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Getting a Sega Saturn (trying to)
Djiem
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hey guys, not sure if this belongs here or in H&A, but here goes:
I'm trying to buy a Sega Saturn. Yeah.
Actually, after watching a few AVGN videos, I looked at ScrewAttack's top ten beat 'em ups, and found that Guardian Heroes looked like a fantastic game. I checked the Wikipedia list of games for the Sega Saturn (I was a Nintendo kid growing up, I don't know shit about the Saturn) and found a few impressive titles, and good potential for co-op fun.
Basically, I'm trying to find (brand new or used but in excellent condition):
- Sega Saturn with the proper wiring
- 6 controllers
- The adapter for 6 controllers
- Guardian Heroes
I've looked at eBay, and I found most of these things. Not the adapter, though.
My questions are these:
- Do you know any good place other than eBay to buy this stuff?
- What beat'em'up & 2D shooters would you recommend for the Saturn?
Thanks.
I'm trying to buy a Sega Saturn. Yeah.
Actually, after watching a few AVGN videos, I looked at ScrewAttack's top ten beat 'em ups, and found that Guardian Heroes looked like a fantastic game. I checked the Wikipedia list of games for the Sega Saturn (I was a Nintendo kid growing up, I don't know shit about the Saturn) and found a few impressive titles, and good potential for co-op fun.
Basically, I'm trying to find (brand new or used but in excellent condition):
- Sega Saturn with the proper wiring
- 6 controllers
- The adapter for 6 controllers
- Guardian Heroes
I've looked at eBay, and I found most of these things. Not the adapter, though.
My questions are these:
- Do you know any good place other than eBay to buy this stuff?
- What beat'em'up & 2D shooters would you recommend for the Saturn?
Thanks.
Djiem on
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Also there is a Thunder Force collection, and Darius Gaiden, both of which are worth tracking down, and iirc only got Japanese releases.
Burning Rangers is fantastic, and the entire Panzer Dragoon Series are great, and the shooter games have aged really well.
Guardian Heroes is the most popular Saturn beat-em-up, I'd say. It's pretty good. The JP version costs about half as much as the US version, FYI. If you don't mind playing the story mode with a FAQ on hand (that is, if you even care about the story at all) then it's worth looking into.
The Dungeons & Dragons beat-em-ups from Capcom(?) are also highly acclaimed, but they're even more expensive than GH.
(I also assume that by "beat-em-up," you refer only to the sidescrolling action game type, and not the 1-on-1 fighting game type.)
Radiant Silvergun is good. Sokyugurentai (I'm positive that I've butchered that name) is also popular. I know that there should be a lot more coming to mind for this genre right now but I'm drawing a blank.
I saw a Saturn on eBay that supposedly could play both American and Japanese games. Is this a legit system that's rare, or some hax0red shit?
EDIT: Also, if I change my mind and get a japanese Saturn with the jap games (since they're way more easy to find and also less expensive, and I don't mind getting the jap version), I'll need a power converter for it (I also need one for this famicom that's collecting dust right now). Any suggestion?
Nice, thanks. Looks like my search just got a lot easier.
The Pro Action Replay 4-in-1 is great however and definitely the only 3rd party cart worth considering should you choose to go down that road. The only other option for playing imports (other than grabbing an import console) is obtaining a modchip (which only works on model 2 Saturns), copying import games to your HDD, changing the region code on the game, and then burning a backup copy to play on your modded system. This might be more trouble than it's worth for most people.
You don't need a power converter for playing Japanese consoles in North America. Also, I'm fairly certain that the Saturn, DC, and PS2 all use the same power cord.
I also have an official memory cartridge, however, and I have to fiddle around with it a little bit in order to get the system to read it. (Pushing the cart all the way in and then lifting it just a tad usually does the trick.) There's always the problem of the connection becoming loose during gameplay as well, corrupting the save data and forcing a reformat (happened once or twice).
I thought that playing 100V consoles with 110-120V power would break them. I know that all my stuff from here worked in Japan, I just wasn't sure the other way around.
Modded.
That's the best idea, really. Stick it in there and never remove it.
Similar situation to the NES, but without the oxidizing and rusting contacts. The only time you'll ever have to remove it is if you get that cartridge only Mahjong game, which I don't think will be a priority.
As far as games, regarding shmups I'd go for the Thunderforce collections (two seperate releases, one with 2 and 3, and another with AC and 4) and the must own Thunderforce V (which is superior to the PSX version). Two of the most popular shmups (as regularly voted on shmups.com) Donpachi and DoDonpachi. RayForce and GunBird as well.
If you can speak Japanese, the Tactics Ogre inspired Black/Matrix is also required playing. The Saturn version is, again, the superior release. Graphic, lots of heavy metal, blood, angels, devils, etc.
I'd also look at D and Enemy Zero to take a look at early survival horror. Those two games were created by a group known as WARP, one of the few developers to create a title for the canceled M2 hardware. The guy who's responsible for ICO and Shadow of the Colossus got his start at WARP, I believe.
