THE

ENCYCLOPEDIA
vol.01

copy/paste:
DaddaRuleKonge
 DaddaRuleKonge

I made this book because I like to have something to do, and I like
doing this sort of stuff. Cataloguing and stuff... This book (or PDF)
is one in a long line of PDFs I have made since 2012.

This book is a compilation of text and pictures from the internet.

Nothing is written by me, and not one picture is mine.
I made this book mostly for myself as a learning tool to get more
familiar with the Sega Saturn history and games. I have tried to
make the book well presented and easy to look through.

This book is split into two volumes as it became to large to contain

into one PDF file. I will probably start vol.02 at the moment this
PDF is done...

If you are happy with the book then please look at some of the web-
sites on the “Reference Guide” page. Find a site that you like and
give them some spending money. Or give cash to something you
believe in. A kickstarter project or something, i don`t know?
If you are annoyed, send an email to me: sennep@hotmail.com
from: Daniel aka DaddaRuleKonge
https://daddarulekonge.itch.io/

NoCopyright © 2018 by DaddaRuleKonge

All rights are NOT reserved. EVERY part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the
publisher. I do not own anything in this book. You use part of this publication on your OWN RISK though. As places in this book
may have a copyright by the original owner.
 Sega Saturn
wikipedia

The Sega Saturn is a 32-bit fifth-generation home the console, such as the Sega Virtua Processor chip
video game console that was developed by Sega and used for Virtua Racing, and eventually the Sega 32X
released on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, add-on.
1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe
as the successor to the successful Sega Genesis/Mega
Drive. The Saturn has a dual-CPU architecture and
eight processors. Its games are in CD-ROM format,
and its game library contains several arcade ports as
well as original titles.
Released in 1988, the Genesis was Sega’s entry into
the fourth generation of video game consoles. In
mid-1990, Sega CEO Hayao Nakayama hired Tom A first model Japanese Sega Saturn unit
Kalinske as president and CEO of Sega of America. Development of the Saturn was supervised by Hideki
Kalinske developed a four-point plan for sales of the Sato, Sega’s director and deputy general manager of
Genesis: lower the price of the console, create a U.S.- research and development. According to Sega project
based team to develop games targeted at the American manager Hideki Okamura, the Saturn project started
market, continue aggressive advertising campaigns, over two years before the system was showcased at
and sell Sonic the Hedgehog with the console. The the Tokyo Toy Show in June 1994. The name “Sat-
Japanese board of directors initially disapproved of urn” was initially the system’s codename during de-
the plan, but all four points were approved by Na- velopment in Japan, but was eventually chosen as the
kayama, who told Kalinske, “I hired you to make the official product name. In 1993, Sega and Japanese
decisions for Europe and the Americas, so go ahead electronics company Hitachi formed a joint venture
and do it.” Magazines praised Sonic as one of the to develop a new CPU for the Saturn, which resulted
greatest games yet made, and Sega’s console finally in the creation of the “SuperH RISC Engine” (or SH-
took off as customers who had been waiting for the 2) later that year. The Saturn was ultimately designed
SNES decided to purchase a Genesis instead. How- around a dual-SH2 configuration. According to Ka-
ever, the release of a CD-based add-on for the Gene- zuhiro Hamada, Sega’s section chief for Saturn de-
sis, the Sega CD (Mega-CD), had been commercially velopment during the system’s conception, “the SH-2
disappointing. was chosen for reasons of cost and efficiency. The
Sega also experienced success with arcade games. chip has a calculation system similar to a DSP (dig-
In 1992 and 1993, the company’s new Sega Model ital signal processor), but we realized that a single
1 arcade system board showcased Sega AM2’s Vir- CPU would not be enough to calculate a 3D world.”
tua Racing and Virtua Fighter (the first 3D fighting Although the Saturn’s design was largely finished
game), which played a crucial role in popularizing before the end of 1993, reports in early 1994 of the
3D polygonal graphics. In particular, Virtua Fighter technical capabilities of Sony’s upcoming PlaySta-
garnered praise for its simple three-button control tion console prompted Sega to include another video
scheme, with the game’s strategy coming from the display processor (VDP) to improve the system’s 2D
intuitively observed differences between characters performance and texture-mapping. CD-ROM-based
that felt and acted differently rather than the more and cartridge-only versions of the Saturn hardware
ornate combos of two-dimensional competitors. De- were considered for simultaneous release at one point
spite its crude visuals—with characters composed of during the system’s development, but this idea was
fewer than 1,200 polygons—Virtua Fighter’s fluid discarded due to concerns over the lower quality and
animation and relatively realistic depiction of distinct higher price of cartridge-based games.
fighting styles gave its combatants a lifelike presence According to Kalinske, Sega of America “fought
considered impossible to replicate with sprites. The against the architecture of Saturn for quite some
Model 1 was an expensive system board, and bring- time”. Seeking an alternative graphics chip for the
ing home releases of its games to the Genesis required Saturn, Kalinske attempted to broker a deal with Sili-
more than its hardware could handle. Several alterna- con Graphics, but Sega of Japan rejected the propos-
tives helped to bring Sega’s newest arcade games to al. Silicon Graphics subsequently collaborated with
Nintendo on the Nintendo 64. Kalinske, Sony Elec- wanted the launch to include both Clockwork Knight
tronic Publishing’s Olaf Olafsson, and Sony Amer- and Panzer Dragoon, but the latter was not ready in
ica’s Micky Schulhof had previously discussed de- time. Aside from Virtua Fighter, the only first-party
velopment of a joint “Sega/Sony hardware system”, title available on launch day was Wan Chai Con-
which never came to fruition due to Sega’s desire to nection. Fueled by the popularity of Virtua Fighter,
create hardware that could accommodate both 2D Sega’s initial shipment of 200,000 Saturn units sold
and 3D visuals and Sony’s competing notion of fo- out on the first day. Sega waited until the December
cusing entirely on 3D technology. Publicly, Kalinske 3 launch of the PlayStation to ship more units; when
defended the Saturn’s design: “Our people feel that both were sold side-by-side, the Saturn proved to be
they need the multiprocessing to be able to bring to the more popular system. Meanwhile, the 32X was
the home what we’re doing next year in the arcades.” released on November 21, 1994 in North America,
December 3, 1994 in Japan, and January 1995 in
In 1993, Sega restructured its internal studios in
PAL territories, and was sold at less than half of the
preparation for the Saturn’s launch. To ensure high-
Saturn’s launch price. After the holiday season, how-
quality 3D games would be available early in the
ever, interest in the 32X rapidly declined. 500,000
Saturn’s life, and to create a more energetic working
Saturn units were sold in Japan by the end of 1995
environment, developers from Sega’s arcade division
(compared to 300,000 PlayStation units), and sales
were instructed to create console games. New teams,
exceeded 1 million within the following six months.
such as Panzer Dragoon developer Team Andromeda,
There were conflicting reports that the PlayStation
were formed during this time.
enjoyed a higher sell-through rate, and the system
In January 1994, Sega began to develop an add-on gradually began to overtake the Saturn in sales dur-
for the Genesis, the Sega 32X, which would serve ing 1995. Sony attracted many third-party developers
as a less-expensive entry into the 32-bit era. The de- to the PlayStation with a liberal $10 licensing fee, ex-
cision to create the add-on was made by Nakayama cellent development tools, and the introduction of a
and widely supported by Sega of America employ- revolutionary 7- to 10-day order system that allowed
ees. According to former Sega of America producer publishers to meet demand more efficiently than the
Scot Bayless, Nakayama was worried that the Saturn 10- to 12-week lead times for cartridges that had pre-
would not be available until after 1994 and that the viously been standard in the Japanese video game in-
recently released Atari Jaguar would reduce Sega’s dustry.
hardware sales. As a result, Nakayama ordered his
engineers to have the system ready for launch by the
end of the year. The 32X would not be compatible
with the Saturn, but Sega executive Richard Brudvik-
Lindner pointed out that the 32X would play Gen-
esis titles, and had the same system architecture as
the Saturn. This was justified by Sega’s statement
that both platforms would run at the same time, and
that the 32X would be aimed at players who could
not afford the more expensive Saturn. According to Model 1 NA console with model 1 controller
Sega of America research and development head Joe
Miller, the 32X served a role in assisting develop-
In March 1995, Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske
ment teams to familiarize themselves with the dual
announced that the Saturn would be released in the
SH-2 architecture also used in the Saturn. Because
U.S. on “Saturnday” (Saturday) September 2, 1995.
both machines shared many of the same parts and
However, Sega of Japan mandated an early launch to
were preparing to launch around the same time, ten-
give the Saturn an advantage over the PlayStation.
sions emerged between Sega of America and Sega of
Therefore, at the first Electronic Entertainment Expo
Japan when the Saturn was given priority.
(E3) in Los Angeles on May 11, 1995, Kalinske gave
Sega released the Saturn in Japan on November 22, a keynote presentation for the upcoming Saturn in
1994, at a price of JP¥44,800. Virtua Fighter, a nearly which he revealed the release price at US$399 ($449
indistinguishable port of the popular arcade game, including a bundled copy of Virtua Fighter), and de-
sold at a nearly one-to-one ratio with the Saturn hard- scribed the features of the console. Kalinske also re-
ware at launch and was crucial to the system’s early vealed that, due to “high consumer demand”, Sega
success in Japan. Along with Virtua Fighter, Sega had had already shipped 30,000 Saturns to Toys “R” Us,
Babbage’s, Electronics Boutique, and Software Etc. a longtime arcade competitor with Sega, also unveiled
for immediate release. This announcement upset re- the Namco System 11 arcade board, which was based
tailers who were not informed of the surprise release, on raw PlayStation hardware. Although the System
including Best Buy and Walmart; KB Toys responded 11 was technically inferior to Sega’s Model 2 arcade
by dropping Sega from its lineup. Sony subsequently board, its lower price made it an attractive prospect
unveiled the retail price for the PlayStation: Sony for smaller arcades. Following a 1994 acquisition of
Computer Entertainment America president Steve Sega developers, Namco released Tekken for the Sys-
Race took the stage, said “$299”, and then walked tem 11 and PlayStation. Directed by former Virtua
away to applause. The Saturn’s release in Europe also Fighter designer Seiichi Ishii, Tekken was intended
came before the previously announced North Ameri- to be a fundamentally similar title, with the addition
can date, on July 8, 1995, at a price of GB₤399.99. of detailed textures and twice the frame rate. Tekken
European retailers and press did not have time to pro- surpassed Virtua Fighter in popularity due to its su-
mote the system or its games, leading to poor sales. perior graphics and nearly arcade-perfect console
After its European launch on September 29, by early port, becoming the first million-selling PlayStation
November 1995 the PlayStation had already outsold title. On October 2, 1995 Sega announced a Saturn
the Saturn by a factor of three in the United King- price reduction to $299. Moreover, high-quality Sat-
dom, where it was reported that Sony allocated ₤20 urn ports of the Sega Model 2 arcade hits Sega Ral-
million to market the system during the holiday sea- ly Championship, Virtua Cop, and Virtua Fighter 2
son compared to Sega’s ₤4 million. (running at 60 frames per second at a high resolution)
were available by the end of the year—and were gen-
The Saturn’s U.S. launch was accompanied by a re-
erally regarded as superior to any competitors on the
ported $50 million advertising campaign that includ-
PlayStation. Notwithstanding a subsequent increase
ed coverage in publications such as Wired and Play-
in Saturn sales during the 1995 holiday season, these
boy. Because of the early launch, the Saturn had only
games were not enough to reverse the PlayStation’s
six games (all published by Sega) available to start
decisive lead. By 1996, the PlayStation had a consid-
as most third-party games were slated to be released
erably larger library than the Saturn, although Sega
around the original launch date. Virtua Fighter’s rela-
hoped to generate increased interest in the Saturn with
tive lack of popularity in the West, combined with
upcoming exclusives such as Nights into Dreams....
a release schedule of only two games between the
Within its first year, the PlayStation secured over
surprise launch and September 1995, prevented Sega
20% of the entire U.S. video game market. On the
from capitalizing on the Saturn’s early timing. Within
first day of the May 1996 E3 show, Sony announced
two days of its September 9, 1995 launch in North
a PlayStation price reduction to $199; on the second
America, the PlayStation (backed by a large market-
day of the show Sega announced they were matching
ing campaign) sold more units than the Saturn had
this price, even though Saturn hardware was more
in the five months following its surprise launch, with
expensive to manufacture. Sony’s price reduction
almost all of the initial shipment of 100,000 units be-
was in turn a reaction to the release of the Model 2
ing presold in advance, and the rest selling-out across
Saturn in Japan at a price roughly equivalent to $199.
the U.S.
In spite of the launch of the PlayStation and the Sat-
A high-quality port of the Namco arcade game Ridge
urn, sales of 16-bit hardware/software continued to
Racer contributed to the PlayStation’s early success,
account for 64% of the video game market in 1995.
and garnered favorable comparisons in the media to
Sega underestimated the continued popularity of the
the Saturn version of Sega’s Daytona USA, which was
Genesis, and did not have the inventory to meet de-
considered inferior to its arcade counterpart. Namco,
mand for the product. Sega was able to capture 43%
of the dollar share of the U.S. video game market and
sell more than 2 million Genesis units in 1995, but
Kalinske estimated that “we could have sold another
300,000 Genesis systems in the November/December
timeframe.” Nakayama’s decision to focus on the
Saturn over the Genesis, based on the systems’ rela-
tive performance in Japan, has been cited as the ma-
jor contributing factor in this miscalculation.

Model 2 JP console and controller

Due to long-standing disagreements with Sega of Ja- the introduction of “Segata Sanshiro” (played by Hi-
pan, Kalinske lost most of his interest in his work as roshi Fujioka) as a character in a series of TV adver-
CEO of Sega of America. By the spring of 1996, ru- tisements starting in 1997; the character would even-
mors were circulating that Kalinske planned to leave tually star in a Saturn video game.
Sega, and a July 13 article in the press reported spec-
Temporarily abandoning arcade devel-
ulation that Sega of Japan was planning
opment, Sega AM2 head Yu Suzuki be-
significant changes to Sega of America’s
gan developing several Saturn-exclusive
management team. On July 16, 1996
games, including a role-playing game in
Sega announced that Shoichiro Irimajiri
the Virtua Fighter series. Initially con-
had been appointed chairman and CEO of
ceived as an obscure prototype called
Sega of America, while Kalinske would
“The Old Man and the Peach Tree”
be leaving Sega after September 30 of that
and intended to address the flaws of
year. A former Honda executive, Irima-
contemporary Japanese RPGs (such as
jiri had been actively involved with Sega
poor non-player character artificial in-
of America since joining Sega in 1993.
telligence routines), Virtua Fighter RPG
Sega also announced that David Rosen Hayao Nakayama
evolved into a planned 11-part, 45-hour
and Nakayama had resigned from their
“revenge epic in the tradition of Chinese cinema”–
positions as chairman and co-chairman of Sega of
which Suzuki hoped would become the Saturn’s killer
America, though both men remained with the com-
app. The game was eventually released as Shenmue
pany. Bernie Stolar, a former executive at Sony Com-
for the Saturn’s successor, the Dreamcast.
puter Entertainment of America, was named Sega of
ica, though both men remained with the From 1993 to early 1996, although Sega’s
of America’s executive vice president in revenue declined as part of an industry-
charge of product development and third- wide slowdown, the company retained
party relations. Stolar, who had arranged control of 38% of the U.S. video game
a six-month PlayStation exclusivity deal market (compared to Nintendo’s 30%
for Mortal Kombat 3 and helped build and Sony’s 24%). 800,000 PlayStation
close relations with Electronic Arts while units were sold in the U.S. by the end of
at Sony, was perceived as a major asset 1995, compared to 400,000 Saturn units.
by Sega officials. Finally, Sega of Amer- In part due to an aggressive price war,
ica made plans to expand its PC software the PlayStation outsold the Saturn by
business. Tom Kalinske two-to-one in 1996, while Sega’s 16-bit
sales declined markedly. By the end of
Stolar was not supportive of the Saturn due to his be-
1996, the PlayStation had sold 2.9 million units in
lief that the hardware was poorly designed, and pub-
the U.S., more than twice the 1.2 million units sold
licly announced at E3 1997 that “The Saturn is not
by the Saturn. After the launch of the Nintendo 64 in
our future.” While Stolar had “no interest in lying
1996, sales of the Saturn and Sega’s 32-bit software
to people” about the Saturn’s prospects, he contin-
were sharply reduced, while the PlayStation outsold
ued to emphasize quality games for the the Saturn by three-to-one in the U.S.
system, and subsequently reflected that market in 1997. The 1997 release of Final
“we tried to wind it down as cleanly as Fantasy VII significantly increased the
we could for the consumer.” At Sony, PlayStation’s popularity in Japan. As of
Stolar opposed the localization of cer- August 1997, Sony controlled 47% of the
tain Japanese PlayStation titles that he console market, Nintendo controlled 40%,
felt would not represent the system well and Sega controlled only 12%. Neither
in North America, and he advocated a price cuts nor high-profile game releases
similar policy for the Saturn during his were proving helpful to the Saturn’s suc-
time at Sega, although he later sought cess. Reflecting decreased demand for the
to distance himself from this perception. Bernie Stolar system, worldwide Saturn shipments dur-
These changes were accompanied by a
ing March to September 1997 declined from 2.35
softer image that Sega was beginning to portray in its
million to 600,000 versus the same period in 1996;
advertising, including removing the “Sega!” scream
shipments in North America declined from 800,000
and holding press events for the education industry.
to 50,000. Due to the Saturn’s poor performance in
Marketing for the Saturn in Japan also changed with
North America, 60 of Sega of America’s 200 employ- bert Kim of Entertainment Weekly both praised the
ees were laid off in the fall of 1997. Saturn as the most advanced gaming console avail-
able, with the former complimenting its double-
As a result of the company’s deteriorating financial
speed CD-ROM drive and “intense surround-sound
situation, Nakayama resigned as president of Sega
capabilities” and the latter citing Panzer Dragoon as
in January 1998 in favor of Irimajiri. Stolar would
a “lyrical and exhilarating epic” demonstrating the
subsequently accede to president of Sega of America.
ability of new technology to “transform” the indus-
Following five years of generally declining profits, in
try. In December 1995, Next Generation evaluated
the fiscal year ending March 31, 1998 Sega suffered
the system with three and a half stars out of a possible
its first parent and consolidated financial losses since
five, highlighting Sega’s marketing and arcade back-
its 1988 listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Due to
ground as strengths but the system’s complexity as a
a 54.8% decline in consumer product sales (includ-
weakness. Electronic Gaming Monthly’s December
ing a 75.4% decline overseas), the company reported
1996 Buyer’s Guide had four reviewers rate the Sat-
a net loss of ¥43.3 billion (US$327.8 million) and a
urn 8, 6, 7, and 8 out of 10; these ratings were inferior
consolidated net loss of ¥35.6 billion (US$269.8 mil-
to those of the PlayStation, which was scored 9, 10, 9,
lion). Shortly before announcing its financial losses,
and 9 in the same review. By December 1998, Elec-
Sega revealed that it was discontinuing the Saturn
tronic Gaming Monthly’s reviews were more mixed,
in North America, with the goal of preparing for the
with reviewers citing the lack of titles for the system
launch of its successor. Only 12 Saturn games were
as a major issue. According to EGM reviewer Crispin
released in North America in 1998 (Magic Knight
Boyer, “the Saturn is the only system that can thrill
Rayearth being the final official release), compared
me one month and totally disappoint me the next.”
to 119 in 1996. The Saturn would last longer in Ja-
pan and Europe. Rumors about the upcoming Dream- Retrospective feedback of the Saturn is mixed, but
cast—spread mainly by Sega itself—were leaked to generally praises its game library. According to Greg
the public before the last Saturn games were released. Sewart of 1UP.com, “the Saturn will go down in his-
The Dreamcast was released on November 27, 1998 tory as one of the most troubled, and greatest, sys-
in Japan and on September 9, 1999 in North Amer- tems of all time.” In 2009, IGN chose the Saturn to
ica. The decision to abandon the Saturn effectively be their 18th best video game console of all time,
left the Western market without Sega games for over praising its unique game library. According to the re-
one year. Sega suffered an additional ¥42.881 billion viewers, “While the Saturn ended up losing the popu-
consolidated net loss in the fiscal year ending March larity contest to both Sony and Nintendo ... Nights
1999, and the company announced plans to eliminate into Dreams, the Virtua Fighter and Panzer Dragoon
1,000 jobs, or nearly one-fourth of its workforce. series are all examples of exclusive titles that made
the console a fan favorite.” The staff of Edge noted
Worldwide Saturn sales include at least the follow-
“hardened loyalists continue to reminisce about the
ing amounts in each territory: 5.75 million in Japan
console that brought forth games like Burning Rang-
(surpassing the Genesis’ sales of 3.58 million in the
ers, Guardian Heroes, Dragon Force and Panzer
country), 1.8 million in the United States, 1 million
Dragoon Saga.” In 2015, The Guardian’s Keith Stu-
in Europe, and 530,000 elsewhere. With lifetime
art declared “the Saturn has perhaps the strongest
sales of 9.26 million units, the Saturn is considered
line up of 2D shooters and fighting games in console
a commercial failure, although its install base in Ja-
history.” Retro Gamer’s Damien McFerran stated
pan surpassed the Nintendo 64’s 5.54 million. Lack
“Even today, despite the widespread availability of
of distribution has been cited as a significant factor
sequels and re-releases on other formats, the Sega
contributing to the Saturn’s failure, as the system’s
Saturn is still a worthwhile investment for those who
surprise launch damaged Sega’s reputation with key
appreciate the unique gameplay styles of the compa-
retailers. Conversely, Nintendo’s long delay in re-
nies that supported it.” IGN’s Adam Redsell wrote
leasing a 3D console and damage caused to Sega’s
“[Sega’s] devil-may-care attitude towards game de-
reputation by poorly supported add-ons for the Gen-
velopment in the Saturn and Dreamcast eras is some-
esis are considered major factors allowing Sony to
thing that we simply do not see outside of the indie
gain a foothold in the market.
scene today.”
At the time of its release, Famicom Tsūshin award-
ed the Saturn console 24 out of 40 possible points,
higher than the PlayStation’s 19 out of 40. In June
1995, Dennis Lynch of the Chicago Tribune and Al-
 Technical specifications
Featuring a total of eight processors the Saturn’s really hack the hardware”, with “more flexibility”
main central processing units are two Hitachi SH-2 and “more calculating power than the PlayStation”.
microprocessors clocked at 28.6 MHz and capable of The Saturn’s sound board was also widely praised.
56 MIPS. The system contains a Motorola 68EC000 By contrast, Lobotomy Software programmer Ezra
running at 11.3 MHz as a sound controller, a custom Dreisbach described the Saturn as significantly slow-
sound processor with an integrated Yamaha FH1 DSP er than the PlayStation, whereas Kenji Eno of WARP
running at 22.6 MHz capable of up to 32 observed little difference between the two
sound channels with both FM synthesis and systems. In particular, Dreisbach criticized
16-bit PCM sampling at a maximum rate of the Saturn’s use of quadrilaterals as its ba-
44.1 kHz, and two video display processors, sic geometric primitive, in contrast to the
the VDP1 (which handles sprites, textures triangles rendered by the PlayStation and
and polygons) and the VDP2 (which han- the Nintendo 64. Third-party development
Hitachi SH-2
dles backgrounds). Its double-speed CD- was initially hindered by the lack of useful
ROM drive is controlled by a dedicated Hi- software libraries and development tools,
tachi SH-1 processor to reduce load times. requiring developers to write in assembly
The Saturn’s System Control Unit (SCU), language to achieve good performance. Dur-
which controls all buses and functions as ing early Saturn development, programming
a co-processor of the main SH-2 CPU, has in assembly could offer a two-to-fivefold
an internal DSP running at 14.3 MHz. The SCSP speed increase over C language. The Saturn
Saturn contains a cartridge slot for memory hardware is considered extremely difficult
expansion, 16 Mbit of work random-access to emulate. Sega responded to complaints
memory (RAM), 12 Mbit of video RAM, 4 about the difficulty of programming for the
Mbit of RAM for sound functions, 4 Mbit Saturn by writing new graphics libraries
of CD buffer RAM and 256 Kbit (32 KB) which were claimed to make development
of battery backup RAM. Its video output, Motorola 68EC000 easier. Sega of America also purchased a
provided by a stereo AV cable, displays at United Kingdom-based development firm,
resolutions from 320×224 to 704×224 pix- Cross Products, to produce the Saturn’s of-
els, and is capable of displaying up to 16.77 ficial development system. Despite these
million colors simultaneously. challenges, Treasure CEO Masato Maegawa
stated that the Nintendo 64 was more diffi-
The Saturn had technically impressive hard- cult to develop for than the Saturn. Travel-
ware at the time of its release, but its com- VDP1 ler’s Tales’ Jon Burton opined that while the
plexity made harnessing this power difficult PlayStation was easier “to get started on ...
for developers accustomed to conventional you quickly reach [its] limits”, whereas the
programming. The greatest disadvantage Saturn’s “complicated” hardware had the
was that both CPUs shared the same bus and ability to “improve the speed and look of
were unable to access system memory at the a game when all used together correctly.”
same time. Making full use of the 4 kB of A major point of criticism was the Saturn’s
VDP2
cache memory in each CPU was critical to use of 2D sprites to generate polygons and
maintaining performance. For example, Vir- simulate 3D space. The PlayStation func-
tua Fighter used one CPU for each character, tioned in a similar manner, but also featured
while Nights used one CPU for 3D environ- a dedicated “Geometry Transfer Engine”
ments and the other for 2D objects. The Sat- that rendered additional polygons. As a re-
urn’s Visual Display Processor 2 (VDP2), sult, several analysts described the Saturn as
which can generate and manipulate back- Saturn motherboard an “essentially” 2D system.
grounds, has also been cited as one of the
system’s most important features. Like the Genesis, the Saturn had an Internet-
based gaming service. The Sega NetLink was a 28.8k
The Saturn’s design elicited mixed commentary
modem that fit into the cartridge slot in the Saturn for
among game developers and journalists. Developers
direct dial multiplayer. In Japan, a now defunct pay-
quoted by Next Generation in December 1995 de-
to-play service was used. It could also be used for
scribed the Saturn as “a real coder’s machine” for
web browsing, sending email, and online chat.
“those who love to get their teeth into assembly and
 CONTENT
Sega Saturn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Technical specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
This Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Reference Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Sega . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Sega Saturn R&D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Sega Saturn Games
0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
J . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Q . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436
R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442

The rest of the book is in Volume.2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vol.2

12 • Reference Guide

Reference Guide
These are web sites that I used alot for pictures/screenshots, reference and much of the information. If I have
not used wikipedia on a game description, then I have tried to credit it at the bottom of the text.
I can recommend all of these websites, as they are very informative and/or fun to look through.
If you are the owner of one of these sites and feel that i have done you wrong, then please send me an e-mail
and i will make the necessary change to your wish.

Sega Retro

“Welcome to Sega Retro, a project from the people behind Sonic Retro. We aim to cover
everything possible about Sega from the 1940s to today. We currently are working on
14,906 articles and have many more that are requested to be worked on. ”

• Used for most cover and intro pictures, information and rarity score.
A giant site on every Sega consoles. Maybe the most important site for a Sega aficionado. It consist of a huge
wiki, detailed information, pictures, flyers, and a great rarity score list. Without this site, this book would be
very barren.

https://segaretro.org/Main_Page

Satakore

“Sega Saturn and Sega Saturn Only

Dedicated Site for all things about Sega Saturn”

• Used for some pictures and information. Also used itfor checklist.

This site consist of detailed information on every Sega Saturn games.

https://www.satakore.com/

Hardcore Gaming 101

“Hardcore Gaming 101 – Promoting the culture of video games”

• Used for information on a few games.

A highly detailed review site on several video game series. Very recommended.

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/
 Reference Guide • 13

GameFAQs

“Founded in 1995, GameFAQs has over 40000 video game FAQs, Guides and
Walkthroughs, over 250000 cheat codes, and over 100000 reviews.”

• Used for pictures and the review score.

A giant webiste regarding many of games released with loads of information, faqs and pictures. It also in-
clude dedicated forums for each system.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/

Moby Games

“MobyGames is the oldest, largest and most accurate video game database for
games of every platform spanning 1979-2014.”

• Used for info and information.

A good site for information and pictures on much of the games released.

http://www.mobygames.com/
14 • SEGA

Sega designed submarine simulator game,

Periscope. The game sported light
Founded 1940
Parent Sega Sammy Holdings and sound effects considered innova-
Headquarter Ōta, Tokyo, Japan tive for that time, eventually becom-
Employees 2,226 (2014) ing quite successful in Japan. It was
Website sega.com soon exported to both Europe and the
United States, becoming the first ar-
Sega (originally short for Service
cade game in the US to cost 25 cents
Games) is a Japanese multinational
per play.
video game developer, publisher,
and hardware development company Sega Headquarters complex in In 1969, Rosen sold Sega to Ameri-
headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with Ōta, Tokyo can conglomerate Gulf and West-
multiple offices around the world. ern Industries, although he remained
as CEO following the sale. Under Rosen’s leadership,
In 1940, American businessmen Martin Bromley, Ir-
Sega continued to grow and prosper, and in 1972,
ving Bromberg, and James Humpert formed a com-
Gulf and Western made Sega Enterprises a subsidi-
pany called Standard Games in Honolulu, Hawaii, to
ary, taking the company’s stock public.
provide coin-operated amusement machines; mostly
slot machines to military bases located which they Sega prospered heavily from the arcade gaming boom
saw as a potential market since due to the onset of of the late 1970s, with revenues climbing to over
World War II, the number of men stationed at the mil- US$100 million by 1979. In 1982, Sega’s revenues
itary bases had increased and they would have needed surpassed $214 million. That year they introduced the
something to pass their spare time. After the war, the first game with isometric graphics, Zaxxon, the indus-
company changed its name to Service Games due to try’s first stereoscopic 3D game, SubRoc 3D, and the
military focus and seeing Japan which was under Al- first laserdisc video game, Astron Belt.
lied occupation as a potential market, started export-
In 1983-4, Sega published Atari 2600 versions of
ing slot machines there to the U.S. military bases. In
some of its arcade games and also Tapper from Bally/
1951, when the government of United States started
Midway. Carnival, Space Fury, Turbo, and Zaxxon
outlawing slot machines, the company moved its base
were licensed to Coleco as launch titles for the Cole-
to Tokyo, Japan. There the company provided coin-
coVision console in 1982. Some of these and other
operated slot machines to U.S. bases in Japan and
titles were licensed to different companies for 8-bit
changed its name again to Service Games of Japan in
computer versions.
1952. Soon, the company also started providing the
slot machines for the Japanese public and the com- An overabundance of games in 1983 led to the video
pany’s focus shifted from the U.S. military bases to game crash, causing Sega’s revenues to drop to $136
the Japanese public. million. Sega then designed and released its first home
video game console, the SG-1000 for the third gen-
David Rosen, an American officer in the United States
eration of home consoles. Despite this, G&W sold the
Air Force stationed in Japan, launched a two-minute
U.S. assets of Sega Enterprises that same year to pin-
photo booth business in Tokyo in 1954. This com-
ball manufacturer Bally Manufacturing, and in Janu-
pany eventually became Rosen Enterprises, and in
ary 1984, Rosen resigned his post with the company.
1957, began importing coin-operated games to Ja-
pan. On June 3, 1960, Standard Games was renamed The Japanese assets of Sega were purchased for $38
Sega Corporation, an acronym of Service Games. million by a group of investors led by Rosen, Robert
By 1965, Rosen Enterprises grew to a chain of over Deith, and Hayao Nakayama, a Japanese businessman
200 arcades, with Service Games its only competi- who owned Esco Boueki (Esco Trading) an arcade
tor. Rosen then orchestrated a merger between Rosen game distribution company that had been acquired by
Enterprises and Service Games, who by then had their Rosen in 1979. Nakayama became the new CEO of
own factory facilities, becoming chief executive of Sega, Robert Deith chairman of the board, and Rosen
the new company, Sega Enterprises, which derived its became head of its subsidiary in the United States.
name from Service Games. In 1984, the multibillion-dollar Japanese conglomer-
ate CSK bought Sega, renamed it to Sega Enterprises,
Within a year, Sega began the transition from im-
headquartered it in Japan, and two years later, shares
porter to manufacturer, with the release of the Rosen
of its stock were being traded on the Tokyo Stock Ex-
 SEGA • 15
change. David Rosen’s friend, Isao Okawa, the chair- came the most successful game Sega ever produced,
man of CSK, became chairman of Sega. selling over six million copies in total. During this
period, local North American development also in-
Sega also released the Sega Master System and the
creased with the establishments of Sega Technical
first game featuring Alex Kidd, who would be Sega’s
Institute in 1990, Sega Midwest Studio in 1992, Sega
unofficial mascot until he was replaced by Sonic the
Multimedia Studio in 1993, and the acquisition of In-
Hedgehog in 1991. While the Master System was
teractive Designs in 1992.
technically superior to the NES, it failed to capture
market share in North America and Japan due to high- In 1990, Sega launched the Game Gear to compete
ly aggressive strategies by Nintendo and ineffective against Nintendo’s Game Boy. However, due to is-
marketing by Tonka, who marketed the console on sues with its short battery life, lack of original titles,
behalf of SEGA in the United States. However, the and weak support from Sega, the Game Gear was un-
Master System was highly successful in Europe, Aus- able to surpass the Game Boy, selling approximately
tralia, New Zealand, and Brazil with games still being 11 million units. The Game Gear was discontinued in
sold well into the 1990s alongside the Mega Drive 1997.
and Nintendo’s NES and SNES.
In 1992, Sega introduced the Model series of arcade
In the mid-1980s, Sega released Hang-On and Af- hardware, which saw the release of Virtua Fighter and
ter Burner, arcade titles that make use of hydraulic Virtua Racing, which laid the foundation for 3D rac-
cabinet functionality and force feedback control. Sega ing and fighting games. In 1994, Sega released the
also released the 360-degree rotating machine R-360. Sega 32X in an attempt to upgrade the Genesis to the
For arcade system boards, Sega released the System standards of more advanced systems at the time. It
series and the Super Scaler series. UFO sold well initially, but had problems with
Catcher was introduced in 1985 and is Ja- lack of software and hype about the up-
pan’s most commonly installed claw crane coming Sega Saturn and Sony’s PlaySta-
game. Sega was also one of the first to in- tion. Within a year, it was in the bargain
troduce medal games with World Bingo bins of many stores.
and World Derby in the 1980s, a sub-in-
On November 22, 1994, Sega launched
dustry within Japanese arcades up to its
the Sega Saturn in Japan. It utilized two
current day.
32-bit processors. However, poor sales in
With the introduction of the Sega Genesis the West led to the console being aban-
in North America in 1989, Sega of Amer- doned by 1998. The lack of strong titles
ica launched an anti-Nintendo campaign based on established Genesis franchises,
to carry the momentum to the new generation of games, along with its high price in comparison to the Sony
with its slogan “Genesis does what Nintendon’t.” This PlayStation, were among the reasons for the console’s
was initially implemented by Sega of America Presi- failure. Sega made forays in the PC market with the
dent Michael Katz. When Nintendo launched its Su- establishment of SegaSoft in 1995, which was tasked
per Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in creating original PC titles.
in August 1991, Sega changed its slogan to “Welcome
The mid-1990s also saw Sega making efforts to ex-
to the next level.”
pand beyond its image as a strictly kids-oriented, fam-
The same year, Sega of America’s leadership passed ily entertainment company, by publishing a number of
from Katz to Tom Kalinske, who further escalated games with extreme violence and sexual themes, and
the “console war” that was developing. As a preemp- introducing the “Deep Water” label to mark games
tive strike against the release of the SNES, Sega re- with mature content.
branded itself with a new game and mascot, Sonic the
In December 1994, Sega Channel, a subscription
Hedgehog. This shift led to a wider success for the
gaming service delivered by local cable companies
Genesis and would eventually propel Sega to 65% of
affiliated with Time Warner Cable, was launched in
the market in North America for a brief time. Simul-
the United States, through which subscribers received
taneously, after much delay, Sega released the Sega
a special cartridge adapter that connected to the cable
CD in Japan in 1991 and in North America in 1992
connection. At its peak, the Sega Channel had approx-
as a hardware add-on to the Genesis, greatly reducing
imately 250,000 subscribers. Various technical issues
space limitations on their games. Sonic the Hedgehog
began disrupting the service in late 1997, eventually
2 was also released in 1992 for the Genesis, and be-
leading to being discontinued worldwide in 1998.
16 • SEGA
On November 27, 1998, Sega launched the Dream- that oversees games that launch on game consoles
cast in Japan. The console was competitively priced, produced by other companies, many of their former
partly due to the use of off-the-shelf components, rivals, the first of which was a port of ChuChu Rock-
but it also featured technology that allowed for more et! to Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance. On March 31,
technically impressive games than its direct competi- 2001, the Dreamcast was discontinued.
tors, the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation. An analog 56k
By March 31, 2002, Sega had five consecutive fiscal
modem was also included, allowing for online multi-
years of net losses. To help with Sega’s debt, CSK
player. It featured titles such as the action-puzzle title
founder Isao Okawa, before his death in 2001, gave
ChuChu Rocket!, Phantasy Star Online, the first con-
the company a $692 million private donation, and
sole-based massively multiplayer online role-playing
talked to Microsoft about a sale or merger with their
game, Quake III Arena and Alien Front Online, the
Xbox division, but those talks failed. Discussions also
first console game with online voice chat. The Dream-
took place with Namco, Bandai, Electronic Arts and
cast’s launch in Japan was a failure; launching with
again with Microsoft. In August 2003, Sammy, one
a small library of software and in the shadow of the
of the biggest pachinko and pachislot manufacturing
upcoming PlayStation 2, the system would gain lit-
companies, bought the outstanding 22% of shares that
tle ground, despite several successful games in the
CSK had, and Sammy chairman Hajime Satomi be-
region.
came CEO of Sega. In the same year, Hajime Satomi
After closures of all their former American developers stated that Sega’s activity will focus on their profita-
in 1995, and the closure of the PC SegaSoft division, ble arcade business as opposed to their loss-incurring
Sega invested in the American Visual Concepts and home software development sector. After the decline
the French No Cliché, although the latter was closed of the global arcade industry around the 21st century,
in 2001. The Dreamcast’s western launch in 1999 was Sega introduced several novel concepts tailored to the
accompanied by a large amount of both first-party Japanese market. Derby Owners Club was the first
and third-party software and an aggressive market- large-scale satellite arcade machine with IC cards for
ing campaign. In contrast to the Japanese launch, the data storage. Trading card game machines were in-
Western launch earned the distinction of the “most troduced, with titles such as World Club Champion
successful hardware launch in history,” selling a then- Football for general audiences and Mushiking: King
unprecedented 500,000 consoles in its first week in of the Beetles for young children. Sega also intro-
North America. Sega was able to hold onto this mo- duced internet functionality in arcades with Virtua
mentum in the US almost until the launch of Sony’s Fighter 4 in 2001, and further enchanced it with ALL.
PlayStation 2. Sega also produced the NAOMI se- Net, introduced in 2004.
ries, which were the last arcade boards built uniquely
During mid-2004, Sammy bought a controlling share
rather than being based on existing consoles and PC
in Sega Corporation at a cost of $1.1 billion, creating
architecture.
the new company Sega Sammy Holdings, an enter-
In late 1999, Sega Enterprises chairman Isao Okawa tainment conglomerate. Since then, Sega and Sammy
spoke at an Okawa Foundation meeting, saying that became subsidiaries of the aforementioned holding
Sega’s focus in the future would shift from hardware company, with both companies operating independ-
to software, but adding that they were still fully be- ently, while the executive departments merged.
hind the Dreamcast. On November 1, 2000, Sega
In 2005, Sega sold its major western studio Visual
changed its company name from Sega Enterprises to
Concepts to Take-Two Interactive, and purchased
Sega Corporation.
UK-based developer Creative Assembly, known for
On January 23, 2001, a story ran in Nihon Keizai its Total War series. In the same year, the Sega Rac-
Shimbun claiming that Sega would cease produc- ing Studio was also formed by former Codemasters
tion of the Dreamcast and develop software for other employees. In 2006, Sega Europe purchased Sports
platforms in the future. After initial denial, Sega Ja- Interactive, known for its Football Manager series.
pan then put out a press release confirming they were Sega of America purchased Secret Level in 2006,
considering producing software for the PlayStation 2 which was renamed to Sega Studio San Francisco in
and Game Boy Advance as part of their “New Man- 2008. In early 2008, Sega announced that they would
agement Policy”. Subsequently on January 31, 2001, re-establish an Australian presence, as a subsidiary
Sega of America officially announced they were be- of Sega of Europe, with a development studio brand-
coming a third-party software publisher. The com- ed as Sega Studio Australia. In the same year, Sega
pany has since developed into a third-party publisher launched a subscription based flash website called
 SEGA • 17
“PlaySEGA” which played emulated versions of PC and mobile devices. The amount of SKU gradu-
Sega Genesis as well original web-based flash games. ally shrunk from 84 in 2005 to 32 in 2014. Because of
It was subsequently shut down due to low subscrip- the shrinking arcade business in Japan, development
tion numbers. In 2013, following THQ’s bankrupt- personnel would also be relocated to the digital game
cy, Sega bought Relic Entertainment, known for its area. Sega gradually reduced its arcade centers from
Company of Heroes series. Sega has also collaborated 450 facilities in 2005, to around 200 in 2015.
with many western studios such as Bizarre Creations,
In the mobile market, Sega released its first app on the
Backbone Entertainment, Monolith, Sumo Digital,
iTunes Store with a version of Super Monkey Ball in
Kuju Entertainment, Obsidian Entertainment and
2008. Since then, the strategies for Asian and West-
Gearbox Software. In 2008, Sega announced the clo-
ern markets have become independent. The Western
sure of Sega Racing Studio, although the studio was
line-up consisted of emulations of games and pay-to-
later acquired by Codemasters. Closures of Sega Stu-
play apps, which were eventually overshadowed by
dio San Francisco and Sega Studio Australia followed
more social and free-to-play games, eventually lead-
in 2010 and 2012, respectively.
ing to 19 of the older mobile games being pulled due
The Sonic the Hedgehog series continued to be in- to quality concerns in May 2015. Beginning in 2012,
ternationally recognized, having sold 150 million in Sega also began acquiring studios for mobile devel-
total, although the critical reception of games in the opment, with studios such as Hardlight, Three Rings
series has been mixed. In 2007, Sega and Nintendo Design, and Demiurge Studios becoming fully owned
teamed up using Sega’s acquired Olympic Games li- subsidiaries.
cense, to create the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic
In the 2010s, Sega established operational firms for
Games series, which has sold over 20 million in to-
each of their businesses, in order to streamline op-
tal. In the console and handheld business, Sega found
erations. In 2012, Sega established Sega Networks
success in Japan with the Yakuza and Hatsune Miku:
for its mobile games; and although separate at first, it
Project DIVA series of games, amongst others pri-
merged with Sega Corporation in 2015. Sega Games
marily aimed at the Japanese market. In Japan, Sega
was structured as a “Consumer Online Company”
distributes titles from smaller Japanese game devel-
promoting cross-play between multiple devices,
opers and localizations of western titles. In 2013, In-
while Sega Networks focuses on developing games
dex Corporation was purchased by Sega Sammy after
for mobile devices. In 2012, Sega Entertainment was
going bankrupt. After the buyout, Sega officially split
established for Sega’s amusement facility business,
Index, making Atlus, the video game developer and
and in 2015, Sega Interactive was established for the
publisher, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sega.
arcade game business. These new divisions would re-
For amusement arcades, Sega’s most successful games place the former Sega Corporation, and the new Sega
continued to be based on network and card systems. Holdings would consolidate all entertainment compa-
Games of this type include Sangokushi Taisen and nies from the Sega Sammy group, which became ef-
Border Break. Arcade machine sales incurred higher fective April 1, 2015.
profits than their console, portable, and PC games on
April 2015 also saw Haruki Satomi, grandson of
a year-to-year basis until 2014.
Hajime Satomi, take office as President and CEO of
In 2004, the GameWorks chain of arcades became Sega Games Co, Ltd. In January 2015, Sega of Amer-
owned by Sega, until the chain was sold off in 2011. ica announced their relocation from San Francisco
In 2009, Sega Republic, an indoor theme park in Du- to Irvine, California, which was completed by early
bai, opened to the public. In 2010, Sega began provid- summer. Due to this, Sega of America did not have
ing the 3D imaging for Hatsune Miku’s holographic their own booth at E3 2015.
concerts. In 2013, in co-operation with BBC Earth,
Sega remains the world’s most prolific arcade produc-
Sega opened the first interactive nature simulation
er, with over 500 games in over 70 franchises on more
museum, Orbi Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan.
than 20 different arcade system boards since 1981.
Due to the decline of packaged game sales both do-
mestically and outside Japan in the 2010s, Sega be-
gan layoffs and reduction of their Western business-
es, such as Sega shutting down five offices based in
Europe and Australia on July 1, 2012. This was done
in order to focus on the digital game market, such as
18 • SEGA
Sega Saturn R&D
In the earliest days of research and development at In 2000 all of Sega’s in-house Consumer (CS) and
Sega the most standout products were taikan arcades, Amusement Machine (AM) R&D departments were
which is literally translated from Japanese as “body separated from the main company and established on
sensation”, and refers to large cabinet set-ups with 9 semi-autonomous subsidiaries, with each subsidiary
more than button and joysticks. Sega popularized the getting an elected president as a studio head. How-
term and innovated this design through games such ever, for more financial stability, Sega began consoli-
as Hang-On, OutRun, Space Harrier, and After Burn- dating its studios into six main ones (Sega Wow, Sega
er and the more eleborate set-up, the R-360. All the AM2, Hitmaker, Amusement Vision, Smilebit, Sonic
aforementioned games were created by the second Team) in 2003, and merged them back into a uniform
arcade department at Sega which started to stand out R&D structure in 2004.
relatively quickly.

Sega AM1/7 In 2012, characters from AM2’s hit series Virtua

Fighter appeared in Koei Tecmo’s Dead or Alive 5.
WOW Entertainment was headed by Rikiya Na-
AM2 assisted in the development of the game.
kagawa and Kazunari Tsukamoto. In addition of an
continued arcade line-up, WOW Entertainment made
efforts on the consumer market with the SEGA GT
racing series, an effort to compete against Sony’s
Gran Turismo. They also made efforts on the Game
Boy Advance. Sega AM3/5
Overworks was formed from CS2, and headed by Hitmaker was established from the AM3 department
Noriyoshi Ohba. Out of the gate it came out with which has created popular arcade favourites in past,
Skies of Arcadia for Dreamcast and GameCube, and such as Virtual-On, Derby Owners Club, Crazy Taxi
also continued the Sakura Taisen series. In 2002, it and Virtua Tennis. It was headed by Hisao Oguchi,
came with the Shinobi reboot on PlayStation 2. Mie Kumagai and Kenji Kanno.
In 2003 it was renamed to SEGA WOW and absorbed Sega Rosso was headed by Kenji Sasaki, the company
Overworks. The line-up of action games Blood Will was short-lived before being absorbed by Hitmaker.
Tell, Nightshade and the RPG Sakura Taisen became It contributed to Sega’s arcade line-up with Cosmic
part of SEGA WOW. By 2004, Sega Wow had 215 Smash and Initial D Arcade Stage. With the latter be-
employees which were split across consumer and ar- coming a major franchise.
cade development after the integration back into Sega.
In 2003, Mie Kumagai replaced Hisao Oguchi as the
company president, when Hisao Oguchi was promot-
ed to President of the entire Sega company. Also in
2003, the studio absorbed Sega Rosso, making Initial
D Arcade Stage part of its line-up. By 2004, Hitmaker
Sega AM2 had 193 employees which focused on arcade develop-
AM2 was headed by Yu Suzuki and Toshihiro Na- ment after the integration into Sega.
goshi. Daytona USA was the first game using the
palmtree AM2 logo, signaturing the department for
being special among all the R&D Departments among
Sega AM4
Sega. Amusement Vision (AV) was headed by Toshihiro
Nagoshi. In addition to an arcade line-up and the Day-
After the integration back into Sega, the studios lin-
tona USA remake Daytona USA 2001, AV was most
eage as the second arcade software R&D division
known for its Nintendo partnership on the exclusivety
continues. It is now headed by Hiroshi Kataoka and
on the original two Super Monkey Ball games, and
Makoto Osaki.
development collaboration of F-Zero GX.
 SEGA • 19
In part of Sega’s consolidation of studios, non-sports with American staff on Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the
staff of Smilebit merged with AV in 2003 which re- staff was almost completely Japanese throughout.
sulated into the Ollie King arcade release at first. Meanwhile, staff in Japan would develop Sonic CD.
By 2004, AV had 124 employees and the main fo- When staff arrived back in Japan in 1995, they devel-
cus would be on “epic and film-style titles”, which oped new IP such as Burning Rangers and Nights into
is when development on the Yakuza franchise began Dreams..., which were the first titles to be promoted
and AV was dissolved and integrated into Sega. Hit- with the Sonic Team moniker on the game’s box art.
maker was established from the AM3 department
When all of Sega’s CS and AM R&D departments
which has created popular arcade favourites in past,
were separated from the main company and estab-
such as Virtual-On, Derby Owners Club, Crazy Taxi
lished on semi-autonomous subsidiaries, Sonic Team
and Virtua Tennis. It was headed by Hisao Oguchi,
was established as a subsidiary with the same name
Mie Kumagai and Kenji Kanno.
as it had before, and was headed by Yuji Naka. Sonic
Team USA was managed by Takashi Iizuka. After the
Sega Sports R&D release of Sonic Adventure, the Japanese Sonic Team
Sega AM6 mainly focused on making new IPs, which included
Samba de Amigo, Chu Chu Rocket, and Phantasy Star
Initially founded in mid-1994 as part of Consumer Online for the Dreamcast, Billy Hatcher and the Giant
Software R&D Dept. 1, Team Andromeda became Egg for the GameCube, and Feel the Magic: XY/XX
a separate internal development team when the first for the Nintendo DS. In 2003, Naka was promoted to
Sega Saturn software was entering development. the group of executive officers. In the same year, the
The name came from Andromeda, the code used to studio absorbed United Game Artists.
make their games. The group produced three Panzer
Dragoon titles and, after the release of its final game United Game Artists was established and headed by
Panzer Dragoon Saga in 1998, was then dissolved. Tetsuya Mizuguchi. After arcade development he es-
Different teams of the same division were responsible tablished CS4, which was an extension of CS3. His
for the Let’s Make a series and the Sega Worldwide final contribution at Sega were the Space Channel
Soccer series. 5 games and Rez. In 2003, the United Game Artists
staff was absorbed by Sonic Team.
After the restructuring, many of the group’s mem-
bers joined Sega’s Smilebit and United Game Artists After the merge back into Sega, the corporate name
development teams. Former Team Andromeda staff for Sonic Team was Global Entertainment Research
have also developed video games at other studios, in- and Development Division No. 1 (GE1). It contained
cluding Polyphony Digital, Artoon, feelplus and Land members of both Sonic Team and SEGA WOW. It was
Ho. again headed by Naka until 2006, when he left Sega
to form Prope. GE1 was headed by Akinori Nishi-
The division was from now on was only for sports ti- yama. Takashi Iizuka continued to manage Sonic
tles, adding the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Team USA, now called Sega Studio USA. Non-Sonic
series. The department responsible for non-sport ti- projects during this period are sequels of NiGHTS
tles, became part of Amusement Vision under the lead and Phantasy Star Online.
of Toshihiro Nagoshi.
In 2008, another restructure at Sega took place, turn-
ing the departments into uniform consumer depart-
ments, and Sega Studio USA was dissolved. Akinori
Nishiyama was promoted to chief producer, oversee-
ing all software products at Sega, and Iizuka replaced
Sega AM3 Nishiyama as the general manager of Sonic Team.
Since Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, he has be-
Sonic the Hedgehog became Sega’s biggest success
come the main producer of the series. Since 2009, the
on home consoles, elevating the creators Yuji Naka
“Sonic Team” brand has diminished out of non-Sonic
and Naoto Ohshima into lofty positions within the
games, despite them being produced by former Sonic
company being able to rename their CS3 department
Team members or being made in the same CS2 de-
Sonic Team. After the creation of the first Sonic the
partment. Examples of this include Pole’s Big Adven-
Hedgehog, development resources went two ways.
ture, Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure, Phan-
One group of staff went abroad to San Francisco to
tasy Star Online 2, and Project 575.
develop games, however except for collaboration with
20 • Sega Saturn Games

Sega Saturn Games

This is the main portion of the book. A collection of every official Sega Saturn game with cover art, title
screem, a screen-shot and some information about the game.

Page Break-Down
This is a break-down on what the pages consist of:
B E C
A
Area 51 6.9
Developer Tantalus Interactive, Perfect Entertainment
Publisher (us) Midway, (eu) GT Interactive, (jp) Soft Bank
Release date (us) November 20, 1996
Genre Light-gun
Mode 1-2 Players

Area 51 is a light gun game originally released by

Atari Games as an arcade game in 1995. The plot of
the game involves the player (Peterson) taking part
in a STAAR (Strategic Tactical Advanced Alien Re-
sponse) military incursion to prevent aliens, known as
the Kronn, and alien-created zombies from taking over
the Area 51 military facility.
The Saturn port has a border covering about 15% of
the screen. It supports all of the console’s light guns.
G D
A. Cover-Art
This represent the cover art. I used GameFAQs and SegaRetro for much of the pictures. If the
game was released in several regions, than I would mostly favour the North American version.
B. Info
This is the Info box. I used mainly segaretro.org for help on information for the Developers and
Publishers. I suspect some of the information is wrong, as often the developer credited is actu-
ally the makers of the original game, e.g. arcades, and not the one who did the home console
port for example. Also, information often differ from different sources. “Mode” are what the
maximum players the game support. In the info or trivia section, I wanted some content that
would reflect on what the game is about, or an interest part of trivia. If I used another site for
information and did a direct transcript, I would try to credit the source material. The credit is in italic.
C. Title Screen
This is a screenshot from the title screen of the game, found wherever. More often then not on
segaretro.org.
D. Screen-shot
This is a random screenshot from the game. I mainly used gametrailers.com or wherever.
E. Web Reviews
The review score SHOULD and MUST be taken with a grain of salt. I used review scores
from either SegaRetro.org or GameFAQs.com, cause` they can often be seen as fair. If the
site did not have a review, i would not include one.
G. Release
These indicate what sort of release the game had. Yellow “J” for Japan, red “N” for North-
America and blue “P” for PAL/European. The information are from SegaRetro.
.
 Sega Saturn Games • 21

Game library
Much of the Saturn’s library comes from Sega’s ar- involving a team of outer-space firefighters, garnered
cade ports, including Daytona USA, The House of praise for its transparency effects and distinctive art
the Dead, Last Bronx, Sega Rally Championship, direction, but was released in limited quantities late in
the Virtua Cop series, the Virtua Fighter series, and the Saturn’s lifespan and criticized for its short length.
Virtual-On. The Saturn ports of 2D Capcom fight- Some of the games that made the Saturn popular in
ing games including Darkstalkers 3, Marvel Super Japan, such as Grandia and the Sakura Wars series,
Heroes vs. Street Fighter, and Street Fighter Alpha 3 never saw a Western release due to Sega of America’s
were noted for their faithfulness to their arcade coun- policy of not localizing RPGs and other Japanese ti-
terparts. Fighters Megamix, developed by Sega AM2 tles that might have damaged the system’s reputation
for the Saturn rather than arcades, combined charac- in North America. Despite appearing first on the Sat-
ters from Fighting Vipers and Virtua Fighter to posi- urn, games such as Dead or Alive, Grandia, and Lu-
tive reviews. Highly rated Saturn exclusives include nar: Silver Star Story Complete only saw a Western
Panzer Dragoon Saga, Dragon Force, Guardian He- release on the PlayStation. Working Designs local-
roes, Nights, Panzer Dragoon II Zwei, and Shining ized several Japanese Saturn games before a public
Force III. Although originally made for the PlaySta- feud between Sega of America’s Bernie Stolar and
tion, games such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Working Designs president Victor Ireland resulted in
Night, Resident Evil, and Wipeout 2097 received the company switching their support to the PlaySta-
Saturn ports with mixed results. Tomb Raider was tion. Panzer Dragoon Saga was praised as perhaps the
created with the Saturn in mind, but the PlayStation finest RPG for the system due to its cinematic presen-
version ultimately became better known to the pub- tation, evocative plot, and unique battle system—with
lic. Lobotomy Software’s PowerSlave featured some a tactical emphasis on circling around opponents to
of the most impressive 3D graphics on the system, identify weak points and the ability to “morph” the
leading Sega to contract the developer to produce physical attributes of the protagonist’s dragon com-
Saturn ports of Duke Nukem 3D and Quake. While panion during combat—but Sega released fewer than
Electronic Arts’ limited support for the Saturn and 20,000 retail copies of the game in North America in
Sega’s failure to develop a football game for the 1996 what IGN’s Levi Buchanan characterized as one ex-
fall season allowed Sony to take the lead in the sports ample of the Saturn’s “ignominious send-off” in the
genre, “Sega Sports” published Saturn sports games region. Similarly, only the first of three installments
including the well-regarded World Series Baseball of Shining Force III was released outside Japan. The
and Sega Worldwide Soccer series. With about 600 Saturn’s library also garnered criticism for its lack of
official releases, the Saturn’s library is nearly twice as
sequels to high-profile Genesis-era Sega franchises,
large as the Nintendo 64’s. with Sega of Japan’s cancellation of a planned third
Due to the cancellation of Sonic X-treme, the Saturn installment in Sega of America’s popular Eternal
lacks an exclusive Sonic the Hedgehog platformer, Champions series cited as a significant source of con-
containing only a graphically enhanced port of the troversy.
Genesis title Sonic 3D Blast, the compilation Sonic Later ports of Saturn games including Guardian He-
Jam, and a racing game called Sonic R. The platform- roes, Nights, and Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Sum-
er Bug! received attention for its eponymous main moner: Soul Hackers continued to garner positive re-
character being a potential mascot for the Saturn, but views. Partly due to rarity, Saturn titles such as Panzer
it failed to catch on as the Sonic series had. Consid- Dragoon Saga and Radiant Silvergun have been noted
ered one of the most important Saturn releases, Sonic for their cult following. Due to the system’s commer-
Team developed Nights into Dreams..., a score attack cial failure and hardware limitations, planned Saturn
game that attempted to simulate both the joy of fly- versions of games such as Resident Evil 2, Shenmue,
ing and the fleeting sensation of dreams. Although it Sonic Adventure, and Virtua Fighter 3 were cancelled
lacked the fully 3D environments of Nintendo’s Su- and moved to the Dreamcast.
per Mario 64, Nights’ emphasis on unfettered move-
ment and graceful acrobatic techniques showcased
the intuitive potential of analog control. Sonic Team’s
Burning Rangers, a fully 3D action-adventure game
22 • 2Tax Gold

2do Arukotoha Sand-R 6.8

Developer CRI, Sega AM1
Publisher CRI
Release date (jp) April 5, 1995
Genre Mini-games
Mode 1-2 Players

Puzzle & Action: Treasure Hunt, known as Puzzle &

Action: 2do Arukoto ha Sand-R in Japan, is the third
and final game in the Puzzle & Action series of mini-
games, being a sequel to Puzzle & Action: Tant-R and
Puzzle & Action: Ichidant-R.
It stands as the only arcade entry in the series to be
released in an English-speaking territory.

“segaretro.org”

4.2 2Tax Gold

Developer Atelier Double, Office Crescendo
Publisher Human
Release date (jp) January 17, 1997
Genre Trivia
Mode 1 Player

2Tax Gold is a quiz game, developed by Atelier Dou-

ble and published by Human Entertainment, which
was released in Japan in 1997.

3D Baseball 8.0
Developer Crystal Dynamics
Publisher (us) Crystal Dynamics, (jp) BMG Japan
Release date (us) December 14, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

3D Baseball is a 3-D polygon baseball game with over

700 actual Major League players and their previous
years stats to choose from. There are over 50 real-life
batter stances that were motion-captured through the
actual players themselves with five different dynamic
camera angles to choose.
In the season mode, which is a full season of baseball,
players can play it with an arcade setting or can be the
general manager of the chosen team.
 3D Lemmings • 23

5.7 3D Lemmings
Developer Clockwork Games
Publisher (eu) Psygnosis, (jp) Imagineer
Release date (eu) July 5, 1996
Genre Action-puzzle
Mode 1 Player

3D Lemmings, or Lemmings 3D in North

America, is a puzzle game first released in 1995, for
MS-DOS, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn. The game-
play, like the original Lemmings game, requires the
player to lead all the lemmings to their exit by giv-
ing them the appropriate “skills”. It was the first Lem-
mings game to be rendered in 3D.
3D Lemmings is played by using four different,
movable cameras to fly around and get an overview of
the level. While some levels have fixed cameras, most
of the time they can be freely moved at any time, al-
though without the ability to tilt up or down. Another
viewing option is the “virtual lemming” (VL) which
allows the player to see through the eyes of a selected
lemming.
All skills from the original game are available,
with one new one: the turner. A turner is similar to a
blocker, in that he stands in one place and can only
be removed by being blown up or dug out from un-
derneath. However, instead of making other lemmings
turn back, he directs them 90 degrees either left or
right, as chosen by the player. Diagonally positioned
blocks in levels will also make lemmings move left or
right (basically reflecting them).
One of the by-products of being 3D was the importance of the camera-handling. Even though
most of the levels didn’t need complex camera setups, some levels could only be solved if the player
was skilled enough to move the camera in the correct way - or by using the Virtual Lemming mode.
For example, one level featured a massive indestructible block of wall with the lemmings arriving
on top; the only way the player was able to deliver the lemmings to the bottom floor was by digging
through a certain part of the block which was left destructible, and the only way to handle that was
to use the VL mode, because the player was unable to fit the camera through the hole. Some levels
included rooms or halls where the camera couldn’t go into (or come out from) and the player had to
peek in through windows or use VL mode.
Rob Allsetter of Sega Saturn Magazine commented that the 3D concept
made the gameplay cumbersome and difficult to master: “Once you’ve familiar-
ised yourself with the method it’s a lot less hassle, but there are still those moments
when, with only a split second left, you find yourself changing a camera angle to
actually see what’s going on rather than choosing lemming roles to save them.” He
also complained that the puzzles are highly frustrating, but acknowledged, “For the
more even tempered among you with craniums the size of the superdome this might
just fit the bill”.
PC Gamer US named 3D Lemmings the “Best Puzzle Game” of 1995. The
editors wrote, “If you love puzzle games, 3D Lemmings should be in your collec-
tion.”
26 • 6 Inch My Darling

5.9 3x3 Eyes: Kyuusei Koushu S

Developer Minamimachi Bugyousho
Publisher Nihon Create
Release date (us) April 19, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

3x3 Eyes: Kyūsei Kōshu S is an enhanced version

of 3x3 Eyes: Kyūsei Kōshu for the PlayStation and
Windows. It includes new animated sequences, new
voice recording, graphical enhancements, and an extra
“Making Of” CD.
The game is a Japanese-style adventure game based on
the manga and anime series 3x3 Eyes. The game world
is composed of still shots of locations and characters in
anime style that the player interact with.

6 Inch My Darling 5.7

Developer KID
Publisher KID
Release date (jp) December 23, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

6inch My Darling is a visual novel romance

adventure originally released by KID for Sega Saturn
with free for all rating, thus not including adult con-
tent. Half a year later, the game was released on PC
platform by Airyu with added adult content and altered
setting and story elements.
The story follows
The storya follows
high-school student who
a high-school liveswho
student with his with
lives
parents and a younger sister. During his time off of
a 6 inch girl by the name of Etosera.school he is help-
ing his mom by part-time working at the liquor store. One “mobygames.com”
day, upon
returning from school, he stumble on a buried box while taking a
path through the woods. Inside is a strangely shaped figuring with a
message on the inside of the box lid. Not sure what it all was about,
he left it on the desk and went to sleep. The next day, he hear a voice
in his room, and while trying to determine the source of the voice he
stumble upon a small girl by the name of Etosera. And by small, it
means 6 inches in size. But she wasn’t the only one that appeared due
to the mysterious box, two more girls, Minty and Pim, just as well,
also became his secret roommates. Thus his next couple of weeks
filled with surprises and getting to know each other commence, all
the way while they are trying to build trust and assess the relation-
ship with humans, namely, the player.
The game comes with a trading card.
“mobygames.com”
 Actua Soccer Club Edition • 29

Actua Golf 5.2

Developer Gremlin Interactive
Publisher (us) Interplay, (eu) Gremlin, (jp) Naxat Soft
Release date (eu) September 6, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

Actua Golf, VR Golf ‘97 in North America, is part of

the Actua Sports series. The game is a golf simulation
with full 3D terrain and characters. It comes with two
courses to play at, customizable characters and multi-
view shot tracking and action replays.
It uses similar game controls as older golf titles did.
With a swing meter, where players have to time cor-
rectly to hit the ball right.
“mobygames.com”

6.6 Actua Soccer Club Edition

Developer Gremlin Interactive
Publisher Gremlin Interactive
Release date (us) 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Actua Soccer Club Edition is a re-edition of Actua

Soccer, released with the 20 teams of the English Pre-
miership instead of international competitions. New
commentary was recorded and some Premiership his-
torical data was included. All remaining aspects of the
game were unchanged or just tweaked.

“mobygames.com”

Advanced V.G. 6.4

Developer TGL
Publisher TGL
Release date (jp) March 14, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Advanced V.G. is part of the Variable Geo series of

Japanese 2D fighting/eroge games by Giga. It focuses
on an all-female martial arts competition where par-
ticipants are required to promote various family res-
taurants by acting as waitresses when not fighting.
A
A limited
limited edition
edition “Genteiban”
“Genteiban” version
version of
of the
the game
game
came with a jigsaw.
came with a jigsaw.
30 • Ai Igo

Advanced World War: 7.1

Sennen Teikoku no Koubou
Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) March 20, 1997
Genre Strategy
Mode 1-4 Players

Advanced World War Sennen Teikoku no Koubou:

Last of the Millennium is a turn-based strategy war
game, published by Sega, which was released in Japan
in 1997.

7.6 AI Igo
Developer ISCO
Publisher ASCII Something Good
Release date (jp) July 11, 1997
Genre Table
Mode 1-2 Players

AI Igo: Saturn Version is a board game, developed by

ISCO and published by ASCII Entertainment, which
was released in Japan in 1997.
Ai Igo is a simulation on the board game Go, an ab-
stract strategy board game for two players, in which
the aim is to surround more territory than the opponent.

Ai Iijima: Good Island Cafe 5.0

Developer Inner Brain
Publisher Inner Brain
Release date (jp) September 27, 1996
Genre Misc.
Mode 1 Player

Good Island Cafe: Ai Iijima is a Miscellaneous game,

published by Inner Brain, which was released in Japan
in 1996. The insert claims it’s an “Interactive Video
Clip of Ai Iijima”. It is similar to the SegaCD’s ‘Make
a video’ series.
Ai Iijima (October 31, 1972 – December 24, 2008)
was a Japanese media personality, writer, activist and
actress who was an AV idol early in her career.
32 • Ai Shougi 2

6.8 AI Shougi
Developer Something Good
Publisher Soft Bank, Something Good
Release date (us) August 25, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

AI Shogi is a shogi game, published by Soft Bank,

which was released in Japan in 1995.
Shogi, also known as Japanese chess or the Generals’
Game, is a two-player strategy board game in the same
family as Western (international) chess, and is the most
popular of a family of chess variants native to Japan.
Shōgi means general’s board game.

AI Shougi 2 4.2
Developer ASCII Something Good
Publisher ASCII Something Good
Release date (jp) August 11, 1998
Genre Table
Mode 1-2 Players

AI Shogi 2 is a shogi sequel, published by ASCII En-

tertainment, which was released in Japan in 1998.
This sequel also feature a multiplayer mode.

7.8 Air Management ‘96

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (us) March 26, 1996
Genre Strategy
Mode 1-4 Players

Air Management ‘96 is a sequel/remake to the other

games in the Air Management series. Like previous
titles, the game is an airline management simulation
however graphics and interface have been updated to
3D. Players take control of an airline as it’s CEO, and
must first select the name, tail logo and home airport
of their airline. The game is turn-based between each
airline.
“mobygames.com”
 Albert Odyssey - Legend of Eldean • 33

Airs Adventure 7.4

Developer Game Studio
Publisher Game Studio
Release date (jp) December 20, 1996
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Airs Adventure takes place in an environment

reminiscent of 17th century Europe. The game follows
the story of an aspiring knight, Henry, who is framed
for a crime and is about to be executed. However, the
princess of the country feels mercy and stops the ex-
ecution at the last moment. As the hero tries to uncov-
er the truth about his conviction, fate brings the two
together, and they begin a journey to discover distant
lands in search for adventure.
The game’s combat is a rather simple version of the tradi-
tional Japanese-style RPG system. The player controls a party that
contains only Henry and the princess. Whenever enemies are en-
countered, a separate battle screen appears. Commands are executed
via a standard menu, allowing physical attacks, defense, as well as
offensive and supporting magic spells. Graphically, Airs Adventure
combines pre-rendered character sprites with partially polygonal
backgrounds, with an over-the-shoulder view.
“mobygames.com”

7.9 Albert Odyssey:

Legend of Eldean
Developer Sunsoft
Publisher (us) Working Designs, (jp) Sunsoft
Release date (us) June 20, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Albert Odyssey: Legend Legend

Albert Odyssey: of Eldean of is the first
Eldean, Albertin
known
Odyssey
Japan title to Odyssey
as Albert be released in English,
Gaiden ~Legend as well as the
of Eldean~
firsta to
is feature traditional
role-playing turn-based
game initially role-playing
released in Japanel-in
ements
August 1996. It is the first Albert Odyssey titlegame-
as opposed to tactical, strategy-based to be
play. Legend
released of Eldean
in English, was created
as well as ato“gaiden”,
as the first or
feature tra-
sidestoryturn-based
ditional to the original titles, andelements
role-playing contains back story,
as opposed
characters,
to and plot that are
tactical, strategy-based independent
gameplay. Legendfromof earlier
Eldean
games
was in the as
created series.
a “gaiden”, or sidestory to the original
titles, and contains back story, characters, and plot that
are independent from earlier games in the series.
The game follows the adventure of Pike, a
young boy raised by a family of winged humanoids
known as Harpies. Later, his adoptive sister is turned to
stone by an evil mage. Together with Cirrus, a talking
sword housing the spirit of one of the legendary Eldean
siblings, Pike travels the world to search for a cure.
36 • Akumajou Dracula X: Gekka no Yasoukyoku

Akumajou Dracula X: 9.0

Gekka no Yasoukyoku
Developer Konami (KCEN)
Publisher Konami
Release date (jp) June 25, 1998
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1 Player

Akumajo
Dracula X:Symphony
Castlevania: Gekka no Yasokyoku
of the Nightisisana entry
plat-
in the Castlevania series. Western gamers
form-adventure action role-playing game originally know this
game as Castlevania:
developed and publishedSymphony
by Konamiof theinNight.
1997 forSaturn
the
version of this game contains various exclusive
PlayStation. It was directed and produced by Toru Hag- fea-
tures
ihara, including
with Koji aIgarashi
new playable
acting ascharacter
assistant(Maria
director.Re-It
nard), new items, new enemies, and two new
is the direct sequel to Castlevania: Rondo of Blood tak- levels
(Cursed
ing placePrison and Underground
four years Garden).
later. It features Dracula’s dhampir
son Alucard as the protagonist rising from “segaretro.org”
his slumber
to explore the Dracula’s castle which has re-appeared
after Richter Belmont has vanished. It marks a break
from previous games in the series, introducing explora-
tion, non-linear level design and role-playing elements.
Symphony of the Night uses 2-dimensional side-scrolling gameplay. The objec-
tive is exploring Dracula’s castle to defeat Richter Belmont, who says he’s lord
of Castle Dracula. Canonically, Richter was the hero of the events that took place
in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. The game is non-linear, but most of the castle
is inaccessible until various items are collected, including Shapeshifting into a
bat, wolf, or mist. As the player uncovers more of the castle, a map is updated to
show progress.
While protagonists in previous Castlevania games typically used a whip
(Vampire Killer), the player can find weapons ranging from swords to nunchaku
and expendable items such as bombs or javelins. A bestiary kept by the castle’s
librarian, who also functions as a shopkeeper, shows the monsters encountered
by the player and the items they drop when defeated.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night incorporates elements found in role-
playing games. Alucard’s hit points determine the maximum amount of damage
he can withstand before dying while his magic points decide how frequently
a magical attack may be cast. Alucard has four other attributes: strength – the
power of his physical attack; defense – his resilience to damage inflicted by
the monsters; intelligence – the recovery speed of magic points; and luck – the
frequency that items are dropped by enemies. Defeating monsters provides
him with experience points and he will level up after reaching a predetermined
amount, increasing his attributes in the process. Alucard may cast eight different
spells, which requires the player to input directional combinations and will use
up varying amounts of his magic points. During the course of the game, Alucard
can acquire the ability to summon familiars, which function as complementary
entities, aiding him in battle and exploration.
Alternative modes of gameplay can be unlocked after the completion
of the game. By inputting Richter Belmont’s name as the user name, the player
can choose to play as Richter, who uses a whip as his main weapon and various
sub-weapons. Two alternative modes have Alucard as the player character with
certain items and increased or decreased attributes. In the Sega Saturn version
and the port included in the PlayStation Portable game Castlevania: The Dracula
X Chronicles, Maria Renard is also playable.
 Akumajou Dracula X: Gekka no Yasoukyoku • 37

Development started on a Castlevania game joyed for a long time”. Consequently, the development
slated to be released for the Sega 32X. Sometimes us- team abandoned the stage-by-stage progression of the
ing the title “The Bloodletting”, this game had a play- previous Castlevania games in favor of an open castle
able version but Konami decided to move away from that the player could freely explore. Igarashi looked
that console, and put its focus on the PlayStation, so to The Legend of Zelda series, which involved much
the game was cancelled. Changes were made to these exploration and back-tracking to extend the amount
initial ideas and the project became Symphony of the of gameplay. The development team used inspiration
Night. from Zelda and Super Metroid to make the most of
The game was directed and produced by Toru the castle areas initially inaccessible to the player.
Hagihara, who had directed the previous entry, Rondo The player would gradually obtain items and vam-
of Blood. Igarashi had creative influence and was in- piric powers that progressively opened up the castle.
volved with the story-writing and programming. Part Their idea was to reward exploration while retaining
way through production, Hagihara was promoted to the hack-and-slash action of the previous games.
head of the division. He then asked Igarashi to finish Role-playing mechanics were added because
the game as the assistant director. From the outset, the Igarashi felt the classic Castlevania games were too
game was intended to represent a new direction for the challenging for average players. To change that, the
franchise. According to Igarashi, Castlevania: Sym- team implemented a leveling-up system with experi-
phony of the Night began development as “something ence points, which rewarded players with better at-
of a side story for the series, we were able to break tack and defense statistics as they beat enemies. This
alot of Castlevania conventions and introduce a lot system, combined with a variety of items, armors,
of new elements that we still use today”. His primary weapons and spells, allowed the exploration to be-
motivation for the abrupt design change was the sight come less difficult for unskilled players.
of dozens of Castlevania games in bargain bins of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was art-
Japanese video game stores; linear Castlevania games ist Ayami Kojima’s first appearance in the video game
offered limited replay value after completion. A noted industry. She worked on the game as a character de-
fan of 2D games, Igarashi was instrumental in refin- signer, conceptualizing the game’s main and support-
ing the game’s control scheme. ing cast. Her designs for the game are heavily influ-
For Igarashi, regular action games were too enced by bishōnen-style art.
short; he wanted to create a game that “could be en- The game is presented using 2D visuals,
38 • Akumajou Dracula X: Gekka no Yasoukyoku

mainly sprites animated over scrolling backgrounds. Effects such

as rotation and scaling are used liberally. Sprites range from small
to filling an entire screen. Parallax effects attempt to simulate depth
in backgrounds and can be seen throughout the game. Occasionally,
the 3D capabilities of the PlayStation try to embellish the largely 2D
world. For example, cloudy skies in the Royal Chapel area are ren-
dered as 3D textures moving towards the player’s perspective. A po-
lygonal clock tower visible from the Castle Keep rotates as the player
moves. Enemies and spells also sometimes render 3D elements as
part of their special animations. The game contains some short full
motion video (FMV) sequences, most of which showcase the castle
from different angles. This technique was widely used at the time of
the game’s production.

The music used in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was

composed by Michiru Yamane. The soundtrack contains elements from
music genres classical, techno, gothic rock, new-age, jazz, and subgen-
res of metal – specifically elements of thrash metal. “I Am the Wind”,
a vocal ending theme written by Rika Muranaka and Tony Haynes, and
performed by Cynthia Harrell, is played during the credits.
The soundtrack contains arrangements of pieces from Castleva-
nia: Rondo of Blood, particularly “Dance of Illusions”, the final boss
theme in Rondo of Blood. There is also “Blood Relations”, a variation
of the piece heard in the first stage in Rondo of Blood.

Initially, the game was unsuccessful – particularly in the Unit-

ed States where it was meagerly publicized – but thanks to praise by
critics, it gained sales through word-of-mouth and became a hit. It has
been re-released on several consoles and is considered a sleeper hit, a
cult classic, and one of the best video games ever made. GamesRadar
named Castlevania: Symphony of the Night the second-best PlaySta-
tion game of all time, behind Metal Gear Solid. Edge ranked the game
No. 35 on its list of “The 100 Best Games To Play Today”, stating
“When you get to that moment when the castle turns on its head, you
see that it’s a work of genius”.
The gaming press often draws comparisons between the game-
play of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and its 2D successors
with the popular game Super Metroid, which led to the coinage of the
term “Metroidvania” (portmanteau of Castlevania and Metroid). Igar-
ashi considered himself “honoured” to have been credited for creating
this genre.
 Album Club Mune Kyun ~Saint Paulia Jogakuin~ • 39

In 1998, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night “I understand why fans who’ve never played
was ported to the Sega Saturn in Japan. In this ver- the Saturn version would be interested in those
sion, Maria Renard is both a fully playable character features, but I really, really don’t feel good about
as well as a boss fight (she fights Alucard before giving them. I couldn’t put my name on that stuff and
him the Holy Glasses item), and Richter is available present it to
to play at start of the game. When playing the game as Castlevania fans.”
Alucard, a “third hand” is available for usable items. —Koji Igarashi, June 2007, on the Saturn port
Alucard can use exclusive items, such as the Alucard
boots, in the port. New areas – the Cursed Prison and
the Underground Garden, which had new bosses – can
be visited. The port also contains remixes of previous
Castlevania songs. Because of poor coding, loading is
more frequent and takes longer in the Saturn version
than in other versions. Because the Saturn has limited
hardware transparency support, transparency effects
such as the mists and the waterfall were replaced with
dithering effects, though partial translucency does ex-
ist in a few areas such as with Saturn exclusive en-
emies and one of the final boss fights. Rather than tak-
ing advantage of the Saturn’s increased resolution, the
graphics were stretched to fill the screen, causing some
sprites to be distorted. The overall quality of the Saturn
port’s video is said, according to Igarashi, to be low-
er than the PlayStation version because it is a simple
port handled by another team and was not recoded to
take advantage of the Saturn’s 2D capabilities. Igarashi
overall expressed disappointment with the Saturn ver-
sion.

Album Club: Mune Kyun 5.0

Saint Paulia Jogakuin
Developer Societa Daikanyama
Publisher Societa Daikanyama
Release date (jp) July 11, 1997
Genre Adventure, mini-games
Mode 1 Player

Album Club: Mune Kyun Saint Paulia Jogakuin is an

adventure game with different mini-games. The game
was developed and published by Societa, which was
released in Japan in 1997.
40 • Alien Trilogy

Alien Trilogy 7.4

Developer Probe
Publisher Acclaim
Release date (us) August 13, 1996
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

Alien Trilogy is a first-person shooter released

for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn and MS-DOS plat-
forms in 1996. The game is based on the first three
movies in the Alien film series.
In the role of Lieutenant Ellen Ripley, the play-
er experiences a story loosely derived from the first
three films of the Alien franchise.
The game takes many elements from Alien film
series, such as facehuggers, chestbursters, dog aliens,
adult aliens, and Queen aliens. The game consists of
30 levels and 3 Queen alien bosses. It features several
weapons, including the pulse rifle from Aliens, and
other equipment, such as a shoulder lamp, which can
be used by the player. The console versions only have
a single player campaign whereas the DOS version
also features deathmatch network multiplayer.

7.7 All-Star 1997

Featuring Frank Thomas
Developer Iguana Entertainment
Publisher Acclaim Entertainment
Release date (us) May 29, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

This baseball
All-Stargame
1997is the follow Frank
Featuring up to Frank
ThomasThomas
is the
Big Hurt
follow up Baseball.
to Frank It features
Thomas anHurt
Big Exhibition,
Baseball.Season,
It fea-
Playoff,
tures All-Star, Batting
an Exhibition, Season,Practice,
Playoff, and HomeBatting
All-Star, Run
Derby modes. It also features all the 28 MLB
Practice, and Home Run Derby modes. It also features teams
plusthe
all the28
Tampa
MLBBay andplus
teams Arizona squads,Bay
the Tampa the and
2 new ex-
Arizo-
pansion
na squads,teams
the 2ofnew
that expansion
era. The game
teamsincludes
of that the
era.real
The
players,
game stats, stadiums,
includes and logos
the real players, of stadiums,
stats, each team.and log-
os of each team. “mobygames.com”
During full season play, the game keeps track
of stats in more than 27 different categories. The player
can also trade players from their team during the sea-
son.
The play-by-play commentary is from sport-
scaster Jon Miller.
“mobygames.com”
 Alone in the Dark 2 • 41

Alone in the Dark 2

Developer Infogrames
5.6 Publisher (us) Motion, (eu) Infogrames, (jp) EA Victor
Release date (jp) February 23, 1996
Genre Survival horror
Mode 1 Player

Alone Alone
in in the2Dark
the Dark is the2 1993
is the sequel
1993 sequel to 1992’s
to 1992’s sur-
survival
vival horror
horror videovideo
game game
Alone Alone
in theinDark.
the Dark devel-
The origi-
opedgame’s
nal and published by Infogrames
horror theme as the secondde-em-
has been significantly install-
phasized in the sequel. the enemies are revealed to FM
ment in the series. It was ported to the PC-98 and be
Towns in 1994
possessed andspirits,
by evil to the 3DO
and areInteractive
green and Multiplayer
zombie-
in 1995
like under the same
in appearance, theyname,
are farand to the
from the Sega Saturn
shambling
and PlayStation
walking corpses inof 1996 as Alone
the first game, andin the Dark:
walk, Jack
talk, andis
Back inmuch
behave Europe,
like and renamed
ordinary as Alone
people, arminginthemselves
the Dark:
One-Eyed Jack’s Revenge in
with guns and shooting at the player.North America.
The game is set at Christmas of 1924, three
months after Alone in the Dark. “Supernatural Private
Eye” Edward Carnby and his partner Ted Stryker are
investigating the kidnapping of young Grace Saunders.
The trail of clues leads to an old mansion named “Hell’s
Kitchen” - the home of an infamous gangster boss and
his gang. Edward decides to pick up the trail when he
learns of Ted’s disappearance in the mansion. Unfortu-
nately, Edward soon finds out that Ted has been mur-
dered.
The original game’s horror theme has been sig-
nificantly de-emphasized in the sequel. While there are
some supernatural goings-on (Voodoo black magic),
the main villains are gangsters and pirates. While the
enemies are revealed to be possessed by evil spirits, and
are green and zombie-like in appearance, they are far
from the shambling walking corpses of the first game,
and walk, talk, and behave much like ordinary people,
arming themselves with guns and shooting at the play-
er. The player can pick up weapons on the way such as
a few firearms such as the Revolver, Flintlock pistols
and melee weapons such as Swords. The game world is
larger than that of the original, encompassing not only
the mansion, but also the surrounding gardens as well
as a pirate ship hidden in caverns beneath the house;
however, unlike the first game, with the exception of
the main house, its locations may only be explored in a
strictly linear sequence, a pattern that would continue in
later sequels.
Although much of the game is spent playing
as Carnby, the player will occasionally take control of
Grace Saunders. Grace, a child, cannot fight and is in-
stantly captured if the gangsters spot her, so instead she
must sneak around and defeat the gangsters by turning
common household objects into booby traps.
42 • America Oudan Ultra Quiz

6.2 Amagi Shien

Developer Clip House
Publisher Sunsoft
Release date (jp) February 14, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Amagi Shien is an adventure game, developed by Clip

House and published by SunSoft, which was released
in Japan in 1997 for the Sega Saturn.
The game is a text based adventure mixed with pre-
rendered corridors and rooms similar to Mansion Of
Hidden Souls.

America Oudan Ultra Quiz 4.2

Developer Pegasus Japan
Publisher Victor Entertainment
Release date (jp) October 27, 1995
Genre Trivia
Mode 1-4 Players

America Oudan Ultra Quiz is a quiz game, developed

by Pegasus Japan Corp. and published by Victor Enter-
tainment, which was released in Japan in 1995 for the
Sega Saturn.
The game is part of America Ōdan Ultra Quiz, a series
of Japan-exclusive video games based on the game
show of the same title, broadcast on Nippon Televi-
sion.

7.8 Air Management ‘96

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (us) March 26, 1996
Genre Strategy
Mode 1-4 Players

Air Management ‘96 is a sequel/remake to the other

games in the Air Management series. Like previous
titles, the game is an airline management simulation
however graphics and interface have been updated to
3D. Players take control of an airline as it’s CEO, and
must first select the name, tail logo and home airport
of their airline. The game is turn-based between each
airline.
“mobygames.com”
 AMOK • 43

6.9
AMOK
Developer Lemon
Publisher Sega, (jp) Koei
Release date (us) January 17, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Amok (sometimes spelled AMOK, A.M.O.K.,

A+M+O+K, or A•M•O•K) is an action game for Win-
dows and Sega Saturn. Players guide a robot called
“Slambird” through nine different scenarios to com-
plete several objectives. Developed by Lemon, Amok
began as a technology demo for the Sega 32X, but
was reworked for the Saturn after Sega discontinued
support for the 32X.
Taking place on the planet Amok, a company
war has been raging on for 47 years straight. How-
ever, upon the 47th year, a peace treaty was finally
put into effect and both warring sides ceased fire. Un-
beknownst to them is The Bureau, an underground
collection of Arms Dealers who were benefiting from
the constant weapon sales. The Bureau starts a plan
to keep the war going by striking the heart of a strong
military compound and research center on the island
of Falster. By employing the mercenary mech-pilot
Gert Staun - commandeering their latest light ground-
sea mech, the Slam Bird - does the Bureau hope to
achieve their ultimate goal.
The gameplay follows a seek and destroy for-
mat, where the player must destroy certain structures
with a cannon that is attached to the Slambird robot.
The game’s levels include both underwater
and land areas. In the underwater mode, propellers
guide the Slambird Robot. Underwater and land are
no different in control. Missiles, heavy missiles and
bombs can also be fired by the robot, and at the end a
special power gun is found to fight Svinet 17.
The game contains many different enemy
types. These enemies are split into two groups - non-
corporation enemies and corporation enemies. The
non-corporation enemies are enemies that have not
been developed to destroy the robot by the corpora-
tion, such as the bat, the steeljaw rat and the huge ant
that can be found in the later missions. The corpora-
tion enemies are grunts and machines that have been
developed to kill the Slambird Robot.
44 • AnEarth Fantasy Stories ~The First Volume~

Andretti Racing 7.0

Developer Press Start Inc., High Score Productions
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (us) December 20, 1996
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

Published by EA Sports, Andretti Racing, gives the

player the ability to race both Indy and Stock cars.
The player will race against a mix of 15 authentic and
fictional drivers at a time, on 16 different race courses.
The majority of the courses in the game are road and
street courses, all fictitious with exception to the Cal-
der Park Thunderdome, which shares a name likeness
with an Australian race track.
“giantbomb.com”

AnEarth Fantasy Stories:

8.0
The First Volume
Developer Hudson Soft, MediaWorks
Publisher MediaWorks
Release date (jp) March 28, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Anearth Fantasy Stories is a remake of the PC

Engine CD role-playing game Seiya Monogatari. It
was optimistically subtitled The First Volume, which
seems like hubris in the absence of any follow-up
years later.
The game Thediffers
gamefrom most
differs other
from role-playing
most games
other role-
in several important aspects. Instead of random
playing games later. The game differs from most battles
the game
other has pre-set
role-playing battles,
games in which
severaloccur much less
important
aspects. Instead of random battles the game has
pre-set battles, which occur much less frequently
than in traditional Japanese RPGs. There are no
levels in the game; instead, the characters gain
better statistics depending on their actions during
battles.
The differences between this release and
the original version include higher resolution
graphic. Anime-style portraits during conversa-
tions have been re-drawn completely and have a
different style. There is voice acting for all impor-
tant conversations, not just for some of them, as in
the original version. There are new story-related
sequences that were not present in the Turbo CD
release. Location of certain items has been al-
tered. More items have been added.
“mobygames.com”
 Angel Paradise Vol.1 Sakaki Yuko • 45

4.6 Angel Graffiti S:

Anata e no Profile
Developer Astrovision
Publisher Coconuts Japan
Release date (jp) July 25, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Angel Graffiti is a visual novel romance simulation

game. The player character is a high-school sophomore
student. One day, while walking through the park, he
notice a beautiful girl, but don’t really manage to make
a good impression on her and she soon goes away. The
next day, his homeroom teacher announces he have a
new student joining his class ... her name is Misuzu
Amano ... the girl he met a day ago in the park... Amagawd

Angel Paradise Vol.1 : 6.3

Sakaki Yuko
Developer Scarab
Publisher Sammy
Release date (jp) April 19, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1 Player

Angel Paradise Vol. 1: Sakaki Yuko: Koi no Yokan in

Hollywood is a moving puzzle game, developed by
Scarab and published by Sammy Studios, which was
released in Japan in 1996.

5.5 Angel Paradise Vol.2 :

Yoshino Kimika
Developer Scarab
Publisher Sammy
Release date (jp) September 13, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1 Player

Angel Paradise Vol. 2: Yoshino Kimika: Isshoni I-ta-i

in Hawaii is a puzzle game developed by Scarab and
published by Sammy for the Sega Saturn. It is the se-
quel to Angel Paradise Vol. 1: Sakaki Yuko: Koi no
Yokan in Hollywood. The game involves solving tile
puzzles while live-action footage of models plays in
the background.
“segaretro.org”
46 • Angelique Special

8.0 Angelique Duet

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) July 30, 1998
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Angelique Duet is part of the Angelique dating sim

otome series originally developed by Ruby Party, a
division of Koei consisting fully of females. In each
game the player assumes the role of Angelique Limo-
ges who must populate a kingdom she has been given
before her rival.
The biggest addition to Duet is the option to play as not
only the usual heroine Angelique Limoges, but also
her rival Rosalia de Catargena.

Angelique Special 8.4

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) March 29, 1996
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Angelique Special is an enhanced version of the

original Angelique for Super Famicom. There are no
changes gameplay-wise (a mixture of adventure, strat-
egy, and dating sim) or story-wise (a simple girl named
Angelique Limoges must befriend nine Guardians to
become a queen). This version features slightly im-
proved graphics, CD-quality music, voice acting, and
anime-style cutscenes.
“mobygames.com”

4.0 Angelique Special 2

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) April 4, 1997
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Following the events of the first Angelique game, An-

gelique Limoges has become the queen of Cosmos,
and her former rival Rosalie - her aid. Now a whole
new Cosmos has appeared, and it’s time to choose a
new queen for it. The candidates this time are Angel-
ique Collet and Rachel Hart.
The gameplay system remains largely unchanged in
this sequel. Once again, Angelique has to use diploma-
cy to make the Nine Guardians lend her their powers.
 ApoNashi Gals Olympos • 47

Another Memories 7.3

Developer Starlight Marry
Publisher Starlight Marry
Release date (jp) July 2, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Another Memories is an Adventure game, published

by Starlight Marry, which was released in Japan in
1998.
The game is certainly not a cute Super Deformed ad-
venture game as presented on the cover. The game also
feature a few mini games thrown in here and there.

“segagagadomain.com”

8.0 Aponasi Gals Olympos

Developer Human
Publisher Human
Release date (jp) December 20, 1996
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Aponasi Gals Olympos, also known as No-Appoint-

ment Gals: Olympos, is a fighting game by Human
Entertainment that uses a card battle system, and fea-
tures high school girls who can transform into magical
warriors. It was released in 1996 for both PlayStation
and Saturn.
The game had three different releases on the Saturn,
featuring different cover art.

Aqua-World: Umi Monogatari 5.6

Developer Mizuki
Publisher Masudaya
Release date (jp) July 12, 1996
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Aqua World: Umibi Monogatari is a fish tank simula-

tor. Users can watch fish, dolphins and so on and that’s
about it. The game was published by Mashita, which
was released in Japan in 1996.
48 • Aquazone Option Disc Series 1 Angel Fish

Aquazone Desktop Life 6.7

Developer 9003
Publisher 9003
Release date (jp) July 12, 1996
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Aquazone Desktop Life is a fish tank simulator devel-

oped and published by 9003 as part of their Aquazone
series of “games”. This is the core game. The option
discs include new fish and items.

“segaretro.org”

8.0 Aquazone Option Disc

Series 1 Angel Fish
Developer OPeNBooK9003
Publisher OPeNBooK9003
Release date (jp) December 6, 1996
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

This data disc allow users to watch the Angel Fish fish
in their fish tank rather than the standard assortment
that come with the main disc.
Pterophyllum is a small genus of freshwater fish from
the family Cichlidae known to most aquarists as “an-
gelfish”. All Pterophyllum species originate from the
Amazon Basin in tropical South America.

Aquazone Option Disc 7.7

Series 2 Black Molly
Developer OPeNBooK9003
Publisher OPeNBooK9003
Release date (jp) December 6, 1996
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

AquaZone Option Disk Series 2: Black Molly is a sim-

ulation game, published by Sega, which was released
in Japan in 1996.
Black Molly or Midnight Molly originated from hy-
brids between Poecilia sphenops and the sailfin molly.
Due to genomic recombination, F1 hybrids often dis-
play novel and bizarre fin shapes.
 Aquazone Option Disc Series 4 Clown Loach • 49

9.0 Aquazone Option Disc

Series 3 Blue Emperor
Developer OPeNBooK9003
Publisher OPeNBooK9003
Release date (jp) December 6, 1996
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

AquaZone Option Disk Series 3: Blue Emperor is a

simulation game, published by Sega, which was re-
leased in Japan in 1996.
This pretty little species can be seen for sale with vari-
ous common names, including the ‘blue emperor’, ‘re-
gal’ or ‘royal’ tetra. It’s sometimes confused with the
emperor tetra, but can be easily distinguished as it pos-
sesses an adipose fin.

Aquazone Option Disc 8.3

Series 4 Clown Loach
Developer OPeNBooK9003
Publisher OPeNBooK9003
Release date (jp) December 6, 1996
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

The 4th in the series of data discs for the Aqua Zone se-
ries allows users to feature the Clown Loach in their tank
as well as a few extra ornaments to decorate the tank.
The clown loach, Chromobotia macracanthus, is a
tropical freshwater fish belonging to the botiid loach
family. It is a popular fish in the freshwater aquarium
trade and is sold worldwide.

8.3 Aquazone Option Disc

Series 5 False Rummy-Nose
Developer OPeNBooK9003
Publisher OPeNBooK9003
Release date (jp) December 6, 1996
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

AquaZone Option Disk Series 5: False Rummy-Nose

is a simulation game, published by Sega, which was
released in Japan in 1996.
The rummy-nose tetra is a species of tropical freshwa-
ter characin fish originating in South America, popular
among fishkeepers as an aquarium fish.
50 • Assault Rigs

7.7 Arcana Strikes

Developer Takara, Red
Publisher Takara
Release date (jp) December 11, 1997
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Though not in the same series as the original “Arcana”

released on Super Famicom by Hal, Arcana Strikes
is a Card-Based RPG for Sega Saturn, developed by
Takara and Red.

“Patrick Gann@rpgfan.com”

Assault Rigs 7.2

Developer Psygnosis, The Wheelhaus, Perfect Entertainment
Publisher Soft Bank
Release date (jp) September 11, 1997
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

Assault Rigs is an action game first released in 1996 for

MS-DOS and PlayStation, and a year later for the Sega
Saturn in Japan. The game takes place in the future,
where real sport has been overtaken in favour of vir-
tual sport, the most popular of which is Assault Rigs,
a tank simulator set inside a 3D virtual environment.
The goal of the single player game is to collect all of
the gems in a level, while destroying or avoiding en-
emies, ultimately reaching the exit.

8.5 Arthur to Astaroth

no Nazomakaimura
Developer Dynamix, Magical Formation, Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) August 30, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1 Player

Arthur to Astaroth no Nazomakaimura: Incredible

Toons is a Japanese-only entry in Dynamix’s The In-
credible Machine series based on the Ghosts ‘N Gob-
lins series.
As with the The Incredible Machine games, there are
different kinds of puzzles. However, unlike the The In-
credible Machine games, there are no Head-to-Head
puzzles and no Freeform Machine mode.
 Area 51 • 51

Area 51 6.9
Developer Tantalus Interactive, Perfect Entertainment
Publisher (us) Midway, (eu) GT Interactive, (jp) Soft Bank
Release date (us) November 20, 1996
Genre Light-gun
Mode 1-2 Players

Area 51 is a light gun game originally released by

Atari Games as an arcade game in 1995. The plot of
the game involves the player (Peterson) taking part
in a STAAR (Strategic Tactical Advanced Alien Re-
sponse) military incursion to prevent aliens, known as
the Kronn, and alien-created zombies from taking over
the Area 51 military facility.
The Saturn port has a border covering about 15% of
the screen. It supports all of the console’s light guns.
52 • Asuka 120% Limited ~Burning Fest.

Asuka 120% Limited

7.5 Burning Fest. Limited
Developer Fill in Cafe
Publisher ASK Kodansha
Release date (jp) October 9, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Asuka 120%AsukaLimited doesn’t addFest.

120% BURNING any new systems tofighting game se-
is a Japanese
the series,
ries, instead
initially focusing
released onFujitsu
for the changingFMand tweaking
Towns, produced by Fill-in-
movesthat
Cafe to better balance the
was published andfighters. Character
distributed sprites and Kodansha.
by FamilySoft
are larger
The in comparison
franchise to the and
was programmed previous PlayStation
designed by Masatoshi Imaizumi,
entry,
its musicbut was
like composed
most Saturnby games
Keishi true transparencies
Yonao, and the games’ illustrations
were removed.
designed The story
by Aoi mode isCategorized
Nanase. a standard linear fight game, eleven
as a bishōjo
to fight affair
versions werewith text dialog
released in between
for various matches.
platforms between 1994 and 2002.
The game is set at the Ryōran Private School for Women which
“mobygames.com”
educates the daughters of the upper echelons of society. The school’s
clubs hold a martial arts tournament called the Club Rivalry Budget
Contest Mega Fight annually. Each character employs a different fight-
ing style and the techniques are unique to each club. The original char-
acters are female categorizing Asuka 120% Burning Fest as a bishōjo
game.

