Difference between revisions of "Dreamcast third-party Visual Memory Units"

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Revision as of 12:33, 5 June 2019

The Sega Dreamcast's Visual Memory Units are an interesting peripheral, but as memory cards they have several flaws. The built in-screen made them comparitively more expensive than memory cards found on rival consoles such as the PlayStation, and because of its design, a VMU is limited to about 128kB (1Mb) of storage - 200 "blocks" in Dreamcast terms.

Considering the original PlayStation matched this storage space in 1994, and the PlayStation 2 could offer a whopping 4MB (32 times more memory than a VMU) for less money, it was often considered a wiser idea to go down the third-party route, investing in memory cards which lack the VMU's exclusive features, but are significantly cheaper as a result. There are other reasons for this too - having a memory unit with a screen in the second controller port in a Dreamcast controller is a pointless exercise, as you'll not be able to see it, and cards without screens don't require their own batteries.

Dozens of memory cards were produced for the Dreamcast, usually 128kB (1Mb; 200 blocks), 256kB (2Mb; 400 blocks) or 512kB (4Mb; 800 blocks) in size. For cards larger than 128kB there is usually a switch to toggle between blocks of 200. Sega later produced their own 4x Memory Card in response to these ideas but these were not as widely released. The most notable card is the Massive Memory Card Plus, which contains 1MB (8Mb; 800 blocks) of save game storage.

This page lists all of the memory cards we know about. It is likely incomplete.

Box Name Brand Date & Price Images Documentation
MemoryCard3AGames4Mb DC Box Front Green.jpg
4 Mega (512kB; green) 3A Games (>=1999)


4 Mega (512kB; blue) 3A Games (>=1999)
MemoryCard3AGames4Mb DC Box Front Blue.jpg


?? 3D2 (>=1999)


4 meg (transparent) CCL (>=1999)


4 meg (purple) CCL (>=1999)


DCMemoryCard DC Box Front Blue.jpg
DC Memory Card (128kB; blue) Console Mate (>=1999)


?? Electronics Boutique (>=1999)


MemoryCardNexus4Mb DC Box Front Green.jpg
Nexus 4 Meg (512kB; green) EMS (>=1999)
Nexus Green Front Back.jpg


Nexus 4 Meg (512kB; blue) EMS (>=1999)
MemoryCardNexus4Mb DC Blue.jpg


Nexus 4 Meg (512kB; purple) EMS (>=1999)
Nexus4Meg DC EMS Purple.jpg


?? GAME (>=1999)


?? Games Depot Accessories (>=1999)


DC Memory 2 (256kB; blue) Gametech (>=1999)
DCMemory2 DC Blue.jpg


DC Memory 2 (256kB; purple) Gametech (>=1999)
DCMemory2 DC Purple.jpg


DC Memory 2 (256kB; black) Gametech (>=1999)


DCMemory4 DC JP Box Front Blue.jpg
DC Memory 4 (DCメモリーフォー4) (512kB; clear blue) Gametech (>=1999)


DCMemory4 DC JP Box Front Purple.jpg
DC Memory 4 (512kB; clear purple) Gametech (>=1999)


DCMemory4 DC JP Box Front Grey.jpg
DC Memory 4 (512kB; smoke gray) Gametech (>=1999)


DC Memory 4 (512kB; black) Gametech (>=1999)


2 Mega (256kB; blue) Innovation (>=1999)


4 Mega (512kB; orange) Innovation (>=1999)
4Mega.jpg


4 Mega Memory Card with PC Link Innovation (>= 1999)


MemoryCardIntec DC Box Front.jpg
Memory Card (128kB) Intec (>=1999)
MemoryCardIntec1Mb DC.jpg


1MbMemory Joytech Black Box Front.jpg
1Mb Memory Card (128kB; black) Joytech UK: £12.99[1][2] (2000)


1Mb Memory Card (128kB; orange) Joytech UK: £12.99[1][2] (2000)
1MbMemoryCard DC Joytech Orange.jpg


1MbMemory Joytech Blue Box Front.jpg
1Mb Memory Card (128kB; blue) Joytech UK: £12.99[1][2] (2000)


4MbMemory Joytech Black Box Front.jpg
4Mb Memory Card (512kB; black) Joytech UK: £17.99[1][2] (2000)


4MbMemory Joytech Orange Box Front.jpg
4Mb Memory Card (512kB; orange) Joytech UK: £17.99[1][2] (2000)
4MbMemoryCard DC Joytech Orange.jpg


4MbMemory Joytech Blue Box Front.jpg
4Mb Memory Card (512kB; blue) Joytech UK: £17.99[1][2] (2000)
4MbMemoryCard DC Joytech Blue.jpg


MemoryUnit DC Box Front MadCatz White128.jpg
Memory Unit (128kB) Mad Catz (>=1999)
MemoryCardMadCatz1Mb DC White.jpg


MadCatzMemoryUnitRed Box Front.JPG
Memory Unit (512kB; red) Mad Catz (>=1999)


MadCatzMemoryUnitBlue Box Front.JPG
Memory Unit (512kB; blue) Mad Catz (>=1999)
Memory MadCatz Blue.jpg


MadCatzMemoryUnitPurple Box Front.JPG
Memory Unit (512kB; purple) Mad Catz (>=1999)


