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[Jinto]

You could pick up an action replay 4 in 1 for imports or look into getting a mod chip to play imports.

Cool. I found a website that sells both the 4 in 1 action replay and s-video cables. Not sure if I can link it here though. So all I need is the action replay to be able to play imports without requiring anything else?

The Saturn natively supports composite, s-video, and RGB, so get whatever one of those works best on your setup.

Test the system for a dead internal battery. If it asks you to set the date and time every time you start the system, open up the back panel and replace the CR2032.

My Dreamcast would do that whenever I stopped using it for a long time. I think it recharged while it was on though. I guess this is different, and you actually have to replace the battery?

 

[ZealousD]

Test the system for a dead internal battery. If it asks you to set the date and time every time you start the system, open up the back panel and replace the CR2032.

I've been having that issue with mine. Does it just pop right out and is easily replaceable or do I need solder?

 

[KDash31987]

So all I need is the action replay to be able to play imports without requiring anything else?

Aside from stuff like The King of Fighters '95 (which requires a special cart with game data on it), yes. There might be other games that don't work with it, but I'm not sure.

I've been having that issue with mine. Does it just pop right out and is easily replaceable or do I need solder?

It pops right out. Just open the little cover on the back, and switch it out. It should take only a few seconds to do.

 

[Jinto]

Aside from stuff like The King of Fighters '95 (which requires a special cart with game data on it), yes. There might be other games that don't work with it, but I'm not sure.



It pops right out. Just open the little cover on the back, and switch it out. It should take only a few seconds to do.

Damn, that's pretty awesome. So I found a 4 in 1 action replay, and the seller says:

**Please Note** The latest supply of 4-in-1 carts I have received no longer have the com port on the top of the cart. If you are in need of this feature I recommend looking elsewhere to see if you can still find the cart that has the com port feature. The lack of the com port does not make this a 3-in-1 cart as noted in the features summary it still performs the 4 most advertised functions.

Is that com port important for anything?

 

[KDash31987]

Is that com port important for anything?

It's to hook it up directly to a computer, if I remember correctly. Most people just seem to find it ugly and prefer not to have it.

Mine has it, but I've never used it.

 

[Jinto]

It's to hook it up directly to a computer, if I remember correctly. Most people just seem to find it ugly and prefer not to have it.

Mine has it, but I've never used it.

Ok, I'll pick it up then.

Thanks for all the advice, guys! Can't wait for everything to come in. I'll look for game recommendations and stuff once I receive it. I'm actually seriously thinking of buying Panzer Dragoon Saga right now.

 

[Mzo]

I was really excited to play PuLiRuLa.

You shouldn't be really excited to play PuLiRuLa.

 

[IrishNinja]

oh no

...i'm still kind've excited though

 

[sixteen-bit]

Pulirula is on Taito Legends 2 IIRC. It's a bit censored an 480i-only, but you could try it on that to see what you're in for before trying to get the more expensive Arcade Gears version on Saturn.

 

[Celine]

I was really excited to play PuLiRuLa.

You shouldn't be really excited to play PuLiRuLa.

It's a standard beat'em up for what I can see but where it really shine is in the sheer weirdness and background inventiveness.

 

[Celine]

I bought a Saturn off of Ebay yesterday. I've never even touched one before.

You've done well.

Action Replay 4M Plus is a must (although I've yet to shell the money for one because I'm fine with my japanese Saturn).

 

[KDash31987]

Pulirula is on Taito Legends 2 IIRC. It's a bit censored an 480i-only, but you could try it on that to see what you're in for before trying to get the more expensive Arcade Gears version on Saturn.

It's included in Taito Memories Volume 1 in Japan, but not in the Taito Legends discs in the U.S.

 

[Mzo]

Pulirula is on Taito Legends 2 IIRC. It's a bit censored and 480i-only, but you could try it on that to see what you're in for before trying to get the more expensive Arcade Gears version on Saturn.

It's only available in the Japanese PS2 version of Taito Legends 1 so if you can play JPS2 games, yeah.

