Which system had the better Library 3DO or Sega Saturn? (No imports)

[JaguarVision]

(poll) So with going by the native library for both these consoles, which of the two system actually had the better Library? Both have a slew of imports, but if you were just an average joe in the 90's you were likely buying from a U.S. shop and not imported games very often if at all.

 

Personally I would consider to have the best library of the two. Why?

 

3DO: Need For Speed (best version), Slayer, Gex (slightly better version), Arcade Samurai Showdown, Best version of SSF2T at the time, Killing Time, Star Control 2, Exclusive enhanced Star Blade, Road Rash 3DO, Blade Force, Space Hulk (more stable version, cleaner image), and FlashBack CD.

 

 

 

I feel that the 3DO had both familiar big names and new names to its roster and that invited a lot more variety and a more structured library. But for the Saturn I feel that it was mostly just shoddy ports (for the most part not always) of Segas arcade software and a few outliers. A lot of Saturn games, especially in 3D, had that same brownish/gray grainy filter look. Not to mention 3DO had third party (as well as more exclusives than people think) on lock, which the Saturn had trouble getting while its japanese competitor Sony had gained most of the third party support. Even with Imports I would argue the same thing though the Saturn gains a bit in that regard but this thread is without imports so...

 

Saturn: Virtua Cop, Virtua Fighter, Megaman 8, Daytona. Deep Fear, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Fighting Vipers, Last Bronx, Bug!, Burning, Magic Carpet, and Guardian Heroes

 

 

 

 

 

One thing I would give the Saturn is Sega throwing around similar engines for fighting games in their arcades allowed them (and third parties) to bring a good number of 3D ones to the Saturn. Which is a genre that's lacking on the 3DO. As well as 2D side scrolling shooters. However 3DO basically got everything else due to third party relationships and their own studios aiming for a variety of genres.(when mentioning 3DO assume high-end panasonic machine not any other format of 3DO released)

 

 

 

 

[spacecadet]

Saturn by about a mile.

[+Cafeman]

Saturn, by precisely 5,280 feet.

[+Black_Tiger]

Sounds like you just aren't familiar with the Saturn library. The Saturn has much more familiar big names and new names to its roster and that invited a lot more variety and a more structured library than the 3DO.

 

The Saturn has a much better version of SSFIIT, along with the other SFII's, and SFA, SFA2, X-Men COTA, Marvel Super Heroes, etc.

 

The brown/gray filter thing isn't true. You just haven't seen many games.

 

There are too many Saturn games to list that weigh heavy against what the 3DO got, let alone how many of those 3DO games still made it to Saturn, let alone how many genres the Saturn covers so much stronger and how many genres the 3DO doesn't really cover at all. Never mind 10 player gameplay, online gameplay, analog control, so many accessories, quality light gun gameplay, etc.

 

I love the 3DO, but you can only reverse engineer an argument like this by being intentionally ignorant of the Saturn.

 

 

BTW: the native libraries of these consoles would be Japan only for the Saturn.

Edited October 22, 2017 by Black_Tiger

[Flojomojo]

Saturn Saturn Saturn. It's not even close, even if you put the (stupid, artificial) restriction of "no imports" on it.

[SignGuy81]

I had the Genesis, Sega CD, and the 32X. I wanted the Saturn so bad but I never managed to get one. My next console instead was a PSOne which I didn't get until the PS2 came out. I got it instead because I was more familiar with it by that time because it is what I played at my friends houses, and by the time I got mine they had all got the PS2. I didn't know anyone who had a Saturn or a Dreamcast when it came out. I would have still liked to have had a Saturn if I could have afforded one when it came out. I never heard much at all about the 3DO so did it really have many games to play? Who even had one?

[+Black_Tiger]

I got a 3DO before it was discontinued and appreciated it like pretty all consoles.

 

I was about to buy a 3DO new when the surprise Saturn launch happened, so instead I wound up with a Saturn and some great games to play for months before the Playstation launched.

 

One more thjng to take into account is that the Saturn does 240p RGB out of the box, but the stock 3DO is stuck at 480i s-video.

[Austin]

As much as I like the 3DO, even just the USA Saturn library alone absolutely destroys it. Sorry, 3DO.

