If you follow our Facebook page (if not, why not?) you’ll have noticed we posted a Twitter screen grab about the Dreamcast Internet Pack being released, this was a bit of software that was to be given with Official Dreamcast Magazine that allowed parlour style games to be played via the Internet, we assume the execution would be much like Sega Swirl, where the software would have been given on the face of the magazine in a demo disc style execution.
Quite why it never actually happened is a mystery really, but one would assume that perhaps the software was prepared for a 2001 release which would maybe coincide with Sega’s discontinuation of the console and eventually the services, also ODM (in the UK at least) was shelved in July 2001, with only Dreamcast Magazine continuing until the console’s last releases in 2002.
The build date of this prototype is February 2001, so given the time frame needed to organise it’s roll out, it’s perhaps not surprising Sega decided not to go gold with it, the game can be played offline should you feel the need to give it a try and we are sure some clever users will be able to get it back online too.
It was through Hidden Palace that this prototype ended up, this website is run by gaming enthusiasts with the aim of preserving historic developments samples and beta software ensuring such precious materials aren’t lost for good, we’ll admit – it’s the first we’d heard of the site, but there seems to be chatter about more Dreamcast goodies coming soon so we are looking forward to seeing what’s next and thank whoever decided to allow us as gamers to experience the Internet Game Pack. Check out their website, where these images came from at http://www.hiddenpalace.org it’s actually a very interesting page to see some games that never made the light of day and how some popular favourites were built and tested.
Dreamcast Today 