Considering purchasing a Sega Saturn so I have questions

[AznKhmerBoi]

well make it short, if you love the early to late 90's arcade games, then you are right at home. The saturn had the best port of all these games and not to mention a bunch of very unique rpg .

I old a saturn back in the day but didnt like lack to the games release in the US so i sold it and bought a psx. Now i have saturn modded and been loving all the games i can get my hands on wether its pal release or japanese release.

I LOVE IT

[harlequ1n]

If you have any sort of interest in the shoot 'em up genre, there isn't a better console thatn the Saturn (maybe the PC-Engine and Mega Drive come close).

Like many of the best Saturn games, most shmups are Japan only so you will need a 4-in-1 Action Replay cart to play them, however the Saturn houses some of the best shooters ever to grace gaming.

Relatively cheap imports:
Soukyugurentai, Layer Section, Darius Gaiden, Shienryu, DoDonPachi, Thunderforce V, Gekirindan, etc.

God tier expensive imports:
Battle Garegga, Hyper Duel, Radiant Silvergun, Metal Black, Blast Wind

[brunoafh]

Get one and don't look back. I'd argue that the Saturn's game library is the most underappreciated and unrealized one out there (although this probably isn't the case with retro gamers, i.e. members of this forum).

Also, add Batsugun to the list of god tier expensive imports.

[BurningDoom]

Ok, I am considering adding to my endless collection of consoles and games, my wife is going to kill me but hey you guys understand how it goes right? My latest interest is set on the Sega Saturn. I've been floating around ebay trying to find a good deal but I don't know what a good going price is and what should be included with it as far as accessories needed to play it.

Now for the games. What are the absolute must plays for Saturn? Does the Saturn suffer from the same breakdown crap the Sega CD suffered from? Thanks!

Boy do I know the wife dilemna. My wife is cool with most stuff, but money is an issue. I like to spend, she doesn't.

Saturn is a great system, and well worth the $50 average price it goes for. As others have said, get a memory card, or an Action Replay, or a Gameshark. They all have memory managers to keep saved game files. The Action Replay & Gameshark will also provide you with cheat codes if you like that sort of thing, and the Action Replay will allow you to play imported games on top of that. They're priced accordingly.

Great Saturn games that are affordable, and are NTSC:
-Daytona Racing USA
-Clockwork Knight 1 & 2
-Darius Gaiden
-Galactic Attack
-Gex
-Panzer Dragoon
-Panzer Dragoon: Zwei
-Resident Evil
-Shinobi: Legions
-Tomb Raider
-Virtua Cop 1 & 2
-Virtua Fighter Remix (get the Remix version, not the original)
-Virtua Fighter 2
-X-Men: Children of the Atom

Pricey Saturn Gems:
-Guardian Heroes
-Marvel Super-Heroes
-Marvel Super-Heroes vs. Street Fighter'
-Mega Man 8
-Mega Man X4
-Panzer Dragoon: Saga
-Street Fighter vs. X-Men

[pakopako]

I suppose a simple GET ONE needs a bit more, but since so many other posters have said why:
GET ONE

It's a great console for shooters, head-to-head fighters, some good JRPGs (if you can read Japanese), and Saturn's exclusive titles are incredibly unique.

• NiGHTS is the front-runner of all Saturn games, and not just action. It is fast and fun and fairly cheap -- just ask Flake for the game AND the 3D controller. If you have the cash, import Keio 2 from Japan or England for a wacky 2D platformer experience.
• Panzer Dragoon Saga is the highly touted (and highly expensive) RPG. I only played a demo and can't say I liked the flying too much, but it does provide a good atmosphere. There are few translated turn-based RPGs for the Saturn. Shining the Holy Ark is a solid 1st person dungeon romp if you're interested, though its price has been climbing steadily in comparison say to Albert Odyssey. If you can read Japanese, I hear Terra Phantastica is excellent.
• Action-RPGs by comparison are more common. The totally-worth-it (and perfectly OK for guys to play) Magic Knights Rayearth is at the forefront. Legend of Oasis is a solid follow-up followed by the "more trippy story than gameplay" Dark Savior.
• Shining Force III is a great addition to an SRPG player's library, but get the import versions and follow along with an FAQ or transcript -- it is much cheaper and you get the whole 3-chapter experience rather than the solo-chapter English-version. For more budget-conscious, try Iron Storm or the imported Watchenroder. (Or if you want quasi-RTS action, splurge on Dragon Force.)
• Regardless of price, check out Guardian Heroes. Just ask the Happy VG Nerd! It is a rare beat'em up RPG, but instead of a free-moving isometric plane, you get three 2D planes. Akin to the original Final Fight games, pixel-combat can happen in the foreground or background of the screen. If you get bored, buy a multi-player adapter and have a Smash Bros. style melee with up to 6 players!

Surprised Fighters Megamix wasn't mentioned. It is a mish-mash fighter, like Marvel vs Capcom, but in 3D. You've got punks, fighters, cops, inflatable animals, and a CAR!

If you pick up Duke Nukem for the Saturn, you also get a Scorched Earth-like tank game if you can unlock it. (If you have a Quake save, the game is automatically unlocked I hear.) Though if you are in the markets for shooters, look to importing. Cheap ones like Gunbird are still very fun.

And if you do get Saturn Bomberman (any language) -- find lots of friends and try out local 10-player mode!!! (you need 2 multi-taps and a ton of controllers)

[Reprise]

Someone did mention Fighters Megamix. I did

[Evildeadmanwalking77]

Wow! As usual you guys did not disappoint!

I didn't realize that the Game Shark & Action Replay can be used as a save port. I had those for my PS1, PS2, & Gamecube and I thought they were strictly game enhancers like what the Game Genie did for NES, SNES, Genesis, Gameboy etc. I really appreciate the assistance guys. Now I know what to look for as far as the basics. I'm hoping maybe to find a combination deal that has the Action Replay or Gameshark, some games, and maybe an extra controller (maybe the 3D one that waws mentioned).

[Reprise]

I'd advise the Action Replay over the Gameshark however, just from what people have said. Be warned, the cartridge slot on the Saturn is poor quality and can be worn out quickly. The Gameshark and most other third-party cartridges are known to screw up the slot, so should perhaps be avoided. Most would agree that the Action Replay is fine though.

[dunpeal2064]

Dodonpachi is a must if you like shmups. Not too expensive either.

I would avoid some of the pricey ones such as metal black, gun frontier, gekirindan and such, as a lot of the cheaper shooters ate better.

Layer section (galactic attack in the states), darius gaiden, and detana twinbee yahho are all well worth the twenty or so they cost


soukyugurentai and sexy parodius are also very good, and shouldnt cost more than forty

[Evildeadmanwalking77]

How does this deal sound from ebay?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sega-Saturn-over-20 ... 41575419d1

How do I identify a model 2 from model 1? I guess I have to ask?