Sega Saturn - Fifth VideoGame Generation Recap - Adam Koralik 

This guy should teach video game history in a college.

Some kids today have never even heard of SEGA. Its very sad what happened to them. Very sad indeed. The gaming world would be a better place with a SEGA console in it.

I got a Sega Saturn for Christmas in 1995 when I was 11. My parents got it for me because I absolutely loved my Sega Genesis and even had a 32X. That was, hands down, the best Christmas ever. It came with 3 games (Daytona USA, Virtua Fighter and Virtua Cop). I eventually got Tomb Raider, X-Men vs Street Fighter, Street Fighter Alpha 3, a DarkStalkers game, and of course NiGHTS into Dreams with the bundled analog pad. I always wanted to get Shining Force III since I was a massive Shining Force I and II fan, but could never find it. I eventually moved on to the Sony PlayStation once support for the Saturn started dwindling, but the Saturn will always hold a very special place in my heart. I certainly wish I still had mine.

SEGA's management is what destroyed the Saturn. I was SOOO pissed off during this time period. I knew all about the Saturn before the 32X hit, and I purposely didn't buy a 32X in order to save up for the Saturn. It was a good call, but that launch...wow. SEGA was always so damn reactionary. The second processor, the surprise launch, all of it. It was a disaster of biblical proportions. What’s worse, Sony destroyed the Saturn right out of the gate by basically going ‘oh hey, our new shiny 3D powerhouse, umm yeah, it’ll only cost ya $299.99. Take that bitches!’ SEGA was never able to counter that regardless of some truly amazing deal during holiday 1996, and even into ’97. You’re right on about Virtua Fighter and Daytona. Long time arcade fans such as myself were omega pissed off by those releases. They were absolutely abysmal. The whole launch line-up was just sad, this is especially true when you compare it to the PlayStation’s launch later that year. SEGA did what they could in ’96 and ’97, but when Bernie opened his mouth with that famous quote everything just stopped, and I do mean everything. I was buying N64, Saturn, and PlayStation games at that point in time, but once Bernie said the Saturn wasn’t the future of SEGA, suddenly I found myself buying N64 and PS1 games, not because I didn’t want Saturn games, it was that they just dried up overnight. You can see it too if you look at the release schedule. I own every single Saturn release from around July 1997 until the end of ’98. It’s only a handful of releases, which is so, so unfortunate. Who knows what would have happened had he just shut up. Would they have won, no, but we likely would have more games get released. All that said, the Saturn is actually one of my favorite consoles. It was the system that taught me what it means to import. I have over 150 import games for the system that I bought back when it was relevant. From shmups to fighters, to everything in-between. The arcade perfect ports of Capcom’s fighters were amazing. All my friends were jealous back in the day, and going back today to play them is a blast because they hold up so well. My favorite joystick of all time was released for the Saturn (the HSS-0130), and the last Camelot RPGs from their time with SEGA were also only available on the Saturn (Shining Force III and Shining the Holy Ark). So many fantastic memories! It’s funny you mentioned the NetLink, I was a hardcore Saturn fan and I honestly didn’t even know about it because only five games actually work with it. The funny thing is that I bought it and actually played someone online (Sega Saturn NetLink - Setting Up An Online Match). It works to this very day because it was peer-to-peer and not server based. Overall the SEGA Saturn is a console that was overlooked by everyone, but I’m super happy it has been getting more time in the spotlight over the past few years. I’m also happy I purchased all the games I did back when the system was on store shelves. Going after the Saturn collection today is no easy task considering how expensive so many of the games are. I adored this episode as you brought back so many fantastic memories. If you made it this far, all I can say is, keep up the great work! I can’t wait for the next two parts :)

When he made this video, Panzer Dragoon Saga was worth around $300-350 complete in box. It's 2022 and this game is now worth around $1,000-1,100 CIB. Insane.

Was the only kid in my village with a Saturn back in 96,but never regretted it. Fighting Vipers,Deep Fear and Resident Evil were the absolute nuts on this console.

People in america would be playing more Sega Saturn if Segata Sanshiro went to america

Man..Imagine is Sega used the hype from the Genesis to launch the Saturn and kept the idea of playing Genesis games? I think everyone who owned the Genesis would have bough the Saturn just for the cross compatibility alone.

Interesting that there was so little exposure to the Saturn in the US. It certainly wasn’t a big hit over here in the UK, but everyone was definitely aware of it (mostly as the butt of jokes). I actually knew a few people who owned one, but their interest slowly petered out when it became obvious how much it struggled with 3D games. By the time the N64 came out, the Saturn was pretty much irrelevant and most people had switched to PlayStation. It had potential, but in the end it's just another example of Sega reacting to last-generation problems instead of planning ahead.

