please go for PS2 VO instead :[

if you need something mech-related on Saturn get GunGriffon, GunGriffon 2, or Assault Suits Leynos 2

Totally get NiGHTS, though.

[QUOTE=Tain;34022487]please go for PS2 VO instead :[

if you need something mech-related on Saturn get GunGriffon, GunGriffon 2, or Assault Suits Leynos 2

Totally get NiGHTS, though.[/QUOTE]

I'd suggest getting NiGHTS on PS2 also. :P

Wonderful thread btw. I got Soukyugurentai Otokuyo recently and absolutely love it. It's like Radiant Silvergun except actually fun :)
I also have to recommend Cotton 2 and Boomerang to any Saturn fan. Great music, incredible spritework and a really unique scoring system. If you play Cotton 2 make sure you use the code to unlock the extra buttons for command shots though!

[QUOTE=luka;34022961]Wonderful thread btw. I got Soukyugurentai Otokuyo recently and absolutely love it. It's like Radiant Silvergun except actually fun :)[/QUOTE]

I've tried repeatedly to appreciate Radiant Silvergun but I feel like I'm missing something because I don't really think it's that great a game. Like you, I enjoy Soukyugurentai more, but more on that later.

Here's my conspiracy theory regarding Radiant Silvergun: the game is a good shmup and has some really unique ideas, but the near-religious amount of praise that it gets is the result of snowballing hype begun by UK magazines 'back in the day' a decade ago.

Basically Sega Saturn was flagging in the UK and Sega Saturn Magazine (SSM) UK was following it down the tubes. The editors were so desperate for stories, for attention, for SOMETHING to hype the dying Saturn that when they saw a solid shmup from a cult-favorite developer on the horizon they pitched it as a masterpiece with glowing previews and coverage. That built Silvergun a rep that has cascaded through hyperbole and forum chatter into what it is today...a 'must-play' gaming legend. I think something similar happened with Panzer Dragoon Saga.

Flame me all you want; that's my guess.

Back to Soukyugurentai - luka, what's your opinion on the ranking/difficulty system? I asked another guy this earlier and didn't get any conversation going. Do you find the game easy to beat, and do you avoid powerups to avoid increasing your rank or just take the difficulty boost along with the extra firepower? Do you use the web almost exclusively instead of the shot? I just ask because I'm having difficulty clearing the game and I feel like it shouldn't be this tough.

I don't think of it as a conspiracy Genesis Knight. Games, just like every other medium has their sacred cows, and Radiant Silvergun is one of them.

[QUOTE=Genesis Knight;34023701]Back to Soukyugurentai - luka, what's your opinion on the ranking/difficulty system? I asked another guy this earlier and didn't get any conversation going. Do you find the game easy to beat, and do you avoid powerups to avoid increasing your rank or just take the difficulty boost along with the extra firepower? Do you use the web almost exclusively instead of the shot? I just ask because I'm having difficulty clearing the game and I feel like it shouldn't be this tough.[/QUOTE]

I haven't managed to clear it yet, but yeah, I tend to stick to lazer over shot. I just can't handle the density if my shot gets too powerful. :P Plus with a weak shot your chances of getting bombs goes up. It's definitely not an easy game so don't worry too much if you're having problems. That's just eighting for you.
I'm generally not a fan of games with heavy rank control that force you to play counterintuitively and like things to be a little more straightforward, but gurentai is pretty inoffensive compared to eighting's other stuff in that regard.

edit: regarding silvergun, i think the answer is simple. it's flashy, colorful, has phenomenal music and a neat story. the saturn version basically lets you grind it out to bypass the mandatory chaining system that is at the heart of the game's problems. on the surface it's a god-tier, insanely well produced shooter. it's only when you really start playing seriously that it becomes a pain.

Thanks for the answers. So if I want to replay Panzer Dragoon Saga, I'll need to stick to SSF? Does Yabause support it properly? Is there a workaround for Girigiri?

Would love to replay the game with decent graphics!

[QUOTE=luka;34022961]I'd suggest getting NiGHTS on PS2 also. :P

Wonderful thread btw. I got Soukyugurentai Otokuyo recently and absolutely love it. It's like Radiant Silvergun except actually fun :)
I also have to recommend Cotton 2 and Boomerang to any Saturn fan. Great music, incredible spritework and a really unique scoring system. If you play Cotton 2 make sure you use the code to unlock the extra buttons for command shots though![/QUOTE]

I want Nights in its more basic, original format, that's me. XD

Thanks, I really appreciate the good feedbacks and its great to focus-talk Saturn with GAFers. :) If there is one series I can recommend its Parodius, my favorite one on Saturn is Jikkyou Osyaberi Parodius. Pure random fun!

When I bought RS, I was so hyped (probably because it cost a shitload), then I finally got to play it, yes it was good in its own unique awesome way. But I'm honestly having more fun playing Dodonpachi, which is great too. The irony in this is that I'm actually watching a copy of Cotton 2 on Ebay since 1 week. :P

[QUOTE=dark10x;33987282][IMG]http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/dark1x/IMG_4809.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
You'd think after all this time we'd have HDTVs better than CRTs in every single way but we don't. In fact they are filled with flaws. It's disappointing to say the least.

seriously.

