Jet Set Radio Dreamcast and its early American prototype: Over 25 years of style, music, and revolution
This article reveals the hidden treasures of an early American prototype of Jet Set Radio Dreamcast by exploring its depths. To download other builds of the game, including the one used during E3 2000, visit the homepage dedicated to this iconic title from another era, when SEGA was trying new things: [Jet Set Radio Dreamcast and its prototypes: When the Rudies invaded the halls of E3]
More than 25 years ago, a game arrived that would forever change the history of video games. A game that wasn't just an adventure, but an immersive experience, a revolution in art and gameplay. Jet Set Radio, or ジェットセットラジオ in Japanese, didn't just transform the way we played, it redefined what video games could be. It thrilled our senses with graffiti, powerful beats, and roller skaters speeding along the sidewalks of Tokyo-to. And today, as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of this cult classic, it's impossible not to think back on what it brought to each and every one of us - gamers and non-gamers alike.
It's not just a game. It's an adventure. A breath of freedom.
The context of its creation: The birth of a dream
Back in 1999, SEGA's Dreamcast had just been released and needed to establish itself as a must-have console. Smilebit, the studio behind Jet Set Radio, was tasked with bringing something unique to the console. The game wasn't going to be just another rollerblading title. No, it was going to transcend the genre and redefine the relationship between art, music, and gameplay.
Under the direction of Masayoshi Kikuchi, Jet Set Radio was born from a bold vision: a game that wouldn't just let you slide down skate ramps, but would let you experience graffiti in all its wild freedom. The idea? To offer players a whole new way to move through virtual space: with fluid movements, bold cell-shaded art direction, and, above all, an unforgettable soundtrack that would become an instant classic. The game marked a technological turning point too, gambling on a timeless aesthetic that would go on to touch the hearts of players.
Perhaps you remember your first encounter with Tokyo-to, that vibrant and bustling city where anything seemed possible. If you were there when it all began, then you were part of that adventure from the very first roll of the rollerblades. You felt the same rush of adrenaline as Beat, the main character, sped through the crowded streets of the city, spraying graffiti at lightning speed.
The characters: Heroes who resemble you
Jet Set Radio is above all a story about characters. Characters you grew up with, whom you saw fighting to defend their freedom of expression. Through them, we also see a little bit of ourselves, don't we?
The GGs (also known as the Rudies) are the main playable graffiti gang in Jet Set Radio. Based in the Tokyo-to district of Shibuya-cho—a fictional, futuristic Tokyo neighborhood full of rebels—they’re known for their defiant spirit, love of street art, and skating skills. They’re led by Beat.
Beat: If you've ever picked up a controller, you know who I'm talking about. Beat is someone who, like us, wants to break free from the rules. This young rebel, hungry for freedom, wants to show Tokyo-to that his art—his graffiti—has the power to liberate the city. This character embodies raw energy and a desire to always go further. His name, Beat, also reflects the “rhythm” of this city that never sleeps. If you've ever tagged a wall (even a virtual one), you've probably seen him as a role model, a driving force. We all have a little bit of Beat in us, don't we?
Gum: She's the daring girl, the one who's never afraid to stand up to authority and who doesn't hesitate to risk her life to paint where no one else dares to go. Her artistic side and her courage have never been just personality traits. They have made her the creative soul of Jet Set Radio. If you've ever felt that rush of freedom when leaving your mark on a blank space, you know exactly what Gum represents. She is a graffiti artist at heart, the one who makes visible what others want to hide.
Tab: The geeky hacker friend of the group, whose computer skills give the gang a head start. If you've ever gotten your hands dirty, done pirouettes with your modem, or found tricks to bypass systems, you've probably felt close to Tab. He's the one who gives the necessary advantage for the art of graffiti and rebellion to soar far beyond what was thought possible at the time.
DJ Professor K: He's the heart of the game. The guide, the mentor. If you listened to his voice, you knew you were in a game where anything could happen. His role as narrator in Jet Set Radio wasn't just about telling the story—he was the soul of it. He introduced you to Tokyo-to and constantly reminded you of the importance of rhythm, action, and freedom. DJ Professor K is also a bit like your spiritual guide in this adventure.
The enemies: Those who want to stifle freedom
But this world of freedom could not be built without opposing forces ready to crush it. And here, Jet Set Radio gives us characters that are as fascinating as they are intimidating.
