Starting a Saturn library. Where do I start, what advice do you have, and questions.

[Edmond Dantes]

I've seen at least one fellow go so far as to hard wire a memory cart to the board for this very reason.

Did he leave instructions as to how to do this? And does doing this prevent the PAR from working?

Sounds to me like the optimal solution would be to just get a Japanese saturn and use the PAR for non-Japanese releases, if that'll even work.

[theclaw]

The setup has slightly fewer incompatible games. You'd be able to run special cart requiring games like JP King of Fighters 95 and that Ultraman one, with the base Saturn being Japanese.
Still no PAL King of Fighters 95 though.

[wiggyx]

Did he leave instructions as to how to do this? And does doing this prevent the PAR from working?

Sounds to me like the optimal solution would be to just get a Japanese saturn and use the PAR for non-Japanese releases, if that'll even work.

This was like 10 years ago, so I have no clue at this point

But it's pretty straightforward. you could just solder the pin on the cart to the bottom side of the board. I don't think you could retain use of the port and the memory card together unless you built a switch in. As long you can find a pin-out, then a ground switch should do the trick.

[SaturnHST]

It's most likely cheaper to just pick up a JP Saturn at this point than to ship it off to have in modded.

Japanese Saturns usually cost $60-70 lately.

You can get a US Saturn for around $30-40 and have it modded region-free for $30. It would cost about the same and you would have more capabilities.

Personally I use a US Saturn that has the region-free bios and a gray Japanese case, so it looks and works just like a Japanese Saturn because the bios is based on the Japanese version. I also have the Victor Twin Operator card installed and mainly use the cart slot for official memory/ram carts. I don't use cd-r's but I have other Saturn consoles with modchips installed for that. I might try out those patched Shining Force 3 translations someday.

[wiggyx]

I see quite a few on eBay in the $40 shipped range. I'm sure you have to pay shipping both ways to have your US console modded, which will be at least 50 bucks. I don't see the savings.

[theclaw]

Japanese Saturns usually cost $60-70 lately.

You can get a US Saturn for around $30-40 and have it modded region-free for $30. It would cost about the same and you would have more capabilities.

Personally I use a US Saturn that has the region-free bios and a gray Japanese case, so it looks and works just like a Japanese Saturn because the bios is based on the Japanese version. I also have the Victor Twin Operator card installed and mainly use the cart slot for official memory/ram carts. I don't use cd-r's but I have other Saturn consoles with modchips installed for that. I might try out those patched Shining Force 3 translations someday.

Yeah the region-free bios doesn't do 50hz/60hz either. Of course, *much* more of an issue for PAL systems.

[SaturnHST]

Well it depends on how your're sending it to, but I had some of mine done at $20 each + return shipping. You can fit a Saturn in a flat rate Priority box for $10-11. It's about the same price as an AR cart.

Even if there's not much of a savings, I much prefer putting any disc in and booting the game from the Saturn's main menu as if it was a stock console, rather than rebooting and going through the AR's menu (if the cart slot will even acknowledge it's in there).

And PAL users will have to add 50/60hz switches no matter what method they use, even with an AR cart.

[IHatedSega]

Has anyone played Astal, is it rare? It has pretty graphics, but I cant get it to work on SSF.

[FoxNtd]

Has anyone played Astal, is it rare? It has pretty graphics, but I cant get it to work on SSF.

I have Astal (original). It's not rare. No idea about rarity in US or EU.

[Koa Zo]

Astal: not rare at all. Very pretty, but boring boring boring. So slow and sluggish.

[LaughingMAN.S9]

the best method for playing import saturn games by far is the action replay 4M plus


this acts as a modchip to get around region blocks, it acts as a game genie for inputting codes, its also a ram cart which allows you to place fighting games which could only run with the expanded memory both 1mb and 4mb and a flash memory card for storing your game saves long term


only downside to going this route is in the game saves. it doesnt work like the official sega memory card where you could save directly to it in game. to use it here you have to save the game normally to the system memory and then within the saturn menu or the action replay menu, manually transfer the saves over


as long as your cart slot is still intact you should be good. just dont be a dick about it and keep inserting and removing the cart, put it in once and leave it there and you should have no problems

i used my cart back in 06 or 07 and never removed it and it still works like a champ, in fact im probably going to go play panzer dragoon saga on my jap skeleton saturn right now lol

[IHatedSega]

Astal: not rare at all. Very pretty, but boring boring boring. So slow and sluggish.

Ok thanks for the info. by the way Waku Waku 7 is also a Japanese Saturn game, that game is awesome.

[wiggyx]

Well it depends on how your're sending it to, but I had some of mine done at $20 each + return shipping. You can fit a Saturn in a flat rate Priority box for $10-11. It's about the same price as an AR cart.

Even if there's not much of a savings, I much prefer putting any disc in and booting the game from the Saturn's main menu as if it was a stock console, rather than rebooting and going through the AR's menu (if the cart slot will even acknowledge it's in there).

And PAL users will have to add 50/60hz switches no matter what method they use, even with an AR cart.

Same here. I'm not at all suggesting a cart, rather just a 2nd console.

[GREEN00]

Well, I decided against the Saturn for now. After checking back at my local import store with my newfound knowledge, I looked over their saturn selection and it was both poor and overpriced (most everything they sell is above ebay pricing), and I can't say I'm thrilled with having to rely entirely on individual ebay purchases. This coulped with the Saturn's eccentricities have convinced me to hold off (potentially for years) until I find a really good bundle or have a lot more money to spend.

I'm content with filling out my game selection for my existing consoles until then.

[theclaw]

Your best bet will be finding a Japan contact or proxy. Saturn was so much more successful there, to an extreme we really can't spell out as foreigners all that well.