Next up, Sega Saturn...

[zektor]

Well, I have been playing the Dreamcast for a few weeks, doing some Sega reminiscing, and looking back at those Sega systems that I never really got in to. If anyone knows me (Shinobiman :) ) they know I had been into the Sega Master System in a huge way, but that is not where I want to go nowadays. The Genesis/32X is something that I heavily collected in the past as well.

But, the Saturn is quite new to me. Yes, I did buy it on launch back in the day. I owned a few games (Bug!, Daytona) but got rid of it soon after...when the PS1 came out. As a matter of fact, I think I sold it off to buy the PS1.

Anyway, I am looking at it again and am seeing some really good titles that came out for the system...MANY I was not even aware of.

I guess my point in posting all of this is to see how many Saturn enthusiasts exist here, and perhaps score a quickie "must-have" list :)

[bangtango]

Well, I have been playing the Dreamcast for a few weeks, doing some Sega reminiscing, and looking back at those Sega systems that I never really got in to. If anyone knows me (Shinobiman :) ) they know I had been into the Sega Master System in a huge way, but that is not where I want to go nowadays. The Genesis/32X is something that I heavily collected in the past as well.

But, the Saturn is quite new to me. Yes, I did buy it on launch back in the day. I owned a few games (Bug!, Daytona) but got rid of it soon after...when the PS1 came out. As a matter of fact, I think I sold it off to buy the PS1.

Anyway, I am looking at it again and am seeing some really good titles that came out for the system...MANY I was not even aware of.

I guess my point in posting all of this is to see how many Saturn enthusiasts exist here, and perhaps score a quickie "must-have" list :)

Chalk me up as a rabid Sega fan, well everything but Sega CD. For Saturn, I don't have all of these games but some of the ones that you should get right away would include:

Virtua Fighter (Original/Remix)
Virtua Fighter 2
Virtua Cop
Virtua Cop 2
Daytona USA
Resident Evil
Tomb Raider
Panzer Dragoon series

Just some of the basics, I'd say. I don't know about you but I regret selling my first Saturn. My mother was with me when I bought it. She gave me some money to get a sweet carrying case for it.

[zektor]

I do regret getting rid of it honestly. While the Playstation was fantastic (and for a LONG time), something inside of me always missed my Saturn. Something about it was just so different but so good. I am eager to get it back!

[Raedon]

If only Radiant Silvergun had been released in the US as a launch title.

I can dream big! X3

[retroman]

I love my Saturn, i have had it since day one.....game for u to get are...
Sega Rally Champ.
Nights
World Series Baseball 2 and 98.
Winter Heat
Decathalon
pluse the ones that the other guys said before me.

[Steven]

hey zek. I posted this very recently elsewhere to a would-be Saturn newcomer, and think I shall copy and paste it for you to read as well, just me 2 cents:


It's a solid system, although I do think some of its titles are overrated by the community in general (that's another discussion for a different day), it is worth getting.

HOWEVER, as stupid as this may sound, the more you're willing to invest in it the more you will enjoy the Saturn. Allow me to elaborate. Some systems you can buy, have a casual relationship and still get quite a lot out of it. i.e. SNES, Super Mario Collection+SMW, Contra III, FF III, Super Metroid, LTTP. Those 5 games alone could make a purchase wise and worth it.

Saturn is REALLY the kind of system where you have to devote a lot of energy and time to TRULY appreciate. Sure you could buy NiGHTS, Rally, VF2, VC2 and Alpha 2 and have a good time, but if you import, explore the lesser known titles... etc. you will reap the rewards.

So basically, are you looking for a casual relationship? Or a long-term committed relationship? If it's the latter I highly recommend buying a Saturn. if you plan on the former, I'd say yes still, but warn you it's probably not your thing, then. Some will disagree with me, but hey, just my dead honest opinion, coming from a guy who was into Saturn like crazy from 2001 to 2005.

[Push Upstairs]

I got "Afterbuner", "Outrun" and "Space Harrier" on Saturn...i'm damn happy to have those arcade ports on there.