The failure of the Saturn also came to the fact because of this: - Sega CD - Sega 32X - Sega Game Gear - Sega Nomad - Sega Pico All of these, including the Genesis and the Master System, are manufactured and released CONCURRENTLY. That's a lot of money! So basically, they squandered all of their success in excess. Not a good move.

I love how when Sega was popular over here in America, Japan hated them, but when we didn't care for Sega, they loved 'em. Go figure.

Always cool seeing people discover the greatness that was the Saturn years later.

If only Sega had waited before releasing their shit, we could have had a dreamcast 3 by now

The Model 2 controller is one of the best controllers ever made. The d-pad is fantastic for fighting games.

You know how people binge watch old TV shows? I have been binge watching Adam Koralik videos! I miss these generation recaps! Keep up the good work dude!

+ Salem the Engineer Thanks for watching! Die Hard Arcade was pretty fun.

A whole more 4 Mb of RAM?!?!?!?!? SHUP UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!!

I was also disappointed that you can't use the Saturn cartridge slot for Genesis games. Missed opportunity.

Segata Sanshiro, Segata Sanshiro, Sega Sa-aturn SHIRO!!!!! (I'm sorry, I just love that campaign) I too remember stumbling over the Saturn here in sweden in my teens. It was this weird thing. Noone I knew had one. All the demo-stations had just a strange pseudo 3D Sonic. So only recently I have found out all of these things about this console. And I really think that if they gave us the Segata ad-campaign that they ran in japan it might have done better. Because it wasn't so much that we didn't want it or that the library was bad. It was mostly, I think, that they really failed in letting us know it existed at all.

My Girlfriend and I bought the Sega Saturn for Christmas 1995 along with the driving wheel. Sega Rally 95. The Hockey game. The Golf and Hockey games and I thing maybe soccer and Bug. It was a fun Christmas I still have it today.

Great video. Made me all nostalgic for my old Sega Saturn. Surprised you didn't mention the near-perfect arcade ports of the Capcom Marvel Vs Series with the 4MB cartridge.

It still baffles me how much goodwill Sega pissed away post-Genesis.

I just pick up a Saturn today

I thoroughly enjoy your videos about all these classic video game systems. Keep up the good work, my friend.

+thehoeslaper Thanks for watching!

Maybe the Saturn would've done a bit better in America if it had been advertised with someone like Segata Sanshiro. Seriously, he was amazing!!

I know this video is old, but I recently came upon a Sega Saturn FINALLY! I passed up on two chances to get a Saturn in my life only to finally get one in 2021. I am not disappointed. The retro store I bought my Saturn at came with an Action Replay for Region Free Gaming, and the first game I bought and tried with the system was Nights into Dreams with the 3D Controller. I definitely knew about Nights, but never played it until then, and I was instantly in love. I heard so many mixed things about the Saturn's 3D Pad to the point that I was a little nervous, but it instantly clicked and I had nothing but smiles and laughter while playing. I feel the same way. I'm so disappointed with myself for passing up on this console for so many years.

I love these videos! I usually prefer more clips of gameplay but your knowledge of game history is a joy to listen to.

resident evil 1 for the saturn is the best version it has extra content that i have never seen in any other version

So the Saturn is like the Wii U.

just had to subscribe since your almost the only person talking about the Saturn, and still have a passion for it like I do, keep doing what you're doing.

I actually had one of these growing up. I knew about it because of my magazine subscription to Sega Visions. Sold my Genesis and all my games and saved up some allowances for it. I owned Daytona USA and the CCE Edition, Virtual Racing, Virtual Fighter, Sonic 3D Blast, and Panzer Dragoon. For a while you could find the games to rent at video stores. My older sisters boyfriend worked at one and would always bring me different games to try. I used to go to the Electronics Boutique at the Local mall and look at all the games for it. Eventually after a couple years or so I noticed all the games for it just kinda disappeared. Not in stores. Not available to rent. And none of my friends whom I brought over had ever even heard of the thing. Being 12 or so in 1998 I was totally ignorant to what was happening behind the scenes and eventually ended up with a N64. Great video, been watching all of these.

Guardian hero's was amazing on Saturn, not to mention Warcraft 2 was on Saturn as well.

"More of a Dead or Alive guy" I like you more and more each video, Adam.

today i finally subbed. i cant deny that you have your finger on the pulse of retro gaming in a way that nobody else does. thanks for the vids!

Dude these videos are awesome!!!! I absolutely love them. I'm going to look up your 6th and 7th generation videos next.

