Non-Shmup Saturn Games

[jp]

When I was looking for it there wasn't.
And the price keeps creeping up.


Thank God for greg!

[shinsage]

Looking at these lists makes me remember how big of a port machine the Saturn was.
My personal favorite that isn't a shooter or even a port is Burning Rangers.
Never beat it because the memory's screwed up...whenever I turn on my Saturn it goes to the Time/Date settings.

[jp]

Looking at these lists makes me remember how big of a port machine the Saturn was.
My personal favorite that isn't a shooter or even a port is Burning Rangers.
Never beat it because the memory's screwed up...whenever I turn on my Saturn it goes to the Time/Date settings.

Then snag a CR2032 battery and replace it. Its in the back where the cable hook-ups are.

[shinsage]

Yeah, I'm aware of how to fix it, I'm just too damn lazy to do so.
Thanks anyways. One of these days I might get around to it.

[Kiken]

As I've heard regarding print runs:
Shinrei Jusatsushi Taroumaru = 7,500 copies (1 run)
Mizubaku Daibouken = 3,500 copies (assumed 1 run)

Ok, 3500 is an insanely small print run. That explains it. So this is the rarest official Saturn game then?

I don't know man... I know Taromaru is 7500 (actually, its one pressing was the last thing Time Warner Interactive of Japan did) but... hmmm... I dunno. Mizabuka the official rarest Saturn game? I'd think Crows and Blast Wind are both just as difficult to come across. Granted, I don't know how many pressings either of those got (I've always assumed 5000 or less) so if Mizabuka had a 3500 pressing then it could very well be the rarest.

Unless you count special editions and stuff.

Isn't the rarest Saturn game supposed to be one which only had a print-run of 200 copies and was handed out to audience members of Japanese cooking show? The title is failing me at the moment... I want to say it was Dekisoba Deluxe...

[jp]

Derisoba Deluxe

But it isn't an official game. If we were to go into THAT realm then Eyeful Home or Heim Waltz would be the rarest since each of those had a pressing of 50 copies.

But yeah, Derisoba Deluxe had a 200 copy pressing and was handed out to the members of some audience. It was a game about riding a bicycle around delivering food.

[GaijinPunch]

I know that Crows rare, but Blast Wind? There are always a couple for sale.

Mizubaku Daibouken is by far the hardest to find of any of them. May not be the most expensive, but I've got alerts to tell me when any of the above go on sale. Mizubaku comes up once in an age (the last one going for around 10,000 yen). There's always a Taroumaru for sale. Crows has also gone up in recent months, but it pops up more frequently.

[jp]

Damn, I was really lucky then. I snagged mine a couple of years ago for $70.

[shinsage]

Looking at screens of Taromaru always makes me wonder why the print run of it was so low. Who was the dev?

Also, get crackin' on that Final Fight Revenge review.

[jp]

Looking at screens of Taromaru always makes me wonder why the print run of it was so low. Who was the dev?

Also, get crackin' on that Final Fight Revenge review.

It was rare because Time Warner Interactive Japan went out of business when they printed it up. Its funny because apparently it got some decent promotion at the time and was in some flyer with a bunch of Capcom games. But when the time came to actually put it out they only had enough money to make a very small pressing and shortly thereafter they closed their doors.

Oh, the developer was Time Warner Interactive of Japan. The only other game they made was Tama for the Saturn and PS1. Taromaru got so pricey because:
1. Its a 2D game for the Saturn.
2. Treasure's name got associated with it since Hiroshi Iuchii did a little bit of work on it.

And I'll get to Final Fight Revenge soon! Right now I've got Astra Superstars, Planet Joker (was supposed to be an April Fools Day review, but I'm busy lately), and Prikura Daisasuken qued up.

[nem]

People really should stop putting prices and print runs into these posts. Makes my work harder to find good deals on the remaining Saturn stuff that I want

I think most of the good stuff has been listed, but here's some of my faves:

Astal
Batsugun
Bulk Slash
Keiou Yuugekitai
Necronomicon
Panzer Dragoon Zwei

[Arvandor]

Some very good lists, but I am very saddened by the lack of Three Dirty Dwarves. You people seriously sicken me.

