{"id":23343,"date":"2021-03-12T20:00:22","date_gmt":"2021-03-12T19:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jungsi.de\/?p=23343"},"modified":"2026-08-27T22:31:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T20:31:20","slug":"dreamcast-sega","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jungsi.de\/en\/dreamcast-sega\/","title":{"rendered":"Dreamcast [Sega]"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is the Sega Dreamcast already \"retro\"? In my view, yes\u2014I use a very simple criterion for this: older than 20 years. In a few years, the PlayStation 3 will be \"retro\" for the younger generation, too \ud83d\ude42  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Dreamcast comes from a collector friend who was selling off his collection; it is therefore in good condition, with many items in their original packaging\u2014keyboard, mouse, several games, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

To place this in context, it must be noted that Sega\u2019s then-current console\u2014the Saturn\u2014was not the success that had been hoped for. As a result, the console manufacturer lagged far behind its competitors, the Nintendo 64 and Sony PlayStation.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consequently, Sega began developing a successor in 1997\u2014commissioning two separate teams to do so, reportedly to increase the pressure to create something truly great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US team led by IBM employee Tatsuo Yamamoto initially worked with a Motorola PowerPC 603e as the main processor and planned to use a 3dfx graphics chip. The early prototype boards bore the label \"Shark,\" and later \"Dural\"\u2014while the project as a whole went by the codename Black Belt<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

In contrast, Sega\u2019s internal Japanese development team, led by Hideki Sato, opted from the outset for the Hitachi SH4 processor (32-bit RISC, 200 MHz) and a VideoLogic PowerVR2 graphics processor manufactured by NEC. Sato\u2019s prototype boards were initially named \u201cGuppy\u201d and later \u201cKatana,\u201d while the project itself bore the codename White Belt<\/strong>. At the urging of management, Yamamoto\u2019s US team also eventually switched to the SH4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sega ultimately opted for Sato's design. Consequently, 3dfx sued both Sega and NEC for breach of contract, as they had already received firm commitments for the order. The dispute was resolved through an out-of-court settlement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The GD-ROM<\/strong> (Gigabyte Disc ROM) storage medium was developed jointly with Yamaha specifically for the Dreamcast. It held around 1 GB\u2014significantly more than a standard 650 MB CD. However, standard CDs could also be read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During development, there were various codenames for the console and its hardware projects: Guppy<\/strong>, Katana<\/strong>, Dural<\/strong>, and Black Belt<\/strong>. The final name, Dreamcast, is composed of the words \"Dream\" and \"cast\" (meaning \"to broadcast\" or \"transmit\"): dream transmission. The logo\u2014a swirl\u2014is intended to symbolize the connection between hardware and software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The available operating systems were Sega's proprietary system (developed using the Katana SDK<\/strong>)\u2014typically used for exclusive titles\u2014and Windows CE<\/strong> with DirectX support, the latter being used primarily for porting PC games. Native Katana titles generally made more efficient use of the hardware. Both systems were included on the game's GD-ROM rather than within the console itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n