Retro Console - Sega Saturn

[lrh]

I suspect there's a few others into retro gaming. Like MTBs, the late 80s and 90s were a golden era I don't have a huge collection (preferring to just read about or emulate most systems) but I'll always have space for this...

After some bungled attempts to extend the life of the Mega Drive, Sega was designing the Saturn as a powerful 2D machine. Late in development Sony annouced the 3D-based Playstation and Sega panicked, adding an extra processor to boost 3D performance. While the result was technically superior than the Playstation, it was harder to get the best out of it. In the West it was rushed out before the PS1 with a higher price and a few lacklustre games. It did better in Japan but the damage was done and Sega never recovered.

It's my favourite console because it captures the pinnacle of Sega arcade games... Sega Rally, Daytona USA, Virtua Cop, House of the Dead... All Saturn exclusives.

Many of the popular Playstation games (e.g. Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, etc..) actually came out on the Saturn first plus there's some great Japan-only rarities.

European games in their nasty cardboard cases:

Some US and Japanese imports (Action Replay cartridge required):

Light gun and shooting games, I've kept an old CRT TV just so I can play these!

 

[spike3]

I have a PS1, got a bunch of old games. A bit of software and an adapter and I made my laptop run as a screen to enable me to play without the need for clogging up the TV.

 

[Kona lover]

Just got a Saturn, mainly for driving games. I do have a Dreamcast with mame, Ps1 games running on it. Just love Ps1 Metal Gear Solid.

Solid performer is the Dreamcast, started using the DC after my 360 died of RROD.

 

[trek_y]

I have owned pretty much every console from the Original NES and Megadrive to the PS3 and 360 includinmg some of the off track ones like the Atari Jaguar and Sega CD32 (remember them !) and have to say the Saturn is one of the all time greats. Classic arcade emulations from when arcades still ruled the roost for gaming and Sega had them all out on the Saturn and pretty faithful to the originals. Sega Rally must be the best driving game ever and thanks to the Saturn I can still finish the arcade version when you see them on 1 credit ! lol. I had an American import one with a special cart (allowed ripped games playback etc - naughty naughty ) and it went crazy on Ebay when I listed it a few months back. Collectors item for sure.

 

[Alison]

My son cut his gaming teeth on the PS1 when he was 7, when he was 14 we gave it away on Freecycle, four years later he regretted letting me do that and has been disappointed ever since, he did buy himself a Gameboy Colour for a bit of retro gaming fun.

Alison

 

[integerspin]

I have never played computer games, but i did have a Nintendo popeye.
I did have an older one, it may have broken and I got this one as a replacement, we had a mate who had a market stall, he flogged anything he could buy cheap and I got lots of freebees including these.
I still had this last year, but I flogged it on ebay.

 

[Elysarian]

my first console was a Grandstand TV Game (played pong-style games and a target shooting game with a light gun) followed by an Atari 2600.

my 80's gaming needs were covered by the Spectrum 48k and later a Megadrive, got into PC gaming from the early 90's onwards but we do have a PS3 and Wii at home.

if there are decent exclusives (looking at you Gran Turismo!) the PS3 will be replaced by a PS4 probably next year.

I still like to play retro games but mostly use emulators these days (mame being the main one with DOSBox for the old PC titles), my gameboy comes out on occasion for pokemon & Tetris though

 

[The History Man]

Grandstand (see avatar) c1976 ruled. Amazing graphics and sound. Getting it into a loop was the best.

 

[john]

Nice

Still have space under my TV for a Dreamcast, hooked up with a VGA box. Easily the console I played the most over the years.

 

[porschenut911]

I have a white japanese Saturn, I dragged it out over Christmas, it works okay but I think the action replay doesn't work anymore so I can't play all the best games any longer, radiant silver gun, sokygureintai, Japanese sega rally as for some reason the games were burnt as uk region. the only game it will load is virtual cop and it won't work on the a modern telly so that went in the bin along with the gun.

I also have a Super Famicom under the telly, I only have starfox on it now but I just have it there as a reminder of Christmas 1991!