Editing Sega Saturn

{{Infobox information appliance
| title         = Sega Saturn
| logo          = [[File:SegaSaturn.png|250px]]<br />[[File:SegaSaturnjp.png|200px]]<br>Western and Eastern Sega Saturn logos
| image         = <div style="white-space: nowrap; border: #dadada solid 1px;">[[File:Sega-Saturn-Console-Set-Mk1.jpg|250px|The original NA Sega Saturn]]<br>[[File:Sega-Saturn-JP-Mk2-Console-Set.jpg|250px|Model 2 Japanese Sega Saturn]]</div>
| caption       = '''Top:''' Model 1 of North America<br /> '''Bottom:''' Model 2 of Japan
| manufacturer  = [[Sega]]
| type          = [[Home video game console]]
| generation    = [[Fifth generation of video game consoles|Fifth generation]]
| release date  = JP: November 22, 1994<br />NA: May 11, 1995<br />EU: July 8, 1995
| lifespan      = 1994-2000
| price         = JP: ¥44,800<br />US: US$399<br />UK: ₤399.99
| discontinued  = EU: 1998<br />NA: 1998<br />JP: 2000
| CPU           = 2× Hitachi [[SuperH|SH-2]] @ 28.6&nbsp;[[Hertz|MHz]]
| GPU           = VDP1 & VDP2 video display processors
| sound         = [[Yamaha YMF292]]
| media         = [[CD-ROM]], [[CD+G]], [[CD+EG]], [[Video CD]], [[Mini CD]], [[Photo CD]], [[E-book]]
| storage       = Internal [[RAM]], cartridge
| onlineservice = [[Sega NetLink]]
| unitssold     = 9.26 million
| predecessor   = [[Sega Genesis]]
| successor     = [[Sega Dreamcast|Dreamcast]]
}}

=Introduction=

The '''Sega Saturn''' is a [[32-bit]] [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|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-[[Central processing unit|CPU]] architecture and eight processors. Its games are in [[CD-ROM]] format, and its game library contains several [[Arcade game|arcade]] [[Porting|ports]] as well as original games.

Development of the Saturn began in 1992, the same year Sega's groundbreaking [[3D computer graphics|3D]] [[Sega Model 1|Model 1]] [[Arcade system board|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 (console)|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 [[List of commercial failures in video gaming|commercial failure]]. The failure of Sega's development teams to release a game in the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (series)|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)|Panzer Dragoon]]'' series, and the ''[[Virtua Fighter (series)|Virtua Fighter]]'' series, its reputation is mixed due to its complex hardware design and limited [[third-party developer|third-party]] support. Sega's management has been criticized for its decisions during the system's development and discontinuation.

