The Sega Saturn has what I think is one of the most overlooked co-op libraries of all time. So, here are 20 of the best co-op games.

I’m talking about the US games and the Japanese releases because a lot of the best Saturn games only came out in Japan. And like usual, these are just in whatever order I feel like.

THREE DIRTY DWARVES

The main standout feature of this game is it's made for three players, which immediately makes it pretty unusual for the Saturn. Each dwarf has different weapons. There's a baseball bat, balls, bowling pins, shotguns, etc. And if a dwarf gets knocked down, another dwarf can go over to him and slap him back awake. So, that's a pretty fun co-op mechanic. And essentially, as long as one player is alive, you can keep dying over and over.

And if you play with less than three players, you can switch between the unused dwarves. I really like the cartoon art style here. It definitely reminds me of Nicktoons from the '90s. This game's still only on the Sega Saturn, and it's one of the best co-op games on the system.

SATURN BOMBERMAN

This is still considered to be one of the best Bomberman games ever made, period. And this one's mainly famous for the 10-player competitive modes. You have to have two multitaps and 10 controllers, but that part is only versus. But you are able to play through the story mode in two-player co-op. And it's the same classic Bomberman gameplay style. You run around the mazes, you drop bombs, you destroy all the enemies, then you move on to the next stage.

And then they have boss fights, also. This game has a really great art style, and it's another Saturn game that didn't get ported anywhere else.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS COLLECTION

And the first Japanese game on the list is Dungeons & Dragons Collection. This one only came out in Japan in 1999, and it includes two Capcom beat 'em ups, Dungeons & Dragons, Tower of Doom, and Shadow over Mystara. And these are really great arcade ports. Unfortunately though, these versions can only be played in two-player, whereas the arcade games you could play with up to four.

Tower of Doom is the earlier and more simplistic game, but Shadow over Mystara totally expands on that formula, specifically with the RPG elements. You have character classes, magic, equipment, inventories, branching paths, etc. Just a ton of stuff. And unlike a lot of beat 'em ups of the time, like a Final Fight or Streets of Rage or something like that, your character choice actually changes how you approach the combat.

Both these games are great, but Shadow over Mystara is one of the best beat 'em ups ever made.

Dungeons & Dragons Collection (Sega Saturn)

DIE HARD ARCADE

This is also known as Dynamite Deka in Japan. So, this is one of those rare examples of a 3D beat 'em up that I think is actually really, really good. So, you and your partner, you're just going around fighting these terrorists with your fists, guns, pipes, chairs, and just basically anything that you can get your hands on. It has these goofy quick time events between fights, which sometimes can be an annoying thing in games, but I actually kind of liked it here because it kind of just breaks up the pace.

And despite the Die Hard license in the US, the original Japanese version wasn't a Die Hard game whatsoever. There was no relation. And in the sequel that came out on the Sega Dreamcast, they completely abandoned Die Hard in the US version and they just called it Dynamite Cop. And this is another great one that was only on the Saturn. However, there was kind of a remake that came out in Japan on the PS2.

GUARDIAN HEROES

While we're talking about beat 'em ups, we have to talk about Guardian Heroes. This one was made by Treasure, and it's a beat 'em up that includes some RPG elements as well. You can play it with up to six players competitively, but the co-op story mode is limited to two players. The combat is a little bit different from other beat 'em ups, as there's multiple planes and you're going to jump between the background and the foreground.

It also has some fighting game style inputs and there's special moves. So, it's not just a button-mashing type of game. If you learn the moves, it's very satisfying. And characters can level up and you can improve your stats. There's also a huge branching storyline with choices that send you to different stages and endings. So, there's just a ton of replayability here. There's tons of playable characters in the versus mode.

Probably one of the most mechanically ambitious beat 'em ups of the entire generation.

DODONPACHI

And the Sega Saturn also had some amazing shoot 'em ups. One of the all-time best is DoDonPachi. This is a sequel to DonPachi and it's one of the games that helped pioneer the bullet hell shooter genre. So, you're able to choose between different ships and their shooting styles. The laser is great against tougher targets, while the regular shot is better for handling the huge crowds.

This one only came out in Japan and still holds up really well. Still one of the best shoot 'em ups ever made and just massively influential.

RADIANT SILVERGUN

And another game by Treasure is Radiant Silvergun. This originally came out in the arcades and then it was ported to the Sega Saturn, but only in Japan. So, this one you have all of your weapons from the beginning instead of collecting traditional power-ups. I really love the visuals here. It has this great 2.5D look that just feels like a Sega Saturn game, but in the best way possible.

As you go along, your weapons can actually level up, which is pretty unique for a shoot 'em up, especially for its time. And then the levels and the bosses often feel almost like a puzzle because choosing the right weapons really matters. This is another all-time great shoot 'em up and it only came out in Japan on the Sega Saturn. And then it was later ported to the Xbox 360.

