Following on from my NES article, the next console I’m going to cover in this series is arguably the definitive console where import gaming is concerned, Sega’s much-maligned but posthumously revered 32-bit Saturn…
Why Bother Importing?
The Saturn was a bit of a flop in the West, as the Playstation laid waste to all competition with its exciting 3D graphics and Sony’s ruthless marketing campaigns. However in Japan the system fared far better and was supported long after its demise over here, with many fantastic and innovative games released later in it’s life. The Saturn was a real powerhouse where 2D graphics were concerned, resulting in an abundance of spectacular shoot em ups, fighting games and platformers that never saw the light of day on the other systems of the time.
Also, similar to what I said in the NES article, due to the popularity of the Saturn the Japanese editions of rarer UK games command far lower prices and are much easier to come by. Gameplay in most of these games is unaffected by the Japanese language, so there are seldom issues for English-speaking gamers that want to save some pennies by obtaining imported versions of the games. Oh, and they come in easily replaceable standard CD jewel cases that look great lined up on a shelf! 
This article will focus on Japanese imports, as there is little point discussing importing from the US as the Saturn was even less successful over there than in the UK!
Hardware Modification
Just like the NES, there are various options for making your console import-friendly with varying degrees of expense. The most expensive would be to get yourself a Japanese Saturn. There are numerous versions of the console available in a variety of colours, which illustrate how much more popular it was over there. If you want to pursue this option then sellers such as Rob Webb and Video Game Imports offer Japanese systems from a UK base, while you’ll find plenty of Japanese sellers on Ebay that carry Saturns. The cheapest I’ve seen however is the Grey version which you can get for a little over £40 including shipping from Japan Game Stock, but the base cost of the system hovers around the £18 customs limit so be wary that you may be subjected to additional charges if you buy from this source.
The next option could be expensive or cheap, depending on the steadiness of your hand and skill with a soldering iron! I am of course talking about modifying your UK Saturn to allow you to play imports. Mmmonkey’s Console Modification page details how to achieve this, but if you’re not confident in your abilities then Console Passion also offer a modding service with prices starting from £35 plus postage costs. At that price it’s probably worth having a go at modding it yourself considering you can probably pick up a bare Saturn console for £10-15 on Ebay if you break your existing one!
The final option is the easiest by far and is relatively inexpensive – get yourself an Action Replay cartridge, which simply slots in the Saturn with no modification required. The current versions can still be bought new from Rob Webb or Play Asia and not only allow you to play imported games from any region on your UK Saturn, but also include the RAM Expansions for some of the later Saturn games, 4Mb of on-board backup memory and the ability to enter cheats for a good number of games. Depending where you decide to shop the cartridge will cost £15-20. Gaming purists will complain that with an Action Replay you’ll be playing your imported games in bordered PAL 50Hz mode, but the average gamer in the street probably doesn’t really give a shit about that! 
Where To Buy Cheap Games
With its reputation as an importers dream, there are probably more online sellers of Saturn software than any other old system. On Ebay alone you will find dozens of ‘shops’ selling Japanese games, based in both UK and Asia. Personally I have bought from around half a dozen of these, my favourite being Hit-Japan, one of the few Ebay stores that allows you to make ‘best offers’ on their stock – typically you can get $1-3 off the asking price of most games if you buy a bulk lot, with combined shipping saving you even more money. Other recommended Ebay sellers for Saturn games are Japanese Retro Video Games, Toys Online HK and the UK-based Ninja’s Castle, but there are many other options.
If you prefer not to buy from Ebay, there are also bargains to be had from Japan Game Stock and occasionally Play Asia, not to mention UK-based ConsoleMAD and Rob Webb again! If you’re looking for collector’s quality items then you could also check out Genki Video Games, Console Passion and Video Game Imports, all based in the UK, but be prepared to pay more for the games than you would from some of the other sellers mentioned.
Finally, if you live in London or plan to visit any time soon there is amazingly a store that still carries a small selection of imported Saturn games. It is called Game Focus and is off Tottenham Court Road on Goodge Street, fairly close to Goodge Street Tube Station. The Japanese import stock can be found on the basement level – there’s not a great selection and most of the rarer games are a tad overpriced, but a few bargains can be found.
What Games To Buy
There is a massive selection of great Japanese Saturn games to choose from, from 2D fighters and shmups to RPGs, multiplayer battle games and even bizarre ‘dating simulations’ and pachinko games if you’re that way inclined. One good way of choosing what games to buy is to visit one of the sellers mentioned above and cross-reference their stock with the games listed on Segagaga Domain to see if they are worth checking out.
The majority of really great Japan-only Saturn games tend to be rare and expensive, for example Akumajo Dracula X and Thunder Force V will cost in excess of £25 while buying the infamous Radiant Silvergun will see you very lucky to get change from £100! 
Since this article is about importing cheap games, I’ll ignore the more expensive stuff and focus on the bargains...
First off, a selection of games that received UK releases that now command high prices, but whose Japanese incarnations can be picked up for under £5 each including shipping if you shop around:
- Panzer Dragoon Zwei – the second Panzer Dragoon game, an on-rails shooter with spectacular 3D graphics for the time.
- Baku Baku Animal – a unique spin on the Columns/Tetris style puzzler with great animal animations.
- NiGHTS into Dreams – Sonic Team’s highly respected whimsical collect-em-up.
- Virtua Fighter Kids – classic VF gameplay with super-deformed versions of the characters. The UK version generally costs at least £20, but the Japanese one cost me less than £3 shipped!
- Dynamite Deka - the Japanese version of Die Hard Arcade, great 3D beat em up action.
And here are some Japan-only titles that you should be able to find for a tenner or less:
- Dezaemon 2 – a shmup construction kit for the Saturn with several decent built-in games too.
- Vatlva – overhead view vehicle-based combat supporting up to 6 simultaneous players!
- Golden Axe: The Duel – a Street Fighter II style 1-on-1 fighter featuring Golden Axe characters. (This did get a US release but never made it to Europe)
If you have any useful info or recommendations about Saturn imports then please post a comment! 