Also in honor of Sega's 56th anniversary, let's rank and review (some of) its game consoles

As you should have heard by now (I mentioned it in my very last post, after all), last Friday marked the 56th anniversary of Sega's existence as a maker of video games.

In the write-up mentioned above, I discussed five of my favorite titles that were produced for Sega's most popular game systems. Today, I'm discussing--ranking, actually--the systems themselves.

Note: I'm leaving out the company's first two consoles, the SG-1000 and the SG-1000 II, because I have very little (if any) experience with them.



5. Master System--Full disclosure: of all the Sega systems I've spent time with over the years, this is the one I've played the least. Still, I know it well enough to comment on it. Anyway, why am I saying this is my least favorite of the company's many hardware releases? A big reason is that, in my opinion, the Master System--known as the Mark III in Japan--has the least appealing games catalog of all the products included in this post. Some gems were made for it, no question, but they are fewer in number than the gems made for the Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast or even Game Gear, if you ask me. Also, although technically the Master System was more capable than its main competitor (the Famicom or NES), it mattered little in the face of the aforementioned library and the console's poorly designed controller.



4. Saturn--I'm sure some folks will raise a judgmental eyebrow in response to my decision to place the much-loved Saturn behind the much-maligned Game Gear. Don't get me wrong, I adore the Saturn with every ounce of my being. That said, at the moment my list of beloved Game Gear titles is longer than my corresponding list of Saturn titles. Also, this system is a bit of a mess internally. Its two-dimensional, sprite-based games are among the best to see the light of day, but its three-dimensional, polygon-filled ones are among the 32-bit generation's worst. Thankfully, the physical product, and that includes the Japanese controller, is a sight to behold--though I wouldn't have minded if Sega had shaved some fat off of it over time.



3. Game Gear--The same could be said of Sega's first handheld, of course. Still, the Game Gear's general design (ignoring its girth) is stellar--or it was for its time. It looks like something that plays video games--and I say that in the most positive way, of course. Although I love sleek-looking systems, I also like ones that appear toylike. In fact, the red, blue and (especially) yellow Game Gears that hit store shelves in various regions back in the day are among my most-coveted pieces of gaming hardware. Anyway, aside from all of the above, a few of this portable's other thumbs-up-worthy attributes are its Master System-esque chipset and its shockingly adroit software selection.



2. Dreamcast--It's fitting, I think, that the Sega's best designed system was its last. And when I say "best designed" I'm talking both about its look and shape as well as its internal architecture. Consider that the Dreamcast was an absolute beast in terms of power when it was released, yet it also was one of the smallest consoles ever to hit the streets. Admittedly, the thing can be loud as hell while playing a game, but that's a small price to pay in order to experience titles like Space Channel 5, Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi and ChuChu Rocket! The only criticisms I can aim at this particular piece of hardware are that its library of games is smaller than that of pretty much every other Sega system and that it was discontinued after spending less than three years on the market.



1. Genesis--I've got to be honest: I wasn't all that keen on Sega's entry in the 16-bit console wars when it was first unveiled. At the time, I found the SNES and TurboGrafx-16 (or PC Engine and Super Famicom) far more interesting. What prompted me to change my mind about this hunk of plastic and its lineup of boxy black cartridges? The 1993 North American release of the original Shining Force. It so enraptured me that I regularly used my allowance to rent both it and a Sega CDX from the local grocery store. Later carts and CDs--Shining Force II, Lunar: The Silver Star and Gunstar Heroes among them--similarly attracted my attention. Combine the Genesis' eye-popping games catalog with its iconic hardware designs and gorgeous-yet-functional six-button controller and it should be easy to see why it's my favorite of all of Sega's wonderful systems.

How do you feel about this Tokyo-based company's numerous hardware offerings? Share your thoughts, opinions and memories in the comments section below.

In honor of the company's 56th anniversary, here are five of my favorite Sega games

Although the company that eventually became Sega first opened its doors 76 years ago (as Standard Games), it didn't change its moniker to the one millions of people around the world know and love until 20 years later--as of yesterday, in fact.

Which means, of course, the renowned game developer and publisher--not to mention former console maker--just celebrated the 56th anniversary of its existence.

To honor that fact, I thought I'd whip up a blog post about some of my all-time favorite Sega titles. Strangely, perhaps, a couple of them weren't actually made by any of the brilliant people employed by the Tokyo-based firm. They were playable on a wide range of its hardware, though, and that's enough for me.