I'm also glad to have "Guardian Heroes", but thats a tougher to find game.

[Muscelli]

With the Saturn, there is an endless stream of imports. So many great games

[zektor]

Well, I believe I went the right route with a modded unit. The one that is coming to me can play games from all territories, so I can really get into it in a big way. I'll have to go slow however, I do have a family to support :) But, nice to know I can go ahead and purchase that import and I'll be able to play it. And yes, I plan on investing some time in the Saturn. I guess I have a new mission :)

[Moo Cow]

I got "Afterbuner", "Outrun" and "Space Harrier" on Saturn...i'm damn happy to have those arcade ports on there.

I'm also glad to have "Guardian Heroes", but thats a tougher to find game.

Guardian Heroes isn't really hard to find, it's just more expensive.

[Lemmi_Is_God]

im a middle of the road Saturn collector, i only have 86 games for it
but these were the games i played to death, or played to the end

Albert Odyssey: The Legend of Eldean
Arcade's Greatest Hits: The Atari Collection 1
Command & Conquer
Corpse Killer: Graveyard Edition
Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition - plus the original
The Horde
Legend of Oasis
Mass Destruction
Mr. Bones - this is a must get game, its just odd :)
NiGHTS Into Dreams...
Off-World Interceptor Extreme
Road Rash - altho i played the 3DO version alot more
Sega Ages
Street Fighter: The Movie - not recommended if your a fighter fan but i like it not to many people do :)
Theme Park
Three Dirty Dwarves
Valora Valley Golf
WarCraft II: The Dark Saga - played every campaign and all the customs
Mega Man 8: Anniversary Collector's Edition
Gex
Astal
Sega Rally Championship
TNN Motorsports Hardcore 4x4
Both Virtua Cop's


many of my other games are still sealed
i cant say if you would like any of these but these are the ones i liked and my tastes are usually different from most players

[Lemmi_Is_God]

Guardian Heroes isn't really hard to find, it's just more expensive.

especially if you have to buy it twice after the ebay seller sells you his cracked copy and calls you a theif :) i just need the CD and i cant bring myself to buy it for the same price i spent on the complete package
and the last few times i looked there wasnt anyone selling a CD only copy since that whole rash of complete cases without the games were being sold for $5 ... grrrrr

[sabre2922]

Duke Nukem 3D is a great Saturn game that was actually made by 3D realms and it shows its gotta be the best looking and playing FPS on the Saturn.

Streetfighter Alpha 2 and DN3D were my most played Saturn games back in the day.

Damn I miss my Saturn:(

[MF_Luder]

I love the Saturn, but I'm sure others here could give a much better "must-have" list than I can. One draw-back to the Saturn is that the majority of the top-class games on the system go for $50+ (Guardian Heroes, Dragon Force), and arguably the best game on the system (Panzer Dragoon Saga) goes for $100-$200. Even the cheapest of the must-have games run about $10-$20... but a lot of the lesser titles and decent titles can easily be found for less.

But your first purchase absolutely must be NiGHTS into Dreams. I'm sure most other Saturn owners would agree. It's debatable whether NiGHTS is the best game for the Saturn-- but what's not debatable is that NiGHTS should be the first game you play to initiate yourself into the Saturn world. The Saturn never got a true Sonic game, but NiGHTS more than made up for it. This game will make you an instant believer in the Saturn and draw you in to start collecting further for it. Try to get it along with the 3D controller... I'm not sure how much all this goes for on eBay (though if I remember correctly, it's around $25-$35), but it's worth every penny.

[j_factor]

I'm a big fan of the Saturn myself. Unlike most current Saturn fans, I was a Saturn enthusiast back in the day. Panzer Dragoon initially made me take notice of the system, but what convinced me that it could outclass Playstation was Virtua Fighter 2 -- very impressive port at the time IMO. I am not the type of person who will buy a system for one or two games though, and what really drove me to get one was its relatively large (considering its age and compared to PSX) selection of quality games. On December 30, 1995, I purchased a Saturn, along with 12 (!) games. I loved it right off, and the next few years of my gaming life were pretty devoted to Saturn. Regrettably, I accumulated a huge collection, sold it off towards the end of '98, and re-acquired the system in 2001. A lot of the games that are now pricey, I had, and were decidedly not pricey when I sold them.

