SegaXtreme Saturn 31st Anniversary Homebrew Showcase - Entry Thread

[Ervilsoft]

Hey everyone,

For this year’s submission, I decided to recreate the classic Flash game The World's Hardest Game on the Sega Saturn.

This year I honestly didn’t have much free time to work on anything, but I still wanted to participate, so I managed to throw something together at the last minute.

Sorry reviewers. I swear I did not make this game specifically to annoy you guys…

The World's Hardest Game

May 10, 2026

A recreation of the classic flash game for the Sega Saturn

• Ervilsoft
• Sega Saturn

 

[nando]

My main entry - the final/completed version of Pixel Poppy Pong!

I spent waaay too much time on this. I hope somebody plays it 😀

Main updates:

• Ported from Jo-Engine to SRL (basically completely re-written)
• Particle system
• Pixel-Art redrawn from scratch
• Completed "story mode"
• Enhanced gameplay
• New music
• Faster Loading time
• Uses RTC to change game assets (try messing with the clock!)
• Lots of easter eggs

See this readme for additional technical details and the gameplay manual:

pixelpoppypong-srl/README.md at main · bimmerlabs/pixelpoppypong-srl

sega saturn cat pong (Saturn Rings Library edition) - bimmerlabs/pixelpoppypong-srl

github.com

See the resource page for the download link:

N

Pixel Poppy Pong!

Jan 19, 2024

It's Pong.. but with cats!

• nando
• Homebrew

 

[slinga]

UPDATE: Fixed Satiator hang related to VCD Card detection. Please test with 3.7.1 if you are using Satitator: Release Fix Satiator Hang · slinga-homebrew/Save-Game-Copier. Thank you to Reyeme for reporting and testing.

My entry is Save Game Copier 3.7.0 Alpha: Release Contest Entry Alpha · slinga-homebrew/Save-Game-Copier. Save Game Copier is a utility to transfer Saturn save game files. This release is based very much on the work of the community. I ported work from the community to Jo Engine and then to Save Game Copier.

The three new features are:

• Modem Support (Experimental, Write-Only)
• Serial Link Support (Experimental, Write-Only)
• VCD Card Dumping Support

I ask the reviewers to only review these three features and not anything from previous years.

Usage
From the README.md:

Modem Support (Experimental, Write-Only)​

SGC supports both the Netlink and Saturn Modem. This has only been tested with the Netlink Internet Tunneler.

• Setup Netlink Internet Tunneler
  • Add Save Game Copier to netlink_config.ini:

[server:199407]
name = SaveGameCopier
host = 127.0.0.1
port = 4827

• Start netcat listening: nc -l 4827 > save.BUP
• Start the Netlink Intrenet Tunneler
• Within SGC click on a save and select "Send to Modem"
  • This will dial the tunneler and send the data
• The 512k BIOS takes about 9 minutes to send

Serial Link Support (Experimental, Write-Only).​

If you have a custom serial link adapter you can send saves to PC.

• Start SGC
• On your PC run picocom: picocom -b 209954 -g ** Example: picocom /dev/ttyUSB0 -b 209954 -g BIOS.BIN
• Within SGC click on a save and select "Send to Serial"
• The 512k BIOS takes about 30s to send
• The SGC screen will be blank but you will data on picocom

Dumping VCD Card Firmware​

SGC can dump the firmware of your VCD card. If your VCD card is detected there will be a "VCD Card" menu option. Satiator does not support the VCD card.

Prior to adding these features to Save Game Copier I implemented them in Jo Engine with Demos. My work is based on the community's work, so it only made sense to contribute it back again.

1) Modem (joengine/Samples/demo - modem at modem · slinga-homebrew/joengine)

• Not merged to Jo Engine yet

2) Serial Link (joengine/Samples/demo - serial link at master · johannes-fetz/joengine)

3) VCD Card (joengine/Samples/demo - vcd card at master · johannes-fetz/joengine)

• Only supports detecting the VCD card and dumping it's firmware. No other features (playback, etc) are implemented

Future Work (no ETA!)

• Get recv working on the Saturn side for Modem and Serial Link. This will require thought, spewing bytes to a PC is pretty easy. Ultimately I envision a single python script that can handle both.
• Get video playback with the VCD Card working. Will require RE-ing the firmware

Community Help
I figure this is a good time for to ask for help.

• My Jo Engine modem branch is very early. Code review and guidance would be appreciated. GitHub - slinga-homebrew/joengine at modem
• If anyone with art skills wants to improve my Jo Engine demo images I won't complain.
• I haven't tested the new SGC Alpha. Testing always welcome.

