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An SSD can resurrect your old Sega Saturn and Dreamcast consoles
Terraonion's MODE can replace the optical drives of Sega Saturn and Dreamcast consoles, with no soldering skills required.
The Switch needs more Saturn games like ‘Panzer Dragoon’
If you love the Sega Genesis (or the Mega Drive, depending on where you live), there are countless ways to get your 16-bit fix. You can boot up a modern compilation, play them for free on your smartphone, or, soon, buy an adorable microconsole that plugs straight into your HDMI-equipped TV. The Sega Saturn, though? That's a trickier proposition. A smattering of games have been re-released on PC and Xbox. The vast majority of the console's library, however, is inaccessible unless you own the original hardware or want to dive into the legally murky world of emulation.
Seven Sega Saturn oddities you never played
It was 20 years ago today that Sega released the Sega Saturn, the US video game industry's first and only surprise console release. Tom Kalinske, Sega of America's CEO at the time, walked out onstage at E3 and announced to a theater full of game publishers, journalists and store owners that its new console was available right now for a whopping $400. If that seems like an insane business plan, it was; Saturn was so rushed to market that its scant few games didn't even have titles printed on their case's spines. Expensive and difficult to developer for, it was quickly buried by the popularity of Sony's PlayStation. The sad truth is that while the Saturn wasn't a hit here in the US, it actually enjoyed a healthy following in Japan thanks to an abundance of excellent games that only made it out in that region. Here are seven curios for Sega's maligned machine that make it a must for fans of the obscure.
This guy wants $164,000 for his gigantic video game collection
Do you have $164,000 handy? If so, you can snag nearly every retro console game since the beginning of the NES era. Ebay seller "reel.big.fish," also known as Nintendo Twizer, is selling a positively massive collection of games and consoles, spanning everything from the NES to Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Game Gear, Game Boy and much more. He claims to have complete sets of every single game for Super Nintendo, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Virtual Boy, 32X, Sega Master System, Game Gear and NES (except for Stadium Events), in addition to several incomplete sets for other consoles, notably a hefty Sega Genesis collection. On top of all the games, there are also multiple variants of various consoles, including every single N64 color. There's far too much to list here – almost 6,000 games – so you may as well watch the video above, and you can also peruse the master list of every single game in the collection. The catch is that it's all being sold as a single lot, with a $164,000 asking price. That's pretty steep, to be sure, but before you scoff at the price, don't forget the crown jewel of the collection, a framed copy of "No One Wants to Play Sega with Harrison Ford," signed by artist Brandon Bird.
Mega Man X4, X5 zero in on PlayStations next month
Two of the PlayStation-era Mega Man X platformers are blasting their way onto PS3 and Vita in the next couple of weeks. The first mighty number to land is X4, which hits PSN in North America on September 2. X5 follows a week later on September 9. Capcom didn't announce prices, but hopefully the games won't cost a pretty zenny. Mega Man X4 was the first of the series to ditch the SNES and take full advantage of the 32-bit Sega Saturn and PlayStation. Apart from PC versions from around the turn of the millennium and a mobile phone port in Japan, Capcom hasn't put out either game as a standalone on other systems until now (they did appear in the PS2 and GameCube Mega Man X Collection). Does this mean Mega Man X6-8 could be on the way too?
$15,500 not enough for Sega Pluto prototype
Roger Vega (aka YouTube user kidvid666) continues to have trouble unloading his purported Sega Pluto prototype console, one of only two rumored to exist in the world. The auction, originally listed on eBay earlier this month, has ended with a final bid of $15,500 and its reserve price unmet. As such, no money will exchange hands and Vega's Pluto will stay where it is. This is Vega's second attempt at selling the device. His first auction, listed on vintage gaming auction site GameGavel, also failed to meet its reserve with a high bid of $7,600. It may seem odd that no one is willing to drop more than 15 large and some change on what may be the rarest game console in existence – especially considering how much people have paid in the past for other historical relics – but the world of gaming archeology is more complicated than that. Since a Sega Pluto had never been seen in the flesh until a few weeks ago, one has subsequently never been sold at auction before, and therefore there's no established perception of the device's market value. Also, removing the Sega Pluto from its pedestal will trigger a giant spherical boulder to drop from the ceiling and chase whoever wins the auction, which could be a bit of a deterrent.
