Working Designs localized it with a cloth map and a felt figurine. The game warranted the care.
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete was released for Sega Saturn in January 1996 — a remake of the original Sega CD Lunar, developed by Game Arts with fully animated anime cutscenes, CD audio voice acting, and an expanded story. The North American localization by Working Designs became known for packaging extras: cloth maps, felt figurines, and collectible items that treated the release as an event rather than a product. The game's story — Alex's journey from a small village to the Dragonmaster trials — was praised for warmth and character writing that distinguished it from contemporaries. Working Designs' localization added comedic dialogue touches that remain both beloved and debated. Lunar sold over 200,000 copies in North America.
About this game
Released on Sega Saturn in October 1996, Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete is a full remake of the 1992 Sega CD classic, rebuilt by Game Arts with anime cutscenes, voice acting throughout, and a completely new score by Noriyuki Iwadare. The story follows Alex, a young man who dreams of becoming a Dragonmaster, as he journeys with his companions toward a destiny involving the goddess Althena. The Complete version was designed to be the definitive telling of the Lunar story, and its emotional sincerity — the game wears its heart loudly — made it one of the most celebrated Japanese RPGs of the era.
Key Features
Full voice acting throughout the game including all cutscenes and many battle cries, anime-style animated sequences produced for the Saturn version, Noriyuki Iwadare's new orchestral score replacing the Sega CD original, a party of five characters each with distinct personality arcs, and a love story that develops across the full length of the game with unusual emotional directness.
Gallery
The Story Behind
Game Arts, the developer responsible for both Lunar and Grandia, occupied an unusual position in 1990s Japanese game development — a studio associated specifically with emotionally sincere storytelling and technically ambitious production values for the CD-ROM format. Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete on Saturn demonstrated that the platform could support a different kind of RPG than the Sega-published titles — character-focused, emotionally warm, and unashamed of its anime influences. The Working Designs localisation of the PlayStation port became notorious in North America for its eccentric translation choices and the lavish physical extras included in the retail package.
Tricks & Tales
Composer Noriyuki Iwadare wrote an entirely new score for Silver Star Story Complete, replacing the original Sega CD music. His work has been cited as one of the finest RPG soundtracks of the Saturn era; the theme 'Wings' (used for the ending) became particularly well-regarded. Game Arts also developed Grandia, which released on Saturn in 1997 — the two games share a similar emotional approach to RPG storytelling and represent a distinctive style of 1990s Japanese RPG outside the Square and Enix mainstream. The Lunar series received a third entry, Lunar: Dragon Song, on Nintendo DS in 2005.
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.
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete copies regularly.
Will this Japanese Sega Saturn disc work on a North American or European Saturn?
No. The Sega Saturn uses BIOS-enforced regional lockout. Japanese discs will not run on Western Saturn consoles without modification — options include a mod chip, a region-free BIOS swap, or an Action Replay cartridge (which bypasses region protection on many titles). A Japanese Sega Saturn is the most straightforward solution. The discs themselves are standard CD-ROM — the incompatibility is software-only.
Does the Sega Saturn require a backup memory cartridge to save this game?
The Saturn has a small internal backup memory (approximately 32KB) maintained by an internal CR2032 battery. This shared memory fills quickly across multiple games. Many Saturn titles — especially RPGs — recommend or require a Saturn Backup Memory cartridge for adequate save space. If the internal CR2032 battery is dead, the console loses all internal saves on power-off. Replacing the battery is a straightforward maintenance task and is strongly recommended for any Saturn that has not had it changed.
How should I inspect and care for a Sega Saturn disc?
Check the data side under light for scratches. Wipe from the center outward in straight radial strokes with a soft lint-free cloth — never circular. The Sega Saturn laser is known to be sensitive as hardware ages; if a disc fails to load despite appearing clean, the console laser may need cleaning or recalibration. Laser failure is one of the most common maintenance issues in Saturn hardware.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
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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