Saturn RAM Add-on Woes

There's no doubt that Capcom's 2-D fighting games are done best on the Saturn. The system handles 2-D expertly, able to display more animation than the PlayStation - without having intolerable load times.

Capcom's Marvel Super Heroes, scheduled for release in the US on the Saturn in September, has the option of utilizing a special RAM add-on. This enables the Saturn to display all the animation and graphics of arcade games without huge load times. In Japan, the 1MB RAM add-on cart is used in several other games, including the Saturn ports of SNK's Neo-Geo fighters, Metal Slug, Cyberbots, Groove on Fight, and Waku Waku 7.

Usenet newsgroups have been buzzing with talk about Marvel Super Heroes' use of this cart, especially about how it relates to the US release. Future Capcom titles (after MSH) use a different configuration of RAM upgrade that is bigger - a total of 4MB instead of just 1. This new cart is not compatible with the earlier 1MB version. X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel Super Heroes vs. X-Men, and Darkstalkers 3 will use this one, and it's speculated that the Saturn version of Street Fighter III will as well.

Currently, there are no formal plans to introduce the original, 1MB configuration of the RAM add-on in the US. Capcom has stated that it is not a hardware company and will not be bringing it out here. Sega could not be reached for comment today, but it has said in the past that it has no plans to release it.

Capcom told GS News that the US version of the game is compatible with the Japanese RAM cart. Gamers who want to play the US version in its arcade glory can import the RAM cart from any mail order store (priced around US$25).

Today GS News talked with a spokesman for Interact Accessories about the possibility of bringing out a Saturn RAM add-on. Although there are no formal plans, the possibility is being looked into. Releasing the original 1MB version may not be worth it at this point, as only Marvel Super Heroes would use it. The 4MB version however, would be useful, since many of Capcom's bigger fighters would use it in the US.

Saturn owners interested in seeing at least the 4MB configuration of RAM cart come out in the US from third-party accessory manufacturer Interact should e-mail info@gameshark.com.