Minecraft Now Runs On Dreamcast…Kinda
Since its introduction, Minecraft has been made playable on every machine capable of playing a game….but what about machines of the past? Since it uses deliberately simple graphics, couldn’t you get it running on past consoles as well? Mozilla will never release a version of the game for the Sega Dreamcast, but somebody by the handle “gamebabla” made it happen.
The Dreamcast is the most homebrew-friendly console for two reasons: one, it was created with the help of Microsoft and runs off a version of Windows, and two, the Dreamcast will run burned CD-Rs without modification. All “gamebabla” had to do was port code written for a high-end Texas Instruments calculator onto a format the Dreamcast could read, and it started running.
This isn’t Minecraft exactly — it’s a homebrewed knockoff called “Crafti.” And since it was originally made for a calculator, there are no sound effects. The game also lacks the presence of enemies. But you can do a lot with it that you could do with actual Minecraft. Tom Charnock, founder of a Dreamcast fansite, noodled around with the port and posted his thoughts.
“Controls take a little getting used to,” Tom says, “but once sussed, Crafti is about as close to the real Minecraft as you’re likely to get on a Dreamcast. Movement is handled through the D-pad, looking on the analogue and the face buttons allow you to place or erase blocks in the world. You can also jump, and there’s an action button for opening doors and pressing switches. After 10 minutes playing with Crafti I had already built myself a nice little house, complete with a fireplace and a bookshelf full of leather-bound books. The smell of rich mahogany also wafted through the structure.”
I have doubts about that last one, but there you have it. If you have a Dreamcast and the ability to burn CDs, you can try out Crafti for yourself by going to this page.