The Dreamcast port of Daytona USA is, with a little time spent, a very enjoyable game.
The game contains five modes: single race, championship, time attack, vs battle, and net battle. Net battle consists of online play, however the servers are down and this mode can no longer be played. Time Attack is your basic time trial mode. Single race is also self explanatory. Championship mode includes 4 tournaments, each with 4 races. If you can beat it you will unlock an extra car. VS Battle is a split screen mode with a maximum of only 2 players.
The game includes 8 courses: 3 from the original arcade game, 2 from the Championship Circuit Edition (not to be confused with the Championship mode), and 3 extra courses exclusive to the Dreamcast version. If that weren't enough, you can also reverse, mirror, and mirror-reverse the tracks. This will give you lots to keep you busy with. You are also given a choice of 5 cars (one being unlockable) and 5 different tire types to tweak the vehicle's grip.
When you jump into a race, the first thing you'll notice is the physics, which will seem very awkward at first. These are what intimidated fans of the arcade game: the physics are extremely sensitive, and the cars do not handle the way they did in the arcade. While this may encourage skepticism and possibly even intimidation from those who have played the arcade, those with open minds will find that, however difficult, the physics can be mastered. But if this still isn't enough for you, you can still turn down the sensitivity. One will find that once mastered, the tricky physics can result in an extremely intense and thrilling race. Timing your braking is critical and sliding around corners in a drift can sometimes can be the only way to pass opponents.
This game is compatible with the Dreamcast racing wheel. If you can get your hands on one, it is highly recommended for this game as it would help control the sensitive physics.
Once you get past the physics, you'll find that the visuals in the Dreamcast port are far better than those of the arcade machine. The vehicle models and backgrounds are crisp, clean, and detailed, and unlike the Saturn version, there is no pop-up. The music is standard Daytona USA fare; at first, you may find it bizarre, but, like the rest of the game, it will grow on you. You'll eventually find it bright and catchy.
The game also includes a fantastic replay feature, with neat camera shots and the ability to save replays.
Unfortunately, the split-screen mode will not keep you or your friends entertained for too long. You (having mastered the game) will not find your friends (having seldom played the Dreamcast port) to be any reasonable competition for you, making the race uninteresting. That is, of course, unless they already own the game themselves.
If you like Sega's arcade games, or just want a neat racing game that you're willing to spend some time on, Daytona USA is a great buy.