The Dreamcast was ahead of its time in so many ways when it was originally launched in late 1998. Full of revenge after the Saturn flop, Sega pulled out all the stops to offer something that really stood out from the crowd. One of the more odd things was its memory card, called the Visual Memory Unit (VMU).
Instead of just being a regular memory card, the unit had a screen that could be used in a number of ways, not least by cleverly designing it to act as a screen on the controller where you could, for example, see your remaining health in Resident Evil – Code: Veronica. But it also served as a small gaming device, a kind of Game Boy on which you could play mini-games that came with the Dreamcast titles, and by doing so you could unlock perks in the main game (a good example is Pinta’s Quest from Skies of Arcadia).
Now 8BitMods is releasing a new version of VMU called VMU Pro, which looks and functions like the original, but with several new features. These include, among other things, a completely enormous storage space (you simply use SD cards, making it essentially infinite), long-lasting rechargeable battery, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi (so your save files are automatically stored in the cloud).
Perhaps the most exciting feature, however, is the emulators – not just for VMU games but also Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Gear, Master System, and NES. All for the rather affordable price of £74.99/€74.99.
Pre-orders are now open for November delivery, and there are seven colours to choose from, including the classic milky white Dreamcast paint. If you want to reserve your unit and solve all future Dreamcast storage problems and get a miniature console for free, you can find the unit here at 8BitMods.
Check out a short presentation of this beauty in the Bluesky post below.