I was a Genesis kid. I had both it and the SNES, but I clung more fervently to the little black machine than anything Nintendo had to offer me. Now that I look back on it, I have more favorite games for the SNES than I do for the Genesis, but even so, I have retained a very soft spot in my heart for all things Sega.

That's why when my family chose to go the way of the N64 instead of the Saturn, an emptiness settled within me. It's not that I didn't like the N64; on the contrary, I loved the thing, and still do. It's just that I've always wanted a Saturn. When I was little, it was because I liked Sega and thought there was a 3D Sonic on the way for the console. When I was older and wiser, it was because of all the great games it had, particularly its shmups.

It would take the freedom of adulthood for me to be able to get my hands on a Dreamcast, and while it is an awesome console in its own rights, I was still left a bit empty. Today I come to you to excitedly announce that the empty space in my heart is now filled.

It all started with Sentry, who requested some artwork from me for his game store's anniversary celebration:







In exchange, I could have my choice of items from the store's stock of retro gamestuffs. The first thing I inquired about was, of course, a Saturn. And as luck would have it, he had one and was willing to make the trade!



I received the console a few weeks ago, along with a copy of Dark Wizard for the Sega CD (a console I someday wish to own as well), [img]Azure Dreams[/img] for the Playstation (awesome!), a copy of Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game for the Saturn (awesomely bad!) and a Saturn sampler CD. It's an MK-80000A model, with the logo a bit scratched, but it works like a charm and that's all that matters. I was so excited that I played all the way through the sampler (even the sports games!) and SF: TM: TG. After I was done, I quickly rushed to the Internet to order an Action Replay, thinking of all the Japanese Saturn games that I wanted to someday own.

A few days afterward, Anthony and I made a stop at our local Bookman's to see if they had any Saturn games in stock, so I could stop playing SF: TM: TG. It was mostly a few sports/fishing titles I didn't care about, but then I found this little gem:



Tengai Makyou: The Fourth Apocalypse! Sadly, I can't read a lick of Japanese, so this one will have to wait until I can/am patient enough to read a walkthrough, but from what I hear, it is a wacky, humorous game in the vein of Earthbound, which I'm all for. I also really love the 1890s wild west setting, even if it's terribly inaccurate. Especially because it's terribly inaccurate.

But this wasn't my "Holy Grail". It wasn't until yesterday that shit got real: as an early Christmas gift, Anthony got me the three games I haven't shut up about wanting ever since the Saturn arrived. As fate would have it, they arrived at exactly the same time as the Action Replay. Here's my new console family all together:



I'm now the proud owner of Gokujyo Parodius-Da! Deluxe Pack, Sexy Parodius, and Detana Twinbee Yahho-! Deluxe Pack, all in pristine condition and with their obi-strips. Now, this may not be that big a deal to most people, but I am the biggest cute-'em-up fan in the world. I love all shmups, don't get me wrong, but all my favorites are all bright, colorful and silly. That's just the way I like 'em, I suppose.

Anyway, before this point, I had only played what little of these series had come to the US and a little bit of Detana!! Twinbee, admiring everything else Twinbee and Parodius from afar. But now I suddenly have a lot more of it, and my personal Holy Grail, Sexy Parodius. I have been obsessed with the game for many years now, and have wanted nothing more than to play it on my television, to the point where I refused to even emulate it.



And holy crap, you guys. I can see why Sexy Parodius is held in such high regard. Now that I've played it for the first time, it's in the rankings for my favorite game ever. Also, I seem to be much better at Detana!! now that I've got a real console to play it on (as I not-emulated the PC Engine version beforehand). I still suck, but unlimited continues are on my side!

So, to recap, Sentry is awesome, Anthony is the best boyfriend ever, and the Sega Saturn is everything I could have ever wanted. And I own one! I finally own one!