A Bit Special

Two of the most collectable Saturn games rightfully revived by City Connection for more to savour their femme fatale charms. Advanced Variable Geo has Battle mode where you can take on anyone, or Story mode full of scene setting cinematics where you play as Yuka chan. Very tasty graphics improving over the Super Famicom prequel. Also includes special moves that can only be utilised when on your last legs, evening up one sided bouts.

Saturn shooter Steam Hearts is a sizzlingly hot and saucy shmup brought to the table by the talented Giga. A heady combination of steamy cut scenes and frantic shoot ’em up action is the sort of fan service you can expect in Japan. Genki is grateful that the gameplay is more rewarding than Divine Sealing on the Mega Drive adopting an overhead perspective with shifts in style to keep things fresh. Thankfully the ship can take seven hits before biting the dust which is welcomed with the sheer volume of enemy fire as are the tight controls. A turbo boost can zip the ship through a tight squeeze to the pulsating beats to the soundtrack with a tap on the pad leaving a feeling of great satisfaction to have left behind the enemy hordes. The cut scenes come after defeating an end of level boss which are interesting characters to say the least. The Saturn version had full two player mode and makes good use of the machines 2D powers.