Asuka 120% Limited doesn’t add

any new systems to the series, instead fo-
cusing on changing and tweaking moves
to better balance the fighters. Character
sprites are larger in comparison to the
previous PlayStation entry, but like most
SEGA Saturn games true transparencies
were removed. The story mode is a stand-
ard linear fight to fight affair with text dia-
log in between matches. Versus mode in-
cludes options for Player vs CPU, Player
vs Player, and exhibition CPU vs CPU.
The final game mode is a survival mode
where the player fights each character in
turn, and health is restored based upon
their score during the fight.
“mobygames.com”
 Astal • 53

7.8 Assault Suit Leynos 2

Developer Nippon Computer Systems
Publisher Nippon Computer Systems
Release date (jp) February 21, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

Japan-only sequel to Target Earth, Leynos 2 puts play-

ers in the cockpit of a giant mecha robot as they scroll
and shoot their way through a series of 7 individual
missions tied loosely together by a generic sci-fi plot.
The game itself plays as a side-scrolling shooter set in
different planets as well as outer space. They have a
variety of upgradeable weaponry which allow them to
shoot anywhere on-screen as well as a auto-lock system.
“mobygames.com”

Astal 7.6
Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) April 28, 1995
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1-2 Players

Astal, known in Japan as Kisuishou Densetsu

Astal is a 2D side scrolling platformer for the Sega
Saturn. It was released early in the Saturn’s life and
used hand-drawn graphics.
Astal is a 2D platform game which supports
one or two players. Player 1 plays as “Astal”, alongside
a cooperative buddy, a bird, which can assist Astal in
several ways. In single player mode, Astal gives com-
mands to this bird to attack enemies, retrieve health
or even perform context sensitive actions that are spe-
cific to certain levels, however in two player mode, the
bird can be controlled by a second player instead. Two
player mode also allows both players to team up and
perform attacks together, with the downside being that
the bird now has a health bar, and both players share
the same lives counter.
In the Japanese version, Astal has five life
points and unlimited continues. This was dropped to
three life points and one continue in the North Ameri-
can version.
IGN staff writer Levi Buchanan ranked Astal
ninth in his list of the top 10 Sega Saturn games, noting
that “The game came out early in the Saturn’s lifespan
and was largely ignored -- no thanks to the garish box
art.” However, another IGN writer gave it a 3 out of
10 and called it “crappy” and “derivative”.
54 • Astra Superstars

Astra Superstars
8.1 Developer Sunsoft, Santaclaus
Publisher Sunsoft
Release date (jp) August 6, 1998
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Astra AstraStars
Super Superstars is a2D
is a 1998 1998 2D fighting
versus versus fighting
arcade
originally released
game illustrated for arcades.
and designed It is Sunsoft’s
by Santaclaus, devel-
fourthand
oped fighting game by
published after the 1994
Sunsoft, andSuper Famicom
distributed by
Hebereke
Tecmo franchisein
exclusively spin-off
Japan Sugoi
on JuneHebereke,
6, 1998. the
The1995
Sat-
Galaxy
urn portFight: Universal
features the same Warriors
“Story and the and
Mode” 19961PWaku
VS.
Waku 7. Unlike most typical fighting games,
2P modes, it also features seven exclusive modes. “1PAstra Su-
perstars
VS. COM”,is an“COM
airborne-based
VS. COM”, fighting game. Profile”,
“Character
“Option
Mode”,
The “Illust
object Gallery”
of the and “Exit”.fighting game is to con-
airborne-based
stantly attack the opponent until it is knocked out in two out of three
rounds (except the one round-only final boss fight). There are two
modes in the original arcade version: “Story Mode” or “1P VS. 2P”.
In “Story Mode”, the player must select a character to play through
the game with. At the beginning of each battle, the player must con-
verse with his or her opponent by selecting 1 of 3 sentences. Depend-
ing on which sentence is selected, the CPU-controlled opponent will
either “Heat Up” (become hard), “Cool Down” (become easy) or
stay neutral before fighting (no difficulty change). This is only used
in all playable characters and the mini-boss, but not the final boss.
Depending on what is said, the player can encounter the Dev-
il (based on bad judgment of character) or the Angel (based on good
judgement of character) to fight before the final boss, though the An-
gel requires the player to judge their opponent well and not have any
hiccups, or else the Devil will inevitably show up, should just one
choice be bad.
Unlike most fighting games, Astra Superstars only features
the small basic moves and the large Star Special moves, but no me-
dium-sized special moves. The player can summon a shield around
his or her character to briefly prevent the opponent from attacking the
player’s character. If the player constantly attacks the opponent that
is guarding, the guard breaks, making the opponent briefly unable
unable to move. If the player KOs the opponent
the second time either with one of two heavy
button basic moves or with a Star Special, the
opponent will exit the screen.
Astra Superstars was later ported to the
Sega Saturn exclusively in Japan on August 6,
1998, two months after the original arcade ver-
sion. While this version features the same “Story
Mode” and 1P VS. 2P modes, it also features sev-
en exclusive modes. “1P VS. COM”, “COM VS.
COM”, “Character Profile”, “Option Mode”, “Il-
lust Gallery” and “Exit”. “Exit” returns to Attract
Mode. This version’s soundtrack is an updated
version of the arcade version’s soundtrack.
 Atlantis: The Lost Tales • 55

Atlantis: The Lost Tales

Developer Cryo Interactive
Publisher Sega
Release date (eu) October, 1997
5.2 Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Atlantis:Atlantis:
The LostThe LostisTales
Tales is a fantasy
a fantasy adventureadventure
game
game
by Cryodeveloped and
Interactive. Thepublished by Cryo
game is named afterInteractive.
its initial
The most
and gameimportant
is named setting,
after its Atlantis
initial and
andmost
is theimportant
first in
setting, Atlantis. It
the Myst-like series. is the first in a Myst-like series, and
is followed by Atlantis II (Beyond Atlantis outside Eu-
Progression through the game involves solving vari-
rope), Atlantis III: The New World (Beyond Atlantis
ous puzzles of varying difficulty. Some puzzles are ex-
II), Atlantis Evolution and The Secrets of Atlantis: The
tremely abstract and the solution is completely unex-
Sacred Legacy.
pected, whereas other puzzles are very simple.
The game begins with Seth, the protagonist, joining the Queen’s Compan-
ions, the personal guardians of the Queen of Atlantis. He discovers after he arrives
that the Queen disappeared shortly before he joined. As the story progresses, Seth
learns that a power struggle is taking place between the Queen and the Guards
of the Consul. The leader of the Guards, Creon, wishes to supplant Ammu, the
goddess of the moon, as the most worshiped of Atlantis’ gods, replacing her with
Sa’at, the sun god; he then wants to conquer the world in the name of Sa’at, using
a new weapon that he has developed.
Atlantis is a first-person perspective puzzle game. The entire game is in
pre-rendered, panoramic 3-D. The HUD is basically a ‘window’ into the world of
Atlantis, instead of moving a mouse around the screen, moving the mouse actu-
ally moves the screen itself. To interact with the world, the player must position
the item, NPC or thing into the middle of the screen. Some critics have found
this annoying, as there is no crosshair in the middle of the screen. This means the
player must guess where the centre is, and move the screen accordingly.
Progression through the game involves solving various puzzles of vary-
ing difficulty. Some puzzles are extremely abstract and the solution is completely
unexpected, whereas other puzzles are very simple. Another feature of Atlantis is
having periods where the player must react quickly to certain events happening
in the game. For example, in one section guards chase the player away from a
certain area. If the player hesitates in moving backwards and looking for shelter,
then the player will lose and will have to restart from the beginning of the scene.
This can also be frustrating, as there is only one particular path the player may
take, and taking any other part results in capture, death and restarting.
The Saturn version of the game supports the Saturn mouse, despite the
fact that it was only released in Europe, whereas the Saturn mouse was only re-
leased in North America and Japan. European Saturns can be used with imported
peripherals.
The game features a number of proprietary technologies developed by
Cryo. One such technology is called OMNI 3D which provides a smooth, pano-
ramic 360-degree first-person view of the game environment. Unfortunately, this
view tends to be less crisp looking than the movement clips that are pre-rendered
in the game. All the character animations are motion captured and feature another
technology called OMNI SYNC to ensure proper lip synchronization with audio
speech.
Adventure Lantern gave the game 86 out 100 score largely due to the in-
triguing story, pleasant atmosphere and the fascinating locations.
56 • Ayrton Senna Personal Talk ~Message for the Future~

5.0 Ayakashi Ninden

Kunoichiban Plus
Developer Shoeisha, Sugeeya, Zero System
Publisher Shoeisha
Release date (jp) April 9, 1998
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Ayakashi Ninden Kunoichiban Plus is a female ninja

dating sim ported from it’s 1997 Windows release.
Players take the role of a new student in a female ninja
school. The game is the typical dating sim, with most
of the playtime being interacting with the other girls at
the school in conversations.

“segascream.com”

Ayrton Senna Personal Talk: 7.3

Message for the future
Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) April 28, 1995
Genre Misc.
Mode 1 Player

Ayrton Senna Personal Talk: Message for the future is

an unusual entry in the Sega Saturn’s software library.
It appears to be nothing but an audio-only interview
with Formula 1 racer Ayrton Senna, who previously
sponsored the sequel to Sega’s Super Monaco GP, with
some visuals overlaid. Though the interview is done
entirely in English, this “multimedia disc” only ap-
pears to have been released in Japan.

7.3 BackGuiner:
Hishou-hen Uragiri no Senjou
Developer Ving
Publisher Ving
Release date (jp) October 1, 1998
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

BackGuiner: Yomigaeru Yuusha-tachi: Hishou-hen Ur-

agiri no Senjou is the sequel to Kakusei-hen Guiner Ten-
sei. Continuing the story from the first Act, BackGuiner
Act 2 feature FMVs, absorbing story and gameplay as
long as the players are in to simulation type games.
The games was scheduled to be made as a trilogy, but
the final chapter was not released.
“segagagadomain.com”
 Baku Baku Animal • 57

BackGuiner: 7.0
Kakusei-hen Guiner Tensei
Developer Ving
Publisher Ving
Release date (jp) July 30, 1998
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

The game is an isometric Mech battle simulation us-

ing video clips for the attack sequences and story. The
battle commands are easy to work out despite being
in Japanese so even someone with no knowledge of
the language could play this game as long as the don’t
mind missing out on the story. However they may want
to pass since there’s an awful lot of Japanese text uses
in the “adventure” sections of the game.

7.4 Baku Baku

Developer Sega AM3
Publisher Sega
Release date (eu) May, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Baku Baku Animal is a falling block puzzle game re-

leased by Sega for the arcades in 1995 and ported to
the Saturn in 1996.
The player must line up falling blocks of animals and
foodstuffs. When an animal is aligned adjacent to a tile
of its favoured food, the animal eats the food. Larger
groups of connected food of the same type scores high-
er when eaten.

Bakuretsu Hunter 8.0

Developer I’MAX
Publisher I’MAX
Release date (jp) April 26, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Bakuretsu Hunter is an text-adventure game for the

Sega Saturn. It is based on the Bakuretsu Hunter anime
series.
The game comes with a sticker and poster of the front
cover as well as an Omake (“bonus”) CD. The Omake
CD is full of poor resolution scans and interviews.
58 • Bakushou!! All Yoshimoto Quiz Ou Ketteisen DX

Bakuretsu Hunter R 8.0

Developer Star Child
Publisher King Records
Release date (jp) August 8, 1997
Genre Adventure, role-playing
Mode 1-2 Players

Better known as Sorcerer Hunter in English, this Hen-

tai action RPG is defiantly one for the more mature
audience. The humour is pure adult with many sexual
innuendos from the first screen
The gaame was published by King Records, which
was released in Japan in 1997.

“segagagadomain.com”

6.6 Bakushou!! All Yoshimoto

Quiz Ou Ketteisen DX
Developer Yoshimoto Kogyo
Publisher Yoshimoto Kogyo
Release date (us) December 1, 1995
Genre Game show
Mode 1-4 Players

Bakushou!! All Yoshimoto Quiz Ou Ketteisen DX is a

quiz game featuring different Japanese TV personali-
ties for the Sega Saturn.
The game was developed and published by Yoshimoto
Kogyo, which was released in Japan in 1995.

Baldy Land 5.6

Developer Creative Edge
Publisher Banpresto
Release date (jp) November 26, 1998
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

The premise of Baldy Land, released as Baldies in the

west, is similar to many real-time strategy games. Play-
ers start with a limited number of Baldies with which
they construct buildings, increase their population, and
create the necessary instruments of war. There are four
classes of Baldies--builders, scientists, soldiers, and
workers/breeders. Structures include small, medium,
large, and huge houses as well as science labs and bar-
racks.
 Baroque • 59

8.6
Baroque
Developer Sting
Publisher Sting, Entertainment Software Publishing
Release date (us) May 21, 1998
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Baroque
is horror-themed
Baroque action game
is a role-playing videowith
gameelements
devel-
of
opedsurvival
by and gameplay.
publishedThe whole
Sting game is set inreleased
Entertainment, a tow-
er: players
in Japan forslowly
the Segawork theironway
Saturn Mayto21,
the1998.
top, fighting
demons as they progress. Players have HP as well as
staminaSet after If
gauge. a world-altering
the stamina is cataclysm
depleted, called the Blaze that took place on May
they walk
14, 2032,
slower andBaroque focuses
can’t react wellon
in a nameless,
battle. mute, and amnesiac protagonist. Early on,
he finds himself tasked with purifying the Meta-Beings, once-human creatures that
It would be released overseas in the form of a port to
have lost themselves to the delusions inside them, and reaching the bottom floor of
the PlayStation and remakes on the PlayStation 2 and
a tower to gain redemption for his forgotten sin. Through his interactions with the
Wii (all of which were released overseas by Atlus).
other characters and unlocked cutscenes, the player learns about the back-story and
characters.
The objective of Baroque is to guide the nameless amnesiac player character
through the Neuro Tower to the bottom floor. Randomly generated, the majority
of the layouts of the Neuro Tower’s floors change each time the player ventures
inside. Portals found on each floor of the tower will transport the player to the next
floor. Death in Baroque does not result in a game over screen, but advances the plot,
unlocking cutscenes, new areas, and comments by the non-player characters. The
Neuro Tower expands after certain conditions are met.
The player character begins the game outside of the Neuro Tower with no
items or experience points. Before entering the Neuro Tower, the player is presented
with an Angelic Rifle, a special weapon that can destroy any monster with a single
shot. However, the rifle has an ammunition capacity of five shots. The player can find
items, swords, and equipment scattered around the tower at random and by defeat-
ing enemies—which also grants the player experience points, allowing the player
character to gain levels and become more powerful. However, should the protagonist
die before reaching the end of the dungeon, the player will be returned to the start-
ing point outside the tower, and will lose all items, including those equipped, and all
gained experience points.
The game uses two gauges to measure the protagonist’s health: hit points and
vitality. The vitality gauge constantly drains during gameplay. If it empties, the hit
point gauge will begin to drain. Both gauges can be refilled by eating various forms
of flesh and hearts to restore hit points and vitality respectively.
After the initial release of the game for the Sega Saturn, Sting developed a
special CD containing movies, assets and art from the game; it was released only in
Japan for the Sega Saturn as Baroque Report: CD Data File.
It was ported for PlayStation, and a remake was released for PlayStation 2
and Wii. On December 28, 2012, Sting released it for the Apple iOS platform.
60 • Batman Forever

Bases Loaded ‘96: 7.6

Double Header
Developer Jaleco
Publisher Jaleco
Release date (jp) November 22, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

This baseball game features real MLBPA players from

the 1994 baseball season. The game has an Exhibition
mode, a Regular Season mode, and a Championship
Game mode. The Regular Season mode lets the player
choose to play either a 13, 26, 52, or 162 game season,
while the Championship Game mode lets the player
play either a 3,5, or 7 game championship game series
against an opposing team.

5.7 Batman Forever

Developer Iguana Entertainment
Publisher Acclaim
Release date (eu) November 16, 1996
Genre Beat-’em-up
Mode 1-2 Players

Batman Forever is a beat ‘em up based on the movie.

Taking on the role of either Batman or Robin, players
can punch, kick, and use special combination attacks
to defeat waves of enemies. Special weapons, such as
Batarangs, can be found throughout the levels. It is
sectioned off into stages, and arranged with waves of
enemies before ending with a boss.

Battle Athletess Daiundoukai 8.5

Developer Increment P, Anime International Company
Publisher Increment P
Release date (jp) December 13, 1996
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Set in the year of 4998, after the war with an alien race,
the battle is no longer waged with devastating weap-
ons but through a contest of physical strength between
representatives of each race. In Battle Athletes, Akari
Kanzaki, the protagonist of the story, but not the play-
er, is a daughter of a former Cosmic Beauty who prom-
ised her mother on her deathbed to follow in her steps.
The story progresses one day at the time, leaving play-
ers to go through a half-year long training with Akari.
62 • Batsugun

Batsugun
Developer Gazelle
Publisher Banpresto
Release date (jp) October 25, 1996
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players
8.4

Batsugun,Batsugun is a vertically
originally developedscrolling
for the shoot
arcade,‘em
is up
a
created byscrolling
vertically the now-defunct Japanese
“bullet hell” shoot game
‘em updeveloper
created
Toaplan.
by The title translates
the now-defunct Japanesetogame“exceptional”
developer or “ex-
Toap-
traordinary”.
lan. The title translates to “exceptional” or “extraordi-
nary”.
The Saturn releases
Originally developedarefornearly
the the sameBatsugun
arcade, but dif-
fer
wasfrom the arcade
first released in versions in subtle
1993. A second ways,named
edition including
Bat-
rearranged music and lack of slowdown in
sugun Special Version was shown at the AOU (Arcade some cases
which can Union)
Operators make the game
show more difficult.
in Japan but was never released
as Toaplan slid into bankruptcy. After Toaplan’s bank-
ruptcy, the Special Version appeared on the secondhand
market. The two revisions were released on the Sega Saturn in 1996 as a single
package coded by Toaplan offshoot Gazelle.
Heralded by some as the first “manic shooter”, Batsugun’s development
involved employees who would go on to form and work at Cave and continue to
work in this subgenre. This includes the game’s chief programmer Tsuneki Ikeda.
Batsugun saw an evolution in the use of complex enemy wave and bullet patterns,
and player firepower and hit-box.
As is the standard with most arcade shooters, the player controls their
ship with a joystick/control pad and two buttons. One button (Fire) shoots the
main guns, and the other button (Bomb) releases a smart bomb that spreads huge
energy balls all around the player’s ship.
As enemies are destroyed, the player gains
experience points that are separate from the score.
For every 288 experience points gained, the main
gun will ‘level up’, becoming much stronger. This
is analogous to experience points and levelling up in
role playing games. The weapon can only level up
twice, so after it has achieved its maximum level, 288
experience points will grant the player an extra bomb.
The player can also grab “P” icons to increase
the power of the current level gun. A maximum of
five “P”s can be collected per experience level; get-
ting more after this gives extra points instead. Col-
lecting “B” icons increases the number of bombs, to a
maximum of 7.
The Saturn release are nearly the same but
differ from the arcade versions in subtle ways, includ-
ing rearranged music and lack of slowdown in some
cases which can make the game more difficult.
 Battle Arena Toshinden URA • 63

Battle Arena Toshinden Remix 6.6

Developer Nextech, Takara
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) November 24, 1995
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Remix is an enhanced port of the 1995 PlayStation

game, Battle Arena Toshinden. In its original incar-
nation it acted as the PlayStation’s answer to Virtua
Fighter, a battle it was largely considered to have won
as a showcase for the then-new generation of hardware.
Remix adds a new computer generated introduction to
the game, as an all-new story mode, and a exclusive
character called Cupido. This is Cupido’s only appear-
ance in the series.

7.2 Battle Arena Toshinden URA

Developer Nextech
Publisher Sega, (jp) Takara
Release date (jp) September 27, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Battle Arena Toshinden URA is a somewhat enhanced

port of Battle Arena Toshinden 2 and serves as a sequel
to Battle Arena Toshinden Remix.
Four characters were removed from the playstation
game; Gaia, Chaos, Uranus, and Master. Four exclu-
sive characters are added in their place; Ripper, Ron-
ron, Replicant, and Wolf. Gameplay was altered, mak-
ing the game feel somewhat different. There are also
new arenas, a new story, and a different CG intro.

Battle Garegga 8.5

Developer Raizing
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (jp) February 26, 1998
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Battle Garegga is a vertically scrolling shoot’em up ar-

cade game developed and published by 8ing/Raizing
in 1996 and later ported to the Sega Saturn in 1998.
Battle Garegga does away with many conventions of
the genre. Enemy bullets are mostly brown and gray,
making them hard to see. Screen filling bombs, usu-
ally an emergency weapon that should not be used as it
lowers score, are encouraged to use as they can trigger
specific events.
64 • Battle Stations

Battle Monsters 6.1

Developer Scarab
Publisher Acclaim, (jp) Naxat Soft
Release date (jp) July 2, 1995
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Battle Monsters is a versus fighting game released ex-

clusively for the Sega Saturn in 1995. It was developed
by Naxat Soft and is very similar to Mortal Kombat, in
that it uses digitised fighters and has an emphasis on
violence.
Twelve characters are available (from a human/bird
hybrid to a headless creature) with each having its own
set of special moves, like juggling opponents in the air,
and pit monster against monster.

6.6 Battle Stations

Developer Realtime Associates
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (us) May 21, 1997
Genre Action, Strategy
Mode 1-2 Players

This naval combat game feature a 1 and 2 player game.

Gameplay has players moving their ships strategical-
ly on an overhead map. When two ships move close
enough to each other, a battle can happen. In the battle,
players try maneuvering a target reticule on their op-
ponent ship to attack them, while also attempting to
move out of the way of their opponents attacks. Once
one of the ships health meters become empty from tak-
ing to much damage, they are sunk.
“mobygames.com”

BattleSport 7.6
Developer Studio 3DO
Publisher Acclaim Entertainment
Release date (us) May, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Battlesport simulates a future sport. Players choose a

vehicle and enter the arena to face the opponents to see
who scores the most goals before the clock runs out.
The ball constantly bounces over the arena making it
hard to controll. A variety of weapons are available to
shoot the competitor, and anyone that takes a hit while
carrying the ball loses possession, sending the ball
bouncing across the arena.
“mobygames.com”
 Big Ichigeki! Pachi-Slot Daikouryaku: Universal Museum • 65

5.3 Beach de Reach!

Developer Natsu System
Publisher Mainichi Communications
Release date (jp) August 20, 1998
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Beach de Reach! is a mahjong game where player play

against anime girls. The game was developed by Natsu
System and published by Mainichi Communications
for the Sega Saturn.

Big Ichigeki! Pachi-Slot 6.1

Daikouryaku: Universal Museum
Developer Nihon Syscom
Publisher ASK Kodansha
Release date (jp) June 14, 1996
Genre Gambling
Mode 1 Player

Big Ichigeki! Pachi-Slot Daikouryaku: Universal Mu-

seum is a pachi-slot game developed by Nihon Syscom
and published by ASK Kodansha for the Sega Saturn.

5.0 Bishoujo Hanafuda Kikou

Michinoku Hitou Koi
Monogatari Special
Developer O-Two
Publisher FOG
Release date (jp) December 11, 1997
Genre Cards
Mode 1 Player

Bishoujo Hanafuda Kikou Michinoku Hitou Koi Mo-

nogatari Special is a card game developed by O-Two
and published by FOG for the Sega Saturn. It is based
on the Japanese card game Hanafuda, and was released
four months after the PlayStation version.

“segaretro.org”
66 • Bishoujo Variety Game: Rapyulus Panic

5.3 Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon

SuperS: Various Emotion
Developer Angel
Publisher Angel
Release date (jp) November 29, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon SuperS: Various Emo-

tion is a typical 2D fighting game, based on Sailor
Moon anime series, with story given through anime
cut-scenes. The player controls one of six different
characters in story mode: Sailor Moon, Sailor Chibi
Moon, Sailor Venus, Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury and
Sailor Jupiter. Each character has own set of unique
fighting moves.

Bishoujo Variety Game: 6.1

Rapyulus Panic
Developer Shoeisha
Publisher Shoeisha, BMG Victor
Release date (jp) April 26, 1996
Genre Mini-games
Mode 1 Player

Bishoujo Variety Game: Rapyulus Panic is a minigame

collection based on Japanese variety shows. The game
was developed by Shoeisha and published by BMG In-
teractive Entertainment, which was released in Japan
in 1996.

5.0 Black Dawn

Developer Point of View
Publisher Virgin Interactive
Release date (us) January 6, 1996
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

Black Dawn is a shooter originally developed by Black

Ops Entertainment for the PlayStation and later ported
by Point of View for the Sega Saturn. It is a 3D hel-
icopter-based shooter running on the same engine as
Black Ops’ earlier game Agile Warrior F-111X where
players is tasked with various objectives, like blowing
up enemy targets or rescuing hostages.
The soundtrack was originally composed by Tommy
Tallarico.
 Black/Matrix • 67

Black Fire 5.1

Developer Nova Logic, Sega Away Team
Publisher Virgin Interactive Entertainment, (us) Sega
Release date (jp) December 22, 1995
Genre Simulation, Action
Mode 1 Player

In Black Fire, the player takes control of the most so-

phisticated helicopter on the planet taking on danger-
ous enemies. The player’s helicopter is state of the art,
but the enemy has fighting acquired alien technology
and is using it to try and conquer the world.
The game is rendered in 3-D and has a 360 degree field
to maneuver. The chopper is outfitted with missiles and
machine guns and flies through 15 levels, destroying
enemy targets and providing support to allied units.

8.5 Black/Matrix
Developer Flight-Plan
Publisher Interchannel
Release date (jp) August 27, 1998
Genre Role-playing, Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Black/Matrix is a strategy RPG that is divided into

large battles and story sequences. Players fight in turn-
based mode by moving their party members on an
isometric battle field, attacking and using magic, for
which they require blood of defeated enemies. The ex-
perience points they gather after the battle can then be
divided among their party members the way they like.

“mobygames.com”

Blam! MachineHead 8.0

Developer Core Design
Publisher Virgin Interactive
Release date (eu) May, 1996
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

Blam! Machinehead is basically a normal 3D shooter

where players shoot enemies and explore the futuristic,
barren wastelands and abandoned factories.
The game was also released for DOS and PlayStation.
A Sega 32X version of the game was once in develop-
ment, but cancelled.
68 • Blast Chamber

7.2 Blast Wind

Developer Tecnosoft
Publisher Tecnosoft
Release date (jp) January 17, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Blast Wind is 2D arcade vertical scrolling shooter in

post-apocalyptic universe. Players control artificial life
forms - Kyo or Faun. They fight against Gorn - robotic
force, who wants to destroy last remnants of humanity.
Gameplay is typical shoot’em up - the player controls
a ship, collects bonuses to gain more firepower, shoots
enemies and bosses. Blast Wind has one unique feature
- the game is non-linear, the player can choose an alter-
native route by pressing the special switches on levels.

Blast Chamber 7.1

Developer Attention To Detail
Publisher Activision
Release date (eu) November 13, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1-4 Players

Blast Chamber has been called the first non-

sports four-player game for the PlayStation and Saturn.
Blast Chamber takes the Bomberman idea and
goes one step further: players are wearing the bomb,
and they need to keep it from detonating. The games
take place in arenas that can rotate 90 degrees; walls
become floors, and floors and ceilings become the
walls. There’s also hazards to watch out for, like spikes
and trap doors.
There are three modes to Blast Chamber: Solo
Survival, Free-for-all, and Elimination. Each mode uti-
lizes the same gameplay elements, but the multiplayer
Free-for-all and Elimination options also introduce the
competition factor.
According to Tom Sloper (senior producer)
and Marc Metis (product producer) of Activision, “We
wanted our product to be unique. With so many first-
person shooters - so many driving games, we wanted
to make something different that made a game what it’s
supposed to be - an original game that draws people
in. We wanted to make a game that’s fun with one, two,
three or four players.”
 Blazing Dragons • 69

7.3 Blazing Dragons

Developer The Illusions Gaming Company
Publisher Crystal Dynamics
Release date (us) June 18, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Blazing Dragons was the brainchild of Terry

Jones, formerly known for his work with Monty Python
and features a number of celebrity voiceovers including
Harry Shearer and Cheech Marin.
The game follows the adventures of Squire
Flicker, a dragon resident in the kingdom of Camelhot
who specializes in inventions and is the squire of Sir
Loungealot. He is infatuated with the lovely Princess
Flame, the daughter of King All-Fire. In order to mar-
ry the princess, the King holds a royal tournament that
would reward the victor the crown, wealth as well as
the princess’ hand in marriage. In an odd twist to the
stereotypical tale of medieval storytelling, humans are
depicted as evil, sinister people. Most notably would be
Sir George who plans to take over the dragon kingdom.
Whats worse, Sir George enters himself into the tourna-
ment in order to defeat the competition and take over
Camelhot.
The game makes use of the Saturn’s internal bat-
tery back-up as well as the Saturn Backup Memory to
save data for system configuration as well as progress.
“segaretro.org”
70 • Blue Chicago Blues

Blue Breaker: 7.6

Ken yorimo Hohoemi wo
Developer HuneX, NEC Home Electronics
Publisher Human
Release date (jp) November 27, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Labeled as Love Role-Playing, “Blue Breaker” is a

genre-crossing game that combines traditional Japa-
nese RPG with town and dungeon exploration, party-
based combat, etc., with “love adventure”, in which
players behavior towards girls influences the story.
“Blue Breaker” features branching story progressing:
events appear depending on the progress players have
made with their female companions.

7.1 Blue Chicago Blues

Developer Riverhillsoft
Publisher Riverhillsoft
Release date (jp) September 22, 1995
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

J.B. Harold: Blue Chicago Blues is an interactive mov-

ie. Most of the player’s time is spent watching mov-
ie footage (with real actors and scenery). At certain
points, the movie freezes, and the player is presented
with a screen with two or more choices. Each choice
advances the clock, so it is necessary to plan well in
order not to run out of time and to successfully solve
the case.
“mobygames.com”

Blue Seed: 7.1

Kushinada Hirokuden
Developer SIMS
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) June 23, 1995
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Blue Seed, one of the earlier Saturn RPGs, is based of

the anime of the same name and features the original
voice cast. The game has dungeon navigation, turn-
based combat, and party management, but in other as-
pects it differs from typical Japanese RPGs. There are
no random enemies, and generally not many battles.
Each character also has special abilities that must be
used to solve puzzles.
 Bomberman Wars • 71

7.4 Body Special 264:

Girls in Motion Puzzle Vol. 2
Developer Japan Media Programming
Publisher Yanoman
Release date (jp) August 2, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Body Special 264 is the second game in Girls in Mo-

tion Puzzle jigsaw game series featuring photos and
videos of Japanese bikini models. Unlike in its pre-
quel, this game features only three models, namely
Akiko Hinagata, Senna Matsuda, and Akira Kiuchi.
The game feature three gameplay modes: Movie Puz-
zle, VS Puzzle and Puzzle Club.
“mobygames.com”

Bomberman Wars 7.2

Developer Metro
Publisher Hudson Soft
Release date (jp) April 16, 1998
Genre Strategy, Role-playing
Mode 1-2 Players

Bomberman Wars is an entry in the Bomberman series

of games. It was released for the Sega Saturn exclu-
sively in Japan in 1998.
The game makes a huge departure from other games in
the Bomberman lineage - it is a tactical RPG. As it uses
an isometric perspective, it is often confused with Sat-
urn Bomberman Fight!!, released a year earlier which
was also exclusive to Japan.
“segaretro.org”

7.1 Bottom of the 9th

Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (us) October 18, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

One of the earliest in Konami’s franchise, this ver-

sion featured 300 actual MLB players at the time, but
did not feature the MLB licensed teams. Players can
choose to either play against a friend in Exhibition,
Season or Playoffs. The gameplay is geared for more
of a simulation style of play with the players stats de-
termining on how well they hit, pitch and field.

“mobygames.com”
72 • Brain Battle Q

5.0 Bouken Katsugeki Monomono

Developer Shoeisha
Publisher Shoeisha
Release date (jp) July 24, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Bouken Katsugeki Monomono is an RPG published by

Shoeisha, which was released in Japan in 1997. The
battles is done in real time like a side scrolling beat’em
up. Characters in the game also feature voiceovers.

Brain Battle Q 8.0

Developer Clef
Publisher Clef
Release date (jp) March 15, 1996
Genre Game show
Mode 1-2 Players

Brain Battle Q is a quiz game, published by Clef,

which was released in Japan in 1996. The game, la-
beled a quiz RPG, is a standard quiz game also featur-
ing promotional adds for the likes of Panasonic, Ken-
wood and others.

“segagagadomain.com”

5.0 Break Point

Developer Ocean Software
Publisher Ocean Software, (jp) Pack-In-Soft
Release date (us) November 21, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

Break Point is the basic tennis game. Players can play

on several different courts which differ in surroundings
and style. There’s a couple of fantasy courts as well as
some real life courts. Player can choose between vari-
ous motion captured players and game modes includ-
ing practice, cup, tournament and so on. The speciality
in this one is the fact that players can play with up to 4
players in tournament.
“mobygames.com”
 BreakThru! • 73

BreakThru!
5.3 Developer Shoeisha
Publisher BMG Victor
Release date (jp) September 22, 1995
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

BreakThru!
is a tile-matching
BreakThru! puzzle game.puzzle
is a tile-matching In the game,
video
the
gameplayer mustfor
released move the cursorand
the Windows amongst
MS-DOSa grid
in of dif-
1994.
ferent
It was colored
created squares. All squares
by the Japanese must be
company Zoo“removed”,
Corpora-
and
tion squares can only
and published be removed
by Spectrum if they are
HoloByte, directly
exclusively
touching two American
for the North or more squares
market.of the same color. Once
squares
are removed, blocks
The game would later be then shift downward
re-released and of dif-
on a number
either
ferent to the left orInright,
platforms. to fillyear
the same in the
theblanks. The ported
game was game for the
ends when either all blocks are removed, or time
Super NES and Game Boy. A year later, Shoeisha ported/pub- has
run out.the game in Japan for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation.
lished
xxx
In the game, the player must move the cursor amongst a grid of
different colored squares. All squares must be “removed”, and squares
can only be removed if they are directly touching two or more squares
of the same color. Once squares are removed, blocks then shift down-
ward and either to the left or right, to fill in the blanks. The game ends
when either all blocks are removed, or time has run out.
If the player comes to a point in which none of the remaining
square match, a few options remain. A few “special items” help clear
out blocks that don’t necessarily match, such as an airplane block that
eliminates a full line of square in the direction it is pointed in, or a block
of dynamite that blows up every square touching it. Additionally, the
player can also chose to drop new, randomly generated squares into the
equation.

The game is commonly at-

tributed to being designed by Alex-
ey Pajitnov, who also originally
designed Tetris, and published by
Spectrum HoloByte, the company
who first published Tetris outside
of Soviet Union, Pajitnov’s home
country. However, despite Pajit-
nov’s name and face being on the
game’s title screen and box art,
the PC version of the game clearly
states that he only “endorses” and
his only actual credits for the game
is a “Special Thanks”.
74 • BrainDead 13

BrainDead 13 7.1
Developer ReadySoft
Publisher (us) ReadySoft, (jp) Coconuts Japan
Release date (us) September 30, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

xxx
Brain Dead 13 is an Interactive movie game
produced
xxx by ReadySoft that was released for MS-DOS
in 1995 and later ported to consoles in 1996. Unlike
Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace, which began as laser-
discs, it was released for PCs and game consoles only.
Lance, a young computer expert, is called to fix a com-
puter at a scary, dilapidated castle. After repairing a
large super-computer, Lance learns that his client, the
disembodied brain of Dr. Nero Neurosis, has a diaboli-
cal plan to take over the world. He quickly finds himself in trouble, being chased
around the castle by Dr. Nero Neurosis’s psychotic servant Fritz.
The player must guide Lance through the castle in order to defeat Dr.
Neurosis and escape with his life.
The game consists entirely of quick time events. During gameplay explo-
ration is freer than in most previous interactive games, with most rooms linked to
crossroads. This leaves the route for finding the Brain Chamber up to the player.
Even crossroads are done as quick time events. If the player fails to choose
a path as soon as he reaches a crossroads or chooses the dangerous path or fails
to use the other actions, this results in the game displaying the failure scenes,
in which Lance becomes killed by Fritz or by his other enemies or obstacles or
he falls to his doom. The death scenes are often rather violent, but over-the-top
in their cartoony approach. However, the player has infinite lives, and after the
death sequence, there is a revival sequence, where Lance bursts out of a coffin,
is given blood, etc.
The PC, Saturn, and Jaguar CD versions were compressed onto a single
CD, and as a result have considerably lower video quality than the CD-i, 3DO,
and PlayStation versions, which each include two CDs. The iOS port has higher
video resolution than any of the six earlier versions.

The game was met with some av-

erage to mixed to unfavorable reviews.
GameRankings gave the game a score of
50.25% for the Sega Saturn version. Hugh
Sterbakov of GameRankings gave it a 3.8
out of 10 and said it “makes no improve-
ment in a decade-old genre that never man-
aged to bring its interactive excitement up
to the level of its visuals.” The four review-
ers of Electronic Gaming Monthly lauded
the game as one of the best of the FMV
quick-time event games, thanks to its non-
linear gameplay and forgiving difficulty (in
that it does not require split-second tim-
ing).
BrainDead 13 • 75
76 • Bubble Symphony

Bubble Bobble 8.0

also featuring Rainbow Islands
Developer Probe
Publisher Acclaim
Release date (us) September 3, 1996
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

Bubble Bobble also featuring Rainbow Islands

is a compilation of both Bubble Bobble and Rainbow
Islands, two popular arcade games developed by Taito
in the 1980s and early 1990s. It was released for the
Sega Saturn (alongside PlayStation and PC versions)
in 1996.
Bubble Bobble also featuring Rainbow Islands
is a curiously named game as despite suggesting Bub-
ble Bobble is the main focus of this compilation, it
is actually Rainbow Islands which receives the most
treatment. Rainbow Islands exists in two forms, a
largely unaltered arcade conversion and an enhanced
mode, which updates the graphics to take advantage of
the larger colour palette. Both share the same musical
score and gameplay.
“segaretro.org”

8.5 Bubble Symphony

Developer Ving
Publisher Ving
Release date (jp) November 27, 1997
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1-2 Players

Originally released
Bubble in Arcades
Symphony, also(and
knownsometimes known
as Bubble Bob-
as Bubble Bobble 2 due to it being the second
ble II, was originally released as an arcade game in arcade
releaseWhile
1994. with being
Bubble Bobble-style
a new Bubble Bobblegameplay), it was
for a new gen-
brought in
eration, to actuality
the Sega itSaturn
takes in 1997.
place after Parasol Stars.
Bubble For this adventure,
Symphony expandsBubblun
on the and Bobblun,
gameplay theinfamiliar green
seen
and
Bubble Bobble by adding a pair of female dragons, (an orange
blue bubble dragons, are joined by girls Kululun
dragon)
Kululun and
and Cororon
Cororon,(atopurple
play as.dragon). However,
Each dragon now they
has are stated to
be theown
their children of theattributes
different Bub and and
Bobcanof the
be first game.by
selected
the user.
Although a sequel to Bubble Bobble, the game inaugurates
few changes to the gameplay formula. The small changes that have
been made are that a boss is now encountered every five to ten lev-
els, and the player takes a branching route through the levels by
selecting one of two doors after every boss. The players can now
charge the bubble shot; if released when the dragon’s horns or bow
is glowing, it will breathe three bubbles at once, with the specific
formation dependent on the character chosen. Also, the characters
have to collect a rod to turn their characters to their human forms.
78 • Bug!

6.6

Bug!
Developer Realtime Associates, Sega Away Team
Publisher Sega
Release date (eu) May 15, 1995
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1 Player

Bug! isBug!a “2.5D”

was platform
developedgame, with which for the
the titular most
charac-
partbeing
ter is played like a traditional
considered side-scrolling
a possible mascot for the title.
Saturn.At
various
This waspoints
due tointhe theabsence
level, Bug is allowed
of a Sonic to travel
the Hedgehog
towards
game or away
at the time offrom the camera,
its launch, howeveradding a third
the game di-
failed
mension
to in the process,
catch consumer however
attention. It wasplayers are earliest
one of the always
confined to
examples of corridors,
3D platforming meaning gameplay
as well as the isfirstnotplat-
as
“open”
form as future
game released 3Donplatformers,
the Saturn for example, Super
Mario
64.
TheThough
game is levels
a 3D areplatform
built using
game3D which
geometry, re-
the objects in a level are represented by
volves around the player safely progressing through 2D sprites.
various levels. The game is set on “Bug Island” and
consists of six worlds made up of three levels each,
with each last level culminating in a mandatory boss
fight. Enemies come in the form of insects and are de-
feated by jumping on them. Each level ends when the
player jumps on a “Bug Stop”, which will then make
the player proceed to the next level.
The levels featured in Bug! are linear – the
player may only move in four directions despite the game appearing in
full 3D. In addition to walking on a grid axis, the player-character can
also walk up walls and upside down.
The game’s plot centres around the titular character, Bug, who is
a Hollywood actor hoping to make his “biggest break”. Bug decides to
sign up for the lead role in an upcoming action film, in which his girl-
friend is kidnapped by the villainous Queen Cadavra and must set out to
rescue her.
Bug! was conceptualised as one of three candidates for “would-
be” mascots for Sega’s upcoming Sega Saturn console in 1994, due to
the lack of a Sonic the Hedgehog game upon the console’s launch. The
other potential candidates were 2.5D platformers Clockwork Knight
(which came out shortly before Bug!) and Astal, which was released
later in 1995. The titular character Bug was thought to have imitated
Sonic the Hedgehog’s appearance and attitude in order to make it an ef-
fective mascot. At the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show in 1995,
Steven Spielberg declared that Bug was the character “that is going to
do it” for the Saturn. Realtime Associates developed the game using
Silicon Graphics workstations, which were then used to pre-render the
game’s characters and then convert them into sprites – in similar vein to
the process used in Donkey Kong Country.
Bug! received positive reviews upon release. The Saturn version
holds an average score of 84 percent at GameRankings, based on an ag-
gregate of two reviews.
 Bulk Slash • 79

7.2 Bug Too!

Developer Realtime Associates, SegaSoft
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) December 6, 1996
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1-2 Players

Bug Too! is the sequel to Bug!. The players can play as

Bug, Maggot Dog, or Super Fly. The game is played like
a traditional side-scrolling platform game. The player
character must make his way through all the levels in
each zone, with a boss level at the end of each zone. Bug
Too! has 3D levels, which take the side-view and tweak
it. Bug can walk sideways up vertical surfaces and even
upside down. Unlike the original Bug!, Bug Too has a
run button.

Bulk Slash 8.1

Developer C.A. Production
Publisher Hudson Soft
Release date (jp) July 11, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

Bulk Slash can be seen as a cross between Virtual On

and Burning Rangers, with simple controls and an
instantaneous mecha-transformation mechanic. It’s
much simpler than either of those two though, playing
more like a traditional arcade action title.
Players can switch between controlling a walking ro-
bot or jetfighter at will, as many times as they like. As
the robot players can jump and shoot, and when close
to an enemy they can attack with a laser sword.

8.1 Burning Rangers

Developer Sonic Team
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) February 26, 1998
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1 Player

The player takes on the role of a new recruit to the futur-

istic firefighting organisation of the title, and must ex-
plore locations where various emergencies have taken
place, extinguishing fires and rescuing survivors.
The game is notable for its random level generation sys-
tem, which is unlocked after completing the game once.
To help the player find their way around these unfamil-
iar stages, a navigation system was included.
“segaretro.org”
 Bust-A-Move 3 • 81

8.0 Bust-A-Move 2: Arcade Edition

Developer Taito
Publisher Acclaim, (jp) Taito
Release date (jp) July 23, 1998
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Bust-A-Move 2: Arcade Edition is the sequel to the ar-

cade version of Bust-A-Move. The game adds staples
to the series such as the branching, tournament-style
gameplay when playing against the computer. There is
also a level editor.
The North American Saturn version of the game is no-
torious for having oddly designed box art, depicting
severed heads in bubbles with sticks holding their eyes
open.

Bust-A-Move 3 7.8
Developer Taito
Publisher Taito, Natsume, (eu) Acclaim, (Seganet) Sega
Release date (jp) March 28, 1997
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Puzzle Bobble 3 (also known as Bust-A-Move

3) is the second sequel to Puzzle Bobble. It was re-
leased into arcades in September 1996 and later ported
to the Sega Saturn, Sony PlayStation, Game Boy, Nin-
tendo 64 and Microsoft Windows. It would be the final
appearance of Puzzle Bobble on the Sega Saturn. Like
its predecessors, the player is tasked with shooting
balls at groups of balls, creating groups of 3 or more,
which are then removed from play.
The game completely abandons the idea of pre-
vious titles that the playfield is being pushed down by
some sort of mechanical device and instead attaches
groups of bubbles to nodes that move downwards.
When a node is no longer connected to any bubbles, it
will disappear and when all nodes in a level have van-
ished the level is complete. One result of this change
that may appear strange to players of previous versions
is that shooting a bubble to the top of the visible play-
field without striking any bubbles causes it to bounce
and start travelling back downwards. The player is not
penalised if such bubbles again leave the playing field
without attaching to anything (except for adding to the
number of moves until the field is pushed down by one
empty line).
82 • Can Can Bunny Premiere

Can Can Bunny Extra 6.4

Developer Cocktail Soft
Publisher KID
Release date (jp) October 2, 1997
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Can Can Bunny Extra is a dating simulation game

originally released on the X68000 and FM Towns
home computers in 1993, and is part of a series of Can
Can Bunny games which ran throughout the 1990s.
The fifth Can Can Bunny game is also the first direct
sequel within the series. The story is very similar to
the one of the previous game: once again, the hero is
lonely and is anxious to get a girlfriend.
“mobygames.com”

5.8 Can Can Bunny Premiere

Developer KID
Publisher KID
Release date (jp) April 5, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Can Can Bunny Premier is the fourth installment in the

Can Can Bunny series. Compared to its predecessors, it
is the most pure Japanese-style adventure, without the
strategy parts of the previous game. The player choos-
es menu commands (“Look”, “Talk”, etc., as well as
context-sensitive commands and dialogue choices) in
order to advance the game. At several points it is pos-
sible to branch the story line, which mostly influences
the amount of success the hero has had with a girl.

Can Can Bunny Premiere 2 6.8

Developer KID
Publisher KID
Release date (jp) December 20, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

In this game players take the role of a single lonely

guy who wants a girlfriend. On day when he went
home a huge explosion occurred. Inside his room, he
saw seven little midgets: the Japanese Gods of Luck.
Along with them was a beautiful girl with green hair
and she gave him something which she called the “Star
of Guidance”. The next day he ran into some cute girl,
and mysteriously, the “Star of Guidance” glowed...
“vndb.org”
 Cat the Ripper ~13-ninme no Tanteishi~ • 83

6.5 Casper
Developer Funcom
Publisher Interplay
Release date (eu) Sptember 13, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Based on the Casper film, the game pits players in the

role of the friendly ghost trying to make a friend and a
second chance at life instead of scaring everyone away.
The plot centers around the “spoiled, grasping inheri-
tor of Whipstaff Manor” - Carrigan Crittenden. She’s
after the treasure she thinks is hidden in the walls.
Casper will need the help of Dr James Harvey - thera-
pist to the dead - if he has any hope of succeeding in
his adventures.

Cat the Ripper: 1.0

13-ninme no Tanteishi
Developer Tonkin House
Publisher Tonkin House
Release date (jp) July 18, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Cat the Ripper ~13-ninme no Tanteishi~ is an old

fashioned first person adventure game, published by
Tonkin House, which was released in Japan in 1997
for the Sega Saturn. The game is played like the most
adventures on the system with the point and click
method.
In the game, players must investigate who is behind
the crimes with the sign Catis
84 • Capcom Generation ~Dai-2-shuu Makai to Kishi~

7.6 Capcom Generation: Dai 1

Shuu Gekitsuiou no Jidai
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) August 27, 1998
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

Capcom Generation: Dai 1 Shuu Gekitsuiou no Jidai is

the first of five compilations for the Saturn and Play-
Station developed by Capcom.
The first volume focuses on the 194X World War II
series of vertical shoot-’em-ups. Games include; 1942,
1943, and 1943 Kai.

“segaretro.org”

Capcom Generation: Dai 2 7.7

Shuu Makai to Kishi
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) September 23, 1998
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

Capcom Generation: Dai 2 Shuu Makai to Kishi is the

second of five compilations for the Saturn and Play-
Station developed by Capcom.
The second volume focuses on the Ghouls ‘n Ghosts
series of arcade platformers. Games include; Ghosts ‘n
Goblins (Makaimura), Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (Daimakai-
mura), and Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (Choumakaimura).
“segaretro.org”

7.4 Capcom Generation: Dai 3

Shuu Koko ni Rekishi Hajimaru
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) October 15, 1998
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

Capcom Generation: Dai 3 Shuu Koko ni Rekishi

Hajimaru is the third of five compilations for the Sat-
urn and PlayStation developed by Capcom.
The third volume features four early but unrelated
Capcom arcade games. Games include; Exed Exes, Pi-
rate Ship Higemaru, Son Son, and Vulgus.

“segaretro.org”
 Capcom Generation ~Dai-5-shuu Kakutouka-tachi~ • 85

Capcom Generation: Dai 4 7.6

Shuu Kokou no Eiyuu
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) November 12, 1998
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-3 Players

Capcom Generation: Dai 4 Shuu Kokou no Eiyuu is

the fourth of five compilations for the Saturn and Play-
Station developed by Capcom.
The fourth volume features three arcade top-down
shooters. Games include; Commando (Senjou no
Ookami), Mercs (Senjou no Ookami II), and Gun.
Smoke.
“segaretro.org”

7.9 Capcom Generation: Dai 5

Shuu Kakutouka-tachi
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) December 3, 1998
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

This volume collects the first three entries in Capcom’s

successful Street Fighter II series; Street Fighter II:
The World Warrior, Street Fighter II′: Champion Edi-
tion, and Street Fighter II′ Turbo: Hyper Fighting. It
was released overseas (albeit only on PlayStation) un-
der the title of Street Fighter Collection 2, said version
being the only game in the Capcom Generation line to
see release in North America.

Chaos Control 7.8

Developer Infogrames
Publisher (eu) Infogrames, (jp) Virgin Interactive
Release date (jp) December 29, 1995
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Chaos Control has seen three separate releases on the

Saturn. Its original Japanese incarnation, Chaos Con-
trol was released in December 1995 to mixed views
from critics. When brought to Europe in 1996, many of
the underlying issues were addressed, leading to faster
load times, improved graphics and cutscenes, and sup-
port for the Virtua Gun. It was then re-released in Japan
as Chaos Control Remix in November of that year. No
versions of the game were released in North-America.
86 • Chisato Moritaka: Watarasebashi/Lala Sunshine

Chibi Maruko-Chan 8.6

no Taisen Pazurudama
Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (us) December 15, 1995
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Chibi Maruko-Chan no Taisen Pazurudama is a tile-

matching puzzle game for the Sega Saturn. The game
is set in the world of children’s animation character,
Chibi Maruko chan.

8.0 Chisato Moritaka:

Watarasebashi/Lala Sunshine
Developer Sega, Oracion
Publisher Sega, Oracion
Release date (jp) September 11, 1997
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Chisato Moritaka: Watarasebashi/Lala Sunshine is a

multimedia disc for the Sega Saturn by Sega and Ora-
cion released exclusively in Japan in 1997. It contains
content on Japanese pop singer Chisato Moritaka and
two of her albums, Watarasebashi and Lala Sunshine.

“segaretro.org”

Choro Q Park 7.3

Developer Nextech
Publisher Takara
Release date (jp) March 26, 1998
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

Choro Q Park is a 1998 racing game for the Saturn

in which players race Takara’s Choro Q/Penny Racers
line of toy cars.
Players must complete different races before they can
move on to the higher level courses as well as visit the
garage, body shop, training area and other areas.
 Choujikuu Yousai Macross: Ai Oboete Imasu ka • 87

5.3 Chou Aniki: Kyuukyoku

... Otoko no Gyakushuu
Developer Pre-Stage
Publisher Nippon Computer Systems
Release date (jp) March 29, 1996
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Cho Aniki: Kyuukyoku Muteki Ginga Saikyou Otoko

is a 2D shooter which plays like a sequel to the first
game, as players once again take control of either Idat-
en or Benten (the heroes of the original game) with the
semi-nude bodybuilders Adon and Samsom returning
to their role of option characters that hover around the
player.
“mobygames.com”

Choujikuu Yousai Macross: 7.4

Ai Oboete Imasu ka
Developer Emotion, Big West, Scarab
Publisher Bandai Visual
Release date (jp) June 6, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

Choujikuu Yousai Macross: Ai Oboete Imasu ka is a

horizontally-scrolling shooter that ties into the Mac-
ross franchise. It is based on the 1984 animated film
of the same name, which in itself was a retelling of the
Choujikuu Yousai Macross television show.
The game is a reenactment of the movie as a side-
scrolling shooter, with animation from the film and ex-
tra computer generated unique cutscenes to this game.
88 • Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams

Christmas
NiGHTS into Dreams
8.4
Developer Sonic Team
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) November 22, 1996
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1 Player

Nights, or
Christmas Nights, orChristmas
ChristmasNiGHTS NiGHTSinto intoDreams...,
Dreams..., is a Christmas-themed two-level
is a Christmas-themed two-level game of Nights into Dreams game of
Nights
that wasinto Dreams
released that was 1996.
in December released It wasin introduced
December in Japan
1996.
as partIt of
wasa introduced
Christmas in SegaJapan as part
Saturn of a Christmas
bundle; elsewhere it was
Sega Saturn bundle; elsewhere it
given away with the purchase of Saturn games such was given away with
as Daytona
the purchase
USA Championshipof Saturn games
Circuit such as
Edition Daytona
(1996) USA of Sega
or issues
Championship
Saturn Magazine Circuit
and NextEdition (1996) orMagazine.
Generation issues of Sega In the United
Saturn Magazine
Kingdom, Christmas and Nights
Next Generation
was not included Magazine. withInthe Sega
the United
Saturn MagazineKingdom, Christmas 1997.
until December NightsInwas a 2007 notinterview,
in- Ii-
cluded with the Sega Saturn Magazine until
zuka stated that Christmas Nights was created to increase Sat- December
1997.
urn In a 2007
console interview,
sales. Development Iizuka stated
began that Christmas
in July 1996 and took
Nights was created to increase
three to four months, according to Naka. Saturn console sales.
Development
Christmas began in July
Nights 1996 and
follows Elliottook andthree to four
Claris during the holiday season
months,
followingaccording to Naka. with Nights. Realizing that the Christmas Star is
their adventures
missingChristmas
from the Twin NightsSeeds
follows Elliot and
Christmas Claris
tree, the dur-
pair travel to Nightopia to
ing the
find it, holiday
where they season following
reunite their adventures
with Nights and retrieve with the Christmas Star from
Nights. Realizing
Gillwing’s lair. that the Christmas Star is missing
from
theTheTwingame Seeds Christmas
contains the fulltree, the pair
version travel Spring
of Claris’ to Valley dream level
Nightopia to find it, where they reunite with
from Nights into Dreams, playable as both Claris and Elliot. The Saturn’sNights
and retrieve
internal clock thechanges
Christmas Star from
elements Gillwing’s
according to thelair.date and time: December

activates Christmas
“Christmas Nights contains
Nights” mode, the replacing
full version itemof boxes with Christmas
Claris’ Spring Valley dream level from Nights
presents, greenery with snow and gumdrops, rings with wreaths, and Ideya into
Dreams, with
captures playable as bothtrees;
Christmas Claris and Elliot.wear
Nightopians The elf Sat-costumes, and the music
urn’s internal clock changes elements according
is replaced with a rendition of “Jingle Bells” and an a cappella version ofto the
date and time:
the Nights theme December activates
song. During the“Christmas
“Winter Nights” Nights” period, the Spring Valley
mode, replacing
weather changes item boxestowith
according the Christmas
hour. Otherpresents,changes apply on New Year’s
greenery
Day; on April with snowFool’sand Day,gumdrops, rings with
Reala replaces Nightswreaths,
as the playable character.
and Ideya captures with Christmas trees; Nightopians
The game features several unlockable bonuses, such as being able to
wear elf costumes, and theobserve
music is thereplaced
status ofwith a

play the game’s soundtrack, the A-life system, experiment

rendition of “Jingle Bells” and an a cappella version
with the game’s music mixer, time attack one Mare, or play as Sega’s mascot
of the the
Sonic Nights theme song.
Hedgehog in the During
minigame theSonic
“Winter the Nights”
Hedgehog: Into Dreams. Sonic
period, the Spring Valley weather changes according
may only play through Spring Valley on foot, and must defeat the boss: an
to the hour.
inflatable Dr.Other changes
Robotnik. Theapply
musiconisNew Year’sversion
a remixed Day; of “Final Fever”, the
on April Fool’s Day, Reala replaces Nights as the
final boss battle music from the Japanese and European version of Sonic CD. play-
able character.
Gameplay is further varied by the implementation of new scrolling

playfields Thethatgamearefeatures
several several
times asunlockable
high as thebonuses,screen and must be conquered
such as being able to play the game’s
as an endurance event. Each scrolling playfield occupies soundtrack, ob- the same space on the
serve
world the mapstatus
as fiveof previous
the A-lifelevels.
system, experiment with
the game’s music mixer, time attack one Mare, or play
as Sega’s This
mascotgameSonic also the
marks the introduction
Hedgehog in the minigameof rainbow bubbles into the
series - bubbles that are initially
Sonic the Hedgehog: Into Dreams. Sonic may only transparent and filled with a rainbow. Any
adjoining
play through bubble that Valley
Spring is burst,onthe rainbow
foot, and mustbubbles next to them switch to the
defeat
colour
the boss: of the
an burst bubble,
inflatable Dr. allowing
Robotnik. theTheplayer
musicto build
is a up chain reactions.
remixed version of “Final Fever”, the final boss battle
music from the Japanese and European version of Son-
ic CD (1993). In the HD version of Nights, the Christ-
 Cleopatra Fortune • 89

Civilization: 8.6
Shin Sekai Shichi Dai Bunmei
Developer MicroProse
Publisher Asmik
Release date (jp) May 2, 1997
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Sid Meier’s Civilization is a port of the turn-based

“4X”-type strategy game created by Sid Meier and
Bruce Shelley for MicroProse in 1991. The game’s ob-
jective is to “Build an empire to stand the test of time”:
it begins in 4000 BC and the players attempt to expand
and develop their empires through the ages from the
ancient era until modern and near-future times.

7.2 Cleopatra Fortune

Developer Natsume
Publisher Taito
Release date (jp) February 14, 1997
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Cleopatra Fortune is a 1997 puzzle game for arcades

ported to the Saturn, PlayStation, & Dreamcast sys-
tems.
The gameplay is similar to Tetris, but here the player
has to direct blocks of stone and treasure to create clo-
sures, which then eliminates the treasure and adds to
the player’s score. Also, if a full line of stone blocks
is formed, they will disappear in a similar fashion to
Tetris, and also add to the player’s score.

ClockWerx 8.0
Developer Axes Art Amuse
Publisher Tokuma Shoten
Release date (jp) August 9, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

ClockWerx is a puzzle game originally released for PC

computers, before being ported to the Saturn. It is pre-
sented by Alexey Pajitnov, the creator of Tetris, but he
has nothing to do with this game’s production.
The object of the game is to solve a series of increas-
ingly difficult levels by swinging a rotating wand from
dot to dot until the player reaches the “goal” dot. En-
emy wands that kill the player if touched march in pre-
determined patterns around each level’s grid.
90 • Clockwork Knight

7.0

Clockwork Knight
Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) December 9, 1994
Genre Platformer
Mode 1 Player

Clockwork KnightKnight
Clockwork is a side-scrolling platformer
is a side-scrolling in
platform-
theinvein
er the of theofMario
vein and Sonic
the Mario series.the
and Sonic Unlike those
Hedgehog
games, Unlike
series. however, the games,
those game uses prerendered
however, the gamedigitized
uses
2D sprites ofdigitized
prerendered high-resolution
2D sprites3D of
models similar to 3D
high-resolution the
Donkeysimilar
models Kong Country series, Kong
to the Donkey or Killer Instinct,
Country on top
series, or
of fullyInstinct,
Killer 3D levels (andofwith
on top fullyfully 3D bosses).
3D levels (and with fully
3D bosses).
The goal of the game is to reach the end of the stage
Pepper, the player character, attacks enemies
before time or hit points (typically three, though Gold
and opens passages with his key. A quick tap of a but-
Keys can increase that maximum) run out.
ton will thrust it out horizontally. Likewise, repeat-
edly tapping the button over and over will cause him
to twist the key around and around. This makes it a
bit more powerful (e.g.: an enemy could be knocked
out temporarily with a simple jab, but running into the
key when twisting it will instantly take it out). He can
also pick up unconscious enemies or objects such as
footballs or springs and toss them; vertical tosses are
possible.
The goal is to reach the end of the stage before time or hit points
run out. The levels are fairly large and contain numerous side areas with
treasures. Every third level, Pepper must face off against a large, fully
polygonal boss in a one-on-one battle. The game has 13 levels, includ-
ing boss levels. The levels take place in four different rooms with two
normal levels and one boss each, plus a final boss.
Sega made several modifications to make the game more dif-
ficult for its North American and European releases, such as increasing
the number of hits required to defeat the bosses. Producer Dante Ander-
son explained, “For some reason, Japanese audiences like to beat their
games very quickly, but Americans want more challenge, and Europeans
like the games tougher still.”
On release, Sega Saturn Tsūshin awarded the game a 29 out of
40. Famicom Tsūshin followed this up with a score of 32 out of 40 eight
months later, giving it a 10 out of 10 in their Reader Cross Review.
USA-based magazine GamePro reviewed the Japanese version
of the game prior to the Saturn’s launch in the USA. They highly praised
the responsive controls and graphical effects such as the scaling of en-
emies when they move to and from the background, but criticized the
game for lack of gameplay innovation, concluding that it is “excellent-
looking” and “enjoyable to play” but “once the initial look of the game
wears off, you’re left with a game you’ve been playing for years.” Their
later review of the North American release was more forgiving. Though
they criticized the music, controls, and low difficulty.
 Clockwork Knight 2 • 91

7.2

Clockwork Knight 2
Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) July 28, 1995
Genre Platformer
Mode 1 Player

Clockwork Knight Knight

Clockwork 2 is often labeledinasJapan
2, known “Partas
2”,Clock-
sym-
bolising
work the fact
Knight: they are essentially
Pepperouchau’s two halves
Adventure - LastofVol-
the
same is
ume, game. Both share
the sequel much of Knight.
to Clockwork the graphics and mu-
sic
and have identical gameplay.
Clockwork Knight 2 immediately The original
picksClock-
up on
work Knight is often considered to be the lesser
the cliffhanger left by Clockwork Knight. Chelsea is game,
mostly
safe anddue to thebut
sound, factwill
it was
notrushed
wake up.to become
As the atoys
launch
not
title. Clockwork Knight 2 had a much healthier
under the spell ponder just what to do, Chelsea is devel-
sud-
opment cycle, allowing
denly kidnapped again. for
Thus,much improved
Pepper again graphics
sets out
and levels set on Pepperouchau’s steed,
to rescue her... Being a direct continuation Barobaro.
of the first
Clockwork Knight, Clockwork Knight 2 uses the same
exact cast.
Clockwork Knight 2 uses identical gameplay
to that of its predecessor, right down to using all the
same items and having four rooms with two levels
each, plus a final boss.
However, there are some minor additions:
• Four playing cards are scattered around each level. Spinning all four
cards gives players a Gold Key; collecting all 32 cards in the game yields
a secret code.
• There are some forced scrolling levels in which Pepper rides on the back
of his steed Barobaro. Attacking is done not with Pepper’s key in these
levels, but by firing Barobaro’s head at enemies.
• Once in each room, in a hidden location, there is the “Le Bon race”, a
race against Le Bon, in which Pepper is rewarded with a gold key after a
win (can only win one time in each of the locations, but can repeat it an un-
restricted number of times if he didn’t win it). On the last room, instead of
the Le Bon race (that always happened on stage 1 on the other locations),
there is a pursuit to Prunchau in stage 2, in which Pepper is rewarded, if
he didn’t lose him of sight, with a giant key that gives him the maximum
number of gears (5), and remains with it even after losing lives.
• An additional game mode called “Bosses Galore” lets the player con-
trol either Pepper or Ginger in fighting all the bosses of both Clockwork
Knight games one after the other (although its only present in some
versions of the game). Doing well in this mode is said to unlock a mini-
game.
A second sequel, the working titles for which included Clockwork
Knight 3: Pengin War and Clockwork Knight Puzzle, used gameplay
similar to the Bomberman series, but never made it past the beta stage.
Another sequel, titled Knight N’ Knight, was scheduled to appear on the
GameCube, but never released.
92 • Code R

Clockwork Knight: 7.2

Pepperouchau no Fukubukuro
Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) December 15, 1995
Genre Compilation
Mode 1 Player

Clockwork Knight: Pepperouchau no Fukubukuro

is a Sega Saturn game which brings together Clock-
work Knight and Clockwork Knight 2 onto one disc.
The game comes with a free set of Clockwork Knight
round style Calenders for the year 1996.
The games are virtually the same, bar presumed bug
fixes and the original Clockwork Knight running on
the second games engine.

6.0 Code R
Developer Team Seven
Publisher Quintet, ESP
Release date (jp) July 9, 1998
Genre Adventure, Racing
Mode 1 Player

Code R is an unique 3D racing game mixed with a

manga-like visual-novel style adventure game in a
story mode. The player is a race driver, and in story
mode, he can move around the city, visit special places
and talk with various people, the game has even day
and night cycles.
Besides the story mode, the player can race in 2 addi-
tional modes, time attack and battle mode where play-
ers race in a car.

College Slam 6.2

Developer Iguana Entertainment
Publisher Acclaim
Release date (us) February, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

College Slam is a 1996 college basketball game for

various platforms, including the Sega Mega Drive and
Sega Saturn, by Acclaim and Iguana Entertainment re-
leased exclusively in the US.
In the season mode, the player can pick from 44 teams,
and then play a 20-game season against quality com-
petition. In the tournament mode, 16 teams compete
for a chance to win the national championship. The
player also has the ability to edit teams and players.
 Contra: Legacy of War • 93

5.0 Congo The Movie:

The Lost City of Zinj
Developer Jumpin’ Jack Software, Sega Away Team
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) April, 1996
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

Congo the Movie: The Lost City of Zinj is a first-per-

son shooter developed by Jumpin Jack and published
by Sega for the Sega Saturn in 1996.
The game uses elements of the film Congo to tell a
side story following the exploits of Butembo Kabalo,
the only survivor of the first Travicom expedition in
search of diamonds in the Congo jungle.

Contra: Legacy of War 5.6

Developer Appaloosa Interactive, Konami of America
Publisher Konami
Release date (us) May 21, 1997
Genre Third-person shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Contra: Legacy of War is a 3D action game

produced developed by Appaloosa Interactive. It was
the first of two Contra games that were externally de-
veloped by Appaloosa, followed by C: The Contra Ad-
venture in 1998. The game marks the series’ jump to
three-dimensional graphics and controversial changes
in gameplay. Legacy of War was released packaged
with a pair of 3D anaglyph glasses, which the game
supported.
Each character (Ray Poward (returning from Contra: Hard Corps), Ta-
sha, a female mercenary; CD-288, a robot; and Bubba, an alien) plays exactly
the same except for the type of weapons they wield and their movement speed.
All characters start with a machine gun and flamethrower, but the remaining
two slots are for character specific weaponry. The game plays from an isometric
angle. Since the game takes place in three dimensions, enemies come from all
angles. Ducking and strafing have been added to the player’s abilities, as well
as an auto-aiming feature to help attack airborne enemies. Jumping has been
slightly changed as the characters no longer do tightly curled somersault jumps.
The game was first unveiled at the 1996 Electronic Entertainment Expo,
during which Konami distributed 3-D glasses to attendees so that they could see
the 3-D effect. This somewhat backfired, as journalists in attendance at the show
reported that the 3-D feature was a “gimmick” and did not improve the game’s
visuals.
94 • Command & Conquer

Command & Conquer

7.9
Developer Westwood Studios
Publisher Virgin Interactive, (jp) Sega
Release date (eu) December 6, 1996
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Command Command
& Conquer & Conquer, sometimes
is a real time strategyknown
game de-as
Command
veloped by&Westwood
Conquer: Studios
TiberianandDawn, is a 1995
published by real-
Vir-
time strategy video
gin Interactive game.
for IBM Set in an alternate
compatible computers history of
running
modern day, the1995.
DOS in August gameThetellsSega
the story
Saturnofversion
a worldofwar be-
Com-
tween
mand & two globalized
Conquer factions:
derives theDOS
from the GDI original,
and a cult-like
being
militant organization called the Brotherhood
the most accurate console port of the game. There of Nod.
is
The groupsfor
no support compete for control
the Shuttle Mouseofmeaning
Tiberium,theacontrols
myste-
rious substancetothat
are considered be slowly spreads across
more cumbersome thecomputer
than world.
versions,
and the resolution is fixed at 320x240.
Command & Conquer requires the player to
construct a base and to gather resources in order to
fund the production of buildings, technologies, and
combat units to attack and conquer an opponent’s base.
The game contains two playable factions: the Global
Defense Initiative (GDI) and the Brotherhood of Nod.
GDI units are sturdy and powerful, but expensive.
Meanwhile, Nod armies are made up of a mix of cheap and numerous units,
mixed in with unusual units such as rocket bikes and stealth tanks. As a result,
GDI focuses on large-scale strategic attacks, while Nod creates bigger armies
and uses unconventional tactics. There are roughly fifty units and structures in
total. Tiberium, the game’s sole resource, is gathered by harvester units that carry
it to a refinery structure for processing. When the player constructs buildings,
additional units and structures become available for purchase. Command & Con-
quer features two single-player campaigns, one each for the GDI and Nod fac-
tions. The objective of most campaign missions is to destroy or take control of
enemy buildings. The missions begin with live-action full motion video (FMV)
cutscenes.
The original DOS release features multiplayer with up to four players, a
rarity at the time. Multiplayer over an Internet connection was added in Com-
mand & Conquer Gold, which also features SVGA visuals. The game’s Sega
Saturn and PlayStation ports lack multiplayer support.
Command & Conquer is set in an alternate timeline, after a meteorite
crashed near the river Tiber in Italy in 1995. The meteorite brings with it an
extremely toxic alien substance called Tiberium, which becomes extremely valu-
able because of its ability to absorb and crystallize precious metals from the
surrounding soil. An ancient, cultic secret society called the Brotherhood of Nod
claims to have foreseen the potentials of this new substance, investing in the
development of technology to harvest and refine Tiberium crystals ahead of the
scientific community. Nod soon controls nearly half of the supply and uses these
assets to sustain a rapidly growing army of followers worldwide. The group is
led by a self-proclaimed messianic figure known only as Kane.
Following a series of international terrorist bombings that culminate in
the destruction of the fictional Grain Trade Center in Vienna – attacks which
are quickly attributed to the Brotherhood of Nod - the United Nations Security
Council realizes that Kane and Nod are commencing a global campaign of ter-
rorism, and authorises the Global Defense Initiative to intervene on its behalf,
setting a conflict in motion that escalates into a world war.
 Command & Conquer • 95

Command & Conquer features two sub-plots earlier game, and Westwood co-founder Brett Sperry
based on the two playable factions of the game. Com- later said that “Command & Conquer was the net re-
manding the Global Defense Initiative’s troops, the sult of the Dune II wish list.” Following the success of
player becomes instrumental in eliminating Nod’s Eu- Dune II, Sperry believed that “it was time to build the
ropean forces. Under the command of General Mark ultimate RTS” with an original intellectual property.
Jamison Sheppard, the player completes missions He later said that he was “fanatical about calling the
that range from securing a beach, to rescuing civil- game ‘Command & Conquer’”, because he believed
ians and scientists, to defending GDI bases from Nod that the title was an ideal summary of the gameplay.
assaults. Combat occurs in countries of Central and As with Dune II, Command & Conquer origi-
Eastern Europe. A major plot element nally took place in a high fantasy
is an international scandal caused by a world before being redesigned. The
Nod media manipulation, which con- team changed to a modern warfare set-
vinces the world that the GDI deliber- ting because of the political climate
ately attacked and massacred the Polish of the mid-1990s, and they later cited
city of Białystok. This leads to a cut in the Gulf War as a key influence in this
GDI funding, forcing the player to play decision. Westwood co-founder Louis
several missions with limited forces. Castle said that “[w]ar was in the news
Finally, the player besieges the Tem- and the threat of terrorism was on eve-
ple of Nod in Sarajevo, Bosnia, which ryone’s mind”. The setting was further
Kane uses as his main base of opera- influenced by Sperry’s belief that future
tions. wars would not be “nation-to-nation”,
As a new recruit in the Broth- but would rather be “fought between
erhood of Nod, the player initially Western society and a kind of anar-
performs tasks for the Brotherhood’s chistic terror organization that doesn’t
second-in-command, a man known have a centralized government.” The
as Seth. After Seth attempts to deploy team sought to make the player feel like
the player in an operation against the their computer was “a terminal to a real
United States military without Kane’s battlefield”, going so far as to make the
approval, Kane kills him and thereafter installation process resemble hacking
issues commands to the player directly. a “military infrastructure”. However,
The player’s goal is to drive GDI forces Castle noted that the team “created [a
out of North Africa through the use of parallel universe] to avoid dealing with
both conventional and unconventional the sobering issues of a real war.”
warfare. In a ploy to secure victory for In a retrospective, Paul Mal-
Nod, the player is assigned to gain con- linson of Computer & Video Games
trol of GDI’s space-based ion cannon, (CVG) wrote that the game’s produc-
and to establish Nod’s Temple in South tion was “speedy, focused and fun”.
Africa. The campaign ends with the en- Castle said that, because the company
tire African continent under Nod’s con- was creating other titles at the time,
trol, and with the Brotherhood planning development of Command & Conquer
to achieve the same in Europe. The was not a “working party”; but lead
conclusion of the campaign allows the programmer Joe Bostic later said that
player to choose a historical landmark it was “so much fun that I would some-
to destroy with GDI’s hijacked ion can- times marvel that I actually got paid as
non, in order to shatter GDI’s public image. Potential well.” The game’s playtesters were enthusiastic about
targets include the White House, the British Houses the game during development, which Castle later said
of Parliament, the Eiffel Tower and the Brandenburg had encouraged the team to work harder. The team cre-
Gate. ated live-action FMV cutscenes for the game. These
Westwood Studios began developing Com- cutscenes contain no professional actors aside from
mand & Conquer in early 1993, after conceiving the Kucan, who played Kane and was heavily involved
game near the end of Dune II’s development. The in their production. The cast is made up of Westwood
team sought to build on the foundation laid by their team members, and a low budget meant that filming
96 • Command & Conquer
took place in “spare rooms” and warehouses. Cas- ics and sound, and adding that the later missions are
tle later said that the team “had no illusions that we “masterpieces of gaming design”. Randell believed
were as good as TV or film,” but that the cutscenes that the port’s missing multiplayer mode would have
were not intentionally campy. He credited Kucan with made it as good as Virtua Fighter 2 and NiGHTS Into
“taking [a] ragtag group of people who had no busi- Dreams, but that it “isn’t far off this realm of excel-
ness in front of a camera and making something rea- lence” without it.
sonably good.” To replace the spice from Dune II, the Game Informer’s three reviewers praised the
team introduced Tiberium, which was inspired by the Saturn and PlayStation ports of Command & Con-
1957 B-movie The Monolith Monsters. Castle said quer. While the magazine’s Andy McNamara wrote
that the team’s goal in both cases was to create “a that “the best way to play C&C is on the PC”, he
central resource that everybody was fighting over.” called the console version a “fantastic port” marred
As with Dune II, the soundtrack was composed by only by “rather clumsy” controls and the inability
Frank Klepacki. to save in the middle of a mission. Andrew Reiner
To create the game’s landscapes, the artists agreed, calling it a “flawless PC port” that “per-
took digitized photographs of real world terrain and fectly” recreates the thrills of the original; but he was
manipulated them with rendering techniques. displeased that it did not feature multiplayer support.
Reviewing Command & Conquer’s Sega Sat- Jon Storm summarized it as “an excellent addition
urn port, Next Generation commented that it did little to any PlayStation or Saturn library.” A reviewer for
to improve the core game, and noted its lower reso- Next Generation wrote: “Just like the ported Saturn
lution and missing multiplayer functionality as sig- version, PSX [PlayStation] C&C adds little to the
nificant negatives. However, the review still called it existing game.” The review’s author cited the lower
one of the console’s best games and a “must-buy for resolution and lack of multiplayer as low points, but
Saturn owners”. CVG’s Kim Randell wrote that the noted that the addition of the Covert Operations mis-
Saturn version is “up there with AM2’s finest games” sions “adds to the overall replay value”.
simple gameplay” despite its unimpressive graph
 Corpse Killer - Graveyard Edition • 97

2.9

Corpse Killer: Graveyard Edition

Developer Digital Pictures
Publisher Digital Pictures
Release date (us) 1995
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

Corpse Corpse
Killer features
Killer live
is a action
game full motionfor
released video
the in a format
Sega
similar
CD, to other
Sega CD 32X,games
3DO,developed by Digital
Sega Saturn, Pictures.
Windows Most of
95 and
the gameplay
Macintosh is similar
computers to features
that other shooting full full
live action motion
mo-video
games
tion suchinas
video Lethal similar
a format Enforcers. The games
to other player developed
moves through
the jungle shooting various zombies, collecting
by Digital Pictures. The quality of the full motion better ammu-
video
nition
on the (to
Sega prepare for a raid
CD version onthan
is less Hellman’s
that of compound)
the others. and
medicine
Also, aftertothe
recover health.
release of the Sega CD version, Digital
Pictures created an option to have English subtitles dur-
ing the full motion video as critics had complained that
it was difficult to understand what the driver was saying
in the Sega CD and Sega 32X versions.
The game start with an unnamed United States Marine, who is air-
dropped onto a tropical island on a top secret mission to stop the evil Dr. Hell-
man, who plans to release his army of zombies on the world. He is bitten by
a zombie and also meets an attractive female reporter and a Rastafarian male
driver. Four of the marine lieutenant’s comrades are captured by Hellman and
turned into zombies. To rescue them, the lieutenant infiltrates Hellman’s com-
pound and shoots each of them with bullets coated with extract from Datura
plants, which can turn freshly created zombies back into humans.
Most of the gameplay is similar to other shooting full motion video
games such as Lethal Enforcers. The player moves through the jungle shooting
various zombies, collecting better ammunition (to prepare for a raid on Hell-
man’s compound) and medicine to recover health.
The video footage for the game was filmed on location in the Caribbean, with most scenes
being shot in Puerto Rico. The actors portraying the zombies wore latex masks.
The Sega Saturn version of the title was released with the subtitle of “Graveyard Edition”.
This version features a few exclusives such as full-screen video (other versions have the FMV
boxed in), improved video quality, a difficulty select (ranging from normal to bloodthirsty to can-
nibal), items and power-ups that drop down from the top of the screen and can be shot and col-
lected, and “in your face” zombie attacks. These attacks involve a zombie that pops up immedi-
ately in front of the “camera” and attacks the player. They can only be killed with armor-piercing
rounds or Datura rounds. The Saturn version is also the only version of the game to lack light gun
support.
Reviewing the Saturn version, Electronic Gaming Monthly said that the scenes are dull
and repetitive. They also criticized the substandard video quality of the FMV and the “laugh-
able” gameplay. GamePro’s brief review, while acknowledging the FMV is grainy, noted it was at
least superior to any previous version of the game. The reviewer praised the cursor movement’s
easy control and concluded, “This’ll do for zombified Saturn gamers.” A brief review from Next
Generation published over a year after the game’s release criticized the “Cheesy graphics and
extremely repetitious gameplay”.
98 • Cotton Boomerang

Cotton 2 8.2
Developer Success
Publisher Success
Release date (jp) December 4, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Cotton 2: Magical Night Dreams was first released

first as an arcade game on Sega’s ST-V hardware in
1997. Only months later, it received a virtually arcade-
perfect console port on the Saturn. Considered the true
sequel to the first game in the series, Cotton 2 also
marks the introduction of two new primary characters:
Appli, a young princess, and her anthropomorphic hat,
Needle. The first release of Cotton 2 on the Saturn in-
cluded a mini-calendar for 1998.

7.9 Cotton Boomerang

Developer Success
Publisher Success
Release date (jp) October 8, 1998
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Cotton Boomerang was also originally an ST-V arcade

game, and it, too, received a faithful home port on the
Saturn. Like Marchen Adventure Cotton 100%, Cotton
Boomerang remixes graphics and gameplay from the
previous game in the series (Cotton 2) with a number
of new ideas. The gameplay in general is much more
manic than Cotton 2, and Silk and Needle are playable
as independent characters.

Courier Crisis 6.7

Developer New Level Software, Take 2 Interactive
Publisher (us) GT Interactive, (eu) Sega, (jp) BMG Japan
Release date (us) December 20, 1997
Genre Action, Racing
Mode 1 Player

Courier Crisis is a game that simulates the life of a bi-

cycle courier. As players peddle around a virtual city,
they must pick up packages from grumpy customers,
and then deliver them to other grumpy customers be-
fore a timer runs out.
The 3D city and the traffic in Courier Crisis are the
biggest obstacles. There are many different areas of the
city in which players can do delivery runs, such as the
wharf, China town, the slums, and the city center.
 Creature Shock • 101

Creature Shock
4.8
Developer Argonaut Software, Interactive Studios
Publisher Data East
Release date (jp) January 19, 1996
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

CreatureCreature
Shock Shock is a 1994
is a 1994 sci-fisci-fi first-person
first-person shooter released on the
shooter
PC
game released on the PC and 3DO and later ported to CD-i, Sega Saturn
and 3DO. The game was later ported to the Philips
and PlayStation. A Jaguar CD port was being made by Argonaut Games,
the Saturn.
but it was cancelled.
Gameplay is divided into two portions: an on-rails
shoot ‘em
Theuptitle was one
portion of thethefirst
in which extensive
player pilots CD-ROM
a ship titles and used
full-motion video
through various for both cutscene
pre-rendered and interactive
environments and an ad-portions. As a result,
the
venture-style first-person action portion where players discs. Gameplay is
game spans over a gigabyte in size and over two
divided into two
chose between portions: an
track-based on-rails
paths shootnodes.
at various ‘em up portion in which the
player pilots a ship through various pre-rendered environments and an
adventure-style first-person action portion where players chose between
track-based paths at various nodes.
The game is set in 2123. The UNS Amazon is sent as part of an ex-
ploration fleet to various planets to determine new viable locations for set-
tlement as the Earth is destroyed by human activity. En route to Saturn, the
Amazon is ensnared by a massive alien being resembling a large asteroid.
The protagonist, Commander Jason Barr, is sent to investigate the incident.
While hailed for its elaborate and beautiful artwork, the gameplay
was razed. IGN stated in their 2 out of 10 review, “track-based shooters
with lots of prerendered cut-shots are the bane of our existence. Woe to the
hapless gamer who actually pays his hard earned money for these dogs. I
warn you now: avoid Creature Shock like your life depends on it”. A re-
viewer for Next Generation deemed Creature Shock “positive proof that a
good game must consist of more than just flashy graphics and loud sound
effects.” He judged the game’s limited level of interactivity to be utterly
backwards, pointing out that the gameplay resembles the 1987 game After
Burner.

4.8 Creature Shock:

Special Edition
Developer Argonaut Software, Interactive Studios
Publisher Data East
Release date (us) 1996
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

Creature Shock was released as two versions for the

Saturn: the Japanese release, which is similar to the
PlayStation version, and the North American release,
which is labeled as a “Special Edition”. The Special
Edition features slightly enhanced visuals and some
options which do not appear in other versions of the
game, but its main feature is two exclusive rail shooter
levels with polygon graphics.
102 • Croc: Legend of the Gobbos

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos 6.8

Developer Argonaut Software

Publisher (us) Fox Interactive, (eu) EA, (jp) Media Quest
Release date (eu) October 10, 1997
Genre Platformer
Mode 1 Player

xxx Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is a platform

game published by Fox Interactive and developed by
xxx
Argonaut Software for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn,
Windows and Game Boy Color. It follows protagonist
Croc, and his attempts to rescue the furry creatures
known as Gobbos from the antagonist, Baron Dante.
The game started development as a 3D platform
game Mario spinoff starring Yoshi that was intended to
be made exclusively for Nintendo 64. Argonaut pitched
the game to Nintendo but was rejected. This ended the
relationship between the two companies that began
with the development of Star Fox. Due to the game
being rejected, Argonaut had to find other publishers
to finance and publish the game. The Japanese pub-
lisher (Mitsui) selected the Sony PlayStation, the Sega
Saturn, and PC as the platforms. The original contract
focused on Sega but the market shifted and the Sony
PlayStation became the primary platform. The game
was executive produced at Argonaut by Jez San and John Edelson. The lead
programmers were Lewis Gordon and Anthony Lloyd, and the lead designer was
Nic Cusworth. Characters were designed by Simon Keating. The Yoshi game
concept later served as an inspiration on the development of Super Mario 64, ac-
cording to Argonaut. The music for Croc: Legend of the Gobbos was composed
by Justin Scharvona, Karin Griffin, Martin Gwynn Jones and Richard Joseph.
Croc is a free-roaming game title, with Croc’s movement differing slight-
ly depending on whether players use the directional pad or the analog controller
to control him. His main moves consist of a tail whip attack that can temporarily
destroy enemies, and a hit drop used for smashing open crates (similar to a me-
chanic used in the Super Mario series). Croc also possess the ability to swim in
select levels. Throughout the game Croc collects crystals which serve as health
in a similar fashion to golden rings in Sonic the Hedgehog, meaning the player
will lose a life if hit without holding any crystals in their inventory. Crystals re-
tained at the end of a level are stored, with Croc gaining an extra life for every
100 he collects.
Progressing through the levels involves finding and hitting the Beany Gong at the end of the level to
move onto the next, facing two bosses during each island. However, to fully complete the game, Croc has to
rescue the captured Gobbos throughout each level. Each level contains six Gobbos, including one hidden be-
hind a door at the end of the level. This Gobbo can only be released by collecting five colored crystals through-
out the level. Collecting all the Gobbos before a boss level unlocks an extra level in which a Jigsaw Piece can
be earned. When the player collects all of these pieces, a new island is opened up, leading to the game’s final
boss, Baron Dante, in crystal form.
In 2014, GamesRadar listed the game one of the best Sega Saturn games, stating that the game “gave
players on Sega and Sony’s machines a chance to explore 42 brightly colored levels’ worth of Argonaut’s take
on the Mushroom Kingdom, earning the company a bestseller of its own in the process.”
Croc: Legend of the Gobbos • 103
104 • The Conveni 2 ~Zenkoku Chain Tenkai da !~

6.7 The Conveni:

Ano Machi wo Dokusen Seyo
Developer Masterpiece, Access
Publisher Human
Release date (jp) March 20, 1997
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

The Conveni: Ano Machi wo Dokusen Seyo is a busi-

ness simulation game released for the Sega Saturn and
the first in the Conveni series. It is a top-down simula-
tor similar in nature to SimCity, however has the play-
er manage a chain of convenience stores.

“segaretro.org”

The Conveni 2: 6.0

Zenkoku Chain Tenkai da!
Developer Masterpiece, Access
Publisher Masterpiece
Release date (jp) March 12, 1998
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

The Conveni 2: Zenkoku Chain Tenkai da! is a busi-

ness simulation game released for the Sega Saturn and
sequel to The Conveni: Ano Machi wo Dokusen Seyo.
Unlike its predecessor, Conveni 2 opts for an isometric
perspective, similar to SimCity 2000.

“segaretro.org”

7.6 Crimewave
Developer Eidos Interactive
Publisher Eidos Interactive, (jp) Virgin Interactive
Release date (eu) November 8, 1996
Genre Racing, Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Crimewave is a car-based shoot-’em-up by Eidos In-

teractive. It is a Saturn exclusive, and not to be con-
fused with the similarly titled “Crime Wave” seen on
Amiga, Atari ST and DOS computers in 1990.
The game has the player drive one of eight vehicles
around a city destroying criminals. The city is split into
sections, which can only be accessed when crime lev-
els have fallen to a certain value.
“segaretro.org”
 Cross Romance ~Koi to Maajan to Hanafuda to~ • 105

4.0 Criticom
Developer Kronos Digital Entertainment, Point of View
Publisher VIC Tokai
Release date (us) February, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

The fighting action takes place on a round, elevated

platform. Each fighter begins the fight with a full pow-
er meter and one power meter refill in reserve that is
activated when the primary meter is depleted. Thus,
there are no rounds. The fight runs until one fighter is
knocked out, one is knocked out of the arena, or the
time runs out. As the game progresses, the player gains
access to two additional “levels” for the character,
which unlocks new moves and new appearance.

Cross Romance: 6.2

Ai to Mahjong to Hanafuda to
Developer Digitalware, Nihon Bussan
Publisher Nihon Bussan
Release date (jp) October 9, 1997
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Cross Romance: Ai to Mahjong to Hanafuda to is a

mahjong and hanafuda game published by Nihon Bus-
san for the Sega Saturn. It features adult orientated
mahjong and hanafuda.

6.5 Cross Tantei Monogatari:

Motsureta Nanatsu no Labyrinth
Developer WorkJam
Publisher WorkJam
Release date (jp) June 25, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Cross Tantei Monogatari: Motsureta Nanatsu no Laby-

rinth is the first game created by WorkJam, the compa-
ny responsible for developing the Jake Hunter (Tantei
Jinguji Saburo) series post DataEast.
The game feature an adult theme and like all Japanese
adventure games, this is very text heavy.
106 • Crusader: No Remorse

Crusader: No Remorse
7.3
Developer Realtime Associates
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (us) May 26, 1997
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

Akumajo Crusader:
Dracula No Remorse
X: Gekka was first released
no Yasokyoku in
is an entry
1995
in the for MS-DOS,series.
Castlevania with Western
the Sonygamers
PlayStation and
know this
Sega
game Saturn ports following
as Castlevania: Symphonyin 1997.
of theSet in a Saturn
Night. dysto-
pian future
version 22ndgame
of this century, the game
contains centers
various on an elite
exclusive fea-
supersoldier
tures includingwho defects
a new from character
playable the tyrannical
(Mariaworld
Re-
government, the World
nard), new items, new Economic Consortium
enemies, and two new(WEC),
levels
and joinsPrison
(Cursed the Resistance rebels. Garden).
and Underground
Crusader is divided into missions,“segaretro.org”
each with
their own locations and objectives. Settings vary from
factories to military bases to offices to space stations,
and contain a variety of enemy soldiers and servo-
mechs, traps, puzzles and non-combatants (who can be
killed with no penalty and their bodies can be looted
for credits). All locations have alarm systems which
are triggered by walking into view of security cameras or destroying a secured
door, and can be deactivated by using an alarm box. So long as the alarm is ac-
tive, either a new enemy soldier will teleport into the area every few seconds or a
confined servomech will be released, depending on where the player is. In addi-
tion, the player cannot use keycard slots or door switches while an alarm is active.
The game featured an unprecedented level of setting interaction. Most of
the environment can be destroyed by weapons fire and some traps or defenses
can be manipulated for use against the enemy. The geography of the setting en-
courages the use of tactics and combinations of moves in order to hit the targets
effectively with the minimum possible loss of resources.
The game is set in the future. Due to economic downfalls, the nations of
the planet Earth began gradually to organize themselves into huge economic su-
per-conglomerates. Eventually, these continental organizations merged into the
World Economic Consortium. The WEC is a tyrannical entity; while the world
is made to look peaceful and prosperous, the reality is that most liberties are
suspended, taxes are well over 90%, military force is used mercilessly against
those who dare oppose the WEC, and freedom is barely even remembered. Only
an elite upper class of WEC executives have true power and wealth. The WEC is
being fought by an organization calling itself the Resistance, led by former WEC
colonel, now general, Quentin Maxis. The Resistance is a severely outnumbered
and outgunned ragtag mix of disparate people: ex-WEC soldiers and employees
rub elbows with political dissidents and criminals.
As No Remorse opens, a team of three Silencers—enigmatic super-sol-
diers—are returning from a botched mission in which they disobeyed an order to
fire upon civilians who were believed to be rebels. They are ambushed by a WEC
mech and two of the Silencers are killed. The remaining one, a nameless captain
(player character), was able to disable the mech with a grenade. Reconsidering
his options, the Silencer joins the Resistance, where, as a significant symbol of
the WEC’s military power and political philosophy, he is met with resentment,
distrust and outright hatred. As the game progresses, the Silencer uncomplain-
ingly undertakes dangerous missions and his continued success gradually earns
the respect of his fellow Resistance members.
 Crusader: No Remorse • 107

Crusader: No Remorse was developed by the unique features of each console were utilized to
Loose Cannon Productions, a division of Origin Sys- improve on the PC version in places; new music was
tems. The game uses an advanced version of the Ul- added to use the music overlays, and the Saturn’s sec-
tima VIII: Pagan isometric view engine featuring full ond processor was used for background calculations.
SVGA graphics. The game’s audio uses a specially The forward roll from Crusader: No Regret was add-
made engine, called Asylum Sound System, which ed to both console versions.
employs MOD files rather than General MIDI, in or- Jorg Newman, producer of both the PlaySta-
der to provide good quality without relying on expen- tion and Saturn versions, remarked that despite the
sive hardware. Each mission and intermission level changes, “overall I’d call this a very conservative,
has its own track. The soundtracks for both games very direct port.”
were composed by Andrew Sega and Dan Grandpre Crusader: No Remorse was enthusiastically
of the now-defunct Straylight Productions. received by critics. GameSpot’s Ron Dullin called it
The game is single player only, though a co- “so viscerally exciting that its shortcomings can be
operative multiplayer mode supporting up to four overlooked.” He elaborated that while the story and
players was being included in the game up until just full motion video cutscenes are cheesy and the controls
before its release. “can send your character jumping across the screen
The Crusader games feature full motion video without warning”, the graphics make the “amoral”
(FMV) sequences with live actors; FMVs are used pleasures of killing innocent people and destroying
in cutscenes to further the story, generally through harmless pieces of scenery gratifying enough for the
interaction with other characters. These conversa- game to feel like pure fun. Rod White of Computer
tions are generally one-sided, as the player character Games Magazine disputed GameSpot’s characteriza-
never speaks. Like many Origin games, No Remorse tion of Crusader: No Remorse as a mindless “shoot
shipped with significant in-universe back-story mate- everything in sight” game, pointing out that shooting
rial, including a fold-out propaganda poster, newspa- certain people prevents you from receiving helpful
per and guides from the WEC and the Resistance. advice, and in some cases even makes it impossible to
Crusader contains several references to complete the mission. While he agreed that blowing
Origin’s Wing Commander series and is also refer- things up in the game is satisfying, he described the
enced by other games. The introduction of the game game as an exciting yet thoughtful shooter with con-
shows a dating system as used in Wing Commander trols akin to Fade to Black, effective cinematic ele-
(a year number, followed by a decimal signifying a ments, a “deep” and “believable” storyline, and some
day). According to Wing Commander backstory, the relevant satirizing of the news media.
Terran Confederation is a government that replaced
A sequel, titled Crusader: No Regret, was re-
the WEC and the Wing Commander Arena manual
leased in 1996.
“Star*Soldier” has an advertisement for an in-game
A third game in the series (with several work-
movie titled No Regret, which is portrayed in the
ing titles such as Crusader 3: No Escape, Crusader II
manual as based on true events. Furthermore, an ar-
and Crusader: No Mercy) was never released. Tony
ticle in the newspaper added to the No Remorse box
Zurovec of the Crusader team left Origin and joined
mentions SHODAN and the Citadel space station in a
Wing Commander creator Chris Roberts at his new
reference to System Shock, and the blood-soaked op-
company Digital Anvil and Origin refocused its ef-
erating tables seen throughout certain levels are of the
forts on Ultima Online. Preliminary storyline ideas
same model used in Bioforge, on which its main char-
included boarding a shuttle and making a daring as-
acter LEX was created on. According to the game’s
sault to get back to Earth.
lead designer Tony Zurovec these references are sole-
In 2006, Slovakian company Outsider Devel-
ly easter eggs and Crusader is not sharing a universe
opment tried to convince EA on porting Crusader: No
with any other game series.
Remorse to the PlayStation Portable, but their Cru-
Because Crusader: No Remorse was written in
sader: No Pity project (which included a working pro-
C++ and assembly language, a straight port to gaming
totype) was rejected despite the support from Andrew
consoles was not possible, meaning the code had to be
Sega.
rewritten from scratch for the PlayStation and Saturn
The game also had a big influence on the Fall-
versions. Since both the consoles have only 2 MB of
out development team.
RAM each, some aspects had to be scaled back for the
conversion; the resolution was cut from 640x480 to
320x240, and the color palette was reduced. In turn,
108 • The Crow: City of Angels

Crows: The Battle Action 7.4

for SegaSaturn
Developer Athena
Publisher Athena
Release date (jp) December 18, 1997
Genre Beat-’em-up
Mode 1-2 Players

Crows is based on the Japanese comic manga series

of the same name. The game is a beat ‘em up, and is
drawn in a super-deformed style.
The game has not been ported to any other consoles,
nor made available for download on any modern gam-
ing consoles, and is often listed as one of the more rare
Saturn games.

1.3 The Crow: City of Angels

Developer Gray Matter
Publisher Acclaim Entertainment
Release date (us) March 12, 1997
Genre Beat ‘em up
Mode 1 Player

The Crow: City of Angels is a 1997 action game loose-

ly based on the movie of the same title. The player as-
sumes the role of the hero of the film, Ashe Corven. It
was met with negative reviews.
The gameplay style is similar to a traditional six-di-
rectional side-scrolling beat ‘em up, viewed from an
isometric perspective. All objects and characters are
3D polygonal models, imposed over 2D pre-rendered
backgrounds.

Crypt Killer 5.0

Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (us) March 7, 1997
Genre Light-gun
Mode 1-2 Players

Crypt Killer, known as Henry Explorers in Japan, is a

light-gun game. It made use of Sega’s virtua gun which
was developed for the Virtua Cop series of games.
Players simultaneous travel through levels “on tracks”
in a similar way to Virtua Cop. At certain points on
each level the players choose their path by selecting to
go one of two different ways. Despite its horror theme
the game doesn’t take the theme seriously at all, rely-
ing on extensive gameplay instead due to its difficulty.
110 • Cube Battler ~Debugger Shou-hen~

7.0 Cube Battler: Anna Mirai-hen

Developer Yanoman
Publisher Yanoman
Release date (jp) May 23, 1997
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Cube Battler: Anna Mirai-hen is a puzzle game. It is

the sequel and identical to Cube Battler: Debugger
Shou-hen. The game with a calendar.

“segagagadomain.com”

Cube Battler: 5.5

Debugger Shou-hen
Developer Yanoman
Publisher Yanoman
Release date (jp) February 28, 1997
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

The playing screen is split in to two playing fields,

similar to Puyo Puyo or many other puzzle games. The
background is sectioned up in to nine squares with an
animation running in the background. The pieces that
players must place in to the background are cubes.
These cubes all have a different part of the background
animation running on them in colour. It is up to the
players to match these with the background.

7.5 Cubic Gallery

Developer We Net
Publisher We Net
Release date (jp) May 17, 1996
Genre Edutainment
Mode 1 Player

In this game, two guys with very bad acting skills

take users on an educational tour of the Cubic Gallery,
teaching them all about art.
The game was published by W.I.Z., which was re-
leased in Japan in 1996.