Love that picture, too. Stupid now!

That pic got me all hot and bothered. So pretty. :3
I immediately went and started working in my old toshiba's service menu to try to fix it's messed up geometry to play some saturn bomberman. Sadly, it's beyond salvation, but it's still playable and looks great aside from the warping around the edges. It makes me sad that these displays are quickly becoming endangered species. :(

[QUOTE=luka;34038471]That pic got me all hot and bothered. So pretty. :3
I immediately went and started working in my old toshiba's service menu to try to fix it's messed up geometry to play some saturn bomberman. Sadly, it's beyond salvation, but it's still playable and looks great aside from the warping around the edges. It makes me sad that these displays are quickly becoming endangered species. :([/QUOTE]

There's still some shops where you can find one. For example, there's a Hart where I live and they are still selling some of them cheap, but these are bastard brands and its all little TVs. Still, this technology is clearly dying fast and it is sad indeed. I wouldn't say endangered species though, a lot of people still got one, you may even find someone near who's making an HD-switch and wants to get rid of his/her old TV, just saying.

How do you open videos recorded via the emulator?

[QUOTE=Aizu_Itsuko;34037774]You'd think after all this time we'd have HDTVs better than CRTs in every single way but we don't. In fact they are filled with flaws. It's disappointing to say the least.[/QUOTE]

You could always try to pick up a HD CRT TV on craigs list since people don't want them. (Of course those things tend to only do 1080i and 480i and are freaking heavy.)

[QUOTE=dave_d;34096788]You could always try to pick up a HD CRT TV on craigs list since people don't want them. (Of course those things tend to only do 1080i and 480i and are freaking heavy.)[/QUOTE]

1080i and 480p I think. And some do 720p.

[QUOTE=_dementia;34097314]1080i and 480p I think. And some do 720p.[/QUOTE]

I stand corrected. I actually checked it out on Amazon and found a listing for a 30" CRT HDTV that apparently did 720p. (Of course the thing weighs more than 100lbs where as a 40" LCD will be about 50lbs so there's always that.)

AWESOME thread fellas. I can't tell you how excited to see others appreciate the Saturn

[QUOTE=DaveVoyles;34097769]AWESOME thread fellas. I can't tell you how excited to see others appreciate the Saturn[/QUOTE]

Same here, bra! :D

I've tried other games this morning, still no problem, everything runs perfectly! here are some shots:

Darius Gaiden, awesome shmup, I recommend to anybody who likes the genre. 2D awesomeness!
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/oZAAQ.png[/IMG]

Dragon Ball Z Legends.
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/ZOyZc.png[/IMG]

Castlevania Dracula X.
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/hKfvv.png[/IMG]

Panzer Dragoon (Dat soundtrack).
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/J84qC.png[/IMG]

@The HDCRT discussion above
You can grab a 34XBR-960 for $200ish on eBay these days. If you don't mind it being small and have somewhere to put it these sets are still excellent once you get them in your house.
Edit: Should have quoted oh well. Another thing to note is that HDCRTs are sometimes not so nice to 480i/240p sources so for Saturn games like in this thread that's a thing to consider. I Run my old games on my Old Phillips Matchline via RGB SCART. (It's a PAL model so no extra effort required)

[QUOTE=Theonik;34097936]@The HDCRT discussion above
You can grab a 34XBR-960 for $200ish on eBay these days. If you don't mind it being small and have somewhere to put it these sets are still excellent once you get them in your house.
Edit: Should have quoted oh well. Another thing to note is that HDCRTs are sometimes not so nice to 480i/240p sources so for Saturn games like in this thread that's a thing to consider. I Run my old games on my Old Phillips Matchline via RGB SCART. (It's a PAL model so no extra effort required)[/QUOTE]

Good advice. The only draw back with the HD CRTs are the light gun capability. However, I am sure most don't care.

Edit: I prefer the 4:3 wega models personally.

[QUOTE=AdvanS13;34099582]Good advice. The only draw back with the HD CRTs are the light gun capability. However, I am sure most don't care.

Edit: I prefer the 4:3 wega models personally.[/QUOTE]

Well that and the weight since that one weighs almost 200lbs
[URL="http://www.crutchfield.com/S-SmY8ABzvYYv/p_158KD34XBR/Sony-KD-34XBR960.html#details-tab"]http://www.crutchfield.com/S-SmY8ABzvYYv/p_158KD34XBR/Sony-KD-34XBR960.html#details-tab[/URL]

Why do you stretch it to widescreen and make everything look fat?

It looks fucking gross.

[QUOTE=Genesis Knight;34023701]
Basically Sega Saturn was flagging in the UK and Sega Saturn Magazine (SSM) UK was following it down the tubes. The editors were so desperate for stories, for attention, for SOMETHING to hype the dying Saturn that when they saw a solid shmup from a cult-favorite developer on the horizon they pitched it as a masterpiece with glowing previews and coverage. That built Silvergun a rep that has cascaded through hyperbole and forum chatter into what it is today...a 'must-play' gaming legend. I think something similar happened with Panzer Dragoon Saga.

