Saturn games on PSN/XBLA?

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 30 June, 2010

SEGA "thinking" about it.

Here's one for all you Saturn fans out there: SEGA's "thinking" about porting its back catalogue of games to the PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE Arcade download services.

We've already seen Mega Drive and Dreamcast games pop up on the next-gen download services. Saturn games, however, have been strangely absent.

"When you look globally the Genesis and Dreamcast are well known," explained SEGA's Yosuke Okunari to Japanese site Impress Watch (translated, as ever, by Andriasang).

"But Saturn is unknown. During that period, PlayStation and Nintendo 64 were a success overseas, but to be honest Saturn was not a success. Because of this, we decided on Dreamcast.

"What we announced this time is a project where we will have consecutive releases of titles that were debuted on Dreamcast. Separate from this, we're of course thinking about ports of Saturn games. It's the same as how SEGA Ages and Virtual Console were separate existences. It's not that we have no intention of porting Saturn titles, so please share your requests."

Radiant Silvergun, please.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (89) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • dpb135 #1 2 years ago

    Original Sega Rally & Daytona please :)

  • Vinicity #2 2 years ago

    Burning Rangers, Panzer Dragoon Saga and NiGHTS, please.

  • ManicDrunkMonk #3 2 years ago

    Guardian heroes, Saturn Bomberman, and a fully translated version of the Shining Force 3 trilogy!

  • locus2k1 #4 2 years ago

    Panzer Dragoon Saga on the Sega Saturn for £100, or on XBLA/PSN for £10? sold! so many classics on that system I'd love to be able to play on the current gen's I hope this is all true :)

  • reelbigkris #5 2 years ago

    Does anyone remember the top down RPG where you are able to play 2 player co op after enterign a cheat. The second player would be an exact copy of the first, yet they will be a shadowed figure. I used to play this round a friends house when I was younger and never stored the name of the game in my head :(

  • chrisno21 #6 2 years ago

    All good shouts, but i'd add Guardian Heroes too.

  • NimbusTLD #7 2 years ago

    Screw Saturn, give us what we all want first: Shenmue!!!

  • Malek86 #8 2 years ago

    Sega Rally Championship and Radiant Silvergun. Though the latter would have to be translated, and it's not even a first party game, so I think our chances here are pretty low - it's probably more likely for Treasure to clean up and release the game themselves, like Ikaruga.

    Also, a Panzer Dragoon 1/2 collection would be nice. Saga would be even nicer, but with 4 discs, I'm afraid it would not be considered.

  • RobTheBuilder #9 2 years ago

    Radiant Silvergun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • andijames #10 2 years ago

    +1 for Sega Rally! (original)

    That game was phenomenal on the Saturn! I used to hammer it trying to beat my old ghosts round the track. Good times!

    Also Virtua Fighter 2 was pretty damn good.

  • CaptainQuint #11 2 years ago

    HD "remasters"? Yes please.

    If not, I'll pass. I have no interest in playing jagged old blocky texture fests.

  • rayscoota #12 2 years ago

    Shining the holy ark, Dark Savior pus make it possible for wii owners and pc(steam) user to join in with this fun
    Edited by rayscoota at 30/06/10 @ 16:37

  • Buztafen #13 2 years ago

    Guardian Heroes and Virtua Cop 1 & 2...with reworked lightguns! :)

  • TeaFiend #14 2 years ago

    Screw this, get Chu-Chu Rocket done.

  • schnide #15 2 years ago

    Jesus bloody fuck! Vinicity has already called exactly what I'd want to see.

  • Deckard1 #16 2 years ago

    an HD panzer dragoon saga would actually make my scrotum turn inside out and weep tears of joy.

  • Toothball #17 2 years ago

    Radiant Silvergun, please.

    This new Wesley character seems to know what he's doing.

  • Stompy #18 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 23:13:35 17-04-2012

  • TRUTH #19 2 years ago

    Some 2d beat em ups would be great in HD...Saturn was classic 2d gaming machine, still impresses today.

