All Sega CD Vs Saturn Games Compared Side By Side

[@paulblackwood46]

Great video. Lunar looks more vibrant on CD.

[@RetroComparisons]

Thanks! Yeah I was kind of surprised how much more vibrant some of these looked on the Sega CD. Even the characters on Gambler Jiko looked more vibrant than the Saturn game which was considered an enhanced port.

[@MikeGiallo]

Quite good having in mind the base of that sistem was a consolw from 1989

[@RetroComparisons]

Yep and technically it's even older when you consider the Mega Drive came out in 88 in Japan which is kind of mind blowing to think about.

[@MikeGiallo]

@@RetroComparisons yes and motion video wasnt in mind on that years ( only was the laser disc games )

[@RealHomeRecording]

Just found out Corpse Killer was re-released back in 2019. Nice!

[@RetroComparisons]

Oh wow I didn't know that. It would be interesting to see without the compressed video.

[@RealHomeRecording]

@@RetroComparisons it's cool. I'm going to watch a Let's Play of it this weekend if there's time.

[@GUCFan]

Double Switch as well. I have the physical LRG releases for Night Trap, Double Switch and Corpse Killer on Switch.

[@RetroComparisons]

@@GUCFan Oh that's so cool!

[@caseyhayes4590]

Snatcher looks and plays better on Sega CD or it would have gotten PS1 and Saturn translations over a decade ago the way Policenauts did. Rare case where the only officially released English port of the game just happens to be the best overall version other then some very minor censorship vs the PCE release. I absolutely loved it when it was released and even then couldn't believe we got it in the USA given it's just the kind of game they were always passing over.

[@RetroComparisons]

That game seems like a no-brainer to release in modern times but that is one where you'd expect it to be a Japanese exclusive back in the 90s. I'm surprised at how much better the Sega CD version looks not just for that but a few other games on here as well.

[@shotgunl]

Well, as expected, any FMV looks a good deal better on the Saturn. The faster disc drive and higher color depth really help. With Columns, though it looks closer to the arcade, I actually prefer the black background and more contrast in the borders on the Sega CD version (and Genesis port). I only played a little bit of the Sega CD versions of the Lunar games, and those were someone else's copies. I've got the PSX complete releases, and I love them, especially Eternal Blue. I haven't played the Saturn releases, but I'd go with those with the translation patches over the Sega CD versions just because I prefer how they look. Flicky and Yumimi Mix are both pretty well a wash, and the Saturn version of the Mahjongg game is only slightly improved graphically. I'm not sure about Snatcher...it's not a game I've ever been interested in playing. Graphically, the Saturn definitely is sporting more colors and mostly-redrawn art, but from here and what I've seen before, I think I personally prefer the visuals in the Sega CD. With Road Rash, I'm all about the Saturn/PSX/3DO/PC versions over the Sega CD RR. I have Theme Park for the 3DO, and it's the only version I've actually played though I did watch my cousin play the PC version a few times in the 90s. Saturn Theme Park looks and sounds similar to the 3DO, PC, etc. version, better than the Sega CD version. Not a whole lot of games shared between these two, and the Saturn comes out ahead in most of them and tied mostly for the others that are not enhanced in any way over the Sega CD.

[@RetroComparisons]

Excellent assessments my friend! I was surprised by how well the Sega CD held up. I prefer the visuals of Columns, Gambler Jiko, Snatcher, Winning Post, and even Time Gal. Outside of Time Gal I think the Saturn was easily the best way to go for these FMV games. Theme Park had music which the Saturn (and I think PS1) version lacked so that's a point off there. To be honest, there's not really anything on here I'd want to play outside of Road Rash on a consistent basis. I've heard great things about Snatcher but that's just not my kind of game.

[@shotgunl]

@@RetroComparisons Yeah, Snatcher isn't my cup of tea either.

[@IllusionSector]

You managed to run Corps Killer. Conglaturation.

[@Multiverso38]

Great video, man!!! Amazing 🤩

[@RetroComparisons]

Thank you so much!! I really appreciate you checking this out:)

[@SomeOrangeCat]

You really get a feel for how poorly equipped the Sega-CD actually was for all of those FMV games they kept pushing for it.

[@RetroComparisons]

For the time it was admittedly pretty cool because it was so novel but looking back it was super underwhelming.

[@SomeOrangeCat]

@@RetroComparisons I think I only ever saw one developer use the Sega-CD to it's full potential, and it wasn't even Sega.

