Difference between revisions of "Unlicensed Mega Drive clones"

From Sega Retro

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File:BBK MD5.jpg
 
File:BBK MD5.jpg
 
File:BBG-168 16bit Mega Drive Compatible (步步高168).jpg
 
File:BBG-168 16bit Mega Drive Compatible (步步高168).jpg
</gallery>
 
 
==Mega Drive 2==
 
From the mid-to-late 90s the Mega Drive template of choice predictably became the cost-reduced Mega Drive 2. Similar to before clones of this system became popular in South America, although there was also a following in parts of Asia. The simplified design of the Mega Drive 2 makes it very easy to reproduce - the number of Mega Drive 2 clones worldwide far exceeds that of other Sega clones, and was even the basis for some Famiclones.
 
 
===Genesis===
 
These "hybrid" Mega Drive 2s borrowing elements from both the Japanese and North American releases of the console are relatively common in South America. They shipped in Genesis 2 boxes (based on the Canadian packaging), however the instruction manuals call the system "Mega Drive 2".
 
<gallery>
 
File:MD2Clone1.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Macro Drive===
 
Originates from Taiwan.
 
<gallery>
 
File:MacroDrive1.jpg
 
File:MacroDrive2.jpg
 
File:MacroDrive3.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (Kontorland)===
 
Asian born clone found in South America. Shipped with [[PlayStation]]-style controllers.
 
<gallery>
 
File:KontorlandMD.jpg|Mega Drive 2 clone by [[Kontorland]]
 
File:KontorlandMD MD Box Front.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (MG Electronics Industry Co., Ltd)===
 
Chinese-born Mega Drive 2 clone with slight colour differences. The board is dated 19th October 2001.
 
<gallery>
 
File:MD2Clone28.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (Neon)===
 
Neon also made Mega Drive controllers. The box is similar to a North American Genesis model 2.
 
<gallery>
 
File:MD2Clone30.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (Sego)===
 
<gallery>
 
File:Sego MD.jpg
 
File:Sego Pad MD.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (unknown)===
 
This is perhaps the mother of all Mega Drive 2 clones. Not only is it fairly common, it sticks as closely as possible to the original Mega Drive 2 design so is very difficult to spot. Although build quality (and weight) are an obvious giveaway to its illegitimacy, from still photographs the situation is far less clear, as the box design mimicks that of the rarely seen West Asian variety, seen prodominently in Turkey and the Gulf states (Japanese-style console, European-style packaging).
 
 
Sega opted mainly for boxes that flipped open from the top, while typically these clones open from the side. Predictably it is frequently confused with the real thing, made worse by the fact it is likely more common than its official counterparts
 
 
Both one and two control pad variants exist. It is only assumed at this stage that they were both made by the same company. Sightings suggest they may only accept RF video connectors, but may support the [[Sega Mega-CD]].
 
<gallery>
 
File:MD2Clone9 Box Front.jpg
 
File:MD2Clone23 MD Box Front.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (unknown)===
 
Similar to the above. Copied European packaging showing a Japanese-style system, however here all Sega branding is removed. Common in Russia.
 
<gallery>
 
File:MD2Clone3 MD Box Front.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (Unknown)===
 
This one is from South America and it's very telling of the state of the unlicensed game market in the region - this one is labeled "NEW 2009" so there must still be a demand for these things.
 
<gallery>
 
File:MD2Clone8 Box Front.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (unknown)===
 
These Mega Drive 2s from Chinese based, Dubai owned Gigatron were produced with minimal changes and distributed in the Middle East in the mid-2000s the present day. Each one comes with a "132-in-1" multicart (later raised to 368) (which of course has far fewer than the advertised number of games).
 
 
<gallery>
 
File:MD2Clone20 MD Box Front.jpg|2005 model
 
File:MD2Clone20 MD Box Back.jpg
 
File:MD2Clone21 MD Box Front.jpg|2006 model
 
File:MD2Clone27 MD Box Front.jpg|2007 model
 
File:MD2Clone13 Box Front.jpg|2008 model
 
File:MD2Clone10 Box Front.jpg|2010 model
 
File:MD2Clone14 MD Box Front.jpg|2011 model
 
File:MD2Clone14 MD Box Back.jpg|2011 model
 
File:MD2Clone15 MD Box Front.jpg|398-in-1 2011 model
 
File:MD2Clone11 Box Front.jpg|2012 model
 
File:MD2Clone31 MD Box Front.jpg
 
File:MD2Clone31 MD Box Back.jpg
 
MD2Clone32 MD Box Front.jpg|2015 model
 
MD2Clone32 MD Box Back.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (unknown)===
 
North Amercan-style packaging, but same knock-off Japanese console you'll find elsewhere. Some adopt the North American colour scheme however.
 
