Shattering the 20-Something Barrier
J.M. Vargas
sjvargas@concentric.netHappy New Year everybody (I'm atheist, so don't expect any Christmas good wishes from yours truly :-P). The year 1997 was the last commercially important for Sega's Saturn before it becomes a cult alternative to the mainstream Sony and Nintendo choices. I strongly urge you to read my editorial from 12/12/97 ("The Year that Could Have Been, But Wasn't", in this site's Editorial section; it was down for a few days and many of you may have missed it) so you could get a dose of my wisdom spread all over your mind.
The RAM Cart is coming to the United States, so everyone ready to buy the import version of "X-Men Vs. Street Fighter" should stop now and save some sales for the US release. That's another game to add to my already overcrowded stable of Saturn software, which has exploded past 20 for the first time ever; with a couple of Saturn releases in mid-1998 that number will approach 25. Considering that I'm also into PSX (nine games) and N64 (seven carts), my solidarity with Sega's debacle of a platform can't be questioned. I'd like to share with you what 20 games made my Saturn list and hope you compare your software with mine. There are many that I've played in the past that have been traded to make room for new ones ("Sonic 3D Blast", "Dragon Force", "Tomb Raider", etc.). But the fact that I've acquired 20 titles I'm not willing to part company from is testament that, by focusing on quality holiday titles, Sega of America has squeezed the mediocre and bad into a handful of titles (Acclaim's "Battlesport", "Courier Crisis", etc.) rather than the overhyped bad software getting by with impunity ("Bomberman 64", "One", "Spawn", etc.). Enjoy the list, and please don't forget to take a look at my 12/12/97 editorial (I'm an attention-starved gaming freak, and don't want hours of hard work to just go unnoticed :-P):
Sega titles (the vast majority of them):
---------------------------------------*"Sonic Jam": collector's dream: four kick-ass 16-bit titles, a 3D Sonic world and memorabilia galore; blows the entire Namco museum interface with ease.
*"Sonic R": the control stinks and there is a truckload of small details missing, but the fun factor and graphics make it the technically-advanced Sonic eye-candy we were hoping for three years ago. The music is really, really happy :-)
*"Virtua Fighter 2": the depth and technique involved in mastering AM2's brawler is timeless; classic stuff!
*"Virtua Fighter Kids": for the kiddies, the girlfriend and those wacky nights when drunk people need a laugh; same gameplay, wacked-out graphics. Not for everyone.
*"Fighting Vipers": same as "VF2", but with considerably less-polished graphics. Brutal punishment from GLAM rock'n'roll gang rejects would have turned into a forgettable experience (anyone played THQ's "VS."?) had Sega not handled the whole affair; another classic.
*"Fighters Megamix": when Vipers and martial artists collide (and refugees from other Sega games drop by for a visit), good things happen. Vitamin-enhanced gameplay doesn't get better than this unless Capcom gets their paws on the code and grab a superheroe's license.
*"Manx TT Super Bike": AM3's arcade racer is (minus the downgraded graphics) arcade-exact, and that includes the good (gameplay) and the bad (two tracks?); fun romp!
*"Sega Rally Netlink": improved graphics (Japanese version used here), Netlink compatibility and timeless gameplay; AM3's racer ranks with "VF2" as a classic that doesn't seem to get old. Solid stuff!
*"Sega TouringCar Championship": this game is hard and requires commitment from those willing to practice until perfection (and then some); graphics aside (they look grainy and rushed), a solid effort in a racing event not popular here in the States.
*"Virtua Cop": shooting-gallery bliss; the sequel's better, but I'm broke and something had to give :-(
*"NiGHTS...into Dreams" & "Christmas NiGHTS": combined together, it adds up to one sweet package overflowing with imagination, creativity and great graphics/music. Yuji Naka has a lot to live up to with "Burning Rangers".
*"Virtual On Netlink Edition": one-on-one mech fighting game within the boundaries of an arcade brawler. Great music, graphics and an acceptable two-player split-screen option for two guys who like Robotech to test their will and skill. Netlink support is icing on a well-frosted cake.
*"Enemy Zero": sequel to the somewhat-successful Warp title "D", this follow-up is the same game at heart with improved interface in every major department (length, graphics, music, etc.). A Saturn exclusive, "EO" is the "FFVII" of Sega's Christmas line-up from a story-telling perspective.
Third-Party Titles:
------------------*"D": it's short, it's on rails, and it can be beat in less than an hour. It's also unforgettable, moody and a Japanese classic that brought Kenji Eno and Warp into the spotlight. One of the few games brought to the US by Acclaim worth it's price ("Bust-A-Move 2" is the other).
*"Resident Evil": Capcom proves the Saturn can do 3D just as good as the PlayStation (it only took 18 months). No other game like it on Saturn, so if you want to experience the fear then this is the only ticket to blasting zombies and outrunning mutant demons (until AM1 ports "House of the Dead" in 1998 that is :-)
*"Sega Ages": Working Designs is known for bringing RPG-like games ("Dragon Force", Albert O.") to American Sega audiences; the flip side of that is that the genre tends to lack long-lasting value. "Sega Ages" (with three AM2 classic arcades from the 80's) flips the coin with short games that provide intense bliss and thrills; for the fans of twitch gaming only (with a cool manual to boot),
The Lobotomy Trilogy:
--------------------*"Powerslave": give me the maiden voyage of this nutty Saturn programmers anyday. Graphics are a little grainy and brownish, but the wicked level-design and perfect challenge make it the winner in my book.
*"Duke Nukem 3D": as good as it's going to get on the Saturn, with Netlink support giving the console gamer a taste of what PC multiplayer is like. Graphics and gameplay are solid all-around, and the music/voices are adequate; had Lobotomy designed the levels themselves, it would have scored higher (but they just used 3D Realms' designs).
*"Quake": the third chapter of the Id Trilogy (after the "Wolfenstein" and "Doom" series) is a one-player feast of gothic horror and adrenaline-rush. Not as great as the other two simply because it wasn't designed as a single-player experience (as improved as the AI might be), this game couldn't get any better than it's current Saturn form. My pick for the holiday season; a holiday Saturn exclusive.
So there you have it, my beloved first 20 Saturn games (sharp readers will notice there are only 19, since I counted "NiGHTS" and "X-mas NiGHTS" in one category despite being two different titles). With a handful more on their way via Christmas and birthday gifts (yes, we atheists won't turn down a present on principle; we're crazy that way :-P), this line-up is bound to include the likes of "Last Bronx", "Dead or Alive", "X-Men vs. Street Fighter" (US version), "Mass Destruction" and "Magic Knight Rayearth". Enjoy your gaming, do something good for your fellow human beings and read my 12/12/97 Editorial.
NeXT!!!