Reimagining the 90s: What If Digital Foundry Had Emerged During PlayStation’s First Decade?

Digital Foundry first emerged on the Eurogamer platform in 2007, initially focusing on the differences between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 systems – but what if DF actually originated back in 1994, analyzing the fifth generation consoles: Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation? We can answer that query today with the launch of the first installment in an occasional series, where DF Retro revisits the consoles and games of the 90s, applying today’s techniques and technologies to explore the titles that arrived on both Sega and Sony platforms.

Cross-platform development back then was significantly different from how it functions in the current age. For the past eleven years, both Microsoft and Sony systems have utilized similar core AMD technology that is fundamentally PC-oriented, simplifying game development. During the PlayStation and Saturn era, developers faced two markedly different consoles that produced 3D graphics in entirely distinct ways (triangles on PS1, quads on Saturn) using disparate development environments. Although it is widely recognized that PlayStation’s 3D performance was notably superior to Saturn’s, the Saturn still managed to deliver some impressive results, with many titles arguably eclipsing their Sony counterparts depending on the implementation. Creators needed to be inventive when supporting multiple consoles, often employing varied methods to deliver their ports – despite the final output often appearing quite similar.

It is worth emphasizing the significance of the ‘lead platform’ – a concept we frequently overlook in modern times. Back in the day – and even into the Xbox 360/PS3 era – there existed the notion that games were developed with a specific console’s hardware in mind, taking advantage of their unique strengths. This is particularly evident in the Saturn/PlayStation period, where PlayStation-centric games might struggle on Saturn – and indeed, the reverse was also true. You’ll discover some intriguing examples of this dynamic showcased in today’s video.

This leads us to today’s latest DF Retro episode, where John Linneman aims to catalog the multi-platform driving and racing games of the fifth generation console period, utilizing the methods we have refined over the years, but applied to the mid to late 90s hardware. This task has been challenging – primarily because analysis relies on digital video footage, which was not available to us back then. Luckily, HDMI modifications for older consoles now provide that capability… at least for the PlayStation. The situation is considerably more complicated with Sega Saturn, where its blend of video layers from separate VDP1 and VDP2 processors currently renders HDMI mods impractical. However, we have almost overcome that challenge: Mike Chi’s RetroTink 4K can process and upscale RGB signals from the Saturn to such an impressive level of quality that we are able to work with the footage within our equipment, enabling the comparisons you witness today.

That said, we still faced obstacles. An electronic output derived from an analog source is not truly a desirable HDMI signal, and often manual validation of performance data was necessary – and yes, we mean frame-by-frame verification by sight. Meanwhile, let’s just say that the peculiar title on PlayStation featuring screen tearing proved quite perplexing to analyze, to the extent that much older algorithms developed early in Digital Foundry’s history came in handy.

Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy the video, as there is a wealth of exciting content to appreciate. The 90s were a captivating time for gaming.