[JoshF]

I was going to add it, but I was too embarassed.

[nosorrow]

In this day and age, has it finally been settled which import Saturn game is the rarest? Way back when (10 years ago or so), it used to be Stellar Assault SS and Taromaru. According to this very (old) thread, evidence (i.e. print runs) suggests Liquid Kids/Mizubaku Daiboken.

This is purely anecdotal evidence on my part, but the hardest to find - yet playable - game I can think of is Tryrush Deppy. That is one tough game to get a hold of, especially with the spine and registration cards. Super Tempo seems rare as well and so does Final Fight Revenge, somewhat surprisingly.

P.S. Necrobump!

[BIL]

I always knew Mizubaku was rare, but I had no idea it got that tiny of a print run. Took it for granted when I nabbed my copy a couple years back. I wonder what print runs the other VING ports got. Night Striker S seemed dead easy to snag, Elevator Action Returns and Bubble Symphony somewhat tougher and I believe Metal Black (original print) is the rarest of those four by far.

I've wondered about getting Super Tempo and Deppy, but I need a good helping of kinetic violence with my cutesier sidescrollers (ala Rocket Knight / Dynamite Headdy).

Anecdotally the SS game I remember waiting the longest for was the cheap and common Assault Suit Leynos 2, but that's more because I was hell-bent on getting a brand new copy. And when I did, the disc was hanging onto its spindle by a millimetre, ready to bust loose and ding itself up. The memory still occasionally wakes me up in a cold sweat.

[nosorrow]

I've wondered about getting Super Tempo and Deppy, but I need a good helping of kinetic violence with my cutesier sidescrollers (ala Rocket Knight / Dynamite Headdy).

Then why Liquid Kids?

I'm on the fence about Super Tempo and Liquid Kids. The first one I've never tried, but from videos, it seems a bit lacking in the gameplay department. I'd love to hear first-hand impressions though. As for Liquid Kids, well, I do own it on one of the Taito Legends compilations and, while pretty fun, I feel it's a bit slow; it would definitely benefit from a helping of blast processing.
Still, this hasn't stopped me from buying Elevator Action Returns and Metal Black before...

Tryrush Deppy is fun and very playable. Glad I finally managed to source a copy.

[BIL]

It's partially because I really love VING's Saturn Taito ports, and lacking Mizu the others felt incomplete... but more importantly, Taito and Konami cutesies get a sentimental exemption.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Chelnov (Atomic Runner) Saturn port (leaked) is real. Now, the controls don't seem configurable and there's no auto-fire. It looks and sounds about the same as the coin-op original (supposedly the X68K port of the controller adapter fame too). Which was - last time I checked - about perfectly emulated (MAME). Nevertheless, on Saturn it's worth a go for genuine 240p RGB (if you've got all the gizmos handy).
Make no mistake - MD/Genny remake is a better console experience... with inferior music. Original and remake are both relevant if you ask me; I just see little reason to play the former on Saturn of all devices.

[EmperorIng]

The must-play non-shmup selection on the Saturn doesn't really need to get too extensive. Bulk Slash is the best 3D action game on the system, bar none, and the best RPG experiences are Dark Savior, Dragon Force, and Albert Odyssey. One of those won't cost you an arm and a leg. And hey, Dark Savior's kinda cool!

Shining and the Holy Ark would be better if it didn't feel like the Saturn was muscling all its strength to load its choppy 3D towns. That and it's too hard for me; I'd rather play Shining Wisdom.

For exclusives, it's tricky to find heavy hitters. Assault Suit Leynos 2 is good, not great (levels aren't as tight as Valken); Deep Fear is an excellent bad game to play and laugh at (much like Resident Evil, but Resident Evil plays and feels better). While I'm still talking about survival horror, Enemy Zero sucks. I might replay it one more time to see if my opinion of it gets better, but I dunno. Looking at a FAQ every 30 seconds because the game does not clue you in to its progression does not seem to me a good game make.

