@@Blas4ublasphemy Ooo...that is a good one, too. I think there are just way too many great Saturn games for just a top 25 list. I could probably list like a dozen other games that I owned on Saturn that were quality titles (except some are not Saturn-exclusive).
@@ianswift3521 Die Hard Arcade wasn't really that great, average at best. And I can't believe how people get upset when they don't see their favorite games on a list. If I could I would hand over a tissue or play the world's smallest violin for you.
Thanks SegaLordX, we watch your videos Friday night here in Hokkaido and its just pure documentary entertainment for the era of games. You always record the game sound and soundtracks perfectly, which really encourages playing these games again. Thank you.
Great list! I've only owned and played a small fraction of the Saturn's library, but what I played was excellent. I did own Nights and Panzer Dragoon awhile back. Panzer Dragoon was one of those games that was just an experience. I remember just the atmosphere in the first level made chills go down my spine just from the music and visuals. I no longer have my Saturn and just don't have the budget to buy some of the crazy asking prices of some Saturn game copies now. I think it is criminal that many of these titles are being lost to time as many haven't been rereleased or remastered on modern hardware. I honestly don't like to emulate, but if it is the only option, I would love to experience some of these games! Many people just don't give the Saturn the respect it deserves.
Back in the day there was a rental place that had consoles to rent at a fairly good price after trying the 3DO I got to rent the Saturn as a kid. Trying out Panzer Dragoon and Virtua Fighter 2 made me completely forget the existence of the 3DO. Safe to say I rented it again to continue to experience its arcade greatness. About half a decade back after digging up some of the few consoles I kept from the early days such as my model 1 Genesis and OG Xbox, I started recollecting a lot of what I had plus retro console I never had. The most exciting climax of my collecting phase was the arrival of my Japanese Saturn feeling an incredible feeling of excitement when I opened up the box. I got a nice collection of games including about half or more of the games you mention here plus many more. With the Brook adapter I can use modern controllers and fighting sticks wirelessly on it and my Japanese Dreamcast too.
I never owned the Sega Saturn, but looking back on it. This system was a victim of the time that it came out. This thing can blow a Neo GEO away, but was affordable at the time. Sony entering the Console space with a machine that was slightly better at polygonal 3-D completely ruined. What would have been the best 2D graphics machine that we had seen at home. I had a buddy who had the tower of power with the CD and the 32X, and it was great. The problem was it was slow. Saturn solved every problem that those units had. If that thing had come out a year or two sooner, Sega would’ve kicked ass out of any competition they had
Someone probably mentioned it already but Powerslave was remade recently really well. Doesn't quite replicate that contrast heavy lighting of the saturn but i think it's the best way to play. I can't spend 400 bucks for the classic saturn version.
My friends and I all had the Genesis but most if not all of us got burned by the 32X or Sega CD. Only one of my friends got a Saturn and everyone else got a Playstation. I cant imagine the meetings at Sega of America and Japan talking about the non existing sales outside Japan. Must have been insane.
I loved the Magic Knight Rayearth anime as a kid so I would've crapped my pants if I'd known of the Saturn game. It looks like it holds up really well to this day.
Damn… this video has me looking for a SEGA Saturn 🪐 console. I think SEGA should relaunch the system for a fair price ($149). Or at least release a system that could play modern games (AMD SOC) with the ability to play Saturn games perfectly. I’d pay $$400 for such a console.
"The Saturn deserved better, and so do you." That seems a bit hard on yourself, but I appreciate the sentiment. We can all do a little bit better when we are inspired by teams of people that had a vision, discipline and passion, pushing the envelope to create a work of art (or result) that's the best it can be. So thank you to all game developers, engineers, artists and directors that worked on and for the Saturn hardware, software and Sega. And thank you for the effort in showcasing them here and sharing your passion for them with us. For me, the Saturn and Dreamcast era (including PSX and other systems) will always define 'Next Generation' in a way that the modern era doesn't and can't. It felt like the cutting edge of tech, where the modern gaming landscape just feels iterative, incremental and mostly hollow.
As an amateur video editor, I am always looking back at what I create and kicking myself for not making it better. I imagine game makers feel this kind of thing all the time. Going back making it a bit better is something I really want to do for a lot of my content. Those early years were.....rough.
@@SegaLordX Fair enough. I don't know if you know of Steven Pressfield, but he has a specific definition for 'pro' and 'amateur' in creative work, that is purely about mindset. 'Storytellers' channel did a video called, "Turning Pro" which summarises it nicely. It seems to me like you have the 'pro' mindset, the right attitude to approaching your creative work, a commitment to improving. I think your presentation and editing style really suits games from this era. Not sure if that is intentional or just intuitive, but it reminds me of the sincerity of 90s and early 2000s tv, before editing and presentation became snarky, impatient and meta. I remember hearing a definition recently about creative work that it is essentially the struggle against our own limitations in the medium to express our thoughts, and ultimately as we improve our skills, so our ambitions and expectations rise. It will always be a struggle to express ourselves how we envision, but we are driven to keep going anyway. Seeing old work in a new light is a sign of all the insight you've picked up. As you say, an engineer or artist goes through this too.
I honestly don’t consider any period in gaming to be “next generation”. For me, it’s always just been merely incremental over the years. Some games are low-fidelity tech and some are high-fidelity tech but it all blends together as one landscape of entertainment. Whether it be from the earliest micro-computers to the latest powerhouses, I enjoy gaming as much as I ever have. I honestly can’t pick a favorite console or decade at this point. In my mind, it’s all a vast yet equal landscape of enjoyable opportunities to have fun. I don’t believe the iterative/hollow sentiment about current games either. I won’t deny that game styles and trends change over time but players perspectives change even more. I’ve seen that influence peoples’ opinions more than anything else. Perceptions of games vs. what they objectively are. Gaming then or gaming now; it’s all good to me.
The Saturn was one of my all-time favorite Sega consoles. Next to Dreamcast, this is by far my favorite system ever made. It was so very underrated and had so much power that was underutilize.
@@liamloxley1222 late 90's nah more like the late 60's lol dating myself. Megadrive was cool and had a ton more games, however I still dig the Saturn more.
@@zenmaster24 Any video with a countdown or multiple topics for that matter needs chapters, SLX is one of the few channels I still watch without them, because I love his content. If a channel has them, I leave a thumbs up if I like the content or not, and when I don't see chapters, I'll leave and visit ones that do.
Great video! When Virtua Fighter 2 came out, I couldn't believe my eyes! It was amazing to think that those visuals were being produced by the Saturn. Still looks great even today.
I didn't own a Saturn back then. I got into contact with Panzer Dragoon Saga for the first time 2 years ago, when I played it and... It's one of the best games I've ever played, I'm advising everybody around me to play it :)
100% agree it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played! To be an honorable mention is crazy it is probably the biggest production value on the Saturn. 4 disks! Great gameplay, amazing story and atmosphere! Game never gets old to me. I play through it once every couple years. Wish it was a little more challenging though, maybe a couple hidden super bosses at the end would have been awesome!
Growing up with the Sega Saturn was a transformative experience that ignited my passion for gaming. Its iconic design, diverse game library, and groundbreaking features captured my imagination and opened up a world of endless possibilities. The Saturn wasn't just a console; it was a gateway to unforgettable adventures and unforgettable memories. Even today, whenever I see its distinctive logo or hear its startup sound, it takes me back to a time when gaming was pure magic. The Sega Saturn will forever hold a special place in my heart, reminding me of the power of imagination and the joy of exploring new worlds.
Isn't it just hilarious when someone tries to claim that your own personal experience is artificial? It's like stumbling upon a glitch in the game of life! Picture this: you're the protagonist, fully immersed in your epic adventure, and out of nowhere, a character pops up, insisting that it's all just pixelated illusions. But hey, I'm the fake one, right?
No Radiant Silvergun or Virtual On?...these seem like glaring omissions. Should've made the honourable mentions section even if you don't rate them that highly
I wish the 32X had never released. I had the Genesis, Sega CD and 32X. The latter console soured my opinion permanently on a brand I had previously loved. I got the N64 and PS1 instead. The next generation I got the XBOX, GameCube and PS2. I passed on Dreamcast. Wish I knew then what I know now. Emulation is great, but I’d love to have the original hardware and software. Far too expensive to justify now. You make great content, sir. Keep up the good work.