Some people say that Saturn is only good for the imports, but I didn't get into importing until I'd had the console for almost 2 years, and I never felt like there was any shortage of fun domestic games, until Bernie Stolar enacted release-limiting policies. That said, some of the games that were left in Japan are must-haves, at least if you're into 2d shooters and/or 2d fighters. Some of the untranslated RPGs are real travesties.

Anywho, since you're new to the system, some of the best affordable (domestic) games are:

Astal
Croc
Die Hard Arcade
Galactic Attack
GunGriffon
Herc's Adventures
Last Bronx
Mr. Bones
NiGHTS
Powerslave
Rayman
Shinobi Legions
Skeleton Warriors
Slam n' Jam '96
Soviet Strike (seriously)
Tempest 2000 (Jaguar notwithstanding)
Thunderstrike 2
Virtua Cop 2
Virtual On


Duke Nukem 3D is a great Saturn game that was actually made by 3D realms and it shows its gotta be the best looking and playing FPS on the Saturn.

The Saturn version of Duke Nukem 3D was done by a group called Lobotomy. Lobotomy's first game was Powerslave, which they developed for the Saturn from the ground up (and is a great FPS IMO). Their Saturn port of Duke uses the engine from Powerslave, called the Slavedriver engine. They also did the Saturn version of Quake, with the same engine. Slavedriver was quite the accomplishment, as it's pretty comparable to the Quake engine -- with lightmaps, dynamic lighting, true 3D space, etc. As a result, the Saturn version of Duke Nukem 3D is significantly improved over the PC version (as well as other console versions).

[Iron Draggon]

anyone who owns a Saturn and doesn't own any imports for it is cheating themselves out of the best games ever made for the system... and Radiant Silvergun stands as a shining example of why that's true... I still don't own that one yet, but I will someday... meanwhile I'm enjoying all the other great import SHMUPS that were released for it... I own most of the ones I want

[Vroomfunkel]

If the domestic release of Guardian Heroes is too expensive, go for the import version instead - you can have it for $20 or so, probably. And there's not much to miss from not having the 'story' - it doesn't make a great deal of sense anyway.

I would recommend:

Nights
Burning Rangers
Tryrush Deppy
Tenchi Wo Kurau II
Dynamite Deka (Die Hard Arcade)
Panzer Dragoon trilogy
Saturn Bomberman
Pu Li Ru La

[zektor]

Thanks for the recommendations! I now have a compiled list of certain games I will zone in on first, and go from there. Another collecting objective...my wife is gunna kill me!

[Trebuken]

I've been collecting Saturn for some time now (need 7 games to complete I think) but have only recently started playing it lately. I had to replace the battery and bought the Action Replay 4 MB Plus.

I had the same uestion; which games to play? Thanks for the good answers...

Anyone like Contra on the Saturn?

[northern_gooner]

UK Gamer here.

I love my Saturn. Along with my Master system these two console take up most of my game playing time.
I have 239 of the 242 Pal releases about 16 US exclusives & 12 Japanese games.
There are some naff (rubbish) games on the system (but all systems have them) but the good games are ace.
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Panzer Dragoon 1
Panzer Dragoon 1
Deep fear
Nights
The list goes on.
Play it, love it you wont regret it.

[cyberfluxor]

I'm also glad to have "Guardian Heroes", but thats a tougher to find game.
I played that game for the first time yesterday at Otakon, freaking sweet. One of the best hack/slash, beat-'em-up, RPG games I've played in awhile. :D

So many great games already listed, hard to push more on top of that without overloading you. Be sure to check out some of the import puzzle games!

