Randomised Gaming • The complete European Sega Saturn 60Hz guide to...

Randomised Gaming Randomised Gaming presents a now complete list (first pass) of the 60Hz support for all PAL Sega Saturn games. We have begun a second test pass on all games and test results may change in the future. Until such time we are happy with all tests and have compared all games with an NTSC counterpart if available and on a NTSC Saturn unit, this list will not be finalised. As with the Sega Mega Drive a number of PAL games are optimised in some form or another to support 50Hz properly. Unlike the Sega Mega Drive the Saturn can have the screen aspect ratio corrected at 50Hz, also no games feature graphical issues such as screen roll seen on some PAL Mega Drive games. As internally the PAL and NTSC Sega Saturn models are the same hardware, bar some minor changes most noticeable the crystal oscillator MHz speed, all units can be modified to output 60/50Hz as needed. Do note that PAL modified consoles, may not correctly match the same Hz speed as a original NTSC console in some cases, due to the crystal oscillator MHz speed being different. As a result some games on PAL consoles will have stuttering and sound break up introduced into video and audio files, when this occurs. Examples of this in PAL games include Burning Rangers and Exhumed/Powerslave at 60Hz. Some NTSC games that have this issue on a PAL console at 60Hz include Dragon Force II, Far East of Eden: The Apocalypse IV and Quarterback Attack with Mike Ditka. The reverse is true if you add a 50Hz switch to a NTSC console. PAL as a gaming territory covers Europe and parts of Oceania. Some other regions may also have PAL or 50Hz releases, but this list covers the Saturn versions released in PAL Europe. Games that have PAL optimisation may have their aspect ratio corrected to display at full screen or close to full screen and may have the speed of the game increased to closer match the NTSC 60Hz version. Depending on the game and the developer it does depend if the game is likely to be optimised and how well the optimisation will be. While optimised games will run at 60Hz, there will be a range of issues that may occur while playing. Some will be easy to spot and may render the game unplayable, others are a lot more complex and may not be obvious straight away to the player. For example some titles like Sega Rally Championship, match the NTSC version almost perfectly with its optimisation. In fact the PAL version includes bonus content not featured in the original Japanese and USA releases of the game. However the later Japanese Sega Rally Championship Plus release includes content not featured in the PAL version. If you’re a bit confused by that don’t worry, Sega did a lot of adding and subtracting content from the various regional releases and we aren’t going to go into to much detail on that in this feature. It’s worth keeping in mind, however, as sometimes the PAL version will include extra content like Sega Rally Championship or additional bug fixes like Fighters Megamix. In games like X-Men COTA, Fighting Vipers, Marvel Super Heroes and Winter Heat the PAL versions of these titles all saw secret characters and bonus content included in the Japanese version, being removed for the PAL release. If you don’t know what 50/60Hz is Riven provided a great explanation of the different between them in our Mega Drive guide: For a quick explanation if you don’t want to watch the start of the video, 60Hz NTSC games not optimised for 50Hz PAL. Will run around 16.58% slower (This is rounded down and is based on the actual speed of 59.94Hz against 50Hz, but keep in mind this various per game as many runs at Hz rates between 59.30 - 59.94hz range most don’t run at maximum.) on the whole, during gameplay and will suffer from large black borders at the top and bottom of the screen and a distorted aspect ratio of the game as a result. In most cases this is the result of a NTSC 480i picture, being inserted into a PAL 576i frame, giving PAL gamers a far from optimal gaming experience. Here’s a quick picture guide to show you how the same game looks different in both 50 & 60Hz and how optimisation also improves it: Fighters Megamix title screen menu: Fighters Megamix gameplay: To avoid any confusion with the term “overscan” unlikely standard minor TV overscan which normally can be corrective with your TV. This overscan is caused by the Saturn’s video output conflicting with the new 60Hz signal and the original game code render resolution at 50Hz, likely this occurs in the VRAM of the Saturn, as a result the missing lines aren’t rendered and you cannot adjust your TV to see them. As you can see from the pictures even optimised games, aren’t quite the same aspect ratio as a NTSC 60Hz title. For the break down of this list, we have split games into four different categories of optimisation: 1. Unoptimised: No form of optimisation in-game has taken place as far as we know. Games under this category, play the same as their NTSC counterparts when forced into 60Hz. 2. Minor PAL optimisation: One section of the game is optimised for 50Hz, the rest is unoptimised. This could be a minor adjustment to the speed of the opening intro as Capcom did for some of their games or adjusting an in-game timer clock like Destruction Derby. In most cases these minor changes won’t affect gameplay in any way when forced into 60Hz. Do check individual listings for the issues these changes cause, however. 3. Major PAL optimisation: Optimised across the whole game, but still has some screen and speed loss. Games that full under this are for the most part optimised, but may have say an unoptimised loading screen or other element. Making then a rather ugly half way house, games that fall under this category maybe rendered unplayable at 60Hz and NTSC console owners should avoid such titles. 