Few Saturn related queries

[Neon]

Quality ports? Be nitpicky, please.

- Vampire Hunter (ramcart? If not, I'll play on PS2)
- Rainbow Islands (Bubble Bobble/Rainbow Islands)
- Power Drift
- Waku Waku 7 (just for the graphics)
- Salamander 2 (transparencies?)
- Sexy Parodius (vs. PSX?)
- Magical Drop 3 (vs. PSX? Still haven't gotten around to getting it)
- Real Bout Special

I plan on 1ccing all my games eventually, so I want the best ports possible. Let me know if a better one exists...

Also, about Outrun, how do I switch it to 60 fps? Also, what's 'overseas mode?' I have the Japanese version which is probably different from the sega ages 3 in 1.

Sega Touring Car seems to have very touchy control...is it any better with the analog pad/racing wheel? I bet racing wheels for SS are cheap now...am I nerd enough? You bet.

Am I missing out on any worthwhile racing games for the system? I have Daytona, Outrun, STTC, and Sega Rally already. Dunno if I'll get Daytona CCE. I only play the first level of original Daytona.

It'd be really nice if they ported all the model 2 games to ps2, arcade perfect. I can't get the PC versions to run on this machine. I remember Tie Fighter and Aces over Europe rocking all kinds of face back in the day and I can't run those on this either...might have to find an old PC for cheap.

[Danny]

Real Bout Special is an awsome port, I happen to own the game and there is very little differance from the arcade verson to the Saturn verson also as an added bonus Howard Geese is already playable on the Saturn verson and you also get this video for completing the "Saturn" mode.

If you want a complete review of this, I have reviewed the game here!

Hope that helps.

[Marc]

Not sure about 60fps, but I know Jpn/Europe modes have completely different stage layouts. I think all the Saturn versions let you switch between the two modes in options. Great, great conversion.

Waku Waku 7 is horrible. Gameplay isn't too bad, but visually it misses so much detail, colour, size and animation it isn't even funny. A decent enough attempt, but it's a game that should have gotten a DC prot if any.

Power Drift... not too bad. Depends how much of the coin op you played. Not as good a conversion as Out Run, much better than Galaxy Force 2. Not perfect, but pretty close, the only better port is the Yu Suzuki Game Works disc on DC.

[Kiken]

Vampire Hunter does not require or use any RAM expansion carts. It does have the awesome Debug Mode though, which allows you to shift the music, backgrounds and intro back and forth between the first and second game (Full Animation can be turned on here, although you need to do character-vs-same-character to see it in action... which goes to show that had it been a 1-Meg cart game, it would have been damn-neat perfect). Not to mention it has two display modes, Saturn and Arcade. The Saturn port is amazingly smooth and responsive, playcontrol-wise.

I do want to play the PS2 version though for sake of comparison (especially since I picked up one of the PS2 Saturn Pads).

Also, Saturn Vampire Hunter is cheap. The import normally sells for less than $20.

[Shatterhand]

For racing games on Saturn...

There's Manx TT Superbike. It has only 2 tracks (Though you can play them reversed), and it's not as good as Sega Rally, but its very enjoyabe, and a real challenge in single player mode.

And IMO the best racing game on Saturn is Street Racer. It's one of those Mario Kart clones, but its just EXCELLENT, and very challenging too.

For Bubble Bobble featuring Rainbow Islands...

Well, you asked me to be nitpicky, so lets go

The game take too long to show too many logos in the beginning (Acclaim, Probe, Taito), which is annoying. Then there's an AWFUL colorful intro, which thank god, can be skipped.

After that, you can choose what game you want to play, then you wait a few seconds up until it loads.

Bubble Bobble is nearly identical. There's a small loading time between the intro showing "Now, it is a beginning bla bla bla" and the main game, but its very small. It just feels strange when you are used to the music of that part linking directly to the music in the main game... here you have a small pause before the music switches.

