Playing import Saturn games on an American system...

[Guest]

Anybody familiar with the Sega Saturn already knows the extensive list of quality titles for the system(including many shooters, such as Darius II) that were released in Japan but never made it to America.

I have an American Saturn...the one with the round power buttons. My question is, how do you go about playing Japanese games on it? I've heard that there are a few different methods, including modifying your system, however, I don't want to get into that. Is there a bootup CD you can use, or even an adaptor that plugs into the cartridge port?

OR, is it possible to actually use a Japanese Saturn on an American television set, with proper adaptors?

[Zach Keene]

or even an adaptor that plugs into the cartridge port?

Several, depending on whether you just want an import converter (look for the ST Key) or import converter/ram expansion/cheat device/kitchen sink (4-in-1).

Both Japan and the US use NTSC so using a Japanese Saturn on an American TV shouldn't cause any problems either.

[BulletMagnet]

I use a Japanese PS2 on a US television with no problems, so I can't imagine a Saturn would be any different.

As for playing imports on a Saturn, I currently use an ST Key, which works well, though an Action Replay 4-in-1 should be on its way to me soon...having to take out the converter to use a memory card is a bit of a pain, not to mention I'd like to try the extra RAM out on one or two of my games.

[Ganelon]

OR, is it possible to actually use a Japanese Saturn on an American television set, with proper adaptors?

No electrical problems at all. Go right ahead (and this is true for any JP system). Or get a 4-in-1.

[Dylan1CC]

Just be warned that with the 4 in 1, some games, like Soukyugurentai will display scrambled text on their level/intro screens. Otherwise the games still play fine. But since I have a modded Saturn others can elaborate on this better.

[M0nk3y]

Yeah, as ppl have said, the simplest route is to get a 4/5 in 1 multi-cart.

I have one of these installed in my white Jpn Saturn.... Works lovely on the odd occasion it comes out of Jpn mode (to play US NiGHTs).

[mannerbot]

Isn't NiGHTs region free?

[M0nk3y]

Yeah, as Dylan said Souky will go all odd with an adapter cart. You want the Otokuyo (re-release) version as it works fine with converter carts and has a cool Garegga demo.

And I've never left the Saturn in Jpn mode with NiGHTs. Must try and see now....

[ac_slatercore]

Get a Game Shark for the Saturn. Its 4 megs, plays imports (you must hold x,y,z to start the import on the Game shark screen), and it has tons of cheat codes. I have had mine for 10 years and have never had a problem with any import.

[Diabollokus]

there are 3 saturn games that don't work on any import adaptor, 1 being panzer dragoon saga other 2 are fighting games i believe.

Theres talk of a code though.

[Ganelon]

Get a Game Shark for the Saturn. Its 4 megs, plays imports (you must hold x,y,z to start the import on the Game shark screen), and it has tons of cheat codes. I have had mine for 10 years and have never had a problem with any import.

No, don't get a Game Shark. It's great yours has proved very reliable but:

1. There's no 4 meg cart if you ever plan on playing one of those fighters that require one.

2. Pro Action Replay has all the codes from a Game Shark.

3. Anything on the Saturn saves better than stuff made by Interact, even 4-in-1's, which are assembled in HK.

As for stuff that don't work on convertor carts, the only fighter I can recall is KOF95 since it requires its own 1 meg ROM cart, which the 4 meg cart doesn't support. Since there's no way to put the cart into the Saturn when you already have a 4-in-1 in, you won't be able to play the game.

[iatneH]

I do the swap trick... but I have to region patch the iso for a burned CD :\

It's a Japanese model 1 BTW.

[antime]

As for stuff that don't work on convertor carts, the only fighter I can recall is KOF95 since it requires its own 1 meg ROM cart, which the 4 meg cart doesn't support.

There is also an Ultraman game that uses a ROM cartridge, and reportedly some Chinese unlicensed game(s) was also released on cart.

there are 3 saturn games that don't work on any import adaptor, 1 being panzer dragoon saga other 2 are fighting games i believe.

Panzer Dragoon Saga doesn't work with Action Replays or X-terminator carts, but others should work fine. But as you said, this protection can be circumvented with a cheat code or patched out if you can boot burned discs. (The protection is just to prevent cheating and reads the cart ROM for the names of the disallowed carts, so a clone import cart with only cosmetic changes to the AR ROM could still be stopped.)

[TWITCHDOCTOR]

I reccomend the ST-Key!! Its never failed me.
BTW: The round button US consoles are the ones to get.

[Shatterhand]

As for stuff that don't work on convertor carts, the only fighter I can recall is KOF95 since it requires its own 1 meg ROM cart, which the 4 meg cart doesn't support. Since there's no way to put the cart into the Saturn when you already have a 4-in-1 in, you won't be able to play the game.

Actually, that's not true. I had a friend who had a japanese KoF game (Can't remember if it was 95 or 96 now), and an ST-Key.

He used to do a "swap trick" with the carts! . What he used to do was, turn on the saturn with the st-key, then the game would start loading. When the first loading screen of KoF showed up, he would QUICKLY swap the ST-Key for the Memory expansion cart, and bingo! The game would run.

Though I believe this would probably fuck up the cartridge slot, as everyone knows that slot isn't all that good. (I NEVER take my ST-Key from the slot, still from time to time the ST-Key stop working, so I have to get it off and put it again on the slot to work again)

[Ganelon]

True, cart swapping always works. However, keep on doing it and I guarantee that Saturn will die a painful death.

Anyway, yeah, Panzer Dragoon Saga (any region on any region) works fine on a 4-in-1 with just 1 code.