[Cryomancer]

Import Import Import. Games that aren't pointlessly popular are pretty damn cheap on ebay.

[CosmicMonkey]

Turn your telly on its side and get Layer Section and Battle Garegga on the go with a decent joystick. Thunder Force V is quality too. The Japanese Saturn has an amazing selection of Hori and Vert shmups.

And Burning Rangers. Absolutely quality game.

[PentiumMMX]

I havn't played mush on Saturn, but I reccamend Astal (Belive it or not, I don't have NiGHTS yet, and it's the reason I bought a Saturn)

[sabre2922]

The Saturn version of Duke Nukem 3D was done by a group called Lobotomy. Lobotomy's first game was Powerslave, which they developed for the Saturn from the ground up (and is a great FPS IMO). Their Saturn port of Duke uses the engine from Powerslave, called the Slavedriver engine. They also did the Saturn version of Quake, with the same engine. Slavedriver was quite the accomplishment, as it's pretty comparable to the Quake engine -- with lightmaps, dynamic lighting, true 3D space, etc. As a result, the Saturn version of Duke Nukem 3D is significantly improved over the PC version (as well as other console versions).

My bad im a little rusty on my Saturn history :embarrassed:

but yes the Saturn of Duke Nukem 3D was the best version I have ever played on a console.

[Nostalgicblight]

I recieved a Saturn for free, from a fellow student in high school. I must say, for a free system, it was quite a find. I had wanted one for many years, and I had only played one when I was in sixth grade. I would have to say that Road Rash was a great game at the time. It still had the Sega feel to it.

Uh, I recieved Bug! and Bug Too!... They kinda suck. It's like a kid's game, but with many complications, and a lot of redundant behavior. Put simply, I don't blame you for selling that title.

I have Nights, and I have yet to play it. My Sega buddies think that it is a great game, though.

I bought College Slam for $2, and it just looks very wierd. The heads on the players are huge, and the Genesis version is a lot less awkward.

Sonic 3D Blast looks a lot better than the Genesis version, in my opinion. Same playability, so depending on your preference...

Sega Rally Championship is one of the better games that I have played. It's one of the better early rally games out there.

Sonic R... I don't know what the hell they were thinking there. I played it for 4 minutes and put it down. Maybe you have to play it longer, I don't know.

Virtua Fighter 2 is kind of neat. It's an improvement from the first one. I looks and plays a lot better.

Sonic Jam is one of my favorites, probably because its a compilation of 1,2,3, and Knuckles from the Genesis. It keeps you from having to swap out cartridges, other than that, it's like playing the classic Sonic games.

This may be a little overkill for advice, but I thought you might want some personal input. I hope it helps.

[Push Upstairs]

I played that game for the first time yesterday at Otakon, freaking sweet. One of the best hack/slash, beat-'em-up, RPG games I've played in awhile. :D


I'm a huge beat 'em up fan and that game is near the top of my list. If you time things right (and are powered up correctly) you can sit and juggle some baddies for a good while.

[zektor]

Welp, reviving the thread as opposed to starting a new one, and wanted to give an update of how I feel about the Saturn after playing for a few weeks:

WOW! This system is really fantastic. As stated earlier, it is modded to allow import games to be played as well. I did not realize AT ALL how many great titles there are for this system...expecially import-wise. And man, the games are just awesome. This system is almost like a compact late-80's/early 90's arcade machine. From the Capcom Generations compilations, to D&D titles, In The Hunt, Sega Ages titles, and more. Why oh why Sega...if you had just done this with the Saturn in the USA....

Well, my final thought is that this is quite possibly the most overlooked system out there...even previously by myself. It is a true gem, and certainly a system I am very happy to have in my collection!

[Little Samson]

I got a Saturn when it came out and was really disappointed when it went south.

One of the biggest reasons I bought it was to get Shining Force III, of which only the first of three episodes was released in the US, unfortunately. Still a great game, though! Other games I loved for it included Dragon Force and Mystaria -- I'd highly recommend those ones.