Final Bubble Bobble (Master System)--How could I include a simple home port of Taito's classic, dino-starring quarter-muncher on a list such as this? Well, for starters, this is no simple port. Consider that the Famicom (or NES, if you wish) port of Bubble Bobble, as grand as it is, is a pale imitation of the original in the audio and visual departments. This Sega-published iteration is far truer to the arcade version in both areas. Plus, its box sports an absolutely top-shelf cover illustration. Add to that the fact that Final Bubble Bobble's controls are just as butter-smooth as those found in its counterparts and you've got a cartridge that more than deserves this celebratory nod.

Shining Force (Genesis)--I know many will say this strategy RPG's sequels are better in almost every imaginable way, but the original is the only one that's earned a piece of precious real estate within my heart. As for why that is, one reason is it served as my introduction to the genre. Another is that, even today, its focused, streamlined nature feels like a breath of fresh air when compared to the bulk of the more convoluted SRPGs that came before it and, especially, followed in its footsteps. Finally, there's Yoshitaka Tamaki's gorgeous character and enemy designs and illustrations. I mean it when I say they defined Japanese gaming for me as a youngster.

Madou Monogatari I (Game Gear)--Sega may not have developed this adorable dungeon-crawler (the folks at Compile took care of that task), but the company most certainly published it. Even if that weren't the case, though, I'd include the initial Madou Monogatari game in this write-up simply because it's so damn cute. And fun. And a welcome reprieve for someone--like me--who usually finds this sort of thing mind-numbingly boring. (I prefer the first Madou Monogatari to the other three that were ported to the Game Gear, by the way, due to the fact that--no joke--the sprite of its protagonist, Arle, looks less wonky here than it does in the series' later titles.)

Saturn Bomberman (Saturn)--Singling out one Bomberman title as being better than the others isn't a simple task, as nearly all of the games published between, say, the first PC Engine offering and this 1996 release are well worth playing, in my opinion. Still, there's no question in my mind Saturn Bomberman is the best of the bunch. Its graphics are the most colorful and detailed of all the series' sprite-based entries, and its stages sprawl in a surprisingly satisfying manner. Admittedly, its soundtrack is a bit of a head-scratcher, but I'd hardly describe it as bad. At any rate, this is one of those titles that can suck up a big chunk of your free time without you realizing it--a sure sign of a great game, wouldn't you agree?

Space Channel 5 (Dreamcast)--I've played and loved a lot of Sega-made Dreamcast games over the years, but I come back to this one more than any other. Which is understandable, as its star, the candy-coifed Ulala, is quite a charmer, and its soundtrack is stuffed with tunes that basically force you to tap your foot (if not wiggle your tush). I guess some might say its Simon-esque gameplay is on the simplistic side, but you won't hear me complaining about that aspect of Space Channel 5. After all, I'd rather play a straightforward music game (Nintendo's Rhythm Tengoku is another perfect example) than an overly complicated one any day.

Now that I've had my say on this matter, what are your favorite games that were made by Sega, published by Sega or simply created for Sega hardware?

Five games I'd recommend playing as part of #RhythmMonth

January is half over, and I've yet to do more than ogle (and only briefly, at that) the game I'm planning to play as part of Anne Lee's #RhythmMonth extravaganza.

(The game I'm eyeing up, both figuratively and literally, by the way, is Osawari Detective Ozawa Rina Nameko Rhythm, a wacky 3DS spinoff of the Touch Detective series.)

I'm going to do my best to devote some time to the above-mentioned title this weekend (and then share my impressions here next week, of course), but in the meantime I thought I'd write up a few blurbs about some of my favorite rhythm games--games I'd highly recommend to anyone who is keen on participating in Anne's game-along but hasn't a clue as to what to play.

HarmoKnight (3DS eShop)--This choice could be called controversial, considering I wasn't entirely enamored with the game after my first encounter with it, but I still think it's worth checking out if you're looking for a vibrant-looking game that combines elements of the platformer and rhythm genres. I probably wouldn't make it my first #RhythmMonth pick, though, unless I'd already played the other titles discussed in this post.

Patapon (PSP)--Whereas the Game Freak-made HarmoKnight mashes together the platformer and rhythm genres, this Pyramid-developed title does the same with the rhythm and strategy genres. It, too, has an altogether appealing art style, plus it's far less aggravating than the aforementioned 3DS game, so you'd do well to consider it if you own a PSP or Vita.