That's it as far as games you should be able to find without breaking the bank. At least, off the top of my head.
Saturn is an excellent console for fighters and shmups, but has some great games on it... period. So if you get one, and want more titles, you can ask us for the list of games that are regularly recommended.
Since no one seems to know of a better store than eBay, except for Play-Asia, I'll just go start buying the items I need off these places (thanks to that Action Replay, I can now buy every element I need from my list in the OP).
A mod chip isn't strictly necessary - you can solder in a region switch that you make yourself. It is pretty easy to make a mistake, though - for quite a while, I had a Saturn that was perfectly functional but would only boot games from a region that didn't exist.
Wait, you're in Québec? Shit, the long distance charges would eat us alive.
I suck at shooters, so the only one I own for the Saturn is Galactic Attack, which is pretty fun. I do have Guardian Heroes, though, and it's an incredible game. You'll have to decide on your own if it's worth the price most people are asking for it or not, but if you do get it it's fun as hell. I scored Galactic Attack at a Game Crazy I pulled some cover shifts for, they had a box of Saturn stuff hidden in the back office. I also got ahold of some other stuff from the box, Resident Evil and Pandemonium, both in box. You will probably get laughed at, but it never hurts to ask the clerk whenever you hit a new game shop/pawn shop if they have any Saturn stuff.
Guardian Heroes I took from a guy who owed me money.
Steam / Bus Blog / Goozex Referral
I have a friend who was an electrician for a company that bought contracts to do retail chains across the country. He'd call me up all the time, "Dude, I'm in this piece of shit game store and they have Saturn games. What were you looking for again?"
Sadly, most of the good stuff was already cleared out... or never there to begin with.
I also forgot to mention that you should grab Mr. Bones and Skeleton Warriors. Keritosse! is a good import title as well. Alot like that Konami game Poy Poy.
Also, since you're getting the multitap SATURN BOMBERMAN. You'll never know how disappointed I was when I downloaded Bomberman Live. It was supposed to be an updated Saturn Bomberman, but it really wasn't.
No, seriously.
It's not as good of a 2D shmup as Radiant Silvergun (what is?) but it's definitely completely awesome and not terribly expensive on eBay. If you're looking for hardcore 2D shmup action, you'll certainly find it in this game. It was never released in NA, but it doesn't seem like you're worried about importing.
There's a really easy way to play imports on the Saturn without using that AR thing. I can go into more detail, but you might just want to search around the internets as it involves opening the system up, and I don't know how kosher it would be to talk of such things on here.
Thanks, but I'd really rather pay for a cartridge than open up the system. I don't do mod. :P
Yeah, I hear ya there. I did this while I was in college and had no money. The Saturn I had cost me about $15 and I didn't really care much about ruining it. After a long enough time using this particular method, I believe the CD motor burns out
But as for my other comment, definitely buy Soukyugurentai, you will not be disappointed.
This is the method that I was talking about. In addition to this impeccable timing and knowledge of how the CD bay works, you need to open the system up and modify something to "trick" the Saturn into thinking the CD lid is always closed so it doesn't stop the laser once the lid is opened.
My experience with this left my Saturn barely able to load games normally. I don't recommend it to anyone who can bother to spend $30 on the AR cart, though it does make you feel like a badass when you pull it off correctly.
That's why the PS2 drives me nuts. Sega systems are a breeze to play imports on.
Anyway, beaten to the punch on every game in that genre I can think of, but there's a solid amount of platformers and RPGs to be found also if you're into that.
I'll hold on for DnD and Radiant Silvergun for the moment. Holy shit, man! 100$ for DnD collection? 700$ for RS?
I can find it for cheaper, if I look around stores (online and RL) enough. I don't need it NOW.
Play-Asia either have it new and sealed for $499.90 or used for $290
That's ridiculous. For that money, you could get six or seven equally awesome games instead.
Sure, but you could also buy Radient Silvergun, play the hell out of it, and likely sell it for more than you paid for it in 6 months time. Think of it as a long term rental with a large deposite required.
Shoot, no game is.
Who knows? Maybe I'll find a gem in some flea market where the guy has no clue how much his games are really worth.
Slightly OT, this thread made me remember last time I played it with my brother.
That is how I got my copy of Mystaria(Saturn game that got renamed due to copyright conflicts; guess who from).
Imports though... you're not likely to find those at a flea market.
Then again, I did see one lady that had Japanese Genesis games, so you never know.
RSG is a top-down game? Never knew that.
Looks like M.U.S.H.A. .
Well, if you say so. Good luck recouping your investment should you take the "buy with intent to resell" plan at $200+, though.
..........
Must... Post... Photo of me... holding .... my copy... to mock!
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Steam / Bus Blog / Goozex Referral
I consider myself to have a decent amount of disposable income, but I could never justify spending more than $90 for a game, let alone $500! Not even for RSG, as awesome as it is.
How're you enjoying Soukyugurentai?
The Saturn is shipped, but not yet received. I'll be able to tell you soon.
eBay for everything save the AR, which comes from Play-Asia.