Dreamcast
Computer Games Console
1999 (manufactured)
1999 (manufactured)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This video games console was the first 128-bit console on the market (the sixth-generation era, including the Sony Playstation 2, Nintendo GameCube and Microsoft Xbox), and the first to introduce Internet gaming. It was released in Japan at the end of 1998, and in the rest of the world from September 1999. On its launch in North America, it sold 500,000 consoles in two weeks, being hailed as the first console to move beyond the 'hardcore' gamer and into the mass market. However, with the announcement of Sony's PlayStation 2 in March 1999, a year ahead of its actual release, Sega's market began to slow, with gamers beginning to wait to see who which console would dominate. The Dreamcast was created to be a games console only, and with PlayStation 2's DVD capabilities, this was seen as a more attractive option for people wanting to enter the home theatre market.
The free Internet gaming service, in Europe called Dreamarena, provided users with the option to play against one another remotely. This was the first time that a console was capable of this function, and was highly publicised at the time. It has since become a feature of all manufacturer's consoles, but although the Dreamcast was first with this function, it did not compete with the technical offerings of Sony's Playstation 2. It could not sustain the Dreamcast, which Sega discontinued in March 2001, leading Sega to completely remove itself from the home console market after 18 years and to concentrate on producing games for other manufacturers.
Included with this set are two peripherals for the controller, including a Visual Memory Unit (VMU) and a Rumble Pack, or Jump Pack. The rumble pack was originally designed by Nintendo for its N64 system (preceding the Dreamcast as a fifth generation console). It is now integral to gaming, and gives a vibrating buzz to the controller during certain actions during play. The VMU was intrinsic to the Dreamcast: its most basic function was as a memory unit, but when plugged into a Dreamcast controller, its LCD display could be seen through the square hole in the controller, giving added visuals to the gaming experience relating to the game currently being played. Furthermore, on its removal from the controller, it could be used as a seperate handheld gaming device, with its own controller and screen, and minigames could be downloaded from the main games played using the Dreamcast.
The free Internet gaming service, in Europe called Dreamarena, provided users with the option to play against one another remotely. This was the first time that a console was capable of this function, and was highly publicised at the time. It has since become a feature of all manufacturer's consoles, but although the Dreamcast was first with this function, it did not compete with the technical offerings of Sony's Playstation 2. It could not sustain the Dreamcast, which Sega discontinued in March 2001, leading Sega to completely remove itself from the home console market after 18 years and to concentrate on producing games for other manufacturers.
Included with this set are two peripherals for the controller, including a Visual Memory Unit (VMU) and a Rumble Pack, or Jump Pack. The rumble pack was originally designed by Nintendo for its N64 system (preceding the Dreamcast as a fifth generation console). It is now integral to gaming, and gives a vibrating buzz to the controller during certain actions during play. The VMU was intrinsic to the Dreamcast: its most basic function was as a memory unit, but when plugged into a Dreamcast controller, its LCD display could be seen through the square hole in the controller, giving added visuals to the gaming experience relating to the game currently being played. Furthermore, on its removal from the controller, it could be used as a seperate handheld gaming device, with its own controller and screen, and minigames could be downloaded from the main games played using the Dreamcast.
Delve deeper
Discover more about this object
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 8 parts.
|
| Title | Dreamcast (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Injection-moulded and extruded plastics, electronic components |
| Brief description | Dreamcast computer games console, designed and manufactured by Sega, 1999. |
| Physical description | Video games console with associated peripherals and accessories, plus original packaging. The console is a pale grey square box, with a hinged opening for optical discs and two darker grey buttons ('POWER' and 'OPEN') on the top. There are four slots, marked A to D, to connect the games controllers to. The plastic has yellowed somewhat with age. The two controllers are broadly square, made from pale grey plastic. They have with protruding curved front and points at back - designed to be reminiscent of an aircraft. There is a joystick and directional controller in a darker shade of grey on the left hand side, and four buttons on the right in light green - Y, light blue - B, pink - A, and yellow - X. There is a triangular grey button in the bottom middle, with START underneath it. There is also a square hole at the front. Under the controller on the left and right are two spring loaded buttons and in the middle are connectors for adding additional peripheries (B.36:5-2010, which, when installed, adds an LCD screen to the controller, and B.36:6-2010). The cable to connect the controller to the games console emerges from the middle of the back. Small rectangular pale grey plastic covered memory card with monochrome LCD screen, grey plastic directional pad and two gaming buttons in grey rubber (A & B), with two smaller grey rubber buttons, 'SLEEP' and 'MODE'. Designed to be attached to the Dreamcast controller, but could also be used alone to play games, powered by two large watch batteries. Pale grey plastic rectangular Rumble Pack periphery to be attached to the Dreamcast controller, with protruding area at the base of the back. Black plastic covered cable for Dreamcast console to connect to a television. Scart socket at one end with phono socket attachment a short way from the Dreamcast socket at the other end. Black plastic covered power cable with round plug socket at one end and two hole socket at the other. Cardboard box for Sega Dreamcast console. Printed corrugated cardboard, with shiny blue-grey and white panels, with the Dreamcast swirl logo and title in blue-grey or white, depending on the background colour of the box panel. Bottom of the box has contenst and features listed, as well as other available peripheries. Brown parcel tape has been used to hold it together. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Production type | Mass produced |
| Credit line | Given by Kristian Volsing |
| Summary | This video games console was the first 128-bit console on the market (the sixth-generation era, including the Sony Playstation 2, Nintendo GameCube and Microsoft Xbox), and the first to introduce Internet gaming. It was released in Japan at the end of 1998, and in the rest of the world from September 1999. On its launch in North America, it sold 500,000 consoles in two weeks, being hailed as the first console to move beyond the 'hardcore' gamer and into the mass market. However, with the announcement of Sony's PlayStation 2 in March 1999, a year ahead of its actual release, Sega's market began to slow, with gamers beginning to wait to see who which console would dominate. The Dreamcast was created to be a games console only, and with PlayStation 2's DVD capabilities, this was seen as a more attractive option for people wanting to enter the home theatre market. The free Internet gaming service, in Europe called Dreamarena, provided users with the option to play against one another remotely. This was the first time that a console was capable of this function, and was highly publicised at the time. It has since become a feature of all manufacturer's consoles, but although the Dreamcast was first with this function, it did not compete with the technical offerings of Sony's Playstation 2. It could not sustain the Dreamcast, which Sega discontinued in March 2001, leading Sega to completely remove itself from the home console market after 18 years and to concentrate on producing games for other manufacturers. Included with this set are two peripherals for the controller, including a Visual Memory Unit (VMU) and a Rumble Pack, or Jump Pack. The rumble pack was originally designed by Nintendo for its N64 system (preceding the Dreamcast as a fifth generation console). It is now integral to gaming, and gives a vibrating buzz to the controller during certain actions during play. The VMU was intrinsic to the Dreamcast: its most basic function was as a memory unit, but when plugged into a Dreamcast controller, its LCD display could be seen through the square hole in the controller, giving added visuals to the gaming experience relating to the game currently being played. Furthermore, on its removal from the controller, it could be used as a seperate handheld gaming device, with its own controller and screen, and minigames could be downloaded from the main games played using the Dreamcast. |
| Associated objects |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | B.36:1 to 8-2011 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | July 14, 2011 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
