Recommend me a 2nd console

[Spitlips]

Now that i have pretty much gathered all the Ps2 shooters out there, i am looking for a new system. I am still enjoying all of my games but the hunger for new games never ends =)

The consoles i am considering are Saturn and Dreamcast.
I have managed to find new and boxed systems in where i live, but the prices differ. $300 for the Saturn and $210 for the Dreamcast.

I weigh each consoles benefits to the other, but i cant seem to decide which one to choose.

The Saturn have great titles (not that i have played any of them, but the superplayvideos looks stunning) like Radiant Silvergun and Battle Garegga, but these games in particular cost a fortune, and are also in second hand condition.

There are still games coming out for the Dreamcast and with this system i can play games like Under Defeat and Mars Matrix. These games can moreover be found brand new.

Now, if you were to recommend a system, or in the market for one yourself, which one would you choose?

[iatneH]

Why do you need new and boxed?

We have two members here selling Dreamcast systems in the ballpark of $30-$35 INCLUDING shipping.

Saturns also going around $50 shipped.

If you have $200 to spend (and it looks like you are considering spending at least that much) then just buy both from people here.

[Eps]

If you are on the type of budget that restricts you to only one of the two, get a Dreamcast; it's not quite dead yet, and there are a lot of absolutely fantastic games out for it that can be picked up for relative peanuts (except a few such as Border Down). Really, though, you should get both if you can stretch to it

[benj]

I have managed to find new and boxed systems in where i live, but the prices differ. $300 for the Saturn and $210 for the Dreamcast.

Say what?

For this kind of money you should be able to get both consoles, and a few games for each. If you're willing to spend that amount of cash on an old console, I'd say you should simply get both.
I would get a Saturn, but that's just because I already have a Dreamcast.

EDIT: iatneH beat me to it.

[Icarus]

Saturn = large choice of shmups, including some definitive games (RSG, Garegga, Batsugun, Hyper Duel etc); some older classics ported to the console in collections packs (Capcom Collections, Konami MSX, Gradius Deluxe etc); and some favourites such as SFA3 and Samurai Shodown 4. The best stuff is very expensive though.

Dreamcast = Naomi ports; some more recent stuff and faves such as Soul Calibur and SFA3; a wider range of available genres (Rez, Jet Grind Radio etc); not many shmups, but the ones available are exceptional (Border Down, Ikaruga, Mars Matrix etc). Again the best stuff can be expensive (Border Down being a main culprit), but some games (such as Mars Matrix) ported to the US, making it more affordable.

Both are great consoles, and both should be in your collection. If you can only get one for the time being, it will all depend on what you would rather play - classics and old faves; or a range of more recent stuff.

(I'd take the Saturn though, if I was forced to choose. Nothing could ever part me from my Raizing, Parodii and Technosoft collections. Border Down does a fine job trying to though... ^_^)

[roker]

Dreamcast > Saturn

but they're both good

so you can't go wrong

personally I prefer the choice of games on the DC

From Border Down to Under Defeat to Bangai-O to Giga Wing to Ikaruga

The Saturn on the otherhand has the infamous Radiant Silvergun, Battle Garegga (my fav of all time), Souki (I can't be arsed to spell this shit right), Batsugun, and Layer Section

Can't go wrong

either or

[Spitlips]

Thanks guys for your replies.

I might seem ridiculous here but i hate second hand/preused things. Now, i know we are not talking about clothes and such, and electronics shouldnt matter, but new stuff are just that. Never used. No greasy fingerprints or scratched discs. Theres rarely any suprises with new things either. They work as they should.
Is the feeling and smell of a new console worth 10 times the money? Probably not, and i have to think about this.

Anyway, i think im going for a Dreamcast. If i overcome my fear of second hand units i might grab a Saturn in the future =)

[ahnslaught]

How about getting 2 used dreamcasts and 2 used saturns? With 300, that should be easy!

[DC906270]

I prefer the Saturn, but the PS2 pips both

[ghibli99]

I don't like buying used, either... but if the console is clean, I can always buy new controllers, since most used controllers have all sorts of gunk on 'em that make me cringe when I hold them.

