Sega Saturn and Sega Dreamcast – What are the must have games?

I just scored these systems on ebay and am looking for some top-notch games to play for them. I know these were released WAYYY back when, but surely there must be a few absolute must-have titles for them. So please dig deep in your memories of the 1990’s and let me know what I should pick up for each system. These will be for single player only. I am open to anything…racing, fighting, action, sidescrollers, RPG’s…whatever! I’m not looking for "ok titles"…just stuff B+ quality or better…the really good games for each system. What do you consider "must play" titles for the Dreamcast and Sega Saturn?

Any opinions greatly appreciated!

For the Dreamcast? Definitely:
– Under Defeat
– Guilty Gear
– Chu Chu Rocket
– Sonic Adventure
– Border Down
– Last Hope

^.^

SATURN ONLY HAD ONE GOOD GAME: DREAMS INTO NIGHTS

For the Dreamcast I would agree with all the ones Skunk has already mentioned and add the following:

Jet Set Radio
Skies of Arcadia
Grandia 2
Mr Driller
Cannonspike
Ikaruga
Shenmue 1 +2
Street Fighter III Third Strike
Marvel Vs Capcom 2
Powerstone 1 + 2

SATURN ONLY HAD ONE GOOD GAME: DREAMS INTO NIGHTS

so not true, but you need one that can play imports to get most of the really good stuff. For one thing, there has basically never been a system as good for 2D fighting games as the Saturn was.

Also for the Saturn Shining Force III, Shining the Holy Ark, Shining Wisdom, Dragon Force, Christmas Nights, Burning Rangers, Sonic R, the King of Fighters games and many many more.

I honestly believe this will be the year for the Sega Saturn and Sega Dreamcast.

and I agree with noskillbassist

Saturn games that haven’t yet been mentioned, yet deserve high praises:

Panzer Dragoon 1-2 and Saga
Guardian Heroes

Note: Noskillbassist and Marvin Straight are acting like complete ignorants here.

NiGHTS into Dreams/Christmas NiGHTS
Radiant Silvergun
Shining Force III
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Better/perfect arcade fighting ports than PS1

That’s like…

for me it’s enough

There are some good Shining Force titles for the Saturn

I know two Shining Force games were only released in Japan. I do have an adapter thingie that lets me play Japanese games. Do yall know if they have English subtitles in the games? That would truly kick ass.

Space Channel 5

Best. Dancing. Game. Ever.

must-have Japanese Saturn shooters (better hurry, though, cause their prices keep going up):

Batsugun
Darius Gaiden
Soukyugurentai
DoDonPachi
Hyper Duel
Thunder Force V
Thunder Force Gold Pack 1
Thunder Force Gold Pack 2
Layer Section
Sengoku Blade
Battle Garegga
Blast Wind
Gekirindan

must-have Dreamcast shooters (better not waste any time here either for the same reason):

Border Down (Jp only)
Chaos Field (Jp only)
Giga Wing
Giga Wing 2
Gunbird 2
Ikaruga (Jp only)
Mars Matrix
Psyvariar 2: The Will To Fabricate (Jp only)
Shikigami No Shiro II (Jp only)
Under Defeat (Jp only)
Zero Gunner 2 (Jp only)

Saturn: Nights, Battle Arena Toshiden Remix, Doom, Sonic R, Virtual Fighter 2. Dreamcast: Power Stone 2, Sonic Adventure, Shemnu, Toy Command, Test Drive 6, Tomb Raider IV, Grandia II, Resident Evil Code Voronica

Saturn:
-Dungeons and Dragons Collection (very excellent, very rare game, but was released JP exclusive and requires the ram expansion)
-Panzer Dragoon Saga
-Legend of Oasis (sequel to Genesis’s awesome Beyond Oasis)
-less sucky versions of Marvel Superheroes vs Street Fighter, and X-Men vs Streetfighter (you can actually switch fighters midbattle unlike the PSX version)
-Shinobi Legions (continuing the tradition of the shuriken happy ninja)
-Virtua Cop 1

I loved the system back in the day, but I don’t see many reasons to get a Dreamcast now. Most of their best games were ported and their online compatibility removed or castrated. If you can read Japanese, there might be more options since early model DCs can play JP games with no special modifications/modchips. If not, the only game I see as a must play for Dreamcast is the original Shenmue. Also, maybe Virtua Cop 2. Maybe.

sonic. word

These are the games you need for the Dreamcast
-REZ
-Ikaruga
-Soul Caliber
-Shemnu
-Shemnu II
-Marvel vs Capcom 2

Thanks yall..looks like I have some major shopping to do. Who needs a PS3 when you have so many kickass games on last-gen consoles? 🙂

Thanks yall..looks like I have some major shopping to do. Who needs a PS3 when you have so many kickass games on last-gen consoles? 🙂
YEA!!! ROCK ON!!!!!

Check out this guy’s videos (http://uk.youtube.com/user/DigiHatesMakingNames). He features gameplay footage from overlooked systems, and one of them is Saturn.

PS : Hynad, they are joking around you delicious moron. 😛

panzer dragoon saga, for sure. i always really wanted to play it! never had a saturn ; ;

dc:
shenmue 1+ 2
jet set radio
grandia 2 (thought you can get this on ps2, still possibly my favourite dc game)
a lot of people like skies of arcadia. i dont really, though.
i liked sonic adventure.
definitely powerstone.

a lot of people like skies of arcadia. i dont really, though.

Hell yeah. What was supposed to be so great about this game?

