Saturn and Turbo/PCE were consoles whose game libraries were tailor-made for those of us who like a 90's arcade experience. For some people, shmups and fighters just aren't that appealing. Like a lot of commenters on here, I personally still play Saturn all the time (way more than PS1), but at the time the game library that PS1 was offering just appealed to so many more players.
Not underrated, poorly designed ( originally planned as a 2d powerhouse and adapted to polygon mid project while the home market was changing it's focus from arcade ports to rpgs) and poorly marketed ( the way sega of japan shot kalinske in the back for stupid reasons )
@@RhoadsRafa sadly that jabroni Kalinske also hurt Sega back with the 32x. America market was lost immediately with that bad play, and it never got recovered, not only hurting Saturn but Dreamcast as well. The damage was done, sadly.
I STILL think they should bring back Fighters Megamix, get Kazuma Kiryu and some Yakuza characters in it, Phantasy Star, Skies of Arcadia, Valkyria Chronicles etc all joining a vastly expanded cast
YES!! I second this!! Add in characters from Sakura Taisen, Streets of Rage, Thor(Legend of Oasis), Joe Musashi from Shinobi, Spike Out, Last Bronx, Virtual-On (size scaling should be ignored completely LOL), and even SEGATA SANSHIRO himself! That would be epic!!
@@SuperKokuJin916 Obviously Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, Honey, and Eggman, NiGHTS, Shou and Tillis from Burning Rangers, Azel and Edge from Panzer Dragoon... Ooh maybe even characters SEGA licenses, like Hatsune Miku, Bayonetta, Evangelion characters and their EVAs from when Gainax and SEGA had a Saturn exclusivity deal during 95, or Tobio from when they made the PS2 and GBA game based on the 2003 reboot Astro Boy: Mighty Atom. Fuck it even bring in real people who were in SEGA games- Michael Jackson, Joe Montana, Craig Stadler, fuck it get weird as hell with the roster entries, sell the expensive-to-license characters as DLC
Dreamcast had a controller I love but not for fighters. Not really into arcade sticks, but the Saturn controller, damn, best way to play arcade fighters
@@JohnDoe-wq5eu its eventually going to hurt them, especially when it comes to fighting games. snk and nrs are smart enough to rotate their franchises but capcom is going to run sf into the ground. sad, vampire savior has the kind of gameplay that we need right now.
Another great list. Capcom, Sega, SNK, and Tecmo all put some amazing games on Saturn for the fighting genre. The game I'm happiest to have in my collection is SFZ3. I was lucky (or dumb depending on opinion) to buy it for PS1, DC, and Saturn's import releases. Saturn is my favorite out of the 3.
Played so much of Capcom VS snk 2 in my teens. The time I killed Shin Akuma and Ultra Rugal was like the highest point in my gaming life. Sad fighting games don't have that kind of draw anymore.
I’ve never “accepted” Virtua Fighter Remix, I could just never take to it even back in the day. It just looks like a fan mod, the original release is just so iconic and holds such a special place in my heart due to its impact on me when I seen it in arcades and got the Saturn at launch. To each their own though, great list and, like the DC one, there’s so many we could all swap in/out.
Another great list, enjoyed the video! I can't really argue with any of your picks, and kudos for including Astra Superstars which I really loved after I learned how to play it. If I were making my own personal top 10 on Saturn, I'd try to find a way to include Last Bronx & Rabbit, but it's hard to pull any out of this top 10. Tiny things: nowadays I prefer Fighting Vipers to Fighters Megamix, and my favorite of the SNK ports is KoF 96 for its fun factor. I've got my own ideas about Saturn vs Dreamcast (your next video), and a lot of the comments already posted here are betting the Saturn will win because of the controller disparity. However, I'm waiting to see if you'll judge the game libraries as games only, assuming a decent fighting stick for both systems.
I would say: 1. Fighters Megamix 2. Virtua Fighter 2 3. Street Fighter Collection 4. Fighting Vipers 5. Street Fighter Alpha 2 (or 3, but I don't have it on Saturn)
Never mind the fact that back in the day they'd make you have to buy a whole new game if you wanted new characters or balance adjustments in the game you liked. Yes, it's so much worse now with free patches, dlc that you're under zero obligation to buy, and the option to buy a single character in a season if you so choose.
@@justinhague105 Characters being dlc is only a real problem from the competitive aspect because you can't lab characters you don't have. In that case, it's a major issue because you can wind up with situations like season 3 of Tekken 7 where some of the best characters in the game are all dlc. For people who just mash buttons, it's no big deal. I don't know how works in SFV or MK11, but I know in Tekken and Smash you just purchase a single character instead of whole season pass if you're so inclined. If you can afford the $300+ console and the $60 game, five bucks for a character months down the road isn't a big deal. On disc dlc, like what Capcom did with Street Fighter X Tekken and UMvC3 is a different story, is scummy because you're paying for something you technically already have.
@Jedite X I can live with modern fighting games aesthetics just fine. What truly kills them for me is their actual gameplay and mechanics. Lots of them are based on Unreal Engine and for whatever reason, it doesn't make for a good experience in fighting games. Every single time I play them I feel like the fighters moves, collision detection, combos and animations are kinda plasticky, synthetic and weird. In the older games, you feel the characters moving and doing their own things in a more natural way. But maybe that's my own impression.
I recall purchasing Virtua Fighter 2 at Toys R Us back in the day for $65! Probably the most I had ever paid for a single game... And it was SO worth it! Another awesome vid SLX, thx 👍🎮
Like someone said. We really would like to hear your thoughts on WARP company and their games: D, D2 and the amazing Enemy Zero. For me the Dreamcast wins because of Soul Calibur alone. That game is still a beast. Saturn has the best fighting controller ever though.
