Dreamcast Mini — What Could We Expect From This Classic Sega Revival
Technology comes and goes as we move through life, but if the Dreamcast Mini arrives, we’ll be playing it forever.
Usually, gadgets appear for a time, only to be replaced by newer and more advanced pieces of equipment. Consoles, however, endure the test of time, and the Dreamcast Mini could well be the machine that brings Sega back into living rooms the world over.
We might be playing with the newest Nintendo Switch Lite accessories and the latest handheld models such as the ClockworkPI Gameshell, but classic names like the Nintendo SNES and the PlayStation 1 still make gaming fans excited whenever they spot one on a shelf or dust off their favourite cartridges and discs to relive some of their favourite games.
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Could The Dreamcast Live Again?
Dreamcast Mini Update Wednesday 25 January 2023.
Sega recently made a poll hidden within thee Sega Mega Drive Mini 2 released in Japan. Using the code inside the box provides access to a set of questions, and one of them is asking fans which mini console they would like to see next.
And you’ve guessed it, the Dreamcast Mini is right there on the list.
If enough people who have read this article choose to pick the Dreamcast Mini right now, then it could shoot to the top of Sega’s production wish list!
Hey, it could already be on the the production lines right now and getting ready to head to shops. We know what Sega are like for just dropping products on us, so here’s hoping!
Dreamcast Mini Update: Friday 9 October,2020
Sega has actually used the words ‘Dreamcast Mini’ in an interview.
That’s the equivalent of your parent or grandparent going into the kitchen and saying ‘I’m thinking of baking a cake’.
You know it’s a done deal, and the rewards for waiting patiently are going to be so worth it.
If Sega is throwing the term ‘Dreamcast Mini’ around, then they’ve obviously got high hopes that it’s going to be happening…
… at least that’s how we see it, at any rate!
In an interview with Famitsu, Sega said “I think for the next one, we may go with a concept close to the Mega Drive Mini.
If I have to say some names, it could be an SG-1000 Mini or a Dreamcast Mini.”
If that isn’t conformation that we’re getting a Dreamcast Mini sometime soon, then I don’t know what is!
And what’s that, an SG-100 Mini too?
Sega sure knows how to spoil us, and with the Sonic 30th anniversary coming up in 2021, we might well be seeing some new classic consoles dropping to celebrate the occasion.
A Sega Legend Reborn
The only thing that is more interesting than a console that had mass success is one that failed, one that could have had the potential to go onto to greater heights and will always be surrounded by the phrase ‘what if’. Well, today we’re here to pose a question to all of our Retro Dodo readers; what if we were to see the revival of Sega’s last console before they returned to third party software creation?
Imagine if we could own a revived version of a prodigy that was made for a gaming world in another time, in another place.
What if we could get our hands on the rumoured Dreamcast Mini?
Would it revive Sega’s console hopes? Would it fill the hole that the Dreamcast made and give new fans a chance to experience the heartache we all felt when the Dreamcast was discontinued or is it destined to head the same way as its older brother and drown in the market of ‘reborn mini consoles’ whose predecessors knocked it out of the race all those years ago?
The Dreamcast Mini – Would It Work In Today’s Market?
Gamers all over the globe are going mad for the Mini Classic console series, and why shouldn’t they. Who wouldn’t want a SNES or a Sega Mega Drive Mini with all of your favourite games included, one that’s small and streamlined enough to fit in your backpack?
These miniature consoles can be played on newer televisions without having to scout around for one of those SCART converters at the back of a drawer; what’s not to love!
Sega are already experiencing some great feedback from the new Megadrive/Genesis Mini Classic, so it would make sense for them to take a look at creating a Dreamcast Mini as their next move.
But would it be a gamble?
With the 20th anniversary of the North American release upon us, the reminders of this console’s failure to win over the hearts and minds of gamers over the pond might hold the gaming giants back.
We’ve come up with some ideas as to why we would like to see a Dreamcast Mini on the shelves, and also some opinions on how to make this Mini Classic console the best on the market.
The Games
For starters, SEGA has some of the best characters and titles out there. Soul Calibur, Sonic Adventure, Skies Of Arcadia; who wouldn’t want to see epic titles like this make a resurgence on a Dreamcast Mini!
The list of titles that had the potential to make waves on this console is longer than I can fit into this article, but the back catalogue goes way beyond our blue-spiked friend and his pals. Shadow Man, Sword Of The Beserk, Project Justice; these games deserve to be brought back with some new hardware for new generations of gamers to experience.