Die Hard Arcade would be one, and so would the Panzer Dragoon games. The two GunGriffon games are ace, though I've never played Blaze (and I assume it's better).

I never liked NiGHTS; I probably need to spend more time with it. The ugly 3D was really hampering my enjoyment. Astal is ok, but the levels are pretty pedestrian until the Sea of Clouds, when you actually have to do some platforming.

It's partially because I really love VING's Saturn Taito ports, and lacking Mizu the others felt incomplete... but more importantly, Taito and Konami cutesies get a sentimental exemption.

Taito, Konami, and Capcom (would those count as the "big three" of the arcade world? ) always did cute better, imo, than say, Hudson, Namco, or Nintendo.

Keiou Yuugekitai

I'd like to find and play this while not paying an exorbitant price. I always thought it looked rather nice.

I've wondered about getting Super Tempo and Deppy, but I need a good helping of kinetic violence with my cutesier sidescrollers (ala Rocket Knight / Dynamite Headdy).

I'd be more interested in Super Tempo if there weren't so many enemies pissing on things. A guy's gotta have standards, you know?

[Mortificator]

HG101's Kenji Eno (RIP) article was down on Enemy Zero as well, but I didn't have any problems with it, and I don't remember looking at a FAQ.

I played the PC version, though.

[EmperorIng]

There needed to be more first-person shooting segments; they were easily the best part of the game. Shooting once, running back down cut-n-paste corridors, waiting 1:30 to reload your gun, another 30s to crawl out, and try and shoot again = not too fun. It doesn't help that that is the second shooting segment in the game, which really saps the fun out of things.

The first-person puzzle segments, while moody, where entirely cryptic over which arbitrary event was triggered by which. Ah, I see, you need to watch this video to trigger this video, and then watch this video twice, to trigger this video! It was a little hamfisted, for as much as I liked the soundtrack, story, and atmosphere.

The final part of the game with the infinite-ammo gun was the most engaging part, but even that was bogged down with the lack of map, and totally bullshit corridor mazes (like, 8 in a row), with no defining features to guide you.

I'd play through again to see if it's better a second time. However, I'm having my suspicions that D2 is the best Eno game to actually play (which I haven't yet).

[Obiwanshinobi]

I need to namedrop Baku Baku (Animal) - at that particular point Sega as a games developer for their own console(s) got interesting for me.

Konami Antiques MSX Collection Ultra Pack - Pippols is the only shmup I care to play there, but Antarctic Adventure has aged astonishingly well (I consider Penguin Adventure - also included - a spin-off rather than sequel). Oh yes, there's the original MSX Parodius, but MSX' horizontal scrolling makes it feel too antiquated for my liking.

[Limbrooke]

In this day and age, has it finally been settled which import Saturn game is the rarest? Way back when (10 years ago or so), it used to be Stellar Assault SS and Taromaru. According to this very (old) thread, evidence (i.e. print runs) suggests Liquid Kids/Mizubaku Daiboken.

This is purely anecdotal evidence on my part, but the hardest to find - yet playable - game I can think of is Tryrush Deppy. That is one tough game to get a hold of, especially with the spine and registration cards. Super Tempo seems rare as well and so does Final Fight Revenge, somewhat surprisingly.

P.S. Necrobump!

I wish I could recall the citations for those print runs I state but it’s been 7 years since I’ve thought about it and regrettably nobody requested a source, nor did I provide one (like a secretive POS). I know I had good lead so should I get that information I will provide it going forward, just don’t hold your breath.

As for Mizubaku Daibouken, it was the last game VING ported (Saturn or otherwise) and perhaps was released in small quantities due to uncertainty of sales numbers, which could have been projected from the previous released titles. Granted, EAR/EA2 and Bubble Symphony are superb and extremely well coded yet don’t have much in the bonus department which might offset potential sales. I just know not much has changed since I began looking for a copy, finding a copy and the present time – it’s uncommon.

