Support NeoGAF

[EightBit Man]

 

[Kazza]

A great interview with the lead developer of Ghen Wars, Robert Leyland. They talk about the surprise Saturn launch, the Saturn hardware, working with Sega as a third party in the mid-90s, and more.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

Some photos of Shining Force 3: Scenario 1. This is the new fan translation of the entire trilogy, including the second and third scenarios that were never released in the West. I have so far played through a few battles and am loving every minute of it. The story is suitably epic, featuring an ongoing conflict between a regional empire, a breakaway republic and a mysterious religious faction that manipulates both sides against one another. The cast of characters is enormous, each with back stories and mysterious pasts that will no doubt be explored during the saga,

This is easily the best installment of the Shining saga, and the last episode in the series created by the vaunted Takahashi Brothers, whose Camelot studio broke away from Sega and migrated to Nintendo and videogame purgatory, being forced to churn out endless Mario Tennis and Mario Golf sequels. This gives SF3 a sense of poignancy, the last great mammoth double album before the band breaks up. I can certainly understand why diehard fans would declare the SF3 trilogy to be the greatest games ever made for Sega Saturn.

Visually, this game looks spectacular and shows off every trick in the Saturn playbook: extremely solid 3D polygon environments, 2D pre-rendered sprites, VDP2 rolling ocean waves, line scrolling wave effects, gauraud shading, realtime light sourcing, transparent effects. The battle animations that are a staple of the Shining Force series shows off dazzling special effects that easily match anything on Playstation or Nintendo 64. In these scenes, I was particularly impressed at how the polygon backgrounds would quietly zoom away before special attacks commenced, then zoom back into place, not unlike Hitchcock's famous Vetrigo effect.

Now that the entire three-part epic is now available in English, Shining Force 3 is ripe for a major reevaluation. If there was ever a videogame that could benefit from a Criterion Collection reissue, it's this one. Stay Tuned.

 

[DGrayson]

Some photos of Shining Force 3: Scenario 1. T

Ive always wanted to play this. I might have to give it a go soon. Looking for a new JRPG to play.

 

[Kazza]

Ive always wanted to play this. I might have to give it a go soon. Looking for a new JRPG to play.

Someone did a reproduction with all three secenarios translated into English, if you're thinking of playing it on an actual Saturn:

 

[DGrayson]

SF

That looks incredible unfortunately I dont have a CRT. I do have a saturn but I am in the process of selling it. My retro games collection was sold years ago so I tend to go all "digital" for retro games !

 

[Kazza]

That looks incredible unfortunately I dont have a CRT. I do have a saturn but I am in the process of selling it. My retro games collection was sold years ago so I tend to go all "digital" for retro games !

If I were an optimist I would say wait for the Saturn Mini/Sega Ages Switch version, but realistically emulation sounds like the way to go for you (Saturn emulation is pretty decent nowadays)

 

[DGrayson]

If I were an optimist I would say wait for the Saturn Mini/Sega Ages Switch version, but realistically emulation sounds like the way to go for you (Saturn emulation is pretty decent nowadays)

I would kill for a Saturn mini and Dreamcast mini

 

[Kazza]

I would kill for a Saturn mini and Dreamcast mini

I'm actually fairly optimistic of us getting a Dreamcast Mini in the next 2-3 years (although they missed a trick not releasing it this year - a release date of 9/9/19 would have had a nice ring to it). A Saturn Mini could possibly come after.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

That looks incredible unfortunately I dont have a CRT. I do have a saturn but I am in the process of selling it. My retro games collection was sold years ago so I tend to go all "digital" for retro games !

First, don’t sell your Saturn. You’ll change your mind 5-10 years from now and will end up paying through the nose for it. It’s a fantastic system!

Second, you can play Saturn on an HDTV. Use composite cables to preserve the mesh-transparencies and you’ll be fine. Look around Craigslist for cheap or free CRT televisions.

As to the question of “reproduction discs,” bear in mind that these are CD-Rs with games downloaded off the internet. Anybody with a PC can do this easily (ISO Burn and Alcohol 120 are your friends). This is also an option for creating backup discs that you can play while the originals are kept safely in storage.

I do like the convenience of repro discs, as well as the cover and disc designs which look very nice. However, bear in mind that CD-R discs have a lifespan of roughly 10 years. I have had several Saturn discs burned back in 2007-08 that no longer work.

Repro discs are a temporary solution to a long-term problem, and videogame preservation will continue to be a major challenge in the future.

 

[Kazza]

Recently released footage of the prototype of the canceled Sega Saturn game, Star Wars Rebel Strikes. The engine looks really smooth. A shame it never got a release.

 

[Kazza]

An infamous Saturn quote finally sourced;

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

An infamous Saturn quote finally sourced;

Funny, I had assumed that everybody was aware the infamous "Saturn is not our future" line was published in EGM. Do all the gamers have scanned copies of the old prozines? If not, you should work on that. It's an invaluable resource for the era.

This interview would have taken place at E3 1997 in June. Videogame magazines used an extremely long publication time (3 months), which meant that you would finally read about E3 or CES 10 weeks after it happened. You can appreciate why the internet so completely disrupted the publishing industry, especially since the only two things most gamers were interested reading about was 1) new games and 2) cheat codes. I think by this point, I was already hooked on IGN and Gamespot.

I'm not aware if Stolar made his Saturn statement elsewhere at E3, but we do know of the very public meltdown with Victor Ireland & Working Designs, as well as the complete lack of any third-party support for the system. While Sega showed off an impressive number of software titles at the show, including Quake, Duke Nukem 3D, Last Bronx, Marvel Super Heroes, Resident Evil, Sonic R and Panzer Saga, as well as the NetLink peripheral, there was an overwhelming sense of winding things down.

Stolar made two crucial errors at this time, first by stating "Saturn is not our future" and effectively killing the platform in the minds of retailers and the public, and second by misunderstanding the release schedule for Dreamcast. Look at the EGM interview again, where it appears that he believed the new system would launch Stateside in 1998. Whoops.