A Second Chance
Don’t you want to see what could have become of this console? Just think about the possibilities of newer titles that SEGA and third-party developers could have created if it had carried on going.
We could have been on the Dreamcast 4X or something by now, and Sonic might have been battling Mario and Dark Souls sales on his very own console instead of appearing on other non-SEGA machines.
Are Sega hinting that a Dreamcast Mini might drop soon by releasing this Dreamcast Wireless Charger?
Credit: Chronik Spartan Games
We’d like to see SEGA opening up the doors to developers such as Capcom again and adding some new titles to the mix, as well as some of the existing classics that we’ve already mentioned. The Dreamcast Mini could be the device that ignites new interest in this console, and if done right, then it might be enough to get SEGA back on the console-creation bandwagon.
Here’s how we think the Dreamcast Mini should look and some of the features that we’d like to see.
Reworking the Controller
Of all of the gaming console controllers out there, the Dreamcast had the chunkiest and the most awkward to hold. Compared to the classic SNES controller, it’s got a heck of a lot more going on.
This is mainly because of the addition of the VMU within the controller itself, but that’s a whole other section that we need to cover in this article (and it’s coming up shortly!).
Could this Retro Fighters Dreamcast controller Design be something we see used with the Dreamcast Mini?
The buttons on the Dreamcast controller itself had to sit far apart to make space for the VMU. We needed a platform for it to stand on and four pairs of hands to work the controls. This time, we’d want to see a much smaller version, ideally without the VMU inside this time, but still very much a part of the console.
Shrinking the controller would make it easier to use and more enjoyable to play our favourite games. Yes, the VMU had some cool features that showed playable characters and allowed you to play some mini-games, but if we could see a DS-style dual-screen system where the VMU could be attached and removed on the top of the controller at will… Now, that would be something!
The VMU
Let’s talk about the VMU in greater detail, because this thing was never just a removable memory card.
It has all the features of a mini-portable handheld device, so much so that gaming fans are making ROM emulators and other handheld devices out of them using RaspberryPi technology every day, pushing the boundaries of this ingenious bit of hardware.
So what could we see the VMU do in a Dreamcast Mini set up? Well, we’ve already seen a sort of Tamagotchi when the special Godzilla edition Dreamcast came out, which brings old-school trading and battling themes while on the go to mind. We’re talking the kind you’d see with two GameBoys and the connector cable.
Credit: Reddit
The VMU has it’s own speakers, control pads, and networking capabilities; it’s practically a controller and console in one as it is, so why can’t we see this as a bigger feature?
Make this an integral part of the Dreamcast Mini; allow users to take it on the road and connect to WiFi or 4G internet, carrying on gameplay while out of the house or using it as a multiplayer device where mini-games can be used on the go.
The VMU is the key to making the Dreamcast Mini a success and different from the other Mini Classic consoles out there.
Two Controllers
The NES classic with it’s one remote was a big mistake; how can you enjoy gaming with others with just one controller?
If the VMU can be used as another controller entirely, then that could solve the problem, but if the Dreamcast Mini shipped with two as standard, then we’d be very happy gamers indeed.
Online Capabilities
Photo by Endgadget
The Dreamcast was one of the few consoles with a built-in modem, trumping the N64 and Playstation back in the day with potential online capabilities.
This almost always opens the door for ROM ripping and all sorts of complications, but it would be nice to see the Dreamcast Mini using online play as a selling point against all of the Mini Classic consoles that didn’t have online functionality when they were big, grown-up consoles and still don’t have the ability to hook up to WiFi now.
This could open doors for downloadable gaming like the Nintendo Classic Library on the Switch, and also other features such as being able to hook up to social media to post scores and game stills etc.
The VMU could also connect to your smartphone via a Dreamcast Mini app, allowing you to change console parameters or access hidden cheats and features. That last point may be a little bit out of the box, but if you don’t ask, you don’t get!
Final Thoughts…
I for one would love to see the Dreamcast Mini come to life, if only to see where this console could have gone if it had been a success.
The most important point for me is that it can’t just be a scaled-down version of the older console; this needs to be a chance for SEGA to add a few extra touches and to try out some of the ideas that they might have wanted to put into the Dreamcast mark 2 and 3.
It’s a chance to open up a door to the possibility of SEGA getting back onto the console market, and who wouldn’t love a new SEGA handheld or console after all these years?
The Dreamcast has always been a bit of an enigma, which makes it even more of an interesting collectable and also more unpredictable to guess how well a Dreamcast Mini might do in today’s market.