My 13 year old nephew loves playing my Saturn collection and of all the games, coming at it completely fresh Vampire Savior is his favorite. It was the first import game I ever bought when it was a brand new release.
@@caseyhayes4590 Just that even with some cheesy character design and lack of content compared to nowadays fighting games, VS is still stunning. All characters are really different, with catchy design with very detailled smooth animation. They have all very different playstyle as well. The devil is in the details with VS. I do not think Capcom could do something like this now.
I watch your videos regularly! Really love these subjects. Own a lot of these‼️Looking forward to your comparison of Dreamcast vs Saturn as a Fighting Games system.
I love Fighters Megamix, and bought all of these games on the list when they were released. I remember when I finally beat Akuma in Amkuma mode, I am sure I broke a controller or two leading up to finally finishing it :) I was for sure mostly playing fighting games on my Saturn and that's ok, there were so many amazing ones to play.
I’ve just gotten into the Saturn catalogue with the Satiator and Brook wingman SD and using the 8bitdo arcade stick with it it’s really such an amazing console
Saturn also has Capcom Generations 5 in Japan of course with Street Fighter II The World Warriors, Champion Edition and Turbo Hyper Fighting. It later got a release in North America as Street Fighter Collection 2 only on the PSX.
Yeah I stumbled across both collections for PSX in a thrift shop probably close to 20 ago now for five bucks a pop, mint condition complete. One of the greatest finds and buys I've ever made.
@@JohnDoe-wq5eu CG5 is by far my most played game on the Saturn. Plays near enough arcade perfect for me, and also has the remixed soundtracks option once you complete each game. Flawless imo.
The time I got my PSX and while playing Street Fighter Collection 1 and 2 since both those compilations were near arcade perfect ports from that point on there was no need to go back and play any 16 bit Street Fighter games for the Snes or Genesis home ports.
@@Albert8044 Most people only go back out of nostalgia anyway. Unless it's a game that's near perfect or only appeared on the console there isn't really much of a reason to go back to ports of the 16-bit consoles. Except of course turbo graphix 16/PC engine. That console still has some great games.
Nice touch seeing Beast in the background along with Blanka on Marvel vs. SF. For me, King of Fighters '97 would be up there alongside the likes of Virtua Fighter 2 and Fighters Megamix as my favorite fighters for the system. I just wasn't into what Capcom was doing after they started Alpha and I lost interest in Marvel characters by then. I did pick up Marvel Super Heroes and X-Men vs. Street Fighter, and I have fond sentimental memories of each, but they didn't grab me or have a lot of longevity for me either. No doubt Capcom's ports were very well done and what the 4MB RAM cart allowed was quite impressive. I'm looking forward to the system comparison coming up.
My favorite fighters on the Saturn are Fighting Vipers, Dead or Alive and Vampire Savior. I’m glad at least two of those got representation on this list but I would have rated them higher. Everyone has their preferences, though. Street Fighter has just never clicked much with me.
So glad to see RBS on the list. My favorite fighting game! We played and still play this for hours, so much fun. It was actually the reason I got a Nintendo Wii! Well this, Muramasa, SoR2 and Shinobi 3 (I love 2D games). I would have put Marvel Super Heroes instead of X-Men on the list, has the same level of polish, presentation style and combo gameplay as RBS. Anyway, lovely list ^^
Great list as always. I would have thrown Last Bronx in here as well, perhaps removing Children of the Atom, and I was happy to see Golden Axe towards the end as I loved that game; but yeah, Alpha 3 on the Saturn is on another level and deserves that number one spot, although if Virtua Fighter 2 was number one as well, you wouldn't see any complaints from me. So glad I got to experience this console in its time.
I've wanted to play Pocket Fighter ever since seeing Puzzle Fighter and wishing it was a fighting game instead of a Tetris clone. Never knew I needed a Saturn for that. And I don't think I've ever heard of Astra Superstars. It looks pretty cool. And Alpha 3 is better on Saturn than Dreamcast? That's a surprise. Now I want a Saturn even more.
It was also on psone and release in the alpha anthology on ps2. Not sure how the version on either of those are. I've only played the arcade version. Saturn is prolly closest tho.
Another great episode. I cant wait for that Saturn V Dreamcast episode. Personally for me the Saturn hands down wins with the fighters but its a close call. I'm still mad we never got Sonic The fighters on The Saturn.
I never understood what was the struggle to get Neo Geo games running on Saturn and Playstation. I imagined they were way more powerful systems that could play these games with ease. So not sure why we would excuse “minor” stuff like missed frames or missing animations in these ports. I don’t see the ommisions being big enough to buy a Neo geo or these games not being worth the play, but not sure why we should be impressed either.
Ps1 and lack of ram is the main problem for that system, just wasn't possible to get perfect ports on the system which resulted in missing frames and even bad sound. Sega saturn could have done perfect ports if bigger ram carts were used but snk only stuck with 1mb for whatever reason.
@@HellTantrumbull Plus everything is 3D from what I understand. Even 2D stuff has to be presented on a single flat polygon field, which limits what can be done.
@@personavisceration371 Yup, most everything we see in a lot capcom fighters and I'm assuming certain snk fighters on ps1 are really flat polygons to help save space on ram since the system really eats up space with a lot of games. Running the games in an emu that can go into wireframe mode will show which ones are using flat polygons. Thinking about it, that's probably why ps1 versions of games also take up more disc space than their saturn counterparts even if a game doesn't have fmv files. I haven't seen one ps1 game use less disc space than a saturn version yet to this day which tells me a lot about the systems compression format.
