A Sega Console Worth Getting to Know

From Getting Burned on My First Saturn Purchase, to Finding the Right Console, to Meeting a Dedicated Creator of Replica Controllers

This all started two months ago, when I decided to get into retro consoles. Before that, I already owned a PS2 and a PS3, and I loved them. My original target was a PS1, but I learned that the PS1 requires modding, and the N64 doesn’t look great on modern displays. After comparing my options, the Sega Saturn (SS) stood out—no complicated mods required, beginner-friendly—so I decided to give the SS a try.

Why I Chose the Saturn Over the PS1 and N64

I suddenly wanted to experience a Sega console. As a kid, I played a bootleg Mega Drive, so I had a good impression of Sega and wanted a different kind of retro gaming experience.

Looking back at the era when 3D games were just getting started, the Saturn’s visual style actually suits my taste better today. That’s not to say the PS1 or N64 were bad—I didn’t live through that era myself. I simply prefer the Saturn’s visual texture.

I’ve always liked Sega. In my view, the company’s work started from a very high point, and while some titles varied in polish, the experience Sonic gave me was completely different from Mario’s. That cemented my decision to buy a Sega console.

Some people would say that this budget could go straight toward digital Sega games, giving Sega direct revenue. But to me, the value of a retro console isn’t just about playing games. Emulators are already very mature, but the experience of physical hardware is irreplaceable. When I hold a piece of hardware from over twenty years ago, I can’t help imagining: if I’d been born twenty years earlier, standing in front of the PS1, N64, and Saturn back then, would I have made the same choice? That kind of imagination seems useless, but it’s genuinely fun.

Inexperience Leads to a Bad Purchase

I spotted a Saturn listed for about $30 on a domestic second-hand platform—a very tempting price. The seller noted: the player 2 controller port had been repaired, the power board was modified, the Japanese console had a modchip installed, it was adapted for China’s 220V mains, and it had been running stably for a long time.

At first, everything worked fine. But a month later, the console powered on with the light on, yet produced no image or sound. I took it to a repair technician, who said the machine showed heavy signs of repair, the modified power board was low quality, and it had burned out the motherboard. If I continued repairing it, more faults would likely appear, and the repair quote wasn’t worth it.

The technician gave me two options: salvage the working parts as spares and scrap the rest to cut losses, or sell the whole unit to a hobbyist who enjoys tinkering. In the end, I sold the faulty console for about $13 to an enthusiast who wanted to practice repairs. Later, talking with people online, I learned that a Saturn PTU power board can serve as a replacement part. After researching, I found it is indeed a good spare, but domestic channels for buying one are limited, and a reliable off-the-shelf Chinese transformer is cheap and easy to get—so I didn’t try that route.

I’m grateful to the people online for the repair ideas. This isn’t a complaint—I just want to remind everyone to pay close attention to the power solution when buying a Saturn. I’ll attach photos of the faulty machine, and I welcome everyone to share their thoughts.

Meeting a Seller I Hit It Off With, and Getting a Reliable Console

A friend of mine mainly deals in game discs and cartridges and knows retro consoles well. He told me the domestic second-hand Saturn market: a complete-in-box unit in good condition costs at least $85; a bare console in nice condition runs over $55; if you want something practical and stable, $40–$55 can get you a well-maintained machine; anything under $40 likely has hidden problems.

After that, I found a suitable seller who specializes in importing Japanese game consoles and vintage electronics. He’s 17 years older than me, but we share the same hobby. He recommended a $50 Malaysia-made Asian version Saturn. Compared to the $42 Japanese model in his shop, this one was more stable, had better optical drive compatibility, and had already undergone routine maintenance before arriving.

The Saturn worked great once I got it. Chatting with the seller and exchanging our gaming stories added a human touch to the purchase. I’ll also attach photos of the console’s internals for reference.

The seller repeatedly reminded me to use a transformer. I spent about $14 on one with automatic voltage detection. He also recommended I try the Saroo Saturn flash cart, which I bought as well. It plugs directly into the Saturn’s accelerator card slot and costs about $25 domestically.

A Saturn Fighting Game Enthusiast’s Self-Made Replica Saturn Controller

One of my main reasons for getting a Saturn was to experience classic 2D fighting games. I happened to come across a self-made replica Saturn controller by a fellow player. At first I was skeptical: big companies rarely release new Saturn controllers—can an individual maker do it well? The price was very affordable: about $8 for the original Saturn connector version, about $14 for the version supporting Android and PC with a turbo IC. I ordered one on a whim, and it exceeded my expectations.

This replica controller isn’t meant to replace big-brand products like 8BitDo, Beitong, or Hori. Instead, it’s specifically designed with fighting game players in mind. I won’t say it’s better than an original Saturn controller, but the button rebound feel is solid. A friend of mine who’s been playing fighting games for 20 years tried it and also gave it a positive review.

The maker is very professional. When I wanted to use it with an emulator to play Saturn games and asked about compatibility, he recommended Yaba Sanshiro 2, which makes button mapping easy. Once I ran into an issue where buttons weren’t responding—I initially thought it was an emulator configuration problem—but he suggested I check the in-game button settings, and it was resolved quickly.

I’ll include photos of this replica controller. As for how good it is, I’ll leave that for everyone to judge—welcome to discuss.

To close the story, here’s a photo of a complete-in-box copy of Sakura Wars 2. I picked up this set for about $20, just for market reference. I love the Sakura Wars anime and story, and I’ve always hoped the series would come to modern gaming platforms.

Have you ever had a bad experience buying a Saturn? What’s your favourite Saturn fighting game?