Same here, I will prefer a backward compatible for the saturn over the 32x. Also, scaler enhancement chip for the genesis (upgrades with PC CD port with compilation for the saturn), PC CD and sega published games (better multimedia and CD based consoles) over the sega cd.
You didn’t miss anything. Ps1 had better games. Sega was too arcade heavy with most titles. Chasing high scores against a timer which is a carryover from their arcade business. One of their great blunders is continuing to produce arcade games for home console when everyone was moving toward games AAA medium to craft a deep and meaningful story. They had no answer for games like metal gear solid and gran turismo and their version of castlevania was terrible. Of course all the best RPGs of the era were on ps1 too.
You honestly didn't miss as much as you think you did. Every console you got after had infinitely better overall game collections. There are a few between Saturn and Dreamcast that were legitimately great, but nothing you can't find either ported or through emulation. I bought both consoles about a decade ago, thinking how you did... It was a lot better in my head than reality. Also, if you never owned an SNES or GBA, THOSE are the ones you should really invest in. Their game collections in both quantity and quality are matched only by maybe the PS2 (or OG backwards compatible PS3).
Of course the greatest game for the Saturn is Panzer Dragoon Saga. Still the best 5th generation RPG and a truly impressive game for a poorly designed system. Sega is not a great company now,aside from the Yakuza Like A Dragon games and a few others by Atlas they are pretty much nothing now. But Panzer Dragoon Saga showed that they could match what Square was doing at the time when they really tried. Just sold my entire Saturn collection recently and my graded copy of PDS went for $4,000. The only game I thought twice about selling.
How could anyone really hate Panzer Dragoon Saga? It has issues, but for the time it has incredible art, gameplay and story. Honestly I think its even superior to some jrpg classics.
Saturn was not ready for 3D. These 3D games on this gaming generation was terrible looking…we have to be honest. Personally that is why to this day I have not even played PD yet and I have the whole series installed on my MODE.
Thanks to you I was able to inform me better about the Sega Saturn and can buy the 1st American model in good condition. In a couple of months the "All In One" cartridge will be coming and I couldn't be more excited for the rest of the hours that await me with the Sega Saturn.
I was a freshman in high school back when the Saturn first came out, and I had to BEG my mom to buy it for me at its HEFTY price point of $399. I was somehow able to convince her, and it ended up becoming one of my favorite systems I ever owned. At the time, it was quite literally like having an arcade quality machine at home which was totally unheard of at the time. The PlayStation may have been cheaper and much more successful, but it couldn’t hold a candle to the Saturn’s performance and game library. A truly underrated and under appreciated game system. I was huge on arcade fighters back them, and my top 5 Saturn games are… 1. Virtua Fighter 2 2. Street Fighter Alpha 3. Guardian Heroes 4. Virtua Cop 5. Virtua Fighter
Growing up in a more remote area made loving the Saturn tough, when I was little. There just weren’t many US releases that made it to NE Canada. I had Gex, Panzer Dragoon, Mr Bones, Virtua Fighter and Virtua Cop… I was into rpg’s, coming from the snes. It took me years (and an ODE) to really appreciate the library. I recommend either the satiator or the fenrir (or the phoebe or the ray)to everyone with a Saturn. The fan translations are where it’s at, and the cost of games is hard for most people to deal with, these days. I’m looking forward to the translation for Vanillaware’s first game, Princess crown, as well as a few other strange rpg’s that seem to be in the works.
My brother bought a Saturn off someone around 1997, i was just turning 17 around then. Well i have some great memories of this time. At least, as far as video games, i had a ps1 and enjoyed the rentals... otherwise i didn't have much money to spend and so i mostly played just what was available to me. Bunch of demo discs. Those were everywhere. Anyway. Late one night, i couldn't sleep, as a lifelong insomniac this was common. I found Mystoria in a pile, i hadn't recognized it, but i threw it in anyway. Next thing i knew the sun was up and i was back for more the next night. The 90s really did have a unique spot in gaming history, we'll never see AAA titles like we had then, with how experimental it was. A lot of innovative ideas we still see today. Both the 80s and 90s... early 2000s even (more PC there). By the time the ps3 and 360 came around, they were focused on big theatrical type gaming closer to hollywood or something. Now they hardly consider risks, it's so by the books, stick to the formula that makes money. And so, it does make me happy to see all the translations we have today. It's been awesome to finally see these games that I either never heard of or frustratingly thought I'd never play. I appreciate all the hard work these people put into it, they have an important place in video game preservation, i think. But I've rambled enough.
18k views in 15 hrs where has this channel been in my algorithm! Seriously thinking about collecting for a Saturn or Dreamcast. Probably DC because fighting games…but which has better single player games?! They’re both short lived :/
It's understandable that we differently today about things from 5,10 or 20yrs ago. How you felt about Panzer Dragon I felt the same for Sega games, not for me I thought at the time in '99 (I was 8yrs old at the time. I'm a NINTENDO fan until I die but now see Sega had some good stuff too but ignorant management.
Once I saw Grandia wasn't even in the list, I knew I wouldn't agree with some of your choices! 😂 That's the great thing about games though I guess, if we all thought the same thing, the world would be a dull place!
@briantaylorcloe7725 Short answer: no. To say Shining the Holy Ark, Mystaria and Magic Knight Rayearth are better than Grandia shows he hasn't played Grandia properly lol. I'm currently playing Shining the Hoky Ark and it is shockingly bad compared to Shining Force 3 and Grandia, how it could be in anyone's top 10 beggers belief!
Well said, sir@@SegaLordX and a more than fair reply to an irritable & fascistally•adjacent comment .... Anywho, just wanted to add Mystaria began to turn me on to RPGs , Dark Savior and Shining the Holy Ark furthered me into it being my preferred genre, while Dragon Force has sat alone for two and a half decades as my favorite game of all-time
This video makes me want to buy a saturn and collect games for it. I never got the chance to own one as a kid. It's an amazing system. I think i might like it equally or more than the dreamcast. I hope it isn't too expensive.
It's so odd how in hindsight this console was considered a failure having lost to playstation mgs made me break down and also buy a psx but it's unique games its now by far the more desirable and rare with the most expensive games.
Everything from 1st generation to 7th generation of gaming was the last era of creativity when it came to games. The xbox one and playstation 4 and nintendo wii u were alright. But the creativity has gone down hill and we need this to come back in gaming. Maybe they should try revamping these games for the modern generation.
Been busy with Baldurs Gate 3 and soon to be Armored Core VI, but looking forward to getting back to my Saturn soon, still need to beat radiant silvergun and guardian heroes!
Nice, just home from work and a new Sega Lord X video is just what I needed today. I'm considering getting a Saturn this year - if I do, this will be my first source for what to collect for it.
Knights was pretty mind blowing in its day. It and Mario 64 were like the first two games that really let you explore a 3d space. The freedom of movement compared to the games that had come before was intoxicating.
I’m pretty sure that Powerslave got remastered about a year ago for current consoles. There are some of these games that have been rereleased through the years on Xbox. Games that need to be remastered for current consoles: Dragon Force 1&2, Shining the holy ark, shining force 3, Mystaria(I remember it being called The Riglord Saga), clockwork knight, and Astal. I get way more nostalgic with the Saturn than I do with the PS1 or N64.
Riglord Saga was that game's Japanese name. Mystaria was the first translated name, but got changed to Blazing Heroes to avoid confusion / copyright entanglements with the D&D setting of Mystara.
The Saturn is my favourite console ever. Thankfully I have my V Saturn fitted with a MODE so can play anything.. that said I've still lucked out and got a copy of SF Zero 3 pretty cheaply :)
Im almost 40 and had never played a sega saturn. The other week i got a rog ally and loaded it with emulators and SS is one of em. Loving powerslave and panzer dragoon, but i def need to get dragon force! Looks super fun! Great vid!