Fascinating console.Friend mentioned this console when I mentioned getting a Dreamcast. Really interesting

My opinion about Sega would be that they were always ahead of their time. Which hurt them cuz the world wasn't ready to change with them I guess. They took big risks. I think that everytime a technology was available they quick wanted to implement it. I commend them for having some balls and trying to raise the bar and push the industry forward. I love Sega and I hope to see another console one day. I'm sure people would definitely buy it.

The Saturn is amazing. I was lucky to have one as a teenager. Better than the Dreamcast in my opinion.

I was 18 when the Saturn launched. Bought a Japanese import machine on day 1 back in November '94. Great memories of that system, I stood by it till the bitter end and then picked up a DC on day one also. Boy do I feel old! Never bought a Sony console until 2001, I was definitely a SEGA/Nintendo fanboy back in the day.

Sega of America DESPISED the 32X and wanted to keep it out of their markets. Their resistance to Saturn was because they didn't believe in the off the shelf components, and had a competing plan to co-develop a console with Sony. In retrospect.... not a bad plan. But Sega's always been deeply dysfunctional as a company.

Probably my favorite system. The games on it are just so unique and incredible.

The Saturn is an awesome console with tons of great games. Sega management in Japan should have listened more to Kalinski in America. I've still got my launch Saturn, modded to play Japanese games with 70 games. it's my most beloved console, just ahead of my Dreamcast and Jaguar. I was at the Sega conference at E3 95 when they sprung the news. Our jaws dropped. It was megaton level shit. Love these videos, great work.

Great to see some love for the Saturn. Thank you.

Guardian Heroes was my personal favorite game for this console. Image Golden Axe and Street Fighter mashed up and made into a six player brawl fest. It was an amazingly fun party game!

I found out about the Saturn in 2008, I thought after the Genesis was the Dreamcast. lol

Another excellent video. I love seeing your videos pop up in my feed

Awesome. I designed the Dreamcast DVD sleeve you have at 26:27. One thing I did with all my Japanese Dreamcast DVD sleeves was replace GD-ROM on the back with CD-R. Pretty cool. Great video, loved every bit of it. Please keep em coming.

Sega Saturn was a console very advanced before the Playstation 1, in this time the Saturn has two modes cd and cartridges to might play boths if not have cartridges plays compact discs games, is a console with memory card 4mb first in your time , Despite the fact that Playstation 1 was the console that ends up displacing Sega Saturn this console caused a great impact in being the first to use discs and cartridges and that the Playstation extended its range of games and use a memory card twice as much that it ends up reigning and be replaced by a great Playstation 2.

1:34 Absolutely, such a shame that the Saturn and Dreamcast were ruined by outright idiotic business decisions

Another great segment Adam. Im going to share this to the SEGA Collectors FB group.

I am 25 and had one of these when I was 7 years old and had all the games you mentioned plus more and loved them. I still have that saturn to this day I just don't play it anymore..

I love my sega saturn. I play sega ages, sega rally (with the arcade racer wheel), Alien trilogy and my all time fave Bubble bobble and Rainbow islands.

In my opinion, the Saturn has some of the best composite output I’ve ever seen. Sure, composite will never be good, but even on a 4K tv I didn’t notice the artifacts as much. Is that just me?

Been watching all your videos. Most of the stuff on the older consoles I already knew but had kind of forgotten so was a good refresher. I wish you had included some actual footage of gameplay of some of your favourite games. I'm guessing there is a lot of video editing and work in general but would just be the icing on the cake. Especially some of those older consoles or rare games.

Love your videos about the consoles from each generation. Now i want a Mega Drive and Saturn all of a sudden, argh! thumbs up!

I had the saturn on UK release. Love it!

DAMN YOU BERNIE STOLAR!!!!!

I actually had a Sega Saturn when I was a kid. I choose that over the Playstation at the time. But then when Resident Evil 2 came out, I had no choice but to get the Playstation. I ended up getting the N64 last because of WWF Wrestlemania 2000 and WWF No Mercy. The games I had for the Sega Saturn were Virtua Fighter 2, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Street Fighter The Movie and Resident Evil.

I've recently started playing the Sega Saturn again after around 10 years (Even though I've owned it since release)! I'm really enjoying it! Great nostalgia! On some games I can only save on the System Memory, after realising my saves were lost once I turned off my console, I started manually coping the saves to my memory card! Thanks to your information regarding the battery I now know why my saves keep deleting! Great informative video!

