Saturn Games - ranked by preference

Release Date: January 29, 1998 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Team Andromeda
Genre: RPG

Panzer Dragoon Saga isn't a perfect game, but for the system it was on, and for the time it was released, Panzer Dragoon Saga was an absolutely amazing game. The game is fully voiced-over (which was unheard of back then) and it also took place in a fully 3D world, which was a change from the pre-rendered backgrounds in most RPG's of the time. On top of that, the game itself is just so original...Even today there isn't a single game out there like it, which is a shame as this is a fantastic experience. It can cost a pretty penny if you want a copy, but quite frankly, when you've got a game this good and this original, it's well worth the price of admission.

Release Date: December 1, 1995 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: AM2
Genre: Fighting

Virtua Fighter 2 didn't just solidify Virtua Fighter as the franchise to beat in the 3D fighting world, it was considered by many to be THE best 3D fighting game for many years after its release. That opinion was probably largely due to the fact that the computer AI was very intelligent and it adapted to your fighting style, forcing you to make your attacks more varied unless you wanted to lose. If you want to play the best, early 3D fighters, Virtua Fighter 2 should be at the top of your list.

Release Date: January 26, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Treasure
Genre: Action - Brawler

Ever play a brawler like Final Fight, but wish is played more like a fighting game, like Street Fighter? Well, mix the two together, and toss in some Treasure charm, and you've got Guardian Heroes - quite possibly the best brawler ever made. Not only is it a blast when playing solo, you've got the option to play with five of your closest friends, so the six of you can pummel anything and everything that pops up on the screen. Most folks who play this game fall in love with it...And with its recent release on the Xbox 360, a whole new generation of people can enjoy the wonders of this gem.

Release Date: July 19, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Hudson Soft
Genre: Action

I absolutely LOVE Saturn Bomberman; it's my favorite game in the franchise by quite a large margin. It's very fun in single player, but multi-player is what most folks enjoy Bomberman for, and Saturn Bomberman surpasses all other games in the Bomberman series in that regard. This game supports up to ten players playing together at once. Yes, ten. Think of the chaotic fun to be had with that many people. Saturn Bomberman is a great game in itself, but the multiplayer options turn a great game into one of the greatest games ever made, in my opinion.

Release Date: December 11, 1997 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Camelot Software Planning
Genre: RPG

Some folks are bitter because everyone but the Japanese know this simply as Shining Force III...When in Japan, this is known as Shining Force III Scenario 1, and is actually part one of a three game series. Scenarios 2 and 3 never made their way outside of Japan, but quite frankly, in my opinion whether we got the other parts of this game's story is irrelevant. What we did get was a great RPG, regardless of if it was only one third of the full story in Shining Force III to be told.

Release Date: December 27, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Human Entertainment
Developer: Human Entertainment
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

Fire Pro Wrestling S was THE wrestling game to own if you were a wrestling fanatic back in 1996. It wasn't until Fire Pro Wrestling D was released a few years later on the Dreamcast that this game was surpassed. It was so ahead of its time with so many of its features, including an MMA-style match, complete with a caged octagon ring, years before the UFC and MMA as a whole gained a whole lot of popularity around the world. Later Fire Pro games have surpassed this title, but for its time, you couldn't have found a better wrestling title anywhere. Period.

Release Date: March 22, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Team Andromeda
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

The first Panzer Dragoon was a fun rail shooter...The sequel improved on the original in every way and added in a few new features, like levels with multiple paths to choose from and the awesome feature of being able to morph your dragon into a new, more powerful one. When it comes to rail shooters, I consider this game to be the king of the mountain. It looks beautiful, it plays wonderfully, and it's just a fantastic game as a whole. This game alone is worth the purchase of a Saturn, let alone all of the other fantastic titles that the console had exclusively.

Release Date: January 25, 1996 (EU)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

The best home version of Street Fighter Alpha was found on the Saturn. While the Saturn generally had poorer 3D graphics when compared to the Playstation, it definitely had the advantage as far as 2D games go. The Saturn version of Street Fighter Alpha looked great, played very smoothly, and was just a fantastic fighting game experience. Later games in the Alpha series improved upon and perfected the formula found here, but the first Street Fighter Alpha is still a fantastic game in its own right.