[keepdreamin]

This really needed a poll? It's like one step away from comparing the Saturn to the CDI. This reads like someone is WAAAAY into the 3DO kool-aid and is grasping at straws.

 

Saturn Bomberman on its own is more enjoyable than the entire combined 3DO library. That's not an exaggeration.

 

and space hulk?! blech... Saturn has Duke Nukem 3D, Quake, and Power Slave. Yeah....

Edited October 23, 2017 by keepdreamin

[SignGuy81]

Okay I just done my research the 3DO has far better library because it has quite a few adult games I just found out. EDIT: Hands down

Edited October 23, 2017 by SignGuy81

[keepdreamin]

It's clear OP has absolutely no clue about the Saturn. Deep Fear was never released stateside,. that would be an import . We did get Resident Evil, don't see that in the 3D0's library...

 

Bug! and Magic Carpet? that's scraping bottom of the saturn barrel. odd choices, when there's:

 

Nights, Dragon Force, Sonic Jam, Street Fighter Alpha, Alpha 2, SF Collection, Astal, Tomb Raider, Virtual-On, Sega Rally Championship., Shining Force 3, Shining the Holy Ark, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, Earthworm Jim 2, panzer zwei, decathlete, Herc's Adventures,

[+Black_Tiger]

It's clear OP has absolutely no clue about the Saturn. Deep Fear was never released stateside,. that would be an import . We did get Resident Evil, don't see that in the 3D0's library...

 

Bug! and Magic Carpet? that's scraping bottom of the saturn barrel. odd choices, when there's:

 

Nights, Dragon Force, Sonic Jam, Street Fighter Alpha, Alpha 2, SF Collection, Astal, Tomb Raider, Virtual-On, Sega Rally Championship., Shining Force 3, Shining the Holy Ark, Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, Earthworm Jim 2, panzer zwei, decathlete, Herc's Adventures,

Better than the rip off that is Resident Evil, 3DO has the actual Alone in the Dark 2!

 

Seriously though, Dr Hauzer is a cool tech demo for 3DO and although I haven't been able to try it yet, I like how fast it moves and it is a console exclusive at least (like Deep Fear and Enemy Zero).

[xenomorpher]

Both great systems in their own way, but the Saturn had the better library. I'm probably in the minority that has played the 3DO more than the Saturn. I played the heck out of the two D&D games and the 3DO had my favorite version of Road Rash.

 

My Saturn sometimes freezes too, maybe that's why I don't play it as much. I'm not sure if it's because of the GameShark, laser, or "back ups". After a restart it's usually fine, but it's pretty annoying. I traded Vice City for it from a guy in class in high school years ago and thought that was a bargin. I noticed black goo leaking out of it a few years later when I stored it in a bag, though it's dry now and very hard and not as tacky. Maybe I should try and clean it out somehow or get a new system. I have no idea what will dissolve the mystery substance. I have a high percent of isopropyl alcohol that I used on a q tip, but only a tiny bit was absorbed.

Edited October 23, 2017 by xenomorpher

[keepdreamin]

"Not to mention 3DO had third party (as well as more exclusives than people think) on lock, which the Saturn had trouble getting while its japanese competitor Sony had gained most of the third party support. Even with Imports I would argue the same thing though the Saturn gains a bit in that regard but "

 

 

"saturn gains a bit" that might be the understatement of the year.

 

lol, Japan saw over 1100 Saturn releases.

[Cobra Kai]

Hilarious. The 3DO has entire genres unrepresented like shmups. Galactic Attack, Saturn wins. And, this will upset 3do fans but even top tier games for that don't trump the best games on the Jaguar, even if that is only 2 games, let alone bringing the superior-to-both Saturn into the discussion.

[keepdreamin]

Of course there's no way to verify. But I would bet it was very likely by the late 90's there were more people stateside actively enjoying the Saturn import scene, than those still messing about with the 3DO. I say this based on the proliferation of the Action Replay 4in1, and the fact my local game store had Saturn imports front and center in the display cases. Domestic 3DO titles were tucked around the corner in a dark area of the store.

[Silverfleet]

Saturn. It's not even a competition. Back when they were both current, relevant consoles, the Saturn blew it away.