“segagagadomain.com”
 Culdcept • 111

8.0 Culdcept
Developer Omiya Soft
Publisher Omiya Soft
Release date (jp) October 30, 1997
Genre Table
Mode 1-4 Players

Culdcept Culdcept is a turn-based

is a turn-based strategystrategy
game. game. It has drawn comparisons
It has drawn
to
comparisons to other modern strategy titles, and features
other modern strategy titles, and also shares also with non-video
games
shares Monopoly
features withandnon-video
Magic: The Gathering.
games Monopoly The first
andinstallment to reach
North
Magic:America was the expanded port of Culdcept Second released for
The Gathering.
the PlayStation 2, the North American release was simply titled Culdcept.
As players advance through the game, they earn cards
The first game was initially released only in Japan for the Sega Saturn and
that they can use to create customised “books” (decks
PlayStation.
of 50 cards) with which to better defeat their foes. Al-
though IntheCuldcept, the playerintricate,
game is relatively takes on itthe role of
slowly a Cepter. Cepters are
nur-
beings that
tures the havethrough
player the ability to use
basic game magical cards to summon creatures, cast
concepts.
spells, and perform various other feats of wizardry. As players advance
through the game, they earn additional cards that they can use to create
customised “books” (decks of 50 cards) with which to better defeat their
foes.
Although the game is relatively intricate, it slowly nurtures the
player through basic game concepts. By acting as an arbiter and automati-
cally enforcing the rules, game complexity is kept to manageable levels.
After enough sessions, players should be able to figure out various strate-
gies and be able to effectively practice deck optimization techniques.
Gameplay resembles Monopoly in that players roll a die (or two
dice with certain spells) to move around on a game board. However, in-
stead of buying the property and putting houses and hotels on it, players
instead summon a creature to defend the property with cards—the Magic:
The Gathering aspect of the game. If an opponent lands on a property that
one owns, the opponent either pays a toll, or can choose to attack the de-
fending creature with one of their own in order to attempt to take over the
property. Unlike Monopoly, this can result in one losing a piece of land
after considerable investment.
There are four property colors that represent different terrain types,
e.g. green = forest. The more a player invests in the property to “level
it up” (ala adding houses or a hotel in Monopoly), the more the terrain
flourishes (e.g. forests become more dense with trees). This then provides
additional defense to creatures of the matching color type, and exacts a
higher toll on opponents landing there. And as a player collects more lands
of the same color (creating “chains”) the tolls, as well of the land values,
increase.
Culdcept also includes item cards that can be played during battle
to help attack, defend, or manipulate the battle in a number of other ways.
Along with creature and item cards are spell cards that cause other various
effects to creatures, territories, and Cepters.
Culdcept is the first in a series of games by OmiyaSoft, originally
released for the Sega Saturn. Two expansions were released on the Play-
Station in 1999 and 2000. A sequel title Culdcept Second was released on
the Dreamcast in 2001, with an expansion of its own released on the Play-
Station 2 the following year.
112 • Cyber Speedway

Cyber Doll 8.2

Developer Be Top
Publisher I’MAX
Release date (jp) August 9, 1996
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Cyber Doll is a futuristic RPG. Players fight ran-

domly appearing enemies in turn-based combat, that
is viewed from a platform perspective. Players have
separate hit points for their body parts, and so do the
enemies. Players have a wide variety of weapons. Tar-
geting body parts adds to combat strategy: for exam-
ple, if the HP of enemy legs is depleted, he won’t be
able to move and to attack players in close range.
“mobygames.com”

6.9 Cyber Speedway

Developer Nextech
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) May 26, 1995
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

Cyber Speedway, known as Gran Chaser in Japan, is

a 1995 racing game developed by NexTech and pub-
lished by Sega for the Sega Saturn.
The game is a hover sled racing game set in the distant
future. The civilizations of many planets have decided
to end all wars. Instead, they will settle their differ-
ences in the Cyber Race. The players are the best hope
to protect and expand the Earth’s power.

Cyber Troopers Virtual-On 7.9

Developer CRI
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) November 8, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Virtual-On is set up similar to a Versus fighting game.

Two Virtuaroids (Mecha) face each other on a stage.
Players use a variety of firearms, explosives, melee
weapons, and other techniques to destroy the enemy
for a set number of rounds, usually a single battle, or
best two out of three rounds, like fighting games.
A remake of the Operation Moongate was released for
the PlayStation 2 as part of the Sega Ages 2500 line,
featuring improved framerates and music.
 Cyberia • 113

7.9 Cyberbots:
FullMetal Madness
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) March 28, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness is a sci-fi one-on-one

fighting game in which several characters converge in
the wastes of the far future and must fight each oth-
er for their own personal reasons aboard giant battle
mechs.
A Limited Edition was released of the game and con-
tains: Hardback book with manga, models, and sketch-
es and a Cyber Gouki pop-up stand.

Cyberia 6.7
Developer Xatrix Entertainment
Publisher Interplay
Release date (us) January, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Cyberia is a science fiction action adventure re-

leased for MS-DOS in January 1994, and released two
years later on the PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and 3DO
consoles. A sequel, Cyberia 2: Resurrection, was re-
leased in 1995 for both DOS and Windows 9x formats.
Cyberia is set in the near future of the year 2027,
five years after a global economic collapse. The world
is under the dominion of two opposing superpowers,
the First World Alliance in the west and the Cartel in
the
the east. Devlin, the leader ofeast. Devlin,
the FWA, the leader
receives wordofthat
theaFWA, receives
devastating word
weapon
thatbase
is being produced in a secret a devastating
in Siberia,weapon
referredistobeing
as theproduced
Cyberia in a secret
Complex.
base in Siberia, referred to as the Cyberia
Curious to unravel the mysteries of this weapon, Devlin pardons a cyber-hacker Complex.
named Zebulon Pike “Zak” Curious to unravel
Kingston the mysteries
and charges him withofthe thistask
weapon, Dev-
of infiltrat-
lin pardons
ing the Complex and retrieving intel aoncyber-hacker
the weapon named Zebulon Pike
being produced there.“Zak”
Kingston and charges him with the
Cyberia uses prerendered visuals during gameplay, and boasted task of infiltrating
impres-
the Complex and retrieving intel on the
sive graphics for its time. While mostly linear, there are two points in the game weapon be-
ing produced there. Cyberia uses prerendered
where the player makes a decision that can change important outcomes. There visuals
are four basic methods ofduring
gameplaygameplay, and boasted
which Cyberia impressive
employs: exploringgraphics for
the envi-
ronment through walkingits(fromtime.node
While mostlyattempting
to node), linear, there to are two points
complete puzzlesin
the game where the player makes a decision
in a full screen view, using a gun turret to shoot down planes, and flying in vari- that can
ous vehicles. Direction andchange
speed important outcomes.
during flight are onThere
rail; are
thefour basic
player meth-
controls
ods of gameplay which Cyberia employs:
weapons firing. Vehicles include the TF-22 Transfighter stealth jet, a nanotech exploring
the remotely
virus cleaner, “Charlie” the environment through
operated walking (from node
decontamination robot,toand
node),
the
Cyberia weapon itself. attempting to complete puzzles in a full screen view,
116 •D

D
6.2
Developer Warp
Publisher Acclaim, (jp) Acclaim Japan
Release date (jp) July 28, 1995
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

D is a D is a horror horror
psychological themedpuzzle
interactive movieSince
adventure. and
adventure game
the storyline and developed by WARP
graphics depicted and directed
violence by
unlike an-
Kenji
ythingEno.
seen Itinisa the first entry
previous videoingame,
the D head
seriesdeveloper
and was
first
Kenjipublished by Panasonic
Eno deliberately chose toforbypass
the 3DO Interactive
censorship. He
Multiplayer in 1995,version
submitted a “clean” later being ported
to pass to the Sega
publisher Sat-
approval
urn, PlayStation, and MS-DOS.
late, knowing that they would be require him to hand
deliver
theisgame
D to the manufacturer.
an interactive movie which Onfeatures
his wayad-to
the manufacturer,
venture game elements, he switched
a horrorthe “clean”
genre with and
storyline, his
master version containing the more disturbing
heavy use of full motion video. The player takes on content.
the role of Laura Harris, played by a “digital actress”
named Laura that appears in the other games in the
series, although the stories are unrelated. The player
directs Laura’s movements as she explores the game’s
environment, solves puzzles, and unravels the story.
The movements occur through FMV sequences as she
walks to the desired location, from where the player is greeted with a static
screen which may contain items they can interact with or other paths to direct
Laura. The player is only given two real-time hours to complete the game and
no save or pause function. Depending on the player’s actions, there are different
endings.
Taking place in 1997, the story begins when Laura Harris is contacted by
Los Angeles police, receiving a disturbing message: her father, Dr. Richter Har-
ris, has gone on a mass murdering spree and barricaded himself in the hospital.
Laura rushes to the scene of the crime, desperate to find an explanation for the
well-respected doctor’s actions. Upon entering the hospital, she is so horrified
at the murdered bodies lying about the halls that she covers her eyes. When she
uncovers them again, she finds herself in an unknown medieval castle. Unwilling
to give up her search, Laura continues through the dark corridors of the castle.
While attempting to find her father, she experiences a series of flashbacks of her
mother being stabbed to death. Laura’s father (taking the form of apparitions)
warns her to leave, saying that staying too long means being stuck in the alter-
nate reality forever. He warns that he will soon become an emotionless monster
and will eventually try to kill her. Still shaken, Laura proceeds to find her father.
Development of D lasted about one year and was directed by WARP
president Kenji Eno. Eno was heavily inspired by Polarware’s Transylvania ad-
venture game series and he believes D would have never been created if it were
not for playing those games. Eno and WARP were still relatively unknown in the
industry, D would be their first major title. With this in mind, Eno felt that he was
gambling his development career on D, and if it were not successful he would
stop developing games. There were three phases to D’s development: the adven-
ture game structure, the story creation, and finally violence was added. Since the
adventure gameplay was largely finished before the story began to take fruition,
flashbacks were added to detail the plot. The plot was largely based on that of
Dracula, but Eno found it too boring, and so added violence and cannibalism to
make the game more striking. The FMVs were created using Amiga 4000s.
 D • 117

Eno believed D’s violent cannibalistic themes presently on the market. Four reviewers at Electronic
would be deemed taboo or too horrifying by others Gaming Monthly commented that the Saturn version
and was worried the game would not be permitted had reduced the load times seen in the 3DO version
for publishing. With this in mind, Eno kept many of to almost nothing. They highly praised the storyline
the violent sequences a secret, including from other and intelligently designed puzzles, and described it as
members of WARP. When the game was finished, he “scary enough to make you an insomniac.” GamePro
submitted a “clean” version (i.e. without the violent staff gave positive reviews for both the Saturn and
and disturbing story content) for approval. He delib- PlayStation versions, recommending it to those look-
erately submitted the master late, knowing that part ing for a horror experience. Maximum staff likewise
that part of the penalty would require gave positive reviews to both versions,
him to hand-deliver it to the manufac- saying that D is similar to Myst (1993)
turers in the United States. While on the and Mansion of Hidden Souls (1993)
plane ride to the US, he switched the but ultimately better due to its more
“clean” discs with the finalized discs enticing story. They also praised the
including the horrific content, thus FMV graphics and cinematic presen-
completely bypassing all censorship. tation, but criticized it for its lack of
longevity. The reviewers felt its short
D was a success in Japan. In
length, addictive gameplay, and lack of
total it sold one million copies there
overly challenging puzzles ensured that
and the Saturn version reached the top
the player will be finished with it very
of the sales charts in its first week. It
quickly. A Next Generation reviewer
was one of the few genuine hits for the
gave the same praises for the scary sto-
3DO in Japan, and drew a significant
ryline and graphics, and also said the
cult following of hardcore fans even
puzzles “are just challenging enough
before being ported to other systems. A
to satisfy and yet not so difficult as to
Japanese re-release for the 3DO titled
impede your progress for very long.”
D’s Diner: Director’s Cut contained
However, he felt the slow character
additional content and a bonus sound-
movement and lack of longevity kept
track disc. The PlayStation release of
the game from being truly exceptional.
D was set to be published by Acclaim
Staff at Game Informer were more crit-
and manufactured by Sony. Orders for
ical in their review of the Saturn ver-
around 100,000 units had already been
sion. They found the gameplay tedious
made before Sony decided to give their
but did praise the graphics and the sto-
other titles manufacturing priority.
rytelling, concluding the “story would
Sony told Eno they had only manufac-
make a great movie or book, but not a
tured 40,000 units, which made Eno
game.”
very upset, but ultimately, Sony had
only manufactured 28,000 units. This Modern retrospectives find D
shortage upset Eno so much that he less appealing by contemporary stand-
later announced, at a Sony event, that ards, but have acknowledged its cult
he would release his next games for following and unique place in video
the Sega Saturn. WARP’s later games, game history. John Szczepaniak of
including those in the D series, Enemy Hardcore Gaming 101 could not find
Zero (1996) and D2 (1999), were re- a reason to recommend D over other
leased exclusively on Sega platforms. adventure games released prior or af-
Reviews for the Saturn and PlayStation ports ter, outside of the cannibalistic themes. He still rec-
were mostly positive although some were mixed. Sam ommended those interested to watch a walkthrough
Hickman from Sega Saturn Magazine commented on YouTube. In 2008, Game Informer listed it among
that the game manages to be extremely creepy and the worst horror games of all time.
terrifying despite having almost no bloodshed. He D was followed by two sequels featuring the same
predicted that the game would be outclassed by Resi- “digital actress” named Laura although the stories are
dent Evil (still in development at the time of the re- unrelated, Enemy Zero (1996) and D2 (1999).
view), but concluded that D was the best horror game
118 • Daikoukai Jidai Gaiden

5.0 Daibouken:
Saint Elmos no Kiseki
Developer Soft Office, FAB
Publisher Pai
Release date (jp) April 19, 1996
Genre Strategy, Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Dai Bouken: Saint Elmos no Kiseki is a simulation RPG

by Soft Office, a small company known for G-Vector.
The game feature similar theme as the Uncharted Wa-
ters series.
Players start off in their home port, have an audience
with the queen and is sent off on a quest for adventure.

Daikoukai Jidai Gaiden 8.0

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) January 29, 1998
Genre Strategy, Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Daikoukai Jidai Gaiden is a spin-off of the SNES and

Genesis game, Uncharted Waters: New Horizons. It
updates graphics and adds several tweaks to the game
mechanics.
Major characters from the second installment return
for this side story. The playable charaters include Mi-
randa Verte, an amateur navigator from Genoa, and
Salvador Leis, the adopted son of Khayr ad-Din.
“koei.wikia.com”

7.5 Daikoukai Jidai II

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) March 28, 1997
Genre Strategy, Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

In the first Uncharted Waters game, it was the 15th cen-

tury and the New World was discovered. Now in New
Horizons, it is the early 16th century and the age of
exploration and sea trade is underway. Players choose
from any one of six adventurers (scenarios), each with
their own distinctive but intertwining plot, to embark
on a quest of sailing, seamanship and exploration. Re-
gardless of the character chosen, Uncharted Waters is
a top-down sailing simulation.
“mobygames.com”
 Daisenryaku Strong Style • 119

7.0 Daina Airan

Developer Game Arts
Publisher Game Arts
Release date (jp) February 14, 1997
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

Dinosaur Island is an interactive animation. All the an-

imation is full screen and in real time powered by the
actual Saturn. Not FMV that is usually the case. Story
wise Dinosaur Island is fun packed with loads of typi-
cal Japanese style humour. A group of contemporary
explorers in Iceland enter a deep, long, cavernous cor-
ridor and discover a lost world of dinosaurs still exist-
ing in the center of the Earth.
“segagagadomain.com”

Daisenryaku Strong Style 7.5

Developer SystemSoft, Dual
Publisher Oz Club
Release date (jp) June 27, 1997
Genre Strategy
Mode 1-5 Players

Daisenryaku Strong Style is an entry in the long-run-

ning series of strategy games by SystemSoft and Sys-
temSoft Alpha in Japan.
The game feature mouse support.

6.0 Daisuki
Developer Gaga Communications
Publisher Gaga Communications
Release date (jp) July 4, 1997
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Daisuki is a dating simulation game for the Sega Sat-

urn. The game is set in the year 2040 and the player
have enrolled in to the Union Academy. While there
players must meet several different women. The game
also feature several mini games, such as race the play-
ers and even a space shooter and 1 on 1 beat’em up.
The game also contains a interview disc containing
anime characters.
“segagagadomain.com”
120 • Darius Gaiden

Daitoride 6.0
Developer Metro
Publisher Metro
Release date (jp) June 28, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Daitoride is a puzzle game similar to Shanghai. Players

match two of the same mahjong title together. Howev-
er they can only select tiles that are directly viewable.
Selecting a tile under another isn’t possible.

7.9 Darius Gaiden

Developer Aisystem Tokyo
Publisher Acclaim, (jp) Taito
Release date (jp) December 15, 1995
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Darius Darius
Gaiden,Gaiden
planned is atoshoot ‘em up as
be released arcade
Dariusgame,
III,
developed
is the thirdand released
arcade by Taito in
installment of 1994. It is theseries.
the Darius third
arcade
Gaideninstallment
was portedof tothe
theDarius series. and released in
Sega Saturn
late 1995, curiously
Darius Gaidenarriving before the Saturn
is a two-dimensional port of
shoot’em
Darius II.
up. The player controls a space ship named the Silver
Hawk
Gaidenand must guide
follows it through formula
the established scrollingclosely,
stages, but
de-
stroying
dropped enemies and screen
the multiple avoiding obstacles
setup. alongisthe
Difficulty way.
consid-
The
ered ship
to beislower
armed with
than in forward-firing
part II. missiles, aerial
bombs and a protective force-field, all of which can
“segaretro.org”
be upgraded by various power-ups that are dropped by
specially-colored enemies when they are destroyed by
the player. New to the Silver Hawk’s arsenal in Darius
Gaiden is the ‘black hole bomb.’ When fired, the black
hole bomb will create a large vortex in the center of
the screen, which sucks in enemies and projectiles on
the screen for a short moment, until it explodes into a
powerful ball of lightning that inflicts massive damage
onto every enemy on the screen.
Another feature introduced in Darius Gaiden is
the ability to capture minibosses, who appear in every
stage. Each miniboss has a small, circular ball placed
on them that, after receiving enough damage, will de-
tach and float away, causing the miniboss to turn idle.
If the player collects the ball, the miniboss will follow
and aid the player. After a brief period of time, or the
player loses a life, the miniboss will explode.
 Dark Hunter Ge Youma no Mori • 121

7.3 Darius II
Developer I.T.L
Publisher Taito
Release date (jp) June 7, 1996
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Darius II is a side-scrolling space shoot ‘em up devel-

oped by Taito as a direct sequel to the 1986 game Dar-
ius. It was originally released in 1989 for the arcade.
The game was ported to several Sega systems, includ-
ing the Mega Drive and Master System, whose West-
ern releases were renamed Sagaia for unknown rea-
sons. A port to the Sega Saturn using the original name
was released exclusively in Japan and Europe.

Dark Hunter 4.0

(Ge) Youma no Mori
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) May 30, 1997
Genre Adventure, Edutainment
Mode 1 Player

Dark Hunter: Shita Youma no Mori is the second part

of the horror adventure games that was released as
part of Koei’s “English Dream” series, a collection of
games used to help teach the English language. The
game can also be used to teach english speaking play-
ers Japanese since it’s fully bilingual.

5.0 Dark Hunter

(Jou) Ijigen Gakuen
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) April 4, 1997
Genre Adventure, Edutainment
Mode 1 Player

Dark Hunter: Jou Ijigen Gakuen is the first chapter in

the Koei-developed educational adventure title Dark
Hunter. Dark Hunter strives to aid in the English learn-
ing process by strengthening vocabulary and other lan-
guage skills through an interactive story infused with
elements of science fiction and horror.

“Saturn Memories@youtube.com”
122 • Dark Seed

Dark Seed 5.6

Developer Cyberdreams
Publisher Gaga Communications
Release date (jp) July 7, 1995
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

xxx Dark Seed is a psychological horror point-

and-click adventure game developed and published
xxx
by Cyberdreams in 1992. It exhibits a normal world
and a dark world counterpart, which is based on the
artwork by H. R. Giger.
When Cyberdreams approached H. R. Giger about
providing artwork for a video game, the artist dis-
liked the proposed use of VGA Mode 13h’s 320 by
200 graphics and demanded higher resolution. The
developers agreed to use 640 by 350 mode instead,
although doing so reduced the palette from 256 to 16
colors. Cyberdreams received access to almost all of
Giger’s artwork. Developers used an Epson flatbed
scanner to import selected body parts and landscape
fragments in monochrome, then with DeluxePaint II
Enhanced for DOS assembled them into single images. An Amiga and a SVHS
camera digitized actors’ poses that Cyberdreams further edited on PCs. After the
company decided that the images were inadequate late in the development proc-
ess, developers hand colored the art for six more months.
Players take the role of Mike Dawson, a successful advertising executive and writer who has recently
bought an old mansion on Ventura Drive in the small town of Woodland Hills. On his first night at the house,
Mike has a nightmare about being imprisoned by a machine that shoots an alien embryo into his brain. He
wakes up with a severe headache and, after taking some aspirins and a shower, explores the mansion. He finds
clues about the previous owner’s death, which reveal the existence of a parallel universe called the Dark World
ruled by sinister aliens called the Ancients.
On the second day, he travels to that universe through the living room mirror and meets the Keeper of
the Scrolls, a friendly darkworlder. She tells him that the nightmare he had on his first night was real and warns
him that if the embryo—the eponymous Dark Seed—is born, it will kill him and all of humanity. The only way
to stop this, she says, is to destroy the Ancient’s Power Source.
On the third and final day, Mike executes an elaborate plan that culminates with the Ancient ship’s
departure on the Dark World, depriving them of their power source, and the destruction of the living room
mirror, sealing the Ancients out of the Normal World. The game ends with the town librarian visiting Mike
and telling him she found some pills in her purse prescribed to Mike. The medication will presumably kill the
embryo inside his head. A morphing animation reveals that, unbeknown to the librarian, she is the Keeper of
the Scrolls’ counterpart. Mike then states that he’s just beginning to understand.
Unlike most point-and-click adventure games, which give the player time to explore, many actions in
Dark Seed must occur within precise time limits, or the game will end up in an unwinnable state. As a result
of this, one must start over repeatedly to win without resorting to a walkthrough.
The original game was released for DOS first, then Amiga, Amiga CD32, Macintosh, Sega Saturn and
PlayStation. The PlayStation and Saturn versions were released only in Japan; however, the Saturn version is
not dubbed in Japanese, only subtitled, making the game’s story still accessible to English speakers. However,
these ports have been criticized for doubling the speed that time flows in the game, as well as speeding up the
soundtrack. The Saturn version is compatible with the Sega Saturn Netlink Mouse.
Dark Seed • 123
124 • Dark Seed II

Dark Seed II
7.0
Developer EDS, B-F., Gaga C., Cyberdreams, Destiny S.P.
Publisher Bandai Visual, B-Factory
Release date (jp) August 29, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Dark
Seed
DarkIISeed
seesIIrecurring protagonist
is a psychological Mike
horror Daw-
point-and-click adventure game
son’s continued
developed adventuresbyinCyberdreams
and published the H.R. Gigerin artwork-
1995. Designed and written by
based “Dark
future JamesWorld.” The game
Bond novelist was designed
Raymond Benson,and
thewrit-
game was released for Mi-
ten by future
crosoft WindowsJames Bond
3.x, Seganovelist
Saturn,Raymond
and SonyBenson.
PlayStation. As was the case
As was
with DarktheSeed,
case console
with Dark Seed,ofconsole
versions versions
Dark Seed of released only in Japan,
II were
Dark Seed II were released only in Japan, though they
though they were additionally fully dubbed in Japanese. Unlike the original
were additionally
game, fully dubbed
the Saturn version in Japanese.
of Dark Unlike
Seed II does the
not support the Saturn mouse.
original
game,Seed
Dark the Saturn
II seesversion of Dark
recurring Seed II does
protagonist Mike Dawson’s continued
not support the Saturn mouse.
adventures in the H.R. Giger artwork-based “Dark World.” Although Mike
Dawson saved the world from the “Ancients” in Dark Seed, the experience
causes him to undergo a mental breakdown. He returns to his childhood home-
town of Crowley, Texas in an attempt to regain his sanity, and moves in with
his mother. A year goes by, and Mike is still suffering from serious mental
scarring and memory lapses. Worse, Rita, his girlfriend, is found murdered af-
ter their high school reunion, and the entire town of Crowley seems convinced
that Mike is the culprit, with the exception of his friend Jack. It is evident the
“Ancients” have returned, and the only way for Mike to clear his name is by
venturing between alternate realities and solving their mysteries, while simul-
taneously stopping the Ancients from taking over the world.
If Mike dies at any point in the game, he is sent to the Underworld and
meets the Keeper of the Souls, who states that Mike is destined to die. If Mike
loses another life, he will return to the Underworld and plunge into a River
of Blood, while the Keeper of the Scrolls informs the player that the Ancients
have consequently created a monster called the “Behemoth,” and that it has
sucked the “life force” from earth. This will also happen near the game’s finale
if Mike fails to clear the Dark World mirror maze ahead of the Behemoth, al-
lowing it to cross over into the “Light World” where it becomes immortal.
Players will be swapping between the Normal World and the Dark
World, with 75 prerendered 3D locations in total. There are 40 characters to
interact with. The goal is to overthrow the Behemoth of the Dark World and
cut through the corruption of the Normal World.
Movement, action and dialogue interaction modes are toggled between
using the right mouse button, with the full screen used for location display un-
less the game menu or inventory bars are called into use.
David Mullich was the producer and oversaw development of the
game, while Raymond Benson wrote its script, dialog, and puzzles, whose
writing drew influence from that of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. Incidentally,
H. R. Giger did not produce any original artwork for Dark Seed II; artwork
that he had previously created was licensed for use in the game. While the
character of Mike Dawson was played in the first Dark Seed by actual game
developer Mike Dawson, the character in Dark Seed II is instead portrayed by
an actor named Chris Gilbert.
 Dark Legend • 125

Dark Legend
7.1
Developer Data East
Publisher Data East
Release date August 11, 1995
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Dark Seed
DarkIILegend
sees recurring protagonist
is a fighting Mike
game first Daw-for the arcades as Out-
released
son’sOf
laws continued
The Lostadventures
Dynasty, andin the H.R.Enbu
Suiko Gigerinartwork-
Japan.
based “Dark World.”
The game Theplace
takes gameinwas designedMarsh,
Liangshan and writ-
where 12 of the strongest
outlaws out of 108 gather to test their battle Benson.
ten by future James Bond novelist Raymond skills against each other while
As was
the Godsthe
ofcase
War with
watchDark
fromSeed, console
above. versions ofare inspired by the 108
The characters
Dark Seed II were released only in Japan, though
outlaws from the Chinese classical novel Water Margin they by Shi Naian.
were additionally fully dubbed in Japanese. Unlike the
The game has eleven playable characters and many locations around
original game, the Saturn version of Dark Seed II does
China to choose from. Each character fights with his/her own unique weapon
not support the Saturn mouse.
while some are unarmed. If the weapon is used to block attacks too often, the
character will only be able to fight with his/her bare hands and lose the weap-
on for the rest of the round. Fighting moves are classified under low, medium
and hard in terms of attack power, in order of increasing amount of damage
dealt to an opponent. Each character also has his/her own special attack to use
against the opponent.
Data East ported Outlaws Of The Lost Dynasty to the Sega Saturn in
1995 and PlayStation in 1996. The North American home version was reti-
tled Dark Legend, while the Japanese title remains unchanged in the Japanese
home versions. The Japanese port includes both an Original Mode, the mode
that plays just like the arcade version, and a Special Mode, which adds extra
moves. There is also a beginner mode that can be accessed by pressing the L
or R button at the same time. In 2P Battle mode, Makoto Mizoguchi from the
Fighter’s History series can be unlocked. The North American version is an
update from the Japanese version and was translated for the American audi-
ence; however, most of the Japanese text and voice samples remained. Some
of the options were removed, as well as the option demo play. Unlike the Japa-
nese version, this version lacks the Arcade Mode, it defaults to Special Mode
instead.
A Japan-exclusive semi-sequel titled Suiko Enbu: Fuunsaiki was later
released only for the Sega Saturn. Along with Makoto Mizoguchi, another
character from the Fighter’s History series, Liu Yungmie, was added to the
roster.
A reviewer for Next Generation gave the Saturn version 2 out of 5
stars, commenting that, “There are a few elements in Dark Legends that make
thorough use of Saturn’s power, including a wide variety of colors, smoothly
scaling backgrounds, and unusually large fighters. But for the most part, DL
is very much like all the 2D fighters preceding it. Though it is possible to
have fun playing this game, it would be a mistake to buy a next generation
system for a game like Dark Legends.” Tommy Glide of GamePro similarly
remarked, “Nothing new here: average 2D graphics and adequate fighting
earmark Data East’s coin-op conversion of Dark Legend.” He particularly
criticized that the characters lack dramatic reactions to being beaten, though
he praised the voice acting and “intensity” of the musical score. Like Next
Generation, he found the game to be essentially fun but not worth getting in
light of the more distinctive fighting games coming out for the Saturn.
126 • Dark Savior

Dark Savior
7.4
Developer Climax Entertainment
Publisher Sega, (jp) Climax Entertainment
Release date (jp) August 30, 1996
Genre Action role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Dark Savior
Dark is Savior is an isometric
an indirect 3D mixed genre
sequel to Landstalker: The
game for the
Treasures of Sega
King Saturn
Nole oncreated by Climax
the Mega Drive Entertain-
that com-
ment. It was
bines 2D referred
sprites withtoa by
3DGameSpot
environment.as a sequel to the
developer’s game for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis,
The game is aThe
Landstalker: combination
Treasures ofof three
King different
Nole, evengameplay
though
genres:
the games’a platform jumping
storylines game, a their
are unrelated, puzzle adventure
gameplay is
game, and a fighting game. Aside from one or two
considerably different, and an official sequel to Land- sec-
tions
stalkerwhich
(Ladyblend platform
Stalker: jumping
Challenge fromandthepuzzle
Past) ele-
had
ments,
alreadythese
beenthree gameplay
released. Climaxtypes are kept
never distinctDark
marketed and
separate.
Savior as a sequel.
Dark Savior is a combination of three differ-
ent gameplay genres: a platform jumping game, a puz-
zle adventure game, and a fighting game. Aside from
one or two sections which blend platform jumping and
puzzle elements, these three gameplay types are kept
distinct and separate. The fighting game sections actually run in an entirely
different gameplay mode; unlike the rest of the game, which features full
3D movement, the fighting sections use isometric graphics but are played
entirely in two dimensions.
During some matches in the fighting mode, the player character can
capture his opponent, allowing the player to control that opponent in future
matches.
The platforming sections require the player to utilize the camera con-
trol in order to see around certain objects, and supports the Saturn analog
gamepad. Though control is purely digital, players can use the analog con-
troller to simultaneously control their character (using the D-pad) and the
camera (using the analog knob).
Instead of currency, the player can find items (cigarettes, alcohol,
and magazines in the original Japanese release, replaced by chocolate bars,
empty bottles, and magazines in all other regions) which can be traded for
information, items, or points. Points can in turn be used to revive the player
character if he dies, increase the player character’s hit points, or avoid fights.
Work on Dark Savior started in December 1994. Though the char-
acters were all represented with 2-dimensional bitmaps, they were placed
within a 3-dimensional environment built of texture mapped polygons. The
game took what was then considered an unusually long time in develop-
ment because none of the Climax team had any experience with 3D camera
programming, polygonal modeling, or the Sega Saturn. Programming the
adjustable camera alone took six months, and getting the game to run at a
decent speed proved difficult. Despite this, director Kan Naito felt that the
decision to create the game for the Saturn rather than the PlayStation proved
to be the right one: “The PlayStation may be better at managing polygons,
but you can’t write in assembler, you can only use C and we just don’t know if
Dark Saviour could be done in C. The PlayStation’s polygons become easily
distorted, too - especially when big polygons come close to the camera.”
 Daytona USA • 127

7.2 Daytona USA

Developer Sega AM2
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) April 1, 1995
Genre Racing
Mode 1 Player

Due
to Daytona
its popularity
USA isofa Sega
the arcade
Model game,
2 arcade Daytona
racing
USA was
game released
developed as a AM2.
by Sega western launch
It was title given
initially for thea
Sega Saturn
limited in 1995.
release Thisinversion,
in Japan 1993 tolike the public
gauge Sega Saturn
reac-
itself,towas
tion rushed
the new for hardware
model a quick release
beforeand wasinterna-
its full, widely
criticised
tional for its
release thelower framerate
following (~20FPS) and numer-
March.
ous
graphical concerns. The Saturn’s
It is loosely based on the NASCAR draw distance is
racing
shorter,
event atmeaning that only
the Daytona the scenery
International close to the
Speedway, hor-
located
net is rendered,
in real and suffers
life in Daytona heavily
Beach, fromin
Florida “clipping” as
the United
the game fails to disguise the problem.
States of America. Daytona USA and all of its sequels
and rereleases (except Sega Racing Classic, in which
case someone else already held the arcade license)
have been officially sponsored by the International
Speedway Corporation.
The original arcade release has the player drive
a stock car, known as the “Hornet” loosely based on a
Chevrolet Beretta, racing against numerous other cars
around three selectable tracks. Player one’s car by de-
fault is coloured red and blue, and can be seen at the
forefront of all game covers, flyers and similar media
related to the series with the exception of Daytona
USA 2 and its update, Daytona USA 2: Power Edition.
The game features both automatic and manual
transmissions, the latter requiring use of the gear stick
and which, if used properly, can lead to a faster car
than the automatic. Crashing into walls or other cars
can inflict damage leading to poor performance - to
remedy this each level has a pit lane, which, by sacri-
ficing some time, can fix the car.
Daytona USA has smarter AI than many other
driving games from around this period. The computer
analyses the player’s skill during the first lap, and will
instruct rival cars to move out of the way if it feels the
player is doing poorly (while doing the opposite if the
player registers a fast time). Most notably, however,
is Daytona USA’s multiplayer features. It was the first
arcade game ever to allow up to eight cabinets to be
linked together, with each player capable of competing
in the same race.
The game also has Team Hornet inform the
player of turns and traffic, and will comment on the
players driving if they crash. Most of the rival teams
in the game are not named, however several adopt the
logos or colour schemes of Japanese car magazines,
which in return wrote articles about Daytona USA.
128 • Daytona USA Circuit Edition

Due to its popularity, Daytona USA was re- On the Saturn, Daytona USA’s draw distance
leased as a Western launch title for the Sega Saturn is significantly shorter, meaning only scenery close to
in 1995. This version, like the Sega Saturn itself, was the Hornet is rendered at any given point. While not
rushed for a quick release and was widely criticised uncommon for games of the era, Daytona USA makes
for its lower framerate and numerous graphical con- no attempt to hide the flaws, leading to obvious clip-
cerns. ping and pop-in issues as geometry suddenly appears
Daytona USA was the second of two “big” on screen (later Saturn games would use “fogging”,
games announced early in the development of the which gives the impression that the world “fades out”
Sega Saturn console (the other being Virtua Fighter) when it reaches the end of the draw distance, or sim-
and became one of the first first-party games to ar- ply made arrangements so that the draw distance was
rive on the platform. While ultimately Panzer Dra- longer). The camera is considerably more jerky in
goon became the first Saturn released game to push some sections of the game.
texture-mapped polygons, Daytona USA was given This was not seen as a good thing for the Sat-
much more coverage in the press due to its perform- urn, as the PlayStation’s port of Namco’s Ridge Rac-
ance in the arcade scene. er, released at a similar time, was neither rushed nor
However, views on the end product were struggled to mask graphical concerns (it is also wide-
mixed, with the Saturn version receiving severe cut- ly considered that the arcade version of Daytona USA
backs to both run relatively smoothly on the platform is more technically advanced than the arcade version
and meet its release date. Most notably, the game runs of Ridge Racer). These sorts of issues in early Saturn
at only a third of the frame rate of the arcade, aver- games gave users the impression the PlayStation was
aging roughly 20 frames per second. Polygon counts much better equipped to handle 3D worlds, which,
were lowered across the board, as was the screen in the west at least, was seen as the way forward for
resolution and texture detail, though some of this is video games.
made up with a higher quality CD audio soundtrack The Saturn version does include some en-
(Takenobu Mitsuyoshi re-recorded each song from hancements however, such as the option to play as
beginning to end rather than splice clips around like the other cars seen in the arcade version. It is compat-
in the Model 2 version). Also offered are new game- ible with the Arcade Racer Joystick and surprisingly,
play modes and options, such as a two-player split- the 3D Control Pad (released a full year after Daytona
screen feature. USA). The game interprets the 3D Control Pad as an
Arcade Racer Joystick when it is set to “analog”.

8.1 Daytona USA

Circuit Edition
Developer Sega AM2, Sega AM3, Sega CS R&D 2
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) January 24, 1997
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

Daytona USA Circuit Edition is a second update to the

Sega Saturn version of Daytona USA. It builds upon
the western release of Daytona USA: Champion Cir-
cuit Edition released several months prior. Though the
western Champion Circuit Edition and Japanese Cir-
cuit Edition are by-and-large the same game, Circuit
Edition adds further tweaks to the formula, creating
the definitive copy of Daytona USA for the Saturn.
Circuit Edition extends the draw distance even fur-
 Daytona USA Championship Circuit Edition • 129

Daytona USA: 7.3

Championship Circuit Edition
Developer Sega AM2, Sega AM3, CS Team
Publisher Sega
Release date (eu) November 14, 1996
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition

is an update to the Saturn version of Daytona USA, be-
ing offered as an alternative to the original Saturn from
1996.
Daytona USA: CCE exists due to dissatisfac-
tion with the original release of Daytona USA for the
Saturn, a game said to have been rushed to market in
order to meet the console’s launch date. Daytona USA
on the Sega Saturn was plagued with draw distance
and framerate problems (averaging about twenty frame
per second, as opposed to the arcade version’s sixty),
and looked comparatively worse than the PlayStation
port of Ridge Racer, released around the same time.
This might not have been a problem had it not been for
the fact the arcade Ridge Racer is less impressive on a
technical level than the arcade Daytona USA.
To compensate, CCE brings a number of ad-
ditions and changes to the table, utilising the Saturn’s
hardware more effectively than its predecessor. Day-
tona USA: Championship Circuit Edition includes a
steady framerate of 30FPS, a new selection of cars, two
new courses, a two player mode and a new remixed
soundtrack composed by Richard Jacques and Jun Se-
noue. The PAL region version is also notable for mak-
ing use of the full PAL resolution, rather than resorting
to black borders like many other games of the time.
“segaretro.org”

Daytona USA C.C.E.

Net Link Edition
Developer Sega AM2, Sega AM3, CS Team
Publisher Sega
Release date (eu) November 14, 1996
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

DaytonaDaytona
USA: USA: CCE Netlink
CCE Netlink Edition
Edition is a isNetlink-
a Netlink-compatible version of Daytona
USA: Championship
compatible version ofCircuit
DaytonaEdition.
USA:This version of the game is widely believed to be
Championship
the rarestEdition.
Circuit North American
Although Sega Saturn game.
the accolade It was available only through Sega’s online
is commonly
store,
ascribedandtomaking
PanzeritDragoon
even more rare this
Saga, is itsNetLink
almost total
ver-lack of distinguishability from the
regular version ofUSA:
sion of Daytona Daytona
CCEUSA: CCE:
is in fact thethe onlyNorth
rarest notable differences are the additions of
aAmerican
black-and-white
Sega Saturn game. It was available only booklet and a small NetLink logo
NetLink booklet with the standard
on the game
through Sega’s disc. This store,
online editionand
fetches up to
making it US
even$1,100
more (March 2010) on eBay, in the rare
instances
rare is its italmost
does pop
totalup.
lack of distinguishability from
“Smashey9@theisozone.com”
130 • Death Crimson

6.6 Darklight Conflict

Developer Rage Software
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (us) July 1, 1997
Genre Action, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Darklight Conflict is a space combat simulator. In this

game, players take the part of a contemporary human
fighter pilot abducted by the alien Repton species dur-
ing an aerial battle, and biologically modified to be-
come a starfighter pilot for them in their war against
the Evil Ovon race.
The missions are varied, ranging from combat mis-
sions to missions where players need to defend their
mothership, clear an asteroid field, or retrieve an item.

Death Crimson 5.4

Developer Ecole
Publisher Ecole
Release date (jp) August 9, 1996
Genre Light-gun
Mode 1 Player

Death Crimson is a lightgun game often considered to

be one of the worst games for the system due to the
awful graphics and poor gameplay. The game is said
to became so famous for being so shit that every copy
of the original print sold out. These days it is a highly
regarded cult game for the Saturn with copies selling
for over 10’000 yen at one point in time.

“segagagadomain.com”

6.0 Death Throttle: Kakuzetsu

Toshi Kara no Dasshutsu
Developer MediaQuest, Infini Entertainment Technology
Publisher MediaQuest
Release date (jp) July 12, 1996
Genre Action, Racing
Mode 1 Player

Death Throttle: Kakuzetsu Toshi kara no Dasshutsu is

a first-person vehicular combat game. It was originally
released as Quarantine for DOS computers and the
3DO in 1994.
The game is similar to Crazy Taxi, with the player
driving a taxi and moving people to and from various
locations on the map.
“segaretro.org”
 Dead or Alive • 131

Dead or Alive
Developer Tecmo
Publisher Tecmo
7.8 Release date (jp) October 9, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Dead orDead
AliveorisAlive
a 1996is afighting
1996 fighting
game game by Tecmo
by Tecmo and
and first
the the first
entryentry in Team
in Team Ninja’s
Ninja’s long-running
long-running Dead Dead
or
or Alive
Alive series.
series. It It
waswasreleased
releasedfirst
firstininarcades,
arcades,followed
followed
by home ports for for the
the Sega
Sega Saturn
Saturn in in Japan,
Japan,and
andlater
later
for the PlayStation in all regions.

Dead orUnlike othera fighting
Alive was commercialgames of the helping
success, time, in Tec-
place
of aovercome
mo “guard” button Dead orproblems.
their financial Alive uses a “hold”
The successbut-
of
ton, which causes the fighter to grab
the game helped turn the series into a franchise, their opponent’s
in-
limbs if several
cluding they aresequels
attackingandatnumerous
the time.spinoffs.
This countering
system was the first in the fighting genre to utilize dif-
ferent commands that correspond to each type of attack.
There are two kinds of holds, an Offensive Hold and a
Defensive Hold; the latter are executed by holding back
or forward on the directional pad along with the guard
input to either force away or counter-damage an oppo-
nent.
The outer edges of the fighting arena are set with explosives which deal
a high amount of damage to any fighter who comes in contact with them. They
can also send an affected character in the air so the opposing player can execute a
juggling air combo. However, this can be avoided with a defensive roll.
The story revolve around a runaway kunoichi known as Kasumi, who en-
ters the Dead or Alive tournament to seek revenge against her uncle Raidou, who
was responsible for crippling her brother Hayate. Kasumi eventually defeats and
kills Raidou, but her decision to leave the village violates the strict laws of the
ninja society, and as a result she becomes a hunted fugitive.
During the mid 1990s, Japanese gaming company Tecmo was in finan-
cial trouble. Seeing how popular Sega’s Virtua Fighter series was in Japan at the
time, the management asked Tomonobu Itagaki to create a game similar to Virtua
Fighter. Itagaki was a fan of Virtua Fighter, but he wanted Dead or Alive to stand
out among the competition. This included a stronger an emphasis on being pro-
vocative, as Itagaki believed entertainment needed both sexuality and violence to
truly be entertainment. All the animations in the game were created using motion
capture.
In comparison to other 3D fighters, such as Tekken (which gained a sub-
stantial market base in Japan and North America), DOA introduced a countering
system unique to the genre and an added emphasis on speed, as well as a rich
graphics engine that lacked many jaggies and incorporated very smooth surfaces.
It was later ported to the Sega Saturn exclusively for the Japanese market
in 1997. Acclaim intended to bring the Saturn version to the UK, but plans were
shelved for unknown reasons. When released for the Saturn, the game sacrificed
quality in the character models and used pre-rendered images for background
stages. The Saturn conversion uses bitmaps and parallax scrolling in the same
fashion as the Saturn version of Virtua Fighter 2.
132 • DecAthlete

DeathMask 6.0
Developer Vantan International, Electric Dreams Inc.
Publisher Vantan International
Release date (jp) February 16, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Angel Devoid: Face of the Enemy is a 1996 FMV based

tech noir graphic adventure game originally developed
by Electric Dreams Inc. and released by Mindscape for
DOS and Mac OS.
The player character is a police detective, who wears
the face of an infamous criminal terrorist Angel De-
void. Wandering around the fictional Neo-City, the
player meets Devoid’s acquaintances and has to sur-
vive against death hazards.

7.6 DecAthlete
Developer Sega AM3
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) July 12, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Decathlete is
Decathlete, an athletics
released themed
in Europe 1994 arcade
as Athlete game.
Kings due to
A well-received home port was released on
a licensing issue, is an athletics themed arcade game.the Sega
Saturn
On in 1995, scoring
its unveiling, mainly
the gaming positive
media reviews
generally for its
described
arcade
it faithful clone
as a modern conversion,
of DaleydueThompson’s
to the similarDecathlon.
hardware
of the ST-V
Released in arcade
1996, itand thedeveloped
was Saturn. and produced by
Sega. A home port
The gameplay was released
is largely based on onquick
the Sega Saturn
repeated in
but-
1996, largelyfor
ton pressing identical
gainingtospeed,
the arcade version,
and timed duebutton
single to the
similar hardware of the ST-V hardware and the
presses for jumping and releasing projectiles, in a sim-Saturn.
Compared
ilar style totothe
other
1983decathlon
Konami based games,
release, TrackDecathlete
& Field.
has a more comic and cartoon like style.
The game play is largely based on quick repeated button
pressing for gaining speed, and timed single button presses for
jumping and releasing projectiles, in a similar style to the 1983
Konami release, Track & Field. The game differed with a slightly
more advanced control system and 3-D graphics.
The player must select one of eight international fictitious
athletes. In the arcade version, the player competes in ten tradi-
tional decathlon events, requiring a minimum set time, height or
distance to qualify from one event to the next. The home console
versions also allow the player to compete in a full decathlon fea-
turing all the events, 100 metres, 110 metre hurdles, 400 metres,
1500 metres, Long jump, High jump, Javelin throw, Discus, Pole
vault and Shot put. Despite a potential for multi-player gaming,
the game is only two player. In a one player game, the player only
competes against at most one other character on screen. The only
exception to this is in the 1500 metres, where six other generic
athletes join the race along with one main character.
 Deep Fear • 133

Deep Fear
Developer Sega CS R&D 2, System Sacom, SIMS, ISCO
Publisher Sega
7.6 Release date (jp) July 16, 1998
Genre Survival horror
Mode 1 Player

Deep
Fear
Deepoffers
Fear unique gameplay
is a 1998 survival features suchde-
horror game as
buttons that allow the player to use items in real-time,
veloped by Sega AM7 and System Sacom for the Sega
aiming
Saturn. while
It wasmoving, and falling
the last Saturn gameoxygen
releasedlevels.
in Europe.
The plot
gameis offers unique
inspired gameplay
by the features and
films Leviathan suchThe
as
buttons that allow the player to use items
Abyss. The game takes place 300 meters below thein real-time,
aiming
surface while
of the moving, and falling
Pacific Ocean oxygen
in a naval levels.
fueling andThe
re-
music
search was composed
facility. Players by Kenjithe
assume Kawai,
role ofand
Johnthe crea-
Mayor,
tures and characters were designed by manga
an ex-Navy SEAL who has joined forces with a civil- artist
Yasushi
ian rescue Nirasawa.
organisation called ERS.
The plot of Deep Fear is inspired by the films
Leviathan and The Abyss. The game takes place 300
meters below the surface of the Pacific Ocean in a na-
val fueling and research facility known as “The Big
Table”. Players assume the role of John Mayor, an ex-
Navy SEAL who has joined forces with a civilian res-
cue organisation called Emergency Rescue Services.
Players move John Mayor through the pre-ren-
dered rooms of The Big Table which are shown from
fixed camera angles using a permanent 3D control
scheme. Players can turn on or off certain on-screen
indicators such as an oxygen counter, health meter and
bullet count. Once armed, players can move using the D-pad and can run while aim-
ing a firearm. The game fully utilises the Saturn’s six-button controller, allowing
players to have instant access to a map screen as well as real-time use of grenades
and health items, which may be used without resorting to the inventory screen.
The Big Table’s oxygen supply is dwindling. Therefore, one necessity for
survival is to refill low oxygenated areas and thus avoid asphyxiation. Overuse of
firearms depletes the oxygen more quickly. In some areas, oxygen can be replen-
ished by finding yellow oxygen boxes known as Air Systems (AS).
If the player is not near an AS or lacks oxygen grenades, they can use a
regulator to breathe in low oxygen areas and in flooded areas. Each room entrance
has two doors with a vacuum system between them; this ensures that a flooded
room will not leak outside the room.
Being an ex-SEAL, John Mayor is able to use all sorts of firearms and so,
the player can move while armed and automatically lock on to enemies by depress-
ing the aim button. There is an option for the player to switch manually between
targets.
There are 2 versions of this game released to the public. The Japanese
NTSC release and the European PAL release. This Japanese version of the game is
very import friendly for English speaking gamers. All of the spoken dialogue is in
English along with a good portion of the menus, text and visual clues.
134 • Defcon 5

Defcon 5
Developer Millennium Interactive
Publisher (us) Data East, (jp) Multisoft, (eu) GT Interactive 6.0
Release date (jp) May 31, 1996
Genre Adventure, first-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

Defcon
5 is a single
Defcon 5 is a player
single adventure and first-person
player adventure/first-per-
shooter. The game is reminiscent
son shooter released for MS-DOS in 1995, of the System Shock
and ported
series in terms of
to PlayStation, gameplay.
Sega Saturn Theand player
3DO in must explore
1996. The
the
name refers to the condition used to designate normala
base to find items which is needed to establish
line of defence
peacetime andreadiness
military ultimatelyunder
escapethethe installation.
DEFCON sys-
This involves fighting off the invading enemies
tem, but which is commonly misused in popular fiction by de-
ploying the defence turrets effectively and
to indicate a state of emergency. The game was origi- using the
installation’s
nally announced computer terminals
under the (called “VOS termi-
title Incoming.
nals”) to hinder the intruder’s advance.
The game is reminiscent of the System Shock
series in terms of gameplay. The player must explore
the base to find items which is needed to establish a
line of defence and ultimately escape the installation.
This involves fighting off the invading enemies by de-
ploying the defence turrets effectively and using the
installation’s computer terminals (called “VOS termi-
nals”) to hinder the intruder’s advance.
The computer terminals in the game offer an
unusual wide range of interaction. Players can use
them to remotely control the defence turrets, load am-
munition and inspect the turrets for damage and de-
ploy combat droids within the installation’s perim-
eters. Doors can be controlled from the VOS terminals
to control access to the installation’s different areas.
The player can use this capability to lock in enemy
forces in parts of the installation.
The game also allows the player to fight the in-
vaders by shooting them, but this is discouraged by
the fact that new enemies arrive with each passing
wave of attacking ships. Also, destroying an enemy
greatly degrades the air quality in the immediate area.
The computer might even seal doors to polluted areas,
sometimes trapping the player. The player can dissolve
the pollution by opening doors to adjacent areas, and
the pollution levels can be monitored in the VOS ter-
minal’s environmental module.’
Reviewing the Saturn version, the four re-
viewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly criticised the
pixelation in the graphics but praised the game’s sto-
ry-driven approach, well-designed controls, and com-
bination of puzzle solving, strategy, and action. Sega
Saturn Magazine, however, panned the Saturn version,
citing poor graphics, a lack of clear objectives, and an
overabundance of time spent walking from one place
to another.
 Dejig Lassen ~Art Collection~ • 135

6.5 Dejig Aqua World

Developer Masudaya
Publisher Masudaya
Release date (jp) April 25, 1997
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1 Player

Dejig Aqua World is a jigsaw simulator for the Sega

Saturn released as part of Masudaya’s Dejig (Digital
Jigsaw Puzzle) series.
The game feature 20 puzzles in total consisting of 72
and 108 piece puzzles. Once the puzzle is complete
players will be able to watch a video of the image in
action.

Dejig Lassen: Art Collection 5.0

Developer Masudaya
Publisher Masudaya
Release date (jp) December 4, 1997
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1 Player

This volume of Dejig features 20 of Christian Riese

Lassen art for players to put back together in the shape
of a jigsaw puzzle. The puzzles include the standard
rectangular type and round types.
As an added bonus there’s also a video documentary
of Christian Riese Lassen which one can easily tell has
been encoded from a video tape.

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7.5 Dejig McKnight: Art Collection

Developer Masudaya
Publisher Masudaya
Release date (jp) December 4, 1997
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1 Player

This volume of Dejig features 20 of Thomas McK-

night art for players to put back together in the shape
of a jigsaw puzzle.
As an added bonus there’s also a video interview of
Thomas McKnight and his wife talking about the pic-
tures.

“segagagadomain.com”
136 • Delisoba Deluxe

7.0 Dejig Tin Toy

Developer Masudaya
Publisher Masudaya
Release date (jp) April 25, 1997
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1 Player

Dejig Tin Toys is based upon tin toys from the 1950’s.
There are 20 puzzles in total ranging from the pretty
easy 72 piece puzzle to the more time consuming 108
piece puzzles.
As well as the puzzles there are also movie sections
that show players the toys in “action”.

“segagagadomain.com”

Delisoba Deluxe
Developer Cave, Sega (cooperation)
Publisher TBS
Release date (jp) n/a
Genre Racing
Mode 1 Player

Delisoba Deluxe was made as a tie-in to TBS’s mid-

1990s Japanese game show Tokyo Friend Park, where
one of the games, Delisoba (“delivery soba”), had ce-
lebrities command a virtual motorcycle trying to de-
liver soba to the Fuji Network TV Studios. Deluxe is a
“port” of this game to the Saturn, which adds features
such as a time attack and track editor, and was not sold
in stores, but rather given away at the show (either to
winners or to audience members).
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8.6 Densha de Go! EX

Developer Taito
Publisher Takara
Release date (jp) October 1, 1998
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Densha de Go! EX is an entry in Taito’s Densha de Go!

series of train simulation games released by Takara for
the Sega Saturn in 1998. Takara also made a dedicated
controller for the game.
Originally, this game was scheduled to be released as a
port of Arcade version Densha de Go! EX from Nihon
Flex. After Nihon Flex went bankrupt in May 1998, it
was released from Takara.
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 Densetsu no Ogre Battle • 137

Densetsu no Ogre Battle

Developer Riverhillsoft
8.3 Publisher Riverhillsoft
Release date (jp) November 1, 1996
Genre Strategy, Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Densetsu Ogreno Battle: The March

Ogre Battle of the
is a 1993 Black Queen
strategy RPG byis a real-time tactical
role-playing
Quest for thegame SNESdeveloped
and the by Quest
first gameandinreleased in for the Super NES as
their Ogre
the
Battle series. It was ported to the Sega Saturn by River- distributed twenty-
first installment of the Ogre Battle series. Enix only
five thousand
hillsoft in 1996.copies of the Super NES version to North America, which
made it one of the rarest critically acclaimed video game titles to date. As
The game begins in the outskirts of the Zeteginan Em-
such, it can be difficult to purchase a copy of the game. The story of Ogre
pire, twenty-four years after the founding of the em-
Battle focuses on a band of rebels as they lead a revolution against a corrupt
pire through conquest. The main character is leading a
reigning Empire, ruled by an evil Empress.
revolution against this empire, which has turned to evil
throughThe the game
use ofbegins in the by
black magic outskirts of the
the mage Zeteginan Empire, twenty-
Rashidi.
four years after the founding of the empire through conquest. The main
character is leading a revolution against this empire, which has turned to
evil through the use of black magic by the mage Rashidi.
Ogre Battle mixes movement elements of a real-time tactics game
with the character development and combat of a role-playing game. The
game consists of a series of battles in which the player deploys units to
fight against enemies and liberate occupied towns and temples. A variety
of character types can be recruited, ranging from common to rare, many of
whom can change class with experience points. As a result, the character
will either evolve or become an entirely new soldier with different abilities.
Potential recruits consist of several historical and mythological fig-
ures, including knights, ninjas, wizards, angels, griffins, witches, and oth-
ers. The player is free to organize multiple units of five fighters or less, with
the limit being lower when larger characters are present. Additionally, time
passes on the tactical map, alternating between day and night. In accord-
ance with this element, vampires and werewolves will only be seen in the
evening, with the former appearing in coffins during the day, and the latter
appearing as normal men.
There are twenty-five main stages in the game, with some variation
possible in how the stages are played. There are also four hidden stages
accessible through the main game with an additional stage as an easter
egg. The game can be completed without finishing all the stages. There are
thirteen different endings to the main game, depending on the conduct of
the player during the course of the game.
The Japan-only Sega Saturn version features voice acting during
encounters with bosses and potential recruits. The combatants have also
been given a slight graphical overhaul. In addition, this version replaces the
gray and yellow units on the map screen with more colorful and detailed
sprites. It also includes a third viewpoint on the tactical map, allowing a
more direct overhead view.
The dark political narrative of the game revolving around the re-
ality of war was inspired by series originator Yasumi Matsuno’s outside
perspective on events that unfolded during the Yugoslav Wars in the early
1990s, including the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia. He was also inspired by
the rock band Queen’s second album, which contained two songs titled
“Ogre Battle” and “The March of the Black Queen”, to name this game.
138 • Derby Stallion

Derby Analyst 6.0

Developer Media Entertainment
Publisher Media Entertainment
Release date (jp) May 30, 1997
Genre Gambling, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Derby Analyst is a gambling game based on horse rac-

ing for the Sega Saturn. The game was published by
Media Entertainment, which was released in Japan in
1997.

8.0 Derby Stallion

Developer Bits Laboratory
Publisher ASCII
Release date (jp) March 25, 1999
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Derby Stallion is a racehorse breeding simulator by

Parity Bit and ASCII ported to the Sega Saturn in
1999. It is part of ASCII’s popular racehorse simula-
tion series of the same name.
The game was popular enough to warrant it’s self it’s
very own limited edition Saturn which also just hap-
pens to be the most expensive Saturn made by Sega.

Dero~n Dero Dero 6.7

Developer Tecmo
Publisher Tecmo
Release date (jp) January 26, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Dero~n Dero Dero is a 1995 arcade game by Tecmo

ported to the Sega Saturn in 1996. Other ports were
released overseas as Tecmo Stackers, as was a planned
North American release for November 1996.
The game plays similarly to other falling-block puzzle
games in the vein of Puyo Puyo, except that after each
clear, the remaining blocks “reach out” (stretch to the
left, down, and to the right), finding other blocks of the
same color to hook up to.
 Detana Twinbee Yahho ! Deluxe Pack • 139

7.6 Desire
Developer C’s ware
Publisher Imadio
Release date (jp) September 11, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Desire is a Japanese-style adventure game. The game

is played via a standard text interface where the player
selects commands from a menu, interacting with other
characters and places. The game consists of four chap-
ters which make up the same storyline, but viewed by
different characters.
The game comes with trading cards. The premium
pack comes with an additional calendar and Eve The
Lost One demo.

Detana Twinbee Yahoo! 8.1

Deluxe Pack
Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (jp) September 29, 1995
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

Detana!! TwinBee Yahho Deluxe Pack is a Saturn/

PlayStation compilation of two games from Konami’s
TwinBee series. The series is considered to be part of
the sub-genre of “cute ‘em up”: games that feature
comical and brightly-colored graphics.
It contains the arcade games Detana!! TwinBee (re-
leased in a home version for the PC Engine) and Twin-
bee Yahoo! (never released for home).

7.4 Devicereign
Developer Starlight Marry
Publisher MediaWorks
Release date (jp) February 25, 1999
Genre Simulation, Strategy
Mode 1 Player

DeviceReign is a Strategy game, developed by Star-

light Marry and published by Media Works, which was
released in Japan in 1999.
The game feature the typical Japanese adventure game
with pretty art with a load of text and voice talent over
it. But also has battle sections, which are played out in
the classic grid style as seen in many war simulation
games.
“segagagadomain.com”
140 • Destruction Derby

Destruction Derby
7.3
Developer Perfect Entertainment
Publisher Psygnosis, (jp) Soft Bank
Release date (eu) August 15, 1996
Genre Racing
Mode 1 Player

Destruction
Destruction
Derby isDerby is a vehicular
a racing combat for
game developed racing
the
game developed
Sega Saturn by Reflections
by Reflections Interactive
Interactive. It wasandthepub-
first
lished by Psygnosis.
in the series, and went under a working title of Demol-
ish
‘Em Derby, beingDerby
Destruction basedisona the real-lifecombat
vehicular demolition
rac-
derby sport. Though advertised, the Saturn
ing game based on the sport of demolition derby. The version of
the game
game was not
contains released
three in North
vehicles. America.
Collisions in the game
affect the controls
The game is notableoffor
each car,one
being limiting
of thetheir steering
first to allow
and maximum speed. Frontal collisions risk
cars to receive damage when hit, affecting the handling damage
to
andthe car’s radiator,
performance which
of the causes the car to overheat
vehicle.
and stop running. Four game modes are available: De-
struction Derby, Wreckin’ Racing, Stock Car Racing
and Time Trial. In Destruction Derby, the player earns
points by destroying other cars in a large, trackless are-
na called The Bowl; in Stock Car Racing, the player
must finish in first place, and no points are awarded
for destroying cars. Wreckin’ Racing is a hybrid of the two, in which the player
earns points both by winning the race and by destroying other cars. Time Trial is
a solo time attack mode.
The developers implemented simulated physics to make the results of
collisions easier to predict, and they kept the game’s tracks small to increase the
number of wrecks. Versions of Destruction Derby were released for MS-DOS,
PlayStation and Sega Saturn.
The British development studio Reflections Interactive began creating
Destruction Derby for the PlayStation in late 1994. It was published by Sony
Computer Entertainment’s Psygnosis branch, which allowed Reflections to receive PlayStation development
kits long before that console’s release. The game debuted at the May 1995 Electronic Enteartainment Expo,
and its initial title was variously reported as Demolition Derby and Demolish ‘em Derby. Writers for Edge
and Next Generation commented that the game could “trounce” Ridge Racer upon the PlayStation’s release.
To make the results of car collisions easier to predict, Reflections implemented simulated physics
into Destruction Derby. Director Martin Edmondson believed that the game would otherwise be “completely
unplayable”, as with “pool when the collisions are all off”. Producer Tony Parks noted that the physics were
simplified to improve performance and to compensate for the PlayStation’s digital controller, and that the team
sought a balance between “realism and playability”. Performance was also improved by optimising the game’s
graphics, and by reducing the level of detail of objects in the distance. Destruction Derby’s game engine sup-
ports up to twenty cars on screen simultaneously, which no console racing game, other than Daytona USA,
had achieved until that time. However, a single wire-frame model, differentiated by texture maps, was used for
every vehicle. Damage to vehicles is modelled in real-time, based on the speed and angle of the cars involved.
The team made the game’s tracks small to “keep the density of the cars on the track very high”, which allowed
for large-scale wrecks. Plans were made to support up to eight players with the PlayStation Link Cable.
Destruction Derby was published by Sega and developed by Perfect Entertainment for the Sega Saturn,
as part of a deal that also brought Wipeout to the console. This version lacks transparencies. GameFan’s Ryan
Lockhart estimated that the port was “80% ready” in the magazine’s August 1996 issue, and it was released in
August 1996.
Critics found Destruction Derby enjoyable and they praised its graphics and car damage system, but
the Nintendo 64 and Sega Saturn releases received mixed reviews.
 Devil Summoner Soul Hackers • 141

Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers

8.1
Developer Atlus
Publisher Atlus
Release date (jp) November 13, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

FormingShin partMegami Tensei:Tensei

of the Megami Devilseries,
Summoner: Soul
Soul Hack-
Hackers
ers is theissecond
a role-playing
game in game. Forming
the Devil part ofsub-
Summoner the
Megami
series. Tensei series, Soul Hackers is the second
game in the Devil Summoner subseries. Originally
The game by
published takes place
Atlus in the
for the Segafictional Amani
Saturn in 1997,City,
it wasa
technologically-advanced
later ported to the PlayStation Japanese metropolis.
and Nintendo 3DS. As
with other entries, its narrative takes the form of a
modern-day
The game takesstory
detective placeasinopposed
the small fictitious
to the series’harbour town Amami City in
Japan. The company Algon Soft has
more prevalent post-apocalyptic settings. made Amami its headquarters, which has led to
the technology in the city quickly being upgraded; Algon Soft has connected every
home and business in the city to its new network in order to demonstrate how a “city
of tomorrow” could work. The Japanese government is impressed, and grants Algon
Soft permission to expand the network across the rest of Japan in the coming years.
It also takes place in the virtual world Paradigm X on Algon Soft’s servers, where the
citizens of Amami can visit virtual attractions.
The player character is a young man who is a member of the hacking group
Spookies. The other group members are Six, Lunch, Yu-Ichi, and the player charac-
ter’s friend Hitomi Tono. The group mainly hacks the city’s network for fun or to play harmless pranks, but
Spooky holds a grudge against Algon Soft. Among other recurring characters are the demon Nemissa, who
possesses Hitomi, and Kinap, who teaches the player character to enter the souls of people who have recently
died.
Players navigate dungeons in a first person view, in which they solve puzzles and fight enemy demons
in turn-based battles. The player always has one or two human characters in their party, and also has the abil-
ity to summon up to four demons who fight on the player’s side. Players get access to demons by choosing to
speak to enemy demons, and negotiating with them; negotiations can involve answering questions, intimidat-
ing the demons, or giving them items they want. Players are able to fuse several of their allied demons into
one single demon; the resulting demon inherits abilities from the demons that were used to produce it.
In battles, players have to manage allied demons differently depending on their personalities, their
alignments, and their abilities: for instance, friendly demons prefer to use healing or defensive magic, while
sly demons prefer to attack enemies on their own. If players give a demon an order to use an ability it does not
want to use, there is a risk that it will refuse and do something else instead, or that it does not do anything at
all. Demons with differing alignments can refuse to co-operate with each other. In order to prevent this, players
can build up the loyalty of their allied demons; this is done by giving them gifts or letting them choose their
actions in battle on their own. By participating in battles, or by trading for it at a special market place, players
are able to get magnetite, which is used as fuel for demons; if players run out of magnetite, any currently sum-
moned allied demons start to take damage.
Soul Hackers released for the Sega Saturn on November 13, 1997. Due to its popularity, a port to the
PlayStation was released in 1999. The PlayStation port contained additional features including new story
events, added features such as a Paradigm X casino, and a new dungeon. A port to the Nintendo 3DS was
released in 2013. Directed by Kazuyuki Yamai, the port was based on the PlayStation version while featuring
further enhancements and adjustments, including full voice acting and gameplay elements unique to the plat-
form. Masayuki Doi designed a new demo for the game, while Eiji Ishida acted as art director. Original writers
Masumi Suzuki and Yusuke Gonda returned to write new material.
The Saturn and PlayStation versions of Soul Hackers have never seen an official release outside Ja-
pan. While attempts were made to localize the PlayStation version, it was apparently prevented from coming
overseas due to Sony of America’s content approval policy. The 3DS version was the first time the game was
released outside Japan.
142 • Dezaemon 2

7.8 Devil Summoner Soul Hackers:

Akuma Zensho Dainishuu
Developer Atlus
Publisher Atlus
Release date (jp) December 23, 1997
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Devil Summoner Soul Hackers: Akuma Zensho Dain-

ishuu is not really a game as such but more of an in-
formation disc featuring many art and CG images from
the game.
The game was published by Atlus, which was released
in Japan in 1997.

Dezaemon 2 7.7
Developer Athena
Publisher Athena
Release date (jp) October 9, 1997
Genre Shooter, Miscellaneous
Mode 1-2 Players

Dezaemon 2, technically 4th in the series, allows the

user to create home-made shoot-’em-up games. Addi-
tions in Dezaemon 2 include the ability to create dedi-
cated horizontal shooters as well as those which rely
on 3D polygon graphics.
There is an extensive library of video games made us-
ing the Dezaemon 2 engine, currently totalling over
200.
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7.0 Digital Ange:

Dennou Tenshi SS
Developer Koga Game Factory
Publisher Tokuma Shoten Intermedia
Release date (jp) June 20, 1997
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Digital Ange: Dennou Tenshi SS is a visual novel de-

veloped by Koga Game Factory and published by To-
kuma Shoten Intermedia for the Sega Saturn.
 Digital Monster Ver.S Digimon Tamers • 143

Digital Dance Mix 7.8

Vol.1 Namie Amuro
Developer Sega AM2
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) January 10, 1997
Genre Mini-games
Mode 1-2 Players

Digital Dance Mix Vol.1 Namie Amuro is a Sega Sat-

urn game made by Sega AM2. It is based on the Japa-
nese singer Namie Amuro.
Produced by Yu Suzuki, it is a music game that con-
sisted of various minigames, including a rhythm game
and a puzzle game. This game predated the release of,
and anticipated elements of, Konami’s popular Beat-
mania and Dance Dance Revolution arcade games.

7.1 Digital Monster

Ver. S Digimon Tamers
Developer Bandai
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) September 23, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Digital Monster Ver. S: Digimon Tamers is part of the

Digimon franchise. This was actually the first Digimon
video game and plays more like an expanded version
of the LCD handheld toys.
The gameplay involves raising a digimon from birth,
utilizing many of the same features from the handheld
toys such as feeding, praising, scolding, and training.
“segaretro.org”

DJ Wars 8.0
Developer Exit
Publisher Spike
Release date (jp) December 18, 1997
Genre Rhythm
Mode 1 Player

DJ Wars is a Sega Saturn rhythm game. In the game

players have to master their DJ Skills to work in night
clubs. The better they are the better the club they can
play in. The game may be seen as odd at first and mix-
ing 2 sets of tunes plus adding samples and fade outs
etc. all in real time may be quite a task first time round.
Luckily with practice it becomes easier, enabling play-
ers to make some excellent tunes.
“segagagadomain.com”
144 • Die Hard Arcade

Die Hard Arcade

7.8
Developer Sega AM1, Sega Technical Institute
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) January 24, 1997
Genre Beat-’em-up
Mode 1-2 Players

Die Hard DieArcade,

Hard Arcade,
known known
in Japanin as
Japan as Dynamite
Dynamite Deka,
Deka is a ‘em
is a beat beatup.
‘emAn uporiginal
video game released
property by Sega.
in Japan, the
It waswas
game the first beat ‘em
published up toJapan
outside use texture-mapped po-
by Fox Interactive
lygonal graphics.
as a licensed An original
product based onproperty
the DieinHard
Japan, the
movie
game was published outside Japan by Fox Interactive
franchise.
as a licensed product based on the Die Hard movie
The SaturnReleased
franchise. port includes a port
in 1996 of Sega’sthe
for arcades, 1979
gamearcade
was
game Deep Scan, which can be used to gain
ported to the Sega Saturn in 1997 and the PlayStationextra cred-
its. Unlike
2 (Japan mostinarcade
only) the Segaports,
Agesnoline
additional
in 2006.credits are
A sequel,
provided; losing a single life results in a
Dynamite Cop, was released for arcades and Dream- game over.
cast in 1998 without the Die Hard license.
In the English version, John McClane and
Kris Thompsen try to save the President’s daughter,
Caroline Powell from terrorists. There are a number
of bosses on the game, including a biker called Hog, a
Mexican wrestler named Jocko, the twin team of Mr.
Oishi (a sumo wrestler) and Mr. Tubbs (an army gener-
al) and pairs of laser-shooting At the end of the game,
if both players are still alive, the two players will fight
each other on the rooftop of the skyscraper to gain the
sole appreciation of the President’s daughter (similar
to the ending of Double Dragon).
Die Hard Arcade is a beat ‘em up for two players, who play as either John
McClane or Kris Thompsen (Bruno Delinger and Cindy Holiday in the origi-
nal Japanese version). Players fight their way through waves of enemies, using
their fists, feet, and a variety of weapons that can be collected from enemies or
the environment, from household items such as brooms and pepper shakers to
high-damage missile launchers and anti-tank guns. Most weapons are automati-
cally lost at the end of each action scene, but hand guns can be retained so long
as they have ammunition remaining. The typical level structure is a number of
minions the player must defeat in many rooms, followed by a boss. Quick Time
Events are interspersed between many of the scenes. Failing a Quick Time Event
results in either a loss of health, as is usual for QTEs, or an additional action
scene which the players otherwise would not have to complete. Cut scenes are
interspersed into the action.
The Saturn version also includes a port of Sega’s 1979 arcade game Deep
Scan, which can be used to gain extra credits. Unlike most arcade ports, no ad-
ditional credits are provided for Deep Scan; losing a single life results in a game
over.
The Sega Saturn version holds an averaged GameRankings review score
of 83/100. GamesRadar ranked it as one of the best Sega Saturn games, claiming
that the “wide array of firearms and melee weapons helped amp up the arcade-
style action.” Sega Saturn Magazine gave the game an 80%, stating that the
game was “a fun fighting game that’s especially suited for novice players, but it’s
too short lived for more experienced beat ‘em up fans.”
 Die Hard Trilogy • 145

Die Hard Trilogy

7.3
Developer Probe Entertainment
Publisher Fox Interactive, (jp) Sega
Release date (us) January 21, 1997
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

Die Hard DieTrilogy

Hard Trilogy is aon
is based videothe game basedinstall-
first three on the
first
ments three
of theinstallments of the Die
Die Hard movies. TheHardgameseries of action
features three
movies.
games inDie one,Hard
eachTrilogy
based features
on a movie threeinstallment
games in one,
and
each based
featuring on a movie
a different installment
genre and gameand featuring
play a dif-
style respec-
ferent
tively. genre and game play style.
Die Hard DieisHard
a third-person shooter. Die Hard 2: Die
Die
Harder is an third-person
Hard is a shooter.
on rails-shooter. In The
Die player battlesa
Hard with
terrorists
Vengeance, the player goes on a joyride driving aPlaza,
and rescues hostages in the Nakatomi taxi-
which is thecar,
cab, sports setting of the truck
and dump first film in theNew
through series.
York.
Die Hard 2: Die Harder
Die Hard 2: Die Harder is presented as an on rails-
shooter, where the player must stop terrorists who have
taken over Dulles Airport from the second film. Players
control the crosshair with a gamepad, light gun, or, on
PC and Saturn, a mouse. Die Hard Trilogy was com-
patible with Sega’s Stunner light gun for the Saturn.
Die Hard with a Vengeance
In Die Hard with a Vengeance, the player goes on a
joyride driving a taxicab, sports car, and dump truck
throughout all of New York City and is tasked with
finding and defusing several explosives before they
can go off.
The game was developed by a UK-based development studio, Probe En-
tertainment. The Die Hard with a Vengeance segment was developed first and
was intended to be a standalone release, but publisher Fox Interactive insisted
that the game should be more closely linked to the films, leading Probe to de-
velop the other two segments. Initially the Die Hard 2 segment of the game was
developed with polygonal enemies, but they were later replaced with digitized
sprites. For the Die Hard with a Vengeance segment, the team had wanted to use
an authentic recreation of New York City, but found that when driving at 200
miles per hour, an accurate model of NYC felt too small and confining.
The PlayStation was chosen as the lead platform because lead program-
mer Simon Pick strongly felt that it was the most powerful format of the time.
In particular, he reasoned that the Saturn and PC versions would come out bet-
ter if the programmers were trying to emulate impressive graphical effects on
an extant PlayStation version than if they were designing the game around the
hardware limitations of the Saturn. Pick elaborated on how the team intended to
optimize the game for Saturn:
“At the moment on PlayStation, we’ve got six or seven circular images which appear to make the lens flare effect,
but maybe we’ll just have two or three on Saturn version to keep the frame rate up. ... Frame rate is the main
thing. We’ve got one guy coming over to us from Sega who’s very clever. He’s written a program which basically
takes a polygonal model, and as it’s rendering it looks at the size of the polygons; if they’re very small it says
“there’s no point texturing this, let’s do it flat in just one color,” and this way it saves processor time and helps
keep the frame rate up. We’re going to reduce the detail of the models quite a lot, and reduce the texturing so the
roads on Saturn will probably be flat shaded - so it’s like a gray road rather than having textures.”
146 • Discworld

Discworld
7.5
Developer Perfect Entertainment
Publisher Psygnosis, (jp) Media Entertainment
Release date (eu) August 15, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Discworld Discworld
is a 1995 was developed byadventure
point-and-click Teeny Weeny
game
Games
originallyanddeveloped
Perfect 10by Productions
Teeny Weeny for MS-DOS,
Games andMac- Per-
intosh, and the PlayStation
fect 10 Productions. in 1995. A
It stars Rincewind theSega
WizardSaturn
and
version
is set on was
Terryreleased the Discworld.
Pratchett’s following year. The game
The game’s plot
stars Rincewind
is based the Wizard
roughly around (voiced
the events in theby
bookEric Idle)
Guards!
and is set on Terry Pratchett’s Discworld.
Guards!, but also borrows elements from numerous The plot is
based roughly around
other Discworld theDiscworld
novels. events in the
hasbook
been Guards!
praised
Guards!, but also
for its humour, borrows elements
voice-acting fromthough
and graphics, other Disc-
some
world novels.
criticized It involves
its gameplay Rincewind
and attempting to stop
difficult puzzles.
a dragon terrorising the inhabitants of Ankh-Morpork.
The game is a third-person point-and-click
graphic adventure game. An overhead map appears
when leaving a location that allows the player to go
straight to another. Locations featured include the Un-
seen University, the Broken Drum (a pub), and the
Shades (where the city’s “exciting nightlife” reside).
Locations outside Ankh-Morpork include the Dark
Wood (where Nanny Ogg resides), the Mines (where
dwarves tune swords), and the Edge of the World
(where “the world ends and space begins”). Items
can be examined or used, and can either be stored in
Rincewind’s pockets or in the Luggage. To progress in
the game, Rincewind must collect items, talk to people and solve puzzles.
Rincewind may also acquire special skills needed to perform certain tasks. Char-
acters featured include an Archchancellor, the Dibbler, the Librarian, and Death.
During a conversation, the player may choose to have Rincewind greet, joke
with, vent anger towards, or pose a question to the character.
Terry Pratchett was pleased with the 1986 interactive fiction game The Colour of Magic, but criticised
its poor marketing. He was reluctant to grant Discworld licences due to concern for the series, and wanted a
reputable company who cared about the property. Other video game companies had previously approached
Pratchett seeking a licence. One such company was AdventureSoft, and their failure to obtain a Discworld
licence led to the creation of Simon the Sorcerer, which took inspiration from the Discworld series of books.
When the creative director and designer Gregg Barnett sought out the Discworld licence, he intended
to show Pratchett that he cared about Discworld, rather than seeking money. During negotiations, he offered
to design the game before signing a deal. He did so, and Pratchett agreed. Gregg stated that the design showed
respect for Discworld, and that was what persuaded Pratchett. This took roughly six months, and Pratchett
was impressed with a demonstration of Rincewind using a broom to get the Luggage off the top of a ward-
robe. Perfect 10 Productions developed an engine, which was developed in a separate location to “keep the
code clean”. The dialogue was refined by Pratchett. The character design was based on Barnett giving his
interpretation of characters to a character designer who had worked for Disney. He stated that they “went a
bit slapstick on it”. The backdrops were painted manually and digitised.
Pratchett originally wanted the game to be based on The Colour of Magic and for the team to work
in succession through the series, but Barnett believed that would be detrimental, and thought that it was dif-
ficult to make a game based on just one book. He explained that they wanted to licence all of Discworld. An
original story was made, taking elements from various Discworld books, particularly The Colour of Magic
 Discworld • 147

and Guards! Guards!. Barnett stated that the team Sega Saturn Magazine cited overlong dia-
had “effectively written a complete film script for the logues, poor graphics, and “largely non-existent”
game”. The game introduced a new character: a prac- animation, but complimented the variety of locations
tising psychiatrist (known as the psychatrickerist). to visit and their mediaeval backdrops, and described
Pratchett initially objected to this, but later added his the dialogue as “jokey” and “sarcastic”. The maga-
input, and the character became a retro-phrenologist. zine’s Japanese namesake agreed with this assess-
Barnett stated that he wanted to create Discworld as a ment of “British” humour by describing it as ironic
flagship game for CD-based systems, and thought the and amusing. Mean Machines Sega’s reviewers be-
Discworld licence was “100% suited”. lieved the Saturn version had lost some authenticity,
Barnett stated that he wanted to improve the and thought that the gags were not funny, but compli-
British comedy by hiring voice actors with “Brit- mented the storyline.
ish talent”. John Cleese was his first choice for Reviewing the PC version, Coming Soon
Rincewind, but he rejected the offer saying that he Magazine’s reviewer believed that the graphics are
did not do games. Pratchett wanted Nicholas Lynd- colourful and liked the humour, but criticised the way
hurst for Rincewind because he was physically based the dialogue was handled. David Tanguay of Adven-
on his Only Fools and Horses character. Eric Idle ture Classic Gaming described Discworld as “one of
was cast as Rincewind, who was tweaked to make the funniest adventure games ever made”, but recom-
him more like Idle from Monty Python. Other voice mended that players use a walkthrough. Adventure
actors include Tony Robinson, Kate Robbins (who Gamers praised the voice acting, graphics, humour
voiced every female character), Rob Brydon, Nigel and story, calling it “a wonderful game”, but noted
Planer, Robert Llewellyn, and Jon Pertwee. Barnett that “it stops short of being a classic simply due to its
wanted Christopher Lee as Death, but was unable to sheer difficulty and the unwieldy nature”. Adventure
afford him. Brydon had already been recorded when Gamers also called the music “serviceable at best,
he offered to voice Death. Barnett initially believed and fairly forgettable.” Entertainment Weekly’s Dar-
that Rowan Atkinson “would make a great Death”. ren Franich in 2010 called the game an “underrated
The game was originally due to be published point-and-click gem”, saying that it was one of the
by Sierra On-line. Their engine was obtained and games he wanted on the PlayStation Network.
worked on, but due to costs for another project, they
cancelled all external development. An advert in
Computer Trade Weekly attracted interest from com-
panies such as Electronic Arts and Psygnosis. The
latter approached Perfect 10 Productions and would
not leave until a deal was signed. Psygnosis had of-
fered Pratchett “a big cheque”, which he refused.
The game was officially announced by Sep-
tember 1993 and slated for a Christmas release the
following year. It was released in 1995 for the PC,
PlayStation, and Macintosh. The Saturn version was
released in Europe on 15 August 1996, and in Japan
on 13 December 1996.
The game was released on both floppy disk
and CD-ROM, with the CD version featuring a fully
voiced cast of characters. For the Japanese PlaySta-
tion and Saturn releases, all voice acting was redone
by a prominent Japanese comedian, a major selling
point for the game in Japan. A port had been under
way for the Philips CD-i in 1996, and had entered its
final stages of development, but was never released.
Discworld received generally positive re-
views. The humour and graphics in particular were
widely praised, but some thought that the difficulty
was too harsh.
148 • Discworld II - Missing, presumed... !?

8.1 Discworld II:

Missing Presumed...!?
Developer Probe Entertainment
Publisher Fox Interactive, (jp) Sega
Release date (us) January 21, 1997
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

Discworld II: Missing Presumed...!?, released as

Discworld II: Mortality Bytes! in North America, is the
second point-and-click adventure game based on Terry
Pratchett’s series of fantasy novels set on the mythical
Discworld. The game was developed and produced for
the PC, and ported in 1997 for the PlayStation and Sega
Saturn (only in Europe).
In Discworld II the player controls Rincewind
the “wizzard”, who has been burdened with the task of
coercing Death out of his impromptu retirement and
back into his regular duties. The game borrows from a number of
Discworld books, but the plot is essentially a mesh of Reaper Man
and Moving Pictures.
The game, on two CD-ROMs (one for the console versions),
features hand-drawn environments and animations, full voice act-
ing and a simple interface. Though the game does not run on XP
systems onwards, the game can still be played on modern systems
with the ScummVM or DOSBox emulators. ScummVM can take
the real game data such as scripting information or scenes, and col-
late them together displaying it all on its own version of Discworld 2’s Tinsel
engine.
A number of changes were made to the voice cast since the previous
Discworld game. While Eric Idle reprised his role as Rincewind, Tony Robinson
did not return, and Jon Pertwee died before production could begin. Rob Brydon
and Kate Robbins did return, however, and Young Ones actor Nigel Planer was
added to the cast. The Death of Rats is voiced by “Katharine the crocodile”, and
Rob Brydon seemingly provided the new voices for Dibbler, Windle Poons, the
Patrician, Chuckie and the Fool.
Discworld II was very well received by professional critics, scoring an
80.50% average (for PC) on GameRankings, based on 6 reviews. It was ranked
73rd by Adventure Gamers on their list of the “Top 100 All-Time Adventure
Games” in 2011. “That’s Death”, a song in the game written and sung by Eric Idle
and arranged, produced, and played on by Tom Scott, was picked by PC Gamer
as one of the best songs in PC gaming. PlayStation Magazine gave it a score of
7/10, but recommended it only for Pratchett’s fans. Sega Saturn Magazine gave
the Saturn version an 82%. They criticized the overlong dialogues and jokes, but
praised the graphics and well-balanced challenge, and concluded, “if your atten-
tion span is long enough to allow you to read the whole of this review, chances are
that you’ll get some enjoyment out of Discworld 2”.
 Doraemon ~Nobita to Fukkatsu no Hoshi~ • 149

Digital Pinball: 7.5

Last Gladiators
Developer KAZe
Publisher Time Warner Interactive, (eu) Sega, (jp) KAZe
Release date (jp) June 23, 1995
Genre Pinball
Mode 1 Player

Digital Pinball: Last Gladiators is a pinball simulator.

It has four different tables (Gladiators, Knight of the
Roses, Dragon Showdown and Warlock). Each table
has approximately 10 rounds and a multiball mode.
In 1997, the game received a Japan-only updated rere-
lease titled Digital Pinball: Last Gladiators Ver.9.7.

8.3 Digital Pinball:

Necronomicon
Developer KAZe
Publisher KAZe
Release date (jp) November 15, 1996
Genre Pinball
Mode 1-2 Players

Digital Pinball: Necronomicon is the successor to Dig-

ital Pinball: Last Gladiators. Like the title indicates,
the theme of and inspiration to the game is derived
from the fictional book Necronomicon and the general
work of horror author H.P. Lovecraft.
Like with its predecessor, the tables are displayed in an
isometric view, similar to the Pro Pinball series.
“mobygames.com”

Doraemon: 7.0
Nobita to Fukkatsu no Hoshi
Developer Sakata SAS
Publisher Epoch
Release date (jp) March 15, 1996
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1 Player

Doraemon: Nobita to Fukkatsu no Hoshi (“Doraemon:

Nobita and the Planet of Revival”) is a side-scrolling
action platformer, and one of the many titles based on
the long-running children’s cartoon. The game is di-
vided into short platform stages, each with a specific
objective or goal that must be completed to move on.
Between stages, there are voiced visual novel-style se-
quences which move the story forward.
150 • Doom

Doom 6.9
Developer Rage Software
Publisher (us) GT Interactive, (jp) Soft Bank
Release date (us) March 26, 1997
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

xxx
Doom is a 1993 science fiction horror-themed
first-person
xxx shooter by id Software. It is considered one
of the most significant and influential titles in video
game history, for having pioneered the now-ubiquitous
first-person shooter. The original game was divided
into three nine-level episodes and was distributed via
shareware and mail order. The Ultimate Doom, an up-
dated release of the original game featuring a fourth
episode, was released in 1995 and sold at retail.
In Doom, players assume the role of an unnamed space marine, who
became popularly known as “Doomguy”, fighting his way through hordes of in-
vading demons from Hell. With one third of the game, nine levels, distributed as
shareware, Doom was played by an estimated 15–20 million people within two
years of its release, popularizing the mode of gameplay and spawning a gaming
subculture. In addition to popularizing the FPS genre, it pioneered immersive 3D
graphics, networked multiplayer gaming, and support for customized additions
and modifications via packaged files in a data archive known as “WADs”. As
a sign of its effect on the industry, first-person shooter games from the genre’s
boom in the 1990s, helped in no small part by the game’s release, became known
simply as “Doom clones”. Its graphic violence, as well as satanic imagery, made
Doom the subject of considerable controversy.
The development of Doom started in 1992, when John D. Carmack
developed a new 3D game engine, the Doom engine, while the rest of the id
Software team finished the Wolfenstein 3D prequel, Spear of Destiny. When the
game design phase began in late 1992, the main thematic influences were the
science fiction action film Aliens and the horror film Evil Dead II. The title of the
game was picked by John Carmack: “There is a scene in The Color of Money
where Tom Cruse shows up at a pool hall with a custom pool cue in a case. ‘What
do you have in there?’ asks someone. ‘Doom.’ replied Cruise with a cocky grin.
That, and the resulting carnage, was how I viewed us springing the game on the
industry.”
Designer Tom Hall wrote an elaborate design document called the Doom
Bible, according to which the game would feature a detailed storyline, multiple
player characters, and a number of interactive features. However, many of his
ideas were discarded during development in favor of simpler design primarily
advocated by John Carmack, resulting in Hall in the end being forced to resign due to not contributing ef-
fectively in the direction the rest of the team was going. Most of the level design that ended up in the final
game is that of John Romero and Sandy Petersen. The graphics, by Adrian Carmack, Kevin Cloud and Gregor
Punchatz, were modelled in various ways: although much was drawn or painted, several of the monsters were
built from sculptures in clay or latex, and some of the weapons are toy guns from Toys “R” Us. A heavy metal-
ambient soundtrack was supplied by Bobby Prince.
Doom became a “killer app” that all capable consoles and operating systems were expected to have,
and versions of Doom have subsequently been released for a large portion of systems.
 Doom • 151

Despite its name, the Sega Saturn version consists

of two games; The Ultimate Doom (a 1995 update of the
1993 game, Doom) and its sequel Doom II: Hell on Earth
(1994), alongside a few extra levels seen in a previous
PlayStation version of this package.
The Saturn version derives from the 1995 PlaySta-
tion version, which itself derives from the Atari Jaguar port
of the game (as do most home versions of the era). On the
Jaguar, several levels from the original Doom were visibly
altered for performance reasons - this, and several minor
changes carry through to the Saturn.
For the PlayStation version, significant changes
were made to create a more “atmospheric” tone, including
a different lighting system and the omission of the original
MIDI soundtrack. Intermission scenes were dropped and
some secret levels (notably the Wolfenstein 3D-inspired
levels of Doom II) were dropped and replaced with new
maps. Enemy placement is at times very different, and
Doom II’s super shotgun can be used in The Ultimate
Doom levels.
The Saturn port(s) builds on this, however it is thought to have been rushed, originally hitting North
America in March 1997. A combination of poor frame rates, slower enemies (yet curiously faster reload times)
and numerous missing visual and audio effects led it to be panned by critics, as did a missing multiplayer
mode, despite being advertised on the box (along with 60 levels, when in reality there are 59). Also notable
is the use of Final Doom screenshots from a completely different release not included here. This is despite
intervention from id Software and John Carmack himself.
When brought to Europe, support for the Taisen Cable was added (despite the accessory not being of-
ficially released in the region), and when released in Japan in July, the speed was increased to help it try and
match the PlayStation version (though it is still slower in comparison). The Japanese version also adjusts the
soundtrack to bring it more in-line with Sony’s version.
Doom was notorious for its high levels of graphic violence and satanic imagery, which generated con-
troversy from a broad range of groups. Doom for the Genesis 32X was among one of the first video games
to be given an M for Mature rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board due to its violent gore and
nature.Yahoo! Games listed it as one of the top ten most controversial games of all time. It was criticized by
religious organizations for its diabolic undertones and was dubbed a “mass murder simulator” by critic and
Killology Research Group founder David Grossman. Doom prompted fears that the then-emerging virtual
reality technology could be used to simulate extremely realistic killing.
The game again sparked controversy throughout a period of school shootings in the United States
when it was found that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who committed the Columbine High School massacre
on April 20, 1999, were avid players of the game. While planning for the massacre, Harris said in his journal
that the killing would be “like playing Doom”, and “it’ll be like the LA riots, the Oklahoma bombing, WWII,
Vietnam, Duke Nukem and Doom all mixed together”, and that his shotgun was “straight out of the game”.
A rumor spread afterwards that Harris had designed a Doom level that looked like the high school, populated
with representations of Harris’s classmates and teachers, and that Harris practiced for his role in the shootings
by playing the level over and over. Although Harris did design Doom levels, which later became known as the
‘Harris levels’, none have been found to be based on Columbine High School. While Doom and other violent
video games have been blamed for nationally covered school shootings, 2008 research featured by Greater
Good Science Center shows that the two are not closely related.
152 • DonPachi

8.2 DoDonPachi
Developer Cave
Publisher Atlus
Release date (jp) September 18, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

DoDonPachi is a “bullet hell” shooter developed by

Cave as the sequel to DonPachi. Compared to Don-
Pachi, DoDonPachi is generally known for introducing
new gameplay elements while improving or changing
existing ones. The overall background of the game, un-
like following sequels, remains more or less centered
around a supposed invasion by a mysterious race of
mechanized aliens, which the player is called to face
throughout its run.
However, more sinister and shocking secrets lie be-

DonPachi 7.8
Developer Cave
Publisher Atlus
Release date (jp) April 26, 1996
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

DonPachi is the first in the DonPachi series and was not

released outside of Japan. The original arcade game is
often credited for popularising the “bullet hell” shoot-
’em-up sub-genre, which has the player constantly
focus on enemy and bullet patterns, attempting not to
be killed. As the enemies in DonPachi often fire huge
amounts of bullets in all sorts of directions, it requires
a lot of memorisation and skill in order to complete.
“segaretro.org”

5.7 Doukyuusei 2
Developer Flight-Plan
Publisher NEC Interchannel
Release date (jp) July 11, 1997
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Dōkyūsei 2 is a classic “love adventure”, a genre that

is also referred to as “dating simulations”.
The player plays the role of a high school male student.
In the winter vacation of the last school year (from 22
December to 7 January), he has to choose one girl to
be his girlfriend. The player has to meet girls and make
friends with one of them until the relationship devel-
ops to a point that the girl is willing to become his
girlfriend.
 Double Switch • 153

3.4 Double Switch

Developer Digital Pictures
Publisher Digital Pictures
Release date (us) November, 1995
Genre Action, Interactive movie
Mode 1 Player

Double Double
Switch Switch is an interactive
is an adventure adventure
interactive movie mov-
game
ie video to
released game released for
the Mega-CD Sega
and thenCD,
later,Sega
SegaSaturn and
Saturn.
Windows. The game was produced by Digital Pictures
and had a similar “trap-em-up” format to Space Panic,
Heiankyo Alien, and their earlier game, Night Trap.
Apart from the HUD, the graphics consist of live action
full motion video clips starring Corey Haim.
The game takes place in an apartment complex
called the Edward Arms, which was built by the famous
industrialist Lionel Atwater Edward III at the turn of
the 20th Century. Built following an archaeological ex-
pedition to the Valley of the Kings, the building has an
ancient Egypt theme and is rumored to hide a valuable statue of Isix (named
after the precursor to Digital Pictures) stolen by Edward during his expedi-
tion. The player character, an anonymous, silent protagonist, is contacted via
video call by the current owner of the Edward Arms, a young man named
Eddie. Eddie says that he has equipped the building with cameras and traps
to protect the tenants from the local criminal element, but one of the tenants
has locked him in the basement. He gives the player character control of the
cameras and traps and directs him to protect the tenants, trap the handyman
Lyle whenever possible, and find the security codes to get him out.
The objective of the game is to protect the tenants of the Edward Arms. The
player character never actually enters the building, and must protect the tenants using
the surveillance cameras, sensors, and traps installed in eight of the rooms. Using the
cameras, the player may view any of the rooms, but can only view one room at a time, as
with Night Trap. However, unlike Night Trap, at all times a mini map shows the player
whether tenants, intruders, or both are present in each room, and an alarm sounds when
an intruder enters any room. In addition, many of the intruders’ appearances occur at
random. Success in the game thus depends on quickly and effectively responding to situ-
ations rather than on determining when and where enemies appear.
When a tenant or intruder approaches a trap, the player may trap them by arming
and then activating the trap. Trapping a tenant sometimes has no real consequences, but
often results in a game over. If the player does not trap a solid majority of intruders as
they appear, the game ends. Also, while most intruders do no particular harm when they
appear, the player must trap any enemies who try to shut off the building’s power, discon-
nect the phone lines, or attack the tenants. If an enemy succeeds in any one of those three
things, the game immediately ends.
In addition to these objectives, each of the game’s three levels (referred to in the
manual as “acts”) has its own special objective. In the first level the player must view the
security codes needed to free Eddie from the basement. In level two the player must gain
access to new hidden alcove traps. Level 3 includes a boss who the player must trap six
times. If the player misses any opportunity to trap the boss, the boss will attack one or
more of the tenants, resulting in a game over.
154 • Doukoku Soshite... Final Edition

Doukoku Soshite... 7.0

Developer Sakata SAS, Studio Line
Publisher Data East
Release date (us) February 26, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Dōkoku Soshite... is an adventure game that incorpo-

rates elements of both Western and Japanese adventure
styles. Like most “digital novels”, there are multiple
endings depending on the decisions players make dur-
ing the game (mostly concerning the relationship with
girls). However, unlike digital novels, the game offers
Western-style gameplay with free movement, interac-
tion with the environment, inventory, and item-based
puzzles.

8.0 Doukoku Soshite...

Final Edition
Developer Data East
Publisher Data East
Release date (jp) August 6, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Doukoku Soshite... Final Edition is the special edition

of Doukoku Soshite..., a well praised adventure game
from Sakata SAS and Studio Line.
The Final Edition included several extra items, includ-
ing two CD singles, another set of trading cards, and a
an art book for the first game with a sneak look at the
art from the second game in the series.
“segagagadomain.com”

Doukyuusei if 5.3
Developer Flight-Plan
Publisher NEC Interchannel
Release date (jp) August 9, 1996
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Doukyuusei if is the prequel to Doukyuusei 2. The

game, a dating sim originally developed by Elf, is
about a young man trying to find love during his final
year of high school.
 Dragon Force • 155

9.0 Dragon Force

Developer Sega, J-Force
Publisher Sega, (us) Working Designs
Release date (jp) March 29, 1996
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Dragon Dragon
Force isForce is a real-time
a real-time strategystrategy and tactics
and tactics video
video from
game gameSega
fromcreated
Sega created
for thefor theSaturn.
Sega Sega Saturn. The
game’s main selling point was that battles involve up
to 200 soldiers fighting on screen in real time, causing
them to be often likened to the battle scenes in the then-
recent film Braveheart.

The player assumes the role of one of eight rul-

ers vying for control of the world, Legendra. Each ruler
has a set of generals under their command, and each
general commands an army of up to 100 soldiers. Ar-
mies travel between towns and castles via fixed routes
on an overhead scrolling map, much like the earlier Sat-
urn game Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of
Fire. When armies of different nations meet, they en-
gage in battle.
At the outset of the battle, the player must
choose to Attack, Talk, or Retreat. If the player chooses
Retreat, their army loses the battle and some troops, and
moves out of the victorious army’s path on the world
map. The Talk option opens negotiations with the en-
emy. The enemy may then leave their castle or join the
player’s monarch, but if the enemy refuses to negoti-
ate, battle will start with the player bereft of all troops;
because of this tremendous advantage, the enemy will
nearly always refuse to negotiate. If Attack is selected,
each side chooses a general and corresponding com-
pany of troops to send into battle, and then chooses a
formation which determines the arrangement of troops.
The enemy side always chooses first in both cases, al-
lowing the player to determine an appropriate counter-
strategy. During battle the player can select commands
or special attacks from a menu. Each individual skir-
mish ends when one general runs out of hit points or
retreats. If both generals’ armies are depleted, both gen-
erals are given one last chance to retreat before they are
thrust into a one-on-one battle. Generals who run out
of hit points are, depending on the general, captured,
injured, or (rarely) killed in action. If the player’s ruler
is defeated in this manner, the player loses the game
and must restart from the last save. The skirmishes con-
tinue until one army’s generals have all been defeated,
at which point the battle ends.
156 • Dragon Ball Z Idainaru Dragon Ball Densetsu

8.9 Dragon Force II:

Kami Sarishi Daichi ni
Developer Chime, Sega, ALU
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) April 2, 1998
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Dragon Force II: Kami Sarishi Daichi ni is the sequel

to Dragon Force.
The game was released only in Japan in 1998, much
to the dismay of the die-hard strategy RPG gamers.
14 years later the combined efforts of the team Verve
Fanworks have released their first playable patch of
Dragon Force II.