<gallery>
 
File:MD2Clone18.jpg
 
File:MD2Clone18 MD Box Front.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (unknown)===
 
Here an 368-in-1 multicart gets a mention on the system itself.
 
<gallery>
 
File:MD2Clone19.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (unknown)===
 
A close copy of the "green" Asian model, but with a number of subtle differences.
 
<gallery>
 
File:MD2Clone22 MD Box Front.jpg
 
File:MD2Clone22 MD Box Back.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (unknown)===
 
<gallery>
 
File:MD2Clone26 MD Box Front.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (unknown)===
 
More Chinese-built Arab-sold Mega Drive 2s. Poor picture quality makes it difficult to deduce where they're from - could be StarGame, could be Gigatron. Other colours exist.
 
<gallery>
 
File:MD2Clone24 MD Box Front.jpg|2010
 
File:MD2Clone15 MD Box Front Pink.jpg|2011
 
File:MD2Clone25 MD Box Front.jpg|2012
 
File:MD2Clone29 Box Front.jpg|2012
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Mega Drive 2 (unknown)===
 
{{Scanbox
 
| console=Mega Drive 2
 
| region=??
 
| front=MD2 Box Front Asia Green.jpg
 
| back=MD2 Box Back Asia Green.jpg
 
| spinemissing=yes
 
| square=yes
 
| item1=Notavailable.svg
 
| item1name=Console
 
}}
 
 
===Mega Game II===
 
Released exclusively in Portugal, this is a unofficial Mega Drive II console  licensed (contrary to belief) by [[Sega]] and manufactured by [[Ecoplay]].There are two known versions of Mega Game II,both are region free, one is autoplay (once the cartridge is inserted the region is self-detected),the other (the rarest of the two) has a switch (located under the console) and curiously can force PAL games to run at 60hz.Both versions came bundled with one 6 Button Control Pad,a SCART Cable similar to [[SCART Cable (Mega Drive 2)]] and a AC adaptor .Official Sega Mega Drive 3 button control pads are compatible with the console,6 button control pads are not compatible.
 
<gallery>
 
File:Mega Game II.jpg
 
File:Mega Game II 6 Button Control Pad.jpg
 
File:Mega Game II AC Adaptor.jpg
 
File:MegaGameII MD Box Front.jpg
 
File:MegaGameII MD Box Back.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Sedaa===
 
Spotted in South America although likely originates from Taiwan or China.
 
<gallery>
 
File:Sedaa.jpg
 
File:Sedaa Pad.jpg
 
File:Sedaa MD Box Front.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Star Drive 2===
 
A clone from Asia. Three variants exist - whether they were produced by the same company has not been determined.
 
<gallery>
 
File:StarDrive2.jpg|Star Drive 2
 
File:StarDrive2 MD Box Front.jpg|
 
File:StarDrive2 Alt.jpg|Star Drive 2 by Dolphin
 
File:StarDrive2 MD Box Front Alt.jpg|
 
File:StarDrive2 MD Alt2.jpg| (has expansion port)
 
File:StarDrive2 MD Box Front Alt2.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===16 Bits ("The Alien System")===
 
A Mega Drive 2 without any Mega Drive 2 branding, in a Genesis 2-like box. Model number AL-9901.
 
<gallery>
 
File:16 Bits Alien System Box Front.jpg
 
File:16 Bits The Alien System.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
 
===Nicom===
 
<gallery>
 
File:Nicom MD2 1.jpg
 
File:Nicom MD2 2.jpg
 
File:Nicom MD2 3.jpg
 
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  

Revision as of 14:28, 19 August 2017

The Sega Mega Drive was a commonly cloned console during the 1990s, especially in smaller markets. There are potentially hundreds of different models, though few have been documented on the internet. This page covers some of the consoles that we know exist, but don't know much else about.

This list covers consoles whose origins are not yet confirmed, were sold in multiple markets, or whose known details are not yet sufficient to warrant its own page. Most were manufactured in the far East, however it is not always known which markets they were sold in.

