DCXBLA?

Several years ago a Microsoft insider hinted at 50 Dreamcast titles being XBLA-bound… but this still hasn’t come to fruition. Only a few months ago a leaked document showed that Sega were contemplating porting Dreamcast titles to the PSN. With news of XBLA Sonic Adventure on the horizon (*cough* despite being a port of the PC version *cough*), I think it’s high time we clarified which Dreamcast games are overdue an XBLA revival. Whilst I’m sure many of us would love to see Shenmue, Jet Set Radio and Space Channel 5, I’m trying to keep this list focused on Live multiplayer features and achievements.  

The Obvious Candidates

[youtube width=”212″ height=”152″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga62uiXbEjI[/youtube]

ChuChu Rocket! is what everyone seems to be asking for. Criminally overlooked by Sega, it has only received a GBA and Flash port in the past 10 years despite being just as playable as games like Puzzle Bobble and Tetris that have been ported to every console under the sun.

[youtube width=”212″ height=”152″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZukj1-A_go[/youtube]

Crazy Taxi or, indeed, the package containing both it and its sequel, Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars is overdue. Features like Crazy Box/Pyramid are just dying to have achievements attached to them. Plus, even if the Offspring/Bad Religion soundtrack is pulled out we can still inject it back in!

[youtube width=”212″ height=”152″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZop-YE4RJE[/youtube]

Power Stone, like Crazy Taxi, also received a combined port of both efforts in the shape of Power Stone Collection on the PSP. The multiplayer mode in this game is just mad – specifically the 4-player action in Power Stone 2. The sequel’s Adventure mode would make for some obvious achievements too.

[youtube width=”212″ height=”152″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HjVbEZgtjU[/youtube]

Toy Commander is fun. Simple, unadulterated, underrated joy.

[youtube width=”212″ height=”152″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyEnJCgTZds[/youtube]

Phantasy Star Online would be quite the unnecessary addition, but a welcome one nonetheless. Many gamers were dismayed to see the servers shut down a few years ago. So much so, in fact, that server emulators have popped up since their termination. A guaranteed hit in Japan, and elsewhere as long as there would be no monthly fee.

…and, to mix it up a bit

The Oddities That Stand The Test of Time

[youtube width=”212″ height=”152″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqNB37hqR-I[/youtube]

Seaman – because everyone wants to bring up their own sardonic Leonard Nemoy fish. Plus, these days everyone has a spare mic lying about.

[youtube width=”212″ height=”152″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba76jf8e45Y[/youtube]

Cosmic Smash – minimalist, futuristic Breakout.

[youtube width=”212″ height=”152″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNfQ_B6_xy8[/youtube]

The Typing of the Dead would finally give us all a good reason to buy the Xbox 360 Messenger Kit, although we’d all end up crippled with RSI for months.

[youtube width=”212″ height=”152″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GJiR7zOK6g[/youtube]

Propeller Arena: Aviation Battle Championship never saw the light of day on the Dreamcast in any official capacity. This dogfight deathmatch game was designed for online play and still has the panache to pull off cult-hit status.

[youtube width=”212″ height=”152″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjfFw4NwqmQ[/youtube]

Project Justice: Rival Schools 2 somehow got a European release the first time around (albeit sans the character creation sidegame) despite its distinct Japanese style and humour.  Each character has special moves based on either their after-school club activity or field of study be it photography, swimming or… preaching.

…finally, in case you missed them, Dreamcast games already out on XBLA

The Ones That Time Forgot

[youtube width=”212″ height=”152″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TF_cruG3mg[/youtube]

Rez HD, an enhanced rebuild of the world’s most erotic game (within reason). Alas, no Trance Vibrator support is something of an anticlimax…

Triggerheart Exelica shakes things up a wee bit by adding a puzzle element to the shmup genre. No longer do you simply have to shoot them up… you can now grab your enemies and use them to either attack or defend yourself.

Ikaruga… I’m picking up a running theme here. Shmups are great and all, but a little variety never hurt anyone. Absorb white shots by turning white, absorb black shots by turning black. Shoot white ships with black dots, and vice-versa. Space out to the trippy 3D backgrounds. Rinse & repeat.

Soul Calibur‘s XBLA port is graphically souped-up, to be sure, but it’s missing many of the modes that kept us coming back to the Dreamcast version. Have you pulled off Ivy’s Summon Suffering move?

Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram must require a twin-stick controller, because I can’t control these mechs for the life of me. Buy this to get your behind handed to you and alongside an easy 200G.

So… which Dreamcast titles do you think we’re sorely missing out on?