 

While I didn't have a 3DO at launch, one of my best friends did. It was awesome, and we played the crap out of games like Samurai Showdown, Starblade, Quarantine, Return Fire, and Crash and Burn. A lot of the other games for it felt like enhanced mediocre Sega CD games, and didn't really hold our attention.

 

But when the Saturn came out... oh man! It was incredible, and playing those Sega 3D games at home was unreal! A few of my friends got it at launch, and we were treated to good ports of Sega's best arcade games. Virtua Fighter 2, Virtua Cop, Sega Rally, Fighting Vipers, Daytona... I could go on and on. And then the 3rd party games started flowing in, especially the Capcom games. Darkstalkers, X-Men: Children of the Atom, the Street Fighter Alpha series, and more! It was like having a real, current arcade machine in your living room. Then, there were original games like Guardian Heroes, Panzer Dragoon, Alien Trilogy, and more. They felt like REAL games and not tech demos like some of the 3DO games felt.

 

And for the record, I have both consoles and like them both for what they are. I have zero import titles for the Saturn. I should probably do something about that.

[homerj]

I love my 3DO & have played it a LOT over the years but if I had to be stranded on a desert island with either or the other it would without question be the Saturn.

[derFunkenstein]

Anyone else surprised this poll is still this close? I love my Saturn and less familiar with the 3DO library, but if this is the complete list, then even the American Saturn library alone trounces the 3DO. it looks like the 3DO in America got a total of 100 or so games?

Edited October 23, 2017 by derFunkenstein

[spacecadet]

Anyone else surprised this poll is still this close?

Well, define "close" - it's 18 to 1 as I write this. And that "1" was the first vote, and was there already when I wrote my reply, so I think we know who cast that vote.

[derFunkenstein]

Well, define "close" - it's 18 to 1 as I write this. And that "1" was the first vote, and was there already when I wrote my reply, so I think we know who cast that vote.

 

That's what I mean. There are only 18 people on these forums who think the Saturn library was clearly superior.

[spacecadet]

 

That's what I mean. There are only 18 people on these forums who think the Saturn library was clearly superior.

 

I almost didn't bother voting because the question seemed kind of weird to me. Like, is this really a serious poll? So maybe some people just didn't feel a need to even click that button.

[Flojomojo]

Here's an old variant on this discussion: http://www.rfgeneration.com/blogs/reps911/Sega-Saturn-Vs-3DO-Multiplayer-555.phpThe poster points out that there were 21(!) games that were on both the 3DO and the Saturn (most of these were on the "multimedia PC" of the day, too)

 

 

1. World Cup Golf: In Hyatt Dorado Beach

2. BattleSport
3. Brain Dead 13
4. Casper
5. Creature Shock
6. D
7. Defcon 5
8. Doom
9. Gex
10.Horde, The
11.Johnny Bazookatone
12.Myst
13.Need for Speed,The
14.Off-World Interceptor
15.Olympic Soccer
16.Pebble Beach Golf Links
17.Primal Rage
18.Road Rash
19.Shanghai: Triple Threat
20.Space Hulk Vengeance of the Blood Angels
21.Star Fighter

 

 

 

Some of these actually play better on the 3DO than on the Saturn.

 

However, none of these are things I particularly wanted to play in 1995, especially when Saturn was bringing proper arcade ports like Sega Rally, Virtual On, Virtua Fighter 2, House of the Dead, and many quality Japanese games, which are sorely lacking on the 3DO.

 

 

There were 245 Saturn games released in the United States, and importing was easy.

 

 