  • Restart #20 2 years ago

    Fighting Vipers, please!

  • rhinoxious #21 2 years ago

    I had a copy of Panzer Dragoon Saga, but I didn't give it the time it deserved and traded it in soon after release

    /weeps.

  • Psiloc #22 2 years ago

    Good luck to them emulating the Saturn. Luckily for us, HD remasters would actually be easier to produce than an emulator.

  • Stomp224 #23 2 years ago

    VF2, Sega Rally, Fighters MegaMix, Last Bronx, Panzer Dragoon 1, Zwei & Saga, Shining Force 3, NiGHTS (Inc. Christmas NiGHTS), Burning Rangers, Sonic R...... and Clockwork Knight.

    And so many more that my old brain simply cannot remember.

    FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE SEGA!

  • Cappy #24 2 years ago

    Sega have confessed to losing the source code for Panzer Dragoon Saga so they've no way of doing much apart from remaking the game totally from scratch (very expensive) or making some sort of emulation shell that upscales from a disc image of the original Saturn version, so basically identical to the appearance of Panzer Dragoon played via a PC based emulator.

    Dragon Force 1 & 2 and all the Shining Force games in English!

    Oh, and the original version of Grandia in English if we're talking pie in the sky.
    Edited by Cappy at 30/06/10 @ 16:58

  • johnick #25 2 years ago

    I can see the inflated collectors prices for Radiant Silvergun and Panzer Dragoon Saga plummeting on Ebay, just like Rondo of Blood did when it was released on the virtual console.

    Not that I care of course :-)

  • tripitaka #26 2 years ago

    At what point in time does it stop being appropriate to refer to 5 year old hardware as 'next-gen'?

  • VicViper #27 2 years ago

    I thought they said that the chip architecture was so weird on the saturn that it made porting the games nigh on impossible due to the way the games had to be programmed for it? Guess money is a great motivator.

    I can't think anything bar the Panzer dragoon games that were good enough to be ported that haven't already shown up. Wii got some of the House of the dead games, virtua cop has shown up...

    Edit wait never mind, Sega... I want a port of Burning Rangers and Croc: legend of the Gobbos, Firestrom: Thunderhawk 2. I owned all of these back in the day and still have a copy of Discworld 2: Morality bites kicking around.
    Edited by VicViper at 30/06/10 @ 17:10

  • andywilkie35 #28 2 years ago

    Panzer Dragoon Saga please

  • Arcadiian #29 2 years ago

    /adds Athlete Kings to previous lists.

  • Cappy #30 2 years ago

    "I thought they said that the chip architecture was so weird on the saturn that it made porting the games nigh on impossible due to the way the games had to be programmed for it? Guess money is a great motivator."

    With access to original source code developers have a much simpler task than emulating a sega saturn. The God of War Collection is a recent example. The PS2 architecture is not emulated at all, the God of War games were coded in C like most games from that period, adapting the code to output to a higher target resolution with a few other tweaks is a comparatively easy task. Once the developers are satisfied the code is compiled to a new target platform the PS3. PS2 games without emulation.

  • retr0gamer #31 2 years ago

    Don't fucking think about it, do it! More people need the experience the joys of Panzer Dragoon Saga, Radiant Silvergun and Soukyugurentai. I'm happy with my japanese version of the genuine article.

    Oh and radiant silvergun doesn't need to be translated, it's in english other than the voices but who cares about that.
    Edited by retr0gamer at 30/06/10 @ 17:22

  • Fella #32 2 years ago

    Give me Guardian Heroes HD and I'll be a very happy man.

  • VicViper #33 2 years ago

    @Cappy

    I had thought about that when I read that reason that they weren't ports earlier, even with just the source code there might be still a bit of work as I'm guessing you do code in how you want game to use the systems audio and graphics channels/processors but maybe not as much work as I was thinking it might need.