Flame me all you want; that's my guess.
[/QUOTE]

I don't believe that to be the case at all.

Plenty of big games as well as smaller ones got the same kind of in-depth features and specials in the magazine all the time. (Dead or Alive, Grandia, Castlevania, Guardian Heroes, Gun Griffon, Steep Slope Sliders, X-Men COTA, etc)
So it comes as no surprise that a game by Treasure, or Sonic Team for that matter, which were loved by just about any Sega fan back in the day and who were seen as some of the top developers, got so much coverage.
They did the exact same thing for all the big Sega arcade games as well as Capcom or SNK games to just name a few.

About them looking to hype the Sega Saturn at that point in time, I believe that's not quite what they were doing.
Heck, when they started covering Radiant Silvergun in those last couple of months they had already fully admitted that the system was on it's last legs in Europe. That's why they put such emphasis on import games.
As well as doing specials about the upcoming Dreamcast system and arcade games that were supposed to make the jump to the 128-bit console.

They weren't looking to sell the Saturn to people that had ignored it up till that point.
They were trying to give people who had stuck with it, coverage on games that would help them bridge the gap between the Saturn and Dreamcast in Europe by making them look at the options that importing games would bring.
That is until the deal that they thought they had with Sega feel through about creating the Official Sega Dreamcast Magazine, at which point the crew at OSSM got one last issue to say goodbye before it was shut down.

About Radiant Silvergun, I'd like to add that, yes, it may be overhyped for some, but it all depends on the person who's buying it. Personally, I don't regret a single cent invested on this gem. Yes I said I prefer playing Dodonpachi, but RS still is an experience any shmups enthusiast shouldn't miss. It really is a deep and challenging, well done masterpiece.

[QUOTE=_dementia;34100283]Why do you stretch it to widescreen and make everything look fat?

It looks fucking gross.[/QUOTE]

I prefer playing fullscreen. Sorry if it makes your eyes bleed. D:

It looks good enough for me. :P

EDIT: Is there any translation patch for Princess Crown? This game looks amazing,[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYepSMufbMk&feature=related"] I'm checking it out on youtube[/URL], if a patch do exist, I buy right now! :P

How did I miss out on Panzer Dragoon 2? HOW? This game is amazing...and the soundtrack is extremely good.

[QUOTE=Takao;33944302]I always felt like I was learning something from reading a Segata post in the sales threads, and he seemed like a cool guy. His [url=http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=24030089&highlight=#post24030089]final post[/url] came after an argument about Donkey Kong Country, and him just throwing the towel in.[/QUOTE]

Segata is at a better place now, a much better place.

[QUOTE=DeFiBkIlLeR;33962904]I managed to get Saturn Bomberman to work with SSF, despite all the various sites listing it as being incompatible due to the Net-Link feature not being emulated..

1 mount iso as normal
2 start ssf, and wait for 'Sega' screen to go black
3 select 'CD Open' from ssf menu
4 select 'hardware reset'
5 wait for main saturn menu to appear
6 from main saturn menu select 'close cd'
7 wait for 'checking disc' message to go
8 select 'start application' from menu
9 game will now boot.

[IMG]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a164/TheOriginalCooper/Capture-41.jpg[/IMG]

Bit of a hassle, but otherwise, your not going to play THE best version of Bomberman during the 32bit console era..[/QUOTE]

Best Bomberman I've played, both single and multiplayer, some of the stages were huge.

[QUOTE=Seik;33979343]I just tried Shining The Holy Ark. [B]HUGE[/B] improvement over playing on an original Saturn. It has absolutely no lags while running on SSF. Huge slowdowns are happening on Saturn during a spell or while sending a bunch of dwarves/fairies in the beginning of a fight.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/yX9GD.png[/IMG]

Man its been a while since I played, its so good, [URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgC5Bbyh1jg"]dat battle theme![/URL]
[/QUOTE]

Yeah, this game is good! It's not as flashy as the Final Fantasy games on Ps1 but is arguably more engaging than any of them except FF9. Hundred hours playtime too.

[QUOTE=Teknoman;34113011]How did I miss out on Panzer Dragoon 2? HOW? This game is amazing...and the soundtrack is extremely good.[/QUOTE]

My favorite out of the entire series.

Damn. Was watching an Elevator Action Returns auction on eBay. Forgot about it and it ended at 12 dollars. FML!

For you Saturn-heads, heads up that I'm starting to [URL="http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=34000238&postcount=30"]part out my Saturn collection[/URL] a bit (all original NA versions--bought day one by myself back in the 90s!). I love the system so much that some games I won't be selling, but I have a few rare things some of you might be interested in.

[QUOTE=Seik;34097914]Same here, bra! :D

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/J84qC.png[/IMG][/QUOTE]


How the hell did they pull off distorted reflections on water on the Saturn?? o_O

[QUOTE=Teknoman;34113011]How did I miss out on Panzer Dragoon 2? HOW? This game is amazing...and the soundtrack is extremely good.[/QUOTE]

Yup. That game is a masterpiece. I don't even know how many times I've played through it. It has the best soundtrack too imo, closely followed by Saga.

The stories in the PD games were just fantastic, too. I was always fascinated by the world that they created and wanted more and more games to flesh it out.