Yes, the Saturn was barely alive by June of '97, but Stolar's words and actions killed the console a full two years before its replacement would arrive. Sega would go 18 months without any retail presence whatsoever, and this endless drought only served to confirm gamers' worst fears, that Sega does not support its products and will kill its consoles prematurely. Even the Dreamcast couldn't escape this perception, as rumors spun wildly about a "Dreamcast 2" as early as the year 2000.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

Here are some new photos of Winter Heat in action. This is one of my all-time favorite Sega Saturn videogames, and AM3 did an outstanding job at giving us a Winter Olympics-themed sports title. In every way, they improved upon Decathlete and crafted a true arcade classic.

Konami's Track 'N Field will always remain the gold standard for this genre, and I'm impressed at how Sega managed to follow the old archetype while also adding variety to the controls. There's more to do than simply mash the buttons as fast as possible.

For me, the real standout in this game are the character designs and animations, which are wonderfully fluid, natural and nuanced. This is some of the finest motion-captured movements of the era and holds up remarkably well today, never feeling at all dated. There are also those wonderfully funny crashes that always make me laugh out loud.

Visually, Winter Heat soars with some of the strongest 3D graphics on Saturn, demonstrating once again that all the system really needed was more time. Most of the game is displayed in 480/60 high resolution, only cutting down to 240/30 standard resolution during competitions. You can tell that the designers really wanted to bump everything to high-res, but probably couldn't due to the 4P multiplayer, which addresses the one criticism against Decathlete. There's that wonderful Sega arcade polish to everything, bright and crisp and colorful. This visual style fell out of fashion in Generation 5, as everybody and their uncle became obsessed with Playstation's lightey-glowey effects while ignoring everything else. Thankfully, things snapped back to normal during the Dreamcast era.

One thing I never understood is why Sega abandoned this series. Decathlete and Winter Heat play brilliantly, are perfect for social gatherings and casual settings, and are blessed with a colorful cast of characters. Then Virtua Athlete 2000 appears on Dreamcast and completely drops everything, and you're left playing a very generic Track 'N Field clone with very generic and poorly-animated characters. What's the deal, Holmes?

It's a cruel irony that Sega Saturn built a fantastic library of sports games, but only at the very end of its too-short lifespan, long after anybody bothered to care. Tough luck for them, but good news for you, especially since these games are so easily affordable. Dip into your $500 Panzer Saga fund and grab Winter Heat, Decathlete, Steep Slope Sliders, the 98 Sega Sports lineup and Madden 98, and Saturn becomes your new main console for parties, you new Regular Saturday Night Thing.

 

[Kazza]

Funny, I had assumed that everybody was aware the infamous "Saturn is not our future" line was published in EGM. Do all the gamers have scanned copies of the old prozines? If not, you should work on that. It's an invaluable resource for the era.

This interview would have taken place at E3 1997 in June. Videogame magazines used an extremely long publication time (3 months), which meant that you would finally read about E3 or CES 10 weeks after it happened. You can appreciate why the internet so completely disrupted the publishing industry, especially since the only two things most gamers were interested reading about was 1) new games and 2) cheat codes. I think by this point, I was already hooked on IGN and Gamespot.

I'm not aware if Stolar made his Saturn statement elsewhere at E3, but we do know of the very public meltdown with Victor Ireland & Working Designs, as well as the complete lack of any third-party support for the system. While Sega showed off an impressive number of software titles at the show, including Quake, Duke Nukem 3D, Last Bronx, Marvel Super Heroes, Resident Evil, Sonic R and Panzer Saga, as well as the NetLink peripheral, there was an overwhelming sense of winding things down.

Stolar made two crucial errors at this time, first by stating "Saturn is not our future" and effectively killing the platform in the minds of retailers and the public, and second by misunderstanding the release schedule for Dreamcast. Look at the EGM interview again, where it appears that he believed the new system would launch Stateside in 1998. Whoops.

Yes, the Saturn was barely alive by June of '97, but Stolar's words and actions killed the console a full two years before its replacement would arrive. Sega would go 18 months without any retail presence whatsoever, and this endless drought only served to confirm gamers' worst fears, that Sega does not support its products and will kill its consoles prematurely. Even the Dreamcast couldn't escape this perception, as rumors spun wildly about a "Dreamcast 2" as early as the year 2000.

Thanks for the history. I'm from the UK, so the Official Saturn Magazine was my reading material of choice. I can't remember if they reported on that quote or not. I got heavily into PC strategy gaming towards the second half of the Saturn's life, so didn't feel the sudden (and premature) winding down as keenly as others may have.

I've heard it quoted in many a youtube video, but they never seemed to link to the original source. Credit to CGQ for actually making an effort to use primary sources, rather than just relying on other peoples' youtube videos. Looking forward to his upcoming Dreamcast launch video.

 

[Komatsu]

I recently picked up Virtua Racing for my Saturn after getting the SEGA Ages enhanced port for the Switch and, man, the Saturn had by far the best console version of the game.

 

[Kazza]

I recently picked up Virtua Racing for my Saturn after getting the SEGA Ages enhanced port for the Switch and, man, the Saturn had by far the best console version of the game.

That's a pretty controversial view. Most people aren't too fond of the Saturn version, although there's no denying it had the most content.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

Here are scans from Sega Saturn Magazine UK's review of Winter Heat. You can find all of the issues (as well as many other gaming magazines) at Sega Retro, an essential resource for all Saturn fans. As always, I love the quality of the layouts as well as the writing, which is sympathetic and supportive, but also willing to level criticism when necessary. Kudos to Rich Ledbetter and his team for doing such a bang-up job.

I really wish we had a dedicated Sega Saturn magazine in the US. It would have helped boost morale among the fans, as well as help counter the endless negativity and toxic reputation surrounding Sega in those days.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

Here is a preview from Sega Saturn Magazine UK for a highly obscure gem in the Saturn library, DJ Wars. This game was the work of a small software studio named Exit, whose only other known videogame is a very strange Playstation game called Kanako Enomoto: Junk Brain Diagnosis. It can best be described as a free-flowing music rhythm game where you play as a DJ in various clubs, spinning records, mixing tracks and trying to win over the crowd. The controls are very complex but the game itself is very involving, giving you a great sense of control and freedom to create and mix your music set.