I know this was a long video and there's plenty that could have been discussed that wasn't but I think it is important to address something. The Sega Saturn's failure was almost entirely the fault of Sega of Japan. They were the idiots that this video mentions. They did the stupidest thing ever which led to the sorry state Sega is in today. They fucked over the guy who was responsible for making the Genesis a success in North America. When Tom Kalinske took over as the President of Sega of America, he was promised to have full autonomy in the US. As a result, he managed to do what Sega of Japan couldn't do. He made the Genesis a success in North America. Some Japanese executives felt insulted by this America who upstaged them even though he as making them money. As the years went on, Japan started to breach that autonomy. Tom's suggestions were turned down at every corner. He insisted on using a simple, single processor architecture for the Saturn and wanted to partner with Silicon Graphics. Japan turned down the offer and insisted on their more complex design. He insisted on NOT releasing the 32X but Japan forced Sega of America to be in charge of the project. He wanted to sell the Sega Saturn for a more competitive price, which would have resulted in some initial loss of money but would have been better for gaining a foothold but he was turned down. He insisted on a September 1995 launch in order to get a marketing campaign underway, but the Japanese forced the surprise May 1995 launch. All this led to Tom Kalinske's departure in 1996 and they brought in Bernie Stolar. We all know where that went. Also, for the US, 1991 was almost like a re-launch of the Genesis thanks to Sonic the Hedgehog. Meanwhile in Japan, they were already hard at work on a next-gen console. So when the Saturn was ready Japan, the oversees markets had at least 2 years of good Genesis support left. This is why there was much conflict between Sega Japan and SOA over how much longer the Genesis should be supported for.

One thing that helped the Saturn to get some popularity in Portugal: A game show where you face an evil Identity that rules an post-apocaliptic world by playing Sega console and GAmes, and the end of each show was mostly a Virtual Fighter match lol .... OW, and DBZ also helped the Saturn (DragonballZ The LEgend for the Saturn was a game placed in the dragonball mania in Portugal around the mid 90´s lol)

most informative video about the saturn history and characteristics, thank you for the work!

Saturn was my favorite in gen 5 because of panzer dragoon saga my fav rpg of all time...but Adam i really enjoy the info blurb you spew on these vids. Keep employees coming

I never owned a playstation.. I bought a Saturn and loved it. I died inside when the Dreamcast died, I did buy a Wii but never buy another console since.

I really must thank you for mentioning Panzer Dragoon Saga in this video Adam. That got me interested in it, and after deciding neither to pay $400 for it nor import a Japanese copy that I wouldn't be able to read, I burned the game and have been playing it via the disc swap trick. Damn is it an awesome game. You said in this video that you hadn't finished it, so if that holds true today I *highly* recommend that you whip that baby out and do so. It's worth it.

Dude your awesome I've always been looking for a video about the sega saturn thanks keep up the good work

Also great video, many thanks. Owning a mega drive as a kid I remember begging my parents in 1995 when I was 7 for a Saturn, I was desperate. Used to poor over anything Saturn related in gamesmaster magazines. They bought me a pc instead which was arguably the right thing to do lol. I just finally found a mint condition Saturn for a good price so I have finally realised my dream of owning one. ;)

The reason the Tomb Raider sequels were exclusive to Playstation is because Sony paid to keep it off the Saturn so the Saturn would die. Of course Sony fanboys are ok with this, but call MS evil for making a timed exclusivity deal for Rise of the Tomb Raider.

Happy 20th Anniversary SEGA Saturn!! ^_^ ♥

awesome video as always! Great work Adam.

I got a Sega Saturn for my 16th birthday and I loved the console.

Very interesting overview Adam. Even at the time, the facepalms were so obvious by Sega, especially regarding rushed releases of important titles and overlapping / competing hardware. Sega's late adoption of 3D was strange since they were the leaders in the 3D arcade realm, and Im sure many people were excited for the release of the Saturn for the Sega Model 2 conversions. One genre not touched on was 2D fighting games. The ports of Capcom's arcade fighters were the best available, especially with the 4MB ram cart. The 2nd version of the Saturn controller still stands to this day as the best 2D - fighting pad ever made. Also the hugely disappointing conversion of Daytona was mentioned, but not the fantastic version of Sega Rally, truly one of the all time greatest console driving games.

I own Panzer Dragoon Saga :) Been offered lots of money for this

Thanks for the video, it was well put together and researched. It's interesting hearing the perspective of someone that wasn't aware of the Saturn during the era. It had a strong presence in that generation here in Australia (even if it didn't sell comparatively well to its competitors) and it was very visible to the average gamer of the period. The implication that modern gamers define that era with just the N64 and PS1 is a genuine shame as it has no merit or factual basis. The Saturn was one of the highlights of that generation despite complete mismanagement by Sega at the time. Thanks again for the video & hopefully some more people discover what a great console the Saturn is as a result. Keep up the good work!

