How to play Panzer Dragoon Saga in an affordable way

[Lady Jaye]

Here's a tutorial we put together after our many searches to make Panzer Dragoon Azel RPG (Panzer Dragoon Saga) work on the North American Sega Saturn. As you probably know, the console is region-locked and the game is locked for third-party save carts. Thanks to a video and some forums, we managed to find useful info that we'll share with you now. So, here's the cheapest way to play the game without having to pay a fortune for the North American version of Panzer Dragoon Saga (also useful if you do own a copy of that precious game, but don't want to risk damaging the disks).

The warning during the game startup when the Action Replay is inserted:
http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_Avertissement_cartouche.png

What you need:

http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/ActionReplay_4en1_4M.png http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_Aboitier.png

· Action Replay Plus (4M auto) 2.01 (tested was done with this version of the cart only (approx. $40)
· Panzer Dragoon Azel RPG - Japanese version of the game (approx. $30)

INSTRUCTIONS:

· Insert the memory cart and turn on the console.

· Once the Action Replay logo shows on screen, the following screen will appear. Choose Select Cheats
http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_ActionReplay_01.png

· Then, select New Game
http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_ActionReplay_02.png

· Enter the game's title (regardless of the spelling)
http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_ActionReplay_03.png

· Then add the below code:
http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_ActionReplay_04.png


Master Code:
F6000914 C305
B6002800 0000

· Once the name and the code are entered, press B to go back (the data will be saved), then choose: New Code
http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_ActionReplay_05.png

· There's a second code to input; select New Code Description, and add BOOT
http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_ActionReplay_06.png


BOOT :
06002ED0 0009

· Press B to go back (the data will be saved)
http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_ActionReplay_06a.png

· Highlight BOOT and press A to activate it (ON)
http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_ActionReplay_07.png

Then, press START to launch the game.
http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_ActionReplay_08.png

Yatta! If this image appears, this means that you've succeeded!
http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_ActionReplay_09.png

Things to know

· No need to input the codes every time, since they are saved.

· When you finish one of the game discs, a static screen appears and asks to insert the next disc.
Before changing discs, press the START button to save your game.

http://www.ccjvq.com/tutoriels/panzerdragoonazel/PDA_Changement_Disque.png

Once you've saved, insert the next disc, reboot the console and load the CHEAT with the BOOT option turned ON

In the loading screen, select CONTINUE (it should appear first by default if you have a save file) and continue playing!

Enjoy your game! :)

[PreZZ]

i play this game with a cd image, with the swap trick. Works easily and you just need any original saturn game or demo disc on saturn model 1. A lot of saturn game are way overpriced and can be played this way. Who would want to play a text heavy game in japanese?

[Lady Jaye]

Well, Panzer Dragoon Saga is infamous for being resistant to using either a ISO copy or an import copy, so the trick we described serves that purpose and is less possibly harmful than the strain caused by a swap trick. Also, using burned ISO copies and all is a possibility, but if you really like having the original game, importing the Japanese version is a much cheaper option to paying the full North American market price. This tutorial may not respond to your needs, but I'm sure other people will find it useful.

[sfchakan]

Yeah, I don't understand the new wave of people doing the swap trick. It's fine for a quick fix but it's terrible for your hardware in the long run. Why not just get a modchip? They will probably run you less than a new Saturn with shipping and you're set for a long time.

[Mr Mort]

I think this is great. It's certainly an affordable alternative for those willing to play with a translation FAQ.
This is the kind of stuff I like to see; gamers helping other gamers enjoy the hobby. My hat's off to you.

As for the swap trick, OH HELL NO. No game is worth wearing down my Saturn, because eventually, it won't play anything at all, legit or not.

[PreZZ]

I think this is great. It's certainly an affordable alternative for those willing to play with a translation FAQ.
This is the kind of stuff I like to see; gamers helping other gamers enjoy the hobby. My hat's off to you.

As for the swap trick, OH HELL NO. No game is worth wearing down my Saturn, because eventually, it won't play anything at all, legit or not.

I only do it for panzer saga, I own all the other expensive saturn games, no way im paying over 500$ to play it! Its a cool game for the saturn, but its not THAT good!

[BlastProcessing402]

the game is locked for third-party save carts

Is that just the Japanese version? Because I have the US version and it saves fine with my third party save cart (Memory Card Plus with direct save and region free, not that region free matters here because my system is the same region).


Yeah, I don't understand the new wave of people doing the swap trick. It's fine for a quick fix but it's terrible for your hardware in the long run. Why not just get a modchip? They will probably run you less than a new Saturn with shipping and you're set for a long time.

I agree and don't do the swap trick on mine, but not everyone has the ability to solder a bunch of tiny wires on a modchip and system board, and even if they did, where can you even easily get them anymore? Even when I was looking around, just curious, 6-7 years ago, they were fairly uncommon, and that's just if you wanted one for a model 2. If you had a model 1 you were just shit outta luck.

[sfchakan]

Well, at this point, people are flashing 3rd party carts to bypass copy protection, so that's even a non-issue...