Ray Tracing on a 1994 Sega Saturn? A Developer Pushes the Limits of Retro Hardware

The Sega Saturn, a fifth-generation home video game console released in 1994, is a fascinating piece of gaming history. Featuring a 32-bit architecture with dual Hitachi SH-2 RISC processors and two video display processors, its hardware was complex. However, a rushed North American launch led to insufficient third-party game support, and it was ultimately considered commercially unsuccessful, with lifetime sales of 9.26 million units.

In the world of PC gaming, real-time ray tracing didn't enter the mainstream until 2018 with the launch of NVIDIA's Turing-based RTX 20 series graphics cards, which sparked a new wave of graphical innovation. This makes the recent achievement on a three-decade-old console all the more remarkable. According to a recent report, a developer known as XL2 has successfully implemented ray tracing effects on the 1994 Sega Saturn.

 

Ray Tracing on a 1994 Sega Saturn? A Developer Pushes the Limits of Retro Hardware

 

The developer has created a small demo showcasing this feat. The method for achieving ray tracing is ingeniously simple, utilizing Binary Space Partitioning (BSP) to test all vertices. To work within the Saturn's significant hardware constraints, the engine is designed to only test the vertices of 3D objects. Furthermore, only one-quarter of the vertices are updated per frame, and the number of light sources is strictly limited to maintain performance.

 

Ray Tracing on a 1994 Sega Saturn? A Developer Pushes the Limits of Retro Hardware

 

Despite these limitations, XL2 successfully brought a form of ray tracing to the Saturn. The project also has several viable paths for future optimization. The developer notes that some of these improvements are "very easy to implement," while others will require "a bit more math," suggesting this impressive technical demonstration could become even more refined over time.

 

Ray Tracing on a 1994 Sega Saturn? A Developer Pushes the Limits of Retro Hardware

 

Historically, the Sega Saturn was designed to perfectly replicate 2D arcade games while also being capable of running 3D titles. It launched around the same time as Sony's original PlayStation (PS1). Although the PS1 was slightly less capable with 2D graphics, it ultimately won the console war thanks to more developer-friendly policies and a less complex architecture. This project by XL2 serves as a powerful reminder of the untapped potential within retro hardware and the incredible ingenuity of the homebrew development community.

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