Poison Jam: If you've ever encountered Poison Jam, you know how their style was the complete opposite of GG's. They didn't just tag; their approach was violent, chaotic, destabilizing. A bit like ghosts in this city, always ready to spread terror. Their violence wasn't just physical, but symbolic. They were the antithesis of the freedom that The GG's embodied. If you ever crossed paths with them, you probably found yourself in a frantic race to escape them.
Noise Tanks: They represented the heavy machinery of oppression. With their tanks and military approach, they sought to erase all traces of GG art. Faced with them, every graffiti movement became an act of resistance. But beyond brute force, Noise Tanks symbolized the war against freedom of expression. The fight against them was not just a challenge, it was a message: art must exist, whatever the cost.
Capitain Onishima: He is the ultimate antagonist. The man who decided that graffiti, those traces of rebellion and freedom, had to be removed. With him, the city becomes a battlefield, a terrain where art clashes with dehumanized authority. If you've played Jet Set Radio, you know he represented oppression, and every time you faced him, you weren't just fighting an enemy. You were fighting a symbol.
The Dreamcast Era: A Game Beyond Technology
But Jet Set Radio wouldn't be what it is without the Dreamcast and its innovations. Remember the Dreamcast's built-in modem? At the time, few consoles offered the ability to connect to the Internet to download and share content. Jet Set Radio did just that by allowing players to download their graffiti and share their creations with the world. In 1999, it was a revolutionary digital act.
And then there was the Visual Memory Unit (VMU). This small memory card not only allowed players to save game data, but also to take their creations with them wherever they went. It was more than just a peripheral device: it was a link between the game and the player, a way to create memories that could be taken with you.
25 years later: A legendary game
Today, Jet Set Radio is much more than just a game. It is a work of art, a soundtrack etched in our memories, and an entire era that reminds us that freedom, art, and rebellion know no bounds. Jet Set Radio planted a seed in our hearts, and 25 years later, it continues to inspire those who believe that video games can be much more than just entertainment.
So, gamer, are you ready to rediscover this vibrant world of graffiti, music, and speed? To put your rollerblades back on and set off in search of that urban freedom that changed the history of video games forever? « JET SET RADIOOOOOO!!!!!! »
Article by Hazuki Ryo
Jet Set Radio Dreamcast and its prototype from July 31, 2000
Examination of the prototype reveals that this build dates from July 31, 2000, at 12:00:34. This beta version of Jet Set Radio Dreamcast was burned approximately two months before the final US version, dated October 2, 2000, at 10:07:35. At this stage of Jet Set Radio US's development, its English translation and the addition of exclusive content for the Western market were underway. This version of Smilebit's cel-shaded game stands out in particular on these two points. Its Debug Menu and Development Options are not to be overlooked, far from it!
Video of the Jet Set Radio US prototype
The error display window
In yellow, it's cute
At least it's clear
This title screen is a bit messy
Cutscene placeholder
When the prototype, the first to offer this feature, encounters problems loading data, it displays a blue “Debug Break” screen with the potentially problematic memory addresses. The “D-PAD” is used to scroll up or down through the lines of numbers displayed in this error window. By pressing “A”, if the problems are not alarming, the game will continue to function normally. Otherwise, as with “GOTTO DEMO” in the Debug Menu or when trying to play with the ‘KEYDATA’ character, the build will remain on this screen with the red text “Exec Loop Time = xxxxxx us” appearing briefly after each new attempt to debug it.
Sometimes, the red informational text “Exec Loop Time = xxxxxx us (the x's are numbers that change each time)” appears briefly on the screen or permanently, as in certain cutscenes. In other cases, a yellow message displays this warning: “Draw Loop Time = xxxxxx us”.
While the game was being translated into English, the audio dialogue was already implemented, but the written subtitles weren't always final. In such cases, the developers inserted placeholder text to alert beta testers — for example: "This is a DUMMY SCRIPT. We're creating this part now, so WAIT a moment". One instance of this can be seen in the final cinematic before the credits.
On the title screen, the announcer still says “Jet Set Radio” and not yet “Jet Grind Radio”. Trademark issues forced SEGA to rename its game in the Americas. However, the logo clearly reveals the American title. The words “PRESS START BUTTON” appear in the middle of the Smilebit game emblem. For a clearer layout of the title screen, it will be lowered.
The VMU screen still proudly displays the Japanese name of the game.
Once in the Main Menu, the prototype only offers the option to load a game or start a new one; it is not possible to view the Tutorial. Character strings are regularly missing from the Save Menu.
The message “Now Loading” does not scroll from right to left during loading times.