4. Full PAL optimisation: Full optimisation has taken place with minimal or no screen and speed loss from it NTSC counterpart. PAL games that come under this category should only be played at 50Hz. To the best of our knowledge this list is correct following our tests, however some games may display issues after the point we tested up to. Games have been listed under their full name with subtitle where possible in alphabetical order. Games that start with an article such as “The” have had it moved the the end unless it would break the flow of a name due to a subtitle. Beware that different disc revisions of each game may perform differently to the results listed here: Late updated: 15th January 2025 Second wave retests are pending on all games at present with a more in depth and detailed checks for optimisation, timer, music, aspect etc.. Beware all games are subject to change. We will also note when a NTSC version has been crossed check against it in future. If you find, this list helpful and would like to support Randomised Gaming please consider buying us a tea or coffee / supporting us via Ko-fi any funds raised will go towards content like this on the blog. Sega Saturn PAL 60Hz list 3D Lemmings - Major PAL optimisation Graphic corruption causes lines to appear, Overscan occurs bottom of screen disappears at 60Hz, game runs too fast. Note the Japanese release is a later code revision and includes Saturn Mouse support. Actua Golf - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, the game also runs too fast. Actua Soccer: Club Edition - Major PAL optimisation Optimised for 50Hz speed and resolution, overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. However, the game isn’t heavily optimised and only a small section disappears, making it playable at 60Hz without much issue. [PAL only release] Alien Trilogy - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Alone in the Dark: Jack’s is Back - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. AMOK - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Andretti Racing - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Area 51 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, modified PAL Saturn consoles appear to cause the odd sound distortion during gameplay, likely due to not running at true NTSC speed. Athlete Kings - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Atlantis: The Lost Tales - Unoptimised (Possible Minor) Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, also includes support for the Sega Saturn Shuttle Mouse despite the mouse not being released in PAL. [PAL only release] (Report, some cutscenes with timing sections have issues at 60Hz.) Baku Baku - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, the game also runs too fast. Batman Forever: The Arcade Game - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Battle Arena Toshinden Remix - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Battle Arena Toshinden URA - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Battle Monsters - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Battle Stations - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Black Dawn - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Black Fire - Major PAL optimisation Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Blam! Machinehead - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Blast Chamber - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Blazing Dragons - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, modified PAL Saturn consoles appear to cause the odd sound distortion during animated intros, likely due to not running at true NTSC speed. Break Point Tennis - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Bubble Bobble also featuring Rainbow Islands - Minor PAL optimisation Bubble Bobble: is improved, at 60Hz with the speed and resolution matching the arcade closer, however the Saturn can’t do the original arcade resolution so the width doesn’t look right. As a whole this version doesn’t match the arcade that closely, when compared side by side, some gameplay mechanics are different and the graphics have been updated. Rainbow Islands is based on the Amiga port, while the resolution is correct and matches the arcade at 60Hz, the game plays a touch too quickly and closer matches the arcade speed at 50Hz. As this is based on the Amiga version, the three hidden islands are missing from the game. Burning Rangers - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz but the opening intro song suffers from sound break up on modified consoles. This even occurs at 50Hz after modding Saturn units in a certain ways. Bug! - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Bug Too! - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Bust-a-Move 2: Arcade Edition - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Bust-a-Move 3 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Casper - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Chaos Control - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Christmas Nights into Dreams… - Minor PAL optimisation Most of the game is improved at 60Hz, but Karaoke mode, doesn’t work correctly, as the text moves too fast. [Promotional give away in 1996] Clockwork Knight - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Clockwork Knight 2 - Major PAL optimisation Game has been heavily optimised for the PAL version, the game screen makes use of PAL resolutions and while there are still borders at the top and bottom of the screen. More of the game is shown in the display window, this can be easily seen in the background as the top of the screen cuts off earlier in the NTSC/J version. Pepperouchau walk speed is sped up to closer match the NTSC version as are the Barobaro stages and some other elements in-game. Some enemies and background objects like the first Boss run slower than than the NTSC version, meaning some parts haven’t be adjusted for PAL. Interestingly the title screen in the PAL version is a circle which appears as an oblong shape in the NTSC release, not clear if this was intended or not. We compared the PAL version against the Clockwork Knight: Pepperouchau’s Grab Bag Double Pack in NTSC/J and noticed that this version looked stretched in some areas like it was using the aspect of the PAL game. Worth noting that the PAL version is based on the basic NTSC/J release, where as the NTSC/U version was based on the NTSC/J Double Pack release, so featured additional content like the boss mode. However the opening Crazy TV bosses fight (Which is a shorten version of the Clockwork Knight one final boss fight) is removed from the later NTSC/J & NTSC/U versions. The FMVs are recoded for better quality in the double pack version. Command & Conquer - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Courier Crisis - Full PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, speed shows signs of being corrected to try and match the NTSC versions. Mention of different soundtracks between region versions, due to music licenses