#50: Mass Destruction -87% #49: King of Fighters '95 -89% #48: Shining Wisdom -N/A #47: Enemy Zero -88% #46: Actua Golf -90% #45: Pandemonium! -90% #44: Athlete Kings -90% #43: Dark Savior -92% #42: Daytona USA CCE -90% #41: Space Hulk -90% #40: Soviet Strike -90% #39: Jonah Lomu Rugby -91% #38: Manx TT SuperBike -91% #37: Saturn Bomberman -90% #36: Croc: Legend of the Gobbos -91% #35: Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo -86% #34: Baku Baku Animal -93% #33: Bust-A-Move 3 -91% #32: Fighting Vipers -94% #31: SEGA AGES -91% #30: Bubble Bobble Featuring Rainbow Islands -92% #29: Last Bronx -92% #28: WipEout 2097 -92% #27: Madden NFL '98 -92% #26: Steep Slope Sliders -92% #25: Warcraft II: The Dark Saga -91% #24: Sonic Jam -92% #23: X-Men: Children of the Atom -92% #22: Daytona USA -92% #21: Guardian Heroes -93%
Getting down to the hot and heavy...
#20: NIGHT WARRIORS: DARKSTALKERS' REVENGE -93%
A classic 2D beat 'em up featuring a gaggle of truly gruesome creatures. Capcom's creature feature is also the first sequel to the demonic DarkStalkers. "What other game lets you beat the crap out of vampires, a werewolf and even Frankenstein's monster? Amazing cartoon animation, completely over-the-top moves and Capcom's trademark quality gameplay make this a must-have title. Unique amongst beat 'em ups." -Lee Nutter
Gorgeous animation
#19: QUAKE -93%
The impossible has been made real with Lobotomy's translation of id software's graphically amazing PC shooting game. "Quake on PC is my all-time favorite video game. There may be no DeathMatch (so Tom Guise AKA TipDrinker gets off lightly this time) but Lobotomy's tweaks to the single-player game have made it a highly entertaining, challenging experience. And graphically speaking, this translation is untouchable." -Editor Rich Leadbetter
Lobotomy's Big Three:
Quake
Duke Nukem 3D
PowerSlave
#18: SHINING THE HOLY ARK -93%
It's a new Shining game on the Saturn from Team Sonic. It's 3D and it's quality. Enough said.
"I didn't want to review this because it started out so dull. Regardless I battled through the early stages and discovered what ranks as one of the single most compelling RPGs I've ever played. I've happy memories of this title -- I love it loads and can't wait for Shining Force III." -Editor Rich Leadbetter
Sort of a mixed bag w/ Shining fans...
#17: SONIC R -93%
Designed by the legendary Sonic Team and programmed by British developer Travellers Tales, the first Sonic title to be programmed specifically for the Saturn is a joy to behold. "Clearly the focal point of Sonic R is the mind-blowing graphics, with some jaw-dropping visuals and special effects rivalling those of Mario Kart 64. But rather than just being a graphical showcase for the Saturn, Sonic R is an awesome game to play. There's a massive exploration element to it, secret routes to discover, hidden items to find and ... well, let's just say that this is fine Saturn gaming." -Lee Nutter
Best 3D on Saturn?
Other than Dead or Alive, I say yes!
#16: PANZER DRAGOON II ZWEI -93%
A brilliant blasting game, this game features astounding 3D effects that no Saturn game or indeed PlayStation title has managed to match. And despite being easy to complete, there's tons of lastability in it too. "We all knew that this one was going to be awesome, but when we first sat down and played the finished article, Panzer Zwei was like a gift from the gods. The graphics redefined our expectations of what the Saturn was capable of -- suddenly anything was possible. The different routes, morphing dragon and vast amounts of hidden stuff add immensely to its appeal." -Editor Rich Leadbetter
OK, so the water may not be on Wave Race 64's level... who cares!
#15: COMMAND & CONQUER -94%
PC games don't convert well to consoles -- most are way too complicated to appeal to us. So how did Command & Conquer score 94% in issue #15? Well, it's a great game, that's why. "Beneath the bland exterior beats the heart of a warrior. A warrior of gameplay, because manuevering your troops around the battlefield, building bases and attacking the enemy is simple to pick up, and the controls work perfectly. It even comes on two CD's, each with different areas and scenarios for the two sides in the conflict. A very big game." -Gary Cutlack
Yep, all in a day's hard work!
#14: SEGA WORLDWIDE SOCCER '98 -91%
Raising a swift index finger to the established FIFA and Actua brands, Sega WorldWide Soccer '98 out-quaffs them in every conceivable way, being the best footy (soccer) sim around. "The arrival of Sega WorldWide Soccer '97 heralded a new standard in the footy sim genre, but the crap keeper AI and lack of Premiership sides was a real drawback. SWWS 98 redresses these criticisms whilst retaining the graphical finesse and rampant playability of the prequel. If you don't own the prequel, this is the only soccer game worth bothering with." -Lee Nutter
Geniunely frightening action adventure in which the sole purpose is to survive. Roam freely throughout the secluded mansion, mercilessly slaughtering the undead and solving the diverse range of puzzles. Awesome! "For Capcom's first foray into the realms of 3D, Resident Evil is an exceptional achievement. This sh*t-scary scenario, non-linear gameplay and tense atmosphere offers players an experience they'll never dare to forget. Blasting the head clean off a zombie as a fountain of blood erupts from between its shoulders is quite simply the most satisfying moment in videogames history. Hugely ace stuff!" -Lee Nutter
The Saturn version has you fighting 2 of them...