Only time will tell, but you can be sure of this – if SEGA does bring out the Dreamcast Mini, then we’ll have all of the information here for you first. Will they take on board some of our ideas? I hope so. They might even give Sonic a Dodo as his new pal in the fight against Robotnik. Now that would be something to see!
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Seb Santabarbara
Seb Santabarbara has bought every Nintendo console that has ever been released in his 31 years on Planet Earth. His favourite game franchise is Zelda, and he’s patiently waiting for Banjo-Kazooie to come back to the fold. When he’s not playing games, he’s travelling the world in his self-converted camper van.
Sega’s Next Mini Console Should Be the Dreamcast Mini
By
Alex Lenzini
The success of Sega’s current mini consoles shows that the Dreamcast could also one day enjoy a second life in a modern miniature form.
Mini consoles have become a major trend in recent years. While their origins can be traced all the way back to the Plug ‘n’ Play consoles in the early 2000s, they really gained popularity with Nintendo’s NES mini. However, Sega actually had mini versions of their consoles long before Nintendo made its first one.
Unfortunately, most of those mini consoles were either off-brand versions of the console or created by a third party. Despite this, Sega eventually released its first made-in-house mini console in 2019 to raving reviews. It represented Sega’s classic game lineup in the best way possible and did it in style.
Recently, Sega released the follow-up to the Genesis Mini, aptly titled the Sega Genesis Mini 2. The Genesis Mini 2 improved upon its predecessor in almost every way, and in a time when there are few mini consoles available, it’s a refreshing sequel. It makes one wonder why Sega chose to do a sequel to the Genesis rather than a mini console based on its other consoles. The Genesis Minis’ success shows that Sega’s next mini console should be based on the Dreamcast.
RELATED: Can’t Afford Sonic Frontiers? Here Are Some Great Budget-Friendly Alternatives
The Dreamcast’s Library & Features Could Work Well Today
Obviously, the Dreamcast wasn’t the direct follow-up to the Genesis, but the Sega Saturn had few memorable games and features that warrant a mini version.
The Dreamcast, on the other hand, featured a ton of beloved games, and it’s still remembered fondly by fans today. Despite being considered a financial failure, it developed a cult following by fans, which still endures today. The Dreamcast had an amazing library of games that are worth revisiting, including games like Sonic Adventure, Shenmue, Skies of Arcadia, Jet Set Radio, and Power Stone. For several Dreamcast games, there is no easy and reliable way to play them on modern consoles. Some Dreamcast games are long overdue for a modern re-release, and a Dreamcast Mini would be a perfect way to do it.
The Dreamcast also had a ton of cool and unique features that could be easily updated and iterated to work for modern audiences on a mini console. For example, it featured a visual memory unit (VMU) as a memory card for the system. Each VMU had a tiny screen, a D-Pad, and an A and B button, and it would fit into the Dreamcast’s controller.
The VMU screen would show custom images based on the game, and players could remove the VMU to play mini-games based on several Dreamcast games. In addition to this, players could connect to other VMUs to exchange data. This could easily be expanded upon for a mini console. Sega could add more games that support the VMU and more mini-games to be played on it. There could also be more social functions added for players who have the Dreamcast mini to interact with each other.
RELATED: How Sonic Frontiers’ Smaller Cast of Characters Improves the Story
The Dreamcast Deserves a Second Chance
Bringing back the Dreamcast is an idea that Sega has considered. During the development of the Genesis Mini 2, Sega considered a Saturn Mini and a Dreamcast Mini. Unfortunately, according to Sega hardware producer Yosuke Okunari, the supply shortages caused by the pandemic would have made the console too expensive to produce and sell. However, that doesn’t mean there will never be a Dreamcast Mini.
As supplies become more readily available and easier to produce, the cost to manufacture a Dreamcast Mini will surely decrease as well. There is still hope that the Dreamcast will get another chance at life.
Sega has created some of the greatest games and consoles ever made. The studio has cemented itself in the hearts of fans everywhere. The Dreamcast may have not been a success for Sega at the time, but there are countless fans around the world who love the console. If Sega can manufacture a Dreamcast mini console, then it may get a second shot at success in the mini console wars.
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About The Author
Alex Lenzini is a Gaming Features Writer at CBR, and he has been writing about games for 6 years.
He has also been known to work in film and content creation occasionally. He can be found playing a wide variety of games from JRPGs to first-person-shooters, but he will forget all of them when a new Nintendo or Kojima game is released.