Sega Pluto prototype eBay auction surfaces
Roger Vega – otherwise known as YouTube user kidvid666 – didn't have much luck with his first Sega Pluto auction, which ultimately ended without meeting his goal. Now he's got the never-released console up on eBay. It's important to note that Vega's Sega Pluto has a damaged disc door and needs to be weighed down when in use, as seen in his video from last week. The auction ends on May 10 and, as of now, has no bidders. The Sega Pluto is a prototype – only two rumored to exist in the world – Sega Saturn variant, identical save for the inclusion of a NetLink modem. The modem came later as an add-on attachment for web browsing and playing online-compatible games, such as Saturn Bomberman, Virtual On, Sega Rally, Duke Nukem 3D and Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition.
One of those rumored Sega Pluto systems is up for auction
It's rumored that there are just two Sega Pluto systems on this planet – variants of the Sega Saturn featuring a built-in NetLink modem – and now, one of them is for sale. The owner of last week's second revealed Sega Pluto, username kidvid666, has a unit up for auction on Game Gavel, with bids starting at $1 and set in $100 increments. Three people have thrown in so far, with the top bid at $7,600. Remember, kidvid666 says he bought this thing for $1 at a garage sale five years ago.Kidvid666 says he's done his research on this thing's potential value and he has a hidden high reserve, but he started at $1 to get a feel for demand. At $7,600, the reserve price has not been met. Bidding closes at midnight the morning of April 26.This is the Sega Pluto with a faulty flip top; it doesn't stay closed without weight on top of it, but once it is closed the system appears to work just fine. Maybe put that tax refund to good use and check out the Sega Pluto auction on Game Gavel.
Rumor: Second 'Sega Pluto' found at a garage sale
So apparently people can just find rare, never-released consoles at garage sales now. That's how the second (and purported final) "Sega Pluto" was found, retrieved at a garage sale for a dollar "five or six years" ago by YouTube user kidvid666.Above, he explains that he didn't know it was a "Sega Pluto" until the first "Sega Pluto" surfaced online last week. His "Sega Pluto" has a damaged disc door, explaining why he has to weigh it down to play games in the video above. Beyond that, it boots up fine and appears to be in working order.The "Sega Pluto" was a prototype Sega Saturn with a NetLink modem built into the chassis. The NetLink modem was eventually released on its own as an add-on peripheral, unlocking web browsing through the console and online matches in Saturn Bomberman, Virtual On, Sega Rally, Duke Nukem 3D and Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition.
Rumor: Rare 'Pluto' prototype variant of Sega Saturn shown
Someone claiming to be a former Sega employee, calling himself Super Magnetic (after the Dreamcast game) posted pictures on the ASSEMbler forums of a device purported to be the previously unseen "Sega Pluto," a prototype Sega Saturn variant with a built-in NetLink modem. The modem was released separately, and allowed web browsing along with online play of games including Duke Nukem 3D and Virtua Racing.Super Magnetic says that this prototype, which runs North American Saturn firmware, is one of only two ever made. The American firmware, and Super Magnetic's having found this at his job at Sega of America in the Dreamcast era, both suggest that this hardware design is from Sega of America, much like the 32X.A prototype for another unreleased Sega combination system, the Genesis/32X "Neptune," was on display recently at GDC's Videogame History Museum. Previous Sega combos include the JVC-designed X'Eye, the CDX, and the Tera Drive, which combined a Genesis and a PC.
'Project Unity' is 15 fully-functional consoles in one giant box
Constructed by evil genius/mad scientist/hardware hacker Bacteria, Project Unity is a single, unified gaming console that can play Sega Master System, Neo Geo MVS, GameCube, Dreamcast, Saturn, Intellivision, Colecovision, Atari 7800, Turbografx 16, PS1/PS2, Mega Drive, NES, Super NES, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 64 and Amstrad GX4000 games.Project Unity's most impressive feature, besides the fact that it works, is that it was constructed entirely out of authentic hardware and does not make use of emulators or combo units like the FC Twin. It also manages to use a single power supply, video output and custom-built controller, regardless of the system selected.Jump to 09:30 in the video above for a demonstration of this behemoth in action, including the repurposed NES cartridges that contain different circuit boards for each controller type, or start from the beginning for some deliciously chaotic wiring shots.