@@HellTantrumbull I'm not sure if there were other issues with the RAM carts behind the scenes, like perhaps the 4MB cart being a deal between Sega and Capcom, but I think one reason SNK didn't use it was simply due to timing. X-Men vs. Street Fighter came out in late 1997 with the cart. KOF '97 came out a few months into 1998 and was likely in development before the 4MB cart might have been an option for them. KOF '97 may have been SNK's last major, non-compilation, release for the Saturn before moving to the Dreamcast. Perhaps they would have considered it if they continued to port their games to the Saturn.
It's all an issue of memory. One thing the Neo Geo was good at and designed to do was quickly access giant ROMs as needed. Despite Saturn and PS1 being more powerful systems, being optical based means accessing the discs was slow, so the assets needed to be in RAM, which was quite limited for those systems. Removing frames was done to save memory for other things. As Sega Lord X pointed out, Capcom cut frames from X-Men Children of the Atom, so it wasn't unique to SNK. Marvel Super Heroes also had cut frames, though it also supported the 1MB RAM cart as an option and used it to restore those frames. No question the Saturn could handle the Neo Geo games just fine with more RAM available. Groove On Fight is an interesting example because the arcade version runs on the arcade version of the Saturn, but it's a ROM cart and it has quite a bit more animation than the home port as a result.
Interesting stuff, so many great facts about each game. It's a sign of how many fighters there were on the Saturn that my favourite Capcom Generations 5 isn't even mentioned. Personally I don't own a DC, I find it too clunky compared to the Saturn and prefer 2D fighters anyway. So for me Saturn wins.
Whoa It's my genere favorite i'have these great hits X-Men: children of the Atom,vampire Savior, Golden axe the duele and many others great fighting games,good video greetings from mexico 😃👍
For me, hands down: VF2 >>> FV ("Pepsimaaaaan!!"), FMM, DOA, LB, VF Remix, VF, and maybe even the crazy Anarchy in the Nippon! And YEAH, I know I missed out BIG TIME by virtually not playing any of the utterly amazing 2D fighting games on the Saturn, but for some reason, I never really got into 2D fighters with pretty much the sole exception of Eternal Champions on SMD/SCD which I loved for its uniqueness in gameplay, art design, insane over-the-top gore factor and overall visual appeal. Even the music is great (composition-wise), though it's done with GEMS. Golden Axe: The Duel was pretty much the only 2D fighter I had and played on SAT, and while not being a genre highlight in any way, just because I loved the GA franchise, I kinda dug it.
Awesome compilation. I’ve taken several of these into consideration for my collection..and I love them! What are your thoughts on the King of Fighters series for the Saturn?
Thank you for noting the Sega Saturn NA controller.. its still the best dpad I've ever used.. madcatz tried to make a copy with the fight pad but it still didn't meet the quality of Saturn's. This system was 🔥 for fighters, and had its own gems from other genres, as it was during segas golden age. 🤎
I been collecting all the Sega PC versions of the games and Ive had no problems running them on Windows XP SP3 and I've even been getting the other companies titles like X-Men Children of the Atom is on the PC as well and they are just as good if not better than the Saturn versions
I have a few myself and they do run quite well. Now only if I can find that Diamond Edge 3D card bundle, that would complete the Saturn experience. Probably the best version of Virtua Fighter Remix and Panzer Dragoon on any system.
Nice list bro, Fighters Megamix is my number one pick. The dreamcast had amazing fighting games it's just the Saturn had even more amazing fighting games, My pick SEGA SATURN
I really hate I didn't import street fighter alpha 3 on the Saturn. I knew it was gonna be one of the last Saturn games released, but I didn't bite. I grabbed street fighter collection USA version instead.
I grabbed SF Collection when Saturn US games were getting price slashed. I think I remember it was $18 at a Sears. I didn't even realize it had SF Alpha 2 Gold, thinking it was all older games. I hadn't really played the Alpha series and it blew me away.
Vampire Savior remains my favorite fighting game ever. It outdid even its arcade counterparts by including EVERY character (except Marionette, but that doesn't really count as a full-fledged character). It even has a secret options menu that allows you to change the language to English and set up CPU vs CPU matches.
The Saturn has dozens of awesome fighting games but I must say I was a s little disappointed by the fact that no Samurai Shodown or The King of Fighters were featured here.
Super video as always 👍 These lists are very subjective so make for a good argument. 😀 I can't see how you can have VF1 on this list ahead of more mature 3d fighters such as Dead of Alive or Last Bronx... Fighters Megamix is the best fight game on any 32 bit system imho!
I always say SF Zero 3 on Saturn is the best looking and best playing game of 32 bit era. It's possibly the best console fighting game of all time. It's not that the other games aren't amazing, but Zero 3 is just 100/100. Alpha 2 that we got localized in the US seems almost perfect, then you put in 3 and it's even better.
love your videos... massive sega fan here i was thinking have you made a video on sega merchandise like the sega lock ons or the theme park they had here in australia
Glad to see Virtual Fighter 2 on here, it remains my favorite within the franchise. Love using combos with Pai and Lion. Yes Children of the Atom definitely deserves more love. Sure I'm in the minority here but Battle Arena Toshinden Remix makes my list.