«Dream» mini-hotel. Cliff. Prices for 2023
Mini-hotel «Dream» is located on the Southern Coast of Crimea in a small cozy village of Utes, located twelve kilometers from the center of Alushta. In the vicinity are the main natural attractions of the region — Mount Ayu-Dag, Cape Plaka, Bird Rocks. Within walking distance — grocery stores, pharmacy, cafes, beach. To the main transport hub of the Crimea — Simferopol — no more than an hour and a half way.
The mini-hotel consists of three residential buildings located at different distances from the sea — on the first, second and third coastlines. Double rooms of the category Standard, Junior Suite and Suite are equipped with necessary furniture and appliances, all of them are equipped with air conditioning, TV, private bathroom with shower, some rooms have balconies.
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Laundry services, guarded parking near the buildings, wireless internet, rental of additional household appliances are available to the guests.
Pebble village beach with sun loungers and umbrellas is located at a distance of 50 to 150 meters, depending on the selected building.
| parking |
open guarded paid: 200 m from the hotel |
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Household services: (laundry service) nine0013 |
ironing washing |
| Internet |
wi-fi in the rooms wi-fi in the territory |
| rental |
household equipment iron electric kettle |
Children under 5 years old are admitted free of charge without a seat. In the categories of suites, junior suites, building 2, TWO extra beds are placed on ONE sofa.
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| rental |
highchairs in the food hall cot-playpen |
By plane to the airport Simferopol, then from the airport by fixed-route taxi or regular bus to the bus station of Alushta, then by shuttle bus Alushta .Cliff.
Intercity bus to the bus station in Alushta, then by fixed-route taxi Alushta (bus station) — Utyos settlement. nine0075
By car through the Crimean bridge, further in the direction of Alushta, Utes settlement.
Transfer is recommended.
For adults: voucher, general Russian passport
For foreign citizens: international passport, visa, migration card (including visa-free regime)
up to 14 years old — original birth certificate, for children over 14 years old — passport
Residents of Chekhov can fulfill the mini-dream of the pupils of the sports club «Chaika»
88 children, 88 wishes and 176 weeks to make them come true. The program «My mini-dream», which was invented and implemented by Ruslan Kolovsky, is gradually gaining popularity. The bottom line is simple: a small pupil of the physical culture and sports club for the disabled «Chaika» talks about his little dream and people have only a week to make it come true.
For five young athletes, the mini-dream has already come true. Kind wizards gave the children a scooter, sneakers, a tourist tent, and a car. Recently, Maxim Fedorov was given a USB speaker, which he really wanted. During an interview recorded by Chaika director Ruslan Kolovsky, the boy spoke about his family, hobbies, and even answered a very serious question: “If you meet God, what will you say to him?” The child said without hesitation:
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— Thank you and hello.
Exactly a week after the publication of the video with Maxim, a resident of Chekhov, Marina, made a gift to the young athlete.
He, in turn, promised to record the first dance he learned on video and send it to his new girlfriend.
— Any movement, especially rehearsed, perfected, is very difficult for children with disabilities. Therefore, it is important to give a load to the body even during rest. Maxim now has a great opportunity to move as often as possible, — says the author of the My Mini-Dream program Ruslan Kolovsky.
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Ruslan became the director of the physical culture and sports club for the disabled «Chaika» in 2016. A 30-year-old man himself has been deaf since the age of 15. He has been involved in sports all his life and, like no one else, knows the difference between the training of a healthy person and an athlete with disabilities.
— I had hearing problems since childhood, but this did not stop me from doing Greco-Roman wrestling. At the age of 15, I fell in training, complications began, my head often hurt. After some time, he completely lost his hearing, — Ruslan recalls.
— I was confused, but thanks to the help and support of loved ones, as well as sports, I managed.
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Today Ruslan expertly says that after losing his hearing, the work of the vestibular apparatus was disrupted, it became more difficult for him to keep his balance during sparring. A successful cochlear implantation partially restored Ruslan’s hearing. The man took up another sport: para-arm wrestling. And by the way, in 2018 he became the World and European champion among the deaf.
He is very proud of the success of the pupils of the «Seagull». 88 handicapped children regularly attend training in archery, light and weightlifting, swimming and other sports. Most often, due to the peculiarities of the diagnoses of young athletes, classes are held individually.
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— Basically, disabled people from childhood work with us. The most difficult thing is with pupils who have intellectual disabilities, but we are trying to adjust to them, adapt, teach them to concentrate, show patience and perseverance, — says Ruslan.
