Sega Saturn game Buying guide
Sega Saturn Games
The Sega Saturn came to market back in 1995 at a cost of nearly £500 in the U.K it was a lot of money back then. This was the first console I started collecting for as I couldn’t afford one when it came out. There are 241 Pal games that were released for the Sega Saturn which is around a quarter the size in comparison to the Japanese Library of games. The games were issued on disc media format. The pal games came in a long box case similar to that of a DVD. There are 2 versions gen 1 and gen2 cases. These are identified by Gen 1 being a cardboard cover with plastic insert plates, Gen2 were plastic cases with a paper insert similar to that of the Mega Drive games. The Gen 1 cases are prone to damage in a lot of scenarios, the cardboard outer cover often got worn. There are games on the market that perform better than others for some reason, Shinobi x in most cases is still found in very good condition whereas Bug Too for example is often found to be worn.
Why did the Sega Saturn have different cases?
Gen 1 cases suffer from sticker peel from where labels were stuck on the front, they damage on the rear where hang tabs were originally present when new. The spines end up battered and bruised from being knocked. Also, the cardboard would warp if the case got wet or was stored in damp lofts etc. The glue holding the cardboard cover to the plastic plates often dries out and causes the cover to separate.
Gen 2- the cases are interchangeable as the artwork can be removed and inserted into another gen2 case. These are almost always found to be in good condition with the only real downfall being if the paper insert sleeve got wet. Also, worth noting that they can be a pain to open the case to someone unexperienced, this is also a positive as it stops the kids messing about with your loot.
How do you check Sega Saturn games for damage?
Check the disc by holding up to a light making sure there are no pin holes of light shining through. Whilst they may still well be fine. The pinholes are an indication of damage to the disc and if near the data ring can cause issues with the game.
Why are Sega Saturn games difficult to find?
Sega Saturn games are getting harder to come by due to a couple of factors, the console wasn’t greatly popular upon release due to direct competition with the PlayStation and currently it is popular amongst collectors who look to strive for a full set.
Some of the hardest Sega Saturn games for sale to find are not the most expensive, keep your eyes peeled for the 98’ versions of the sports games ie. NHL 98, NBA 98, All star hockey 98, and Madden 98 these came out towards the end of the saturn’s life by which time most people had started transitioning to the next generation of console.
The pricing of Sega Saturn games varies drastically based on condition. A number of games also came out in both gen1 and gen2 case version where they did the gen 2 version can go for double the price of the gen1 so keep your eyes peeled as you can grab a bargain.