My list of must have Saturn Games in no particular order except PDS is number1 always 1. Panzer Dragoon Saga 2. Dragon Force 1 and 2 (2 has an english patch) 3.Guardian Heroes (If you have a friend to play with) 4.Shining Force 3 (scenarios 2 and 3 have english patch) 5. Shining the Holy Ark 6. Bulk Slash 7. Literally all of Capcom's Fighting Games 8. Virtua Fighter 2 9. Sega Rally 10. Darius Gaiden 11. Nights and Christmas Nights 12. Saturn Bomberman if you have friends to play with 13. and the super underrated Baku Baku Animal if you have a friend to play
No 'Twinkle Star Sprites'? 😢 That game is very underrated. It is a competitive shoot 'em up that is still played to this day The Sega Saturn port is the definitive version.
Got weird feeling regarding the Saturn. Utterly amazing system... if you emulate it. I can't in good conscience recommend for folks to collect for the system anymore. People want ridiculous money for the good games for it, and it's just not worth it. Plus, there are SO many games that only were released in Japan, that you can now play translated if you download the patched fan version. Plus you won't have to deal with the hassle of trying to connect your Saturn to a modern TV. Again, it is a great console. I could EASILY riff off 50 games that are 'must plays' for it. But when the average price per game will be 200 dollars? With some titles like Shinrei Jusatsushi Tarōmaru being 1000+ dollars? Nope. Just emulate them.
Of all these games the only one he recommends playing “with the wife” is the simple one suitable for kids. Good thing his audience is all men or someone might have taken offence 🤭
The majority are one player. And the last thing I'd do is recommend you play a fighting game with your wife. Good way to end a marriage there. Bomberman though? That's good stuff for all ages.
So happy to see Guardian Heroes on this list! One of my absolute favorite games on Saturn, to be sure! Also, Policenauts!!! Man, I wish I'd gotten to play that.
I remember getting my Saturn for Christmas one year. A friend of mine got his much earlier.. Playing Sega Rally was such an incredible experience. I had no doubt in my mind which console I wanted. Got a package deal from Currys; Saturn, two pads, Sega Steering wheel and four games: Sega Rally, Virtua Fighter 2, Alien Trilogy, and a football game ... Think it was called international soccer. Steadily collected games for birthdays and Christmases. Otherwise I'd swap or borrow .One year I asked for Resident Evil for my birthday. Once I'd completed that I took it to the market to swap. Wasn't sure what I wanted to get. Was a big RTS fan but I already had Command & Conquer and Warcraft 2 ... Saw Dragon Force on the table (I'd never seen it in the shops). I remembered reading about it in SS magazine and seeing a demo on one of the Sega Flash Discs, So I went for it, straight swap. Best thing I ever did. I Spent so many wonderful hours in Legendra. Was like nothing I'd played before yet it seemed so familiar and I took to it naturally. I must've been around 14 at the time. I think there's some things that folk will never understand. The feeling you have playing Dragon Force (as you rightly say SLX with no prior knowledge) for the first time is one of them. It's utter magic. I'd love to see a remaster. ✌️💚
Like you, the Saturn was the console who made my brother and I get into RPGs, FPS such as Duke 3D, Alien Trilogy and Hexen. Finally perfect arcade ports home, KOF96 and 97 were huge were we lived and that was a dream, later SFZ-Z2-Z3 and more. It's great to see Mystaria, Riglord Saga in Japan getting its deserved recognition, even back then we found its overall presentation clunky, but when you get into it, it's a great Tactical RPG with a memorable soundtrack. The sequel, Riglord Saga 2 is probably getting a deserved translation in the not so distant future, I believe, one day all Saturn RPGs will be in English. Even so, I don't wait for translations to happen, even as a kid I played many RPGs in Japanese, even Chrono Cross and finished them all. Dragon Force is a great game, but it's way below Shining Force III (all scenarios) to me and honestly, I think the PS1 and N64 could reproduce this game without issues, the unit sprites are dozens of clones and their animation is very basic, this games doesn't push the Saturn and I strongly believe a PS version wouldn't be that different. In fact, there are quite a few Strategy RPGs on the PS1 that uses dozens of sprites on screen. Speaking of which, a game that wouldn't be reproduced as elegantly on the PS1 is the aforementioned Shining Force III, if you think about it, the game switches engines from the tactical field to the 3D battle scene seamlessly like it's a cartridge game. I've played many PS1 RPGs, Brigandine is a similar game, and there are over a 100 Tactical RPGs on Sony's machine and even those that feature 2D battle scenes have long loadings, the Saturn could handle more data and Shining Force III shows that.
King of Fighters 97 was an important game for me as well, and made me love my Saturn even more than I already did. I saw the arcade cabinet in a comic shop. I was actually there because a friend of mine wanted to show me Street Fighter 3. While its animation was great, I didn't like the art design. Right next to it was KOF 97, which itself had great animation, and I just loved the stylish characters. I immediately knew I had to get the game. I agree with you. While Dragon Force is a great game, and pushes tons of sprites, I don't think it would be especially troublesome for either the PS1 or N64(leaving out the storage medium). All three systems could display as many polygons/sprites as their CPUs could keep track of. Obviously, the Saturn version is already constrained by system RAM, so it would be similar on the PS1 since the RAM amount is pretty similar. PS1 games in 1997 weren't even as optimized as they would be later thanks to newer development tools, so I think you're right.
Seeing that very same arcade game booting up at home in our own TVs was something else, right? Nice to know others having a similar experience. Like you, I also prefer SNK games over SFIII, they have better art direction, and I'd much rather play RB Fatal Fury Special on the Saturn (that I did for years), or SFZ3, among others we got. I agree about DF, and again you're right that PS1 and N64 (for that matter) got better from late '97 onwards. The game has tons of the same sprites, with little animation and this alone uses less memory, but Dragon Force 2 has more variety during battles, so it's more demanding. A good example about the Saturn version being superior is Dragon Ball Z - Idainaru Dragon Ball Densetsu, released by the same developers at the same day for both consoles, the PS1 release suffers in performance, the game boast 6 characters doing many different things at the same time and it indeed taxes the PS1 CPU, while the Saturn runs noticeably smoother. Something like a solid a 30FPS (Saturn) against 20 with hicups on Sony's machine.
@@roberto1519 Yeah, it was mind blowing to realize current 2D arcade games, especially CPS2 and Neo Geo, were basically perfect at home on the Saturn. While it wasn't quite perfect due to RAM limitations, Marvel Super Heroes was probably the game that really made me appreciate that. Seeing Hulk vs. Juggernaut filling up the screen was crazy. Of course, X-Men vs. Street Fighter with the 4MB RAM was also impressive offering the same sprite quality but more frames of animation. But in terms of art direction, style, and gameplay, KOF 97 appealed to me so much more. Just to follow up to what I said earlier, not only was I instantly drawn to KOF 97 the moment I saw it, I never actually played it until I got it for the Saturn, but it absolutely lived up to my expectations.
Can't tell you how much my brother and I played X-Men and Marvel vs SF on the Saturn, actually we played almost all fighters on the console, Fighters Megamix, Toshinden and more. Back to Capcom stuff, they were arcade perfect and virtually no loadings. Interesting you haven't played KOF '97 until you got it for your Saturn. Back then, my older brother (actual owner of the console) brought KOF '95, and later '96, then '97. We played 95 a ton at the local arcades and 96 not so much, but 97 was THE game at the time, bringing those home was nothing short of a dream coming true, I was 10 or 11 then. You may know this, the Saturn port, while virtually identical to the NEO GEO CD, it has higher pitched voices for some odd oversight from the developers, it's a bit funny and nostalgic to me.
I just got a Satiator for my Saturn so, once again your channel is on non stop so i can find some great games to play! BEST SEGA CHANNEL ON RUclips! keep it up!
What really infuriates me about the Sega Saturn is how expensive a lot of the games you put on this list are. And because the system sold poorly altogether, it's not like Sega's rushing to rerelease any of these games to Steam or other gaming services. Any time I hear about the Sega Saturn, I always think of wasted potential. It obviously had a decent enough line up to compete with Nintendo and Sony. Too bad Sega themselves botched the release of the Saturn so bad even their next console, the Dreamcast, couldn't save them. Which is a shame because I'd love to see Sega breathe new life into their other IPs like Shining Force, Shinobi, Streets of Rage, Phantasy Star, Panzer Dragoon, Gunstar Heroes, and Golden Axe.