Saturn
Virtua Fighter 2
Fighting Vipers
Sonic Jam
Virtua Cop 1 & 2
The House of the Dead
Virtua Fighter Kids
NiGHTS into Dreams
Sonic R
Fighters Megamix (Really recommed it)

Dreamcast
Sonic Adventure (Recommed it)
Sonic Adventure 2
Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (Really recommed it)
Virtua Fighter 3tb
Fighting Vipers 2 (if you have a region free disc)
The House of the Dead 2
Zombie Revenge
Power Stone
Space Channel 5 part 1 & 2

Here’s my list of Saturn Must Haves:
Virtua Fighters 2
Virtua On
Gungriffon – the best Mech game on Saturn!
Fighters Megamix
Guardian Heroes – Hard Find
Dragon Force – One of the best RTST games ever! Very Hard Find
Nights
Clockwork Knight 1 & 2 – Makes up for Sonic’s failed port over
Panzer Dragoon series

Some of these games have been ported over to the Japanese PS2 under the Sega Ages 2500 series.

must-have Japanese Saturn shooters (better hurry, though, cause their prices keep going up):

Batsugun
Darius Gaiden
Soukyugurentai
DoDonPachi
Hyper Duel
Thunder Force V
Thunder Force Gold Pack 1
Thunder Force Gold Pack 2
Layer Section
Sengoku Blade
Battle Garegga
Blast Wind
Gekirindancan’t believe you omitted Radiant Silvergun, that’s arguably the best one.

Agreed with most of the games mentioned except Shining Wisdom, that was weak. Not worth your money.

the OBLIGATORY must have for all of those who wish own a dreamcast:
SHENMUE.
it was THE reason to get a DC back in the day.

any other title is SHIT compared to shenmue’s importance.

honorary mentions:
jet grind radio
unreal tournament (best system version EVER)
sonic adventure
sonic adventure 2
soul calibur
and all those mentiones in other posts.

but again, all pale in comparison to shenmue.
one cannot have a dreamcast without owning shenmue.
its that important.

can’t believe you omitted Radiant Silvergun, that’s arguably the best one.

Yeah…"arguably". I didn’t mention it because I’ve never played it before. So, therefore, I cannot vouche for it on just other people’s opinions. It’s definitely the most expensive shmup for the Saturn. Everyone knows that.

Yeah…"arguably". I didn’t mention it because I’ve never played it before. So, therefore, I cannot vouche for it on just other people’s opinions. It’s definitely the most expensive shmup for the Saturn. Everyone knows that.

and while im a devot saturn fan myself, no way in hell im gonna pay over 600 dlls for a JP game of the vertical shoot em up genre.
vertical shoot em ups are probably the genre i hate the most.
as shenmue is the holy grail of the dreamcast, IMO, nights intro dreams is the holy grail of the saturn.

i would gladly pay 600$ for NTSC-U nights.

OK, most people have hit on the brilliance that is Dreamcast and Saturn software. My own list:

Project Justice (DC) – Make sure you get a working copy for your DC. It’s probably one of the few games that I’ve seen a burned copy work better than the actual Sega-pressed copy. Utterly fun and awesome game if you like 2D fighters and enjoyed Rival Schools.

Vampire Chronicles (DC) and Vampire Savior (Saturn) – Again, if you enjoyed the 2D stuff you might like the fighting system.

Typing of the Dead – Game is absolutely hilarious. It’s so cheesy it’s fun.

Other stuff to consider:
Third Strike, SSF2X, Crazy Taxi, Capcom vs. SNK 1 and 2, Shenmue, Giga Wing 1 & 2 (2 was hilarious as well), Marvel vs. Capcom 1 & 2.

I really enjoy my DC and Saturn. They are easily my most played systems.

By the way, if you’re going to get any import stuff, may I recommend the DC-X and/or Gameshark for booting purposes? Oh and probably a PS1/Saturn to DC converter. Necessary tools, dude, necessary. See my signature for my web site, where for the second quarter we did a look at the Dreamcast and listed favorite games and necessary accessories.

Rubes

I liked Clockwork Knight 🙂

Vampire Chronicles (DC)

Yes! This is a really good fighter for the Dreamcast. Definitely grab it.

SATURN ONLY HAD ONE GOOD GAME: DREAMS INTO NIGHTS

hehe.

on a seriosu note you have for the saturn

children of the atom
xmen vs street fighter
marvel super heroes
vampire saviour
metal slug series
king of fighters 95-97
samurai showdown 4
saturn bomberman
fighters megamix
fighting vipers
virtua fighter 2
sega rally
virtua cop 2
radiant silvergun
virtual on
guardian heroes
athlete kings
winter heat
nights
death tank zwei
panzer dragoon zwei and saga

erm thats off the top of my head…

For Saturn I would recommend these:

Megaman 8 – more content and better music than any other version
Any Capcom Fighter
Burning Rangers
Nights into Dreams
Sonic R
Sonic Jam
Sonic 3D Blast (Actual 3D special stages)
Fighters Megamix
Panzer Dragoon 1, 2, and Saga
Shining Force 3
Virtua Cop
Daytona USA
Dragon Force
Guardian Heroes
Albert Odyssey
Magic Knight Rayearth

JP Imports:
Grandia
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
Lunar 2: The Eternal Blue
Street Fighter Zero 3
X-men vs Street Fighter
Dracula X: Nocturne in the Moonlight
Thunder Force 5
Radiant Silvergun

Thats about all I can think of off the top of my head.

Thread revival = fail