  • Slipstream #34 2 years ago

    I already own it but I'd gladly buy it to play religiously on my PS3...

    "Knights under a soft moonlight, fly HIIIIIIIGH with grace and pride!"

    So cheesy yet so brilliant! Kudos if you know the game.

  • secombe #35 2 years ago

    Loving all the non - first party game requests, kinda missing the point!

  • Dylbot #36 2 years ago

    DAAAAAYTONAAAAAAA

  • Rufus #37 2 years ago

    @Slipstream

    I know the game. I've been asked to cover that song as well, but I don't think I can do it justice. It's too awesome!

    Panzer Dragoon as well please SEGA!! You can leave Virtual Hydlide though. that was pap.

  • clearblue #38 2 years ago

    hmmmmm. time to dust off my saturn games and get them on ebay before they lose any value they might have!

  • TonyB #39 2 years ago

    At the risk of sounding unoriginal: Radiant Silvergun please.

  • Paulie_P #40 2 years ago

    Don't think about it - just do it!

  • SpaceMonkey77 #41 2 years ago

    What's there to think about, Sega? Get on the case. Saturn had a lot of cool games. Gimme Capcom's Xmen-Children of the Atom and Dungeons and Dragons, please.

    However, I'd rather see them focus on more original product.

    Bring Border Break to consoles. instead of leaving it to languish in japanese arcades, otherwise many of us will never get to play it. Get me Scud Race and Motoraid too.

    We've yet to see Sega try anything with XNA yet.

  • Eraysor #42 2 years ago

    Do it SEGA! Turn me into a fanboy again!

  • a8a #43 2 years ago

    As I understand it, Treasure have more or less said they don't want to re-release Radiant Silvergun, because it wouldn't be fair on the people who have paid hundreds for it on eBay. A bit of a silly policy imo, but it seems likely to me, considering how promiscuous Ikaruga has been in its porting.

  • imamazed #44 2 years ago

    Resident Evil!

  • convercide #45 2 years ago

    BURNING RANGERS! This would be awesome. Please SEGA. :)

  • PeacockDreams #46 2 years ago

    Exhumed! EXHUMED!!! I spent months on that game, the Saturn will allways have a soft spot in my heart, i remember my mum and dad paying £350 for the Saturn with Sega Rally, Daytona USA, Virtua Fighter 2 and Sega World Wide Soccer! What a bundle!!! Fighters Megamix was great, like a Sega version of Smash Bros. Duke Nukem 3D was immense also!!! Hexen was pretty good aswell, I really hope the Saturn comes to PS3 with dare I say... trophies

    jizzes self

  • Dylbot #47 2 years ago

    @SpaceMonkey77

    Motor Raid was fucking immense. That, Daytona USA and Sega Rally took so much of my money.

  • Silvergun-Blue #48 2 years ago

    Christ, where do I start?

    Shining force 3, preferably the whole trilogy and the premium disc
    Shining the holy Ark.
    Radiant Silvergun.
    ALL of Capcoms 2d fighters, Vampire Saviour, Street Fighter zero 3, Xmen vs Streetfighter.......
    Guardian Heroes.
    The redone Lunar Games.
    Grandia (keep the jap voices, just translate the bloody thing).. And the digital museum.
    Dragon Force.

    Sadly as someone has already said, The original code for Panzer Dragoon Saga is long gone.

    I'd also like to unashamedly add that that I own original copies of all these games.... I still mourn the death of the Saturn.

  • Xeopuppy #49 2 years ago

    Yes, Panzer Dragoon1, Zwei & Saga...

  • ckyman2 #50 2 years ago

    Shenmue!!!

  • Badassbab #51 2 years ago

    NIGHTS in full inc A Life and please can we have Guardian Heroes, that would be awesome online!

