The RHEA got a menu back in the winter. It works well, and alleviates blind-switching of games. I also find load times to be improved on the RHEA, especially with stuff like SOTN and fighting games. (Anecdotally at least.)
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Sega Saturn Appreciation and Emulation Thread
- Thread starter Seik
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The RHEA got a menu back in the winter. It works well, and alleviates blind-switching of games. I also find load times to be improved on the RHEA, especially with stuff like SOTN and fighting games. (Anecdotally at least.)
Beer Monkey
Member
I'm assuming the Phoebe also got a menu (aren't 21 pin systems a lot more common?).
I ordered another Saturn off eBay, a round button USA model. Hopefully it works great, the seller has solid feedback. If I could find a replacement CD transport I'd still be hesitant to put it in my system after the last transport was killed.
It's a bit of a bummer. I bought my Saturn new in 1996 and installed my own region switch in 1997. I hate giving it up but I think I should probably junk it given that it corrupted a Backup cart and killed a CD transport all in a 24 hour period.
I ordered another Saturn off eBay, a round button USA model. Hopefully it works great, the seller has solid feedback. If I could find a replacement CD transport I'd still be hesitant to put it in my system after the last transport was killed.
It's a bit of a bummer. I bought my Saturn new in 1996 and installed my own region switch in 1997. I hate giving it up but I think I should probably junk it given that it corrupted a Backup cart and killed a CD transport all in a 24 hour period.
I'm not sure if the menu works with Phoebe or not (although I imagine it would) but I think the issue was that there were a ton of variants with the round-button models, so it's a safer bet to go with a RHEA/oval button model to ensure compatibility outside of opening the system up to check what you're dealing with.
Beer Monkey
Member
My 21-pin JVC actually has the oval buttons. While the round button models have three variants, my understanding is that the Phoebe is compatible with all of them, but you might have to remove a trap board.
EDIT: Apparently the Rhea has three newer firmware revisions that aren't available on the Phoebe. So 20-pin may be indeed the best way to go. :-/
EDIT 2: RMenu is indeed available for Phoebe. It also sounds like maybe the Rhea just has more firmware revisions because it had more issues needing fixing, not sure.
socksfelloff
Member
Well I stand corrected! The creator of the rhea/phoebe states there is no speedup due to the Saturn being very picky with certain games. He had to simulate the exact read speed of the drive.
Apparently.
I would love to have a Rhea and even better a GDEMU. I have 5 Dreamcasts and none of them work reliably, so I don't even bother gaming on the system. Saturn seems incredibly robust and both of mine work fine but the convenience and longevity of these drive emulators is incredible. Hopefully an equivalent will come to the PSX because the library is incredible and those drives are garbage.
Does anyone know if orders will open back up anytime soon? It looks like the creator has suspended the, until he can catch up and he seems like the type that could suddenly stop producing them at anytime.
Does anyone know if orders will open back up anytime soon? It looks like the creator has suspended the, until he can catch up and he seems like the type that could suddenly stop producing them at anytime.
sixteen-bit
Member
You can apparently force a 'high speed' data transfer mode, but I don't think I have tried that yet. The shorted load times might just be a placebo-effect, but I am still really loving my RHEA and GDEMU.
As for the firmware, the RHEA has more revisions because it has been out quite a bit longer than the Phoebe, and the processes had been further refined by the time of Phoebe's release.
Beer Monkey
Member
I'm assuming it's going to take the better part of a year and some good luck if I am to get some. Sounds like he probably won't take orders for a few months if at all, and when he does they'll sell out really, really fast.
I really, really wish Krikzz would get on this scene. Dealing with hobbyist vendors can be maddening.
blast processed
Member
Virtua Fighter 3
Awesome! One of my favourite shooters for the system. Definitely one of the games that benefits a lot IQ-wise from tate mode though.
yup that's tate!
It definitely would have sold well, given that even the lesser mainline Sonic games tend to sell well. Dunno how much it would have changed the Saturn's fortune, since the system was pretty much of borrowed time straight away in the West.
VF3 Saturn will forever be one of biggest mysterious to me. Wonder if the Saturn really could have pulled it off.
Last time I looked into it, most of the rarity reports were conflicting personal experience "I saw more of these", with different people arguing for different discs. In my opinion they were probably all pressed in similar numbers, and the one disc you are looking for is always the most elusive one, because bias.
sixteen-bit
Member
It's been a while since I played them, but from what I remember the music is streamed off the CD, so it takes a moment to queue up. When the BGM changes (like when you get the invincibility sheild), there will be an obvious pause in music while the tracks change. Once the shield runs out, the stage BGM will return, but start over from the beginning.
I don't remember if the physics were altered from the Genesis games or anything like that.
It's worth noting that the devs also included optional ROM hack style changes you can enable such as spindash in Sonic 1 and easy mode with little to no enemies and bottomless pits.
I also feel like Sonic 3 runs better than the original Genesis version but perhaps my memory is playing tricks on me. I think it's a nice collection for the Saturn if you can find it for a decent price.
I think he means disc variants of the same games since it was WD's favorite thing to do.
Hmm, I'll check to see if Sonic Retro has any differences listed.
What I would have liked to see Sega do is something similar to what Nintendo did with Super Mario All-Stars on the Super Nintendo: enhanced remakes of Sonic 1-3&K. Could have been really impressive with the Saturn's 2D.
What I would have liked to see Sega do is something similar to what Nintendo did with Super Mario All-Stars on the Super Nintendo: enhanced remakes of Sonic 1-3&K. Could have been really impressive with the Saturn's 2D.
IrishNinja
Member
i know people don't like changes here & there, but sonic jam does let you spin dash in 1, i recall
yuge upgrade
yuge upgrade
Shadow Hog
Member
But nothing tops the final boss fights of S3&K - any of them.
Saturn Memories
Neo Member
IIRC, you can do that in Sonic R.
IrishNinja
Member
agreed!
ehhh it's not hard, but some people find the last 2 bosses (with no rings) tricky, of course until you get the patterns down
still ashamed that it's the only one i've never gone super sonic in...i always forget to play without tails
theSlacker
Member
God damn tails, quit running into spike balls. >:C
shanafan
Member
Finally joined the Sega Saturn family today. Been on the hunt for one today, and a retro store had one for $60 US. Was the console, controller, and necessary cables.
I already owned Double Switch on the Saturn (my all-time favorite game), so now I am able to see how it compares to the Sega CD version.
Now off to check out the video upgrade options! Maybe My Life in Gaming made an episode?
Question - is the ram cart a requirement for the Saturn, or is there internal memory?
I already owned Double Switch on the Saturn (my all-time favorite game), so now I am able to see how it compares to the Sega CD version.
Now off to check out the video upgrade options! Maybe My Life in Gaming made an episode?
Question - is the ram cart a requirement for the Saturn, or is there internal memory?
sixteen-bit
Member
there is internal battery backup for save games as well
shanafan
Member
Thanks.
Thanks! I don't have the proper hookups to do scart, yet. Are there any other options?
Svideo.
if you have component you can do SCART to YUV, which is what i do.
shanafan
Member
Just as well as your typical non-PAL-optimised if you haven't 50/60Hz-modded it. With a vertically crushed screen and slower gameplay. Games with cut scenes like Magic knight Rayearth or Albert odyssey will get video/audio desync.
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