Gut feeling says go with an import/modified Saturn... I think those are harder to find, and the sheer selection of shooters for that system and good import games in general is amazing.

[sjewkestheloon]

i'd go for a dreamcast with border down and mars matrix.

only because i don't have a saturn myself yet and i'd just be jealous of another enjoying the shmuppery on offer

i really do want a saturn but it'll just open a whole new realm of spends that i don't have at the moment.

[professor ganson]

If you only want to buy games new, then you're better off going with DC. New Saturn games can get really pricey. Then again, a new copy of Border Down cost me $100.

[cigsthecat]

Try and figure out what games you want to play. The Saturn isn't the super shooter console many think it is. It has Garegga and Batsugun.

Everything else you can get for PS1/2.

[jp]

Try and figure out what games you want to play. The Saturn isn't the super shooter console many think it is. It has Garegga and Batsugun.

Everything else you can get for PS1/2.

Indeed. Like Radiant Silvergun, Hyper Duel, Cotton 2, Cotton Boomerang, Game Tengoku, the playable version of Soukyuugurentai, Blast Wind, and Rayforce/Galactic Attack/Layer Section, and probably a lot more I'm not snagging off the top of my head.




As for the topic at hand, I'd say get a DC first. Less shooters and you'll spend less time and money tracking those down. Border Down will be a bitch... but other than that...

[The Coop]

Why not get a Genesis while you're Sega shopping? Many good shmups on it, and if you get a Game Genie, you'll be able to play import shmups (and other genres) with little to no trouble... including a number of region locked titles like Thunder Force IV and Pulseman.

[chempop]

^Because he wants a new console, it would be hard to find a new genesis.

Speaking of which, I can't really think of a reason why you shouldn't get a used console. Look at it this way, if you get a faulty Dreamcast which dies on you in a few weeks (I went through 3 within a year) it is going to be a big loss. Maybe you can recalibrate the laser, but still, worse could happen. Saturn is a very reliable machine however and if you look around you'll probably find one in great shape.

As far as my preference goes it would be hard to choose because they both have exclusive games that are top shelf. Since you have a complete PS2 library (including the psikyo collections I'm assuming) then I would go with Dreamcast since you have arleady covered a portion of what Saturn has to offer...

[cigsthecat]

Indeed. Like Radiant Silvergun, Hyper Duel, Cotton 2, Cotton Boomerang, Game Tengoku, the playable version of Soukyuugurentai, Blast Wind, and Rayforce/Galactic Attack/Layer Section, and probably a lot more I'm not snagging off the top of my head.

...like I said, it has Garegga and Batsugun.

[iatneH]

On that topic, a couple of the Saturn titles would be covered by the PS2 Taito Memories compilations also - you'll have Metal Black, Layer Section II/RayStorm, Gekirindan, Gun Frontier, Darius gaiden, and maybe some others I've forgotten.

edit: My mistake, it looks like Layer Section/Rayforce isn't on either of the Japanese releases.

[Icarus]

...like I said, it has Garegga.

Fixed. ^_-

[Shatterhand]

Well ,most saturn shmup are emulated in MAME.

Though this never stopped me owning a Saturn, as I prefer playing a port in a console game than an emulated version in my PC.

and Come on, , Layer Section, Cotton Boomerang and Game Tengoku are awesome stuff.

[jp]

Indeed. Like Radiant Silvergun, Hyper Duel, Cotton 2, Cotton Boomerang, Game Tengoku, the playable version of Soukyuugurentai, Blast Wind, and Rayforce/Galactic Attack/Layer Section, and probably a lot more I'm not snagging off the top of my head.

...like I said, it has Garegga and Batsugun.

Wow... God save any gamer that listens to your opinions.



And Rayforce isn't on the Taito compilations (or so I hear). Isn't it exclusive to the Xbox version?

[The Coop]

^Because he wants a new console, it would be hard to find a new genesis.