Dragon Ball Z 7.4

Idainaru Dragon Ball Densetsu
Developer Tose
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) May 31,1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Dragon Ball Z Idainaru Dragon Ball Densetsu utilizes

a unique system of play that is different from most oth-
er fighters. The graphics feature 2-D sprites in a three
dimensional world. Although each battle begins on the
ground, the majority of the action is featured skyward.
The game was released in Japan, France, Spain and
Portugal, but not the rest of Europe and North America.

7.7 Dragon Ball Z: Shinbutouden

Developer Tose
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) November 17, 1995
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Dragon Ball Z: Shin Super Butōden is the fourth in-

stallment in the Super Butōden series. The game fea-
tures 27 playable characters. Its story mode ranges
from the Android Saga to the Cell Games.
Shin Butōden also features two other exclusive modes:
Group Battle and Mr. Satan mode. In Mr. Satan mode,
Mr. Satan is trying to raise enough money to pay off
his debt to Android #18, and the player places bets on
matches and cheats by using several items.
158 • DragonHeart - Fire & Steel

Dragon Master Silk 7.5

Developer Gimmick House
Publisher Datam Polystar
Release date (jp) March 28, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

The plot of this semi-comical RPG is rather simple: an

angelic creature named Silk must defeat the Prince of
Darkness, who rules his own dungeon full of claustro-
phobic corridors and monsters.
The game is a dungeon crawler with Japanese-style
turn-based combat. The entire game is viewed from
first person perspective. The largest bulk of the game
is navigating 3D dungeons, fighting regular enemies
and bosses.

7.0 DragonHeart: Fire & Steel

Developer Funcom
Publisher Acclaim
Release date (us) December 26, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

DragonHeart, a tie-in for the movie of the same name,

puts players in the shoes of dragon hunter Bowen, as
he faces the last dragons still surviving, and then ends
up befriending one, Draco.
The gameplay is quite similar to the Golden Axe se-
ries. Players hack’n’slash their way through the nine
levels of the game, killing dragons, befriending Draco
and then going after Einon with Draco’s help (who will
toast everything in the way with his flame breath).

Dream Generation: 6.9

Koi ka? Shigoto ka!?...
Developer Reindeer
Publisher Nippon Computer Systems
Release date (jp) July 30, 1998
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Dream Generation: Koi ka? Shigoto ka!?... is a dat-

ing simulation game for the Sega Saturn. In it, play-
ers walk the city visiting places trying to make other
characters happy in the hope that one day they will get
married.

“segagagadomain.com”
 Druid ~Yami he no Tsuisekisha~ • 159

7.0 Dream Square Hinagata Akiko

Developer Video System
Publisher Video System
Release date (jp) February 14, 1997
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Dream Square Hinagata Akiko is a multimedia disc for

the Sega Saturn, featuring Japanese actress and singer
Akiko Hinagata in various video sequences. The game
was also released as special Edition with a special
presentation box and a 1997 to 2001 calendar.
Akiko Hinagata (born January 27, 1978) is a Japanese
actress and former gravure idol. She made her acting
debut in 1992 in the TBS drama Obenkyō. In 1994, she
was chosen Fuji Television Visual Queen.

Denpa Shounen Teki Game 6.5

Developer Success, Fupac
Publisher Hudson Soft
Release date (jp) March 5, 1998
Genre Mini-games
Mode 1-7 Players

Denpa Shounen Teki Game is a party game for the

Sega Saturn, consisting of 10 minigames.
There are two versions of the game: T-14316G (not for
sale) and T-14318G (store exclusive).

“segaretro.org”

Denpa Shounenteki Game 2

Developer Success, Fupac
Publisher Hudson Soft
Release date (jp) xxx
Genre Mini-games
Mode 1-7 Players

Denpa Shounenteki Game 2 is a party game, developed by Fupac/

Success and published by Hudson Soft, which was released in Ja-
pan for the Sega Saturn.
This is the sequel to Denpa Shounen Teki Game. I could not for
the life of me find any info on this game, other than the small
cover picture and standard info on satakore.com.
160 • Duke Nukem 3D

Duke Nukem 3D 7.7

Developer Lobotomy Software
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) October 29, 1997
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

xxx Duke Nukem 3D is a MS-DOS first-person

shooter
xxx developed by 3D Realms and published by GT
Interactive Software. The shareware version of the game
was originally released on January 29, 1996, while the
full version was released on April 19, 1996 as version
1.3d. It is a sequel to the platform games Duke Nukem
and Duke Nukem II, published by 3D Realms.
Duke Nukem 3D was developed on a budget
of roughly $300,000. The development team consisted
of eight people for most of the development cycle, in-
creasing to 12 or 13 people near the end. Scott Miller
of 3D Realms recalled that “with Duke 3D, unlike eve-
ry shooter that came before, we wanted to have sort of real life locations like a
cinema theatre, you know, strip club, bookstores...”
LameDuke is a beta version of Duke Nukem 3D, which was released by
3D Realms as a “bonus” one year after the release of the official version. It has
been released as is, with no support. LameDuke features four episodes: Mr. Ca-
liber, Mission Cockroach, Suck Hole, and Hard Landing. Certain weapons were
altered from the original versions and/or removed.
Duke Nukem 3D features the adventures of the titular macho Duke
Nukem, voiced by Jon St. John, who fights against an alien invasion on Earth.
Along with Wolfenstein 3D and Doom, Duke Nukem 3D is considered to be
responsible for popularizing first-person shooters, and was released to major ac-
claim. Reviewers praised the interactivity of the environments, gameplay, level
design, and unique risqué humor, a mix of pop-culture satire and lampooning
of over-the-top Hollywood action heroes. The game’s violent nature, erotic ele-
ments, and portrayal of women incited controversy.
As a first-person shooter whose gameplay is similar to Doom, the game-
play of Duke Nukem 3D involves moving through levels presented from the
protagonist’s nist’s point of view, shooting enemies on the way. The environments in Duke Nukem 3D are
highly destructible and interactive; most props can be destroyed by the player.
Levels were designed in a fairly non-linear manner such that players can advantageously use air ducts, back
doors, and sewers to avoid enemies or find hidden caches. These locations are also filled with objects with
which the player can interact, that either benefit the player in some form, light switches make it easier to see,
while water fountains and broken hydrants provide some health points or simply diversion, and tipping strip-
pers provokes a quote from Duke, and a provocative reveal from the dancer.
Duke’s arsenal consists of the “Mighty Foot” (a basic kick attack), a pistol, a shotgun, a triple-barrelled chain
gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, pipe bombs, freeze and shrink rays, laser land mines, and the rapid
fire “Devastator” rocket launcher. There is also an extra weapon known as the “Expander”, the opposite of the
shrink ray weapon, which is only available in the Atomic Edition version of the game.
Various items can be picked up during gameplay. The portable medkit allows players to heal Duke at will.
Steroids speed up Duke’s movement, as well as instantly reversing the effects of the shrink ray weapon and
increasing the strength of Duke’s Mighty Foot for a short period. Night vision goggles allow players to see en-
 Duke Nukem 3D • 161

emies in the dark. The “HoloDuke” device projects a holo-

gram of Duke which can be used to distract enemies. Pro-
tective boots allow Duke to cross dangerously hot or toxic
terrain. In sections where progress requires more aquatic
legwork, scuba gear, an aqua-lung, allows Duke to take
longer trips underwater. Duke’s jet pack allows the player
to move vertically and gain access to otherwise inacces-
sible areas.
The game features a wide variety of enemies; some
of which are aliens and other mutated humans. The LAPD
have been turned into “Pig Cops”, a play on the derogatory
term “pig” for police officers, with LARD emblazoned on
their uniforms. As is usual for a first-person shooter, Duke
Nukem encounters a large number of lesser foes, as well as
bosses, usually at the end of episodes. Like Duke, these en-
emies have access to a wide range of weapons and equip-
ment, and some weaker enemies have jet packs.
Duke Nukem 3D was ported to many consoles of
the time. All of the ports featured some sort of new content.
Duke Nukem 3D for Sega Saturn was ported by
Lobotomy Software and published by Sega in 1997. Rath-
er than running in Ken Silverman’s original Build engine
used to power the PC version of Duke 3D, the Saturn version runs on Lobotomy’s own in-house 3D “Slave-
Driver” engine, previously seen with PowerSlave/Exhumed and set to be seen again with Quake. Improve-
ments to the SlaveDriver engine in this iteration include the ability to support larger maps, as well as more
dynamic lighting.
Conversely, the Build engine was at its heart a 2D system making use of raycasting solutions (much
like the earlier Wolfenstein 3D and Doom), leading to visible distortions when the player looks up or down.
The converted maps of the Saturn version mean this is no longer an issue, and many other graphical quirks
associated with raycasting are also eliminated.
Like most console conversions of the era, the game aims for a 30FPS frame rate but regularly misses
its target. It does, however, perform more consistently than its rival PlayStation conversion, whose use of a
Build-esque software rendering engine and unlocked frame rate causes gameplay to run between rare highs of
60FPS and lows of 10FPS, depending on the scene.
The Saturn version is also more accurate than the Nintendo 64 conversion, retaining more of the PC
game’s original graphics and offering an in-game soundtrack. However, the N64 port benefits from the sys-
tem’s analogue controls, smoother frame rate and split-screen multiplayer option.
The game was one of the few games that made use of the Sega Saturn’s Sega NetLink modem for mul-
tiplayer between two players. Players had the choice of playing through the Single Player game cooperatively
or competitively through “Dukematch” across all the levels in the game.
The game also contains a mini game called Death Tank Zwei that can be accessed if players break
every toilet and urinal in the game. It is also unlocked if they have save data from either Quake or PowerSlave/
Exhumed. The supports up to 7 players by plugging a controller into Port 1 and using the 6 Player Adaptor in
the second port. It’s prequel, Death Tank, can be found on Powerslave/Exhumed. The game was later ported
and improved on the Xbox 360.
Duke Nukem 3D was attacked by some critics, who alleged that it promoted pornography and murder.
In response to the criticism encountered, censored versions of the game were released in certain countries in
order to avoid it being banned altogether. A similar censored version was carried at Wal-Mart retail stores in
the United States.
162 • Dungeon Master Nexus

5.2 Druid:
Yami-He no Tsuiseki Sha
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) July 2, 1998
Genre Action role-playing
Mode 1 Player

The gameplay of Druid is somewhat similar to that of

Ultima VIII: Pagan. It is an action RPG with simple
point-and-click interface and action-oriented combat.
Players can execute two different types of physical at-
tacks (high and low) and cast a variety of spells. There
is no party in the game.

“mobygames.com”

Dungeon Master Nexus 6.6

Developer Victor Soft
Publisher Victor Soft
Release date (jp) March 26, 1998
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Dungeon Master Nexus is the first game in the Dun-

geon Master series using a 3D graphics engine. The
game features 3 dungeons with 15 levels in total. Upon
entering the ground level of the dungeon, the player is
to compose his party made up of up to 4 heroes from
the “Hall of Champions”. Most monsters and adver-
saries (mummies, trees, goblins, knights, dragons)
making appearance in the game are also featured in the
original Dungeon Master game.
“mobygames.com”

8.4 Dungeons & Dragons

Collection
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) March 4, 1999
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

Dungeons & Dragons Collection is a two-disc com-

pilation of the previously released beat ‘em up arcade
games Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom and
Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara. It was
released exclusively for the Sega Saturn. Due to the
limitations of the Saturn there is a maximum of two
players instead of the original four.
164 • DX Jinsei Game II

DX Jinsei Game 7.8

Developer Takara
Publisher Takara
Release date (jp) December 15, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1-4 Players

DX Jinsei Game is a board game for the Sega Saturn.

It was followed by DX Jinsei Game II. The game is
based upon the board game, Game of Life. The idea
of the game is to travel around the board, answering
questions or playing games depending upon what sec-
tion the players land on. The main point is to make a
successful life.

“segagagadomain.com”

7.2 DX Jinsei Game II

Developer Takara
Publisher Takara
Release date (jp) July 24, 1997
Genre Table
Mode 1-4 Players

DX Jinsei Game II is a sequel to DX Jinsei Game.

Featuring better presentation than the original plus a
whole new animated board may makes this a lot nicer
on the eyes while playing. The game is pretty much the
same as the original apart from a few extra bells and
whistles.

“segagagadomain.com”

DX Nippon 6.0
Tokkyuu Ryokou Game
Developer Japan Media Programming
Publisher Takara
Release date (jp) December 20, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1-5 Players

DX Nippon Tokkyuu Ryokou Game is a board game

for the Sega Saturn. The game was developed by Japan
Media Programming and published by Takara, which
was released in Japan in 1996.
The game has players answering questions about
traveling and famous places in Japan.
 D-Xhird • 165

D-Xhird 5.9
Developer Takara
Publisher Takara
Release date (jp) May 30, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

D-Xhird is 3D weapon-based 1vs 1 fighting game,

similar to Battle Arena Toshinden (1 character from
Battle Arena Toshinden, Eiji Shinjo comes back as un-
lockable character). The player can choose 1 from 10
initially playable characters (+4 unlockable heroes),
each with own weapon. Game is based on 3D arenas -
players can strafe and be thrown out from ring. Game-
play is typical - player must beat opponent to go to
next opponent.
“mobygames.com”
166 • Earthworm Jim 2

Earthworm Jim 2
7.6
Developer Screaming Pink
Publisher Playmates, (eu) Virgin Interactive, (jp) Takara
Release date (us) January, 1996
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1 Player

The Sega Saturn version

Earthworm Jim 2 isofa run
Earthworm
and gun Jim 2 was
platformer
ported to the system (alongside a PlayStation
starring an earthworm named Jim in a robotic suit who version)
by Screaming
battles evil. It Pink. It uses to
is a sequel thethe
enhanced
originalaudio sound-
Earthworm
track seen in the PC version, while making
Jim, and the second and final game in the Earthworma number of
improvements
Jim to the game’
series developed graphics
by original (namely
creators the back-
Doug Ten-
grounds,David
Napel, which are unique
Perry, to these
and Shiny two versions).
Entertainment. A
It was
great deal still resembles that of the Mega Drive
initially being released for the Sega Genesis and Super origi-
nal, however,
Nintendo, beforeandbeing
manyported
of thetosprites remain largely
other consoles.
unchanged.
The purpose of the game is largely the same as
it was in the original Earthworm Jim; traverse through
the levels in order to save Princess What’s Her Name,
and defeat the game’s numerous enemies, namely Psy-
Crow. However, gameplay is much more diverse than
in the first Earthworm Jim.
While the majority of levels are still based on
run and gun and platformer elements, separate levels
incorporate different gameplay elements as well. Some
levels, such as the opening level, “Anything But Tan-
gerines”, and the game’s eighth level, “Level Ate”,
play largely the same as the original Earthworm Jim,
with the exception of there being a larger variety of
moves at the players disposal. For instance, there are
more types of guns to use once found in a level, such as
an auto-aiming gun, or the “Barn Blaster” gun which
takes out every enemy visible on the screen. Addition-
ally, Jim’s friend “Snot” travels with him, and can be
used to stick and swing to other slimy green surfaces,
or as a parachute, upon jumping.
Other levels stray much farther from this formula. In the third level, “The
Villi People,” the player must guide Jim, defenseless in the disguise of a blind
cave salamander, through intestinal passages, while avoiding exploding sheep
and hazards embedded in the floor and walls. The latter part of the level suddenly
switches to a game show/trivia format, where the player has to answer nonsensi-
cal multiple choice questions that commonly have no logically correct answer.
The Sega Saturn version of Earthworm Jim 2 was ported to the system
(alongside a PlayStation version) by Screaming Pink. It uses the enhanced audio
soundtrack seen in the PC version released six months prior, while making a
number of improvements to the game’ graphics (namely the backgrounds, which
are unique to these two versions). A great deal still resembles that of the Mega
Drive original, however, and many of the sprites remain largely unchanged (in-
cluding those employing dithering techniques to circumvent the Mega Drive’s
limited colour palette).
The Saturn and PlayStation Earthworm Jim 2s were considered contro-
versial by some critics in 1996, as it was felt the upgrades were not significant
enough to justify the release on newer hardware.
168 • Eberouge Special: Koi to Mahou no Gakuen Seikatsu

8.0 Eberouge
Developer Japan Media Programming
Publisher Takara
Release date (jp) May 30, 1997
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Eberouge is a dating simulation game for the Sega

Saturn. The story happens in a parallel world named
EbeLand. The setting is similar to the medieval age in
Europe. Magic is common and is a common subject
taught in colleges. In this world, the ecosystem is orig-
inated and supported by a central huge tree. However,
due to the overdevelopment of industries and use of
fossil fuel, global warming is rampant. The huge tree
is dying, which endangers the game world.

Eberouge Special: 8.0

Koi to Mahou no Gakuen Seikatsu
Developer Japan Media Programming
Publisher Takara
Release date (jp) June 11, 1998
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Eberouge Special: Koi to Mahou no Gakuen Seikatsu

is another love romance game set a classic European
maritime mixed with modern times. The game is the
third game in the series. The game begins when the
player’s character arrives at the magic school when
he’s 15 years old. During the game the student will
meet different teachers and girl classmates that he can
date.

6.0 Eisei Meijin

Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (us) September 29, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1-2 Players

Eisei Meijin is a shougi game, published by Konami,

which was released in Japan in 1995 for the Sega Sat-
urn.
 Eiyuu Shigan: Gal ACT Heroism • 169

Eisei Meijin II 6.1

Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (us) December 20, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1-2 Players

Eisei Meijin II is a shougi game, published by Konami,

which was released in Japan in 1996 for the Sega Sat-
urn. It is the sequel to Eisei Meijin.
The game is similar to the original apart from a differ-
ent front end.

8.0 Eiyuu Shigan:

Gal ACT Heroism
Developer Microcabin
Publisher Microcabin
Release date (jp) April 16, 1998
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Eiyū Shigan: Gal Act Heroism differs in premise and

structure from the vast majority of Japanese RPGs by
focusing on non-linear questing rather than following
a developed narrative. The game is set on a nameless
island, which has elements of medieval fantasy as well
as futuristic civilization. It allows the player to control
a party of three female students from the School of
Adventuring.

Eternal Melody 7.7

Developer Starlight Marry, MediaWorks
Publisher MediaWorks
Release date (jp) October 4, 1996
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Eternal Melody is a complex and simple game at the

same time. After the introductory segment(s), players
are allowed to choose three characters (out of twelve)
to form a party with. Different characters think differ-
ently not only of the players hero, but of each other; in
other words, different pairings aren’t just interesting
due to different dialogue and events, but also for vary-
ing levels of difficulty and replayability.

“Vysethedetermined2@youtube”
170 • Elevator Action Returns

Elevator Action Returns

8.8 Developer Ving
Publisher Ving
Release date (jp) February 14, 1997
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1-2 Players

ElevatorElevator
Action Action
Returns,Returns,
releasedreleased as Elevator
as Elevator ActionAction II in North Amer-
ica,
II in North America, is a side-scrolling action game by released for the arcades
is a side-scrolling action game by Taito originally
in
Taito1994 as a sequel
originally to thefor
released 1983
the arcade
arcadesgame Elevator
in 1994 as a Action. Elevator Action
Returns
sequel toretains thearcade
the 1983 elevator-based gimmick
game Elevator from the original, but expands and
Action.
improves on the gameplay system and replaces the spy motif with a new scenario
The game retains the elevator-based gimmick from the
involving a paramilitary team fighting against a terrorist group.
original, but expands and improves on the gameplay
system The objectivethe
and replaces ofspy
the motif
gamewithis toa enter all the red-colored doors in each
new scenario
stages andathen
involving proceed to
paramilitary thefighting
team exit. If players
against misses
a terror-a door, they will not be al-
lowed to go any further after a certain point. Each player has a health gauge that
ist group.
shows the amount of damage that his or her character is allowed to sustain; when
the gauge reaches zero, the player will lose a life. Many additions have also been
made to the play mechanics such as four-way scrolling (the original could only
scroll vertically), new moves and weapons for the player, multiple characters and
a two-players cooperative mode.
The player can uncover items by destroying objects in the scenery such as
trash cans, garbage piles, sandbags and crates. There are also blue-colored doors
that give the player a random item through a roulette drawing system. Items in-
clude health refills, special firearms, sub-weapons and bonus points. Like in the
original game, the player’s default weapon is a semi-automatic handgun with un-
limited ammunition. However, the player has the option to upgrade to a stronger
firearm as well, a missile launcher or an automatic weapon.
Players can conserve ammo by attacking an enemy at close range, caus-
ing them to use a melee attack instead of firing a weapon. When an enemy is
defeated with a close-range attack, the amount of points awarded will be dou-
bled. Players can also attack the enemy with a jumping attack depending on the
timing. Players can also throw an explosive (which serves as the character’s sub-
weapon) by pressing the shoot and jump buttons simultaneously while standing
or crouching. The type of explosive used by the player varies depending on the
character.
Objects in the environment can also be used to fight enemies. Like in the
original game, elevators can be used to crush enemies standing above or below
one. There are also oil drums that can be exploded with gunfire. Like the player’s
sub-weapons, they will leave a trail of fire that will burn off any enemy that
comes in contact with it. Enemies that are killed by a trail of fire gives out more
points. During the later half of the game, the player will also have to deal with
electric barriers that will harm both players and enemies alike. If an enemy is
killed with an electric barrier, the player will be awarded with additional points.
The home version of Elevator Action Returns was released for the Sega
Saturn in 1997 under the title of Elevator Action² Returns (pronounced Elevator
Action/Elevator Action Returns), which included the original Elevator Action as
well. Elevator Action Returns was later included as part of Taito Legends 2 for
the PlayStation 2, PC and Xbox in 2006, but both the PS2 and Xbox versions run
in upscanned 640x448 resolution, which results in slight flickering, no scanlines
and slightly blurrier image compared to the arcade and Sega Saturn versions.
 Elf wo Karu Monotachi II • 171

4.0 Elf wo Karu Monotachi

Developer Altron
Publisher Altron
Release date (jp) April 25, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Elf o Karu Monotachi is an Adventure game based on

the 1996 Those Who Hunt Elves anime. It was pub-
lished by Altron, which was released in Japan in 1997.

Elf wo Karu Monotachi II 6.0

Developer Altron
Publisher Altron
Release date (jp) July 16, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Elf wo Karu Monotachi II, sequel to Elf wo Karu

Monotachi, was published by Altron and released in
Japan in 1998. Unlike the original this follow up is ba-
sically an interactive anime.
As soon as players start the game the first problem
arise. The muscle bound male of the group needs to
take a dump but there is no toilet paper. This set the
mood of the rest of the story.
“segagagadomain.com”

6.0 Elf wo Karu Monotachi:

Hanafuda Hen
Developer Altron
Publisher Altron
Release date (jp) September 4, 1997
Genre Cards
Mode 1 Player

Elf wo Karu Monotachi: Hanafuda Hen is basically

a hanafuda game with the characters of Elf Wo Karu
Monotachi thrown in along with a small story.
According to the sticker on the front of the case the
game come with a card giving players the chance to
get original hanafuda trading cards.

“segagagadomain.com”
172 • Enemy Zero

Enemy Zero 7.4

Developer Warp
Publisher Sega, (jp) Warp
Release date (jp) December 13, 1996
Genre Survival horror, adventure
Mode 1 Player

xxx Enemy Zero is a 1996 survival horror stealth

adventure
xxx video game for the Sega Saturn, developed
by WARP and directed by Kenji Eno. After its Saturn
release, it was ported to Microsoft Windows. It was
the second game to star the digital character Laura
Lewis—the first being D. Laura is voiced by Jill Cun-
niff of the band Luscious Jackson in the English ver-
sions and Yui Komazuka in the Japanese version.
Enemy Zero began life on Sony’s PlayStation.
Irritated by Sony’s failure to meet even a third of pre-
orders for the PlayStation version of D, at a Sony con-
ference Kenji Eno made a shocking move. Eno showed
a preview of Enemy Zero. At the end of the clip the PlayStation logo appeared,
but slowly transitioned into the Sega Saturn logo. Despite popular opinion that
the Saturn cannot handle 3D games as well as the PlayStation, Eno commented
“...the PlayStation and the Saturn aren’t that different, so moving it [Enemy Zero]
to Saturn wasn’t too difficult.” Fumito Ueda, director of the cult video games Ico
and Shadow of the Colossus, worked as an animator on this game, before becom-
ing a video game director. The game was in development for nine months.
The game start with the crew members of the spaceship Aki in a state of
suspended animation. All of a sudden, the ship emergency program wake them
up. Apparently, a hostile alien life+ form had penetrated the spaceship. Now
Laura, the heroine of the game, has to establish contact with her comrades, find-
ing her way through the maze-like corridors of the giant vessel. She will also
have to defend herself against the aliens, which seem even more intimidating
because they are totally invisible.
Gameplay sequences alternate between interactive FMV and real time
exploration, both from a first person perspective. The interactive FMV compo-
nent uses gameplay identical to the earlier game, D.
The real time component of E0 is unique. Enemies are invisible, and
location is only possible through the use of sound, with notes of different pitch
helping the player find the distance and direction of enemies. Additionally, every
gun in the game must be charged up immediately before each shot, and charging a shot for too long will cause
the charge to dissipate, after which the charging must start over. Since all available guns have very limited
range, this makes timing crucial; beginning to charge the gun too late or too soon will allow the enemy to
reach Laura, resulting in an immediate game over. Reloading the gun and moving the character around are
mechanics have been made intentionally slow, which stimulates players to avoid combat and direct contact
with the alien enemies as much as possible. In the early segments of the game, avoiding detection is not only
recommended; it is required, since the player has no means to defend him or herself without a gun.
20 copies of a limited edition of the Saturn version were produced and sold for a price roughly equal
to 2,000 US dollars. These special copies were hand-delivered to recipients by Kenji Eno himself. The game
thus holds the record for the “Most Exclusive Special Edition” of a video game, according to the 2012 Guin-
ness World Records Gamer’s Edition.
Enemy Zero • 173
176 • Emit Vol.2 ~Inochigake no Tabi~

5.0 EMIT Vol.1:

Toki no Maigo
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) March 25, 1995
Genre Adventure, Edutainment
Mode 1 Player

EMIT Vol. 1: Toki no Maigo (“Lost in Time”) is the

first in a trilogy of adventure games about a young girl,
Yuri, who bumps into a strange old man looking for a
watchmaker’s one day and eventually gets caught up
in a time-travelling situation.
The games consists of a series of videos which can
have either English or Japanese audio or subtitles in-
terspersed with English training exercises.

EMIT Vol.2: 5.2

Inochigake no Tabi
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) April 1, 1995
Genre Adventure, Edutainment
Mode 1 Player

EMIT Vol. 2: Inochigake no Tabi (“Desperate Jour-

ney”) is the second game in the EMIT trilogy. It con-
tinues the plot from the first game, building on its
events regarding the schoolgirl Yuri and a time-travel-
ling mystery she works to uncover.
As with the first game, the game offers both English
audio and subtitles.
“giantbomb.com”
,

4.3 EMIT Vol.3:

Watakushi ni Sayonara wo
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) April 1, 1995
Genre Adventure, Edutainment
Mode 1 Player

EMIT Vol. 3: Watashi ni Sayonara o (“Farewell to

Me”) is the third and final game in the EMIT series
of visual novels from Koei. The main character, Yuri,
continues to dig deeper into where the mysterious old
man and the “other her” come from. It follows from
the end of the second game’s plot and concludes the
story.
“giantbomb.com”
 Eve Burst Error • 177

Étude Prologue: 8.0

Yureugoku Kokoro no Katachi
Developer Takuyo
Publisher Takuyo
Release date (jp) November 26, 1998
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Étude Prologue: Yureugoku Kokoro no Katachi is a

visual novel published by Takuyo for the Sega Saturn.
The game was released for Windows earlier the same
year, and for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable in
2006 and 2007 respectively.

8.5 Eve Burst Error

Developer C’s ware
Publisher Imagineer, C’s ware
Release date (jp) January 24, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Eve burst error is set in modern-day Japan. The player

controls two characters: a young, seemingly careless
private investigator Kojiroh, and the special agent Ma-
rina.
The original version was a full-fledged hentai game
with explicit sex scenes. Subsequent releases removed
those, but still contained a lot of sexual innuendo in the
dialogues and images of half-naked girls.
“mobygames.com”

Eve The Lost One 8.6

Developer C’s ware
Publisher Imadio
Release date (jp) March 12, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

EVE: The Lost One is a sequel to Eve burst error. The

events of the game take place three years after those of
the first game. The player is able to control two char-
acters - the female detective Kyoko and the mysterious
Snake, as they try to solve a complex mystery full of
betrayals and political intrigues. In order to complete
the game successfully, the player will have to to expe-
rience it from the perspectives of both heroes, helping
each other to gather clues and to unlock events.
178 • F1 Challenge

F1 Challenge 7.1
Developer Bell, (some graphics) Jitensha, (sound) T’s Music
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) November 2, 1995
Genre Racing
Mode 1 Player

F1 Challenge,
Challenge known as F-1 Live
is an officially Information
licensed in Japan,
Formula One
is
gamea formula one racing
developed game
by Bell for the Sega
Corporation andSaturn. Un-
produced
by Sega for the Sega Saturn. The game contains only
three of the many Formula One circuits – Hockenheim,
Monte Carlo, and Suzuka – while having another three
based on the fictional Neo City, containing three differ-
ent configurations.
While containing a full license (granted by
FOCA, not the FIA) of the 1995 Formula One racing
season with 13 teams and 26 drivers, the game only
allows the player to play as five drivers: Michael Schu-
macher (Benetton), Damon Hill (Williams), Jean Alesi
(Ferrari), Ukyo Katayama (Tyrrell), and Mika Häk-
kinen (McLaren). The other teams and drivers are in
the game and the cars are correctly modeled but are
unselectable.
The game is very similar to other titles pro-
duced by Sega. Its form is that of an arcade-style simu-
lator that carries a variety of courses that range from
easy to hard with a small selection of cars to choose
from. This format has been followed by Sega games
in the past, with such titles as Virtua Racing (1992),
Daytona USA (1994), and Sega Touring Car Champion-
ship (1996). Unlike other racing titles released by Sega,
F1 Challenge does not rely on powersliding and drifting,
and instead attempts to be very simulator-oriented.
The game supports the Sega Arcade Racer steer-
ing wheel peripheral in addition to the standard Saturn
controller.
Rad Automatic of Sega Saturn Magazine gave the
game an 80%, calling it “ideal for race connoisseurs with
a perfection complex”, but inferior to Sega Rally Cham-
pionship and Daytona USA as far as the average gamer is
concerned. GamePro’s The Axe Grinder agreed that it was
“More a hardcore racing game than a ‘pop’ arcade title”,
and that despite the above-average graphics the game
feels bland and unexciting. He also criticized the weak
A.I., generic rock soundtrack, and lack of sound effects.
A reviewer for Next Generation praised the selection of
real-life teams and tracks, but like Rad Automatic he felt
it compared unfavorably to Sega Rally Championship and
Daytona USA. He scored it three out of five stars.
 Farland Saga ~Toki no Michishirube~ • 179

4.0 Farland Saga

Developer TGL
Publisher TGL
Release date (jp) January 29, 1998
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Farland Story is an anime-style tactical RPG. The game

mainly consists of large strategic battles, during which
players navigate their troops over an isometric battle
fields, attack the enemies physically or cast spells. Ter-
rain height plays a role in the battles, since some spells
will only affect one level of terrain and one direction.

“mobygames.com”

Farland Saga: 6.0

Toki no Michishirube
Developer TGL
Publisher TGL
Release date (jp) December 17, 1998
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Toki no Michishirube is a direct sequel to the first

Farland Saga game. It is an anime-style strategy RPG
which consists mainly of large strategic battles, tak-
ing place on isometric battle fields. The player moves
the characters over the battle field, attacking physically
or casting spells. After a battle, characters gain expe-
rience points, which the player can freely distribute
among the party members.

4.3 Farland Story: Habou no Mai

Developer TGL
Publisher TGL
Release date (jp) March 28, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Farland Story: Habou no Mai is a port of Farland Story

2, originally released in 1995 on Super Famicom. The
game is a spin-off title in the Farland Story franchise
and should not be confused with the second game in
the series.

“giantbomb.com”
180 • Falcom Classics II

Falcom Classics 8.5

Developer Falcom
Publisher JVC
Release date (jp) November 6, 1997
Genre Compilation
Mode 1 Player

Falcom Classics is a compilation of three classic games

by Falcom for the Sega Saturn. Each game has been
enhanced to take advantage of the superior specifica-
tions of the Saturn console, though their non-enhanced
counterparts can also be played. Some games also has
new features to counter the age of the gameplay me-
chanics (like the addition of a dash button for Ys).
Games Include; Dragon Slayer, Xanadu, and Ys.
“segaretro.org”

7.5 Falcom Classics II

Developer EXE Create
Publisher JVC
Release date (jp) October 29, 1998
Genre Compilation
Mode 1 Player

This is the second compilation of classic Nihon Fal-

com games redone for the Saturn. It contains remakes
of: Taiyou no Shinden: Asteka II and Ys II: Ancient Ys
Vanished - The Final Chapter.
As before, all games feature newly remade graphics
and music, as well as new gameplay features to coun-
ter the age of the gameplay mechanics in the games.

“mobygames.com”

Fantastep 7.8
Developer Jaleco
Publisher Jaleco
Release date (jp) April 25, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Fantastep is an adventure game with RPG elements.

The actual playing areas are all in 3D connected by
a 2D map. Players can move freely around areas but
have to use a GUI for commands in a similar fashion
to Wonder Project J on the Super Famicom.

“segagagadomain.com”
 FIFA Soccer 97 • 181

5.3 FIFA Soccer 96

Developer Extended Play Productions, EA Canada, Probe
Publisher Electronic Arts, (jp) Electronic Arts Victor
Release date (us) December, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-6 Players

FIFA 96 is the third entry in the FIFA Series, its tagline

being Next Generation Soccer. It was the first in the
series to feature real-time 3D graphics on the Sega Sat-
urn, PlayStation, 32X, and DOS versions, using tech-
nology called “Virtual Stadium”.
It was also revolutionary at the time of release for hav-
ing a running commentary provided by John Motson.

FIFA Soccer 97 6.5

Developer Perfect Entertainment
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (us) March 20, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-6 Players

FIFA Soccer 97, called FIFA 97 in Europe, is a sequel

(or update) to FIFA Soccer 96. It was released for the
Sega Saturn in 1997, following delays.
Players can choose from league or cup tournament,
and practice their skills before playing. The game can
be tailored to action or simulation style, with fouls, in-
juries and offsides available to toggle on or off. This
version also includes a 6 vs 6 indoor play mode, and
various multiplayer options.

7.0 FIFA Road to World Cup 98

Developer Climax Studios
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (us) December 18, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-8 Players

FIFA 98 marks the start of an upward trend in the se-

ries. It boasts a refined graphics engine, team and play-
er customisation options, 16 stadia, improved artificial
intelligence, a “Road to World Cup” mode with all
FIFA-registered national teams, and a licensed sound-
track featuring popular musical artists of the time.
While each country got the same game disc, packag-
ing featured players from that country’s national soc-
cer team.
182 • FEDA Remake! ~The Emblem of Justice~

6.5 Father Christmas

Developer Gaga Communications
Publisher Gaga Communications
Release date (jp) December 8, 1995
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Father Christmas is an adventure game based on the

children’s book of the same name. The game was pub-
lished by Gaga, which was released in Japan in 1995.
The game came with a face towel with a Father Christ-
mas motif.

FEDA Remake!: 7.6

The Emblem of Justice
Developer Max Entertainment
Publisher Yanoman
Release date (jp) May 24, 1996
Genre Strategy, Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Feda: The Emblem of Justice is a tactical role play-

ing game originally released for the Super Famicom
in 1994. The game centers around two soldiers forced
to fight against the now-corrupted empire they used
to serve. The game is composed of two primary play
modes: exploration and battles. The game feature cine-
matic battle scenes similar to the Shining Force series.

7.6 Fighter’s History Dynamite

Developer Rutubo Games
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) July 4, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Fighter’s History Dynamite, also known as Karnov’s

Revenge, was first released for the arcades in 1994. All
eleven fighters from the previous game return and are
joined by two new characters: Yungmie and Zazie.
The Saturn version allows players to assign all four ba-
sic attacks into a single button (C and Z by default),
which is required for certain characters in order to per-
form certain special moves.
 Fighters Megamix • 183

Fighters Megamix
8.2 Developer Sega AM2
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) December 21, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Fighters
Megamix
Fighters combines
Megamix is a several characters
1996 fighting gamefrom
de-
various
veloped Sega games,
by Sega AM2 from
andthe complete
published bycast
Segaoffor
Virtua
the
Sega Saturn. Several characters from various Sega
games make up the cast, including the complete cast of
Virtua Fighter 2 and Fighting Vipers, plus others from
prior AM2 games, both fighting and otherwise, in a
similar manner to SNK’s The King of Fighters series.
Fighters Megamix is a hybrid fighting game
combining the fighting styles of Virtua Fighter 2 and
Fighting Vipers (although leans more towards the lat-
ter). All moves from the two games are retained, plus
a new “dodge” action, allowing players to sidestep and
avoid an attack (while also opening up an opportunity to
counter). Furthermore, roughly 50% of techniques from
Virtua Fighter 3 are included for the Virtua Fighter cast,
and new Megamix-specific techniques for the Fighting
Vipers fighters.
Players can choose between a Virtua Fighter
“VF” mode and a Fighting Vipers “FV” mode, which
tailors the experience to the style of either game. Char-
acters have also been balanced, meaning strategies from
Virtua Fighter 2, 3 or Fighting Vipers may not necessar-
ily work in Megamix. Some moves are “hidden” and
are not listed in the game - they often involve using the
walls of an arena to cause damage.
Stages are lifted from the preceeding games,
meaning both open-ended arenas from Virtua Fighter
(sans the concept of “ring-outs”), and the “cages” from
Fighting Vipers are included. Megamix generally im-
proves on previous Saturn outings of these stages -
Tokio’s stage for example features the plane taking off
which was missing in the Saturn port of Fighting Vi-
pers. Wolf’s stage from Virtua Fighter 2 reintroduces
the cage omitted from the Saturn port, bringing it closer
to the edges of the arena so it can act like those seen in
Fighting Vipers.
Accessing the disc’s contents from a PC and de-
compressing a LZH file reveals some extra bonus art-
work, similar to some other Sega-published games.
Unlike most other fighting games by Sega AM2,
Fighters Megamix had no arcade release. However a
watered down version was released for the Game.com
in 1998.
184 • Fighting Vipers

Fighting Vipers
Developer Sega AM2 7.8
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) August 30, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Fighting
Vipers, Vipers
Fighting a 3D fighting
is a 3D game,
fightingwas firstgame
video released
de-
in the arcade
veloped in 1995
by Sega AM2.using thethe
It uses Sega Model
same game2 hardware,
engine as
AM2’s Virtua Fighter 2 but features enclosed arenas and
an armor mechanic, and was targeted more towards west-
ern audiences, using a U.S. setting and more freeform
styles of martial arts. The game was first released in the
arcade in 1995 using the Sega Model 2 hardware, and be-
came one of the highest grossing arcade games of 1996.
The Saturn port was one of the most high profile games in
the system’s 1996 holiday lineup, and was met with posi-
tive reviews.
Fighting Vipers features a similar style of game-
play to Sega AM2’s more renowned Virtua Fighter se-
ries, specifically Virtua Fighter 2, using simply guard,
punch and kick attack buttons with a focus on combo
moves. The Saturn version uses its three extra buttons
for three smaller combos.
Each of the 9 characters featured in the game
wears armor that can be broken off by opponents, leav-
ing them more vulnerable to taking damage. Walls sur-
round each arena, caging the combatants in, allowing
for attacks in conjunction with them (bouncing off etc.).
If a knockout attack is strong enough, characters can
knock their opponent over, on top, or straight through
the walls.
The Saturn port of Fighting Vipers added Play-
back Mode and Training Mode, both of which are now
used widely in the genre, by games such as Tekken and
Soulcalibur. Players could save their matches and play
them again in Playback Mode, while Training Mode
talked the player through the moves of each character
one-by-one.
The Saturn conversion, like the arcade original,
was developed by Sega AM2. The programming team
consisted of 15 people, most of whom had worked on
the Saturn version of Virtua Fighter 2, and some of
whom had worked on the arcade version of Fighting
Vipers. Work on the conversion began in the first quar-
ter of 1996 and took eight months. After converting the
Virtua Fighter 2 engine, the team focused first on recre-
ating the barriers, as they anticipated this would be the
most difficult part to accomplish on the Saturn hard-
ware. Because armor and walls can be broken in the
game, there was no easy way of reducing the number of
polygons in those elements. In part to compensate for
 Fighting Vipers • 185

the lower polygon counts on the characters, a new Magazine said it “is far more of a gratifying expe-
form of dynamic lighting incorporating Gouraud rience to the average gamer than VF or its sequel”
shading was added to the Saturn version. In order to and a Next Generation reviewer concluded, “VF2 is
make this effect possible, and have the game run at one of the best games of all time, but Fighting Vipers
a speed comparable to the arcade version, the team nearly eclipses it.”
decided at the beginning of development that they The original Japanese version had a
would not use the Saturn’s high-resolution mode.
< large amount of advertising for Pepsi, due to product
Reviewing the Saturn version, the barrier me- placement agreements with Sega at the time. This li-
chanics - allowing players to beat opponents against censing was removed in the US and PAL versions.
or through walls and use them to launch attacks - were A programmer working on Fighting Vipers
met with universal approval. Most were also enthusi- put Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails in the game for
astic about being able to break off an opponent’s ar- amusement, which led to Sega AM2 commissioning a
mor for extra damage, though Crispin Boyer and Su- Sonic fighting game, Sonic the Fighters. Hidden with-
shi-X of Electronic Gaming Monthly felt the amount in the data of the arcade version of Sonic the Fighters
of flesh exposed when a fighter’s armor is broken off is an additional character named Honey, a yellow cat
amounted to cheap lewdness. While some complained wearing Candy’s red plastic fairy costume. Honey’s
of reduced polygon counts and occasional slowdown model was removed from the Sonic the Fighters port
compared to the arcade version, the conversion to the on Sonic Gems Collection. However, in the Xbox 360
Saturn as a whole was well-regarded, with critics es- and PlayStation 3 port, she is a playable character,
pecially praising its retention of the arcade version’s and was later introduced to the cast of Archie Com-
smooth animation, use of light sourcing, and Saturn- ics’ Sonic the Hedgehog comics during an arc based
exclusive features. GameSpot concluded, “If you on Sonic the Fighters. The arc depicted Honey as a
have a Saturn, this is the fighting game to own. If you fashion designer similar to her human counterpart,
don’t, Fighting Vipers gives you a good reason to get and also featured a Boar character based on Jane.
one.” Scary Larry of GamePro said it “is one of our
A sequel, Fighting Vipers 2 was released,
favorites because it’s fast, sexy, and easy.” And while
introducing new characters and was ported to the
most critics felt that Fighting Vipers clearly falls short
Dreamcast but only in Japan and Europe.
of Virtua Fighter 2, Rich Leadbetter of Sega Saturn
186 • Final Fight Revenge

Final Fight Revenge 5.4

Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) March 30, 2000
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Final
Fight
FinalRevenge is a American-developed
Fight Revenge is a 1999 3D fight-
ing game originally released
American-developed for arcades
3D fighting video in 1999. The
game. The game was produced by the
American division of Capcom (later known
as “Capcom Production Studio 8”), which
later produced Maximo: Ghosts to Glory
and Final Fight: Streetwise. Final Fight
Revenge was released for the arcades on
July 1999 and ran on the Sega ST-V arcade
hardware. It is the only Final Fight sequel
released for the arcades. The Sega Saturn be performed by filling the Super Move
home version was the last Capcom game gauge. The player can stock up to three full
officially released for the platform. The Super Move gauges. When a player finishes
Sega Saturn version was only available in off an opponent with certain Super Moves
Japan. However, the game can be played in a special finishing sequence will be shown
English if the console’s internal language is to the player.
set to English. Final Fight Revenge features ten
Final Fight Revenge features a con- playable fighters, all of them characters
trol configuration of an eight directional from the original Final Fight. Cody, Guy
joystick and five action buttons: four at- and Haggar were the player characters from
tack buttons (two punch buttons and two the original game, while El Gado, Poison
kick buttons) and a fifth “special” button. and Andore were enemy characters, and
The special button serves two functions in Damnd, Sodom, Edi E., and Rolento were
the game The first function allows players end of level bosses. Guy, Sodom, Rolento,
to side-step into the foreground or back- and Cody were previously featured in Cap-
ground by holding special and pressing up com’s Street Fighter Alpha series and some
or down. of them use the same special moves they
The special button is also used to had in the Alpha series in Revenge. Poi-
pick up weapons or health-recovering items son would later appear with similar special
lying on the ground. When the player is moves in Ultra Street Fighter IV.
near a retrievable item or weapon, a green The single-player mode consists
arrow will appear over the item to alert the of matches against six computer-control-
player of its presence. There are two types led opponents and a final match against
of weapons in this game: melee weapons a zombiefied version of Belger, the final
such as knives and lead pipes; or firearms boss from the original Final Fight. This
such as flamethrowers and machine guns. is followed by a character-specific end-
The player can pick and store up to three ing and a closing credit sequence show-
weapons in their inventory at once and ing Zombie Belger performing the iconic
switch between them. The player can also dance moves from Michael Jackson’s
throw a currently equipped weapon to their Thriller video. The Zombie Belger is not
opponent. a playable character in the game.
As with most Capcom fighting
games, each character has their own set of
grappling moves and command-based Spe-
cial Moves, as Super Moves that can only
 Find Love 2 ~The Prologue~ • 187

7.0 Find Love 2: Rhapsody

Developer Daiki, F Creative Factory
Publisher Daiki
Release date (jp) November 26, 1998
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Find Love 2: Rhapsody is a visual novel developed

and published by Daiki for the Sega Saturn. The game
can be seen as the usual dating sim where the player, as
a young male, is looking for a girlfriend.
The game recieved a promotional disc (see below) be-
fore it`s initial release to hype up the game.

Find Love 2: The Prologue 8.0

Developer Daiki, F Creative Factory
Publisher Daiki
Release date (jp) June 4, 1998
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Find Love 2: The Prologue is a 1998 multimedia disc

released in Japan for the Sega Saturn by Daiki. It serves
as a promotional disc for Find Love 2: Rhapsody, re-
leased later. The disc feature information about the
main characters as well as the story to the main game.

6.7 Fire Pro Gaiden:

Blazing Tornado
Developer Human
Publisher Human
Release date (jp) August 25, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Blazing Tornado was initially a standalone wrestling

arcade game from Human, though the move anima-
tions were the same as the Fire Pro games. When it
was ported to the Sega Saturn, however, it was retitled
Fire Pro Gaiden: Blazing Tornado, officially adding
the game to the series. The Blazing Tornado characters
also found their way into Super Fire Pro Wrestling X
Premium.
“tvtropes.org”
188 • FIST

Fire Pro Wrestling S: 8.8

6Men Scramble
Developer Human
Publisher Human
Release date (jp) December 27, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-6 Players

Fire Pro Wrestling S: 6 Men Scramble is the follow up

to Super Fire Pro Wrestling X Premium. As with all
games in the Fire Prowrestling series, it features pro-
fessional wrestlers with fictitious names. The game’s
story mode was called “Victory Road”, which ena-
bled “Title Match” when completed. The game also
includes a deep wrestler edit mode.

2.9 FIST
Developer Imagineer, Genki
Publisher Imagineer
Release date (jp) November 22, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

FIST is the third game in the Seifuku Densetsu Pretty

Fighter series and the first in the series not only in 3D,
but also to feature playable male characters. The game
is very similar to Sega’s Virtua Fighter series, Namco’s
Tekken series and other 3D fighting games.
Like its predecessors in the Seifuku Densetsu Pretty
Fighter series, FIST received poorly rated reviews due
to the limited movesets for each character, while being
very unoriginal.

Fishing Koushien 7.6

Developer A Wave
Publisher King Records
Release date (jp) March 15, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1 Player

Fishing Koushien, a fishing simulation for the Sega

Saturn, was published by King Records, which was
released in Japan in 1996. The game feature four dif-
ferent modes.
 Formula Grand Prix Team Unei Simulation • 189

7.6 Fishing Koushien II

Developer A Wave
Publisher King Records
Release date (jp) May 30, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Fishing Koushien II is a fishing simulation for the Sega

Saturn and a sequel to Fishing Koushien.
Graphically the game may be seen as nice with some
decent water effects plus petty good looking polygon
fish. It can also be seen as an improvement over the
original in maybe every department so it might be
worth picking up for an fishing game enthusiast.

“segagagadomain.com”

Formula Grand Prix 6.5

Team Unei Simulation
Developer Coconuts Japan
Publisher Coconuts Japan
Release date (jp) November 13, 1997
Genre Strategy, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Formula Grand Prix Team Unei Simulation is a game

for the Sega Saturn. Despite its looks, it is not strictly
a racing game - it is a racing simulation, wherein the
player makes choices regarding the construction (and
strategy) of formula one cars, but does not do any of
the actual racing.

“segaretro.org”

7.0 Formula Karts Special Edition

Developer Manic Media
Publisher Sega
Release date (eu) May 22, 1997
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

Formula Karts, released for both Sega Saturn and PC,

is a semi-realistic racing title that attempts to capture
the spirit of kart racing with it’s low slung feeling of
speed, and corner after corner of impressive handling
(and inevitable sliding). The title supports both simu-
lation and arcade modes, and features some effective
race AI for non-player vehicles.

“mobygames.com”
190 • Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball

Frank Thomas 5.7

Big Hurt Baseball
Developer Iguana Entertainment
Publisher Acclaim
Release date (us) March, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball is a multiplat-

form baseball simulation game that was licensed by the
Major League Baseball Players Association, featuring the
likeness, motion captured movements, and “Big Hurt”
branding of player Frank Thomas.
All the teams, statistics, and players are meant
to simulate the 1995 Major League Baseball season. Ac-
claim released a successor to the game also featuring
Thomas and now featuring actual major league teams,
All-Star Baseball ‘97 Featuring Frank Thomas.
Featuring realistic pitching, realistic batting,
and a realistic likeness of Frank Thomas himself for the
game’s era, there are also regular season and exhibition
modes.
Pitching and batting can be done either in a
high, medium, or low direction (in addition to slow,
medium, or fast pitching) for greater realism. Greater
emphasis was placed on defense and pitching, as op-
posed to more offense-oriented baseball video games
like World Series Baseball ‘95. Games often take place
at night; especially at Wrigley Field.
Games can be played to a minimum of two in-
nings and a maximum of nine innings (plus any ex-
tra innings that occur in a tied game). All the teams in
the game can be edited through a special edit screen;
this allows players to replace teams that they don’t like
with their home towns (that don’t have Major League
Baseball teams).
More than 700 players with Major League
Baseball contracts appeared in the game.
Frank Thomas’s animations in the game were
created from several days of motion capture filming
Thomas at Acclaim’s in-house studio during Spring
1995.
GamePro and Next Generation found the Sat-
urn version a major improvement over the Super NES
version, with Next Generation calling it “an extreme-
ly solid game with little flaws that keep it from being
great.” The reviewer called the graphics “extraordi-
nary”, while his criticisms included the somewhat dif-
ficult interface and the delay in the batting controls.
 Frankenstein - Through the Eyes of the Monster • 191

Frankenstein:
3.5 Through the Eyes of the Monster
Developer Amazing Media
Publisher Interplay
Release date (eu) 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of the Monster

is a point-and-click adventure game that stars Tim Cur-
ry as Dr. Frankenstein, and has the player controlling a
newly created Frankenstein monster. Other cast mem-
bers include Robert Rothrock as the voice of the mon-
ster, Rebecca Wink as villager Sara, and Amanda Fuller
as Gabrielle, the monster’s daughter. It used full motion
video clips and 3D CGI graphics similar to Myst. The
game was developed by Amazing Media and published
by Interplay Entertainment Corp for the PC in 1995 and
for the Sega Saturn in 1997.
There are two situations in the game where the player’s actions
decide the fate of a certain character, branching the game into multiple
endings.
The puzzles and experiments range from the simple (plugging a
wire into a switch to complete an electrical circuit) to the very complex
(find the mines, gather some ore, crush it, refine it, transport it.
Interplay’s updated version of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein only
loosely follows the age-old literary classic, being more of a remake
geared towards a nineties audience. The player wake up as Dr. Franken-
stein’s newly resurrected monster, trapped in the mad doctor’s odd world
of dangerous scientific experimentation. Frankenstein is overjoyed that
the player character is alive — and because he can’t wait to do more
experiments on the player. Soon the player discover that his castle is one
huge house of horrors — decapitated body parts, dead cats, and strange-
looking medical instruments are all over the place.
One of the manuscripts that can be found mentions Nikola Tesla,
referring to him as a Russian scientist. The real Tesla was a Serb born in
Croatia.
In 1996 Interplay and Amazing Media released a sequel, Mummy:
Tomb of the Pharaoh.
The game was given a “Teen” rating by the Entertainment Soft-
ware Rating Board, but was originally rated as K-A.
Reviewing the Saturn port, Gary Cutlack of Sega Saturn Maga-
zine praised the acting but ultimately dismissed the game as “standard
interactive puzzle fare.”
192 • Friends ~Seishun no Kagayaki~

Free Talk Studio: 6.0

Mari no Kimamana Oshaberi
Developer Digitalware
Publisher Media Entertainment
Release date (jp) May 9, 1997
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

This is a Japan-only radio DJ simulation game. Two

different packaging editions were produced, a blue
case and a red case. The blue case contains three cards
featuring the lead voice actress from the game, Mariko
Kōda, alongside the characters she played, Mari Kou-
saka and Natsumi Kawai; the red case contains a photo
booklet which also focuses on her. The game is set up
much like a dating sim.

7.3 Friends: Seishun no Kagayaki

Developer Stack
Publisher NEC InterChannel
Release date (jp) April 29, 1999
Genre Simulation, Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Friends: Seishun no Kagayaki is a visuel noval, devel-

oped and published by NEC Interchannel, which was
released in Japan in 1999.
The game works fine without the 4MBIT Ram cartridge,
however if used, one will find the game has quicker
loading times, better animation and more speech.

From TV Animation 6.6

Slam Dunk: I Love Basketball
Developer Bandai
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) August 11, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Slam Dunk is based on the popular manga/anime of

the same title, created by Takehiko Inoue. The game
follows the story of Sakuragi Hanamichi, a high school
delinquent, as he joins a basketball team in an attempt
to win the heart of a young woman. The story follows
the same plot as the series and progresses between bas-
ketball matches as players progress through the story
mode.
 Funky Fantasy • 193

7.5 Full Cowl Mini Yonku

Super Factory
Developer Nextech
Publisher Media Quest
Release date (jp) July 31, 1997
Genre Simulation
Mode 1-5 Players

Full Cowl Mini Yonku Super Factory is a simulation

game tying into a toy car line and what appears to be
a different anime. In it, players design a car that they
race around tracks, but don’t actually race — the car
races on its own.
The game came in a oversized box and comes with a
custom car toy.

Funky Fantasy 5.5

Developer Tose
Publisher Yoshimoto Kogyo
Release date (jp) December 13, 1996
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Funky Fantasy is a odd attempt by Yoshimoto to turn

a RPG in to a comedy. Characters all have cartoon
bodies with human faces or just look completely odd
full stop. Characters include a Ryu from Street Fighter
look-a-like as well as Honey from Fighting Vipers and
many others. Quite an odd game that may appeal to
those who like turn based RPGs such as Riglord Saga.

“segagagadomain.com”

7.5 Funky Head Boxers

Developer Yoshimoto Kogyo
Publisher Yoshimoto Kogyo
Release date (us) January 10, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Original arcade by Sega’s AM3 Division and even ad-

vertised in the very early Saturn promotion videos be-
fore the system’s release in Japan, Funky Head Boxers
finally did reach the Saturn 2 years later but not from
Sega, but from Yoshimoto.
The game is unique in that every character has a cube-
shaped head, which is then distorted during gameplay.

“segagagadomain.com”
194 • Fushigi no Kuni no Angelique

6.0 Funky Head Boxers Plus

Developer Yoshimoto Kogyo
Publisher Yoshimoto Kogyo
Release date (jp) May 2, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Funky Head Boxers Plus is an update to Yoshimo-

to Kogyo’s Sega Saturn port of Sega’s arcade game
Funky Head Boxers released later in 1997. Exactly
what is different is unknown.

“segaretro.org”

Fushigi no Kuni no Angelique 7.2

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) February 28, 1997
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

This game is a variation on the Angelique story: an

ordinary school girl named Angelique becomes in-
volved in a struggle to become the Queen of Cosmos,
for which it is necessary to befriend the handsome and
powerful Guardians of the Elements.
Unlike other Angelique games, Fushigi no Kuni no
Angelique plays like a board game, with the kingdom
divided into fields on which Angelique moves.
“mobygames.com”

5.7 Fuusui Sensei

Developer Hakuhodo
Publisher Hakuhodo
Release date (jp) November 15, 1996
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Fuusui Sensei is a simulation game for the Sega Sat-

urn. The game seem to have players travel around a
3D town and try to fix buildings or move them around.
It looks like to have something to do with feng shui, a
Chinese philosophical system of harmonizing every-
one with the surrounding environment

“segagagadomain.com”
196 • Gaia Breeder

G Vector 7.0
Developer Soft Office
Publisher Soft Office
Release date (jp) October 16, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Like Panzer Dragoon, G-Vector gives players a large

sight in front of their standard-issue generic shooter
vehicle, and by passing it over enemies and some ob-
jects, players automatically “lock on” to it, and can
keep locking on to others until they decide to fire.
There is also a basic gun that fires wherever the sight
is. “A” fires the gun, “B” launches lock ons, and “C” is
rapid auto-fire for the gun.
“SamIAm@gamefaqs”

2.4 Gaia Breeder

Developer Aspect
Publisher Aspect
Release date (jp) November 27, 1997
Genre Strategy, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Gaia Breeder is a creature life simulation game, de-

veloped and published by Aspect Co., Ltd., which was
released in Japan in 1997 for the Sega Saturn.
The idea of the game is that by using this newly devel-
oped drug players can create their very own world with
living creatures.

“segagagadomain.com”

Gakkou no Kaidan 5.5

Developer Japan Media Programming, Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) July 14, 1995
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Gakkō no Kaidan is an interactive movie with adven-

ture elements, made to tie in with a Japanese ghost-
themed film of the same name. Like some other Sega
CD games with similar thematics, it features FMV
sequences with interactive options. For example, es-
caping some of the enemies may require the player to
press directional keys or the A/C buttons. The other
element of the game is a point-and-click style set.
“mobygames.com”
 Gal Jan • 197

7.6 Gakkou no Kowai Uwasa

Hanako-san ga Kita!!
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) August 11, 1995
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Gakkou no Kowai Uwasa Hanako-san ga Kita!! is an

adventure game developed and published by Capcom
for the Sega Saturn. It is based on the 1994 anime and
manga series of the same name.

“segaretro.org”

Gal Jan 5.1

Developer Warashi
Publisher Warashi
Release date (jp) August 9, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Gal Jan is a mahjong game developed and published

by Warashi for the Sega Saturn.
The game is an adult mahjong game but with a twist.
All the animation has been captured using real live ac-
tresses. The actresses were filmed then the video was
hand drawn frame by frame to produce life like anime
women.

“segagagadomain.com”

6.1 Gals Panic SS

Developer Kaneko, Mainichi Communications
Publisher Mainichi Communications
Release date (jp) September 27, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1-2 Players

Gals Panic SS is the first game in the Gals Panic series

designed specifically for home consoles. That said,
there is no nudity. It is very similar to Gals Panic 4 be-
fore it in that all the girls are drawn in an anime style,
with no photographic models whatsoever. The game-
play is changed in this game. The same basic gameplay
of uncovering a girl’s picture with Qix-like gameplay
is used, but players spend 5 rounds on each girl.
“mobygames.com”
198 • Galactic Attack

Galactic Attack 8.1

Developer Ving
Publisher Acclaim, (jp) Taito
Release date (jp) September 14, 1995
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Galactic
Attack isisa atop-down
RayForce vertical shooter, there are
space shooter seven
by Taito
levels to for
released play,
theranging
Taito F3from battles
arcade in theinatmosphere
hardware 1994, and
later ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995, Microsoft Win-
dows in 1997, iOS in 2012 and Android in 2017.
Due to trademark problems, when the home
version was released in Japan it was renamed Layer
Section. When Acclaim published the Saturn version
for the North American and European markets, it was
renamed Galactic Attack. The game was also titled
Gunlock in European arcades.
The player is provided with a ship called the
RVA-818 X-LAY, which is outfitted with two weapons:
a primary weapon that fires straight lasers and increases
in power when the player accumulates power-ups, and
a secondary lock-on laser launcher, which can also be
increased in power, that can target up to eight enemies
at once by moving the targeting reticle. This weapon
is used to attack enemies that appear on a lower plane
than that of your craft, which are inaccessible to the
player’s primary weapon. During play, the screen pre-
dominantly scrolls vertically, but there is some hori-
zontal leeway as is common in games of this genre.
The game can be played both in standard mode
and “tate” mode, which requires the display to be ro-
tated by 90°. Some scaling and scrolling background
effects can be only seen in tate mode.
Compared to the Arcade release, the music
of the Saturn version has been slightly altered and the
graphics have been recolored at bit. The latters has
probably been performed to make the game more suit-
able for displays used for home consoles
The Saturn version of the game received mixed
reviews, with critics typically caught between its high
quality design and its antiquated gameplay and stylis-
tics. Rad Automatic of Sega Saturn Magazine stated
that the game is fun but severely outdated in terms of
both graphics and gameplay, though he did praise the
absence of slowdown and the authentic arcade feel
of the tate mode. GamePro gave the game a positive
review, saying it “features gorgeous, space-themed
backgrounds and a rockin’ soundtrack. Although your
ship is nothing to write home about, the enemies fly at
you fast and furiously, giving your eyes a treat and your
thumbs a workout”.
200 • Gambler Jiko Chuushinha: Tokyo Mahjongland

Galaxy Fight 6.9

Developer Santaclaus
Publisher Sunsoft
Release date (jp) November 22, 1995
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Galaxy Fight: Universal Warriors is a 1995 arcade

fighting game originally developed and published by
Sunsoft for the Neo-Geo MVS arcades.
The players choose one of eight characters and travel
among the in-game solar system to defeat the oppo-
nents inhabiting each of the planets before they get the
chance to fight Felden and settle their personal scores
with him.

6.0 Gambler Jiko Chuushinha:

Tokyo Mahjongland
Developer Game Arts
Publisher Game Arts
Release date (jp) October 18, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

The game is part of the Gambler Jiko Chūshinha series

of mahjong-themed games based on Masayuki Kataya-
ma’s manga of the same name. The game is basically
just a mahjong game with a loose RPG element thrown
in. The game also feature some full screen animation
powered by the console.

“segagagadomain.com”

Game Basic for Sega Saturn 8.8

Developer ASCII, Bits Lab., Entertainment Soft. Pub.
Publisher ASCII
Release date (jp) June 25, 1998
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Game Basic is a programming tool that allow users to

create their very own 3D or 2D games for the Sega Sat-
urn. Programming can be done on any windows plat-
form between ‘95 and XP then sent to the Saturn via a
special cable included in the package.
One of the disc included has a number of tech demos
including a pilotwings attempt in 3D as well as some
sound demos including music from Game Arts games.
“segagagadomain.com”
 Game Nihonshi: Kakumeiji Oda Nobunaga • 201

6.1 Game de Seishun

Developer KID
Publisher KID
Release date (jp) April 23, 1998
Genre Table
Mode 1-4 Players

Game de Seishun is a board game, published by Kid,

which was released in Japan in 1998.
The game support the Saturn 6 Player Adaptor periph-
eral.

Game Nihonshi: 5.0

Kakumeiji Oda Nobunaga
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (us) April 4, 1997
Genre Edutainment, Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Game Nihonshi Kakumeiji ~Oda Nobunaga~, also re-

leased for PlayStation, is a simulation title based on
Nobunaga’s exploits, abbreviating his life by begin-
ning with his first campaign and ending at Honnōji.
Gameplay is divided into two segments: a narrative
phase and a battle phase. The narrative phase tells the
story with fully voiced animated cutscenes.
“koei.wikia.com”

8.0 Game no Tetsujin

The Shanghai
Developer Activision, Sunsoft
Publisher Sunsoft
Release date (jp) October 13, 1995
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1 Player

Game no Tetsujin The Shanghai is a mahjong game

published by SunSoft, which was released in Japan in
1995 for the Sega Saturn. It also includes two addi-
tional game modes, Hong Kong and Shikinjoh.
 Game no Tatsujin 2 • 203

Game no Tatsujin 8.0

Developer Affect, Success, Chatnoir, Alpha-Beta, Itsui, Sunsoft
Publisher Sunsoft
Release date (jp) June 9, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1-2 Players

Game no Tatsujin (“Game Master”) is a board game

simulation game that offers four different board game
modes to the player.
The games include: Place (Othello), Shogi, Mahjong
and Igo.

9.0 Game no Tatsujin 2

Developer Oxford S., Success, Chatnoir, Alpha-Beta, Itsui, Sunsoft
Publisher Sunsoft
Release date (jp) March 15, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1-2 Players

Game no Tatsujin 2 is another set of video game in-

terpretations of popular Japanese board games for the
Sega Saturn.
Only this time Game No Tatsujin 2 features seven
games rather than four. Featured in this collection is
Shougi, Go, Mahjong, Renju, Place, Backgammon and
Chess.

“segagagadomain.com”

Game Tengoku 6.8

Developer Jaleco
Publisher Jaleco
Release date (jp) June 6, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Game Tengoku is a conversion of the coin-op game of

the same name. The game is a vertical scrolling comi-
cal shooter similar to Konami’s Parodius series and
Hudson’s Star Parodier.
Playable characters include: Jeynus Starmine (Exeri-
on), Seria (Plus Alpha), Z-DYNE MK II (Formation Z).
Pig (Okkotoshi Puzzle Tonjan!?), Momoko (Momoko
120%), and Miki and Misato (Field Combat).
“mobygames.com”
204 • Game-Ware Vol. 2

Game-Ware 7.5
Developer General Entertainment, Scarab
Publisher General Entertainment
Release date (jp) April 5, 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Game Ware is the idea of General Entertainment, the

company behind such Dreamcast games as the first
Godzilla and Pen Pen Triathlon. Game Ware is best
described as a magazine on CD.
Features include videos, interviews, advertisements
and a number of small games. It is the first of five
Game-Ware volumes.

“segagagadomain.com”

8.0 Game-Ware Vol. 2

Developer General Entertainment, Scarab
Publisher General Entertainment
Release date (jp) July 5, 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

The second volume include the game Mitsubishi,

which is a sort of overhead racing game against the
clock. There’s also a 1 level playable preview of Lay-
er Section and a few interviews with the makers of
NiGHTS as well as a few others. Another feature is
the Virtua Fighter digital comic with full sound and
voice acting. The one featured on this disc is the story
of Sarah Bryant part 1.
“segagagadomain.com”

Game-Ware Vol. 3 6.5

Developer General Entertainment, ISCO
Publisher General Entertainment
Release date (jp) October 4, 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

The third volume include the game Schick Protector

Man, a Breakout clone. There’s also a video preview of
Torico and a few interviews with the makers of Virtua
Cop as well as a few others. This volume also continue
the Virtua Fighter digital comicg. The one featured on
this disc is the story of Sarah Bryant part 2.

“segagagadomain.com”
 Game-Ware Vol. 5 • 205

6.0 Game-Ware Vol. 4

Developer General Entertainment, ISCO
Publisher General Entertainment
Release date (jp) March 7, 1997
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

The fourth volume of the ”magazine CD” for the Sega

Saturn, featuring videos, interviews, advertisements
and a number of small games.
The “game” came on 2 CDs, as did the fifth volume.

Game-Ware Vol. 5 6.5

Developer General Entertainment, ISCO, Digitalware
Publisher General Entertainment
Release date (jp) July 27, 1997
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

The fifth volume include a playable demo of Quvadis

2, including serial games such as Pipitto Boy, Edge
Hon, Onisan and RPG Club.
The Girls selection let users look at some 16 + year
old girls. Other stuff includes animation, TV adds, new
movies and games (at the time), a survey, and some
VF3 and Sakura Taisen info.

“segagagadomain.com”

6.3 Gegege no Kitarou:

Gentou Kaikitan
Developer Bandai
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) December 27, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Gegege No Kitaro is an adventure/digital comic game

based upon the manga of the same name.
The game was published by Bandai and released in Ja-
pan in 1996.
206 • Garou Densetsu 3: Road to the Final Victory

Garou Densetsu 3:
Road to the Final Victory 7.1
Developer SIMS
Publisher SNK
Release date (jp) June 28, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final

Victory is a 1995 head-to-head fight-
ing game released by SNK for the Neo-
Geo arcade and home platforms. It is the and a new type of combo techniques
fourth game in the Fatal Fury series after known as Combination Arts, allowing the
Fatal Fury Special (which itself was an player to cancel a specific series (which
updated version of Fatal Fury 2). Console varies between characters) of regular at-
versions of Fatal Fury 3 were released for tacks from one to the other. In addition
the Neo Geo CD, Sega Saturn, Windows- to the regular Special Moves, and the
based computers and on the Wii Virtual Super Special Moves which can only be
Console. performed when the life gauge is flashing
Taking place after the events of red, each character also has a “Hidden
Fatal Fury 2, troubles has returned in Ability”, which is a stronger version of
South Town once again as Terry received a Super Special Move. A Hidden Ability
the rumor from Joe via a message from can be used by activating “Super Mode”
Cheng that Geese has survived from the before a match using a secret code. The
fall since his defeat in the original Fatal player then enters a specific command
Fury: King of Fighters, thanks to the se- for the Hidden Ability when the life
cret Chinese scroll known as the Phoenix gauge is flashing red. Unlike Super Spe-
Scroll in his possession. cial Moves, a Hidden Ability can only be
Fatal Fury 3 retains the format used once per round.
and controls of the previous game in the Fatal Fury 3 also features a Fight-
series, Fatal Fury Special. However, the ing Level system when fighting against
two-plane battle stages have been re- the computer. When the player completes
vamped into a three plane format known a round, their performance is graded from
as the Oversway System. The player E to S. The final opponents the player fac-
fights primarily in the middle plane or es at the end of the Single Player Mode is
the main plane, but can move or “over- determined then by the player’s average.
sway” into either of the sway lines at the The player will have a choice be-
background or foreground. When the tween four characters as their first oppo-
player performs an attack in a sway plane nent (Joe, Mary, Bob and Franco). After
(or an Oversway Attack), their character the first four opponents are defeated, the
will return to the main plane. Likewise, player will fight against Ryuji Yamazaki
the player can attack an opponent who is for a plot-based match in which the play-
in a Sway Plane with an Anti-Oversway er must win only one round. The player
Attack. The player can also do a “Quick will then proceed to fight against Mai,
Sway” to avoid an attack, leaving the op- Andy, Hon-Fu, Sokaku, Terry and Geese
ponent vulnerable to a regular attack. in that order, before Yamazaki again for a
Other new techniques introduced full match. Depending on the grade aver-
in this installment includes controlling the age, the game will end against Yamazaki
height of the character’s jump, block an or the player will fight against either, or
opponent’s attack at mid-air (Air Guard), both, of the Jin twins.
 Gekirindan Time Travel Shooting • 207

Gekiretsu Pachinkers 5.6

Developer Planning Office Wada
Publisher BMG Victor
Release date (jp) August 2, 1996
Genre Gambling
Mode 1 Player

Gekiretsu Pachinkers is a pachinko game developed

by Planning Office Wada and published by BMG Vic-
tor for the Sega Saturn.
The game is a 3D Pachinko game, though, the 3D can
be seen as jerky most of the time. The game also fea-
ture four boards to chose from.

“segagagadomain.com”

6.0 Gekirindan
Time Travel Shooting
Developer Japan Media Programming
Publisher Virgin Interactive
Release date (jp) April 18, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Gekirindan Time Travel Shooting is a 1995 arcade

shoot-’em-up by Taito. The game appears to be a hom-
mage to competitor Toaplan. Enemies, player ships
etc. display many similarities.
The Saturn port can be played in both horizontal and
vertical screen orientation, the latter being identical to
the arcade setup.
“segaretro.org”

Gekitotsu Koushien 5.5

Developer Magical Company
Publisher Magical Company
Release date (jp) August 1, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Gekitotsu Koushien is a high school baseball game for

the Sega Saturn. The game is made by Magical, known
for their range of budget PlayStation and PS2 games.
The game features all of the Japanese high school
baseball teams that feature in the event which is 4000
in total. It also feature manager elements where play-
ers has to train their team to get high in the leage.

“segagagadomain.com”
208 • Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu

Gekka no Kishi: Ouryuusen 6.4

Developer Banpresto
Publisher Banpresto
Release date (jp) November 22, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1-2 Players

Gekka no Kishi: Ouryuusen is a shougi game, pub-

lished by Banpresto, which was released in Japan in
1996 for the Sega Saturn.

6.7 Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu

Developer Micro Vision
Publisher Tokuma Shoten
Release date (jp) November 29, 1996
Genre Strategy, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu, also known as The Legend of

the Galactic Heroes and Heldensagen von Kosmosin-
sel, is based on a Space Opera sci-fi novella series that
has been adapted into various anime, manga and video
games. It concerns two galactic empires constantly at
war.
This game is an extremely text heavy space battle sim-
ulation played to classical music.

Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu Plus 6.6

Developer Micro Vision
Publisher Tokuma Shoten
Release date (jp) October 23, 1997
Genre Strategy, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu Plus is an update to Ginga Eiy-

uu Densetsu, published by Tokuma Shoten, which was
released in Japan in 1997.
The plus in the title is to distinguish this version against
the original release which is missing some real-time
CG battles among other things.
 Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna Remix • 209

8.1 Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna 3:

Lightning Angel
Developer Red, Will
Publisher Hudson Soft
Release date (jp) December 4, 1997
Genre Strategy, Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Galaxy Ojousama Densetsu Yuna 3: Lightning Angel

is the third game in the Galaxy Fraulein Series, which
had previously only been released for the PC Engine
CD. Unlike the previous two, this one is a strategy
RPG game.
The game came with a gold Memorial card.

Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna 7.6

Remix
Developer Red, Will
Publisher Hudson Soft
Release date (jp) December 27, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna Remix is a remake of

a 1992 PC Engine CD game, Galaxy Fraulein Yuna,
and the first in a series of visual novels about Yuna, a
happy go lucky girl, intergalactic celebrity idol, and
Savior of Light in a far future galaxy.
Most of the game is spent watching scenarios play out,
which the player occasionally asked to make a choice
as to how the story will play out.

5.0 Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna

Mika Akitaka Illust Works
Developer Hudson Soft
Publisher Hudson Soft
Release date (jp) 1996-12-27
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna Mika Akitaka Illust

Works is an Illustration disc featuring art and informa-
tion from various Galaxy Fraulein Yuna games. Apart
from the Illustrations there’s information about the
voice actresses and actor.

“segagagadomain.com”
210 • Girl Doll Toy: Tamashii wo Kudasai

4.0 Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna

Mika Akitaka Illust Works 2
Developer Red, Will
Publisher Hudson Soft
Release date (jp) 1997-12-15
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna Mika Akitaka Illust

Works 2 is another Galaxy Fraulein Yuna art gallery
for the Sega Saturn and “sequel” to Ginga Ojousama
Densetsu Yuna Mika Akitaka Illust Works.
The CD contains a number of illustrations, interviews
with several seiyū in the series, and little extras such as
compatibilty horoscopes and character quizes.
“Vysethedetermined2@youtube”

Girl Doll Toy: 5.4

Tamashii wo Kudasai
Developer Xuse
Publisher Xuse
Release date (jp) December 23, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Girl Doll Toy: Tamashii wo Kudasai is an adventure

game, published by Xuse, which was released in Japan
in 1998 for the Sega Saturn.
The game is set around the player investigating cyborg
girls.

6.0 Go III Professional

Taikyoku Igo
Developer Mainichi Communications
Publisher Mainichi Communications
Release date (jp) August 1, 1997
Genre Table
Mode 1-2 Players

Go III Professional Taikyoku Igo is a video game in-

terpretation of the board game Igo, published by My-
com, which was released in Japan in 1997 for the Sega
Saturn.
 Gensou Suikoden • 211

Gensou Suikoden
8.7 Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (jp) September 17, 1998
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Suikoden
is a role-playing
Suikoden game published
is a role-playing by Konami
game published by
as the first
Konami asinstallment of the Suikoden
the first installment series. Theseries.
of the Suikoden game
Developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo,
it was released initially in 1995 for the PlayStation in
Japan. The game was also released for the Sega Saturn
in 1998 only in Japan, and for Windows in 1998 in Ja-
pan. On December 22, 2008, Suikoden was made avail-
able on the PlayStation Store for use on the PlayStation
3 and PlayStation Portable consoles.
The game centers on the political struggles of the Scarlet Moon Empire.
The player controls a Scarlet Moon Empire general’s son who is destined to seek
out 108 warriors (referred to as the 108 Stars of Destiny) in order to revolt against
the corrupt sovereign state and bring peace to a war-torn land. The game is loosely
based on the Chinese novel Shui Hu Zhuan, and features a vast array of characters
both controllable and not, with over ninety characters usable in combat and many
more able to help or hinder the hero in a variety of ways.
Suikoden plays like a traditional role-playing game, with the player mov-
ing characters across a landscape, advancing the plot by completing tasks and talk-
ing with other characters. It has been compared to Beyond the Beyond and, more
rarely, Final Fantasy VII.
The Hero may recruit up to 108 new characters to his cause, although not
all recruited characters are playable characters, and the battle system in Suikoden
features six person parties in combat, with each character being individually con-
trollable. Some characters can only be recruited if the party has reached a certain
experience level or found a special item.
A variety of statistics determine in-game combat ability, including opti-
mum weapon range. Weapon range requires the player to think about character
placement in the standard battle formation. There are three ranges from which
a character can have the ability to attack: Short, Medium and Long. Short range
characters are typically swordsmen who have to be placed at the front row of the
six party formation, while Medium range attacks can fight from either the front
or the back row, meanwhile Long range attackers can attack from both ranges but
benefit more so from fighting in the back row, usually due to either their low hit
point total, their low physical defence, or both.
Weapons are unique to each character and require sharpening in towns that
have blacksmiths. There are no weapon shops in Suikoden and equipment shop-
ping is limited to armour and items. However, because of the need to sharpen a
minimum of six characters’ weapons at any one time, this can be a more expensive
process than in a typical RPG. Information gathering and character recruiting is
also a commonplace occurrence within towns.
At the time of its release, Suikoden received mostly positive reviews. It
has averaged a score of 82.32% on GameRankings culled from 14 reviews. IGN
claimed the game was “one of the best RPGs ever made”, stating that although its
story is simple, the background visuals and music are beautiful and fantastic, and
it never becomes boring.
212 • Gex

Gex 7.5
Developer Crystal Dynamics, Beam Software
Publisher Crystal Dynamics, (jp) BMG Victor, Crystal Dynamics
Release date (us) December 18, 1995
Genre Platformer
Mode 1 Player

Gex
is aGex
side-scrolling
is a 1995platformer
platform originally released by
game developed for
the 3DODynamics.
Crystal in 1995. ItIt follows the adventures
was originally of Gex
released for the
the Pa-
nasonic 3DO, but ports of the game were later released
for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn and Windows. It is the
first game in the Gex series and introduces players to
the title character, a wisecracking gecko, voiced by co-
median Dana Gould.
The game is a side-scrolling platformer that
follows the title character, an anthropomorphic, tele-
vision-obsessed gecko who is sucked into the “media
dimension” by Rez, a mechanical cybernetic entity,
while watching TV. In addition to being able to walk,
run, and jump through the game’slevels, Gex can attach
himself to walls and crawl along them using the suction
pads on his feet. This technique is sometimes necessary
to progress, but can also be used to bypass enemies and
hazards.
Gex primarily attacks by whipping enemies
with his tail.
The objective in almost every level in Gex is to
explore and find television remotes hidden throughout
the levels.
Certain levels require players to find two re-
motes to access the next world. There are also hid-
den portals to bonus levels, and completing a bonus
level perfectly gives players a piece of the Planet X
remote. Though there is a bonus level in each regular
level, players need only beat one in each world to reach
Planet X, an optional secret world.
Gex served as Crystal Dynamics’s mascot, and
was intended as a competitor to rival the likes of popu-
lar video game mascots such as Mario and Sonic the
Hedgehog.
Gex received positive reviews from critics, and
managed to sell over a million copies for the 3DO mak-
ing it one of the system’s better-selling games. The four
reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave both
the PlayStation and Saturn versions a 7.875 out of 10,
commenting that the audio and cinemas in both ver-
sions were cleaned up compared to the 3DO original.
They especially praised the game’s humor and solid
platforming action. Next Generation’s review of the
Saturn version game remarked that Gex was nowhere
near as fresh as it was when it debuted on the 3DO.
 Ghen War • 213

Ghen War
5.7 Developer Jumpin’ Jack Entertainment, Sega Away Team
Publisher Virgin Interactive, (us) Sega
Release date (jp) April 26, 1996
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

Ghen
War centers
Ghen War isaround a member
a first-person of a mining
shooter for the crew,
Sega
with anItartificial
Saturn. powered
was developed exoskeleton
by Jumpin’ resembling
Jack Software anda
published by Sega in 1995. The game centers around
a member of a mining crew, with an artificial powered
exoskeleton resembling a power-loader. The crew, spe-
cifically the protagonist, must fight off a once-friendly
alien race known as the Ghen, who suddenly turn on the
humans. The story is told through a series of cut-scenes,
done mostly in full motion video.
Ghen War is a 3D first-person shooter that takes
place from within a powered loader, equipped with var-
ious tools / weapons which it uses to fight off the Ghen.
Most of the games information and HUD are displayed
along the roll-bar of the hyper-suit.
The game features 20 levels in six different lo-
cations, including Venus, Mars, Deimos, and the moon.
There are also two locations on Earth: Australia and
NORAD.
Among its guns and missiles, the hyper-suit
has unique features such as a claw-manipulator and the
ability to cast a decoy suit, which attracts enemy atten-
tion.
Ghen War featured an early example of deform-
able terrain. Firing the weapons into a mountain would
cause the mountain to wear away, much like explosions
would cause craters and other similar effects.
The game divided critics, who expressed contra-
dicting opinions on most of the game’s major aspects.
While Andrew Baran, Mike LeFebvre, and Mike Des-
mond of Electronic Gaming Monthly said the gameplay
consists of aimless wandering “with no goals or point”,
reviewers for Next Generation and Sega Saturn Maga-
zine asserted that the varied mission objectives and au-
tomap give the gameplay greater direction than most
games of its type.
Critics were also divided in their overall assess-
ments of Ghen War. Some concluded that its negative
aspects completely outweighed its merits or at best
made it a game that only a select few would have the
patience needed to appreciate, while others felt that it
offers enough enjoyment and sparks of originality to
make it worth getting.
214 • Goiken Muyou: Anarchy in the Nippon

7.4 Godzilla Rettoushinkan

Developer Scarab
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) December 22, 1995
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Players, as the Japanese military, is supposed to di-

rect their tanks and other military equipment on a 3D
isometric playing field and attack Godzilla (or other
monsters) while he’s ravaging and rampaging through
cities.
The game is playable without proper knowledge of
Japanese, although one will miss out on the “scenario”
and the dialogue.
“giantmonsters.wikia.com”

Goiken Muyou: 7.0

Anarchy in the Nippon
Developer KSS
Publisher KSS
Release date (jp) October 2, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Goiken Muyou is said to have been developed by the

same group of people who worked on the Saturn con-
version of Virtua Fighter 2, and was originally pitched
to Sega as an entirely new fighting game. Sega, how-
ever, were not interested, so Goiken Muyou was picked
up by KSS instead. Gameplay is very similar to Virtua
Fighter 2 but the game takes a more comedic approach
to the genre.

7.0 Gotha: Ismailia Seneki

Developer Micronet
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) January 27, 1995
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

This is the first in the series of Gotha games for the

Saturn and also one of the Saturn’s earlier releases.
The game is an aerial combat simulation with voices in
Japanese and 3D models for the map and battle scenes.

“segagagadomain.com”
 Gradius Deluxe Pack • 215

Golden Axe: The Duel 6.5

Developer Sega AM1
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) September 29, 1995
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Released in 1994 in the arcades and in 1995 for the

Sega Saturn, Golden Axe: The Duel is a one-on-one
fighting game featuring characters who appear to be
descendants of some of the characters in the original
game.
Though the potion-dropping imp mechanic was
praised, most dismissed the game as a decent but non-
descript one-on-one fighter.

8.4 Gradius Deluxe Pack

Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (jp) March 29, 1996
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

Gradius Deluxe Pack is a compilation of both Gradius

and Gradius II - two arcade shoot-’em-ups developed
and published by Konami. It remains to this day the
only Gradius release on a Sega system (in this case, the
Sega Saturn), though there have been several Parodius
games (which parody Gradius) and Salamander De-
luxe Pack Plus (a Gradius spin-off) also saw a release
on the Saturn. The game never left Japan.
“segaretro.org”

Grand Slam 7.0

Developer Burst Studios
Publisher Virgin Interactive
Release date (us) May, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Grand Slam Baseball was an innovative, albeit rela-

tively low-key release from Virgin Interactive Enter-
tainment in 1997.
The game introduced a few play mechanics to video
game baseball that would later prove to be fixtures in
the genre. The most notable in this area was the in-
troduction of a meter for pitching, used to control the
velocity and accuracy of pitches, similar to the familiar
swing meter in popular golf games.
216 Grandia

Grandia 8.6
Developer Game Arts
Publisher Game Arts, ESP
Release date (jp) December 18, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

xxx Grandia is a role-playing video game, devel-

oped
xxx by Game Arts and published by ESP Software
for the Sega Saturn console as the first game in their
Grandia series. Initially released in Japan in 1997, the
game was later ported to the PlayStation in 1999, with
an English version of the game appearing on the plat-
form in North America in the following September by
Sony Computer Entertainment, and later in Europe in
2000 by Ubisoft. The game was produced by much of
the same staff who worked on the company’s previ-
ous role-playing endeavor, the Lunar series, including
producer Yoichi Miyagi and music composer Noriyuki
Iwadare.
Grandia was developed by Game Arts over a period of more than two
years beginning after the release of the company’s previous role-playing video
game title, Lunar: Eternal Blue for the Sega Mega-CD. The project, headed by
producer Yoichi Miyaji and directors Takeshi Miyaji and Toshiaki Hontani, was
also originally intended for the Mega-CD system, but was shifted to the Saturn
early in development due to Sega’s abandoning the platform. According to a
spokesman for Game Arts, Grandia was created as part of the company’s on-
going effort to “provide consumers with good games rather than try to follow
market trends”, opting instead to create a product that would tell a compelling
story catering primarily to their existing fanbase. The Saturn version was re-
leased in exclusively in Japan, along with a special Limited Edition for those
who pre-ordered the game between October 25 and November 30, 1997, which
included a fold-out cloth map of the Grandia world, as well as a mini radio drama
disc featuring voiced scenes from the game. In November 1998, Grandia was re-
released in Japan as the Grandia Memorial Package, which featured new instruc-
tion booklet artwork and a lower sales price. Sega of America had commented
that they had no plans to bring an English version of the game to North American
audiences on their system, which prompted an online petition originating on the
role-playing game fansite LunarNET designed to alert the company of consumer
interest. Despite gathering several hundred signatures in only a few days, as well
as promotion from gaming website GameSpot, the Saturn version was never re-
leased internationally.
In March 1999, Game Art’s Japanese publisher ESP Software showcased
a PlayStation version of Grandia at that year’s Tokyo Game Show expo, along
with confirmation that the game would be released in English for the first time
in North America by Sony Computer Entertainment America. Working Designs,
which had previously worked with Game Arts on bringing their Lunar games to
the region, had expressed interest in publishing the game, but were ultimately
unable to secure the rights. New features for the PlayStation version included
support for the system’s DualShock analog control sticks and vibration function,
as well as compatibility with Sony’s Japanese-only PocketStation peripheral,
which allows players to download game data on a portable device for use in a
 Grandia 217

special mini-game. Although the company had expressed

interest in bringing the game to the PlayStation as early
as 1998, technical problems originally prevented the title
from being ported to the system. Game Arts was later able
to release the game with a slight loss in frame rate and a
marginal decrease in video effects the following June. The
North American version was originally announced by Sony
as a summer release during the 1999 Electronic Entertain-
ment Expo in Los Angeles, but was pushed back to the fol-
lowing October. Grandia was later released for the PlaySta-
tion in Europe in 2000 by Ubisoft.
The game is set in a fantasy world of emerging
technology and exploration. A young boy named Justin in-
herits a magic stone that leads him on a journey around the
world to uncover the mystery of a long-lost civilization.
Along the way, he meets other adventurers who join him
on his quest, which draws the attention of the militaristic
Garlyle Forces who seek to uncover the secrets of the past
as well.
Grandia’s environments are depicted as three-di-
mensional maps, with characters represented by 2-D ani-
mated bitmap sprites. The camera is fully rotational and
follows the party from an angled third-person perspective;
it is often necessary to rotate the camera in order to see hidden items or passageways.
Grandia features a rotational party roster. The statistics of each party member increase each time they
gain a new level by defeating enemies and earning experience points. Characters learn new abilities through
the repeated use of weapons and spells. Once a particular weapon/magic spell is used a number of times in
battle, its Skill Level is raised. Weapons are divided into different classes, including swords, maces, axes,
whips and knives. Each party member’s potential abilities are listed on a Skill screen within the game’s main
menu, as well as the Skill requirements that must be met in order to learn them. The game encourages players
to periodically switch between weapons. When a weapon or magic element levels up, permanent stat points
are added to that character as well. For example, when a character’s water skill levels up, they also receive +1
HP as well as +2 MP.
Monsters in Grandia are visible on the field and wander around aimlessly until the party gets close. A
battle begins once the monster touches a party member. If the player manages to sneak up on the enemy and
make contact from the rear, they gain a preemptive strike and attack first. Likewise, if an enemy touches a
party member from behind, they get the first strike. Combat is shown from a third-person overhead view. The
IP bar at the bottom right corner of the screen displays a row of icons, which represent all party members and
enemies on the screen. When an icon drifts to the midpoint of the IP Bar, that character can choose their next
action. The IP Bar also shows the time it takes for enemies to attack; if the party manages to land a strike dur-
ing the period where an enemy is preparing an attack, that enemy’s attack is canceled.
Grandia received near-universal acclaim during its original release in Japan, garnering a 9 out of 10
from both Sega Saturn Magazine and Saturn Fan, as well as an 8.75 out of 10 from Weekly TV Gamer. Weekly
Famitsu granted the game a 32 out of 40, earning it an editor’s choice Gold Award. Despite not being released
outside Japan, GameSpot covered the Saturn version in a 1998 import review, claiming that Grandia “beats
out Final Fantasy VII in all of the ways that matter,” adding that the game was “not only longer, with a more
engaging cast of characters, but it lacks the lulls that so many RPGs have because of these merits,” awarding
the game an Editor’s Choice Award. Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine called the game “arguably the best
RPG for Sega’s Saturn console.” The game earned an “Excellence Award” during the 1997 CESA Japan Game
Awards as runner-up for game of the year.
218 • GranDread

8.1 Grandia Digital Museum

Developer Game Arts
Publisher Game Arts, ESP
Release date (jp) May 28, 1998
Genre Role-playing, Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Grandia: Digital Museum is a spin-off of the compa-

ny’s first Grandia title, and is designed to be more of
an extension of the original than an independent game,
featuring character graphics, textures, and music lifted
directly from its predecessor.
As players progress through the game, bonus mate-
rial becomes unlocked in the museum itself, which in-
cludes music files, artwork, and movie clips related to
Grandia, as well as minigames.

GranDread 6.5
Developer C-Lab., Bahamut
Publisher Banpresto
Release date (jp) November 27, 1997
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Grandread is a space simulation game, developed by

C-Lab and published by Banpresto, which was re-
leased in Japan in 1997.
The game feature voice acting with a few cut scenes
during the battles which are presented in 3D.

6.5 Greatest Nine ‘96

Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) July 19, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Greatest Nine ‘96 is a baseball game, published by

Sega, which was released in Japan in 1996. It is the
sequel to Kanzen Chuukei Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine.
The game is very similar to the original Greatest Nine
but has a slight graphical improvement. It features
both the Central and Pacific leagues.

“segagagadomain.com”
 Grid Runner • 219

Grid Runner
7.3 Developer Radical Entertainment
Publisher Virgin Interactive
Release date (us) November 20, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1-2 Players

Grid
Runner is a top-down
Grid Runner, knowngame similar
as Grid Runtointag. The ob-
Europe, is
ject of the game isdeveloped
an action to changeby
a set amountEntertainment
Radical of flags scat-
and published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment for
the Sega Saturn, PlayStation and Windows in 1996. It is
frequently described as a cross between tag and capture
the flag, but the playing field is a maze-like grid which
the players can manipulate to an extent. Players can ei-
ther compete against each other in one-on-one matches
or take on a series of AI opponents in the game’s story
mode. Grid Runner was first announced under the title
“Eurit”.
The object of the game is to capture a set amount
of flags scattered around the playfield by touching them.
Upon starting the game, two players must race to find
the first flag. The first player to get to this flag will cap-
ture it, indicated by the flag changing to that player’s
color. The other player is marked as “it” and must then
hunt down the other player, “tagging” them and making
them “it” instead. Only the player not marked as “it”
may capture flags. Flags which one player has already
captured can be recaptured by the other player.
The map is in a grid, featuring numerous types
of tiles allowing the player to speed up in one direc-
tion, teleport or allow further pathways to appear. Each
player is armed with a laser gun that can slow the op-
ponent down, and each player may build “bridges” to
overcome gaps.
According to Virgin Interactive Entertainment
producer Stacy Hendrickson, the developer Radical En-
tertainment thought of Grid Runner as a “fun, original
alternative two-player game” that would be neither a
fighting or a sports title about a decade before the game
was finally made, and that they also put “a lot of work
on the AI” of single-player enemies. All of the game’s
cast of characters were first sketched on paper, then
turned into sculptures, before finally being rendered in
3D to limit the use of “work-intensive, expensive ren-
dering workstations”.
The game’s console versions received positive
reviews, earning it an averaged GameRankings score
76.20% from six reviews of the PlayStation version and
81% from four reviews of the Sega Saturn version. The
PC version has a lower GameRankings score of 68%
from three reviews.
220 Guardian Heroes

Guardian Heroes 8.7

Developer Treasure
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) January 26, 1996
Genre Beat-’em-up
Mode 1-6 Players

xxx Guardian Heroes is a 2D side-scrolling beat

‘em up game in the vein of Final Fight or Golden Axe,
xxx
but with RPG elements. The development team called
it a “fighting RPG”. The game allows players to alter
the storyline through their actions, such as choosing
between a number of branching paths, leading to mul-
tiple endings, and killing civilians and enemies, lead-
ing to changes in the Karma meter.
In addition to story mode, the game includes
a versus mode wherein up to six players can compete
using any of the main characters (and unlockable mon-
sters, bosses, and civilians) in a timed battle or to the
death.
The players earn experience points during each scene, and between
scenes are able to improve and customize their characters with six attributes:
Strength (determines physical damage per hit and distance enemies fly when
the player hits them), Vitality (determines HP), Intelligence (governs size and
strength of spells), Mentality (determines how many MP the player has and how
fast MP are recovered), Agility (determines the speed at which characters can do
physical and magical attacks) and Luck (modifies damage the player gives and
receives, in addition to improving Nicole’s selection of spells).
The game’s story mode has multiple paths. The player can choose where
they will go and what they do after every level. Different paths lead to different
endings, bosses, and levels.
The battlefield has multiple levels. Initially, the player can only access three
planes of battle: a foreplane, a middle plane, and a back plane. These planes can
be switched between in set sequence, or at the player’s choosing based on which
button is pressed. Often, evasive actions can be taken by switching a plane.
Playable characters include;
Samuel Han: Physically powerful, Han can inflict a lot of damage even against
guarding opponents (as his tackle bypasses blocking), but his movements are
slow, and he cannot use much magic. He also has a flaming attack, similar to
Ginjirou’s lightning attack. Though he is slow-moving at first, raising his Agil-
ity stat will correct this. Han starts the game wielding the sword of the Undead
Hero, until it is reclaimed by its true owner. In one of the story arcs, he may ac-
quire a similar sword which grants him the stat bonuses he originally had when
wielding the Undead Sword.
Randy M. Green: Randy has many spectacular attacks and a large variety of
elemental magic, including fireballs, lightning bolts, pools of ice and a devastat-
ing laser-like heat ray. However, he suffers from low vitality. Randy’s familiar,
Nando, assists Randy during story mode, and is available as a playable character
in Versus mode. In melee, Randy uses multi-hit attacks.
Ginjirou Ibushi: Ginjirou has an emphasis on mobility. He has a large variety
of moving attacks, but this can also work against him. He also has a number of
lightning/thunder attacks. Though his attack power is weaker than Han’s, the
 Guardian Heroes 221

sheer number of hits he is capable of dealing to enemies

makes him a formidable character, and his lightning attacks
allow him to deliver more hits to any single target than any
other character in the game, meaning he can rack up combo
points very easily and gain levels just as quickly.
Nicole Neil: Nicole has a smiley face emblem on her amu-
let and most of her magic attacks incorporate a smiley face.
She is the only hero who can use healing magic, but as a
drawback her attacks are the weakest of the four heroes.
Her Barrier ability damages enemies until they are forced
away from her; if an enemy cannot be forced away from
Nicole (e.g. the Barrier pushes the enemy against the wall),
then it suffers grievous wounds until the barrier wears off.
If an enemy blocks the barrier attack and is standing against
the wall, the barrier deals massive amounts of damage.
Serena Corsair: Serena the Knight has a wide variety of
moves and a good selection of magic spells, the majority of
which revolve around cold and ice. The most powerful of
these are her Angel Breath, which creates an umbrella-like
field of ice particles around herself when used, protecting
her from physical attacks and freezing anything close to her, and the Valkyrie Javelin, which is similar to
Randy’s Super Magic Fire Blaster, but freezes attackers instead of burning them. Serena joins the player as an
NPC in story mode, but is later unlockable as a playable character. Kanon later reveals that Serena is actually
the surviving heir of the murdered Khans, making her a legitimate contender for the throne. She is the only
hidden character that can be played in story mode.
According to former Treasure designer Tetsuhiko “Han” Kikuchi, Fill-in-Cafe’s Mad Stalker: Full
Metal Force and Capcom’s Alien VS. Predator arcade game were the main inspirations for Guardian Heroes’
design.When asked why Treasure chose to develop a 2D sprite-based game when the video game sales were
increasingly dominated by 3D games, and when nearly every other Saturn developer was concentrating strict-
ly on 3D games, a Treasure representative commented, “Treasure has built up a tremendous knowledge of 2D
sprite know how. It’s an asset that we wish to continue using. ... No we didn’t think it was risky. In fact the risk
is in trying to make a new game. There [are] a lot of companies that have tried and failed to make successful
3D games. Besides, 2D and 3D games can exist alongside each other.”

The game was well received. The four reviewers of Elec-

tronic Gaming Monthly praised the game’s combos, multiple
paths, and inclusion of a versus mode. Rad Automatic of Sega
Saturn Magazine also praised the multiple paths through the
game, but expressed the most enthusiasm about the high diffi-
culty and the three layers on which the action takes place. He
concluded, “Innovative, challenging, exciting and tough, Guard-
ian Heroes is a classic in every way.”
Retrospective feedback on the game has continued to be
positive. IGN staff writer Levi Buchanan ranked Guardian He-
roes third in his list of the top Sega Saturn games. GamesRadar
ranked it as the 5th best Saturn game, stating that “Treasure’s
original 1996 release remains a wonderful co-op beat-’em-up
experience with impressive presentation and exciting combat”.
On May 5, 2011, Sega of America and Sega Europe an-
nounced a remastered version of Guardian Heroes for Xbox Live
Arcade, released in October 12, 2011.
222 • Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu

Guardian Force 8.1

Developer Success
Publisher Success
Release date (jp) August 6, 1998
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Guardian Force is a radical departure from the charac-

ter-driven, ‘cute-em-up’ style of Success Cotton fran-
chise. The player controls a futuristic tank, and there’s
hardly a human character to be seen. The enemies are
realistic tanks, helicopters, jets, and armored vehicles,
and the graphical palette sports a dark, gritty tone. It’s
an odd choice for a company that built its name off
wide-eyed witches and bikini-clad fairies.
“hardcoregaming101.net”

6.7 Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu

Developer Micro Vision
Publisher Tokuma Shoten
Release date (jp) November 29, 1996
Genre Strategy, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu, also known as The Legend of

the Galactic Heroes and Heldensagen von Kosmosin-
sel, is based on a Space Opera sci-fi novella series that
has been adapted into various anime, manga and video
games. It concerns two galactic empires constantly at
war.
This game is an extremely text heavy space battle sim-
ulation played to classical music.

Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu Plus 6.6

Developer Micro Vision
Publisher Tokuma Shoten
Release date (jp) October 23, 1997
Genre Strategy, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu Plus is an update to Ginga Eiy-

uu Densetsu, published by Tokuma Shoten, which was
released in Japan in 1997.
The plus in the title is to distinguish this version against
the original release which is missing some real-time
CG battles among other things.
 Gunbird • 223

6.6 Gale Racer

Developer Sega CS
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) December 2, 1994
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

Rad Mobile, known as Gale Racer for the Sega Saturn

port, is an arcade racing game released in 1990 using
the Sega System 32 platform. It was Sega’s first Sys-
tem 32 game and is also the first game which Sonic the
Hedgehog appeared in.
The game takes place in the first person perspective.
The race is a speed race across the USA where the
player is limited by time, police on certain stages, and
weather effects.

Gunbird
7.6
Developer Psikyo
Publisher Atlus
Release date (us) December 15, 1995
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Gunbird, Gunbird is a vertically

a vertically scrolling
scrolling shoot shoot
‘em up, ‘em
uses man-up developed
and
ga-styled character as the player’s chosen craft. A story in 1994.
published by Psikyo and released in Japanese arcades
It has out
plays beeninre-released multiple
between levels times, boss
and before including
fights,ontell-
the Sega Sat-
urn,
ing aPlayStation,
tale of how and Steam.
the protagonists are trying to collect
pieces
of a magic mirror to make
The story plays out in between a wish. levels and before boss
fights, telling a between
The cutscenes tale of howthe the protagonists
battles with twoareplayers
trying to collect
pieces
fighting cooperatively are frequently packed with co- between
of a magic mirror to make a wish. The cutscenes
the battles
medic with and
dialogue two situations.
players fighting cooperatively are frequently
packed with comedic dialogue and situations.
The Saturn version of Gunbird was only released in Ja-
pan, however a version for the PlayStation did surface in the West
under the name Mobile Light Force (complete with entirely unre-
lated packaging and removal of cutscenes) some years later.
For the most part, both the Saturn and PlayStation games
are broadly similar, however the PlayStation has more intrusive
loading sequences during gameplay, and lacks the “tate mode”
option of the Saturn conversion, which rotates the game by 90
degrees to benefit from vertical monitors (which the arcade game
was designed for). The PlayStation version also lacks the ability
to save progress, and while some sound effects (most noticably
speech) is seemingly played back at a higher quality, the artwork
can appear darker and less saturated than its Saturn counterpart.
Gunbird received mostly positive reviews. An import ver-
sion for the Sega Saturn earned good scores of 82% from and 80%
from French magazines Consoles + and Mega Force.
“segaretro.org”
224 • Gun Frontier Arcade Gears

8.0 Groove On Fight:

Gouketsuji Ichizoku 3
Developer Atlus
Publisher Atlus
Release date (jp) May 16, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-4 Players

Gouketsuji Ichizoku 3: Groove on Fight, part of the

Power Instinct series, takes place 20 years after the last
Goketsuji tournament. It has a darker and more serious
tone than its predecessors, but still maintains a little of
the same humor that is particular to the series.
Gameplay is in a 2-on-2 format with the ability to tag
in and out at any time between players.

Gun Frontier Arcade Gears 7.7

Developer GOO!
Publisher Xing
Release date (jp) September 25, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Gun Frontier is a port of the 1990 arcade vertical shoot-

’em-up based on the animated series of the same name.
The setting of the series and purportedly of the game
is an extraterrestrial American Wild West, with the
player fighting to defend settlers from airborne pirates
-- the game, though, actually looks to be an entirely
standard military-themed shooter, with the player’s jet
fighter set against tanks and other airplanes.
“mobygames.com”

8.5 Gunblaze S
Developer Active
Publisher KID
Release date (jp) January 29, 1998
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

GunBlaze S is a remake of GunBlaze. The story re-

mains the same as in the original game, and the dia-
logues almost the same, with a few minor omissions.
The gameplay is also largely unchanged.
The main difference between the two versions is in the
graphics. Many locations and cut scenes in GunBlaze
S were re-drawn from scratch. Some of the locations
have different layout.
 Gungriffon II • 225

Gun Griffon 7.3

Developer Game Arts
Publisher Sega, (jp) Game Arts
Release date (jp) March 15, 1996
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

Gungriffon is the first in a series of video games de-

signed by Takeshi Miyaji. Players pilot an enormous
walking mech to complete missions set all over the
world in late 21st century warfare fighting other mechs,
trucks and helicopters.
The missions, set in different weathers and at different
times of day, usually have specific objectives, be they
search and destroy, protecting allies or killing every-
thing.

8.2 Gungriffon II
Developer Game Arts
Publisher Game Arts, ESP
Release date (jp) April 23, 1998
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1-4 Players

Gungriffon II is 3D FPP mecha simulator, similar to

Armored Core or Mechwarrior, continuation of Gun-
griffon, released only in Japan. Players is a pilot of
giant humanoid looking, heavily armed robot. They
must complete various missions (search & destroy,
guard various objects, etc.), and fight against other ro-
bots and tanks. Various robots and equipment for com-
bat can be selected.
“mobygames.com”

Gussun Oyoyo-S 7.0

Developer Xing
Publisher Xing
Release date (jp) March 29, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Originating as an arcade title but spanning many con-

soles, Gusson Oyoyo combines the traditional falling
block puzzle of Tetris with a wandering Lemming-like
character.
The core gameplay of the series is to help Gussun and
his brother Oyoyo (Vic and Vinnie respectively in
Risky Challenge) escape a flooding stage by building
a stairway with Tetris blocks. The goal is to reach the
ceiling before the water level drowns the pair.
226 • Hang-On GP

Habitat II
Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) July 27, 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Habitat II was a Saturn based game client for Fujit-

su’s “Habitat II” virtual world which itself was a li-
censed version of Fujitsu’s WorldsAway virtual world
launched September 1995. The service was initially
made available online to Windows users in March
1996 and 4 months later the Saturn client was released.
It is completely reliant on the Sega Saturn Modem due
to the client/server relationship and thus cannot func-
tion in the modern age.

6.7 Hang-On GP
Developer Genki
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) October 27, 1995
Genre Racing
Mode 1 Player

Hang-On GP features three tracks: Albatross Cliff Reef,

Great Crimson Wall, and New Dwells. Each track con-
tains an additional route that becomes available after a
high placing. This makes a total of six possible races.
Players can choose from among ten motorcycles to use
during a race as well as an automatic or manual trans-
mission for each. Players can also decide how the bike
should control, highside or power slide.

Hankou Shashin: Shibarareta 5.3

Shoujo-tachi no Mita Mono ha?
Developer Imagineer
Publisher Imagineer
Release date (jp) June 14, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Hankou Shashin (“Photograph of a Crime”) is an ad-

venture/sound novel game. The game is based around
a murder in a country hotel where 3 teens just so hap-
pen to be. So it’s up to players to find out just what
happened as well as getting to see a bit of teen skin.

“segagagadomain.com”
 Hardcore 4X4 • 227

7.0 Hansha de Spark!

Developer Prism
Publisher Sieg
Release date (jp) December 23, 1997
Genre Action
Mode 1-4 Players

Hansha de Spark! is a 2D top-down arcade game, simi-

lar in style to Bomberman, but instead of using bombs,
players can shoot energy balls that receive power by
bouncing off the special walls. They can collect bonus-
es to gain advantage. Game features both single-play-
er mode where the player fights against zombie-like
regular enemies and bosses, and a multi-player mode
where players fights against other players or bots.
“mobygames.com”

Hardcore 4x4 6.9

Developer Gremlin Interactive
Publisher Gremlin Interactive, (us) ASC Games, (jp) Human
Release date (us) December 20, 1996
Genre Racing
Mode 1 Player

Hardcore 4x4 is an off-road racing game. Players drive

a 4x4 like a Jeep or pickup truck around 3D cross-
country loops and attempt to get to the finish line first.
Though very dated by today’s standards Hardcore 4x4
was one of the first fully 3D off-road racing/driving
games to feature realistic physics, with each vehicle
having independent suspension. There is also a run-
ning commentary.
“segaretro.org”

8.2 Harukaze Sentai V-Force

Developer Ving
Publisher Ving
Release date (jp) June 27, 1997
Genre Simulation, Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Harukaze Sentai V-Force is an isometric strategy RPG

similar to Front Mission or Super Robot Taisen. The
game follows Natsuki, Mizuki, and Kagetsu, three sis-
ters who are pilots in the Earth Defense Force. Each
mission allows players to configure their character’s
weaponry, and as they fight, they will gain experience
and level up.
It originally came with a VHS cassette and three game
discs.
228 • HatTrick Hero S

5.2 Hatsukoi Monogatari

Developer Axes Art Amuse
Publisher Tokuma Shoten Intermedia
Release date (jp) October 1, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Hatsukoi Monogatari is a love simulation/adventure

game set in the usual Japanese high-school where the
player character is looking for love.
The game was developed by Axes Art Amuse and pub-
lished by Tokuma Shoten, which was released in Japan
in 1998.

HatTrick Hero S 6.5

Developer Taito
Publisher Taito
Release date (jp) December 8, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

Hattrick Hero S may be reminiscent of the side-scroll-

ing arcade soccer games in 2D that were popular in the
coin-ops of the 90’s. In this game players can choose
among a large list of national teams (42 in total) from
all the continents, and they can compete in either a
friendly match, a championship, a world league or a
penalty shoot out session. Each team counts with an
“Ace” player, or in other words, the man with the best
skills in the team.

4.3 Haunted Casino

Developer Societa Daikanyama
Publisher Societa Daikanyama
Release date (jp) September 27, 1996
Genre Gambling
Mode 1 Player

Haunted Casino is a table game published by Societa

Daikanyama for the Sega Saturn. The game is present-
ed as one of those FMV based adventures that press-
ing straight, left, right or back to advance through the
areas. Gameplay involves playing card games in order
to win coins.
The game came on three CDs.

“segagagadomain.com”
230 • Heir of Zendor:The Legend and the Land

HeartBeat Scramble 6.6

Developer Japan Media Programming
Publisher Imagineer
Release date (jp) September 6, 1996
Genre Simulation, Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Heartbeat Scramble is an adventure/ dating simulation

game, developed by Japan Media Programming and
published by Imagineer, which was released in Japan
in 1996 for Sega Saturn. The game feature both digi-
tized and anime drawn ladies.

7.7 Heir of Zendor:

The Legend and The Land
Developer Micronet
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) March 1, 1996
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Heir of Zendor: The Legend and The Land is a turn-

based strategy game and a sequel to Gotha: Ismailia
Seneki. The game is set on Zendor. The most impor-
tant resource is water, which after the Great Wars still
remained only in the continent named Terra Sancta.
The player assumes the role of the commander of the
Zendorian Squadron of the Royal Alliance Expedition-
ary Forces and needs to defeat the “Five Kings”.

Heisei Tensai 6.0

Bakabon Susume! Bakabons
Developer General Entertainment
Publisher General Entertainment
Release date (jp) July 7, 1995
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Heisei Tensai Bakabon Susume! Bakabons is a puzzle

game based on the anime/manga of the same name.
The game was developed and published by General
Ent, which was released in Japan in 1995 for the Sega
Saturn.
The game can be seen as a Hebereki No Popun clone.
 Hebereke’s Popoitto • 231

Hebereke’s Popoitto
6.7 Developer Success
Publisher Sunsoft
Release date (jp) March 3, 1995
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Hebereke’s
PopoittoPopoitto,
Hebereke’s is a Tetris variant.
known It is part
in Japan of Sun-
as Popoit-
soft’s Hebereke
to Hebereke and series - a Station
Popoitto franchise which started
Hebereke, with
the latter a
name only used for the PlayStation version, is a puzzle-
type game in the Hebereke series developed by Sunsoft
for the Sega Saturn, PlayStation and SNES consoles.
Although released in Japan and Europe during 1995
and 1996, it was never released in North America. The
gameplay is reminiscent to video-game titles like Dr.
Mario and Puyo Puyo. Like Popoon before, it was also
ported to Japanese mobile phones.
The core gameplay element consists of player-
controlled blocks falling from the top of the playing
field. In Hebereke’s Popoitto, pairs of blocks, where
each block in the pair can be any available color, ap-
pear from the top of the playing field and continue to
fall until they fall on top of the ground or another block.
The pair of blocks are, as long as they’re still falling,
controlled by the player and can be rotated. When a pair
of blocks is suspended, a new pair of player-controlled
blocks will fall from playing field ceiling. By lining up
four or more blocks with the same color in certain for-
mations the whole formation disappears.
What sets Hebereke’s Popoitto apart from other similar games is
that moving creatures, named Poro-porous, will float suspended in mid-air
on the playing field. Sporadically, Poro-porous will move one space right,
left, up or down. Touching a Poro-poro with a pair of blocks will as always
suspend the blocks, and consequently the erratic behaviour of Poro-porous
makes it more difficult for the player to plan ahead. Each Poro-poro has its
own color and can be, just as with any other block, destroyed by making
a formation with the same color. A game is won when every Poro-poro on
the playing field is eliminated. A game can also be lost when the blocks fill
up to the top of the playing field.
In a single-player game, there is a story mode feature. It allows the
player to travel to different worlds with an on-screen map and meet other
characters. If a battle against another character is won, which is accom-
plished by winning two rounds, the defeated character becomes playable.
Additionally, a multiplayer mode is available, where two players
battle each other simultaneously. Specific for the two-player mode is a
kind of special attack, which can be activated by eliminating more than
one formation of blocks with one pair of blocks. A handicap level can be
set individually for each player.
Hebereke’s Popoitto was featured in several European video game
magazines, and received mixed to positive reviews.
232 • Herc’s Adventures

5.3 Heiwa Pachinko Soushingeki

Developer Naxat Soft, Heiwa, Amtex
Publisher Naxat Soft
Release date (jp) October 4, 1996
Genre Gambling
Mode 1 Player

Heiwa Pachinko Soushingeki is a pachinko game for

the Sega Saturn. It can be seen as one of the most im-
pressive Pachinko simulations on the Saturn for more
than one reason. The main boards used within the
game are in fully 3D. It has no polygon bending or
warping, no break up and no iffy textures. The second
feature that sets this Pachinko sim apart from others
is the RPG element. It also feature 5 different boards.
“segagagadomain.com”

Herc’s Adventures 7.5

Developer Big Ape Productions, LucasArts
Publisher LucasArts
Release date (us) July 14, 1997
Genre Action-adventure
Mode 1-2 Players

Herc’s Adventures is similar to Zombies Ate My

Neighbors. Players can pick among three ancient
Greek heroes; Herc (Hercules), Atlanta (Atalanta), or
Jason, who are on a quest to defeat Hades and save the
Goddess of nature, Persephone.
Every time the players die, they are sent down to
Hades’ underworld and needed to fight their way to the
exit in order to get a chance to continue. The more they
die, the further back into the underworld they are sent.

7.2 High Velocity:

Mountain Racing Challenge
Developer Cave, Atlus
Publisher Atlus
Release date (jp) November 10, 1995
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

High Velocity is an arcade-style racing game that al-

lows players to drive sports cars on twisty roads around
Japanese mountain tops. There are 3 tracks on which
to drive, each with forward and reverse routes. Players
may choose from one of 6 different cars, each with dif-
ferent driving characteristics. There are three different
game modes: King Battle, VS. Battle, and Time Trial.
“mobygames.com”
 Highway 2000 • 233

Highschool Terra Story 7.5

Developer Success, Uran, KID
Publisher KID
Release date (jp) July 23, 1998
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Highschool Terra Story is a simulation game published

by KID for the Sega Saturn. Players take the role of
Keisuke, a high-school student. Players use their time
trying to improve their relationship with the six girls,
Misa, Rina, Mimi, Aki, Chiho and Mao.
Its sequel, College Terra Story, was released only on
the PC.

8.0 Highway 2000

Developer Genki
Publisher Natsume, (eu) JVC, (jp) Pack-In-Video
Release date (jp) December 15, 1995
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

Highway 2000 is a racing game that offers five rac-

ing tracks and three cars (Mad Viper, Dark Nebula and
Rapid Fire) with different statistics based on speed,
acceleration, handling and grip. The game has several
modes like the tournament mode in which you race
against AI-controlled opponents and a time trial mode.
There is also a two-player race mode in where players
race in split-screen.
“mobygames.com”

Himitsu Sentai Metamor V 8.0

Developer Feycraft
Publisher Mainichi Communications
Release date (jp) April 23, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Himitsu Sentai Metamor V is an adventure game based

upon the anime of the same name. The game was de-
veloped by Feycraft and published by Mainichi Com-
munications Inc., which was released in Japan in 1998
for the Sega Saturn.
234 • Hexen

Hexen
Developer id Software, Raven Software
7.4
Publisher GT Interactive, (jp) Game Bank
Release date (eu) March 21, 1997
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

Hexen:
BeyondBeyond
Hexen: Heretic is a dark
Heretic fantasy
is a dark first-person
fantasy first-per-
shooter. It isdeveloped
son shooter the sequel
bytoRaven
1994’s Heretic,and
Software and the sec-
published
by id Software through GT Interactive Software. It is the
sequel to 1994’s Heretic, and the second game in Raven
Software’s “Serpent Riders” series. The title comes from
the German noun Hexen, which means “witches”, and/or
the verb hexen, which means “to cast a spell”. Game pro-
ducer John Romero stated that a third game in this series
which was never released was to be called Hecatomb.
A new series feature introduced in Hexen is the
choice of three character classes. Players may choose to
play as a fighter (Baratus), a cleric (Parias), or a mage
(Daedolon). Each character has unique weapons and
physical characteristics, lending an additional degree of
variety and replay value to the game. The Fighter relies
mainly on close quarter physical attacks with weapons
both mundane and magical in nature, and is tougher and
faster than the other characters. The Mage uses an assort-
ment of long-range spells, whose reach is counterbal-
anced by the fact that he is the most fragile and slowest
moving of the classes. The Cleric arms himself with a
combination of both melee and ranged capabilities, being
a middle ground of sorts between the other two classes.
Additionally, certain items, such as the flechette (poison
gas bomb), behave differently when collected and used by
each of the classes, functioning in a manner better suiting
their varying approach to combat, further differentiating
the three characters.
The Sega Saturn version, developed by Probe,
inherits most of the restrictions of the PlayStation ver-
sion, such as the simplified scenery architecture and the
downgraded lighting, although it does feature improve-
ments in certain aspects. The scripting is faster, and the
frame rate, while not fluid or consistent, is slightly better.
The enemies still have all but their front sprites missing,
but they retain their gory deaths when killed by a strong
hit or weapon. This version also has hidden two-player
link-up cooperative and deathmatch modes, accessible
only through the unlockable cheat menu. While this port
shares the FMV scenes and most of the Redbook audio
music from the other CD-ROM versions, it also includes
some new music tracks.

The Sega Saturn version, also developed by Probe,[7]

 Hi-Octane • 235

Hi-Octane
7.3 Developer Bullfrog
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (eu) December, 1995
Genre Racing, Action
Mode 1-2 Players

Hi-Octane
is a racing/vehicular
Hi-Octane is a racing combat game developed
and vehicular combat
by
gameBullfrog,
releasedand basedfor
in 1995 upon
thetheir earlier Magic
PC, PlayStation andCarpet
Sega
Saturn, developed by Bullfrog, and based upon their
earlier Magic Carpet game code.
It is notable amongst racing games for its wide
and open tracks, and the resulting freedom offered to
the player, and also for its excessive speed.
The game offers a choice of six hovercraft vehi-
cles differentiated by their top speed, armour, firepow-
er, weight and appearance: KD-1 Speeder, Berserker,
Jugga, Vampire, Outrider, and Flexiwing. There are six
tracks to race on, with names like New Chernobyl which
hint at a dystopian futuristic world (although the game
does not feature a backstory). The tracks offer different
difficulties, various textures and types of landscape like
wastelands and city streets.
Hi-Octane is rumored to begin life as something
several Bullfrog programmers coded in free time, and
then decided to improve the game and market it under
the auspices of Electronic Arts. Developer Peter Mo-
lyneux stated that EA set Bullfrog under pressure to re-
lease Dungeon Keeper, but they weren’t able to do so
within their deadlines. In order to relieve some of the
pressure, they quickly developed Hi Octane.
In a Gamasutra article it was mentioned that
“PC and Saturn racing game Hi-Octane, was devel-
oped in just eight weeks using the Magic Carpet en-
gine, as a way to “fill a quarter that didn’t have enough
revenue”.”
The game suffered in the marketplace due to
thematic similarities with the better received Wipeout
by Psygnosis and the generality of its graphics engine
made for a very short depth of view compared to con-
temporary racing games. Maximum deemed the Saturn
version “a mildly entertaining but graphically impover-
ished title for fans of the original only.” They criticized
the port’s many graphical shortcomings, particularly the
jerky frame rate, heavy slowdown in two-player mode,
lack of texture mapping on enemy craft, and clipping
polygon scenery which can cause the player’s craft to
become stuck.
236 • Hissatsu!

2.0 Hissatsu Pachinko Collection

Developer Sunsoft, Daiichi, Fuji, Nifty-Serve, Chatnoir
Publisher Sunsoft
Release date (jp) January 19, 1996
Genre Gambling
Mode 1 Player

Hissatsu Pachinko Collection was originally released

in late 1994 for the Super Famicom, and was joined by
three sequels across the next two years (two in 1995,
one in 1996). In early 1996, this game was released on
the Sega Saturn with various CD enhancements.
The game have Pachinko modes with semi RPG ele-
ments but also a mahjong game which takes place in
the players living room.

Hissatsu! 8.0
Developer Emotion Digital Software
Publisher Bandai Visual
Release date (jp) June 28, 1996
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1 Player

Hissatsu! is based on a Japanese TV drama series from

the 1970’s, about four men who are tradesmen by day
but assassins by night.
Hissatsu is a platform action game featuring 3 char-
acters set in ancient Japan. Two of the characters are
the typical samurai looking types while the other guy
looks more like a cowboy with a pistol.

5.6 Hiyake no Omoide & Himekuri:

Girls in Motion Puzzle Vol. 1
Developer Japan Media Programming
Publisher Yanoman
Release date (jp) December 8, 1995
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Hiyake no Omoide & Himekuri: Girls in Motion Puz-

zle Vol. 1 is a puzzle game developed by JAMP and
published by Yanoman for the Sega Saturn.
It was followed by Body Special 264: Girls in Motion
Puzzle Vol. 2.
 Honkaku 4-nin Uchi Geinoujin Taikyoku Mahjong: The Wareme DE Pon • 237

Hokuto no Ken 7.0

Developer Banpresto
Publisher Banpresto
Release date (jp) December 22, 1995
Genre Adventure, Strategy
Mode 1-2 Players

Hokuto no Ken is based on the anime series First of

the North Star, continuing its plot. The player watches
the development of plot in cutscenes and takes an ac-
tive role only during the simple turn-based battles. The
player chooses his actions from a menu. A time bar
marks the flow of the turns. When the battle is won, an-
other cutscene starts, etc. The game is divided in levels
and a password is given after beating each of those.
“mobygames.com”

7.1 Honkaku 4-nin Uchi Geinoujin

Taikyoku Mahjong
Developer Video System
Publisher Video System
Release date (jp) October 10, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Honkaku 4-nin Uchi Geinoujin Taikyoku Mahjong:

The Wareme DE Pon is a mahjong game based upon
the Japanese TV show form the mid 90’s called The
Wareme de Pon. The show featured some of the top
Mahjong players in Japan battling it out against each
other over a game of mahjong.

“segagagadomain.com”

Honkaku Hanafuda 7.0

Developer Altron
Publisher Altron
Release date (jp) October 29, 1998
Genre Cards
Mode 1 Player

Honkaku Hanafuda is a hanafuda game, published by

Altron, which was released in Japan in 1998 for the
Sega Saturn.
Hanafuda are playing cards of Japanese origin that are
used to play a number of games. The name literally
translates as “flower cards”. The name also refers to
games played with those cards.
238 • The Horde

The Horde
Developer Silicon Knights
6.9
Publisher BMG Victor, Crystal Dynamics
Release date (jp) March 8, 1996
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

xxx
The Horde is a hybrid action-strategy video
game that was originally released on the 3DO platform,
but was soon after ported to the Sega Saturn and MS-
DOS. It was an unusual hybrid of action and strategy
game for the time. It also featured full-motion video
sequences featuring a number of actors including Kirk
Cameron as Chauncey and Michael Gregory as Kronus
Maelor.
The game has elements of hack and slash, city
building, and real-time strategy. It is played in alternat-
ing timed phases. Each season begins with a “build”
phase in which the player develops a town with the
resources at Chauncey’s disposal. This includes con-
structing walls, setting traps, chopping down trees, and
landscaping. Buildings, roads, crops, and residents are
all added to the town automatically between seasons.
The player is given only two minutes for each build
phase.
Then comes the “action” phase, where the play-
er must defend the town from an onslaught of Hord-
lings with a huge sword, Grimthwacker, and various
magical items. These items are powered by Chauncey’s
ATM (“Automated Transfer of Mana”) card, which
converts gold into usable magical energy. Hordlings
occasionally drop money when defeated, which may
be retrieved and used. However, the main sources of
income are cows and crops, which are also sought by
the Hordlings. If Chauncey runs out of hit points or all
of the town’s people are eaten by Hordlings, the game
ends.
At the end of the action phase, the season has
ended and the player receives a report on how well the
town has been managed. The player turns a profit by
protecting the town’s resources. At the end of Sum-
mer seasons, the player may receive a message through
a crystal ball from King Winthrop the Good, Kronus
Maelor (the “Evil High Chancellor”), or the FNN
(“Franzpowanki News Network”).
At the end of each year, Kronus Maelor re-
quires Chauncey to pay taxes. The player then has the
opportunity to save the game and buy special items. At
the end of a set number of years, the player character is
given charge of a new region of the kingdom and must
start a new village there.
 The House of the Dead • 239

The House of the Dead

7.6 Developer Tantalus Interactive
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) March 26, 1998
Genre Light-gun
Mode 1-2 Players

xxx
The House of the Dead is a first-person light gun
arcade game, first released by Sega in Japan on Septem-
ber 13, 1996.
Players assume the role of agents Thomas Ro-
gan and “G” in their efforts to combat the products of
the dangerous, inhumane experiments of Dr. Curien, a
mad scientist.
The House of the Dead is a rail shooter light gun
game. Players use a light gun (or controller) to aim and
shoot at approaching zombies. The characters’ pistols
use magazines which hold 6 rounds; players reload by
shooting away from the screen.
Throughout the course of the game, players
are faced with numerous situations in which their ac-
tion (or inaction) will have an effect on the direction of
gameplay. This is exemplified in the opening stage of
the game when a hostage is about to be thrown from the
bridge to his death. If the player saves the hostage, they
will enter the house directly through the front door;
however, if the player fails to rescue the hostage, the
character is redirected to an underground route through
the sewers.
The Sega Saturn port suffered from somewhat
rushed development. Official Sega Saturn Magazine
criticized the graphics and frame-rate of the game,
which ran at 20 frames per second. However, extra
game modes were added to the port which include a
home specific mode that allows the player to select a
character; and also a boss battle mode, which pits the
player against the game bosses back to back.
The Saturn version had a slightly remixed sound-
track, compared to the arcade version of the game. On
stage 2, there is a reference to the Space Shuttle Chal-
lenger disaster, as the words Challenger, go at throt-
tle up, spoken by Richard O. Covey from the mission
control room only seconds before the explosion, can be
heard three times before the music loops. While these
words do not appear in the arcade version, a snickering
laugh can be heard instead.
The game garnered gained slightly less praise
than the PC version due to their lack of polish, getting
“mixed” or “average” reviews according to the review
aggregation website GameRankings.
240 • Honkaku Shougi Shinan Wakamatsu Shougi Juku

Honkaku Pro Mahjong 7.0

Tetsuman Special
Developer Chatnoir
Publisher Naxat Soft
Release date (jp) August 23, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Honkaku Pro Mahjong Tetsuman Special is a mahjong

game, published by Naxat Soft, which was released in
Japan in 1996 for the Sega Saturn.

7.0 Honkaku Shougi Shinan

Wakamatsu Shougi Juku
Developer JSH, SIMS
Publisher SIMS
Release date (jp) January 29, 1998
Genre Table
Mode 1-2 Players

Honkaku Shougi Shinan Wakamatsu Shougi Juku is

a shougi game, developed by Biox and published by
Sims, which was released in Japan in 1998 for the Sega
Saturn.

Hop Step Idol 6.0

Developer Media Entertainment
Publisher Media Entertainment
Release date (jp) December 4, 1997
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Hop Step Idol is an idol simulator for female gamers,

published by Media Entertainment, which was released
in Japan in 1997 for the Sega Saturn. As a producer at a
talent agency players make their very own idol to suit
their needs.
 Houkago Renai Club: Koi no Etude • 241

2.0 Horror Tour

Developer OCC
Publisher OCC
Release date (jp) March 29, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Horror Tour, also known as Zeddas: Servant of Sheol,

is a first-person adventure game with pre-rendered
backgrounds. The game is set entirely in the castle,
which is a maze-like location that must be explored
as the player searches for clues. The game’s puzzles
are predominantly logic-based; reading books in the
library is often required to receive clues for their solu-
tions.
“mobygames.com”

Houkago Renai Club: 3.8

Koi no Etude
Developer Prosit
Publisher KID
Release date (jp) January 15, 1998
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Houkago Renai Club: Koi no Etude is a dating sim,

published by Kid, which was released in Japan in 1998
for the Sega Saturn.
The game came was also released with a cover varia-
tion.

4.0 Houma Hunter Lime

Perfect Collection
Developer Silence
Publisher Asmik
Release date (jp) September 29, 1995
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Hōma Hunter Lime is a series of episodic games, built

like an interactive cartoon with visual novel elements.
This collection contains: Hōma Hunter Lime: Special
Collection Vol. 1 (act 1-3) and 2 (act 5-8). The player
can only access the first episode directly from the main
menu, and must complete each episode before being
able to play the next one.
242 • Hyper 3D Pinball

7.6 Hyper 3D Pinball

Developer NMS Software
Publisher Virgin Interactive
Release date (eu) September 6, 1996
Genre Pinball
Mode 1-4 Players

Hyper 3D Pinball, also known as Tilt!, is a pinball

game. Players can choose between 6 boards to play, in
3D full screen-modus or in classic 2D scroll-modus.
The themes of the pinballs are Science Fiction (Star
Quest), Horror (Monster), Racing (Road King), Un-
derworld (Gangster), Fantasy (Myst & Majik) and Fair
(Funfair). Every pinball has multi-ball gaming, anima-
tions during the game and intermezzos in the scoring
field.
 Hyper Duel • 243

Hyper 3D Taisen 7.0

Battle Gebockers
Developer Riverhillsoft
Publisher Riverhillsoft
Release date (jp) February 23, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1-2 Players

Hyper 3D Taisen Battle Gebockers is a simplistic 3D

shooting game. Players choose one out of a cast of sev-
eral cartoon characters to duel the others one by one
in a 3D environment. The goal is simply to diminish
the opponents health by using the standard and special
weapons.

“mobygames.com”

8.1 Hyper Duel

Developer Technosoft
Publisher Technosoft
Release date (jp) November 22, 1996
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Hyper Duel is a horizontal scrolling shooter originally

released in 1993 for the arcade in Japan. The Saturn
version contains an original “Arcade Mode,” a practi-
cally arcade-perfect conversion of the original, as well
as an updated “Saturn Mode.” In addition to including
a new 3D opening cinematic, Saturn Mode also has
cleaner, brighter, and more detailed sprites and back-
grounds, even redrawn in some cases.

Hyper Reverthion 7.5

Developer Technosoft
Publisher Technosoft
Release date (jp) June 7, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1-2 Players

Hyper Reverthion is a 3-d fighting game in the style of

“Virtual On,” where the player can select one of eight
fighters in their individual robots, each equipped with
its own unique set of ranged special attacks and melee
attacks.

“estarland.com”
244 • Hyper Securities S

Hyper Securities S 7.5

Developer Pack-In-Soft
Publisher Pack-In-Soft
Release date (jp) February 7, 1997
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Hyper Securities S is a simulation game, published by

Pack-In-Video, which was released in Japan in 1997
for the Sega Saturn. It is based upon the 1995 PC-9801
game Hyper Securities by Mebio Software.
 Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai II • 245

6.0 Ide Yousuke Meijin

no Shin Jissen Mahjong
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) June 28, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Ide Yousuke Meijin no Shin Jissen Mahjong is a mah-

jong game, published by Capcom, which was released
in Japan in 1996 for the Sega Saturn.

Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai II 9.6

Developer Jaleco
Publisher Jaleco
Release date (jp) April 26, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

The third installment in the Suchie-Pai series of mah-

jong games. A girl named Shiho Katagiri has been kid-
napped, and it’s up to Suchie-Pai to save her. Suchie-
Pai will need to beat several opponents in mahjong in
order to progress.
The strip scenes are animated this time. Players are
also joined by some of the opponents, who can trans-
form into heroes themselves.

7.6 Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai

Mecha Genteiban
Developer Jaleco
Publisher Jaleco
Release date (jp) November 26, 1998
Genre Compilation
Mode 1 Player

Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Mecha Genteiban: Hatsubai 5

Shuunen (Toku) Package is a nudity-free compilation
from the Suchie-Pai series.
The four-disc set includes the following: A non-nude
version of Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Special. A non-nude
version of Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai II. A new Adven-
ture game, similar to Suchie-Pai Adventure: Doki Doki
Nightmare. And a mini audio CD.
248 • Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Secret Album

8.7 Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Remix

Developer Jaleco
Publisher Jaleco
Release date (jp) September 29, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Remix is a mahjong game de-

veloped and published by Jaleco for the Sega Saturn. It
is part of Jaleco’s Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai series. Game
content is not changed from Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai
Special, only part of the naked graphics and BGM has
been changed.
This remixed edition comes complete with an art
sketch book.
“segaretro.org”

Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai 8.7

Secret Album
Developer Jaleco
Publisher Jaleco
Release date (jp) March 18, 1999
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Secret Album is an album of

sorts, in more ways than one. There are two discs, The
second disc is an audio CD, also known as an album.
The first disc, however, is more of a traditional album.
It is a digital scrapbook of the Suchie-Pai series, com-
piled in the form of an internet browser-like interface
(known as Suchie-Explorer 4.7).
“mobygames.com”

8.5 Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Special

Developer Jaleco
Publisher Jaleco
Release date (jp) February 24, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Special is an arcade follow-up

to the Super Famicom game Bishōjo Janshi Suchie-Pai
that was later ported to several home systems. Like the
original, it features Misaki Kyoko’s alter ego, the su-
per heroine Suchie-Pai, as she plays mahjong against
various young, attractive female opponents. However,
this game contains stripping.

“mobygames.com”
 Idol Maajan Final Romance 4 • 249

Idol Mahjong Final Romance 2 8.0

Developer Video System
Publisher ASK Kodansha
Release date (jp) August 11, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Taisen Idol-Mahjong Final Romance 2 is the second

game in the Final Romance series and the first to fea-
ture anime style girls instead of digitized photos of real
models. It is also the first to be ported to home systems.
Like the first, players play strip mahjong against vari-
ous girls. Players can use their score to purchase vari-
ous cheating methods.

“mobygames.com”

6.1 Idol Mahjong Final Romance 4

Developer EXE Create
Publisher Video System
Release date (jp) May 21, 1998
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Taisen Mahjong Final Romance 4 is the fourth game in

the Final Romance series. Players play strip mahjong
against various female opponents. If the players win,
they get animated strip scenes. Between girls, they can
use their points to buy cheating devices to increase
their chances of a winning hand or look at the oppo-
nent’s tiles.

“mobygames.com”

Idol Mahjong Final Romance R 7.1

Developer Video System
Publisher ASK Kodansha
Release date (jp) March 15, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Taisen Mahjong Final Romance R is the third Final

Romance game. Players must challenge several girls
to strip mahjong. If the players win, they get to watch
animated strip sequences. Points earned may be spent
on cheating devices.

“mobygames.com”
250 • Impact Racing

ImageFight & XMultiply: 5.8

Arcade Gears
Developer Xing
Publisher Xing
Release date (jp) August 20, 1998
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

Part of the Arcade Gears series, this compilation fea-

tures two old Irem scrollers: Image Fight and X Mul-
tiply.
ImageFight is a top-down vertically scrolling space
shooter originally released in 1988. X Multiply is a 2D
side-scrolling shoot’em up, a follow up to Irem’s R-
Type with similar gameplay.
“mobygames.com”

6.4 Impact Racing

Developer Funcom
Publisher JVC, (us) Acclaim, (jp) Coconuts Japan
Release date (eu) July 5, 1996
Genre Racing
Mode 1 Player

Impact Racing is a Wipeout-esque mix of racing and

driving at a very fast pace. Completing laps within
the allotted time does not suffice, players also need
to destroy a certain amount of vehicles. Contrary to
the aforementioned title, players drive ordinary racing
cars, if they count out the mounted weapons. These in-
clude mines, concussion missiles, smart bombs, heat-
seeking missiles, lasers and firewalls.
“mobygames.com”

Ippatsu Gyakuten: 7.0

Gambling King he no Michi
Developer Planning Office Wada
Publisher BMG Victor
Release date (jp) July 5, 1996
Genre Gambling
Mode 1 Player

Ippatsu Gyakuten: Gambling King he no Michi is a

gambling game, published by BMG Interactive Enter-
tainment, which was released in Japan in 1996 for the
Sega Saturn.
Players can gamble on Pachinko, Slots, Horse Racing,
Bicycle Racing and Boat Racing.
 Irem Arcade Classics • 251

Irem Arcade Classics

Developer Irem
5.2 Publisher I’MAX
Release date (jp) April 26, 1996
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

Irem Arcade Classics is a compilation of three

arcade games by Irem, released exclusively in Japan
for the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation. Games In-
clude; 10-Yard Fight, Spartan-X (Kung-Fu Master)
and Zippy Race (Motorace USA).
Players start by selecting which arcade they
want to play. From there, they ‘insert coins’ by hitting
the appropriate button and from there they can set up
each individual game with options.
Players can also choose between original and
arranged soundtracks for every title.
10-Yard Fight
10-Yard Fight was first released in 1983 for the arcades. The game
Let’s begin with
is a top-down 10-Yard football
American Fight, one of the
game with vertical scrolling. The
player does not select plays for either offense or defense. On offense,
the player simply receives the ball upon the snap and either attempts
to run with the quarterback, toss the ball to a running back, or throw
the ball to the one long distance receiver – basically the option of-
fense. On defense, the player chooses one of two players to control,
and the computer manipulates the others. The ball can also be punted
or a field goal can be attempted.
Spartan-X
Spartan-X, or Kung-Fu Master, is a side-scrolling beat ‘em up game
first released as a arcade game in 1984. The game was initially re-
leased in Japan as a tie-in based on the Jackie Chan film Wheels on
Meals; however, the game has no bearing on the plot of the film out-
side the names of the protagonist and his girlfriend, allowing Irem to
export the game without the license by simply changing the title. The
players control Thomas, the titular Kung-Fu Master, as he fights his
way through the five levels of the Devil’s Temple in order to rescue
his girlfriend Sylvia from the mysterious crime boss Mr. X.
Zippy Race
Zippy Race, or MotoRace USA is an arcade game originally released
in 1983. The game’s main character is a racer who must travel on his
motorbike from Los Angeles to New York City while avoiding many
cars.
Every level has two parts:
• The first part uses an overhead view. Cars overtaken cause the play-
er’s rank to increment by 1 per car. The current rank is shown in the
bottom right hand corner of the game screen during each stage.
• The second part uses an over the shoulder perspective. The player
must try not to crash into the opposite cars while a background rela-
tive to the city he’s traveling to is shown. Oncoming cars passed do
not increase the player’s rank.
254 • In The Hunt

In the Hunt 7.7

Developer SIMS
Publisher Kokopeli Digital Studios, (jp) Imagineer
Release date (jp) December 15, 1995
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

First developed for arcades, and then ported to

the Sega Saturn, Playstation and Windows, In the Hunt
follows the story of a rebel force, piloting newly de-
veloped submarines, trying to strike back at the Dark
Anarchy Society for the destruction of the planet using
a doomsday weapon which melted the polar ice caps,
thus flooding most of the world.
Gameplay consisted mainly of 2 elements:
• Air combat
• Water combat (level combat & enemies lower/higher
than the player ie underwater mines)
Air combat involved the player heading to the
surface and launching 1 of three projectiles, machine
gun fire, homing missiles, or the default missiles. Air-
combat did not exclusivly consist of destroying en-
emies in the air but enemies that were on the ground
such as trains and bulldozers. It was often necessary
of the player to destroy targets preparing to come into
the water such as amphibious mechs in order to avoid
having to tackle the challenge underwater where space
is more confined.
Water combat invovled the player shooting
torpedoes at enemies at the same level as the player.
This normally consisted of bosses or other submarines.
There were also enemies that were placed under the
player such as underwater SAM sites and mines. In or-
der to dispose of such enemies, depth charges could be
launched that were slow but highly effective. Lastly, if
the player happened to be under an enemy, they could
chose to either go to the level of the enemy or launch
explosive balloons.
The game was developed by the team who
would go on to create GunForce 2 for Irem and the
Metal Slug series for SNK.
Sega Saturn Magazine described the game as
unoriginal and outdated, but enjoyable, with a strong
sense of tongue-in-cheek humor and ingeniously de-
signed boss fights. They concluded, “Nothing particu-
larly new or exciting here, but In the Hunt is good fun
to play, featuring loads of exciting battles and explo-
sions.”
 Independence Day • 255

5.6 Independence Day

Developer Radical Entertainment
Publisher Fox Interactive, (eu) Electronic Arts
Release date (us) June 13, 1997
Genre Simulation, Action
Mode 1-2 Players

Independence Day is a 3D combat flight simu-

lator comprising 13 missions with time limits; failure
to complete a mission in the allotted time results in
failure. Once the main objective is completed, the tim-
er drops down to 45 seconds to take out the primary
weapon. If the timer goes to 0, the primary weapon
destroys the level. The game also features portals that
transport the player to another area by flying through
them; these sub-levels have their own separate objec-
tives that must be completed before the player can re-
turn to the main level.
At the start of each level the player has the abil-
ity to choose which aircraft they wish to fly (the player
also has Steve Hiller acting as a wingman that will fly
the same type of plane as him). The player starts the
game with the F/A-18 Hornet, and additional planes
are unlocked mid-level by flying through an icon rep-
resenting them. These planes are then available to fly
the next time the player starts a level.
The first 10 levels have at least one plane each,
or two if that level has a sublevel as every one also has
one plane. Unlockable planes include the A-10 Warth-
og, Eurofighter Typhoon, F-15 Eagle, F/A-22 Raptor,
Northrop YF-23, F-117 Nighthawk, Grumman X-29,
and the Sukhoi Su-27. Each plane has its own unique
characteristics as measured by speed, agility, dura-
bility, and stealth; the last determines how much en-
emy fire the player attracts. If the player is shot down,
whichever plane they were flying is lost and no longer
available. If the player runs out of planes, the game is
over.

Independence Day received mixed to negative

reviews. Aggregating review website GameRankings
gave the Saturn version 52.50% based on 2 reviews.
GameSpot complimented the game’s playabil-
ity, but said it was soured by the repetitive objectives:
“...each new challenge is roughly the same as the pre-
vious... you fly around, use your radar to locate your
targets, lock on, and destroy them with your heat seek-
ing missiles. Each new level brings a sense of deja vu
that can make the Eiffel Tower level feel the same as
the Grand Canyon [level].”
256 • Iron Man X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal

7.5 Ishin no Arashi

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) September 25, 1997
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Ishin no Arashi is set during Bakumatsu period

(around 1850 until the Meiji Restoration of 1867), the
final stretch of the Japanese Edo period. The game is
somewhat similar to the better-known Romance of the
Three Kingdoms series and other historical simula-
tion games by the same company, but also differs from
them by having much less complex diplomacy options
and focusing the gameplay on navigation and individ-
ual encounters.
“mobygames.com”

Iron Man/X-O Manowar

6.4 in Heavy Metal
Developer Realtime Associates
Publisher Acclaim Entertainment
Release date (eu) September 4, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1-2 Players

Iron Man / X-O

Iron ManManowar in Heavy
/ X-O Manowar in Metal
HeavyisMetal,
a onere-
or
two-player
leased side-scrolling
for the PlayStation,action
Sega game
Saturn,inGame
whichBoy,
the
player Gear,
Game battlesand
various
DOS,villains fromorthe
is a one Iron Manside-
two-player and
X-O Manowar
scrolling game comic book
in which theseries.
player battles various vil-
lains from Marvel Comics’ Iron Man and Valiant Com-
Both Iron Man and X-O Manowar can jump, punch,
ics’ X-O Manowar comic book series.
shoot an unlimited supply of laser beams (that can be
upgradedThethrough
storyline is and
icons) revealed
use a through onscreen
limited supply of
text, instead of animated sequences. Iron Man and
X-O Manowar must team up in order to stop a team
of supervillains from grabbing the lost fragments of
the Cosmic Cube. During the game it is also revealed
that the space aliens that Aric stole his X-O Manowar
armor from, want it back. The two super heroes battle
through several levels, familiar to comic book fans, to
stop the terrorists and their supervillain leaders from
trying to rule the universe.
At the start of the game, the player(s) choose
to control either Iron Man or X-O Manowar. Both Iron
Man and X-O Manowar can jump, punch, shoot laser
beams (that can be upgraded through icons) and use a
limited supply of fuel to fly.
Two people can play the game simultaneously
in a cooperative manner. Both can play as the same
character if desired.
 Iron Storm • 257

Iron Storm
8.1
Developer SystemSoft
Publisher Working Designs, (jp) Sega
Release date (us) September 22, 1995
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Iron Storm is the second entry in Sega’s Ad-

vanced Daisenryaku (Advanced World War) series,
with gameplay very similar to that of it’s 16-bit pred-
ecessor, changing some details and using 3D anima-
tions for the combat cutscenes.
The game takes place within the context of World
War II. The game’s general premise is to allow players to
pick a side (U.S., Germany, or Japan) and then work their
way across several battles within the war.
During battles in campaign mode, the player
mobilizes a large variety of customizable units (tanks,
aircraft, submarines, and warships) across a hexagon-
shaped grid in order to defeat the opposing Allied or
Axis forces controlled by the game’s AI. In addition, as
time progresses players are able to upgrade individual
units either based on experience levels or as a blanket
technology upgrade.

The Incredible Hulk: 3.6

The Pantheon Saga
Developer Attention To Detail
Publisher Eidos Interactive
Release date (us) January 21, 1997
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

The Incredible Hulk: The Pantheon Saga is a

video game that was developed by Attention to Detail
and published by Eidos Interactive for the Sony Play-
Station, Sega Saturn and MS-DOS in 1996. The single
player, side-scrolling action game is loosely based on
storylines from the early 1990s issues of the Incredible
Hulk comic book series.
The Hulk can jump, punch, kick, and pick up
certain large objects to throw as projectiles. Aside from
the normal health bar, the Hulk also has a gamma en-
ergy bar that is depleted whenever the Hulk uses one of
his special fighting moves. Several levels require the
Hulk to solve a puzzle (i.e. locate and smash control
panels in a certain order) to proceed.
The game has received generally negative re-
views.
258 • Isto é Zico: Zico no Kangaeru Soccer

Isto é Zico: 3.8

Zico no Kangaeru Soccer
Developer Mizuki
Publisher Mizuki
Release date (jp) March 22, 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Isto é Zico: Zico no Kangaeru Soccer is an interactive

movie for the Sega Saturn endorsed by Brazillian foot-
ball player Arthur Antunes Coimbra, otherwise known
as Zico.
Players can listen to Zico explain why he’s so great as
well as showing some of his career highlights and skill
training.
“segagagadomain.com”
 J.League Jikkyou Honoo no Striker • 259

7.0 J. League Go Go Goal!

Developer Tecmo
Publisher Tecmo
Release date (jp) May 30, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

J. League Go Go Goal! is a 1997 arcade soccer game

for the Sega Saturn by Tecmo.
The Japanese language is not an obstacle unless play-
ers want to start playing the championship game.

J. League Jikkyou 6.4

Honoo no Striker
Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (jp) February 26, 1998
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

J. League Jikkyou Honoo No Striker is the Japanese

release of the game that in the US is known as Winning
Eleven, although it was never actually released in the
US for the Saturn.

“goatstore.com”

8.3 J.League Pro Soccer

Club o Tsukurou!
Developer Sega AM6
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) February 23, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-8 Players

J.League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! is a 1996 foot-

ball management simulation by Sega for the Sega
Saturn released exclusively in Japan. It is the first in
Sega’s Let’s Make!!/Tsukurou series of management
simulations.
It was later remade for the Sega Dreamcast and PC,
adding network play.
“segaretro.org”
260 • J.League Victory Goal ‘96

6.5 J.League Pro Soccer

Club o Tsukurou! 2
Developer Sega CS R&D 2
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) November 20, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-8 Players

J.League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! 2 is the sequel

to J.League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou!, published
by Sega, which was released in Japan in 1997 for the
Sega Saturn in Japan.

J.League Victory Goal ‘96 7.7

Developer Team Aquila
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) March 29, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

Victory Goal ‘96 is a Japanese soccer game developed

by Team Aquila exclusively for the Sega Saturn, and a
direct sequel to Victory Goal.
Victory Goal ‘96 is a significant upgrade over its pred-
ecessor, sporting not only an updated player roster for
the 1996 J. League season, but an entirely new 3D en-
gine, with the players depicted as 3D models (as op-
posed to Victory Goal and International Victory Goal,
where all players are 2D sprites).

8.0 J. League Victory Goal ‘97

Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) March 15, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

Victory Goal ‘97 can be considered Sega Worldwide

Soccer 97 but with 17 of the teams of the Japanese Pro-
fessional Football League. Just like the previous Vic-
tory Goal games it does not include any international
teams, but instead the updated club teams and player
names for the 1997 season.
It became the last of the series dedicated exclusively
to the Japanese league, and the last of SEGA games to
carry “Victory Goal”.
 Japan Super Bass Classic ‘96 • 261

Jantei Battle Cos-Player 6.4

Developer Daiki
Publisher Daiki
Release date (jp) April 18, 1997
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Jantei Battle Cos-Player is a mahjong game published

by Daiki for the Sega Saturn. The Mahjong section of
the game feature cosplay anime girls.
The main highlight comes from the actual presentation
of this game. Players can visit different mahjong par-
lours, go to the bar or even shop for new outfits.

“segagagadomain.com”

8.3 Japan Super Bass Classic ‘96

Developer Naxat Soft
Publisher Naxat Soft
Release date (jp) August 23, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1 Player

Japan Super Bass Classic ‘96 is a fishing game for the

Sega Saturn. Players get to take their boat out into the
desired location keeping an eye on the depth metre in
a cute, little sprite section. A line is then cast and those
legendary fighting bass await as the sound of summer
and cicadas rings therapeutically in the ears.

“genkivideogames.com”

Jewels of the Oracle 7.6

Developer ELOI Productions
Publisher Sunsoft
Release date (jp) October 18, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1 Player

Jewels of the Oracle contains 24 puzzles, and lacks

a storyline or plot. The design is Egyptian/Mesopo-
tamian, and as such an Oracle provides hints to the
player. New Straits Times wrote that the game mixes
the gameplay concepts from Myst with the graphics of
The 7th Guest. Similarly, Techtite deemed it a Myst-
clone due to having the search-and-discover mechan-
ics, while having the puzzles of The 7th Guest.
262 • Jikkyō Oshaberi Parodius: forever with me

Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius:

Forever With Me 8.1
Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (jp) December 13, 1996
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Jikkyō
Oshaberi Parodius,
Jikkyō Oshaberi known known
Parodius, on the Sega
on theSaturn
Sega
and PlayStation
Saturn as JikkyōasOshaberi
and PlayStation Parodius Parodius
Jikkyō Oshaberi ~forever
with me~,with
~forever is theme~,
fourthisgame in a series
the fourth gameof parody shoot-
in a series of
ers produced
parody by Konami.
shooters producedThe by gameplay
Konami. Theis stylistically
gameplay
very similar to very
is stylistically the Gradius
similarseries,
to thebut the graphics
Gradius series, and
but
music are intentionally
the graphics and music are absurd. The game,
intentionally as its name
absurd.
wouldwould
The game, as its name suggest, contains
suggest, a large
contains amount
a large of Japanese
amount of Japa-
voice samples shouted out in a style
nese voice samples shouted out in a style similar to that of a game show similar to thathost.
of a
Unlike the previous two titles, Jikkyō Oshaberi Parodius was not created as an
arcade game. It was first released on the Super Famicom in 1995 and then ported
and updated for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn in 1996. in 1996.
Gameplay is very similar to the Gradius series, with a few exceptions. For
one, there is an impressive array of characters to choose from. Each one of these
characters utilizes different weapons and abilities as players obtain power-ups.
The second main difference is the addition of bell power-ups, from the TwinBee
series. These bells act as one-time power-ups, allowing players to destroy every
enemy on screen, fire huge beams of energy, etc.
The playable characters in this game include:
Parodius Originals: Sue, Takohiko/Takosuke, Belial, Memim, Mike, Ran, Soit-
su and Doitsu.
Gradius Ships: Vic Viper, Lord British
Twin Bee Team: TwinBee, Winbee
Penguins: Pentarou, Hanako
Miracle Upa: Upa, Rupa
The game was ported for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn in 1996 with
the title, Jikkyō Oshaberi Parodius: forever with me. This port not only added
improved graphics and sound from the Super Famicom game, but some altered
levels and bosses, including a cheat to replace ‘Tokimeki People’s Dance’ with
an enhanced version, ‘Days Of The Dream’s Memories’. Also added were sev-
eral “Omake” stages and an unlockable Dracula-kun (Kid Dracula) as a playable
character. In a two-player game, both players can now choose to play simultane-
ously instead of just alternately in the Super Famicom game.
Not only is the second level of this game a nod to the popular Konami
dating sim, Tokimeki Memorial, so is the “~ forever with me ~” subtitle added
for the updated PlayStation and Saturn ports. This is poking fun at the original
Tokimeki Memorial game for the PC Engine which was also updated and ported
for the same systems with the added subtitle “~ forever with you ~”.
A female announcer is available for the second player in Forever With
Me-port: the announcer is said to be Noriko, Tako’s wife and mother of Takosuke
and Takohiko, according to the japanese resources.
The final stage is a nod to Gradius III, in which remixed versions of some
of its music are played. The stage layout is also the same as that of Gradius III’s.
 Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu S • 263

9.0 Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu ‘95

Kaimaku-ban
Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (jp) July 28, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu ‘95 Kaimaku-ban is a

baseball game for the Sega Saturn released as part of
Konami’s Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu series. It was
only released in Japan.
As with all the other Powerful Pro Yakyu games this
features updated teams from Jikyou Powerful Pro
Yakyu S and one or two little fixes here and there.
“segagagadomain.com”

Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu S 9.0

Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (jp) December 4, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu S is a baseball game,

published by Konami, which was released in Japan in
1997 for the Sega Saturn. It was released as part of
Konami’s Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu series.

5.6 Jikuu Tantei DD:

Maboroshi no Lorelei
Developer System Sacom
Publisher ASCII
Release date (jp) July 26, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Jikuu Tantei DD is a detective noir adventure game

with a futuristic setting. The game is one big cinematic
drama which plays as an interactive movie. The story
takes place aboard a zeppelin ship Lorelei. Players take
the role of Raizou Narukami, a detective who runs an
agency that specializes in space-time crimes. Woman-
izer at first glance, he is skilled at what he do, namely
in power of observation, reasoning and deduction.
264 • Jissen Maajan

9.5 Jinzou Ningen Hakaider:

Last Judgement
Developer Japan Media Programming
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) December 27, 1996
Genre Light-gun
Mode 1 Player

Jinzou Ningen Hakaider: Last Judgement is a gun

shooter, developed by Japan Media Programming and
published by Sega, which was released in Japan in
1996 for the Sega Saturn.
It is based on the 1995 Japanese film Mechanical Vio-
lator Hakaider.

Jissen Mahjong 7.0

Developer Outback
Publisher Imagineer
Release date (jp) September 1, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Jissen Mahjong is a mahjong game, published by Im-

agineer, which was released in Japan in 1995 for the
Sega Saturn.

8.2 Jissen Pachinko Hisshouhou!

Twin
Developer Sammy
Publisher Sammy
Release date (jp) March 28, 1997
Genre Gambling
Mode 1 Player

Jissen Pachinko Hisshouhou! Twin is a Sega Saturn

pachinko game featuring two different machines.
The game was published by Sammy Studios, which
was released in Japan in 1997 for the Sega Saturn.
 Jissen! Pachislot Hisshouhou! 4 • 265

Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! 3 6.6

Developer Sammy
Publisher Sammy
Release date (us) May 24, 1996
Genre Gambling
Mode 1 Player

Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! 3 is a Sega Saturn pachi-

slot game. The game feature a sort of adventure quest
in the game where players visit various pachinko-slot
centers in order to win as much as possible.
As well as playing the slot machine, players can zoom
it in and out as well as view a wire frame mode.

“segagagadomain.com”

5.3 Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! 4

Developer Sammy
Publisher Sammy
Release date (jp) March 15, 1997
Genre Gambling
Mode 1 Player

Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! 4 is a Sega Saturn

pachi-slot game and a sequel to Jissen Pachi-Slot Hiss-
houhou! 3. The game was published by Sammy Stu-
dios, which was released in Japan in 1997.

Jissen! Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou!

Iron Hook
Developer Sammy
Publisher Sammy
Release date (jp) 1996
Genre Gambling
Mode 1 Player

Jissen! Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Iron Hook is a slot ma-

chine game for the Sega Saturn. T
The story of the game feature the pirate, Iron Hook,
stealing a pachinko game from Casino Island. The
game has a wire frame 3D model of the machine that
players can view in any direction.

“segagagadomain.com”
266 • Jonah Lomu Rugby

Johnny Bazookatone 7.1

Developer Arc Developments
Publisher U.S. Gold, (jp) Soft Vision
Release date (eu) December, 1995
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1 Player

Johnny Bazookatone follows the protagonist, Johnny

Bazookatone, trapped in the year 2050 in Sin Sin Pris-
on by El Diablo, lord of the underworld. His guitar,
known as “Anita” is taken from him, and so Johnny
must travel to reclaim it.
The game was notable for shipping with a music CD
with tracks from the game.

8.7 Jonah Lomu Rugby

Developer Rage Software
Publisher Codemasters
Release date (eu) April 18, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

Jonah Lomu Rugby supports one to four players. There

are a number of playable modes - including knock-out,
World Cup, regional competitions as well as historical
matches.
At the time of its release, the game received relatively
high praise. It was particularly praised for its smooth-
ness of gameplay and the quality of graphics at the
time.

Joshikousei no Houkago... 7.5

Pukunpa
Developer Athena
Publisher Athena
Release date (jp) September 27, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Joshikousei no Houkago... Pukunpa is a falling block

puzzle game, published by Athena, which was released
in Japan in 1996 for the Sega Saturn.
 Jung Rhythm • 269

Junclassic C.C. & Rope Club 6.8

Developer T&E Soft, Polysys
Publisher T&E Soft
Release date (jp) December 18, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

Junclassic C.C. & Rope Club is a golf game for the

Sega Saturn. Jun Classic has options galore that play-
ers can swift through. The game runs noticeably faster
than the other T&E Soft golf games as well plus it
seems to have been given a face lift. The game plays,
more or less, like the others in the series.
The game feature 2 courses and 108 holes.

“segagagadomain.com”

7.0 Jung Rhythm

Developer Altron
Publisher Altron
Release date (jp) January 15, 1998
Genre Rhythm
Mode 1-2 Players

Jung Rhythm is one of the few music-based/ rhythm

games on the Saturn. Gameplay is similar to Space
Channel 5, in that a music sequence is played and then
the player is required to repeat that sequence. In Jung
Rhythm, the required buttons scroll across the bottom
of the screen while the music is playing. Players mere-
ly press the displayed buttons at the correct time. The
graphics are made up of 3D models for the characters,
and have a unique cartoon-style.

Jungle Park: Saturn Jima 5.4

Developer Digitalogue, Saru Brunei, Digitalware, BMG Japan
Publisher BMG Japan
Release date (jp) January 15, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Jungle Park: Saturn Jima is an adventure game, pub-

lished by BMG Interactive Entertainment, which was
released in Japan in 1998 for the Sega Saturn.
The game was also released as a limited edition. It is
basically identical to the original release apart from
coming with a monkey key holder and special booklet.
270 • Kaitou Saint Tail

K-1 Fighting Illusion Shou 7.3

Developer Daft
Publisher Xing Entertainment
Release date (us) January 31, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

K-1 Fighting Illusion Shou is a kickboxing game. The

game is a competent version of the multi-discipline
martial arts fest known as K1 - a contest that enjoys
much popularity in Japan. The game feature real con-
testants realised in full 3D and full 3D backgrounds
and sizeable fighter models doing justice to their real
life dimensions.

“genkivideogames.com”

5.7 Kaitou Saint Tail

Developer Access
Publisher Tomy
Release date (jp) July 25, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1-2 Players

Kaitou Saint Tail is an adventure game, published by

Tomy Corporation, which was released in Japan in
1997.
The game seems to be aimed at the younger audience
and have a few mini games in there.

“segagagadomain.com”

Kakinoki Shougi 7.8

Developer ASCII
Publisher ASCII
Release date (jp) April 14, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1-2 Players

Kakinoki Shougi is an shougi game, published by

ASCII Entertainment, which was released in Japan in
1995 for the Sega Saturn.
 Kamen Rider: Sakusen File 1 • 271

8.1 Kakyuusei
Developer Elf
Publisher Elf
Release date (jp) April 25, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

The game is a love adventure, similar to Dōkyūsei,

another popular game of that kind by Elf. The game
offers a considerable amount of freedom in explora-
tion, and the possibility to visit diverse locations, such
as museum, cinema, parks, game arcades, etc. Players
can earn and pend money, buying items that can be
given to a girl on a date. The dating mechanics, how-
ever, are not very complex, mostly involving being at
the right place at the right time.
“mobygames.com”

Kamen Rider: Sakusen File 1 9.0

Developer Access
Publisher Toei Video
Release date (jp) November 13, 1997
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Kamen Rider: Sakusen File 1 is a digital gallery for the

Sega Saturn based on the Kamen Rider franchise.
The game was published by Toei Animation, which
was released in Japan in 1997.

6.4 Kanazawa Shougi

Developer Seta, Nihon Shogi Network
Publisher Seta
Release date (jp) November 24, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1-2 Players

Kanazawa Shougi is a shougi game, published by Seta,

which was released in Japan in 1995 for the Sega Sat-
urn. The game feature a voice guide.
272 • Keio Flying Squadron 2

Kanzen Chuukei Pro Yakyuu 8.0

Greatest Nine
Developer Sega CS1
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) May 26, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Kanzen Chuukei Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine is a base-

ball game, published by Sega, which was released in
Japan in 1995 for the Sega Saturn. It was the first in the
Greatest Nine series.

8.0 Keio Flying Squadron 2

Developer Victor Entertainment
Publisher Victor Entertainment
Release date (jp) May 17, 1996
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1 Player

Keio Flying
Keio Squadron
Flying Squadron 2 is theto sequel
2 is the sequel the Segato CD
the
Sega CD game, Keio Flying Squadron. The
game, Keio Flying Squadron. The second installment second in-
stallment
continuesofthethe series
story continues
of Rami’s the story as
adventures of the
Rami’s ad-
Keeper
ventures as theTreasure
of the Secret Keeper (aof sphere
the Secret Treasure
passed down(athrough
sphere
passed downofthrough
generations Rami’sgenerations
family). Rami of Rami’s
races Dr.family).
Pon
Rami
and a races Dr. Pon
new rival and Yamatai
Himiko a new rival Himiko
for an Yamatai
ancient treas-
for an ancient treasure that can be unlocked
ure that can be unlocked with six spheres. Two of the with six
spheres. The the
stages retain game features animated
shoot-’em-up style ofcut
thescenes. Pro-
first game,
vided
but theby Studio
lesser Pierrot,
dragons canwho provided
be obtained as the animation
bonuses only.
for the cut scenes in the first game.
The game mainly consists of sidescrolling plat-
former stages. Two of the stages retain the shoot-’em-
up style of the first game, but the lesser dragons can
be obtained as bonuses only. Besides the platformer
and shoot-’em-up stages, there are vertically scrolling
special stages, an underwater stage and a rollercoaster
stage, classifying the game as a multi-genre platform-
er.
Sam Hickman wrote in Sega Saturn Magazine
that the game has very generic and overly easy game-
play, but is still somewhat fun to play, largely due to
the intriguingly strange graphics. However, she con-
cluded that most people would not find it worth the
retail price, and scored it a 78%.
 Kekkon Zenya • 273

5.2 Kekkon: Marriage

Developer Westone
Publisher Shogakukan Production
Release date (jp) December 15, 1995
Genre Adventure, Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Kekkon: Marriage is a dating simulation, developed

by West One and published by Shogakukan, which
was released in Japan in 1995 for the Sega Saturn. The
game’s title is tautological, since “kekkon” is the Japa-
nese word for marriage.

“segaretro.org”

Kekkon Zenya 3.0

Developer Bits Laboratory
Publisher Shogakukan Production
Release date (jp) October 27, 1995
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Kekkon Zenya isn’t actually a game but more of a pro-

motion disc for the main game. It feature character in-
formation as well as art work and a few tunes to listen
too. The software runs in the Saturn’s highest resolu-
tion.

8.0 Keriotosse!
Developer Unlimited
Publisher Masudaya
Release date (jp) June 18, 1998
Genre Action
Mode 1-4 Players

Keriotosse! is an action game for the Sega Saturn. The

game is one of those everyman for themself type fight-
ing games. The player and 3 other players, or 3 CPU
controlled characters, take to the area in an all out bat-
tle to survive. They mysy use any means necessary to
survive including using the levels obstacles, their own
magic or just brute force. The only one left on the ring
wins.
“Steve@assemblergames.com”
276 • Kidou Senkan Nadesico ~Yappari Saigo ha [Ai ga Katsu] ?~

8.8 Kidou Senkan Nadesico:

The Blank of 3 Years
Developer Fupac, Nexus Interact, Scarab
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) September 23, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Martian Successor Nadesico: The Blank of 3 Years is

the second Martian Successor Nadesico game to be
released, debuting on the Sega Saturn in September
1998. It is the direct sequel to the TV series, bridging
the gap between the events of the final episode and
Prince of Darkness. The characters are voiced by their
respective seiyū.
The game comes on two discs, plus a mini audio CD.

Kidou Senkan Nadesico: 7.9

Yappari Saigo ha ‘Ai ga Katsu’?
Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) May 2, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Kidou Senkan Nadesico: Yappari Saigo ha ‘Ai ga Kat-

su’? is an adventure game based on the Kidou Senkan
Nadesico franchise.
Gameplay involves watching a video clip, then press-
ing a selection of commands, such as up, right, A, B,
X and so on. The commands appear at the bottom of
the screen.

7.9 Kidou Senshi Gundam

Developer CRI
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) December 22, 1995
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

Kidou Senshi Gundam is a side scrolling shoot-’em-up

based on the Gundam series. The game is similar to the
Macross shooter on the Saturn with pre-rendered GC
models.
The game feature the original character’s voices and
music from the anime along with cut scenes.
 Kidou Senshi Gundam Gaiden II ~Ao wo Uketsugu Mono~ • 277

Kidou Senshi Gundam Gaiden I: 7.4

Senritsu no Blue
Developer Bandai, Studio Orphee
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) September 20, 1996
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story is a trilogy of Sega

Saturn games set during the One Year War story line.
The games are unique among Gundam games in and
that rather than placing the player in a behind the
shoulder third person view, they instead put the player
in a first person view from the inside of the Mobile
Suit’s cockpit.
“gundam.wikia.com”

8.0 Kidou Senshi Gundam Gaiden

II: Ao wo Uketsugu Mono
Developer Bandai, Studio Orphee
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) December 6, 1996
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

Players control a bog standard Federation “GM” mo-

bile suit. A far cry from the uber-powerful eponymous
Gundam. In short, the player is a grunt, and has to work
their way through a series of particularly tough cam-
paigns. Each game is merely a chapter in the overall
plot, and see the player being awarded with progres-
sively more powerful mobile suits as they progressed.
“bordersdown.net”

Kidou Senshi Gundam Gaiden 8.7

III: Sabakareshi Mono
Developer Bandai, Studio Orphee
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) March 7, 1997
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

Sabakareshi Mono is the last of three Kidou Senshi

Gundam Gaiden games for the Sega Saturn. Unlike
the previous two entries, Kidou Senshi Gundam Gaid-
en III was never released in a jewel case, just in the
cheaper “Genteiban” form.
The story of the games was adapted into a manga by
Mizuho Takayama, under the same title as the compi-
lation, MSGundam Side Story The Blue Destiny.
280 • Kidou Senshi Gundam Gihren no Yabou Kouryaku Shireisho

8.0 Kidou Senshi Gundam:

Giren no Yabou
Developer CRI
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) April 9, 1998
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Mobile Suit Gundam: Gihren’s Ambition is a turn-

based strategy game, in the vein of the Avalon Hill-
style hex-based war simulations of the 80s and 90s.
The game is set in the Gundam universe. It is set dur-
ing the “One Year War” in the year UC 0079, where
the Duchy of Zion, a country based in giant space colo-
nies in Earth’s orbit, fights the Earth’s United Nations
for independence.

Kidou Senshi Gundam: Giren 8.5

no Yabou - Kouryaku Shireisho
Developer Bandai
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) October 8, 1998
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Kidou Senshi Gundam: Giren no Yabou - Kouryaku

Shireisho is an update to Kidou Senshi Gundam: Giren
no Yabou. It is an “append disc”, thus relies on a copy
of Giren no Yabou to function.
The game feature videos, art work and even some early
design sketches as well as endless screens of informa-
tion and stories in Japanese.
“segagagadomain.com”

6.3 Kidou Senshi Z Gundam:

Kouhen Sora wo Kakeru
Developer Bandai
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) September 25, 1997
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

Kidou Senshi Z Gundam: Kouhen Sora wo Kakeru

is an action game published by Bandai for the Sega
Saturn, based upon the Mobile Suit Z Gundam anime
series.
 Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo ~Hoshimitou Kanashimi no Fukushuuki • 281

Kidou Senshi Z Gundam: 6.4

Zenpen Zeta no Kodou
Developer Bandai
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) April 25, 1997
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

Kidou Senshi Z Gundam: Zenpen Zeta no Kodou is

an action game based upon the Mobile Suit Z Gundam
anime series. The aim of the game is to fly and shoot
what ever enemy comes the players way. The game
also feature video cut scenes and the music which are
both taken from the anime.

“segagagadomain.com”

7.3 Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo

Developer Hudson Soft
Publisher Hudson Soft
Release date (jp) January 15, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo: Hoshimitou Kanashi-

mi no Hukushuuki is an adventure game based on the
1997 Kindaichi Case Files anime series.
The game was developed and published by Hudson,
which was released in Japan in 1998 for the Sega Sat-
urn.

Kiss Yori... 5.0

Developer KID
Publisher KID
Release date (jp) March 18, 1999
Genre Simulation, Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Kiss Yori... is a dating simulator with static graphics.

The way to advance in the game is by choosing an op-
tion among a list of several ones. There the player will
take the role of an adolescent guy and should try to
seduce as many attractive girls as possible.

“mobygames.com”
282 • The King of Fighters ‘95

The King of Fighters ‘95

8.0 Developer Rutubo Games
Publisher SNK
Release date (jp) March 28, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

D
is a The
psychological horror puzzle
King of Fighters ‘95 is aadventure. Since
the
1995storyline
fightingandgamegraphics depicted
produced by SNK violence unlikerivalry
ancient an- between both of their
ything seen in a previous video game, head developer
for the Neo Geo arcade and home con- clans. During the initial location tests to
Kenji
sole. ItEnois deliberately
the sequel tochose
The toKing
bypass
of censorship.
determine He the popularity of the game,
submitted a “clean” version
Fighters ‘94 and the second game into pass publisher
Iori approval
was the character who stood out
late, knowing that they would be require him to hand
The King of Fighters series. It is also most, also becoming a favorite of the
deliver
the first the
game game to series
in the the manufacturer.
to be ported On his way toThe creation of the Rival
developers.
the
to other home consoles besides the Neo Teamwith
manufacturer, he switched the “clean” washis one of the things develop-
master version containing the more disturbing content.
Geo AES and Neo-Geo CD, with ver- ers worked the hardest, focusing in
sions released for the PlayStation, Sega their moves and lines. The character of
Saturn and Game Boy. It was also rere- Eiji Kisaragi was originally from Art
leased in The King of Fighters Collec- of Fighting 2 and the staff had to ad-
tion: The Orochi Saga in 2008 for the just most of his moves to balance him
PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and with the other characters. Following
Wii. this game, several Art of Fighting char-
The gameplay and rules are acters were removed from each sequel

mostly unchanged from The King of with developers saying it was “thanks
Fighters ‘94. The main addition is the to KOF jinx.”
introduction of the Team Edit feature, The Saturn version was sold
allowing the player to create a custom with a ROM cartridge required for the
team from any of the game’s twenty- game to work. Unlike the RAM expan-
four characters in addition to the pre- sion carts used in other SNK and Cap-
defined teams in the game. Through com games for the Saturn, this ROM
the main play mode, players must cart contains most of the character ani-
defeat all of the teams from the game mation data, reducing the amount of
in order to fight the bosses: the brain- information needed from the CD-ROM
washed Saisyu Kusanagi, followed by and resulting in faster load times. Un-
a stronger Rugal Bernstein. fortunately, this addition makes it very
The plot features a new King hard to play in the US – due to the

of Fighters tournament once again pro- CD region lock, just playing the game
moted by the criminal Rugal Bernstein, would require a converter cartridge,
who wants to take revenge against Kyo which of course means there’s no place
Kusanagi, who defeated him in last to plug in the required ROM cartridge.
year’s tournament. The game also in- Unfortunately the game’s sound doesn’t
troduces a sub-boss character, Saisyu fare well in either the Playstation or
Kusanagi, who is the father of Kyo. Saturn versions, with very scratchy and
KOF ‘95 also introduces the fighter Iori low quality sound effect and voice sam-
Yagami, who becomes Kyo’s rival in ples on both ports compared to the clar-
the series. ity on the Neo Geo. While the PlaySta-
tion and Saturn could have supported
The KOF ‘95 project began with better sound, these particular ports were
the concept of introducing Iori Yagami made from the Neo CD version of the
as Kyo Kusanagi’s rival. As such, de- game rather than the original Neo Geo
velopers gave him traits to expand that cartridge.
relationship such as similar abilities and
 The King of Fighters ‘96 • 283

The King of Fighters ‘96

Developer SNK
8.4
Publisher SNK
Release date (jp) December 31, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

D is a psychological
previous games. Like in horror puzzle adventure. Since
the previous,
The King of Fighters ‘96 is the the storyline
Super Specialand graphics
Moves can bedepicted
performed violence unlike an-
third game in The King of Fighters se- when the Power Gauge is filled up or head developer
ything seen in a previous video game,
ries, following The King of Fighters Kenji the
when Enoplayer’s
deliberately choseistoflashing
life gauge bypass censorship. He
‘95. Like its predecessor, the game was submitted a “clean” version to
red. However, the player can also per- pass publisher approval
ported to the Neo-Geo CD, as well as late, knowing
form that theyversion
a more powerful would of be their
require him to hand
the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Unlike deliver Super
regular the game
move to ifthe manufacturer.
both conditions On his way to
the previous game, the PlayStation and are met (the player has low energythe
the manufacturer, he switched and“clean” with his
Saturn versions were released only in master version
Maximum levelcontaining
power gauge). the more disturbing content.
Japan, with a language setting allowing SNK members had various
the player to set the game to English. It troubles with the development of the
is also part of the compilation The King game as they were dragged on right up
of Fighters Collection: The Orochi Saga to the time of its scheduled release. This
for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Port- happened since developers had difficul-
able and Wii. ties with making the sprites and spe-
The plot follows a new King cial moves of new characters from the
of Fighters tournament created by Chi- game.
zuru Kagura, the heir of Yata Clan who While it was ported to both the
wants to find and recruit Kyo Kusanagi, PlayStation and Saturn, the former was
who defeated the previous KOF host, once again saddled with cut animation
Rugal Bernstein, to ask him and his bit- and load times, while the latter used the
ter rival, Iori Yagami, to help her in the 1 MB RAM cart. While both ports still
sealing of the Orochi demon. The new have plenty of loading, it’s much short-
boss is one of the servants from Orochi, er and very little animation is sacrificed.
Goenitz, who appears after Chizuru is The sound quality is still noticeably
defeated. downgraded, though the arrange sound-
KOF ‘96 made a few slight track may make up for it.
changes to the gameplay of previous The game has had mixed re-
KOF games by introducing new tech- views from several video games pub-
niques. The Dodge technique from the lications. While some reviewers have
previous two game is replaced by an praised the graphical improvements and
“emergency evasion” or “attack de- the addition of new characters, some
flector” technique, which allows the have commented it was unbalanced in
player’s character to roll away or to- comparison to its prequels.
wards the opponent. In the latter case,
the player can have the ability to roll An extensive database for the
towards the opponent and end up at the game, titled The King of Fighters ‘96
other side. The player can also deter- Neo Geo Collection, was released in
mine the height of their jump and per- 1997 to promote the year’s title. It was
form small or high jumps. Additionally, available only for the Neo-Geo CD. The
the graphics for all the character sprites database included the game’s intro, an
from the previous games were redrawn interactive reenactment of the game’s
and the commands for certain Special backstory, character profiles spoken by
and Super moves were changed from their voice actors, outtakes, and an ex-
clusive gallery section.
284 • The King of Fighters ‘97

The King of Fighters ‘97

8.4 Developer Yumekobo
Publisher SNK
Release date (jp) March 26, 1998
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

D
is a The
psychological horror puzzle
King of Fighters ‘97 isadventure. Since
the
the storyline
fourth gameandingraphics depicted
The King violence
of Fight- unlike an-
choosing their team: Advanced and
ything seen in a previous video game,
ers series. It’s also the final chapter of head developer
Extra.
Kenji
“OrochiEnoSaga”.
deliberately
It waschose to bypass
ported to the censorship.
He
Advanced mode is based on
submitted a “clean” version to
Neo-Geo CD, as well as the PlaySta-pass publisher
the approval
previous game in the series, KOF
late, knowing that they would be require him to hand
tion and the Sega Saturn in Japan only. ‘96, but features a revamped Power
deliver
The game the was
gamealso
to the manufacturer.
released on iOS On his way
Gauge. to of charging the Power
Instead
the manufacturer,
and Android in 2013. he switched the “clean” with his
Gauge, the Power Gauge is now filled
master version containing the more disturbing content.
While King of Fighters ’96‘s whenever the player strikes the oppo-
rushed production resulted in a unbal- nent or by performing Special Moves.
anced game, SNK didn’t hesitate to The player can stock up to three Power
add even more content to The King of Gauges. The player can use one stock
Fighters ’97. Without having to draw of the Power Gauge to perform a Su-
completely new sprites for the char- per Special Move or enter a “MAX”
acters like with the previous year’s mode, in which the player’s defensive
game, they were free to focus on add- and offen- sive strength are increased.
ing more moves and animation to the Performing a Super Special Move
already existing cast. while in MAX mode will make the
Fans were asked to vote for player perform a more powerful Super
their favorite characters to add into the Special Move.
series through three game magazines: Extra mode is based on the
Famitsu, Gamest and Neo Geo Freak. first two games in the series, KOF ‘94
The three winners form the ‘97 Spe- and KOF ‘95. Like in those games, the
cial Team. The magazines also created player fills the Power Gauge by charg-
their own special edit teams to include ing it or defending against the oppo-
in the game. nent’s attacks. After the gauge is filled,
In The King of Fighters ‘96, the player enters MAX mode and like
several moves from Kyo were changed in Advanced, their character’s offense
in order to adapt him to the new game and defense will increase. The player
system. However, the original move- can only perform Super Special Moves
set was still popular between gamers in MAX mode or when the life gauge
and as such, an alternative version is near empty and flashing red. When
from Kyo was added to KOF ‘97. The the player performs a Super move in
introduction of this version was noted MAX mode while the life gauge is
to be “a hit” within gamers, the staff flashing red, then the Super move will
kept adding new alternative versions be even more powerful. The Emergen-
of other characters to the sequels. This cy Roll maneuver from KOF ‘96 used
later led to the creation of the Kyo in Advanced mode is replaced by the
clones (Kyo-1 and Kyo-2) from The side-step from KOF ‘94 and KOF ‘95.
King of Fighters ‘99. Like the previous game, KoF
KOF ‘97 follows the same for- ’97 made it to PlayStation and Saturn,
mat as the previous KOF games, but with the Saturn version once again

introduces two distinct playing styles taking advantage of the 1 MB RAM

which the player can select before cart to reduce load times.
Kochira Katsushikaku Kameari Kouenmae Hashutsujo Nakagawa Land Dai Race! no Maki • 285

3.6 The King of Boxing

Developer Victor Entertainment
Publisher JVC, (jp) Victor Entertainment
Release date (jp) October 20, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Victory Boxing, known as King of Boxing in Japan

and Center Ring Boxing in the US, is a 3-D polygon
boxing game where players can choose from 30 dif-
ferent male or female boxers and compete in six dif-
ferent weight divisions. Players may also create their
own boxer and use them to rise through the ranks to
become champion choosing from one of five distinct
styles of boxing.

“mobygames.com”

Kochira Katsushikaku Kameari 5.4

Kouenzen Hashutsujo
Developer Bandai
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) August 29, 1997
Genre Table
Mode 1-6 Players

Kochira Katsushikaku Kamearikouenmae Hashutsujo

Nakagawa Land Dai Race! no Maki is a 1997 game
by Bandai for the Sega Saturn. It is a 3D board game
which features all of the characters from the Kochira
Katsushikaku Kamearikouenmae Hashutsujo anime.

7.6 Koden Furyoujutsu:

Hyaku Monogatari
Developer Hudson Soft
Publisher Hudson Soft
Release date (jp) August 8, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Koden Koureijutsu Hyaku Monogatari: Hontoni Atta

Kowai Hanashi is a sound novel with a heavy empha-
sis on scrolling text and photo backgrounds, just like
the many games released by Chun Soft.
286 • Konami Antiques MSX Collection Ultra Pack

6.7 Koi no Summer Fantasy:

in Miyazaki Seagaia
Developer Bandai Visual
Publisher Bandai Visual
Release date (jp) August 22, 1997
Genre Simulation, Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Koi no Summer Fantasy: in Miyazaki Seagaia is a dat-

ing simulation game for the Sega Saturn, starring Japa-
nese actress and singer Megumi Okina in the indoor
waterpark Seagaia Ocean Dome in Miyazaki, Japan.
The game is played with players ask and answer a few
questions here and there in order to win Megumi’s
love.

Konami Antiques
MSX Collection Ultra Pack 7.5

Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (jp) July 23, 1998
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

Konami Antiques MSX Collection Ultra Pack is a

compilation of MSX games released for the Sega Sat-
urn exclusively in Japan in 1998. It is a combination
of three previous compilations released for the Sony
PlayStation, making 30 games in total.

Games include:
“segaretro.org”
Antarctic Adventure Konami’s Tennis
Athletic Land Knightmare
Comic Bakery Magical Tree
Gradius (Nemesis) Mopi Ranger
Gradius 2 (Nemesis 2) Parodius
Gofer no Yabō Episode II (Nemesis 3) Penguin Adventure
Hyper Sports 2 Pippols
Hyper Sports 3 Road Fighter
King’s Valley Salamander
Konami’s Billiards Sky Jaguar
Konami’s Boxing Super Cobra
Konami’s Golf Time Pilot
Konami’s Ping Pong TwinBee
Konami Rally Yie Ar Kung-Fu
Konami’s Soccer Yie Ar Kung-Fu II
 Koudou Saisoku Densetsu ~Kashiramoji D • 287

Kono Yo no Hate de Koi 8.3

wo Utau Shoujo Yu-No
Developer Elf
Publisher Elf
Release date (us) December 4, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Yu-No: Kono Yo no Hate de Koi o Utau Shōjo is a Jap-

anese-style adventure. The interaction with the game
world does not involve the usual menu commands, but
a point-and-click interface.
The game’s original PC-98 releases feature explicit
sex scenes. The Saturn version still contains erotic im-
ages and innuendo, but no nudity and/or explicit sex-
ual situations.

7.2 Initial D:
Koudou Saisoku Densetsu
Developer Genki
Publisher Kodansha
Release date (jp) June 25, 1998
Genre Racing
Mode 1 Player

Initial D: Koudou Saisoku Densetsu is a 1998 racing

game for the Sega Saturn tying into the Initial D media
franchise.
It was the only game in the franchise released on a
Sega system; Sega themselves would later license the
franchise for an on-going series of arcade and console
games.
“segaretro.org”

Kouryuu Sangoku Engi 6.0

Developer [RON]
Publisher Xing Entertainment
Release date (jp) December 6, 1996
Genre Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Kouryuu Sangoku Engi is an historical strategy game

in the same vein as the many games in the Romance of
the Three Kingdoms series by Koei.
The game need a Saturn memory card in order to save
any game data since the saves are far to big to save to
the Saturn’s internal memory.
288 • Kumitate Battle Kuttu Ketto

Krazy Ivan 6.5

Developer Psygnosis, Perfect Entertainment
Publisher Psygnosis, (jp) Soft Bank
Release date (eu) May 23, 1997
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

Krazy Ivan is a mech first-person shooter. The player

takes the role of Ivan Popovich, a Russian soldier con-
trolling a giant mechanical suit, defending the Earth
from robotic aliens. The game consists of five zones:
Russia, Saudi Arabia, France, USA and Japan. The
game has an interface at the end of each zone allow-
ing the player to spend the game’s form of experience
points (power cores) on upgrades and weapons.

7.5 Kumitate Battle Kuttu Ketto

Developer Technosoft
Publisher Technosoft
Release date (jp) April 2, 1998
Genre Simulation, Strategy
Mode 1-2 Players

Kumitate Battle Kuttu Ketto is a Sega Saturn battle

simulation. In it, players have to build a robot, then
take it out to the colourful battle field and battle it out.
The game was developed and published by Techno-
Soft, which was released in Japan in 1998 for the Sega
Saturn.

Kunoichi Torimonochou 7.0

Developer PoleStar
Publisher CRI
Release date (jp) February 5, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Kunoichi Torimonochō (“Kunoichi Detective Story”)

is a Japanese-style adventure game. Players take the
role of Ran and travel around Edo, interact with a vari-
ety of colorful characters, play numerous minigames,
and attempt to train Ran into a proper Kunoichi, a se-
cret agent for the shogun. There are multiple endings
depending upon the choices and performance through
the game.
“mobygames.com”
290 • Kurubushi Kyoudai Gekijou Dai-ikkan Maajan-hen

6.0 Kuro no Danshou:

The Literary Fragment
Developer Abogado Powers
Publisher Oz Club
Release date (jp) August 8, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

The Literary Fragment is the first game in Abogado’s

mystery/horror/adult Detective Suzusaki series. The
story focuses on Satoshi Suzusaki, a private investiga-
tor with a tragic past, which has left a permanent scar
on his life and mental abilities.
The gameplay is point-and-click adventure without
puzzles. To interact with the object, the player is re-
quired simply to click on it.

Kurubushi Kyoudai Gekijou 5.7

Daiikkan Mahjong Hen
Developer Chatnoir
Publisher Yumedia
Release date (jp) June 28, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Kurubushi Kyoudai Gekijou Daiikkan Mahjong Hen

is a mahjong game, published by Yumedia, which was
released in Japan in 1996 for the Sega Saturn.

6.7 Kururin Pa!

Developer Sky Think System
Publisher Sky Think System
Release date (jp) February 23, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Kururin Pa! is a puzzle game, published by Sky Think

Systems, which was released in Japan in 1996 for the
Sega Saturn. The gameplay is similar to Bomblis.
 Kyuukyoku Tiger II Plus • 291

Kuusou Kagaku Sekai 9.0

Gulliver Boy
Developer Hudson Soft
Publisher Hudson Soft
Release date (jp) March 22, 1996
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

The game is based on the anime Gulliver Boy, cre-

ated by Teruhisa Hiroi. It differs greatly from the Su-
per Famicom interpretation of the anime. Unlike that
action role-playing game, it is a traditional Japanese-
style turn-based RPG. It utilizes traditional battle
system with a four-heroes party, physical attacks and
magic, etc.
“mobygames.com”

6.4 Kyuukyoku Tiger II Plus

Developer Naxat Soft, Takumi Corporation
Publisher Naxat Soft
Release date (jp) December 18, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Kyuukyoku Tiger II Plus is a vertical scrolling shoot-

’em-up. It is a sequel to Kyuukyoku Tiger, otherwise
known as Twin Cobra. The game was initially released
in arcades in 1995, and can be seen as the “last” shoot-
’em-up to be developed by employees of the now-de-
funct Toaplan. Naxat Soft were responsible for bring-
ing the game to the Saturn, adding Plus to the title as
well as CGI cutscenes, a new soundtrack, some palette
changes and an extra level.

Kyuutenkai 8.1
Developer Technosoft
Publisher Technosoft
Release date (jp) June 25, 1995
Genre Pinball
Mode 1 Player

Kyuutenkai: Fantastic Pinball plays very similar to the

Alien Crush/Devil’s Crush series of pinball games.
This game also offers living bumpers, wandering en-
emies, and bonus rounds that take place outside of the
main table.
Players can select from three different characters be-
fore the plunger is pulled. They each have their own
attributes that affect how the game is played.
“mobygames.com”
292 • Langrisser Dramatic Edition

Langrisser Dramatic Edition 8.3

Developer CareerSoft
Publisher Nippon Computer Systems
Release date (jp) February 26, 1998
Genre Compilation
Mode 1 Player

Langrisser: Dramatic Edition is a compilation

that contains Der Langrisser, a remake of Langrisser
II which was originally released on the Super Fami-
com and PC-FX, as well as an enhanced remake of the
original Langrisser. As with Langrisser II and all future
Langrisser games, this has never received an official
western release.
Der Langrisser was heavily modified from the original Mega Drive
games, and the new remake of Langrisser is based on the changes made in Der
Langrisser.
Langrisser
Warsong, known as Langrisser in Japan, is a tactical role-playing game developed
by Nippon Computer Systems. The first in the Langrisser series, it blended tacti-
cal warfare with RPG elements, similar to the Fire Emblem series. The player
controls a group of heroes or commanders to accomplish some goals each phase.
They are joined with non-controlled allies to battle with enemies commanders.
The storyline follows the armies of Prince Garett of Baltia as they battle the Dal-
sis Empire and the monsters they unwittingly awaken, framed as a battle between
the forces of good and an ancient evil that threatens to overrun the world.
The graphics in the Saturn version are now taken from Der Langrisser.
Characters are larger and more detailed. The soundtrack is completely differ-
ent, and voice acting has been added to various story sequences. The dialog has
been modified, making the simple plot of the previous game a bit more complex.
Anime cutscenes are spread throughout the game. All the rebalances and battle
engine modifications that were done with Der Langrisser also apply. In compari-
son with the original Langrisser, permanent character death is absent.
Langrisser II
Langrisser II, the sequel to Warsong, was remade on the Super Famicom as Der
Langrisser. Der Langrisser was one of the first tactical RPGs to allow the player
a choice of story paths. Depending on the player’s choices, the protagonist of the
game, Erwin, can switch allegiances between three factions: the Descendants of
Light, the Rayguard Empire, and the Demon Tribe. Alternatively, he can choose
to create his own faction in opposition to the other three.
In the Saturn version, most of the features in Der Langrisser are carried
over from the PC-FX version: Nearly everything from the previous comparison
applies, with the exception of the permadeath (which wasn’t in II to begin with)
and the musical score (a few tracks are different, but most are familiar.). The plot
was re-written to be far more open-ended. The protagonist now has the option to
switch his allegiance at various points in the game, each switch having drastic
consequences and changes in the playable character roster that follow through to
the end. Battle maps, character appearances and important story events have been
revamped and shuffled to accommodate this.
 Langrisser III • 293

7.8 Langrisser III

Developer Nippon Computer Systems
Publisher Nippon Computer Systems
Release date (jp) October 18, 1996
Genre Strategy, Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

This is aLangrisser
prequel toIIIthewas
twothe first 32-bitgames
Langrisser installment in
(the first
the
oneseries. Langrisser
is known in the III
USisasactually a prequel
Warsong). The to the first
events of
two games,
the third as it
game details
occur the creation
thousand of the first
years before thoseLan-
de-
grisser
scribed sword, and“Langrisser”.
in the first the origins of the Descendents of
Light. Consequentially, it is also set before the prequel
In Langrisser III, players don’t control whole armies,
series Elthlead, and lays the foundation for the wars
but only their generals, whom they move around the
which take place in that strategy series. The game also Special Package
battle field. The game also features love simulation el-
introduces the genealogies which dominate most of the
ements .
Langrisser series, with the exception of Langrisser IV,
“mobygames.com”
which is set on the Western continent Yeless.
Langrisser III introduced new changes for the
series. Instead of commanding each unit on the bat-
tlefield, players are only given control over the gener-
als. After setting a destination for a general, the play-
ers characters and the enemies move simultaneously.
When they collide, the screen zooms into the battle- Saturn Collection
field, where players can give specific commands to
each squad member, or just let the computer take over.
Players are then treated to a pseudo-3D rendition of the
battle.
Like all Langrisser games, there are a large
amount of characters on the battlefield, and these battle
segments slow things down even more than previous
installments. They can be turned off, which removes
much the micromanagement strategy. The basics are
still mostly the same, except the class system has been
overhauled. Players never promote characters, but in-
stead they can assign them different classes at the beginning of each battle. The
more levels they gain, the wider the possibilities.
Langrisser III also introduces a love system similar to the Sakura Taisen
games - depending on what the players say and do to their female compatriots,
their feelings will change about the players. At the finale, the players end up to-
gether with the one they impressed the most. While the multiple paths of Der Lan-
grisser are gone, there are still two major endings depending on various choices
players made throughout the game.
Langrisser III is the only game of the series to be denied multiple ports -
other than an odd PC release in Korea, it only came out on the Saturn. A limited
edition comes with a hologram cover and a small fanbook featuring interviews
with the voice actors. It was also re-released for the Playstation 2, although barely
upgraded. Oddly enough, some of more scantily clad female characters were giv-
en more clothing.

“Kurt Kalata@hg101.kontek.net”
294 • Langrisser IV

Langrisser IV 8.6
Developer CareerSoft
Publisher Nippon Computer Systems
Release date (jp) August 1, 1997
Genre Strategy, Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Langrisser IV is the fourth game in NCS’s Lan-

grisser strategy game series, released in 1997 for the
Sega Saturn in Japan.
Langrisser IV begins with a simple rebellion -
the lord has taken a unsettling interesting in the small
town of Gotaal, and raises the tax rate, intentionally
Special Package
sparking an outrage. The game begins with the heroes,
Landius and Ricky, fleeing for their lives as their town
is wrecked for their obstinence. They watch helpless
as their friend, Rachel, is stolen away. In the midst of
running, they become entangled in a neighboring bat-
tle between the Kingdom Caconsis and the Regenburg
Federation. The plotline is far removed from the first
three games, although it does tie together with Lan-
grisser V.
Satakore The game returns to the traditional gameplay
style of the first two Langrisser games. Players cre-
ate their character and choose his class by answering
questions in the beginning of the game (similar to Ul-
tima games).
New to Langrisser IV is the “judgement” sys-
tem. Instead of each unit’s turn coming around in the
same order, its speed determines how often it can move,
meaning, faster characters get more turns than slower
characters. Additionally, spells take varying amounts
of time to cast, which can also offset the turn order.
Before the battles, players shouldBefore
recruitthe
mercenaries, buy weapons
battles, players and items,
should recruit mer-
etc. Once in battle mode, they command several units led by stronger generals.
As in most tactical games, the troop types and commander classes fit
together into a complex relationship of strengths and weaknesses. Foot soldiers
beat pikes, pikes beat cavalry, cavalry beat foot soldiers, archers can strike from
a distance in exchange for terrible defense, waterborne troops gain enormous ad-
vantages fighting in their home terrain, and holy soldiers gain the advantage over
demonic adversaries. Troops also have innate magic resistance that is enhanced
by remaining within their commander’s bonus radius. Langrisser IV restricts the
total troops any commander can possess to four, of one type only.
Langrisser IV for the Saturn also had a special edition package which
comes in a cardboard box. In addition a fan book similar to Langrisser III’s, in-
cluded are three little pins of Rachel, Shelfaniel and the logo.
After both Langrisser IV and V had been released on the Saturn, the
games came bundled together and released for the Playstation, dubbing them
“Final Edition”. There is also a fan-translated English patch available for the
PlayStation version.
“Kurt Kalata@hg101.kontek.net”
 Langrisser V ~The End of Legend~ • 295

8.7 Langrisser V:
The End of Legend
Developer CareerSoft
Publisher Nippon Computer Systems
Release date (jp) June 18, 1998
Genre Strategy, Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

The last true Langrisser game, the fifth install-

ment picks up shortly before the conclusion of the
fourth game. Sigma and Lambda are two cyborgs who
awaken from their slumber, only to find that their un-
derground home is under attack. After regrouping, the
two begin their journey to find their creator, Gizarof,
one of the villains from the previous game. Their goal
is simply
simply toto find
findout
outwhy
whythe
thefrilly
frillyevil overlord
evil Rain-
overlord Rainforce wants them dead.
force wants
Later, them
they get dead. Ofincourse,
entangled greaterthey get entangled
battles, most of which involve Langrisser
IV’s cast. There are only six playable generals in Langrisser V.
Langrisser V marks a departure from past Langrisser games in that its sto-
ryline actually takes place concurrently with one of its prequels. Past Langrisser
games have had their plots separated by years or even generations, but Langrisser
V takes place in its entirety during and immediately after the storyline of Lan-
grisser IV.
Like past Langrisser games (with the exception of Langrisser I), Langriss-
er V presents players with many choices throughout the storyline of the game.
Although the scenarios are linear (unlike those of Langrisser II and Langrisser
IV), the choices that players make do affect the outcome of the game. Also, like
Langrisser III and Langrisser IV, the choices will affect how well Sigma gets
along with the female characters in the game.
Langrisser V plays similarly to past Langrisser games, and is especially
similar to Langrisser IV in its execution. The battles take place on expansive 2D
overhead maps, and the Judgment Phase System (where characters’ orders of ac-
tions depend on their judgment level, or speed, rather than distinct player/enemy
phases) still guides the turn-based battles. Each one of the player characters, re-
ferred to as “generals,” can control up to 6 individual units of 10 troops each, and
can deploy two different unit types at once. Each unit of troops can be ordered to
attack, and generals can attack and use magic and skills in combat. Like in past
Langrisser games, troops are much less effective if they are outside of their gen-
eral’s command range.
Langrisser V makes a departure from other strategy RPGs with its sum-
mon system. Instead of summoning a creature to do a lot of damage to everything
in sight and then disappear, generals in Langrisser V summon creatures and then
control them as troops. Later on in the game, the summons become a crucial part
of the strategy, since some of them have extremely useful spells and attacks.
Out of all of the Langrisser games, Langrisser V has the fewest playable
characters, with a total of 6. But players can always bring all of their generals into
battle at one time.
There’s also several scenes of anime FMV in Langrisser V. The anime is
drawn and animated by Satoshi Urushihara, the artist of the Langrisser series.