'Dungeons and Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara' rated by Korean ratings board
A new Dungeons & Dragons game, Dungeons and Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara, has been classified by Korean ratings board GRB and evaluated for consumption on both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.The classification lists Capcom Entertainment Korea as the game's publisher, which implies that Chronicles of Mystara may be a bundled re-release of Capcom's classic Dungeons & Dragons brawlers Shadow Over Mystara and Tower of Doom, both of which will reportedly be announced for PSN and XBLA during PAX East, according to Siliconera.While the true nature of the game remains a mystery for now, we're keeping our fingers crossed that things will shake out the way they're looking. The last time Shadow Over Mystara and Tower of Doom were sold together was in Dungeon & Dragons Collection for the Sega Saturn, which we recently saw in a Akihabara resale shop for more than $300.
Sega introduces line of console-themed laptops
It's not quite the return to hardware production that some Sega loyalists may be hoping for, but Sega's new line of retro console-themed laptops are expensive and doomed to obsolescence, so it's kind of the same thing.Manufactured in conjunction with Japanese retailer Enterbrain, the Sega Note PC laptops come in four styles: Generic Sega, Mega Drive, Sega Saturn and Dreamcast. Your choice of style can be ordered in one of four hardware configurations, with ascending prices ranging from ¥99,750 ($1075.47) to ¥194,250 ($2094.35). The base model comes equipped with the 64-bit version of Windows 8, a 1920x1080 display, 4 gigs of RAM and a 500 gig HD, all powered by a Pentium 2020M processor, according to our friends at Engadget.It's kind of a lot of money for not a lot of computer, but each laptop is packed with Sega-branded Windows 8 themes, replete with custom system sounds. Shipment is expected to begin in June for those who either live in Japan or are brave enough to import.%Gallery-178981%
NiGHTS Into Dreams gets a sweet sixteen present: an HD re-release on XBLA, PSN, and PC [update]
Everyone's favorite surreal flying game for Sega Saturn, "NiGHTS into dreams...." is getting an HD rebirth "this fall" from Sega. Planned for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and PC, NiGHTS is an HD update of the original Sega Saturn release from 1996. Not that you weren't expecting one, of course.Beyond the beautified graphics, Sega's adding a 16:9 aspect ratio, leaderboards, Achievements/Trophies, and "an optional Saturn Mode" (which reverts the game back to 1996 graphics). No release date is given just yet beyond the amorphous "fall," but there is the snazzy new trailer above. And these screens below. And hey, if you can't wait, you could always go play the game right now on your Saturn.Update: We asked Sega whether the Christmas NiGHTS content would be part of the HD re-release, and were told, "Can't confirm anything about that yet." We have to keep an eye out in "the coming weeks," as Sega has "a lot of stuff in the air right now for this year."%Gallery-159788%
Project Unity stuffs 20 classic consoles into one: if you can't play it, it's probably too new (video)
Most gamer who want to play with more than one or two vintage console platforms often turn to software-based emulators that may or may not be above-board. How about stuffing all of the authentic hardware into one controller and one base unit? Modders at Bacteria's forums have developed Project Unity, an attempt to natively address 20 consoles across 17 actual platforms folded into a single device. The gamepad, arguably the centerpiece, includes two each of analog sticks and directional pads, along with multiple shoulder buttons and a central button grid that can either be used to steer an Intellivision or fill in for otherwise missing controls. Stuffing the unique controller hardware into one gamepad obviously presents problems with board sizes and the laws of physics, so much of the relevant circuitry sits in modified NES cartridges. Our only dismays are the lack of original Xbox support and the slightly imposing challenge of aggregating and modifying that much classic gaming componentry in one place -- if you're more concerned about convenience in your retro gaming than preserving the original feel of that Sega Master System or SNK NeoGeo, though, you've just found Utopia.
