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When it comes to digital hoop action, there's no doubt that ... Read more

When it comes to digital hoop action, there's no doubt that NBA 2K sports the most luscious visuals ever seen in a basketball game. It's not the best-playing basketball game out there, as it does commit some serious fouls with its questionable artificial intelligence. But like NFL 2K before it, this is yet another sports game that Dreamcast owners will want to show off to friends. The clean graphics show some extremely well-detailed players, stadiums, fans, and even coaches. While the player animations aren't quite smooth as glass (there are quite a few speed-ups and slowdowns), the players do move in a fairly realistic manner. When you see the instant replay of your favorite power forward delivering a massive dunk, you'll cheer. To complement the visuals, Sega has added play-by-play and color commentary to document the on-screen action. While this does get a little repetitive, this feature ultimately adds to the atmosphere of realism. NBA 2K shows some trouble with controls. This is most apparent in handling loose balls. You'll cringe as you occasionally watch long passes sail out of the court, resulting in mindless turnovers. This is especially painful to watch when the Dreamcast can't complete passes to computer-controlled players. These stupid turnovers can, will, and do affect a game's final score--and have even caused a few games to be restarted in disgust. On the positive side, NBA 2K contains a new finesse-based method of hitting foul shots that requires that you squeeze the control triggers in near perfect synch. The create-a-player and coaching options make it relatively easy to lead your team from postseason TV watchers to championship ring owners. While the 2000 season's prettiest basketball game offers more than just the most delicious eye candy, there is still a lingering feeling that NBA 2K could've been much better with a little more fine-tuning. At the very least, while NBA 2K is recommended, it is anticipated that the successor NBA 2K1 will offer even more backboard-breaking fun. --Mark Brooks Pros: Spectacular graphics that show plenty of detail Play-by-play and color commentary add to the fun Easy to play, but different from most console roundball games Foul shots are a highlight Cons: Graphics suffer from occasional slowdown for no apparent reason Controls could be stronger Minimize

Capcom has a reputation for making great fighting games, wi ... Read more

Capcom has a reputation for making great fighting games, with the Street Fighter series crowning its list. Plasma Sword, yet another fighter from Capcom and the sequel to Star Gladiator for the PlayStation, gives players 22 characters, each with his or her own plasma weapon ranging from rifles and swords to rings and oversized yo-yos. The game is set in the future, with neo-cities, dead planets, and outer space filling the backgrounds. The characters range from cyborgs to lone swordsmen, each with a slightly altered double. Characters can use pent-up energy to perform superpowerful plasma combos that are a visual treat. For those familiar with fighting games, Plasma Sword's controls should be a quick study, while those not familiar with fighting games can switch to easy mode, which lets you perform special moves with just one button. Like other fighting games, this game centers on brawling, yet it isn't as violent as Mortal Kombat or Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style. One drawback of Plasma Sword is that graphics are rendered in 2-D as opposed to more cutting-edge 3-D fighters like Namco's must-own Soul Calibur. Still, for a game with slightly dated graphics, it's a solid fighting game. --Robb Guido Pros: 22 characters each with his or her own plasma weapon Special-effect enhanced plasma combos Cons: Mainly for fans of fighting games Not as complex as other Capcom fighters, for better and for worse Minimize

Armchair quarterbacks and wannabe coaches will love Sega's ... Read more

Armchair quarterbacks and wannabe coaches will love Sega's NFL 2K, unarguably one of the best-looking sports video games ever made. Realistic plays are perfectly matched with equally realistic graphics--a sharp contrast to the hyperactive arcade qualities of NFL Blitz 2000. Not only are the players more detailed and lifelike than in any other game we've played, but their smooth moves and impressive array of animations make it hard to remember you're actually playing a game and not watching one on TV. You can even see the breath of each individual player during cold-weather games. NFL 2K also features a full-league fantasy draft, a tutorial mode, extensive game and season statistics, and excellent play and player creation options. Even its play-by-play and color commentary surpass other games on the market. All 31 NFL teams are included as are most of the real players, though each team does have a few generic guys with names like "Seahawks WR." Not surprisingly, some offseason transactions are not reflected in this game--namely, the Barry Sanders situation in Detroit. But he's in this game, so fire up NFL 2K and see Barry run again. Better yet, create a custom player designed to fit your style and sign him to your favorite team's roster. NFL 2K does not make any special use of the optional Visual Memory Unit, apart from saving your game and roster data. In fact, if this game has a flaw, it's that a single saved game fills up nearly an entire VMU. So if you want to save your game info in NFL 2K but don't want to save over other saved games, you will need another VMU. If you have even a passing interest in football, this is a must-buy, since it is clearly the new standard by which all future football--and other sports--video games will be judged. --Michael Ryan Pros: Outstanding lifelike graphics and player animations Excellent play-calling interface Easy to learn and play, even for novices Cons: Saved games take up too much memory on VMU Minimize

