Sega Saturn US launch lineup

[j_factor]

When the Saturn was first available in May of 1995, it came with Virtua Fighter packed in, and three games were available: Daytona USA, Clockwork Knight, and Panzer Dragoon. I think DP is incorrect and Ghen War wasn't available then, although I'm not 100% certain.

But anyway, that's not what I'm talking about. Although Saturns were sold in a few retailers (Toys R Us, Babbages, EB, and Wal-Mart, IIRC) starting in May, the system was not officially launched until September 2. At the official launch, many more games were available. I would be interested to know what the official launch lineup was. So far, I have been unable to find a confirmed (or even unconfirmed) launch list.

The Saturn "Choice Cuts" disc (which is the system's first 'demo' disc, except it has no playable demos, only videos) intro video gives a clue. I think a cut-down version of that video was also briefly run as a commercial on TV. But anyway, it says, "twenty spleen-busting games at launch". Yeah, spleen-busting. Saturn had some idiotic advertising.

"Twenty" isn't necessarily exact, I suppose. I could be 18-22 or so. Also, it's not clear whether it's 20 new games at launch, or 20 including the games that were available in May. I would guess the latter, but who knows. I have also heard multiple times that a couple of games (exactly 2 according to a few articles on the web) were released in between May and September. I think those two may have been Ghen War and Bug!, but obviously I can't be sure.

Anyway, unless someone can provide a link or something to a launch list, I'm wondering if we can piece one together. The Choice Cuts disc has 12 games on it, and I think it can be gathered that all of them are launch games (they certainly all seem to be). Not on it are two games that I am relatively sure were available at launch -- Mansion of Hidden Souls and Ghen War. That gives us a list of 14 to start with:

Black Fire
Bug!
Clockwork Knight
Daytona USA
Ghen War
Mansion of Hidden Souls
Myst
NHL All-Star Hockey
Panzer Dragoon
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Solar Eclipse
Virtua Fighter
VR Virtua Racing
Worldwide Soccer

Possible:
Astal
Virtua Fighter Remix
Virtua Cop
Rayman
NBA Jam T.E.
Street Fighter: The Movie
Double Switch
?

[RCM]

Na, Saturn was officially launched on May 11, 1995, the first day of the first E3. Saturday September 2nd was supposed to be the official launch, "Saturnday", one week before Playstation.

I don't recall seeing Ghen War till a bit later, I think you're right.

[j_factor]

Na, Saturn was officially launched on May 11, 1995, the first day of the first E3.

In the surprise announcement about the early release, Tom Kalinske specifically stated that the official launch would still be September 2. There are other references to September 2 as the launch, including the Choice Cuts thing.

It could be argued that since it was only available on a limited basis in four retailers, the early release doesn't count as a launch. Some would define a launch day as being the street date that any retailer is allowed to sell it. Some systems, like Jaguar, were first available in one or two areas before the rest of the country; with those, there is disagreement as to which date "counts" as the launch date (although I think the lineup was the same). Others might say that the launch date is whatever the company says is the launch date. Sega of America only ever used the word 'launch' in relation to September 2 for the Saturn.

...But this isn't meant to be a thread for debating which is the 'real' launch date. I'd just like to know exactly what Saturn titles were available in the US on September 2, 1995.

[RCM]

That's fine, I don't remember any marketing materials advertising Saturnday after May 11, 1995.

Not that I'm a big fan of 1UP, but this article: http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=1&cId=3142283 seems to back me up a bit and answer, or at least help you with your question. I believe one of the games released in that window was Street Fighter: The Movie, and the other might be BUG!.

[Ikari Warrior]

VF Remix was a mail away that came later as an "apology" for the pack in VF
Astal, Virtua Cop, and Bug! came later and were not launch titles.
Rayman and SF:The Movie were PS1 launch titles, so I don't believe they were available in May, more likely in September in a simultaneous release on both platforms.
It's hard to remember exactly what was out, there was very little available for the early launch in May, with a big drought over the summer of 1995.
If I get the chance I'll check out my EGM and Gamefan issues from the time and see what they cover.

[Iron Draggon]

I think In the Hunt was one... it certainly came out very early on Saturn & PS

[gameofyou]

I think Robotica and Virtual Hydlide may have been launch games also.

[j_factor]

VF Remix was a mail away that came later as an "apology" for the pack in VF
Astal, Virtua Cop, and Bug! came later and were not launch titles.
Rayman and SF:The Movie were PS1 launch titles, so I don't believe they were available in May, more likely in September in a simultaneous release on both platforms.
It's hard to remember exactly what was out, there was very little available for the early launch in May, with a big drought over the summer of 1995.
If I get the chance I'll check out my EGM and Gamefan issues from the time and see what they cover.

I already know what was available in May. I'm specifically asking about what was available at the official launch on September 2. I'm almost positive that Bug! was a launch title; not entirely sure about Astal and Virtua Cop (but I think they may have been). Rayman and SF: The Movie I mentioned as being possible because they were launch titles on PSX, which was only a week after the Saturn launch. However, the Saturn ports may have come after the PSX ports, I'm not sure.

I know that VF Remix was a mail away. I'm just not sure when that mail away was available (it was also available at retail, but I'm not sure when). It would make sense for it to be a launch title in September because VF1 was available in May and VF2 was available in December of the same year. But, just because it makes sense, doesn't mean it's true.


I think Robotica and Virtual Hydlide may have been launch games also.

Robotica is a possible, didn't think of that one. I know that Virtual Hydlide wasn't, because I actually remember when it came out.

[Ikari Warrior]

I already know what was available in May. I'm specifically asking about what was available at the official launch on September 2.

Robotica is a possible, didn't think of that one. I know that Virtual Hydlide wasn't, because I actually remember when it came out.

Oh I get what you're saying, although it's kind hard to remember September launch titles when there was no real September launch, the console had been out six months and was already well established with a library of titles.

Robotica was definitely out by September, it was one of the first titles in early summer, and one of the only games I ever returned.

[ShinobiMan]

I'll never forget the May 11, 1995 surprise launch. Picked up the Sega Saturn at EB Games with Clockwork Knight and Panzer Dragoon. If I'm not mistaken, Bug! was not available on day one, but perhaps a few days or a week later.

And yes, VF Remix was sent in the mail to anyone who purchased a Sega Saturn as a sort of apology for the problems that plagued the VF pack in game at launch. It added texture mapping, fixed clipping errors etc.