Visually, DJ Wars is packed full of futuristic hip-hop and rave stylings, like Jet Set Radio mashed into Miles Davis' On The Corner. Graphics are a combination of 2D sprites and illustrations with 3D polygons for the DJ. There are some cool lighting effects and trippy psychedelic backgrounds, and the overall aesthetic is minimal, almost abstract. The music tracks are quite varied and sound very good, and one of your challenges is knowing which tracks to use at which clubs.

I haven't made much progress in this game, owing to its complex controls. The Saturn joypad really isn't ideal for this game, which requires you to operate two turntables and a mixer in real time, including switching records, syncing the tempos between tracks, fading in and out, and the occasional scratching effect. In addition, the freewheeling nature leaves you to your own devices. This isn't DJ Hero by any stretch. That freedom is very welcome but also adds to the steep learning curve. I really ought to sit down and spend an afternoon playing this game.

This is one of those simulation-styled games that you'd find during home computer era. I could totally see this game on the Commodore Amiga. In fact, I'm surprised that hasn't already happened.

You can pick up a copy of DJ Wars for as little as ten bucks. Most of the important text and equipment are in English, with only the storyline dialog in Japanese, meaning that language shouldn't be a barrier to entry. An official guide book was also released, which looks super cool. I feel like I should endorse this videogame just for style points.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

I have a few magazine scans to share from the April 1998 issue of EGM.

First, this short news article details the market share between the three hardware powers at the end of 1997. Sony claimed they had sold 3.8 million PSX consoles in Q4 1997 and sold $2.4 billion in retail sales. Nintendo did not provide specific sales numbers, but claimed to control 48.8% of the videogame market, followed by PSX at 47.1%. Sega barely registers at a distant 4.1%. Ouch.

Second, here is a very favorable review of Winter Heat by the EGM review crew. The game did receive excellent reviews from all the major gaming magazines, who praised the gameplay and 4P multiplayer. I'd definitely agree with them. It's a Top 10 Saturn game for me, easily. Pity it probably sold less than 1000 copies.

Finally, I couldn't help but noting this ad for Dead or Alive on Playstation. Notice those screenshots? Those are from the Saturn version. D'oh! Isn't that just a kick in the teeth? But if you're wondering why Tecmo never released that Saturn version in the US, check those sales stats above. The Saturn was all but dead by the start of 1998, gamers had long since moved on, and there probably wasn't much appetite for another fighting game when Tekken 3 was grabbing all the attention.

Who knows, maybe this was Tecmo's subtle way of telling gamers which version of DoA they really preferred. Remember that the Saturn version found its way onto the Xbox DoA Ultimate collection (which is really super awesome, btw).

 

[Komatsu]

That's a pretty controversial view. Most people aren't too fond of the Saturn version, although there's no denying it had the most content.

It’s leaps and bounds ahead of the Genesis version and the new tracks were a nice touch. Can’t really compare it to Arcade.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

It’s leaps and bounds ahead of the Genesis version and the new tracks were a nice touch. Can’t really compare it to Arcade.

I wrote about V.R. Virtua Racing several pages earlier in this thread. I enjoy it a lot, especially the exclusive racetracks and car classes. Graphics are a touch smudgy, ala Daytona USA and F-1 Challenge, but perfectly playable and the steering is excellent.

 

[Komatsu]

I wrote about V.R. Virtua Racing several pages earlier in this thread. I enjoy it a lot, especially the exclusive racetracks and car classes. Graphics are a touch smudgy, ala Daytona USA and F-1 Challenge, but perfectly playable and the steering is excellent.

I much prefer the Saturn's steering to that of the M2 port for the Switch - though the Switch port looks absolutely amazing.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

I've been working on taking photos from vintage gaming magazines, which I shall begin posting here on the Sega Saturn forum. To kick things off, here's Diehard Game Fan's two-page spread on the almighty Powerslave. The pages are presented in that classic Game Fan style, trashy and over-the-top and packed to the margins with cool screenshots and drunken fanboy rambling.

As with all the Powerslave reviews from 1996, the game is merely seen as "Doom in Egypt." We really did have to wait for Metroid Prime to arrive before everyone could understand just what Lobotomy was doing. What a fantastic videogame, definitely a Saturn Top Ten for me.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

Some new screenshots of Lobotomy's Powerslave, a 3D acton-adventure that managed to beat Metroid Prime to the punch by nearly a decade. This is one of Sega Saturn's greatest videogames. It looks fantastic, sounds wonderful, plays brilliantly, is packed with endless surprises and is extremely challenging. It deserved to sell millions and nobody except Rich Ledbetter even bothered to look. It was criminal negligence.

Did the gaming magazines even bother to play this game, or did they just pop in the disc for five minutes before going back to their Playstations? They dismissed it as "just another Doom clone," but it's very obvious that Lobotomy's inspiration was Super Metroid. Powerslave features large, sprawling worlds where secrets and hidden passageways always lie just out of reach, waiting for you to obtain that crucial upgrade that allows you to explore new areas.

Powerslave looks absolutely sensational, and it's a joy to run around and admire the brilliant lighting and color effects. Sometimes, you just want to let the pharaohs hurl those blue spheres at you, just to see the reflections on all the walls. I also greatly admire the underwater lighting effects, which are very similar to Tomb Raider (another Saturn masterpiece that was cruelly ignored by gamers). The overall color design is just superb, extremely varied in tone and style, all while maintaining the Egyptian theme.

Whenever the subject of Sega Saturn comes up, the discussion usually turns to the question of why it failed in the West, of what went wrong and who was to blame. After many years of consideration, and a solid year of playing through the Saturn software library, I've come to a firm conclusion: the public is to blame. It's the gamers who proved themselves gullible suckers for endless hype, both from Sony and Nintendo, and crippling Sega with a toxic reputation that could never be shaken. To this day, even diehard Saturn fans repeat the same mantra: Can't Do 3D, Can't Do 3D, Can't Do 3D. Facts be damned. This is now narrative becomes history.

