Here’s one of my Sega Saturn Model 1 consoles that I’ve managed to get working again. This one is particularly important to me because it has a VA0 mainboard, from the earliest PAL Saturn revisions. The problem was the CD lid, which wasn’t pressing down properly to activate the switch that tells the console the drive is closed.

I tried adjusting the switch without success, but swapping the lid with one from another Saturn did the trick. Unfortunately, that leaves me with a scrap machine sporting a rather uncooperative lid, but at least this VA0 is back in action.

What better way to celebrate than a quick game of Sega Rally Championship? I’m fairly certain I’ve got this game worked out. Just watch my drifting!

Well, that’s the theory anyway. One minute I’m drifting around corners, the next I’m bouncing off the scenery like I’ve entered some sort of Sega pinball tournament. I’ve always been more of a Need for Speed or Virtua Racing sort of person, and apparently this rally-driving business requires rather more skill than I’ve brought along today.

I even discover that you can drive around the track in the wrong direction. For the record, it isn’t any easier backwards.

My magnificent driving career eventually comes to an end, but the Saturn itself has behaved considerably better than I have. To finish up, I demonstrate the repaired lid by opening the drive, changing discs and closing it again. Everything is now detecting properly, which was the whole point of the repair.

So there we go. One working VA0 Sega Saturn and one extremely questionable performance at Sega Rally. The hardware is back in action, even if my driving skills still need a little work.