I'd pay an obscene amount for HD versions of PD1, 2, and Saga.

I'd like a new PD game as well, Orta was great, and I thought we would get another this gen, but the only thing i'm seeing is the Kinect spiritual successor.

[QUOTE=Seik;34097914]Same here, bra! :D

I've tried other games this morning, still no problem, everything runs perfectly! here are some shots:

Darius Gaiden, awesome shmup, I recommend to anybody who likes the genre. 2D awesomeness!
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/oZAAQ.png[/IMG][/QUOTE]

Love that series. What was the difference between that and G-Darius on PS1? I LOVED G-Darius on PS1. So much fun.

[QUOTE=LiquidMetal14;34149611]Love that series. What was the difference between that and G-Darius on PS1? I LOVED G-Darius on PS1. So much fun.[/QUOTE]

Different games. They're both on the Taito Legends 2 compilation.

[QUOTE=RiZ III;34127375]How the hell did they pull off distorted reflections on water on the Saturn?? o_O[/QUOTE]
Sprites iirc.

I have to say, for a 3d action RPG, Virtual Hydlide looks dang good.


Shame I hit a wall at the lava caves. I was enjoying it, in a sadistic kind of way.

[QUOTE=cj_iwakura;34150382]I have to say, for a 3d action RPG, Virtual Hydlide looks dang good.


Shame I hit a wall at the lava caves. I was enjoying it, in a sadistic kind of way.[/QUOTE]

When I brought that game home from Funcoland as a kid and popped it in, the first thought was that it looked like a made-up game that would be seen being played by characters on a TV sitcom.

[QUOTE=cj_iwakura;34150382]I have to say, for a 3d action RPG, Virtual Hydlide looks dang good.


Shame I hit a wall at the lava caves. I was enjoying it, in a sadistic kind of way.[/QUOTE]

I must've played through VH at least three times. Strange muddy ugly game with virtually no tech behind it. Still oddly fun.

Dang you guys are making me want to pull my sega Saturn out of the closet. I hope the batteries still work!

[QUOTE=Anticitizen One;34151522]Dang you guys are making me want to pull my sega Saturn out of the closet. I hope the batteries still work![/QUOTE]

I know, and I actually did yesterday...

...ONLY TO FIND THAT DISC ONE OF PANZER DRAGOON SAGA IS NOT IN ITS CASE.

:((((((

[QUOTE=Phonomezer;34151556]I know, and I actually did yesterday...

...ONLY TO FIND THAT DISC ONE OF PANZER DRAGOON SAGA IS NOT IN ITS CASE.

:(((((([/QUOTE]

Hopefully it's inside a Sega Saturn (and not one you've sold!)

[QUOTE=Phonomezer;34151556]I know, and I actually did yesterday...

...ONLY TO FIND THAT DISC ONE OF PANZER DRAGOON SAGA IS NOT IN ITS CASE.

:(((((([/QUOTE]

Supposedly Disc 1 of PDS is the easiest to find if you want a replacement. It was issued with a Saturn Magazine as a sampler of sorts.

[QUOTE=cj_iwakura;34149654]Different games. They're both on the Taito Legends 2 compilation.[/QUOTE]

That's what I thought. I skipped it unfortunately. Will have to hunt it down on PS2.

[QUOTE=Anticitizen One;34151522]Dang you guys are making me want to pull my sega Saturn out of the closet. I hope the batteries still work![/QUOTE]

Go for it man! :D

Even if your battery is dead (which probably is), those can be found for almost nothing. There's a 1$ market that sells packages of 3 for 1$ here, guess its the same deal where you live. The sad thing is that you lose your saves...:(

[QUOTE=Phonomezer;34151556]I know, and I actually did yesterday...

...ONLY TO FIND THAT DISC ONE OF PANZER DRAGOON SAGA IS NOT IN ITS CASE.

:(((((([/QUOTE]

Shiiiiiiit! D: Costy lost right there!

[QUOTE=LiquidMetal14;34155505]That's what I thought. I skipped it unfortunately. Will have to hunt it down on PS2.[/QUOTE]

Great compilation. It's one of my favorite PS2 games.

Took two hours tearing apart my entertainment center last night. It had become a ridiculous mess of cabling, switches, power adapters, and power strips. Ditched the PSX, PS2, and Wii and pared it down to the Gen/32x/CD, oXbox and 360, Dreamcast, and...Sega Saturn. Much better. :)

This makes me want to play Dragon Force.

Won't they just re-release the damn game already!

Starting to want a Saturn so bad. Is the system region free?

[QUOTE=FreeMufasa;34184543]Starting to want a Saturn so bad. Is the system region free?[/QUOTE]
No.

[QUOTE=FreeMufasa;34184543]Starting to want a Saturn so bad. Is the system region free?[/QUOTE]


there are ways around that

How does the emulator run? Does it run full speed/have any major issues? I have some games from my saturn backlog still and if I can play them without dragging out the system that would be awesome.

[QUOTE=FreeMufasa;34184543]Starting to want a Saturn so bad. Is the system region free?[/QUOTE]

No its not, but if you buy an action replay 4m+ (its a cartridge that goes on the Saturn) it will be region free, its really useful and it can be found for quite cheap prices.