Release Date: July 5, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sonic Team
Genre: Action

Sonic Team is best known for creating Sonic the Hedgehog games. However, some argue that NiGHTS into Dreams is the best game that Sonic Team ever created. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I definitely agree that NiGHTS is one of the top two or three games that Sonic Team developed. There's just something enjoyable about soaring through the air, picking up power-ups, and taking part in large boss fights. The disappointing Wii sequel has nothing on this gem.

Release Date: December 28, 1995 (NA)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Genre: Racing - Rally

I loved the two "Sega Sports" racing games released on the Saturn; Daytona USA and Sega Rally Championship. But, if forced to choose between the two, Sega Rally Championship gets the slight nod over Daytona simply because I prefer playing rally-style racing games over NASCAR-style racing games. I also enjoy racing games with an arcade feel, and this rally racer has that, which easily makes it one of my favorite racing games of all-time.

Release Date: July 26, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: AM2
Genre: Fighting

Virtua Fighter Kids is a good solid Virtua Fighter game...It basically runs off of the Virtua Fighter 2 engine, plays a little faster, and has a few new modes added in. Oh, and it's also quite precious as the fighters are all big-headed, super-deformed, adorable, little cuteys that could rip your heart out of your chest in an instant. That being said, it's about as solid of a fighting game as Virtua Fighter 2 is regardless of the cute graphics. The only reason I've got it this far down the list is that despite how good it is, I still consider it to be a clone, so I docked it a tad due to that fact.

Release Date: November 25, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: AM2
Genre: Racing

After the disappointing Daytona USA, Sega fixed all the issues and released a much, much better version that lived up to many of the expectations that the first version dropped the ball on. Championship Circuit Edition is an improved product in absolutely every regard, and one that lives up to the hype that the arcade version got. I still enjoy Sega Rally Championship a little more, but quite frankly, Daytona USA Championship Circuit Edition is right up there as one of my favorite racers of all-time.

Release Date: June 20, 1997 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sonic Team
Genre: Compilation

Sonic Jam is a compilation of Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2, 3, and Sonic & Knuckles. It also contains a neat little feature where you can roam around a 3D world as Sonic, which was supposedly to be the 3D Sonic game planned for the Saturn...And no, Sonic 3D Blast doesn't count. But anyway, as far as compilations go, I think I'd place Sonic Jam in my top five personal favorites, as it's got four great, classic Sonic games in one handy, dandy little package.

Release Date: October 23, 1997 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Scarab
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

All Japan Pro Wrestling featuring Virtua is a arcade-style wrestling game based off of the All-Japan promotion in Japan, where many legendary grapplers called their home at one time or another. From Kenta Kobashi, Toshiaki Kawada, and Stan Hansen to the late Steve Williams, Giant Baba, and Mitsuharu Misawa to even Johnny Ace (John Laurinaitis to viewers of the current WWE product) the top stars of All Japan at the time are in this game. And, like the title hints, Wolf Hawkfield and Jeffrey McWild from the Virtua Fighter series are also on the roster of folks to choose from. But anyway, this is a pretty fun wrestling title with a very arcadey feel, but it still maintains the realistic wrestling you'd see on an AJPW card. Considering I'm a bit of a mark for All Japan footage from this time period, I do kind of squeal like a school girl every time I pull this game out and start giving folks lariats with Stan Hansen or tiger bombs with Mitsuharu Misawa. It's just plain fun.

Release Date: October 30, 1995 (EU)
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft
Genre: Platformer

Rayman was one of the last really good platformers before most developers opted to do 3D platforming games instead. The visuals were bright and detailed, the gameplay was fun, and the game itself had a nice little personality to it. Even today, going back, it's just as fun as it was when it was released. If you missed out on the original Rayman, I highly recommend giving it a try. If you like platformers, I'm pretty confident that you'll fall in love with this game.