It's a standard beat'em up for what I can see but where it really shine is in the sheer weirdness and background inventiveness.

It's very simplistic. No regular enemy takes more than one hit to die and hit detection is wonky. It's like baby's first beat-'em-up. No combos, no grabs, no items. The game is also very short and very easy. The wackiness has been greatly exaggerated and is really only over the top in one level. The best part is your random big magic attack; some of the results are pretty funny to watch.

It does look pretty, though. I don't regret buying it. I got it in amazing condition for nothing close to the eBay price from Arcade Gear. It's an interesting oddity but it is not a good game.

 

[sixteen-bit]

It's included in Taito Memories Volume 1 in Japan, but not in the Taito Legends discs in the U.S.

My mistake then.

I distinctly remember playing a censored version with the spread-leg doors removed. I wonder where the hell I played it then if it was never released in North America.

 

[KDash31987]

My mistake then.

I distinctly remember playing a censored version with the spread-leg doors removed. I wonder where the hell I played it then if it was never released in North America.

There was a censored international arcade release with that part removed and replaced with green doors, according to Hardcore Gaming 101.

 

[Teknoman]

What about Hot Blooded Family? A technosoft beat em up cant be bad right?

 

[sixteen-bit]

What about Hot Blooded Family? A technosoft beat em up cant be bad right?

It's actually kinda boring and amateurish despite the Technosoft pedigree. If you must play a beltscroll action game on Saturn, Capcom has some safe bets in Tenchi wo Kurau II / Warriors of Fate and the D&D games, but the latter has better ports on Gen7 systems and PC.

I'm kinda salty Revenge of Death Adder never made it over to Saturn as a Sega Ages release or something.

 

[bishopcruz]

It's actually kinda boring and amateurish despite the Technosoft pedigree. If you must play a beltscroll action game on Saturn, Capcom has some safe bets in Tenchi wo Kurau II / Warriors of Fate and the D&D games, but the latter has better ports on Gen7 systems and PC.

I'm kinda salty Revenge of Death Adder never made it over to Saturn as a Sega Ages release or something.

Dear god yes. How did that game not make it out of the Arcades? Never played it, I assume MAME is the only option?

As for good beat 'em ups on Saturn, there is the best belt scroller of all time, Guardian Heroes.

 

[Celine]

I'm kinda salty Revenge of Death Adder never made it over to Saturn as a Sega Ages release or something.

This. So much this.
M2 save us all.

 

[bishopcruz]

~2014: Year of the Saturn tentative schedule 1.0~

January - Presented for your Pleasure: Panzer Dragoon & Zwei
February - Arcade Madness: Virtua Cop, Virtua Fighter 2, Daytona
March - SHMUPs...in space!: Darius Gaiden, DoDonPachi, Galactic Attack, Cotton, The League of Prestigious Ballers: Hyper Duel club, etc
April - April showers bring Blue Shadows: X-Men COTA, vs Street Fighter, Marvel Superheros, Marvel vs SF
May - the joys of working with Yuji Naka: Burning Rangers & NiGHTS (maybe save this for dec so christmas NiGHTS can tie in?)
June - emulate-this-if-you-need-both-kidneys-JRPG-month: i guess we could figure out between Shining Ark, Wisdom, Albert Odyssey etc which one people have/would wanna play
July - boy Fighting Force sure was terrible: Guardian fuckin' Heroes, go for all the endings! other lesser beat-em-ups may fit here too.
August - "X-men Vs. SF could've expanded the market" - Import month! your choice of any title that didn't make it over here (yay more SHMUPs!), i'm thinking Elevator Action Returns and a few others for myself
September - "CHUNKY PIXELS" - multi-genres of glorious spritework! Astal, Sillhouette Mirage, and your choice here
October - R.I.P. Kenji Eno (secret best dev): Enemy Zero, D
November - I'm thankful for being broke: Panzer Dragoon Saga
December - Happy Holidays From Sega®: Christmas NiGHTS, Segata Sanshiro Shinken Yuugi, other holiday themed games!