[QUOTE=Zaraki_Kenpachi;34184741]How does the emulator run? Does it run full speed/have any major issues? I have some games from my saturn backlog still and if I can play them without dragging out the system that would be awesome.[/QUOTE]

I'm progressively testing my entire library, all those I tested are working perfectly without any slowdown, some of them runs even better than on the Saturn itself. I only had problems with two games:

-Street Fighter Zero 3: Black screen after Capcom's logo
-Earthworm Jim 2: Everything is there except sprites, invisible Jim and ennemies for example.

[QUOTE=Seik;34184970]No its not, but if you buy an action replay 4m+ (its a cartridge that goes on the Saturn) it will be region free, its really useful and it can be found for quite cheap prices.[/QUOTE]

Define quite cheap, cos I've just looked on eBay and it seems to be £20+

[QUOTE=cjelly;34185096]Define quite cheap, cos I've just looked on eBay and it seems to be £20+[/QUOTE]

That's pretty cheap compared to what much of the import software itself will cost you.

Too true, _dementia.

Since we're talking about region mods, has anyone here done a US/JP region switch or know a great guide for it? I'm wanting to ditch the Action Replay and start using the official memory cart + RAM carts, but I'd need to have a working region switch to do so.

I've seen some guides around but they're pretty hard to follow and seem to assume a lot of knowledge. Everyone says how easy it is to region mod a Saturn but these guides aren't looking very easy.

Thanks!

[QUOTE=FreeMufasa;34184543]Starting to want a Saturn so bad. Is the system region free?[/QUOTE]

Edit: I see a lot of people already answered the question. Action Replay is great and the Memory Card Plus will also work for region free gaming if you don't need the additional ram.

FYI, Memory Card Plus has super thick PCB and will break your Saturn's cart port.

[QUOTE=Genesis Knight;34185886]FYI, Memory Card Plus has super thick PCB and will break your Saturn's cart port.[/QUOTE]

Really? I have one cart but I forget which one since it's been so long. That sucks though.

[QUOTE=Zaraki_Kenpachi;34186756]Really? I have one cart but I forget which one since it's been so long. That sucks though.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, ST-Keys are the same way.

[QUOTE=Seik;34184970]I'm progressively testing my entire library, all those I tested are working perfectly without any slowdown, some of them runs even better than on the Saturn itself. I only had problems with two games:

-Street Fighter Zero 3: Black screen after Capcom's logo
-Earthworm Jim 2: Everything is there except sprites, invisible Jim and ennemies for example.[/QUOTE]

Sihouette Mirage is the only game of mine that doesn't work perfectly. Sinna's shots and effects are all corrupted.

[QUOTE=_dementia;33987348]Since we're on the subject of HDTVs, anyone have any experience with any of the Micomsoft upscale units like XRGB for old consoles?[/QUOTE]
I own an XRGB-2+ that I run to a 22" Gateway CRT monitor. I use it mostly for PStwo 90000 series (d-terminal) and Saturn/PlayStation (JPN RGB) but I've run just about all my consoles through the thing at one time or another.

I currently have the just released Frame Meister (XRGB-mini) on the way to me. I (and many others) were awaiting Fudoh's thoughts first and the thoughts are good enough for me. I'll be running this to a 24" Samsung 1080p LCD monitor. I'll still keep and use the 2+ and the CRT in another room, though.

[url]http://retrogaming.hazard-city.de/[/url]

I love the devices although on the 2+ there is some weak vertical sync depending on the monitor you are feeding the signal to. For CRTs it is there but nothing too distracting. On LCDs, like my Sony RP-LCD, it is horrendous, heh. I only ever notice it when playing RPGs, though.

[QUOTE=gar3;34189105]I currently have the just released Frame Meister (XRGB-mini) on the way to me.[/QUOTE]

holy crap, it's out?

if you take the cart in and out 3k times maybe. i just leave mine in, and you will be good. there is only what 2-3 games if that have issues with the action plus/ramcart. think it's vampior savior?

i actually use mine for US region games, as i have a import saturn. but, now i am finding most of the US games (besides rpgs) are fine in their JP counterparts...plus cheaper.

[QUOTE=luka;34189547]holy crap, it's out?[/QUOTE]

it came out late december i believe in JP, should be my next purchase :)

[QUOTE=Phonomezer;34151556]I know, and I actually did yesterday...

...ONLY TO FIND THAT DISC ONE OF PANZER DRAGOON SAGA IS NOT IN ITS CASE.

:(((((([/QUOTE]I really wouldn't worry. Disc One of PDS are really common due to being given away with magazines. Kinda clever marketing strategy that hearkened back to the shareware model. Unfortunately, it did jack shit to help the game. Or maybe it actually helped the game and it would have performed worse without the disc give away? We might never know.

But yeah, just jump on ebay. You'll score a legit PDS disc one easily.

