The pitch they said no to became the game they couldn't have made for them.
In the mid-1990s, Argonaut pitched Nintendo a 3D platformer starring Yoshi. Nintendo said no — they didn't want third parties using their characters. So Argonaut took the same idea and made it their own: a cheerful crocodile named Croc, bright tropical islands, a story written by their own team. The game sold more copies than anything Argonaut had made before. It topped UK sales charts for two months. Years later, at a trade show, Shigeru Miyamoto walked up to Jez San and apologised for not making Yoshi Racing together. But by then, Croc had already found its own way home. Sometimes the door you wanted closed is the one that sets you free.
About this game
Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is a 1997 platform game for the sega saturn, developed by Argonaut Games. It belongs to the Croc series.
Gallery
The Story Behind
Croc: Legend of the Gobbos began as a pitch to Nintendo for a 3D platformer titled 'Yoshi Racing' starring the character Yoshi, blending mechanics from Super Mario World and Super Mario Kart. After Nintendo rejected the proposal, Argonaut Games reworked the concept into an independent project, with Simon Keating writing the story and designing characters. Released in 1997 for PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and Windows, the game became a bestseller in the UK for two months and was Argonaut's most successful title. The game was developed using Argonaut's proprietary BRender engine, the same technology behind their earlier work on Star Fox. Development was led by Jez San's team at Argonaut Software, with composer Justin Scharvona creating the soundtrack. The character design deliberately avoided Nintendo's aesthetic after the Yoshi proposal was rejected, resulting in Croc's distinctive anthropomorphic crocodile appearance with a backpack and scarf.
Tricks & Tales
Croc's tail-attack mechanic was specifically designed to differentiate the gameplay from Mario 64's punch-based combat. The Japanese version released by MediaQuest in March 1998 featured a fully localized manual with additional character backstory not present in Western releases. Years after the game's release, Shigeru Miyamoto approached Argonaut's Jez San at a trade show and apologised for not making Yoshi Racing together — by then, Croc had already become Argonaut's most successful title.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
The Sega Saturn enforces a strict regional lockout in hardware. A Japanese NTSC-J console will not boot PAL or NTSC-U discs, and vice versa. To play import software you need one of three solutions: a mod chip soldered to the board, a cartridge that plugs into the expansion slot and overrides the region check (such as an Action Replay or dedicated region-free cart), or a replacement region-free BIOS chip. Note that region unlocking alone does not change the video refresh rate — a PAL console playing an NTSC-J disc will still run at 50 Hz unless a separate frequency mod is also applied.
Maintenance Tips
The Sega Saturn reads GD-style discs but uses a standard CD-ROM drive, so lens care is the same as any optical drive: keep discs clean, handle them by the edges, and store them in cases. The more well-known maintenance issue is the internal CR2032 battery that backs the SRAM save memory and the real-time clock. This battery was typically rated for one to two years of standby use; on any console manufactured in the 1990s, it has long since expired. The first symptom is the system asking for the date and time at every boot. If that prompt appears, replace the battery promptly — save data corruption or total loss follows shortly. The battery can be swapped while the console is powered on (hot-swap) to avoid losing existing saves.
Going deeper
Explore the machine this game ran on, and what to check before you buy or care for one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Croc: Legend of the Gobbos copies regularly.
Is the Sega Saturn version of Croc different from the PlayStation version?
Yes. The Sega Saturn version runs at a lower resolution (320×224 pixels) and is noticeably darker than the PlayStation version. Some early printings also have a graphical bug: if you start the game from the console menu instead of directly at power-on, Croc's head (and some enemies) may be invisible. The bug doesn't break the game, but it does affect visibility. If you're buying an early Saturn copy, it's worth asking the seller whether they've tested it from the console menu.
Does the Sega Saturn version have all the music from the original soundtrack?
No. The PlayStation version is the only one that supports surround sound and includes the complete original soundtrack. Both the Sega Saturn and Windows versions are missing some music tracks. The Saturn version also lacks the PlayStation's audio richness — if the soundtrack matters to you, the PlayStation version is the one to seek.
Is Croc: Legend of the Gobbos region-free on Sega Saturn?
No. The Sega Saturn is region-locked, so a Japanese copy won't play on a North American or European console without a hardware modification or cartridge adapter. The game itself is the same across regions — only the packaging and manual language differ. The Japanese version released by MediaQuest in March 1998 includes additional character backstory in the manual not found in Western releases.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Croc: Legend of the Gobbos
A short checklist for buying a used Sega Saturn disc wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Check the disc for scratches
Deep scratches on the playing surface cause freezes and read errors. Light surface marks are usually fine.
Ask for a clear photo of the disc's underside. A seller who tested it will confirm it loads and plays through.
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Make sure it fits your console
This is a Japanese Saturn disc. The Saturn is region-locked, so a Japanese disc needs a Japanese console or a region workaround.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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Saturn saves rely on a console battery
The Saturn keeps internal saves on a CR2032 battery in the console (not the disc). A dead console battery loses internal saves and resets the clock.
This is about your console, not the disc — but worth knowing so saves aren't lost.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
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Rooms this game lives in
Wander deeper — explore the themed rooms where Croc: Legend of the Gobbos sits alongside its kin.
Memories from around the world
This is a young museum, and this page is still waiting for its first voices. The memories people send reach Taisei personally, and the ones that move him find a home here over time — always with the writer's blessing. Yours could be the very first for this game.
Share your memory ↑From the Museum's Screening Room
Croc Legend Of The Gobbos — Max Explains