Some cutscenes in Jet Set Radio are comic strips that scroll from top to bottom. In this build, the dialogue in the speech bubbles and other graphic elements are in Japanese. However, the text providing context for the scene/level has already been translated into English.
Cutscenes transitioning from one level to another for content exclusive to the US version are temporary and appear on a basic brown screen. The English voiceover, on the other hand, seems to already be integrated into the game.
The credits are those of the Japanese version of JSR. No work had yet been done to adapt them. Regardless, the staging of the Japanese credits surpasses what Westerners are familiar with...
The Japanese credits
Surprising
The “RADIO” menu accessible from the Garage does not yet exist at this stage of the localization of Jet Set Radio US. The prototype does not indicate that it is possible to switch between the different windows (STREET, INTERNET, RADIO, etc.) from left to right, but only shows the name of the selected menu at the top of the screen. Once in “INTERNET”, users are taken to the Japanese Jet Set Radio website.
The prototype
The Final Version
The “OPTION” menu in “SAVE & Game SETTINGS” contains some leftover debug information. Nothing special, it's just what was used to configure the game before it was fully operational or to test that it was working properly.
The key points of the prototype do not concern the differences listed above, but rather what follows. Nevertheless, this build provides a better understanding of the process of translating and localizing a video game from one version to another. « The streets of Tokyo-to are ready to explode! »
The Debug Menu
The prototype launches directly into a Debug Menu, similar to the E3 version of Jet Set Radio Dreamcast, but without the “TGS SIBUYA”, “TGS KOGANE”, and “TGS BENTEN” settings. This developer-specific user interface for viewing/manipulating the internal state of a video game allows you to:
STAGE: Choose the level in which the Rudies will hit the streets
MISSION: Select the mission to be executed in the level (STAGE)
CHARACTOR: To play with the character of your choice
VS CHARACTOR: To face the desired opponent during duel missions
EVENT: Activate or deactivate the explanatory cutscenes for the missions
GOTO GARAGE: Go directly to the GARAGE, which is essentially the game's hub
GOTO GAME: Start the game with the Debug Menu options set manually
GOTO DEMO: Entrance to the Debug Menu, which was likely removed during the development of Jet Set Radio. It causes an error with a Debug Break Menu on a blue background, as explained in detail above
GOTO TITLE: Access the Jet Set Radio (Jet Grind Radio) title screen
Long live Debug Menus!
Unlike the E3 build, players are invited from the Debug Menu to try out the “CHECK STAGE” Test Map based on a preliminary version of Grind City in Blockout (a rough 3D level built with simple 3D shapes, but without any details or polished artistic elements). The levels exclusive to the US version, BANTAM STREET and GRIND SQUARE, are playable but at a moderately advanced stage of design. The Rudies “Pot”, a cute dog on rollerblades, and “Goji” are finally present and no longer cause any loading issues.
Research conducted by Woof confirms that Smilebit developers used Music Debug at some point during the development of JSR. At the moment, no button combination has been found to activate it. It is certainly locked and no longer active. From the Cheat Engine program, while playing the game with the DEmul emulator, change the value of the address “2C4A65EC” to 2 to access it.
The Bantam Street and Grind Square maps normally only have one playable mission. The Debug Menu allows you to play more. Note that from the third mission onwards, the levels become explorable areas with no enemies, no objectives to achieve, no traffic, and no NPCs. The location of the areas to tag and the spawn point in the level change with the second mission. Strangely, the men in black that you need to avoid will disappear. This trick is unique to this build.
Gind Square in Blockout (Map Test)
A Debug Music (Cheat Engine)
Please note:
For a complete overview of the 15 (16) playable characters, the correspondence between their code names in the Debug Menu and their real names in the game, please refer to the section “The Features of Jet Set Radio’s Debug Menu” on the Jet Set Radio homepage.
At least this Debug Menu is easy to find, unlike some games where you have to go through 36 million steps to access it. « We're transmitting our signal straight to you. Y'all got your antennas on or what! »
The development options
In addition to the Debug Menu, developers took advantage of Development Options (Cheats) to facilitate and speed up testing of Jet Set Radio on Dreamcast. By pressing one or more buttons on the controller plugged into port “A” or “B” of the console, at the right place or at the right time, the game will undergo alterations. The actions to be performed and their results in the game are as follows:
When the game switches to 16:9
Hold down “X” (Controller A) when starting the prototype: The game starts without automatically opening its Debug Menu.
Hold down “Y” (Controller A) when starting the prototype: The game loads the Japanese version's credits directly without sound.
Press and hold “B” (Controller B) anywhere: Display debug information.