This is a really great game, but if you want to find it physically, this one is very expensive.

BATTLE GAREGGA

And another Japan only Saturn shoot 'em up is Battle Garegga. This one was developed by Raizing, and it's another one of those super influential shoot 'em ups. One unique feature is it has this dynamic rank system. So, the better you perform and the more powerful you become, the harder the game gets. So, it adjusts to your skill level. And then things like firing and collecting items and power-ups can affect your rank.

So, this kind of makes a weird dynamic because sometimes you could intentionally die to try to manage the difficulty. This one has a darker industrial steampunk type of look. So, it's very different visually from DoDonPachi and Radiant Silvergun. But yeah, this is just another example of a really great shoot 'em up and just shows that the Sega Saturn had one of the best shoot 'em up libraries of all time.

VIRTUA COP 2

And the Sega Saturn also had some really great light gun shooters. Virtua Cop 2 might be one of Sega's most famous examples. This is a pretty basic on-rail light gun shooter. It's not really doing anything too unique, but still a really important game to the genre. Basically, all you do is shoot down all the enemies. And while you're doing that, you're going to try to avoid shooting all the civilians.

And then there are certain sections that let you take a different route. The polygonal visuals definitely look primitive now, but for its time, this was very impressive to see on the Sega Saturn. And regardless of the visuals, the gameplay still is very responsive. Probably one of the most straightforward co-op light gun games, but that's not a bad thing. Because what it does, it does really well.

And there's a reason why people are still talking about it today.

THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD

And of course, we have to talk about the House of the Dead. This is Sega's iconic zombie light gun shooter, which had a number of sequels as well. But this is the one that started it all. I always have fun with this game, but my favorite part is honestly the voice acting. This is one of my favorite examples of bad voice acting in video games that is actually really fun and so bad that it's good and it actually elevates the experience.

There's just some iconic lines here. Between this and Virtua Cop, Sega really did make some of the most influential light gun shooters of all time.

SCUD: THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN

And let's talk about Scud: The Disposable Assassin. So, this is a 2D run-and-gun shooter, but it also has some light gun elements and that's why I wanted to talk about it. It might not be one of the best games on the Sega Saturn, but it's definitely one of the most unique with some mechanics being implemented that I've never quite seen done this way before or since.

So, there's multiple ways you can play this. You can play it like a standard run-and-gun shooter, so something like Contra where you each take control of a character and you just run and shoot. There's another option where you can do mixed controls. So, one player uses a controller and the other uses a light gun. This is actually the way that I would recommend you play it.

So, the player with the controller is still controlling Scud and they're running back and forth and shooting, but then the second player is able to use their light gun and actually just shoot the enemies that are around Scud. And I think this works surprisingly well. It's just a really unique combination. And then there's also a mode where you can have two light guns and you're just playing this like a standard light gun shooter.

Anyways, like I said, this might not be the best game on the list, but it might be the most unique and the most interesting.

Scud: The Disposable Assassin (Sega Saturn)

HERC’S ADVENTURES

And Herc's Adventures. This one was made by LucasArts. It essentially shares DNA with Zombies Ate My Neighbors and I think I can kind of see that. You can play it in two-player co-op. The playable characters each have different abilities. And it has this huge interconnected world, rather than linear arcade stages. There's tons of weird weapons and items, and then the co-op element definitely makes it feel different from your standard action adventure type of game from the era.

I love the hand-drawn art style here. There's some good humor, and I think the only other place this came out was on the PS1. If you haven't played this one, I definitely recommend it.

THE LEGEND OF OASIS

And another action RPG type of game is Legend of Oasis. So, this is a sequel/prequel to Beyond Oasis, which came out on the Sega Genesis. And it was developed by Ancient. So, that's the same studio founded by Yuzo Koshiro, who made Streets of Rage. So, this game's actually known as a single-player game, but if you enter a cheat code, you can actually play this two-player co-op.

And the second player takes control of essentially a clone, who has this translucent look. But it works surprisingly well. If you're into Zelda games, this is a pretty early example of a co-op Zelda-like. If you didn't know this game had co-op, I definitely recommend you try it out.

ASTAL

This is a Sega Saturn exclusive, and it's a 2D platformer with this really beautiful hand-drawn art style. Player one takes control of Astal, and then player two takes control of the bird companion. So, the bird is able to attack and assist Astal. So, they're not just a copy of player one. However, they are more of an assist player, so it's not exactly equal between players, but I like the asymmetrical dynamic here, because it just feels pretty unique for its time.

But this is another one where I think a lot of Sega Saturn owners might not have known that it had co-op.

BUBBLE SYMPHONY

This is another one that came out exclusively in Japan. The Bubble Bobble storyline and releases, they were incredibly confusing. You know, there was Rainbow Islands and Bubble Bobble part two and part three. And apparently this one is also considered to be Bubble Bobble part two. I don't really know where it falls into the Bubble Bobble series, but regardless, it's a really good Bubble Bobble game.

