I can't remember, but given the asymmetrical plug, does saturn require specific polarized power on the pins?
No, ac isnt polarized. (For the nit pickers, hot side etc doesn't matter far as this is concerned iirc)
I'm not sure about the American model, because I don't have it in front of me, but the Japanese Saturn uses a symmetrical plug - you can insert it either way. Also, I have the official cable that came with the Japanese Saturn, and it works just fine with the American Saturn. The PS1 and PS2 were like this, too.
Yea, the first component the power goes into (except maybe a fuse or MOV) is a full-wave bridge rectifier. Good old switch mode power supplies.
Both the NTSC(U) Saturn and NTSC(U) Dreamcast have polarized power input sockets and come with the appropriate "round/square" figure 8 non-grounded lead, I can't think of a reason other than most North American 2-pin (non-grounded) plugs are polarized (big pin/small pin) to suit the most common (of many options we have here) polarized outlets: Image show both grounded 3-pin and non grounded, polarized 2-pin North American plugs. Above image shows a typical North American grounded, polarized double outlet. The Japanese 2-pin plugs are not commonly polarized in my experience.