Tryrush Deppy I recall seeing in greater number some years ago but that seems to have tapered off. I cannot speak to that effect on Super Tempo as I never paid any attention to it until recent times. Both are certainly seldom seen and now command +$100 amounts. For comparison checking ebay:

Code: Select all

Mizubaku Daibouken – copies sold 0, copies listed 2
Tryrush Deppy – copies sold 2, copies listed 0
Super Tempo – copies sold 3, copies listed 2

YAJ has no copies of MD
YAJ has no copies of ST(but there’s a spinecard!)
YAJ has no copies of TD

In contrast:

Code: Select all

Shinrei Jusatsushi Taromaru – copies sold 4, copies listed 8
Stellar Assault SS – copies sold 4, copies listed 6

YAJ has 1 copy of SJT
YAJ has 2 copies of SASS

As mentioned, Taromaru continues to command very high prices and can be found if you’re willing to pay the cost. It’s a strange situation but has remained consistent over the years. Stellar Assault SS has stayed consistent as well and surely is uncommon – I used to seek it out but could never find a good enough deal on it.

Really, if one doesn’t have a source all I can say regarding print runs is that its possible hearsay. I don’t follow print runs much anymore but recently I was a apart of a discussion with a former developer and they casually mentioned how Nintendo approved ridiculously low print runs towards the end of the GameCube’s lifespan. Chaos Field (NTSC-U/C) is one they suggested has 10,000 copies around which I was really surprised by considering I used to see it regularly back in 2009 in bargain bins new for $9.99. This showcases not always the rare or supremely uncommon command the highest price as even CF can be sought under $20 used now. Another low run GameCube title is Chibi Robo although nothing specific, just “very low”. On the other hand there used to be information on SNES era print runs which seems to slip by the way-side. A good comparison here is Uniracers vs EarthBound. Both came out around the same time yet both had very different journeys to the present day outcome. Ultimately, Uniracers sold like the dickens but was never pencilled in for a Player's Choice run or anything further thanks to the lawsuit loss to Disney/Pixar and it's rumoured to be no more than 300k. EarthBound on the other hand had high expectations and big backing from Nintendo while ultimately a failure as a result of a combination of factors and it too likely was stopped around the same number. Prices between the two (now) are staggering but it's mostly a product of supply and demand. EarthBound saw a wave of ressurgence thanks to Smash while Uniracers was swept under the rug by all but those who bought/rented in during it's heyday.

Metal Black Saturn isn’t too hard to find. There’s currently 23 listed on ebay (12 sold). The original as I recall was more prolific than the Satakore re-release (YAJ seems to support this) but either way, it’s price has gone up a tad since I used to frequently examine.

Looking back on my recommendations 7 years later...

Taito Chase H.Q. Plus S.C.I (short but sweet)
Tenchi wo Kurau 2

For shame, I sold both of these games but really should have only gotten rid of CHQ+SCI. It's not arcade accurate at all (it's entirely new) and the handling is supreme bullship. It is (was) very uncommon and used to be cheap and obviously is outdone elsewhere (Taito Memories) so I'd avoid that. Tenchi wo Kurau 2 I sold before I knew about the super-moves, pointed out by Ganelon some years ago... I'm sure BIL will dig the video. And for the record, that topic (http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18835) has lots of great Saturn info too.

[EmperorIng]

If Taito Chase HQ + SCI controlled like SEGA AGES Outrun, it would be perfect. The port's sloppy handling infuriated me. Absolutely no consistency with car handling. I sold it with heavy heart since I am such a Taito fanboy. Night Striker S is all I need for Taito scaler action. And maybe Vertexer one day, too.