First , thank you for choosing SFZ3 as the main pick . I got into Saturn collecting cuz I wanted to play x men vs street fighter / marvel vs street fighter due to the fact my PS3 I replaced 3 times during its life in that generation with marvel origins and 3rd strike online having to be redownloaded or lost due to each failing PS3 console. I wound up getting Zero 3 as a “just one more” game and not only has it’s always been my favorite street fighter game ever , but it is my number one favorite Sega Saturn game of all time . Plus , why play reverse dramatic battle when you can just play those 10 man , 20 man , 30, 50 , 00 (infinite) reverse survival battle modes. I can play those modes for the rest of my life and never get board of it! And second ! You described Astra Superstars perfectly ! On the head. I actually got that game a few years ago because you reviewed it on your channel a while ago in a previous video . Sega Lord X does it again !
Honestly, I was never a fan of the Marvel vs. series until Marvel Vs. Capcom 2. Having said that, I also own Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter for the Saturn and was always blown away with seeing such huge sprites moving so smoothly.
Umm... Fighter’s Megamix had VF, Fighting Vipers and Sonic the Fighters. They did NOT have Virtua Cop characters. It did have Pepsiman as a guest though. How come you didn’t have Last Bronx on the list?
@@SegaLordX Sorry, thought she was from Fighting Vipers Last Bronx is pretty underrated. Also Eternal Champions 3 was supposed to be on the Sega Saturn but was canceled by Sega of Japan because they thought it was competing with Virtua Fighter, which was a really dumb decision.
Thanks for showing honorable mentions. UMK2, XvSF, Marvel, Golden Axe the Duel, Street Fighter the Movie the Game. Virtua Fighter kids. SF Alpha, (ps why wasn't the sequel called "Street Fighter Beta" and number 3 SF Gamma?)
To me, Fighters Megamix is the best 3D fighting the Saturn has to offer. It's packed with fighters, some silly/joke ones, many modes, many stages. I always put it here to play when I invite some friends over.
I'm not sure if you agree to this, but there are some 4-player arena fighters for the Saturn, particularly Saturn Bomberman Fight and Keriotosse. You should give them a look for yourself and see if you liked them.
I really want to like Keriotosse, because the visual style is cool, and it reminds me of other (later) games that I really like. But the gameplay looks so basic, and there's no way I'd pay $150-200 for that game. It must have been a low-print game with low sales to fetch those prices these days (and only a few copies are ever available at the usual online sources).
So glad you let that Akuma fight play out, that shit was intense!
arcticridge I was hoping for that too! And again SLX delivers! It was like the fireball contest reviewing the Saturn controller!
Sega Saturn will go down as the most underrated system ever
I'd say it wasn't really underrated. A lot of these games only came out in Japan and it had a major lack of quality 3d titles. My opinion of course.
TurboGrafx 16 got that title in my book
Saturn and Turbo/PCE were consoles whose game libraries were tailor-made for those of us who like a 90's arcade experience. For some people, shmups and fighters just aren't that appealing. Like a lot of commenters on here, I personally still play Saturn all the time (way more than PS1), but at the time the game library that PS1 was offering just appealed to so many more players.
Not underrated, poorly designed ( originally planned as a 2d powerhouse and adapted to polygon mid project while the home market was changing it's focus from arcade ports to rpgs) and poorly marketed ( the way sega of japan shot kalinske in the back for stupid reasons )
@@RhoadsRafa sadly that jabroni Kalinske also hurt Sega back with the 32x. America market was lost immediately with that bad play, and it never got recovered, not only hurting Saturn but Dreamcast as well. The damage was done, sadly.
I STILL think they should bring back Fighters Megamix, get Kazuma Kiryu and some Yakuza characters in it, Phantasy Star, Skies of Arcadia, Valkyria Chronicles etc all joining a vastly expanded cast
YES!! I second this!!
Add in characters from Sakura Taisen, Streets of Rage, Thor(Legend of Oasis), Joe Musashi from Shinobi, Spike Out,
Last Bronx, Virtual-On (size scaling should be ignored completely LOL), and even SEGATA SANSHIRO himself! That would be epic!!
@@SuperKokuJin916 Obviously Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, Honey, and Eggman, NiGHTS, Shou and Tillis from Burning Rangers, Azel and Edge from Panzer Dragoon...
Ooh maybe even characters SEGA licenses, like Hatsune Miku, Bayonetta, Evangelion characters and their EVAs from when Gainax and SEGA had a Saturn exclusivity deal during 95, or Tobio from when they made the PS2 and GBA game based on the 2003 reboot Astro Boy: Mighty Atom.
Fuck it even bring in real people who were in SEGA games- Michael Jackson, Joe Montana, Craig Stadler, fuck it get weird as hell with the roster entries, sell the expensive-to-license characters as DLC
Alright sweet. I can't wait to see your top 10 shooters for each Sega platform. I love me some shooters!
Me too 👍
Dreamcast had a controller I love but not for fighters. Not really into arcade sticks, but the Saturn controller, damn, best way to play arcade fighters
THANK YOU for putting Astra Superstars on this list! Whenever I talk about this game, no one else has ever played it!
Just saw the going price on ebay...ouch. Waiting on the Satiator public pre-orders to play that.
Same with Sokko Seitokai/Sonic Council.
The Godly Saturn controller easily makes it the best platform for fighting games
The godly Saturn controller ??? Try being a Zangief player
@@philleotardo8760 I do play Gief, maybe you just suck.
Virtua Fighter 2 is currently on the Xbox store for $5. I think it’s definitely time for me to get into that series!
Play VF5. It's the best fighting game ever made with the most customizable characters.
capcom really was the big hitter during that era. they took risks back then that would be unthinkable today.
Yeah Capcom is pretty "safe" these days.
Nothing like what they were through the 80's 90's and early 2000's.
I miss that edge they once had.