“Commodore Wheeler@rpgfan.com”
298 • Legend of K-1 Grand Prix ‘96

Last Bronx 7.5

Developer Sega AM3
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) August 1, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Last Bronx is the third in a set of games released dur-

ing the mid-1990s by Sega’s AM teams to capitalise
on the success on a genre kickstarted by Sega’s own
Virtua Fighter.
It was brought to the Sega Saturn in early 1997,
and was considered at the time to be a big technical
achievement for home console fighting games, the key
feature being polygonal backgrounds.
“segaretro.org”

Legend of K-1 Grand Prix ‘96

Developer Pony Canyon
Publisher Pony Canyon
Release date (jp) April 18, 1997
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Legend of K-1 Grand Prix ‘96 is a interactive gallery

for the Sega Saturn. The disc consist 3D polygon gen-
erated areas which users must navigate to enter each
section of this virtual museum. The museum feature
the normal selection of profiles, a video of K-1 ring-
side girls, info from Master Ishi.

“segagagadomain.com”

Legend of K-1
The Best Collection
Developer Pony Canyon
Publisher Pony Canyon
Release date (jp) January 24, 1997
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Legend of K-1 The Best Collection is a interactive gal-

lery for the Sega Saturn. The disc is full of interviews,
stats and some special K.O. footage of all the popular
K-1 boxes from the mid 90’s.

“segagagadomain.com”
 Lifescape Seimei 40-okunen Harukana Tabi • 299

5.4 Lifescape 2 Body Bionics:

Kyoui no Shouuchuu Jintai
Developer Scitron & Art
Publisher Media Quest
Release date (us) August 8, 1997
Genre Action, Edutainment
Mode 1 Player

In this sequel players are shrunk down to nano size

then placed inside a nano sized ectosuit within they
travel around the inside of a body. The actual game
element is probably best described as a shooter. The
mission is to destroy bacteria by blasting it to bits with
the on-board weapons as players fly down the passages
to various parts of the body.
“segagagadomain.com”

Lifescape Seimei 6.2

40-okunen Harukana Tabi
Developer Scitron & Art
Publisher Media Quest
Release date (jp) May 24, 1996
Genre Simulation, Edutainment
Mode 1 Player

Lifescape Seimei 40-okunen Harukana Tabi is a life

simulation game for the Sega Saturn.
Players basically hop in to their “space” vehicle then
head off to see various exhibition rooms in which they
can watch videos or mess about with some thing made
from polygons.

7.2 Linda³ Kanzenban

Developer MARS, Alfa System
Publisher ASCII
Release date (jp) June 18, 1998
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Linda³: Kanzenban (“Perfect Edition”) is a slightly dif-

ferent version of the PlayStation game, Linda³ Again
- which, in its turn, is a remake of the PC Engine CD
original version. In addition to the new difficulty levels
and mission objectives introduced in the Playstation
remake, there are more statistics and battle objectives,
which can be selected directly from the main menu and
then set on the difficulty/mission selection screen.
“mobygames.com”
300 • Layer Section II

Layer Section II 7.2

Developer Tose
Publisher Media Quest
Release date (jp) October 30, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

xxx RayStorm is a scrolling shooter developed by

the Taito Corporation. Originally released in Japan as
xxx
an arcade game in 1996, it was later ported there to
Sony’s PlayStation and Sega Saturn (under the name
Layer Section II) in 1997.
RayStorm is one of three “Ray” games, all fea-
turing similar gameplay, released by Taito. RayForce
was released before RayStorm, and the RayForce pre-
quel RayCrisis was released after the others. The plot
of RayStorm, which is minimally revealed in the game
itself but further described by the game’s instruction
manual and “Extra Mode” in home releases, is not
connected to the “Con-Human” storyline of the other
two games.
Staff involved in the development of RayStorm include producer and
director Yukio Abe, director Tatsuo Nakamura, music composer Tamayo Ka-
wamoto, and sound effect composer Munehiro Nakanishi, who all had the same
roles developing RayForce beforehand. Kawamoto and Nakanishi composed as
members of Taito “house band” Zuntata, who trace their first work under that
name to June 1987.
Home versions contain two gameplay modes: the Arcade Mode which
preserves the look and feel of the original arcade version, and the Extra Mode
that has enhanced graphics, additional enemies, modified bosses, and tougher
difficulty, as well as a different ending. Also in Extra Mode, when the player
gets a “continue”, the score accumulated from the first stage will be retained (i.e.
score will not reset to zero). Completing either mode unlocks a “stage select” op-
tion to play individual stages in the completed mode (except for the final stage)
for a high score, while succeeding in both modes unlocks a “13 Players” option.
The “13 Players” option requires the player to complete the game using
a total of 13 ships from 5 groups: three R-Gray 1 ships using “manual” control,
in which primary and lock-on weapons are controlled separately; three R-Gray 2
ships, with manual control; three R-Gray 1 ships using “auto” control, in which
primary and lock-on weapons are controlled with the same button; three “auto”
R-Gray 2 ships; and one R-Gray 0 “prototype” ship. Either mode can be played
with this option; completing the game under Extra Mode with this option reveals
an additional epilogue.
An high-definition version of the game, titled RayStorm HD, includes all
three R-Grays and the R-Gear, a fourth ship that fires homing missiles.
On April 2007, Taito released Furu Furu Park, a collection of minigames
inspired by the company’s arcade games, for Nintendo’s Wii. Gaming website
GameDaily said that its RayStorm minigame “requires some very strong bullet-
dodging skills”, but some of its other minigames are “way too easy”.
302 • Lode Runner ~The Legend Returns~

Logic Puzzle Rainbow Town 6.4

Developer Human
Publisher Human
Release date (jp) February 23, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1 Player

Logic Puzzle Rainbow Town is a puzzle game, devel-

oped and published by Human Entertainment, which
was released in Japan in 1996 for the Sega Saturn. It is
essentially a clone of Nintendo’s Picross series.

7.7 Linkle Liver Story

Developer Nextech
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) March 15, 1996
Genre Action role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Linkle Liver Story is an action-oriented RPG

that takes place on a distant planet called Mamuuna
whose inhabitants are humans with animal qualities.
The story centers around the “Mother Flower” which
gives life to all new beings on the planet when one day
it disappears.
This is where the player takes control of a cat-girl character by the
This
name ofwhere
is thewho
Kittchu, player takes controlbyofa apink
is accompanied cat-girl
seed-pod that resembles
acharacter by the the
pig, traveling name of Kittchu,
planet who is accompanied
from continent to continent in a tornado whirl-
wind, vanquishing enemies in an attempt to recover the “Mother Flower”
and bring order back to the planet.
The gameplay is reminiscent of the earlier Zelda games, where the
player uses various weapons to hack and slash enemies, likewise the players
seed companion will charge at enemies from distance. To obtain weapons,
the player must search for weapons seeds and using water left behind van-
quished enemies to grow them. There are six different color coded seeds to
be found which are powered up through
four different levels which gives over 120
different weapons to be used. Likewise,
health recovery items are acquired in the
same manner, by using water to grow
special trees that will produce fruit.
“mobygames.com”
 Lode Runner Extra • 303

7.0 Lode Runner:

The Legend Returns
Developer Presage Software
Publisher Patra
Release date (jp) March 8, 1996
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1-2 Players

Lode Runner: The Legend Returns is an entry in the

Lode Runner series. Initially released for DOS/Win-
dows PCs and Macintosh computers in 1994, it was
ported to the Sega Saturn in 1996.
Unlike previous sequels to Lode Runner, The Legend
Returns extends the basic formula of the first game by
adding a variety of new tools such as drills and bombs,
as well as teleporters.

Lode Runner Extra 6.2

Developer Presage Software
Publisher Patra
Release date (jp) January 10, 1997
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1-2 Players

Lode Runner Extra is a stand-alone expansion for Lode

Runner: The Legend Returns, featuring 110 new levels
for advanced players and an integrated level editor. The
gameplay remains the same in this action-platformer,
where the objective is to collect all the gold nuggets
and bars scattered around each stage to activate a por-
tal to the next level. New tools and other helpful piec-
es of equipment are slowly introduced with cutscenes
showing their usage.

7.6 The Legend of Heroes I & II

Eiyuu Densetsu
Developer HighwayStar
Publisher GMF
Release date (jp) September 23, 1998
Genre Compilation
Mode 1 Player

The Legend of Heroes I & II Eiyuu Densetsu contains

two RPGs by Falcom, Dragon Slayer: Eiyuu Densetsu
and Dragon Slayer: Eiyuu Densetsu II. Though the mu-
sic has been rearranged, graphics appear to try to recre-
ate their originals on 1980s Japanese home computers
(to the point that they do not have smooth scrolling).
304 • Loaded

Loaded 7.2
Developer Gremlin Interactive
Publisher Interplay, (jp) Interplay, Electronic Arts Victor
Release date (eu) June, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1-2 Players

xxx Loaded, known as Blood Factoryin Japan, is

a science fiction-themed top-down shoot ‘em up re-
xxx
leased on December 12, 1995 on the PlayStation, and
ported to the Sega Saturn the following year.
Loaded was developed by Gremlin Interactive,
a British software house based in Sheffield which had
previously had a successful run in developing games.
Loaded and its sequel Re-Loaded would be among the
last games developed by Gremlin Interactive, before
it was acquired by French giant Infogrames for £24
million, and the studio in Sheffield closed. Develop-
ment took place over less than a year. The game was
internationally published by US-based Interplay.
The main character design and graphics were done by a host of comic
book illustrators like Les Spink and Greg Staples (of 2000AD fame). Interplay
collaborated with DC Comics to create a 12-page novella illustrated with the
game’s artwork to promote it and introduce the characters and the game premise.
The book was published bundled with DC’s works at the time and DC signed
adult-orientated Vertigo Comics star Garth Ennis to write it. The novella is now
considered a collector’s item.
The game was released for the Sega Saturn over a year after the PlaySta-
tion version appeared. Asked to explain this delay, Interplay producer Jeremy
Airey stated, “A year ago, we were worried if the Saturn was even going to do
well. As of late, [Saturn sales] have picked up. Also, when we started doing
Loaded [for the] Saturn, it looked horrible. With the new Sega libraries, Loaded
looks and plays good.”
The game is set in the distant future, long after mankind has discovered
faster-than-light flight and has since colonized most of the inhabitable worlds
across the galaxy. F.U.B. was once a pretty uncultured and incapable catering of-
ficer with questionable sanity in the Sector Marines, often screwing up the field
kitchens and dropping jars of Plusgrial fnart jiz powder into the cooking pot.
F.U.B. (which stands “fat ugly boy”, a name he was never able to escape) finally
lost his mind on a barren desert front during a relatively minor skirmish of the
last 40 years. Not wanting to let “the boys” down and unable to find any meat,
F.U.B. amputated his own legs, cooked them and served them up to the soldiers in a hot broth. Despite it being
the best dish he had ever created, F.U.B. was given an unconditional discharge and asked never to show his
face again. Vowing to get revenge on the worlds of man for his banishment and exile, F.U.B. replaces his legs
with mechanical, hydraulic-powered replacements and becomes a feared and egotistical space pirate, attract-
ing other fragile minds to his cause. He undertakes a dramatic, bizarre and insane appearance; wearing furry
dice, smoking Havana cigars and tattooing a target on his portly belly.
The six playable characters have notable differences and derangements, but what they have in common
is that they are all psychotic mercenaries who have been framed for crimes actually committed by F.U.B. and
are now serving life sentences on an inhospitable maximum security prison planet, the planet Raulf. F.U.B.
has even taken on a new secretive identity, joining the intergalactic prison system and working his way up the
ladder by murdering his superiors and taking their positions, and F.U.B. is now the warden of Raulf. F.U.B.
 Loaded • 305

has done this so that he can pin his crimes as a

space pirate on other people, usually those who
are psychotic anyway so as nobody will notice.
The player (or two of the game’s six
characters, in two player mode) must escape
Raulf, chase F.U.B. and engage on a bloody
odyssey across the strange worlds of the gal-
axy to exact revenge on F.U.B. The supervil-
lain however is merely excited by this, seeing
it as a challenge and a game, and to this end he
steals the most advanced machine in existence
- a machine which can toy with the very fab-
ric of the universe, manipulate matter and even
open doorways to other dimensions. With this
machine F.U.B. plans to hold the universe to
ransom, and sets up a prison break on Raulf to
set things in motion. If he can defeat a group of
the most feared individuals in the galaxy who
are armed to the teeth and wanting revenge, he
figures he can defeat anyone.
The game features levels across fifteen
different worlds and has six playable charac-
ters: Mamma, Fwank, Bounca, Vox, Butch and
Cap’n Hands. Two characters may be selected
in co-operative mode to complete the game. A
mission briefing plays at the start of every mis-
sion, aided by a full motion video sequence.
Loaded’s gameplay is almost identical to that of Gauntlet, which requires the player to move room to room
killing everything in sight, everything of which will try to kill the player also. Score can be increased by loot-
ing the bloodied remains of enemies. There are some puzzle and exploration elements, and power-ups and
ammo can be found. The levels progress by collecting keycards capable of unlocking doors. At the end of each
level, the game tallies the player’s greed factor, accuracy and body count on a 0%-100% scale in order to give
the player’s career prospects (ranging from as low as “social worker” to as high as “genocidal maniac”, etc.)
and final score.
Loaded features 21 compositions by Neil Biggin, plus 2 tracks by Patrick (Pat) Phelan and 2 more by
Pop Will Eat Itself (Kick to Kill and RSVP). The game was specially designed so that it could be placed inside
a CD player and used as an audio CD (skipping Track 1 which contained the code for the game). This would
then enable the listener to play the full soundtrack - including many hidden tracks and two of which were com-
plete tracks from the Amiga CD32 version of Zool 2 (Mount Ices and Mental Block’s house), another game
by Gremlin. There are 25 audio tracks in total on the CD, the hidden tracks were brief demos and were never
used in-game.
Electronic Gaming Monthly compared it favorably to Smash TV and cited the multiplayer mode as the
game’s most enjoyable feature. Major Mike of GamePro deemed it “a simple premise taken to absurd heights:
From the wacky characters to the overblown carnage, the game is generally a blast to play. While it lacks some
of the strategy of similar-minded titles like Doom, the action hardly ever lets up.” He also extensively praised
the graphics, particularly noting the strong details, zoom feature, and light sourcing effects.
Later the game spawned a sequel using almost entirely the same characters and the same game engine,
albeit one with mildly improved graphics, named Re-Loaded. Re-Loaded was released on the PlayStation and
PC at the end of 1996. Although it did not enjoy as good sales as its predecessor, it did however have an ac-
claimed soundtrack, this time entirely written and recorded by Neil Biggin.
306 • The Legend of Oasis

The Legend of Oasis

Developer Ancient
7.8
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) April 26, 1996
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Hexen:
Beyond
The StoryHeretic
of Thoris2,a known
dark fantasy
in Japanfirst-person
as Thor:
shooter. It is the
Seireioukiden andsequel to 1994’s
the US as The Heretic,
Legend ofandOasis,
the sec-
is
the prequel to The Story of Thor: A Successor of the
Light/Beyond Oasis on the Sega Mega Drive. The
player takes the role of Leon, who must find the six
elemental spirits and use their powers to fight the evil
wizard Agito and his legions of creatures.
The game action takes place in real time. Each
weapon comes with a set of special attacks that are ex-
ecuted in fighting game style. The player can also sum-
mon spirits by firing a “Spirit Ball” at some object from
the blue gem in his armlet; the exact spirit summoned
depends on the object hit. The spirits can fight enemies,
heal Leon, or help solve puzzles. Each has a different
power, and Leon can wield short and long swords as
well as bow and arrow. He is able to perform “combos”
by means of combinations of the D-pad and the action
buttons. His arrows can trigger switches.
The game is generally one-player, though a
two-player mode can be accessed using a cheat code.
As with the original, the soundtrack was com-
posed by Yuzo Koshiro.
The game was first announced under the title
“Legend of Thor”. It was originally planned for the
32X add-on shortly after the release of its predecessor,
however the idea was scrapped before the game’s de-
velopment, according to an official statement and docu-
ments from Ancient.
The Legend of Oasis received mostly positive
reviews. Critics varied widely in their reasons for rec-
ommending the game, but the most common subjects
of praise were the sharp graphics, controls, and blend-
ing of the action, puzzle, and RPG genres. The most
common criticism was that it is too difficult to judge
the difference in height between different platforms,
though of the critics who had a more mixed response to
the game, Electronic Gaming Monthly’s Dan Hsu said
his chief complaint was that the puzzles are too dif-
ficult, and GameSpot’s Jeff Gerstmann said the game
is enjoyable but not original enough (compared to its
predecessor, Beyond Oasis) to justify its appearance on
the Saturn platform.
 Lost Vikings 2 - Norse by Norsewest • 307

6.0 The Lost World Jurassic Park

Developer Appaloosa Interactive
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) September, 1997
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

The Sega Saturn version of The Lost World: Jurassic

Park is a “2.5D” action platforming game based on the
movie with the same name. The game feature 5 differ-
ent playable characters, over 30 levels, 20 different di-
nosaurs, and a variety of secret paths and hidden areas.
The Saturn version is a slightly cut-down port of
the Playstation version, with lower quality (and lower
frame rate) full motion video clips, and collision detec-
tion issues which do not appear in the original version.

Lost Vikings 2: 7.6

Norse by Norsewest
Developer Beam Software
Publisher Interplay
Release date (us) April 14, 1997
Genre Puzzle-platformer
Mode 1-3 Players

The game Thewas

gameoriginally released
was originally for theforSuper
released Nin-
the SNES
tendo
in 1997Entertainment
without the System
subtitle,inhaving
1997 without the subti-
been developed
tle, Blizzard
by having been developed (who
Entertainment by Blizzard Entertainment
were responsible for
(the studio formerly known as “Silicon and
the first game) in 1995, with the publisher InterplaySynapse”
who werethe
keeping responsible for the first
game unreleased for game) in 1995,
two years. with
Blizzard
the publisher
licensed Interplay
the game keeping
to Beam the game
Software unreleaseda
who produced
for of
set two years.versions
“32-bit” Blizzardforlicensed
Windows thePCs,
gamethe to Beam
PlaySta-
Software
tion who Saturn
and Sega produced a set
later thatofyear,
“32-bit”
which versions for
were also
published by Interplay.
The Saturn version acts merely as a graphical and audio update to
the SNES version, the levels and gameplay being otherwise identical. Beam
Software radically changed the design of The Lost Vikings 2, making heavy
use of pre-rendered CGI graphics. The designs are controversial among some
fans of the series. Features such the arms and legs of the models used do not
animate during the cutscenes, leading to some strange looking results.
The 32-bit versions of The Lost Vikings 2: Norse by Norsewest also
introduce voice acting to the series, as well as CD audio soundtrack (with
completely different tunes to that in the SNES game).
The game is a side-scrolling platform adventure in which the player
alternates control of three of the five playable characters (the game predeter-
mines which characters are available in any specific level), guiding each of
them one at a time (though control may be swapped from character to char-
acter at any point) from a designated start point in each level to the exit, col-
lecting three specific items along the way. Every level is designed such that
each character must contribute his unique skills to help the other two through
to the end.
308 • LuLu ~Un Conte Interactif de Romain Victor-Pujebet~

5.5 Lovely Pop 2 in 1

Jan Jan Koi Shimasho
Developer Visco
Publisher Visco
Release date (jp) July 30, 1998
Genre Compilation
Mode 1 Player

Lovely Pop 2 in 1 Jan Jan Koi Shimasho consists of

two table games; Lovely Pop Mahjong: Jan Jan Shi-
masho and Super Real Hanafuda: Koi Koi Shimasho.
The games feature Mahjong and hanafuda gameplay.
Both complete with story modes or VS modes.
The limited edition is identical to the original release
apart from a CD featuring the opening and closing
themes.

Lulu: Un Conte Interactif 7.0

de Romain Victor-Pujebet
Developer System Sacom
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) November 1, 1996
Genre Edutainment
Mode 1 Player

The Book of Lulu is an interactive multimedia book

by Romain Victor-Pujebet where player can flip the
pages to read through and click on various images in
the book. Certain images in the book allow for slide
changes or result in a small video animation, while
others open in full screen mode with ability to interact
with them by clicking on a certain area.
“mobygames.com”
 Lunacy • 309

7.9 Lunacy
Developer System Sacom, Sega CS1
Publisher Sega, (us) Atlus
Release date (jp) June 28, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Lunacy, released in Europe as Torico and in Ja-

pan as Gekka Mugentan Torico, is an an interactive
movie adventure consisting of a long series of inter-
connecting full motion video (FMV) sequences, much
like The 7th Guest and System Sacom’s earlier Saturn
game, Mansion of Hidden Souls.
The story follow a traveler called Fred, who
finds himself imprisoned in Misty Town jail. He came
to the village in search of answers to his past, a past
of which he has no recollection. On his head, he bears
a crescent shaped tattoo. In his cell, Fred meets the
strange and seemingly all-knowing Anthony, who tells
him of the legends of the City of Moons. It is said that
the road to the City lies through the Misty Town. An-
thony offers him the key to his cell, but after an at-
tempted escape, Fred quickly finds himself back in the
hands of Lord Gordon, the ruthless town ruler. Lord
Gordon condemns the traveler to death, but offers him
a chance to save his life. If he can find the entrance to
the City of Moons he will be spared. Fred begins his
search for the fabled city, shadowed by Lord Gordon’s
sadistic henchman Jade.
Lunacy is set in two major locations: Misty
Town and the City of Moons. Correspondingly, the
game is divided into two discs.
Although the game maintains the illusion of
free three-dimensional movement, in reality each ac-
tion loads a pre-scripted FMV sequence. Gameplay is
essentially restricted to moving left and right, forward
and backward or moving in to examine certain objects.
The story is followed through first person perspective.
Some events may not trigger until Fred has spoken to
one of the townspeople. Items can be collected and
every important encounter is stored in a memory log.
The player can save progress anywhere, anytime.
While the storyline of disc 1 follows a fairly
linear course, disc 2 allows for multiple outcomes to
the game, depending on what choices the player makes
at a given moment or which items are used.
310 • Lunar Silver Star Story

Lunar Silver Star Story 8.3

Developer Game Arts

Publisher Kadokawa Shoten
Release date (jp) October 25, 1996
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

xxx Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, originally

released in Japan as simply Lunar: Silver Star Story, is
xxx
a role-playing game developed by Game Arts and Ja-
pan Art Media as a remake of 1992’s Lunar: The Silver
Star. While the overall plot remains true to the original,
accommodations are made to the game’s story to allow
for a larger, richer cast, as well as additional scenarios.
The remake initially began as Lunar: Silver
Star Story, developed by a collaboration between Game
Arts and Japan Art Media. Immediately after producing
Lunar: Eternal Blue for the Sega-CD console in 1994,
much of the original staff expressed interest in remaking
the first Lunar title on current, more advanced hardware.
Displeased with many aspects of the original game’s design, Game Arts sought
to improve the original version to coincide with their initial vision of the project,
including more sophisticated animation, better quality CD music, and a more en-
gaging script. Silver Star Story was headed by producer Youichi Miyaji, who had
previously worked on the first two Sega-CD Lunar titles, who enlisted help from
the staff of Japan Art Media to aid in the heavy-cost production of the game.
While the original game contained roughly ten minutes of animation produced
internally, the remake features fifty minutes of new, fully animated cut scenes by
Studio Gonzo. For the game’s first release on the Sega Saturn in October 1996,
in-game movies could only display in quarter-screen and low fidelity due to the
system’s video limitations. This was corrected for the game’s second release in
June 1997 with the introduction of the Saturn’s MPEG card adapter, which al-
lowed for full-screen playback at better quality. Both Saturn versions would be
published by Kadokawa Shoten. In May 1998, Silver Star Story was ported to
the PlayStation system in Japan, this time published by Entertainment Software
Publishing. This version, while retaining all the extra features of the second Sat-
urn release, including full-screen movies, was unable to produce the same high-
fidelity playback as its video card-enhanced predecessor.
The plot of Silver Star Story Complete remains true to the original Sega-
CD version written by Kei Shigema. Novelist Keisuke Shigematsu was recruited
as the remake’s scenario writer, and was tasked with expanding the previous
script written by Shigema to make the game more current. As in the original ver-
sion, players assume the role of Alex, a young boy who hopes to become a great
hero like his idol, the legendary Dragonmaster Dyne. At the insistence of his
fortune-hunting friend Ramus, Alex travels to the nearby Dragon’s Cave with his
cat-like companion Nall, and sweetheart Luna, to seek a precious gem. When the
team reaches the cave’s interior, they find Quark, an aged, wise dragon who sees
hidden potential in Alex, and beckons him to travel the world and become its
protector as the new Dragonmaster. Returning home, the group expresses mutual
interest in Alex’s quest; Ramus wishes to sell the dragon gem at a large city, Nall
wants to find out what he is, and Luna merely to protect Alex. The group sets off
across the frontier to the port town of Saith to continue their journey.
 Lunar Silver Star Story • 311

Silver Star Story Complete is a traditional, allow characters to gain levels, making them stronger
top-down role-playing video game featuring two-di- as well as allowing access to better abilities. By gain-
mensional character and background graphics. Using ing levels, as well as finding or purchasing increas-
the Sega Saturn and PlayStation’s advanced hard- ingly more powerful weapons and armor, characters
ware, many elements of the original game’s presenta- can battle increasingly more powerful enemies as the
tion have been altered, including a larger color pal- game progresses.
ette, more sophisticated visual effects, and improved The cast of The Silver Star all return for the
sound quality. Throughout gameplay, the story is in- game’s remake, retaining their original designs by
terspersed with fully animated cut scenes designed to anime and manga artist Toshiyuki Kubooka. Players
give the game a cinematic feel, and allow the player assume the role of Alex, who is joined by a menagerie
to get more involved in the game’s plot. Players ad- of playable and supporting characters who aid him on
vance the game’s narrative by completing story-based his quest.
objectives and interacting with non-player characters.
Each character’s personalities were expanded
In the original version, players encountered enemy

for the new version to make them easier for the player
monsters randomly every few steps when traveling in
to relate to, and give each of them more presence in
a harsh environments, while the remake now makes
the game’s story. As the game’s designers felt that
enemies visible, with combat ensuing only after a
Luna was lacking presence in the original game, she
character has come in contact with one.
was included in the player’s party for a longer period
Many of the game’s new battle features were
and her past was expanded by giving her confounding

adapted from Lunar: Eternal Blue, including the au-

dream sequences.
to-battle feature that allows players to set moves and
actions in advance. While in combat, a player may The Saturn version of Silver Star Story was
choose to attack an enemy, move about the battlefield, well received in Japan, with Weekly Sega Saturn
use magic or items, stand their ground and defend, or Magazine recognizing it as one of the most memora-
flee the battle entirely. Silver Star Story Complete re- ble gaming experiences of 1997. The PlayStation ver-
tains the original version’s movement feature, which sion received a 7 out of 10 score from Hyper PlaySta-
requires characters to be within a certain distance of tion magazine, remarking that although it contained
an enemy before it can be attacked. Battles are won lower quality visual effects and movie playback than
when all enemies are defeated, yielding experience the previous Saturn releases, it still remained a solid
role-playing game.
312 • Lunar 2 Eternal Blue

Lunar 2 Eternal Blue 8.6

Developer Game Arts, Vanguard
Publisher Kadokawa Shoten, Entertainment Soft. Pub.
Release date (jp) July 23, 1998
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

xxx Lunar: Eternal Blue is a role-playing video

game developed by Game Arts and Studio Alex for the
xxx
Sega CD as the sequel to Lunar: The Silver Star. The
game was originally released in December 1994 in Ja-
pan. Eternal Blue expanded the story and gameplay of
its predecessor, and made more use of the Sega CD’s
hardware, including more detailed graphics, longer,
more elaborate animated cutscenes, and more exten-
sive use of voice acting. Lunar 2 Eternal Blue for the
Sega Saturn is a remake of Lunar: Eternal Blue on the
Mega CD. Like the remake of The Silver Star, Lunar:
Silver Star Story Complete, the new version of Eternal
Blue features updated graphics, re-arranged audio, and
more robust animated sequences by Studio Gonzo, as
well as an expanded script.
Lunar: Eternal Blue is a traditional role-playing video game featuring
two-dimensional character sprites and backgrounds. The game is presented from
a top-down perspective with players moving the characters across numerous
fantasy environments while completing story-based scenarios and battling en-
emy monsters. While basic game function remains similar to Lunar: The Silver
Star, with story segments being presented as both on-screen text and animated
cutscenes, the abundance of these interludes has been increased to over fifty
minutes of movie content and an hour of spoken dialogue. Players advance the
story by taking part in quests and interacting with non-player characters, which
engages them in the story as well as providing tips on how to advance.
Battles in Eternal Blue take place randomly within dungeons and other
hostile areas of the game. While in a battle sequence, players defeat enemy mon-
sters either by using standard attacks or magic, with combat ending by defeating
all enemies present. In order to attack an enemy, a character must first position
themselves near their target by moving across the field, or by using a ranged at-
tack to strike from a distance. The battle system in as been enhanced from The
Silver Star by including the option to position characters throughout the field
beforehand, as well as a more sophisticated AI attack setting that allows the characters to act on their own.
Characters improve and grow stronger by defeating enemies, thereby gaining experience points that allow
them to gain levels and face progressively more powerful enemies as the game advances. The player is award-
ed special “magic points” after combat that can be used to empower a particular character’s magical attack,
giving them access to new, more powerful skills with a variety of uses in and out of battle.
The plot of Lunar: Eternal Blue was written by novelist Kei Shigema, who previously conceived the
story for The Silver Star. Working together with new world designer Hajime Satou, Shigema intended to
craft a story that would not only pick up where the previous game ended, but give players a thoroughly new
experience that would elaborate on the history and mythos of the Lunar world. Set one thousand years after
the events of The Silver Star, the game follows the adventure of Hiro, a young explorer and adventurer who
meets Lucia, visitor from the far-away Blue Star, becoming entangled in her mission to stop Zophar, an evil,
all-powerful being, from destroying the world. During their journey across the world of Lunar, Hiro and Lucia
are joined by an ever-expanding cast of supporting characters, including some from its predecessor.
Eternal Blue was remade in 1998 as Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete.
 Lunar 2 Eternal Blue • 313

Lunar: Eternal Blue was developed by Game

Arts and Studio Alex, with project director Yoichi Mi-
yagi returning to oversee the production of the new
game. According to scenario writer Kei Shigema,
the game’s concept of an oppressive god came from
the image of Sun Wukong, hero of the Chinese epic
Journey to the West, being unable to escape from the
gigantic palm of the Buddha.Shigema stated that “it
was a picture showing the arrogance of a god who is
saying, ‘In the end, you pathetic humans are in my
hands.’ The moment I understood that, I thought, ‘Oh,
I definitely want to do this,’ it’ll definitely match per-
fectly. So we used it just like that.” Eternal Blue took
three years and over US$2.5 million to produce, and
contains twice as much dialogue as its precessor. The
game’s development team originally wanted the game
to be set only a few years after The Silver Star, and
would feature slightly older versions of the previous
cast along with the new characters, yet discarded the
idea when they thought the new cast would lose fo-
cus. Like its predecessor, the game contains animated
interludes to help tell the game’s story, which were
developed in-house with Toshiyuki Kubooka serving on to sell fewer copies than its predecessor, Lunar:
as animation director. While The Silver Star contained The Silver Star, yet still became the second-highest
only ten minutes of partially voiced animation, Eter- selling Sega-CD game in Japan and third highest sell-
nal Blue features nearly fifty minutes of fully voiced ing worldwide. Eternal Blue received a score of 30
video content. out of 40 in Japanese magazine Megadrive Beep!,
Lunar: Eternal Blue features spoken dialogue with fellow Sega publication Megadrive Fan calling
during cutscenes and specific points in the game’s the game “fun” and featuring an official manga strip
script. While The Silver Star contained only fifteen written by scenario writer Kei Shigema over the next
minutes of voiced content, Eternal Blue features over several months.
an hour and a half of pre-recorded speech. The game’s
cast consists of fifteen voiced roles, with the original The game experienced relatively low sales
Japanese version featuring veteran anime and video during its release in North America, which Victor Ire-
game actors, including Rokurō Naya returning as land attributed to both the rise of 32-bit game consoles
Ghaleon. such as the Sega Saturn and PlayStation, and wide-
spread media declaration of the Sega-CD’s “death”
The Japanese release of Eternal Blue was pre- in the video game market in 1995. Its English release
ceded by a spoken drama album called Lunar: Eternal met with a favorable response, with GamePro remark-
Blue Prelude in June 1994 featuring the game’s future ing that “Eternal Blue could appear to some as ‘just
voice cast performing skits and songs in-character to another RPG,’ but the epic scope, appealing charac-
promote the game. When the game was released the ters, and excellent cinematics make it much more,”
following December, it was packaged with an 8 cm yet found the game’s linear story progression to be
music disc called the Lunar: Eternal Blue Premium its low point. Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the
CD featuring short conversations by Lucia and Lemi- game’s “great story and witty characters”, adding that
na, as well as in-character theme songs. In the months “the all-important, usually absent ingredient is there:
following the game’s release, a two-volume drama fun”. They awarded it as the Best Sega Mega-CD
album set featuring an expanded cast titled Lunatic Game of 1995. In their review, Game Players found
Parade would be released by Toshiba-EMI records in the game’s larger scope and expanded features made
June and September 1995. it less enjoyable than its predecessor, saying “it’s a
Lunar: Eternal Blue sold well in Japan despite better game, it’s just not quite as much fun. [We] still
an estimated retail price of JPY¥9,900, nearly the liked it, a lot, and it’s definitely recommended, but it
equivalent of US$100 in 1994. The game would go feels like something’s been lost.”
314 • Lupin the 3rd ~The Master File~

Lupin the 3rd: 8.0

Pyramid no Kenja
Developer Vantan International
Publisher Asmik
Release date (jp) August 6, 1998
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

Pyramid no Kenja can be described as a water downed

version of Tomb Raider. Players control Lupin via
a third-person perspective and guide the character
through stage designs featuring varying degrees of
complexity. The task is to guide him around the maz-
es of a pyramid, finding all the hidden treasure while
smacking around a few of the enemies and solving
puzzles.

5.6 Lupin the 3rd: The Master File

Developer Mizuki
Publisher Mizuki
Release date (jp) March 29, 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Lupin the 3rd: The Master File is a digital museum

based on the Lupin the 3rd anime. The disc features
less stuff than the Chronicles collectio, but the package
can be seen as more professionally put together with
smoother FMV and clearer sound. It is pretty much the
same as the Chronicles disc apart from a Map section
which shows Lupin’s enemies from around the world.

“segagagadomain.com”

Lupin the 3rd: Chronicles 5.5

Developer Spike
Publisher Spike
Release date (jp) August 8, 1997
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Lupin the 3rd: Chronicles is a multimedia disc for the

Sega Saturn. Three Identical versions was releaed with
different illustration used for the front cover and in-
structions.
The disc is a double CD set celebrating the 30th an-
niversary of Lupin. The disc feature information about
all characters and opening and ending themes with
videos to series 1, 2 and 3 plus other Lupin related fea-
tures.
316 • Maajan Doukyuusei Special

5.7 M: Kimi wo Tsutaete

Developer Nexus Interact
Publisher DaZZ
Release date (jp) December 20, 1996
Genre Simulation, Adventure
Mode 1 Player

m: Kimi wo Tsutaete is a simulation game, developed

by Nexus Interact and published by Dazz, which was
released in Japan in 1996 for the Sega Saturn.
m was one of the earlier dating sims released for the
Saturn.

Mahjong Doukyuusei Special 5.0

Developer Make Software
Publisher Make Software
Release date (jp) March 29, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahjong Doukyuusei Special is a mahjong game de-

veloped and published by Make Software for the Sega
Saturn, and is part of the Doukyuusei series of dating
sims by Elf.
The limited edition version comes with a portrait CD.

“segaretro.org”

5.1 Mahjong Gakuensai

Developer Make Software
Publisher Make Software
Release date (jp) November 6, 1997
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahjong Gakuensai is a mahjong game developed and

published by Make Software for the Sega Saturn. The
game was also released in arcades, and was followed
by a sequel, Mahjong Gakuensai DX.
The limited edition version comes with a bonus disc.
 Maajan Ganryuujima • 317

Mahjong Gakuensai DX: 5.8

Zenjitsu ni Matsuwaru Funsenki
Developer Make Software
Publisher Make Software
Release date (jp) September 23, 1998
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahjong Gakuensai DX: Zenjitsu ni Matsuwaru Fun-

senki is a mahjong game developed and published by
Make Software for the Sega Saturn. It is the sequel to
Mahjong Gakuensai, also released for the Saturn.

5.5 Mahjong Ganryuujima

Developer ASCII
Publisher ASCII
Release date (jp) March 10, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahjong Ganryuujima is an mahjong game, published

by ASCII Entertainment, which was released in Japan
in 1995 for the Sega Saturn.
The game feature 16 different opponents.

Mahjong Gokuu Tenjiku 5.7

Developer Chatnoir
Publisher Electronic Arts Victor
Release date (jp) November 22, 1994
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahjong Gokū Tenjiku is a mahjong tournament

between characters from Xi You Ji (“Journey to the
West”), the classic Chinese novel. The player can
choose to play as either of the four “good” characters
from Xi You Ji: the Buddhist monk Xuan Zang, the
famous monkey Sun Wukong, the pig Bajie, and Xuan
Zang’s pupil Wujing. Players can choose a location to
set a mahjong game in, and adapt most of mahjong
rules to their own liking in a special menu.
318 • Maajan Kaigan Monogatari ~Maajan-kyou Jidai Sexy Idol-hen~

Mahjong Hyper Reaction R 6.0

Developer Sammy
Publisher Sammy
Release date (jp) March 8, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahjong Hyper Reaction R, originally released in the

arcades, is a mahjong game, published by Sammy Stu-
dios, which was released in Japan in 1996 for the Sega
Saturn.
The game feature story mode and arcade mode. The
Saturn port also feature a bonus character not found in
the arcade game.

“segagagadomain.com”

4.0 Mahjong Kaigan Monogatari:

Mahjong Kyou Jidai Sexy Idol Hen
Developer Micronet
Publisher Micronet
Release date (jp) August 4, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahjong Kaigan Monogatari: Mahjong Kyou Jidai

Sexy Idol Hen is a mahjong game developed and pub-
lished by Micronet for the Sega Saturn.
The game features live-action footage, and also comes
with a poster.

“segaretro.org”

Mahjong Taikai II Special 8.8

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) October 4, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahjong Taikai II Special is an enhanced remake of

Mahjong Taikai II. The game plays much the same as
the original version, allowing players to play mahjong
against 23 famous historical and fictional figures, in-
cluding Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Abraham Lincoln, Joan
of Arc, and Sherlock Holmes. This remake includes
full 3D graphics and voice clips for each character.

“mobygames.com”
 Maajan Yon-Shimai ~Wakakusa Monogatari~ • 319

6.0 Mahjong Tenshi Angel Lips

Developer Nihon System
Publisher Nihon System
Release date (jp) March 29, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahjong Tenshi Angel Lips is a strip mahjong game,

published by Nihon System, which was released in Ja-
pan in 1996 for the Sega Saturn.
The game came with a handkerchief.

Mahjong Yon-Shimai: 7.0

Wakakusa Monogatari
Developer Maboroshi Ware
Publisher Naxat Soft
Release date (jp) September 27, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahjong Yon-Shimai: Wakakusa Monogatari is a

mahjong game, developed by Maboroshi Ware and
published by Naxat Soft, which was released in Japan
in 1996 for the Sega Saturn.

4.6 Mahjong Kyou Jidai:

Cebu Island ‘96
Developer Micronet
Publisher Micronet
Release date (jp) July 19, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahjong Kyou Jidai: Cebu Island ‘96 is a mahjong

game developed and published by Micronet for the
Sega Saturn.
The game features live-action footage of women on
the Phillipine island of Cebu.

“segaretro.org”
 Maboroshi no Black Bass • 321

Mahjong Kyou Jidai: 4.5

Cogal Houkago Hen
Developer Micronet
Publisher Micronet
Release date (jp) January 12, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahjong Kyou Jidai: Cogal Houkago Hen is a mah-

jong game developed and published by Micronet for
the Sega Saturn.
The game features live-action footage of women
dressed as schoolgirls, and also comes with a poster.

“segaretro.org”

6.7 Maboroshi no Black Bass

Developer Make Software
Publisher Make Software
Release date (jp) March 28, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1 Player

Maboroshi no Black Bass is a 3D fishing game, pub-

lished by Make, which was released in Japan in 1997
for the Sega Saturn.

Madden NFL 97 6.7

Developer Electronic Arts
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (us) September 24, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-8 Players

Madden NFL 97 is the first Madden NFL football game

to be created in the 32-bit gaming era. It was also the
first edition of Madden to implement the use of a sal-
ary cap when customizing team rosters. It featured the
new Baltimore Ravens, the expansion franchise that
absorbed the roster of the Cleveland Browns for the
1996 season. The game also adds a team of real free
agents which can be traded and added to other teams’
rosters, and could be played by using a cheat code.
322 • Madou Monogatari

Madden NFL 98 7.5

Developer Electronic Arts
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (us) September, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-8 Players

Madden NFL 98 is the second game in the series to ap-

pear on PlayStation and Saturn. It is based closely on
the previous year’s edition, but with the usual updates,
revisions and several new features.
The game includes the 30 teams of the 1997 NFL sea-
son, the 1997 All-Madden team and 85 classic teams
from NFL history, spanning 1960 to 1996.

“mobygames.com”

8.2 Madou Monogatari

Developer Compile
Publisher Compile
Release date (jp) July 23, 1998
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Madō Monogatari is an RPG featuring the charac-

ters and settings from the Puyo Puyo series. Players
start the game as young magician Arle, who sets out
to explore the land in order to uncover the mystery of
a new breed of plants that have appeared that seem
to be affecting the magic realm. As players are joined
with other Puyo Puyo characters they explore the land
and fight enemies as well as several classic Puyo Puyo
enemies.

Mahou no Jansi Poe Poe Poemy 7.0

Developer Imagineer
Publisher Imagineer
Release date (jp) September 29, 1995
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mahou no Jansi Poe Poe Poemy is a mahjong game,

published by Imagineer, which was released in Japan
in 1995 for the Sega Saturn.
The game feature an over-the-top silly story, like the
fist “battle”, where the player play against a café wait-
ress who can’t stop eating. She eats so much that she
becomes a massive fat monster knocking down build-
ings in order to get comfortable.
“segagagadomain.com”
 Magic Carpet • 323

6.5 Magic Carpet

Developer Bullfrog
Publisher Electronic Arts, (jp) Electronic Arts Victor
Release date (eu) March 29, 1996
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

Magic Carpet is a 3D flying game by Bullfrog

Productions. Its graphics and gameplay were consid-
ered innovative and technically impressive at the time
of its release.
The player plays a wizard on a magic carpet
flying over water, mountains and other terrain while
destroying monsters and rival wizards and collect-
ing “mana” which is gathered by hot air balloons and
stored in the player’s own castle.
The player has to visit several small spherical
“worlds”. The goal in each world is to build a castle
and fill it with the necessary percentage of the total
mana in the current level (or “world”), restoring it to
“equilibrium”. The total mana level is fixed in each
world.
The player can destroy enemy monsters and
then salvage the mana they leave behind, represent-
ed by pearls of varying sizes. To accomplish this, the
player has to possess the mana so that mana-collecting
balloons bring them to the player’s castle (the balloons
ignore mana that are unpossessed or possessed by an
enemy wizard). Greater amounts of mana stored in the
castle allow the player to expand the castle and cast
more powerful spells.
As the player expands the castle, it spawns ad-
ditional balloons and armed guards that defend the cas-
tle against attacks by enemy wizards. Besides storing
mana, the player’s castle also serves as a home base
for the player character where he can regain health and
mana.
The magic carpet can be piloted in three di-
mensions, similar to a helicopter, although the player
cannot roll and it is impossible to crash. Instead, when
the carpet approaches an obstacle, it automatically as-
cends to fly over the obstacle.
There Sega Saturn and Playstation port is large-
ly identical, and likewise includes the Hidden Worlds
expansion. The map has changed slightly, and some
of the monster graphics and enemy wizard graphics
are slightly different. Gaming journalist Ed Lomas re-
ported the technical differences from the PlayStation
version as: the sky is animated in a “sliding wallpaper”
fashion (whereas it moves in 3D in the PlayStation
version), the sprites are more detailed, and the shad-
ows lack the translucency effect.
324 Magic Knight Rayearth

Magic Knight Rayearth 8.2

Developer Sega
Publisher Sega, (us) Working Designs
Release date (jp) August 25, 1995
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

xxx Magic Knight Rayearth is an action role-play-

ing video game developed and published by Sega for
xxx
the Sega Saturn in 1995. It is based on the anime se-
ries of the same title. The game was released in North
America by Working Designs; it was the last Saturn
game released in North America in 1998.
The overall plot is very similar to the first sto-
ry arc in the manga and anime, with eight-grade girls
Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki and Fuu Hououji find-
ing themselves drawn from their respective field trips
to the Tokyo Tower into the world of Cephiro. There,
Master Mage Clef inform them that, in order to re-
turn to Tokyo, the three girls must become the Magic
Knights and rescue Cephiro’s current Pillar, Princess
Emeraude (named as Princess Emerald in the game),
from her abductor, the high priest and antagonist Za-
gato (named as Zagat in the game).
All of the characters from the first arc of the
manga are present in the game, as well as anime-ex-
clusive character Inouva. However, the game presents several new locations and
characters, thus considerably expanding the overall plot. The player can also
read each of the girls’ journals, which receive new entries after key events in the
game, providing their individual insights on the events.
One of the main differences in the game is that, unlike in the manga and
anime, all of Zagato’s minions die throughout the game, including Ascot, Cal-
dina and Lafarga (named as Rafarga in the game).
Throughout the game, the player controls a party of three characters.
However, only one character can battle at a time; though the other two charac-
ters will follow behind the active character, they cannot attack and are unaffected
by all enemy attacks and even environmental hazards. The player can instantly
change the active character at any time. In essence, the three characters confront
the enemies, puzzles, and assorted threats of the game in a tag team fashion.
Unlike most RPGs, character upgrades and magic spells are mostly ac-
quired upon progressing to certain points in the game, rather than by independent
accomplishments. (The exceptions are maximum HP and maximum MP, which
are increased by finding special items.) This is much like the Saturn’s first RPG,
Virtual Hydlide, with the important difference that weapons and armor in Magic
Knight Rayearth are upgraded as part of general level ups and do not exist as
distinct gameplay elements.
While the anime and manga both have the Magic Knights using color-
coordinated swords, in the game only Hikaru uses a sword, while Umi uses a
foil and Fuu a bow and arrow. Each of the three weapons has its own advantages
and disadvantages. For instance, the bow works long range but requires precise
aim, whereas the sword slices with broad strokes that make it easy to hit enemies
 Magic Knight Rayearth 325

but is short range only. The need to aim the bow is 7 out of 10 and published the review alongside the
mostly removed once it is upgraded, since Fuu can review of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for
then charge the weapon to make it “lock on” to the the Nintendo 64. EGM scored the game 7.12 out of
nearest target. However, unlike the sword and foil, 10. RPGFan gave a 82% score to the game in 1999,
the bow’s attack power does not increase when it is stating that “it makes a fitting swan song for the US
charged up. Saturn, as it allows the system to go out on a positive
Magic Knight Rayearth was one of 12 Sega note.”
Saturn games announced when the system was first In 2005, HonestGamers gave Rayearth a 9 out
unveiled at the June 1994 Tokyo Toy Show. It became of 10 score, comparing it to The Legend of Zelda and
the final Saturn game to be released in North America stating that the game “is a true gem in a crowded gen-
chiefly due to its prolonged internationalization and re”. In 2015, Retro Gamer included it on their list of
localization. ten essential Saturn imports as “easily the best play-
As noted in the instruction booklet, Working able import RPG, thanks to a highly entertaining lo-
Designs’ opening animation would have mimicked calisation by Working Designs, its fun combat system
the Japanese version of the game (gems morphing (players effectively control one character at a time,
into the logo) but once Working Designs “were made switching between them tag-team style) and some
aware of a logo created for the English Rayearth” by delightful 2D visuals”. The game currently holds a
Media Blasters, they decided to change the opening to 70.03% average on GameRankings.
incorporate the new logo. At least five other video games based on the
As written in the translation notes in the in- anime series have been released: two for the Game
struction manual of the North American version, Boy (the second one with the title Mahou Kishi Ra-
some of the source code to the original Japanese ver- yearth 2nd: The Missing Colors), one for the Super
sion had been lost due to a hard drive crash. The miss- Famicom, and two for the Sega Game Gear. Aside
ing code was completely rebuilt for the US version. from the USA release of the Saturn game, all six
games were released between December 1994 and
Three versions of the opening song were re-
October 1995, a period of less than a year. All six are

corded, two of which are accessible on the game disk.

completely different games, not ports of the same two
Working Designs was unable to acquire the original
or three games to different systems.
Japanese opening theme, “Yuzurenai Negai” by Nao-
mi Tamura, for the English release, and instead used
the melody of the Japanese version with different lyr-
ics. The original version was only released on Work-
ing Design’s website, and had an entirely different
singer and instrumentals than the two versions of the
song that were released on the game. This version was
a lot closer to the original anime’s theme, but with
Working Designs’ English lyrics.
The game, as with most of Working Designs’
translated titles, was packaged with different artwork
on the CDs to increase their value among collectors.
The CDs came with three different designs, one for
each of the game’s heroines.
On release in Japan, in 1995, Famitsu maga-
zine scored the game a 26 out of 40. The localized
version received mild to positive scores upon its re-
lease in North America in 1998. The game received
a 5.1 mediocre review from Andrew Vestal of Game-
Spot. Though he found no problems with the game
itself, he considered the localization of a three-year-
old game to be a wasted effort due to the aging of the
graphics, concluding that “Magic Knight Rayearth is
too little, too late”. Game Informer scored the game
326 • Mahou Gakuen Lunar!

7.8 Mahou Gakuen Lunar!

Developer Game Arts
Publisher Kadokawa Shoten, Entertainment Soft. Pub.
Release date (jp) November 20, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Lunar: Sanposuru Gakuen (“Lunar: Walking

School”) is a role-playing game in the Lunar series
originally released for the Sega Game Gear in Japan in
1996. Since then, no international versions or transla-
tions have officially been released, though an unoffi-
cial English translation was released in 2009.
The
The original
game was game was developed
developed and producedand produced
by the by the Japanese software
company Game Arts and Studio Alex,
Japanese software company Game Arts and Studio their in-house development team responsi-
ble for their
Alex, other in-house
Lunar titles. development team responsible
for otherEven
Lunarthough
titles.the gameGakuen
Mahō was released
Lunar!after
is anLunar:
en- The Silver Star, it is set
hundreds of years
hanced remake of before
Lunar:it.Walking
SeveralSchool
creatures andupdat-
with places from the game also make
an appearance.
ed graphics, newly added anime cutscenes, and a more
complexThe game
story. tells the tale of a young girl named Ellie and her best friend,
Lena, as they leave their quiet lives as field workers in the town of Burg to enroll
The
in game established
a newly handles itself veryschool
magic muchlocated
like a ontradition-
an island called Ien. There, along
al role-playing
with several other video game,
youths, withfind
the girls turn-based
the schoolbattles
and the area around it complete-
ly deserted, and try to establish order by getting allup,
which yield experience points required for leveling the students together within
giving
the the characters
surrounding town. access
Duringto new
their abilities
stay, and en- several magical creatures
they encounter
hanced
and statistics.
monsters who also call the island home, all while they continue to search for
their instructors.
Magic School
The game has was
Lunar! several elements
released aboutcommon
the same totime
role-playing video games, with
2D character
as other Lunarsprites
remakes,andLunar:
environments.
Silver Star During
Storythe game, the player will encoun-
Com-
ter
plete and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete, and though and gain experience from
monsters that are fought randomly within dungeons,
winning battles.
it was mildly Magic and
successful additional
it was never skills
made are unlocked through leveling up, as
available
well as allowing
outside Japan. the characters to grow stronger. The battles take place from a
first-person perspective, with menus appearing along the left edge of the screen.
The character menu can be accessed at any time and allow the use of
items, magic, or other gameplay settings.
The remake feature updated graphics, newly added anime cutscenes, and
a more complex story. Magic School Lunar! was released about the same time
as other Lunar remakes, Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2: Eternal
Blue Complete, and though it was mildly successful it was never made available
outside Japan.
Several enhancements were made to the game that take advantage of the
capabilities of modern hardware. While the first game was limited to the hard-
ware restrictions of the Game Gear, the new Saturn version boasted a larger color
palette, more sophisticated music and sound effects, and the ability to handle full-
motion animated sequences placed sporadically throughout the story. The use of a
Saturn Memory Card could also ensure more save slots. The first-person perspec-
tive battle interface of the Game Gear version is replaced by a simplified version
of the signature Lunar battle system. Character sprites are visible on the battlefield
and animations for spells and attacks have been considerably upgraded. A number
of multi-character combination attacks have been added as well.
 The Mansion of Hidden Souls • 327

5.3 The Mansion of Hidden Souls

Developer System Sacom
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) December 2, 1994
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Mansion of HiddenGakuen
Lunar: Sanposuru Souls, also calledWalking
(“Lunar: Tale of
the Dreamis Mansion
School”) a role-p (Yumemi Yakata no Monogatari)
in Japan, is a point and click adventure game originally
released for the Sega CD. It has a similar format to
other puzzle computer games such as Myst, Uninvited
and D.
The remake, The Mansion of Hidden Souls, ti-
tled Real Dream Mansion: Someone Behind the Door...
(Shinsetsu Yumemi Yakata: Tobira no Oku ni Dareka
ga) in Japan, was was released in 1994 in Japan, and in
1995 in North America and Europe.
The story of the game start with two siblings,
Samantha and Johnathan, who come across a butter-
fly while exploring a grassy field. Enchanted by the
butterfly’s haunting beauty, Samantha chases after it.
Johnathan follows reluctantly, repeating Grandmoth-
er’s warnings about ghosts who roam the area and
turn people into butterflies. The butterfly leads Saman-
tha into the Mansion, where she becomes trapped: as
Johnathan, the player must explore the Mansion, over-
come several puzzles, and escape with his sister before
the pair of them become permanent residents.
The gameplay is very similar to that of D: the
player travels between areas via 3D pre-rendered first-
person full motion video sequences, pressing the ac-
tion button whenever he finds something of interest.
Doing so sometimes reveals an important item, such
as a key or matchbox, which is added to his inven-
tory. Also like D, the number of actual puzzles is fairly
small: the player spends most of the game exploring
the mansion and searching for important items.
The Sega CD game was met with generally
positive reviews. The later Saturn version was met
with negative reviews, as critics found it failed to cap-
ture the strong qualities of the original despite being on
a more powerful system.
According to Sega Saturn Magazine, the Japa-
nese release of the Saturn version “received a rather
lukewarm reception”. In a later review of the PAL re-
lease, they said that though the graphics are consider-
ably improved from the Sega CD version, the game
completely fails to pull off the intended spooky atmos-
phere, and is also far too easy.
328 • Magical Drop 2

9.0 Magical Drop

Developer Data East
Publisher Data East
Release date (jp) December 15, 1995
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

This is the very first coin-op game (and home conver-

sions) in the Magical Drop series. Similar to other ti-
tles in the series, the goal of the game is to clear the
screen of constantly advancing objects called ‘drops’.
The player character, stuck at the bottom of the screen,
has a grapple which can be used to pull down a single
drop, change its colour and put it back in line. Drops
disappear when a line of three or more drops of the
same colour is created.

Magical Drop 2 8.0

Developer Data East
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) September 27, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

In Magical Drop II, players control a clown that can

grab and throw balloons. They have to match three
balloons of the same colour or more vertically to pop
them and clear the screen. Players can hold multiple
balloons of the same colour at once and cause consecu-
tive collisions. There are special balloons that cannot
be removed that easily and power-ups that clear entire
rows or provide additional help.
“mobygames.com”

8.2 Magical Drop III

Toretate Zoukangou!
Developer Data East
Publisher Data East
Release date (jp) June 20, 1997
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

This is the third installment in the puzzle frenzy se-

ries Magical Drop. In the game players control a clown
who throws marbles up on the screen into the cluster of
multi-colored marbles, rocks and crystals. The goal is
to get three or more of the same color to remove mar-
bles, but you can also grab more than one at the time
to create long chain combos and gain better “special”
blocks at the top of the screen.
 Mahou Shoujo Pretty Samy ~Osorubeshi Shintai Sokutei! Kakubakuhatsu 5-Byou-mae!!~ • 329

Mahou Shoujo Pretty Samy: 6.5

Heart no Kimochi
Developer NEC Interchannel
Publisher NEC Interchannel
Release date (jp) January 29, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Heart no Kimochi is the second Saturn release in the

Maho Shojo Pretty Sammy games. The game is set in
the Tenchi Muyo universe.
It was published by NEC Interchannel, which was re-
leased in Japan in 1998.

6.4 Mahou Shoujo Pretty Sammy

Developer NEC InterChannel
Publisher NEC InterChannel
Release date (jp) August 8, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Mahou Shoujo Pretty Samy: Osorubeshi Shintai-

sokutei! Kakubakuhatsu 5 Byou Mae!! is the first game
based on the spin-off anime of the Tenchi Muyo series.
It was published by NEC Interchannel, which was re-
leased in Japan in 1997.

Mahoutsukai ni Naru Houhou 8.0

Developer TGL
Publisher TGL
Release date (jp) August 27, 1998
Genre Action role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Mahoutsukai ni Naru Houhou is an action RPG set

around a semi 3D landscape. The game was published
by Teijiieru, which was released in Japan in 1998 for
the Sega Saturn.
330 • ManX TT Super Bike

Manx TT Super Bike 7.2

Developer Psygnosis, Perfect Entertainment, Tantalus Inter.

Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) March 14, 1997
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

Manx TT Super Bike is a 1995 arcade racing

game developed jointly by Sega AM3 and Sega-AM4.
It was later brought to the Sega Saturn by Psygnosis
and Tantalus Interactive and then ported to Windows
by Perfect Entertainment. It was the first motorcycle
racing game built for the Sega Model 2 arcade board.
The game’s setting is the Isle of Man TT - the
world-famous and demanding motorcycle racing event
held on the Isle of Man. There are two courses to race
on; the Laxey Coast course for novices and the more
difficult TT (“Tourist Trophy”) Course for veteran
players. While the TT Course is based on the actual
course on the Isle of Man, the Laxey Coast is a fic-
tional course designed by the game developers, though
its scenery is drawn from the Isle of Man.
Producer Tetsuya Mizuguchi recounted the im-
petus behind the game: “After Sega Rally, I wanted to
make a game with a big graphic impact that used the
player’s body. Looking through a magazine, I saw an
article about the Isle of Man and I found the island
very beautiful - perfect for a nice racing game. Moreo-
ver, in Japan there are groups of bikers who love riding
bikes on the open road. I wanted to make a bike game
mixing these two elements.”
The in-game motorcycles resemble the team
Honda/Castrol Honda RVF750 RC45.
The arcade version was first demonstrated at
the 1995 Japanese Amusement Machine Manufactur-
ers’ Association show; the game was described as only
20% complete at this time, with just one course play-
able.
Gaming fans and journalists assumed that the
Saturn version of the game would be developed by the
same internal Sega CS team which handled the Saturn
conversion of Sega Rally Championship, but the team
was busy with Daytona USA: Championship Circuit
Edition, which Sega considered a more important re-
lease.
The Saturn and PC releases have the game
soundtrack as standard Red Book audio which can be
listened to in any CD player.
 Maria ~Kimi-tachi ga Umareta Wake~ • 331

5.9 Mainichi Kawaru Quiz

Bangumi Quiz 365
Developer Oz Club
Publisher Oz Club
Release date (jp) March 15, 1996
Genre Game show
Mode 1-6 Players

Mainichi Kawaru Quiz Bangumi Quiz 365 is a quiz

game, published by Oz Club, which was released in
Japan in 1996 for the Sega Saturn.

Maria: 4.0
Kimitachi Ga Umareta Wake
Developer Break
Publisher Axela
Release date (jp) December 11, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

In Maria players take the role of as a young psychia-

trist named Takano. One day a new patient is brought
into the hospital she work in - Maria, a young woman
who has attempted suicide. She suffers from amnesia,
and Takano try to find out more about her, visiting her
and talking to her. Before long she discover that Maria
has schizophrenia - a split personality. Her “other self”
appears to be evil and threatens to take over her.

8.5 Marica: Shinjitsu no Sekai

Developer Feycraft
Publisher Victor Soft
Release date (jp) June 20, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Shinjitsu no Sekai (“real world”) is set in modern-day

Tokyo. The protagonist is an ordinary girl named Mar-
ica, who lives together with her parents and her little
sister. One day Marica encounters a strange, scary-
looking man, who turns out to be a former terrorist on
the run. Marica becomes the sole owner of information
that is vitally important to the terrorist organization,
and has to protect her life with her newly discovered
paranormal skills.
332 • Mario Mushano no Chou Shougi Juku

5.5 Marie no Atelier ver.1.3:

Salburg no Renkinjutsushi
Developer Gust
Publisher Imadio
Release date (jp) December 11, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Atelier Marie Plus is an updated version of the origi-

nal title, Atelier Marie: Salburg no Renkinjutsushi, re-
leased for PlayStation, which features a variety of extra
bonus materials unlocked after the game is completed.
Included are art and event galleries as well as a sound
test and access to the minigames that were added for
the Saturn release.
“mobygames.com”

Mario Mushano 6.1

no Chou Shougi Juku
Developer King Records
Publisher King Records
Release date (jp) January 15, 1998
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mario Mushano no Chou Shougi Juku is a shougi

game, published by King Records, which was released
in Japan in 1998 for the Sega Saturn.
The game is presented by Mario Mushano and plays
like a shogi tutorial software.

“mobygames.com”

7.5 Mass Destruction

Developer NMS Software
Publisher BMG Int. Ent., (jp) BMG Japan (JP), (us) ASC Games
Release date (eu) April, 1997
Genre Action, Shooter
Mode 1 Player

Mass Destruction is a 1997 third-person action game

developed by NMS Software Ltd. and published by
ASC Games and BMG Interactive Entertainment. Re-
leased for MS-DOS, the Sega Saturn, and the PlaySta-
tion, the game puts players in control of a tank, and
tasks them with destroying enemy forces.
While some reviewers described the game as “simplis-
tic” and “mindless”, others found its stripped-down
action enjoyable.
 Masters Harukanaru Augusta 3 • 333

Master of Monsters: 6.2

Neo Generations
Developer SystemSoft, Toshiba EMI
Publisher Toshiba EMI
Release date (jp) October 26, 1996
Genre Strategy
Mode 1-2 Players

Master of Monsters: Neo Generations is a Sega Saturn

sequel to Master of Monsters released only in Japan.
The game is a turn based war simulation game, pub-
lished by Toshiba EMI, which was released in Japan
in 1996.

7.0 Masters: Harukanaru Augusta 3

Developer T&E Soft
Publisher T&E Soft
Release date (jp) September 22, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

Masters: Harukanaru Augusta 3 is a golf game, devel-

oped and published by T&E Soft, which was released
in Japan in 1995 for the Sega Saturn.
The game feature pretty graphics, fast course updates
and realistic weather simulation for the time. And like
many of their other golf titles, Masters 3 offers several
modes of play such as tournaments, match play, strong
play, masters and training.
“segagagadomain.com”

Matsukata Hiroki 7.2

no World Fishing
Developer Tose
Publisher Media Quest
Release date (jp) February 2, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1 Player

Matsukata Hiroki no World Fishing is a fishing game,

developed by TOSE and published by MediaQuest,
which was released in Japan in 1996 for the Sega Sat-
urn.
Kōju Meguro, better known by his stage name Hi-
roki Matsukata, is a Japanese actor who has played in
several television series and movies, along with some
games.
336 • Marvel Super Heroes

Marvel Super Heroes

8.1
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) August 8, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Marvel Super Heroes is a fighting game devel-

oped by Capcom. Originally released in the arcade in
1995 on the CPS-2 arcade system, it was later ported
to the Sega Saturn and PlayStation in late 1997. The
game, alongside Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super
Heroes, was also included in the Marvel vs. Capcom
Origins collection, released digitally for the PlaySta-
tion 3 and Xbox 360 in September 2012.
Loosely based on “The Infinity Gauntlet” sto-
ryline, the game focuses on heroes and villains battling
each other for the Infinity Gems. The main antagonist
is Thanos, who plots to use the Infinity Gems to take
over the universe.
Marvel Super Heroes is a fighting game in
which superheroes and villains from the Marvel Uni-
verse fight against each other. The aim of the game
is to use attacks and special abilities to knock out the
opponent, or possess more life than him/her at the end
of the round. Throughout the match, players build up
a super meter which can be used to perform power-
ful Infinity Combo attacks. A unique mechanic in the
game are the Infinity Gems; Power, Time, Space, Real-
ity, Soul and Mind. These gems can be earned by ob-
taining them from opponents during arcade mode, or
by fulfilling certain criteria during versus mode, such
as getting the first hit. By using these gems in battle,
fighters receive enhanced effects for a short amount of
time, such as increased power or defense, health recov-
ery or additional attacks. Certain fighters will receive
extra benefits whilst using certain gems. For example,
if Spider-Man uses the Power Gem, he can create a
doppelganger on the opposite side of his opponent for
extra damage during his attacks.
Capcom included the four characters from
X-Men: Children of the Atom which their market re-
search had determined to be the most popular: Wolver-
ine, Juggernaut, Magneto and Psylocke.
The home conversions of the game were un-
veiled on the first day of the 1996 Electronic Entertain-
ment Expo, with Stan Lee appearing at the booth.
This game was dedicated to the memory of
Jack Kirby, with character artwork based on his old
designs.
 Marvel Super Heroes Vs. Street Fighter • 337

Marvel Super Heroes

vs. Street Fighter 8.4
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) October 22, 1998
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

The gameplay
Marvel and aesthetics
Super Heroes of vs.Marvel
Street Super Heroes
Fighter, a crossover fighting game,
vs.the
is Street Fighter
sequel remain
to X-Men vs.similar
Street to X-Men
Fighter. vs.game
The Streetwas first released as an
Fighter.game
arcade Eachinplayer
1997.selects
It then two characters
received compete
ports to the Sega Saturn in 1998 and the
in a one-on-one
PlayStation tag team fight, attempting to defeat
in 1999.
the opposing
Marvelteam.
SuperThe gamevs.replaces
Heroes most ofisthe
Street Fighter theX-
second installment in the
Men cast from the previous installment with characters
Marvel vs. Capcom series of 2D fighting games. It utilizes the same one-on-
fromtag
one other
teamMarvel
formatproperties.
previously employed in X-Men vs. Street Fighter. The
player chooses a team of two fighters, each sporting their own life gauge; at
In addition,
the it match,
start of the introduces a new
the first gameplay
selected mechanic
character is controlled by the player,
while the second character remains off-screen and acts as support.
The most notable gameplay change in Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street
Fighter is the addition of the “Variable Assist”. With the Variable Assist, the
player can summon their off-screen character to perform a special move with-
out changing their currently-controlled character, opening new possibilities
for combos during battle and greatly expanding the role of the secondary char-
acter. The ability to use assists would later become a signature gameplay ele-
ment used in several future installments of the Marvel vs. Capcom series.
The game features a roster of 17 playable fighters, with nine charac-
ters from the Street Fighter universe and eight heroes from the Marvel Uni-
verse. All of the X-Men characters featured in X-Men vs. Street Fighter, with
the exception of Cyclops and Wolverine, are replaced with characters from
other Marvel Comics properties, such as Captain America, Spider-Man, and
the Hulk. Most of the Street Fighter characters from the previous game re-
turn, with the exception of Cammy and Charlie, who are replaced by Dan and
Sakura. The Japanese arcade and console versions of Marvel Super Heroes vs.
Street Fighter include an exclusive character named Norimaro. Norimaro is an
original character created and owned by Japanese comedian Noritake Kinashi,
who represents neither Marvel nor Capcom.
The Sega Saturn port supported the 4MB RAM expansion peripheral,
allowing the developers to create a conversion which retained the original
frame rates and tag team system.
According to former Capcom USA community manager and fighting
game advisor Seth Killian, one of the primary goals for Marvel Super Heroes
vs. Street Fighter was to “tone down the insanity” that occurred onscreen
when compared to X-Men vs. Street Fighter. The developers also sought to
achieve balance within the character roster; the previous title had gained a
reputation for being “broken”, with characters having access to one or more
infinite combos. These changes, however, were met with negative reception
from fans, who criticized the game for offering less freedom. This ultimately
led to Capcom recognizing the theme of insanity as the hallmark of the series
and using it as a focus for future Marvel vs. Capcom installments.
338 • Maximum Force

Maximum Force
6.0 Developer Mesa Logic, Atari Games, Tantalus Interactive
Publisher Midway Games, (eu) GT Interactive
Release date (us) October 13, 1997
Genre Light-gun
Mode 1-2 Players

Maximum Force isForce

Maximum a lightisgun shooter
a light gunarcade
shootergame de-
orgin-
veloped
ally by Mesa
released as anLogic
arcadeforgame.
Atari Like
Games itsinpredecessor
1997, and
later ported
Area to the PlayStation
51, Maximum and Saturn.
Force is notable for its use of digi-
tized
Playersvideo,
play and the bizarrely
the role contrasting
of an unnamed unrealistic
counter-terrorist
gibs
agent who engages in three major combat zones.shot,
into which every enemy blows apart when in
These
exactly
areas arethe samesiege
under way.byWhile enemies,
terrorists and theinnocents, and
player must
explosions are 2D digitized video sprites, the
kill the terrorists before they take aim and fire at the levels
and vehicles
player are pre-rendered
character. in 3D. or getting shot by
Shooting hostages
terrorists
Thecauses the player
player(s) play tothe
loserole
lives.
of an unnamed
counter-terrorist agent who engages in three major
combat zones. These areas are under siege by terrorists
and the player must kill the terrorists before they take
aim and fire at the player character. Shooting hostages
or getting shot by terrorists causes the player to lose
lives. After four hits are taken, the player must refill
their credits or the game is over. Players can have a
maximum of seven lives in the home versions.
There are several power-ups in the game, such
as rapid-fire mode (which is indicated by a spinning
assault rifle bullet) for the player’s gun or a power-
ful single-shot mode (which is indicated by a spinning
shotgun shell). Shooting windows, barrels, cars, and
other objects increases the player’s score.

7.1 Media ROMancer

Daisuke Asakura
Developer Fun House
Publisher Fun House
Release date (jp) March 1, 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Media ROMancer Daisuke Asakura is a MultiMedia

disc released in 1996. It feature the Japanese artist
Daisuke Asakura. The disc contain video clips of the
discography, though, the audio only last for a few sec-
onds. It also include mini games and a gallery section.

“segagagadomain.com”
 MechWarrior 2 • 339

6.4 MechWarrior 2:
31st Century Combat
Developer Quantum Factory
Publisher Activision, (jp) Bandai Visual, Activision
Release date (us) April 1, 1997
Genre Simulation, Action
Mode 1 Player

MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat is a ve-

hicle simulation game developed and released by Ac-
tivision in 1995, as part of the MechWarrior series of
video games in the BattleTech franchise. Originally
developed for DOS, it was ported to a variety of plat-
forms including Windows, Macintosh, Sega Saturn
and PlayStation (as MechWarrior 2: Arcade Combat
Edition).
The DOS, Windows, and Mac releases shared
the same gameplay, while the console conversions
tweaked the game’s mechanics to emphasize arcade-
style action over the tactical-simulation of the original
PC release. A number of enhanced versions were re-
leased to take advantage of the 3D graphics accelerator
cards at the time.
At the start of the game, the player must choose
to side with one of the two Clans involved in the Re-
fusal War: Clan Wolf or Clan Jade Falcon. The bat-
tles in the game take place on planets named in the
various BattleTech source books on the war, as well as
expanded universe novels such as Bred for War. Each
battle has a specific goal such as search-and-destroy,
reconnaissance or a base strike. Initially, the player
controls one Mech, but in later missions has access to
squad commands. Between missions, a mech lab al-
lows players to customize the weapon, armor, engine
and heat sinks of any drivable mech.
The Saturn and PlayStation versions were de-
veloped by Quantum Factory. Project coordinator Bri-
an Clarke remarked that they were adapting the game
to appeal more to a console gaming audience: “Instead
of doing a sim game, we’re making the crossover into
a console type game, where it’s more action-oriented
and fast paced, and also doing things like adding pow-
er-ups so it’s more of an arcade experience. We’re also
adding more enemy mechs to each mission so there’s a
certain carnage element to the whole thing.”
Neither the Saturn nor PlayStation version is a
port of the other; the code was built from the ground up
for each version. All 32 missions from the PC version
were included in the console versions, though some
were shortened in order to maintain a fast pace.
340 • Mega Man 8

Mega Man 8 8.2

Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) January 17, 1997
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1-2 Players

xxx Mega Man 8, known as Rockman 8: Metal He-

roes in Japan, is the eighth installment in original Mega
xxx
Man series, and was originally released in Japan on the
PlayStation in 1996. The following year, Mega Man
8 saw a release on the Sega Saturn and was localized
for both consoles in North America and the PlaySta-
tion alone in PAL regions. Upon its release, Capcom
reached the franchise’s tenth anniversary. Mega Man 8
is the first game in the series made available on 32-bit
consoles.
The plot begins as the robotic hero Mega Man is called
to investigate a mysterious energy reading coming
from a recent meteor crash on an island. Mega Man
discovers that his nemesis Dr. Wily has beaten him
there and immediately retreats with the energy source. Mega Man is charged
with stopping Wily’s evil plans to use the energy, as well as discover the purpose
of a mysterious, alien robot found at the crash site.
The gameplay of Mega Man 8 is similar to that of its predecessors. The
player, as Mega Man, must complete various stages that contain side-scrolling
action and platforming elements. The player can run, jump, slide, shoot and
charge the Mega Buster, and change weapons (either in-game or while paused).
Enemies in each stage can be destroyed to reveal items used to refill Mega Man’s
health and weapon power. Like Mega Man 7, the player completes an introduc-
tory stage and is presented with four Robot Master stages (Tengu Man, Frost
Man, Grenade Man, and Clown Man) to tackle in any order she chooses. At the
end of each stage is a boss battle with a Robot Master; defeating the Robot Mas-
ter earns the player its Master Weapon. Most Robot Masters are weak to either
the Mega Buster or one or more Master Weapon, allowing for some strategy
in the order the stages are completed. An additional four Robot Masters (Aqua
Man, Sword Man, Search Man, and Astro Man) become available once the first
four are defeated and an intermission stage is completed.
A noteworthy addition to gameplay in Mega Man 8 is the ability to dis-
play and use multiple weapons onscreen simultaneously. This change introduces
a unique way of using weapons strategically. For example, Mega Man can place
a Tornado Hold, jump into it and swing the Flame Sword while rising with the
air current. The player also has the ability to use his Mega Buster at all times,
even when equipped with a Master Weapon. Auto’s part shop from the last game
also appears in the form of Dr. Light’s lab, where the player can buy new abilities
from Roll in exchange for special bolts found throughout the levels. However,
due to a limited number of bolts and powerup slots available, the player must
carefully decide which power-ups to buy. Special power-ups involving Mega
Man’s dog Rush are won by fighting mid-stage minibosses. This is also the first
(and only) game in the series in which Mega Man can swim.
Keiji Inafune, a character designer for the Mega Man series, became a
producer for Mega Man 8. He handed off many of the main responsibilities to
 Mega Man 8 • 341

Hayato Kaji, an artist he often considered to be his

student. “This allowed me to take a very different ap-
proach to creating a Mega Man game,” Inafune re-
counted. “’Seeing Mega Man from a distance,’ I guess
you could say.” Illustrators including Hideki Ishikawa
and Shinsuke Komaki worked under the two veterans.
Inafune recounted that the development team was of-
ten overwhelmed during the game’s development be-
cause it involved some unfamiliar elements such as
coordinating releases on two new systems and the use
of anime cutscenes. The team enlisted the help of the
animation studio Xebec to produce the animated cut-
scenes for the game. Inafune had wanted to include
animated cutscenes since the very first game in the
series and he stated that he was pleased with the out-
come.
The character Duo was created specifically for
Mega Man 8, but was first made a playable charac-
ter in the 1996 arcade fighting game Mega Man 2:
The Power Fighters. Kaji revealed that he initially de-
signed Duo as a robot invented by the Mega Man 4
character Dr. Cossack. When it was decided that Duo
would instead come from outer space, his appearance
changed but still retained remnants of Russian traits,
such as his headwear. Like past games in the series, and a bonus mode with official and fan artwork, voice
the Robot Masters were picked from design contests and music tests, and a secret animation test for the
in Japan. Capcom received around 110,000 idea sub- cutscenes. Capcom celebrated the tenth anniversary
missions from fans for the game. Three of the Robot of the Mega Man franchise with the release of Mega
Masters (Sword Man, Clown Man, and Search Man) Man 8. Numerous pieces of merchandise were made
were even given base skeletons on which fans could available for purchase in Japan alongside the game in-
add features. Ishikawa recounted, “The submissions cluding action figures, gashapon toys, stationary, and
we’d get for the boss characters were absolutely furniture, vinyl record. A 43-track disc containing the
brimming with the youthful imagination of kids. I still instrumental music was released by Team Entertain-
remember how everyone had permanent smiles paint- ment much later in 2007. Mega Man 8 was published
ed on their faces as we looked at each and every one in North America by Capcom on both the PlaySta-
of the submissions that came through.” Tengu Man tion and Sega Saturn in January 1997 and in Europe
and Astro Man had already been designed by Capcom by Ocean Software exclusively for the PlayStation in
prior to the contest. October 1997. Some limited edition, North American
copies of the game were packaged with a 12-page
The musical score for Mega Man 8 was com- color history booklet to commemorate one decade of
posed by Shusaku Uchiyama. It was the first project the series.
at Capcom that Uchiyama led himself. The Japanese
version of the game features the J-pop vocal open- Mega Man 8 received mostly average reviews
ing theme “Electrical Communication” (English: from critics. One universal complaint involved the
“Go! Mega Man! Go!”) and the ending theme “Brand game having virtually nothing in terms of gameplay
New Way” by the group Ganasia. Mega Man 8 was or features that hadn’t already appeared in previous
released in Japan on the PlayStation on December 17, installments of the series, and very little change in the
1996 and the Sega Saturn on January 17, 1997. It was gameplay formula that had been used since the first
originally intended to only be for the Saturn, but Sony Mega Man game appeared a decade ago. Jeff Ger-
allegedly “demanded” the game, fearing it would give stmann of GameSpot commented “Even the robots
an advantage to its then-rival. The two versions of the seem to be clones of enemies from earlier MM titles,”
game, however, are not identical. The Saturn version while Matt Rubenstein summarized “...this whole
has two added bosses from previous Mega Man games premise has been done seven times before.”
342 • Mega Man X3

Mega Man X3 7.8

Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom, (eu) Virgin Interactive
Release date (jp) April 26, 1996
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1-2 Players

xxx Mega Man X3, known as Rockman X3 in Ja-

pan, is a action-platformer originally released for the
xxx
SNES in 1995. It is the third game in the Mega Man X
series and the last to appear on the SNES.
Mega Man X3 takes place in a fictional future
in which the world is populated by humans and intel-
ligent robots called “Reploids”. Like their human crea-
tors, some Reploids involve themselves in destructive
crime and are labelled as “Mavericks”. After twice de-
feating the Maverick leader Sigma, the heroes Mega
Man X and Zero must battle a Reploid scientist named
Dr. Doppler and his utopia of Maverick followers.
Mega Man X3 adopts the gameplay of Mega Man X
and Mega Man X2, an expansion of the gameplay mod-
el of the original Mega Man series. These action-platform games involve taking
control of the protagonist X and completing a series of eight, selectable stages.
Each stage has a variety of obstacles, traps, and enemy robots to fight. The stage
terminates in a Maverick boss fight; defeating this boss will add a new special
weapon to the player’s arsenal. Each boss is particularly weak to one special
weapon, so the player may complete the stages in an order that best exploits
these weaknesses. The player character X retains certain abilities from past
games. Namely, he is able to run, jump, dash, cling to and scale most walls, and
fire his chargeable “X-Buster” arm cannon and special weapons. The player can
further upgrade X’s abilities by collecting armor parts (head, body, legs, and X-
Buster) found within capsules in some levels. Capsules containing special chips
add new abilities as well. X is generally only able to benefit from one chip at a
time, allowing the player to customize the character as needed.
Like the two previous Mega Man X games, the player can locate power-
ups such as “Heart Tanks” for extending the maximum life energy and “Sub-
Tanks” for storing energy for later use. Also returning are powerful “Ride Ar-
mor” vehicles that can be piloted in some of the stages. Items hidden within
certain levels can be collected which allow the player to summon vehicles at
any time. Mega Man X3 is the first game in the series which allows the player to
play as X’s ally Zero, although his playability is more limited compared to later
games in the series.Zero can be called to take X’s place during nearly any stage,
but he cannot collect any of X’s armor parts or power-ups, and cannot fight mid-
stage or end-stage bosses, with only one exception that grants access to a secret
weapon for X. If Zero is ever defeated in battle, he will be unable to be called
upon for the rest of the game.
By the time production began, Keiji Inafune, a contributor to the Mega
Man franchise, had transitioned from his role as an artist to that of a director,
producer, and writer. Starting with Mega Man X2, Inafune wanted to advance
the narrative using a computer virus as a plot device, something he considered a
more interesting idea than a tangible villain. Inafune’s other duties included mer-
chandising the game into toys and trading cards. Although the game’s scenario,
 Mega Man X3 • 343

character designs and artwork were done at Capcom, was the case on the SNES), the Sega Saturn does not
much of the actual game design was sub-contracted to support this resolution, and so opts for 320x224 with
Minakuchi Engineering, who had previously devel- added borders either side. This means the PlayStation
oped most of the Mega Man games on the Game Boy and SNES versions are stretched horizontally to fill a
along with the compilation game Mega Man: The 4:3 display while the Saturn version isn’t. Given that
Wily Wars for the Sega Mega Drive. Inafune recalled the artwork was designed with this stretching in mind,
experiencing “psychological turmoil” over allowing this can give the Saturn game a more “squashed”
“outsiders” to handle the game’s development. In- look. The Saturn version has higher quality full mo-
afune’s only illustrative designs for the game were tion video than the PlayStation, with more frames
the characters X, Zero, and Vile. Inafune admitted be- of animation and a larger palette of colours. A port
ing very “possessive” of Zero, which he had vested for the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer was announced
interest in since the character’s creation for the first in Japan in 1996, but was not released. The PlaySta-
Mega Man X. All of the designs for the game’s other tion version of Mega Man X3 was included in Mega
characters, bosses, and its minor enemies were di- Man X Collection, released for the PlayStation 2 and
vided among artists Hayato Kaji, Tatsuya Yoshikawa, Nintendo GameCube in North America in early 2006.
Shinsuke Komaki, and Kazushi Itou. Finally, Mega Man X3 was released on EZweb-com-
A port of Mega Man X3 was released on the patible mobile phones in Japan in 2010.
Sega Saturn and PlayStation in Japan in 1996 and in Press reception for Mega Man X3 has been
Europe in 1997. Capcom stated that it was licensing above average. Reviewers praised the game’s tried-
these versions to a USA company for release in North and-true gameplay, graphics, control, and the option
America, but ultimately they were never released in to play as Zero. Mike Weigand of GamePro was gen-
the region. A Windows port of this 32-bit edition was erally pleased with the game, and, though he admit-
released in Japan in 1997 and in North America in ted it brought little new to the franchise, enjoyed the
1998. The port versions feature additional animated increased difficulty, tight controls, and new special
full-motion video cutscenes, rearranged music tracks, effects. Weigand summarized, “It may be routine for
and different sound effects than the original SNES experience players, but anyone who hasn’t played a
version. One major flaw in the Saturn port, though, 16-bit game in the series will discover Mega magic.”
is really long and frequent load times, which made
many a fan prefer the SNES original. While the Play-
Station game with a 256x224 screen resolution (as
344 • Mega Man X4

Mega Man X4 8.5

Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) August 1, 1997
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1 Player

The gameplay
Mega Man in Mega
X4, Man X4 is released
originally similar tointhe previ-
Japan as
ous installments
Rockman X4, is ofthethe Megagame
fourth Man inX series.
the MegaTheMan
player
X
is presented
series and thewith a series
second gameofinaction-platforming stages
the series to be released
thatthe
on can be Saturn
Sega clearedand in any order desired. The player
PlayStation.
character
Theretains
plot fortheMegacapabilities
Man X4 isfrom previous
presented en-
by both
tries
fully in the Mega
animated fullMan
motion X series
videolike
(FMV)dashing and scal-
cutscenes and
ing walls. New to Mega Man X4 is the ability
in-game text. The storyline differs slightly depending to play
through
on whetherthe game eitherchooses
the player as X orMega
Zero proper.
Man X or Zero.
Mega Man X4 takes place in an ambiguous year in
the 22nd century (21XX), in which after Mega Man
X3 humans coexist with intelligent androids called
“Reploids”. Following the third defeat of the power-
ful, “Maverick” Reploid Sigma, a second Maverick
Hunting group has arisen. The army, called the “Repli-
force”, is a strict military regime led by the giant Re-
ploid named General and his second-in-command,
Colonel. Some time later, behind the scenes, General
has been meeting with a mysterious figure who plots
the Hunters’ demise, trying to convince General that
the Hunters are dangerous, and would turn on him in
an instant, and that his best course of action would be
to destroy them. General dismisses the figure, unwill-
ing to betray the Humans. Zero, meanwhile, is plagued
by a recurring nightmare: a mysterious figure awakens
him, calling him a “masterpiece”, then ordering him
to destroy an unknown target before fading away. As
Zero tries to stop the figure, he is paralyzed by a hor-
rible pain, which is followed by visions of carnage.
Mayhem breaks out, however, when the Sky Lagoon,
a massive floating city, is sent crashing down onto the
city below it, killing millions of civilians, humans and
Reploids alike. The game begins here where either X
or Zero is dispatched to investigate possible causes of
the disaster only to become entangled in a struggle to
save the world.
The gameplay in Mega Man X4 is similar to the
previous installments of the Mega Man X series. The
player is presented with a series of action-platforming
stages that can be cleared in any order desired. In these
stages, the player must avoid obstacles like falling de-
bris and spikes, and destroy enemy robots to reach the
end of the stages. The player character retains the ca-
pabilities from previous entries in the Mega Man X
series like dashing and scaling walls. Some levels con-
tain ridable vehicles such as hover bikes and armored-
 Mega Man X4 • 345

mecha. Each of the eight initial stages contains one sponsibilities up to other artists that had previously
Maverick boss, and defeating this boss gives the play- worked on the Mega Man X series. Artist Haruki
er a new ability. Every boss is weak to a particular Suetsugu did not design its characters as he would do
ability, adding an element of strategy to the order in for later games in the series, but was given drafts in
which the player completes the stages. order to draw illustrations for promotional purposes.
New to Mega Man X4 is the ability to play Hitoshi Ariga was responsible for designing X’s se-
through the game either as X or Zero proper (while cret “Ultimate Armor” featured in both the game and
Zero was available for play in Mega Man X3, he was as a Japanese Bandai action figure. He spent four days
limited to being essentially a spare life for the player). coming up with the initial blueprint, but was told by
The two characters cannot be switched during a play- his supervisor to go back and try again. After tinker-
through. Though both of them go through the same ing with the Mega Man X3 armor parts, he noticed
stages, they operate differently and are challenged that attaching them in specific ways made it look like
differently from the terrain. X wields the “X-Buster”, an airplane. Ariga recounted creating the armor as an
a plasma cannon on his arm that he uses to attack extremely difficult yet fun task. He also revealed that
foes from a distance. It can be charged to fire strong- Zero was intended to have his own Ultimate Armor,
er shots. A new weapon is given to the player with but the development team chose to not finalize it.
each boss defeated while playing as X. These weap- The game’s musical score was composed
ons have limited ammunition, displayed by a meter by Toshihiko Horiyama. The score also features the
next to one’s health, both of which can be refilled by opening theme Makenai Ai ga Kitto aru and the clos-
picking up power-ups dropped by destroyed enemies. ing theme One More Chance, both sung by Yukie Na-
In some stages, the player can find hidden capsules kama.
that contain armor upgrades that greatly enhance X’s The cover art for the Japanese Saturn version
capabilities. Zero is more melee-oriented than X by depicts Zero standing alone in a dark setting. “Usu-
using a “Z-Saber” sword. The Z-Saber’s power and ally, not having the main character on the package
accuracy compensate for its lack of range; this offers would be unheard of,” Inafune stated. “But we had
the player a different form of challenge against boss- a lot of hardcore fans on the Saturn, so I figured it
es. Rather than acquiring weapons from the bosses would be all right.” A “Special Limited Pack” edition
(with the exception of his Giga Attack), Zero learns of the game included the Ultimate Armor X action
special techniques such as the “Hienkyaku” air-dash figure. The PlayStation version was released in 1997,
and “Kuuenbu” double-jump. However, Zero cannot while the Saturn version came out in the early part of
upgrade any of his body parts in this game. the following week. Customers who preordered either
The player character’s maximum health can version of the game through Capcom’s online store
be extended by obtaining a “Heart Tank” in each of were given a Mega Man X4-themed T-shirt.
the eight stages. Two “Sub Tanks” can also be found, Reviews for the PlayStation and Saturn con-
which can be filled with life energy and then be used sole versions of Mega Man X4 have been general-
to replenish the player’s health at any time. Two new ly positive. Critics praised the added option to play
Tanks have been added: a “Weapon Tank (W-Tank)”, through the game as either X or Zero, noting that the
which fills up special weapons; and an “EX Tank”, drastic differences in the way the characters played the
which increases the character’s default lives from two same levels added to the game’s replay value. How-
to four whenever the player continues from a save ever, the same critics concurred that Mega Man X4’s
point. 2D side-scrolling gameplay was tired and overdone
Mega Man X4 was developed by Capcom. well before the game was released. GameSpot con-
Instead of designing the game’s various pieces of cluded that “All in all, a few more 3D effects would
artwork as he had done in the past, Keiji Inafune fo- have been nice, but the decision to stick with a true
cused his attention on being a producer. He was also 2D environment is bold, if somewhat outmoded. Aes-
involved in creating the game’s storyline, a role he thetically, Mega Man X4 is a sizeable improvement
described as “only slightly less than it was for X1”. over its predecessors, but you must remember that
Instead of presenting Repliforce as blatantly evil vil- it’s only a side scroller.” Electronic Gaming Monthly
lains like Sigma, the writing staff decided to leave listed the game at number 78 on its “100 Best Games
them some “moral leeway”. They did not want the of All Time” in the 100th issue of the magazine in
ideals of Repliforce and the Maverick Hunters to be 1997.
so black-and-white. Inafune left his former design re-
346 • MeltyLancer Re-inforce

MeltyLancer: 6.0
Ginga Shoujo Keisatsu 2086
Developer ALU
Publisher Imagineer
Release date (jp) December 13, 1996
Genre Simulation, Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Meltylancer: Ginga Shoujo Keisatsu 2086 is another

“training simulation” game developed by Tenky for
the PlayStation and Saturn.
The player is given control of the Galaxy Police Or-
ganization’s all female Meltylancer unit and charged
with training them to handle challenges ahead.

“giantbomb.com”

7.0 MeltyLancer Re-inforce

Developer Nextech
Publisher Imadio
Release date (jp) May 21, 1998
Genre Simulation, Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Meltylancer Re-inforce is a sci-fi “training simulation”

game developed by Tenky for the PlayStation and Sat-
urn. It puts the player in charge of the Meltylancer po-
lice unit, managing their training and directing them in
simple turn-based combat.

“giantbomb.com”

Metal Fighter Miku 8.8

Developer Feycraft
Publisher Victor Entertainment
Release date (jp) September 29, 1995
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Metal Fighter Miku feature a combination of anima-

tion taken from the anime of the same name and graph-
ics about girls that fight in robotic assisted suits.
The game was developed by Feycraft and published
by Victor Interactive Software, which was released in
Japan in 1995.
 Message Navi Vol.2 • 347

Message Navi
Developer SIMS
Publisher SIMS
Release date (jp) November 27, 1997
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Message Navi is a dating service disc. On this disc for

the Saturn are 1000 profiles complete with pictures
and contact information of readers from various Japa-
nese Saturn magazines. There are loads of sections to
the disc to help find the right person for users back in
the day, including a section that let’s them know where
each person likes to hang out.
Completely useless disc these days but still worth hav-
ing just for the shire quirkiness.

Message Navi Vol. 2

Developer SIMS
Publisher SIMS
Release date (jp) February 26, 1998
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Message Navi Vol.2 is pretty much identical to the first

Message Navi but with different people.

4.3 Mezase Idol Star!! Natsuiro

Memories: Mahjong Hen
Developer Shar Rock
Publisher Shar Rock
Release date (jp) September 27, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Mezase Idol Star!! Natsuiro Memories: Mahjong Hen

is a mahjong game, published by Sherlock, which was
released in Japan in 1996 for the Sega Saturn.
Since it’s only a yellow 18 rating players won’t be see-
ing any breast or any other action. Still as always there
are some pretty seductive lines in there spoken by the
ladies.
“segagagadomain.com”
348 • Metal Black

Metal Black
6.5
Developer Ving
Publisher Ving
Release date (jp) May 24, 1996
Genre Shoot-’em-Up
Mode 1-2 Players

Super Metal Black Metal
Vehicle-001: was originally
Slug, or released as a 1991
simply Metal Slug,arcade shoot ‘em up by
Taito.
is a runThe andgame
gun was
videoproduced under theand
game developed working title “Project Gun Frontier
originally
2”; it wasbydeveloped
released by the team
Nazca Corporation andbehind Gun Frontier,
later published by including the game
designer
SNK. Takatsuna
It was Senba,
originally although
released its actual
in 1996 connection
for the Neo to Gun Frontier is
very MVS
Geo loose.arcade
The game has ties
platform. Theto game
the other Taito shoot-em-up
is widely known Darius series, as
it features
for its sensea select few marine-themed
of humor, fluid hand-drawn enemies from it (e.g. sunfish-shaped
animation,
ships,
and Feeder’s
fast similarity toaction.
paced two-player a giantItrattail, diatom-like
is the first title in enemies in the fourth
stage,
the Metalthe giant Opabinia that supports and powers Daio-to-Gishiin at the end
Slug series.
of the third stage, the aircraft carrier-bearing hermit crab in the middle of the
first
It hasstage).
been ported to the Neo Geo AES, Neo Geo CD,
Sega
Saturn, PlayStation,
The gameplay VirtualBlack
to Metal Console,
wasPlayStation
unique in that there were no al-
Network, iOS, Android and Neo Geo
ternate weapons or bombs: the player’s only weapon X, and to thepower-up were the in-
Wii,
numerousPlayStation Portable
Newalone and PlayStation
molecules scattered by2 (as part of Collecting Newalone
Nemesis.
the Metal Slug Anthology).
increased the player’s beam level which served as the player’s only defense.
The more Newalone the player picks up, the stronger their standard beam fire
xxx
became.
When reaching a mid-level or maximum level on the ship’s Beam
Level gauge, players could then unleash a very large beam capable of destroy-
ing various enemies as well as causing a lightning effect that would briefly
shock the screen and consequentially destroy enemies behind and around the
Black Fly.
However, certain enemies also had beam gauges of their own, most
notably the end-level bosses who would in turn collect as much Newalone
as they could and unleash their own beam weapon. When the player and
the boss’ beam weapons fired simultaneously, one beam would overpower
the other depending on how high each gauge was, initiating a ‘Beam Duel.’
Players would have to mash the beam button repeatedly in order to keep the
large beam blast away from them which would accumulate into a large ball
of destructive matter. The blast would change in color depending on which
wielder had a stronger beam.
There were six levels in the game. After the first level of each three
sets of levels, a Bonus Stage would occur to indicate the player’s advance-
ment into space (the first bonus stage occurs when the players leave Earth’s
atmosphere and the second occurred as players entered a worm hole as a
shortcut to Jupiter). Each Bonus stage had the player encircle a group of crus-
tacean shaped enemies. The player had to lock on to the moving targets in
order to launch cluster missiles at them for extra points. Each bonus stage was
timed so as to challenge the player in seeking and destroying before the timer
ran out.
350 • Metal Slug

Metal Slug
8.4
Developer SNK
Publisher SNK
Release date (jp) April 4, 1997
Genre Run and gun
Mode 1-2 Players

Super Super Vehicle-001:
Vehicle-001: MetalorSlug,
Metal Slug, simplymore commonly
Metal Slug, known as simply Metal
Slug,
is a runis aand
rungun
andvideo
gun game
gamedeveloped
developedand andoriginally
originallyreleased by Nazca Corpo-
ration andbylater
released published
Nazca by SNK.
Corporation andItlater
was published
originally by released in 1996 for the Neo
Geo MVS
SNK. It was arcade platform.
originally The game
released in 1996is widely
for the known
Neo for its sense of humor,
fluid MVS
Geo hand-drawn animation,The
arcade platform. andgame
fast-paced
is widelytwo-player
known action. It is the first title
in the
for itsMetal
senseSlug series. fluid hand-drawn animation,
of humor,
and
fastThe paced two-player
player(s) action.
must shoot It is the at
constantly first title in stream of enemies in or-
a continual
the
der Metal
to reach Slug
the series.
end of each level. At this point, the player confronts a boss, who is
usually considerably larger and tougher than regular enemies. On the way through
It haslevel,
each beenthe ported
playerto can
the find
Neonumerous
Geo AES,weapon
Neo Geo CD, and “Metal Slug” tanks.
upgrades
Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Virtual Console, PlayStation
The tank is known as the SV-001 (“SV” stands for Super Vehicle), which not only
Network,
increases the iOS, Android
player’s and Neo
offense, Geo X, andadds
but considerably to the
to their defense.
Wii,
PlayStation
In additionPortable and PlayStation
to shooting, the player can2 (as
alsopart of melee attacks by using
perform
the Metal Slug Anthology).
a knife. The player does not die simply by coming into contact with enemies, and
correspondingly, many of the enemy troops also have melee attacks. Much of the
xxx
game’s scenery is also destructible, and occasionally, this reveals extra items or
power-ups, although most of the time it simply results in collateral damage.
During the course of a level, the player also encounters POWs, who,
if freed, offer the player bonuses in the form of random items or weapons. At
the end of each level, the player receives a scoring bonus based on the number
of freed POWs. If the player dies before the end of the level, the tally of freed
POWs reverts to zero.
There are a total of six levels, in locations such as forests, garrisoned cit-
ies, snowy mountain valleys, canyons, and military bases. The vast majority of
enemies are soldiers equipped with weaponry befitting their specific role. There
are also several mechanized enemies, such as tanks, mobile artillery, aircraft,
armored personnel carriers and technicals. Much of the game’s humor comes
from how the enemies are depicted; the player often encounters them as they are
sunbathing, roasting food over a fire, or simply conversing amongst themselves.
They also tend to scream loudly if they see the player, and often try to run away.
In 1997, Sega Saturn and PlayStation versions were released, but only
in Japan. The Saturn version was available in two different versions; 1.002 and
1.005, which included some minor bug fixes. The PlayStation version is current-
ly distributed by SNK Playmore as a re-release version. Both ports feature the
Combat School mode that allowed the player to revisit previously-played stages,
but with new mission objectives, while the PlayStation version also features a
new game mode called “Another Story”, which consists of a series of plot-based
mini-games.
In 2006, Metal Slug Anthology was released for the Wii, PlayStation 2
and PSP. This compilation includes the original Metal Slug, and all of its arcade
sequels (including Metal Slug 2 and Metal Slug X) up to Metal Slug 6. The
games are emulated versions of the originals, with none of the additional game
modes or content introduced in the other home versions.
 Midway Presents Arcade’s Greatest Hits • 351

Midway Presents 7.0

Arcade’s Greatest Hits
Developer Digital Eclipse
Publisher Midway
Release date (us) December 23, 1996
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

Arcade’sArcade’s
GreatestGreatest Hits contains
Hits contains a selection
a selection of
of arcade
arcade games originally
games originally releasedreleased by Williams
by Williams Elec-
Electronics in
tronics in the early 1980s. Though the Saturn versions
the early 1980s. The games are nearly identical to their
are nearly
original identical
arcade forms.to their original
It also featurearcade
extras,forms,
such on
as
the Mega
videos andDrive slight alterations exist to accommo-
artwork.
date the differing hardware. The Saturn version also
Games include: Defender, Defender II, Joust, Robo-
has extras, such as videos and artwork.
tron: 2084 and Sinistar.
The Sega Dreamcast game Midway’s Greatest
Arcade Hits Volume 1 is much the same as this release,
although features higher quality emulations.
Games includes:
The game Bubbles is unique to the Saturn (and
• Defender
PlayStation) versions. Bubbles was less well received
• Defender II (Stargate)
than the other games in this compilation back in 1982,
• Joust
• Robotron 2084 so until this compilation emerged, did not see any
• Sinistar home ports.
• Bubbles
“segaretro.org”

6.0 Midway Presents Arcade’s

Greatest Hits: Atari Coll. 1
Developer Digital Eclipse
Publisher Midway Games, (eu) GT Interactive
Release date (us) July 11, 1997
Genre Compilation
Mode 1-2 Players

MidwayMidway
PresentsPresents
Arcade’s Greatest
Arcade’s Hits: The
Greatest Hits:Atari
The
Collection
Atari 1 is a1 compilation
Collection of various
is a compilation classic
of various ar-
classic
cade games
arcade gamesoriginally
originallydeveloped
developedby
byAtari.
Atari. The
The game
has analog controls in Centipede, Missile Command,
and Super Breakout when played with a Sega Mission
Stick. This analog mode will not work on the 3D Con-
trol Pad.
Games include: Asteroids, Battlezone, Centipede, Mis-
Even though this compilation was originally
published by Midway Games, who in turn owned Atari
Games at this point, the games were in fact licensed
from Atari Corporation which had split in 1984, taking Games includes:
the “classic” Atari intellectual properties with them. • Asteroids
The Atari Collection 2, which was not released on • Battlezone
Sega consoles, goes one step further, featuring games • Centipede
• Missile Command
by both Atari Games and Atari Corporation. These are
• Super Breakout
among the only situations where the two Atari branch-
• Tempest
es were officially “reunited”.
352 • Minakata Hakudou Toujou

Mighty Hits 6.0

Developer Altron
Publisher Altron, (eu) Sega
Release date (jp) October 18, 1996
Genre Light-gun
Mode 1-8 Players

Mighty Hits is a collection of shoot-em-up mini-games

similar to Point Plank. Up to 8 players can play against
each other in this crazy selection of mini games.
The back of the European cover of this game offer no
description of the game at all, just screenshots.