[null1024]

Here's the Saturn games I enjoy:

* Bulk Slash [the best, hands down -- it's Ranger X, in 3D, with anime girls as navigators to collect and it's fucking ace, very solid looking visuals, uses the Saturn's mode-7 style background scaling to great effect for the ground, only thing that bothers me about the visuals is the pre-rendered mech you pilot, haha].
* Virtual On [there's better versions, but this has somewhat different properties and other than the framerate, I like the way it looks; the control also feels pretty nice considering the game is completely not designed for the Saturn controller -- also, if you and a friend have Saturns, NetLink adapters, actual phone lines, and NetLink enabled versions of the game , you can play over a phone connection, which is pretty neat :Y ].
* Keio Flying Squadron 2 [it's easy, but it's cute and fun -- I got this for $38+shipping two years ago on Amazon, the price is kind of steep these days].
* Panzer Dragoon [this is probably the best of the early Saturn titles and it's pretty cheap to get -- looks pretty nice too, only problem at all is it being fucking 20 FPS, and it's been a while since I played Zwei, but IIRC that game also runs at 20].
* I like Taromaru, but I will never own the damn game because it's crazy expensive. If you can play it somehow, go play it. It's coooool.
* Fighting Vipers is loads of fun, but you can get a more arcade accurate port these days, same with VF2 [which still looks gorgeous on the Saturn, 60fps 480i, very clean looking -- Fighting Vipers runs in 480i but doubles lines for 3D rendered elements [it also has a bunch of lighting effects, so it gets a pass -- VF2 is a bit more spartan and without any lighting]].

as for less recommended things:
* I still don't understand NiGHTS. At all. The old-ass looking 3D is cute in a way though, but it's still pretty ugly.
* I bought Burning Rangers JP, but not understanding the directions is a big damper. It was only $18 or so though [got it in the same order as Keio to save shipping].
* Leynos 2 has not clicked with me at all. Seemed like it could be cool, but I can't bring myself to like it.

[ED-057]

This thread is missing Super Robot Wars F and NOON.

It's also missing a REPLY button. Seriously, the thread has NEW TOPIC buttons in it for some reason but the REPLY button is gone (except for "reply with quote")

[Pretas]

* Leynos 2 has not clicked with me at all. Seemed like it could be cool, but I can't bring myself to like it.

It's very balanced and accessible right up until the truck escort mission, at which point it completely falls apart. You need to play extremely precisely to prevent the truck from being bombed to death.

[BIL]

* Panzer Dragoon [this is probably the best of the early Saturn titles and it's pretty cheap to get -- looks pretty nice too, only problem at all is it being fucking 20 FPS, and it's been a while since I played Zwei, but IIRC that game also runs at 20].
* I like Taromaru, but I will never own the damn game because it's crazy expensive. If you can play it somehow, go play it. It's coooool.

It's been ages for me too, but I definitely recall Zwei running a lot smoother than the first game's painful chop. I've got Zwei but have yet to pick up the original for this reason... gonna get it at some point, though. I even managed to adjust to friggin Star Fox after SF64, haha.

Taromaru is perhaps the best expensive game ever. Fuck a Majuu Ou! Well, Majuu is cool... but Taro is bona fide sidescrolling action royalty in an unfortunately barren gen. Little Ralph (PS1) is up there too.

+100000000000000 Bulk Slash, it's a m a z i n g. I consider it the Saturn equivalent of Silent Bomber or Omega Boost on the PS1. Pure arcadey fun expertly designed around the limitations of early 3D. Vintage mecha anime aesthetic is so wonderful. That boss BGM, oh my god.

[Kiken]

It's been ages for me too, but I definitely recall Zwei running a lot smoother than the first game's painful chop. I've got Zwei but have yet to pick up the original for this reason... gonna get it at some point, though. I even managed to adjust to friggin Star Fox after SF64, haha.

Zwei definitely runs smoother than the original. It also supports anamorphic widescreen (Nights has this option as well).

[hien]

+100000000000000 Bulk Slash, it's a m a z i n g. I consider it the Saturn equivalent of Silent Bomber or Omega Boost on the PS1. Pure arcadey fun expertly designed around the limitations of early 3D. Vintage mecha anime aesthetic is so wonderful. That boss BGM, oh my god.

So true. I think it's the best looking 3D game on the console, which is especially impressive since it manages to achieve that while not sacrificing a fluid framerate for those visuals. Burning Rangers may have been a bigger technical achievement (if that is even true. no clue about that) but what's it worth when the game is almost unplayable?

Still looking for Stellar Assault. Looks pretty neat too, even despite those big black bars.