In the 1990s, the way video games were presented was constantly changing, which is largely thanks to evolutions in technology. At the start of the decade, Nintendo dominated the industry with the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System. By the end of the decade, the Nintendo 64, a 64-bit powerhouse, had become the company’s defining product. However, by this time, Nintendo was no longer the industry leader.

Sony, who was originally an electronics manufacturer had emerged as a major competitor. Its PlayStation, which began as a proposed CD add-on for Nintendo’s Super Nintendo, came to dominate the industry in the latter half of the 1990s. Meanwhile, Sega, who were Nintendo’s historical adversary, saw multiple slips after the success of the Genesis. This culminated in the Sega Saturn, a console that completely failed outside Japan. Both the Sega Saturn and PlayStation were incredibly advanced video game consoles for their day, but there is a reason the latter won against the former.

Hardware: Sega Saturn vs. PlayStation

The Saturn Had Two Processors vs. One

Theoretically, the N64 was more powerful than either the Sega Saturn or the PlayStation, thanks to having more memory and a 64-bit processor. Unfortunately, the console’s potential was capped by the limited storage of its cartridges. By contrast, both the Sega Saturn and PlayStation made use of CD-ROM technology, which had a larger storage capacity that offered a noticeably improved gaming experience.

The Sega Saturn and PlayStation also differed significantly in hardware philosophy. The Saturn used two 32-bit Hitachi processors and two identical graphics chips. Its video hardware was designed to excel in advanced 2D gaming and support strong 3D features like reduced texture warping. However, the Saturn’s complex processor and graphics configuration proved difficult for most third-party developers to work with. Beyond that, its main video chip rendered more convoluted quadrilaterals rather than the more commonly used triangles.

Sega seemingly made Saturn as convoluted as possible to work with, which perhaps gave the illusion of being more powerful. However, Sony took a different approach with the PlayStation, keeping its design simple and developer-friendly. The PlayStation had the same amount of memory as the Saturn but less video memory and lacked dedicated sound memory, two features in favor of the Saturn.

However, the PlayStation made up for these shortcomings with its advanced 32-bit MIPS R3000 processor, a chip used in SGI workstation computers at the time and closely related to the 64-bit MIPS R4300i processor used in the Nintendo 64. This gave the PlayStation a significant edge in sheer processing power while maintaining simplicity for game developers. As a result, far more video games were developed for the PlayStation than for the Sega Saturn.

Games: Sega Saturn vs. PlayStation

The Saturn and the PS1 Both Had Impressive Game Libraries

Both the Sega Saturn and PlayStation boast libraries with over a thousand video games; the difference lies in how many thousands each system achieved. The Saturn had a respectable library of well over a thousand titles, but the majority of these were exclusive to Japan, leaving Western players, particularly in the United States, with only a fraction of what the system had to offer. Much of the Saturn’s lineup emphasized its strong 2D capabilities, which were well-received in Japan but less so in markets where 3D gaming was becoming the dominant trend.

A significant issue for the Sega Saturn was the absence of original, major Sonic the Hedgehog titles. There were spin-offs like Sonic R or Sonic 3D Blast, but since the latter was already on the Genesis, it ultimately did little to bolster the Saturn’s appeal. This lack of Sonic games effectively capped the Saturn’s commercial performance outside Japan. Nevertheless, the Saturn had its share of excellent original titles, with a notable example being Tomb Raider, which debuted on the Saturn before being ported to the PlayStation.

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Sony excelled at attracting video game developers. The PlayStation has over 4000 video games in its library, surpassing the Saturn by far. Many of the PlayStation’s greatest games were from third-party developers, with standout examples like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, and the genre-defining Final Fantasy VII. The latter, in particular, revolutionized role-playing games and helped solidify the PlayStation’s dominance.

Sony also did an excellent job promoting their first-party titles, including hits like Crash Bandicoot and the Gran Turismo racing series, which became a landmark in its genre. Many PlayStation games had a lasting influence on video gaming as a whole, something that cannot be said as broadly for the N64, even with its revolutionary titles, or for the more limited Saturn.

Controllers and Accessories: Sega Saturn vs. PlayStation

Only the PS1 Used Memory Cards

The controllers for both the Sega Saturn and PlayStation began modestly, reflecting the early lack of serious 3D video games. The Saturn’s original controller closely resembled the Genesis six-button controller, with the addition of two shoulder buttons. As 3D gaming gained prominence later in the Saturn’s life, Sega introduced the 3D Control Pad. This innovative controller debuted with Nights into Dreams, which was arguably the closest thing the console had to a new Sonic the Hedgehog title.

In contrast, the Saturn’s accessories were either underutilized or ahead of their time. The RAM expansion cartridge, for instance, saw limited use and was only released in Japan. Similarly, Sega’s internet service for the console went largely unused, highlighting the disconnect between the system’s potential and its actual implementation.

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The PlayStation’s original controller, reflecting the console’s origins as a proposed CD add-on for the Super Nintendo, closely resembled the SNES controller but added grips and an extra set of shoulder buttons. This design, however, was soon overshadowed by the iconic DualShock controller. Observing the use of singular analog sticks on the Sega Saturn and N64 controllers, Sony opted to include two analog sticks, along with extra shoulder buttons. The DualShock set a new standard for future controllers and its design suited a wide variety of games.

As for accessories, the PlayStation had its share of notable options, excluding the excellent LCD screen attachment for later models. Most prominently, the PlayStation utilized memory cards for saving game data, which gave a major advantage over the Sega Saturn, which relied on a small internal memory chip for storage.

Verdict: Sega Saturn vs. PlayStation

Or: The PlayStation’s Success vs. Sega Saturn’s Failure

In the end, the competition between the Sega Saturn and PlayStation was far from close, especially with the N64 trailing the PlayStation but still outperforming the Saturn by a significant margin. The Saturn launched ahead of the PlayStation in many markets and heavily promoted its sophisticated hardware. However, the Saturn may have been too advanced for its own good, with its complex hardware proving difficult for developers to utilize fully. Much of the system’s library failed to take full advantage of its potential.

Coupled with the fact that many of the Saturn’s 2D games never saw release outside Japan and Sega’s poor marketing strategies, the console was effectively doomed once the Nintendo 64 and especially the PlayStation entered the market. The Saturn became yet another misstep for Sega as a console manufacturer after the failures of the Sega CD and 32X and paved the way for the Dreamcast to close out Sega’s time in the console business.

By contrast, the PlayStation’s impact on the video game industry is immeasurable, and it allowed Sony to become a dominant player in the gaming industry. Beyond helping Sony nearly engulf the industry for over a decade, the PlayStation brand became synonymous with luxury and innovation in gaming and ushered in a new era for the medium. The success of the original PlayStation paved the way for its many successors: the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. This doesn’t even include Sony’s ventures into handheld gaming with the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita.

The triumph of the PlayStation brand, along with the failures of those that tried to challenge it, can be traced back to Sony’s decisive victory over Sega during the 32-bit era. If only Sony and Nintendo had successfully worked out a deal for a CD attachment for the Super Nintendo, the landscape of the gaming industry might have looked very different.