Saturn vrs Dreamcast, Which one? Why? Costs?

readyletsgo

So I am still thinking about getting one of these consoles but am still not sure which one to go for. Sorry to be a total n00b as usual but you guys really know you consoles/games.
At the moment i do have a x360 wii and 3ds, but no internet connection for the x360 so cant download old games for saturn/dreamcast.

Not many Saturns on sale in Adverts in Dublin, think there is just one at the moment. R.A.G.E. have any? Most I would pay is around €40 to €50 with a few games.
Would you recommend me to get this console? Is there a bad/good/amazing back cat of mixed games? how much do the games go for? How would it look on my 26" flat screen? Do I need to get new cables to connect it to my flat screen telly?

Dreamcast, ah I hear so much about this system and everyone seems to love it, seems to have a good back cat of games, but is it worth it? Same questions as I asked for the Saturn I guess.

Thanks guys!!!!

o1s1n

Is both not an option?

Should be able to get the cheap enough.

megaten

Well the Dreamcast is easier to ahem, 'acquire' games for. You can use a vga box to hook it up to flat screens too.

o1s1n

Get both.

Get a VGA box for the Dreamcast.

Get an RGB scart cable for the Saturn.

Run 'digitally aquired' games on the Dreamcast without any kind of modding.

Buy lovely complete, boxed Saturn games.

readyletsgo

megaten wrote: »

Well the Dreamcast is easier to ahem, 'acquire' games for. You can use a vga box to hook it up to flat screens too.

Can you not 'acquire' saturn games too? or is that just not easy to do?

VGA box? eh....

Retr0gamer

If you are worried about cost get a dreamcast. They are cheap as chips and if you get one they are easy to play back ups if you don't want to buy games and easy to import with.

I'd personally go for a saturn though. Firstly don't get a PAL saturn or if you do get a PAL saturn then get it modified with a 50/60 Hz switch asap. You'll be playing mostly arcade type games on the saturn and playing them in slowed down 50Hz is a sin.

Secondly you will need an action replay 4 in 1. There's only a handful of good saturn games that got released in the West that are any good and worth buying. The japanese library however is chock full of amazing and weird games. The action replay 4 in 1 will allow you to play any import game and also acts as a 1 meg and 4 meg expansion and will allow you to back up your save games for when the battery dies. It's pretty much essential.

Now the games you'll be buying will mostly be japanese imports and most will set you back an arm and a leg. Unfortunately most of the saturn really good must haves are highly sought after and in limited quantities. There's also no point havin a saturn if you are only going to get the popular games, there's a weatlh of weird and wonderful stuff of discover on the system. So what you'll need is a well paying job or else what I'd recommend, get your system chipped.

Both are great machines and discovering the hidden gems of each was a great experience but overall I found the saturn was more rewarding.

o1s1n

You can run 'aquired' games on an unmodded Dreamcast. Just pop the burned disc in and it works.

You'd need a modchip for the Saturn.

DC VGA box. Lets you connect your DC to VGA connections.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Dreamcast-DC-VGA-Box-w-S-Video-Output-/260739029310?pt=UK_VideoGames_VideoGameAccessories_VideoGameAccessories_JN&hash=item3cb541d93e

Retr0gamer

It's worth buying some games though. A lot of iso's you'll find will have lower quality sound and video for example to fit them on a CD. However some games have been absolutely butchered by this process. Skies of Arcadia has terrible low quality music which is a sin considering how good the soundtrack is and Maken X has all the music bar 2 tracks cut out of it which forced me to buy a legit copy because the music is so good in that game.

Pyongyang

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It's worth buying some games though.

FYP.

Buy both consoles. Both are superb value for money and have great libraries.

Personally all my games are legit, I haven't got any CD-R's, but if you were to go down that road it's easy enough to do as stated in this thread.

Tough to choose between the two but if pushed for a choice I'd say for me the Saturn just pips the Dreamcast to the post. But only just.

That may change when my copy of Sturmwind arrives in November. :cool:

readyletsgo

o1s1n wrote: »

You can run 'aquired' games on an unmodded Dreamcast. Just pop the burned disc in and it works.

You'd need a modchip for the Saturn.

DC VGA box. Lets you connect your DC to VGA connections.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Dreamcast-DC-VGA-Box-w-S-Video-Output-/260739029310?pt=UK_VideoGames_VideoGameAccessories_VideoGameAccessories_JN&hash=item3cb541d93e

Thanks for that O1s1n, but do i really need a VGA connection or can I use the stand connection that comes with a DC?


