Gamers want to revisit SEGA Dreamcast and Saturn games, preferably without an emultor.
The upcoming SEGA Mega Drive Mini 2 has generated some excitement among us retro gamers. Not only it will include previously unplayed Genesis games, it will also include SEGA CD titles for the first time. Despite the various region-based disappointments, this is a huge selling point for the device.
While the existence of SEGA CD games has finally being acknowledged, the same cannot be said for SEGA Dreamcast and Saturn.
For most of the decade after the consoles were discontinued, SEGA barely mentioned anything about Saturn and Dreamcast games other than their re-release on other consoles. The Genesis, meanwhile, had success overseas especially in North America and has seen multiple re-releases of its games in compilations in various forms such as on Nintendo Switch, Steam, PSP, etc.
With so many re-releases of the Genesis games, I am assuming that many people would tire of having so many options available to play them; the same cannot be said for SEGA Saturn and Dreamcast games. While the SEGA Dreamcast games were released on Steam so that people can play them on PC, options to play Saturn games remain limited other than playing illegal ROMs via emulation.
It is a big shame that we don’t get to see the Saturn and SEGA Dreamcast games more often. Despite demands to see more of games from these platforms on modern systems, SEGA has so far resisted.
The case for the SEGA Saturn
The SEGA Saturn is a highly underrated console which competed against the PS1 and N64. It was very successful in Japan because of its amazing 2D games and near-perfect arcade ports. Some said that it was even better than PS1 for 2D fighting games and shoot-’em ups thanks to its 4MB card expansion.
It also benefitted from the amazing Segato Sanshiro ads and has the honor of being the only SEGA console to overtake its Nintendo’s console competitor. However, the Saturn is infamous for its complex programming, with several developers struggling to get the best from its system. This problem persists 28 years later, making it harder for Saturn games to be emulated well.
The Saturn had performed poorly in the west due to its infamously confused launch in the US and games performed poorly compared to those on the PS1. It was also expensive. Arguably, the main reason why the Saturn failed in the west is because there was not a single Sonic game for the console other than Sonic R – a very average game.
Every console needs to have a launch game featuring its mascot. PS1 had Crash Bandicoot while the N64 hads Super Mario 64. The Saturn? A cancelled Sonic Xtreme game which could genuinely have changed the Saturn’s fortunes.
Times have changed, and the SEGA Saturn has gained favourable reputation since thanks to its excellent imported games. Many of the collectors prefer the Japanese games and there are several translation projects to convert these games into English.
Some of my favorites already are: Burning Rangers, Bulk Slash, Panzer Dragoon, among others. In addition, many people were amazed at its huge library of shoot-’em ups and wonder as to why hadn’t come to the west. Many people are now collecting the SEGA Saturn console as well as its games and many YouTubers give advice as to how to start with the console and what games to buy. One of my favourite YouTubers, Sega Lord X, has recently given advice regarding the SEGA Saturn.
However, for most of us, owning a SEGA Saturn and its games remains a distant dream. The classic retro gaming market is rising due to some sellers selling systems for ridiculously high prices.
Even owning a console seems a bit difficult due to its inflated price. Therefore, the only way for us to play these Saturn games is via emulation, limited due to the Saturn’s complex architecture.
This is why people have begun to demand the re-release of many Saturn classics for modern platforms. If SEGA can do that, it will do a huge service to us retro gamers, allowing many to experience the great wonders of the imported Saturn games that made it popular in Japan in the first place.
So SEGA: please give some focus on the Saturn games as its reputation is now in a positive light rather than negative light.
Why we need have SEGA Dreamcast games in 2022
The SEGA Dreamcast was the company’s last console before it exited the industry. Compared to the Saturn, it fared better in the west. The SEGA Dreamcast introduced features which would become standard, while developers found it easier to develop games compared to the Saturn. This is why independent developers still release games for the Dreamcast (such as Shadow Gangs, for example).
It also has some of the amazing arcade conversions, such as Dead or Alive 2, Soul Calibur, Rivals School 2, Crazy Taxi, etc. The SEGA Dreamcast is also home to two of the most amazing Sonic games: Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventures 2. So, why did the Dreamcast have such a short lifespan? Privacy issues and the arrival of the PS2 both contributed to the Dreamcast’s decline. SEGA’s exit from the console market resulted in it focusing on games rather than hardware.
Unlike the Saturn, SEGA Dreamcast games have seen release on other platforms, including Steam. So while there are options to play Dreamcast games, the selection is mostly limited to curated collections. On Steam (where I play the SEGA Dreamcast games), you’ll find Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, and other usual suspects.
Where are the Capcom vs SNK games? Soul Calibur? King of Fighters 98 Dream Match? There are tons of Dreamcast games that either people couldn’t play or had never heard of it due to Japan-only releases. It is time SEGA re-released some of its best Dreamcast games, perhaps on a mini Dreamcast console to celebrate the console’s legacy.
The re-release of the SEGA CD games on the Mega Drive Mini 2 is a welcome addition that will hopefully kick-off the re-issue of the games from SEGA’s “forgotten” platforms like the Saturn, Dreamcast, and even the Game Gear and Master System.
If the Mega Drive Mini 2 is a success, perhaps we will see a re-release of the best SEGA Dreamcast and Saturn games. But perhaps not on their own “mini” system…
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