WORK IN PROGRESS. (Updated 08th Sept 06) I plan on trying to add at least one games info per day. All the games added to the list so far I personally own so will try and give an opinion on.

This guide is designed to look at the top games for the Saturn and give a brief description of each one. It is a collection of both my personal opinions (for genres that I personally like) and opinions of other people that I have read of the web. Rather than trying to put these games in a particular order I am just going to list them and give a brief description.

NiGHTS:

Story: The World of Dreams 'Nightopia' is under threat. Wizeman has created a army of nightmare beings known as Nightmaren. His two best Nightmaren are NiGHTS and Reala who are gifted with free will. NiGHTS learns what his master is planning (to take over Nightopia by stealing dream energy) and hence rebels against him and is imprisioned. Whilst imprisioned he discovers that by borrowing the humans body of a person who has the rare red Ideya (dream energy of bravery) he can escape. He then sets off to destroy the Ideya Captures and defeat Wizeman with the help of two children Elliot Edwards and Claris Sinclair, two troubled teens from the city of Twin Seeds.

Gameplay: At the start of each level you are one of the two Human Characters and must get to the Ideya Palace to transform into NiGHTS. If you take too long doing this an 'Alarm Egg' appears, if this catches you it wakes up your character in the 'real world' and hence it is game over. Once you have transformed into NiGHTS you fly around a set route over a 3D landscape (whilst one of the children you can walk around the landscape). Whilst flying the aim is to collect Blue Chips (Ideya or dream energy) and then to take them to a Ideya capture to overload it. This again is against the timer and you get a rating based on your score. Score is awarded for collecting chips, flying through rings and destroying enemies. You can kill enemies either using one of NiGHTS dash attacks or by flying around the enemy so that the trail that follows NiGHTS completely encloses them. If you get hurt at any point you lose 5 seconds of your available time. Each character has 3 unique stages which each have 4 different routes on them. After completing the 4 routes on a stage you then get to take on one of the bosses. Here you grade depends on how quickly you can defeat them. As well as the 3 unique stages for each character there is a shared final stage. However to complete the game you need to complete both characters levels. If you don't get a grade C for the level you have to play through it again.

Rating: The Sonic Team game is one of my favourite all time games and still feels unique today. The controls are fluid and work well especially if you also have the 3D pad that was sold as a bundle with this game. If you own a Saturn I would say this is a must own game. Very highly recommended.

Christmas NiGHTS:

I believe this was a promotional piece given away in magasines and through other methods. 'Christmas NiGHTS' takes gamers into newly transformed worlds of beautiful Christmas themes and holiday music (as well as other annual holidays including New Year's Day and April Fool's Day). For Christmas the game environments are now landscapes of snow, gumdrops and glittering lights. Each world features a totally different look and feel from the original game, with bells replacing stars, rings becoming wreaths, and Ideya Captures are now giant decorated Christmas trees.

Shining Force III:

Story: COMING SOON

Gameplay: COMING SOON

Rating: This is one of the best RPGs I have played in a while (08th Sept 06). Presently I am about half way through the game and it has had a good plot with unexpected twists and also lots of characters. Whilst character development isn't so great as in some games there is an interesting range of characters each with their own specialised areas and weapons. This is the first of the Shining Force series of games that I have ever played and now I want to go and try the others as well. Highly recommend this to anyone who has a Saturn. Is a bit pricey nowdays though.

Shining: The Holy Ark:

Story: COMING SOON

Gameplay: COMING SOON

Rating: Not yet played but is probably next on my hit list of games to play. I understand this is more a dungeon crawling game than most of the other titles found in this series.

Sonic R:

Gameplay: In 'Sonic R' you guide one of the 5 starting characters (Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy or Dr. Robotnik [now Eggman in the more recent games]) or one of the 5 unlockable characters (Robo Robotnik, Weird Tails, Metal Sonic, Metal Knuckles or Super Sonic) around a 3D track. In the main game the aim is to be the first character to complete 3 laps of the track. Along the way you pick up rings that can either be used to open up new routes or to get a speed boost from accelerators. As well as the extra characters (unlocked through finding all the Sonic Tokens in a level) to collect there are also Chaos Emeralds to find (for Super Sonic). If you explore the levels you will find that each has a number of short cuts hidden on it. These normally require you to jump a certain obsticle to get onto them. As well as the main mode there are also a time attack mode and a 2 player versus mode.

Rating: This is another game that I like on the Saturn. As with most of the Saturn games I have played it has very good controls and is easy to pick up and play. It also has a good music track to it with unique tracks for each of the levels. Recommended for fans of Sonic or those looking for a racing game with a difference.

Sonic Jam:

Gameplay: Sonic Jam is basically a compilation of the older main console Sonic games, namely Sonic, Sonic 2, Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. As with the cartridges you can choose to interlock any of the cartridges either to get Knuckles as a playable character or to play some special stages (depending on the game). There are also a series of missions for you to do in a little entirely new 3D area. This looks nice but doesn't add much in terms of gameplay.

Rating: A good way to get the main older Sonic games if you don't already own them. If you own the others on another format though there isn't much advantage of getting this compilation. The new 3D area doesn't really add much. Still including it on this list because the games in the compilation itself are very good on their own.

Panzer Dragoon:

Story: COMING SOON

Gameplay: COMING SOON

Rating: COMING SOON

Panzer Dragoon 2 Zwei:

Story: COMING SOON

Gameplay: COMING SOON

Rating: COMING SOON

Panzer Dragoon Saga:

Story: COMING SOON

Gameplay: COMING SOON

Rating: COMING SOON