"Perfection"

Where to start. I got a Saturn a few years ago after getting bored with my Playstation and remembering how much I enjoyed visiting Funcoland just to get a chance to play Nights Into Dreams in the game playing cabinets they had. I did a lot of research on it to make sure I purchased something that would have more than just 2 or 3 games I'd like for it, which is what happened with my Playstation. I'll begin with the system itself and then talk about the game selection, which I consider to be the most important factor of any game system.

The design of the system works pretty well. There are 2 ports for controllers and a Memory Cart slot behind the disc holder.
The system has an internal memory as well which I liked instead of having to buy memory cards repeadedly. Many think that Saturn's hardware was of much lesser quality than the Playstation which is false. The system could develop 3D graphics just as the Playstation good, it only depended on if the company was able to program it to do so easily. I don't know exact hardware specs, but check on other reviews for that.

Extras: The controllers were all great, especially for fighting games. The 3D pad which came out with Nights is all I use now, it's buttons are laid out very nicely and being able to switch between analog and the joypad is also a nice touch.
The 4-in-1 cart is essential and is a memory card which goes into the slot on top of the system. It's also a RAM enhancer and allows you to play games with almost no load time and tons of animation. It also lets you play import games which is much easier than having to mod you system or disc-swap. It's the best extra to buy for the system. It's not expensive and worthwhile alone for the amount of space it has to hold saved game data.

Game Selection: The Saturn has some of the most original and creative games to ever come out on a system. Although there are plenty of great US released games, I feel that the system is the strongest with it's imports. The 4-in-1 cart allows easy access to playing imports on any system so I'll consider the imports when discussing the games themselves.

Fighters: This system is still the best for fighting games(right in front of Dreamcast?). Both Capcom and SNK released large numbers of their arcade hits bringing the system to be the best for 2D fighters. The main difference between the Saturn and Playstation in this area is the fact that the Saturn could handle 2d much better than the Playstation can. This made most of it's fighters arcade perfect unlike the Playstation which only featured dimmed down versions of Capcom's greatest fighters.
The Street Fighter series was brought home in arcade perfect form from Street Fighter Alpha 1-3 as well as Capcom's manic VS. games which are still probably the fastest fighters out today.
Lesser known 2D fighters are also abundant on the Saturn. They include Sunsoft's hits Waku Waku 7 and Astra Superstars, and others such as Rabbit, Groove on Fight(which features 4 player tag team ability(2 on 2) if you get the 6 player extension port for your controllers) and many others. Overall the Saturn still holds the title to the best system for 2D fighters.
The Saturn's 3D fighters aren't as countless, but still some of the best. The best include Virtual Fighter 2, Dead or Alive(best looking 3D fighter on Saturn or Playstation), and Fighter's Megamix. While Tekken 3 still is one of the best 3D fighters of all time, the Playstation did no have much more to offer over the Saturn in 3D fighting.

Platformers: The system's 2D graphic ability helped bring out some of the best classic platformers available. Astal was an early Saturn game and features gorgeous graphics and great gameplay. 3 Dirty Dwarves is another platformer with unique gameplay and very nice graphics. Forget the Bug! series released early on and buy some of the better imports. Silhouette Mirage is a platformer brought out by Treasure. It's amazingly original and a very good platformer game. Super Tempo is an original and beautiful platformer which brings the ''platforming'' idea to a whole new level. The graphics alone on Super Tempo have yet to be matched by another 2D platformer that I've seen. Other games included Tryrush Deppy and Sonic Jam which is a great collection of the Genesis' Sonic games with an extra 3D sonic world thrown in. The system also featured a couple great Megaman games wih better graphics compared to their Playstation versions.

Action/Adventure: I'm going to break this section down into some sub-categories so it's easier to follow.

We'll start off with the beginning. Nihts Into Dreams is probably the flagship title for the Saturn system and is worthy of the title. The games creative ideas and visuals are worth the purchase of the system alone. Believe the hype and purchase it. Probably my favorite game created by Sonic Team yet.

Third person view:
Burning Rangers is another game released by Sonic Team and is just as unique as Nights. You're a fire-fighter with jet packs in 3D environments. It's very well done for a third person perspective(think tomb raider) action game.
Die Hard Arcade: The arcade game comes home in great form. It's fast paced and well varied in missions to be one of the better action titles. Tomb Raider was also released on the Saturn.