Saturn Mini with about 50 games sounds good, with a few of them being the best 32X games as bonuses. I was pretty much a Nintendo only guy growing up, but I'd be all in for that just as I was for the Genesis Mini
Seeing MSH vs Street Fighter reminds me of seeing a game running simultaneously on Saturn and Playstation in a store at the time and the Playstation version used a badly compressed recording of the intro whereas the Saturn properly recreated it in 2D sprites. I knew it was a Capcom fighter but couldnt remember which one it was, but actually found it in another one of your videos! its X-Men:Children of the Atom!!
I was born in 98, but my half brother was three year older and had n64 and ps1 (saturn was almost nonexistent in Canada) but I discovered the Saturn in 2024 through emulation and my god this console is better than the ps1 for me now. I love so much Dark Savior, all PD games and Policenauts (so much better of saturn even on emu)😊😊
As much as I liked the saturn and the premise of it I got given it as a git because i was told the playstation was going out of action and this was going forward with games etc how little did i know a good console just a shame it didn't last
Panzer Dragoon Saga is only on the honorable mentions! End video 😂😂😂 that’s insane! That is easily in the top 3 best Saturn games ever made and I didn’t even think that was debatable.
I like Panzer Saga. Good game. But I'm an action game guy. Notice how few games made the top 25 that have random battles? Saga has a great fighting system but everything else around it lacks that same energy/quality. I didn't care about the story, either. It's why I recommended it but wouldn't rate it among my favorites.
The Saturn really was a great system, but the big heads at Sega especially in the west did not really know how to sell it. So many great games that never made it here, a shame.
My memories from the Sega Saturn was Nights Into Dreams (backwards compatibility for Xbox Series X), Panzer Dragoon (with a remake available), Virtua Fighter 1&2 (Virtua Fighter 2 backwards compatibility with Xbox Series X) , Bug, Clockwork Kight, Daytona USA ( Daytona USA available and backwards compatibility with Xbox Series X), and Sonic 3D Blast.
I remember the Playstation and Saturn came in the magazines, and I fell in love in the Saturn. I also wanted a sega since I had the Master System at the time. I never got to have the Genesis :(. Unfortunately the Saturn never made it the stores here in Norway. They allready knew it was going to be a failiure and skipped it completely.
“I am often mistaken as a hater of Panzer Dragoon Saga” - doesn’t put an objectively top 10 game of all time into a Sega Saturn top 25 list. Yeah right. No need to watch any further.
Excellent list. I’d only change the order and add/subtract a few games if I ever stopped being lazy and made my own list. Making these videos must be time consuming. I appreciate it. I’d subtract Astal, and Magic Rayearth for Vandal Hearts and Tactics Ogre. 🤔
Well, I understand that Panzer Dragoon Saga wasn't a rail shooter as you expected, and that its price went up because of the low amount of releases and that it would have looked better on the dreamcast. But let's be honest here man, that does'nt mean it doesn't deserve to be recognized for what it is. This game was the swan song of the Saturn, raising the expectation of that console to a level that wasn't even thought possible on the machine and was, even if less popular, the real rival of FF7 with insane voice acted FMV and facial expression, with a combat system and a free roaming world that was never seen before, and that nobody believed it could run on sega 32 bits console. I mean you made your point over the year man, we understand that, but it also doesn't represent what this game is all about. I think since we respect your opinion, we wish we could have a proper review of that game from you, for what it really is, and not what you expected it to be. The ost, the fmv, the combat system, the story, the graphic. You know. I keep hoping 🙏🏻
I know this probably ISN’T the place for this, but how do you get access to Saturn fan translations and stuff? I used to frequent the “homebrew” sites for retro games A LOT about a decade ago but now I’m pretty much “out of the loop” and I’ve NEVER known of a WORKING software application that could run Saturn games. I’ve always WANTED TO get into the Saturn cuz it was kind of an “obscure” system to me where I didn’t know ANYONE THAT HAD ONE growing up so it’d be nice to find a secondary option AS WELL since native Saturn hardware AND software seems to ESPECIALLY cost an arm and a leg. Anyway, shout out to Sega Lord X. You’re LEGIT one of my favorite content creators on RUclips.
The music is what made NiGHTS - Into Dreams so great for me. It fits the gameplay perfectly. Thanks for the list; would have overlooked Astal entirely otherwise.
My best was House of the Dead - Daytona - Sega Rally - Night's into Dreams - Virtua Cop 2 - Die Hard Arcade - Street Fighter Alpha - Virtua Figher 2 - Decathlete
Yup, I covered the Powerslave remake. You can see it here:
ruclips.net/video/zZmpEXECCro/видео.html
You got your wish!
Not even an honorable mention for Die Hard Arcade?
@@Blas4ublasphemy Ooo...that is a good one, too. I think there are just way too many great Saturn games for just a top 25 list. I could probably list like a dozen other games that I owned on Saturn that were quality titles (except some are not Saturn-exclusive).
@@Blas4ublasphemy yeah I couldn't believe he didn't mention that. just a bunch of lame rpg type zelda/ff games.
@@ianswift3521 Die Hard Arcade wasn't really that great, average at best. And I can't believe how people get upset when they don't see their favorite games on a list. If I could I would hand over a tissue or play the world's smallest violin for you.
Thanks SegaLordX, we watch your videos Friday night here in Hokkaido and its just pure documentary entertainment for the era of games. You always record the game sound and soundtracks perfectly, which really encourages playing these games again. Thank you.
I appreciate the comment. It's awesome to hear others enjoy the channel.
Great list! I've only owned and played a small fraction of the Saturn's library, but what I played was excellent. I did own Nights and Panzer Dragoon awhile back. Panzer Dragoon was one of those games that was just an experience. I remember just the atmosphere in the first level made chills go down my spine just from the music and visuals.
I no longer have my Saturn and just don't have the budget to buy some of the crazy asking prices of some Saturn game copies now. I think it is criminal that many of these titles are being lost to time as many haven't been rereleased or remastered on modern hardware. I honestly don't like to emulate, but if it is the only option, I would love to experience some of these games! Many people just don't give the Saturn the respect it deserves.
Back in the day there was a rental place that had consoles to rent at a fairly good price after trying the 3DO I got to rent the Saturn as a kid. Trying out Panzer Dragoon and Virtua Fighter 2 made me completely forget the existence of the 3DO. Safe to say I rented it again to continue to experience its arcade greatness. About half a decade back after digging up some of the few consoles I kept from the early days such as my model 1 Genesis and OG Xbox, I started recollecting a lot of what I had plus retro console I never had. The most exciting climax of my collecting phase was the arrival of my Japanese Saturn feeling an incredible feeling of excitement when I opened up the box. I got a nice collection of games including about half or more of the games you mention here plus many more. With the Brook adapter I can use modern controllers and fighting sticks wirelessly on it and my Japanese Dreamcast too.
I never owned the Sega Saturn, but looking back on it. This system was a victim of the time that it came out. This thing can blow a Neo GEO away, but was affordable at the time. Sony entering the Console space with a machine that was slightly better at polygonal 3-D completely ruined. What would have been the best 2D graphics machine that we had seen at home.
I had a buddy who had the tower of power with the CD and the 32X, and it was great. The problem was it was slow. Saturn solved every problem that those units had. If that thing had come out a year or two sooner, Sega would’ve kicked ass out of any competition they had
Someone probably mentioned it already but Powerslave was remade recently really well. Doesn't quite replicate that contrast heavy lighting of the saturn but i think it's the best way to play. I can't spend 400 bucks for the classic saturn version.
These are great videos! I missed out on the Saturn back in the 90’s, but bought a nice Japanese version last year. And have been collecting 👍
My friends and I all had the Genesis but most if not all of us got burned by the 32X or Sega CD. Only one of my friends got a Saturn and everyone else got a Playstation. I cant imagine the meetings at Sega of America and Japan talking about the non existing sales outside Japan. Must have been insane.
Check out what it looked like behind the scenes regarding Sonic Xtreme. "Fun" (horrifying) read. Sega offed themselves...
Burning Rangers, Quake, Resident Evil, House of the Dead, D and Panzer Dragoon Saga were among my favorite's.