@@JohnDoe-wq5eu its eventually going to hurt them, especially when it comes to fighting games. snk and nrs are smart enough to rotate their franchises but capcom is going to run sf into the ground. sad, vampire savior has the kind of gameplay that we need right now.
Another great list. Capcom, Sega, SNK, and Tecmo all put some amazing games on Saturn for the fighting genre. The game I'm happiest to have in my collection is SFZ3. I was lucky (or dumb depending on opinion) to buy it for PS1, DC, and Saturn's import releases. Saturn is my favorite out of the 3.
I enjoy watching Saturn focused episodes. Keep them coming SLX!
Played so much of Capcom VS snk 2 in my teens. The time I killed Shin Akuma and Ultra Rugal was like the highest point in my gaming life. Sad fighting games don't have that kind of draw anymore.
Try fighting Marie 300% in Skullgirls.
I’ve never “accepted” Virtua Fighter Remix, I could just never take to it even back in the day. It just looks like a fan mod, the original release is just so iconic and holds such a special place in my heart due to its impact on me when I seen it in arcades and got the Saturn at launch. To each their own though, great list and, like the DC one, there’s so many we could all swap in/out.
no Fighting Vipers is just criminal
I remember a couple years ago I cranked up the speed to max in Marvel Super Heroes VS Street Fighter and I was blown away how fast the fighters moved!
As far as Saturn goes I could live off Vampire Savior and the SF Collection alone.
Another great list, enjoyed the video! I can't really argue with any of your picks, and kudos for including Astra Superstars which I really loved after I learned how to play it. If I were making my own personal top 10 on Saturn, I'd try to find a way to include Last Bronx & Rabbit, but it's hard to pull any out of this top 10. Tiny things: nowadays I prefer Fighting Vipers to Fighters Megamix, and my favorite of the SNK ports is KoF 96 for its fun factor.
I've got my own ideas about Saturn vs Dreamcast (your next video), and a lot of the comments already posted here are betting the Saturn will win because of the controller disparity. However, I'm waiting to see if you'll judge the game libraries as games only, assuming a decent fighting stick for both systems.
I would say:
1. Fighters Megamix
2. Virtua Fighter 2
3. Street Fighter Collection
4. Fighting Vipers
5. Street Fighter Alpha 2 (or 3, but I don't have it on Saturn)
Yes, Fighters Megamix is the Smash of Saturn and surely the best offering on the console. Even my non-gamer girlfriends have enjoyed playing it.
@@cinnamondan4984 lol & lol
"There's no silly update and seasons you need to pay extra for here". That is exactly why I stopped buying fighting games.
Never mind the fact that back in the day they'd make you have to buy a whole new game if you wanted new characters or balance adjustments in the game you liked. Yes, it's so much worse now with free patches, dlc that you're under zero obligation to buy, and the option to buy a single character in a season if you so choose.
Melvin Shine underrated comment.
Also a lot of people seem to overlook all those facts you mentioned.
Melvin Shine
Patches ok, but making characters paid DLC is crumby. Skins/costumes, alright. But not not characters, that handicaps the experience.
@@justinhague105 Characters being dlc is only a real problem from the competitive aspect because you can't lab characters you don't have. In that case, it's a major issue because you can wind up with situations like season 3 of Tekken 7 where some of the best characters in the game are all dlc. For people who just mash buttons, it's no big deal. I don't know how works in SFV or MK11, but I know in Tekken and Smash you just purchase a single character instead of whole season pass if you're so inclined. If you can afford the $300+ console and the $60 game, five bucks for a character months down the road isn't a big deal. On disc dlc, like what Capcom did with Street Fighter X Tekken and UMvC3 is a different story, is scummy because you're paying for something you technically already have.
@Jedite X I can live with modern fighting games aesthetics just fine. What truly kills them for me is their actual gameplay and mechanics. Lots of them are based on Unreal Engine and for whatever reason, it doesn't make for a good experience in fighting games. Every single time I play them I feel like the fighters moves, collision detection, combos and animations are kinda plasticky, synthetic and weird. In the older games, you feel the characters moving and doing their own things in a more natural way. But maybe that's my own impression.
I recall purchasing Virtua Fighter 2 at Toys R Us back in the day for $65! Probably the most I had ever paid for a single game... And it was SO worth it! Another awesome vid SLX, thx 👍🎮
When my aunt bought me my Saturn it came with Daytona USA, virtua fighter 2, virtua cop for free lol
@@demonik1221 Because you bought the model 2.
The Saturn was paradise for fighting game fans, way too many great fighters to list but my favorite is fighters megamix
Can't wait to see the next video Saturn vs Dreamcast who had the better 2D fighters?
Great list man! I absolutely love Samurai Spirits IV on the Saturn.
Like someone said. We really would like to hear your thoughts on WARP company and their games: D, D2 and the amazing Enemy Zero.
For me the Dreamcast wins because of Soul Calibur alone. That game is still a beast. Saturn has the best fighting controller ever though.
It seems that the Sega Saturn was made entirely for fighting games.
The same with neo geo...
Saturn also has the best shmups ever made.
@@Mitjitsu rpgs, strategy. racing, many were very good.
@TrueSinister all a matter of opinion...Neo Geo both had lack of 3rd party support..and a lot of the game stayed in Japan
Played the hell out of Zero 3 on the Saturn back in the day, great to see it number 1 here :)
Curse it's extortional cost.
Vampire Savior should be the winner...Such a piece of art, which inspired a lot of other fighters.
My 13 year old nephew loves playing my Saturn collection and of all the games, coming at it completely fresh Vampire Savior is his favorite. It was the first import game I ever bought when it was a brand new release.
