I WENT TO AKIHABARA AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY DREAMCAST GAME




So would run the T-shirt slogan, if they were ever to commemorate the shopping trip I had with Justin. Which is unlikely. But for me, it was a happy day; as someone who once begged the head of Sega Europe not to pour his money into shirt sponsorship and an ad campaign featuring the DC's 'online capabilities' - to see my favourite white box win out over the evil black box of Sony held quite a charm.



An explanation is in order. I was over in Japan visiting with Justin and taking in the sights of the Sony show and the TGS (already reported on here). Since I just couldn't get along with Winning Eleven 6, we decided another game was in order, so we hit the shops to find one.



Now it wouldn't surprise me to learn that Justin has SONY tattooed across his arse. His PlayStation devotion runs that deep. I admit that I am biased the other way - I have always liked Sega and honestly reckon the Dreamcast is a machine that could have stood proud next to the PS2 (just look at DOA2). In my opinion, the PS2 is under-powered and succeeds as it is the only viable commercial choice. But when in Rome, play as the Romans do, and I honestly expected us to come back with some PS2 masterpiece.



Hours later and we come back with Ikaruga in our hands. That's right - Ikaruga. Despite scouring the shelves for a good PS2 game we could both enjoy, we could not find a single one that met our expectations. I dredged my mind as far back as Return Fire for the original PS, but we couldn't even find that, so the two player game we bought was the last game that will ever be released on Dreamcast.



Maybe it's just me, but this gets my nostalgia working overtime, and makes me put on my 'what if' hat. There are some great titles out there for Dreamcast, and they still look the part, even in these days of GameCube and Xbox. But the sins of the fathers sunk the machine - too many times, press droned on about the mistakes of the 32X, Mega CD and Saturn. By the time Sega had returned to form with Dreamcast, it was too late.



And what of Sony? All that early hype about Emotion Engine and other crap. Admit it now, most of you reading this bought that hook, line and sinker, didn't you? You impressed your friends by reciting Kuturagi's crap about the PS2 being a reality altering experience. And now, in the prime of its life, the PS2 must surely be counted as a disappointment. It is as hard to programme as the Saturn ever was, its expansion plans seem as muddled as the 32X and the Mega CD, and yet it stands unassailable on the high ground carved out by the phenomenon of PS1.



So I was happy to see Sega getting one over on Sony. I travelled to the very heart of Sony's powerbase, and found it wanting.



I think I might just print up my own T-shirt.





-James Bagshawe