Release Date: August 25, 1995 (JP)
Publisher: Human Entertainment
Developer: Human Entertainment
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

Fire Pro Gaiden is like an arcade version of the Fire Pro franchise. It lacks the giant roster that Fire Pro franchise was eventually known for, but with that extra space, delivers a much more graphically impressive experience. Also, all of the characters are original creations, not likenesses of real wrestlers with changed names to avoid copyrights. The over-the-top moves might turn off Fire Pro purists, as might the easy to pick up difficulty. But, quite frankly, the game is a blast to play. The only thing holding it back from placing higher on the list is a lack of game modes...But the game is solid enough to keep fans of fighting and/or wrestling games coming back for more anyway.

Release Date: October 31, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Developer: Core Design
Genre: Adventure

I think Tomb Raider got a lot of sales from the rumor of a nude code...But quite frankly, even if the perverted folk who wanted to look at polygonal female genitalia didn't buy the game, I still would like to think that Tomb Raider would have been a success based on the gameplay alone. Exploring around and occasionally shooting stuff while controlling a lass with an English accent actually created a very enjoyable experience that helped create a very successful franchise.

Release Date: September 22, 1995 (JP)
Publisher: Working Designs
Developer: SystemSoft
Genre: Strategy - Turn-Based

I love Iron Storm. As a fan of history, the idea of playing a strategy game where I can reenact World War II sounds fun. The idea of playing a strategy game where I can pick the other side and see what would be different had Japan or Nazi Germany won the war just fascinates me. If you're a fan of Military Madness or Advance Wars, you'll know what to expect here - a fun, turn-based strategy game, and one that happens to reflect (or oppose) history.

Release Date: August 30, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: AM2
Genre: Fighting

If Virtua Fighter 2 is too realistic of a fighter for you, then Fighting Vipers and its over-the-top combat might be right up your alley. With a unique air-juggling system, the bulk of a fight could potentially take place in the air...Not to mention that the fight could end by sending your opponent crashing through the walls of the arena to their defeat. But with all of the over-the-top action, there's also plenty of room for strategy, making it a very solid, enjoyable fighter...But its arcade-y style may not be for everyone...As is evidenced by the apparent "love it or hate it" attitude a lot of folks seem to have about it.

Release Date: August 8, 1997 (JP)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

Marvel Super Heroes is basically Street Fighter, but with characters from the Marvel universe. In my opinion, it was the best of the Marvel fighting games until Marvel vs. Capcom 2 came out. It lacked a large roster of characters by today's standards, but for its time, Marvel Super Heroes was definitely a fighting game worth tracking down. Like most 2D fighters in comparison to the Playstation One port, the Saturn version plays and looks a bit smoother and is an overall superior edition of the game.

Release Date: March 10, 1995 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Team Andromeda
Genre: Shooter - Third-Person

Panzer Dragoon was the first really good exclusive game for the Saturn. This interesting rail shooter was, and still is, an extremely fun experience that was unlike anything that you'd find on the competition's systems. The second Panzer Dragoon totally blew this game away, and Panzer Dragoon Saga blew them both away...But that says more about how great those games are than anything; the original is no slouch, either.

Release Date: December 21, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Genre: Fighting

In Fighters Megamix, the Virtua Fighter roster battles the Fighting Vipers roster....As well as 10 unlockable characters from various other Sega games to join in on the fun. If you've had your fill of both Virtua Fighter 2 and Fighting Vipers, Fighters Megamix might breathe some new life into your passion for those two series. It's also fun if you want to beat up Akira as one of the cars from Daytona USA...Seriously. The game is unbalanced, but some of the ridiculous hidden characters just make playing this more fun than it probably should be...Regardless of if the unbalanced stuff is in your favor or your opponent's.

Release Date: November 22, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sonic Team
Genre: Action

Christmas NiGHTS never saw a release in North America aside from a demo disk...And oddly enough, even that demo disk has gotten itself a cult following. But anyway, Christmas NiGHTS would place higher on this list, but it's essentially the same as the original NiGHTS. The only notable difference is that Christmas NiGHTS uses the Saturn's internal clock to determine how the game displays levels. Play it at Christmas and the levels will be decorated as such. The same can be said at various other times during the year. It's a really neat and novel idea, but not enough of a change to the actual gameplay to justify me placing it any higher on the ol' list here.