Some really great advice here so far, thanks very much!!!!!

DC is sounding more appealing to me now, re 'aquired' games, pretty damn broke (as we all are). How much would a DC set me back? €20/30/40/50?

What games would you recommend to me? I do like platformers and shoots, not really into sports games at all, RPG's I sometimes can get into.
What burning discs would you advice to get?

Retr0gamer

Whatever you do don't use the standard connections. For the Dreamcast VGA is the best conection you can get but can be a pain to set up. The next best thing is a RGB cable which will give you excellent picture quality. RGB is pretty much essential for the saturn as well. Don't use av composite (red, white and yellow cables) or RF otherwise you'll get disgusting picture quality.

CiDeRmAn

Easy to get the Saturn chipped, easy to region patch the iso files as well.
So its easy to accrue a large, definitive games collection for the Saturn.

Retr0gamer

No reason to region patch them though when the 4 in 1 is pretty much essential considering everything it does on top of making the console region free. Also 50 Hz saturn games? ROFL.

Mr.Saturn

The R.A.G.E charge about 50e for a Dreamcast, and around the same, maybe a little less, for a Saturn. You'd probably find both for around half on a good day's internet shopping. Console Passion are doing a Saturn package that comes with everything done, but it's a bit on the steep side:

http://www.consolepassion.co.uk/products/sega-saturn/consoles/sega-saturn-modified-ultimate-switchless-console-boxed

Dr Bob

I've a broken saturn knocking about if you fancy trading something for a fixer upper. Cd isn't spinning up , everything else is fine

readyletsgo

Mr.Saturn wrote: »

The R.A.G.E charge about 50e for a Dreamcast, and around the same, maybe a little less, for a Saturn. You'd probably find both for around half on a good day's internet shopping. Console Passion are doing a Saturn package that comes with everything done, but it's a bit on the steep side:

http://www.consolepassion.co.uk/products/sega-saturn/consoles/sega-saturn-modified-ultimate-switchless-console-boxed

€50 is what i would pay max for a DC. That Saturn sounds real good but... bit pricey.

luas_dublin wrote: »

I've a broken saturn knocking about if you fancy trading something for a fixer upper. Cd isn't spinning up , everything else is fine

Thanks LD, but wouldnt know the first thing what to do with a broken saturn.

o1s1n

Should be able to get a DC on ebay for cheaper than €50. Maybe keep an eye out on ebay.ie. They're listed in Ireland frequently enough.

luas_dublin have you tried lifting the spindle all the way up like I did with mine? If it starts spinning then it's not the motor, just the spindle was too low after years of people pressing down on it.

Retr0gamer

You'd probably get a DC on adverts for 50 with a bunch of games.

megaten

It might be worth checking the rage for a dreamcast too. I got one there for 20 quid with two controllers. Mind you it didn't come with any cables so that was another 20 quid for that and a vmu.

Actually one of the nice things about the dreamcast is that brand new vmu's are dirt cheap.

Dr Bob

o1s1n wrote: »

luas_dublin have you tried lifting the spindle all the way up like I did with mine? If it starts spinning then it's not the motor, just the spindle was too low after years of people pressing down on it.

I'll give it a shot

safetyboy

luas_dublin wrote: »

I've a broken saturn knocking about if you fancy trading something for a fixer upper. Cd isn't spinning up , everything else is fine

Interesting, i need the PSU for my .jp Saturn

Dr Bob

safetyboy wrote: »

Interesting, i need the PSU for my .jp Saturn

could be handy
dont suppose you've a Megadrive 1 you fancy trading?
no psu /rf/controllers or anything , just the meg?

DickyC

o1s1n wrote: »

Buy lovely complete, boxed Saturn games.

Don't forget the lovely boxed jap Dreamcast games either:p

but as you said, the vga adapter is a must have:)

safetyboy

luas_dublin wrote: »

could be handy
dont suppose you've a Megadrive 1 you fancy trading?
no psu /rf/controllers or anything , just the meg?

Nope just a genesis and a MD2

Dr Bob

safetyboy wrote: »

Nope just a genesis and a MD2

listen its going unused so if you've anything you fancy trading for it let me know!

bud1970

slightly off topic i know, but does anyone have a fooked dreamcast? the i have one here that the circuit board for the controllers is foobared on....