Bless you kind sir. I recently rediscovered the Saturn after playing it way back when. Your point about sega not building any awareness of its products was spot on for my experience with it as a kid. I love that now I'm getting into it again for all the imports I never knew existed, but the process of getting them for reasonable prices is sometimes a depressing quest.

-Sega of America fucked up with the launch of the console. -Sega of Europe fucked up with the paper cases.

The Saturn had ported Capcom games better than Sony, but yeah...

Hey Adam love you Channel and everything you put out. I'm also a huge Sega fan, I had a Saturn and was proud of it around my Playstation and N64 friends but I loved this system and wished it would have stuck around because I'm still waiting for Sonic Extreme lol.

Thanks for the video! My first memory of the Saturn was when I was in 3rd grade in Toys R Us. There was a Saturn demo console with Virtua Fighter and across the aisle was a PlayStation demo console with Battle Area Toshinden. I was drawn to the Saturn but ultimately got a PlayStation a few years later as most of my friends had one. I got a white Japanese Saturn on eBay last summer pretty much so I could play X-Men vs Street Fighter and it's so much fun. My other favorite games for it are Assault Suit Leynos 2 (amazing!) and Gunbird. I ordered Layer Section yesterday so looking forward to play more Saturn games.

I actually think Astal was actually gonna be a 32X game originally. The way the game looks reminds me of the colors and design of some of the 32X games like Knuckles Chaotix.

It seems incredible that there wasn't a genuine Saturn Sonic game available at launch, never mind that one wasn't released for during the entire life of the console. However, the West/East schism probably explains it. Sonic Team was a Japanese division but Sonic was a massive success story in the US and Europe. Sega of Japan probably didn't see it as a priority especially as the Saturn was doing quite well there. I would love to have seen a 2D/2.5D Sonic game using the Saturn's 2d capabilities. While the Adventure games on Dreamcast were OK, the series definitely peaked with S3&K. A Saturn sonic game could have taken the series to a new level and built on S3&K's style of creating a sense of a huge game world to explore through its vast stages. I would have envisaged multiple pathways through to the end of the game, greatly increasing replay value.

Fantastic video yet again, Adam! You went into detail about so much I had never heard before. Great job. Such a shame the Saturn didn't do well at all, it's a great little system. Unfortunately, it was such a colossal fail over here in the UK that pretty much every person who comes to my arcade has never even heard of it, yet alone seen one. They get blown away by seeing my Saturn collection and start asking questions and want to play it out of curiosity. It's a lot of fun :) 

The one console that always stays hooked up and ready to go. Twenty plus years and it still entertains with so many unique and amazing games that it just never gets old. I fire up Christmas Nights every year around the holidays, and Saturn Bomberman is the best party game EVER! I got my "$600" worth for sure.

The 3d world in sonic jam was apparently an early prototype of sonic adventure

can u feel the sunshine?

1:34 Agreed, what a (f) management style was that! Subbed instantly. Love the Saturn (got a J one) and Sega games.

Thanks for making this video. I will definitely keep an eye out for this console. Mainly because I love collecting games that not many people know about, which is why the Original Xbox is in my top 3 consoles of all time. I'm not sure what order to put them in but my top 3 consoles of all time are the Original Xbox, Super Nintendo, and the Playstation 1. I love your videos Adam keep up the good work!

"Saturn is not our future" it's like he had a alien brain parasite that forced him to say things against his will thats the only explanation i can think of.

I wonder how the saturn would have done against the n64 if the ps1 was never released. Maybe it would have gotten ff7 and all that.

In my opinion the most graphically technical and one of the best games for the Saturn was Myst it looked utterly amazing , dear God you can put in hundreds and hundreds of hours into that game trying to figure it all out to this day I’m not sure that I ever beat it to the end

Great video Adam. Sweet memories, Thanks :)

Castlevania: Symphony of the night also had a Saturn version. Can't help but wonder if it had been an exclusive

If I want a Saturn, do you recommend just straight out buying a japanese Sega Saturn or would you still recommend buying a North American Sega Saturn with a region-unlock cartridge?

Love your Saturn collection Adam, I am soooo jealous right now :)

You have 5 Sega Saturns? I cant even find one! As always, amazing video Adam. I love these video game recap videos!

How did you live through the 5th generation without hearing about the Saturn during that time?

There's a Saturn at a local thrift store for $70. Should I get it?

I found the demo disc of panzer dragon other day this was a good little game back in the day. thanks for your video 🕹👍

Happy i asked for all gen. overviews. The farther you go back the more interested i am. :)