Is the Sega Saturn Worth it?

[munchiaz]

I just use the swap trick when playing burned games on the Saturn. I really need to sit down and play through dragonforce

[Xak]

^I heard the swap without any devices can damage your sytem in the long haul be careful. I had a gameshark or something like it that was supposed to boot the burned games for you but I could never get it to work. I gotta put my burned games on PC oh well, better output image.

[munchiaz]

I do have a action replay 4MB cart now, i think that will allow me to play burned games, but i havent tried yet

[SuperDeadite]

I do have a action replay 4MB cart now, i think that will allow me to play burned games, but i havent tried yet

No.  It just defeats the region lockout (software codes), the copy protection is hardware (the custom edge ring on Saturn discs), no cart beats it.  Just get a modchip, installing a Saturn modchip is like the easiest install ever, you solder just one wire for power, otherwise it's plug and play.

[munchiaz]

I do have a action replay 4MB cart now, i think that will allow me to play burned games, but i havent tried yet

I may have to do that.

No.  It just defeats the region lockout (software codes), the copy protection is hardware (the custom edge ring on Saturn discs), no cart beats it.  Just get a modchip, installing a Saturn modchip is like the easiest install ever, you solder just one wire for power, otherwise it's plug and play.

[SNKNostalgia]

The main thing is to get the right modchip. The blue board ones you would get from Racketboy and JL Games back in the day are not reliable. I had to get one of the bigger one with the ribbon cable built into it from a UK seller back in 2006. I would assume it is even more of a pain now. Also, some Saturns won't work with some modchips or all mod chips. My Blue Skeletal Saturn wouldn't boot with any of them due to the latest bios from '97 since it was the last Saturn model produced that I know of.

[DragonmasterDan]

My Blue Skeletal Saturn wouldn't boot with any of them due to the latest bios from '97 since it was the last Saturn model produced that I know of.

The Derby Stallion model?

From what I've heard it has issues with some of the SNK RAM cart games as well.

[lukester]

Got my package today! Genesis, Sega CD, and Saturn! And a billion controllers.

Gotta get me some games now...

[lukester]

Just ordered Sega Rally and Street Fighter Alpha, with a controller for now. Will get that Action 4 in 1 cart at some point.

[roflmao]

Gamesharks also allow you to play imports (though not the 4meg ones) and I think they can be found pretty cheap.  I use mine to play Skull Fang, Christmas Nights, and Myst (Aw, yeah!).

[SuperDeadite]

The Gameshark's PCB was made too wide and is notorious for destroying the Saturn's cart port.  Very much not recommended, hence the cheap.  Plus no RAM expansion, don't bother.

[DragonmasterDan]

The Gameshark's PCB was made too wide and is notorious for destroying the Saturn's cart port.  Very much not recommended, hence the cheap.  Plus no RAM expansion, don't bother.

Every third party cart I've ever seen lacks the tapered edges of the Sega made carts which contribute to bending the pins on the Saturn cart port. I've given up monkeying with cartridges and leave an official Sega memory card in my Saturns permanently.

[TheClash603]

The Gameshark's PCB was made too wide and is notorious for destroying the Saturn's cart port.  Very much not recommended, hence the cheap.  Plus no RAM expansion, don't bother.

Every third party cart I've ever seen lacks the tapered edges of the Sega made carts which contribute to bending the pins on the Saturn cart port. I've given up monkeying with cartridges and leave an official Sega memory card in my Saturns permanently.

Ditto.

My Game Shark lasted me the entirety of the Saturn's commercial lifespan.  Then when I got back from college and tried to get it going, I could never get it to work again.  My cartridge slot also never would read another cart, except for the genuine Sega memory cart.  I do wish I could get my saves off that Game Shark somehow, as I have some good stuff on there...  Romance of the Three Kingdoms epic games if I recall.

[DragonmasterDan]

The Gameshark's PCB was made too wide and is notorious for destroying the Saturn's cart port.  Very much not recommended, hence the cheap.  Plus no RAM expansion, don't bother.

Every third party cart I've ever seen lacks the tapered edges of the Sega made carts which contribute to bending the pins on the Saturn cart port. I've given up monkeying with cartridges and leave an official Sega memory card in my Saturns permanently.

Ditto.

My Game Shark lasted me the entirety of the Saturn's commercial lifespan.  Then when I got back from college and tried to get it going, I could never get it to work again.  My cartridge slot also never would read another cart, except for the genuine Sega memory cart.  I do wish I could get my saves off that Game Shark somehow, as I have some good stuff on there...  Romance of the Three Kingdoms epic games if I recall.

I've gone through many many Saturns due to the cartridge slot. When the system was still contemporary I owned a netlink, official card, third party card, game shark, action replay, etc. I would buy used ones at Funcoland, they'd last a few months, then use the warranty plan to swap them out for one with a working cart slot. Over the years I've probably gone through a dozen or more Saturns. I've totally given up using anything with the RAM cart.

[roflmao]

I've heard horror stories (like the ones posted above) of the ram cart slot, but surprisingly, my original Saturn has been going strong with my Gameshark for something like 15 years now.  Every once in awhile I'll have to unplug it and plug it back in, but it's not frequent enough to be much of a bother.  I don't have it plugged in all the time, so maybe that's a good thing.  But it's gotten a fair amount of use over the years (back when I had a larger Saturn collection and used it for the cheats).  Lately, I just use it to play imports.