Best Sega Saturn RPGs

Important takeaways

• The Sega Saturn had a rough start with competition from the PS1, but had a good lineup of RPGs.
• Standout RPG includes
  Super Robot Taisen F, Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete,
  and
  Magic Knight Rayearth.
• Notable Sega Saturn RPGs:
  Princess Crown, Dragon Force, Shining Force 3, Tactics Ogre.

The story of Sega Saturn is both fascinating and tragic. It was released in 1994 in Japan, followed by a North American release in 1995. Unfortunately for Sega, Sony had a more promising console in the PS1, which launched the same year, 1994, and at a cheaper price.

This really didn't give the Sega Saturn a good starting point, and it only got worse from there despite a good lineup of games over the years. There were many nice ones RPG game on Sega Saturnfor example, made by first-party and third-party teams. Many games remain lost to time because that library, from platformers to RPGs, has mostly not left the console. Now let's focus on some outstanding RPGs from the Sega Saturn era.

Updated on October 3, 2024 by Gerardo Molina: While Sony completely destroyed its competition with the original PlayStation when it was released, this shouldn't take away from the fact that the Sega Saturn had some great titles across genres. While it is very difficult to find a Sega Saturn in good condition these days, there is certainly still a market for the console and the games that were released for it.

Sega Saturn's RPGs not only gave players hours of fun, but also helped define the genre further in the late 90s, paving the way for other titles in the early 2000s, and even modern games that are huge hits today .

9 Shining the Holy Ark

One of the best Dungeon Crawlers on the Sega Saturn

• Platform(s): Sega Saturn
• Released(s): December 20, 1996
• Developer: Camelot software planning
• Genre(s): Role-playing video game, Dungeon crawl

Shining the Holy Ark is a first-person dungeon crawler game released in 1996. This title is part of Brilliant series and follows a group of adventurers as they explore various caves, forests and cities, ultimately trying to stop evil forces from emerging and taking over the world. With turn-based combat and various elements for players to take advantage of during fights, there's always fun to be had with this title.

Shining the Holy Ark also has puzzle solving that works well with its other dungeon crawler gameplay mechanics.

8 Shining wisdom

A refreshing shift from the classic first-person perspective of other brilliant games

• Platform(s): Sega Saturn
• Released(s): August 11, 1995
• Developer: Camelot Software Planning, Sega, Sonic Team
• Genre(s): Action RPG, Action Adventure Game

As a precursor to shining the holy ark, Shining wisdom has a top-down format that breaks with the formula of others Brilliant games, which are usually based on a first-person perspective. The goal of the game is simple; travel the world and embark on various adventures, all to ultimately thwart the efforts of the evil dark elf wizard Pazort.

This title features real-time strategic battles that combine various weapons, magic and abilities that come in handy when either fighting enemies or solving puzzles required to progress through the game.

7 Super robot Taisen F

A Crossover RPG for Mech Fans

• Released: September 25, 1997 (Japan)
• Developer: Winkysoft
• Publisher: Ban presto

The point with Super Robot Taisen series is about bringing together a bunch of mech-based anime and game series into one big tactical RPG. Not many main entries or spin-offs of this series have left Japan, and the same goes for Super robot Taisen F. However, this is an important entry in the franchise, as it was introduced Neon Genesis Evangelion for the first time.

Another good addition was gunbusters, which was another Gainax anime that is a bit more obscure compared to The Gospel. Other anime in the game included various Gundam seasons, sort of G Gundam and Gundam Wing, together with Mazinger and Goats Robo. It's hard to play in Japanese, but it's still a good RPG.

6 Lunar: Silver Star Story complete

A classic turn-based epic

Lunar: The Silver Star is the first entry in the series, which would debut for the Sega CD in 1992, with a North American release to follow in 1993. Lunar: Silver Star Story complete is an enhanced add-on, with more content and gameplay tweaks, that beat the Sega Saturn in 1996. North America wouldn't get to play this version until 1999 with its PS1 port.

It was ahead of its time for a turn-based game, as it added some tactical elements like moving in close to directly hit an enemy before a fight started. Players could see monsters in dungeons, and there was an autobattle feature as well. There have been many ports over the years, but the Sega Saturn version is up there with the best of them.