and publisher changes. Game refused to load, one of the later stages on our modified model 2 console, but worked correctly on a unmodified model 1 unit and on emulator. Crimewave - Minor PAL optimisation Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz and controls far smoother, Screen and resolution appear to match the NTSC version when checked against video footage of it. The Eidos splash screen on load displays a green bar at the bottom at 60Hz. the timer is also a little incorrect at 60Hz, however it runs a touch to slow at 50Hz and a tad to fast at 60Hz. Doesn’t impact the game much as the frame rate impacts the timer and gameplay more. The lower weapons HUD is slightly move up on the NTSC version. In the past we have seen a bug where the music doesn’t always play at 50Hz, this may be linked to Saturn hardware revision. (Require NTSC version to confirm) Croc: Legend of the Gobbos - Minor PAL optimisation Audio and video in cutscenes is out of sync at 60Hz, the in-game gameplay is unoptimised and runs smoother at 60Hz. [Includes errata card, regarding the headless croc bug] Note: Croc has a bug where the player character doesn’t display correctly if the game isn’t booted from the bios screen, so you must turn on the Saturn first, then insert the game once the bios appears. Crow City of Angels, The - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Crusader: No Remorse - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Crypt Killer - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Cyberia - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, modified PAL Saturn consoles appear to cause the odd sound distortion during gameplay, likely due to not running at true NTSC speed. Cyber Speedway - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. D - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Darius II - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. [Includes errata card on zoom function] Darius Gaiden - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Darklight Conflict - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, the game also runs too fast. Dark Savior - Minor PAL optimisation In-game timers like the ship countdown have been adjusted to reflect the change to the game speed in the PAL version you get an extra 30 seconds. NTSC version gives you 3 minutes, while the PAL version gives you 3 minutes 30 seconds to save the captain. Some sections like the opening scene at the end of the ship are timed to the CD music, so at 60Hz run to fast and cut the music off. It should be noted the English release is heavily censored compared to the Japanese version, posters of semi naked characters in the prison cells were removed and the currency for the island changed. We need to review some of the other timers later in the game, but it looks like the PAL version is not ideal to play at 60Hz. Daytona USA - Major PAL optimisation Game is PAL optimised in a way that makes it inferior to the NTSC release, the menus are unoptimised as is the aspect ratio, resulting in huge PAL borders at 50Hz during 3D gameplay. However the game speed is sped up to try and match the 60Hz NTSC version. As a result the game is jerky and controls poorly even at 50Hz this issue is made far worse at 60Hz with the controls becoming very sensitive. Avoid this release and go for the NTSC version from North America or Japan. See our YouTube video where we break down many of the problems with the PAL version. Daytona USA: Championship Circuit Edition - Full PAL optimisation Overscan occurs bottom of screen disappears at 60Hz and the game runs too fast, PAL version was rushed for release and features weaker graphics and gameplay than the Japanese release. Death Tank Zewi - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. [Hidden game on Duke Nukem 3D] Deep Fear - Minor PAL optimisation Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz game is bordered at 50Hz, however at 60Hz a strange green lines appear at the very top of the screen. (Some users have reported that the game has a crash towards the end at 60Hz others have reported finishing it without issue on a NTSC console with action replay.) Defcon 5 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Destruction Derby - Minor PAL optimisation The timer shown in the Time Trial mode is optimised for 50Hz, but little else appears adjusted, even the game speed feels slow at 50Hz and the screen has the normal huge 576i borders. Outside of the Time Trial timer the rest of the game plays and looks improved at 60Hz. Die Hard Arcade - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, the game also runs too fast. Die Hard Trilogy - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Strangely the Health Pack graphics appear to totally change pending if the game is set to 50Hz or 60Hz. Suggesting the game may have some region coding on the disc. The second game Die Hard 2 supports the Sega Saturn Shuttle Mouse and Virtua Stunner so long as they are inserted into Control Port 2. Digital Pinball - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz Discworld II: Missing Presumed…!? - Minor PAL optimisation Audio sometimes goes out of sync, after a load on some sections as the game is running too fast. In animated cutscenes such as the intro there is also skipping, jumps and the odd stuttering. Some devices also appear to add a background noise like a random click, which we could hear on our capture unit, but not via the TV. While the game can still be played at 60Hz, these audio issues will impact the experience. Discworld II also doesn’t support the Sega Saturn, Shuttle Mouse. [PAL only release] Doom - Minor PAL optimisation The game speed is slightly sped up for the PAL version at 50Hz to reduce some of the loss, but the screen aspect ratio is still incorrect at 50Hz. As a result a NTSC copy is smoother when moving at 60Hz, however as the Saturn port is packed with slowdown. Playing it as 60Hz ends up reducing the slowdown, however the movement motion is not as smooth as it should be and a little jerky at times. Confirmed by the original programmer Jim Bagley. Supports the Sega Saturn Shuttle Mouse. Dragonball Z: The Legend - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, only released in France, Portugal and Spain. Some of the in-game Japanese dialogue was removed from the PAL version, due to it not being translated. Dragon Force - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz Dragon