Sega Saturns

[waoko]

Hey guys, I'm back after 4? 5 years?

After much delay and financial stagnation, I started an eBay account and already have spent money on acquiring bits and bobs to get my Saturn back to its former glory (a new Mk.1 controller and a new SCART lead). It'll be sweet getting my console back and running, as I'm already planning going through the loft and ruthlessly dumping/selling everything with the exception of a few prize items. The Saturns been up there for a long time and most games will unfortuantely be bin fodder due to disc condition. I do have a mint copy of Shining wisdom though.

I also managed to acquire a Japanese copy of Panzer Dragoon Saga.

So erm, anyone here want to chat about the Saturn again?

[Geoffrey_Duke]

Sure.

There is a fan translation of Dragon Force 2, although it's graphically inferior to the original game.

I wish someone would perfect Saturn emulation before all original Saturns die.

[waoko]

Aw man, I remember Sega Saturn Magazine reviewed Dragon Force, they loved it.

I'm now considering getting a Japanese Saturn, but good games such as Radiant Silvergun et al go for an abhorrent amount.

I think I also have a boxed copy of Zwei in the loft, but I will need to buy Panzer Dragoon from eBay. Other games I'm looking to get are Shining the Holy Ark.

Most of my stuff will arrive next week, I'm really quite giddy at the thought of setting up the Saturn again.

[Solo_Wing]

I'm now considering getting a Japanese Saturn, but good games such as Radiant Silvergun et al go for an abhorrent amount.

I never played the original Saturn version, but the Xbox 360 version of Radiant Silvergun seemed like a good port and it's in English. If you already have a 360, you can pick up digital versions of Radiant Silvergun and it's spiritual successor Ikaruga quite cheaply. Perhaps your intent is to purchase Saturn games more as collector's items though?

[waoko]

Unfortunately I only have a PS3, ah well.

Nah my collector days are behind me, I just simply want to set up my Saturn again as a console I will regularly play. Thanks to eBay there is a selection of games available to me that I always wanted to play but never got the chance. Nostalgia trip? Probably...

But yeah, people obviously aren't blind to what games are sought-after, a working copy of the original Panzer Dragoon goes for no less than £19.99.

[Geoffrey_Duke]

The average price of Radiant Silvergun went down after it was brought to Xbox Live. It's a great game, but still not worth it unless you are a collector.

If Saturn emulation is ever perfected, few people will want to own hard copies.

Dragon Force is still on my list of games to play. From what I gather, it's one of the best RPGs ever made. It blends 2D sprites with 3D graphics seamlessly. Only the Saturn could do that well, as flawed as the hardware was. I'm glad some people made the most of the Saturn hardware.

It's not nostalgia when games were different. Some games are timeless. I miss World of Warcraft during vanilla to Wrath, for example. People claim that it's "just nostalgia", but the truth is WoW was an objectively different game. It's easy to prove as well.

I don't recommend playing the Saturn version of Nights, however. The updated version has vastly superior graphics with the same gameplay. Dragon Force 2 seemed rushed to me. The sprites are much more pixelated than the original game. It's a shame but it seems worth playing if you're a fan.

There are a lot of strange Saturn import games too. Stellar Assault and Princess Crown come to mind.

[waoko]

Ah well, went into the loft and found the Saturn quite easily. Found the games also bundled in the box, think the rest were scratched to buggery and therefore binned.

Played some Exhumed, due to being blown up on my TV however the picture is quite grainy. The video cable works well although a new one is on the way along with an official controller, I'll also need to buy a lithium battery for the memory.

For games I'm looking to buy Sega Rally, Shining the Holy Ark, Virtual On and some others.

I've got both NiGhts and Daytona USA both on my PS3, although I do fancy buying a 3D analogue pad...

[Shakespeare]

You could always go for the Action Replay 4M to play imports + expanded RAM instead of buying a Japanese Saturn.

Die Hard Arcade/Dynamite Deka and Bulk Slash are awesome, definitely check those out.

[waoko]

So anyway, I now have a plethora of parcels coming from eBay, and that's enough disposable income wasted until next time.

