Revisiting Sega Saturn

[Team Andromeda]

Wha!? Really!? Is the Japanese version nerfed for noobs or something then? I found it quite easy...? Sad to hear the 2nd isn't as good - why is that?

I agree the 1st game is much better than the 2nd (whilest stll being brilliant) It just flowed better and I liked the game setting, mood sand stages better.

I always thought the original Saturn Daytona was the only home version that played like the original arcade. I had the Dreamcast and XLBA versions

Still to to this day its the best home version of the game. Its just a shame AM#2 never did a remix version for the Saturn

[Yakumo]

The XBLA version of Daytona? It looks great, really great but apart form that it's a bit poor really. The handling is just like some generic racing game, it really doesn't play like Daytona. Also, there's no local multiplayer which just seems insane.

I dissagree. Play it on Nebula with a 360 pad then play it on the 360 using the same TV and same pad and tell me it doesn't feel the same.

[Shozuki]

I dissagree. Play it on Nebula with a 360 pad then play it on the 360 using the same TV and same pad and tell me it doesn't feel the same.

glad to hear that, did fancy playing this on the PS3 again. Also the Model 2 games have been released on PSN and XBLA - I want them too

[S3M]

Had a quick spurt of some saturn gaming to calm my nerves after a heavy ZombiU session.... The Saturn really shows how much of an excellent quick gaming machine it is...

I've eulogised massively about the original Panzer Dragoon and seeing as technically I haven't made it to the sequel yet I had a quick run through of the first again. It's truly beautiful and an extremely playable game, I simply love it. Now though I'm onto Christmas '95 games, 1st of which:

Virtua Cop
Lovely game, fluid, crisp (looks absolutely incredible via RGB Scart) and soaked in the 90's. It's really easy though completed it straight away with default settings, but can easily see this and Panzer Dragoon being included in quick Saturn sessions here and there... I don't know how close it is to the arcade version but I can't imagine there's too much difference. The only problem is the same with all Sega ports I've come across so far is the general lack of content... replaying a 30 minute game on hard doesn't really cut it. As usual though I expect it would have been really something special for it to be even playable at home - so I'll take that into account.

A side note - the Saturn gun is also really nice, seems to not need any calibration but works flawlessly, on quick impressions it seems to be better then the G-Con? But I can't be certain of that, if it's not Namco really had to be kept on their toes with this gun's quality... (When was Time Crisis out?)

Looking forward to Sega Rally and the daddy of them all VF2!!

Any one can finish it with the default settings the trick is to beat the game without losing a credit and keeping that x9 bonus going. As I recall the game does have a few extras to unlock not many but some. I take it you did beat the secret Boss Fang in the helicopter?

[BigDeadFreak]

I dissagree. Play it on Nebula with a 360 pad then play it on the 360 using the same TV and same pad and tell me it doesn't feel the same.

Perhaps it's a little unfair to decribe it as a generic racing game but it just doesn't feel the same to me. The Saturn version seemed better at communicating the immdeiacy and excitement of the arcade game through a pad. Maybe the 360 version is an accurate port but, if that's the case, it might need to be played with a wheel in order to feel the same. The Saturn version feels the same with a digital pad.

Each to their own of course

[Kit]

Are you not going to be playing Resident Evil, Shozuki? I was always interested in playing as I heard the pre-rendered backdrops look slightly better on Saturn. Plus it would be nice to see zombie Wesker and the new creatures they added - isn't there a gold tyrant in the saturn version also?

[noobish hat]

It may just be me, but I found the Saturn version MUCH harder than the psx version. I think there's less ammo and herbs? There are also some bits that look like crap (like the water of course). It's nowhere near as bad as Tomb Raider on the Saturn, but I'd still opt for the psx versoin. Then again, I'd recommend playing both, just because it's interesting to see the differences.

[Shozuki]

Any one can finish it with the default settings the trick is to beat the game without losing a credit and keeping that x9 bonus going. As I recall the game does have a few extras to unlock not many but some. I take it you did beat the secret Boss Fang in the helicopter?

I beat some dude in a helicopter, but if there's something secret there I probably missed it!! I like the game though will defo replay it!!

Are you not going to be playing Resident Evil, Shozuki? I was always interested in playing as I heard the pre-rendered backdrops look slightly better on Saturn. Plus it would be nice to see zombie Wesker and the new creatures they added - isn't there a gold tyrant in the saturn version also?

It may just be me, but I found the Saturn version MUCH harder than the psx version. I think there's less ammo and herbs? There are also some bits that look like crap (like the water of course). It's nowhere near as bad as Tomb Raider on the Saturn, but I'd still opt for the psx versoin. Then again, I'd recommend playing both, just because it's interesting to see the differences.

Ah cool! I quite fancy Resi now. I didn't know they were different and I'm a huge Resi nut so will defo check it out. Nearly finished ZombiU so can get back to some proper gaming soon!!

[BigDeadFreak]

Are you not going to be playing Resident Evil, Shozuki? I was always interested in playing as I heard the pre-rendered backdrops look slightly better on Saturn. Plus it would be nice to see zombie Wesker and the new creatures they added - isn't there a gold tyrant in the saturn version also?

From what I remember the pre-rendered backdrops were a slightly lower resolution in the Saturn version. Also, the music and sound effects were not quite as good as they were on the PSX (a nit tinny in comparison). However, there is also something called Battle Mode that you unlock after completing the game. This is basically like the Hunk and Tofu missions from Resident Evil 2 and is pretty good fun (it's also where you get to face the zombie Wesker and the Gold Tyrant).

If you've got your Saturn switched you can play a pal version in 60hz and it's a lot smoother and faster. There also seems to be a bit more blood in the Saturn version whenever you shoot someone. You also get to fight 2 Tyrants at the end of the game but the 'all new monster' promised on the back of the box is just pallette swapped Hunter.

I really liked the Saturn version especially in 60hz but then I love Resident Evil. If you're a bit of an obsessive when it comes to Resi then it's definitely worth getting.

[Kit]

Interesting stuff, BDF!

I didn't know that about the new creature just being a hunter palette swap - from what I read I'd always assumed it was an altered version of those insect looking things you fight when you make it to the lab. Does the Saturn version have additional cut scenes to explain the second tyrant or is it just an extra battle you have before you make it to the helipad?

[BigDeadFreak]

This is mainly from memory but I'm pretty sure it was a Hunter. As for the Tyrant this should help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dK7zMHV8ys

[Kit]

That is so cool! I looked at the other video comparing the Saturn and PSX version in the link. Like you mentioned, you can see the Saturn backdrops are a bit more compressed but the characters themselves look a touch better. PSX seems to be running a lot smoother mind.