Ah, Sega Saturn, how I've missed you.

[bandersnatch]

1UP/EGM has this excellent article (http://egm.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=0&cId=3142283) covering the launch, life, games and failure of the Sega Saturn.

CEO of Sega of America - Tom Kalinske - took the stage first and shocked the entire videogame world by informing everyone that the Saturn's launch date was, in fact, that day.

Systems and a handful of games had been shipped to retailers nationwide and would go on sale that morning with an MSRP of $399.99. This was four months earlier than the "official" release date of Sept. 2.

It seemed Sega had won the first battle as Sony Computer Entertainment America President Steve Race took to the stage next to discuss his plans for the PlayStation. After organizing a few pages and readying what seemed like it would be a long, boring speech, he leaned forward and said one thing, "U.S. $299." Once again Sony had beaten Sega at its own game. The only up side was that the Saturn still had a head start in the U.S. market, as Sony had no plans of pushing up the holiday 1995 release schedule.

Ah, I remember that fateful keynote as is if only happened yesterday.

As we reminisce in the moment, are there any Saturn fans on the site? I'm one -- owing both a Japanese and American model. Any good memories about the Saturn? Favorite games? Best place (besides eBAY) to pick up import titles?

[Spigot]

I have friends who haven't picked up a new console since the Saturn. They have games for the newer systems, they just bring them over to my place to try them out. Alas, I never was able to get a Saturn myself.

[Dirty Harry]

First chance i had to play grandia, aswell as the first resident evil :D.

[Rommel]

The greatest system of all time. Play that sad walking away song from the incredible hulk.

[drk421]

The Sega Saturn had some awesome games. Most significant is Radiant Silvergun, IMO the greatest shooter/RPG/puzzle game ever made. Lets not forget the excellent arcade ports from Capcom including Marvel Super Heroes, Vampire Savior, and Street Fighter Zero 3, all superior to the Playstation versions (if any). The Saturn also had a version of Bomberman (similar to the SNES versions), that allowed for a giant screen and up to 8 players (or was it 12?). It also had a superior version of Symphony of the Night with extra levels and features. The Saturn also had an endless supply of shooters, and some OK RPGs (nothing that compares to FF7 or Chrono Cross though).

[Oddmaker]

It rocked!

[eeje13]

Fighters Megamix is one of the most brilliant games ever created.

NiGHTS too, of course.

... and Panzer Dragoon.

I have an endless list, but will stop there.

I would like to know how/where to get a copy of Burning Rangers.

[Kelegacy]

The greatest system of all time. Play that sad walking away song from the incredible hulk.

I dont know about that...Dreamcast was a better system then the Saturn, me thinks. I bought the Saturn before the Playstation (though they were still in their infancy) and quickly got bored with the arcade games, though they were the reason I bought the system in the first place. I did enjoy Bug! on it...i picked that up at the same time. I also owned Dark Savior and lord knows what else. Still have the console somewhere, collecting dust.

When the Playstation came out and I saw Twisted Metal, I slapped myself in the head for being so impulsive and picking up a Saturn instead of the Playstation. I always enjoyed the competition more than Sega's machines (the NES, SNES, PS) but I did like the Dreamcast.

[Rangoth]

The great thing about the Dreamcast was that Sega just let people have their way with it and never went after anyone for creating emulator's and the like. In addition, many of the games that were canceled have been uploaded onto the internet since the systems death. My dreamcast gets as much use as any other system does. The Saturn I think has to be one of the most under appriciated systems ever made. Nights, Burning Rangers, Fighters Megamix, Panzer Dragoon...how could you NOT love 'em?

[Sestren]

The Saturn still to this day is my favorite system. It had some of the best 2D fighters out there (I played Street Fighter Alpha 2 to death), and many of the most original game series' that haven't really been matched up to this day. And, it had one of the most underappreciated and greatest RPG's in Panzer Dragoon Saga.

[Ozymandis]

Saturn was a great system. I think Panzer Dragoon Saga was my favourite game on the system, along with NiGHTS and Dragon Force. A real shame it met the fate that it did... Playstation was just a better system. However, I'd say the Saturn was easily superior to the n64.