Most of the rest of the games I've got are pretty mediocre, especially when compared to their Playstation counterparts.

[pato]

These have been mentioned, but I feel sometimes several people recommending a game will persuade you to buy it even more lol.

Can`t have a Saturn and not own Nights, Virtua Fighter 2 and Sega Rally :)

Power Slave - It is very smooth and runs at a good speed. Fun game. Duke Nuken is also worth getting.

Die Hard Arcade - Fantastic port of the Arcade. Not very long, but it is quite enjoyable while it lasts. Great for a quick go with a friend.

Check out these videos for cool imports. Some are expensive though :(

Crows ~The Battle Action for SegaSaturn: Cool scrolling beat-em-up.
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=DukNSpDy9Z8

Gokujo parodius: Can`t go wrong with classic Konami shoot-em-ups.
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv-C5TNwHzY

Soukyugurentai: Awesome Shooter.
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=RNNjjBFznvI

Power Drift: Loved it in the arcades. The Saturn port is perfect.
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=QTDUldWNfN4

Prikura Daisakusen: Very cute isometric shooter. I like it.
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=npQOMKv1fhU

Tenchi wo Kurau II: Called Warriors of Fate in the arcade in the U.S. Classic scrolling beat-em-up action from Capcom.
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=GOt97KKLEXE

Battle Garegga: My favourite Shooter of all time. The music and graphic kick ass.
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijx7Y8DEx0Y&mode=related&search=

There are so many great shooters for the Saturn. Also not to mention all the Neo Geo ports and Capcom stuff as well. The games above I highly recommend because I have owned or own them and have played them to death :) Well worth having!

[crazyjackcsa]

I got a Saturn when it came out and was really disappointed when it went south.

One of the biggest reasons I bought it was to get Shining Force III, of which only the first of three episodes was released in the US, unfortunately. Still a great game, though! Other games I loved for it included Dragon Force and Mystaria -- I'd highly recommend those ones.

Most of the rest of the games I've got are pretty mediocre, especially when compared to their Playstation counterparts.


Seeing the love for Mystaria (Or Blazing Heroes) ! I had a Saturn back in the Day and still do, It's really the only system I collect for. The Shining Games are great, and Holy Ark is really a throw back to Shining in the Darkness.

All the ones that were mentiond in this thread are good. I'll add a few that haven't been mentioned:

Three Dirty Dwarves.
Baku Baku
Dark Savior
Fighters Megamix (lower Res than VF, Tonnes of characters)
Gun Griffon (Good Mech game)
Winter Heat

Those are just some that haven't been mentioned, All the ones that have are great.

[cyberfluxor]

I remember playing a Virtual On demo at a game store years ago and loved it. Since I've never recieved a copy of the game before there's never been the chance to really get the feel of it. From what I did play however, I'd suggest at least checking it out online and if it looks and sounds cool then get a copy. Here's a HCG101 link:
http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/virtualon/virtualon.htm

[Steven]

Welp, reviving the thread as opposed to starting a new one, and wanted to give an update of how I feel about the Saturn after playing for a few weeks:

WOW! This system is really fantastic. As stated earlier, it is modded to allow import games to be played as well. I did not realize AT ALL how many great titles there are for this system...expecially import-wise. And man, the games are just awesome. This system is almost like a compact late-80's/early 90's arcade machine. From the Capcom Generations compilations, to D&D titles, In The Hunt, Sega Ages titles, and more. Why oh why Sega...if you had just done this with the Saturn in the USA....

Well, my final thought is that this is quite possibly the most overlooked system out there...even previously by myself. It is a true gem, and certainly a system I am very happy to have in my collection!



I'm glad you're enjoying it loads. I know what it's like... having been an avid Saturn fan from 99 to late '05. And not to rain on the parade but looking back, I do feel some of the "mystical Saturn imports" are overrated. They're good games, but not all they're made out to be. I might be jaded but the library, on the whole, wasn't as strong as I once made it out to be.