  • Bander #52 2 years ago

    "Bring Border Break to consoles. instead of leaving it to languish in japanese arcades, otherwise many of us will never get to play it. Get me Scud Race and Motoraid too. "

    This. Also I'd rather not ask for Sega to release Saturn conversions of arcade games when ports of the arcade originals should look nicer and feel more authentic. That, and last time I checked, Model 2 was easier to emulate than a Saturn!

    The Saturn had some great 2D stuff that wouldn't look as dated today as most of its 3D games. Unfortunately most of it is third party. Astal and Magic Knight Rayearth were both very pretty and by Sega, but MKR is a known case of source code going missing + licensing issues and Astal probably wouldn't generate much interest.

    Ports of the later PS2 Sega Ages stuff would be great though. Virtua Racing and the collections of Galaxy Force, Fantasy Zone, Space Harrier and Wonderboy/Monster World would all be titles I'd buy, even though I have some of them already.

  • sega #53 2 years ago

    Sega have too many classics, and I mean proper classics, that have only been released to a tiny audience since their original release. I mean games like Shenmue and Panzer Dragoon Saga are considered as masterpeices - yet how many people have actually played these games? The average person hasn't even heard of them, yet Sega stick them on the shelf never to be heard of again.

    Isn't Shenmue the second most expensive game ever made? Only surpassed recently by GTA4? Why has this game only had a release on the Dreamcast? It should have been ported to every console since - not forgotten about. It's like shelving bloody Star Wars not long after release and only letting a few thousand people see it. Sort it out, Sega - bring these works of art to a wider audience!

  • peacefuloutrage #54 2 years ago

    Since everyone else is asking for the other stuff, I'll ask for Astal, Fighting Vipers, and Fighter's Megamix. Maybe some Shining games thrown in for good measure. Have points, will spend.

  • Huxamalay #55 2 years ago

    SEGA, the following please

    Panzer Dragoon 1, Zwei & Saga
    Die Hard Trilogy
    Athlete Kings
    Legend Of Oasis (Story of Thor 2 to us UK lot)
    Nights into Dreams
    Saturn Bomberman
    Sonic 3D (much better than the Mega Drive Version IMO)
    Thunderforce V; Perfect System
    Burning Rangers
    Castlevania SOTN

    But also MODEL2 games, as said on many a thread, online DAYTONA would be awesome (and if you could do a conversion of SCUD RACE I'll come to your offices and kiss you in the face)

  • layleeloo #56 2 years ago

    Am I think only one who is of the opinion that time distorts memory? I mean, I loved my Saturn, I paid £400 for it and at the time Sega Rally, Daytona and Virtua Fighter were good yes. But if you play them not I think you will find them pretty pants. IM not just talking about graphics but gameplay too. Road Rash for example was great, and the difinitive 3D0 version was top. However a couple of years ago we dug it out of the loft and it was like "my god, how did we ever play this and think it was good".

    IM all for nostalgia and some games have faired well on live and psn, but I am definitely not of the opinion that resurrecting all old games is a good idea because its not, as most of them haven't aged well.

  • handsonhips101 #57 2 years ago

    I miss my saturn badly

    1. daytona usa and cce edition
    2. sega rally
    3. nights with christmas nights
    4. panzer dragoon collection rpg etc
    5. virtua cop 1,2 and hotd.
    6. staurn bomberman (with added online)
    7. athlete kings and winter heat
    8. vf1 vf2
    9. fighters megamix
    10. fighting vipers
    11. exhumed
    12. baku baku animal.
    13. bust a move 2.
    14. grandia
    15. street fighter alpha series
    16. xmen children of the atom
    17. bug

    need i go on....

  • Vin #58 2 years ago

    Nights on a 360 pad would be SEXUAL.

  • FuzzyDuck #59 2 years ago

    "game over yyyeeeeeeaaaaaaa.."

