them today, there are some which have been undeservedly confined to the dustbin of history. There are games which should have been as well-known as Sonic Adventure, but for some reason have slipped into obscurity. Here are the most underrated SEGA Dreamcast games you need to add to your collection.
Whimsical, challenging, and unlike anything else created before or since, Toy Commander is absolutely essential for any SEGA fan. This 1999 game sees you step into the shoes of a child using their military combat vehicle toys to turn their suburban home into a violent, imaginary battleground. The game has some of the smoothest mechanics out of any Dreamcast release and manages to take a mundane setting and turn it into something fascinating.
Alien Front Online
At a time when there were hardly any genuine online multiplayer combat games for console, you would have thought that Alien Front Online would have made a bigger splash than it did. Up to eight players can play in a single deathmatch arena, with endlessly fun and creative ways to kill off your friends. While the game didn’t get much attention upon release, fans of AFO managed to revive it through private servers back in 2016.
Hoyle Casino
This one could easily win an award for being one of the most entertaining gambling games of all time. Hoyle Casino takes you to a virtual Vegas gambling hall and allows you to play 25 different table games as you climb your way to the top of the high roller slots. The game is pretty hard to come by these days, which is why fans are more likely to head online to play heir favorite jackpot slots, where they also stand a chance of winning real money, rather than the virtual dollars offered by Hoyle. While this game is a pretty realistic depiction of the glamor and glitz of Vegas, the slots on offer don’t offer the same progressive jackpots that online casinos do these days.
Draconus: Cult of the Wyrm
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Draconus walked so that Skyrim could run. As you might expect, you play a dashing knight hacking his way through a world of dragons, goblins, and demons in pursuit of treasure and fame. This is one of the first console games to include the kind of open-world RPG elements we expect from fantasy games today, as well as being one of the first games in the world to use physics-based character movement as opposed to preset animations.
Project Justice
When people think of Dreamcast fighting games they automatically gravitate towards Dead or Alive 2 . However, Project Justice came first and managed to offer everything DOA had and more. The fighting mechanics are detailed and sharp enough to impress even contemporary fighting game fans, while the humor and on-the-nose insults are too good to pass up.
While these games may not have got much press when they were released two decades ago, you can still experience them for yourself. All of the games featured here are widely available at second-hand online stores, so grab some copies today.
