Dreamcast and US Saturn have a large financial hurdle to climb if you want to play anything besides sports games. Japanese Saturn is fine but you have to figure out 2 things:
1. Finding a working Japanese Saturn and then the various required accessories for it.
2. Have to learn Japanese
For the language issue, there are some games you can get away with not knowing how to read Japanese as the menus are in English. These are typically the sports games that had US/EU releases. You can get away with Fighting games because the menus are wasy to figure out. Anything beyond that, such as RPGs or anything more complex, you won't be able to get by with just Katakana knowledge. Some games you are doing to need to know Hiragana and the other one. One example is that if you can't read Hiragana, and have not played the English version of Magic Knight Rayearth, you won't be able to play the Japanese version because of the menus.
However, if you aren't concerned with having to hunt down physical games, you can get a Saturn or Dreamcast (any model) and then TerraOnion's MODE, which is an ODE that installs to either console and can play any region games.
The Genesis is the best bet for compatibility, if you want to be able to play Master System games then you'll need a Power Base Converter. Genesis games are a lot easier to find in the secondary market than Saturn or Dreamcast, and usually at lower prices. As for which model, that is usually up to debate, but I tend to prefer the Model 1.
I would not recommend a power base converter tons of quality games ain't compatible
Just get a master system model 1 or even the inferior model 2 if you have to.
The "incompatible" games work fine on the Power Base Converter if you get an actual Master System controller, which are compatible on a Genesis. I own Wonder Boy in Monster Land and the converter, speaking from experience. Had to buy a SMS controller and it fixed the issue.
no they won't allot of games don't even boot up or crash pretty early.
I've seen this across multiple of the same copies of great games with multiple power base converters.
on a master system console works perfectly every time, doesn't matter what controller is inserted if where talking powerbase, wich I naturally have tried since I'm aware of that list
Your only talking about the games with controller issues those boot up normally but just won't control well withouth a master system controller. I'm talking games that never work and the lists for these seem non existent since power base converters are so rare.
yes allot of games work, but allot of good games don't work, seems to me that the 16 bit genesis lacks something even with the power base converter. it's kinda annoying. 15% of the library might not work.
I assure you, if you want to play master system games don't waste your money on a powerbase converter. it's a nice collectible nothing more nothing less. a ton of games work but a sizable chunk including pretty solid titles won't work at all.
believe me I have had tons of master system games and multiple power base converters. it's compatibility is trash.
I don't know how pricy master system consoles are in the US. but in europe even a model 1 is far cheaper than a lose rare power base converter