The music sounds a little bit different, but not too much. Some sprites seems to have more colors on it, but it may just be my memory failing on me. Other than that, the game plays identical to the arcade one, as far as I can remember. The game DOES NOT seems to have the "Super" mode... unless its turned on in a different way from the Arcade version... I have no idea if this means theres also no 2 players real good ending. (I have never finished it in any mode).

Hmm.. there's a skip level cheat for it, maybe I could use it to check it out all the endings.

There are 2 versions of Rainbow Islands... the "normal" one and an "enhanced" one. The only difference between both versions , as far as I can tell, is that enhanced has better graphics, with more colors. backgrounds, etc etc. It looks real nice without hurting gameplay.

The 1st thing you notice when you play this version is how FUCKED-UP the sound is. The music is very different from the arcade one (And no, it's not the music from the "Extra" version... its the music from the original version, but completely fucked-up), and there are sounds effects missing.

Except by the music, the game seems to be identical to the arcade ("normal" mode has identical graphics). I cant tell much about this port, because I can't stand the horrible music, so I havent played it all that much. I have no idea if it has all the secret levels (To be quite honest, I never saw the super-good-excellent ending of this game, because I SUCK at it).

Now I wish they had added Parasol Stars to this. Then it would be the perfect compilation. And at least I was GOOD in Parasol Stars Hope my insight was helpful in any way.

[Marc]

The 1st thing you notice when you play this version is how FUCKED-UP the sound is. The music is very different from the arcade one (And no, it's not the music from the "Extra" version... its the music from the original version, but completely fucked-up), and there are sounds effects missing.

Except by the music, the game seems to be identical to the arcade ("normal" mode has identical graphics). I cant tell much about this port, because I can't stand the horrible music, so I havent played it all that much. I have no idea if it has all the secret levels (To be quite honest, I never saw the super-good-excellent ending of this game, because I SUCK at it).

I think it was re-arranged because of the 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' resemblance. In between the two releases we got ourselves into a hibit of suing anyone's ass for everything and nothing, hence the change.

[Acid King]

Waku Waku 7 is horrible. Gameplay isn't too bad, but visually it misses so much detail, colour, size and animation it isn't even funny. A decent enough attempt, but it's a game that should have gotten a DC prot if any.

I second this opinion. The real problem I had with this game was the loading times and the grotesque amount of slowdown when any of the larger characters are used. The final boss fight runs so poorly it's not even funny.

[Recap]

Quality ports? Be nitpicky, please.

- Vampire Hunter (ramcart? If not, I'll play on PS2)

Amazing port. It has animation cuts, noticeable loading times and still, you won't care due to its awesomeness. PS2 version displays upscaled graphics and looks quite poor.

- Power Drift

Not perfect, as somebody said. Some problems displaying the whole game area on screen. Better than the DC version, thoe, since it's true low-res.

- Waku Waku 7 (just for the graphics

)
Since slowdowns are part of the graphics, quite dissapointing.

- Magical Drop 3 (vs. PSX? Still haven't gotten around to getting it)

The SS version is a special edition of the original arcade game, hence its subtitle "Toretate Zoukangou!". Some modes are a bit different, difficulty is lower and has pretty evident animation cuts. PS is another different "special edition" with even more animation cuts, if I recall.

- Real Bout Special

Not too good as a port, as most of SNK's 32-bit games. Animation cuts, crappy sound quality and some control problems.

I plan on 1ccing all my games eventually, so I want the best ports possible. Let me know if a better one exists...

MAME ones.

Vampire Hunter does not require or use any RAM expansion carts. It does have the awesome Debug Mode though, which allows you to shift the music, backgrounds and intro back and forth between the first and second game (Full Animation can be turned on here, although you need to do character-vs-same-character to see it in action... which goes to show that had it been a 1-Meg cart game, it would have been damn-neat perfect).

It was a CD+ROM cartridge combo much like KOF95 in development stages, but they prefered not to release it at the end.

Not to mention it has two display modes, Saturn and Arcade.

Not really "two display modes", but an option to use the extra portion of the game area which actually is not displayed due to SS/CP-S resolution differentiations.