7.2 Minakata Hakudou Toujou

Developer Thinking Rabbit
Publisher Atlus
Release date (jp) August 7, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Minakata Hakudou Toujou is an adventure game, pub-

lished by Atlus, which was released in Japan in 1997
for the Sega Saturn.
Players take the role of an detective that must solve a
crime or situation by watching a recording of the event
or evidence.

“segagagadomain.com”

Minami no Shima ni Buta ga 3.9

Ita: Lucas no Daibouken
Developer Scholar
Publisher Virgin Interactive
Release date (jp) October 10, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1 Player

Minami no Shima ni Buta ga Ita: Lucas no Daibouken

is a collection of mini puzzle games that a pig must
complete to move on to the next one.
The game developed by Scholar and published by Vir-
gin Interactive for the Sega Saturn.
 Minton Keibu no Sousa File Doukeshi Satsujin Jiken • 353

7.5 Minnesota Fats: Pool Legend

Developer Data East
Publisher Data East
Release date (jp) March 31, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Side Pocket 2 is a billiards game developed and pub-

lished by Data East as a sequel to Side Pocket. It was
released for the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Saturn in
1995.
When brought to North America, the game was re-
named Minnesota Fats: Pool Legend. It was followed
by Side Pocket 3, also released for the Saturn, but only
in Japan.
“segaretro.org”

Minton Keibu no Sousa File: 5.6

Doukeshi Satsujin Jiken
Developer Thinking Rabbit
Publisher Riverhillsoft
Release date (jp) October 30, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Minton Keibu no Sousa File: Doukeshi Satsujin Jiken

has a similar gameplay as Torico, in where by navigate
a pre-rendered world. However, unlike Torico players
also must buy and sell items from the locals to aid them
in their quest. The playing area is large for this type of
game and there’s also a wide range of characters to talk
with for information or dealing.
“segagagadomain.com”

7.1 Mizubaku Daibouken

Developer Ving
Publisher Ving
Release date (jp) October 22, 1998
Genre Platformer
Mode 1-2 Players

Mizubaku Daibouken, originally released as Liquid

Kids for the arcades in 1990, is a single player plat-
form game that features Hipopo, a platypus who must
fight his way through a large number of enemy-packed
levels in search of his missing girlfriend - rescuing
other platypuses along the way. Hipopo is armed with
water bombs which can be thrown at enemies to soak
and damage them. Once soaked, the enemies can then
be kicked and destroyed completely.
354 • Momotarou Douchuuki

5.9 Mizuki Shigeru no Youkai

Zukan Soushuuhen
Developer HighwayStar
Publisher Kodansha
Release date (jp) June 25, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Mizuki Shigeru no Youkai Zukan Soushuuhen feature

over 900 pieces of art by Mizuki Shigeru as well as an
adventure game.
Shigeru Mizuki (1922 – 2015) was a Japanese manga
author and historian, best known for his series GeGeGe
no Kitarō. A specialist in stories of Yōkai (traditional
Japanese monsters), he is considered a master of the
genre.

Momotarou Douchuuki 7.7

Developer Hudson Soft
Publisher Hudson Soft
Release date (jp) September 25, 1997
Genre Table
Mode 1-4 Players

Momotarou Douchuuki is a board game, developed by

Sims and published by Hudson, which was released in
Japan in 1997 for the Sega Saturn.

6.6 Monster Slider

Developer Datt Japan
Publisher Datt Japan
Release date (jp) March 28, 1997
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Monster Slider is a puzzle game in vein of Puyo Puyo

with an added twist. Players can now link items diago-
nally plus the whole playing area is on an angle that
can be tilted from left to right. This causes the gems
to slide until they hit another gem. At first this can be
quite confusing but soon it should be second nature.
The game contains three selectable characters (15 in 2
player mode) and two modes; single and vs..
“segagagadomain.com”
 Motteke Tamago with Ganbare! Kamonohashi • 355

Moon Cradle 6.6

Developer Pack-In-Soft
Publisher Pack-In-Soft
Release date (jp) June 27, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Moon Cradel, originally a 3DO game developed by

Matsushita, is a mystery detective adventure set around
solving a murder. The game is played in an isometric
view accompanied by FMV cut scenes. These scenes
will run with the Saturn’s MPEG card. If the Saturn is
missing a MPEG card, the scenes will be in low qual-
ity.

“segagagadomain.com”

7.0 Motteke Tamago with

Ganbare! Kamonohashi
Developer Naxat Soft
Publisher Naxat Soft
Release date (jp) July 2, 1998
Genre Action
Mode 1-4 Players

Motteke Tamago Ganbare Kamonohashi, a port of un-

released PC Engine game Motteke Tamago, is a arena
based mutiplayer game in the same vein as Bomber-
man.
Playing as one of a cast of cute characters the player
will move around a arena collecting eggs and dash at-
tacking into opponents. The dash attack will cause the
opponent to drop all their eggs.

Mouri Motonari: 7.2

Chikai no Sanshi
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) October 2, 1997
Genre Role-playing, Strategy
Mode 1 Player

Mouri Motonari: Chikai no Sanshi is the third entry of

Eiji Fukuzawa’s Eiketsuden series, a series of simula-
tion games that portrays the titular historical figures
in a heroic image. The title surrounds the lives and
conquests of Motonari Mōri and his grandson. Time
passes through fixed intervals in this title and several
characters visually age throughout the story.
“koei.wikia.com”
356 • Mortal Kombat II

Mortal Kombat II
7.4
Developer Probe, Grey Team
Publisher Acclaim
Release date (us) March 29, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

This Saturn
MortalportKombat II (commonly
is essentially an enhancedabbreviated as
version of
MKII) is a fighting
the PlayStation port.game originally produced
Improvements from the PS1by Mid-
port
way for the arcades
include in 1993. CD-quality audio tracks
use of arranged
over
the console’s sound processor,from
The game’s plot continues slightly bettergame.
the first load
times,
Followingand his
thefailure
abilitytotodefeat
pre-load
Liu morphs
Kang in forthe Shang
previ-
Tsung.
ous Mortal Kombat tournament, the evil Shang Tsung
begs
Both his masterports,
of these Shaohowever,
Kahn, supreme rulerconsidered
is widely of Outworld to
and the surrounding kingdoms, to spare his life.
be inferior to the 16-bit ports for their lack of sound ef- He
tells
fects,Shao
poorKahn that if they
load times, hold the next
and occasional Mortal Kom-
slowdown.
bat Tournament in Outworld, the Earthrealm warriors
must travel away from home to attend. Kahn agrees to
this plan, and restores Shang Tsung’s youth and mar-
tial arts prowess. He then extends the invitation to the
thunder god and Earthrealm’s protector, Raiden, who
gathers his warriors and takes them into Outworld. The
new tournament is much more dangerous, and as Shao
Kahn has the home field advantage, an Outworld vic-
tory will allow him to subdue Earthrealm.
According to the Mortal Kombat series’ canon,
Liu Kang won this tournament as well, defeating Shao
Kahn and his bodyguard Kintaro. The game’s story
mode can be also finished using any other playable
character, resulting in different non-canonical endings
for each of them.
The gameplay system of Mortal Kombat II is
an improved version of that from the original Mortal
Kombat. There are several changes in standard moves:
a crouching punch was added, low and high kicks have
greater differentiation (be they crouching or standing
up), roundhouse kicks are made more powerful (knock-
ing an opponent across the screen, like the game’s up-
percut), and it is easier to perform combos due to re-
duced recovery times for attacks. Returning characters
also gained new special moves, including some to be
used in mid-air, and the game plays almost twice as
fast as the original. However, all playable characters
in the game still share most generic attributes (such as
power and jump height) and all normal moves are also
the same between each character.
As with its predecessor, matches are divided
into rounds, and the first player to win two rounds by
fully depleting their opponent’s life bar is the winner;
at this point, the losing character will become dazed
and the winner is given the opportunity of using a fin-
ishing move. Mortal Kombat II lacks the “Test Your
 Mortal Kombat II • 357

Might” bonus games and point system from the first As in the case of the first Mortal Kombat
game, in favor of a consecutive win tally where wins game, the content of Mortal Kombat II became the
are represented by icons. subject of a great deal of controversy regarding vio-
The game marked the introduction of multi- lent video games. Nancian Cherry of Toledo Blade
ple Fatalities (post-match animations of the victori- wrote that both games had “an army of critics too:
ous characters executing their defeated foes) as well people upset by the bone-crunching, blood-spurting,
as additional, non-lethal finishing moves to the fran- limb-ripping violence depicted on the small screen.”
chise: Babalities (turning the opponent into a crying According to IGN, “Mortal Kombat II wore its no-
baby), Friendships (a non-malicious interaction, such toriety as a badge of honor, boasting about it in pro-
as dancing or giving a gift to the defeated opponent) motional materials, and even parodying it in-game.”
and additional stage-specific Fatalities (the winner The game was banned in Germany, where MKII was
uppercutting his or her opponent into an abyss below, put in the index by the Federal Department for Media
spikes in the ceiling, or a pool of acid in the back- Harmful to Young Persons (BPjM) and all versions
ground). Finishing moves cannot be performed nei- of the game except for the Game Boy version were
ther by nor against the boss or secret characters. subjected to being confiscated from the nation’s mar-
Debuting characters include: Baraka, Jackson ket for violating the German Penal Code by showing
“Jax” Briggs, Kitana, Kung Lao, and Mileena. excessive violence and cruel acts against representa-
Returning characters include: Johnny Cage, tions of human beings. Due to regional censorship, the
Liu Kang, Raiden, Reptile, Scorpion, Shang Tsung, game was also released with green-colored blood and
and Sub-Zero. black-and-white fatality sequences in Japan; it was
The game also features three hidden opponents at that time a unique occurrence of a western game
for unlockable fights: Jade, Noob Saibot and Smoke. being censored in Japan, not the reverse. Years later,
Sonya and Kano are the only playable characters from designer Ed Boon Boon recalled: “I’ve always had
the first Mortal Kombat who were not implemented as the position that the rating system was a good idea
fighters. and should be put in place. Once Mortal Kombat II
came out, there was a rating system in place. We were
The Saturn port is essentially an enhanced
an M-rated game, and everybody knew the content
version of the Probe Entertainment-developed Play-
that was in there, so it became almost a non-issue.”
Station port. Improvements from the PlayStation port
designer John Tobias agreed, saying that they “were
include the use of arranged CD-quality audio tracks
content with the M for mature on our packaging.”
over the console’s sound processor, slightly better
There were also some other controversies.
load times, and the ability to pre-load morphs for
In 1994, Guy Aoki, president of Media Action Net-
Shang Tsung (much like Mortal Kombat Trilogy).
work for Asian Americans (MANAA), criticized the
Unlike the PlayStation port, however, there is
game for allegedly perpetuating existing stereotypes
no option to enable Shao Kahn’s dialogue (such as
of Asians as martial arts experts with the game’s por-
his announcing of the rounds). Kitana’s death screams
trayal of several of its characters. Allyne Mills, a pub-
are also missing.
licist at Acclaim, responded to this by stating: “This is
Both of these ports, however, have been re-
a fantasy game, with all different characters. This is a
ceived negatively by many gamers. They’re widely
martial arts game which comes from Asia. [sic] The
considered to be inferior to the 16-bit ports for their
game was not created to foster stereotypes.” Critical
lack of certain sound effects, poor load times, and occa-
studies professor Marsha Kinder accused the game
sional slowdown. The Saturn version was also released
of “a misogynist aspect to the combat,” alleging that
almost 2.5 years after the original arcade version, so
“in MKII, some of the most violent possibilities are
many found there to be no excuse for these issues.
against women. Also, their fatality moves are highly
Reviewing the CD-ROM based Saturn port, eroticised.” Members of Mortal Kombat II cast (Dan-
EGM commented that the graphics are identical to the iel Pesina, Philip Ahn, and Katalin Zamiar, as well as
arcade version but that there are missing sound effects Sonya’s actress Elizabeth Malecki), seeking addition-
and “unbearable” slowdown when first performing a al royalties for the game’s home ports, sued Midway,
special move. They rated it the best home version of Williams, Nintendo of America, Sega of America and
the game to date but felt that with Mortal Kombat Acclaim Entertainment for misuse of their likenesses
II having considerably aged by this point, any port in an unauthorized way in two different cases in 1996
needed to be near arcade perfect to stand out. and 1997, losing both of them.
358 • Mortal Kombat Trilogy

Mortal Kombat Trilogy

Developer Point of View
7.5
Publisher GT Interactive
Release date (eu) April 11, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Mortal Mortal
KombatKombat
TrilogyTrilogy is an anthology
is a fighting video game in the
re-
Mortal
leased byKombat
Midwayseries
in of
1996fighting
as angames.
updateWhilst titled
to Ultimate
Trilogy, it is not3.such
Mortal Kombat in the
Unlike thecompilation sense;
previous title, rather,
it was not
it takes elements
released from the previous games in the series.
in arcades.
Gameplay wise, it is an update of Mortal Kombat 3,
The Saturn port, released almost a year after the Play-
following the game Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Unlike
Station and Nintendo 64 versions, is a straight conver-
the previous title, it was not released in arcades (except
sion of the PlayStation version. Due to hardware differ-
for prototypes), but was instead released for the Play-
ences and inadequate code adapting, the porting process
Station, Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn and PCs.
from the PlayStation had some technical changes.
Mortal Kombat Trilogy introduces the Ag-
gressor bar, which fills as the combatants fight (twice
as much if the opponent is blocking). Once the bar is
filled, it can be activated, which makes the character
move much faster and deal heavy damage for a short
period of time.
A finishing move in the game known as a Bru-
tality requires the player to perform an 11-button com-
bo which causes their opponent to explode. All of the
arenas that featured a Stage Fatality are featured in this
game with their respective Fatality finishing moves
except the Pit II. This arena’s Stage Fatality had to be
omitted as no MK1 or MK3 characters had the unique
sprites for falling off the bridge.
Many of the characters have brand new spe-
cial moves and finishing moves. Several have unused
special moves never implemented in previous games
which made their first official appearance in Mortal
Kombat Trilogy. These special moves include MK1
Kano’s Spinning Blade move, MKII Kung Lao’s Air
Torpedo, Goro’s Spinning Punch move, Raiden’s Lightning that shoots from
behind the opponent, and Baraka’s Blade Spin move. In addition, Shao Kahn
has a throw move and a grab and punch move that are exclusive to this game,
and Motaro can now perform an overhead toss. Sub-Zero’s famous “spine-rip”
Fatality appears in the game but is heavily censored. If this move is performed,
the gameplay is simply blacked out and the word “Fatality” appears onscreen.
All of the battle arenas that were featured in MKII, MK3, and UMK3 are
available in MKT, but only four backgrounds from the original Mortal Kombat
were featured (Courtyard, Goro’s Lair, the Pit, and the Pit Bottom). The Sega
Saturn version lack The Hidden Portal and RUGA RELL Dorfen stages from
MK3. In some of the Kombat Zones fighters can uppercut each other from the
current stage into different arenas: The Subway → The Street, The Bank → The
Rooftop, The Soul Chamber → The Balcony.
Along with the Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 roster, Mortal Kombat Tril-
ogy adds Raiden and Baraka as they appeared in Mortal Kombat II. Both char-
acters were each given a new special move, along with combos and running
 Mortal Kombat Trilogy • 359

animation (these animation types were not introduced “When we going [sic] to release Ultimate MK3 on
until Mortal Kombat 3), and new portraits for the ver- consoles, it seemed odd to release it on the Playsta-
sus screen. Johnny Cage was also added to the roster. tion without doing something “special” for it. Since
He retains all of his moves from MKII except for the the PS1 had so much space (CD drive) we decided
Split Punch, which had to be excluded since none of to include the MK1 and MK2 assets and call it MK
the characters from MK3/UMK3 had “reaction” ani- Trilogy. Actually we were busy working on the arcade
mations for this particular move. Bosses Goro, Kin- games and our San Diego team was doing the ports
taro, Motaro and Shao Kahn are also playable char- and MK Trilogy. It sold HUGE !!”
acters from the start. The Saturn version also contain —Ed Boon
alternate versions of Jax, Kung Lao, Kano and Raiden The Sega Saturn version, converted by Point
as they appeared in the first two titles. of View and released almost a year after the PlaySta-
Two new secret characters appear as well, de- tion and Nintendo 64 versions, is a straight conver-
pending on the version of the game. Most versions sion of the PlayStation version without any substan-
have Chameleon, who rapidly switches between all tial changes in content. Due to hardware differences
the male ninjas (Classic Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Noob and inadequate code adapting, the porting process
Saibot, Human Smoke, Rain, Reptile, and Ermac) from the PlayStation had some technical changes,
during combat. He is similar to the original Mor- which included the replacement of almost all trans-
tal Kombat version of Reptile, but Chameleon also parency effects with mesh patterns and the loss of cer-
changes his color, not just his stance. This character is tain voice samples, like most fighters’ running yells
playable by performing a special button combination. and some alternative phrases used by characters like
The Nintendo 64 version replaced him with a female Raiden and Scorpion in their attacks.
equivalent named Khameleon, who switched between
Similar to the previous entries in the series,
the female ninjas instead.
Mortal Kombat Trilogy was a major commercial suc-
Actors Ho Sung Pak (Liu Kang), Philip Ahn cess. The game was met with mixed reviews. The
(Shang Tsung), Elizabeth Malecki (Sonya Blade), hardest criticism was directed at the Nintendo 64 ver-
Katalin Zamiar (Kitana/Mileena/Jade) and Dan Pesi- sion, which did not have all the content of the other
na (Johnny Cage and Scorpion/Sub-Zero/Reptile/ versions due to limited storage space on the cartridge.
Smoke) all left Midway prior to the production of the
game due to royalty disputes, and so their respective
roles were played by new actors. Initially publisher
Williams Entertainment stated that Johnny Cage
would not be included in the game at all due to the
dispute with Pesina. Carlos Pesina’s original sprites
were used for Raiden’s gameplay, but Sal Divita’s im-
age was used for his versus screen picture.
Most of the background music tracks from
MKII and MK3 remained intact. In all versions of the
game, many of the tracks do not match their respec-
tive arenas when compared to their original arcade
counterparts. In all versions of MKT, none of the mu-
sic from the original Mortal Kombat game is used.
All of the CD-ROM games read the background mu-
sic directly from the CD, providing high-quality CD
sound, but all of the music loops used when “Finish
Him/Her” appears. All of the music taken from MK3
on the CD-ROM MKT games is noticeably slowed
down in both speed and pitch. When these particular
songs were converted to MKT’s Red Book CD-DA
quality, they were downsampled from 48 kHz to 44.1
kHz without resampling them to maintain the origi-
nal tempo and pitch in the PC, PlayStation and Saturn
versions.
360 • Mr. Bones

7.5 Mr. Bones

Developer Zono, Angel S. I. E., SegaSoft, T.L.A. Dev.
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) October 18, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

Mr. Bones is a multi-genre video game concep-

tualized by E. Ettore Annunziata, developed by Zono
and published by Sega for the Sega Saturn. The sound-
track to Mr. Bones was composed and performed by
Ronnie Montrose, with cutscenes and art assets done
by Angel Studios.
One of Mr. Bones’ most distinctive qualities is
in it having very few levels which share the same style
of gameplay; with only a few exceptions, almost every
level looks and feels different from the rest. Some lev-
els simply change the camera perspective, while others
offer up their own distinct genre. The most common
thread running throughout the game is that of an ac-
tion/platform game with slight gameplay and view-
ing angle variations per level, but at times the styles
diverge far more drastically, ranging from a music/
rhythm game to a Breakout-style game to a game of
memorization. Once a level has been beaten, the play-
er can return directly to that level from the main menu
any time they choose.
In lieu of a normal health bar, Mr. Bones has a
supply of skeletism. When his skeletism level drops,
he gradually loses body parts, being reduced to just a
skull and spine at his lowest levels. His lost body parts
remain in play and can be reattached, though unless
Mr. Bones regains skeletism the reattachment will be
fragile and even landing from a significant height will
cause the parts to fall off again. The game’s physics
also take Mr. Bones’s state of completion into account;
for example, if he has lost both legs he will crawl with
his arms, and cannot run or jump. In most levels, Mr.
Bones can use shoot a beam from his hand which de-
stroys enemies and restores his skeletism level. He can
also restore skeletism by collecting blue items.
Mr. Bones polarized reviewers, who sharply
disagreed on whether the gameplay was bizarre and
extraordinarily original, or mundane “hop n bop”
platforming. GameSpot’s Tom Ham gave it a modest
score but a relentlessly positive review, applauding
the unique stage designs, varying perspectives, titular
character, beautiful and eerie visual design, and blues
rock soundtrack. In contrast, Scary Larry of Game-
Pro completely panned the game, citing “unfinished
graphics”, unfairly difficult enemy AI, and “insipid
hop-n-bop gameplay.”
 Murakoshi Seikai no Bakuchou Nihon Rettou • 361

Mujintou Monogatari R: 5.0

Futari no Love Love Island
Developer KSS
Publisher KSS
Release date (jp) May 28, 1998
Genre Simulation, Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Mujintou Monogatari R: Futari no Love Love Island

is a dating sim, developed by Open Sesame and pub-
lished by KSS, which was released in Japan in 1998
for the Sega Saturn.

7.4 Murakoshi Seikai no

Bakuchou Nihon Rettou
Developer A-Wave
Publisher Victor Soft
Release date (jp) June 18, 1998
Genre Sports
Mode 1 Player

Murakoshi Seikai no Bakuchou Nihon Rettou is a fish-

ing game, published by Victor Interactive Software,
which was released in Japan in 1998 for the Sega Sat-
urn.
The game has digitized back grounds and polygon
models of fish.

My Best Friends: 4.0

St. Andrew Jogakuin Hen
Developer ISCO
Publisher Atlus
Release date (jp) March 22, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1 Player

My Best Friends: St. Andrew Jogakuin Hen is a jig-

saw puzzle game, developed by ISCO and published
by Atlus, which was released in Japan in 1996 for the
Sega Saturn.
As well as the main jigsaw puzzle mode there’s also
an art gallery and phone book section in which players
can call the woman they beat during the game.
“segagagadomain.com”
362 • Myst

Myst 7.3
Developer Cyan Worlds
Publisher Acclaim, (eu/jp) Sunsoft, (kr) Wooyoung System
Release date (jp) November 22, 1994
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

xxx Myst is a graphic adventure puzzle game de-

signed and directed by the brothers Robyn and Rand
xxx
Miller. It was developed by Cyan, Inc., published by
Brøderbund, and initially released on the Macintosh
platform on September 24, 1993.
Players assume the role of an unnamed person
known as the Stranger, who stumbles across an unu-
sual book titled “Myst”. The Stranger reads the book
and discovers a detailed description of an island world
called Myst. Placing his hand on the last page, the
Stranger is whisked away to the world described, and
is left with no choice but to explore the island. Myst
contains a library where two additional books can be
found, colored red and blue. These books are traps that
hold Sirrus and Achenar, the sons of Atrus, who once lived on Myst island with
his wife Catherine. Atrus writes special “linking books” that transport people to
the worlds, or “Ages”, that the books describe. From the panels of their books,
Sirrus and Achenar tell the Stranger that Atrus is dead; each brother blames the
other for the death of their father, as well as the destruction of much of Atrus’
library. Both plead for the Stranger to help them escape. However, the books are
missing several pages, rendering the sons’ messages initially unclear and riddled
with static.
The gameplay of Myst consists of a first-person journey through an in-
teractive world. The player moves the character by clicking on locations shown
on the screen; the scene then crossfades into another frame, and the player can
continue to explore. Players can interact with specific objects on some screens by
clicking or dragging them. To assist in rapidly crossing areas already explored,
Myst has an optional “Zip” feature. When a lightning bolt cursor appears, play-
ers can click and skip several frames to another location. While this provides
a rapid method of travel, it can also cause players to miss important items and
clues. Some items can be carried by the player and read, including journal pages
which provide backstory. Players can only carry a single page at a time, and
pages return to their original locations when dropped.
To complete the game, the player must explore the seemingly deserted
island of Myst. There the player discovers and follows clues to be transported
via “linking books” to several “Ages”, each of which is a self-contained mini-
world. Each of the Ages—named Selenitic, Stoneship, Mechanical, and Chan-
nelwood—requires the user to solve a series of logical, interrelated puzzles to
complete its exploration. Objects and information discovered in one Age may be
required to solve puzzles in another Age, or to complete the game’s primary puz-
zle on Myst. For example, in order to activate a switch, players must first open a
safe, after discovering its combination, and then use the matches found within to
start a boiler.
Apart from its predominantly nonverbal storytelling, Myst’s gameplay
is unusual among adventuring computer games in several ways. The player is
 Myst • 363

provided with very little backstory at the beginning of

the game, and no obvious goals or objectives are laid
out. This means that players must simply begin to ex-
plore. There are no obvious enemies, no physical vio-
lence, and no threat of “dying” at any point, although
it is possible to reach a few “losing” endings. There is
no time limit to complete the game. The game unfolds
at its own pace and is solved through a combination of
patience, observation, and logical thinking.
Development of Myst began in 1991. The
game’s creative team consisted of the brothers Rand
and Robyn Miller, with help from sound designer
Chris Brandkamp, 3D artist and animator Chuck
Carter, Richard Watson, Bonnie McDowall, and Ryan
Miller, who together made up Cyan, Inc. Myst was not
only the largest collaboration Cyan had attempted at
the time, but also took the longest to develop. Accord-
ing to Rand Miller, the brothers spent months solely
designing the look and puzzles of the Ages, which
were influenced by earlier whimsical “worlds” made
for children.Much of the early development time was
spent devising puzzles and the Ages, and the story
was secondary. “We were place designers [...] and the various plugins; essentially, Myst functions as a se-
maps kind of fueled the story,” Rand said. The plot ries of separate multimedia slides linked together by
evolved in tandem with the changing environment, commands. As the main technical constraint that im-
developing new story details with each new building pacted Myst was slow CD-ROM drive read speeds,
in the world. The climactic ending with Atrus was a Cyan had to go to great lengths to make sure all the
later development in the game’s story after Cyan real- game elements loaded as quickly as possible. Images
ized they wanted to create a more complicated end- were stored as 8-bit PICT resources with custom color
ing. In retrospect, Robyn felt that Myst did not quite palettes and QuickTime still image compression. Ani-
provoke the emotional reaction and ethical quandary mated elements such as movies and object animations
they set out to create. were encoded as QuickTime movies with Cinepak
Cyan took inspiration from games like Zork, compression; in total, there were more than 66 min-
Star Wars’ mythic universe, portals to other worlds utes of Quicktime animation. This careful processing
like in C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, and the made the finished graphics look like truecolor images
mysterious islands of old literature like the works of despite their low bit depth; the stills were reduced in
Jules Verne. The game’s name, as well as the overall size from 500 kB to around 80 kB.
solitary and mysterious atmosphere of the island, was Myst was commercially successful on release.
inspired by the book The Mysterious Island by Verne. Along with The 7th Guest, it was widely regarded as
The game was created on Macintosh com- a killer application that accelerated the sales of CD-
puters, principally Macintosh Quadras. The graphics ROM drives. The game’s success also led to a number
were individual shots of fully rendered rooms. Over- of games which sought to copy Myst’s success, re-
all, Myst contains 2,500 frames, one for each possible ferred to as “Myst clones”. Myst was the bestselling
area the player can explore. Each scene was modeled PC game throughout the 1990s, until The Sims ex-
and rendered in StrataVision 3D, with some additional ceeded its sales in 2002. Myst’s success baffled some,
modeling in Macromedia MacroModel. The images who wondered how a game that was seen as “little
were then edited and enhanced using Photoshop 1.0. more than ‘an interactive slide show’” turned out to
The original Macintosh version of Myst was be a hit.
constructed in HyperCard. Each Age was a unique In 2014 realMyst: Masterpiece Edition. a vis-
HyperCard stack. Navigation was handled by the ually enhanced revision running on the Unity engine,
internal button system and HyperTalk scripts, with was released.
image and QuickTime movie display passed off to
364 • My Fair Lady Virtual Maajan 2

7.0 My Dream:
On Air ga Matenakute
Developer Nihon Create
Publisher Nihon Create
Release date (jp) September 18, 1997
Genre Simulation, Adventure
Mode 1 Player

My Dream: On Air ga Matenakute is a simulation

game, published by Nippon Create, which was re-
leased in Japan in 1997 for the Sega Saturn. The game
feature a cast of 21 popular female voice actresses.
The game came with 8 trading cards.

My Fair Lady: 4.4

Virtual Mahjong II
Developer Micronet
Publisher Micronet
Release date (jp) December 10, 1998
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

My Fair Lady: Virtual Mahjong II is a mahjong game

developed and published by Micronet for the Sega Ti-
tan Video arcade system and Sega Saturn. It is the se-
quel to Virtual Mahjong, which is also included with
Saturn version as a bonus disc.

“segaretro.org”

7.5 Mystaria: The Realms of Lore

Developer Sega, Microcabin
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) July 21, 1995
Genre Role-playing, Strategy
Mode 1 Player

This is a strategy RPG along the lines of Shining Force

series. Players party contains twelve characters, six of
which can be used in battles. The turn-based battles
are long and strategic - players move their characters
on the battlefield, and the force of their attack depends
on the amount of previous movement made by them.
Two versions of the game were released in the US: one
titled Mystaria: The Realms of Lore and the other as
Blazing Heroes.
366 Nanatsu Kaze no Shima Monogatari

Nanatsu Kaze no Shima Monogatari 8.4

Developer Givro, (Sound) Buddy Zoo
Publisher Enix
Release date (jp) November 27, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

xxx Nanatsu Kaze no Shima Monogatari, roughly

translated by the developer as “The Seven Blasts of
xxx
Wind in Island Story”, is a commonly neglected mas-
terpiece released by Enix exclusively for the Saturn
in 1997: one that didn’t obtain the same accolades as
other RPG and Adventure titles released for this sys-
tem. As a 2 CD set, the game was accompanied by a
Premium disk that featured some of the most beauti-
ful matte art ever concieved for a videogame, along
with singular item and character designs. Essentially,
Nanatsu Kaze no Shima Monogatari is an interactive
storybook whose illustrated chapters reflect the game’s
very own narrative, with a new chapter being added
player successfully completes a group of tasks.
In a rock floating over the skies stands a large and spiked egg beside a
black feather, the hundred year old heritage left behind by an ancient lineage
of creatures from the Seven Wind Island. The character inside it, Gaapu, is a
predominantly green, biped dragon that coyly cracks the egg crust only to find
that he is trapped on an isolated piece of rock high up above. Hanging on to the
feather and raising it with confidence, the quirky Gaapu is unexpectedly pushed
off the rock by a black current of wind, then falling over the ground of a strange
island below him. As he recovers from the fall, a mysterious seed jumps in his
direction and hides in his pouch. After being planted, the seed sprouts instantane-
ously, thus assuming the form of a great tree house.
Inside it is a valuable book that provides information about all the bewi-
ildering creatures that inhabit the island. Their names, descriptions and pictures
are sorted
Fulfilling his destiny, the improbable hero
Gaapu will make himself acquainted with all of
them, from the wise giant snail Soul, who pro-
vides poetic and ambiguous clues, the roaring
Wind Lion, with a children’s windmill strapped to
his tail, or even Tamu, the gigantic pipe smoking
trader who sleeps in the heart of the forest.
By interacting and trading information
with his fellow characters, Gaapu will learn about
harnessing the legendary seven winds and the
method to use them in his favor, overcoming the
obstacles that appear with each new challenge.
Other characters, however, will join and accompa-
ny him during the quest, appearing on the screen
when summoned by a sea conch: their unique abil-
ities will allow the protagonist to broaden his ho-
rizons, exploring otherwise unreachable locations
of the mystical islet.
 Nanatsu Kaze no Shima Monogatari 367

Those who were fortunate enough to play When used with the correct timing, it will grab the
Enix’s Wonder Project J games for the SNES and creatures and automatically store them in the purse he
Nintendo 64 are bound to notice some resemblances carries around his chest.
in the peculiar style of character drawing and the taste The first and long lasting impression originat-
for exceptional animations: in no way a coincidence, ing from this precious Enix release lies in the superior
since one of the several small studios gathered to cre- quality of the visuals: incontestably one of best exam-
ate this project was none other than Givro, the crea- ples of how to employ 2D graphics in a videogame,
tors of the above-mentioned SNES masterwork. But not only because of the
while Wonder Project J is fun- outstanding conceptual
damentally a blend of point- art and character design,
and-click adventure with rais- but also due to the con-
ing simulation and a little hint tinuous indications of
of Bishōjo, in Nanatsu Kaze no the creator’s talent and
Shima Monogatari the player admiration for the work
takes full control of the charac- itself. Each new part of
ter’s actions - very much like a the island was meant to
slow-paced platform game. be admired much like
Another important com- every new painting in a
ponent of this title has to do gallery of rare canvases.
with the recollection of insects, The landscapes present
plants and fish, which can be carefully selected color
used either as key-items for palettes combined with
trades, causing the narrative to animated backgrounds,
progress, or solely for Gaapu’s precisely the sort of vis-
private collection, kept in a ual splendor that was un-
dedicated space inside the tree- seen, and one could say
house. Each of these activities can be performed only unmatched in that year of
with the use of dedicated items: for instance, to cap- 1997.
ture bugs, Gaapu needs to use an extendable claw. by “Bruno de Figueiredo (dieubussy)@hardcoregaming101.net”
368 • Nascar 98

Nanatsu no Hikan 6.4

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) April 5, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Nanatsu no Hikan (“Seven Mysterious Mansions”) is

one of the few adventure games from Koei to feature
3D models for its characters. The game is set in a con-
temporary setting, roughly taking place in the mid or
late nineties. Even so, there are several historical refer-
ences within the game’s puzzles.
An action-adventure sequel, Nanatsu no Hikan: Sen-
ritsu no Bishou, was released for the Dreamcast.
“koei.wikia.com”

6.6 Nascar 98
Developer Electronic Arts
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (us) November 13, 1997
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

NASCAR 98 was the first of the EA Sports NASCAR

series. It include 24 NASCAR cars and drivers, in-
cluding Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin,
Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, John Andretti, and Terry
Labonte; 10 official NASCAR tracks, including Char-
lotte Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, and
the then Sears Point International Speedway, the short
track at Suzuka Japan, and six fantasy circuits; and in-
depth car setups.

NBA Action 6.6

Developer Gray Matter
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) June 5, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-10 Players

NBA Action (reportedly once known as NBA Action

‘96) is a basketball game released for the Sega Saturn.
It is technically the fourth entry in the series, following
NBA Action ‘94 and NBA Action ‘95 Starring David
Robinson on the Sega Mega Drive, and NBA Action
Starring David Robinson on the Sega Game Gear. Un-
like previous iterations, the Saturn NBA Action is dis-
played entirely in 3D.
“segaretro.org”
 NBA Jam Extreme • 369

7.1 NBA Action 98

Developer Visual Concepts
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) October 28, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-10 Players

NBA Action 98 was released as part of Sega’s NBA

Action series for the Sega Saturn and Windows PCs.
The game feature official licenses of the NBA includ-
ing players, teams and courts; practice mode to help
players get used to their team; and a multiplayer mode.
Players can also create their own team and players in
the edit mode, in case they don’t like what the NBA
offers.

NBA Jam Extreme 5.5

Developer Sculptured Software
Publisher Acclaim
Release date (us) November 26, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

After Midway Games released two NBA Jam games,

Acclaim, the developers of the home versions of Jam,
ended up winning the exclusive rights to use the NBA
Jam name. NBA Jam Extreme was the first Jam game
from Acclaim, as well as the first edition of the game
to use 3D graphics. New to the game is the “Extreme”
button, essentially a super version of the series’ trade-
mark “Turbo” button.

7.1 NBA Jam Tournament Edition

Developer Iguana Entertainment, The White Team
Publisher Acclaim Entertainment
Release date (jp) December 1, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

NBA Jam Tournament Edition feature updated rosters,

new features and easter eggs combined with the same
gameplay of the original NBA Jam.
A key feature of the NBA Jam games is the exagger-
ated nature of the play - players jump many times
their own height, making slam dunks that defy both
human capabilities and the laws of physics. There are
no fouls, free throws, or violations except goaltending
and 24-second violations.
370 • NBA Live 98

5.4 NBA Live 97

Developer Realtime Associates
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (us) March 28, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-10 Players

NBA Live 97 is a basketball game with an emphasis

on realism. Players can choose from all of the NBA
teams, create a team with players they create themself,
or choose a team formed by the All-Star players of
the east or West coasts. When players create a play-
er themself they can customize the player to a high
degree. There are over 60 offensive and 10 defensive
set-ups. Match options include an exhibition match, a
whole season or the playoffs.
“mobygames.com”

NBA Live 98 6.5

Developer Realtime Associates
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (us) December 18, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-8 Players

NBA Live 98 is the fourth installment of the NBA Live

series. The game introduced various innovations to the
series, including the now standard feature of passing
to any teammate with a single button press. The game
also made various graphical improvements, with new
player models and faces modeled after actual player
photographs. The game have Ernie Johnson as studio
announcer.

7.4 Nekketsu Oyako

Developer Technosoft
Publisher Technosoft
Release date (jp) July 21, 1995
Genre Beat-’em-up
Mode 1-2 Players

Nekketsu Oyako, first released as a launch title for the

PlayStation, is designed around humor rather than the
usual serious style seen in the genre, e.g. stage 2 takes
place inside a whale, alcoholic beverages (one of the
many healing items) can only be consumed by Rando
while his two kids get an “adult only” message instead.
Controls can be configured and follow the standards
set by Final Fight and Streets of Rage: Jump, Punch,
and a life draining Special attack.
 NFL ‘97 • 371

Next King: 8.0

Koi no Sennen Oukoku
Developer Plex, Mars
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) November 20, 1997
Genre Role-playing, Strategy
Mode 1-4 Players

Next King: Koi no Sennen Ōkoku is a mixture of a

board game, dating simulation, and role-playing. It
can also be described as a table RPG. Players compete
against three other princes, and must have more suc-
cess with the game’s several main female characters
in order to become a king. The actions in the game are
determined by the roll of dice.
“mobygames.com”

5.4 NFL ‘97

Developer Padded Cell Studios, GameTek
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) November 20, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-8 Players

This version of the SEGA Sports NFL franchise was

released only for the SEGA Saturn. It features all fully
licensed NFL teams and their respective logos along
with updated rosters for the 1996 NFL season.
The standard game modes apply here such as Exhibi-
tion, Season, etc. and keep extensive track of stats in
over 70 different categories and over 150 offensive and
defensive plays to choose from.
“mobygames.com”

NFL Quarterback Club 96 7.0

Developer Iguana Entertainment
Publisher Acclaim
Release date (us) October 27, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-12 Players

NFL Quarterback Club 96 has 32 offensive plays and

16 defensive plays. The simulation modes include Pre-
season, Playoffs and Season, where one plays a season
of 18 games. As the game has the National Football
League license, all 30 teams are represented in the
game, and players can perform transactions between
teams, as well as player substitutions. The game also
features the no huddle offense, three camera angles,
penalties, weather conditions, and player reports.
372 • NHL 97

NFL Quarterback Club 97 6.9

Developer Iguana Entertainment
Publisher Acclaim Entertainment
Release date (us) August 29, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-12 Players

NFL Quarterback Club 97 optimizes the use of the

kicking meter, as well as overhead camera angles,
which are customizable. The game also has Custom
Simulation modes, which save up to five game situ-
ations for players that cannot finish a game in time.
Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre
designed various plays that are available in the game.
There are five possible game modes; Preseason, Regu-
lar Season, Pro Bowl, Playoff, and Super Bowl.

6.3 NHL 97
Developer Visual Concepts
Publisher Electronic Arts, (jp) EA Arts Victor, Virgin I. E.
Release date (us) December 4, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-8 Players

NHL 97 is the sixth installment of the NHL series and

the first to be released on both PlayStation and Saturn.
The game took the graphics even further ahead, us-
ing a full 3D engine, with motion captured polygonal
players.
For the first time since EA Hockey, national teams
were added, but only Canada, the United States, and
Russia have their own teams while the other two are
selections of the best European players.

NHL 98 7.6
Developer Electronic Arts
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (us) January 15, 1998
Genre Sports
Mode 1-8 Players

NHL 98 took the NHL series ahead by introducing full

national teams, although EA could not get the Nagano
Olympic Tournament license due to lack of IIHF li-
cense, which Gremlin Interactive acquired. EA Sports
also introduces 3Dfx Glide support for the first time
in the NHL series. The Sega Saturn version has Mario
Lemieux in it. He retired at the end of the 1996–97
NHL season, yet was still included in the game.
 NHL All-Star Hockey 98 • 373

6.4 NHL All-Star Hockey

Developer Gray Matter, Sega of America
Publisher Sega
Release date (eu) November, 1995
Genre Sports
Mode 1-12 Players

NHL All-Star Hockey is the first of Sega’s own line

of Saturn NHL licensed titles. It includes the ability to
play pre-season matches, a full season or just the play-
offs, as well as multimedia content, such as a tour of
the NHL Hall of Fame in Toronto, information on the
trophies and real player trading cards (from the Fleer
Ultra collection). It’s also possible to trade players and
create players and teams for use in pre-season matches.
“mobygames.com”

NHL All-Star Hockey 98 7.0

Developer Radical Entertainment
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) October 21, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-8 Players

NHL All-Star Hockey 98 was billed as a sequel to

NHL All-Star Hockey, however in many ways this is
not strictly true - developers Radical Entertainment
were signed up by Sega following successes with NHL
Powerplay ‘96 for Virgin Interactive, so is realistical-
ly more of a sequel to that game instead, though both
publishers would deny it.

“segaretro.org”

7.8 NHL Powerplay ‘96

Developer Radical Entertainment
Publisher Virgin Interactive Entertainment
Release date (us) July 2, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-6 Players

An early competitor to the EA Sports NHL series,

NHL Powerplay ‘96 features motion-captured play-
ers, an NHL Player’s Association license, a variety of
managerial options, and the ability to play seasons and
tournaments.
It is the first NHL game to include a World Tournament
mode in which the NHL players can compete against
each other on their respective national teams.
“mobygames.com”
374 • Nihon Pro Maajan Renmei Kounin Doujou Yaburi

7.9 Night Striker

Developer Fill in Cafe
Publisher Ving
Release date (jp) June 14, 1996
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

Night Striker was originally released as a 1989 shoot

‘em up arcade game by Taito for the Taito Z System.
In the game, the player flies an armoured car shooting
enemy invaders to destroy a terrorist organisation. It
combines gameplay elements of Sega’s Space Harrier
and Out Run.
The Saturn version, released as Night Striker S, feature
a bonus mode with six levels exclusive to this version.

Nihon Pro Mahjong 6.9

Renmei Kounin Doujou Yaburi
Developer Chatnoir
Publisher Naxat Soft
Release date (jp) May 30, 1997
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Nihon Pro Mahjong Renmei Kounin Doujou Yaburi is

a mahjong game released in Japan in 1997 for the Sega
Saturn. The game let players play against (guessing)
real life professional Japanese mahjong players. Each
has their own strengths and weaknesses.
The game is one of the rarer mahjong games for the
Saturn.
“segagagadomain.com”

5.2 Nile Gawa no Yoake

Developer Pack-In-Soft
Publisher Pack-In-Soft
Release date (jp) March 5, 1998
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Nile Gawa no Yoake (“Dawn of the river Nile”) is a

simulation game, developed and published by Pack-
In-Video, which was released in Japan in 1998 for the
Sega Saturn.
The game is set in ancient Egypt.
 Night Warriors - Darkstalkers’ Revenge • 375

8.0 Night Warriors:

Darkstalkers’ Revenge
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) February 23, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge, known

as Vampire Hunter: Darkstalkers’ Revenge in Japan, is
the second game in the Darkstalkers fighting game se-
ries.
Despite being considered a sequel to Darkstalk-
ers: The Night Warriors, Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’
Revenge has the same plot and endings as the previous
game, only adding stories and endings to the new char-
acters and the (now playable) bosses.
Night Warriors is a 2D competitive fighting
game. It features several changes to the gameplay sys-
tem of its predecessor, Darkstalkers: The Night Warri-
ors. One of these changes is an introduction of the chain
combos. Players can also choose between a “normal”
gameplay style or one that offers auto-blocking.
The main change in Night Warriors is the ability
for the player to stock up on their Special gauge, allow-
ing them to store more than one Special gauge and pre-
serve them through the entire match. Two types of Super
Moves are featured in the game: ES Specials, requiring
a portion of the Special gauge, and EX Specials, requir-
ing an entire stock of the Special gauge to perform.
The game also introduces two new playable
characters, Donovan Baine and Hsien-Ko. In addition,
the two bosses from the first game, Huitzil and Pyron,
are now playable characters as well.
The Saturn version of Night Warriors is a close
match to its arcade counterpart, but uses slightly fewer
frames of animation and is more susceptible to slow-
down in busy scenes. Loading screens are also intro-
duced on the Saturn due to its use of disc-based media.
Due to the differences in screen resolution be-
tween the two systems (384x224 in the arcades versus
352x224 on the Saturn), all of the Saturn’s graphics are
stretched slightly in the horizontal axis, and borders are
added at the top and bottom. Perhaps the biggest side
effect of this change is the titles and menus, where the
logo doesn’t quite fit on screen.
The Saturn version features an “Appendix Mode”
that allows players to customize the backgrounds, the
opponents’ colors and background music between the
regular ones and the ones used in the original Darkstalk-
ers.
378 • Nightruth Explanation of the paranormal “Maria”

Nightruth: 6.5
Futatsu Dake no Shinjitsu
Developer Sonnet Computer Entertainment
Publisher Lay-Up
Release date (jp) July 25, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Nightruth #3: Futatsudake no Shinjitsu is an adventure

game developed by Sonnet and published by Lay-Up,
which was released in Japan in 1997 for the Sega Sat-
urn.
The game feature animated cut scenes and a high stand-
ard of presentation.

5.0 Nightruth: Maria

Developer Sonnet Computer Entertainment
Publisher Varie
Release date (jp) December 20, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Nightruth: Maria is an adventure game, developed by

Sonnet and published by Varie, which was released in
Japan in 1996 for the Sega Saturn.
This particular game is a side story based on the char-
acter, Maria.

Nightruth: Yami no Tobira 5.2

Developer Sonnet Computer Entertainment
Publisher Varie
Release date (jp) August 9, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Nightruth #1: Explanation of the Paranormal is an

adventure game, developed by Sonnet and published
by Varie, which was released in Japan in 1996 for the
Sega Saturn.
The game came with a CD Single containing 2 vocal
music tracks.
 Nightruth Explanation of the Paranormal Nightruth Voice Selection ~Radio Drama-hen~ • 379

5.7 Making of Nightruth II:

Voice Selection
Developer Sonnet Computer Entertainment
Publisher Varie
Release date (jp) November 8, 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Making of Nightruth II: Voice Selection is a multi-

media disc for the Sega Saturn.It contains a trailer to
Nightruth#01 and #02.

Nightruth Voice Selection: 3.0

Radio Drama Hen
Developer Sonnet Computer Entertainment
Publisher Varie
Release date (jp) March 14, 1997
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Nightruth Voice Selection: Radio Drama Hen is a mul-

timedia disc for the Sega Saturn.
It contains a making movie of loads of MPEG video
footage of interviews and radio dramas with and by the
cast of Nightruth, and a trailer to Nightruth#03.

5.5 Making of Nightruth

Developer Sonnet Computer Entertainment
Publisher Varie
Release date (jp) June 28, 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

The Making of Nightruth is a multimedia disc for the

Sega Saturn. It is the FanDisc of Nightruth: Yami no
Tobira.
380 • NiGHTS into Dreams

NiGHTS into Dreams... 8.4

Developer Sonic Team
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) July 5, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

xxx Nights into Dreams... is an action game de-

veloped by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the
xxx
Sega Saturn in 1996. The story follows two teenag-
ers, Claris and Elliot, who enter a dream world called
Nightopia where all dreams take place. With the help
of Nights, an exiled “Nightmaren”, they begin a jour-
ney to stop the evil ruler Wizeman from destroying
Nightopia and consequently the real world.
The game is split into seven levels, referred
to as “Dreams”. The levels are distributed equally be-
tween the two teenage characters: three are unique to
Claris, three to Elliot, and each play through an iden-
tical final seventh level, “Twin Seeds”. Initially, only
Claris’ Spring Valley and Elliot’s Splash Garden levels are available, and suc-
cessful completion of one of these unlocks the next level in that character’s
path. Previously completed stages may be revisited to improve the player’s high
scores; a grade between A and F will be given to the player upon completion, but
a “C” grade in all the selected character’s levels must be achieved to unlock the
relevant Twin Seeds stage for that character. Points are accumulated depending
on how fast the player completes a level, and extra points are awarded when the
player flies through rings.
Each level is split up into four “Mares” set in Nightopia and a boss fight
which takes place in Nightmare. In each level, players initially control Claris or
Elliot, who immediately have their Ideyas (spherical objects that contain emo-
tions) of hope, growth, intelligence and purity
stolen from them by Wizeman’s minions, leav-
ing behind only their Ideya of courage. The goal
of each Mare is to recover one of the stolen
Ideya by collecting 20 blue chips and deliver-
ing them to the cage holding the Ideyas, which
will overload and release the orb it holds. If
the player walks around the landscape for too
long, they will be pursued by a sentient alarm
clock which will awaken the character and end
the level if it comes into contact with the player.
The majority of the gameplay centres on flying
sequences, which are triggered by walking into
the Ideya Palace near the start of each level so
that the character merges with the imprisoned
Nights. Once the flying sequence is initiated, the
time limit will begin.
In the flying sections, the player con-
trols Nights’ flight along a predetermined route
through each Mare, resembling that of a 2D
platformer. The player has only a limited pe-
 NiGHTS into Dreams • 381

riod of time available before Nights falls to the ground

and transforms back into Claris or Elliot, and each
collision with an enemy subtracts five seconds from
the time remaining. While flying, Nights can use a
boost to travel faster, as well as defeat certain reverie
enemies scattered throughout the level. Grabbing onto
certain enemies causes Nights to spin around, which
will launch both Nights and the enemy in the direction
the boost was initiated. Various acrobatic manoeuvres
can be performed, including the “Paraloop”, whereby
flying around in a complete circle and connecting the
trail of stars left in Nights’ wake will cause any items
within the loop to be attracted towards Nights. The
game features a combo system known as “Linking”,
whereby actions such as collecting items and flying
through rings are worth more points when performed
in quick succession. Power-ups may be gained by fly-
ing through several predetermined rings, which will
be indicated by a bonus barrel. The power-ups include
a speed boost, point multiplier and an air pocket.
The game features an artificial life system
known as “A-Life”, which involves entities called
Nightopians and keeps track of their moods. It is
possible to have them mate with other Nightopians,
which will result in creating hybrids known as “Su-
perpians”. The more the game is played, the more in-
habitants appear, and environmental features and aes- his inspirations from travelling around Europe and
thetics will consequently change. The A-Life system western Asia. He eventually came to the conclusion
features an evolving music engine, allowing tempo, that the main character of the game should resemble
pitch, and melody to alter depending on the state of an angel and fly like a bird. Naka originally intended
Nightopians within the level. The feature runs from to make Nights into Dreams... a slow-paced game, but
the Sega Saturn’s internal clock, which will also alter as development progressed the gameplay pace gradu-
features in the A-Life system depending on the time. ally increased, in similar vein to Sonic the Hedgehog
titles. The initial concept of the game featured the fly-
Sonic Team developed the game in the United ing character in a rendered 2D sprite art, with side-
States, unlike their previous titles which had been de- scrolling features similar to Sonic the Hedgehog. The
veloped in Japan. The concept for the game originated team were at first hesitant to switch the game from 2D
during the development of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in to 3D, as Naka was sceptical that appealing characters
1992, but actual development did not begin until af- could be created with polygons, in contrast to tradi-
ter the release of Sonic & Knuckles in late 1994. The tional pixel art sprites, which Sonic Team’s design-
programming of the game began in April 1995 and to- ers found “more expressive”. According to Izuka, the
tal development spanned a period of six months. The game design and story took two years to finalise.
development team consisted of staff who worked on The game was developed using Silicon Graph-
previous Sonic the Hedgehog titles: Yuji Naka (the ics workstations for graphical designs and Sega Sat-
former head of AM8) was selected to act as lead pro- urn emulators running on Hewlett-Packard machines
grammer and producer, while Naoto Ohshima and Ta- for programming. Izuka said that there were problems
kashi Iizuka undertook the roles of director and lead during early stages of development because of a lack
designer, respectively. According to Naka, the initial of games to use as reference; the team consequent-
development team consisted of seven people at the ly had to redesign the Spring Valley level numerous
start of production, and gradually grew to 20 people times and build “everything from scratch”. Because
once more programmers started to arrive. the Sonic Team offices did not include any sound-
Sonic the Hedgehog creator and project direc- proof studios, team members were forced to record
tor Ohshima created the character of Nights based on vocal sound effects for the game at night. Naka re-
382 • NiGHTS into Dreams
vealed that every phrase in the game has a meaning; which was included with some copies of the game.
for example “abayo” is Japanese slang for “goodbye”. The gamepad features an analogue stick and ana-
Regarding the design of the 3D cutscenes, the team logue triggers which was designed specifically for the
felt that the global market would be less resistant to a game, in order to make movement easier. During de-
game featuring full 3D CGI in comparison to 2D ani- velopment, director Steven Spielberg visited the Son-
me. Norihiro Nishiyama, the designer of the in-game ic Team studio and became the first person outside the
movies, stated that the use of 3D cutscenes in the development team to play the game. Naka asked him
game was necessary as he felt the movies were a good to play with an experimental version of the Saturn 3D
method to show the different concepts controller, and was jokingly referred to
of dreaming and waking up into real- as the “Spielberg controller” through-
ity. Naka said that the in-game movies out development. The controller was
incorporate realism in order to make it designed with the game specifically
more difficult for the player to disam- in mind; the development team com-
biguate the boundary between dreams pared the success of the Nintendo 64
and reality. controller with Super
At the end of Mario 64, and realised
development, Naka ad- that the default Saturn
mitted that the cycle controller was more suit-
took longer than expect- ed for arcade games in
ed because of the team’s inexperience with contrast to the gameplay of Nights into
Saturn hardware and uncertaintyabout uti- Dreams.... The game was marketed with an
lising the full 560 megabyte space on the advertising budget of $10 million, which in-
CD-ROM. The team initially thought that cluded the use of television and print adver-
the game would consume around 100 mega- tisements in the United States.
bytes of data, and at one point considered The game received positive reviews
releasing it on two separate discs. In a retro- upon release. It holds an average score of
spective interview, Iizuka said that the most 89 per cent at GameRankings, based on an
difficult part of development was finding a aggregate of nine reviews. In Japan, Nights
way of handling the “contradiction” of using into Dreams... was the best-selling game for
2D sidescroller controls in a fully 3D game. the Sega Saturn and the 21st-highest-selling
Naka also purposely limited the game’s fly- game during 1996.
ing mechanic to “invisible 2D tracks” be-
The graphics and flight mechan-
cause early beta testing revealed that the
ics were the most praised aspects of the
game was too difficult to play in full 3D.
game. Tom Guise from Computer and Video
Iizuka said that the game was inspired by
Games heralded the game’s flight system and free-
various titles and characters from Japanese anime and
dom as captivating, while stating that Nights into
Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère theatrical performance.
Dreams... is the “perfect evolution” of a Sonic game.
The development team researched dream sequences
GamePro said flying using the analogue joystick “is a
and REM sleep, including the works of the psychoan-
breeze” and that the gameplay is fun, enjoyable, and
alysts Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud and Friedrich Holtz.
impressive. Since its release, Nights
Iizuka analysed Jung’s theories of
into Dreams... has appeared on sev-
dream archetypes and spent a con-
eral best game of all time lists. In a
siderable amount of time study-
January 2000 poll by Computer and
ing dreams and theories associated
Video Games, readers placed the
with them. Naka said that the main
game 15th on their “100 Greatest
protagonist, Nights, is reflective of
Games” list, directly behind Super
Jung’s analytical “shadow” theory,
Mario 64. In 2014, GamesRadar
whereas the two central characters,
listed Nights into Dreams... as the
Claris and Elliot, were inspired by
best Sega Saturn game of all time,
Jung’s animus and anima.
stating that the game “tapped into a
Nights into Dreams... was in- new kind of platform gameplay for
troduced alongside an optional game its era”.
controller, the Saturn 3D controller,
384 • Ninkuu ~Tsuyokina Yatsura no Daigekitotsu!~

Ninja Jajamaru-kun: 7.6

Onigiri Ninpouchou Gold
Developer Game Studio
Publisher Jaleco
Release date (jp) October 9, 1997
Genre Platformer
Mode 1 Player

Ninja Jajamaru-kun: Onigiri Ninpouchou Gold is an

early 3D platform game for the Sega Saturn released
as part of the Ninja Jajamuru-kun series.
Every now and then players are rewarded with levels
from the original 80’s Version of Ninja Jajamaru-kun
that they can play through between the levels of the
normal game.
“segagagadomain.com”

7.6 Ninku: Tsuyokina Yatsura

no Daigekitotsu!
Developer SIMS
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) February 2, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Ninku: Tsuyokina Yatsura no Daigekitotsu! is a fight-

ing game developed by SIMS and published by Sega
for the Sega Saturn. It is based upon the 1995 Ninku
anime series.
The game is a one on one fighter with a difference.
While the backgrounds are 3D the 8 main characters
are 2D.

Ninpen Manmaru 5.7

Developer Tamtam
Publisher Enix
Release date (jp) December 18, 1997
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1 Player

Ninpen Manmaru is a 3D action platformer based upon

the 1997 Ninpen Manmaru anime series. The goal of
the game is to guide Ninpen around the 3D world in or-
der to find the exit at the end. On the way players must
avoid the various obstacles and walking pencils. The
first few levels are quite easy with later ones requiring
quite a bit of thought to get players through them in
one piece.
“segagagadomain.com”
 Nissan Collections Skyline • 385

7.1 Nippon Daihyou Team no

Kantoku ni Narou!
Developer Sega, Enix
Publisher Enix
Release date (jp) June 25, 1998
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Nippon Daihyou Team no Kantoku ni Narou! Sekai-

hatsu, Soccer RPG is a soccer-themed RPG. In the
game, the player became the Japanese national soc-
cer team coach, who manages, trains, and trades. The
player also develop team strategy and travel to other
countries to discover hidden great players. For each
stadium game, it features TV coverage and the team
technical progress.

Nissan Collections Skyline

Publisher Sega
Release date 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Nissan Collections Skyline is a video CD showcasing the Nis-

san Skyline line of cars.
The Video CD was apparently released by SEGA in 1996
around the time the VCD card was introduced

Nissan Collections
Terrano & Primera
Publisher Sega
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Nissan Collections Terrano & Primera is a video CD showcas-

ing the Nissan Terrano (also known as Pathfinder) and Nissan
Primera lines of cars.
The two Nissan Collections VCDs are apparently semi-rare and
may be a challenge for collectors to find.
386 • Nobunaga no Yabou Returns

6.5 Nissan Presents

Over Drivin’ GT-R
Developer Pioneer Productions, Electronic Arts Canada
Publisher Electronic Arts Victor
Release date (jp) December 20, 1996
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

Over Drivin’ GT-R is a heavily localised version of

The Need for Speed, with all the cars replaced by vehi-
cles produced by Nissan Motor Company (plus a few
with Datsun branding). Japanese Saturn owners never
received The Need for Speed itself.
Though much of the core engine remains the same as
The Need for Speed, there are minor sound changes
and FMV and graphics replacements.

Nobunaga no Yabou Returns 5.7

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) March 29, 1996
Genre Strategy
Mode 1-2 Players

Nobunaga’s Ambition Returns, a turn-based strategy

game, is the second game in the Nobunaga’s Ambition
series, based on real-life Japanese warlord Oda Nobu-
naga.
The game was later updated for Windows 95 in 1996
and re-released for Windows 98 in 1999.

6.2 Nobunaga no Yabou

Sengoku Gunyuuden
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) April 9, 1998
Genre Strategy
Mode 1-4 Players

Nobunaga’s Ambition II is the sequel to Nobunaga’s

Ambition. The setting is 16th century feudal Japan, a
period when ruthless daimyo (feudal lords) contended
with each other for dominance. The game casts the
player as one of the daimyo, allowing them freedom to
decide the fate and future of feudal Japan, through di-
plomacy and ultimately war. The objective is to unify
Japan under the player’s rule.
 Nobunaga no Yabou Tenshouki • 387

Nobunaga no Yabou 7.8

Shouseiroku
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) April 2, 1998
Genre Strategy
Mode 1-8 Players

Nobunaga no Yabou Shouseiroku is part of the Nobu-

naga no Yabou series. An updated version in the form
of Nobunaga no Yabou Shouseiroku with Power-Up
Kit was released for the Sega Dreamcast.
Shouseiroku is the seventh title in the series, first re-
leased March 1997 for Windows 95. This game intro-
duces a new map, portraying the entire country on a
grid.

8.0 Nobunaga no Yabou Tenshouki

Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) September 29, 1995
Genre Strategy
Mode 1-8 Players

Nobunaga no Yabou: Tenshouki (“Nobunaga’s Ambi-

tion: Chronicles of the Ascension”) is the sixth game in
the Nobunaga’s Ambition franchise. The player once
again takes the role of any number of daimyo, with the
intent to unite Japan under their rule. In order to ac-
complish tasks, the player must spend points of earned
power to initiate commands.

“giantbomb.com”

Nobunaga no Yabou Tenshouki 6.8

with Power-Up Kit
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) September 11, 1997
Genre Strategy
Mode 1-8 Players

Nobunaga no Yabou Tenshouki with Power-Up Kit is a

re-released version of Nobunaga no Yabou Tenshouki
for the Sega Saturn, adding the contents of the game’s
expansion pack (or “power-up kit” as it is known in
this context).

“segaretro.org”
388 • Nonomura Byouin no Hitobito

Nonomura Byouin no Hitobito

8.0
Developer Silky’s
Publisher Elf
Release date (jp) April 26, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Nonomura Byōin no Hitobito is an adventure

game. The story start with the principal of Nonomura
hospital who has killed himself. Or so it appears at
first sight. But the private detective Takumaro Kaibara
is not so sure about that. Maybe it was a suicide, but
maybe it was a murder. To find out what has really hap-
pened, Kaibara headsKaibara
pened, to Nonomuraheads to hospital.
Nonomura It shouldhos-
be mentionedpital.
that Kaibara
Kaibara is is famous
famous notnot only for his
talent as a detective,
talent as a detective, but alsoas
but also for his skills fora his
seducer.
skills
And it is alsoasknown that And
a seducer. NonomuraNonomurahospital
hospitalis full
is
of beautiful nurses.
full of To kill two
beautiful birdsTo
nurses. with
killone
twostone,birds
Kaibara tries to
withmake
onehis wayKaibara
stone, to the hearts ofmake
tries to the sexy his
nurses, at the way
sametotimethe gathering
hearts of information
the sexy nurses, for theat
crime investigation. Will he be able to succeed
the same time gathering information for in both?
the crime investigation.
Nonomura Byōin noTheHitobito
game contains
contains erotic
erotic images
images
and scenes and and scenes and is marked forThe
is marked for the ages 18+. thegenre
ages
to which the game
18+. The genre to which the game dig-
belongs can be described as a be-
ital novel, in longs
whichcan thebeinteraction consists
described as a digital novel,entirely
of text, and the gameplay
in which is devoid ofconsists
the interaction puzzlesentirely
and is
largely based ofon text,
dialogues
and the andgameplay
decisions made
is devoid in cer-
of
tain situations.puzzles and is largely based on dialogues
xxx and decisions made in certain situations.

“mobygames.com”

Noël 3 7.7
Developer Pioneer LDC
Publisher Pioneer LDC
Release date (jp) December 10, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Noël 3 is the third main game from Noël: Not Digital

universe, and the first game from the series to be re-
leased on Sega Saturn. This Special Edition release is
the only release of this game for Sega Saturn. Regular
release of this game came out for PlayStation under the
title Noël 3: Mission on the Line which had certain ex-
posed body elements censored as it is a common thing
with games for Sony’s consoles.
 Noon • 389

5.9 Noon
Developer Kouji Oono, Microcabin
Publisher Microcabin
Release date (jp) January 29, 1998
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-4 Players

Noon is a multiplayer puzzle game that allows

up to four players. It takes the overhead gameplay style
of Bomberman and mixes it with standard puzzle style
gameplay. The goal is to cover the opponents playfield
with bombs.
Bombs are made by connecting a row of three
or more balls and attacking them, causing them to “ex-
plode” and reappear
reappear as as bombs
bombs on onthe opponents
your opponentsplay-
playfield. This is called a
field. This is called a NOON. There are five different
NOON. There are five different colors: Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Mul-
ti/Rainbow. When lining up the balls, they must all be the same color. The lone
exception being the multi color, or rainbow balls which players can mix with
any one of the other colors. Rainbow balls are key to Rainbow NOONs. These
are like regular NOONs only when the Rainbow Ball or balls explode it will
make adjacent balls explode as well, regardless of color.
Once players fill their opponents playfield with bombs a counter will
begin to countdown from 10. Upon zero the players will be victorious. If they
opponent manages to clear a majority of the bombs from his playfield the
counter will stop. If players fill their playfield again the counter will resume
again from where it left off. Clearing the playfield of bombs requires players to
either push them off manually or destroying them. To destroy them they simply
have to push them either against a wall or another bomb/ball until it squishes.
Players can also squish normal balls. This can come in handy if balls of the
wrong color are blocking a potential NOON or when players want to ruin an
opponent’s potential NOON. Another positive aspect
of squishing balls is that it refills the special attack
meter. Each character has their own special attack
that ranges from filling the opponents playfield with
bombs to lining up a row of same colored balls for a
devastating NOON.
In addition to the special attack, each charac-
ter can attack directly. If the attack connects with an
opponent it will send them flying across the screen.
If they happen to hit a ball it will be destroyed. This
is good for ruining an opponents potential NOON or
just to annoy them. If a player choose to play the
one player mode, they will go up against bosses
at set points. The boss fights are slightly different.
The boss will attack the player and every time they
are hit some bombs form on the playfield. If it fills
completely the timer will start to countdown. If they
don’t clear the playfield before it reaches zero the
player lose. Unlike the player, the boss has no play-
field, but a energy bar.

“Undead King@Gamefaqs.com”
390 • Ochige Designer Tsukutte pon!

6.2 O-chan no Oekaki Logic

Developer Sunsoft
Publisher Sunsoft
Release date (jp) November 17, 1995
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Oh-chan no Oekaki Logic is a nonogram (also known

as Picross) puzzle game with anime mascots. The
game adds a story mode where starring the titular char-
acter, Hebereke’s friend who first appeared in Ufouria:
The Saga. Oh-Chan, representing the player, competes
with other blobby anime characters in finding hidden
images in the nonogram grids.

“mobygames.com”

Ochige Designer Tsukutte pon! 5.7

Developer Ninelives, Quest
Publisher Pack-In-Soft
Release date (jp) November 20, 1997
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Ochige Designer Tsukutte pon! is a piece of Sega Sat-

urn software which allows users to make their own
puzzle games. It was only released in Japan.
The software feature a wide range of styles users can
make, from Puyo Puyo to Puzzle Bobble style games.
Users can also design their own graphics.

7.6 Ojousama Tokkyuu

Developer MediaWorks
Publisher MediaWorks
Release date (jp) July 30, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Ojousama Tokkyuu is visual novel game for the Sega

Saturn.
The ultra luxury limited express “Vega” is crossing Ja-
pan in 15 days from August 1 to 15 from Hokkaido
to Kyushu stopping at each station for 24 hours. The
main character rides this express and goes to a trip
without destination.
 Off-World Interceptor Extreme • 391

Off-World Interceptor Extreme

Developer Crystal Dynamics
7.1 Publisher BMG Victor, Crystal Dynamics
Release date (jp) November 22, 1995
Genre Action
Mode 1-2 Players

Off-World Interceptor is a third-person vehicu-

lar car combat game, originally released for the 3DO.
An alternate version of the game was later released for
the Sega Saturn and PlayStation consoles, named Off-
World Interceptor Extreme. The two versions of the
game have identical core gameplay elements, though
the Extreme version is tweaked to feel more like the
arcade mode in the original Off-World Interceptor.
Off-World Interceptor Extreme is a rail-based
off-road vehicular combat game, giving players the
ability to drive (and in some cases, fly) anywhere they
so chooses. The player takes the role of a “trashman”,
a bounty hunter who chases after fugitives in order to
earn money. A core element of the game is that the
player’s car can navigate unrealistically steep slopes,
and can move infinitely to the left or right of the en-
vironment. The car itself is not explicitly locked to a
rail, though the player cannot turn around or back up.
Every car is armed with jump jets, devices that allow
the car to both jump and fly, and all cars can pitch up
or down for aiming purposes.
There are a total of six cars in Off-World Inter-
ceptor, each with its own unique attributes and abili-
ties. Each one has five attributes, all of which can be
upgraded. The most common enemies in the game are
the “Cash Cops”, mercenary-like enemies similar to
the player character, and stronger variations of each
general enemy are encountered within each passing
level. To eliminate enemies, each car is equipped with
its own unique weapon, which can be powered up for
a different effect, as well as a limited number of guided
missiles, plasma mines, and airstrikes (which do se-
vere damage to every enemy on screen). The player
also carries a limited number of nitros, which when
used give the car a burst of high speed for several sec-
onds; this allows the player to both race past difficult
parts and complete the level faster.
The game are slightly notable for its cutscenes,
featuring two guys making comedic comments on the
live-action cutscenes in the style of Mystery Science
Theatre 3000. Interestingly, the Japanese versions re-
move said elements, instead featuring dubbed versions
of the original, non-commentated cutscenes, and are
the only versions to feature said original footage.
392 • Okudera Yasuhiko no Sekai wo Mezase! Soccer Kids: Nyuumon Hen

Ojousama wo Nerae!! 5.5

Developer Crystal Vision
Publisher Crystal Vision
Release date (jp) July 23, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Ojousama wo Nerae!! is a adult dating game featur-

ing both teenagers and a couple of older maidens. The
interface follows the standard Tokimeki format with a
conversation portion where players engage the target
of their interaction in conversation and action. The rest
of the screen is taken over by the animated persona of
a girl. Her facial expressions and attitude towards the
players will change depending on their level of social
skills.

3.1 Okudera Yasuhiko no Sekai wo

Mezase! Soccer Kids
Developer Japan Media Programming
Publisher Fujitsu Parex
Release date (jp) September 27, 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Okudera Yasuhiko no Sekai wo Mezase! Soccer Kids:

Nyuumon Hen is an educational game developed by
JAMP and published by Fujitsu Parex for the Sega Sat-
urn. It it is aimed at teaching children about soccer, and
features former Japanese footballer Yasuhiko Okudera,
who was manager of JEF United Ichihara Chiba when
the game was released.
“segaretro.org”

Olympic Soccer 7.2

Developer Silicon Dreams
Publisher U.S. Gold, (jp) Coconuts Japan
Release date (jp) August 30, 1996
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

Olympic Soccer is a soccer game tying in with the At-

lanta 1996 Olympic Games. The player can choose one
of the 33 teams, and participate on exhibition matches,
arcade (a 32-team cup knockout), Olympic (the 16
team tournament mimicking the actual tournament) or
play on an all-versus-all league (from 3 to 16 teams).
The games features the usual options found in contem-
porary games, such as match length and draw rules, as
well as define several weather patterns.
 OoEdo Renaissance • 393

6.6 Omakase! Savers

Developer Japan Media Programming
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) February 23, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Omakase! Savers is an Adventure game, developed by

Japan Media Programming Inc. (JAMP) / Sega Enter-
prises, Ltd. and published by Sega Enterprises, Ltd.,
which was released in Japan in 1996 for the Sega Sat-
urn.

OoEdo Renaissance 7.6

Developer Hokusho, Pack-In-Soft
Publisher Pack-In-Soft
Release date (jp) December 18, 1997
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

OoEdo Renaissance is basically a city management

game set in the Edo Period. The game feature alot of
text.

6.8 Ousama Game

Developer Societa Daikanyama
Publisher Societa Daikanyama
Release date (jp) May 28, 1998
Genre Action
Mode 1 Player

Ousama Game is a single player erotic action/reflex

video game for Saturn, published in 1998 by Societa
Daikanyama.
Eight ladies star in the game with simple mini games
where players get substantial rewards for their comple-
tion.
394 • Pachinko Hall Shinsou Daikaiten

6.3 P.T.O. II:

Pacific Theater of Operations II
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) February 23, 1996
Genre Simulation
Mode 1-2 Players

Pacific Theater of Operations II (P.T.O. II), known as

Teitoku no Ketsudan II in Japan, is a Sega Saturn se-
quel to Pacific Theater of Operations. The game de-
picts the conflict between the USA and Japan during
World War II. The player takes control of the Navy
forces of both nation, and tries to outsmart each other.

Pachinko Hall Shinsou Daikaiten 6.5

Developer Nexton
Publisher Nexton
Release date (jp) February 26, 1998
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Pachinko Hall Shinsou Daikaiten is a pachinko game,

developed and published by Nexton Co., Ltd., which
was released in Japan in 1998 for the Sega Saturn.
In the game, the player becomes a manager of a
pachinko hall. The goal is to satisfy customers and
increase the profit of the shop to later develop larger
shops.

6.8 Pachi-Slot Kanzen Kouryaku

Uni-Colle’97
Developer Nihon Syscom
Publisher Nihon Syscom
Release date (jp) September 18, 1997
Genre Casino
Mode 1 Player

Pachi-Slot Kanzen Kouryaku Uni-Colle’97 is a pachi-

slot game for the Sega Saturn.
 Pandemonium! • 395

Pandemonium!
Developer Jumpin’ Jack Software
7.6 Publisher (us) Crystal Dynamics, (eu) Sega, (jp) Bandai
Release date (us) February 28, 1997
Genre Action-platformer
Mode 1 Player

Pandemonium! features Fargus, a joker, and

Nikki, who unwittingly casts a spell that destroys the
town. The goal of the game is to reach the Wishing
Engine, where they can wish the town back to normal.
For each level, the player can choose which character
to be. Each has a special move – Fargus can deliver a
special spinning attack, and Nikki can double jump.
Pandemonium! employs “2.5D gameplay”.
While the game renders polygons in a typical 3-D
fashion, gameplay is 2-D. The area of gameplay can be
described as a two-dimensional surface twisting and
bending in a three-dimensional world. Occasionally,
this surface will overlap itself.
The game consists of a great variety of unique
gameplay objects, such as watermelons, clouds, spider
webs and logs.
Work on Pandemonium! began in December
1994, kicking off with two months spent on learning
the dynamics of 3-D games. The team then concen-
trated on building a prototype level to demonstrate at
Electronic Entertainment Expo 1995. Once this was
done, set designers and artists were brought on to help
create the bulk of the game, bringing the development
team up to 30 people. Early in development it was
planned to record hundreds of one-liners for the play-
er characters, similar to the earlier Crystal Dynamics
game Gex.
Having decided to step down as a publisher
and focus on development, Crystal Dynamics sold
the publication rights for Pandemonium! to Electronic
Arts once the game was finished.
Magical Hoppers
As with its Western counterpart, it was devel-
oped by ToysForBob, with certain changes and addi-
tions made by Bandai. The story revolves around two
energetic characters known as Clam and Guppy and
their mentor Sid.
Other than the replacement of Fargus, Nikki and
Sid, and the change in the characters’ characterisation,
there exist other notable changes. The introduction and
ending, instead of Pandemonium!’s CGI FMV, differs
in its use of an anime cutscene. One further change
is in gameplay, instead of Fargus’ cartwheel tumble,
Clam attacks in a forward roll manoeuvre (similar to
Fargus in the second game).
396 • Paneltia Story ~Kerun no Daibouken~

Paneltia Story: 6.8

Karen no Daibouken
Developer Tamtam
Publisher Shoeisha
Release date (jp) February 28, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Paneltia Story: Karen no Dai-

bouken is a 1997 RPG. In the game,
rather than moving across a predefined
game world, players build the game
world as they go.
Players have a top-down view,
similar to a Dragon-Quest-style first
person battles with static monster
sprites. Each stage starts as a big empty
void with a town floating in it, though
as players start, the town is just an inn
and a small shop. Players start off with
a few panels that they can place in the
void. The panels can have mountains,
forests, rocks or water on them, or they
can just be an empty plain. After play-
ers have placed a few, they can go and
explore them, fighting monsters to gain
experience and more panels. When play-
ers place a panel on certain (invisible)
spaces, a fairy will appear and give them
a town panel, which can only be placed
on top of the starting town, to which
they add more people and buildings.
In the map-building menu, players can
also look at instructions for making dun-
geons appear on the map, for example,
place a forest panel and surround it with
mountain panels. Then the entrance to a
dungeon will appear in the forest panels.
Players may then go to the dungeon, beat
the boss, and then go to the next stage to
start all over again, but with new mon-
sters that have higher stats, and a slightly
different structure.

by: “Jonny@lunaticobscurity.blogspot”
 Pappara Paoon • 397

4.7 Panic Chan

Developer Imagineer
Publisher Imagineer
Release date (jp) August 8, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Panic Chan is an adventure game based on an anime.

A limited version of the game comes with an audio
mini CD and a cardboard dress set.

Pappara Paoon 4.0

Developer Ecole
Publisher Ecole
Release date (jp) November 22, 1995
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Pappara Paoon is a puzzle game released for the Sega

Saturn exclusively in Japan. In the game, players shoot
colored “blocks” (ranging from triangles to circles,
etc.) to the side of the screen, trying to “push out” the
opponent. Players connect four or more like-colors to
burst blocks.

“Steve@neo-geo.com”

5.1 Pastel Muses

Developer Soft Office
Publisher Soft Office
Release date (jp) October 23, 1997
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Pastel Muses is a puzzle game for the Sega Saturn.

The game came from the same company that made G-
Vector.
Gameplay is similar to Bust-A-Move, but unlike oth-
er Puzzle Bobble rip offs, this one is set horizontally
meaning that the balls move over to the left of the
screen instead of to the bottom like in Puzzle Bobble.

“segagagadomain”
398 • Panzer Dragoon

Panzer Dragoon 8.8

Developer Sega, Team Andromeda
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) March 10, 1995
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

xxx Panzer Dragoon is a 3D “on-the-rails” shoot-

’em up game developed by Team Andromeda in 1995.
xxx
It was originally released for the Sega Saturn, becom-
ing one of the flagship titles of the console, and one of
the few games available at launch in North America
and Europe.
Panzer Dragoon follows the story of Keil Fluge
(unnamed in western versions), a member of a hunter
party who encounters a fight between two dragons, the
Solo Wing (in blue) and the Dark Dragon (in black).
The rider of the Solo Wing is mortally wounded in the
battle and entrusts his mission, as well as his dragon, to
Keil. Keil must stop the Dark Dragon from reactivat-
ing an ancient ruin and wreaking havoc on the world.
The game is an on-the-rails shooter, meaning
that players have little control over the direction the
Solo Wing travels in. Instead, the player is given full
360-degree view of the playfield and the ability to fire
at surrounding enemies. There is a choice of two main
offenses: a lock-on laser weapon, and a rapid fire gun
weapon. There are six levels, each with a boss battle at
the end.
Development on Panzer Dragoon dates back to
early 1994, when Yukio Futatsugi, Manabu Kusunoki
and various other Sega staff were brought together
to form Team Andromeda. Tasked with producing a
shooter for Sega’s upcoming console, project develop-
ment would last for the best part of a year, and would
involve a team of roughly fifteen people.
Panzer Dragoon was envisioned as an “arcade-
style” shooter from an early stage, in part due to the
fact that many members of Team Andromeda had mi-
grated from Sega’s arcade divisions. Core members of
the team were also anxious to move into 3D, having
previously been restricted to two dimensions in their
earlier arcade projects. The game was influenced by
the likes of Starblade, Star Fox and RayForce, as well
as Sega’s own Space Harrier.
It was customary for 3D shooters of the time
for the player to ride a 3D object such as a jet fighter
or a tank. Panzer Dragoon’s developers however de-
cided it would be more original for the player to ride
an armored dragon - a living creature which could also
allow for richer animations. During development the
game was casually known as “armored dragon” (kiko-
 Panzer Dragoon • 399

ryu in japanese), although Futatsugi, feeling that this

name was too bland, decided to translate it to German
(a practise continued with the sequel, Panzer Dragoon
Zwei).
With this basic concept in mind, the creators
were given three months to define a visual identity
and a setting for their game, prior to writing code and
creating physical assets. A decision was made to set
the adventure in a post-apocalyptic science fantasy
world, complete with ruins and relics of a fallen civi-
lisation and mankind struggling for survival, some-
thing frequently found in Japanese anime at that time.
Futatsugi was particularly influenced by one of his
childhood readings, The Long Afternoon of Earth a
science-fiction novel by Brian Aldiss, in which one
side of the earth became perpetually hot, the other
perpetually cold.
The first presentation video of Panzer Dra-
goon featured a green dragon, in-line with traditional
European/medieval depictions of the creature, how-
ever the team quickly decided make it “more sci-fi”,
again in an attempt to make the product more original.
The dragon was made blue and covered in a white,
bone-like armor - ancient flying technology originat-
ing from the ancient times, which is also depicted in
the sceneery. The the mix of natural and technological
elements in the game’s world, was chosen in order monite. The battleship was inspired by a rusty fishing
to set it appart from classic science-fiction 3D games boat.
of the time. It was largely designed by Manabu Ku- The Sega Saturn’s hardware was new to Team
sunoki, inspired by Japanese anime and manga. The Andromeda, and given that Yukio Futatsugi was still
art direction was later pushed towards a Turkish/Ot- new to the company, Panzer Dragoon was kept rela-
toman style to avoid the strict European aesthetics of tively simple in design. Though Futatsugi had a clear
the early presentation video. vision of what he wanted (keeping the style of the
One of Panzer Dragoon’s major artistic influ- game pure). cutscenes are minimal, and enemies were
ences was Arzach, a comic book series created by created out of simple shapes, making them both easy
French artist Jean Giraud, known by his alias Moebius. to understand visually, and more suited to the Saturn’s
Moebius would contribute in the creative process of hardware (and likewise, levels are also relatively sim-
the game with original artwork (just as the Japanese/ plistic and barren). A surprising amount nevertheless
South Korean cover art). Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaa went into an elaborate back story for the game, with
of the Valley of the Wind, and David Lynch’s Dune Futatsugi, going so far as to create a new language
movie were also key inspirations. Kusunoki was ada- for the game, mixing elements of of Ancient Greek,
mant to not include giant robots such as those seen Latin and Russian. This choice was allegedly inspired
in the then-popular Gundam anime, and he avoided by the anime The Wings of Honneamise which did
unrealistic character designs such as those seen in something similar, and of which team members were
the Final Fantasy series of RPGs. Kentaro Yoshida, fans of.
texturing and modelling artist of Panzer Dragoon, de- Working on new hardware proved difficult for
scribed the creation process as similar in style to Star the young team, forcing the game to miss its initial
Wars, in that it “made an unearthly world appear so deadline given by Sega (the Japanese system launch,
real”. Takashi Iwade, who produced the opening cut- i.e. November 1994). This was partly due to the fact
scene and character models, claimed to be inspired the Saturn’s hardware was not finalised when produc-
by antique clocks and similar industrialised products tion began, meaning the team lacked a useful Saturn
from the era, myriapods, marine mollusks and am- prototype to test their progress (programmers were
400 • Panzer Dragoon

in fact forced to work with hypotheticals, “guess- liams criticized the game’s lack of diversity in weap-
ing” what the features of the system would be). Team ons and its predetermined progression; but the four
Andromeda also created its own graphics library and EGM reviewers agreed that it was a must-have game
mapping tools instead of using Sega’s in an attempt to for Saturn owners. Similarly, The Unknown Gamer
make the most of the new system. The game’s graph- from GamePro called the game a “masterpiece”,
ics and cutscenes were produced with Softimage, and highlighted its high-quality graphics and music, and
the 3D elements were programmed on SGI worksta- described the story as “captivating”. However, the
tions using OpenGL. journalist noted the game’s overall difficulty “will
The programmers were eventually able to single out all but advanced players” with its lack of
transition to the debug Saturn they had received, but power-ups or extra lives of any kind. Nevertheless,
the process proved difficult, with the game suffering the game was seen as a good example of the Saturn’s
from very low frame rates (in the end, the team made capabilities. In contrast, a reviewer from Maximum
do with 20FPS in some sections, much lower than the said that the game was much too easy even on the
60s and even 30s common in games today). The first highest difficulty setting, greatly reducing its already
two levels produced (a desert (level 2) and a forest low longevity. He also said the gameplay would be
(level 5)), lacked features aside from sand and for- too simplistic for many players, with its on-rails
est effects because they were uncertain how far the shooting and selection of only two weapons, but was
hardware could be pushed. Keeping CPU limitations overall very positive in his assessment of the game,
in mind, simple tornado effects were added to level 2, highly praising the 360 degrees of rotation and most
to liven things up. especially the textured 3D graphics of the enemies,
Work on the soundtrack began after the rest of settings, and bosses.
game was complete (similar to the audio strategy seen Chris Gore from VideoGames & Computer
in big budget films). The music was designed to spe- Entertainment named the game “the best shooter
cifically reflect each level art-style and events, the “on since Star Fox”, and a must-have for fantasy and
rail” progression system proving beneficial as the de- sci-fi fans, with its “eerie” atmosphere noted by
velopers would know exactly where the player would editor Betty Hallock. While the story itself was said
be at any given time. The soundtrack was outsourced to be “somewhat typical” and editor Chris Bieniek
to Yoshitaka Azuma, who was composing musics for criticized the on-rail aspect, Gore noted the game’s
NHK TV programs at that time - it is a mix between “spectacular visuals”, and presented it as one of the
orchestral and synthesizer tracks, and was assisted Saturn’s system sellers. Film director Steven Spiel-
by gameplay videos, allowing for specifically timed berg approached Team Andromeda to say he was
pieces which match the player’s progression in each impressed by the game’s presentation at the 1995 E3
level. show.
Panzer Dragoon received positive reviews, Levi Buchanan from IGN gave the game a ret-
both in 1995 and in retrospective coverage. Though rospective score of 9/10, opining that “the fact that
sales were not as high as Sega expected, possibly due Panzer Dragoon holds up as well in 2008 as it did in
to the success of Sony’s PlayStation console over the 1995 is a just testament to the staying power of good
Saturn, they were substantial enough for Sega to de- art and tight gameplay.”
velop sequels. Following its release on the Sega Saturn, Pan-
As one of the first Saturn titles, the game was zer Dragoon was ported to Windows PCs in 1997.
highly anticipated by journalists after its appearance This version would find itself included as a bonus in
in promotional material. A reviewer for Next Gen- the later game, Panzer Dragoon Orta for the Xbox.
eration said the game “orchestrates incredible story In 2006 Panzer Dragoon was re-released as
animation with brilliant, 3D flight graphics to cre- part of the Sega Ages 2500 series for the PlayStation
ate what is, basically, the ultimate evolution of Space 2 as Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 27: Panzer Dragoon.
Harrier.” He also highly praised the gameplay, partic- Panzer Dragoon was followed by Panzer Dra-
ularly the variety of enemies, the difficulty slope, and goon Zwei, which despite its name is actually a pre-
the controls. Ed Semrad and Danyon Carpenter from quel to this game, chronologically. Its existence has
Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the game for its also been recognised in Sonic & All-Stars Racing
“innovative game play” and its “awe-inspiring visu- Transformed.
“segaretro.org”
als” from the opening cinematic to the backgrounds
and the dragon’s animations. Al Manuel and Ken Wil-
402 • Panzer Dragoon Saga

Panzer Dragoon Saga

8.9
Developer Sega, Team Andromeda
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) January 29, 1998
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

xxx Panzer Dragoon Saga, called Azel: Panzer

Dragoon RPG in Japan, is a critically-acclaimed role-
xxx
playing game released exclusively for the Sega Sat-
urn in 1998. It was the third Panzer Dragoon game to
be released and so far remains the only game in the
series that is not a Rail Shooter. Like the other Panzer
Dragoon games on the Saturn, it was developed by
Sega’s internal Team Andromeda development stu-
dio. The team disbanded after Saga’s release.
The player controls Edge, a young hunter,
as he attempts to free the world from the will of the
Ancients with the help of a powerful flying dragon.
The game blends strategic semi-realtime combat with
free-roaming exploratory sequences. Like the other
Panzer Dragoon games, the game is notable for its
unique art direction and soundtrack, and for its unu-
sual (and frequently abstract) world, story and charac-
ters.
Unlike the other Panzer Dragoon games,
which are rail shooters, Panzer Dragoon Saga is a
role-playing video game. The player controls Edge,
a young mercenary who rides a flying dragon. Game-
play is divided into three modes: traversing large ar-
eas on the dragon, battling enemies, and exploring
on foot. On foot, Edge can talk to NPCs, upgrade his
weapons, buy items such as potions, and use a target-
ing reticle to interact with locks, doors, and other ele-
ments; on the dragon, this reticle helps the player fire
lasers to activate triggers or break objects. In one se-
quence, Edge rides a hoverbike instead of the dragon.
The player travels through environments including
canyons, deserts, forests, and subterranean ruins. The
player accesses these zones from the map screen, and
new areas are added as the game progresses. Camp-
sites serve as rest areas and save points. The game
features full voice acting and numerous FMV cut-
scenes.
In March 1995, following completion of the
original Panzer Dragoon, Sega’s Team Androme-
da studio split into two teams: one worked on Saga
while the other developed a shooter sequel, Panzer
Dragoon II Zwei. Saga had a staff of about 40, twice
that of Zwei. Both teams used the Zwei engine and
the 3D modeling software Softimage. Reworking the
series’ shooting gameplay into an RPG took about a
 Panzer Dragoon Saga • 403

year; the engine had to support free exploration, bat-

tle sequences, and real-time morphing and shading.
According to GameSpot, this pushed the Saturn’s
hardware further than any other game. Director Yukio
Futatsugi said that Saga was the most difficult Pan-
zer Dragoon game to develop, as full 3D environ-
ments and voice acting were unusual for RPGs at the
time. He felt the game would have been impossible
to develop on the PlayStation console, as the Saturn’s
“cloudier” palette gives the Panzer Dragoon series its
atmosphere.
Once the team had settled on the core action
of locking on to targets, such as enemies and NPCs,
the rest of the design followed. The positioning sys-
tem developed from an initial concept of fighting en-
emies for space. The team added the dragon’s mor-
phing ability to compensate for the lack of a large cast
of playable characters with different skills common
in other JRPGs. The team initially assumed that hav-
ing the dragon morph in real time as the player edited
attributes would be too difficult to implement, but a
programmer surprised them with a working proto-
type. After the team finalized the battle system, de-
velopment proceeded smoothly and some staff were
moved to help complete Zwei.
Rather than create a typical “save-the-world”
story with a large cast, Futatsugi wanted to concen- torso. Kusunoki picked Katsumi Yokota to design the
trate on a small number of characters who the player characters; according to Futatsugi, Yokota is “a very,
would be “really close to”, which he felt would make very good artist. The fragility of the character Azel
the story more meaningful. An early version had Edge exists because of Yokota-san.”
as an imperial soldier who defects, but this made the Two staff died during development: one from
story overlong; Craymen also had an extensive back- suicide and the other in a motorcycle accident, which
story explaining his motivations for betraying the Futatsugi attributed to stress. “All we could do was
Empire, but this was cut as it would have filled most carry on and finish the game – it was out of my hands,”
of the first disc. Art director Manabu Kusunoki hoped he said. “Part of me did want to stop though. That
to “leave space for players’ imaginations” by not re- was definitely the toughest project I’ve ever worked
vealing everything about the world. on.” Nonetheless, he felt the project had benefited
Sega estimated that the game’s script amount- from having “someone who plays the bad guy role,
ed to more than 1,500 pages of Japanese text. Like someone who acts a little selfish, acts a little forceful
the other Panzer Dragoon games, Saga features a to the team to achieve specific goals ... Having team
fictional language, “Panzerese”, which combines el- members that will support that kind of bad cop is nec-
ements of Ancient Greek, Latin and Russian; Saga essary, and if they don’t exist then you can’t get those
only features Panzerese in the introduction sequence, kind of results.”
with the rest of the dialogue in Japanese, subtitled in After the game’s completion, Sega disbanded
English for the western release. Although Edge is not Team Andromeda and reassigned some of the staff to
a silent protagonist, Futatsugi minimized his dialogue Smilebit, which developed the final game in the se-
outside cutscenes to focus on Azel’s story, who he ries, Panzer Dragoon Orta (2002), for Xbox. Futat-
felt was the most important character. The team did sugi left Sega and joined Konami.
not want Azel to be a typical energetic anime-style According to the review aggregator GameR-
heroine, and instead tried to make her simultaneously ankings, Panzer Dragoon Saga is the most critically
appealing and frightening. Her character underwent acclaimed Saturn game, with an aggregate score of
the most revisions, emphasizing her human and non- 92%.
human aspects, and one early design had a hole in her
404 • Panzer Dragoon Zwei

Panzer Dragoon Zwei 9.0

Developer Sega, Team Andromeda
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) March 22, 1996
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

xxx Panzer Dragoon II Zwei is a rail shooter re-

leased exclusively for the Sega Saturn in 1996. A pre-
xxx
quel to the first Panzer Dragoon, it was developed by
Team Andromeda, one of Sega’s internal development
studios.
The player takes control of Jean-Luc Lundi.
Lundi lives in a superstitious village where mutant
coolias are killed, but when Lundi discovers a mu-
tant coolia with wings, he decides to keep it and let it
live. Lundi names the coolia ‘Lagi’. Lagi has a strange
green glow in his throat. After a few years the coolia
begins to grow wings. Lundi takes the coolia out to try
to get him to fly. On one occasion, when Lundi takes
Lagi out, a huge ship called ‘Shelcoof’ controlled by
Sestren destroys Lundi’s village in an attempt to kill
Lagi, who is possessed by the Heresy Program. Lagi’s
green glow grow’s brighter and Lagi fires arrows of
light from his mouth, the trademark attack of dragons
from the ancient age. The lasers do not reach Shelcoof
and Lundi begins to chase Shelcoof on Lagi’s back.
The ultimate goal of the game is to take down Shel-
coof.
As with other Panzer Dragoon games (apart
from Panzer Dragoon Saga), Zwei is a rail shooter. As
in the first game, enemies can be defeated with either
the rider’s gun or the dragon’s lasers. There is also the
berserk attack, which is a rain of lasers from the drag-
on which automatically attack all enemies on screen
for several seconds, during which the dragon is invin-
cible. To use the berserk attack, the player draws on the
accumulated energy in the power meter, which is filled
by killing enemies. A radar in the corner of the screen
displays the location of nearby enemies.
Zwei is considerably more in depth than Pan-
zer Dragoon, with alternate routes to be taken and a
dragon that evolves based on the player’s performance.
In response to player criticisms, Team An-
dromeda worked on making the game less difficult and
more story-intensive than the first Panzer Dragoon.
The team received no help from Sega’s technical divi-
sion on Panzer Dragoon II Zwei, and did not use any
Sega-developed tools such as the Sega Graphics Li-
brary operating system; instead, Team Andromeda’s
programmers created all the development tools used to
create the game.
 Panzer Dragoon Zwei • 405

The game makes use of the Saturn’s internal

battery back-up as well as the Saturn Backup Memory
to save progress through the game as well as unlock
extras.
Panzer Dragoon II Zwei received generally
positive reviews. The four reviewers of Electronic
Gaming Monthly applauded the game for its multiple
routes, differing dragon transformations, and “some
of the best graphics ever seen on Sega’s 32-bit power-
house”. However, they criticized that the game’s low
difficulty leaves it with little longevity. In GamePro,
Scary Larry asserted that Panzer Dragoon II Zwei
“blows away anything resembling a shooter on the
PlayStation thus far, in both graphics and imagina-
tion.” He criticized that the game is much too easy,
though he noted that the ability to choose from mul-
tiple paths increases the replay value in addition to
making the gameplay more interesting. He also com-
plimented the way the music reflects what is going
on in the game. A reviewer for Next Generation said
that while the gameplay makes only minimal inno-
vations to the restrictive on-rails format, the game
keeps the player hooked though its gorgeous visuals
and absorbing story. He summarized, “In a surprising
victory for art and plot direction, Panzer Dragoon II
Zwei proves that visual sophistication and compelling
storylines can sometimes overcome less than revolu- Rob Allsetter of Sega Saturn Magazine praised
tionary gameplay.” the impressive attention to detail in the graphics and
the multiple routes. He concluded that it “belongs up
there with VF2 and Sega Rally as the standard-bearer
for its genre.” Maximum’s Daniel Jevons concurred
with Scary Larry that the game “positively laughs in
the face of any competing PlayStation 3D shooters.”
He pointed out that the much-maligned on-rails for-
mat is necessary to create the experience the game of-
fers, noting as an example that it allowed the develop-
ers to synchronize the soundtrack with what is going
on. He also praised the animation, 3D graphics, high
frame rate, absence of pixelation even on the heavily
detailed bosses, precise controls, lock-on attacks, and
the ability to adjust the game’s difficulty by choosing
different routes.
IGN staff writer Levi Buchanan ranked Pan-
zer Dragoon II Zwei fifth in his list of the top 10 Sega
Saturn games, saying “The original Panzer Dragoon
that flanked the Saturn at launch was nothing short of
revelation. But this sequel improves on almost every-
thing, offering better graphics, smoother animations,
changing dragon forms, and branching routes.”
406 • Parodius

Parodius 7.6
Developer Konami
Publisher Konami
Release date (jp) May 19, 1995
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Parodius, known in Japan as Gokujou Parodius

Da! Deluxe Pack is a compilation for the Sega Saturn
containing the first two arcade Parodius games. It was
released for the console in 1995 in Japan and Europe.
Developed and published by Konami, the
Parodius franchise is a parody of Konami’s success-
ful Gradius fanchise, as well as other Konami-made
franchises such as Antarctic Adventure and Twinbee.
Both are side-scrolling shoot-’em-ups in which the
player pilots various characters with their own set of
weapons. The games are filled references to Konami’s
history, humour and frequently require you to shoot
scantily clad women.
The sequel to Gokujou Parodius, Jikkyou Os-
haberi Parodius was also released on the Sega Saturn,
as was its sequel, Sexy Parodius.

