Bonjour!
Dec 1, 2008 6:15:36 GMT
Post by grolt on Dec 1, 2008 6:15:36 GMT
Howdie, folks. I'm familiar with a few of you here through other sites, but figured I'd join here to get down and dirty with Saturn talk. Although as a kid I would usually get the new systems for Christmases or birthdays, the Saturn was the first I really actively purchased from my own hard work, taking a paper root and selling ice cream to make enough cash to get it for Christmas 1995. In Canada the price was astronomical, but I justified the cost as being an investment in a CD player, too. Whatever.
Through Sears there was a bonus where you could get three games with the system to offset that $599 or whatever it was, and that's where my funny anecdote stems from. The first game, naturally, was Virtua Fighter. No choice, but no complaints here either. The second had to be NHL All-Star Hockey. Whatever, I like hockey games being from the Great White North...and honestly, it's better than its rap. So the last one I got to pick, and naturally, Bug! looked the coolest. That rendered image (that's now my avatar) certainly promised a broad new horizon for graphics, and he had an attitude that looked to give even Sonic a run for his money.
Imagine my shock, then, when my package came and instead of that cocky green insect, I got this cheesy hand drawn looking garbage. Astal, I guess the name was. This is the 32-bit revolution...what the hell is this doing on the system? Well, apparently they ran out of Bug!, so this was my consolation prize. Being all of, what, 12 at the time, I was pretty choked. Having nothing else to play though (at the time we had one retailer renting Saturn, and the only game they had was Daytona USA), I broke down and played it. Well, to my surprise, it was great. Really great.
While I'd eventually get Bug! shortly thereafter (and the sequel after that), Astal will always hold a special place in my heart. NiGHTS is the only other game that would trump its beautiful recantation of childhood innocence, both exhibiting simple, moving stories with personal, awe inspiring graphics. If I'm sick of NiGHTS, Astal's usually the first game I go to. I'm so grateful that it was sent to me against my will, because I probably would have never played it otherwise. It remains an underrated game, although it's nice to see it gaining somewhat of a following today.
That's basically an abridged version of my beginnings with the Saturn. I stuck with the system loyally throughout, avoiding the other systems until Stolar's Sega cut the premature cord. I had about 30 or so games during the system's run, and now as a collector I have the entire first-party collection complete (minus that elusive Daytona NetLink) and most of the third party rarities (the Working Designs games, Winning Post, Street Fighter Collection, Shinobi Legions, etc.). I also have boxed versions of every accessory to come out for the system as well.
I'm sort of accidentally collecting the other games, keeping them if I get them in lots for other items I am collecting, but at this point I'm not overly set on it. Too many crap sports games, and these things all weigh a ton and usually dislodge discs during shipping anyway. One day, though, I'll probably boast a complete US collection.
Anyway, that's my story, and I'll stop now before I break my keyboard with all this mashing. Nice to be here, gents, I look forward to some good Saturn discussion.
Through Sears there was a bonus where you could get three games with the system to offset that $599 or whatever it was, and that's where my funny anecdote stems from. The first game, naturally, was Virtua Fighter. No choice, but no complaints here either. The second had to be NHL All-Star Hockey. Whatever, I like hockey games being from the Great White North...and honestly, it's better than its rap. So the last one I got to pick, and naturally, Bug! looked the coolest. That rendered image (that's now my avatar) certainly promised a broad new horizon for graphics, and he had an attitude that looked to give even Sonic a run for his money.
Imagine my shock, then, when my package came and instead of that cocky green insect, I got this cheesy hand drawn looking garbage. Astal, I guess the name was. This is the 32-bit revolution...what the hell is this doing on the system? Well, apparently they ran out of Bug!, so this was my consolation prize. Being all of, what, 12 at the time, I was pretty choked. Having nothing else to play though (at the time we had one retailer renting Saturn, and the only game they had was Daytona USA), I broke down and played it. Well, to my surprise, it was great. Really great.
While I'd eventually get Bug! shortly thereafter (and the sequel after that), Astal will always hold a special place in my heart. NiGHTS is the only other game that would trump its beautiful recantation of childhood innocence, both exhibiting simple, moving stories with personal, awe inspiring graphics. If I'm sick of NiGHTS, Astal's usually the first game I go to. I'm so grateful that it was sent to me against my will, because I probably would have never played it otherwise. It remains an underrated game, although it's nice to see it gaining somewhat of a following today.
That's basically an abridged version of my beginnings with the Saturn. I stuck with the system loyally throughout, avoiding the other systems until Stolar's Sega cut the premature cord. I had about 30 or so games during the system's run, and now as a collector I have the entire first-party collection complete (minus that elusive Daytona NetLink) and most of the third party rarities (the Working Designs games, Winning Post, Street Fighter Collection, Shinobi Legions, etc.). I also have boxed versions of every accessory to come out for the system as well.
I'm sort of accidentally collecting the other games, keeping them if I get them in lots for other items I am collecting, but at this point I'm not overly set on it. Too many crap sports games, and these things all weigh a ton and usually dislodge discs during shipping anyway. One day, though, I'll probably boast a complete US collection.
Anyway, that's my story, and I'll stop now before I break my keyboard with all this mashing. Nice to be here, gents, I look forward to some good Saturn discussion.