Tag: Gaming Memories

Gaming Memories #2: Christmas ’99: Livin’ the Dream

Introduction

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On 9/9/99 SEGA’s last ditch effort to overcome Sony’s dominance in the North American console market, the Dreamcast, was released. Promising proper online console gaming, true arcade quality graphics, and a strong upcoming line up of games, SEGA put forth their best effort to rebound from the mild domestic success of the SEGA Saturn in Japan, and its colossal failure in international markets.

Despite the Dreamcast ultimately failing as well, thanks to a lack of consumer confidence in SEGA, rampant piracy, the power of the PlayStation brand, and most importantly the PS2’s included DVD player, the Dreamcast managed to become a cult favorite with a die-hard fanbase that continues to speak its praises even today.

I am one of these rabid Dreamcast fans, and it all started on Christmas 1999.

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Gaming Memories # 1: My Introduction to Gaming.

 

Being born in early 1990, I came into this world on the cusp of the 16-bit era’s explosion on to the scene. Following Nintendo’s dominance of the 80’s, other companies sought to compete by simply overpowering the aging, but ubiquitous NES. Rather than futilely compete in the 8-bit marketplace monopolized by Nintendo, other companies moved on. NEC and Hudson released their Turbografx-16, and SEGA their Genesis; both 16-bit machines that outclassed the NES’ technical specs in all categories. This critical point in gaming occurred mere months before my birth, perhaps making me one of the luckiest bastards on the planet.

Continue reading “Gaming Memories # 1: My Introduction to Gaming.”