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  • Hi Octane (Sega Saturn)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Official Sega Saturn Magazine (U.K.) – Issue Number 2 


    This review of Hi-Octane comes from the second issue of the U.K. edition of the Official Sega Saturn Magazine from December 1995. The review is of course for the Sega Saturn version. Hi-Octane is a futuristic racer very much like Wipeout but using a modified Magic Carpet 2 engine. These types of racers seemed to be very popular for a time in the mid to late 1990s.

    This particular review is very positive overall but reviews in general for this game tended to be mixed. I never played the Saturn version but I had the PC version which I played on a 486 DX2-66 at the time. While it was an extremely high end machine for 1993 and still not bad for 1995, this game had frame rates that were less than what you would want. The graphics and sound were pretty mediocre as well. I suppose they may have been better with one of those fancy new Pentiums. Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun playing it for a short while. It got old pretty fast though.

    As is typical for this type of game, there are various cars (hovercraft), weapons and tracks to chose from. The variety in Hi-Octane was average at best though. Supposedly, Molynieux developed this game in 6 weeks as a stop gap in EA’s release schedule because he was busy making Dungeon Keeper at the time (a much better game) and did not want to rush it. That may account for some of Hi-Octane’s shortcomings.

    If you want to give this one a try, it was available on the PC and PlayStation as well as the Saturn. The PC version was the original and is proably the best. However, you’ll have to track down an original as I’m not aware of any re-releases. The PC version may be the best but grabbing one of the console versions will be easier if you don’t have a DOS machine ready to go. Of course, there is always emulation.

    The images above are all from the Sega Saturn version of the game.


    Retro Games Sega Saturn 📎and tagged

  • Skeleton Warriors (PlayStation, Sega Saturn)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment


    Source: Electronic Gaming Monthly – June 1996



    This game was a rather obscure license and an early release for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Skeleton Warriors the game is based on a short-lived animated series and toy line. It’s a pretty basic side-scrolling platform game but with 3D rendered graphics.

    As a game based on a license I guess it is okay. Contemporary reviews were mostly positive but I think everyone was still enthralled by the new 32-bit systems so any game that wasn’t complete garbage often got positive reviews at this point in time. There are 21 levels and more than 100 types of enemies in addition to the main villain, Baron Dark. This isn’t a bad game but there’s not much special about it either unless you were just a big fan of Skeleton Warriors.

    Skeleton Warriors was released for both the Sega Saturn and PlayStation but as far as I know there have been no re-releases and given the nature of licenses, it seem pretty unlikely that there would ever be one. You can probably find an original pretty cheap though if you want it. I haven’t compared versions directly but it seems unlikely that differences would be substantial so pick your favorite system.

    The ad above is from the June 1996 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly and the screen shots are from the PlayStation version of the game.


    PlayStation Retro Games Sega Saturn 📎and tagged

  • VR Golf ’97 (PlayStation, Saturn)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    gamepro-_issue088_november_1996_071

    Source: GamePro – November 1996

    Yet another golf game. That’s how I think of VR Golf ’97 (known as Actua Golf in parts of the world other than North America). As you could probably guess, I’m not the biggest fan of golf games. I don’t play golf in real life either though I don’t mind the occasional round of miniature golf. To be fair, I’m not a big fan of sports games in general and for a golf game, this isn’t bad.

    VR Golf ’97 was released in late 1996 for both the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. It competed with PGA Tour 97 which was really the benchmark for golf games at the time. On the PlayStation, you were better off with PGA Tour 97 as it had more features and advantages in licensing. However, on the Saturn, the PGA Tour 97 port was not as good as it could have been and was very slow. VR Golf ’97 was also choppier on the Saturn but still a much better experience. Mediocre ports like these no doubt helped kill the Saturn…

    There was a sequel to VR Golf ’97 but it was titled Fox Sports Golf ’99 and released for the PlayStation and Windows. Ratings for it were not so great though and this would be the last game in the series. Far better golf games have come along since but if you want to give this one a try, you’ll have to track down an original. The PlayStation version is a little better in that the graphics are a bit smoother and is also probably cheaper and easier to find.


    PlayStation Retro Games Sega Saturn 📎and tagged