[FunkyPoopMonkey]

It has a ton of great games, but Panzer Dragoon Saga is my favorite RPG of all time. It is still a god damn blast. And one of the best aged 3D games out there. The game's art and presentation immediately let you see past the pixelated textures, low resolution, and low poly count when compared to modern games. It's just absolutely beautiful. A powerful soundtrack that sounds different from every other game out there. A 100% original battle system. Just...ugh, I gatta play it again. Or I would if I had a saturn memory card.

[EvilBob46]

I'd love to play Panzer Dragoon Saga after what I've heard about it and I have the a used copy of the game, but not console to play it on. And the emulators currently available are less than stellar for this game :(

[Sestren]

Anyone here remember Dragon Force? Probably my favorite strategy game of all time, I'd have to agree with FunkyPoopMonkey that PDS is my favorite RPG of all time as well. You know you could probably get a Saturn Memory card from buyrite.net or some other games retailer online. I kept mine along with PDS and PD Zwei when I gave my saturn and games to some people for christmas a long time ago.

[thiby]

I remember Dragon Force, loved it. I never got the chance to get PDS though, and my satrun got lost some how with my neglect. I am a bad father.

[Heretic Machine]

...Who the hell are you guys? The Saturn sucked ass o.o One of the worst consoles ever made.

[eeje13]

...Who the hell are you guys? The Saturn sucked ass o.o One of the worst consoles ever made.

We're, uh, gamers.

[FunkyPoopMonkey]

You know you could probably get a Saturn Memory card from buyrite.net or some other games retailer online.
You buy from buyrite and haven't been robbed yet?

Anyways, jandaman is the way to go.

[Madhatter45]

Go to www.mcvans.com They carry stuff for damn near every console made. I frequantly order things for my Saturn from them. I will tell you they can be a bit pricey, but when your looking for hard to find items that you really want, it can be worth it.

[Sestren]

Nah, I bought from them once and actually received my order. But afterwards I heard some people's horror stories and decided not to do so again. Nowadays I'll just look on amazon and see what independent retailers have. I've checked out McVans before, and the one thing that has prevented me from buying from them is the aforementioned prices..but hey, at least they have Saturn stuff (new saturn stuff for that matter) to be bought.

[bandersnatch]

You buy from buyrite and haven't been robbed yet?

Anyways, jandaman is the way to go.

As in www.jandaman.com ?

Never heard of it before -- checking them right now.

Any other speciality retailers with good selection and prices, please post. :D

[FunkyPoopMonkey]

...Who the hell are you guys? The Saturn sucked ass o.o One of the worst consoles ever made.
Reminds me of my freshman year. I owned a saturn while everyone owned a playstation, and I actually got made fun of frequently about it....for owning a game console...

Ok so this is a common thing with this generation, but really, before the 32bit line, people weren't so immature. To actually say that the Saturn "sucked ass", is crazy. There's simply too many quality titles for it, even in the USA, to warrent such a statement.

And why do people still call Saturn a "failure"? Because it didn't do as good as the Playstation? I just dont see how a game console can be a failure if it lasted longer then a year. Saturn, Dreamcast, Nintento 64, Gamecube. These are not failures. The Atari Jaguar, now that's a failure.

[FunkyPoopMonkey]

As in www.jandaman.com ?

Never heard of it before -- checking them right now.

Any other speciality retailers with good selection and prices, please post. :D
I actually dont like spreading the word around on that guy because I'm scared he may become too popular, which might cause his flawless services to dwindle into the realm of average. I dont want to overwork the guy. But he has never failed me once, has great price, ships super fast. Plus one time the post office lost my package, a dreamcast 4x mem card with PC link. And I emailed the guy and he said no problem, and send me another. Didn't hesitate at all, automatically believed me. Wouldn't accept extra payment from me.

[Nessus]

I got a Saturn and a couple games for $30 Canadian.

I played it a bit, then put it back in the box.

[Adam Blue]

The Saturn is great. It's a freaking Shmup paradise. OMG I love it.

[LilEvilFish]

all I wanted was a saturn with a copy of sega rally, i yearned and yearned for one then got a playstation with wipeout and destruction derby. Never looked back.

[nein89]

Finally got around to replacing the battery in mine, so it's been getting some use again. Someday I will actually manage to finish Legend of Oasis.

I no longer have Guardian Heroes or PDS, though. I miss them a lot.

[EL CABONG]

Dragon Force was awesome. virtural Cop 1 and 2 ruled.