[@caseyhayes4590]

yeah, the irony was it was better made for intense arcade games with lots of scaling. They should've released the 1994 Sega Jurassic Park arcade game for it with a light gun pack in. Then CD sound is a bonus or great for RPGs.

[@caseyhayes4590]

@@SomeOrangeCat Core? I was just saying the Jurassic Park Sega arcade game was 1994. Imagine if they'd have released games like that in 93, 94 and 95. They wouldn't have needed to consider 32X. GameArts rpgs but they'd have still been good rpgs without cd sound and cut scenes, they'd have been like Square's SNES rpgs.

[@mikeg2491]

It’s more impressive if you consider the Saturn with that generational power upgrade only managed to make the videos a little larger and more colorful but they’re still pixelated and grainy.

[@mikec3260]

Sega CD, the little system that could.

[@RetroComparisons]

I was pretty impressed with these and I thought some even outshined the Saturn versions.

[@pixelleapthevideoeditor]

Suggestion: SNES vs Game Boy Advance

[@RetroComparisons]

Thanks for the suggestion! That video will definitely be happening. If I had to guess with the other stuff on my plate I'd estimate around late 2025 or some time the year after.

[@cabbitkisser2620]

what pissed a lot of people off was when they were going to bring lunar here to the states. they imported lunar to the PlayStation instead of the Sega Saturn

[@RetroComparisons]

There were so many Japanese Saturn games that made it over to North America or Europe which really sucks.

[@Amh10780]

Cobra Command looked like an episode of Captain Power

[@RetroComparisons]

Holy crap you're right! I never watched that but I remember seeing the Secret Galaxy video on the show.

[@phantomlady69]

I like Snatcher on Sega CD more. The Saturn one has better art but doesn't have the same pixel art charm. I find both versions of Lunar to be pretty, the Saturn one looks brighter but still as nice pixel graphics. I'm surprised Columns has more lively colors on the CD and Corpse Killer looks poorly compressed on everything :D

[@RetroComparisons]

Some of these Sega CD ports surprised me with being able to compete with the Saturn. There are a few like Time Gal where I'd argue the Sega CD looks even better than the Saturn and others that could go either way.

[@juststatedtheobvious9633]

I think Snatcher really needed the softer pillow shading of the Saturn version, don't you? When I think of Film Noir and cyber punk, I just assume a soft hug for the eyes. It tells me the corporate run dystopia of the 21st century, as imagined by the 20th century, is just a safe place to go back to, whenever my inner childhood needs comfort food. Just like I remember it. Like a Terminator rip-off turning someone's insides into their outsides. They don't even spare the dog! Yup, definately calls for lots of pillow shading. There's no such thing as giving a STEM major too many crayons. But elsewhere, my sacred beliefs are called into question. Without the Saturn's greater palette, how would we get the washed out visuals of a bad VHS rip into a digital medium? Do I really want to lose that authenticity? I mean, everyone knows FMV games are what sold that generation. Kindly look past Road Rash please. And if you must compare Lunar, lend an ear to how the most epic orchestra in 16 bit is replaced by mall worthy shopping tunes. I'm not saying the Sega CD is better than the Saturn - not with this much contrarian cherry picking, anyways. Just that I'm a little disappointed the fight was this close. Like, I'm thrilled Corpse Killer has extra footage to interrupt the flow of gameplay! I bet the novelty remains fresh every time you play it. Though, to be fair, , once or twice is all you really need. On the other hand, Night Striker... yeah, that dramatic skyline on Sega CD isn't worth the Atari Lynx sized pixels. Much as I mock the baffling choices the Saturn developers made, it remains the fulfillment of what the Sega CD was only promised to be.

[@RetroComparisons]

Lmao! With Snatcher it's one of those "what were they thinking" stylistic choices. The Sega CD won out head to head on way more than I thought, even Time Gal looks so much better. Getting a fuller screen on some of these FMV games was nice but these games are not what I'd show someone who wanted to see what the Saturn was capable of.

[@juststatedtheobvious9633]

@@RetroComparisons To be fair, many of these were the hot new AAA product of the Sega CD and the "Ugh, maybe someone will still want it?" walk of shame for the Saturn. It's like when arcade brawlers fell out of fashion, and it seemed like everyone forgot how to make a good Streets of Rage rip-off... except a thousand times worse, because you still had Die Hard Arcade and Gekido keeping the genre alive, along with Fighting Force and Nightmare Creatures. And Dungeons and Dragons Collection. And Tekken 3. But hey, D and... others... I mean, FMV wasn't completely dead. It just wasn't suited to action gaming.