Rhythm Tengoku (GBA)--Of the three Rhythm Tengoku (Rhythm Heaven and Rhythm Paradise in other regions) that have been released so far, this is my favorite. Its purposely rough graphics are sure to put a grin on your face, as are its maddeningly catchy tunes. The highlight, though, is the one-button gameplay, which keeps frustration to a minimum. That said, the DS and Wii sequels are well worth experiencing, too, so if they're cheaper and easier for you to obtain, don't feel bad about going with one or both of them instead.

Space Channel 5 (Dreamcast, PS2)--I've had a ridiculously good time playing the original (Dreamcast) version of this game over the years. The soundtrack is stuffed full of songs you'll be humming long after you power down your system, and the aesthetics are as pleasing as any Sega has produced in its long and tumultuous history. Should you not have a Dreamcast or PS2 handy, or should you simply not want to invest in those iterations of this title, though, you can't go wrong by picking up the sequel (shown in the screenshot above), which has been available via PSN, Steam and XBLA for ages now.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy (3DS, iOS)--Based on everything I've heard and read so far, you'd be wise to purchase and play this game's Curtain Call follow-up rather than the original. I've yet to play the just-released sequel, though, so I can't say anything about it here. If it's anything like the first Theatrhythm, though, it's a thrilling addition to the genre that deserves the attention even of folks who aren't Final Fantasy fans.

A handful of rhythm games I've heard are good but have yet to play myself: Gitaroo Man (PS2/PSP), any/all of the Hatsune Miku titles, Maestro! Jump in Music (DS), Magical Beat (Vita), most of the Taiko no Tatsujin titles and Vib Ribbon (PS1/PS4/Vita).

A custom-painted Dreamcast that supposedly features the system's 'best games' but forgoes ChuChu Rocket! and Space Channel 5? Hmmm...

Granted, it's kind of hard to fault artist Oskunk for focusing on other Dreamcast "classics" like Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio and Shenmue while conjuring up his latest creation--although I'm sure some folks would do just that in regard to his decision to feature Sonic Adventure.

(I can't join them because I've never played any version of Sonic Adventure. In fact, I don't think I've played any Sonic the Hedgehog game past ... the third Genesis game?)

At the very least, I think a fifth character--Space Channel 5's magenta-coifed Ulala--should have been added to this custom-painted Dreamcast's lid, especially since it would've injected some much-needed femininity into the proceedings.



(Switching out Jet Set Radio's Beat for Gum would've done the trick, too, but I fully understand and appreciate that the former is far more likely to be that game's "mascot" than the latter.)

Even in its current, Space Channel 5-free state, though, this concoction is pretty darn sweet, don't you think?

If you'd like to take a closer look at the console or its similarly colorful controllers, by the way, I'd suggest heading over to custom-art.blogspot.com at your earliest convenience.

See also: previous Oskunk-centric posts

Five more favorites: Japanese Dreamcast box art

You didn't think my last "five favorites" post would be my one and only write-up on this subject, did you? Well, if you did, you were wrong, because today I'm publishing another!

With that out of the way, let's get to the meat of this particular box-art-focused post.

Berserk--I've never played this game, and probably never will, but that isn't stopping me from slobbering all over its cover art. My favorite part of said piece of cover art, by the way, is the blue-haired fairy, although that's mainly due to how she pops from the red-and-black backdrop that sits behind her.

Elemental Gimmick Gear--I nearly included this one in my last post on this subject. I can't remember what I went with instead, but I guess it doesn't matter now. Anyway, the illustration that serves as the focal point of this piece of box art is its highlight, if you ask me, although I think the minimalist logo is a nice touch, too.

Gunspike--I'm a real sucker for cover art like this. Cover art that's full of color and showcases an illustration that takes a few risks when it comes to how it's laid out. Sure, it's easy for a game's logo to get lost amidst such chaos, but I'm OK with that (in most cases).

Sengoku Turb--This one's sure to be deemed an odd selection, but I'm not going to back away from it, as I like pretty much every aspect of it. Its overall art style, which calls to mind Japanese calligraphy, is an obvious high point, of course, but its successful use of space (white space, especially) is worth a respectful nod to two as well.

Twinkle Star Sprites--I guess you could say this is the most traditional of all the examples shared here, but that doesn't make it any less impressive in my eyes. Granted, it's hard to hate on a piece of box art that's as cheerfully colorful (or colorfully cheerful?) as this game's is, isn't it?