Thanks

• Thank you to Johannes Fetz for Jo Engine and adding features needed by Save Game Copier.
• Thank you to CyberWarriorX for mpgromdump which was the basis for the VCD dumping support
• Thank you to rudger and likeagfeld for Disasteroids Netlink which was the basis for the modem support
• Thank you to Knight0fDragon for sending me a Saturn serial to USB cable
• Shiro for allowing me to buy a Japanese Modem to test with
• eaudunord for the Netlink Internet Tunneler
• I apologize if I missed someone

 

[benclaff]

Hi,

I submit these sources to the tools category :

GitHub - benclaff/culdcept_saturn_tools: Tools for Sega Saturn's game "Culcept" : translation and hacks

Tools for Sega Saturn's game "Culcept" : translation and hacks - benclaff/culdcept_saturn_tools

github.com

These tools allow translating many elements of the game "Culdcept".
As described in more details in the GitHub repository README, I aborted this work following the announcement of "Culdcept the First" in the "Sega Saturn Tribute Series". Still, tools are mostly functional.

I let the judges decide if this entry is valid or not as a tool entry.
I'm fine with disqualification if this is considered as "incomplete" / "not enough". 🙂

I also attach here a SSP patch, which is a very limited demo to showcase that tools are working.

 

[the.chojin]

Hi, quick last minute entry :

noiz2sa-0.51a-saturn​

Github : GitHub - willll/noiz2sa-0.51a-saturn

Based on : Noiz2sa
I used GP32 port alongside with v5.1 source code.

Controls : A Fire, Start Pause, d-pad to move the ship.

ISO : noiz2sa-0.51a-saturn-v0.1.zip

Kwon issues :
* It is missing BUP integration for hi-score saving,
* Game can crash because of memory allocation
* Game title is not using the original sprites
* Foes stop shooting because of the bad memory management,

Thanks to:

* SRL team for SRL framework : GitHub - ReyeMe/SaturnRingLib: Wrapper for SGL in c++​

* Hassmaschine for ponesound driver for SRL : GitHub - bimmerlabs/Ponesound-SRL: Sega Saturn sound driver for SRL​

* Ponut64 for sound : GitHub - ponut64/SCSP_poneSound: 68K Driver​

* cafe-alpha for USB Gamer's cartridge : PPCenter :: Saturn Cartridges​

* vbt for reminding me that 5 FPS is not acceptable for a game, and for GCC toolchain !​

 

[Tails of Saturn]

Well, I submitted my homebrew at the very last minute, a project called Dragon Ball Saturn.

The idea here was to mix one of my favorite games, Guardian Heroes, with one of my favorite anime series, Dragon Ball. The game is a beat ’em up that features sprite depth mechanics, along with a second playable/support character, Kuririn, who helps you during the fights.

There’s also a small world map included. The goal is to create a more open and non-linear experience, where you can use the Dragon Radar and search for the Dragon Balls in any order you want.

This demo currently contains only one stage, and the last time I was able to work on it was back in November 2025. So it’s still far from the ideal version, but it should already give a good idea of what I have in mind.

As for development, I’m using Jo-Engine, but for the in-game graphics I ended up using SGL to help save video memory. The game also relies heavily on CD streaming and loading, so I recommend testing it on an ODE.

I’m planning to use everything I learned from this project to create something original in the future. Even so, I still intend to keep working on this fan game little by little. Hope you enjoy it!

Fun fact: I’ve tested this homebrew on the Sega Pluto lol.

Is there a download link?

 

[fafling]

20/05/2026 update : added password lists in the fix patch archive for all levels and all difficulties, one to start levels with all stats maxed out, and, in case you'd find the game too easy, one for default start (so with 100% health, 0% armor, 50 bullets, no backpack, only fist and pistol).

So by special decision of the jury, I get to submit Doom fix patch v0.3 even if it was late to the party :