001 - 3D Baseball

002 - Albert Odyssey: The Legend of Eldean
003 - Alien Trilogy
004 - All-Star Baseball
005 - Alone in the Dark: One-Eyed Jack's Revenge
006 - A.M.O.K.
007 - Andretti Racing
008 - Arcade's Greatest Hits: Atari
009 - Arcade's Greatest Hits: Williams
010 - Area 51
011 - Astal
012 - Baku Baku
013 - Bases Loaded '96
014 - Batman Forever: The Arcade Game
015 - Battle Arena Toshinden Remix
016 - Battle Arena Toshinden Ultimate Revenge Attack
017 - Battle Monsters
018 - Battle Stations
019 - Battlesport
020 - Black Dawn
021 - Black Fire
022 - Blast Chamber
023 - Blazing Dragons
024 - Blazing Heroes
025 - Braindead 13
026 - Breakpoint Tennis
027 - Bubble Bobble: Featuring Rainbow Islands
028 - Bug!
029 - Bug Too!
030 - Burning Rangers
031 - Bust-A-Move-2: Arcade Edition
032 - Bust-A-Move-3
033 - Casper
034 - Center Ring Boxing
035 - Clockwork Knight
036 - Clockwork Knight 2
037 - College Slam
038 - Command and Conquer
039 - Congo
040 - Contra: Legacy of War
041 - Corpse Killer
042 - Courier Crisis
043 - Creature Shock
044 - Crime Wave
045 - Criticom
046 - Croc: Legend of the Gobbos
047 - Crow: City of Angels
048 - Crusader: No Remorse
049 - Crypt Killer
050 - Cyber Speedway
051 - Cyberia
052 - D
053 - Darius Gaiden
054 - Dark Legend
055 - Dark Savior
056 - Darklight Conflict
057 - Daytona USA
058 - Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition
059 - Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Netlink Edition
060 - Decathlete
061 - Defcon 5
062 - Die Hard Arcade
063 - Die Hard Trilogy
064 - Doom
065 - Double Switch
066 - Dragon Force
067 - Dragon Heart: Fire and Steel
068 - Duke Nuke'm 3D
069 - Earthworm Jim 2
070 - Enemy Zero
071 - F1 Challenge
072 - FIFA Soccer '96
073 - FIFA Soccer '97
074 - FIFA World Cup Soccer '98
075 - Fighters Megamix
076 - Fighting Vipers
077 - Frank Thomas' Big Hurt Baseball
078 - Galactic Attack
079 - Galaxy Fight
080 - Gex
081 - Ghen War
082 - Golden Axe: The Duel
083 - Grand Slam '96
084 - Grid Runner
085 - Guardian Heroes
086 - Gun Griffon
087 - Hang-On GP
088 - Heir of Zendor
089 - Herc's Adventures
090 - Hexen
091 - Hi-Octane
092 - Hi Velocity
093 - Highway 2000
094 - Horde, The
095 - House of the Dead, The
096 - Hyper 3D Pinball
097 - Impact Racing
098 - In the Hunt
099 - Incredible Hulk, The
100 - Independence Day
101 - Iron Man/X-O Man-O-War: Heavy Metal
102 - Iron Storm
103 - John Madden '97
104 - John Madden '98
105 - Johnny Bazookatone
106 - Last Bronx
107 - Last Gladiators: Digital Pinball
108 - Legend of Oasis
109 - Loaded
110 - Lost World, The: Jurassic Park 2
111 - Lunacy
112 - Machinehead
113 - Magic Carpet
114 - Magic Knight Rayearth
115 - Mansion of the Hidden Souls
116 - Manx TT Superbike
117 - Marvel Super Heroes
118 - Mass Destruction
119 - Maximum Force
120 - Mech Warrior II
121 - Megaman 8: Anniversary Collector's Edition
122 - Megaman X4
123 - MLBPA: Bottom of the Ninth
124 - Minnesota Fats Pool Legend
125 - Mortal Kombat II
126 - Mortal Kombat Trilogy
127 - Mr. Bones
128 - Myst
129 - Mystaria: The Realms of Lore
130 - Nascar '98
131 - NBA Action
132 - NBA Action '98
133 - NBA Jam Extreme
134 - NBA Jam Tournament Edition
135 - NBA Live '97
136 - NBA Live '98
137 - Need For Speed, The
138 - NFL '97
139 - NFL Quarterback Club '96
140 - NFL Quarterback Club '97
141 - NHL '97
142 - NHL '98
143 - NHL All-Star Hockey
144 - NHL All-Star Hockey '98
145 - NHL Break-Away '96
146 - NiGHTS into Dreams...
147 - Nightwarriors: Darkstalker's Revenge
148 - Norse by Norsewest: The Lost Vikings 2
149 - Off-World Interceptor Extreme
150 - Olympic Soccer
151 - Pandemonium