...what do you guys think? anything big/noteworthy being left out that you think would round off the year better?

So SHMUPS month is next eh? Who is doing the writeup?

 

[Sixfortyfive]

So SHMUPS month is next eh? Who is doing the writeup?

Just throwing this out there, but whoever does this ought to put the name of the games (or at least those that would fit) into the thread title.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Darius Gaiden has a ballin' soundtrack. Wouldn't mind giving the game a spin next month.

I never really put the effort into learning it either. I remember just using rapid fire and infinite life cheats and cruising to the finish, haha. I really should give it an honest go this time. Can't wait.

 

[Celine]

I'm in for Darius Gaiden too.

I never really put the effort into learning it either. I remember just using rapid fire and infinite life cheats and cruising to the finish, haha. I really should give it an honest go this time. Can't wait.

One of the good things about DG is the multiple routes so you can't see the whole game in a run.

Also the idea that you can mid-stage bosses can become your ally (if you are good enough to destroy their mind pod) and help you until the stage boss is bloody genius.

 

[Teknoman]

Galactic Attack for me. Maybe Cotton 2 since I actually got a decent deal on it awhile back, still waiting for it to arrive though.

Of course theres also plenty of others to mention within the thread itself.

 

[Shadow Hog]

Darius Gaiden has a ballin' soundtrack. Wouldn't mind giving the game a spin next month.

I never really put the effort into learning it either. I remember just using rapid fire and infinite life cheats and cruising to the finish, haha. I really should give it an honest go this time. Can't wait.

I know I used a cheat code to enable the "Easiest" difficulty and still running out of continues only a few stages in. Shit's hard.

Not my genre, I guess, but I do own Darius Gaiden for some reason (came with Gex I guess), so...

 

[Khaz]

Damn, that's pretty awesome. So I found a 4 in 1 action replay, and the seller says:

Is that com port important for anything?

You can use it with a USB Datalink to transfer your saves from the Saturn to your PC and back. Useful for archival, safekeeping and emulation use. Apparently you can also load small homebrews on it too instead of burning a disc etc.

 

[sixteen-bit]

I know I used a cheat code to enable the "Easiest" difficulty and still running out of continues only a few stages in. Shit's hard.

Not my genre, I guess, but I do own Darius Gaiden for some reason (came with Gex I guess), so...

How is Gex on Saturn? I have the original on 3DO and the framerate is straight booty sweat.

 

[Shadow Hog]

It's been a while since I've played it, and I only really cleared the second world (of four total), but I don't recall having any issues with the framerate. I do forget if the framerate was 30 or 60, though. (I'm assuming 60, since 2D game, but I've seen sub-30 2D games before, so...)

 

[psylah]

I found a complete saturn, basically NIB at a thrift shop a few months ago. It was $30.

It was awesome, opening it and seeing the posters, pamphlets, stickers, and demo disc. It was a second Christmas. I had to replace the battery on the mobo, but it works perfectly. Those controllers though, they're something else. They are super cheap and rattle like a box full of loose legos.

Unfortunately, that demo disc is all I have to play on it. I'm on the hunt for these classics, specifically Sega Rally Championship and Daytona USA.

There she is, with the Dreamcast, top shelf in my console rack.

 

[Shadow Hog]

Odd, mine came with that Bootleg Sampler, a NiGHTS Sampler, and a three-pack with Daytona USA, Virtua Fighter 2 and Virtua Cop. (Also a ton of other games that my parents got for me at the time, but eh)

Also, Model 2 controllers are a lot sturdier than you'd think. D-Pad is probably the best in the business. (Disclaimer: haven't tried the Vita's D-Pad. But, it'd be a tough act to top...)

 

[Teknoman]

I found a complete saturn, basically NIB at a thrift shop a few months ago. It was $30.