  • rayscoota #60 2 years ago

    Grandia was translated to english, it was released on the ps1

  • rojjer #61 2 years ago

    omfg Sega rally +1000 :-D

  • sonicyoda #62 2 years ago

    Like the Dreamcast games, the only Saturn games that could appear on digital services are ones that have already been ported to PC. So you could expect the like of SEGA Rally, SEGA Touring Cars, Panzer Dragoon, Virtua Fighter 1 & 2 etc. Look online for the PC range of Saturn games and you'll get a clearer picture.

    I think it's an awful lot of work for SEGA to deconstruct a Saturn game to port it to a digital service where as a PC version is essentially in source format already.

  • Ceelion #63 2 years ago

    PANZER DRAGOON SAGA PLEASE.

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #64 2 years ago

    Fightings Vipers, do it! do it!

    Oh no no no no , Fighters megamix! Love it

    "see yaaaaaa!"

    Hyperventilates

    Layleeloo you are spot on and your comment about digging out the saturn and playing the old games made me laugh.

    Edited by CHAZBIGPOTATO at 30/06/10 @ 22:27

  • riz23 #65 2 years ago

    No one has mentioned Dragonforce so I will.

  • cherryuk #66 2 years ago

    Athlete Kings
    Saturn Bomberman - best one of all Bombermen!!
    of course Radiant Silvergun! As I have never played it due to expense!

    What is everyone going on about Exhumed? - it was on the PS1 too!

  • asphaltcowboy #67 2 years ago

    Burning Rangers should be a TOP PRIORITY!!!

    (Also Panzer Dragoon Saga, thanks :))

  • NinjaWilliams #68 2 years ago

    Still waiting for ports of Harley Davidson LA Riders, Moto Raid, ScudRacer, Dayona, Sega Rally, Virtua Striker, Virtua cop, House of the dead 4, Planet harriers etc etc...

  • neosalad #69 2 years ago

    i never owned a Saturn, but would really like Sadiant Silvergun, Guardian Heroes, Nights.... Daytona and Sega Rally originals would be nice, especially with link up (live)

  • mingster #70 2 years ago

    The article says SEGA is thinking of porting ITS back catalogue of games.
    ie: Games made by SEGA. Most of you are wanting games not made by SEGA.
    But you can all dream eh...

  • Synthesis #71 2 years ago

    Guardian Heroes
    Fighters Megamix
    Virtual On
    Panzer Dragoon Saga
    Radiant Silvergun
    Daytona

    All in glorious 'HD' thanks.

  • dr_faulk #72 2 years ago

    GUARDIAN HEROES YEEEEEEAAAAAH!!!

  • Kanselier #73 2 years ago

    I will get boo'ed at but ho hum.

    Have you all forgotten how horrible 3D Saturn games look? I am a very proud owner of several Saturn consoles and I have a boatload of fond memories of its excellent games but let's look at them without pink shades of retro arcade awesomeness: do you really want to see Daytona in it's original state on your big telly? Or Burning Rangers? Sega Rally? Panzer Dragoon?

    The games mentioned above and excellent and deserve praise but without a proper HD graphic overhaul I doubt Saturn games on XBL/PSN will appeal to the mass market. For the simple fact that they look ugly.

    Speaking of HD graphic overhaul, I doubt Sega will invest time and money in making Saturn games more appealing to the eye knowing the state of Crazy Taxi and Sonic Adventure for X360/PS3.

  • Ryze #74 2 years ago

    Stop fucking thinking about it, and get them on there, along with Model 1/2/3 originals.

    This isn't the same SEGA I grew up with.

  • Shakey_Jake33 #75 2 years ago

    @Bander - Partial truth. Sega Rally on the Saturn had the control adjusted to work well on controller. That's why the Sega Ages version is a pain in the arse to control - they simply mapped the arcade control onto controller, and it just doesn't work.

    Of course, it is preferable to port the arcade versions, as long as they take better care over the controls this time. That said, there is a certain 'nostalgia' surrounding the Saturn ports for me. All the same, for the sake of everyone else, I hope the arcade versions are ported. Especially Daytona, which has never had a decent home port. The Saturn version remains the best in terms of playability but runs at 20fps.

