Difference between revisions of "Sega Saturn"
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Sega developed an arcade board based on the Saturn's hardware, called the [[Sega ST-V]] (or Titan), which was intended as an affordable alternative to Sega's Model 2 arcade board as well as a testing ground for upcoming Saturn software.<ref name="NG February"/> The Titan was criticized for its comparatively weak performance by Sega AM2's Yu Suzuki<ref name="NG February"/> and was overproduced by Sega's arcade division.<ref name="Sega-16 STI"/> Because Sega already possessed the ''[[Die Hard (film series)|Die Hard]]'' license, members of [[Sega AM1]] working at the Sega Technical Institute developed ''[[Die Hard Arcade]]'' for the Titan to clear out excess inventory.<ref name="Sega-16 STI"/> ''Die Hard'' became the most successful Sega arcade game produced in the United States at that point.<ref name="Sega-16 STI"/> Other games released for the Titan include ''[[Golden Axe: The Duel]]'' and ''[[Virtua Fighter Kids]]''.<ref name="NG February"/><ref name="Fight Club">{{cite magazine|author=Tokyo Drifter|title=Virtua Fight Club|magazine=GamePro|issue=163|volume=14|date=April 2002|pages=48–50}}</ref> | Sega developed an arcade board based on the Saturn's hardware, called the [[Sega ST-V]] (or Titan), which was intended as an affordable alternative to Sega's Model 2 arcade board as well as a testing ground for upcoming Saturn software.<ref name="NG February"/> The Titan was criticized for its comparatively weak performance by Sega AM2's Yu Suzuki<ref name="NG February"/> and was overproduced by Sega's arcade division.<ref name="Sega-16 STI"/> Because Sega already possessed the ''[[Die Hard (film series)|Die Hard]]'' license, members of [[Sega AM1]] working at the Sega Technical Institute developed ''[[Die Hard Arcade]]'' for the Titan to clear out excess inventory.<ref name="Sega-16 STI"/> ''Die Hard'' became the most successful Sega arcade game produced in the United States at that point.<ref name="Sega-16 STI"/> Other games released for the Titan include ''[[Golden Axe: The Duel]]'' and ''[[Virtua Fighter Kids]]''.<ref name="NG February"/><ref name="Fight Club">{{cite magazine|author=Tokyo Drifter|title=Virtua Fight Club|magazine=GamePro|issue=163|volume=14|date=April 2002|pages=48–50}}</ref> | ||
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==Reception and legacy== | ==Reception and legacy== | ||
Revision as of 10:42, 9 January 2019
Template:Use mdy dates Template:Featured article
  Western and Eastern Sega Saturn logos | |
  Top: Model 1 of North America Bottom: Model 2 of Japan | |
| Manufacturer | Sega |
|---|---|
| Type | Home video game console |
| Generation | Fifth generation |
| Release date | Template:Vgrelease |
| Retail availability | 1994-2000 |
| Introductory price |
JP: ¥44,800 US: US$399 UK: ₤399.99 |
| Discontinued | Template:Vgrelease |
| Units sold | 9.26 million |
| Media | CD-ROM, CD+G, CD+EG, Video CD, Mini CD, Photo CD, E-book<ref name="Move Card"/> |
| CPU | 2× Hitachi SH-2 @ 28.6 MHz |
| Storage | Internal RAM, cartridge |
| Graphics | VDP1 & VDP2 video display processors |
| Sound | Yamaha YMF292 |
| Online services | Sega NetLink |
| Predecessor | Sega Genesis |
| Successor | Dreamcast |
The Template:Nihongo foot is a 32-bit fifth-generation home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe. The successor to the successful Sega Genesis, the Saturn has a dual-CPU architecture and eight processors. Its games are in CD-ROM format, and its game library contains several arcade ports as well as original games.
Development of the Saturn began in 1992, the same year Sega's groundbreaking 3D Model 1 arcade hardware debuted. Designed around a new CPU from Japanese electronics company Hitachi, another video display processor was incorporated into the system's design in early 1994 to better compete with Sony's forthcoming PlayStation.
