Sega Saturn vs Playstation

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:39 pm

doodude wrote:
I hate to just flash my 'ignertness', but here goes... uh, cave, whatsa cave ?

zinger wrote:
The most popular shooting game developer to date. Representing two different branches of modern day shooting, directed by Ikeda and Yagawa respectively.

So this brings me to the next stage of my SHMUP education.

Im thinking of expanding my console/game collection & havent decided if I should go with the Sega Saturn or the Playstation.
Im thinking to stay in that semi vintage area & get more involved in the imports like, you know...CAVE games.

Ive heard good & bad about both systems. Anyone care to give an opinion?

FIL · Post by **FIL** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:45 pm

Saturn seems to have more exclusives, but the playstation has some too.

As for which has the better version of games which appear on both, that is a religious war waiting to happen.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:50 pm

PS has more console exclusives and better ports of games like DDP and Strikers II. While Saturn gets Soukyugurentai, Darius Gaiden and maybe TF5.

More/better side-scrollers on PS.

PS2 has the most Cave ports.

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:56 pm

Well, if you want to play Cave games, you should get a Japanese Playstation 2 (since that will allow you to play Playstation 1 games as well). That way you can play ALL Cave shooters ever released for console.

Donpachi and Dodonpachi (the first two Cave shooters) were also released for Saturn, but actually the Playstation ports of these games are superior.

That's not to say the Saturn is a bad system though, far from it. When it comes to shooters, you basically need to have both a PS2 AND a Saturn.

Just a few great Saturn exclusives to consider:

- Radiant Silvergun
- Layer Section (Rayforce)
- Battle Garegga
- Batsugun
- Hyper Duel
- Sengoku Blade

While on Playstation you have:

- Einhänder
- Raiden DX
- Gradius Gaiden
- R-Types
- R-Type Delta
- Zanac X Zanac

pilotwings · Post by **pilotwings** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:15 pm

How is the playstation port of dodonapahi better?

Better graphics surly don't mean a better game right?

People say the playstation port plays the hardest cause it's faster or something but that can't be a good thing.

Plus you can pick different ships in 2 player mode with sat version.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:17 pm

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:25 pm

pilotwings wrote: Better graphics surly don't mean a better game right?

If two games are otherwise identical, then yes, better graphics mean better game. It's quite simple.

pilotwings wrote: People say the playstation port plays the hardest cause it's faster or something but that can't be a good thing.

And which people might be saying that? The people who don't know that you can turn on "wait" in the PS DDP?

pilotwings wrote:you can pick different ships in 2 player mode with sat version.

Like most shmups, DDP isn't really meant to be played with 2 players anyway, so that point is moot.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:25 pm

First, note that you will need an *import* system, whether you choose PS1 or Saturn. Since you're interested in Cave games, you most definitely want to get a Japanese PS2. Alien Soldier has a beautiful one for sale in the Trade Forum.

As for PS1 vs. Saturn, opinions around here vary considerably. I am firmly on the PS1 side for reasons I've gone through many times before. Saturn is terrific for arcade ports. But if you have a nice MAME set up, then I doubt it's your best bet. Again, a Jap PS2 is definitely preferable-- or a Jap PS3 with backward compatibility.

zinger · Post by **zinger** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:52 pm

pilotwings wrote:How is the playstation port of dodonapahi better?

mmm, sig.

Kiken · Post by **Kiken** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:27 pm

Ceph wrote:
pilotwings wrote: People say the playstation port plays the hardest cause it's faster or something but that can't be a good thing.
And which people might be saying that? The people who don't know that you can turn on "wait" in the PS DDP?

It's still annoying that you can't save this setting.

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:29 pm

Does either system have an adapter of some kind in which to play imports on US systems?

Post by **spadgy** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:40 pm

I prefer the Saturn over the PS1 for shmups, but the PS2's definately the one for me right now, regardless of whether I'm being hardcore or not.