Press “X” (Controller B) during gameplay: Instantly complete a level by passing it.
Press “X” (Controller B) during Attract Mode/Demo Mode (on the title screen): As explained above. The game thinks it is a level and the scores will be displayed on the “GAME CLEAR” screen. Please note that the game will then switch to 16:9 format until the next console reset
Press “A” and “B” simultaneously during Attract Mode/Demo Mode: Put the sequence, the Auto-Demo, on pause
Where is the Free Camera option that would be useful for exploring the streets of Tokyo-to and taking photos of the characters in Jet Set Radio? « Over the hood, through the streets, and right into your brain! »
The levels
Grind City, Smilebit's Jet Set Radio take of New York City with its two neighborhoods, Bantam Street and Grind Square, was not included in the original Japanese version of Jet Set Radio Dreamcast. Japanese players would discover these two new western districts when the Jet Set Radio collector's box set was released; a re-release of the European version adapted for the Land of the Rising Sun. To attract more players when JSR was launched in the US, SEGA wanted to include elements in the game that were specific to and recognizable in the American continent.
This Jet Set Radio prototype stands out in terms of the evolution of level design and the conception of these two additional levels. To describe them briefly, they are “completely broken” but playable, with many things missing or rough around the edges.
Please note:
The following comparisons were made using the more complete prototype of Jet Set Grind from August 2000, which also has a Debug Menu that makes it easy to load any level (on the left is the July 2000 build, on the right is the one from a month later).
At the time of worldwide releases, is it still common practice to spice up the game with new content from one country to another in order to appeal to the target audience in the region, as was the case with Jet Set Radio or Sega GT Dreamcast? « On the street, there's no such thing as 'The End! »
Bantam Street
This level starts immediately with the controller in hand, without an introductory cutscene. The player begins the game on the railroad tracks rather than on the roof of a building near the gas station. Among other things, in the Start Menu, the locations of the places to tag vary from one version to another.
The development team undertook a huge task to represent and help players orient themselves in New York by enriching the background of the level with downtown skyscrapers and the World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan. These are not yet included in the prototype.
Enemies dressed in black suits and ties reign supreme in this New York neighborhood. In the prototype, NPCs frightened by these thugs dare not leave their homes. They desert this district of the Big Apple, which is nevertheless very lively in the final version. Law enforcement will manage to curb the rising crime rate on this preliminary Bantam Street for the release of JSR on October 31, 2000, in the United States.
Some decorative objects that could be destroyed, such as hot dog stands, are not positioned in their respective places. In fact, they have not yet been integrated into the level. That's normal, there's not a soul to be seen on this beta! Who would want to work in this rough neighborhood at the prototype stage?
The men in black, not to be confused with the Men in Black played by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, notice the Rudies from closer than usual. The roller can therefore get closer to them without arousing suspicion. Easier to shake off, they hate climbing stairs to chase Beat or his companions in misfortune through the floors of the prototype building under construction. When the final version of the building is inaugurated, this trick will no longer work on them. They were saving their energy for the big day!
Access ramps replace stairs in certain parts of the level, but their textures don’t convincingly simulate stepping up. Inside the only open building in the area, players may sometimes encounter an invisible barrier right where the ramp meets the floor. This glitch resolves itself if you keep moving forward and push through the spot.
The construction materials (concrete, bricks, wood, etc.) used in some buildings do not correspond to those preferred by builders when the game went GOLD. The interior of the building with the bizarre staircases in the prototype is a perfect example of this. Still under construction in this version of Jet Set Radio, the glaziers had not yet installed windows on the top floor.
During the continued development of Jet Set Radio Dreamcast US, the municipality, in order to avoid liability for damages caused by this breach, replaced traffic signs that no longer met standards with new ones on the Bantam Street expressway.
Placeholders stand in for the final advertising signs whenever they appear.
Graffiti artists outside the Rudies had not yet begun tagging the city walls. Any existing graffiti was much smaller in scale compared to what appears later. At this stage, the city authorities were not yet actively fighting this illegal practice, which quickly spread in the months between the prototype and the final release.
Between July 31, 2000, and October of the same year, level designers added guards armed with assault rifles leaning against black Lincoln Continentals in an alley blocked by a fence connecting the main road and the basketball court on Bantam Street.
The developers placed a slide bar along one of the reinforced concrete walls of the play area in the final version. They weren't happy with how empty it looked on the prototype. Players had to be able to have fun while exploring it!