The Saturn was initially successful in Japan, but failed to sell in large numbers in the United States after its surprise May 1995 launch, four months before its scheduled release date. After the debut of the Nintendo 64 in late 1996, the Saturn rapidly lost market share in the U.S., where it was discontinued in 1998. Having sold 9.26 million units worldwide, the Saturn is considered a commercial failure. The failure of Sega's development teams to release a game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, known in development as Sonic X-treme, has been considered a factor in the console's poor performance.
Although the Saturn is remembered for several well-regarded games, including Nights into Dreams, the Panzer Dragoon series, and the Virtua Fighter series, its reputation is mixed due to its complex hardware design and limited third-party support. Sega's management has been criticized for its decisions during the system's development and discontinuation.
Technical specifications
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Featuring a total of eight processors<ref name=Allgame>Beuscher, Dave. "Sega Saturn – Overview". Allgame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> the Saturn's main central processing units are two Hitachi SH-2 microprocessors clocked at 28.6 MHz and capable of 56 MIPS.<ref name="NG February"/><ref name="Schilling"/> The system contains a Motorola 68EC000 running at 11.3 MHz as a sound controller, a custom sound processor with an integrated Yamaha FH1<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> DSP running at 22.6 MHz<ref name="Saturn Overview Manual">Template:Cite journal</ref> capable of up to 32 sound channels with both FM synthesis and 16-bit PCM sampling at a maximum rate of 44.1 kHz,<ref name="SaturnSpecs"/> and two video display processors,<ref name="RetroinspectionSaturn">Template:Cite magazine</ref> the VDP1 (which handles sprites, textures and polygons) and the VDP2 (which handles backgrounds).<ref name="Saturn Overview Manual"/> Its double-speed CD-ROM drive is controlled by a dedicated Hitachi SH-1 processor to reduce load times.<ref name="Edge Japanese launch">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The Saturn's System Control Unit (SCU), which controls all buses and functions as a co-processor of the main SH-2 CPU, has an internal DSP<ref name="NG February"/> running at 14.3 MHz.<ref name="Saturn Overview Manual"/> The Saturn contains a cartridge slot for memory expansion,<ref name="Allgame"/> 16 Mbit of work random-access memory (RAM), 12 Mbit of video RAM, 4 Mbit of RAM for sound functions, 4 Mbit of CD buffer RAM and 256 Kbit (32 KB) of battery backup RAM.<ref name="SaturnSpecs">"Sega Saturn various data" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved February 27, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> Its video output, provided by a stereo AV cable,<ref name="SaturnSpecs"/> displays at resolutions from 320×224 to 704×224 pixels,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and is capable of displaying up to 16.77 million colors simultaneously.<ref name="SaturnSpecs"/> Physically, the Saturn measures 260 mm × 230 mm × 83 mm (10.2 in × 9.1 in × 3.3 in). The Saturn was sold packaged with an instruction manual, one control pad, a stereo AV cable, and its 100V AC power supply, with a power consumption of approximately 15W.<ref name="SaturnSpecs"/>
The Saturn had technically impressive hardware at the time of its release, but its complexity made harnessing this power difficult for developers accustomed to conventional programming.Template:Sfn The greatest disadvantage was that both CPUs shared the same bus and were unable to access system memory at the same time. Making full use of the 4 kB of cache memory in each CPU was critical to maintaining performance. For example, Virtua Fighter used one CPU for each character,<ref name="NG February"/> while Nights used one CPU for 3D environments and the other for 2D objects.<ref name="Edge Nights"/> The Saturn's Visual Display Processor 2 (VDP2), which can generate and manipulate backgrounds,<ref>"Saturn Technical Specs". Next Generation. Archived from the original on December 20, 1996. Retrieved April 22, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> has also been cited as one of the system's most important features.<ref name="NextGenDec"/><ref name="VF2">"Virtua Fighter 2 is Here at Last!". Next Generation. Archived from the original on April 19, 1997. Retrieved April 12, 2014. [The VDP2] can generate and manipulate 3D backgrounds. This leaves the twin processors free to deal with manipulating the fighters themselves. The result is swift, elegant animation at 60 frames a second—the same speed as the VF2 coin-op ... Sony's machine does not have an equivalent of the VDP2, so the demands for better animation and more realistic movement are placing greater and greater pressure on its central processor.
