Help me decide

[edweird13]

I have a chance to get a Sega CD or a Sega Saturn. I can only get one. I am leaning towards the Sega CD but I want a Saturn to. Can you burn the CD images to CD-R on both systems?

[Spazmonkey]

Don't get a CD. Think of the better games an entirely new console will have than an add-on for a dying one. Besides, that new console is fantastic, and some amazing games. Saturn all the way.

[gamerz]

I say Saturn also.

[Impaler_26]

Yep, i'll also recommend the Saturn.

[STICH666]

I've had more fun with my Sega CD but that's only because I have a great speaker setup. If you can find games for the Saturn they get a Saturn. I can't find a damn thing under $50 in my area so I collect for Sega CD.

[2600Lives]

The Saturn is freakin' AWESOME man, get one without delay. The SCD can be fun, but only with certain games, like Sonic and Snatcher.

 

BUT...the SCD has no copy protection, so it's straight burn and play most of the time...your choice.

[edweird13]

So I wouldn't be able to burn images of Saturn games unless the console is modded? I am guessing the Saturn is also region locked?

[Spazmonkey]

So I wouldn't be able to burn images of Saturn games unless the console is modded? I am guessing the Saturn is also region locked?

 

The cd is region locked, but to make it not is very easy if you have an EEPROM burner, as all you have to do is socket and switch the bios for a multibios. The Saturn requires a small circuit to have a region switch ability. The saturn also needs a modchip to play burned games, which isn't expensive, but is a pain in the ass to locate these days.

[Lincoln]

both systems are awesome in the own way.

 

neither the systems nor the games are prominently available in my area, so that's a wash.

 

both systems have region protections on the games. region protections can be overcome on both systems.

 

the advantage for the sega cd is no real copy protection-just burn and play. the challenge is finding good quality rips. there are software utilities to change regions for games, and they mostly work. there are also expensive carts that defeat the region lockout, but they are probably less reliable than the software methods.

 

to play burned games on a saturn requires a. disc swapping or b. a modchip.

i've never bothered with a.

b. is an excellent solution if you can get the right combination of console and chip.

 

i typed up an explanation of chips and console revisions and decided it was irrelevant at this point. if you're going to buy a saturn, you want to get a model 2 system with a 32 pin chip on the cd controller. model 2's are easily identified by circle power and reset buttons, rather than ovals for model 1's.

 

if you get lucky and get a 32 pin system, i have a spare chip that should work for you and everything will be great.

 

if you are not so lucky and get the version with a 64 pin chip, it can still be modded. i would not sell you a bare chip as I can't guarantee it would work in that system.

 

if you are really unlucky you end up with "sanyo" guts and you assume it won't get modded.

 

saturn region protection can be defeated in two ways.

if you manage to chip your console, you can use software to alter the game region before you burn a disc. this is very reliable as far as I'm aware.

modded or not, you can install hardware switches across the bank of jumpers that set the region for the console. this will allow you to play retail games from other regions. I have not done this but would not be afraid to try it. you can cover the 3 major regions with 2 switches.

 

I don't remember if I had a real point or not.

[Trooper]

Get a Saturn and an Action Replay. Then go wild on eBay and buy tons of games that were only released in Japan! That's what I did

[Chickybaby]

Couldn't tell you when I last played either system but here you go - http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?s...=144482&hl=

I don't know anything about the seller although it seems like an ideal solution besides the action replay with the saturn.

[Chickybaby]

If you *really* want one of them I would go for the saturn over the cd. Couldn't tell you when I last played either system but here you go - http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?s...=144482&hl=

I don't know anything about the seller although it seems like an ideal solution besides the action replay with the saturn.

Also, there is one for auction on CTCW from a good seller that I feel confidence in endorsing - http://www.chasethechuckwagon.com/item.cgi...item=0000115773.

Hope that helps!

[carmel_andrews]

Trooper, only issue with buying japanese versions or just japanese games is that you won't be able to read the text, which in quite a few cases will prevent you from playing the game

 

i've played a few japanese games on a ps1/psx emulator and i didn't take it further then a few screens (apart from a couple of shoot em up's i have)

[Trooper]

It's of course true that you probably won't get any enjoyment from the adventuregames or RPG's but for example, there are tons and tons of shooters that were never released outside of Japan that you will be able to enjoy fully without knowing any japanese at all.

[carmel_andrews]

Yup...the japanese were gr8 at the shoot em up....can't beat them

 

Now to bring R-Type or Gradius (nemesis) to the A8

[CGQuarterly]

If you don't mind buying import games, the Saturn is awesome. I find the US SAT library to be pretty underwhelming but there are a lot of awesome JAP-only games. To play Japanese games, you just need to buy something like an ST-Key, which is a cartridge that unlocks the region BS.

 

If you want to just be able to burn games (sorry Guitarmas), then definitely go for the SCD. I think there are awesome games on that system especially if you really like the 16 bit era. Good rips are not hard to find if you know where to go. Underground-Gamer.com is the best site for that crap. If you need an invite to that site, you can PM me and I'll e-mail you one.

 

Both systems are hard to collect for because you don't see the games for sale that often outside of eBay. I don't think a system is much fun to collect for when you have to turn to eBay for everything, but that's just me.

 

Chris