About this game
Power Stone (1999) by Capcom is a fully 3D arena fighting game that originated on Sega's NAOMI arcade board before its Dreamcast port. Players compete in destructible, interactive arenas collecting Power Stones — when three are gathered, the character transforms into a powered-up super form. The game is remembered for its simple accessibility, its imaginative character roster — pirates, martial artists, explorers — and its rollicking sense of adventure that set it apart from the technical seriousness of contemporaries like Virtua Fighter and Soul Calibur.
Key Features
Fully 3D arena combat across varied, interactive environments — ships, floating islands, Egyptian ruins — with destructible objects and environmental hazards. Power Stone collection mechanic: three stones trigger a powerful super-form transformation, each unique to the character. Eight playable characters at launch, each with distinct move sets and story backgrounds. Single-player adventure mode with stage-specific challenges. Two-player versus mode, and the sequel Power Stone 2 (2000) expanded to four-player simultaneous play.
The Story Behind
Power Stone was originally developed for Sega's NAOMI arcade hardware — the same board that shared its architecture with the Dreamcast. This meant the Dreamcast port was essentially the arcade version running on home hardware, a near-perfect translation that demonstrated the NAOMI–Dreamcast relationship's practical value. The game launched in North America on September 9, 1999, the same day as the Dreamcast itself — the "9/9/99" launch. Its accessible pick-up-and-play design made it one of the most recommended Dreamcast titles for players new to the platform. Power Stone 2 (2000), which added four-player support and larger, more elaborate stages, became the definitive multiplayer Dreamcast experience for many players.
Tricks & Tales
Power Stone's art direction — pirate adventure, airships, globetrotting — drew explicit comparisons to adventure comics and anime of the 1980s. Director Tatsuya Nakae cited a desire to make a game that felt like an animated film from the player's perspective. The NAOMI arcade board ran the game identically to the Dreamcast port due to shared hardware, which meant arcade operators and home players were experiencing the same software — a rarity in the era of imperfect console arcade ports. Power Stone 2's four-player simultaneous mode required additional GD-ROM capacity; the game shipped on a single disc but used the GD-ROM format's greater capacity.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
Released in Japan, North America, and Europe. As a Capcom title, Power Stone had strong international distribution. The Japanese version (March 18, 1999) predates the North American Dreamcast launch by six months — collectors seeking the earliest version should note the Japan release. Region-locked: requires a Japanese Dreamcast or region-free modification for the Japanese version.
Maintenance Tips
Power Stone is a single GD-ROM disc — standard GD-ROM care applies. The Dreamcast's analogue triggers and thumbstick are lightly used in Power Stone (primarily face buttons and D-pad); standard controller maintenance applies. The game's rapid pick-up-and-play nature means it was often used in party settings with multiple players — check controller leads for stress damage at the connector point if the game was heavily used.
Available in our shop
Hand-cleaned and tested units shipped worldwide from Toyohashi, Japan. HP direct purchase exclusive: we include a printed shop owner's note card with every order.
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