<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref>
The Saturn's design elicited mixed commentary among game developers and journalists. Developers quoted by Next Generation in December 1995 described the Saturn as "a real coder's machine" for "those who love to get their teeth into assembly and really hack the hardware", with "more flexibility" and "more calculating power than the PlayStation". The Saturn's sound board was also widely praised.<ref name="NextGenDec"/> By contrast, Lobotomy Software programmer Ezra Dreisbach described the Saturn as significantly slower than the PlayStation,<ref name=DreisbachCG>"Interview: Ezra Dreisbach". Curmudgeon Gamer. July 9, 2002. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved December 24, 2014. Ezra Dreisbach: And really, if you couldn't tell from the games, the PSX is way better than the Saturn. It's way simpler and way faster. There are a lot of things about the Saturn that are totally dumb. Chief among these is that you can't draw triangles, only quadrilaterals.
<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> whereas Kenji Eno of WARP observed little difference between the two systems.<ref>Bettenhausen, Shane; Mielke, James. "Kenji Eno: Reclusive Japanese Game Creator Breaks His Silence". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2016. Kenji Eno: But, the PlayStation and the Saturn aren't that different, so moving it [Enemy Zero] to Saturn wasn't too difficult.
<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> In particular, Dreisbach criticized the Saturn's use of quadrilaterals as its basic geometric primitive, in contrast to the triangles rendered by the PlayStation and the Nintendo 64.<ref name=DreisbachCG/> Ken Humphries of Time Warner Interactive remarked that compared to the PlayStation, the Saturn was markedly worse at generating polygons but markedly better at sprite-based graphics.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Third-party development was initially hindered by the lack of useful software libraries and development tools, requiring developers to write in assembly language to achieve good performance. During early Saturn development, programming in assembly could offer a two-to-fivefold speed increase over higher-level languages like C.<ref name="NG February">Template:Cite magazine</ref> The Saturn hardware is considered extremely difficult to emulate.<ref>Moss, Richard (June 2, 2014). "Life after Death: Meet the People Ensuring that Yesterday's Systems Will Never be Forgotten". Edge. Archived from the original on December 2, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015. Hackers are still unsure how some components work.
<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> Sega responded to complaints about the difficulty of programming for the Saturn by writing new graphics libraries which were claimed to make development easier.<ref name="NextGenDec"/> Sega of America also purchased a United Kingdom-based development firm, Cross Products, to produce the Saturn's official development system.<ref name="Miller"/><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Despite these challenges, Treasure CEO Masato Maegawa stated that the Nintendo 64 was more difficult to develop for than the Saturn.<ref>"Treasure Talks Yuke Yuke". IGN. April 14, 1997. Retrieved May 26, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> Traveller's Tales' Jon Burton opined that while the PlayStation was easier "to get started on ... you quickly reach [its] limits", whereas the Saturn's "complicated" hardware had the ability to "improve the speed and look of a game when all used together correctly."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> A major point of criticism was the Saturn's use of 2D sprites to generate polygons and simulate 3D space. The PlayStation functioned in a similar manner, but also featured a dedicated "Geometry Transfer Engine" that rendered additional polygons. As a result, several analysts described the Saturn as an "essentially" 2D system.<ref name="Retroinspection32X"/><ref name="NG February"/><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
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Several models of the Saturn were produced in Japan. An updated model in a recolored light gray (officially white<ref name="EGM83"/>) was released in Japan at a price of ¥20,000 in order to reduce the system's cost<ref>"Sega Saturn HST-0014" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> and raise its appeal among women and younger children.<ref name="EGM83"/><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Two models were released by third parties: Hitachi released a model known as the Hi-Saturn (a smaller Saturn model equipped with a car navigation function),<ref>"On the Move!". Sega Saturn Magazine. 2 (4). February 1996. p. 9.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> while JVC released the V-Saturn.