These days, game consoles having online connectivity is a given, but back in the 1990s, it was very much a novelty.
The Mega Drive and SNES both had online capabilities of some description thanks to extra accessories, as did the N64 via its Japan-only 64DD expansion and the Sega Saturn via its Netlink / Xband modem cartridges.
Only released in North America and Japan, these devices were supported by a limited range of Saturn games which would permit players to compete with one another down the phone line – a revelation by mid-'90s standards.
Naturally, the infrastructure these services ran on has long since been disconnected, but thanks to the efforts of modders, it's possible to take your Saturn online in 2024 – and James and Dan of The SEGAGuys fame have done just that.
The duo report that, while there's some noticeable lag in certain games (some worse than others), it's perfectly possible to play the likes of SEGA Rally, Virtua Fighter, Virtual-On and Sega Worldwide Soccer online today.
Both James and Dan are based in the United Kingdom (albeit at other ends of the nation) and say that the ping is incredibly low – "9 and 14 at most points, rising into the early 20s" – but it's wise to remember that this is a 30-year-old console going online in a rather unorthodox fashion, so don't expect performance to be the same as your PS5.
If you're interested in taking your Saturn online, then you'll need to follow this detailed tutorial.