10 Video Game Console Features NOBODY Used

Sega's Dreamcast was a console wildly ahead of its time in so many ways, not least that the doomed yet much-loved hardware came packed with a Visual Memory Unit (VMU), a Tamagotchi-looking device which would plug into the console's controller and serve as an advanced memory card.

In addition to storing game data, the VMU had its own screen which could both deliver additional information to players during gameplay - such as their character's health or a map - and play mini-games away from the console itself, even connecting with other VMUs in some special cases (such as Sonic Adventure's Chao Adventure mini-game).

Now, the fact that the VMU was a memory card means that every Dreamcast owner did use it, but precious few actually made extensive use of its wider capabilities, despite second-screen gameplay being so widespread today through handhelds and phones.

Outside of Sega-published games, few developers took full advantage of the VMU's potential, and so it sadly never got the recognition it deserved during its lifetime.

Today, though, it's generally celebrated as a technical marvel and has enjoyed a resurgence in the modding community as an emulator for retro games.