Release Date: June 30, 1997 (NA)
Publisher: Midway
Developer: Digital Eclipse
Genre: Compilation

If you like old, Atari arcade games then you'll like this compilation of 'em. Asteroids, Battlezone, Centipede, Missile Command, Super Breakout, and Tempest make up the gems found in this compilation. Personally, I could (and have) lose hours on Super Breakout, Centipede, and Tempest alone and the other games aren't slouches either. If you're a younger gamer and curious what young'uns plugged quarters into back when arcades were popular hangout spots, then give this compilation a try.

Release Date: January 4, 1996 (EU)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Electronic Arts
Genre: Racing

I liked Road Rash a lot on the 3DO. The Saturn version is good, too...But to be completely honest, the Saturn library is much more impressive than the 3DO library is, which is why it places so high over on that list, yet places relatively low in comparison here. But anyway, if you like the idea of racing motorcycles down busy roads while using chains and baseball bats to knock your fellow racers (and any police officers dumb enough to come near you) off of their bikes, then Road Rash is for you.

Release Date: October 10, 1995 (NA)
Publisher: Working Designs
Developer: Camelot Software
Genre: Adventure - Action/RPG

Shining Wisdom isn't one of the best games in the Shining series by far, but it's still passable. It contains plenty of areas to explore, a bunch of enemies to battle, and some pretty fun boss fights that require quick thinking and good reflexes to beat. There are plenty of better games on the system, hence where I have it ranked on here, but as it is, Shining Wisdom is still a solid experience worth playing if you ever get the chance.

Release Date: September 30, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Zono, Inc.
Genre: Platformer

Mr. Bones is just an odd game...Then again, when a game's main character is a skeleton that loves blues music, I suppose that odd is to be expected. But anyway, Mr. Bones is a pretty solid game, but the main things holding it back are some frustrating levels and the controls, which sometimes feel unresponsive. But then again, Mr. Bones himself is just such a likable character that you may find yourself grinding through to the next stage just so you can see what happens with him next.

Release Date: February 22, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Fighting

I've always liked the Darkstalkers games, but quite frankly, they've had the misfortune of never being quite as good as the Street Fighter series. Night Warriors is no exception to this rule. It's a very solid, and quite frankly, a very good 2D fighting game, but it falls short of being as good as Street Fighter and many other 2D fighters that Capcom put out on the Saturn, for that matter. If you're a fighting game fanatic, you'll find plenty to love here, but otherwise, I'd recommend checking out some of the 2D fighters further up on this list instead.

Release Date: April 1, 1995 (NA)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: AM2
Genre: Racing

Daytona USA was a disappointing Saturn release in the sense that it really lacked a lot of what made the arcade version so fun...What's more frustrating about it is that the Championship Circuit Edition corrected most of the issues, which pretty much made it clear that it would have been possible to get it correct on the first go-round. But even with the disappointments, Daytona USA was still a pretty enjoyable (albeit flawed) racing experience in my opinion...It just had a lot to live up to with being a port of what many consider to be one of the greatest arcade games of all-time.

Release Date: November 22, 1995 (JP)
Publisher: Acclaim
Developer: Rutubo Games
Genre: Fighting

X-Men: Children of the Atom was a solid, 2D fighter in the style of Street Fighter, except instead of having a fighter shoot fireballs out of his hands, this game has one that shoots laser beams from his eyes. The gameplay isn't as tight and crisp of a fighter as Street Fighter is, but it's still a worthy addition to any fighting fan's library - especially if you're an X-Men fan.

Release Date: August 1, 1997 (JP)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Genre: Fighting

I think Last Bronx is an over-looked fighting title on a system full of great and really good fighting games. Last Bronx isn't a bad fighting game by any means; it's solid and fun to play. However, it also doesn't do anything unique or innovative enough to stand-out in a crowd of superior fighting titles. That said, Last Bronx is probably the worst of the 3D fighters that Sega published for the Saturn...But that's also like saying that it's the ugliest contestant in a beauty pageant - even last place is pretty nice.

