After pressing the "start" button, the menu screen appears with the options shown. The slot labelled "reserved" is used only after you've finished the game once. An extra option called "A Long Day in the Imperial Theater" will then appear in that slot. To continue with saved games, simply go to the corresponding data slot and press the C button. To switch between native Saturn RAM and extra RAM (if available), use the left or right direction buttons. You can also copy or delete data using the lower buttons.

The options menu can be accessed in the starting menu and also during the game. Cursor speed controls how fast the cursor will respond to user action. You want it fast enough so you don't waste time waiting for the cursor to go from point A to point B, but you don't want it so fast that you can't accurately place your cursor where you want it. This is important if you don't have a mouse. To change the key definition, select "change" in the key def entry of the option menu, then map the keys with the desired functions. Once done, exit the key def menu and then select "confirm" in the key def entry of the option menu. Use "restore" in the key def menu to restore the original key def.

Sakura Taisen requires 90 blocks of RAM memory. if you don't have enough, you'll get the warning sign below. Either delete some other data from memory or use an external RAM cartridge. You can still play the game without enough RAM, but you can't save it and all data will be lost once the session's over.

During the adventure part of the game, the player assumes the role of Oogami Ichirou and interacts with the other characters. At various points of the game, timed-choices are presented to Oogami based on the LIPS (Live Interactive Picture System). Depending on how the player chooses, the subsequent development of the game will differ and the "Confidence Index" and "Love Index" for the various characters will also change accordingly. Not answering is treated as a response and can have consequences like other choices.

Most of the story happens inside the Imperial Theater. It has 2 floors above ground and 2 levels underground. To move Oogami, position the destination cursor on top of your destination (all valid destinations have pop-up labels) and press the C button. If Oogami meets someone while on his way or upon arriving at his destination, he'll show a surprised look. This usually indicates significant events in the story that you need to go through in order to proceed further.

When you meet someone and conversation's in order, you'll see the screen like the one on the left. Significant conversations have voices while ordinary ones don't. The text in the Message Window usually comes out following the pace of natural speech. For voiceless conversations you can hit either one of A, B or C buttons and cause a screenful of text to be displayed at once. For conversations with voices, you need to hit button B in order to skip both voice and text. When you get the message prompt at the bottom of the screen, hit A, B or C and proceed to the next segment.

One new feature in Sakura Taisen as compared with older RPG games is the use of an area-sensitive "hand-cursor" in place of the usual text-based action menus. Depending on where the hand-cursor is located, it'll change shape according to context, and the corresonding action will be different if a button is pressed. See table below for the meaning of the various hand-cursors:

	Normal cursor shown when cursor isn't over anything interesting		Look cursor equivalent to the "miru" choice in older RPG's. Used to investigate people's appearances as well as the surrounding
	Knock cursor shown when cursor is over a door, press a button to actually knock		Speak cursor equivalent to the "hanasu" choice in older RPG's. Used to speak with a person
	Move cursor equivalent to the old "iku" choice. Means to go somewhere else		Naughty cursor ^_^ reminds you that you're looking at where you shouldn't ^_^; Better look somewhere else or someone's confidence in you will decrease, for obvious reasons ^_^
	Fetch/Catch cursor used to pick up items or to catch hold of things	.	.

These are action choices without time-limits, usually for non-critical choices. Use the up and down buttons on the direction pad to select, and press C button to confirm.

Another Sakura Taisen innovation. Most action selections in Sakura Taisen are timed, so you have to make up your mind before time runs out. That means no dictionary ^_^; Not choosing anything is a valid choice and will have consequences like other choices.

There are occasions when you'll pick up items or when you need to use items in your possession. The Item Window will pop up then and you can use the hand cursor to examine an item or to go to the system menu etc.

Can be used to load a saved game (1st item) or to change system options (2nd item). The system window can be accessed during the game by pressing the "start" button. To exit the system window, select the third item.

This menu appears after the adventure part (ai-catch) and just before a battle. It's usually a good idea to save your game at this time so if the battle doesn't go well, you can always start from this point again instead of having to start from the beginning of the episode (or earlier). Also it's a good time to check the Confidence Index and Love Index of your team members (see below). This menu also appears after a battle's won.

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