Sega Saturn Densha de Go! Train Controller [Import]
Platform:  Sega Saturn
 
 
 
 
 
 

    Leave it up to the Japanese to create genres of games that would never seem obvious to those elsewhere.  While driving and flight simulations seem commonplace everywhere in the world, the train driving simulation was born of the Land of the Rising Sun.  It makes perfect sense when one considers how important railroads are to the daily Japanese commute.  One of the first and most popular series of these games is Densha de Go!, roughly translated, "Let's Go By Train!"  The Densha de Go! series recreates actual rail lines in Japan and puts the player at the controls of a number of different trains running a number of real world routes.  Signals must be observed, track conditions monitored, stops must be made, and most importantly your train must run on time.  While the games were a phenomenal success starting in the arcade, the control system never translated very well to a standard control pad for the home market.  To this end a special train controller was released for every home console system that received a version of Densha de Go! and the Sega Saturn was no different.

The Saturn Densha de Go! train controller is physically the same as the train controllers for the PlayStation and Dreamcast which vary only in terms of color and platform.  There are two control levers, a start and select button, and A, B, and C buttons.  In the center of the controller there is a recessed well, no this isn't a cup holder, it's where a train operator would set their pocket watch so they can keep proper time.

In the case of the Saturn controller, it was manufactured by Takara.  These controllers are modeled after the Densha de Go! arcade controls which were generally based on actual train controls used on trains throughout Japan.  The control on the left is for the train's gearing (off through 5) and pulls downward.  The gear stick glides smoothly however has a nice click as it goes through each gear.  It's also spring loaded so it can jump from any gear back up to off with just a touch.  The higher the gear, the more power the train will produce.  The control on the right is the brake lever and it has even more points of operation than the gear stick.  When turned all the way counter clockwise, as pictured above, the brake lever is in lock position.  This is almost like putting a car in park.  Turning it clockwise will snap it into the emergency brake position which is used for just what it implies.  Continuing clockwise there is a long spot with no notches until you turn it out of the red zone where it will snap into another position, this being brake notch 8, the most severe standard brake setting.  Turning the lever clockwise further will send it through another series of clicks and brake notches, from eight to zero.  Zero of course being that the brakes are fully disengaged.

The start and select buttons at the bottom control menu selection and game pausing.  A, B, and C vary depending on the situation but are normally used for some menu operations.  In game mode the C button operates the train's horn.  Surprisingly the buttons at the bottom are rubber as opposed to plastic which gives the controller a higher quality feel.

The controller shell is made of ABS plastic, no metal parts, so it's lightweight and durable.  I wouldn't wildly shove around the brake lever but it'll stand up well to normal use and frantic train operation when approaching a speed trap or a yellow signal.  Both levers move smoothly but still have a nice click as each notch is passed.  The gear stick moves especially smoothly due to being spring loaded.  It's almost as if it floats in your palm but stays put if you leave it in a specific gear and move your hand away.

Now there are some quirks with this controller I have noticed.  The controller does odd stuff if it's plugged in at system startup - instead of booting, the Saturn splash screen will start to load, then jump to the Saturn logo (like when you power on with the lid open), then go to the System Menu like the backup battery went dead.  However the battery, system data, and system will be fine - but the game will not load.  I'm guessing it has something to do with how the controller interfaces with the Saturn.  So to use the controller I let the game boot as normal with no controllers plugged in, then I plug in the train controller when the controller selection screen comes up (standard pad or train controller).  After that the game and controller work fine.

Over the years these controllers have continued to become harder to find, especially outside of Japan.  This was also the only version of the Densha de Go! controller to be released for the Saturn and it only works with the lone Saturn game in the series, Densha de Go! EX.  As the games have become more advanced so have the controllers, the current PlayStation 2 Densha de Go! Type 2 train controller adds extra features as well as a foot pedal but is far easier to find than the older incarnations.  While the game it operates with may have been surpassed by more modern versions, the controller is still solid and perfect.  If you own a copy of Densha de Go! EX then you really don't have a choice, you need this controller.  Similarly if you own this controller you probably have a copy of Densha de Go! EX since it's all you can play with it.

Remember that the Densha de Go! series is Japan only.  If these games were ever to venture outside of Japan they'd more than likely move to the UK first, then to the USA.  However this is likely to never happen so if you see one of these controllers and one of its games at a good price and in your same country then grab it.  You may not have the chance to do so again.
 

Written on 04-14-06 by David, insanedavid@classicplastic.net

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