Release Date: August 9, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Acclaim
Developer: Sculptured Software
Genre: Fighting - Wrestling

At first glance, Wrestlemania the Arcade Game looks like a terrible idea. A wrestling game with Mortal Kombat-like controls for over-the-top, ridiculous moves doesn't have any right to be fun, right? Wrong. This was a very good blend of loose professional wrestling rules mixed with a regular fighting game. The end result wasn't the greatest game ever, but easily a game that fighting fans and/or wrestling fans can pick up and enjoy.

Release Date: 1997 (NA)
Publisher: GT Interactive
Developer: Lobotomy Software
Genre: Shooter - First-Person

Duke Nukem 3D isn't your normal first-person shooter...Then again, any game which has a comical first-person view of a hand holding a dollar bill whilst in front of a harlot whilst she's doing things that aren't child friendly whilst she's on or around a pole, probably wouldn't be normal, regardless of the genre. I should bump this game up a few spots for letting me say "whilst" so much. The game is also littered with potty humor, which I'll admit, often makes me giggle like a school girl. The Saturn version also contains an exclusive, extra level...So if you enjoy your time here, you'll get a little more to enjoy.

Release Date: July 12, 1996 (JP)
Publisher: Psygnosis
Developer: Psygnosis
Genre: Racing

WipEout is a futuristic racing game that almost feels like a kart racing game in that you can use turbo boosts and shoot weaponry at your fellow racers. It's a solid racing title, but I'd be lying if I said that I thought this game would spawn a series that continues to see releases in the franchise to this day. It's a good game, but there are better racers to choose from on the Saturn.

Release Date: November 30, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Traveller's Tales
Genre: Platformer

Sonic 3D Blast is a passable game...But that's about it. It's really not too fun and you never really get to enjoy a sense of speed through the levels, which was part of what made the 2D Sonic games so fun to play. Like I said, Sonic 3D Blast is a passable experience, but 99% of the folks who play this are going to be wishing that they were playing one of the original Sonic games instead, in all their glorious 2D greatness.

Release Date: 1995 (EU)
Publisher: Crystal Dynamics
Developer: Silicon Knights
Genre: Strategy

Kirk Cameron...I've grown to dislike him over the years, but I can pinpoint the origin of dislike and the moment I first frowned upon seeing him to when he played the bumbling idiot Chauncey in this game. Anyway, in the Horde, your goal is to build a village and then defend it brawler-style when the Horde comes in to attack. In an isometric view, you then guide Chauncey around on the screen and attack the monsters destroying your village...And when you're successful? Do it all over again, repairing any damage and adding more to the village. It's passable, but it's also pretty boring at times...And if by some chance you smile as you play, Kirk Cameron's bad acting will likely wipe the smirk off your face.

Release Date: June 2, 1995 (JP)
Publisher: Acclaim
Developer: Scarab
Genre: Fighting

The game title is basically what you do here; battle monsters. However, this terrible fighting game has you doing more battles with boredom than with the characters in the game. I was hoping that this would at least be enjoyable in a cheesy way, but it's not. It looks like a Mortal Kombat rip-off, and it plays like trying to play Mortal Kombat with broken fingers. I've played worse before, but this was still very bad.

Release Date: November 30, 1996 (NA)
Publisher: Acclaim
Developer: Sculptured Software
Genre: Fighting

Sculptured Software never heard of the phrase "less is more." After the surprising success of WWF Wrestlemania the Arcade Game, instead of sticking with the formula that worked, they decided that the game needed even less wrestling and more of a cheesy fighting game feel...And by making those changes, they created an absolutely horrible experience. To make matters worse, the gameplay wasn't as smooth as Wrestlemania was, nor did the controls feel as tight. The game was awful and was a number of steps backward from the game it was the sequel to. It's games like In Your House that eventually led to consumers not trusting Acclaim for publishing quality products, which in turn, lead to their eventual demise as a company...In my opinion, at least.