See also: previous 'five favorites' posts

Five favorites: Japanese Dreamcast box art

This recent post got me thinking about Dreamcast box art, and anyone who has visited this blog for any amount of time knows that when I start thinking about box art, a post like the one you're reading right now is sure to follow shortly thereafter.

Anyway, as I'm sure you can tell from the headline above, this post is about five of my favorite examples of box art that was produced for the Japanese version of Sega's Dreamcast during its amazingly long lifespan.

D2 (Bliss Edition)--I've yet to play this survival-horror game, one of the first Dreamcast releases in Japan, but I'm seriously considering picking up a copy of it soon thanks to the brilliant cover (above) of one of its three limited editions. The other limited-edition covers are known as "Eclipse" and "Hope," by the way. Oh, and the cover of the "normal edition" can be seen here.

De La Jet Set Radio--A pretty fitting cover for this cell-shaded, graffiti-focused action game, don't you think? Too bad it's supposed to be kind of rare. Oh, well, I guess I'll have to stick with my comparatively boring North American copy.

Mr. Driller--Admittedly, most folks who come across this post are likely to deem this piece of box art to be the least impressive of the bunch. Regardless, I've long considered it a favorite thanks to its eye-popping colors and its overall adorableness.

Napple Tale--The cover imagery seen above makes me think of Christmastime as a kid--specifically, the "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" TV special that is known and loved by most Americans my age and older--and for those of you who don't know me all that well, I can assure you that's a very good thing. Even if that weren't the case, though, I'd still praise it for its use of color and space.

Power Stone 2--Gee, do you think I like colorful box art? That's not the only reason I like Power Stone 2's addition to this little manual-cover-focused soiree, though; I also like its rather daring composition and its general style.

Do you have any favorite examples of Japanese Dreamcast cover art? If so, let me (and everyone else) know about them in the comments section of this post.

See also: previous 'five favorites' posts

15 memories in honor of the Sega Dreamcast's 15th anniversary

You may have heard elsewhere that yesterday was the 15th anniversary of the Sega Dreamcast's North American launch. (For those of you who aren't great at math, that means it was released in this region on Sept. 9, 1999.)

In honor of that milestone, I thought it might be nice to take a little Dreamcast-focused trip down memory lane.

1. I bought one at launch--Oddly, I can only say that about a couple of consoles, like the Saturn and the Wii. And maybe the Nintendo 64. (I can't entirely remember when I got that last one, but I'm pretty sure it was within a few weeks or months of its release.) 

2. I sold my Japanese Saturn and games to pay for it--As much as I love my Dreamcast and the handful of games I've since acquired for it, I have to admit that I now regret this decision--or at least consider it to have been a somewhat questionable one. 

3. The system's design is what made me want the system--What can I say? It reminded me of NEC's PC Engine, which has long been my favorite console, aesthetically speaking.

4. Well, that and Sonic Adventure and Power Stone--Coming from the era that gave us the Nintendo 64, the PlayStation and the Saturn, these launch-day games looked positively futuristic to my young-ish eyes. I remember being especially entranced by Capcom's arena-based brawler.

5. I've never played Sonic Adventure, by the way--I'm not exactly sure why, unfortunately. Were reviews not so kind to this ambitious release? If so, that's likely the reason. Or maybe the other games I picked up at launch were enough to satisfy me?

6. I've also never owned or played Skies of Arcadia--Given my love of the RPG genre, and the praise that's often heaped upon this Overworks-developed title, that's sure to be a shocking revelation for some. I know it is for me.

7. Nor have I owned or played Samba de Amigo--Actually, this may be an even more surprising disclosure than the one above. I have a feeling the rather pricey (even back then) maraca controllers are what kept me from picking up a copy.

8. Worst admission yet: I also haven't owned or played Seaman--I mean, really--given the name of this blog, I should've at least played a game called Seaman, right? Seriously, despite the fact that this odd "virtual pet" has intrigued me since it first traipsed onto my radar, I've never experienced it firsthand. Maybe I'll rectify that sometime next year.

9. I've spent very little time with Shenmue despite liking what I've played of it--Here's another head-scratcher, or at least I think it is. At least there's a somewhat acceptable explanation for this one--that being that my older brother took this game and a few others (SoulCalibur being one, and Power Stone possibly being another) with him when we stopped sharing an apartment many, many years ago. As for why I've failed to buy a replacement copy in the ensuing decade or so, though, I can't say.

