Sega has yet to announce what its next micro-console will be, but following the launch of the Mega Drive Mini and Mega Drive Mini 2, many people are hopeful it might be a Dreamcast Mini.
That might be some way off yet, but that doesn't mean that modders aren't getting in on the action early – as this project from Wesk Mods illustrates.
After tinkering around with an 'undervolted' Wii and the concept of a portable Dreamcast, Wesk Mods began work on the 'Dreamblade' – a cut-down version of Sega's console which runs off two voltage lines (3.3v and 2.0v).
The optical drive has obviously had to be removed to make the system this small and has been replaced with a GDemu ODE – sadly, at this stage, the SD card is not accessible, so the unit has to be taken apart to remove it.
There's still work to be done; Wesk Mods wants to add a flex PCB between the mainboard and GDemu, as well as one to go between the mainboard and the controller board. A custom PCB is also being developed for the rear of the unit, which will house the AV port, power input, and a slot for the SD card so it can be accessed without having to disassemble the entire console.
There are also plans for touchpad controls under the fake buttons on the top of the case – one for power and the other to swap discs on the ODE.
Even at this early stage, Dreamblade is looking amazing – and we can't wait to see how the project evolves in the future.