Saroo [Sega Saturn]

SAROO – An affordable alternative to the ODE for the Sega Saturn 🎮

When it comes to flash carts and ODEs, the Sega Saturn has had quite a lot to offer in recent years. With devices such as the Fenrir, the MODE or the Satiator, retro fans have been able to enjoy their favourite games without needing the ageing CD drive – and save themselves the expense of collecting the original games on the secondary market.

But now a new contender has entered the fray that could really shake up the market: SAROO, an open-source cartridge that is technically both a flash cart and an ODE – and all for a competitive price of around €65! 😲

What exactly is SAROO?

SAROO was developed by TPUinx and is based on a clever principle: the device uses the Saturn’s cartridge port, thereby bypassing the CD drive entirely. This makes it – much like the Satiator – an attractive option even for beginners, as the CD drive does not need to be removed. A huge advantage!

You can store your game library on a MicroSD card (which supports BIN/CUE files, amongst others), and launch games via a simple user interface. What’s more, games from all regions run without any problems – regardless of whether the console is from Japan, Europe or the USA.

SAROO serves as a RAM expansion, memory module and flash cartridge all in one – impressive versatility in a compact package!

Open source has its pitfalls

However tempting it all sounds, you need to be aware of the pitfalls of an open-source project. Since the project really took off in 2023, there have been countless versions from China – some of which vary greatly in quality. My version from AliExpress arrived in a stylish transparent case with several stickers – well-made and visually very appealing. ✅

Setup & Configuration 🛠️

Installation is child's play. The SD card should be formatted as follows:

[SD card root folder]
  + [SAROO]
      + ssfirm.bin
      + saroocfg.txt
      + mcuapp.bin
  + [ISO]
      + [Game1] 
          + game1.cue
          + game1.bin
      + [Game2] 
          + game2.iso
  + [update]

Set language: lang_id = 1 for English or lang_id = 4 for German

• Set language: lang_id = 1 for English or lang_id = 4 for German
• Enable alphabetical sorting: sort_mode = 1

🎵 You can even set your own background image and music for the menu – a nice little feature!

Everyday life with SAROO

Games load in a flash, much faster than with the original CD drive. You’ll also notice shorter loading times whilst playing – although this can unfortunately lead to compatibility issues with some titles. However, these issues are being resolved with each new firmware update.

I find the save system particularly handy: SAROO automatically creates a save file on the SD card for every game – so you no longer have to worry about limited internal storage or incompatible memory cards. 🎮

If you do need to use the internal storage, simply hold down the X button when the game starts.

Minor flaws ⚠️

The Saturn’s cartridge port is notorious for being fussy – in my case, I had to plug and unplug the SAROO several times before it was reliably recognised. Even if you try to leave the cartridge plugged in permanently, this can lead to contact problems in the long run. So you’ll need to be patient from time to time.

Another point: although SAROO does not block the CD drive, it does block the Video CD/MPEG extension, which runs via the same block. Anyone using this will need to weigh up the pros and cons.

Burned CDs are also supported – in this mode, SAROO is recognised as a 1/4MB RAM expansion and memory card. A nice extra feature!

Firmware-Update 📥

Updating is simple:

1. Download the latest version from the TPUinx GitHub page
2. Copy files to the SAROO folder on the SD card
3. Adjust the configuration file (saroocfg.txt) if necessary

My conclusion 🕹️

SAROO isn’t perfect – but it’s unbeatable for the price! 💸 Whilst Satiator, MODE and Fenrir are significantly more expensive and usually require a more complex installation, SAROO offers a thoroughly reliable solution that is constantly being improved.

The large community that is constantly working on improvements gives me hope that SAROO could establish itself as the standard solution for Saturn in the future – especially for those who don’t want to invest a fortune.

If you’re keen to experiment a bit and don’t mind dealing with the occasional firmware update and connectivity issues, you’ll get a lot of enjoyment out of the SAROO!

👉 I highly recommend it – especially for budget-conscious retro fans!