  • Simonkey75 #76 2 years ago

    By all means port the 2D Saturn stuff, some of which was stonking (esp. shmups), but Daytona, Rally, Virtua Fighter? Really? Nostalgia aside, they have not aged well guys, and I say that as a rabid SegaBoy.

  • steve1979 #77 2 years ago

    Mystaria (I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet)
    Burning Rangers
    All 3 disks for shining force 3 (This would be a massive undertaking, but also a massive thank you from Sega for putting up with their cappiness during the end of the saturn era)
    Dragon Force
    Guardian Heroes
    Nights
    Fighters megamix
    exhumed
    Alien Trilogy
    Radiant Silvergun

    That's all for now Sega, so if you could just get on with it eh?

  • Eurolamer #78 2 years ago

    Guardian Heroes...

    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

    Such a natural fit for XBLA/PSN, surely?

  • iago71 #79 2 years ago

    Online Daytona please and of course Radiant Silver Gun. All the Capcom fighters that havent made it to us yet. Having said that I have the Mame ROMS of them anyway. Though it would be nice to consolidate them all to the Dashboard and have them OL.

    Suprised that they feel the Saturn is unknown. I think of it as a more successful machine than the Dreamcast. Though maybe it was only the Hardcore import types that had it. I remmember importing so much for it back then. Great machine.

  • oreillymj #80 2 years ago

    Whatever about Saturn ports, I'd like the arcade versions of Daytona and Sega Rally with the AM2 level textures ported to current-gen.

    Preferably by the guys that did Outrun Coast to Coast.

    "Your time's been extended"

  • BlitzwingHaz #81 2 years ago

    I'm glad to see the interest in this. I loved my Saturn, but I've actually stil got it in the cupboard so I'm reluctant to rebuy the games :D
    I'd like to see Virtua Fighter 2 for definate though. Along with X-Men COTA, Daytona and Sega Rally, but they would probably be better based on their arcade versions.
    Bomberman and Guardian Heroes were classics too.
    I really can't understand why Daytona isn't on Live already.
    Edited by BlitzwingHaz at 01/07/10 @ 10:47

  • Jonny5Alive7 #82 2 years ago

    I'd like to add my vote for Sega Rally and Virtua Fighter 2. Oh and Fighters Megamix wasn't bad either. And also Athlete Kings...loved that game!

  • Ryze #83 2 years ago

    Time Extension.

    Ridiculous that they're saying the Saturn and its games are unknown, while porting Dreamcast games.

    When the Saturn came out, the Arcades were in full swing, and some of the Saturns games were MASSIVE arcade hits, played by families worldwide at holiday resorts, as well as by hardcore gamers.

    when the Dreamcast came along, everyone was playing Sony/Namco games, the Arcades were dead, and most people waited for the PS2.

    Silly. get those Model 1/2/3 games ported and live enabled.

    Sega don't have a clue these days.
    Edited by Ryze at 01/07/10 @ 11:47

  • muttler #84 2 years ago

    Panzer Dragoon Saga and Mystaria Realms of Lore please Bob.

  • Mister_G #85 2 years ago

    Money..... old rope..... what's to think about? ;o)

  • telboy007 #86 2 years ago

    My Saturn is on its last legs, they really need to release the classics peeps have already mentioned! Some absolute epic games came out for that black box.


  • irve77 #87 2 years ago

    Panzer Dragoon Saga , Burning rangers , Guardian heroes , FPW: SMS , Nights,

    All HD and lush would be ace .. Burning rangers was a little too much for the saturn hardware so it would be good to see that playing at full speed with a decent draw distance

    Panzer Dragoon .. far better than FFVII the more people that play that lovely lovely game the better

  • orakio #88 2 years ago

    Shining force trilogy translated, and I will buy an x-box... Yessir!

  • gggames.se #89 2 years ago

    We NEED the Thunder Force game series, please. ;)