#12: VIRTUAL ON -93%
Eight different robots battle it out over different stages in AM3's robot battler. A game of strategy as well as reflexes, this is one of the best two-player games on Saturn. "Virtual On is a game of strategy -- of brains over brawn. It's also one of the best one-on-one titles you can get for the Saturn. The amount of strategies and tactics found in this game is frankly amazing. Not many people bought this -- a shame because it's in a class of its own." -Editor Rich Leadbetter
Ooooh
#11: VIRTUA COP -94%
The first of the much vaunted "Big Three" for Christmas '95, Virtua Cop is a staggeringly accurate conversion of the AM2 masterpiece which simply must be owned.
"After the appalling Lethal Enforcer games, Virtua Cop breathed fresh air into the dying genre. Using polygon-sensitive graphics as opposed to the dreadful FMV, players could reenact their favorite Tarantino shoot outs in a socially acceptable way. It's an absolute classic, though has been largely superseded by its mightily impressive sequel." -Lee Nutter
Damn sweet!
Some thoughts:
Night Warriors was one of the first Saturn games I won off eBay. It arrived on Valentines 2001. Great game... and I still prefer it to Vampire Savior
Quake -- what an awesome programming job by those wizards at Lobotomy. This is a minor miracle folks. Of course, the graphics today don't look much, but the spirit of Quake is there, is it not? Absolutely amazing that Lobotomy pulled off such a translation
As for the 1 player game, I thought it was very underrated. Who can forget the first time seeing that SHAMBLER charging your way?
Not me... not me...
Shining the Holy Ark is one I still need to sit down with some day. I did have a go with it for an hour back in 2004, and actually quite liked it. Mind, the RPG genre wasn't my favorite then, still isn't today, but with each passing year I'm getting more and more into 'em...
Sonic R has jaw-dropping visuals! Some are bordering on being unreal. I have yet to really explore the game though, and is something in the future I look forward to doing. If only it was a bigger game -- more courses, more characters... more more more
An interesting note. If you ever look at Sonic R's SPECIAL THANKS end credits you'll see the name Rich Leadbetter. SSM definitely gave Sonic R some massive page time and promotion that's why!
Zwei is way cool. Astounding visuals, uncanny atmosphere. Dunno if anyone else remembers the 80s cartoon DINO RIDERS but... I feel like I'm on a big dino on the move blasting away at the opposition. The first time playing Zwei is definitely some sort of trip -- at first things feel so overwhelming it adds to the tension and urgency of the game
Command & Conquer I played briefly on Saturn, and it is indeed a fine game, but I've never been much into this genre... between this and Warcraft II I'd rather play the latter
Sega Worldwide Soccer '98... I'm a big fan of the '97 version, '98 I did end up buying but never actually played... again, that collector's bug that hit me in '04/'05...
Resident Evil... what can I say. Great game, and although maybe lost most of its impact today, you really had to experience this game back in '96 when it first came out to really grasp the wonder that is Resident Evil. It really was, as Lee Nutter perfectly stated, a sh*t-scary experience. It was (and IMO still is) awesome
Sadly, it took 18 months til the Saturn got RE, and by the time Saturn got it, the system was pretty much breathing its last breath (in the US). You could say in a strange way Saturn RE epitomized the state of the Saturn. Too little, too late
By the way, remember that dog-crashing-thru-the-window bit? Talk about damn. I mean, just damn, when I first played... what a moment in gaming history... I admit... it made me jump all right...
Virtual On I just never got into like I hope I would. You can buy sticks for the Saturn version as well. Never did try the game out on those, just the ole pad
Virtua Cop is too outdated for my tastes. I'll take the much superior (IMO) Virtua Cop 2 any day...
That does it for now. Only 10 titles remain! Til next time....
A classic 2D beat 'em up featuring a gaggle of truly gruesome creatures. Capcom's creature feature is also the first sequel to the demonic DarkStalkers.
The impossible has been made real with Lobotomy's translation of id software's graphically amazing PC shooting game.
Designed by the legendary Sonic Team and programmed by British developer Travellers Tales, the first Sonic title to be programmed specifically for the Saturn is a joy to behold.
A brilliant blasting game, this game features astounding 3D effects that no Saturn game or indeed PlayStation title has managed to match. And despite being easy to complete, there's tons of lastability in it too.
PC games don't convert well to consoles -- most are way too complicated to appeal to us. So how did Command & Conquer score 94% in issue #15? Well, it's a great game, that's why.
Raising a swift index finger to the established FIFA and Actua brands, Sega WorldWide Soccer '98 out-quaffs them in every conceivable way, being the best footy (soccer) sim around.
Geniunely frightening action adventure in which the sole purpose is to survive. Roam freely throughout the secluded mansion, mercilessly slaughtering the undead and solving the diverse range of puzzles. Awesome!
Eight different robots battle it out over different stages in AM3's robot battler. A game of strategy as well as reflexes, this is one of the best two-player games on Saturn.
