Sega released the Dreamcast in September 1999 (US) while SNK released the Neogeo Pocket Color in August 1999 (US). Before Nintendo allowed players to link Gameboy Advance handhelds to the Gamecube, Sega and SNK partnered to create a link cable that allowed SNK’s handheld to communicate with Sega’s home console. Only six games took advantage of this forward-thinking feature, and none of them support real-time gameplay (just swapping data between handheld game and console game), but the idea is creative.
Not to be confused with the Neogeo Pocket Color’s link cable, the Dreamcast-to-NGPC link had very limited distribution in the US. This is because it was only compatible with one American released title – Capcom Vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000. While other linkable fighting games were released in the States, the Neogeo Pocket link mode was removed within other American release, remaining mostly exclusive to Japan.
The Dreamcast to NGPC link cable shipped within a simple, flimsy white box with green and black text. One end connects to the Dreamcast’s serial port while the other inserts into the Pocket’s communication/link port. In the middle is a rectangle that houses the guts of the cable. From tip to tip, this cable is a little over four feet long and is quite rare and expensive these days. If you want to try it for yourself, consider using a flash cart.
There isn’t much documentation on this forgotten link feature, especially in video format, so I thought I would put all my findings here in one place. For much more, see my dedicated Neogeo Pocket YouTube playlist here.
Updated 3-6-25
Dreamcast Game – Bikkuriman 2000: Viva! Festival! (J)
Neogeo Pocket Color Game – Bikkuriman 2000: Viva! Pocket Festival! (J)
Link Feature – If you watch my stream of Pocket Festival embedded below, you’ll notice that the DC-to-NGPC link feature is dubbed inconclusive. This is because I am stuck in Pocket Festival. I have done everything possible but the game isn’t advancing. Did I soft lock the game? Possibly. But I am pretty sure the DC link, if indeed there is one, is somewhere in Area 3 (the gate in the upper left side of the hub world). My assumption is that stickers from both games can be swapped… which doesn’t mean anything because the stickers literally do nothing in game. I played this game for hours only to come up empty handed so I am really frustrated at this game. If anyone has any info, please leave a comment and share. The NGPC link option is found right on the main menu of the Dreamcast game; cannot miss it.
Dreamcast Game – Capcom vs. SNK: Millennium Fight 2000 (U)
Neogeo Pocket Color Game – SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium (U)
Link Feature – The first time the link connection is made, all 8 secret characters become unlocked in Match of the Millennium. Then, all VS Points collected in MotM are transferred to Millennium Fight 2000. VS Points are earned in MotM by playing the mini games in the Olympic Mode. A maximum of 9,999 VS Points can be stored at once. VS Points are used to unlocked character skins, EX characters, and background stages in Millennium Fight 2000.
Dreamcast Game – Capcom vs. SNK 2: Millionaire Fighting 2001 (J)
Neogeo Pocket Color Game – SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters 2 Expand Edition (J)
Link Feature – Card Fighters Clash 2 was never released in the US whereas Millionaire Fighting 2001 was. Completing this link feature takes a lot of effort as it requires a complete save file on CFC2. There is an English patch for CFC2 but only the card names and descriptions are translated; the rest of the in-game text and dialog is not. Thankfully, the English patch includes all cards unlocks so you can steam roll the AI to complete the campaign in 5-6 hours.
With a complete save file, select the DC Link option in CFC2 from the VS.Net menu while you turn on Millionaire Fighting 2001. There isn’t a specific link mode found on the main menu, for example. The link will be established as the DC game boots (during the yellow text screen). Then, all content in the DC game instantly becomes unlocked which includes a Groove Edit option, new characters Evil Ryu, Shin Gouki, God Rugal, and Evil Iori. An extra menu also gets unlocked that let’s you adjust settings like life gauge, guard type, groove gauge, having the ability to play as the same character, and toggling the screen display.
Dreamcast Game – Cool Cool Toon (J)
Neogeo Pocket Color Game – Cool Cool Jam (J)
Link Feature – Character data from the Dreamcast game can be inserted into the handheld game but it doesn’t seem to do anything. Then Jollars earned by playing the Session mode in Jam can be sent to Toon to help unlock outfits. Jollars are spent to play some mini games in Toon.
Dreamcast Game – The King of Fighters: ’99 Evolution (J)*
Neogeo Pocket Color Game – King of Fighters: Battle de Paradise (J)
Link Feature – the DC game can upload ability points to the NGPC game. Striker data and levels from the NGPC game can be uploaded into the DC game. Strikers are assist characters that can pop in for limited-use attacks.
*Note – the US version of KoF: Evolution removed the NGPC link feature.
Dreamcast Game – The King of Fighters Dream Match ’99 (J)
Neogeo Pocket Color Game – King of Fighters R-2 (U) and SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium (U)
Link Feature – When KoF R2 is linked to Dream Match ’99, Making Mode attributes are uploaded from the NGPC game. Alternatively, points from the Dream Match ’99 can be uploaded into the NGPC game.
Also, Olympic VS Points from MotM can be uploaded into Dream Match ’99 to unlock content faster.
Did I miss anything? Have anything to add? Let me know in the comments or socials.
Also, if you want more link cable content, check out these links:
–Enable the Link Cable playlist where I explore the forgotten multiplayer modes in original Gameboy and Gameboy Color games.
–Gamecube-to-GBA link playlist
–Neogeo Pocket Color 2-player link cable master list and full playlist
–Gameboy Advance Single-Pak link master list and full playlist