It was awesome, opening it and seeing the posters, pamphlets, stickers, and demo disc. It was a second Christmas. I had to replace the battery on the mobo, but it works perfectly. Those controllers though, they're something else. They are super cheap and rattle like a box full of loose legos.

Unfortunately, that demo disc is all I have to play on it. I'm on the hunt for these classics, specifically Sega Rally Championship and Daytona USA.



There she is, with the Dreamcast, top shelf in my console rack.

Damn, grats man! Model 2 controllers are the best though. Official Sega Model 2 Saturn or Six button MK 16 something genesis controllers are some of the best controllers ever.

Odd, mine came with that Bootleg Sampler, a NiGHTS Sampler, and a three-pack with Daytona USA, Virtua Fighter 2 and Virtua Cop. (Also a ton of other games that my parents got for me at the time, but eh)

Also, Model 2 controllers are a lot sturdier than you'd think. D-Pad is probably the best in the business. (Disclaimer: haven't tried the Vita's D-Pad. But, it'd be a tough act to top...)

Sony d-pads usually seem ok on controllers, but handhelds...eh.

 

[Spades]

I never owned a Saturn and I've hardly ever played on one (myself and friends all had either a PlayStation or N64) and I'm thinking of picking one up to add to the collection.

For some reason, I really fancy playing Clockwork Knight.

What other (cheap) games should I look at picking up first, SaturnGAF?

 

[ZealousD]

What other (cheap) games should I look at picking up first, SaturnGAF?

Cheap is a relative term on the Saturn, lol.

What's your budget?

 

[Yes Boss!]

So SHMUPS month is next eh? Who is doing the writeup?

Guardian Force is fairly inexpensive and fun and very unique!

 

[Khaz]

Those controllers though, they're something else. They are super cheap and rattle like a box full of loose legos.

The rubbers are old. The buttons are supposed to be somewhat free and rattle a bit but the rubbers may have become stiffer. You may want to get a few of those USB Saturn controllers and get new rubbers from them, you may like it better as yours are already 20 years old anyway. If you're feeling adventurous I heard silicone oil is good for rubber care.

 

[Spades]

Cheap is a relative term on the Saturn, lol.

What's your budget?

I don't really have a budget - by cheap I guess I meant, not any really expensive rare games that are considered "the best"!

 

[psylah]

Odd, mine came with that Bootleg Sampler, a NiGHTS Sampler, and a three-pack with Daytona USA, Virtua Fighter 2 and Virtua Cop. (Also a ton of other games that my parents got for me at the time, but eh)

Also, Model 2 controllers are a lot sturdier than you'd think. D-Pad is probably the best in the business. (Disclaimer: haven't tried the Vita's D-Pad. But, it'd be a tough act to top...)

I heard that Sega got desperate when trying to move those Saturn units, bundling in games and dropping prices. This one was probably just a solo unit. There was a video of Nights into Dreams on the demo disc, but no Nights sampler. It's probably one of the round-button units that was made in the few months before Nights came out. Either that, or someone took it out. I'm not too worried about it.

My impression from the controller came from using it for a short period of time, I cannot attest to their durability. I was just stunned by how rattly it was.

 

[Khaz]

I don't really have a budget - by cheap I guess I meant, not any really expensive rare games that are considered "the best"!

It depends what you like. Games featured on the Year of the Saturn threads tend not to be expensive and still very good.

 

[ZealousD]

I don't really have a budget - by cheap I guess I meant, not any really expensive rare games that are considered "the best"!

Panzer Dragoon series
Nights into Dreams
Lots of Capcom fighting games, like Street Fighter Alpha series, vs series, and Darkstalkers
Daytona USA
Virtual Fighter 2

Also be sure to get an Action Replay Plus from Play Asia. You can save money if you buy imports, as well as a fair number of Japan exclusive games.