But I do agree with you... it's a compact system featuring hits from Robotron, MERCS II to NBA Jam to SF Zero 3. That covers a lot of arcade ground, and there's all sorts in-between.

[zektor]

I'm glad you're enjoying it loads. I know what it's like... having been an avid Saturn fan from 99 to late '05. And not to rain on the parade but looking back, I do feel some of the "mystical Saturn imports" are overrated. They're good games, but not all they're made out to be. I might be jaded but the library, on the whole, wasn't as strong as I once made it out to be.

But I do agree with you... it's a compact system featuring hits from Robotron, MERCS II to NBA Jam to SF Zero 3. That covers a lot of arcade ground, and there's all sorts in-between.

Some are overrated yes, but many are spot on perfect ports...which I find fantastic. I have been play-testing a few hundred games (yeah yeah, not legally...modchip), and I have found that this is the best (and in many cases the only) way I will be able to experience all of the titles. I am quite amazed pretty much daily with what has been done on this system. I never realized.

Between the Dreamcast and the Saturn I pretty much have my entire history of games that I loved (between emulators, great arcade ports, compilations)....and that is just crazy. My next gen systems are collecting dust at the moment :)

[Soviet Conscript]

hmmmm, i'm a saturn fan as well. mine is modded for US/JP games and i was consideringh an eventual PAL mod but are there any good saturn PAL exclusives?

[zektor]

hmmmm, i'm a saturn fan as well. mine is modded for US/JP games and i was consideringh an eventual PAL mod but are there any good saturn PAL exclusives?


Well, I have noticed that there were a few Japanese NTSC games that made it over to PAL ...and many are in the English language. This is a plus for me...since I cannot read Japanese text. Funny thing with the Saturn is that PAL games will work fine on a NTSC machine as long as the region is changed in the software. No speed difference. This is the first time I have ever encountered that in a game system.

[j_factor]

are there any good saturn PAL exclusives?

Several, actually:

Assault Rigs - 3D tank game by Psygnosis. I really liked this one.

Deep Fear - Best RE clone ever.

Discworld - Wonderful adventure game with lots of humor. Its sequel was also released for PAL Saturn.

Keio Flying Squadron 2 - Sequel to the Sega CD's most expensive (but otherwise awesome) game.

King of Fighters '95 - Great conversion of classic KoF. Unfortunately the only way to play it on a US system is with a switch mod, as it has its own ROM cart.

Parodius - I don't get why a shooter like this would be released in Europe but not here. But whatever.

Street Racer - Ubisoft's Mario Kart clone. It was also on Mega Drive and SNES, and those versions are very impressive for the hardware. The Saturn version is an improvement, obviously.

Swagman - Haven't played, but Steven had praise for it.

World League Soccer '98 - one of the better soccer games of its day, nice graphics for Saturn

Z - Strategy game, similar to Tyrants/Mega-Lo-Mania. Supposedly good; this is one that I haven't played.

[Sailorneorune]

Ah, the Saturn. How I love thee; let me count the ways...

*whips out CD wallet*

1) Panzer Dragoon series. I have the first and Saga. Both games are amazing.
Will eventually grab Zwei.

2) Legend of Oasis. Beyond Oasis prequel. Play Legend first or Beyond first... it doesn't matter.

3) Shining the Holy Ark. Great game, unless you hated Shining in the Darkness.

4) Magic Knight Rayearth. Mistranslations abound (or at least discrepancies from the English manga and anime), but a very enjoyable and beautiful Zelda clone.

5) Albert Odyssey. Another classic RPG, kinda reminds me of the Tales games. But the load times stink.

6) Astal. Sweet, sweet 2D like the Saturn does best.

7) NiGHTS! All the fun of flying with none of the airsickness.

8) Burning Rangers. Anime firefighting fun with the catchy Japanese music.

9) Virtual On. This chick digs giant robots. (bad joke, sorry LOL)

10) Virtua Fighter 2. This game makes the graphics-obsessed cry themselves to sleep, but it's still a great fighter.