BBK

Mega Drive in a Playstation-like case. Made by BBK (步步高). Compatible with Mega CD.This Model clone was release in 1996 by BBG company (a Chinese company and has renamed to "BBK" now, it is the "VIVO" and "OPPO Digital" parent company).Because the Sony Playstation design patent, it was saled only in China and not be experted to Russia and Brazil.

Super Alpha II

Found in Taiwan, model number SB-003. This one has a slightly different shell and is more akin to the European model.

Genesis 3

Despite its late arrival, the redesigned and further cost-reduced Genesis 3 unit became a popular item in South America... despite not being officially released there. Though some were imported from North America, many more clone consoles were manufactured on the cheap (the Mega 3 for example is extremely common in Argentina). Unlicensed Genesis 3 clones were manufactured well into the 2000s and may still be in production to this day.

16 Bits ("The Alien System")

A Genesis 3 without any Genesis 3 branding, also sold in South America.

Century Japan

Dream Play

Genesis 3 (16-Bit")

Genesis 3 minus Sega branding, sold in South America.

Genesis 3 (unknown)

Genesis 3 (unknown)

There are many Genesis 3 clones, all with subtle changes.

Others

"16 Bit Game"

Dodgy looking Mega Drive clone from China, complete with crazy light gun.

16 Bit TV Game

Also from China, two clones by a company known as "Gap International Limited". One looks like a Mega Drive 2 in white, the other is completely new. Model numbers GA-16B1 and GA-16B2 respectively.


Mega Drive III

Sega Mega Drive clone with custom body shape

Unsorted


Unlicensed Mega Drive clones
Clone consoles
Mega Drive | Mega Drive 2 | Genesis 3 | "Mini" models | "PlayStation" models | Keyboard models | Famiclone models | VCD/DVD players | Others


Mega Drive Mega Drive 2 Genesis 3
AT-168 | FR-302 | High Quality | HK-986 | KW-500 | Mega-Ken | Pro 16 Bit | Super Drive Extreme Land Mega Drive 2 | Game Drive 2 | Liko BBG-688 | Mega Drive II (StarGame) | Mega Drive 4 | Mondial Drive II | New Star 2 | Star Drive 2 | Super Drive | Super Mega Driver | ZW-162J | ZW-165A Game Joy | Mega Drive Junior | Sponge | ZW-2000
Other designs
1990s AX-660 | AX-990 | BBG 168 | BBG 188 | EZcom | Game VCD | KW-501 | KW-502 | KW-503 | KW-504 | KW-505 | Megavision | Modern Mate | New 16 Bit | Power Magicom | Super Alpha II | Super 16 Bit
2000s C-11 | Car Game | CyberShell | CyberSmart | Dream X | Dual Action | e-time Game Play | GamBrothers | GN Twin | GS-200 | FC3 Plus | Kid Box | Kombat 16 | Magistr 16 | Neo-16 | Noritul FX-16 | Premier | RetroN 3 | Sega Driver | Sega Millenium | TV Pump | ZW-166A | ZW-1688 | ZW-16DC | ZW-16P3 | ZW-16XB | ZW-163 | ZW-167 | ZW-169 | ZW-V21
2010s 16 Bit Compact MD HDMI | Fei Hao HD Retro Game | Hamy SD | Hamy 4 | HD Game System | MD Compact | MegaRetroN HD | Mega Sg | Minigen | Minigen HD | PAP1000 | RetroN 5 | Super Retro Trio | Super Retro Trio Plus
2020s 2E Game Console 16 bit | Dendy Nimbus | Dendy Retro | Dendy Smart | Hamy 5 | MixHD | Nimbus Smart | Polymega | RetroN 3 HD | SG800
Portables
Cartridge-based 16 Bit Pocket MD | Advance Digitals | DVTech Discovery | ES-2016 | HG-806 | Mega Drive Portable | MDPortable | One Station | Pocket MD | PXP Slim Station | RetroGen | ZW-16M
Emulator-based !QU | Dinax Pixel Games | eMote | EXEQ | Favorite G18 | Game King A-330 | Game Station A-320 | JXD S7300B | Sameo | SD Portable
Clone console "families"
Data Frog | Game-In | Game Box | Game Stick | Magic Drive | Magistr Drive | Maniac Drive | Orbita OT-TYG | Retro Genesis | Super Drive | Super Console X | Titan | Mega Dream | SZGV | V-Com