<ref name="SaturnSpecs" /> Saturn controllers came in various color schemes to match different models of the console.<ref>"Sega Saturn controller" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> The system also supports several accessories. A wireless controller powered by AA batteries utilizes infrared signal to connect to the Saturn.<ref>"Sega Saturn wireless controller" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> Designed to work with Nights, the Saturn 3D Pad includes both a control pad and an analog stick for directional input.<ref>"Sega Saturn Multi-controller" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> Sega also released several versions of arcade sticks as peripherals, including the Virtua Stick,<ref>"Virtua Stick" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> the Virtua Stick Pro,<ref>"Virtua Stick Pro" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> the Mission Analog Stick,<ref>"Mission analog stick" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and the Twin Stick.<ref>"Twin stick" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> Sega also created a light gun peripheral known as the "Virtua Gun" for use with shooting games such as Virtua Cop and The Guardian,<ref>"Virtua Gun" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> as well as the Arcade Racer, a wheel for racing games.<ref>"Racing controller" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The Play Cable allows for two Saturn consoles to be connected for multiplayer gaming across two screens,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>"Play cable" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> while a multitap allows up to six players to play games on the same console.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>"Multi-Terminal 6" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> The Saturn was designed to support up to 12 players on a single console, by using two multitaps.<ref>"Sega's Saturn Launched in Japan". Electronic Gaming Monthly (65). December 1994. p. 60.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> RAM cartridges expand the amount of memory in the system.<ref>"RAM cartridge" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> Other accessories include a keyboard,<ref>"Sega Saturn keyboard" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> mouse,<ref>"Shuttle mouse" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref><ref>"The Sega Saturn Enters Orbit". GamePro (68). March 1995. p. 30.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> floppy disk drive,<ref>"Sega Saturn floppy disk drive" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> and movie card.<ref name="Move Card">"Movie card" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref><ref>"Bring the Noise". Sega Saturn Magazine. 1 (1). November 1995. pp. 56–57.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref>
Like the Genesis, the Saturn had an Internet-based gaming service. The Sega NetLink was a 28.8k modem that fit into the cartridge slot in the Saturn for direct dial multiplayer.<ref name="RetroinspectionSaturn"/> In Japan, a now defunct pay-to-play service was used.<ref>"Sega Saturn modem" (in Japanese). Sega Corporation. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> It could also be used for web browsing, sending email, and online chat.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Because the NetLink was released before the Saturn keyboard, Sega produced a series of CDs containing hundreds of website addresses so that Saturn owners could browse with the joypad.<ref>"Saturn to Get Internet Connection Facilities in '96!". Sega Saturn Magazine. 2 (5). March 1996. p. 8.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> The NetLink functioned with five games: Daytona USA, Duke Nukem 3D, Saturn Bomberman,Template:Sfn Sega Rally, and Virtual On: Cyber Troopers.<ref name="IGNSooth">Redsell, Adam (May 20, 2012). "SEGA: A Soothsayer of the Games Industry". IGN. Retrieved March 3, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> In 1995 Sega announced it was developing a variant of the Saturn featuring a built-in NetLink modem<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> under the code name "Sega Pluto", but it was never released.<ref>Blagdon, Jeff (April 17, 2013). "Forgotten Sega Pluto console prototype surfaces online (update)". The Verge. Retrieved March 22, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref>