You have four playable characters and they all have slightly different characteristics. It has the same classic Bubble Bobble gameplay. You capture enemies inside bubbles and then you pop them. One unique feature to this version though is after you defeat bosses, there will be multiple doors that you can choose from. Each door leads to a different route. So there is some replayability here.

And it's kind of a nice spin on the classic Bubble Bobble formula.

ELEVATOR ACTION RETURNS

Another one that only came out in Japan is Elevator Action Returns. So this is kind of a sequel or a reboot of the original Elevator Action. And it pretty much has the same gameplay style, but instead of being a single screen game where you just go up and down in elevators and you shoot enemies, this one changes things up a bit. So the screen does scroll when you go down and it turns into a side scroller run-and-gun shooter at parts as well.

But this is a much darker and more violent vibe than the original. That's for sure. And there's three characters that each have different weapons and slightly different attributes. And they just all have this cool anime art style. But there's a nice mix between shooting, melee attacks, explosives, and there's some environmental interactions as well. But you're not going to be just running side to side or up and down and shooting enemies.

You actually have to go through and find specific doors and objectives. So there is a little bit more depth here than what you would expect. But this is another Japan only Sega Saturn game that definitely became very highly sought after. But for good reason, because it's one of the best co-op Sega Saturn games, and honestly, one of my favorite co-op games of the generation.

SHINREI JUSATSUSHI TAROMARU

I've talked about this game a few times. It's definitely one of my go-to hidden gems that I like to recommend. This one only came out in Japan on the Sega Saturn, and it's essentially a run-and-gun shooter, but instead of conventional guns, you use psychic spiritual attacks. And it has this lock-on feature, which definitely gives the combat a really unique rhythm. It mixes 2D sprites with 3D environments, and it pulls it off really well.

There's some really interesting bosses and visuals here. The main thing that I like is how seamless the transitions between levels are. There's actually not really any levels, it's just like an ongoing mission. So, whenever you defeat a boss, you just keep moving, and there's really nothing that stops you between parts. It's just seamless. But, yeah, this is a really great game, one of the most underrated co-op games of the generation, for sure.

More people definitely need to find this one and play it.

Shinrei Jusatsushi Taromaru (Sega Saturn)

PURIKURA DAISAKUSEN

So, this is an arcade port that only came out in Japan on the Sega Saturn. It's an isometric run-and-gun action game. It has this cute anime fantasy presentation with a lot of shooting. There's multiple playable characters, and they all have different attacks. I believe the Sega Saturn is the only home console that actually got a port of this game. And I feel like it's a pretty unique game, another one that might be kind of a hidden gem.

Just visually and mechanically, it's very different from the traditional run-and-gun shooter.

METAL SLUG

And while we're talking about run-and-gun shooters, we got to talk about Metal Slug. Obviously, it's one of the most influential run-and-gun shooters ever made. Every game in the series is great, and the Sega Saturn did get a port, and it only came out in Japan. So, the original Neo Geo version is obviously the most famous version, but I love that you're able to play this on the Saturn as well.

Based on this list alone, the Saturn just did 2D games so well. It's kind of a 2D powerhouse. So, Metal Slug fits into that library perfectly. I love Metal Slug. I don't really need to say much else about it. I think you all know this game. Again, one of the best run-and-gun shooters of all time.

TEMPEST 2000

So, this one might be a weird choice, but I love Tempest 2000. I originally played this on the Atari Jaguar, but the Saturn also got a version, which is pretty much essentially the same. If you've never played Tempest 2000, it's pretty much a reboot of the '80s arcade game. So, it's kind of a shooter, but you move around the edge of various shapes.

And you're going to see these enemies that are kind of crawling towards you. So, you just keep moving around, sometimes in a circle, sometimes it's a triangle. Visually, this game is very simple, but it's one of those games where once you lock in and you really get into the zone, it becomes incredibly addictive. And it really doesn't need any more detail here.

Visually, it just does everything that it's supposed to do. The only thing that would make this version better is if there was a Sega Saturn rotary knob controller. But regardless, if you haven't played this co-op, it's a lot of fun and I highly recommend it.

Tempest 2000 (Sega Saturn), gameplay captured from my video. — Tempest 2000 (Sega Saturn)

FINAL THOUGHTS

So, there you go. Those are 20 of my favorite co-op Sega Saturn games, games that came out in the US and in Japan. What are your favorites? There’s actually a lot of games that I still could have chosen. There’s so many shoot ’em ups. These are just three of them that are my favorite, but there’s probably like 10 others that I could have thrown into this list as well.

For more games to play together, check out my 20 PS1 co-op games, co-op games that never left Japan, and the Classic Co-op database.