[Kermit]

Still hate myself for selling it so I could afford a N64...

[NightRain]

I remember buying a sega saturn years ago (when it was brand new) for like $700 canadain with 3 games. The system was hot then, was a big step up in graphics from the TG16, Genesis, or SNES. I actually still have a Saturn and about 30-40 games. Most of my games are domestic but I do have a few imports that are/were ultra cool that still get some play (well rarely but still sometimes) like X-Men Vs. Street Fighter, Street Fighter Zero 3 (Alpha 3 in US), and Radiant Silvergun. I also have a couple rare games too, like Panzer Dragoon Saga, Metal Slug, and Dracula X. The system was probabaly the best 2D fighter system ever, only thing that came close to it was the Dreamcast IMO. While it may not have been able to do 3D as well as the PS1 system it was still a very good gaming system with a nice variety of games avalilble, especially for RPG and fighting fans.

[Tetsuo]

Panzer Dragoon Saga is easily my favorite RPG of all time. I've also got Dragon Force, Shinning the Holy Ark, and Shinning Force 3. I still need a copy of Burning Rangers though...

I agree that it shouldn't be considered a failure, especially since it was very popular in Japan. Also, it brought us Segata Sanshiro
http://www.catsuka.com/interf/bideo/sanshiro.htm

[bardockkun]

Id have to say NiGHTS is one of the best games out there still. The biggest gripe i have with the Sega Saturn though is that it seems EVERY good game is a collectors item. I recently got my girlfriend's Saturn and i know if im going to want any games for it im going to have to fork over ahelluvalot of money to get a good game.

[bandersnatch]

And why do people still call Saturn a "failure"? Because it didn't do as good as the Playstation? I just dont see how a game console can be a failure if it lasted longer then a year. Saturn, Dreamcast, Nintento 64, Gamecube. These are not failures. The Atari Jaguar, now that's a failure.

It's definitely a failure in a business sense because it lost the 32-bit console wars to Sony and their playstation.

[bandersnatch]

Id have to say NiGHTS is one of the best games out there still. The biggest gripe i have with the Sega Saturn though is that it seems EVERY good game is a collectors item. I recently got my girlfriend's Saturn and i know if im going to want any games for it im going to have to fork over ahelluvalot of money to get a good game.

That's the free market for you. If people are willing to buy/bid games at exorbitant prices, there's no reason for the seller to sell for less.

However, if you want to see insane prices for games. I highly recommend you check out the NEO GEO US AES scene. ;)

[Orphiuchus]

And why do people still call Saturn a "failure"? Because it didn't do as good as the Playstation? I just dont see how a game console can be a failure if it lasted longer then a year. Saturn, Dreamcast, Nintento 64, Gamecube. These are not failures. The Atari Jaguar, now that's a failure.

The nintendo 64 was a success, and the gamecube wasn't a total disaster, but the dreamcast and saturn were both total failures. They didn't sell well, and they didn't last nearly as long as the competetors, and they lost money.

[TheHulk]

Virtual Hydlide anyone? Never had as much fun running around the forest for no apparent reason. Loved Panzer Dragoon and there was a golf game I played the hell out of. What was the name of the platformer that was one of the first games out? It was set around toys for kids. Clockwork?

[Wizard of KoZ]

Gaurdian Heroes...best game EVER! I want a real sequal damnit!! Not the mockery that was the GBA game.

Also I want the other 2 senatrios for Shining Force 3... translated to english!

In short Saturn was a fucking great system.

[Heretic Machine]

And why do people still call Saturn a "failure"? Because it didn't do as good as the Playstation? I just dont see how a game console can be a failure if it lasted longer then a year. Saturn, Dreamcast, Nintento 64, Gamecube. These are not failures. The Atari Jaguar, now that's a failure.

If the Satrn and Dreamcast weren't failures then Sega would still be making consoles.

[TrackZero]

Never was into it myself. I believe back then I was still anti-Sega after the whole SNES/Genesis thing (which I loved Sega back with the SMS though). I re-converted once the Dreamcast was out, so I missed the whole thing. Funnily enough, I actually misordered a game on eBay awhile back and have a copy of the Japanese import for Street Fighter Zero.

Maybe I'll pick up a system off eBay one of these days. Were they region-locked? i.e. Do I have to buy a Japanese one to play Japanese games?

