Virtua Neptune's Top 10 Dreamcast Games

 This list has changed many times over the years, but there are titles in here that have been there since the very beginning. Remember, just because I didn't have a game you liked here, doesn't mean I didn't like it, it simply means it couldn't fit in the top 10. So, just remember that this is my list and there's always room for suggestion. Just do so nicely.

                                                                10. Sonic Adventure 

Sonic's endevors on the Dreamcast have been complicated in more ways than one, but a lot o people will agree that Sonic Adventure is arguably his best venture into 3D, especially compared to his Wii titles. The free roaming aspects, coupled with the three dimensional gameplay, along with the story make this game a very diverse and engrossing game. It's not perfect and it has a few rough patches where the pacing is very slow, but this is a wholly enjoyable title. 

                                                                9. Marvel vs Capcom 2

Fighting games are where Sega systems excel, thanks in part to Capcom and their astoundingly great library. It was a tough decision between Capcom vs SNK and Street Fighter III, as there has been found new respect for the third SF title. Marvel vs Capcom 2 edges them out by having a grand display of characters, fluid controls, amazing backgrounds and just all around great OST. This choice is subjective among the great array of fighting games the Dreamcast possesses, but if you ever get a chance to play this on the console or the arcade, do it.

                                                            8. Spawn In the Demon's Hand

This was a title, that was very surprisingly good. At first, it looked like a mindless action game with a bunch of random action set pieces. Then it turned out to be a mindless action game with a bunch of random action set pieces, but that made it somewhat addictive. Killing Spawn characters very quickly becomes second nature with this title and unlocking the hidden ones while also testing them out is a highlight. Play this with friends and grind them into Virtua Pulp!!!

                                                                        7. Jet Set Radio

Released in America as Jet Grind Radio, this game came with my system! I was immediately pulled into this strange world where authorities can just shoot someone for graffiti, whether they are just a teenager or unarmed or whatever. The cell shaded graphics, stylistic art, unique character designs and fluid gameplay make this game something of a staple of the system. It symbolizes the Dreamcast as one of its flagship titles and still has a rather large following to this day. 

                                                                    6. Gauntlet Legends

It doesn't matter who you are. If you love arcade style games, fantasy and killing orcs, you should have gotten this game yesterday. This game is perfect for gaming parties because the coop is some of the most legendary of the legends. The gameplay is almost identical to the NES titles, with the top-down view, projectile weapons and party-style gameplay but the graphics take quite a gigantic leap. The artstyle of Gauntlet is very stylistic, as is its many memes such as "Red Wizard is about to die". 

                                                                    5. Virtua Fighter 3tb

A continuation of the series that kept up the standard of greatness for the final title on a Sega system. Team Battle brings about the mechanic of fighting with multiple characters in one match, but honestly, it didn't really need to. It's far better with the standard one on one, three round gameplay, as the matches don't take several minutes more each. With new characters added to the roster and several more game features, Virtua Fighter 3 boasts to be among the greatest fighters on the Dreamcast.

                                                                    4. Skies of Arcadia

High flying adventure with good old science fiction and fantasy mixed. It's really hard to go wrong when you put so much work in all of the right places. The graphics, gameplay, characters, story, just about everything is just rather pleasant all around. It does have a few rather harsh difficulty spikes and sometimes the villains can be downright sadistic with their strongest moves being spammed, but those are nitpicks if anything compared to everything else about this wonderful Dreamcast title. The Gamecube version wasn't enough, this game is still sought after for a port to current consoles.

                                                                        3. Power Stone

Even with all of the fighting games on this list, others like Soul Calibur, Dead or Alive 2, and the honorables mentioned, somehow, this random, brand new title came out along with the Dreamcast and it was majestic. Power Stone has, perhaps, one of the best 3D environment fighting styles, period. The controls are amazingly smooth, the fights are hard hitting, the character designs are gorgeous and the game is just all around beautiful to look at. The mechanic of the gems and collecting them for an ultimate form made this one of the more unique titles for the genre and yet this is another title that got one sequel on the Dreamcast and we have not heard a peep since (unless you count the ports on the PSP, which I don't). 

                                                                    2. Crazy Taxi

Great behind the wheel and try not to hit the people who give you money. Crazy Taxi is hard to pin down when it comes to why it is so popular. It could be the very strange voice of the announcer who is trying to be cool with every fiber of his being, so he succeeds by default, or it could be the fact that the driving controls really are quite crazy. You have a decent control of your car, but not so much that it's a very easy game. In fact, this game takes some practice. Still, what's wrong with a little car-crashing mayhem once in a while? This game is especially good at the arcade with a steering wheel and shift.

                                                                1. House of the Dead 2

This game being my favorite has to do more with its timing than anything else. House of the Dead 1 and 2 have been Sega rail-shooting legends for a reason. The zombie chunks are chunkier and the monsters are bigger here in the sequel. It has wondrously gory graphics but it also has a wonderful sense of humor. Whoever did the voice work on this title should be ashamed but at the same time very proud of themselves. The voice are terrible and it's hilarious to the point of bursting. The bad lines are so quotable and you'll never hear the end of "Don't come! Don't come!"

So, there you have it. As far as Virtua Neptune is concerned, these are the cream of the crop. There are so many other great games, and sometimes it looks like there's no bad games at all on the DC. This is obviously not true, but there is a surprisingly small number of them. It really just goes to show you how a dense library of truly fun and playable games can earn you a legacy and a following as this system has. Do not give these games a miss, they are too awesome! Virtua Dive!