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Sega Saturn Appreciation and Emulation Thread
- Thread starter Seik
- Start date
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
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.
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.
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.
CrunchinJelly
formerly cjelly
Define quite cheap, cos I've just looked on eBay and it seems to be £20+
sixteen-bit
Member
That's pretty cheap compared to what much of the import software itself will cost you.
Genesis Knight
Member
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!
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!
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.
Genesis Knight
Member
FYI, Memory Card Plus has super thick PCB and will break your Saturn's cart port.
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
Really? I have one cart but I forget which one since it's been so long. That sucks though.
Genesis Knight
Member
Yeah, ST-Keys are the same way.
Sihouette Mirage is the only game of mine that doesn't work perfectly. Sinna's shots and effects are all corrupted.
gar3
Member
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.
http://retrogaming.hazard-city.de/
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.
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.
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.
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.I know, and I actually did yesterday...
...ONLY TO FIND THAT DISC ONE OF PANZER DRAGOON SAGA IS NOT IN ITS CASE.
(((((
But yeah, just jump on ebay. You'll score a legit PDS disc one easily.
Genesis Knight
Member
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.
Thanks for the info. I will be throwing my Memory Card Plus in the trash.
Genesis Knight
Member
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.
I'm most active at Sega-16 but I also hit up Racketboy, SegaAge, DigitPress, and others.
That's what I said, cheap. Action Replay 4M+ is one of the best console accessory ever 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.
So, yes, its cheap and it gives you a lot for what you paid for. 'Swiss knife' of Saturn kinda.
I recommend this as well. Mine never leaves my Saturn.
Pleeeease tell me how Castlevania:SOTN is on emulation
edit: my fault
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! ^^
ExitPlanetDust
Member
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.
...misty eyes
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.
...misty eyes
LeMaximilian
Alligator F*ck House
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.
Sega Saturn Saturdays with Max & Matt - Episode 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bWuwGkiEGs
Sega Saturn Saturdays with Max & Matt - Episode 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bWuwGkiEGs
sixteen-bit
Member
Max, that top comment is really funny.
Legitimate concern if you only do North American releases I suppose.
Legitimate concern if you only do North American releases I suppose.
LeMaximilian
Alligator F*ck House
It'll actually be a topic in the next episode, how badass the Saturn was in Japan.
skullwolfgp
Neo Member
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.
Bit of a hassle, but otherwise, your not going to play THE best version of Bomberman during the 32bit console era..
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:
Edit: Also now I'm REALLY glad i bought that 360 fightpad
ExitPlanetDust
Member
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.
SOME-MIST
Member
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...
I'm sure there was a better way of going about it, but whatever...
LeMaximilian
Alligator F*ck House
Sega Saturn Saturdays with Max & Matt - Episode 2 Panzer Dragoon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTqx5g_LaVQ
Quick talk about Segata Sanshiro, Bernie Stolar and playing Panzer Dragoon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTqx5g_LaVQ
Quick talk about Segata Sanshiro, Bernie Stolar and playing Panzer Dragoon.
Nice review of the original Panzer Dragoon. I recently launched Panzer Dragoon Revival (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.
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:ramine said:
But it's kind of buggy and the sky texture is missing as well, so it's not really playable at this point.
cj_iwakura
Member
Bernie Stolar: mortal enemy of every Saturn fan. We'd have gotten Sakura Wars in the US if not for that slacker.
sixteen-bit
Member
Bernie Stolar dropped the ball with the RAM Cartridge
GoofsterStud
Member
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:
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
cj_iwakura
Member
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.
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.
There is a fan translation, 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.
GoofsterStud
Member
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)
Dungeons & Dragons Collection (Action|Side-scroll|RPG) - Why I started importing
Baku Baku Animal (Just a highly addictive puzzle game)
Silhouette Mirage (Plaform|Shooter) - Best version by far
Purikura Daisakusen - (Platform|Action)
Slayers Royal - (RPG) - Best version look for the fan-made translation patch
Terra Phantastica (RPG)
GoofsterStud
Member
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.
CrunchinJelly
formerly cjelly
Someone explain this Bertie Stopar thing?
By the sounds of it he was against marketing any game with the Ram cart?
By the sounds of it he was against marketing any game with the Ram cart?
GoofsterStud
Member
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.
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.
GoofsterStud
Member
Just get Fighters Megamix. The whole game runs of the Fighting Viper engine.