Parodius
Parodius or, more accurately, Parodius Da!: Shinwa
kara Owarai e is an arcade game released in 1990 and
a “sequel” to the original Parodius game released for
the MSX in 1988. It is the simpler game of the two,
featuring only four characters (Vic Viper (Gradius),
Octopus, Twinbee (Twinbee) and Pentarou (Antarctic
Adventure)).
This game is the most widely ported Parodius
game, having been subsequently brought to the NES,
Game Boy, Super Nintendo, and in Japan, the PC En-
gine and Sharp X68000. No versions were released in
North America, although the Nintendo ports saw a re-
lease in Europe.
Parodius: Fantastic Journey
Parodius: Fantastic Journey, also known sim-
ply as Fantastic Journey and in Japan, Gokujou Paro-
dius!: Kako no Eikou o Motomete is the direct sequel
to Parodius and was released in 1994. It features twice
as many playable characters (technically four times, as
the two-player characters use different sprites), bigger
stages and is the more forgiving of the two.
Though the arcade release of Fantastic Journey
was released in Europe, the only home port, one for the
Super Famicom, remained in Japan.
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 Pebble Beach Golf Linksv • 407

6.2 PD Ultraman Link

Developer SIMS
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) February 9, 1996
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

PD Ultraman Link is a 1996 puzzle game for the Sega

Saturn by SIMS and Bandai tying into the Ultraman
franchise. It was only released in Japan.
The game is a falling-blocks puzzle game in which
players connect three or more pieces of the same color
that connect in predefined ways.

Pebble Beach Golf Links

Developer T&E Soft 7.0
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) 1995-02-24
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

New 3D Golf Simulation: Pebble Beach no Hatou is

a 1992 golf game first released for the PC-98 by T&E
Soft in their New 3D Golf Simulation series which
takes place at the Pebble Beach Golf Links golf course
in California. T&E Soft ported the game to the Sega
Mega Drive in 1993 along with three other New 3D
Golf Simulation games; however, unlike those three
ports, this one did receive an international release un-
der T&E’s equivalent True Golf Classics label as Peb-
ble Beach Golf Links.
It was later brought to the Sega Saturn; in Ja-
pan this version was called Pebble Beach Golf Links:
Stadler ni Chousen. Despite being on a newer system,
the game does not take particular advantage of the Sat-
urn’s features and continues to use the same rendering
style as the entries on previous-generation machines.
It does add an overhauled UI, more fluid player anima-
tions, and videos of professional golfer Craig Stadler
(hence the Japanese name) giving suggestions before
each hole.
As with computer games of the time, this game
has user accounts stored in cartridge SRAM, with
room for 10 players. After players register themself as
a player in the “Create Data” option at the main menu,
they can choose to start one of several different match
types.
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408 • Phantasm

Phantasm
Developer Infini Entertainment Technology 6.5
Publisher Outrigger
Release date (jp) August 8, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

xxx
Phantasmagoria is a point-and-click adventure
game designed
xxx by Roberta Williams for MS-DOS and
Windows. Released by Sierra On-Line on August 24,
1995, it tells the story of Adrienne Delaney (Victoria
Morsell), a writer who moves into a remote mansion
and finds herself terrorized by supernatural forces.
Upon release, it was noted for its graphic gore, vio-
lence, and sexual content.
Phantasmagoria is a point-and-click adventure
game that features live-action actors and cinematic
footage, both during scenes between the gameplay
and within the three-dimensional rendered environ-
ments of the game itself. The game was made when
interactive movie games were at the peak of their
popularity, with the release of such popular computer
games as Wing Commander III and Under a Killing
Moon. In this single-player game, the player con-
trols protagonist Adrienne Delaney, who is always on
the screen. The player can click certain areas of the
screen to control her movements or make her explore play. It took more than two years to develop and four
specific places and objects. The game includes only months to film. Originally budgeted for $800,000, the
four control commands: look (which changes to “talk game ultimately cost $4.5 million to develop, and it
to” when selecting a person), pick up item, use item, was filmed in a $1.5 million studio Sierra built spe-
and walk. Objects in the game can be picked up by cifically for the game.
clicking on them or interacting with them in a film Directed by Peter Maris, the game features
sequence, after which the item automatically goes a cast of 25 actors, all performing in front of a blue
into the inventory. If an object is small enough that screen. While most games at the time featured 80
it can be easily missed, a pulsing glow occasionally to 100 backgrounds, Phantasmagoria includes more
surrounds it to draw attention to it. than 1,000. A professional Hollywood special ef-
Game designer Roberta Williams, co-founder fects house worked on the game, and the musical
of Sierra On-Line, deliberately made the Phantasma- score includes a neo-Gregorian chant performed by
goria gameplay and interface simple, unobtrusive, a 135-voice choir. Sierra stressed it was intended for
and intuitive so it would be more accessible and less adult audiences. The company willingly submitted it
frustrating for casual gamers. According to Arinn to a ratings system, and included a password-protect-
Dembo from Computer Gaming World, the game is ed censoring option within the game to tone down the
focused more around the story and the frightening graphic content. Sierra used the same technology and
atmosphere, rather than on a difficult gaming expe- Hollywood techniques from Phantasmagoria to make
rience, and therefore the puzzles are relatively easy, The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery (1995),
logical, and straightforward. another interactive movie adventure game.
Williams had long planned to design a horror Phantasmagoria was a financial success,
game, but waited eight years for software technol- grossing $12 million in its opening weekend and be-
ogy to improve before doing so. More than 200 peo- coming one of the best-selling games of 1995. It re-
ple were involved in the making of Phantasmagoria, ceived mixed reviews, earning praise for its graphics
which was based on Williams’ 550-page script, about and suspenseful tone, but was criticized for its slow
four times the length of an average Hollywood screen- pacing and easy puzzles.
 Phantasm • 409

The Sega Saturn version, Phantasm, is notable Sierra found that Williams tended to garner
for shipping on 8 discs (one more than the PC ver- extremely favorable press, even as Phantasmagoria
sion) - more than any other game in the console’s li- got negative press, so the company began having her
brary. This is because the game relies heavily on full discuss the game in person In response to the back-
motion video. Phantasm is notable for shipping on 8 lash, Williams said she believed computer games were
Saturn discs (one more than the PC version) - more subject to harsher standards than films and television,
than any other game in the console’s library. This is which she said often have more violent content than
because the game relies heavily on full motion video. Phantasmagoria, in part because computer games are
Before Phantasmagoria was released, Com- often regarded as children’s entertainment rather than
pUSA, the nation’s largest discount computer retailer, for adults. Williams said Phantasmagoria was less ex-
notified Sierra it would not stock the game. The com- cessively violent than games like Doom and Mortal
pany did not comment on specific reasons for their Kombat, and that unlike those games, Phantasmagoria
decision except for a written statement from chief op- is “the good guy ... not going around shooting up peo-
erating officer Hal Compton: “Software comes out all ple”. Sierra spokeswoman Rebecca Buxton and Den-
the time. Some we buy, some we don’t. This one we nis Cloutier, the company’s vice president of sales,
chose not to.” Analysts believed CompUSA objected both expressed surprise at the reaction to the game
to the realistic violence in the game. Lee S. Isgur of because Sierra made strong efforts to warn viewers
Jefferies & Co., a global investment bank that fol- about the adult content in its marketing, box warnings
lowed the computer game industry, said CompUSA’s and censoring options. Cloutier said the company was
decision probably would not harm overall sales of the essentially “censoring ourselves”.Steven L. Kent of
game, and that it could in fact help it generate public- The Seattle Times said there were more violent games
ity. He added that “It’s probably one of the bloodiest than Phantasmagoria, but that most video game vio-
games ever.” Likewise, Vincent Turzo of Jefferies & lence appears in computer animations, and thus can
Co. said, “When you say you’re not going to carry be more easily overlooked than in a live-action game,
something, of course the consumers rush to the stores which elicits a stronger emotional response.
to see what it’s all about.” Roberta Williams said of
CompUSA’s announcement: “I’m disappointed that
they decided to make a stand with my product.” Some
smaller retailers also decided not to stock Phantasma-
goria, but others like Walmart continued to carry it.
As well as the graphic gore and violence,
the rape scene in Phantasmagoria drew particular at-
tention and objections from the game’s critics. One
major newspaper claimed Phantasmagoria “makes a
game of sexual violence”. Multiple parents’ groups,
religious organizations, community action commit-
tees and special interest groups called for a boycott,
and sent letters to the Sierra offices in droves voicing
objections to the game. Phantasmagoria was banned
from most retailers in Australia by decree of the gov-
ernment’s Office of Film and Literature Classification.
The Roberta Williams Anthology collection was also
banned in Australia because it featured a one-chapter
preview of the game. The governments of two other
countries also banned Phantasmagoria. The game was
spotlighted in U.S. Senate hearings debating regula-
tion of content in the computer software industry,
and there was talk that it could re-ignite the debate in
Congress over whether to impose federally mandated
ratings on computer software that stores would be re-
quired to enforce.
410 • Photo CD Operating System

6.6 PGA Tour 97

Developer Electronic Arts
Publisher Electronic Arts, (jp) Electronic Arts Victor
Release date (jp) June 20, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-4 Players

PGA Tour 97 is a entry in the Electronic Arts PGA

Tour Golf series.
Players can choose to play as one of fourteen profes-
sional golfers such as Fuzzy Zoeller and Jim Gallagher
Jr. or choose to create their own golfer. Game modes
include letting the player practice a round of golf,
compete in a tournament, have a shoot-out, or compete
in a Skins game. The game features two 18 hole golf
courses to play at.

Photo CD Operating System

Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) June 23, 1995
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Photo CD Operating System, known as the Photo CD

Operator in Japan, is a special piece of Sega Saturn
software allowing the user to run Photo CD discs on
the console.
Later revisions of the Video CD Card negate the need
for this software by giving the Saturn native Photo CD
support.

7.4 Photo Genic

Developer Sunsoft, Fill in Cafe, Zero System
Publisher Sunsoft
Release date (jp) Januaty 29, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Photo Genic is a 1998 dating sim. The player controls

a boy that get a job as a photographer. The main goal
of the game is improve the boy stats and photograph
skills to make him win the heart of one of the girls of
the town. During the game the player have to make
decissions about what his character will got to do each
week (make gymnastics, study, make another jobs, etc)
to improve his stats.
The game came with a mini audio CD.
 Pia Carrot e Youkoso!! 2 • 411

Pia Carrot e Youkoso!! 7.7

Developer Cocktail Soft, Stack
Publisher KID
Release date (jp) March 12, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

In the dating sim, Pia Carrot e Yōkoso!!, the player

controls Yusuke Kinoshita, a 18-year-old Japanese
highschool student. He intends to have a cool sum-
mer vacation, but realizes he has no money. Having
no choice, he takes a job in his father’s restaurant, “Pia
Carrot”. Thus begins an adventure where he gets to
know many beautiful girls in the restaurant, and has to
decide which one is the love of his life.
“mobygames.com”

8.5 Pia Carrot e Youkoso!! 2

Developer NEC Interchannel
Publisher NEC Interchannel
Release date (jp) October 8, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Pia Carrot e Youkoso!! 2 originated on PC in 1997 as

a adult visual novel simulation game. The following
year the game was also released on Sega Saturn. The
game was later ported to Dreamcast, released under the
title Pia Carrot e Yōkoso!! 2.5, but the port removed all
adult content and reduced rating to all ages.
It is a sequel to Pia Carrot e Youkoso!!, and was re-
leased alongside the 1998 Welcome to Pia Carrot an-
ime

Pinball Graffiti 6.1

Developer Pack-In-Video, Victor Interactive Software
Publisher Pack-In-Video, (eu) JVC
Release date (jp) July 12, 1996
Genre Pinball
Mode 1-2 Players

Pinball Graffiti is a Sega Saturn pinball game. Unlike

its other Saturn rivals, Pinball Graffiti is rendered en-
tirely in 3D, and can hence offer several interesting
camera modes (such as a “ball cam”) which most other
pinball games are unable to provide. Pinball Graf-
fiti has remained a Saturn exclusive and has not been
ported to any other platforms as of yet.

“segaretro.org”
412 • Pocket Fighter

Planet Joker 3.3

Developer IMP
Publisher Naxat Soft
Release date (jp) March 7, 1997
Genre Shooter
Mode 1 Player

Planet Joker is a 2.5D shoot-’em-up released exclu-

sively in Japan.
The game is a standard scrolling shooter. At players
disposal are a main gun, smart bombs and rechargea-
ble shield. Modes include Normal, Time Attack, Score
Attack and Boss Attack modes. There are 7 mech/ships
to choose from, each with different capabilities and
weapons.
“shinforce.com”

Pocket Fighter
7.9 Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) July 9, 1998
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Super
Super Gem
GemFighter
FighterMini
MiniMix,
Mix,released in Japan
released in Japanas Pocket
as Fighter (Japanese:
ポケットファイター),
Pocket Fighter, is a is a Japanese
Japanese chibichildren’s fighting
fighting game origi-video game released by
Capcom in 1997
nally released byfor the CPS
Capcom in II1997
arcade
forsystem.
the CPSIt IIwas ar-ported to the PlaySta-
tion (which
cade system. retained the Pocket Fighter title for its American and European
release),
Sega
The Saturn,
game usesand
the WonderSwan (in Japan
same SD character only),
designs as well asused
previously PlaySta-
in Su-
tion 2 as a part of the SFA-themed compilation title, Street Fighter
per Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, a puzzle/fighting game by Capcom featuring their Alpha
Anthology.
fighting game characters. The roster includes characters from the Street Fight-
er, Darkstalkers, and Red Earth games. It also features many character cameos
from various Capcom games scattered in the background of the stages, such
as Balrog, Demitri, etc.
In addition to the standard fighting, there are various gems that the
player can collect during matches to power up their character, as well as ele-
mental orbs which can be thrown to the opponent in a variety of angles, which
may affect the opponent (turn into stone, freeze, etc.) Each character starts
each match with one of these.
There are two bars and three sub-bars in the interface. The two main
bars are the life bar and the super bar, the first indicates the character’s health
and the second their ability to perform “Mighty Combos”. The Mighty Combo
gauge itself can be filled up to 9 stocks. Each Mighty Combo has a level as-
signed to it, which determines how many “Mighty Combo” gauges it will
need.
There are four buttons: Punch, Kick, Special, and Taunt. The Special
button performs a chargeable move that cannot be blocked and upon impact
drops gems in the opponent’s possession. More gems will be dropped depend-
ing on how much the Special attack is charged.
416 • Powerslave

8.7 Powerslave
Developer Lobotomy Software
Publisher BMG Interactive, (us) Playmates Interactive
Release date (eu) September 26, 1996
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

Powerslave, known as Exhumed in Europe and

Seireki 1999: Pharaoh no Fukkatsu in Japan, is a first
person shooter.
The original version appeared on the PC as a
Build engine game and featured many mechanics, lev-
els and content that varied differently. This includes lin-
ear level design, in-game speech from the main charac-
ter, and stock lives that once they’ve run out, the game
ends for the player. When the game was brought to the
Sega Saturn and PlayStation, the game was rebuilt from
the ground up using a proprietary engine called Slave
Driver which was able to render more complex levels,
including rooms above other rooms, which was not pos-
sible on the Build engine.
Powerslave was released on the Sega Saturn
several months before its PlayStation counterpart, and
for its time was a technical showpiece for the system.
With better 3D performance, the PlayStation is able to
add more visual effects, true transparency (negating the
need for the checkerboard “mesh” pattern used for wa-
ter), and performance improvements in some areas.

“segaretro.org”

8.2

Playboy Karaoke
Collection Volume 1 & 2
Developer VIC Tokai
Publisher VIC Tokai
Release date (jp) August 9, 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Playerz

Playboy Karaoke Collection Volume 1 and 2 is a

1996 compilation of karaoke music videos with
Playboy models in the background. It was released
by VIC Tokai for the Sega Saturn exclusively in Ja-
pan.
 Primal Rage • 417

Primal Rage
5.9
Developer Probe Entertainment
Publisher Time Warner Interactive, (jp) Game Bank
Release date (us) November 14, 1995
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Primal Rage is a versus fighting game original-

ly developed and released by Atari Games to arcades
in 1994. The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic
version of Earth called “Urth”. Players control one of
seven large beasts that battle each other to determine
the planet’s fate. Matches feature many of the conven-
tions of fighting games from the era including special
moves and gory finishing maneuvers.
The Japanese Saturn release is notable for be-
ing the only port of that time to be released under the
Midway name, as Time Warner Interactive was ab-
sorbed into Midway’s home division a few years prior.
Said version removes any mention of TWI outright.
Animator Jason Leong recounted:
“Every year [Time Warner Interactive] throws a brain-
storming session where everybody brings up new game
ideas. A few years ago I brought up the concept of a
head-to-head dinosaur fighting game, which coinci-
dentally someone else also brought up, but their idea
was just two T. Rexes fighting. My original write-up
included ideas that finally appeared in the game, such
as different species of quickly moving dinosaurs and
the concept of the dinosaurs being gods.”
The game’s development began with a series
of production sketches of the fighters drawn by Leong.
Using these drawings as a basis, model maker Dan
Platt crafted model figures of the fighters, from which
were then cast flexible metal armatures. The models
were airbrushed according to Leong’s drawings. The
animations seen in the game were then filmed using
these models, through the process of stop motion ani-
mation, with about 400 frames shot for each fighter.
The Saturn version of Primal Rage was the last
version to be released. Senior producer Ken Humphries
explained, “To be honest, the Saturn version got lost in
the shuffle. In the process of trying to get other ver-
sions done, the Saturn version was the one they ended
up pulling resources from.” To allow the Saturn ver-
sion to run at a solid frame rate, the team used a frame
replacement speed of 30 MHz instead of the usual 60
MHz. According to Humphries, it was easier to make
the Saturn hardware approximate the size of the arcade
version sprites than it was with other conversions of
the game.
418 Policenauts

Policenauts
Developer Konami
7.8
Publisher Konami
Release date (jp) September 13, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

xxx Policenauts is a graphic adventure game with

a hard science fiction storyline, written and directed
xxx
by Hideo Kojima, and published by Konami. It was
initially released for the PC-9821 computer platform
in 1994, followed by remade versions for the 3DO in
1995, and the PlayStation and Sega Saturn in 1996.
The game has never been officially released outside
Japan, despite plans for an English localization of the
Saturn version.
Policenauts, like Snatcher before it, pays vari-
ous homages to previously existing works. An obvi-
ous one is Jonathan’s and Ed’s (the main characters)
respective resemblances to Riggs and Murtaugh from
Lethal Weapon; another is some scenes that are in-
spired by the 1978 film Coma. The game also pays
homage to the ancient Japanese tale of Urashima Taro.
The game centers on Jonathan Ingram,
one of the five “Policenauts”, astronauts with police
training, assigned to ensure the safety of Beyond
Coast, mankind’s first fully functional space colony in
the year 2013. Jonathan tests a new space walking suit,
but drifts away into space by accident and is presumed
dead by his colleagues. He is found alive and well 24 years later thanks to the
cold-sleep module connected to the suit. Three years later, Jonathan (now a private
investigator working in Old L.A.) is visited by his former wife, Lorraine, who asks
for Jonathan’s help in solving the disappearance of her current husband, Kenzo
Hojo, the only clues he left behind being a torn leaf, a set of capsules, and the word
“Plato”. Jonathan is reluctant to take her case at first, but after Lorraine leaves his
office, she is attacked and murdered by a man in a black motorcycle suit. Jonathan,
unable to catch the culprit, decides to fulfill his ex-wife’s final request and travels
to Beyond, where he is reunited with his former partner from his LAPD days, Ed
Brown, who agrees to help Jonathan investigate the circumstances surrounding
Hojo’s disappearance and Lorraine’s murder.
The game is set in a primarily first person perspective and uses a point-and-
click interface: the player can move the cursor and have the protagonist (Jonathan
Ingram) analyze objects around his environment or talk to other characters in the
game. Like in Snatcher, the game features shooting segments where the player
must defend their character from incoming enemies. The player can use the shoot-
ing trainer at the police department to test their reflex and accuracy. There are nu-
merous puzzles in the game, including an event where the player must dismantle
a bomb by following their partner’s instructions.
The console versions of the game all include support for their respective
mouse peripherals. The Saturn version features light gun support for the shooting
segments.
 Policenauts 419

Policenauts was first released for the NEC PC- Another reviewer said that he “truly thought adven-
9821 in 1994. The PC-98 version came on a single ture gaming could get no better than Snatcher” but
CD-ROM disc, with a floppy disk containing system Konami “has outdone themselves in everything from
data. All the cut-scenes were rendered using hand- the beyond-beautiful music to the professional quality
drawn pixel art as opposed to the cel art used in the cinemas.”
later versions. The game was notable for being an early ex-
The first console version was released for the ample of extensive voice recording in video games. It
3DO in 1995, consisting of two CD-ROM discs. An- also featured a theme revolving around space explo-
imated cut-scenes were added to this version along ration and occasional full-motion video cut scenes.
with CG animation, and all the graphics were re- The gameplay was largely similar to Snatcher, but
drawn. Limited edition copies came bundled with the with the addition of a point-and-click interface and
3DO mouse and a mousepad. Prior to releasing the some first-person shooter segments. Policenauts also
full version of the game, Konami issued the Police- introduced summary screens, which act to refresh the
nauts: Pilot Disk for the 3DO on April 21, 1995. This player’s memory of the plot upon reloading a save, an
disc contains a playable demo that covers most of the element Kojima would later use in Metal Gear Solid.
prologue, a glossary of in-game terms, featurettes, The PlayStation and Saturn versions of Policenauts
concept art, and information about the game’s voice can also read the memory card or storage device, re-
actors and developers. spectively, and add easter egg dialogue if a save file of
The PlayStation version (1996), also on two Konami’s dating sim Tokimeki Memorial is present, a
discs, made further additions by digitally fixing most technique Kojima would also later use in Metal Gear
of the graphics and movies from the 3DO version. A Solid.
supplemental disc, titled Policenauts: Private Collec-
tion was later released for the PlayStation, featuring The Saturn version of Policenauts was of-
much of the same content as the Pilot Disk, but re- ficially announced for a North American release by
placing the trial version of the game’s prologue with Konami on May 1996. A mock-up cover art was pro-
a collection of shooting sequences from later portions duced and featured on a promotional Sega pamphlet
of the game, as well as an earlier draft of the game’s packaged with certain games. However, the North
screenplay. American version was never released. According to
The last console version, released for the Sega Kojima, work began on the North American version,
Saturn, consists of three discs and adds support for but the developers were unable to synchronize the
Sega’s Virtua Gun light gun peripheral. The Saturn English dialogue with the animated FMV cut-scenes.
version includes the in-game glossary, Virtua Gun A fan translation of the PlayStation version
and Shuttle Mouse support, Saturn Backup Memory has been produced, which has gained attention from
support, additional scenes and dialogues, additional the video game media. Although the translation of the
character close-ups, uncensored breast animations, game content was nearly completed by Marc Laid-
bonus videos, alternate ending credits, and full 24 law and Artemio Urbina during the summer of 2007,
FPS anime cutscenes (at the expense of slightly re- the translation project could not find a programmer
duced video quality, compared to the PlayStation ver- to complete the insertion of translated material into a
sion’s 15 FPS cutscenes). According to Kojima in a version of the game and progress stalled.
1996 interview, the Saturn version was the definitive In August 2008, Something Awful forum
version of the game. member Michael “slowbeef” Sawyer began experi-
Also included in the Sega Saturn package is menting with approaches to add text to the PlaySta-
a picture book, complete with stickers to customise a tion version of the game which led to a revival of the
Virtua Gun and Saturn Backup Memory cartridge. project.
In 2008 the game was added to the PlaySta- On October 6, 2016, a fan translation was
tion Store’s Japanese Game Archives, making the released for the Sega Saturn version. This version
game downloadable for the PlayStation Portable and features additional scenes and dialogue, an in-game
PlayStation 3. glossary, light gun support, and other new features, as
GameFan’s three reviewers scored it 100, 94, well as an updated translation.
and 92 out of 100. One of the reviewers said that “Po-
licenauts has one of the best game storylines ever.”
420 • Princess Crown

8.4 Princess Crown

Developer Atlus
Publisher Atlus
Release date (jp) December 11, 1997
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Princess Crown is an action role-playing game.

Some of the team members involved in the project later
formed the game development company Vanillaware.
The game is a side-scroller with a medieval
setting, and features real-time combat.
The gameplay revolves around a few major mechanics. These involve
visiting towns, going on quests, gathering information, challenging bosses, and
engaging in battles. The game has a linear storyline. Princess Crown is played
in a side scrolling perceptive; hence, the chance of getting lost or losing track is
small.
The game’s exploration resembles that of Zelda II or Castlevania II. Ex-
ploration can be done via towns and paths. Towns are full of NPCs who have
information that is needed to progress through the game. Paths are routes placed
to move the player to the next town or event, and usually involve random en-
counters.
Encounters involve a combination of fighting elements and Role-playing
elements. The battle system is simple yet challenging. Mechanics used include
an attack command, guarding, evasion, items and recovery. As an average side-
scrolling RPG, it mainly focuses on spacing, timing, reading, knowledge and
evasion. What makes this game special is its power gauge, which is depleted by
various actions. If it runs out then the character will run out of breath, which is
needed to guard, evade and attack.
Item usage plays a big role in Princess Crown. This includes armor, re-
covery, magic, and throwing items.
Princess Crown begins with a little girl and her grandmother. The girl
picks up a book and her grandmother starts reading the story of thirteen-year-
old Princess Gradriel De Valendia. The player then takes on the role of Gradriel
throughout her adventure as she travels her kingdom of Valendia wanting to re-
solve its many problems with her own hands. However, as is common with such
tales, Gradriel encounters more trouble than she could have ever imagined.
After completing the story of Princess Gradriel, more books become
available, thus allowing players to take on the roles of three characters that
Gradriel has met on her journey. Edward Glowstar is a chivalrous knight on a
quest to avenge his father and becomes a valuable ally to the Princess. Proser-
pina is a mischievous young witch who the player must fight her several times
throughout Gradriel’s story. Portgas Chrisford is a friendly, Robin Hood-esque
pirate whom Gradriel first encounters when another pirate is committing unjust
acts using Portgus’ name. These three stories are substantially shorter than the
first.
Princess Crown received a 7.75 out of 10 average from Japanese Weekly
TV Gamer magazine, based on individual scores of 7, 7, and 8. While it was
never released outside Japan, it has since been regarded as a popular import title
among Western Saturn owners.
 Princess Maker 2 • 421

Princess Maker: 7.5

Yumemiru Yousei
Developer Gainax, Ninelives
Publisher Gainax
Release date (jp) June 18, 1998
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

This is the fourth in Gainax’ Princess Maker simula-

tion series. A young fairy wants to become a human
princess. She decides to make her reborn as a princess,
and entrusts her future to the players. They are the one
responsible for what the little princess will become.
They can give her a good education, let her study a lot,
fight, develop her sense for arts, etc.
“mobygames.com”

8.0 Princess Maker 2

Developer Gainax, AKAI
Publisher Microcabin
Release date (jp) October 27, 1995
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Princess Maker 2 is the second installment in

the Princess Maker series of life simulation games de-
veloped by the Japanese company Gainax
In this
The gamefantasy
takesgame,
place the
in aplayer takes
fantasy roleroughly
world of modelled after
a war hero
medieval who raises
Europe. a girl tocharacter
The player’s the age is
ofa18. At the
famous warrior who defended
end kingdom
the of the game, fromtheandaughter
invasiongoes into a line
by Lucifon, theofPrince
work; of Darkness; conse-
what thishework
quently, is, howthroughout
is known much talenttheshe hasasfor
land it, her hero and receives
a military
marital
an annual life, and from
salary her overall happiness
the palace. all depend
One night, on a communication
he receives
the player’s
from actions.identity is determined by the birthdate you select at the
a god whose
beginning of the game. This god bestows upon him a child of the heavens,
and it is his duty to raise her from the age of 10 to the age of 18, at which
point she will enter a line of work; the most desirable outcome is that of a
royal princess, hence the name of the game.
The daughter has a set of statistics that fluctuate depending on the
activities the player assigns to her schedule, including various part-time
jobs, schooling, adventure, and free time. It is these statistics that ultimate-
ly determine her final occupation, her skill level in her line of work, and her
overall happiness in life; her marital fate is also decided, in part, by these
statistics. The game also makes use of some invisible statistics to determine
the occurrence of certain special events.
The god who visits the father is the daughter’s patron god. That
patron determines her starting statistics in such a way that is loosely related
to the god’s role in the Roman pantheon; for example, a girl born under
Mars begins the game with an advantage in fighting reputation. The game
features 74 possible endings.
An English-language version of Princess Maker 2 Refine was re-
leased via Steam in Fall 2016.
422 • Private Idol Disc Series

Private Idol Disc Series

Developer Sada Soft
Publisher Sada Soft
Genre
Mode
Miscellaneous
1 Player
Private Idol Disc
Data-hen Race Queen F
The Private Idol Disc series is a software series fea-
turing mostly photo galleries and videos on J-Idols
and gravure Idol (Japanese glamour models) who
were popular at the time. Some discs include differ-
ent mini-games, quiz, profiles on the girls (date of
birth, height, weight, blood type, bust, waist, hips,
foot size , hometown), etc.. Some also came with
a post-card or stickers. These games were only re-
leased in Japan. December 27, 1996

Private Idol Disc Tokubetsu Hen

Cosplayers Private Idol Disc
Data Hen Race Queen G

November 29, 1996

January 29, 1997

Private Idol Disc Tokubetsu

Hen Kogal Daihyakka 100
Private Idol Disc Tokubetsu Hen
Campaign Girl ‘97

June 20, 1997

April 25, 1997

424 • Private Idol Disc Series

Private Idol Disc Vol.1:

Kinoshita Yuu
Private Idol Disc Vol.2:
Uchiyama Miki

Volume 1 feature gravure

Idol Kinoshita Yu. The
photo gallery includes 12
photos. The video library
include 2 self-introduc-
tions and 1 image video. A
reaction mini game is also
included. August 30, 1996

July 26, 1996

Private Idol Disc Vol.4:

Kuroda Mirei
Private Idol Disc Vol.3:
Ooshima Akemi

Profile
• Birthday April 20, 1978
• Height 157 cm
• Bust 95 cm
• Waist 58 cm
Profile
June 27, 1997 • Hip 81 cm
Birthday July 22, 1971 •
• Hobby Reading, watch-
Height 166 cm •
ing movies, body boards,
Bust 86 cm •
making plastic models
Waist 57 cm • September 27, 1996
Hip 87 cm •
Blood type A type •
Hobby cooking, dancing •
 Private Idol Disc Series • 425

Private Idol Disc Vol.6:

Private Idol Disc Vol.5: Yoshida Satomi
Fujisaki Nanako

September 25, 1997

August 8, 1997
December 27, 1996
December 27, 1996 Private Idol Disc Vol.8:
Furukawa Emiko
Private Idol Disc Vol.7:
Asou Kaori

November 27, 1997

December 27, 1996

Private Idol Disc Vol.10:
Masaki Mai

November 20, 1997

December 11, 1997

Private Idol Disc Vol.9:

December 27, 1996
Nagamatsu Keiko Private Idol Disc Vol.11:
Hirose Mayumi

December 4, 1997

December 18, 1997

December 27, 1996 December 27, 1996
426 • Princess Quest

6.0 Princess Quest

Developer Increment P, AIC Spirits
Publisher Increment P
Release date (jp) March 19, 1998
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

Princess Quest is a Japanese video game published in 1998 for the

Sega Saturn system, illustrated by Sugiyama Genshō. It was based on a 1996
audio drama of the same name. The game was subsequently ported to PC un-
der the title Princess Quest R.
The story revolves around five princesses from surrounding kingdoms
who are visiting Granmalnie Castle, but young Prince Tapioca isn’t showing
much interest. Meanwhile, someone makes off with a valuable item. Queen
Madeleine hires a young swordsman named Willow to investigate the theft.
Willow is joined by Pal, a magical creature who transforms Willow into a girl,
named Will. Using this disguise, Willow tries to gain the trust of the prin-
cesses, in hopes of determining who is responsible for the theft.
While the gameplay can be described as a classic turn-based role-play-
ing video game, the main focus of the game is on interacting with the NPCs
and discovering what they are up to. The story is set in the Kingdom of Dilma,
with a cast of royalty who engage in all sorts of strange antics, and is filled
with silly humor, which includes most of the characters being named after
various kinds of food, and transgender humor in the style of Ranma ½.

5.8
Prisoner of Ice: Jashin Kourin
Developer Infogrames
Publisher Xing Entertainment
Release date (jp) December 23, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Prisoner of Ice: Jashin Kourin, also known as Prisoner of Ice, or Call

of Cthulhu: Prisoner of Ice, is a point and click adventure game originally
released for the PC and Macintosh in 1995. It is based on H. P. Lovecraft’s
Cthulhu Mythos, particularly At the Mountains of Madness, and is a follow-up
to Infogrames’ earlier Shadow of the Comet.
Prisoner of Ice begins during the run-up to World War II, primarily
around Antarctica. The main character is a young U.S. intelligence officer, Lt.
Ryan, who has been assigned to a British submarine, the HMS Victoria, for a
special mission. As the game begins, the submarine is fleeing the Antarctic af-
ter rescuing a Norwegian who has recently escaped from a secret German base
in the Antarctic (it is later revealed that the base is built atop the Ancient Ruins
mentioned in At the Mountains of Madness). Along with the Norwegian, the
sub has picked up two mysterious cargo crates stolen from the Nazis.
The Sega Saturn port contain no enhancements from the PC versions.
The English voice acting of the PC version is retained, but the text which ap-
pears when examining or picking up objects is translated to Japanese. The
game is compatible with the Netlink Mouse.
 Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine ‘97 Make Miracle • 427

7.9 Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine ‘97

Developer Sega CS1
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) March 28, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine 97 is part of the Pro Yakyuu

Greatest Nine Baseball series. The games plays mostly
the same and follows the same basic control setup as
most baseball titles released at the time. The pitcher
throws within a small box and the batter tries to hit the
ball within the same box. The pitcher can choose from
four different throwing styles and each pitcher has both
strengths and weaknesses while the same is true of bat-
ters as well.

Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine ‘97 7.2

Make Miracle
Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) September 25, 1997
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine 97 Make Miracle is an up-

date of Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine 97. Updates include
corrections of the previous game. It also made it pos-
sible to change the viewpoint during play.

7.5 Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine ‘98

Developer Sega CS1
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) March 26, 1998
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Another entry in the Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine Base-

ball series. In this game, players have the option of an
exhibition, season or playoff game as well as a homer-
un contest.
428 • Pro Yakyuu Team mo Tsukurou!

6.8 Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine ‘98

Summer Action
Developer Sega
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) August 6, 1998
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Pro Yakyuu Greatest Nine 98 Summer Action is a

“summer” edition, or update, of Pro Yakyuu Greatest
Nine 98.

Pro Yakyuu Team mo Tsukurou! 8.2

Developer Sega CS1
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) February 19, 1998
Genre Sports
Mode 1-2 Players

Pro Yakyuu Team mo Tsukurou! is a Sega Saturn entry

in the Let’s Make series. It was the first baseball entry
in the series (mo tsukurou means “let’s also make”),
and was followed by Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou! on
the Dreamcast.

“segaretro.org!!”

7.9 Pro Mahjong Kiwame S

Developer Athena
Publisher Athena
Release date (jp) January 12, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Pro Mahjong Kiwame S is a mahjong game released

for both the Sega Titan Video arcade hardware and the
Sega Saturn. The game is part of the larg Pro Mahjong
Kiwame series that focuses on high-level mahjong
play.
 Pro-Pinball • 429

Pro-Pinball
7.8 Developer Cunning Developments
Publisher (us) Interplay, (eu) Empire Interactive
Release date (eu) August, 1996
Genre Pinball
Mode 1-4 Players

Pro Pinball: The Web, Pro Pinball in North

America, is the first game in the Pro Pinball series. It is
a pinball simulation in which players operate a virtual
pinball table. Players can score extra points by making
combos, i.e. performing a move twice in a row. Hitting
targets at the far end of the table activates the game’s
missions, in which the player must hit lighted ramps or
bumpers to score bonus points. Completing a mission
results in a huge point bonus.
The PlayStation and Saturn versions received
mixed reviews. While critics praised the realistic pin-
ball graphics and physics and the wide variety of scor-
ing opportunities, they criticized the voice samples
and the absence of a directly overhead view. Some also
concluded that with only one table, the game would
get old very quickly, though a reviewer for Next Gen-
eration remarked, “While many developers have tried
to wow gamers with multiple tables, Empire went the
other way - giving the player one table, but doing it
right.” Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot concluded that
it “is a convincing simulation of pinball, but it falls
short when compared to other video pinball games.”
Rob Allsetter of Sega Saturn Magazine assessed that
“All in all, this is a decent enough interpretation of the
game itself, let down only by the exclusion of different
table to variate the action a little”.

Pro Shinan Mahjong:

Tsuwamono
Developer Culture Brain
Publisher Culture Brain
Release date (jp) July 8, 1999
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Pro Shinan Mahjong Tsuwamono is a 1999 game by

Culture Brain for the Sega Saturn.
432 • Pu-Li-Ru-La/Arcade Gears

5.6 Pu-Li-Ru-La/Arcade Gears

Developer GOO!
Publisher Xing
Release date (jp) August 28, 1997
Genre Beat ‘em up
Mode 1-2 Players

Pu-Li-Ru-La is a psychedelic side-scrolling beat ‘em

up set in the magical land of Radishland. The game is
notable for its surreal graphic design, featuring digi-
tized graphics merged with hand-drawn sprites and
featuring mostly colorful nonsensical graphics. The
game features single player or co-op two-player game-
play modes.

“mobygames.com”
 Pup-Breeder • 431

The Psychotron 5.9

Developer Merit Studio
Publisher Gaga Communications
Release date (jp) October 27, 1995
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

The Psychotron is an full motion video adventure game

originally released for Windows in 1994.
The game is set in a wild Texan environment. A sort
of Mission Impossible type of game. The player have
been assigned by the US President and the FBI to find
out a missing official science project. The game offers
the player several puzzles, card and board game se-
quences.
“mobygames.com”

6.6 Pup-Breeder
Developer Sai-Mate
Publisher Sai-Mate
Release date (jp) November 1, 1996
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Pup-Breeder is a a life breeding simulation. In the

game, players start with choosing the type of creature
they want, then put them in to the 3D world. Next they
can guide them about using various commands shown
around the creature.

PriCla Daisakusen 5.2

Developer Atlus
Publisher Atlus
Release date (jp) November 15, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1-2 Players

Purikura Daisakusen plays as an isometric scrolling

shooter, in which the player must navigate their chosen
character through stages, killing enemies with magic
attacks while collecting power-ups and other unique
items. Attacks can be melee or ranged, with each be-
ing capable of being upgraded via power-ups, and a
dodge ability allows the player to avoid most basic at-
tacks. Each character also has a “super” form, which
becomes available with enough magic energy.
432 • Puyo Puyo Sun

x.x
Puyo Puyo Sun
Developer Compile
Publisher Compile
Release date (jp) February 14, 1997
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Puyo Puyo SUN is the third installment of the

Puyo Puyo games series, and the sequel to Puyo Puyo
Tsu. After the highly acclaimed success of its predeces-
sor, Compile took a slightly more retro approach, so
players had a more original feel to the game over that of
Tsu.
The name of Puyo Puyo SUN comes from a Japanese pun on san, and
also indicates a new Puyo brought into the game. As Sun Puyo were used in
this game, and the game itself is not only set on a tropical beach, but is the
third in the series (san is the Japanese word for the number three), the name
served multiple purposes.
Just like the predecessors, Puyo fall from the top of the screen in pairs,
can be moved left and right, and can be rotated clockwise and anti-clockwise
by 90°; if the third column from the left fills up to the top, the game is over.
New for Puyo Puyo Sun are the Sun Puyos, which can be added to combos for
extra damage. Also includes 2P vs gameplay, challenge modes and galleries
and other bonus features.
The game features three story modes, each with their own character;
Easy Mode - Draco Centauros: As Draco, the player has to fight against three
enemies: Skeleton-T, Harpy, and Choppun.
Normal Mode - Arle Nadja: In this 13-stage mode, players take the role of the
original protagonist, Arle Nadja. As Arle, you have to fight Draco Centauros,
Incubus, Suketoudara, Kiki-Mora, Nohoho, Kidomo Dragon, Witch, Honey
Bee, Zoh-Daimaoh, Lagnus the Brave, Rulue, Schezo, and Satan.
Hard Mode - Schezo Wegey: In this 8-stage mode, players take the role of
Schezo Wegey. As Schezo, they have to fight the latter 8 stages along Arle’s
quest, starting with Kidomo Dragon, and ending with Satan. Along the way,
Schezo gets snagged in a net by Kidomo Dragon, and Honey Bee’s giant sy-
ringe gets slotted into the back of his head. Lagnus tries to attack Schezo, but
Schezo steps out of the way, causing Lagnus to trip, and shrinking back to his
kid form. Instead of facing himself at Stage 7, he faces Arle.
The plot revolve about Satan, who has once again decided to create
another test by using special magic to pull the Sun closer to the Earth on a
remote island. This created a semi-resort, in which characters have decided to
visit. Arle, together with Carbuncle, find the sun too hot, and see the building
that Satan’s emanating his own heat wave. Draco loves the hot weather and
appears in a bikini, whereas Schezo, who takes refuge in a cave, finds that it’s
just not cool enough, and decides to find out what’s happening.
Puyo Puyo SUN became an instant hit for the PlayStation and Sega
Saturn mostly because it had included a Nazo Puyo mode, as did the PC ver-
sion. The original arcade Version of Puyo Puyo SUN was an almost exact
copy of the Sega Saturn version, as for the fact it appeared in the Sega STV
hardware; one major difference being the added voices to the Saturn version.
 Puyo Puyo Tsuu • 433

7.8 Puyo Puyo Tsuu

Developer Compile
Publisher Compile
Release date (jp) October 27, 1995
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Puyo Puyo Tsu is the second installment of the

Puyo Puyo games; the sequel to Puyo Puyo, made in
1994 by Compile. Compile put more thought into this
game after its predecessor became successful, but nev-
er knew how much of a turnaround the game would
bring.
Due to its highly
highly acclaimed
acclaimed success,
success, ititbecame
became the most pre-
dominant game of the game
the most predominant series.ofJust like theThough
the series. first game,
withPuyo fall from
the
many topofofits
therules
screen in pairs,
being can be moved
experimental, left and
the ability of right, and can
be rotated clockwise and counter-clockwise by 90°; if the third col-
umn from the left fills up to the top, the game is over. The game has
multiple new rules. The first extended rule added to this game was
called Sousai (Garbage Countering). This will allow a player to coun-
ter and negate garbage being sent by the opponent with chains of their
own. Sousai can also be used to send garbage back to the opponent,
known as Garbage overflow. The standard ojamas were kept with the
release of Puyo Puyo Tsu, however, two new garbage types also ap-
peared, known as Point Puyos and Hard Puyos. Point Puyos, when
erased adjacently with neighbouring groups of puyos, add points to
your overall score, and can also make your chains more powerful in
the short-term. Hard Puyos, when they land on the field, are harder to
erase than Standard Garbage or Point Puyos, and are often referred to
as Steelies.
Unlike its predecessor, Puyo Puyo Tsu has three different
modes for each type. The three main modes are, Single Puyo Puyo,
Double Puyo Puyo, and Endless Puyo Puyo.

Pyon Pyon Kyaruru no 5.9

Mahjong Hiyori
Developer Natsu System
Publisher Natsume
Release date (jp) December 20, 1996
Genre Table
Mode 1 Player

Pyon Pyon Kyaruru no Mahjong Hiyori is a 1996

mahjong game for the Sega Saturn by Natsume with
anime-style characters. It was only released in Japan
436 • Quake

8.5 Quake
Developer Lobotomy Software
Publisher Sega
Release date (us) December 3, 1997
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

xxx Quake is a first-person shooter, originally

developed
xxx by id Software and published by GT In-
teractive in 1996. It is the first game in the Quake
series. In the game, players must find their way
through various maze-like, medieval environ-
ments while battling a variety of monsters using a
wide array of weapons.
In the single-player game, the player takes
the role of the protagonist known as Ranger who
was sent into a portal in order to stop an enemy
code-named “Quake”.
In Quake’s single-player mode, players
explore and navigate to the exit of each Gothic
and dark level, facing monsters and finding secret
areas along the way. Usually there are switches to
activate or keys to collect in order to open doors
before the exit can be reached. Reaching the exit
takes the player to the next level. Before accessing
an episode, there is a set of three pathways with
easy, medium, and hard skill levels. The fourth
skill level, “Nightmare”, was “so bad that it was
hidden, so people won’t wander in by accident”;
the player must drop through water before the epi-
sode four entrance and go into a secret passage to
access it.
A preview included with id’s very first release, 1990’s Commander
Keen, advertised a game entitled The Fight for Justice as a follow-up to the
Commander Keen trilogy. It would feature a character named Quake, “the
strongest, most dangerous person on the continent”, armed with thunderbolts
and a “Ring of Regeneration”. Conceived as a VGA full-color side-scrolling
role-playing game, The Fight for Justice was never released.
Lead designer and director John Romero later conceived of Quake as
an action game taking place in a fully 3D world, inspired by Sega AM2’s 3D
fighting game Virtua Fighter. Quake was also intended to feature Virtua Fight-
er influenced third-person melee combat. However, id Software considered it
to be risky. Because the project was taking too long, the third-person melee
was eventually dropped. This led to creative differences between Romero and
id Software, and eventually his departure from the company after Quake was
released.
Quake was given as a title to the game that id Software was working
on shortly after the release of Doom II. The earliest information released de-
scribed Quake as focusing on a Thor-like character who wields a giant ham-
mer, and is able to knock away enemies by throwing the hammer (complete
with real-time inverse kinematics). Initially, the levels were supposed to be
 Quake • 437

designed in an Aztec style, but the choice was fiability of the Quake engine, and many entity mods
dropped some months into the project. Early screen- (that placed monsters in the otherwise empty multi-
shots then showed medieval environments and drag- player maps) and custom player skins began appear-
ons. The plan was for the game to have more RPG- ing online before the full game was even released.
style elements. However, work was very slow on the Initially, the game was designed so that when
engine, since John Carmack, the main programmer the player ran out of ammunition, the player charac-
of Quake, was not only developing a fully 3D engine, ter would hit enemies with a gun-butt. Shortly before
but also a TCP/IP networking model (Carmack later release this was replaced with an axe.
said that he should have done two separate projects The Saturn version of Quake was handled
which developed those things). by Lobotomy Software. Rather than running on the
Eventually, the whole id Software team be- Quake engine like other ports, Lobotomy chose to
gan to think that the original concept may not have use their own custom made 3D engine made spe-
been as wise a choice as they first believed. Thus, the cifically for the Saturn labeled “Slave Driver”. This
final game was very stripped down from its original is also the engine used in other PC-to-Saturn ports
intentions, and instead featured gameplay similar to such as PowerSlave/Exhumed and Duke Nukem 3D,
Doom and its sequel, although the levels and ene- though Quake is the only game to use fully 3D ob-
mies were closer to medieval RPG style rather than jects and enemies.
science-fiction. In a December 1, 1994 post to an on- The Saturn port has four exclusive levels
line bulletin board, John Romero wrote, “Okay, peo- named “Purgatorium”, “Hell’s Aerie”, “The Coli-
ple. It seems that everyone is speculating on whether seum” and “Watery Grave” replacing original secret
Quake is going to be a slow, RPG-style light-action levels. The 3D Control Pad can also be used for more
game. Wrong! What does id do best and dominate precise control. There is no multiplayer mode of any
at? Can you say “action”? I knew you could. Quake kind in this version. Predictably the Saturn hardware
will be constant, hectic action throughout – probably restricts the screen resolution to 320x240 and makes
more so than Doom.” cuts in both polygon counts and texture sizes. Walls
The music and sound design was done by were added to guarantee less geometry is rendered
Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails, using ambient in certain sections, causing minor adjustments to the
soundscapes and synthesized drones to create atmos- level design. Weapons models that player holds were
pheric tracks. In an interview, Reznor remarked that made 2D, leading to curious effects such as lighting
the Quake soundtrack “is not music, it’s textures and from lighting gun always appearing of same lenght
ambiences and whirling machine noises and stuff. and super shotgun showing muzzle flash twice per
We tried to make the most sinister, depressive, scary, shot.
frightening kind of thing... It’s been fun.” The game However, thanks to “Slave Drive” engine,
also has some ammo boxes decorated with the Nine Saturn version makes use of colored lighting, which
Inch Nails logo. wasn’t supported in original PC release. It was fea-
The game engine developed for Quake, the ture that would often be brought up when promoting
Quake engine, popularized several major advances the game. PC release would later get official OpenGL
in the first-person shooter genre: polygonal models source port, which, while technically supported
instead of prerendered sprites; full 3D level design colored lighting, replaced all dynamic lighting with
instead of a 2.5D map; prerendered lightmaps; and orange transperent “ball of light” on default configu-
allowing end users to partially program the game (in ration.
this case with QuakeC), which popularized fan-cre- Curiously under the ESRB system for North
ated modifications (mods). America, the Saturn version of the game is the only
Before the release of the full game or the version to have received a “T” as opposed to “M”.
shareware version of Quake, id Software released US version of a game appears to be improved
QTest on February 24, 1996. It was described as a over EU release, as it was released later. It had some
technology demo and was limited to three multi- bugs fixed, as well as additional minor changes were
player maps. There was no single-player support and implented. Examples are: the looping sound of when
some of the gameplay and graphics were unfinished the bridge to silver key is done moving in E1M2 (Ep-
or different from their final versions. QTest gave isode 1 - Map 2) was fixed and rain effect was added
gamers their first peek into the filesystem and modi- to the “Purgatorium” secret level of the first episode.
438 • Quantum Gate I: Akumu no Joshou

Quantum Gate I:
5.5
Akumu no Joshou
Developer Fupac
Publisher Gaga Communications
Release date 1995-09-29
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Quantum Gate I: Akumu no Joshou is a port of the 1993 PC game

Quantum Gate. The sequel to that game, The Vortex: Quantum Gate II was
released before this Saturn port, hence the “I” badge; it seems that a port of
that game was planned as well.
The player takes on the role of Private Drew Griffin, an army medical
student in the year 2057 who is recruited by the UN on a secret mission to an
alien world where water is scarce.
During the mission briefing Drew discovers that an advanced envi-
ronmental simulation program called Earth-5 has predicted that there are only
five years remaining before irreversible ecological damage caused by indus-
trialisation, pollution and the overuse and destruction of natural resources
will cause the Earth’s demise. The Eden Initiative, of which this mission is
the major part, is a project aimed at saving Earth from this Armageddon. The
key to this is the rare mineral iridium oxide, found on the harsh alien planet
AJ3905. AJ3905 is a world accessible only through an interplanetary device
called the Quantum Gate and the mission involves a series of mining expedi-
tions to extract the mineral and bring it back to Earth. However, AJ3905’s
hellish atmosphere consists of a poisonous, caustic gas that promises an ago-
nising death for unprotected humans which requires the wearing of a pro-
tective suit. Furthermore, it is occupied by a hostile life form that appear as
frighteningly skeletal anthropomorphic forms through the Tophat’s virtual
reality display. It is the role of Griffin and his fellow army recruits to protect
the scientific mining crew during their repeated forays to the planet.
As the game progresses the overall feel becomes increasingly dark;
from the initial briefing which consists of confronting images of dying ani-
mals, famine and industrial pollution, through the increasingly paranoid rant-
ings of Private Michaels to the distressed and teary messages from Griffins
mother and girlfriend. The gameplay itself is extremely linear in nature, as
is normally exhibited by interactive movies and the player’s input is limited
to conversing with other characters (through a choice of pre-existing phras-
es) and some involvement during missions. The game is unusual in that the
player ‘wins’ only by having their character die (or possibly fall unconscious
as this, like so much else in the game, is never made completely clear). This
allows the shock-conclusion reveal of the true nature of the planet and its in-
habitants, and hence the most likely truth of the character’s own participation
in genocide. For these reasons the game and its message are quite confront-
ing.
Reviewing the PC version, Computer Gaming World said in March
1994 that Quantum Gate had good acting and was “one of the most engaging
CD titles yet to appear”. In April 1994 the magazine said that it “packs a
good entertainment punch” and “interesting”, but “it’s still a game—not the
great leap beyond the marketing folks would have you believe”.
 Quarterback Attack • 439

Quarterback Attack 6.7

Developer Digital Pictures
Publisher Digital Pictures
Release date (us) 1995-11
Genre Sports
Mode 1 Player

Quarterback Attack with Mike Ditka is a 1995 football game pub-

lished by Digital Pictures for the Sega Saturn, 3DO and MS-DOS. It fea-
tures Mike Ditka as head coach of the player’s team. Unlike in most football
video games, the player does not control an entire team. Instead, Quar-
terback Attack attempts to simulate the experience of being a professional
quarterback, with the other players rendered in full motion video (FMV).
This break with convention divided critical response to the game.
The game was developed on a budget of two million dollars. The
video footage was filmed over two weeks. When asked if it was difficult
to call up his usual energy when working with a film crew instead of a real
game-day situation, Mike Ditka said, “I’ve been called a lot of things, and
being called ‘an actor’ has been one of them. It’s not that hard to do, re-
ally.”
The two sports reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly both
praised the unique game concept and said that despite being FMV-based,
the game is actually fun to play. A Next Generation critic agreed: “It’s
tempting to write this game off as another novelty FMV product, but when
given the proper attention, this one might just surprise even the most die-
hard of sports fans.” He elaborated that the fast pace and smooth transitions
between video clips enhance the feeling of being in a real football game.
His one criticism was that the video quality is subpar by Saturn standards.
Greasy Gus of GamePro also felt the game simulated the quarterback ex-
perience with a surprising amount of realism and interactivity, noting that
“You do everything a real QB does: call the play and the cadence, study the
defense at the line and adjust with audibles if necessary, dodge the rush,
find your open man, and get your crosshair on him for a clean pass. You
even have the option of eating the ball Steve Young-style and scrambling for
some yards yourself.” He found the graphics and sounds were both suffi-
cient though not without problems, but concluded that many gamers would
miss the comprehensive modes and options typical of football video games.
Reviewing the 3DO version for the same mag, Coach Kyle was even less
forgiving of the game’s novel concept; though he praised the video quality
and humorous taunts, he focused most of his review lambasting the lack of
football game conventions such as multiplayer modes, licensing, and the
ability to control an entire team.
After Digital Pictures bankruptcy, the rights to several of their
games were purchased by a consortium that included visual effects com-
pany Flash Film Works. In December 2016, Quarterback Attack was remas-
tered from the original source video and released as an app for Google Play
and iTunes.
Footage from the game was used in the film Game Over.
440 • QuoVadis

Quiz Nanairo Dreams 7.9

Nijiirochou no Kiseki
Developer Capcom
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) June 27, 1997
Genre Trivia
Mode 1-2 Players

Quiz Nanairo Dreams: Nijiiro-chō no Kiseki (“Quiz

Seven Color Dreams - Miracle of Rainbow Color Vil-
lage”) is a quiz game/dating sim produced by Capcom
that was first released in 1996 as a coin-operated ar-
cade game running on the CP System II platform. Con-
sole versions for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn on
June 27, 1997. It was released only in Japan.

5.8 QuoVadis
Developer Glams
Publisher Glams
Release date (jp) December 21, 1995
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

QuoVadis is a strategy simulation game released by

Grams for Sega Saturn in 1995, and PlayStation in
1997. The battles is set on a hex map.

QuoVadis 2: 7.1
Wakusei Kyoushuu Ovan Rei
Developer Glams
Publisher Glams
Release date (jp) April 4, 1997
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

QuoVadis 2: Wakusei Kyoushuu Ovan Rei is a simula-

tion game for the Sega Saturn and sequel to QuoVadis.
The gameplay is mostly the same and follow the story
of the first game.
442 • Rabbit

6.7 R?MJ The Mystery Hospital

Developer Bandai
Publisher Bandai
Release date (jp) December 18, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

R?MJ is an interactive horror adventure with full voice-

acting. The story takes place in a summer of 1999, as a
large explosion occurred in a General Hospital. Due to
a deadly virus being released, the hospital is on lock-
down, and Hajime are left with no way out. The player
assumes a role of Hajime who after going to visit his
best friend, finds himself trapped in a hospital along
with his two friends, Ryou and Tomowo, and a rookie
nurse Aya.

Rabbit 6.3
Developer Aorn
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (jp) June 27, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Rabbit is an 2D arcade versus fighting game that was

ported to the Sega Saturn. The game feature cartoonish
colorful graphics. The game has 8 playable characters.
Each character has a special animal spirit that helps
with the battle (e.g. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) - and
they have a spirit’ bar to use these specials. The game
uses 4 buttons - for light punch, heavy punch, light
kick, and heavy kick.
“mobygames.com”

3.9 Race Drivin’

Developer Polygames
Publisher Time Warner Interactive
Release date (jp) August 4, 1995
Genre Racing
Mode 1 Player

Race Drivin’ is the sequel to Hard Drivin’, and was re-

leased among other consoles for the Sega Mega Drive
in 1993 and the Sega Saturn in 1995.
Race Drivin’ expands on Hard Drivin’, by adding
more courses and vehicles. Like its prequel, the world
is presented in full 3D with polygon graphics. Though
impressive for Mega Drive hardware, the game looks
very dated and primitive on the Sega Saturn.
“segaretro.org”
 Radiant Silvergun • 443

Radiant Silvergun 9.0

Developer Digital Pictures
Publisher Digital Pictures
Release date (us) 1995-11
Genre Sports
Mode 1 Player

Radiant Silvergun is a vertically scrolling ‘shoot-em-up’, developed

by Treasure. It was released in arcades on the Sega Titan Video (ST-V)
platform in 1998, and subsequently ported to the very similar home console
the Sega Saturn with added cutscenes by noted animation studio Gonzo. In
2011 it was released on Xbox Live Arcade internationally.
The game features a unique and innovative weapons system, with
seven weapons available at any time. The player has three buttons to con-
trol the weapons; the weapon fired depends on the combination of buttons
pressed. According to producer Hiroshi Iuchi, the main inspiration for the
game’s design was Image Fight, a 1988 arcade game by Irem.
Unlike in most other shoot ‘em ups, there are no power-ups. All
weapons are available from the start. Weapons can ‘level up’, however,
becoming more powerful as the player uses them to score points. There are
a selection of seven weapons that can be used at any given time. The game
rewards players for “chaining” enemies of just one of three colors, red,
blue, or yellow. Whenever the player kills three enemies that are of the same
color, they can obtain a points bonus. This also facilitates faster upgrading
of weapons.
The game is designed so that there is almost always a ‘right’ weapon
for any situation. The bosses in the game are designed so that they have
multiple ‘sections’ which, if all destroyed before the ‘core’ of the boss, will
award the players with point bonuses. Being able to apply the right weapons
on any different boss is key to obtaining these bonuses. For example, a boss
may have two sections located on either side of the screen. Players could
immediately go up to one and begin shooting it with a vulcan, or they could
hover in the centre and hit both at the same time with the side bombs. This
would increase their chance of obtaining the bonus before the time limit
runs out and the boss self-destructs.
Retro Gamer included the Sega Saturn version of “this incredible
shooter deserving of all its praise” on their list of ten essential Saturn im-
ports: “Everything about Radiant Silvergun is magnificent. Graphically its
spectacular with all sorts of fancy tricks that push the Saturns hardware
to its limits. Mechanically it impresses as well with a perfectly balanced
weapon system, a colour coding scoring system that would admittedly be
refined in spiritual successor, Ikaruga and some incredibly challenging
bosses. Even a digital release on Xbox Live Arcade hasn’t stopped copies
of the Saturn original from selling for north of £100 on auction sites.” By
2003, the Sega Saturn version had sold 50,000 copies.
The Xbox360 port was released in 2011 via the Xbox Live Arcade
service. Rather than emulate the Sega Saturn, the source code was used to
port the game to the Xbox 360’s hardware. Sprites were redrawn in high
definition with an optional blooming effect, true alpha blending implement-
ed (buggy and therefore limited on Saturn and Titan hardware) and a post-
process filter applied to enhance the look of the game.
444 • Rampo

Rampage World Tour 6.2

Developer Point of View
Publisher Midway, (eu) GT Interactive Software
Release date (us) November 26, 1997
Genre Action
Mode 1-2

Rampage World Tour is an updated version of the orig-

inal arcade game of Rampage, and was released for
the Sega Saturn (among other consoles) in 1997. Like
the original game it allows the user to play as George,
Lizzy, and Ralph, three tab technicians turned into gi-
ant rampaging monsters. they travel around the world
causing carnage in an attempt to rid it of “Scumlabs”
- the laboratory that caused these freakish accidents.
“segaretro.org”

7.2 Rampo
Developer Sega CS, System Sacom
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) February 24, 1995
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Rampo is an interactive movie which uses pre-ren-

dered backdrops and live actors much in the veins of
The 7th Guest, without the puzzle-solving part. The
game features Edogawa Rampo, a Japanese mystery
novel writer, as a protagonist and is based on the movie
with the same name which was released a year earlier.
In real life, Edogawa Rampo is a pseudonym of Hirai
Tarou, a Japanese novelist who wrote mystery fiction
in the early-to-middle of 20th century.

Refrain Love: Anata ni Aitai 7.4

Developer Flight-Plan
Publisher Riverhillsoft
Release date (jp) November 27, 1997
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Refrain Love: Anata ni Aitai is a dating sim. Players

take the role of a college student who happens to live
right by the campus. It’s summer and he is going to
America for Christmas, but he would love to get a
woman before then. His three buddies Kousuke the
jock, Tetsuya the DJ, Taizo the nerd and him vow to
find a girlfriend before Christmas time. Players have
to juggle part time jobs, romance, and seeing their guy
friends.
 Rayman • 445

Rayman
Developer Ubisoft 8.3
Publisher Ubisoft
Release date (jp) November 17, 1995
Genre Platformer
Mode 1 Player

Rayman, known as Rayman Yo! Electoon wo

Sukue! in Japan, is a 2D platformer developed and
published by Ubisoft for several consoles including
the Sega Saturn. It features a limbless character named
Rayman (supposedly a lack of limbs meant he was eas-
ier to animate) tasked with saving his friends from the
evil Mr. Dark. The game was originally released for
the Atari Jaguar, and was updated to take advantage of
disc-based systems including re-balanced levels, red-
book CD audio and higher quality sound.
The game is split into six worlds, each one con-
taining three to four stages each except for the final
world, Candy Chateau. In each stage, the goal is not
only to find the exit that lies at the end of each sub-
stage, but also to find the six hidden cages per stage
that hold Rayman’s captured friends. While the game
will continue to a certain point if all the cages are not
found, Rayman can not enter Mr. Dark’s hideout until
all the cages are destroyed.
At the beginning of the game, Rayman only has
the ability to walk, jump, and crawl. At certain points
at the game, Rayman will receive new powers from
Betilla the Fairy, which will allow him to progress fur-
ther into the game as well as re-search previous levels
to find new secrets and cages. Some of these abilities
include Rayman throwing his fist to attack enemies,
forming a helicopter with his hair to slow
his descent, and hanging from ledges.
The Rayman character came from
concepts designed by Michel Ancel,
Frédéric Houde, and Alexandra Steible,
with Ancel originally drawing Rayman
when he was a teenager, influenced by
Russian, Chinese and Celtic fairy tales.
Ubi Soft funded Ancel’s project.
Rayman has been highly ac-
claimed for its animated 2D graphics, at-
mosphere, and soundtrack. It was awarded
both “Best Music in a CD-ROM Game”
and “Best Animation” in Electronic Gam-
ing Monthly’s 1995 Video Game Awards.
GamePro called it “just what gam-
ers are looking for on the Saturn”, and
compared it favorably to previous Saturn
“hop-n-boppers” Bug! and Astal.
446 • Real Bout Garou Densetsu

7.8 Real Bout Garou Densetsu

Developer SNK
Publisher SNK
Release date (jp) September 20, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

xxx
Real Bout Fatal Fury (“Real Bout Legend of the Hungry Wolf”) is a
fighting game originally released in 1995 for the Neo-Geo arcade and home
platforms. It is the fifth installment in the Fatal Fury series, following Fatal
Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory. Ports of Real Bout were released for the
Neo-Geo CD, PlayStation (in Japan and the PAL region) and the Sega Saturn
(in Japan, requires SNK’s 1MB RAM cartridge for the system).
Real Bout changes the play controls from the previous Fatal Fury
games, reducing the number of attack buttons from four to three: a stand-
ard punch and kick button, a “Strong Attack” button which can be either a
stronger punch or kick attack, depending on the character. The game retains
the three-plane “oversway” system from Fatal Fury 3, which features a main
lane for fighting, with foreground and background planes used to avoid at-
tacks or leap towards the opponent. A dedicated button is now used to make
an “oversway” (or change plane) towards the background or foreground.
Real Bout introduces a Power Gauge, which fills up as the player per-
forms normal or special techniques against their opponent or defend them-
selves, similar to many super move gauges featured in other fighting games.
The Power Gauge allows players to perform one of three types of Special
Techniques, depending of the level of the Power Gauge. Special techniques
include ”Guard Cancels”, “Super Special Move”, and “Hidden Ability”, an
even more powerful Special Move.
The game retains the character roster from Fatal Fury 3, with the boss
characters (Ryuji Yamazaki, Jin Chonrei and Jin Chonshu) now part of the
regular cast. Duck King, Billy Kane and Kim Kaphwan, who were all last
featured in Fatal Fury Special,
are added to the cast. Series an-
tagonist Geese Howard reprises
his role from the original Fatal
Fury as the game’s final boss.
Real Bout was Geese Howard’s
final appearance in the Fatal Fury
storyline, as the game’s ending
with Terry or Andy depicts the
character’s demise at the hands
of either brother by falling off
the roof of his tower, refusing to
be saved by them. This was re-
flected by SNK’s tagline for the
game, “So long, Geese!”.
The Saturn version, with
the 1MB RAM cart, is seen a
much better port than Playsta-
tions Fatal Fury 3.
 Real Bout Garou Densetsu Special • 447

Real Bout Garou Densetsu Special 8.4

Developer SNK
Publisher SNK
Release date (jp) December 23, 1997
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

xxxBout Fatal Fury Special, is a 1997 fighting game first released for the
Real
Neo Geo platform. It is the sixth installment in the Fatal Fury series and the
second game in the Real Bout sub-series, following the original Real Bout
Fatal Fury.
The title is a little bit misleading - the “Special” seems to imply that,
like Fatal Fury 2, this is just a mere upgrade of Real Bout. But there are plenty
of additions and improvements, enough to justify it as an “almost” sequel. For
starters, the game’s gotten another visual overhaul, with completely redrawn
sprites for a number of the characters. The new style is much brighter and
comparable to the anime style of Street Fighter Alpha. The backgrounds are
all also new, and there are many more of them as well, compared to the five
arenas in Real Bout. Several characters have their own special animation a
perfect win, and there are a lot of special fight intros for specific character
match-ups. Most of the music is completely new too. Terry gets an arrange-
ment of his original music from Fatal Fury 2, Blue Mary gets a saxophone
theme, and Mai gets an upbeat Japanese-style song.
Very few changes have been made to the basic gameplay. Recovering
from a knockdown is still possible, but only after H. Power is activated. Ring
outs have been removed entirely, but there are still walls to destroy in each
stage except Geese Tower. If a wall is destroyed, opens up a slightly larger
playing field.
Real Bout Fatal Fury Spe-
cial was soon ported to the Saturn
and Neo Geo CD. The Saturn ver-
sion, like Real Bout Fatal Fury,
uses the RAM cart. There still is
some loading (complete with some
weird looking super deformed
sprites before two player matches),
but otherwise plays pretty close to
the original, despite the scratchy
sound effects. Both versions con-
tain a special ending, which is a
music video starring Blue Mary,
featuring a vocal rendition of her
theme song. The Saturn version
also has an “Original” mode, where
the CPU randomly challenges the
player to additional battles, which
is supposed to emulate the experi-
ence of being in an arcade.

“by: ZZZ, with additions by Sam Derboo@

hg101.kontek.net”
448 • Real Sound ~Kaze no Regret~

Real Mahjong Adventure 7.4

“Umi-He”: Summer Waltz
Developer Seta
Publisher Seta
Release date (jp) November 5, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

This spin-off title in the Super Real Mahjong series

takes a much different approach. It’s a visual novel.
Players can pursue a relationship with several girls
from Super Real Mahjong PV, P VI, and P7. There is a
lot of talking, and players often have to make choices
of what to say or do. An overworld map system is uti-
lized, as the girls are in different locations.
“mobygames.com”

8.0 Real Sound: Kaze no Regret

Developer Warp
Publisher Warp
Release date (jp) July 18, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Real Sound: Kaze no Regret is an audio game: it has no

graphics or other visuals of any kind. Gameplay-wise,
it is identical to visual novels, with written text and im-
ages being replaced by sound. The player listens to the
voice-acted story, which is occasionally interrupted by
a chime, prompting the player to make a decision and
branch the plot.
The game was intended to provide equal access to both
players with sight and to blind players.

Riglordsaga 2 7.6
Developer Sega CS R&D 2, Microcabin
Publisher Sega
Release date (jp) November 8, 1996
Genre Role-playing
Mode 1 Player

This is the sequel to Blazing Heroes, originally known

as Riglord Saga. Players take the role of Mieu, the
princess of Dragoon Kingdom.
The game utilizes the same gameplay system as the
predecessor. Players form a large party with which
they participate in long, strategic turn-based battles.
They move their characters on the battle field, attack-
ing enemies or casting magical spells.
“mobygames.com”
 Return to Zork • 449

6.3
Return to Zork
Developer Activision
Publisher Bandai Visual
Release date (jp) February 2, 1996
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Return to Zork is a 1993 graphic adventure

game in the Zork series. It was developed by Activi-
sion and was the final Zork game to be published under
the Infocom label.
Unlike the previous games in the Zork franchise, which were text
adventures, Return to Zork takes place from a first-person perspective and
makes use of video-captured actors as well as detailed graphics; a point-and-
click interface replaced the text parser for the first time in a Zork game. The
overall gameplay style was somewhat similar to Myst, although Return to
Zork predated Myst by a few months. Unlike Myst, which had no extraspa-
tial dimensions of functionality, Return to Zork features multiple ways of
interacting with each object in the game world, as well as with several non-
player characters also present in the world via a menu which appears on the
left side of the screen. It also offers multiple ways to “complete” the game,
encouraging replay.
The Sega Saturn port was only released in Japan. A North American
release of the Saturn version was pencilled in at one stage for Q4 1996.

3.7 Revolution X:
Music is the Weapon
Developer Rage Software
Publisher Acclaim Entertainment
Release date (us) November, 1995
Genre Shooter
Mode 1-2 Players

Revolution X is a light-gun arcade game devel-

oped by Midway featuring the rock band Aerosmith. It
was brought among other consoles to the Sega Mega
Drive and Sega Saturn in 1994 and 1996,.
Revolution X has Aerosmith in a dystopian
version of 1996, fighting against the government who
have declared war on youth culture.
The original arcade game was a critical and
commercial success. The Sega ports was very poorly
received, mostly because despite it being a light gun
game, no light guns were supported in the home ports.
All home ports also have some level of censorship -
the Mega Drive and Saturn versions tone down the
amount of blood, while the Mega Drive version also
tweaks the exotic dancers.
“segaretro.org”
452 • Resident Evil

Resident Evil
Developer Capcom 9.0
Publisher Capcom
Release date (jp) July 25, 1997
Genre Survival horror
Mode 1 Player

xxx Resident Evil, known in Japan as Bio Hazard,

is a survival horror video game developed and released
xxx
by Capcom originally for the PlayStation in 1996, and
is the first game in the Resident Evil series. It is Cap-
com’s best-selling debut game, with sales of over 8.5
million copies worldwide.
The game’s plot follows Chris Redfield and
Jill Valentine, members of an elite task force known
as S.T.A.R.S., as they investigate the outskirts of Rac-
coon City following the disappearance of their team
members. They soon become trapped in a mansion in-
fested with zombies and other monsters. The player,
having selected to play as Chris or Jill at the start of the
game, must explore the mansion to uncover its secrets.
The objective of the game is to uncover the
mystery of the mansion and ultimately escape alive.
The game’s graphics consist of real-time 3D polygo-
nal characters and objects, superimposed over pre-ren-
dered backdrops with fixed camera angles.
To fulfill the game’s objective, the player un-
covers various documents that provide exposition
about the game’s narrative, as well as clues that help
them solve various puzzles within the mansion. Key
items are also available that give the player access
to other items or new areas. The player can arm their
character with weapons to defend themselves from
enemies, although the ammunition available for each
firearm is limited and the player must learn to conserve
the ammunition they have for situations where they
will really need it. To restore the character’s health, the
player uses first-aid sprays or three types of healing
herbs that can be mixed together in different combina-
tions for different healing effects. The carrying capac-
ity of the player is limited depending on the character
and items that the player does not wish to carry at the
moment can be stored into an item box to be retrieved
for later use. To save their progress, the player must
pick up an ink ribbon and use it on any of the typewrit-
ers scattered through key locations in the game. How-
ever, the supply of ink ribbons the player can acquire is
limited much like the player’s ammo and healing sup-
plies. Players will encounter and fight various infected
creatures as flesh-eating zombies, undead dogs, giant
spiders, and other monsters.
 Resident Evil • 453

Resident Evil was created by a team of staff Evil would have had a first-person view instead. Mi-
members who would later become part of Capcom kami was initially reluctant to adopt Alone in the
Production Studio 4. The project’s development be- Dark’s fixed-view camera system, saying it “had an
gan in 1993, and the game took three years to devel- effect on immersion, making the player feel a bit more
op. The roots of the project can be traced back to a detached”, but eventually adopted it because the use
horror game Koji Oda was working on for the Su- of pre-rendered backdrops allowed a higher level of
per NES before moving development to the PlaySta- detail than his fully 3D first-person view prototype,
tion in 1994. The inspiration for Resident Evil was which “didn’t get along so well with the original Play-
the earlier Capcom horror game Sweet Home (1989). Station’s specs.” Only a single screenshot of the origi-
Shinji Mikami was initially commissioned to make nal first-person prototype has been available since the
a game set in a haunted mansion like Sweet Home, 1990s, showing more similarity to Doom rather than
which Resident Evil was originally intended to be a Alone in the Dark. A first-person perspective was not
remake of. The project was proposed by Sweet Home used again for the mainline Resident Evil series until
creator Tokuro Fujiwara, who was Mikami’s mentor Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.
and served as the game’s producer. Resident Evil was A later prototype featured cooperative game-
based on Sweet Home’s gameplay system, adopting play, but this feature was eventually removed, as
many elements from the game, including the limited Mikami said it “technically...wasn’t good enough.”
item inventory management, the mansion setting, the Early footage of this co-op prototype was revealed
puzzles, the emphasis on survival, the door loading in 1995. At this stage of development, a local co-op
screen, the use of scattered notes and diary entries as mode was present, along with different outfits. A later
storytelling mechanics, multiple endings depending demo made for the 1995 V-Jump Festival presenta-
on how many characters survive, backtracking to pre- tion in Japan featured real-time weapon changes, with
vious locations in order to solve puzzles later on, the the co-op mode removed and rudimentary character
use of death animations, individual character items models and textures. An early 1996 preview in Maxi-
such as a lockpick or lighter, restoring health through mum Console magazine featured a graveyard and a
items scattered across the mansion, the intricate lay- slightly different version of the final boss. The grave-
out of the mansion, and the brutally horrific imagery. yard, which was removed from the final game, even-
Fujiwara said the “basic premise was that I’d be able tually made it into the 2002 remake. Another feature
to do the things that I wasn’t able to include” in Sweet that was removed from the final game was the real-
Home, “mainly on the graphics front”, and that he was time weapon changing, from the earlier 1995 V-Jump
“confident that horror games could become a genre in demo.
themselves.” He entrusted Mikami, who was initially Capcom did not use any motion capture in the
reluctant because he hated “being scared”, with the game, despite having their own motion capture stu-
project, because he “understood what’s frightening.” dio; instead, the animators referred to books and vid-
During the first six months of development, eos to study how people, spiders, and other animals
Mikami worked on the game alone, creating concept encountered in the game move.
sketches, designing characters, and writing over 40 In pre-production, other characters were con-
pages of script. Several of the Resident Evil man- ceived. Dewey, an African-American man, was in-
sion’s pre-rendered backdrops were inspired by The tended to perform a comic relief role, while Gelzer, a
Overlook Hotel, the setting for 1980 horror film, The big cyborg, was a typical “strongman” character. Both
Shining. Mikami also cited the 1979 film Zombie as were later replaced, by Rebecca and Barry, respec-
a negative inspiration for the game. The game was tively.
initially conceived as a fully 3D first-person update Almost all development was done on Sili-
of Sweet Home (influenced by the game’s first-per- con Graphics hardware using the software program
son battles), with action and shooting mechanics. A Soft Image. The PlayStation was chosen as the lead
first-person prototype was produced, and initially platform because the development team felt it was
featured a supernatural, psychological Japanese hor- the most appropriate for the game in terms of things
ror style similar to Sweet Home, before opting for an such as the amount of polygons. The development
American zombie horror style influenced by George team had upwards of 80 people towards the end of
Romero films. During production, Mikami discovered the game’s development. According to Akio Sakai,
Alone in the Dark (1992), which influenced him to head of Capcom’s consumer software division, Cap-
adopt a cinematic fixed-view camera system. Mikami com were hesitant to port Resident Evil to the Saturn
said that, if it wasn’t for Alone in the Dark, Resident because the hardware was not as ideally suited to the
454 • Resident Evil

game as the PlayStation, ensuring the port would take

a long time.
The live action full motion video sequences
were filmed in Japan with a cast of American actors.
All Japanese releases contain English voice acting
with Japanese captions and text. However, Japanese
voice performances were also recorded but were left
unused, as Mikami found the quality of the perform-
ances inadequate. However, lead programmer Yasuhi-
ro Anpo later said that, due to all of the development
staff being Japanese, they were unaware of the “poor
localization” that apparently “hindered the realism
and immersion of the title” for the international re-
lease, which was one of the reasons for the re-dub in
the 2002 remake. The original Japanese PlayStation
version also features a vocal ending theme, “Yume de
Owarasenai...” (“I Won’t Let This End as a Dream...”),
performed by Jpop band Fumitaka Fuchigami, that is
not in any other versions of the game.
Fujiwara said the game was originally target-
ed towards a core audience and he only expected it
to sell around 200,000 copies, before the game went
on to sell millions. Mikami said he was “a little wor-
ried about how well a horror game would really sell.”
Anpo said “no one at the time expected the title to be
such a success.”
Bio Hazard was renamed for the North Amer- gore-laden of all the platforms; after decapitating a
ica and Europe markets after Chris Kramer, Direc- crawling zombie with a kick, the head remains on the
tor of Communications at Capcom, pointed out that floor, and Plant 42 can cut the character before the
it would be impossible to trademark the name in the game over screen. The Saturn version also features
United States. Among others, the 1992 video game exclusive enemy monsters, such as a re-skinned breed
Bio-Hazard Battle and the New York alternative of Hunters known as Ticks and a second Tyrant prior
metal band Biohazard were already using the name. to the game’s final battle. Exclusive outfits for Jill and
Capcom therefore ran an internal company contest to Chris were added as well.
find a new name. The name Resident Evil was settled The Saturn port of Resident Evil stems not just
upon since the game takes place in a mansion. Kram- from an earlier PlayStation version, but an unreleased
er thought the name “was super-cheesy; [I] can’t re- upgrade called Biohazard Dash, which would have
member what I felt was a better alternative, probably featured minor tweaks and alterations to the game.
something stupid about zombies – but the rest of the The Saturn port was revealed at a special conference
marketing crew loved it and were ultimately able to on 17th February 1997, alongside the PlayStation an-
convince Capcom Japan and Mikami-san that the nouncement of Biohazard 2.
name fit.” The cover artwork for the American and The PlayStation game became a best seller
European release was done by artist Bill Sienkiewicz. in North America. It was also a bestseller in the UK.
The Sega Saturn version added an unlock- According to Capcom’s Investor Relations website,
able Battle Game minigame in which the player must the original Resident Evil has sold over 2.75 million
traverse through a series of rooms from the main units. The original PlayStation version of Resident
game and eliminate all enemies within them with the Evil was critically acclaimed, receiving a very high
weapons selected by the player. This minigame fea- averaged review rating of 91 out of 100 at Metacritic.
tures two exclusive enemies not in the main game: Among of those who praised the game was GameS-
a zombie version of Wesker and a gold-colored Ty- pot, describing it as “one of those rare games that’s
rant. The player’s performance is graded at the end almost as entertaining to watch as it is to play”.
of the minigame. The Japanese version is the most
456 • Riven: The Sequel to Myst

Rise 2 Resurrection
3.9 Developer Mirage Technologies
Publisher Acclaim Entertainment
Release date (eu) April 19, 1996
Genre Fighting
Mode 1-2 Players

Rise 2: Resurrection was also released as Rise

of the Robots 2. It is frequently referred to as Resurrec-
tion Rise 2, though despite the placement of the words
in the logo, this is in fact an incorrect name for the
game.
The game is a sequel to Rise of the Robots, and im-
proves on the first game’s graphics, rendering and ani-
mation; hits now give off metal scraps and electrical
arcs progressively run over the bodies of damaged ro-
bots. Unlike its predecessor, Resurrection allows the
players to control any robot, both in one and two-play-
er mode. Also, players can choose from 256 different
palette rotations for each robot. There are six different
types of projectiles available to each robot.
The in-game music features hard-rock themed
music by Tom Grimshaw at Mirage, and a theme by
Queen’s guitarist Brian May entitled “Cyborg”.

Riven The Sequel to Myst

7.3
Developer Sunsoft
Publisher Enix, (eu) Sega, (br) TecToy
Release date (jp) April 9, 1998
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Riven is a puzzle adventure video game and

the sequel to Myst. Developed by Cyan Worlds, it was
initially published by Red Orb Entertainment, a divi-
sion of Brøderbund.
The story of Riven is set immediately after the
events of Myst. Having been rescued from the efforts
of his sons, the main non-player protagonist Atrus en-
lists the help of the player character to free his wife
from his power-hungry father, Gehn. Unlike Myst,
which took place on several worlds known as Ages
linked together by special books, Riven takes place
almost entirely on the Age of Riven, a world slowly
falling apart due to Gehn’s destructive rule.
Like its predecessor, Riven is a point and click
adventure game played from a first-person perspec-
tive were the player explores immersive environments
depicted through a large series of computer generated
stills.
 Road & Track Presents The Need for Speed • 457

Road & Track Presents

8.3 The Need for Speed
Developer Pioneer Productions, Electronic Arts
Publisher Electronic Arts
Release date (eu) July May, 1996
Genre Racing
Mode 1-2 Players

Road & & Track

TrackPresents:
Presents: The Need for Speed
The Needracing
is a 1994 for Speed
videoisgame
a 1994
first released on the 3DO
racing
and thengame
portedfirsttoreleased
MS-DOS, on PlayStation and Sega
the 3DOItand
Saturn. thenfirst
is the ported to MS- released in the Need
installment
DOS, PlayStation
for Speed series. The and Sega of the game involves
premise
Saturn. It is
racing in the first
sport cars,installment releasedexotic
including several in the models
Need for
Speed series. imports.
and Japanese The premise of the game involves racing
in sport cars, including several exotic models and Japa-
nese imports.
The game was noted for its realism and audio and video commentar-
ies. Electronic Arts teamed up with automotive magazine Road & Track to
match vehicle behavior, including the mimicking of the sounds made by the
vehicles’ gear control levers. The game also contained precise vehicle data
with spoken commentary, several “magazine style” images of each car inte-
rior and exterior and even short video clips highlighting the vehicles set to
music.
The Saturn version of The Need for Speed derives from the DOS
version, which in turn was an enhanced port of the 3DO original. While out-
putting at a smaller resolution, the Saturn shares many of the new textures
introduced in the PC version and retains most of the new gameplay options
(and adds a two-player split-screen option too). It also runs much faster than
its 3DO counterpart, partly due to the console’s improved performance (be-
ing able to output a stable 30FPS versus the 3DO’s wavering 15FPS), but
also due to design changes in the PC game to make The Need for Speed feel
faster.
Whereas the horizon rotates slightly when going around corners in
the 3DO version of the game, on the Saturn it remains fixed at all times. Un-
like all other versions, gages in the cockpit view do not function at all on the
Saturn, with these details being relegated to a much larger HUD. The Saturn
version also allows users to select the time of day which is not seen in older
versions.
While the PC version is generally considered to be the definitive
version of the game, only high-end machines could utilise the game’s top
graphical settings in 1995. The PC version is also restricted to 8-bit colour,
as opposed to the 16-bit or 32-bit colour depths found in the console ports.
The PlayStation adaption improves on what is found on the Saturn,
re-introducing some of the minor details lost in the Saturn conversion while
adding new lighting effects. Cruicially the PlayStation port is the only ver-
sion to include in-game music, however its uncapped framerate means the
game appears more “juddery” than its Saturn counterpart, as frame rates av-
erage between 30-35 FPS. Console additions would be re-introduced to the
PC in the form of Road & Track Presents The Need For Speed SE in 1996.
“segaretro.org”
458 • Road Rash

Road Rash
Developer Buzz Puppet, Advanced Technology Group
7.0 Publisher Electronic Arts, (jp) Electronic Arts Victor
Release date (jp) July 26, 1996
Genre Racing
Mode 1 Player

Road Rash is a vehicular combat racing game

developed and published by Electronic Arts for the
Sega Genesis in 1991.
Despite sharing the same name, it is a different
game from the original Genesis version of Road Rash
- though the basic gameplay is similar, the world is
presented in 3D and the game enjoys CD-quality audio
and full motion video. It is also different to the Mega-
CD version, though in this case some assets such as
full motion video is shared between the two.
The player competes in illegal road races and
must finish in either 3rd or 4th place (depending on
the version being played) and up in every race of a
“level” in order to proceed to the next. As these lev-
els progress, the opponents ride faster and fight harder,
and the tracks are longer and more dangerous. Plac-
ing in each race gives a certain amount of money, with
higher-level races offering higher payouts. This money
allows the player to buy faster bikes and parts, which
are needed to stay competitive, pay for repairs if the
motorcycle is wrecked, or pay for fines if one is ar-
rested by the police. The game is over if the player is
unable to pay for these repairs or fines.
The player character can fight other bikers with
a variety of hand weapons or simple punches and kicks.
The player character can grab a weapon from another
rider by timing a punch correctly. The list of weapons
has grown with the games, starting from the clubs in
the first Road Rash, and eventually including things
like crowbars, nunchaku, and cattle prods. Whatever
the weapon, successful attacks damage an opponent’s
stamina, and depleting this stamina will cause a biker
to wipeout which can also damage the bike.
Designer Randy Breen recounted, “Initially all
we knew was that we wanted Road Rash to be more
of an entertaining game than a pure driving simula-
tion. I’d been into motorcycles for a long time, and we
quickly realized bikes gave us lots of technical advan-
tages. For instance, we could put more bikes than cars
onscreen at once, and the bikers were more visible
than car drivers, so they could be more expressive.”
The fighting element of the game was inspired by the
behavior of Grand Prix motorcyclists, who Breen no-
ticed would sometimes shove and kick each other dur-
ing races.
 Robo Pit • 459

Robo Pit
Developer Altron
Publisher Kokopeli Digital Studios, (jp) Altron 6.4
Release date (jp) February 16, 1996
Genre Action
Mode 1-2 Players

Robo Pit is a versus fighting game, in which

players construct robots out of a selection of parts (a
head/torso, eyes (because unlike the Western box art,
the in-game robots opt for a “cute” aesthetic), “legs”
and two arms) to fight one another on a 3D playing
field. By default the camera is positioned behind the
player, but it can be adjusted, for example, to create a
first person fighting game.
Players start with a ranking of 101, and can
challenge any of the 100 robots ahead of them in an
attempt to move up the rankings and into first place.
Destroying the opponent will move them up, while
losing will move them down. As players accumulate
experience through matches, their robot becomes
stronger which makes traversing up the rankings much
easier - while it is fully possible to complete the game
in a small handful of matches, the strongest robots will
destroy players in one or two hits if the player hasn’t
practised.
Despite launching a month after its PlayStation
counterpart, the Sega Saturn version of Robo Pit is the
more primitive of the two versions on a technical level,
lacking much of the presentational polish of its rival.
This is particularly noticable in areas such as the win-
ning and losing messages - on the Saturn, there is of-
ten an long pause between the announcer saying “You”
and “Win”, with the second word sometimes failing to
trigger altogether, while on the PlayStation the mes-
sage is delivered more naturally. Special effects are
also dialed back, and the lighting model is far simpler
on the Saturn.
On a content basis, the Saturn version of Robo
Pit heavily differs from the PS1 version despite being
released close to it. The Saturn version features a com-
pletely redesigner user interface. While the PS1 ver-
sion gives the player two pre-built robots when start-
ing a new game, while the Saturn prompts the player
to build their own robot when entering Tournament
mode. The Saturn version adds Training Mode, which
pits the player against three-randomly selected robots
from the tournament grid and allows players to level
up their weapons without risking losing ranking points
or their weapons.

“segaretro.org”
460 • Robotica

Robotica
6.7
Developer Micronet, Genki
Publisher Sega, (us) Acclaim Entertainment
Release date (jp) March 24, 1995
Genre First-person shooter
Mode 1 Player

Robotica: Cybernation Revolt is a first-person

shooter similar in design to Doom, where the player
controls a bipedal walking mechanoid shooting at ro-
bots. When entering a level, the player is tasked with
finding a light switch, then finding a key, before making
their way to the exit without being killed by enemies.
Despite debuting after Doom, the technology
on show in Robotica is not as advanced - levels do
not vary in height, and it is impossible to look up or
down. Similar to the aforementioned games, enemies
are represented as 2D sprites which are scaled to give
the illusion of depth, however the levels themselves
are seemingly rendered as polygons, as opposed to the
raycasting techniques seen in Doom.
Robotica does not perform well, generally fail-
ing to hit 30FPS (or sometimes even 20FPS) in most
scenes, particularly when the lights are switched on
and multiple enemies are on-screen at once.

Romance of the Three 6.6

Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire
Developer Koei
Publisher Koei
Release date (jp) April 28, 1995
Genre Turn-based strategy
Mode 1-8 Players

Sangokushi IV, known as Romance of the

Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire outside of Japan, is
the fourth in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms se-
ries of turn-based strategy games. It was first released
on the PC-98 in 1994 before being ported to the Sega
Saturn, Sega 32X, PlayStation, SNES and Microsoft
Windows. It is notable for being the only Japanese ex-
clusive title on the 32X and the only third party 32X
title in Japan not developed by Acclaim.
Players select one of 38 leaders and guide their
people to power by military or diplomatic means in
an isometrically viewed world. Military tactics such as
well-placed taunts and deliberate enemy confusion are
on offer. Weaponry includes catapults and automatic-
firing crossbows.
 Ronde • 461

Ronde 5.7
Developer Multimedia Intelligence Transfer
Publisher Atlus
Release date (jp) October 30, 1997
Genre Role-playing RPG. Players can control their charac-
Mode 1 Player ters only during battles, which occupy
the entire gameplay section of the
“Ronde” isis the
thethird
thirdgame
gamein in
Majin Tensei series, which is, in its turn,
game. During the turn-based battles,
a part
the of Megaten
Majin franchise.
Tensei series, whichTheis,game
in is set in the near future, in Japan. A
players can move their characters
teenage
its turn, boy named
a part Asuka and
of Megaten his friends visit a demon museum. Suddenly,
franchise,
freely on a 3D battlefield. When they
aone of the from
spin-off demon statues comes
Atlus`Megami to life and kidnaps Asuka’s little brother.
Tensei
come in contact with a demon, they
This is just a beginning of a demon invasion that Asuka and his friends must
franchise.
can choose their action (attack, magic,
stop
at all
Ascosts.
the main staff of Atlus were etc.), after which an automatic bat-

busy Like the two
developing previous
Devil Majin Tensei
Summoner: games, occurs.
tle sequence “Ronde” is ainstrategy
Like all other
RPG.Hackers,
Soul You can control yourreleased
which was characters
on only duringgames,
Megaten battles,players
which occupy the
can commu-
entire gameplay
November 13 of section
the sameofyear,
the game.
RondeDuring the turn-based battles, you
nicate with the enemies you meet. In can
movedeveloped
was your characters freely onIntelli-
by Multimedia a 3D battlefield. Whengame,
this particular you come in contact
the demons will
gence Transfer which also developed initiate a conversation by themselves,
the Last Bible and Devil Children which will allow players to recruit
games. Character designs were han- them and make them fight on their
dled by Kazuaki Yanagisawa, who side. Players can also make contracts
was responsible for the Shin Megami with the demons to use their magic
Tensei: if... manga adaptation and its spells in battles.
sequel Shin Megami Tensei: Kahn.
Ronde is notable for a demo
The game is set in the near fu- that was released that received ex-
ture, in Japan. A teenage boy named tremely negative attention and in-
Asuka and his friends visit a demon spired a widespread cancellation of
museum. Suddenly, one of the demon preorders. It is generally believed to be
statues comes to life and kidnaps Asu- the weakest installment in the Megami
ka’s little brother. This is just a begin- Tensei franchise and received univer-
ning of a demon invasion that Asuka sally unfavorable reviews with com-
and his friends must stop at all costs. plaints such as unoriginal character
Like the two previous Majin designs, a bad story, ugly 3D graphics,
Tensei games, “Ronde” is a strategy and long loading times.

6.3 Rox 6=Six

Developer Altron
Publisher Altron
Release date (jp) October 22, 1998
Genre Puzzle
Mode 1-2 Players

Rox is a falling block/matching game, but with a twist.

Each of the blocks is a die which has a number on it.
Instead of only matching colors, in this game both the
colors and numbers matter.
In order to remove dice two end numbers must be the
same, with that amount of other dice in between them.
For instance if two dice are ones, there must be one die
in between them. If both of the end dice are the same
color, all of the dice in between will also be erased.
462 • Roommate: Ryouko in Summer Vacation

Roommate: Inoue Ryouko 6.5

Developer Fupac
Publisher Datam Polystar
Release date (jp) February 14, 1997
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Roommate: Inoue Ryouko is part of the Roommate se-

ries. The game revolves around Ryoko, who is seven-
teen. Her family has moved from Tokyo to New York,
and she is staying behind to finish school. Her father (a
friend of the players father’s) has asked that she move
in with him in his apartment (where he have a spare
room) so she can complete her studies. But Ryoko
misses her family and is emotionally vulnerable - so
it’s time to for him to do some moving in of his own.

7.0 Roommate: Ryouko

in Summer Vacation
Developer Datam Polystar, Vision Works
Publisher Datam Polystar
Release date (jp) September 25, 1997
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Roommate: Ryōko in Summer Vacation is the second

game in the trilogy centering around Ryouko Inoue,
the players roommate for the time of the story. Ryouko
just came from abroad and decided to use her summer
vacation to return to Japan. For the time being, she’ll
be staying with the player and be the roommate. The
game plays as a visual novel where players read dia-
logues and occasionally select answers.

Roommate 3: Ryouko 7.0

Kaze no Kagayaku Asa ni
Developer Datam Polystar
Publisher Datam Polystar, Vision Works, Roommate P.
Release date (jp) April 29, 1998
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

The final game in the Roommate series centering

around Ryouko Inoue lead female character. She has
just returned from her stay in United Stated and is now
a third year high-school student. It is February, and
high-school graduation is approaching soon. As her
new roommate, the player will be spending what little
time there is left until the graduation, and maybe even
fall in love along the way.
 Ryouko no Oshaberi Room • 463

6.9 Roommate W: Futari

Developer Datam Polystar, NEST, Roommate Project
Publisher Datam Polystar
Release date (jp) January 14, 1999
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

The lead female character of the Roomate series, Ry-

oko Inue, is not the love interest in this game. Instead
the players are introduced to Kaori and Yamaguchi.
The game is set around the same school as Ryoko did
and she’s referred to as “legendary sempai.” Room-
mate W continues the typical text adventure/ simula-
tion series with plenty of images and cute audio.

Ryouko no Oshaberi Room

Developer Datam Polystar, fupac, Vision Works,
Roommate Project
Publisher Datam Polystar
Release date (jp) April 22, 1999
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Ryōko Inoue no O-Shaberi Room is an installment in

Datam’s Roommate series. The titular heroine enter-
tains guests, and the player is able to engage in con-
versations and social interaction with her. It is also
possible to view photo galleries and participate in quiz
games.

5.8 Ryougae Puzzle Game Moudjiya

Developer Etona
Publisher Virgin Interactive Entertainment
Release date (jp) December 20, 1996
Genre (jp) December 20, 1996
Mode 1-2 Players

Ryougae Puzzle Game Moudjiya is a puzzle game for

the Sega Saturn. The game feature the maneki-neko, a
common Japanese lucky charm, talisman figurine.
Gameplay is a typical falling object puzzle similar to
Puyo Puyo, but in this game, coins fall down.
464 • Ryouri no Tetsujin ~Kitchen Stadium Tour~

6.9 Ruriiro no Yuki

Developer Ail-Soft
Publisher KID
Release date (jp) December 10, 1998
Genre Simulation
Mode 1 Player

Ruriiro no Yuki center around a high school student

living alone in an apartment where he discover a jar
in a hole underneath the floor in his room. From the
jar a young woman named Ruri (which means “lapis
lazuli”) miraculously appear.
The limited edition came with a hologram.

Ryouri no Tetsujin: 5.5

Kitchen Stadium Tour
Developer Scitron
Publisher Hakuhodo
Release date (jp) February 23, 1996
Genre Miscellaneous
Mode 1 Player

Ryouri no Tetsujin: Kitchen Stadium Tour is a multi-

media database published by Hakuhodo for the Sega
Saturn. It is based upon the Japanese Iron Chef cook-
ing show.

4.3 Ryuuteki Gosennen:

Dragons of China
Developer Office I., Imagineer
Publisher Imagineer
Release date (jp) May 23, 1997
Genre Adventure
Mode 1 Player

Ryuuteki Gosennen: Dragons of China is an adventure

game for the Sega Saturn. The game is set in China,
2099 AD. During the construction of a new Olympic
stadium, some ruins were found in the basement. It get
damaged in the construction and a black dragon ap-
peared from it with a thunder and flew away. The play-
er is tasked in finding the dragon and save the world
from destruction.