Saturn - loads more shooters on the JAP Saturn of decent quality and cultish status, but you'll need more spare cash and more time to waste on eBay and hunting down imports. US/UK Saturn? Better of with a PS1 probably.

PS1 - a smaller number of shooters but cheaper and easier to find in general.

That's my humble opinion anyway, and it's only opinion - there's no wrong or right I think...

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:23 am

doodude wrote:Does either system have an adapter of some kind in which to play imports on US systems?

The most common way for Saturn (aside from modding) is using one of the Action Replay carts (I forget which one is considered "best") - on PS1, again aside from modding, there are boot discs you can use. Of course, buying an import system solves that problem anyways.

As a few others have suggested, a Japanese PS2 would probably be my first choice, since you basically get 2 systems' worth of shooters there, though I'd definitely recommend picking up a Saturn too. Both systems are definitely worth having for shmuppers.

Fighter17 · Post by **Fighter17** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 1:02 am

Don't forget that Gradius Gaiden, Gradius Deluxe Pack, Toaplan Shooting Battle runs on the PS2 with problems.

And besides, the best of the both worlds just get both.

It's impossible just to keep one.

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 1:23 am

spadgy wrote:PS1 - a smaller number of shooters but cheaper and easier to find in general.

Actually, there are more Shooters for PS1 than for Saturn!

Post by **spadgy** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 1:55 am

CIT wrote:
spadgy wrote:PS1 - a smaller number of shooters but cheaper and easier to find in general.
Actually, there are more Shooters for PS1 than for Saturn!

I'm happy to learn you're right, but for my tastes there are more high quality shmups on the Saturn. That's what I was trying to imply with that post as a whole. But yes - there's still loads of good shmups on the PS1 - I just don't own enough

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 2:09 am

Gameshark will also enable import playing on a Saturn. Press and hold X, Y, Z, and press start twice.

pilotwings · Post by **pilotwings** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 2:22 am

Ceph wrote:
pilotwings wrote: Better graphics surly don't mean a better game right?
If two games are otherwise identical, then yes, better graphics mean better game. It's quite simple.

pilotwings wrote: People say the playstation port plays the hardest cause it's faster or something but that can't be a good thing.
And which people might be saying that? The people who don't know that you can turn on "wait" in the PS DDP?

pilotwings wrote:you can pick different ships in 2 player mode with sat version.
Like most shmups, DDP isn't really meant to be played with 2 players anyway, so that point is moot.

Like I said slightly better graphics don't make a better game.

Check this out for style! "If two games are otherwise identical", then yes 2 different ships in 2 player means better game. It's quite simple.

And your comment about dodonapahi not meant to be played in 2 player is very meh!

Also im not talking about wait in the options. Do you need to use a stupid wait in the saturn options? No you don't cause the saturn version isn't being silly!

=Ceph gets owned by pilotwings

CMoon · Post by **CMoon** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 2:22 am

Simple, get a saturn + cart, and also get a modded PS2 (the only truly important games you are missing this way are Toaplan shooting battle and Gradius Gaiden, but by that point you'll want to pick up a japanese ps1 anyway and just commit your entire income to shmups.)

Seriously, the money spent on a modded ps2 AND a saturn + cart will never be regreted. Possibly the two best shmup consoles of all time.

Edit: PS-the pachis are better on the PSX, but dodonpach is (verses donpach) less debatable. Both versions of dodonpach are extremely playable, but the PSX version is the SEX!

Strider77 · Post by **Strider77** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 2:24 am

Just get both, the PS route will be the more pricey route if you get a PS2/import. But a US saturn will cost you next to nothing, like 30.00 dollars, thats less than a game itself in alot of instances.

In the grand scheme of it all 30.00 extra dollars ain't that much more to open the door for saturn titles as well.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 3:23 am

Specineff wrote:Gameshark will also enable import playing on a Saturn. Press and hold X, Y, Z, and press start twice.

