Summary
TheDreamcastwas easily a console that never reached its full potential, as it was discontinued by Sega in 2001.Featuring a strong libraryof first-party games and some fantastic third-party sports titles, it was a console that everyone could find something to play on. But some of the best games that were produced for the console featured complex systems and challenging design, something that’s been a part of the fabric of Sega since the beginning.
What stands out about the Dreamcast’s most difficult games is the variety. Everything from RPGs to fighting games, all the way to shmups and adventure games, Sega made a point to cover all their bases when it comes to their hardest games.
8Mortal Kombat Gold
GameFAQs Difficulty Ranking: 3.02/5
Sega andMortal Kombatgo way back, as it was the Genesis version of the original game that featured a blood code to restore the violence that other home console versions lacked. This updated version ofMortal Kombat 4, a Dreamcast exclusive, was keen on continuing the franchise tradition of offering a challenging tower of fighters to face off against.
Familiar faces like Sub-Zero, Sonya, and Raiden werejoined by a few charactersthat had been absent fromMortal Kombatfor a bit, such as Baraka and Cyrax. The AI is quick, forcing the player to fully come to grips with its impressive 3D engine.MK Goldis a tight, aggressive fighting game that is one of the most challenging fighters on the system.
The Dreamcast was home to some truly fantastic RPGs, some of which could be counted amongthe best of the generation. But perhaps no RPG on the console challenges the player as much asSkies of Arcadia, as its large world and fantastic turn-based battle system tests the mettle of its audience like no other.
Set in the eponymous kingdom known as Arcadia, this turn-based role-playing game puts the player in the middle of a dangerous world that is ripe for exploration. Battles often feel dangerous due to the open-ended feeling of the world, as players need to make use of airships to find better gear and fill out the map. It’s an intoxicating loop that will often put the player at risk, which still feels great to play to this day.
Like so many of the greatest games on the Dreamcast,Crazy Taxibegan its life in the arcades and was easily one of Sega’s greatest accomplishments during this generation. One thing that makesCrazy Taxiso fabulous to play is the amount of skill and memory required to achieve a high score, asdriving through the frenetic streetsand remembering the best routes is crucial.
So, while it’s possible to simply play the game by driving passengers from point A to point B, the true test ofCrazy Taxiis to combine stunts, big jumps, and shortcuts to maximize time and get a higher score. It’s a simple concept with deep execution.
Originally released on the PlayStation 1 in 1999,Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaveron the Dreamcast featured numerous improvements and is still the definitive way to play it. As an early attempt at solving the 3D perspective issue of the 1990s,Soul Reavertook a chance by presenting a dangerous andchallenging world to explore.
This dark, dreary world is complemented by the nightmarish enemies and monsters that inhabit it.Soul Reaverpits the main character Raziel against Lovecraftian creatures, as well as some fearsome bosses. The two battles against series villain Kain and the hideous Zephon are highlights, tasking the player with using all of their extraordinary abilities to survive.
Resident Evilis a franchise that has tended to find joy in challenging the player, either through tricky puzzles, boss battles, or overwhelming them with zombies and other creatures.AndResident Evil Code: Veronica, which originally started development as a way to bringResident Evil 2to the Sega Saturn, was not going to abandon that.
By the time of its release, the franchise had started to ignore the survival aspect and had started transitioning into more action-focused adventures. ButCode: Veronicastarted to eek back towards that philosophy, as conserving ammo was a huge part of the design once more.
3Illbleed
GameFAQs Difficulty Ranking: 3.79/5
Illbleedwas initially conceived as a sequel to the Dreamcast exclusive action gameBlue Stinger, but it eventually became a survival horror title influenced by film contemporaries likeScream.This unique horror gamestars a cast of six playable characters, each of them exploring theme parks based on fictional horror films.
Combat is not a focus ofIllbleed. Instead, the game focuses on solving puzzles and getting rid of traps. Before games likeEternal Darknesspopularized sanity meters,Illbleedtasked players with watching and maintaining multiple bars that, if left unchecked, could result in death.
2Ecco The Dolphin: Defender Of The Future
GameFAQs Difficulty Ranking: 3.91/5
AsEcco the Dolphinoriginated during the 16-bit generation of consoles, it was a franchise steeped in challenge, as the original games on the Genesis were quite hard. So, when Sega decided to bring theEccoseries into the third dimension, they brought the same degree of difficulty along with it.
It’s rather easy to get lost, as the levels are fairly wide open and prone to misleading the player. In addition to getting lost, thevariety of different underwaterenemies is also quite aggressive in their pursuit of the player, as Ecco is under attack from sharks, turtles, and a pesky manta ray.
If there’s any genre that has a well-earned reputation for difficulty,it’s the shmup. These quarter-munching games originated in the arcades, but their transition into home consoles kept the trademark high skill level requirement intact. One of the hardest, most difficult shmups on the Dreamcast, and indeed of all time, isIkaruga.
Developed by Treasure as a spiritual successor toRadiant Silvergun,Ikarugaalso sought to change the expectations of the genre, as it foregoes power-ups and instead relies on the player to make use of its unique mechanics to survive. By swapping between black and white, the player can absorb bullets from their current color to tee up a powerful laser blast. It’s a truly unique and often outrageously difficult game but is still just as rewarding today as it was back then.