[Kelegacy]

It has a ton of great games, but Panzer Dragoon Saga is my favorite RPG of all time. It is still a god damn blast. And one of the best aged 3D games out there. The game's art and presentation immediately let you see past the pixelated textures, low resolution, and low poly count when compared to modern games. It's just absolutely beautiful. A powerful soundtrack that sounds different from every other game out there. A 100% original battle system. Just...ugh, I gatta play it again. Or I would if I had a saturn memory card.

I never played it and I'm an RPG fiend. Isn't that a travesty?

I dont remember the Saturn memory cards. I dont even know if I still have mine. What'd they look like?

[Furious Wang]

How could anyone possibly be anti-Sega? Did you like green blood?

[Kefkataran]

I bought a used Saturn about a year ago along with a copy of Panzer Dragoon and enjoyed the hell out of it for a couple weeks. I've been meaning to pick up more games for it but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

[NightRain]

Yeah, Nights was great, I also have Burning Rangers, and a couple shining force games too. I actually perfered the Saturn over the PS1 until the Saturn lost pretty much all support in the late 90's. I never did get much into the PS1 though really, except for about 20 games or so, I jumped on the Dreamcast wagon pretty early.

[NightRain]

Saturn had built in internal memory and didn't really need memory cards, unless you had a ton of games. I got a Action Replay 5-in-1 Cart that allows me to play games that require 1MB(KOF) or 4MB (Xmen vs Street Fighter) plus has some cheat codes (which I don't use), boots import games, and has extra memory of same games. It was a great $80 purchase back in the day.

[Kelegacy]

Saturn had built in internal memory and didn't really need memory cards, unless you had a ton of games. I got a Action Replay 5-in-1 Cart that allows me to play games that require 1MB(KOF) or 4MB (Xmen vs Street Fighter) plus has some cheat codes (which I don't use), boots import games, and has extra memory of same games. It was a great $80 purchase back in the day.

See, i didnt even remember that. (because i was brainwashed by Sony's memory card system) My Saturn never got much playing time. THere were some good games for the system, but compared to the PS's library, it was sorely lacking. Big time.

[maja]

I loved my Sega Saturn.

My favorite games;

Radient Silvergun
Virtual On (NetLink)
Saturn Bomberman (NetLink)
Daytona USA
Mr. Bones (yes I liked Mr. Bones)
All the Panzer Dragoons
Powerslave
Virtua Fighter 2
Guardian Heroes
Duke Nukem 3d (Netlink)
Iron Storm
Steep Slope Sliders
Virtua Cop 2
Decathlete
Shining Force 3

I could keep going but I'll stop. lol!

I LOVE MY SATURN!!!!!!!

[NightRain]

See, i didnt even remember that. (because i was brainwashed by Sony's memory card system) My Saturn never got much playing time. THere were some good games for the system, but compared to the PS's library, it was sorely lacking. Big time.
Depends on your preference in games, personally I think that the Saturn was worth it just for fighting games, even if you didn't play any other type of game you could have fun with the system and fighters. Sure the PS1 had some good fighters but the Saturn had awesome fighters, I love fighting games so I loved the saturn, I mean the X-men Vs Street Fighter is pretty much arcade perfect on the Saturn, not like the lame excuse of a game on the PS1. I'm not bashing Sony at all, but I do think a big reason the suceeded over the Saturn was marketing. On many fronts the Saturn could out do the PS1, it really only lacked in the 3D area (which could be beaten by niffty programers) and 3D graphics don't make awesome games, some of my all time favorites are 2D. The saturn was also a little harder to program for, but the PS2 was harder to program for vs. the Dreamcast so I still say the downfall of the Saturn and Sega in general was mostly do to the Sony hype machine. We'll see what happens, becuase it is beginning to look like they are getting in over their heads with the PS3.

[NightRain]

I loved my Sega Saturn.

My favorite games;

Radient Silvergun
Virtual On (NetLink)
Saturn Bomberman (NetLink)
Daytona USA
Mr. Bones (yes I liked Mr. Bones)
All the Panzer Dragoons
Powerslave
Virtua Fighter 2
Guardian Heroes
Duke Nukem 3d (Netlink)
Iron Storm
Steep Slope Sliders
Virtua Cop 2
Decathlete
Shining Force 3

I could keep going but I'll stop. lol!