It is absolutely inconceivable that a videogame system whose software library includes the likes of Virtua Fighter 2, Sega Rally, Virtua Cop, Panzer Dragoon Trilogy, Dragon Force, World Series Baseball 98, Worldwide Soccer 97/98, Tomb Raider and Powerslave could not become a success. Whose fault is that? Look in the mirror. So Saturn failed to become a hit? So what? Same thing happened to The Velvet Underground and The Ramones. And the biggest pop star when I was in high school as Vanilla Ice. That's what popularity gets you.

 

[Kazza]

Some new screenshots of Lobotomy's Powerslave, a 3D acton-adventure that managed to beat Metroid Prime to the punch by nearly a decade. This is one of Sega Saturn's greatest videogames. It looks fantastic, sounds wonderful, plays brilliantly, is packed with endless surprises and is extremely challenging. It deserved to sell millions and nobody except Rich Ledbetter even bothered to look. It was criminal negligence.

Did the gaming magazines even bother to play this game, or did they just pop in the disc for five minutes before going back to their Playstations? They dismissed it as "just another Doom clone," but it's very obvious that Lobotomy's inspiration was Super Metroid. Powerslave features large, sprawling worlds where secrets and hidden passageways always lie just out of reach, waiting for you to obtain that crucial upgrade that allows you to explore new areas.

Powerslave looks absolutely sensational, and it's a joy to run around and admire the brilliant lighting and color effects. Sometimes, you just want to let the pharaohs hurl those blue spheres at you, just to see the reflections on all the walls. I also greatly admire the underwater lighting effects, which are very similar to Tomb Raider (another Saturn masterpiece that was cruelly ignored by gamers). The overall color design is just superb, extremely varied in tone and style, all while maintaining the Egyptian theme.

Whenever the subject of Sega Saturn comes up, the discussion usually turns to the question of why it failed in the West, of what went wrong and who was to blame. After many years of consideration, and a solid year of playing through the Saturn software library, I've come to a firm conclusion: the public is to blame. It's the gamers who proved themselves gullible suckers for endless hype, both from Sony and Nintendo, and crippling Sega with a toxic reputation that could never be shaken. To this day, even diehard Saturn fans repeat the same mantra: Can't Do 3D, Can't Do 3D, Can't Do 3D. Facts be damned. This is now narrative becomes history.

It is absolutely inconceivable that a videogame system whose software library includes the likes of Virtua Fighter 2, Sega Rally, Virtua Cop, Panzer Dragoon Trilogy, Dragon Force, World Series Baseball 98, Worldwide Soccer 97/98, Tomb Raider and Powerslave could not become a success. Whose fault is that? Look in the mirror. So Saturn failed to become a hit? So what? Same thing happened to The Velvet Underground and The Ramones. And the biggest pop star when I was in high school as Vanilla Ice. That's what popularity gets you.

One of my favourite games back then. The Official Saturn mag here in the UK gave it a lot of positive coverage at least. Having just replayed it, do you think it would need to be remade if re-released today, or would a simple remaster suffice (i.e. just bump up the framerate and resolution)? Retro-style FPSs seem to be making a little comeback on PC, and this masterpiece deserves a second shot.

I agree 100% with your little rant at the end. I never had a time when I didn't have a great Saturn game that I wanted to play. It just never got momentum going in the West. If SoA had only cancelled the 32X way before its release and concentrated all marketing and development efforts on the Saturn instead I feel history would have been much kinder.

 

[rickyEGM]

Appreciate the sentiment, but nothing beats the real thing.

My Saturn's always hooked up.

I think it looks good in HD, too. Better audio quality than my PS3, no less.

I think my Saturn disc drive died a couple weeks ago. I tried to boot up Cotton and it wouldn't recognize the disc (or any Saturn disc)

 

[Kazza]

I think my Saturn disc drive died a couple weeks ago. I tried to boot up Cotton and it wouldn't recognize the disc (or any Saturn disc)

You could try one of these:




It's quite an old video now, so maybe there are better solutions.

 

[Kazza]

Daniel Thomas MacInnes (and anyone else reading), what do you think of these scores from UK magazine Mean Machines Sega? How do they compare to your own assessment, a well as that of US magazines at the time? This is from March 1997 (the final issue, as far as I can tell). Each month they would list their top 50 games, sometimes adjusting their original review scores as newer games came out.

Mean Machines Sega Magazine Issue 53 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

archive.org

The scores are pretty similar to my own opinion (although I would score Guardian Heroes, Mystaria and Zwei all a few points higher). It's a shame the magazine ended so early, but I guess the market position of the Saturn in the UK by March 97 wasn't large enough to support two Saturn-onnly magazines (the other being the excellent Official Sega Saturn Magazine)

 

[Kazza]

Did the gaming magazines even bother to play this game, or did they just pop in the disc for five minutes before going back to their Playstations? They dismissed it as "just another Doom clone," but it's very obvious that Lobotomy's inspiration was Super Metroid. Powerslave features large, sprawling worlds where secrets and hidden passageways always lie just out of reach, waiting for you to obtain that crucial upgrade that allows you to explore new areas.

Fortunately, in the UK it wasn't just Rich Leadbetter's Official Sega Saturn Magazine which gave it good coverage:

Official Sega Saturn Magazine Issue 11 : EMAP : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

archive.org

Mean Machine Sega gave it an even more glowing review:

Mean Machines Sega Magazine Issue 47 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

archive.org

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

One of my favourite games back then. The Official Saturn mag here in the UK gave it a lot of positive coverage at least. Having just replayed it, do you think it would need to be remade if re-released today, or would a simple remaster suffice (i.e. just bump up the framerate and resolution)? Retro-style FPSs seem to be making a little comeback on PC, and this masterpiece deserves a second shot.

I agree 100% with your little rant at the end. I never had a time when I didn't have a great Saturn game that I wanted to play. It just never got momentum going in the West. If SoA had only cancelled the 32X way before its release and concentrated all marketing and development efforts on the Saturn instead I feel history would have been much kinder.