Can't stress enough how underappreciated Three Dirty Dwarves is. Great game and absolute recommend!
Awesome list, really enjoyed it. "Get Goal"!
Thx for that pleasant video … I love that system as well … I am currently on the PAL Full Set 🤗 Greetings from Belgium 🇧🇪
I loved the Magic Knight Rayearth anime as a kid so I would've crapped my pants if I'd known of the Saturn game. It looks like it holds up really well to this day.
Got the game but haven't played it 😅 might brush up the old Saturn and check it out.
Damn… this video has me looking for a SEGA Saturn 🪐 console.
I think SEGA should relaunch the system for a fair price ($149). Or at least release a system that could play modern games (AMD SOC) with the ability to play Saturn games perfectly. I’d pay $$400 for such a console.
Relaunch as the saturn mini and mini gaming pc?
I’m surprised you didn’t mention Cotton games are on the Switch now
"The Saturn deserved better, and so do you." That seems a bit hard on yourself, but I appreciate the sentiment. We can all do a little bit better when we are inspired by teams of people that had a vision, discipline and passion, pushing the envelope to create a work of art (or result) that's the best it can be. So thank you to all game developers, engineers, artists and directors that worked on and for the Saturn hardware, software and Sega. And thank you for the effort in showcasing them here and sharing your passion for them with us. For me, the Saturn and Dreamcast era (including PSX and other systems) will always define 'Next Generation' in a way that the modern era doesn't and can't. It felt like the cutting edge of tech, where the modern gaming landscape just feels iterative, incremental and mostly hollow.
As an amateur video editor, I am always looking back at what I create and kicking myself for not making it better. I imagine game makers feel this kind of thing all the time. Going back making it a bit better is something I really want to do for a lot of my content. Those early years were.....rough.
@@SegaLordX Fair enough. I don't know if you know of Steven Pressfield, but he has a specific definition for 'pro' and 'amateur' in creative work, that is purely about mindset.
'Storytellers' channel did a video called, "Turning Pro" which summarises it nicely. It seems to me like you have the 'pro' mindset, the right attitude to approaching your creative work, a commitment to improving.
I think your presentation and editing style really suits games from this era. Not sure if that is intentional or just intuitive, but it reminds me of the sincerity of 90s and early 2000s tv, before editing and presentation became snarky, impatient and meta.
I remember hearing a definition recently about creative work that it is essentially the struggle against our own limitations in the medium to express our thoughts, and ultimately as we improve our skills, so our ambitions and expectations rise. It will always be a struggle to express ourselves how we envision, but we are driven to keep going anyway. Seeing old work in a new light is a sign of all the insight you've picked up. As you say, an engineer or artist goes through this too.
I honestly don’t consider any period in gaming to be “next generation”.
For me, it’s always just been merely incremental over the years. Some games are low-fidelity tech and some are high-fidelity tech but it all blends together as one landscape of entertainment.
Whether it be from the earliest micro-computers to the latest powerhouses, I enjoy gaming as much as I ever have. I honestly can’t pick a favorite console or decade at this point. In my mind, it’s all a vast yet equal landscape of enjoyable opportunities to have fun.
I don’t believe the iterative/hollow sentiment about current games either.
I won’t deny that game styles and trends change over time but players perspectives change even more. I’ve seen that influence peoples’ opinions more than anything else. Perceptions of games vs. what they objectively are.
Gaming then or gaming now; it’s all good to me.
Panzer dragoon zwei soundtrack> panzer dragoon soundtrack apart from that great video thanks
Thank you.
You're welcome!
Also, Saturn Bomberman is my favorite Bomberman!
#1 was a surprise to me. I've explored a lot of the Saturn's library but I've never even heard of this game. I'll have to check it out!
beyond oasis for saturn is amazing ...i love so much this game on the mega drive,sadly i didn't played on the saturn
Legend of Oasis is the game on the Saturn. It’s a prequel. You should play it!
cyber speedway is missing from this list
The Saturn was one of my all-time favorite Sega consoles. Next to Dreamcast, this is by far my favorite system ever made. It was so very underrated and had so much power that was underutilize.
@@liamloxley1222 late 90's nah more like the late 60's lol dating myself. Megadrive was cool and had a ton more games, however I still dig the Saturn more.
1:30 Honorable Mentions: Decathlete, Vampire Savior, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Vandal Hearts, Grandia, Fighters Megamix
3:52 25. The Legend of Oasis
4:59 24. Virtua Cop 2
6:03 23. Saturn Bomberman
7:03 22. Layer Section
8:12 21. Dragon Force 2
9:06 20. Dark Savior
10:13 19. Astal
11:53 18. Cotton 2/Boomerang
13:11 17. Gungriffon
14:20 16. Street Fighter Collection
16:07 15. Magic Knight Rayearth
17:28 14. Policenauts
19:03 13. Nights into Dreams
20:17 12. Panzer Dragoon 2
21:28 11. Virtua Fighter 2
22:57 10. Guardian Heroes
24:34 9. Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter
26:02 8. Shining the Holy Ark
27:23 7. Mystaria/Blazing Heroes
29:20 6. Street Fighter Zero 3
31:06 5. Powerslave
32:49 4. Panzer Dragoon
34:11 3. Sega Rally
36:05 2. Shining Force III
37:54 1. Dragon Force
good work! this video needs chapters
@@zenmaster24 Any video with a countdown or multiple topics for that matter needs chapters, SLX is one of the few channels I still watch without them, because I love his content. If a channel has them, I leave a thumbs up if I like the content or not, and when I don't see chapters, I'll leave and visit ones that do.
No die hard arcade?
@@backbackforward lol yes
Thanks!😊
I was a Nintendo guy myself. But my aunt had a Saturn and I LOVED it! Too bad everything for the Saturn is so dang expensive 😭😭
Great video! When Virtua Fighter 2 came out, I couldn't believe my eyes! It was amazing to think that those visuals were being produced by the Saturn. Still looks great even today.
I didn't own a Saturn back then. I got into contact with Panzer Dragoon Saga for the first time 2 years ago, when I played it and... It's one of the best games I've ever played, I'm advising everybody around me to play it :)
100% agree it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played! To be an honorable mention is crazy it is probably the biggest production value on the Saturn. 4 disks! Great gameplay, amazing story and atmosphere! Game never gets old to me. I play through it once every couple years. Wish it was a little more challenging though, maybe a couple hidden super bosses at the end would have been awesome!
Growing up with the Sega Saturn was a transformative experience that ignited my passion for gaming. Its iconic design, diverse game library, and groundbreaking features captured my imagination and opened up a world of endless possibilities. The Saturn wasn't just a console; it was a gateway to unforgettable adventures and unforgettable memories. Even today, whenever I see its distinctive logo or hear its startup sound, it takes me back to a time when gaming was pure magic. The Sega Saturn will forever hold a special place in my heart, reminding me of the power of imagination and the joy of exploring new worlds.
Well said.
I feel so sad for you for being the kid who didn't grow up with a playstation or n64. Very sad.
This sounds like an AI version of a sega lord x script
Isn't it just hilarious when someone tries to claim that your own personal experience is artificial? It's like stumbling upon a glitch in the game of life! Picture this: you're the protagonist, fully immersed in your epic adventure, and out of nowhere, a character pops up, insisting that it's all just pixelated illusions. But hey, I'm the fake one, right?
@@JamesNGames you try too hard bro.
No Radiant Silvergun or Virtual On?...these seem like glaring omissions. Should've made the honourable mentions section even if you don't rate them that highly
The honorable mentions would have been(and almost was) longer than the Top 25 if I mentioned every game that deserved it.
I really wish we would get a Magic Knight Rayearth remaster on the switch.
I don't know how the licensing would be but I've definitely would appreciate it.
Never happen. Too many hands in that pie.
Sell your switch and get a saturn?
Said the same for Mario rpg 😛.
What we really need is someone to buy out working designs catalog and rerelease everything.
That sound great to me too … the game was never released here in Europe …
I wish the 32X had never released. I had the Genesis, Sega CD and 32X. The latter console soured my opinion permanently on a brand I had previously loved. I got the N64 and PS1 instead. The next generation I got the XBOX, GameCube and PS2. I passed on Dreamcast. Wish I knew then what I know now. Emulation is great, but I’d love to have the original hardware and software. Far too expensive to justify now. You make great content, sir. Keep up the good work.