Arriving there will be:

Brand new Scart/RGB lead
Official Mk1 Saturn Controller
Japanese 3D Controller (white with coloured buttons)
Backup Memory Cartridge
Sega Rally (PAL)
Panzer Dragon Saga (NSTC/Jap) <-- deal of the century

I have honestly never heard of the Action Replay 4M until Shakespeare mentioned it, and a little bit of research has now solidified it as something to be bought next payday. Other possible purchases include Marvel vs Capcom, Guardian Heroes, Snatcher, Last Bronx and Shining the Holy Ark.

My gaming days for better or worse are mainly behind me now, gaming is now something I do on the odd evening for a cheeky hour or so if I have the time. My once impressive collection of PS3 games found itself dwindling to 8 titles I deem "essential" and my other consoles/games found their way to charity/traded in. The Saturn is for all intents and purposes a 20 year old console I'm just going to play for the titles I never had the chance to when I was younger, I'm nearing thirty now and keeping up with the "current generation" and gaming in general now is just something I have no concern for anymore. Maybe I'm just getting old...

[Geoffrey_Duke]

I experimented with S-Video and RBG SCART a lot, and to be perfectly honestly, I didn't like the results. The dithered transparencies look much more defined. Some games use them as shadows (Daytona, VF2), but S-Video/RBG SCART make them look like net curtains.

It's best to stick with a Composite cable IMO. SCART can support Composite. I might experiment with an upscaler though.

Just curious, but why play the Saturn version of Virtual On? The arcade version is vastly superior.

Also, the Action Replay 4 in 1 Cart covers everything (extra RAM, more memory, and can let you play import games). I will order one eventually if my Saturn doesn't die.

I'm also tempted to mod another Saturn to play SF3 Scenarios 2 and 3 in English on the original hardware. You can burn a CD with a hacked ISO. Modding a Saturn is risky though; I wish there was an easier way (emulation is still far from perfect).

I am listening to Three Lions Football's coming Home, and remembering 1996 and 1998.

[waoko]

"Football's coming home, it's coming home..."

My NSTC copy of Panzer Dragoon came in today, and I also jumped onto eBay today to spend even more money on an Action Replay 4M Plus... :. Armed with those two, my basic knowledge of Japanese and a kanji dictionary due tomorrow (also courtesy of eBay) I'm sure to be comprehending like a maniac.

I did own the ROM's for Panzer Dragoon Saga, but I think I may have deleted them as I was using a Mac for a considerable amount of time and there wasn't a decent emulator available. I'm now back to using Windows but I'll keep my gaming for the Saturn in the meantime.

I had a demo of Virtual On for the Saturn back in the heyday of Sega Saturn Magazine, and I remember it being a lot of fun, but more than that the soundtrack was absolutely amazing...

As for modding consoles, I don't trust myself with a pair of scissors; never mind a soldering iron. What modifications did you make on your Saturn?

[Geoffrey_Duke]

I soldered a Saturn, but it didn't last long. I wasn't careful enough. Or perhaps that Saturn died on its own. This is why I dare not touch my remaining Saturn.

Whoever perfects Saturn emulation will be a genius.

[Berserker]

The method I went with to play SF3 sc2/3 on the original hardware seemed like the easiest way to me. It does involve opening up the Saturn so you can sellotape a switch and having access to the 4 in 1 cart but it worked very well for me. Here's a guide if you're interested:

http://forums.shiningforcecentral.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=23865

As for Saturns, I always preferred the MK2 version myself. That's probably partly down to the first one I owned being a MK2, but the controller really is amazing. I always tout it as having the best D-Pad ever made.

[Geoffrey_Duke]

I'm still impressed with SF3's soundtrack. Some of the tracks are haunting.

[Shakespeare]

I grabbed a Phantom Universal modchip for Saturn earlier this year. I heard they were brand new and were compatible with pretty much any Saturn out there as well as being far superior to the alternatives. Installation was pretty simple. It really only requires the CD drive ribbon cable to be plugged into it. The only soldering needed is wiring one point on the chip to a pin on the PSU (and maybe a small bridge depending on your model, the guide is very well written), it's really easy to do. If you're looking for a modchip, I'd recommend it.