152 - Panzer Dragoon
153 - Panzer Dragoon II Zwei
154 - Panzer Dragoon Saga
155 - Pebble Beach Golf
156 - PGA Tour '97
157 - Powerslave
158 - Primal Rage
159 - Pro Pinball
160 - P.T.O. II: Pacific Theatre of Operations II
161 - Quake
162 - Quarterback Attack
163 - Rampage: World Tour
164 - Rayman
165 - Resident Evil
166 - Revolution-X
167 - Rise 2: Resurrection
168 - Road Rash
169 - Robo Pit
168 - Robotica
169 - Romance of the III Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire
170 - Saturn Bomberman
171 - Scorcher
172 - Scud: The Disposable Assassin
173 - Sega Ages: Afterburner, Outrun, Space Harrier
174 - Sega Rally Championship plus International Rally
175 - Sega Rally Championship plus International Rally: Netlink Edition
176 - Sega Touring Car Championship
177 - Sega Worldwide Soccer '97
178 - Sega Worldwide Soccer '98
179 - Shanghai Triple Threat
180 - Shell Shock
181 - Shining Force III
182 - Shining the Holy Ark
183 - Shining Wisdom
184 - Shinobi Legions
185 - Shockwave Assault
186 - Sim City 2000
187 - Skeleton Warriors
188 - Sky Target
189 - Slam & Jam '96
190 - Solar Eclipse
191 - Sonic 3D Blast
192 - Sonic Jam
193 - Sonic R
194 - Soviet Strike
195 - Space Hulk
196 - Space Jam
197 - Spot Goes To Hollywood
198 - Star Fighter
199 - Steep Slope Sliders
200 - Street Fighter Alpha: Warrior's Dreams
201 - Street Fighter Alpha 2
202 - Street Fighter Collection
203 - Street Fighter: The Movie
204 - Striker '96
205 - Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
206 - Tempest 2000
207 - Ten Pin Alley
208 - Tetris Plus!
209 - Theme Park
210 - Three Dirty Dwarves
211 - Thunderstrike 2
212 - TNN Motorsports: Hardcore 4x4
213 - Tomb Raider
214 - True Pinball
215 - Tunnel B1
216 - Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
217 - Valora Valley Golf
218 - Virtua Cop
219 - Virtua Cop 2
220 - Virtua Fighter
221 - Virtua Fighter 2
222 - Virtua Fighter Kids
223 - Virtua Fighter Remix
224 - Virtua Racing
225 - Virtual Casino
226 - Virtual Hydlide
227 - Virtual-On: Cyber Troopers
228 - Virtual-On: Cyber Troopers: Netlink Edition
229 - Virtual Open Tennis
230 - VR Golf
231 - VR Soccer
232 - Warcraft 2: The Dark Saga
233 - Wing Arms
234 - Winning Post
235 - Winter Heat
236 - Wipeout
237 - World Cup Golf Pro
238 - World Series Baseball
239 - World Series Baseball II
240 - World Series Baseball '98
241 - Worldwide Soccer: Sega International Victory Goal Edition
242 - Worms
243 - WWF In Your House
244 - WWF Wrestlemenia: The Arcade Game
245 - X-Men: Children of the Atom

[keepdreamin]

 

I almost didn't bother voting because the question seemed kind of weird to me. Like, is this really a serious poll? So maybe some people just didn't feel a need to even click that button.

 

Seeing as it isn't April Fools... My best guess is a certain someone has a put a significant amount of time and money into the 3DO. The 3DO pile was being looked over, and this person was hit with a wave of despair and self doubt. This "poll" was some sort of odd attempt at a self reassurance measure.

[zylon]

I bought both, when new: Goldstar 3DO, then later a Saturn(ver2). 3DO had a handful of excellent titles, but Saturn had more of what I wanted to play in spades.

 

Granted, not all titles for both were available near me then, but I did love Road Rash, Doom, Wolfenstein 3D (still the best port IMHO), Madden Football, & Gex on 3DO. The Saturn had most of those and so much more.

As requested, I left out imports, but I had access to then easily since my brother was in the Navy and stationed in Japan then.

Edited October 23, 2017 by zylon