Author Topic: The Best Sega Saturn Propaganda  (Read 7043 times)

Offline segaismysavior

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The Best Sega Saturn Propaganda
« on: May 20, 2011, 08:47:44 pm »


With it being "Saturn Month," if you care to travel back to April/May of 1995, you can gaze upon the very issue of SEGA Visions that revealed the Saturn to the U.S. It's pretty hilarious to read now, since it aggressively endorses the Saturn as the best thing that will ever be.

I was 14 at the time, so I ate it up. I had no idea this was coming in the mail, no notion that the system existed, and I thought SNES games, Doom, and arcade games were the peak of game technology. When I saw the arcade games on this system, I was instantly sold.

You can download a zip with all the Saturn pages from here. It talks about the specs and highlights Panzer Dragoon, Daytona, Virtua Fighter, Clockwork Knight, Virtua Cop, and Deadalus. There are more pages in the issue, but I only included the ones that were lengthy enough to bother scanning.

This issue was very much the spark that ignited my interest in the system, and without it, I probably wouldn't have the collection shown below.



(Left to right) SEGA Rally, Daytona C.C.E, Panzer Dragoon Sample, NiGHTS, Christmas NiGHTS, Virtua Cop 1 & 2, Bug! Sample, Amok, Dark Savior, Panzer Dragoon Zwei, Virtual On, Street Fighter Alpha, Quake, Duke Nukem, Alien Trilogy, Herc's Adventures, Sonic Jam, Bug!, Virtua Fighter Remix, Virtua Fighter 2, X-Men: Children of the Atom, Powerslave, Guardian Heroes.


Feel free to share stories, other magazine ads or issues, game collections, or Saturn-related rants. I will likely include more Saturn-era SEGA advertisements in the next few days. Some of them are pretty silly.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »



Offline Barry the Nomad

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Re: The Best Sega Saturn Propaganda
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2011, 08:09:16 am »
I could post up some pics later today, great thread idea and nice collection!

UPDATE: Collection pixxx

The Saturn shelf:


My boxed games:


My loose games (pardon the 32X games, this is an older photo that I posted at Racketboy):


My consoles and controllers:
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline segaismysavior

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Re: The Best Sega Saturn Propaganda
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2011, 03:00:27 pm »
Here's the first U.S. magazine ad:


(Text) "To really understand what life is like on Saturn, look inside your head. There, in the inner realm of rods and cones, of optic nerves and ear drums, is where the Sega Saturn experience breathes. Three 32-bit orchestrated processors, 16.7 million colors, lightning-quick texture mapping, connoisseur-class surround sound, and amazing first-person perspectives immerse you in worlds of entertainment you've never experienced. Sega Saturn is like nothing else on Earth."

Higher quality link

Even today, this ad looks pretty cool. Especially considering video game ads of the previous era were typically hand-drawn or super cheesy (ex: muscle men, kids having way too much fun, explosions everywhere).
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »



Offline segaismysavior

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Re: The Best Sega Saturn Propaganda
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2011, 03:08:12 pm »
And here's the "Ummmm... ok" follow up ad, later that same year (1995):


(Blue Text) "Maybe you think know who I am. How I see things. Or how I feel. Maybe if I write it, or get on the mike, you'll understand exactly what I'm likeā€¦ I don't think so."

(White text) 'People are always coming up to us at Sega and asking, "why are you so angry?" Okay, no one's ever asked us that. But CHECK IT: Sega Saturn is new. So if you think you know what it's like, IT'S NOT LIKE THAT. It shares the same architecture as $20,000 arcade systems, but Sega Saturn pumps the hottest arcade titles straight to your reflexes for a fraction of the cost. You're welcome. With a gameplay experience that grabs you and pulls you in, it's no wonder the best games are only on Sega Saturn. Like intense sports titles with everything but the jock itch. And this Christmas, Sega Saturn will have the most electrifying library of EXCLUSIVE games on the planet. Games no one else has. So don't go thinking you know what Sega Saturn is like before you've never experienced it. And never judge a package by it's rapper.'

Higher quality link

My first reaction to seeing this now is, "Ice Cube!?! Are you kidding me?," but I do like how the white text spins the concept. Celebrity endorsements are everywhere, and someone at SEGA PR got to use "rapper" as a pun. My hat is off to them.

More ads to come, even the "naked woman" one.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »



Offline cube_b3

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Re: The Best Sega Saturn Propaganda
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2011, 11:49:26 am »
Barry I can't see a single image you uploaded.

In YOur second post.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Barry the Nomad

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Re: The Best Sega Saturn Propaganda
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2011, 03:56:28 pm »
Quote from: "cube_b3"
Barry I can't see a single image you uploaded.

In YOur second post.

They're on imageshack, which I guess your ISP or your country cannot view?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline tarpmortar

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Re: The Best Sega Saturn Propaganda
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2011, 04:02:34 pm »
Quote from: "Barry the Nomad"
Quote from: "cube_b3"
Barry I can't see a single image you uploaded.

In YOur second post.

They're on imageshack, which I guess your ISP or your country cannot view?


I cannot even see a second post, other than this one where you are replying to Cube : / and I live in Oregon.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Barry the Nomad

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Re: The Best Sega Saturn Propaganda
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2011, 04:15:05 pm »
Quote from: "TaroYamada"
Quote from: "Barry the Nomad"
Quote from: "cube_b3"
Barry I can't see a single image you uploaded.

In YOur second post.

They're on imageshack, which I guess your ISP or your country cannot view?


I cannot even see a second post, other than this one where you are replying to Cube : / and I live in Oregon.

Sounds like a larger problem than just images. Best to PM Shadi about whats wrong.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Sega Uranus

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Re: The Best Sega Saturn Propaganda
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2011, 07:10:31 pm »
Is... Is that Ice Cube in that last ad or am I just so white that I think all mad looking black men look like Ice Cube?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »

Offline Centrale

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Re: The Best Sega Saturn Propaganda
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2011, 09:44:12 pm »
That is Ice Cube... bonus points if you can quote an Ice Cube lyric that namechecks Sega.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 pm by Guest »