@@caseyhayes4590 Just that even with some cheesy character design and lack of content compared to nowadays fighting games, VS is still stunning. All characters are really different, with catchy design with very detailled smooth animation. They have all very different playstyle as well. The devil is in the details with VS. I do not think Capcom could do something like this now.
I watch your videos regularly! Really love these subjects. Own a lot of these‼️Looking forward to your comparison of Dreamcast vs Saturn as a Fighting Games system.
Got myself a Retrobit Wireless Saturn game pad because of you. Tysm! Now to try out these games
I love Fighters Megamix, and bought all of these games on the list when they were released. I remember when I finally beat Akuma in Amkuma mode, I am sure I broke a controller or two leading up to finally finishing it :) I was for sure mostly playing fighting games on my Saturn and that's ok, there were so many amazing ones to play.
I’ve just gotten into the Saturn catalogue with the Satiator and Brook wingman SD and using the 8bitdo arcade stick with it it’s really such an amazing console
Imagine if Sega Shiro (son of Segata Sanshiro) was really made to bring back these Sega Exclusive Fighting games.
I think the Street Fighter Collection and Capcom Generations 5 deserve a spot in the top 10. Capcom Generations 5 especially.
Great list but I would sub out X-Men COTA for Marvel Super Heroes and MSH vs SF for X-Men vs SF.
The King of Fighters 97 should definitely be on the list.
Sega Saturn is my all-time favorite system! It would be much appreciated if you did a retrospective on the software developers "Warp". Thank you.✌
Saturn also has Capcom Generations 5 in Japan of course with Street Fighter II The World Warriors, Champion Edition and Turbo Hyper Fighting. It later got a release in North America as Street Fighter Collection 2 only on the PSX.
Yeah I stumbled across both collections for PSX in a thrift shop probably close to 20 ago now for five bucks a pop, mint condition complete.
One of the greatest finds and buys I've ever made.
@@JohnDoe-wq5eu CG5 is by far my most played game on the Saturn. Plays near enough arcade perfect for me, and also has the remixed soundtracks option once you complete each game. Flawless imo.
The time I got my PSX and while playing Street Fighter Collection 1 and 2 since both those compilations were near arcade perfect ports from that point on there was no need to go back and play any 16 bit Street Fighter games for the Snes or Genesis home ports.
@@Albert8044
Most people only go back out of nostalgia anyway.
Unless it's a game that's near perfect or only appeared on the console there isn't really much of a reason to go back to ports of the 16-bit consoles.
Except of course turbo graphix 16/PC engine. That console still has some great games.
@@Albert8044 the arcade versions are missing the exclusive home port content so I wouldn't say the 16-bit ports are obsolete
Last Bronx is criminally underrated and needs to make a return.
Cracking content as always, looking forward to the final round 👍
I'm Boe Jiden and I approve this list
Been waiting for this one brother!😎 We are more alike than you know!😯
Ok ok, but saturn deserved a top 20 in that category, 10 games leave the list with feeling want more
Nice touch seeing Beast in the background along with Blanka on Marvel vs. SF. For me, King of Fighters '97 would be up there alongside the likes of Virtua Fighter 2 and Fighters Megamix as my favorite fighters for the system. I just wasn't into what Capcom was doing after they started Alpha and I lost interest in Marvel characters by then. I did pick up Marvel Super Heroes and X-Men vs. Street Fighter, and I have fond sentimental memories of each, but they didn't grab me or have a lot of longevity for me either. No doubt Capcom's ports were very well done and what the 4MB RAM cart allowed was quite impressive. I'm looking forward to the system comparison coming up.
Samurai Shodown IV also has the best home port in the Saturn because of the training mode!
Better than the ps4 port?
VF2, Fighting Vipers, Dead or Alive, Battle Arena Toshinden, XMEN VS STREET FIGHTER (Import) , Fighters Megamix, Last Bronx....
My favorite fighters on the Saturn are Fighting Vipers, Dead or Alive and Vampire Savior. I’m glad at least two of those got representation on this list but I would have rated them higher. Everyone has their preferences, though. Street Fighter has just never clicked much with me.
So glad to see RBS on the list. My favorite fighting game! We played and still play this for hours, so much fun. It was actually the reason I got a Nintendo Wii! Well this, Muramasa, SoR2 and Shinobi 3 (I love 2D games). I would have put Marvel Super Heroes instead of X-Men on the list, has the same level of polish, presentation style and combo gameplay as RBS. Anyway, lovely list ^^
Never have a chance to play VF2 but I remember Playing the first one in the arcades it was super revolutionary.
Another awesome Video. Loved most of these games, some of them I have never heard of before. THX
Nice video. All great games. I gotta go with the Dreamcast version of SFA 3 though. That 3 player dramatic battle was much more fun than reverse.
I still love the PSX version of Marvel Vs Street Fighter and I still love SFA3 on PS1
Groove on fight is my personal favorite (maybe even favorite 2d fighter). I hope that sega re-releases the game at some point.
I can't wait for the next video, I have a feeling the Saturn will be victorious in the end.
Great list as always. I would have thrown Last Bronx in here as well, perhaps removing Children of the Atom, and I was happy to see Golden Axe towards the end as I loved that game; but yeah, Alpha 3 on the Saturn is on another level and deserves that number one spot, although if Virtua Fighter 2 was number one as well, you wouldn't see any complaints from me. So glad I got to experience this console in its time.
Honorable mention - dead or alive
Another great video. Love the channel. Appreciate your knowledge.
I've wanted to play Pocket Fighter ever since seeing Puzzle Fighter and wishing it was a fighting game instead of a Tetris clone. Never knew I needed a Saturn for that.