I didn't even have to do that to get an import working. I just started the game normally from the Gameshark menu. However, I don't recommend using the Gameshark since the board is very thick and has sharp edges.

For Saturn imports, I recommend the Action Replay 4m Plus Auto. It seems NCSX and play-asia might have custom versions, so I recommend ordering form either seller. I ordered from PA. Vampire Savior, once a problematic game, works great and the board on the one I ordered from there actually has a thinner PCB than the official 4m cart.

bVork · Post by **bVork** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 5:15 am

Oh god, not the Saturn vs PSX Dodonpachi debate again. Everything you could possibly want to know is right here.

Personally, I prefer the PSX version. The graphics are that much closer to the arcade version and, with wait activated it plays damn near the same. It's pricier but I think the near-arcade-perfection is worth the extra cost.

jp · Post by jp » Tue Dec 18, 2007 7:30 am

I will (obviously) say Saturn because of the higher quality of gaming. Radiant Silvergun, Hyper Duel, Battle Garegga, Batsugun, Cotton 2, Cotton Boomerang, Rayforce (aka Layer Section aka Galactic Attack), and (one of my personal favorites) Blast Wind are exclusive.

And then Soukyuugurentai, Sengoku Blaede (?), Gunbird, Shienryu, Darius Gaiden, Metal Black, and Thunder Force V are all superior on the Saturn.

Donpachi is horrible (as a port). Dodonpachi is an alright port.

Saturn also has the best version of Twinkle Star Sprites. So, there.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:23 am

jp wrote:Sengoku Blaede (?) ... are all superior on the Saturn.

You don't know if it's on the PS but you do know it's superior on Saturn. Not surprised, but.

And it's Blade, no matter what one typo on the package says. Come on, people.

jp · Post by jp » Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:47 am

Rob wrote:
jp wrote:Sengoku Blaede (?) ... are all superior on the Saturn.
You don't know if it's on the PS but you do know it's superior on Saturn. Not surprised, but.

And it's Blade, no matter what one typo on the package says. Come on, people.

Well gee Rob, I also mentioned Metal Black, I guess I think thats on the PS too eh?

The correct answer is:
I was referring to the PS2 versions. Since I believe the Saturn version of Sengoku Blade has an extra character.

P_HAT · Post by **P_HAT** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 9:50 am

You can spend 300$ for Gaia seed on PS = auto win

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:09 am

jp wrote: I was referring to the PS2 versions. Since I believe the Saturn version of Sengoku Blade has an extra character.

Sengoku Ace beats Marion in this battle.

charlie chong · Post by **charlie chong** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:26 am

o noez fanboyes alertz

as much as i love sega buy a import playstation 2 !!

@pilotwings
you do realise the bullets and enemy placement in the saturn version are slightly different in a couple of places to the pcb right??? that is why it is not as good.. still a great version but i think you are being a bit blinkered...

djvinc · Post by **djvinc** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:46 am

I think there is no general rule here. It depends on the game.
I do like the Saturn because of the true 2D console feeling, with a nice low-resolution and era-accurate silly graphics effects

Playstation versions may be better visually or musically, but there is always something on the Sony consoles that isolates you from some games...(lags, interlaced resolutions, loadings, memory limitations, controls...)

(I also think that the PCB versions are better 99% of the time. (not 100%, because of Hyper Duel

))

Post by **Shatterhand** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:15 pm

do it as me, buy both. I bought both the Saturn and the PS1 at the very same time, heh

The PS2 would be your best option indeed, currently I find it to be the best console ever for shmups. You get the whole PS1 library (Gradius Gaiden with terrible slowdown on one of its best levels unfortunately...), plus some of the best Cave games around and some other amazing more modern shmups.

Saturn has Radiant Silvergun, Sokyugurentai, Metal Black, Guardian Force and a few others... it's your choice ,would you go for a few exclusive games that are really awesome, or would you prefer a wider choice of games while missing some gems?