I think it was re-arranged because of the 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' resemblance. In between the two releases we got ourselves into a hibit of suing anyone's ass for everything and nothing, hence the change.

You're right. More than a "resemblance", Rainbow Islands' music was clearly based on that song.

[PaCrappa]

Just an FYI, the MVS carts for RBS and Waku Waku 7 usually cost less than the Saturn versions. The RBS on Saturn is so so, but Waku Waku got severely fucked over.

Pa

[LoneSage]

Ironically, one of my most-played games for the Saturn is Sega Ages Outrun. Ace game, perfect port with choices of overseas and Japan modes (Overseas mode lacks the brick columns found in Japan mode, I guess because Sega of America thought the repeating brick patterns were too hard for American gamers? I think more info can be found at klov, I know it has a side-by-side comparison of the track layout there), and the remixed music is a slice of sweet baby Jesus. Splash Wave, man. Splash Wave.

The backgrounds seem really fucked up in WW7 for some reason (heavily pixellated), other than that everything's there.

RBFFS has sucky loading like every other SNK game on the Saturn. Couldn't tell you if there are any missing frames of animation, I heavily doubt it though. Guys at neo-geo.com could help you out more with this than I can.

[antime]

Also, about Outrun, how do I switch it to 60 fps?

By soldering a video mode switch to your Saturn, or by getting an American or Japanese console.

[professor ganson]

Strong showing by the shmups members in this post. The knowledge runs deep.

[E. Randy Dupre]

Also, about Outrun, how do I switch it to 60 fps?

By soldering a video mode switch to your Saturn, or by getting an American or Japanese console.

Nice attempt at sarcasm, genius, but somewhat pointless, given that Neon's already talking about getting hold of a bunch of JPN-only games - I think we can safely assume that he's got a Saturn that'll run in 60hz.

There's actually a cheat code to get the Sat conversion of Outrun to display 60fps, rather than the arcade original's 30fps, which'd be what he's asking for. According to GameFAQs, you need to highlight 'Game Mode', press and hold A anc C, then press either left or right on the d-pad.

As for Daytona: CCE, don't go anywhere near it. It's awful. The handling's a shambles and doesn't resemble either the arcade original nor the first Saturn version. It's just not Daytona - all it's got are the tracks. And you've already got those, so it's utterly pointless. It might be a passable racing game, but as a conversion of Daytona it's a catastrophe.

[BIG]

I prefer the Saturn version of Vampire Hunter to the PS2 version,due to the resolution differences. The loading time,while they are present ,aren't too shabby at all. All this,plus the fact that the Saturn vers. can be had at a bargain makes it a no-brainer purchase.

The Saturn SNK ports are decent for what they are,but be forewarned. The audio samples are downright HORRIBLE.

B-

[antime]

Nice attempt at sarcasm, genius, but somewhat pointless, given that Neon's already talking about getting hold of a bunch of JPN-only games - I think we can safely assume that he's got a Saturn that'll run in 60hz.

It wasn't. Since the overwhelmingly most popular way of running imports is through cartridges that question comes up quite often. Sorry if that misunderstanding ruined your life.

[Neon]

Thanks for the responses.

I think I'll go with PS2 Vampire Hunter...lowres is nice but loadtimes are more of an irritation for me.

Shame about RBS. Hopefully that'll come out on PS2 somehow.

There's actually a cheat code to get the Sat conversion of Outrun to display 60fps, rather than the arcade original's 30fps, which'd be what he's asking for. According to GameFAQs, you need to highlight 'Game Mode', press and hold A anc C, then press either left or right on the d-pad.

Ugh, of course I should have checked there! Thanks.

[elbarto]

Bubble Bobble
The collectibles don't seem to follow any kind of pattern, compared to the arcade version. How big a problem this is depends on how much you've played the arcade version I guess.

Sexy Parodius
PS and SS are damn near identical as far as I can tell. The PS version will run you a lot more as well as being much harder to find.. stick with the SS one