• Startup :
  • Boot sector program IP.BIN made region free and updated with patch version and date.
  • Adds a sound effect when interrupting the logo sequence by pressing start (same sound effect than when pressing start on the title screen).
• Controls :
  • Restores weapon bidirectional cycling, including during pause, while keeping the rollover that the Saturn commercial version introduced. Weapon cycle is inverted when maintaining the use button while pressing the cycle weapon button.
  • The interval during which the chainsaw is going up no longer prevents any weapon cycling (problem present in the PSX version).
• Status bar : adds slot 0 in the weapon indicators of the status bar for the fist. This slot's number turns red to indicate a berserk condition.
• Performance : noticeably improves framerate again. It's now smooth in the simpler levels, but it can still go quite down in the more complex ones.
• Graphics : fixes additionnal gaps in graphics present in the PSX version (missing wall columns, rare missing sectors).
• Flats :
  • Removes 2 pixels expansions that made the sides of ground or ceiling sectors overlap with walls (problem present in the PSX version). It reveals a few remaining gaps but it looks much better overall.
  • Improves the precision of the low detail flats with high detail limits that were introduced in v0.2 to improve performance.
• Walls :
  • Fixes last wall texture column being always replaced by the 2nd one (bug introduced by the Saturn commercial version in the workaround for texture repetition, see below).
  • Wall textures are no longer stretched on walls higher than 256 pixels (problem present in the PSX version). They can now repeat over walls of up to 384 pixels, with a horizontal offset of one column every 128 pixels. That offset was present in the Saturn commercial version and it won't be fixed, otherwise it would hurt performance (VDP1 can't repeat a texture so texture length is extended when needed to following columns as a workaround, causing those offsets).
  • Fixes the horizontal sliding of wall textures when viewed at an angle (bug present in the PSX version).
  • Fixes incorrect diminishing light shading on walls that are partially hidden by another wall on their left (bug present in the PSX version).
• Automap :
  • Removes status bar stats flicker when the map is toggled.
  • Damage and item pick up color effects now work on the black background, not only on map lines. The color effects working on the automap was an improvement of the Saturn commercial version over the PSX version.
• General : retores some error checks (all had been disabled in the Saturn commercial version), but with a handling that is faster and doesn't crash the game unlike the PSX version, so for example a sector won't be rendered and the reason will be displayed by a message (I have yet to see one without forcing it with code modification).
• Patch bugfix :
  • Fixes inversion between odd and even lines of animated wall textures (bug introduced in v0.2).
  • Fixes rare vertical one line shakes of the status bar (bug introduced in v0.2).
  • Fixes artifacts on the side of the screen when returning to the title screen from a demo or a level (bug introduced in v0.2).

 

[EmeraldNova]

Entry List

Original Games - 14
Fist of ouchie Saturn	Nolan​
Coup	Team Coup (Farkus / Rudger (Julian))​
Interactive Particle Generator	Pixel Poppy Productions
flashback 2sfp edition	vbt
Heavy: Overdrive Drift	vbt
FPS Tech Project	Ponut64
Shadows of Peakwater	500Zorkmids
SIMple City V0.2	PenguinEmporium
Dragon Ball Saturn	Nai Adventure
QuadWorld	ReyeMe, Shiroiii, Purist
The World's Hardest Game	Ervilsoft
noiz2sa-0.51a-saturn	willll
SECRET	???
Pixel Poppy Pong 2026	Hassmaschine

Hacks / Patches (Not Translation) - 3
Disasteroids Netlink	Farkus and SupahFly
Light-Gun QoL Improvements Pack	privateye
Doom fix patch	fafling

Translations - 8
Riglord Saga 2 English Translation Showcase	DragonsOfSaturn
Sword & Sorcery - English Patch	wiredcrackpot and Rasputin3000
Dragon Ball Z - The Legend - English Translation	wonder-inc
Sakura Wars 2 English Translation	Sakura Wars Translation Team
SECRET	???
Astra Superstars Menu Translation	Exxistance
Iron Storm: Operation Files	Hemulen
Iron Storm English Retranslation	Hemulen

Utilities - 6
Orbital Organizer	Derek Pascarella (ateam)
Enceladus Worlds	Tails of Saturn
AVR Audio/Video Rendering	Jollyroger
Saturn TON Editor	Frogbull
Culdcept Translation Tools	benclaff
Save Game Copier	SupahFly

 

[EmeraldNova]

Well, I submitted my homebrew at the very last minute, a project called Dragon Ball Saturn.

The idea here was to mix one of my favorite games, Guardian Heroes, with one of my favorite anime series, Dragon Ball. The game is a beat ’em up that features sprite depth mechanics, along with a second playable/support character, Kuririn, who helps you during the fights.

There’s also a small world map included. The goal is to create a more open and non-linear experience, where you can use the Dragon Radar and search for the Dragon Balls in any order you want.

This demo currently contains only one stage, and the last time I was able to work on it was back in November 2025. So it’s still far from the ideal version, but it should already give a good idea of what I have in mind.

As for development, I’m using Jo-Engine, but for the in-game graphics I ended up using SGL to help save video memory. The game also relies heavily on CD streaming and loading, so I recommend testing it on an ODE.

I’m planning to use everything I learned from this project to create something original in the future. Even so, I still intend to keep working on this fan game little by little. Hope you enjoy it!

Fun fact: I’ve tested this homebrew on the Sega Pluto lol.

I did not see this entry on the entry form. Did you enter the game in the showcase?

 

[KoolFiller]

I wish I had entered something. Probably my new Bubble Symphony patch. It's cool, I'll try to enter something next year.