Mech simulators: Bulk Slash is a more rare and lesser known import but very well handled. It plays like an earlier version to the more recent Robotech games released. You are a mech in huge 3D environments such as Space and Cities and you're able to run around on the ground or transform into a jet to take out enemies on the ground. It's a great game and one of the better 3D action titles. Gungriffon is another mech simulator but more like Armored Core and Mechwarrior where your mech is slower and more similar to a tank. It plays very well and both Gungriffon 1 and 2 are probably the best mech simulators on both the Saturn and Playstation. Virtual On is another flagship title for the system and just as worthy of it as Nights is. It's a mech fighter except instead of mechs being tank-like, they are more like Gundam mechs. You play in large 3D battlefields with multiple weapons and the ability to fly. Definitely one to purchase early on.

Horror: Playstation got Resident Evil 2 which is one of the best horror games. Saturn has it's titles as well including Deep Fear which is a great thriller game featuring very similar gameplay as the Resident Evil series and great graphics.

Other: I'll throw 2 in here that I enjoy. Saturn Bomberman which can have up to 10 players at once(the best Bomberman ever released) and Bomberman Fight, a 3D Bomberman game. It features up to 4 players and is very addiciting.

If you like classic arcade style action games or adventures the Saturn has a great selection.

Shooters: There are 2 things I feel the Saturn will forever have over every other system out today, it's fighting game selection, and it's shooters. I'm not a die-hard fan of shooters but I've gathered a collection of a few I enjoy very much. Most are imports however and can fetch some pretty high prices but most are worth the price they hold. I'll start with the best, Radiant Silvergun. The graphics in this game are amazing and I have yet to play another shooter which matches this visually. The gameplay is tough but addicting and is able to be perfected. The best shooter I've played yet. Others include DoDonPachi which is a more manic shooter with a lighter touch. Twinkle Star Sprites is a very original 2 player shooter which has each player shooting it's own enemies and hoping to send more to the others side of the screen. It's worth it's price tag.
Cotton 2 and Cotton Boomerang are very creative and addicting vertical shooters. Metal Slug is another perfect shooter with great gameplay. There is countless more great shooters(including the first 2 Panzer Dragoon shooters) for the system but those are some of my favorites. If you like shooters, buy the Saturn for them alone.

Puzzles: Plenty here as well. The best in my opinion being Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo, an addicting tetris-like puzzle game featuring super deformed Capcom characters. Other hits include Baku Baku, Bust-a-move series, Magic drop series, and the Puzzle Bobble series. Great puzzle selection.

RPGs: This is one of the most argued types between Playstation and Saturn owners. I will forever value my Playstation for the FF series and Chrono Cross. However, the Saturn holds some of the best RPG's to ever be released. The best being Panzer Dragoon Saga. I'm lucky to own this game and consider it to be the greatest RPG I've played yet. The battle system is unique and the best I've encountered in a game. The graphics push the Saturn to it's 3D limits and it's beautifull. The game itself is presented in top form and deserves the price tag it now holds. If you were to spend that type of money on one rare Saturn game, this is the game to get. It's one of a kind and beats FF7 in every way. Grandia is another great RPG which is just as good as any of the FF series on PSX. The graphics are some of the best on Saturn and the story is very interesting. Guardian Heroes is the last RPG I'll discuss. It's a side scrolling type action game(similar to Streets of Rage) with RPG elements and a fantasy environment. This is another game released by Treasure and their creativity shines through. The graphics are very well done and the action is laid out well. After each stage you add to your characters stats such as magic abilities and HP. Other great RPG's include the Shining Force series, Wachenroder and Magic Knight Rayearth. Panzer Dragoon Saga is one reason alone to own the Saturn and I have yet to play a game of it's level. Believe the hype on the game and try your best to find it.

Sports: I don't know of many sports games because of my interest for them but I do own Steep Slope Sliders which is a great snowboarding game for it's time and beats out the Cool Boarders series on PSX. Good racers include Wipeout and Choro Q Park which is a kart racer.

Overall I give the Saturn a 10/10. It's memory/RAM and multi-player abilities are unique to the system and it's game selection can't be beat. Go and grab one since they're so cheap and try some of the games I listed above.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 07/09/03, Updated 07/09/03