Saturn can play Genesis games,NOT

[alec006]

I have to say when i got a Sega Saturn in 1995 i thought that the cartrage port just above the CD door was an input for Genesis or 32X games. Well no it wasnt,anyone else make the same mistake when they got a saturn?

[MegaDrive20XX]

Actually I remember when the Saturn first came out, nobody really knew about that port, until you really held the system in your hand.

Yet I do remember people kept asking "Why can't Sega CD games play on it?"

[RCM]

It was very clear when Saturn launched that it was a standalone system. The BC could have helped their bid to compete with PS and later N64. I don't think it would have helped them overtake either competitor though.

[Jibbajaba]

I've never thought that, but I see that misinformation being used on eBay from time to time. I think it's kind of wierd though that the Saturn has a cart port when it doesn't take cart-based games. Since it allows me to use an ST-Key and play imports without modification though, I'm not complaining.

Backwards compatibility with the Genny and SegaCD would have been cool. I think it would have helped the console quite a bit. I for one bought a PSX after the Genny, but with BC, I might have been more inclined to get a Saturn. I never had a SegaCD, but a BC Saturn would have meant that Ic ould have started buying SCD games along with SS games. I don't think it would have saved the system, though. The Playstation was just too powerful, both in terms of hardware, marketing, and game library.

Chris

[crazyjackcsa]

I never ever thought that. A simple glance into the slot can confirm that the cart won't fit. There were rumours of course, but It never came to be. I think if it had've been backwards compatible then Sega might have been able to claim second over the N64. I think the Sony would've taken first place but not to the extent they did. Backward compatibility is a HUGE deal at the launch of a system until the library gets developed.

[klausien]

The expansion slot in question ended up functioning as intended quite well, but I too entertained thoughts it may be backwards compatible in some sense pre-launch.

[Ulticron]

The Saturn was actually my first Sega system, and I didn't get it on launch day. I never thought of it playing 32X or Genny games but I always wondered why Sega didn't make their RPG games both CD and Cartrige. It would have made more sense doing that. Have the cartrige for game progress storage, and the battle sections so there would be almost no load time at all.

[Blanka789]

I thought that was what it was for, and when I found out it wasn't I bought a Playstation instead because I felt like Sega was screwing me over. I remain a Sega fan to this day(and enjoy a Saturn), but they really screwed this up.

[tholly]

i thought it was for the longest time, but then i found out it wasn't...

[Pantechnicon]

You know Nintendo always gets a bad rap for their utter lack of regard for console backwards compatiblity, but Sega rightfully deserves some lumps for blowing this as well on the Saturn. I mean...the CD was already there. Just add a slightly different-shaped cart slot and a compact Genny chipset inside and voila - a next-gen system circa 1995 with 100% back-compatibility for two different media. Who knows? That might have been just the thing that would have given the Saturn the market edge over the Playstation.

[Push Upstairs]

At the very least I think the Saturn could have had some compatability with 32x games...but i doubt that really would have helped the 32x any.

The idea of a single system that could play CD's and carts in any combo you can think of is interesting.

But it probably would have cost too much at the time.

[Vroomfunkel]

Of course, the Playstation had an expansion slot too - it wasn't as obvious (being on the back of the console) and there was also nothing for it to be back compatible with, so that confusion never arose.

However it is very handy for the little Game Hunter cart I have that slotted in and let me play backups and imports without any need for mods.

Vroomfunkel

[TurboGenesis]

Of course, the Playstation had an expansion slot too - it wasn't as obvious (being on the back of the console) and there was also nothing for it to be back compatible with, so that confusion never arose.

However it is very handy for the little Game Hunter cart I have that slotted in and let me play backups and imports without any need for mods.

Vroomfunkel

Gotta love the Game Hunter! I used this too(until I got my JP PS2).

Anyways, back on topic I originally thought that the cart slot was for Genesis games as well. I thought this as I could play Genesis games on the 32X and figured this was carrying over onto the Saturn. So yeah I was guilty of trying to put Genesis game in the Saturn slot-oops no go.

[Melf]

At the very least I think the Saturn could have had some compatability with 32x games...but i doubt that really would have helped the 32x any.

The idea of a single system that could play CD's and carts in any combo you can think of is interesting.

But it probably would have cost too much at the time.

Exactly. It wasn't a matter of simply "making the Saturn compatible." The whole interior would've had to have been changed to accomodate the necessary chips, and this probably wouldn't have been possible, given how much of a mess the Saturn's innards were. Moreover, the Saturn retailed at $400+ as it was. Could you imagine the cost had it been BC?

[Push Upstairs]

I'd like to think the M68000 or whatever it is the Genesis uses would be dirt cheap by 1992-1993 but i know the $$ isnt spent on that chip...its on getting that system to use that chip the way it is intended.

I like my Saturn the way it is. I play imports and i got arcade perfect Outrun & Space Harrier. :)