Classic videogame remakes and reissues are all the rage these days, which is great for me since I greatly prefer the classics. Personally, I would like to see a Powerslave that included the original Saturn game with no alterations, as well as a "modern" upgrade to resolution and frame rate. I think it's important to play these games in their original state in order to appreciate them and the era they lived.

I see that Turok 2 (N64) has been reissued on Switch with sharp new visuals and 60 fps. It looks terrific and should play better than ever. But I'd also like today's kids to see how the game actually played on a stock Nintendo 64 with the RAM cart. They would no doubt be shocked at the frame rate, which chugs along at 10 fps in its best moments, cutting to five when things really get hectic. Heck, everything on N64 was running at ten frames per second. So, in that instance, the upgrade is very welcome, but doing so radically changes the whole experience. It becomes an entirely different Turok 2. I would prefer to have the option of playing both.

Context is everything, especially in Generation Five where videogames are going through their experimental phase. You really do learn to appreciate what Lobotomy achieved, at how effectively they kept a higher frame rate while creating large, complex worlds packed with things to explore and explode. Today's players should get to experience that as well.

 

[Komatsu]

Hey guys, one of my local retro dealers gave me a ring this weekend - he has a copy of Mystaria in pretty decent shape. Is the game worth it? I've read pretty mixed reviews of the game but after playing SF3 and finally finishing Saga after two decades, I'm on a bit of a Saturn RPG high. Should I get it? It's like 50 bucks.

 

[Starlight Lotice]

I forgot to mention that I got Groove on Fight last month and I just love it!

Given that SEGA now own ATLUS, they should get it on the SEGA Ages collection.

Exmaple GIF since I cannot upload.

 

[cireza]

Hey guys, one of my local retro dealers gave me a ring this weekend - he has a copy of Mystaria in pretty decent shape. Is the game worth it? I've read pretty mixed reviews of the game but after playing SF3 and finally finishing Saga after two decades, I'm on a bit of a Saturn RPG high. Should I get it? It's like 50 bucks.

Mystaria is one of my favorite T-RPG ever. It is an early game, so the engine is not very smooth. However, it is an immensely enjoyable game. Lot of freedom, great varied characters, excellent gameplay. The game is a bit difficult, and if you pick it up, you should come back to me for some advice.

 

[Komatsu]

Mystaria is one of my favorite T-RPG ever. It is an early game, so the engine is not very smooth. However, it is an immensely enjoyable game. Lot of freedom, great varied characters, excellent gameplay. The game is a bit difficult, and if you pick it up, you should come back to me for some advice.

Oh, I will pick it up for sure. He's asking me $80. I still feel like I'm an imbecile for not getting it while I was in Paris for Japan Expo - I found it for €50 in one of those retro shops near Place de la Republique. European (or, rather, French and British) shops have much better Saturn stocks than here in the States.

 

[cireza]

Oh, I will pick it up for sure. He's asking me $80. I still feel like I'm an imbecile for not getting it while I was in Paris for Japan Expo - I found it for €50 in one of those retro shops near Place de la Republique. European (or, rather, French and British) shops have much better Saturn stocks than here in the States.

This was one of my first game on Saturn, and I played a ton of it. My nickname on internet is actually taken from a villain in this game, with one letter changed. Just shows how much I love this game.

The game does not teach you its mechanics too well, so some things will be a bit difficult to understand. But once you understand the rules of the game, everything makes perfect sense. It is a game that rewards intelligence in both placement/reach and understanding your enemies and their skills.

I will come back with advice when you will actually play it

 

[Komatsu]

This was one of my first game on Saturn, and I played a ton of it. My nickname on internet is actually taken from a villain in this game, with one letter changed. Just shows how much I love this game.

The game does not teach you its mechanics too well, so some things will be a bit difficult to understand. But once you understand the rules of the game, everything makes perfect sense. It is a game that rewards intelligence in both placement/reach and understanding your enemies and their skills.

I will come back with advice when you will actually play it

OK, I got it! Will start playing it tonight. Thanks so much for the help!

--

BTW, fellow Saturners, I was thinking: should we perhaps start our own SEGAF community?

 

[cireza]

OK, I got it! Will start playing it tonight. Thanks so much for the help!

Ok, a few quick tips.

1) In this game, each character has 2 to 4 skill category. Each skill actually provided a set amount of experience for this category when you use it. So you should frequently reorganize your skill menu and include the latest ones.

2) You should not always use the latest Defense skill. Each Defense skill has its own use and even if it is important to raise your experience by using the latest skill, only do this if the situation is adapted. DEF reduces damage, CVR makes a character take damage instead of another (no damage reduction), CTR returns damage only on Physical attacks and does not reduce damage taken, Evade raises the chances to dodge etc...

3) After a few battles you will be free to wander the world to find the remaining characters. The game level automatically scales, so you can do whatever order. This will probably be a bit difficult, and you don't gain form raising your levels. Just make a choice and try to stick with it. I like to go west in Dragoon Kingdom first.

4) All characters max at level 30. You should use a mixture of all so that everyone gets levels. It is not difficult to have them all at lv 30.

5) Equipment is important (weapons, armors, shields) you should try to keep upgraded as much as possible, but don't invest in an armor that is too expensive for little gain. It is not worth. You will find a lot of chests with items. Some weapons are cursed or will have specific effects, you will have to try by yourself to see what works and what does not.

6) Characters are heavily influenced by the ground and how they can move. Try to stay on the paths, or it might be difficult and some characters will get a bit stuck.

7) Always take a look at the enemy types before acting. There are generally two or three enemy types at once, not more. Click on them and look what they do. What kind of defense they use. They will always use their defense skill after moving if they could not attack. Don't go physical on an enemy that has Counter, use Fireball or Freeze instead (ATK skills).

8) The game is difficult and weak characters ARE weak. Always expose the stronger ones. Never advance too much to avoid exposing needlessly your characters.

9) Don't waste your MP in ATK skills with Saura, only do it when you feel like you will not need healing anymore. I don't like to rely too much on items, but there are healing items though so count on them if you need.

