📰 New article from RetroRGB
Sega Saturn ODE Comparison
https://www.retrorgb.com/sega-saturn-ode-comparison.html
Sega Saturn ODE Guide – Which Retro Upgrade is Right for You? 🎮
Thinking about upgrading your Sega Saturn with an Optical Disc Emulator (ODE) to play games without discs? There are a LOT of options! Here’s a breakdown of the most popular ones:
Key Players: Rhea, Phoebe, Fenrir, MODE, Satiator, & Saroo
Here’s what sets them apart:
- Rhea & Phoebe: Solid all-arounders, widely available, and generally reliable. Both support SD cards and most Saturn games.
- Fenrir: A step up – offers Wi-Fi connectivity for updates & even streaming (still in development!), plus support for more media formats.
- MODE: Powerful, with fast loading times, but a bit pricier.
- Satiator: Unique – uses a VCD slot instead of internal installation.
- Saroo: The newest option, generally considered the most compatible but can be tricky to set up and some images may require tweaking.
Here’s a quick comparison table:
| Feature | Rhea | Phoebe | Fenrir | MODE | Satiator | Saroo |
|—|—|—|—|—|—|—|
| Price | ~$150 | ~$150 | ~$125 | ~$260 | ~$200 | ~$35-$85 |
| Installation | Internal (modding req’d) | Internal (modding req’d) | Internal (modding req’d) | Internal (modding req’d) | VCD Slot | Internal (modding req’d) |
| Media | SD Card | SD Card | Micro SD | SATA/USB | SD Card | SD Card |
| Game Compatibility | 99.99% | 99.99% | 99% | 99% | ~75-85% | ~75-85% |
| Wi-Fi | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Fast Boot | Standard | 2x CD-Rom | Standard | Fast | Standard | Standard |
| Cheat Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Things to consider:
- Installation: Most ODEs require soldering and modifying your Saturn.
- Game Compatibility: While most offer excellent compatibility, Saroo and Satiator can be a bit more finicky.
- Features: Wi-Fi (Fenrir) and faster loading (MODE) are nice extras, but may not be essential for everyone.
Where to learn more: The full article has a very detailed comparison chart, so check it out here: https://www.retrorgb.com/sega-saturn-ode-comparison/
Hopefully, this helps you choose the best ODE for your Sega Saturn! 🚀