10. I'm pretty sure I've never imported a Dreamcast game--I say "I'm pretty sure" here because my memory's a bit foggy when it comes to this subject. Assuming that's the case, though, this is one of the few instances where I haven't bought even a single Japanese game for a system I still own. Don't worry, I plan to change that soon enough by picking up one or all of the following Japan-only Dreamcast titles: Boku no Tennis Jinsei, Net de Tennis, Lack of Love and Segagaga. 

11. Oh, and Space Channel 5: Part 2 as well--Sadly, I'm pretty sure acquiring this 2002 release is going to set me back a pretty penny--although maybe not as much as copies of the aforementioned Lack of Love and Segagaga are likely to cost me? Regardless, it'll be worth it, especially when you consider the following.

12. The original Space Channel 5 title is one of my all-time favorite games--I could play it over and over and over again and never become bored with it. In fact, I've done just that since first bought this fabulous rhythm game some years ago.

13. I don't believe I ever took my Dreamcast on line--I'm not entirely sure why that is, although I think it may have had a little something to do with the fact that the only online-enabled Dreamcast game I've ever owned is ChuChu Rocket!--which I didn't buy until a number of years after the system had exited the market.

14. I've never used a VMU to do anything other than data storage--In other words, I've never used it to play any of the mini-games that were included on a number of Dreamcast discs. Granted, a quick glance at this list suggests I own just a handful of titles that offer VMU support, so I guess I shouldn't feel too bad about this oversight.

15. I am determined to own one of the pink Hello Kitty Dreamcast systems before I die--In fact, maybe I'll make it a goal to check this off of my lengthy gaming wish list sometime in 2015.

Do any of you have fond (or otherwise) memories of Sega's final system? If so, please share them in the comments section of this post.

Say hello to my new Twitter header image

Those of you who frequent Twitter likely are aware that the site recently overhauled the design of its profile pages to make them look a bit more like the ones found on social-media rival Facebook.

I've avoided updating my Twitter profile page until now out of sheer laziness, but all of that changed last night because ... actually, I have no idea why it changed last night. Regardless, something prompted me to get off my butt and update my Twitter profile.

Sadly, my first attempts were kind of hideous (mostly due to my inability to find high-res images of certain Kuso Miso Technique illustrations). So, this morning I decided to make my own profile image. Not a Kuso Miso Technique-inspired one, mind you--I wish I were talented enough to do that, but I'm not.



No, the thing I came up with (above) is more of a doodle. Still, I think it's pretty cute--even if the rainbow flag being carried by the PC Engine on the left is a bit wonky. (The other systems are a Nintendo DS and a Sega Dreamcast, in case it isn't obvious.)

Anyway, head on over to my Twitter profile page if you'd like to see a much larger version of it. Or just go there so you and I can interact with each other in 140 characters or less.

See also: other gaming-related doodles I've whipped up over the years

I've never been much of a Sonic fan, but ...

... that isn't keeping me from coveting the custom-painted Dreamcast controller seen in the photo below.

Of course, I'm a fan of pretty much everything artist OSKUNK creates, so what else is new, right?



I wonder if he also made a Dreamcast system that continues the theme? If so, he isn't yet willing to show it off.

In the meantime, let's ogle OSKUNK's controller (I mean that literally, not figuratively)--and afterward maybe go play a Dreamcast game or two.

I'd rather own a Hello Kitty Dreamcast, but this pink 'DUX 1.5' one is pretty rad, too

I have to admit, I didn't even know a game called DUX 1.5 existed until I came across this post (on artist Oskunk's blog) about a Dreamcast custom-painted to look like the title's cover imagery.



Is it my favorite of Oskunk's custom-painted consoles? No, but it deserves kudos both for introducing me to a curious-looking shmup and for bringing the world yet another pink console.



In a perfect world, though, I'd play this game--and maybe its sequel, too--using the pink Hello Kitty Dreamcast that I don't yet own (but hope to acquire sometime in the not-too-distant future).

Happy belated birthday, Dreamcast!

I know I'm a few days late with this, but it's been quite a week in my household--work stuff (blarg)--and as a result neither my heart nor my brain have quite been in the blogging game, if you get my drift.

Regardless, I'll be damned if I'm going to let the 14th anniversary of the Dreamcast's North American release go by without a (belated) mention.

(No worries if math isn't your forte--the info above means the Dreamcast hit store shelves in this region on Sept. 9, 1999.)