[@RetroComparisons]

@@juststatedtheobvious9633 The whole forgetting how to make a beat em up after SOR 3 always baffled me. I loved Fighting Force 64 but even that was clunky and got boring by the end. Yeah I guess FMV just took a different form later on but maybe tried to be distanced from the early 90s stuff.

[@mentalhell4846]

The poor color pallate ( 64 colors at once ) hurt megadrive's graphical potential so badly, so much games with potential insane graphics if they had more colors.

[@benjaminestay1345]

The saturn is amazing, the games feel more closer to the arcade version than Sega CD(32x). The truth is that Sega Cd is a Genesis/Mega drive actually. If Sega of America would had believed in Saturn, and don't have any discrepancy with Sega Japan.. Maybe the history have been other

[@RetroComparisons]

The whole Saturn debacle is such a shame. There were a ton of great games with so many not getting a North American or European release.

[@animemaster4861]

I'm surprised that columns actually was even released on either of these. I mean they don't really look too much different from the Genesis version but the music is probably better and the Sega CD version especially looks a little bit sharper I think than the Genesis. And noticeable improvements could be seen on COBRA command vs the Sega CD. It's just kind of too bad that the Sega CD had to get filler games like that that you could tell weren't really taking any sort of advantage of the Sega CDs higher power. But even the 2D games could be really good when they tried I mean look at shining Force CD and Sonic CD a lot of people say Sonic CD is the best one

[@RetroComparisons]

When done right the Sega CD was an awesome add on. Sonic CD is great for what it is and Fighting Force CD is the definitive version of that game at the time. The FMV games were a cool novelty back then but most didn't age well. Columns is one of those games that seems to get released on every Sega platform. Off the top of my head it was released on the Game Gear, Master System, Genesis, Sega CD, Saturn & Dreamcast. If you don't count the Pico I think the SG-1000 and 32x are the only 2 Sega consoles that didn't get it.

[@animemaster4861]

@@RetroComparisons the Sega CD really intrigues me especially the FMV games for sure and the ones that look like animes like Ninja hayate or time Gal. I like how they got ported to the Sega CD I know that they were like mid-80s arcade laser disc games like Dragons lair but they translated really well it would seem onto the Sega CD. I actually would get one except it's hard to find one it would seem that's in really good shape and they're pretty expensive. I guess I didn't realize that columns was even on the Dreamcast I know it was on the others but damn. Maybe the one that surprised me most was seeing flicky on the Sega CD like what could be different about it I mean I bet the music was better. And honestly Columns i think look better on the Sega CD then it did on the Saturn anyway

[@RetroComparisons]

@@animemaster4861 The FMV games are the laughing stock of the internet but honestly I still think they're pretty fun. They're not something I'd go back to once beating but especially for the time it was really cool. With Columns I think after the Genesis every release was on some sort of compilation. That was the case here as was Flicky. If you're not opposed to flash carts morally that may be your best option for the Sega CD. I use the Mega Everdrive Pro which lets you play SMS, Genesis & Sega CD games on the Genesis, plus if you have a 32x you can play those too.

[@animemaster4861]

@@RetroComparisons I really want to play through corpse killer after seeing it, or mad dog McCree and I have a Konami justifier and I think it works for those. That's awesome I need to find that everdrive I've got a different one but it's only got Master system 32x and Genesis

[@RetroComparisons]

@@animemaster4861 I see people rag on both Mad Dog McCree and Corpse Killer online all the time but I think they're pretty damn fun. Cheesy sure, but fun nonetheless. In fact, Mad Dog McCree was the first FMV game I ever saw as a kid and I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen.

[@Silentpeakgaming]

Hi great video

[@RetroComparisons]

Thanks so much!

[@Silentpeakgaming]

@@RetroComparisons no problem you’re welcome

[@Silentpeakgaming]

@@RetroComparisons Hi, no problem you’re welcome

[@thesadmusicboy]

It is so hurtful that the Sega CD didn't make it in the market... These games did well without being a port of Saturn I do believe that some games are better left on Genesis... Columns, Lunar or Flicky could do amazing inside the 16 bit console (At least as a Mega-port. I know Columns but what about making a "Super Flicky" or the same Lunar of CD but without the voices or some.) I will say though... these games are amazingly good for play once in a lifetime. It's a horrible take I know but damn... Better than port everything to Saturn expecting someone's gonna buy them (Joking)

[@RetroComparisons]

The Sega CD is such a mixed bag. There were some great games like Sonic CD & Final Fight, FMV games that were cool as a novelty, and then you had some of the pointless ones like 3 Ninjas Kick Back which did almost nothing to improve over the Genesis port. One big thing that tends to be forgotten to history is how it was a big deal just to have a CD player back then. Essentially in a way it was like the PS2 of its era where it was a cheaper way to get a CD player while still having the ability to play games on it.