 

[Khaz]

~2014: Year of the Saturn tentative schedule 1.0~

January - Presented for your Pleasure: Panzer Dragoon & Zwei
February - Arcade Madness: Virtua Cop, Virtua Fighter 2, Daytona
March - SHMUPs...in space!: Darius Gaiden, DoDonPachi, Galactic Attack, Cotton, The League of Prestigious Ballers: Hyper Duel club, etc
April - April showers bring Blue Shadows: X-Men COTA, vs Street Fighter, Marvel Superheros, Marvel vs SF
May - the joys of working with Yuji Naka: Burning Rangers & NiGHTS (maybe save this for dec so christmas NiGHTS can tie in?)
June - emulate-this-if-you-need-both-kidneys-JRPG-month: i guess we could figure out between Shining Ark, Wisdom, Albert Odyssey etc which one people have/would wanna play
July - boy Fighting Force sure was terrible: Guardian fuckin' Heroes, go for all the endings! other lesser beat-em-ups may fit here too.
August - "X-men Vs. SF could've expanded the market" - Import month! your choice of any title that didn't make it over here (yay more SHMUPs!), i'm thinking Elevator Action Returns and a few others for myself
September - "CHUNKY PIXELS" - multi-genres of glorious spritework! Astal, Sillhouette Mirage, and your choice here
October - R.I.P. Kenji Eno (secret best dev): Enemy Zero, D
November - I'm thankful for being broke: Panzer Dragoon Saga
December - Happy Holidays From Sega®: Christmas NiGHTS, Segata Sanshiro Shinken Yuugi, other holiday themed games!


...what do you guys think? anything big/noteworthy being left out that you think would round off the year better?

Sega Rally is nowhere to be seen. Maybe a Sega Sports month?
The month of where is my Sonic, Sega? : Sonic Jam, Sonic 3D, Sonic R, Sonic Xtreme.
Also, Virtual On should be somewhere, like Astal and Shinobi X.

 

[Shadow Hog]

I'd squeeze the Sonic games into the NiGHTS/BR month.

 

[theSlacker]

I found a complete saturn, basically NIB at a thrift shop a few months ago. It was $30.



It was awesome, opening it and seeing the posters, pamphlets, stickers, and demo disc. It was a second Christmas. I had to replace the battery on the mobo, but it works perfectly. Those controllers though, they're something else. They are super cheap and rattle like a box full of loose legos.

Grats. Glad you got to it before a reseller because that would be up for over $100 on ebay right now if not.

 

[sixteen-bit]

The month of where is my Sonic, Sega? : Sonic Jam, Sonic 3D, Sonic R, Sonic Xtreme.

I would just play the Genesis version because there are no awful load times and the soundtrack is better

Spoiler

shots fired @ Richard Jaques

 

[Crisium]

Galactic Attack is my favorite Saturn shmup.

 

[speedlolita]

Mine is Layer Section.

Wait...

 

[Mzo]

I would just play the Genesis version because there are no awful load times and the soundtrack is better

Spoiler

shots fired @ Richard Jaques

Richard Jaques can coast on that Sonic R soundtrack forever. He is untouchable.

My favorite shmup is Strikers 1945. Pretty standard Psykio fare but I absolutely love it.

 

[Pharaun]

All this talk of Shmups is making me want to break my Saturn and Radiant Silvergun out of mothballs.

 

[oneida]

Richard Jaques can coast on that Sonic R soundtrack forever. He is untouchable.

My favorite shmup is Strikers 1945. Pretty standard Psykio fare but I absolutely love it.

Fuck yeah Strikers kicks ass!

DG is too good though, excited for next month

 

[Shadow Hog]

I would just play the Genesis version because there are no awful load times and the soundtrack is better

Spoiler

shots fired @ Richard Jaques

We're going to have to agree to disagree there. Rusty Ruins alone elevates the Saturn version's soundtrack to godlike tier, here.

 

[Spades]

Panzer Dragoon series
Nights into Dreams
Lots of Capcom fighting games, like Street Fighter Alpha series, vs series, and Darkstalkers
Daytona USA
Virtual Fighter 2

Also be sure to get an Action Replay Plus from Play Asia. You can save money if you buy imports, as well as a fair number of Japan exclusive games.

Thanks!