[QUOTE=AdvanS13;34189659]if you take the cart in and out 3k times maybe. i just leave mine in, and you will be good. there is only what 2-3 games if that have issues with the action plus/ramcart. think it's vampior savior?[/QUOTE]

The Action Replay Plus does not have a thick PCB like the Memory Card Plus and the ST-Key. You will damage your cart port relatively quickly with any of the thick-PCB carts, but you're fine with the Action Replays. Later Action Replays (the 4M Plus aka "5-in-1") were fixed to be compatible with Vampire Savior.

[QUOTE=Genesis Knight;34185886]FYI, Memory Card Plus has super thick PCB and will break your Saturn's cart port.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info. I will be throwing my Memory Card Plus in the trash.

[QUOTE=ramine;33991273]Is there a Saturn emulator that will increase the resolution, similarly to what Dolphin or EPSXE do?

I realize SSF's emulation is excellent, but it'd be lovely to replay Panzer Dragoon Saga with [B]some sort of graphics filtering[/B].

I recall some emulator (Girigiri?) did that but it was pulled because it was illegal?[/QUOTE]

There are a set of filters that work with SSF: [URL="http://www.emucr.com/2009/04/ssf-filters-v0154.html"]http://www.emucr.com/2009/04/ssf-filters-v0154.html[/URL]

So what retro sites do you guys post at? Anybody active in the classic Sega online scene?

I'm most active at Sega-16 but I also hit up Racketboy, SegaAge, DigitPress, and others.

[QUOTE=cjelly;34185096]Define quite cheap, cos I've just looked on eBay and [B]it seems to be £20+ [/B][/QUOTE]

That's what I said, cheap. Action Replay 4M+ is one of the best console accessory [B][U]ever[/U][/B] made imho.

-Memory backup
-Action Replay
-Region Free
-Can be used as any RAM carts.

So, yes, its cheap and it gives you a lot for what you paid for. 'Swiss knife' of Saturn kinda. :)

[QUOTE=Seik;34192312]
So, yes, its cheap and it gives you a lot for what you paid for. 'Swiss knife' of Saturn kinda. :)[/QUOTE]

I recommend this as well. Mine never leaves my Saturn.

Pleeeease tell me how Castlevania:SOTN is on emulation :)

edit: my fault :) any chance for other pics? and why stretched?

[QUOTE=Ironmask;34219703]Pleeeease tell me how Castlevania:SOTN is on emulation :)

edit: my fault :) any chance for other pics? and why stretched?[/QUOTE]

It's all working perfectly! I almost did 60% of it and no slowdown or crash whatsoever. I'll post more pics this evening when I'll be back from my job. Blame me for playing in widescreen, I prefer having a fullscreen than having those black bars on the sides, I know many hates that, but...well, that's it! ^^

Whats strange about SSF is that it seems some games work fine with older versions, yet might not work with the most recent version.

I tend to go back and forth between the Saturn and the Dreamcast as my two favorite consoles. I probably favor the Saturn slightly more. There are just so many awesome hidden gems for the system. It is also the console i have managed to hold onto the longest. I purchased the Saturn I have today back in 1998 when Walmart was delisting them for $30. I already owned a "used" Saturn that was purchased from Funcoland, but I wanted a "new" one.

I have sold and rebought every other console currently in my library, but I have always held on to that Saturn. It has provided countless matches of Street Fighter Alpha 2, Xmen VS Street Fighter and Marvel vs Street Fighter. It is home to my favorite video game of all time, Guardian Heroes. Soukyugurentai, my favorite shoot em' up of all time originated on Saturn hardware.

I love this system.


...[I]misty eyes[/I]

Me and my friend began a little 'look back' show dedicated to the Saturn. First episode covers some of the launch/technical history before we check out Daytona.

[B]Sega Saturn Saturdays with Max & Matt - Episode 1 [/B]
[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bWuwGkiEGs[/url]

this thread made me end up buying a saturn :D

Max, that top comment is really funny.

Legitimate concern if you only do North American releases I suppose.

[QUOTE=_dementia;35047136]Max, that top comment is really funny.

Legitimate concern if you only do North American releases I suppose.[/QUOTE]

It'll actually be a topic in the next episode, how badass the Saturn was in Japan.

[QUOTE=DeFiBkIlLeR;33962904]I managed to get Saturn Bomberman to work with SSF, despite all the various sites listing it as being incompatible due to the Net-Link feature not being emulated..

1 mount iso as normal
2 start ssf, and wait for 'Sega' screen to go black
3 select 'CD Open' from ssf menu
4 select 'hardware reset'
5 wait for main saturn menu to appear
6 from main saturn menu select 'close cd'
7 wait for 'checking disc' message to go
8 select 'start application' from menu
9 game will now boot.

[IMG]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a164/TheOriginalCooper/Capture-41.jpg[/IMG]

Bit of a hassle, but otherwise, your not going to play THE best version of Bomberman during the 32bit console era..[/QUOTE]

Hmm all I had to do was hit reset once. You can tell when it's going to load because the CD access light will go crazy at the blue Sega logo screen.

Also the deinterlacing in the options is listed as slow but i noticed no performance hit. Dat high resolution Saturn Bomberman 10 player:

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/mCVmk.png[/IMG]

Edit: Also now I'm REALLY glad i bought that 360 fightpad

[QUOTE=LeMaximilian;35047068]Me and my friend began a little 'look back' show dedicated to the Saturn. First episode covers some of the launch/technical history before we check out Daytona.