=Specifications=
{| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-right:1em;"
|-
| [[File:HD6417095 01.jpg|none|100px|Hitachi SH-2]]
| [[File:315-5687 01.jpg|none|100px|Saturn sound processor]]
| [[File:KL Motorola 68EC000 PLCC.jpg|none|100px|Motorola 68EC000]]
|-
| style="width:100px;"| <center><small>[[SuperH|Hitachi SH-2]]</small></center>
| style="width:100px;"| <center><small>[[Yamaha YMF292|Saturn Custom Sound Processor (SCSP)]]</small></center>
| style="width:100px;"| <center><small>[[Motorola 68000|Motorola 68EC000]]</small></center>
|-
| [[File:315-5689 01.jpg|none|100px|Video display processor 1]]
| [[File:315-5690 VDP2 01.jpg|none|100px|Video display processor 2]]
| [[File:Sega-Saturn-Motherboard.jpg|none|100px|Saturn motherboard]]
|-
| style="width:100px;"| <center><small>Video Display Processor 1 (VDP1)</small></center>
| style="width:100px;"| <center><small>Video Display Processor 2 (VDP2)</small></center>
| style="width:100px;"| <center><small>Saturn motherboard</small></center>
|}
Featuring a total of eight processors the Saturn's main [[central processing unit]]s are two Hitachi SH-2 [[microprocessor]]s [[Clock rate|clocked]] at 28.6&nbsp;[[Hertz|MHz]] and capable of 56 [[Instructions per second|MIPS]]. The system contains a [[Motorola 68000|Motorola 68EC000]] running at 11.3&nbsp;MHz as a sound controller, a custom [[Sound chip|sound processor]] with an integrated Yamaha FH1 DSP running at 22.6&nbsp;MHz capable of up to 32 sound channels with both [[Frequency modulation synthesis|FM synthesis]] and [[Audio bit depth|16-bit]] [[Pulse-code modulation|PCM]] [[Sampling (signal processing)|sampling]] at a maximum [[Sampling rate|rate]] of [[44,100 Hz|44.1&nbsp;kHz]], and two [[Graphics processing unit|video display processors]], the VDP1 (which handles sprites, [[Texture mapping|textures]] and [[Polygon (computer graphics)|polygons]]) and the VDP2 (which handles backgrounds). Its double-speed [[Optical disc drive|CD-ROM drive]] is controlled by a dedicated [[SuperH|Hitachi SH-1]] processor to reduce load times. The Saturn's System Control Unit (SCU), which controls all [[Bus (computing)|buses]] and functions as a co-processor of the main SH-2 CPU, has an internal DSP running at 14.3&nbsp;MHz. The Saturn contains a cartridge slot for memory expansion, 16 [[Megabit|Mbit]] of work [[random-access memory]] (RAM), 12 Mbit of [[VRAM|video RAM]], 4 Mbit of RAM for sound functions, 4 Mbit of CD [[Data buffer|buffer]] RAM and 256 [[Kilobit|Kbit]] (32 KB) of [[Saved game|battery backup]] RAM. Its video output, provided by a [[RCA connector|stereo AV cable]], displays at [[Display resolution|resolutions]] from 320×224 to 704×224 [[pixel]]s, and is capable of displaying up to [[Color depth#True color (24-bit)|16.77 million]] [[List of color palettes|colors]] simultaneously. Physically, the Saturn measures {{convert |260|x|230|x|83|mm|in|abbr=on}}. 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.

:''"One very fast central processor would be preferable. I don't think all programmers have the ability to program two CPUs—most can only get about one-and-a-half times the speed you can get from one [[SuperH|SH-2]]. I think that only 1 in 100 programmers are good enough to get this kind of speed [nearly double] out of the Saturn."''
'''Yu Suzuki reflecting upon Saturn ''[[Virtua Fighter (arcade game)|Virtua Fighter]]'' development.'''

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.{{sfn|Kent|2001|p=509. "In theory, Saturn, which featured two Hitachi SH2 32-bit central processing chips, was more powerful than PlayStation. The truth was that the SH2 chips were somewhat inferior to the chip Sony had selected&nbsp;... and allotting different operations to both of the processing chips proved nearly impossible"}} 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&nbsp;kB of [[CPU cache|cache memory]] in each CPU was critical to maintaining performance. For example, ''Virtua Fighter'' used one CPU for each character, while ''Nights'' used one CPU for 3D environments and the other for 2D objects. The Saturn's Visual Display Processor 2 (VDP2), which can generate and manipulate backgrounds, has also been cited as one of the system's most important features.

