An unreleased, Sega AM2-developed Dreamcast game has just been brought back online, nearly 25 years after its cancellation, thanks to FlyCast and DCNet (as reported by Sega Online).
Propeller Arena is an aerial combat game that saw players competing in quick dogfight-esque deathmatch-style tournaments above various environments, including cities and other landscapes.
It was being eyed for a release sometime in 2001, but was delayed indefinitely after development was completed, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, with Sega of America stating at the time that "though the game content does not deal with terrorism in any way, it is possible for a determined individual to deliberately play the game in a manner that generates images similar to those we have seen on the news."
Despite this, a build of the game was eventually leaked online in 2013, giving players the opportunity to check out the title's offline features, with the online servers having long since been shut down. Now, though, it appears that thanks to DCNet, a feature included in FlyingHead's Flycast emulator, its online component is now live again and open for testing.
As FlyingHead notes, there are still many "issues to fix", with players currently experiencing "a network error" on the results screen, but it is already "somewhat playable." As a result, people have been gathering on the Sega Online Discord to coordinate matches, including six-player deathmatches.
Footage of these matches is now finding its way online, with Elpannta satanito uploading a couple of videos featuring a full six-player room.