NakiMemoryCardBlue.jpg
Memory Card (256kB; blue) Naki (>=1999)


Memory Card (256kB; orange) Naki (>=1999)
MemoryCardNaki DC Orange.jpg


Memory Card (512kB) Nuby (>=1999)
MemoryCardNuby4Mb DC.jpg


Jumbo Memory Pack x2 (256kB) Nyko (>=1999)


MemoryCardNyko2Mb DC Box Front Blue.jpg
Jumbo Memory Pack x2 (256kB) Nyko (>=1999)


4 Meg Genuine DC Memory Card (512kB; white) Pelican (>=1999)


4 Meg Genuine DC Memory Card (512kB; blue) Pelican (>=1999)


MemoryCardPerformance Box Front.jpg
Memory Card (128kB) Performance (>=1999)
MemoryCardPerformance1Mb DC.jpg


Memory Card (128kB) Performance (>=1999)
MemoryCardPerformance1Mb DC Alt.jpg


Memory Card (128kB; white) Performance (>=1999)
MemoryCardPerformance1Mb DC White.jpg


Memory Card (128kB; red) Performance (>=1999)
MemoryCardPerformance1Mb DC Red.jpg


Memory Card (128kB; green) Performance (>=1999)
MemoryCardPerformance1Mb DC Green.jpg


MemoryCardPerformance1Mb DC Box Front Blue.jpg
Memory Card (128kB; blue) Performance (>=1999)
MemoryCardPerformance1Mb DC Blue.jpg


MegaMemoryCard DC Box Front.jpg
Mega Memory Card (512kB) Performance (>=1999)
MegaMemoryCard.jpg


Mega Memory Card (512kB; red) Performance (>=1999)
MegaMemoryCard DC Red.jpg


Mega Memory Card (512kB; green) Performance (>=1999)
MemoryCardPerformance4Mb DC Green.jpg


4MB Memory Card (green) Play-X (>=1999)


4MBMemoryCard DC Box Front PlayX Blue.jpg
4MB Memory Card (blue) Play-X (>=1999)


DC 2M Memory (256kB; white) Skillz (>=1999)


DC 2M Memory (256kB; yellow) Skillz (>=1999)
SkillsX2M.jpg


DC 2M Speed Link (>=1999)


(256kB; purple) Topmax (>=1999)


(256kB; black) Topmax (>=1999)


Dream Card 1M Topway (>= 1999)


Dream Card 2M Topway (>= 1999)
DreamCard2M DC.jpg


2M DC Memory Card (red) Xtreme (>= 1999)


2M DC Memory Card (green) Xtreme (>= 1999)


2M DC Memory Card (blue) Xtreme (>= 1999)


4M DC Memory Card (red) Xtreme (>= 1999)


4M DC Memory Card (green) Xtreme (>= 1999)


Game Mak DC 2MB (256kB) ?? (>=1999)


GameMakDC4MB DC JP Box Front ClearRed.jpg
Game Mak DC 4MB (512kB; clear red) ?? (>=1999)


Game Mak DC 4MB (512kB; green) ?? (>=1999)
GameMakDC DC Green.jpg


GameMakDC4MB DC JP Box Front ClearBlue.jpg
Game Mak DC 4MB (512kB; clear blue) ?? (>=1999)


Game Mak DC 4MB (512kB; black) ?? (>=1999)


DC-16 (2MB; black) ?? 2000, £39.99[3]


DreamCard1M DC Box Back.jpgDreamCard1M DC Box Front.jpg
Dream Card 1M ?? (>=2000)
DreamCard1M DC.jpg


4 Mega ?? (>=1999)
4Mega DC Blue Alt.jpg


References


Sega Dreamcast
Topics Technical specifications (Hardware comparison) | History (Development | Release | Decline and legacy | Internet) | List of games | Magazine articles | Promotional material | Merchandise
Hardware Japan (Special) | Western Europe | Eastern Europe | North America | Asia | South America | Australasia | Africa
Add-ons Dreamcast Karaoke | Dreameye
Controllers Controller | Arcade Stick | Fishing Controller | Gun (Dream Blaster) | Race Controller | Maracas Controller (Third-party) | Twin Stick | Keyboard | Mouse | Third-party
Controller Add-ons Jump Pack (Third-party) | Microphone | VMU (4x Memory Card | Third-party)
Development Hardware Dev.Box | Controller Box | Controller Function Checker | Sound Box | GD-Writer | C1/C2 Checker | Dev.Cas | GD-ROM Duplicator
Online Services/Add-ons Dreamarena | SegaNet | WebTV for Dreamcast | Modem | Modular Cable | Modular Extension Cable | Broadband Adapter | Dreamphone
Connector Cables Onsei Setsuzoku Cable | RF Adapter | Scart Cable | S Tanshi Cable | Stereo AV Cable | VGA Box

Dreamcast MIDI Interface Cable | Neo Geo Pocket/Dreamcast Setsuzoku Cable | Taisen Cable

Misc. Hardware Action Replay CDX | Code Breaker | Kiosk | MP3 DC | MP3 DC Audio Player | Official Case | Treamcast
Third-party accessories Controllers | Controller converters | Miscellaneous
Unreleased Accessories DVD Player | Zip Drive | Swatch Access for Dreamcast | VMU MP3 Player
Arcade Variants NAOMI | Atomiswave | Sega Aurora