Happy 25th Anniversary Sega Saturn!

This article is available in English and Scots, Scots version is further down below.

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This will be a quick post, as I literally found this out 5 minutes ago.

On this day, 25 years ago, the Sega Saturn was released in Japan. For this not in the know at this point, the Saturn was Sega’s 5th generation console, made to compete with the 3DO, Jaguar, PS1, and N64 among other systems.

It was released in North America and much of Europe in mid 1995, months prior to when it was supposed to, leading to a disasterous launch, with some stores refusing to stock the console.

It was a castrophic failure in North America, but was a huge success in Japan, and even faired pretty well in many European countries. Over here in the Western European Isles, it did okay. I know as many people who owned a Saturn as I do people who owned an N64.

Much like the Dreamcast, I didn’t have one back in the day, but playing it now, I love it! In fact I prefer it to the PS1, which was what we actually had!

If we didn’t have a PS1 and instead got a Saturn, I probably would have been a bit of a Sega fanboy, and stuck by them to the bitter end… and perhaps the gap between the Saturn and Dreamcast.

The reason I love the Saturn is because it has so many arcade games. I’m a huge arcade buff, so how could I not love it?

My favourite games include it’s port of Batman Forever, which is the best home version of the game, and is an absolute blast to play! I still play it with my friend now and again!

Another game I love is Fighter’s Megamix, which is like Smash Bros before Smash Bros. Perhaps we should be calling Smash Bros Nintendo’s Fighters Megamix! I mean you can play as Hornet from Daytona USA. That’s right, A CAR! What more could you want?

And in general ports of Sega Rally, Daytona USA, F1 Challenge, Sega Touring Car Championship, Manx TT Superbike and much more are great for short brusts of fun!

It also of course had versions of many popular PS1 games, including games you don’t hear about being on the Saturn, such as Croc, Destruction Derby and Wipeout+2097. The 3D weren’t as good as the PS1 versions, but if you only had a Saturn, I imagine they did the job.

With 2D games, however, the Saturn shined and outperformed the PS1, Batman Forever, as mentioned earlier, was one such game.

However, one thing the Saturn did lack was really any 1st party games worth playing for more than 10 minutes. Sega Lord X made a great video about this, watch that below.

Not to mention no flagship Sonic game, the closest we got was Sonic Jam’s 3D world, which was fun to go around, but only took me a day to beat it.

It did have NiGHTs, however, which is excellent! It even supported widescreen!

One last thing to mention, the mascot in Japan is Segata Sanshiro, A man that beat up anybody who wasn’t playing the Saturn, and was one of the reasons the Saturn did so well over there. He’s a total badass!

So anyway, those are just my thoughts on the console. It’s one of my favourites ever, and definitely in my top 5 consoles ever made!

I’ll be setting up my Saturn and playing it all day in celebration!

That’s all for now, bye!

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‘Is’ll be a swift post, A juist fund oot aboot this 5 minute ago.

25 year ago the day, the Sega Saturn wis pit oot in Japan. Fur fowk that dina ken bi nou, the Saturn wis Sega’s answer tae the PS1 an N64. (As weel as the 3DO and Jaguar)

It wis pit oot in North Americae an mony pairts ae Europe in mid 1995, wey b’fore it wis said tae, an that got store bylin, cause thay warna telt aboot it an didna git ony consoles tae stock, an some refuised tae stock the consoles at aw.

It wis a pure massive failyie in Americae, but thrived in Japan. Didna dae ‘at bad in Europe, aither. A ken as mony fowk here that haed a Saturn as A dae fowk that haed an N64.

A lot like the Dreamcast, A didna hiv wan back than, but playin it these days, A pure luve it! A actual prefer it tae the PS1, the console A haed!

See gin A haed a Saturn insteid ae a PS1, a prolly wad hae bin a Sega fanboy, an fendit ‘aim tae the verra end.

A luve the Saturn cause it haed loads ae Arcade ports. A’m pure mad fur arcade gemms, sae why wad A no luve it?

Ma favourite gemmes include hit’s version ae Batman Forever: The Arcade Game, which is prolly the best version. Hit’s a pure blast tae play, an still play it wi a mate somethmes the day!

Anither gemm A luve is Fighters Megamix, which is like Smash Bros b’fore Smash Bros. We should be cawin Smash Bros “Nintendo’s Fighter’s Megamix”. Ye can play as Hornet fae Daytona USA in it. Ay, ‘at’s richt, A MOTOR! Whit mair dae ye want?

General-like, juist gemmes like Sega Rally, Daytona USA, F1 Challenge, Sega Touring Car Championship, Manx TT Superbike an loads mair ir smashin fur quick bursts ae fun!

It haeds ports ae mony PS1 gemms, includin gemms ye wadna think haed Saturn ports. Gemms like Croc, Destruction Derby, an Wipeout+2097. Leuk ‘aim up, thay exist!

Maist 3D gemms warna as guid on the Saturn, but A imaigin gin he ainly haed a Saturn, thay’d dae.

Wi 2D gemme, thay war actual better on Saturn, cause it haed a dedicatit CPU fur it unlikr the PS1. Batman Forever is wan ae thae gemms.

Haunaiver, the Saturn didna hiv any 1st pairty gemms that war warth payin fur mair’n 10 meenits. No tae mention nae real Sonic gemme. Sonic Jam’s 3D warld wis the closest we got, an e’en than, as fun as it wis, it ainly teuk iz a day tae beat it.

Tho thare wis NiGHTs, which is brilliant! Supportit widescreen an aw!

Wan last hing tae mention. Segata Sanshiro wis the Sega Saturn mascot in Japan, ‘at battert anyb’dy that didna play the Saturn. He’s pairt ae the reason the Saturn did awfu guid in Japan!

Ay onywey, A juist wantit tae gie yese ma thochts on the console. It’s wan o ma favourite consoles fae ‘at gen an wan ae ma favourite iver! Lang mey the Saturn’s lum reek!

A’ll be gittin ma Saturn oot an playin it aw day tae celebrate!

Cheers fur readin ‘is, ’till nixt time, A’m oot!