Although I'm sure I seem like a Nintendo fanboy from time to time, the reality is that I'm an equal opportunity gamer. As much as I've loved my Nintendo-made consoles and handhelds over the years, I've loved my NEC- and Sony- and, yes, Sega-made systems just as much.

In fact, I count the Dreamcast and its predecessor (the Sega Saturn) among my all-time favorite consoles--no small feat when you consider the Famicom, PC Engine, PlayStation, PS2 and Super Famicom are their main sources of competition.

I was completely obsessed with the Dreamcast before it was released, by the way. I think that was due, in part, to the fact that its design reminded me a bit of the original PC Engine (still the best console design of all time, in my humble opinion).



It also was due to the console's promise of perfect arcade ports (see: Crazy Taxi, The House of the Dead 2, Power Stone and Virtua Tennis) and arcade-like originals (Jet Set Radio, Sonic Adventure and Space Channel 5, among many, many others).

Anyway, I bought one at launch--using the money I'd made from selling my Japanese Sega Saturn and games (doh!)--and loved the hell out of it until I briefly stopped gaming a few years later.

Thankfully, I didn't get rid of any of my Dreamcast titles during that college-induced gaming drought. (I did lose or sell my Dreamcast system, though--or maybe my older brother claimed it? I wish I could remember.)

I still regularly pull out those games--ChuChu Rocket!, Crazy Taxi, Power Stone, Space Channel 5 and Virtua Tennis, especially--and play them on the (second) Dreamcast I acquired a couple of years ago, actually--and I even add a new title or two to my collection every once in a while.

Do any of you have similarly fond memories of Sega's final console? Also, so you still play any of its games? If so, which ones? Let me and other Dreamcast fans know all about them in the comments section below.

See also: 'Happy belated 30th birthday, Nintendo Famicom and Sega SG-1000!'

A Sega marketing vet on why the Dreamcast failed

I'm not sure if I've ever made it clear here, but I'm a huge fan of Sega's final console, the Dreamcast.

I bought one at launch, and I distinctly remember being blown away by its compact size, its heft and its power (in terms of graphics). Its catalog of games also blew me away, thanks to titles like ChuChu Rocket!, Jet Set Radio, Samba de Amigo, Shenmue and Space Channel 5, among others.

Sadly, the system wasn't meant to be, as they say, and it was discontinued in North America less than two years after it made its debut.

Tadashi Takezaki, Sega's "head of project implementation department, president's office," talks about why the system was such a flop--when it comes to sales, at least--in a just-published article at polygon.com. (Which, it has to be noted, is based around quotes pulled and translated from a recent issue of Famitsu.)

In that piece--penned by Kevin Gifford, proprietor of what used to be one of my favorite gaming blogs, magweasel.com (it's rarely updated these days)--Takezaki shares that "when [Sega] developed the hardware, we looked over the mistakes we made with the Saturn and completely reworked our approach.

"We did our best to make the console approachable to a mass audience--from the system's design and coloring to the name itself," he adds. "As a result, we went with a compact, simple design with a warm color scheme, something completely different in look from older Sega systems."

As for why the system failed, Takezaki says "it was because we were forced into a discount war when we were already losing money on system sales. Sony [whose PlayStation 2 came out March 2000 in Japan] was part of the team that developed the DVD standard, and they could develop a system around that completely internally with their own chips."

Sega, in the meantime, "was buying everything from outside companies, so it was at a distinct cost disadvantage," he adds. "We couldn't easily cut costs on manufacturing, the software wasn't selling the numbers it used to, and then we were forced to discount the system."

To read more well-worth-reading Takezaki quotes, check out the full article at polygon.com.

PlayStation and Nintendo 64 (as well as a pair of Hello Kitty Dreamcast) designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf palace

They're baaaaaaaack!

Yep, I made some more Animal Crossing: New Leaf designs over the last few days, three of which make pretty awesome "cushion consoles," if I do say so myself.

Sadly, the other one looks a bit wonky as a cushion, but it looks rather nice as a poster if you're into that sort of thing.

"The other one," by the way, is this Nintendo 64 design:



I should've known it would be tough to translate those circular "feet" that sit at the base of the system to such a design, but unfortunately I didn't realize it until Cyrus had finished applying it to a cushion.

Thankfully, the other designs I conjured up fare much better in the transition from "canvas" to cushion. First up, my PlayStation design:



I actually attempted a PSone design as well, but it didn't look anywhere as nice as the one above, so I ditched it.