Heart: Fire & Steel - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs bottom of screen disappears at 60Hz Duke Nukem 3D - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs bottom of screen disappears at 60Hz, can’t see the HUD as a result and some graphics also glitch. Earthworm Jim 2 - Minor PAL optimisation Game is rendered unplayable at 60Hz as Jim’s sprite doesn’t display, however the game is bordered at 50Hz, suggesting only Jim’s running speed was altered in PAL and this adjustment causes him to disappear at 60Hz. However, the same thing occurs when playing the NTSC/U version at 50Hz, which could mean some form of region/copy protection is present in the game code. As Jim heavily flashes and disappears on and off when we tested the NTSC/U version at 50Hz. Enemy Zero - Major PAL optimisation FMV videos have been recoded for the PAL version and look stretched at 60Hz, straight objects don’t look smooth any more as a result when run in 60Hz. While the basic FMV movies play without issue, the interactive scenes, such as when Laura is moving around her room, don’t play correctly, many are just skipped altogether, appearing as if the game is jumpy or stuttering during these areas. While the 3D sections have also been adjusted for the PAL resolution and look incorrect at 60Hz. The speed of these sections is incorrect and slower than the NTSC versions. In short the FMV sections mirror the NTSC version almost flawlessly in PAL, but the 3D action sections run slower. Exhumed - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, modified PAL Saturn consoles appear to cause the odd sound distortion during animated intro and when King Ramses talks, likely due to not running at true NTSC speed. F1 Challenge - Major PAL optimisation Lap timer clock is incorrect at 60Hz and the game runs to fast, however the aspect ratio is incorrect at 50Hz. PAL version is a real mess and is also missing a game mode from the Japanese release, go for that version instead FIFA 97 - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. FIFA: Road to World Cup 98 - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. FIFA Soccer 96 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, modified PAL Saturn consoles appear to cause the sound distortion during the FMV intros, likely due to not running at true NTSC speed. Fighters Megamix - Full PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz and game runs too fast, graphics also glitch at random. PAL version includes a number of bug fixes over the Japanese release. Fighting Vipers - Full PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz and game runs too fast, graphics also glitch at random. Japanese version includes a number of extras such as Pepsiman not present in the PAL or NTSC/U versions. Firestorm Thunderhawk 2 - Minor PAL optimisation The FMV video has a misalignment issue at 60Hz and isn’t centred on screen, all the video is shown however. The in-game graphic sections are unoptimised. Audio tracks are all CD files and some mission briefing dialogues are cut short and repeated too quickly. Based on footage we have seen the Japanese version didn’t have the video intro alignment corrected. [Warning, game refuses to load if analogue pad is inserted into Saturn] Formula Karts: Special Edition - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz and game runs too fast. [PAL only release] Frank Thomas: Big Hurt Baseball - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of the Monster - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, despite only being released in PAL there are no issues present that don’t occur at 50Hz. All the voice acting we saw in-game was in-sync with the audio at 60Hz and the screen aspect is also unoptimised for 576i. PAL version at 60Hz seemed to match the timings with the PC version as well in a video comparison test. What’s odd about this is Frankenstein TTEOTM started life as a Mega CD/Sega CD game and was published by InterPlay Productions and American company the Saturn port was by Alexandria Inc and then by Tachyon Studios, both American developers and the main coder of the Saturn port was Earl Stratton. It seems strange that an American studio would develop a PAL only release, so we believe that due to it’s late 1997 release the North American release must have been axed, perhaps blocked by Sega of America. Which would explain why this game runs better at 60Hz as it was mostly likely coded for NTSC. [PAL only release] Galactic Attack - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Galaxy Fight - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Gex - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Ghen War - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Golden Axe: The Duel - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs bottom of screen disappears at 60Hz, however, the graphics appear slightly distorted due to the ratio optimisation use to stretch the screen to full size at 576i 50Hz. In short go for a NTSC version. [Warning, game refuses to load if analogue pad is inserted into Saturn] Grid Run - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Guardian Heroes - Major PAL optimisation Rendered unplayable at 60Hz colours on the screen run, causing a blur effect on the title screen. Texture corruption and other graphical issues occur in-game. Gun Griffon - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz Hang On GP ’96 - Major PAL optimisation Borders and slow down in 50Hz, but in 60Hz the colours and screen blur making it, unplayable in 60Hz.As it’s a Sega Racer the timer will likely also have been adjusted for PAL along with the controls. Hardcore 4X4 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz Hebereke’s Popoito - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz Hexen - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz Highway 2000 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz Hi-Octane - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz Horde, The - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz House of the Dead, The - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs bottom of screen disappears at 60Hz and the PAL version includes a nasty bug in the boss time attack mode. Which causes the timer to jump from forty nine seconds to one minute, this issue doesn’t occur in the Japanese NTSC version. Impact Racing - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. In the Hunt - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Independence Day - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. International Victory Goal - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz.. Iron Man / X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz Jewels of the Oracle - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Supports the Sega Saturn Shuttle Mouse. Johnny Bazookatone - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz [Includes Music CD] Jonah Lomu Rugby - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz [Includes full colour quick guide card] [PAL only release] Keio Flying Squadron 2 - Minor PAL optimisation All the in-game sections are unoptimised and correctly match the NTSC/J version at 60Hz. However the end of chapter round up scenes, that have a static graphic and a voice over from Rami, use compact disc digital audio (You can listen to them via the CD playback function) and so are just cut short at 60Hz. It’s a very minor issue that doesn’t affect gameplay, but does spoil these end of chapter sections. King of Fighters ’95, The - Minor PAL optimisation Game uses CD audio files as a result all intros have had to been adjusted to fit the music timings at 50Hz. So when run at 60Hz the music no longer fits the intros correctly. Rest of the game appears to run correctly at 60Hz. By default the blood option is turn off as is some of Mia’s character animation, these can be turned back on via a cheat code. [Comes with and requires ROM cartridge to play] Krazy Ivan - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz Last Bronx - Full PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz and game runs too fast, graphics also glitch at random. Japanese version came on two discs and as a result much of the training content from the second disc is removed from both the PAL and NTSC/U versions. Loaded - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Lost Vikings 2: Norse by Norsewest - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Madden NFL 97 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Madden NFL 98 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, modified PAL Saturn consoles appear to cause the sound distortion during the FMV intros, likely due to not running at true NTSC speed. Magic Carpet - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Mansion of the Hidden Souls, The - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Manx TT SuperBike - Major PAL optimisation Aspect ratio is correct at 60Hz, but the race timer and gameplay are going too fast. The adjustments to the race timer and game speed causes them not to match the NTSC version at either 50 or 60Hz. As a result the game is made incredible hard and some of the unlockables are almost impossible to obtain in the PAL version. Marvel Super Heroes - Minor PAL optimisation Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, however Capcom optimised the opening intro, so it would fit the real time CD music. As a result at 60Hz the intro runs too fast and goes out of sync with the music. [Supports the official Japanese 1MB cartridge for extra animation] Mass Destruction - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Maximum Force - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, modified Saturn appear to cause the odd sound distortion during gameplay. Likely due to not running at true NTSC speed. MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat - Major PAL optimisation Game speed and resolution correctly match the NTSC version at 60Hz, but the audio has been adjusted for 50Hz so the FMV movies go out of sync with the audio and cut-off or go silence near the end. Voice lines are also often cut-off mid way through sentence, this is easy to hear during the six training missions. Making this game an unhappy middle ground as the game is rather sluggish at 50Hz to play. [Includes errata card on save feature] Mega Man X3 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Midway Presents Arcade’s Greatest Hits: The Atari Collection - Unoptimised Improved game runs correctly at 60Hz. Mighty Hits - Major PAL optimisation A rather messy PAL optimisation, that mean the game isn’t correct at 50Hz or 60Hz in PAL. The screen aspect has been slightly corrected for 50Hz, but not by much. At 60Hz while no overscan occurs objects like circles and squares are stretched incorrectly, but don’t appear correct at 50Hz either. The minigame timer has also been adjusted for 50Hz, making it run too quickly at 60Hz. Supports the Sega Saturn Shuttle Mouse. (Requires further testing to see if the speed has been changed or not with the NTSC version, but this would help explain why the PAL version is so hard to beat on the hardest settings. At present don’t have a NTSC copy for comparison.) Mortal Kombat II- Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Mortal Kombat Trilogy - Minor PAL optimisation Appears to be based on Eurocom’s code for the Saturn port of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, game speed adjusted at 50Hz to closer match the NTSC version, it still however, runs too slow at 50Hz, when directly compared to the NTSC release. The in-game timer is also likely to be overclock in PAL. The aspect ratio is however unoptimised and looks incorrect at 50Hz. So while the game speed is too fast at 60Hz the picture is correct, as there are no clear graphical errors at 60Hz some people may prefer the faster combat gameplay at 60Hz. (Game is known to be very buggy on PS1 & Saturn, tested copy randomly crashed, but that might be due to the scratched second hand disc we tested.) Mr. Bones - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Myst - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, also includes support for the Sega Saturn Shuttle Mouse despite the mouse not being released in PAL. Mystaria: The Realms of Lore - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Nascar 98 - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. NBA Action - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. NBA Action 98 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, modified PAL Saturn consoles appear to cause the sound distortion during the FMV intros, likely due to not running at true NTSC speed. NBA Jam Extreme - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. NBA Jam Tournament Edition - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. NBA Live 97 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, modified