First-person shooters--the kind of game where you run aroun ... Read more

First-person shooters--the kind of game where you run around shooting everything in sight from a first-person perspective--are commonplace on most gaming consoles, except (for some odd reason) on the Dreamcast. Maken X is one of the few first-person shooters for the system, but it is so unconventional that it ultimately deserves a category all its own.In this game you play Maken, which is best described as a futuristic sword that has the power to possess people. The characters you control run around the graphics-rich levels, slashing their way through countless bizarre enemies as the plot unfolds. As the game progresses, Maken can "brainjack" some of the other game characters, and that ability to possess others and play the game from their viewpoint is Maken X's real draw. Another strong point is the game's capacity for multiple endings. The conclusion is determined by the character that you choose to follow, which allows you to play through the game several times without the gameplay feeling stale.Characters are very easy to control, which is a big plus given that most combat takes place within sword range of an enemy. At times, it feels like the game would play better from a third-person perspective, but the first-person gameplay is easy to get used to. --T. Byrl Baker Pros: Beautiful graphics that are free from slowdown Multiple endings Unique gameplay Cons: Horrendous voice acting Minimize

TrickStyle is one of the most stylishly pleasing games. And ... Read more

TrickStyle is one of the most stylishly pleasing games. And the Dreamcast version really pumps out the pixels with fluid animation that effortlessly follows the hoverboard riders along the tracks. One of the game's designers recently explained that the concept behind the game was for riders to find the path of least resistance, taking one graceful path down the track like "a drop of mercury." Great concept. But this drop met many a brick wall on its way to uncertain victory. The tracks in TrickStyle are not player-friendly, and neither are the computer-controlled opponents that act more like flawless robots than flesh-and-blood competitors. Still, this game looks so darn cool, you can't resist playing it. The requisite tricks from snowboarding games are here, but this time they actually add important power-ups to your repertoire, favoring function over, dare we say, style. To save yourself the frustration of trying to consistently win races, you should enjoy this game by watching the screen while other more nimble or less leisure-time-deficient friends play. --Jeff Young Pros: Jaw-dropping graphics and animation Functional board tricks Contemporary styling Cons: Difficult racetracks Unrealistically skilled computer opponents Need to place first in order to progress Minimize

Description:Ooga Booga is an island battle game in a class ... Read more

Description:Ooga Booga is an island battle game in a class by itself--think Gilligan's Island but with four witch doctors and a volcano goddess named Ooga Booga in lieu of the castaways. Don't be fooled by Ooga Booga's tiki lounge kitsch; this game will test your talents. You play as one of the kahunas, or witch doctors--Fatty, Twitchy, Hotty, and Hoodoo (yes, those are their names)--and lead your own tribe. Your goal is to gain the most points and win Ooga Booga's favor, thus avoiding her wrath. You do this by unceremoniously pummeling and outmaneuvering your opponents. Play is timed, so you've got to be fast. It's doubtful you could find a more exotic cache of weapons than those offered by Ooga Booga. Your arsenal includes shrunken heads, native animals, magic spells, and canon-shooting tiki idols. Action takes place on four island maps. You can play with up to four players, and there are a variety of first-person shooter contests, including capture the flag, king of the hill, tiki wars, and various deathmatches. Using the game's Smackdown and Soccer modes, you can vary gameplay. What promises to be one of Ooga Booga's coolest features is its online multiplayer game. Using the Dreamcast modem, you can go totally tribal and form your own clan, create competitions, and, as you win, unlock special spells and masks, thus increasing your tribe's ranking. Minimize

Direct from the arcades to the Dreamcast, Sega has a sure-f ... Read more

Direct from the arcades to the Dreamcast, Sega has a sure-fire smash on its hands with this near arcade-quality translation of popular zombie shooter House of the Dead 2. Most fast-action gaming fans will immediately dive into the basic premise of this game: shoot and destroy the zombies that have invaded the creepy haunt known as the Curien Mansion. For what it's worth, however, House of the Dead 2 does contain a pretty intriguing plot that moves beyond the simplistic point-and-shoot genre. In addition to the fast-moving action, there are several subplots that shed light on the darker secrets lurking within this eerie, zombie-infested environment. Gameplay can be set to accommodate several skill levels, including easy, medium, and hard game settings. Even if you manage to master this game, there are several alternative plot and game paths that will keep you coming back for more. Your shooting patterns and on-screen actions will determine the plot path and gaming areas that you can explore. Skilled shooters and well-trained zombie slayers will be rewarded with secret game areas and unusual plot twists. By saving the lives of innocent bystanders, you will usually be able to take a shorter path to the end of the game level. In addition, you'll often gain health bonuses that enable you to play longer. If you complete the game without allowing any hostages to die, you'll even unlock a secret bonus room. A few years ago, Sega disappointed some hardcore fans with its less-than-perfect home translation of the original House of the Dead game. With House of the Dead 2, Sega has fully redeemed itself. The Dreamcast is the only home game system with the processing power to do the arcade game justice--and it shows. We just about drooled over the graphics, which have to be seen to be believed. The home version even expands beyond the arcade gameplay with exclusive new levels, including a training mode that helps you practice your shooting skills before you enter the game. There are also several never-before-seen secret game areas that were developed exclusively for the Dreamcast. The only disappointment here is Sega's decision not to include the light gun accessory with this title. You can play with a basic Dreamcast controller, but the game was designed with the light gun in mind. Without a light blaster, it's just not as fun. It's a good thing that third-party companies, such as InterAct, are already offering light guns that are compatible with the Dreamcast. We highly recommend purchasing this separately sold light gun accessory; it makes the game infinitely more enjoyable and, frankly, some of the harder areas of the game are almost impossible to beat without it. --Brett Atwood Pros: Near perfect arcade-to-home translation Multiplayer support with a second Dreamcast controller or light gun (sold separately) Exclusive levels developed only for the Dreamcast Multiple game paths Cons: Gameplay suffers without optional light gun accessory Minimize