Not really. In the past few months, I've seen some Genesis units that were still in their boxes, with the claim that they were new... which is something no one's brought up yet. Just because an auction on eBay or somewhere else says the system is new, doesn't mean it's actually never been touched or used before. On eBay "new" can mean anything from actually being truly new, to having been used, but well taken care of. Anyone can write "NIB" or some other phrase after giving the system a good cleaning, but that doesn't mean it's true. So frankly, he's taking a chance anyway.

Besides... a Genesis still in its box isn't that hard to find. Neither are new controllers for it.

[SAM]

Indeed. Like Radiant Silvergun, Hyper Duel, Cotton 2, Cotton Boomerang, Game Tengoku, the playable version of Soukyuugurentai, Blast Wind, and Rayforce/Galactic Attack/Layer Section, and probably a lot more I'm not snagging off the top of my head.

...like I said, it has Garegga and Batsugun.

For shmups, Saturn is the way to go. DC do a few great games, but it can't even match PS2 in its shmups library now.

Unless you are buying the RS, Saturn games won't broke you. Good Satrun Shmups in great condition uses to cost around $15 to $50. (In compare with the price of games of the TG16/PC-Engine/DreamCast)
A fair price I would say, and most of them are near acrade prefact.

But if you also like to play fighting games, DreamCast might be a good choice.

BTW, I currently got Batsugun, Cotton 2, Metal Slug & Ikaruga for sale...
http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=8730

[louisg]

Saturn or Dreamcast.. I might have to go Dreamcast for the not-so-expensive domestic shooter selection (Mars Matrix, GunBird 2 if you like that kinda thing, Cannon Spike, Gigawings 1 & 2...) and then Under Defeat, Zero Gunner 2, Border Down, Ikaruga, etc are nice imports. Note the CPS2 ports are not flawless as they are stretched, though the 3d ports are rather nice and crisp (and VGAable). The Saturn does however have the (imo) almighty RayForce (in the US, too, if that matters) =) Can you get any of this stuff new anymore?

Hope this helps! Also yeah, check out the 16-bitters if you haven't already (depending on if you click with those kinds of shmups)

[roker]

anyone who buys a Saturn for Cotton needs to have their head checked (sorry, I'm sure it's a brilliant game, but I can't fucking stand it)

RSG is great though

is it overrated? . . . a little bit

if you put aside the hype, you'll find that it's a solid shooter

worth the hassle, no doubt

[system11]

Another vote for the Saturn - the Japanese software lineup was great overall. Assault Suit Leynos 2, Tryrush Deppy, and of course all the shmups.

[D]

Ask yourself this, regardless of what system you want, which shmup would you buy now to play?
Name a shmup you can afford. Then get that system.
Saturn = old school 2D
Dreamcast = newer school 3D
Under Defeat will blow your socks off, it's 3D, but so well done it's like your playing a 2D shooter

[Spitlips]

During the 16bit era I was a big Amiga- fan and i never owned any of the consoles of that generation. Today i cant appreciate Megadrive with its, in my opinion, poor soundchip, and very thin colorpalette.

With Saturn and Dreamcast though i feel like i have really missed out on something.

D -> If i would order a game today without concern to wich consoles i have, it would be Under Defeat.

[D]

During the 16bit era I was a big Amiga- fan and i never owned any of the consoles of that generation. Today i cant appreciate Megadrive with its, in my opinion, poor soundchip, and very thin colorpalette.

With Saturn and Dreamcast though i feel like i have really missed out on something.

D -> If i would order a game today without concern to wich consoles i have, it would be Under Defeat.

A wise choice my friend, now go and find a Dreamcast, but beware because the joypad sucks ass.
Saturn = best joypad ever
Dreamcast = worst joypad ever (well with the D-PAD anyway)
My advise: get a Dreamcast, then after a few days you will find that the pad indeed sucks gravy. Then buy a joypad converter like "Total Control 5" and buy a Saturn pad! = joy!

[SAM]

Dreamcast = worst joypad ever (well with the D-PAD anyway)

Well, the official Game pad is really not very good. But if you could find a lengendary ASCII DreamCast Fighting Pad, it is another story.