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. By contrast, [[Lobotomy Software]] programmer Ezra Dreisbach described the Saturn as significantly slower than the PlayStation, whereas [[Kenji Eno]] of [[Superwarp|WARP]] observed little difference between the two systems. In particular, Dreisbach criticized the Saturn's use of [[quadrilateral]]s as its basic [[geometric primitive]], in contrast to the triangles rendered by the PlayStation and the Nintendo 64. 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. Third-party development was initially hindered by the lack of useful [[Library (computing)|software libraries]] and [[Programming tool|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 (programming language)|C]]. The Saturn hardware is considered extremely difficult to [[Video game console emulator|emulate]]. Sega responded to complaints about the difficulty of programming for the Saturn by writing new graphics libraries which were claimed to make development easier. Sega of America also purchased a United Kingdom-based development firm, Cross Products, to produce the Saturn's official development system. Despite these challenges, [[Treasure (company)|Treasure]] CEO Masato Maegawa stated that the Nintendo 64 was more difficult to develop for than the Saturn. [[Traveller's Tales]]' [[Jon Burton]] opined that while the PlayStation was easier "to get started on&nbsp;... 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." 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.

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-right:1em;"
|-
| [[File:Sega-Saturn-Controller-Mk-I-NA-FL.jpg|none|100px|1st North American controller]]
| [[File:Sega-Saturn-3D-Controller.jpg|none|100px|3D Pad]]
| [[File:Volant Sega Saturn.jpg|none|100px|Arcade Racer]]
|-
| style="width:100px;"| <center><small>Model 1 North American controller</small></center>
| style="width:100px;"| <center><small>3D Pad</small></center>
| style="width:100px;"| <center><small>Arcade Racer</small></center>
|-
| [[File:Sega-Saturn-Controller-NA-Mk-II-FL.jpg|none|100px|2nd North American controller]]
| [[File:Sega-Saturn-Multitap.jpg|none|100px|Saturn multitap]]
| [[File:Sega-Saturn-Backup.jpg|none|100px|RAM backup cartridge]]
|-
| style="width:100px;"| <center><small>Model 2 North American controller</small></center>
| style="width:100px;"| <center><small>Saturn multitap</small></center>
| style="width:100px;"| <center><small>RAM backup cartridge</small></center>
|}

Several models of the Saturn were produced in Japan. An updated model in a recolored light gray (officially white) was released in Japan at a price of ¥20,000 in order to reduce the system's cost and raise its appeal among women and younger children. 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), while [[JVC]] released the '''V-Saturn'''. Saturn controllers came in various color schemes to match different models of the console. The system also supports several accessories. A wireless controller powered by AA batteries utilizes infrared signal to connect to the Saturn. Designed to work with ''Nights'', the Saturn [[Nights into Dreams...#Release|3D Pad]] includes both a control pad and an analog stick for directional input. Sega also released several versions of arcade sticks as peripherals, including the Virtua Stick, the Virtua Stick Pro, the Mission Analog Stick, and the Twin Stick. Sega also created a [[light gun]] peripheral known as the "Virtua Gun" for use with shooting games such as ''Virtua Cop'' and ''The Guardian'', as well as the Arcade Racer, a wheel for racing games. The Play Cable allows for two Saturn consoles to be connected for multiplayer gaming across two screens, while a multitap allows up to six players to play games on the same console. The Saturn was designed to support up to 12 players on a single console, by using two multitaps. RAM cartridges expand the amount of memory in the system. Other accessories include a keyboard, mouse, floppy disk drive, and movie card.

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. In Japan, a now defunct pay-to-play service was used. It could also be used for [[web browsing]], sending [[email]], and [[online chat]]. 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. The NetLink functioned with five games: ''Daytona USA'', ''[[Duke Nukem 3D]]'', ''[[Saturn Bomberman]]'',{{sfn|Mott|2013|p=309}} ''Sega Rally'', and ''[[Virtual On: Cyber Troopers]]''. {{anchor|pluto}}In 1995 Sega announced it was developing a variant of the Saturn featuring a built-in NetLink modem under the code name "Sega Pluto", but it was never released.

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. The Titan was criticized for its comparatively weak performance by Sega AM2's Yu Suzuki and was overproduced by Sega's arcade division. 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. ''Die Hard'' became the most successful Sega arcade game produced in the United States at that point. Other games released for the Titan include ''[[Golden Axe: The Duel]]'' and ''[[Virtua Fighter Kids]]''.

[[Category:Sega consoles]]