11) Street Fighter Collection. No quarters required.

12) X-Men vs. Street Fighter. It's...beautiful... :love:

13) Vampire Savior. Some days I like to pretend I'm Felicia and curl up in a little ball in front of the fireplace... nyaa... ^^; (not really.)

14) Samurai Spirits Best Collection. Samurai Spirits 3 and 4 in one convenient package. No slowdown that I'm aware of...

Bonus round: stuff I don't own, but have played

Parodius Deluxe Pack. It's awesome. Looking for it myself.

Twinkle Star Sprites. Puzzle + shooter = wtf.

Puzzle & Action Sand-R. Not even the language barrier can stop me! MUHAHAHA! :devilish:
Dragon Force. Borrowed it. Beat it. Loved it. Not fighting with psychotic ebayers for it.

Guardian Heroes. See Dragon Force.

Segata Sanshiro Shinken Yuugi.

SEGATA SANSHIRO~ SEGATA SANSHIRO~
SEGA SATURN... SHIRO!

This song has been stuck in my head for a month. ^^;

That's all I got.

[thegardentool]

I have owned my Sega Saturn for nearly a decade, although I didn't play it much. I was around 12 when my parents bought it as a Christmas gift for me. I didn't get the standard-three games included but instead got Alone in the Dark 2, Virtua Fighter Kids and Hi-Octane. The only other game I received as a kid was Virtua Cop. I think the lack of receiving more games is why I didn't play it as much. When I got a Nintendo 64 and Playstation 1, my parents were much more open to buying games for them as they wanted to play some of them.

I moved five times since I got my Saturn. I found it tucked away in the closet to my study earlier this year. I've gotten attached it once again and it even receives more play than my Xbox 360. I've also spent a modest amount in games and accessories in the past couple of months.

Just keep your eyes open and find some games that look interesting to you. The Saturn has a wide catalog of games ranging all genres. I haven't been disappointed with any game I've bought so far but some are far better than others.

[Steven]

Several, actually:

Assault Rigs - 3D tank game by Psygnosis. I really liked this one.

Deep Fear - Best RE clone ever.

Discworld - Wonderful adventure game with lots of humor. Its sequel was also released for PAL Saturn.

Keio Flying Squadron 2 - Sequel to the Sega CD's most expensive (but otherwise awesome) game.

King of Fighters '95 - Great conversion of classic KoF. Unfortunately the only way to play it on a US system is with a switch mod, as it has its own ROM cart.

Parodius - I don't get why a shooter like this would be released in Europe but not here. But whatever.

Street Racer - Ubisoft's Mario Kart clone. It was also on Mega Drive and SNES, and those versions are very impressive for the hardware. The Saturn version is an improvement, obviously.

Swagman - Haven't played, but Steven had praise for it.

World League Soccer '98 - one of the better soccer games of its day, nice graphics for Saturn

Z - Strategy game, similar to Tyrants/Mega-Lo-Mania. Supposedly good; this is one that I haven't played.


Some of these games also received a JP release. Yes, I found Swagman pretty damn enjoyable. It was like a hybrid of many different games, quite hard to find and expensive though. I got my copy for $40 or so. Also, Formula Karts is a PAL-exclusive and isn't too shabby. No Sega Rally though, obviously.

[SaturnFan]

My personal favorites:
In no order:
Scorcher-god I love this game(think marble madness meets wipeout)great sound track.
Panzer Saga-do I need to tell why this is awesome?
Die Hard Arcade-very good arcade beat em up
Burning Rangers - fun original game- great sound
House of the Dead-still my favorite light gun game of all time
Deep Fear- RE with a more intersting story and setting
Fighters Megamix-great fighter, some slow down keep it from being the all time greatest
Fighting Vipers - great fighter
Virtua Fighter 2- good fighter for the time
Virtua Cop1/2- great light gun games
Power Slave- best FPS for the Saturn IMO
Manx TT- really good acade racer
Guardian Heroes- very fun 2d game with 6player multiplayer
Nights- trippy game, the boss battles were what I liked most

[Rob2600]

How about Clockwork Knight 2, Last Bronx, or Final Fight Revenge?