I LOVE MY SATURN!!!!!!!

Virtua On rocks, I have the twin sticks. I also liked Mr. Bones. But you forgot some key games too, how about these.

Sega Rally
Virtua Fighter 2
Virtua Figher Kids
Puzzle Fighter
Dragon Force
Princess Crown
Albert Odysee
Alien Trilogy
Marvel Super Hereos
Night Warriors
Resident Evil
Rayman
Wipeout
Xmen
Deep Fear

and many many more I'm forgetting too.

[Kelegacy]

Depends on your preference in games, personally I think that the Saturn was worth it just for fighting games, even if you didn't play any other type of game you could have fun with the system and fighters. Sure the PS1 had some good fighters but the Saturn had awesome fighters, I love fighting games so I loved the saturn, I mean the X-men Vs Street Fighter is pretty much arcade perfect on the Saturn, not like the lame excuse of a game on the PS1. I'm not bashing Sony at all, but I do think a big reason the suceeded over the Saturn was marketing. On many fronts the Saturn could out do the PS1, it really only lacked in the 3D area (which could be beaten by niffty programers) and 3D graphics don't make awesome games, some of my all time favorites are 2D. The saturn was also a little harder to program for, but the PS2 was harder to program for vs. the Dreamcast so I still say the downfall of the Saturn and Sega in general was mostly do to the Sony hype machine. We'll see what happens, becuase it is beginning to look like they are getting in over their heads with the PS3.

Yeah, I am not a fighter/racer fan. That's why the system was abandoned by me early on. I still played some of the good platformers, adventures and RPG's, but I think the Saturn is my least favorite Sega console. And I've owned all of them (sans the 32X)...yes, even the Sega CD (which introduced me to Willy Beamish, Monkey Island, Lunar and even *cough* NightTrap) so the CD was an important console/add-on in my young years.

[Heretic Machine]

How could anyone possibly be anti-Sega? Did you like green blood?

I'm not anti-Sega. I was very pro-Sega until they started making horrible games (Sonic Heroes, Shadow the Hedgehog...) I just found the Saturn to be lacking. The Dreamcast was the shit, but the Saturn... no way.

[FunkyPoopMonkey]

I never played it and I'm an RPG fiend. Isn't that a travesty?

I dont remember the Saturn memory cards. I dont even know if I still have mine. What'd they look like?

A lot like Genesis cartridges. And they are very much required. Because basically, even if you put a fresh battery in the saturn and use the onboard memory to store save files, you only have 6 months or so until the battery dies. And when it dies, you lose EVERYTHING. And even if you try to swap the battery before that, you lose EVERYTHING.

Thus, the need for a memory card.

Again Saturn is not even close to a failure. Stop pointing out that PS1 did better. A system can't be a failure with this many great games. There's just no arguing it. You think it didn't have any great games? Then that's because you only relied on what companies advertised to you. If you were a gamer, then you would have did some homework, read some reviews, and found out Saturn had just as many quality titles as PS1 did, during the 1995-1998 span.

[Last of the Red Hot Mamas]

Another article (http://www.eidolons-inn.net/segabase/SegaBase-Saturn(Part1).html) covering much the same ground but in a bit more detail. They've got similar articles (http://www.eidolons-inn.net/segabase/) for Sega's other consoles as well.

[mister_slim]

It's depressing how much gaming history is not really available. I'd love to see more companies make their back catalogs more accessible.

[bandersnatch]

Again Saturn is not even close to a failure. Stop pointing out that PS1 did better. A system can't be a failure with this many great games. There's just no arguing it. You think it didn't have any great games? Then that's because you only relied on what companies advertised to you. If you were a gamer, then you would have did some homework, read some reviews, and found out Saturn had just as many quality titles as PS1 did, during the 1995-1998 span.

Dude, companies exist to make money. The Saturn was a commercial failure for Sega.

Plain and simple.

Yes, it had some great titles on it. Yes, I completely love my Saturn and continue to play on it today but it was not a success in the video game industry.

No amount of love for their library of games will change that.

[Kelegacy]

A lot like Genesis cartridges. And they are very much required. Because basically, even if you put a fresh battery in the saturn and use the onboard memory to store save files, you only have 6 months or so until the battery dies. And when it dies, you lose EVERYTHING. And even if you try to swap the battery before that, you lose EVERYTHING.