And I don't think I've ever heard of Astra Superstars. It looks pretty cool.
And Alpha 3 is better on Saturn than Dreamcast? That's a surprise.
Now I want a Saturn even more.
It was also on psone and release in the alpha anthology on ps2. Not sure how the version on either of those are. I've only played the arcade version. Saturn is prolly closest tho.
Oh, I guess I got the wrong PS2 collection. Whichever one I got only had Puzzle Fighter. Thanks for the info.
Man Real bout has some beatiful sprite work.
Another great episode. I cant wait for that Saturn V Dreamcast episode. Personally for me the Saturn hands down wins with the fighters but its a close call. I'm still mad we never got Sonic The fighters on The Saturn.
The Dreamcast has some top notch fighters, but the saturn edges it out with a larger library of fighters and a better controller.
Agreed
I never understood what was the struggle to get Neo Geo games running on Saturn and Playstation. I imagined they were way more powerful systems that could play these games with ease. So not sure why we would excuse “minor” stuff like missed frames or missing animations in these ports. I don’t see the ommisions being big enough to buy a Neo geo or these games not being worth the play, but not sure why we should be impressed either.
Ps1 and lack of ram is the main problem for that system, just wasn't possible to get perfect ports on the system which resulted in missing frames and even bad sound.
Sega saturn could have done perfect ports if bigger ram carts were used but snk only stuck with 1mb for whatever reason.
@@HellTantrumbull Plus everything is 3D from what I understand. Even 2D stuff has to be presented on a single flat polygon field, which limits what can be done.
@@personavisceration371 Yup, most everything we see in a lot capcom fighters and I'm assuming certain snk fighters on ps1 are really flat polygons to help save space on ram since the system really eats up space with a lot of games. Running the games in an emu that can go into wireframe mode will show which ones are using flat polygons.
Thinking about it, that's probably why ps1 versions of games also take up more disc space than their saturn counterparts even if a game doesn't have fmv files. I haven't seen one ps1 game use less disc space than a saturn version yet to this day which tells me a lot about the systems compression format.
@@HellTantrumbull I'm not sure if there were other issues with the RAM carts behind the scenes, like perhaps the 4MB cart being a deal between Sega and Capcom, but I think one reason SNK didn't use it was simply due to timing. X-Men vs. Street Fighter came out in late 1997 with the cart. KOF '97 came out a few months into 1998 and was likely in development before the 4MB cart might have been an option for them. KOF '97 may have been SNK's last major, non-compilation, release for the Saturn before moving to the Dreamcast. Perhaps they would have considered it if they continued to port their games to the Saturn.
It's all an issue of memory. One thing the Neo Geo was good at and designed to do was quickly access giant ROMs as needed. Despite Saturn and PS1 being more powerful systems, being optical based means accessing the discs was slow, so the assets needed to be in RAM, which was quite limited for those systems. Removing frames was done to save memory for other things. As Sega Lord X pointed out, Capcom cut frames from X-Men Children of the Atom, so it wasn't unique to SNK. Marvel Super Heroes also had cut frames, though it also supported the 1MB RAM cart as an option and used it to restore those frames. No question the Saturn could handle the Neo Geo games just fine with more RAM available. Groove On Fight is an interesting example because the arcade version runs on the arcade version of the Saturn, but it's a ROM cart and it has quite a bit more animation than the home port as a result.
Interesting stuff, so many great facts about each game.
It's a sign of how many fighters there were on the Saturn that my favourite Capcom Generations 5 isn't even mentioned.
Personally I don't own a DC, I find it too clunky compared to the Saturn and prefer 2D fighters anyway. So for me Saturn wins.
Whoa It's my genere favorite i'have these great hits X-Men: children of the Atom,vampire Savior, Golden axe the duele and many others great fighting games,good video greetings from mexico 😃👍
For me, hands down: VF2 >>> FV ("Pepsimaaaaan!!"), FMM, DOA, LB, VF Remix, VF, and maybe even the crazy Anarchy in the Nippon! And YEAH, I know I missed out BIG TIME by virtually not playing any of the utterly amazing 2D fighting games on the Saturn, but for some reason, I never really got into 2D fighters with pretty much the sole exception of Eternal Champions on SMD/SCD which I loved for its uniqueness in gameplay, art design, insane over-the-top gore factor and overall visual appeal. Even the music is great (composition-wise), though it's done with GEMS. Golden Axe: The Duel was pretty much the only 2D fighter I had and played on SAT, and while not being a genre highlight in any way, just because I loved the GA franchise, I kinda dug it.
Awesome compilation. I’ve taken several of these into consideration for my collection..and I love them! What are your thoughts on the King of Fighters series for the Saturn?
Thank you for noting the Sega Saturn NA controller.. its still the best dpad I've ever used.. madcatz tried to make a copy with the fight pad but it still didn't meet the quality of Saturn's. This system was 🔥 for fighters, and had its own gems from other genres, as it was during segas golden age. 🤎
I love that you now get 10k views in a few hours, keep going brother you're the best
I been collecting all the Sega PC versions of the games and Ive had no problems running them on Windows XP SP3 and I've even been getting the other companies titles like X-Men Children of the Atom is on the PC as well and they are just as good if not better than the Saturn versions
I have a few myself and they do run quite well. Now only if I can find that Diamond Edge 3D card bundle, that would complete the Saturn experience. Probably the best version of Virtua Fighter Remix and Panzer Dragoon on any system.
Man I've been scrolling just waiting to see if Children Of The Atom was mentioned. Definitely my most played Saturn Game.