Same here, I will prefer a backward compatible for the saturn over the 32x. Also, scaler enhancement chip for the genesis (upgrades with PC CD port with compilation for the saturn), PC CD and sega published games (better multimedia and CD based consoles) over the sega cd.
You didn’t miss anything. Ps1 had better games. Sega was too arcade heavy with most titles. Chasing high scores against a timer which is a carryover from their arcade business. One of their great blunders is continuing to produce arcade games for home console when everyone was moving toward games AAA medium to craft a deep and meaningful story. They had no answer for games like metal gear solid and gran turismo and their version of castlevania was terrible.
Of course all the best RPGs of the era were on ps1 too.
You honestly didn't miss as much as you think you did. Every console you got after had infinitely better overall game collections. There are a few between Saturn and Dreamcast that were legitimately great, but nothing you can't find either ported or through emulation. I bought both consoles about a decade ago, thinking how you did... It was a lot better in my head than reality.
Also, if you never owned an SNES or GBA, THOSE are the ones you should really invest in. Their game collections in both quantity and quality are matched only by maybe the PS2 (or OG backwards compatible PS3).
You’ve got to cover Sakura Wars sometime. It was the Saturn’s killer app in Japan for a reason.
Shining Force 3 should've been number 1, its by far the best game on the Sega Saturn.
The Saturn, Dreamcast, N64, and Vita are consoles that have small yet awesome libraries.
Of course the greatest game for the Saturn is Panzer Dragoon Saga. Still the best 5th generation RPG and a truly impressive game for a poorly designed system. Sega is not a great company now,aside from the Yakuza Like A Dragon games and a few others by Atlas they are pretty much nothing now. But Panzer Dragoon Saga showed that they could match what Square was doing at the time when they really tried. Just sold my entire Saturn collection recently and my graded copy of PDS went for $4,000. The only game I thought twice about selling.
No Radiant Silvergun ? 😢
How could anyone really hate Panzer Dragoon Saga? It has issues, but for the time it has incredible art, gameplay and story. Honestly I think its even superior to some jrpg classics.
Saturn was not ready for 3D.
These 3D games on this gaming generation was terrible looking…we have to be honest.
Personally that is why to this day I have not even played PD yet and I have the whole series installed on my MODE.
Thanks to you I was able to inform me better about the Sega Saturn and can buy the 1st American model in good condition. In a couple of months the "All In One" cartridge will be coming and I couldn't be more excited for the rest of the hours that await me with the Sega Saturn.
Doesn't the saturn use disc's lol
@@Xhalonickthat cart allows you to play backups and doubles as mem card. Not all carts do both
I was a freshman in high school back when the Saturn first came out, and I had to BEG my mom to buy it for me at its HEFTY price point of $399.
I was somehow able to convince her, and it ended up becoming one of my favorite systems I ever owned. At the time, it was quite literally like having an arcade quality machine at home which was totally unheard of at the time.
The PlayStation may have been cheaper and much more successful, but it couldn’t hold a candle to the Saturn’s performance and game library. A truly underrated and under appreciated game system.
I was huge on arcade fighters back them, and my top 5 Saturn games are…
1. Virtua Fighter 2
2. Street Fighter Alpha
3. Guardian Heroes
4. Virtua Cop
5. Virtua Fighter
Daytona USA is missing.
Shity graphics but unreached arcade driving physics
Vandal Hearts was ace. Had that on Playstation though. Would really like to pick up a Saturn as i missed some great games
It is actually better on Saturn.
Growing up in a more remote area made loving the Saturn tough, when I was little. There just weren’t many US releases that made it to NE Canada. I had Gex, Panzer Dragoon, Mr Bones, Virtua Fighter and Virtua Cop… I was into rpg’s, coming from the snes. It took me years (and an ODE) to really appreciate the library. I recommend either the satiator or the fenrir (or the phoebe or the ray)to everyone with a Saturn. The fan translations are where it’s at, and the cost of games is hard for most people to deal with, these days. I’m looking forward to the translation for Vanillaware’s first game, Princess crown, as well as a few other strange rpg’s that seem to be in the works.
My brother bought a Saturn off someone around 1997, i was just turning 17 around then. Well i have some great memories of this time. At least, as far as video games, i had a ps1 and enjoyed the rentals... otherwise i didn't have much money to spend and so i mostly played just what was available to me. Bunch of demo discs. Those were everywhere. Anyway. Late one night, i couldn't sleep, as a lifelong insomniac this was common. I found Mystoria in a pile, i hadn't recognized it, but i threw it in anyway. Next thing i knew the sun was up and i was back for more the next night.
The 90s really did have a unique spot in gaming history, we'll never see AAA titles like we had then, with how experimental it was. A lot of innovative ideas we still see today. Both the 80s and 90s... early 2000s even (more PC there). By the time the ps3 and 360 came around, they were focused on big theatrical type gaming closer to hollywood or something. Now they hardly consider risks, it's so by the books, stick to the formula that makes money.
And so, it does make me happy to see all the translations we have today. It's been awesome to finally see these games that I either never heard of or frustratingly thought I'd never play. I appreciate all the hard work these people put into it, they have an important place in video game preservation, i think. But I've rambled enough.
@@derealized797there’s still a ton of great indie games that innovative.
Dark Savior is the one game that got me into RPGs. If i never played it, i woulda never touched FF7 or Zelda.
One of the Saturn's more unique games.
18k views in 15 hrs where has this channel been in my algorithm! Seriously thinking about collecting for a Saturn or Dreamcast. Probably DC because fighting games…but which has better single player games?! They’re both short lived :/
It's understandable that we differently today about things from 5,10 or 20yrs ago. How you felt about Panzer Dragon I felt the same for Sega games, not for me I thought at the time in '99 (I was 8yrs old at the time. I'm a NINTENDO fan until I die but now see Sega had some good stuff too but ignorant management.
Once I saw Grandia wasn't even in the list, I knew I wouldn't agree with some of your choices! 😂 That's the great thing about games though I guess, if we all thought the same thing, the world would be a dull place!
Me too, Grandia, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Shining Force 3 Scenario 1 2 and 3, are the best of the best for me on the system.
Does Honorable Mention not count??
@briantaylorcloe7725 Short answer: no. To say Shining the Holy Ark, Mystaria and Magic Knight Rayearth are better than Grandia shows he hasn't played Grandia properly lol. I'm currently playing Shining the Hoky Ark and it is shockingly bad compared to Shining Force 3 and Grandia, how it could be in anyone's top 10 beggers belief!
It's easy to slag off an opinion because you don't agree with it, huh? I guess that entire opening monologue didn't mean a thing, after all.
Well said, sir@@SegaLordX and a more than fair reply to an irritable & fascistally•adjacent comment ....
Anywho, just wanted to add Mystaria began to turn me on to RPGs , Dark Savior and Shining the Holy Ark furthered me into it being my preferred genre, while Dragon Force has sat alone for two and a half decades as my favorite game of all-time
This video makes me want to buy a saturn and collect games for it. I never got the chance to own one as a kid. It's an amazing system. I think i might like it equally or more than the dreamcast. I hope it isn't too expensive.
Great list, just missing Die Hard Arcade! 😉
It was close. Top 35 for sure.
It's so odd how in hindsight this console was considered a failure having lost to playstation mgs made me break down and also buy a psx but it's unique games its now by far the more desirable and rare with the most expensive games.
My Top 5 Are.
1. Virtua Fighter 2
2. Virtua Cop
3. Sega Rally Championship
4. Ultimate MK3
5. Magic Carpet
POWERSLAVE HAS A REMAKE! On all current consoles' online stores. Check it out. It's a killa update.
You have GOT to play the Sakura Wars English Patch! One of the Saturn's very best.
I'm gutted i never owned a Sega Saturn, so many great games!
Everything from 1st generation to 7th generation of gaming was the last era of creativity when it came to games. The xbox one and playstation 4 and nintendo wii u were alright. But the creativity has gone down hill and we need this to come back in gaming. Maybe they should try revamping these games for the modern generation.