In future builds of Jet Set Radio, the development team will remove one of the gangster cars parked in front of the entrance to the “famous” building. It blocked the view of the entry when approaching from the basketball court.
The layout of paint aerosols differs slightly for certain sections of Bantam Street.
The strategy for completing the level needs to be reviewed
No relief for stair steps
There was no hot dog stand
Where graffiti artists go, walls die
It's less fun without doing a slide.
No risk of cutting yourself when jumping out of the window
These placeholders are disconcerting
The mystery of the disappearing car
Yeah, it's a bad idea to get close to them
Spot the differences
With its streetball court, elevated subway, and hot dog vendors, the guys at Smilebit perfectly captured the symbols that characterize New York's Bronx, which inspired the Bantam Street level. « Go on and get your little doggie back! »
Grind Square
Most of the features observed for Bantam Street are repeated in Grind Square. This chapter only references the notable differences in this level.
The rough outlines of some untextured buildings in the Grind Square environments freeze the level design process in time, providing a snapshot of its development. It is difficult to orient oneself in the space without a clear sense of the map's size. The eye cannot perceive the boundaries between buildings or distinguish the variations in height between them.
This prototype hints at a tiny hidden or reworked section of Grind Square. Perhaps a building that could have been entered. More plausibly, the remains of the initial configuration of the upper level of the map. Yellow paint spray covers the floor of this cramped area, which was not meant to be explored in-game. When burning the GD-R, the developers filled in the cavity that allowed access to it, forgetting to implement the collision system for this part of the scenery. By skating across the floor to reach the roof opposite this area of Grind Square, the player will fall into a secret room with no way out. At the character's spawn point in the level, take the freight elevator on your right, climb to the top of the building, and follow the landmarks in the photos below.
It is difficult to discern the angles, the floor, and the edges of the elements that make up the set. It is flat, with no truly distinctive relief.
The light garlands hanging over New York's historic district do not flash. The advertising screens placed on the walls or roofs of buildings promote only one fictional brand of products instead of several that scroll one after the other. In conclusion, the luminescent effects/animations of the decorative elements on the level are not working. The introductory cutscene for Grind Square remains the best way to observe this anomaly in the prototype.
In Jet Set (Grind) Radio, the metal platforms typically used by window cleaners to move along the facades they are cleaning serve as elevators to access the upper level of Grind Square. Usually, a movable blue arrow in 3D directs the player to their locations to escape when the men in black are chasing him. The prototype does not indicate any place of refuge; the player is left to their own devices. The short scene of the mafiosos getting angry at having been shaken off does not trigger when using the available elevators.
Two huge billboards stand proudly on the roof of a building near the endpoint of an “elevator”. The Level Designers reconfigured their layout and arrangement in preparation for the game's eventual release, freeing up space to make it easier to move around in this narrow location.
Another route to memorize to complete the level
The formation of a traffic jam
Beige, a rather neutral and timeless color
There are several things missing here, including Graffiti Soul
Still and always the mystery of disappearing cars
Just a matter of disposition
When people think of New York City, they immediately imagine Times Square, which influenced the design of the Grind Square level. The developers succeeded in recreating one of the most famous and lively places in the world with its distinctive characteristics in Jet Set Radio. « Can the GG's graffiti save this city? »
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You can download this build of Jet Set Radio Dreamcast below :
Another article about Smilebit's Hit, as well as several Dreamcast prototypes of Jet Set Radio, including an E3 build, are listed on the game's homepage: [Jet Set Radio Dreamcast and its prototypes: When the Rudies invaded the halls of E3]
Special thanks to:
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Hazuki Ryo for writing the introduction
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Hicks for proof-reading the French text
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Neil Riddaway for the English correction of the article
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Woof for his investigation of the Jet Set Radio Dreamcast prototype and his help in analyzing it
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Tim Ritiau for reviewing the musical aspects of the build
Really special prototypes (big differences, early Builds, weird ones, etc.): Guilty Gear X (DC) - Dead or Alive 2 (DC) - Samba De Amigo (DC) - Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram (DC) - Spirit of Speed 1937 (DC) - Re-Volt (DC) - Phantasy Star Online (DC) - San Francisco Rush 2049 (DC) - Evil Twin: Cyprien's Chronicles (DC) - Toy Racer (DC) - Space Channel 5 (DC) - Sega Smash Pack Vol.1 (DC) - Red Dog (DC) - Propeller Arena (DC) - Half-Life (DC) - Jet Set Radio (DC)
More than 300 prototypes have been dumped, all of which are available for free download in the section “Dreamcast prototypes (not only) available to download”.
