Could VC handle the SEGA Saturn?

[Fierce_Deity835]

I'm not smart enough to figure it out on my own, so I need you to tell me.

[KeeperBvK]

I'd say it could with a lot of effective compressing of the data, which again might mean to much of a hassle for developers.

[SegaFan]

It's been said before, the Saturn is very difficult to emulate even without the space issues. I doubt it will happen.

[miraimike]

SegaFan is right. The dual CPUs are notoriously difficult to account for.

At this moment, there are three major issues-

-The difficulty of emulating the actual material
-The space limitations
-The relative lack of demand

I think the space limitation issue is going to solve itself. Most gaming systems nowadays use audio compression, whereas older games used full, uncompressed audio (don't know if Saturn used compressed; I think Dreamcast may have been the first). In addition to compressing the audio, Nintendo seems to be readying a storage space solution for the Wii this year, so there's nothing space-wise that would limit the Saturn being added.

Hearing "Burning Rangers on Virtual Console" would drive the average gamer nutso with anticipation, but I don't see the great American or European demand for games on a console that was widely seen as a "failure" outside of Japan. I don't even think Microsoft would jump at the idea, having already been burned by Dreamcast ports like Shenmue 2 that didn't prove, at all, successful. What Saturn on Virtual Console would require would be a concerted effort to bring their entire back catalog to the Wii, which is a distinct possibility, yet unlikely. You certainly won't see Nintendo actively shopping for it, though, at least not until there's a storage solution and demand drops off for Nintendo VC titles.

In the end, I think we'll see Saturn games on Wii, but they'll be compilations sold by Sega and not Virtual Console titles. That format will a) allow Sega more flexibility in releasing titles when they choose and pricing them, b) escape any file size limitations, and c) reach a larger audience with these rereleased titles.

I think it can be done, though. Hell, anything can be done with enough time and resources.

[Juice_Lee]

If your PC can barely do it, your Wii definitely can't do it.

[miraimike]

Originally Posted by Juice_Lee

If your PC can barely do it, your Wii definitely can't do it.

The power of a PC has absolutely nothing to do with it.

[KeeperBvK]

but I don't see the great American or European demand for games on a console that was widely seen as a "failure" outside of Japan.

The Neo Geo wasn't successfull either.
Sure, it had a way bigger pricetag, but still. Bringing unsuccessfull consoles to the VC gives everybody the possibility to play games they missed out on in the past.

[SegaFan]

The Neo Geo wasn't successfull either.
Sure, it had a way bigger pricetag, but still. Bringing unsuccessfull consoles to the VC gives everybody the possibility to play games they missed out on in the past.

That's true, but I'll bet the Neo Geo is easier to emulate than the Saturn is.

[miraimike]

Most gamers that are old enough to remember games like Uniracers or F-Zero are usually also old enough and knowledgeable to remember Fatal Fury, King of Fighters, Metal Slug and Samurai Shodown. Asking them about Magic Knight Rayearth will most likely lead to a blank stare, though, unless they were a hardcore RPG player. If they even know about games like Policenauts, it's most likely because they heard some message board poster rave about the games. Even more likely, a lot of those message board posters haven't played the games and are just singing the praises of those games to seem knowledgeable about little-played titles.

I mean, jeez, if everyone who praised NiGHTS had actually bought the sequel on Wii, the game would have sold at least twice what it did. Same with Shenmue 2 going from Dreamcast to X-Box. Same with the Panzer Dragoon titles moving from Saturn to X-Box. Same with Grandia going from Saturn to Playstation. Same with Lunar going from Sega CD to Saturn to Playstation. What we have there is indisputable evidence of gamers who either talk up Saturn games after the fact sheerly out of nostalgia and not because they actually enjoy them or gamers who miss the Saturn titles, but not enough to actually buy them.

Granted, I would LOVE to see Saturn on the Wii Virtual Console. I'd download everything from Panzer Dragoon to Toshinden and Dragon Ball Z, but I just don't see the Virtual Console as the landing place for those games. More likely, I think they'll be released as budget compilations on discs by Sega. No frills, no anything.

On the upside, I think Sega CD to Virtual Console is an inevitability for games like Sonic CD.

[TwinCross]

Originally Posted by miraimike

I mean, jeez, if everyone who praised NiGHTS had actually bought the sequel on Wii, the game would have sold at least twice what it did.

Ah, but the problem there is that the NiGHTS Wii sequel was nowhere near as good as the original