Deja Review: Radiant Silvergun
We're of the firm opinion that your time is too precious, too valuable to be spent reading a full review for a game that was already reviewed many, many years ago. What's the point of applying a score to a game that's old enough to be enrolled in the sixth grade? That's why we invented Deja Review: A quick look at the new features and relative agelessness of remade, revived and re-released games. It may not have garnered the same enthusiastic posthumous cult following as its little brother, but the Sega Saturn was a very good console -- provided you were a very specific type of gamer. Unlike its contemporaries whose processing architectures were designed to excel at 3D graphics (not 3D-glasses 3D, just, you know, polygons), the Saturn's extremely complex and unconventional processor configuration was uniquely suited for 2D, sprite-based games. While the Crash Bandicoots, Crocs, and Super Mario 64s of the period were pioneering the field of depth perception, the Saturn became a safe haven for 2D skill-based games like Radiant Silvergun. Despite the fact that it was never released stateside, Treasure's manic 1998 shooter is thought of as a definitive Saturn classic, which continues to influence contemporary shmups even to this day. Now, through the magic of XBLA, an entirely new generation of gamers are being exposed to the genesis of bullet-hell, and even after 13 years, Radiant Silvergun is still a relevant, infuriating masterpiece.%Gallery-102402%
Wooden Sega Saturn laptop sits nicely on your antique dresser
If there's one thing better than a new Ben Heck mod, it's seeing something his army of apprentices has cooked up. This time, Turkish modder c_mon has produced a striking wooden Sega Saturn laptop. It's got a 5-inch LCD screen pulled from a Sony PSOne in the lid, built-in speakers and a fan to keep things cool in the enclosure. The case copies the mould lines from the original Saturn, with the natty addition of an electroluminescent wire that puts us in mind of Tron when the device is running. Keen-eyed visitors to our gallery below will notice that the laptop's lid actually bears the logo of Saturn automobiles -- it's deliberate as the modder couldn't get his CNC (Computer Numerical Control) cutter to play nicely with Sega's curved logo. Incorrect marque or not, we can all agree it's much more handsome than previous efforts. %Gallery-133881%
Guardian Heroes remastered for XBLA this fall
If you've been intensely monitoring eBay, hoping to nab a factory-sealed copy of Treasure's rare Sega Saturn beat-'em-up, Guardian Heroes, it's time to relax. Sega revealed this morning that it intends to release the game for Xbox Live Arcade sometime "this fall," with flashier 2D visuals (HD!) and online play (both co-op and battle modes). And it won't cost upwards of $50 to get it, unlike that eBay auction you've been eying. (Our condolences to the sellers, though!) "Players have been clamoring for this treasured favorite from the Saturn days, and we cannot wait to show them what we have got for them," Sega VP of digital business Haruki Satomi noted in the announcement, calling the fan response to previous Dreamcast re-releases "overwhelming." So overwhelming, in fact, that Sega had to step back to an older console.
Sega thinking about downloadable Saturn games
Sega is already selling its Genesis library all over the place (as downloads on XBLA, PSN, WiiWare, and iPhone, and on retail collections). Dreamcast games are due this fall for XBLA and PSN. Now Sega is considering adding selections from the Saturn library to its catalog of digital releases. Yosuke Okunari, producer of the Dreamcast remakes, told GAME Watch (translated by Andriasang) that Sega might consider Saturn games in the future, though it's a different initiative from the current releases. "What we announced this time is a project where we will have consecutive releases of titles that were debuted on Dreamcast," he said. "Separate from this, we're of course thinking about ports of Saturn games. It's the same as how Sega Ages and Virtual Console were separate existences. It's not that we have no intention of porting Saturn titles, so please share your requests." Sega Ages was a series of disc-based PS2 rereleases of classic Sega titles. Coincidentally, the NiGHTSintodreams.com fan community sent out an announcement today for its campaign to convince Sega to port NiGHTS Into Dreams to modern consoles, in honor of the game's 15th anniversary. As one of the most prominent first-party games, NiGHTS has a good chance of being one of the first releases, should Sega decide to pursue Saturn ports. [Update: This post originally referred to the XBLA Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram as a Dreamcast port. It's actually a port of version 5.66, which was released as an arcade game after the Dreamcast version.]
World's first portable Sega Saturn has a face only a gamer could love
We'll start by saying that this perhaps the most aesthetically challenged portable console we've ever seen, and while it is a bit more slim than that "portable" GameCube we spied a few years back, it too is hardly pocketable. So why cover it? Because it's the first and only legitimate way to get your Fighters Megamix fix while on the go. (No, the Game.com version does not count). It was created by a modder who goes by the handle Evil Nod over at the benheck.com forums and contains what looks to be a full-sized console re-skinned and surrounded by a one of the system's optional analog controllers split in two. There's a 7-inch screen front and center and a nine volt battery 'round he back. The result ain't pretty, but we'd let it spin our Panzer Dragoon collection anytime. [Thanks, ttsgeb]
