The Sega Saturn (Japanese: a video game console of the manufacturer Sega, appeared on 22 November 1994 in Japan; 170.000 devices were sold on the first day, altogether are to have been sold 10 million devices.

Introduction

For the end of the Sega held the second place in the console business nearly world-wide behind Nintendo. The publication date for of Nintendo successors for the SNES/super Famicom, later Nintendo 64, shifted ever further to the rear, so that Sega with the megadrive successor Saturn had a good chance to position itself better at the market. Since with Sony PlayStation a strong market competitor was established, Sega could not fulfill this expectation.

In May 1995 Sega started the Saturn in the USA, whole 6 months in former times as planned. This was announced on the E3 (electronics Entertainment Expo) in the same year, where the Sega representatives supplied themselves advertising combat with Sony. This surprising step entailed however lean sales. This was to a large extent because of the high price of the system and the lack at available software. Therefore Sega decided to only deliver Saturn units to certain dealers. This provided for large Verbitterung opposite Sega on the part of certain companies, under it Kay Bee Toys.

1996 appeared a periphery named Sega NetLink (28,8 a kbit/s modem) for the Saturn. Actually to the rescue of the console meant, it proved rather as counter productive, since it had a high price and only few compatible plays. A Web Browser was available, programmed with the equipment by planet Web, the later programmer of the Sega Dreamcast Browsers. In addition a mouse and a keyboard adapter were offered for the NetLink, which can be used this very day for the announcement of web pages with many Internet Providern. Nothing the defiance only very few units were sold.

Technology

The hardware of the Saturn, with two CCUs and six further processors, made it heavily the maximum achievement of the console fully to use, since the "“parallel Design"” was too complex for many play developers - and this very day is. Yu Suzuki is to have said: "“I believe, only to one of 100 programmers am well enough, the maximum speed from the Saturn herauszukitzeln."” In addition play developments of third manufacturers were restrained by the fact that no useful developer environment (software development kit) was available. Therefore many Saturn plays in assembler language had to be written, in order to obtain decent achievement with the hardware - one expressed laborious development way. Frequently the programmers used only one CCU, in order to go to difficulties when programming for the Saturn out of the way.

The Saturn began to pull soon opposite the PlayStation the shorter one; a technical disadvantage frequently mentioned of the Sega Saturn compared to the Sony console was the lack of hardware supported transparency. Later plays such as Burning Ranger used software emulation, in order to obtain transparency effects. Although the Saturn more than doubly as many Polygone at the same time to represent knew this achievement because of the bad and/or difficult programmability was only rarely reached. In the 2D-Bereich the Sega Saturn however long time belonged to the upper class - owing to the possibility that some plays could profit from the 4 MT ram extended card.

Plays

The Sega Saturn was originally meant as the ultimative 2D-Konsole, however for better was revised, than rumors spread around Sony PlayStation. Subsequently, the Saturn was thrown over-hurried on the market, in order to have a lead over the competitors - thus only very few plays were available with the sales start.

It is generally accepted that the success of the PlayStation depended on the enormous marketing campaigns, which Sony started. Sega as pure video game enterprise could not hold in this point with the enormous entertainment electronics company step. In addition Sega with developers had to fight: Core Design for example, which developed Macher of the Tomb Raider series, after the quite disappointing of Tomb Raider for the Sega Saturn no more Sequels, which meant an harsh impact for Sega. Western software houses converted titles, stayed away from the Saturn however to a large extent.

Although the Saturn was more successful in Japan than the predecessor mega drive, it was on that North American and that European market a miss to a large extent, for which a multiplicity of reasons is applicable. One most meaning the perhaps was the distrust, which the players for Sega developed, after a set of auxiliary peripheries for the mega had appeared to drive (and/or genesis in North America), which was dropped after moderate support. In addition the mega+ CD and the Sega 32X counted. In addition Sony PlayStation had many popular software titles in former times in running as Sega. Also the costs were a factor, because the Saturn cost US Dollar at the beginning of 400 contrary to the PlayStation for 300 US Dollar. Which in this connection would be perhaps also worth mentioning, it is that the PlayStation could be reequipped relatively simply for pirat copies, which was also possible with the Saturn, but nevertheless clearly more complicated, which represented a clear inducement for the PlayStation at a younger target group. Altogether Sega had to fight less with the robbery copier problem than Sony.

The Saturn applies among fans until today as absolute cult console. Although the conversions of well-known play hall titles apply such as Daytona the USA or the Virtua Fighter series today as 3D-Pionierarbeit, the Saturn remained at that time up to its end in the shade of the PlayStation. The hardware could in addition, expensive characteristics offer, those the PlayStation Usern remained refused (internal memory, MPEG support, ram extended card). Also some few exclusive titles, the cult status today absolute among fans appeared enjoy (Nights into Dreams, tank Dragoon, Sega Rally). Which is missing is the large names and hero of Nintendo, Sony and to their third manufacturers.

Also at emulators for the Saturn was already worked, however the architecture of the Saturns makes for many emulator programmers work, since the Saturn had 8 processors, what also with an emulation be considered must.

Different models

There were several models of the Saturn. The first model with oval switches worked somewhat awkwardly and by second with round switches was replaced. Together with the second model also a revised Gamepad was delivered. In Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA the consoles were black, on the Japanese market white and grey against it. Some other color versions appeared in limited edition in Japan: The Skeleton "“cool one"” Saturn with a grey grey-sounded halftransparent housing and the Saturn Derbysta with halftransparent bluish housings with the Logo of the horse running play Derby Stallion.

Besides in Japan the consoles were built also by other manufacturers, like the JVC/Victor V-Saturn and the HiSaturn of Hitachi. In Korea some consoles were manufactured by Samsung.

Articles in category "Sega Saturn"

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