[zektor]

I played Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus tonight....holy crap is it awesome. I am completely in love with the beauty of Salamander II. The Saturn is truly the 2-D fans wet dream!

Oh, also played "Golden Axe - The Duel". The last I attempted to play this game was in Mame, but ST-V support was not working correctly. This game is based off of the ST-V arcade hardware, and looks (and plays) great. Can't wait for some of my friends to come over and fight (since my wife will only play Bomberman and Columns 97)...

[Steven]

How about Clockwork Knight 2, Last Bronx, or Final Fight Revenge?

I like these 3 as well, though most hate FFR I always thought it was goofy harmless fun. Rough visuals, but gameplay wise it was like SF EX. Shame it's rare and as a collector's item often cracks the $100+ barrier. I actually came THIS close to selling it last year along with Astra Superstars, but a part of me just could not do it. I did sell Astra, but I hung onto FFR. With its wacked up super specials and oddball fighting cast, I enjoyed it.

[Barbarianoutkast85]

My favorite Saturn games are:
Blazing Dragons
Nights into Dreams
Daytona
Bug
Bug too
Saturn Bomberman
Tomb Raider
Resident Evil

[ShinobiMan]

Zektor my friend, the Sega Saturn does not get enough love. This thread was definitely needed.

My memories of the Saturn include the many Japanese imports me and my dad collected in the mid - late 90's. Oh Sexy Parodius... where are you now? I long for your deadly curves. :-D

Not to mention arcade perfect ports of Metal Slug and X-Men VS. Street Fighter. The Saturn was a haven for all 2D lovers.

Like Parodius, the Saturn will be "forever with me". (Cheese factor has gone out the window folks!).

[josekortez]

Import Import Import. Games that aren't pointlessly popular are pretty damn cheap on ebay.

I concur. I just got Tokemeki Memorial Puzzle & Space Fantasy Zone off Ebay for around $24 total including shipping the other night. Not extremely popular, but I will probably have a good time playing them...

To join in, I stopped playing Persona 3 last night just to spend an evening with the Saturn. I finally opened the copy of Vampire Hunter (aka Darkstalkers Revenge) I got from Playasia and I went back to the Japanese copy of Fighting Vipers, and I had a lot of fun. I never noticed how sharp the 2D graphics were on the Saturn until Vampire Hunter. Now, I just need to find my copy of Konami Antiques - MSX Collection...it's around here somewhere...

[j_factor]

I concur. I just got Tokemeki Memorial Puzzle & Space Fantasy Zone off Ebay

The unreleased PC Engine CD game? Wha?

[otaku]

I finally bought one of my own just a few weeks ago as well and am really enjoying it already have many of these games. Guardian heroes has been great and I just got radiant silvergun

[zektor]

I find much love for this console as each day goes by. My wife is absolutely addicted to Saturn Bomberman, and I am just getting a complete thrill out of many of the fighters and shoot-em-ups on the system. The graphics are just fantastic, very clear and colorful. I can just imagine how things would be today, had the Saturn won the battle against the Playstation in the US....would have been an entirely different gaming world today...that's for sure!

[josekortez]

The unreleased PC Engine CD game? Wha?

Sorry, my bad. Didn't mean to piss anybody off. I meant Fantasy Zone.

Geez...

[j_factor]

Sorry, my bad. Didn't mean to piss anybody off. I meant Fantasy Zone.

Geez...

I don't know how you interpreted my confusion as me being pissed off, but ok.

[RickHarrisMaine]

I just got my first Sega Saturn yesterday in a trade that may seem terribly one-sided, but really isn't bad. I traded my silver PS2 and a pair of Nintendo Bongos for a boxed Saturn, 13 games, and the steering wheel controller. Some good ones included were Panzer Dragoon and Shinobi. So far, I'm fairly chuffed at the whole thing.....