That's already quite a lot of things. Hope this helps.

 

[Komatsu]

Ok, a few quick tips.

1) In this game, each character has 2 to 4 skill category. Each skill actually provided a set amount of experience for this category when you use it. So you should frequently reorganize your skill menu and include the latest ones.

2) You should not always use the latest Defense skill. Each Defense skill has its own use and even if it is important to raise your experience by using the latest skill, only do this if the situation is adapted. DEF reduces damage, CVR makes a character take damage instead of another (no damage reduction), CTR returns damage only on Physical attacks and does not reduce damage taken, Evade raises the chances to dodge etc...

3) After a few battles you will be free to wander the world to find the remaining characters. The game level automatically scales, so you can do whatever order. This will probably be a bit difficult, and you don't gain form raising your levels. Just make a choice and try to stick with it. I like to go west in Dragoon Kingdom first.

4) All characters max at level 30. You should use a mixture of all so that everyone gets levels. It is not difficult to have them all at lv 30.

5) Equipment is important (weapons, armors, shields) you should try to keep upgraded as much as possible, but don't invest in an armor that is too expensive for little gain. It is not worth. You will find a lot of chests with items. Some weapons are cursed or will have specific effects, you will have to try by yourself to see what works and what does not.

6) Characters are heavily influenced by the ground and how they can move. Try to stay on the paths, or it might be difficult and some characters will get a bit stuck.

7) Always take a look at the enemy types before acting. There are generally two or three enemy types at once, not more. Click on them and look what they do. What kind of defense they use. They will always use their defense skill after moving if they could not attack. Don't go physical on an enemy that has Counter, use Fireball or Freeze instead (ATK skills).

8) The game is difficult and weak characters ARE weak. Always expose the stronger ones. Never advance too much to avoid exposing needlessly your characters.

9) Don't waste your MP in ATK skills with Saura, only do it when you feel like you will not need healing anymore. I don't like to rely too much on items, but there are healing items though so count on them if you need.

That's already quite a lot of things. Hope this helps.

Thanks so much, particularly for tips #2 and #4. I never worry too much about cross-party leveling and would never assume that one should use earlier DEF skills. Game is pretty interesting so far though the story does feel a bit generic compared to other great Saturn RPGs like Shining 3 and Saga.

 

[cireza]

Thanks so much, particularly for tips #2 and #4. I never worry too much about cross-party leveling and would never assume that one should use earlier DEF skills. Game is pretty interesting so far though the story does feel a bit generic compared to other great Saturn RPGs like Shining 3 and Saga.

Story is nothing special. I love the overall atmosphere though, the game uses a lot of fog and cloud effects, and the soundtrack is a bit on the calm/mysterious side.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

Some new photos of World Series Baseball 98 on Saturn, absolutely one of the greatest videogames for the system. Every owner should have a copy in their library, no questions asked.

I was thinking to myself that this game is probably my all-time second-favorite sports videogame, after the legendary NHL 94 on Genesis & Sega CD. Its pitcher/batter interface has never been surpassed and is a key reason for its continued appeal. But what I really admire are all the little details and flourishes that make this game so great. The player animations are remarkably fluid and natural, filled with little nothing moments like a baseman shuffling his feet, a player punching his glove, a pitcher wiping sweat off his brow or shaking his head after giving up a home run, or a batter who kicks up dirt in frustration after getting struck out.

I've been playing WSB98 for twenty years, and there are still new things that just pop up and surprise me. Yesterday, I played an exhibition match between my Minnesota Twins and the Chicago White Sox, a fairly close 2-1 game where I got two homers but struggled to move men on the bases (it's really tough to advance runners against the computer player). In the top of the 9th inning, I had runners on 2nd & 3rd bases. I swing at a pitch at a bad angle and hit a grounder straight towards the pitcher. It's about as easy an out as you can get. However, this time, the ball hits the ground hard and bounces right over the pitcher, past his reach and right between two infielders, rolling into that perfect sweet spot into the outfield. My runners scramble home and I score two runs, which pretty much seals the game.

I've never seen that happen before. Ever. The game is full of those little moments. Sega did such a fantastic job and you can see their years of experience in crafting a masterwork.

After Sega's corporate restructuring around the time of the Dreamcast launch, all of their software studios were scrambled or reassembled into new semi-autonomous studios (Hitmaker, Smilebit, United Game Artists, Overworks, etc.). As a consequence, the software teams responsible for the highly successful World Series Baseball and Worldwide Soccer series were disbanded, and Sega Japan never created another soccer of baseball title ever again. Everything from that point forward was outsourced to Western developers, with far less impressive results.

I can imagine how amazing a Dreamcast World Series Baseball 99 & Worldwide Soccer 99 would look and play, continuing the sublime gameplay but with spectacular 6th Generation visual flash and polish. Instead, nothing. That still doesn't make any sense, especially after the beating that Saturn received in the West due to a severe lack of sports games at the start. But that's Sega for ya.

P.S. Here's EGM magazine scan that features a short capsule review of World Series Baseball 98. As is often the case, I find myself wondering if these guys even bothered to play the game at all, or if they just watched one staff member play for thirty seconds before scribbling down their notes for the review. An 8/10 is nice, but lower than MLB 98 on Playstation? Were these guys high? This one page summarizes the whole era perfectly, when everybody and their pet dog became hardcore Sony fanboys while treating Sega and Nintendo as a mild nuisance.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

Here are some shots of Shining Force 3: Scenario 1 from my playtime yesterday. I'm absolutely loving this game and am especially thrilled at the chance to finally enjoy the entire trilogy of the saga. I do wish I had bought this title back in 1998, because it's an absolutely smashing adventure game.

I am finding myself preferring the Strategy-RPG style to turn-based RPGs, with a better sense of action and managing your growing army, knowing where to attack and how to group players together. It's all so much more engaging than simply waiting your turn to press "X," and I really look forward to each battle. The friendship feature where teammates who battle together boost one another's powers is a nice touch, and it really stings when one of my characters get knocked out and I lose all those friendships. I also enjoy all the minor characters that I need to rescue, which may figure in later scenarios. Unfortunately, I have a nasty habit of getting these people killed.