Thus, the need for a memory card.

Again Saturn is not even close to a failure. Stop pointing out that PS1 did better. A system can't be a failure with this many great games. There's just no arguing it. You think it didn't have any great games? Then that's because you only relied on what companies advertised to you. If you were a gamer, then you would have did some homework, read some reviews, and found out Saturn had just as many quality titles as PS1 did, during the 1995-1998 span.

The PS1's advertising didnt sell me. It was the games. I dont think your comment was directed at me, and I dont think that the Saturn was a failure, but it certainly wasnt a Genesis success. I went through the whole listing of American releases and say some things that were great, but I only found a handful of games I owned. Towards the end of the lifecycle Panzer Dragoon Saga came out, so i missed it. I did play a good portion of the other games, but once the Playstation started to get on a roll, it didnt stop until the PS2. But then again, the Playstation made gaming mainstream, so of course there were more gaming choices and great experiences on that system. I remember playing Twisted Metal, Gran Turismo, and so many other games with my brother and he wasnt even a gamer. I had my Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy (and the dozens of other RPG's) weird gems like Tomba! and a library that really lubed up my donkey.

I think that the PS1/Saturn preference depended on game genres and styles that you preferred over another. But the PS1 had to have done SOMETHING right...because you can only market a system so much; the games have to be there to back up the rest. Sega had always relied on their Arcade franchises to sell systems initially. I bought one for Daytona USA and realized my error about a day later when I was bored.

Good system, but it's longevity was cut short by various reasons.

[Kefkataran]

It's depressing how much gaming history is not really available. I'd love to see more companies make their back catalogs more accessible.

Like I've said before, I think that's an important step of putting videogames on par with other art/entertainment mediums. And part of the reason I'm psyched about Nintendo's decisions with the Revolution.

[Kelegacy]

It's depressing how much gaming history is not really available. I'd love to see more companies make their back catalogs more accessible.

It's better to play now then to never play at all. I have forgotten so much. My gaming childhood has alot of gray areas, areas that were fun filled, but the memories of which have been partially extinguished by the fires of time. If i want to remember, I have to pay ridiculous prices on eBay. All because as my brain matured, I lost precious gaming memory cargo. Time is a vampiric mistress.

And yes, Kefkataran, the Revolution could do wonders for hardcore gamers and the Casualites alike. It's like a time machine in a console...and it's only a secondary feature of the Revolution. It could be an exceptional feature.

[mister_slim]

GameTap looks interesting, except that it appears to be PC only. The Xbox Live Marketplace has potential as well.

[bean19]

My older brother bought this system in college. I got to stay with him once when my grandfather was in hospital (he's was okay then, and is still okay). Anyway, I stayed up all night playing Dragon Force and skipped school because he did not wake up in time to take me.

I also loved the Shining Force games (he later sold the system to me), Panzer Dragoon, and although I did import Grandia. . . wasn't really a fan. Even after it was translated, I never played through it. . . Odd, but I think by then Playstation's Suikoden had stolen my soul.

[Heretic Machine]

although I did import Grandia. . . wasn't really a fan.

Well, I never played the original... But I bought the sequel for my Dreamcast, and I thought it sucked, personally. There were elements of it that I liked, but as a whole it just couldn't hold my interest. It remains unfinished.

You are not alone.

[Kelegacy]

Well, I never played the original... But I bought the sequel for my Dreamcast, and I thought it sucked, personally. There were elements of it that I liked, but as a whole it just couldn't hold my interest. It remains unfinished.

You are not alone.

Perigon, I didnt enjoy the sequel...but the original I did enjoy. It's an entirely different game, and has an entirely different tone and feel. The battle system is the only thing the two have in common.

Do yourself a favor and try the original. You WILL like it more than the sequel. It's a dramatically different, yet better, game. Grandia III comes out this month I think, or at least it has already in Japan, and I hope it captures the magic of the original. Grandia 2 and Grandia Extreme have so little in common with the original, it's scary.

However, the story revolves around a young kid, like most RPG's, but he really is immature at the beginning, which can churn the stomach. It's about him wanting to venture to the "New World", a continent that has just been discovered by explorers and is being settled. He changes as the story goes on, matures and you grow to really like the characters and story.

