Sega's Dreamcast game console   VIDEO CNN's Rick Lockridge reports on the release of the new graphic intensive Sega Dreamcast. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K

In this story: What's it got under the hood? It's all about the games How do you control all that power? Take it surfing Should you buy a Dreamcast? RELATED STORIES, SITES

September 9, 1999
Web posted at: 1:47 p.m. EDT (1747 GMT)

By John Robinson
CNN Interactive Senior Associate Editor

(CNN) -- The gaming world just got a little more exciting Thursday and a bit more confusing. Sega's $199 Dreamcast console arrived in U.S. stores and is the first console game machine to sport a 128-bit architecture.

With the Dreamcast, Sega hopes to corner a larger chunk of the multi-billion dollar video game industry, an industry in which they currently only have a one percent share. Sega can't afford to lose and is putting $100 million into an advertising campaign to ensure that it doesn't. Things look good so far. Over 300,000 pre-orders were taken for the Dreamcast with some hardcore gamers lining up early Wednesday night to be the first to get their hands on the next-generation wonder.

What's it got under the hood?

Dreamcast is hoping to take console gaming to the next level, packing hardware you would normally only find in a powerful PC. In addition to the 128-bit architecture, the Dreamcast also boasts a 200 MHz Hitachi processor, a NEC Power VR graphics chip and a 64 channel Yamaha audio chip. It has 26 megabytes of RAM, which may not seem like a lot to PC owners but all of that memory is dedicated to playing games. What does all that computing power do for the games? Well, simply put, it translates to faster, smoother, more detailed action on the screen. And that is a very good thing.

The Dreamcast control pad

On the outside, the Dreamcast looks like your average game console, except a little smaller and boxier. It is creamy white in color with four controller ports on the front and the familiar orange swirl logo on top of the circular CD door. Another thing you will notice right away is the Windows CE sticker on the front. Yes, it uses a scaled down version of Windows that is commonly used in small laptops and handheld computers. Setting up the Dreamcast is a breeze and the only thing that is different from other systems is that you have set the date and the time. From there, all you have to do is pop in a game disc and start playing.

While the game discs may look like regular CD-ROMs, they're not. They are high-density CD format called called GD-ROM, which stands for Gigabyte Disc. A normal CD holds 650 megabytes of data and the GD holds, you guessed it, a full gigabyte. That translates to an extra 350 megabytes of game data for bigger, more detailed games. Because it is not a common optical format, the GD-ROMs will also be more difficult for software pirates to copy. Reading all that data is a 12x GD-ROM drive that, albeit noisy, does a good job of keeping the load times to a minimum.

Midway's arcade boxer 'Ready 2 Rumble'

It's all about the games

The Dreamcast definitely has some pretty impressive technical specs but the question that begs to be answered is 'How does it play?' "Ready 2 Rumble" from Midway seemed like a good place to start and boy was it ever a good choice.

"Ready 2 Rumble" is an arcade boxing game that features silly boxers with names like Afro Thunder and Boris Knockimov. If this game is any indication of what the Dreamcast has in store, then the future looks quite good. Extremely detailed boxers and buttery-smooth movement make this game a delight to play and watch. What separates this game from its console brethren is that every detail is sharp. No longer are the backgrounds sacrificed for more detailed player models. The crowds now actually move and cheer instead of looking like a blurry patch of colors.

The control scheme in Ready 2 Rumble is thankfully very simple with two buttons for left punches and two buttons for right punches. The analog triggers are used to block high and low. As you play the game for a bit, you'll discover that each boxer has several signature moves that can be pulled off by using the analog stick and one of the punch buttons simultaneously.

Sega Sports' impressive football title 'NFL2K'

How do you control all that power?

The Dreamcast controller at first glance looks a bit daunting; it kind of resembles a really fat, grey bat. In reality, adults with large hands may find it feels a little small which means it is probably a good size for most kids. The controller also has a gaping hole in the top and two slots in the back. Not to worry, the top slot houses the VMU (Visual Memory Unit) and the bottom slot is for a Jump Pack that provides force feedback.

The button layout on the controller face is well conceived and seems fairly natural once you play with it for a while. There is a digital directional pad and an analog stick on the left side and four colored buttons on the right side. There are also two analog triggers located on the underside of the controller. The cool thing about the triggers is that they actually respond to how much you squeeze them. Racing games will most definitely benefit from this added precision.

The VMU is really a memory card that also has a directional pad, two buttons and a tiny LCD screen. With the VMU installed in the controller you will have your own little screen right on the controller for saving files and various other game functions. One of the coolest things about it so far is the ability to call plays in the Sega Sports title "NFL 2K". You can also pop it out and take it along with you so you can play mini games, build up your characters or trade data with other VMUs.

Take it surfing

A review of the Dreamcast system would not be complete without mentioning that it also comes with a 56k modem built in. Pop in the supplied web browser disc, plug into a phone line, follow the instructions and you'll soon be browsing the Web. The preferred service provider for the Dreamcast is AT&T but you can use your own service provider as long as it supports PPP transfer. (Sorry, no AOL)

The Visual Memory Unit

Surfing the Web can be a very tedious endeavor with a gamepad but Sega promises that a keyboard will be available soon. Even so, the Web browser is easy to use and cnn.com loaded pretty quick and looked great on a 27" TV (Note: Reviewer is biased). As of 9/9/99, none of the Dreamcast games support online play but hopefully that will change in the near future. You can, however, log on to the Dreamcast Web site and get tips and info about the games.

Should you buy a Dreamcast?

So far, third party support for the Dreamcast is very broad with 18 companies on board to produce titles for the system. Currently, there are 16 titles available with dozens more promised by the end of the year. Whether or not the enthusiasm will be the same a year down the road has yet to be seen. Sony and Nintendo both have new systems coming next year and they will surely put the Dreamcast to the ultimate test. Even so, right now the Dreamcast console is a quality product and a wise purchase.

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.