Here is a scan of EGM's review, which was given very generous scores. Kudos to them for begging Sega to bring us Scenarios 2 & 3, which absolutely should have happened. That 18-month dead zone between Saturn and Dreamcast was absolutely deadly to the company's reputation, and releasing a small number of key Saturn games during that period would have helped build relations with the fans. Heck, by the year 2000, the internet was aflame with rumors of a "Dreamcast 2, "as everybody was convinced Sega was about to dump them yet again. Yes, a few more Saturn releases in '98 and '99 would have cost money, but that's a bargain compared to lost reputations.

 

[Komatsu]

Here are some shots of Shining Force 3: Scenario 1 from my playtime yesterday. I'm absolutely loving this game and am especially thrilled at the chance to finally enjoy the entire trilogy of the saga. I do wish I had bought this title back in 1998, because it's an absolutely smashing adventure game.

I am finding myself preferring the Strategy-RPG style to turn-based RPGs, with a better sense of action and managing your growing army, knowing where to attack and how to group players together. It's all so much more engaging than simply waiting your turn to press "X," and I really look forward to each battle. The friendship feature where teammates who battle together boost one another's powers is a nice touch, and it really stings when one of my characters get knocked out and I lose all those friendships. I also enjoy all the minor characters that I need to rescue, which may figure in later scenarios. Unfortunately, I have a nasty habit of getting these people killed.

Here is a scan of EGM's review, which was given very generous scores. Kudos to them for begging Sega to bring us Scenarios 2 & 3, which absolutely should have happened. That 18-month dead zone between Saturn and Dreamcast was absolutely deadly to the company's reputation, and releasing a small number of key Saturn games during that period would have helped build relations with the fans. Heck, by the year 2000, the internet was aflame with rumors of a "Dreamcast 2, "as everybody was convinced Sega was about to dump them yet again. Yes, a few more Saturn releases in '98 and '99 would have cost money, but that's a bargain compared to lost reputations.

My friend - you're in for a treat. Shining Force III is the great work ever put out by Camelot (formerly Sonic! Software Planning) and it's of the finest RPGs on the Saturn. The community translated Discs 2 and 3 and I can say all fan translations are great.

 

[cireza]

I would kill for a new, proper Shining Force IV game. One with a story about a military conflict, about a secret religion acting in the shadows to achieve whatever goals.

And of course, having a great team of varied characters, with great designs and personalities. A colorful world that you want to explore. Having a couple choices when promoting. Everything that makes the series interesting.

I can dream I guess

 

[Komatsu]

I would kill for a new, proper Shining Force IV game. One with a story about a military conflict, about a secret religion acting in the shadows to achieve whatever goals.

And of course, having a great team of varied characters, with great designs and personalities. A colorful world that you want to explore. Having a couple choices when promoting. Everything that makes the series interesting.

I can dream I guess

Absolutely. I wouldn't even mind the Taka Tony curvy waifu designs if we got a proper, Camelot/Sonic! Software Planning type of story.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

Here are a few more recent photos of the spectacular Powerslave. It's very difficult to capture good CRT photos while playing, so I should either have someone else play while I snap photos or just capture shots from YouTube play-through videos. In any case, excuse the slight sloppiness on display.

A few thoughts as I'm making my way through the game:

- You can tell that the Lobotomy team came from Nintendo. The design inspirations from Mario, Zelda and especially Metroid are all over the place, from the nonlinear world designs to the countless secrets, passageways and alternate routes that open up once you acquire new items such as the high-jump shoes, the cape and the bombs. At every location, there are sights just out of reach, tempting you to discover what lies just beyond the bend. Everything serves a purpose and nothing is just for show.

- The idea of the radio transmitter, which must be collected in pieces scattered throughout the world, is another excellent Nintendo trademark. There are two different endings depending on whether or not you successfully retrieve the device, which adds to the replay value. There is also an audio cue that alerts you to which stages contain radio parts, as well as a beeping sound that grows louder the closer you come to them.

- The lighting effects are simply spectacular. I'm honestly impressed with the variety in color and lighting, whether it be ambient stage lighting from candles or open air, the flash of a shattered vase, or the colored glow from enemy projectiles. One especially nice touch is the way item upgrades unleash a bright light when you walk near them, quite literally saying, "I'm important, look at me!"

- The draw distance is absolutely immense. You can fire on objects that are barely visible, and monsters can hurl those photon torpedoes at you. Such shots may take as long as ten seconds to reach you. It's quite a thrill and adds to the wholeness of the 3D worlds. Equally impressive is how the visuals maintain a smooth 20-30 fps throughout, with zero pop-up or fog (take that, Turok).

- I really like how enemies will attack one another to get at you. There are many times where a giant hornet or mummy gets shot in the back by one of their own, and it's a terrific touch. Of course, you can use this to your advantage by baiting them into firing in your direction.

- Little touches like broken jars and vanquished enemies shattering into many parts, even splashing into water.

- The 3D Controller is an absolute must. I cannot imagine playing this game with digital controls. You need the ability to sneak around at slower speeds, lest you be ambushed by a wave of pharaohs or mummies, or worse yet, jump onto a platform and then slide into a lava pit. You ammo is somewhat limited as well, making "Doom-style" playing all but impossible.

- The Playstation version of Powerslave is actually quite different, and it's significantly inferior, IMHO. Many of the stage designs are simplified, the complex level geometry is toned down, draw distance is reduced, lighting effects are nowhere near as impressive, and many power-ups and abilities are missing completely, including the "bomb jump" maneuver (which is identical to Quake's rocket jumps). Many of the locations of the game's super-secret team dolls are changed as well.

- Sega should have bought Lobotomy the second this game launched. Imagine what these guys could do with Dreamcast. Also, they should have licensed out the Slavedriver Engine to every software developer on the planet.

- That goes double for Nintendo. They could have given us a Metroid 64!