[@RealHomeRecording]

Consumers still to this day do not like modular upgrades. Some company tried to make a module smart phone, where parts could be upgraded a lot cheaper than buying a brand new phone and that project failed. It is what it is.

[@RealHomeRecording]

@@RetroComparisons very good point about the CD player. Having one in the year 1992 was a huge deal, indeed!

[@RetroComparisons]

@@RealHomeRecording That's a great point. Not only is a modular upgrade unpopular to begin with but that was still a time when parents thought of video games at toys so that would have been a hard sell for any kid to convince their parents.

[@RealHomeRecording]

@@RetroComparisons yeah the whole idea is confusing for non-geeks. People like me love doing the Radio Shack DIY upgrades--we get a sense of accomplishment from figuring it all out--but most people were still using RF adapters back then, even if their TVs have RCA inputs LOL!

[@Viczarratt]

I have to commend you for not adding "Mansion of hidden souls" to the comparison. Because they are the same game only in name.

[@RetroComparisons]

Haha thanks! I don't know why they gave them the same name in America, though I guess technically the Saturn version has the word "The" in front of the title.

[@wagnersantos9197]

Columns e Winning Post são melhores no Sega CD e empate técnico em Flicky. Nos demais jogos, a versão Saturn é superior.

[@RetroComparisons]

I was surprised by Winning Post in particular. The Saturn (and PS1) ports are supposed to be enhanced remakes of the Sega CD version.

[@lordadk31]

Ninja hayate is missing. Otherwise even if saturn is better, i love more my mega cd version.

[@RetroComparisons]

It's there at 5:00. I do like the Mega CD versions better on a lot of these.

[@CelinhoFilho]

Saturn's FMV games looks horrific if you consider its same generation counterparts

[@RetroComparisons]

I was expecting much better with those. I can't imagine being someone who loved those FMV games on the Sega CD so much that they bought the "upgraded" Saturn version.

[@mtshark7]

I'd give them both a tie

[@RetroComparisons]

The Sega CD put up a shockingly good fight against its 32 bit counterpart.

[@mtshark7]

I agree lol

[@RetroComparisons]

@@mtshark7 Lol!

[@reginaldojunior3517]

The resolution on the Satun is higher for obvious reasons, the console is newer - but otherwise for me everything is better on the Sega Cd, the colors are better calibrated and the sprites are much more beautiful than the horrible quadrilateral pixel, which shows all your Ugliness in Virtual Figter

[@RetroComparisons]

I was surprised that the Sega CD looked better on some of these. Time Gal is a great example of a better art style whereas the Saturn looked like a mess.

[@YouTubeAddict50]

My dumbass bought a 3DO in 1994 😭

[@RetroComparisons]

Haha! I mean to be fair I was envious of anyone who owned a 3DO back then.

[@osvaldoroman58]

@@RetroComparisons i had a 3DO the only game worth was road rash and alone in the dark but was a garbage console and atari jaguar too the only american console that last so long is the XBOX and 100 times better than 3DO and ATARI JAGUAR

[@RetroComparisons]

@@osvaldoroman58 The Jaguar in particular was a huge disappointment considering it was an Atari console. I've been playing some games on it recently for some upcoming videos and while some games do look better than their 16 bit counterparts the controller is awful especially for fighting games.

[@osvaldoroman58]

@@RetroComparisons bro they kept those stupid numbers in the controller like wtf even 1995 was enough to let go of that 😑

[@RetroComparisons]

@@osvaldoroman58 Lol! Not only that but the main button layout goes C, B, A. WTF?! I keep seeing "press C" and hitting the A button until after the 10th time when I remember how poor the layout is.

[@ИгорьН-г3ф]

genesis rules))))

[@SERGEY_LIGHTNING]

*V*

[@matthewlucent7645]

Cool. Too bad most of these games suck, just like the Sega consoles they were on.

[@RetroComparisons]

Yeah the only game I really enjoyed on here was Road Rash. These games were not the best showcase for either system.

[@D0n_Balberith]

Sega is 💩