Sega developed an arcade board based on the Saturn's hardware, called the Sega ST-V (or Titan), which was intended as an affordable alternative to Sega's Model 2 arcade board as well as a testing ground for upcoming Saturn software.<ref name="NG February"/> The Titan was criticized for its comparatively weak performance by Sega AM2's Yu Suzuki<ref name="NG February"/> and was overproduced by Sega's arcade division.<ref name="Sega-16 STI"/> Because Sega already possessed the Die Hard license, members of Sega AM1 working at the Sega Technical Institute developed Die Hard Arcade for the Titan to clear out excess inventory.<ref name="Sega-16 STI"/> Die Hard became the most successful Sega arcade game produced in the United States at that point.<ref name="Sega-16 STI"/> Other games released for the Titan include Golden Axe: The Duel and Virtua Fighter Kids.<ref name="NG February"/><ref name="Fight Club">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Reception and legacy
At the time of its release, Famicom Tsūshin awarded the Saturn console 24 out of 40 possible points, higher than the PlayStation's 19 out of 40.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In June 1995, Dennis Lynch of the Chicago Tribune and Albert Kim of Entertainment Weekly both praised the Saturn as the most advanced gaming console available, with the former complimenting its double-speed CD-ROM drive and "intense surround-sound capabilities" and the latter citing Panzer Dragoon as a "lyrical and exhilarating epic" demonstrating the ability of new technology to "transform" the industry.<ref>Lynch, Dennis (June 16, 1995). "Saturn Runs Rings Around Its Rivals". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 20, 2015.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref><ref>Kim, Albert (June 9, 1995). "Sega Saturn". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 20, 2015.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> In December 1995, Next Generation evaluated the system with three and a half stars out of a possible five, highlighting Sega's marketing and arcade background as strengths but the system's complexity as a weakness.<ref name="NextGenDec"/> Electronic Gaming Monthly's December 1996 Buyer's Guide had four reviewers rate the Saturn 8, 6, 7, and 8 out of 10; these ratings were inferior to those of the PlayStation, which was scored 9, 10, 9, and 9 in the same review.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> By December 1998, Electronic Gaming Monthly's reviews were more mixed, with reviewers citing the lack of games for the system as a major issue. According to EGM reviewer Crispin Boyer, "the Saturn is the only system that can thrill me one month and totally disappoint me the next".<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Retrospective feedback of the Saturn is mixed, but generally praises its game library.<ref name="IGNHistory_pg8" /><ref name="GamesRadar library">"Best Saturn games of all time". GamesRadar. March 6, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2014. But that doesn't mean it's a total bust. Numerous excellent games were released for the console, which was supported primarily in the mid-to-late 1990s, including a variety of original Sega classics and several stellar third-party releases. RPG and fighting game fans, in particular, enjoyed a healthy array of options on the platform.
<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> According to Greg Sewart of 1UP.com, "the Saturn will go down in history as one of the most troubled, and greatest, systems of all time".<ref name="1UP Pleasure and Pain"/> In 2009, IGN named the Saturn as the 18th best video game console of all time, praising its unique game library. According to the reviewers, "While the Saturn ended up losing the popularity contest to both Sony and Nintendo ... Nights into Dreams, the Virtua Fighter and Panzer Dragoon series are all examples of exclusive titles that made the console a fan favorite".<ref name="Number 18">"SEGA Saturn is number 18". IGN. Retrieved January 23, 2012.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> Edge noted "hardened loyalists continue to reminisce about the console that brought forth games like Burning Rangers, Guardian Heroes, Dragon Force and Panzer Dragoon Saga."<ref>"How Consoles Die". Edge. September 17, 2008. p. 3. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> In 2015, The Guardian's Keith Stuart declared "the Saturn has perhaps the strongest line up of 2D shooters and fighting games in console history".<ref>Stuart, Keith (May 15, 2015). "Sega Saturn – how to buy one and what to play". The Guardian. Retrieved May 27, 2015.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref>