Been busy with Baldurs Gate 3 and soon to be Armored Core VI, but looking forward to getting back to my Saturn soon, still need to beat radiant silvergun and guardian heroes!
Nice, just home from work and a new Sega Lord X video is just what I needed today. I'm considering getting a Saturn this year - if I do, this will be my first source for what to collect for it.
Hope you enjoy it!
God damn these are some high quality games. I forget just how good the Saturn could be sometimes.
Yup. She was a beast.
Knights was pretty mind blowing in its day. It and Mario 64 were like the first two games that really let you explore a 3d space. The freedom of movement compared to the games that had come before was intoxicating.
Great compilation
knights into dreams came with the console as a demo, I think only the first 2 stages were playable. dang that demo was fun.
I missed this system but love the Dreamcast
Personally I was never big on the Saturn but I'm surprised at the absence of Burning Rangers.
Burning Rangers is a good game. It has some issues that pushed it out of contention, however.
dark savior, shining holy ark, and mystaria are heavily underrated
I’m pretty sure that Powerslave got remastered about a year ago for current consoles. There are some of these games that have been rereleased through the years on Xbox. Games that need to be remastered for current consoles: Dragon Force 1&2, Shining the holy ark, shining force 3, Mystaria(I remember it being called The Riglord Saga), clockwork knight, and Astal. I get way more nostalgic with the Saturn than I do with the PS1 or N64.
Riglord Saga was that game's Japanese name. Mystaria was the first translated name, but got changed to Blazing Heroes to avoid confusion / copyright entanglements with the D&D setting of Mystara.
The Saturn is my favourite console ever. Thankfully I have my V Saturn fitted with a MODE so can play anything.. that said I've still lucked out and got a copy of SF Zero 3 pretty cheaply :)
Im almost 40 and had never played a sega saturn. The other week i got a rog ally and loaded it with emulators and SS is one of em. Loving powerslave and panzer dragoon, but i def need to get dragon force! Looks super fun! Great vid!
My list of must have Saturn Games in no particular order except PDS is number1 always
1. Panzer Dragoon Saga
2. Dragon Force 1 and 2 (2 has an english patch)
3.Guardian Heroes (If you have a friend to play with)
4.Shining Force 3 (scenarios 2 and 3 have english patch)
5. Shining the Holy Ark
6. Bulk Slash
7. Literally all of Capcom's Fighting Games
8. Virtua Fighter 2
9. Sega Rally
10. Darius Gaiden
11. Nights and Christmas Nights
12. Saturn Bomberman if you have friends to play with
13. and the super underrated Baku Baku Animal if you have a friend to play
No 'Twinkle Star Sprites'? 😢
That game is very underrated.
It is a competitive shoot 'em up that is still played to this day
The Sega Saturn port is the definitive version.
Got weird feeling regarding the Saturn. Utterly amazing system... if you emulate it. I can't in good conscience recommend for folks to collect for the system anymore. People want ridiculous money for the good games for it, and it's just not worth it. Plus, there are SO many games that only were released in Japan, that you can now play translated if you download the patched fan version. Plus you won't have to deal with the hassle of trying to connect your Saturn to a modern TV.
Again, it is a great console. I could EASILY riff off 50 games that are 'must plays' for it. But when the average price per game will be 200 dollars? With some titles like Shinrei Jusatsushi Tarōmaru being 1000+ dollars? Nope. Just emulate them.
Or get the console and an ODE. 100% worth it
How how come you did not say anything about the Astal Soundtrack 😔
Powerslave made the top 5, all is right with the world
Of all these games the only one he recommends playing “with the wife” is the simple one suitable for kids. Good thing his audience is all men or someone might have taken offence 🤭
The majority are one player. And the last thing I'd do is recommend you play a fighting game with your wife. Good way to end a marriage there. Bomberman though? That's good stuff for all ages.
So happy to see Guardian Heroes on this list! One of my absolute favorite games on Saturn, to be sure! Also, Policenauts!!! Man, I wish I'd gotten to play that.
I remember getting my Saturn for Christmas one year. A friend of mine got his much earlier.. Playing Sega Rally was such an incredible experience. I had no doubt in my mind which console I wanted. Got a package deal from Currys; Saturn, two pads, Sega Steering wheel and four games: Sega Rally, Virtua Fighter 2, Alien Trilogy, and a football game ... Think it was called international soccer. Steadily collected games for birthdays and Christmases. Otherwise I'd swap or borrow .One year I asked for Resident Evil for my birthday. Once I'd completed that I took it to the market to swap. Wasn't sure what I wanted to get. Was a big RTS fan but I already had Command & Conquer and Warcraft 2 ... Saw Dragon Force on the table (I'd never seen it in the shops). I remembered reading about it in SS magazine and seeing a demo on one of the Sega Flash Discs, So I went for it, straight swap. Best thing I ever did. I Spent so many wonderful hours in Legendra. Was like nothing I'd played before yet it seemed so familiar and I took to it naturally. I must've been around 14 at the time. I think there's some things that folk will never understand. The feeling you have playing Dragon Force (as you rightly say SLX with no prior knowledge) for the first time is one of them. It's utter magic. I'd love to see a remaster. ✌️💚
Like you, the Saturn was the console who made my brother and I get into RPGs, FPS such as Duke 3D, Alien Trilogy and Hexen. Finally perfect arcade ports home, KOF96 and 97 were huge were we lived and that was a dream, later SFZ-Z2-Z3 and more. It's great to see Mystaria, Riglord Saga in Japan getting its deserved recognition, even back then we found its overall presentation clunky, but when you get into it, it's a great Tactical RPG with a memorable soundtrack. The sequel, Riglord Saga 2 is probably getting a deserved translation in the not so distant future, I believe, one day all Saturn RPGs will be in English. Even so, I don't wait for translations to happen, even as a kid I played many RPGs in Japanese, even Chrono Cross and finished them all.
Dragon Force is a great game, but it's way below Shining Force III (all scenarios) to me and honestly, I think the PS1 and N64 could reproduce this game without issues, the unit sprites are dozens of clones and their animation is very basic, this games doesn't push the Saturn and I strongly believe a PS version wouldn't be that different. In fact, there are quite a few Strategy RPGs on the PS1 that uses dozens of sprites on screen.
Speaking of which, a game that wouldn't be reproduced as elegantly on the PS1 is the aforementioned Shining Force III, if you think about it, the game switches engines from the tactical field to the 3D battle scene seamlessly like it's a cartridge game. I've played many PS1 RPGs, Brigandine is a similar game, and there are over a 100 Tactical RPGs on Sony's machine and even those that feature 2D battle scenes have long loadings, the Saturn could handle more data and Shining Force III shows that.
King of Fighters 97 was an important game for me as well, and made me love my Saturn even more than I already did. I saw the arcade cabinet in a comic shop. I was actually there because a friend of mine wanted to show me Street Fighter 3. While its animation was great, I didn't like the art design. Right next to it was KOF 97, which itself had great animation, and I just loved the stylish characters. I immediately knew I had to get the game.
I agree with you. While Dragon Force is a great game, and pushes tons of sprites, I don't think it would be especially troublesome for either the PS1 or N64(leaving out the storage medium). All three systems could display as many polygons/sprites as their CPUs could keep track of. Obviously, the Saturn version is already constrained by system RAM, so it would be similar on the PS1 since the RAM amount is pretty similar. PS1 games in 1997 weren't even as optimized as they would be later thanks to newer development tools, so I think you're right.
Seeing that very same arcade game booting up at home in our own TVs was something else, right? Nice to know others having a similar experience. Like you, I also prefer SNK games over SFIII, they have better art direction, and I'd much rather play RB Fatal Fury Special on the Saturn (that I did for years), or SFZ3, among others we got.
I agree about DF, and again you're right that PS1 and N64 (for that matter) got better from late '97 onwards. The game has tons of the same sprites, with little animation and this alone uses less memory, but Dragon Force 2 has more variety during battles, so it's more demanding.
A good example about the Saturn version being superior is Dragon Ball Z - Idainaru Dragon Ball Densetsu, released by the same developers at the same day for both consoles, the PS1 release suffers in performance, the game boast 6 characters doing many different things at the same time and it indeed taxes the PS1 CPU, while the Saturn runs noticeably smoother. Something like a solid a 30FPS (Saturn) against 20 with hicups on Sony's machine.
