Sega Saturn in 2022 - Bad Idea?

[wakka]

We need an update from [MENTION=680]Wools[/MENTION]...where's your head at?! Let us live through you!
[MENTION=13863]speedlolita[/MENTION] yeah it's a great box. Looks like it's going to be full of some sort of delicious Japanese snack.

[Wools]

We need an update from [MENTION=680]Wools[/MENTION]...where's your head at?! Let us live through you!

Ha, glad you're thinking of me!

I'm currently scrolling through eBay and putting together a shopping list of Japanese Saturn games and doing some reading up on some of the brilliant bits of tech you and others have mentioned and working out what I need.

Still not commited yet but once I have the full shopping list, I'll decide whether to jump in or not. I was part considering a PAL (I know) PlayStation and building a small little collection of my favourite games but when I got more serious about it in 2021, I kept wanting to come back to the Saturn as that libary is more of an unknown to me. Well, except for Sega Rally, Virtua Fighter etc. as I played them in the Arcades back in the day. I could imagine buying a PAL PS1 + games and then sitting down to play them when I work out; Oh ****, I've played them a thousand times and I have an emulator with all of them anyway.

So the Saturn is still the strongest contender. I'm sold on a Japanese Saturn with 2 wireless Retro-Bit controllers and have around 5 must have games. After that, it's a step down and scaler I'm reading up on and also havn't yet checked if an output cable (RGB Scart etc.) will be another hurdle to take a look into.

[speedlolita]

For Japanese Saturn I have always used PAL OEM SCART leads and modified the c-sync pin on the AV port to be 9V - just like a PAL machine.

https://mmmonkey.co.uk/ntsc-saturn-and-pal-scart-leads/

Not so sure about decent and modern third party SCART leads though...

As for step-downs I would recommend airlink transformers: https://airlinktransformers.com/cate...age-converters. Currently using my own with my Saturn as finding a PAL Saturn PSU is trickier than it once was.

As chipsgravy mentioned there are also modern power supply replacements that accept 12V like a MD or SFC would, which circumvent the need for step-down but would require an AC adapter instead.

[Wools]

Thanks for those details Speedy, I had that exact company saved for Stepdown's but appreciate the Scart lead info, thank you!

[wakka]

The SCART cable should be easy enough - these cables are well thought of:

https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk/sega/saturn/SEGA-SATURN-RGB-SCART-PACKAPUNCH-PRO-CABLE

Unless anyone with first hand experience can say otherwise?

What are the must have games, out of interest?

[speedlolita]

I have had to repair RGC cables before, and I don't like their PCB in SCART head design so much. They're probably fine but I would steer clear. Have heard some good things about Insurrection Industries cables, which are available from Games Connection: https://gamesconnection.co.uk/produc...e-sync-on-luma

[roachie]

Got mine in 2015 having not had one (or a PlayStation) when it was current. One of just 2 consoles I've got set up permanently, the other's a Super Famicom. JP grey Model 1 with a Phantom chip & UK power board, into a 20" PVM via either RGB SCART/BNC or a component cable (maybe slightly better quality). Wanted to be able to play 'everything' so also got 1MB & 4MB carts, 2 Virtua Guns, the 3D Control Pad, a VCD card, HORI Fighting Stick... Was really obsessed with finding out about the library & its obscurities for ages, Yakumo's old site was a goldmine of info at the time. Got a massive CD wallet with 128 CD-Rs in it Did get a universal BIOS chip as I mistakenly thought mine was socketed; beyond my skills to solder it in so just region-patched everything. The drive became unreliable at reading discs & after hours of tinkering with the pots with the lid off I replaced the drive - holding up well to this day. Replacing the power board wasn't as easy as I thought but hated using a stepdown - possibly because mine was a ropey cheap one that made a buzzing noise & got hot. Have to say the Fenrir looks pretty tempting, it's a shame the Satiator is so expensive. Sold the VCD card in the end as didn't really use it, got a great price for it as it was the RG-VC3 model. Will probably sell the guns as well as don't use them. Can't see me selling the Saturn any time soon, it's true that you can play most games better/more easily elsewhere but there's something special about this console, it's got soul & feels in a way like the end of the era of gaming I grew up with - it was designed as a 2D powerhouse. Wish I'd had one at the time as the quality of the coin-op ports would have blown my mind. Probably another reason I like it so much - Neo aside, it feels like the first home console that could really do arcade ports proper justice. Loaded up Panzer Dragoon Saga last night as been meaning to get into it for ages - was too tired tho & didn't even get through the tutorials

[SuperDanX]

Enjoying this thread, classic NTSC-UK chat

[dataDave]

...into a 20" PVM via either RGB SCART/BNC or a component cable (maybe slightly better quality).

Component is noticeably worse than SCART/BNC. Orangy reds, and nowhere near as sharp.

[Hirst]

The RGB Scart output on the Saturn is probably the best of any machine I've ever used. For some reason Sega machines always had really nice RGB output with bright, vivid colours and I'd argue the Saturn was the best of the lot.

[ZipZap]

I bought my first Saturn about 4-5 years ago. There weren't really ODEs at that point, so I picked up a modded console. I did read once that the CD drives in the Saturn are quite high quality and tend to last longer than (for example) the Dreamcast. No idea if this is true though! I've bought a dozen or so games since, but I'm not paying £200+ for anything.

I bought a Japanese console because I like the colour schemes far better than the black western consoles. I just generally prefer the Japanese branding, nicer logo, nice compact jewel cases etc.

I have to say that whilst I've had some enjoyment from it and in no way regret buying one, it hasn't gripped me in the way other Sega consoles did. I had a Dreamcast when it was out and loved it, then more recently got a Mega SG and have really enjoyed a deep dive into the MD/SMS library. The shmups were the big draw on the Saturn for me and some of my favourites (in particular Battle Garegga and Darius Gaiden) have since made their way to the PS4.

It certainly wasn't a bad idea though!

[nakamura]

As we all know 360/PS3 Daytona is better etc but there is something I love about those Saturn graphics and feel for both versions of Daytona.

Same with SFII on SNES. I prefer it over the arcade.

[tokyochojin]

Short answer sure with an if, long answer no with a but.

Sure, if you have deep pockets or are happy with using a Rhea or other such device.

No, but it's a fantastic system, arguably having the finest selection of 2D titles and a selection of games that captures a feeling of a period of time more than no other. However, as mentioned above most of the games have been rereleased elsewhere, usually offering a much better play experience. The best titles cost a fortune nowadays, and that's even if you can get a collection in a condition (particularly PAL games) that would warrant shelf space.

Personally, it's always a system that will have a place under my telly but jumping into Saturn collecting now requires an almost AES mentality to collecting. Almost all the negatives are mute though if you have an ODE and the system still looks good on modern TVs.

[danstan21]

I picked up my first (but not last) Saturn console off these forums about 8 years ago, and it's still plugged in under my telly. Layer Section, Soukyugurentai and Darius Gaiden are three excellent and pretty affordable shmups that define the system for me. I can also vouch for them looking excellent via the OSSC.

[Neon Ignition]

I first came to the Saturn properly right toward the end of its life. I had primarily stuck with N64 then followed on with the PS1 thanks to the volume of games. In the end though I think the Saturn was the best one overall, it's possibly my bets regarded Sega console too. There's so much likeable about it and whilst it lacks a lot of AAA key titles it's absolutely drowning in fascinating smaller titles that remain fun to this day whereas by comparison the technical issues of N64 games have spoiled a lot of them and the PS1 line up is for me much more bland in retrospect.