Nice list bro, Fighters Megamix is my number one pick. The dreamcast had amazing fighting games it's just the Saturn had even more amazing fighting games, My pick SEGA SATURN
There were 10 games on the saturn?? Let alone 10 fighting games??? Thanks segalord i learned something today
I really hate I didn't import street fighter alpha 3 on the Saturn. I knew it was gonna be one of the last Saturn games released, but I didn't bite. I grabbed street fighter collection USA version instead.
I grabbed SF Collection when Saturn US games were getting price slashed. I think I remember it was $18 at a Sears. I didn't even realize it had SF Alpha 2 Gold, thinking it was all older games. I hadn't really played the Alpha series and it blew me away.
Great choices man. Cannot wait for the Final showdown!!!
Me as a twelve year old humanoid just seemingly getting a vibe far better than the fighting games this damn generation
Fighters megamix holds a special place in my heart.
I love Fighting Vipers. I snagged it on my Ps3 a few years ago.
Vampire Savior remains my favorite fighting game ever. It outdid even its arcade counterparts by including EVERY character (except Marionette, but that doesn't really count as a full-fledged character). It even has a secret options menu that allows you to change the language to English and set up CPU vs CPU matches.
Just wanna say love the chsnn,keep up the good work👍
The Saturn has dozens of awesome fighting games but I must say I was a s little disappointed by the fact that no Samurai Shodown or The King of Fighters were featured here.
That fight against Shin Akuma was awesome.
Just bought the Street Fighter 30th anniversary on ps4, can't wait to jump in
Super video as always 👍 These lists are very subjective so make for a good argument. 😀 I can't see how you can have VF1 on this list ahead of more mature 3d fighters such as Dead of Alive or Last Bronx... Fighters Megamix is the best fight game on any 32 bit system imho!
I'm fully expecting these games to get a price hike now. Lol! Great video man!
stree fighter alpha was the best. there was a cheat at the end when you can play coop vs mbison with ryu and ken amazing
Well done capcom dominated the fighting games back then but sega put up a fight.
I always say SF Zero 3 on Saturn is the best looking and best playing game of 32 bit era. It's possibly the best console fighting game of all time. It's not that the other games aren't amazing, but Zero 3 is just 100/100. Alpha 2 that we got localized in the US seems almost perfect, then you put in 3 and it's even better.
Love the Fatal Fury one! awesome game!
13 dislikes must be PS1 fanboys who can't handle the truth..
Legendary selection, to say the least :thumbs up:
love your videos... massive sega fan here i was thinking have you made a video on sega merchandise like the sega lock ons or the theme park they had here in australia
2D still looks stunning despite this early 3D titles
Glad to see Virtual Fighter 2 on here, it remains my favorite within the franchise. Love using combos with Pai and Lion. Yes Children of the Atom definitely deserves more love.
Sure I'm in the minority here but Battle Arena Toshinden Remix makes my list.
First , thank you for choosing SFZ3 as the main pick . I got into Saturn collecting cuz I wanted to play x men vs street fighter / marvel vs street fighter due to the fact my PS3 I replaced 3 times during its life in that generation with marvel origins and 3rd strike online having to be redownloaded or lost due to each failing PS3 console. I wound up getting Zero 3 as a “just one more” game and not only has it’s always been my favorite street fighter game ever , but it is my number one favorite Sega Saturn game of all time . Plus , why play reverse dramatic battle when you can just play those 10 man , 20 man , 30, 50 , 00 (infinite) reverse survival battle modes. I can play those modes for the rest of my life and never get board of it!
And second ! You described Astra Superstars perfectly ! On the head. I actually got that game a few years ago because you reviewed it on your channel a while ago in a previous video . Sega Lord X does it again !
SFZ3 is a flawless game on Saturn
Honestly, I was never a fan of the Marvel vs. series until Marvel Vs. Capcom 2. Having said that, I also own Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter for the Saturn and was always blown away with seeing such huge sprites moving so smoothly.
Umm... Fighter’s Megamix had VF, Fighting Vipers and Sonic the Fighters. They did NOT have Virtua Cop characters. It did have Pepsiman as a guest though.
How come you didn’t have Last Bronx on the list?
Janet is from Virtua Cop......
@@SegaLordX Sorry, thought she was from Fighting Vipers
Last Bronx is pretty underrated.
Also Eternal Champions 3 was supposed to be on the Sega Saturn but was canceled by Sega of Japan because they thought it was competing with Virtua Fighter, which was a really dumb decision.
Thanks for showing honorable mentions. UMK2, XvSF, Marvel, Golden Axe the Duel, Street Fighter the Movie the Game. Virtua Fighter kids. SF Alpha, (ps why wasn't the sequel called "Street Fighter Beta" and number 3 SF Gamma?)
Man the Saturn had some great fighting games and the controller was designed perfectly for that style of game
I have a soft spot for Fighting Vipers. Use to play the shit out of it when i was a kid. Still play it from time to time.
To me, Fighters Megamix is the best 3D fighting the Saturn has to offer. It's packed with fighters, some silly/joke ones, many modes, many stages. I always put it here to play when I invite some friends over.
Megamix could have easily become SEGAs answer to Super Smash Brothers
I'm not sure if you agree to this, but there are some 4-player arena fighters for the Saturn, particularly Saturn Bomberman Fight and Keriotosse. You should give them a look for yourself and see if you liked them.
I really want to like Keriotosse, because the visual style is cool, and it reminds me of other (later) games that I really like. But the gameplay looks so basic, and there's no way I'd pay $150-200 for that game. It must have been a low-print game with low sales to fetch those prices these days (and only a few copies are ever available at the usual online sources).