PAL Saturn consoles appear to cause the sound distortion during the FMV intros, likely due to not running at true NTSC speed. NBA Live 98 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, modified PAL Saturn consoles appear to cause the sound distortion during the FMV intros, likely due to not running at true NTSC speed. NFL Quarterback Club 96 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. [Includes control poster] NFL Quarterback Club 97 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. [Includes control poster] NHL All-Star Hockey - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. NHL All-Star Hockey 98 - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. NHL 97 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. NHL 98 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. NHL Powerplay - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Nights into Dreams… - Minor PAL optimisation Most of the game is improved at 60Hz, but the 2 player mode doesn’t work in 60Hz. Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge - Minor PAL optimisation Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, however Capcom optimised the opening intro, so it would fit the real time CD music. As a result at 60Hz the intro runs too fast and goes out of sync with the music. Off-World Interceptor Extreme - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Olympic Soccer - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Pandemonium - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Panzer Dragoon - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Panzer Dragoon Zewi - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Panzer Dragoon Saga - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, according to the website Panzer Dragoon Legacy the PAL version is actually the NTSC version with just the region changed. As a result when run at 50Hz there are a number of minor graphical glitches, that aren’t present when run at 60Hz. (This game has anti Action Replay software on it and the game doesn’t run correctly when using one. There are bypass codes, but you may still encounter issues using one. Some reports that the movie window is misaligned on a true NTSC Saturn, but could also be an Action Replay issue.) Parodius - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Pebble Beach Golf Links - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. PGA Tour 97 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Pinball Graffiti - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Primal Rage - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Pro Pinball: The Web - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Quake - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz., ironically the game play faster and smoother as 60Hz, so if you don’t mind the loss of the HUD on screen, many gamers may prefer it at 60Hz. Rampage World Tour - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Rayman - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, the game also runs too fast. Resident Evil - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Revolution X - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Rise 2: The Resurrection - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Riven: The Sequel to Myst - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, also includes support for the Sega Saturn Shuttle Mouse despite the mouse not being released in PAL. Road & Track Presents: The Need for Speed - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Road Rash - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Robo Pit - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Robotica Cybernation Revolt - Minor PAL optimisation Screen size has been increased by a few lines, with little to no overscan at 60Hz. However this does distort a few of the 2D elements like the map slightly, which is supposed to be a perfect square in the NTSC version. FMV intros are off centre, but only by a few lines. Game speed doesn’t look to have been changed, but it’s hard to tell in this one, due to the yo-yo nature of the frame rate. The Japanese version has a better HUD that was removed from the PAL and NTSC/U releases of the game more details in our blog post. Saturn Bomberman - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Scorcher - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Sea Bass Fishing - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Sega Ages Volume 1 - Major PAL optimisation All three games on the collection run too fast at 60Hz, but don’t run at the correct speed at 50Hz either. Outrun has had the timer clock badly adjusted and it doesn’t run correctly at either Hz speed, as a result the game is made incredibly hard. Added to this Outrun now crashes if you don’t have enough space to save to the system memory when you first create a save file and the music order is incorrect for After Burner II and Space Harrier as some of the songs have been removed for this triple pack. Much of the bonus content from the single disc Japanese releases have also been removed. Best option is to ignore the PAL version all together as the games are no longer arcade perfect due to the changes. Instead look at purchasing the single releases from Japan. Sega Rally Championship - Full PAL optimisation Large amount of overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, the game also runs too fast. Sega Touring Car Championship - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz graphics also glitch badly in some places such as the title screen. In game clock timer has also been incorrectly adjusted for the PAL version. Sega Worldwide Soccer ’97 - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Sega Worldwide Soccer ‘98 Club Edition - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. [Includes errata card, regarding mistakes in the manual] Shellshock - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz.. Shining Force III - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Shining the Holy Ark - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Shining Wisdom - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Shinobi X - Major PAL optimisation Optimised for 50Hz speed and runs to fast when set to 60Hz. The PAL version has a new soundtrack composed by Richard Jacques. Shockwave Assault - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. SimCity 2000: The Ultimate City Simulator - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Skeleton Warriors - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, beware there was a bad PAL master disc, as all European copies have incorrect music tracks (just static) for tracks 9 -17 on the CD. There doesn’t appear to be a fixed PAL version so your only option is sourcing a North American copy which didn’t have this issue. Sky Target - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Slam ‘n Jam ’96 featuring Magic & Kareem - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Sonic 3D: Flickies Island - Minor PAL optimisation Most of the game is unoptimised, however the 3D bonus stages don’t work at 60Hz. Sonic Jam - Minor PAL optimisation 3D modes, doesn’t work correctly at 60Hz, menus have overscan, but the 2D Sonic games are unoptimised and run perfectly. Sonic R - Minor PAL optimisation In-game lap timer runs incorrectly at 60Hz, the start line up also cuts out the audio for GO as the race starts early. The rest of the game appears largely unoptimised for both speed and screen size. Soviet Strike - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels - Major PAL optimisation Having researched both the original 3D0 and PC versions, it has become evident at 50Hz the Saturn version is running faster than both, based on speed comparison of footage. This port was done by Krisalis Software a UK developer and as Games Workshop’s primary product market was Europe in the 90s. It makes sense that the game was designed to use PAL speeds. The screen aspect is not corrected at 50Hz, however, there aren’t any ill affects running the game at 60Hz other than the fact everything is moving very fast. The turning speed alone of Terminator Armour feels far to quick and not as smooth as when turning in 50Hz. In all likelihood the NTSC build is the same as the PAL one. It’s very difficult to tell something was off with the speed of the game unless compared with other versions of the game. Space Jam - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Spot: Goes to Hollywood - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Star Fighter 3000 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Steep Slope Sliders - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors’ Dreams - Minor PAL optimisation Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, however Capcom optimised the opening intro, so it would fit the real time CD music. As a result at 60Hz the intro runs too fast and goes out of sync with the music, tough to spot unless you watch it side by side with the NTSC or Arcade version. Street Fighter Alpha 2 - Minor PAL optimisation Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, however Capcom optimised the opening intro, so it would fit the real time CD music. As a result at 60Hz the intro runs too fast and goes out of sync with the music. Street Fighter Collection - Minor PAL optimisation Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, however Capcom optimised the opening intros, so it would fit the real time CD music. As a result at 60Hz the intros runs too fast and go out of sync with the music. Super Street Fighter II and Turbo are only out of sync by a few frames in the intros due to the short length of both. However, it is much clearer to see in Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold. Street Fighter: The Movie - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. [Only PAL game to come in a USA style plastic case] Street Racer - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Striker ’96 - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Story of Thor 2, The - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, however at first the game screen is misaligned at 60Hz and you must use the in-game pause menu option “screen alignment” to correct it, else it will appear heavily cut off at the bottom. SwagMan - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz [PAL only release] Tempest 2000 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Terry’s Pratchett’s Discworld - Minor PAL optimisation Audio sometimes goes out of sync, after a load on some sections as the game is running too fast. In animated cutscenes such as the intro there is also skipping, jumps and the odd stuttering. Some devices also appear to add a background noise like a random click, which we could hear on our capture unit, but not via the TV. While the game can still be played at 60Hz, these audio issues will impact the experience. The PAL release doesn’t support the Sega Saturn Shuttle Mouse. There is only a NTSC Japanese release of Discworld and that has both Japanese text and voice acting in it. Tetris Plus - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Theme Park - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. The Incredible Hulk: The Pantheon Saga - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. The Lost World: Jurassic Park - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Three Dirty Dwarves - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. The intro was also adjusted for 50Hz, but maintains it’s NTSC aspect, this re-cut version has a number of new graphical errors present in it. Tilt! - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Titan Wars - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, modified PAL Saturn consoles appear to cause the sound distortion during the FMV intro, likely due to not running at true NTSC speed. Tomb Raider - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs bottom of screen disappears at 60Hz, game runs at the incorrect speed at 50Hz, however, the aspect ratio in all versions was designed to run in PAL 50Hz Resulting in the game, looking stretched at 60Hz you can read more here and also watch our supporting YouTube video on the channel. Torico - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Trash It - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. [PAL only release] True Pinball - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, flippers are partly cut off. The screen ratio has been partly corrected but not fully, so there is still black borders at the top and bottom of the screen. Tunnel B1 - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. UEFA Euro 96 England - Major PAL optimisation Optimised for 50Hz speed and resolution, overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. However, the game isn’t heavily optimised and only a small section disappears, making it