The Sega Saturn homebrew and translation scene is hoppin’ this time of year. From new games to updates to translation patches and utilities, let’s take a look at some of the newest developments.
Sakura Wars 2 translation updates to version 1.1
The fans behind the English translation patch of Sakura Wars 2 updated it earlier this month. They said it fixes typos and other errors in the script as well as translates previously untranslated graphics in menus.
Version 1.1 of the patch can be downloaded from its SegaXtreme Resource page.
The update released on April 4, the 28th anniversary of Sakura Wars 2’s release on the Saturn. The lead editor, Bowl of Lentils, marked the occasion with a post on Bluesky.
“April 2026 marks the 28th anniversary of Sakura Wars 2 and the 1 year anniversary of our fan translation for the game,” Bowl of Lentils said. “To celebrate the occasion, the team has published an update to the patch that fixes various typos and a few untranslated graphics. Enjoy!”
The team’s translation patch initially released a year ago in April 2025 after six years of work.
Orbital Organizer updates to version 2.0
Derek “ateam” Pascarella updated his SD card management tool for Rhea and Phoebe optical drive emulators this month. He called it a complete rewrite of the tool’s graphical user interface.
“This is as good as ‘GOOD’ GETS for SD card management of the SEGA Saturn Rhea and Phoebe ODEs!” Pascarella said April 3 on social media.
Version 2.0.1 of the so-called Orbital Organizer can be downloaded from his GitHub.
The update brings the following things to the table:
- Complete rewrite from console application to cross-platform GUI (Windows, macOS, Linux).
- RMENU and RmenuKai now bundled, so users no longer need to source either themselves.
- Disc images can now be assigned to more than one virtual folder path.
- Compressed archives (ZIP, 7z, RAR) containing disc images can now be added directly.
- CUE-based disc images are automatically converted to CloneCD format (CCD/IMG/SUB) when saved to the SD card.
- CHD disc images are supported and automatically decompressed to CUE/BIN before conversion to CCD/IMG/SUB.
- New
IP.BINheader parsing technique implemented for improved metadata accuracy, verified against all 2,455 known Saturn disc images catalogued by Redump. - Auto-update functionality added for Windows and Linux builds (macOS presently not supported).
A couple days after the initial version 2.0, a 2.0.1 was issued to fix a minor issue with CUE to CCD conversion for Mode 2 discs.
Pascarella first released the Orbital Organizer last May to let users add, remove and modify disc images without keeping track of numbered folders or needing to use the RMENU rebuild process.
New entries to SegaXtreme Saturn Showcase
The entries are rolling in now that we’re under four weeks away from the deadline for the SegaXtreme Sega Saturn 31st Anniversary Homebrew Showcase.
Four submissions were posted to the thread in the last week by three different people, and two more people submitted entries earlier this month.
After their updates early this month, ateam submitted his Orbital Organizer and TrekkiesUnite118 submitted the English translation patch for Sakura Wars 2 on behalf of the team. Neither were entered into last year’s SegaXtreme competition.
Tails of Saturn, who made homebrew game Puff Pastry Panic last year, submitted Enceladus Worlds this week. It’s a model converter and stage builder for Jo Engine that he’s using to continue developing Puff Pastry Panic.
Farkus entered two homebrew games this week: A video game version of card game Coup as well as an update of Slinga’s Disasteroids game from 2023. Both of them feature online play using the latest version of the NetLink Tunnel and a server Farkus set up for lobbies. Coup is even cross-compatible between the Saturn version and a Web version.
Nando — aka Hassmaschine, developer of homebrew game Pixel Poppy Pong — entered a tech demo this week called Particle Effects Generator that does just what it says on the tin. “This demo is interactive,” Nando said on the game’s SegaXtreme Resources page, “the idea is you will try to make your own effects with the given parameters.” He added: “It looks incredible on a CRT!”
Before April, just two submissions had been posted to the thread since organizer Emerald Nova announced the showcase in November. They’re version 0.2 of a Sword & Sorcery English Patch from Wiredcrackpot and SHIRO!’s own Gregori Rasputin, and a homebrew game called Fists of Ouchie from ThatOneGuy.
The showcase’s deadline for entries is May 11. On or after July 8, all entries will be featured with a digital magazine from Emerald Nova and the panel of submission reviewers, a wrapup thread on SegaXtreme, and various livestreams and videos.
Leave a comment