- I want to see this game released on Nintendo Switch in a deluxe physical edition that also includes a Sega Saturn disc. I have money on my desk, right now, that goes to the first publisher who makes this happen.

- Finally, here's the EGM review for Powerslave. While the scores are better than the infamous GameSpot review, it's still being dismissed as "another Doom clone," which only proves to me that nobody actually bothered to play it. The dirty little secret of gaming magazines like EGM is that the staff didn't have nearly enough time to play all these videogames while also putting together a monthly magazine. They probably just watch someone else play for a few minutes, jot down some notes and leave it at that.

A 5/10 score for "ingenuity?" A 5/10 for "replayability?" Are you freaking kidding me? These people were either eating paint chips or they just didn't care.

Powerslave is a groundbreaking masterpiece that was, quite literally, years ahead of its time. As a 3D adventure game, it's better than Tomb Raider or Resident Evil. As a FPS, it's the equal to Goldeneye and surpasses all others. It is just about the greatest videogame ever made for Sega Saturn and absolutely deserves to be played by everyone.

(Edit 9/26: I added a few more screenshots, including my first "team doll," which are small statues of the Lobotomy team hidden throughout the game world. Discovering all 23 dolls unlocks Death Tank.)

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

Here are some new screenshots of Nights: Into Dreams. While this videogame was criticized for running on 2D rails, many players were unaware that the children can wander freely around the world at the beginning. You don't have to run straight into the gazebo to control Nights, but can explore the worlds and pick up blue spheres. Indeed, there are many little secrets and touches that will only be discovered if you walk around.

One nice touch is the alarm clock that stalks you, threatening to wake you up from the dream. You can temporarily knock out the clock by jumping on its head. It's eggshell design reminds me of Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg, which was Sonic Team's last true original before the band broke up and the studio was reduced to cranking out endless mediocre Sonic sequels.

I really miss this Sonic Team, the one that conceived of Nights and Burning Rangers and Chu Chu Rocket and Phantasy Star Online. They were really on a tear in those days, and it's a damned pity that none of these games were commercial hits. I can at least understand why Nights failed, as its qualities all emerge slowly over time. You have to play the courses for an hour, making multiple runs before you begin to appreciate all the little subtleties. It doesn't make a very good first impression, certainly not as well as Super Mario 64, Crash Bandicoot or Tomb Raider. But whose fault was that? Maybe the gamers in '96 shouldn't have been so impatient.

Oh, well, whatever, nevermind. Nights is brilliant and rewards patience and persistence, as well as a steady hand on the 3D controller. Its style of genre-mashing is quite unique and its sense of flight is something to behold.

 

[Daniel Thomas MacInnes]

Street Fighter Alpha/Zero (1996, Capcom)

It's hard to find a lot to say about the original Street Fighter Alpha. The game was a breath of fresh air when it arrived in arcades in 1995, offering a new visual style, a number of key gameplay additions and an almost entirely new cast. It was later surpassed not only by two direct sequels, but a series of related Capcom brawlers such as the Darkstalkers, Marvel Comics and Versus series. Pretty soon, the original Alpha became lost in the crowd and almost forgotten.

When it was released to Sega Saturn, I really enjoyed Street Fighter Alpha and felt it was a fine return to form after Super Street Fighter 2, which always left me cold. I greatly enjoyed the new art style, a more expressionist cartoon style with a greater emphasis on color design and animation than the "realist" style that once dominated arcades. It has that after-school cartoon vibe that just pops off the screen.

I was also happy to see a fresh cast of characters, many of which are taken from Final Fight as well as the original Street Fighter. Returning favorite Chun-Li is given a new outfit and very stylish sneakers, and new characters Rose and Charlie are very welcome. Note the impressive variety in fighting styles, from Guy's super-fast ninja strikes to Birdy's and Sodom's brutal throws. Rose's projectile deflections are always helpful, and even if Charlie uses the exact same moves as Guile, at least he looks stylish in that mid-'90s sense.

Gameplay additions include the super meter, where you can unleash super combos, tech rolls and parry/counter moves that repel an attack, sending the opponent spinning. Automatic blocking is helpful for beginners, and two turbo speed settings keep the action fast (although I have no idea why anyone would want to play at the slow speeds). In addition, the home version includes a remixed audio soundtrack with some changed sprite art for the super combo attacks.

Despite all of these qualities, Street Fighter Alpha (Zero in Japan) feels a little half-baked, incomplete. Perhaps this is due to the small cast of fighters (10 plus three hidden ones) or the relatively barren background stages. Charlie's stage features a large animated crowd that dances and cheers along to the fights, and it's a glorious sight for any kid who played Street Fighter 2 Turbo on his Super Nintendo. None of the other stages look as nice, lacking a sense of flair or personality. Even the trademark 3D floor scrolling is strangely absent, appearing only in a single stage. Finally, several fighters have to reuse the same stage, with minor change in color.

What this game needs is a little more of everything: more characters, more stages, more attacks. Thankfully, this is precisely what Capcom delivers with the masterful Street Fighter Alpha 2, to say nothing of the legendary Alpha 3. What the original chapter provides is a solid foundation for the series to evolve and grow.

The Saturn version is a near-perfect translation of the arcade. All of the animation frames are present and the controls are perfectly responsive. Compared to the Sony Playstation version, this Alpha features faster loading times, but beyond that, both are identical. Of course, no discussion of Street Fighter Alpha is complete without bringing up Diehard Gamefan's notorious "Blue Shadows," a controversy so unbelievably stupid as to become an internet punchline. But that's to be expected. We only read that magazine for its wildly overcrowded layouts and endless photos. Those guys were taking a lot of drugs in those days and you could see the proof on every page.

 

[Kazza]

This demo of a new FPS homebrew Saturn game is looking really smooth:




Even the split-screen two player mode looks like it holds a decent framerate. I hope they can make this into a full game someday, although a lot of assets look to be taken from other games (I recognise some from Exhumed anyway) which will have to be replaced.

 

[drganon]

I remember watching a home stream of Jeff gerstmann playing elevator action returns and thought it looked pretty sweet.