[B]Sega Saturn Saturdays with Max & Matt - Episode 1 [/B]
[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bWuwGkiEGs[/url][/QUOTE]
That was a great episode. I left comments, but I'll post here too. You guys should definitely discuss the awesome Japanese/Model 2 Sega Saturn pad.

...maybe a two part episode on Guardian Heroes.

My saturn memory:

Daytona USA and Sega Rally....at HOME!! CANYOU IMAGINE THAT? you were able to play these at home for the first time ever. Just AWESOME!

oh and BUG! and clockwork knights.....not so awesome...

I actually picked up a saturn recently so that I could play battle garegga. I've been having a blast with it, but I had to go and get a composite to vga box so that I could play it on my CRT tated rather than on my HDTV horizontal. going to be dedicating most of my shmup time to 1CC it now.

I'm sure there was a better way of going about it, but whatever...

[B]Sega Saturn Saturdays with Max & Matt - Episode 2 Panzer Dragoon[/B]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTqx5g_LaVQ[/url]

Quick talk about Segata Sanshiro, Bernie Stolar and playing Panzer Dragoon.

[QUOTE=LeMaximilian;35267408][B]Sega Saturn Saturdays with Max & Matt - Episode 2 Panzer Dragoon[/B]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTqx5g_LaVQ[/url]

Quick talk about Segata Sanshiro, Bernie Stolar and playing Panzer Dragoon.[/QUOTE]
Nice review of the original Panzer Dragoon. I recently launched [url="http://www.panzerdragoonrevival.com"]Panzer Dragoon Revival[/url] (still a WIP), a petition for Sega to re-release the Panzer Dragoon games, so it's good to see people still remember the game that started it all.

[quote=ramine]Is there a Saturn emulator that will increase the resolution, similarly to what Dolphin or EPSXE do?

I realize SSF's emulation is excellent, but it'd be lovely to replay Panzer Dragoon Saga with some sort of graphics filtering.[/quote]
The GiriGiri emulator was able to run the Panzer Dragoon games in higher resolutions but it was abandoned long ago. Yabause made some good progress in that department as well though in its OpenGL mode:

[IMG]http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo53/Radik2/PanzerDragoon/PDS_Yabause.jpg[/IMG]

But it's kind of buggy and the sky texture is missing as well, so it's not really playable at this point.

[QUOTE=LeMaximilian;35267408][B]Sega Saturn Saturdays with Max & Matt - Episode 2 Panzer Dragoon[/B]
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTqx5g_LaVQ[/url]

Quick talk about Segata Sanshiro, Bernie Stolar and playing Panzer Dragoon.[/QUOTE]

Bernie Stolar: mortal enemy of every Saturn fan. We'd have gotten Sakura Wars in the US if not for that slacker.

Bernie Stolar dropped the ball with the RAM Cartridge

@Draikin- Signed your petition bro, hope SEGA will release them on PSN...and hopefully they'll be good ports/HD releases ^_^;

[QUOTE=Seik;33979343]I just tried Shining The Holy Ark. [B]HUGE[/B] improvement over playing on an original Saturn. It has absolutely no lags while running on SSF. Huge slowdowns are happening on Saturn during a spell or while sending a bunch of dwarves/fairies in the beginning of a fight.[/QUOTE]

I just tested my version. I have a first generation US saturn, a 4-in-1 ram kart installed, and I have also modded my saturn. I get no slow down when using fairies or casting spells. Either I am odd, or somehow I have the perfect combination.

I see that most of the posts here deal with emulation, but I see "Appreciation" in the thread title, so hopefully this is on-topic enough. I don't want to turn this into a recommendation thread, but this seemed the most appropriate place to ask since it's a Saturn thread and has been bumped several times recently.

I've been wanting to expand my Saturn collection for a while now, and I thought it would be best to get GAF's input instead of trusting someone else and wasting money on something awful. Also, I guess I should say that I'm looking for games released in America since I never got into importing/modding.

Here is my collection now, minus some of the garbage I bought back in the mid-90s:[INDENT]Albert Odyssey
Burning Rangers
Daytona USA
Die Hard Arcade
Dragon Force
Panzer Dragoon (Original, Zwei, and Saga)
Sega Rally Championship
Virtua Cop
Virtua Fighter 1 & 2

I also already have Guardian Heroes and Radiant Silvergun on XBLA.[/INDENT]
My favorite genres are RPGs, platformers, and action games, but there isn't any genre that I dislike.

- I had held off on Shining Force III because we never got the other 2 games in America and I never got into importing/modding, so is it still worth paying $90-100 since I'll never see the end of the full story?

- Also, what's the general opinion on Shining the Holy Ark? I've heard it mentioned a lot on podcasts and seen it in Saturn discussions, but no one ever mentions the quality of the game or how it has aged.

- Finally, are the Clockwork Knight games worth buying, or are there better platformers to spend my money on? Opinions always seemed kind of mixed when I read about the CK games in the past.

Please recommend anything that you enjoy. GAF opinions haven't steered me wrong in the past, and these games are getting pretty pricey now.

