Post a Comment On: The Dreamcast Junkyard

The Dreamcast Partners Club was a Japan-only membership club that Sega offered to subscribers, and gave Dreamcast owners access to exclusive content. This content was mainly delivered in the form of the Dreamcast Express demo discs, but also allowed members to collect Dream Point Bank credits that could be exchanged for swirl-branded trinkets, peripherals and the teeth of long-dead warrior kings. Here in Europe, we never got the option to join the Partners Club (and neither did US gamers), so it remains something of an unknown chapter in Dreamcast folklore to many.
[Image] This bank is more trustworthy than most.
Thanks to a reader called James though, we can now show you what you would have received in the post as a welcome to the Dreamcast Partners Club had you taken the plunge and signed up. It's mainly the usual stuff you'd expect - membership cards and welcome letters and the like, but there's also a copy of that bizarre Yukawa puzzle game and an intriguing VHS tape. James has promised to get the tape digitised and uploaded to YouTube asap so that we can share it here, but in the meantime cast your peepers over the rest of this intriguing letterbox spam Dreamcast paraphernalia...


Edit: Thanks to contributor Ross, the Japanese text has now been translated! I've added the English translations as captions...
[Image] Blue:
Your dreams will finally come true. Only our partners will receive the news before anyone else.
Open
If you open here, you’ll be able to see a new dream.
Envelope 2:
To all Dream Point Bank members.
Important information from our secretary/ offices (I guess in English we’d just say, important information from Sega), so please be sure to read. [Image] Top letter:
Be sure to look inside.
We request that you set up a new access telephone number.
On the 17th March 1999, the Dreamcast’s network is being imporoved.
One hundred million Yen cash prize! Senmu Yukawamoto no Takara Sagashi (the treasure hunting game starring Senmu Yukawamoto, the then president of Sega) Campaign
The campaign runs from 20th March until the 11th of April 1999.
Bottom envelope:
(Incase you’re interested this was original addressed to a man named Totzukazu Hanamine who lived in Asakashi, Saitama which also happens to be where the parents of my girlfriend live. I wonder if he’s still rocking a Dreamcast and if he ever spent his Dream Points)
Please store your card in a safe place. [Image] [Image] Point Card diagram:
Dream Point bank:
Thank you for registering for the Dreamcast Point bank with your recent purchase.
Here you will receive your card.
Points can be found inside purchased Dreamcast software and registered to your account. Points can be used to purchase Dreamcast merchandise or exclusive original Dreamcast goods, these special offers are only available to members.
To learn how to use this system, please read the enclosed Dream Point Bank members’ manual.
Card:
Please check your name and the start date of your card.
Long number = Card number
Date = Card Start date
Katakana below that is the name of the card holder
Attention! What is the Action number?
If any of the information on the card is incorrect, please be sure to contact us.
Point Card: Can’t read the kanji properly, resolution is too low. Think it says to take care of the card because your name is written on it.
Attention!
What is the action number?
To the right you’ll see a copy of your card number and you action number. This number, along with your card number can be used to access your account, register for special offers etc. It’s a very important and necessary number. The 4 digit action number is made up from your date of birth (month and date).The space to the right is used as a place to record your card number and action number incase you lose your card. Please keep it somewhere safe. Keep this information secret and do not show any strangers. (oops!)
Below that there’s more boring stuff. Nothing of any interest. [Image] Point Card Registration card (black leaflet with flow chart)
How to register your points
1. Telephone
2. Registration card (you know, those stupid things that, along with the spine card, can really increase the value of something to eBay buyers).
3. Online registration form (www.sega.co.jp/dreamcast)
Register for a point card, buy Dreamcast software, apply by phone, register points, save points for the happy special offers (this is actually what it says in Japanese, sounds funny in English though).
The blue and white leaflet to the right just explains the start and expiry date of cards.
The Dream Point Bank Member’s Manual.
The Sonic Adventure pamphlet has a warning on it that reads “Be careful not to get calluses/ blisters on your fingers”. I presume there must have been cases in Japan of people playing games so much that calluses grew on their fingers.
The white letter already seen on a previous picture. [Image] Information on how to apply for the 100,000,000 yen price. (it’s almost unbelievable that they were giving away so much as a price, but that’s what it says ichi oku en = one hundred million Yen).
I don’t have time to translate all this now, but basically you could connect online and register the items you found in game with a chance of winning real money. [Image] Blue letter looking thing with Sega Partners written on it:
Your dreams will finally come true. Only our partners will receive the news before anyone else.
Orange pamphlet with Dreamcast logo on:
Sega’s new dream begins. [Image] The Dream is expanding! Play is changing!
The digital entertainment machine of the 21st Century.
Dreamcast starts!
Special Model!
The only one in the whole world!
Register now for the chance to win a special Dreamcast with the president of Sega’s signature and your name engraved on it. The winner will receive it on the Dreamcast’s launch day.
Register with the enclosed postcard as soon as possible!
Registration closes on the 23rd of October 1998
To the right is the actual postcard that could have been used to enter the competition.
I’s guess this must be the rarest Dreamcast of them all. Only one ever made and it will have some random’s name engraved on it lol. [Image] [Image] A letter from the president of Sega titled “Dreamcast, we’ll raise (nourish, realize) this dream with you. [Image] Pamphlet for a song used in a campaign to get people to preorder a Dreamcast.
Dreamcast Pre-order campaign song!
Senmu Yukawamoto’s CD debut!
Available now across the country on CD and vinyl.
People who can’t wait, get to the shop! Quickly! [Image] Fresh Sega Saturn pick ups!
Sonic Adventure production announcement 1998.8.22
Massive thanks to Ross for this translation!