@@roberto1519 Yeah, it was mind blowing to realize current 2D arcade games, especially CPS2 and Neo Geo, were basically perfect at home on the Saturn. While it wasn't quite perfect due to RAM limitations, Marvel Super Heroes was probably the game that really made me appreciate that. Seeing Hulk vs. Juggernaut filling up the screen was crazy. Of course, X-Men vs. Street Fighter with the 4MB RAM was also impressive offering the same sprite quality but more frames of animation. But in terms of art direction, style, and gameplay, KOF 97 appealed to me so much more. Just to follow up to what I said earlier, not only was I instantly drawn to KOF 97 the moment I saw it, I never actually played it until I got it for the Saturn, but it absolutely lived up to my expectations.
Can't tell you how much my brother and I played X-Men and Marvel vs SF on the Saturn, actually we played almost all fighters on the console, Fighters Megamix, Toshinden and more. Back to Capcom stuff, they were arcade perfect and virtually no loadings.
Interesting you haven't played KOF '97 until you got it for your Saturn. Back then, my older brother (actual owner of the console) brought KOF '95, and later '96, then '97. We played 95 a ton at the local arcades and 96 not so much, but 97 was THE game at the time, bringing those home was nothing short of a dream coming true, I was 10 or 11 then.
You may know this, the Saturn port, while virtually identical to the NEO GEO CD, it has higher pitched voices for some odd oversight from the developers, it's a bit funny and nostalgic to me.
No SOTN? It's better than most of the games you listed and had some locked exclusive features.
With the English translation patch I’d say it is Top 3 on Saturn.
Love the vid but guardian heroes is easily number 1 😇
I just got a Satiator for my Saturn so, once again your channel is on non stop so i can find some great games to play! BEST SEGA CHANNEL ON RUclips! keep it up!
What really infuriates me about the Sega Saturn is how expensive a lot of the games you put on this list are. And because the system sold poorly altogether, it's not like Sega's rushing to rerelease any of these games to Steam or other gaming services. Any time I hear about the Sega Saturn, I always think of wasted potential. It obviously had a decent enough line up to compete with Nintendo and Sony. Too bad Sega themselves botched the release of the Saturn so bad even their next console, the Dreamcast, couldn't save them. Which is a shame because I'd love to see Sega breathe new life into their other IPs like Shining Force, Shinobi, Streets of Rage, Phantasy Star, Panzer Dragoon, Gunstar Heroes, and Golden Axe.
Sega rally on the saturn was outstanding
One of the only racing games I ever enjoyed, together with Mario Kart, Carmageddon and Wipeout. It baffled me as a kid.
trying to build my collection! Dude Dark Savior is so good! I watched it today lol
I might know you from somewhere...
Layer Section is such a good time! I have it somewhere, in one of my many boxes, but not been able find it for a year or so. 😞
Dragon force is legit my favorite game of all time.
Saturn Mini with about 50 games sounds good, with a few of them being the best 32X games as bonuses. I was pretty much a Nintendo only guy growing up, but I'd be all in for that just as I was for the Genesis Mini
Even though I have an original Dreamcast, I would purchase Dreamcast Mini as well as a Saturn Mini.
@@mrlaidback83 - I hope we get both
Seeing MSH vs Street Fighter reminds me of seeing a game running simultaneously on Saturn and Playstation in a store at the time and the Playstation version used a badly compressed recording of the intro whereas the Saturn properly recreated it in 2D sprites. I knew it was a Capcom fighter but couldnt remember which one it was, but actually found it in another one of your videos! its X-Men:Children of the Atom!!
Ah thought burning rangers was going to be around :P
I was born in 98, but my half brother was three year older and had n64 and ps1 (saturn was almost nonexistent in Canada) but I discovered the Saturn in 2024 through emulation and my god this console is better than the ps1 for me now. I love so much Dark Savior, all PD games and Policenauts (so much better of saturn even on emu)😊😊
As much as I liked the saturn and the premise of it I got given it as a git because i was told the playstation was going out of action and this was going forward with games etc how little did i know a good console just a shame it didn't last
Panzer Dragoon Saga is only on the honorable mentions! End video 😂😂😂 that’s insane! That is easily in the top 3 best Saturn games ever made and I didn’t even think that was debatable.
Totally agree with you. How Saga is not in the top 25 but Mystaria and Cotton Boomerang are is insanity.
I like Panzer Saga. Good game. But I'm an action game guy. Notice how few games made the top 25 that have random battles? Saga has a great fighting system but everything else around it lacks that same energy/quality. I didn't care about the story, either. It's why I recommended it but wouldn't rate it among my favorites.
The Saturn really was a great system, but the big heads at Sega especially in the west did not really know how to sell it. So many great games that never made it here, a shame.
Sega was using Japanese marketing strategy with the Saturn and also, launch the console 4 months earlier than its original launch date.
@@maroon9273 thats what i said, the surprise release and the marketing strategy simply sucked.
Boy, the Panzer Dragoon soundtracks sure are beautiful.
My memories from the Sega Saturn was Nights Into Dreams (backwards compatibility for Xbox Series X), Panzer Dragoon (with a remake available), Virtua Fighter 1&2 (Virtua Fighter 2 backwards compatibility with Xbox Series X) , Bug, Clockwork Kight, Daytona USA ( Daytona USA available and backwards compatibility with Xbox Series X), and Sonic 3D Blast.
I remember the Playstation and Saturn came in the magazines, and I fell in love in the Saturn. I also wanted a sega since I had the Master System at the time. I never got to have the Genesis :(. Unfortunately the Saturn never made it the stores here in Norway. They allready knew it was going to be a failiure and skipped it completely.
“I am often mistaken as a hater of Panzer Dragoon Saga” - doesn’t put an objectively top 10 game of all time into a Sega Saturn top 25 list. Yeah right. No need to watch any further.
Excellent list.
I’d only change the order and add/subtract a few games if I ever stopped being lazy and made my own list. Making these videos must be time consuming. I appreciate it.
I’d subtract Astal, and Magic Rayearth for Vandal Hearts and Tactics Ogre.
🤔
Great video. Do you not consider the current gen ‘PowerSlave Exhumed’ to be what you wanted?
It was pretty solid, yes.
Like always, another GREAT video.
I appreciate that. Thanks.
Well, I understand that Panzer Dragoon Saga wasn't a rail shooter as you expected, and that its price went up because of the low amount of releases and that it would have looked better on the dreamcast.
But let's be honest here man, that does'nt mean it doesn't deserve to be recognized for what it is. This game was the swan song of the Saturn, raising the expectation of that console to a level that wasn't even thought possible on the machine and was, even if less popular, the real rival of FF7 with insane voice acted FMV and facial expression, with a combat system and a free roaming world that was never seen before, and that nobody believed it could run on sega 32 bits console.
I mean you made your point over the year man, we understand that, but it also doesn't represent what this game is all about. I think since we respect your opinion, we wish we could have a proper review of that game from you, for what it really is, and not what you expected it to be. The ost, the fmv, the combat system, the story, the graphic. You know. I keep hoping 🙏🏻
I know this probably ISN’T the place for this, but how do you get access to Saturn fan translations and stuff?
I used to frequent the “homebrew” sites for retro games A LOT about a decade ago but now I’m pretty much “out of the loop” and I’ve NEVER known of a WORKING software application that could run Saturn games.
I’ve always WANTED TO get into the Saturn cuz it was kind of an “obscure” system to me where I didn’t know ANYONE THAT HAD ONE growing up so it’d be nice to find a secondary option AS WELL since native Saturn hardware AND software seems to ESPECIALLY cost an arm and a leg.
Anyway, shout out to Sega Lord X. You’re LEGIT one of my favorite content creators on RUclips.
The music is what made NiGHTS - Into Dreams so great for me. It fits the gameplay perfectly. Thanks for the list; would have overlooked Astal entirely otherwise.
My best was House of the Dead - Daytona - Sega Rally - Night's into Dreams - Virtua Cop 2 - Die Hard Arcade - Street Fighter Alpha - Virtua Figher 2 - Decathlete