Thanks in advance, GAF.

Shining The Holy Ark is solid. Fun gameplay, good characters and music.

The main downside is that it's a LONG game, and it can drag, especially the massive dungeons.


Shining Force III is a great game, but no, it's not worth that much at all.

[QUOTE=Credo;35281521][B]- I had held off on Shining Force III because we never got the other 2 games in America and I never got into importing/modding, so is it still worth paying $90-100 since I'll never see the end of the full story?[/B] [/QUOTE]

There is a [URL="http://sf3trans.shiningforcecentral.com/patch-instructions/"]fan translation[/URL], you know. If you're not into modding your Saturn or don't want to deal with swap tricks, you can patch the games and run them into SSF.

Since the prices are quite stable, you can finish the games and re-sell them back.

[QUOTE=Credo;35281521]
- I had held off on Shining Force III because we never got the other 2 games in America and I never got into importing/modding, so is it still worth paying $90-100 since I'll never see the end of the full story?

- Also, what's the general opinion on Shining the Holy Ark? I've heard it mentioned a lot on podcasts and seen it in Saturn discussions, but no one ever mentions the quality of the game or how it has aged.

- Finally, are the Clockwork Knight games worth buying, or are there better platformers to spend my money on? Opinions always seemed kind of mixed when I read about the CK games in the past.

Please recommend anything that you enjoy. GAF opinions haven't steered me wrong in the past, and these games are getting pretty pricey now.

Thanks in advance, GAF.[/QUOTE]

1.) Shining Force 3 is amazing. Each scenario feels like a full game, it will just leave you on a cliff hanger. Shining Force 3 scenario 2 has a translatation patch. I have only done the first leve, and it seems to be decent. I am actually playing that now during my free time. Shining Force 3 scenario 2 seems to be have been been improved graphically as well.

2.) Shining the Holy Ark has aged very well. The genre hasn't really improved, and thus if it was given an HD update, you'd feel like you were playing a new game. The only things that would change is the movement feels like you are moving in square steps, I'm sure that would be improved, but it doesn't hamper the game to much.

3.) Clockwork Knight. This game has not aged very well. The platforming was only above average during release. If you like platform gamin the Saturn has better. I'd recommend Astal. The game has held up very well. The graphics are beautiful, and the game is a lot more fun then Clockwork Knight. While the game is short, I'd much rather play Astal a couple of times before playing Clockwork Knight once.

Games I'd highly recommend you play on the saturn platform today:
Italics are imports:

Dragon Age (Stratedgy RPG)
Astal (Platform)
Shining the Holy Ark (RPG)
Shining Force 3 (Stradegy RPG)
Legend of Oasis (Action RPG) (I prefer this game to the 2D zelda games)
[I]Dungeons & Dragons Collection [/I](Action|Side-scroll|RPG) - Why I started importing
Baku Baku Animal (Just a highly addictive puzzle game)
[I]Silhouette Mirage [/I](Plaform|Shooter) - Best version by far
[I]Purikura Daisakusen [/I]- (Platform|Action)
Slayers Royal - (RPG) - Best version look for the fan-made translation patch
[I]Terra Phantastica [/I](RPG)

Bernie Stolar completely redeemed himself with his handling of the Dreamcast launch, before he was booted anyway.

[QUOTE=Suairyu;35282434]Bernie Stolar completely redeemed himself with his handling of the Dreamcast launch, before he was booted anyway.[/QUOTE]

Nobody could redeem that.

Seriously 2D fighters were still huge, and they were never released with the ram cart or marketed. Showing X-men vs Streetfight PSX, side by side with X-men vs Streefighter Saturn would of sold Saturns. The differences are insane. Dungeons and Dragons was a huge hit in the arcade, and on many US top 10 most wanted lists. Yet, it was never released in the US because Stolar didn't want to bring the ram card.

So frustrating.

Someone explain this Bertie Stopar thing?

By the sounds of it he was against marketing any game with the Ram cart?

[QUOTE=cjelly;35282664]Someone explain this Bertie Stopar thing?

By the sounds of it he was against marketing any game with the Ram cart?[/QUOTE]

He was against releasing any 2D games in the US market. He also was against peripherals like the ram cart used for perfect Neogeo and Capcom ports. It took a lot of effort for developers to get approval to release 2D games on the Saturn, which was what the system was made for. Neogeo said F-it for later ports. Even when Capcom gave him an ultimatum for there games requiring a ram cart, he simply said the Saturn was better off without it.

Thank you, cj, M3d10n, and Goofster.

I actually just bought Astal about 30 minutes after my first post. When I checked it out in the past, the prices were hovering around $45-50, but this afternoon I saw an auction for a complete, mint copy that was $20 cheaper than normal, so I finally got it.

And thank you for that link in your post, M3d10n. I never knew creating an ISO and adding a fan translation was that easy. I really should explore emulation more instead of sticking to the NA-only games that I can play in my console on my TV.

What do you all think of Fighting Vipers and/or Fighters Megamix? Is it even worth getting Fighting Vipers since Fighters Megamix has all the FV characters in it, or are either one of them worth picking up?

Keep the recommendations coming if you want, GAF. I appreciate all of them.