Should any of you want to see how it looks after being applied to a cushion (by Re-Tail's Cyrus), here you go:



Shortly after, I decided to alter my previously completed Dreamcast design to make it look like one of the Japan-only (of course), Hello Kitty-branded Dreamcasts I've drooled over for years.

Naturally, the first one I worked on was the pink one:



It wasn't long, though, before I went back and tweaked the design a bit to make a blue Hello Kitty Dreamcast as well.



I forgot to grab a screenshot of the blue system in its current resting place (in my guy character's robo-themed bedroom), but here's a shot of the pink one in my girl character's living room.



Is this the last of my New Leaf design posts? Possibly, although I'm considering trying a few (more) handheld designs in the next few days.

Should they turn out less hideous than the Game Gear and Neo Geo Pocket Color ones I came up with yesterday, I'll share them here as well.

See also: Famicom and NES designs, Mega Drive 2 and Saturn designs, Dreamcast (original) and PC Engine designs

PC Engine and Dreamcast designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf pad

Early yesterday, the guys over at tinycartridge.com published a post about a trio of Animal Crossing: New Leaf designs that, after being applied to the cushions that can be purchased within this addicting 3DS title, allow players to plop adorable Mega Drives, Super Famicoms and even PlayStations in front of their retro TVs (or, if they're like me, their modern/mixed-wood TVs).

As much as I liked those designs, I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that the person responsible for them didn't create Dreamcast and PC Engine ones, too--especially since both of those systems actually were square-shaped, unlike their aforementioned 16-bit and 32-bit counterparts.

So, what did I do? I whipped up a few of my own designs. Four, in fact: a white Dreamcast, a properly gray Dreamcast, a PC Engine and a PC Engine Core Grafx II.

Here's what my first PC Engine design looked like after Re-Tail's Cyrus got through with it:

I've since changed it up ever so slightly, although I'm guessing most folks won't notice the alterations.

Here's a closer look at the design, by the way, as well as its associated QR code:

And here's the Core Grafx II design I came up with, as well as its QR code:

Like I said earlier, I ended up making two Dreamcast designs--one of which is gray, and one of which is white. 

I know the Dreamcast's actually a light gray, but for whatever reason I prefer the white design to the gray one. (Maybe because a cushion bearing it is sitting beside a PC Engine cushion in my male New Leaf character's "man room," and I've always had a thing for symmetry.)

I'm pretty sure most hard-core Sega fans are going to want their Dreamcasts to be gray, though, so I made a design to please them, too.

Anyway, here's the gray Dreamcast design:

And here's the white one:

Finally, here's a screencap of the Dreamcast and PC Engine designs--affixed to cushions courtesy of Cyrus, of course--sitting in my above-mentioned man cave. 

Should I make any other console-inspired designs? If you think so, feel free to let me know which ones in the comments section below.

Note: just in case anyone's wondering, I realize the lid on the Dreamcast design is a bit smaller than it should be. It was the proper size in my original design, but it looked all sorts of wrong when applied to a cushion. So, I shrunk it a bit, as my intention was to make a cushion design. If anyone would like me to make and share another Dreamcast design--one that features a properly sized lid (so you can hang it on your walls or something)--let me know in the comments section below.

See also: other Animal Crossing: New Leaf-centric posts

If this custom-painted, ChuChu Rocket-branded Dreamcast isn't one of the prettiest consoles ever, I don't know what is

I wish I could say I'm partially, if not completely, responsible for artist OSKUNK deciding to create the  ChuChu Rocket-branded Dreamcast seen below--I have, after all, suggested such a contraption in the past--but let's be honest: the French illustrator and "customiseur" probably doesn't even know I exist.



Which is likely for the best, because if he did know of my existence I'd have to use whatever influence I have (read: none) to get him to sell me this particular custom-made console--or maybe this Jet Set Radio-themed beauty, or the Samba de Amigo one seen in this previous post.

I'd also do my best to (virtually) twist his arm to get him to conjure up a Game Gear that features some sort of fabulous paint job inspired by one of my all-time favorite Game Gear titles, Magical Puzzle Popils.



Until then, I guess I'll just have to keep an eye (or two) on OSKUNK's blog, Custom Art, in the hopes of catching an advance glimpse of his next game-related pièce de résistance.

See also: previous OSKUNK-centric posts