5 The princess's crown

Vanillaware's Forgotten Prototype

• Released: December 11, 1997 (Japan)
• Developer: Atlas
• Publisher: Atlas

The princess's crown was developed by Atlus, but die-hard fans of Vanillaware games like The Odin Sphere can notice a close resemblance. George Kamitani, the director, left Atlus to help form Vanillaware. The princess's crown had multiple scenarios, like Odin Sphere, and the combat was action-oriented on a 2D plane, again, like many Vanillaware games.

It played much like a brawl, as random battles were usually against one enemy or at most several. Unfortunately there was never a release in English territories and there is no fan patch for either this version, the PSP port or the PS4 port. It's disappointing for Vanillaware fans, especially since it was a nice looking RPG on the Sega Saturn.

4 Magic Knight Rayearth

A really good anime Action Zelda-like

• Released: 11 December 1998 (NA)
• Developer: Sega
• Publisher: Working Designs

Magic Knight Rayearth was based on a manga and anime of the same name. The manga began in Japan in 1993 with the anime following a year later. A year after that, this Sega Saturn game was released in 1995, followed by a long wait for North American players in 1998. The story follows three teenagers, Hikaru, Umi and Fuu, who are swept into a fantasy world from Japan.

It's a classic isekai setting and the game is like an entry The Legend of Zelda franchise. It's a top-down world filled with treasures, monsters and dungeons. Players could switch between all three girls, each of whom had different weapons and powers. For example, Fuu used wind magic and carried a bow.

3 Dragon Force

Pre-emptive war against Saturn

• Released: November 1996 (NA)
• Developer: J-Force, Sega
• Publisher: Working Designs

Dragon Forcenot to be confused with the power metal band, was released in Japan and North America in 1996, which was almost unheard of in the 90s. The tactical gameplay was similar to Nintendo's Advance Wars series, where players could choose an army to follow. They would deploy troops around a map and capture territories as they moved.

It had a board game-like nature to its design, and the battles were mostly automatic but epic as they featured tons of sprites on the screen duking it out. The game received a PS2 port in Japan in 2005, but was never released in the West. There was also a sequel in 1998 on the Sega Saturn, but that too has yet to leave Japan.

2 Shining Force 3

Before the Golden Sun, There was a brilliant power

• Released: 31 July 1998 (NA)
• Developer: Sonic! Software Planning, Camelot Software Planning
• Publisher: Sega

The Brilliant the series is one of the most prolific on Sega consoles. Shining Force 3 continued the tradition of tactical grid-based gameplay that fans had come to know and love since the Sega Genesis. It was co-developed with Camelot, which now works almost exclusively with Nintendo on Mario sports titles, but before that they did too Golden sun.

Players can make many comparisons between Shining Force 3 and Golden sun beyond the character designs. In Japan, this game was released in three installments between 1997 and 1998. Like Golden suncan data be transferred between games. Unfortunately, North America didn't get the first episode until 1998, but thankfully for the fans, there are fan patches out there for the other two scenarios. They're all worth it too, as tough but good tactical RPGs.

1 Tactic Ogre: Let's stick together

The prologue to Final Fantasy Tactics

Tactic Ogre: Let's stick together began as a tactical RPG on the SNES. This then made its Sega Saturn debut in 1996 in Japan, and the first time North America got a taste was in 1998 for the PS1 version. A majority of the team at Quest Corporation helped create Final Fantasy Tactics for Squaresoft after this. It's fun considering Tactics Ogre: Let's stick together was released after Final Fantasy Tactics in North America by a few months, although it officially came first.

This probably got some players thinking Tactic Ogre: Let's stick together was copycat instead of the prototype that did Final Fantasy Tactics an amazing game. There's a political story, grid-based gameplay with a class system, and so many other familiar features. The best possible way to experience it now is through the remaster, Tactics Ogre Rebornon consoles like Switch. Make no mistake though, this is an absolute blast of an RPG on any console from the SNES to the Sega Saturn and beyond.