Difference between revisions of "Sega Dreamcast emulators"
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==VMU emulators== | ==VMU emulators== | ||
Emulating the Dreamcast VMU is possible via use of this emulator: | Emulating the Dreamcast VMU is possible via use of this emulator: | ||
− | [https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rai7db85bqq5iz0/AAAbnQfEJpTFaHkQ8K6nP6kVa?dl=0 Dropbox link] | + | [https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rai7db85bqq5iz0/AAAbnQfEJpTFaHkQ8K6nP6kVa?dl=0 Dropbox link of ElysianVMU] |
[http://forums.elysianshadows.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=9171 Link to the forum thread about it] | [http://forums.elysianshadows.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=9171 Link to the forum thread about it] |
Revision as of 16:42, 13 November 2018
Developer | Sega |
---|---|
Type | Home video game console |
Generation | Sixth generation |
Release date | 1998 |
Discontinued | 2001 |
Predecessor | Sega Saturn |
Emulated | ✓ |
The Dreamcast is a sixth-generation console released by Sega in November 1998 in Japan and later in 1999 in other territories. Sega also released the Naomi, an arcade system board with similar components to the Dreamcast. Sammy's Atomiswave arcade board was also based on the Dreamcast and Naomi.
Sega collaborated with Microsoft on the Dreamcast's development, and this partnership would continue later with the Xbox. What came out of this was the possibility for games to be developed for an optimized version of Windows CE (with DirectX) on each disc. However, Windows CE wasn't mandatory to use and most developers opted for Sega's development tools instead out of convenience. Even in major emulators, this aspect isn't implemented (or implemented well).
Contents
Emulators
Name | Operating System(s) | Latest Version | Open-Source | Naomi | Atomiswave | Windows CE | Active | Recommended |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PC | ||||||||
DEmul | Windows | 0.7 Build 180428 | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
reicast libretro | Multi-platform | Git | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
reicast | Windows, Linux | Dev builds | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
redream | Windows, Linux, macOS | 1.5.0 (Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi) 1.2.07 (Android) |
✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
nullDC | Windows | 1.0.4 r150 | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ~ |
Makaron | Windows | T12/5 | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
Chankast | Windows | 0.25 | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Lxdream | Linux, macOS | 0.9.1 | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
WashingtonDC | Linux | Git | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
MAME | Multi-platform | 0.266 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
Mobile | ||||||||
reicast libretro | Android, mobile | Git | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
reicast | Android | Dev builds | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Comparisons
- DEmul
- Has the highest compatibility and accuracy, but is Windows-only. It supports Windows CE games, but in general, they run worse than standard Dreamcast titles. It's also more resource-intensive than other emulators.
- nullDC
- Can run a lot of games at great speed in mid-end PCs. It's no longer developed in favor of its fork…
- reicast
- Made by the same team. Runs on Android, Windows, and Linux.
- reicast libretro
- libretro fork similar to Mednafen's PCE-fast and PCE-accuracy cores that backport changes from flyinghead's fork of reicast. It aims to be compliant with OpenGL 2 and OpenGL ES 2 so that it can continue to run on mobile devices and mid-tier PCs. A graphics feature of the Dreamcast, Order-Independent Transparency, can only be properly emulated using recent versions of OpenGL 4 on supported hardwares and platforms (currently Windows and Linux).[1] This fork also supports Naomi and Atomiswave hardware.
- redream
- Has a good interface, is simple to set up and can run without a BIOS (though it's better to use one anyway).
- Makaron
- One of the only two closed-source Dreamcast emulators that can properly play Windows CE games.
Emulation issues
Dreamcast emulation isn't very good. For the emulators that are either mature or maturing, a very large percentage of games work well, but many games still have problems and glitches.
In recent times, the open-source community has gotten a better leg to stand on thanks to RetroArch's reicast cores. Their team has been integrating a version of reicast that deals with many graphical issues (elaborated on above).
Poor VMU emulation
While current Dreamcast emulators can leverage the screen of the VMU while the game is running, none of them allow you to play the minigames developed for it so playing those minigames would require another emulator. The problem is there aren't any complete lists of VMU emulators, and the emulators that can be found are poorly documented.
Downloads
VMU emulators
Emulating the Dreamcast VMU is possible via use of this emulator: Dropbox link of ElysianVMU
Link to the forum thread about it
References
- ↑ Daniel De Matteis. Introducing Reicast OIT libretro core + updated Reicast regular core on libretro.com. June 12, 2018.
Consoles: SG-1000 • Master System • Genesis / Mega Drive • CD • 32X • Pico • Saturn • Dreamcast Handhelds: Game Gear • VMU / VMS Arcade: System series • Model 1 • Model 2 • Model 3 • NAOMI |