A game developer has managed to port the original Halo: Combat Evolved to the Sega Dreamcast, getting both its campaign and multiplayer running on Sega's classic console. To show off the project, the creator shared 28 minutes of gameplay footage.
Halo: Dreamcast Evolved Takes Shape
X user and developer Jilted Valkyrie uploaded the video just days ahead of the 25th anniversary of both Halo and the original Xbox. While Halo debuted as an Xbox launch title in 2001, the Dreamcast is older hardware, having launched in Japan in late 1998 and worldwide in late 1999.
The footage opens with a modified title screen displaying "Halo: Dreamcast Evolved" while the iconic Halo theme plays. It then moves into multiplayer gameplay across several maps, including large ones like Sidewinder, as well as footage from the first campaign mission.
Although the framerate appears to dip below 30fps at times, getting an original Xbox game running on older Dreamcast hardware stands out as a notable technical achievement.
Progress, New Features, and Community Inspiration
Jilted Valkyrie stated that the campaign port is currently 77% complete and that he expects to release the project this year. He also credited Dreamcast developer Falco Girgis for his work on KOS and SH4ZAM, explaining that Girgis's technical posts on GTA3 for the Dreamcast inspired him to pursue bringing Halo to Sega's system.
Rather than building a strict 1:1 port, Jilted Valkyrie noted that the project introduces completely new elements not seen in any other version of the game. He mentioned an entirely new mode, though he did not share details about it, and highlighted the appeal of playing Halo online on the Dreamcast.
The Future of Mainline Halo
While fans revisit the series' beginnings, Xbox seems poised to shake up how modern Halo titles are developed. Xbox leadership moved development duties for the next mainline Halo game away from Halo Studios, formerly known as 343 Industries, and handed them to Activision, which will form a new team to lead the project. It remains to be seen whether the change will restore the franchise to its former glory.