Anyway, people who havent played Grandia and like RPG's should give it a shot. It's up there with Star Ocean Second Story as one of my favorite Playstation RPG's (due to the great battle system, i think)

[FunkyPoopMonkey]

Well, I never played the original... But I bought the sequel for my Dreamcast, and I thought it sucked, personally. There were elements of it that I liked, but as a whole it just couldn't hold my interest. It remains unfinished.

Absolute insanity. Grandia 2 gets neglected so bad because it didn't have that boring Final Fantasy turn based crap. The game covered all the areas flawlessly. Story, acting, music, battle system, level design, challenge, visuals, and length. It's only flaw was it was too linear for some people, which hurt the replay value. Naturally, if you played Grandia 1 or 2 on a Sony console, you got screwed, because they both played like balls, after being ported in such a sloppy manner. I can understand the hate in that case. But if you played G2 on Dreamcast, and didn't enjoy it, you're a circus freak.

[Last of the Red Hot Mamas]

I would've liked Grandia II a lot more if they put 1/10,000th the amount of effort into the plot and characters as they did in the battle system. Cynical loner teams up with unlikely allies to collect mystical artifacts and save the world, no really stop me if you've heard this one.

[Zeal]

Easily the most elite of all systems. Two words:

Princess Crown.

[Manzy]

Schmup galore... Radiant Silvergun... *drool* We need more schmups, and with cell phones and other hand-helds becoming more powerful (Maybe also something orignal and clever to pull off with the DS touch screen) I have a feeling their could be some hella sweet shmup support in the future.

[bardockkun]

Honestly i wasn't much of a Sega fan either until i got a Dreamcast for my b-day (back when the PS2 was coming out no less). I originally wanted a Genesis for my b-day but instead my parents got me a Super Nintendo so thus i became a slave to Nintendo, but still occasionally borrowed the Genesis from my cousin to play Eternal Champions or Sonic. But it was once Sega died in the console wars was when i started to grow more and more fond of Sega and loving their systems. The games Sega makes now cant compare to all the heart and soul they put back into their consoles and games and it makes me sad i didnt realize that earlier (although the Saturn Shinobi, i can go without mentioning). Eitherway it makes me miss Sega in the console wars and makes me wish that all their teams were all back working under one console. Man, i needs to play me some Bug Too now.

[Shodan2020]

I don't own a Saturn but I want one so bad.

I remember playing "Nights Into Dreams" on the 2nd story of an Elder Beerman when I was a wee lad of 12 and being totally blown away. My friend got one a few years ago off of ebay and a whole bunch of games on it. It was amazing. I want one for Nights and DOA and Castlevania.

[Rommel]

Castlevania

SOTM is one of the oddest games on the Saturn. In theory, it should look better on the 2D powerhouse system. It looks worse, as the machine could not handle the heavily represented transparent effects. Transparencies were a big thing the PSX had over Saturn. On the other hand, it is a better game featuring an entirely new playable character (Albeit one who can only play through a fraction of the game) and two extra areas.

One thing the article failed to mention contributing to the downfall of the saturn was it's poor lead in. The 32X was a disaster on par with the Virtual Boy. It split their fan base pretty badly, and when the machine was released early was still brand new.

[TrackZero]

So, still waiting for an answer on this. Was the Saturn region-locked? Or could you simply play imported titles on the North American console?

[maja]

Yes, the Saturn was region locked but it was very easy to buy a memory-card-type card that let you play imports. No modding needed.

I have Radiant Silvergun, Shin Shinobiden, Dead or Alive, and Fire Prowrestling 6men Scramble in their import version.

But the game I had to most fun on the Saturn without a doubt was Saturn Bomberman. Heck I had a party about a month ago and I had 4 kids sitting infront of my small 20" tv in my computer room screaming and yelling having the time of their lives playing it. The kids didn't want to go home! LOL!

[Ultima Thulian]

I like Sega, don't get me wrong, but they seem to show the Japanese much more love than American or European gamers. From the Saturn to the DC to even now, that fact hasn't changed. For example: The new Sonic Gems game won't have the Streets of Rage games so the can get a "E" rating. What a load of horsepiss. Still, can't give a company that has brought me Sonic, Panzer Dragoon, and Jet Set Radio too much of a hard time. Hopefully, Sega will bring back some of its old magic. Seriously, Am I the only one who wants to see a GOOD update to Golden Axe?