Retro Gamer's Damien McFerran stated "Even today, despite the widespread availability of sequels and re-releases on other formats, the Sega Saturn is still a worthwhile investment for those who appreciate the unique gameplay styles of the companies that supported it."<ref name="RetroinspectionSaturn" /> IGN's Adam Redsell wrote "[Sega's] devil-may-care attitude towards game development in the Saturn and Dreamcast eras is something that we simply do not see outside of the indie scene today."<ref name="IGNSooth" /> Necrosoft Games director Brandon Sheffield expounded that "The Saturn was a landing point for games that were too 'adult' in content for other systems, as it was the only one that allowed an 18+ rating for content in Japan ... some games, like Enemy Zero used it to take body horror to new levels, an important step toward the expansion of games and who they served."<ref name="Parish" /> Sewart praised the Saturn's first-party games as "Sega's shining moment as a game developer", with Sonic Team demonstrating its creative range and AM2 producing numerous technically impressive arcade ports, but also commented on the many Japan-exclusive Saturn releases, which he connected with a subsequent boom in the game import market.<ref name="1UP Pleasure and Pain">Sewart, Greg (August 5, 2005). "Sega Saturn: The Pleasure And The Pain". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2016.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> IGN's Travis Fahs was critical of the Saturn library's lack of "fresh ideas" and "precious few high-profile franchises", in contrast to what he described as Sega's more creative Dreamcast output.<ref name="IGN History of Dreamcast" />
Criticism has befallen Sega's management regarding both the creation and handling of the Saturn. McFerran criticizes Sega's management at the time of the Saturn's development, claiming that it had "fallen out of touch with both the demands of the market and the industry".<ref name="RetroinspectionSaturn"/> Bernie Stolar has also been criticized for his decision to end support for the Saturn.<ref name="1UP Pleasure and Pain"/> According to Fahs, "Stolar's decision to abandon the Saturn made him a villain to many Sega fans, but ... it was better to regroup than to enter the next fight battered and bruised. Dreamcast would be Stolar's redemption."<ref name="IGNHistory_pg8" /> Stolar has defended his decision, stating, "I felt Saturn was hurting the company more than helping it. That was a battle that we weren't going to win."Template:Sfn Sheffield stated that the Saturn's use of quadrilaterals undermined third-party support for the system, but because "nVidia invested in quads" at the same time there is "a remote possibility" they could have "become the standard instead of triangles"—"if somehow, magically, the Saturn were the most popular console of that era."<ref name="Parish"/> Speaking more positively of the system, former Working Designs president Victor Ireland described the Saturn as "the start of the future of console gaming" because it "got the better developers thinking and designing with parallel-processing architecture in mind for the first time".<ref name="1UP Pleasure and Pain"/> Writing for GamesRadar, Justin Towell noted that the Saturn's 3D Pad "set the template for every successful controller that followed, with analog shoulder triggers and left thumbstick ... I don't see any three-pronged controllers around the office these days."<ref>Towell, Justin (November 22, 2014). "Sega Saturn turns 20, and it's not as shit as you think". GamesRadar. Retrieved January 20, 2015.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref>
Douglass C. Perry of Gamasutra notes that, from its surprise launch to its ultimate failure, the Saturn "soured many gamers on Sega products."<ref>Perry, Douglass C. (September 9, 2009). "The Rise and Fall of Dreamcast". Gamasutra. Retrieved December 24, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> Sewart and IGN's Levi Buchanan cited the failure of the Saturn as the major reason for Sega's downfall as a hardware manufacturer, but USgamer's Jeremy Parish described the Saturn as "more a symptom ... than a cause" of the company's decline, which began with add-ons for the Genesis that fragmented the market and continued with Sega of America's and Sega of Japan's competing designs for the Dreamcast.<ref name="1UP Pleasure and Pain"/><ref name="Parish"/><ref name="Top 10">Buchanan, Levi (July 29, 2008). "Top 10 SEGA Saturn Games". IGN. Retrieved March 26, 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> Sheffield portrayed Sega's mistakes with the Saturn as emblematic of the broader decline of the Japanese gaming industry: "They thought they were invincible, and that structure and hierarchy were necessary for their survival, but more flexibility, and a greater participation with the West could have saved them."<ref name="Parish"/> According to Stuart, Sega "didn't see ... the roots of a prevailing trend, away from arcade conversions and traditional role-playing adventures and toward a much wider console development community with fresh ideas about gameplay and structure."<ref>Stuart, Keith (May 14, 2015). "Sega Saturn: how one decision destroyed PlayStation's greatest rival". The Guardian. Retrieved May 27, 2015.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles></ref> Pulp365 reviews editor Matt Paprocki concluded "the Saturn is a relic, but an important one, which represents the harshness of progress and what it can leave in its wake".<ref name="Parish"/>