playable at 60Hz without much issue, uses the Actua Soccer engine. [PAL only release] Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 - Minor PAL optimisation The game was ported by Eurocom a UK developer, who adjusted the speed of the game at 50Hz to closer match the arcade version, it still however runs too slow at 50Hz, when directly compared to the arcade. Apart from the timer which is sped up to run even faster than the arcade version even at 50Hz. The aspect ratio is however unoptimised and looks incorrect at 50Hz. So while the game speed is too fast at 60Hz the picture is correct, as there are no clear graphical errors at 60Hz some people may prefer the faster combat gameplay at 60Hz. V. R. Virtua Racing - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Valora Vally Golf - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Victory Boxing - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Virtua Cop - Full PAL optimisation Large amount of overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, the game also runs too fast. Virtua Cop 2 - Full PAL optimisation Large amount of overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, the game also runs too fast. Virtua Fighter - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, the game also runs too fast. Virtua Fighter Remix - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, the game also runs too fast. Virtua Fighter 2 - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs bottom of screen disappears during fights at 60Hz, some menu are unoptimised. Note there is two versions of VF2 in Europe the grey disc label is v1.0 the blue disc is v1.1 and fixes some bugs in the first release. Virtua Fighter Kids - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz, the game also runs too fast. Virtual Golf - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Virtual Hydlide - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Virtual-On: Cyber Troopers - Full PAL optimisation Rendered unplayable colours on the screen run, causing a blur effect. Virtual Open Tennis - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Warcraft II: The Dark Saga - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Whizz - Major PAL optimisation Port of an Amiga game, so was likely designed for 50Hz, while the screen size is correct at 60Hz, some random graphics glitching occurs, with sprites wildly flickering at certain points during the game. NTSC users would be better off with the Japanese version. Note: Whizz has a bug where the video for the opening intro doesn’t play if the game isn’t booted from the bios screen, so you must turn on the Saturn first, then insert the game once the bios appears. Wing Arms - Major PAL optimisation Rendered unplayable colours on the screen run, causing a blur effect. Winter Heat - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Wipeout - Major PAL optimisation While no overscan / cut off occurs the screen aspect is designed for PAL resolution, so squares and circles are distorted at NTSC resolution. Timer clock runs too fast at 60Hz and the controls become overly sensitive when turning the craft. Minor audio distortion occurs in the FMV intro. [More tests are requires to see how the speed compares to the NTSC Saturn at 60Hz and the PS1 version at 50Hz.] Wipeout 2097 - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. Screen aspect is designed for PAL resolution, so squares and circles are distorted at NTSC resolution. Timer clock runs too fast at 60Hz and the controls become overly sensitive when turning the craft. Minor audio distortion occurs in the FMV intro. [More tests are requires to see how the speed compares to the NTSC Saturn at 60Hz and the PS1 version at 50Hz.] World Cup Golf: Professional Edition - Minor PAL optimisation Game runs correctly at 60Hz, however the colour white turns slightly pink for some unknown reason. World League Soccer ’98 - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. [PAL only release] World Series Baseball - Unoptimised (Possible Minor) Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. (Note, had a report that some sound effects skip at 60Hz, need to look into this further) World Series Baseball II - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. Worms - Major PAL optimisation Overscan occurs and bottom display area of screen disappears at 60Hz. WWF In Your House - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz. X-Men: Children of the Atom - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz, this version is actually an NTSC build as the intro runs incorrectly at 50Hz. The intro animation is too slow, as a result it goes out of sync with the real time CD track music and the music finishes before the intro. This issue corrects itself at 60Hz as the game then runs at the correct speed. This version has a number of graphic fixes in the intro over the Japanese release, however, the arcade mode cheat doesn’t work in the PAL version. Capcom also removed the Juggernaut code or changed it to an unknown code. (We suspect it was removed as playing as Juggernaut caused a large number of graphical bugs, which Japanese developers tend to hate, assuming the ability to play as him wasn’t a glitch originally.) Z - Unoptimised Improved, game runs correctly at 60Hz also includes support for the Sega Saturn Shuttle Mouse despite the mouse not being released in PAL. [PAL only release] —————– Randomised Gaming would like to thank slicer1000 and S3M for their help with this list. Both are background members of the RG team and previously did an unfinished list many years ago. We would like to also thank them with their help in being able to heavily update this list as well, following discussions with our editor. It’s just a shame despite so many people wanting this information, so few people have been willing to lend a hand to provide the information seen here over the years. Until such time we have finished this list, we don’t want it carried on other websites. To avoid mistakes and outdated version drifting around the net, that we can’t control or fix quickly. This information is provided by Randomised Gaming as a general guide and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability of the information on the page. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. Follow Randomised Gaming on Tumblr, for video game, art, reviews, features, videos and more. 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